Men Times Three

by Edwards, Bonnie

  “Okay, you have to explain, because I’m missing something here. I thought we weren’t going to ruin the great time we’re having by talking about the great time we’re having.”

  She ran her curious fingers up to his collarbone. She kissed him there and murmured something hot and dark and sexy. “Your chest hair is perfect.” She nuzzled the V at his throat and opened his top button. She scented him like a cat with a morsel of food.

  “I like your chest, too,” he said and cupped her breasts. He tilted his head. “This is where we usually shut up, Kylie.” He was already hard enough to take her, but he couldn’t be sure that’s why she’d come out to see him. “Why don’t we take this inside?”

  “Let’s go. And afterward, we’ll make dinner together. I hear you make a mean pasta sauce.”

  “I do.” He pursed his lips, then gave her a quick nod. “Dinner afterward. TJ’s gone home to wait to hear from Marnie.”

  “Deke and Holly left right after TJ.” She towed him like a dinghy toward the kitchen door. He followed her through the inn and upstairs.

  At her urging, he stepped into her bedroom. “Are you sure?” Something was off with her, he was sure of it.

  “Yes, now take off your clothes and join me in the shower.”

  His mind blanked at the idea of washing Kylie’s hair with that fruity shampoo, watching the suds slip and slide down her exquisite body. “I’m game if you are.”

  Once in the water, words weren’t needed and he finally relaxed and followed the line of soapy water down to the apex of her thighs. He dropped to his knees and burrowed between her legs to find her plump clit. He suckled lightly and let her moans join the sound of the water, thrumming, thrumming.

  If any woman could make him hang around, it was Kylie.

  Her moisture filled his mouth as he suckled and licked her to orgasm. She clenched her thighs around his face and groaned as she held him to her. “Eli! Yes! Love me, Eli, just like that.”

  The words filled his ears, his heart and he knew he’d give her whatever she asked for. She claimed to want more than sex. She claimed to want him. For the rest of the evening, that’s what she’d get.

  A couple of hours after Eli’s fabulous spaghetti and meat-balls, Kylie left the shower for the second time and tiptoed to the bed. A soft snore rose. Eli was sound asleep in her bed for the first time. They’d never even cuddled after sex and now they’d done that and more.

  He’d cooked for her, talked with her and even planned some outings with her. He wanted to show her around the entire Peninsula as if he accepted that she would always live here.

  But what she wanted more was Eli.

  She slipped in beside him and realized she hadn’t shared a bed with anyone since her last sleepover as a teen.

  He took up so much space. But the warmth under the sheet felt awesome. The man was a furnace. She lay flat on her back, arms and legs stretched out straight, so as not to wake him. They’d worn each other out and his deep breathing proved it. Weary to the bone and sore between her legs, she waited, stiff and silent for sleep to claim her.

  He was a side sleeper and kept one knee bent, the other straight, the way she did.

  She rolled to her side, facing him. No room. If she bent her knee, they’d bang kneecaps all night. She rolled to her other side but her knee hung over the edge of the bed and she felt as if she’d fall out.

  She eased toward the middle, hoping she didn’t nudge his knee and wake him. There. Better. She tucked her hand under her pillow and settled in.

  A snuffle from behind gave her minimal warning that she’d disturbed him. He moved with a light grunt and flung his leg over hers while tugging her back against his chest.

  Caught between the rock of Eli and the soft give of the mattress she finally understood the idea of spooning. She wiggled her butt closer into his heat while his hand stole to cup her breast. His breathing barely changed as he held her in slumber.

  Finally at ease, his warmth surrounding her as his body draped hers, she joined him in sleep.

  The morning found her still wrapped up in Eli, except now his hand had moved south of her waist and into her pussy. “Good morning,” she muttered on a sharp sigh. She raised her leg to give him more room. He took quick advantage and slid his rigid cock between her legs.

  “Sore?” he asked at her ear.

