Just Her Luck (54 page)

What is his frickin’ problem?

I did a quick check, running my hands over my hair and face to make sure nothing was off.

Nope.

Nothing.

Everything is as it should be.

Huh.

I caught him glancing again, and I scowled at him, watching him long after he looked away, making sure I made my point clear.

He didn’t look back again, but his tanned face flushed a fresh pink underneath.

That side of me, the one I’m not always too fond of, reared its ugly head, making me squirm self-consciously.

It has an even uglier cousin I’m not too fond of either.

Big fat conscience and load of guilt anyone. Ever met ‘em?

It isn’t entirely fair of me to keep him and his brothers from spending time together, that’s probably what his deal is- he’s jealous.

I sighed inwardly.

I won’t make things any harder or more tumultuous between us than they already are by being a mega bitch.

I can share them with him,
I decided, thinking maybe I could ease some of the tension between us by being the bigger person.

We’re all gonna be around each other, and even though he’s a giant asshole, that doesn’t mean I have to be one to match.

I
could
always just avoid him. It would make things easier all around.

I’ll just make sure I get scarce every so often, let them all hang without me clinging on.

Men need ‘man time’, right?

I fake yawned a few times and extricated myself from my cocoon of suitors.

“Sorry, fellas,” I apologized, “I’m beat. I’m going to go hop in bed.”

“Really?” Ephraim popped up, acting as if he was going to follow.

He gave me a hopeful expression, and I squelched the urge to tug him along.

“Sorry, cowboy,” I gave him a sympathetic smile, patting his chest.

Smiling up at, I tugged on is shirt until he came in close. “I’m still out of commission.”

I gave him a slow conciliatory, good night kiss.

He groaned, but let go, gazing down at me mournfully.

“I’m going to kill Thatcher,” he muttered.

“Hey!” Thatcher grumbled from the floor.

“No, you’re not,” I teased, playing with the buttons on his shirt, “I’d never forgive you.”

“Ha!” Thatcher chimed in triumphantly.

“I’d help you forget.” Ephraim growled and wrapped his arms around me, leaning down to nuzzle me, placing biting kisses at my neck.

I laughed and nudged him back into the living room.

“Go enjoy your movie, handsome. I’m going to scoot. Go spend time with your brothers.”

Blowing him a quick kiss, I turned and started heading for the hallway to my room.

“Why are you going that way, sweetheart? My room is upstairs.” Bowen raised a brow at me.

“So is my room,” Sawyer suggested.

“What’s wrong with my room?” Thatcher piped up, slightly disgruntled.

Glancing at all of them from over my shoulder, turning slightly, I shook my head.

“I’m sleeping
alone
,” I said with finality, turning my back on them again to walk down the hall.

I smiled to myself as they all started grumbling at that particular announcement.

I don’t really
want
to sleep alone tonight, but I’m going to prove to myself, them, and even grumpy ol’ Reeve, that we can make this all work, my guys and me.

And I’ll even, so generously, make sure Reeve can’t truly bitch about me being around
all
the time,
so there
.

Hah-ha! I can be nice! See?

I’d decided the other night that if they were willing and wanted to give this- whatever it is- a shot, then why couldn’t I too.

Let’s face it, I want them, they want me, so why don’t I just enjoy it- for however long it lasts

If worst comes to worst, at least I know I won’t have any regrets.

I won’t look back one day years from now and wonder- what if?

We can all coexist under one roof- for however long that may be.

I am determined now to make this shit work.

Go me!
I silently cheered myself on.

“She’s sleeping in my room tomorrow, so you all can just shove it!” Thatcher thundered over the others, getting a round of laughter in response.

It’s probably Ephraim and Bowen laughing.

“Hey, you two can share all you want, but when it’s
my
night,
it’s my night!”

More was said, but I’d already reached my room and had just closed the door, so whatever was said was blissfully drowned out.

Well, so much for guys’ night,
I thought, snorting.

At least I can say I tried.

This will be good for them
, I tried to think as convincingly as possible, just as a shout rang out and a thud shook my wall, followed by more disturbing noises.

I winced.

No, really though,
I lied to myself, getting ready for bed.
They’re having a great time.

Plus, I
am
still a little sore from the other night.

It was not
all
Thatcher’s fault,
my soreness
, contrary to popular belief.

I chuckled at that, thinking of how the other guys had been ribbing him hard about it.

My poor baby,
I thought, without a smidgeon of sympathy. I’ll probably hear
all
about it later.

Honestly, I would have been sore anyways.

I’d had fun with all of them in a really short span of time and that would have been enough, especially since it’s been a while for me.

Technically, I could have said ‘no’ at any time, to any of it, so I would have to say the fault is mostly mine.

****

I lay in bed an hour later, staring at the ceiling.

Sighing heavily, I twiddled my thumbs and hummed quietly too myself.

I miss them
, I thought pathetically, the sounds of an indoor tussling match long gone.

You’re an idiot, Vieve,
I chastised myself.

“They need a guys’ night. Man time,” I mimicked myself, beating up my pillow.

Pfft. Man time, shman time. That crap is sooo over rated.

