Twice the Malone Read online

  He grinned. “You’d be right. There are. Thing is, I don’t want them. I want you.”

  “You can’t always get what you want.”

  “Says who?”

  “M-me.”

  His eyes narrowed at her stutter. “You afraid of me?”

  She shook her head.

  “No? Hope not. You have nothing to fear from me, little one.”

  “I don’t know you.”

  “Would you like to? I promise the only pain I’d ever inflict on you would be to spank that fucking sexy ass of yours. But then you might just like that. So long as it wasn’t for punishment.”

  What the fuck? Spank me?

  “Nobody’s spanking me. I’m not a child,” she told him primly.

  He looked her up and down. “Hope not. And I’d never spank a child. But that ass of yours was made for a good spanking or fucking.”

  “Nobody is fucking my ass either!” she managed to get out. Okay, he was insane. Definitely insane. And did no one in this whole bar need to pee? How was it possible they’d been on their own for this long?

  “Ahh, so you’re an anal virgin? Isn’t that interesting. You know, for someone who was worried about not knowing me, you certainly open up about personal things quickly.”

  Her mouth dropped open then shut. What the hell?

  “What is happening? How are we even having this conversation?”

  “Well, if you’d just opened for me, we’d be kissing rather than talking about what it’s going to feel like when I fuck your ass. Don’t worry, I’d prepare you first. Make you nice and relaxed. I’d take good care of you.”

  “For your information, I’ve had anal sex before.”

  Um. Okay, that wasn’t what she’d meant to say. She blamed him. He was addling her mind.

  “That so? And did you enjoy it? Did you like having a cock take you back there? I bet you make the cutest noise when you come.”

  “I do not! And that’s none of your business!”

  “Oh, I’m making it my business. You intrigue me. I haven’t been interested in a woman for months.”

  She found that hard to believe.

  “I’m going to kiss you now. Open your mouth.”

  That last part was pure command. This was a man who was used to being obeyed. Well, maybe it was time someone shook him up.

  “No.”

  “You really want that spanking, don’t you?” He sighed and shook his head. “Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until we’re in private for that. I don’t want anyone else looking at that ass but me. Well, maybe my brother. He’s more of a tit man, though. Not that that’s a problem with you.”

  He stared down at her breasts with pure lust in his gaze.

  She groaned. “I can’t believe this is happening. I must be dreaming.”

  “You always dream about a handsome cowboy pressing you against a wall and kissing you? Those are some sexy dreams you have. Do they get raunchier? Do I undo those jeans? Do I slip my hand down to your panties? Run my finger along your slit then make you taste your own pleasure? Do I pull your jeans down so I can bring you to orgasm? Then spank your ass when you come without permission?”

  “What? No! You’re. . . you’re. . .”

  He grinned. “You’re gorgeous when you get riled up.”

  “I don’t like kissing,” she blurted out.

  An eyebrow rose. “That so?”

  She nodded. It was so. Wasn’t it?

  Suddenly, he stepped away from her. Wait. Where was he going? Was he stopping?

  Which is what she wanted. She didn’t want him pinning her to the wall with his gorgeous face inches from hers, talking about spanking and anal sex and kissing.

  He wasn’t a gentleman. He was sexy and dominant and used to getting his own way. Nothing like Richard, whom she actually wanted.

  Who are you kidding, Scarlett?

  “You change your mind about that kiss, you know where to find me. Ball’s in your court.”

  What . . . what did that mean?

  Did that mean if she wanted something more, if she actually wanted that kiss, all she had to do was make a move?

  But she didn’t know how to, did she?

  She’d been lusting after her boss for two damn years. Making a move? Not her thing. In fact, she kind of wished he’d go all dominant on her again.

  Wait, what was she thinking? She didn’t want a dominant guy. Even if he could be kind of charming and sweet.

  A dominant man wasn’t what she wanted, though, right? Spankings? She wasn’t into BDSM or domestic discipline or anything like that, was she?

