My Second Chance

by Shelley Munro

  “Steady. I won’t hurt you.”

  “Where are your clothes?” she asked in a low croak.

  “Don’t panic. I’m wearing jeans.”

  “Oh.” Her voice still sounded full of tears, although at least her eyes had stopped leaking. “You shouldn’t be in here. Gavin wouldn’t like it.” She tried to add a dose of anger and bitchiness to her words and failed. Would nothing go right in her life?

  “Why are you crying?”

  No way could she tell him the truth. She didn’t want his sympathy. “I had a nightmare.” The truth as far as it went.

  “Scary?”

  “Yeah.” He had no idea.

  “It’s okay now.” Charlie drew her back against his chest, and this time she didn’t move away. With a soft sigh she relaxed, curling into the comfort he offered. His scent surrounded her. The steady beat of his heart reassured her and softened the edges of her loneliness.

  “You’re Gavin’s mate. You shouldn’t be in here with me. It’s not right.” But it seemed right, and that was the weird thing. It shouldn’t. She shouldn’t want to cuddle closer or explore with her hands. Yes! Explore. That was exactly what she craved.

  “It’s not awkward for me.” Charlie’s warm breath feathered across her cheek and she had to fight hard to prevent a shiver. He pressed his lips to her temple and smoothed his hands over her back. The heat of his body seeped through the oversized T-shirt she wore and her thoughts turned to sex. An image of Charlie and Gavin together flashed through her mind. Naked…

  Leticia tensed again. There was something wrong with her. Yeah, a small inner voice taunted. She hadn’t had sex for almost a year, not since a one-night stand with a human in Australia that had left her with a sense of dirtiness. She hadn’t bothered to repeat the experience.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing!” Damn, was she that transparent? She twisted her head to glare at him and a second kiss grazed her lips.

  They both froze, Leticia in total shock. She’d liked Charlie when she’d met him at the party and had even considered, just for a fleeting moment, taking the attraction further. This…this…

  “Well damn,” Charlie whispered. A scowl furrowed his brow. His gaze swept her face, and he lifted a hand to smooth the hair from her cheek.

  Another shiver whispered through her. Bother. She had to move. Now. This wasn’t right. Before she had a chance to act, Charlie lowered his head and kissed her for real. Their lips slid together, a tentative touch that gradually became more confident. He traced the seam of her lips, and when she gasped, he took advantage, slipping his tongue inside.

  Leticia growled deep in her throat, her feline flexing, reminding her of its presence and the way it…she…both of them loved touch. Apart from hugs from Saul and Lucas, no one touched her these days. Not willingly.

  Greedily, she soaked up the sensations. The slide of his hands down her back. The musky scent of him and the lingering traces of sex. The softness of his lips as they caressed hers.

  Charlie lifted his head, their lips clinging before parting. They stared at each other, the silence bringing home the intensity of the moment. Leticia closed her eyes and drew in a sharp breath. Charlie’s scent and the underlying aroma of Gavin twirled together into something very attractive. She cataloged what her senses were telling her and cursed on coming to a conclusion.

  Mates.

  Her feline stirred, pushing hard against her control. Every sense trembled with jubilation—the idea of love and belonging, even if it were only for a short time. Mates. The word tickled the tip of her tongue. Leticia clamped her lips shut. It would never happen.

  Charlie and Gavin were mates. Marked mates. She had no right to come between mates.

  “Stop thinking so hard,” Charlie chided.

  “But you kissed me.”

  “You’re a very pretty kitty.”

  Leticia spluttered a little, trying to formulate an objection. “Don’t call me kitty.”

  “I’m sure your brother called you worse when you were children. It’s a brother’s duty.”

  “You’re with Gavin.” She didn’t need to pretend confusion. This human befuddled her without breaking a sweat.

  “Yes, I am, but right now I’m with you. Wanna snuggle?” Charlie didn’t give her a chance to refuse. He reached up to switch off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness again. Leticia froze when he moved away from her. A zipper whined and clothing rustled.

