What Love Sounds Like Read online

  “They are protective of you like your actual brothers. Oh shit, do you think Eric, Landon, and Kenny know? What about Rome? I know he’s away overseas but Jesus, that could be a downright war between them over you. The protective brothers against the pretend brothers who just want to get you into bed.”

  Ivy slapped Faith’s arm. Faith chuckled. “Girl, it is never a dull moment with you.”

  “I need advice, not sarcasm right now, Faith. I don’t even want to say anything in front of the others. God knows Cherise will give me an earful about not shitting where I eat.”

  Faith chuckled. “You and I aren’t experienced like Cherise and the others are. We’ve held out this long, and can wait until the right men come along.”

  “Says the woman who was fooling around with a cowboy she just met.”

  “I was fooling around, not spreading my thighs.”

  “Yeah, kind of looked like that would have been the next step if we weren’t around and ready to drive back to Cherry Hill.”

  Faith laughed. “He was hot.”

  “He was.”

  “That ass he had, and super hard thighs. Jesus, just thinking about a man’s muscular hard thighs gets me crazy and girl, his were hot,” Faith said and Ivy chuckled.

  She thought about how often men, good looking ones, hit on her. Could the Shelton men be playing some kind of game? Could they just be trying to steer her away from other men because they thought she wasn’t ready or mature enough? It would never work between them. They’d known her for so long, and they were always just her brothers’ best friends, and good men, soldiers, and of course the local doctor. Shit, how strange would that be to have sex with the local doctor? She gulped. Maybe that was why he didn’t kiss her? Maybe he was attracted to her but then thought how young she was compared to him, and how a man in his position needed to be careful who he slept with. But he did sleep with Madison Lane. The woman was closer to his age, professional and loaded. What did Ivy have? A business and accounting degree she used to run things at the gym for her brothers and the Shelton brothers, and she worked here at Harper’s. Maybe she needed a change. Maybe some other opportunities. Something was missing and she didn’t like feeling as if she was going through the motions instead of making things happen.

  “Hey, you’ll figure it out. Remember that they’re older and more experienced. If they see you as inexperienced and unknowing to the ways of sex and men, then they’ll really hold back. It could make for some trouble and awkwardness between them and your brothers, especially if they just use you for sex. Though I have to say losing your virginity to men like them would be worth any trouble that came along with it. They are gorgeous, capable and sexy. Women drool over them all the time.”

  “Great. I would be insecure for sure.”

  “You? Get out of here. Men drool over you, as well. In fact, thinking about this, you all would make a great ménage.”

  “Oh Lord,” Ivy said and shook her head.

  “Well, let’s get through the next few days and be ready for a night out in Benter. That band is going to be awesome, and you and I are going to have an amazing time with everyone. No thoughts of the Shelton men or this confusion, just good times and getting drunk off our asses.”

  Ivy laughed. “Sounds like a plan,” Ivy said and Faith smiled wide and they waited as more and more people arrived at Harper’s.

  Chapter 3

  Bronc finished up a class with Angus as Keller started another one. It was crazy how suddenly Ivy became a deeper part of his thoughts. He nearly lost his mind last night when he went to Harper’s and saw her with the tight tank top and low riding super slim jeans. Her body was exceptional and he wasn’t the only man looking. He saw red when those two guys—Jake and Crespy, he found out their names were—had hit on her all night and even had the nerve to caress her back or keep a hand on her skin. It appeared as if she might like them and that pissed him off. Angus was in an even more sour mood over seeing that and he rambled on about missing the opportunity and that she was going to be swept off her feet by those two men. When they mentioned things to Keller, he was silent and just said she was too young for them and she needed experience. That was just plain bullshit. Keller was seething with jealousy just as they were.

  He made his way to the small break room to grab water and a protein bar. He knew that Ivy was in the office with Landon, taking care of the books for the gym and organizing things. After he grabbed his stuff he walked in there to check out the new fliers she was making to promote the fundraising event they would be part of next Saturday.

  He walked through the doorway and she was bent down looking into a lower filing cabinet. The dress pants she wore stretched across her round ass perfectly. She had her long blonde hair done up in a fancy style. Landon caught him looking and he kept his expression firm but suddenly felt like a dick for lusting after his best friend’s sister. Jesus, this was bad.

  “What’s up, Bronc?” Landon said.

  Immediately Ivy turned around and dropped the folder she was grabbing. He saw the deep cleavage of her breast in the sleeveless blue blouse she wore and the strands of gold necklaces lost in the crevice.