  “Not anymore.” She was wet and slippery and very aroused already. Her sleep had been filled with hot dreams of Eli taking her in a variety of ways she had yet to experience with him.

  “Good.” He flipped her to her stomach and brought her to her knees. He wedged her legs apart and parted her butt cheeks. “You’re wet. So fucking wet.”

  “What are you doing?”

  But his finger in her pussy told her where his interest lay. He slid in a second finger and pumped her until she moaned and pressed for more.

  “More. Please.”

  A third finger took her higher, closer, as tension rose. She buried her face in her pillow and moaned louder.

  She heard the tear of a condom packet and grinned in anticipation until he rubbed her clit with his wet fingers. She pressed back when the tip of his cock slid into her opening. She bloomed in urgent need.

  Eli took her fast and hard. Deep, so deep. She came quickly, then reached between her legs and stretched to cup the tight knots of his balls. He fit so perfectly with her. She was tall, but he was taller. She was strong, but he was stronger and they matched each other stroke for stroke, buck for buck.

  Eli plunged again and again, gaining speed and depth. She squeezed him until he growled with orgasm and pressed her flat to the mattress.

  When it was over and they’d caught their breath, he nipped her skin at the shoulder before he collapsed on the bed.

  “Wow,” she said, “I’ve missed out on a lot of great mornings.”

  He chuckled and tilted her chin up to meet her lips in a light kiss. “Better than coffee any day.”

  Sunday morning and TJ rolled out of his empty bed, determined to get through the day without calling Marnie. It had been almost twenty-four hours since her meeting with her partner.

  It had to be bad news. People shared good news right away, and hesitated when it came to hurting someone. He was half convinced she wouldn’t call at all.

  He had to keep busy. The only way to avoid calling her was to be productive. The crew had the day off and it was too dangerous to work alone so he was stuck at home. He knew exactly what his brothers were doing.

  Of the three of them, he was the one who wanted a wife and family. He was the one who’d built a business to support that dream. Hell, he’d built the house he was standing in with children in mind.

  And which woman had knocked his socks off at first glance? The only Dawson granddaughter who didn’t want to be here. He wanted to tear his bedroom apart, but instead, he thumped downstairs to grab his first cup of coffee. Thank God for automatic timers.

  He had the sign to work on. That would keep his mind off Marnie. He headed out to his shop, slipped his ear protection on and started the sander. But the muffled sound only gave his mind time to work him over but good. After an hour of torturing himself with doubt and hating his brothers for finding what he so badly wanted, he pulled the plug.

  There weren’t enough woodworking projects in the world to keep him from thinking about Marnie. He finally understood what had driven Jon Dawson to build an entire inn and all the furniture by hand. He must have had a mountain of regret. Too many for one man to bear and, in the end, when he’d had one chance to square things with Kylie, he’d fucked up all over again.

  TJ hung his head in acceptance. Whatever it took, he had to try one more time with Marnie.

  “TJ?”

  He raised his head, convinced his name had come from inside his head. The buzz from the sander had affected his hearing, in spite of the ear protection. He turned and blinked.

  “Marnie!” He wanted to grab her to his chest, but her face stopped him.
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br />   She glowed. Just glowed.

  “God, you look good.” So fucking good.

  “Dennis offered to buy me out of the club.”

  “I see.” Everything stopped. The distant birdsong, the wind in the trees, the beat of his heart. “Did you accept?”

  She slowed her approach, put some sway in her hips and a light of sexy anticipation entered her eyes. “He’ll come up with some numbers. We’ll discuss it.”

  “I see,” he repeated, unsure of her signals. She could just be here for a few days, like usual. This didn’t mean she wanted to move here. She could have other plans for a new business in the city.

  “You don’t seem happy.” She drew closer. “I told Dennis I had a lot to consider. My dreams, my goals, my feelings for you.”

  “For me?”

  She stood kiss-close and looked up into his face.

  He was afraid to believe what he read in her eyes. That light of love might be something else.

  “I also need to consider your feelings for me.”

