Freedom to Love [Freedom, Colorado 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Melody Snow Monroe

  Embarrassed by the not-so-typical direction of her thoughts, Holly lowered her gaze and drank half the contents in one gulp.

  Conner wrapped an arm around her waist and her breath caught. She looked up and saw the glint in his eye. Were they being nice because she’d helped them, or could it be they liked her—or at least Conner appeared to? She’d scoured tons of photos taken of the men at their casino, mostly at their grand opening, and they had women hanging on their arms in every shot. None looked anything like her.

  Her memory then latched onto the image of Wendy Anderson that she’d found in the paper. The woman had been lovely, with long hair and a slim face. The photo was in black and white so it had been difficult to tell her coloring, but both she and Wendy had a long, thin nose, wide eyes, and a too-broad mouth.

  “It’s a little noisy here.” Conner maneuvered her over to a corner where chairs had been set up in a small circle and guided her to a seat.

  Harper sat across from them with his arms folded across his chest whereas Conner leaned forward in the seat with his legs wide and his wrists dangling from his thighs. There was something about the man that instilled trust. Perhaps it was that Conner had given up his chance to go to law school so he could help out with the family business when his father had become ill, or how he’d hocked everything to buy out Jack Marr because the man sold drugs to kids. She admired both men for their high standards and strong work ethic.

  “Tell us what you like to do for fun?” Conner held her gaze.

  “Fun? What’s that? Since we started Freedom Securities Services, I’ve been rather busy.”

  “I think what Conner wants to know is if you’re more of a going-out-to-dinner person, a museum junkie, or perhaps you love the adrenaline rush from skiing or racing horses.”

  This time her laugh came out genuine. “Racing horses? Sure I like to ride, though I haven’t been in a while, but race them? Ah, no. I’m not a ‘take a chance’ type of girl.” She crooked her fingers around the three words.

  “Surely, there must be something,” Harper said.

  She had to wrack her brain to remember when, if ever, a man cared enough to ask her about her hobbies. From the way he was holding still, Harper appeared to want to know the answer. “As a kid in Alabama, I loved to climb to the highest hill and just absorb the beauty of the land, but when the weather made me stay indoors, I read and played video games. I still read and play on my computer, but that’s kind of a solo thing.” They seemed to want to know what they could do with her. She twirled her finger in her hair then lowered her hand, recalling the number of times her mom chastised her for that bad habit. “I do like movies, and in the winter I like to ice-skate though I’m not very good. In fact, scratch that. Watching me ice-skate would be like seeing a giraffe run across ice. It’s not a pretty sight.” There was an indoor rink just on the outskirts of town that had smooth ice and a railing to hold onto, but if she fell, she’d be so embarrassed.

  Conner reached out and grabbed her hand. His gaze hardened. “There’s one thing you need to know about us.”

  She stilled as his sudden shift from jovial to intense had startled her. “What?”

  He released his grip, and she returned her hand to her lap. “We really don’t like when a woman puts herself down.”

  Her heart dropped to her stomach. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize I was doing that.” She never stopped hearing the taunts—names like trailer trash, Olive Oyl, and geek on a stick—and her first reaction was to beat the mockers to the punch, as it took the sting out of their comments.

  Conner studied her for a second then tossed her a heart-pumping smile. He had dimples, but the one on the right side was deeper, giving his face a slightly skewed look. “That’s okay, baby.”

  For that moment, all the hatred in her memory disappeared.

  Harper looked over at Conner. “You know what Holly might like to do?”

  Conner looked like he was about to issue his cousin a warning. “What?”

  “Take a spin in the virtual reality station.”

  She remembered going to some expo and trying out a virtual reality game when she was maybe ten. It had been fun, but to her the characters had looked rather fake. Maybe now the technique had been improved. “I love playing video games.” You just said that.

  The men exchanged glances, but she wasn’t sure what the spark in their eyes meant.

  “Then, sugar, you are in for a ride of your life.”