  “Just checking in. Looks like you can add four more on to the competition for that fundraiser. Gus and the guys are in. They’ll drop off a check later today.”

  “Awesome. We’re at more than forty people right now. This is going to be a successful event. In fact, Ivy, we need to call Carl, and see if he has a limit to how many people can join the event. I don’t think anyone expected such a turnout,” Landon said to her.

  “I can give him a call if need be. I heard there are a lot of businesses donating or setting up tables for the event. It’s going to bring in a lot of people. These fliers are going everywhere.”

  “Awesome.”

  “I’m going to bring some with us Thursday to give to the owners at Black Jack. Cherise knows one of them and she mentioned it to him and he said he can put them out around the place.”

  “That’s where you’re headed tomorrow night?”

  “Yep. Rambli’n 7 is playing.”

  “Ahhh, very cool. I love that band. I heard they’ll be in Central Valley in May, I think.”

  “That’s what I heard, too. We’re hoping that night we can all make it.”

  “You’re not going with the whole gang tomorrow night?” Bronc asked and took a slug of his water bottle as he took a seat in the chair across from her desk.

  “No. Unfortunately not everyone can come so it’s just Faith, Leeann and I.”

  “Well, you better be careful,” Landon said to her.

  “Landon, we know a bunch of other people going, even some other women from Cherry Hill. Just not my regular crew,” she said and then picked up the phone and started to punch in the numbers. Bronc couldn’t help but to stare at her and it wasn’t until Landon cleared his throat that he realized he had been busted. Landon gave him a sideways look and Bronc held firm. If he and his brothers were going to make a move, they would need to talk to Landon and his brothers first. The thing was, Johnny and Keller weren’t quite on board, and Bronc and Angus kept teetering over the consequences and weren’t ready to make that move either. Thinking about her going out partying with her friends, and getting hit on, just made him feel sick. He had no right to, though.

  “I’m heading out. I’ll be back for the two o’clock session with you and Angus,” Landon told Bronc.

  “See ya later,” he said and Landon hesitated to leave. He glanced at Bronc, then at his sister, who was talking on the phone with Carl, a guy Bronc’s age who constantly flirted with Ivy when he saw her.

  “Who is she talking to?” Bronc asked him as he noticed Landon wasn’t leaving the room yet.

  “Just Carl. He has the hots for her. I’ll see you later,” Landon said as he walked out of the room.

  Bronc listened as she spoke to Carl, and laughed then blushed like some innocent school girl. He felt like an old man. An asshole for desiring her. Bronc
must have had a pissed off expression on his face, because when she hung up the phone she squinted at him. “Are you okay?” she asked.

  He didn’t say anything, his emotions, the jealousy, the fact that he couldn’t stop this attraction to her that had been building for quite some time did him in. He stood up, pointed at her. “You be careful when you go out. Watch who you flirt with. A lot of men have bad intentions,” he scolded and then walked out of the office.

  “Why are you in such a rotten mood? It started yesterday and continued all day today. What gives?” Angus asked Bronc as they prepared dinner. He noticed that Bronc kept looking at the clock. Keller and Johnny walked into the room.

  “Nothing.”

  “Bullshit, nothing. You’re been tearing everyone’s heads off,” Angus pushed. Bronc wasn’t budging though, so they started talking about the fundraiser and where they were in numbers for the team they had.

  “I think we’re going to break the teams up anyway. Several of the guys are friends and are kind of doing that themselves,” Keller said as he helped bring the food platters to the table.

  “It should be an awesome event and raise a lot of money for the wounded soldiers and their families,” Bronc said to them.

  “So, no plans tonight?” Johnny asked them.

  “Nope, early morning session outside in the back of the gym. I’m going to set up the tractor tires for flipping, some other small obstacle courses and then some mats. It’s supposed to be eight degrees. I think spring is here,” Keller said to them.

  “The clients love when we do that.”

  Johnny’s cell phone kept dinging, indicating he was getting text messages.

  “You need to respond to that?” Angus asked him, finding it annoying.

  “No need to.”

  “Who is it?” Keller asked.

  “Madison,” he replied.

  Bronc, Angus, and Keller stopped eating and stared at him. “Why?” Bronc asked, sounding extra pissed off.

  “You know how she is. She wants to get together when she’s in town. Invited us all to go to Black Jack tonight for a concert. Rambli’n 7 is playing.”

