by Rye Hart
“What happened?” I asked again, this time hoping to get a solid answer.
What had happened between us earlier, catching him with Hadley, didn't even matter anymore. Any anger I might have had with him was long gone, replaced by a shared fear that we might lose the woman we loved.
Seeing the look on Jared's face, I knew that he cared for her as much as I did.
“She left after you two spoke, and then drove around,” he said. “We followed her, were worried about her, and she stopped at Wilson's Creek – ”
I closed my eyes. I remembered Wilson's Creek, the memories of us swimming there late at night. Just her and me, sneaking out and trespassing for a little alone time. It had been our special place. A knot formed in my throat as Jared recounted the story of how the bridge collapsed underneath her and the two of them had to save her.
“She was unconscious,” he said. “Evan gave her CPR, and I was useless, man. Absolutely useless.”
Jared fell against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on his butt with his back against the wall. He held his knees in close to himself, hugging his body tightly. I joined him on the floor. No matter what happened between us, no matter what, we were still brothers. I could never turn my back on my brother.
“She's going to be fine,” I said, hoping that my words were true.
He nodded and wiped at his face.
“I just wish I could have done more,” I said. “I caused this. I shouldn't have fucked her, shouldn't have let my feelings get in the way of you two – ”
“Listen, Jared. That's in the past,” I said. “We'll deal with it later. For now, let's check on Hadley.”
He nodded, and I helped him up. I asked at the nurse's station, and she directed us toward the room. Evan was sitting beside the bed, holding her hand, a dreamy look on his face. He glanced up as we walked in.
Hadley looked to be sleeping peacefully, except for the monitors that had been hooked up to her. She had a breathing tube and the room was filled with the constant hum and buzzing of hospital equipment. None of us said a word for the longest time.
I walked over to her, took her hand from Evan and held it. I kissed her knuckles gently. Tears welled up in my eyes, and even though I wasn't the type of man to cry normally, I let them fall.
“I love you, Hadley,” I said. “Please don't leave me.”
With my brothers on either side of me, we sat there for what felt like an eternity. No one said a word. We just stayed with her, holding her hands and kissing her whenever we got the chance.
The realization hit me hard, like a pound of bricks to the head.
Nothing else mattered but Hadley.
***
“There, there,” the nurse said, adjusting Hadley's pillows. “Hopefully that's more comfortable, dear?”
Hadley had barely opened her eyes, but there was someone there. Either Evan or Jared rushed to grab a nurse at the first sign of life. It had been three hours – three agonizingly painful hours – but finally, she was coming back to us.
Her eyes flicked to me, then Evan, then Jared. Then back to me.
I fell to my knees beside the hospital bed, taking her hand in mine. I kissed it, and she seemed surprised, her eyes opening wider.
“You scared me,” I whispered against her skin. “God, you scared us all.”
“What happened?” she asked, her voice coming out a bit hoarse and dry.
“You almost died,” Jared said. “Right in front of us.”
“I don't remember any of it. Outside of falling into the creek, that is,” she said, her fingers intertwining with mine, and she smiled softly. “You're here.”
“I am here,” I said. “And I'm not going anywhere.”
Her smile grew a bit more. “Promise?”
“I promise you, Hadley. You're stuck with me now,” I said. “You're stuck with all of us.”
Evan and Jared were beside me, their hands on my shoulders.
“It's all about you, baby,” I said, stroking her cheek. “From now on, it's all about you.”
Hadley looked at peace, her eyes closing again. I thought she was asleep, but then her eyes popped open again, this time with a look of panic.
“Evan, what about the baby? Is the baby okay?”
I stared at Hadley, stunned. Then looked up at Evan.
“Baby?”
Evan nodded. “The baby is fine, Hadley. The doctors checked everything out already. They found a strong heartbeat.”
“You're pregnant?” I asked Hadley.
“I am,” she said softly. Her smile grew even wider. “Our plan worked.”
