Forever Changed (2 page)

Abi was the housekeeper on the Grey Ranch. She’d been there longer than he had. She’d grown up on the ranch, her mother was the housekeeper before her. Eric didn’t spend as much time with Dan as she did. Especially not in the evenings when the old man took to drinking more than he should.

They each had their stressors that were added on to the fact that they couldn’t seem to keep their relationship in the ‘on’ position. Right now they were ‘off’, but he was trying to get back into her good graces. Sometimes they were just too alike for their own good.

The front door creaked open. He was hoping to sneak in, but she’d hear him.
I should fix that door.

“Abi, don’t be that way.”

“What way was I being, Eric? Aren’t you needed in the barn? I thought Cally was in labor, which is why you’re here and not out riding with Danny.”

“She isn’t, not yet. We’re keeping an eye on her, but I have a bit of time.” That wasn’t completely true, but Phil was in the barn and he knew that Eric had gone to the house to check on lunch. If anything happened, Phil would come get him.

“Lunch won’t be ready for a few more minutes, so get out of my hair.”

“I thought you liked me in your hair.”

“Just because Tommy Grey got you all hot and bothered doesn’t mean you can come in here and try to sex me up, Eric.”

“That… I didn’t… Abi!” Eric sputtered. He thought he’d kept his lustful thoughts closed off, but Abi knew him too well.

“Please. I saw you looking at him.”

“I saw you looking too. Hell, you jumped him!” Eric threw his hands in the air. “Plus, I was already in here trying to ‘sex you up’ before Tommy ever pulled up.”

“I don’t know why you keep coming back to this. We both know we don’t work. We’ve tried. Something is missing. Things will go smoothly for a while and then… We fall apart.”

Eric moved closer and she took a step back. Abi was right—they would be fine for a few months then something would blow up and they’d be on the outs again. He loved her, but they both thought something was missing. Could it be another person?

They’d talked about adding someone to the mix, but that always ended in another fight. He imagined adding Tom to the mix might be nice. He’d be jacking off to the image of the three of them together for weeks to come.

Abi appeared to be lost in thought so she wasn’t paying attention when he trapped her against the counter. He was hot and bothered, but it wasn’t all about sex. He loved Abi with all his heart. Their balance was just off and he hoped to God they could find it again. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. She tasted so sweet and he would never get enough of her. He didn’t want to. Would adding a third really be the trick to keeping them together for the long haul? He’d never seen it done before and he didn’t even know anything about Tom except that he was in the military and was Dan’s son.

He guided his hands down her body over her hips and squeezed her closer. She moaned, letting him have access to her mouth. He nibbled on her lips before sliding his tongue inside her wet heat. Eric wanted her right then. He’d take her on the kitchen counter if she’d let him, but she would never let herself go enough for them to fool around where she worked. He was surprised she’d let it go as far as it had.

Eric deepened the kiss and pulled her as close as he could with clothes between them. She jumped up and he caught her, his hands under her ass.

“Eric.”

Her whispered words made him stop. They were both breathing heavily. He was hard as nails and wanted nothing more than to sink inside her warmth. He rested his forehead against hers and paused in the moment.

The front door creaked open. It took a moment for his addled brain to focus enough to realize that someone was in the house and he had Abi against the counter and she was wrapped around him as though she wouldn’t be letting go any time soon. This would so very much be his fault if someone walked in on them like this.

A throat clearing in the background let him know that it was already too late.

Damn it, she’s going to kill me.

Chapter Three

Tommy paused in the doorway. He shouldn’t have just walked into the house, but the door had been open and no one had answered when he had knocked. He hadn’t been expecting to see the couple he’d met just minutes ago wrapped around each other in a heated embrace.

What a pair they made. Abigail was flushed a pretty pink color, her red hair in disarray around her face. Eric was a bit flushed himself and they were both breathing hard.

It took all of his willpower not to go over there and step into their arms. He cleared his throat instead.

Abigail jumped and tried to untangle her legs from around Eric, but it threw Eric off balance. They were both going to fall if he didn’t do something. Tommy rushed over and stood behind Eric, offering his body as support. Eric smelled of the outside—fresh and hot. Tommy inhaled the scent and his cock responded. Eric had to feel it against his ass.

