Page 66 of Trouble

Melina

I’m practically vibratingas we approach the station. Tamping down the excitement around the guys is going to be a challenge. Being summoned by Declan like this? It lights up all my nerve endings.

As it turns out, I don’t have to swallow back my glee and play it cool around the guys, because the garage bay is quiet, and one truck is gone.

“They go to a fire?” Cade asks as he scans the open space and the second truck that’s polished to perfection.

Disappointment clangs loudly in my chest at the possibility that there was an emergency and Declan isn’t even here.

At the sound of a throat clearing above us, I snap my head back. Instantly, I break out in goose bumps. Outside the wall of windows on one side of his office, Declan is standing, watching. He looks like an imposing god, gripping the metal frame tightly, his eyes a storm of emotions so violent they’re palpable even from here.

“Where is everyone?” Cade breaks the silence.

Thank god. I can barely get air past the lump in my throat, let alone speak.

Tension settles around us. Reality circles. My world tilts on its axis again. The universe is changing, shifting for a second time.

“Christmas festival.” The low rumble of words both soothes my nerves and stokes the fire burning within me. “Come on up.”

Clutching my hand, Cade eyes me and gives it a squeeze. This is it. I can feel the change in the air. Can he? Are we ready for this?

Yes. There’s no question. I want to have both of these men. Together. Separately. Any way they’ll allow me into their lives. But this moment is so much bigger for the two of them. Their lifelong friendship is on the line here. The longing on Cade’s face is all the evidence needed to know that he wants this. He wants his best friend. But he’s afraid. I wish I could tell him that his heart is safe in Declan’s hands, but I’m not sure that’s true. And I’m not sure mine is safe either.

What’s certain is that I’d break my own heart for a chance to experience this with them. For a chance at the alchemy that exists between the three of us.And it’s clear Cade feels the same way.

It’s worth it.

It has to be.

Without a doubt, I believe Declan wants it too. And if he’s calling us here, I have to assume he thinks he’s ready. Damn, do I hope that’s the case.

When we reach the stairs, I release Cade’s hand and hold the railing. Cade stays close, his proximity keeping me moving forward. At the top, he settles his palm on the small of my back, comforting me again. Declan disappears into his office, and once again Cade and I glance at one another. His expression is as uncertain as mine, but after only a moment of hesitation, we move.

I suck in a rough breath as I step inside the office and find Declan seated behind his desk, his expression unreadable. I stop short, waiting for a signal as to how he wants this to play out. If giving him control will help him feel more comfortable, then I’ll gladly give it all to him.

Not surprisingly, Cade acts unfazed. Stepping up beside me, he lifts his chin. “All the guys went to the festival?”

Declan nods once. “Dispatch is covering the phones. I told the crew I’d join them in a few hours.”

We’re all silent, watching one another, waiting for someone to speak up or make a move.

Declan is the first to break. He snags a paperbackfrom a drawer and tosses it on the desk, face down, with a loudthwack. I don’t need to ask the title. It’s the book I picked for next month’s book club. Although I’ll be reading mine on my Kindle app, Shawn already brought a few copies to the station because some of the guys prefer reading physical books.

“You picked this.” It’s not a question.

My eyes travel from the book on his desk, up his thick chest covered by a simple black shirt, to his neck. As I take him in, he swallows thickly, his Adam’s apple working. His face is covered in dark scruff even though he shaved this morning. His strong jaw is hardened, the angles aggressive despite how soft he is for me. Those brown eyes are practically black, the storm inside him a physical presence.

Shoulders pulled back and chin raised, I smile. “Yes.”

“Is there a reason you picked this one in particular?”

Oh god. His tone is a little mean and a whole lot cold, but it sends a thrill through me.

He’s goading me. He wants me to admit to my fantasy. Little does he know that I’m not the least bit ashamed to admit I want both him and his best friend.

“Because the idea of the two of you fucking me makes me want to strip my clothes off right here.”

Beside me, Cade mutters a quiet “fuck.”

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