“Because we want strings,” Simon said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. “We want strings with you.”
The tiniest spark of hope flared to life in her chest, but she ignored it.
John stared into her eyes. “Strings and neckties and handcuffs.”
“Rings,” Simon murmured against her ear.
The spark grew brighter and almost impossible to ignore. But she tried.
“Whatever will keep you with us,” John added.
She shook her head, standing stiffly between them. “I don’t want to be with you.”
The words sounded like the lie they were. She refused to yield and sink into their embrace, but she couldn’t bring herself to shove them away, either.
“You can drop the act,” she said. “Your account is safe. We have a signed contract. I’m not voiding it.”
“Fuck the contract,” John bit out, frustration and anger evident in his voice and the tension tightening his body against hers.
“We love you,” Simon said.
She rapidly shook her head, heedless of the tears that welled in her burning eyes and slipped down her cheeks.
“If we have to give up the contract to prove it to you, it’s gone,” John said. “Hell, we’ll even give all of the work we’ve done to another company and let them take the credit.”
Simon tightened his grip around her. “John’s right. All that’s important is how we feel about you…and how you feel about us. I know you’re outraged and hurt, but I believe you love for us the same way we love you.”
“I love you, Cat. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me,” John said.
She swiped at a fresh rush of tears, unable to quell the hope that threatened to take root in her heart.
“And I know Simon feels the same way,” John added.
“I do,” Simon whispered. “I love you.” His lips brushed her temple. “More than I have the words to express. We’d planned to tell you on our weekend away, but…plans changed.”
John’s lips quirked, but the slight smile didn’t quite reach his anguished gaze. “Yeah. Our plan was to present a brilliant campaign that would knock your socks off…professionally speaking, of course.”
She couldn’t stop the tiny snort that escaped.
“But that plan changed when you walked into the conference room last month. Please don’t shut us out now.”
With difficulty, she pulled from their arms and walked to the door.
“Cat?” John called, worry heavy in his voice.
At the same time, Simon demanded, “Where are you going?”
She might be the biggest idiot on the planet, but she believed them. And more importantly, she loved them, too. She’d already sacrificed too much to get where she was. She wouldn’t sacrifice them and this chance at happiness, too. She just hoped she didn’t live to regret it.
She put her hand on the doorframe but couldn’t quite bring herself to turn around and face them. She’d never gotten nervous no matter how big the presentation. Until now. Her clammy hands trembled, and butterflies slammed into each other in her stomach.
“My plans changed, too,” she said, her voice shaking slightly. “After what happened, I’d planned to never see either one of you again. But you’re right.” She paused and turned around. “I do love you. Both of you.”
The tension and worry faded from their faces as she gazed at them. They both wore almost identical expressions of cautious hope.
“So like I was saying, my plans changed.” She reached behind her and threw the deadbolt lock on the door. She felt the clunk of the tumbler mechanism in the pit of her stomach, the sound echoing the gravity of her decision. “I’d like for us to try again.”
Before she’d even crossed the room, they were there, kissing her, taking turns devouring her as if they’d never see her again. She could almost taste the desperation and need on their lips. It mirrored her own.
John cleared the papers and files from her desk with a quick shove. “I’ll make it up to you,” he promised when she raised her eyebrows at him.
Simon lifted her to sit on the edge. “We both will,” he assured her. “You won’t ever regret it.”
Taking a breath and shoving aside the remnants of her hurt feelings and shrewish defenses, she melted into her two men, willing to take a chance and let them into her heart.
Epilogue
Eleven Months Later
Blindfolded, Catherine held John and Simon’s hands as they led her along the uneven terrain. She could tell from the fresh scent of the air and the sounds of the waves that they were somewhere along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
“You guys remember we’re supposed to be at Dad’s at six for dinner, right?” It was Bianca and Cameron’s anniversary and apparently, they had big news they wanted to share. Not that it was too difficult to figure out what that might be.
“We’ve got time,” John said.
“Okay, but you know how B gets when her plans are thwarted.”
Simon laughed. “She should take a lesson from her older sister about being more flexible when it comes to plans.” He nuzzled her neck. “Actually, come to think of it, her older sister’s pretty flexible when it comes to a lot of things.”
Catherine laughed despite of herself. The last year with these two had been the best of her life. And every day, she realized she loved them a little more.
They guided her to a stop. “Okay. Are you ready?” John asked.
She nodded, and they pulled off her makeshift blindfold—Simon’s tie. Squinting, she blinked at the storm clouds gathering over the lake. To either side of them were deserted stretches of land. Nothing but water, sand and dune grass as far as she could see. She took a deep breath remembering the last time they were on the beach when a storm rolled in.
“So what do you think?” Simon asked.
“It’s beautiful.”
“How would you feel about living here?” he asked.
She grinned. “Might be a little cold in the winter…”
John smacked her on the behind. “Smartass.”
Simon grinned, but he looked a little nervous. “We’re thinking of buying it and building a house for the woman of our dreams.”
“The woman we’d like to be our wife,” John added, his dark eyes shining.
“I know it’s not a conventional proposal, or a conventional relationship, but will you marry us?” Simon asked.
Emotions tumbled through her—nervousness, surprise, happiness. Happiness won. They might not have the typical relationship, but it worked for them, and in the end, that was all that mattered.
Nodding, she met each of their gazes. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes.”
Simon kissed her deeply, before John spun her to face him and claimed her mouth. When he finally lifted his head, he met her eyes while Simon locked his arms around her waist and nibbled at the side of her neck.
“We can start looking at house plans as soon as you’re ready,” John said. “But we insist on one thing.”
“What’s that?” she asked, too happy to care too terribly much about specifics.
“The gazebo goes here,” Simon said, his voice growing rough with arousal as his cock prodded insistently against her ass.
She shivered with anticipation, squirming between her men.
“And it’s gonna have lounge chairs big enough for all of us,” John added.
Lifting her lips, she kissed him before turning to kiss Simon, and shrewdly deciding it was doubtful they’d make it to B’s party on time.
About the Author
Bronwyn lives in Michigan with her wonderful husband, two amazing sons and five somewhat-psychotic cats. When not tormenting her characters, she can usually be found helping with reading and writing projects in her sons’ classrooms as well as being the car pool mom extraordinaire for seven teens. Besides writing, she also enjoys reading, knitting, sewing, cross stitching, pottery, drawing—basically anything that helps her avoid the tortures of cleaning
and cooking.
Bronwyn loves to talk to her readers and can be found at www.bronwyngreen.com.
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