“And I’ve always had my family here, but I’m here for good now because I was tired of running. Tired of trying to be happy with what I had when I knew I used to have better.” Rafe grinned. “Plus my mother wants grandbabies and wants them near her so coming home only made sense.”
Ian choked. “Grandbabies?” Jesus. Were they at that stage? He hadn’t even spoken to Sassy other than a few words and none of those had been the true apology she’d deserved.
Rafe threw his head back and laughed. “Grandbabies as in what all mothers—especially my mother desire most of all. You and I both know we are nowhere near ready to even think about that. Though, you know, we aren’t getting any younger.” He said that last part with a wicked grin on his face and Ian rolled his eyes.
“Let’s take this one thing at a time, shall we?” He moved away from the counter and went back to his stool. Rafe followed after he poured them each coffees.
“Shit, I forgot I got up to get coffee in the first place. Thanks.” He took the mug and sipped. “My head doesn’t seem firmly attached to my shoulders at this point.”
“You’re adorable when you’re flustered,” Rafe said and batted his eyes.
The coffee Ian had just sipped burned going down the wrong pipe and he coughed, his eyes watered. “Please, don’t ever do that again,” he laughed, wiping up the mess with a nearby dishtowel.
“You know you love me,” Rafe said then closed his mouth as if he’d said too much.
Ian put down his coffee and the towel, then stood again so he was near Rafe. He widened his legs and Ian slid between them needing to be close. The hair on his arms stood on end as the heat and tension in the room rose, but he ignored it, his focus solely on Rafe.
He traced his finger over Rafe’s bearded cheek then ran his hand over the other man’s head, the short hair sliding between his fingers.
“I do, you know. Love you. I never stopped. Not really. I loved the man you were and from what I’ve seen, I love who you are now. I know that once we find out who we are since we’ve grown that I’ll fall for you even more.”
He licked his lips, scared as all hell that he’d just laid it out there plain for Rafe to see. He’d never said the words before. He’d been too afraid of what he was becoming to be honest with not only himself, but those around him.
Things were different now. If he was going to jump from that ledge he was going to do it on his own terms and put everything he had into it.
There was no holding back now.
He watched Rafe’s throat work as the other man swallowed hard. He wasn’t sure Rafe was ready for the words or the meaning behind them, even though Rafe had been the one to start it all, and decided to give the man some peace.
Or at least as much peace as he could give.
Rafe’s eyes darkened, his breath quickened as Ian lowered his head. Their lips brushed and Ian groaned, missing the feel of the other man’s mouth beneath his. He licked the seam of Rafe’s lips and his lover opened for him, groaning as well. Ian deepened the kiss, their tongues colliding, their tastes mingling. He drew back slightly to nip at Rafe’s lips, soothing the sting with his tongue, then went back to the kiss he’d craved since Rafe had walked into his New York office with a plan.
He cupped Rafe’s face needing to bring the man closer. Rafe’s thighs tightened around Ian’s waist, forcing him to rock his hips slightly at the pressure. Rafe pulled back with a gasp and Ian trailed his lips along the other man’s neck, needing more, demanding more.
Rafe’s hands went to Ian’s ass, cupping him and Ian rocked harder, his cock tenting his sweats, brushing along Rafe’s stomach.
Though they’d had each other in every way possible before, Ian knew they were going too fast right then. They needed Sassy to complete what they had and they both wanted to wait. Reluctantly, he pulled away, leaning his forehead against Rafe’s.
They both breathed heavily, and Ian had to close his eyes for a moment to catch himself. God, he’d missed the way Rafe tasted, the way his kisses were always slightly rougher than what they had with Sassy. He loved both ways, and when the three of them came together, it was always so fucking explosive Ian could barely keep up.
“I…I’ve missed that so much.”
Ian opened his eyes and drew back, turning to the sound of the cherished voice that did not belong to Rafe.
