Page 26 of Pucking Tangled

TWENTY-SIX

Mia

Casey's kiss left her breathless.

It was rough, and real, and years in the making.

It had cracked her open, leaving her heart pounding in her chest as Owen stepped forward cautiously.

He adjusted himself, the grip on his cock tight enough to show off a slight outline. It made her wonder exactly what he looked like beneath those shorts. Would he be thick and heavy like Luca? Or longer with a little less girth the Waylon had appeared under his towel?

“Is there room for two?” He hit her with a look so powerful that she could only imagine just how explosive he must be in the bedroom.“Casey isn’t the only one who’s been waiting, sweet girl. And I don’t plan on holding out much longer.”

She couldn’t speak.

Didn’t know what to say.

If she was being honest, she was still reeling from the way Casey looked at her, like she was both his salvation and the knife in his chest. And she still ached from the tenderness she'd left behind in Luca’s arms not even ten minutes ago.

And now Owen was here too, calm, still, patient —but his eyes were anything but. They burned. Not like Waylon’s cocky smirk or Luca’s reverent gaze. This was different.

Owen looked at her like he already knew the mess she was carrying inside and he wanted to dive right in anyway.

Her throat tightened and she felt lightheaded. “I don’t want to hurt any of you. I need you all to know that.”

“You didn’t,” Owen said.

She blinked. But hadn’t she?

Casey was pissed.

Luca was sulking upstairs, caught up in his own heartache because he felt like what they had was fleeting and not enough. And Waylon was determined to burn it all down.

“Mia,” Owen tilted her face up, “you’re just trying to find room for all of us,” he said softly. “That’s not selfish. It’s brave.”

Leave it to Owen to be the one to be the one that fully understood.

She didn’t even realize she had stood up and was walking and moved closer to Owen until their lips met.

Soft and searching.

Like they’d already done this a thousand times before.

His thumb brushed across her cheek as he deepened their kiss. His other hand found her waist and held on, grounding her.

Firm.

Steady.

Safe .

And for one long, aching moment, Mia let herself melt into it.

Let herself feel it.

The heat. The hunger. The quiet intensity that was Owen Hawk.

But even as her heart raced, even as she gasped into his mouth when his tongue slid against hers, the same knife that she felt like she’d stabbed Casey with twisted in her chest.

Luca.

It was his kisses. His name still lingered on the tip of her tongue. She could still feel him all around her. Inside her.

The way he’d consumed her.

Owned her.

Stole a piece of her heart that she’d never get back.

Mia pushed back, breaking their kiss and sucking in air like she was resurfacing from the deep parallels of the ocean.

Owen gave her space, his chest heaving but his eyes full of compassion and grace.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, eyes wide, hands trembling.

He shook his head slowly. “Don’t be.”

“I just…” her voice cracked. “I promised him I wasn’t leaving. That he still had time. And now I…” Her eyes burned and a lump formed in her throat.

Tears rolled down her face.

“Hey,” Owen said gently. “We’ve all known what this was. What it could be. It’s messy. It hurts. But it’s real. ”

Mia swallowed back the lump in her throat.

“I want you,” she said, looking from Casey to Owen and back again. “Both of you… all of you. This isn’t me pretending I don’t.” She swiped the tears from her face. “But I don't know how to want you two and Waylon without feeling like I’m also cheating on Luca. ”

Owen nodded with that quiet steadiness that had always made him feel like gravity. “We’ll figure it out. All of us. Together.”

Casey slid his hand into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We have to Mia. Because you’re too damn important to lose.”

They were right. Both of them. Willing. Wanting. Waiting for her to choose or not choose or just feel her way through it.

But her heart was crowded.

Luca lived in one corner, soft and reverent. Waylon, bold and taunting, had taken up space without her even knowing how it’d happened. And now Casey and Owen stood in the doorway, offering themselves like they meant it.

It was too much.

Too much good . Too much ache.

She let go of Casey’s hand and stepped from in between the two of them.

“I just need a minute,” she whispered, before she fled to the safety of her room.

