Property Of The Mountain Man (Montana Mountain Men Book 1)

I wake up smiling but sore the next morning. Beau made it his mission last night to try to convince me not to go out, and although it didn’t work, I still thoroughly enjoyed his efforts. Repacking some underwear, my makeup, toothbrush, and my heels into one of the bags Beau transplanted from my closet, I turn to glance at my red dress that’s hanging over the closet door. I don’t really understand why he’s losing his mind about it, it’s fairly decent and not even that short.

I start to zip up the bag, then at the last minute I cross to the dresser and steal one of his huge t-shirts, shoving it in my bag to sleep in tonight. I have pajama’s here now that I could take, but his clothes smell like him and even though I refuse to admit it out loud, I’ll probably miss him tonight when I stay over at Cora’s,

Quickly braiding my hair, I slide my feet into my boots and grab my red dress before I head back into the living room. Beau, Bay, Granger, and Huck are all still at sitting at the kitchen counter, while Teddy is asleep fully dressed on the couch, and Cody and Penn are either still asleep or have already left for work. I’m surprised by how comfortable I am here with the guys. Since I shouted at them all the first time Beau brought me here, they’ve all been incredibly sweet to me. I’m not sure if that’s just because they’re nice, or if Beau’s threatened them to behave, either way being here is surprisingly easy.

Bay pushes a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal towards me. “Breakfast,” he says, eyeing my bag and the dress.

“Thanks.”

“You still going out tonight?” he asks.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

He snickers. “I thought my bro might have convinced you not to.”

Scowling I glare at Bay, then look to Beau, but before I have a chance to speak Cody reaches over and punches Bay in the arm. “Shut the fuck up.”

Bay spins towards Cody angrily, but at his words he stops, then his eyes widen and he quickly darts his gaze back to me. “Sorry,” he says quietly. “I’ll shut the fuck up now.”

Huge hands wrap around my waist and Beau lifts me onto the stool he just vacated, then slides my breakfast along the counter toward me. “Eat,” he whispers, pressing a soft kiss to the side of my neck.

For a moment we all sit in awkward silence.

“I got the quotes back for the soundproofing, I’ll start with your room, then work my way round the rest of the house. Penn’s snoring keeps me awake,” Granger says in his quiet, calm tone that I’m surprised to find I’m becoming accustomed to.

Though the Barnett men are all surprisingly alike in looks, they’re entirely different in personality. Where Beau is big, gruff, and intimidating on the outside, Bay is a charmer, and Cody is sweet, but forceful. Granger is a surprisingly peaceful presence, unlike Huck who is by far the loudest and most outgoing. Penn I’m still trying to figure out, but the baby of the family and the brother that’s the closest to my age, Teddy, is just happy go lucky and easy to be around.

It should be weird for me to be here, literally surrounded by my boyfriend’s family, but it’s not. They’re a huge, incredibly close group, but I don’t feel like an outsider. A thrill runs through me. I always wanted to be close to my brother, even though he’s always pushed me away, even more so in the last few years, but Beau’s brothers all treat me like I’m already part of the family, and I can see myself gaining six brothers if things between Beau and I work out.

Warmth washes over me as I glance at the scene around me. I can imagine this becoming my life. Beau already wants me to move in, but would I want to live in this massive bachelor pad with seven guys?

Yes.

The answer is effortless, yes, I can see myself waking up with Beau and then eating breakfast with our family. I can see myself hanging out with the guys if I get home early, I can see myself being happy in this loud home filled with love. The thought both thrills and scares me. Beau keeps promising me forever, but I just don’t trust that it’s true yet. My man wants all my time, no space, no distance, but I can’t think clearly when I’m with him, because the fantasy he’s offering me is just too perfect to turn down.

He might not want me to go out tonight, but it’s exactly what I need, some space to process and see if I’m ready to take this huge leap with him. To decide if I’m ready to believe that this is real and not just the dream I’ve created in my head.

When I’ve finished my breakfast, I load my cup, bowl, and spoon into the dishwasher and go grab my bag. Huck hands me a bagged lunch with my name on, and I smile. “Thank you, but you don’t have to make me a lunch,” I tell him, sliding the brown bag into my purse.

