by C. M. Albert
“Brighton,” she said, scooching closer to me so she could rest a hand on my thigh.
“When I met you for the first time—and you were no longer this figment of my imagination—I was at a loss for words. I’d never met someone so effusively beautiful in all my life.”
“Oh, come on now,” she said, giggling.
“I’m serious. You took my breath away. I couldn’t stop the pull to you any more than I could stop breathing. But I’d already become friends with Ryan at that point. Do you know how hard it was to know instantly that this was my person, and yet I would never be able to have her? To have you.”
“Yes, I do,” she said. “Because, tulips.”
“Tulips,” I whispered back.
We sat in silence for a moment as dusk settled in around us. I’d kept the truck running and the heat blasting because it was getting colder every day.
“I don’t know when I fell in love with you, exactly. When I knew it, body and soul. It might’ve been that first day on my front porch. Or the night we lay in your yard and talked about Laelynn and Sam. I knew in my heart I should’ve told Ryan to fuck off when he came to me about being with you both—because I was already head over heels for you by then. I knew in my heart if I was allowed to touch you, to physically show you what you meant to me, I would never be able to stop. And I was right. But I’m so glad I didn’t tell Ryan to fuck off. Because then I wouldn’t have known real love.
“I thought I knew what love was with Caroline. But that wasn’t love. That was affection based on proximity, and a choice I made because of a baby.”
“And here you are, in the same situation again. I know you love me, Brighton. But what if you look back and regret this? What if you feel like you missed out because you couldn’t get married? Or find out you only wanted this because of the baby.”
“I promise you, I don’t want this just because of the baby.” I pulled her nearly into my lap. “I want this because I love you more than anything, or anyone, I’ve ever given my heart to.” I looked her in the eyes, so she knew exactly what I was saying. “I don’t throw that around lightly, Olivia. I already tried to walk away from you once. I would’ve done it so you could be happy with Ryan and move on. My intention was never to come between your marriage.”
“I know. It wouldn’t have made me happy if you left, though. I was already struggling with the idea of you leaving after the open house.”
I slid my hand through her hair to cup the back of her head. Lowering my lips, I brushed them lightly against hers. “Don’t you know by now? I can never walk away from you.”
“I’d be lost if you did.”
My hand tightened in her hair, and I gave in to my desire to kiss her fully. Our mouths crashed against one another’s, and it was as if every unspoken fear and every realized desire met somewhere in the middle. We couldn’t get enough, and our tongues demanded everything from each other, dragging each other down into a soft, sensual promise of all that was to come.
I wished more than anything that I could take her inside and make love to her. It had been an emotionally exhilarating day seeing our baby on the ultrasound, and it had made me feel so close to Liv. There was a chance that the baby was actually mine. It took my breath away to see a tiny life that I may have created again.
I needed to be as close to Olivia as humanly possible.
“Do you think Ryan will ever let me make love to you?”
“You mean alone again?”
I nodded.
“Yes. I think now that things have changed, he would. But I think we need to talk about it first this weekend, just to make sure we’re all on the same page this time. I couldn’t stand to hurt either of you. And I’ll never lie to Ryan again.”
“I want you, Liv. God help me, but I want you to myself again, even if for just one night.” I buried my head in her hair and held onto her for the longest time. Her hands found my head, massaging my scalp. Goose bumps raced over my skin, and my desire for her was only growing stronger. She dragged my mouth back to hers and leaned back, pulling me on top of her.
If it was all we could have for now, I would take it. I nearly bruised her mouth I kissed her so deeply, so desperately. I felt like I would never be able to get enough of her.
“Marry me,” I whispered hoarsely against her mouth.
“What?” She pulled back.
I sat up, pulling her with me. “I said marry me, Olivia North Wells. I know we can’t for real. But maybe we could have a simple ceremony, so you know how seriously I’m committed to you, to us, to this. And so I can feel on equal footing with Ryan. It’s so hard to know he has you as his wife, when it’s the one thing in this world I want but can never truly have.”
