A Daring Desire (Dare Menage Series Book 4)

by Jeanne St. James

  He tried to wipe the hurt off of his face before he turned toward Gryff. “I’m not your bitch, Gryff. Just because you fuck me doesn’t make me your bitch. I’m still a man. A man who plays football, for fuck’s sake. You can’t get more masculine than that. Just because I let you take me doesn’t make you the man and me not. It doesn’t work that way in my world. We need to be equal. And not just you and me, but Rayne, too. But you wanting to make her your wife leaves me feeling unequal, unwanted and undeserving. Is that what you wanted? Because if so, you’ve succeeded.”

  Gryff blew out a breath and curled his fingers around Trey’s arm. He looked at the darker hand touching him and yanked his arm from the man’s grasp.

  “No. You don’t get to touch me right now. Maybe not ever.”

  “I want to make her partner, T.”

  “T? Now, you want to give me a pet name? T? You are something else.”

  “Sit down.”

  Trey’s brows shot up his face. “Sit down? You’re giving me an order right now?”

  “Please, T, sit down.”

  “There you go with that T shit again.” Trey shook his head, his heart thumping rapidly in his chest. Panic set in, he could feel it seeping into his skin, his thoughts, his voice. He was going to find himself on his own once again. Not wanted. A burden.

  What the fuck.

  “If you don’t want me, your sister does.”

  Gryff’s spine stiffened. “My sister?”

  “Yeah, Gia’s been texting me non-stop.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “Your sister wants to hook up with me.”

  “You call her, Trey, and I will pound you into the ground. And I’m not talking about my dick in your ass, either. Stay away from my sister. Now sit down and take a breath.”

  “You know what gets me? You think you’re the leader of this relationship. That you can dictate what Rayne and I both do, say, feel, whatever. We didn’t tap you on the shoulder and tell you you’re in charge.”

  He watched Gryff’s body lift, rise, his shoulders straighten. “Trey. Last time I’m telling you. Sit the fuck down and give me a chance to talk to you.”

  “The talking should have been done before you proposed to Rayne.”

  “I know. I didn’t plan it like that, it just happened.”

  “Oh, right. Whoops. ‘Will you marry me?’” Trey moved to the bed and sat down, crossing his arms over his chest, watching through narrowed eyes as Gryff began to pace in front of him, scrubbing a hand over his hair. “You know men can get married now, but you didn’t ask me. You know why?”

  Gryff’s step hesitated when his back was to Trey.

  Trey didn’t wait for an answer. “Because I’m not good enough to marry, right? I’m not good enough for you.”

  “We’ve had this discussion before.”

  “Yes, and I thought things had changed. That you no longer considered me a spot on your spotless reputation. Especially now that the charges were dropped.”

  “Of your latest arrest.”

  Trey sucked in a breath. “Yes, of my latest arrest. Thanks for clarifying that. You’re right, it wasn’t the only one. So, either you don’t want to be with someone with a spotty past or you’re afraid I won’t be able to stay out of trouble in the future. Which one is it? Or is it both? Be honest.”

  “Neither.”

  Trey laughed bitterly and shook his head. “Bullshit. I said to be honest.”

  Gryff stopped in front of him and met his gaze. There was something in the other man’s eyes he couldn’t pinpoint. Not anger, not sadness. He wasn’t sure what it was.

  “I’m being honest. Neither. Do I want you to keep your nose clean? Yes. Do I think Rayne and I can help you do that? Yes. But…”

  “But?”

  Gryff’s Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed hard. “You’re cleared of your charges, you’re back on the roster.”

  “So?”

  “So…” Gryff’s chest rose and fell as he inhaled sharply. “So, you’ll go do your thing. Get back to training, to throwing a football, go back to what you do best.”

  “Still not seeing what the problem is? Or what this has to do with you proposing to Rayne. Or why you no longer want me.”

  Gryff scrubbed his palms over his face and let out a low moan. “I never said I don’t want you, T. Okay, in the beginning when I was fighting it. But since then, never. Rayne wants you, I want you. But you'll be gone.”