  “You know how I feel. Do you need to hear it again? Because I’ll yell it from the treetops if that will convince you.”

  “I’d love to hear it again, but let me say it first. I love you, Thomas John O’Banion, and I want you for the rest of my life.”

  He grabbed her to his chest so tight she gasped. “I was blind to the possibility of selling out to Dennis. I never even considered walking away because I only thought of myself. My ambitions, my dreams. I’m sorry I didn’t call you, but my phone was destroyed and I wanted to tell you in person.”

  He kissed her, but she tore her mouth off his. “I love you, TJ, and I always will.”

  “Took you long enough,” he breathed against her lips.

  “Give me a break; I was only thirteen when this started.”

  23

  Holly held the end of a tape measure for Deke as he paced off the length of his envisioned kitchen. They’d spent most of Sunday morning here, going over his plans for the house. Her phone rang and, seeing her brother’s number, she answered immediately. “Hi, Damien! How’d it go?”

  “Are you sure Jack was at work all week?”

  “As sure as I can be.” Marnie had confessed to calling Jack at work. Family. “When he picked up, dear cousin Marnie disconnected. Why?”

  “Because he’s not home and it looks like his mailbox is stuffed full. I’m not sure he’s been there lately.”

  “Jack was never efficient with routine stuff, like mail. Besides all his bills are paid online.” Hearing Jack’s name, Deke looked over, a frown clouding his features. He approached with a wary expression. She covered the mouthpiece. “My brother, Damien, checked Jack’s place for me.” To Damien, she said, “Thanks, yes, I’ll let you know if I see him.”

  “And when do we meet this new guy?” Damien asked.

  “Just as soon as we can take a day to come visit.” She smiled at Deke and touched his hand. “You’ll like him, Damien, I promise.”

  Her brother gave her a “we’ll see” hum and one more word of caution. “If Jack shows up there, Holly, you call the cops.”

  “I will. I promise. I love you, too,” she said. Not that Damien ever said the words, but she always felt them. They disconnected at the same time.

  “My brother, Damien, wants to meet you soon. The silly codicil says none of the men in the family can come to the inn for a year, so we’ll have to go to Bellevue to visit him. The rest of my family will probably be there, too, so be prepared.”

  He grinned. “Fine, I do okay with family. I may even pull out a white shirt, cords and a sports jacket.”

  “No plaid?” She feigned horror.

  He chuckled. “That’s all fine, but what’s happening with Jack?”

  “Don’t get upset, but he sent this card along with that huge bouquet on the coffee table at the inn.” She hated having to tell him, but they were past the point of arguing about how much she should share. He needed to know about Jack’s newest attempt to get her attention.

  “He sent those flowers? I figured one of you women picked them up.” Then he read the card that had been tucked so innocently into the bouquet. He glared at the words, then at her. “You’re saying you’ve had this card since yesterday? And you didn’t tell me?”

  “I called my brothers. Which is probably what I should have done months ago when Jack kept”—she was so not going to tell him how often she’d slept with Jack since the divorce. Or that sometimes, she was the one making the call for a hook up.

  “Jack kept what?” He looked at her with suspicion.

  “We slept together for a short time after the divorce. I thought it would ease the transition. There. Now you know. Feel better?”

  “I feel like shit! You should have told me about this!” He shoved the card at her. She grabbed it and slid it back into her pocket.

  “Yelling at me won’t help. The thing is, Jack doesn’t seem to have been home and now, I’m wondering if he’s here again.”

  “But Marnie called him at work.”

  “That was midweek, this is Sunday. He’s off today. He could be here right now.”

  “Call the flower shop,” he ordered. “Ask when the order was placed and whether or not it was in person.”

  He clasped her hand and hurried her into his truck. “We’ll go to the inn, check things out. Eli planned to take Holly on a tour of the Peninsula. They’ve probably already left.”

