He punched his pillow and buried his face. Damn it, but Wendy had been in his dreams every night since she’d been cruelly taken from him. Then this siren walks into his life, convinces her partners who were paid to check up on them that he and Conner were good guys, and that Marr was the real criminal. What were the odds that Holly would have cared enough about two guys she didn’t know to find out about them? Christ. The timing sucked. He was just getting back into the swing of dating casually, and then Holly Morganton waltzed in, all caring and lovely and sexy in an innocent kind of way and his body went ballistic.
It had taken him a year of grieving to even look at another woman, but even then it was Conner who brought the girls home and insisted they share. So far, they’d batted one thousand. The two of them would have sex once or twice with some hot woman, and each time she’d go back to where she came from and not bother them again. No emotional attachment required. It was perfect.
Then when Garth and Zane fell hard for Nikki and had gotten a kid in the process, Conner had withdrawn. He said he was tired of the quickies and that he wanted something permanent. The moment Conner laid eyes on Holly, he was a goner. Harper yearned for a smart woman who was ambitious, compassionate, and attractive. Had Holly not looked so much like Wendy, Harper might have been able to follow through, but damn it, if he made love with Holly for real, it would almost be like cheating on his wife. It didn’t matter that Wendy would have wanted him to be happy.
He sat up and flipped on the nightstand light. Sleep was not in the cards tonight. He got up and went downstairs for a drink of water, and as he entered the kitchen, his lover boy cousin rolled in.
Conner ditched his jacket and withdrew a beer from the fridge. “Hey. What are you doing up?”
“Couldn’t sleep.”
“Is guilt keeping you awake?”
Harper drank his water and tried to compose his thoughts. “Yes.”
Conner moved over to the living room and plopped down, propping his feet on the wooden coffee table. “You’re actually admitting that walking out on Holly was stupid, immature, and a jerk thing to do to the nicest woman alive?”
“Fuck you. I was talking about guilt over thinking about Holly when Wendy’s hardly been dead two years.”
Conner slammed his bottle down. “Listen to yourself. That’s the point. Wendy has been dead two years. Not to keep rehashing this, but wouldn’t she want you to start living again?”
“Yes, but I’m not ready.”
“Well, I am. I’m committed—or at least I want to be committed.”
Fuck. It was true. “How was she?”
“Her name is Holly.”
“How was Holly?”
Conner leaned over, picked up his bottle and polished it off—then belched. Harper wanted to punch the shit out of him. He knew what his cousin was doing. He was stalling, wanting to torment him into imagining how incredible Holly had been. Well, his cock was stirring and he didn’t like it. Fuck you, Conner. He spun around and headed toward the stairs.
“Holly was amazing. She was a little shy at first, as she was self-conscious about showing me her tits, but as soon as I got in one lick, she went off like a rocket.” Conner dropped his feet to the floor. “I tell ya. I’ve seen nothing like her. Every inch of her body was sensitive. One suck on her pussy and she was wiggling under me. Had to spank her though.”
Harper clenched his fists and faced Conner. “You prick.”
Conner smiled. “You could have been there. I know how much you like to make a woman’s ass red.”
Harper was a military man. He’d been trained to resist and withstand punishment. He still had nightmares from when he and his men had been trapped behind enemy lines. Sand invaded every crevice of his body and the above hundred-degree heat had burned his lips, his tongue, and even his eyes, yet despite little water between them, he’d survived. He’d show Conner, he had control over his emotions.
Harper crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m going to take Holly hiking tomorrow.”
Conner grinned. “Great. I’m coming with you.”
“I want to be with her alone.” Why did you say that? You aren’t a masochist. “You’re right. We’re a team. Pulls can oversee the casino for a day.”
“Perfect. Know where we’ll go?”
He’d made plans before he’d become weak. “Roger’s Pass. There’s a lake at the top and you can see forever from up there.”
