Well, whatever he had agreed to seemed to make her happy. When she released Daniel, she sighed, grabbing her purse. “Thanks, guys. I genuinely appreciate this. It is getting late. Daniel, do you mind taking me home?”
“No problem, angel,” Daniel said, shooting daggers at him as he got to his feet. As they all walked to the front door, Micah kissed Kelly on the cheek as she reminded him of their meeting next week. After nodding and agreeing not to miss it, she walked out onto the front porch, and that was when Daniel rounded on him.
“You stupid fucker! When I get back, you and I are gonna have a conversation. So do not even think about dipping into the whiskey tonight. I need your ass sober, so when I beat the shit out of you, I want you to feel every fucking punch,” he finished, slamming the front door behind him.
Micah stood there, looking at the solid oak door. He heard Daniel’s truck roar to life as the sounds of crunching gravel let him know that they were on the move. None of that mattered, because, for the life of him, he could not remember what he had just agreed to.
Shit. He was a dead man.
* * * *
Daniel was fuming. He was going to kill the son of a bitch. How could he agree to such a ridiculous, retarded, asinine idea? It was one thing to protect her and make sure she was safe on her stupid dates, but to agree to her ridiculous idea.
Fuck!
For over a year, he sat in that drafty community center room listening to his fellow brothers in arms address whatever came into their heads. On occasion, he, too, would talk, but he was only there for one thing and one thing only, to see his angel.
When he first laid eyes on the tiny sprite, she was running late, bursting into the room like a Texas whirlwind. Her cute little mouth ran a mile a minute as she profusely apologized for her tardiness. All he could do was just smile.
There was something about a pretty girl with corn-silk hair pulled back in a ponytail and wearing a cute summer dress with sandals on her little feet. It was in that moment, everything in him changed.
He no longer cared about putting in the proper “talk” time just to get that certification stamp that he was once again fit for duty. Gone were the thoughts of returning home to his beloved Texas. He missed the hot, sultry nights, the rolling tumbleweeds, and the casual way of life, but it would take a Texas tornado to uproot him from Treasure Cove. Nope, the moment she twirled her way into his life, he was a goner.
He wasted no time after that first meeting to claim the lovely angel, even going as far to threaten each and every one of his friends with disembowelment if they even thought about claiming her for their own. Nope, she was going to be his. He wanted her, and nothing was going to stop him, except him.
Yep, for the last year he did nothing.
Every time Daniel thought of a way to approach Kelly, he would immediately stick his foot into his mouth and look like a bumbling buffoon. Oh, the other men in the group got plenty of laughs where Daniel was concerned, but that did not stop him. Daniel figured he needed a relaxed approach, and that meant he did absolutely nothing.
He attended every meeting without failure, helped when needed, spoke when asked, and he even participated in some of her crazy therapy trust exercises. Yep, he was the dutiful, reliable Marine she could always count on. What he did not count on was her coming to depend on him as if he was a friend.
Things just went downhill after that. Then, Micah showed up with all his brooding and quiet indignation. At first, Daniel would admit he did not like the lieutenant. Could not stand the man and the way he would smile at Kelly. However, after careful observation and weeks of patrolling Micah’s home with his sniper rifle, just in case she showed up in the late hours, Daniel figured if he could not beat ’em then join ’em!
That was six months ago.
Since then, he and Micah had formulated the perfect operation, divide and conquer!
All was going well until they got word that Mrs. Emma Quinn was setting their lovely therapist on blind dates, and that was when they decided to move up their timetable. There was no time for chance meetings at Macie’s Diner or impromptu grocery store visits. The time for a planned seduction was at an end.
The mission was a go, go, go!
Then, in a matter of minutes, all that they had worked for was gone. All because of one stupid cocksure dickhead, who could not get his prick to stop talking.
What the fuck!
“I know you guys are doing this for me. I hope I won’t be too big of a burden. Maybe I could help you guys in return,” Kelly said, breaking the silence in the cab of the truck. Daniel smiled, looked over at the object of his affection, and wanted to scream at the top of his lungs that he loved her.
“Don’t worry about it, angel,” he muttered, turning down her street.
Treasure Cove sure was a lovely place to live, he thought as he passed all the cute little Victorian homes. All the yards, cut to perfection with white picket fences, looked like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. This was a place where love and families grew. Turning into her driveway, he put the truck in park.
Hopping out, he walked around the front and opened the door for her, helping her out. After walking her to the door, he stood silently as she fished through her purse for her keys.
“Would you like to come in for some tea?” she asked, opening the front door and turning on the lights. Daniel shook his head no and did a quick survey of the room, making sure everything looked good. “No, I need to get back. If you need anything, angel, you have my number,” he said, and then as if he could not stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Quickly stepping back, he felt his face heat and turned, heading for the truck.
He did not dwell on her lovely scent, or her blush he saw when he stepped back. Nope, all he could think about was thousands of different ways he was going to kill Micah.
