Amanda raised a beer in salute. “You’re definitely approaching my level of living, hon.” She slid off the couch and brought Anneke’s beer with her. “Here.”

Anneke snickered at Amanda’s statement. The woman was definitely brazen. She looked down and saw what was a new ice cold beer. “What’s this for?” Anneke cocked a brow.

“For the three of us. We’re going out tonight to do it up right and find you two handsome studs.”

Anneke swallowed hard. The beer down her throat helped, but she wasn’t sure she’d heard Amanda right.

“This is all in fun, guys, but I don’t have time tonight.” She took a step backward.

Jamie was suddenly at her side, leaving Anneke to wonder how the smaller woman seemed to move so quickly.

“You’ll have to live for me. I haven’t the courage to do this, and Amanda’s shacking up with someone right now.” Jamie’s smile made her seem more like she was cajoling, rather than suggesting strongly.

Anneke sighed.

Amanda frowned. “Come on hon. It’ll be fun.” She winked.

“Okay.” Anneke joined the other two girls in a toast, clinking their beer bottles together before taking a long sip.

She’d realised she’d settled into a routine just like her parents had. How boring. Her father had always come home from work tired. Every other night, he’d have a new case of beer and maybe some weed. Mother would complain about the dope, they’d fight, get stupid drunk and pass out. This was during her teenage years.

Anneke couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong with her parents’ marriage, but at around age forty-three, something came over her mother. Money was suddenly tight, and her father quit smoking pot, which was nice. But the routine they’d settled into after that was just…droll.

Looking at her two best friends, she knew she should be grateful for them dragging her out on a work night.

She had to admit, the images on TV screen did arouse more than just her interest.

Chapter Two

The moon hung bright in a cloudless sky. The weather was cool with a light breeze blowing autumn scents through the air along with dead leaves that littered the sidewalk leading towards the steps of the bar. The parking lot hadn’t been all that full, just a couple of cars.

Anneke’s boots clicked against the wooden floor. She led the other two girls inside the bar and scanned the area. There was a table to their left, the bar to their right and a large room directly ahead with a few pool tables and some overly skinny bitches wearing too few clothes. A guy dried a glass at the bar before turning to the three ladies.

“You three want a drink?” His handlebar moustache moved over thick lips. Dressed in black slacks and a white T-shirt, he reminded Anneke of an old fashioned bar keeper, the guy you told your sorrows to while he poured beer or shots of hard liquor. His dark hair was thinning on top, but he kept it neat.

Amanda slid up to the bar and took a stool. “Sure. “ She leaned forward. “We’d like a few frosty mugs of ice cold beer.” She whipped out a twenty and slapped it down on the bar.

The bartender offered her a smile before pouring three beers. Setting them down, he took the money then handed Amanda her change.

Anneke sat on one side of Amanda, flanked by Jamie on the other. Lifting her mug to her lips, she raised it in salute of their girls’ night out before taking a long sip. The cold liquid slid down her throat and tasted refreshing.

She set down her mug and looked at her companions. “Nothing’s going on. Chances are that I’m not getting what I want tonight.”

Amanda took a sip of her beer before turning to Anneke. “It’s early. It’s what,” she checked her watch, “barely 8:30. A few guys should be coming in soon.”

“You act as though you know.” Anneke smirked. Something was up. She had a feeling in her gut that told her she’d just been set up.

Jamie snorted. “She couldn’t. We’ve never been here.”

“Hmm.” Anneke ran a hand through her hair. The door behind them opened, and two men in cowboy hats, blue shirts and jeans that hugged firm legs sauntered into the bar. They didn’t waste time looking around. One headed straight for the bar, his steady stride showing a modicum of confidence with each step he took.

Anneke’s heart thumped against her chest. He was not only built, but clean shaven with a rugged jaw, deep blue eyes and a killer smile that made more than just her mouth water.

“Hey,” he slapped down a bill on the bar.

The bartender poured two beers and slid them down the length of the wooden bar before returning to his previous task.

“Thanks.” Cowboy turned to look directly at all three ladies. “Ya’ll new here?”

Anneke nodded, strands of hair falling in her face. She offered the man a smile before licking her lips. “Yup. First timers.”

“Cool. We don’t get many women in here on a Tuesday night. It’s entertaining to see three lovely ladies here at the bar.” He leaned in close to Amanda, resting his elbow on the bar. “Name’s Troy. My partner Bill is setting up a table for pool. Do you play?”

Jamie raised her hand and giggled. “Yeah, all three of us.”

Anneke remembered Jamie wasn’t a bad pool player at all. In fact, she was quite the shark in college.

“Care to join us?” Troy offered a seemingly genuine smile, but his stare seemed to laser in on Anneke.

“Why not? We’re just out having a drink. It’ll be fun, right Amanda?” She noted the little bit of annoyance that slipped into her tone.

Amanda slid off the bar. “Good idea, Anneke. I haven’t shot in awhile. I’m a little rusty.”

“Bill kinda sucks,” Troy chuckled, a rich masculine sound that seemed to emit from deep within his chest.

Up close, he seemed larger than he had at the door. Anneke decided he was probably well built beneath his workman’s shirt.

Grabbing her beer, she slid off her stool and joined Amanda, who still stood mesmerised by Troy ’s piercing gaze.

Unfortunately for Amanda, Troy seemed more focused on Anneke’s eyes, though she caught the slightest movement of his gaze roaming down the line of her body.

She bet his tongue would probably disappear between the valley of her breasts.

Hell, she knew it would. The thought hardened her nipples.

He tilted his hat and pointed towards the pool tables with an open palm… “After you, ladies.”

Anneke began walking, aware of the heated intensity in Troy ’s eyes. His burning stare ignited something low in her belly though she had her back to him. It wasn’t hard to tell when a man looked at her ass, especially since the jeans she wore hugged her perfectly and emphasised every movement of her legs.

Jamie had told her so the first time she’d seen Anneke in them.

The four of them found Bill setting up a table in the far corner by a TV on a platform mounted to the wall. Bill took the beer Troy offered and sipped long from the frosty mug.

“Damn, that’s good after a day on the ranch. I see you brought friends. My name’s Bill.” He extended a hand to Jamie, who was closest to him.

She took his hand and gripped it, shaking with each pump up and down. “Jamie,” she managed to get out the word after he let go.

“Anneke,” she offered her hand and was met with the same reaction as Jamie. The firm grip from his calloused hands lingered slightly longer than was correct for a handshake, followed by a smile that seemed to reach his perfect sea-green eyes. His face wasn’t as rugged as Troy ’s, but it held a charm of its own. Dimples formed when he smiled and took the edge off his rough appearance.

“Shall we?” Troy set the cue ball firmly on the table before reaching for a pool stick. “Ladies against gents?”

Anneke looked at Jamie and Amanda. Both women nodded. Anneke smirked. It wasn’t that she was against being led into the den of wolves. It was more or less how simply things seemed to line up.