“Holly will love it.” Conner stood. “Better call her tomorrow morning and let her know the plans are still on. I’m thinking she believes you aren’t interested.”
Good. It would make it easier to be with her. He was strong enough to love her body and keep his mind disconnected. Or so he hoped.
* * * *
When Holly awoke the next morning and stretched, her nipples rebelled. She rubbed them once then stopped. “Ouch.” Then when the quick shot of pain actually turned into a good ache, her thoughts raced to Conner. Wonderful Conner.
But that was the problem. He was too perfect. She sat up and forced herself to think positively. Yes, she wanted both men, but Harper seemed intent on keeping his distance. If she reminded him of his wife, she understood how painful that could be, and if she’d been in his position might have chosen to avoid her, too.
“Crap.”
Her pussy throbbed, and she had to shower though she’d enjoyed having Conner’s scent on her body all night long. He’d wanted to stay, but she wasn’t ready for that just yet. Knowing her, she’d say or do something stupid, and then he’d realize she wasn’t the woman for him. The longer she spent in his presence, the more she became hooked on him, and when he left, the hurt would be bad.
“Move.”
She padded out of the room and across the hall. Next to the bathroom door sat the thermostat, which she jacked up two degrees. Inside the bath, she stripped and heated the water. Once it warmed she stepped under the showerhead and moaned. The warm water felt so good on her cool skin. She dumped bodywash on her palm, and when she dragged it between her legs, her pussy lit up. What was up with that? The memories from last night came flooding back, and she’d never loved being touched so much.
In the past, she’d insisted on wearing her camisole or tank when she made love as she didn’t want her date to see her totally naked. That was dumb because that only meant she didn’t get the pleasure of his lips on her tits, but with Conner it had been different. He was gentle yet firm. There wasn’t a moment—except maybe when she was sucking on his cock—that she had the upper hand. He seemed to read her mind before she even had the thought. When he insisted on keeping his eyes closed so she’d feel more comfortable taking off her top, he’d blown her away at his understanding.
She dunked her head under the flow and then lathered her scalp. She’d considered her long hair a nuisance, but Conner had loved dragging his fingers through her wavy locks. Maybe that was because he had such glorious hair. Even now, her fingers itched to touch his mane.
As she washed, she thought back to the first moment she’d walked into their casino. The whole place had screamed class and excitement. Their lives were a stark contrast to hers. Even though she loved her work as much as they seemed to love theirs, she stared at a computer screen all day, while they had some time to play.
Then there was the virtual reality game that had blown her mind. Harper’s avatar had been so wonderful and protective, which made it only harder when he’d stormed out. By the time she finished rinsing, the hot water had turned lukewarm. She shut off the valve, stepped out and dried off. The laborious part came in drying her hair, but she didn’t mind as today would be one in which she’d relax. Since Mr. Sussman hadn’t called in with another case for them to investigate, she’d indulge in one of her favorite pastimes of reading.
At some point, she’d take a break and create a mockup of a webpage for Conner. From a marketing point of view, it wouldn’t hurt to have something glitzier to draw in more customers. When her hair no longer dripped, she
headed back into her bedroom and dressed. No sooner had she pulled on her socks than her phone rang. She bet it was either Nikki or Dani wondering how her hot date had gone.
She rushed into the dining room and picked up her phone a little out of breath. “Hello?”
“Hey, sugar.”
Her heart nearly stopped. “Hi, Harper.” Why was he calling? Did he want to apologize?
On rather shaky legs, she walked the few steps to the sofa and sat.
“I’m sorry about getting sentimental last night.”
Is that what he called it? Her words would have been harsher. “I understand.” The problem was that she really did.
“You still up for a hike?”
Okay, that’s not what she expected him to ask, but getting the chance to be outside was too good to turn down. “Always.”
“Conner wants to join us. Is that okay with you?”
He’d said he wanted to come last night. “Sure.”
“Can you be ready by 10:30?”
That would give her an hour. “Yes. What should I bring?”
