Shane took another threatening step forward. “Get the hell off my property! Seth, call the fucking cops. Tell the chief he’s gonna have to arrest me for assault when he gets here. Make sure he confiscates the cameras and recorders as evidence.”
“Sure thing, boss,” his employee replied, taking his phone from the holster on his hip.
That threat and his tone of voice seemed to finally get through the predators’ heads. The two male reporters and the cameramen hurried down the steps, their devices still recording.
Tuck came flying around the side of the house on an ATV and slammed on the brakes, skidding to a halt. Apparently, he hadn’t been too far away when he’d gotten Paige’s SOS. “What the hell’s going on?”
“These assholes are trespassing.” He scowled at a microphone being held only inches from his chin. “And I’ve never hit a woman before, but if you don’t get the damn thing out of my face, there’s a first time for everything.”
The female reporter’s eyes rounded before she hastened to join the others, who were getting into their vehicles. She glared back at him before shutting the passenger door of a van, and said, “We’ll just get the story in town—people love to talk. Look for yourselves on KHBR-California’s website.”
“Bitch,” Shane muttered under his breath as Tuck approached and climbed the steps to the porch, still limping a little.
“What the fuck was that?”
He was still glaring at the retreating vehicles. “I don’t know, but we’ll find out. First, we have to take care of Paige. She freaked when she saw them.”
“Shit.”
“Seth, make sure they don’t come back. Let me know when the police get here.” Shane followed Tuck inside and closed the door behind them. “She’s in the office.”
When they walked into the room, Shane’s heart almost broke. Paige was sitting on the small loveseat with her arms wrapped around her midsection as she cried her eyes out. She jumped to her feet when she spotted them. “I—I’m so sorry—”
“Sh. It’s all right, sweetheart,” Tuck said as he pulled her into an embrace. Her arms automatically went around his waist as she buried her face into his chest, sobbing.
Shane shut the door, before stepping closely behind Paige, his chest to her back. He ran his hands up her arms, then moved her hair from her shoulder so he could whisper in her ear. “It’s okay, baby. They’re gone, and we’re not going to let them anywhere near you again.” She rubbed her forehead back and forth on Tuck’s chest, and Shane’s gaze met his husband’s. He tilted his head toward the small couch, silently communicating what he wanted Tuck to do.
When Shane moved back, Tuck bent his knees and swept Paige’s feet out from under her, lifting her into his arms and then taking a seat with her on his lap. The fact she didn’t protest, only crying harder, had them both worried. Shane held up a finger to Tuck, then opened the door and walked out of the room. He returned moments later with a lowball glass half-filled with whiskey and shut the door once again. Kneeling in front of Tuck, he held the glass up to Paige. “Here, sweetheart. Take a sip.”
She hiccupped, then reached for the glass with a trembling hand. Shane didn’t relinquish it but held it for her as she drank from it. “That’s it. Take some more.”
They watched as she downed the rest of the amber liquor. After swallowing, she murmured her thanks. Shane set the empty glass down on an end table, then took Paige’s hands in his. He brought them to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. Meanwhile, Tuck was rubbing her back with one hand and her shins with the other. They remained quiet, giving the whiskey a few moments to work and Paige a chance to collect herself.
Finally, she released a long, deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
Shane kissed her knuckles. “Nothing to be sorry about, baby. You didn’t do anything wrong. Do you have any idea how they knew where to find you?”
“No.” She sighed heavily again. “Quinn and my friend Marcella are the only two people who knew I was coming here. Marcella wouldn’t have told a soul; she’s just as protective as Quinn is.” That was saying a lot. Shane’s cousin would have laid down his life before putting a witness or former witness in jeopardy.
“You’ve called her, right?” Tuck asked. “Maybe someone tapped her phone.”
Paige shrugged. “Could be. I usually call her cell, but sometimes she calls me from her house phone.”
“Well, we’ll figure that out later. For now, we want to make sure you’re all right.”
Her gaze lifted to Tuck’s. “I’m fine, thanks to both of you.”
