Chapter 18
WEST
The crinkle of plastic sounded over the hum of the tires as the full bags shifted on my lap with every bump and turn on our way home.
Langston drove—control freak, that one—with one hand gripping the wheel, the other constantly fidgeting with his cap, a sign he was more wound up than he let on.
I couldn’t blame him, though, because so was I.
Between being so turned on that I worried I’d be hard for the rest of my life mixed with the searing anger that pumped through my veins from how Eric treated Juno right in front of us and not being able to do anything about it, I had never been on edge like this before.
I shifted on the seat, the movement drawing Langston’s attention; our eyes met in the rearview mirror. The dark shade of his green eyes said it all. He felt the same way I did, half needing to comfort her, the other half wanting to fuck her until she forgot all about that douche’s words.
Once we were home, we needed to tread carefully, following Juno’s lead.
Today was an ongoing emotional roller coaster for her, and as much as I was desperate to soothe her frayed nerves with a few orgasms, neither Langston nor I would make the first move.
But if she needed a night to forget the day, sandwiched between two men who wanted nothing more than to worship her perfect body, well, then we would give her everything she wanted and needed until the sun broke over the horizon.
The distressed woman up front hadn’t uttered a word since Langston had literally buckled her into the passenger seat.
Recalling the deadpan glare she gave him as the metal latch clicked into place had me chuckling again.
Fuck, we would have our hands full with her, and I couldn’t wait.
I knew she would revolt against every protective instinct Langston had, and I had my work cut out for me as well to convince Juno that she was nothing like what Eric made her believe about herself and instead everything I longed for in a lifetime partner.
I winced to myself. Maybe I would keep the lifetime part out of it until she was more comfortable and the term wouldn’t spook her.
As we rode in silence, worry crept in at how quiet she was, no doubt processing it all in that brilliant mind of hers.
She’d done that alone, with no one to talk to, for so long, even when she was in a relationship with that douche nozzle, that I wondered if she even knew how to ask for help.
It would take time; her letting her walls down wouldn’t happen in a twenty-four-hour period, even though I wished it would.
I had known Juno was ours before either of them would admit it even to themselves, but hell, it was only last night that I finally made our intentions obvious.
Gravel crunched beneath the SUV’s tires as Langston pulled into the small parking lot those of us with personal cars in the community used. After cutting the engine, he turned in his seat and eyed Juno, then me, his attention falling to the stack of containers in my lap.
“Think you got enough food?”
I lifted my shoulders in a slight shrug. “I hope six orders of elk nachos is enough; if it’s not, then either you or I can run down to the general store. You know Amy and Carl always have those healthy ready-made meals handy.” I studied the side of Juno’s face. “So, where are we eating?”
“Our place,” Langston answered before she could speak up. Her lips pressed in a tight line. “It’s safer, more guns—”
“Guns in general,” Juno added.
“You don’t have a weapon?” Langston growled, leaning forward against the center console.
“I figured if I did, I would be arming the bad guy since I wouldn’t use it,” she said with a nonchalant shrug.
“You don’t know how to shoot?” I asked, growing slightly worried about Langston’s blood pressure at the fluttering of the thick vein along his neck.
“Of course I do. I grew up in Alaska. I just don’t like to, and I don’t think I could ever use one.”
“You need a gun,” Langston demanded.
“You need to back off,” Juno responded.
“So, our place,” I said with a clap to end their argument.
Before either of them could restart it, I shoved open the door and exited the SUV, hoping like hell they would follow.
The setting sun’s glare burned into my eyes, making me squint as I waited.
“I don’t like the nearly twenty-four-hour dark in the winter, but I sure as hell don’t like the sun being out this bright at eight. ”
“What will people think if I don’t go to the wedding?” Juno asked after slamming the door shut.
Gathering the bags in one hand, I draped an arm over her shoulders and sealed her to my side as we walked toward our cabin.
“Who cares what people think? You choose what’s best for Juno Jones, not anyone else, and we’ll support you in that decision. Also, remember that just because they asked doesn’t mean you have to go.”
“But it feels like I do. It’ll look like I’m jealous and bitter if I say no.” Her loud, frustrated groan filled the air as she tipped her face up to the sky. “Or still have feelings for Eric and am too upset at them being together to attend.”
