Sharing Hailey (2 page)

“That won’t be very comfortable for any of us,” she protested.

“We won’t notice. As for you, one mai tai and you’ll be out,” Tony said.

She unhooked Mark’s finger, stepped back and faced them both but directed her comment to Tony. “You’re a doctor. You shouldn’t be encouraging me to get drunk.”

“I’m pragmatic. You need sleep, or we’ll all regret it. And if your brother sees you like this when we get to the house, Mark and I will be out on our butts.”

“He can’t blame you because I didn’t sleep well.”

“Yeah, he can,” Tony replied. “We told him we’d take care of you.”

“That’s just silly,” she said.

Mark picked up her newspaper and raised an eyebrow.

Hailey plopped down in the chair, but before she opened the paper again, she finally added her opinion on their bowl game discussion. “Boise had to go into OT to beat Oklahoma. No way did they deserve a shot at number one.”

Tony playfully tapped her nose. “Yeah, maybe, but I would have liked to see them try.”

That was Tony. Always taking the side of the underdog. That was one reason why his patients’ parents loved him.

Hailey blew a long strand of hair out of her eyes. “Yeah, maybe.”

“You’re just pissed that the Aggies lost,” Tony said.

She sighed. “You have to admit, we’ve had a long, dry spell.”

“Hey, you beat us this year,” Tony said encouragingly, referring to A&M’s win over the Longhorns.

“In Austin,” Mark chimed in.

Hailey perked up and smiled. “Yes, we did, didn’t we?”

She opened her paper and didn’t say a word when Mark tried to bait her as he spoke to Tony over the top of her head. “Good call. That always shuts ’em up. Works on her brother too.”

She pretended to read the paper as she watched Mark out of the corner of her eye. He hadn’t shaved this morning. He might have run his hand through his short brown hair but not a comb. As a result, he had that just-rolled-out-of-bed sex appeal that made her wish she’d been there
before
he’d rolled out of bed so she could keep him there. Everything about him was sexy, even his straight nose.

Tony, on the other hand, had shaved and combed his hair. But he didn’t look any less sexy. Just made her want to kiss those full lips while her hands mussed his hair. The only things that saved him from being beautiful were his Roman nose and his strong jaw. His hair was a little longer than Mark’s but still above his ears, and a thick strand had fallen over one eye. It didn’t seem to bother him.

Was it any wonder she was in love with both of them? Together they were the perfect man.

She refocused on her paper, finishing the first section just as preboarding began. Real estate ads sprinkled throughout the paper had her once again considering a move from Albuquerque back to Texas. She could write grants anywhere, so finding a job wasn’t a problem. The problem was Mark and Tony. She didn’t want to leave them. But if she didn’t, she would always compare other men to them and, unfortunately, other men came up lacking.

As they waited for their row to be called, she broached the subject with her two best friends. “I’ve been thinking about moving back to Texas.” She held her breath and watched them intently.

Their eyes widened. Their voices, when they finally spoke, echoed each other. “Why?”

Because I’m in love with both of you, so I need to get away from you.
Nope, couldn’t say that. “I kind of want to be close to Nikki and Jake now that I’m going to be an aunt. And you know I hate winter. I can do my job anywhere, and there’s really nothing to hold me in Albuquerque.” She swallowed the urge to add “except you.”

Mark’s gaze narrowed. “Does this have anything to do with Daniel?”

That was a good excuse. She latched on to it. “Maybe a little. He was angry.” She hoped he cooled off before she returned from vacation.

Their boarding group was announced. When they had joined the line at the gate, she glanced from Mark to Tony. They were staring at each other. They almost seemed to be speaking without talking.

“It’s just a thought, guys. I haven’t made a decision yet.”

“Have you said anything to Jake?” Tony asked.

“No. I didn’t want to get his hopes up until I was sure. So don’t say anything to him or Nikki. Okay?”

The tension seemed to ease from both of them. Mark smiled slightly. “Well, I guess we’ll have to give you a reason not to leave us.”

Tony cocked his head and grinned. “I’m up for that.”

