by Cari Quinn
Especially with two people. That should take three times as long, mathematically speaking. Then again, her falling for them really didn’t mean they’d fallen for her. Colt, in particular. AKA Mr. Jackass.
Although he wasn’t always a jackass. Lately he’d been as sweet as Drake most of the time. And when he wasn’t, he was bending her over and fucking her silly, while telling her how beautiful and perfect she was. Not exactly a bad deal.
“Thanks so much.” Paige smiled up at the waitress as she set down their mugs of steaming-hot coffee. She told them she’d be right back to take their order and walked away.
“So this something must’ve been pretty big?” Paige asked, adding cream to her coffee.
He took a quick drink of his coffee and glanced away. “Yeah.”
The waitress returned and they gave her their orders of pancakes and sausage. As soon as their server walked away, Paige leaned forward. “Tell me what happened. Please.”
“You should’ve been there. Everything we do should be the three of us.”
She couldn’t stop her smile. “There was a two of you long before I came onto the scene.”
He reached across the table and took her hand. “Everything changed when you came onto the scene. Everything.”
Linking her fingers with his, she reached for her coffee. “Lay it on me.”
“We had sex.”
She cocked her head. “And?”
“And? You’re not mad?”
“Why, is he better than me?”
His laughter made her grin into her mug before she took another sip. “No one’s better than you, baby.”
“Aww. Sweet talker.” She leaned across the table to give him a quick kiss.
“But it was…different.”
“I should think so. Different equipment and all.”
His lips twitched. “Yeah.”
All of a sudden, the picture became very clear. She’d have to blame her headache the night before for being so dense. “He freaked out, didn’t he? And froze you out, and froze me out, and decided he’d hang around with his high school pals last night rather than face that he’d enjoyed what you two had done.”
“How did you figure all that out?”
“Well, it took me long enough, obviously, but mainly because I saw his face when you were,” she glanced around and lowered her voice, “sucking him off. I saw fear in his eyes.”
Drake sighed and shook his head, his shoulders sagging. He’d slept a few hours with her last night, curled around her in their big bed at the motel, but his eyes were still lined and red. “I didn’t pay enough attention. I knew he was nervous about it, but I guess I figured it was more about the actual, you know, physical side of it.”
“Yeah, knowing Colt, that was probably the easiest part.”
“Probably. And I know he’s been concerned about us going to that next level. We had a situation before.” Briefly, he told her about their threesome with Beth some time ago. “But he seemed okay with the BJ with you there. I didn’t understand until it was too late that he’d rationalized it in his head that you being there made it safer somehow.”
“Yeah, maybe.” She debated dumping another creamer in her coffee and decided the morning warranted it. “I wish he’d just talk to us.”
“I do too. But he’s like a mole. Retreats right into his hole when he senses something dangerous.”
“Or seeks out another hole,” she said drily. She relayed what Hollie had said about Colt’s nickname, but Drake shook his head.
“He’s honestly not that bad. His rep is mostly just that. Rumors and talk. Not saying he doesn’t get around some, but he’s a good guy, Paige. He’s not a cheater and he’s not deliberately hurtful. I wouldn’t be in love with him if he was.”
Paige gripped his fingers tighter. “You’re in love with him?”
“Yes. No point in denying it. I have been for years.” He picked up his coffee and set it down again without drinking. His was almost untouched and she’d be reaching the bottom of hers soon. “The ironic thing is, I think he loves me too. Loves us.”
“Us?” she asked softly.
His mouth curved and he brought her hand up, closing his other around it too. “Definitely us. There’s no him and me without you. You’re our glue. And I’d like to think maybe I’m your glue with him, and he’s the glue between you and me.” He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I know you miss having him with us. I do too. Just like we both missed having you in that bed with us.”
In the midst of all the warm fuzzies flooding her stomach and heating her face, she wanted to make one thing crystal clear. “I don’t have a problem with you being intimate when I’m not there. I’m not jealous. I just…I just…” She’d become so much braver these past few weeks, but apparently she wasn’t quite over the hump yet.