“Dress for hiking and leave the rest to us. See you then.” He hung up before she had a chance to ask any more questions.
She was thrilled she’d get to see Conner again, but she wasn’t sure how Harper would act. If he planned of being stoic and a sourpuss, she’d remember to say no the next time.
Back in her bedroom, she foraged through her closet for her hiking boots and daypack. Since she hadn’t worn her hiking boots in forever, she checked the soles to make certain they hadn’t separated. Fortunately, they were intact. The biggest problem with hiking into the mountains was that the temperature got colder the higher they climbed, but the exertion would make them sweat, so layering was a must.
Once dressed, she filled two bottles with water and grabbed some power bars, as she had no idea what the men would bring in the way of snacks. At the designated time, she kept a look out the window as she didn’t want them to come in when they arrived. It would be awkward if Conner starting kissing and touching her with Harper standing right there. If Conner suggested the three of them take a detour to the bedroom, would she be able to say no?
The answer would depend on Harper. She turned back to look outside and a four-door white Ford truck pulled into her drive. A blast of nerves slid through her. Inhale and relax.
She slipped on her jacket, picked up her daypack, and stepped outside into the brisk morning air. Once she locked her door, she stepped toward them. Both Harper and Conner jumped out of the front seat, but her gaze latched onto Harper. He didn’t smile, but his brows weren’t pinched either. She bet his heart was racing at about the same speed as hers.
Conner reached her. “Hey, baby. Let me take your pack.”
It only weighed a few pounds, but Conner seemed to like doing things for her, so she let him take it. He faced her, keeping his back to Harper. “He’s not in the best of places.”
Her heart broke. “Too bad.”
Conner grabbed her hand and led her to the car. When he opened the door and motioned she sit next to Harper instead of in the backseat, she was a little surprised. Then when he slid in next to her, she couldn’t bring herself to look at Harper. She bet he was furious not only because Conner had placed her next to him but because their legs were touching.
Conner fumbled under her butt and pulled out the seat belt. “Let’s get you secure. Harper’s not always the best driver.”
She chanced a look at Harper. As soon as their gazes met, his scowl turned to a smile. Now she was confused. Thank goodness Conner was there to defuse the tension.
“So where are we going?” One of them had to break the silence.
“To Roger’s Pass,” Harper said.
“I’ve never been.” That shouldn’t surprise either of them as she hadn’t been in town very long.
When Conner lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, she struggled to hold in her moan. She truly feared that if she blinked, she’d wake up and find it had all been a dream.
Not wanting to drive in silence, she decided to be the one to ask the questions. “So what do you each do at the casino? And as much as the name Jack Marr is a dirty one, what did he do?”
Harper’s fingers tightened on the wheel. “Marr had ‘family’ connections, and when he learned that Mountain High was up for sale, he handled the purchase. I dealt with the financial end and Conner did everything else.”
She suspected that included promotions. “Has much changed without Marr?” If either Dani or Nikki left their three-person company, things would be drastically different.
Harper looked over at Conner then returned his focus to the road. “I say things are running smoother without him, but at first it had been hard as he was the one who ordered the liquor, bought the cards and chips when they needed to be replaced, and set up the security system. We’ve slowly taken over what he did.”
She wanted to ask how they could afford to buy Marr out, but it was none of her business. Perhaps Harper had a family member who invested with him. Excitement had leaked into Harper’s voice again, and she wanted to keep it going. “Do either of you ever check out the competition to see what you might be able to do better?” Dani and Nikki claimed other casinos were nicer.
“We did in the beginning, but we haven’t had the time lately. The owners know us there, so it might be obvious if we walk around and ask questions.”
“I bet if you asked nicely, I could find some women who might like to scout out the different venues for you.”
Harper glanced at her, but it was Conner who ran a hand up her thigh. “You’d do that for us, baby?”
He didn’t have to act surprised. “Yes.” Flirting was foreign, but with Conner the words just flowed out.
