by Jenny Penn
Maria’s delicate little nostrils flared as her gaze landed on Josh like a ton of bricks. “That cannot possibly mean what he’s implying.”
“Whatever it means, it’s none of your damn business.” Josh straightened up and used his superior strength to drag Maria toward the door as he made his position clear. “Nothing in my life is your concern anymore, Maria. I told you that you could keep the ring. My time, though, is no longer yours to waste. Good night!”
He delivered that last line as he shoved her back across the threshold, finally releasing her to slam the door in her face before turning back to confront his brother, who had all but dissolved into laughter in the main hall.
* * * *
Casey’s amusement at Josh and Dylan’s game waned about three hours in as she was stuck in traffic yet again. The first clue had been amusing. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out the “red and blue” reference.
She probably would have gotten it quicker but the “love me, too” kept getting in the way. Those three little words changed everything because they implied that the brothers knew how she felt. More importantly, they weren’t running away, which she could assume meant one thing—they loved her too.
That thought had left her giddy, almost giggly, as she finally realized what the “red and blue” meant.
It was the mums.
Casey had once decorated Dylan and Josh’s entire apartment in red and blue mums after Dylan had ignorantly declared that if flowers were blue then men might like them, too. He’d been absolutely adamant that there were no blue flowers. Casey had taken great delight in proving him wrong. She’d also earned a reputation for the stunt at the florist just down the street because he’d had to special order all the extra mums.
That’s just where she had headed to find her first clue to not only where her furniture was but also in what direction Josh and Dylan were trying to take things. It couldn’t have been clearer after she’d visited the florist, the wine store, the sex shop, followed by the jewelers, where she’d picked up two tiny, gift-wrapped ring boxes.
It took all of her formidable self-control not to rip right into them, but it was growing harder the longer she had to sit there doing nothing but waiting for the car in front of hers to roll slowly forward. Casey didn’t think she’d make it when finally traffic began to pick up. Not that her trip was over.
She still had to stop by the dessert store and pick up the takeout from her favorite Thai restaurant before finally receiving an address that led her deep into the heart of Buckhead and the multi-million-dollar mansions tucked in amongst the curvy, manicured roads.
Unfortunately, the drive she ended up pulling into wound around statues of half-naked cherubs peeing into fountains. That was still more tasteful than the oversized box with the two-story-tall columns that the drive wrapped around. Casey stared up at the building in horror, wondering what the hell Josh and Dylan had been thinking and praying to God they hadn’t actually bought the place. It was as tacky as…Maria.
Sighing as she spied the other woman’s little sports car parked in the wide curve of the driveway, Casey knew in that moment just who had picked this place out. Josh probably had bought it for her before Maria had dumped him. That thought soured her mood even more.
Pulling her compact up behind Maria’s car, Casey killed her lights just as the front door opened. A wash of light fell around the silhouette of a woman, and Casey could make out Maria’s arrogant features as she shoved past Josh, who didn’t even spare a glance down the drive to see Casey parked there. Instead, he disappeared into the house, leaving her to collect all the bags on her own.
As if that wasn’t just the perfect statement about how her day had gone, he even managed to shove Maria back out the door and slam it in her face just as Casey started up the steps. That left her to confront the seriously pissed-off woman barreling toward her. This time Maria didn’t leave her thoughts unspoken.
“Slut.”
It was just too much. She’d put up with enough that day and wasn’t about to be talked down to by anybody, much less Josh’s ex-fiancée. At least she was in love with Josh and Dylan. Casey suspected that was more than Maria could have ever said.
That certainty hit her hard, and Casey felt all her worries and concerns vanish as she set down her bags on the first step, fished out a big purple dildo, and thrust it at Maria.
“Here, consider this a parting gift. You’re going to need it more than me.”
Maria didn’t accept her offering but let it plunk down on the steps below her feet. That didn’t mean she didn’t look at it. When Maria’s gaze tipped back up, Casey knew she’d pushed too far. Her concern was proven a second later as Maria growled and launched herself down the steps at Casey.
Before she knew it, Casey was rolling around on the drive with her hair being pulled and nails digging into neck as the crazy lady actually tried to claw at her. Just when her shock started to wear off and the pain had her fingers curling into fists, Maria disappeared, replaced by Josh’s concerned frown.
“Are you all right?”
“Do I look all right?” Casey shot back, instinctively responding with her own outrage, even if it was misplaced.
