Blown Down Em Petrova The only thing third-generation logger Abe Gardner wants more than to enjoy Chapel Caldwell—in the kitchen, on the porch, in the shower, even in bed—is to marry her. When he invites greenhorn Levi Black to share his bungalow, Abe never expects to bring him into their bed. After a seven-year stint in prison for assault, Levi wants nothing more than to outrun his past. In Abe’s and Chapel’s loving arms he finds solace…until the family that fought to convict him unexpectedly shows up. Torn between his new makeshift family and his ghosts, he struggles to stay true to himself while Abe and Chapel race to meet a critical deadline and foster Levi’s love.
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Blown Down ISBN 9781419936975 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Blown Down Copyright © 2011 Em Petrova Edited by Jillian Bell Cover art by Syneca Models: Lisa, Angelo, Nick Photography: Syneca and Willo Electronic book publication November 2011 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.
BLOWN DOWN Em Petrova
Blown Down
Chapter One A breeze cut through the open windows of the Blue Jay Forestry office and ruffled Chapel Caldwell’s hair. Her too-long bangs fluttered into her eyes and she scraped them away with annoyance. “It’s forty-five degrees, Daddy. Do you really think it’s warm enough to open the windows?” She planted a hand on her hip and gazed at her father. Jay Caldwell rocked back in his desk chair and anchored his ankle on his opposite knee. The piercing blue eyes he was known for sliced right through her. Automatically she folded her arms over her chest and locked her knees against the torrent of criticism that was sure to spew from his mouth. “It’s April, Chapel girl. Spring is in the air. Smell it?” She drew a deep gulp of the pine-scented breeze blasting through the windows. Shooting a glance outside, she watched the enormous old-growth treetops lash back and forth. “Yeah, it’s spring all right. Freezing and windy.” “Doesn’t seem to keep you inside.” Oh, here it comes. She started to pivot away, but he yanked on her pocket, bringing her around with a cry of surprise. “What the—?” Her father’s words choked off. From his fingertips dangled the slutred silk panties she’d wadded up and shoved into her back pocket after crawling out of Abe’s bed. A mortified blush scorched her cheeks and caused a dew of perspiration to break out on her hairline. Again, the breeze blew her bangs into her eyes. She wished she could hide behind them as if they were draperies. She’d rather take on a hundred-foot pine with a dull axe in the stiff April wind than face her daddy with her panties dangling from his finger. He dropped them abruptly and launched to his steel-toed boots. “What the hell, Chapel? Now I know why you didn’t come home last night!” Defiance lifted in her instantly—just as it had since the age of five when he’d told her she couldn’t shimmy up a tree trunk as fast as their prized employee, Reardon. In a flash, she’d kicked off her sandals, hitched her cotton sundress between her knees and hurled herself up that tree, scraping the shit out of her inner thighs in the process. Last night, she’d experienced a different kind of roughness on her inner thighs, in the form of Abe Gardner. A tingle of passion slid into her belly and continued lower to her sex.
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“I’m twenty-eight years old, Daddy. I don’t have a curfew.” In fact, she’d never had a curfew. After her mother passed away, leaving her father to raise her, he’d pretty much depended on her to raise herself. She thought she’d done a pretty damn good job of it. “No, you don’t have to be in the house by nightfall, but you’re old enough to start thinking about settling down.” He glanced at the offensive piece of silk fabric on the hardwood office floor and shook his head. “Those panties bringing in the right kind of man, Chapel?” A great scream rose up in her throat and she squelched it. Her daddy knew how to push her buttons, but she wasn’t going to let him today. “What kind of man is that?” He thudded his heel on the floor. “One who can take over this business after I’m gone.” “Oh, for the love of the pope, what am I?” “You’re a single woman who cannot manage a staff of eighty hard-headed logging men. They’d take advantage of you faster than you could shed that scrap of…” He waved a hand at the panties. “Well, you know. The men that work for me need a firm hand.” “I can run this business blindfolded.” Setting her foot down inches from his, she came nose-to-nose with him. Staring at him this close, she saw the stubbornness she possessed in the strong set of his jaw and drawn brows. “You could run the business wearing those too, eh?” He gestured toward the red panties. A guttural groan burst from her chest. She whirled toward the door. Fuck, the man drove her wild. Why hadn’t she taken that scholarship at Washington State University all those years ago and escaped this madness? As she ripped open the heavy door, the wind blasted her full in the face. If she couldn’t have twenty states between her and her father, she could at least find a few acres of Pennsylvania woods to do the job. “Hey, Chapel!” She glanced over her shoulder in time to see her red panties arcing off her father’s boot. They flew across the space and landed a foot before her on the short sidewalk. “Christ, Daddy. You don’t let up, do you?” With that, she scooped up her panties and stalked toward the house. At her back, he yelled, “You’d better not be sleeping with Abe! You know how I feel about him.” The door slammed. The windows rattled in their frames. She folded her fingers into fists and released her scream into the air. The noise was caught on the icy wind, lifting it up and away. Screaming might relieve some of the fury choking off all rational thought, but it didn’t make her father’s words disappear. Increasing her pace, she ran across the yard between their home office and the main house, her heels sinking into the thawing turf. In one conversation, her dad had 6
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managed to reveal that not only did he think her incapable of running the family logging company, but he felt her choice of men and how she spent her spare time were seedy. If she could have torn the front door off the early nineteenth century farmhouse, she would have. Her anger had gone from slow simmer to boil in thirty seconds. Inside the house, she was greeted by their family dog, Riley. The dear old yellow lab limped toward her, wagging his tail despite his arthritis. He nudged her hand and she stroked his graying muzzle. “He’s done it again, Riley. Why do we put up with him?” The answer was simple. She loved this place. The farm and the business were part of her blood as surely as they belonged to her dad. And deep down, she knew her father would crumple without her. He was a hard man and unreasonable at times, but he loved her. Since her mother’s tragic car accident on a slippery bend over twenty years ago, they’d had only each other. Too bad at this moment she wanted to bash him over the head with the nearest stick of firewood. The house was warm and comforting. She stripped off her wet boots and the down vest she’d worn home from Abe’s house, and shoved her panties deep into her pocket again. She closed the door between the main living area and the mud porch to keep the drafts down. Riley was right on her heels, his old paws pattering on the worn plank floor. In the living room, she curled up in her favorite armchair in front of the fireplace. The coals were still warm but the flames had died down. Riley collapsed at her feet and took advantage of the heat for his thirteen-year-old bones. For a long minute, Chapel stared at the glowing coals in the hearth. As her anger ebbed away, thoughts of Abe and their night together filtered into her mind and stirred her body instantly. After a cozy dinner in, he’d stretched her beneath all brawny seventy-three inches of his body and blown her mind by telling her how much he loved her. That this wasn’t just a fling to him—he seriously wanted her for his own. And his hands were pretty damn persuasive too. Those calloused fingertips had worked over her sensitive flesh in ways she’d never dreamed possible…tracing the lines of her body with perfect execution and prodding her nipples until she thought she’d come merely from the torment. Her skin prickled at the memory of his velvet tongue on her mounds, the V of her ribs and lower, dipping into her moist folds. A shiver that had nothing to do with the draft seeping through the nearby window ran through her. She curled her fingers into the sleeves of her sweater. The feel of Abe’s short, dark hair under her hands was still fresh in her mind. She could taste him on her lower lip. She ran her tongue over it now.
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Riley looked up at her from his crossed paws. She rubbed her foot over his broad back. “What am I going to do, boy? Daddy won’t hand over any major responsibilities of Blue Jay Forestry because he thinks I need a husband to run it. And he hates the only man I’d choose.”
***** Abe let his chainsaw stall out as his site manager picked his way through the maze of fallen trees with a man at his side. Resting the heavy saw against his upper thigh, he nudged his hard hat back, watching them come. Sweat dripped down his nape. It snaked under the neck of his t-shirt and raised a chill. “Abe.” Reardon nodded in greeting. “Mornin’. This must be our greenhorn.” Abe met the newcomer’s gaze. Powerful physique, bright, quick eyes, hard hat and boots. Already he seemed as if he was a good candidate for the job of bucker. Judging from his alert gaze and the fact that he wore the right kinds of protective clothing, the guy was smart enough to listen to direction. And his strength would come into play when cutting a hundred logs into manageable lengths each day. “This is Levi Black. He’s new to the area and ready to work.” Abe extended a hand to Levi, which the other man took firmly. “Hey.” Levi’s voice was unexpectedly deep. “You test him yet, boss?” Abe released Levi’s hand and nudged his hat back again. Reardon spat a stream of tobacco juice onto the leaf mold. “Yeah. He’s quick. You’ll like this one.” The corner of Levi’s mouth twisted in a smile of obvious satisfaction. “Let’s hope. I’m tired of breaking in these greenhorns, and then they bug out in a month because the work’s too tough for them.” “It’s not too tough for me.” From the determined set of Levi’s jaw, Abe believed it. With a jerk of his head, he gestured toward his truck a few hundred yards away. “Grab a saw from the back of the truck and let’s get to work.” “Yes sir.” Abe grinned and backhanded a trickle of sweat before it stung his eye. “Not sir. Abe is good.” For a brief moment, Levi met his gaze. He read a lot in that look—this guy was grateful for a chance to prove himself. Abe had worked with a lot of different types in his years in the logging industry. He could confidently size up a man. Levi gave a short nod before loping off through the clearing toward the truck. Abe and Reardon watched him go. 8
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“Train him up. I have a good feeling about this one.” “Yeah, that feeling is contagious.” “Good to hear that. I trust your judgment. Now get to work. We’re burning daylight.” “Yes sir.” Abe poked a forefinger into each of his ears, securely positioning his hearing protection. He fired up his saw and assessed the wedge he’d cut partway into the thick oak. The top of the tree was broad, with one heavy branch on the right, which meant the weight of the branch would guide the old tree right into the clear spot he’d made for it. Quickly he scanned the area to ensure no person was standing in the tree’s path, then set his blade into the wedge and sliced through the wood as if it were butter. He set his teeth into his lip, his biceps quaking from the saw’s vibrations. The tree gave a great crack and leaned to the right. That’s it, baby. Shoot the gap. As the sawdust flew, the familiar excitement of harvesting a tree gripped him. He loved the thrill this job gave him, and he reveled in every sore muscle at the end of the day. The aches and stiffness meant he’d put in an honest day’s labor, and he was proud of that. Besides, Chapel could always soothe him. At the thought of his little beauty, a dark heat captured his core. Last night she’d been wild in bed. And when she woke up. And in the shower… The tree plummeted in a slow arc, gaining speed as it went, striking the earth with a bone-jarring crash. A figure clad in the Blue Jay Forestry yellow t-shirt darted by him. Abe watched in amazement as Levi fired up the saw and tore into the felled log. He made short work of cutting it into lengths that would be easy for the trucks to haul out to the mills. Levi seemed to work in a frenzy, slicing through the wood as fast as he could. He anchored a boot on the trunk and shoved the piece he’d cut to make sure it had been sliced completely. Damn, this guy was a worker. While watching Levi, Abe allowed his mind to wander. He longed for the lunch hour, when Chapel would sway onto the job site decked out in tight jeans, work boots and a down vest. He loved seeing her dressed that way because only he knew the curves that lived beneath those masculine garments. She often arrived bearing a small lunch cooler packed with all his favorites. Besides being a sexy vixen, she was one hell of a cook. Good thing he worked off all the spare calories he consumed, because otherwise she could definitely put some fat on him. When Levi was finished, he switched off the saw and looked to Abe for approval. “Nice work, man. You’re quick, but you don’t need to kill yourself. A nice, easy pace will do for me.” “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. It just felt so good to get out here, you know?” 9
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Abe nodded. Yeah, he understood the calm of the woods, and the stress that could be eased by logging. Stress like how to bail himself out of a socking amount of debt so he could ask Chapel to marry him. Also, the stress of knowing her father would buck at the idea. He and Mr. Caldwell weren’t exactly bosom friends. “Where are you from?” Abe asked Levi. He twisted away, kicking the wet leaves. “Oh, here and there. I lived in the West most of my life.” “So that’s where you learned the business. Well, you’re good. Where are you staying?” Levi’s shoulders hunched and his head dropped low. “Ahhh, you know. Town.” Alarms sounded in Abe’s mind. “Town?” They were an hour from the nearest town where a guy could rent an apartment or get a hotel room. “Do you have relatives here?” “No.” He studied the thin set of Levi’s lips. He was lying. Without a doubt. “You’re staying in your vehicle, aren’t you?” Levi’s head jerked up and his gaze bored into Abe’s. “How the hell do you know?” Abe gave a huff of a sigh. “You just told me. Look, I understand you’re new to the area, and probably a little down on your luck.” Levi started to protest, but Abe held up a palm to quiet him. “No, no, it’s none of my business. Let me say that I’ve been in your shoes. I know what desperation looks like. So let’s cut the shit, and I’ll invite you to crash at my place.” “What? I can’t—” “You can. You stick around, you’ll get a paycheck in three weeks. At that time, you can pay me rent if it makes you feel better. In the meantime, I can’t have a worker sleeping in his car.” Levi shook his head in wonder. He threaded his fingers through the hair at his temple. “Wow, man. Thanks.” Abe clapped him on the back. “We’ll see if you’re thanking me after we fell all these hardwoods marked with the Blue Jay stamp.” He waved a hand at the miles of forest bearing the light-blue painted medallion indicating which trees to cut. Levi grinned and a bracket appeared around his mouth. “I’m ready.” “Then let’s roll.” Abe whipped around toward the next eighty-footer and set his blade against the bark. Satisfaction oozed up inside him at the thought that he’d helped a guy out. He prided himself on being a good judge of character, and had no doubt he and Levi would get along as housemates. Maybe by sharing expenses, Abe would be able to dig himself out of the trench of debt he’d fallen into after his personal logging business had 10
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failed. He hadn’t expected to lose his shirt, but that was the nature of the industry. What he did know was, he sure as hell didn’t want to start a life with Chapel while he was sunk thousands of dollars in debt. But he did want a life with her. The need to secure her was strong. Primal. And his determination more stalwart than the oldest growth trees in Pennsylvania. “Take a lunch,” Abe said a couple of hours later. Levi set his saw on the ground and pulled off his hard hat. Damn, he’d forgotten how hot these things could be. Maybe he really needed to cut his hair. Everything in him recoiled at this idea. After having it forcibly shorn off, he’d do anything to keep it shoulder length. He didn’t consider himself a vain man, but he was keeping his hair. He ran a hand through it. The cool April air touched his scalp and he sighed at the blissful sensation. Everything about being out here again—working hard and being free—made his blood hum. The freedom was the most important. He stooped and hefted the saw again, then took off toward Abe’s truck. His stomach was an animal trying to claw its way out. Too bad he had a half-mile walk to his own beat-up pickup truck to get to a measly peanut butter sandwich and a wrinkled apple. He laid the saw in the back of Abe’s truck and set about tuning it up and oiling the chain so it would be primed for an afternoon’s work. The sound of tires on mud drew his attention. He looked up as a blue Jeep trundled to a stop on the logging road. Abe came across the clearing at a half run, leaping logs and brush in order to reach the glorious woman who stepped out. Who the hell could blame him? Levi’s breath caught. He leaned heavily against the side of the truck. His body reacted instantly—heart tripping out of control and heat climbing the walls of his core. A warm brown tendril of hair blew across her face and she brushed it away to reveal a smile. A smile brighter than any ray of light he’d seen, even on the day he’d been released from prison. Abe caught her up against him, pulling the petite woman on to tiptoe and crushing his mouth to hers in a tongue-swirling kiss that sent Levi’s blood pounding in his veins. For a long moment he stood frozen, unable to tear his gaze from the lovers. The woman gripped Abe’s face to draw him closer, angling her head to receive his kisses more deeply. A shudder of need racked Levi’s frame. Damn, how would it feel to be with a woman like that? Hell, to be with any woman? He hadn’t laid a finger, tongue or other body part on a woman in seven long years besides one woman in a bar on the drive to 11
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Pennsylvania. She’d been soft and willing, and he’d been hungry for a female’s touch. But she was simply physical release and he knew it. Fortunately he’d avoided linking up with other men in prison. It wasn’t his thing. Abe splayed his fingers across the small of her back, locking her hips to his. Levi ripped his gaze away as his cock throbbed to life. Though he was suddenly far from hungry, he twisted away and started down the road to retrieve his lunch. “Hey, Levi, wait up, man!” He stopped walking but didn’t turn. Don’t do this to me, Abe. I can’t stand before that angel, look her in the eyes and pretend I don’t want to bend her over the truck bed. Slowly he walked back to where the couple stood with their arms around each other and grinning. “Chapel, this is our new team player, Levi Black.” Levi let his gaze lift to hers. A strange thread of longing wove through the hardened part of his heart, unlocking feelings he thought long ago dead. The last thing you need is to hope a woman would want you. Especially not a tender one like this. Chapel. Did he call her Chapel? “Nice to meet you.” She stuck out her hand and he stared at it for a moment, warring with the idea that he’d somehow taint her by touching her delicate skin. The wind freshened, bringing the sweet notes of her vanilla perfume to him. Taking her hand, he looked into her face, trying not to be horribly jealous that her full lips were swollen from Abe’s kisses. Her chocolate-brown eyes met his and held. A puff of air burst from her. Her lips fell open. His heart stuttered as a spike of electricity hit it. Did she feel that spark in her soul too? He gave her hand a quick squeeze and released it before he could do anything like yank her into his arms and bury his face in the fragrant locks of her hair. “I brought lunch. Will you join us? There’s enough.” “No, thanks, I’ve got a sandwich at the truck.” He jerked a thumb toward the road. Abe’s smile revealed no trace of worry over Levi’s reaction to his woman. Levi breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was a tense working relationship, especially since Abe had offered to let him stay at his place. The thought of sleeping with his neck cricked against his truck door for one more night made him balk. “C’mon, man, you can’t miss out on a taste of Chapel’s cooking. She’s exquisite.” Yeah, she’s that. “Please share with us, Levi. It’s fried chicken.” She pitched her voice as if questioning him. And the sound of his name falling from her lips blew his mind. Reluctantly, he nodded.
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Better control yourself. Abe doesn’t look like the kind of guy to put up with someone ogling his girl. With a grin that set her eyes aglow, she spun toward the Jeep and retrieved a small cooler from behind the seat. Abe took if from her, brushing a hand over the crest of her cheekbone as he did. “We’ll picnic in the back of the truck.” Levi expected her to wrinkle her nose at the suggestion she sit amongst grimy chainsaws, but she took off at once. He watched her round little ass in form-fitting jeans twitch away. The way she placed her feet so carefully mesmerized him. Abe seemed to read his mind. “She grew up out here. She knows more about logging than all of us put together.” Surprise flitted through Levi’s mind. “How’s that?” Creases formed around Abe’s eyes as he smiled. “She’s the owner’s daughter.” She hitched herself into a sitting position on the tailgate and waited for them to catch up to her. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders, gleaming almost red in the sun. Like whiskey. Abe set the cooler beside her and braced his thighs on either side of hers, hugging her one-handedly while popping open the cooler. Delicious scents of chicken wafted out, making Levi’s stomach cramp. Chapel peeked around Abe’s big body and shot Levi a smile. “Help yourself. There’s chicken and warm biscuits. And hot coffee in a thermos in the bottom.” Damn, when was the last time he’d had food like that? Seven years ago, before you were locked up. He shook himself. It was bad enough he felt inadequate, but did he have to experience every low feeling right now? With his new boss and one of the most gorgeous women on earth looking on? He tried to smooth his features. Abe pulled away from Chapel and dug into the cooler. He withdrew a foil packet and cracked it open, releasing a puff of heavenly steam into the air. Chapel distributed napkins and Levi accepted a drumstick and a hot, buttery biscuit. As he tore into the food, he found her gaze on him. He swallowed hard and met her eyes, too aware of the swell of her ripe breasts peeking from the V of her partially unzipped vest. His thoughts ran rampant. “So, Levi, tell me about yourself. When did you start?” “Today.” Her almond-shaped eyes widened, drawing his attention to her thick fringe of lashes. Her face was utterly devoid of makeup, yet her cheeks and lips appeared to be naturally rosy and, dear God, she had a spattering of freckles across the bridge of her upturned nose.
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He gulped the scalding coffee Abe handed him and scorched the fuck out of his throat. Struggling not to cough and choke, he managed to swallow the brew, but his eyes watered. “Today… You are green. How’d he do, Abe?” The way her sweet lips twisted up at the corner told him she was teasing. He was half in love with her already. Get a grip, Black. You’re reacting strongly to the sweetest female you’ve been in contact with since Bush was in office. Besides, she was taken. “He did great. Haven’t seen energy like his…well, ever. He’s going to do fabulously.” She held her smile and stared directly into Levi’s eyes. A heartbeat ebbed between them. Suddenly his burning mouth was no longer an issue because his burning need had taken over. His cock swelled against the fly of his jeans, the head throbbing painfully. A pink blush climbed her throat and captured her high cheekbones. She dropped her gaze. “Daddy will be happy to hear this crew is well-manned.” Abe let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Your father hates me.” “Maybe, but he always thinks with the business side of his brain before the father half speaks up.” “Ah, yes. Well, we’re hitting our quota and we’re on time. Two things he’ll appreciate. What are you doing tonight?” Levi leaned his back against the fender and stared off at the cut-down. He felt as if he was an intruder on their private time. He focused on the evergreens that were left standing. They were select-cutting this patch of land, allowing the smaller trees to grow to maturity. The scents of freshly cut wood and sap were in the air. He drew a deep gulping breath of it and relished the fact that he didn’t smell crowded prison cells and disinfectant…and worse. He finished his drumstick and tossed the bone into the brush. Why was he thinking about prison now when he was thousands of miles from it? He’d come to Pennsylvania to start anew and dammit, he would. “Well, my beautiful lady, I thank you kindly for the lunch. Levi and I better get back on the job or your daddy will have another reason to dislike me.” She didn’t argue her father’s cause, simply jumped off the tailgate and went onto tiptoe to kiss Abe fully on the mouth. Levi ground his teeth against the thought that she’d taste like chicken and her personal feminine musk. How he longed to know that. As soon as he was on his feet and in a better frame of mind, he hoped to find someone to call his own. As he watched Abe tuck Chapel into the Jeep and lean through the window for one last lingering kiss, he couldn’t help but hope it happened soon. 14
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Chapter Two Chapel stabbed the phone’s “off” button with the tip of an oval nail and sat back in her spinny desk chair. Her breath rasped in and out. Too fast. Had she really just taken that call? The one that would forever change the way Blue Jay Forestry did business? She twisted her fingers into her hair and stared at her father’s empty chair for a stunned minute. Every cell in her body urged her to get up and race to find him. He needed to know that one of the largest logging operations in the country was contracting them. If Blue Jay proved they could handle a job of this magnitude, they’d be guaranteed more contracts with KeerSaw. Daddy would be ecstatic. This would set them up in a big way—give them financial stability and rank them among the top in their industry. Thanks to her knowledge, she’d proven Blue Jay was capable. She’d negotiated the contract without a lick of assistance and KeerSaw had agreed to her terms at once. The documents would be overnighted from Washington and in her hands tomorrow afternoon. When she thought of her father’s reaction, her heart soared. On the other hand, would he believe she’d nailed this big-time contract on her own without screwing it up badly? Immediate doubt threaded through her. She hadn’t forgotten to relay an important bit of information or ignored a clause, but her father wouldn’t believe that. Maybe I won’t tell him. As this thought filtered into her mind, she knew it was a good idea. In fact it might be the best course of action to postpone revealing the news. She could almost hear him as he’d been yesterday, telling her the teams wouldn’t listen to her because of her sex. She knew he was wrong. She spent a lot of time in the field and the men respected her. Thinking of their workers conjured images of her hunky man. She hadn’t seen Abe in two days and her body felt the loss. Tendrils of need wrapped around her limbs and buried deep in her core, adding an ache of desire. They’d made plans together tonight, and when she finally got him alone… She sank her teeth into her lower lip. Yeah, Abe was in trouble. He simply couldn’t put off a woman in love for two days without dire consequences. Part of the reason she’d stayed away was the new greenhorn, Levi Black. She’d been surprised to learn Abe’d offered his couch to the new guy. Visions of her first meeting with that rugged bit of man meat spiraled through her head. Between Abe’s tall, thickly muscled body and Levi’s brooding bad-boy appearance, she found herself in a bad state of need. Of course she shouldn’t think of the new guy this way but it was impossible to deny her physical reaction to him.
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Fresh cream flooded her panties and her nipples bunched up tight. Upon meeting Levi, she had rolled her tongue back into her mouth and managed to hold a civilized conversation with him. After all, she wasn’t going after him—every throb of her heart had Abe’s name attached to it. But there was no way to avoid looking. He was just that hot. Muscles that could only come from good genetics and hard labor rippled over his body, from his broad shoulders to the hard bulges of his calves above his work boots. His solemn expression and overgrown hair lent him an air of danger, but the pained spark in his eyes told her that he’d been hurt. That glint tugged at her heartstrings. Abe was every bit as gorgeous as Levi, though more clean-cut. His dark-brown eyes didn’t have green specks like Levi’s, but their depths spoke to her soul. His rugged features and full mouth drove her insane. But his heart of gold did more for her than his head-turning looks or his roped muscles. The phone trilled and she jerked from her musings. She snapped it up and answered in her business voice, not the voice Abe brought out of her in bed—the voice he called her “vixen voice”. A shiver ran through her and she checked it as her father’s words funneled into her ear. “Get your ass down here—” “Daddy, what’s wrong?” “Trapped. Now hurry, Chapel girl, I’m caught in a bad way!” Adrenaline hit her. Her heart flipped, tripped and sped out of control. Her fingers tingled and she leapt to her feet, sending the chair gliding across the floor. It crashed into a file cabinet but she ignored it. “Where are you?” She snatched up the handheld radio that would put her in immediate contact with a dozen men in the forests who could possibly reach him before she or medical personnel arrived. Her father’s voice came to her, thin and reedy. “Half mile up…the clear-cut at Abernathy Spring. You know where I’m at, darlin’?” She choked on the endearment he rarely used. God, what if she lost him? He was right—she wasn’t ready to take over Blue Jay and, as always, there was so much left unsaid between them. “I know. I’m getting help right now. Stay on the phone with me.” She held the phone away and practically screamed into the radio, “Jay’s in trouble. Any man near Abernathy Springs step on the gas! Half mile up the clear-cut.” Instantly, male voices flooded the room, responding to her plea. Her bones turned to water and she leaned heavily against the thick wooden desk. Her hand shook as she brought the phone back to her ear. “They’re coming, Dad.”
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His breathing was labored. She envisioned the worst—a fallen tree across his broken body, pinning him to the earth. “All right. I’m not going anywhere.” The office door burst open and a flash of plaid appeared in the doorway. She looked up and was faced with a broad male chest and pecs straining against a Blue Jay Forestry t-shirt. She let her gaze travel farther north to find the new guy attached to that body. Levi. He knuckled a lock of warm brown hair from his eyes and gave her a stare that riveted her leather boots to the floor. “Where’s he at? I got the call, but missed the details.” “What are you doing here?” Her question seemed to confuse him. He shook his head. “Abe sent me to the garage after a wrench and some bolts. I heard the call on the radio in there and ran up as fast as I could. What’s going on?” The urgency in his voice ripped through the fine shreds of her self-control. She burst into tears. In two clomping steps, he was with her, a muscled arm weaving around her waist and bringing with it the scents she loved in Abe—pine and sawdust and clean, hardworking male. “An accident.” Suddenly, she realized her father was still on the phone. She jerked it up to her ear again. “Dad, you there?” “Yeah, honey, I can hear the four-wheelers coming.” “Sit tight, I’m on my way too.” She switched off the phone, tossed it to the desk and turned to Levi. “Drive me.” He gave a hard nod and swept her out the door. Together they ran to Abe’s truck. He tore open the passenger door for her and lifted her in. She landed on the leather seat with a bounce and twisted to watch him jump behind the wheel. “You think he’s okay?” Levi’s face was grim. “I don’t know. I don’t know what happened.” “Me either! Oh God.” She buried her face in her hands and wished more than anything Abe was at her side. But having Levi there was the next best thing. Though he and Abe had only worked together for a couple of days, she already thought of them as friends. Abe never would have invited Levi to share his home if he didn’t trust and genuinely like him. And Abe never judged a person wrong. Levi’s knuckles whitened on the gearshift as he slammed the truck into reverse, roaring out of the driveway and down the gravel road leading to Abernathy Springs. “Sweetheart, I’m sure he’ll be okay. There are men with him now. Hold tight. The fact that he called was a good sign.” She raised her face and peered at him through the wet spikes of her lashes. “You think?” 17
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“Yeah.” His jaw muscle fluttered. What did that tick mean? He was lying? He shot her a glance and a hum of awareness lifted in her body at his nearness. Everything about him, from the tense lines of his forearms to his steel-toed boots to the way his green plaid shirt clung to his bulging shoulders drew her in. So much like Abe, and yet with a twist. Levi was harder, edgier. His blazing hazel eyes and the firm set of his lips spoke of hidden pain. With a catch in her chest, she realized he was staring at her. Dear God, there were olive-green starbursts around the centers of his eyes. Focus, Chapel. The last thing you need right now are green starbursts, even if they are intriguing. “I don’t know what happened to Dad. He just called and said he was trapped.” She swallowed against the tears that threatened to choke her again. “He went up to the top of the spring to check on the rigging.” Levi made a low sound in his throat. “What?” she asked, panic rising. “I don’t like the sound of that. Rigging can be tricky. Why was he alone?” Because he’s a hardheaded ass. Actually, no employee of Blue Jay thought anything of the boss working alone. He had forty-five years of experience under his belt. Who would question his decision to go without backup? Abe would. And now Levi. Chapel folded her fingers into fists to keep them from shaking and jiggled on the edge of her seat. “You’re new to the area. Do you know where you’re going?” “Not exactly.” She pointed to a logging road he should take. “Two hundred yards up this road, you’ll see another veering to the left. Take that.” He shot her a glance from the corner of one smoldering eye. “You grew up here?” “Of course. I’ve never been anywhere else, besides a few road trips to places like Niagara Falls when I was a kid. Daddy and I only travel to the next job site.” Too late she realized the way her words sounded—slightly bitter. She hurried to rectify it. “Not that I wanted to travel really. Foreign countries don’t interest me, and I think you can see I’m not a city girl.” She stared at her high leather boots with the rubbery soles that were good for walking in rough terrain and snow and were a barrier between the gross things men did in the woods. She stole a look at Levi, focusing on his lower lip where he’d keep a chew of tobacco. Seeing he didn’t have one only added to his allure. Again he gazed at her sidelong. The truck bumped along. “The turn’s right there.”
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“Ah.” He whipped the big truck onto the rutted, soggy road. Ahead, they spotted a four-wheeler racing toward the top of the hill. Her heart flew into her throat. “Ohh, I don’t like this.” His big hand came down on her thigh, warm and heavy and comforting. His fingers were long and masculine, the nails square and slightly grimy from his work. So much like Abe’s. Yet the way his pinky spread along her inner thigh ignited her in brand-new ways. “It will be all right, Chapel.” His gritty tone worked into her psyche and she was able to regain a bit of precious control. The last thing she wanted to do was blub again. He braked as they came into a small clearing where half a dozen vehicles and a smattering of ATVs were haphazardly parked. A knot of men gathered to the side. In a heartbeat, she’d jumped from the truck and was sprinting toward them. She shoved a couple of men apart to get into the thick of it. “Dad!” He lay on the ground, white as a February snow. His dark eyes bore into hers. The haze of pain she saw there almost made her cry out. Dropping to her knees, she gingerly laid her hand over his. “What happened?” “Rigging tore loose and when it swung, it brought down a branch.” She spied the thick piece of wood that had battered her father. Obviously he’d become trapped beneath it. One of the men had cut the log in two. The fresh tang of sawdust burned her nose. “Medics on the way. They said about ten minutes,” a heavy-equipment operator informed her. “Hold on, Dad. Are you in pain?” “Hell, yes, I am,” he grunted, as ornery as he’d ever been. She released a huffing sigh and rocked back on her heels. If he was telling people off, he’d be fine. “I want some water. Who has a thermos?” Her father’s gaze swept the faces hovering above him. Levi stepped into the circle. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said as one man offered his drink. Chapel’s gaze flew to Levi’s. His face was tight and expressionless in a way she’d never seen from him before. For a split second, she felt her heartstrings tug, drawn toward this mysterious man and some pain he obviously carried. “If there’s internal bleeding, he shouldn’t drink. I hear the ambulance now.” With that, he gained his feet and exited the group of male bodies. “He’s right, Dad. They’re coming.” She stroked her father’s fingers, thinking of Levi’s words. Internal bleeding. It was possible. Probable, in fact. Out here, fallen limbs killed.
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What if she lost her only family member? With no siblings or extended family to speak of, she would be on her own. She and her father rarely saw eye-to-eye but they loved each other. Tears bulged against the roots of her lashes again and she held her eyes wide, struggling to keep them from falling. She thought of the thousands of times he’d held her hand as they walked through the woods, having special talks about trees and animals. And on an exceptional occasion, he’d talk about her mother. His “dove” he called her. White-skinned and gentle. Chapel’s tears slid over the rims of her eyes and splashed down her cheeks. “Oh, none of that, Chapel girl. No little stick of wood is going to put me in the ground.” She sniffed. “I know.” At that moment, the ambulance rolled into the lot. She heard feet hit the ground and start toward the gathering around Jay. The men fell back to give the EMTs room. Her senses reeled as she watched them assess her father and then prepare him to be moved. The loud calls over their radios and the sharp yips of the ambulance tore at her. Suddenly, it was too much. She was crying—really sobbing. Levi’s scent encompassed her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her to her feet, turning her away from her father. Drawing from his strength, she allowed him to guide her off. He was every bit as virile as Abe and at that moment, she longed for someone to steady her. “He’ll be okay, darlin’. They’ll give him the best care.” “If he dies I’ll be alone,” she blurted. He stopped walking, gently gripping her upper arms and pivoting her to look at him. She tilted her face to his and their gazes connected. His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he stared down at her. Something dark passed behind his eyes that she didn’t understand, but seeing it made a warm spot blossom in her heart. “You’ll never be alone, sweetheart.” “What if I was?” He shook his head and a lock of hair tumbled into one eye. Her fingers twitched and she shoved them deep in her jeans pockets to keep from brushing his hair back. Her head spun. No, no, this wasn’t what she wanted. Abe was her love. But her body yearned toward Levi. “You won’t be alone. You have friends here. You have Abe.” His voice broke on Abe’s name. “Besides, being alone isn’t so bad.” “How do you know?” she asked, already knowing the answer from the look on his face. His jaw clenched and released. “Because I’m alone.”
