Page 38 of Hooking Up

“Thank you.”

“Now it’s a waiting game. But in the meantime, I’d like to bring up the subject that you’ve been running from for too long.” Carter looked over her head at Quint.

Oh no.She couldn’t run anymore, though. She pushed back her shoulders and nodded. “I’m ready for it.”

Surprise crossed his rugged features.

Quint brushed his fingers beneath her chin, drawing her face his direction. “We need to know who hurt you and why you won’t commit to us.”

She shook her head. “That’s not the case really. I…I mean, Frazer was a dick, yeah. And I don’t really understand what he said to me when he left, even now.”

“Whatdidhe say?” Quint’s hard tone meant if he didn’t like it, he’d probably hunt down Frazer and kick his ass.

“He said, ‘You’re never gonna be better than me, Bella. Don’t think you can do better.” She looked between her men. The crinkles that appeared between each of their brows echoed her thoughts all these years. “Okay, so I’m not out of my mind. You don’t get it either.”

“Sounds as if he was jealous of your wins. You’ve always been a strong competitor and he’s hit and miss.” Carter’s jaw worked—a sure sign that he wasn’t as calm as he appeared on the surface.

Quint clenched his fist on his thigh. “And he might have been warning you that he was the best thing to ever happen to you. But we know that isn’t the case.” He wagged his brows.

She gave a soft laugh. “Not remotely.” She cupped each of their jaws and divided her attention between each set of dark eyes.

“Don’t get hung up on his words, sweetheart.”

“I’m not,” she said and realized it was true. Somehow sharing Frazer’s words made her understand how little power they held over her now. That man was nothing, and she had two very strong and viral lovers supporting her. And sometimes you just couldn’t understand someone who was nuts and had to let it go.

“We don’t want you running from us ever again,” Quint said. “What we have between us…it’s not going away, Bella.”

“I know,” she said softly, a deep stirring of passion inside her.

“We love you for your spirit,” Carter added.

Love?She latched onto the word and when she searched his gaze, noting the golden flecks around the rim of each iris, she saw the sentiment reflected there. Staring at him in awe, she searched her own heart.

He loved her. Quint had fallen too. No men could touch her the way they did and not. And she didn’t want to ignore the feelings that were beginning to grow in her own heart. She wasn’t ready to say the L word yet, but maybe in time.

Maybe if she stopped running.

“We’ll give you plenty of room to run,” Carter said.

“What am I—a wild horse?” Her tone sounded with attitude.

They grinned. “There’s our Bella.” Quint tugged on her ponytail.

“We like you a little wild, as long as you don’t bite us too hard.” Carter winked.

She embraced each man. “I’m so glad you’re with me.”

“We won’t leave your side.”

“I need to put in a call to my father and see about him paying for the vet bill. I don’t have a lot of cash—”

Carter and Quint shared a look that set her on high alert. “Wait. What’s that look mean?”

Rubbing his forefinger beneath his nose, Carter said, “Don’t worry about the bill.”

“What do you mean, don’t worry about it?”

“We had a little extra after our wins, and we don’t need much traveling money. Besides, if we get tight, we can skip the motel and pound on your trailer door.” Quint arched a brow, his smirk too much for her.

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