Forrest, Dawn - Sweet Water Wedding: Sharing Shannon (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (13 page)

“And here he is, the real James Ryden. I was wondering when the flirting would start. You’re a bit slow off the mark today,” Joshua teased with a weary sigh.

It broke the tension as he’d obviously intended, but Shannon still caught the guarded glare he directed at his brother. James didn’t seem to care, he held her gaze for a few more seconds before taking a swig of his beer. Rachael changed the subject and asked about the shooting incident in Uganda. Relieved, Shannon relayed the tale.

“I’d never heard a real gunshot before in my life, just in the movies. It seemed surreal at the time.”

“So you’ve never shot a gun before?” James asked sounding surprised.

“No. Gun ownership in Ireland is strictly regulated.”

“I could teach you to shoot a pistol and rifle, Shannon, if you want to,” James offered.

“That might be interesting, I’ll try anything once.”

“Really?”

Shannon couldn’t help but laugh a James’s cheeky grin of delight. “Will you give over?” She pushed his shoulder and he deliberately toppled backwards.

Joshua cleared his throat, “I hate to break up the picnic, but we’ve got to get back and do some work this afternoon. I’ll take the ladies to the cabin so that Shannon can drop her bags off and get settled. I don’t know what you want to do about tonight, darlin’. Would you prefer to catch up with Shannon and come over to the ranch tomorrow for lunch?”

Indecision swept across Rachael’s features for a fraction of a second as she looked at Joshua and then Shannon. He leaned down to give her a kiss and whispered quietly and privately in her ear. Whatever he said had Rachael looking flushed and aroused.

“That’s a good idea,” she croaked.

Shannon raised an eyebrow in question and glanced at James, who was now the one rolling his eyes.

“It must run in the family,” she muttered.

Chapter 9

“What’s going on, and don’t give me any bullshit. I’m getting married in fifteen days and I don’t want my bride upset because her best friend the chief bridesmaid is being messed around with by my brother the best man.” Joshua took his eyes off the paddock fencing work for a moment and James felt the full weight of his fierce regard. “Spill it.”

“It’s complicated.”

“How do you eat an elephant?” Joshua asked sternly.

James knew that the answer held the solution for dealing with many of life’s difficulties. It could have been their family motto.

He sighed, “One piece at a time.”

There was no point in avoiding telling Joshua because all would be revealed soon anyway. James explained what had happened, obviously leaving out details of a very intimate nature.

“Luke felt that there was something special about her and now I do, too. Look, I’ve only just met her, but I want to get to know her better and not just in the biblical sense. The problem is to find a way of breaking it to Shannon without scaring her off.”

Joshua was quiet for a minute. “Twenty-four hours. I’ll give you twenty-four hours to tell her before I explain things to Rachael, but if she asks me directly before then I ain’t lying to her.”

“The sooner the better right? But I have to find a way of getting her alone with both me and Luke.”

“You could take her shopping for some wine, beers, or groceries for lunch tomorrow. We’re not low on anything, but she doesn’t know that. You could swing by Luke’s place on the way. Just be sure that you’re serious about her, because Rachael knows how to castrate.”

James grimaced. “I’ve never been more serious about a woman in my life.”

Josh snorted, “Like that’s saying much.”

“Ouch. Jesus, I have to contend with this reputation as well. Look this is new for me, for us. Luke feels the same way. We hardly know the woman, but we both feel that we could possibly have something with her, something like Luke’s parents have and ours had. It’ll be worth any amount of effort, but I know it’s got to be real, no point in pretending we’re something we aren’t. And you know that that dynamics have got to be right between the three of us not just how we are as individual couples. It’s just awkward that we’ve not been entirely honest from the start but we’ll set that right as soon as we can.”

Josh gave a curt nod and didn’t repress a small chuckle, “You’re gonna have your hands full. I suspect she’s as red-hot as her hair.”

James grinned. “I’m counting on it.”

* * * *

Rachael and Shannon sat on the small veranda that ran the length of the little cabin called Flora’s Place.

“This is really pleasant; no wonder you wanted to come back.” Shannon sat in a wooden chair with comfy over stuffed cushions, her bare feet propped up on a small coffee table strewn with magazines. There was a piece of open ground with patchy grass around the cabin, and beyond that a wood and a running stream.

“You can stay as long as you like, it’s great to have you here.” Rachael was sprawled across an old wicker sofa piled with pillows and cushions of assorted bright colors.

“Your man, he’s impressive and seems like a capable chap. He’s a big bugger, too, and very...ahem...masculine. How the hell did you get to know him without being terrified?” She snorted a laugh.

“We’re the same height lying down.” Rachael giggled. “I think it was lust and love at first sight and it certainly helped that he is the living embodiment of my fantasies.”

“You saucy minx, you must have some dark desires.”

Rachael gave a wicked little chuckle, “You have no idea.”

“I’m beginning to.” Shannon paused for a moment, chewing her lip, “Rachael, tell me what you think of James because he behaved very oddly when I first met him this morning. A little later in the kitchen he kissed me—”

“He did?” Rachael interrupted, sounding shocked.

