Kylie
My ribs were nearly bruised by the time my uncle released me from his farewell hug. “It was good to see you again, kiddo.”
“You too.” School had kept me so busy that I’d only been able to spend a few days back here during spring break, but it was better than nothing.
“Let me get your bag for you,” he said gruffly. It was the voice he used when he was feeling emotional but didn’t want anyone to know.
“Jude’s already got it,” I said. We walked out of the little house where I’d grown up. Jude was standing by the car, waiting patiently. He looked so tall and handsome. I was surprised that half the females in tiny Norris, Colorado hadn’t shown up to bat their eyelashes at him, but they’d done enough of that when he’d played guitar in my uncle’s bar.
“He seems like a fine young man with a good head on his shoulders,” my uncle declared. None of that was news to me, but it made my heart sing to hear it from a member of my small family. “He’s a good singer, too.”
“Yes, he is.”
“I hope you’re learning as much business as you are bartending. I’m gonna have to call you to find out how to make those new drinks you showed me.”
“Sounds good.” I made a mental note to email the recipes to my cousin who could then print them out for my computer-challenged uncle.
I said good-bye again and made my way to the handsome man waiting for me. He put his arm around me, knowing that I needed a few moments of silence. I didn’t want to spend my life in a small town like this, but still, it was home. Leaving was always a little bit difficult.
I leaned against Jude, appreciating the way his body felt against mine—at least until he led me over to the passenger seat. “No, I’m driving back,” I told him.
“It’s my car,” he protested, which wasn’t much of a reason. He’d been perfectly happy to let me drive out here.
“Which one of us has more experience handling steep mountain overpasses?”
“You,” he said, kissing me on the head. “But that won’t be for hours. I can drive the first part.”
“So can I.”
He rubbed his thumb and forefinger across his short, dark beard. “I like driving my girl around. It makes me feel all manly.”
I rolled my eyes. Some men might feel that way, but not Jude. Not in a million years. And logic was on my side. I’d been driving through the mountains since I was sixteen. He’d lived all over and tended to ride the break when going down steep slopes.
But then he came up with a reason I couldn’t argue with. “If I drive, then you can enjoy the view.”
Damn. He had me there. I enjoyed looking at the mountains more than anything else in the entire world. More than eating chocolate. More than drinking pink champagne. More than waking up naked next to my guys—well, okay, maybe not that. But damn, I loved a good mountain view. “Okay,” I said, but by the smug look on Jude’s face, he already knew he’d won.
The first part of the drive wasn’t bad, and I was in charge of snacks, drinks, and navigation. Jude was in charge of picking the music because, well, he was Jude. Besides, that meant he found music he liked and often sang along. My uncle hadn’t been kidding about Jude having a good voice.
“He liked you, you know,” I said.
“Your uncle? He seems like a good man.”
“He is.”
Jude looked over at me, only taking his eyes off the road for a fraction of a second, but he knew there was something I wasn’t saying. “But?”
I sighed. “I think he would’ve liked Mason and Parker, too.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he would have.” Jude put his hand on my thigh and rubbed my leg. I picked his hand up, gave it a quick kiss, and then firmly placed it back on the wheel. Driving through the mountains was no joke.
“I wish I could’ve introduced him to all three of you.”
“I know.” Jude’s voice was gentle. “What we have works well for us, but not everyone understands. And I’m guessing people in a small town like Norris wouldn’t.”
“It took them several years to accept that I wasn’t a witch because I had one green eye and one blue eye.”
Jude chuckled. “So they’re definitely not ready for a relationship like ours.”
“I suppose not.” Still, I couldn’t help wishing things were different. Jude, Mason, and Parker were so important to me. It would’ve been nice to have my family understand that. Maybe someday they would. Maybe not my uncle, but his son, my cousin, seemed pretty open-minded for a high school kid from a small town. And he was going to come visit Denver and take a college tour in a few months.