  How would she know? She’d only slept with one man. Her high school sweetheart. The love of her life.

  And in that relationship, she’d been the dominant one. Sure, she and John had never lit up the sheets with passion, but they’d been comfortable.

  Argh. Comfortable? Is that why he’d left her? Because she’d been comfortable? Because she didn’t meet his needs?

  Enough, Scarlett.

  She had to stop thinking about that little fantasy the cowboy put into her head. Stop thinking he might be the one person to change her mind about kissing.

  Get in the bathroom. Calm down then get the fuck out of here.

  She was shocked to find her legs were weak as she moved into the bathroom. This was insane. How could one man affect her like this? Her panties were wet. Why? Because he’d pushed her against the wall? Told her what he wanted to do to her?

  Shakily, she drew out her phone and called Margo.

  “Hey, babe, get any cowboy dick yet?” Margo greeted her.

  “Um, well, actually, I think I was just propositioned.”

  Margo squealed in her ear, making her wince. “What? By whom? How? What do you mean, you think?”

  “Well, a cowboy flirted with me at the bar then later he pinned me against the wall, kissed me, and told me to come find him if I wanted more.”

  “Dude! Your life went from zero to a hundred in the last hour.”

  “Dude? Really? We’re forty. I don’t think people say that anymore.”

  “Shut up. I’m permanently thirty-nine, and you know that.”

  “Margo, what do I do?”

  “Well, that’s easy. Go get you some juicy cowboy dick.”

  “I don’t know him, though.”

  “So? Wait, are you concerned about safety? Text me when you leave with him. Take him to your hotel room. Then text me every hour to let me know you’re safe or I’ll call the cops.”

  “Every hour? How long do you think this will take?”

  “It hurts me that you ask that. Not everyone is a two-pump chump like John.”

  She had to smile at that. Margo was right.

  “Go get you some, babe. You deserve to blow off some steam. And it’s been sooo long.”

  Scar huffed. “Not that long.”

  Margo didn’t reply.

  “Fine! I’ll go get me some. Only, he’s really sexy and younger than me and I’m—”

  “Gorgeous and amazing. Babe, you look like Jayne Mansfield and Brigitte Bardot had a love child.”

  She had to giggle at that. “Because that’s so likely. And I don’t think either of them had an ass wider than the Titanic.”

  “Scarlett,” Margo warned. “Don’t.”

  Scarlett took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. “You’re right.”

  “John did a number on your self-esteem when he cheated on you, I get it. But you don’t have to let him win.”

  Her ex had said some really hurtful words to her. Things she’d taken to heart. They’d been together seventeen years and it had come as a big shock when he’d left.

  She wasn’t what he’d accused her of being. Frumpy and plain. Boring. Dumb.

  “I’m not going to.”

  “What are you going to do then?” Margo coached.

  “I’m going to go out there and get me some fine cowboy dick.”

  She wasn’t aware that the door to the bathroo
m had opened until another woman spoke.

  “You go, girl. Go get yourself some,” the other woman said.

  Scarlett went bright red as the other woman ducked into a stall.

  “Um, Margo. I’ve got to go.”

  “You can do this. Remember to keep texting me. I don’t hear from you, I’ll call the cops.”

  “Thanks. You’re a good friend.”

  “Babe, I’m not doing this out of friendship. I want deets. I’m gonna live vicariously through you. After all, my life is boring.”

  Scarlett rolled her eyes. Margo was gorgeous, petite, and fun. She was a flight attendant who traveled all over the world. Her life was far from boring.

  “Sure, it is, talk to you later.”

  Checking her appearance in the mirror, she took in her flushed cheeks, her plump lips, and wide eyes.

  She could do this. Have a one-night stand with a cowboy. How hard could it be?

  “Well, actually I hope it’s very hard,” she murmured.

  “Me too,” the same woman said as she stepped out of the stall and washed her hands. “For your sake. Oh, and the handicapped stall is nice and big, you know, if you want somewhere private to get you that fine cowboy dick.”

