No Simple Sacrifice (Secrets of Stone Book 5) (18 page)

I unleashed a groan. I could barely contain myself. I would never,
ever
get my fill of this sassy little minx—especially now, with her gifting us with her commitment. It was like a dream, but I sure as hell wasn’t about to pinch myself. If I Rip Van Winkled the rest of my life away, so be it. But right now, I embraced
this
reality—and the actual chance to build the future we’d been waiting our entire lives for. Yeah, there would be challenges and obstacles, including those who’d never understand our non-traditional relationship, but none of that mattered now. We had each other, and our love, to see us through. Traditions were special. Precious. But they didn’t change the world. These two people had already changed
my
world. I owed them so much.

I owed them everything.

The San Diego sunshine peeked in through the partially opened blinds, warming us to an almost uncomfortable temperature as our bodies joined once more. Talia’s screams of pleasure swirled with the songs of the morning birds, the best way I could ever think to start a day. Fletcher and I worked together to bring her—and ourselves—to crest after crest of completion, showering her with every drop of love in our hearts. She was completely content when we fell asleep, but when I woke up a few hours later, it was to the sight of her staring at me…with new tears in her eyes.

Gently, I reached up to wipe the wetness, now rolling down her cheeks. “What’s wrong. love?” I whispered it, in case Fletch was still asleep.

Again, she caught her lower lip beneath her teeth. “I don’t want you to leave me.”

“I’m never going to leave you.”

“You’re leaving me in a few hours.”

“You know what I mean. And we’re going to see you in Chicago for the shareholders’ gala. That’s only a couple of weeks away.”

She released the lip. It was plumped, and now darkened to the shade of ripe berries. Fuck. I wondered if it tasted just as sweet.

Before the fantasy of finding out for myself got out of hand, I changed the subject. “Do you have a dress? I can arrange for a shopper to come to you; show you some things right here in San Diego.”

She smiled softly and shook her head. “I already have something. But two weeks…it’s so far away.”

“I know. It’ll drag by for us too.”

As I exhaled heavily, she sucked in a matching breath. Tilted her head, letting the sun illuminate her pensive expression. “Drake…”

“What, baby?”

“I’m not going to be good at this long distance thing. My heart is too tender.”

“I know.” I shifted my hand up, stroking into her silky dark hair. “It won’t be for long, I promise. Fletch and I will figure something out. We need to see how things are going at home, and decide what the best plan is. But I swear, we’ll come up with something.”

“I want to believe that.” She sniffed again. “I do.”

“You have no other choice.”

A laugh trickled through her tears. “I don’t, do I?”

I stiffened my lips, gently chastising. “Have I ever lied to you?”

“No.”

“Then you have to believe what I say until I don’t keep my word. Then you can doubt me. But until then—”

Fletcher scooted over, rising up on an elbow, pushing close behind her. He’d clearly heard the whole conversation. “We won’t let you go, Talia. You’re stuck with us now.”

She swung a hand back, lightly bopping his head. “I’m not stuck. I’m the luckiest girl on the planet.”

“No. We’re the lucky ones.” He nuzzled his face into her hair.

“We all are.” I gave in to temptation at last, pressing my lips to hers. Oh, yeah. Luscious as berries. But when I pulled away, a pout lingered on her face.

“This is still going to suck. It’s going to be so sad to be apart.”

“Focus on when we’ll be together again. We can text and FaceTime. It’ll be like we’re right here.” My buddy, ever the optimist, stamped the words into the column of her neck.

Talia sighed. “I hope you’re right.”

“I know I am.”

“Well…at least I’ll have Titus for company.”

I laughed. “Now that’s one male we won’t be jealous of.”

She laughed too, but the mirth never reached her eyes. I sensed her sadness, still lurking just beneath the surface—and in more than a few ways, shared it. Saying goodbye in a couple of hours was going to be brutal. But I’d take a page from my buddy’s book, and look at the bright side. The strides we’d taken tonight would keep him and me on task now, determining a way to keep running our businesses while keeping Talia in our lives. Something had to happen as soon as possible—before she decided we weren’t worth the anxiety of the long distance.