  “What are you doing?” Clear alarm sounded in her voice and her pulse rate jumped into choppy. “You…you’re…”

  “I’m not going to rape you or do anything nasty, not that I’m not tempted because you’re a beautiful kitty. I need sleep and you need comfort. Figured we could help each other.” Charlie slipped under the sheets, reaching for her. He tucked her against his body, his chest to her back, and then…nothing.

  His even breathing told her he’d dropped off to sleep. Just like that.

  Heck.

  For long moments, she hesitated. They were just sleeping, she told herself, and it felt so good having someone hold her, someone who knew about the virus and yet didn’t seem to care. At least she thought Charlie would know about the FIV. Gavin would have told his mate. Surely?

  “Stopping thinking so hard. It’s keeping me awake.”

  Air hissed from between her lips and she barely restrained a sharp squeak of fear. “I thought you were asleep.”

  “I keep thinking about kissing you, and all that thinking is interfering with my blood flow.”

  “Huh?”

  “I have a hard-on,” he said in a matter-of-fact voice.

  “But you’re with Gavin!”

  “I’m a male, babe. We get erections. That’s what males do.”

  Leticia snorted and turned in his arms so she faced him. Her T-shirt rode up a fraction and her outer thigh connected with something hard.

  “I told you I had a hard-on. Now you’ve made it worse.”

  “This is not my fault.” Leticia’s nipples puckered against the soft fabric of the T-shirt she wore, and a tight ball of tension swelled between her legs. Charlie wasn’t the only one who suffered from arousal.

  Charlie’s hands clenched her shoulders “Yes, it is your fault for being so sexy, but we’re not gonna do anything. This is a bad idea. I’ll go back to the other bedroom.”

  “No, please. Don’t go.” Being alone scared her. She was tired of being alone.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Stay.” Gavin was a lucky man to have a mate like Charlie. Leticia turned back on her side and closed her eyes. Envy chased her into sleep. Gavin was so lucky. He’d never be alone.

  * * * * *

  Gavin trudged from his vehicle and into the house, dragging a muddy black bag containing emergency supplies with him. His eyes smarted, gritty and sore, and every muscle in his body ached. Even worse, the mare had died, although he’d saved the foal. He hoped it pulled through. He’d grab a quick shower and sleep before he returned to check on its progress. The only good thing about this was that he could cuddle up to Charlie. His mate’s solid presence would help drive away some of the chill lingering inside, the sense of helplessness because he couldn’t save the mare.

  After removing his boots and socks at the front door, he stepped inside and padded down the passage, pushing open the door to the bathroom. Gavin took a quick shower and hurried to the spare bedroom. He’d finished shedding the towel around his waist before he realized the bed was empty.

  Immediately fear thumped him in the gut. Charlie had left. Gavin was halfway to his bedroom to interrogate Leticia before he realized full-out panic mode was verging into overreaction territory. Charlie might have had a call-out for work. They both worked challenging jobs where overtime was inevitable. And if that were the case, he’d missed the note Charlie had left for him, which wouldn’t be surprising given his state of exhaustion.

  Sighing, he decided he might as well check on Leticia before he crawle
d into a lonely bed. He pushed open the bedroom door and came to an abrupt halt. Despite the dim lighting in the room, his night vision told him two people were in the bed. Jealousy crashed through him in a wave, stealing his breath and control. It ripped through his chest, anger tumbling in the undertow. He wanted to strike out, to loose the snarl building in his chest.

  “Gavin?” Charlie’s drowsy voice snared his attention.

  “Yes,” he snarled, his feline agitated and alarmed.

  “Good. I was worried about you. Come to bed. There’s room for all of us.” Charlie threw back the covers in invitation. “Leticia was crying. I couldn’t leave her alone.”

  Breathe, Gavin told himself. His lungs screamed for air and he sucked in a huge breath, immediately calmer. Comfort. Charlie had offered comfort. That was all. He realized he’d searched for signs of sex lingering in the air. Thankfully, he hadn’t found a scent out of place.

  “Gavin?”

  Shaking himself, he took the two steps necessary to cross the room and slid into the bed next to Charlie.

  “Damn, your feet are cold,” Charlie complained. “Payback is a bitch, ya know.”

