Fevered Hearts (13 page)

She buried her face against his neck, drawing great gulps of his scent. “No, he’s fine. I thought—I was afraid—”

He fell still, his muscles frozen. She gained enough strength to raise her head and meet his gaze. Those dark, brooding eyes filled with electric love.

“You were afraid of what, sweetheart? How did you get here?”

The past trauma she’d never allowed herself to fully feel after Liam’s accident had manifested minutes ago but now it was gone. Vanished by a scorching, thigh-clenching look from Ward.

“I borrowed Ed’s truck. I was…afraid for you. That you’d be hurt.”

He made a noise in the back of his throat—part growl, part groan. She closed her eyes a split second before he crushed his mouth to hers.

They crashed to the ground, cushioned by the damp moss on the bank Ward had just leapt from. He drove his tongue deep into her mouth, filling her, dizzying her with emotion and sensation she hadn’t truly allowed herself to feel in more than a year.

She sank her fingers into his hair. Her body reached for him, back arching, heels digging against his calves for purchase.

“Fuck, Ivy. Fuck,” he said between mauling kisses. The desperate rush of want grew in her belly, a fire out of control.

“I need you. Here. Now.”

He clamped his hand on her hip and kneaded it hard then slid his hand between their bodies and stroked her pussy through her dress pants. “Yes.” His cock throbbed against her lower belly, demanding that she open for him.

He rocked against her, digging into her clit almost painfully. She cried out, urging him on, needing more. She swirled her tongue against his again, hungry, needy, finally taking control of her wants after all this time.

Breathing hard, Ward tore away. He braced his arms on either side of her head, staring down at her with an expression she couldn’t gauge. Was that anger? Passion?

“Why, Ivy? Tell me why you’re here in this state.”

She floundered under his sharp tone. “I-I heard you were on the ridge and I…” She shook her head, unable to say it aloud. She’d never really talked about Liam’s injury in the aftermath. Never had said he was less than whole. To speak the words would mean they were true.

Ward’s harsh breathing washed over her face. He dipped his forehead, resting it lightly against hers. Pinching his eyes shut, he said, “Tell me why.”

“I was afraid you’d have an a-accident.” She hated how her voice sounded like a sheep. Closing her eyes, she fought for that precious thread of control she’d held tightly on to these past months. But it was gone—frayed too much or burned up. Her rope had been burned through.

“Look at me, sweetheart.” His tone was rough, sandpaper lovingly passed over the lines of a wooden banister.

She opened her eyes into his.

“Why were you afraid?” he breathed.

“Because I…love you.”

The dark groan-laugh-sob that issued from Ward vibrated through his chest into hers, so she felt it to the pit of her stomach. And when he said it back, she felt that too.

Ward’s truck was parked haphazardly in the driveway, as if he’d been in a hurry. Liam’s father drew in behind it and put his old pickup into park.

“Want me to come in with you?” his father asked.

Liam stared at the back of the truck. Why was Ward here? It wasn’t time to bring Ivy home yet. She still had a couple hours before court ended for the day.

“Son?” His dad’s voice drew his attention from the back of the old pickup.

“What? No, it’s all right. Would you just get my chair, Dad?”

Before his father had the wheelchair alongside the vehicle, Liam had the passenger door open and was leaning out. He placed his foot on the ground, feeling the muscle engage, just as it had during therapy when he’d, for the first time in more than a year, shuffled his feet across the floor. Sure, he had used his arms to support the majority of his weight on the parallel bars. But he’d still walked.

For months he’d practiced moving his feet, wondering if the doctors were really right in believing he could walk again. Since Ward’s return, he’d done a few more exercises, strengthening the muscles even before therapy.

He hadn’t told his father about his success this morning. And he hoped to celebrate with Ivy and Ward later.

Liam swung into his chair and gripped the wheels. “Thanks, Dad. See you tomorrow.”

“Yep.” A man of few words, his father rounded the vehicle, got behind the wheel and drove off, leaving Liam alone.

Yet not alone.

Inside the house was his former lover. Suddenly, erotic shivers passed down Liam’s spine and connected with his cock. It stretched to half fullness, an exciting throb taking root in the head.

He rolled into the house and quietly closed the door behind him. For a second, he went still, not even breathing as he listened for Ward.

Then he detected a rustle and soft groan coming from the bedroom.