  Chapter Two

  In trying to find an outfit that was flattering yet didn’t scream desperate, Holly had dressed and undressed at least five times. In the end, she chose to layer her tops because if she wore enough clothes, no one could tell she didn’t have boobs. She went with a slightly baggier pair of jeans, as the skinny ones made her look even taller. Not that the Conner or Harper would make fun of her for the way she looked, but the cruelty from high school had yet to leave her.

  Since she’d worn her hair down at the party, she left it the same for her date.

  Her cell rang, and Holly smiled when she saw who it was. “Hi, Nikki. Don’t worry. I’m not backing down.”

  She laughed. “Just checking. I bet your wheels were spinning though.”

  She lifted her shoulder to cradle the phone while she slipped on her right boot. “Oh, yeah? What was I saying to myself?” This should be good, though both Nikki and Dani knew her well.

  “You’re thinking there is no way two large, hunky men would be interested in a computer expert, so why should you waste your time?”

  That exact thought had run through her head, but she wouldn’t give Nikki the satisfaction. “Conner’s not like that.” Or so she wanted to believe. “He’s nice and really seems interested in what I like to do.”

  “What about Harper?”

  Her heart went out to him. “I think he’s still pining for his wife.”

  “Then it’s your job to get him over the hump.”

  Right. “I doubt I’m woman enough for the job.” From one of the pictures, Wendy had boobs, but it could have been that she was wearing something that made her look well-endowed. “Conner might be interested, but not Harper.”

  Nikki didn’t answer for a second. “You do realize the men share?” There was a catch in her voice as if her friend wasn’t sure how open-minded she was when it came to her own sexual habits.

  Her heart dropped to her stomach since she didn’t see Harper with any woman unless it was for casual sex, and if there was one thing about her, she only dated a guy—or in this case, guys—if there was a possibility of a long-term relationship.

  “I’ve never slept with two men before, but there is something sweet about Conner that I like and something dark about Harper that draws me.”

  Nikki chuckled. “I guess it’s like eating sweet-and-sour pork.”

  “Okay, that’s not an image I want to have.” She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “I have to go, girlfriend. Don’t want to keep them waiting.”

  “Call me tomorrow and tell me how it goes, but remember to keep an open mind.”

  It wasn’t her mind that needed opening, it was Harper’s. When Conner had called earlier, he said they wanted her to have dinner with them. As much as she loved the “them” part, she wasn’t convinced Harper would participate in the date.

  Not wanting to be late, she grabbed her purse and jacket and headed out. Because she didn’t want to inconvenience the men, she’d insisted on driving down to Black Hawk. It was a straight half-hour shot along 119 from Freedom to their casino. Besides, if she drove, it would be easy to leave when she wanted.

  She never gambled because she watched every penny, but tonight she wanted to loosen up a bit and enjoy herself so she’d set a fifty-dollar limit. That would mean she couldn’t have any of those expensive mojitos or even her usual wine when she was at happy hour next week with the girls.

  Since she knew nothing about blackjack and didn’t care for roulette, she planned to spend her time playing
the slots—after the men showed her their video game they seemed so excited about.

  Because it was a chilly May afternoon, she kept her windows rolled up, which kind of sucked because she adored the smell of the outdoors. Fresh air meant she wasn’t working in the back room of the neighborhood dry cleaners every day after school when she should have been exploring the world.

  Despite it being after five, the sun had yet to set, so she could at least enjoy the scenic view of the winding roads through the mountains. The return trip in the dark wouldn’t be as pleasant.

  Before she finished thinking about the date, the short drive ended. She slowed as she entered the quaint town. Black Hawk was nestled between two mountains, nearly ten thousand feet in elevation, and while most of the brick buildings were two or three-stories, there were some high rises, which she suspected belonged to the casinos or hotels. The street gave off a cozy vibe that she liked.

