True Blue Love: The Thorns, Book 3

by Melissa Lopez

  “Don’t cop out yet.” Cohen grinned. “I was looking forward to winning more of your money.”

  Miller flipped his brother off. He’d lost his arse tonight.

  “I’m building college funds here.” Co took the salute in stride.

  “I believe I’ve won most of the mate’s money.” Luke tapped the table by the stack of bills and coins he’d collected.

  “I’m off my game.” That was for bloody sure. It had been a queer evening. Once a month or so, several of them got together to play cards. It was quieter without the twins there.

  Matt had been a no show. Sure as shit, the mate had to be brooding over a whole plateful of troubles. And Lee still hadn’t checked in with any of the family. All he got out of Connor was “Lee’s resting.”

  “I wish I had a reason like yours for my game to be off.” Stephen snickered.

  Miller gave the mate a hard look.

  “No you don’t, mate.” Ace squeezed Stephen’s shoulder good naturally. “Sheilas are nothing but trouble.”

  “Hey.” Cohen saluted with his beer. “Not all sheilas are trouble.”

  “Anyone else here remember that bloody year C had away from Hayleigh?” Ace grinned on a shake of his head. “Talk about trouble.”

  “Eh.” Stephen winked. “We had some great times back then.”

  “I do seem to recall those months.” Luke pursed his lips. “Didn’t the constable arrest you two twice for drunk and disorderly?”

  Miller grunted. “I recall dragging their sorry arses home a time or two.”

  “Well worth the wait, mates.” Again Co saluted with his drink.

  Ace snorted.

  No sooner did he brace his hands behind his head than Kaycee wandered into the room. Hungrily, he eyeballed her from head to toe. What a beauty his little Yank was.

  She blew him a kiss.

  He inhaled sharply, straightened in his seat. When would he get used to her playing with him? Flirting with him?

  After putting the dishes she carried in the sink, she joined him at the table. “How are you doing?” Her hand massaged his shoulders.

  Ace snickered. “You’d better ask the poor bastard how much did he lose?”

  She slid into his lap. “Have they been picking on you?”

  The feel of her body pressed against him instantly heated him up. His arm went around her to hold her closer. He made sure she felt his hard prick. When would he get used to having her at his side? Would he ever? Most of the time he’d shared with Emily had been out of doors or in one of their barns. The little time he’d spent with Denae had been in public or at her parents’. Having Kaycee mingle with his family turned him on.

  “Eh, the blokes have.”

  “Turnabout is fair.” Cohen dealt a new hand of cards to the others. “Big M’s been pissing with me all my life.”

  Miller snorted. “That’s fucking bullshit.” Years had been spent keeping little C out of trouble.

  “Miller Eugene, watch the language. I’m in the room now.” His mum had snuck in to pull a water jug from the refrigerator.

  Stephen snickered.

  Cohen mocked. “You heard Mum. Watch the mouth, Miller Eugene.” His brother’s amusement turned to laughter. “Christ, I love this.”

  Miller flipped him off again.

  His mum ruffled Co’s hair. “Anyone want some pie before I head to bed?”

  “No, thanks.” Kaycee hugged his neck. “I’ve already gained my ten pounds for today.”

  Affectionately, he patted her arse. She was a little fruit loop to worry about her weight.

  Luke and Co took pie while Ace got another beer.

  A half hour passed while Kaycee cheered Luke on. Miller puzzled over her antics, but Ace was the one to ask, “Sheila, why are you siding with him? I’m losing over here. Whatever happened to the ‘rooting for the underdog’ you Yanks are always harping about?”

  “Because.” Her dimples flashed for one and all. “Luke hasn’t said anything negative to Miller tonight.”

  “Talk about loyalty.” Ace whistled. “You lucky bastard.”

  Miller grunted in agreement. He had finally gotten lucky. At least for now. At least until she headed back across the pond. He closed his eyes for a deep breath. Bloody fuck, he didn’t want to go there.

  “I hate to do this, since I’m not losing, but I’ve got to head home.” Cohen collected his winnings.

  “It’s a bitch how early dawn comes.” Stephen stood. “Hooroo.”

