by Vivian Ward
Taking the gift bag, I plop down on the bed next to Scott while Brett stands in front of us and the two of them watch me open my gift.
After I get the layers of tissue paper out of the way, I see something red in the bottom of the bag. Grabbing the fine material with my fingertips, I pull lingerie out of the bag.
It’s a gorgeous silk teddy with lace, and I love it.
“Wow! This is awesome, Scott. I love it,” I kiss him on the lips.
Holy hell.
Those lips! Oh my god! I’ve missed them so much.
“You’ve got another present,” Brett says, revealing a box.
“Where’d this come from?” I ask, taking it out of his hands.
“Oh, it’s been here. I was just being a gentleman letting Scott go first since he traveled so far,” he teases. “Open it up!”
Unwrapping the red bow around the box, I lift the lid and uncover a spectacular pair of fuck-me heels. They’re candy apple red with 6-inch spikes.
“Oh, I fucking love these!” I gawk at them.
They’re perfect.
“You know?” I say to them. “Why don’t you boys go out on the balcony and chat for a few minutes while I make myself more…presentable,” I smile at them, holding up my gifts.
“You don’t have to tell us twice,” Brett says, making his way toward the sliding glass door.
Once I’m finally ready, I take a glimpse of myself in the mirror and fix my boobs, so they look perfect in my new lingerie.
For turning 43, I look pretty damn fuckable.
I stride over to the bed and sprawl out on the duvet.
“Oh boys,” I call. “I’m ready and waiting.”
The smile on their faces tells me that we’re in for another fun night with a scorching threesome.
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Chapter 1
Holding my elbows tightly against my sides, I hope that it eases the rolling and churning sensation in my stomach as I board the plane. Sure, I have been back home once since I moved to Vegas five years ago, but Chesterfield, Missouri isn’t a place that I miss all too much.
One of the few things that I miss, aside from my father, is my best friend, Karli. She and I have been friends since the third grade and even walked together at our high school graduation ceremony, and it feels like ages since I’ve seen her or my dad.
Karli’s getting married to her other best friend, also known as her ‘better half’, Chris. He’s a good working man but he’s a bit old-fashioned. Although, in this day and age, old-fashioned can be a blessing in disguise. There aren’t many men who still treat a woman like a lady and give her the respect she deserves, but Chris does. He worships the ground that Karli walks on, and I’m happy for her. Truly happy.
I guess the timing of her wedding couldn’t have come at a better time for me either. She has wanted me to be one of her bride's maids since the day she got engaged, but I was always worried whether I’d be able to get off work since she was having her wedding in the summer. That’s typically a prime time for vacation, and with almost no seniority at my job, I figured I wouldn’t be able to make it home for her special day.
But that’s not anything that I have to worry about now. Not since I’m currently unemployed.
The clear blue sky promises a beautiful, easy flight home but it doesn’t help settle my nerves one bit. Not only do I have to begin preparing for a wedding to honor my best friend in the world, but I also have to face my dad and possibly at least one—or maybe both—of the Richardson boys.
Trent and Zack Richardson. The two names—the two men—who can make my heart skip a beat and make me cringe at the same time.
My dad isn’t as much of a big deal, though. I didn’t want to come home at first, but as expensive as my rent is in Vegas, I couldn’t sit around waiting to find my next job, so it seems like my only option is to come back home. I just worry about finding employment once I get there.
I worked as a croupier—or card dealer at the casino. My job was one of the most amazing jobs you could ask for. I got to meet new and exciting people, have some fun and a few good laughs and play cards all night.
All of that went belly up when our casino was bought out by a new company. A more ‘mainstream’ company who was equipped with all of their own employees came in and cleaned house. Of course, we found out with almost no notice.
When I initially told my dad that I was moving to Las Vegas, the first words out of his mouth were, “I’ll never see you again. Will I?”. It broke my heart to leave him alone in our condo, but I had to get away.
Dealing with Trent and Zack was beginning to take its toll on me, and I had started getting in way over my head. I don’t know how those two came from the same womb. They’re as different as fire and ice, and it definitely shows.
Since the day I’ve known them, they’ve always been competitive against each other. Two brothers who competed for everything—including me.
Especially me.
I tried my damnedest not to let them fight over me, but boys will be boys. There is no way that I could ever choose between them. We grew up together, and I am close to both of them. It would be like asking someone in hell to choose between water or ice. You would want both, but you know you can only have one.
Growing up, my mother was a maid for the Richardson’s, and my father took care of the landscaping and yard work. In addition to a generous salary, they allowed us to live in a mother-in-law quarters that was on the far west wing of their property so that I could go to one of the finest schools in the area.
Mr. Richardson was rarely ever around, but his wife, on the other hand, lived in the lap of luxury and spent all of her spare time at home. She was always friendly and included us with their family on holidays, special outings and treated us so well.
