We are a tangled, sweaty mass of limbs, gasping for breath, the room fills with the scent of sex and musk and lust. I collapse like a puddle between the three of them, gasping for air and hoping to regain some semblance of reality.

Several minutes later, I'm lying in the crook of Hank's arm, with JT spooning me from the other side. Ben's strong, tanned arm is draped over my stomach, his other hand splayed across my stomach.

I, Makawee, the girl who never had a boyfriend, let alone three men at once, had just experienced the wildest and most erotic sex of my life with three men who love me.

I sink into the feeling of being with them.

They love me, and I them.

With them I felt safe, loved, protected, and that, I realize, was more than enough.

I never dreamed that coming to Silver Ridge would lead to more than saving those silver lynxes, that this is where I would finally find my own home, with three wonderful men.

EPILOGUE

Istand at the edge of the clearing, my breath catching in my throat as I take it all in—the vast stretch of land that once echoed with the sound of chainsaws and heavy machinery, now silent except for the rustling of the wind and the occasional call of a bird.

My fingers coil under my morning coffee.

The Truitt property has been declared a wildlife reserve.

No more logging, no more destruction. The brothers have made sure of it. It’s a safe haven now, for the silver lynx and every other creature that calls this place home.

It still feels surreal, standing here, knowing that we did this—that I played a part in saving this land. But not just me. The boys too—JT, Ben, Hank. Three men who once saw the forest as nothing more than a resource to be used, now see it for what it truly is—something sacred, something worth protecting.

I close my eyes, letting the warm breeze wash over me, the peace of this moment settles into my bones. It’s been months since the poachers were taken down, months of paperwork and meetings and negotiations to get this land protected, but now it’s finally done.

We’ve won.

I stare at the new sign declaring this land to be a sanctuary of nature, and by law to be protected. It’s perfect.

Behind me, I hear the sound of footsteps crunching on the soft earth, and I turn to see them—JT, Ben, and Hank—walking toward me, their faces lit with that easy confidence I’ve come to know so well. But there’s something different in their expressions today, something softer, more deliberate.

JT reaches me first, his hand sliding around my waist as he pulls me close, his lips brushing against my temple. “What do you think, Mac? Looks good, doesn’t it?”

I smile, resting my head against his shoulder. “It looks perfect.”

Ben stands beside me, his arms crossed over his broad chest, but there’s a playful glint in his eyes as he watches me. “You know, we couldn’t have done any of this without you. You saved this land, Mac. You saved us.”

Hank is on my other side, his hand brushing against mine as he gives me one of those rare, thoughtful looks. “We were a mess before you came along.”

I shake my head, laughing softly. “You’re giving me too much credit.”

“No, we’re not,” JT murmurs, his voice low and serious. “We mean it. You changed everything, Mac. And now, we want to make sure you never leave.”

I blink, looking up at him, confused for a moment. “What do you mean? Why would I leave?

JT pulls back slightly, and when I glance at Ben and Hank, they’re both watching me with matching expressions of anticipation.

“Guys? What are you doing?

JT takes a deep breath, his hand tightening around mine as he meets my gaze with those intense eyes that have always made my heart skip a beat.

“We’ve been talking,” JT says, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “And we’ve decided that we can’t imagine a future without you. Not just here, not just with the land, but with us.”

My heart stutters, and my pulse quickens as I stare up at him, my mind spinning. “JT, I…”

He cuts me off with a smile, leaning in close. “Mac, we love you. All three of us. You’re the missing piece we didn’t even know we needed. And we’re not asking for you to choose between us. We’ve already chosen. We want to be together, the four of us. Forever.”