Guilt consumed her as she thought back to all those years she’d been nothing but a rotten little brat. She’d taken everything she’d been given for granted — the best education, the best clothes, a new car for her sixteenth birthday, everything she’d ever wanted. How shallow she’d been. What a waste of life.
Here was a woman who’d obviously had so much less, yet she was proud and strong and doing it on her own. Brielle had a feeling the two of them would be close friends, and she herself would be the one to gain by the friendship.
“Haley, you should know that love doesn’t care about your rank in life. It doesn’t care where you went to school, or if you can play the piano. Love is magical and honest and it will find you whether you want it to or not. Don’t give up on yourself, because it’s pretty obvious to me that my brother thinks you’re about the classiest girl out there.”
“I…uh…” Haley couldn’t speak.
“I adore my brother. He and my other three brothers always spoiled me rotten — quite rotten, I’m afraid, but that’s a story for another time. I just wanted to meet the woman he’s obviously fallen in love with.”
Brielle beamed to see Haley’s mouth drop open. If nothing else, she’d gotten the wheels in Haley’s head spinning. Sometimes men were big buffoons who just didn’t know how to express themselves, and women had to take matters into their own hands. In fact, she knew of one particular man in Montana who could benefit from hearing her thoughts.
“I won’t keep you any longer, Haley, but I really do hope to see you tonight at dinner. It’s been a real pleasure speaking with you.” With that, Brielle got up and left the flustered woman alone. Haley had a lot to think about, and Brielle was hoping for a winter wedding.
There was nothing like snow-covered ground when two people joined their lives together. The new bride and groom were literally forging a new path for themselves from the moment they stepped from the warmth of the church and made their way home — their footprints marking their progress in the pure white snow.
Yes, despite a few bumps in her own road, Brielle was a romantic. It was grand to be herself again and even grander to have her family back, all close-knit and full of love.
Smiling giddily to herself as she made her way toward her room, she didn’t even notice the men stopping in their tracks to gaze at her. She knew she was attractive — she wasn’t stupid —but she had no idea of the full power she possessed.
Chapter Twenty-Three
OK, she was in love. Hopelessly, irrevocably and forever in love. Haley’s heart glowed with warmth as she watched the three men sip on their scotch and fill the room with cigar smoke and raucous laughter. They were a riot and she couldn’t get enough of them.
“That’s four of a kind. I win!” Haley pulled the pile of Skittles candies toward herself. She’d more or less cleaned them out.
“I think you’ve been cheating, young lady,” Joseph said with a mock pout as he put down his lowly two pair.
“You, my kind sir, are being a poor loser,” she taunted.
“If only I wasn’t so in love with my Katherine, I’d fight my new nephew for your affections.”
“I could fight Katherine for you,” Haley said with a wink, loving the soft pink glow in his cheeks.
“Ah, young lady, you do know how to make an old man feel young.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
The men had been at the resort for a week, and she sought them out regularly when Crew was busy running his resort. The potential buyers were there, and they’d made an official offer. It looked as if her time in paradise was nearly at its end.
She would miss this place beyond expression, but at least she’d have amazing memories to take home with her. The steamy nights with Crew, and this precious week with his father and his new uncles. It was as if she was getting a taste of what a normal family was like and oh how she longed for such.
What a story, a beautiful story — triplets reunited after more than sixty years. And a few days was all it had taken for them to bond. Haley was delighted that both Joseph and George were happily married men, and she simply didn’t understand how Crew’s father could be single.
Richard was suave and adventurous, and had a devilish attitude. She could certainly see where Crew had inherited not only his good looks, but also his casual but polished manners. She was in over her head with this Anderson/Storm family.
And when she didn’t get to see any of them anymore…?
“I’ve always said a woman who can gamble is a force to be reckoned with. We are leaving in two days, but I expect you to come and visit us, young lady,” George said as he looked her in the eye.
Haley didn’t want to ruin the mood.
“I think you only want to earn back your candy. You keep trying, but you just can’t beat me,” she joked as she lifted a few brightly colored pieces and slid them into her mouth.
“You quit trying to change the subject,” Joseph pointedly replied, not fooled by her tactics. “You’ve yet to tell me you’ll be there for Thanksgiving. It’s only a couple months away and I like a lot of pretty ladies sitting around my table.”
“I will come if I can,” she said without elaboration. She so wanted to say she’d be there, but she had to remember that this wasn’t her family. She was simply borrowing them for a very short time.
“Yes, Haley, I want you to be there, as well. You have brought a sparkle to my ornery son’s eyes that I haven’t seen in years. You’re good for him,” Richard said. He was the quietest of the three brothers, but that didn’t dim his power in the least.