My whole world changed in that moment. Not only had I almost lost the love of my life, for real this time, I could have lost our child. Even if the child inside of her wasn't mine, it was one of ours, and I would always raise it like my own with my brothers by my side.
“Well then, I guess you've got your wish,” I said. “Looks like we're going to be one, big happy family after all.”
Epilogue
Hadley
One Year Later...
“Whoa, Grayson,” Gabe said, dodging my little boy as he ran through the living room with a tray of drinks for our housewarming party.
I'd been living in our new home – Evan's house – with Evan and Grayson for a while. But, this was the first time our family was coming over to see it set up for all of us. After moving in, I'd redecorated everything. It hardly looked like the same house, which made Evan happy. He moved back in as soon as I'd had the rooms painted to our liking and moved some things around.
Gabe and Jared also moved in and made the place their own, even though that hadn't happened until recently. Our parents still didn't understand what we were doing, but no one bothered to question our lifestyle, and for that, I was grateful.
“Mommy, can I hold Emma?” Grayson asked, jumping up and down at my feet.
The sweet baby girl in my arms was only a few months old, too young to be passed over to an unruly toddler. I hesitated to answer, fearing how I'd explain it to Grayson, but Evan swooped in from around the corner and took the baby in his arms.
“Sure thing, little man,” he said. “Come sit with me on the couch.”
I started to argue, but Evan shot me a knowing look. He had it covered. The two of them sat on the couch, the baby sitting just barely on Grayson's lap. Evan held the bulk of her and Grayson just smoothed her hair down along her head.
“She's so cute,” he said.
“Yeah, she is,” Evan said.
I leaned against the wall, admiring my happy little family. Evan shared a look with me and we smiled. God, I loved that man. I loved him more and more every day.
The doorbell rang, and I rushed over to answer it, trusting our baby in the hands of one of her fathers.
I answered the door, and Laura greeted me with a hug.
“Hey, partner,” she said, winking as she stepped inside.
“Hi back, partner,” I teased. “Ready for a drink to celebrate?”
“Don't you know it,” she said, waltzing through the living area toward Gabe with the tray of drinks.
Jared came down the stairs, fresh from the shower. His hair was still wet, and he was wearing a pair of tight blue jeans and a navy blue polo shirt. I couldn't take my eyes off him, and he reciprocated, flashing me a wry little grin as he reached the bottom of the steps. He came straight for me and wrapped me in his arms, kissing my lips and holding me close.
“What were you staring at?” he teased.
“My sexy boyfriend, that's what,” I said, playfully tapping him on the chest. “Did you get everything unpacked?”
“Mostly,” he said. “Just a few more boxes, and I'll be moved in.”
“I can't wait,” I said, squeezing him tight. “I'm sleeping with you tonight.”
“If Gabe will let me have you,” Jared teased. He shot a look over at his oldest brother, who was lost in a conversation with Laura. “Then again, he looks tied up at the moment, maybe we cou
ld sneak away and – ”
I smacked him playfully on the ass. “Hush. Our parents will be here any minute.”
“So?” he teased, leaning forward just enough to kiss my nose.
“You're a bad boy, you know that?”
He winked. “Admit it, you love it.”
“I love you, that's all I know,” I said.
“Mmm, and I love you too,” he said, kissing me one last time before letting me go. “I'll be waiting for you tonight, in my bed.”
“I'll be there.”
He returned the favor and smacked my ass as I walked back toward the party. Gabe was still talking to Laura, and I made out part of their conversation as I approached.
“I'm so happy for our partnership,” Laura said. “Ashburn and Rose, two of the biggest names in interior design. I'm excited to see where this move takes us.”
“As am I,” I said from behind her.
I was worried about relocating, mainly because I didn't have the client base in Castle Creek yet. Most of my clients were in Southern California. However, the more time I spent with Laura, the more we'd hit it off. Eventually, she'd offered to bring me in as a partner, to work together and to expand our business in Colorado.