And what the hell is wrong with me anyways?

I love them, I should be able to just say it, you know?

I’ve never really loved anyone aside from Ruthie or Barry though, so this is all just a cluster fuck for me.

Add to that the fact that I’ve somehow managed to go over the deep end for all four men…

I groaned and sighed again.

I just had to go and get all hard up for a bunch of hot cowboys.

Is this all just a dream and I’ll wake up alone? Or am I truly committing myself completely to more than one man?

This isn’t exactly how I’d always thought my love life would go, but I’m not necessarily complaining,
I mused.

I just keep feeling like it’s not real, like it’s too good to be true.

I rolled over and punched my pillow, glaring at my wall.

I’ve either won the women’s fantasy lottery or signed up to get shot down.

Both thoughts terrify me for entirely different reasons.

On the other hand, I have to wonder what the hell I’m doing wasting all this time, leaving it unsaid.

I love them, so reason stands I should just tell them, right?

“Ugh,” I moaned, rolling around more on the bed.

Wallowing, more like.

Ruthie’s words echoed back to me in my head and I whispered them to myself. ‘
If you want something bad enough, dear heart, you go for it’.

I swallowed hard as that thought brought Ruthie’s situation to mind.

Does she have regrets?
I wondered.
Is there anything she’d wished she’d done differently?

God, life is so short…

Its here and then gone in a flash.

Just look at Aunt Ruthie… who knows how much time I have left with her on this earth.

Nothing is ever definite.

Who knows how much time I have, or any of us.

I firmed my resolve at that.

I’m going to do it!
I swore.

The next time one of them says it, I’m going to just tell them, tell them back.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

I practiced it, over and over a few times, getting more and more hyped up about it, the more I kept on.

Of course, that’s not exactly conducive to a good night’s rest, and I figured that out the hard way the following morni
ng.

Am-Bushed

Disoriented, I swatted at the tickle in my nose, something hitting my hand.

I grunted and shifted, trying to wriggle away from it.

It’s a finger,
I realized, gripping it firmly when it wouldn’t cease.

“Go away. I’m tired. What time is it?” I mumbled out loud, trying to roll over.

I couldn’t though, as my legs got pinned down, a hot venturous tongue sneaking out, working its way down my torso.

I moaned a little as the phantom tongue licked at me, lapping, leaving a path of heated want behind in its wake.

Eager lips kissed my nipple and sucked it into a moist, wet mouth.

Oh, yes! Please, please don’t let this be a dream!

I moaned, opening my eyes to find a familiar, short crop of black hair, his mouth firmly suckling at my breast.

Bowen let the tight bud go with a wet pop, grinning up at me.

“Miss me, girly?” he whispered through hooded eyes, the early morning light seeping in from the window casting a dark shadow over him, giving him a sinister, sexy, lecherous look.

My dark, sexy conqueror.

I bit my lip and moaned when he plucked at my nipple, teasing the tightening bud to a stiff peak.

How did he strip me down and I didn’t wake up?

Oh, who fuckin’ cares
, I thought as he plucked at them again and I gasped out loud.

“I’m still sore, sexy. I don’t think I could…”

“Need me to kiss it all better, honey?” Sawyer responded from my side.

I’m wide awake now
, I thought, shivering as he pushed my hair off my neck, laving at the exposed flesh interestedly.

I gasped, two sets of thick, brawny hands touching me, exploring me, tugging and pulling at me in all the right places, pulling me in two different directions.

Bo’s mouth reached my clit, nipping and nibbling on his way, and he closed his lips tight over it, sucking hard on the little bud.

I cried out, but Sawyer swallowed it up in a kiss, sliding me onto his chest, my back to his front, spreading my legs wide, Bowen’s mouth following along, renewing his emphatic sucking.

I bucked, my muscles clamping down on nothing, throbbing to be filled.

“Ahhhh!” I cried out again, thrashing about restlessly across Sawyer, his rough hands stilling my hips.

“I need… I need…” I moaned.

“You heard her, brother, give her what she needs,” he growled.

His erection was pressing hard into my back, twitching impatiently, throbbing, thick and ready.

Bo circled the rim of my pussy, his tongue stabbing in.

I bit my lips and jerked.

I’m so close.

Sawyer tugged at my nipple piercings, pinching and pulling, and Bowen’s fingers joined in on his fun, pumping into me slowly, one at a time as his tongue kept up its relentless pace.

Sawyer bit lightly at my neck right then and that was just what I needed.

Gasping and writhing, I moaned loudly, calling out Bowen’s name.

I whimpered as I came, my sex clamping down on his tongue, creaming all over his fingers.

He lapped at me, withdrawing his fingers slowly, tasting me, humming his approval as I pumped myself against his face.

As my orgasm faded, I still felt an ache of unfulfilled longing, my core throbbing maddeningly.

Bowen grasped my hands and pulled me towards him, easing me down onto his wide cock, careful as he placed me over him, sliding right in.

“Oh, Bowen…”

“Mmmm.” He kissed me, leaning back as he pumped me on him slowly, leisurely, taking me with him as he laid down on the bed.