Page 63 of Eight Seconds to Fly

I couldn’t help my goofy smile.

“They seem to be getting on well.”

I nodded, and walked into Branch’s arms. He didn’t hesitate, wrapping me in a hug. “He was… not lonely, I don’t think. But alone. You have Beau, so you don’t understand. He had you guys, but it wasn’t the same as having someone always there. Frankie is a nurturer, not that I’ll ever tell him that. He saw a lost little girl trying to make it in a man’s sport and took me under his wing. He’s been in about as many fights defending me as you have. He and Luiz knew what it was to stick out, to not feel like you fit. I’m not surprised that he’s buddied up to Dylan at all.”

“Luiz?”

“Frankie’s brother. He was a bull rider. The reason Frankie came to the States.”

Branch frowned. “He didn’t hack it?”

I shook my head, swallowing hard. The accident with Luiz was still raw, even after two years. “Fell off a bull wrong and shattered his spine. They pinned it back together, but he’s now a paraplegic. He went home to Brazil to be with his family.”

Branch raised both eyebrows. “But Frankie stayed?”

I shook my head sadly. “Luiz made him. Told him he had to stay for me. Frankie didn’t put up much of a fight about it, but I did. Luiz needed his brother more than I needed a protector. Or so I thought.” Jesus, I’d been so wrong about that one. “Frankie was torn up about it for months. But every time he went home, Luiz would send him back. I’m beginning to think that even Luiz knew Frankie’s feelings before me.”

Branch chuckled. “Nugget, you are always the last to know.”

The door to Branch’s room opened, and a sleepy eyed Beau was standing there. “Everything okay?”

I reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it. “Everything is fine. The party went great. Dylan got a big sponsorship but I’ll tell you about that in the morning.”

Beau nodded and turned to go back into the room, but Branch’s words stopped him. “Beau, hold up a second. I wanted to say something, and I know this affects you too.”

Every muscle in Beau’s back tensed, the sleepy languidness gone in an instant. “How about we go inside first then? We don’t need to have these kinds of conversations out here.”

Branch nodded, and ushered me into the room. The quiet snick of the door shutting was almost deafening in the silence.

Branch hung his hat on the hook. Never put your hat on the bed. Bull riders were a superstitious bunch. He took a deep breath and turned toward me. “Look, if you’d asked me a year ago if I’d share the girl of my dreams, I would have punched you in the mouth.”

Beau snorted. “You did punch me in the mouth.”

Branch waved that small truth away and continued. “I’d waited my whole life for her, and she was going to be mine and I would be hers. We would be each other's world if she’d have me. If she loved me, she wouldn’t even look at another man.”

My heart clenched so forcefully in my chest, I thought I was having a heart attack. Beau reached out and gripped my hand, and I wasn’t sure if he was supporting me, or I was supporting him. But that was the point, wasn’t it? We were a partnership. We supported each other.

Branch blew out a breath. “Then I watched you guys together this week. She made all three of you feel seen, feel loved, and the other two, hell even me, never missed out. There wasn’t less love for you, Beau, just because she was sitting on Dylan’s lap and kissing him. If anything, there was more love, because you and Frankie sat for hours discussing sports injuries, or Dylan and Frankie would talk NASCAR. You were all forming relationships, even if only one of them was sexual, they are all intimate. And I realized that my world doesn’t revolve around the bedsheets. My world can encompass you guys too. Hell, you are already my world, Beau, and there’s nothing gay about it.”

I bit my lip to stop the giggle/sob that seemed to be forming in my chest. “Not that there would be anything wrong with that, if it was.”

Branch scoffed. “Of course not. I’m just saying, he’s my brother and I love him already. Why couldn’t my love for him and my love for you go in the same, you know, bubble or something?” He growled at himself. “That sounded stupid but you know what I mean, right?”

I nodded eagerly, the hope in my chest getting ready to explode out. “So you’re saying you’re in?”

His smile was so radiant it threatened to burst my heart. “I’m in!”

I squealed and ran at him, and Branch caught me. He’d always catch me. I knew that in my soul. Beau let out a deep sigh of relief. “Thank fuck. I thought I was going to have to beat some sense into you.”

Branch gave him the finger. “You could only try, asshole.”

And then words were no longer necessary because I was catching his pretty mouth with my own and trying to make us one person. The kiss was hard and desperate, our teeth clicking together as I tried to make sure he’d never doubt my feelings for him again. His hands slid under my ass and he pulled me to him tighter.

He pulled away, breathing like he’d been riding a bull rather than kissing his girlfriend. “Beau? I think our girl needs to being worshipped properly. What do you think?”

My hands still wound around Branch’s neck, I looked over at Beau, whose grin could be described as nothing short of sinful. Coming up behind me, his groin nestled against my ass, he leaned forward and kissed just behind my ear, making me shiver. “I think you’re right.Ourgirl needs to be loved properly.”

Later that night, sweaty and sleepy in a tangle of limbs, I mustered up enough brain power to admit that they were very, very thorough.

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