Desire ricocheted through Liam. He pictured Ward naked, his cock in his fist, jerking off in their bedroom.

With just a few shoves against the wheels, Liam rolled down the hall. The bedroom door was cracked, and more noises filtered through the opening.

Female noises.

His wife’s low, throaty moans of pleasure.

Liam’s cock hardened to its full length. Automatically, his hand went to his erection, stroking himself through his jeans. His eyes rolled back in his head at the white-hot sensation of rubbing his hard shaft.

With a palm on the door, he pushed it open.

And was faced with the sexiest fucking sight he’d ever encountered. Ward’s hard ass and the rippled lines of his back and Ivy’s toned thighs wrapped around his hips as he fucked her.

Their noises disguised Liam’s entrance, but he planned to make himself known. By the time he ripped off his shirt and shoved off his clothes his cock was stabbing the air. The purple tip leaked precome.

Wetting his lips, Liam watched Ward’s ass and the tight ball sac between the man’s thighs as he sank into Ivy again and again.

“Oh, God,” she said harshly, as if on the verge of release.

Ward slipped his hands under her and drew her up against him roughly. But there was something more to their lovemaking this time. Something sweeter, more passionate.

Liam reached behind him to the top of the dresser and found an old tube of lubricant. Before the accident, he and Ivy had tried a lot of positions, including anal. He glided a copious amount of lube over his arousal. Liam closed the distance between him and his lovers. His wheels stopped just short of the bed.

His lovers still didn’t take note of him. Their movements quickened, the slap of their bodies music. The fragrance of their pleasure hung in the air, and Liam intended to add his to it.

He gripped the bed, put his feet on the floor and gained a wobbly stand. They paused in their lovemaking, twisting to look at him as he crawled a few feet up the bed to reach Ward.

When he wrapped an arm around Ward, his friend jerked as he felt Liam’s erection probing his ass.

“Jesus, man.”

“Liam.” Ivy’s gasp sent Liam spiraling out of control. He would slide into Ward as he fucked Ivy, and the three of them would be one. At last.

Gripping his cock at the base, Liam guided it into Ward’s ass. He stretched to accommodate Liam easily. Scorching heat clenched around Liam’s shaft, licking down to his balls. And he only had the head of his cock in. What the hell would it feel like to fully drive into Ward again? The man he’d hungered for.

Ward’s voice was gravel. “Do it.”

The command sliced through Liam’s control. In one quick thrust, he sank deep into Ward’s body. Ward cried out and Liam’s voice mingled with his.

Ivy rocked against Ward, and that slight movement sent Liam over the ledge.

With a roar, he used his arms to pull himself into his lover as Ward’s movements as he fucked Ivy did the rest of the work.

Liam locked Ward to him, sliding in and out of his hot cavern. The scent of man and Ivy’s sweet arousal played in the air. Liam encircled her calf with his fingers, pushing her leg up so Ward could ease deeper into her pussy.

The motion was her undoing. She shattered on a cry of ecstasy. Ward’s ass tightened around Liam’s cock, and he knew his lover was close…so close. The contraction sent spears of heat and lust and love into every cell in Liam’s body.

Ward jerked. And he came violently.

The thought of Ward pumping his come into Ivy tipped Liam over the edge. He started to spurt. Jet after jet of come erupted into Ward’s body. The pressure diffused only slightly, and then Liam was pulsing harder, deeper, longer. For several moments, he drifted on the pleasure of finally orgasming.

Ivy’s fingers played over his arm where it wrapped around Ward’s middle. The light caress grounded Liam. Overwhelming love stole all thought as he tangled his fingers with hers.

After a minute, Ward’s back rolled against Liam’s chest. He lowered Ivy to the bed.

Liam opened his eyes and looked at his wife. A sex flush had settled over her breasts, neck and face. Her long hair was an unruly mass of luxurious silk. And her eyes were heated with joy.

Sparkling.

Electricity passed between her and Liam—a feeling that brought tears to Liam’s eyes.

Then Ivy’s eyes flooded too. “How?” she whispered.

The three of them were still connected, and Liam’s muscles were beginning to tremble. He pulled out of Ward’s body. Ward groaned. He tumbled to the bed beside Ivy, drawing her into his embrace with the care and tenderness of a man in love.

