Authors: Kori Roberts
Rylee saw the flush that spread across Monica’s cheeks as her face went tight with anger.
“Well, it’s not your boyfriend that I’m after, it’s his brother. And, since you seem to have more on your plate than you can handle anyway, I’m sure you won’t mind if I help myself to some of your dessert.”
“Whatever, bitch,” Rylee muttered. As Monica brushed past her, she barely refrained from grabbing the woman by her bleached blonde hair, throwing her to the floor, and stomping her into a puddle.
Rylee walked in the direction of the doors, and she could see Monica working hard to impress Noah with phony smiles, blatant looks, and none-too-subtle touches. And Rylee watched with no small amount of satisfaction as Noah politely, but firmly, rejected her.
As she approached the group, Noah and Nick’s focus shifted to her. The looks on their faces were filled with so much heat that Rylee knew without a doubt that she was the absolute focus of their attention.
Rylee glanced at Monica, and she could practically see the woman’s hatred pouring off of her. “Better luck next lifetime,” she murmured next to Monica’s ear before she slid an arm around Nick and Noah’s waists, and they walked her out of the club.
*
“You’re up late, aren’t you?” Rylee jumped at the sound of Noah’s husky voice against her neck, his strong arms around her waist. She was so wrapped in her thoughts that she never heard him enter the kitchen where she stood making coffee. “Hey.” She smiled up at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make so much noise and wake you up.”
Noah shrugged and leaned against the counter next to her. “You didn’t. I don’t sleep that well when you’re not there, anyway.” He reached out and stroked her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
Rylee was silent for a long moment before she finally responded. “I don’t like not being able to claim you, Noah. I don’t like having to pretend that you don’t mean anything to me.
I’m not ashamed of our relationship, and I’m tired of denying that I love you as much as I love Nick.”
Noah nodded slowly. “So, you think that just because you can’t tell everyone about us that will change the way you feel about me, or how I feel about you?”
“No! It’s just…” She sighed heavily. “You don’t deserve to be ignored in this
relationship, as if you’re invisible, or not important.”
“I’d like to consider myself as more of a silent partner,” Noah joked softly.
“You know what I mean, Noah.” Rylee knew she sounded frustrated.
Noah pulled her into his arms and stared down at her. “Listen to me, Rylee. I know you’re not happy about having to hide our relationship. I can’t say I’m too thrilled about it, either, and I wish it didn’t have to be this way. But, for now, it’s necessary. Besides, the only thing I deserve, the only thing I need, is you.”
“Me, too.” They turned around at the sound of Nick’s voice in the doorway. He moved in behind her, and Rylee found herself pressed between their bodies. She leaned her head against Nick’s shoulder and stared into Noah’s eyes.
“Not being able to say how we feel about each other in public doesn’t make our feelings any less real, or our commitment to you any less strong.” Nick’s voice was soft, his words comforting in her ear. “Believe me, baby, if I thought it would make a difference, I would tell anyone who would listen about us.” Noah leaned his head against hers. “But I know how ignorant and judgmental some people can be, and I refuse to put you at risk of being hurt just because other people have a problem with how we choose to live our lives.”
“You’re right,” she said quietly. “I just don’t know how much longer I’m going to let other people’s issues dictate our lives and our ability to express our feelings for each other.”
“Hello?” Nick smiled when Rylee’s sleep-filled voice drifted through the phone, so soft and sexy.
“Good morning, angel. Did I wake you?”
“Mmm-hmm…was dreaming about you and Noah.” Nick’s cock perked up at her
words. “God, Nick,” Rylee moaned, “I want you both so much right now.”
“Oh, yeah, baby. We want you too. It’s been a long week. Miss you so much.” Nick’s cock was hard as steel, aching with need.
“Wish you were here with me right now,” Rylee whispered. “I’d ride you, and then Noah, until none of us could walk.”
He groaned. “Love how you look when you ride Noah, how you feel when you ride
me. All tight and wet and hot. God, I’m so hard for you right now, baby.” He was panting; his voice was low and rough as sandpaper. “So hard, it hurts.”
Rylee made little whimpering sounds that made his cock jerk.
“I…God, baby. I need you right now,” Nick whispered hoarsely.
