“Those are stories, though. Now that you’ve had more time to think about it, how do you feel? Do you fancy one of us more than the other?”
Searching his gaze, she asked softly, “Who hurt you, Joseph? Because I’m almost certain someone did.”
She expected him to shut down, change the topic, and ignore her question. No male, apart from her brother, had ever wantedto talk about his past or feelings. And yet, Joseph had shared about his parents. That had been horrific, for sure, but it wasn’t the only scar he carried from his past.
He leaned down and murmured, “In our longest relationship, a female fancied Laurie and merely tolerated me. Barely, in fact. And it was difficult because Laurie falls in love quickly, and it blinded him to her faults. I should’ve said something, but I didn’t want to hurt him. Especially since it was before our frozen state and I didn’t know if our futures would be with us together or not.”
As the music wound down and they stopped dancing, she raised a hand to trace Joseph’s jaw. “I’m still getting to know you both, but I don’t like one of you more than the other. I do want to know more about both of you, though. So much more.”
He lowered his head, stopping just shy of her lips. “I’m glad,” he murmured before kissing her.
Meadow barely noticed people moving around them as Joseph’s tongue caressed her own, and his hand moved to cup her butt and he pressed her against him.
And she instantly felt his hard cock.
He wanted her.
Without her magic.
And it was one of the sexiest things in the world to her.
She stood on her tiptoes, kissing him back and trying to press even closer against him.
Eventually Joseph gentled their kiss and pulled back to murmur, “Keep kissing me like that, love, and we’ll give everyone a free show. It won’t bother me, but I don’t think you’re ready for that yet.”
Her cheeks burned, but she never looked away from Joseph’s brown eyes. “No. And, er, what about Laurie? Shouldn’t he be with us, too?”
He caressed her cheek. “Most of the time, yes, we’ll all be together. But sometimes, we aren’t. Sometimes it’ll be one-on-one, mixed between us. Is that okay?”
Reason returned to her mind, and she nodded. “That seems the most real way to handle a three-person relationship. I’m guessing you and Laurie have already hooked up since you were blooded.”
He never stopped lightly stroking her cheek. “Yes. But it doesn’t mean I want you any less. I’m greedy and want you both, in any and every way I can have you.”
She smiled. “I want you both, too. And I think for the first time, it should be the three of us together. Do you think Laurie will be free anytime soon?”
He stilled. “You want to spend the night with us?”
For a beat, she hesitated as fears of what could go wrong coursed through her.
But then she pushed it back. She wanted this, more than anything. And if she couldn’t give Laurie and Joseph a chance, a real chance, to prove everything they’d promised, the past would win.
Her father would win.
And Meadow refused to let that happen.
“Yes, I want to spend the night with you both. Maybe not the full claiming yet since I’ve never had a vampire bite me before. But us all together and seeing where it leads? Yes, I want to try it.”
He scooped her into his arms. “Laurie’s overseeing a smaller event, but I can send an employee to fetch him.”
“Can you both just drop everything and leave like that?”
“We’ve had years to train staff that we trust. So, yes.”
She tightened her arms around his neck a bit, leaned up, and kissed him gently. “Then carry me off, Joseph. Before I change my mind.”
He twirled with her, and Meadow laughed before he strode toward the double doors leading out of the room. She noticed quite a few smiles, but also a few glares, as they left. He even whispered to one of the staff, probably about Laurie, before exiting the ballroom.
Her heart thundered in her chest, and Joseph led her through a secret door and then a hallway before stopping at a room near what had to be the top floor of the building. Then he managed to turn the doorknob, enter, and she blinked. Because leaning against the doorjamb of a room to the side was Laurie.
