Boots and Roses (4 page)

“You did great. Taking off your shirt.” Cory gave Jack a thumbs-up. “Nothing like showing a little skin to get the bidding up.”

Bunny couldn’t agree more. The amount of skin Jack had been showing had sent her head into a whirl she had yet to fight her way out of. She struggled to remember what she’d come back there to tell them.

Shouts rose from the ladies in the saloon.

Jack glanced toward the sound and sighed. “I’d love to stay and give you a good sample of what to expect on our date, but duty calls.” He nodded to Cory. “See you tomorrow at the diner.”

Cory nodded. “Nine.”

“You’re on.” Jack gripped Bunny’s shoulders and kissed her soundly, then hurried back into the saloon.

Which left Bunny alone with Cory, her lips burning from Jack’s kiss.

“Did you want to get a head start on what it will be like to go out with the two of us?” Cory winked. He’d left his zipper down, the bulge of his black-clad package shining through his pre-washed, denim jeans. He closed the distance between himself and Bunny. “Why are you frowning? We won’t bite.” He waggled his brows. “Unless you want us to.”

“That’s it. I’m not ready for the two of you to get into my panties.”

Cory grinned. “So, you’ve been thinking about that too?”

Her face heated and she wished she could take the part about the panties back. “It’s just a date. No funny business.”

He raised his hand. “Promise…unless you want funny business.” He gripped her hand. “Funny business can be pretty great with Jack and me.”

She broke free of his grip and turned her back on him. “I haven’t been on a date since high school. That’s almost ten years ago. Frankly, I came back here to call it off. I paid my bid, but I don’t want to go through with this date.”

Strong arms slipped around her from behind and pulled her against him. “We promise to be gentle,” Cory whispered against her ear, his minty fresh breath stirring the loose tendrils against her cheek.

Bunny inhaled and closed her eyes, pretending this rock-hard man was her equal in age, and she’d never been used and dumped by her worthless ex-husband. If everything was perfect in a perfect world, she might consider going out with Cory and maybe even making love to him.

She inhaled, her senses stormed by the scent of his aftershave.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Bunny. Let us show you a good time.”

“I should go out with men my own age,” she whispered.

“Is that the only thing that’s got your pretty panties in a wad?” Cory chuckled. “As a stripper, I’ve seen it all and matured much faster than anyone else my age.” He turned her in his arms and smiled down into her eyes. “Unlike my peers, I know what I want, and I’m not afraid to go after it.” He tipped her chin and bent until his lips hovered over hers. “And I want you.”

Mesmerized by the clear Texas-sky blue of his eyes, Bunny couldn’t look away. Cory was so different from her ex. He was taller, stronger and sunny. Even with a serious expression on his face, the man made the room brighter.

His hands tightened on her arms. “You’re so tense. How long has it been since you let loose and laughed?”

She shrugged. Come to think of it, she’d been in a slump since she’d signed the divorce papers two years ago. Still…

Cory shook his head. “Don’t second guess yourself. Just feel. Let me show you how to have fun again.” His lips descended and claimed hers in a tender kiss.

For a moment Bunny thought she could handle it. She told herself the kiss was one exchanged by friends. Soft, easy, meaning nothing but mutual admiration.

Cory increased the pressure on her mouth, his tongue darting out, urging her to open to his assault.

Bunny’s body betrayed her. Heat flamed at her core, spreading like a wildfire throughout her body. One moment she was kissing a young man who was still in middle school when she’d gotten married. The next, she’d forgotten where she was, her total focus on what those lips were doing to her and where his hands were leading.

Cory’s fingers traveled down her arms, skimming the curve of her waist and stopping to cup her ass. He lifted her, wrapping her legs around him. Her jean skirt inched up around her hips as he backed her against the nearest wall. He broke the kiss long enough to say, “You’re so very beautiful.” Then his mouth left a trail of kisses and tender nips along her jaw line and down the long column of her neck.

Lost to reason, Bunny tipped her head to the side, allowing Cory more access to the curve at the base of her throat. She threaded her fingers through his hair, urging him closer. His member pressed into the V of her crotch, nudging her entrance through the thin silk of her panties.