As Hailey walked down the ramp to the plane, her worries about Daniel began to melt away. Her whole body lightened. She’d made the right decision in breaking up with him. Now, she could enjoy her vacation, and by the time she got back to Albuquerque, he’d be over her. He’d probably even have a new girlfriend. With blond hair and blue eyes, he was good-looking, successful and made a charming first impression. She’d just brought out the worst in him after those first few romantic months. They really hadn’t been good for each other.

And Mark and Tony hadn’t pitched a fit that she was considering a move to back to Texas. They might make a few attempts to talk her out of it, but nothing serious.

God, she’d miss them. But she’d get over them. She didn’t have a choice.

As they entered the aircraft, a blast of cold air and friendly flight attendants in aloha shirts with a dark purple floral print greeted them. The video screens pictured a beautiful young woman performing the hula to the sounds of a ukulele. When Hailey scooted down their row in the middle of the plane to her center seat, she pulled her phone from her pocket and turned it off, then slipped it in her purse before settling between Mark and Tony. Both men had aisle seats so they could stretch out their long legs. Hailey stuffed her purse under the seat in front of her and opened the paper again, determined to finish it before the plane took off.

Mark and Tony opened their books. Neither liked to talk above the noise of the jet engines. Their voices were so low, they blended with the engines unless they pitched them several octaves higher.

By the time the plane was taxiing to the runway, Hailey had finished the paper and slipped it into the seatback pocket in front of her. The plane had just leveled off when a female flight attendant appeared beside Tony and handed him a small dark-bottled mai tai and a plastic cup. Tony thanked her, opened the bottle, poured the drink and handed it to Hailey.

“Sweet dreams, sunshine,” he said.

“Don’t hold your breath,” she replied wryly.

He flashed his dimples then went back to his book.

Thirty minutes later, Hailey was feeling the alcohol. She reached behind her and tugged the side flaps of the headrest forward to keep her head from flopping around, just in case she managed to sleep. She “reclined” her seat and closed her eyes. In seven hours, give or take, they’d land in Honolulu then catch a connecting forty-five minute flight to Kona, pick up the rental car and head to the house Jake and Nikki had rented for the month of January. It was the same house they always got near Magic Sands Beach, so in a way, it was like going home. Only difference this time was Nikki’s twentysomething sister, Meredith, would be joining them. Jake, Nikki and Meredith had flown out from Austin yesterday and stocked the kitchen.

With four bedrooms and a one-room guest cottage, the house was huge, plenty of room to get away from everyone. It had a big kitchen, dining room and great room on the second floor with a view over the ocean. That was where everyone liked to hang together. The game and media room on the bottom floor overlooking the pool was also a gathering place, but they didn’t use it as much as the second floor.

Hailey’s head lolled to the side as she imagined bare, warm toes, sunshine and the sound of the waves from the pool’s deck. Turbulence jolted her from her dreams, but she quickly fell back into them. Mark murmured in her ear, but she couldn’t make out his words above the noise of the airplane’s engines. He put his arm around her and eased her down until her head rested in his lap.

Mmmm, he smelled good. No cologne. Just his soap and him.

She wrapped her hands around his thigh and buried her nose in his jeans. She’d only rest here for a few minutes. Then she’d sit up and read or watch the in-flight movie. Maybe an hour. No longer than that.

Tony lifted her legs and slipped her clogs off before laying her feet in his lap. She’d sit up when they brought lunch around. They wouldn’t be able to eat with her sleeping in their laps.

“Wake me when they serve lunch,” she mumbled against Mark’s leg.

She thought he chuckled. She didn’t care. She was dreaming of fine white sand, warm sunshine and Mark and Tony.

Someone was shaking her shoulder and tickling her ear. She swatted at her ear, and the tickling became words.

“Wake up, babe. We’re getting ready to land,” Mark said gently.

They couldn’t be landing. They’d just taken off. They hadn’t eaten lunch yet. Breathing in his scent, she snuggled down deeper into Mark’s lap, hugged his thigh tighter and wiggled her toes in Tony’s lap.

Wait. Was something wrong with the plane?

Hailey sat up so fast, the back of her head cracked into Mark. When she swung around to inspect the damage, he was holding his nose. The surprise in his golden-brown eyes and his raised eyebrows would have been comical if she hadn’t been worried about his nose.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, placing her hand over his. “Did I break it? Is it bleeding?”

