For Her Pleasure

by Maya Banks

  care of her.

  Tears welled in her eyes and slid down her cheeks as they continued their slow movements. Half a year ago, she would have resisted any idea that they made love. She would have gone to her grave swearing it was just sex. But she’d been wrong. This was love. How could it be anything else when she stood at the center of two hearts?

  They were both such a part of her soul that she’d die before losing either of them. She couldn’t imagine being without them. Thank God, Mac understood that, didn’t allow it to threaten their relationship.

  “Why are you crying, baby?” Mac asked as he thumbed away one of her tears.

  “I feel so safe,” she whispered back.

  He looked into her eyes, his expression so serious. “I’ll never allow anyone to hurt you again, Kit. You are safe. Believe that if you believe anything else. I’ll protect you with my life.”

  She smiled as the tears fell even faster. Their motions stilled and they just laid there, all connected, Mac and Ryder deeply seated in her body.

  “I could stay this way forever,” she said.

  Ryder nibbled at her neck sending chills racing down her spine. “And I could taste you forever,” he said. “You have the sweetest skin.”

  “That she does,” Mac agreed as he bent to taste her himself.

  She sighed and let herself melt into their embrace. They would take care of her. Of that she had no doubt. It was a comforting feeling after everything that had happened in the last year.

  In the morning, they’d pack up and return home. She’d go back to work, and life would resume as normal. Only now Ryder was back, or at least she hoped he was. He’d promised her he wouldn’t stay away again.

  She smiled a small smile. She’d just have to make sure he didn’t wander too far.

  CHAPTER 7

  Ryder congratulated himself for the way he’d handled things since they’d returned from the beach. Nearly two weeks had passed, and he’d made it over to Mac and Kit’s four times, not that it had been a hardship to have sex with Kit, but each time he felt another piece of himself fall away in the process.

  Today he was working in the garage, piecing together an old Harley for a client who couldn’t accept that he’d turned the bike into road pizza.

  Usually, he could lose himself in his work. He liked working with his hands, making a beautiful machine from old parts and torn-up dreams. Today, though, he just couldn’t get into the process.

  A soft clicking sound alerted him to the fact someone had just walked into the garage. He looked up to see Kit standing there, tension radiating from her in waves. He could tell she was agitated, like something big was bothering her. But then she’d always run to him when she had a problem.

  He dropped the wrench and stood up, reaching for a towel to wipe his hands. Then he walked silently over to her and held out his arms.

  She rushed into them, burying her face in his chest. Worry plagued him. Had something gone wrong with Mac?

  “Don’t go crying now, darlin’. You know I can’t stand it when you cry.”

  She sniffled against his T-shirt. He sighed.

  “Come over here and sit down,” he said, directing her toward the worn-out couch a few feet away.

  She plopped down on the sofa, and he settled down beside her, turning so he faced her.

  “Now tell me what’s wrong.”

  “M-Mac . . . he asked me to . . . he asked me to marry him,” she said quietly.

  A fist knotted in his gut, just like someone had punched him. He sucked in his breath and tried like hell not to let her know how affected he was by her announcement.

  Married. Jesus. Mac was moving fast.

  He was pissed off and gut shot all at the same time. Mac should know better than to push Kit like this. She wasn’t ready for marriage and the whole shebang, and Mac ought to damn well know it. Hell, maybe she’d never be ready.

  He reached out a hand, wanting to touch her, then he pulled away. Touching her right now probably wasn’t the best idea. Not when he ached so goddamn much to have her as close to him as he could get her.

  Shit on a stick, this was a disaster.

  He willed himself to calm down and do what he’d always done. Be there for Kit. However she needed him.

  “And what did you say, darlin’?”

  His pulse sped up as he prepared himself for her response.

  She moaned softly, a torturous sound of someone in deep conflict. “I didn’t say anything.”

  Ryder blew out his breath. “Hoo boy. I’m guessing Mac didn’t take that too well.”

  “I don’t know,” she said miserably. “I left before he could say much. But no, he didn’t look too thrilled.”

  Ryder sat back and carried her with him, settling her against his chest in the crook of his arm. “So tell me then, darlin’. Do you want to marry him?”

  She got real quiet. So still in his arms that he could feel her heart beating against his side.

  “I s-suppose if I ever got married, I’d marry him. I mean I don’t object to marrying him, just to getting married period.”

