Acres, Natalie - Sex Club [Cowboy Sex 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Trixie Cartwell’s rambunctious twin sisters, Ansley and Kimberly Cartwell, ended up with quite adventuresome lives, and I can’t wait to share their stories with you.

As discussed at reader chats in the past, the original plan was to write one epic novel for the twins and their men. In fact, the intended goal was to wrap up the Cowboy Sex series with one or two novels. However, as Kimberly and Ansley’s stories unfolded, plans changed.

While working on the forthcoming books, I remembered why these manuscripts are such a pleasure to write. The characters are independent and a lot of fun to create. Many of their personalities are similar to family members and friends. Plus, the settings are familiar and very special places indeed.

As for the Cartwell family, Ansley and Kimberly’s stories developed in such a way that it soon became apparent that the twins would inevitably part and their hearts would lead them in different directions, at least for a little while. Additionally, their best friend, Patience, was exposed to a whole new world, and she, too, will come forward with an entire book dedicated to her experiences.

You saw a glimpse inside Patience McKay’s world in
Sex Holiday,
but Patience’s vacation was only the beginning. After Patience and her men left Myrtle Beach, their relationship flourished and, well, you just won’t believe what happened next.

Yes, there are now numerous manuscript submissions slated for the Cowboy Sex series, and I’m anxious to place these next four manuscripts in my publisher’s hands.

As stubborn writers sometimes will, I worked against the grain trying to overlap Ansley and Kimberly’s stories in a way which would allow the twins to stay together for an unforgettable epic novel. Eventually, it was obvious that I wasted time fighting a pointless losing battle. The girls, as they often do, took over and demanded their own manuscripts.

The good news? There’s far too much story there to try and keep the twins together as their independent relationships develop and their lives take them down completely separate roads.

For those of you who’ve enjoyed the Cowboy Sex series, you’re in for a special treat. Hopefully, by the time you finish the next four installments of Cowboy Sex, you’ll feel like the wait for the Cowboy Sex books was worth it.

You’ll see why our heroines needed books of their own.

Additionally, readers can anticipate more from Trixie Cartwell, too. She’ll soon reconnect with a lost love. You’ll have a hint of what to expect in this installment. Brock and Rory come to terms with the fact that Trixie’s life will never be complete until she confronts a tailspin of emotions and the man responsible for them.

In the meantime, I’m pleased to finally bring you
Sex Club
, Book Five in the Cowboy Sex series and Part One of Four in the
Daughters of Cartwell and McKay Family Saga.

I hope you enjoy reading about Ansley and Kimberly as much as I enjoyed writing about them. Your feedback, letters, and comments are welcome anytime.

Natalie Acres

[email protected]

SEX CLUB

Cowboy Sex 5

NATALIE ACRES

Copyright © 2012

Prologue One

Ansley Cartwell’s legs dangled over the long wooden bar. Gnawing on her thumbnail, her gaze bounced between her twin sister Kimberly and their best friend, Patience McKay.

She kept awaiting the punch line. Surely there must’ve been one. If not, then Ansley expected an explanation.

Since Kimberly and Patience weren’t stuttering over excuses, she was somewhat relieved. Rather than brace for disappointment, she anticipated an overdue invitation.

“You’re going to Bermuda?” Ansley asked.

By appearances, they planned to depart soon. If they wanted a third wheel, there was only a fleeting moment to mention the fact. They needed to herd the sheep out from under the wool. Spill the beans, so to speak. The clock was ticking.

Ansley released a heavy, and quite troubled, breath. “I can’t believe this is the first I’m hearing of a girls’ getaway.”

Patience shrugged. “We haven’t exactly hidden the fact.”

Barely taking note of what Patience said, Ansley thought about their motive for silence. The trip must’ve been a belated birthday present. That’s why they hadn’t told her.

She and Kimberly shared the same special day as twins, which meant Patience probably made their reservations. She wasn’t quite sure why Kimberly was aware of the itinerary while Patience kept her in the dark, but who cared about particulars? Obviously, her best friend and sister were planning to surprise her all along.

“You’re leaving today?” She’d play along. She hated to ruin their special treat.

“That’s right,” Patience replied, her eyes twinkling. “The plane takes off in two hours.”