Chapter Three
Kelly was sitting in a booth near the back of Macie’s Diner, looking at a large piece of plum pie. A favorite of hers since childhood, Macie made the special pie just for her, and she knew it. This was not her normal pie that she ate when visiting the diner. This was her thinking pie. Every time she ordered it, she would take the large slice, topped with whipped cream, and sit in a back booth to think, and that is exactly what she was doing today.
Her nerves were a jumbled mess.
Last night did not end as she thought it would. The blind date was a disaster. Then Daniel showed up, and everything went downhill after that. She could not believe she let it slip about her private drawer. What Micah and Daniel thought of her, she had no clue, but freak was probably at the top of that list.
Then to go and ask them what she did was just the icing on the cake.
“I am so stupid,” she muttered, eating a forkful of pie. She still could not believe the words came from her mouth. It was not like her to blurt out something so stupid before even thinking about it first.
It was unfortunate enough that she was a bum magnet, but to ask the two men who she secretly loved to pretend to date her, just so she did not have to date anymore, was insane. How in the hell was she going to be able to be around them without showing her true feelings?
Impossible!
She knew it. Hell, anyone who actually knew her knew that she wore her heart on her sleeve. Nope, she was just going to have to tell them she changed her mind. Besides, she could not actually date them. That was against the rules. She was their therapist. Well, not really, but she volunteered for the group, listening and helping the veterans in any way she could.
Her license would not arrive until next month, and she had until then to come up with a way to fix this mess. She had finished the required hours needed for her internship, thanks to Doc Jenkins. Just thinking about her time at Denver Memorial sent shivers down her spine.
That was the only time she ignored her inner warning system, and she paid dearly for it. After that incident, she arranged everything with Doc and headed home. It took longer for her
to fulfill the requirements, but she had done it. She was a licensed psychologist, and next month she would finally hang out her shingle over a door.
The idea of helping people always made her feel better. When she heard about the opportunity to help the veterans group, she jumped at the chance. To her, those were the real heroes in the world, and if they needed someone to listen, then she would gladly do so.
That is how she met Daniel Meyer. She had just started with the group when Emma returned, and at first, Daniel was quiet and highly volatile. He barely spoke, and when he did, it was usually one-word sentences. Nevertheless, over time, he warmed up, and now he was an entirely new person. Full of energy and mischief, he was always the one to start the group talking and eager to befriend the new members whenever they arrived. However, for her, the first time he smiled at her, she was a goner.
Oh, she knew back then she was walking a slippery slope. He needed help, and she was there to give it. Yet, she could not stop her mind and body from reacting to him whenever he was around. When she almost acted on her desire for him months ago, something in her made her stop, and ever since, she had conscientiously made the effort to keep her distance. Of course, that was until last night.
Looking back, she knew what stopped her, Micah O’Brian. When he walked into the meeting, just the sight of him stole her breath. Tall, tanned, and harboring grief so deep, she wanted nothing more than to wrap him in her arms and make everything better for him.
It took her weeks to get Micah to open up about his accident. When he did, his anger was fierce. She knew to expect his anger, and when all that pain turned to despair, she talked him through that. He was now at the point of acceptance, and that was where he had been for the last month. Micah could not accept the accident for what it was, for he blamed himself. In time, he would, but it was getting him to that spot that was going to be the hardest, but none of that mattered if he did not show up to the meetings.
After Daniel had come to her rescue, she had no problem going with him to see Micah. Of course, she did not know that the two were living together. That was a surprise in itself. The two men had awakened desires she had never known were in her, and she went willingly to their home.
That was when she had a massive brain fart! Alone, in a house with two handsome men, who sent her body into overdrive. Add in the horrible blind date, then being rescued by one of the objects of her affections, and well, she lost it.
And, boy, did she lose it.
Kelly was woman enough to admit that just maybe she offered up too much personal information, but damn it, her nerves were all over the place. When she got into Daniel’s truck, she had to endure the smell of him the entire trip, and then to put Micah in front of her… Shit, a woman could only handle so much.
So yes, she started babbling like a freaking idiot.
She was also woman enough to admit what when her mouth started running it would not stop. She let everything go, in full glorious Technicolor. Nevertheless, if that was not unprofessional enough, she had to go and encourage the biggest harebrained scheme on the planet, and they agreed! What in the hell was up with that?
No, she thought to herself. She could not do it. She would not do it. It was a mistake. There was no way on this planet was she going to be able to be around Daniel and Micah, and pretend to date them both without getting emotionally attached. It was not going to happen. She was just going to have to explain to both of them that she had been rambling, and she’d needed to vent. Then she was going over to Emma’s and tell her matchmaking cousin “no more!”
Yep, that was what she was going to do.
Taking another bite, she smiled, congratulating herself on her ability to solve the mess she had gotten herself into.
“And what has finally put that smile upon your face, sweetheart?”
Kelly looked up and smiled as she stared into the warm, caramel eyes of Macie Owens as the older woman took a seat before her.
“Just figured out what I need to do, that’s all.”
“And that put that grin on your face?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Kelly smiled again, finishing her pie.
