Forrest, Dawn - Sweet Water Wedding: Sharing Shannon (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (46 page)

“Yeah, I’m sure happy for them both. It was a great party,” Luke agreed.

“Last night, with you two… well, I’ve never experienced anything like that, you were both wonderful. Thank you.”

“We are fantastic together, Shannon,” James said in his characteristically confident way.

“Believe us when we say we’re experienced enough to recognize the real deal when we see it,” Luke said quietly. “We also know that you may not see it quite a clearly as we do yet.”

She was certainly beginning to. She wasn’t sure how to respond but she was literally saved by the bell as the house phone next to the bed rang. James answered it. After greeting Mitch and asking about Janet he went quiet as he listened to whatever Mitch had to say. His face began to take on a much more serious look and his voice an icy timbre.

“I understand. I don’t agree, but I know the law. I thought he’d do something like that. Okay, thanks for calling, Mitch.”

“What?” she and Luke said at the same time.

“Crossling’s out on bail. His lawyer is saying that we were trespassing on his property and that my dog assaulted him first.”

Shannon gasped, “But he held us at gunpoint.”

“Yep, but what he is saying is also true. Listen, Shannon, I’d feel a whole lot better if you’d stay here at Sweet Water or at Luke’s place for the next two weeks. I don’t feel happy with you being at Flora’s place on your own with that madman on the loose.”

She stared at him, eyes wide with concern.

“You can stay in the guest room or the studio over the office if you’d feel more comfortable there. I’d obviously rather you stay here in the main house, in my bed with me.”

Luke coughed.

“You’re invited, too, didn’t think I needed to ask,” James grinned.

Shannon didn’t want to be at the cabin on her own and it made more sense for her to move in with James than the other way around as they still had work to do. Luke didn’t have animals to worry about at his place, his horse was stabled at his parents ranch.

“Okay, but I must warn you that in a few days I’ll be premenstrual, and sometimes it isn’t pretty.”

“Hell, not another one. Janet’s a total bitch for a few days each month.” James groaned in jest.

“Diana was the same when we were living at home. I used to keep my head down. If you get too bad we can always tie you to the bed…and leave you.”

Both guys laughed. As they’d no doubt intended Shannon wasn’t sure what she was most piqued about, the suggestion of tying her up or leaving her.

“As if!” She snorted. She took a long sip of her coffee and peeped over the rim of her mug to see them staring at her. “Shit, you would try it, too.”

“Try? No,” was all Luke needed to say.

“What’s up, honey? Worried you’d like it?” James asked in a sexy soft drawl.

“She’d love it, but she’d be madder than a wet hen if we left her too long.” Luke was grinning way too much for her liking.

James chuckled. “Woo wee, can you imagine how she'd look tied to the bed, all riled up and desperate like? I can’t wait.”

“Laugh it up, boys, keep dreaming. Just remember you’re vulnerable when you’re sleeping.”

“Ah, we’re just kidding, Shannon.” Luke laughed and Shannon looked smugly at James. “We wouldn’t actually leave you alone,” he continued. “That wouldn’t be safe.”

She rolled her eyes but had a feeling that they weren’t joking.

“Being with you two would never be boring, I’ll give you that,” she chuckled.

She noticed that James and Luke shared one of their silent communicating looks.

“It wouldn’t only be fun and games. We work hard but we play hard, too.” Luke sounded suddenly serious. “Shannon, we know that we’ve not had much time to get to know all about you, but we really think that you could be a full partner in our lives.”

“What are you asking?” she said, looking back and forth between them.

“Have you got a criminal record?” James asked.

That was just plain weird, and she wasn’t sure where they were going with this line of questioning.

“What? I….no!”

“You were never arrested protesting as a student?”

“Er, no. I was lucky and I never caused damage. What has this got to do with anything?”

“That’s great. There shouldn’t be a problem with your visa then.” James beamed at her and Luke.

“What visa?” She was really very confused now.

“The K-1 Fiancée Visa that we’re gonna apply for, if you agree,” Luke explained cautiously. “We’ve already started the process on the hope that you’ll say yes.”

“Yes to what?” Her brain must really be sleep addled because this wasn’t making sense.

“Look, we know you haven’t known us long but we can’t lose what we have just because of time and distance. We want you to apply for residency here in the US with a view to marrying us.” Luke looked serious when he spoke those words. He took her mug and both men held her hands.

“There are a few important details to sit down and discuss, but we are confident that any problems can be overcome. Will you marry us, Shannon?” James asked, looking sincere and nervous. It was a foreign expression on his face, he was normally supremely confident about most things.

She was so shocked that she didn’t say anything.

“Marry, as in commit yourselves to me, forever forsaking all others?”

Luke nodded. “That’s the way we see it”.

Her mind was whirling, tumbling disjointed thoughts. All the possible difficulties and negative points loomed. They were ranchers, oil and cattle men, with vastly different upbringings and lifestyles. She wouldn’t change her stance on environmental issues and sustainable living. Those principles were important to her; could they live with that? She would have to leave Ireland. Her father might not approve and her mother certainly would not. Those points were easily surpassed by the good stuff, like being near to her best friend Rachael, and being part of a new family. As James had said there were plenty of new career opportunities, and she loved Meadow Ridge County. Of course none of that really mattered because of the one thing that outweighed everything else, she loved Luke and James.

