A Little Harmless Fantasy

by Melissa Schroeder

  “I came back because I love you,” he said. It was the truth. There was no sense hiding it because he knew that Zeke already understood the depths of his feelings for him.

  “Ah, but what of Maura? What do you feel about her?”

  “Fuck, I love her too,” he shouted. Then, he stopped his pacing. Dammit, he did love her. She was a goof, someone who could always crack a joke. Seeing her pain the last few weeks had been one of the most debilitating things he had confronted. When she hurt, he hurt.

  “About bloody time you admitted it,” Zeke muttered as he stood. He turned off his computer and started toward the door.

  “Where the fuck are you going?”

  Zee turned and faced him. “To Maura.”

  “Wait.”

  He jogged to catch up with him. “What are you doing? Dammit, Zee, stop.”

  He stopped in the hall and turned to face him. “What?”

  “What the fuck is going on?”

  “I’ve been waiting for you to come to your senses. Can’t believe it took so long but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. It took you long enough to admit you loved me.”

  Rory frowned. “You’re not upset I admitted to loving her?”

  Zeke shook his head. “No. Why would I when I love both of you?”

  He said it as if it was simple and for Zee, it was. He could always look through the shit life handed him and see what was really important. Other people got bogged down in the details, but when something was this important, Zee didn’t. He loved both of them and it was all that mattered.

  “People will think we’re freaks.”

  Zee shrugged. “They already think that. This way, we have Maura and they think we’re freaks. Besides, when did you decide to worry about what other people think? Seriously?”

  He sighed. “I thought you would.”

  Zee smiled and walked forward. Rory felt his heart turn over. The man had him by the ballocks and Zee knew it. Hell they both did. And there was something so bloody sexy about that.

  Zee cupped his face in his hands and kissed him. Slow, long, and wet. When he pulled back, he smiled.

  “Let’s go get our woman.”

  Warmth spread through Rory. For the first time in days, the feeling of rightness shifted through him. He gave Zeke a quick kiss.

  “Let’s go.”

  “She might say no.”

  “Too bad. I’ll drag her back by her hair if I have to,” Rory said.

  “There’s the man I love,” Zee said as he pulled out his phone.

  “You’re calling her?”

  “Nope, but we need a flight, love.”

  “Good. Get the flight, then we get Maura,” Rory said.

  But he did have something he needed to pick up at home before they left, then off to their future.

  He just hoped they hadn’t waited too long.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  “What are your plans today?” Conner asked at breakfast. Jillian knew that he was trying to engage with Maura but she knew her friend wasn’t ready.

  Maura shrugged as she played with her cereal. She hadn’t been eating enough to keep herself alive, but Jillian knew she needed her space. Unfortunately, her brother didn’t understand that. He wanted his baby sister to be better. Now.

  The physical bruises were just now starting to fade, but the wounds to Maura’s pride were going to take longer. Much longer.

  “I think I’ll go for a walk on the beach,” she said.

  Conner rose with her and she looked at him. “What are you doing?”

  “Going with you.”

  She glanced at Jillian and she could see Maura wanted to be alone. Conner had been hovering like a mama. Jillian was of the belief that brother and sister needed to set their own boundaries. She was not getting in the middle of that.

  “I want to be alone, Conner.”

  “I think that you might—”

  “I didn’t ask. I just told you, I want to be alone. Deal with it.”

  With that she left the kitchen, letting the screen door slam behind her.

  There were a few moments of stunned silence. Jillian wasn’t stunned. She knew that Conner and Maura had their own issues to deal with and they were starting to come to a head. Trying to sooth either one of them was going to leave Jillian hurt…and Conner and Maura wouldn’t heal. Of course, her stubborn husband wanted everything to be all right right now. Like Maura was going to feel better overnight.

  “She’s starting to get on my nerves,” Conner said.

  Jillian ignored him. He had been saying the same thing for two days. But for once he didn’t go on. She glanced over at him. He was staring at the screen door. She looked down at the Honolulu Advertiser again. When he didn’t go on, Jillian figured he would just sit in the house and stew in his irritation. She didn’t have time for that.

  “She isn’t getting on your nerves.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “No, you’re angry and you want to hurt someone because she hurts.” She took a sip of coffee and looked at him. “You are just going to have to deal with it right now. She needs to be alone.”

  He frowned and rose from the chair. “I want to hurt someone.”

  “I know you do, babe. There are just some things you have to let her work out on her own.”

  He said nothing. She could tell from the way his shoulders were tensed that he was contemplating his next move and it would not be what she suggested. She sighed and walked over to him, setting her coffee cup down on the counter. Jillian slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his back.

  “You have to let the children grow up some time, Conner.”

  She felt him relax slightly.

  “She’s hurting because of them.” He spat out the words. Anger dripped from every word and she knew there was a good chance his friendship with Zeke was over…if Maura didn’t work it out.

  And, Mr. Man needed to learn that Zeke and Rory were not the only ones at fault here.

  “Truthfully, she is hurting because of a whole lot of things.”

