Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 51166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Katie waves it away. “Don’t be silly.”
“Well, thanks again.”
There’s so much I’d like to tell Katie, so much I’d like to ask her, but it doesn’t seem like the right moment to bring up her relationship with the King brothers, and it’s definitely not the time to talk about my own dilemma.
After a short interval of mostly-contented silence, the conversation drifts to polite, not-too-personal topics. Katie answers the men’s questions about the resort without bringing her men into it, asks them about their work, and we all talk about how much snow we’re expecting this winter.
“What happens in the spring?” Matteo wants to know. “Does business slow down?”
Katie’s lips twist in a smirk that I can see she’s trying to repress, and her face goes faintly pink before she stifles whatever thought she’s having and gives a serious answer. “This will be the first year that I’ve lived here during the transition from winter to spring, but I think the expected lull will be a relief for everyone on staff. We have plans to deep-clean everything, change out decorations, and so on. And then fishing season arrives and it starts all over again.”
A few minutes later, we take our leave so we can get back down the mountain before dark. As Katie and I walk together toward the lobby, the brothers behind us, I whisper, “What was that about spring?”
Katie grins and whispers back. “Ryder promised me that as soon as it’s warm enough, he’s going to put me up against a certain tree and, well, you know.”
“Ooh, naughty.” I immediately wonder if either of my men would do the same. Somehow, I suspect they’d both be more than willing if I suggested it.
“And you owe me a phone call,” Katie says.
“I certainly do.”
She sneaks a look over her shoulder, leans close, and drops her voice even further. “Give me the five-second summary.”
“I’m dating them both and they expect me to choose.”
Katie doesn’t make any effort to hide her shock and dismay, but fortunately, she doesn’t look back at the men again. All she says is, “I’m sorry, Dani. I can’t imagine.”
I shake my head. Neither can I imagine any way to make such a decision.
That brief exchange haunts me as we drive away, but I can’t think about it for long, because Fiero’s driving and Matteo is determined to make the most of our time together in the back seat. He tucks me close, but soon his hands start to wander, and then his mouth finds mine.
A few minutes of kissing, and my panties are soaked. But when Matteo starts to unbutton my jeans, I stop him with a hand over his. It’s not fair to Fiero to go so far right in front of him, or rather, right behind him.
When Matteo reluctantly pulls back, I see that his brother’s jaw is tight. Why, oh why, do the Bestia man have to make this a contest? I’m going to talk them into going back up to the resort, sometime when I know the Kings will be there, and let them see that poly relationships are fine. I’d suggest going to visit Sasha and the Callahan brothers, but I don’t know her as well, and since she’s so close to delivering, she might not be up to it.
On the other hand, a few weeks probably feels like an eternity to a heavily pregnant woman, and she might be glad of the distraction. I’ll ask Katie what she thinks.
“You are far away,” Matteo says. “Care to share?” His arm is around my shoulders, his fingers idly stroking up and down my arm. It feels good, too good, even through my jacket, and I try not to focus on it.
“I was just thinking about Sasha being pregnant with twins,” I say, which is at least partly true. “Did your mother share any stories with you about what it was like being pregnant with triplets?”
“We’ve seen photos,” Fiero says from the driver’s seat. “She was as big as a house, but still beautiful, our mamma.”
“We were born very quickly,” Matteo adds. “She was worried, but I think it was only a few hours for all three of us.”
“That’s good.” I know the tendency toward multiple births can be genetic. Whoever the Bestias wind up married to, there’s a good chance their wives could have twins or triplets too.
Once again, jealousy sweeps over me. It’s ridiculous; I have no right to feel this way about men I’m having a fling with, even if it is the most incredible experience of my life. But I can’t help wishing I lived in Italy, in their village, and had a chance of meeting them when they’re ready to settle down.
Not that it would make things any easier, if both of them still wanted me. They’d still expect me to choose.