“I really think that we could have a good, happy life together,” Luke ventured.

“Hell, Luke, make it sound boring, why don’t you?” James rolled his eyes. “We both love and adore you, Shannon. We want you to be our wife, our lover, to be part of our lives and someday the mother of our children.”

Shannon sat stunned for a moment and then she dared to dream. Putting aside the skin-deep good looks and their sexual abilities, they were still good men. There would have to be some compromises made on all sides because at the moment their lifestyles were poles apart. She knew that despite all their differences she loved them, because this love was an accepting thing. She felt bound to them and could clearly see their futures entwined like the roots of a sturdy oak tree. They could grow together and enrich each other’s lives. She instinctively knew that to hold their hearts and to give them her love in return was the best bargain she could ever make.

She nodded her head. “Yes.” She stated to chuckle because she could hardly believe what she was agreeing to. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” she said more firmly and without a shadow of a doubt that it was the right thing to do.

* * * *

Luke could barely contain himself. He was happier than a flea in a doghouse. Here was the woman, the one whom he respected, liked, loved, and lusted after, and she had just agreed to be their wife. She looked a little shell-shocked, but a big smile lit up her face. He swiped the coffee mug out of her hand and James launched himself on her. Luke watched as his friend covered her in kisses that tickled her and caused her to shriek and laugh. His own deep chuckles joined theirs and he dived in. It was a few minutes before they calmed down and caught their breath.

“You have to get off me. I need to go to the bathroom.” Shannon sighed as she patted their arms.

Both of them were sprawled over her but they rolled away to allow her to move. His stomach suddenly made the muffled growling noise of a tiger hiding in dense jungle.

“Hungry?” Shannon chuckled as she crawled over him to get out of the bed.

“Always,” he replied as he took advantage of her open legs and rubbed his hand between her legs.

She slapped his arm and fell out of bed. To his amusement it occurred to him that she was sometimes a bit clumsy and that it was a good thing she was flexible or she’d have done herself an injury. He realized that if she’d been coordination personified they probably wouldn’t have met that first time at the conference.

“Well, I’m hungry, too, and we’ve some things that we need to talk about, so how about we have breakfast downstairs?” She said standing up quickly and rummaging in her overnight bag.

“Sounds like a plan,” James agreed.

Shannon pulled out a pair of panties and a T-shirt and headed to the bathroom. He and James already had their boxers on so they grabbed a T-shirt each and headed downstairs, giving each other a congratulatory slap on the back.

“Man, I feel invigorated ya know, like I’ve got more energy. I’m so darn happy.” James was rattling away, his accent becoming more pronounced with his excitement.

Luke put an arm around his shoulders and gave him a brief hug, one that conveyed solidarity and friendship. He loved James like a close brother and he understood exactly what he was feeling. They were going to spend the rest of their lives together with Shannon and dang, he couldn’t wait to get started.

Shannon entered the kitchen and she appeared radiantly happy despite her obvious tiredness from their nocturnal activities.

“Is it just me or does anyone else feel really excited?” She did a little happy feet type of dance on the spot, as if she couldn’t contain herself. “God, I love you so much!”

Fast as lightening, James had her in his arms and swung her around. “Darlin’, I was just saying the same thing.”

James planted a big kiss on her lips and then passed her over to him. He buried his face in her vibrant, wayward hair and held her close. He was unprepared for the strong feeling of protectiveness that embracing her inspired and the wave of warmth that seemed to push out from his chest. The absolute pleasure that he found in simply holding her, was a treasure without measure. If he wasn’t careful he might hold her too tightly and never let go.

“I smell bacon beginning to burn.” Shannon sniffed.

“Crap.” James dashed over to the grill. “Phew, saved in the nick of time. Get the plates will you, love? Luke, you’d better see to those eggs that you were scrambling.”

They sat as the breakfast bar as the tucked into their brunch, and began to discuss their future.

“So, what’s a K-1 Fiancée Visa?” Shannon asked as she put a dollop of strawberry jelly on her toast.

“It’s what you apply for if you are engaged to an American citizen and want to live in the States. It has a shorter waiting period than a visa based on an existing marriage and you are allowed to apply for a work permit and be engaged in employment once it’s granted.” Luke explained.

“The main condition is that you have to get married within ninety days of entering the US” James added.

“What do we have to do?” She said as she licked some crumbs off her lips. It nearly distracted him completely.

“Er…It’s a two-step process. Either James or I must file a visa petition on your behalf. Approval can take up to four months although we hope it’ll be faster. Then you have to apply for a K-1 Visa at a US consulate. The embassy in Dublin would be the easiest for you. That can take up to another four months. You have to provide a lot of information, including a police check, which is why we are pleased that you don’t have a police record no matter how minor the incident. Once you have the visa you can come to live in the US, but we do have to get married within three months of you arriving. You then have to apply for a green card if you want to work—I’m assuming that you do.”