Olivia ran her finger over her bottom lip. It was swollen from our kisses and her hair was messy from our make-out session. Even the windows were fogged up.
A knock on my window made Olivia and me both jump. I wiped the glass with my sleeve and saw Ryan standing on the other side. I rolled the window down.
“Hey, man.”
“I can’t leave you two alone for a minute,” he joked. But his eyes weren’t hard, and his mouth curled softly into a half-smile. “Get your asses out here. I got the Mexican Olivia was craving.”
He made his way back to his house through the light snow. Maybe he really was getting more open to the idea that it wasn’t always going to be the three of us, and that maybe sometimes Olivia and I might want to be intimate alone.
For some reason, I was more afraid to talk to him about that this weekend than I was to tell him I wanted to marry his wife.
I kissed her nose. “This conversation isn’t over. It’s something I want us all to talk about this weekend.”
As we headed back to their house, I realized Olivia never really answered me when I asked her if she would marry me. Maybe she’d thought I was kidding. Maybe she was scared to consider even emotionally saying those vows to anyone else.
Or maybe I just needed to ask her the right way.
Chapter Twenty
Olivia
I WAS STILL reeling from Brighton’s “proposal” as we ate our spicy Mexican from Juan and Don’s. When we were done, we called the breeder where we got Stitch and Regina said she’d be more than happy to have him come back for a little weekend visit. So, we packed our bags, hopped into Ryan’s SUV, and drove out to Regina’s farm to drop Stitch off for his extended playdate. By the time we said our goodbyes, the snow was falling harder, and it was getting late. Luckily, Ryan had already put chains on his wheels for the winter, so we were prepared and ready to go. It had been a long, emotional day, so I wasn’t surprised when the gentle lulling of the road and Ryan’s heated seats ended up putting me to sleep. When I woke, we were still driving. I stretched as much as I could in the front seat and yawned.
“Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty. Feeling any better?” Ryan asked, glancing over at me. “You passed out in record time.”
I blushed sheepishly. “You know how easy I fall asleep on long car rides. Besides, you two and the baby take a lot out of me. Figured I needed to restore my energy before we got to our destination.”
“Damn straight,” he said, winking at me.
I looked out my window into the inky black night. Snow was still coming down, but I saw the blur of a sign as we drove by. “Pennsylvania, huh? Does that mean you’ve figured out where we’re going, or are we driving through the night?”
I glanced back at Brighton, who was busy on his phone. When he noticed I was awake and staring at him, he leaned forward and gave me a quick kiss. “Patience, Grasshopper.”
I rolled my eyes but giggled. I loved the energy when we were all together and happy. It filled my soul with a contentment that I’d never known was possible.
“So, nothing? Not even a tiny hint?” I asked, placing my hand over my belly, and giving it a gentle rub. I fluctuated between terrified and thrilled most days, with the thought of this tiny human being living inside of me. I willed it to
hang on, to grow stronger. But I was determined to let myself relax over the long weekend and enjoy our time away.
It was after midnight when we finally pulled off the main road onto an impeccably maintained entrance to an inn of some sort. Pennsylvania was known for its romantic, historic properties, so I was excited to see what the guys had in mind. The road wound its way through dense woods, which I imagined would be beautiful the next day all covered in snow. Black, iron lampposts flickered with real flames along the roadside, making me feel as if we were driving back in time.
I was glad I’d packed a historical romance book at the last minute. I couldn’t wait to snuggle up with the guys tomorrow, read a good book all day, and maybe have a hot cup of tea or a bubble bath. This weekend was sounding better and better by the minute, and I was getting antsy as we approached the inn. I could see the warm glow of lights ahead, and a soaring stone entrance.
The Inn at Beaufield Ridge.