Liam watched them for a second. Jealousy should force itself into his heart, right? Yet what he felt was far from jealousy. Ward was obviously in love with his wife, and Liam couldn’t be happier about it. And seeing Ivy snuggled against Ward’s chest completed the circle.

Ward and Ivy stretched their arms up toward him and he fell into their embrace.

Ivy hitched her leg around Liam’s body, anchoring him while Ward crushed the breath from him with a hug.

“Fuck, Liam,” Ward rumbled.

Ivy dragged an uneven breath into her lungs. Liam took her mouth, tasting tears and Ward and absolute love.

“I’m so happy for you, Liam.”

He shook his head, brushing noses with her. “No. For us.” He turned to Ward and pressed his lips to his. “All of us.”

Chapter Nine

Ward trailed a hand down Liam’s side. The strong upper body of his lover was different, the shapes changed from years ago, but no less beautiful. A faint shadow of beard kissed Liam’s cheeks and jaw, giving him the rugged appearance Ward had fallen for to start with.

“When did it happen?” he asked.

Liam smiled. “It’s been building up to it for a while. Seeing you touch Ivy, touching her myself. Thinking about the three of us…if I was ever going to regain my ability, it would be in this bedroom with the two of you. And the mobility I’ve been working on at therapy.”

Ivy stroked her husband’s hair. It warmed Ward to see the affection between them again. If he’d brought that to their relationship, he’d done his duty.

Except he’d fallen in love in the process. Those moments in the forest with Ivy when she’d confessed her feelings would never be forgotten. But there was a tenuous line between them as they wondered how Liam would react to the news.

There was no way they could hold it back. Liam deserved to know, but it terrified Ward that the man would toss him out on his ass. Being torn from either Ivy or Liam now would break him. He would run far from here, but there would be no outstripping his emotions.

These two people were it for Ward.

He met Ivy’s gaze. The wild passion had cooled in her eyes, replaced by sparkles of love.

Leaning closer, Ward brushed his lips over hers. The tender skin of her lips was swollen and reddened from both his and Liam’s rough kisses.

Liam pushed up on his elbows to see both Ivy and Ward better. His gaze was sharp, understanding.

“Tell me when it happened between you,” he said slowly.

Ward’s chest seized. Ivy went dead still.

“What do you mean?” she whispered.

Liam raked his gaze over both of them. “I can see that something changed between you. The temperature is different. Not all passion, but not lessened either. A different sort of passion. Maybe…” The corner of Liam’s mouth twitched and his eyes darkened. “Dare I say I’ve seen this look on both of your faces before, but for me?”

Ward swallowed hard. He placed a hand on Liam’s bicep to prevent his friend and lover from taking a swing at him. “It just happened. I didn’t mean to fall for her, but I couldn’t stop it.”

“Me either,” Ivy whispered, her words forced through her constricted throat.

Liam’s lips tightened. Then he shocked Ward by smiling. Not just any smile, but a grin that lit up the world. A candle chasing away darkness, the sun burning off the clouds and leaving only joy.

Ivy’s breath hitched. She cradled Liam’s jaw. “You…don’t mind?”

“It was inevitable. I love you two so much, and we’re all matched. It was only a matter of time before you opened your heart to him, baby.” He paused for several heartbeats. “As long as you both still love me.”

Ward yanked Liam down on them, bearing most of the man’s weight so Ivy didn’t feel it. Squeezing Liam, he tried to press all of the love he felt into the man.

A man who understood him better than any other.

Ivy lay on her side, staring at both of her men. Ward was dozing, his long lashes skimming tanned cheeks, but Liam’s breathing indicated he was just drinking in the connection.

As she was. Being in this bed with both of them blew her mind. But the warmth painting her insides was the most refreshing thing she’d ever known. After a long spell of darkness, she felt as though the sun had risen.

Liam was stronger, on the mend. Ward was safe, and she prayed that continued to be the case. If she had her way, he’d be behind a desk like Liam. Until he retired his chainsaw, she’d always be on edge. She trusted his skill in the woods, but bad things happened.

Dropping her gaze to her husband’s arm, she let her mind roam over the future for the three of them. Blond arm hairs mingled with the sparse dark ones on Ward’s chest. How would they handle their relationship?

First, they needed to establish an open honesty policy. They definitely needed to work on this, as she’d been kept in the dark too long about the death threats.

