Because You Love Me

by Mari Carr

  She laughed. “Great. More examples of why the country beats the city. Can’t wait.” She looked at Rodney, hoping she’d convinced him to go. “Sounds like a fun night. What do you say, Rodney?”

  He was quiet for a moment, then he sighed. “I say what’s for dinner? I’m going to need some nourishment before I make an ass of myself at the lanes.”

  Jacob laughed. “I took out some chicken. Thought I’d make curry.”

  “Damn,” Rodney said, rubbing his stomach. “That sounds good.”

  Jacob looked at his brothers. “Why don’t the three of you clean up while Rodney and I get supper going? Bridget, you can use the bathroom in the guest bedroom if you want. I bet you’re itchy after spending all that time in the barn.”

  He wrinkled his nose as he said the word barn. Bridget laughed. “The ranching gene sure missed you, didn’t it?”

  Jacob didn’t take offense. “I figure it hit two of the four of us. Caleb’s no fonder of the ranch than I am. Fifty-fifty’s not so bad, although my dad might have disagreed.”

  Jacob’s comment about his father sent a string of questions running through her mind. There was so much she didn’t know about Matt and Mark that she was curious about. Hell, she sighed. She wanted to know everything about them—their histories, their dreams, their desires, their bodies.

  She pushed the image of her two cowboys away. It was an illogical, impractical dream. She couldn’t have both of them and she couldn’t choose. Better to keep things light and easy. “I’d love a shower.”

  Jacob started down the hallway, leading her to the guest room. “I’ll grab a pair of sweats and T-shirt from Jessie’s dresser. She won’t mind you wearing them. It’ll save you having to put your dirty clothes back on.”

  After popping the question the night of their Valentine’s Day feast at the inn, Caleb had whisked Jessie off to Colorado for an impromptu vacation to celebrate. According to Jacob, they weren’t due back to the ranch for three more days.

  “Thanks, Jacob.”

  “Sure thing. Hey, is your brother seeing anyone in New York?”

  She grinned. “Wow. That was pretty direct.”

  “I learned a long time ago that the best way to get an answer is to ask the question.”

  “Spoken like a true journalism major.” She’d had to stop herself several times from talking shop with Jacob whenever he mentioned some article he was writing or something one of his online professors had said. She missed her writing terribly. Watching Jacob tap away at the keys on his laptop had left her more homesick than anything else these past few weeks.

  “I’m not going to lie, Bridget. I like Rodney. A lot. But I get the sense there’s something holding him back. Keeping him from taking a chance with me. I figure there must be someone else.”

  There was someone else, she wanted to say. Her. He was holding true to his promise to protect her, to keep her safe. “There’s no one else, Jacob.”

  Jacob looked relieved and confused by her response. Then she watched both reactions replaced by sadness. “Oh, well, I guess maybe it’s just me he’s not interested in.”

  “No,” she said hastily. “That’s not it at all. Rodney really likes you. I can tell. It’s just we’re on vacation. I’m sure he’s hesitant to start something because of the distance. I mean, what if you guys hooked up and it was truly wonderful? It would make leaving that much harder.” Her words were spoken on her behalf as much as Rodney’s. She could easily let herself fall into Mark or Matt’s arms, but where would that leave her when the time came to return to New York?

  Jacob shrugged. “Seems like a poor excuse.”

  “What?”

  “We only get one shot at this life, Bridget. I’m definitely not letting geography dictate where I’m allowed to find my happiness. Might have to explain that concept to your brother tonight over root beer floats.”

  “Love at the bowling alley?” she teased.

  “Nothing classier. I’ll go grab you those clothes.”

  Jacob left her alone. Rodney wasn’t the only one depriving himself a shot at true happiness. If there was one lesson she should have learned in the past year, it was that life is precious. Fate was handing her a chance for something better, something richer, and she was throwing it away by blaming timing and distance and a crooked judge for her loneliness. There was only one person holding her back and that was herself.

  Walking to the guest bath, she started tugging off her shirt. What if her destiny, her happiness was here, on this ranch in the middle of Nowhere, Wyoming? Her problems were still going to be here in the morning, but what happened in a month—after she’d testified?

