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

by Melody Snow Monroe

  Holy shit. The water was practically freezing. His cock shriveled, but if he didn’t douse his whole body, no telling what it would do. He walked out about eight feet then ducked under. The shock was equal in intensity but opposite to the heat in the Iraqi desert.

  He finally faced his disbelieving crowd and waved. “Come on in. Water’s fine.”

  “You’re on crack, buddy.”

  In a way he was. Holly did that to him. Was it her innocence that excited him? Or was it her sincerity? Conner was right about one thing. Other than the long hair, her delicate features, and slim body, she wasn’t like Wendy at all. Their voices were different, as was their smell. Wendy loved those intensely fruity perfumes, while Holly came au naturel.

  Stop tormenting yourself and just enjoy her.

  The moment he gave himself permission to have a good time, the cold registered. He shoved his fingers over his short hair and headed back to shore. His cock was now in protective mode. Sure, he’d look small, but maybe Holly would be more amenable to having him in her ass.

  Feeling confident that he could overcome his intense attraction and have sex with her that didn’t mean anything, he strutted out of the water and beat his chest. “Ah, that was refreshing.”

  The wind whipped across his body, but he ignored the goose bumps as he made his way across the rocky path. Conner had set up the picnic blanket and he stepped onto the soft cloth.

  “Get your dirty feet off our dining area.”

  He glanced at Holly, keeping his attitude cool and charming. “You don’t want my feet to hurt, do you?”

  She turned to Conner. “Let him stay there until he puts his boots on.”

  “Yeah, Conner.” Harper grinned, enjoying the situation for the first time today.

  He’d brought a hand towel and used it to wipe off as much of the water as he could. He hadn’t really thought ahead in regards to his briefs. Wearing wet ones would bite. To show Holly how comfortable he was in his skin, he shoved his thumbs in the waistband.

  “Better turn around, sugar, or you might get more than you bargained for.”

  Her gaze raced right to his cock and the damn thing had the nerve to harden. He spun around, dropped his briefs then slid on his hiking pants. He welcomed the warmth, but wanted to punch Conner for chuckling.

  Since Holly hadn’t gasped, he assumed she’d taken his warning to heart and had turned around. Not wishing to become hypothermic, he dressed quickly and shoved his wet briefs in his pack.

  “All good. Let’s eat.” He was proud of how casual he’d executed the warming process. If he didn’t get some food in him though, he might start shivering.

  Conner wore his perpetual smile as he pulled out the food from his pack and handed a container to Holly. “We had the chefs at the restaurant make you a chicken Caesar salad.”

  That was his idea, but if he told Holly, she might misconstrue his actions as caring.

  You are such a liar. You do care.

  Conner tossed him a roast-beef sandwich that had been smeared with horseradish sauce, while Conner went with the traditional ham and cheese on rye. The hiking must have taken a toll on Holly because she scarfed down her salad in a few bites.

  He grabbed Conner’s pack. “We also have strawberries, crackers and cheese, and a few small bottles of wine.” He basically emptied the pack. Her eyes widened at the choices and his heart expanded. “Take what you want.”

  Harper inwardly groaned when she picked up the container of strawberries. If she slid the fruit in and out of her mouth, he might have to take another dip before they headed back.

  Holly removed a big juicy strawberry, bit into the end, and moaned. Dear God in heaven. Some juice dripped down her chin but she seemed so intent on the joy of eating the fruit than she didn’t wipe it away. She popped the rest of it in her mouth and chewed.

  “That was divine.”

  Harper rose to his knees, leaned over, and wiped the liquid off her chin. She looked up at him and smiled. Damn her. She did that on purpose. He dropped back on his heels, unscrewed the small bottle of wine, and chugged it.

  Conner picked up two bottles and stood then held out his hand. “Let’s check out the vista. I think you’ll like it.”

  She looked up at his cousin, and when her smile reached her eyes, his cock went wild. She let Conner help her up then turned toward him. “Come on, Harper. Let’s see the mountains.”

