Claiming Lainey [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Lynnette Bernard

  “Yes,” she finally whispered, overwhelmed by their beautiful words.

  “Good,” Tim said, firmly. “Always remember that, Mate. We’re never letting you go.”

  It was good to know that her men were just as committed to their bonding as she was. She never wanted to ever be without them. She was glad that they felt the same way.

  She shivered as Spence lifted her hair off the nape of her neck and kissed the mating mark there. She heard him whisper words of love against her neck, wrapping his arms around her and settling his hands on her belly. She couldn’t prevent the giggle that escaped her as he kissed her neck one last time before he spun her around and pressed her against Tim who kissed her mating mark as well. His words of love hummed against her neck, and she smiled contentedly as Tim’s hands joined Spence’s on her body. She could feel the warmth beneath their hands and wondered why she felt that way. Whatever was happening, it was completely beautiful and tender, and it filled her with such incredible love and hope.

  “I feel so wonderful,” she admitted as her men held her. “Thank you.”

  Tim smiled against her shoulder, petting her pregnant belly before looking up and winking at Spence who was doing the same.

  “Believe me, it’s our pleasure, baby,” he told her.

  Chapter 25

  Lainey looked at the two men who stood before her, so tall and handsome in their dark suits and cowboy hats. She gazed down at their hands as they held hers so gently. The calf-length skirt of her pastel pink, chiffon dress stirred slightly in the gentle breeze of the day, brushing against her skin and sending shivers of happiness through her. She felt like a fairy princess in the formal dress, loving the feminine feel of it. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail at the crown of her head, baby’s breath adorning the black elastic that held it securely in place. She wore very little makeup, her cheeks were a healthy pink, and her light blue eyes were sparkling. Only a little eyeliner and mascara, and the strawberry lip gloss that her men loved to taste and lick off her lips adorned her natural loveliness. She could not have felt more beautiful.

  They were surrounded by their family and friends as they stood in the center of the west pasture where she, Tim, and Spence used to play as children. The beautiful babbling brook that ran through the lush grassland was the perfect backdrop for their commitment ceremony.

  Becca stood beside them at Lainey’s left side, while Deuce stood just behind them at Tim’s and Spence’s right side. Everyone was dressed in their finest clothing. Even Robbie and Mary Grace were formally attired, making the adorable munchkins that much more special as they shared in this wonderful day.

  The man who stood before them all, presiding over their bonding ceremony, had been the biggest surprise to Lainey. She had never in a million years expected Sheriff Franklin Sturgess to be officiating at their declaration of their mating. She had never thought the serious officer would accept the unique bonding of their trio. But he did, and he was also acting in the capacity of the justice of the peace to fill out the formal paperwork that would join Lainey to Spence legally.

  That was the only thing that Lainey was not happy about. Not that she didn’t want to be married to Spence—she hoped that Spence understood that. It was just that she wanted to be legally married to Tim, as well. She and Spence had both protested the marriage, but Tim had been adamant. He was certain that if he didn’t protect Lainey and Spence in that way, his father would have some mysterious hold over them and would cause them problems.

  She felt her men squeezing her hands lightly, and she pulled herself out of her silent musings to look up at them, smiling brightly when she saw their happiness. She drew their hands toward her mouth and kissed the back of their knuckles lightly.

  “I love you both so much,” she whispered, happy when their eyes softened with the love she knew they had for her. “Last chance to run, cowboys.” Her voice was teasing, and she winked up at them. They had already calmed any insecurities she had. Their time together in the shower and the way they loved her together afterward had proved their love for her was not only destined but exactly what each of them wanted.

  “Lainey Markham, you’re never going to get rid of us,” Spence told her gently.

  “You’re our mate, sweetheart,” Tim added in a whisper as he leaned forward and kissed her lips tenderly. “You hold our hearts in your hands.”

  Lainey smiled and nodded, unable to allow her fears to rule her anymore. “You touch my soul, Timothy,” she told him gently. Turning to Spence she reached up and caressed his face gently, tracing the scar beneath his jaw. “You, too, Spence.”