  Where would she be then?

  She turned on the water, letting it heat up. Stepping beneath the steaming jets, she let the water soothe her sore muscles.

  She was too tired to think anymore. Tonight, she just wanted to be. To feel.

  Tonight, she wanted to take a chance.

  The only question was…with who?

  Chapter Five

  Mark stretched out, leaning back on the couch. Bridget was nestled between him and Matt. They’d eaten far too much at dinner, in addition to polishing off an entire bottle of wine and most of another. He was completely relaxed and thoroughly happy.

  They’d opted to watch True Grit—a movie he’d wanted to see for months. For some reason, it couldn’t hold his attention. It wasn’t a bad movie. The problem was every fiber of his being was focused on the slim, tall beauty lounging by his side.

  So much for their grand seduction schemes. He and Matt had thought they’d plead their own cases, make their own moves and then let her choose. Instead, she’d blown their plan out of the water, asking to spend the day with both of them. Ridiculous as it seemed, her choice pleased him. He’d enjoyed today much more than his day alone with Bridget—which had been great. For some weird reason, it seemed more natural when they were all together. Crap. He needed to lay off the wine.

  Bridget sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. Mark savored her closeness and decided to expand on it. He lifted his right arm and wrapped it around her shoulder. He glanced over at his brother. He expected to receive a dirty look. Instead, Matt gave him a friendly grin, before his brother reached down to lift Bridget’s feet on to his lap. She didn’t resist, turning to her side slightly and moving into the new position with ease. Mark shifted sideways as well, opening his legs so that Bridget could settle between them, reclining against his chest. He watched his brother pull off the clean socks Matt had loaned her when she complained that her feet were cold. Matt began rubbing her feet and Bridget released a pleased groan.

  “That feels so good,” she whispered.

  Mark took advantage of her complacency, wrapping both arms around her waist, loving the feel of her weight against him. He and Matt were tall men. It was unusual to find a woman who fit them so well. Bridget’s height was perfect—the top of her head coming to his chin. He wouldn’t have to bend over far to find her sweet lips.

  The moment the thought crossed his mind, Mark wanted to act on it. Instead, he simply cuddled her, soaking in the soft scent of shampoo in her hair. None of them even pretended to watch the movie. The dim lighting, the comfortable couch, the wine—all of it worked together to wrap them up in a cocoon of warmth. Time passed slowly as Matt continued his gentle rubbing of Bridget’s feet.

  She sighed blissfully, playing absentmindedly with Mark’s hands where they lay on her stomach. Slowly, Matt moved his massage upward, his hands creeping along her shins and then higher, to her thighs.

  Bridget’s breathing grew shallower, more labored. Mark could feel the desire growing in her body as she began to gyrate slowly, her hips tantalizing the now-apparent erection in his pants. There was no way she could mistake what she was rubbing against with her slight movements.

  Unwilling to remain a casual observer, Mark began his own gentle caresses. Lifting the edge of Bridget’s T-shirt, he dragged his fingers over the soft skin of her stomac
h and waist. Bridget sucked in a deep breath, but didn’t reject either of their stroking explorations. After a moment, she sighed, laying her head on his shoulder and releasing a soft moan.

  Mark was more turned on then he’d ever been in his life. He wondered what his brother was thinking of this. He watched Matt’s hands as they traveled closer to the juncture of Bridget’s thighs. Christ. This was quickly reaching a point of no return.

  He looked up at Matt’s face, captured his glance. Mark tried to convey his concerns. They were traveling down an uncharted path.

  Matt gave him an easygoing grin that in most circumstances would have annoyed the shit out of Mark. Tonight, right now, the smile felt right, comforting, encouraging.

  Even so, there was a small part of him that couldn’t let things go any further without asking permission. He knew Bridget wasn’t drunk, but she’d definitely had enough wine to take the edge off.

  “Bridget,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Hmmm.” She was completely relaxed. He’d never seen her so peaceful or at ease. While the past three days had cemented in his mind that something was definitely wrong in Bridget’s world—she still jumped at shadows and she’d visibly begun to shake after their old ranch truck backfired—she’d yet to confide in them.

