She smiled. “Sorry, cowboy. I’m just here for a good time.”

“Oh, I could show you a good time,” he purred.

Strong arms surrounded her, lifted her away from the cowboy in question and set her aside. Zane.

“She’s off-limits,” Zane said in a near growl.

She blinked because for some reason, Zane kept swimming out of her vision. And damn it, he looked too good to keep fading out like that.

Not hearing what the two were saying to each other, she snuggled up against Zane’s side, and he dropped an arm around her in a protective gesture.

She rubbed her cheek against his shirt and inhaled his scent. He pulled her toward the door, and she wrapped her arm around his waist to steady herself.

The night air, warm and humid, hit her in the face as they stumbled outside. He walked her over to his truck and stopped as she leaned against the frame.

“Jaz, I don’t know what to do about you,” Zane said with a chuckle. “Seth is home having a kitten because you drove off in his truck, and J.T. is beside himself at the thought of you driving home drunk.”

She frowned her irritation. “And what do you think?” she asked huffily.

He reached out and tweaked her nose. “I think you’re damn cute when you’re drunk.”

She grinned and leaned closer to him. “You’re pretty cute too.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.

“Jaz, honey,” he whispered. “This isn’t a good idea.”

She silenced him with her lips. His arms tightened around her, bending her slightly backwards as her head tilted underneath his.

“I need you,” she whispered back. “I ache. God, Zane, I hurt. I want you so much.”

His mouth devoured hers hungrily, as if he’d waited a lifetime to kiss her like this. She whimpered against his lips, her body writhing, hot and needy against his.

He broke away. “Not here. Not like this, Jaz. Get in the truck.”

Her entire body trembled as he opened the door and ushered her into the passenger seat. He closed the door once she was in then walked around the front to the driver’s side.

Without a word, he started the engine and tore out of the parking lot like he was being chased by the devil.

Her hand fluttered to her lips, but they didn’t ache nearly as much as other parts of her body. She twisted restlessly on the seat, stretching her body in an attempt to alleviate the tension.

Her belly ring flashed in the glow from the headlights. She could see Zane looking at it. Her belly. The ring. And then her br**sts which just barely peeked out from underneath the cropped T-shirt.

“I hurt, Zane,” she whispered.

He pulled onto a dirt road, fishtailing as he righted the truck. He drove a half mile before cutting the engine and dousing the lights. Then he reached for her, pulling her against him.

Her fingers twisted in his long hair as he cupped her face in his hands. Their lips met and both panted for breath as they moved hot against each other.

“Where do you hurt, baby?” he murmured against her lips.

“Here,” she said, dragging one of his hands down her belly, lower to her pelvis and finally to rest at the juncture of her legs.

He groaned and rubbed his fingers over the denim covering her pussy.

“Touch me,” she whispered.

His fingers fumbled with her snap. Then he worked the zipper down, parting the fly. He reached behind him to open his door. The “door ajar” pinging sounded abrasive in the air, and he yanked at the keys, letting them fall to the floorboard.

He got out and stood in the doorway. He gazed at her, eyes blazing in the dark.

“Lie back, sugar,” he said in a strained voice. He pulled at her so that she was positioned with her legs dangling over his seat.

He peeled her jeans over her h*ps and down then yanked impatiently at her sandals so he could remove the pants completely.

He leaned forward, sliding his hands underneath her to cup her ass. He pulled until her knees pressed against his chest. She stared up at him, holding her breath in anticipation. She’d waited so long, wanting him, needing him, loving him so much.

He lowered his head to her belly and kissed her navel. The simple action sent shivers racing over her skin. His tongue lapped at her belly ring. He nibbled and toyed with it, finally sucking the delicate ring into his mouth.

“You like it?” she asked huskily.

“You know I do. You knew damn well it would make me crazy.”

She smiled.

His fingers curled around the thin band of her panties and gently began tugging them down her hips. His mouth followed the progress, kissing the expanse of skin from her belly to her soft mound.

