14
Dane rode bitch on the couch that had seemed plenty roomy when it had been only him and Walker lounging on it.All of a sudden, now that he was plunked right in between Joy and his best friend, it suddenly seemed like he didn’t have enough room to breathe, let alone get comfortable.
Sitting this close to them, his thighs touching each of them, he felt torn apart.
He loved Joy.
Always had.And after tasting her the other day he felt guiltier than ever about how desperately he wanted her.Worse, his feelings for Walker hadn’t changed either.If he didn’t have the guy in his life, never mind his bed, it would be worse than never riding a motorcycle again.
It would fundamentally change who he was.
So what the hell was he going to do?
Something had to give.Being stuck in the middle had already changed him.For example, he hadn’t told Walker what went down during the test drive of Joy’s bike.
If he told Walker about what had happened in the woods, about how he’d let his guard down and put Joy at risk, he knew he’d get the beating he deserved.That was the Wildfire way and they hadn’t entirely grown out of those bad habits, had they?
That was the entire problem.They’d been making progress…
Yet it seemed like Walker had taken some enormous steps backward from his mindset on New Year’s Eve.He’d definitely not said another peep about pursuing a committed relationship together, despite the perfect opportunity that had presented itself.
Could it be that despite everything he said, Walker still wished he could have Joy, and have her to himself?
Dane looked from Joy to Walker and back.Neither of them had come clean about it, but he could tell something had happened between them, too.He tried to snuff out the jealousy rearing its ugly head but couldn’t do it.Not this time.
He’d ignored the attraction between those two when they’d been kids and he hadn’t known how to handle it.But now…
He might let Walker fuck him, but that didn’t mean he’d allow the guy to walk all over him or decide what was best for the three of them when his choices were obviously making everyone miserable.
In full view of Walker, he laid his hand possessively on Joy’s thigh.She didn’t retreat, not that there was a lot of room to scooch over since she was already plastered to the arm of the couch.The stare she leveled at him was almost a dare.One he planned to accept.It would kill him to do otherwise.
“What are you doing?”she asked quietly.
“Being stupid again, probably.”He swallowed hard.“But it’s driving me crazy to be this close to you without doing something about it.”
Dane hoped Walker realized that he’d meant both of them when he saidyou.
Joy still didn’t get up and run away.
So he turned his upper body to the side and lifted his hands to frame either side of her face.Her eyes were warm and soft as they flicked downward, her gaze landing on his open mouth.At least this time, if they got carried away, Walker would be there to watch their backs.The guy always did.
With that weight lifted off Dane’s shoulders, he leaned in and slanted his mouth over Joy’s.
She parted her lips, letting him in like she always had.One taste and he was a goner.He never could get enough of her.The mint of her toothpaste, her heat and softness.The sound of her breathing growing ragged.It was appealing to all of his senses.
Walker’s too, apparently.“Yeah, that’s it.Fucking kiss her, Dane.Show her how much you missed her.Did you tell her that you were coming to get her if she hadn’t found us first?”
“Wait…” Joy broke them apart, using her palms on his chest for leverage.“What?You were?”
Dane could hardly think, but he nodded and groaned.“Yes.”
She whipped her gaze to Walker then, but the other man was saved from answering her unspoken questions, because right then the baby wailed.
Walker stood up so fast the entire couch rocked onto two legs then landed with a thud that shook the floor.Arden, who’d been napping in Dane’s old room—now home to Joy and Arden—screamed louder.
“I’ve got her,” Walker said, and before Joy or Dane could object, he was stumbling toward the other room.
Dane and Joy sat face to face, breathing hard for long enough that Walker’s deep, soothing croons worked on them nearly as well as Arden.Except, when he’d settled the baby and emerged from the bedroom, he didn’t look like he planned to return to his spot.