Page 24 of Claimed By the Cowboys

I can tell he’s trying to keep his shit together, and so am I.

“It’s not… I mean… I just don’t want you to think that I’m picking one of you,” she clarifies.

I think it’s hot in here. I’m definitely warm.

Piper takes a deep breath. “So. I was thinking that we should just… take turns.”

And that little sentence. The idea of taking turns with Piper. The vision of us having sex with her on a rotation. That is where I lose my shit.

And I walk the fuck out of that conversation.

CHAPTER 7

Piper

Dalton’s abrupt exit is ringing in my mind like a hammer blow.

I blink, looking over at where Tate and Brent are staring at Dalton’s empty seat.

This is it. I screwed everything up.

The thought sends me right over the edge, and I put my hands on my face to cover the tears that are absolutely leaking out of my eyes right now.

“Piper?” Brent asks.

Oh, no. If he comes any closer I’m going to….

Brent’s strong arms encircle me. Well. Here it comes.

A huge, racking sob comes out. My shoulders shake, and Brent’s arms tighten around me. He smells so good. Like soap and sunshine and something that’s just… Brent.

God. I’m so freaking turned on by him. It’s not funny. Nothing about this situation is funny.

“Talk to us, Piper,” Tate says from somewhere next to me, and I feel his warm hand on my shoulder.

“I… just… want… to…” I sniff.

“It’s okay,” Brent says, pulling back to rub soothing circles on my back. “You can tell us anything, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart.He’s never called me that before.

“I just didn’t want to ruin this, and now I did!” I cry.

Tate moves closer and tugs me against his chest. “You didn’t ruin anything, baby.”

“Dalton—”

“Is Dalton,” Brent says firmly. “He probably had one too many feelings and needed to go figure himself out for a second.”

“But he walked out right after the schedule…”

“We’ll figure it out, Piper. But I promise you that Dalton isn’t running away. You didn’t ruin anything. It’s all good,” Brent murmurs.

It’s not good. I decided to ask my best friends that I’ve known for my entire life to cross a huge boundary. I’ve asked them to have sex, with me, and that’s what ruined it. I have to fix it.

Pulling back, I sniffle a little and wipe my eyes. “It’s okay. I know that it was a lot to ask. I mean, it’s not like we’re… like that, you know? Like, you’ve never asked me for more than being a friend, so it probably was weird to be asked for the, uh… old-fashioned way.”

Brent makes a noise, and when I look up at him, his green eyes look a little darker than they usually do. “We have been friends for a really long time, Piper.”

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