  “Gone?”

  “Back to the team.”

  “Okay?”

  “You need to concentrate on your career.”

  Trey shook his head, confused. “There are plenty of players who are married or in committed relationships.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “But nothing. You think because I’m in a relationship with two people instead of one, that my playing will suffer?”

  “You want to make it to the Super Bowl.”

  “Of course. And you think you will hold me back from that? Damn. You’re not all that, Gryff.” When Gryff gave him a frown, Trey held up a palm. “Okay, yes, you are all that, but not to the point where I can’t throw a damn football and can’t throw it well. Your dick in my ass does not affect my throwing arm.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

  “Well, isn’t that what you’re saying?”

  “I don’t know what I’m trying to say. Maybe I’m just confused. My instinct as a man is to marry Rayne, make her a life partner. Keep her by my side. Normal. You? You’re not…”

  “A woman.”

  “Definitely not.”

  “Not partner material.”

  “I’m not saying that. But my instinct is different with you.”

  “You just want to have sex with me, but nothing else.”

  “No.”

  “Then what?”

  Gryff blew out a loud breath. “I’m not sure how to handle all of this.”

  “You like to be in control and suddenly your life has spun out of control. You don’t know how to right your world. So, you proposed to Rayne to bring some normality back into your life. Into your abnormal relationship. I’m starting to understand.”

  “I’m glad someone is.”

  “But you still want to marry Rayne.”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you still want me in your life? Yours and Rayne’s?”

  “Yes. Fuck yes. Yes! Damn it.”

  “Okay. So, again, what’s the problem?”

  “I don’t know how to make it…” Gryff’s voice drifted off.

  “Neat.”

  Gryff dropped to his knees at Trey’s feet with his hands on Trey’s thighs and looked up. “Yes. Neat. I’m afraid because this is so messy, that it will screw up your chances at being the best football player you can be.”

  “It’s not messy for me, Gryff, that’s the thing. It’s only messy in your head. Not mine.”

  Gryff’s lips flattened.

  “I’d be perfectly happy if all of us eventually moved in together. None of us need a wedding band to be a part of each other’s life.”

  “You mean you’d want for us all to live together?” Gryff asked, almost as if surprised at the suggestion.

  “Well, wouldn’t you expect Rayne to move in if she agreed to marry you? You’d live together. Then there would be me. Do you just expect me to come over every once in a while? Get your rocks off, then I go home afterward and let you and Rayne get on with your married life? Or are you expecting me to become bored being in a relationship and drift away eventually? Go on to my next fling.”

  “What do you want, T?”

  “What do I want? Ah, fuck.” He sucked in a deep breath in preparation of laying it all out. “I want you to call me T. I want you to fuck me whenever and wherever you want to. I want you to eventually let me top you.” He lifted a hand before Gryff could argue that point. “No rush. I can wait. I want to fall asleep every night with you and Rayne. I want to kiss you both goodbye every m
orning as you head to the office and I head in for practice. I want to come home late from practice or home from an away game and know you kept dinner warm for me. Jesus.” Trey’s breath hitched as reality hit him. “I guess I want domestic bliss. Trey Holloway wants to be tied down. And not in the kinky way. Though, that would be nice once in a while, too.”

  “You want to be tied down,” Gryff repeated, sounding amused.

  “And tied up. Don’t forget that part.”

  Gryff’s eyes crinkled at the corners and his lips twitched. “You have to promise me something.”

  “Keep my nose clean. You’ve beat that into me already.”

  “No. Well, yes, that, too.”

  “Then what?”

  “Get that Super Bowl ring.”

  Trey smiled and nodded. He was all over that promise. He not only wanted it, he could taste it. This would be his year. Especially with two people who he cared about and who cared about him at his back.

  Epilogue

  “Fuck you, Trey.” Rayne heard as she headed toward the family room.

  Her lips twisted into a smile at Trey’s response. “I love you, too, boss man.”

  Gryff groaned. “We are not watching this again.”