“All we care about is what you want to do, what’s best for you. If you want to go to show off your two hot boyfriends—”
“Friends who are boys,” Juno corrected.
Langston smacked her ass, making her gasp and whirl around to him. “I am not a boy, and what I want to do to you is anything but friendly, shortcake.”
“Or if you want to stay home with enough ice cream to last the weekend and hole up with Langston watching Hallmark movies, then we’ll do that.” I dodged Langston’s punch with a barked curse, moving to the other side of Juno.
Grumbling about having two brats to keep in line now, Langston bounded up the porch steps, keys already in hand.
He unlocked the first deadbolt, then the other.
Juno arched a questioning brow and inclined her head toward the multiple locks, and I shrugged in return.
That was Langston being Langston. I’d put my foot down after the second one or there would’ve been more.
“That sounds like fun.” Juno went in after Langston, me hot on her heels. “Please tell me he cries at the end.”
My boots thumped against the floor as I made my way to the kitchen. Setting the bags down, I reached into the cabinet for three plates.
“Oh yeah, but he calls it ‘allergies.’”
“You two are the worst,” Langston grumbled, coming to lean against the counter beside me. “And it is allergies, you asshat.”
“Allergies that kick in at the end when they finally kiss.”
Grabbing a dish towel off the counter, he gripped both ends and whipped one toward my ass. The popping sound was worse than the sting, but still I yelped, rounding the island to take shelter behind Juno for protection. Her full, genuine laugh echoed through the cabin.
“Save me, Juno,” I fake pleaded.
She scanned the counter, a smirk pulling at her lips upon spotting another dish towel.
Swiping it off the top, she twirled it around before snapping one end right toward Langston’s crotch.
He sprang back with a high-pitched yelp, barely missing the hit that would’ve decommissioned him for several minutes.
Seeing she had the upper hand, Juno advanced on Langston, chasing after him when he darted around the island, putting it between them. Their smiles were so wide and carefree, it made my heart fucking ache with the swelling joy.
“Is this how it always is around here?” Juno asked, not taking her eyes off Langston as she twirled the towel around and around, preparing for her next attack. “All fun and games?”
“Never,” I said honestly, voice rough with emotion. “Never once until you walked through that door.”
She froze, cutting her eyes my way. “Really?”
I offered a nonchalant shrug in response, not knowing what else to say.
“Don’t make it sound like we’re boring,” Langston grumbled, clearly offended.
“Aren’t we?” I joked. “All we do is work out, work, and go to Anchorage to….” I trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought, but Juno did it for me.
“To meet women,” she said with an arched brow.
I felt my face warm, and Langston avoided eye contact with both of us, finding something interesting on the floor in front of the oven.
She laughed. “Come on, guys. It’s not like it’s a secret around here. Most of the guys do. Well, until they find their lobster. Or lobsters, in this community’s case.”
I raised my hand high in the air, which she questioned but still slapped with hers. “Nice Friends reference.”
“Thank you.”
“Though not really the case lately,” Langston muttered under his breath.
Juno spun around to face him. “What do you mean by that?”
I cleared my throat, drawing her attention. “He means we haven’t gone to Anchorage for that in a while. Well, I actually know the exact date.” I pointed at her. “Since you arrived.”
“What?” Her voice was high-pitched in utter disbelief. Langdon’s broad shoulders rose and fell. “Why? Why would my coming to Anchor Bay have anything to do with your”—she waved her hand around—“extracurricular activities?” She pointed at Langston. “You’ve hated me since the day I arrived.”
“Considered you a potential threat, not hated,” he corrected.
She swung her finger my way, tapping the center of my chest. “And you never once made it clear or even gave me a hint until the last forty-eight hours that you would want something more with me than just being friends. Honestly, if I didn’t know that you guys were into girls too, I would’ve thought you two were happy together. ”
Langston and I exchanged a look and winced.
“That is definitely not the case. West and I sometimes….” He trailed off and looked at me for help.
“You can say the word fuck, Langston.”
He groaned and adjusted his ball cap while staring at the ceiling.
“Exactly. We’re not together, together. I love the asshole like a brother. And sometimes things just happen.”
He looked at me, and I held up both hands in surrender.