Page 27 of Take Me Slowly, Part 1 (Aurora Hollow duet #1)

LEAH

"Sounds like you got the royal treatment." Fiona tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair along to the drum beat from the small band in the corner of the beer garden. "White water rafting and zip lining. Are you going to bungee jump next?" Head bobbing, she slid me a look, one eyebrow raised.

"You should," Holly said. "It's amazing." Her eyes were wide like she happily ate adrenaline for breakfast.

"You're all out of your minds." Whitney's eyes were on the lead guitarist as she spoke. "I'm going to keep my feet on solid ground."

"He's solid something all right," Fiona said slyly.

Whitney turned her face slowly to stare at her as if she hadn't realised how blatantly she'd been staring. "What?"

Fiona laughed. "Kayden Mitchell. You've been ogling at him all night."

"I have not been ogling," Whitney protested. "I've been…admiring his finger work."

I almost choked on my bourbon and cola.

"Of course you have," Fiona laughed.

"He has some impressive finger work," Holly teased. "Maybe you should try it out when he's finished this set." She wiggled her fingers back and forth in front of her.

"You guys." Whitney shook her head. "He's at least fifteen years older than me. His youngest brother is around our age."

"So?" Fiona asked. "Age is only a number. Especially with the lights off."

"Fucking him with the lights off would be a crime," Holly said on a sigh.

"You know, you're right," Fiona told her. "Whitney should definitely fuck him with the lights on, and tell us all about it afterward." Her expression suggested the matter was settled, but her eyes shone with amusement. Clearly expecting Whitney to argue.

"When have I ever kissed and told?" Whitney's lips twisted as she frowned at them both.

"When was the most recent occasion?" Fiona's expression was all innocence. "Let me see, a few weeks ago when—" She ducked to the side as Whitney scooped up an ice cube from her drink and tossed it at her. "Hey! I'm just saying, that's all."

"Remind me not to tell you anything ever again," Whitney said as Fiona and Holly burst out laughing. She rolled her eyes and looked over at me. "Can you believe these two?"

I raised my hands to either side. "I don't know what to say, he looks pretty fuckable to me. I say you should go for it." Besides, he'd been sneaking glances at her while he played and sang. She wouldn't have to try too hard to persuade him to spend more time with her.

"He has a kid," Whitney whispered loudly. She was at least three drinks in at this point.

"So do I," Fiona pointed out. "You don't see me being unnecessarily celibate, do you?"

"Not unnecessarily, no." Whitney fought back a smile at scoring a point off Fiona.

Fiona flipped her off with both hands. "This place needs some new blood. Preferably young, hot and single."

"Amen to that." Holly dropped her gaze and grimaced. "Maybe we need to start some sort of advertising campaign." She held up a hand in front of her. "Come for the views, stay for the women."

"I could get behind that," Whitney said while nodding slowly. "Maybe we could talk to Louisa about starting something. The town could use a boost. Or two, or three. Maybe a dozen."

I considered reminding them Josiah Lachance was young, hot and single, as far as I knew, but I pressed my lips together instead.

Was it because of their animosity toward him, or something else?

The idea of him with any of my friends made me strangely uncomfortable.

Like he was a puzzle I wanted to solve myself. If he'd ever give me the chance.

"Leah, do you know any city men who might like a tree change?" Fiona asked. "Preferably several of them."

"How many do you need?" Holly laughed.

Fiona sniffed as if she might actually be offended. "I have three holes and two hands, don't I? Why limit myself?"

"You go girl," Whitney said approvingly. "Don't forget one of those holes can take two cocks at once."

Almost in unison, we all sighed.

After a minute or two of reflective silence while we enjoyed the band, I got the courage to say, "Have any of you ever…"

I swallowed, not sure if the question was overstepping.

They seemed comfortable talking about sex, but I was still a newcomer.

They might not want to discuss intimate details around me.

I never would have asked anyone else a question like that though.

I had friends back in the city, but not close ones and not ones who thought fucking was a conversation to have around the table.

Fortunately, none of them seemed to mind me asking. They took it in stride like they did with most things.

"I wish," Fiona said. "No one I've been with has been that creative, or wanted to bring in a third."

"Me either," Whitney said. "A girl can dream."

"She sure can," Holly agreed. "Although, Kayden looks pretty accommodating." She nudged Whitney with her elbow. "Maybe he'd invite the drummer along."

Now Whitney looked at the guitarist speculatively. "He does look accommodating, doesn't he? But he's still a lot older than me."

"We'll be old and grey and still single and sitting around this table," Fiona complained. "Our pussies will close over from lack of use. That's what happens, right?"

"I don't want to find out," Whitney said. "That would suck. Also, not gonna happen. Not while vibrators are a thing."

"You know, you're right," Fiona said after a beat or two. "We'll be old and grey, sitting around this table and talking about the latest in vibrator fashion. We might all have robotic men by then."

