Kidnapped at the Gun Show [Ransomed Hearts] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (6 page)

“Is that true? Or are you using our past to play sex games?”

“I wouldn’t intentionally hurt you, Sara. Never again. I’d hoped for resolution. Either to discover that we were different people now and I could separate my feelings for you in the past with how I felt now, or, if we still felt the connection, we could be together again.”

“Together with him, you mean.”

She was beginning to look pissed, and Riley stepped between Sara and Kale. “I’m hoping you might be willing to try what we’re suggesting, with no strings attached, for a little while. If we meet your needs, and you meet ours, we could make it a more permanent relationship.”

“I think you’ve both lost your freaking minds.” Sara stood, almost knocking the table over, and stomped out of the room.

“That went well,” Kale said.

“To be expected. She has no knowledge of our past relationships, no expectations of the same, like the women we met in Austin.”

“True. I’m just worried.”

“Second thoughts about sharing her?” Riley asked.

“No. Worried that we’ll hurt her in some way.”

Riley stacked his arms on the table between them and leaned toward his best friend. “We won’t let that happen, no matter what.”

Kale smiled and nodded.

“She’s beautiful, Kale. Smart, sexy, and strong willed. She’s going to drive us both crazy, and we’re going to spoil her silly.”

“If she agrees.”

“We’ve got a few days to convince her. The weather won’t clear until Tuesday at the earliest.” Riley moved back to the sink and turned on the waffle maker. “She didn’t eat much. Go convince her to come back for more food. Turn on the charm.”

* * * *

Sara shut the bedroom door and leaned on it, wishing it had a lock, a deadbolt, and a burglar bar. Two men in a bed. With her. Not something she’d ever considered. One man in bed with her was a rarity. The logistics of two at a time were frightening.

And a little, teeny-tiny bit tantalizing.

To be wedged between two hunky men like Kale and Riley would quickly lead to sensory overload. That much testosterone in one place could be devastating to her senses. Just the thought made her knees weak.

Her body was already tingling with all sorts of strange sensations caused by their conversation. The urge to wiggle was gnawing at her, like she’d had too much coffee or one of those stupid energy drinks her friend Emma used sometimes. Lifting her butt off the door, Sara straightened the bed, picked up the clothes they’d haphazardly discarded the night before, and proceeded to pace.

There were decisions to make. Whether she agreed to be with them or not, she had to come clean about her need to be in Dallas Tuesday morning. Afterwards, they might not want to see her again. Honestly, she couldn’t blame them. No one wanted trouble dumped on their doorstep.

Someone knocked on the door and, blessedly, whichever one it was had the integrity to wait for her to answer. Sara considered refusing to talk, but they were snowed in, so what was the point? She had nowhere to go.

“Come in.”

The door opened an inch and stopped. Sara had the funniest feeling the man on the other side was expecting her to throw something at him.

The door opened enough for Kale to stick his head inside. “You ready to talk?”

“What are my choices?” she asked. “Never mind. Come in.”

Kale left the door open and sat on the bed. “I’m hoping you’ll give us a chance.”

Sara waited. She didn’t want to argue, but he needed to convince her before she agreed to anything.

“My job often requires travel, and if it were just the two of us, there would be times you’d be alone. With Riley as part of our relationship, I’ll always know you’re taken care of, protected.”

“We never got around to talking about your career. What exactly do you do these days?”

“I work for the Justice Department, in their cyber-crimes unit.”

She stared, waiting for him to realize his statement was as clear as mud. After a few minutes, he sighed.

“FBI. I travel around, doing forensic investigations on seized computers.”

“You’re an FBI agent? I thought you were looking for a job within state government.”

“I did, but a recruiter suggested I also apply at the Bureau, and after what happened with us, it seemed like a good way to start fresh. But I couldn’t forget you.”

“How did you meet Riley?” she asked. He was finally talking, and she didn’t want to give him time to close up on her. She needed information.

“I ended up in the Austin office, and I met Riley at a club, a private club that caters to men like us.”

“Sexual deviants?”

He actually laughed, a pleasant sound that eased her tension. If he could laugh about his sexuality, it couldn’t be too bad.

“We’re not deviants. I just feel more in control of my emotions when I know the woman I love is taken care of when I’m not around. I wouldn’t want you to feel cheated or lonely when I’m away.”

“Is that the only reason you have for this thing you want from me?” she asked.

“No. There are lots of other reasons, too many to cover in one sitting.” Kale stretched his arms, settled them across his knees and leaned over, hiding his face from her. “You know how I grew up.”

Sara hadn’t given it much thought, considering the conversation, but she knew what he meant. Her hand crept over to rest on his shoulder.

“She wasn’t happy, Sara, and it was because Dad left. She kept trying to find her happy place but always looked in the wrong place—wrong man, wrong bottle, whatever.”

“I remember.”

“Yeah, well. This way, I won’t worry about you not having what you need. One or both of us will always be there for you.”

Crying in front of him was out of the question. He wouldn’t appreciate the sentiment or the tears. But it was hard to keep dry eyes at the moment. Understanding seeped in, even if it wasn’t what she’d expected. Love and fear do strange things to some people.

“I’ll think about it, okay?” she sighed. “No pressure.”

“Can’t ask for more right now. I know we sprang this on you. I’m sorry.”

Kale reached out to hug her, and she let him.

“Riley’s warming up breakfast. You didn’t eat much.”

He stood and pulled her to her feet.

Sara laughed. “Maybe if I stuff myself, I’ll get so fat you won’t want me.”

“Woman, you are out of your mind. Chubby or skinny, it doesn’t matter. I love you.”

