Cowboy Love in Peril [Love: The Cowboy Way 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (9 page)

“Thank God,” Kimber said, and looked at Wade. He hadn’t spoken, hadn’t moved since they walked into the room. “Brandon was lucky, wasn’t he?”

“We were lucky,” Wade said, his voice barely more than whisper, his gaze still firmly fixed on the floor. “I don’t know what I’d have done if...”

Brandon struggled to sit up and reached out to grab hold of Wade’s hand. “Come here, will ya?”

Kimber’s eyes welled up with tears as she watched Wade’s defenses crumble, and he sank to his knees on the floor beside the bed. Brandon wrapped his good arm around Wade’s head and cradled it against his chest. “I’m okay, buddy. It’s over now. Costanza can’t hurt us ever again.”

She pulled up a chair on the other side of the bed and reached over to stroke Wade’s hair. “He’s had a lot on his mind,” she said, directing her comment to Brandon. “We can all talk about it when we get you home.”

“What’s going on?” Brandon’s voice sounded strained, and Kimber could tell he was still in a considerable amount of pain. Wade sat up and helped her ease Brandon back down onto the pillows. Once he was settled, his piercing green gaze flitted between the pair of them, still waiting for an answer. “Well?”

Wade sighed and got to his feet to grab a chair for himself. “I’ve been an idiot, Brandon, and to tell you the truth, I’m in no rush to revisit the topic just yet.”

“So you both know what’s going on and I don’t? How’s that fair?” Brandon had a smile on his face, but Kimber could tell he was only half joking.

“Now you know how I felt,” she said, giving them both a pointed look.

“She’s mad at me for not telling her where you were,” Wade explained.

“I’m mad at the two of you. Or at least I was. I almost lost both of you in the last twenty four hours and I’m too grateful to have you here with me to stay pissed off about anything.”

“You almost lost Wade?” Brandon’s words were directed at Kimber, but his eyes stayed fixed on Wade. “How?”

“You need to rest. We can talk about this later.” Kimber kicked herself mentally, annoyed that she’d said more than she meant to.

Brandon ignored her. “Wade?”

“Jessica and Emily. I found out I’m not their father.”

“You had them tested without asking us?” He turned to Kimber. “Did you know about this?”

Wade answered for her. “No, she didn’t. Nobody did. And I wouldn’t dream of doing anything to the kids without talking it over with you two first.” He got to his feet and walked over to the window. “I had myself tested.”

He told Brandon how he’d noticed the resemblance between the girls and Brandon one morning, and then started to wonder why Kimber had never gotten pregnant in all the years it had been just the two of them. “The tests confirmed it. I can’t have kids.”

“Jesus, Wade—just how many do you want. Isn’t two enough?”

“Yeah, but
I
don’t have any kids. You do.”

Kimber saw Brandon’s jaw clench and his green eyes narrowed dangerously. “Oh, so they’re just my kids now, is that it?”

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Just what are you saying then, huh? We all knew they might belong to either one or both of us. Hell, when Kimber got pregnant we had no idea she was even carrying more than one child, and I’ve always been prepared for the idea that only one of us was the father. Weren’t you?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t allow for how much I was going to love them, you know. The only thing I’ve ever done in my life that I’m truly proud of is being a father to those two little girls.”

Kimber fought the urge to go over to the window and give Wade a hug. Upset as he was, he and Brandon needed to work this out, once and for all. “Jessica and Emily adore you. Do you think some results on a bit of paper matter to them?”

“And you’d be a damn fool to let it matter to you.” Brandon gestured to the empty chair beside the bed, indicating he wanted Wade to come sit down. “Is that what’s been bugging you for the last few weeks?”

“Pretty much.” Wade sat down and folded his arms. “You don’t seem surprised. About the twins, I mean.”

“I’m not blind.”

“Then why the hell didn’t you say anything?”

Brandon shrugged, then winced, like he’d forgotten it might hurt. “I was waiting for someone else to mention it first. I kinda hoped you’d figure it out by yourself.”