I’d never heard of the place but couldn’t wait to explore it. As Ryan pulled up to the front, I peeked inside through the tall, floor-to-roof windows that bookended a set of double-hung, massive, mahogany doors with two giant Douglas fir wreaths hanging at the center of each. Inside, a two-story, stone fireplace burned real wood, even though it was well past midnight.
I turned to Ryan and squealed. “This is where we’re staying?” I asked, gaping in disbelief.
He placed his hand over mine and smiled. “This is a special celebration, Olivia. We deserve to go a little over the top. It’s been a long time coming, hasn’t it?”
His eyes grew soft as he looked at me. It sure had.
“Do you think they’re going to have any rooms available? It doesn’t look like the kind of place where you can just roll up in the middle of the night unannounced.”
“Well . . . I might’ve done a little planning while you were sleeping,” Brighton said from the backseat. “I know we decided on a spontaneous trip, but with the snow falling, and you needing rest, we didn’t want to be driving around aimlessly all night. Paige got married here once upon a time, and I remembered it wasn’t too far of a drive. So—I made a few calls, and here we are. I think you’re going to love it!”
I sighed. How had I gotten so lucky? “How could I not?”
Ryan and I waited in the warm Jeep while Brighton went to grab our room keys. It wasn’t long before we were driving again, this time away from the main inn.
“Didn’t they have any rooms?” I asked, disappointed.
“They did.”
“Then where are we headed?”
“To our room.”
“That’s not at the inn?”
“We rented a private cottage,” Ryan said, grinning.
“What?”
“They have stand-alone cottages on property that are completely self-sufficient. You can either stay at the inn or in one of these. I thought you might prefer this—for the privacy it offers.”
Yeah, it might’ve been a tad awkward walking through the main lobby with two men. I giggled at what the desk clerk might’ve thought. She’d be right, of course—which made me smile more as I anticipated our weekend.
It was a short drive to the “cottage,” which was accessible by its own private driveway that switchbacked several times before coming to an end at one of the most beautiful homes I’d ever seen. There wasn’t another cottage in sight. In fact, the house stood solitary against the pitch-black sky, the entire property surrounded by a mature forest. The house itself was far more modern than the inn, edging closer to Frank Lloyd Wright. So much for the romantic historic inn I’d conjured in my mind.
“Head on in,” Ryan said as Brighton opened the door for me. “I’ll grab the bags.”
Brighton helped me from the car and held my arm as we crossed the icy driveway to the winding front path. It led to a two-story home with flat, modern lines, tall windows, and minimal outdoor effects. I was a little worried that the inside might feel cold based on the sleek entrance that welcomed us.
But I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I gasped as Brighton opened the front door. Lights were already on, waiting to greet us. The entrance spilled into an open floor plan with huge, vaulted ceilings. The floors were a weathered gray wood, and the main wall of the kitchen behind the stove was covered in flat stone from floor to ceiling. Cozy living areas defined the spaces and functions of the main room that included the kitchen, an eating area, a living room, and a reading nook. Most of the walls were windows. Despite that, it felt warm and toasty, a gas fireplace heating the space and making the living room even more inviting.
“This is gorgeous!” I walked to the sliding glass doors at the back. Adirondack chairs circled a fire pit and looked comfortable enough to curl up in with a big blanket, some hot chocolate, and my new book. I couldn’t see much else, but there seemed to be a little pond or something beyond the patio. I couldn’t wait to explore it in the morning and was already planning a romantic weekend back in the spring after the baby was born.
Ryan finished bringing the bags in and made his way to the coatrack, shrugging out of his leather jacket. He kicked off his snowy boots by the door like Brighton and I had and rubbed his hands together to get warm. “Have you looked at any other rooms yet?”
I shook my head, finally spotting a set of floating stairs wrapped around a brick interior support beam. We raced up like kids, eager to see our sleeping quarters. There were three bedrooms. One had built-in bunkbeds that looked like something out of Pottery Barn. They were built right into the wall, leaving a huge, open space for other things like an air hockey table, a huge stack of oversize Jenga blocks, and a wall full of board games, books, and puzzles.
