Chapter Five
“What’s for dinner?” Ry asked the next evening.
Jed straightened from the oven and turned to see Ry near the kitchen door. “Steak, potatoes, and broccoli.” Ry’s arms were crossed over his chest, his jaw clenched. Damn, this wasn’t good. Was Ry worked up over tonight? “You need to chill, so go take a shower and change.”
“It will be a quick one.” Ry glanced at Jed with a slow smile taking over his lips.
Jed swore. He knew that look in Ry’s eyes. If Katie wasn’t coming over, and they had time… Jed grinned and then shook his head. “I know what you’re thinking,” he said, then laughed. “Go. Katie will be here shortly, and I know how you are on punctuality.”
“Keep that up, Jed, and I’ll fuck your ass even harder tonight.”
“Ah, promises and more promises.” Jed shook his finger at Ry.
Ry laughed as he left the kitchen.
Jed had finished setting the table when he heard Ry jogging down the stairs. Jed had made sure someone was on duty with the horses so they could play uninterrupted tonight. Not that he expected anything to go wrong with the horses.
The doorbell rang. Ry shot him a grin as he loped over to the door and pulled it open.
“Evening, Katie.” Ry swept her into his arms and kissed her.
A burning sensation started in Jed’s stomach.
He clenched his teeth. He’d taken two steps before he realized he’d moved.
Hell. He forced himself to stop and take a breath, slowly unclenching his muscles.
He hated that he was jealous. He’d have to talk to Ry about it.
Katie was theirs, and he knew Ry would share.
“My turn.” He pulled Katie out of Ry’s arms and into his. Her mouth was warm and wet as their tongues dueled then tangled together.
God, her soft flesh molded to his hardness. He needed her so much. His cock twitched as she broke the kiss.
“No offense, but a girl needs to breathe now and then.”
The timer on the stove went off, and Jed grinned. “Dinner. Ry, I’ll let you seat Katie while I bring the food out.”
“Of course,” Ry said.
Jed strode into the kitchen and gripped the kitchen counter.
He closed his eyes and swore softly as he fought against the jealousy crashing through his blood stream.
It wasn’t like they hadn’t shared Katie before, and he’d kissed her right after Ry.
He’d never reacted this way, so hard and so fast. But this was Katie.
Forcing away the little green monster, Jed dished up dinner and carried the two platters and a bowl out to the table.
“Smells delicious,” Katie said. Ry had seated her to his right.
“Jed is a wonder in the kitchen,” Ry commented as Jed placed one platter heaped with potatoes on the table along with the bowl of broccoli.
Jed carried the other platter over to Katie then he set a piece of steak on her plate. The back of his hand brushed her breast. “Medium well, just like the lady likes.”
He straightened then served Ry.
Decision time. Jed stood with platter in hand. Sit on Katie’s right or on Ry’s left where he normally sat? Hell, the table was set that way, but he could always move his plate.
“Jed.” His head jerked up at Ry’s firm voice. Ry stared at him, then tilted his chin up toward the chair on Ry’s left.
Tension seeped out of his body as the decision was made for him. Ry was still his Dominant. Placing the last steak on his plate, Jed took his seat.
Katie cut into her steak. “You remembered.”
“Of course I remembered. Who could ever forget your face when we went to dinner in Monroe, and you sent your steak back three times before they got it right.”
“Well, I don’t like my beef mooing.”
Ry laughed. “I thought the waiter was going to kick us out.”
“Yeah, and our fathers left a big tip.”
The men sobered up for a minute and then smiled at Katie. “Our folks loved having you around,” Ry said.
Katie reached out and touched Ry’s hand where it rested on the table, and a surge of jealousy hit Jed again. Then Katie held her other hand out to him across the table, and he took it.
“Your family was always so welcoming and happy. I’m sorry they’re gone.” She squeezed his hand, and Jed’s lips quirked.
“Me too,” he whispered.
“It was an accident.” Ry mumbled. “But they’d be happy to know you’ve come home.”
Katie smiled then dished up her potatoes and vegetables. “So, Ry, you’re the sheriff now?”
Jed puffed out a breath, happy for the change in subject. He didn’t want to dwell on the death of his father and Ry’s parents.
“Yep, and if you step a toe out of line, into jail with you.”
Katie laughed. “I’ll be good. But”—she ducked her head almost shyly—”I got stopped on the way into town. Know anything about that?”
Ry grinned, and Jed barely kept a smile from his lips. “What did he stop you for? Speeding?”
“Littering,” Katie muttered.
“Littering?” Jed barely suppressed his laughter.
“It’s a serious offense.” Ry grinned before he dug into his food. The subject was dropped.
“This is delicious,” Katie praised after a few minutes of eating.
“I aim to please.” Jed’s ego swelled.
“Well, you always please me,” Ry commented.
Katie’s gaze clashed with Jed’s, and Jed fought not to squirm in his seat. He had nothing to be embarrassed about. He and Ry had played together since they were eighteen. They’d experimented before that, but their parents asked them to wait until they were legal age.
“Umm… So, tell me about the horses.” Katie voice was soft.
“One of my favorite topics.” Jed was pleased that Katie wanted to know more about him. “I’ve got several horses in the stable. Mainly for breeding.” He paused, wondering how much to tell her. In the years she’d been gone, between him and Ry, they’d acquired more land and made the ranch profitable.
“I remember you liked to teach people about horses and riding.”
He smiled. “Still do. I have smaller, gentler horses for the kids.” Jed continued talking about his work with the kids while they ate. “Sounds like you’re enjoying yourself,” Katie remarked when he finished talking.
“It’s a job I love.” Jed lifted his chin. Katie was truly interested in him and what he was doing. His chest swelled.
Ry cleared his throat. “While we load the dishwasher, go down to the dungeon, Katie.”
Jed recognized Ry going into Sir mode. His cock hardened.
Katie stood. “Yes, Sir.”
And apparently, so did Katie. Good, she was getting it. “Door code is seventeen, thirty-six, twenty,” Jed said.
Katie turned and left the room. Jed groaned before glancing at Ry. “Are you as hard as I am?”
“Yep.” Ry ran his palm down his cock where it pressed against his sweats.
“I need to let you know something.”
Ry’s gaze jerked to Jed’s face. “I’m not going to like this.”
“When you kissed Katie earlier, the little green-eyed jealousy monster raised its head.”
“Then I think we’re even. It happened to me when you brushed your fingers over Katie’s breast when you served her.”
“How are we going to handle this?” He breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t alone in this, and it made him feel better. “I’ve never been like this before.”
“We’ll take it one step at a time, be honest with ourselves and each other. Communication is going to be the key.”
“Yes. I’ve always been submissive to you on a sexual level. But when we’ve been with a woman together, I’ve never had an issue with jealousy.”
“Maybe because we never had feelings for anyone but Katie. She is ours. Ours together.” Ry strode over and clasped Jed’s shoulder. “No matter if we’re with her together or we’re alone with her. We both care about her.”
“You make it sound so simple.” Jed washed the dishes that couldn’t go into the dishwasher as Ry finished loading the dishwasher and turned it on.
“It’s a matter of reminding ourselves that we’re in this together and talk to each other. I’m not saying we’re not going to have issues, but we’re all in this together.”
Jed nodded. “Let’s go see how our Kitty Kat has performed.”