Stranded (13 page)

“Especially the coffee.” Folsom took one of
the mugs that Holden had poured. “Been dying for a cup or
three.”

Erika enjoyed the interaction between the
elder Kennedy and the younger two as they all ate breakfast. The
men joked and laughed as they told stories.

It turned out that Paige had been with her
mother and father during the storm. She’d been staying there for a
couple of days so that her mother could help her out due to her
broken leg. That turned out to be a relief for Holden and Dawson
who’d expressed concern over her wellbeing while she was laid
up.

“Paige is planning on heading into the office
today.” Folsom set down his coffee mug. “So you know she’s just
fine.”

“Not surprising at all.” Holden shook his
head. “That sister of mine likes her job a little too much at
times.”

“I’d better get on home to Bette.” Folsom
wiped his mouth with his napkin. “With the cell tower still out,
she’ll be wondering how you boys are doing.”

Folsom gave Holden and Dawson one-armed hugs
and slaps on the back before giving Erika a one-armed hug, too.
“You take care, young lady.” He gave her a wink and a smile before
going into the mudroom, putting back on his boots, coat, and hat,
and leaving through the garage.

Holden and Dawson had gone out with Folsom.
When they returned, they each took turns placing a kiss on Erika’s
lips.

“I’d better get to the hotel.” She felt a
sudden need to put some space between them. “If Paige is up to
meeting today, I’ll be able to head back to New York on an evening
flight.”

Holden frowned. “Are you sure you need to
head back to the City already?”

“Definitely.” She gave a strained smile. “My
cat probably has plenty of food left, but I need to check in on her
and I have work to do.”

She tried not to shiver from Holden’s touch
as he ran his finger along her arm. “It’s a holiday weekend.”

“But I missed work on Wednesday and I haven’t
been able to make any calls.” She did her best to look professional
in spite of her not so professional appearance.

Dawson shook his head. “You sound like
Paige.”

Holden gave her a grin. “Don’t forget our
bet. You have to wear the jersey all day, and that includes when
you go to meet with Paige.”

Erika’s jaw dropped. “It’s a professional
meeting. I can’t wear a jersey.”

Both men folded their arms across their
chests and looked smug. Holden tugged on her braid. “A deal’s a
deal.”

“Paige will love it,” Dawson added. “She’s a
huge Broncos fan.”

Erika groaned.

* * * * *

Later that night, after Erika had gone with
Paige, Dawson, and Holden to dinner at a casual BBQ place, the men
insisted on accompanying Erika to the airport.

Erika felt like electricity was running up
and down her skin as the three of them walked toward the security
checkpoint. She held her purse close to her side as Dawson pulled
her rolling suitcase.

Due to all the stranded passengers, thanks to
the airport having to shut down during the storm, it hadn’t been
easy finding a flight that went out the same night. Flying standby,
Erika eventually found one on a redeye.

The men had wanted her to stay another night,
but she’d refused. It had taken everything she had to put some
distance between them, to attempt to instill a sense of business
propriety.

“Paige sure did get a kick out of our bet.”
Holden had a note of laughter in his voice as they walked through
the airport, and Dawson chuckled.

Erika held back a grumble. The men had
insisted on coming to the meeting, so they had been there to rub in
her loss. She had worn the jersey with a pair of black skinny pants
she’d brought with her and her knee-high boots. She’d tucked the
pants in the boots, but still felt silly with the orange Broncos
jersey that completed the odd ensemble.

Paige had laughed when she’d learned about
the bet. Erika just hoped it hadn’t been written all over her face
that she’d fucked both Paige’s brother and cousin. At the same
time.

By the end of their meeting, Paige had
welcomed Erika on board as Colorado Outdoor Gear’s new attorney.
They’d headed out to the BBQ place to celebrate their new
partnership, as Paige said, and Erika had been relieved to go
someplace casual considering her garb.

She hoped she wouldn’t get mugged once she
got to New York, when she was seen wearing Broncos orange.

Here she was, at the airport, ready to head
home after one of the most incredible experiences of her life.