  “Are we ready to begin this commitment ceremony?” Franklin Sturgess asked calmly, smiling at the trio who stood before them. “It’s obvious the three of you are already blessed by the Great Spirit.” He indicated the mating mark on the back of Lainey’s neck that he could see. “The three links prove that your mating to each other was meant to be. Let’s make this official, shall we?”

  Lainey turned and smiled up at the man who had been nothing but kind to her over the years. He had been the one who had protected them as children. His strength and his determination to uphold the law had protected Tim from his parents that horrible day so long ago when Tim had been beaten by his father. He had also been there to protect her and Becca when their mother had injured Becca’s hip beyond repair. He had been the one who had seen to the safety of her and her sister. He had also looked over the Emery sisters Melanie and Gracie, the Allen sisters Madison and Jessie, and their high school friend Amber Matthews. The seven of them had been united against the world when it had seemed that they had no one to protect them until they were old enough to be able to protect themselves. Until that time, Sheriff Sturgess had watched over all of them and had aided in their care and protection just as the McKade family had done for each of them.

  “Gentlemen, do you have something you want to say to your mate before I ask the traditional questions?” Sturgess asked, his voice deep and firm as he looked at the two men he knew would protect Lainey and be perfect mates for her.

  Both men nodded and looked at Lainey seriously. Lainey could feel the love they were sending to her, loving once again that she was indeed their bridge. “Do you have something to say to me, Mates?” she asked them gently, afraid to admit that she truly wanted to hear them speak what was in their hearts.

  “Lainey, you’re everything to us,” Spence began gently, his voice firm and loud enough for the rest of their family and friends to hear him. “Having you in our lives has been a gift we have always cherished from the time you were a little girl who seemed to know every time we needed your help to heal from the cruelty of the world. As you grew into a woman, we realized that there was no more perfect friend, and no more perfect woman. We found ourselves mesmerized by your kindness, your gentleness, and your beauty.”

  “We were given the gift of you, and it has taken us forever to finally act on what was meant to be,” Tim continued for them. “Now that you are mated to us, we thank the Great Spirit for blessing us with such a caring and loving woman and mate. You are everything we want, and everything we need. Our lives have more meaning because of you, Lainey.”

  “We promise to always love and cherish you,” Spence continued.

  “We will protect you and value you,” Tim added.

  “There is no more important gift in this world than the gift of you, kitten,” Spence whispered, leaning forward and kissing her lips lightly.

  “You’re the perfect woman and the perfect mate,” Tim told her softly, leaning down and licking at her lips before settling into a tender kiss.

  Lainey looked up at both men, her heart filled with warmth and love for them. “Spencer, Timothy, I have found happiness and love because of you. I promise to always be there for you, be the one who makes you laugh, listen to your worries, and help find the way to make each day better. I’ve loved you forever with my whole heart and soul, and I will always do so. Because of the two of you, I know w
hat real acceptance and joy are. You make me happy, you make me laugh, and you make me know that life is good because of you. Our future will be filled with endless possibilities because your love gives me such surprises. I love you, cowboys. I love you as I’ve never thought I would ever love. You both belong to me, now and forever. I will always be your bridge.”

  The soft smiles that her men gave her made her know that her words were taken deep within their hearts. She was glad everyone present now knew the intensity of their love and commitment. It was right that everyone was witness to the beauty of their mating.

  “Spencer McKade and Timothy McKade, do you solemnly swear to love, honor, and cherish Lainey Markham for time and all eternity?” Sturgess asked them formally.

  “We do,” both men answered as one.

  “Do you, Lainey Markham, solemnly swear to love, honor, and cherish Spencer McKade and Timothy McKade for time and all eternity?”

  “I do,” Lainey answered softly, smiling at the men who gave her such love and joy.

  “Do you have rings to symbolize your commitment?” Sturgess asked.

  “Yes,” Tim answered for him and Spence.