Huck shrugs, “You’re one of us, you get a lunch,” he says.

“Thank you,” I say, pressing a kiss to his cheek, then stepping back and heading to the door.

“You not even planning on saying goodbye?” Beau rasps, catching me around the waist and pulling me into his lap.

“I was coming back, I’m just gonna put this stuff in my car first,” I laugh, gesturing to my full hands.

“I’ll take them, so you can say bye to everyone,” he says, taking my bag and glaring at my red dress as he pulls it from my hands and heads out the front door.

“Bye guys,” I say awkwardly.

“Bye Bonnie,” Granger says, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

Cody and Bay take it in turns to hug me, and even Teddy gets up from the couch to encircle me in a bear hug. It’s nice. I’m still a stranger to them, but Beau’s brothers are treating me like family, while my own brother makes me feel like an inconvenient burden. “Bye,” I say, slightly shellshocked but smiling.

Opening the front door, I step out and find Beau waiting beside the shiny GMC, his brow furrowed.

“What’s up?”

“I hate the idea of not sleeping with you tonight,” he says.

“You’ll be fine, you won’t even notice I’m not there,” I assure him, closing the distance between us and pushing up onto my tiptoes to kiss him.

His arms band around me the moment my lips touch his, and he lifts me up and kisses me like it’s our final farewell.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night,” I say.

“What?” his head snaps up and he glares at me.

“I told you I help out on the ranch on my days off.”

“Not this weekend, I’m kidnapping you till Monday morning,” he says seriously.

“I have responsibilities, Beau, I let you convince me to take Tuesday and Wednesday off, but I can’t just ignore my commitments because we started dating,” I say, rolling my eyes and sighing.

“I’m not asking you to ignore your responsibilities, I’m just asking for a little of your time,” he snaps.

“Beau, I don’t want to argue with you, I’ll work on the ranch tomorrow day, then stay here tomorrow night with you. Okay?”

“Where are you going tonight? Which bar?”

I shrug, “I don’t know yet, we’ll probably end up at Barney’s”

Beau grabs my ass, gripping it tightly, then spanking me twice in quick succession. “Or you could just stay with me tonight.”

Rolling my eyes so hard it hurts, I shake my head. “Stop trying to manipulate me, I told you I’m going out and nothing you do is going to change my mind.”

“You are a pain in my ass,” he growls against my lips, kissing me hard and fast.

“Back at you,” I say, when he finally releases me.

“Behave tonight, remember who you belong to,” he snarls angrily.

“See you tomorrow night,” I whisper, kissing him softly and waiting for him to take over, which he does, deepening the kiss as he possessively holds me to him, my hair wrapped around his fist controlling my movements.

“See you later, baby girl,” he says, reluctantly.

“Bye,” I whisper, pulling away from him and sliding into my car. He watches me until the house goes out of view, then his truck appears behind me and follows me all the way into town.

“Why say goodbye and then follow me to work?” I ask, when he climbs out of his truck outside the coffee shop.

“Did you really think I’d let you open up on your own?” he asks, his expression saying the answer should be obvious.

Smiling, I chuckle to myself, unlocking the front door and turning on the lights as Beau follows me inside. Thirty minutes later, I’m back clutched to his chest as he kisses me stupid.

“Stay with me tonight,” he coaxes,

“Tomorrow, I’ll stay with you tomorrow night.”

“Tonight.”

“Tomorrow. Go do something fun tonight, I bet you won’t even miss me,” I smile.

“My dick misses you already. I’m hard for you, baby girl,” he taunts, grinding his dick against my stomach, teasing me with it.

“I’m sure you and your dick will survive.”

Lifting me off my feet, he rushes into the kitchen, placing me on my feet as his fingers work my pants down my legs just enough for him to push my panties to the side and thrust two fingers deep into my sex.

