by Dani April
She asked herself what Nathan would think of the two men. The one brief moment he had met them back in the winter, he had not liked them at all. He had almost killed them, in fact. Yet those were under far different circumstances and before he had gotten sick.
She remembered what Nathan had told her the last time she spoke with him. He was a shape-shifter and thought differently about these kinds of things than other people did.
Nathan wanted her to find other men to comfort her and take care of her while he was away.
She had found two very nice men, and they had been comforting her and taking care of her while he had been away.
It was hard for her to forget her traditional upbringing and think like a shifter. However, she determined to start.
She needed Drake and Hunter, needed them as more than just her friends. There was no way she was going to let them go to another woman tonight without putting up one hell of a fight.
Morgan dried her eyes and looked at herself in her bathroom mirror. Reasonably pleased with what she saw, she brushed her hair a few angry strokes and headed back out.
Drake was in the living room going over a spreadsheet on his laptop when she approached.
“What time are the two of you heading for the county fair tonight?”
“About seven I imagine.” He gave her a weary look. His gaze lingered overly long on her legs. This sent a thrill of satisfaction through Morgan.
“I’ve changed my mind. If that offer to ride in with you guys is still good, I’d like to go.”
Drake gave her a smile. She thought he was about to explain something to her.
Just then Hunter came down the hall. Fresh out of the shower, he was wearing a towel around his waist and nothing else.
“You changed your mind about tonight?” he asked her.
Morgan tried to avert her gaze. He looked good enough to eat, standing in her living room in that towel. His body was still wet, and his smooth, well-tanned skin glistened.
After a couple seconds to catch her breath, Morgan finally responded. “I want to go to the fair tonight.”
This was complete honesty. Going to the fair with them sounded like it would be the most fun she’d had in months.
“We’d love for you to join us.” Drake set aside his laptop and seemed enthusiastic. “Have you ever been to one of these things before?”
“No. Nathan and I moved to town just a couple weeks too late for the one last year. Nathan told me the fireworks at the county fair are better than what they have in Chicago.”
“Sure are.” Drake gave her a smile. “It’s because the sky is so clear out here. No city lights, no smog or pollution. When they set those fireworks off tonight, you’re going to think they’re the prettiest things you’ve ever seen.”
“I look forward to a night out. Should I make us dinner before we go?”
“No. We’ll grab some dogs and burgers at the fair. So I hope you bring a good appetite as well.” Drake looked over to Hunter, who was drying his hair as he channel surfed on the living room TV. “Go put some clothes on,” he told his friend.
Hunter ignored him and turned back to Morgan. She had to fight the butterflies in her tummy. He was practically naked in front of her. God, why did he have to look so good? His body was so inviting. She just wanted to run her hands up and down the tightly packed muscles of his chest, slip her fingers beneath that towel, and…oh, she had to stop.
“You’re not going to cramp our style tonight, are you, Morgan?” Hunter never gave away whether he was being serious or not.
“Cramp your style?”
“In meeting women.”
Drake threw a sofa pillow across the room at Hunter and told him to shut up.
Morgan only stared at Hunter. His deep-blue eyes caught her attention now, and she didn’t focus on his body. “You really want to hook up with a woman tonight?”
“Of course I do. So does Drake.”
She could have let her pride get the better of her and made some smart remark as a comeback. But she knew these men well enough. She knew what they really wanted tonight. They wanted her.
Chapter Thirteen
Drake drove the three of them to the fair that night. Morgan was perched between him and Hunter, her body not touching but mere inches away from him, her fresh feminine scent proving to be quite a distraction.
Once at the fair, neither man would leave Morgan’s side. They showed her everything, knowing the Wolf Creek county fair well because they had been coming to it since they were boys.
Morgan laughed and had a good time at the fair. It was good to see her get out into the world and live again. Drake knew she had been through a nightmare, and he wanted to change that course for her.
“I like those wolves.” Morgan had run ahead of them to a shooting gallery. The price for hitting ten bull’s-eyes was a giant stuffed wolf. “They have such wonderfully expressive faces.”
Drake knew he had a fight on his hands. Hunter wanted to win her the wolf she loved, and so did he.
“They’ve upped the stakes this year.” Hunter frowned at the old guy behind the shooting gallery. “It used to just require five bull’s-eyes to win the top prize.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Drake pushed his friend out of the way and grabbed a plastic gun that shot toy bullets. “I’m going to win the wolf for the lovely lady.”
“Not if I can win him for her first.” Hunter made it a challenge.
“You’re on.”
Morgan pushed between the two of them. The brief contact with her lithe body at the side of his own sent a shock wave through Drake. He had never really touched her before. He had been a gentleman for once in his life while he’d been with her. Now his body had been awakened with a jolt of electricity at a simple touch.
“Guys, I didn’t mean for either of you to try.” Morgan shot them each a troubled look in turn. “I like the wolf, but remember, I haven’t had such good luck with wolves. I’m happy to just stroll through the fairgrounds with you two.”
“Too late, Morgan.” Hunter already had his gun out and was taking aim with Drake.