“I know. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to leave earlier, but I’m the hotel manager. I have an obligation.” Aggravation and need filled Rylee’s voice. “It’s okay, babe.” Nick tried to mask his own disappointment. He knew that having a long-distance relationship with Rylee would be challenging at times, but the longer they were together, the more he missed not being able to be with her, to hold and touch her, hell, to just be able to look at her for as long as he wanted, whenever he wanted.
“God, this distance shit sucks.” Rylee suddenly became quiet, and Nick swore softly. He hadn’t meant to speak out loud, but now that he’d said the words, he refused to take them back.
“I can’t help where I live, or what I do for a living, Nick. And I can’t just walk away from either one, no matter how much I’d like to at times.” Nick could hear the hurt in Rylee’s voice through the phone.
“I know, babe. And I’d never ask you to give up either one.” No matter how much he so desperately wanted to at times. “It’s just that I wish we weren’t so far away from you.”
“You were the one who told me that distance wouldn’t be an issue.” Nick grimaced at Rylee’s reminder of his earlier words when they’d first met.
“And it still isn’t an issue. I won’t let it be an issue.” His voice was adamant. “But I also won’t deny that I’d give anything for all of us to be together on a more regular basis.”
“Me, too.” Rylee sounded as frustrated as he felt. “I…I just don’t know what to do about it.”
Nick didn’t have any answers at the moment, either. But, he decided to drop the subject because he didn’t want Rylee to be any more upset than she already sounded.
“Listen” — he tried to keep his voice light — “we’ll talk about it more when we see each other later, okay?”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “I can’t get to Wisconsin fast enough.”
“Are you sure you don’t want Noah and me to visit you in Chicago instead? You’ve been working a lot of hours, angel. I know you have to be tired.” Concern laced his words.
“We can be there by the time you get off work this evening.” “No, I really want to come,” she assured him. “Your place is so much more peaceful than here, and I always feel so relaxed when I’m there with you and Noah.” She laughed softly. “Besides, your mother’s already planned a dinner party for Noah’s birthday, and I don’t think she’d appreciate him not being there for it.”
Shit. He’d forgotten all about that. Nick sighed. “Okay, angel. Go on and take care of your hotel, so you can come and take care of Noah and me later tonight.”
“I can’t wait to see both of you,” she said.
“Yeah. Same here, babe.”
“Give Noah a kiss for me.”
“Give Noah…” The sound of laughter filled his ear. “Be careful, angel. Saying things like that will get you spanked.”
“Ooh, you promise?” She sounded a little too excited at the idea.
“On second thought, scratch the spankings. You just might enjoy them too much.”
“You just might be right.” She laughed softly.
His voice turned serious. “I love you, angel.”
“Love you, too, Nick. I’ll see you tonight.”
Nick hung up the phone, and the smile slowly slid off of his face. He sat there for several long moments, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t figure out a way for the three of them to be together permanently. One thing was for certain, in spite of how he tried to reassure Rylee otherwise, Nick knew that he couldn’t take having her as a weekend lover for much longer.
*
“Thank God for weekends.” Drew sighed and stretched a little. “Oh, my back is killing me.” “Your back?” Mya snorted. “Try carrying around another person for nine months. Then you’ll know what real back pain feels like.”
Rylee looked at Mya, her face flushed and glowing, her belly round and full, and she tried to ignore the twinge of envy that flared within her.
“Well, you look beautiful,” Rylee told her, and Mya beamed at her words.
“So, what are you doing for the weekend?” Rylee asked.
“Baby stuff, and more baby stuff. You know — the usual.” Mya sounded exasperated, but the sparkle in her eyes told a different story.
“What about you? What are you doing this weekend?” Mya got a wicked gleam in her eyes. “Or, should I say, who are you doing?”
“Well, that’s a no-brainer,” Drew chimed in. “Damn, Rylee, your boy toy must really be something for you to voluntarily spend so much time in Wisconsin.” He shuddered.
“Although I can’t imagine any dick being good enough to distract me so much that I wouldn’t notice the smell of cows all day.”
“Don’t call him that. And he breeds dogs, not cows.” Rylee scowled at him. “Smartass.”
“Dog shit…cow shit.” Drew’s nose wrinkled in distaste. “It stinks all the same.”
“Besides, they keep me so well occupied that I don’t have time to notice any smell.”
Rylee realized her slip as soon as she’d finished speaking.
“They?” Mya’s eyebrows shot up.
