She slid her fingers over his back, along the muscles that shifted as he protected her and held her close. What could she say? She still had no idea which of the guys was the one for her. Misery tried to intrude, but she fought the emotions down. She wouldn’t let any regrets mar tonight. She was glad, oh so glad, of the opportunity.
“Dara? What’s up?”
She snuggled in tighter. “Umm, can we have burgers for dinner?”
He slipped his hand intimately over her belly and spooned her tight against his body. “For you, anything.”
She closed her eyes and prayed he really meant it.
Chapter Nine
Alpine Responsibility Code
Rule #9—Venture “Out of Bounds” at your own risk…
Kane drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He adjusted the volume on the speakers. Glanced out the window at the rapidly fading daylight and flicked the truck wipers off and on.
“Enough already. Your fidgeting is driving me crazy.” Jack adjusted Dara as she snoozed in his arms. They’d skied their hearts out until the final chair stopped running, piled into the truck, and she’d been asleep almost before they left the parking lot.
“I can’t help it. I’m trying to figure out what we’re going to do.”
Jack stared out the front window. Kane gave him time, trying to shove his own chaotic thoughts into order. Was he even sure what he wanted? At the start of the weekend he’d had all these grandiose plans. Dara would fall in love with him, Jack would be fine with it, and they’d kind of carry on like the three friends they’d always been. Stupid really, now that he’d had more time to think about it. And after seeing the way Dara responded to Jack—he wasn’t sure he could deny her being with his friend. There were certainly things Jack could provide for Dara that he just wasn’t into. For a weekend, it had been fine, but if he never saw a set of restraints again, he’d be happy.
Dara wiggled, settling tighter against Jack’s chest. She slipped her legs out and Kane guided her into the most comfortable position. He smoothed her sweat pants over her thighs. She reached out and caught hold of him and damn if his throat didn’t tighten.
He didn’t want to give her up.
“Jack, man, talk to me.”
“You going all girly on me? Want to talk about emotions and shit?”
Kane gave him the finger and Jack laughed softly. Kane tried again. “Jack, I don’t want to lose you as a friend.”
“You’re not going to. Holy crap, what are you thinking about over there? It’s not going to be simple, but for now, don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. We’re going home after a kick-ass ski trip. We’ve got the pictures and bruises to prove it.”
“And the fact we fucked our best friend silly for three nights doesn’t even come into it?”
Jack grunted at him in disgust. “You eat with that mouth? We didn’t just fuck her.”
Silence fell again. A light sprinkle of snow had begun to fall and the headlamps shone into a hazy distance. It was kinda surreal, holding this conversation in muted tones so they wouldn’t disturb Dara as she slept.
Kane couldn’t let it rest. “That’s what I’m saying. It was more than a sex-fest. She’s not just our fuck-buddy, she’s our friend. All for one and all that.”
“Exactly. So we go home. We give ourselves a bit of time to get settled into a normal routine. Then we worry about the next step. That’s the logical thing to do. Simple.”
Right. Simple. And impossible. How was he supposed to go home and just let Dara go back to hanging out with them casually when he wanted to have her around 24/7? In his bed, and out of it.
“I don’t think that’s a great idea.”
Jack sighed, his exasperation clear. “Look, you think we should ask her to join us in the sack for the rest of the week? The month? How long you going to drag this out, Kane? She’s not a toy for us to play with.”
“Don’t be a shithead. I know that. That’s not what I’m suggesting at all.”
“What, you enjoyed being naked around me so much you want to keep that part of it up?”
Kane clutched the steering wheel. “It wasn’t so bad. I can handle it.”
Jack snorted in derision. “I noticed. I think you more than handled it. In fact, it felt fucking good when we were both inside her. I felt every move you made. Did that turn you on, Kane? Our dicks basically rubbing against each other?”
Kane shot a quick glare at his friend. “Now you’re just trying to piss me off.”
“Answer the question.”
Bloody bastard. “It didn’t bug me, okay? That was the hottest thing I’ve ever done, and it was because it was Dara, and it was you. My two best damn friends in the whole world. If that makes me gay, so be it. There. I was honest. Now, let’s hear your confession. You thought the whole weekend rocked, and if there was one thing you’d beg for, it would be for this to be our real life.”
“Real life? You’re insane. People don’t live in trios. People don’t set up houses with two guys and girl, not without a lot of shit down the road.”
Kane zipped his mouth shut and concentrated on driving for a while. The snow flashed by in sheets, and he had to slow to barely moving to keep on the curvy road. They were obviously at an impasse. For now, getting Jack to admit anything was futile. Stubborn asshole. It was part of the reason they’d always gotten along so well—Kane knew when to shut up and when to push.
This was shut-up time. Jack wasn’t ready to listen to reason.
Kane laughed softly at himself. Reason. Really? Somehow in the past thirty minutes he’d come to the conclusion that being with Dara and Jack was a good, scratch that, a fucking fantastic idea.
By the time they arrived home, his eyes were itchy from staring through the increasingly whiteout conditions. Jack woke Dara, her lazy stretch and innocent cuddles as she slowly came awake stirring something inside Kane. He was going to do everything in his power to make sure Dara was happy even if Jack did say no to continuing the relationship.
They carried in their equipment and bags, ending up in Dara’s one-bedroom apartment on the final trip. She stepped away from her pile of gear and glanced at them, her hands twisting together.
“So I guess that’s it.”
Kane cleared his throat. “Awesome trip.”
Dara nodded quickly. “We’ve never had better conditions, have we?” She took a big breath and held it, biting her bottom lip, and Kane wanted to race over and hold her against him. Wanted to pull her lip from between her teeth and kiss the reddened surface.
Her eyes widened as Jack turned to go, panic flashing across her face.
“I have a confession to make,” she blurted out.
Jack paused, running a hand through his hair as he turned back. He gave Kane a dirty look. “Seems to be the day for it. What’s up, sweetheart?”
“I heard you. Talking about me.”
“What?” Good Lord, had she heard them in the truck on the way home?
“A few weeks ago. I overheard both of you saying you were interested in me.”
Jack frowned. “You heard us?”
She nodded. “I…I thought that if…maybe. Oh damn it, I thought sex would make it easier.”
Kane’s stomach fell. “Did you suggest the ménage for our sakes? Jesus, that’s fucked up. Why would you sleep with us if you didn’t want to in the first place?”
Dara shook her head rapidly. “No, no. That’s not what I meant, Kane. I wanted you.” She glanced at Jack. “Only I wanted you both, and I thought that if I arranged to get more physical with you I could figure out if I wanted one of you more.”
Jack stiffened, his whole body bunched up tight. “And did it work?”