Or before her parents filled her head with more bullshit about us.

I wouldn’t stand for it.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand. I got it—all too well. I was devoted to my own family—but they were also devoted to me. If I brought home a kangaroo and told them she made me happy, they’d find a way to accept that reality, and be happy for me. From what I’d seen so far, Tolly’s family didn’t “love” each other so much as control each other.

But losing them would tear her apart.

If it came to that, would Fletcher and I be enough for her?

Only time would answer that—and there, at last, was one wait I’d be patient with. Like Talia, I had no choice.

Talia

:: What are you wearing? ::

:: Did you really just ask me that? ::

:: I mean to the gala. ::

:: A dress. ::

:: With panties? ::

:: Maybe yes…maybe no. ::

:: Naughty girl. ::

:: Isn’t that the way you like me? ::

:: You mean the way I love you? Yes. ::

:: Where is Drake? ::

:: Here. On the phone with his mommy. ::

:: LOL. Are they close? ::

:: Very. ::

:: Controlling close, like my family? ::

:: No. Supportive close. They’re pretty cool. ::

:: You like them a lot. ::

:: Yes. ::

:: What about your family? ::

:: What about them? ::

:: You never talk about them. ::

:: Only to my therapist. ::

:: Sad face. ::

:: Long story. ::

:: K ::

:: We can’t wait to see you. ::

:: Me too. TTYL? ::

:: Of course. ::

:: Should I kiss Titus for you both? ::

:: Is that necessary? ::

:: You’re going to give him issues! ::

:: Fine. Kiss Titus for us too. ::

:: I lo— ::

My cell phone rang before I could stop giggling long enough to tap the rest of the reply. Damn telemarketer. No, I didn’t want to switch to solar, thank you.

By the time I clicked back to Fletch, he’d beaten me to the punch and apologized his way off the line, having to get to a teleconference with his European office. Despite the aching stab in my heart from missing them both a little more, I smiled. The man loved texting me at all hours of the day, wanting to know everything from what I’d for lunch to the moisture status of my panties. Drake on the other hand, liked voice contact: brief and gruff, but so sexy and dirty, he melted the panties Fletch had demanded to know so much about.

They were so wonderfully different—yet so much the same, in that they held my heart in the palms of their hands. Yes, now more than ever. Even more than nearly two weeks ago, after they’d flown to California and we’d cleared the air about so much, soaring to a new level in our relationship with our three-way agreement. Since then, I’d been living over the moon. Flying in a galaxy of happiness, every star in the sky so clear and brilliant and joyous. On their own, either of those men would be a fantasy come to life—but together, they were all my dreams come true.

Except for the 1,500 miles between us.

More sadness panged. I force-fed myself another hope-filled reminder that we’d be together soon…but to this day, I hadn’t heard that exact plan. Both the guys owned thriving, diversified businesses in addition to serving on the SGC board, which consumed a lot of their time and attention. They moved in the same echelon as Killian Stone—who, I knew from hanging with Claire, was often up before dawn and back in bed past midnight due to his responsibilities. All those businesses were solidly anchored in Chicago. I would never expect them to uproot their lives and move to California just to be with me—though I had to confess that very fantasy kept me awake at night.
What life would be like with the two of them around all the time
…

The answer wasn’t difficult to summon.

It would be more happiness and love than one girl deserved.

And I’d happily accept it.

Until considering what I’d say about it to my family.

If there was a plus side of falling in love over thousands of miles, that was definitely it. Right now, I didn’t have to address the elephant in the room, because the elephant wasn’t
in
the room. But if Mama ever saw me with Drake and Fletch again…especially now, when sparks fired the air before we even touched, and we wore our love like giddy honor badges across our faces…

Ugh
.

Visions of nuclear fallout didn’t feel like melodrama at all.