My family never felt like hired help. If anything, she made us feel like we were nothing more than extended family. She genuinely included us in everything because that’s the type of person she is. In fact, she even knows my birthday and would always have a gift waiting for me when I came home from school.
It is no surprise that I ended up with a crush on both of them as a young teenage girl. Anytime I had a problem with someone at school, or out on the street, they were both right there to take up for me. As long as those two were around, I never had anything to worry about; and it wasn’t just while we were kids.
“Thank you for flying with Mountain Airlines. If you look above, you’ll notice a seatbelt sign that will light up, signaling you to fasten your seat belts,” the airline attendant begins her speech as I buckle up.
Her entire body looks like it is nothing more than a pair of legs. I’d guess she is about 5’7” and there is no way she weighs more than a buck twenty. She fits the bill to the T for the type they like to hire as an airline stewardess.
I’ve always been jealous of women with long legs. I don’t know what my mother fed—or didn’t feed—me, but I stopped growing around the fourth grade. All of the other kids looked up to me, literally, when they talked to me, and I was almost as tall as my teacher.
Back then, I thought it was cool to be tall. Hell, I still do. The only problem is that everyone else grew and passed me up while I stayed the same height I’d always been.
I hate shopping in the petite section for all of my clothes. Even though the pants are supposed to be shorter, they still swallow me up at 5’1, ” and it drives me insane. There’s nothing like getting all of your clothes altered, so it doe
sn’t look like you shopped in the ‘regular’ section because heaven forbid that I be normal. Both Zack and Trent have always told me how cute I am being barely 5’1”, but I hate it.
After Miss Legs finishes her safety demonstration and spiel about what to do in the event of an emergency, the pilot gives us a brief announcement before the plane lifts into the sky. My stomach is still churning at the thought of facing everyone and everything when I return home.
Trent Richardson. The good brother.
What I mean by the ‘good brother’ is that he’s on the up and up. He’s legit, owns and runs an extremely lucrative investment property business and treats women like they’re God’s greatest gift. He’s romantic, thoughtful, charismatic and charming. If it weren’t for his brother, Zack, I would’ve gone out with him years ago when he first started chasing me.
But danger has a funny way of betraying a woman.
There’s something alluring, wicked and downright sexy about a bad boy. Zack’s always lived on the edge and flirted with danger—and me. At first, I thought maybe it was just sibling rivalry. You know, he wasn’t interested until his brother laid eyes on me? But with the way the two of them have fought about me, I realized long ago that it was much deeper than a simple case of jealousy.
“Ma’am, would you like a complimentary refreshment during your flight?” Miss Legs asks as she walks past my aisle.
She has the coolest New York accent and the sweetest smile. Damn it. I can’t even hate her for being tall and having a perfect body if I wanted to.
“No, thank you,” I offer a weak smile. “Actually,” I catch her attention as she turns away. “Could I have a Sprite or something to settle my stomach?”
You got it,” she smiles.
Zack is what you’d call sex on legs. He’s cool, calm and collected, even when he’s in a tough situation—and he loves to get himself into trouble. If I had to bet, I’d say that Trouble is his middle name. I can’t even count how many times his brother saved his ass while we were growing up.
“Here you go, ma’am,” the stewardess hands me a lime carbonated soda. “If you feel the need to be sick, the restroom is right there,” she says, pointing in the direction.
“Thank you.”
The problem I always had was choosing between the two of them. As a young girl, you can be easily influenced and persuaded, especially when you have two attractive men who are both well off and have always treated you like a queen.
How do you choose between a prim and proper business man or a rough, rugged, bad boy? I could never make that kind of decision, which was a big part of why I left in the first place. I know my dad wanted me to stay home with him, but I had to get away.
I needed to think for myself and figure out what I wanted in life. With the constant battling between the two of them and my dad weighing in on every decision I made, I couldn’t take it. I thought I was going to snap.
When things got too complicated at home, I started applying for jobs online. Not long after, the casino offered me a job, and that’s when I packed my bags and was on the first plane that would take me to Vegas.
Glancing at my watch, I see that we were scheduled to land at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in less than an hour. After chugging down my lime soda, I motion for the flight attendant.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but can I get a drink?”
“Another lime soda?” she asks sympathetically.
“No, a real drink. A drink-drink. How about a Sprite with vodka and a cup of ice?”
She checks her watch and tilts her head from side to side. “I’ll go get it for you, but we’ll be landing in about 45 minutes, so you’ll need to drink it quickly.”
“As bad as my nerves are, I don’t think that’ll be a problem,” I tell her.
I pour myself a drink over the cup of ice and gulp it down until every last drop of liquor is gone. Before I know it, Trent will be picking me up from the airport and taking me to the condo where I used to live with my dad. I don’t know what to expect once my plane lands, but I am going to make sure I am prepared.
When I called my dad and asked him to pick me up before I left, he said that he wouldn’t be able to because he had a doctor’s appointment with his specialist that he couldn’t miss. I offered to wait at the airport until he was finished, but he insisted that he would send Trent to pick me up.
