Thirty-Three

Monday, February 12, 2024

The weekend passed in a blur.

For the first time since his conversation with his aunt and uncle, Stone didn't spend all his time fretting over the business proposal. Instead, he spent the weekend running errands, spending time with his parents, and hanging out with Stevie and Nico.

He wouldn't go so far as to say he'd established a routine, but he was falling into one that worked for him. Every now and then, he would find himself missing the go, go, go that he'd felt on the ranch, but being back in Coyote Ridge gave him a sense of peace he hadn't expected to find.

But it was a new week, and he had a list of things he needed to accomplish before he met with his aunt and uncle next weekend. The first was getting Braydon and Brendon to sign off on his proposal.

So here he was at Moonshiners, waiting for his twin cousins to arrive.

"Is it just me or is this place different than I remember?" Stone asked the bartender as he worked to fill drinks and orders. It wasn't the first time he'd come in here since his return, but it was the first chance he'd had to ask someone about it.

"We gave it an overhaul. Moved the bar to the back and worked our way forward. Plus, we expanded the kitchen, added another bathroom. Increased occupancy to a hundred since we now serve food."

Stone spun on his stool and scanned the room. "Is it bigger?"

"We added on. Really didn't have a choice. Took me a while to convince Rafe it was a good thing."

That was what was different, Stone figured. That and the configuration. Granted, Stone had only been to Moonshiners a few times over the years and only when family suggested it, but he'd frequented the place often before he left town when he was twenty-one.

He didn't remember the walls being quite so … nice. The structure was still made of wood, but the interior walls were lacquered, with more lighting than he recalled. The bar was still the main focus, but it had been moved to the back of the room versus the side. They still had a couple of pool tables, a jukebox, and bar stools that were hard on the hind quarters.

"And Rafe's got you workin' here?" Stone asked when he turned around.

Stone remembered his dad mentioning that Mack had sold the place to his cousin Rafe.

"The things we do for wedded bliss," the bartender said, holding out his hand. "Holt Callahan. I don't think we've officially met."

Stone shook his hand. "Stone Jameson."

"One of my husband's many cousins," Holt noted, staring at him with a contemplative expression. "You're the lone wolf who ventured out to rule the world from the back of a bull. Am I close?"

He snorted. "Tell me that's not the rumor."

Holt laughed. "Forgive me. I'm a writer. I tend to come up with my own version of events. But it's not too far off, is it? You did win a few championships?"

"A few." Stone took a drink from his beer. "But the bulls won in the long run."

"You were injured, right?"

Stone nodded, but he didn't elaborate.

The door opened, and a chorus of greetings erupted through the room. Stone peered over his shoulder to see Braydon and his identical twin brother, Brendon, walking in. At thirty-nine, they weren't quite so identical anymore. Their features were the same—same nose, same eyebrow ridge, same blue-gray eyes—but not their haircuts or facial hair. Braydon's hair was longer on top, styled with what looked like gel, his jaw clean-shaven, while Brendon's hair was buzzed short, and he sported a beard.

"I'm gonna move this to a table," Stone told Holt. "Can you keep my tab open and put theirs on mine?"

"Will do."

Stone took his beer and went to greet his cousins.

"Damn, boy, you got old," Brendon said with a devilish grin.

"You're one to talk," Stone countered as the man pulled him in for a hug.

"Just better with age."

"And you…" Stone looked at Braydon. "Not a day over fabulous."

Braydon barked a laugh, then jerked him in for a back-slapping hug. "You always were a smooth talker."

"Y'all want a drink? On me."

"I'll take a whiskey sour," Braydon stated.

"Beer works for me."

While they grabbed a table, Stone went to the bar and relayed the order to Holt. On his way to sit down, he shored up his nerve and sent up a silent prayer.

"How's the family life treatin' ya?" Stone asked, directing the question at both of them.

"Keepin' busy," Braydon replied.

"And the kids?" He held up a finger. "Lemme see if I can get this right." He pointed at Braydon. "Rhett, Zach, and Waylon. Seven, six, and five, right?"

Braydon pursed his lips and nodded. "I'm impressed."

Stone looked at Brendon. "Remington and Thad? They're … seven and five?"

"Close," Brendon noted. "Rem's six. He'll be seven in March."

"Six goin' on sixteen," Braydon stated as Holt set their drinks on the table.