“That soon?” Ansley squeaked. Ansley typically spent days packing for an overseas adventure.

“I thought she knew,” Patience remarked calmly, studying Kimberly.

Like hell. Whenever they organized a holiday together, the three of them spent hours in the salon, shopped for days on end, and even went as far as posting their upcoming event on all the social networking sites. Although all three girls came from wealthy families, they often acted like new money, announcing where they vacationed, shopped, and last ate dinner, if their meal carried a hefty price per plate.

Kimberly sighed. “You should’ve told her.”

Ansley paced. On second thought, given the facts before her, she feared the day had arrived when she would indeed be left behind. Perhaps they hadn’t meant for her to join them after all. “Okay. We can do this. I can improvise. It won’t be the first time I’ve left town with just the clothes on my back.”

Kimberly arched a brow.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’ve been saving. Believe me, I can spend a fortune and purchase everything from makeup to a new wardrobe once we land in Hamilton. This is doable. It would’ve been nice if one of you would’ve said something before now, but I understand. We’re all busy. Besides, you know me. I’m ready to roll on a dime.”

“We’re not talking about a tumble across a mattress,” Kimberly said.

“You’re learning, sista,” Ansley chirped, thinking Kimberly’s dry sense of humor was more drab than usual. She hadn’t cracked a smile with her comment.

Patience grabbed Kimberly by the wrist. “We don’t have time for this. If we don’t leave now, we’ll miss our plane.”

Ansley’s pulse quickened. Were they serious about ditching her? “You can’t skip town without me.”

“Why not?” Kimberly asked.

“Who will watch the bar?” Ansley leapt from her elevated position. Standing with her shoulders back, she awaited a sensible solution.

“As a co-owner, you should be able to handle this,” Kimberly pointed out.

“You’re putting me in charge?” Ansley asked, baffled. “Are you crazy?”

“Probably,” Patience muttered.

Ansley blinked. “No one in their right mind would want me to manage anything outside of maybe an orgy!”

“My thoughts exactly,” Patience agreed.

Ansley narrowed her gaze. Kimberly squirmed. “You can’t be doing this.”

“Those are my bags at the door,” Kimberly stated with rejuvenated confidence.

“Yes,” Ansley drawled suspiciously, stroking her chin like Daddy Kane often would when he processed disconcerting information. “I see the Gucci logo from here.”

For the past three months, Kimberly had been living at Clink, the nightclub they owned with Patience. Kimberly redecorated one of the private suites and made the three-thousand-square-foot area into her personal quarters. She’d been asked to leave the Cartwell ranch after she started seeing an older man her parents didn’t like.

When the relationship took a turn for the worst, Ansley had hoped she and Kimberly could be roommates, but Kimberly refused to move out of Clink. Now, Ansley understood why.

Her twin sister had decided to turn tail and run, something new she must’ve learned from Patience. Damn. Her sister was undoubtedly prepared to walk in Patience’s footsteps.

“Dodging Jason won’t mend your broken heart,” Ansley pointed out. “And you’re running from a man you love, which will make things far worse than they already are. He won’t follow you, Kimberly.”

Patience narrowed her gaze. “She doesn’t want any contact with him.”

“Good,” Ansley remarked, thinking Patience didn’t know her sister as well as she thought. If Jason strutted through Clink’s doors right then and there, he’d walk in like he owned the place, and Kimberly would either swoon or kneel at his feet. Then she’d beg him to take her back.

“Ansley, your sister believes like I do—out of sight, out of mind.”

“And that worked so well for you, too, hmm? When you cut ties from the Joseph brothers, was it out with the old and in with the new, no turning back, few regrets, and all that jazz?”

“Let me refresh your memory. I left town, went to Myrtle Beach, and met the two men who changed my life.”

She also had a little help with the McCoy brothers, but Ansley wouldn’t mention that fact.

“You of all people should know how much Kimberly needs to walk away from this situation.”

Ansley could’ve used a vacation, too. If she pointed out the obvious, Patience would immediately call her out as self-centered. And yes, in times like these, the shoe fit.

Ansley studied Kimberly, trying her best to look like Trixie or their mother might, staring down the bridge of her nose as if to imply she were about to mutter the first word and the last. Kimberly needed to hear an objective judgment on the Jason subject. Then again, her opinion was subjective, and she simply didn’t like the asshole.