Trent owns the condo my dad lives in, along with many, many others, so they speak regularly. Anytime I call him, my dad always brags about how well Trent takes care of him and how much they sit and visit with each other.
Stepping off the plane, the air feels supercharged as goose pimples break out all over my body, causing my hair to stand on end as though I am near a giant electric static ball—like the one at the Magic House that I used to visit as a child. Chills run down my spine even though it is spring and St. Louis is a warm 83 degrees.
“Wow! You look even better than I remember you,” I hear Trent’s familiar voice as I walk past security.
Turning to face him, I can’t help but smile. The corners of my lips instinctively turn upward when I lay my eyes upon his handsome face.
“Hi, Trent.”
Sweet Jesus!
Age has definitely agreed with him. His facial features are more defined, and his emerald eyes sparkle more now than I have ever remembered. And he appears…buffer, beefier, and sexier.
Someone’s been working out.
Zack has always been sex on legs, but Trent? He is giving Zack a good run for his money! As he walks closer to me and hugs me, a whiff of his rich cologne fills my senses.
His scent is the perfect mixture of sexiness. It might as well be sex in a bottle. Be still my heart.
“It’s so good to see you! Are you hungry? You must be starving. Let me take you out to lunch,” he flashes his pearly whites at me.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t. Besides, I want to get home before dad does and surprise him.”
He reaches out and grabs my hand, and his touch sends tingles through my sweaty palms. The sweaty palms that I was trying to hide.
It almost feels like my hand is being electrocuted.
“Your dad gave me very specific orders. If I recall, he said—and I quote— ‘Pick up my Joline, and take care of her. If she has even one complaint, I’ll call your mother.’ So, I’d like to make sure that you’re fed, happy, and comfortable.” He leans over and picks up my luggage. “Come on, I’ll even let you choose the restaurant.”
Chapter 2
Since I can’t make up my mind and choose a restaurant, he drives us to what used to be my favorite restaurant when we were in high school. I have no clue how he remembers that I enjoyed going there, but it’s one of the little quirks that I love about him. He has the ability to retain information that he deems important and will pull out that knowledge out of the bag almost on cue.
“Are you going to order your usual?” he teases.
“And what would that be?” I test his memory.
He remembered the restaurant where he, his brother and I would come almost every Friday night after school, but will he remember what I used to order? I don’t put it past him because knowing Trent, he’ll remember.
His lips pucker as he puts his finger on them as though he’s in deep thought, “Hmm. I’m going to say that chicken strips with onion straws and a chocolate milkshake are what you used to order. Am I right?”
Still cocky and confident as ever, a clever grin pulls at the corners of his mouth as he pleases himself with his answer.
Damn. He is good!
“Uh, we’re grown-ups now,” I laugh. “It’ll be a chicken sandwich with veggies on it with a side of coleslaw and sweet tea.”
“Is that right?” he folds his arms.
“I’m kidding. I’m totally ordering those chicken strips with onion straws.”
The two of us bust up laughing. It feels good to sit and laugh with Trent, and god does he give me butterflies! As the two of us eat lunch, I can’t get ove
r how mature he looks and his charismatic personality could sweep any girl off her feet. I look at his finger to see if there is a ring on it. Certainly, he’d be taken by now.
“Nope. Still single,” he catches me looking at his finger.
Heat begins radiating my cheeks before it spreads to my lady parts. I can’t believe he caught me looking and then commented on it! On a scale of 1 to 10, I am embarrassed about a twelve.
“I just…,” I shake my head and a nervous laugh escapes my throat. “Never mind.” His eyes look at me deeply as though he is trying to read my mind. “It’s just that I can’t believe you’re still single.”
He sets his fork down and folds his hands under his chin as he looks out the busy restaurant window.
“That’s because you left. I swear you’re as close to perfect as a man can get.”
Whoah! Is it getting hot in here?
The heat that I felt a second ago? It just got turned up about fifteen degrees. I want to reach into my glass of ice water and fish out a few cubes to rub on myself, but I don’t want him to think that I am doing it to seduce him. A light aching sensation starts pulling between my legs as I focus and zone in on his partially unbuttoned dress shirt.
Wonder if that hard, sexy chest matches his abs?
“I, uh,” I glance out the window to watch traffic with him. “We better get going.”
“But you’ve hardly touched your food,” he counters.
“I’ll take it home and eat it later.”
During the drive home, we reminisce about old times. Fun times. It feels relaxing and wonderful to sit and talk with him, and just hang out. Like really hang out. I almost feel like I am 19 again, a couple of years before I moved away.
“Remember that one time when you wanted to get back at the head cheerleader, so Zack and I drove you to her house, and we did a stakeout? We waited until her boyfriend snuck into her room and we just knew they were having sex and that’s when you called her parents and they caught her in bed with her boyfriend red-handed?” he laughs.