Golden Forever [Frostbite Falls Christmas 3] Read online

  A flash of gold accompanied by a slender pair of legs caught Jasper’s attention, and he straightened his stance instantly. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be all bad. If there was one good reason to leave the ranch, it was a pair of long smooth legs. If those legs came with some nice tits and ended up around his waist by the end of the night, even better.

  Sandwiched between a few other partygoers, it was impossible to see all of the women in question, but he saw enough to realize he wanted to see more. Who wouldn’t in that dress? It practically glowed it was so vibrant, not to mention how it hugged every curve of her body. That was the dress of a woman in charge. A woman who was confident with who she was. A woman who wanted to be noticed. Just the kind of woman he liked to take to bed.

  If only Riley would show up soon. Once he got his best-friend duty out of the way, he could find the woman in the gold dress. With any luck he could convince her to come back to his and Logan’s ranch and ride her till morning. No, that wouldn’t be a bad way to spend the night at all.

  He only wished he knew who the mystery woman could be. Frostbite Falls was a small town. He knew everyone in it. Newcomers were hard to find, and usually were surrounded with a lot of fanfare. Gossip swirled for weeks around Lydia and Jason before they came to town, and the whispers had only increased since they’d arrived. But that had more to do with Jason’s behavior than their newcomer status. The same had been true for the Sullivan cousins before they took over their uncle’s feed store. But he hadn’t heard any gossip about them since. Even spending most of his time on the ranch, Jasper was fairly sure he would have heard if some long-legged goddess moved into town.

  He only hoped she wasn’t here as someone else’s date. That would put a crimp in his plans, though it wouldn’t cancel them altogether. He wasn’t a big fan of fighting for a woman. She either wanted you or she didn’t. If she wanted you, she’d leave the loser she was with behind. But something about the woman in the gold dress had him wondering if it might be time to change that policy.

  He shifted his position a bit, trying to get the best view of the siren, but no matter how he pivoted he couldn’t see her face. His view was always blocked by the other guests. He could only see her body. But boy, what a body it was. The golden fabric of the dress clung to her sensuous curves, highlighting the arch of her waist and the mounds of her breasts. She wasn’t well endowed, but that never mattered to him. Big breasts just got in the way. As long as she had sweet little nipples he could suck on and make her scream, he was all set.

  Long blonde hair slid across her shoulder, bringing to mind images of that hair spread across his pillow, draped over his thighs as she sucked his cock into her mouth. Blood raced downward. Fire exploded in his balls. He was in for it tonight. Every inch and movement of the woman before him was sensuous. If her mind were anything as wicked as her body, she’d put him through his paces. And boy was he up for the challenge. Even if it killed him. What a way to go.

  His hard cock pressed against the seam of his trousers. He’d only just seen her, and he was already almost ready to blow. It had been way too long since he’d taken a woman to bed. He couldn’t explain why he’d been so long without female companionship, whether it was age or the pressures of running their own ranch, instead of just working for others. But easy fast sex just hadn’t appealed to him as much. More and more, he’d found spending the night with Logan and Riley, watching a movie or riding horses, more interesting than going out to the bar and trolling for women.

  But tonight, that was all about to change. Tonight, he was definitely interested in some no-strings fun. And come hell or high water, he was going to find that woman and do his best to get it.

  Two people shifted away, leaving the vixen behind. Every cell in his body froze, waiting to see what his mystery woman looked like. But nothing could have prepared him for the vision before him.

  “Holy crap on a cracker.” The words slipped from his lips before he was even aware he spoke. Not that they weren’t true. They absolutely were.

  Standing before him was his best friend. His greatest confidant—besides Logan. Clad in the gold dress, Riley smiled back at him. She pushed her hair out of her face. Her long blonde hair billowed in soft waves down her back, and he swallowed deep.

