Alicia Moore needed to tell Brett she'd been caught in a compromising situation with not one, but two, naked men. That wasn't the worst of it. Her hands had been tied above her head, roped to a rafter, while she was impaled on their cocks, with one in the front and one in back.

"You're invited to a wedding," he said, rubbing his large, callused hand across his five-o'clock shadow.

Brett Coleman had an uncanny ability to look great without any effort, even when he badly needed a shave.

"Ridge and Holly are getting married in Vegas during the rodeo."

"You're inviting me to your best friend's wedding?" Alicia asked, trying not to let her irritation show. Of all the people in the world, why did it have to be Ridge and Holly? Holly, who'd hidden to watch in silence while Alicia fucked two men, and Ridge, who'd insisted his best friend needed to know about it.

"A wedding in Vegas the same weekend as the rodeo," she simpered. "How romantic for them. And fast, too. Holly's only been back in Cave Creek about six weeks."

Brett nodded, evidently not hearing the tinge of sarcasm in her voice. "Six weeks of Arizona sun has done wonders for her. She looks great and Ridge has never been happier. You already planned to be in Vegas for the barrel racing competition, so come to the wedding."

When he turned away to open the door to his refrigerator, Alicia experienced a breathtaking view of his jeans-clad buns as he bent over to reach for a beer on a lower shelf. Before he straightened, he looked back over his shoulder. "Want one?"

When Alicia didn't answer immediately, the conceited grin on his face told her he'd caught her ogling him. Normally, she was more discreet since he already had a big enough head.

"Sure, I'll take one," she answered, suddenly taking an interest in the weave of the place mat in front of her. No man alive had the ability to rattle her like Brett did. She could feel a flush of heat rushing over her face and almost got up to leave. Only the thought of how amusing he'd find it stopped her. She'd be damned if she'd let him see how much he affected her.

Brett teasingly pulled her ball cap off and tossed it onto the table. "You're still going to Vegas, aren't you?" He sat her beer in front of her and pulled the chair out next to her, surprising her. Since she'd boarded her horse with him over the past four years, she'd never seen him sit in any chair except one directly across from her. It was almost as though he was making a silent declaration by sitting next to her.

Damn! First an invitation and now this?

"Of course I'll be in Vegas. I wouldn't miss it. My ranking this year is the best thing that's ever happened to me, even if I haven't made the top one hundred," Alicia said, while she tried to figure out what Brett's invitation meant in the social scheme of things. Could Brett finally be making a move on her? Why now since she'd ruined any chance she had with him?

"A big win in Vegas would move you right up the list," he said giving her the thumbs-up.

"I could use the money," she said almost absentmindedly. "I had to find a part-time job until Vegas so I could pay my expenses. And I still owe you money for paying my entry fees. Not to mention the fact you don't charge nearly enough for boarding my horses here."

"You've almost paid me off. And you know why I give you a good rate. You keep the barn neat as a pin and I never have to worry while I'm away with you looking out for everything around here. Hell, I should be paying you. You didn't answer me about the wedding..."

"So are you saying since I'll already be competing in Vegas, I should come by the wedding? You didn't see my name on any guest list, did you?"

"You could put it like that, I guess." He narrowed his dark brown eyes as he stared at her, but he didn't sound as sure of himself. "I don't think they're being too formal about this." Brett picked her up her bottle and twisted off the cap for her. "I thought maybe you'd like to stop by."

"A wedding isn't usually a 'stop by' kind of affair."

"I didn't realize I'd get the third degree by inviting you," Brett huffed. "Come, or don't. It's not a big deal."

That was the final straw!

Alicia felt her temper begin to flare.

Brett took her for granted, always had. Why did she even care for this insensitive control freak masquerading as an easy-going cowboy? Maybe because she'd had a crush on him for as long as she could remember? He'd always treated her more like a kid sister than a girlfriend.

Brett stretched his legs out in front of him. "What's got into you? You've been touchy ever since Holly came home. I thought you liked Holly, since you used to hang out over there."

Alicia looked away. Sure she liked Holly, but Holly probably hated her now.

"You didn't have designs on Ridge, did you?" Brett reached over and gave a tug to her ponytail.

"Designs on Ridge?" Alicia flipped her hair back over her shoulder where it wouldn't tempt him. The man dearly loved to pull her hair. "You don't have a clue. Your buddies know, but not you. If you asked Ridge, he'd say I have designs on you."

"We're just friends," Brett said, looking uncomfortable. "If you weren't so young and innocent...then maybe."

"Innocent? Do you have any idea where my mom is right now?"

"No. And maybe innocent isn't the right word...inexperienced maybe."

"She's in the county lockup. Busted again for prostitution. I don't think you can call the daughter of a hooker innocent or inexperienced. And as long as we are on the subject, it's as good a time as any to set you straight. I'm not a virgin and haven't been since I was eighteen."

Brett's face twisted into a frown at her words. "I'm sorry about your mother. I know she's got her problems. But fooling around a little and practicing sex on a regular basis are two different things. We'll talk again in a couple of years."