“You’re doing both brothers, aren’t you?” Drew’s tone was accusing. “I can’t believe you, Rylee! What are you thinking?” he scolded her and shook his head. “Do you purposefully look for relationships that are going to cause you heartache?”
“Rylee, honey.” Mya’s voice was a little calmer, but no less disapproving. “Please tell me you’re not —”
“So what if I am!” Rylee snapped, suddenly feeling defensive and not appreciating it one bit. “You think that gives either of you the right to sit here and lecture me?”
She looked between her two friends. “I would think that of all people, you two would understand what it’s like to be in a relationship that’s outside of what most people consider traditional. And you have the nerve to try and judge me?”
“Rylee —” Drew started.
“No!” she cut him off angrily, “Nick and Noah are very special to me. I’m thirty-six years old, and these two incredible men make me feel things I’ve never felt in my life.
Together, they make me happier than I’ve ever been before.”
She looked at them, her eyes dead serious. “And I refuse to make excuses or feel bad for finally finding happiness.”
Mya and Drew stared at her in shocked silence for several long moments.
“Oh. My. God…you’re actually in love.” Drew spoke first, his voice filled with astonishment and disbelief.
Mya nodded her head in agreement. “I never thought I’d see the day,” she murmured.
“What are you two talking about?” Rylee said in irritation, feeling so done with the entire conversation. “Drew, you tell me all the time how I love men too easily.”
“Not love, sweetie — in love,” Drew corrected her. “There’s a world of difference between the two.”
Rylee looked at Mya. “It’s true,” Mya agreed. “You can love anybody. But you’re only in love with that person who owns your heart, your soul.”
“Leave it to our Rylee to find ‘Mr. Right’ in not one, but two men — and brothers at that.” Drew laughed and kissed her on the cheek. “You can’t do anything the easy way, can you, sweetie?”
“No, I think I’ve finally gotten it right for the first time,” she told them. “One man owns my heart, and the other owns my soul.”
“So, do you like it?” Nick sat with Rylee on the couch in his mother’s living room and watched Noah hold up the leather jacket they’d bought him.
“Hell, yeah!” Noah grinned, and he stood up to try it on.
“Rylee picked it out for you,” Nick told him.
“Well, that explains it,” Noah joked, as he looked at Rylee and smiled. “I knew this was way too nice to be something that Nick picked out all by himself.”
Fuck you, Nick mouthed, and held up his middle finger. Everyone in the room
laughed.
Noah walked over to Rylee and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you,” he said softly. “I love it.”
“You’re very welcome.” She smiled back.
When Noah stood and walked away, Nick saw his cousin, Leslie, frowning at him. Her narrowed gaze stared back at him knowingly, her mouth tight with disapproval, before she got up and walked out of the room.
Nick turned away and looked at Rylee. “You want anything else to eat or drink?” he asked. “Nope. I’m stuffed.” She patted her nonexistent stomach. “If I eat anything else, I think I just might explode.” She leaned back on the couch and sighed. “I probably gained five pounds tonight alone.”
Nick took a moment to admire her slender frame. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Besides, you’re going to need the extra energy for the workout that Noah and I are going to give you later tonight.”
He laughed at the blush that spread up her cheeks. He kissed her on the lips before he got up and headed toward the kitchen.
As Nick passed the bathroom, a hand reached out, pulled him inside, and the door closed behind him. He looked into Leslie’s scowling face.
“What?” he demanded.
“You know what!” she hissed. “I can’t believe you, Nick!”
“What the hell is your problem, Leslie?”
“Don’t play dumb. Don’t think for one moment that I don’t know what’s going on between you, Noah, and Rylee.”
Nick stared at her, his face devoid of expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said flatly.
“Oh, really?” Leslie glared at him. “You’re telling me that you and Noah aren’t fucking Rylee?”
“I’m telling you that you need to mind your own goddamned business, Leslie.” Nick spoke through clenched teeth.
“Oh, yeah? Well, you two need to grow up and stop fucking each other’s women!” she shot back. “I thought Rylee was different. But I guess she’s no better than any of those other sluts that you and Noah like to play around with.” “Who in the fuck are you to judge Noah or me?” Nick growled with anger, fighting hard to keep from yelling. “You don’t know shit about this situation.” He turned toward the door, and then stopped to look at her again.