  Ryder nodded his understanding. He opened his mouth to speak then snapped it shut. He wasn’t going to do it. He wasn’t going to try and talk her into something that might very well kill them both. Wasn’t going to be the good guy and speak up for Mac. Mac could damn well fight his battles himself.

  How on earth could he possibly speak positively of Kit getting married when it was the last thing on earth he wanted her to do?

  It was one thing for the three of them to share an intimate relationship when they were all single, but if Mac and Kit got married, not only would that make things awkward as hell, but it would also close the door to any hope Ryder ever had of being a permanent part of Kit’s life.

  Goddamn Mac. Damn him to hell. Why now? What had changed? Why was he pushing Kit to make a commitment above and beyond the relationship they had now?

  It wasn’t like he was afraid of losing Kit, or was he? Ryder had never seen two people more committed to each other. Why was he pushing for marriage, something he knew Kit was afraid of?

  “I’m being stupid, aren’t I?” Kit whispered, her voice muffled by his chest.

  Ryder stroked a hand over her hair. “No, darlin’, I don’t think you’re being stupid at all. Marriage is a big leap. Not worth rushing into.”

  “Kit.”

  Ryder looked up to see Mac standing across the garage. Kit pulled away from his arms and turned her eyes toward Mac.

  “Baby, we need to talk,” Mac said in a heavy voice.

  Kit stiffened, and Ryder could see the fear in her eyes. Fear of losing Mac. Ryder clenched his fingers into fists and looked away. Mac was a goddamn fool.

  Kit’s small hand curled around Ryder’s leg. “Thank you,” she whispered as she stood up from the couch.

  Ryder watched as Kit trudged over to Mac. She stopped a foot away, and Ryder could see the strain between them. He glared at Mac, letting the full brunt of his disapproval show.

  Mac returned his stare, bleakness dulling his expression. Ryder flinched. There was pain in Mac’s eyes. No ulterior motive. Just his love for Kit. Guilt weighed in Ryder’s gut like a bad case of food poisoning.

  Finally Mac put an arm around Kit and led her toward the door. Ryder watched them go, a sick feeling in his chest. If Mac convinced her to tie the knot, Ryder would be left standing in the cold.

  You’ll come, won’t you, Ryder?

  Kit’s anxious question echoed in his alcohol-dulled brain. Ryder set his beer down, adding to the growing collection of empty bottles.

  “Ryder, maybe we should leave,” Mia said in a low voice.

  He looked up at her and shook his head. “Nah, not yet. The happy couple hasn’t even made their announcement yet.”

  “You’re a fool,” Mia hissed. “I can’t believe you’re just going to stand by and let her go.”

  Her comment landed like a knife in the chest. Ryder glanced over to where Mac and
Kit stood by the bar, all wrapped up around each other and glowing.

  “Have you looked at them?” he demanded. “Do you see how fucking happy they look? I can’t destroy that, Mia. I can’t. No matter how much I love Kit.”

  Mia sat back in her chair and pushed a hand through her blond hair. She pinned him with those ice blue eyes of hers until he looked away.

  “You, my friend, are a coward.”

  He jerked his gaze back to her. “Fuck you.”

  She smirked. “You tried, remember?”

  Ryder ran a hand through his tangled hair and sighed. God save him from smart-mouthed women.

  “Look, little girl. I know you mean well, but you’re not helping here, okay?”

  “Why did you want me to come, Ryder?” she asked quietly. “Was it so they wouldn’t see you bleed? Was it to make Kit think you found a new piece of ass?”

  “I wouldn’t hurt her like that,” Ryder growled.

  Mia lifted one eyebrow. “You think showing up with a stripper won’t bother her? You think I haven’t seen how many times she’s looked over here with hurt in her eyes? If you don’t think she has feelings for you, Ryder, you’re smoking some fucked-up weed.”

  Ryder glanced over to where Kit stood, waiting at the bar for Mac to announce their engagement. Everyone knew what the party was about, but the official announcement hadn’t been made. For a moment, her eyes met his, and all the breath left his body. She did look hurt.

  Kit’s gaze skittered over Mia then back to Ryder, and the smile she’d worn for Mac just moments earlier faded. She turned away, but not before Ryder saw the uncertainty and anguish in her eyes.

  “See what I mean?” Mia spoke up.

  Ryder looked away from Kit and gripped his beer tightly in his hand. Goddamn it. He hadn’t so much as touched Kit since the day she’d come to the garage. He’d given her and Mac a wide berth as they’d sorted out their differences. Successfully it would seem since Kit had called him to ask if he’d come to their engagement party at the Two Step.

