Kane gazed deep into those mischievous, perfectly-set eyes, and he gave it his best shot. He knew from the get-go she wouldn’t make it easy.
“I love you Peyton. From the first day you arrived here, I told Braden and Evan they’d have to keep me away from you because I planned to love you from the moment I saw you. ‘Course I had to wait three months to lay the first hand on you, and that was pure hell, let me tell you.
“My heart had an unusual way of beating after you came here and regardless of age, I knew from day one you were put on this earth to love me and if you’ll have me, I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you why I was put here too. Nothing or no one has ever made me feel the way you do. I want you to be my wife, Peyton, and as far as I’m concerned, you already are.”
All of Peyton’s friends dramatically swooned then. Peyton held her heart, and she nodded quickly as he gathered her in his arms and kissed her like there was no tomorrow worth facing unless he faced it with her.
When their kiss broke, Evan and Braden stepped forward. “Sisterin-law, what do you think of the ring?” Evan said.
“I imagine Braden picked it out,” she said.
“Yeah, he did,” Kane grumbled. “I figured you knew the second you saw it what all this meant.”
“Well, uh, I only saw one of you down on one knee,” she complained as she patted Braden’s cheek.
Evan leaned in and whispered in her ear loud enough for the other two to overhear. “Darlin’, I’m going to be down on more than one knee before the night is over.”
“But…” She wanted to ask questions, and Kane just wanted her to shut up and let him feel like the lone bridegroom for a little while.
“But don’t you think others are going to wonder why we all live together and-.”
“Surely to gosh you don’t think we care what other people think or say?” Evan asked.
“No, but I mean I did have public sex with you at Clink.”
“Uh-huh, and it was nice and hot too,” he said as he grabbed her around the waist and almost kissed her.
“Knock it off you two,” Braden said. “The only one who gets to kiss her in public now, at least for the night, is Kane. Lucky bastard.”
“Yeah, that’s what she said.” He snapped Peyton’s wrist to his thigh and cupped her neck in a determined hold. He raked his teeth over her bottom lip before his tongue captured hers in a hungry kiss. She burrowed her hand in his hair and moaned before he grinned and stopped before the urgent call of sex interfered with a simple kiss.
“Now, go party. Me and the boys have some planning of our own to do,” he said.
“Like what?” Vicky popped up at the wrong time. Imagine.
All of the Cartwells greeted her with a nod or hello.
“Hope you understand, but tonight, Peyton can’t have any overnight guests,” Kane said with a very wide smile. It was fully intentional.
Sticking her lip out in a pout, she turned to Braden. “Why not?”
Peyton studied all of them, and Kane saw the devilment dancing across her flushed cheeks. “Yeah, why not?”
Kane pulled her close and planted his palm on her backside. He squeezed one of the globes and leaned in to whisper sweet nothings in her ear. “She’s not staying, baby. We have things to do and a lot of them are very delicious things we want to do to you. Got it? No Vicky.”
Vicky grabbed her hand and stared at the rocks on her hand. “Holy shit. One diamond not enough, Kane?”
Kane grinned. “Nope, guess not.”
“You didn’t pick this out,” she said without second guessing any of them. “Braden did. No expense was spared.”
She hugged Peyton tightly and then let her go. “So help me, I should hate you. Congratulations, Peyton. I swear I don’t know why in the hell you’d want to marry all of them.” She looked from one belt to another.
“Oh yes you do!” Peyton giggled, looped her arm with her friends and they took off through the crowd.
“Damn. She knows?” Evan asked.
“She’s always known,” Braden said. “And let’s get one thing straight. Regardless of how we handle this with Peyton, Vicky is always going to be treated like family for as long as Peyton wants her. We’re going to act like we always have and just accept that Peyton wanted her to know about it because girls need a friend to lean on for things. We can’t be her everything, even with three of us to try.”
“I don’t know why the hell not,” Kane said as he rubbed his chin and stared into the night.
“We just can’t, Kane. She still needs her own independence and her own friends. She may even still have the occasional girls’ night out when she wants to have a little girl talk.”
“And wouldn’t you love to know what they’ll talk about once they all realize she belongs to all of us.” Evan slapped his brothers on their backs, and they started walking toward the house.
In passing, Kane overheard Freda telling her daily dose of good gossip. “That’s the scoop girls. Evan, the one there in the middle was supposedly grinding into her so hard at Clink that she gripped the table and brought it out of the stand. Then, Kane and Braden joined them. Some say Kane was getting a hand job right after the fact and…”
They were almost on the terrace when Evan decided to have a little fun. He walked up to Freda and scooped her up in his arms.
“What are you doing! Evan! Put me down! Peyton! Peyton! Make your man over here put me down!”
“In case you didn’t hear, Peyton’s marrying my brother, Freda.”
Her eyes locked his in a challenge. “Word is you did her dirty at Clink.”
“Word is, huh?”
“That’s the word.”
“Wonder who spreads the word around these parts?” Kane asked as he studied his brother and Freda.
She shrugged. “One can never tell. Besides, it travels fast. Arden is a small town.”
“Clink is on the other side of Asheville, Freda.”
“Well, some say…”
“Freda,” Evan dropped his voice and then kissed her lightly on the lips. Oh yeah, Peyton would have his head for that one. “Tell me something, Freda. When you’re all dolled up at Clink wearing your long black wig and pump high heels, do you really think I don’t notice legs like these in a short black skirt?”
Freda held her breath and closed her eyes. Her friends began to snicker.
“I even spotted you while I was fucking Peyton. I saw you there in the corner watching us, trying to hide behind that Domme you hang out with some. Now tell me something, angel. Do you think that daddy judge of yours would like to know how his daughter spends her time?”
She swallowed stiffly and beads of sweat poured from her brow. “You’d have to prove it.”
Kane sneered. “We own part interest in a few properties with the owner of Clink. Don’t think we’d have a bit of trouble finding proof, darlin’.”
“What do you want, Kane?” She blinked back tears.
“I want you to be friends with Peyton for as long as she enjoys your company but I want you to shut your mouth about my future bride. Otherwise, one of these cold lonely nights, I’m going to send Evan out after you with my riding crop. Then you’ll see why little girls shouldn’t play in a big boy’s world.”
“Peyton does,” she squeaked.
“Honey, Peyton is far from a little girl. She’s a full grown woman in every way that counts. You should know. You watched her with Evan.” Kane gave her a pat on the head, deliberately trying his best to make her feel as young as her gossiping with school girls made her look. “Let’s go, Evan. Freda needs to get back to socializing. I imagine her friends can’t wait to hear details about what she does when she goes to Clink.”
Braden, forever the one with a conscience, offered Freda a warm smile. “Freda, don’t worry. These two here have their hands full with this ranch. We like your father and don’t want any trouble. Your secret is safe with us.”
Evan found a chair underneath one of the large umbrellas where party favors were scattered around the table. He licked his lower lip, plucked a cherry from one of the drinks and let it swing in front of her face.