Fill Her Up (Daly Way Series, Book Three) (10 page)

“What’re you doing?” she asked.

“Kissing you.” He turned her so she straddled his legs. The saddle was plenty big enough for both of them as he scooted back. Keeping hold of the horse with one hand, he wrapped his other arm around her then slanted his mouth over hers. She moaned as he expertly delved inside. She sucked on his tongue, drawing him deeper. Her body seemed to soften as she leaned into him.

When she pulled back from a lingering kiss, she realized they’d stopped all together. “Patrick and Sim are going to be pissed,” she told him.

“Good, maybe it will snap them out of the funk they’re in. You’re the only thing making it at all tolerable.”

“Thank you, I guess. So…I’m a means to an end?”

“And what a lovely end,” he joked. Then he turned serious. “Really, you’re not a tool to manipulate them. What the hell is their problem?”

“I can’t tell you. It’s not my situation to tell.” She wished she could, especially since she felt as if she were responsible for bringing it on.

“Hmm…” he remarked. “So Sim finally told him? About bloody time. The man’s been pining after Patrick for years.”

She blinked up at him in surprise, “You knew that?”

Conlin laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. “We’re old drinking buddies. And Sim can’t hold alcohol.”

“He’s lucky other people didn’t find out!”

“Reg and I protected him. And he rarely drinks which is a good thing. But enough about that.” He threaded his fingers through her hair and drew her back to him. “You know…when Regan and I leave here, you could come with us. My mama would love you—so would Regan and I, of course.”

She gasped, shocked by the proposal. “I-I can’t.”

“I guess being with two guys who love you as opposed to two guys who just lust after you has more allure. At least, we can be together until Reg and I leave.”

“Love?” she repeated, stuck on that.

“Turn around and take a look and tell me they don’t.”

Trepidation rolling in her belly, she peeked over her shoulder and saw Patrick and Sim a few horse lengths away. The scowls on their faces couldn’t be mistaken. They didn’t like that she’d fallen behind with Conlin. They saw her as theirs. Of course, that didn’t mean they loved her.

She turned back to Conlin and shrugged. “This is a full opportunity weekend, right. All four of you can have me.”

“Sort of. And no. They made it very clear that you belong to them and that you’re in their care. And we only have access to you with permission. I just broke the rules. I’ll probably get voted off the island.”

She bristled. She didn’t think so. She might have a connection with Sim and Patrick and she might have a soul desire to be with them, even if it couldn’t happen because of her job, but they in no way would dictate who she could and couldn’t be with. Not when they’d given her Conlin and Regan to fuck and not when there was no commitment between any of them—at least not to her.

Reaching up, she pulled down Conlin’s head and kissed him hard. Groaning, he opened for her. She pulled his shirt from his pants and pushed her hands up underneath, splaying them on his back.

“Maybe if I’d met you first,” she muttered against his lips. “You make me feel…mmm…” She sighed as he cupped her breast. He plucked at the crest while he took her mouth again. He felt so good. She wished she felt more for him than arousal. They could be good together; she could practice veterinary medicine. But that wasn’t a basis for a long term relationship—there had to be feelings. Maybe if they had more time together.

“Honey, you make me feel mmm too,” he chuckled. He nipped her bottom lip.

“Excuse me,” Patrick said dryly behind her shoulder.

Conlin lifted his head. “Oh sorry. Did you lose something?”

“Bad,” Verity chided, pushing his shoulder. Patrick reached out his arms and beckoned her to him, and she gladly went. She settled against Patrick, breathing in his clean scent as he urged his horse away from Conlin. Sim had already disappeared down the path, apparently content to let Patrick take care of things—or avoiding discussion.

Patrick kissed her temple and she understood clearly why she hadn’t been with other men while she’d been away—she wasn’t
that
busy—and why she hadn’t seriously considered Conlin’s suggestion. She was connected to Patrick in a way unlike any man, save for Sim. The closest comparison she had for it was the sex they’d had this afternoon—so close, literally connected, a little painful, amazingly pleasurable, moving and breathing as one.

It was that unity that had terrified her when she was younger. Why would she want to do anything but be with them when she was so consumed by them? She had the same concern now, but she knew she was better equipped to handle herself now.

“Don’t kick him off the island,” Verity murmured, hugging her arms around his waist.

“It looked like you were ready to vote us off the island.”

“You are the island, Patrick. You and Sim.”

He lifted her chin and kissed her. “Maybe I won’t spank you.”

She snorted. “I thought you weren’t mad. Now, you’re threatening to take away my fun. I bet Conlin would spank me.”

“I bet Conlin would get his lights knocked out if he lifted a hand to you, even in sex games.”

Patrick had always been protective in that arena. Even Sim had never done that. But whenever Patrick had… Her pussy throbbed at the memory. It had always turned out nice. Every minute she was with them, she remembered more of her time with them, more of what it had been like.

“Patrick…” she ventured. “If this wasn’t just for the weekend, if I wasn’t leaving, what would you do?”

He took a deep breath and his arms tightened around her. “I’d wake up with you in my bed for the rest of my life.”

Tears pricked her eyes at the tenderness. And she bit her lip to control her shuddery breathing. “What about Sim?” she asked.

“Sim and I need to work things out.”

“Can you?” she asked. “He loves you, you know? This isn’t a phase. He’s wanted you for a long time.”

Well, that was the million dollar question, wasn’t it? Patrick had been in a muddle since Sim had made his interest known. For the life of him, he didn’t know what to do. He just hadn’t had time to think about and assimilate to the situation. Admittedly, he realized he had feelings for his friend—feelings he hadn’t before acknowledged. He’d reflected on that the few times he’d been alone today, but he was sure he didn’t feel attraction to other men. Was that possible? To have attraction to only one man? Was he truly bisexual?