  The woman winked and laughed as she stepped out of the bathroom.

  Ew. She didn’t have to do it in a bathroom, right?

  That was a hard no.

  Stepping into the hallway, she banged straight into something hard.

  Shit. Fuck.

  Talk about déjà vu.

  Maybe the cowboy was right. She really needed to start looking where she was going.

  “Well, hello there, darlin’. You didn’t have to pretend to bump into me to get my attention.” He had his hands on her waist, steadying her.

  She gaped up at the smiling man. “I didn’t pretend to bump into you.”

  “You didn’t? You’re just clumsy, huh? That’s cute.”

  “I’m not clumsy. I just . . . wasn’t paying attention.”

  His face grew serious as he drew her away from the door. “That’s dangerous. You should always pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t you know how to take care of yourself?”

  Okay . . . what was going on?

  She stared up at him. There was something different about him. He was smiling and it was reaching his eyes, she realized. The darkness wasn’t there in his gaze.

  And he called her darlin’.

  And he was giving her the exact same advice as before, but she felt like he didn’t know that.

  Because . . .

  “You have a brother.”

  2

  “Got seven, darlin’,” he replied. “Remember, I told you we like to share.”

  Her pulse raced. Her body heated from the inside out.

  “No, I mean you’ve got a twin brother, don’t you?”

  His grin widened. “I do. His name’s Maddox. And he said your lips feel like heaven. But that you don’t like kissing.” He put his hand on his chest. “That just about breaks my heart.”

  “Uh-huh,” she said skeptically. “I bet it does.”

  “It really does. I want to fix that.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. Oh, he was trouble. And so was his brother.

  How the hell did this happen? All she’d been wanting was a quiet drink or two before going back to her lonely hotel bed. And instead, she found herself mixed-up in some sort of twin cowboy entanglement.

  Was entanglement the word?

  Mischief.

  Nope, that made them sound like they were two years old.

  Sex-capade?

  Oh, Lord help me.

  “Mad was right, you really do drift into your head, don’t you? You know, normally women don’t daydream around me. Because I’m the answer to all their dreams.”

  She groaned. “Seriously. Do lines like that usually work for you?”

  He threw back his head and laughed and it made her own lips turn up in a grin. She wasn’t sure what it was about him. He was far too full of himself. Way more confident than she’d normally go for. Plus, he was too handsome, too ripped, too young. He was also a terrible flirt.

  But around him she felt lighter, like everything she worried about daily was kind of stupid. As though she wanted to live life rather than trudge through it.

  “Actually, no. Mostly, I don’t even need to say anything to get a woman to pay attention to me.”

  “Argh, so you’re a manwhore.”

  “So judgy.” Something moved over his face, something more serious. And she instantly felt terrible. That had been judgmental. It wasn’t her business who he slept with.

  And really? Who was she to judge since she’d just been planning on having a one-night stand with him?

  “Sorry,” she whispered. “It’s really not any of my business who you’ve been with.”

  “It’s not,” he agreed. “But I find myself wanting to tell you anyway. Won’t lie, I’ve had a wild youth. I’ve enjoyed women, but they’ve enjoyed me too. I’m all about women’s lib, darlin’. I don’t care how many men a woman has slept with if she gives me the same courtesy not to judge me either.”

  That was her being told off. In a nice way.

  “You’re right,” she replied. “Um, if you could let me pass . . . I, uh, it’s time I left.”

  Something filled his face. Disappointment? No, that was silly. He could have anyone, why would he want her?

  “Ah, you found her, Beau.”

  Beau and Maddox Malone. Shit, those were some sexy names.

  She glanced over to find the other brother striding toward her. The twin.

  Now that she saw them together, she could see there were subtle differences. Beau’s hair was slightly longer and Maddox held more tension in his shoulders.

  “We’ve lost her again, I see,” Maddox murmured.

