Page 145 of Theirs for the Holidays

“You don’t seem to understand,” Sawyer says. “We’d do anything for you.”

“Why?”

They seem to take that as their cue to start explaining, and I sit there, rooted to the spot.

“We don’t need the money,” Lennox tells me. “That’s not what matters.You’rewhat matters.”

“For what it’s worth, I wanted to give you more than fifty million.” Sawyer grins. “But we didn’t want to freak you out too much. We’d still happily give you everything though. My brothers and I could work together to start a new company. Rebuild our wealth as a team.” His grin turns into something softer, something warm and tender. “You gave that to us, you know.”

“Me?”

He nods. “If we hadn’t come here—if we hadn’t listened to you when you talked some sense into us—we wouldn’t have each other. Getting my brothers back is one of the best things that happened on this trip. The other one was reconnecting with youand getting to see what an incredible woman you’ve become. You’re amazing, Violet. Is it any wonder we’ve fallen for you?”

My eyes fly open wide. “Fallen for me?” I whisper, as if I’m afraid to say it too much louder than that.

“From the very first second we moved into your place,” Rhett chimes in, his tone serious. “You’ve changed us for the better, Tink. By reminding us who we used to be to each other. We never would have had a relationship with each other again if it wasn’t for you. Of course we love you.”

“Just because of that?”

Sawyer laughs. “Notjustbecause of that, no. But you don’t see yourself clearly if you don’t see what we see. You’re beautiful and clever and so hard working. You care more than anyone I’ve ever met, except maybe Lennox.” He shoots a wry smile at his brother and then turns back to me. “We talked about my restlessness once, remember? And how I never wanted to put down roots. I never saw the point, when everything could be ripped away at a moment’s notice. But you changed that. You showed me that there are things worth fighting for and things worth sticking around for. So here I am. Sticking around because I love you. Because I see my future in you.”

“We could have had something once,” Lennox says next. “But I ran from you. Not because of anything you did, but because I was afraid.”

“Of what?” I whisper.

“Myself, mostly. That I wouldn’t be good enough. That you’d wake up and realize you didn’t want to waste your time with someone broken.”

“You’renotbroken.”

He smiles. “I’m working on believing that. You help more than you know, Heartbreaker. I can’t stand here and tell you that I feel like I’m worth you now, or that I don’t still worry you’re going to realize you can do better. But I’m not going to run awaythis time. Because this time I’m confident enough to admit that I want you. That I love you, and that I want to try to be the man you deserve.”

My throat goes tight, and I can already feel tears welling in my eyes. I’m lost for words, not even sure what to say back.

Rhett steps up next, a little smile on his face. “You know me,” he says. “I’ve never cared about society or what people think. I like to be alone, and I prefer the quiet. But being here with you showed me that I’m not the island I think I am. That I need the company of people I trust. And people I love. You’re my obsession, Violet. You’re the person I want to come home to, the person I want to provide for. You make me feel like I can be myself, quiet or rough around the edges, and you’ll accept me and love me anyway. It’s why I love you so much, in addition to all the wonderful things you are.”

Their words are all so sincere, so beautiful, and I’m stuck on the fact that they allloveme.

“But—I don’t have anything to offer you,” I tell them. “I’m infertile, and my business failed, and I?—”

“Violet,” Lennox says. “You didn’tfail. It was taken from you, that’s different. And we don’t care that you can’t have kids. There are all kinds of ways to become parents, and besides, we have a family already. What we’ve built together. We don’tneedmore than that.”

“All we need is you,” Sawyer says.

The sob that’s been building in my throat this whole times spills out, and I cover my face with my hands, crying into them.

Gently, the three men pull my hands away and wipe my tears. They take turns kissing me, and I lean into each of them, overcome with emotion.

48

VIOLET

My heart won’t stop thuddingagainst my ribs as the Sullivan brothers pass me back and forth between them in a blur of lips and hands and soft groans. Each of them kisses me like they’ve been starving for it in the time we’ve been apart, and I melt into each kiss, giving back as good as I get.

I can’t pretend I haven’t missed them just as much, and I don’t even want to try.

Rhett holds me close, nuzzling at me, kissing me deeply. Sawyer nips at my bottom lip, a tease that makes me gasp into his mouth. Lennox is solid and firm, one hand threaded into my hair as he works my mouth with his own.

My head starts spinning, and I quickly lose track as they keep sharing me, their hands roaming. The kisses grow more and more desperate, and I start moaning into them, feeling my body responding.