by London Casey
They battled rush hour traffic but somehow managed to find a place less than a block from the Steerhouse. They waited for Thad to park before heading to the restaurant.
“How are you holding up?” Thad asked as he joined them.
“I’m actually doing okay.” He probably feared that once she thought about the implication of Carson’s words, she’d fall apart.
Thad wrapped a comforting arm around her waist and escorted her inside where they were seated right away. She slid into the booth first, and Thad moved in next to her. Pete sat across from them.
The waiter came over right away and asked what they’d like to drink. “I’ll have a Chardonnay,” she said.
“Ale,” Pete added, while Thad ordered coffee.
Thad placed a hand on her leg. “If I seem a bit distracted during dinner, forgive me. I’m trying to process everything you’ve told me.”
“It’s not your case, you know.”
“But it involves you, and I want to be sure you stay safe.”
Zoey leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You are a good man, Thad Dalton.”
Pete cleared his throat. He didn’t act embarrassed. Rather he seemed to be trying to lighten the mood. He then stretched an arm across the back of the seat. Just looking at his pose made the recent incident fade.
“The whole time we’ve been together,” Pete said, “you’ve been able to get us to spill the beans about how we grew up, but I don’t know a lot about you.”
“I’m not used to talking about myself. Besides, my life isn’t very exciting.”
“It is to us,” Thad chimed in.
“You want the lowdown on Zoey Elizabeth Donovan?”
Thad leaned close. “Elizabeth huh? I like it. We want it all—the whole naked truth. The good, bad, the ugly.”
That made her laugh. Thank goodness the men were willing to put Gloria Sanchez to rest, at least for tonight. “There’s plenty of ugly in there, though not much bad, thankfully.” How did one sum up her life without boring them to death? “I have four siblings. Courtney, twenty-nine, works at a craft store in Billings. She’s the emotional one in the family. She’s made some bad decisions when it comes to men, but she has a heart of gold.”
Pete lowered his arm and leaned his elbows on the table. “I think we’ve all made some poor choices along the way.”
Zoey was guilty of that, too. “Yes, but Courtney seems to find men who believe violence is the way to settle disputes.”
Thad winced. “If a guy harmed any one of my relatives, I’d level a shotgun at his chest.”
Whether he meant to cheer her up or not, he did. “That’s not violent how?”
Pete grinned. “She’s gotcha there, Thad.”
Thad’s grip on the silverware lightened. “Point taken. Go on.”
The server delivered their drinks. “Are you ready to order or do you need a minute?” the young man asked.
“Give us a few.” Thad lifted his steaming cup to his lips and the delicious aroma of beans made her stomach grumble, but she was happy for the wine. “You’ve accounted for one of the four siblings,” he said. “What about the rest?”
Thad was good about paying attention. “Tom is twenty-seven and an investment banker. He’s too focused on work and never goes out. He lives in Connecticut and commutes an hour or more each day into New York City.” The image of her youngest sister, Kenna, surfaced and she smiled. “Kenna is twenty-five. She’s a happily married housewife, with two adorable kids. Hubby’s a lawyer, but just like my brother, Dan works too much. Kenna might be a stay-at-home mom, but she gets frazzled easily. Last but not least is Jack. He’s twenty and attends Yale. Says he wants to be an actor, but who knows.”
Zoey’s heart ached talking about them. As crazy as her brothers and sisters made her when she was growing up, she loved and missed them all. She sipped her wine and the smooth blend went down easy.
Pete’s cheer had ebbed. “Tell us about your folks. You said your dad was like mine. Did your family get along? Were they happy, comfortable, dysfunctional, or what?”
A quick bubble of laughter escaped. “Now who’s the shrink?”
Thad pressed his shoulder to hers. “He gets this way sometimes. Humor him.”