“Sassy…” he breathed, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
She gave him a small smile, her hands clasped in front of her—the demure pose so unlike Sassy it startled him. Rafe stood beside him, almost knocking Ian over in his rush. Ian shifted slightly so Rafe had room, but still was touching him hip to hip.
“I’m sorry. I let myself in. Your doorman seemed to remember me and let me up.”
Ian blinked. He had one of the nicer lofts in New Orleans and the doorman had been working for his family for over twenty years. Of course, the man would have remembered Sassy.
No one forgot Sassy.
Ian took a deep breath and nodded. “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad he let you in.” He could feel the blush creeping up his neck at what she’d walked in on. She might have said she’d missed it, but did she feel left out?
“Don’t look like that, Ian. You either, Rafe. I was never jealous of what you two shared. Just like how you two were never jealous of what we shared with each other. God, guys. What you two just did? That sweet yet sexy-as-hell kiss? It meant everything to me. You guys used to hold back with each other at first, and it always killed me when you did that. But to see the two of you kissing and feeling that warmth from it makes me feel like the reason I’m here is okay.”
Ian blinked then walked around the bar so he could be close to her. He felt Rafe on his heels and liked knowing that as he needed the man’s inherent strength that Ian didn’t seem to possess at that moment.
“What are you saying?” Rafe asked.
She looked between them both and took a deep breath. “I’m saying that I’m willing to stop hiding from what we were. I’m not saying I’m ready for a full commitment like what I think you both are saying, but I’m willing to take things one day at a time.”
Relief slammed into Ian so hard he almost fell to his knees.
Rafe took a step forward and Ian almost followed but Sassy put her hand up. “Give me two weeks.”
“What?” he asked.
“Two weeks where we just do coffee and maybe dinner. We can find out who we are now. I don’t even know what you both do for a living. Not really. Give me two weeks where we don’t touch, kiss, or give into the heat we all feel. I want to make sure that we actually like the people we’ve become rather than the people we were.”
Ian nodded, liking that idea. Things were moving too fast as it was. He was a planner and liked to have all his facts before he made a decision. Though he seemed to have already made one with his heart, the time to think would be good for his brain.
“Anything you want, Sass,” Rafe whispered. “Just hear us out.”
She gave them a shaky smile then rolled her shoulders back. “I hope you two know what you’re in for. I’m The Sassy after all.”
Rafe snorted. “There’s a story behind that, isn’t there?”
She smiled full out and Ian went weak in the knees again. “Of course. That’s just one thing you’ll have to learn.”
If it took him a hundred years, he wasn’t sure he’d ever find out every nuance of this woman, but he knew he’d do everything in his power to make it happen.
This was their second chance and he wasn’t going to lose it.
Chapter Four
What was two weeks of celibacy compared to the months she’d been sex-free before this?
Sassy groaned and knocked her head against the wall. Well, considering for the past two weeks when she wasn’t at the shop she’d been tied to Rafe and Ian, the lack of sex might just kill her. She’d not had sex with them for ten years; what was two more weeks?
Okay, so she hadn’t exactly been in their
vicinity for those ten years, so it made it easier, but still, she was a grown woman who could handle her urges.
Barely.
She was a confident, modern woman, so it wasn’t out of character for her to take care of her own orgasms when she felt the need. It was just a coincidence that Rafe and Ian happened to be the center of her sweaty, naughty fantasies when she let her hand fall between her legs.
Damn it, she needed to stop thinking about sex and everything that came with it. Her nipples were constantly hard, and she was pretty sure her knees would go weak at just the thought of one of the men touching her.
She was not a weak-kneed school girl, and she refused to allow herself to become one.
In the two weeks since she’d walked in on Ian and Rafe in the kitchen going at each other like there was no tomorrow…
No, she couldn’t think about the way the two of them had melded together in heat. She had to remain at least somewhat cool when the men arrived. If she looked all hot and bothered, they’d know.
They always knew.