  He was the one who’d asked her here. To be a jerk now would prove mostly to himself that he was weak when he was around her—and that most certainly wasn’t the case.

  He grabbed another tiny bottle of wine and walked behind the loving couple who walked arm in arm. Knowing Conner, his cousin was trying to punch his buttons and make him jealous. Well, it wasn’t going to work. As they neared the edge, he rushed forward. “Careful, those rocks can be slippery as they are often loose.”

  Conner looked over his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I got her, coz.” His arm tightened around Holly’s waist.

  Well, he wasn’t going to let anything ruin the view for him. He stepped to the other side of her and inhaled the cool air. The vista was spectacular. It might be May, but snow still capped many of the mountains in the distance. Conner opened the small wine bottle for Holly and did the same for himself.

  Conner held up his drink. “To Holly. Thank you once again for having our backs.”

  “My pleasure.”

  Harper opened his wine, and the three of them touched bottles then drank. Off to the side, dark clouds appeared. He didn’t think they’d be an issue for another hour, but he didn’t want to take any chances.

  “We might consider packing up.” Harper nodded to the sky.

  “We just got here.” Holly’s comment was a cross between a statement and a whine.

  He appreciated she was having a good time, and he’d have liked to stay longer, too, but if it rained, the rocks would be slippery and the path down could prove treacherous. “We should be safe for a little bit longer.”

  He left the two lovebirds to themselves and stepped back to the blanket to pack up. Conner and Holly stood there chatting, but they were too far away for him to hear their conversation. He caught a few laughs and bet Conner was regaling her with some funny stories about their sometimes-wacky customers.

  He put the package of cheese and crackers on the top of his pack, as they might want to eat something on the way down. “Either of you want more strawberries?” He had to shout to be heard.

  Conner waved and went back to looking at the view. He figured that was a no. By the time they returned, he’d already stored everything. A strong wind blew and the clouds blocked the sun for a moment. Holly shivered.

  “We need to go.” He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable or cold.

  “I guess we’ll just have to come up here again,” Conner said.

  Holly smiled. “I’d like that, especially when it’s warmer since I’d love to take a dip in the lake.”

  Harper didn’t think the water would be fine even in August, but he kept the comment to himself.

  Harper led the way back down the hill, taking it slow. He was used to hiking, and being a former football player as well as a soldier, his balance was excellent. Holly was all legs and had claimed she wasn’t the most sure-footed.

  The first part of the path was along the ridge, so he didn’t worry. Once they began their descent, he kept looking behind him and offering his hand for support. About halfway back, it began to sprinkle. Shit. Not only might she get a chill, the rocks would become slicker. Too bad he needed to pick up the pace to avoid getting caught in a downpour, and he cursed for not packing their ponchos. That had been just plain dumb.

  Holly had been keeping up quite well, when suddenly she shrieked. He whipped around and found her on her butt.

  Conner was at her side in a second. “Are you okay, baby?”

  She sniffled and his heart jumped into overdrive. “Don’t move.” He didn’t need first aid to know she’d hurt her ankle.
She was rotating it and wincing. Apparently, she didn’t understand his command, so he placed his hand on her shin to stop her from doing more damage. “Let me take a look at it, sugar.”

  She leaned back and allowed him to examine the injury. When he pressed into the side of her ankle, she sucked in an audible breath. They had less than fifteen minutes left of the hike. The fastest way to the car would be if he carried her. He stood, removed his pack, and took out the webbing he always carried, along with the extra black trash bag. He handed his pack to Conner. “Put this on your front. I’m going to carry Holly.”

  Conner nodded. “Let’s make sure you stay dry, baby.” He picked up the trash bag, tore open the bottom, and placed it over her head.

  “Conner, help her stand on one leg, so I put this strap on her.”

  Once she was up, Harper wrapped the folded webbing between her legs then looped them around each leg. With his back to her, he squatted in front of her, pulled the straps over his shoulders, back under her butt, and around his waist and then stood, lifting her on his back. He’d deal with the slight pressure on his shoulders.

