Page 5 of His Mansion

Jack grinned down at her. “Even better. Banana-split fixings—chocolate sauce, whipped cream, even a jar of those nasty cherries you love.”

“The ones that are a million calories each? Score!”

She and Jack slapped hands in mid-air and she wiggled closer to give him a huge hug. Over her shoulder, Jack winked at Kane. A grumble of unease flicked through him. When Dara was going to have her own room, there had been a chance of getting through the long weekend without making a fool of himself. Now?

He was going to hit the slopes with a woody the size of his snowboard, constantly thinking of her nearby. Heck, he’d probably have to watch her wander the cabin in her PJs.

And the hot tub? Sheer torture.

“You okay to drive?” Dara shifted, tucking her feet under his right thigh.

“Of course, why?”

“You sighed like you’d had a hard morning or something. If you need a break, make sure you ask. I love driving your truck.”

Jack laughed. “You know you’re going to be fast asleep in under an hour.”

“Am not. It’s only noon.”

Kane and Jack exchanged amused gazes over her head. “Bet you she’s down in thirty minutes flat,” Kane said.

“Guys…” Dara folded her arms. “I am not sleepy. I’m going to stay awake the whole trip this time.”

“Okay, if you say so.” Jack twisted his torso and snuggled her against him and a shot of jealousy streaked through Kane. “Why don’t you stretch out? Kane doesn’t mind.”

No, Kane didn’t mind, not one bit. Not even when those crimson covered legs pressed against his groin and he had to bite back a groan.

“So the box is full of food?” Anything to keep his mind off lowering a hand to fondle her thighs.

“Breakfast cereal, bagels, treats. We’ll have to pick up fresh fruit and the ice cream, but with what we save on eating at the hill cafeteria, we can splurge a little. And, the pièce de résistance?” Jack dug into his pocket and held out chocolate bars.

Dana squealed with delight. “You remembered!”

“Have I ever forgotten?”

Kane waited as Dara unwrapped a 3 Musketeers chocolate bar and handed it to him. The tradition had begun before their first hiking trip years ago.

Kane lifted the candy in front of him, and the others met him, three hands resting together as if they were lofting swords.

“All for one…” he quipped.

“…and one for all.” Dara bit into her chocolate bar, closed her eyes and moaned with pleasure. Kane jerked the wheel to the side to put them back in the middle of the lane. Shit, he was going to get them all killed if he didn’t keep his mind on the road.

They settled into a comfortable silence, music filling the cab as they relaxed from their daily grind. He could do this. He could keep his mind off her legs resting innocently in his lap. He refused to think about sliding down the stockings and licking her skin from her ankles up to the warm honey between her thighs.

He had to resist. But once this weekend was over, all bets were off. It didn’t make any sense for Jack and him to sit back and watch her go out with other men when one of them could be the right one for her. Until now his footloose and fancy-free lifestyle had suited him fine, but he’d always known a time would come when he’d want something more permanent.

No use in ignoring the draw between them anymore. He and Dara had tons in common, and from what he’d seen of the best long-term relationships, that was the most important factor. If they could spend the next fifty years hiking and canoeing and fooling around, he’d be happy as a clam.

At least he knew they were compatible in the first areas, and somehow he thought they’d be just fine in the sack as well. Dara wore her sensuality like everything else she did. Honest, pure. She wasn’t an innocent, but pure as in what you see is what you get.

Even now she settled closer against Jack, the asshole’s ever-present grin stretching wider when she twisted to lean on him, her head resting on his chest. He cradled her close and she let out a long, slow sigh of contentment.

She wiggled her hips lower as she settled, and her skirt rode higher. Kane gritted his teeth together. He could see the junction of her thighs now, her legs slightly separated as she curled up drowsily.

Kane shot Jack a dirty look. Jack raised his brows and deliberately draped his arm around Dara a little more intimately. She was already slipping off into dreamland—woman never could keep her eyes open when they drove anywhere. Within minutes she was purring, her breath escaping in a low rumble of sleep that twisted something inside his gut. Okay, he wanted her body, but there was definitely something more to their relationship. Once it became a relationship.

“You okay driving?” Jack stroked back a strand of Dara’s hair from where it had escaped her elastics.

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