Bunny moaned as her pussy creamed. Being held like this, kissed and touched by a man with big, callused hands and broad, muscular shoulders was so much better than the cold, lifeless coaxing of her vibrator. This was what Audrey had been talking about—what Bunny had forgotten from the first forays into intense teenaged sex, when her hormones were raging and she couldn’t get enough.

Cory balanced her with one hand and reached between them to peel her panties to the side and slide a finger along that sensitive nubbin of throbbing nerves.

Bunny gasped. Her breath caught and held, waiting for the next stroke.

He touched her again, this time slow and steady, sliding downward to the opening of her pussy, slick with fresh juices.

“Oh, sweet Jesus, you’re wet.” He kissed her, his tongue thrusting past her teeth, sliding alongside hers.

Past coherent thought, Bunny squirmed against the finger flicking her clit, wanting more…much more. She wiggled to get closer to the hardness of his cock straining against the slick black fabric of his G-string. Why, oh why was he still wearing clothes?

Footsteps sounded behind them. The steady click of boot heels hitting wood flooring moved closer, piercing the mind-numbing things Cory was doing to Bunny’s body.

As she surfaced for air, Bunny opened her eyes and stared across the costume room, straight into Audrey Anderson’s smiling face.

Bunny braced her hands on Cory’s shoulders. “Stop.”

Cory looked up, his blue eyes glazed with passion. “Stop?”

Audrey raised her hands. “Don’t stop on my account.” She chuckled. “I was enjoying the show. It’s not often I get to watch.”

Cory shook his head, joining Audrey’s chuckle with one of his own. “Anyone ever tell you that you have lousy timing?” He let Bunny’s legs slide down his until her feet touched the ground.

Her cheeks flaming, Bunny straightened her skirt and pulled her shirt and bra down over her breasts. When had they inched upward? Mortified and unable to face Audrey, she muttered something about needing to get up to work the next morning and hit the back exit door.

Not until she stood in the rear parking lot, inhaling the fresh Texas night air, did she stop to think.

Holy hell
.

She was in a lot of trouble if that’s what Cory expected to happen on date night. And then it would be two men. Bunny had never considered anything quite so naughty.

Holy hell.

Chapter Three

Mona showed up at the door to Sweet Temptations Flower Shop as soon as Bunny flipped the Closed sign to Open. She pushed through the door, the bell overhead ringing loudly.

Bunny pressed fingers to her temples and moaned, wishing she’d removed the bell long ago. On most days, she was happy Mona’s Shear Safari Hair Salon was right next door to her flower shop.

Not today.

“Nice dress.” Mona followed Bunny to the room in the rear of the shop. “Is it new?”

“This ol’ thing.” Bunny shook her head. “Ran out of clean jeans.” She hadn’t really, but something about what happened the night before made her a little more selective of her clothing today. In case someone—or two someones—happened to stop in.

“Spill, girlfriend. Tell me all,” Mona demanded.

Bunny turned away, her cheeks heating. “Nothing to tell.”

“Oh, no you don’t.” Mona jumped in front of her. “What made you take such a wild step last night? I was under the impression you’d given up on men.” She glanced at her fingers. “What’s it been, two years since jerk-face Ray walked out on you for an airheaded dental assistant?”

“Two years yesterday.” Bunny heaved a sigh. “And I don’t know what came over me last night. Must have been the second beer.” Heck, she hadn’t even had two sips out of the second mug before she’d flipped her paddle and bought two incredibly sexy men. Or at least a date with them. Maybe it had something to do with the anniversary of her divorce. Or maybe it was her ex’s upcoming wedding or the rut she’d dug herself into that had sent her flying over the edge. Whatever it was, the deed was done. She’d bought the date.

She slumped onto the stool at her worktable. “I’m already regretting it,” she lied. After what happened with Cory in the costume room, Bunny couldn’t stop thinking about what might happen Friday night with both Cory and Jack. For the first time in months, she looked forward to something besides getting up and going to work. Bunny lifted a rose and twirled it between her fingers. Ever since last night, she hadn’t been able to sit still. Her entire body was twitchy, needy, wanting something, and not sure she could wait until Friday to get it.

Mona pried the long stem from her fingers and laid it on the counter. “It’s about time you had a little romance in your life.”

Bunny snorted. “What are you talking about? I’m surrounded by romance.” She waved her hand at the flower arrangements set in neat little groups, ready to be delivered that day.