  “How does that feel?”

  “Good. I don’t think I’m going anywhere.”

  Her humor provided him with a lot of relief. She’d be okay with a little ice and rest. Conner kept close behind him. If Holly made the slightest noise, he’d stop and make sure she was okay. The rain came down in earnest, and by the time they reached his truck, he was totally soaked. The top half of Holly should have remained dry.

  Conner helped her out of the carrier and placed her in the backseat where she could stretch out.

  After he extracted the crackers, cheese, and some water from his pack, he climbed in the front and Conner sat in the back with her.

  “Conner, have her drink the water.” He was pissed that his cousin had brought the wine. He didn’t think a few ounces would make her slip, though anything was possible at this altitude.

  He glanced in the rearview mirror. Conner was leaning against the side panel with Holly in his arms. His body heat would help. Nonetheless, Harper jacked up the heat to high. “It should be toasty in here in a few minutes.”

  Damn. What had started out as a nice outing had turned into a near catastrophe. Both he and Conner needed to change their wet clothes, too, so he headed to their house. Holly could put on one of their T-shirts, and he was convinced he could find a pair of sweats that would keep her warm while they dried her clothes.

  The whole way down the mountain, Harper drove like an old lady, but with the precious cargo in the backseat, he didn’t want to take any chances.

  Once they entered Freedom, he took Freedom Boulevard to SR294 and headed south instead of heading west on Stall to Holly’s development. He waited for her to say something.

  “Where are we going?”

  She was predictable. “Easy, sugar. It’ll be easier to treat you at our house.”

  To his delight, she slumped back against Conner’s chest. It wasn’t long before he pulled into his garage. The rain had stopped, but it was easier to carry her into the house than have her hop.

  Harper pulled open the passenger side door. “Let’s see if you can stand on one leg, and then I’ll carry you.”

  Conner helped her out. Holding onto the door, she stood on one foot, which enabled him to swoop her up in his arms. Because she weighed next to nothing, he was about she say she needed to put some meat on her bones, but then realized she’d take offense, so he remained quiet.

  Harper stepped to the side so Conner could unlock the door that led to the kitchen. “I’m going to put you in Conner’s room. While you undress, I’ll find something for you to wear.”

  “Harp, my clothes will fit her better.”

  His cousin was smaller and had a point. “Fine.” Now he wished Conner hadn’t insisted he donate all of Wendy’s clothes to the Goodwill.

  Stop thinking of Wendy. She’s gone.

  He placed Holly on Conner’s bed. “I’ll be back with some tape for that ankle. You’ll be good as new in no time.”

  She grabbed his arm, and her touch set him on fire. This was not good.

  “Thanks for carrying me.”

  He straightened his shoulders. “It was what any good soldier would do. We leave no one behind.”

  As hoped, she laughed at his antics, and he rushed out to get the supplies. When he heard Conner tell her to take off her clothes, his resolve completely disappeared.

  * * * *

  Conner was torn. Harper seemed like his old self, but Conner was a little uncertain how he should approach the whole situation with sharing Holly. He wanted to make love with her again, but how would Harper react? Would he participate or skulk away? They were, after all, a team.

  First things first—Holly needed to get out of those wet clothes. “I’ll find you something to change into. You need to take off your boots, and then Harper will fix you up just fine.”

  He routed through his drawers and found a heavy T-shirt. Even if her nipples stood on edge, they wouldn’t make a dent in the fleece top. Next, he located some old sweats that were too small for him, but he just hadn’t gotten around to tossing them. Lastly, he grabbed some wool socks.

  Holly had taken off her shoes and was rubbing her instep. His gut churned seeing her red feet.

  “Put this sock on the good foot.” He held the pair out to her.

  She eased on one. “It’s really warm. I won’t put the second one on until Harper returns.”

  As she moved, he noticed the bedspread was getting wet from her pants but that couldn’t be helped.