"Thanks, man," Brendon said to the bartender. "How's Bailey feelin'?"

Holt's grin amped up a few million watts. "Good. Still has morning sickness, but we're workin' our way through."

Braydon looked at Stone. "Their wife's due in July."

"Congrats," Stone told Holt, making a mental note to check in with Rafe to congratulate him, too.

"What about you?" Braydon said when Holt disappeared. "Got any little ones runnin' around?"

"Not yet."

Brendon and Braydon traded looks.

Stone glanced between them. "What?"

"Rumor is you're spendin' time with Stevie Shepherd."

"And Nico Daugherty," Brendon tacked on.

"Guilty." Stone saw no reason to deny it.

"I stopped in over there last weekend. At D and S," Braydon said. "Jessie's on me to spruce up the yard." He held up his hands. "I tried to tell her these thumbs ain't green, but she won't listen."

"So is it serious?" Brendon asked.

Stone wasn't sure what he was referring to, so he waited.

"You plannin' to put down roots?"

"With Stevie and Nico?" Braydon finished for him.

Stone relaxed. "I'm workin' on it."

They traded another look, this time grinning as though they were pleased by the news.

Braydon picked up his drink and held it up for a toast. "If it means you'll be stickin' around, I hope it works out for you."

Stone clicked his beer bottle against the glass. "Thanks."

"But that's not why you wanted to talk," Brendon stated. "Pop mentioned somethin' about you wantin' to start a business or some shit. Cattle ranch?"

"That was one of my ideas," Stone explained. "But I nixed that one in favor of another."

Both men leaned forward on their elbows, giving Stone their full attention. "Do tell."

He took the cue and laid out his plan, keeping it high-level. They asked more questions than Kaleb and Sawyer, but Stone had answers.

"Wow. Shit, man. That sounds incredible." Braydon looked at Brendon. "Why the hell didn't we think of that?"

"No, shit." Brendon peered at Stone. "You doin' this with Nico and Stevie?"

"That's the plan." He didn't have Nico's buy-in yet, but Stevie had given him a verbal agreement.

"I know Mom and Pop want us to sign off on this shit, but you don't need it," Brendon told him. "As far as I'm concerned, that land's as much yours as it is ours. If you can make somethin' of it, I say go for it."

A weight lifted when Braydon nodded in agreement. "If we can do anything to help, just holler. Between us, we've got five strappin' boys who love to get their hands dirty."

"You mean they love to play in the dirt," Brendon corrected. "Not sure they'd accomplish much, but they'll make a damn fine mess."

Stone laughed, relief swamping him. He fought the urge to ask if they'd talked to Zane. He wanted to, but he figured he would have to confront his cousin on his own.

"How 'bout another round to celebrate," Braydon said. "You're buyin', right?"

***

"Are you cold?"

Stevie snuggled closer to Nico, shaking her head.

After dinner, she had curled up on the couch to watch TV. At least, that was what she intended to do, but her mind was elsewhere. Now that Nico had joined her, it was even worse. She couldn't focus on anything except his hard body behind her.

The problem wasn't that she was distracted by him; it was the guilt she felt when she was near him. She'd felt it since Friday night when she barged in on him and Stone. It was selfish on her part. One minute she was telling them to spend some quality time just the two of them. The next, she was planting herself in the middle. Neither one of them had acted as though she'd crashed the party, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had.

"What's on your mind?" Nico whispered, his warm breath fanning her cheek.

Maybe if she told him, it would reduce some of the guilt.

She shifted, rolling to her back so she could look at him.

God, he was such a beautiful man. It was still hard to believe that this was real. They had somehow moved past being friends/roommates and into … this. She didn't quite know how to define it other than they'd taken a relatively platonic relationship and added some not-so-platonic benefits. Of course, it wouldn't feel real until she broke down and told Niyah. Which she needed to do. Soon. She knew her best friend would support her—that's what they did, even when they disagreed with the other's choice—but what she wanted was to get Niyah's take on it. Was she being impulsive? Reckless? Was she opening herself up to more heartache?

Unfortunately, a convo with her BFF would have to wait.

She met Nico's gaze. "The other night … at Stone's."

His eyebrow quirked. "Yeah?"

She swallowed. "I … um … I need to apologize."

"For?"

"For crashin' your party."

