She’d been open with him about her visit with her mother, which according to her went better than expected. Zane didn’t know Regina personally, nor had he ever actually met her. The rumors in town were the only bits and pieces of the woman he’d ever heard until V told him a few more intimate details. No matter what he thought originally about V and her relationship with her mother, he knew for a fact that she loved her. Unconditionally.

Having been raised in a loving home with a supportive set of parents, Zane wasn’t familiar with a family dynamic like V’s. Even Beau’s parents had been more like his own, and they were just as welcoming to him in their home when he’d been growing up as his parents were with Beau.

After an unusually deep discussion, they had even been reluctant to hang up, which was a strange feeling for Zane because he wasn’t much for talking. On the phone or otherwise.

Walking into Moonshiners a few minutes later, Zane glanced around the small, dimly lit country bar and located his brothers right away. They were in the back surrounding one of the pool tables, and, to his surprise, Travis and Brendon were playing each other. Brendon always had trouble finding someone to play against him, but that was because the man couldn’t be beat. Ever. It didn’t even matter how many beers they poured down him, Brendon rarely missed.

Zane thought back to V and the way she’d hustled him and Beau at pool the night before. The woman had another hidden talent, and he wondered whether she’d be willing to play Brendon. That would be a sight to see.

Tipping his hat, acknowledging Kaleb and Sawyer when they glanced his way, Zane silently greeted his brothers while he stopped at the bar to order a beer.

“It’s about damn time you showed up,” Sawyer harassed him once he approached the table, grabbing one of the stools in the corner and pulling it closer to Sawyer and Kaleb who were sitting off to one side.

“Travis got brave tonight, did he?” Zane asked, watching the two men at the pool table.

“Something’s gotten into him,” Sawyer confirmed, tipping his beer bottle to his lips.

The men played for ten more minutes before Brendon cleared the table again. A round of applause erupted from around them as several of the bar patrons gathered to watch the action, mostly women who were being entertained by Braydon while his twin played pool. Brendon didn’t talk shit when he played, he just played, and he drew attention from his talent alone. Travis, being Travis, didn’t say much, but at the end of the game, he wasn’t a sore loser either. He clapped Brendon on the back and then grabbed one of the stools beside Sawyer.

Beau showed up twenty minutes later, adding to the ruckus they were causing in the back. The group of them laughed and joked while razzing one another like usual. Right before things got too out of hand, in walked Zoey and V. Zane’s mouth literally went dry at the sight of V walking across the room toward him.

The woman knew how to make an outfit look good, and that short jean skirt paired with those cowboy boots damn near knocked him off of his stool. He was used to seeing her in heels, but right now, she looked like a country angel and he was ready to sneak her into the bathroom one more time just for the hell of it.

All of the Walker brothers stood simultaneously, a response that was as natural as breathing. Zoey walked up to Kaleb, pulling his head down to hers while she planted a scorching kiss on him that was steamy enough to have Beau blushing and turning away. V was a little more reluctant, but Zane solved that problem when he pulled her close, leaning over to whisper in her ear.

“Damn you look good.” He breathed against her ear. “Awww, hell, you smell good too.”

V pulled back and looked at him, smiling from ear to ear. It was nice to see a smile on her face. Most of the time, he didn’t know whether she would be smiling or snarling. He’d take her either way, but when she smiled, the woman glowed. And the way she grinned at him now was enough to drive a shock directly to his heart. Zane had no idea what it was V had over him, but it was damn sure something. Something he wasn’t willing to fight, and from the looks of it, she wasn’t fighting it either.

When V’s eyes darted to Beau, Zane noticed the heat burning in her gaze. It mirrored the blush that tinted her cheeks a pretty pink. His best friend grinned back, and Zane was pretty sure V knew what was going to go down in the very near future. At least Zane hoped like hell it would be. Even though he’d been a little nervous after the last time and what had happened, Zane was willing to give it another shot.

“Hey, lady,” Beau greeted V, tipping his hat as he looked down at her. The blush that infused V’s face made Zane’s body harden. All of him. Including his dick. Just the thought of what was going to happen later had Zane wanting to push up her skirt, shove into her from behind and try and sate the lust pooling in his groin. Fuck. The woman drove him absolutely crazy.