“Please,” she whispered. “I need…”

“I’ll give you what you need, sugar,” he murmured. “Just this once.”

She arched into him as his mouth found her clit. She bucked uncontrollably as shards of pleasure shot through her pelvis. Her stomach tightened and the muscles in her legs spasmed as his tongue worked over her delicate flesh.

Her hand tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, begging him not to stop.

He licked and nibbled in turn, his tongue swirling around her quivering bud. He moved his fingers to trace a lazy circle around her pu**y entrance. She moaned, suddenly needing so much more.

“Shhh, baby.”

He eased one finger inside just as he sucked her cl*tbetween his teeth.

“Zane!”

He chuckled. “You taste so sweet, Jaz. So sweet and f**king innocent. I’m going to hell for this, but damn, it’s going to be an awesome ride.”

“More,” she whimpered. “Please. I need to come. I can’t stand it anymore.”

“Then come, baby. Come for me.”

He thrust another finger inside, gently sliding the tip along the wall of her pussy. He sucked at her cl*tand moved his hand back and forth, creating the most delicious friction.

Her orgasm built and swelled, nothing like her self-induced pleasure escapades. God, this was the real thing, and it was so much more than she’d imagined.

As she writhed beneath him, he increased the tempo until finally, it felt as though she burst into one big ‘ole explosion of ecstasy. She cried out, the sound sharp in the night.

He continued to coax her orgasm from her in long, sweet strokes of his tongue. She panted as the world spun around her. “Zane, Zane,” she chanted.

Finally she went limp against the seat. He kissed her quivering flesh one last time before he pulled away. Gently, he pulled her underwear back up her legs, and then he reached for her jeans. He bent to retrieve her sandals and slid them over her feet.

Her limbs felt heavy and lethargic. Sleepy, satisfied contentment settled into her body. The warm buzz of alcohol mixed with the glow of her orgasm made movement damn near impossible.

“Scooch up, honey,” Zane said in a low voice as he reached out a hand to help her up.

She struggled to sit up and move over to her seat as he climbed back in beside her. She blinked and stared at him as he started the engine.

“Zane?”

He looked over at her.

“You don’t regret it do you?”

He paused for a long moment, guilt crowding his expression. “I shouldn’t have done it, Jaz, but God help me I don’t regret it.”

Chapter Nine

As they drove up the winding driveway to the ranch house, Jasmine dreaded the thought of confronting Seth. She didn’t really care if he was pissed about the truck. She wasn’t ready to face him after the way he pushed her away, and especially not after Zane had just performed o**l s*x on her.

“I hope Seth didn’t wait up,” she said with a sigh.

Zane chuckled. “Tell you what. You pretend you’re passed out, and I’ll haul you upstairs to bed. You can face Seth in the morning.”

She grinned as she remembered so many other nights where Zane had covered for her.

They pulled to a stop outside the garage, and Zane cut the engine.

“Let’s be quick about this,” Zane said as he hopped out. He walked around to her side and opened the door. He turned her legs around until she faced him sideways and then simply picked her up, placing his shoulder into her belly.

She swung over his back, her nose bumping against his back pocket. His arm curved over the back of her legs just below her ass, and when he started walking to the door, his hand slid possessively over the curve of behind.

And sure enough, Seth met them as soon as Zane walked in. She guessed Zane must have held a finger to his lips and shushed Seth, because his question got aborted mid-sentence and he quieted.

Thankful that her face was hidden in Zane’s back, she held her breath until Zane mounted the stairs and headed for her bedroom.

A few seconds later, he deposited her on the bed and stepped back. “Okay, sugar, here you are. Now get undressed and into bed. Sleep off this drunk. I’ll make sure Carmen has a good hangover remedy for you in the morning.”

He turned to go, but Jasmine called out to him in a voice just above a whisper. “Zane?”

He swiveled back around and gazed down at her.

