Slade smiled. “Her clit is hard and so wet.”

“And she’s clamping down on me. I don’t know how long I can hold out.” Dex withdrew almost entirely, then thrust back in.

The walls of her pussy sucked at him, clung, shoving him ever closer to release. He set a gentle pace, unwilling to let himself go just yet, though every muscle of his body screamed at him to fuck her until neither one could see straight. Instead, he eased in and out, so slowly that his eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head from the pleasure. Damn it, he was close. His spine was tingling. His balls drew up.

“Hannah, darlin’, come for me.”

“For us,” Slade whispered, his fingers continuing to circle her clit. “Now, baby.” Dex pressed up, his cock as deep in Hannah’s body as he could go. She clutched at him, her nails digging into his arms. He welcomed that bite of pain. He loved Hannah submissive, but this time he wanted her wild.

He got his wish when he poured everything he had, that he was, into each and every stroke, sliding in and up with a slow force that had her wrapping her legs around him. Then she clawed at Slade, who took her mouth in another fierce kiss and swallowed her whimpers. Dex gripped her hips and shoved in again. But deeper wasn’t deep enough for him. Never would be. She took him completely, passing her passion onto Slade through their frantic joining of lips.

God, desire had never seared Dex so much that the pleasure was its own kind of pain. He and Slade had shared women—lots of them. He’d never felt this urge to keep one close forever.

Nothing had ever felt so right. He’d never felt so…complete.

She pushed up against him, fighting for her pleasure. As her pussy gripped him in rapid pulses, she cried out, her face contorting beautifully as she looked up at Slade as if silently begging for mercy. His brother had none, rubbing her clit in an insistent rhythm. Neither did Dex as he pounded her like a piston. She screamed and clenched down on him like she never wanted to let him go.

Fuck, it was coming. He was coming. And he couldn’t wait another second.

Dex plunged in again and let himself go. A shout tore from his chest. His back bowed as every drop of come erupted from his body with unstoppable force. The orgasm felt like it went on forever.

Finally sated, his shaking arms gave way, and he collapsed onto Hannah, utterly surrounded by her softness. Dex rested his head against her breast, listening as her heartbeat gradually slowed. She smoothed back his hair. This was what he’d longed for all of his freaking life.

Unconditional acceptance, peace. Love.

“Would you really have let me go home?” Hannah’s voice was breathless.

Slade chuckled. “Yes. We would have let you go home, but you would have taken two bodyguards with you.”

Dex smiled. Hannah’s nipple stood all pretty and pink, inches from his mouth. He lifted up long enough to kiss it. “Exactly. If you went home, you had to accept the protection we gave you. But that deal isn’t available anymore. You’re staying with us, Hannah. There’s no going back.”

She continued to stroke his hair, and he had to bite back a satisfied groan. He was the Master, but right now, she was the one with all the power.

“I realize that. I was just surprised that you’d let me go home with two men…wait, you were going to be my bodyguards, weren’t you?”

Dex looked up, and she wore the cutest pout on her face. He grinned at Slade. “She’s a smart one.”

Slade nodded. “We had already cleared our schedules.”

“You two move fast,” Hannah groused. “You had a plan in place before I even walked out of the room.”

“We had to. We’ll never take chances where you’re concerned.” Dex rolled off her and quickly disposed of the condom. She didn’t need to get crushed under his weight. And he had the feeling his brother was about to stake his claim in a far more physical way.

“Before you say anything else, I need to tell you something,” Hannah said, sitting up in the middle of the bed cross-legged. Her blonde hair fell in loose curls around her shoulders, cascading down her arms. He’d thought she was beautiful before, but sitting here, naked, her skin glowing, she was nothing short of a goddess.

“What is it, baby? We’ll always listen.” Slade sat up behind her, cupping her shoulders and angling her to face him.

She hesitated, as if uncertain how to proceed. “I love you both. You know that. But…I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have feelings for Gavin, too. I don’t really know how this kind of relationship works. Or how you want it to work. I won’t jeopardize what we have. I promise. But I want to be honest.”

Dex shared a long look with Slade. Despite the differences he and Gavin had, Dex didn’t want to lose his brother. And he feared he was. But Gavin belonged with them—and with Hannah.

Dex had only briefly known the Gavin who existed before Nikki’s death. He’d been serious about work, but had made the time for his brothers in those days. Gavin had been the one to pay for Dex’s college and offer him a place in the family. They might argue from time to time, but Gavin was his brother. Dex had always assumed they’d work through their issues someday and truly be a family.

“We should probably talk about that, darlin’.” Dex clasped her hand.

Slade brushed her hair from her cheek and took over. “Gavin is in love with you, too, Hannah. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear that you have feelings for him. We want him to share this happiness with us. His past hasn’t always been an easy one. We’ll have to move slow with Gavin, but I think he’ll be worth it.”

If Hannah had been in love with any other man, Dex would rip the bastard’s heart out in an instant. But if Hannah could save Gavin from whatever dark path he stalked down alone, Dex would lock them in a room together and not let them out until Gavin stopped lying to himself about his feelings.

“Three men.” Hannah shook her head. “I guess that when I go wild, I really go wild.” Slade twisted on the bed and was on top of Hannah in an instant. “Another reason we love you. I think it’s time you went wild again, love.”

He reached for a condom and spread her legs. Dex watched, his own cock hardening again as Slade captured her mouth, eased inside her pussy, then possessed her so completely that she screamed, sobbed, and finally sighed contentedly in his arms.