  He couldn’t remember ever seeing Riley’s hair down before. She always had it up in a ponytail, or tied in a tight braid to keep out of her face while she worked. Now he couldn’t stop thinking about her hair. How soft it would be to touch. How smooth it would feel between his fingers. Just like he couldn’t stop thinking about her skin, or the blush on her cheeks from the cold outside.

  Or her long legs. He’d never seen her in heels, like the shiny silver shoes she wore now. They made her legs look ten feet long. Even her eyes seemed to twinkle brighter in the lights of the Christmas tree.

  Logan turned at his exclamation, searching the crowd for whatever had drawn Jasper’s attention. “What is it?”

  Jasper didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what to say. How did he explain any of this to Logan? That he’d just seen his best friend since 4H in dress for the first time, and now he had a woody in the middle of the ball like a teenager. Someone would have to explain it to him first.

  Even now he couldn’t stop picturing her naked. He knew the woman in that gold dress was his best friend, and he still couldn’t stop thinking about peeling all that shimmer off her. How her long hair would tickle his chest as she rode him, her mouth parted on a scream.

  What the hell was wrong with him? He grabbed his glass, taking a deep swallow of the liquid. There wasn’t enough booze in the concoction. It didn’t burn the way he needed. It certainly wasn’t enough alcohol to distract him the way he was thinking. God, life was unfair. Of all people to lust after, why did it have to be Riley?

  Jasper could tell the second Logan noticed Riley. His body language changed. His eyes widened and his back became straight.

  “That isn’t Riley. That can’t be.”

  “It is.” Of that Jasper had no doubt. What to do about it, or with the complicated crazy emotions this new look evoked, that was the real question. One he didn’t have an answer to. And one he’d have to figure out pretty damn quick.

  Spying them at the table, Riley waved as she walked closer. She moved in slow motion—probably because she wasn’t used to walking in those heels. It wasn’t his mind making her every movement look long and sensual. No, that couldn’t be it at all. If only he could convince his cock. Apparently his little head didn’t see any problem with the focus of his attention also being his best friend.

  Riley smiled at him as she walked toward them, and something in his gut clenched. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “I didn’t think I was ever going to get out of there. It’s like the whole town was standing at the door wanting to mingle.” She pretended a fake shiver, but he could hardly process what she said as her arm bumped against his side as she settled in beside him, setting a little shiver of awareness through him.

  “I appreciate you guys coming tonight. I know this party is a bear.”

  “No problem.” Logan smiled at her from the other side of the table, and Jasper did the same. Or at least he hoped he did.

  “Have you guys been here long?”

  Jasper shifted his position away from her, hoping to put a little space between her and the growing bulge in his pants. Hopefully his black pants did a good job concealing that little addition to the party. “Not too long.” The agony he’d barely been able to contain before was completely forgotten. At the moment everything but Riley in her gold dress was difficult to recall.

  “We brought you a drink.” Jasper pushed a glass toward her. She took it gratefully, her small hand brushing across his as she grabbed the drink. It was a tiny motion that must have happened a million times between them before, and he’d never noticed. But tonight he noticed. Tonight he was noticing a lot.

  She sniffed at the highball glass. “Wow that smells sweet. What is it?”
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br />   “The bartender called it a ‘Let’s Get Blitzened.’ It’s not exactly a bourbon and soda, but it’s the best the bartender could do.”

  Riley shrugged her shoulders, staring at the cherry at the bottom of her glass. “That’s Victoria. Everything has to be on theme.”

  And every inch of the room around them detailed just how dedicated Victoria was. Every surface was covered with pine branches, red ribbons, sparkling lights, or silver frosted snowflakes. Every corner of the room housed a fully decorated tree and colorfully wrapped presents. But he couldn’t pay attention to any of it. Not with Riley standing next to him, her pink lips curled around the edge of her glass in a slight grimace.

  God, something was definitely wrong with him. Why was he fixated on his best friend’s lips? He’d never thought about Riley that way before. Yet it didn’t feel as weird as it should have. It should have been strange, but instead it just seemed crazy that he’d never looked at her like this before.