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***** Dammit, I should have been there! Abe slammed through the main hospital doors and strode toward the waiting room where he knew Chapel would be. Why had he sent Levi after the wrench and bolts? If he’d gone himself, he would have been there for his woman when the call came from her father. Hell, Abe would have been in the office with her, having bypassed the search for the tools. He spotted her beautifully mussed hair and launched himself into the waiting room. Several of Jay’s friends from the company were huddled around her, and Levi was at her side. Abe’s heart slammed the wall of his rib cage as if it were a wrecking ball. He jammed a hand through his hair. “Chapel.” She leapt to her feet and was in his embrace in a flash, her tender body molding perfectly to his. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, lifting her onto tiptoe. “Oh baby, I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” She shook her head against his chest and some of her hair caught in the zipper of his jacket. “You couldn’t have done anything.” He pushed her back gently to see her. The sweet oval of her face was ravaged by tears, red and blotchy, and her eyes puffy. He made a sound in his chest and pulled her close again, one hand cradling the back of her head. “He’s in surgery?” “Yes, his spleen was ruptured and on the way to the hospital, one of his ribs punctured a lung. They aren’t sure what else is going on inside his stubborn old body.” She gave a full-body shiver. Abe dropped his lips to the crest of her cheek and caught a tear. Extreme protectiveness welled inside him. He’d always known she was a sensitive and caring woman, but now that he saw it firsthand, he wanted nothing more than to build a fortress around her so nothing harmful could ever seep in. Levi appeared beside them. Abe placed a hand on his new friend’s shoulder. “Thanks for driving her.” “Of course. I’m going to take off.” “You heard the operations are down for the day, right?” Levi nodded. His gaze flickered down to Chapel. She withdrew from Abe’s hold to catch Levi’s arm before he turned to leave. “Hey.” Her throat produced a rough whisper. He swung back around and fixed her in a stare that told Abe this man was also far from immune to Chapel’s vulnerabilities. “You’re not alone either,” she said. He swallowed hard and his throat clicked. After a long minute, Levi nodded and then turned to leave again.
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Abe reeled Chapel back against his chest and she buried her face against his coat with a little tremor. He watched Levi lope off toward the exit, wondering what the hell that exchange was. He wasn’t alone either? Hell, she wasn’t alone. Never would be, as far as Abe was concerned. He guided her to a chair and pulled her onto his lap. She curled around him instantly and he relaxed a bit. No need to get alpha, Abe. She’s still yours. But a feeling niggled in the back of his mind that a bond had been forged between Chapel and Levi during her time of despair. Abe didn’t know how he felt about that. On one hand, he was eternally grateful that Levi had been there to drive her to the site of the accident, and then to the hospital. On the flip side…well, he didn’t know what his emotions were on that front. He tucked her against him securely and listened to her breathing grow slow and even. Life could change in a blink. What if that had been Chapel up there with her father on the ridge when the rigging let loose? What if it had been him? Damn, his primal instinct was to secure her with all haste—go against her father’s wishes and forget about the mountain of debt he didn’t want to start their lives with. Just elope. Smoothing a palm down her spine, he knew he couldn’t do that. His logical mind told him he wasn’t going to lose her. But his heart recalled the look exchanged between her and Levi and suddenly he wasn’t so sure. “Family of Jay Caldwell,” a nurse called from the doorway. Chapel jerked in his arms and jumped up. “Here.” She scrubbed her hands over her tear-wet face. Abe watched her spine steel as she probably expected devastating news. “Your father is out of surgery. He’s all patched up and is being moved now. The doctors believe he’ll make a full recovery.”
***** Levi twisted the faucet and let the steaming water pour into the shower. He didn’t really need the hot water to soothe any aching muscles. After seven years in the pen, he was accustomed to physical labor. In fact, he needed cold water. An afternoon with Chapel in his arms was almost too much to bear. His balls were drawn up tight to his body and his cock throbbed with need. Damn, she was a desirable woman. And her tears had touched him deeper than he’d thought possible. Quickly, he peeled off his outer shirt. His new Blue Jay Forestry t-shirt and jeans followed. It felt good to work for his benefit, rather than the State of Washington’s. For a moment, he stared down at the Blue Jay logo and wondered how the hell he’d gotten himself into the logging business again. After everything he’d endured from the family who owned KeerSaw, he thought he had better sense. But no, the instant his feet crossed the prison gates, he’d headed east to Pennsylvania, where he could take up logging again. It was the only thing he knew. He wished he knew more about women.
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Enclosed in the shower with the warm water drenching his sweat-grimed body, he couldn’t help but picture Chapel with him. Damn, the curve of her hips maddened him. Every ounce of his self-control had been employed to keep from sinking his fingers into the round flesh of her hips and dragging her against him. Man, you’ve got it bad. You had to pick the one woman that’s attached. He soaped up his palms and scrubbed his body, reveling in the privacy of this shower and his own new bottle of body wash. The few clothes he had were secondhand. When he was released from prison, he’d hit the bank and emptied his measly account. Most of the cash was spent on his truck, a very modest amount went toward clothes and the rest was holed away in a sock. He hoped to have enough to rent an apartment of his own soon. He appreciated Abe’s kindness, but this bungalow was tiny. Levi had to sleep on the couch and his personal items were kept in a trunk in the corner. That didn’t bother him much. However it was only a matter of time before Chapel spent the night. His cock swelled against his lower abs. White-hot need raged in his core. Fuck, he wanted her—her steady gaze locked on him, her luscious lips crushed to his. If he was honest, he wanted so much more. The sweet thought of coming home to a delicate woman and a home-cooked meal. Sharing his thoughts and his life. His past. He clamped his hand around his shaft and rolled the thick head through his fingers. A groan escaped him. Fire licked his insides as he pumped his cock. Visions of Chapel flitted through his head. The sway of her soft hair against her shoulders, the way her fingers tightened on the cloth of his shirt, clinging as if he grounded her. As if he was important. Gripping his rod, he imagined taking a woman like her to bed, stripping her slowly and sinking into her lush body. He ground his molars against his need. A dark pressure told him when he came, it was going to be huge. His slick hair hung in his eyes as he two-fisted his cock. Tendrils of need captured him. Again, he pictured her—sweet lips and upturned nose. Every inch of her was delicious. Fuck, she was the hottest woman he’d ever laid eyes on, and he wanted to plunge his cock into her hot little pussy. With a primal grunt, he ruptured. Spurts of come pumped over his knuckles again and again as he soared at the pinnacle of his release. He continued to massage his shaft from root to tip, drawing every last drop from it. As the wave ebbed away, he leaned heavily against the shower wall. The blood rushed to his head and gave him a sudden dizzying headache and an enormous wallop of guilt. Crushing on Chapel was wrong. She was more than off-limits. Not only was she his boss and roommate’s woman, she was on a higher plane than Levi. A real princess, who
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deserved to be worshipped and handed the world on a silver tray. She deserved better than an ex-prisoner with a hand in a murder. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t kill Bryan Keer. The assault charge and the jury said you were involved. Pain and longing rose up in him, stronger than ever before. He hated his past and he’d never be able to run from it. If he planned to have a relationship with any woman—not Chapel of course—he’d need to come clean. Quickly, Levi finished his shower and toweled off. Thoughts of Chapel returned instantly. He couldn’t keep from reliving the moment when the doctor had informed her that her father was being taken to emergency surgery. She’d completely crumpled and he’d been there to catch her, to support her endearing weight and dry her tears. Another thread of need wove its way through his groin. Damn, he wasn’t going to live through seeing her often. He had to get his own place as soon as possible. If he didn’t, he feared Chapel would break him, wriggle into his self-control, and he’d do something rash. Like scoop her into his embrace, twist her long, chestnut hair in his fist and kiss the breath from her. He dressed in a clean pair of jeans and ran his fingers through his wet hair, then went into the living room. His stomach growled and he realized he’d missed lunch. Fleetingly, he wondered if Chapel had eaten. Not your problem. Abe will care for her. As he yanked open the refrigerator door and perused the contents he’d just pitched in to buy, he knew no matter how many times he reminded himself that Chapel was not his, his body said otherwise. His brain screamed that there was something between them—a link. And his heart silently wept because he’d never be good enough.
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Chapter Three Chapel dropped the pen to the desk with a frustrated groan. Two days of handling the business and running back and forth to the hospital were wearing on her. She needed Abe. At that moment, she was tempted to jump into her Jeep and surprise him when he came home from work. Then she remembered Levi was there too. But she didn’t want Abe for that reason. Well, not right this moment. Her story would change the moment she set eyes on his broad shoulders and the twist of his smile—the smile that said he wanted to fuck her on the counter, and in the shower and on the front porch while the stars smoldered in the velvet sky. “Screw it.” She switched on the answering machine, shut down the computer and grabbed her keys off the hook near the door. Whether Levi was there or not, she needed Abe’s comfort. Outside, the air was warmer and the ground was veiled with fog. The overcast sky did nothing to cheer her, and neither did the ringing of her cell phone. Without looking, she knew it was her dad. Since he’d come out of recovery, he’d been more ornery than ever and called her at all hours of the day to tell her how to run Blue Jay Forestry. With a sigh she brought it to her ear. “Hi, Dad.” “Mornin’, girl. I forgot to tell you about that bid coming in with Harris Trees today.” “I got it, Dad. All taken care of.” “Did you remember to copy all items and—” “Got it, Dad.” It was impossible to keep the irritation out of her voice. Even from his sickbed he was directing her every move. As if she didn’t know how to run a bid on the property they owned. She’d been drawing up paperwork for the other area companies to log off bits of their personal property since she was twelve. “Oh, okay. Are you stopping by again? I could use a better toothbrush. These hospital ones are not good.” “No, I’m not coming. I’ll see you tomorrow, and I’ll have a new toothbrush in hand.” “Where are you headed? I hear the engine starting.” She backed out of the drive and toward the main road leading to Abe’s place. She was silent for a long minute, pondering how best to answer her father. It was none of his business where she spent her time, and revealing she was going to Abe’s was like waving a red flag before a bull.
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“I’m going out.” “Where?” “A friend’s.” “The friend who likes those red under-drawers I saw in your back pocket the other day?” “Daddy!” “Well, you’d better take care, Chapel. You’ll wind up pregnant to some logger bum.” A scream swelled on her tongue and she bit it off. Through clenched teeth she said, “You’re a logger bum and Mom wanted you. Besides, I’m not going to get pregnant. I’m an adult and know about contraception.” “If you’re sleeping with Abe, so help me—” “What? What would you do? Fire him? Disown me? He’s the best faller you’ve ever had and I’m the only daughter you’ll ever have. Please, Daddy, let me run my life the way I want. I’ve gotta go. I’ll bring the toothbrush in the morning.” Without waiting for a reply, she ended the call. The phone rested on her palm like a grenade. That familiar angry quake in her belly rose up and threatened to make her pull over and hit something. She took a deep breath, then another, but it did nothing to dispel the irritation she felt. Finally, she tossed her phone to the passenger seat and jammed her boot onto the gas pedal. Roaring through the countryside should make her feel better. She considered taking several back roads. Maneuvering the twists and turns at high speeds sounded like a perfect way to release frustration. But the back roads weren’t a direct path to Abe. And she needed him. As she drove, she pondered her relationship with her sweet man. From breakfast in bed to the small forest flowers he often gathered for her while on the job, he was by far the most thoughtful lover she’d ever had. He was caring and loving, and devoted to her enjoyment in bed, which was more than she could say for her past boyfriends. And damn, he could pleasure her. He spent hours working her over with kisses and well-placed licks with his velvety tongue before diving between her legs and lapping her pussy. She squirmed in her seat at the memory and lay on the gas harder. Dark heat spiraled through her body out of control. It had been days since she and Abe had made love, and she missed him with an ache that told her just how deeply in love with him she was. Ten minutes until bliss. By the time his little bungalow came into view, her pussy was throbbing. Abe’s big red truck was parked beside an older, rusted pickup with a tailgate that didn’t match the body paint.
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What was Levi’s story? New to Pennsylvania, but from where? Sure, she’d processed his paperwork to be able to give him a paycheck, but he hadn’t given a work history or a past employer. In fact, most of the application was blank. But in this business, it wasn’t uncommon. Some of the loggers had little education and simply skipped questions to avoid the painstaking process of answering. No one cared about Levi’s background. It only mattered whether or not he could wield a saw safely and effectively. Before she could get out of her vehicle, Abe was there, throwing her door open and lifting her off the seat into his arms. As he wrapped her close to his body, she inhaled his spicy, woodsy scent and let her worries and annoyance with her father wash away. When she was in Abe’s hold, she was all his. The sound of the screen door banging brought Abe’s head up. Chapel leaned away in time to catch his broad grin. “Don’t eat all the steak, Levi. We’ve got a woman to feed.” As he said this, she caught a mouth-watering whiff of steaks on the grill. Abe caught her hand and towed her into the house. Glancing around, she saw at once that Levi had installed his belongings in the tiny living room. He trailed in behind them, bringing his scent to her—musk and delicious man. To hide her confusion, she spun into Abe’s arms. With a growl, he plucked her off her feet and bore her to the kitchen with her legs dangling inches from the floor and her body plastered to his hard length. A giggle escaped her. Abe carried her into the sunny yellow kitchen and set her on the counter—their counter. The place where he’d pressed her until the edge bit into her side and had kissed her for the first time. The place he’d later begun their lovemaking. She gripped his face in both hands and drew him to her mouth. Kissing him was like drawing breath for the first time—she never fully came alive until he possessed her. His mouth was warm and rough as he fed her a passionate, tongue-dueling kiss. He exerted pressure on her chin and she opened to accept him deeper, her head awhirl with his flavors. He splayed his hands across her lower back and drew her closer. She wrapped her legs around his hips and held him tight. His heat seeped through her jeans. Her pussy clenched hard and released a flood of cream. Oh, how had she lived without this the past few days? She needed him—he was an essential part of her daily existence that she never wanted to give up. In the other room she detected the low notes of the television. The nightly news sounded but she drowned out talk of the weather and arrests and only knew the faint moans coming from her mouth and Abe’s answering growls. He sank his fingers into her hips, kneading the hollows until she thought she’d die from the torment. When he ran his hands up her torso to cup her breasts, she went wild. Angling her head to deepen their kiss, she reached for his fly.
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Suddenly she heard a step on the tile floor and remembered they weren’t alone. Abe didn’t release her mouth, but she opened her eyes and met Levi’s smoldering gaze. A spark of electricity shot between them and she swallowed a gasp. For one throbbing minute, she was locked to him even as she was pinned beneath Abe’s demanding mouth. A ripple of pain crossed Levi’s features, and then he twisted his gaze from hers and slunk from the kitchen. Abe lifted her off the counter, wrapped her thighs snugly around his waist and carried her back to his bedroom. He kicked the door shut with his heel and fell to the big bed with her. Slipping his hands beneath her ass, he drew her up and against the bulge in the front of his jeans. She released a needy moan and surged upward to nip his lower lip. Her heart thrummed with passion for Abe. But she’d be lying if she didn’t recognize that electrical vibration she’d shared with Levi still ran through her body like 110 volts. What was going on with her? Abe flicked his tongue over her upper lip and she swirled hers against his, devouring his musky male flavor. Her breasts ached and her pussy throbbed with need. As if sensing this, he cupped her breasts in his palms and lightly kneaded them. A shudder tore through him. “Damn, I love your breasts, Chapel. I’m going to kiss and lick and suck them until you’re begging me to take you.” She watched through hooded eyes as he peeled away her outer layer and her top hit the floor with a whisper. She slipped her hands under the hem of his thermal shirt, skimming the ridged muscles. Heat clawed at her insides, demanding release. She ground her pussy against his steely erection. He stripped off her bra and abandoned it. Then, with exquisite slowness, he circled her nipples with a forefinger. She squeezed her eyes shut at the blissful sensation. He pinched them slow and hard, just the way she liked, before sucking them. When his mouth descended, she forgot to breathe. She raked her fingers through his hair. He brought his cock against the V of her legs again and again, the thick head nudging her needy clit until she thought she’d come. Wetness pooled in her panties. “Please, Abe.” He released her nipple with a soft pop. His dark gaze burned into hers. “Please what, baby?” The gritty tone of his voice sent her pulse racing out of control. “Please.” She twisted her hands into the sheets as he took up her other nipple, sucking it onto his tongue. “Fuck me.” Her bold words ripped a groan from him. In one swift move, he unzipped her jeans and drew them down her hips. She reached for his fly too and released his cock from the restraint of low-slung jeans and boxers.
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“Oh God, baby, you can’t do that,” he said through clenched jaw as she lightly ran her fingertip through the soft depression and gathered a drop of pre-come. Holding his gaze, she brought her finger to her lips and lapped off the cream. “Fuck!” In a flurry he tore off her jeans and silk panties. His clothes were removed with all haste. He hovered over her nude form with a condom in place. She drank in everything about him—from the expression in his eyes to the chiseled contours of his chest and biceps. The head of his cock nuzzled her slick folds. She gripped his ass and tried to force him to join them. “I’m out of my head here, Abe. Take me!” With one swift thrust, he sank balls-deep. She cried out as his thick shaft split her sensitive tissues. White-hot need coiled in her belly and her pussy pulsed around him, begging him to move. He brought his lips a breath from hers. “Tell me what you feel for me, Chapel. You want me but you never say the words.” She gulped. In her life she’d rarely expressed love for people. After her mother died, she’d held her emotions in check. Though she and her father loved each other, he was a crusty man. She could count on one hand the number of times he’d told her that he loved her. In fact, she could probably count on two or three fingers. She stared into Abe’s eyes, aware of every gold fleck. “Tell me, Chapel.” “You know how I feel about you, Abe.” “No, I don’t. You’ve never told me.” She hated that he was right. “You’re my life.” His eyelids fluttered and his jaw worked, but he continued to stare at her expectantly. “The words.” “I can’t imagine being without you.” He swooped in and brushed his lips over hers. Before she could follow him, he moved away. Leaving her hungry for him. She rocked her hips against his swollen shaft. “You can’t say it.” Why was she hesitating? She adored this man. She’d admitted to herself more than once how deep the vein of her love ran. What was the problem with saying three little words that would give him endless happiness? She wrapped her arms around him and bit the bullet. “I love you, Abe. My life. My world. Now take me, please.” He made a sound deep in his chest and began to move. Each thrust stroked her wet walls and ratcheted up her need another notch. Her sex flooded with juices and she moaned as waves of ecstasy washed over her.
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The bed made a slight squeaking noise and suddenly the TV was cranked up. Too late she realized part of her mind was fixed on Levi, wondering what he was doing in the other room and if he could hear them. Well, of course he can hear you. Abe reached between their bodies and stroked her hidden pearl once. Twice. Pulling back the hood and grinding the hard core into her body as he plunged deep into her pussy. In a blinding burst, she splintered. Her world narrowed to a single point, and in that minute, she poured all her love into a kiss. Her moans filled his mouth as she twirled her tongue with his. “That’s it, baby, come on my cock. Go on. Give me all that cream.” Her pussy pulsated again and again. He slowed his thrusts and then grasped her calves. He drew her legs up until they were in front of him. Holding her ankles in one hand, he drew them upward even higher before him, keeping them tight together so her sex was a tight sheath. “Oh, fuck, that’s good. Damn, baby, you’re so wet.” Her nerves pinged as he pumped into her over and over. “More,” she gasped. His mouth twisted into such perfection, her breath caught. He was a cross between a celebrity hunk and the bad boy every mom warned their daughters about. And he was hers. All hers. In the other room, a chair screeched across the floor and the TV silenced. The banging screen door heralded Levi’s exit. Abe positioned himself on his knees and ground his cock so far it felt as if he was against her womb. Her nipples pinched hard at the sensation. Again, he slid his thumb over her slick nubbin, sending fire straight to her sex. She cried out as her world crumbled. Explosions of pleasure shook her to the core of her being. With a throaty growl, Abe stiffened. And emptied his hot come into the condom. Each spurt heated her. She gripped the sheets and rode her crashing orgasm to the last contraction. He released her ankles and collapsed against her with a grunt. She opened her mouth against his shoulder, bulky from hours of wielding a heavy saw. Her heart rejoiced with the fact that she had this amazing man in her life. As her senses returned, she opened her eyes and caught his far-off expression. When he realized she was staring at him, he rearranged his features. His gaze softened and he chafed his beard scruff deliciously over her cheek. “Stay the night with me. I can’t sleep without you in my arms.” She considered his request. At least this time when she came home with her panties in her back pocket, her dad wouldn’t be there to confront her. Then again, she’d have to run through the living room to reach the bathroom with Levi on the sofa. Whoever had
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designed this house definitely hadn’t taken into consideration a woman’s needs. Let alone a girlfriend who didn’t have a proper nightgown here. She shifted. “I don’t know, Abe.” He tightened his grip on her, holding her prisoner. “Say yes. I want you with me.” “But Levi—” “What about him? He doesn’t care, and if he does, that’s his problem. This is my house.” “I know, but I don’t want to make him feel uncomfortable.” A slow smile tipped the corner of his mouth. “You mean when you trip through the house bare-assed to the bathroom?” A scorching blush climbed her face. “That sums it up.” He gave a short laugh and planted a moist kiss on her lips. “I’ll give you a long shirt, baby. See? Easy.” He stroked her hair off her forehead. The thought of sleeping in his arms was so enticing. She slept like the dead when he was near. Letting him guard her dreams always felt right. She ran a hand down his spine. “All right, I’ll stay. But I need that shirt. And don’t be surprised if Daddy calls in the middle of the night.” He rolled off her, disposed of the condom, and flipped onto one hip to examine her closely. “Why? Is everything okay?” “Yes, everything is. He’s back to his usual controlling self. Even a near-death experience couldn’t keep him down.” She mentally shook herself. Sometimes when she talked to Abe about her father, she felt as if she were betraying her only family. Yet she needed to vent and Abe understood. “Never mind,” she said. “He’s recovering. Tomorrow I’ll take him a few items and get to work on my new contract.” He perked up with interest. “Something new came in?” She leaned on an elbow and traced the hard planes of his face with her gaze. “You can’t tell.” “Who would I tell?” She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Okay, I’ll tell you. I’ve been working on a brand new contract with KeerSaw.” “KeerSaw!” “Shh,” she cautioned with a mind to Levi. “Daddy doesn’t know and I’m working this alone. I got all the details smoothed out. Abe, it’s big.” His dark brow arched. “Yeah?” “Real big. I’m excited to negotiate this on my own because it will finally prove to Daddy that I know what I’m doing. I want to take on more of the responsibilities.” He studied her for a long minute with admiration clear in his gaze. “I’m proud of you, Chapel. You’ve got it all together. Blue Jay couldn’t operate without you.” 31
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She dropped her gaze and toyed with the edge of the sheet. “That’s not what my dad thinks.” Abe sighed and pulled her into his embrace. His chest was warm and comforting beneath her nose. She inhaled deeply. “Your dad knows, baby. Don’t let him get you worked up. We all need you. But no one as much as me.” He claimed her mouth once more in a long, sucking kiss. She let him draw her atop him and position her over his hardening cock once more. Thoughts of her father fled. She forgot about the KeerSaw deal and the fact that she was hiding the entire thing from her dad. But as she heard Levi slam the front door again, she couldn’t block the fact that the intriguing man was back in the house.
***** Shocks of exertion ran up Abe’s forearms and into his shoulders as he sliced through the tough tree bark. Falling was a game of precision, and he was good at it. Some said he was the best in his field, and he took much pride in that distinction. He’d come from a long line of loggers in his family—his father and uncles had each taken him into the woods at a young age and taught him most of the skills he still applied today. He cut halfway into the tree and then gingerly pulled the blade free. Sweat poured down his face and neck, raising an itch in him. He glanced up at the clearing, where Levi stood off to the side waiting for the tree to crash down so he could run up and cut it into smaller logs. Levi gestured toward the place the tree would hit and Abe nodded with a grin. As he lifted the saw to the cut once more, he considered his new housemate. In the few days Levi had stayed with him, he’d firmly implanted himself. Whether he was grilling steaks or stocking their fridge, he had definitely proved he wasn’t going to sit back and enjoy a free ride. This morning after he saw Chapel to her Jeep, Abe had even noticed a dead bush he’d started to dig up half a year ago had been successfully removed and the ground smoothly raked. Sawdust sprayed around his hands and the thick wedge he’d cut in the tree dropped to the ground. The tree shifted in the slight breeze, angled toward the exact area Abe planned for it to fall. After this, he only had half a dozen or so more trees to cut and the job would be done. This was good, because from what Chapel told him, he’d be dropping logs for KeerSaw as fast as he could to meet their deadline. If they liked Blue Jay’s work, they’d contract more with them and that meant security for her. He scanned the woods again to ensure no one was in the vicinity when he made the final cut that would send the old oak thundering to the earth. What he saw made his heart jerk. Levi was off to the side, talking to Chapel. They leaned casually against her Jeep.
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Abe wasn’t surprised he hadn’t heard her engine between his hearing protection and the saw, but he was shocked by the body language Levi and Chapel displayed. They leaned toward each other, standing a bit too close to be mere friends though they’d met only a few days ago. And Chapel was doing that thing with her hair— twisting the end between her fingers and thumb as she talked. A popping sound alerted Abe to the fact that his tree was about to fall, and he couldn’t possibly cross the clearing to them with a half-tilted tree. “Fuck.” Tearing his gaze from them, he hoisted the saw, set the blade in the cut and ripped it through the remainder of the trunk like a hot knife in butter. It fell slowly, arcing beautifully, the branches rustling as it ripped through the air. It struck with a crash and he looked up in time to see Chapel and Levi’s heads jerk up at the sound. As if no one existed but them. A hot coal settled in Abe’s gut as he shut off his saw and set it down. Heading toward them, he was a little disconcerted that Chapel didn’t step away from Levi. It was as if she didn’t realize she stood too close to him. Hell, if the kid took one step, his body would be up against hers. Abe’s stomach clenched and a strange trickle of warmth ran through him. As this unfamiliar heat hit him, his step faltered. What the fuck was that about? Chapel’s bright gaze centered on him and a radiant smile stretched her luscious lips. Lips she’d been biting. Abe tore off his hard hat and rubbed the short hairs on his scalp. He’d never seen her chew her lips except in his presence. When he was about to kiss her. Or enter her. “What’s going on?” He stopped before them and looked from one face to another, aware of the moisture on Chapel’s lower lip and a fleeting look of guilt crossing Levi’s face. Levi backed up a step. Chapel wrapped her arms around Abe and snuggled against him. He instantly relaxed at the touch of her warm flesh against his. You’re imagining things, man. She’s yours. He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. When he straightened, he glimpsed a flash of Levi’s eyes before the man twisted away. Or maybe not imagining things. Abe stared at his housemate for a long minute, assessing everything about him in a way he hadn’t before. Yeah, he was built, with thick muscles and broad shoulders. He looked dangerous as hell too, with two days’ worth of growth on his jaw. That morning he’d refused Abe’s offer to give him a new razor, saying he’d grab one next time he headed into town.
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How many times had Chapel told him she adored his scruffy shadow? One time she’d begged him to apply it to her inner thighs before he went down on her. “What are you doing here?” he asked. She blinked at the roughness in his voice. “Just came by to say hi. I’ve just been to the hospital to see Daddy. That’s what Levi and I were talking about.” Suddenly Abe felt like a cad. Here she was discussing her father’s health and Abe was acting like a jealous lover. He searched her chocolaty eyes and saw a hint of sadness. His protective side reared up, knowing she had probably just battled her father and most likely taken a slash to the thin fabric of her self-esteem. Abe had no idea why her father treated her this way, but he often did. Chapel was kind, intelligent and talented. But Jay never told her that. Though she made Jay’s life smooth and comfortable, he didn’t express gratitude. When she recently won the state fiddle championship in her class, he’d simply said, “Good thing I gave you all those lessons.” Nothing she did seemed good enough for that man. Which was part of why Abe was burning to take her away. He vowed to treat her the way she deserved. But first he had to get his debt under control. “How is your father?” She laughed. “Mean. Giving the nurses a hard time. They’d dressed him in an orange gown, kind of like a prisoner would wear.” Levi made a sharp gesture and took another two steps away from the group. “What does that mean?” Abe asked. “That he’s argumentative. The nurses can’t take his blood pressure without him pitching a fit. He questions everything the doctors are doing and says an ice-cold beer and his recliner are all he needs to recuperate.” Abe couldn’t help but smile at that. He could almost hear the old man’s words. Despite his problem with his treatment of his only daughter, Jay was a solid guy. The men liked him and respected his knowledge. And there were times when he slipped and a tender expression crossed his face for Chapel. Those times Abe actually liked him. “Glad to hear he’s doing better,” Levi muttered. “I’m going to get back to work.” He turned and loped off through the clearing to where his saw still sat. Chapel watched him go, a gentle look gracing her features as if she were daydreaming. You’re trying to put something there between them when there isn’t. Was he? She shook herself and focused fully on Abe. When she shot him the special smile he adored, his heart soared. He pulled her into his arms and dropped his lips to hers, capturing them in one demanding bite.
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She melted against him—soft limbs and softer mouth. The crush of her breasts made his balls draw up tight and his cock harden. Last night he’d loved her long into the night, giving her orgasm after orgasm with his tongue and fingers and cock. And she’d given him a blowjob that had almost wiped his mind clean. Dark desire barreled through his body at the memories, and he’d be lying if his need wasn’t tinted with an urge to mark her somehow as his own. A primal sensation as old as man drove him. He gripped her face and tilted it up, running his rough jaw over her throat and downward to redden the pale flesh between her breasts. Her small, squeaking gasps inflamed him. He shoved her against the side of the Jeep and ground his cock against the space between her legs. “Abe, you’ve got work to do.” “That’s right, baby.” He nipped her earlobe with his teeth, sending a shiver through her. “You’re my work. I’m going to splay you out for everyone to see.” His words took him by surprise. He’d never experienced a compulsion to have sex in public. Then again, they were miles out in the middle of nowhere. The majority of the operation was going on down the road where the crane was busy loading trucks. Levi would be the only person to see them. Chapel caught his face in her hands and forced his head away from the top of her breasts, which he was spattering with wet kisses. Her gaze was blazing. “You know I want you. Always. But this isn’t the time. Levi’s right there.” His cock strained against his jeans, demanding release. At that moment, he didn’t give a damn if Levi was standing a foot away. He wanted to sink into her wet pussy. Now. He angled his body so he protected her from Levi’s sight, nudged her thighs apart with his and cupped her mound through her jeans. She issued a hissing breath against his throat and then sank her teeth lightly into his flesh. Her entire body strained toward him. He stroked her warm heat through the layers of clothing, his body singing at the thought of stripping her and taking her now. “Let me fuck you,” he growled against her ear. She shivered. “Abe… Later, when we get home.” “I can’t wait. I want to feel you wrapped around my cock.” Her voice was weak. “Can you wait until lunch? We can take the truck up one of the back roads.” He popped the button of her jeans and eased down the zipper. Swishing his fingers over the lace of her panties made his cock as hard as ancient oak. Her scents were rising to him—feminine musk and crisp body wash. His mouth watered to go down between her thighs and taste her pussy. She gasped when he plunged two fingers into her soaking slit. A groan filled his chest as he discovered how badly she wanted him. “I want to bend you over the hood of this Jeep and drive into your core.” 35
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She clung to him, grinding her hips rhythmically into his hand. “Can’t. Levi…” The saw roared to life, which meant Levi was tackling the tree Abe had just felled. “He’s busy.” “Oh God, Abe.” He prodded her clit with a forefinger. Juices slicked the nubbin. “Don’t tell me you don’t want me deep inside you.” He sank two fingers into her tight sheath. She stiffened and cried out. “I do, oh, I do. But I don’t feel right about being in the open. We’re not alone.” She wrapped her fingers around his forearm and tried to pull his hand away from her sensitive folds even as her body rose and fell on his thrusting fingers. He understood the passions warring in her, and also her hesitation. “Okay, I won’t throw you over the Jeep and fuck your brains out. But I’m going to finish what I started here.” He dragged his fingers over her clit again, ripping a moan from her. Fresh cream flooded his hand. Gathering it, he circled her straining pearl, moving around the perimeter but not touching the needy center. She pushed her hips into him, seeking more. Swooping in, he claimed her mouth and swallowed her cries. He split her lips with his tongue and drove deep into her delicious cavern, tasting the moist inner walls as his finger explored the depths of her dripping pussy. He felt the telltale quiver deep in her pussy that meant she was on the edge of release. In a split second she’d gone from resisting to wild. Each muscular flip of her tongue against his fed his desires—desires he could hold on to and savor the ache in order to give her what she wanted. With two fingers buried in her honey hole, he applied his thumb against her swollen clit. One stroke, two…and she splintered. She quivered, strung out on the ropes of bliss as he fingered her pulsating pussy and ravaged her luscious mouth. As she jerked against his hand, he slowed his attentions, aware of her hypersensitive state. She sagged against him. He lifted his head and looked around the clearing, following the sound of Levi’s saw. Through his haze of need, he realized Levi was standing stock still, his saw in hand, staring at him and Chapel. A bolt of triumph speared Abe’s chest, followed by a quickening in his lower belly that he couldn’t explain. Levi gave him a sharp nod, then turned away and attacked the thick log with violent fervor. Abe twisted back to stare into Chapel’s warm brown eyes. He took in her wide pupils and the gold flecks surrounding them. He removed his hand from her pants and fastened them again.