  Trey dropped a bowl of popcorn in Gryff’s lap before leaping over the couch and landing on his ass with a bounce. “Oh, look at that landing. Perfect score. Ten points. Oh! And the crowd roars. Raaaaaaar!”

  “What did I tell you about jumping on the couch?” Rayne asked, holding two fresh beers for her men.

  “Yes, Mommy,” Trey teased, sounding like a scolded child, then turned to Gryff. “It’s been a while since we’ve watched it.”

  Gryff snorted and accepted one of the beers. “Yeah, like since last weekend. It’s getting old.”

  “It will never get old.”

  “Says you.”

  “Why? What are we watching?” Rayne looked up at the large flat screen that hung on the wall. She grimaced. “Oh shit.”

  “Yeah. Exactly.”

  “No. We were supposed to be watching a movie of my choice,” she complained, shoving the remaining beer at Trey.

  “We are not watching some chick flick. Us men want to watch this again.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Gryff grumbled.

  Trey cocked an eyebrow at Gryff. “You’d rather watch Beaches again?”

  He frowned. “Hell no.”

  “That’s not what I picked.”

  “Okay,” Trey said. “Twilight then.”

  “Right, like I’d watch that,” she said, tapping both men on their knees so they’d make room for her in the middle of the couch.

  “Wait. Did you draw the straw for the middle?”

  “I don’t need a straw. I get the middle,” she said, squeezing between them in the small space they made. Gryff wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. She fit perfectly.

  “Oooh. I love it when you’re bossy,” Trey claimed, wiggling his eyebrows.

  Rayne laughed. “You do. This one not so much,” she said tilting her head toward Gryff.

  “I’m the boss, remember?” Gryff said, reaching over her in an attempt to snag the remote out of Trey’s hand. Trey lifted it up and out of his reach.

  “Whoever has the remote is the boss.”

  Rayne plucked the remote out of Trey’s fingers when he wasn’t expecting it. “Okay, then that settles it.”

  “See?” Trey asked. “Bossy.”

  “Yes, because I’m not sitting through this whole game again. We’ve watched it a million times,” she answered.

  “Not that many.”

  “Close enough.”

  “Can we just watch the fourth quarter?”

  Gryff groaned. “By now, I can quote the sportscasters through the whole damn game.”

  “Okay, just the final five minutes.”

  “Five minutes’ real time or game time?” Gryff asked. “Because five minutes of game time feels like a damn hour.”

  Trey sighed. “I can compromise. Let’s just watch the ceremony afterward.”

  Rayne chuckled. “So we can see you make out with the Lombardi trophy again? You left tongue marks on it.”

  “It’s sexy.” Trey settled his arm around her shoulders, too. “Like you, baby.”

  Having her men cuddle her on the couch made her heart swell. She loved them both so much. And she felt loved. Very loved.

  “It was so unsanitary and gross. So many fingers touching it. Blech.”

  “It was worth it. Fast forward to the ceremony. Please. Yeah, there. When the confetti was raining down.”

  Rayne and Gryff might complain about watching the Super Bowl game from last February over and over again. But when it came to the ceremony, Rayne always had to fight back the tears. And, honestly, she could never get enough of watching the pure joy and sense of pride on Trey’s face when they handed him the trophy to hold over his head. And, yes, he did French kiss it in his excitement.

  She and Gryff had watched the game from the Bulldog’s suite along with Grae, Paige and Connor, and what seemed like a hundred other people. Rayne had chewed off all her nails by the third quarter.

  Gryff had almost punched a wall when Trey threw an interception in the fourth quarter. Her? She almost puked, so there was that.

  They were all in tears during the last few seconds of the game. With a tied score, Trey threw a bomb that gave them the win, made him the MVP, and brought the Lombardi trophy home to Boston.

  Then he decided to hang up his cleats since he had achieved his dream.

  Rayne noticed the part of the tape where Gryff and she joined him on camera. Trey wasn’t shy about hugging Rayne tightly to his side, planting a big kiss on her lips, before sneaking an arm around Gryff’s waist while being interviewed by rabid sports reporters.

