Page 62 of 11 Cowboys

Levi leans forward, resting his arms on the table. “She knows we’re men, not saints. She knows what we need. She has somecomplexities,but I think she can handle it.”

“That’s your take.” I bite out the words cold and sharp. “You ever think she let you in because she’s working? Because she’s gathering material? Because she doesn’t want to piss off the subject of her article? Because all of this is temporary, and she’s looking for the fuck-boys amongst us for some light relief.”

Levi’s mouth tightens, but before he can respond, Jaxon breaks his silence.

“She needs it.”

Every head in the room snaps to stare at him. Conwayleans forward, pressing his hands flat against the table. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t like talking about this… about her,” Jaxon says, ruffling his messy curls in a frustrated swipe. “It’s her private business, but…”

“Spit it out,” I bark.

“She makes herself come in her sleep, if she’s not… satisfied.”

“What?” Dylan’s expression reflects the surprise of every man in the room except Jaxon.

“It’s how things happened last night. I thought she was crying, but she was…”

“Coming?” Levi asks, grinning.

“Yeah. In her sleep. Then, when she woke up and found me in her room, she wanted it again.”

“She had an orgasm and wanted another one?” Harrison asks.

“Sex matters,” McCartney says quietly, as though trying to calm the rising tension. “But it’s only part of the equation. We’re not only choosing someone to sleep with. We’re choosing someone to live with. Raise kids with. Build a life with.”

Conway nods once. “Noted. But a woman’s libido isn’t always like a man’s.”

“Grace has that part down,” Levi says. “She told me she never came with a man before me.”

“Sounds like she was trying to stroke your ego, dude,” Cody says.

“Nah.” Levi shakes his head.

Jaxon leans forward. “I believe what she said. There’s a whole lot of complex shit going on in that woman’s brain, but she needs a lot of sex. A lot. I nearly wore out my dick and her pussy, and she wasstillneedy. And we can give her that. There’s enough of us to keep her coming.”

“We can sit around here discussing this, but we need to ask her.” Nash presses.

“I don’t think she’s ready,” Dylan says. “Her life issomewhere so far away from here in all ways… the step is too great. Even if she stayed for a month, and we spent all that time trying to show her that this is where she’s meant to be, I think we’d fail. What can we offer her that will rival her success and responsibility… her family and friends… everything she knows? Vote or no vote, it’s a pointless exercise.”

“That kind of defeatism isn’t going to get us anywhere.” Jaxon swigs the last of his coffee and slams the mug onto the table.

“And we need to know if everyone is on board with trying,” Conway says, ignoring the loud thwack.

“So, vote.” I sit back, jaw tight. They’re all so damn hopeful. They think it’s going to work this time. I wish I had their faith, but her eyes are on the horizon. She’s already imagining driving toward it and away from us.

Conway’s eyes sweep the table. “All right then. Vote. Yes, if you want to move forward and try with Grace. No, if you think we should stop this before anyone gets hurt.”

One by one, the hands go up. Jaxon’s first, steady and certain. Cody flashes a quick grin and follows. Lennon nods and raises his. McCartney and Nash both lift their hands, then Dylan, reluctantly but firmly. Corbin’s hand joins a beat later. Harrison taps the table once with his knuckle before lifting his hand slowly, as if he still isn’t sure. Levi lifts his hand immediately. Conway hesitates, jaw tight, then finally lifts his hand last. He’s usually the most cautious of all of us, so that doesn’t surprise me.

Ten hands.

All eyes land on me.

I don’t move.

I feel Levi’s glare burning across the table. Conway waits, calm and unshakable.