  “Hmm, better than her running off, I suppose,” Beau replied. “Although we might have to teach her how to focus her attention.”

  “Now that could be a lot of fun. If she was tied to the bed, her pussy being teased with your tongue while I smacked her ass then she might just stay in the here and now.”

  “What . . . what did you just say?” she asked Maddox.

  “There she is. Our little ray of sunshine,” Beau said cheerfully.

  She scowled at him. Really? What else were you supposed to do when someone called you a little ray of sunshine? And you knew you were anything but that.

  “I am not a little ray of sunshine.”

  “Not with that face,” Maddox agreed. “More like a thunderstorm.”

  She glared up at him, her hands moving to her hips. “Excuse me?”

  “Hey, I happen to like thunderstorms. They get the blood pumping, don’t you think?” Beau drawled.

  “I think anything gets your blood pumping,” she replied dryly, staring down at his cock in case he didn’t get what she was insinuating.

  Again, his head went back as he laughed. “I like her. Can we keep her, Mad? Please?”

  Maddox just grinned while she growled at Beau.

  “I’m not a stray dog.”

  “You’d have a good life, darlin’. I take care of what belongs to me.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. God, he was good. Cheesy pickup lines and the fact he didn’t seem to take anything seriously, including himself, had a way of making her insides melt.

  Don’t fall for his charm.

  “Tell that to Goldie,” Maddox replied.

  “Hey, I was six. I didn’t know anything about taking care of him. And he was a goldfish. They don’t have a long lifespan. I still feel terrible. You believe me, don’t you, darlin’? I didn’t mean to kill that goldfish. I had no idea you could overfeed them. Tell me you understand.”

  He looked so sad and lost that she felt her heart hurting for him a bit. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to kill him. And goldfish don’t live long.”

  “Pretty sure most live longer than a day,” Maddox said dryly.

/>   “Again, I was six. I could barely wipe my own ass.”

  “Not the sort of thing you say to a woman you’re trying to sweet-talk,” Maddox said.

  “You’re trying to sweet-talk me?” She stared at Maddox in surprise.

  “Maddox can sweet-talk anyone, although he’s become a more of a ‘do as I say, or I’ll take you over my knee’ type. Now, me on the other hand, I’ll give you all the sweet talk you desire. My tongue can perform miracles.”

  Maddox groaned. “Seriously, man.”

  “What? What did I say?”

  “That was really bad,” she told Beau. “Like seriously bad.”

  He pouted. It should have made him look ridiculous. So why did she have this desire to climb him like a tree and kiss that pout off his face?

  And she didn’t even like kissing.

  “I feel picked on. I might need therapy after this. It’s not nice to gang up and bully someone.”

  Maddox just shook his head. “Don’t worry about him. He’s always pulling this shit. Middle child syndrome.”

  “We’re twins. We’re both middle children,” Beau told him.

  “And yet, I have my shit together and you’re an attention-seeker.”

  “Only because I’m constantly ignored. Do you know, when I was younger I got left at a theme park while the rest of my brothers left and went home? I was there for hours, on my own, crying, hungry. It’s a wonder I wasn’t kidnapped. I could have died.”

  “It was five minutes, and you were only separated from us because you ran away. He wanted another corn dog,” Maddox told her.

  Beau sighed. “I love corn dogs. Wouldn’t you do anything for a corn dog, darlin’?”

  She’d do anything to understand this conversation. Why were they talking about corn dogs?

  “We think he was dropped on his head as a baby,” Maddox whispered to her.

  “So, what do you say, darlin’?”

  “Um, to what?” Had Beau asked her something and she’d missed it?

  “Come get some food with us. I’m feeling kinda hungry.”

  The way he stared at her made it obvious what he was hungry for. Her. She flushed. Could she do this? Could she really have a one-night stand with a stranger? But wait . . . which one?

  Maddox leaned in on her other side. “It can be just dinner, little one. Nothing happens that you don’t want to happen.”