Smooth Operators [Clandestine Affairs 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)
Page 17
“Well then, I think I have a plan.”
* * * *
Two days later Fergal and his buddies watched Briana being interviewed by the Courier’s leading feature writer. She conducted him all over the lodge, showed him a lot of her photographs of the local wildlife, flora and fauna, and explained her plans for the place. She couldn’t say too much about Greg and his multifarious scheme since a court case against him was pending. Fergal knew the reporter would join the dots and that his feature would have the environmentalists up in arms.
Briana’s little piece of paradise was safe.
Their job was done, and Fergal knew they had no reason to linger. Even so, they spent another week finishing Briana’s roof and helping her knock the inside into shape. Harley helped her create a website advertising the place, again using her own photographs as promotion.
Every night they carried on with her erotic education. Her sensuality and vigorous enthusiasm continued make dents in Fergal’s battered heart. He knew his buddies expected for him to pull out of the area any day. He could sense that Briana expected them to leave as well. There really was no reason for them to stay.
Except there was every reason.
“Guys,” he said one afternoon when Briana was running errands in town. “We need to talk.”
“About fucking time,” Harley said, grinning.
When Briana returned home, Gus already had supper cooking. Once they’d eaten, Fergal led Briana back into the great room, but instead of the sex games she’d probably been expecting, he sat her down.
“We need to talk,” he said, repeating the words he’d said to Gus and Harley a few hours earlier.
“About what?” she asked, sharing a glance between the three of them. “Are you leaving?”
“Well, we do need to—”
“I realize that. I’m grateful that you’ve stayed for so long, but I know you have a business to run back in Columbia Falls.”
“That’s true, and—”
“You don’t need to worry about me anymore.” She was no longer making eye contact with any of them, and Fergal dared to hope that was because she didn’t actually want them to leave. It was hard to tell with Briana because she played her cards close to her chest. Presumably that was the result of growing up with no mother and an absentee father. “Everything’s on track here. I’m already receiving tons of inquiries from the website and the newspaper articles and really, I—”
“Shut up, Briana.” Fergal took her hand. “We’ll leave if you really want us to, but we were rather hoping you’d ask us to stay.”
“Stay!” Her eyes flew wide open and finally her gaze locked with Fergal’s. “But what about—”
“We can lead treks here just as easily as we can in Columbia falls—”
“And we can teach punters to dive in the lake,” Gus added.
“We thought you could offer walks for those who are into photography,” Harley said, briefly touching her cheek.
Fergal nodded. “With our combined skills the four of us could make a real go of this place.”
Tears slid down her face. “Thanks, guys, I appreciate the offer, really I do, but it wouldn’t work.”
“Why not?” all three of them asked together.
“Well, if you want to know the truth, I love all three of you equally.”
“That’s good to know. We weren’t sure how you felt about us,” Fergal said, “but we all love you.”
“Ah, but it doesn’t work that way. One woman could never keep three hunks like you happy for long, and I’d rather part with you all now than experience the agony of seeing you with other women.”
“And just what makes you think you couldn’t keep us happy?” Gus asked. “You’ve done a bang-up job of it so far.”
“Oh, come on, Gus, I just happen to be convenient.” She looked away, tears shimmering. “A permanent relationship is a different matter altogether.”
“Some bastard really knocked your self-confidence,” Fergal said softly. “I know Stone blamed his own inadequacies on you but what did that jerk in Florida do to you, honey? All you’ve ever said is that it didn’t work out.”
She hesitated for a long time before responding. “He dumped me for another girl on the project, if you must know. A slimmer, sexier girl.”
All three of them laughed. “Then he was a jackass, and you’re better off without him,” Harley said.
“You are sex on legs, darlin’,” Fergal said. “Never doubt it for a moment.”
She still seemed reluctant to accept what they told her was the truth. “You all really believe that?”
“What do we have to do to convince you that we love every inch of you?” Harley asked, grabbing her shoulders.
“Even my freckles?”
“Especially those,” Gus replied. “My personal favorites are the line across your belly, just above—”
“Military guys are different,” Fergal said. “We all enlist for different reasons but once we’ve seen combat we’re never quite the same again. Hell, some of the places we’ve been and the shit we’ve witnessed, we’d be freaks if it didn’t affect us. Bottom line, all of us want a normal family life but none of us are prepared to go it alone. We need you to make us whole, normal human beings again a damned sight more than you need us.”
“We’re damaged goods, darlin’,” Harley added. “And only you can make us whole.”
“Will you do it, sweet thing?” Fergal asked. “Are you prepared to take the chance on us making you happy for the rest of your life?”
Tears streamed down her face when the enormity of what they were asking clearly struck home.
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”
“Never more so,” Gus replied for them all. “We want to build a life with you.”
“We want to grow old with you,” Harley added.
“Then I’d be a fool to turn you down.”
“We’ll make sure you never regret it,” Fergal said.
She nodded, tentatively at first, and then so hard her head must have spun. “Yes!” she cried. “Yes, please.”
Epilogue
Three Months Later
“Hey, look at this,” Raoul said, beckoning Zeke over to his computer.
“What you got, bud?”
“See for yourself.”
Zeke looked over Raoul’s shoulder at the photo of their three former Montana operatives. They appeared fit, tanned, and sported goofy grins as they formed a protective semicircle around Briana Redmond.
“They sure do look happy.”
“Fergal says they’re all set to open their lodge and are booked up already a year in advance.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah.” Raoul stretched his arms above his head. “But remind me not to send our best operatives to rescue ladies in distress again. That’s twice now that they’ve finished up getting permanently involved, leaving us with gaps to fill in our organization.”
“Can’t hold it against the guys if they’ve found what they’ve been looking for.”
“Still, it’s a pain in the ass, having to train their replacements.”
Zeke slapped Raoul’s shoulder as they headed for the door, preparing to do precisely that with the half-dozen guys they’d selected as possible new recruits.
“And you enjoy every moment of it, buddy. You can’t fool me.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Still,” Zeke mused. “Doesn’t it make you wonder if we’re missing something? I mean Fergal, Gus, and Harley were confirmed bachelors. I’d have bet good money that no one woman could ever keep them happy. Looks like I was wrong.”
“And your point is?”
“Just sayin’,” Zeke replied mildly. “Perhaps we’re missing out.”
“Feel free to look any time you feel the need,” Raoul said. “Me, I’m perfectly happy as I am.”
Zeke rolled his eyes. “Sure you are, buddy. Sure you are.”
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Zara Chase is a British author who spends a lot of her time travelling the world. Being a gypsy provides her with ample opportunities to scope out exotic locations for her stories. She likes to involve her heroines in her erotic novels in all sorts of dangerous situations—and not only with the hunky heroes whom they encounter along the way. Murder, blackmail, kidnapping, and fraud—to name just a few of life’s more common crimes—make frequent appearances in her books, adding pace and excitement to her racy stories.
Zara is an animal lover who enjoys keeping fit and is on a one-woman mission to keep the wine industry ahead of the recession.
For all titles by Zara Chase, please visit
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