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“You get on back to the office, and I’ll meet you after I’m finished here. We have some unfinished business.” He took her hand and pressed it over his erection. The corner of her mouth tilted up. “All right, lover. Be safe.” On wobbly legs, she climbed back into the Jeep and started to drive away from the clearing. And she threw a wave at Levi on the way out.
***** Sweat trickled down Levi’s throat and spine, soaking his t-shirt. Though it was April, the heat oppressed him. A heat that had little to do with the weather and everything to do with that goddamn peep show he’d just received. Anger pooled in his chest and he fought the urge to roar his frustrations to the treetops. Why the hell would Abe pull that? Kissing Chapel in front of him was enough public display of affection in his book. But slipping his hand into the front of her sexy jeans and fingering her pussy? Christ, Levi thought he’d go mad with the memory. His shaft ached in its denim prison. His mind spun from trying to figure out if Abe often took care of his woman’s needs in plain view of other people, but Levi’s body was centered. Focused on one woman and the bow of her curves beneath Abe’s hand. Damn, to mold her to his body and take a turn pleasuring her would be mind-blowing. Levi stared at the muddy footprints around Chapel’s Jeep tracks, instantly picking out the place where she’d stood with Abe. How the hell was he supposed to handle this? Last night Levi had walked in on them making out in the kitchen and that had been bad enough. Then he’d heard the squeaking bedsprings and known they were going at it. When she’d come out of the bedroom wearing only Abe’s long white t-shirt, Levi had thought he’d come in his jeans. He had to find different living arrangements and fast. If he didn’t, he risked Abe discovering how attracted he was to Chapel Caldwell. Not just attracted. Smitten. Enthralled. He needed to get a grip. Jonesing for his boss’s woman was bad news. He didn’t need to make any enemies here. It was bad enough everyone in his hometown thought of him as a criminal. Second degree felony assault and a kid dead. No matter that Bryan Keer was a druggie—huffing anything he got his hands on. When Bryan had started acting violent, shoving around Levi’s friends and threatening the single girl in their group, Levi had given him a shove. A shove that proved fatal. Levi slung a forearm over his eyes and shielded his face from Abe’s view. Torment rose up inside him along with the sickening feeling he’d experienced at the moment he realized Bryan Keer wasn’t breathing. Gray-skinned. Growing cold. Not all your fault, man. You know he was sucking on that bottle of nitrous oxide all afternoon.
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Knowing the kid was toked up on funny gas didn’t make him feel better about it. He’d done his time because he’d shoved Bryan Keer and he’d never gotten up again. During the autopsy, the gas Bryan had huffed was no longer present in his body, and there was nothing to prove except the fact that Levi pushed him. His lawyer’s arguments in court had gotten him nowhere. Words empty as the wind are best left unsaid, he thought, quoting the Homer he’d read again and again during his seven years behind bars. This was all too much. He had to get the hell out of here and clear his head. He’d thought he’d find no better place to soothe his tortured soul than the backwoods of Pennsylvania. Working amongst nature had seemed like the best balm. Little did he know the woods brought nymphs like Chapel. He scrubbed a palm over his face and set his saw in the back of his pickup. “Heading home now?” Abe’s jovial voice cut into his thoughts. Levi glanced up. “No, I think I’ll head into town. You need anything?” Abe’s gaze was direct. “You okay, man?” The automatic “yes” rose to his lips, but for some reason he shook his head. “Need to talk?” Levi scuffed a hand over his unshaven face. What was it about this guy that made him feel as if they’d been friends forever? “Chapel says I’m a good listener,” Abe said. Levi leaned against the truck, his thigh muscles suddenly wobbly at the sound of her name. An image of her long hair trailing down her back and Abe’s mouth slanting over hers as he stroked her pussy knotted Levi up all over again. “How long have you and Chapel been together?” “About two years. She’s pretty damn amazing.” Yeah, that rings loud and clear. “You seem pretty serious.” Abe pressed his lips into a tight seam. “We are.” “What’s the problem then?” He pointed to the Blue Jay Forestry logo on his chest. Levi arched a brow. “Daddy doesn’t approve?” Abe sighed. “Got that right. He thinks I’m no good.” With a lurch of his heart, Levi stared off at the clear-cut. The sun was beginning to sink behind the crest of the land. If Abe was no good, what the hell did that make Levi? Most fathers were the same across the world—protective of their daughters even if this was the twenty-first century and women made their own choices. Levi would hate to start out life with a disapproving in-law, just as Abe obviously was worried. “No chance of changing his mind?” Levi asked.
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Abe shook his head, and for the first time Levi saw the man shrink with depletion. His typical happy-go-lucky exterior faded away and revealed the inner baggage. Maybe we all have secrets. “I don’t think he’ll change his mind. Not yet anyhow. I have some work to do until I get to a good place with her.” Levi uncapped his water bottle and chugged the remainder of the warm liquid. “What’s that mean?” Abe hitched himself onto the tailgate. “Five years ago I started my own company. When the economy struggled, so did I. I lost my ass. Now I have nothing to show for my business but a lot of bills. I was able to avoid bankruptcy, but I’m barely making the payments on the start-up loan from the bank and managing the house expenses.” Realization came over Levi. So that’s why he was eager to bring a roommate on, even one who was in the way. Now that he knew this, it became harder to think about finding his own place to rent. A few extra dollars would help Abe. And Levi would pay a lot more for his own rental unit, so they both were making out. “I can’t start a life with Chapel buried in debt.” Levi nodded. “Does she know about the failed business?” “Yeah, everyone does. She just doesn’t know about my bills.” “Is that why her father dislikes you as a contender for her hand?” Abe pursed his lips and his knee bounced. “I have no idea. It’s possible he could know. This is a small town and word travels. Or at least rumors do. He probably suspects, and knows I won’t be able to properly care for his daughter. She’s a princess and deserves to be treated like one.” “I don’t see anything spoiled about her,” Levi burst out before he could check himself. Fortunately Abe didn’t take offense. A grin tilted his features. “Not Chapel. She’s as down-to-earth as they come, and that’s one of the many reasons why I love her. But hell, listen to us, talking like old ladies at a church tea. Let’s get on home and crack open a cold one.” Abe jumped off the tailgate and Levi closed it. “I’ll be home in a while. I have some things to do in town.” When he was on the main highway with the truck turned into the glaring sun, he ran through his conversation with Abe once more. In just a few words, a bond had been forged. If anyone knew how it felt to be ostracized, it was Levi. And though he wanted Chapel with a passion stronger than anything he’d ever felt in his life, he wanted Abe to find happiness with her.
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Chapter Four Chapel set three dishes on the scrubbed oak table and turned at the sound of a footstep. She smiled as Levi entered the kitchen, a shopping bag in hand and perfectly mussed from his day of work. At some point he’d shed his outer layer and now only wore the Blue Jay Forestry shirt. She couldn’t help but admire the way it stretched across his strong chest. “Hi.” She picked up the spatula and flipped the thick hamburger patties she was frying. “Hey. Where’s Abe?” “Shower.” “I thought you would have eaten already.” “Did you eat? I made enough for you. We’re having trash can burgers and sweet potato fries.” The corner of his hard mouth twitched and an enticing sparkle appeared in his hazel eyes. “What’s a trash can burger?” “A burger loaded with all the fixings. Every condiment imaginable, plus lettuce, tomato, onion, both sweet and dill pickles, avocado, bacon and lots of cheese.” He rubbed his flat abs. His shirt caught on his fingers and pulled up to reveal one damn sexy love trail. Chapel’s heart caught and immediate heat infused her belly. Working around men day in and out, she’d seen a lot of shirtless bodies. Abe’s was by far the best she’d seen, but now it seemed Levi rivaled him. She fought to keep from dropping her gaze to his waistband and seeking more of that delicious sight. “Can I help you? I cut a mean onion slice.” She laughed and happily handed over the fat Vidalia. “Thanks.” “We can’t have you crying over our meal preparations.” He stood close to her—almost too close. His musky male scent wafted toward her along with the peppery tang of the woods. She shifted from foot to foot, so aware of his height and his broad stance. As he gave his hands a scrub in the sink, she watched the suds against his tanned knuckles, imagining those long fingers on her flesh. She shivered and then caught herself. What’s wrong with you, Chapel? Your tongue is almost hanging out for this man. At that moment Abe came through the doorway, fresh from the shower. His closely clipped dark hair still gleamed with moisture and droplets of water stood out on his spattering of chest hair. The smile died on his face as he saw her and Levi together.
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Quickly Levi stepped away, presented them with his back and began peeling the onion. Chapel let her gaze fall to the tomato in her hands. She had to be wearing a guilty look. What if Abe confronted her about it? The last thing she wanted was for him to think there was anything going on between her and Levi. And she didn’t want to hurt him. “Trash can burgers,” Abe said in a casual tone that made her melt with relief. He came into the kitchen and leaned against the counter to watch her. His gaze flicked to Levi. “Hope you bought a razor in town, Levi. Looks like you’re ready for a shave.” “I think he looks dangerous,” she said. Levi’s head jerked upward and he pierced her in his smoldering gaze. Chapel’s heart lodged high in her throat and a wave of dizziness struck her. Quickly, she tore her gaze away, but it was too late. Abe had seen that exchange. The exchange that had her pulse racing out of control. The one that had melted her bones with the sheer electricity pulsing between them. Fuck. She cut into the tomato and arranged the slices on the plate, then spun toward the table once more. She fiddled with the placement of the silverware before chancing a look at Abe. He was staring at Levi with a bemused expression. His ankles were casually crossed and his thumb hooked in his jeans pocket. “Dangerous, huh?” “I-I just meant some women like that look—” Levi returned his attention to the onion, which was already sliced and ready to be set upon a steaming burger. His voice was low and would have curled the ends of Chapel’s hair if they weren’t already. “I bought some blades in town.” As she removed the burger patties from the stove and dished them onto fat buns, she wished she could shrink into the floor. While she was uncomfortable, Levi was about to crawl out of his skin. He refused to meet her or Abe’s gazes and his knee bounced beneath the table. He twisted his napkin into a tight knot. Later, she’d have to apologize for making him feel this way. At this point, she wasn’t certain if she’d set him on edge by talking about women’s preferences or if he’d taken offense to her observation about his facial hair. Maybe he was recovering from a broken heart and her words had brought his single status to the fore. Taking her seat at the circular table, she prayed the tension in the room dissipated. “Smells delicious. Oh, are those sweet potato fries I smell?” “Damn!” She leapt from her chair and pulled open the oven door. A peek at the baking tray told her she’s spent too much time worrying about Levi’s chafed feelings and not enough tending her cooking duties. “They’re burnt.” For no good reason, tears scalded the surface of her eyes. Abe must have heard them in her voice because he appeared at her side. “Oh, hey, it’s just fries, Chapel. They’re a little overdone. Still edible, right, Levi?” “They look great to me. I’m starved.”
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They were being so sweet to her, yet a tear escaped her lashes and splashed down her cheek. Abe grabbed a dishtowel and removed the hot pan from her hands. He dropped it to the stove with a clatter and grasped her by the upper arms. “Sweetie, what’s going on? I know you said your father’s okay, but did you learn something new while I was showering?” She dropped her forehead to his steely chest and rubbed it back and forth. “No, Daddy’s fine. I think I’m just a little tired.” “Come here, baby.” He pulled her snugly into his embrace. “No wonder you’re tired. Between your dad, singlehandedly running the business and the new contract, you’ve got to be strung out. Why don’t you sit and eat and let me and Levi pamper you for the rest of the night?” Her gaze flashed to Levi’s. His throat worked, and then he nodded. “Absolutely.” Abe led her to the table again and seated her. Before he sat down, he dropped a tender kiss to the crook of her neck. A shiver of warmth ran down her spine. He really was a fabulous man. Honestly, she’d thought about spending the rest of her life with him more than once. They’d never discussed it and she was reluctant to bring it up. But she felt secure in his love for her and trusted the rest to fall into place. Abe loaded up her burger with all the fixings. Levi went to the refrigerator and asked what she wanted to drink. “Bottled water is fine.” He returned to the table and handed her the drink, his fingers brushing hers in the exchange. She drew up straight at the electricity that snapped between their hands. White heat sidled through her core. The guys tucked into the stack of burgers, finishing theirs before she’d taken two bites. The tears that had been so close lessened as she studied these men. Comparing them was impossible. One was as hot and sexy as the other. And it was astonishing how comfortable they were with each other. They spoke in a series of grunts and fragments. Most men she knew did, but there was something about Abe and Levi’s attitude that led one to believe they’d known each other forever. Before long, they were diving into a discussion about baseball, talking hitters and plays. The atmosphere lightened considerably when Chapel’s weepiness fled. She finished her burger and a few fries, which weren’t as burnt as she’d originally thought, and sat back to listen to the blending of their rich voices. Her father had a few more days expected in the hospital. Once he was home, she wouldn’t be able to stay with Abe for a while. She’d need to stick by her dad in case he needed something. The KeerSaw contract was on her desk and time was ticking. They had sixty days to complete this job or they’d lose out on future contracts. Tomorrow she’d have to assemble the crews, maybe pull men from other jobs in order to put the best workers on
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the KeerSaw project. They had a huge amount of trees to haul before the deadline, and while the Blue Jay men were quick, they’d never attempted an operation of this scale. As Abe and Levi continued to talk, Chapel’s mind wandered to hiring new people and future jobs with KeerSaw. She mentally danced around telling her father about the contract. “All finished, Chapel?” Levi reached for her empty plate, a dark brow quirked in question. She gave him a smile. “Yes, thank you.” She allowed him to take her plate away. When she started to clean up, Abe shooed her out of the kitchen. “We said we’re pampering you tonight. You’ve worked hard for us. Let us have our fair due. You go into the living room and relax.” She started to protest, but the guys stood shoulder-to-shoulder and stared at her until she backed out of the kitchen. “All right, all right. I’m not about to argue with that much muscle.” In the living room, she selected the smaller of the two sofas. She felt odd about sitting on the sofa Levi used as a bed. But his scent had permeated the room, mingling with Abe’s musky tones. She drew a deep breath of their mixed scents and suddenly realized how wrong that was. What are you doing, Chapel? You’re not playing house with these two guys. She rested against the cushions and battled the stirrings of her body. Today when Abe had fingered her to completion in the clearing, she couldn’t deny the titillation she’d known at Levi’s presence. On the drive home, she’d alternately thrashed herself for feeling that way and spent long, mind-blowing minutes reliving it. Hell, it was the hottest encounter she’d ever experienced. Being in Abe’s control with Levi a short distance away did things to her body. After a while, the male banter and the loud clanks coming from the kitchen ceased and the guys came into the living room, bearing three beers and a box of individually wrapped snack cakes. A laugh bubbled out of her. Four scorching eyes centered on her and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “What’s funny?” Abe asked with a grin. “You making fun of the dessert we whipped up?” “Not at all.” She held out her hands. Levi passed her a beer and Abe dropped a cake into her hand. “Very elegant, boys.” Abe collapsed to the sofa beside her, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. She returned his grin and looked to Levi. She did a double-take. Was that a blush she detected on his handsome face and scorching the tips of his ears? She drew a sip of the cold brew into her mouth and contemplated this living arrangement. Abe and Levi seemed to get along, but what happened if she came between them?
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Or Levi comes between you and Abe. Immediately, she slammed the door on that thought. Yeah, her breasts ached heavily whenever he was around and they’d shared more than one electric encounter, but she’d never leave Abe. Without a doubt, she knew he was it for her. As she nursed her beer, Abe switched on the TV and flipped through a few channels until he landed on a romantic comedy. She stared at him open-mouthed. “What’s that?” He rubbed his knuckles over his jaw. “What? Do I have burger on my face?” He was so cute, she couldn’t help but smile. “No, the television show. Why are you watching that?” “For you. I said it’s your evening.” “Baby, you don’t need to do that. I can’t focus on a movie tonight. Why not watch the game?” “But will you enjoy it?” Ten minutes later, she was more than thrilled with her decision, because Abe and Levi were on their feet, fists swinging and cursing at the flat screen when a play didn’t go their way. The alcohol hit her system full force and she watched their muscles work beneath their tight-fitting t-shirts and jeans. Her breath caught and her nipples pinched hard beneath her lacy bra cups. They were some damn fine specimens. Any woman who found herself with one of these virile males would count herself lucky. But two… Abe passed her another beer. She stared at the label, wondering if it was wise to drink it. She had a low tolerance, and a bit of her control had already been nicked away. If she drank more, she wasn’t sure she could be held accountable for any remarks she might make. Especially since Abe’s jeans were hanging low on his hips and Levi had run his fingers through his hair so many times, it stood up in spikes. At that moment, Levi met her gaze fully. Again that pinging sensation ripped through her, followed by a pooling of need in her sex. Abe slipped an arm around her and started to nibble her earlobe. Levi’s eyes flared, then he dragged them away and launched to his feet. “I’m going to shower.” With that he disappeared, leaving her with a confusing ache that was akin to longing. Abe threaded his fingers into her hair and drew her mouth to his. The first brush of his hard lips ignited the passions she’d kept suppressed most of the evening. “Ohh.” She moaned softly and stroked his tongue with hers. His delicious flavors burst on her tongue. She wriggled closer to him. His groan rumbled against her lips and he palmed her breast into a stiff peak. “Damn, baby, you’re so soft. Come here.” He pulled her onto his lap, bringing her in contact with his shockingly hard cock. 44
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She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and opened her mouth farther for the plunges of his tongue. The tip of his stroked the roof of her mouth and she lost control. She shoved on his shoulders until he was lying across the sofa and then she straddled him. Her pussy swelled with want. A flood of cream soaked her panties, reminding her of his fingers deep in her pussy this morning. She ground against him and raised a guttural moan. “Baby doll, you’re gonna have to stop that or I’ll come in my jeans.” “No,” she said, inching down his body and unfastening his fly. “You’re going to come in my mouth.” She caught a glimpse of his face before she extracted his cock from his boxers and swallowed it. She moaned. The thick length lay on her tongue deliciously. She mouthed the velvety head. “God, Chapel, you’re so good.” Abe cupped her cheek and eased his cock deeper into her throat. She swirled the sensitive underside with her tongue. Each pass thrilled her to her core. A dark heat captured her. At this moment, she was so hungry for Abe, she couldn’t care less if Levi walked in on them. The mere thought made her wild. She sucked Abe’s steely shaft hard, then softer, varying the pressures. A drop of pre-come oozed from the tip and coated her tongue. She gulped it down, reveling in the special musky taste of it. He jerked his hips upward and she took him deeper. She deliberately let the head skim the inside of her cheek. He moaned. “Fuck, baby, that’s so hot. You’re so good.” She flashed her eyes at him and her need threatened to burn out of control. She was seconds away from stripping down and riding his cock to completion. To hell with propriety or privacy or any of the other “p” words. Stroking his shaft with her tongue, she gently lashed his balls to his body. She rolled them back and forth as she swallowed every tasty inch, imagining him sinking into her body. Suddenly a vision of Levi buried in her pussy as she sucked Abe’s cock flashed in her mind like a fucking Fourth of July firework. She groaned around Abe’s shaft. Her pussy was burning with desire now. If she didn’t get some relief soon… Abe stiffened and in three hard jerks, he pumped his hot come into her mouth. She sucked it down quickly. A drop escaped the corner of her mouth and she caught it with her finger, eager to lick it off when she was finished drinking in his orgasm. He gripped her face and drove his cock between her lips again and again. His rugged cries hung in the air. Fleetingly she wondered how much Levi could hear. From this distance, she couldn’t hear the shower, so maybe they were safe. 45
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She slowed her movements, mouthing Abe’s shaft and balls softly as he relaxed against the couch with hooded eyes. He gathered her hair over her shoulder and watched her for long moments. “You’re amazing. Beautiful woman.” She lifted her face and smiled, still pumping the root of his shaft lightly. “You’re delicious. Hot man.” He yanked her up his body and claimed her mouth. The smoky flavor of his body mingled with the lighter taste of his mouth. Her senses reeled all over again. Abe pinched her nipple through the fabric of her blouse and bra. “Your turn soon.” The sound of the bathroom door opening made her shoot upright. Abe fumbled with his jeans, packaging away his cock and zipping around it with a lopsided grin. “Does it look like I just sucked you off?” Remembering the drop on her finger, she stuck it into her mouth. He mussed her hair. “Yes, and you’re so fucking sexy Levi will want you too.” A gasp rose in the back of her throat. Did he recognize an attraction between them? Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to stay here tonight. The more she was around Levi, the faster that interest would grow. Abe might catch a moment when she and Levi were locked in one of those magnetic moments. She smoothed her hands over her hair and fought her searing blush as Levi entered the room. Clean shaven. And moist from his shower. Oh, fuck. He was more beautiful in this groomed state than the dirty boy she knew. “See you got attacked by a razor,” Abe joked. Levi nodded. A smile twisted his lips, which were so much fuller and more vulnerable in the pale oval of his face. His jaw was more angular than she’d originally thought. “Appears that way.” He was barefoot and wearing only low-slung jeans that were ratty at the pockets and knees but perfect on him. When he lounged on the sofa, Chapel wondered how the hell she was going to get that brief fantasy of giving Abe a blowjob while Levi fucked her out of her mind. “What do you two say to a game of cards?” Abe’s low drawl sent new shivers through her. “I could try my hand at some cards. Some say I can hold my own,” Levi said. He gave her the full blazing glory of his hazel eyes. “What about you, Chapel? You in?” A bolt of lightning from his gaze stole her breath, but she managed to recover. “Sure. Daddy taught me a trick or two.”
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Too bad she wanted two tricks up her sleeves. Or in this case, peeling off her sleeves. She drew a deep breath and dropped her gaze. Hell’s bells, this was going to be a long night.
***** Abe stared at the moonlight filtering through his bedroom window until his eyes burned from not blinking. The air was stagnant but wonderfully scented with Chapel’s sweet perfume. It was hot, but not hot enough to move an inch away from her delectable body, which was curled against him. He traced the uppermost knobs of her spine. During the nights when she slept here, he felt whole. Without her, a crater hollowed out his chest and he could do little but think of her. How many sleepless nights had he spent like that? Too many to count. It was time to find a way to pay off these bills quicker so he could ask her to be his wife. Even if he had to work a second shift. Or a second job. How the hell you going to manage that? You’re half-dead when you’re finished with the single shift you work. But the voice in the back of his head said he could do it. Maybe a little extra caffeine… He heard the sofa creak as Levi turned over in the living room. They’d stayed up too late, and four-thirty a.m. would come quickly. In fact, Abe could hear the birds waking now from beyond the window pane. As the sky lightened, he let his gaze caress every dip and angle of Chapel’s face. Her brows were fine and pale, her warm brown hair flowing from a widow’s peak and cascading over her narrow shoulders. He brought a tendril to his nose and inhaled the crisp notes of her shampoo. But not hairspray. She was a shower-and-go kind of girl, and he loved that about her. She didn’t need manicures or mascara or mousse to make her beautiful. She simply was beautiful. He sighed heavily. What the hell am I going to do about you, baby? I need you like I need air and water, but I can’t provide everything you deserve. His nose burned with emotion and he pinched the bridge of it hard, fighting it back. There had to be an answer to his financial troubles—something to sell or an old unknown aunt who kicked the bucket and left him a fortune. Hell, he didn’t need a fortune, just enough to pay back that loan and maybe stash a bit for a rainy day. When he thought about the type of wedding Chapel would want, he couldn’t picture the tiers of white ruffles or the big reception in the church hall. He only saw the pair of them at the J.P., gazing into each other’s eyes and pledging their lives to one another.
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But if she wanted the big wedding, she deserved to have it, and that meant he needed cash. You’re getting ahead of yourself, man. She hasn’t said yes, and you’re too far in debt. He did a quick mental calculation. With Levi’s share of the rent, Abe would have an extra couple of hundred a month to sock on the loan. Helpful, but not enough. By the time he paid it off, he’d be in need of Viagra, and Chapel would be long gone, married to another man. What a fuck-up he was. Why had he thought he could build a successful business without any experience? Sure, he’d managed the clerical end as well as the operations, but no one wanted to entrust an entire forest of trees to a no-name company. His heart throbbed hard and he flexed his arms around Chapel, bringing her nearer. He didn’t deserve her, but he’d be damned if he let her go. As this thought flitted through his head, he pondered the narrow looks Levi had shot her. Any warm-blooded male would sniff after her. Besides being sweet and witty and absolutely stunning, she had a heart of gold. Men couldn’t possibly look at her without seeing their soul mate, wife, and mother of their children. Hell, he was looking at her that way. Still, it didn’t bother him that Levi liked to stare at her. This knowledge had tempted him to rev things up on the couch in front of the guy just to see what he’d do. You’ve lost your mind, Abe Gardner. Touching her in the forest in front of Levi was screwed up. Fucking her in the same room? That’s the end-all to both relationships. He’d known Levi only a few short days, but he felt as if they were long-lost friends. Work gave them common ground, but there was something more. He suspected Levi possessed a secret. He avoided questions about his past, but judging from the books the man had lugged into the house, he was smarter than the average logger. Volumes of Homer, Dickens, Shakespeare. A dozen more authors Abe had never seen or been exposed to. And Levi carried a cloud around him. It might be depression or grief. Abe hoped that over time his housemate would open up to him. After all, he carried a weight too. Chapel shifted in her sleep and a little mewl escaped her lips. Abe’s body reacted instantly, his cock growing stiff against her hip. He ached to wake her and take her again, maybe leave the door open this time and let Levi share her little moans— The thought sent spikes of lust through his groin. But it shocked the hell out of him. Where was this kinky bent coming from? He’d never suspected it lived deep inside him. One thing was certain—it turned him on like never before. He rocked his hips so his cock rubbed Chapel’s silky flesh. Suddenly, her heated fingers wrapped around the shaft and her eyes gleamed at him through the darkness. The dusky tone of her voice ratcheted up his need another notch. “Already, lover?”
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He reached between her thighs and stroked the soaking seam of her pussy. “Mmm. Always, Chapel.” With that, he rolled atop her and sank into her tight body. His financial troubles flowed away and he gave what he could to her right now. His body. His soul. His heart. But in the back of his mind he wished the bedroom door was ajar.
***** Levi stood back as Abe applied the final cut to the twelve-inch maple. The top shifted, new spring leaves fluttering. The peppery scent of crushed ferns filled his head. He drew a deep breath and reveled in his freedom. Not only was he free from prison, but in the past few weeks he’d let go of the tight rein he’d always kept on his emotions. Being around Abe and Chapel, it was impossible to remain aloof. Abe’s down-toearth attitude had Levi talking about himself more and more. Their mutual love of baseball resurrected his childhood—a time in his life he’d thought dead and buried. Seven years in the slammer tended to strip away the tender memories. And Chapel…everything about the woman mesmerized Levi from her round ass to the way she’d begun to tease him. Lately he’d given up a bit of his struggle to stay away from her and found he flocked to her side whenever she was around. She accepted him unconditionally, and Abe didn’t turn a hair at the development. All of a sudden, the tree snapped back. Leaves and small branches rained down, and the enormous trunk kicked back. Toward Abe. “Whoa!” Levi dropped his saw and ran full-tilt for his friend. His heart hammered his chest wall like a mindless animal seeking escape. Images burst inside his mind. Abe injured. Or killed. Chapel’s devastated face. Abe dove out of the way just as the tree hit the ground. He twisted and his frantic gaze lit on Levi. “Get the fuck back!” But Levi didn’t falter. He had to get to him. The treetop ripped through the branches of the tree beside it. Several big lengths plummeted around Abe. He whipped his arms over his head to protect it. “Get outta here!” Levi bellowed as he reached him. He sank his fingers into Abe’s biceps and yanked him away. The tree slipped farther in their direction. “It’s hung up, Abe, but it can go any minute.” “I know, I know! Back out. Another cut and it will fall freely.” Levi stared up at the huge canopy. A puff of air could send it reeling to earth. He’d seen it before in Washington, when he’d worked with KeerSaw. One man had been badly injured during such an incident.
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He shook his head hard. “I don’t like it. Let’s get out of the path, and you can go after the rigging to haul it down safely.” “I’m telling you, Levi, one cut and it’s down. No time wasted.” “Yeah, but I’m thinking of lives lost.” Abe’s jaw hardened and Levi knew nothing was going to budge him. He was determined to take down the tree without the aid of heavy equipment or chains. Levi gave a sharp nod. “All right. Tell me what to do.” Abe grabbed his saw again and circled the tree. “We’re going to make a cut here.” He let the blade glide across the bark at a slightly higher place than the original cut. “It should fall that direction.” “What if the bottom kicks out again?” “I don’t think it will. It’s dug into the ground under two-thousand pounds of weight.” “Will it break free of that other treetop?” They both craned their necks to see the uppermost branches. A light breeze rattled the leaves and a shiver of foreboding trickled down Levi’s spine. The last thing he wanted was to haul another dead man out of the woods. Sure, Bryan Keer had done himself in with his huffing addiction, but it wouldn’t look good for Levi. He swiped his nose with the back of his hand and tried to gain some calm. Abe rapped the tree with his saw blade. “Yeah, I don’t think it’s hung up too bad. It should break right free.” Levi held out a fist and Abe tapped it with his knuckles. “Let’s roll.” With a worry line etched deep between his brows, Abe revved up his saw. Levi hung back, every muscle in his body tensed to grab Abe and haul ass out of there if needed. The hum of the saw blared in his ears and dust began to spray around them. It clung to the damp hairs on his forearms and created a pile at his feet. As Abe placed the first precise cut, Levi breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe they could achieve this. He’d never seen it done, but Abe had a lot of experience. As long as we both walk away in one piece, I’m happy. He kept half an ear cocked for the sound of Chapel’s Jeep. She was known to pop up at any time of day. If ever there was a moment he prayed she’d stay away, it was now. Just work, goddammit. I can’t live with myself if Abe’s hurt or killed. The sharp blade ripped through the bark and a century’s worth of growth. Abe made an upward cut, taking a wedge out of the tree. The forest seemed to go silent. Not a squirrel or chipmunk scurried in the underbrush and the birds didn’t make a cheep. The hair on Levi’s nape stood on end as he waited. His breath seared his lungs.
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It had been years since he’d thought of praying, but now the comforting words from his childhood sprang to mind. A long moment passed in dizzying fear as Abe made the crucial cut. If it failed, they both might end up dead. An ear-splitting crack sounded. The top broke free and the mass sailed in an arc toward the ground. Exactly where Abe intended. Abe issued a victorious whoop and Levi’s blood started to circulate once more. His shoulders slumped. While Abe cut the power to the saw, Levi walked around the side of the tree and considered the peril they’d been in. “That was fucking close.” “Yeah, I don’t want to relive that anytime soon.” “Is that the first time you’ve run into that situation?” Levi kicked the log with a steel-toed boot. Abe crouched suddenly as if the adrenaline rush had vanished and left him weakkneed. “Not the first, but this was the most precarious.” He glanced around the clearing. “I’m glad Chapel wasn’t here.” “Me too. She’s been hanging around a lot lately.” “Yeah, she’s carrying a load of worries like the rest of us.” Levi sank to the log and fixed Abe in his gaze. “Your financial worries weighing on you?” He heaved a sigh, plucked a leaf off the forest floor and began to shred it. “Yes,” he said matter-of-factly. “My loan payment is hefty. Which is why you staying with me helps. I’d like to pay the loan off as quickly as possible so I can marry Chapel.” Levi tried not to suck in his breath, but that knowledge stung. Of course he’d known Abe and Chapel were close and obviously heading in that direction. And he never wanted to come between them. But she’d become part of his world too, dammit. “I’m glad to help even in a small way. If you need more money for my share of the expenses, say the word. I’m not hurting, man.” Abe shook his head. “I’m good.” Levi considered Abe’s claim that Chapel was carrying a burden too. “What about your girl? Can I help her at all?” Abe’s shoulders shook with a snort of laughter. “She does that to guys, you know? Makes them feel all protective and chivalrous. No, don’t get defensive. I see it and I’m glad you have her back too. But yeah, actually, we’re both going to help her.” He straightened, awaiting more information. Abe went on. “She hasn’t officially announced it yet, and we’re actually a bit behind the starting gate, but she negotiated a big-time deal. At the moment, she’s creating a crew to take on the challenge. And believe me, it will be a challenge. We have about five weeks left to knock down two square miles of forest.” “Clear-cut?”
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“No, select. They want the biggest and best woods. She worked a clause into the contract for a bonus for all of us if we meet the deadline. But she’s struggling to find people to take our spots here.” “And I’m part of it?” “Hell, yeah, man, you’re one of the best we’ve seen in these parts.” Pride swelled in Levi’s chest. Many years had passed since anyone had spoken of him this way. “When will Chapel let us loose on the forest?” he asked. At that moment, the Jeep trundled into the clearing. She jerked to a hasty stop and leapt out, all honey with an apple-pie smile. But she was far from the girl next door. She was liquid sex poured into buffalo plaid, skinny jeans and high boots. His cock stirred and he bit down on the low groan that threatened to escape him. Since her father was home from the hospital, she hadn’t been spending the night with them, but Levi had seen plenty of her. Enough to feed the fires of his desire. He stopped mid-thought, realizing what had just run through his mind. Spend the night with us. As if he were part of the couple. As she approached, her steps slowed. Her head swung left and right, taking in the fallen tree. Her lips firmed into a straight line. Unfortunately she knew enough about logging to understand what had happened a few minutes before. “Don’t give me that look, Abe Gardner. How close was it?” Her voice rang out across the clearing. Levi’s heart flipped at the mere sound. Damn, he had it bad for her. Abe grabbed Chapel and pulled her onto tiptoe to kiss her. Levi watched his mouth slant roughly over hers and heard her answering sigh. It should drive him wild with jealousy, but he only felt aroused. She pulled free and glared at her boyfriend. “You think you can make me forget with a few kisses? Well—” He cut her off, delving his tongue deep into her mouth. For a moment Levi absorbed the erotic sight, and then he tore his gaze away. She delivered a hard punch to Abe’s midsection, but he only laughed into her mouth. When she tried again, he caught her fist and drew it around his neck. She flipped off his hardhat. It dropped to the ground with a quiet thud. Levi started to walk away to retrieve his saw when she called him back. “You can’t lie to me. Tell me what went on here.” He met her warm gaze. How did she know he wouldn’t lie? She barely knew him. Yet she was right. He wouldn’t dream of giving her a falsehood. Even if she asked about his past. He’d tell her every bit—the death, the second degree assault charge and the seven years spent behind bars.