“Hey,” she smiled back, but then turned her attention to the table.

When it was apparent V wasn’t going to take one of the bar stools, Zane sat back down and pulled her back against him, her ass nestling between his legs. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he picked up his beer and finished it off. Maybe tonight he’d have more than his occasional one beer when he was out in public. Since he wasn’t about to let go of V, he knew he’d have to wait until one of the waitresses made her rounds. While he waited, he listened to the conversations going on around him.

“When’s Gage coming home,” Zoey asked Kaleb, sitting on the stool next to Zane.

“Tonight, I think,” he confirmed, downing the rest of his beer.

Zane fought the urge to laugh. Ok, so apparently there was going to be some interesting things happening in Coyote Ridge tonight.

A few minutes later, the group had gotten so engrossed in watching Brendon hustle another fool at the pool table that no one noticed when Gage Matthews walked in. He approached the group, carrying a beer bottle and wearing his cowboy hat low over his eyes.

Travis was the first to acknowledge him, and if Zane wasn’t mistaken, there was some sort of silent communication going on between the two men. Gage looked a tad bit nervous while Travis appeared a little pissed off. What the hell was that about?

The subtle nudge that V sent Zoey made Zane smile. So, it would appear that V was in on what was happening between Zoey and Gage and Kaleb. Based on the fact that Zoey wasn’t giving V the same hard time, he would have to assume that V hadn’t shared the details of her little trysts with him and Beau. Not that he expected her to.

As far as he was concerned, that was between the three of them and for the most part, Zane never mentioned what happened behind closed doors. There had been a couple of women in his past who thought it was funny to try and goad a reaction from him, or one of his brothers about their various threesomes, but most of the time, they just ignored the rumors and comments. And, if a woman did dare to bring it up, she could pretty well consider herself old news as far as the brothers were concerned.

Well, except for the twins. As far as Zane knew, Braydon and Brendon had never been with a woman solo – why that was, he had no idea. They didn’t talk about their sexual exploits either, but for some reason, women liked to brag about being sandwiched between the twins. Probably because they were twins no less. Zane didn’t know for sure.

No matter what, Zane wasn’t one to kiss and tell. And as far as V was concerned, he didn’t want to share what happened between them with anyone else. He damn sure didn’t mind sharing her with Beau, but only because he knew from the get go that she was into it.

Thinking back on that last night still made him crazy with the need to have her again. Just like that.


♀♂


V listened to the chatter surrounding her, but she didn’t participate much in what was going on. Zoey seemed elated that Gage was back, and V only could imagine why. Seeing the way Gage reacted to Kaleb’s soon-to-be wife made V smile. He was just as smitten with the woman as Kaleb it seemed. However, there was a definite possessiveness in Kaleb’s reaction to Zoey that wasn’t evident in Gage’s.

Even more fascinating was Travis’ response to Gage and vice versa. V wasn’t sure how close the two men were because she had always known Gage to be Kaleb’s best friend, but Travis seemed to be interested in what the other man had to say. Or maybe he was interested in what Gage wasn’t saying. Either way, V wasn’t sure. But the way the oldest Walker brother glared at Gage told her there was something going on.

“Want to play me?” The voice came out of nowhere and made V turn around to see Brendon standing just a foot on her other side. She looked around, wondering who he was talking to, but she didn’t see anyone else.

“Come on, girl. Play me,” Brendon encouraged. And that’s when V realized he was talking to her.

“Me?” she questioned the obvious.

“Yes, you.” Brendon offered her his hand, pulling her toward the table where he shoved a pool stick at her.

V glanced at it, then back at Brendon. Was he serious? With a knowing look, she peered over at Zane. He was grinning from ear to ear. His involvement in this little set up was obvious.

“What should we play for?” Brendon stared at her, grinning like a man with a secret.

“The winner buys the loser a drink,” she suggested. “But, you can’t go easy on me.” V knew Brendon was the king of pool hustling, but she also knew he was going to underestimate her. Most people did. Truth be told, not even Zoey knew about her pool playing abilities. Up until the other night, no one else had either.