Then again, even if I’d thought people would accept the relationship the four of us had, this trip still would’ve been just me and Jude. Mason was in the middle of a huge project for one of his engineering classes and hadn’t had a moment to spare lately.
Parker had been asked to teach some classes for a professor who’d be gone a few days next week. He’d played it cool, but we all knew he was thrilled he’d been asked. So his spring break was spent lesson planning. I was really proud of him, especially since at the start of the fall semester, he’d been too depressed to even work with the cohort of students assigned to him. Now, a mere seven months later, he was in super-teacher mode.
Jude was right, it was nice to watch the scenery while he drove. The red rock canyons and mesas around Norris gradually gave away to more greenery and rolling hills. Then those hills gave way to actual mountains. Every twenty minutes or so, I checked the map. An actual map, not the one on my smartphone which usually didn’t get a signal in the mountains. It was my secret dream to open up a place somewhere in the mountains, some kind of hotel or lodge that I could build up until it was as popular as the ones in Aspen or Estes Park. Consequently, I was always trying to keep an eye on what might be the next big tourist destination in the Rockies.
“Did you hear that?” Jude said, breaking into my daydreams.
“Hear what?”
“The engine just made a stuttering sound.”
I frowned. “Did you let it overheat?” That was a real danger. Driving up and down steep hills put a lot of wear and tear on cars.
“No. I switched to a lower gear for that last big incline.”
I leaned over, but there weren’t any warning lights on the dashboard.
“There, I heard it again,” Jude said.
I didn’t hear anything, but I was worried. “Maybe we should pull over and give the engine a chance to cool down just in case.”
“Where?” Jude asked.
He had a point. The narrow road we were on had no shoulder, and even if we found a place with enough room to pull over, we’d be in danger of getting hit.
Crap.
The next few miles weren’t much fun. While trying not to be obvious about it, I watched Jude like a hawk. I should’ve insisted on driving, since I had far more experience with these driving conditions than he did. But I had to admit, he was doing everything he could not to tax the engine further.
I unfolded my map and examined it. “It looks like there’s a place to turn off in about three miles. A road off to the right.”
“That’s good.” Tension made Jude’s lyrical voice sound strained.
A mile later, we passed a sign for the turn off. “It’s a hot springs and resort,” I said, since Jude had his eyes glued to the road and his hands tight on the wheel. “There’s got to be someone there who can help us.” At least I hoped there was. We were likely pretty damn far from the nearest tow truck.
We turned off the highway—that was the good news—but the road to the resort was extremely steep. I was worried enough to become an instant backseat driver, but Jude took it in stride.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief when he pulled the car into a parking spot and turned the engine off. For a moment, we just sat there, grateful that we’d made it. Then I looked around. There were about thirty cars in the lot and a signpost that provided arrows toward the lodge, the various pools, the changing rooms, and the hot springs.
Finally, Jude sighed and released the hood. “Guess I better go take a look.”
“Do you know anything about cars?”
“Not a damn thing.”
I leaned over and gave him a kiss. “It’ll be okay.” He ran his fingers through my hair and then massaged the back of my neck for a minute. Whenever I was stressed, tension formed there. “I’ll go inside the resort and see if there’s anyone who might be able to help.”
Jude nodded. “Tell them I can trade piano tuning or something like that for car advice.”
I bit back a smile at that unlikely scenario.
Leaving Jude to it, I made my way up the winding stone stairs. I hadn’t even seen the lodge yet, and already the place was gorgeous. The trees smelled of fresh pine, and the sound of rushing water was music to my ears. Probably it cost a fortune to stay at a resort like this, but I could see why people would want to.
The lobby of the hotel was decorated in a classy but rustic theme with wood paneling and large wooden furniture. I bypassed the front desk in order to find a restroom.
After using the facilities and giving my hair some much needed attention, I made my way to the front desk and found Jude already there. “How’s the car?” I asked.
“Not good. There’s steam coming out from the engine and it won’t start.”