“Ah! The fun room,” I said, grinning. “You any good at air hockey, Brighton?”
He snorted. “Only the best.”
“Mmm-hmm. We’ll find out tomorrow.”
He tickled my side and I squealed, fleeing the room in search of the master suite. We passed a large Jack and Jill bathroom and another bedroom—this one with a queen-size bed. At the end of the hall, facing the back of the property, was the master suite. And lord have mercy. My insides clenched when I saw the enormous four-poster bed with crisp white linens. The room was spacious, but the large, dark gray-and-white rug under the bed made it cozier, as did the gas fireplace that matched the one on the first floor. Sliding glass doors with black frames gave way to ample outdoor space with lounge chairs, a gas heater, and a small table with four chairs. I hoped it was warm enough to enjoy some of the outdoor spaces in the morning.
I explored the bathroom, Brighton coming up behind me as we both peeked in. My face flushed at recent memories of sharing a shower with both men. The luxurious shower here would most definitely need to be broken in.
“What are you giggling at?” Brighton asked, wrapping his arms around me.
“Just daydreaming about that shower.”
“I hope that daydream includes me,” he growled in my ear.
“And me,” Ryan said from the doorway. He placed our overnight bags by the closet, pulling out a luggage stand for mine. Ryan sauntered over to where Brighton and I were embracing. “Got room in here for one more?”
“There’s always room for you,” I said, sighing as he wrapped his arms around my waist. He kissed my collarbone gently, sending goose bumps skating over my body. I purred, leaning back against him, giving Brighton access to the front of my neck. My eyes closed, and all I wanted to do was surrender my heart, soul, and body to them both again.
“Did you lock up downstairs?” I asked.
“Don’t worry about a thing, beautiful,” Ryan answered. “It’s been a long, exciting day. We’ve got you covered.”
Brighton kissed along my throat to my jawline, teasing me with little pecks until his lips found mine. “What do you want tonight, Liv?” he asked huskily. “Do you need some sleep?”
I gripped his hips, moaning as his mouth moved to my ear. “I already took a nap in the car,” I remind
ed them.
“That you did,” Ryan said, his hands cupping my breasts from behind and making me lose all coherent thought. “I think it’s time to play then.”
“The fun room?” I teased.
“Oh, it’s definitely going to be the fun room,” Brighton said, unzipping my jeans and tugging them over my hips. “But we have more grown-up games in mind.”
“I don’t know. I kind of had my heart set on Jenga.”
But when Brighton dropped to his knees in front of me, and Ryan lifted my sweater over my head, Jenga was the last thing on my mind. My fingers curled into Brighton’s hair as I opened for him, leaning against Ryan for support.
“You are so fucking sexy,” he whispered to me from behind. His fingers massaged my nipples as he watched Brighton pleasure me. “I could really get used to this.”
I turned my head, angling it up and seeking Ryan’s mouth. His kiss started slow and sensual, his hand sliding up my throat to cup my jaw. He held me in place, kissing me, until I came undone from another man. Then he picked me up and carried me to the massive bed we’d be sharing for the next four days.
Life didn’t get any better than this.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ryan
THE WEEKEND FLEW by, filled with laughter, conversation, and many, many hours of taking “nap breaks” during the day. In other words, it was heaven. We decided against the hot tub since Olivia was pregnant. But we broke in the shower, the soaker tub, the kitchen counter, and even the air hockey table. I wasn’t sure I would be able to walk out of this place in one piece.
On our last night there, we ordered in a full Italian dinner from the inn’s restaurant. We had a few glasses of wine—except for Olivia, who was drinking ice water with cucumbers and mint. Then we sat by the fire on the U-shaped, worn-in leather sofa. Olivia curled up all cute-like in a large, chunky-knit blanket with a content smile playing on her lips.