  Gavin grinned, releasing the final vestiges of jealousy and panic, the sensation of skin against skin soothing him as nothing else. Skin privileges. He hadn’t realized how much he’d needed a mate’s touch, how much his feline had cried out for soothing.

  On the other side of Charlie, Leticia breathed slow and even, occasionally drifting close to snoring. The small imperfection brought a smile. Their combined scents wound through Gavin and some of the night’s stress faded. He relaxed against Charlie, savoring the other man’s strength and the glide of hands over his chilled flesh.

  “I kissed her,” Charlie confessed into the darkness.

  Gavin stiffened in shock, a sliver of jealousy returning to add to the tense muscles in his shoulders.

  “I wanted to do more.”

  Charlie’s husky confession hung between them for a long moment while Gavin battled with the emotions pounding through him. He exhaled, searching for calm. Charlie didn’t have to tell him this. “Is confession good for the soul?” he asked, his tone just short of snide.

  Charlie chuckled, pulled him closer and pressed a kiss to his collarbone. He nibbled a little, laving the sting with the tip of his tongue.

  “Why are you telling me?” Gavin persisted, uncertainty taking its toll and adding another layer to the destructive jealousy whirling around in his gut.

  “Because I believe in honesty,” Charlie said. “And because I thought we were mates. I don’t understand how I could want to kiss her and enjoy it. Not when I have you.”

  Charlie’s words finally pierced Gavin’s befuddled, sleep-deprived brain. “You shouldn’t,” he said, wonder and sudden hope filling him. Maybe…just maybe there might be a way to help Leticia and in the process calm the angst roiling through him all the time.

  “What’s going on, Gavin? You said Leticia was your mate. Is she mine as well?”

  “It’s possible.” Gavin kept his tone cautious while inside the possibilities rioted like a group of excited tumblers, whirling, jumping and doing handsprings through his tired mind. He’d told Lucas and Saul of his suspicions earlier but hadn’t had a chance to do much thinking with everything happening so quickly.

  “Did Leticia kiss you back?”

  “Yes. Are you okay?”

  “Perhaps the three of us are meant to be together.”

  “Three of us? The three…and you’re okay with that?” Charlie’s voice held shock along with astonishment.

  “I…I was jealous when I saw you together.” Charlie’s honesty inspired Gavin to extend the same courtesy. They wouldn’t work this out if they weren’t upfront. Besides, he liked the fact his mate didn’t lie, despite knowing falsehoods were the easier path.

  “And now?”

  Gavin sighed. “I’m tired.”

  “Fuck!”

  No mistaking Charlie’s curse for anything but upset.

  Gavin spoke hurriedly. “No, I want to talk about this, but I want a clear head. It didn’t go well tonight and I have to go back in a few hours.”

  Leticia moaned and thrashing in her sleep.

  “I think she’s having nightmares,” Charlie said, letting go of his anger for a need to comfort. “A scream woke me before and that’s when I heard her crying. Why don’t you climb in on the other side of the bed and we’ll keep her between us?”

  “She won’t be happy when she wakes up,” Gavin said, quite liking the idea.

  Charlie yawned and gave him a sleepy kiss, missing Gavin’s mouth to hit his stubble-covered jaw. “Hmm, sexy.” He rubbed his cheek against Gavin, his sigh of satisfaction sounding like a rough purr.

  Gavin chuckled and aimed better than Charlie. Their mouths clung and the rightness of being with this human rippled through Gavin. He knew in that moment he’d started to fall in love with the other man. Ideally, love should come before mating, but he thought he’d lucked out. Love would give them added strength, and they’d need it to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and deal with Leticia.

  She cried out again, thumping Charlie in the ribs. He winced and Gavin brushed another quick kiss on his mate’s mouth before crawling out of the bed.

  “Shift over,” he told Charlie. “And take Leticia with you.” Gavin rounded the bed and slipped in the other side, tugging the duvet over his shoulders. Leticia moaned again, a pained sound that raised a raft of goose bumps on his arms. Damn, he hated seeing her like this. He preferred it when she was arguing, spitting defiance, golden-brown eyes darkened with temper. Sort of the way he imagined her while making love. Hot and tousled.

  Gavin drew closer and made contact with Charlie’s hand.