“That’s because I give him so much trouble. Now, if you want to run away with me, we can find a deserted island and hide away forever,” she added with a wink, making Richard blush.
“Oh, if I were thirty years younger, I’d throw you over my shoulder and take you to paradise any time,” he said with a laugh; Joseph and George joined in.
“This one’s taken, Dad,” Crew said, surprising Haley with his quiet approach. She peered up at his smiling features.
“Doesn’t mean I can’t duel you for her,” Richard told his son.
“I would be sure to lose to such a smooth man,” Crew said before lifting Haley from her chair and seizing her mouth with his so swiftly that she didn’t have time even to think about protesting.
As his lips covered hers, she forgot about her three favorite men and melted into her lover’s arms. Losing all sense of time or place, she just held on for the ride as he made her body soar.
“Now, that’s a kiss,” Richard said with a chuckle. Haley plummeted back to solid ground. It was her turn to blush as Crew slowly released her.
“I hate to take Haley away, but I have plans that don’t involve three meddlesome men,” Crew said as he clasped her hand. Haley tried to pull back, uneasy at the wicked gleam in his eye.
“Thatta boy. You give this girl some good romance. And don’t you dare let her go. I didn’t raise a fool for a son,” Richard said.
Joseph emphatically agreed. “A good woman is not something to treat lightly. You hold on tight and pray she never lets you go. I’ve been with my Katherine for over forty years now, and not a day goes by that I’m not grateful to have found her.”
“Yes, I’ve been blessed by having two great loves in my life. The last ten years with Esther have been a blessing, and I don’t know what I’d do without her,” George added.
“I’d give anything to have a woman to hold my heart close to hers. I haven’t given up,” Richard added with sadness.
“Don’t you worry, Brother! We’ll find you a bride,” Joseph said with excitement.
“Oh, no you won’t, Joseph. If love finds me, then it does, but I don’t need my brothers meddling in my life,” Richard said with a glare.
“You three argue about it. I’ll see you tonight.” With that, Crew picked Haley up in his arms and left the room. The sound of the men whistling followed them to the door.
Crew’s he-man act embarrassed her, but she melted against him. The strength of his arms as they flexed beneath her back, the feel of his tight abs pressing against her side, and the look of hunger in his eyes had her breath trapped in her throat.
“You are in quite the mood, aren’t you?” she teased as he rounded a corridor behind the bar and headed to his office.
“I’ve missed you,” he answered simply.
Her heart warmed at the thought.
“I like spending time with your dad and uncles. They are stubborn and ornery and I love every minute of it.”
“I love being with them, too, but right now I’m going to love being with you,” he said as he walked through his office door, quickly shutting it and latching it behind him.
After he put her down on his desk, his mouth quickly seized hers, and she forgot all about scotch, poker, and amusing old threes of a kind. Hunger washed through her as Crew unbuttoned her blouse, exposing her lace bra within seconds.
“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” she gasped as his mouth moved down her throat, and then sucked a hardening nipple through the delicate lace. She leaned back and cried out in pleasure.
He was moving quickly, and Haley wouldn’t have had it, or him, any other way. She wanted him to take her fast and hard, make her scream in pleasure again and again.
His hand found her front clasp and released her breasts so he could stroke them, tease them, and make her stomach ripple with need.
Running his arm across the surface of the desk, he flung everything there to the floor, then lay her down, unbuttoning her skirt and yanking it and her panties free, leaving her bare before him.
“I can’t ever get over how breathtaking you are. I look upon you and wonder how I ever got to be the lucky one who gets to bury myself deep within your heat, kiss every delicate piece of your skin, and then hold you all night while you dream of tomorrow,” he whispered, his eyes slowly moving across her body.
Oh, my gosh, the man knew what to say. She was a quivering mess as he ran his hands up her thighs and pushed them apart, leaving her wide open for his hungry gaze.
Suddenly his mouth descended, and she did indeed cry out when he fastened on to her swollen womanhood and turned her heat into an inferno. Lying back on her elbows, she called out his name as he stroked her flames higher, bringing her to the brink of pleasure before…stopping.
“Kiss me,” he demanded as he moved up her body, his clothing gone. When on earth had that happened? She didn’t know.
Instead of plundering her mouth as he’d done earlier — which she happened to like, a lot —he hovered over her, lightly brushing his lips across hers as his hands framed her face. The sweet moment brought tears to her eyes.
Heat and passion she could take, and take, and take. This loving, slow exploration of her mouth and mind dropped her to her knees. Trying not to shout her love for him, she deepened the kiss, knowing he was close to losing all control.
“I need you, Haley. I always need you,” he said as he aligned their bodies together. As he rested the thick head of his erection against her for just a moment, their eyes connected, and they were one.