“Damn, it’s definitely overheated.”
“Yeah,” Jude said glumly. “I’m going to get a room here.”
“What?” I took his arm and pulled him away from the front desk where two middle-aged women were watching us like we were a television show. “We can just wait it out and try again in an hour or two.”
“It’ll be dark by then. What if we get ten miles out and the engine overheats again? That’s too dangerous, Kylie.”
“But look around,” I said quietly. “This place has to cost a fortune.”
“I don’t see any other options,” Jude said. “One night here won’t break the bank.”
“It might,” I countered. I’d never even been to a hot springs let alone stayed at a resort next to one.
Jude pulled out his wallet and fished out a credit card. “It’s on me.”
“No, I can’t let you do that.” Maybe we could sleep in the car?
“It’s okay,” he said. “I’ve got money. I’ve been stealing from your tip jars.”
“Very funny.”
He put his hands on my shoulders and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. “It’s expensive, yes, but it’s just one night. Since we’re here, we might as well enjoy it. Maybe we could even go soak in the springs.”
That did sound amazing, but then I thought of a problem. “I don’t have my swimming suit with me.”
Jude grinned. “Ah, but there’s a sign behind the front desk that says that after eight, the springs are adults only and clothing optional.”
“Really?” The word came out louder than I’d meant it to. Did people really soak naked in the springs? Then again, it would be dark. Still, I didn’t know if I’d be brave enough.
“Come on.” Jude took my hand, led me to the front desk, and booked us a room.
The room was lovely. There was a king-size bed and a large jet tub in the bathroom. I couldn’t imagine who would choose the tub over the actual hot springs but maybe it came in handy when it was raining.
There was a knock on the door and I opened it to let Jude in. He’d gone back to the car to get our stuff. He spotted me with my phone in my hand. “Did you get hold of anyone?”
“I tried Mason, but he didn’t pick up.” He wasn’t exactly a car guy either, but he was an engineer and knew more about engines than Jude or I did. “Maybe we can ask at the front desk if there’s anyone in the area who might be able to help.”
Jude set the bags done on an armchair by the window. “Or we could have a relaxing evening and see if the car starts tomorrow.”
“It probably will, if it’s only overheated, but I’m worried about it happening again.”
“Me too,” Jude said. “But I still vote that we enjoy our evening.” He gave me a smile that promised all the wicked things he’d like to do to me tonight, and I couldn’t help but grin.
“All right. Where do we start?”
“With a nap,” he said, moving toward the bed.
“What? We’re in this beautiful place and you want to waste it by sleeping?”
“If I’m sleeping next to you, it’s never a waste.” He gave me a wink. “Besides, I’m tired. It was exhausting being on my best behavior at your uncle’s house.”
I rolled my eyes. “You always behave well.” Except when we were alone, that was.
“All right, it was exhausting being on my most G-rated, family-friendly behavior, then.”
“You were really good,” I admitted. “Maybe you deserve a reward for that.” I pulled back the quilt on the bed and kicked off my shoes.
He grinned. “I like the sound of that. But I want my reward after a nap. Just an hour—I’ll set an alarm.”
“All right.” I knew I wouldn’t sleep, but it would be nice to snuggle up next to Jude.
Sometime later, I drifted back to consciousness, feeling warm and amazingly comfortable. This was my absolute favorite way to wake up. Mason’s strong body was at my back, spooning me. Jude was on my other side, his forehead nearly touching mine. And Parker had his head resting against my stomach, his leg draped over mine.
Sleepily, I rubbed Parker’s hair, enjoying the way it felt to have all my men touching me at once. It had taken us a while to find a position that worked for everyone, but now I rarely even used a blanket anymore. All I needed to be warm and comfortable were my three men.
My three men.
What????
I sat up in such a hurry that I accidentally pushed Parker into Jude’s long legs. What the hell? Had Jude called them? But we were hours from Denver. There was no way they could’ve gotten here so quickly—unless we’d overslept.
