Moore, Gigi - Desiree's Lone Wolves [The Double R, Book 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (5 page)

“Depends on how you look at it. Me, personally, I see myself as more of a matchmaker than a pimp, although both occupations tend to be misunderstood and not get the love and respect they deserve, don’t you think?”

Rather than respond, Sam asked a question of his own. “What makes you think Carson and I are interested in your sister, sexy filly that she might be?”

“Aside from her being a ‘sexy filly,’ I just know.”

Again with that shrug and enigmatic expression that made him want to interrogate her right and proper. He had a feeling he wouldn’t like her answer but asked anyway. “How?”

She gave him a steady, serious look that made him squirm and feel as if he were the one being interrogated. “I have these…visions.”

Sam had come across his share of occultists and other practitioners of voodoo in New Orleans. When a body lived down in the bayou long enough like he and his family had, coming across the supernatural and people who believed in it proved unavoidable. He had to admit, too, that Maia Jensen had that look about her, the look of being…touched is what the old timers called it when someone had certain gifts.

“What does Desiree think of your visions? Or have you even talked to her about them?”

“Desi’s too practical to believe in my gifts. She’s in denial.”

Sounded like Carson to him. “So what are
we
supposed to do about it?”

Maia hooked an arm through his and walked him away from the anvil toward the barn exit as if for a short stroll. “I’m thinking a fine young stud like you wouldn’t be averse to courting a beautiful young woman such as my sister.”

Sam wanted nothing better, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t thought of cozying up to Desiree before Maia’s proposal. However, dating one of his employers wasn’t exactly keeping a low profile. He knew Carson would blow a gasket. He wasn’t too sure what his mother’s reaction would be, though she always did whatever she could to make both her boys happy—within reason. He knew for sure he didn’t want to risk either Carson or his mama’s safety with his selfishness.

Damn, he hated living his life for other people! How could he be angry, though, when his brother had been doing basically just this most of his life—being the man of the house after Daddy’s death, looking out for him and Mama like it was his duty and without a word of complaint? What about Mama, come to that? She had sacrificed her freedom and brought the vengeance of their alpha down on her head, helping Carson escape the pack and taking her boys out of the state. She had thought nothing of their alpha’s wrath, because that’s what family did. Family went out on a limb for each other. His had been doing it for him for a while now.

How long was he supposed to deny himself, however, remain celibate, and live half a life in the name of loyalty and paying the family debt?

“You look conflicted.” Maia squeezed his biceps. “You shouldn’t be. Desi talks a tough game but she’s a softy at heart, and I have it on good authority that she’d like nothing better than to have attention lavished on her from a certain night wrangler and his brother.”

“Authority? Your visions?”

Maia just nodded.

“And what’s in all this for you?”

“Besides seeing my sister happy? Nothing at all.”

“How selfless of you.”

“We do what we can.” She smiled then turned serious again. “My visions don’t lie, and unlike some people, I pay attention to them.”

Curious, Sam asked, “What about you, though? No particular cowboys on The Double R catching your fancy?”

She gave him another flirty smile that made his heart leap the way a smile from any pretty filly might. It didn’t come close to making his heart and cock pump the way just being near Desiree did, which was a good thing, especially once he heard Maia’s response.

“You boys are a couple of hunks any woman would be proud to call her own, but not my cup of tea.”

Deciding to tease her, Sam said, “Really?”

“I know it sounds crazy. I’m throwing the two of you at my sister instead of making a play for at least one of you for myself, but like I said. I don’t question my visions.”

“But Desiree does.”

“Given the right circumstances, she won’t need to.”

Meaning given the right cowboys, Sam thought. He wanted more than anything to ask her exactly what she saw in these visions of hers. What exactly did she think he and Carson could do for Desiree that any other able-bodied cowboy in the vicinity couldn’t? For that matter, what had been going on with both fillies back in New York that neither of them had been snatched up by some highfalutin suit and tie?

The thought of some fancy-smancy businessman with fingernails polished as shiny as his designer shoes touching Desiree about had his blood boiling. She belonged to him and Carson.

Sam couldn’t deny she had that suit-and-tie look about her, though. Even traipsing around The Double R in boots, jeans, and Western shirts, Desiree still gave off a cosmopolitan air. She had the polish of a woman who enjoyed nothing better than putting on the Ritz for a night. She looked like she’d appreciate a night out at an expensive restaurant after taking in a Broadway show or even an evening at the opera with a metrosexual captain of industry or high-powered attorney.

How could he and Carson compete with all that?

Sam looked at Maia as if for his answer and her next words had him thinking that her gifts didn’t stop just at having visions.

“I know Desi gives off an air of being stuck-up and above everyone else. Trust me, it’s all a façade. She’d love nothing better than to get down and dirty with two down-to-earth cowboys. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

“Far be it from me to question your visions, then.”

“I knew you were a smart man.”

“Smart enough to know when I’m licked.”

“Oh, no. You’re not licked yet. Not by a long shot.”

