Divine Charity(Divine Creek Ranch 18)(5)

They hadn’t heard Val and Ransome pull up in Val’s old beat-up truck, arriving a few minutes early. That final kiss, against a cypress tree along the edge of the fast-flowing creek was where the guys had found them. He’d slid his hands over her ass cheeks and his fingers had found their way inside her swimsuit bottom to stroke her still throbbing pussy until she’d heard the gasps come from behind her.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Ransome had blurted out and she’d turned, taken by surprise when she saw the pain in his dark eyes and the hard set of his jaw. Hurting him or Val had never been her intention and she’d been mortified because she hadn’t thought past getting back into Justin’s arms.

Justin hadn’t told his cousins what had happened between them, judging by the way Val had frowned at Justin and then had made eye contact with her, the hurt obvious in his eyes, too. “Charity? What’s going on?”

“Ransome, Val, I…um,” Charity had tried to explain but Justin had stopped her and had placed himself between her and them.

“We’re together now, guys. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wasn’t sure how.”

Ransome had narrowed his gaze at Justin and taken a step forward with his hands balled into fists at his sides. “You knew how we both felt and you did this?”

Justin had looked down and frowned, his cheeks flushing a little, and then looked up at them. “I wanted her, too, guys.”

“What?” Charity asked, moving out from behind him. She gripped Justin’s hand and looked up them. “What’s going on, Justin? What do they mean?”

Justin turned his gaze on her. “Three guys want you, babe, including me.” Pain lanced her heart when she saw the vulnerability in his eyes. He was afraid she’d leave him after finding that out.

“Three? What—why? Nobody said anything to me. I didn’t…”

Ransome came forward, his dark brown eyes intense as he said, “We didn’t know how to tell you, baby. The three of us talked and I thought we were all three going to tell to you together.”

Val gritted his teeth and glowered at Justin. “I thought so, too. This explains why we haven’t seen you. Charity, we wanted you to hear it from the three of us. We didn’t even know if it would work out but I guess it’s too late, judging by what we saw when we walked up.” Nailing Justin with a hard glare, he asked, “Did you hurt her?”

Justin gritted his teeth and scowled in response and said, “Of course not. Not that it’s your business.”

Charity put her hands out to stop them from butting chests and said, “No! He didn’t hurt me! He would never hurt me! I still don’t understand.”

Her heart had broken a little as her girlish fantasy was put to death. These three guys could never share. Ménages didn’t happen in real life, only in porn videos and books, but never in real life.

Val had turned as if to stalk back to his truck but caught Justin off guard and swung his fist, nailing Justin right in the mouth. Then he shouted at Justin, “You didn’t even tell her! You didn’t give her the choice. You just took what you wanted.”

Justin had thrown a punch back. One thing had led to another and by the time the dust settled they were all three bloodied and bruised and Justin had made it clear forever that he didn’t share and never would.

Val and Ransome had left, too angry and too hurt to say anything else to her. Justin had apologized to her and explained that the three of them had been attracted to her for a while. Even though they’d had no idea what the outcome would be they’d agreed to approach her together but when the opportunity had come, he’d taken his chance to be with her. He’d said he’d understand if she thought what he’d done was wrong but he wouldn’t say he was sorry. He didn’t regret what had happened between them and never would.

Later, as the shock wore off, she’d knelt beside him on the bank of the creek, applying a wet compress to his split lip. They’d watched the cool water flow past them and she told him that she loved him, no matter what. She’d never told him that she’d also loved Val and Ransome. She hadn’t wanted a repeat of their horrible fist fight.

Vulnerability had shown in his eyes as he’d asked, “What if it was Val or Ransome who you’d been assigned to do that drama scene with? Would it be one of them out here with you right now?” She’d understood then that it was just as hard for him to let down his impervious front as it was for her. He was afraid he’d lost her.

“I don’t know, Justin. But it’s not one of them with me. You are. Besides…”