“I’m sorry—”
“Oh, just shut up.” Casey shoved Josh’s hand away as she scrambled up to her feet unassisted. “I don’t need your apology. I need you to step out of my way.”
There was no mistaking the intent behind that command, which was probably why Josh stepped up instead of away. He blocked her view of Dylan dragging Maria back toward her car and refused to let her pass when Casey made to follow.
“Just let her go.”
“And what? Let her get away with a cheap shot?” Casey gaped up at Josh, unable to believe he would even suggest such a thing.
“Cheap shot?” Josh snorted, his features relaxing into a smirk as he shook his head at her. “You gave the woman a dildo and basically told her to go screw herself. That’s a mature response?”
“She called me a slut,” Casey muttered before narrowing her gaze on him. “And if I do let her go, I expect to be compensated.”
“Is that right?” Josh stilled, proving he knew exactly what she was thinking. “I’m not doing another striptease just so you and Dylan can have another laugh.”
“Oh, no. I got a whole new idea…so, are you going to owe me?”
“You going to tell me what the idea is?”
“No.”
“But I will be totally humiliated by it, right?”
“Yes.” Casey grinned. He probably would be, but not in a bad way, and he knew it. After the past week, Josh must have figured out how her mind worked. More than that. He loved her for it.
“Fine.” He heaved a deep, aggrieved sigh as though she couldn’t see the anticipation gathering in his gaze. “But if you go too far…”
Then she’d be the one paying.
“Deal.”
They shook hands, sealing their pact just as Maria slammed her car door. Together they turned to watch as the other woman squealed her tires against the asphalt as she shot out her parking space and tore off down the drive. Hopefully that was the last they’d see of her.
Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said of the monstrosity looming behind her. Turning her gaze back to the oversized brick building, she couldn’t help but sigh. It was depressing to even look at.
“About this house—”
“Don’t sweat it,” Dylan cut her off as he sauntered up to throw an arm around her shoulders. “It’s going on the market tomorrow, and we’ll start looking for a new one the day after it sells.”
“We will?” Casey arched a brow at that presumptuous bit of arrogance. She wasn’t the only one.
“Will we?” Josh blinked in outraged surprise. “Do you know how much that would cost me? In taxes alone, we’re talking tens of thousands of dollars. I don’t think so. We have to live here for two years.”
“That’s it. I’ve had enough.” Dylan held his hands u
p as he gestured for both of them to shut up. “I’ve put up with both your and Josh’s craziness now for a whole week, but I’m done. So, yeah—it’s we. You got a problem with that?”
Casey bit back a smile and shook her head slowly. “No.”
“Good.” Dylan nodded as he heaved out a deep sigh as though a weight had been lifted off him and turned toward Josh. “And you, if Casey and I give you two years, what do we get?”
“What do you want?” Josh’s gaze narrowed on them.
“A full-sized basketball court in the backyard,” Dylan suggested, forgetting in that moment that it was supposed to be a “we” gift and not a “he” gift. Two could play at that.
“I want puppies.” Their apartment complex hadn’t allowed dogs, and the urge for something cute and cuddly had been gnawing at her for years.
“Puppies?” Josh frowned. “How many are we talking here? One, two…three—”
“Six!”
“Oh, hell no!” Dylan looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Do you know how much poop six dogs will generate? Think about my basketball court.”
“Build it downwind,” Casey advised with a shrug. “I want puppies.”
“Yeah?” Dylan straightened up in a blatant attempt to lord over her. “You know what I want?”
“Enough!” Josh stepped between them and shook his head. “Here is what we’ll all get. Dylan, a half-court behind the garage, good?”
“Fine.”
“Casey?” Josh turned on her, and she quickly cuddled up to his side, wrapping her arms around his waist and blinking up at him sweetly.
“You know, I always think of you as the bigger brother.”
“Oh, come on!” Dylan objected, but Casey knew she had just won that round when Josh sighed and nodded.
“You can have two puppies.”
“Three,” she couldn’t help but press.
“Two,” Josh insisted.
“And a kitten.”
“No,” Dylan objected. “The Kacey kitty doesn’t tolerate any competition. He’s a jealous pussy.”
Casey narrowed her eyes on him at that taunt. “Fine, but we’re changing his name.”
“You can’t do that,” Dylan scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Can we call him the Little D?” Josh perked up. “Or Baby D?”
“I like it.” Casey nodded as Dylan’s gaze narrowed in on them, but he didn’t respond to their teasing.
“I’ll second that motion,” Josh assured her. “But only if I get to have what I want, which is a romantic celebration in our new home.”