“Well then, you better keep smiling, dear, because I just saw two devilishly handsome soldiers jump out of a vehicle, and if I am correct, they’re headed in your direction.” Macie grinned.
Just then, the bell above the diner door chimed and in walked Daniel and Micah.
Oh God, they looked like sex on a stick, she thought as the sauntered lazily toward her. Her mouth was dry like the desert. Her panties dampened, and her stomach began to flutter like a hive of buzzing bees.
This was not acceptable. She should not behave this way every time they were near. It was not healthy, nor was it right. Resolved to her decision, she shook off the unwanted feelings and braced herself. She knew what she needed to say, and she would do it. It was the right thing for all concerned, and there was no time like the present.
“I’ll leave you three alone,” Macie whispered just as Daniel and Micah arrived at the table. Macie made a quick getaway, and before she could say anything, Micah grabbed her arms, pulled her from the booth, and kissed her, right there in front of God and everybody.
Oh sweet, merciful heavens, Kelly thought as she melted into Micah’s arms. His soft warm lips felt like down pillows as he nibbled and sucked on her lips, but when his tongue began to play against hers, all thought fled. The kiss, so sensual, so seductive, so forceful, curled her toes. He dominated the kiss, and she willingly submitted to him. Lost in a blaze, her body warmed as he pressed her closer to him, inhaled her as he deepened the kiss.
Thoughts of erotic foreplay and threesomes filtered into her head. Two men, licking her, kissing her, and devouring her as she writhed beneath them. The haze of her mind swirled, and suddenly she was bucking between them as they pounded their cocks into her pussy and ass. A soft moan escaped, and then her body exploded like a nebula in space.
Sagging into him, his grip tightened as he lifted his lips from hers.
Panting, Kelly just clung to Micah, trying desperately to catch her breath.
Her vision blurred as she tried to make sense of what just happened, but had no time for thoughts as Micah quickly turned her. Before she could say a word, Daniel grinned. “My turn, angel.” And his lips descended.
Possession.
He possessed her. That was the only word she could formulate as Daniel’s searing lips heated her soul. Gone was the reason why she should not be doing this as she held his arms and he deepened the kiss. His kiss did not last as long as Micah’s but was no less dominant. When she finally caught her breath, she looked at the two men and gasped, for pure lust shone in their eyes and made her pussy quiver and her heart stop.
They wanted her and not in a “will you be my friend” kind of way, but from the look in their eyes, they wanted to strip her naked, eat her alive, and fuck her until the sun went down.
Stumbling back into the booth, Kelly could not take her eyes from them. All man, Micah and Daniel were more than any one woman could handle.
Oh, lord, what had she gotten herself into? she thought as Daniel and Micah sat across from her. Neither of them said a single word, but the smug grins on their faces spoke volumes.
“Why did y’all do that?”
“It was your idea, honeybee. We’re just jumping in with both feet,” Micah informed her.
He was right. This was all her idea, just because she hated going out on blind dates. Why she even suggested it, she did not know. It was wrong. She should have known this was not going to work.
“Look, angel. I know that look. You are worried. Don’t be. We can handle it. All we ask is that you stay honest with us. If you meet someone, we will walk away no strings attached. Besides, you have to admit, you have dated some real winners lately,” Daniel said sarcastically.
“We get it. You need a break, and well, we would like to go out and do things without having all the strings of a relationship. It’s a win-win situation,
” Micah said, leaning back.
Kelly looked at them both and wondered if it could work. Could they spend time together and deceive the town that they were together when they were not?
Not bloody likely! Her heart was already in love with both of them. If she went along with this stupid idea of hers, it was only going to be her heart that broke, and she would not be able to take it.
Looking away, she whispered, “I can’t do this. I’m sorry I even suggested it.”
“Why?” Micah asked, leaning closer to her with his elbows on the table.
“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“You won’t hurt us. We already know what we want. What do you want, honeybee?”
“I want…” she mumbled and then looked out the window, into the bright sunshine. That was a legitimate question. What did she want? Nobody ever asked her. They just assumed.
“All you have to do is say it, angel,” Daniel coaxed.
“I want…” she whispered, doubtful that if she actually said what her heart desired it would happen. Her whole life she had done what others wanted, and never complained. This was new for her. She startled when Micah took a hold of her hand and squeezed.
“What do you want, Kelly?” he whispered softly. His gentle voice soothed her nerves. She did not realize how nervous she had become until that moment. Turning to look at them, she smiled. “I want to have some fun.”
The two men before her smiled brilliantly.
* * * *
After Daniel came home last night and ripped his ass a new one, Micah spent the majority of the night trying to figure out a way out of this mess. No matter what he came up with, the thought of not seeing Kelly every day was too much for him to handle, and in the end, he decided it was better to wallow in misery with her than pine away like a lovesick fool.
Of course, when he explained the idea to Daniel in the morning, his best friend was not too happy about pretending, but agreed that spending time with her was better than nothing. In the end, that was all that mattered.
Kelly's Heroes [The Men of Treasure Cove 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 4