Mountain Cure (Stone Brothers Duet, #2) Read online

  Before he walks away, he slaps Colt on the shoulder again. “Thanks again for the big order. That really helped out. But you didn’t have to pay for it all up front.”

  Colt shrugs. “Might as well take care of it all at once. No big deal.”

  “Well, maybe not to you,” Tank says, “but Natalie’s already spent half the money. The baby’s room is fully stocked now, though. I didn’t realize how much stuff you need to buy for a kid these days.”

  They all turn slightly to look at Natalie, and Tank waves her over. She has a baby in her arms, showing her off to anyone who wants to have a look, which apparently doesn’t include Remi. When she approaches, he inspects the baby as though she’s a hive swarming with bees.

  Colt, on the other hand, plucks the swaddled infant right out of Natalie’s arms and pulls the baby tightly to his big chest while Wes bends over and coos at her, both their faces lit up with joy. The affectionate gestures bring an unexpected itch of tears to the back of my throat.

  “Naw, man.” Colt’s eyes soften as he looks down at the baby, his fingers playing in the air for her to watch. “We just wanted to secure the best food in the whole damn state, that’s all.”

  “You have a damn good-looking girl, here, Nat. Surprised she turned out so beautiful with that ugly mug for a dad,” Wes says, giving Tank a jesting smile.

  Tank smirks right back, then his face grows somber a moment later. He edges closer to the guys, glancing at me warily as he talks, his voice low. “Hey, speaking of dads, you know Frank’s—”

  “Yeah, we know,” Colt cuts him off. “Stan should’ve killed that asshole. No one would have batted a goddamn eye.”

  Tank glances back at me, as do Wes and Remi, but they don’t let their eyes linger. My curiosity’s burning bright, and I’m wondering if this has anything to do with the sheriff showing up at their cabin, but it’s obvious this conversation is not for my ears. I can take a hint, especially when the guys are being not-so-subtle.

  I move away to give them more privacy and head across the field to the big cooler Tank pointed to. Trying to quiet the questions running through my head, I work on minding my own business as I dig around in the ice to retrieve a drink.

  I’m not a big beer fan, but there doesn’t seem to be anything else. It’s full of Budweiser, Coors Light, and PBR.

  From the corner of my eye, I see Natalie leave the cluster of guys, the baby still in Colt’s capable arms. She jogs up to the truck.

  “Come on over here.” She beckons me with a friendly hand wave. “I have a special stash — it might be more to your liking.”

  I follow her around to the side of the truck.

  She puts a foot on the tire of the truck, grabs the bed of the truck with both hands, and hoists herself up, leaning over the side to dig around in a smaller cooler.

  “I’m nursing, so I’ve been saving up for the baby so I could have a few tonight, but I’m a lightweight these days and there’s no way I’ll be drinking all of these. Tank went a little overboard when I told him to pick me up something to drink,” she says with a laugh.

  When she jumps down, she has two bottles of pale amber liquid in her hands. She reaches one out to me and I take it from her, glancing at the label. A crisp apple cider.

  Ah, that’s more like it.

  “Thank you, that’s very kind,” I tell her, opening mine and talking a long swallow. The alcohol hits my tongue, bright and tangy.

  She twists the top off hers and leans against the truck. “I’m Natalie, by the way.”

  I nod. “Tank introduced you, from afar. I’m Adeline, but everyone calls me Addie.”

  “Oh, I know.” She smiles and lifts her bottle toward the guys, who are still talking with Tank in the distance. “Those guys won’t shut up about you. You’d think they’d found gold at the end of the rainbow in the bottom of that ravine you tumbled into. But them bringing you tonight? That says it all.”

  I do a double-take. “What?”

  “Oh yeah. None of the Stone boys have brought a woman around here since... well, damn, probably since high school.”

  Blinking, I just stare at her stupidly while I digest this news.