A burst of pleasure-filled pain shocks me, and I gasp as he fucks me hard and deep with his fingers, his lips on mine as his other fingers find my clit, rubbing at the bundle of nerves as he fucks me, lifting me up onto my tiptoes with each thrust.

I’m coming in the blink of an eye, the feeling crashing over me so suddenly I’m unprepared and my legs buckle. Beau swallows my scream with his mouth, kissing me as I tremble and shake with the intensity of the orgasm he just gave me.

When the tremors start to fade, he pulls my panties and jeans back into place, then sucks his fingers into his mouth, smirking at me. “You taste fucking delicious.”

I feel shellshocked and I can’t seem to make words form on my lips.

“I got to go, baby girl, see you later,” he says, kissing me before smacking me on the ass and turning to leave, a shit eating grin etched across his face.

The rest of the day drags, it’s busy, but the clock seems to be ticking backwards and by the time Owen saunters in at three forty-five, shocking the hell out of me, I’m exhausted and horny as hell. Beau has been sending me dirty text messages all day, and as if he knows I’m thinking about him, my cell beeps in my pocket just as I’m pushing through the door.

Beau – I can still taste you on my tongue, my fingers smell like your pussy and I can’t wait to eat you again. Come home with me tonight and I’ll devour you. I’ll make you come so many times you’ll pass out from pleasure.

A jolt of desire pulses through my core. He’s been doing this all day, just as my body calms, he texts me and I’m all riled up again just from his words. Torturing myself, I scroll back through the other texts he’s sent me today.

Beau – My dick is rock hard and leaking for you. I want to see your cunt spread wide, while I make you come as you ride my cock.

Beau – You belong to me, baby girl, later I’m gonna take you and own you. You’re gonna scream my name and come on my tongue, my fingers, and my cock until you pass out from all the pleasure I’m going to give you.

Beau – No one gets to touch you but me, Bonnie, I could come just from watching you orgasm.

Beau – I can’t wait to feed my dick into that smart mouth of yours, I can almost imagine how hot and wet your mouth will be, how sexy your lips will look when they’re spread wide around my cock.

My core clenches again and I can feel how wet my panties are. I know what he’s doing, he doesn’t want me to go out tonight, so he’s trying to get me so riled up I’ll go find him and fuck him instead. It’s almost working, but I refuse to let him know he has that much control over me. I won’t allow him to dictate what I do and with who, and I’d rather he figure that out now and learn to deal with it.

Me – You’re an asshole.

Beau – I’d like to fuck your asshole baby girl; I’ll start with my finger and stretch you out till you can take my dick. You’ll love being so owned, I’ll take you in every hole, so I can claim you in every way possible.

The thought of anal both terrifies and titillates me, but I won’t admit that to him. I only had sex for the first time a week ago, and at least for now I won’t allow anymore of my dirty fantasies to filter into my real life.

Me – Your dick isn’t going anywhere near my ass.

Beau – ha ha ha we’ll see. Tell me where you want my dick then. Stay with me tonight and I’ll do whatever you want, however you want.

Feeling like teasing him a little, I reply as I walk down the sidewalk towards Cora’s mom’s store.

Me – Anything I want?

His reply is immediate.

Beau – Anything. Tell me what you want.

Me – It’s a little… dirty.

Beau – Even better. Since I spanked you, I’ve been having a lot of dirty, kinky ideas of what we could do.

Swallowing thickly, my fingers shake a little as I try to decide what to write. I was trying to turn the tables and tease him, but he’s shaken me with that last reply. He’s been thinking about dirty, kinky things he and I could do.

Me – Tell me.

Beau – I want to take you over my knee and spank you again until your ass is red and hot.

Beau – I want to tie your arms and ankles down and fuck you while you’re helpless and all you can do is beg for more.

Beau – I want to take your cunt, your mouth, your ass and cover you in my cum until you smell like me and everyone knows who you belong to.

The air seems to leave my lungs as I read, it’s like he’s looked inside my head and stolen all of my dirty dreams. I’ve read a thousand sexy romance books and lived vicariously through the stories they told, but it wasn’t until Beau decided that I was his that I’ve had a chance to do some of the things I read about, and now this. Now he’s dangling yet another fantasy in front of me; offering me the chance to explore my sexuality with him.