  “You look beautiful.” The words were out of his mouth before he could think to stop them.

  Riley batted her eyes up at him, her lips curling up at the corners. “Thank you.” She took a quick sip of her drink. “But the compliment should go to Victoria. She picked out the dress and did my makeup. If it were up to me, I’d be in jeans and a tee shirt with a stiff drink,” she added with a tip of her glass.

  This might be the first time in his life that Jasper was thankful for Victoria. But Riley was definitely wrong. All the compliments were for her. It was Riley’s gorgeous curves beneath that sparkly gold fabric that had him readjusting his stance for the second time tonight.

  “You guys look great, too. Those suits make you both look so sophisticated. Like James Bond.” A warmth settled in his chest at her compliments. It almost made putting this monkey suit on worth it.

  “Thanks.” Logan smiled back. Something about the way he looked at her Jasper knew where his head had gone. They’d picked up enough girls together for Jasper to read the signs. He’d followed the same golden brick road Jasper had traveled down.

  Yet it didn’t bother him as much as it should have. Maybe it was all the confusing emotions going on tonight. This bizarre attraction to Riley he couldn’t get rid of. Maybe he didn’t have any emotion left to be angry or jealous of Logan thinking about Riley the same way he was.

  “I really appreciate you guys coming here for me.” Riley took another sip of her drink. Her eyes shifted back and forth between them. “I couldn’t stand another fiasco like last year.”

  “We don’t want that either.” Jasper fought back the urge to ball his hands into fists at his side. They’d roared with laughter as she’d described the line of suitors Victoria had set her up with last year. Robin Landers the local pharmacist, Tim Stiles the town deputy, even Mark Fenton, Mayor Willis’s closest aide. Each one more inept at wooing Riley than the one before.

  Now the memory filled him with a white-hot jealousy. Just the thought of those other men fawning over her, touching her, or god even kissing her, made him want to punch something. Preferably one of them. Even though he knew the thought was irrational, logic couldn’t stop the fire growing inside him.

  “That’s what friends are for.” Jasper fought back the urge to grab her hand across the table. “We couldn’t let that happen again.” Over his dead body. No nerdy pharmacist or lame political aide was getting near her again.

  “Either way, I owe you guys big-time.” And Jasper knew just how he wanted her to repay them. Or at least him.

  “Though you couldn’t save me from all of tonight’s torture. Victoria still made me her personal dress-up doll.” Riley motioned with her hand down the length of her body, pointing out her unusual attire. As if anyone could miss her in that dress, but he still took the opportunity to follow the motion of her hand along her body, examining all her delectable curves beneath the shimmery fabric.

  “She made me wear this dress.”

  And for that Jasper might just have to send Victoria an embossed thank-you card.

  “She even insisted I wear these,” She lifted up her foot to show off the sterling-silver pump. “God knows why. The darn things are killing my feet.” She wiggled her toes, and his mind jumped to other locations she could be wiggling those toes. Like across his smooth white sheets, or along his back as he spread her thighs wide around his waist.

  How could he be having these thoughts about Riley? Two days ago he never would have believed it was possible for him to see Riley this way. He’d never thought of her as a girl. She was just Riley. Just his best friend. Clearly, he’d been wrong.

  “I know why she picked those shoes.” Logan laughed. “Don’t you remember that song? Silver and gold?”

  Great, another Christmas memory transformed. Now Jasper would never be able to hear that song and not think of her in this tight gold dress and those shoes. He’d be lucky if he could make it through the whole Christmas special without getting hard. Like he was right now.

  Riley giggled. “You’re right.” God, even her laughter sounded sexier today. Some rational part of his mind must have realized it was the same laugh she’d had yesterday, but with all the hormones flooding his brain, all he heard were husky tones that had his whole body on alert and wanting.

  He had no clue what this all meant. It was clear his body wanted her. Every inch of him wanted her. To stroke those long legs, to caress those curves, to peel that skintight gold dress from her body. But she was also his best friend. The most important woman in his life. Was he willing to risk twenty years of friendship because he’d seen her in a tight dress and a pair of high heels?