  Ace and Luke followed suit to leave Miller alone with Kaycee.

  The door had no sooner closed behind the men than Kaycee shifted around to straddle his lap. “So, Mr. Thorn, do you need me to soothe you over a night of poor gaming and drinking?” Her lips teased him. “With a little bit of loving?”

  A groan tore through his chest at the feel of her lush body pressed along his. The woman had spent long minutes arousing him, and she actually had to ask? “Fucking eh, I do.”

  “Such language, Miller Eugene.” Her gasp turned to laughter as he stood. He clasped her arse to hold her in place. “Please don’t pick me up like this.” She struggled a bit, but he was stronger and won.

  “Be still, luv.”

  “I don’t want you to hurt your back.”

  He ignored her worry. “You staying over?”

  “Are you asking me?” Her fingers clasped at the muscles in his shoulders. Her thighs clutched him tightly.

  “Fuck eh, I am.”

  “Hmm, I just don’t know.” Her dimples appeared. “What are the incentives?”

  “How about I wear out your pretty arse.” Eh, he’d wear her out so she wouldn’t want to make the drive to Moore’s place.

  “Oh…” Her teeth nibbled on her lower lip. “So you’ll make love to me slow and easy.”

  His prick pulsed. “Luv, I know you like it hard and fast.”

  She whimpered. “I love all that friction you cause inside me.”

  “Stay over.” His breathing turned rough. Fuck. He wanted her to stay over. “I’ll make it good for you.”

  “For us.” Kaycee pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Making love is supposed to be good for us.”

  He groaned. Being with Kaycee was always good for him.

  “Then yes, I’m staying.” She moaned, as he began to walk. “Wait, what about the mess…”

  “I’ll take care of it in the morning.”

  One kiss after another lingered along his throat and jaw line.

  In the bedroom, he set her down and closed the door. Among shared kisses, they removed one another’s shirts. Desperate to get his prick some room, he broke away from the teasing of her lips. They took each other’s boots and socks off. He stood once more to remove the rest of his clothes. With his prick in his stroking hand, he watched as she peeled the rest of hers from her body.

  “Hmm.” Her gaze stayed on his rigid muscle as he pumped it. “You’re a big tease to do that.” She crawled into the middle of his bed giving him an eyeful to bring him to his knees. Her breasts swayed with each shift of her body. And her arse…her pussy.

  He groaned, reached for protection and rolled it on.

  “Oh.” She turned to lie on her back. “I wanted to tell you…” Eager arms reached for him, she spread her legs.

  His balls drew up as he covered her willing body with his own. “Eh?” Christ, don’t let me have to think now.

  “I’ve seen Connor for birth control.” She bit her lower lip and arched into his hard prick. “If we’re still having an affair after next month, I’ll be taking care of our protection.”

  “What?” Of course things would continue on. “What?”

  “Well, I mean if…if things keep going as they are between us.” She stilled under him. “You said you were clean.”

  “Eh, I am.” Sweat beaded his brow.

  “So STDs aren’t a worry and we’ve already…um, gone down on one another.” Her breath came in pants, as if she rushed. “I trust you, Miller.”

&n
bsp; “I trust you too, Yank.”

  “So I’ll be able to take care of our protection.”

  “What?” He shuddered, did his best to think past his rigid prick and balls ready to release.

  “I mean, since we’re both clean and healthy.” She gulped a breath. Her feet rubbed along the back of his legs. “Is that okay?”

  “Is what okay?” Miller inhaled. His heart raced like a rampaging herd.

  “Um.” Her hands massaged over the tense muscles in his shoulders and arms. “Me on the pill so you won’t have to use condoms.”

  The breath he’d been holding expelled. He dropped his head down next to hers to try to think a second. Besides the slip up he’d had with Kaycee, he’d always been the responsible one. Always. Even when a working girl had gone down on him. His package was covered. Always.

  “I’d like to be able to feel your hot release inside me again.” Kaycee’s breath rushed along his ear, neck. “You’re so hard…I want this.”