When Erika, Dawson, and Holden reached the
security checkpoint, she gave the men the best smile she could
muster. “Thank you.” It was all she could think to say.

Holden caught her off guard, slipping his
hand into her hair to cup the back of her head and drag her to him
for a hard but brief kiss. When he parted his mouth from hers, she
didn’t have time to catch her bearings or her breath before Dawson
took her by her shoulders and kissed her just as firmly.

When Dawson stepped back, she looked from one
man to the other. “We can’t do that again. You’re my clients
now.”

Holden shook his head. “That doesn’t change a
thing, sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me that.” She swallowed and took
a step back, closer to the line of people entering the security
area. “All that happened—it was something that never should
have.”

Dawson reached out and caught her hand.
“Don’t regret what was good.”

“You’re my clients now.” She repeated the
words not only for them, but for herself. She took the handle of
the carry-on from Dawson. “We need to keep it professional.”

“We put our numbers in your phone address
book so you can call us anytime you’d like.” Holden’s voice held a
firm promise as he added, “We’ll be seeing you.”

Dawson nodded. “Soon.”

Unable to think of anything else to say, she
turned and headed into the checkpoint. She didn’t plan on talking
to them or seeing them again, outside of professional
communications.

An insistent ache pressed at the backs of her
eyes. What was wrong with her? She never cried.

Even as the thoughts went through her mind,
she had to fight back the tears that threatened to spill down her
cheeks.

***

“Come on, Diva.” Erika set the plate of Fancy
Feast on the trunk where she kept a buffet of dried cat food on
small plates in her laundry room. “I’m sorry I haven’t been home
much. Honestly, I would have been here more often if I could
have.”

From her place on the back of the washing
machine, the white, green-eyed British Shorthair gave a regal tilt
of her head as she looked down her nose at Erika. She looked every
bit the cool, calm Brit that she was, a gift from an English
gentleman who had been one of Erika’s satisfied clients.

“Please?” Erika sat on a chair next to the
trunk and sighed as she put her elbow on her knee, her chin in her
palm. She’d been moping for the past two weeks. It made her wish
she had some close girlfriends to talk to about Holden and Dawson.
She sighed. “I could use a friend right now, Diva.”

She swore Diva could understand her. The cat
silently landed on the lid of the washing machine and then jumped
down to the trunk. She head butted Erika’s arm, asking to be
petted.

“Thank you, your majesty.” Erika smiled and
stroked the cat’s smooth short thick hair. “I need to comb you.
It’s been at least a week.”

Diva gave a
meow
and walked to the
plate where she began to delicately eat her favorite meal.

Erika gave Diva another long stroke of her
hand from the cat’s head to the tip of her tail before reaching
into the grooming box she kept on a corner of the trunk.

Diva paused and looked at Erika before
returning to her meal. Erika rolled her shoulders and adjusted her
Giants T-shirt. Wearing it reminded her of losing the bet to Dawson
and Holden, and having to wear the stupid Broncos jersey. The same
jersey she hadn’t been able to get herself to send back because it
smelled of Holden.

Pathetic, really pathetic.

“It’s been two weeks since Thanksgiving.”
Erika spoke as she started combing Diva’s thick fur. “Even though I
haven’t been answering my phone, either Dawson or Holden has called
every day since I’ve been back. They seem to be taking turns.”

Diva arched her back with clear pleasure as
Erika ran the comb over her.

Erika paused a moment. Her nose itched and
she rubbed at the tip with her knuckles. She went back to combing
Diva. “I’m glad they put their numbers in my phone. Makes it easier
to ignore them.”

Diva glanced at Erika as if telling her to
continue.

“I’ve talked with Paige several times and
we’ve covered every business aspect of the company’s issue
together.” Erika shook her head. “I know Dawson and Holden are not
calling me for business.” She set her jaw before relaxing it.
“There are two of them. One of me. They live in Colorado. I live in
New York City. Nothing could come of any kind of relationship
between the three of us.”

Diva gave a small meow and Erika nodded.
“Exactly. There’s a zero percent chance for a possible future to a
relationship like that.”