  “So, tell me something,” she says, a confidential, girl-talk smile on her lips as she sips her drink. “The way they all talk about you — even Remi, who usually does more grumbling than talking — I can’t tell which one you’re with.”

  I choke back my latest swig of cider and pause to wipe my mouth, taking the brief respite to glance over at the guys.

  Colt is happily bouncing the baby while Remi looks over his shoulder at her, curious but cautious, like the baby might explode in a shower of angry wasps any second. Wes is engaged in an animated discussion with Tank, gesticulating with his hands as he talks.

  Turning back to Natalie, I see she’s staring at me kindly, waiting for an answer.

  What the hell do I say?

  The guys didn’t prep me for this.

  Life didn’t prep me for this.

  “Um, I’m not really with any of them,” I say. “Not like that.”

  That sly smile on her lips turns up in surprised amusement. “Oh, honey. Maybe you don’t think so, but I see how those boys are looking at you tonight. All three of them. Trust me — it’s like that, for them at least. I think you have your pick of the litter, so to speak.”

  I draw in a deep breath. In the span of just a few minutes, I’ve learned so much and I'm feeling a little dizzy from it.

  For starters, the guys have been talking about me to their friends.

  A lot, apparently.

  They invited me to a private event they never bring anyone to. And Natalie thinks they’re all growing sweet on me.

  Which is... exactly how I feel about them. But I just haven’t let myself think about it. Because this is just a holiday trip, which makes this a vacation fling.

  I mean, I came here to heal a wounded heart.

  And the guys sure have helped that happen quickly. It’s been easier not to think about what comes later, because I don’t even know how to handle going back home with a broken heart for an entirely different reason.

  Three different reasons, actually.

  Natalie must see the worry in my expression, because she steps forward and touches me on the arm.

  “I didn’t mean to freak you out — hell, what do I know?” She waves a hand in the air dismissively. “I’m sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong. You should ignore me. Or just tell me to mind my own damn business.”

  “No,” I shake my head, “I don’t mind, I just... I’m not sure what’s going on, honestly. Or why they brought me tonight. I mean, they haven’t said anything to me, we’ve just been hanging out and having fun. And I’m just here for a few weeks, so...”

  I trail off, feeling down suddenly, like a cloak of sadness has descended around me at the thought of leaving.

  “Well, that’s for Future Addie to worry about,” she says, with a tone of uplifting empathy in her voice. “Tonight, you should just enjoy yourself. Live in the moment and go with the flow. That’s what vacations are for, right?”

  “I suppose so,” I tell her with a smile and a nod. “And I’m fine, really.”

  But I’m a terrible liar.

  Going with the flow has been my motto this whole trip.

  That’s why I wound up falling down a damn mountain.

  It’s how I ended up in bed with three gorgeous men.

  It’s what got me to this bonfire right now, and it's why I'm suddenly realizing this vacation might have turned into something else entirely when I wasn’t looking — when I was busy just going with the flow.

  Just living in the moment.

  In this moment, my chest feels tight and the prick of tears are stinging the back of my eyes.

  Goddammit.

  “Here,” Natalie says. She walks over to the big cooler on the tailgate of the truck, pulling out a six pack of beer. She holds it out to me, dangling the cans by the plastic holder. />
  “You’re welcome to grab another cider from my stash — as many as you want. In the meantime, give the boys a drink on me. And go have fun.”

  I thank her and give her an upbeat smile. Natalie moves away to greet the newest arrivals while I turn and slowly make my way back to the guys.

  As I walk, I think back over our time together. How incredibly amazing it’s been. And how they’re constantly surprising me. My heart clenches up even more as I recall how happy they looked this morning when I opened their gift and got choked up about the camera.

  Then I remember how angry they were when they got back in the truck after talking to the sheriff, and my stomach twists into a little knot.

  The guys haven’t said a word to me about that, but I know something big happened — something they seemed pretty damn displeased about.