  “Are you okay with this, darlin’?”

  She turned her head to the side, glancing at him over her shoulder. She nodded once. “Yeah, I am. Are you?”

  Leave it to Bridget to worry about his response to the unconventional dilemma they were currently in. “Yeah. I’m good. How about you, Matt?” he asked, looking up at his brother.

  Matt leaned forward, shrinking the distance until all three of them breathed the same air. Mark had shared a room with this man for his most of his younger life, the two of them only opting for separate bedrooms a few years earlier. There were no secrets between them, but this.…

  This moment was changing something, altering some solidly accepted norms in Mark’s life.

  Matt kept moving until his lips were a fraction of an inch away from Bridget’s. “I’m good,” his brother whispered. “But I’m not finished. I want more.”

  Mark wasn’t sure if his brother’s words were meant as a warning or if he was simply stating the facts.

  “I want more too,” Bridget confessed. “But this is, I’ve never, I don’t know how—”

  Mark chuckled. “It’s new to us too, Bridge. We’ll find our way together.”

  Matt placed a quick, soft kiss on her lips. Then he moved away once more. As he drifted back to his spot on the couch, Matt grasped the waistband of Bridget’s sweatpants, pulling them and her panties off in one fell swoop. Bridget stiffened slightly as Matt lifted one of her legs, pulling it to the opposite side of his waist. Then, she opened them even further, throwing her other leg over Mark’s. It gave Matt enough room to kneel between her open thighs.

  Mark lifted his hands, rubbing her tense shoulders to relax her. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured in her ear.

  The words and caresses seemed to soothe her. Her body went soft once more.

  Matt’s hands stroked the inside of her thighs and Bridget shivered. Her body was heating up and she was definitely becoming more aroused with each pass of Matt’s hands on her skin.

  Bridget and Mark both stilled as Matt’s fingers advanced on her pussy. They barely took a breath when Matt ran a single finger along the slit between her legs. Then Bridget gasped, her hips thrusting slightly, seeking more.

  Matt looked at their girl and winked. “She’s soaking wet, Mark.”

  Mark chuckled. “I trust you know what you’re doing down there.”

  His brother’s gaze drifted to Mark’s face rather than Bridget’s. Mark had never seen such pure, genuine happiness there. Then he realized he felt the same way.

  “Tell you what, bro. You let me worry about the below the waist regions. By the way, are you going to sit there all night or were you planning on hopping in?”

  Bridget giggled at Matt’s joke. “I love being with you two. I’m sure there’s something wrong with that, but I’ll be damned if I can make myself care.”

  Matt winked at her. “There’s nothing wrong with this.”

  Matt touched her once more, his finger stroking her clit until Bridget was writhing uncontrollably in Mark’s lap. Her ass continued to brush against his cock until Mark thought he’d lose it right then and there.

  “Please,” she pleaded.

  “Please what?” Matt asked. “Please this?” He thrust two fingers into Bridget’s pussy. Her head reared back roughly against Mark’s shoulder.

  Unable to watch and not be a part any longer, Mark shifted slightly to one side. Twisting Bridget’s face just enough that Matt could continue his ministrations, Mark gripped her hair and claimed her lips. She didn’t resist, didn’t try to pull away. Her breathing was heavy as Matt continued to fuck her with his fingers.

  Mark thrust his tongue into her mouth, relishing the spicy combination of curry and red wine on her lips. She was delicious.

  Retaining his grip on her hair with one hand, his other drifted down to explore the one place neither he nor Matt had reached yet. He cupped one of her firm, full breasts. Bridget gasped and tried to break the kiss, searching for air. Mark couldn’t let her go. He pulled her lips back to his, pushing his tongue into the wet, warm cavern.

  Bridget responded instantly, returning his kiss. Her trembling body and soft groans told him she was enjoying the interlude. Twice, she gasped. Mark was tempted to peek at what his brother was doing that she liked so much, but he couldn’t force himself to release her lips to do so.

