Page 50 of Single Mom for the Firemen

“I wish you knew just how hot you looked doing all of that,” he murmurs. I can tell from the lusty edge to his voice that he means it, every word, and the thought of him watching me fucking Mason and Jake like that just adds another ridiculously sexy wrinkle to the memory.

I slump back in my chair and stare into the fire. God, I don’t know what happens now. I don’t have a damn clue. Now that the cartel is dealt with—if they really are, of course—I’ve got no reason to keep staying at the cabin. No reason not to take Callie back to the city. And yeah, I might have told them that I wanted to do this with them, but can I really ask them to spend that much time away from this place…?

The questions suddenly feel so enormous that I’m exhausted just considering them. I rub a hand over my face and reach for my scotch. Sure, I might not have any idea what happens after this, but just for tonight, I don’t have to.

Tonight, all I have to do is enjoy their company. And try not to let my usual overthinking get the better of me.

26

KILLIAN

“How long doyou think you’re going to be?” I ask Mason and Jake as they pull on their jackets and shoes at the door.

“I don’t know,” Jake replies with a shrug. “Could be a couple of hours, maybe more. We might pick up some supplies while we’re in the city too, since we’re going in for this interview anyway.”

I nod. “I guess so,” I agree. “I’ll see you when I see you. If you need anything, call.”

“I will,” Mason replies, and he nods his goodbye before he heads to the door. I stand there, leaning up against the frame for a moment as I watch them go.

We were all up early this morning. I guess, after everything that’s happened, it’s hard to imagine just sleeping instead of tossing and turning with questions all night long.

Because last night was something new. Something new for all of us. Sharing a woman like that, it’s nothing close to anything we’ve done before—shit, nothing I’ve even thought about doing, even with all the women I’ve been with. But seeing Vanessa like that, seeing her utterly lost to the pleasure that all three of uswere bringing her, it was the most goddamn erotic thing in the world.

And maybe we could have talked about that, if we hadn’t gotten a call from the cops first thing this morning, asking someone to come in and point out the details of our attack on a map for them. They asked for Vanessa, but we managed to convince them to let a couple of us come down to do it for them. She was still asleep upstairs, in Jake’s bed, and we didn’t want to wake her before she was ready.

So now they’re heading off, and I’m left here with Vanessa and Callie, and the weight of everything that happened in the last two days. Not just the kidnapping, but what Vanessa said to us. About wanting us in their lives. About wanting my brothers and me to be there for her.

I head to the kitchen and set about making some breakfast. I should make myself useful. There’s something weirdly peaceful, despite the circumstances, about making breakfast for the two of them—like this is something I’ve been doing every day for as long as I can remember. I crack a few eggs, and get to making us some bacon.

Soon, the kitchen is filled with warm, savory scents, and I hear footsteps creaking down the stairs. Glancing around, I see Vanessa, her hair a little messy from last night, creeping down the staircase toward me.

“You lured me with all the delicious smells,” she murmurs, propping herself up against the counter. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

“It’s not really cooking,” I laugh.

“Well, it’s more cooking than I can do,” she shoots back. “You remember how we met? When I nearly burned my kitchen down?”

“I thought you said that was just a burned pie…”

“Yeah, well, I’m a journalist,” she reminds me. “You know I love to make things up…”

I chuckle again as she glances around, looking for the other two.

“Where are…?”

“The cops called them in,” I reply. She tenses at once, but I glance over at her, shaking my head. “Nothing serious,” I promise. “They just wanted a few more details about what happened yesterday.”

“Oh, okay,” she replies, breathing a sigh of relief. “I thought I was going to have to go all the way back to the city…”

“You’re in the clear,” I assure her. “I don’t know what time they’ll be back, but I’m making breakfast for the three of us in the meantime.”

“The three of us,” she echoes after me, smiling slightly. “You know, I like the way that sounds.”

“What part?”

“The part where Callie and I are included,” she remarks, pressing her head against my back for a moment.

“You’re always included,” I assure her, and I ease away from her so I can serve up something to eat before the bacon gets burned to a crisp. “Could you grab a couple of plates down from the cupboard…?”

---