  They were happy to see me when they scooped me up from the resort tonight, but none of them were their usual selves on the drive over. They’ve been quieter than normal, even Wes who’s usually eager to chat my ear off about books and movies, and there’s an unsettling tension in the air.

  I don’t know what kind of hell they went through today, but I really want to see them smiling tonight, and I’m determined to do whatever I can to make that happen.

  Remi sees me coming, his face lighting up as he watches me approach. I try to still the pounding in my chest, but that longing in his expression, the way his eyes follow my every move — it only makes my pulse race faster.

  I’m playing dress-up tonight — thick denim over thermal leggings, the insulated flannel of my shirt, and the new jacket from Mackey’s that the guys insisted I needed have me looking the part of a local. And now I’m walking toward them, a bottle in one hand and six-pack of beer dangling from the other.

  I nearly feel like I could belong.

  Remi steps away from his brothers, and Colt notices me coming as well and hands Tank’s little one back to him. I can tell by how Remi’s fixed on my lips that he wants to wrap me up in one of those deep, hungry kisses of his, but he holds back.

  I reach out the beer to him. “Care for a beverage?”

  “You certainly know the way to a man’s heart.”

  I swallow hard at his innocent comment. “Well, if that’s all it takes...”

  There’s that hungry look again, and he’s fixed back on my lips.

  My eyes skirt sideways, locking onto his brothers for a few seconds before I turn and scan the crowd.

  There has to be fifty people here, at least, and on the other side of the field near the house are the headlights of more vehicles coming up Tank’s road. Everywhere around us, there are clusters of men and women talking, laughing, sharing stories, and passing around food and drinks.

  So many people. So little privacy.

  My gaze lands on the affectionate couples surrounding the bonfire. Snuggled up together, their bodies pressed into one another, hands and lips expressing what words cannot.

  Remi follows my gaze and the next thing I know, he throws whatever caution he had to the wind and grabs me around the waist, pulling me against him firmly.

  Somewhere in the distance, I hear Natalie let out a whoop of glee as Remi wraps his arms around me, but I barely register it before his mouth is on me.

  His kiss is different than any time before — it’s powerful and possessive, like he’s claiming me before God and country.

  He doesn’t give a fuck who’s watching.

  Remi crushes his lips against mine, stealing my breath away.

  Holy fuck.

  I drop the apple cider and beer to the ground and wind my arms around his neck, diving into the kiss with equal abandon.

  When he finally pulls away, my knees are weak, and I can’t breathe. He looks over his shoulder at Wes and Colt. The air is full of tension as they move toward us, their eyes fixed on me.

  I can’t read those expressions of theirs, whether it’s jealousy, or anger, or desire — maybe all three.

  Remi pulls me away from the light of the bonfire, retreating behind the truck and into a deep darkness.

  The night swallows us as he pins me against the hood of their truck, his hard body pressed into mine. He pushes the jacket off my shoulders and slides his fingers under the bottom of my flannel shirt as he kisses me, his mouth hot and needy.

  Wes and Colt join us a moment later, flanking their brother, their hands finding my ass, my thighs, my breasts, their lips at my neck and biting into my shoulder.

  That familiar fire they created inside me at the cabin ignites once again and bursts into flames at their touch. Within minutes they have me panting, and I squirm under them, wanting every stroke, every kiss and caress they have to offer.

  3

  REMI AND COLT EYE THE Silverthorne Resort warily from the front seats of the truck, but I figure fuck it.

  You only live once, and I’m sure as hell not going to miss out on the rest of this night just because Addie happens to be staying here.

  I jump out of the rear door of the extended cab and pull Addie out with me. My brothers get over their hesitations real damn quick and hop out, too, following us inside.

  Things got heated for a minute at the bonfire, hidden from the crowd by our big truck and the deep winter shadows, but we managed to pull ourselves together and rejoin the festivities. It was too cold away from the warmth of the bonfire to get Addie naked like we wanted, and it would have been rude to leave so soon after arriving — although I know every damn one of us were thinking about it.