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All of a sudden, the words welled in his mouth. The urge to confess—to let someone know his true self—burned bright. Abe spoke up. “It was me, Chapel.” She planted a hand on her hip and faced him. “I know it was you. You’re the faller. But I can see you ran into some trouble here and didn’t go for help.” She purposely gazed around the clearing. “Hmm. No equipment in sight.” “I took care of it, baby. No problems at all, right, Levi?” Before he could be dragged further into it, Chapel exploded. She forked her fingers into her hair and her eyes glittered. “Oh, hell no, there’s nothing wrong at all! Only a two-thousand pound tree obviously kicked back at you, and you decided to keep cutting it without even winching it off and guiding the direction of its fall!” He had the decency to appear remorseful, but he didn’t let the argument go. “I’m trained to handle things like that, sweetheart.” “You can’t sugarcoat it, Abe. You can’t play with your life that way. Or Levi’s.” As she said this, she fixed Levi in her stare. His heart thumped at the bald fear he read there. Before he knew what he was doing, he took a step toward her. “We’re okay, darlin’.” Abe looked at him hard. Levi returned his gaze, and in that moment, they united forces. His heart tripped out of control. All Levi could think about was the fact that his friend didn’t mind him calling her “darlin’.” Levi wanted nothing more than to gather her into his arms, crush her against his chest, bow his face to her hair and inhale her delicious scent. Abe might not mind if you use an endearment, but he’ll sure as fuck care if you make a move on her. Her lower lip trembled and she bit into it ruthlessly. The plump tissue swelled around her square white teeth. A spike of lust struck Levi’s groin. His balls drew up tight against his body. “Don’t you guys realize how I’d feel if something happened out here?” Levi’s heart bled at the break in her voice. Abe swept her up and smoothed a palm over her spine. “Sweetness, I know. I don’t take risks.” “That was a risk.” “All right, it was, but I knew I could get out of it and stay on schedule. Isn’t time a factor right now?” “Of course it is. I’d like to pull you off this job by midweek. But I can’t put dead loggers on a job.” Levi kicked the stump, thrashing himself for not stopping Abe. Chapel was right, and he should have fought Abe on the issue.
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“Why don’t we break? I could use a bite to eat, and we could all take a few to calm down.” Levi agreed and strode off toward his truck. In the back he located the small cooler filled with drinks and the few sandwiches he and Abe whipped up that morning. There was plenty for Chapel too. In fact, he’d found himself adding her favorite soft drink to the cooler. More often than not she was there. If she had time, she brought them a huge spread of her delicious home-cooked meals—pulled pork or steak sandwiches, potato salad and macaroni and cheese. Food that stuck to a hardworking man’s ribs and got him through the day. For Levi, it was the sight of Chapel that was getting him through the days. Fuck, you’re in deeper than you thought. The admission was almost too much to bear. In prison, he’d dreamt of finding a girl of his own. “Of his own” being the operative phrase. What the hell was he going to do? Abe was his best friend, and their bond had been strengthened by the things they’d shared today. Levi stared at the couple wrapped in each other’s arms. Abe’s head was bent to Chapel’s and he was quietly talking. The sight of their intimate pose wounded Levi, and he couldn’t deny it. Those two belonged together, and he cared about them enough to help them reach their goal of making a life as husband and wife. Yeah, for Chapel’s sake, he should have stopped Abe from cutting down that tree without assistance. He prayed there wouldn’t be a next time, but if so, he was prepared to force Abe to walk away. He’d do it for their friendship, and for Chapel. He’d do anything for her. Tell her about Bryan Keer and how he’d survived the penitentiary. But he couldn’t tell her he’d fallen in love with her.
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Chapter Five “Chapel Caldwell, you get your buns in here right now!” Jay’s roar drowned the hum of the fan over the range. She stopped peeling potatoes for supper and came to the door of the living room. She scanned the empty room. Where had he gone? He still moved gingerly with his broken ribs, but lately he’d escaped the sickroom more and more. As long as he didn’t go into the small home office— Her stomach sank as she realized that’s exactly where his bellow had come from. He was in the office, and her desk was loaded with half-finished charts and maps of the area contracted by KeerSaw. Buck up, Chapel. You’re a big girl. But she was still Daddy’s girl no matter what, and she would always seek his approval. When she was six, she’d tried to be the best ballet dancer at the recital for him. At ten, she’d hoped to earn his respect at her first fiddle contest. But he’d just dropped her off and driven away to inspect a job, leaving her to compete without a single fan in the audience. She steeled her spine. She wasn’t a kid, and she wouldn’t let him treat her like an imbecile. “I see you found the KeerSaw contract,” she said from the doorway. Blood pooled in her father’s face, making his already ruddy complexion purple. “What the hell is this?” She sailed into the room, determined to keep her cool—act the part even if her knees were water. “Right before you had the accident, KeerSaw contacted me for some work.” “I can read. And you accepted without my knowledge?” “Yep,” she said, popping her p. “I negotiated it, signed it, and I’m working on putting together a crew to start Wednesday.” Jay rifled through the papers. “Says here we have six weeks to meet a deadline of…” He suddenly paled. “Are you out of your effin’ mind, girl?” He poked the paper with one blunt fingertip where it said how much they were to timber in order to receive full payment. She flinched. “How do you expect to pull down that many trees in so few weeks? Chapel, what have you done to us?”
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For the first time since she made the deal, her heart sank. Maybe she’d been hasty and overly eager to prove her worth to her father. He continued to rage. “You’re basically telling me you haven’t gotten a single man on this job?” “Not yet,” she said, carefully schooling her features. If she crumbled in front of him, she’d never forgive herself. “What kind of crew are you putting together?” She spewed the names she’d compiled—their fastest, most hardworking boys. Her father hurled the papers to the desk top. “I can’t believe your gall. You can’t just pull those guys away from the jobs that actually pay us!” “This will pay us. I swear we’ll make the deadline, and then we’ll not only be paid a bonus, but more contracts will be sitting in our inbox. Do you realize what this means for Blue Jay? For the men in our area who need work?” “So your plan was to provide work for the fathers so the youngsters can eat? What about our welfare, Chapel?” She gulped at the blazing expression in his eyes. Ten years ago she’d have burst into tears. Not now. Dammit, she was going to stiffen her spine and take every bit of his tongue-lashing. Because she was going to prove him wrong. “I’ll make it happen.” His eyes bugged and the vein in his neck bulged. “How?” She blinked at the force of his yell. “I’ve got the workers assembled. We’re going to haul ass and haul logs.” “And what if you fail?” She stared at him for a long minute. Part of her understood where he was coming from. He was protecting the business because it was all they had. But part of her hated him too. “If I fail, I’ll walk.” “Leave Blue Jay?” She nodded. “Leave Blue Jay and your house. All of it. I’ll make a living somewhere else.” He pressed his lips together. “You know I’d never ask that, Chapel. You’re as much a part of this business as I am.” “Yeah, but I took a risk. If it doesn’t pay off, then I don’t deserve to be here.” “I can’t agree to those terms.” “Well, I can.” She stuck out her hand for him to shake. When he didn’t budge, she grabbed his wrist and lifted it herself, taking hold of his rough fingers. He twisted away. “I don’t like this.” “I know. That’s why I’m going to bear the weight of the operation for KeerSaw. It’s my baby. You’ve got to trust me with it.” 56
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He dropped his head and refused to meet her gaze. She felt the familiar burn of tears rise up in her throat and choked them down. Not now, dammit. Not when you’ve come so far. Reluctantly he nodded. “I’ll trust you, girl, because I don’t have a choice.” She grabbed her keys and her purse from the wall peg and crossed to the door. “Food’s on the stove.” Without a backward glance, she escaped the house. Escaped her father’s disapproving blue gaze. But she couldn’t escape his words. He’d said he’d trust her because he didn’t have a choice. Not that he’d trust her because she was his daughter and she had his best interest in mind.
***** Abe’s head jerked up at the sound of tires on gravel. “That’s Chapel,” Levi said, sitting upright on the sofa where he was lounging with a beer and a bag of beef jerky. Abe leapt to his feet and opened the door in time to catch his precious lover. She hurled herself into his arms. With a grunt, he enfolded her tightly against him, but not before he saw her state of distress. Her beautiful face was red from crying, her eyes swollen and her nose red. “Baby, what’s wrong?” “Is it your father?” Levi’s voice sounded over his shoulder. Fleetingly, Abe considered the strangeness of the situation—two men handling her with the same amount of care. The only thing missing between Chapel and Levi was the intimacy of a physical relationship. She shook her head. Her voice was raspy from her tears. “Do you have room for me tonight?” Abe moaned. “Of course, darlin’. Why would you ask that?” He scooped her off her feet and carried her into the house. Levi stood so close, they brushed him as they passed. He carried her to the living room and settled her on his lap. She curled up like a despondent child. Damn, he hated seeing her in this state. In the past few weeks, he’d seen more tears from her than in the entire two years of their relationship. It wasn’t like her. Levi disappeared into the bathroom and emerged with a damp cloth. He placed it into her hands. She thanked him in a whisper before pressing the cold compress to her eyes. He and Abe exchanged a look over her head. Abe clearly saw the concern on his friend’s face, but it didn’t upset him. In fact, he was thrilled to have someone to back him up in this emotional time. “Can I get you a drink?” Levi asked. 57
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She nodded. From the depths of the cloth she said, “Water, please?” “Sure, honey.” Abe slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. He kissed her temple and forehead. The fine chestnut hairs clung to his beard scruff, but he ignored them. “Tell me what happened.” “Daddy found out about the contract.” An instant shot of anger rang through Abe’s core. Fuck, he knew it. And he hated that man for the obnoxious, hurtful things he had most likely said to her. She always claimed her father just had a rough exterior and on the inside he was a marshmallow, but at this moment Abe didn’t buy it. He thought he was just an asshole with a heart of solid ice. Levi returned with the water. Chapel took it and drank half of it in one breath. Then she gave a shuddering sigh that threatened to tear Abe’s heart out. “What happened?” Levi asked. “Jay found out about the new contract that Chapel negotiated without his knowledge.” A crease appeared between Levi’s long brows. “That’s a problem? I’d think any business owner would be happy an employee took the initiative. And a father should be proud of his daughter’s accomplishments.” At this she broke into noisy tears. Levi’s face reflected his horror. Obviously he didn’t know enough about Chapel’s relationship with her father. Abe tucked her head beneath his chin and let her cry. His t-shirt absorbed her tears. “Damn, I’m sorry,” Levi whispered. “You didn’t do anything,” she said thickly. Abe stroked her hair and murmured soothing words until she grew limp in his hold. God, he hated moments like these. How many times did she show up at his house, irate or in tears over something her father had said or done? Too many to count. He’d urged her to get her own apartment or rent a house, but she refused, saying her father needed looking after. But Abe wasn’t sure that’s what held her back. Deep down, he thought she was waiting for him to ask her to move in. And fuck, he wanted to with every cell of his being. Waking to her every morning would be like living near the sun—starting his day with his own personal goddess would be a dream come true. But he couldn’t afford it. Even with Levi helping out, he refused to ask Chapel to pitch in, though he knew she’d insist. He wanted to provide for her. He heaved a sigh and she tilted her lovely face up to his. Her lush mouth beckoned to him. Her pouty lower lip and the bow of the upper…both too delicious to withhold a second longer.
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He captured her mouth with a low groan. She opened to him at once. He swept the depth with his tongue, tasting her sweetness mingled with salty tears. A protective thread wove through his chest and ensnared him further in her web. She slipped her arms around his neck and met his gulping kisses until he tasted her passion. His cock grew rock hard. He lashed her to his body and ground his hips upward into her pussy. Suddenly Levi made a noise. Abe’s need amped up as he remembered their friend had been in the same room, maybe looking on and growing aroused too. Abe’s cock grew steely and oozed a thin stream of pre-come. He couldn’t remember ever being this hard. She ran her palm over his pecs and down to his abdomen. He sucked in a breath. God, was she going to clamp her fingers around his rod right here in front of Levi? Was it depraved that Abe hoped so? Using his forefinger, he caressed the fine hairs on her nape, raising a shiver from her. She crushed her breasts against his chest. The thought of her soft globes in his hands drove him wild. Just as he reached for one, Levi cleared his throat. Loudly. Chapel jerked as if she’d forgotten where she was. A laugh rumbled up Abe’s throat. He peered around her shoulder at Levi. “Sorry, dude.” “Yeah…no problem,” he muttered. He snatched up the remote control and cranked the volume on the Pirates game. Chapel clambered off Abe’s lap and strode for the kitchen. Abe watched her curves twitch away. From the corner of his eye, he caught Levi’s gaze on her ass too. Dark heat sidled through him. He perched on the edge of the sofa and pondered this new development. What the hell was wrong with him? Levi was openly ogling his girl, yet Abe didn’t feel a drop of jealousy? He ran his fingers over his scalp and wondered what he was going to do with these strange new feelings coursing through him. “She okay now?” Levi’s deep voice penetrated his thoughts. He bobbed his head. “Yeah, she’ll be all right. She wears a protective armor when it comes to her father. Sometimes he tears through it, but I think she’ll close it up again.” “She shouldn’t have to do that.” Levi ground the words through his clenched jaw. For the first time, Abe saw something in his friend’s face that alarmed him. The flash of his eyes said he’d be more than capable of violence. Especially in Chapel’s honor. “No, she shouldn’t have to, but she and Jay have a difficult relationship. Rocky is the best description.” “Why do you put up with it?” Levi challenged. “Why not go after the old man and demand he treat his daughter with more respect?” 59
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Guilt weighed heavily on Abe’s shoulders. He’d considered this action more than once. “It’s not my fight. I’ll likely make it worse for her, especially since Jay despises me.” “He doesn’t despise you,” Chapel said from the doorway. She held three soda bottles by the neck. Abe gave a short laugh. “Well, you’re entitled to your opinion, but I’m sure he does. What did he say when you told him I’m part of the new crew?” She shrugged and came to sit on the sofa beside him. “It isn’t the crew he has a problem with. It’s the fact that I probably got us in over our heads.” “How so?” Levi turned down the television volume to hear her soft tones. She gave a breathy sigh that had Abe burning for her once again. “He doesn’t believe we can knock out this job in six weeks.” “How big is it?” “A hundred-fifty acres.” Levi scuffed his knuckles over his unshaven face. Chapel shifted, wiggling her bottom into the sofa cushions in a way that threatened to snap every thread of Abe’s control. “And we’ll have all the equipment?” “Yes. Do you think it can be done?” Levi gave a brisk nod. “Hell, yeah. I’ve seen it done.” She perked up, her shoulders straightening and her face growing animated. “Really? Then I’m on the right track?” “I’d say.” Abe snagged her around the waist and pulled her back into his arms. “See, baby? You’re going to be fine. You’ll prove your father wrong.” “I hope to keep our business in the black.” She passed around the sodas and relaxed into Abe’s hold. A comfortable silence settled over them as they watched baseball. Abe’s muscle aches eased after his long day on the job. Levi seemed to be sliding farther down on the sofa by the second and before long he was asleep. Night fell beyond the windows, but Abe didn’t switch on the lamp beside him. Studying Chapel by the dim flicker of the television was too intriguing. Watching shadows play along her high cheekbones and darken her lips until they looked like succulent cherries was one of his favorite pastimes. She ran her tongue over her lower lip and caught him looking. A smile softened her features. “What is it?” A lump of sudden emotion clogged his throat. He stared at her glowing eyes the color of rich chocolate and tried to form words that didn’t involve a marriage proposal. “You’re beautiful,” he managed after a moment. “Oh, Abe.” She twisted in his arms and planted her sweet mouth over his. 60
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Instant hunger shot through him and he squelched the growl that rose up at her decadent taste. She parted her lips for his invasion, and he took immediate advantage. Tongues flipped together, delving deep, gathering all the flavors that urged him to take more from her, and now. Swiftly their passions raged out of control. He slid a hand under the hem of her shirt and cupped one round breast. Images of her bare beneath him flitted through his mind. He drew up her shirt until her lacy bra was exposed. “Fuck, you’re stunning. I want you.” The creamy swells of her breasts spilled over the tops of the pale pink lace. He kneaded each before dropping his mouth to one nipple. She gasped. The tiny bud hardened beneath his tongue and he lapped it through the lace, pinching it with his lips and tugging lightly. She squirmed for him, her taut belly rising and falling under her stifled gasps. A few feet from them, Levi slept on, but Abe didn’t give a damn if his friend was awake or not. In fact, the idea of him possibly waking to see Chapel spread out and Abe pleasuring her drove his desire up another notch. She scraped her nails over his shoulders as he laved each breast. “Let me take off your bra.” He reached around to her spine and located the clasp with practiced ease. She shot a glance at Levi. “Nooo.” “Come on, darlin’, he won’t see. Just one taste.” He felt her body’s assent before she gave her nod of approval. In a blink, he’d freed her mounds and they were in his palms. He rolled her petal-pink nipples between his thumbs and fingers until she writhed. Then he slowly lowered his head and sucked one after the other. His cock grew rigid in his jeans. A dark pressure swelled within him, larger than anything he’d known before. He inched his fingers down her belly to the waist of her jeans. Easily, he popped the button and slid down the zipper to reveal the V of her panties. Her soft mound was bare beneath the fabric, he knew. Smooth and luscious and begging to be licked. Stretching out against the back of the sofa, he positioned her next to him, then slipped a hand under her ass and moved her jeans down her hips. She turned her face sharply into his chest. “Levi’s right there!” “But you want me to touch you, don’t you?” Her belly dipped as her breathing grew raspy. “Yes!” Using his toe, he pushed her jeans off her feet and shoved them in a wad at the end of the couch. A low groan escaped him at the sight of her golden thighs. He wanted nothing more than to bury his face in the fragrant space between them and taste her juices.
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Through the glow of the TV, he saw her eyes grow heavy-lidded with desire. He slid his fingers under the elastic of her panties. She wriggled against him, settling her ass fully against his throbbing cock. He knew at any moment, he could pick her up and carry her to his bed. But it was too good right here. In the open. Where Levi could catch them. This thought spiraled out of control as Abe probed the seam of her pussy. The soft petals of her labia seemed to swell for him. He ran his fingers downward until he located a pool of cream. They shared a quiet moan. He put his mouth to her ear and began to whisper. “You want my fingers in you, don’t you? Stretching you. Filling you.” She gave an answering sigh. He cupped her pussy in one big hand so her panties bulged around his knuckles. Locating her hard pearl with his thumb, he circled it lightly until her hips bucked. “Feels good, doesn’t it, baby? I’m going to make you come.” She released a little whimper that made his cock shove against his fly. He nudged her knees open and eased one finger into her soaking pussy. White flames of need licked his core as her tight, wet walls hugged his finger. He pulsed it into her pussy, sinking deeper with each pass until his fingertip stroked her magic spot. “Mmm.” He flicked his tongue over the shell of her ear. “Right there, baby?” “Mm-hmm.” Suddenly Levi stirred. He folded his arms over his chest but he never opened his eyes. Chapel tensed. “No, Abe, he’s waking up.” “Shhh. Let me get you off.” As Levi relaxed once more, Abe stroked her needy nubbin. Juices flooded his fingers. Her breath sobbed as she neared completion. Levi shifted again. His head rolled to the side so his face was in full sight. Abe’s senses sparked. God, he was going to come in his jeans. Fingering Chapel in the presence of their friend was the hottest thing he’d ever done. Her pussy grew soaked—more slippery than the road to hell. He plunged his fingers deep into her and ground the core of her clit into her body. “Come on, baby. Look at Levi while my fingers are buried in you.” She gave a soft cry of ecstasy, her hips rolling to meet Abe’s thrusts. “Think about him while I make you come.” Her pussy pulsated around his fingers once. Twice. And she burst with a blissful moan. Hot come drenched his hand. She shuddered as her orgasm swept her. Her small squeaking cries and the scents of her desire filled the room. Abe hoped Levi was awakened by that scent and found it as mind-blowing as he did. 62
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“That’s it, sweetheart. Come on my fingers. Give it all to me.” To us. The last contractions ebbed away. Triumph exploded in Abe’s chest—a heady feeling nearly stronger than his state of arousal. Fuck, the idea of sharing her pleasure with Levi thrilled him like nothing ever had before. She turned her mouth into Abe’s and whispered. “Take me to bed. Fuck me.” His synapses fired. He flipped over her and climbed off the couch. For a moment, he gazed down at her feminine body stretched out, her breasts bared, her top ruched around her upper chest and her wet panties askew. Her eyes were glassy from her release and as wide as a doll’s. With a growl, he scooped her up into his arms and bore her off to bed. He couldn’t wait to sink into her tight sheath and unleash his passions. Passions that he couldn’t deny had been stoked by Levi’s involvement.
***** Levi entered the kitchen and pulled up short. The smell of freshly brewed coffee hit his senses, and so did the sweet fragrance of Chapel. She turned her bright eyes on him. “Morning, you.” The intimate way she said this, in a slightly dusky voice, threatened to sever any control he might have gained after watching Abe finger-fuck her last night. Levi’s morning erection hardened in earnest. He scrubbed a hand over his face. “You look wide awake.” She smiled. “I’m a morning person. Sorry.” “Why sorry?” “Because Abe’s not. I guess… I just thought you might not be either.” For you, I could be anything. “I function pretty well at all times of the day.” Her gaze slid downward and took in the bulge in the front of his jeans. A shiver of need ripped through him like a tree cutting a path through the air. Wild. Unstoppable. When her gaze flicked back up, their eyes caught and held. That familiar throb of electricity riveted him to the kitchen floor, but he dreamt of taking two strides and yanking her against him. Sweet Jesus, what was he going to do? Burning fury at Abe’s performance last night overwhelmed him. Just then Abe appeared, groggy and slow but fully dressed for a day of work. “There he is now.” She reached for her boyfriend and kissed him square on the mouth. “I’m heading out. You boys need to get to work, and I have to be in the office whether I like it or not.”
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Levi stared at her with concern. He hated to think of her alone with her father, who might say something to hurt her again. “I’ll call you around lunch if I don’t see you before.” “I won’t be to the site today. I have too much going on. But if you guys want me, I’ll be here tonight to fire up the stove.” Abe squeezed her hard and Levi ground his teeth at the sight. “Sounds great, baby. Drive carefully.” She pulled free from Abe’s hold and threw Levi a wave on her way to the door. She disappeared and a moment later, her Jeep engine rolled over. Abe poured himself a mug of coffee and lifted the pot in question to Levi. Levi glared at him. “Wow, I’ve never seen you like this in the morning. Usually you’re raring to go.” “You’ve never seen me this way because you’ve never seen me angry.” Levi bit the words off and spat them out. Abe’s face grew blank. “What?” Levi brought his fist down on the countertop. “You heard me. I’m pissed. But that word might be too tame. In fact, it is. I’m in a fucking rage, Abe.” Abe set his mug down and faced him. “All right. Bring it.” “What the fuck were you doing last night, touching her like that with me in the room?” A shiver of something Levi didn’t recognize flickered across Abe’s face. “So you were awake.” “I’d have to be fucking dead not to catch her moans and her…her fucking scent!” Power radiated through his muscles. He’d been in his share of prison brawls, but he’d never felt such unadulterated anger as he did right now. Had Abe purposely done that to taunt him? Did he realize Levi’s feelings for Chapel ran deep? “Listen, man—” “No, you listen, you bastard! I don’t know what games you’re playing with her, but leave me out of it.” Abe dropped his head. “I’m not playing games with her. She’s not involved.” “How the hell can that be? Wasn’t she lying there with her thighs spread?” “Yeah, she was. But she didn’t know what I was doing.” Levi shook his head like a dog with a muzzle full of porcupine quills. “What the fuck are you saying, man? Make sense!” Abe gazed at him levelly for a long minute. When he spoke, his voice was gritty. “I know you think she’s hot.” He narrowed his eyes at his friend and battled to keep from breaking his damn neck. Yeah, he thought she was fucking beautiful, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed being tormented by the sight of her being pleasured by another man. 64
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“Don’t deny it.” “I don’t. She’s amazing and so much more.” The corner of Abe’s mouth tipped up. Levi wanted to bash his smirk away. “I knew by the way you look at her.” “I’m sure I’m not the only man on earth ever to ogle your woman. But what the fuck are you doing, Abe? What’s your game?” He looked away. For a long minute, Levi didn’t think he’d reply. Then he met his gaze and blew his fucking mind. “Chapel’s attracted to you too.” Levi stumbled back until the counter dug into his spine. He was shaking—with rage and emotion he didn’t know how to name. Chapel? A smart, gifted and kind woman like Chapel found him even remotely attractive? She doesn’t know your record. He swallowed hard. “And it doesn’t bother you that your girl likes looking at me?” “No.” Levi balled his hands into fists. “What the fuck’s the matter with you? If I didn’t know better, I’d think that tree yesterday bashed out your brains.” “Listen, I know it sounds crazy. At first I thought it was crazy too. But I’ve realized I enjoy watching you two together. I like the fact that you’re always there for her, even when I’m not. She is an amazing woman, and she deserves everything.” “So you’re giving her to me?” Abe shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Not giving her to you. Giving you to her.” Confusion dulled Levi’s wits. He tried to digest the words and make them formulate some semblance of sense. But how the fuck could he do that when Abe was talking streams of nonsense? “You want her, don’t you? Want to do what I did to her last night? Kiss her sweet mouth and touch her breasts and feel her slick folds—” “Shut the fuck up!” Abe went on. “You want to hold her at night? Learn her secrets?” “Fuck you.” “You mean fuck, yeah.” “That too.” “Well, I think she wants you every bit as much as she wants me. And I think we should share her.” Levi almost gagged. Share her? Screw with her emotions until she was a basket case and didn’t know who to trust or where to turn? “No way.” “You aren’t willing to risk your heart?” “Shit, man, my heart has been in her hands for weeks. It’s her heart I’m concerned with.”
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“I think she has room enough in her heart to love us both.” Emotion burned the back of Levi’s throat. “I don’t know how to respond to that.” Abe scuffed a socked foot against the kitchen tile. “Just hear me out. I’m proposing something that will benefit all of us.” “Which is?” “A threesome.” A spike of need struck Levi’s gut and knocked the breath from him. But a major question mark loomed in his mind. “What kind of involvement would there be between us? You’re not… I’m not…” Abe laughed. “No, I don’t want your body, Levi. I want to give Chapel more pleasure than she’s ever experienced in her existence, and we get the enjoyment of her body.” A long silence passed while he mulled this idea. Sure, it drove him mad with lust and the mere thought of having her care about him in any way was a hot coal in his gut. “What if she doesn’t want that?” “She will. Trust me. I see the spark between you two but she’d never act on it. She’s too loyal. So we remove the choice from her hands.” A thread of excitement began to weave through his chest. “If we did this, when would it happen?” “Tonight. When she comes over we’ll make a move.” “And how are we going to do that?” “When she’s asleep in my arms, you go down on her.” Levi’s cock stiffened until he felt it might strangle in the tight confines of his jeans. God, how would she taste? He licked his lower lip slowly. Abe chuckled. “Yeah, she’s that good. Better than you can know. Sweet as honey and intoxicating as moonshine. You think you can handle it?” Could he? Could he walk away? “Yeah. I want her.” His voice sounded as though he’d swallowed a handful of nails and chased it with Jack Daniels. “Good. Me too. Now get dressed. We’ve got a hard day of work before we get to play.”
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Chapter Six The wind whipped through the office as Chapel’s father burst through the door. She automatically slapped a hand over the thick pile of paperwork on her desk to keep it from sailing to the floor. The KeerSaw contract and all her notes were organized in order of importance. This morning she’d discovered them in a neat pile on her desk at the house. Apparently after she’d taken off following her argument with her father, he’d taken the liberty of poring over her work. After a quick glance today, she saw he’d organized the file the exact same way she would. “Hey, Dad.” Jay gave her the piercing look that would have slaughtered her long ago with its sharpness if she wasn’t so tough. “Your boys aren’t gonna work out.” She sat up straighter. “Who are we talking about?” “Gardner and that new guy who’s staying with him, Black.” Immediately her guard was up. She felt her mental boxing gloves being pulled over the tender knuckles of her feelings. “Abe and Levi are the best faller and bucker we have.” “And they happened to be late this morning.” She stared at her father. It was unlike them to be late. They’d been awake when she left. A ripple of unease ran through her. What had happened to set them off course? Her father grimaced a little with pain from his surgery as he stomped heavily to his chair and collapsed into it. “You sure they’re your best men?” “Yes. Trust me.” “You’ve taken on this deal but I don’t have to sit back and let it fall down around our ears.” She swallowed the bitter tears that rose instantly to the surface. For a minute she simply stared at him. Finally she spoke. “Dad, I’m unhappy with our living arrangement.” The words spoke themselves. She jerked at the sound of them falling from her lips. For years she’d thought them, but never had he pushed her enough to say them. He stared at her hard and she struggled not to squirm like a worm on a hook. Tapping a pen on the desk, he drawled, “Are you now?” “Yes. I think it’s time we parted ways.” The muscle in his jaw fluttered. Her heart thudded for long minutes but still he said nothing. Finally, he met her gaze. “You don’t have to do that, Chapel girl.” “I think I do,” she said in a voice that was wobblier than she’d like.
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“Business isn’t personal.” “You’ve been saying that for years, and it feels personal to me. I can’t separate the father who tells me off because I scored a big contract and the father who raised me. The truth is, we’ve always been at odds, but I’ve stuck around because I felt like I should. Now I think it’s time for me to go.” He nodded. “All right, do what you need to do.” She stood up and clutched the KeerSaw file to her chest. “I’ll be back in the morning to work. If you feel poorly, I hope you’re not too stubborn to call me for help.” “I’ll be fine.” On her way past him, he caught her by the wrist. She stared at the place where his thick fingers wrapped around her flesh. He tugged lightly. “Give me a kiss, girl.” She stooped and brushed a kiss to his dear cheek. Tears of emotion built in her throat. She was torn between the relief that she’d finally spoken up and broken free after all these years, and sadness at the parting. Quickly, she left the office and strode toward the house. She knew Abe would welcome her for another night. Though they’d never discussed it, she knew he loved having her there. Still she’d have to find permanent living arrangements soon. She didn’t want to cramp Abe for fear their relationship wouldn’t bear the strain. And the bungalow was small with Levi living there. Levi. Her nipples pinched hard at the thought of what she and Abe had done last night. At the moment he’d told her to look at Levi while she came, her world had tilted on its axis. She couldn’t explain it, but it felt right. Natural. And hot as hell. It wasn’t a good idea to repeat the encounter, but she couldn’t stop fantasizing about it. Even this morning when she’d met Levi alone in the kitchen, her mind had whirled with desire. While Abe’s fingers had worked over her wet folds, she’d feasted her eyes on Levi’s strong form. Flat abs, rugged jeans molded to his thighs, and his hard jaw. A little shiver trickled down her spine. In her bedroom she set her duffle bag on her bed and began filling it. She grabbed enough items from her closet to get her through a couple of days. She’d call a realtor later this afternoon to find a house to rent. Though her income was modest, she could swing rent if it was low enough. And the advantage to living in a small town was everyone knew her and would give her a break. She rummaged in her panty drawer and came up with a handful of the silk garments Abe loved. But her mind was on Levi. What’s the matter with you, Chapel?
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She grabbed her toothbrush and hairbrush from the bathroom, along with a ponytail holder, then added it to her bag. The KeerSaw file she placed on top and zipped it. In the corner of her bedroom her precious violin hung on a hook along with the bow. She typically played every day, whether a long sonata or a quirky chorus from a jig. The music had soothed her since a young age, and leaving this object behind felt wrong. She took a moment to tuck it snugly into its case. At the door of her room, she looked back, knowing she would return but it would never feel the same. This would never be her room again. At the front door, she spent some time stroking Riley’s soft ears. “You’ll be all right, boy. You’re Daddy’s dog and I’ll come see you soon.” The dog wagged his tail and licked her chin. As she walked out of her house for the last time, a tear dropped from her lashes. But her heart soared.
***** Before Abe hit the sidewalk leading to his house, the satiny tones of Chapel’s violin met his ears. At his side, Levi drew to a stop. “Chapel,” Abe said with a grin. “You didn’t know she played?” “No.” Abe quickened his step to reach her faster. Judging from the strong emotion evoked by the song she played, he guessed something big had happened. The tune was neither cheerful nor melancholy, but a strange mixture of both. “She’s unbelievable,” Levi rasped as he entered behind Abe. Chapel stood in the living room, bent slightly by her music, her entire body curling around the instrument that sang for her like a lover. Her hair waved over one shoulder and her overly long bangs hung in her eyes. But she didn’t need to read music or watch her fingers. These notes were obviously ingrained in her soul. Abe scanned the room and spotted her bag. For a heartbeat, he thought he was seeing things. No matter how many times she crashed here, she never brought clothes with her. She slept naked and showered and changed at home, though Abe kept a toothbrush for her in the medicine cabinet. Levi saw the bag too and turned to meet Abe’s gaze with a questioning look. Something’s happened. It’s finally here, Abe thought. What were the chances? On the very night he and Levi planned to get her between them, she had left her father’s home? It felt like a sign. A sign that what they were doing was right. Right for Chapel.
