by Leah Brooke
“I never stopped to consider what my mate was going through. I didn’t know. Now I do, and when I find her, I’m getting on my knees if necessary to get her back.”
The look of anguish in his eyes tore at Marc. He gritted his teeth, hating that the two men he’d always considered big brothers still missed the woman they’d let get away.
He didn’t blame them, though. He couldn’t quite adapt to having his future handed to him and not having any choice in the matter.
“How do you know these women are our fucking mates? How many times did Ed tell us that we could sow wild oats, but not to get seriously involved with any woman?”
Leland sighed and shook his head again. “You always listened to what you wanted to hear and nothing else. He said that we shouldn’t force it and that we would know when we met her. We just had to wait and be careful to make sure she was the right one. Look, I’m not saying you should just jump into this. Just don’t dismiss it out of hand.”
Grinning, he slapped his shoulder. “If nothing else, think about how nice it’ll be to have a woman in your bed every night.” His smile fell as he stared into space, his tone lowering so much that if not for their excellent hearing, Marc knew he never would have heard him. “Sleeping safe right between you. Soft, warm, and sated.”
James shot a look at Marc, one filled with worry, but kept his tone even as he started toward the door. “If you’re trying to get us to believe you’re lonely, you’re full of shit. You have a different woman in your bed almost every night.”
Leland seemed to snap out of his melancholy, shaking his head sadly. “Not anymore. I used to think we were too highly sexed to go without it, but now I can’t touch another woman.”
James stopped, spinning on his heel, his eyes wide in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right? You’re just exaggerating.”
Staring down the street, Leland sighed. “I wish I was. Makes me sick to my stomach every time I try. Believe me, I’ve tried. I’d love to be able to forget her, but I can’t. It wasn’t until after she left that I realized I’d fallen in love with her. I was too fucking busy fighting the inevitability of the whole thing to see what was staring me in the face.”
Turning back, he smiled humorlessly. “And now she’s gone, and I may never get her back.”
Meeting their gazes, his eyes hardened. “Try living with that.”
Running a hand through his hair, Marc didn’t bother to raise his voice over the loud music coming from inside, knowing that both James and Leland would have no trouble hearing him. A hard band seemed to close around his chest, making it difficult to breathe.
“Christ. So what you’re saying is that two of us share a mate? She’s ours and if we let her go, we may never find another? That’s bullshit. There are plenty of women out there. I can’t believe that there’s only one woman that I could build a future with.”
He wanted her. Badly. He’d never wanted another woman more—but something inside him rebelled at the thought that he had no choice in the matter at all.
With a shrug, Leland started inside. “I can only tell you what I’ve discovered for myself. As for sharing—I suppose it has something to do with us being loners. Maybe it works out better that way. Who the fuck knows? Look, let’s just go inside and have a beer. I can’t wait to meet your woman.”
Marc swallowed heavily. He’d never scared easily. None of them did. But knowing that he might have found his mate, that his future had already been decided, and that if he lost her he might never recover scared the hell out of him.
* * * *
When the door of the bar opened, Bailey looked up from drawing a beer, sucking in a breath as her world tilted. Her senses sharpened, and everything else around her seemed to disappear. Her welcoming smile fell, her mind going numb while her pulse quickened and every inch of her skin tingled with awareness. Moisture pooled at her slit, her pussy and clit coming alive in anticipation. Her breasts seemed to swell and become heavy, and her nipples pebbled, already aching for their touch.
Damn, she didn’t think it would be possible for them to look better than she remembered, but they did.
She didn’t think it would be possible for her body’s response to be as intense as she remembered, but it was.
They seemed larger than she remembered, big and strong and so damned sexy and dangerous, she just wanted to jump them.
All conversation in the bar stopped, their presence seeming to suck all the air and vitality out of the room to make room just for them.
For several long, heart-stopping seconds, only the music from the jukebox could be heard as everyone in the bar seemed to hold their breath.
All eyes turned to the doorway, watching Marc, James, and another black-haired man enter the bar and cross the room. Marc and James headed straight toward her while the other man brought up the rear, eyeing her with an intensity that shook her, and she instinctively took a step to the side, keeping Marc and James between her and the stranger.
She got mad at herself as soon as she did it, not being the type of woman to hide behind anyone, but it struck her that Marc and James somehow managed to keep their bodies between her and the other man with no apparent effort.
She stiffened, gritting her teeth as two women separated themselves from the group of men they’d been with and approached the three intimidating men, not looking the least bit intimidated at all.
In fact, they looked hungry.
All smiles and swaying hips, they sauntered over, smiling seductively and looking up at each of the men through their lashes.
Gritting her teeth and watching them out of the corner of her eye, Bailey finished drawing the beer and started drawing another one.
Her heart thudded so hard she feared everyone in the bar could hear it, even over the loud music. Her hands shook with rage, jealousy, and pure unadulterated fear.
Fear that Marc and James would take these women up on their offer. Fear that they regretted touching her. Fear that they no longer wanted her.