Shane watched as Tuck cupped her jaw. This time when he brought their mouths within inches, Paige closed the final distance. Tuck let her lead for a moment, merely taking his cues from her. She brushed her lips against his several times, then moaned. That was all the encouragement Tuck needed. He buried his hand into her thick hair and held her head where he wanted it. Shane’s cock hardened at the sight. Lifting her hands again, he took one of her fingers and sucked it into his mouth. She gasped, and Tuck used it to his advantage, plunging his tongue between her lips. He tasted and teased her for several minutes before releasing her. Staring down at her with eyelids at half mast, he held her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Let Shane kiss you, darlin’. He’s been waiting quite a while now and should be rewarded for his patience.”
When she faced Shane, Tuck shifted her on his lap until her back was against his chest. He put her legs on the outside of his own then spread them. Shane crawled between their knees, his gaze never leaving Paige’s, which was filled with the same lust that was in Tuck’s. Shane wanted to memorize everything about their first kiss, so he could recall it with ease years from now. Leaning forward, he caressed her lips with his own. The familiar taste of Tuck, combined with the smooth whiskey, was on her and it fueled his desire. When she opened for him, he didn’t hesitate, thrusting his tongue out to tangle with hers. The sexy, little noises she made spurred him on. His hands went past her hips and clutched Tuck’s. It’d been so long since they’d had a woman between them, but they still made sure they were attached to each other as well.
Shane’s eyes fluttered shut, and when Paige tilted her head to the side, he knew Tuck was nibbling on her neck as his hands came up to cup Paige’s breasts. She thrust her chest forward, crushing his hands between her and Shane, and hummed in delight.
A knock at the door had all three starting; they hadn’t heard anyone approach—no surprise there. Shane hadn’t been aware of anything in the last few moments other than Paige and Tuck.
“Shane? The chief’s here.”
Shit. Lousy fucking timing. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
“’Kay.” Seth’s footsteps faded down the hall.
After giving Paige a final, brief kiss, Shane reluctantly got to his feet, then adjusted himself. He winked down at her blushing face. “I’m never going to hide what you do to me when we’re alone, sweetheart, so you better get used to it. Now, let Tuck take care of you while I talk to the chief.” He glanced at the clock that sat on one of the bookshelves. “I’ll get Ari off the bus; I don’t want you anywhere near the road where those bloodsuckers could ambush you.”
She nodded, seemingly still out of sorts, but his guess was it was now due more from the last few minutes than from the reporters showing up out of nowhere. “Okay. Thank you.”
“No, thanks necessary, sweetheart. Take care of her, Tuck. I’ll be back.”
Opening the door, he strode out and prayed the incident with the press had been a one-time-only thing, but he doubted it.
Chapter Twenty
Tuck strode into the kitchen where Shane was sitting at the table and checking Arianna’s homework. Their daughter looked up at him with worry in those big, blue eyes she’d inherited from her mother. “Is Paige going to be okay, Papa?”
He gave her a reassuring smile. “She’s going to be fine, sweetheart. She’s just taking a nap. Nothing to worry about.”
“I didn’t make her
sick, did I?”
“Nope, not at all. You had a stomach bug; Paige has a . . . um . . . headache. She’ll feel better when she wakes up.” While Shane had been talking to the sheriff, Tuck had picked Paige up in his arms and carried her to her room, despite her protests because of his foot. Honestly, any pain that was there hadn’t even registered in his brain as he’d snuggled her close to his chest. After laying her down on the middle of her bed, he’d pulled off her sneakers and kicked off his boots, then climbed in next to her. He’d spooned her from behind, and a thrill had coursed through him when she hadn’t objected. He’d slowly caressed her arm and leg, urging her to fall asleep for a bit. It hadn’t taken long for her body to go lax as slumber overtook her with assistance from the whiskey. He hadn’t been able to get up right away after that. Now that he’d had her in his arms and had tasted her luscious lips, there was no turning back for him. Shane had been right—Paige was going to be theirs. It felt right.