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She opened her eyes as the song took an upward swing. The smile she shot Abe thrilled him to the core. His entire body oozed passion and love for this woman. And if Levi’s body language was any indication, he was head over heels for her. He hung on every trill of Chapel’s fingers. His fists were wadded at his sides as if he struggled to keep from grabbing her. Now that he knew she was his too, it seemed he could hardly hold back. Heat wended its way through Abe’s lower belly and down to his groin. His cock throbbed and his balls ached with the need to watch his woman and his best friend together. How was he going to make it until she fell asleep? As the final notes spiraled up, up, up, joy broke over her face. She met his gaze and he saw her raw love for him. A pang stabbed his chest. He should be able to ask her to marry him, dammit. Should be able to give her everything. Tonight is the start. I’ll give her pleasure unlike any she’s ever known. The last vibrations of the violin strings died away and Chapel lowered the instrument with a shy smile. Levi made a sharp movement as if he were going to grab her. When she focused on him, his hand fell to his side and he simply gave her a grin. “You’re incredible.” If she listened closely, she’d read more into the meaning of his words. But she obviously took him at face value. “Thanks, I’ve been playing a long time.” Abe stepped up and removed the instrument from her hands. He set it aside carefully and wrapped his arms around her. “What happened?” A small shudder ripped through her. “You always read me.” “It’s my job.” And soon Levi’s too. “I told Daddy I was moving out.” He nodded. “Of course you can stay here.” She shook her head and her silky hair slipped over his arm, inflaming him again. “I can’t ask that. I’ll get my own place. But I might need to crash here a few days.” Abe held her at arm’s length. “You know I want you here, right?” Levi inched nearer. “We want you here.” She looked between them, her eyes wide with astonishment. “I’ve never told you straight out but I am now, Chapel. I want you to stay. Don’t think about getting your own place. It’s small here, but we’ll make room.” “I don’t know…” He cradled her delicate jaw in his palm. “I do know.” She went onto tiptoe to press a soft kiss to his lips. “All right, I’ll try it for a few days. I don’t need a lot of room. I only have some clothes and my violin as long as you don’t mind giving up half of your bed.”
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Levi turned away and walked into the kitchen. Abe watched him with concern. Could he pull this off without playing the jealousy card? There wasn’t room in a threesome for jealousy or hard feelings. If they were making a go of this, trust and honestly were essential. “You know I love you in my bed,” he growled into her ear. She squirmed in his hold, gave him a lingering kiss and then announced she was holding true to her word and making a big dinner for them. Levi had disappeared into the bathroom for a shower, so Abe washed up in the kitchen sink before digging into the chore of peeling potatoes. Standing hip to hip in with her while making dinner preparations felt right. In fact, everything about her presence in this house did. If she decided she couldn’t live with them, he’d be devastated. He folded his lips into a tight line and concentrated on peeling. What if he and Levi went through with their plan tonight and she reacted badly? The last thing he wanted was to jeopardize their relationship. She pivoted at the sound of Levi’s step. A puff of air escaped her. Abe turned in time to catch the current of electricity between her and Levi’s gazes. Levi wore only jeans and his freshly washed hair still dripped down his throat and chest. He clutched a towel in his hands, but didn’t move to catch the rivulets. And Chapel was riveted. Her breasts rose and fell with her labored breathing. Quietly Abe set the knife he was using to pare potatoes on the edge of the sink, but the clink broke the moment between them. She twisted away. Levi strode to the refrigerator, ripped open the door and grabbed a can of Coke. Tension of the sexual variety hung in the air. Abe could nearly taste its flavor—Levi’s explosive need mixed with Chapel’s passions. Fuck, this was going to be so good. He could hardly contain his excitement. Getting through dinner without rearranging his stiff rod a dozen times was going to be difficult, but within hours he’d have her right where he wanted her—between him and Levi.
***** Levi’s body stirred when Abe grabbed Chapel’s hand and announced they were going to bed. For a heartbeat, she met Levi’s gaze across the coffee table. Did she suspect what they had planned? His cock, which was like a rock, grew painfully harder. Her hair was perfectly mussed. Fine strands stood on her crown and a wisp curled forward and ended at the corner of her mouth. She flicked her head to move it. “Night, Levi.” He didn’t know if he could force out a single sound that wasn’t a moan of need. Instead he gave a nod.
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Abe sent him a meaningful glance, but he didn’t need any more incentive to follow them down the hall to the bedroom later. He studied Chapel’s features, trying to gauge her sleepiness. Maybe it would be a better idea to kindle the fire while she was awake. He couldn’t help but worry that she’d reject him or feel violated by his moves. More than anything he wished he could pick her up and carry her to bed himself. Trail his mouth over her satiny cheek to her plush lips. Feel her sweet weight in his arms. And lay her out upon the big bed and cover her with his body. He let his gaze wander over her sexy curves, too aware that in a few hours—hell, it could be minutes—he’d be learning every dip. His skin prickled. Abe shifted slightly and broke Levi’s trance. His gaze raced to Chapel’s, needing one last view of her before he met her in the darkness of the bedroom. They were going at this ass-backward and while he wanted it badly, it also wounded him. He wished for the opportunity to start slow…hold her hand and guide a tendril of hair away from her beautiful face before leaning in and claiming her lips. With his heart thumping in his throat, he watched Abe lead Chapel out of the room. Levi’s thigh muscles quivered and he collapsed to the sofa cushion. In a flash, he was on his feet again, pacing to the window and glancing at the golden disc of the moon riding low in the sky. A lover’s moon. Releasing a shaky sigh, he scraped his fingers through his hair. Calm down, man. In three strides he crossed the room but never stopped staring at the place where she’d disappeared. Visions of what she and Abe were doing rose up to torment him. Was he cupping her face and plunging his tongue into her mouth? Peeling her top away? “Dammit.” Levi paced back to the window and dropped his forehead to the cool glass. His brain felt fevered. His skin rippling with want. Today, while cutting timber, he and Abe had discussed the use of a signal that meant she was asleep and Levi could come into the bedroom. He strained his hearing to catch it. What if it never came? For long minutes he held his breath, afraid to even move a muscle for fear he’d miss that alert. A low tap— The muffled sound of Abe lightly striking a pen on his nightstand drove the last of Levi’s air from his chest cavity. He hunched around the dizzying sensation, savoring the moment. This was it. He might never get another opportunity to touch her. Hell, she might drive him away and write him off forever. Slowly, he looked toward the darkened mouth of the hallway. He had to take a chance. Again the tap sounded. He clenched his fists and his feet began to move of their own volition. The invisible string connecting his heart to Chapel drew him along
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thoughtlessly. Fleetingly, it crossed his mind that he should mind sharing her with Abe, but he cared for her so much, he’d never wish for her to give up someone she loved. His steps were soundless on the carpet but his heart echoed in his ears. What the hell are you doing, Black? A deeper internal voice answered. Going after what I want. He braced a hand on the doorjamb and blinked into the dim room. The bed was bathed in moonlight, almost completely illuminating Chapel’s feminine shape. Levi scanned her sleeping figure and tried to make sense of what he was about to do. Abe waved a hand, bringing attention to where he lay. A knot lodged in Levi’s throat as he realized she lay in the wreath of his arms with her cheek pillowed upon his chest. Yearning surged inside him. Yeah, he was going after what he wanted all right, and that was a sexy little vixen whose electric gaze zapped him to a pile of oatmeal. His cock nudged his fly hard, demanding release. Coming farther into the room, he caught her fresh scent mixed with something earthier—her female musk. How many times had Abe loved her in this space? Tonight it was his turn. He stood at the end of the bed, letting his gaze kiss and caress her when his mouth could not. They’d agreed it was best to begin this way. She’d awaken at the strange feel and taste of Levi’s lips on hers if he delivered the earth-shattering kiss he really wanted to. But he longed for the intimacy of starting slow. If she accepted him, he vowed to go back and do it right. She was rolled slightly onto one hip. The lace string of her panties cut across her round upper thigh and her long legs were demurely crossed at the ankle. But the shadowy place between was what Levi would first kiss. A shudder rolled through him. He smoothed the gooseflesh on his bare chest with a palm. “Go on, Levi. She’s all yours.” Levi’s gaze snapped to Abe’s. Chapel didn’t shift a muscle when he whispered. He peered at her lovely face, taken by the vulnerable pout of her lips and the pale glimmer of her skin beneath the moonlight. Emotion welled inside him. “You’re overthinking this, man. Let your body take over.” Passion was a crazed beast inside him. Did Abe know? Of course he had to realize. After all, Abe had once found himself in this position—dying to make love to her but probably wondering if she’d reject him. Abe’s hand played over her hair lightly. She stretched, bringing one small foot inches from Levi’s thigh. His cock twitched.
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With slow deliberation and a racing heart, he reached for her. His hand hovered over her ankle. Damn, it looked huge compared to her delicate bones. He could crush her. But all he wanted to do was love her. A flip in his brain shut off and he closed his fingers over her flesh. Lightning crashed deep inside him, releasing a floodgate of feeling. Her silken skin maddened him as he traced a slow path up to her calf, curling his hand around the sleek muscle. She didn’t move. As he learned her shape, he forgot about Abe’s voyeuristic presence. His world narrowed to include only himself and the stunning vixen beneath his hands. At the soft spot behind her knee, he spent a moment gliding his fingertip over the tender flesh. Without thought, he dipped his head and tasted it. His senses reeled. The supple skin under his mouth was like the first gulp of air to a drowning man. For years he’d been trapped in a limbo state, each day experienced over again. And now she’d gripped his hand and towed him to the surface of the living. She made a soft noise that set him aflame. He gripped the hollows of her hips and eased her flat on her back. Before he could lose his nerve, he plucked at the frail strings holding up her panties and guided them downward. She shifted a bit and released a coo. Staring up the length of her body, he watched her face for signs of waking. Her eyes were closed and the thick fringe of her lashes lay in spiky shadows on her cheeks. Abe’s face loomed above hers, his expression intent. Fire consumed Levi as her sweet scents hit him. Honey and musk. A starving man’s feast. He was unable to still his shaking hands, they trembled against her flesh. He parted her thighs and lowered his face to her mound. Drinking in her feminine scents. His mouth watered for a taste, but on the edge of his consciousness, he never released the dream of taking her mouth, invading it with his tongue and sweeping the hot interior until she cried out. He parted his lips and covered her pussy in one big bite. The instant she awakened, he knew. He felt her muscles hum to life. He couldn’t cut off his groan as her delicious cream burst on his tongue. Stroking the soft folds of her sex with the point of his tongue, he ran it down the seam to her soaking core. When he flicked his tongue into the opening, her fingers twisted in his hair. “What—?” she cried, rearing up. Abe caught her. “It’s okay, baby. It’s Levi. Let him pleasure you.” “Levi?” Her voice was strangled. With excitement or fear? He chanced a look at her face. Her round eyes blinked back at him, shock smeared across her features. “I won’t hurt you. Ever,” he whispered against her inner thigh. 74
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A tremor ran through her, which thrilled him. Knowing he could cause a physical reaction in her heightened his own need until his shaft throbbed painfully. But it was oh so good. “Relax, sweetheart. He wants this, and so do you. Let him get you off.” “But, Abe—” Her words were cut off as Levi lapped her clit. The nubbin hardened beneath his tongue and a flood of juices slicked his chin. “Shhh.” Abe’s fingers captured her nipples as Levi tasted her again and again, his mouth working her wet pussy until her struggles ceased. She relaxed in Abe’s hold, her head thrown back as the two of them owned her body. Levi moaned against her, rumbling against her sensitive flesh and ripping a cry from her. Her fingers found his hair again, twisting in the longer strands that had given away his identity. He reveled in the tingle of the shafts pulling his scalp. His mind spun and he continually reminded himself that she was his—her round ass in his hands, her hips rising and falling with each stroke of his tongue. Her fingers scraped down to his jaw, her thumb working over the coarse hair there. “That’s it, baby. His mouth on you is so good. You’re getting close, I can feel it. Don’t hold back. Let him take you over the edge.” Abe’s throaty whisper reached Levi. Her soft thighs clamped around his ears and she guided his jaw harder against her quivering flesh. He nudged the hood of her clit back with his lip and gently licked the hard pearl beneath. She ruptured with a raspy cry. Levi’s mind whirled as his mouth flooded with juices. He tightened his hold on her ass, lashing her to him, needing more, wanting to take her higher. She owned his heart. The least he could do was show her just how much. Her pussy pulsed under his tongue and he slipped lower to lap up all the juices. You did this to her. Gave her bliss. One taste was never going to be enough. He’d become an addict and she his preferred drug. Gathering her cream, he met her tumultuous gaze. Abe had one nipple between his lips and a hand anchoring her hip tightly to his erection. He rocked against her rhythmically. All at once, Levi needed more. He tore his mouth away, planted one moist kiss to the inside of her trembling thigh and surged up her body. Her gaze was glued to his, blurred with passion and still riding the high of her release. “Now for the first kiss,” Levi growled, and claimed her mouth. She opened to him at once, soft and warm and unbelievably hot. He ground his lips against hers almost roughly, wanting to mark her somehow so that when he broke away, she’d know his touch still.
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Threading his hands in her hair, he held her immobile, but she wasn’t going anywhere. Her mouth was his. He plunged his tongue between her lips and tasted her scalding heat. When she ran her tongue over his, he thought he’d die. White fire boiled in his groin. His cock was stiffer than ever before. If he didn’t get inside her soon, he’d come in his jeans. Still, he drank from her, deliberately chafing his jaw against her tender flesh. Mewls of need escaped her. He swallowed each and demanded more. He planted a knee between her thighs and ground it against her dripping pussy. Abe lifted his head from her breast and Chapel twisted from Levi’s kiss. Suddenly, she tensed. “I’m s-sorry.” Levi moved away a fraction to allow her room to think. He couldn’t imagine the confusion in her mind. But they had to know. They had to make her talk. “Why sorry?” Abe’s question was gentle. She shivered and four hands caressed her, tried to ease her. “For this. For kissing Levi, and letting him…” Abe smoothed her bangs out of her eyes. “You think I’d let it happen if I didn’t want it, baby?” Her breath caught. “Why would you want another man touching me?” “Because I know you want it. And he wants it.” “What do you get out of it?” Her words were uneven, as if she dared not hope he enjoyed her gaining pleasure from another man. Abe nuzzled her lips. He spoke into her hungry little mouth. “It makes me fucking hot.” He guided her hand to the bulge in the front of his boxers. “Feel that?” She moaned. Levi could wait no longer. He had to taste her again. He cupped her face and brought her lips to his. “Touch him while I kiss you.” Abe grunted his satisfaction as she wrapped her hot fingers around his shaft. Levi nibbled her lips like he’d wanted to since the first moment he’d laid eyes on her. Learning each plump curve drove him wild. Over and over again he reminded himself this was real—he was touching her. And she was far from rejecting him. He slowed the kiss until their mouths barely moved. The slight shimmy of the mattress as she fisted Abe’s cock excited the hell out of Levi. His erection pressed into her opposite hip, demanding touch too. But kissing was too good and he wanted to take it slow. Kissing her all night seemed like the most decadent ecstasy. She reeled him in with an arm around his shoulders, slanting her mouth over his. Then she paused and shot Abe a glance. His eyes were pinched shut in bliss from the ministrations of her adept fingers. “You like that, baby?” “Fuck, yes.”
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“Your hot steel in my hand feels good. And Levi…” She faltered and both men waited for her to go on. When Levi understood she felt too shy or unsure, his heart throbbed to ease her. “Sweetheart, we want this. You can say anything,” Abe assured her. He grunted as she flicked the pad of her thumb over his swollen head, smearing a drop of pre-come there. Levi moaned at the vision. Abe’s mouth twisted into a smile. “See? Levi likes it. What do you want to do, Levi?” “Kiss. Christ, I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long,” he murmured. Her eyes were two shining gems in the pale beauty of her face. Her lips were inches away, so close and yet frightening as hell. Now that he’d started, he couldn’t stop. Pulling away from her was not an option. Not without leaving the state altogether. “Then kiss me,” she breathed. The soft words washed across his mouth and ignited him. With a growl, he claimed her. Abe writhed and she kissed Levi with a passion he’d never experienced. Whether it was for him or the man in her hand, he didn’t know. But he couldn’t stop. “God, baby, I’m going to blow.” She moaned into Levi’s mouth and pumped his cock faster. The bed rocked. Abe stiffened. And with a guttural groan, he came. She broke the kiss and they both watched hot spurts of come shoot over her hand and splatter on her hip. Abe’s breath hitched and he bucked. She continued to stroke him until the last drops trickled from the thick head. He cradled her cheek and she turned to him eagerly, delivering a kiss that was no more passionate than that she’d given Levi. For a moment, Levi wondered at his presence here. When he’d watched Abe finger her to completion, he’d been partly angered but turned-on beyond belief. Now that he understood Abe’s stance on the subject and her obvious agreement, seeing her jack off Abe only enflamed him. Her breasts quivered and her nipples peaked into tight buds, beckoning to Levi. He gathered one mound into his hand and drew it to his mouth. She stopped breathing. Endearments revolved through his brain and he fed them to her between the flicks of his tongue. “Baby, you’re delicious…can’t get enough, can’t get close enough…darlin’, I won’t let you go now.” Her fingers worked into his mass of hair and lifted his face. Through the dimness, he met her shimmering gaze. Her wanting was clear on her face. Damn, to sink into her scorching body and share her pleasure would blow his mind. Was that what she wanted? Abe’s hand came down on his shoulder. “Take her. I know you can guide her to release in your arms.” 77
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Levi’s gaze drifted to his. He felt a shock rip through him at what he was about to do. Join bodies with Chapel—Abe’s woman. The act would forever alter their relationships. What if Abe couldn’t handle it? A glance downward revealed to Levi that Abe was aroused again at the idea. But Chapel was the real concern. Could she climb out of this bed and speak to him again? Look him in the eye? He caressed the long hair out of her eyes. “What do you want, love?” A shiver of emotion trickled over her features. Her lips worked, but the words didn’t come out. He stared at her for a long minute, half resigned that he’d be twofisting his cock to completion tonight rather than slide between her round thighs. Rather than risk her, he’d do it. Her breasts quivered with every breath. The nipples were still dark with blood and hard as knots from his sucking. If he ran a hand over the seam of her pussy, he’d surely find her wet for him once again. Dammit, I need the words. “I won’t do anything you don’t ask for, Chapel. If you don’t feel about me the way I feel about you, I’ll climb out of this bed now. I won’t push you.” “You’re not pushing me. It’s just…new.” Her lashes closed over her smoldering gaze. When she opened her eyes again, she drew Abe into the exchange. “You want this?” He leaned on one elbow, hovering over her as Levi did. “I want to give you pleasure in all forms. I know you desire Levi. And you can’t deny how hot he’s made you.” She shook her head slightly. “No, I won’t deny that.” She looked Levi full in the face and knocked the breath from him. Her voice held a tinge of shyness that stirred his passions. “I’ve wanted you from the start. But I can’t go through with it if it causes tension.” “No tension from me,” Abe said. “Levi?” He let his gaze travel over her beautiful face, from her wide-spaced eyes to the delicate point of her chin. “I want you to be happy, baby doll.” She gave a soft sigh. “What do you want?” His cock throbbed. “I want to bury myself in your tight little body and make you come all over my cock.” Her ankle hooked around his waist and she brought him flush against her moist heat. The sensation permeated his denim and he thought he’d spill his come right then. She surged upward and found his mouth. With a growl, he possessed her. He tasted the soft spot behind her ear, the hollow of her throat, the fragrant valley between her breasts. His hand spanned her waist and he delved his thumb into the depression of her hip. Nipping her lower lip, he raised a cry from her. 78
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“I want you, Chapel, but not just your body. You.” She wrapped her arms and legs around him and drew him into her world. “I want to give it to you. To wipe that lost look from your eyes and give you a place.” Abe made a noise of agreement. Her nimble fingers popped the button of Levi’s jeans. The zipper’s vibration against his cock made his head reel. When her scalding fingers dipped into his boxer briefs, he thought he’d surely died and was in the hands of an angel. He stripped out of his clothing and kicked the garments to the floor. The sound of a drawer opening brought his attention to Abe. His friend held up a condom. Levi reached for it but Chapel snatched it up. “Let me.” He leaned away to allow a woman to slide a condom over his stiff rod for the first time. Before prison, he’d never partnered with a woman who wanted to do it. And the woman in the hotel on the drive to Pennsylvania hadn’t been as eager a participant as Chapel. She sank her teeth into her lower lip as she adeptly rolled the sheath over his aching cock. He ground his molars against the need to spill all over her hands. Then he poised at the quick of her. Gazing into her eyes, he forgot about the years spent in prison and the dozens of reasons why he wasn’t good enough for her. Even Abe’s presence felt right. Having someone else who loved her and had her best interests in mind gave Levi the freedom to give up the tight grip on his control. In one slick motion, he plunged his cock into her core. A shudder shook his shoulders as he fought to keep from coming. Her white heat swelled around him, bathing his cock in blissful need. Her cry of delight filled his mind and tore away his ability to hesitate. He had to move or die. He withdrew slowly and then sank into her again, watching her pupils dilate. She lightly scraped her nails over his back and gripped him perfectly tight with her thighs. Abe’s quiet tenor reached them. “Feels so good, doesn’t it, baby? As good as you thought?” “Better,” she gasped, twisting her face into the sheets. Levi slammed into her again, struggling to get deeper and maybe possess part of her soul. The pressure in his groin doubled, tripled. He rocked his hips into her, aware now of only her cries and the mind-blowing ecstasy. “Yesss,” she hissed. Her pussy pulsed around him, and he knew she was rocketing up the slope of release. “Come on, baby. You feel so good. So fucking tight.” He growled the words as he bucked harder. She met him thrust for thrust. Her muscles tensed. And she opened her eyes and met his gaze. A heartbeat ebbed between them, and then she shattered. Her wet heat bathed his cock, sending him over the edge too. 79
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He lifted her against him, rising and falling together. Hot juices erupted from his cock. She contracted around him, her sharp teeth in his neck and her velvety tongue working over his skin. He buried his face in her hair and tried to absorb her into his being. Love you, need you. Love you, his mind chanted this over and over again. She went limp in his arms. He placed tender, seeking kisses along her temple and down to the corner of her mouth. She turned into his kiss hungrily. His cock gave one last squeeze, and then he knew utter completion.
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Chapter Seven Chapel cradled a steaming mug of coffee and carried it to the living room where she’d set out the KeerSaw file. Today was the big day. After all the planning she’d done, she hoped the operation got off without a hitch and continued to run smoothly until the close. The warm glow of the lamp greeted her. And Levi. He balanced on one foot while pulling on a thick sock. Her body tingled to life. “Sorry. I forgot this was your bedroom.” She set her mug down. He opened his arms and she stepped into them. Inviting him into her life was as easy as slipping into a warm bath. Being with him this way felt completely right. He made a soft noise in his chest that made her search his face. “What is it?” “I didn’t know how you’d feel about me this morning.” She straightened. “Why? You think I’d take last night lightly?” He buried his face in her hair and spread a palm over her lower back to pull her nearer. “No. It’s just… I don’t know what I was thinking. I was nervous.” “Well, I’m a little nervous too. But honestly, Levi, last night was mind-blowing.” His erection swelled against her lower belly, bringing a smile to her face. “That’s an understatement. I’m still reeling.” She tilted her face for his kiss. In the back of her mind, a twinge of uncertainty gnawed at her. How would Abe feel about everything this morning? The idea that he might want her relationship with Levi to remain in the bedroom was a real possibility. Would he mind this? An embrace, a kiss? It wasn’t strictly sexual to her. Though her mind was still whirling from the new events, she’d long ago recognized her interest in Levi. After spending hours entwined with him, her heart didn’t know how to separate physical from emotional. But a long talk with Abe was in order. She pulled away from Levi and met his gaze. “Today’s the big day. New job site.” His warm gaze made her skin sing with sensation. “I promise to work hard and do you proud on that new contract.” “Damn, I almost forgot!” She had one more detail to work out concerning a permit for the KeerSaw project. She sank to her knees in front of the coffee table and opened the file she’d brought from the office.
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Levi made a choked noise. She jerked at the sound and looked at him hard. “You okay?” He waved a big hand and she realized it was unsteady. He stumbled back a step. She leapt to her feet. “What is it?” “This job—it’s KeerSaw?” She studied the hard slash of his mouth and the coldness in his eyes. What was going on? “Yeah, why?” “They’re…” His Adam’s apple bobbed sharply, looking as if it were about to slice his flesh. “Big.” At that moment Abe entered, buttoning his flannel. His sleepy expression changed to one of question when he spotted Levi’s retreat. In fact, he was at the front door with the handle in his grip. “What’s going on?” Chapel’s stomach sank. She couldn’t read Levi’s reaction. Was he leaving because of her or the file or Abe’s appearance? “I’ll drive myself. I’ll see you there.” His voice was like gravel. While her mind processed the fact he was upset, her body reacted to his tone. A tone so like it had been last night in the throes of passion. She reached for him. “Can we talk?” He shook his head and his hair swung forward to conceal his eyes. “Later.” “Listen, man—” Abe began. Levi cut him off with a sharp gesture and disappeared. She was wearing only Abe’s t-shirt and the blast of cool pre-dawn air swirled around her bare legs, chilling her. But her heart suffered the worst effects. A coating of ice slicked her insides. Abe’s worried gaze met hers. “What happened?” A knot formed in her throat. “I don’t know.” In one step, Abe was with her, pulling her into his arms and smoothing her hair. “I’ll talk to him today, baby. Don’t worry.” She searched his chocolaty eyes and lost herself in the warm depths. “Are you okay?” His lips turned up in that bad-boy smile she loved. “Of course, darlin’. I knew what I was getting into. Last night was perfect. Seeing you with him only deepens my love for you. It’s an amazing feeling to give you something… I mean, I don’t give you enough.” Confusion ran through her. She cupped his jaw, scuffing a thumb over the growth of hair there. “You can’t mean that. Abe, you give me so much.” He swallowed hard, emotion written plainly on his handsome face. “I don’t, baby, not the things I’d like to give.”
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“Sweetie, you give me more love and acceptance than I’ve ever received in a lifetime. You’re my world.” Now Levi was too, and he was out there somewhere on the road to the new job site, hurting. Abe lashed her to him tightly. “If love and acceptance are treasures, then I’m a rich man, baby. I still wish I could do more.” Before she could protest, he captured her mouth. The rich flip of his tongue against hers stole all thought. Her body—still sore from Levi’s thorough attentions last night—rose immediately to Abe. In the back of her mind, a worm of worry inched into her world as she realized she was playing with fire when it came to Levi. Yeah, she couldn’t keep her emotions from the deal, and what if she fell in love with him? Was it possible to love two men at once or would Abe be edged from the picture? She gave Abe a tight squeeze, and then returned to her place before the coffee table. The open file might be a big success or a death sentence. “I have some final things to take care of this morning before I come to the site. Griffith will be there to manage everything, and you know what to do.” Abe gave a hard nod, stomped his feet into his waiting work boots, then threw on a Carhartt jacket against the brisk wind. Being inside this bungalow with two hotblooded males made her forget the below-normal spring temperatures. He stooped to plant a kiss on her lips, his hand curling around her nape. “Baby, everything’s going to be all right with KeerSaw.” And with Levi? She wanted to ask but couldn’t form the words. Tonight she was going to sit down and have a heart-to-heart with Abe before things went too far. With any luck she’d see Levi at the job site. If she was lucky, she hoped to extract emotions and answers from a man who sure knew how to use his mouth, but who she was afraid would clam up, don his aloofness and refuse to discuss it.
***** Abe planted his feet on the brand-new logging road Chapel’d had the guys cut in and released a low whistle. A vast forest stood before him. It was made up of relatively new growth trees—trees planted thirty years ago to fill in a spot his ancestors may have timbered. The trees grew in straight rows, tall and narrow and as close as a man could reach. The job manager, Griffith, spat a stream of tobacco juice into the dirt and kicked dust over it. “Tough cutting.” “Yeah, but I can handle it. Hope to zoom through.” “You’ll have to. Get your saw oiled up and let ’er rip, Gardner.” He slapped Abe on the shoulder and climbed into the truck. “We’ll back you up,” he said from the open window. “You drop them, we’ll haul them.” 83
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Abe nodded and set off toward his own truck and his saw. Levi was parked nearby and he was kneeling on the ground, sharpening the teeth of his chain with a special tool. “Hey, Black!” The man who’d spent the long night loving Abe’s girl lifted his head and met his gaze. Immediately Abe knew something was off. Levi was drawn, his shoulders tense. He looked like he had when he’d first started work—as if he bore the weight of the world. Abe strode toward him. “You okay, man?” “Yeah.” “This about last night?” The tendons stood out on his arms as he clenched his hands into fists. “No. It’s not that.” Abe studied him for a long minute, trying to separate the truth from the bullshit. “If it is, we need to talk about it. A problem won’t go away on its own.” “I know that.” He dropped the sharpener to the truck bed and slammed the gate. “What do you think is going on?” “I think you’ve fallen harder for our girl than you’re willing to admit and now you’re scared.” Levi scuffed a boot in the dirt and avoided his gaze. “There’s that. But you knew I had feelings for her going into this. I thought it didn’t bother you.” “It doesn’t. I’ve told you before that it’s a good thing. She deserves everything I can give her, even a second man to love and protect her. Look, no matter what you’re feeling, you can’t close up on her. She won’t understand, and she’s confused enough as it is. I’m sure she has some warring emotions too. We all do.” Levi’s head snapped up. “You?” “Yeah. Damn, I watched you fuck my girlfriend last night, remember? Not once but all night. While it turned me on and I got my share of pleasure, I feel the tension just like you. What if it doesn’t work out? I could lose Chapel.” Levi made a noise in his throat. “I can walk away.” Abe noted the flash of his eyes and wondered what the hell was going on inside his mind. “Like hell you can.” For a moment Levi stared at him wordlessly, the muscle in his jaw fluttering as if he tried to hold back whatever words would ease him. Or torture him. “All right, so don’t talk. I’m here when you need to spill. In the meantime don’t take it out on Chapel. She’s too good for that.” “I’d never hurt her. That’s why—” He bit off his words, leaving Abe to speculate on what he was going to say.
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A burning protectiveness rose inside him. He stepped toward Levi and fixed the man in his sights. “You won’t hurt her.” Levi held his ground and drew up to his full height so they were almost eye level. “I said I won’t.” “So whatever is going through your head is going to be put aside. We’re going to knock out this forest.” He waved a hand at the acreage. “We’re going to make a big wad of cash, and then we’re going to take care of our woman.” A throaty sigh issued from Levi’s chest. His mouth quirked up at the corner. “I like how you say that. Our woman.” “She is. And dammit, we’re going to make her happy.” With that, Abe returned to his truck and hauled his saw out of the bed. The morning sun slanted through the trees, illuminating the thick cover of leaves that would keep them out of the muck until they churned it all up. Then they’d be up to their asses in mud. Working through the spring thaw was almost as bad as logging in the summer dry spell. In two months, he’d wish he had this weather. He surveyed the woods and picked out the first cut he’d make. If he started at the edge, he could drop them like dominoes across the road where the skidder could easily access them. With his speed and Levi’s supporting saw, they’d be packed up and out of here in plenty of time. He ran a hand through his hair and then settled his hard hat and protective glasses in place. As he strode up to the first maple, he poked his earplugs into his ears. Fuck, he hoped they’d be out of here before the deadline. Six weeks to fell a lot of this magnitude was pushing it for a small-town operation like Blue Jay Forestry. Do it, Abe. You need the cash. A nice bonus check would pay off a huge chunk of his loan. Then he could possibly negotiate for a longer term and lower payments, which would give him more cash in pocket. And get a ring on Chapel’s finger. He paused. When he’d proposed the threesome with Levi, he hadn’t considered how marriage would fit into it. He didn’t mind Levi making love to her or even falling into love with her. But he didn’t want him putting a ring on her finger before Abe could. All of a sudden it seemed entirely possible. Levi probably earned almost as much as he did. With his lower cost of living, he had more disposable income. Income that could buy a diamond. He glared at the man’s back. Would he do that? Damn, he didn’t think so. He was a good judge of character and Levi seemed hesitant to intrude on his territory with Chapel no matter how thoroughly he’d loved her last night. “Complicated mess,” he muttered. He tore into the tree, taking out his escalating frustration with his financial situation and unleashing the newfound worry that Levi could take his place.