It had been two weeks of coffees, dinners, and the occasional lunch with Rafe and Ian. She had been for coffee with Ian, to dinner with Rafe, and out with both of them, too. She liked that they were learning each other on their own as well as together. Plus, she knew Rafe and Ian would want to be together as well. It was always the three of them, even when they had their individual relationships as well.
She’d loved getting to know who the men were now, though she knew they were going to have to delve into the past again. If this - whatever this was - was going to work, they would have to overcome those barriers.
Barriers she’d helped put into place all those years ago.
The knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts and she shook her head. After she smoothed out her dress, she opened her front door.
The zing that shocked her body just from seeing them never failed to amaze her.
They stood side by side, both dark in looks and in temptation. Ian had left his hair down, the sexy black strands brushing against his shoulders and begging for her touch. He shaved because of his job in the high-visibility world of real estate, but tonight, he’d left some scruff that made him look even more dangerously sexy.
Rafe too had a beard, but his was a bit longer. His honey eyes smoldered as he took in her body and she held back a delicious shiver.
Two weeks of casual dates with these two hadn’t been enough.
Today was the end of that time limit she’d given them all. She would hold herself back from jumping them and rubbing all over them like a cat in heat for one more night.
Maybe.
Ian grinned at her and she blinked. Damn it. She loved when he smiled, and he didn’t do it nearly often enough. “Are you going to let us in, Sassy?” Ian asked, his voice a raspy promise. “Or should we stand in your doorway for our date? I don’t know as I’d mind that much considering I love the way you look in that dress. Those long legs of yours look fucking sexy, and I know they’d look even sexier wrapped around my waist. Rafe’s as well.”
The little moan that escaped her lips didn’t surprise her, but the matching one from Rafe’s did. It seemed both men were just as horny as she was.
Two weeks of temptation might have been a good idea for her heart, but her body wanted more.
Now.
She moved back, speechless, and annoyed with herself for being so.
She was The Sassy.
She was not an innocent little girl who couldn’t speak around men.
She just happened to be acting like one at the moment.
Damn them both.
Rafe and Ian strolled into the room looking like jungle cats with all their sleek muscles. Ian wore a perfectly tailored, obviously custom-made designer suit that probably cost more than she made in six months, while Rafe was considerably more laid back and wore nice, high-end jeans and a button-up shirt. They were so different from each other, but the alphas living beneath the surface—and sometimes right out front—made her want to tilt her head and bare her throat, ready for her men to have her at their will.
And enough of that. “So, what’s the plan today? It’s the first time all three of us have a day off together.”
Both men had taken the entire day off rather than waiting for an evening activity. She’d also taken the day off at Midnight Ink with everyone’s enthusiastic encouragement.
Apparently, she’d been a little more snippy than usual.
It wasn’t her fault she was deprived and moody.
Okay, so maybe it was partially her fault, but a woman never ‘fessed up to that.
Rafe leaned against her couch while Ian stood beside him, his gaze on hers. “Rafe and I didn’t have set plans other than to walk around the historic district. It’s been awhile since either of us lived here.” He winced and Sassy felt bad for him. Referring to their shared past was like walking through a minefield.
She shrugged it off and walked to the kitchen, needing something to drink before they headed out. “I’m up for anything y’all want to do.” And at this point, she might just mean, anything. “I’m getting a glass of water. Want one?”
Rafe shook his head. “If you don’t want to head out, we can stay here and hang. I know we haven’t had much time to spend together just the three of us in private.” He walked toward her, following her into the kitchen area. She had an open space so all three of them could see each other no matter where they stood as long as they didn’t go to the bedroom areas.
“It’s hard to talk about the serious topics in public,” Ian added and Sassy’s hand clenched her glass.
Good. They were going to talk. Get it out in the open.
It was about fucking time.
“I’ve said I was sorry before, Sassy, but damn it, I’m so fucking sorry I walked away when I did.”