“What?”
“I just want to see. I want to watch too.” She flushed and nearly bumped her free hand into her mug. “I’m a perv, what can I say?”
His laughter made her laugh too. “Sweetheart, I sincerely hope you get the chance to watch us. And same goes with us watching you and whichever one is lucky enough to get you next.”
She gave him a coy look under her lashes. “So when it’s both of you with me at once, does that mean we have to whip out the mirror again?”
His breath caught, and damn if she didn’t love that. “Let me call and inform him of your question, and I bet he’ll change his mind about being a dick right quick.”
She grinned, drawing back her hand as the waitress set down their plates of piping-hot pancakes and sausage. “Let’s eat first then we’ll call him.”
Drake nodded and grabbed his fork. “I like how you think.”
Twenty minutes later, the waitress came to clear away their plates. Paige leaned back and patted her belly. “We’re really going to drive now? I just want to sleep.”
“Sleep in the truck,” Drake advised with a smile as he tugged his cell out of his pocket. “Time to turn it on and let the world back in. I turned it off once you fell asleep so you wouldn’t wake up if Mr. Dunston called. He’s a panicky sort.” He thumbed the screen and frowned. “What the fuck?”
“What?” She leaned forward. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve got several calls from Dunston, which I expected. But Wade called three times and Colt called…eleven. All in the last hour and a half.”
Charli. Could something have happened to her? Or Hollie or…God, there were too many possibilities.
“Oh no. Did something happen? Call him back,” she urged, leaving money on the table for the bill while Drake was occupied. He’d never let her pay otherwise.
“On it.” He swiped again and held the phone to his ear—holding it away a second later. She could hear Colt shouting.
Shaking his head, Drake moved the phone back to his ear. “Dude, calm down. I can’t understand you. What? We’re eating breakfast. No, we didn’t forget the horse. Paige had a migraine and she was sick last— She’s fine. She’s fine,” he repeated, making her smile behind her hand in spite of her mounting worry. “She’s sitting here looking as beautiful and perfect as the sunrise, which I didn’t get to see because we were asleep. We’re next to Motel 6 in Burton. Yes, that Burton. We’re halfway to—what the hell? Why are you coming? Okay, okay. I’m sorry. She was sleeping and yes, fine, I’ll talk to you when you get here.” He clicked off.
“What the hell just happened?”
“I have no idea.” Looking stupefied, he carefully set down his phone. “He’s on his way here with Wade and Charli.”
“Here? Why?”
“I don’t know. There was a lot of shouting and a lot of shushing in the background. Charli, I’m guessing.” He frowned. “He hardly ever yells. That’s more my department. He’s more of a sulker.”
“Is he mad about last night?”
“Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. He sounded frantic at the beginning, saying he couldn’t reach us and Dunston was losing his mi
nd and he envisioned we were hurt or in trouble. I got that much out of him.”
“Aww. He was worried about us?”
“I think so?”
She laughed and gave in to her urge to come around the booth and shove in beside him. She’d spent so much time with him lately, and even having a table between them made him way too far away. “Where are they now?”
Drake looped his arm around her shoulders and glanced out the big picture window beside their table. “He said they were near here. Just past Burton, I guess? I still don’t understand why he had to come all this way.”
She bit her lip, studying the window. “He shouldn’t be driving after last night.”
“He’s not. That’s why he has Wade and Charli with him.”
Together, they watched the window.
Not fifteen minutes later, a black truck that Paige recognized as Wade’s barreled into Motel 6’s parking lot. The instant it squealed to a stop, Colt shot out of the backseat and stomped over to Drake’s truck, slamming his hand against it as if he was enraged.
“He better watch those fenders,” Drake said, amused.
Neither of them made a move.
When Colt threw up his hands and stalked in a circle around Charli and Wade, who had now made it out of the vehicle, Paige giggled.
“He looks really mad. We should tell him we’re here.”