  His chest constricted, he groaned at the tight pressure. Not once had he ever thought he’d be in a relationship that’d get to this point. “I want you to enjoy the loving. You don’t have to think.” He cleared his throat. “I can use the condom.”

  “There’s not much to it.” Wet kisses ran over his skin. “I just have to take a pill once a day. After next month, I’ll be all squared away.” She sighed, her nails bit into his shoulders. “Are you going to make love to me now?” On an arch of her hips, she moaned. “You’ve been awfully chatty since we got in bed.”

  He laughed and rolled them over. “Eh, you little fruit loop, I’m going to love you now.”

  Miller sat at the end of the bar at Brady’s pub, killing time.

  At Kaycee’s urging, he was to meet her at her place for an early dinner. Knowing how she liked to doll herself up, he’d give her a few more minutes. The day had been a long one consisting of manual labor. He hoped the day ended in Kaycee’s bed. Most of Kaycee’s had been spent in travel time to visit Connor’s patients. He’d offered to cart her pretty arse around but had been turned down.

  He glanced at his watch again. Not more than five minutes had passed since last check.

  A bloke sat down directly beside him. “Hey, mate. I want to introduce myself.”

  It took Miller only a moment to size the American up. Instantly, he didn’t like the man. Did not like the look in his eyes. He didn’t take the offered hand. It was soft. He could tell simply by looking.

  “Miller Thorn.” The man removed his hand with a shrug of his shoulders. “I’m Doug Hollenbeck. We’ve someone in common.”

  Hollenbeck.

  Tension stiffened his back from arse to neck. “Do we now?” Miller forced himself to take a swallow from his pint.

  “Yes, my wife, Kaycee.”

  He spotted the band the man wore on his ring finger. Kaycee didn’t wear a band. What the fuck? Unease crawled across his shoulders. There had never been mention of a husband. Kaycee had never said she was married. Bugger me. I never asked. But the Yank talked about everything. She’d have said something. “You lie.”

  The man pulled out his wallet to show him pictures of Kaycee and the bloke. In one, she wore a white wedding dress. “Are you telling me she hasn’t mentioned me?” Puzzlement clouded the other man’s gaze.

  On the bar, Miller’s hand knotted into a fist.

  “This is very peculiar and uncomfortable for you, I’m sure.” The American shoved his wallet back into his pants pocket. “She told me earlier today it was time I approached you.”

  Blood roared in Miller’s ears. Old insecurities sucker punched him hard.

  Not once in his life had he ever been good enough…not for Emily…not for Denae… Hell, not for his father.

  “You see from time to time, my wife and I bring a third into our relationship. It’s her job, her prerogative if you will, to choose the third for our ménage.”

  Miller trembled with growing tension. Anger knotted his muscles.

  I’m marrying John Ashlan. He’s a man who can give me everything I want.

  “Once Kaycee decides on whom she’s comfortable bringing into our lives, it’s up to me to offer a brief relationship.” Hollenbeck smiled. “I must admit I’m surprised she didn’t forewarn you of me. Perhaps I was to wait until tomorrow… She can be such a distraction with her pretty mouth.”

  Fury rushed through his blood.

  Denae had hooked up with his own brother.

  A train set to rattling in his brain.

  Bloody fuck.

  He’d never been good enough. Every woman he’d been involved with had left, chosen another.

  Emily had fucked him over. I’m marrying John Ashlan. He’s a man who can give me everything I want. Denae had left him at the altar. At the bloody altar. And his brother had driven in the last nail with his betrayal. Still, Miller hadn’t seen this coming.

  “I think it’ll be an exciting few months.” He smiled. “You and I with Kaycee in the middle.”

  His fist connected with the man’s mouth to lay him flat out on the floor. After a shake of his hand, he sucked the blood off his knuckles.

  Dead silence held those in the pub captive for only a heartbeat.

  “Thorn, what got into you?” Old man Brady came out from behind the bar.

  The man on the floor moaned and rolled over.

  Christ, he should’ve hit the fucker harder. Bloody fuck. He should’ve known good things didn’t happen to him. “If I’m wanted, the law knows how to find me.” He had no doubt the pansy arse would pursue an assault charge. But he didn’t give a shit.