The second her bedroom door clicked shut behind her, Mia pressed her back to the wall and slid down to the floor letting her tears take over again.

She wasn’t sad. At least she didn’t think she was.

Overwhelmed? Absolutely.

She told herself she wanted this.

Said it out loud.

But wanting something and knowing how the hell to make it happen were two very different things.

She could read a thousand “why choose” romances, but there was no real-life handbook for how to love four men at the same time.

Four men who all knew each other .

Who shared more than just a locker room.

They shared a house.

History.

There wasn’t a script that told her how she could kiss one, have sex with any of them, without making another man bleed.

And right now, she felt like every step she took toward one of them left a wound behind.

Except for Waylon, who seemed like he was just fine skating full steam ahead, consequences be damned.

There was no surprise there. He was the same way on the ice.

Even with a thousand different what ifs running wild in her brain, she wanted this.

Wanted them.

That part hadn’t changed.

But she needed a minute to breathe. To fall apart so she could pick herself back up and rebuild again. A moment to remember that this ran deeper than just one night, one fling.

She was Mia Abbott after all.

And when she stepped into their world again, it wouldn’t be to apologize for feeling too much.

It would be to decide what came next—with all of them.

She didn’t hear the door open at first.

Just the soft sound of footsteps. Then the shift of weight as someone knelt beside her.

Her breath caught before she even looked.

Please let it be him.

It was .

Luca’s hair was damp and he smelled like his body wash.

His eyes found hers and softened. Searching.

“I thought I heard you crying, so I came looking for you.”

Of course he did. Because he was Luca.

Her Luca.

“You found me,” she sniffled.

She hadn’t felt quite ready to face any of them, but she was damn glad Luca was here with her now.

He nodded. Sat beside her on the floor without asking. Not close enough to touch. But close enough for her to feel his presence.

“I just needed a minute to calm the storm swirling in my head.” Her breath shook. “I didn’t expect it to happen so fast. I didn’t expect any of this. Waylon. Casey and Owen,” she said, hoping that Luca understood what she was saying without forcing her to speak the words out loud.

“I know,” he placed his hand on her thigh.

Mia turned and looked at him. Really looked at him.

He looked a lot like she felt.

Tired.

Sensitive.

Like his heart was being pulled in many directions.

“Luca. I still feel you. Everywhere.”

He reached for her, pulling her into his lap and letting her straddle his legs.

Her arms wrapped around his neck. “I’m not done with you, Luca. I don’t want to be. Not now. Not ever.”

His mouth brushed her temple. Her cheek. The corner of her mouth.

“How is it possible that I miss you this much already?” he asked .

“I’m right here.”

“You won’t always be.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a fear. A truth. And maybe a challenge.

“I’m going to keep coming back, Luca. As long as you let me.”

“Forever?”

“Forever, Luca Blackford,” she stared deep into his eyes. “Because as much as it scares me to say this, I love you. Wildy. And I can’t do any of this without you.”

He pressed a tender kiss to her lips.

A reminder of what they shared.

“Are you willing to talk to me about what might happen next?” she dared to ask.

Luca swallowed hard but nodded his head. “Yes.”

“Casey’s all but gone mad. He doesn’t want to be the last in line.”

“I get that.” Luca let out a sad laugh. “I wouldn’t want to be either. Especially considering the fact that I think the man has been in love with you for far longer than he’s been willing to admit.”

“And Owen…”

“They’re a package deal. No doubt about it. Kinda wish I could be there to see you with them for the first time.”

Her eyes widened. “Wouldn’t that be like torture for you?”

“Perhaps I’m a masochist, or just a glutton for punishment. I can’t do that to Casey and Owen though. Or Waylon for that matter. They gave me my night. It’s only fair they have their own moment with you, too.”

Mia gasped. “Luca.” Her lip trembled and more tears threatened to fall .

How could he be so selfless when she knew just how much all of this was gutting him?

“Don’t cry, MiaMoo.” He brushed her tears away. “You promised you’ll come back to me. I’ll be waiting for you. Always. And when you’re ready? We’ll all be there for you, too.”