“I said next to Motel 6. Not my fault he’s having kittens.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “You’re a bad man. Gotta say I like it.”
Charli appeared to be trying to reason with Colt. At the same time, Drake’s phone went off again. “Okay, okay.” He sighed and nudged Paige out of the booth. “Let’s go take pity on the jerk.”
She ran out the diner door and threw up her arms. “Hey. Hey. We’re over here.” She started jogging across the lot, aware that Drake was keeping pace beside her.
Colt stopped raging and turned to stare their way as if he was stunned. Then he ran toward them and caught Paige in his arms, kissing her hard enough that he knocked the wind out of her and possibly dislocated her spinal column.
Not that she was complaining.
“Never again,” he said between kisses, running his hands over her from the top of her head to her shoulders and on down her back. He cupped her ass, holding her tight to him as his mouth devoured hers. “You hear me? Never again.”
“No, no, never again. I promise.” She didn’t know what in the sweet heck he was talking about, but she didn’t really care because hands. Lips. Yes, please.
He dropped her to her feet, leaving her wobbling like a wound-up top, and glared at Drake at her side. “You too. Do you understand me? Never again. Never.”
Drake wasn’t quite so easily swayed. He hooked a thumb in his belt loop and raised a brow. “Mind telling me what we’re never supposed to do again?”
“Never leave me again.” Colt grabbed Drake’s shirtfront. “Now shut the hell up and kiss me.” He slammed his mouth down on Drake’s.
Paige clasped her hands together, bouncing up on her toes as they ravaged each other. Hot damn, this was turning into the best day of her life.
“Girl, you sure surprise me.”
Paige dragged her attention from the yummy male banquet in front of her to her best friend. Her eyes immediately grew wet. “Charli.” She ran forward and they hugged, rocking back and forth while sniffling and offering up apologies.
Wade watched the whole scene with an alternating expression of curiosity and confusion.
Paige understood completely.
Charli pulled back and cupped her cheeks. “I only want what’s best for you, I swear. And if it’s them—and it really seems like it is—then girl, you have my blessing. All of my blessings.”
Tears dripped down Paige’s cheeks. “Thank you. I know this is hard for you—”
“No, not so much. Just had to work out my dumb jealousy thing and now we’re good.” She leaned in close and whispered in Paige’s ear, “Colt thought you guys were missing and might be hurt. I’ve never seen him so worried. He lost his mind.” She eased back and smiled, reaching down to take Paige’s hands. “I did too. I love you so much. Let’s not fight again ever. Especially not about stupid boys.”
“Really stupid boys,” Paige agreed, moving in to hug her again. “Thank you. And oh God, I love you too.”
“What’s that about stupid boys?”
Paige let out a yelp as Colt snatched her away from Charli and slid his arm around her waist. He’d wrapped his other arm around Drake’s waist. “Pretty sure you’re fond of us,” Colt said against Paige’s ear.
“Pretty sure you’re right.” She gazed up at him and glanced toward Drake. “I might even love you.”
“Hmm. Seems like we’ll have to work on making that ‘might’ into something more definite,” Drake murmured, coming around so they formed a circle. “Seeing as we already love you.”
“Is that true?” she asked Colt, though she really didn’t need to.
Everything she needed to see was right there in his expression, as plain as the sun in the sky.
“Hell yes, it’s true. You’ve both hooked me, line and sinker.”
She laughed. “Sounds painful.”
He lifted a brow and glanced downward. “At times, absolutely.”
The sound of footsteps made their circle widen, but they didn’t release each other. Wade stepped closer and grinned. “I hate to interrupt this, but I gotta say, brother, when you go big, you go huge.”
“Yeah,” Paige agreed, grinning up at them. “First it took me almost getting struck for you to make a move. Then today, you thought we were in a ditch somewhere. What will it take for you to put a ring on it? A natural disaster?”
She started to take it back, to tell him it was a joke. It honestly was. She was just happy. Insanely, ridiculously happy.
