She knew she had truly screwed up their friendship. How could either man want to be around her when they knew that she was physical with the other?
“We’re going to have an important talk with you,” Tim told her softly. “Right now.”
“I’m not having any talk with you,” Lainey insisted. “I will not come between the two of you.”
“Why would you think you would be coming between us?” Tim asked, his confusion obvious.
“I will not choose one of you over the other so you can just forget whatever thoughts you might have, Timothy.”
Tim smiled slowly, his brown eyes twinkling with humor and happiness. Lainey didn’t understand why, but it pissed her off something fierce. She clenched her teeth to keep control of her anger, taking deep, even breaths as Tim moved to climb out of the water trough.
Lainey pulled away as soon as Tim released her so he could grip the sides of the trough and heave his massive body up and over the side so he could stand beside her. She stood and backed up toward the corral gate, determined to escape her humiliation as soon as possible. When he stood before her dripping with water, she couldn’t help the smile that tugged on her lips. Humiliation aside, it was pretty freaking funny to see Tim standing there before her looking like a drowned rat.
“A little wet there, Timmy?” she teased him, smiling as he grinned back at her immediately.
“I could blame you for this,” he told her, taking a step toward her.
Lainey stood her ground and placed her hands on her hips as she looked up at him, exasperation evident on her face. “Now, how the hell is your falling into the water trough my fault, Mr. Hughes?” she snapped at him. She heard Spence chuckling beside them and ignored him. She could only deal with one of them at a time.
“If you hadn’t walked away from us, I wouldn’t have been distracted,” Tim explained firmly. “Why did you walk away from us, Lainey?”
Lainey blushed and looked down, lowering her arms and wiping the palms of her hands on her thighs, glad to rub the moisture on her jeans. “I can’t be around either of you anymore,” she told them softly.
“That’s it!” Tim nearly hollered.
Reaching out, he grabbed Lainey by the waist and hoisted her up into Spence’s waiting arms as he sat atop his horse. His strength made the lift easy, but he was extra cautious to be sure that Lainey felt no discomfort by his show of power. “Take her home, Spence. I’ll be right behind you as soon as I grab my horse.”
Lainey was too stunned to do anything but hold onto Spence’s forearm as he turned her toward him and settled her on his thighs so that she faced him as he sat in the saddle. He pulled her toward him until her core rested against him. She inhaled in surprise at the feel of the erection he was sporting as it strained against his jeans.
When she gasped at the contact, Spence smiled down at her, wrapping his left arm around her back to settle his large hand against her hip and pull her more intimately against him. He moved his hips slightly and rubbed against her, gritting his teeth as he felt her shiver.
“Feel how much I want you, Lainey,” he told her gruffly. “Don’t ever doubt it, darlin’.”
Before she could answer him, he kicked at his horse’s flanks and set them in motion. With each rise and fall of his hips he rubbed against her with more pressure. Lainey’s blue eyes were wide with surprise, but he saw when they softened as need slowly built within her. It was a very good sign.
Maybe they would be able to convince her to share her life with them after all. He and Tim knew that she was their destined mate. It might take a bit of convincing to get her to understand that she was meant for both of them, but they were looking forward to the challenge.
Chapter 5
Lainey remained silent as they rode toward the home that Tim and Spence shared on McKade land. Her shoulders were tight as she held herself away from Spence’s chest, but the way he held her securely against his lower body made it impossible to move away from him completely.
“You think you can get away with manhandling me, Mr. McKade?”
“I’m not manhandling you.”
“Okay. You’re mauling me.”
Spence’s laughter burst from him. “Lainey, I’m not mauling you.”
“Then what the hell are you doing?” The frustration was evident in her voice. She pushed away from him just slightly, looking up at him warily.
“I’m wooing you.” Lainey’s undignified snort only made him smile wider. “What? You don’t believe I’m wooing you?”