“You’re surrounded by other people’s romances. You deserve a little romance of your own.” Mona frowned. “When was the last time someone sent
you
flowers or paid
you
a compliment?”

Compliments? Her cheeks heated as she recalled Jack’s and Cory’s words last night. She had no intention of telling Mona. Not now. Not when this was all so new and she didn’t know where it was going.

Mona snapped her fingers in front of Bunny’s face. “Earth to Bunny. Well?”

Bunny blinked, coming back to the flower shop and Mona. “Well what?”

“When was the last time anyone gave you flowers?” Mona demanded.

“Flowers?” Bunny’s brows furrowed. “Not since my wedding, and I paid for those myself.”

Mona propped her fists on her hips. “Wow, your love life is worse than mine.”

Bunny jumped on her comment, hoping for a reprieve on airing her own pathetic shortcomings in the love department. “Speaking of which, when was the last time someone sent
you
flowers? And when was the last time
you
went on a date? Seems to me you were the one all turned off by guys. What was it you said…?” Bunny tapped her chin. “Oh, yeah. You were considering being a lesbian.”

Mona’s lips pressed together. “And if I recall, you turned me down.” She shrugged. “I can’t even get a date with a girl.”

The tension leached out of Bunny’s shoulders, and she hugged Mona. “We really are pathetic, you know.”

“At least you have a date.” Mona hugged her. “Don’t back out on it. Even if it doesn’t come to anything, at least you’re getting out there. Maybe this date will encourage you to be open to others. The added bonus is that I get to live vicariously through you.”

“That might prove disappointing.” Bunny lifted the rose again and handed it to Mona. “When are you going to get back in the saddle?”

Mona let out a long sigh. “I don’t know. But after seeing all those guys last night without their shirts on… Well let’s just say my vibrator got a workout and it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as I’d hoped.”

Exactly Bunny’s sentiment. After Cory had touched her…there…she hadn’t been the same. Even the memory of his fingers stroking her set her off on the road to orgasm.

The bell over the front door jangled. Tom Weinfelt entered, there to pick up the spray of daisies he’d requested for his wife’s grave. The ninety-three-year-old man shuffled through the door. “Mornin’, Ms. Bunny.”

“Mornin’, Mr. Weinfelt.”

Mona jumped, her gaze shooting to the clock over the worktable. “You have a customer, and I have to go. Mrs. Franzten’s cut-and-’do won’t wait. Have lunch with me?”

“Can’t. I have a lot of deliveries to make today, and I need to start arranging flowers for a wedding.”

“Oh, yeah, your jerk-face ex and his bubble-headed bride.” Mona shook her head. “I still can’t believe you agreed to do it.”

Bunny sighed. “I still owe him eight grand. I had to do it in trade for some of my debt.”

“Slime ball. You put him through dental school. You don’t own him a thing.”

“Yeah, but it’s a community property state. He got half of everything. Including my business. And until I get enough to pay him off…”

Mona glared. “Be cheaper to hire a hit man.”

Bunny smiled. “I think of it as proving to myself I’m over him and don’t care. Although a drink at the Ugly Stick after the wedding would be fabulous.”

“You’re on.” Mona left, the bell over the door ringing loudly in her wake.

A few minutes later, Mr. Weinfelt had gone with his daisies to pay his respect to his dearly departed wife. The old man smiled at her, but the smile didn’t reach his sad eyes. He’d loved his wife Nora so much. When she’d been on her deathbed, he’d promised to bring her daisies every week for the rest of his life.

When Bunny had married Ray, she’d believed their love was strong enough to last a lifetime and dreamed they’d grow old together, like Tom and Nora Weinfelt. A lump rose in her throat as she pictured Mr. Weinfelt laying the daisies on Nora’s grave. Bunny pushed her hair back from her forehead and closed her eyes. Deep in her heart, she wanted to believe in that dream. She opened her eyes to the sun shining through the front window and went back to work.

Settling in behind her workbench, she let her mind drift back to the two men in the costume room and all the deliciously naughty things she could imagine doing with them. Never in her life had she considered being with more than one man. Hell, she’d married right out of high school, so her sleeping around days had been over before they started. She’d married her high school sweetheart and the only man she’d ever made love to.