“Riley might disagree,” she said as they started down the hall.

“Honey, you have no idea how quickly you can wrap that man around your little finger.”

“Something to consider.” Sara smiled at him. “What about you?”

“Already there, honey. Already there.”

The heat in his expression had her believing every word. Scary how easily she fell back into trusting him with her heart.

Riley was setting a fresh plate at her place when they walked into the kitchen.

“Eat,” he told her. “You’re going to need the calories.”

“See,” she said to Kale, “he’s going to fatten me up.”

Riley leaned close to her ear. “I’m hoping to help you burn these calories later.”

Sara’s face warmed with the innuendo, and she smiled at both men. What they were proposing was filling her head with erotic images she couldn’t ignore.

The waffles were tasty, and she finished hers while trying to decide what to tell them about her former employers. Finally, she decided blunt would be best. “Kale, Riley, before we talk about anything else, there’s something you need to know about me.”

“Please don’t tell us you’re already married to some schmuck,” Riley said.

“No.” She chuckled. “Worse.”

“Nothing could be worse than divorce proceedings.”

“I need to be in Dallas by Tuesday.”

Riley shook his head. “Not possible, Sara. The roads are a mess.”

“Remember when I told you about my job with the software company?” she asked Kale.

“Yeah. Are they opening back up and need you to work?”

“No. But I have a meeting with the district attorney’s office to discuss my employers.”

Riley sat forward, his hand on hers. “What exactly are you going to tell them?”

His touch was comforting while his expression was all business. “I’m not sure. I think they want to ask me some questions about why they went out of business.”

Riley, again, while Kale kept quiet. “Why don’t they just ask your employers?”

“Can’t find them.” She snagged a piece of bacon from Kale’s plate and stuck it in her mouth, hoping they would see chewing as a reasonable delay to the conversation.

“Do you know where they are?”

“Exactly what kind of business did your employers have?”

“Why is the district attorney interested in them?”

The rapid-fire questions were getting on her nerves. “Let me guess. You’re a cop?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

Riley huffed. “Attorney. Sweetheart—Sara, did they give you any papers when they asked you to come in Tuesday?”

“No. Well, yes, they gave me a paper with the address and a reminder of what time and what room to go to at the courthouse.”

Riley smiled. “Just one page? Did it say ‘Subpoena’ at the top?”

“No, I don’t think so. Maybe it’s still in my purse.” Sara pushed her chair back and stood, the thought of a few minutes of solitude calling to her. But both men rose beside her.

“Stay here with Riley,” Kale said. “I’ll get it.” He leaned close and planted a wet one right on her lips. No hands, no tongue, just a sweet, openmouthed melding of two people. Then he turned with a grin and walked off in search of her purse.

A strong hand captured her shoulder, and she found herself looking into sparkling black orbs. Riley moved a mere inch closer, as if giving her time to stop him, but Sara was past the point of resistance.

She met him halfway.

His mouth pressed against hers, heat flashing between them as he took possession of her senses. Riley changed the angle, and suddenly Sara felt surrounded and overwhelmed by the warmth of his arms around her, the strong contours of his body against hers, and the complete submission of her body to his control. He was convincing her with his lust. The only problem she could see was herself. Lust and love were not always compatible, and she was in love with Kale.

The logistics of this type of relationship baffled her. Sara pressed her palms to Riley’s chest and stepped a few inches away. “I need time to think.”

“I agree. But sometimes thinking doesn’t help. Give yourself a chance to feel.”

“How do I know you’re serious about this?” Sara lowered her voice and checked to see if Kale was in the hall. “I haven’t seen Kale in three years. Suddenly, he wants back in my life. And, oh yeah, he wants me to sleep with his best buddy while he watches, maybe participates.”

She turned to look at Riley and realized she’d been pacing. “How do I know you don’t have a video camera running right now?”

“Sara.”

She froze. Swiveled to see Kale in the doorway. He held her purse out to her, every emotion buried in a cold mask.

“Do you really think I’d do that to you?”

Damn it. Kale was hurting because she couldn’t curb her tongue long enough to use her brain. Pain floated on the air around him, wrapping her in a hurt all her own. Remorse followed.

“I don’t know, Kale. I’m trying to figure it out.”

He dropped her purse onto the table and stepped in front of her until all Sara could see was Kale. The room, the cabin, and Riley disappeared.

“I would never intentionally hurt you, Sara.”

He didn’t touch her, but his hands twitched at his sides, and she knew,
knew
he was forcing his body to slow down and give her time.

“I want to believe you, Kale. I really do. This is just an awful lot to take in. I know you, but not him.”

“I understand.” He flexed his fingers, and she relented, stepping closer and taking his hand. Kale lowered his head to brush his lips across her temple. “Give us a little time to convince you this will work. Just a little time, that’s all I ask.”

Sara stepped back and took a deep breath, trying like hell to keep her focus. “I’d, well, I really need to talk to Riley for a few minutes. Just the two of us?”

A grin popped two gorgeous dimples in Kale’s cheeks. “So I should go take a walk, huh?”

“Yes. No. Wait, it’s snowing like crazy and you’ll freeze.”

But Kale was already pulling on his boots and jacket. “I think I can manage a little cold weather. Besides, we might need more wood for the fire.”

He disappeared out the door, and she was alone with Riley.

Sara wandered across the room and settled on one end of the couch, hoping the open-concept room would allow her to talk to him while still
putting a little distance between them. She needed a little physical space and a few minutes to come up with a way to phrase her thoughts. Unfortunately, Riley-the-lawyer didn’t give her the space or the time, following her to the far side of the big room. He did, however, sit on the other end of the sofa.