Hunt, Delilah - Wyoming Triple Heat (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (18 page)

Despite the pain in her heart, she laughed and shoved him. “It’s not freakish. I think it’s cute, looks like a little puddle.”

“All right, but forget about Connor. Is it getting through your head what I’m telling you?”

“Maybe.”

He held out the box for her to put the necklace in. “It had better sink in. You recall my warning about tanning that hide of yours? It’s still in effect.”

She placed the necklace inside and rose. “You’re out of your mind. The day your hand comes down on my ass is the day all hell breaks loose in this house.”

“Well, hell, Lexie. Now you’ve got me all hard thinking about the fight you’re gonna put up. I’ll have to fuck you good to make up for the stings, won’t I?”

She rolled her eyes and walked to the door. “Not going to happen. Keep on dreaming.”

“Oh, because you’re going to listen to me?” His lips curved into a lopsided grin.

“Nope. Your brothers would never allow you to lay a hand on me.”

Owen burst out laughing. “You really think they could stop me from doing whatever it is I want to do with you?”

No.
She’d received the same reaction from Logan and Connor when she suggested to each of them that the other brother would have her back.

“I take it you boys have been keeping up with your weekly ‘how to handle Alexa’ meetings?”

“Why else do you think we let you sleep until noon on Saturdays? These meeting take a long time to get over with.”

“Whatever. I don’t sleep that long,” she muttered. “And if I do, it’s because you guys think Friday nights are a free for all with my body. A girl can get worn out.”

Owen ushered her out the door. “You can learn to play pool with us to help you relax then. I think it’s high time I teach you how to beat those two at the game. Connor’s probably down there feeling smug ’cause he beat Logan. Know why that is?

Lexie shook her head, and he continued, “Because I taught him. I tried to give Logan some pointers, but he didn’t want to hear what I had to say. It’s cool though. You and I can team up against them. Are you in?”

“Can we gloat afterward and make them cook dinner?”

Owen pushed open the door the basement stairs. “Consider it a requirement.”

Chapter Eighteen

“Logan?”

“I thought you’d fallen asleep,” he grumbled, rubbing a finger over her nipples.

“I haven’t. You’ve been pulling on my nipples. I can barely think.”

“Then stop trying and go to sleep.”

“I can’t. I’ve been thinking about some stuff.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with you and Owen beating me at pool, does it?”

She turned to him, and her tiny hand wrapped around his waist. “Have you ever thought of getting married?”

Logan froze, her question catching him out of nowhere. Sure he’d imagined himself settled down by now. But he’d never met anyone he wanted to do that with, except for her.

“I haven’t.”

Lexie propped her elbow on the pillow. “I find that hard to believe.”

“What’s hard to believe? It’s never crossed my mind,” he lied.

None of them had ever intended to fall in love with the same woman. So what if he would have liked to marry her? He didn’t doubt that Connor or Owen wanted the same. Legally…it was out of the question.

“I just think it’s strange you head up this humungous ranch, not to mention the factory, and you don’t want a wife to share it with.”

“I have you and my brothers. That’s enough. Also, you can’t forget we all have equal stake in everything.”

Did she want to get married? Or maybe she was worried about her future, thinking if they left her she would have nothing.

Logan turned to her. “Are you worried that we’ll leave you high and dry one day?”

She crossed her hands behind her head. “As much as I love your money,” she added in a dry voice, “it’s not about that. It doesn’t matter, Logan. You’ve already answered my question.”

Logan frowned into the dark. Why did he have the sinking feeling he had no idea what her question was? “Honey, do you want to tell me what this is about?”

She nuzzled his neck. “Nothing to tell, Kincaid. Let’s go to sleep.”

Logan smiled and kissed the top of her head, inhaling the scent of the orange soap they’d used to shower. “Now I know you’re lying because you’re using the last name.”

“Even if I am, you’re not dragging it out of me.”

“We’ll talk about this tomorrow. You know I dislike secrets, and I’m positive you don’t know how to keep one.”

She grazed her teeth against his chest. “Are you trying to say I talk too much?”

“I’m trying to say whatever is going on in that head of yours we’ll get it sorted out. I’m not sure what it’s going to take for you to stop questioning our commitment to you.”

“I already told you I’m not inching for marriage—”

“I’m aware of what you said. To tell you the truth, if you did want marriage, I’d be scared out of my mind which one of us you would choose. I don’t think any one of us wants to be put through that.”

“I know.” Her voice came quietly in the dark. “I could never do that to any of you. I wouldn’t even know how to choose.”

“Because you love all of us the same?” Logan ventured.

“I thought we were discussing this in the morning?”

“In the morning it is, just don’t believe I’ll forget about it.”