“I did—eventually.”

“Tell him the rest of it, Wade.” Kimber wanted it out in the open and done. No more secrets, not after what they’d all be through. But Wade wouldn’t say anything more. “Okay, then I will. Brandon, did you know that the man we love thinks he’s interfered in our lives? That things would have ended up this way, with or without him?”

Brandon turned his stunned gaze on Wade. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Wade started to look a little pissed. “You don’t understand—”

“Understand what?”

“How it feels to know that you stole someone else’s life!”

“Oh, man! Have you
listened
to yourself lately?” Brandon’s head fell back against the pillows and he laughed out loud, then stopped abruptly and clutched at his shoulder. “Ow!”

Wade wasn’t amused. “What’s so fucking funny?”

“You. And you’re not funny, you’re pathetic.”

“Brandon!” Kimber got to her feet, pretty sure Wade was about to explode if the look in his eyes meant anything. “He’s been driving himself crazy over this.”

“That’s my point. He’s been driving himself crazy, because he never listens to anybody else. If he had,”—Brandon turned to Wade—“then he would have known that there would be no us without him.”

“You and Kimber were together first, remember? Until I drove you away.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. It’s been you and me since we were kids. Sure, we were just friends at first and I didn’t realize my feelings were more than hero-worship until I was about fifteen, but I’ve been in love with you damn near my whole life.” Brandon turned to Kimber, reaching out his hand and helping her climb onto the bed beside him. “And then I was lucky enough to find someone else I loved just as much.”

“So if anyone stole anyone else’s life, it’s me,” Kimber said to Wade, smiling so he’d know she was teasing.

“Can we stop with this ‘I stole your life’ shit, please,” Brandon said, as his eyelids started to droop and he shuffled further down on the pillows. “Because I gotta tell ya, I’d rather get shot again than listen to any more of this.”

Wade laughed, finally, and Kimber allowed herself a little sigh of relief. Hopefully, the worst had passed and they could all get on with enjoying the lives Costanza had tried to deprive them of.

She slid off the bed to give Brandon some room, and came around to sit on Wade’s lap. Just when she thought Brandon had drifted off to sleep, he reached out and clutched at Wade’s arm, his green eyes burning bright from a mixture of pain medication and exhaustion.

“We’re good? You’re not gonna get any more damn fool ideas and take off or anything?”

“I’m not going anywhere. I think I’ve used up all my stupidity for now.”

“And you’re gonna marry Kimber now, right?”

Wade looked at her and raised his eyebrows as if waiting for her answer. It wasn’t the most romantic proposal she’d ever gotten from him, but it was one hundred percent genuine. She nodded, tears misting her vision, and Wade gave her the shit-eating grin he always wore when he got his own way over something.

“About fucking time.” Brandon smiled as his eyelids closed again, and he released his grip on Wade’s arm and fell into a deep sleep.

“What a day!”

Kimber collapsed onto the bed, still wearing her wedding dress, but probably too tired to care.

“It’s just as well your mom agreed to have the kids stay at her place, huh?” Wade sat down beside her and leaned down to pull off his boots.

“Where’s Brandon?”

“Shutting up the house.” He gave a blissful groan as he tugged off his tie and undid the top button of his shirt.

The simple wedding ceremony, held at midday in the back yard of their house, had been followed by a party that had finally wound up only an hour earlier. A three-piece band had serenaded the guests while they dined on the buffet laid on by Kimber’s parents, and it was almost midnight before everyone bid their good-byes.

Despite Kimber’s worry that he wouldn’t be able to handle being the center of attention, Wade had enjoyed their wedding. His heart swelled as he remembered the sheen of tears in Kimber’s eyes and the tremble in her voice as she’d spoken her vows. Wade had barely managed to get through his, so overwhelmed with love, for both the woman he was marrying, and the man standing at his side as best man. Brandon knew that Kimber and Wade had spoken their vows to him, too, even though they could only legally marry each other.