Ian’s confession startled her, the blunt words slicing through the lazy morning and bringing her back to the past. They’d already said their apologies but words weren’t enough. They all knew that.
What the hell was she doing?
“This is so weird!” Sassy said as she put the glass down and threw her hands up.
Rafe blinked, but Ian didn’t move.
“Don’t you see that?” she asked. “We’re grown ass people taking things slow like it’s a fucking business deal and we’re not talking about what matters. What the hell are we doing here?”
Rafe stood and strode toward her. “We’re finding each other again,” he said simply.
“We’re forming a relationship,” Ian added.
“Why are we doing this? Why now? Why can’t I just quit you both?” The last part slipped out and she closed her eyes. She hadn’t meant that, not really, though it needed to be said.
Rafe cupped her face in a swift movement, the hard palms and calloused fingers tightening with great care.
“Why are we doing this?” he whispered. “Because we want to. Because we need to. We were a damn good thing ten years ago, and I know if things had been different, we would have made something of it. Can’t you feel the chemistry between the three of us? Can’t you feel the heat? We can’t ignore that just because we’re scared. That would make us fucking cowards. And you, Sassy, are not a coward.”
Ian came up from behind her like he used to do all those years ago. His hands rested on her hips while his lips slid against her ear. “I’m scared too, Sassy. I’m so scared that we’ll fuck this up again because we don’t know what we’re doing. But you know what? We’re older now. Maybe even wiser. We’re going to learn from our mistakes and be together again. It’s what I want. It’s what Rafe wants. And I hope to God it’s what you want too.”
Hadn’t she told them this was what she wanted? Because she damn well did. Just because she wanted it, didn’t mean it would be good for her.
She pulled away, needing air. She didn’t like this wishy-washy version of herself and she knew if she didn’t tell them exactly what had happened before, she couldn’t m
ove on.
“When I left you both, I had nowhere else to go,” she started.
“Sassy…” Rafe’s pained voice forced her to shake her head.
“Let me tell you what happened first. I need to get this off my chest. Then we can move on. Because, know this, I wouldn’t be here with the both of you if I didn’t want it. But what I want and my state of mind, it seems, are two different things.”
“Then tell us, Sass,” Ian said.
“I guess I should start earlier. You both know where I came from.” God, she hated this part, but if she didn’t start there, they wouldn’t understand. She barely understood. Her men nodded. “I’m the Bordeaux princess. Or at least that’s what my dad told me growing up.” She gave a soft sigh, but it wasn’t because of fond memories. Oh no, there weren’t many good ones when it came to her father.
“I had everything I could have wanted, nice clothes, a nice house, fancy schools. We were old money.” She spat the word and risked a glance at Ian. He too came from old money and merely nodded in understanding. “I was supposed to finish high school and go to college so I could have my degree to put on a pretty gold plaque on the wall of my husband’s office like my mother had. I was supposed to marry the man my father chose for me who would have furthered his business and political plans. Then I would have two perfect children who would be raised by nannies, and I would lunch with other women of my ilk and never smile at the wrong person and never entertain an inappropriate thought.”
“That wouldn’t have been our Sassy,” Rafe interrupted and Sassy smiled.
“Damn straight.” She ran a hand through her hair and looked at a particular bright red streak. “Can you see this up in a bun or me wearing pearls?”
Ian cleared his throat. “I can picture the pearls.”
Her pussy throbbed and she held back a moan. “Don’t change the subject.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for later then.”
Damn the man.
“Anyway, I didn’t want all of that. I’d known it since I was ten, and yet I stayed there under my father’s thumb for another five years.” She closed her eyes, trying to fight off the memories. “God, I hated him. I don’t know if I do anymore since he doesn’t mean anything to me now, but I hated him then. Don’t get me wrong, he never hit me, but he would have if he thought it would’ve worked.”
[Montgomery Ink 00.5 - 01.0] Box Set Page 11