His expression didn't change. It still held a wealth of confusion.

"I showed up after I told you to spend time alone with him. It was … selfish."

Nico's eyebrows hopped, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. "Selfish?"

She nodded. "I told you to spend time with him, and I … interrupted."

More crinkling, but not quite a smile. "In case you don't recall, neither one of us complained."

"No, but that doesn't make it okay. Y'all deserve some alone time."

Nico shifted back, giving her more room. "Alone time?"

"Yeah. You know. The two of you doin' … whatever y'all do together."

He huffed a laugh. "I can't speak for Stone, but I can tell you, I prefer havin' you both there."

Stevie frowned, surprised. "You do?"

"Yeah."

"So you don't want to…" God, she felt her face heating. "You … um…"

"Spit it out, Stevie."

"You don't want to be with just him."

"If you're askin' whether I wanna hang out with him, then yeah. I'd like to. But when you say be with, I assume you're talkin' about sex?"

She nodded even as her ears heated to a million degrees.

"Is that what you prefer? Alone time?"

The question caught her off guard, but she answered honestly. "Not really, no. But … it's nice sometimes."

"One on one?"

She nodded again.

"Why?"

Stevie shrugged. "I don't know. It feels more … intimate?"

Nico smiled, and his blue eyes lit up. "Intimate."

She wasn't sure he was understanding her. Especially since he seemed amused by her.

"You think the three of us together isn't intimate?"

"Sex isn't always intimate," she declared, realizing how stupid that sounded. "You know what I mean."

"Actually, I don't."

She couldn't tell if he was fucking with her or genuinely confused. At this point, she wasn't even sure she knew what she was trying to say.

"Forget I said anything."

"No. I'm not gonna forget. Let's talk."

Talking was overrated. She should've known better than to address this issue. Or maybe there wasn't an issue, and she was making more of it than she should.

"Did you enjoy spendin' time with him alone?" Nico asked.

She shrugged.

"Be honest."

"Yes," she stated firmly. "But." She touched his cheek, holding his gaze. "But I prefer bein' with both of you."

"But it's more intimate when you're with one of us."

"Not really."

His eyebrows angled into a V. "But you think it is for me and Stone?"

"Yes."

Nico's smile was slow and wicked. "Darlin', I'm not sure you know what you're talkin' about."

"I do, too," she insisted, feeling stupid for bringing it up. She attempted to sit up. "Just forget—"

"Uh-uh," he said, dragging her back down.

His weight shifted, his thigh covering her legs, pinning her in place.

"I'm sorry I said anything," she harrumphed.

"I'm not." Nico leaned down, his lips hovering over hers. "I wanna know how you feel."

"I don't know how I feel." It sounded petulant, but she didn't care.

"Do you like spendin' time with me?"

"Yes."

"Do you like spendin' time with Stone?"

"Yes."

"And you like spendin' time with both of us?"

"I prefer it," she said without thinking.

Nico lifted his head and looked her in the eye.

"I know it doesn't make sense." She wanted to explain. "But—"

He put his fingers over her lips. "It makes perfect sense."

In a chaotic, convoluted way, maybe, but she held his stare, wanting him to explain because surely his reasoning was better than hers.

"I prefer bein' with both of you, too."

"You do?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Stevie shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because I can't give you what he can."

Nico's eyes warmed. "And he can't give me what you can."

She smiled, her cheeks warming. "Touché."

"With both of you, I have the best of everything."

Okay. So she hadn't looked at it that way.

His lips settled over hers, soft and sweet. She kissed him back, sliding her fingers into the hair at his nape. It was so soft, so silky. She loved that she got to touch him whenever she wanted. It sure beat having to suck down alcohol just to get a moment with him.

The kiss went nuclear within minutes. Probably had something to do with Nico's hands roaming under her sweatshirt. She'd removed her bra earlier, so there was nothing between his callused fingers and her sensitive nipples as he caressed her.

"Take this off," he whispered, lifting up so she could have room to do so.

A second later, her sweatshirt was on the floor. She heard J?ger move, knew he was going to run off with it. At the moment, she didn't care. She wanted Nico to keep touching her the way he was.

Unfortunately, he stopped.

"What're you doin'?"

"Gettin' your phone," he said as he reached over her head.

"What for?" If he thought for one second that they were going to record what he was doing, the man was out of his fucking mind.

