Read Online Davies, Corinne - Wrapped in Fur [3xtasy Lake 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Corinne Davies - Free Book Online Page B

house. Colwyn had dropped her off at Holly’s insistence, but only after she’d promised to call if she needed anything. He hadn’t wanted to leave her alone, but she’d known that his presence might make things worse.
    After Brand’s abrupt departure from the diner, Colwyn had told her everything that happened to drive such a large wedge between them. Armed with more information, she had to figure out how to fix them. She knew that there was no hope for her, but if she could reunite them…well, perhaps she could fade from existence knowing that she helped someone.
    Not that she wanted to fade. She wanted to experience everything this world had to offer. She wanted to feel both their hands on her skin and touch them in return. Both their kisses made her insides feel like a rushing stream, all swirling and intense, and left her craving more. She wished that she had told Brand the truth right away. It would make the confrontation to come so much easier, but he distrusted her so much now. How could she regain his trust and belief in such a short time? Her magic felt so depleted already. Most of her dwindling abilities were used to create modern clothes and keep her wings hidden. She wanted to help the woman who had freed her, but all she could manage was the small, but potent, charm to attract customers. That was what Colwyn caught her hanging in the tree the other day. What the ribbon charm lacked in grandeur, it made up for in effectiveness. Aniela repeatedly mentioned she hadn’t been this busy in ages.
    She had to fix this, but first she needed to find Brand and tell him the truth. A loud thunking noise echoed around the back of the house, and that is where she found Brand. He swung a large axe with complete ease for someone who wasn’t used to this kind of work. His hair stuck up at odd angles as if he had rubbed his head recently. His jacket was thrown on a pile of freshly chopped wood, leaving him dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and a padded vest. Jeans hugged his butt as he braced himself and swung again. His sleeves pushed up to bare his forearms, dusted lightly with hair, strong and sturdy. She leaned back against the house and enjoyed the view. He loved his family and treated his Auntie with love and respect.
    He couldn’t be all that bad. According to Aniela, he worked far too hard and he forgot how to have fun in life. Now that she knew the entire story, she saw the truth. Brand ran away from the pain and never forgave himself.
    For a moment, over cocoa earlier, she’d seen the boy in the picture, reflected in the man who had kissed her. As she stood there in the snow watching him, she realized how much she’d started to care for each of them and knew she could never tell them. She didn’t want to add to the pain that Love had caused in their lives already.
    She thought she had loved before, but now she knew that intense emotion had never touched her heart before. Her thoughts filled with dreams of happy endings and warm winter nights between two men who loved her back. They might never be more than fantasies, but at least she could hold on to this wondrous feeling when her time ran out.

    * * * *

    Brand had hoped that the cold air and intense physical labor would simulate a cold shower, but the persistent tightness of his jeans proved he had no luck. Instead, he fantasized what Holly would look like spread out beneath him. He imagined her pale skin against his hunter-green sheets, bright red curls around her face, and lower down, more tiny, scarlet curls glistening from his ministrations. She would be the perfect holiday treat, sweet and delicious, and no danger to his cholesterol level. He could almost smell her floral scent on the air. He would hold her legs open for Colwyn to…
    “Are you finished?”
    Started, he jumped and pinned her with a dark look. “Don’t you know not to sneak up on a person chopping wood? I could have slipped and cut off my own foot.”
    “That’s exactly why I waited.