My cell rings in my hands and I exhale shakily, lifting it to my ear.

“Hello.”

“Have I freaked you out or turned you on?” he asks, sounded apprehensive.

“Both,” I breathe.

“Which bit turned you on?” he asks.

“I…” I trail off, not sure if I should confess that all of it turned me on. This could be a test, if I tell him I want him to do everything he mentioned to me, he might think I’m a freak.

“I know you enjoyed me spanking you. Do you like the thought of me dragging you over my knee, holding you down and punishing you with my palm on your ass?” he asks, his voice quiet and raspy.

A tiny moan falls from my lips and I know I’ve given myself away.

“Oh, fuck, baby girl, that turns you on as much as it does me, doesn’t it?”

“Yes,” I confess shakily.

“Have you finished work, come home, I can be there in ten minutes,” he growls, and I can hear the desire lacing his words.

“I can’t,” I groan, really regretting having agreed to go out tonight for the first time.

“You can, you can get your ass in your car and come to me now. I’ll punish you so good for making us both suffer like this.”

“This isn’t fair,” I whisper, clenching my thighs together.

“No space, no distance, baby girl, I never said I’d play fair, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“So, all of this is just so I won’t go out tonight?” I ask, suddenly upset that he isn’t a mind reader and it’s all just a ploy to get me to do what he wants.

“Are you in your car? I’m in my truck, I want you so bad,” he rasps.

“I can’t believe you,” I say, my voice catching. “You’re manipulating me.”

“No, I’m just giving us what we both want,” he purrs.

“No, you’re trying to get what you want. I’ll see you tomorrow, Beau.” Ending the call, I silence my cell and slide it back into my pocket. I’m not sure why I’m so upset, he warned me who he was, in fact he’s been telling me over and over that he’s an asshole, it’s just the first time since he dragged me to his house that I’ve really seen him behave like one.

My cell starts to vibrate, but I ignore it and start walking again, realizing that I’ve been standing still in the middle of sidewalk. The buzzing in my pocket stops, then immediately starts again. Pulling it out I see Beau’s name on the screen and throw it into my purse, closing my eyes to fight the urge to answer it and shout at him. Arguing is stupid, it’s counterproductive and it always makes me cry. I’m an angry crier, and even if I’m furious the tears make me look weak.

Beau isn’t my father, or husband, he’s just the guy I recently started dating. When I hear my cell start to buzz again, I pull it from my purse and answer it.

“Hello.”

“What the fuck, Bonnie?” he hisses.

“What’s up?” I ask as nonchalantly as I can.

“What’s up?” he snarls back. “What’s up is that my dick’s hard enough to cut steel and you’re hanging up and ignoring me.”

“I’m not ignoring you, I answered, we’re speaking,” I say curtly.

“Are you on your way?”

“No. I told you I have plans tonight.”

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” he snarls. “Baby girl, get your ass into your car and come home.”

“Sorry sweetie, I just got to Cora’s place. Have a good night, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I coo, with faux cheeriness, then end the call and throw my cell back into my purse.

Inhaling sharply, I roll back my shoulders. I won’t let him manipulate me, and I’m mad that he tried to. He knows I have no experience being in a sexual relationship, and he still tried to use sex against me. Taking in a long, slow breath, I exhale and force all thoughts of him out with it. My shoulders relax a little and some of the tension falls away.

My mama taught me to do this, she told me that living with my daddy sometimes made her so mad she just wanted to scream and shout and cry, but that men very rarely understand the complexity of women so she learnt to compartmentalize her anger until it faded. But she also told me that she replaced the sugar in all of my daddy’s food with salt for a solid month when he pissed her off, so maybe her anger didn’t fade, she just picked her time to show it.

Breathing in again, I slowly exhale, then push through the door to Cora’s mama’s shop with a smile on my face. Cora waves when she sees me, her attention returning to the customer she’s serving when the lady asks her a question.