  He moved and she released him. He turned to face her. His frown was even darker. “Explain.”

  “Your sister, the level headed-most of the time-girl you raised came to you and said she was attacked.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I remember. I called Rome, he did the report.”

  “From the very beginning, she said she knew it wasn’t the Petersen case. She was positive. She said she knew the man spoke with an Irish accent. Even after you were told Petersen had nothing to do with it, you questioned her. The reason she didn’t really come to you about being stalked was because of you ignoring her. Of course, you weren’t the only one. Rory and Zeke didn’t do a good job of backing her up. Y’all treated her like she was some bubble headed idiot. She started to question her own intelligence—worse, her own instincts. That is something Maura has never done before. It unraveled her world.”

  “Well, we all have more experience than—”

  “No, it isn’t something to brush off. Maura might not have had a lot of dates and being the egghead she is, she didn’t really care. But she did believe in herself. When the three most important men in her life questioned her aptitude, it crushed her.”

  “You make it sound like I’m at fault.”

  She slipped her arms around his waist again. “You are to a point, babe. But, her big problem is with those two men. Still, you can’t really just blame them. You need to start taking her opinion as a valued asset.”

  “I do.”

  She shook her head. “To a point, but it’s just what Zeke was talking about before. You question her every move. Another person with her intelligence wouldn’t have to explain herself to you over and over.”

  He sighed. “She’s my baby sister.”

  He said it with such love it made her heart skip a beat. One of the best things about her husband was his love for his family. Maura had been the center of his life for so long, but he needed to let go.
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  “She’s not a baby anymore. You need to show her more respect.”

  He nodded.

  “Granted, I expected more from Rory and especially Zeke, but I have a feeling Maura will take care of them.”

  “I’m seriously thinking about shooting Zeke. He should know better. I’ll just kill Rory.”

  “Shooting your business partner is probably not a good idea.” She saw something out the window and was relieved to see a rental car drive up. It parked behind her jeep and both men stepped out of the car. “Besides, she would probably get mad at you.”

  “Figures. Women.” He said it with such disgust she smiled.

  She gave him a quick kiss. “And, just like you, they didn’t do it on purpose. You were trying to protect her.”

  He sighed. “Maybe I won’t feel like kicking their asses if I don’t see them for a month or two. Or a year.”

  “You’re going to have to deal with them sooner than that.”

  His brow furrowed. “What?”

  “They’re here.”

  His head whipped around and he growled. She tried to hold onto him, but he escaped her grasp and stalked outside. Jillian hurried behind him and almost got slammed in the face with the screen door.

  “You have some real fucking nerve showing up here,” he yelled.

  Both men readied for a fight. She glanced toward the beach and was thankful that Maura was far enough away so she wouldn’t pick up on the fight.

  When Jillian turned around, she was alarmed to see Conner grabbing Zeke by the shirt.

  “Stop,” she yelled running toward the three of them.

  Her neighbor Adam was already running down the path to help Conner.

  She inserted herself between the two friends.

  “Move, Jillian, I can take him,” Zeke said.

  “No you won’t. I’m not going to have you brawl out here like a bunch of seventeen-year-old assholes. Let go of Zeke.”

  It took Conner a second or two to finally look at her. “They hurt her.”

  “And how do you think she’ll feel when she finds you two up here rolling around on the ground.”

  “I can take him,” Zeke said again, his voice vicious. “He is getting a little old.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Can it, Zeke.”

  With a disgusted huff, Conner shoved Zeke away. Rory, who had been quiet up until then, stepped forward.

  “Tell you what. Let us talk to her. If she’s still pissed at us, you can kick Zee’s ass.”

  “Thanks a lot, you ass,” Zeke said.

  “Fine,” Conner said.

  Rory looked at Jillian. “Where is she?”

  “On the beach,” she said nodding her head in the direction where she had seen Maura.

  “Thank you.”

  “Just one thing, guys.” They turned to face her. “If you hurt her again, you won’t have to worry about Conner. I’ll shoot both of you on the spot. In the groin. And don’t think I can’t do it. I might look harmless, but I grew up in Georgia. I know how to hunt and I know how to shoot. Just understand I will do both to you if you hurt her again.”

  They said nothing and headed down to the beach. Conner slipped his arms around her waist and set his chin on her head. “I still want to hurt them.”

  “Oh, babe, they’re already hurting. Hopefully they don’t fuck this up or I will shoot them.”

  He chuckled and kissed her head. “That’s my woman.”

  * * * *

  Maura knew they were coming up behind her before they said anything. They both moved like cats like usually, but she sensed them. And that made her mad. She didn’t fucking want to be in tune with them. She wanted to be left alone. Why did no one seem to understand that but Jillian? Probably because she was surrounded by idiot men.

  “What are you two doing here?” she asked without turning around. She sensed they paused as if surprised.

  The silence lengthened. The only sound she heard was the crashing of the waves and the few people scattered on the beach. She braced herself and turned to face them.