“Oh, please,” Dylan huffed. “You had the woman pick up her own ring and had the audacity to suggest it’s romantic?”
“Yeah? Wait until you see what Dylan did in the entry hall,” Josh shot at her before casting a superior look at his brother. “He calls it decorating.”
“No, I call it preventative security,” Dylan corrected, and Casey could see that the argument was clearly getting to that point.
If she didn’t do something now, something fast, something radical…she’d probably end up having to carry all the bags in herself. That wasn’t happening. Stepping up between the brothers, she turned to face Dylan first, interrupting him mid-sentence with her own quiet declaration.
“I love you.”
Stretching up to catch his startled lips in a quick kiss, she didn’t give him a chance to respond before she turned toward Josh, who was frowning as though she’d just said something profane.
“I love you, too.”
That wiped the dirty look off his face, not that he had a chance to respond to the quick kiss she brushed over his lips either. Instead, he stood there alongside Dylan as she stepped back and gave them each a pointed look.
“And you…”
“Would do anything for you,” Josh swore.
“That’s sweet.” But that wasn’t what she was looking for.
“And I would pluck the stars from the sky and drape them around you if I could,” Dylan vowed, not to be outdone by his brother.
“That’s very poetic,” Casey assured him, knowing he meant his words, despite the laughter coating them.
“I would beg the gods to live forever just to kiss your feet.”
“Now that’s—”
“I would beg the gods to give me gills so I could scour the ocean for the finest pearls just to please you.”
“I don’t—”
“I’d get an implant,” Josh cut her off, not even bothering to look at Casey as he shot that challenge at his brother, who snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Is that how you plan to make up those three-eighths of an inch?”
“Oh God,” Casey groaned, amazed that they were back to that argument and knowing how long it could go on if she didn’t interfere.
“At least they can fix length,” Josh shot back. “There is not much they can do about meatiness.”
“Meatiness? You really want to throw that challenge down?” Dylan dared his brother. “Because I’ll get a scale, man.”
“No!” Casey bellowed out that denial, drawing both Dylan’s and Josh’s scowls in her direction. “We’re not weighing anything here. We’re confessing. Now I want to hear it and don’t give me those innocent looks. You two know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“She’s bossy, isn’t she?”
“Dylan,” Casey sighed, wondering if he could ever be serious.
“It’s a good thing I love bossy women, huh?” He shot her a smile that had Casey’s frustration melting away as she returned the gesture with a small twist of her lips.
“Women?”
“Woman,” he corrected himself before going to his knees. “I love you, Casey, and would be honored if you would agree to spend the rest of your days letting me show you just how much.”
“That’s better.” Casey nodded. That’s just what she wanted to hear.
Not to be outdone, Josh went to his knees as well and gazed up longingly at her. “I love you, too, Casey, and would be honored if you would agree to let me spend the rest of my days proving to you just how much.”
“And that is perfect.” Everything was perfect. Sauntering past them and up the steps, she paused at the top to glance back down at them and smile. “Now I’m going to go take a nice, long bath. The two of you can join me after you both put those rings away because I expect a better proposal than one where I had to pick up the takeout.”
With that, she turned and sauntered into the house, smiling as she heard both her men rush to follow her. Lana had been right. This was only the beginning of her education.
THE END
WWW.JENNYPENN.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I live near Charleston, SC with my biggie, my dog. I have had a slightly unconventional life. Moving almost every three years, I’ve had a range of day jobs that included everything from working for one of the world’s largest banks as an auditor to turning wrenches as an outboard repair mechanic. I’ve always regretted that we only get one life and have tried to cram as much as I can into this one.
Throughout it all, I’ve always read books, feeding my need to dream and fantasize about what could be. An avid reader since childhood, and as a latchkey kid, I’d spend hours at the library earning those shiny stars the librarian would paste up on the board after my name.
I credit my grandmother’s yearly visits as the beginning of my obsession with romances. When she’d come, she’d bring stacks of romance books, the old-fashioned kind that didn’t have sex in them. Imagine my shock when I went to the used bookstore and found out what really could be in a romance novel.
I’ve worked on my own stories for years and have found a particular love of erotic romances. In this genre, women are no longer confined to a stereotype, and plots are no longer constrained to the rational. I love the “anything goes” mentality and letting my imagination run wild.
I hope you enjoyed running with me and will consider picking up another book and coming a
long for another adventure.
For all titles by Jenny Penn, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/jenny-penn
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