  Lainey looked up at him in surprise. “We have rings?” she asked, stunned by this revelation.

  “We had them made special for us,” Spence told her quietly.

  “DelAnne helped us get your size by giving us the ring you always wear so we could have yours made,” Tim whispered.

  Lainey turned and sought out DelAnne as she stood close to Melanie and Luke, her older sister and self-appointed protector Zoey right beside them. She couldn’t help but smile at the smug expression on her face and let out a soft laugh when DelAnne winked at her.

  Before Lainey could say anything, she saw Luke hand Robbie a white satin pillow and point toward her, Spence, and Tim. Robbie’s face lit up with a smile, and he walked toward them with a surety that was amazing considering he had just turned four years old.

  Spence and Tim turned toward the little boy. Tim reached down and lifted him into his arms while Spence took the pillow from him and removed the three rings that Lainey saw pinned to it. Both Spence and Tim kissed Robbie’s cheeks lightly, making the little boy giggle sweetly, and Lainey’s heart clenched with the thought of these wonderful men kissing their own child that they might someday have with her.

  Without hesitation, she leaned forward and hugged Robbie, kissing his forehead and whispering her thanks to him. She was too choked up with emotion to say more to the beautiful child. Watching as Tim lowered the little boy, she smiled at Luke as he opened his arms to catch his son as he ran toward him and jumped into his embrace.

  “I did a good job, Daddy,” Robbie said happily, making all of them smile at his sweetness.

  “You sure did, little man,” Luke agreed. “I’m so proud of you, Robbie.”

  Lainey smiled at Luke, knowing that every one of the family loved their children with a fierceness that was unbelievable. It touched her heart to know that any child that she had would be equally loved and cherished.

  “Lainey, Spence and I had these rings made for us,” Tim explained gently. “Your ring is rose gold just like the link in our mating mark. Spence and I have yellow gold rings to match our links.”

  Spence held out his hand, palm up, so Lainey could see the rings, and she was touched by their thoughtfulness. She reached out and ran the tip of her finger over the rings reverently, smiling softly as she saw that each ring held an engraving in beautiful, old fashioned script of the letters TLS, just like the carving on the headboard of their bed. Spence handed her the two rings that were meant for the both of them. Lainey took them with her right hand and closed them tightly within her grasp.

  Spence held out the ring meant for Lainey, waiting for Tim to join him in holding it out toward their woman. Lainey offered them her left hand. Together they slid the wedding band onto her ring finger.

  “With this ring we commit ourselves to you as your mates,” they recited together, their deep voices blending with emotion and determination. Each man drew Lainey’s hand to their mouth and kissed the ring tenderly before smiling down at her with satisfaction that she now wore their ring.

  Lainey looked down at her hand and saw how beautiful the wedding band looked on her finger. The initials that were engraved on it sparkled in the morning sunshine.

  “It looks like the Great Spirit is blessing our rings,” Lainey whispered.

  She looked up at both of her men and smiled, her eyes bright with happy tears as emotions filled her. Opening her right hand, she picked up one of the yellow gold wedding bands and looked at it to try and figure out which man’s hand it was destined to adorn. Since it was slightly bigger than the other ring, she assumed it belonged to Tim.

  “Timothy, with this ring, I pledge myself to you as your mate,” she said softly, taking Tim’s hand in hers and sliding the ring onto his finger. She drew his hand to her mouth to kiss the wedding band tenderly.

  “Thank you, Lainey,” he answered, squeezing her hand lightly.

  Taking the other ring, she reached out and held Spence’s hand in hers. “Spence, with this ring, I pledge myself to you as your mate,” she told him, her voice gentle and her eyes twinkling with happiness. She slid the remaining wedding band onto his finger and drew it toward her mouth to kiss it.

  “Thank you, kitten,” Spence said softly.

  She looked down and took both men’s hands in hers, twisting the rings just slightly so that their initials were proudly centered and displayed for all to see. She did the same to her own ring, loving the way it announced who she belonged to to anyone who cared to look.