  “The top?”

  “Oh, yeah.” She slipped off one top, then another, and then a third. When her bra was the only thing left, she looked up at him.

  “That, too, baby. As pretty as it is, it looks damp.”

  “Even though the garbage bag helped, I think I was soaked before that.”

  Off came the bra and his cock immediately turned hard. Oh, boy. This was going to be a long ass day if he couldn’t make love with her.

  Her pants were the kind that slipped off, but she had trouble getting the leg over her injured ankle. “Let me help.” With care he pulled them off then handed her his fleece top. “Put this on.”

  As soon as she was covered, she smiled. Holly ran her hands down the material. “It’s soft.”

  He didn’t need to get sidetracked thinking out what those hands would be like on his body. “Now the panties. Need help?” He winked and she laughed.

  “I’ll manage.”

  To his total delight, she didn’t try to hide her body from him. He shook his head, not believing how lucky he was to have found such a wonderful woman. “I can’t stop looking at you.”

  “You’re just saying that so I won’t be embarrassed.”

  He didn’t like that she believed so little in herself. “Not true. I love everything about you. Now put these on before Harper comes in.” He’d waited until the last minute to hand the dry pants to her in the hopes his cousin would walk in and see her mostly naked.

  “Did I hear my name?”

  Showtime. Conner stepped to the side to give Harper a clear view of the woman he wanted them both to share.

  Chapter Nine

  Holly froze. Her top was covered but not her bottom. She immediately covered herself. “Har–per.”

  Conner grinned. “We’re all friends here.” He faced Harper. “That right, dude?”

  Though she wanted Harper and needed him to realize she wasn’t his dead wife, to lie back on the bed and spread her legs for him would be uncool. In due time, he’d come around—or so she hoped. He was everything she wanted in a man. Harper was protective, passionate, and capable of boundless love. It was his devotion to Wendy that drew her, but he had to come to grips about his past if there was any hope of them being together.

  Harper averted his eyes and waved the wrapping material. “I’m here to wrap your ankle.”

  She glanced up at Conner, who’d pressed his l
ips together. “Anyone hungry?” He glanced between them.

  He must want Harper to spend some time alone with her. “I’m famished.”

  He winked and rushed out, not waiting to see what Harper, who just stood there as if he was debating if he should even wrap her ankle, would say.

  She lifted her foot and legitimately winced. Harper seemed to snap out of his reverie and rushed over. “Jeez, sugar. I’m sorry.” He sat on the edge of bed and lifted her leg over his thigh. “Let me take a look at that. It’s starting to turn a nice purple.”

  She held onto the pants but not too tightly. If they happened to slip, she wouldn’t mind if he looked. “Be careful.” Her ankle hurt, but not as much as she let on.

  He unwound the pre-wrap and broke the material into strips. Using an intricate pattern of figure eights and U-shapes, he wrapped her ankle. Then he brought out the adhesive tape and repeated the pattern.

  “Why not use an ace bandage?”

  “That stretches and won’t give you the needed support.” He ran his hand over his handwork. Her foot remained at a ninety-degree angle to her ankle, and when she tried to twist it, she couldn’t.

  “That good?” He looked so hopeful.

  Her smiled was genuine. “Fantastic. I can’t feel a thing.”

  “Great.”

  Without much forethought, she leaned forward and pulled his shoulders toward her so she could kiss him. Harper’s blue eyes turned darker than the lake on top of the mountain, and she prayed he wouldn’t bolt. Instead, he growled then pounced, and the moment their lips touched, she lit up inside from her pussy to her tits.

  Harper wasn’t hesitant in showing her he wanted to possess her. He begged for entrance and she opened up. Their tongues speared each other’s mouths, and she couldn’t get enough of him. The lake water clung to his skin and hair and he smelled like the mountains. Her pulse raced as he slid his fingers up under her shirt and along her bare skin. For once in her life, she wanted a man to touch her breasts, and her nipples puckered in anticipation.