  Conner said the Mountain High Casino would be on Main Street, which ran parallel to 119. As soon as she turned onto the street, she spotted their casino a block away. It was hard to miss since the name was flashing in red and rimmed in neon yellow. She followed the sign for parking and eased behind the building. The lot was only half full, but she figured it was still early, especially for a Saturday.

  Holly sat in the car a moment to compose herself, mentally trying to have a positive attitude. Conner clearly stated that self-deprecation was an ugly trait. She agreed. Tonight was about seeing their world and chatting at dinner, but when the evening ended, would they give her a peck on the cheek goodnight, a handshake, or ask her to stay the night?

  Holly Jean Morganton! Her mom would be shocked and have totally disapproved at the thought of her having sex when she didn’t really know them. Holly was a little shocked herself, but she’d lived without a man for thirty years and she was tired of it, especially now that Dani and Nikki had found their true loves. Nikki had professed to be a hardcore single woman, but as soon as Garth and Zane had walked into her life, she’d melted.

  So why shouldn’t I be so lucky?

  Several giggling voices drew her attention to three young women getting out of a sports car. Despite it being fifty-five degrees outside, they were dressed in high heels, short skirts, revealing tops, and what she might loosely call jackets. As they headed into Conner and Harper’s casino, Holly decided she had no time to spare and jumped out of her car.

  She clutched her small purse that held not much more than lipstick, her phone, keys, and credit card and then locked the door. If she’d had a bulky bag, she might have to set it down and that was asking for trouble. Her mom made that mistake once and lost a week’s worth of food stamps.

  When Holly entered Mountain High Casino, her breath caught. She didn’t live under a rock and had been to casinos twice before, but those weren’t nearly as classy as this one. She could now see why both men had little money in their bank accounts. They must have poured all of their profits into keeping the casino updated and clean.

  A polished wooden bar sat along the north wall, and gaming tables upon gaming tables ran down the center of the high-ceilinged room. Slot machines bordered both sides. While music played and women in scantily clad outfits flitted about, it was the sounds of dice rolling, roulette wheels whizzing, and slot machines clanging that drew her attention. The glitz wasn’t lost on her. This was a place where people came to win big. She ignored the comment Nikki made about how much nicer The Golden Nugget—the casino was where her soon-to-be adopted son’s mom worked—was in comparison to this one. To Holly, the Mountain High was high class.

  Conner had told her to find the information desk and ask for their office. She didn’t have to walk more than twenty feet when she spotted the fortysomething-year-old woman who manned the welcome desk. Her nametag read Glenda. She was dressed in a tight, low-cut black sheath, had spiky purple hair and wore lots of make-up.

  When Holly approached, the woman looked up, ran her gaze from Holly’s head to her feet, and smiled. “You aren’t Holly by any chance, are you?”

  Was she that distinctive? Holly didn’t know whether to be creeped out or flattered. “I am.”

  The woman’s smile spread even wider. “If you go past the bar, the second door on your left is Conner and Harper’s office. They’re expecting you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Holly took her time taking in as much of the sights and sounds as she could, checking out the elegant bar and the people sitting there. Most looked like they could be tourists, but she didn’t like to draw conclusions without more facts.

  At the second door on the left, she knocked then entered.

  “Hey!” Conner grinned, jumped up from behind his desk, and came across the room to greet her. The office was rather small, but the Oriental rug on the hardwood floor added a nice touch. He could have used something on his walls to spruce up the place, but everything was in order, which said a lot about the man. Behind the desk sat ten monitors displaying the casino floor, but the sound was either muted or didn’t exist.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her close, and when he kissed her, she stiffened. The greeting was brief perhaps because he felt the tension running through her. As soon as the shock wore off, her pussy dampened her panties. What was that all about? Not that she hadn’t been turned on by a man before, but she wasn’t the instant-lust type of gal. Instant? She’d spent a more than a week learning everything about them. Besides, he was kind.

  And don’t forget he likes you.

  Those arguments satisfactorily explained her attraction.