Gabe sidled up next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist. I leaned into him, feeling comfortable against his chest. I knew, in that moment, that was where I was meant to be. With him. At his side. Grayson came up and tugged at Gabe's arm, pulling him away to look at something. I watched Gabe's ass as he walked away, a smile curling at my lips.
“What has you smiling so pretty?” Evan said, sneaking up on me.
He still had Emma in his arms, holding her against his chest. His glasses were sliding down his nose, so I reached up and adjusted them for him. His smile grew wider.
“I'm just happy,” I said, answering his question. Aside from Chris' death, my life really couldn't have turned out any better, and judging by the looks on my men's faces, neither could theirs.
The End
6 MOUNTAIN BROTHERS FOR CHRISTMAS
A Reverse Harem Romance
PROLOGUE
Standing there, in the living room, we passed around the bottles until they were drained of their contents. I looked down at the green bottle in my hands and smiled, placing it on the ground before I spun it.
It spun, and it spun, and I could feel the brothers’ eyes on me. Their curious glances slowly growing devilish while my nipples puckered painfully behind my bra. They knew what I was thinking, and I knew what was rolling through their heads. As the bottle slowed to a stop in front of Chance, I lifted my gaze to him and grinned.
“Chance,” I said. “Truth or Dare?”
In an instant, the entire atmosphere in the room changed. Chance’s gaze held mine steadily as I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth, and I heard Ethan let out a groan as Chance drew in a long breath through his nose.
“Dare,” he said.
“I dare you, Chance Trent, to undress me and make me come.”
“Oh…,” he said as he approached me. “I’d be happy to oblige.”
In an instant, Chance’s lips were on mine as his hands rounded around to my ass. I could feel his strength pressing into me, pinning me between him and the cool glass of the sliding back doors.
“I’ll give it to you just the way you want,” he said into my lips.
He stripped me of my clothes before he picked me up against his body. I wrapped my legs around him, feeling him carry me up the steps. He opened up one of the bedrooms and laid me down onto the bed. I could hear the footsteps of the other Trent brothers behind us, and I was thrilled for the show we were about to give them.
Chance’s lips kissing down my cheek and suckling at the skin on my neck.
“Oh Chance,” I said, whispering.
“Say it again,” he said.
“Chance,” I said. “Please don’t make me wait.”
“I love it when you say my name.”
His lips traveled down my breasts, bypassing my nipples that were angry and screaming for attention. His hands parted my legs, and I felt my juices dripping out onto the bed. He kissed the insides of my legs, sniffing my scent deeply before his tongue slid up my slit. My hands wound into the sheets underneath my body, and my heels dug into Chance’s back while his tongue worked my clit.
I could feel my toes curling even before he picked up his pace. And the most erotic part of the experience was my acute awareness of the other brothers in the room – patiently waiting.
Had someone told me I’d be in this position (pun intended) one month ago, I would have laughed in disbelief.
Yet, in this very moment I knew one thing for certain: I was the luckiest girl in this enchanted mountain town.
CHAPTER ONE - KYRA
Why the hell did I become a sex education teacher?
I’m the last person that should be teaching these kids about sex!
My eyes scanned the words on the page, and the text made my cheeks flushes. I swallowed as the students continued to stare. I could hear their snickers and feel their judgmental glances burning into my skin.
Oh, that’s right…it was either this, or babysitting obnoxious rich kids.
I forced myself to keep reading the words out loud, but my voice continued to stammer. “The tip of the…ahem… male’s anatomy… is the most sensitive part of his body. It is akin to a woman’s…’”
“If she can’t say ‘penis,’ she’ll never say ‘clit,” one student said.
“Miss Lancaster, are you trying to say a dude’s cockhead is like my clit?”
I whipped my head up while my eyes scanned the room. “Who asked that?”