It wasn’t right for her men to keep this information from her. Yet wasn’t she withholding too? She hadn’t told either of them about Tony. Controlling her sudden erratic breathing, she tried to think of a way to tell her husband and lover. They were both alpha males—they’d storm off and confront Tony, which might only make things harder. Ivy needed her job, and unfortunately, she worked with the man.

They needed to know but…Liam peered at her. “You’re not sleeping.”

“Neither are you.”

“I can hear your brain working.”

The idea made her giggle, releasing some of her inner tension. “That’s not at all sexy.”

“Is to me. A beautiful and intellectual woman? She’s the one for me.”

She pinched his forearm. “That’s good, because you’ve got me.”

“And me.” Ward’s deep voice made her tingle with pleasure.

Tomorrow would be soon enough to talk to them about Tony. She scooted closer to them, and two big arms wrapped around her.

Climbing from Liam and Ivy’s bed took a supreme act of willpower. Ward wanted nothing more than to lie with them in a tangle of limbs all day. But even though he was exhausted from just a few hours of sleep, he pushed himself to get into the shower.

Dawn had not yet kissed the world, but it was ingrained in him to rise early. In the shower, he soaped himself several times, sad about washing away the traces of Ivy and Liam, though their first night as a true threesome was engraved on Ward’s soul.

Wrapped in a towel, he emerged from the bathroom. One glance at the bed showed him the bright glint of Liam’s eyes.

In a flash, Ward was thrust back in time to the moment when they’d first given in to their wanting.

A smile etched across Liam’s handsome face. “Fitting, isn’t it, to go backward?”

Ward dropped his towel, revealing his arousal as he had all those years ago. “Hell, yeah. I don’t mind reliving those times with you, Liam. But I don’t ever want that heartache again.” His voice grew gruff.

Liam closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Ward read determination there.

“I won’t do that to you again. If it means calling in the press and gathering the whole town together in the diner to announce how you make me feel, then I’ll do it.”

Emotion closed off Ward’s throat. “You’d do that for me?”

“For
us.
Fucking right I would.”

Ward gestured with his jaw toward the slumbering Ivy. The tendrils of light teased her long hair, setting it afire. “What about her? How hard is this going to be on her at work?”

“Well,” Liam said with a low sigh, “I suspect there’s something going on right now. She’s been quiet. You said someone saw you hug her on the street?”

“The bailiff. I don’t personally know the man other than by sight.”

“We’ll do whatever we need to do to protect her.”

“If that means quitting her job?” Ward countered. That was the worst case scenario—Ivy was so blackballed that she couldn’t continue to work at the courthouse. Of course they wouldn’t flaunt their unconventional relationship, but it was only a matter of time before people realized they were together all the time.

Liam firmed his lips. “I’m working. We’ve got enough income to support her. If she wants to quit, we can make ends meet. If she wants to take time to look for another job, we’ll encourage her. And if she chooses to stay at the courthouse, we’ll make sure no one gives her any trouble.” Liam’s voice hardened.

Ward was drawn to the pain he read on his lover’s features. After crossing the room, he sank to the edge of the bed near Liam’s hip. He drew Liam’s hand into his, aware of the wince of pain from his friend. He wasn’t totally healed, but he’d come so far in a short span of time. Given another few months of therapy, Liam would be well on his way to a full recovery.

Ward had expected nothing less from the strong man.

But in the meantime, Liam still was wheelchair-bound. He relied upon Ward to protect Ivy, to keep the activists run off their land and to keep both businesses operating.

“We’ve got that big contract about to break loose,” Ward said quietly, so as not to disturb Ivy.

Liam scuffed his finger over Ward’s knuckles. “Yep. Getting on it today.”

“Me too.” Ward glanced at the window. “Listen, I’m going up to the ridge and see how my guys are before I take Ivy to work. I’ll be back in plenty of time.” He leaned over and planted a hard kiss to Liam’s mouth.

When he made a move to pull away, Liam held him. Against his lips, he whispered, “For Chrissakes, be careful.”

“Always.” Warmth spread through Ward. He could get used to having two people care so much for him.

At the main intersection of town, he stopped at the convenience store to fill his truck with gas. Lately, he’d been only feeding the guzzler half a tank at a time. If the truck was going to die on him, it wasn’t going out with a full belly and wasting all that money.

“Hey, Bose.” Jacobs, his feller, glanced up from pouring himself a coffee.

Ward sauntered over to him, the aromas of coffee and fresh donuts making his stomach growl.

