Page 71 of Ride a Cowboy

“To see my girl.”

It was on the tip of Joel’s tongue to correct Oakley, to say our girl. Because as much as he wanted to deny it, that was how he’d begun to think of Sadie. Regardless, he managed to refrain. Part of him was just contrary enough to tell Oakley to have fun while he stayed home. Sadly, that wasn’t the stronger part.

“I wouldn’t mind tossing back a couple cold ones.” His nonchalance didn’t fool his best friend for a second.

“Cool. Sounds like we’ve got a date.” Oakley went back to throwing the hay bales on the trailer. Mercifully, the work distracted his friend enough that he couldn’t see the impact his comment had on Joel.

It wasn’t just the concept of a threesome that was holding Joel back. It was the way Oakley had looked at him the other night when Joel had taken off his shirt. They’d seen each other naked about a thousand times in the past. After all, they were roommates.

But Oakley had never looked at him with anything more than a passing glance; the typical once-up-and-down guys do to see how they compare.

The other night, Joel was certain he’d seen something more. Something that he really couldn’t handle.

Desire.

It was close to ten o’clock before he and Oakley rolled into Cruisers. A couple of cows had gotten loose and it had taken them several hours to find the bastards, get them penned back up, figure out where they’d made their escape and repair the damn fence. Joel had insisted they call it a night and hit Cruisers later in the week, but Oakley wouldn’t be swayed.

They walked in to find Sadie manning the bar as a couple of old guys sat nursing their beers, watching football highlights on the TV hanging behind the counter. A couple who appeared to be on a date was shooting pool. Other than that, the place was deserted.

Sadie looked tiredly toward the door as it opened, but her face quickly morphed to one of pleasure when she saw them enter. Joel liked that she was so happy to see them.

He and Oakley nodded hello to the other guys as they claimed stools at the opposite end of the bar. Sadie came over and leaned toward them. “What brings you guys in here so late on a Monday? I was just about to yell last call.”

“Good,” Oakley said. “Yell it and get these people out of here. We’ll help you close up.”

Sadie gave him a curious grin, but then she did as Oakley suggested. She poured them each a beer. Thirty minutes later, the place was empty save for the three of them. Oakley walked over to the old jukebox and threw in a few coins as Sadie finished washing the glasses.

She glanced up when the bar filled with the sound of “For You”. Oakley was a hardcore John Denver fan and there wasn’t anyone in town who didn’t know it, as the man was infamous for belting out “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” whenever the spirit moved him. Which it did way too often.

Oakley lifted his hand. “Come dance with me, Sadie.”

Sadie considered the invitation, and then she put down her dishcloth and met Oakley in the middle of the floor. Joel remained at the bar, though he turned to watch as Oakley took her in his arms, tugged her close and they swayed together.

He was reminded of the other night when Oakley and Sadie were kissing on the bed. Joel had stood apart from them, spellbound by how beautiful they were together. He hadn’t felt like an outsider or like he didn’t belong. Instead, it almost felt as if he were with them, a part of the kiss, the touch, the embrace.

It was odd. And enticing.

Oakley wanted to share her. It was a preposterous suggestion. Yet Joel had a sense that was the only way this thing shimmering between the three of them would ever work.

And as much as he denied it, he wanted to try it. Desperately. He’d spent a lifetime toeing the line, doing predictable shit, playing it safe. What would be the harm in breaking character…just this once…and indulging a fantasy?

He rose as the song was about to draw to a close and walked over to them. As the last note faded, he reached out for Sadie. She didn’t resist the pull, stepping into his arms as if it were the most natural thing and accepting his kiss.

Joel didn’t seek to do anything more than kiss her. He was still trying to figure out if it was right to initiate this, to follow Oakley down this path. When Sadie lifted her arms and ran her fingers through his hair, he stopped worrying about it.

He’d wanted Sadie for years. Hell, his crush on her had started all the way back in high school. She was two years older than him and all the guys on the football team had been half in love with her.

Of course that was half a lifetime and another Sadie ago. She’d been so different in school, more like the women she made fun of nowadays. Sadie had been Homecoming Queen her senior year, a fact that made Oakley laugh his ass off every time someone mentioned it to her.

He pulled away and looked at her. She gave him a crooked, oops-we-did-it-again grin.

“We’re going to have to work on our self-restraint,” he said, half-joking.

“No, we’re not.” Oakley stepped closer. “You don’t have to make a choice, Sadie.”

Joel gritted his teeth at the way his friend dropped the bomb, but forced himself to keep quiet. Oakley was all-systems-go on this crazy scheme of his.

Joel was sort of hoping Sadie would reject it out of hand. At least that would save him the trouble of trying to sort out the feelings rumbling around inside him.

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