  * * * *

  Logan tried to concentrate on what Riley was saying, but it was impossible to focus. Not when she sat next to him looking like something right out of his teenage wet dreams. All long legs, gentle curves covered in the slinkiest dress he’d ever seen.

  It was still almost impossible to remember this was one of his best friends. This was Riley. He’d been pulling her pigtails for as long as he could remember. And he still wanted to pull her pigtails, but suddenly it sounded a lot different. The idea of tugging on those blonde strands, jerking her head back until she opened her mouth on a breathy sigh. Just the thought had blood rushing south to his already aroused cock.

  “You guys don’t have to stay long. Only until I’m sure Victoria isn’t up to any of her usual tricks.”

  “It’s no problem. We don’t mind.” In truth he didn’t want to be anywhere else. Not right now. All he wanted to do was be near her, to be next to her.

  “That’s very sweet.” Riley grabbed his hand. Warmth spread beneath where her skin touched his. Her hand was so soft, so small against his. His own palm was scarred and rough from working on the ranch. He’d never thought too much about them. Ladies liked a man with coarse hands that showed how hard he worked. “But I want to get out of here almost as much as you do.”

  The way she said the words—or at least the way his brain interpreted them—had him thinking of them all leaving together. The three of them heading back to their house to roll around on his bed until they were an exhausted pile of sweaty bodies.

  All three of them! Where the hell had that thought come from? They’d never shared a woman before, and their best friend didn’t seem like the place to start. But a glance at Jasper showed he was just as interested in Riley as he was.

  “Looking good, lovers.”

  Gigi Fallows stood just to the side of their table. The sound of her voice was annoying on a normal day. Something like an attempt at a sexy Minnie Mouse. Though who wanted to fuck Minnie Mouse, Logan didn’t know. Besides maybe Mickey. Definitely not him.

  She wore her usual skintight dress, cut low enough he could almost see her nipples. A decent chunk of her dress was missing, showing a few inches of her bare stomach. Completely impractical in a Montana winter, but that was Gigi, style over substance.

  Her big artificial lips were pursed in an expression she must think was sexy but really l
ooked like she was confused by what was happening around her. Which might be true, as well.

  “I like these suits. They look good on you two.” She brushed her fingers across his shoulder. The light caught along the glitter covering her face and breasts, making her shine, but not at all in the same way Riley was. Riley’s glow had nothing to do with the glitter and gold on her dress or her makeup. It came from some inward place. Much deeper than the surface where Gigi sparkled.

  “It’s nice to see you, Gigi.” Riley smiled at her, though even a blind man could see the tension between them. Gigi wasn’t beloved by the women around town. And Logan couldn’t blame most of them for feeling that way. She was known for being a flirt and a lot more.

  “Hi, Riley.” Gigi pretended at cordiality, as well, but failed on sincerity. Another one of Gigi’s many faults.

  Like all true flirts, Gigi quickly redirected her attention away from the only woman in the vicinity and back to Jasper and himself. “If you’re interested in having some fun, I’m ready to go anytime you want to.” She added a little purr to the last few words, detailing in no uncertain terms what kind of fun she had in mind.

  “No thanks.” Jasper crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in his seat, further away from Gigi. “I’m fine here.”

  “What about you, lover?” She directed all her attention and the three tons of makeup covering her face in his direction. “In this suit, you’re making me want to pick up where we left off.”

  Logan inwardly groaned. Another mistake coming back to bite him in the ass. At some point he’d have to learn to stop making these mistakes. But unfortunately, it didn’t seem like that day would be anytime soon.

  Not that anyone in town would blame him. There wasn’t much to do in Frostbite Falls, so what there was to do, you did a lot. And Gigi was one of those things. He’d never wanted anything more serious from her than a night of fun, and Gigi was always up for a good time. He’d never seen any problem with two consenting adults enjoying a night together.