"Oh, if I were thirty years younger, I'd throw you over my shoulder and take you to paradise any time," he said with a laugh; Joseph and George joined in.
"This one's taken, Dad," Crew said, surprising Haley with his quiet approach. She peered up at his smiling features.
"Doesn't mean I can't duel you for her," Richard told his son.
"I would be sure to lose to such a smooth man," Crew said before lifting Haley from her chair and seizing her mouth with his so swiftly that she didn't have time even to think about protesting.
As his lips covered hers, she forgot about her three favorite men and melted into her lover's arms. Losing all sense of time or place, she just held on for the ride as he made her body soar.
"Now, that's a kiss," Richard said with a chuckle. Haley plummeted back to solid ground. It was her turn to blush as Crew slowly released her.
"I hate to take Haley away, but I have plans that don't involve three meddlesome men," Crew said as he clasped her hand. Haley tried to pull back, uneasy at the wicked gleam in his eye.
"Thatta boy. You give this girl some good romance. And don't you dare let her go. I didn't raise a fool for a son," Richard said.
Joseph emphatically agreed. "A good woman is not something to treat lightly. You hold on tight and pray she never lets you go. I've been with my Katherine for over forty years now, and not a day goes by that I'm not grateful to have found her."
"Yes, I've been blessed by having two great loves in my life. The last ten years with Esther have been a blessing, and I don't know what I'd do without her," George added.
"I'd give anything to have a woman to hold my heart close to hers. I haven't given up," Richard added with sadness.
"Don't you worry, Brother! We'll find you a bride," Joseph said with excitement.
"Oh, no you won't, Joseph. If love finds me, then it does, but I don't need my brothers meddling in my life," Richard said with a glare.
"You three argue about it. I'll see you tonight." With that, Crew picked Haley up in his arms and left the room. The sound of the men whistling followed them to the door.
Crew's he-man act embarrassed her, but she melted against him. The strength of his arms as they flexed beneath her back, the feel of his tight abs pressing against her side, and the look of hunger in his eyes had her breath trapped in her throat.
"You are in quite the mood, aren't you?" she teased as he rounded a corridor behind the bar and headed to his office.
"I've missed you," he answered simply.
Her heart warmed at the thought.
"I like spending time with your dad and uncles. They are stubborn and ornery and I love every minute of it."
"I love being with them, too, but right now I'm going to love being with you," he said as he walked through his office door, quickly shutting it and latching it behind him.
After he put her down on his desk, his mouth quickly seized hers, and she forgot all about scotch, poker, and amusing old threes of a kind. Hunger washed through her as Crew unbuttoned her blouse, exposing her lace bra within seconds.
"Well, why didn't you just say so?" she gasped as his mouth moved down her throat, and then sucked a hardening nipple through the delicate lace. She leaned back and cried out in pleasure.
He was moving quickly, and Haley wouldn't have had it, or him, any other way. She wanted him to take her fast and hard, make her scream in pleasure again and again.
His hand found her front clasp and released her br**sts so he could stroke them, tease them, and make her stomach ripple with need.
Running his arm across the surface of the desk, he flung everything there to the floor, then lay her down, unbuttoning her skirt and yanking it and her panties free, leaving her bare before him.
"I can't ever get over how breathtaking you are. I look upon you and wonder how I ever got to be the lucky one who gets to bury myself deep within your heat, kiss every delicate piece of your skin, and then hold you all night while you dream of tomorrow," he whispered, his eyes slowly moving across her body.
Oh, my gosh, the man knew what to say. She was a quivering mess as he ran his hands up her thighs and pushed them apart, leaving her wide open for his hungry gaze.
Suddenly his mouth descended, and she did indeed cry out when he fastened on to her swollen womanhood and turned her heat into an inferno. Lying back on her elbows, she called out his name as he stroked her flames higher, bringing her to the brink of pleasure before … stopping.
"Kiss me," he demanded as he moved up her body, his clothing gone. When on earth had that happened? She didn't know.
Instead of plundering her mouth as he'd done earlier - which she happened to like, a lot -he hovered over her, lightly brushing his lips across hers as his hands framed her face. The sweet moment brought tears to her eyes.