“I knew exactly what I was doing,” she said. “I’m not that drunk. I wanted you.”

His throat worked up and down as he swallowed. His breath escaped him in a long sigh, whether frustration or unease she wasn’t sure. Maybe a little of both.

Then he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. “Good night, Jaz. I’m going to go drive into town with Seth so we can get his truck.”

She closed her eyes in disappointment at the significance of the tiny kiss. He was putting her solidly back on familiar ground.

When she opened them again, Zane was gone. She sighed and flopped back on the bed, arms spread. She tucked her hands behind her head and stared up at the ceiling.

They wanted her. She knew this. Knew that both Seth and Zane were attracted to her. Seth’s words rang in her ears, and she wondered if maybe he was right. Maybe it was true for both of them. Maybe she could have been any woman.

That wasn’t enough for her. She’d never be any woman. She’d be everything to them or nothing.

She sat up and struggled to get out of her clothes. Did she have any chance at making them love her in return? At making them see that she needed them both?

It won’t be easy, chérie. The sort of committed relationship between the three of you that you propose is foreign to them. Aberrant. It will be up to you to show them how beautiful it can be.

Cherisse’s caution floated around in Jasmine’s mind. She’d discarded her friend’s words at the time because she’d been too caught up in the idea of resolving her love for both men. Cherisse was right. It wouldn’t be easy. But then what ever was?

She pulled herself up from the bed and trudged over to the window. Seeing Zane’s truck gone, she deemed it safe to go crawl into the shower. She had a long night ahead of her if she was going to wait for Zane to return.

Jasmine watched from the window as the two trucks rolled up the drive nearly an hour later. She dropped her finger away from the curtain and quickly moved over to her bed. She crawled under the covers and waited.

Soon she heard the quiet footsteps in the hall and then heard them pause outside her door. She lowered her lashes until her eyes were half-lidded. To her surprise, Seth appeared around the doorway, his outline recognizable even in the darkened room. She shut her eyes as he moved closer.

She tried to breathe normally as he neared her bed. Then he stopped, and she was dying to know what he was doing. She opened her eyes just a crack, hoping that he couldn’t see her in the dark.

He stood by her bed, staring down at her, an indecipherable expression on his face. Then he reached down to touch her hair. He ran his fingers over the strands and to her cheek. And like Zane, he bent and kissed her softly on the forehead.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

He left the bed, his footsteps retreating across the room. She opened her eyes wider to see him walk out of her bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Her chest ached with the need to go after him. If only it was as easy as going to both of them, telling them she loved them and having them accept that her love encompassed them both.

Her fingers curled around the covers, and she let out a shaky breath, emotion knotting her throat. She turned over on her side and curled her knees to her chest. What if they never accepted it? What if they couldn’t come to terms with the relationship as she saw it?

The idea sent panic swelling into her chest and stomach, twisting her insides until she clawed at her throat in an attempt to assuage the relentless ache.

She lay there for as long as she could stand it and then she got up. Silently, she cracked open her door and peered down the darkened hallway. Both Seth’s and Zane’s doors were closed. Her alcohol buzz long abated, she tip-toed down to Zane’s door and slowly turned the knob.

When she entered, Zane looked up from his perch on the bed. He was sprawled on the bed, the covers pulled up to his waist. He held the TV remote in one hand and propped his body up on his other elbow.

“I thought you’d be long passed out,” he said with a hint of discomfort in his voice. His hand clutched at the sheets and pulled them a little tighter to his waist.

She didn’t speak. Didn’t trust her voice not to betray her. Instead she walked over to the bed and crawled up onto the mattress, kneeling in front of him. With one hand, she reached out and tugged the sheet from his hand. It fell away, revealing an obvious erection.

“Were you thinking about me?” she asked softly, a hint of a smile twitching the corners of her mouth.

“Jaz, you need to go back to your room,” he said in a near groan. He grabbed for the sheet, but she held fast. She was transfixed by the sight of his arousal.