"A couple of years? Don't do me any favors, cowboy. No wonder I ended up in such trouble waiting on you." Why did she think she ever could get him to notice her? Hell, he'd only kissed her--really kissed her--once. And then he'd had too much to drink at the time. Later, he claimed not to remember.

"Trouble?" Brett growled. "Is that why you wanted me to know you've had sex? Are you pregnant or something?"

"One minute you say I'm innocent, and the next you accuse me of being pregnant. Make up your mind. No, I'm not pregnant." She slugged him in the arm for asking such a stupid question.

"Damn, Alicia," he complained, rubbing his arm. "'Cause if you are, you can count on me. If the baby's father doesn't step up, I'll be there for the both of you."

His words cut into her heart as she thought about her father. Her own father didn't want her, and here was a man willing to take responsibility for a child not even his? Why couldn't her father have been more like Brett? Why couldn't Brett see how much she loved him? She'd boarded her horses on his ranch for over four years and followed him around like a puppy several years before that.

"I'm not pregnant. I'm not that stupid. Do you think I'd bring a child into the world without a father? I know what fatherless feels like and I wouldn't do it. I'd rather go without sex for the rest of my life than have a baby without first having a husband."

"Like you have so much sex it's an issue."

The final straw came down on Alicia's head wrapped in a fifty-pound bale. She should have had the sense to forget about him and walk away right then. But when did she ever use good sense? One look at all the mistakes she kept making told the story.

She put the bottle to her lips and took a strong pull. She didn't lower it until she'd emptied it. Slapping the bottle on the table, she swept up the handful of ropes Brett and Ridge used to tie calf legs together in their roping competitions and stuffed them into her rear pocket. "Hell, if I'm in trouble, I might as well go for broke. I'm not leaving here tonight until I fuck you."

Brett spit the beer in his mouth across the kitchen floor. "What's gotten into you, little girl?"

"I'm so not a little girl anymore, and haven't been for a long time, whether you want to believe it or not. Don't trifle with me. I want you in the bedroom. Now."

Brett hesitated, almost as if he was uninterested and, for a moment, Alicia thought she'd just blown her last chance with him. It would be hard to give up a ten-year-old dream. She'd laid down her bet when she was fourteen that she would marry him one day and she wasn't any closer to getting him to notice her now than she'd been then. Only now, she didn't have anything to lose. He sure as hell wouldn't want her after he learned about her unfortunate threesome.

"I'll play along. You don't have the nerve." At first, his voice had an edge to it, but then he laughed.

"You don't have a clue who I am, Brett Coleman. I think it's time you find out."

"Right this way." Brett set his empty bottle on the table, then pulled two more from the fridge before heading toward the bedroom. His tone told Alicia he didn't believe her. His exaggerated swagger said he thought it was all a big joke.

She followed behind him, shedding her clothes while they walked. He definitely didn't have a clue. But he would! By the time they'd walked into the spacious bedroom, Alicia had lost both her shirt and bra. When he turned to look at her, she was unzipping her jeans. He did a comical double-take before his eyes became so heated he managed to curl her toes. What would he do when he touched her?

Alicia tried to ignore him, walking around him and straight to his bed, a four-poster. Ah! Yes! She sat on the edge to remove her boots. "Did I ever tell you I have a thing for ropers and their ropes?"

"No. I think I must've missed that conversation," he said in a husky growl, sounding less sure of himself again.

Alicia knew him well enough to know why. He hated not to be in complete control. Boy was he in for a surprise!

Alicia stood and lowered her jeans and panties in one swoop before she stepped out of them. Brett groaned out loud and set their beers on the night-stand, spilling one in the process.

She was confident she looked good. She did a slow circle in front of him. "What do you think, cowboy?"

"I think you look incredible. You've been hiding those legs all these years and I never knew?"

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me." Alicia took the full weight of both her breasts in her hands. "What about these?"

"They're great, but I'm a leg man." He reached his hand out like he wanted to touch them--her. "You have the best legs I've ever seen."

"I'm glad you think so," she told him and pointed to the bed. "That'll make this a whole lot easier for you."

"Alicia, are you okay? I think maybe you're having some sort of nervous breakdown."

"I turned twenty-four on my last birthday and you still treat me like I'm illegal, like you did when I was a kid."

Brett gave a shrug and took a step nearer. Without his boots, he was only a couple of inches taller than her five-ten. They would be perfect together.

"I never gave it much thought. I figure everyone has probably experimented some by twenty-four."

Alicia tried not to let her frustration show. It was hard to hear he'd never thought of her that way. "Why doesn't it surprise me that you've never given me much thought? But I can damned well guarantee you'll remember this night before I'm finished with you."

Brett looked confused. "I didn't mean that like it sounded. Of course I've thought of you that way. I just always thought you were too young. I'm willing to admit, I could be wrong."

"Too young, in general? Or just too young for you?" Alicia didn't really want to talk, but the words kept coming.

"I'm eight years older than you. I figured we'd probably be on different wave lengths."

"You got that right. Now lose your clothes, cowboy," Alicia told him and held her breath, hoping he'd play along.

Only it isn't really playtime for me, is it? It means everything to finally be with you!