He just wanted to bury his head in his hands and think.

Verity kissed his neck, bringing him back to the moment. “You’re thinking really loudly. I think if you get any tenser, the horse will freak out.”

The problem was that he didn’t know
what
to think.

“It’ll work out,” she said, her fingers moving up and down his lower back. Patrick shifted her so she was straddling him the way she had been with Conlin. The man had a good idea there. Verity looped her arms around his neck, the devil in her eyes. Watching him, she rolled her pelvis into his. It wasn’t an ideal position to stimulate her, but she sure as hell was making his cock hard as rock.

“You’re gonna make this picnic difficult,” he warned.

“Like we’re really going to eat,” she retorted. “I’ve given you guys until Monday; Conlin and Regan are leaving tomorrow night. Other than hydration, I doubt food will be much of a thought.” She sighed, pressing her head to his shoulder and apparently unaware how her mention of Monday disturbed him. “Do you remember how you, Sim and me used to come up here?”

“It’s the only place we could be alone.” With his huge family and her overprotective dads it had been a wonder they’d found anywhere to themselves.

“It was magic up here.”

Magic enough that they’d managed to get her pregnant even while using condoms. It had been terrifying—twenty and expecting a baby. Since then, he’d been doubly careful. Still, he sometimes wished she hadn’t miscarried, though it had been for the best back then. They’d been too young. But it would have changed everything. Would they be reuniting now, or would they have been together for the past ten years? He didn’t really fear that they would have divorced. Despite the plural marriages, Daly was a throwback to older days in many ways. People worked things out. With the lack of women, men were willing to move earth and sky to make their wives happy, too.

He wanted to tell her he’d do what was needed to make her happy. He was ready to beg her not to go.

“Sim’s setting up in our old spot,” he told her, sidetracking his thoughts.

Sure enough, he went around a bend in the road and came upon Sim and Regan. Patrick experienced a strange jolt as he regarded his friend. Why had he never felt this before? In retrospect, he supposed he had to some degree, but now Sim had thrown open a Pandora’s box of things Patrick had never considered and he just wanted to shove it all back inside the compartment then pretend it had never happened. No he didn’t. As he stared at Sim’s firm lips, he knew he never wanted to forget the man’s mouth around his cock.

Sim looked up at him with knowing in his eye. Patrick gave him a nod and that was all that was needed. His heart thudded with relief. This would be okay. Somehow. There’d be negotiation, but they’d find a way. Sim grinned then shifted his gaze to Verity. Coming forward he reached for her and helped lift her from the horse.

“Hey sweetness,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Trying to escape already?”

“Why would I want to do that?” she teased. “I have four men just waiting to see to my every pleasure.” Laughing she spun in a circle then plopped down on the blanket. She closed her eyes, stretching in the sun. The sight dragged Patrick back to tender days gone by once more. How many times had she done this same thing? Verity was like a cat in the sun, soaking it all in. The gold-hued beams, filtering through the leaves overhead, painted her body in moving shadows and light.

He climbed down, letting Regan take the horse and move it by the others. Sitting beside her on the blanket, he drew a thumb over her cheek. “You’re enjoying all this, aren’t you?”

Opening one eye, she looked up at him. “And why not? I only have the weekend.”

“It doesn’t have to end on Monday. Surely, you know that.”

She nodded. “I know you want me to stay.”

“And Conlin wants you to go with them?”

She stared up at him with both eyes now, sincerity in her expression. “I don’t know what you told them about our relationship—”

“Not a lot.”

“Well, they probably see me as fair game. Don’t hold it against them. Besides, I don’t know them well enough to rush off to God knows where.”

He leaned over her, brushing his lips over hers. His chest was tight, clenched with what he had to say. Had his brother felt like this when he’d first seen Rayna, instantly knowing she was the one? And Patrick knew Verity well. They’d hardly be starting from scratch.

Sim sat on her opposite side and bent over her as well. He kissed her cheeks and chin and forehead. Turning his head, he kissed Patrick’s temple, and his arm slung over Patrick, joining the three of them.

“What incentive do you need?” Patrick finally asked her. “Do you even want to stay here?”

Verity could barely breathe. Not because she was closed in, but because she knew this moment would irrevocably change her life. This was the point she’d once feared more than anything, yet now, it didn’t seem so scary. Somehow, everything would end up right.

“Daly is home,” she told them, tenderness filling her as they kissed her anywhere they could reach. “When I drove into town, I was fully expecting to stay. I never expected you two to be here. I was supposed to move back in with my parents—”

“Now, honey, why would you do that? I have a perfectly good bed—”

“One that’s partially occupied?” she asked.

He glanced at Sim. “One that could be triple occupancy.”

Her throat tightened at the thought of waking up between them every morning, of going to bed with them every night, of having fun with them and making a future together.

“Three things…” she told them.

“Shoot,” Sim said.

“I have to have a job. My dad’s pretty much blown my plan out of the water, but you need to be okay with me finding work, even if I have to commute.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Patrick replied. “But you need to get a better vehicle.”

“My car’s the latest model,” she protested.

“Exactly. It’s a
car.
If you’re gonna commute you need something better—especially if you’re trekking out to ranches.”

“Fair enough, don’t you think?” Sim offered. “We just want you safe.”

Verity nodded. “Second, I want babies. But I don’t want them right away and I don’t want to stop working when I have them.” She looked at Patrick, who’d been raised with a stay-at-home mom. “Okay?”

His lips pursed as he thought and she knew he wasn’t pleased with part of it. Was this a deal breaker? Did he really want her to stay at home making kids and being there for sex? It didn’t matter how much she loved them, she wouldn’t do that.