After Brandon’s terrifying encounter with Costanza a couple of months earlier, which Kimber hadn’t let either Wade or Brandon off the hook yet for not telling her about until it was over, they’d had plenty of time to talk while Brandon recuperated. They’d agreed that, even though Brandon was the girls’ biological father, Wade should adopt them both. Brandon had also insisted that he be the one who lived outside of the main home when it became necessary. One of these days, Seth wasn’t gonna be around anymore and, as the girls got older and might figure out what was going on, they’d all need to be more careful.

Wade looked back on the weeks he’d spent feeling sorry for himself and thanked his lucky stars one more time that Kimber and Brandon were so much more open and unafraid than he was. They’d given him so much and Wade planned to spend the rest of his life making it up to them.

The sound of footsteps along the hall told Wade that Brandon was on his way and he felt his already hardening cock give a jolt. Brandon had been forced to stay at his own place the night before the wedding, with so many people staying over at both this and Brandon’s place that they couldn’t risk anyone seeing them going in and out of the same room. Not that he and Kimber had made love either—they’d had to share a room with the girls.

Brandon walked in, naked save for boxer shorts, carrying three glasses of champagne. He handed one to Kimber, kissing her as he did so, then gave one to Wade. His gaze lingered on Wade’s groin for a second, eyes narrowing as he took a sip from his own glass and then he turned and put it on the dresser.

Wade noticed the still angry but healing scar on Brandon’s shoulder and his stomach tightened in desire as he watched Brandon take off his boxers. Wade thought back to a couple of nights earlier and remembered how pleased and relieved he’d been to find out Brandon was back to full strength. Kimber had insisted they had a kind of bachelor party alone at home, while she went out with some girlfriends, and Wade had wasted no time in taking advantage of Brandon’s improved health. He’d fucked him into exhaustion, over and over, without letting him reciprocate. Brandon had vowed the next day that he’d return the favor but so far, he hadn’t had the opportunity. If the way he was looking at Wade right now meant anything, he’d been waiting to get his own back.

As for Kimber, Wade didn’t think he’d ever get over how beautiful she’d looked today. The cream halter-neck dress she’d chosen to get married in had a lace bodice with tiny pearls sprinkled all over it, and a full satin skirt that clung to her hips, and shimmered as she moved. Her hair was caught up on one side and held in place with the fresh orchids that she’d just taken out and put on the dresser, the rest of it cascading around her shoulders in a mass of glossy curls. He’d spent all day fantasizing about taking her dress off, and he leapt to his feet and stopped her when she reached up to do it herself.

“Wait.” Wade kissed her hand and placed it in Brandon’s, then got rid of his clothes as they stood together watching him, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Wade joined them in the middle of the room and kissed first Brandon, then Kimber, putting her in the space between them, her back toward him so he could work on her zipper. Brandon dropped to his knees and helped her out of her shoes, then slid his hands up her legs and peeled off her stockings. Between them, they had her naked in seconds, too impatient to pay the dress the attention it deserved.

Brandon stayed on his knees and hooked one of Kimber’s legs over his shoulders, giving a grunt of satisfaction as he buried his face in her pussy. Her weight fell back a little, and Wade wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up so Brandon could slip her other leg over his body. His green gaze raced over her flesh as he flicked at her clit with his tongue, and Wade’s cock gave a hard jerk when Brandon looked him right in the eye as he sucked her into his mouth. Wade moved close enough that he could support some of Kimber’s weight against his chest, and scooped her breasts into his hands, caressing her nipples with the pads of his thumbs. Kimber bucked between them, her cries growing louder as Brandon increased the pace of his movements. When she went rigid in Wade’s arms and began to jerk and flail, he knew she was about to come all over Brandon’s face.

“You like Brandon sucking your clit?” Wade whispered, his lips grazing the shell of her ear. “Does he have a finger in your cunt?”

“Yes...” Kimber’s voice was no more than a hoarse gasp. “More!”

“You want more?” Wade saw Brandon’s movements speed up as he responded to her plea.