* * * *

The wall behind him thudded in a mocking, insistent rhythm, and Gavin wondered if his brothers were trying to set a world record for how many times they could fuck the same girl in one night. He’d given up trying to sleep hours before and now sat in the darkness, staring sightlessly out the window, listening to their erotic slaps and moans. There was no doubt his brothers were having the night they had longed to share with her for a year.

He might have grinned, but they had Hannah, and they weren’t just fucking her. They were making love to her, bonding with the woman they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with.

Despair crashed through him. Once again, Gavin felt just how completely he was on the outside.

Swallowing a curse, he strode across the room, unable to listen to their passion anymore.

Though their voices were muted, he knew what they were saying. His brothers were telling Hannah that they loved her. And Hannah loved them back, giving herself to them, proving her devotion. She had waited for love, and what she’d given his brothers tonight was a precious gift.

Goddamn it, he’d wanted to be a part of that.

Gavin slammed the door behind him. They were mere feet away. The door stood right there.

Five steps and the turn of a knob, and he could be with them. Would she turn him away? Would Dex punch him in the face? Gavin actually doubted both. For all he and Dex misunderstood each other, they shared the same desire to love Hannah thoroughly.

And Gavin couldn’t forget the way she’d looked at him with desire in those pretty green eyes while he’d watched her come. She’d welcome him, he was almost certain.

That knowledge was killing him.

Gavin stayed on the other side of the door. From here, he could love his family at a distance, take care of them without worrying that he’d get too close, drag them into his shit, and destroy their lives. It was for the best.

But he would be forced to watch as Hannah married Slade and Dex. He could picture her, so lovely in her wedding dress, her eyes glowing with happiness. Eventually, the babies would come. Hannah would make a wonderful, nurturing mother. Not being a part of that felt like someone stabbing him in the heart and dragging the blade through his chest. He yearned so badly to give her at least a sliver of that happiness, to see her wear his ring or bring his child into the world.

But she couldn’t know that. Ever.

Gavin walked into the great room. The bay windows stood open, revealing the beauty of the Alaskan starlit darkness. It was truly nighttime here in a way that was impossible in Dallas. The twinkling stars wove together to create a blanket of diamonds overhead. The sight would fill Hannah’s eyes with wonder. It would move her.

He’d never brought a woman here. Never wanted to. Hannah was the first woman he’d ever thought about sharing much of anything with. Then again, she was the first woman he’d ever really loved.

For hours, he’d sat in his darkened bedroom, listening to her moans and cries of pleasure, hoping that he could find the jealousy that would rip her from his heart. All he’d managed was to adore her more for opening herself so completely to the men she loved. Envy pierced Gavin. He should probably be appalled at the thought of sharing a woman with his brothers, but somehow it made sense. If they were all truly together, they would rely on each other, take their family unit to the next level. When Hannah frustrated him, his brothers would figure her out. She would always be taken care of, no matter what. Someone would always answer her calls, hold her when she cried. She wouldn’t be left alone like Nikki had been.

Nikki. God, if his brothers knew what Gavin had done to her, they wouldn’t be so interested in sharing Hannah. Slade would be appalled. Dex would threaten to kill him if he so much as looked at Hannah. Gavin figured he’d deserve it.

Behind him, he heard a firm knock and a familiar deep voice. “Gavin? Is that you?” Slade. Speak of the devil.

“Were you expecting someone else?” Gavin quipped.

His brother turned on the light to reveal a frown. He’d pulled on a pair of jeans, but wore nothing else. His hair was mussed as though Hannah had run her fingers all through it. His brother wore an unmistakable air of satisfaction on his face.

“Well, apparently half the damn company has followed us to Alaska. You never know. They might just show up on our doorstep.”

“Well, Preston might be that obnoxious, but I talked to Marnie. He checked in an hour ago and has been complaining about the accommodations ever since. She promised to call me if he leaves the lodge.”

Slade’s face broke into an easy grin. “I can imagine he’s not used to dealing with anyone like Marnie.”

“She told him that if he didn’t like his room, he should feel free to take a hike. I believe she put him in 108.”

Slade’s laugh boomed through the room, making it seem alive when just moments ago it had felt so lonely. “Chester will love Preston. Tell me she didn’t fix the window. Tell me that old moose still sticks his head in at six in the morning, looking for treats.” Gavin felt his own lips turn up. He’d missed this place. Chester, despite being a moose, was known to walk into any establishment with a door big enough to accommodate his bulk. Long ago, a man had stayed with Marnie in room 108. He’d thought it was funny to have the moose greet him every morning, so he’d trained Chester to seek treats. Though the man had moved on, the people of River Run continued the tradition. Preston was in for a rather rude awakening.

“Gavin.” Slade sobered as he sat in the chair nearby. “You don’t have to be here alone.” His brother’s soft words made his gut clench. He attempted to maintain a placid demeanor. “I prefer the solitude, Slade.”

“No, you don’t. Come on, man. Talk to me. I don’t know what’s going on in your head.

Hannah has feelings for you. She admitted it to me and Dex. She wants to be with all of us.

You’re the only one maintaining distance, and I don’t get it. I know you love her.” Gavin’s irritation rose like a kettle getting ready to boil over. “Do I need to put it in the plainest terms possible? I’m not interested.”

“Bullshit. This is about Nikki. She’s dead, and you feel guilty for being alive. I never understood why you’d waste your emotion on her. I can’t keep this a secret any longer. I overheard her telling one of her trailer-trash girlfriends that she was only interested in your money and your position. She didn’t love you. Damn it, Gavin, she came onto me just before she died, when she thought she was losing you. I had planned to tell you, but when she died, it didn’t seem right to pile that knowledge on top of an already tragic incident. Now I wonder if I made the right decision. You’ve damn near buried yourself with her. I can’t stand to watch a ghost drag you down any more.”