"You think robotic men could do DVP?" Holly squinted at her.

"I'm sending them back if they don't." Fiona nodded firmly.

Holly looked surprised, then laughed. "Good idea. Can it be the future now?"

"Hey." Whitney frowned. "There's still plenty of time to find a couple of guys who will double stuff you. Don't give up yet."

"Wise words from Whitney Ferguson," Fiona said. "Leah, have Riley and Connor double stuffed you yet?"

Whitney stuck her fingers in her ears. "I need another drink." Holding her hands in place, she stood and hurried towards the bar.

My face heating, I watched her walk away. "Why would they… I mean…"

I hadn't expected such a direct question, although that was her style. Neither she nor Whitney held back from saying what was on their minds. Holly was only slightly more reserved.

Fiona swung her face slowly to look toward Holly. "I think that's a ‘not yet.’"

"Ugh, I'm jealous," Holly said. "Not of Riley and Connor. I'm jealous of Leah, because that might be in her future." Like the other two, she grew up with both guys. She seemed to think of them the way Fiona and Whitney did, like brothers.

"You will give us details won't you?" Fiona leaned forward, her elbows on the table.

"There's nothing to say," I said. I wasn't going to tell them I gave Riley a blowjob while Connor was driving. I certainly wasn't going to tell them if things went further. Not in detail anyway. They didn't need to know everything about me.

They both looked at me like they didn't quite believe me, but knew that was all they'd get.

"If there isn't now, there will be soon," Fiona said. "Those guys aren't going to take anyone out on a busy weekend unless they want to impress them. The question is, did it work?"

"Am I impressed?" I asked. "I'm impressed with white water rafting and zip lining. I might do them again."

"So you admit to doing them?" Holly teased.

I snorted. "The activities, not the men."

Would I suck Riley off again? Hell yes I would. I might be doing it now if they weren't both helping behind the bar.

They'd insisted Jacob rest, even though they had a long, exhausting day and had another one ahead of them. The moment Connor suggested it, Riley jumped in too.

Whitney and I would also have helped, but Fiona dragged us out to the beer garden for a girl's night, and the men insisted we go.

That is, they insisted I go and sent Whitney to make sure I stayed off my legs.

I won't lie, I was grateful not to be standing up for hours again tonight.

I hated the feeling of helplessness, but I'd pushed myself enough for one day.

At some point, I had to accept I had limits.

They both gave me a knowing look and turned back to listen to the band as they played a popular song.

"Have you finished talking about my brother?" Whitney placed a tray of drinks in the centre of the table and started to put them in front of us.

"You didn't miss much." Holly pulled her drink closer to herself. "Mostly Leah wouldn't tell us anything fun."

"Good." Whitney pulled her chair in and settled back down. "Some things are better left unsaid. And un-thought about."

"I agree." I picked up my drink, toasted her in thanks and took a sip.

"You two are no fun," Fiona complained.

"We're lots of fun," Whitney said. "Do you want to hear about your brother's sex life?"

"Why would I want to hear about that when I can hear about yours?" Fiona teased.

"You're such a fucking brat," Whitney said but she was laughing. "Maybe I should seduce your brother so you know how it feels."

"If your taste is that bad, go for it." Fiona grimaced. "Don't come crying to me when he can't make you orgasm."

"He can," Holly said softly.

Fiona's mouth dropped open. She pressed it closed again and raised her hands to either side of her face. "You know what, Whitney's right. We don't need to talk about any of this."

"What was that?" Whitney turned her ear toward Fiona. "Say that again. Actually, wait a minute so I can record it on my phone." She picked up hers from the pile we'd made to the side of the table and turned it on.

"I'm not saying that again," Holly said. "You heard me the first time. I won't mention Fiona’s your brother again if you don't mention mine."

Whitney grinned. "Deal. Let's never talk about them again. Leah, did you say something about having a stepbrother or two?"

They all looked at me with interest.

"Can I add him to the list of guys we don't talk about?" I asked.

I wanted to put Brooks behind me as much as possible. That was my old life, in the city. My past. Right now, I wanted to live in the present and let the future take care of itself.

"Can we say no?" Holly looked sideways at the other two women.

Fiona adjusted her ponytail. "I don't think we can. Not tonight anyway." She gave me a sly smile to suggest the topic would come up again at some point.

Of course it would, until I managed to convince them my stepbrother wasn't particularly interesting. I couldn't imagine Brooks being interested in them anyway. He'd think they were country girls, beneath him to even talk to.

The truth was, they were too good for him.

They were better people than he'd ever be.

Shame he'd never admit that. Not out loud anyway.

Who knows what went on inside that head of his?

He was a closed book if I ever met one. Speaking with disgusted looks instead of words.

Looks that suggested he wished our parents never met.

Honestly, me too.