Page 110 of Stepbrothers

“Like what?” Hugh tightened his grip on Clarice and looked down at her. “What did you need to discuss?”

Clarice resisted the urge to gush out all the reasons why she’d fucked his brother again, why she hadn’t been able to resist, how he’d told her it wouldn’t be an issue. But instead, she clamped her mouth shut. Trig had said he could handle this conversation…so she’d bloody well let him.

“Clarice?” Parker said, his eyebrows lowering. “What did you need to talk about?”

She glared at Trig.

He stood and set his hands on his hips. “I hope you guys aren’t going to have a problem with this…”

“Go on…” Parker almost growled. “And I’ll decide if I have a problem.”

“We had a conversation, me and Clarice, sorted our shit out, then we fucked.” Trig nodded toward the front door. “Right there, minute we got back. Couldn’t help ourselves. We were wild for it.”

Clarice gulped. Perhaps she should have been the one to tell Hugh and Parker, she wouldn’t have been quite so descriptive.

“You did what?” Parker scowled at Trig and took a step nearer him. His fists clenched.

“Hey.” Hugh released Clarice and set his hand on his brother’s shoulder, halting him. “Stay cool, Parker.”

“Stay cool?” Parker spun to Hugh. “He just fucked our woman.”

“She was mine first.” Trig lifted his chin stubbornly. “Remember.” He couldn’t have shown less remorse if he’d tried. “I met her first.”

“But now you know Clarice is with us.” Parker’s voice was rising.

“Exactly, plural.” Trig flicked his hand between himself and his brothers. “And now she’s withallof us. I’m not stealing her from you, heck, I’m hardly ever here, but Mom taught us to share, right?”

A strange silence pressed into the room. Was it the mention of their mother?

Clarice pushed down the knot of nerves bundling in her belly. The last thing she wanted was Parker hurt. Hugh seemed cool with it, though, luckily. “Parker, I’m sorry if you’re upset.”

“I’m not upset.” He closed his eyes and scraped his hand over his hair. “Surprised perhaps. You seemed so angry with each other yesterday.”

“I was shocked to see someone from what feels like another life, now I have a new life that I’m growing with you.” She slipped her hand into Parker’s. “But Trig and I had real chemistry, before, when we met. It’s still there.”

Hugh stomped to the fridge and grabbed a couple of beers. He popped the lids then handed one to Parker and took a long slug of his own.

Parker set the drink on the table, untouched. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut.

Clarice curled her arms around his torso. Her heart was aching for him, and guilt was gnawing at her nerves. “Please understand.”

For a moment she thought he was going to rebuke her, but then he pulled her close. “I do. Or at least I think I do.”

“The last thing I want is you to be hurt.”

He didn’t say anything.

“Parker.” She brushed her lips over his. Once, twice, then again, harder.

To her relief, he kissed her back. “Is it whatyouwant?”

“Yes. But not at the expense of your happiness.”

“That’s not what I asked.” He frowned slightly. “Do you want to be with all of us? It’s a lot. We’re a lot.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

Trig was there, at her side. He touched her hair. “I don’t want to piss you off, Parker,” he said. “Or you, Hugh.” He glanced at his other brother. “But…”

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