Mason rubbed his eyes as he pushed himself up on his elbow. I grabbed his wrist and looked at his watch. Only about an hour had passed since we’d gotten here.
Then the bed started shaking—someone was trying not to laugh. And there was a huge smirk on Mason’s face.
Oh.
My.
God.
“You guys planned this?”
Masculine laughter surrounded me and the bed shook even more. Mason pulled me toward him, running his hand along my thigh, but I wiggled out of his grasp, turning over so that I could kill Jude. “You made me think we were going to break down by the side of the road and get eaten by a bear!”
He grinned. “Guess I’m a better actor than I thought.”
I put my hand on his ripped abs and shoved, but it was like trying to push against granite. “You could have damaged the engine for real!”
He smirked. “How? By telling you that I heard the engine make a noise?” I rolled my eyes. He was never any fun to yell at—things just bounced right off him. Therefore, I turned to the other two.
“You guys said you had lots of things to work on.”
“We do,” Mason said. “But that’s always true. Doesn’t mean we can’t make time for our girl—especially since we’ve got two days to enjoy ourselves until classes start again.”
“You mean—you mean we’re staying here two nights?”
“Yep,” Parker said. “We got here hours ago. This place is amazing, you’re going to love it.” He shot me a grin that was supposed to be suggestive, but it didn’t work as well with his boyish face as it did for Mason or Jude. “We brought your bathing suit, but I’m hoping you won’t use it in the evening when it’s adults only.”
I still couldn’t believe they’d done this. My shock and irritation over being tricked was rapidly fading away. They’d booked a room at this amazing resort. They’d made space in their schedules.
And they’d done this because they wanted to be here with me. That thought made my heart sing, but now wasn’t the time to tell them that. Maybe later, in the dark I would. For right now, though, I still wanted to wipe those smirks off their faces. “I’m not climbing around from rock to rock in the dark while naked.”
“Would you rather climb from rock to rock while naked during the day?” Mason suggested. Then he caught my wrist when I took a swing at him.
“You can wear a robe,” Jude said.
“Or I’ll carry you,” Mason said. “Carrying you is much more fun when you’re naked.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not how the adults only time is supposed to work.”
“Guess we’ll find out,” Parker said. “By the way, we have dinner reservations downstairs in an hour in case you want to get ready. I brought your sluttiest dress.”
I had to laugh at that. My guys sure made life interesting. They kept me on my toes and teased me and sometimes made me want to put my—or their—hair out, but I loved them so much. I couldn’t imagine life without them. And they needed me, too. That was why we worked so well together.
“I’d love to go to dinner with you. Is it a date?” They knew what I meant. When we specified that something was a date, it usually meant that they upped their game and acted like gentlemen. And I, in turn, dressed up and tried to be a bit more ladylike than usual. We didn’t do that often, but when we did, it was always enjoyable.
“It’s a date,” Mason confirmed. Then he winked. “But later, in the hot springs, all bets are off.”
* * *
“I could get used to this,” I moaned. Every muscle in my body felt loose and relaxed.
“The hot water or the six hands stroking you?” Jude asked.
“Both.”
The hot springs were incredible. Hanging lanterns lit the paths that wove around the natural springs. But in each little alcove, it was dark and private. If I strained my ears, I could hear another couple off to the left, but it felt like we were the only four people on Earth. Steam rose around us as we sat close to each other in an area about the size of a hot tub, only it was a hundred percent nature made.
Mason stroked my thigh, his long fingers gliding back and forth under the water, almost hypnotizing me. Jude was behind me, and I leaned against his bare chest. His cock pressed against my ass, but not in an insistent way. He was relaxed, too. We probably wouldn’t stay that way all night, but for now, it was nice.
Parker was on my other side, and he was giving my hand a nice little massage. Sometimes, when I’d been typing too long on a paper for class, I begged him to do that because it felt so good. It felt even better under the warm water.