Both were steady shots. Though neither of them hunted as a sport, they could be handy with a gun when required to be, even a toy gun. They began knocking down targets left and right, the clang of the toy bullets echoing in the warm night air.
“Honestly, you guys are impossible.” Morgan laughed and cheered for each of them every time another target would fall under their certain aim.
“Yeah!” Hunter whooped in the air as the tenth target fell before him. He pumped his fist in victory. Morgan gave him a hug, and the old guy in charge of the stand handed over a large stuffed wolf to her. It was half as big as she was.
Not to be outdone, Drake took an unshaken breath and concentrated on his last target. It would be nice to win this for Morgan. It would be nice to make her happy, and extra nice to earn a hug from her. Though before the night was over, Drake was hoping for a lot more than a mere hug.
The report of his gun cracked through the night and mixed with the jumble of other county fair sounds around them. His bullet knocked the target. It wobbled and then fell to the ground next to the one Hunter had felled.
“Yes!” Drake turned to Morgan. Her smile was beautiful and enchanting. Without meaning to, she had put them both under her spell.
Drake took her up in his arms. Her feet left the ground, and her arms willingly came around his neck to hold him tight. Their mouths met. It was an all-too-brief kiss, just a promise for things to come. Her mouth tasted of mint, and her body in his arms smelled of lavender. She was like grabbing a slice of heaven.
Only with reluctance did he put her back down on the ground. They exchanged a look. He wanted to know if it was all right. She renewed her smile and rested her head against his chest. Her other hand tugged against Hunter’s shirt and pulled him over to be with them. Drake was aware that the two of them had her sandwiched between, but she was willing, and that was the best feeling in t
he world.
“Get over here, you two.” Morgan had a smile for each of them. They lived a second where there was no one else in the world except for the three of them. “You guys are great.”
Their moment didn’t last long.
“Here you are, miss.” The old carnival guy handed Morgan her second wolf. With a four-foot animal dangling from each arm, she could hardly walk.
Drake took them from her. “Take these back to the truck for the lady and make yourself useful, dude.” Drake handed the wolves to Hunter.
Hunter gave him a look as if to say why me?
“Take good care of her until I get back, man.”
Drake put an arm around Morgan’s waist protectively. “I’ll guard her with my life. Now hurry or you’ll miss the fireworks.”
When Morgan looked up at him, he saw wetness in her eyes. She was fighting tears. “Thank you.”
He led her through the fairgrounds. “You know, you feel pretty good in my arms.” His hand had snaked around her lower waist without protest as he escorted her.
“Doesn’t feel bad to have your arm around me, either.” Morgan was all warm smiles now as she walked at his side. A blush had come to her face, and the color made her look even more beautiful if possible.
“You finally decided to give it a try.” Drake was referring to far more than just having his arm around her waist. She knew it, too.
“I guess it took me long enough.”
“Don’t worry about that, baby. We got here and that’s the important thing.” As he took Morgan out to the field where the fireworks were to be set off, it sure as hell felt to Drake like she was his woman now.
* * * *
Morgan linked hands with both men. They led her out into the field where a couple hundred townspeople had gathered to watch the fireworks.
A hush fell over the crowd as the magic of the fireworks started. They were beautiful and peaceful, and Morgan loved them. The guys had been right. These were better fireworks than what she had seen back home in Chicago. The majesty of the mountains behind them added to the splendor. It seemed like the perfect summer evening.
Off in the distance a thunderstorm was building over the mountains. Lightning lit the sky when the fireworks did not. But the storm was still far enough away, and they would get the show in before the rain started to fall.
“This is beautiful.” Her voice was breathless, and her head arched back to see the high tumblers.
“We knew you’d like it.” Drake squeezed her hand.
“You two seem to know an awfully lot about me.”
“Not really.” Hunter surprised her. His voice was as hushed as hers and very much unlike the cocky shape-shifter she knew. “But we want to get to know you, Morgan.”
“I want that…” She had just given them a promise for more to come. She was ready. Anticipation churned through her and made her feel flush. If ever it was to happen between the three of them, tonight was the perfect time.
Morgan hugged the two wolves to her lap on the drive back to her house. Once more she sat between the two men. Their bodies felt warm and strong next to her. Her heart started beating fast. The night was getting all too warm inside the cab of that truck.
It was just before midnight when they got back home. Few words had been spoken between them during the ride. There was little left to be said.
Back at the house, Hunter rummaged in the refrigerator and got them all out a can of beer. Drake turned on the TV.
“Want to watch something with us?”
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
Morgan hurried to her bathroom and took a quick shower to wash the sweat of the day and the evening off her body. When it was over, she barely felt refreshed. Her stomach had come up in her chest, and she had to force herself to breath.
She dried her body and hair with a towel.
Her hair was still wet when she stepped into a pair of underwear and pulled a long T-shirt over her head. Stepping across her carpet on bare feet, she returned to the two men out in the living room.
They had been waiting for her. She read the lust in their eyes as they watched her walk across the floor. It was slightly unnerving. Her body was all they saw.