  He tugged on her waist again and drew her attention back to him. “Harper is in our new wing. Well, the wing itself isn’t new, as it used to be a space for conferences, but we decided to turn it into a game room. Come on. He’s dying to show it to you.”

  Harper wanted to show her, or was it really Conner’s idea? Then she remembered that Harper had been the first to mention the virtual reality station.

  Conner led her to the door and held it open. “There’s a company that’s trying to revitalize virtual reality games, and they want us to test their prototype and find all their bugs before they bring it to market.”

  The words “bugs” and “games” lit up her cerebral cortex. She loved challenges. “Sounds exciting.”

  “I hope everyone thinks so.”

  He escorted her across the area where the slot machines were jammed next to each other. Twice, someone stopped him to either discuss a problem or just to chat, but eventually he was able to break free. He grabbed her hand and let her through another door. On the wall next to that doorjamb sat a plaque that read “Game Room.”

  She entered. “Whoa. This looks awesome.” There were large screens suspended from the ceiling, dangling in front of either one, two, or three virtual reality stations. She didn’t have any idea who or what Harper was fighting, but he was on one of the platforms waving a fake gun that was attached to a console via wires. Both hands were gloved, and he had on what looked like goggles attached to earphones.

  In the far corner sat another station with a screen against the wall. In front was a stand that contained three bats, and on the ground was a rubber mat that looked like home plate. A second station had a set of golf clubs in a rack. This was definitely an adult playroom.

  “Let’s watch Harper for a second. He can’t get enough of this stuff.”

  They walked behind him so she had a visual of the screen. The scenery looked like it belonged in Iraq. Low mountains appeared in the background, and sand and stone buildings sat in the front. “That’s cool.”

  There wasn’t much room to maneuver in his cage, but Harper was running in place and his avatar, who looked remarkably like him, was also running. Either American soldiers or terrorists would pop out randomly from behind buildings or tanks, and then gunfire would erupt. When Harper ducked, his avatar did the same. Then a man with a gun dashed from behind a building and Harper took aim and shot. Blood splattered across the man’s che
st, and the terrorist dropped dead. Perhaps because it looked so realistic, playing war games wasn’t her thing.

  Conner stepped behind his cousin and tapped his shoulder. The second Harper stopped, another person ran into view and shot Harper’s avatar, who then dropped to the ground, rolled, and stopped moving. She hissed. It wasn’t fair that Conner had distracted him.

  Harper set down his weapon and pulled off his helmet. “Got my best score yet.” The way he grinned made her heart sing. His hard-looking features had disappeared, and if she didn’t know better, she’d say he was actually happy.

  She nodded to the screen. “The graphics are incredibly lifelike.”

  “That’s one of the things I like best about this company. Their attention to detail is remarkable. I actually feel like I’m back in Iraq.” He stepped down from the platform. “What’s good is that no one gets hurt.” He pointed to three stations with a large screen in front of them. “I’ve set one up for us.”

  Ooh. This should be fun.

  Conner placed a hand on the small of her back and tingles of excitement raced up her spine. “The company who designed this system actually flew me and Harper down to Orlando, Florida, to show us an amazing demonstration that involved real soldiers. The simulation they ran enabled the military to learn the actual terrain and get a feel for how the men would react under different circumstances.”

  “That’s incredible. I can really see how that would be useful.”

  “The one we’re about to play is a bit more fanciful. It’s called Jurassic Park on Mars.”

  She giggled. “That’s pretty ridiculous.”

  Conner grinned. “I know, but that’s what’s exciting about it.”

  Harper walked over to a five-foot tall stand, which she suspected held a computer, and pressed a few buttons, probably loading the program. “All set.” He lifted a laminated card from a pocket in the side of the stand, walked over, and handed her one. He tapped the right side of the card. “Here are the dangerous animals. If you see any of these, either run or shoot, but I’m warning you, it takes a lot of shots to stop the big monsters. On this side are the good animals. They either are benign or will help you destroy the evil ones.”