A half hour later, he’d eased from her bed, picked up his boots, and quietly left the room. As he’d passed through the family room on the way to the kitchen, he’d paused at an array of photos in small frames in the bookshelves, focusing on his favorite one of Sarah. Her eyes had been sparkling as she’d been laughing at something silly when he’d taken the candid shot of her, early in her pregnancy. The vow she’d demanded of them floated through his mind. It was time—he was certain she’d sent them someone who could love them both, knowing it didn’t mean they loved her any less. His heart expanded in his chest—it wasn’t pushing his wife out; it was making room for someone new. Taking a deep breath, he’d let it out slowly, then murmured, “Thank you for sending Paige to us, sweetheart. She’s beautiful in every way; just like you. You knew I wasn’t ready until now, didn’t you? Thanks for not giving up on me. I’ll thank Shane later for the same thing. He deserves to hear it too.”
As Tuck got himself a glass of water, Shane handed Arianna back her homework. “You got them all right, Ari. Good girl. What do you say we give Paige a break tonight and get takeout after your dentist appointment? You and I can run over to Bar None and get some mac and cheese for you and lasagna or something for us. Okay?”
“Yay!”
“Sh, Ari, not so loud, Paige is sleeping,” Tuck reminded her. “Go change out of your school clothes. Your shirt is dirty.”
She glanced down at the red stain on her belly, then shrugged. “I spilled my juice on it at lunch.”
“That’s okay, it happens. Just go change and brush your teeth, then Daddy’ll take you to your appointment.”
After their daughter skipped out of the room, Tuck leaned against the refrigerator and eyed Shane. “Glad you remembered the dentist was this afternoon because I forgot. What did Chief Hughes say?”
“He showed up with Lane.” Officer Lane Myers was a childhood friend of Shane’s, who’d returned to the town they’d grown up in, after twelve years and four tours overseas with the Marines and joined the eight-man police department. “On their way here, they passed the three vans, heading into town.”
“Making good on their threats to talk to others. The good thing is Paige has made some friends since she’s been here. On the flip side, there’re more than a few people who are going to be slinging bullshit just to get their faces on TV.”
Shane nodded. “Yup. Lane and the chief said they’ll do their best to run them out of town, but legally, nothing can be done unless they commit a crime. Before I go to Bar None, I’m going to stop by the station and sign a formal complaint that’s being prepared for me. Lane’s going to round up the reporters, identify them, and tell them, in no uncertain terms, that if they step foot on our property again, they’ll be charged with trespassing and harassment. He’s also going to see if he can find out how they knew Paige was here. Hopefully, when they realize they’re not going to gain access to her, they’ll go back under whatever rock they crawled out from.”
“I’ll assign one or two of the hands to work with Seth out front, to make sure no one gets close to the house. I also think one of us should be here at all times for the next few days, just in case.”
“I agree.”
“I’m ready, Daddy.” Arianna ran back into the kitchen, wearing a clean shirt, then spun around and headed for the front door. “Let’s go.”
Getting to his feet, Shane made sure he had his keys, wallet, and cell. As he strode past Tuck, he paused and whispered, “I can still taste both of you on my tongue.”
Heat flared in Tuck’s eyes as his cock swelled. Shane winked at him, then laughed as he left the room, knowing full well he’d just given his husband a hard-on with the only relief in sight coming from his own hand. At least, until later. Having Paige in their bed tonight was not going to happen. It was far too soon, and she’d still be upset over the reporters. When she came to them, they wanted what would happen between them to be drama and stress free. But as soon as he got his husband alone later, Shane was going to be the bottom this time if Tuck had his way.
Her eyes still closed, Paige stretched the kinks out of her entire body. She didn’t even remember falling asleep and wished she could say the same about what’d transpired earlier. The reporters, not what’d happened in the office with Shane and Tucker. Nope, that she never wanted to forget. Was it wrong to want two men at the same time? Years ago, she might have said yes, but the books she’d read had eased her into accepting the subject—although, that was only fiction. She found ménage romances enjoyable and hot as hell. However, this was real life and it involved her.