  “Under the guidance of the Great Spirit, I officially recognize the commitment of Spencer, Lainey, and Timothy McKade, as a destined trio mated to each other for time and all eternity,” Franklin Sturgess announced to the group of family and friends gathered together there. “Gentlemen, you may kiss your mate.”

  Both men squeezed Lainey between them, kissing her cheeks at the same time then accepting the kisses she offered both of them, her lips warm and gentle on theirs. The sun shown down upon them, encircling them in a spotlight of glowing warmth, and joining them to the land and the heritage that was gifted to the McKade family and their friends. The applause of their family and friends filled the west pasture, and the sounds of their love and support filled their hearts.

  “Happy, Mrs. McKade?” Tim asked her gently, hugging her tightly.

  “Very much, Mr. McKade,” Lainey told him honestly, reaching up and touching his face tenderly. She turned to face Spence and smiled widely. “What about you, Mr. McKade?”

  “If I were any happier, I would be flying, Mrs. McKade,” Spence told her softly.

  “Congratulations,” Franklin Sturgess said as he stood behind them.

  “Thank you, Sheriff Sturgess,” Lainey answered for the three of them. “I’m so glad you were the one to officiate at our ceremony. It means a lot to all three of us.”

  “My pleasure, Lainey,” he answered quickly. “I’m proud of the three of you. Always have been.” He reached out and touched both men’s shoulders before turning his attention back to Lainey. “Now we just have to finish up the paperwork, and I’ll file the marriage certificate on Monday morning.”

  He offered a pen to Lainey and produced the necessary paperwork from the inside pocket of his black jacket. Lainey’s stomach clenched with upset as she looked down at the license that would legally wed her to Spencer McKade. She felt a sudden need to vomit. She looked at her men in a panic, reaching out to hold onto them both.

  “This is wrong,” she whispered.

  “No, Lainey,” Tim told her softly. “Please baby, do this for me. I need to make sure you and Spence are protected. It’s just a piece of paper. Our ceremony has already joined the three of us. We’ve just committed ourselves to each other before all of our family and friends. We have the mating mark of the Great Spirit on our necks. We’re a mated trio, Lainey. Please understand that t
his paper doesn’t change that.”

  “Spence,” Lainey whispered, her heart breaking.

  “You need to trust that what Tim is asking of us is the right thing to do, Lainey,” Spence said quietly. “This world doesn’t allow for the three of us to be on that piece of paper, but our hearts know that we are.” He reached out and pulled her toward them so he and Tim could engulf her in their arms.

  “This is how it’s meant to be,” Tim whispered. “You belong to both of us, and we belong to you, honey. Nothing, no piece of paper, no opinion of the world, will make it different. Please, baby. Do this for me so we can move on and have a wonderful future without worrying that anyone can hurt you or Spence.”

  Lainey nodded against Tim’s chest before stepping back and taking the pen from Sheriff Sturgess. She signed the paperwork, looking at Tim as he watched Spence sign it, as well. Becca and Deuce also had to sign the document, causing the uneasiness to increase in Lainey’s stomach. It was more official now that there were the signatures of the witnesses on the document, and it made Lainey feel that much more panicked at the isolation she felt they were subjecting Tim to. Watching Becca and Deuce walking away to join the rest of their family, she turned to face Tim, expecting to see sadness in his eyes, but she only saw relief when Spence handed the pen, along with the signed paper, back to Franklin Sturgess.

  “Thank you,” Tim said softly, hugging both of them tightly. “Now, let’s go party.” He grabbed Lainey’s hand and tugged her gently. “Remember, Lainey girl, no alcohol for you.”

  “Why not?” Lainey protested, laughing lightly since she really didn’t drink anyway.

  Tim stopped, catching Lainey as she stumbled into him. Spence came up behind them and pinned their mate between them. He leaned down and kissed the back of Lainey’s neck tenderly.

  “You might be pregnant, kitten,” he whispered against the side of her face.

  Lainey froze between them. She looked up and saw Tim smiling down at her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Spence giving her the same tender look.