“Me,” said the Angela Lopez, the girl at the back of the class that had it in for me the entire semester.
“Well, yes that’s what this book is trying to say,” I said.
“Nah, the book says it just fine. But you can’t even say the word ‘penis.’ How’d you get this job anyway?”
“Come on, Miss Lancaster,” another student said. “Say it. Say ‘penis.”
The children were laughing uncontrollably like something out of a nightmare. I dipped my head toward the pages of the book, not wanting to face the jeering mob.
What has my life come to?
After a college career spent learning psychology and education, this was where it got me. A sad reality spent drooling over an idiot ex-fiancé that wanted nothing to do with the real me.
Landon was much more interested in the pathetic picture of a cookie cutter wife he wanted me to fit into. I’d basically put my life and dreams on hold when I dropped everything and followed him into the city.
Months of applying for jobs resulted in mostly nanny offers, until I received a phone call from a high school in Queens. The facility was in dire need of a sex-education teacher. Rumor had it, the former teacher was let go after getting caught making out with her student in the locker room. Yuck!
The stress from the last few months of a sad relationship and a thankless job was showing - especially in my figure. I’d put on some noticeable weight around my mid-section and rear. Getting into my favorite pair of jeans became a creative process, entailing deep yoga breaths and a prayer. I seriously felt for my poor zipper which held on for dear life. I’ve always been a curvy girl, but things were beginning to get ridiculous - even by my standards.
If that wasn’t enough to stress over, I was stuck in the middle of a city I hated, and teaching children a subject I had less knowledge about then they did.
“How many sexual partners have you had, Miss Lancaster?” a girl asked.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“How many blow jobs have you given?!” a boy shouted.
“That is not an appropriate question,” I said.
“I’ve had three,” a girl said.
“Dude, me too!” another exclaimed.
“I’m still a virgin, but I’m changin’ that tonight,” someone else chimed in.
God help me.
My middle school kids were more sexually experienced than I was.
“All right, everyone! Pop quiz!”
All of them groaned while I handed out the papers. Then I sat back at my desk and took out my phone. The quiz was supposed to be for tomorrow, a little parting gift before Christmas break, but I had to do something to bring the embarrassment to a halt. When I first moved to New York City, it was on the heels of my fiancé.
His entire business empire was here, and it was assumed I would follow him. When I got here, I was in desperate need of a job. Even though I moved, we weren’t living together officially, and up until a few weeks ago, I could hardly get him to nail down a wedding date. He expected me to follow him wherever he went, but he didn’t want to give me solid commitment. It was total bullshit and I was sick of playing games.
The funniest part was that he was the one that wooed me relentlessly at first. In college, he’d been romantic. He took me on random plane trips to the other side of the country and surprised me with dozens of roses after end-of-semester exams. He showered me with attention, and he was gentle when he took my virginity. He opened my mind sexually to things I never thought I would experience - and up until this job, I thought I was well-versed in the art of sex.
But clearly, I was not.
Unlike me, Landon was wild and spontaneous. He was a buyer while I was a window shopper. If there was something I even stared at long enough, he would get it without a second thought. I’ve never liked the idea of letting someone buy my affection, but he would object. He genuinely wanted to express his love, and I guess it was the best way he knew how.
But when we graduated, things changed.
Suddenly, he wanted to know what I planned to do with my life. He wondered why I wasn’t pursuing a Master’s in Business or focusing on becoming the best paid educator in the nation. Pursing money or recognition wasn’t important to me; I wanted to help people – specifically in their relationships.
I grew up in a broken household, with parents that hated each other. It eventually led to a bitter divorce, which was the worst memory of my childhood. Luckily I managed to move on with my life, but my sister, Abby, had major issues dealing. Even as an adult, she blames her troubles with commitment to my parents’ failed relationship. The girl refused to commit to a puppy, much less a man. It was hard to witness; especially knowing she was limiting her own happiness out of fear.