I take a minute to look through the rails of clothes, strolling in and out of the racks of jeans, stylish fall sweaters, and tall leather boots. That’s when my eyes fall on an outfit mounted on a mannequin. The skirt is rose gold and sparkly, it should be gaudy and tacky, but paired with the simple backless black body suit that’s cut into a v shape at the front, but dips all the way down below the waist of the skirt at the back, it looks incredibly sexy and modern.

The outfit is paired with simple black pumps and gold hoop earring, and try as I might, I just can’t tear my eyes away from it.

“Here,” Cora says from behind me, startling me. “Go try it on, I actually had you in mind when I saw the new stock this morning.”

Without protest, I take the clothes and shoes from her and head to the changing rooms. The moment I slide the skirt on over the body suit I know I have to have it; it skims my curves, accentuates my breasts and makes me feel sexy and beautiful. Sliding my feet into the pumps, I turn and look at myself in the mirror and smile. Sometimes there are clothes you want and sometimes there are clothes you just have to have, and this is one of those outfits.

Pulling the curtain back, I step into the shop and find Cora waiting for me. “Holy shit, please tell me you’re having it, I mean you have to have it. I’m straight and I want to bang you when you look like that.”

Laughing, I do a quick spin, smiling widely the entire time. “I love it, Cora, I don’t even care how much it is, I need this outfit.”

“You do. You need it and it’s not too bad with my discount,” she shrugs.

Quickly changing, she rings the clothes up, and I swallow as I hand her my card. “I’ve been doing a lot of overtime recently; I deserve a treat.”

She nods, swiping my card before I can wince at the fact that I just spent over two hundred dollars on an outfit that will be completely underappreciated in the only decent bar in our small town. Cora’s mama pushes through the door just as she hands me my receipt and the bag full of my beautiful new clothes.

“Bonnie,” she coos, sashaying towards me on six-inch heels. I’ve known Mrs. Cunningham my entire life, and I’ve never known her wear anything other than skyscraper heels. It doesn’t matter if she was manning a stall at a bake sale for six hours, working all day in her store, or doing the grocery shopping, she’s always dressed to the nines and in shoes that make my feet hurt just looking at them.

“Hi Mrs. Cunningham,” I say, rushing over to hug her when she opens her arms for me.

“I hear you girls are having a night out tonight? I hope that bag holds that beautiful rose gold skirt,” she asks.

“The whole outfit, it’s just stunning,” I tell her.

“Well Cora has the eye, she told me she planned to show it to you when we unpacked the stock this morning, and I agreed that it would be perfect for you,” Mrs. Cunningham says, smiling warmly at her daughter.

“You’re early, Mom, I’m not supposed to finish till five,” Cora says, glancing at her watch.

“I know, but I thought you girls deserved a treat, so I booked you both in for massages and mani-pedis, my treat,” she says, squeezing my arm.

“Are you serious?” Cora shrieks.

“Mrs. Cunningham,” I start to protest.

“Hush, go, enjoy, you’re only young once.”

“Thank you, Mama,” Cora says, launching herself at her mom.

I lean in for a second hug the moment Cora releases her. “Thank you, Mrs. Cunningham.”

“You both work too hard, have a fabulous time. Your appointments are in fifteen minutes,” she says, shooing us out of the shop.

Cora grabs her jacket and purse and hooks her arm through mine as we excitedly spill back out onto the sidewalk. “This is perfect, exactly what we both need,” she says happily.

“Your mom is so awesome.”

“My sales have been epic this month, almost double this time last year. Since she started letting me source stock we’ve really been hitting a younger market and she’s over the moon,” she tells me almost shyly.

“Cora that’s amazing, but it’s not exactly a shock, your mom’s right, you do have the eye.”

“Thanks,” she says coyly, wrinkling her nose a little embarrassed.

“I am more than happy to bask in your success, a massage is exactly what I need today.” I sigh as we spot Lux, the town’s best and only day spa, ahead of us.

“Why? Has Beau been tiring you out?” she winks.

“He’s an asshole, but I don’t want to talk about him today, he is tomorrow me’s problem. Today’s me wants to have a relaxing massage, get my nails done, then drink too many cocktails and dance until my feet hurt.”

