She stiffened at that and tried to tug her hand away. Her blush told me she was equally parts embarrassed and angry.
“Hang on, don’t pull away,” I added, ensuring she didn’t think it was a one-time thing. Fuck, no. Lucas gave me a death glare. I sighed, knowing I had to stop being so fucking blunt. “I want you here. With us. Me. This has been hot as fuck. Fun. Don’t doubt that for a second. But if you have to go to the Springs, wherever the fuck that is, you should go. We’ll be here waiting for you.” I winked. “Dicks hard and ready for more.”
That pulled a smile from her.
“Cy’s being an asshole, like usual,” Lucas said, leaning in and kissing the top of her head.
I wasn’t being an asshole, I was being the responsible one. I was all for fucking her brains out twenty-four/seven, but I had a feeling she was going to need some kind of challenge out of her life, besides me pushing her boundaries.
If she’d won championships, her drive to win wasn’t like the average person’s. She couldn’t be as successful as she was without a challenge, a goal to achieve, whether it be one race or an entire season. I wouldn’t let her slack off when it was clear racing was her life. I wouldn’t get in her way either.
Besides, I wasn’t the greatest of catches. She’d have her fun with us, check off the threesome thing from her bucket list and move on. I’d just enjoy it—and her—while it lasted.
“I’m scheduled to take a group of vets out,” Lucas said, then looked to Hailey. “Just overnight. No matter how much I want to be in bed with you… hell, to stay in bed with you twenty-four/seven, people are counting on me. While I’m gone, maybe Cy can say something that doesn’t piss you off.”
“I can think of ways to keep her busy,” I offered. On her knees. On all fours. Spread out on my kitchen table.
She squirmed in the booth, and I couldn’t help but grin.
“I’ve liked your inventiveness so far. I told Mark a week, so he’s coming here so we can head to training together.” She glanced at me, lifted one shoulder in a vague shrug. “He’s counting on me,” she said. “But that’s because if I retire, he has no paycheck. I don’t want to ski for him, I want to ski for me.”
Retire at… what, twenty-six? Twenty-seven? No wonder she was having a tough time. When most people were just getting settled into a career, hers had the chance of being over.
The waitress brought a huge bowl full of spicy wings, three plates and a pile of napkins. I wasn’t rich like Lucas. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth or even in the kitchen drawer. My mom worked two fucking jobs to keep all of us fed and clothed after my father bailed. My grandparents had died first, then Mom when I was eighteen and I’d been left the ranch. I wasn’t flush with cash, but I was land rich. Every acre was mine. I had prime property, solid water rights and acreage that backed up to the National Forest. I’d had offers for millions, but I refused them all. Always would. While the ranch took a shit ton of work, I also helped Lucas with his non-profit. Helped with some trips, especially ones that used my horses.
As for Hailey, I had to guess she had money. Champion ski racers had big sponsors and they had big pockets. Hell, she might even be on a box of Wheaties.
“Then do that. Ski for yourself, which is the reason I thought you did it. If that’s not the case, fuck your coach. What’s his name again?”
“Mark Bastion.”
“Mark’s problems are not your problems. He’s a grown ass man. Go ski the shit out of a mountain if that’s what you want.”
She grinned then. “Ski the shit out of a mountain?”
“You know what I mean,” I replied.
“Okay, well, no snow out there yet. I’ve got a week to meet up with Mark and get back to pre-season practice,” she continued, picking up a carrot stick and dunking it in the blue cheese dressing. “Until then, I want to be with you and not think.”
I grinned, picked up a wing. Not think? I could get her to forget her own fucking name. “That can be arranged. While Lucas is off on his backcountry trip, you and I can get to know each other. In bed and out. And I promise, sweetheart, I’ll make you forget everything but my dick.”
8
HAILEY
We spent the night at Lucas’ house, mainly because it was closest to the bar. None of us were big drinkers, but a few of their friends had shown up—fortunately, no one had mentioned anything about Cy’s dad or Erin—and we’d stayed pretty late. By the time we got through Lucas’ front door, they were all over me, as if we hadn’t had sex earlier at the ranch.
Twice.
Cy had woken early to return to the ranch for chores. While he’d said he had two people helping him with the cattle business and a few people who boarded their horses in his stable, he still had work to do. Animals needed tending no matter how sex weary one was.
; Lucas and I hadn’t slept much later, specifically because he was going on his overnight and wanted to get me off one more time before he left. A morning quickie.
A good way to wake up was with his head between my thighs, the rasp of his morning stubble brushing against my tender skin.
Of course, I’d reciprocated before getting dressed and driving him to the non-profit’s office, a warehouse on the outskirts of town, to pick up the company van and stock the equipment needed for his trip.