Page 211 of Ride a Cowboy

Matt’s grip tightened and he slowly pressed his chest to her back. The sudden nearness drew her attention to the hard cock he was sporting in his jeans. She joined the intimate tango, pushing her ass more firmly against his erection and wiggling slightly.

Matt groaned softly. “Damn, sweetheart. Any word would work right about now. Please, fuck, yes, banana. I’d accept any of those.”

“Banana, huh?” She reached back and let her fingers lightly graze the thick banana currently residing in his denim.

“Jesus,” Matt moaned.

Mark cleared his throat. “Y’all realize I’m still here, right?”

Bridget licked her lips, her gaze landing on Mark’s firm, full mouth as she imagined the slow, deep, thorough kisses he would offer. “I know you’re here.”

Mark studied her now-moist lips and she knew they were on the same wavelength. It would have been impossible for either man to miss the longing, the need lacing her tone.

What the hell was she inviting? She’d decided days ago she wouldn’t come between the brothers. God knew she couldn’t choose between them. She shook herself for her thoughtless behavior. She wasn’t being fair to them.

Turning, she pulled away from Matt’s embrace, putting some distance between her and the cowboys.

“So,” she coughed, attempting to dislodge the lump in her throat, “who’s my teacher for today?”

Neither man answered. She wondered if she’d pushed them away with her thoughtless, teasing games.

Great, Bridge. Way to go too far. There was a name for women who acted like she had and it wasn’t a nice one. The words cock tease taunted her.

Panicking, she changed the offer. “Actually, I feel a bit guilty pulling you away from your chores. What if we skipped the riding lessons today and I helped you do whatever it is you usually do?”

Matt laughed. “You want to play rancher for a day?”

“It’s my last day. I’d sort of like to spend it with both of you. I know there are a lot of daily chores you need to get done around here, so put me to work.”

Mark looked at his brother. She noticed the silent communication in the glance. She’d never met two men who were so different and yet so close.

In the past two days, she’d learned a great deal about them. Typically the information had come from the other twin. Mark had spent ages telling her about Matt’s crazy exploits in high school—always with pride in his voice. He confessed to being envious that he’d never felt so free to go wild.

Yesterday, Matt admitted he didn’t take things seriously enough and he sometimes wished he were more responsible like his twin. There were times when she actually got a sense they were each trying to hook her up with the other brother, while flirting with her at the same time. It was confusing, heady, and wonderful to be the center of such flattering attention.

“Well?” she prompted.

Matt took his hat off and plopped it on her head. “You’re on. But be warned, we’re not going to take it easy on you.”

A dare. Oh my. He sure did know the way to her heart. “Bring it on, cowboy.”

The day passed in a blur of activity and hard work. It was an eye-opening experience for a city girl whose idea of working with her hands prior to meeting the James twins had basically meant sitting at a computer and typing eighty words a minute. They’d begun the day by feeding all the horses. Matt and Mark had nearly twenty-five different types of horses at the ranch—Appaloosas, paints, thoroughbreds, even one that was part Arabian. Some they owned, others they simply boarded and trained. She toted two tons of water and feed. When she groaned, Mark told to count her blessings that the temperature wasn’t below freezing, or they’d be chopping ice instead as their water heater was on the fritz. After the horses were supplied with food and water, they cleaned out stalls.

Matt and Mark teased her when she sat down on a bale of hay, thinking they were finished.

“Wow. I think I have hay in every crevice in my body. It’s even in my ass. How the hell could I get it there?”

Matt laughed as he plopped down beside her. “Well, you are sitting on a hay bale.”

“Smart-ass. It was there before I sat down.”

Matt reached over and picked a strand of the prickly stuff out of her hair. “You wield a mean pitchfork. You had that shit flying everywhere. Literally.”

She narrowed her gaze. “Very funny. I have blisters and I itch.”

“Ready to cry uncle, city girl?” Matt asked.

She looked at him with disbelief. “We aren’t finished?”

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