Professor Kelley was.
He could let himself get hung up on it, but there was no point in denying the truth. Hell, even Declan had taken it for granted that he was the better option—financially speaking—and he’d been right. They’d talked about it more than once, though never with Jen. Jennifer Finn was a beautiful, smart and independent woman who’d been overprotected by her brothers and would no doubt kick both their asses if she found out her men were secretly conspiring to make sure she was always taken care of. But there was no way it wasn’t going to happen. They had to take care of her. Needed to protect her. She was too precious to both of them, and their instincts when it came to her couldn’t be denied. Since Declan had more money than he would ever be able to spend, the problem was easy to solve. Jen would take his name and the multiple bank accounts and real estate that came with it. End of story.
It didn’t bug him. It shouldn’t bug him. Trick knew those two were crazy about him. Just as wild for him as they were for each other. He wouldn’t have brought them all together if he hadn’t been sure of it from the start. Twisted as it probably sounded to the outside world, the three of them fit. Trick had never felt so wholly satisfied. Not even when he and Declan were first together. Jen was always the missing piece. He’d realized it when following her stopped being a job and became his obsession. And even then he’d been aware that she wasn’t his alone. She was meant to be Declan’s too. The fiery, strong-willed redhead who loved seeing her two men together nearly as much as she loved joining them was their match in every way. She filled Declan’s lonely life with love and gave Trick his first real home.
And after the New Year she’d be Declan’s wife. The plan was already in motion. Trick would handle any uneasy twinges that cropped up on his part, because the only other option was losing what they had together, and that was unacceptable.
His steps slowed when he saw Declan standing on the landing looking down at the floor below. Trick knew what he was seeing. Lines of florists and caterers and cleaners. The queen bee planner and her hive doing their last minute checks and preparations for tomorrow. They’d been buzzing around all day, which was why Trick had spent most of it upstairs playing some childish gem game he’d found on Jen’s tablet. That shit was addictive.
He bit his lip, studying Declan’s backside and feeling his cock stir in his jeans. He’d always been an irresistible piece of ass. Brilliant, big in all the right places and sexually aggressive in the best way. He still remembered his initial reaction to Declan Kelley. How he’d fantasized about taking off those glasses and giving the buff bookworm a lesson in passion to pay him back for his tutoring sessions. He thought he’d be the one in control. That he’d be doing the seducing.
Trick had never been happier to be wrong.
He moved silently until he was standing right behind his lover. Declan was too lost in thought to notice he was no longer alone. He didn’t like not being noticed and had to do something about it immediately.
Trick had one hand covering his mouth and the other cupping his dick and squeezing before he could make a sound. “Hey, Professor Hot Lips,” he whispered, scraping his teeth over Declan’s earlobe. “How’s it hanging?”
The it in question was in his hand and getting harder with each passing second. Declan lifted his hands to cover Trick’s on his mouth, but didn’t struggle. “This brings back memories for me, Kelley. Frustrating memories of playing the bad boy, stringing our girl along with all her kinkiest fantasies until you finally gave in and let us all get what we wanted.”
Declan’s growl vibrated against his palm and Trick laughed. “I know you were jealous. But it was your own fault for trying to resist my plan.”
Trick was surprised when Declan jerked out of his grip and leaned against the wall. He’d been turned on by Trick’s touch, but something was definitely bothering him. “What’s wrong? Do you need me to take out the wedding designer? Because I can and I will. Say the word and she and her entourage of ice artisans and pastry patsies will disappear like that.” He snapped his fingers.
Declan’s frown darkened. “Okay, not the problem. Care to clue me in, Professor?”
“Jennifer.”
Trick moved closer, worry instantly gnawing at him. “What about her?”
“She said no.”
Trick leaned heavily against the wall, unable to conceal his surprise. “You did it today?” Without me? “You actually asked her the day before her brother’s wedding? Been sniffing one too many orange blossoms, Professor?”