He grabbed a foam cup and filled it with sugar and copious amounts of cream.

“Hearty breakfast, I see.” Jacobs grinned.

“Yeah. Lemme buy you the coffee and a donut.”

“Thanks. You heading up to the ridge too?” Jacobs asked.

“Sure am. See how you guys are faring.”

“Got quite a lot cut. We could have worked longer, but I had to run. My wife was having her brother over for dinner.”

“Yeah? Special occasion?” Ward selected a couple glazed donuts with a tissue paper and dropped them into a bag for himself.

“Not really. He’s the one who told me about the half-million dollar contract.”

Ward felt his brows rise. “You don’t say.”

“Dunno how he heard that and I didn’t.”

It was very unlikely he’d heard that through the grapevine unless he was in the industry. “Who’s your brother-in-law?”

“Tony Martinez. He’s a bailiff at county court.”

Ward’s mind scrambled along the facts, trying to make sense of how these events were connected.
Was
there a connection? A bailiff with no ties to the logging industry had inside information about a big contract
and
he was spreading rumors about Ivy?

In a haze, Ward paid for both coffees, donuts and his gas. Then he jumped in his truck and ground his way up to the ridge. The donuts sat untouched on his passenger seat, his appetite fled.

The only link was Ivy. And that might not be any link at all.

But his gut said otherwise.

Ivy let the wool slide through her fingers, focused on the perfection of the stitches she created. Warm sun slanted through the window of the coffee shop and fell across her forearms. She basked in the heat, so different from the chill she’d experienced all morning while in court.

Beside Tony.

Though she’d stopped wearing her skirts, the man still looked her over with a wolfish sneer that made her skin crawl. Under that gaze, she felt like some sweet dessert appealing to a child.

Every time she’d moved her chair an inch away from the man, he’d found a reason to scoot closer. By the time court had adjourned for lunch, his suit sleeve had been brushing hers, and she was trapped in a fog of his cologne and body heat.

Despite the warm sun, she shivered anew. Quickly she glanced out the window at the street. Foot traffic spilled down the sidewalk as more people headed to lunch. She’d taken a risk sitting in the window seat this way for anyone to spy her. She lived in terror that Tony would track her down and force his presence upon her for an hour that was meant to be her private time.

She finished a row and bundled the thick sweater close to her body, freeing her fingers to set off on a new course.

Her knitting group missed her, Juls said via text message. It was a not-so-subtle hint for Ivy to return. Since Ward had taken her out of there last time, Ivy had avoided her friends.

Maybe tonight would be a perfect time to show her face. Rumors of her and Ward couldn’t have penetrated the knitting circle, could they?

The bell above the coffee shop door jangled and her head snapped up, heart in her throat.

Fuck.
Her sixth sense had been correct—Tony.

The hair on her forearms lifted. Swiftly, she gathered her sweater, yarn and needles, and thrust them deep into her big cotton bag. Keeping her head down, she slung the bag strap over her shoulder and darted toward the exit when Tony’s back was turned.

“Ivy.”

His voice was a lance through her gut. Her bowels turned to water.

Pretending she didn’t hear him call her, she put a palm on the door. Before she could push through it, Tony reached around her and grabbed her wrist. Disgust wove through her belly. She was going to throw up.

Darting him a glance, she took note of his nearness. “Let go of me.”

He tugged on her, turning her easily to face him. Dread filled her veins. He was big. Worked out a lot. And she would have no chance in hell of fighting him off if he truly intended to take her against her will.

“What, baby? You can give those luscious lips to that fucking other man, but you refuse to even look my way?” His use of “baby” made her stomach churn. That was Liam’s endearment for her.

She glanced behind him. “There are people here to witness the fact that you are holding me against my will.”

He released her but slid to the side to block the doorway. He planted one hand on his trim hip. Everything about him screamed expensive—that he was a great catch. The cologne, the polished manners, expensive suits. But she knew better.

“I don’t like your attention, Tony. Please let me go.”

He leaned in close and whispered, “For years, you’ve been wiggling that hot little ass of yours in those tight skirts, begging me to grab your hips and bend you over.”

“What? What I wear has no bearing—”

“The hell it doesn’t.”

Ivy whirled on her favorite red stilettos. There wasn’t another front door, but there had to be a fire exit. A back door through the kitchen. Anything.