He passed her the phone. "I want you to text Stone. Tell him to come over."

"Are you—ahh!" A whimper escaped when his lips circled her nipple, the gentle rasp of his tongue sending electric sparks across her chest.

"Text him," he muttered, licking her nipple before shifting to give attention to the other one.

Holding her phone up, she managed to pull up the text thread. She fumbled a few times, backspaced more than she could count, thanks to Nico's wicked mouth on her breasts. Finally, she hit send.

Before she could set the phone down, it buzzed in her hand.

"He's pullin' up now," she rasped, dragging air into her lungs as her lust skyrocketed.

"Great minds," Nico mumbled between licks. "Is the door unlocked?"

Stevie arched her back, trying to see the door without disrupting his ministrations. "I think so."

"Good."

"Why's that—" Her words were cut off when Nico moved, dragging her sweatpants down her legs, taking her panties with them.

He settled between her legs, grinning wide before he dipped his head.

A knock sounded as pleasure slammed into her.

"It's … open!"

She prayed Stone wasn't with anyone. If so, they were going to get an eyeful because Nico didn't stop licking her pussy when the door opened. J?ger yipped excitedly, but Stevie barely heard it over her pulse thundering in her ears.

"What's up, little guy?" Stone's deep baritone sounded from the front of the house.

Every cell in her body heated at the thought of him walking in to find them like this. She remembered what it was like when she'd walked into Stone's house a few days ago. She'd flashed hot at the sight of Stone sucking Nico's cock.

"Don't mind me," Stone said, his voice still in the distance. "I'm just gonna take off my boots."

Stevie twined her fingers in Nico's hair, holding him to her as he flicked her clit with his tongue.

"And my coat," Stone drawled, amusement ringing in his words.

She was aware of his footsteps getting closer as she was drowning in pleasure.

Then Stone was leaning over the end of the couch, his head above hers. He smiled as he bent down and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth.

"I like walkin' in to find his head between your legs."

His words had sparks igniting on top of sparks. But it was nothing compared to the conflagration that erupted when his work-rough hands caressed her breasts.

Then they were both touching her, and the world somehow seemed brighter. This was what she wanted. No, this was what she needed. Both of them here. The two of them touching her, kissing her, drawing out her pleasure for blissfully long minutes. Nothing compared.

Nico lifted his head and looked at Stone. "Would you like a taste?"

"Don't mind if I do."

Embarrassment washed over her even though she didn't argue with their suggestion. It was dirty and taboo and so freaking hot, she was sure parts of her body had caught fire already.

The next thing she knew, they were trading places. Stone settled between her legs, the warm rasp of his tongue intensifying the ache that was building inside her. She wanted more, but at the same time, she wanted this to last forever. She whimpered and moaned but resisted the urge to beg them to fuck her. She rode the gentle waves of ecstasy as he licked her pussy.

They traded places two more times, and she realized it was so they could get J?ger settled in his crate and shed their clothes.

"Let's move this to the bedroom," Nico said as he stripped off his sweatpants.

Stevie was boneless, her head swimming from their wicked teasing. She had enough strength to grab Stone when he lifted her into his arms as though she weighed nothing.

"Hi," he greeted with a sexy grin.

"Hi," she whispered, holding onto him as he made his way down the hall.

He set her on the bed, moving over her, his mouth trailing a path of fire up her torso, higher. When they were nose to nose, he sealed his mouth to hers, his tongue dancing past her parted lips. She welcomed his kiss, surprised by how gentle he was being.

She giggled when he rolled, taking her with him so that she was straddling his hips.

He brushed her hair back from her face and smiled.

If it was weird that she resumed their conversation between bouts, she didn't care. "It didn't take you long to get here."

"I was in the neighborhood."

She giggled. "Is that right?"

"Yup. Couldn't stay away. I missed y'all."

"We missed you, too," she admitted as she reached between them to circle his cock with her fingers.

He gasped, his eyes hooded as she guided him right where she needed him.

***

Nico walked into the room to findStevie sitting astride Stone, sinking down on his cock slowly.

He expected to feel a flash of jealousy, but it didn't come. In fact, he took advantage of the opportunity to watch the two of them together. It wasn't until Stone reached out his hand that Nico realized he was urging him to join them.

