He turned and walked off, supremely confident that his orders would be met.
He turned back suddenly. “And stay out of trouble.”
Dani grinned. He didn’t look so confident that she would follow that edict. He walked away. Dani watched his gorgeous ass as it disappeared into the crowd. When she turned, she noticed that Finn was watching, too.
“I’m sorry.” Finn pulled back slightly, his hand coming out of hers. That look was back in his eyes.
“Are you going to be an asshole?” Dani asked.
“What?”
“I thought we worked through this, but it looks like you’re going to be an asshole.” She wasn’t putting up with it. Maybe she would have before, but being with them had changed her.
Being with Julian and Finn together seemed to have altered something fundamental in Dani. It had been beautiful. She’d never felt as deeply as she did when they were kissing her, loving her. There had been that terrible moment when she was sure Julian was leaving, but he’d stayed. He had to care about her. He cared, and Finn cared. She wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from her or make her feel ashamed. That was hers.
Finn stared almost blankly and then shook his head. “I’m sorry, Dani. I spent so long trying to hide this from you.”
“Hide what? That I knew you were gay? I was well aware of that. Why did you get upset because I caught you drooling over Julian’s ass?”
His eyes slid down. “Damn it, Dani. This is why I stayed away. I knew it should be just us, but I wasn’t sure I could do it. I’m just not sure I can stay away from men.”
Julian was shaking his head at Jack, who seemed to be teasing him something fierce. Dani stared at him for a moment. She noticed she wasn’t the only one. All around her, other women had their eyes on the hot new guy. They could look, but Julian was hers. He might not know it, but she planned on keeping him. And Finn. As soon as they ironed out a few things.
“And it never occurred to you to say, hey, Dani, here’s the problem. Let’s see if we can solve it? No, you decide to keep your mouth shut and almost let me marry someone I didn’t love because you didn’t want to admit you’re bi.”
“Damn it, I didn’t want to lose you. I love you, Danielle. You’re the only thing in my life that’s permanent. I would rather keep you in my life than lose you because I can’t be normal. It should be two people. A marriage should be two people.”
“Says who? The old biddies at church? Screw them. Why does everything have to be one way? What we did up there didn’t hurt anyone. It isn’t anyone’s business but ours. I love you, Finn, but I think I’m falling for Julian, too. Can you handle that?”
“I can certainly try, baby. I was willing to love you from afar. I prefer loving you up close.” He seemed tentative, but his hand went around her waist. “God, Dani, I loved fucking you.”
She leaned into him. “I loved it, too.”
His hand trailed down her ass right there in the middle of the bar. “How’s the…you know? I know it seems rough, but Julian’s right. It really will, you know, prepare you and stuff.”
Dani felt a slow smile slide across her face. Finn’s voice had gone all husky and deep, as though he was thinking about what that plug in her ass was preparing her for. By the end of the week, Julian and Finn intended to take her together. Julian would fuck her ass while Finn took her pussy. It made her shiver.
“I’m looking forward to it, too,” Dani whispered.
He kissed her cheek, and that momentary lapse of his seemed to be gone. Which was a good thing because Dani saw someone they needed to talk to. Now that she’d been fucked and loved into a more magnanimous state, she was ready to deal with the guy nursing a beer at the bar. “Come on, Finn, we have to talk to Jimbo.”
Finn stopped, all arousal gone now. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Dani. Julian told us to stay out of trouble.”
Dani shrugged. “I don’t intend to start trouble, Finn. I’m just going to talk to him.”
“Oh, yeah, I bet that’s what you said the last time, right before you started tossing hardware at his brain.”
“Oh, no, I always intended to chuck something at his head the last time. Now, I am calmer and more mature.”
Finn snorted. “You’ve matured in the last hour?”
“Well, my ass is still sore. I’m going to try to avoid another spanking tonight. I’ve also seen some of the stuff they keep in the guesthouse out at the ranch. I would prefer to avoid that as well, for now.” When she wasn’t so sore, they could play around on the benches and other stuff. But for now, she had to get to the bottom of something. “Come on, we’re just going to talk to him.”
Finn groaned, but followed her. So much for him topping her. That was the only part of the evening that had rankled slightly. Oh, she didn’t mind it in bed, but she would be damned if Finn told her what to do out of it. Julian was another story. The clothes she had on proved that. It wasn’t that she would just blindly follow him, but deep down Julian needed that control. It was essential to him, so she was willing to give it up. Finn had no such need.
“Dani, he’s going to kill us.”
Dani decided to be deliberately obtuse as she pushed her way through the crowd. “Nah, Jimbo isn’t the killing kind. He’s too lazy for that.”
“I wasn’t talking about Jimbo.”
But now that Dani really thought about it, it was true. Jimbo might be selfish and a little oafish, but he wasn’t really vindictive. She could see him putting her stuff out on the lawn, but could she really see him dousing it in gasoline and torching it?
“Hello, Jimbo.” Dani held her ground as Finn sort of bumped into her.
Jimbo looked up and started. His hands came up. “Now, Dani, see here, I ain’t gonna take another beating from you.”
She held her hands out to prove she was perfectly unarmed. “I came to apologize.”
Jimbo sat back, a wary look on his face. “You sure? Cause my head still hurts from the last time you came to apologize.”
“Sorry. I was really upset.”
“I got that. You’ve been a little upset for a couple of days.”
He hadn’t been a horrible boyfriend, she realized. He just hadn’t been close to what she needed, and maybe the same could be said for her. “I know. I am really, genuinely sorry about the wedding. I couldn’t go through with it.”
“I know, Dani. You don’t love me. You always loved Finn. I’m just glad he got his dick out of some guy’s ass long enough to see what was standing in front of him.”
“Hey, I’m right here.” Finn stepped forward.
Dani laughed. “Yes, you are, sweetie.” She wrapped her arm around his waist.
Jimbo tipped his hat back and looked at them for a moment. His eyes held Finn’s. “You get her out of this town. I don’t give a shit where you put your dick as long you keep it in your pants around me.”
“Like I would.”
Jimbo grinned. “Oh, I know all you gay boys want a piece of this. How can anyone resist my manly presence?” He got serious again. “But, you gotta get her out of here. They’re gonna make her life hell. You two just hitch your wagon to that rich boy and ride right on out of town.”
“You really didn’t burn my stuff, did you?”
He shook his head and took another swig of his beer. “Hell, no, Dani. I ain’t about to hurt anyone like that. I know I can be a jerk, but I wouldn’t do nothing like that. If I were you, I would look a little closer to home, if you know what I mean.”
Oh, she knew what he meant. The betrayal hit her squarely in the chest.