“Oh, yeah?” Conner turned her toward him and kissed her. While she couldn’t see Harper, his leg lifted away from hers.
She leaned back. “Conner. Be nice. Harper can’t reciprocate.” Not that he wanted to anyway, but she didn’t feel comfortable kissing one in front of the other without knowing Harper’s stance.
“Sugar, you go right ahead.” While his voice came out even, she bet he worked hard not to sound pissed.
“There’ll be time later.” When that time would be, she didn’t know, but getting hot and bothered in a cramped car was definitely not the place.
Conner laughed. “Just lean back and enjoy then. The scenery up here is spectacular.”
She loved mountains and hiking. If the men behaved, she’d be in heaven. Harper had already turned off the main road and had entered a forested area. She wasn’t afraid of heights, but when there wasn’t a guardrail, she always feared the gravel would give way and the vehicle might careen over the edge.
They passed a sign for the High Peak Motel where Dani and Nikki had witnessed a woman’s murder, and small shivers skated across her spine at what happened to them later that evening on the road.
The lane seemed to narrow as they header higher, making the trees appear bigger and fuller. The sky was clear right now, and she hoped it stayed that way. Driving in bad weather on the way down would suck.
Fifteen minutes later the road ended, and Harper pulled to a stop. “This is as far as we go, sugar.”
Conner opened the door and guided her out. She inhaled. “I love the smell of pine and clean air.”
“Me, too, baby.” Conner moved to the back of the truck where he pulled out the gear. He handed her the small daypack.
The men strapped on much larger packs as if they were going camping for a few days. “I thought we were just hiking.”
Harper smiled. “Gotta eat.”
“True.”
When they were set, Harper headed down a well-marked trail and Conner insisted he bring up the rear. She hoped she could keep up as she’d been neglecting her gym time of late. At first the path was flat and she did quite well, but when the trail turned rockier and steeper, Conner had to help up and over some of the boulders.
Harper stoppe
d partway up and pulled out some water. “I need a break.”
He wasn’t even breathing hard. The stopping had clearly been for her benefit, and she appreciated it. “How much farther?” She forced the whine out of her voice, but it was hard when she couldn’t regulate her breaths.
“Ten minutes, maybe.”
She was already sweating, but she’d strip down when they arrived at their destination.
“Ready, baby?”
She had yet to recover, but both of the men seemed anxious for her to see what was at the top. “Yup.”
All Holly could do was put one foot in front of the other and try not to trip or have a heart attack. Then, miraculously, the path leveled off as they reached the ridgeline.
“Right this way,” Harper said.
They went down another path, which was thankfully flat, and when the trees broke, the scene before her was spectacular. “Holy crap.”
Two things grabbed her attention. Not only was there a view of the Rocky Mountains that was to die for, there was a large lake that screamed peaceful. Had it been summer, she might have been tempted to dive right in. But fifty-degree water—or maybe even colder—was not her thing.
Both men set down their packs. Harper tore off his coat as if it were on fire, unlaced his boots and shucked them, then pulled down his jeans.
“What are you doing?”
He grinned. “Just wait and see, sugar.”
Chapter Eight
If Harper didn’t cool off right now, there was no telling what he would do with Holly. The whole trip up, he’d wanted to pull to the side of the road and kiss her silly. After that would have depended on what she’d been willing to do, but not only was it a chilly day, Holly deserved better. That was why he was stripping down to his briefs and going in for a swim. He’d freeze, but the point was to extinguish the fire in his cock.
“Harp. Are you crazy? It’s cold, man.”
All he could do was grin. He purposefully kept his back to Holly because one reason for the swim was to get rid of his hard-on. After he ripped off his shirt, he jogged toward the water, trying to ignore the sticks and rocks poking at the soles of his feet. The water wasn’t deep enough to dive in, so he stepped over the rocks and waded in.
Freedom to Love [Freedom, Colorado 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7