What way? Serious, introverted, interested? The man was more complex than his usual easy-going exterior implied, but if they had any chance of a relationship, she wanted to be honest. “My parents loved all of us, but I always sensed that because they struggled to keep themselves on track, we kids came second. I know that’s a terrible thing to say, but after my mom’s car wreck, things weren’t the same.”
“Car wreck?” Thad’s voice came out strangled. It was almost as if he was imagining his own mother injured.
“Yes. A drunk driver hit her. She broke a leg, an arm, and a few ribs. She was in the hospital for weeks.”
“How old were you?”
“Thirteen.” Zoey painfully remembered how her father had crumbled after the accident. It was the first and only time she’d seen him cry. “We found out later that Mom was pregnant with Jack.”
“What did you do?” Pete drank his ale, but kept his gaze on her.
“Those days were a blur. My grandmother flew down from Maine to help out, but I was central command. It was the first time my brother and sisters treated me like I mattered.”
Thad twisted toward her. “You became the caregiver. Do you think that was the impetus for you pursuing a degree in psychology?”
She shrugged. “I’ve always wondered if it was, but it gets back to the old nurture versus nature argument. I think I was born to help people, but being in charge of a family of six when I was thirteen certainly helped shape who I am today.”
“It makes sense,” Pete said, “why you never did anything bad. Your family counted on you too much.”
“That’s true.”
Both Thad and Pete picked up their menus and she did the same. By the time the server returned, they’d all chosen their meal. She went with a light fish, while Pete and Thad both ordered the filet mignon.
All three brought their drinks to their lips as if they were waiting for someone to start a new topic. Thad’s question about what made her choose psychology had her thinking. While she bet Thad’s family thought the world of him, he was a bit of an enigma. “Tell me what made you decide to work with gangs?”
It was always possible some distant family member was in a gang or had been accosted by a gang member. Personal experiences were often driving forces for what one did in life.
“I can’t even say it was one incident or one day, but there’s a particular image that will remain in my brain for life. I was new to the force, but had worked with some very experienced cops. This one time I was with Cade, and we found a young woman with a bullet through her forehead.”
She winced. “How did that make you feel?” Zoey couldn’t help jumping into shrink mode. She wanted to understand him.
“Pissed. Disgusted. And determined to do something so another innocent victim wouldn’t be killed.”
Zoey shifted in her seat so she could face him better, her knee comfortably bumping his. She didn’t want to think about what went through that poor woman’s mind seconds before she was shot. “I’ve heard cops have to develop thick skins to survive. Do you ever get used to seeing a dead person?” She kept her voice low.
“Haven’t seen that many, but after a while, you learn to block out the horror. They give us training on how to do our jobs and not let our emotions rule. Sometimes it works. Other times it doesn’t.”
She’d been trained like that, too, but it wasn’t always possible to turn off her heart. “Did you ever find the person who killed that poor woman?”
“Yes, but it took a long time. The victim was a schoolteacher from Colorado visiting her folks. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A couple of thugs were robbing a pharmacy when she happened by. The gang member who shot her said he did it in order to know what it felt like to kill.”
>
Zoey dealt with a lot of sick people but none that bad. She shook her head. This wasn’t helping her day. “Is that why you wanted to go after gang members? For this woman?”
He leaned back and blew out a breath. She didn’t want to push, but Thad was a sensitive man. Deep inside, he cared about others.
“In part, but more importantly, I wanted to understand what made a kid turn to gangs.”
The teenage mind fascinated her, too. “Have you?”
“Poverty, parents who don’t care. You name it. It makes me want to tell parents to love their kids.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Pete’s fingers tightened on his glass. Talking about bad parenting was a sore subject for him. She wished he’d understand that his father’s less than affectionate behavior might have nothing whatsoever to do with him. Some men spend their life battling their own demons and can never let go of the pain. Hopefully, Pete would see that at some point in his life.
Right now, she wanted to be with both of them, give them comfort, and let them bestow some loving on her. At the thought of crawling into bed with her two men and letting them hold her tight, the pain of the past few days eased.