  “Fuck that bitch. You better stay clear of her. You want to get laid, go out of town and pick a nobody. She gets her claws in you again and she’ll turn all our lives to shit,” Bronc barked at him.

  “Who said I was looking to fuck her or get laid?” Johnny asked him, looking irritated.

  “Why else would you even accept a conversation with her?” Angus asked.

  “She’s texting me the invite. I already declined.”

  “Good,” Keller, Angus and Bronc said at the same time and then continued eating.

  Angus thought about the place and the band, and how Landon said Ivy was going there with her friends tonight. Maybe that was why Bronc was in a pissed off mood.

  “Ivy and her friends are going there tonight,” Angus said to them.

  They were silent. It was like no one wanted to discuss Ivy and the mention of her put them all on edge. He continued to eat, but his mind went to Ivy and who she may or may not be meeting tonight. She looked so good today. Petite, sexy, the kind of woman a man would be honored to show off as his own. He thought about her having a boyfriend, or boyfriends, and instantly he got a pain in his stomach. He didn’t think any of them ever really thought about Ivy belonging to a man.

  The last few years, he could honestly say, he looked at her differently. It was hard not to when she was so attractive, and sexy. He pushed aside the attraction and felt guilty for wanting to explore that body and maybe teach her a thing or two only because of her brothers. They were all best friends. Had served in the military together, and had one another’s backs. This was insane. Maybe that was why they were all denying their feelings and trying to act like they didn’t care who Ivy was with, or who flirted with her, or kissed her, never mind got to indulge in that perfect body. He dropped his fork and reached for his beer. He guzzled it down and the taste was terrible. One look at Bronc and he knew what the man was feeling like. This sucked big time.

  “How y’all doing tonight?”

  The crowd cheered.

  “Are you ready to get this party started?” the announcer yelled into the mic and the crowd cheered even louder.

  “That’s what I like to hear. We got ourselves a rowdy bunch this evening, and we are thrilled here at Black Jack. There’s a lot in store for all y’all, and even an opportunity for any young singers in the house to show their abilities if they have the guts.” The crowd cheered louder. “I welcome to the stage, and for this evening’s entertainment pleasure…Rambli’n 7!” The crowd roared and cheered and the band began to play.

  “Oh my God, this is going to be awesome. If they do that, Ivy, you have got to sing,” Leeann said to her.

  “No way. Not happening. I would need way more of these,” she said and raised her Malibu bay breeze in the air and they started to dance to the music. She was wiggling her hips in her short flare skirt, and holding her drink as they all danced sexily amongst the crowd of cowboys and cowgirls. Ivy wore her light brown cowgirl boots and a cute lace corset type top that hugged her narrow waist and enhanced her breasts and exposed a bit of cleavage. There was some beaded trim work along the edge of the blouse and thin spaghetti straps with tiny sequins beading. It was classy yet sexy, and the waist of her skirt revealed her belly and belly ring.

  They were having such a good time when a few guys came over and started dancing with them. Faith was shy as could be when two of the cowboys held her between them and danced a little dirty to the music. The song ended and Faith immediately pulled from between them and grabbed on to Ivy’s arm. “More drinks?” she asked.

  “We’ll buy you a round, ladies,” the one guy said as he looked over Faith and licked his lips.

  “I think we got this one. Maybe another time,” Leeann said, obviously picking up on the way the men were looking at Faith. They pulled her along with them toward the bar and grabbed a seat.

  “Hey, cowgirl, what can I get ya?” the bartender asked Ivy as he winked and gazed at her breasts.

  “Three Malibu bay breezes,” she said and he nodded and she watched him make the drinks. As he set them down she went to buy this round when someone said it was on him. She felt the arm go over her shoulder and turned and locked gazes with Jake.

  “You look incredible tonight, baby. I was hoping you would be here,” he said and slid his hand along her waist to her hip. Before she could move it or respond, he turned to Leeann and Faith. “Hi, Leeann, hi, Faith, are you having fun?”

  “We sure are. The band is awesome,” Leeann said.

  “Saw you all on the dance floor with a few guys I know.”

  “Oh, you know them, huh?” Faith asked and looked up at Jake, seemingly on guard now.

  He chuckled. “Good thing you got away from them. They can get a bit wild. Also a bit persistent when they set their eyes on tonight’s special,” he warned her.

  The bartender handed him a bottle of Bud Light. “Here ya go, Jake. How do you know such good looking women?” the bartender asked him.

  “Now, Jeff, I can’t be giving away all my secrets, but these ladies are friends.”