  Just as he had at the wedding altar when Denae had been a no show, he met every gaze in the room and dared them to say anything. On hollowed legs, he made it through the onlookers.

  No more being the nice bloke.

  He’d never again be anyone’s fool.

  He’d been screwed over for the last time.

  Only this time, his chest felt as if it would cave in on itself. Shaken, he climbed into his truck. Eyes closed, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

  A bloody threesome.

  His guts knotted. The thought sickened him.

  Blood still rushed in an angry tide, he started the truck. Like a plane caught in a tailspin, his world crashed in on him. Emotion shook him as he turned the truck away from Kaycee’s to home. Fear drove him. If he saw Kaycee now he worried he’d lose his control. Worse, his temper.

  No matter what, he could not hurt a woman.

  His foot laid heavy on the gas pedal all the way there. Still, she tortured him.

  Scenes played over in his mind. Memories that had come to mean the world to him haunted him.

  I want to know whose name to scream.

  Will you go with me?

  Kiss me.

  A groan vibrated in his throat. It tore past the developing clog. “Bloody fuck.”

  I’ll scrub your back.

  Oh, Christ. He hadn’t been able to get enough of her attention.

  Make love to me now.

  Stop teasing me.

  He’d never teased anyone until she’d come along.

  You’re a bear, not a crocodile.

  I’m quite comfortable, thank you very much.

  I did not just eat a cute little roo.

  A shuddering breath passed through him. He worked to shake her from the hold she had on his mind. On him.

  The phone rang. He groaned when Kaycee’s number came up. Unable to speak yet, he allowed the voice mail to pick it up. Afterwards he played the message. “Hi, this is Kaycee. Um, Mr. Thorn, I believe you’re late for our dinner date. Call me, okay?”

  He wanted to shake her. But even more he wanted to go back to the pub and beat the living shit out of Doug Hollenbeck.

  A bloody threesome.

  His guts knotted. Bloody fuck. Emily had wanted anything money could buy. Why not Kaycee? He’d have given her anything. Anything she’d asked for, anything she’d wanted.

  But
he’d never share.

  Not ever.

  On station property he turned toward his birdie. The pain in his chest still constricted tightly when he finally parked his truck.

  With force, he slammed the door. Long strides carried him to his birdie. As he approached the tin can his cell rang again.

  Kaycee left another message.

  This time he didn’t listen to it. He couldn’t. Instead he turned the phone off. It’d be out of range soon anyway.

  He was dying inside. For the first time he did something he’d never done before. He broke a rule about flying in the bush. He didn’t tell anyone when he took to the sky.

  Unease had a hold on Kaycee. She couldn’t shake the edgy feeling that something was off.

  Once more, she cradled the phone. She’d lost track of how long ago she’d left the previous message. She willed Miller to call her back. But he didn’t.

  Unable to stop herself, she dialed his number again. Heart lodged in her throat, she listened to the rings. He didn’t answer. After his message, she left one of her own. “It’s me, Kaycee. Hey, I’m getting worried here. Please call me.”

  “I won’t call him again.” Tears welled once more, but she blinked them away. “I won’t.” The country was so big. There were so many dangers faced every day.

  Needing to know he was okay, she dialed Maree’s number.

  “G’day.”

  “Maree, it’s me, Kaycee.”

  “Yes, it is. Your accent gave you away.” Kaycee smiled at the amusement she heard in Maree’s voice. She had no clue why she always introduced herself over the phone.

  “I hate to bother you. And I don’t mean to worry you. But have you heard from Miller recently? See him recently?”

  Her questions were met with momentary silence. “He told me he was having dinner with you. Not to expect him home. How late is he?”

  “Nearly two hours.” That seemed like a lot. Especially for Miller.

  “Let me see if I can track him down.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Maree.”

  “Hooroo.” Miller’s mom hung up first. She hoped she didn’t upset the other woman.

  Impulsively she dialed Miller’s number again only to leave another message. “It’s Kaycee. I hate to fill up your box…I just need to know you’re okay.” She bit her lip. “I love you. Call me, okay?”