“Oh, we’re talking about Beau, but I’ll wait till we’re a few cocktails in,” she warns with a laugh. “But first let’s get pampered.”

Miranda Millard is behind the counter, wearing a lilac-colored smock and black capri slacks, her hair pulled back into a tight bun that makes her face look a little startled. “Hi Bonnie, Cora,” she greets coolly. Miranda graduated the year before us and went away to school, only to flunk out of her freshman year and have to come back home. She already had a stick up her ass before then, now she spends all her time with her nose in the air thinking she’s better than the rest of us.

“Hi Miranda, my mama booked us in for massages, and mani-pedis,” Cora tells her politely.

“Yes, Cora you’re with Chantelle, and Bonnie we have you with David, here are your robes, if you’d like to go on through to the changing areas and get ready, your masseuses will collect you shortly.”

Cora smirks at me, “Thanks Miranda.”

“Thank you, Miranda,” I say quietly, taking the white fluffy robe she offers me, and stepping behind the desk and into the changing area.

“Jesus the state of that girl, if she thinks she’s so much better than Rockhead Point why doesn’t she just leave,” Cora rants the moment the door closes behind us.

“Shush, she’ll hear you,” I whisper yell.

“I don’t care, she’s so far up her own butt I doubt she can hear anything anyway.”

Laughing, I quickly undress, placing my cell into the little net valuable bags that are always in the robe pockets before putting the rest of my stuff into a locker and locking it, sliding the key into the bag with my cell. I don’t bother looking to see how many missed calls I have, I can already guess it’s a lot, but he can’t hunt me down when he has no idea where I am.

A few minutes later there’s a knock at the door and Chantelle, one of the therapists, pokes her head around the corner. “You ladies ready?”

“God yes,” I groan.

“Perfect, we’ll do massages separately, then do mani-pedis together. If you want to come on out, David is waiting to take you down,” she tells us.

Cora and I eagerly follow her out and I smile and wave at David who leads me off to a massage room. “Hey Bonnie, how are you?” he asks, as he opens the door to the therapy room and gestures for me to take a seat.

“I’m good thanks, David, how are you?” David moved to town almost two years ago and opened the day spa. Back then we all assumed it would fail, but great treatments and fantastic facilities has not only kept the place open, but seen it thrive. With mud baths, Swedish hot tubs, and a fire and ice room, Lux pulls in both tourists and locals alike.

“I’m awesome, I have a date later,” he smiles.

“Oh, who with? Anyone I know?”

Most people assume David’s gay, he’s very well groomed, plucks his eyebrows, and well, he owns and works in a day spa, but he’s not, he just enjoys taking care of himself and loves having his hands on women’s bodies all day. He and Cora had a bit of a friends with benefits arrangement for a few months a while back, but it petered out and now they’re just friends without the extras.

“I’ll tell you if it goes well,” he smiles. “You look tense.”

“It’s been a crazy few days,” I tell him with a weary exhale.

“Okay, so how does an aromatherapy massage sound, maybe with a few crystals to help center you?”

“That sounds amazing,” I groan. He offers me a few different choices of scented oils and I pick the one that smells like lavender. After he’s left the room, I lay down on the bed and pull the towel over me. When he comes back in, I allow myself to melt as he pushes all of the stress and tension from my muscles. By the time he’s finished I’m barely coherent, my body so relaxed I’m almost asleep.

“Take your time getting up, I’ll go grab you a water,” he whispers, leaving me a puddle of goo.

My body protests when I crawl off the bed and wrap myself in my robe again, I take the bottle of water David offers and hug him goodbye when he leads me to the nail room, where I flop down into one of the comfy chairs.

Cora appears a moment later, and both of us nap while our feet are submerged into foot spas.

An hour later we both emerge onto the sidewalk, relaxed and pampered. “Remind me to send your mama some flowers, that was exactly what I needed.”

“Oh my, it was so good, I swear Chantelle has hands the size of a Russian weight lifter, but Jesus, she knows how to get every last bit of tension out of your muscles.”