  Only from the looks of things, Mac was the only person who seemed happy.

  Mac held up his hands and shouted for attention. Ryder froze, unable to look away, as much as he want to. It was like a train wreck.

  The mixture of local cops, EMS personnel, rescue crew and the regular patrons of the bar quieted as Mac looked tenderly down at Kit and squeezed her to his side.

  “I’ve invited you all here to celebrate the fact that Kit has agreed to marry me,” Mac said with a broad smile.

  The room erupted in a chorus of cheers and whistles as Mac bent to kiss Kit. Ryder could see the hunger. Mac’s body language screamed possession. He was putting his stamp on her for all the world to see.

  Somehow, Ryder managed to get up and go along with the flow of well-wishers pushing toward the happy couple. When finally he drew abreast of Mac and Kit, he stood there, unsure of what to say or do.

  Mac stuck out his fist. “Thanks for coming, man.”

  Ryder stuck out his hand to meet Mac’s then turned his gaze on Kit. She stood there, biting her bottom lip, so much hurt and confusion in her eyes, it made his chest ache.

  “Who’s the woman?” Kit asked lightly.

  Ryder found himself saying, “Just a friend, darlin’, just a friend.”

  He pulled Kit into his arms and hugged her tightly. Beside him, Mac got pulled into a crowd of fellow cops as they knocked him on the shoulder and wished him well.

  “I don’t want things to change,” Kit whispered in his ear.

  He hugged her a little tighter before finally letting her loose.

  “But they will, darlin’. You know things have to change now. You’re getting married. You and Mac . . .”

  Tears pooled in her eyes and she hastily wiped them with the back of her hand. On a night she should be as happy as a woman could be, she looked downright miserable.

  Ryder cupped her chin in his hand and leaned down to lightly kiss her lips. “You know I’ll always be here for you, Kit girl.”

  His chest ached all the more as he uttered the words that might as well have been a brush-off.

  She looked away, but not before he saw a single tear trickle down her cheek.

  “You should get back to your friend,” she said huskily. “She looks lonely.”

  He opened his mouth to explain Mia again then closed it. Better to let sleeping dogs lie. Maybe if Kit thought he was involved somewhere else, it would make things easier all around.

  “Congratulations, darlin’,” he murmured before turning to walk away.

  Kit watched him walk back to the table where his blond bimbo sat, and tried to swallow the knot in her throat. Then the blond looked up at her, and Kit read sympathy in her eyes. Sympathy. God. Did she know about Ryder’s involvement with her and Mac?

  She closed her eyes and tried like hell to get rid of the hurt eating a hole in her chest. This should be the happiest day of her life. A man she loved more than anything stood at her side proclaiming to the world that she was his and that he’d stand by her always.

  On cue, Mac’s arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her against him. She tried to smile up at him, but knew she failed miserably.

  “What was that all about?” he murmured.

  She struggled with her feelings, with the overwhelming sadness. She wanted to laugh and play it off, but she couldn’t. Deceit wasn’t a part of her nature. She was too direct. Too blunt.

  “Did you tell him it was over?” she whispered.

  Mac frowned and his brows furrowed. “I haven’t said anything to him, baby. But . . .”

  He dropped off and looked away with a sigh.

  “But what?” she asked.

  He looked back at her, his eyes stroking over her face. “Kit, it wasn’t supposed to be forever. You know that, right? You and me, though. You’re mine. You’re going to marry me.”

  Kit closed her eyes and willed no more tears to leak down her face. When she opened them again, Mac studied her quietly, concern and uncertainty reflected in his face.

  She smiled then, knowing it was shaky, but still, she did. It nearly killed her when all she wanted to do was cry, but she wasn’t going to hurt Mac.

  “I’m yours, Mac. You know that. I just thought . . . I guess I didn’t expect it to end so soon,” she finished quietly.

  “I didn’t ask him to, baby. Maybe . . . maybe he’s met someone,” he said carefully.

  Kit jerked her gaze over to the table where the blond sat. Had he found someone? Why did that knowledge nearly flay her alive?

  “Yes, maybe he has,” she whispered.

  CHAPTER 8

  “Long time, no see, man.”

  Ryder stiffened then slowly looked up to see Mac standing beside the bar.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Ryder asked. “Kit will kick