A crack of thunder sounded outside.
Morgan realized both men were seated on her couch. They had taken up opposite ends. The room in the middle had been reserved for her.
She sat down between them. This felt so normal. Nothing felt wrong about it when they each put an arm around her. Though somewhere in the back of her mind her conventional upbringing told her she should start feeling guilty right about now, she refused to listen.
The TV flickered before them. No other light was on inside the house. Rain started to hit the roof outside.
Morgan leaned her head back against Hunter’s chest. He was a rock of muscle beneath her as she got comfortable.
She took a long swallow and looked up at Drake. He stroked her ankle and worked down to her foot. Morgan loved foot rubs, and Drake’s caring fingers promised to be quite nice in this department.
She felt an explanation was in order even though she realized neither of the men probably needed one. Maybe when she spoke she was only speaking to convince herself.
“Nathan may be home next month,” she started. “Or it may not be until next year. But I haven’t given up on him. I feel now more than ever that he will come home to me, and I’ll be waiting for him when he does.”
“I believe he will.” Drake didn’t seem to doubt this. He kept rubbing her feet. Now he used both hands. God does that ever feel good.
“I just want you guys to know that when he does come back…” Morgan stumbled over her words. She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to say.
“Listen, Morgan,” Drake whispered to her in the dark. “The selfish part of me doesn’t ever want Nathan to come back. But I know he makes you happy. I know your future is with him.”
Morgan looked up at Hunter. Her cheek still rested against his chest.
“I feel the same way.” Hunter began to stroke her hair back off her forehead. He was gentle. His touch, combined with the foot rub Drake gave her, slowly began to calm her overwrought nerves.
“I don’t want you to feel guilty.” Drake watched for a reaction.
Morgan just shook her head. “Sorry. I can’t help it. A part of me will always feel this is wrong, and that I’m cheating on him.”
“Nathan’s a shifter just like we are.” Drake hit a vulnerable tendon on the bottom of her foot and forced her to exhale.
“Shifters believe in sharing.” Hunter gave her assurance as his hands ran along the back of her neck, down to her shoulders.
“I know. Nathan wanted me to have other men take care of me when he was gone.”
“You don’t have to worry about anything. The two of us are going to take real good care of you.” Drake lifted her foot in the air and planted a kiss between each of her toes.
* * * *
Hunter took Morgan’s hand and pulled her off the couch. “Come on.” It was time.
He watched as Morgan exchanged an uncertain glance with Drake.
“Go on.” Drake gave her a reassuring kiss on her wrist.
He led her down the hall toward her bedroom. “I’m sorry I never fixed that leak in your roof.”
“I don’t care about that now, Hunter.”
“You should. With all the rain we’re having, your bedroom’s going to be soaked. Why don’t you show it to me?”
Morgan opened the door to her bedroom and motioned for him to follow her inside. Sure enough, there was a drip coming down from the ceiling. The carpet was already wet.
Morgan gave a shiver and hugged herself. “I really don’t care about this tonight.”
Hunter gave her a kiss on top of her forehead. “I’ll get the stepladder. Don’t go away. I’ll be right back.”
Hunter hurried back to her, and when he returned, he had the stepladder with him. “You might want to hold it for me while I
go up there.”
“This really isn’t necessary, Hunter.”
“It is if you don’t want your carpet to be ruined.”
“You guys are always doing something for me.”
“Well, I won’t be able to fix this tonight.” At the top of the ladder, he removed the ceiling panel and reached above his head. “I’m just going to put a makeshift patch up here so it won’t leak in anymore. First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll crawl up on the roof and put a permanent patch up there for you.”
“You have been great the whole time, Hunter.”
“Hey, just remember you promised to get Nathan to pay us when he gets back to you.” Hunter smiled down at her from the ladder. He was trying to make her feel better. Of course he never wanted to receive any money from either Morgan or Nathan.
He was already receiving his reward. Knowing Morgan, becoming a part of her life, that was enough for Hunter.
Rainwater from the leak dripped down onto his shirt. He got the leak patched up temporarily. It would hold for the rest of the night. But when he climbed down from the ladder, his shirt was drenched.
“Looks like I was pretty clumsy.” Hunter felt embarrassed as he looked down on his dripping shirt.
Morgan stilled him. Her hands were on his chest. “Let me take this.”
Hunter raised his arms over his head. Morgan took the shirt off him.
“Don’t worry. I’ll wash and dry this in the morning for you.”
“I’m not worried about a thing.”
Neither of them spoke for a minute. Hunter stared down into her beautiful blue eyes. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He liked to play with her hair. It was so silky, long, and soft to the touch.
Oh God, all he wanted to do in life was love and protect this woman. He wanted to satisfy her every whim and be the one to make her smile always.
Hunter had slept with quite a few women in his life, but none of them ever had made him feel like this. There was a roaring in his ear as his blood raced through his body. He could deny himself no more.
His erection was painful in his jeans. He moved up next to her warm body and reached out to touch her.