Hell and damnation! What the fuck did she care? She’d already decided she didn’t want to get involved with either one of them anyway.
Sure, she’d decided after they’d stayed away for several days, but that didn’t matter at all.
She never got jealous. She never cared enough. Being jealous of two men she barely knew just pissed her off.
The fact that she’d been in their arms didn’t mean a fucking thing.
Assholes.
She didn’t care what they did.
She tried to convince herself that only curiosity had her watching them, just to see how they would react.
The icy cold hitting her hand yanked her back to the present to find the glass she’d been filling overflowed, the foam covering her hand and wetting her sleeve.
Cursing under her breath, she stopped the flow and stood there, taking several deep breaths in an effort to get herself under control.
Her hand shook as she set the beer on the bar—the beer that no one had ordered— spilling even more of it.
“Everything okay, boss?”
Distracted, she jumped at Ricky’s question, unable to look away from the scene playing out in front of her. With no small amount of satisfaction, she watched Marc and James turn the other women away, adjusting their strides so the women didn’t even get the chance to touch them. Biting back a grin at the bubbles of happiness rising up inside her, Bailey kept her attention on the other man, curious to see what he would do.
She took the opportunity to study him, wondering how he knew Marc and James, but even from here, she could see the three of them knew each other well.
It was in the unspoken communication between them, the hint of amusement in the stranger’s gaze as he watched Marc and James deal effortlessly with the women.
Curious at the sadness in their eyes when the stranger also turned the women away, she studied him, struck by his hard, tight expression as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
She
rarely saw anyone with truly black hair, but the big man with Marc and James had the same midnight hair they did, so black it gleamed with bluish highlights. It hung loosely past his shoulders, giving him a wild, untamed look.
She glanced at Marc and then at James, a little surprised that in some ways they had the same primitive look about them. They’d just managed to refine it, somehow.
Funny, she hadn’t noticed that before. She’d been too distracted by the way they made her feel, but now she had to admit that raw, almost animalistic look in their eyes and in the way they moved turned her on even more.
It also made her realize just how careful they’d been with her the other night. Watching them now, she decided she didn’t want them to be careful with her. She wanted the hunger she saw glittering in their eyes.
Just the thought of them turning all that pent-up sexuality loose on her had her abdomen clenching, her arousal already building to the point that it became uncomfortable to stand here and go on working as normal.
She forced herself to turn away before she started drooling and smiled reassuringly at Ricky, her bartender.
“No, Ricky. Everything’s fine. Do you know those three men who just walked in?”
To her surprise, Ricky smiled and nodded.
“The one on the middle is Marcus Brand. He’s a sculptor. Lives about five miles from here—a real beauty of a house. Bought all the land around it so he didn’t have any neighbors. He’s a real loner—only comes to town for gas and groceries. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him in here. I don’t know the other two, though.”
Frowning, he nudged her aside.
“They look like trouble, though. Why don’t you go upstairs and let Gun and me handle it.”
Amused, Bailey hid a smile, not wanting to hurt Ricky’s feelings. Ricky and Gun had worked for the previous owner, and from what she’d observed, had been pretty unhappy. Their displeasure showed, and she was more than a little surprised that they’d asked her for a job.
Ricky, five years younger than her at twenty-four, and Gun, his father, had both been protective of her right from the beginning. She appreciated it, but she didn’t really expect either one of them to stand between her and danger.
Since she didn’t want to hurt his feelings, she nudged him playfully.
“Is that another one of those references to my height?”
Ricky fixed two more drinks, his hands always in motion. He shot her a smile, his attention clearly on Marc, James, and their friend.
His wide grin made him look even younger, and suddenly made her feel very old. “For someone as short as you are, you pack quite a punch. I’ve seen you in action. They’re still talking about that troublemaker you threw out of here the other day.”
Forcing a laugh, Bailey rang up another order, pleased that business appeared to be booming on her first weekend open, and gestured toward the baseball bat she kept propped up in the corner.
“Maybe the convincer had something to do with it.”
Patting her shoulder, he looked up, his face going pale.
“Uh, yeah. Maybe.”
Following his gaze, she looked straight at Marc, shocked at the furious glare he gave Ricky.
Leaning on the bar right in front of his face, she glared back.
“Back off with my employees, or you’ll be on the receiving end of my bat.”
To her surprise, Marc’s eyes flared and he leaned closer, fisting his hand in the front of her sweater when she would have pulled back. He pulled her close, his eyes lingering on her lips before meeting hers again.
“God, woman, you excite me. If we were alone, I’d have you bent over this bar with your pants down around your ankles. Don’t give me that look. You did this to me.”
He brushed his lips over hers. “You’re aroused. Christ, I want you. It’s been hard as hell staying away from you all week. I can’t forget the feel of you—the taste of you.”
Her lips tingled, feeling swollen and warm against his, making it nearly impossible to resist licking them.
Swallowing heavily, she covered his fist with her hand. “Let go.”
