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Josh shrugged. “That’s fair. So did my momma. I got a wholelecture on how I should be smarter than this.”
He’d avoided that lecture, though he had been put throughAbby and Olivia sitting him down and gently trying to figure out if he wasemotionally traumatized by the relationship. In some ways, it was the best hecould have gotten because he hadn’t been the one who had to sit around whileAndrea’s friends bitched about everything from the food at the café to howtheir boyfriends spent too much time fishing.
He’d been fishing and happy, but lately the idea of neverhaving an acknowledged girlfriend bugged him.
He wasn’t that sad-sack kid who simply wanted to get througha day without a beating. He’d conquered a lot of his insecurities and fears.He’d conquered college and veterinary school and had a damn fine job he wasproud to do.
That should count for something.
Josh was staring at him. “I’m so curious what’s goingthrough your head right now.”
“I’m tired of being the dirty secret.”
A big smile lit Josh’s face. So often people viewed him as ayounger version of Jack without ever considering how much influence SamFleetwood had on him. There was a joy in Josh.
Sometimes Grim thought he was more like Jack in that way.Cautious. Willing to feel happiness but always on the lookout for somethingcrappy to happen.
Josh slapped his arm. “That’s what I wanted to hear. Good.We’re farther along than I thought we were. So let’s get out there and letWillow Fork know we’re not playing anymore. Josh and Grim are serious abouttaking a sub.”
Yeah, they would have to explain that, too. Hello,gorgeous girl. Would you like to date two guys and also submit to them sexuallyin the bedroom? The good news is we both know how to do laundry.
Sam and Jack had insisted he know despite the fact that thebig house had a housekeeper. They’d explained when he and Josh were on theirown, they wouldn’t have a person hanging out who wanted to clean up after them.
The first time Abigail had walked into the apartment he andJosh shared during college, she’d taken the whole weekend to teach them how toclean. And how to get what she’d called “that smell” out.
Now he and Josh had a cleaning schedule for the small housethey lived in on the ranch’s land. Olivia had a suite in the main house butspent a lot of her time either on the road or in the apartment they all sharedwhen they were in Dallas.
When they were in Austin they stayed at Subversion. Theirmemberships included a nice suite of rooms.
He’d paid for his own membership. To an elite sex club.
Yeah, he’d come a long way.
Could he go all the way? Could he get the life he wanted?
The only question was how did they get started? They neededto game plan. A long, slow seduction was called for. They could go into thecafé tomorrow morning and start up a casual conversation with her. Flirt alittle. He could manage some charm. Maybe they could ask her out to lunch. Thatcould be a nice way to ease her into starting to think about having arelationship with them. They would take their time and get to know each otherbefore they got into a situation that could get serious.
Josh slid out of the cab of the truck.
Which was odd since they were planning on heading back tothe ranch. “Uh, did you feel the sudden need to line dance?”
Josh settled his hat on his head. “There’s no time like thepresent, and our potential sub is walking into a honky-tonk all by herself.”
He looked over and sure enough Nicole was standing in frontof a station wagon that had seen way better days since Grim was pretty surethey didn’t make those anymore. “Is that Trista’s grandma’s car?”
Josh’s lips quirked up. “Didn’t you hear? She’s started herown taxi service. All the ride shares turned her down since she’s nine hundredyears old and probably shouldn’t be driving, but she swears she’s saving up fora sportscar.”
So Nicole had already made one poor choice this evening.“You think she’s meeting someone here?”
Josh shrugged. “I know she’s not serious about anyone, soeven if she is I think we should give her choices. Come on, brother. I suddenlyfeel the need for a beer.”
Grim followed his brother.
Their slow seduction had just gotten a whole lot faster.
* * * *
Nicole stepped out of the station wagon.