Still, over the past couple of weeks, she’d
seen her law partners, Kane and Lucas, with their girlfriend, and
she’d found herself more than envious. “Tracie is one lucky girl,”
Erika said aloud. “She can have her cake and eat it, too. It
wouldn’t work for me and those Kennedy men.”

Erika wondered if she was going to become a
crazy cat lady someday because of the way she talked to Diva. All
she needed was a few more cats. She shifted on her seat as Diva
came closer and jumped into her lap. She would have hugged the cat
to her if Diva were the hugging type. Instead Erika rubbed behind
the cat’s ears. Diva started purring and Erika felt it vibrating
through her.

The apartment buzzer rang and Erika frowned.
She wasn’t expecting anyone. Diva jumped from her lap onto the
floor and gave a loud
meow
.

Erika glanced at Diva. “No, I have no clue
who it is.” She got to her feet and headed to the living room where
the buzzer/intercom was located on the wall. She reached it and
switched on the security monitor.

She froze.

Dawson and Holden. Here. Now.

Even on the monitor, they were the most
handsome men she’d ever seen. She wanted to reach through the
screen and caress their faces. She could so clearly see the wolf
prints along Dawson’s neck, disappearing into the collar of his
leather jacket. They looked so primal, like the way he’d taken her
from behind. Holden’s features were calm, but she remembered the
way he’d looked, the wild ecstasy in his expression, when he’d
climaxed inside her.

She pressed the intercom. “What are you doing
here?”

Dawson’s mouth quirked into a grin. “You
really want to do this here?”

She found herself wanting to smile. “I’m in
6B. Come on up.” She buzzed them in right before switching off the
monitor.

The moments waiting for them to reach her
apartment had her heart thumping hard against her breastbone. She
was almost trembling. Was it from need? Desire? Even fear? God, she
didn’t know.

Diva circled Erika’s feet, seeming to sense
her agitation. When the knock came at the door, the cat disappeared
behind the sofa. Erika put her hands on her hips as the cat’s tail
vanished. “Chicken.”

Of course who was she to talk? Her stomach
twisted as she reached her door and put her hand on the antique
knob. Another knock on the door caused a vibration to run through
the doorknob and through her arm. With her free hand she unlocked
the bolt and the chain, then turned the knob.

She opened the door and stood in the opening.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” She tilted her head and looked from
one man to the other. “How did you even find me?”

Dawson put his hands on her waist and walked
her backward out of the doorway. “We have our ways.”

His hands were warm through her Giant’s
T-shirt, sending a thrill through her. Holden followed and shut the
door behind him. She heard the bolt lock slide into place and she
swallowed hard.

“You’ve been a bad girl.” Dawson slid one
hand to the small of her back while cupping the back of her head
with his other. “Not answering our calls.”

“I—” She couldn’t think of anything to say as
she stared up at his handsome face, scruff and all.

“That’s what I thought.” Dawson gave a sexy
smile before he lowered his head. Her eyes drifted closed as he
took her mouth in a firm kiss, tasting, searching, exploring as if
it was their first kiss. He smelled so good, of snow and
leather.

She looped her arms around his neck and let
out a sigh that came out of nowhere. Dawson drew away and she
opened her eyes to see him grinning. He stepped back and her
fingers slid over the wolf print tattoos on his neck as she let her
hands fall away from him.

Holden moved in, wrapping his arms around her
waist and pulling her close. She put her palms on his chest,
imagining what it would feel like to touch his warm skin and trace
his tattoo again.

He kissed her softly at first, nibbling her
lower lip before sliding his tongue into her mouth. He took her
more forcefully and she gave a little gasp into his mouth. His
outdoorsy scent reminded her of Colorado and a strange feeling
passed through her, almost like homesickness.

When Holden broke the kiss and took a step
back, she found herself looking from one man to the other. She was
breathless as she repeated herself. “What are you two doing
here?”

Dawson shook his head looking amused while
Holden raised an eyebrow. “That should be obvious, sweetheart.”

“I can’t see you flying all the way out here
for sex.” She felt silly for saying it. “So I don’t know the point
in you being here.”