Sparks Fly(Divine Creek Ranch 11)(46)

Jayne turned to Seth and asked, “Do you know Rosemary and her men very well?”

“Not very. This is only the second time I’ve met Rosemary but I’ve talked with Wes on several occasions and did a tattoo for Evan. He liked it so much, he’s got Wes talked into one too and wants another for himself. We’re trying to set a barter. They want tattoos and I need furniture.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, I bought a house over on Bluestem Street last fall and I’ve never gotten around to furnishing it. All I have is a bed and a recliner and a few odds and ends and even those I’m looking to replace. I just haven’t gotten around to it until recently. They’re building my bedroom furniture right now.”

“They do fantastic work. I’ll bet you’ll be thrilled with it.” Jayne bit her lip as she wondered what kind of bed he would’ve ordered and how he’d look lying on it. “Rosemary tells me she practically grew up in her family’s store. I’ve enjoyed getting to know them.”

Seth leaned so close, she got a whiff of his manly scent, a combination of the shampoo he used, his sweat, and the faint scent of laundry detergent on his clothing. Her mouth watered and she stifled a gasp as he brushed shoulders with her and whispered, “I wonder how they make it work? Their threesome, I mean.” Heat flashed in her cheeks, and he chuckled. “That came out wrong. I have a very good understanding of the mechanics. What I meant was how they manage to get along, communicate and share her without competition or jealousy.”

“I know Rosemary keeps them on their toes but I’ve not talked to her about it personally. I’ve heard from other reliable sources though that it takes a lot of maturity, respect, and communication. They probably have a lot of alone time with each other too. That’s what Grace has told me she does. They’re only as strong together as they are as individual couples.”

“Makes sense. So is that what you’re in the market for, now that you’ve settled in Divine?”

Jayne felt the warmth rise in her cheeks again as he gazed at her. “Um, no. I don’t think I can…” I don’t think I can physically handle two or more men. One would be more than I ever dreamed possible, after the last ten years. Her heart pounded as a vision of being surrounded by men who adored her flashed into her mind. If her luck changed for the worse again, the thought of breaking one man’s heart was almost more than she could bear. Shattering the lives of more than one man was unconscionable. Besides that, at some point, most men wanted to have kids so they could pass on their family name. That had certainly been the case with her ex-fiancé Mike.

“You don’t think you can…what?”

Jayne blinked and looked up at him again. “I’ve had some health issues that might make it hard for me to handle a ménage. I know that sounds weird. There’s nothing wrong with me now. I’m just not sure I could…keep up.” She couldn’t even look in his eyes as the words came out of her mouth.

“Oh.”

Oh boy. Here come the questions and the pitying look. He’ll ask what’s wrong, see that I’m a poor risk and then it’ll be bye-bye Mister Carter. She hadn’t intended to say anything and had wanted to dwell in the fantasy a bit longer before the hard truth came out. I could get sick again…and die. She braced herself and raised her eyes back to his. Get it over with.

He was smiling at her, and the warmth of his palm on her hand as he squeezed it reassured her. “I don’t know a man alive that I’d trust enough to share with. I have good, close friends all over the world, but none that good.”

A little seed of hope cracked open and germinated inside her when he didn’t ask questions about what had happened to her. Maybe he wouldn’t care? Maybe he’s the one?

“Are you ready to head over to The Dancing Pony?”

She nodded, and the hope grew inside her as he stood and assisted her to stand. Seth helped her fold their blanket as other members of their group gathered blankets and chairs and prepared to go home or over to the nightclub.

Seth led her back to the Harley by the hand he still held and gave her the helmet. He placed his hand on her hair, at the base of her neck and said, “Could I do something for you, if you don’t mind?”

“What?’

“Indulge me?” he asked as he leaned forward and smiled at her.

“Um…okay.”

He stroked one hand down the length of her hair. “Let me braid it for you?” He lifted the solid length of her hair and slid it through his grasp, and every nerve ending in her body fired to life at the light tugging sensation. Oh, do that again and I may come! The writer inside her made note of the sensation and reminded herself to add a light hair-pulling scene in her next story. She’d never thought something so simple could be so erotic. Her breath shuddered from her and her cheeks flushed hotly when Seth met her eyes questioningly. Sexy hair-pulling hunk needs an answer, babe!