Somewhere up on the rocks was a pile of our clothing that contained our robes, but I was in no hurry to get back to it. I’d be quite happy to stay out here together forever.
We talked a little—Jude and I told the other two about our trip to my hometown—but mostly we just enjoyed the silence, the water, and the way they touched me and I touched them. That was one of the best parts of living with three men. There was always someone to hug. Someone to soothe my aching muscles or to work my body into a frenzy. Some days, I felt as content as a cat. Plus, they often made me purr with pleasure.
Jude shifted behind me, readjusting his position. “Your hair keeps tickling my nose,” he said, not sounding too bothered by it.
I reached up and gathered my hair on top of my head, holding it there. “Is that better?”
“It is for me,” Mason said, and his hand covered my breast.
“Me too.” Parker took my other breasts in his hand and cupped it, and I moaned.
“Stay just like that, Princess,” Jude whispered. Then he leaned forward, reaching in front of me. I couldn’t figure out what he was doing, but the way Mason and Parker were touching me made it hard to care.
Then Jude’s hands were behind my neck. When he pulled them away, I felt something cool slide down my skin, coming to a rest just above the valley between my breasts.
Mason and Parker’s hands left me as I reached my own up. My fingers captured a small, hard circle of some kind of metal. As I lifted it, I realized it was on a chain. Jude must’ve fastened it behind my head. “What’s this?”
“A present,” Parker said.
“Two nights at a hot springs isn’t enough of a present?” I asked, even though happiness filled me. They’d done everything they could to make this a special trip, and I felt like the luckiest woman in the world.
“No,” Mason said firmly. Then he reached back and grabbed something that was nestled in the rocks. A moment later, a small beam of light flashed across the water. “Here.”
He handed me the flashlight, and I lifted up the necklace so I could see it. The light flashed off of something metallic in my hand. It was a small silver circle with blue stones lining it. In the center was a diamond.
My jaw dropped as Jude wrapped his arms around my stomach and hugged me from behind. “We hope you like it.”
“It’s from all of you?”
“Of course,” Mason said.
“We wanted to show you what you mean to us,” Parker said.
Jude rested his chin on my shoulder. “Even if we can’t announce that all three of us love you to your family, we know the truth of the matter.”
“We know that this is what’s right for us no matter what,” Mason added.
My heart was so full of love for the three of them that I barely knew what to say. They’d all done this, and they’d all planned this. But somehow, I knew that it had been harder for one of them than the other two.
I turned to Parker. “This is the diamond you bought before, right?” I didn’t want to spoil the moment by mentioning the name of his ex.
He nodded, quiet for a moment, but then he found his voice. “But we had it redone, and we all decided together what we thought you’d like. But if you don’t—”
“I love it,” I said.
“But if you’d rather—” he started again, but I didn’t let him finish.
“You bought this diamond with love in your heart. The fact that it didn’t work out doesn’t change that. You bought it for someone you love.”
Parker reached for me and Jude lifted me, settling me on Parker’s lap. Parker pressed his forehead against mine. “And now I’ve given it to someone I love. That diamond sat in my dresser drawer for months, but now, it’s a happy thing for me. I want to see you wear it.”
“Every time I wear it, I’ll know that it’s a symbol of your love,” I said softly.
“It’s from all of us,” Parker said hastily. “We all chipped in and—”
“I know.” I smiled as I wrapped my arm around his neck. “I know what this means and I thank you all. I’ll wear it every single day.”
Mason took the flashlight back and shined it on the diamond. “It looks beautiful on you… and it probably will even when you’re wearing clothes.”
I beamed at him. “I’ll try not to do that too often.”
That suited me just fine, to share my body with these amazing men… and now I could do that with a diamond resting near my heart. A diamond that would remind me every second of every day that they loved me as much as I loved them.
It was the perfect gift and I didn’t intend to ever take it off.
(c) Stephanie Brother 2022