Yeah, but he had a feeling he would be soon enough—licked and whipped, pussy whipped, that was. He so looked forward to it, too.

How was he going to get Carson on board, though?

Maia said her sister talked a tough game, but Desiree had nothing on his brother.

Carson talked
and
walked a tough game. These were many of the things Sam respected about his brother. Carson also always meant what he said and said what he meant, which presented a problem since Carson had sworn off dealing with full humans, but especially human women, more than proved absolutely necessary. Full humans were trouble, and despite only being a hybrid himself, Carson believed in this to his core. Aside from the fact that Desiree was most assuredly not a shifter, she was off-limits for other reasons.

Sam could easily see himself falling in love with Desiree Jensen. He could see Carson doing the same. Love, more than anything, was a definite no-no in Carson’s book. Love meant commitment and ties. Their lives were not certain as long as they were on the run from Remy. One-night stands were bad enough but acceptable. Thoughts of settling down with one woman, having kids, and putting down stakes—all the things that Sam sought—should not be entertained as far as Carson was concerned.

Sam swallowed down the lump of anger that had suddenly risen up like bile as if to choke him. He didn’t want to be angry at anyone, much less his brother. He loved and admired Carson, but he couldn’t let the man run his life indefinitely. There would come a time for Sam to make a choice and just leave, the same way Carson had before Sam and their mother had chased him down a while back.

Maia squeezed his biceps to get his attention. “I haven’t lost you yet, have I?”

He turned to look at her and smiled. “Not a chance.”

“That’s good, because it might make this a little hard otherwise.”

Before Sam could ask her what she meant, Maia had slid her hand up behind his head, caressing the hair at his nape before she stood on tiptoes and crushed his mouth beneath hers.

Sam closed his eyes, instantly imagining Desiree’s lips pressed against his, tasting her tongue instead of Maia’s and hating himself for treating Maia like the substitute she remained even if she didn’t know it. It really wasn’t the gentlemanly thing to do, but even worse proved his reaction when he heard the tiny squeak-gasp behind him.

Sam gripped Maia by the shoulders and pushed her back none too gently, panting as he gaped at her. She may not have been her sister, but he was a man and the filly sure could kiss. “What was that for?”

“I was wondering the same thing.”

Merde.

He didn’t need to turn around to know Desiree stood behind him. He could tell that damn well by the grin gradually crawling up the side of Maia’s face.

“Whoops,” she whispered and patted his arm as she moved past him toward the exit. She paused at the barn door and smiled at her sister. “He’s all yours, hun.”

Desiree sputtered, and before she could get anything intelligible out of her mouth, Maia closed the barn door behind her.

How appropriate, Sam thought.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You didn’t,” Sam blurted, then cleared his throat to start again. “I mean, Maia was just leaving anyway.”

“You two seemed busy when I arrived.”

Sam wondered exactly how much she had seen, certainly enough to cause that bright, rosy glow to her copper-toned, high-sculpted cheeks, enough to make her…jealous?

Was that what Maia had wanted, to make her sister jealous?

Damn, but she was a slick filly.

Sam looked at Desiree long and hard until she averted her whiskey-brown eyes and shuffled her feet.

Damn but she made his heart do all kinds of somersaults in his chest. It never failed.

Maia was cute in a mischievous, elfin way, but she couldn’t hold a candle to her older sister’s solemn, regal beauty. Just looking at Desiree made him want to knock her off of that figurative pedestal. He wanted to roll her around in the dirt just to see if any of that famous Colorado red would stick to her or roll off as if she were Teflon like he half suspected.

She seemed so untouchable all the time, yet fragile, too. Sometimes she actually acted kind of skittish, as if she was afraid of him, or just men in general.

The thought left a bad taste in Sam’s mouth and made him ready to run out, find the guy who had hurt her, and hurt
him
real bad.

Right at that moment, though, Desiree seemed more unsure than he had ever seen her. She always seemed out of her element on The Double R but especially in his personal space now.

How could he let her know that she was more than welcome in his space, especially when all he wanted to do was touch her, kiss her, hold her? Talking was the last thing on his mind when he was near Desiree, but he wouldn’t mind doing a little of that, too. He wouldn’t mind learning more about her from her own mouth instead of soaking up every admittedly miniscule piece of gossip that proliferated on the ranch.

Sam regretted making her nervous, making her hide those pretty peepers when all he wanted to do was drown in them. He let his gaze travel down from her face to her throat, tuning his senses to the pulse pounding there. He closed his eyes and inhaled deep, not surprised by the waft of arousal that greeted him.

She wanted him, and it was almost unfair that he knew it when he knew for damned sure that she didn’t want him to know.

Sam let his gaze travel farther, glancing over the curve of her lush breasts down to the erect nipples he was sure she wanted to hide. He dragged his eyes from the sight, unconsciously licking his lips before his gaze finally landed on the covered basket Desiree had in her hand. He motioned to it and said, “That for me or some other lucky cowpoke?”