Chapter Nine

LAUREN

“You’re here!” Cara exclaims when she opens the front door of the ranch house she shares with Josh. “Come on in.”

We follow her into a large, open space. A large rock fireplace dominates one wall of the living area, with brown leather couches covered in brightly covered throw pillows arranged around it. The kitchen and the dining area are open to each other, giving the house a wide-open, inviting feel.

Cara leads us through to the kitchen, where Josh, his twin brother, Zack, and Jillian are all gathered.

“Hey, guys.” Jill greets us with a grin and a twinkle in her eye as she pulls me right into her arms for a big hug.

“Hi,” I murmur in return. The guys exchange their usual weird handshake-man-hug thing and a margarita glass full of blended deliciousness is shoved into my hand.

“We are about to kick the guys out so you and I can drill Jill about her date the other night, Lo,” Cara announces, and sips smugly on her drink.

“There’s nothing to tell,” Jill insists.

“I wanna stick around for this conversation,” Ty adds, glaring at Jill.

“I definitely do not want to be here for this,” Zack mutters, scowling at Jillian fiercely. She won’t meet his gaze.

Interesting.

“Come on.” Josh motions for the guys to follow him. “We can go down to the barn for a while. There are a couple new foals out there.”

“The girls get margaritas on the deck and I have to go hang out in your barn?” Ty asks in disgust as he follows the guys out the front door. “I’m getting the shaft.”

The door closes behind them.

“Finally, they’re gone!” Cara grabs a platter of chips with a bowl of salsa and leads us out to the deck, where it seems the party has already begun.

“You started drinking without me,” Jill accuses Cara.

“Josh and I had one drink before you all got here.” She grins and plops into a hanging porch swing.

Jill and I drop our handbags in a chair and join Cara.

“So, how are things with Ty?” Jill asks.

“God, you’re so subtle,” Cara mutters with a disapproving scowl.

“I’d like to hear about your date,” I reply before licking the salt on the rim of my glass.

“Yes, spill it!” Cara exclaims.

“Fine, but if I talk, you talk.” Jill points her white-tipped finger at me accusingly.

“Deal,” I agree with a nod.

“I went out with Brad.”

“The cop Brad?” Cara asks with wide hazel eyes.

“Yeah, that Brad.”

Cara looks at me and then back to Jill. “Why?”

“I like Brad,” I add. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Nothing.” Cara shakes her head. “I just had no idea that Jill was into him.”

“I don’t think we’ll go out again.” Jill growls in frustration and leans her head back against her chair. “I screwed it up.”

“How is that?” I ask, still shell-shocked to be here with these two women.

“I did it on purpose. I’m a bitch.”

“You’re not a bitch,” Cara insists, shaking her head furiously.

“I don’t think you’re a bitch,” I reply.

“That’s because I’ve never had sex with you,” Jill mutters.

“You had sex with Brad?” Cara squeals.

“No.” Jill scowls. “It was a first date. I’m not a hooker.”

I snort at that, worried that the margarita might come out my nose.

“I’m so confused,” Cara whines.

“Brad’s a nice guy. We had dinner. I’m not interested in seeing him again. That’s it.” Jill pins me in her ice-blue eyes. “Your turn.”

“Things are good.” I shrug, hiding my grin as Cara and Jill both scowl at me.

“We need more details than that, sweetie,” Cara informs me. “Do you need more liquor?”

“Yes,” I reply gratefully. Cara pours more into my glass from the blender pitcher.

“Are you sleeping with him?” Jill asks.

“Hey!” Cara exclaims with a laugh. “Dude, really?”

“You want to know too,” Jill points out diplomatically, and I feel my cheeks heat.

“Good point.” Cara turns to me and pulls her feet up under her, settling in for a good story. “Are you?”

“She is. She’s blushing.” Jill is grinning widely. “I don’t want details because, ew, he’s my brother.”

Now that I have a few drinks in me, I decide to play with her a bit. “He’s really hung.”

“Oh, God, stop,” Jill groans. Cara bursts out laughing.

“And, boy, does he know how to use it,” I continue with a straight face. “He’s got this one move where he grabs my leg and turns me so—”

“I don’t want to know this!” Jill laughs and covers her ears with her hands.

“You asked.” I shrug and sip my drink smugly.

“Speaking of good sex, Jill, are you still reading that book I gave you?” Cara asks.

“Dude, it’s so good!”

“What book are you reading?” I frown down into my almost-empty glass.

“You have to read it!” Jill jumps from her seat and digs into her handbag, pulling a familiar green-covered book out of her bag. “It’s called A Spark of Passion by Peyton Adams. Have you read these?”

I’m struck dumb. I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been in this position before.

“They’re going to be made into movies,” Cara continues, and grabs the book from Jill’s hand. “How far are you?” she asks Jill.

“I’m almost done.” Jill grins at me. “They are supersexy.”

“Oh my God, that’s an understatement.” Cara laughs. “Do you want me to read you some of it?”

“Sure.” I watch them with rapt attention. They love my books! “What are they about?”

“They’re about three brothers, Julian, Marco, and Stephan. This is Stephan’s book.”

“So, each brother has his own book?”

“Yeah, and oh my God, they’re all so hot.” Jill fans her face with her hand and rolls her eyes. “They are all sexual dominants, which I didn’t think I’d be too into, but holy hell, they are just so fucking amazing.”

“Oh! Here’s a good part.” Cara tucks her hair behind her ear and smiles widely. “Excuse my language in advance. Stephan has a dirty mouth.”