  “Huh. They’ve likely shoved each other off a cliff somewhere.” Her dry humor brought a smile to Deke’s mouth. She climbed in and dug the card out of her pocket again. “The number for the shop must be on the envelope. We threw that out.”

  “We’ll dig through the trash until we find it.”

  She called information, but none of the store names sounded familiar. She pulled up her memory of the truck. “It came from a grocery store! Some of them have florists and also deliver.”

  “I’ve used them myself.” He looked sheepish. “I sent some to Misty, on the off chance—”

  “You could get back together with her?” She finished his cutoff thought. “You keep that in mind when you feel like judging me,” she said.

  With a half-grin, he pulled the truck onto the road and headed toward the inn. She made more calls. One to Kylie, the next to Marnie.

  “Kylie and Eli are about an hour away and heading back now. Marnie’s phone is still messed up or something.”

  “Try TJ’s place,” he said and gave her the number.

  Marnie answered.

  “Hey, Marnie. You’re there.”

  “I am. What’s up? You sound agitated.”

  “We’ve kind of lost track of Jack.” She explained about the bouquet and the warning on the card. “But it’s pretty vague. I mean it’s sort of nothing, you know? A match made in heaven and all that. I mean, it’s a common enough saying about married couples and it was one of his favorite things to say after we fought.”

  “Typical of you to ignore the burn, baby, burn part. Meet us at the inn right away.”

  After Marnie hung up she looked at TJ. Concern filled his eyes. “Holly. She called about Jack.” She sat on the side of the rumpled bed, a cold trickle of alarm skating along her nerves. “She always gives that man the benefit of the doubt. None of the rest of the family does. Her brother went to his place and says it looks like he hasn’t been there in days.” But he’d been at work when she’d called the other day.

  TJ leaped to his feet and grabbed his jeans, shirt and socks to dress. “I’ll call Chuck and put him on alert again. Can’t hurt.”

  “Thanks,” she said through the sweatshirt she pulled over her head. She felt safer just by TJ being there. “We shouldn’t overreact,” she cautioned. “But the note on the card was ominous, even though Holly doesn’t agree.”

  She pulled on the rest of her clothes and followed him out to his truck while he called his friend, Chuck. Just hearing him advising the police officer of the situation warmed her heart.

>   TJ was the man. The man for her.

  Thomas John O’Banion finished what he started, did what he promised and took care of his own. With him, she could have a full and fulfilling life.

  She’d be part of a real team, a true partnership. He’d known from the beginning what they could have together. Halfway to the Friendly Inn, she slid across the seat to sit close. “I love you, Thomas John, with everything I have.”

  He looked at her with seriously sexy focus. The man was killer gorgeous. “I love you, Marnie Dawson, with everything I am.”

  Eli pressed the accelerator to ten miles over the posted speed limit. An urgent tattoo in his brain thrummed, making it hard to sit still as he drove. “I’ve got a bad feeling, Kylie,” he said.

  “Me, too.” She looked worried. “I should have said something yesterday, after the flowers came. Holly’s face went white when she read that card. But she was so private about Jack before that I let it pass.” She bit her lip and looked guilty.

  He slid his hand over hers. “Don’t beat yourself up. You didn’t know all their history. You’re new to the family, remember?”

  Her face glowed with happiness. “Thanks.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek as he drove.

  They’d hiked a short trail in the Olympic National Forest and discovered another thing they had in common. “Hey, we’ve gone over three hours without a cross word between us,” he commented.

  “A record. And we only stopped for sex once,” she said, followed by a sexy purr. “Holly was right, though.”

  “About?”

  “Sex in a truck with an O’Banion is not easy. You guys are huge!”

  A warm flush rose. “I hope you mean that in the best way, but let me know next time if I hurt you. I’ll slow down.” They’d gone at it fast and furious.

  She stretched her legs and pressed her feet against the floor-boards in response. “I’d tell you if it hurt. I feel great.” When she kissed his cheek, he eased up on the gas pedal. “But two tall people in a truck cab makes for cramped quarters. That last maneuver, though?”