  We ended up staying much longer than any of us realized. It was easy to lose track of the hours, because Addie fit right in with our friends — talking, laughing, soaking up every story they offered. She hung out with Natalie as much as she did with us, and even though I would’ve been happy if she’d never left my side all night, it was damn good to see how well those two hit it off.

  Best damn bonfire I can remember.

  Time went by fast and now it’s getting towards midnight, which means the lobby of Silverthorne will be deserted. Hopefully.

  The last thing we need is to run into any of the assholes who own this damn place, along with about half of the other properties in Meadowbrook.

  That would not go well.

  Especially after the shitfest of a day we’ve had.

  And especially right now, with Addie by our sides and a very promising night ahead of us. Our plans are finally somewhat back on track, and I don’t want anything else fucking it up.

  Addie’s the one who suggested it, us coming here instead of heading to the cabin. None of us were too keen on the idea, but she finally swayed us by pointing out that from Tank’s place, Silverthorne was a good thirty minutes closer than driving all the way up the mountain to our place.

  That’s about all the convincing we needed, because by then we were ready to lay her down in the field right there under the stars and have our way with her, crowd of people or not.

  Our thick, hard-soled boots clomp against the marble floor with every footfall, the sound ricocheting in the expansive space. Fortunately, the lobby looks deserted, with only two night clerks behind the front desk to monitor our progress as we march through the sprawling lobby toward the elevators.

  Addie leads us, occasionally sending that coy little smile over her shoulder — as if to make sure we’re still following.

  Fuck yeah, we’re still following, baby.

  I’d walk off the ends of the earth to get Addie somewhere private right now.

  It’s a good thing we put Daisy in her outdoor kennel before we left the cabin earlier today, because if this night goes like I hope, none of us will be returning before morning.

  My attention is mainly on Addie’s fine ass, but I can’t help but notice the furnishings scattered throughout the lobby and alcoves as we walk past piece after piece of fine workmanship — our workmanship.

  Since Jackson handles this end of the business, and we normally wouldn’t set foot on an Elliott property, we’ve never seen th
ese pieces in use.

  The coffee tables stationed in front of the massive fireplace lining one wall of the grand lobby, the live-edge reception desk that’s a good twenty feet long and three feet wide, the handcrafted stools at the coffee bar, and the huge, hand-carved beams running floor to ceiling.

  All ours.

  I wouldn’t be surprised if this place has ordered a million dollars’ worth of BlackFire custom pieces, just to give this ritzy resort a hint of rustic mountain charm. Anything to pamper the tastes of the bored and wealthy.

  Remi and Colt are looking around, too, and we make eye contact for a second, our expressions the same — we did good, brothers.

  But as soon as we’re inside of the elevator, Addie is our sole focus. She quickly punches in the number for her floor, and the doors close.

  “In a hurry there, are you?” I tease.

  Addie feigns surprise. “Oh, well, if you’d rather take a tour of the resort first...” She leans around me, her fingers at the panel of numbers, threatening to push the lobby button.

  I step in front of her, blocking her hand, and give her a playful, reprimanding look. “I don’t think so — but I am gonna need a personal tour of your room, ma’am. A very personal tour. It’s gonna be long, and hard, but I think it’ll be worth it.”

  Behind her, Remi wraps his palm around her neck just the way he likes, squeezing the supple flesh of her throat as he pulls her to him, her back to his chest, his mouth nuzzling her ear.

  Colt stands sentry at the double-doors of the elevator, watching the numbers light up as we slowly ascend, but I take the opportunity to slide my hand under her shirt and graze upward to between her breasts. Her skin is delightfully warm under my fingers, and her nipples pebble quickly under my touch, her eyes fixated on mine, hungry and ready.

  Taking one of her hands in mine, I press it to the front of my jeans, the stiff length of my erection readily apparent. She strokes her palm against it and bites into her bottom lip. A second later, she slips her other hand behind her, and I know she finds Remi just as ready as I am.