* * * *

Lexie untangled her legs from Logan’s solid thighs, creeping off the bed while making sure his eyes remained shut and his breathing deep.
Fast asleep.
Lexie hurried into her clothes, closing the drawer louder than necessary. She glanced backward. Logan was still sleeping. Her heart fell.

Now she had to go through with her plan to leave. Lexie headed down the hallway. She never should have left her mother’s necklace inside the safe. She couldn’t leave without at least checking to see if someone had gone back into the room and left it open. Of course, the chance of that was slim to none. Exactly like the chance of them understanding that this wasn’t going to work out between the four of them.

Her mother’s cancer had come up on them out of nowhere, crumbling the strength in her father. At least in this situation she saw the warning signs and could avoid the same thing happening to her. Falling into the same mess as her father. And yet, she held on to the hope that at least one of them would wake up and prevent her from stepping out of their lives.

Resigned, Lexie snuck inside the room, heading straight for the closet.
Time to bullshit my way to a combination.
If she didn’t try to get the necklace back, later on when she came begging for it, they’d probably tell her to get the hell off their property. She eased open the closet. No surprise the safe was sealed shut.

“Combined birthdates it is,” she whispered aloud, pressing in the digits. One-six—

“Guess I should have had you close your eyes after all.”

Owen

A glimmer of joy spread throughout her chest. Lexie whipped her head to the side. Connor was there, too, standing by the doorway. Her stomach dropped at the identical looks of disappointment and undisguised anger on their faces.

Easing her finger off the touchpad, Lexie forced a playful smile to her lips, “Morning, boys—”

“Cut the bullshit.” Connor swept past her into the room, checking out the safe. Jesus, out of all the brothers, Connor’s temper was the one she feared the most because he rarely got worked up like Logan and Owen.

“What’s wrong with you? I just wanted to get my necklace back, that’s all.”

“After a couple hours?” Owen lifted his eyebrows. “What’s your excuse this time?”

Lexie cringed at the sarcasm in the endearment. Was she still his darlin’?

“You think I was trying to steal from you?” She looked between them, forcing the lump past her throat and feeling proud for keeping her voice calm.

Before either of them could answer, Lexie heard a clearing of throat.

Logan.

“What’s going on?” Eyes narrowed, he asked, “Why are you dressed, and why did I wake up without you on the bed.”

Owen snorted. “Caught her trying to open the safe.”

“Are you guys fucking kidding me? All I want is my necklace so I can leave.”

“Leave?” he sneered. “You snuck out of bed so you could creep away before you thought anyone was awake?”

“Don’t forget attempting to steal a few precious jewels while you’re at it.”

Logan waved a hand. “I don’t care about the damn safe. You lied to me. To us.”

“And you lied to me,” she lashed out. “Owen showed me the ring you keep inside the safe.” Behind her she heard Owen groan but ignored him.

“I asked you last night, and you told me it never crossed your mind. What do you all expect me to do, lay around waiting for my replacements to show up?”

“Come over here, Alexa.” She frowned. It felt strange to hear anyone but Logan calling her by her proper name.

“I’m a little busy here.” She gave a quick glance in Owen’s direction.

“That’s not my problem, darlin’. I said come over here, and don’t let me have to tell you again.”

She gaped at him, as did Connor and Logan. “She knows what this is about,” Owen said with a deadly calmness.

Her eyes widened when he plunked himself down in a chair at the end of the room. No way in hell was he serious.

“Get your ass over here now.”

Her eyes bulged in disbelief. “You’re going to spank me?”

“I promised this would happen if you disobeyed me.”

Lexie searched wildly about the room, incredulous at the look of complacency on the faces of Connor and Logan. “This is ridiculous. I’m getting out of here.”

“Five seconds,” he warned. “You have five seconds to get rid of those jeans, or I’m ripping them off.”

“Connor?”

He shook his head. “This is a long time coming, baby. I’m with Owen on this.”

“Logan…”

“Do as Owen says.”

Her spine tingled. Owen was going to spank her as he’d promised weeks ago. Her cunt moistened, and a wave of shame mingled with heat rushed into her. She wanted it. She wanted to feel Owen’s hand bearing down on her flesh.

Her fingers fumbled with the buttons finally managing to peel the material past her legs. “Take off your panties,” Connor instructed huskily.

Oh God, so he, too, wanted to see her punished. Lexie bit her lips. “I was just trying to do what’s best for—”

“No excuses. I don’t want to hear it,” Owen grated. “Lay across my lap.”

Nude from the waist down, she stepped in front of him. His hands reached out, closing around hers and pulling her down onto his lap. Her naked bottom facing the ceiling and his awaiting hand.

Thwack!