She thought back to the conversations she’d had with some of the residents of Hazard Falls since she’d moved there. A few people obviously found the Wilson men distasteful and perverted, and probably thought she was already sharing their bed if the turned-up noses she’d encountered were any indication. Meanwhile, others, like the men and women who worked at Red River or were friends with the couple, were more than comfortable with their relationship and the one they’d had with Sarah. Paige couldn’t deny she was attracted to both men, but could she handle a three-way romance? Part of her was scared to try, while the other part of her, the one that hadn’t had sex in over a year and a half, was screaming for her to take a chance. What if it didn’t work out, though? There was no way she could stay at the ranch, working for them, if a romantic relationship between them failed. Arianna would be heartbroken if Paige left, and vice-versa.
Sitting up, Paige removed the lightweight quilt Tucker must have laid over her before he’d left her sleeping. She’d been surprised when he’d climbed into bed with her but had been too upset over the reporters to think more about it. Then he’d put his arms around her, and she’d felt things she hadn’t felt in a long time—safe and cared for. She’d relaxed into his embrace and had drifted off within minutes.
Paige glanced at the clock on her nightstand and realized it was past time to start dinner. After a quick trip to the bathroom, she removed her jeans and pulled on a more comfortable pair of yoga pants. She then shoved her feet into her black, fuzzy slippers, instead of her sneakers, and padded out to the family room. No one was there, but she heard someone in the kitchen. The smell of something baking, and maybe even burning a little, made her stomach growl. When she entered the room, Tucker glanced over his shoulder as he pulled an aluminum sheet filled with chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. “Hey.” His eyes roamed her body, warming her from head to toe and back again before he gestured to the cookies now cooling on the stove. “They’re not from scratch like yours, but I found a container of the spoon-and-drop kind in the fridge.”
She gave him a sheepish smile. “Well, that’s what I use when I make mine. I kind of fibbed when I said I make them from scratch. I can cook a lot of things, but baked goods aren’t my forte. My cookies always come out too dry and cake-like.”
Shaking his head, he chuckled. “Now I don’t feel so bad—well, actually I still do. At least you don’t burn them around the edges.” He set the tray on the stove, then tossed th
e oven mitt he’d been using on the counter and strode toward her. “How do you feel?”
“Better. Where’s Shane and Ari?”
“The dentist, then they’re stopping at Bar None to bring home dinner.”
Paige’s gaze shot to the calendar they kept on the refrigerator. “Oh, no! I forgot all about her dentist appointment.”
Clasping her shoulders, Tucker got her attention. “Relax. We’ve got it covered. After what happened this afternoon, I forgot all about it too. Shane was the one who remembered. It happens. No big deal. Okay?”
She paused, then nodded, grateful Tucker wasn’t mad at her. “Okay. Did you just say they were getting dinner too?”
“Yup. You have the rest of the day off.”
“I’m sorry about the reporters—”
Catching her off guard, Tucker pulled her close and lifted her chin, so she was looking up at him. “No one’s blaming you, Paige, so stop saying you’re sorry. It’s not like we didn’t know about the shit storm you got caught up in thanks to your ex-husband. We’re not letting you go because of a little bump in the road. Shane and I have been the talk of the town many times before. The gossipers go crazy for a bit, then set their sights on fresher meat. You know how small-town rumor mills go. But . . . if you want to leave . . . if you think Shane and I can’t protect you—”
“No! I—I don’t want to leave. For . . . for the first time in years,” she glanced away and then quickly returned her gaze back to him, “I feel . . . well, I feel like I really belong. I liked California, but, honestly, I never felt like I fit in there. Here, I do.”
As his body relaxed in obvious relief at her words, the corners of Tucker’s mouth curved upward. “Good. Because we feel like you fit in here too.”
Lowering his head, he kissed her, and Paige melted into his arms. His tongue teased her as he backed her up against the pantry door, until there was no room between their bodies. Tucker held her head at the angle he wanted so he could devour her. When he ground his erection against her lower abdomen, she moaned and lifted her knee to his hip in a desperate attempt to climb him. Tucker reached down and cupped her ass, then dragged her up his length until she could wrap her legs around his slender hips. Her hands clutched the hair at the back of his head. When his cock pushed and rubbed against her clit, Paige gasped. “Oh, God, yes!”
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