Chapter Twenty-One
Between the stress from the funeral and eating a big meal at the restaurant, Zoey was tired. She agreed to let Pete drive because he wanted to. Tonight should be about the men’s needs and what they wanted. She’d yet to make real love with Thad, and she couldn’t wait to rectify that oversight. Between the murder and the funeral, the men had either been busy or perhaps not in the mood to get together.
Pete drove up her drive and Thad pulled in behind them. Pete pushed open his door and rushed to her side to open hers. A girl could get used to this treatment.
“Thank you, sir.” She tugged on his sleeve, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed Pete’s cheek. “And thank you for dinner. Next time I’m paying.”
He grinned and excitement gushed through her. Pete Banks was one sexy man.
“That’s not going to happen, sugar. You know we’re not wired that way.”
Before she had a chance to say it was only fair that they share the expenses, Thad jogged up next to them. “Hey, don’t start without me.”
“You’ll just have to let me bestow a kiss on you, then.” These two brought out the best in her. Zoey retrieved her key and opened the door before they could help. “Come on in.” As soon as she closed the door, she punched in her code for the alarm.
Just as she turned around, Thad lifted her purse from her shoulder, placed it on the sofa, and then wrapped his arms around her waist. “Someone said something about a kiss?”
“I did indeed.” When she leaned forward to meet him halfway, he pressed his lips against hers, and the pain of Gloria’s death faded like bleach on black denim. Zoey blocked out every thought except for what was happening to her body. Pleasure sizzled through her veins. When she opened up to taste more of him, he brushed his thumbs against her nipples. She so needed to get naked.
“I want you to touch all of me.” Her words floated out on a breath. “Which means I need to get out of these clothes.”
“Now she’s talking,” Pete said as he took off his jacket and placed it on the living room chair. Before she had the chance to slip the sweater off her shoulders, he swooped her up into his arms. “I know a better place to get comfortable.” While he didn’t have a drawl, his western accent had intensified.
“That so?” This was a dream come true, and a wonderful way to end a crappy week.
His booted heels slapped against the hardwood floors, and his strong arms surrounding her gave her great comfort. Thad followed. As they neared the bedroom, he scooted ahead, opened the door, and flicked on the bedside lamp, bathing the room in soft light.
“Set her down,” Thad said with an urgency she hadn’t heard in a while.
Pete did. Zoey held up her palms. “Wait. Let me strip for you.” She wanted to see if she could tease them into taking her hard.
Thad looked over at Pete. “We’ll give you three minutes. If you’re not done, we’re coming after you.”
She laughed. “This isn’t a race. It’s about seduction. Slow, easy movements that are meant to entice, titillate, and lure. I know we have to be up early tomorrow for work, but we have a few hours.”
Pete’s mouth opened. “You going to take that long?”
He almost sounded serious. “Perhaps. Now sit. You can both take off your shoes if you want, but nothing else. Once I get naked, I’m going to peel the clothes from your body, one piece at a time.”
Pete looked as if she’d handed him the winning lottery ticket, but Thad acted like he’d combust before she finished. He kicked off his shoes then adjusted himself. She almost took pity on him by letting him help her speed her progress, but then she changed her mind. Because shoes weren’t sexy, she discarded them quickly. The relief was immediate and she let out a groan.
Pete leaned back on his elbows, looking delicious. “None of that moaning and groaning stuff until we’re all naked.”
She was tempted to go faster, but once more decided against it. After she removed her other shoe, she placed them by the side of the bed. Now for the fun part. She slid her sweater down her arms inch by inch then tossed the garment in the air to see what the men would do. Pete snagged it in mid-air.
“Wahoo.” She smiled when Pete brought the garment to his face and inhaled.
Now she wished she’d worn more than a simple black dress because her seduction might end too soon. Thank goodness Jamie had convinced her to buy a few sexy underwear sets while she was at Naughty Desires.
