"Hey, they're about to cut the cake."
Stella blinked, suddenly aware that she couldn't stand by and watch the happy couple any longer. "Oh, I. . ."
"Are you all right, darlin'?" Mike took her arm and led her off the dance floor. "You look like you're about to pass out. Get her some water, Alex."
They took her to one of the many white chairs-chairs that were so like the ones she'd rented for her own reception-and helped her take a seat. She dragged in a breath as the crowd moved away from them, heading to the huge white cake on the other side of the barn.
Alex knelt in front of her and put the glass of water in her hand. "Here, honey. Take a sip."
She did so, not really needing the water yet needing something to do. She could feel their concern wafting over her.
"What's wrong, sugar?" asked Danny. "Did I spin you around too hard?"
"I'm okay." Her gaze shifted to the crowd. She couldn't see the cake or the bride and groom because of those surrounding them, but she could hear the laughter. Her imagination filled in the rest.
She was alone. She'd been alone for more than a year. All at once, she needed. . .more.
"Can we go somewhere else, please? Away from here?"
"Sure, sugar. No problem." Danny took her right arm while Mike took the other. Alex waved at a friend, gesturing that they were leaving.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't haul you away from the fun. Maybe you could take me back to the pickup and I'll wait for you there." Yet the last thing she wanted was to be alone again.
"Not a chance. We're not leaving you."
Mike hadn't meant it the way it sounded, like a promise of a future between them, yet that was how she took it. Besides, they'd said they wanted her as their woman. Wasn't that a promise?
"How about we head out to the pasture? Maybe you'll feel better once you get some fresh air."
She didn't argue. As long as they got away from the event, she didn't care where they ended up. They could take her to a pigpen for all she cared. All that mattered to her was having them close by.
Danny led her out of the barn and around the corner of it. A green pasture spread out before them. Red and yellow flowers dotted the green while bees played around the blossoms. Mike opened the gate, followed the rest of them through, and then closed it.
As soon as she was in the middle of the pasture with the green surrounding her and the fragrance of the flowers soothing her, she found she could breathe easier.
"Feeling better, darlin'?"
She took in another deep breath. "Yes."
"What went wrong?" Danny, his expression somber for one of the first times she'd ever seen it, searched her gaze. "Something's been bugging you from the moment we got here. Is it something Alex did?"
Alex shot him a glare. "Fuck off, man." But then he checked with her. "It isn't, is it? I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"
"No. You didn't. None of you did. I just. . ." How could she explain it? Could she tell them about Bruce, about his betrayal? She could. But if she did, she'd have to talk about Maddie, and she wasn't ready to do that.
The longer she was around them, the more she liked them. More than liked them. Being with them felt right. As though she'd known them in a past life and had finally found them again.
She wasn't the type to jump into anything, to listen to her heart before her head, but at that moment, looking at the concerned faces of the three men who wanted her, she took a leap of faith. She needed to touch them, to feel their warm skin against hers.
Unable to find the right words, she tugged Danny to her. Her mouth met his, soft against hard. At first, she feared he would pull away, but she needn't have worried.
His arms wrapped around her as he kissed her harder. His tongue invaded her mouth, sweeping around inside. His groan rumbled into her.
She moaned in return, encouraging him to do more, hopeful that he would. Again, she needn't have worried.
Hands swept over her, along her hips, over the swell of her butt, then tugging her shirt out of her jeans. One of the men knelt in front of her and tugged off her shoes. Danny's fingers found the front of her jeans and started working to rid her of them. She reached behind her and tunneled her fingers through Mike's hair.
The sun warmed her skin as they removed her clothes. They did so, not saying a word, but their thoughts shone in their eyes. When they had her bra and panties removed, they stood back and stared.
Please let them like what they see.
"Darlin', you're the single most beautiful sight I've ever seen."
"Yeah. I can't say it better than Mike." Danny nodded, his gaze sliding down then back up her body.
"You're exactly what I, we, wanted," added Alex in a voice filled with awe.
Then, as though on silent agreement, they began disrobing. Hurriedly, they unbuttoned their shirts and tossed them aside. Sunlight danced along their tanned skin. Muscles flexed as they tugged off their boots then socks. When they straightened up, she scanned her gaze from one man to the next and savored how their jeans dipped in the front. Just a little lower dip and she could've seen what her mouth hungered for.
The day hadn't seemed as hot as it now did. With her back to the sun, she felt its rays on her naked shoulders, but it was nothing compared to the heat moistening her pussy. Although she hungered for them, her mouth suddenly went dry as they started unbuckling their silver buckles and worked on their buttons. A wolf head adorned each of their buckles with each man's initial beneath the animal's head.
"Stella, tell us. Are you agreeing to be our mate?" asked Alex.
She couldn't promise. Not yet. The only promise she could give them was one for right then, right there. "I can't. Not yet. Please, don't stop." She couldn't keep the plea from her tone.
"It's okay, Alex. This is all a part of it. Give her time."
She'd expected Mike to say as much, but it was Danny who'd spoken.
They might have said something more, but she wouldn't have heard it. Not when they finally shoved their jeans to the ground.
Oh my.
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