Read Online Shannon's Fairy-Tale Foursome by Mia Ashlinn - Free Book Online Page B

that she was his and his brothers’. But he couldn’t stand to be in her presence as the rejected man. He was not the man to be cast aside over and over because he wasn’t worthy enough for her to open her heart and take a leap into the darkness.
    Life had no guarantees. Why couldn’t she see that?
    Afraid for the first time in his recent memory, he couldn’t face her. He couldn’t withstand seeing the pain in her hazel eyes right now. He already felt like a bastard, he didn’t need to see the confirmation in her eyes.
    Across the table, Jared studied Drew intently. His probing perusal should be unnerving. Instead, it pissed Drew off.
    Jaycee rose from her chair awkwardly, the anxiety present in the wide-blue eyes. “Shannon—”
    “Save it, Jaycee Elizabeth.” Shannon flung the words furiously. “I’m out of here. Drew doesn’t have to leave on my behalf. Why the hell would I want to have dinner with a man who doesn’t want me here and the people who tricked him into coming?”
    “No, munchkin.” His use of her nickname rolled off his tongue effortlessly. “I mean, Shannon. I’ll go. I have things to do anyway.” Drew glared at Jaycee. “Our business meeting has clearly come to a close.”
    He stood abruptly, feeling much older than his thirty-six years.
    Two voices spoke simultaneously, one ablaze with animosity and the other blasting bitter, glacial air.
    Jaycee’s future husband, Cade, was the fiery voice of aggression. “Don’t look at my woman like that or I will kill you, brother-in-law or not.”
    Randy, on the other hand, was ice personified. An icicle had nothing on his youngest brother at the moment. “Sit your asses down. Both of you.”
    It was surreal to see the only two laid-back men at the table this wound up. It became apparent that Drew wasn’t the only person bewildered by the drastic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act of not one, but two men. No one questioned them. They just yielded to the authority in their tones.
    Catching his first glimpse of Shannon as she moved to the only open seat at the table, she stole his breath. His lack of air did nothing to diminish his cock’s response to her.
    My God, she’s ravishing—that body, those clothes.
    He had always seen the exquisite loveliness she hid behind homely, shapeless clothes and wire-rimmed glasses. But this was more than words. He could try for the rest of his life, and he would never be able to capture words that adequately described the gorgeous creature settling into the chair next to him at the head of the long table.
    “Now, we are going to sit here and have a pleasant dinner like adults. My lovely wife-to-be wants to celebrate Shannon’s makeover, and we will do just that.” Gray peered at Jaycee, his eyes promising retribution of the sensual kind. “It cost me enough. We are going to show her off to the whole goddamn town.”
    Cade wiggled his eyebrows salaciously, giving away his pleasure at the prospect of Jaycee’s impending punishment. “Fuck yeah, Gray. That is what I’m saying.”
    “Cade,” Gray and Jaycee scolded in synchronization. The amusement in both of Cade’s lovers was undeniable. If the laughing tones weren’t obvious enough, the lip twitching and conspicuous coughs were unmistakable. He had never seen the three of them happier than they were now.
    Jaycee glowed, basking in the love of two good men. And they were good men. Not that Drew would ever tell the arrogant devils that. He would prefer eating nails for dinner to admitting aloud that she’d chosen well.
    “What?” Cade asked, snatching a buttery roll out of the bread basket and stuffing half of it in his mouth. “Mmmm.”
    Cade’s green eyes widened unexpectedly, and he groaned. Drew suspected he knew what caused the sound, and it was certainly not the bread. His sister’s hands had gone missing at some point during her censure of Cade.
    Shaking his head, Drew prepared to do a little reprimanding of his own, but Katie-Anne beat him to