  “Pity she’s wearing the T-shirt,” Charlie whispered. “She’s gonna be odd man out when she wakes up and finds herself in bed with two naked males.”

  Gavin yawned. “Knowing Leticia, she’ll be pissed and wake up swinging her fists.”

  Charlie chuckled. “Now that’s a sight I’d like to see.”

  Chapter Six

  Leticia woke to warmth searing her from both sides. With eyes still closed, she yawned, savoring the coziness and the fact that after her nightmare she’d slept. Every sense sang a stronger tune with more alertness—better than the last few days for sure.

  She turned and something hard prodded her on the hip. Her eyes blinked open, and she came face-to-face with Charlie. His eyes sparkled with vitality. The morning bristly look suited him. She stirred and something prodded her again. Comprehension dawned. All of him was alert.

  “What will Gavin think if this is how you react on waking in bed with someone who isn’t your mate?” she blurted. Oh boy. None of this showed her in a favorable light either—waking up draped all over another feline’s mate.

  A grin spread across Charlie’s face and her heart raced a little faster. Be still my heart. The man was seriously sexy. His mouth drew her gaze, and she stared, wondering about sneaking a kiss or guiding his mouth to one of her nipples. She imagined suction and the reverberation to her sex. A ragged sigh spilled free and wetness pooled between her thighs.

  “Why don’t you turn over and ask him?”

  It took an instant for Charlie’s words to register. She blinked, then gasped and rolled over, coming face-to-face with Gavin. “You’ve got an erection as well!”

  “Morning, sweetheart.” Seconds later, he was kissing her in the way she’d always imagined and fantasized about but never let happen. Their lips brushed with bold strokes, the heat of his touch rampaging through her. She was vaguely aware of Charlie sliding closer and curving his hand over her hipbone. This was wrong. Wrong in so many ways, but she couldn’t have stopped if she tried, so starved was she for touch and comfort on a physical level.

  When Gavin licked her lips in a silent demand for her to open, she didn’t hesitate. He explored her mouth, licking, stroking and nipping, moving at a languorous pace as if this weren’t so
mething bad. Because Charlie seemed happy with Gavin kissing her, she sank into the sensations, greedily grabbing memories to drag out later when she was alone.

  Charlie’s hand slipped between them to cup one breast. She stiffened and Charlie’s hand stilled while Gavin continued kissing her, as if he had nothing else more important to do with his time.

  When she relaxed again, Charlie caught her nipple between his fingers, rolling and tugging until desire flared out of control. She moaned and pulled away to stare into Gavin’s beautiful green eyes. The man had eyelashes that were entirely too long and sexy. Her pulse thundered—a bang, bang, bang in her brain—and she swallowed, unsure of what to say, how to act.

  Leticia was positive her mother hadn’t included this in the courtship rules she’d spouted from time to time. Yep, this was uncharted territory. Her pussy hadn’t bloomed like this for…for months. Hell, sex had been the last thing on her mind.

  “Are you okay, babe?” Charlie’s hot breath against her ear sent a ripple of awareness shooting straight to her clit. He seemed to know how his touch affected her because he tugged on her nipple again—a short, sharp yank that sent a hungry ache through her sex.

  “What are you doing?” The words grew higher toward the end of her sentence and panic beat at her mind, yet she couldn’t seem to get her traitorous body to move. Charlie…Charlie was driving her crazy, making her want more. Much more.

  Gavin laughed, drawing her attention. When she studied him closely, she saw the bruises beneath his eyes. “We’re taking advantage of the fact we both woke up with a beautiful woman in our bed.”

  Charlie said nothing but his fingers strummed and plucked at her nipple like a master musician. She could hardly think, let alone plan a smart-ass answer.

  “Damn, I’ve got to check on the foal. I’d rather stay right here.”

  “It’s early, Gavin,” Charlie said.

  Leticia decided she liked it better when they both ignored her, except Charlie hadn’t released her nipple and it made her ultra-aware of her body. She concentrated on breathing, part of her wanting to shriek blue murder and kick their manly butts while the other needy part of her told her to enjoy the physical intimacy. Soon she’d lose the rest of her hair, and no one would want to look or touch then.