Page 69 of Twins for the Silver Foxes

“Doyou really think we’d do that?” Arthur kissed her before she could answer.

When she cameup for air, dazed and aroused, she settled harder on my lap. “I love you too. All of you. I tried not to. I thought I’d given up my right to love someone the way I love you three. It’s so strong sometimes that it scares me.”

“Welcome to the club.”Scott pulled her from my lap to his, bringing her legs around to straddle his waist. “Scary love is the best kind. It terrifies me that I might lose you.”

“Me too.”She ran her fingers through his hair and brought me over for a kiss on the lips that had me hard and aching by the time we pulled apart. “I don’t want to think about losing any of you. I want to love you and be loved by you.”

“Done.”I stood and picked her up, carrying her to the bed and laying her down, settling in next to her. Arthur and Scott joined us. This was a night meant for savoring. We’d experienced almost every kind of sex from frantic to slow and sensual. Tonight, I hoped to bring a new level of emotion to mix with the physical. “I love you.” I kissed the curve of her jaw and nuzzled her neck.

Hannah hooked a leg over my hip and pulled me closer. “There are not enough words for how much I love you.”

36

HANNAH

Two days until Christmas. The excitement hit hard and fast as Megan and I pulled into the only empty parking space in the lot. Megan had offered to drive, and I’d enjoyed the opportunity to see the city from the passenger seat.

Conversationbetween us remained a bit stilted. I hoped to change that by the end of her visit. At least we were able to spend time together in comfortable silence, which was more than Arthur had when Megan first arrived.

My phone pinged a text message,and I unlocked it to a picture of Liddy with all three men sitting in the middle of a massive snow pile. Bright smiles lit up every face, and my heart squeezed so hard I lost my breath. I loved them so much it hurt to breathe.

“Ready for this?”Megan tugged on her gloves and rubbed her palms together, eyes bright with the kind of mischief I’d come to expect from Liddy. She ducked her head to peer out my window.“It’s going to be a madhouse. I hope you have a good resting bitch face or they’re going to eat you alive in there.”

“Excuse me?”I rested my knuckles under my chin in a model pose and batted my eyelashes. “I was born ready for this.” Megan snorted and rolled her eyes. Her teenage disposition gave me an inkling of what I might expect from Liddy in a few years. It was good to see her goofing off and having fun.

“Whatever.You’ll be stopped by every sales person hawking their perfumes and massages. Meanwhile,” she twisted her face into a grim expression that warned the world to fuck off, “I’ll be shopping in peace.”

“See,I’ll just stick close to you. Then they won’t bother me either.” I laughed when she rolled her eyes again. “Come on. Let’s see if there’s anything good left.” I’d finished most of my shopping weeks ago, but a few last minute ideas woke me up last night. Once Megan heard about my shopping excursion, she’d shocked me by asking to come along.

Arthur had beenspeechless when I told him and he’d offered to keep Liddy home with them so Megan and I could concentrate on shopping and possibly do some bonding. He’d kissed me on the cheek and said he thought it was good for Megan to have my influence in her life. Despite all her animosity toward Arthur, she’d been nice to me. I’d expected my age to be a complaint she brought up at some point, but if it bothered her that I was only a few years older, she never mentioned it.

We joined a group making their way through the glass doors and headed straight to the escalators. Megan turned aroundbackward so she faced me. “Where to first?” An eyebrow wiggle reminded me of Arthur before she mock-whispered, “Let me guess. The lingerie store.”

“Megan. Stop.”Heat rushed into my cheeks. I swatted her shoulder with the tips of my fingers. “I need presents that can be opened in front of everyone on Christmas morning.”

“Hey, nothing wrong with a little fun.”She tossed her hair and turned back around. Was I supposed to ask about her love life? It seemed like an open invitation but I wasn’t sure we were ready for that kind of conversation.

Cinnamon and clovepermeated the air, slapping me in the face when we reached the top of the escalator and stepped off to the right. Megan led the way past a man promoting watches and foot massagers. He took one look at Megan and turned away.

I snortedout a laugh and caught up to her long-legged stride. “Are you on a mission to get in and out as fast as possible?”

“No. Why?”She glanced over, her gaze sweeping down me, then slowed to a manageable pace. “Sorry. I’m used to Mom’s blazing trail of fury. Get in. Get what you need. Get out.” A wry smile twisted her lips. “I forget that I can do things my way.”

“And what’s your way?”Nowthisconversation was one I enjoyed. We strolled past the cinnamon roll stand, a coffee stand, and a woman showing off jewelry with enough sparkle to blind everyone who walked past. Fake snow littered the flower beds, nested around poinsettias and fake Christmas trees.

Megan stopped outside a boutique store,the first bit of hesitation showing in her body language. “Honestly, I’m not sure. Dad has always called Mom a force of nature. He’s right.”

“I’ve heardhim call you a hurricane. And he means it as a compliment.” I led the way into the boutique store. Megan’s typical style of classy dresses and strategically torn jeans contrasted with the store's pink frilly shirts and flowy skirts.

“I’m what she created.”Megan held her hands out to her sides and turned a slow circle. “I’m the rich girl with an absent father who worries that no one loves her. I talk like my mother because that’s what she expects, and I dress like this because it’s what gets people to leave me alone.” Her vintage band t-shirt beneath a leather jacket, black holey jeans tucked into black combat boots, and wild red hair stuck out like a sore thumb, but I caught the look of longing when she touched the hem of a purple cashmere sweater. The price tag boasted an obscene number I’d never have considered before meeting Arthur.

After shoppingfor them over the summer, it almost didn’t faze me anymore to see so many zeros in a line. Almost. “You don’t have to be a victim of your circumstances.” I picked up the sweater and held it up to Megan’s lean frame. “Arthur loves you no matter what. Be your own person, Megan. You’re already making your own decisions about your life, and I’m glad to see you giving your dad a chance.”

Megan hungthe sweater back on the rack. “You’ve been good for Dad. I hated it at first. He’s always seemed out of touch, out of reach. Every other Christmas, we fight. Well, I fight and hesits there like a rock. I just wanted to see him react, you know?” She shucked off her jacket and tossed it over a mannequin’s head, then removed the sweater from the hanger and yanked it over her t-shirt. Her head popped through the opening and she faced the mirror on the far wall. “Mom would tell me I’m being ridiculous. She’d say that Dad is an emotionless troll and I needed to stop trying.”

“And what do you think?”I peeked around her shoulder to see her expression in the mirror.

Megan frowned and tugged at the hem of the sweater. “I think I’m still figuring out who I am. And if I can’t answer that, how can I make assumptions about anyone else?” She took off the sweater and handed it to me. “You should get that. It’s the wrong color for me.”

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