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***** At the moment Levi had spotted the big red KeerSaw logo, adrenaline had surged through his veins. Once again he felt as if he were back on KeerSaw lands, cutting for them and dealing with their punk son. How easily he relived the last moments with Bryan—sticking up for the girl Bryan bullied and how he’d shoved him. In slow motion, he again saw the arc in which he fell and heard his body crumple onto the muddy logging road. It hadn’t been half an hour after the guy was pronounced dead that Levi was taken into custody by the sheriff. Now his defense reverberated in his head as the words had echoed in the still interrogation room. No, he hadn’t hit the kid hard. Bryan had been high. He was a drug user, ask anyone. Yeah, he’d shoved him but that didn’t kill him. Whatever he’d huffed had. But it hadn’t made a bit of difference. They’d booked him and of course he had no one to bail him out. His family had long ago written him off, and good riddance. I spent seven years in prison for that guy. He’s not ruining more of my life. But he already had. Levi wasn’t worthy of Chapel and the knowledge flooded in like a dam had broken. He had to give her up. Had to get the hell out of here before she knew his history and he saw the fear flicker in her dark brown eyes. Leaving her now would bleed him dry in less than five seconds. Last night when he’d sunk into her heated core he’d done more than gain pleasure. He’d solidified his love for her. He was more firmly entrenched in her life than these fucking tree roots in the Pennsylvania soil. He kicked one thick root that had escaped the confines of the ground. The tendril lay dark and vulnerable against the forest floor. To hack into it would damage the tree irrevocably, cutting off much-needed sustenance. Like him. To leave Chapel now would gut him. He might as well be back in prison, scraping out an existence day in and out. Never living. He dug his finger and thumb into his eyes and ground out the emotion that threatened to pool there. What was he going to do? Working for KeerSaw went against everything in him. But they wouldn’t actually send representatives to oversee the job, would they? And his name wasn’t connected with the name Keer on his work record because he’d fudged it. But if Blue Jay wanted to prod around they’d find his record. Then Chapel would think him a liar. Criminal and maybe dangerous. Tell her on your own. Explain and she’ll understand. The voice in the back of his head urged him to do this but he was afraid of rocking an already unsteady boat. He wasn’t directly involved in Chapel’s life. He was an extension through Abe. For a brief moment this morning when she’d stepped into his arms he’d felt they were a couple. One night, however, didn’t make them anything except lovers. 86
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One night wasn’t nearly enough. The far-off beeping noise of a big truck backing up broke the silence of the woods. Levi tilted his head up and stared at the cathedral of treetops. The sun on the verdant green of budding leaves created a glare. He squinted against it yet simultaneously tried to absorb the beauty and serenity. This was his land. Where he belonged. From the moment he’d entered the backwoods of Pennsylvania, he’d felt as though he was coming home. Of course that was before KeerSaw invaded. The familiar hum of Chapel’s Jeep reached his ears. His heart surged into his throat and he found himself spinning to catch the first glimpse of her coming up the dirt road. Through the windshield he made out the soft lines of her hair dripping into her eyes in the way he adored. No, he couldn’t leave her. She was the only thing worthwhile in a decade of his existence. Abe heard her too. Across the clearing he and Levi made eye contact. In that instant they were united once more. Ready to care for her and protect her no matter what went on in their inner psyches. They reached her door at the same moment. In the back of Levi’s mind he noted no one was around. Abe’s hand closed around her door handle. Levi gripped his forearm. “Our girl.” A grin broke over Abe’s face. Then he opened the door and drew Chapel into his arms. The sweet scent of her body wash greeted Levi’s senses. As he watched Abe’s hands play over her spine, bringing her close for a kiss, a dark pressure grew in his groin. This unconventional relationship might seem strange to most people, but it felt perfectly right. Abe loved her. Levi loved her. Who does Chapel love? Abe’s mouth slanted over her rosebud lips again and again. Levi hungered for a taste too. He pressed near until his thigh nudged hers. With a gasp for air, she tore from Abe’s kiss and gave Levi the full force of her gaze. “Yeah, it’s gotta be this way,” he muttered to himself before smashing his mouth over hers. Lightning struck his veins and ran through them like quicksilver to his heart. One taste and he was intoxicated by her. A low laugh issued from Abe as Levi lifted her from the Jeep and carried her toward the backseat. Abe bit into her neck and stripped off her jeans and panties with haste. “Cold,” she cooed a split second before Levi kissed her again. Christ, she was ripe and ready for him. He could smell her juices flowing. He reached between their bodies and in seconds had dug a condom from his wallet and had his length in hand. Abe lifted her and set her down on Levi’s cock.
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“Fuck,” he growled. Her soaking walls clenched him and stole all sense of time and place. Hell, their manager could drive up any second. Her father might drop by for an inspection. Or someone from KeerSaw. He was far from giving a damn. He had to have her now. She cried out as he stretched her tight opening. “Abe, I need you too.” “I know, baby.” Levi heard the snap of a condom around Abe’s shaft. Leaning all the way back, he drew Chapel down on top of him. Every muscle in his body quivered with restraint. He wanted—no needed—to move. But not until Abe was ready. Her dark eyes flared as Abe probed her anus with the tip of his cock. “I don’t know if I can take you both.” Her voice was unsteady. Abe nuzzled her nape with his lips. “We’ll be gentle.” “Slow,” Levi added. A thrill ran through him at this unspoken agreement to take her together. He’d never shared a woman’s body with another man before. The thought drove him mad with want. How much satisfaction could they give her? He felt Abe breach her barrier. The pressure against Levi’s cock grew until he was fighting to keep from exploding. Planting his hands on her hips, he maneuvered her to give Abe the easiest access. “I hope she’s had anal before, Abe.” He laughed. “You think I’d attempt double penetration if she hadn’t?” “I don’t know if I can take it,” she gasped again. Her eyes pinched shut and her lips fell open as Abe eased into her inch by inch. Levi wanted to order him to hurry but could do no more than grind his teeth against the rising bliss. “How’s it feel, baby doll?” “Ohhh. So full. Stretching me. God, I need you, Abe. Now.” With a grunt, he fully seated himself inside her. Over her shoulder, his gaze met Levi’s. They shared a grin and began to move. Slowly at first, testing her limits. “Fuck, baby, this is so good.” She was limp, lying helpless in their arms. Her eyes were wide and blurred with passion, small rasps bursting from her. Levi zeroed in on the sound and his world shrank to a pinpoint. At this moment, there were only the three of them. To hell with saws and sharpeners and managers. He needed only her and Abe. “Faster,” she cried. They worked her harder, slipping in and out alternately, and then changing their rhythm and plunging into her together. Her whole body quivered as if on the brink of release. When she went, Levi knew it would be huge. He’d only known her intimately a few times but she’d never been this tight or out of control. “We’ve got you, darlin’. Let go. Feel the ecstasy.” 88
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She reached back to grip Abe’s hip and force him into her ass deeper even as she twisted Levi’s shirt and claimed his mouth. The first taste threatened to unman him. “Jesus, she’s so…fucking…tight,” Abe groaned. “I can’t stop. I’m going to come!” She shuddered as the waves struck her, towing her under. But he and Abe were there, supporting her, manipulating her body to their wills, driving her higher with each thrust. The clench and release of her pussy around Levi’s cock sent him over the edge. He drove deep and poured spurt after spurt of hot juices, wishing there wasn’t a barrier. Wanting to drench her walls. “Oh God.” Abe’s hands clamped over Levi’s on her hips and he bucked wildly, rupturing with bliss. Levi came back to himself slowly. First he heard only Chapel’s rough breathing and felt the warmth of her lips against his throat. Then he caught the distant chirps of the birds, and beyond that a mechanical noise—a big engine rumbling to life. “Fuck, that blew my mind.” Abe gently pulled out of her. Her whole body seemed to cave. She collapsed against Levi. He held her to him, that ever-present emotion she brought to the surface in him threatening to burst the confines of his soul. The love words welled on his tongue. Tell her. I can’t. What if I have to run? The sound of Abe zipping his fly brought Levi to the present. Abe wrapped his arms around Chapel and lifted her off Levi, leaving him with an acute sense of loss as her body left his. “You okay, sweetheart?” He sat up and smoothed her bangs out of her eyes. Her lips were swollen and he realized his kisses must have been bruising. Guilt warred with satisfaction. He’d marked her. She was his. And Abe’s. Abe reached into the back of the Jeep and grabbed a sweatshirt. He carefully wiped her up. She stood stock still during his ministrations. Was she truly all right? She hadn’t said a word and she wore a stunned expression. Levi put his hands on her. He had to know she was all right after what they’d done. “Baby, talk to us. Are you hurt?” She blinked. A shiver crossed her face he couldn’t read. “Hurt? You think you hurt me?” Abe cupped her jaw and turned her face to his. “We didn’t, did we?” A ragged sigh left her. “Of course not. It was…amazing. That word doesn’t begin to describe it, but I’m at a loss.” She hugged Abe with one arm and wound her other around Levi. He tipped forward until his forehead rested against her chest. God, if she’d said yes and he had a
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hand in causing her pain…he couldn’t go on. He’d walk off the job and leave the state now. “A truck’s coming. Better zip up, Levi.” Abe smoothed the errant locks of Chapel’s was-just-fucked-by-two-cocks hair and dropped a tender kiss to her lips. “Love you, baby. Stick around for the first fall?” A smile tipped her luscious lips and reached all the way up to her dazzling eyes. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” “Even if you can’t walk?” he joked. She smacked him playfully on the shoulder. “I won’t have to walk. I’ll lean against the truck and stay safe.” “That’s right, stay safe. Let’s go, man.” He nudged Levi with his knee. Chapel moved aside to let Levi climb from the Jeep. Then she loosed her smoldering gaze on him. A gaze he’d only seen her give Abe. A gaze that stole his breath. Before he could recover, she was in his arms, her soft breasts crushed to his chest, her hips cradled exquisitely against his. His heart flipped and raced off as if he were being chased by a mother bear protecting her cubs. Elation lifted him to a dizzying height. Yes, this was good. Right. She belonged here in his arms. Abe squeezed his shoulder. “You’ve done it, man.” “Done what?” Chapel asked without tearing her gaze from Levi’s. “Made her fall head over heels.” Levi heard the smile in his friend’s voice and watched a rosy blush climb Chapel’s cheeks. Quickly, before anyone arrived on the scene and spotted them half-clad, Levi helped her don her clothes. He and Abe were just zipping up when a truck horn blared. The three of them turned as one to see her father drive onto the lot.
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Chapter Eight Chapel struggled to focus on the reality of her father’s presence. Pretty hard when she still pulsed with her first double orgasm. Her tissues felt deliciously swollen and the scents of her men still clung to her, which only made the fire in her core flare once more. With legs that threatened to buckle, she made her way to her father’s truck, hoping to intercept him and head him down another road. The last thing she needed today was his scrutiny. She was tense enough about this project without him looming over her shoulder. Actually she needed Abe and Levi to remain riveted on their jobs. There wasn’t room for error in this dangerous business, but they had no time for screw-ups either. “Guys.” Her father nodded briskly to Abe and Levi, who suddenly flanked her like bodyguards. Tension rolled off Abe. While Levi knew less about her strained relationship with her dad, he knew enough to be irritated on her behalf. He braced his legs wide and folded his arms over his chest. Jay held a clipboard and a thick stack of papers. “The guys are all set, Chapel?” “Yes. You must have passed them farther down the road. They’re getting the rigging ready to pull logs faster.” “Yeah, I saw. I’m not sure that operation’s going to work. I’ve never seen the lines set up that way.” Levi cleared his throat as if he burned to say something but clamped it off. Her dad homed in on it at once. “You have something to say?” “I’ve worked with a setup like this before. The pulley system is one used commonly out West.” The gnashing sound of his teeth brought her and Abe’s attention to him. Her father narrowed his gaze. “You’ve worked out West, eh? With who?” Levi’s jaw muscle flickered. He was drawn as tightly as a tree pulling line. Chapel’s heartstrings tugged painfully, wishing to take her father’s attention off him. “I’ve worked here and there,” he answered. “We’re ready, Dad. Don’t worry about a thing. Abe was about to make the first cut.” Jay waved the clipboard. “By all means, get to it. Time’s a-wastin’.” She could almost hear Abe’s shoulder muscles tighten at her father’s words. She knew it killed him to remain silent at times like these. No man wanted to be under Jay’s finger and Abe had a personal problem with the way her father treated her. Abe refrained from giving his opinion on the matter, but she knew. 91
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Abe twisted on his boot heel and strode off toward his saw. Levi remained at her side. When he shifted his weight, bringing their hips into contact, her father’s sharp gaze caught it. “I’d like to hear more about these places you’ve worked, bucker.” Levi’s lips thinned to a straight line. “Yeah, well, I’ve got work to do.” He squeezed Chapel’s forearm lightly then stalked off toward his saw. Her father stared after him, a knowing and smug expression on his face. Damn, had he always been such an ass? Why had she defended him all these years? He snorted. Suddenly she was on complete alert. What did he know about Levi that she didn’t? Sure she’d left the hiring up to Griffith—she trusted his judgment implicitly when it came to workers. She’d done no more than have Levi fill out the mandatory forms for hire. No background check had been run on him. Griffith tested his skill and he’d passed with flying sawdust. That’s all Blue Jay needed. But after seeing her new lover’s reaction to her father’s questioning, it became obvious he had a past. The flash of anger she’d seen in Levi’s hazel eyes was tinged with fear and sadness. The sound of revving saws drew her attention. With a thumping heart, she watched the men position themselves to take down the first tree of the project. A project that would probably mean the end of her strained relationship with her father. But hopefully wouldn’t finish Blue Jay Forestry. Or harm her two loves.
***** Whatever ease Abe and Levi had found in Chapel’s luscious body fled the minute her father pulled into the lot. Damn infuriating man. If Abe didn’t need this job so bad he’d consider walking. The idea of putting in his forty hours a week for a boss that appreciated him sounded better and better. But he couldn’t walk out on Chapel. And if this KeerSaw project soared, he’d have a check that might ease his financial burden. With a grunt of exertion he made the last cut on the hundred-foot maple. A satisfying crack sounded and it fell in a slow arc, crashing through the tree canopy and striking the road. In seconds Levi was on it, hacking it into lengths. A glance at Chapel told him she was far from the line of danger. He loved having her near but it worried him too. Anything could go wrong in the field. A bad twist, a hung-up steel cable… Either could mean death to any person within range. If something happened to her he couldn’t go on. Levi finished cutting the logs and moved aside for Abe to take down the next tree. As he plunged into his work he kept a keen eye on his surroundings but his mind wandered to the revelation that Chapel was in love with Levi. 92
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Most men would be mad with jealousy and anger but Abe felt far removed from those emotions. Hell, fucking her together had been exquisite— Several shouts volleyed through the air. Abe’s head snapped up in time to see the tree he was cutting slice down the middle. Goddammit, a rotter. He hadn’t given a thought to termite damage or blight in these woods. The trees all appeared to be healthy. “Get the fuck outta there!” Levi roared. Chapel was running straight into the danger zone. Levi dropped his saw with a thud and caught her around the waist, plucking her off her feet just as the far side of the tree went down in an avalanche of leaves and flying branches. Abe tore toward safety, his saw still in hand, but he had eyes only for the two people he cared most for in the world. The second half of the trunk hit the ground with a jarring crash. Chapel was in hysterics. Jay was about to pop an artery. And Levi was spitting bullets. “You okay?” Abe asked Chapel as he reached her. Levi shoved her behind his back. The ball of his fists spoke volumes even if his gaze didn’t shoot Abe down. “Where the fuck is your head, man? You didn’t detect that rot while you were cutting?” He shook his head hard. He shouldn’t have been so careless but damned if he was about to take Levi’s mouth. “If you feel like killing yourself, go for it, but don’t forget there are people who enjoy life around you.” Levi’s voice sounded as if he’d swallowed a shard of glass. “You shit!” Adrenaline raced through Abe’s system. In a second he was on him. “No, stop!” Chapel’s cries went unheeded as he got Levi around the waist and hurled him to the ground. The man heaved and bucked beneath Abe’s weight, finally throwing him off. Levi caught Abe’s punch and shoved him back. “Goddammit, you’d better stop before I—” “What?” Abe taunted. In the back of his mind he was aware of their audience and also the fact that they’d just shared Chapel’s supple body less than an hour ago, their cocks slipping against one another through the thin barrier of her pussy. “Before you get your ass in trouble,” Levi ground out. “Fuck you.” All of Abe’s frustrations narrowed to one fine point. His debt, his dream of caring for Chapel, Jay’s scrutiny…and his own mistake with the tree. If he’d been paying more attention, he would have detected that the blade met with an unusual sponginess. Now that he was distanced from it he saw it with vibrant clarity. He’d fucked up. But Levi wasn’t going to make an ass of him in front of his girl and the man Abe would never convince he was good enough.
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He took a swing at Levi. His knuckles grazed his jaw and glanced off his shoulder, rocking his friend back on his ass. Before he could cock his fist for another go, Levi snapped to his feet like a cage fighter, crouched and dangerous. “Don’t you dare make this my problem, Gardner.” He hit Abe with the force of five men. He struck the ground and the breath left him in a whoosh. Chapel’s tear-streaked face flashed past his vision as she threw herself into the midst of them. “Stop, don’t hit her.” “I’d never fucking hit her, Abe. But I’ll take you.” Levi’s fist plowed into Abe’s eye. Stars ruptured behind his closed lid and searing pain doubled him over. He lashed out and hit Levi in his midsection. He felt the flesh and muscle give. Levi grunted. “Like two dogs worrying over the same bone.” Jay’s bark broke through Chapel’s cries. He kicked a cloud of dirt at the pair of them. “Daddy, stop it!” “Any fool could see they’re after the same tail, Chapel girl.” She whirled on him. “So what if they are! This isn’t your concern. KeerSaw is my contract and my project. I’ll handle my men, now go!” Levi went absolutely still. Something shivered over his face that left a hollow feeling in the pit of Abe’s stomach. All at once a heavy mantle of guilt fell over his shoulders. Why were they fighting? An hour before they were fighting for the same thing, united in their love for Chapel. They still were. And apparently she was sticking up for them to her father. Jay’s expression couldn’t have been more shocked. Instantly he’d assessed the situation and now knew both of the, were involved with his daughter. So much for fatherly approval. She reached for Abe, her fingertips light as butterfly wings against his swelling eye. He winced. “I ought to send you both home without pay today for your lack of self-control,” Jay said, his voice lifting in anger. Abe’s heart slammed the wall of his chest. He couldn’t afford to lose even one day of wages. If he did, he couldn’t make ends meet. He gained his feet, his anger turning on himself. “I’m sorry, Jay. I was unprofessional. It won’t happen again.” Jay raked his gaze over Abe, then Chapel. “I suspect it happens all the time,” he said insinuatingly. “Who I’m with is none of your business,” Chapel huffed. Her hands were planted on her hips and her bangs dripped adorably into her eyes. Fleetingly Abe wondered if Levi was as turned-on by her as he was at that moment. Hell, he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and bear her off to the truck for round two.
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Levi got to his feet and folded his arms over his chest. His jaw was set and he wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. “Go home, Daddy. I’ll handle everything.” Jay sighed. “Looks like you’re doing a fine job. I’m going to talk to the rest of the crew. See if any more fights are breaking out. But I’ll be back tomorrow. And the next day.” He wagged his finger at them, leaving Abe with a scolded-kid feeling. A sour taste rose to the back of his throat. “Got it,” he said roughly, then turned for the woods. He stomped toward his saw and the next tree in line. Dropping a dozen in a row would feel good right now. He needed mass destruction. But this time he’d get his mind off Chapel and use caution. Though his eye was swelling he was still able to see well. Levi’s knuckle had ground into the bone below his brow and it throbbed. Abe hoped he’d given Levi at least one bruise. Or a sore gut. He threw a glance over his shoulder. Jay was climbing back into his truck, leaving Levi and Chapel together. She said something Abe couldn’t hear. Together they started walking toward him. He straightened up and watched them come. Damn, they were a striking couple. He had no idea why it didn’t bother him to see them this way but it only fueled his desire to work harder for her—for the three of them. In a few short weeks, Levi had insinuated himself firmly in Abe’s life. He felt kinship in him, a link that was beyond friendship. Almost family. You need this job. For them. Don’t fuck it up. By the time they reached him, his anger had fled, leaving only calm and remorse. Chapel wore a stunned expression that sent a pang straight to his heart. In the past few minutes she’d seen the men she loved try to kick the shit out of each other, defended them to her father and feared for Abe’s life. He folded her into his embrace. She sagged against him, her womanly curves conforming perfectly to him. An ache to take her again formed in the pit of his stomach. This time slowly, kissing and tasting her for hours before spearing her on his cock. Dropping his face to her hair, he drank in great gulps of her scent, aware that Levi’s musk marked her. He reached out and snagged his friend around the shoulders, drawing him into their hold. “This is right, dammit. The three of us. You feel it too, I know you do.” She made a noise of agreement. “I don’t understand it. It’s confusing.” Abe flexed his arm around her, bringing her tighter against him. “Don’t be frightened of it. It’s going to work, I feel it.” “How can it when you and Levi are trying to kill each other?” 95
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Levi’s muscles quivered. He looked Abe straight in the eye and in that instant, all was bared. The burning look revealed his hatred for their fight. There was also something more there—the true fear of a cornered man. What was he hiding? “I’m sorry,” Levi said roughly. “I shouldn’t have come after you. I know you’d never purposely put Chapel into danger. I just went a little crazy.” He clenched his fist and stared at his tight fingers for a moment. “I haven’t hit anyone since…” Abe and Chapel pulled away enough to look at him as he plainly struggled with some personal demon. “What is it, Levi? For a while I’ve suspected there’s something you want to tell us.” Chapel trailed a fingertip over Levi’s hair-roughened jaw. His eyes flashed and he flinched from her touch. “We’d better get to work.” When he started to walk away, Abe sank his fingers into his shoulder. “Just a damn minute. There’s something you’re not telling us. Now come clean.” Levi’s gaze bore into his. “We all have secrets. Why don’t you come clean?” Instant fury rose in Abe. “Goddammit, you are a dirty player, Black. What’s your fucking issue?” “Don’t have one. I just want to work. Now let’s move.” Before Abe or Chapel could stop him, he stalked off. “What should we do?” Her voice broke. Abe leaned his forehead against hers and stared deep into her worried eyes. “Whatever’s wrong, it’s not you. It might be me, but you’re not the problem.” “He’s been acting strangely since this morning. Last night seemed fine and earlier in the Jeep…” She swallowed at the mention of their sexual encounter. “But now I wonder what we’ve gotten ourselves into.” Abe caressed the small of her back. “What are your feelings?” “I don’t understand the dynamics of this bond but it’s there. Undeniable.” He nodded. “Levi feels it too. He’s told me. There’s something else going on here we don’t know about. I promise we’ll get to the bottom of it.” She shivered and he wrapped her tighter in his arms. “Promise me you won’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.” “You know I’ll worry, but I’ll let you talk to him. And I’m going to the office so you can get some work done without my distraction.” He lightly bit the soft hollow between her throat and shoulder. “You’re the best kind of distraction.” Her squirming movements raised instant need in him. But she was right—if she hung around he’d want to fuck her again. And this time he wanted Levi in her ass. He had no doubt their third partner would be game despite his attitude and distance.
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Abe followed Chapel’s line of sight to Levi. He knelt before his saw, tweaking the chain. At that moment he glanced up with an expression of such longing and anguish she gasped. “Make him talk, Abe. He’ll confide in you.” He kissed her ear softly. “I will, darlin’. If there are secrets to uncover, I’ll find them.”
***** Sweat rolled off Levi and even the cooling breeze wasn’t enough. He paused to yank his shirt over his head. He tucked the fabric in his front pocket and picked up his saw, starting toward his truck. Toward home. Toward Chapel. And torment. For the past two weeks Abe had been helping Griffith build his new garage. He put in a full ten-hour day in the woods then went straight to work on another project. When he finally fell into bed with Chapel he was half-dead from exhaustion. Levi didn’t know how much longer his friend could keep this pace. Eventually he’d make another error when falling—something he couldn’t afford to do. Abe claimed he was just helping out, but Levi knew better. He was being paid for his labor so he could cut his loan down. The wind howled through the copse of trees left standing and dark gray clouds scudded across the white sky. A storm was brewing, which wouldn’t be good for them tomorrow. Working with wet logs was a little trickier. The bark grew slippery beneath the saw and it was difficult to climb around the felled wood. Years ago he’d stepped onto a wet log and slipped, cracking his shin bone. If only he’d broken his leg worse, he wouldn’t have been in the woods the day Bryan Keer was. Then again, Levi wouldn’t know Chapel or Abe because he’d still be in Washington. The mere thought of Chapel stirred him. Since Abe was working all the time, they’d been alone together. But Levi hadn’t laid a hand on her. Without Abe’s presence and approval, Levi couldn’t in good conscience touch her. And she was aching, he knew. More than once he’d seen her squirm in her chair or witnessed the bunching of her nipples beneath her shirt. Fuck, he needed her. His cock swelled to rock-like status in seconds. “Hey, Black.” Abe’s familiar tone brought him around. His friend’s slow stride spoke of his fatigue. “Seems like you’re ready to go home.” He nodded toward the apparent bulge in Levi’s jeans. “Not really. I’m dying here, Abe. I don’t know how much longer I can keep my hands off her.” A shiver of surprise crossed his face. “Off her? Why would you do that?”
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Levi scrubbed a hand over his face to dispel thoughts of taking her together. Levi holding her while Abe tasted her pussy, and then making love to her while she sucked Abe’s cock. “Don’t tell me you haven’t been touching her because I’m not there?” “That’s exactly it. I don’t want any hard feelings.” Abe gave a bark of laughter. “Hard feelings? Hell, I’ve shared her with you dozens of times. If I haven’t shown jealousy by now, I won’t.” “There’s a difference. You’re part of it. Alone it feels like cheating and I won’t do that to you.” Abe’s hand came down on Levi’s shoulder and he stared at him hard. Small creases of fatigue were etched around his eyes. “I know how you feel about her. I only want the best for her and you. Take her, Levi. Give her pleasure. I’ll catch up to you both this weekend, I promise.” His face transformed with his grin, wiping away the tired expression. Thoughts of being alone with Chapel in the big bed, of laying her down gently and spending hours working over her sultry body flitted through his head. Just the two of them. Could he do it? Abe was his best friend. He owed him a hell of a lot. What if Chapel’s feelings changed? What if Levi’s feelings shifted and he no longer wanted to share her? “Go on. It’s late. She’s home by now. Sweep her off her feet,” Abe urged. Levi’s heart overflowed with affection for his friend. “All right, but hurry home. Don’t kill yourself to make an extra buck, man.” Abe released him suddenly and Levi rocked on his heels. “I told you it’s not about that—” “I know what you said, but I don’t buy it. Remember I know about your money troubles. I said I’ll give more toward the pot. I’d like to. You’re not charging me enough.” Abe’s shoulders tensed. “So you’ve said. It’s enough, Levi. I made my bed, I’ll wash the dirty sheets.” “It’s not right that Chapel doesn’t know. She feels bad about staying there rent-free. She feels like her money isn’t good enough. Don’t you see her father’s always made her feel worthless and your refusal to let her pitch in continues that?” Instantly Abe’s agitation flipped to anger. “I’m not making her feel worthless.” He ground the words through his molars. “I’m treating her the way she deserves to be treated. I want to take care of her.” “So do I, but she wants to feel needed. Part of it. Something her father’s never showed her.” A muscle fluttered in Abe’s jaw and he looked off at the clouds boiling on the horizon. “You’re one to talk about secrets.” 98
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Levi released the air he was holding in his lungs in one whoosh. He should have expected the topic of his past to arise. No matter how fast or far he ran he’d never crawl out from under the black cloud of his prison sentence. “Well, that’s why they’re secrets. Because I don’t tell them.” “You know we’ll find out sooner or later.” “Not if I can help it.” He took a step, hoping to escape to the solitude of his truck before Abe could wrench a single word out of him. “Dammit, Black, don’t you trust us?” The idea wounded Levi. He half turned to pierce him in his gaze. The words were clogged in his throat but he forced them out. “It’s not an issue of trust, man. You’re my best friend—” “Then what? Is it that bad?” Levi’s heart flipped over and plummeted to the depths of his soul—to the dark part that hadn’t seen the light of friendship or love in many years. “Yeah,” he said grittily. “It’s that bad.” With that he walked away, leaving Abe with this revelation even as he wished he could retract it. Inside the isolation of his truck, he fought with emotion for a long minute. Leaning his forehead against the steering wheel, he considered what would happen if he let Abe and Chapel in on the story of his past. Would they despise him? Look at him differently? He hadn’t really killed Bryan Keer but he’d paid for touching him last. Would Chapel allow him to lay a hand on her, knowing he’d helped to send a person on his way to death? He raised his head and pinched the bridge of his nose hard. Going home to Chapel sounded good. Her glowing presence would chase away the blackness in his soul. They’d be alone and had Abe’s approval… He revved his engine and tore down the dirty road. Abe waved as he passed and Levi returned it, loving that man as much as the woman they shared. God help him. Thankfully home was a short drive from the job site. He mused over the fact that he thought of Abe’s cozy bungalow as home. When he reached the driveway, his heart surged into his throat at the sight of Chapel sprawled in the yard. Motionless. His world shattered with fear and his mind reeled. He slammed on the brakes and rammed the gearshift into park, jumping out before the vehicle stopped its momentum. At that instant, she lifted an arm and slung it overhead. Blood flooded his constricted veins as he realized she was lying in the grass, staring at the tumultuous sky. He tried to still his heart but he suddenly could think of nothing but what he would do if he lost her. He sank to the grass beside her and stretched out. Without pulling her gaze from the sky, she spoke. 99
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“He’s working at Griffith’s again.” “Yes.” Levi located her hand and chafed the chilled flesh. How long had she been lying out here? “Are you all right?” “Just looking at the clouds.” He settled in close to her, trying to offer her some of his heat. “See any good shapes?” “A couple. A few minutes ago I saw Abe Lincoln float by.” A smile split his face. “Old Abe, huh?” He stared at the bristly lashes surrounding her dark eyes. God, he loved her eyes. The depths were flecked with gold and bronze— treasures only he and Abe were allowed to behold. You’re damn lucky you have permission. “Seems like you have Abe on the mind,” he said. She let her head fall to the side. Her nose was inches from his and he drank in her intoxicating scents. Sweet breath tinged with the fresh tang of grass she’d probably chewed. He’d seen her do that more than once, but it always fascinated him. “Probably. Do you think there’s something going on we don’t know about, Levi?” He shook his head lightly. “No. He’s at Griffith’s.” “But why?” “Working. Baby, you know that. He wouldn’t lie to you.” “I think there’s something more. I think it’s money.” His throat closed. With her usual astuteness she’d ferreted out the true problem. Could she do that with him? “That’s for Abe to say.” She sighed. Her breath washed over his face, making his head spin. “I know. I’m going to ask him directly.” Levi caressed her fingers. “If that’s what you need to do, you should.” “I do. He won’t let me help with finances yet I’m here sharing the food and utilities. It’s not right, Levi. I need to pitch in. What’s wrong with my money? I work hard for it too.” He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “Nothing, baby doll. I think he’s a bit oldfashioned when it comes to his ideas. He just wants to take care of you.” “In this world relationships are partnerships. We need each other to make it work.” “And me? Where do I fit in?” The words burst from him before he could check them. Chapel’s eyes softened. “You know where you fit, Levi.” “Yeah. Right here.” He leaned on one elbow and captured her mouth. Swiftly the heat rose in them, stronger and more passionate than ever before. Whether it was the
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separation or the fact that they were alone, he didn’t know. Didn’t care. He had to have her now. Scooping his hands beneath her back, he lifted her against him, slanting his mouth over hers again and again. Her tongue melded with his in a smoldering kiss. He stroked the velvety depths of her mouth, nipped her lips and then ran his tongue over them to soothe any hurts. “Take me to bed,” she whispered. He made an urgent noise in his chest. “No one could stop me.” In a flurry he gained his feet and lifted her, flipping her legs over his forearm and bearing her into the house. She reached for the doorknob to admit them and they burst into the heated interior. She spiraled her arms around his neck and tugged the back of his hair, silently urging him to kiss her. “I’m sorry I didn’t make a move before, baby. I didn’t know what Abe would think.” “What does he think?” She pressed kisses to his jaw and the soft spot on his neck that made his knees weak. “He wants me to please you. God, Chapel, you’re going to have to stop that or—” “Or?” He gazed deeply into her eyes. “Or.” He carried her through the house to the bedroom. The door was partially closed and a kick sent it flaring wide. In two steps his knees came up against the bed. But still he didn’t lower her. His arms had never felt so full. His heart overflowed. Nuzzling her ear, the words of love he’d longed to say spilled out. “Gorgeous woman. Mine. Ours. You’re my world, Chapel, do you know?” Her breath sobbed. “No.” “It’s true. My whole life had been nothing until you. And Abe.” Whether or not Abe was present, he was always between them because their relationship wasn’t complete without him. He’d brought them together and Levi owed him the world for that. If he could find a way to repay him— That was it. At once he knew he needed to find the loan payment book. He could steal a couple payment stubs from the back and help Abe in a greater way. He deserved so much more, but Levi only had money to offer. What did he need it for after all? He had food in his belly, a roof over his head and a truck that ran well for all its dents and chipped paint. He had Chapel. “Please, Levi.” He let her slip to the bed, holding her gaze as he did. She clutched his hand and guided it to her breast. The center peaked beneath his hand, raising a groan of need from him. The heavy pressure in his groin was exquisite. He never wanted it to end.
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He pressed kisses to her throat, savoring the flavor of her skin. Abe’s scents lingered in this room too, infusing Levi’s head with both of them. It’s only right. As it should be. At her throat he dipped his tongue into the sweet depression. She squirmed as he lightly pinched her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “Give yourself up to me,” he murmured against her skin. “I’m yours.” She tangled her fingers in his hair and dragged him up her body to her lips. Her kiss was devouring. All-consuming. His cock throbbed against his thigh, demanding release. He slipped his hand beneath her shirt and skimmed the silken flesh beneath. She gasped at his touch and he explored further—gliding a finger under the lace of her bra cup and prodding her hard nub. She raked her fingers through his hair and down his shoulders. His skin seemed to rise to her touch. Hot and cold shivers coursed through him. Clutching the fabric between his shoulder blades, she dragged his shirt over his head. In that instant he stared down at her beautiful face and there was no stopping the flow of words. “Chapel, I’m so in love with you.”