  She didn’t have to see the tape to remember the pride in Gryff’s eyes, the larger than life smile on his face.

  Questions followed on their relationship. And, of course, the gossip rags made up all kinds of outrageous claims. They ignored it all. Even Grae had helped run interference.

  Once the cameras panned away from Trey, Rayne shut the recording off. Before she could switch on a movie, Trey grabbed the remote and put it on the coffee table.

  “I have something to tell you guys.”

  Gryff leaned forward and placed the popcorn bowl on the table, too. Then he twisted to face the two of them. “This should be good.”

  Rayne patted his thigh, and he snagged her hand, intertwining his long, dark fingers with hers. He gave her hand a squeeze.

  Trey twisted in his seat, too, a small smile on his face.

  “Okay, T, let’s hear it,” Gryff said gruffly.

  “I decided to go back to school.”

  Rayne’s mouth gaped, and she felt Gryff shift next to her.

  “You already have a degree.”

  “Yeah, but watching you and Rayne be partners in the firm, I kind of feel left out.”

  Rayne started to protest, but Trey lifted a hand to stop her. “I will be thirty-three soon. I can’t stay home and be a househusband. Though, a hot, sexy one wearing a Super Bowl ring. Not many can say that,” he teased. “But you two go off every morning, have a purpose. I have none.” He pinned his gaze on Gryff. “When you proposed to Rayne all those months ago, you said you wanted her to be a partner, not only in business but in life. I get it now.”

  “And what does this have to do with school?” Gryff prodded him.

  “Not just any school. Law school.”

  “What? Really?” Rayne asked, surprised. “That’s great!”

  “I just figured you’d rather lounge around like a kept man,” Gryff said. Though he said it seriously, there was a twinkle in his eyes, and his lips twitched.

  “I want to get my law degree, join you two at the firm.”

  “We have a tough hiring process. The interview alone is brutal,” Gryff said.

  Rayne rolled her eyes at Gryff and then smiled a
t Trey. “You can intern with me.”

  “Oh wait. What? No.” Gryff said. “You two won’t get any work done. No. He can intern with Maggie.”

  Maggie, being one of the most unattractive women in the office, though, an excellent attorney. Rayne shook her head. “That means he can join the firm.”

  “I didn’t say that. I said we’d have to interview him first.”

  Trey snorted. “Okay, I’ll do whatever I need to do. But, first I need to get through school. Does interning pay?”

  “No,” Gryff answered at the same time Rayne said, “Yes.”

  He was just busting Trey’s balls. She fought back her smile.

  “Whatever. I don’t need the money. Not only am I a World Champion, I’m a kept man.” He smirked.

  “Whatever, T,” Gryff echoed. “You have more money than Rayne and I combined. Especially after selling your penthouse. And you have your endorsement deals. Not to mention that sweet little bonus you got for the Super Bowl win.”

  “That bonus money has already been spent.”

  Gryff frowned, “On what?”

  “Something for the three of us.”

  It was Rayne’s turn to frown. “What are you talking about?”

  “I wanted to surprise you.”

  “For fuck’s sake, T, get to the point.”

  “Jesus, so demanding. Well...” He gave them a Cheshire cat smile. “Well, since I’ve had time on my hands while you two are heading off to bring home the bacon, I decided...” His voice drifted off.

  “Trey,” Gryff warned.

  “To hire a planner to plan...” He hesitated again.

  Gryff looked at the ceiling and muttered, “Holy fuck.”

  “Our commitment ceremony.”

  Gryff’s gaze bounced to Trey, Rayne, then landed back on Trey. “Our what?”

  “You wanted to marry Rayne. You two decided to not do that because of me. I appreciate that. I love the both of you. I want all three of us to be committed.”

  “We are,” Rayne said, surprised at this turn of events. She had no clue what Trey had been planning. How he kept it a secret with his exuberance, she’d never know.

  “I was talking to Grae.”

  “Oh fuck.”

  “And he told me about the ceremony that Paige’s brother Logan had with his partners, Ty and Quinn.”