Mark shook his head. “No.” To prove it, he dropped his hand, revealing his sexy nose.

Hailey petted it. “I’m really sorry. Can I kiss it and make it better?”

His slow, lazy smile sent her heart tripping. “I insist.”

She leaned forward, aiming for his nose while staring at his lips. Those lips were like a magnet, and she had to fight not to be drawn into them. She placed a light kiss on his nose. His hand captured the back of her head as she began to pull away.

“Not so fast,” he murmured. “I think you hit my mouth too.” And then he brushed his lips against hers.

She held her breath, and her heart about pounded out of her chest. Mark was kissing her. And not a quick brotherly peck. His lips lingered over hers, brushing a spot that warmed her from the inside out and sent tentacles of pleasure to her groin. Her clit tingled. She ached to be filled…by him.

Oh God. Definitely not gay.

His lips moved to her ear. “It’s time.”

Chapter Two

Time?

Time
. She jerked back and checked her watch. She’d been asleep for seven hours.

“We’re landing?” she asked, before belatedly remembering the words that had awakened her.

“Yeah, that too,” Mark answered.

Her mind went blank except for the thought that Mark had just kissed her. Stunned, she glanced at Tony, who merely cocked his head. Was he as surprised as she was? Was he giving Mark his blessing?

Tony reached over her and punched the button to straighten her seatback. “We’re landing,” he said.

To cover her confusion, Hailey leaned down to hunt for her shoes. She found them in front of Tony’s seat and slipped them back on. She straightened, clasped her hands in her lap and stared at the navy seatback with its flattened gray tray table in front of her.

What the hell had just happened? No, that wasn’t the question. She knew what had happened. Mark had kissed her. But why?

They landed in Honolulu, but since they were near the back of the plane, they had a long wait before they could exit. A long, uncomfortable wait.

And Tony and Mark were both watching her.

She leaned down to pick up her purse and busied herself turning on her cell phone and checking for messages. Her fingers fumbled over the keys, thankfully drawing out the process, but unfortunately emphasizing how disconcerted she was.

Nothing. No messages.

She put the phone away.

Finally, Mark leaned toward her and spoke just loudly enough that she could hear him over the noise in the plane. “I’m sorry. My timing was bad. Temptation got the best of me.”

Her jaw dropped. She turned to stare at him. If someone was already speechless, could that someone become more speechless? Because that was how she felt at that moment. More speechless.

Temptation? How could she possibly tempt him? He was hot. She was girl-next-door average. Average light brown hair with blond highlights courtesy of her hairdresser. Average hazel eyes. Average face. Average smile. Jake had gotten all the looks in the family. She did have a decent body. Size six. Five feet seven inches, so taller than average. Better-than-average boobs. Okay, great boobs.

But he wasn’t looking at her boobs. He was looking at her eyes. Her average hazel eyes.

He stood, swung his backpack over one shoulder and stepped out into the aisle. Hailey followed him with Tony’s hand at her back.

They exited the plane and walked down the enclosed ramp. Once they’d cleared the gate, Mark took her hand and led her to a relatively quiet area of the terminal. She searched for Tony, but they’d lost him. Mark backed her against a wall and placed one hand against it next to her head. He dropped her hand and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him as he leaned in.

His brows were drawn. She dropped her gaze to his lips, hoping he would kiss her again, afraid that he would.

“Don’t freak out on me, Hailey.”

It was a little late for that. “Where’s Tony?” She tried to escape his intense gaze, but he applied gentle pressure to her chin.

“He’s checking our departure gate.”

“But—”

“We’ll talk about this later. Just don’t freak out on me. Okay?”

“You surprised me.”

“I know. I’m sorry. But it’s been a long time coming.”

Once again, he left her speechless, her mouth gaping.

“Okaaay, I guess that wasn’t the right thing to say.”

“Ya think?”

He smiled. “Well, at least you’ve got your sass back.”

“Jake calls it ‘bitchy.’”

Mark shrugged. “Jake’s an Aggie. He doesn’t know any better.”

“
I’m
an Aggie.”

“Your point being…?”

She didn’t have a comeback for that. Honestly, she was still back at “it’s been a long time coming.”