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Chapter Nine Chapel’s heart welled with emotion and her tears overflowed, trickling down her cheeks . She cupped Levi’s jaw and brushed her nose back and forth against his. Her world had just gone from three-dimensional to four. She considered her world to be rich—filled with enjoyment and excitement with Abe and Levi. But knowing they both were in love with her…it completed her in ways she’d never known possible. When he’d lain down beside her on the lawn and she’d felt his hard body pressed against her, she’d thought she was in for another night of horrible torment. Now she was dizzied by him, knowing he and Abe wanted her to have this time. The sheer power of his muscles as he manipulated her to fit his body thrilled her. The scents of his personal musk, sweet sawdust and even a hint of the chainsaw oil made her senses reel. And the heat in his gaze threatened to consume her. But she didn’t care. Burning up with passion for this man felt right. His roughened fingertips stroked her sides under her shirt, sending shivers through her. The heat built in her core until she thought she’d rupture from the slightest pressure. She rocked her hips against his, bringing his steely erection in contact with her pussy. The denim barrier was too much. Reaching a hand between their bodies, she opened her jeans, then his. He swirled his tongue playfully over her earlobe and down to taste her throat. For several moments she gave herself up to his attentions. As his scalding mouth nipped and nibbled her neck, she raked his back lightly with her nails. The swell of muscle beneath her hands ratcheted up her need another notch. Before long she’d be sailing to the highest peaks of desire. But she wanted to savor each touch and whisper. This would be the first time she’d been with him alone. “Baby, you’re delicious. Let me taste all of you.” In seconds she was nude, spread out for him on the cool sheets. The blades of the ceiling fan sliced the air overhead. The breeze raised the hair on her body. His grin spread over her skin and he lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. A heartbeat throbbed between them as she studied the emotion in his gaze. “I need you, Levi. All of you.” His mouth quirked up farther on one side and the bracket she adored appeared around it. From the first time she’d met him, when he gave her that bad-boy smile she melted. She delved into the open front of his jeans and located his erection. The spongy head seemed to pulsate in her hand. With a groan he claimed her mouth. The world fell away, leaving only her and Levi, the whir of the fan blades and the fires raging out of control inside her. His flavors burst on her tongue. She needed more. 103
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Pressing on his shoulders, she guided him off her. He rested against the pillows, a half-smile on his rugged face. “We don’t need these,” she whispered, holding his gaze as she stripped his jeans off his hips. At his feet she had to untie his work boots, picking at a knot for an impatient minute. His chest rumbled with laughter. When the knot broke free, she released a victorious cry. The bed vibrated with more laughter. Each boot thumped as it hit the floor. Then she removed the rest of his clothes, leaving him bare and glorious before her. She took a moment to drink in his appearance. Hard work had sculpted his muscles perfectly. She ran her fingers over the ridges of his back, around to his washboard abs. “You know what you do to me, don’t you?” Something flickered in the depths of his eyes. His voice sounded as if he’d just downed a bottle of Jack Daniels. “No.” She grasped his hand and drew it between her thighs. He squeezed his eyes shut at the feel of her moist folds. “This. And more. You’re here.” Taking his other hand, she placed it over her heart. His eyes flew open. Before he could utter a sound, she sank down the length of his body. Hovering over the thick length of his cock, she wet her lips. “Fuck, Chapel, I’m gonna blow.” “Not yet.” She filled her mouth with the velvety tip. A drop of pre-come slid onto her tongue and she issued her own moan of delight. She hummed around his shaft, taking it deeper into her throat. The head nudged the roof of her mouth and she flicked her tongue over the sensitive underside. His hips rose and fell and she sank her fingers into the hard planes of his ass to hold him close. The soft brush of his pubic hair against her nose made her shake with need. She’d never come from simply touching a man before but she could this time. If he let her suck him long enough… He twisted his hands in her hair, yanking gently. Her nipples pinched hard at the sensation and a flood of cream trickled down her inner thigh. “God, I want to split you, baby. Come here.” He gripped her upper arms and yanked her atop him. Quickly she fumbled for a condom in the nightstand drawer, rolling it over his reddened cock. Their gazes met and without a word she mounted him. Sank over his hard cock. And cried out with ecstasy. The knot of need inside her swelled, tightened. His shaft stroked her mercilessly and she rose and fell in his arms, helpless to the feelings coursing through her. He loved her. Wanted her. And he was swiftly carrying her toward a mind-numbing release. He pressed on her hard clit with the calloused pad of his thumb, making her cry out again. He cupped her breast in his other hand, rolling her nipple between his fingers. A searing whip of passion struck her.
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Leaning forward, she took his mouth. The bristly stubble of his jaw ignited her and she splintered. Her pussy contracted hard, clamping down on his rod. She rode it harder, seeking heights she’d never reached. He swept her mouth with his tongue, feeding his moans to her even as he began to spurt. She angled her head and tried to express all the love living inside her through their kiss. As she slowed her pace, she grew aware of the sound of the ceiling fan cutting through the air. Air fragranced with their lovemaking.
***** What a fucking long day. Every bone in Abe’s body ached. Ten hours falling trees followed by four hours on Griffith’s garage roof. At least most of the shingles were on. It was all downhill from here. Soon he’d have a nice bit of extra cash to put toward his loan. He quietly entered the house. The lights in the living room were dimmed and he imagined Chapel and Levi in bed together, snuggled in each other’s arms, discussing their days. He couldn’t wait to join them. But first he needed a drink the size of a fire hydrant and a shower. Turning the corner between the living room and kitchen, he drew up short at the sight of Levi rifling his bill drawer. Chapel’s mussed head was pressed to Levi’s and they were speaking in whispers. His heart flipped over and raced out of control as an enormous shot of adrenaline hit his system. “What the hell are you doing?” he barked. They spun. Several papers fluttered to the tile floor, including the loan payment booklet. He ground his teeth so hard, his jaw popped. Chapel’s eyes flared wide and Levi spun an arm around her waist. Part of him hated that his tone frightened her. But dammit, they had no business looking at his finances. Betrayal slid down his throat and settled in his stomach like the vilest medicine. He took two menacing steps forward and jabbed a finger in Levi’s chest. “This is your doing.” Chapel brought her hand down on Abe’s wrist. His gaze flew to hers. She knew. Of course she did. And he hated the wretched look on her face. A look that he never should see there. “Abe—” He made a sharp gesture and she released him. “Just because you two live in this house does not give you the right to snoop through my belongings.” “I was trying to help, man, and Chapel—”
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Abe wanted to shove his friend through the wall. If Chapel wasn’t in the way he might try it. “Help? How does it help me to live with people I can’t trust?” She made a noise as if he’d punched her in the stomach. She doubled up and twisted away, facing the wall. Her shoulders shook with her sobs. Abe’s mind raced. How much did they see of his financial stress? Enough for her to leave? You might drive her away with your anger first. “Don’t blame Chapel for this. It was me. I came looking for the loan information so I could help you without your knowledge.” With a grunt, Abe let his eyes slip closed. A quick prayer for patience ran through his mind, buried deep beneath the wall of fury and humiliation. “I don’t need your help, Black. I would have asked if I did.” “Would you?” he countered. “You’re barely scraping by. You won’t allow me to pay a better share and you won’t let Chapel help at all.” Abe exploded. Rather than grab Levi by the throat and bash his head off the nearest appliance, he gripped the edge of the kitchen table and hurled it over. It hit the floor with a deafening crash and Chapel released a shrill cry that rent Abe’s heart in two. Levi wrapped her in his arms, one big hand cradling the back of her head. Her face was hidden against his chest. God, what was Abe doing? Tearing up the people he loved to protect his pride? He kicked the table leg and sent it spinning a little. “Fuck.” He rubbed the bristly hair on his scalp. “I’m sorry. I’m an idiot.” “You’ve got that right.” “Stop, please.” Chapel lifted her face from Levi’s chest and met Abe’s gaze. She pulled free and reached for him. Before her fingertips could skim him, Abe spun away. He opened the refrigerator, grabbed a beer and slammed the door. He stomped through the house to the front porch, where he sank into a wooden chair and stared at the clouds. For hours the gray masses had flown across the sky but not a drop of rain had fallen. He wished it would pour. That lightning would crash and thunder would rumble through the land, cleansing it for a new day. He needed that. A new start to the day. If he’d been smart, he would have taken the night off from working on Griffith’s garage, come home with Levi and made love to their woman together. At the moment, the idea of watching Chapel’s face splinter with pleasure was the only thing that could counteract the bad feelings inside him. He was very unhappy with the way he’d acted but wasn’t yet able to discuss it with the people he loved. Their betrayal was a blow to the gut. They had no right looking at his bills. If the roles had been reversed—if he’d snooped through Levi’s private belongings—he had no doubt heads would roll. The man would probably put him in the hospital for a breach like that. 106
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The sorrowful notes of Chapel’s violin drifted through the closed door to him. His heart wrenched. Dammit, he’d hurt her. He had to make things right, but first it was better to nurse his wounds and gain some perspective. The last thing he needed was to say something else he regretted. At that moment the door creaked and Levi appeared in the doorway, shirtless and barefoot, looking as if he’d just spent hours pleasuring Chapel before digging through Abe’s life. With a violent flick of his hand, Abe uncapped his beer and brought the cool bottle to his lips. The wind blasted him straight in the face as he tipped it back and poured the crisp liquid down his throat. A lump there threatened to choke him but he swallowed around it…and continued swallowing until the bottle was drained. “You going to apologize to her?” Levi’s voice was ragged. Abe speared him with a look. “Yeah.” “When?” “Soon.” “Do you hear her playing?” “I’m not deaf.” Levi shifted but Abe didn’t spare him another glance. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry, man.” He set his bottle down on the porch railing with a clank. “I can’t discuss it now. I need some time.” A long moment of silence passed as Abe concentrated on the whip of the trees and noted the dropping temperatures. The door creaked when Levi opened it again. Before he disappeared through it, he quoted, “‘The difficulty is not so great to die for a friend, as to find a friend worth dying for.’ Homer.” Chapel’s song burst the confines of the house as the door closed, leaving Abe outside. Alone with his pain.
***** Levi stared at Abe’s rigid back as he crossed the clearing and tore into a tree without a word. The saw ate up the trunk and Abe’s biceps bulged from the pressure he exerted to make the initial slice. He’d said he was going to apologize to Chapel but he hadn’t spoken to either of them in two days. He’d gone through his daily motions, even sleeping next to Chapel at night, but he hadn’t broached the topic of them rifling his bills. Dammit, they were going to lose her to Abe’s stubbornness. Last night Levi had caught her on her cell, speaking to a realtor. You don’t have to be part of losing her. You can love her without him.
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Even as the words rose in his mind, he rejected them. Impossible. He and Abe were one and the same. Long ago Levi had given up trying to make sense of his feelings. He only knew Abe felt that way too—or at least had at one time. The sucking noise of tires on mud brought Levi’s attention around. Before he looked he knew it wasn’t Chapel’s Jeep. But he was unprepared for the sight of the boss man, Jay Caldwell himself. Quickly Levi scanned the area, wondering if Jay was coming to speak with Griffith or even Reardon, who was pulling logs down the road. Abe was busy mowing down timber as fast as he could, oblivious to Jay’s arrival. Apprehension infused Levi’s chest. He’d exchanged few words with Chapel’s father and he’d like to keep it that way. The fewer the better. Seemed like the old man was determined to pick fights everywhere he went, and Levi wanted no part of that. Keeping peace was all he’d ever wanted—even when he’d delivered the shove that had ended Bryan Keer’s life. The wiry man climbed out of his truck and pierced Levi with his gaze. Levi’s thigh muscles locked for battle. He’d seen a similar expression on Chapel’s face—when she’d stood in this same clearing and argued with her father about her right to date who she wanted. Here we go. “Morning, Black. Hard at work I see.” He dragged his gaze over Levi’s form mockingly. “Abe wanted to take down a dozen or so before I jump in.” I don’t know why the hell I’m defending myself to you. If it wasn’t for Chapel, he’d tell the man where to go. The sound of her Jeep coming up the road lifted a response in him so strong he felt it clear to his toes. An electrical jolt. And Jay Caldwell was present to witness the look on his face. The man moved in close to Levi. They were about the same height—Jay broader across the shoulders but Levi built all over. He knew what his body could do in a fight. He’d defended himself for seven long years in prison. “You fucking with my daughter too?” Jay asked. He stood too close but Levi refused to step back. “I’m not ‘fucking’ with her. My intentions are honorable.” “How honorable can the intentions of an ex-convict be?” Levi felt heat crawl up his neck, almost blistering it like a scorching sun. Words rushed into his throat—angry words. Menacing words. He burned to tell Jay to keep out of his goddamn business. But he also wanted to beg him not to tell Chapel. He locked his jaw until it ached. Every muscle in his body strained to strike down this man who could ruin his relationship with Chapel and Abe, stripping his world away again. 108
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Instead of smashing Jay’s nose, Levi walked away. Twisted on a heel and strode toward his truck as fast as his legs would carry him. He felt like a wounded animal searching for a hole in which to hide. Jumping into his vehicle, he cranked the engine and punched the gas. The tires spun in the mud, and then suddenly gained purchase. The truck shot down the road in the opposite direction that Chapel was coming from. Throwing out all caution, he gunned it. Fuck, how had Jay discovered his past? It wasn’t really a secret. Anyone could find out. You took a risk when you applied for the job and got lucky when no one checked your background before now. “Dammit!” He drove his fist into the dashboard hard. His knuckles split against the plastic. Pain radiated up his arm but it was nothing compared to the agony in his heart. He had to leave. There was no other choice. Chapel was probably now learning of his criminal record. Tears jumped into his eyes at the thought. He ground his thumb and finger into them and fought for control. It’s over. “Christ, I can’t live without her. Without them.” He skidded off the road and spent several long minutes battling his emotions. He needed a plan. Thanks to Abe giving him a break on rent, Levi had a nice stash in the bank. All he needed to do was pick up and go. For a moment he considered going home and packing his meager belongings, and then thought better of it. Everything he owned was worth about a hundred bucks. Easily replaced. Besides, if he walked into the house and caught Chapel’s sweet scent mixed with Abe’s musk, he’d never be able to leave. And he had to. They wouldn’t understand why he’d hidden his past from them. Who could forgive him for delivering a death blow to kid? He killed himself with his huffing addiction and you know it. But the knowledge did him no good. When Levi reached the main road he peeled out, the rear end fishtailing before the truck righted. He sped off toward the south. West was pain. East was torment. He only had two more directions on the map to run. If these didn’t work for him, he didn’t know what he’d do.
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Chapter Ten Chapel hit Abe’s driveway and jammed on the brakes. She stared at the gravel for a long moment, struck that Levi’s truck wasn’t here. Her heart lurched into her throat and a wave of dizziness struck her. Something was very wrong. She’d arrived at the job site in time to see Levi tear away down the road—away from her. And her father had undeniably worn his guilt like a thick coat. And her dad had tried to joke with her. She’d seen his forced enthusiasm more than once. In fact, when he knew he’d treated her badly, he always acted too jubilant, was too teasing in an effort to smooth things over. When a simple apology would have gone further. She’d narrowed her eyes at her father and demanded to know what he’d said to Levi. What her dad told her blew her mind. “I presented him with his past, Chapel.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” He pointed a finger down the road toward Levi’s retreating truck. “That man is not who you believe him to be.” “Still too cryptic, Dad. Just come out and say what’s on your mind.” “I’m looking out for you, sweetheart.” Anger bubbled in the pit of her stomach. “Looking out for me or interfering? Because honestly, I can only count a handful of times you’ve ‘looked out’ for me.” “You’re belittling how I raised you?” he growled. “Yeah, I am. If I didn’t know you love me deep down, I wouldn’t have stuck around here this long. But telling me what to do and offering support and advice are different beasts, Daddy. I’m an adult. Hell, I’ve been an adult since I was nine years old and I finally realized my mother wasn’t ever coming home.” Shock rippled across his features. He swayed as if she’d punched him. His hand shook as he scrubbed his face with it, and then he jammed it into his front pocket. “Maybe I didn’t do the best at parenting you, Chapel, but I tried.” Emotion welled in her. She pressed her lips into an uneven line. “Tell me what you said to Levi.” His jaw firmed. “I looked at his file and résumé.” “Yeah?” She had too upon hiring him. “I read a little between the lines. There were too many years unaccounted for where he simply said he worked all over the state of Washington. And something else tipped
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me off. When I mentioned KeerSaw he got a hard look about him. So I talked to the owner of KeerSaw and got some information.” “Which is…?” Pressure built in her chest until she thought she’d rupture. Whatever he’d discovered had driven Levi away and that worried the hell out of her. Panic was swiftly rising. Damn her father’s meddling! “What are your feelings for Black?” he asked. “Just tell me what you learned.” “All right, you don’t have to tell me you’re hooked on both him and Gardner. I don’t like it.” “Who asked you to like it?” she raged, fists clenched at her sides. Across the clearing Abe’s saw droned on and on as he made a back cut on an enormous white oak. A lot of logs would remain uncut without Levi on the job, which would push then further back in the deadline. But she couldn’t care less. At the moment she only needed information. “I am still your father, Chapel. Your only kin. And I’m allowed to worry about the fact that you’re running with an ex-convict.” The air seemed to still around her, enclosing her in a silent vacuum. The breath whooshed from her and she folded her arms over her midsection to keep her guts from spilling out. “What are you talking about?” “Black was just released from prison weeks before you hired him. He was put there by Ed Keer.” Her heart knocked her ribs ferociously. Her mind spun. These were false accusations. Levi couldn’t be involved in any criminal activities, let alone with Ed Keer. Could he? You know nothing of his past. Another voice—a stronger voice—spoke up in her defense and Levi’s. “I don’t need to know his past. I know him.” “That so? You know he took a man’s life?” A tremor of shock tore through her. She shot a glance toward the woods, hoping Abe would see her distress and come to her. But his back was to her and he was tearing into the thin bit of wood anchoring the tree to its root system. “You lie.” “Ask him yourself. He didn’t speed out of here because he’s innocent, girl.” Now seeing he wasn’t here at Abe’s bungalow, she slumped over the steering wheel and let her tears fall. Fear and alarm captured her. What if he’d gone for good and she never got a chance to learn the true story? She had no idea how he’d taken a man’s life. Was it in a logging accident? It had to be. Levi wasn’t the type of man who could do harm.
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Visions of him tearing into Abe, rolling on the ground in a brutal struggle for control flitted through her perverse mind. She shook them off. There was one way to know if he’d fled for good—go inside the house and see if he’d taken his belongings. Dread was a serpent in her belly. She couldn’t bring herself to do it. For long minutes she let her tears flow and tried to think through her haze of shock long enough to formulate a plan. Pulling Abe off the job right now wasn’t an option. They had to reach their daily goal. She prayed another crew member could jump into Levi’s position and buck all the logs today. They had hundreds to pull by quitting time to meet their quota. She forked her fingers through her hair. “I’ll look for him myself,” she whispered. Slamming the Jeep into reverse, she backed out of the driveway. She was going to travel all the back roads she knew Levi took between work and home. With any luck she’d find him. What then? How was she going to bring up his past and make him talk? And did she want him to? Three hours later she crawled out of her vehicle, cramped and depleted from crying. Abe set down his saw and hurtled fallen trees to reach her. Their gazes met and in that instant, all was forgiven. “What’s going on? Where’s Levi?” She shook her head and spread her hands wide. “I don’t know.” Abe’s arms encircled her and she crumpled. He crushed her to him. “Talk to me.” “Levi’s gone. My father—” She gulped around the furious knot that choked her. “He found out some things about Levi’s past and confronted him about them. Abe, I’m afraid he’s not going to come back.”
***** Abe’s knuckles tightened as he followed Chapel through the door of her father’s house. He’d only been inside a few times though they’d been dating for years. Thank God she’d come to him and Levi after she’d squirmed out from under her father’s rule. Too bad the man’s reach could still affect her. “Damn him to hell,” Abe murmured under his breath. She paused between the mudroom and the living area. “What was that?” “Nothing.” He caught her wrist. “You sure this is a good idea? You’re pretty upset and you know whatever your father has to say will make that worse.” Her eyelids fluttered shut. He studied the fringe of her lashes against her reddened cheek. “I need to talk to him, Abe.”
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He pressed a soft kiss to her hairline, threaded his fingers with hers and followed her through the small, cozy rooms to a larger living area. At their entrance Jay looked up from where he sat in a recliner watching TV. He started to lurch to his feet but Chapel waved him back down. “I didn’t think I’d see you for a while after what happened this morning.” Jay’s voice was gruff. “I came for Levi’s file. And we need help. We can’t find him.” Jay’s mouth worked as if he chewed on his inner lips. “I’ll do what I can for you, Chapel girl. And I owe you an apology.” Her mouth fell open. She started to speak but he gestured for her to stop. “You were right when you said I could have done better raising you. I wasn’t always there when you needed me. Logging is a tough business. If you make it through the first five years alive, you’ve got a pretty good chance. I could never get that out of my mind—how if I was killed you’d be alone. But it was our livelihood. I couldn’t just abandon it.” Her knees buckled and she collapsed to a fat ottoman. “You never told me this.” “How could I? Telling my little girl that her momma had gone to heaven was bad enough. Besides you knew the dangers of logging. I tried to stay out of the woods and in the safety of the office but that wasn’t always possible.” Abe could appreciate Jay’s hesitation to discuss the more morbid aspects of the business with his daughter. Hell, every day Abe went into the field similar thoughts ran through his mind. What would happen to her if he was killed? “Fact is I should have found a stepmother for you but I was too broken up over your mother’s death.” Jay’s voice faltered and he rubbed a worn spot on the leather arm of his chair. “Daddy…” The little girl quality of her voice pierced Abe’s heart. He squeezed Chapel’s shoulder and let his fingers slip down her spine, trying to soothe her. Jay lifted his head and looked her fully in the face. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry I tried to control your life. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you all those years—violin recitals and school plays I missed… Damn, I should have been there but I felt the best I could do for you is work hard and build security in Blue Jay Forestry.” A quiet sob sounded in her chest. Jay tore his gaze from her as if her tears gutted him. He turned his blue stare on Abe. Abe cleared his throat. “If I can just say… Chapel is an intelligent and caring woman. She manages Blue Jay well and the men give her the utmost respect. She’s managed to gain more esteem in their eyes since negotiating the KeerSaw project. Big deals like this could bring prosperity to many hardworking men who would like to give their families more too. Chapel took a chance and we’re all going to make it pay off.” 113
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Jay nodded. “I see that now. Just as I see she’s chosen a good man.” “Two good men.” Her voice was clear and strong. She covered Abe’s fingers with her own and faced her father with the truth of her relationship with Abe and Levi. “I love two men, Daddy. Abe and Levi. Two very strong and supportive men who make me feel whole. I know it’s unconventional but I’d like you to accept my decision.” Jay’s eyes widened but he seemed far from shocked. “Yeah, an unusual situation and one that many won’t understand, Chapel. You ready to face down a lot of criticism?” “With you standing behind me, yes.” His throat worked. For a minute he and Chapel stared at one another. Abe noted the same stubborn expression on their faces and wondered who would win this battle. Silence stretched between them. The quiet ticking of an antique cuckoo clock on the wall and the snorting snores of the old yellow lab at Jay’s feet filled the space. Abe steeled himself for Jay’s harsh words or condescension. He wouldn’t stand by and let her father cut her down one more time. Chapel shifted as if to stand. Jay slid to the front of his chair. “All right, Chapel girl. Whatever you need, I’m here.” A choked noise burst from her throat and she flew into his arms. He caught her up and bent his gray head to hers. Abe’s heart swelled with joy for them. Maybe now she’d be able to move forward with her life with confidence, secure in her father’s love. Over her head, Jay met Abe’s gaze. “Tell me what you need, Gardner.” “At the moment, we need to find Levi.” Minutes later he had Chapel tucked in the passenger’s seat of the Jeep and they were on the road. Jay followed behind for a short distance then veered off down another logging road he thought Levi might have taken. At Abe’s side, Chapel was tense and weepy. He caressed her knee and assured her they’d find Levi. He hoped his words sounded more convincing than he felt. By now Levi could be two states away. It made him ache to think of his friend running from the people he loved and toward nothing. No home, no family that Abe knew of. According to the notes Jay had jotted down on Levi’s file, his life had been eclipsed by a seven-year stint in prison for assault. Abe had been stunned to read that Ed Keer’s son Bryan had died after Levi struck him. But there had to be more to the story and Abe refused to believe the worst of his friend. As if Chapel read his thoughts, she asked, “Do you think he did it?” Abe scuffed the growth of hair on his jaw. “I can’t make a decision until we’ve talked to Levi.”
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“Me either. I mean, he’s always avoided talk about his past. I figured he’d lost someone—a woman he loved or a family member he was close to.” “Me too. But remember this, baby. We do know him. He’s a great man. He’d do anything for you.” “And for you,” she said. Her words served as a gentle reminder of Abe’s anger about Levi trying to help ease his financial stress. “Fuck, I’m sorry, sweetheart. I was an ass. I knew it that night but was too proud to let you both in. Levi knew a little of my money troubles but not the full extent of it.” “We want to help you.” He took his eyes off the dark road ahead of him to fix them on Chapel. In the dim lights of the dashboard her eyes glowed. “I know.” “You should have told me.” He heard the hurt in her voice. She’d never been anything but open with him. “You’re right. I was stupid. I wanted to pay the debt down so I could ask you to marry me.” Her breath whooshed from her and her hand fluttered to her mouth as if it were a fragile dove taking flight in the night. “Abe!” “Not the most romantic way to let you know that, baby, and I’m sorry. It’s just that with Levi in the picture now…” She nodded and covered his hand with hers. “I know. We all belong together. I feel it too, Abe. But I can’t help but be overwhelmed that you love me that much.” He caressed her fingers. “I do, doll. You’re my world. Well, part of it. The other part is out there somewhere.” She fell silent for a minute. “You think he’s sleeping in his truck again?” “I hope he is in this case. It’d be easier if we happened upon his truck pulled off a logging road.” “There are so many and we’ve been driving for hours. And Daddy’s found nothing either.” “We might be going in circles around him.” “I don’t think so. I’m afraid he left for good.” “But he didn’t take his clothes.” Abe didn’t want to believe Levi would flee without a word to either of them. Not when they were linked so closely. He wished he hadn’t been such a stubborn ass when it came to forgiving Levi for his indiscretion. What if he never had the chance to right his mistake? He kneaded Chapel’s round thigh, thinking of the times he and Levi had shared her body. Shared her love. There was room in their world for him no matter what his past. “We’ll find him, darlin’. If I have to search the far corners of the earth, Levi Black is not hiding from us.”
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***** The rain let loose in a torrential sheet. After two days the clouds had finally succumbed to their fate and released droplets the size of Levi’s palm. He peered through the blurry windshield and hunkered farther into his soft plaid shirt. The waves of the storm struck his truck hard, vibrating the metal. Every cell in his body yearned to crank up the engine and head home to a warm bed with Abe and Chapel. But how could he? By now they and most likely everyone on the Blue Jay team knew about his record. If he returned now, he’d see only disapproval of his coworkers. Abe’s suspicion. Chapel’s fear. He pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger in attempt to drive back the ever-present emotion. He’d wasted a lot of time driving around this Podunk county, running out tank after tank of gas because he was too chicken to really make a break for it. When he thought about leaving the people who had quickly become his family, his heart ached. You need a better plan than sitting in your truck and avoiding the situation. At that moment headlights washed over his window, blinding him. He squinted and shrank against his door. The vehicle barreled directly toward him. He prayed it kept on going but he was stopped along a lone road during a downpour. The other driver might assume he was broken down and needed aid. To his horror, the truck laid on the horn. It came to a stop. The doors opened and two people burst out, running full tilt for him. He jerked upright as he recognized the curve of Chapel’s hips and Abe’s broad shoulders. He gripped the door handle. What was he going to do? The driver’s door was ripped open out of his grasp and every wet inch of Chapel’s womanly figure was launched into his arms. He gasped at the cold brush of her soaking skin, hair and clothes but hauled her inside. He slammed the door and wrapped her near as Abe jumped in the passenger door, dripping and looking extremely put out. “Levi! Don’t leave us again,” she sobbed against his chest. One small hand twisted his shirt. He buried his face in her wet hair and drank in her scents. He’d missed her so badly in the past two days. Crushing her tighter against him, he smoothed the slick hair out of her eyes—the long bangs he adored. “Why are you guys here?” “What do you think?” Abe asked, nudging him. His muscled arm surrounded both Levi and Chapel and he dragged them near. “Damn you for leaving us. We were worried to death.” “But…don’t you know…?” “We want the story from you, Levi.” Chapel’s lips were inches from his—too close to exercise any self-control. 116
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He dropped his face to hers and claimed her lips. Heat pebbled his flesh as he drank from her, swirling his tongue into the sweet depths of her mouth. Abe tilted his head against theirs and held them tight. Levi rubbed his palms down her torso, then back up. “I’ll tell you anything. Just stay here with me and wait out the storm.” His throat was constricted with emotion. Abe clamped a hand on his shoulder. “We’re not going anywhere, Black, and neither are you.” For long minutes, they huddled together. The windows fogged. They pooled their warmth, but now Levi’s clothes were soaked through too. Sheets of water struck the windshield loudly, drowning out all other sound. Chapel stroked his chest maddeningly. He thought he’d kiss and caress each inch of her body in his wild fantasies before he’d get a chance to take her again. Or to see Abe’s hard cock poised at the glorious V of her thighs. First he had to find out if they could accept his past along with him. There was no more running. As far as he was concerned, their relationship began right here in the steamy cab of this truck. Everything that came before now was foreplay. It’s time to bury your past and be resurrected in the arms of Abe and Chapel. When the rain eased a bit, he spoke. “Okay, you two. I need to tell you a story.”
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Chapter Eleven Abe led Chapel into the bathroom. Levi followed and closed the door behind them, then crossed the short distance and switched on the shower. As the hot water flooded the stall, both men turned to her. She was soaked to the skin and had been shivering most of the ride home. Abe had drawn her aside and insisted she ride with Levi to ensure he wouldn’t try to run again. Honestly she couldn’t have left his side if she’d wanted. Her heart was firmly entwined with his, especially after his heart-wrenching confession. The story of a boy with an addiction unfurled, and Levi didn’t leave out a bit of his part in Bryan Keer’s death. Levi had been the last one to touch him and someone had to pay for his death since the drug in Bryan’s body had been untraceable. “Let us help you out of those wet clothes,” Levi rasped. He reached for her even as Abe’s strong hands found the button of her jeans and he peeled them down her hips. Levi stripped away her outer layer and her shirt beneath, which was sculpted to her as if it were a second skin. This left her in a thin tank top. “Mmm, I think I’ll leave this one on.” Levi held her hips and studied the swell of her breasts against the pale pink fabric. She hadn’t bothered with a bra and the rosy tips poked through the cloth. A shiver rent her and Abe shot him a look. “Better not. She’s frozen.” Goose bumps broke over her body and she clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering. Abe wrapped a warm arm around her and bodily lifted her into the shower. She stood beneath the streaming water, basking in the comforting heat. Through the hazy glass door she saw both men undressing too. The door opened and Levi greeted her with the crooked grin she loved so much. She slid an arm around his neck and towed him inside with her. He pressed her against the shower wall and captured her mouth. Abe was suddenly on her other side, his muscled thighs trapping her against Levi. As if she’d ever want to move. She was exactly where she needed to be. She’d waited her whole life to be loved like this. White heat coiled low in her belly and her pussy clenched hard. A trickle of cream wet her inner thighs. Levi plunged a slippery hand between them and lightly stroked her petals. “Yes,” she hissed, turning for Abe’s kiss. While Levi worked his magic between her legs, Abe plunged his tongue deep into her mouth. He lashed her to him with one arm and slid a palm down her breast to the hardened nipple. When he pinched it between his fingers she cried out.
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Arching against them, she fought to keep track of Abe’s wandering hands and Levi’s seeking fingers, Abe’s nipping bites on her belly and Levi’s hot tongue on her breasts. Then she succumbed to the ecstasy they gave her. Her hot rasps filled the shower. Their big male bodies pressed in on her and when her knees buckled, they supported her. Abe’s mouth slanted over hers again and again, filling her head with his musky flavors and the coffee he’d grabbed at the convenience store on the way home. He plucked her nipple deliciously and she squirmed in his hold. Levi sank to his knees before her. She cradled his sleek head and guided him lower to her neediest spot. Her pussy throbbed with want. She needed them to relieve the ache in her core and then fill her. Together. His rough facial hair seared her skin as he buried his face between her thighs. Using a hand, he coaxed her into a wider stance. When the tip of his scorching tongue met her sensitive folds, she thought she’d die. “That’s it, darlin’. Let him have a taste. Then it’s my turn.” “I won’t last that long,” she cried. She ran a palm down Abe’s ripped abs and located the velvety head of his shaft. She smeared the drop of pre-come she found there with the pad of her thumb before it was washed away under the stream of water. He dropped his face to the hollow of her throat and groaned. The vibration rocked her. She bucked her hips against Levi’s mouth. Each flick of his tongue nudged her up another step toward the peak of her desire. Release was so close, she quivered. “More,” she gasped, urging him closer. He added a finger to her opening and she contracted hard around his digit. “Oh, that’s it, baby. Come for him. God, you’re beautiful.” Abe sank his teeth into her straining nipple and she exploded in a bright blaze of ecstasy. Levi lapped at her juices and ground her nubbin against her body with the point of his tongue, extending her release. Before she could even come down, Levi was standing and Abe lifting her. The blue walls of the bathroom whirled past her vision as she was carried to the bedroom. A brisk rub with a towel brought her back to her senses and she found herself lying on the massive bed with her two lovers before her—still wet and with erections like steel. Abe gave his head a cursory swipe with his towel and wiped his body hastily. She gripped his biceps. Water droplets wet her fingers. She brought one tip to her mouth and licked it off. A groan sounded from both men. She met Levi’s hot gaze and a surge of passion filled her soul. “Dry off. I need you.” He flashed a grin that went straight to the pit of her stomach. She watched as he stroked the moisture from his muscles. When he was finished, he dropped the towel to the floor and approached the bed on quiet feet.
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He gripped his stiff cock at the root and ran the shaft through his fingers once. Twice. “Who gets her first?” Her pussy contracted hard at the gravelly need in his voice. Abe focused on Levi’s rod with a smile. “Whoever’s hardest.” “I think Chapel should be the judge.” She leaned up onto her elbows and waggled her fingers at them. They approached the bed together. Abe stood at the side, his cock inches from her face. Levi climbed onto the bed with her and thrust his staff into her hand. She wrapped her fingers around the velvety length and met his gaze. As she pumped his cock in her fist he released a low growl. Looking to Abe, she encircled the thick root of his sex and drew it toward her mouth. A full-body shudder racked him. “Christ, Chapel.” “Damn, your fingers are magic.” Levi’s tone settled over her like silk against her heated flesh. Power welled within her. Pleasuring two men at once was mind-blowing. She never wanted to stop. Abe threaded his fingers through her hair and Levi fisted her long locks, tugging lightly. “God, yeah, take him. You love his big cock in your throat, don’t you?” Levi asked. She mewled around Abe’s rod. He thrust it farther into her mouth so the thick head skimmed the back of her throat. She swirled her tongue around the shaft and hollowed her cheeks as she sucked. “Gorgeous,” Abe rasped. Levi moved his hips in time to the rhythm of her fingers. The juices from her orgasm soaked her thighs. She let her knees fall apart to reveal the wetness. “Yeah, you want it, baby doll. I see you do. Who’s harder?” Levi pulled her head back to meet his gaze. Abe’s cock was still in her mouth and she released it smoothly. “It’s a tie.” “You little wench, I knew you’d say that,” Abe teased. He gripped her upper arms and threw her onto her back. She bounced lightly on the mattress before Levi covered her with his rock-hard body. His cock nudged her moist folds and his gaze burned into hers. Lust and love mingled in his stare. She’d never seen a more perfect expression before. Unless it was Abe’s look of arousal. She rocked her hips upward, pressing against Levi’s stiff member. “Fuck me and I’ll make a better decision.” Levi looked up for Abe’s approval. He nodded with a hint of a smile. “Do it. Drive into her.” Hooking his hands behind her knees, Abe drew her legs upward, splaying her wide for Levi’s invasion. Dark whips of need lashed her insides. She whimpered for more.