The thought of having Stevie between them had his cock throbbing painfully, the need to be inside her stealing his breath.

He had enough sense to grab the lube from the bedside table before moving to the end of the bed. He continued to watch as Stone's cock slid in and out as Stevie lifted and lowered on him. Nico set the lube aside so he could free his hands to touch. And he did, starting with Stone's legs, loving the way the crisp dark hair teased his palms as he gently rubbed, working his way up to his knees. Still, he watched Stone's thick cock, slick with Stevie's juices, as it tunneled in and out of her. His breaths became choppy as the eroticism of the act heated his blood.

Nico didn't stop touching when he crawled up on the bed behind Stevie. He trailed his palms over her ass, higher. His hands spanned the entire width of her back, his thumbs overlapping as he got lost in the softness of her skin.

She gasped when he kissed the small of her back and worked his way up. He felt Stone's fingertips gliding along his sides, drifting high, then low. When his touch disappeared, it was because he was caressing Stevie's ass, spreading her cheeks, groaning as she lifted and lowered her hips, impaling herself on him.

Nico kneeled behind her, watching Stone's big hands move over her soft body. Her pussy glistened, her entrance stretched around Stone's girth. He wasn't sure he could take much more without tipping over the edge, so he got with the program, slicking his cock, stroking himself while he teased her ass with his finger.

"Yes," she hissed. "Fuck me, Nico. Please."

"Here?" He pushed two fingers into her ass. She was tight. So fucking tight.

Stevie lifted up, whimpering as she peered over her shoulder. "Please."

He saw the desire churning in her eyes for that brief moment before she turned back to Stone, pressing her chest to his.

Inching closer, he guided his cock to the tight little rosebud and pressed his hips forward, the head of his cock breaching the tight ring of muscle.

Stevie whimpered.

Stone grunted.

Nico pushed in deeper.

The chorus of grunts and moans filled the room as he sank inside her, stretching her ass. It didn't go unnoticed that he was the one who was taking her anal virginity, but he had to force the thoughts away. He didn't want to come yet and acknowledging that he was her first was a surefire trigger.

Stone gripped Stevie's hips, holding her still as Nico began to rock forward and back, sliding in deeper each time. He could feel the ridge of Stone's cock inside her, and it caused the hair on his neck to stand on end. This had to be the most intense thing he'd ever felt. And he'd thought the same thing the other night when he'd been lodged to the hilt inside Stevie while Stone fucked his ass.

This was somehow different. They were both inside her. Joined as one. All three of them. Together.

"Fuck me," Stevie whimpered. "Please."

Stone rocked his hips, his cock moving against Nico's.

"Please, Nico. Fuck me," Stevie cried.

He wanted to—God, he wanted to—but it felt too good. The urge to slam in deep was too powerful, and he didn't want to hurt her.

"You won't hurt her," Stone said as though he could read Nico's mind.

Nico pulled out, slid in again. The more he did, the more Stevie relaxed, easing the way. He added more lube, drizzling it over her asshole so that it coated his dick.

And then the pleasure took over. Time stood still. The world stopped turning. His entire existence focused on the two people in the bed with him as he and Stone fucked Stevie, alternating until they had a rhythm that worked.

"Yes … yes … don't stop. God, don't stop," Stevie hummed.

Nico's strokes became longer, deeper. He gripped her hips, holding her in place so they could both fuck her.

Perspiration formed on his skin as the heat churned inside him. He was reaching his breaking point, but he didn't want it to end. He wanted to stay like this forever, buried inside her alongside Stone. Nothing had ever felt this good.

"You ready to come for us?" Stone asked Stevie.

Her response was a muted grunt followed by a loud gasp. Nico felt Stone's hand between them, knew he was playing with her clit.

"Yes!"

Nico began pumping his hips with a goal in mind, urging her toward release. He battled the tingling in his spine, gritting his teeth to hold back.

"Nico! Stone! Oh … gooooodddddd!"

Stevie's body clamped down, milking his release from him. He slammed into her one final time and felt the pulse of Stone's dick deep inside her. His body splintered, his mind, too. For a brief moment, he was positive his soul had left his body. The pleasure was so intense it was painful.

And then he snapped back into existence, his heart thundering in his chest, his lungs working overtime. He slowly pulled out of Stevie and dropped to his side, gasping for air, wondering how he could still be in one piece after that.