He released her chin, grabbed her hand and stepped back. “Come on. Let’s find Tony and get some lunch.”

“You didn’t wake me up for lunch,” she complained, although she wasn’t hungry. She just didn’t know what else to say.

“You didn’t miss anything.”

“You were able to eat with me sprawled across your lap?”

“No.”

“Then how do you—”

“I looked, I smelled. We’ll get something at Stinger Ray’s.” He nodded to a spot ahead of them. “There’s Tony.”

* * *

Two and a half hours later, with the last leg of their trip completed, Hailey removed her leather jacket. She stepped onto the stairs leading down from the airplane to the tarmac of the Kona airport, which was built on a massive black lava field. She drew in a deep breath of the hot, sweet Hawaiian air. She loved this airport. It was comprised of a bunch of open-sided wooden roof buildings—really more like shade structures than buildings. They were surrounded by a black lava rock wall about five to six feet tall. Coconut trees seemed to grow wild among the buildings, their fronds and thick, striated trunks providing more shade. Its open-air design was a preview of the next two weeks. Dining outside, swimming, walking on the beach, hiking, open-air shopping, card games on the lanai. Even when they watched the bowl games, the huge glass doors of the game room would be open to the ocean breeze and the sounds of the surf.

At the bottom of the stairs, Mark took her hand and led her through the crowd, across the tarmac and through the terminal to the baggage carousel, while Tony went to pick up the rental car. As they waited for their luggage away from the main crowd, Mark put his arm around her waist and rested his hand on her hip. This morning, she would have thought nothing of it and leaned into him. Mark and Tony were always touching her—draping an arm over her shoulders, holding her hand, massaging her neck or back, pulling her onto their laps. While she might have wished their actions were romantic, she’d known they weren’t.

Now, she was confused. Mark had changed the rules. But where did that leave Tony? She knew she couldn’t have a romantic relationship with both of them. She also knew she couldn’t have a romantic relationship with one of them when she had a crush on both. And it had to be a crush. You couldn’t fall in love with two men. The universe just didn’t work that way. You had one true love. Period.

Mark let go of her and stepped up to the carousel. He lifted her black, rolling bag with the bright yellow plumeria flower she’d stenciled on it. A few minutes later, he stacked his and Tony’s duffel bags on top and rolled them toward her. He took her hand then maneuvered her and the luggage out to the curb, where Tony waited with a white RAV4.

Tony and Mark loaded the bags into the back of the SUV. Mark opened the front passenger door for her, but she shook her head.

“I’ll sit in back. You need the leg room.”

Mark smiled, his eyes mischievous. “Your wish…” he said as he opened the back door and bowed low.

She tossed her jacket across the seat with her purse then hopped inside. Mark closed the door. Tony had already rolled down all the windows, so she could enjoy the vibrant plumeria—fuchsia, white, pink, coral, red, yellow—lining the road alongside the black lava flow and boulders. The soft breeze tangled her hair as she took in the exotic landscape and thought about Mark.

Fuck buddy.

She gasped aloud at the thought, and Tony and Mark glanced back at her in concern.

“What’s wrong?” Mark asked.

“Nothing,” she lied. “I just remembered a book I forgot to pack.”

“You want to stop by the bookstore before we hit the house?” Tony asked, his attention back on the road.

“No, thanks. I probably won’t finish the ones I brought.”

Was Mark looking for a friend with bennies?
Oh, shit
. Heat crept up her arms and chest to her face, and she squirmed in her seat, her sex suddenly thrumming. How could she be so embarrassed and so turned on at the same time? She got wet just thinking about it.

That had to be it, though. He wanted to extend their friendship. And as much as she wanted him, she wouldn’t be able to do it. Because the first time he even glanced at another woman, she would die, even with Tony there to pick up the pieces.

Damn it
. This was going to ruin their friendship. Did Tony know what Mark was planning?

Damn, damn, damn
. The “talk” Mark wanted to have about the kiss suddenly clouded her day.

The drive south down Ali’i was stop and go. Normally, Hailey would be taking mental notes on the restaurants she wanted to try and the shops she wanted to visit. Now, all she could do was stare at the whitecaps crashing along the shore and the blue ocean. An enormous white cruise ship sat just beyond Kailua Bay.

