Page 214

Chapter 5

Mark stretched out, leaning back on the couch. Bridget was nestled between him and Matt. They’d eaten far too much at dinner, in addition to polishing off an entire bottle of wine and most of another. He was completely relaxed and thoroughly happy.

They’d opted to watch True Grit—one of his favorites. For some reason, it couldn’t hold his attention tonight. It was a good movie—lots of action, but the problem was every fiber of his being was focused on the slim, tall beauty lounging by his side.

So much for their grand seduction schemes. He and Matt had thought they’d plead their own cases, make their own moves and then let her choose. Instead, she’d blown their plan out of the water, asking to spend the day with both of them. Ridiculous as it seemed, her choice pleased him. He’d enjoyed today much more than his day alone with Bridget—which had been great. For some weird reason, it seemed more natural when they were all together. Crap. He needed to lay off the wine.

Bridget sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. Mark savored her closeness and decided to expand on it. He lifted his right arm and wrapped it around her shoulder. He glanced over at his brother. He expected to receive a dirty look. Instead, Matt gave him a friendly grin, before his brother reached down to lift Bridget’s feet on to his lap. She didn’t resist, turning to her side slightly and moving into the new position with ease. Mark shifted sideways as well, opening his legs so that Bridget could settle between them, reclining against his chest. He watched his brother pull off the clean socks Matt had loaned her when she complained that her feet were cold. Matt began rubbing her feet and Bridget released a pleased groan.

“That feels so good,” she whispered.

Mark took advantage of her complacency, wrapping both arms around her waist, loving the feel of her weight against him. He and Matt were tall men. It was unusual to find a woman who fit them so well. Bridget’s height was perfect—the top of her head coming to his chin. He wouldn’t have to bend over far to find her sweet lips.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Mark wanted to act on it. Instead, he simply cuddled her, soaking in the soft scent of shampoo in her hair. None of them even pretended to watch the movie. The dim lighting, the comfortable couch, the wine—all of it worked together to wrap them up in a cocoon of warmth. Time passed slowly as Matt continued his gentle rubbing of Bridget’s feet.

She sighed blissfully, playing absentmindedly with Mark’s hands where they lay on her stomach. Slowly, Matt moved his massage upward, his hands creeping along her shins and then higher, to her thighs.

Bridget’s breathing grew shallower, more labored. Mark could feel the desire growing in her body as she began to gyrate slowly, her hips tantalizing the now-apparent erection in his pants. There was no way she could mistake what she was rubbing against with her slight movements.

Unwilling to remain a casual observer, Mark began his own gentle caresses. Lifting the edge of Bridget’s T-shirt, he dragged his fingers over the soft skin of her stomach and waist. Bridget sucked in a deep breath, but didn’t reject either of their stroking explorations. After a moment, she sighed, laying her head on his shoulder and releasing a soft moan.

Mark was more turned on then he’d ever been in his life. He wondered what his brother was thinking of this. He watched Matt’s hands as they traveled closer to the juncture of Bridget’s thighs. Christ. This was quickly reaching a point of no return.

He looked up at Matt’s face, captured his glance. Mark tried to convey his concerns. They were traveling down an uncharted path.

Matt gave him an easygoing grin that in most circumstances would have annoyed the shit out of Mark. Tonight, right now, the smile felt right, comforting, encouraging.

Even so, there was a small part of him that couldn’t let things go any further without asking permission. He knew Bridget wasn’t drunk, but she’d definitely had enough wine to take the edge off.

“Bridget,” he whispered in her ear.

“Hmmm.” She was completely relaxed. He’d never seen her so peaceful or at ease. While the past three days had cemented in his mind that something was definitely wrong in Bridget’s world—she still jumped at shadows and she’d visibly begun to shake after their old ranch truck backfired—she’d yet to confide in them.

“Are you okay with this, darlin’?”

She turned her head to the side, glancing at him over her shoulder. She nodded once. “Yeah, I am. Are you?”

Leave it to Bridget to worry about his response to the unconventional dilemma they were currently in. “Yeah. I’m good. How about you, Matt?” he asked, looking up at his brother.

Matt leaned forward, shrinking the distance until all three of them breathed the same air. Mark had shared a room with this man for his most of his younger life, the two of them only opting for separate bedrooms a few years earlier. There were no secrets between them, but this.…

This moment was changing something, altering some solidly accepted norms in Mark’s life.

Matt kept moving until his lips were a fraction of an inch away from Bridget’s. “I’m good,” his brother whispered. “But I’m not finished. I want more.”

Mark wasn’t sure if his brother’s words were meant as a warning or if he was simply stating the facts.

“I want more too,” Bridget confessed. “But this is, I’ve never, I don’t know how?—”

Mark chuckled. “It’s new to us too, Bridge. We’ll find our way together.”

Matt placed a quick, soft kiss on her lips. Then he moved away once more. As he drifted back to his spot on the couch, Matt grasped the waistband of Bridget’s sweatpants, pulling them and her panties off in one fell swoop. Bridget stiffened slightly as Matt lifted one of her legs, pulling it to the opposite side of his waist. Then, she opened them even further, throwing her other leg over Mark’s. It gave Matt enough room to kneel between her open thighs.

Mark lifted his hands, rubbing her tense shoulders to relax her. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured in her ear.

The words and caresses seemed to soothe her. Her body went soft once more.

Matt’s hands stroked the inside of her thighs and Bridget shivered. Her body was heating up and she was definitely becoming more aroused with each pass of Matt’s hands on her skin.