While Zoey could have reached behind her and fumbled with her zipper, she wanted to tease them. She sashayed up to Thad. “Want to help me undo the back?”
“Happy to help.” Thad jumped up and slid the zipper down her back one sprocket at a time. With each click, her body heated. The man was control wrapped up in a selfless package. That was the definition of sex appeal.
When the tab reached the bottom, he slid his hands over her shoulders and lowered the material. Instead of him sitting back down, he kissed her bare shoulder, and she jumped as his warm lips pressed against her sensitive skin.
“Easy there. It’s just a kiss.”
There was nothing “just” about the way he caressed her body. So as not to give in and rip off his clothes, she stepped forward and inhaled to compose herself. She faced Thad, and his hazel eyes darkened with desire. She yearned to throw herself in his arms, but that would come later.
Thad didn’t take his gaze from her face as he sat. “You are so fucking hot, Zoey.”
Her need to torment the men evaporated. She wanted them now. With less fanfare than she’d intended, she slipped out of the dress and let it pool at her feet.
“Holy shit, sugar.” Pete stood. “We can’t take it any longer.”
As if he and Thad had the same idea, they both charged. Elation at what was to come sizzled through her body. Pete stepped behind her and unhooked her bra then slid the straps down her arms while Thad dropped to his knees.
“It’s been too long.” Thad whispered his words as he placed his face against her belly.
“Yes.” Too long. She planted her hands on his head and let the bristles of his short hair brush against her palms. She loved everything about this man—his clean scent that reminded her of the outdoors to his dark stubble and smoldering eyes.
Using his teeth as well as his hands, he lowered her panties past her knees. His lips were so close to her folds that his breath skated across her naked flesh. Anticipation sent sparks rippling up her body.
Suck on me! Lick me!
Pete slid his hands to her breasts and lifted them in his palms. “I love these,” he said, and then leaned his cheek against hers. He dragged his thumbs across her distended nipples, and pleasure soared through her veins while her inner walls clenched with unmitigated need. Through Pete’s thin dress slacks, his hard cock pressed against her rear.
“No,” they said in unison.
Because they were being ridiculous, she felt no obligation to obey. With her panties around her knees, she flipped around. As soon as her fingers touched Pete’s belt buckle, he stopped her.
“Our woman might need some discipline,” Pete said with a chuckle. In a blink of an eye, he ducked his shoulder and hoisted her in the air.
“Pe-te!” She laughed.
A second later he dropped her onto the bed. Both men stepped back and unbuttoned and unzipped their trousers. They’d already taken off their shoes. Seeing their sleek bodies revealed inch by delicious inch was incredible. She yearned to touch them. As if they were a synchronized team, they jammed their hands in their pants pockets, extracted their wallets then retrieved condoms. This was going to be some night.
Zoey considered helping them take off their shirts, but watching might be more fun. Pete unbuttoned his white shirt and tossed it on the floor. His thumbs hovered over his briefs as if he was debating whether to tease her.
“I thought you didn’t wear underwear.”
“Only when I’m in jeans. There’s too much room in these slacks. One look at you, and everyone in the funeral home would have known what I wanted to do.”
Zoey chuckled. Thad slipped off his shirt, folded it, and placed it on the side table. Not taking his gaze off her face, he lowered his briefs. Her heart nearly burst seeing him so hard, so erect.
“Over here, sugar.” She looked at Pete who flipped around, bent over, and lowered his underwear.
She laughed. “Hurry.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Seconds later, Pete, too, was naked. “Now for our reward.” He picked up the condom and tossed it onto the end of the bed. “Bottoms.”
“You had bottoms last time,” Thad said.
Please don’t fight. “How about you take turns?” Her voice had an unwanted edge to it, but she couldn’t handle any bickering, especially today.
Thad sat next to her and stroked her cheek. “We’re not arguing. We’re just trying to relax you. It’s our way of being playful.”