Her rainbow had a pot o’ gold, all right, and it was overflowing.
But Colt only waggled his brows. “You never know, darlin’. Just never know.”
Epilogue
Storm warning, Quinn, Texas, April 9, 2016.
Watch for potentially dangerous winds, hail and possible funnel clouds. Take shelter when necessary.
From where he was sprawled in their bed, Colt figured he had the best view in the universe. Paige wore nothing but a thin, gauzy nightie thing that barely skimmed her thighs and her hair was long and loose. Drake was lying lengthwise at the other end of the bed, naked, his head propped on his hand and a lazy smile on his face as he studied Paige.
“You going to stand there and watch out that window all night, darlin’?” Colt asked, kicking the sheets off his bare legs. “Because you’re wanted over here.”
She finally dragged herself away from the window. “Sorry. Storms freak me out.”
“Really? I love them. Especially now.” Colt swung his legs over the side of the bed and drew her closer, bringing her hand to his mouth. A brand new, shiny interlocked silver band sat on her fourth finger, similar to the one on his hand and on Drake’s.
He sure hadn’t planned it that way, but a possible natural disaster really was looming the day they’d had their small commitment ceremony with just a few family and close friends.
Paige’s parents and older brother had flown in from New York, as had Drake’s parents from North Carolina. Colt’s parents and his sister, brother, and Charli had also all attended. Early on, there had been the usual concerns about such a union, mostly from Colt’s parents, but everyone had eventually come around. Mostly, minus the occasional off-color remarks from Paige’s brother. Paige’s mother had been more concerned about Paige wearing a dress that made her look “svelte” than about her daughter having two husbands.
Drake and Colt had barely managed to hold their tongues, though they had made sure to inform Mrs. Wilcox that Paige was absolutely gorgeous just as she was.
Technically, it wasn’t a wedding—polygamy wasn’t yet legal in Texas, and they weren’t about to hav
e Paige marry one of them then pretend it counted for both—but it was a commitment. As far as Colt was concerned, he couldn’t do any better than pledging to these two people that he would love them as long as he had breath in his body.
Luckily they’d also pledged the same damn thing.
“You’re biased.” She curled her fingers around his and held out her other hand to Drake, inviting him into their circle.
The way it was always meant to be.
“Maybe a little bit, yeah. But c’mon. Thunder booming outside while we said all kinds of good stuff, then getting pelted with rain instead of confetti.” He tugged up her nightgown and pressed his lips to her belly. She was not wearing panties, one more reason out of many he loved her so. “You gotta admit, pretty awesome day, all in all.”
“You’ll hear no arguments from me. Just saying I’d rather not see a funnel cloud anytime soon.” She shivered.
Drake rose up on his knees and brushed her hair off her shoulder. “I think you need a distraction.”
“Oh, do you now?” A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “And what do you have in mind?”
Colt pushed the nightgown up, his breath going shallow at her full pink-tipped breasts, just as it had since the beginning. “Work of goddamn art.” He kissed one, then the other, shifting his gaze up to hers. “Let us kiss you all over.”
“Is that your subtle-as-a-Mack-truck way of suggesting I let your cock kiss me all over, Mr. Bennett? While his cock is doing the same?”
He had to laugh. Damn, she never missed a trick. “Maybe.”
“Maybe. Right.” She sifted her fingers through Drake’s blond hair and shook her head. “Letting you in the back door wasn’t enough, huh? You always want more, more, more.”
“Damn straight,” Drake agreed, wrapping his hand around her breast and pressing kisses down her arm. “You liked the backdoor stuff. I remember the screams.”
“I screamed once when you brought home Godiva ice cream bars. I’m excitable.” She shrugged. “What can I say?”
“I say I love you and I want in your sweet, tight little ass while he’s in your sweet, tight pussy.” Drake drew on her nipple and her strokes on his hair faltered as she inhaled. “But it’s up to you. You’re calling the shots tonight.”