Three hours later, we’re primped and fluffed and barreling through the doors of Barney’s bar, just in time for happy hour. My outfit is sexy, my hair is down and falling in mermaid waves around my shoulders, and my makeup is mostly natural, with a heavy smoky eye that makes me feel like a femme fatale.

Having this time with Cora was exactly what I needed, and I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Glancing at her I can’t help but smile. Her fiery red hair is piled up on top of her head, tendrils escaping here and there, she’s wearing several gold chokers around her neck that sparkle and compliment her natural porcelain skin. Her simple white bandage top wraps around her breasts, strategic cut outs showing the tattoo she has across her ribs and ending just above the tight black pencil shirt that hugs her hourglass curves. She looks effortlessly hot, and if she wasn’t my best friend, I’d be forced to hate her for how beautiful she is.

“Hey Barney,” she calls when we reach the huge, polished wooden bar that curves all the way along the back wall of the building.

“Good evening, Cora, Bonnie, what can I get for you ladies tonight?” he asks. Barney’s in his sixties, the town’s secret keeper, the doler of unsolicited advice, and the owner of the best bar in town. He never seems to age and he mixes the best cocktails I’ve ever tasted.

“Can I have a caramel apple martini, please,” Cora tells him.

“I’ll have a cherry-rancher-tini, please,” I say.

“And can we have four evil angel shots please too,” Cora adds a with a wicked smirk.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna end up throwing up tonight, aren’t I?” I ask with a laugh.

“Yes,” Cora cries, throwing her hands up into the air and shaking her ass to the upbeat country music that’s coming from the house band playing in the corner.

“Girls, you be safe tonight,” Barney says with a wink, as he pours spirits into several shakers and quicky pulls together our cocktails, sliding them across the bar to us with a flourish.

“We will,” both Cora and I chorus at the same time. In any other bar we’d probably have to be careful, but this is Barney’s place and filled with locals, people who we’ve known our whole lives. This bar is the only place in town that actively discourages tourists, so it’s about the safest place for us to drink a few too many cocktails and let our hair down.

“I’ll put these on your tab,” he nods, then moves away to serve the next customer.

“A toast, to a much needed girls’ night,” Cora says, lifting one of the shot glasses up and gesturing for me to do the same.

“To girls’ night,” I toast, tapping my glass against hers before I throw the shot back, wincing at the burn as the liquor hits my throat. Grabbing the second shot I lift it in the air. “To stupid, controlling assholes,” I say.

Cora laughs, then taps her glass against mine. “To sexy Barnett boys,” she winks, lifting the glass to her lips and swallowing the blue liquid down in one gulp.

I down the second shot, coughing a little, then wince. “Wow, why does the second shot always burn more than the first?”

“No idea, but it’s time to spill. What the hell is going on with you and Beau?”

Sighing, I lift my cocktail up and take a long sip. “Honestly I don’t really know. We’re together, he says I’m his.”

“Beau Barnett is your boyfriend,” she sighs dreamily.

“He’s crazy, like certifiably crazy. He’s possessive and jealous and an asshole. He’s basically got me moved into his house, and he scrapped my car and bought me a new one without telling me.”

“Wow, sounds terrible,” she dead pans. “Your hot as fuck boyfriend bought you a car, how awful.”

“He’s taking over my life,” I confess.

“And you don’t want him to? Are you worried? Should we be reporting him to the police?” she asks, escalating dramatically.

“God don’t get me wrong, he’s great, and the sex…” I pause.

“The sex?” she asks excitedly.

“It’s better than anything I’ve ever even fantasized about.”

“I knew it! He’s hung like a horse, isn’t he? I knew that many rumors couldn’t be wrong,” she gushes.

Rolling my eyes, I wait for her calm down before I start talking again. “He says he wants forever,” I confess.

Cora’s eyes widen for a minute. “Forever?”

“We had a run in with a couple of his exes the other night. I know he has a past, but both of them basically told me the same thing. That he’s great in bed, but that it’s never more than that. He says I’m different, but I just don’t know if he’s only telling me what he thinks I want to hear.”