Once the couple was steady and Abigail was standing again, Tommy backed off. There was nothing he could do to hide his erection so he was going to ignore it. It wasn’t his fault that these two people pushed all of his buttons.

“Sorry about that. Ma’am, sir.”

“Now, now. No need for that. It’s Abi and Eric.” Abigail smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear and fidgeted a bit before standing still.

“I didn’t mean to just barge in, but the door was open and—”

“Nonsense. This is your home as much as it is ours.”

He didn’t know about all that. He was the bastard son of some rich guy. His only home had died a couple of days ago. Tommy looked over at Eric to see if the man agreed, but Eric appeared to be finding his shoes completely fascinating.

The pair seemed nervous. It was odd, because before Abi had been bubbly and Eric had been a bit surly.

“I really didn’t mean to interrupt. I just… Well, I called the base and let them know I might be a bit longer. I want to get things settled so I can start my new life once I get out of the military. And to do that, I need to talk to Daniel.” He stood at parade rest, still taking in the situation.

“Well, lunch is almost ready. Eric needs to go check on one of our horses. He’ll be back in a few minutes with Phil and we can have something to eat. Why don’t you head down the hall, first door on the left, and wash up?”

What was it about these two that fascinated him? He knew he would have left the first time if it hadn’t been for these two. He really didn’t care if he ever met the man who had sired him, but Eric and Abi—they were trouble.

He followed Abi’s directions without another word. He was used to following orders and took the easy way out, pushing his odd feeling down.

Sure he’d had fun times with three-ways, but they always ended the same way—someone was jealous. Or the guy wasn’t bi—only doing it for his woman because it was a fantasy of hers. And what would he really do with two people? He could hardly handle himself most days.

He shut the door behind him and put his hands on the sink, not glancing at the mirror right away. He was afraid of what he’d find there. Tommy finally looked up and all he saw was a sad sack staring back at him. His eyes still seemed haunted from his mother’s death. Even if he had known it had been coming—it had been hard to handle. He hadn’t really given himself time to grieve. He figured he’d be able to do enough of that after he’d signed his papers and got all his gear situated.

But now, he was having some sort of crisis right in his sperm donor’s home in the midst of two people he found very attractive. He washed his hands and dried them on a white towel hanging by the sink. Noticing mundane things like the towels seemed just the thing to get his mind off what a giant clusterfuck the day might turn out to be.

Tommy took a fortifying breath and opened the door. The only noise coming from the house was the clanging of something in the distance. He followed it back to the kitchen.

“Here, let me help you with that.”

Abi was carrying a big pot over to the sink.

“No, I’ve got it.”

He didn’t argue because the pan looked hot and there was no way he would risk them both being burned. She handled it like a pro, slinging the thing over to the counter and letting the water drain into a strainer.

“Anything I can do to help?”

She waved him off. “You’re a guest. I’ve almost got this finished. We’re having pasta for dinner and I was getting a head start on it. The sandwiches are finished if you’re hungry.”

“I can wait for everyone else.”

He watched her walk around the kitchen. She had a fluid grace about her and her cheeks were still tinged pink. Her skin was so pale that he could see she blushed easily.

“About earlier…” she started.

He held up a hand. “It’s none of my business. I shouldn’t have barged in like I did. I really am sorry about that.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry. We shouldn’t have… Eric and I—we don’t— That is… Shit!” Abi threw the towel she was holding onto the counter and put her hands on her hips. “I’m usually not this tongue-tied. Eric and I? We aren’t a thing. Not anymore. It’s an on again/off again thing that never seems to work out right. But you don’t need our crap thrown on top of you right now. You’re here to see your daddy. So enough about that. It’s over and done with. So, what brings you here? Now?”

He was about to answer when the door banged open. Voices soon followed into the kitchen. An older gentleman came through the door first and headed for the dining area with a nod. Eric was right behind him. Eric went to the fridge and grabbed a plate of sandwiches and put them on the table.

“I…” Tommy didn’t want to talk about his mom. Not right then. Maybe if the two guys hadn’t come in he would have confided in Abi, but that moment was gone.