  Her heart hitched and tears burned the back of her eyes. Dammit, how did they do this to her? She should be mad, but something in her wanted to comfort both of them. Sure, they looked tired, as if they hadn’t slept at all, and lord knew if they were there in the morning, they had a long flight from Miami. Still, she was mad. Or was.

  She shook those thoughts away and asked, “Are you going to answer me?”

  They looked at each other, then back at her. She rolled her eyes. Without another word, she turned and started walking down the beach. The sun was just getting warm and the trades were pretty strong. She walked into the wind welcoming it. It was still another sign she was alive.

  “Maura,” Zeke said jogging up to her. She knew without a doubt Rory was with him.

  “If you can’t say anything then go back to Miami.”

  “Be reasonable for a second, baby, we need to talk.”

  “Don’t baby me, you idiot. Both of you had a chance to tell me to stay there. You had a chance to tell me you wanted more and you didn’t. Go away.”

  “Maura, you need to stop right where you are,” Rory ordered. It was the same voice he used when they were playing and it pissed her off that he used it now. It pissed her off even more that it turned her on.

  She did stop, but she did it to turn and face him. “You ass, do not even think that I am going to allow you to order me around outside of the bedroom. I’ve told you before that I don’t go for that.”

  He was frowning at her, but she couldn’t see his eyes, as they were shaded by his mirrored sunglasses. Zeke looked between the two of them.

  “Maybe we should take this conversation inside.”

  She shot him an angry glance. “I don't care who hears. Besides, it doesn’t really matter. There aren’t that many people out here and I am not taking either of you back. Together or separately. Go away.”

  “You told us that you loved us. Was that a lie?” Rory asked.

  “No, but it doesn’t matter. I gave you a chance, you blew it.”

  She turned and started walking again.

  “If you do not stop walking away I will smack that ass until it burns.”

  “Go suck an egg, Rory. I’m not interested in a Dom who doesn’t have the balls to admit when he’s in love.”

  She didn’t hear them approaching this time until it was too late. He grabbed her by the arm and turned her around.

  “Goddammit, we flew over half a day to be here. You could at least give us some consideration,” Rory said.

  “Consideration?” Everything she had been feeling for days, for weeks even, welled up. The pain, the loneliness and the fear exploded and she couldn’t hold it in. “You have some fucking nerve. Damn you. I don’t owe you anything. Anything. I gave you both everything you could have ever wanted, but apparently it wasn’t enough.”

  The last was said on a sob. She tried to hold it back, but she couldn’t seem to do it. The tears started to fall.

  “Oh, baby,” Zeke said as he reached for her. She backed up and almost stumbled down.

  “No. Don’t touch me.”

  “You will stop that right now,” Rory ordered.

  She stopped and so did Zeke. “What?”

  “Crying. I can’t stand a woman who cries.”

  She was so surprised by the comment she opened her mouth but nothing came out. Zeke was smiling.

  “I will cry if I feel like it.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, I don’t like it and Zeke doesn’t either.”

  “You’re on your own there, Rory.”

  She shot Zeke a nasty look. “And just what the hell do you mean by that?”

  His smile widened further. “I have no problem admitting that I love you. Rory, there, he does. Big bad Dom doesn’t like saying the words.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” Rory said.

  “See.”

  Hope sprung but then the last week came back to her. H
is distance, and the way he pretended that she didn’t matter. And tears welled up again.

  “Shit, okay. Stop that,” Rory ordered, yelling this time. She had never been the kind of girl who cried, but this time, she could not stop herself. They spilled over, streaming over her cheeks.

  Rory grabbed her by the arms and opened his mouth to yell at her, but in the next instant, he fell onto the sand in front of her. He pulled her against him, laying his head on her stomach. She looked at Zeke who was grinning at her.

  “I love you, Maura,” Zeke said. “Please, love, I’m so sorry we doubted you.”

  Her heart melted but she tried to ignore it. They were only doing this to get her back. She didn’t want them to say things to get her back. She wanted them to actually believe in her. Words meant nothing if they truly didn’t believe in what they were saying.

  Zeke shook his head. “I can see those wheels turning in your head, love. We made some mistakes but you have to know that we both really love you.”

  She looked down at Rory who then looked up at her. “I love you. Please, take us back. We aren’t anything if you aren’t with us, love.”

  A fresh set of tears welled up.

  “Oh, Rory,” was all she could say.

  “We should have believed you. We should have stood behind you,” Zeke said, his smile fading. “We love you and we should have been there for you. We failed.”

  He grabbed a bag from Zeke and pulled out a leather collar.

  “I’m not saying this just to get you back. I bought this when we went to Rough ‘n Ready.”

  She looked at it and at the word. Ours. It was before she told Rory she loved him…before everything went bad.

  Maura looked at him, then at Zeke.

  “We were complete and utter asses,” Rory said.

  “Speak for yourself,” Zeke muttered.

  “No, we were. Both of us wanted forever with you but we didn’t have the nerve to deal with it. And I know Zeke waited for me to agree, but then he never asked.”

  “Oh, I see, this is my fault.” Rory stood up but he kept his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “You always blame shit on me. I think maybe you should have said something about all of us moving in together, but you didn’t.