Page 19 of Getting Off

He smirked.“Itissuspicious, isn’t it?Especially after that story?”He glanced at Lucas.“Back me up here, brother.The engine’s really down.”

Lucas was very solemn.“I swear to you, Brooklyn, that Dylan’s not stranding us in the desert so he can seduce us.The engine’s dead.For now, we’re stuck.”

She nodded slowly, her eyes still on Dylan.“Are you gay?”

He winked at her.At least that story had taken her mind off their immediate problem and her panic.“Nah.I go both ways.Men and women?I love ’em both.”

Now Lucas was watching him as intensely as Brooklyn.He felt like he was under a microscope.But then again, he liked attention.

“Okay,” Brooklyn finally said.“I trust you.”

He felt honored by her trust.The feeling was powerful too.Deeper and stronger than really made sense for how long they’d known each other.

He grinned at her.“Thanks, Doc.But believe me, we’re as set up as we can be.We have a vehicle for shelter, plenty of water, some protein bars, and blankets.It’s going to be fine.It’s not like we’re out here where nobody will ever find us.”He reached for Brooklyn and pulled her into his embrace.He guessed it was a statement about how upset she was that she didn’t pull away.Or knee him in the balls.A second later, Lucas surprised him by wrapping his arms around the both of them too.The three of them embraced beneath the huge starlit sky.

“Brooklyn, it’s going to be fine.I promise,” Dylan murmured into the delicate curve of her ear.“And what a bonus, we have a doctor with us.”

“That is so unfair,” Brooklyn muttered.“Put all the pressure on me when I have no medical supplies or staff on hand.”

“Dr.Foster,” Lucas said in a gravely serious tone of voice underscored by a wry sense of humor.“I have the utmost faith in whatever skills you have in your bare hands.Shall we make a pact between the three of us to never hold you medically liable for any permanent injuries resulting from this less-than-ideal situation?After all, you were basically a hostage.”

She smiled.That was a good start, but Dylan wanted a little more.

“Remember, Doc.If anything goes wrong, we get to sue Lucas and take all his money and boats and whatever else rich folk blow their wad on.”

Now Brooklyn laughed.That beautiful sound told him that everything was going to be all right.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Brooklyn told herself to remain calm.Things would be okay.Dylan and Lucas were right.It wasn’t as if they were alone in the Gobi Desert hundreds of miles from civilization.If they didn’t have cell coverage and the truck was broken, they didn’t have a lot of options open to them.They could either stay here until light or they could walk in the desert in the darkness.

She would rather not do that.

The strange thing was, shedidfeel calm.Or far calmer than she had at first.Of course, it might’ve been because she was in a three-way embrace that felt far more wonderful than she should’ve been comfortable with.That helped.

But she also believed what Dylan and Lucas had told her.Oddly enough, she believed Dylan even more because he’d admitted to draining a battery trying to get laid with a guy he liked.She didn’t know whether that was because his story seemed like such a stupid guy thing to do, or because he was open enough to admit that he was bisexual to them both.

Dylan headed for the back of the Bronco.“The supplies are back here.But if you give me a second, I’ll make a little nest for the three of us.It shouldn’t be difficult.I’ve got padding.”

“Come on, Brooklyn,” Lucas urged.“Let’s go see the five-star accommodations.”He paused dramatically.“I should warn you.I’m used to the best.”

She giggled.Listen to her.One of the best neurologists in the state, and she was giggling.

Dylan was already in the back of the Bronco.As Brooklyn headed for the tailgate, she realized there was no way she could jump up inside the thing.But she didn’t need to worry.Before she could even mention her problem, Lucas put his hands gently on either side of her waist and effortlessly lifted her up to sit on the tailgate.

“Sorry, that was rather presumptuous of me,” Lucas told her with a smile.“I’m not trying to take liberties.I promise.”

Brooklyn felt a crazy spike in her heart rate as she stared at him from this new vantage point.“I don’t mind.I wanted to say… Well, I admire the way you’ve handled the entire night.”

“Thank you.That means a lot to me.I feel the same way about you.You’ve earned my respect, Dr.Foster.”

She felt her cheeks heating at the unexpected praise.She didn’t know what else to say, so she only sat there staring at him, her heart beating fast.

Lucas looked thoughtful for a moment before he nodded to the cargo area.“Do you need anything else before you head in there?”

“Oh, you mean I should find a cactus and pee behind it?”Brooklyn found herself grinning in spite of things.“Maybe I should.I don’t want to be that annoying chick that waits until everyone gets settled and then announces that she has to go.”

Lucas was grinning back.His eyes seemed to dance in the starlight.He really was a handsome bastard.They both were.Some people might say Brooklyn had won the jackpot being stranded out here with the two of them.

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