“Spence, you’re talking to me, remember? I’m not a woman for you to woo. I’m your friend, nothing more. I’ve told both you and Tim that you have to find yourselves nice women to settle down with. You’re getting up there in age, buddy. You’re going to be too old to satisfy a woman if you don’t get a move on and get busy finding someone.”
Spence looked down at her, his blue eyes sparkling as he saw the innocence on her face. She really had no clue. Pulling her closer toward his body, he pressed intimately against her, loving the immediate gasp that escaped her as she felt his erection rubbing against her with a delicious friction that he wanted to continue with her naked. He loved the warmth of her and was looking forward to sinking deep inside her body and loving her until she screamed with pleasure.
“I think you’ll find that I’m quite capable of satisfying a woman,” he told her, winking down at her. “You’re going to experience that first hand very soon.”
“I thought Tim was the one who hit his head,” she told him, a small burst of laughter escaping her. “I think you must have smacked your head good.”
“Well, my head is hurting,” Spence admitted. “But I think you’ll be able to take care of that, kitten.” He winked down at her, watching as her forehead furrowed in confusion before her eyes widened with the realization of just what head he was talking about.
“Spence, I don’t understand,” she whispered, looking up at him and seeing the way he looked down at her with a combination of tenderness and desire.
“I know, honey,” he told her gently. “Don’t worry so much. Tim and I have been planning on having this talk with you for a very long time. Don’t be afraid. We would never hurt you.”
“I know that,” Lainey answered without hesitation, her voice sure. “I’m not afraid of either you or Tim hurting me.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“Who said I’m afraid of anything?”
“Your eyes tell me you’re afraid of something, kitten.”
Lainey hesitated, unable to keep the blush from filling her cheeks as she thought about how much she wanted to be with Tim, and how much she wanted to be with Spence. She just couldn’t chance losing either one of them because she wanted both of them.
“Spence, you need to stop. I’m not afraid.” She pushed at his chest, determined to get out of his arms. “Let me down off this horse, you big bully.”
“I am not a bully,” Spence insisted calmly. “Don’t evade my question, Lainey.”
“I’m not.”
“Oh, kitten, you certainly are.” His voice was calm as he looked down at her, but he couldn’t help but tense with worry. He and Tim were afraid that she wouldn’t give their relationship a chance. And they wanted her to give it a chance. “Please, Lainey. Tell me what you’re afraid of. Tim and I can’t help you if we don’t know what you’re thinking.”
Lainey was silent for so long Spence was sure she wasn’t going to answer him. He had almost given up on hoping that she would open up to him when she looked up at him, her pretty, blue eyes incredibly troubled.
“I’m afraid of hurting you or Tim,” she admitted finally.
Spence looked down at her and saw how she closed into herself. He saw the pain on her face and knew that he had to alleviate her fears.
“Kitten, the only way you’ll ever hurt us is if you’re not with us,” he told her gently, leaning forward to kiss her forehead tenderly, holding her tightly against him and taking a
deep breath to settle himself. “We’ll explain it all to you when we get home, Lainey. Don’t worry.”
He didn’t know if his words had calmed her, and he worried that she would continue to keep herself distant from him. He and Tim would have no chance to convince her that being with them was the right thing to do if she kept herself closed off from them. An ache began in his chest as he resolved himself to the fact that Lainey may not be willing to be a part of their shared mating. He knew it was almost too much to hope for.
His shoulders drooped, and he was about to give in to the feeling of complete desolation when he felt her soften in his hold. She slowly leaned forward and laid her head against his chest before wrapping her arms around his waist and holding on tightly. Hope flared within him. Holding this beautiful, soft creature of compassion and love was all that he and Tim had ever wanted. Maybe everything would turn as it was meant to be.
“Lainey,” he whispered against the top of her head.
“What?”
“Thank you, baby.”
He felt her nod against his chest, and he couldn’t stop the immediate smile that burst from him. When she hugged him tightly then relaxed against him, he chuckled softly. Their little kitten was such a cuddler.