Once they got past Kailua town, traffic thinned out and they picked up a little speed. Instead of trying to get her fill of ocean views, Hailey sat back and closed her eyes. What would she say to Mark when he asked her to be a friend with benefits? She doubted he’d use the words “fuck buddy.” Always the gentleman, he’d never used the F-word around her—even during a close football game.

She laughed silently at the irony. Did a “gentleman” have friends with benefits?

Too soon, Tony turned the car onto the roughly paved road that wound its way up to the house on the bluff. Hailey wondered how long she could avoid being alone with Mark then wondered if it would be better to get it over with so she wouldn’t worry it for the rest of her vacation.

Yeah, right. Even if they had their little talk today, the rest of her vacation would be uncomfortable.

Had he planned on starting in Hawaii? With her brother around?

She had to get it over with today. If she tried to avoid him over the next two weeks, their trip would definitely be ruined. But if she got it out of the way today, maybe he’d take it all in stride and they’d go back to the way things were. Maybe it wouldn’t matter to him. Maybe he’d be fine with keeping sex out of their friendship, and they could all have a nice vacation.

Tony turned off the bumpy road and onto the smooth concrete driveway that ran the final hundred yards or so to the house. Lava rock walls bordered both sides of the driveway until it opened up at the end to a large parking area in back of a huge two-story white house with a red tiled roof.

After parking off to the side, he and Mark got out of the car. Mark opened her door and waited to help her out, while Tony walked to the back and opened the tailgate.

She grabbed her purse and jacket, took Mark’s hand and hopped down out of the car. She didn’t try to help Tony and Mark with the luggage, knowing they wouldn’t let her carry anything so heavy. She rolled her eyes and almost let out an unladylike snort at the thought. Didn’t matter that she lifted more weight than that at the gym. When the three of them worked out together, Mark and Tony always pushed her to lift more weight and do more reps. But they’d die before they let her carry a bag while they were around.

As they walked to the double front door, the sun thawed Albuquerque’s wintery weather from her bones. She couldn’t wait to get out of her jeans and clogs and into some shorts and bare feet.

Tony opened the door and held it for her to enter.

“Hey,” she called. “We’re here.”

She sought the view out the huge, open sliding doors directly across the room from the entrance. Blue, blue ocean and blue sky with a few wispy white clouds. On the lanai in front of the view, Jake, Nikki and Meredith reclined in lounge chairs. Jake and Nikki were reading. Meredith was lying on her stomach, her bikini top untied.

“We’re out here,” Jake hollered as he closed his book. He swung his long legs to the side of the lounge chair then stood and stretched his arms above his head. After tossing the book on a nearby table, he headed toward them. Nikki followed, smiling broadly, taking two steps for every one of Jake’s. Then Hailey noticed another blond head in the kitchen off to the left.

Nikki and Meredith’s brother? What was he doing here?

Before she had time to ask, her brother wrapped her in a bear hug. He released her to shake hands and do the one-armed man hug with Mark and Tony. Tony Adamo, Mark Allen and Jake Anderson. The three men had been friends since sixth grade, when they were all in the same homeroom.

Nikki replaced Jake, hugging her tightly. “I’m so glad you’re here. Your brother is driving me crazy.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Hailey asked.

“Nothing. That’s just it. I’m pregnant, not sick. The morning sickness is over. I’m feeling great. You’d think he’d be relieved that I’m not losing my breakfast every morning and dinner every night, but he’s still hovering.”

Hailey laughed at her brother’s overprotectiveness, glad it was directed at Nikki instead of her. A high-pitched squeal interrupted her as Meredith bounced into the room. Although petite and blond like her sister, their personalities couldn’t have been more different. Where Nikki was calm and down-to-earth, Meredith oozed perkiness and frivolity from every pore of her body. The typical ditzy, blonde party girl. Hailey ground her molars as Meredith threw herself into a full bikini-clad, body-contact hug with Mark then repeated it with Tony. When she lingered a little longer with the good doctor, Hailey took a deep breath and counted to ten. Before she got to three, the blond head Hailey had seen in the kitchen appeared next to Nikki.