To her surprise, he smiled, running his thumb over her bottom lip.
“I love the way your voice sounds when your throat’s not sore. Sexy. I can’t wait to hear that hitch in your breathing when I take you.”
Shaken, it took several moments before she realized he’d released her.
The man who’d accompanied them slid onto the bar stool next to Marc.
“Please excuse my friend. His obsession with you has made him lose his manners. I’m Leland Moran. It’s nice to finally meet the woman who has my friends so tied up in knots.”
He met Marc’s glare, his silver eyes sparkling with amusement. “Please be patient with them.”
From the other side of Marc, James took her hand in his, smiling broadly.
“No, no patience is needed. Feel free to jump me anytime you want. I promise you, I’m going to do the same to you at the first opportunity.”
Shaking with need, Bailey looked around, surprised that no one else seemed to have heard them. Taking a deep breath, she shot a glance at Ricky, who glanced back at her with a raised brow, half listening to a customer placing his order.
Nodding that everything was all right, she turned back to the three men whose presence had all eyes turning their way.
Yanking her hand from James’s hold, she shook Leland’s. “It’s very nice to meet you, but your friends are delusional. What would you like to drink?”
James pulled the bowl of peanuts she poured for them closer. “Three beers. What do you mean we’re delusional?”
Keeping an eye on Ricky to make sure he could keep up with the orders, she served their beers. Ignoring Marc’s glare, she turned away from him and gave her attention to Leland.
A little taller than Marc and James, easily over six and a half feet of rugged looks that had men near him shifting in their seats, he somehow managed to appear less threatening than his friends.
Leaning close so as not to be overheard by the other patrons, she gestured toward Marc and James.
“They have some sort of obsession with the way I smell. It drives me nuts. Have they told you they saved my life?”
Leland’s eyes hardened. “They did. You okay?”
She waved off his question. “Fine. They act like they’re interested in me—”
James paused with a handful of peanuts halfway to his mouth.
“Interested? That’s putting it a little mildly, don’t you think?”
Giving him a dirty look, she turned back to Leland.
“And then they drop me off. I don’t hear from them all week, and they walk in here like they never left off. Your friends have a hell of a lot of nerve. Who the hell do they think they are?”
Marc looked straight ahead, sipping his beer. “We looked in on you.”
To her surprise, Leland sighed.
“It’s not my place to tell you what you want to know. They will, in time. Let’s just say that I was in their position not long ago and made the wrong decision—something I’ve regretted every minute since then. I don’t want my friends to make the same mistake with you.”
Seeing a customer come up to the bar and lift his hand to get her attention, Bailey nodded in acknowledgment and moved away, shooting a look at Marc and James, who both stared at her.
“Too late.”
On her way to her customer, Marc startled her by grabbing her arm and pulling her close.
“Who the hell is that kid you have working here?”
Bailey tried unsuccessfully to pull away.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but that’s Ricky, my bartender. Why?”
Apprehensive now, she placed herself between Marc and Ricky, not understanding the anger on Marc’s face.
“Marc?”
Ricky chose that moment to come over, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and attempting to tug her away from Marc.
“Bai
ley, I’ll handle the customer. You have a phone call in your office.”
Marc smiled, a smile that had chills going up and down Bailey’s spine.
“Ricky, you lay a hand on my woman again, and I’ll break it off for you. Clear enough?”
Struck by his arrogance, Bailey jerked her hand out of his.
“You’ll do no such thing. How dare you! You touch Ricky or Gun, and I’ll hit you over the head with my bat.”
Marc sighed and dropped his hand, a muscle working in his jaw.
“I don’t like anyone touching you.”
Furious at the surge of lust that hit her, and more than a little shaken at the stormy intent in his eyes, she backed away before she gave in to the urge to throw herself at him.
“Fuck you.”
Spinning on her heel, she stormed out from behind the bar and into the small office in the back, so mad and aroused she couldn’t even think.
Asshole.
God, she wanted him.
* * * *
Marc watched her go, cursing under his breath. Jumping to his feet, he started to go after her, stopping short when Leland shoved him none too gently back down into the chair.
“I thought I explained about coming on too strong.”
Since Leland happened to be one of the few men who could strong-arm him, he sighed and resigned himself to hearing the lecture looming in Leland’s tone.
“Look, Leland, I know what you’re going to say, but I’m not going to stand by and watch another man touch her. Would you let another man touch your mate?” He shot another glare at the young bartender, reluctantly amused that, even though he paled, Ricky met his glare head-on.
Leland took a sip of his beer, turning slightly in his seat, his lips twitching.
“I probably wouldn’t have been as nice as you were. Do you really think she’s interested in her young bartender?”
Gritting his teeth, Marc turned to his friend. “If she had been, he would have already lost that hand.”
Marc turned, following Leland’s gaze toward the mirror against the back wall, one he realized was a two-way mirror. His gaze sharpened when Bailey came into view, pacing back and forth in front of it.