Riding toward the front porch of their home, Spence pulled back on the reins and halted his horse. Tim was beside them almost immediately, reaching up to take hold of Lainey by her waist and lift her from her seat on Spence’s legs. He gently drew her away from Spence and brought her down to stand before him.
“Tim, you’re all wet,” Lainey told him, smiling at the way his light brown hair was plastered to his face, his usually curly hair straight and dripping. She couldn’t help but laugh lightly at the sight.
“Yeah, I am,” he answered, smiling. “Come on inside, baby.”
He stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest, drawing Lainey’s attention to the wet material that clung to his broad chest, revealing every muscle that filled his strong torso. Just looking at him made the need to be held by him wash over her. She swallowed slowly, doing her best to control her thoughts. She couldn’t help the attraction she felt toward her two best friends. They had matured into sexy men whose kind and caring treatment of her never wavered. They watched over her, protected her, and enjoyed her. She just wished things could be different so she could give in to her need to love them both as a woman and as a mate.
“Go on inside,” Tim urged her, nodding at Spence.
Spence nodded back as he tied the reins of his horse to the front post at the bottom of the porch steps. Walking up the steps, he unlocked the front door, stepping back and waiting until Lainey joined him and walked inside. Tim followed behind her, closing the door and stepping into the open foyer of their home.
Spence walked to the alarm control panel and keyed in the code 7-6-1-0. Ever since the McKades’ cousin Jamie had been attacked by a man who had caused such pain and suffering to her over the years, none of the McKade men or their friends would ever take a chance with the safety of their women. Since he and Tim had every intention of making their house a home with Lainey, they had put a security system in place with the help of their brothers to ensure that their mate would be safe.
“The security code is 7-6-1-0, Lainey,” Spence told her firmly. “Don’t ever forget to set the system when you enter or leave our home.”
Lainey nodded, confused by the vehemence in Spence’s voice. “Okay, Spence, but I won’t be here that often without you, so it won’t really be a big deal.”
“We’re going to have a talk about that, sweetheart,” Tim spoke up as he came up behind her. “I’m going to get out of these wet clothes and take a quick shower. Then we’ll have that talk.”
Lainey turned around to face him. “Okay, Timmy. Go ahead and get showered and changed. I don’t want you to get sick. And know this, Mr. Hughes, I am going to check out that bump on your head. If I’m not one hundred percent sure you’re okay, you are going to the hospital, stubborn man.”
Tim smiled as he leaned forward and took a quick kiss from her sweet lips, licking at them once before winking at her and turning to head up the large staircase that led to the bedrooms. “It’s a deal, baby,” he told her, looking over his shoulder and smiling at her.
Lainey shook her head, laughing despite her confusion about the whole situation. Walking into the open living room, she was soothed by the comfort and peacefulness that filled her. She hadn’t been inside their home in a very long time—not since Tim and Spence had finished building it, in fact. She had helped them with the color choices and had even helped them pick out pieces of furniture as well as dishes for their kitchen, but she hadn’t seen everything put together. Looking around, she was glad to see that everything matched, and the cozy furniture made the house very welcoming.
“Everything looks really nice, Spence,” she told him honestly.
“It’s because of you, honey,” he told her as he stepped up behind her and watched as she looked over the entire room.
She walked toward the fireplace, reaching up and touching the frame of the only picture on the mantle. It was a picture of the three of them that had been taken the previous summer. She was in the middle of the picture and Spence and Tim were holding her between them. The men were smiling, and her head was tipped back to rest against Tim’s chest. She was laughing.
“I remember when this picture was taken,” Lainey said, smiling. “That was a great picnic last year.”
“It was,” Spence agreed.
She turned and looked around the living room, realizing that there were a lot of items decorating the walls that were unique to her friendship with the two men. She saw the glass art that she had found in Denver that reminded her of the two men. It was a depiction of a beautiful sunset with a man riding a horse in silhouette. She had given that piece to them two years before. It was now proudly displayed on the far wall of the living room.