“A man like Jason Neely doesn’t chase what he’s lost. If you leave town, make sure you go without any expectations.” Neely was the kind of man who loved a woman and left her with high hopes he’d return again. If rumors were true, the love ’em and leave ’em scenario had been his MO for several decades.

“Personally, I think you’re wasting your time and money. But hey, if you have cash to burn, don’t let me keep you from striking the first match.”

“I do,” Kimberly snapped. “And thanks for the expert advice on my boyfriend. You sounded just like Momma.”

Mission accomplished.

“Ex,” Ansley corrected. “He’s your ex-boyfriend.”

“Fiancé,” Patience reminded her. “Ansley, for once, give your sister a break.”

Not a chance.

Ansley warned Kimberly several years ago. She wouldn’t listen. Jason Neely’s scandalous behavior went way back. If a Dom held the potential to earn world-wide notoriety, Neely would’ve gained fame similar to that of a rock star’s. He might as well have been strung out on drugs, locked behind the magnificent gates of a fifty-million-dollar estate, with a wrecked Lamborghini in the driveway and Playmates strewn across his front lawn. Everyone in town knew Jason, or at least his reputation. If he walked in a room, whispers generated. Folks in Fletcher acted as if he were some kind of celebrity.

“Kimberly, fiancé or not, Jason won’t play games. He’s about the same age as Mom and Dads, or have you forgotten that?”

“How could I dismiss matters of age?” Kimberly mumbled. “Between you, Trixie, and Patience, I’ve been reminded at least a dozen times of the years separating us. Y’all must think he has a walker tucked away in a dark corner, along with a bedpan shoved under his mattress.”

“Doesn’t he?” Ansley asked.

Kimberly snarled. “No, he does not.”

Ansley shrugged. “Whether or not he’s ready to rock away his final days on the porch of a nursing home is hardly the question. The man has a stocked shelf of Viagra, so that should tell you something.”

“How would you know about that?” she asked, hurt pouring from her eyes.

“Good Lord, Kimberly. I know what you’re implying, and you should know me better than that. I wouldn’t go to Jason’s house if he were the only man on earth or if I couldn’t find batteries for my vibrator. Every sub in the country talks about his meds.” A beat later, she added, “And the fact he needs to watch porn in order to get an erection.”

“I can’t believe you just said that.” She bowed her head and took several ragged breaths.

Yikes. She’d gone too far with that one. “I can’t either,” she muttered. “I apologize.”

“Try to use caution on the Jason subject. Your sister needs our support, not sarcastic reminders about Jason’s past.”

“Past, hell. Do I need to remind either of you about the ‘whys’ behind the numerous reasons Jason and Kimberly are no longer together?”

“It isn’t necessary,” Kimberly assured her.

“Thank goodness. I seemed to have misplaced Jason’s team roster. God knows, he’s never been short on recruiting submissive women for his bed.”

“You’re not cute, Ansley.” A beat later, Kimberly added, “Jason wasn’t with that many women before or after we met. He has a reputation, but that doesn’t mean he earned the stigma. Rumors are abundant in this town.”

“She’s bitter because I basically described her man as old and decrepit, not to mention a liar and a cheat.”

“He isn’t,” Kimberly objected.

“Well one thing is certain, given his history, his personal drug supply far exceeds the current demand.”

Kimberly’s lips thinned. Her face turned red. Her tremendous fury was evident. She’d probably give Ansley what she deserved for being spiteful. Admittedly, Ansley had behaved like an immature brat, but good heavens! They were bound and determined to leave her out.

“For your information, and not that it’s any of your business, Jason keeps small doses of erectile dysfunction medication for another reason. He doesn’t have an impotent problem. He uses it to stay up.” A beat later, she added, “If you know what I mean.”

“Lord have mercy,” Ansley grumbled. “And he’s brilliant, too, huh? Fabulous.”

“Ansley, I’ve heard enough,” Kimberly warned her. “I loved him. I still love him.”

“He dumped you because of the large gap between your ages and because he couldn’t keep his dick zipped when you were out of town! That should tell you something. Besides, the two of you have absolutely nothing in common.”

“The Jason subject is closed indefinitely.” Kimberly pointed toward the door. “Patience, I’m ready when you are.”