“Never mind. It probably isn’t any of my business. Go sit down.”

The table off the kitchen was huge. It had close to twenty chairs around it. The older guy had to be Phil. He was sitting in the head chair and Eric had the place right next to him. Tommy decided to sit across from Eric. He stood when Abi came into the room with a pitcher of something to drink.

He wasn’t used to a sit-down lunch unless it was in a mess hall full of guys who shoveled their food down before getting back to duty. Growing up, they’d had small trays or he would eat in his room. So much about this place seemed homey and he clinched his fists together beside his plate, his eyes closing of their own accord. Fuck. It was in that moment that he could see what might have been if his parents had stayed together and it hurt.

Chapter Four

“Everything okay?” Eric noticed Tom’s body tighten and his fists clench. It wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t stop staring at Tom. He was all over the place and he was going to need a cold shower very soon.

Going out to the barn and making sure that the horse wasn’t going to go into labor any second and getting Phil to come in for lunch hadn’t been enough to settle him down.

Tom opened his eyes and glanced at Eric.

“I’m fine.”

Eric blinked. Had he—shit yeah, he’d asked how Tom was. Tom’s eyes were so intense and almost black.

“Good. Good.” Abi poured him a glass of lemonade.

Lunch was never a fancy affair. Usually just sandwiches and chips, then they were back to work. If it was a cold day they’d have some soup as well.

“How is Cally?” Abi wasn’t talking to him so he could focus inward and keep taking glances at Tom.

He listened with half an ear as he munched on a few chips.

“Could be any day now. You know how it is. We’re just waiting on her to let us know. Signs are there,” Phil answered.

“Hopefully it’ll be soon, I know it takes away from the day with you guys watching her.” Abi took a drink and he watched her throat as she gulped it down.

“I’ll be back on fences soon enough.”

Tom didn’t say much, not that Eric expected him to get in on the ranch talk. Of course all Eric could think about was the three of them in bed together. Both men making Abi scream. His cock down her throat as she milked him.
Fuck
. What would Tom look like under those clothes? He probably had a hard body from his time in the military.

He wondered what the story was there. And why hadn’t they seen hide nor hair of him before now? He was Dan’s son after all. And Dan was worth a lot of money. Was he after cash? Is that why he had come back? Eric needed to stop thinking. His mind was always racing, coming up with worst case scenarios.

“Eric?” Abi’s voice interrupted his musing.

“Hmm?” He hadn’t heard what she’d said.

That was bad because Abi would totally call his ass on it. And she would be right when she said it had been about Tom. He was still mulling over what Tom must have thought when he’d walked in on them. Had he wanted to join them? And, if he wasn’t mistaken, Tom had been hard. Eric had wanted to push back to check, but Tom had moved away too fast.

“I asked how Cally was.”

“Didn’t Phil answer?” She was testing him, but he let her get by with it. “Like Phil said, she’s good.”

“I’d better get back out there.” Phil picked up another sandwich and left the dining area.

“I bet she’ll have that foal tonight.” Eric took a bite into the turkey sandwich and happened to glance up to see Tom staring at his hands with hunger in his eyes and it wasn’t because of the food.

Fuck, Eric needed that cold shower now. He shifted in his chair, but it didn’t help. It was now just the three of them. What he really wanted to do was clear the table and throw both Abi and Tom on top of it and lick them both from top to bottom. He wanted to be inside Abi while Tom was inside him. The three of them moving in perfect harmony.

“Tommy was going to tell me what brought him to the ranch. Well…if he wants to.”

Abi’s voice wasn’t as much of a distraction as it should have been. His mind was stuck in ‘give me sex’ mode and he was having a rough time getting out of it so he could focus on the talk around him.

“I’d rather wait until Daniel gets here. Not that I mind if you two know, but I only want to go through this once. What I’d really like”—Tom looked between Eric and Abi—“is to fuck you both. Now if I’m out of line here, that’s fine and I’ll go outside until Daniel gets back, but the tension in this room is so thick I could slice it with a knife and my dick is so hard I could pound nails with it, but I’d much rather get some relief in a much more fun way.”