Turning, she looked at the black couch that she remembered helping the men pick out. They had been insistent on her sitting between them to judge the comfort level of the piece before they decided to purchase it. She saw the large recliner that would easily fit the three of them and wondered suddenly why she hadn’t realized that everything they had purchased was for the use of three people.
“Spence?”
“What, baby?”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know, darlin’, but we’ll talk about everything as soon as Tim gets out of the shower.”
Lainey nodded, turning and walking toward the stairs, suddenly very curious as to what the men had to tell her.
“I hope Tim is okay. I’m worried about the bump on his head.”
“He’ll be fine,” Spence assured her. “He’s got a thick skull.”
“Look who’s talking,” Lainey told him, turning to face him and poking him in the stomach. “I’m not sure if it’s because you’re so stubborn, or if you’re just plain ornery.”
The laugh that escaped Spence made Lainey smile. She just loved it when he was happy. She especially loved it when she was the one who gave him reason to laugh.
“You think I’m kidding?” she teased him.
“No, kitten. I think you’re adorable,” Spence told her, leaning forward and kissing her lips lightly, glad when she made no move to pull away even though he could tell that she was surprised. Pulling back slightly, he licked at her bottom lip softly and smiled as she looked up at him in silence. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
He reached out and took Lainey’s right hand in his left one, tugging on it so that she followed him up the stairs. He led her through the wide hallway, smiling as he saw her looking around.
“Tim and I designed our home with specific needs in mind,” he told her softly. “There are lots of rooms up here that can be used as bedrooms or as office space. We weren’t sure what our future was going to hold, but we knew that we would somehow be together. It’s been that way since we were kids.”
Sadness filled her as she thought about the way Tim had been abused by his own parents. “I know. I’m glad your mother and father took Timmy into their home. They were amazing parents to him,” Lainey admitted.
“They were,” Spence admitted. “I miss them.” Grief tinged his words.
Lainey turned around and opened her arms to embrace the big man. Despite Spence’s six-foot-five-inch height, Tim’s six-foot-six-inch height, and both men’s muscular bodies, they were both the gentlest men she had ever known. She secretly thought of them as her teddy bears. They had all mourned the loss of Spence’s parents. They had been the kindest, most open and loving people Lainey had ever had the privilege of loving. No wonder the Great Spirit blessed the McKade family and their friends. They deserved every blessing and every gift bestowed upon them.
“Now that’s what I like to see,” Tim’s deep voice spoke behind Lainey.
She jumped in surprise and tried to push herself out of Spence’s arms, but he tightened his hold on her. “Oh, no, kitten, you’re not going anywhere,” he told her quietly, kissing the top of her head and turning them both so that they faced Tim.
Tim’s smile was wide as he stepped toward them, and he reached up to stroke Lainey’s face gently with the back of his knuckles. “This is where you belong, Lainey,” he told her, leaning forward and kissing her temple lightly.
“Please let go, Spence,” Lainey whispered. “This is wrong.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I shouldn’t be hugging you and allowing Tim to kiss me.”
“Why not?” Spence asked softly. “Tim, do you mind if I hold Lainey while you kiss her?”
“No. I don’t,” Tim answered honestly. “Spence, do you mind if I kiss Lainey while you hold her?”
“No. I don’t,” Spence repeated Tim’s words.
“I’m confused,” Lainey said tiredly, pushing out from between the two men, relieved when they allowed her to step away. “You guys are giving me a headache.”
She looked at Tim and closed her eyes briefly in an effort to control herself. Tim stood there, dressed in nothing but his jeans. They weren’t buttoned or zipped and Lainey could see the dark patch of hair that ran from his belly button into the hidden confines of his jeans. His upper torso still held droplets of water from his shower. His light brown hair looked almost black as it lay plastered against his head, still completely drenched.
Claiming Lainey [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 5