  After several moments of touching, kissing and groaning, Bridget pulled away.

  “God,” she cried. “I can’t take much more. I think, I can’t, I’m going to—”

  Each unfinished thought was interrupted by a gasp or a shiver. Neither Mark nor Matt needed to be told what was going on.

  Matt continued to thrust his fingers inside her. “I want to see you come, Bridget. I want to feel it on my fingers.”

  Bridget reached down, her fingers digging into Mark’s thighs. “I think that’s inevitable.”

  Mark shifted, so she was completely reclined against his chest once more. He gathered her close, taking her breasts in both hands, cupping them, squeezing and teasing her tight nipples.

  Matt pulled his fingers out for a moment. “Think you can take three?” He didn’t wait for an answer; rather, he upped the ante and resumed the play.

  Bridget bucked hard and Mark tightened his grip. She was likely to squirm herself right off the couch.

  “Oh my God,” she said loudly. Mark grinned. The three of them were wearing more clothes than they’d shed and it was still the hottest sexual encounter of his life.

  “Can’t. Stop.” Bridget’s hips moved faster, trying to claim more of Matt’s fingers. His brother increased the pace, the power.

  “So. Good.” The words seemed pulled from her chest and then she went stiff, her body reverberating as if struck. Her fingers tightened against his thighs and Mark knew he’d wear her bruises there tomorrow.

  Matt slowed his motions as Bridget’s orgasm hovered. Time seemed to stand still for a split second—all of them frozen in this amazing place. It was just long enough for Mark to understand the importance of what was happening. He’d turned a corner, found a new path, and there was no way in hell he was going back now.

  Then all the air seeped out of Bridget’s body. She was replete, spent, sated.

  Matt pulled his fingers away as Bridget lay lifeless against Mark.

  “I think she fell asleep,” Matt whispered.

  Mark twisted his head enough that he could see Bridget’s face. Sure enough, her eyes were closed.

  “Guess we wore her out.”

  Matt chuckled. “Yeah. Can’t imagine how though. I mean all she did was a hard day of work on the ranch, eat a big dinner, drink a couple glasses of wine and indulge in a little foreplay with two h
orny cowboys.”

  Mark tried not to laugh, afraid he’d wake her up. “Help me get up. I don’t want to disturb her.”

  Matt rose and lightly lifted Bridget off Mark’s chest. Once he’d managed to untangle himself from her boneless limbs, they lay her back on the couch. She rolled over onto her side, but didn’t stir. Instead, she seemed to fall into a deeper sleep.

  “I suppose you’re gonna want to talk about this.” Matt’s tone proved he was uncomfortable with the prospect of getting into a conversation.

  “Actually I’m not sure what to say.” It was the truth. The whole experience had caught Mark off guard. He wanted to suggest they sleep on it, but he knew he’d want the same thing in the morning that he wanted right now. He wanted Bridget. And he wanted to share her with his brother.

  Matt was visibly shocked by his response. “You’re not freaking out?”

  Mark shook his head.

  “You’re not going to analyze the shit out of this and give me a million reasons why it’s wrong?”

  Again, Mark shook his head no.

  Matt’s shoulders fell, and for the first time in his life, Mark realized he’d done something that shocked his brother. He’d spent a lifetime being the reliable one, predictable and boring to the end, while Matt was the loose cannon.

  “I’m not sorry about what happened tonight, Mark.”

  Mark turned to face his brother. Clearly Matt still expected him to balk. “I’m not either.”

  Unsatisfied, Matt pressed the issue. “I’m not stopping here. I want Bridget in my bed.” Matt paused, then added the words they both needed to hear, out loud. “In our bed.”

  Mark chuckled. “We don’t normally share a bed, Matt, or a room, for that matter.” They’d each taken their own rooms after their father’s death.

  “You know what I mean.”

  Mark was amused by the evening’s odd turn of events. Matt, always the clown, was suddenly too serious, while Mark couldn’t suppress his happiness long enough to curb the jokes. “I know what you mean. I think the term you’re looking for is ménage a trois. Or maybe you prefer threesome?”