“Why would he make stuff up. If all he wanted was sex, why go to all this effort to sweet talk you, it’s not like he’s hard up for offers of women ready to share his bed for a night or two,” she shrugs.

“I don’t know, but he’s manipulative. He didn’t want me to come tonight, so he played on my inexperience and tried to use sex as a weapon to get me to do what he wanted.”

“Well that’s a shitty thing to do,” she says, the smile replaced with a frown.

“Half the time I think he’s being honest, the rest of the time I’m just not sure if he’s playing with me. This morning I was sitting in his house having breakfast with all his brothers, thinking how happy I was and how maybe I could see myself going all in with him. Then today he as good as told me that he’d do whatever he has to do to get me to do what he wants.”

“Do you really think he’d let the entire town know you’re together, have your dad round to eat with his family, and move you into his home, if this was all just some elaborate game with him?” Cora asks concernedly.

“I don’t know, I don’t think so, but I don’t know him that well, and since the moment he dropped the ‘I want you bomb’, he’s just been two hundred miles an hour, full speed ahead without looking back.”

“I guess you have to figure out how much you want to be with him,” Cora says seriously. “I mean there’s definitely worse things than your boyfriend being super protective and possessive. If it were me, I’d like that, in fact, honestly, I’d love a man to dote on me and spoil me rotten.”

“I…” I trail off unsure how to explain how I feel. “He’s so… I feel like I’m making it all up.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve had a crush on him since I was thirteen, and now it’s actually happening and I like him so much and the sex is unbelievable.”

“Why can I hear a but coming?” she asks.

“But, he’s my first boyfriend, my first sexual partner, my first everything. I’m worried about getting really carried away and falling head over heels in love with him.”

“But that’s a good thing. Being in love. Isn’t that what we all want?”

“Is it?” I question.

“Isn’t it? It’s what I want. I want what you have. I want a guy to lose his mind over me, to want me all the time, to become the center of his universe. Most guys won’t commit to anything more than a day in advance, and Beau is talking forever with you.”

“He sent me all these texts today, all the things he’s fantasized about doing with me, to me,” I confess, embarrassed even as the words pour from my mouth.

“Like what?” she asks, her eyes wide with anticipation.

“We both found out that…” I cringe.

“Oh my god, is it something really kinky? It’s not anything to do with feet is it? Because feet are gross.”

Laughing, I slap at her shoulder. “Eww, no it’s not feet, it’s…” I lean in to whisper into her ear. “I like to be spanked, and he realized he likes to spank me.”

“Wow, that is so hot,” Cora mouths.

“You don’t think it’s weird? I had no idea that it was something I’d like, and then he did it just messing around and…” I trail off, letting her fill in the gaps.

“It’s not weird, it’s sexy. The only guys I’ve hooked up with have only been interested in getting off. The closest I’ve gotten to fun sex was David, and that’s because we both knew it was just casual. What else did he tell you he wanted to do?”

“Just stuff,” I say, feeling heat fill my cheeks.

“Kinky stuff?” she whisper shouts.

“A little kinky.”

“Oh wow, Beau Barnett is kinky, that is so freaking hot,” Cora says, fanning herself with her hand. “He suggested all the kinky, dirty stuff just to stop you coming out tonight?”

“I’m not sure, we haven’t really talked about any of it before, and well he spent last night trying to sex me into agreeing to stay in with him tonight and when that didn’t work, he send me all those texts.”

“Sorry hun, but if that had been me, I’d have cancelled on you in a heartbeat,” she laughs.

Laughing, I finish the last of my cocktail and place the empty glass back down. “I want it all to be true,” I confess softy. “I want him, I want the forever. But I just don’t know enough about guys and relationship to know if I’m being played or not.”

“You deserve it all, sweetie, and for what it’s worth I don’t think he’s playing you. You’re not a pushover and you’re too strong a person to let him consume you. I think he’s in love with you, so just enjoy falling in love for the first time, and trust that sometimes dreams really do come true.”