“Yeah, I know, but I have to say, it was a kiss like no other. It was divine, or more like profound. It was certainly more than the normal upper persuasion for the lower invasion if you know what I mean, although it was all that too.” She sat up straight and tried to find the right words. “It felt like a juncture, you know, ‘all roads lead from here.’ I’m probably not making any sense but I really felt a connection to the guy. I must be going mad or getting desperate because while I was at the conference in Houston, I met a really great guy and I felt a bond with him too. Maybe I’m imagining it. I’m tired and obviously I needed this break more than I thought, or maybe I just need to get shagged more.” She gave a little laugh, but it didn’t hide her confusion and doubt.

Rachael also sat up straight, rearranging a few cushions. “James is a great guy, I really like him.”

“But...?”

“But he’s not been exactly chaste over the last few years. The guy is great-looking, charming, and genuinely likes women, and boy, do they like him and his partner Luke. They’ve never been short of female company. Individually they are both gorgeous, but together they must be many a girl’s dream come true.”

“Luke? That’s James’s partner’s name?” Shannon immediately registered the coincidence.

“Yeah, he’s quieter and more intense than James but just as sexy. I’m in love with Josh, but I’m not blind.” She giggled. “Until very recently they’ve been players of the highest order, sharing women in bed and unconcerned about trying to find Miss Right. Lately though they’ve been a bit subdued. I think the desire to settle down is growing stronger. Josh mentioned that when they were at the conference, James and Luke said they wanted a serious relationship. I don’t know what James’s intentions are, Shannon, but I don’t think that he would deliberately lead someone on or make any false promises. My understanding is that so far he hasn’t ever made any promises at all to anyone, except to have a fun time.”

Shannon frowned.
Partner?
Luke? James? At the conference?
She picked up the threads and ran with them, recalling Luke’s words; ‘I‘ll be honest, I’ve been a player in the past, but it gets old. I’m not looking for a casual fuck anymore, I want more.’
No fucking way!

“Rachael,” she gulped, eyes widening, and breath shortening, “is Luke about six four, well built, straight dark brown hair just past the ears, dark brown eyes, and very long lashes...by any chance?”

Rachael jerked back in apparent shock. “From that accurate description I’d say chance has nothing to do with it.”

“Oh no, no it can’t be,” Shannon’s breath caught in her throat. “What’s his second name?”

Rachael looked very puzzled. “I can’t remember exactly. Something Scottish sounding I think.”

“McKay?”

“Yeah, that’s right. McKay. His mother brought an injured cat in to see me last week, turned out it was also pregnant, but how did you know?”

Shannon let out a wail. “Ohhhhhh, my God!”

“What the hell’s the matter with you? Are you okay?” Rachael’s eyes were like saucers as she watched her meltdown with astonishment.

She muffled some curses as colorful as the cushions she buried her face in.

“I don’t fockin’ believe it, Jaysus.” Her Irish accent had intensified as it always did when she was upset. “Of all the fockin’ hotels in all the world, he had to walk into mine!”

“What are you talking about?” Rachael sounded worried and confused.

Shannon stared at her for a moment then started to laugh, but it wasn’t a hearty sound.

“I spent last night, at the Thorn Bush hotel,” she took a deep breath, “in the arms of a certain Luke McKay.”

Rachael gasped. “No way.”

“Yes way.” Shannon groaned. “And he mentioned his
sleeping partner
James, only he made it sound like just a business arrangement. He even said that he liked to go on long rides with him. Bugger!” The expletives were coming fast and furious now. “What a jolly fockin’ wheeze that must have been for him. Oh, God, Rach, I feel such a bloody fool.” She closed her eyes tight against the sting of restrained tears.

“Hey, hey, hang on a minute, you don’t know that.” Rachael leaned over and gave Shannon a hug. “There is a saying, ‘never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity,’ or in this case perhaps explained by stupidity and coincidence. Tell me what happened and we’ll think about it.” Rachael sat back and gave her an encouraging smile. “First though we need a little something nice and cold from the fridge.”

Rachael dashed to the kitchen and returned waving a bottle of Chardonnay and two glasses.

“I’ve missed you and your sayings. How do you remember them all?” Shannon smiled weakly, still hot faced but calming down slowly.

“Oh, it’s not too difficult when you’re a genius.”

Shannon raised her glass, “Cheers.” She took a big gulp, then another. “Okay, well I guess it all began with a telephone call from an old colleague, not long after you called me about the wedding...”

Shannon went over the events of the last few days, regularly sipping her wine. Rachael listened carefully.

“So I am right in thinking that on the first date you didn’t give details about where you were going or who you would be seeing?” Rachael, ever practical, was starting to analyze the information that she had given her.

Shannon shook her head, “No, not until the second date.” She frowned in concentration, going over that evening in her mind. “Actually I don’t think I gave any details until after, er, you know, the first time.”

Rachael raised her eyebrows. “So at least up until
that
point Luke didn’t know that you were coming to Meadow Ridge County, right?”

“Yeah, right, but he didn’t confess that he participated in ménages or the full extent of his partnership with James either.” Shannon wailed again. “This cannot be happening.”