Page 19 of Hooking Up

The corner of Carter’s lips twisted up, and Quint shot him an amused smile. “At least someone’s getting action tonight.”

“Maybe we keep her trapped here until she sleeps off her hangover, and then we make our move.” The words popped out unbidden. Carter blinked, and Quint gave a small jerk.

“Wemake our move?”

He met his friend’s gaze. Was he seriously considering sharing Bella with his friend?

He slid his attention to the sleeping woman. She’d thrown one arm outward, and her fingers curled up like the vulnerable petals of a flower.

With everything in his being, he wanted her. Quint wanted her too.

“Wearea team, and we work well together. Why don’t we ask her when she wakes up?” he asked.

Quint raised a brow but didn’t reply.

* * * * *

If Quint got any harder, he’d pass out from lack of blood flow to his brain. He needed to strip off his clothes and stretch out alongside Bella, to shape her body to his and give her all the pleasure he suspected she’d never had. Not many men could handle a woman like her.

But he could.

Carter too.

For the hundredth time that night, Quint considered what his friend had said. Share her? Had Carter actually meant they should take her…together? He wasn’t ready to ask for clarification.

He’d heard of some guys sharing women before. Hell, it might take both of them to tame the feisty cowgirl.

He rested his elbows on his knees, aching. Watching. Bella was getting restless in her sleep. When she woke, he planned to ply her with coffee and hangover cures. He didn’t know how she handled her liquor, but she was a tough chick. She probably would pop out of bed, ready to argue with them.

A ghost of a smile passed over his face.

“She’s fucking beautiful.” The reverence in Carter’s voice had also been bouncing around Quint’s brain for several hours while Bella slept.

“I know.” He pushed off his knees and sat back in the hard chair. There was an extra double bed which neither of them were willing to use. He didn’t want to fall asleep and awaken to Cartergetting down and dirty with Bella. Then again, if she wasn’t with Quint, he’d want her to be with Carter.

His mouth was dry, so he opened the old bottle of water and drank it. Carter rubbed his hands through his hair, leaving it sticking up in spikes. Quint eyed him.

“I know you want to ask something. Just say it, man.” Carter sounded as weary as Quint felt. At least their rodeo goddess was getting some rest.

“Okay,” he said slowly, trying to organize his thoughts. “Did you really mean…we should share her?”

“Yes. Maybe. Hell, I don’t know.” Carter got up and paced the short distance between the table and the foot of the bed where Bella lay.

“Let’s discuss this like the rational people we are. Sit,” Quint said.

Tossing him a look that was part glare, part agreement, Carter strode back and dropped into his seat. They both leaned forward and rested their elbows on their knees. When Carter realized how much alike they really were, he sat upright again.

“You think you could actually watch me touching her, kissing her?” Quint asked.

“I don’t know. But it seems like a bad idea to make her choose. She’s not a woman you tie down.”

“No, but we could tie her up.”

They shared a grin, and suddenly things were a bit easier between them.

“She’s just wild enough to maybe try two men at once, you know,” Carter said quietly.

“Yeah, she is.”

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