Reckless Hearts

by Jessa Wilder

“Oh fuck.” She gives me a shy, tentative smile. “Is that any way to greet an old friend?”

I wrap my arms around her and lift her off the ground in a tight, full-body hug. My ribs scream. My shoulder protests. I don’t give a damn. She’s real. She’s here. And I’m not letting go.

The bulls came first. The ride came first. It always did, and it always will.

“Tell him you’re coming with me,” Colt says, then instantly backs off at the look I give him. “I mean, will you please ride with me?”

“You keep looking at me like that, I’m going to get full of myself,”

“Just trying to picture you in your natural academic habitat.” “Try picturing me punching you in the throat instead.”

“You’ve still got it.” “I was born with it,” I yell back, flashing him a grin. “Modest as ever.”

She’s wearing my shirt. Only my shirt. It hits her mid-thigh, covering all the important parts, practically a damn dress but that doesn’t matter. Because it’s mine. I think I could die happy. Noticing my gawking, she raises a brow with a teasing smile and lifts the hem to reveal her shorts underneath. I ignore the slight sting of disappointment.

I’m the one who got drunk and passed out.” And what a cute drunk she was.

“You two aren’t exactly high-maintenance. I think I’ll survive.”

“Since you’re so determined to fight, I’ll ask Luke if I can ride with him. That way, we can keep it fair.” “Like hell you are,” we say in unison. She smirks, smug. But I know we’ve lost. “We’ll take turns,” I say. “Turns?” Her eyes narrow. “Am I some kind of shareable object?”

“We’ll take my truck,” Maverick says. “You ride passenger. He can sit in the back.” “Why do you get to drive?” I grumble. He grins. “Because I offered first.”

“I can’t fucking take this anymore,” Colt groans, head hitting the back of my seat. “At the very least, turn on some music. Do you always drive in complete fucking silence, man? Are you a masochist or something? Is this some new form of torture?”

I’d be a millionaire if they ever let me turn them into a thirst trap.

“I know that look. What did you do?” Colt asks suspiciously. “I didn’t… I didn’t book a room.” I barely get the words out before both guys are turning on me, shouting in unison: “What?”

There’s a pole beside me, and I’m tempted to bang my head against it, knock some sense back into myself.

A glance at Colt… never mind, I don’t want him in my truck any more than he already is, leaving his germs all over it.

“You’re a smart one, Kane.” My brow arches. “You’re just realizing this now?” “Why the hell are you calling this asshole smart?”

“What, so you can say that’s the reason you had a shitty ride? Screw that. We’re both men. We’ll share the bed. Just stay on your fucking side.”

Never in a million years did I think I’d hear those words out of Colt’s mouth. I’ll dig your grave? Yes. Sleep next to you? Not a chance.

“Don’t freaking start. We’ve been on the go all day, and all I want is a cold beer and a warm burger. Whatever silent dick-measuring contest you’re playing at can fuck right off.”

“I promise to be on my best behavior,” Mav says, then points at Colt. “Can’t say the same for this one.” “You can fuck right off with that,”

“Man, you are so screwed.” Colt snorts. “Tell me something I don’t already know.”

There’s nowhere she can go that I won’t follow and bring her home.

Normally, I sleep butt-ass naked, but like hell that’s happening now.

“That fucking hurt, you know.” I glare at him. “Wouldn’t hurt if you quit breaking it.”

“There you go again, thinking too much.”

“He and I may not like each other, but you’ll always come first. We want you to be happy.”

“Fuck. How fucked am I?”

“Oh, I’d say you’ll be really fucked.”

“Oh, sorry… I’ve yet to witness this magic of yours.” “You’ll know when I seduce you.” When.

Damn their competitive nature. What happened to harmless teasing? When did it change to who can cause me to soak my panties first?

“So not fucking fair, Callie.” “Who said anything about playing fair? I want to win.”

Having her here feels like earning the gold buckle while winning the lottery at the same time. It’s such a one-in-a-billion impossible opportunity that I’m not fucking it up.

And even though we’re seconds from wrecking her in all the best ways, I feel the wildest need to cherish her.

“She sounds so sweet when she begs for us.” He squeezes hard and commands, “Do it again. Beg for it, and I promise we’ll make you feel good.”

This cannot be happening right now. I am not turned on by that asshole. I am not turned on by that asshole. I am not turned on by that asshole.

One of these beasts is going to try to kill me tomorrow, and it’s traveling in better conditions than I am.

I’ve been trying to think of anything else since she curled into me. Little old ladies, reciting the alphabet backward. The disgusting smell of manure. It’s not fucking helping.

“You can’t do this to us.” “Are you sure about that? Because I’m pretty sure I can.”

If this is how it’s going to be, I might just start enjoying being told what to do.

Without saying a word, Colt and I made the same choice: stay. Sleep beside her. Keep her safe.

I kissed him like I meant it because I did. I devoured him, slow and thorough, learning what made him shiver.

This is what I’ve been missing. Not just Callie, not just Colt. Us. The three of us. This wild, messy, beautiful thing that only works when it’s all three pieces together.

Because now that I’ve had this—them—I’ll burn the whole damn world down before I let it go.

There’s a massive difference between being naked under the cover of night and standing bare in the harsh light of day, every shadow gone.

I wash up, borrow a toothbrush, figuring if we’re making out, this should be fine, and return to my side of the motel.

“Let’s get out of here,” he murmurs, a smirk tugging at his lips, “before I ruin that pretty little dress.”

“Fuck. You’re going to break both their hearts, aren’t you?” Not as badly as I’m going to break my own.

“You coulda folded it, not stolen it.” “Folded it?” I bark out a laugh. “What am I, a fuckin’ laundromat?”