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With exquisite slowness Levi eased his cock inside her. She held her breath as he stretched her, filled her. Stuffed her. She needed more. “Please.” She reached for Abe but he pressed her flat on the bed with a hand on her belly. “Fuck him, baby. I want to see him wet with your juices. Come all over his cock and then I’ll fuck you.” “Together,” she pleaded. The memories of their cocks slipping against each other through the barrier of her body drove her mad. She needed it again. It had been too long. In one swift thrust Levi was fully seated inside her. His body tensed and his face reddened. “Jesus, she’s tight.” “She’s needy. We’ll have to work her over better tonight.” Abe’s cock bobbed against his abs. He rubbed it against the tip of her breast and she moaned. “Move!” she cried. Levi obeyed her command. He sank deep into her again and again, withdrawing almost to the tip. She watched his veined shaft pull out of her body, glistening with her cream. He slid his hands under her ass and drew her up to meet his thrusts. She lay surrounded by them, wanting more. So much more. She squirmed and bucked against him, seeking relief from the deep burn. Her clit ground against Levi’s body with every movement, driving her higher and higher. She’d thought her last orgasm overwhelming. The fires of her impending release made the other seem like an insignificant flicker. “Oh God!” “That’s it, lover. Come for me.” Levi rammed hard, lifting her off the bed. She splintered with a resounding cry. Pulsations ripped through her and she grew mindless to everything but Levi’s sharp, rasping breaths and the plump head of Abe’s shaft nudging her nipple. Levi drew out of her body while she was still contracting. She tipped her hips up to follow him. Then his mouth slammed over hers, swallowing her gasps. “I’m going to watch Abe use you hard before I’ll give you more, darlin’.” “Yes.” She curled a hand around his nape and kissed him wildly. Her body was a feral being, seeking release, demanding release. That’s what she lived for—to be loved by these men and to give as much as she could in return. She locked her hand around Levi’s shaft and rolled the wet head through her fingers. She wanted to taste him, but before she could say so, he rolled onto his back. “Flip over,” Abe commanded. She met his gaze and in that instant all the love they shared vibrated the air. “Go down on Levi while I fuck this pretty little pussy.” He prodded her sensitive entrance with two fingers. Her walls clamped around his hand. He moaned and helped her roll atop Levi.
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Gripping her hips, Abe drew her ass high into the air. He pressed on her lower back until she was arched to his satisfaction. Then he guided her head toward Levi’s waiting cock. She sucked his shaft deep into her mouth. Their mingled flavors burst on her tongue. She spent long minutes working over his shaft. Suddenly Abe’s cock was pressing at the quick of her. She mewled and thrust her ass against him, begging for him to fill her. In one powerful nudge, he sank to the root. His cock throbbed against her wet walls, sending chills of lust through her. Levi made a noise of appreciation. Up the length of his body, she met his gaze. The flash of his eyes ratcheted up her desire another notch. Abe began to move, fucking her slowly. He gripped her hips perfectly and the harsh sound of his breathing turned her insides to liquid. Her pussy clenched around him and he groaned. “Damn, you little vixen, you’re going to undo me before we’ve begun.” Levi held her hair aside in order to watch her lips encompass his rod. Tendrils of heat captured her, pinning her securely to each of her lovers. The loves of her life. She could barely recall a time when her heart didn’t beat for them. Abe drove into her with exquisite slowness. The tip of his cock stroked the sensitive knot of need within her. She tore her mouth away from Levi’s shaft and moaned. “I’m not going to last.” “Don’t.” Abe delivered a light smack to her ass. She and Levi cried out as the shock ripped through her and into Levi’s body. “Come on me, baby. Then we’ll both get inside you and fuck you until you scream.” His hot words sent her flying over the edge. Each blissful pulsation of her pussy released more juices, soaking his cock. She fisted Levi’s erection in time to her throbbing release. “No more,” he said in a guttural whisper. He gently removed her fingers. Her world spun when Abe pulled out of her. She made a noise of protest. Four big hands were suddenly on her and she was being maneuvered once more. Abe lifted her and gave her a long, tongue-dueling kiss as Levi slid to the edge of the bed. She was limp in Abe’s hold, but the hunger deep inside her craved satiation. Levi wrapped his arms around her hips and drew her down. She heard the sound of a tube of lubricant opening and then felt the cool cream spread over her pucker. Levi’s fingers worked swiftly. She wiggled against him, seeking more. He gave a rumble of laughter and eased the tip of one finger inside her. Before she could gasp with pleasure, she was lifted again and impaled on his length. Small noises burst from her. Her body stretched around Levi’s invasion of her sensitive nether hole and a low throb inside her grew to enormous proportions. She had to move and soon.
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“Abe.” She reached for him. With a grin, he eased her back so she was sprawled across Levi’s body. He trailed his fingers over her inner thighs. The muscles on her belly dipped as she sucked in a sharp breath. He caressed her wet folds, moving upward with maddening slowness to her hard pearl. He lightly stroked it until she was quivering for more. “Come on, Gardner. I’m going to burst here if I don’t fucking move,” Levi growled. His hot breath on her neck seared her senses. Abe’s smile broadened. He stood between her legs. She locked her heels behind his back and drew him in, holding his gaze as she did. “You started this between the three of us, you’ll finish it.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Damn straight I will.” In one solid plunge, he joined the three of them. Levi’s hands convulsed on her upper arms. “Baby, you’re so tight.” She held her breath, getting accustomed to their double penetration. Having both men inside her blew her mind. She let go and allowed her senses to roam. Their scents surrounded her and the coarse kiss of their skin against hers made her wild. The bed creaked faintly but Abe’s rasps and Levi’s groans soon drowned it out. With a sudden snarl of satisfaction, Levi tensed, pumped once more, and unloaded his hot come inside her. The jolt sent her overboard. Her ass muscles contracted tight around his spurting cock and her pussy milked Abe’s. “Ohh, fuck,” Abe groaned. His handsome face twisted in ecstasy as he burst. They rocked against each other. Her world narrowed to a pinpoint. She clung to them and they held her—perfectly safe. Levi’s voice was harsh in her ear. “Love you, baby. My world…” Abe rubbed his forehead back and forth over hers. Time slowed. When they pulled apart, they tumbled into the mattress together in a tangle of limbs. She was entwined with each and upon opening her eyes, she found they were gripping each other’s hands. A smile swelled in her heart and spread across her face. Levi’s chest vibrated. “I think we’ve sated her.” “For an hour or two.” Abe ducked his head and pressed a light kiss to her earlobe. She wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders and drew them near. “My men,” she whispered and let the stress of the past few days searching for Levi, arguing with her father and battling Abe over the finances fall away. At that moment it seemed all the trees had blown down, leaving a clear path for them.
*****
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Abe removed the loan payment book from the drawer and leafed through it. The sun streamed through the kitchen windows and fell across the pages, illuminating the enormous figure he paid monthly. At first he’d bucked at the fact that Levi and Chapel knew about his sky-high bills, but now a weight had lifted off him. Though they insisted they wanted to help, it didn’t matter if they pitched in or not. He simply was relieved that his failures had been aired. He wondered if Levi felt the same about his secret. Now that Abe knew, many things Levi had said or done made sense Of course he’d strived to protect himself. And he’d confessed he was afraid that Abe and Chapel wouldn’t believe him and no longer accept him. Abe felt a determination settle over him. He wanted to help Levi gain the fresh start he’d sought in coming to Pennsylvania. He has the girl. Now let’s get him the financial security. And a bonus for me as well. He headed outside, grabbed his saw out of the back of his truck and suited up in his hard hat, hearing and eye protection. Then he strode into the woods. The number of trees left to cut was overwhelming and they had precious little time to complete this job. The race was on. Now that he’d straightened out his love triangle and Chapel’s father, he could focus fully on work. Even Griffith’s garage project was winding down. By the end of the week, Abe would find his evenings free to relax with his lovers. Lovers. A strange situation but one that fit the three of them perfectly. He couldn’t imagine being with Chapel now without Levi. The noises of the heavy equipment down the road drifted to him. The steel line was set up and ready to pull logs and his crew was behind him. He tipped his head back as far as he could and assessed the top of the tree he would cut next. It was heavy on one side and it would take some finessing to get it to fall in the direction he wanted. If he missed the gap, it could get bound up on another tree or create a backlash—springing in his direction. Neither was an option. He had to shoot the gap or nothing. Revving his saw, he glanced around to ensure the vicinity was clear. By now Levi had probably climbed out of their bed and was on his way. With any luck, Abe would have a nice stockpile of logs for Levi to buck when he arrived. He lifted the saw and set the blade against the coarse bark. The blade zipped through the trunk easily—as easily as he, Levi and Chapel had fallen into their loving relationship. Abe’s forearm muscles strained. He removed the blade and looked up at the tree canopy. A single cut had tipped the tree in his favor. The thin slice had caused the massive maple to lean toward the gap. Excitement and adrenaline raced through his veins as it always did when he took down a tree. He recalled his father’s words from many years ago—if you live through the first five years of your career, you’re a great woodsman, Abe. Jay had also mentioned this old logger’s adage. 124
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Well, he’d long since passed the five-year mark and he wasn’t going anywhere. Swiftly he made the next cut. The wedge was small in comparison to the trunk and it was stuck. Using the rounded tip of his blade he nudged it out. The chunk of wood hit the earth inches from his feet. A trickle of sweat zigzagged from his hairline and into the corner of his eye. He blinked back the sting and circled the tree to the backside. Here he’d apply the final cut and when the tree fell, it would be one more toward the ultimate goal. One more toward securing more KeerSaw deals. One more toward security with Chapel and Levi. Abe set the blade into position and began to cut. The tree popped and cracked beneath his blade. Tremors vibrated up his arms as the massive trunk began to tilt. He braced his legs wide and applied more pressure to the blade, forcing it upward to meet the small wedge he’d cut from the front. Suddenly the trunk made a cracking noise like a cannon shot. Abe jumped back. A thrashing sound from above made him look up in time to see a flurry of branches. Green, brown, falling, whistling through the air. He stumbled back. Dropped his saw. Sharp pain in his side. His knees hit the ground and he plunged face first into the leaf mold. Blackness.
***** Levi’s heart lurched into his chest as he spotted the ambulances racing—no, barreling toward the logging road leading to the KeerSaw job site. His mind whirled and his ears began to ring. Abe, Abe, Abe. His best friend’s name was a hot chant in his brain. He jammed the gas pedal to the floor and the truck shot forward in response. Fuck, what had happened? He had to get there before Chapel. She was a few minutes behind him but she had made a run to the convenience store for coffee and would enter the opposite end of the road. She might reach the site first. Not happening. If any Blue Jay man had been injured she’d be beside herself. If it was Abe… Just drive, Black, and see for yourself. He took the road at top speed. The tires spun in the muck but he maneuvered the truck right and left until he eased his way out, then depressed the gas once more. His heart slammed the wall of his chest. Why had Abe let him sleep? They’d both been up most of the night loving Chapel, and Levi hadn’t slept well in his truck the previous two nights. But he would have awakened if Abe had tried. The sweet memory of waking to find Chapel snuggled naked against his side was quickly doused. Replaced by the scene of an accident.
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Two ambulances and a truck with a flashing blue light on the hood stood in the clearing. A group of men huddled around a form on the ground. Fucking trees everywhere. And Abe’s saw was abandoned nearby. “No!” Levi rammed the truck into park and clawed his way out. His feet hit the ground and sprouted wings. He bolted toward the knot of men. Too damn much like the accident with Chapel’s father. This time the damage might be worse. He drew up short. Hell, it was worse. Abe. His friend lay pale and unconscious. His hard hat had rolled a few feet away and his safety glasses sat askew on his face. “No,” Levi roared this time and shoved his way through the bodies to reach him. He hit the ground and put his hands on him. A shock of relief jolted him when he found him warm. Alive. But perhaps not for long. He jerked his head toward one paramedic. “What’s wrong with him?” “We don’t know yet. Obviously took a hit when the tree came down. There may be internal damage. Head trauma.” The woman gestured toward two men who were carrying a stiff board between them. Levi twisted his gaze away. Too much like the stretcher they’d placed Bryan Keer on to haul his body from the woods that long-ago afternoon. “We’re going to need you to move back. We need some space to work,” the paramedic told him. He shook his head hard. If he stepped away, he might lose control over the situation. Lose Abe. “Abe!” Chapel’s wrenching cry gutted him. He jumped to his feet in time to intercept her. She hurled herself forward, propelling them both and almost sending them careening to the dirt. He gripped her tight and lifted her off her feet. With a palm on the back of her head, he pressed her face into his shoulder so she couldn’t see what was going on. “Let me go, goddammit!” The heels of her boots thudded off his shins but he held fast. “Stop, baby. They’ll take care of him. Let them do their jobs.” His voice was a choked croak. Out of the corner of his eye he saw them roll Abe’s boneless body onto the board. The straps clicked into place. A whoop sounded from one of the ambulances and Chapel shrieked in response. “Shh.” Levi smoothed a hand over her spine again and again. She was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane but he was too. They cleaved together and held fast in the face of this terrifying storm.
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“Gardner? What the hell happened?” Jay Caldwell’s voice brought Levi’s gaze around. The older man’s face was pinched with horror. “Daddy,” Chapel sobbed. Levi released her and she went into her father’s arms. Levi slowly spun to fix his gaze on Abe. The paramedics lifted him as one and bore him toward the open ambulance doors. Levi clutched his head. He’s alive. He’s alive. His reminder did nothing to stop his shakes. He locked his knees against the torrent of emotion and watched Abe disappear into the depths of the ambulance. With another whoop the medical vehicle lurched out of the lot, lights flashing from tree to mud to tree. Levi stared at the lights spinning around and around until nausea was a hard ball in the pit of his gut. Chapel clung to his shirt, her small hands twisting the cloth. “What will we do, Levi? What will we do if we lose him?”
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Chapter Twelve The sounds of the hospital corridor seemed to fade as Chapel steeled herself to enter Abe’s room. The intercom announcements, beeping of IV towers and the cheerful chatter at the nurse’s station silenced. “It’s all right, baby. I’m here.” Levi’s soft tone filled her ear. She nodded, clutched his hand and together they crossed the threshold. The scents of sterile things struck her senses. She drew a deep breath, trying to detect Abe’s personal musk beneath the cloying hospital smell, but she couldn’t. He’s here. That’s all that matters. His form came into view first. The sheet pulled taut over his big foot. She followed the lines upward to the metal traction rigging that kept his left leg suspended in an unnatural state. The muscle had been pierced by bolts and his upper thigh was a railroad of stitches. But the man himself was beautiful. His eyes were open and his gaze upon her— dark with pain meds. Her heart flipped. She released Levi’s hand and rushed to Abe’s side, careful not to jostle him. “Baby…” A twinge of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth and he wrapped his warm fingers around her wrist. “Hi, love.” She twitched forward, desperate to press her lips to his, to taste him and know he was solid. The hours while he was in surgery had stripped away reality. If not for Levi and her father’s presences, she might have gone mad. Abe seemed to suspect what she wanted. “Give me a kiss.” His voice was weaker than usual and a little uneven. She leaned in and took the kiss he offered. The familiar crush of his lips was like cool water trickling over a burn. She cupped his face gently and stared into his eyes. “How are you?” His eyes fluttered shut as if the lids were concrete and he struggled to hold them open. “Beat to hell.” “That you are, man,” Levi said. He moved to the opposite side of the bed and gripped Abe’s hand. “If you wanted to take some time off you should have put in a vacation request.” Abe’s lips twisted. “Yeah. This ain’t no picnic.” He gestured toward his leg.
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She took stock of the rest of him. He’d suffered broken ribs and a bad concussion as well as had his leg pinned in several places. The doctors felt he’d recover but it would be a while before he could log again. “You’re damn lucky, man.” “Lucky? Hell, I went years without an accident. This season took the stuffing out of me. It seemed like every tenth log I felled was an accident waiting to happen.” “Sometimes that’s the case. It’s not your skill. You’re the best I’ve seen.” Abe’s chest vibrated with a short laugh. He winced in pain. “Guess you’re taking my place. See the KeerSaw project through.” Chapel’s gaze flew to Levi’s. Her heart gave a small thud of apprehension. Not because she didn’t believe he could do the job but because of the danger he’d be in. For the first time ever she wished she was in any other profession. Waitress, librarian, teacher. Watching her rugged men march into the forest for battle every day was beginning to wear on her. Levi’s gaze was level on hers. “It’s okay, baby doll. I’m made of tougher stuff than Abe here.” Abe laughed and closed his eyes again. His hand grew slack in Chapel’s and she realized he’d drifted off to sleep. But that didn’t stop her from glancing at his heart monitor to make sure he was all right. “Come on, Chapel. Let’s sit.” Levi took a few steps to the hard visitor chairs and sank to one. She gently laid Abe’s hand on the bed and gladly went into Levi’s arms. He tugged her across his knees and snuggled her close. For long minutes they simply stared at the man who had brought them all together. “It’s amazing, you know. From the beginning he knew this arrangement between the three of us would work.” “He’s giving. Selfless.” Levi’s words held a tinge of reverence. He shifted her so he could meet her gaze. “I’ll do everything in my power to take care of you both, Chapel. While he recuperates and beyond. I’ll work double shifts to pay the bills.” She dropped her forehead to his. “No, it’s too much. We’ll make ends meet. I’m not without funds. You can’t stop me from contributing.” “I wouldn’t dream of it. We’re partners, aren’t we?” She ran a palm over the hard planes of his chest. “Just the three of us.” The clearing of a throat made them both look up to find Jay in the doorway. He moved into the room on soft feet. “How’s our boy?” Chapel gained her feet and moved into her father’s waiting embrace. Her heart thrilled. It seemed her father accepted her personal decisions. Now if she could gain his respect in the family business, all would be right. Her father stroked her hair and squeezed her tight. “The nurses said he’s doing fine.”
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Emotion filled her eyes at the fact he’d been thoughtful enough to check on Abe’s condition before coming to visit. “Yes, we just talked to him before he drifted off.” “Need lots of rest after an accident and surgery like that, I know. I got on my feet quickly, but this guy doesn’t look as if finishing the season is a possibility.” Chapel and Levi followed Jay’s line of sight to Abe’s strong leg, pinioned on the traction device. The doctors had explained Abe would need some weeks in a cast and rehabilitation following that. “You’re the next best cutter we’ve got, Black. You willing to step up to the plate and make this KeerSaw project happen?” Levi’s expression closed off a bit at the mention of KeerSaw. When she’d lain in bed with him talking ’til the wee hours of the morning, they’d discussed this very topic. He’d finally come to terms with his past and also realized he wasn’t working for KeerSaw, but Blue Jay. For her and Abe. He gave a hard nod and his lips firmed. “I’m ready to start tomorrow.” Jay clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll take care of your girl until you return safely each day. After all, she was my little girl first. Just be safe and get it done.” Tears flooded Chapel’s eyes as she looked between her father and two lovers. If they could complete the terms of the contract despite the odds stacked against them, they’d be settled financially. But having the men in her life come together for one common goal made her wealthy beyond her imagination.
***** Abe’s senses returned slowly as he drifted on a vast sea. First he caught the faint scent of Chapel’s body wash and Levi’s musk. Though he was screwed into traction and unable to move, his body screamed that he was ready for some action. A soft, tinkling laugh sounded at his side. He opened his eyes to find Chapel. She had pulled a chair right up to the bed and leaned on the edge. Her face was ravaged with worry and it made him ache to know he’d caused her such concern. “What’s funny?” he asked. He forced out the words—his mouth felt a long distance from his brain. “Your um…state.” She brushed the tip of his erection with her tormenting little fingers. “I don’t think you’re quite up to whatever you were dreaming about.” “Wasn’t dreaming,” he said. His throat was desiccated. Chapel grabbed the foam cup of water the nurses constantly refilled for him and brought the straw to his lips. He wrapped his fingers around hers and met her gaze as he gulped the cold liquid. “I wasn’t dreaming,” he said again when he’d finished. “I could smell you.” She crushed her lower lip with her teeth. “Is that a good thing?”
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“God, yes. Can you get into bed with me? I’d like to hold you.” She stood at the bedside shaking her head. Her warm locks tumbled over her shoulders and her bangs dripped into her eyes, catching on her lashes when she blinked. She nudged them away. “I don’t want to hurt you.” “You’ll be careful if you climb in this side away from my leg. Come on, baby.” He held out an arm, urging her against him. He watched her hesitation fall away. Her face brightened. Very carefully she eased onto the mattress beside him. His leg shook lightly, the pins and bolts giving him a twinge, but nothing too painful. Her hip was pressed tightly to his and his cock swelled more. She caught sight of it dancing beneath the white sheet. “Abe,” she drawled. “Yes, love?” “You’d better behave.” “I’m behaving exactly as a man who’s in love would. Speaking of that—where’s Levi?” Worry rooted deep in his soul. Judging from the shadow that crossed her beautiful features he could guess where Levi might be. In the woods wielding a saw and taking over his position as faller. “Fuck. I don’t like it.” “Me either. But we didn’t know what else to do. We have to trust Levi to do the job if he believes he can. We can’t keep him from excelling because we’re afraid for his safety.” “Why the hell not?” “Would you back away from a job, Abe Gardner?” she challenged, staring straight into his eyes. He fell silent. No, he wouldn’t. In fact he’d taken on two jobs. All at once the enormity of his situation flooded his mind. No work for the rest of the season. No money. Bills left unpaid and the very real possibility of losing his house. “God, Chapel, what am I going to do?” Despair dunked him into its icy depths. She laid her palm flat on his chest. “You’re going to concentrate on healing so we can get you on your feet again.” “I know, but the money, the bills—” “Taken care of.” He shifted, wishing he could sit up more fully. Wishing he could swing his legs over the edge of the bed, slip his feet into his boots and walk right out of here. Blue Jay needed him. Chapel and Levi needed him. “You can’t take up the slack, baby. You and Levi—”
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“Too late. We’re a team, remember? If this accident had befallen me or Levi you guys wouldn’t hesitate to stand up and help one another. Money is nothing, Abe. In the whole scheme of life, love and relationships and honesty truly matter.” A great lump grew in his throat, keeping him from saying anything. For a long time he’d known what she said was true, but being on the verge of bankruptcy had weighed on him until he couldn’t see the forest for the trees. “Together we’ll get by and come out on top. You’ll see.” She snuggled close to him. The faint brushing of her lips against his throat sent tendrils of heat through his core. Her musical laughter filled his ears again. “Baby, you know I want nothing more than to accommodate your…state. But it’s not a good idea.” He gave a heavy sigh. “Damn. Too bad. Guess you’ll have to settle for me holding you.” She tilted her face up to his. Her eyes danced, reflecting the love he felt. “Babe, as long as I have you in my arms, nothing in the world matters.”
***** Levi cracked open the icy cold beer and brought it to his lips. The heat of the day lingered though it was well past eight o’clock in the evening. Summers in Pennsylvania felt hotter than Washington but he’d never consider going back. This rugged place had become his home in a very short time. To tear him from this world now would cut out a huge chunk of his soul. He sank to the Adirondack chair on the front porch and stared out at the falling darkness. The lone chirp of a cricket started up in the bushes to his right. He crossed his ankle over his knee and cradled his beer. Inside he heard Abe and Chapel’s quiet conversation. He was happy they weren’t arguing—Abe’s confinement to the house while he recovered had been difficult for them all. The fact that he could now maneuver in a walking cast would ease their troubles considerably. The screen door creaked open and Levi turned his head to see Chapel padding barefoot across the porch floor. His gut twisted with instant need. Fuck, seeing her in those tight cutoff shorts and a tiny tank top maddened him. He reached for her and she came easily into his arms, straddling his thighs with hers. His cock clenched and his balls drew up tight as her heat permeated his jeans. “I think I’ll have to put an order in for summer to remain all year long.” Her eyes widened but she smiled. “Why?” “So I get to see you in these skimpy outfits.” She squeezed his biceps and leaned in to brush her lips over his, igniting him further. “But winter means shorter days. Longer nights.”
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He groaned and rocked his hips into the V of her legs. Juices oozed from the tip of his cock and wet his boxers. For weeks he’d had her to himself and it was fantastic but he missed Abe’s participation. It didn’t feel right without him. “Mmm. Take me. Right here on the porch, Levi.” Her plush lips sought his again and the tip of her tongue snaked out to wet his upper lip. With a growl he gripped her hips and ground his erection against her. “You need my cock, baby? How much?” She wriggled and nipped his lip. “This much.” Reaching between their bodies she located his hard length and squeezed lightly. His balls ached for release. He edged his fingers beneath the hem of her tank and stroked her silken flesh. White heat clawed at his core. He had to get inside her. Now. At that moment the faint thunk of Abe’s cast on the floor inside drew Levi and Chapel apart. They shared a short laugh as Abe pushed through the screen door. “Hey guys—” He stopped at the sight of them entangled in the chair. A grin stretched Levi’s face when he spotted Abe with his big, heavy walking cast. “Getting around better today.” “Chapel made me walk a lot.” He shot her a look, part glare, part appreciation. She beamed. “Two turns around the lot. It was too nice to stay inside another minute.” “Hot, you mean.” Levi trailed a finger between her breasts, gathering the moisture there. She moaned and arched her back to give him better access. Abe stumped over and pinned her arms behind her. Her breath came faster, washing across Levi’s face. He leaned in once more and claimed her lips, tasting the residue of beer he’d put there with his last kiss. Abe groaned. Levi tore his mouth away and looked at Abe. “She tastes so fucking good.” “Let’s take her inside.” He clumped back a step and then made his way toward the front door. Levi lifted Chapel and set her on her feet. They followed Abe inside, leaving behind the chorus of crickets and the setting sun. In the bedroom, he and Abe moved in on her, flanking her sides, working over her ripe curves. Levi brushed his knuckles against the underside of her breast, then dipped his head and captured the hard bud of her nipple between his lips. He pinched it lightly, wetting the fabric of her tank top and her bra beneath. Abe sank to the edge of the bed and pulled her between his thighs. He reached around her front and unbuttoned her denim shorts. Levi stripped her tank over her head and tossed it to the floor with a whisper. Then, reaching behind her back, he unclasped her bra. The fabric fell away to reveal her full mounds. The tips were dark rose and straining for his touch. When Levi reached for them, Abe spoke up. “Let me.” 133
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His big hands covered her from behind, lightly kneading her flesh. The sight of his tanned fingers against her pale skin incited Levi. His cock pressed painfully against his zipper. A throbbing need to spread her luscious thighs and spear her almost sent him over the edge. He ground his teeth to hold off his premature release. Levi hooked his fingers in the waistband of her shorts and peeled them down her hips, taking her silky panties with them. “Mmm. The fire-engine red ones.” “Thought you’d like them.” She toyed with his nipples, tracing slow circles around them. He caught her hands and plastered them to his abs. “Keep that up and you won’t get what you want.” “I have two sexy studs. I’ll always get what I want.” Abe tweaked her nipples, making her cry out. At that moment Levi dropped to his knees and buried his face between her thighs. Her honeyed scent hit him like a wall. His mouth watered and his cock jerked in response. Before she could gasp, he sank his tongue into her wet folds. A glance at her face revealed her pleasure. Abe kissed from the side of her torso to her hip and she shivered. Levi swirled his tongue over her hard nubbin. Pulling back slightly, he let her juices string between his lips and her body. “Fuck, you’re delicious.” She clasped his face and guided him back to her pussy. The wet heat consumed him. He tasted her again and again, plunging his tongue deep and then receding to tease her clit. She bucked against his mouth and he opened wide to accept more of her delicious sex. Her silky flesh brushed his nose. He slipped a hand between her clenched thighs and eased his fingertip into her soaking opening. A shock ran through him as he discovered Abe’s hand, working her nether hole from behind. For a brief moment their hands locked, gripped in the brotherhood of loving this woman. Emotion ripped through him. He exerted the barest pressure on Abe’s hand and then released him, plunging his finger deep into Chapel’s pussy. Her hot walls clenched him so perfectly. Damn, if he didn’t get inside her soon he was going to blow. He tongued her clit and stroked her depths faster. She rocked forward and back in time to their rhythm. He felt the ecstasy coiling inside her. A few more laps— She burst with a cry of bliss. Abe’s finger drove deep into her ass. Through her flesh separating his finger from Levi’s, they met once more. Hot cream flooded Levi’s hand and tongue. He groaned at her unique flavor and slowed his pace as her pulsations ebbed away. She sagged against him. Slowly he removed his finger and pressed several tender kisses to the tops of her thighs and around her hips. Her breathing slowed. Abe drew her down beside him on the bed. She curled onto one hip, her eyes glazed and filled with pleasure. An enthralling flush speckled her skin. Abe hovered
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over her, kissing her cheek and jaw and worrying her sensitive earlobe between his teeth. A shudder racked her. Levi watched Abe touch her and his passion grew. He had to strip out of his clothes or die. His clothing fell away and he stood at the bedside naked and lusting. Abe sucked Chapel’s nipples one at a time, drawing them taut before releasing them. His cock nudged her hip, long and ready to stretch her. Fill her. Levi grasped his cock at the root and rolled it slowly through his fist. Juices leaked down the head and pressure built in his core. Abe tore his mouth from her body and pierced Levi with his gaze. “You want me to fuck her?” He shifted his heavy cast to the side. Levi’s gaze flickered over them. “I want her to ride you.” Chapel caught her plump lip in her teeth. She sat up and hooked her leg over Abe’s hips. All the air left Levi’s lungs in a whoosh. The round globes of her ass and the dip of her spine stole his sanity. Images floated through his head of fucking her tight ass then pulling out and spurting his come all over her lower back. Splattering her white flesh. She moaned as she sank over Abe’s erection. Levi could stand no more. He licked the pad of his thumb and smoothed it over her pucker. She shot him a look over her narrow shoulder. “God, yes. I need you both sliding in and out of me.” Levi gathered some of the moisture between her thighs, his fingers skimming her opening where Abe’s cock stretched her skin. Levi fisted his own cock once and wet the spongy tip with his fluids and hers. He hovered near her ass. She and Abe fell still to allow him to enter her. With a thumping heart he watched the head of his hard-on disappear into her body. His balls grew heavy with desire and he ground his teeth against the need to blow. “More,” she gasped. Levi pressed into her spine with his palm, angling her perfectly to accept him without hurting her. With one smooth thrust, he buried himself balls-deep. She and Abe shared a groan of pleasure. For a muscle-clenching moment, Levi went absolutely motionless. Her searing heat surrounded him. At the center of her he swore he felt Abe’s cock throbbing. She reached around and clamped a hand on Levi’s hip. “Please.” Her throaty tone was all he needed. Slowly he began to move. Plunging deep and then pulling out almost to the tip. She rode Abe’s rod, her hair swishing against her spine and curling around the sides of her breasts. Dark heat flared inside Levi. God, loving her was just too good. “Yeah, baby, you like that, don’t you? You love Levi’s cock buried in your ass and my shaft filling your hot pussy.” She whimpered in answer. Her ass contracted once around Levi’s cock, nearly unmanning him. 135
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He plowed deeper, seeking more, suddenly mindless of everything but the three of them united in bodies, hearts and souls. With a guttural groan he splintered. She tensed around him. In the back of his mind he knew she was riding the waves of her release too even as Abe roared in pleasure. Hot spurts of come jetted from Levi’s cock, filling her deep with his cream. She rose and fell against him. Black spots hung before Levi’s vision. His breathing was labored and for a mindnumbing minute he couldn’t conjure his own name. He utterly belonged to Chapel and Abe. Her limbs went limp. Levi snaked an arm around her waist and lashed her against him. Abe shifted his cast again and Levi gave a rumble of laughter. “Fuck, that was crazy,” Abe said hoarsely. Chapel gave a mewl of agreement that brought Levi’s shaft to attention once more. It pressed into her body. She twisted her head to fix him in her gaze. “You’re gonna have to give me a minute, Mr. Virility.” All at once he needed to feel her and Abe next to him. Gently he eased from her body. She rolled off Abe and the three of them collapsed in a heap on the big bed. The scents of their lovemaking hung in the air and Levi’s pulse drummed in his ears. He cradled her face against his chest and she wrapped an arm around each man. The soft feel of her hair against his lips gave him a peaceful feeling just as Abe’s hard body against hers comforted him. They were locked into a loving cocoon. He’d like to see the person who tried to tear them apart. Abe’s gaze was on him. They shared a grin and reached across Chapel’s body, locking hands on her waist. “I feel like we need a toast.” “There’s beer in the other room,” she murmured drowsily. Levi laughed. “A toast with our bodies then. To our union.” “Our passion,” Abe added, squeezing Levi’s fingers and dropping a kiss to Chapel’s closed eyelid. “And to the successes of the past few months. I can’t believe we rocked out the KeerSaw project and have four more contracts coming with them. And Blue Jay has hired a hundred good men in the area,” Levi added. “Health, happiness and love.” Chapel’s voice was faint as she drifted off to sleep, securely nestled between the men who loved her. Levi wrapped them both in his embrace and closed his eyes too, sinking into a world of dreams that could never rival the bliss of his reality.
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About the Author Em Petrova lives in backwoods Pennsylvania, where she raises four kids and two feral kittens and pays too damn much for utilities. But seeing her sexy husband tromp out back with a chainsaw in hand is well worth the frustration of living miles from a mall. She adores writing sex scenes and anything paranormal. When she has the opportunity to mix the two, she’s in her element. You can learn more about her smutty reads on her website.
Em welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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