My mother was the mascot for ridiculously old-fashioned, but she was also very astute. Even if the three of us showed up in Puritan costumes, she’d smell our attraction on the air faster than a she-wolf with fresh meat. We’d barely been able to hide it at Anya’s party—before “the night” that had changed all others. The passion that had tilted my world’s axis.

The love I could no longer deny.

Not even in front of Mama.

I jerked my head with determination. Now wasn’t the time to brood over that. Not when there were fun things to fret over—like clothes.

I opened my closet for the third time that afternoon. Worried my lip while examining the gown hanging inside. I wasn’t sure about the purchase, despite how the lady in the shop had nearly swooned when I tried it on. The pale sage wasn’t the trendiest color right now, but was a great complement to the tan tones of my skin. God, how I’d wanted to drag Katrina along for the brutal honesty only a sister could dish, but then she’d demand to know where I was going, who I was going with, and every other detail down to my toenail polish. I got lucky when she called to cancel because Anya had a dance recital rehearsal. That child was involved in more activities than seemed natural, but I knew my sister hadn’t been thrilled about staying home after she was born—yet another inviolable family custom—so had jumped at being super mom every chance she could got.

And just like that, I was back to being confused about my family.

I wanted to be angry with myself about it—even indignant with Fletcher and Drake, for being the catalysts—but these questions were too big for that. Too important. Why did “tradition” drown so many of Katrina’s needs that she was now running herself and her daughter ragged to disguise them? Why was the family’s “way” revered more than its members’ happiness? Why was everything weighed the exact same way it had been in a 16
^th
century Russian village—which about summed up the community my parents still socialized in—instead of a modern land, five hundred years later, where grown adults were capable of making their own decisions…and free to follow their hearts.

Follow my heart.

Best idea I’d had all day.

Since I’d already checked in with Fletcher, I decided to reach out to Drake. He wouldn’t enjoy the texting thing, but the big guy would have to deal. We hadn’t connected in a day and a half, and I missed him like crazy.

:: Hi. ::

:: Well hi, little one. ::

I grinned. Closed my eyes for a second, hearing his gorgeous timbre on every syllable of the greeting. Imagined it caressing my neck, in the sensitive spot he always hit with his scruff, shuddering down to the very center of my clit…

:: What are you doing? ::

:: Working. U? ::

:: Looking at my dress. Again. ::

:: Can’t wait to see you in it. And out of it. ::

:: I think you’re going to like it. ::

:: Baby, I would love you in a potato sack. ::

I selected a smirking emoticon, precluding my reply.

:: This is definitely not a potato sack. ::

:: That’s just an expression. ::

:: What is? ::

:: Potato sack. ::

:: Oh. LOL. ::

:: Maybe just in the Midwest? ::

:: Probably. Never heard it before. ::

:: Can I call you later? Need to finish up here. ::

:: Of course. ::

I prayed my pout didn’t somehow seep into the words. As if the phone screen was going to impart the answer, I stared at it a moment longer than I should have. He was busy. He ran a company. And yes, he
worked
—even on a Saturday. I needed to get used to that. Ugh. I’d already used up my green-eyed monster hissy points when I went off on them about Melissa a few weeks ago. No way could I go there about his damn company too.

:: Natalia? ::

:: Hmmm? ::

Yep. That worked. Smooth and nonchalant.
I’m just kickin’ here, Mr. Newland. Iced tea and flip-flops and beachy chill. Pretending that every time you use my name like that, even in text, that I don’t want to crawl through the phone and climb every muscle in your body like a starving squirrel after nuts.

His reply banished the squirrel. And just about every other thought in my head.

:: I love you. No matter what. Don’t ever forget that. ::

“You sappy lug.” I shook my head, roving reverent fingers across the words, once more hearing his thick growl in them. His feelings made their way to his surface on a circuitous route, meaning they’d picked up a lot of trail dust along the way. That often made them tougher to decipher, especially via text. I was sure I only imagined the sad tone beneath the gruff—and certainly ignored it while swiftly tapping my answer.