“Never, baby.”
“Never say never.” Trick wasn’t going to last. He started a new rhythm meant to drive all of them up to the edge of the cliff and over.
“Trick.” Jen cried out and Declan swore beneath them, finding his release as Trick’s thrusts jarred his body. Then Jen joined him with their names on her lips and Trick followed less than a raspy groan later. He couldn’t think of anything clever to say, couldn’t do anything but survive his body exploding apart and slamming back together.
Afterward they all collapsed on the library rug, Jen between them with her hands curled and trembling on their chests. “Where the hell did that come from?” she breathed drunkenly.
“Weddings make me horny?” Trick offered in a lazy tone, enjoying the sound of Declan’s laughter.
“Weddings make you run for the hills as a rule,” Declan responded.
“Not anymore. And it’s all Jen’s fault.”
“How is it my fault?”
“It’s always sex, sex, wedding, sex with these Finns. It’s a wonder they have time to stop for food breaks or paying the bills.”
Jen huffed out a laugh. “Owen and Jeremy are managing to resist the urge.”
Trick snorted. “I doubt it. It was a shitty plan in the first place, but who is actually enforcing it? I’m having a hard time believing those two didn’t find a way to sneak into each other’s pants last night. They’re worse than we are.”
“Oh, I think we could win that competition if we tried,” Declan said, his satisfied tone making Trick’s dick stir again.
Jen laughed at them both and whacked Trick playfully. “They didn’t sneak anywhere. Tasha made sure of it. And you’re the bad influence, Tristan Dunham. There I was, having a good pout and you walked right in, ripped off my clothes and had your way with the two of us. Shameful.” She bit her lip. “I love you for that. Both of you. I really hate fighting.”
Declan pushed himself onto his elbow and Trick saw the vulnerability in his eyes. “We love you too, Jen. I…” He shook his head. “I don’t want to fight with you. I apologize for upsetting you and the way I asked you. But not for asking. I can’t be sorry for wanting that with you.”
Jen lifted her hand to caress his shadowed jawline while Trick stroked her hip tenderly. “It was a surprise, that’s all. Especially knowing you’d been discussing it without me. For future reference, that’s another one of those conversations I should be in the room for.”
“Agreed,” Trick said immediately. “The next time Declan works up the nerve to ask you—in say, a week or so—we’ll talk about it together over dinner. Or in bed when you’re tied up and can’t get away.”
She shook her head and pushed herself up into a sitting position, covering her breasts. “We don’t need to talk about it over dinner. I don’t want to get married. Not now.”
“Oh.” Trick felt the same pain he could hear in Declan’s simple word.
Jen sighed. “It’s not because of either of you. Not directly. I was engaged for years, you know that.”
“To the wrong man,” Trick couldn’t help but point out.
“The entirely wrong man,” she agreed instantly. “I picked out invitations and auditioned bands and I didn’t look up long enough to notice how wrong he was for me. Helping out for Owen and Jeremy has been fun, but it also brought up a lot of memories. Made me think about my future. Our future.”
Shit. Conversations that started like this rarely ended well. “And you decided we were perfect and we all lived happily ever after in bed?”
She grinned down at him, lowering her arms as her shoulders relaxed. “And now I have two men, both entirely right for me. Both necessary for my happiness.”
“But you don’t want to marry us?” Declan asked quietly.
Jen turned into Declan’s neck and nuzzled. “I do. That’s the problem. I honestly can’t imagine only marrying one of you, but I’m not an idiot. I know I can’t marry you both. Not legally. Owen and Jeremy’s wedding is important. Because they love each other. Because within my lifetime it wasn’t legal. Because Jeremy belongs to my family and we should have that down on paper somewhere. But for us? It’s only paper, Professor. And you know better than most that in other cultures we wouldn’t need it to make a true and lasting commitment to each other. We’ve already done that. We belong to each other, in every way that counts. What we have is what matters.”
“She’s clever,” Trick said to Declan with a smile. “And using your own class notes against you too. I warned you Finns were stubborn.”
But Declan was still frowning. “What about children? Later, of course,” he added hastily. “I know you still have your graduate studies.”
Her smile was a siren’s call. “What about them? I’m a healthy baby-making machine, according to my doctor. As soon as I stop taking the pill, of course. Tasha made me go just in case.” She licked her lips and looked at both of them in turn. “When we have children in the not too distant future, I hope they’re as smart as both of you, and a little less trouble than I was. Smart enough not to care whether or not their parents have a piece of paper that says they’re married.”