Tyler is quiet as we walk to the stables. My normally affectionate friend is maintaining his distance. This morning proves he’s not interested in me. The way his body responded to mine as he slept was purely physical. His voice is the normal chipper voice I’m used to, but it’s lacking the same life. It feels forced. A mask slid into place.

“Lightning is the calmer of the two horses. After what happened, and she got hurt, she hasn’t ridden the same since. She likes to walk at her own leisurely pace and on occasion when she’s feeling frisky she will trot. But I’d feel better riding her,” he says, his tone slightly clipped.

At first I think it’s because he’s angry with me. I catch a glimpse at his face and I see it. Pain. Unmasked. Bleak. Crushing.

“What’s wrong?” I demand, clutching onto his hand despite his clearly not wanting to touch me.

His face pales and he shakes his head. “Damn migraine. I should have grabbed some meds before we left.” He clenches his teeth and looks past me at the stable.

“Do you have them often? The migraines?”

He closes his eyes and presses his lips together. “Yep.”

“Maybe you should go to the doctor—”

“I see a doctor for them and I have meds,” he snaps, unlike the Tyler I know so well.

“Okay.”

His shoulders relax and he regards me with a soft look. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” I lie. It’s not fine. I want to pry into his mind and see what’s going on there.

“Casey-Casey,” Torin barks, pushing between us, knocking our linked hands apart.

“Rude!” I yell out after him. I’m mad at him still. Not like he cares. I watch as he stalks into the stable dressed in a pair of jeans and a black pea coat. The coat has no hood, which is surprising, but he’s pulled a beanie on over his head. As he strides confidently to the barn, you’d almost confuse him for…

Someone normal?

Define normal, Casey.

I retract my thoughts. Torin is too complicated for me to understand. This whole situation with the Kline brothers is messy and strange. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or feel or think. I don’t understand why I’m here. Honestly, I don’t think Tyler knows either.

But I am here.

“Come on,” Tyler says as we follow Torin into the stable.

I pause, fixated on the way Torin preps both horses as if he does this all the time. He’s so unlike his normal self, that all I can do is stare. Tyler seems relieved that Torin is doing all the work. And that is not normal for Tyler. It makes me worry.

Once Torin has everything situated, he stalks over to me, his brown eyes intense and focused on me. My skin heats at his attention. It reminds me of last night when he was pressed against me, licking and nibbling on me. The cold November day is an afterthought because I’m a blazing inferno right now. When he reaches for me, I flinch. I can’t help it. I don’t know what to expect with him. But instead of being offended, he grips my chin with his fingers, staring down at me.

“Thunder.”

Tyler grunts. “Lightning, with me.”

“No,” Torin growls. He actually growls. “Thunder.”

“Goddammit, Torin,” Tyler complains, but his voice is resigned. Tired. Sad. Why the hell is he so sad?

“I don’t want—” I start, but Torin grabs my wrist and hauls me behind him. He’s strong and gripping me tight. Where our skin touches, mine burns with awareness. He leads me to the black horse who looks a little sketchy. Torin’s grip finds my hips, making me gasp in surprise. Before I can ask what he’s doing, he hefts me up onto the horse as though I weigh nothing. Practically tosses me up on the horse as if it’s no big deal. And then he’s climbing on behind me. His solid, muscular frame leans against my back as one arm curls around my middle and the other latches onto the reins.

Holy shit.

Torin Kline is holding me in a protective, possessive way that has my heart rate going nuts and my skin pricking with desire.

Desire.

For Torin.

A surge of heat blazes through me, settling at my core. The way he licked me last night…the way he ground his erection against me. Dammit, it was hot.

“Casey-Casey,” he mutters, his grip tightening around my middle.

I relax against him as he guides the horse from the barn. Tyler watches us with a brilliant, gorgeous, purely elated smile. It makes my chest expand. Happiness on Tyler is one of the best things I’ve ever encountered in my life. It’s infectious.

“Keep her safe,” Tyler calls out. “I’m going back up to the house to lie down.”

Torin doesn’t respond, but it ripples from him. He will keep me safe. I can sense that with every part of my being. I nod to Tyler and wave.

Thunder trots along, but once Torin gets him out in the open, he makes a sound and then urges the horse to go faster. Thunder must love to run because he goes from trotting to sprinting in the blink of an eye. A nervous squeal escapes me as we bounce along. Torin keeps me locked against him, safe. Once I determine I won’t fall, I try to enjoy the ride. The trees whiz past us and soon I start giggling.

This is fun.

Free. Wild. Untamed.

Torin’s fisted hand releases and he splays his palm out on my lower stomach. My breath catches in my throat. I groan in anticipation, wondering if he’ll move his hand higher or down south. The image of his hand cupping my pussy is dizzying.

The horse slows and stops near the lake. I can’t even take in the pretty view because I’m holding my breath, wondering what Torin will do next. He nuzzles his nose against my hair and inhales me. Soon, something hard presses against my ass. His erection. I turn him on. Me. Cocaine Casey.

He lets go of the reins and his other palm slides to my hip. I’m coming alive under his touch. My body thrums with need. With surprising strength, he crushes me with a tight embrace. An apology. Unspoken but certainly felt. It moves me to tears. They well in my eyes, blurring the beautiful scenery around me, before streaking down my cheeks. His body relaxes and so does his hold.

“You scared me,” I admit, my voice a hoarse whisper.

His palm on my stomach starts to curl into a fist, but I push it back against me flat, covering the back of his hand with my own. “Casey-Casey.”

“Yes?”

He breathes out heavily, the air hot against my hair. “Mine.”

Before I can process his words, he yanks up the reins and then Thunder is charging along the side of the lake, full speed ahead.

Mine.

Holy shit.

Did Torin just claim me?

Three weeks later…

 

“This one?” I ask as I point to a small tree.

Torin inspects it and his eyes tell me he’s displeased.

Tyler laughs. “That’d be a no from my brother.” He walks over to the Christmas tree beside it and points. “What about this one?”

Torin’s severe stare skims over this one, assessing. Once he’s done his visual inspection and gives us a clipped nod, we finally get his approval. Tyler has been trying to teach me about Torin and telling me stories of his brother over the years. It helps me understand him better. I’m trying to pick up on his visual clues. Despite not outwardly showing emotion, sometimes I see it through the way his vein pulses in his neck. Anger and frustration. Or the way his eyes light up when I’m in the room. Interest and desire. He hasn’t come into my room again, nor has he put his mouth on me. But, we do ride Thunder every day and he holds me like I belong to him during those times.

Between Torin’s feral need for me that thrums below the surface and Tyler’s outwardly affectionate ways, these two brothers complete a part of me that was missing. Little Casey Doe, orphan, has finally found a family.

In a couple more weeks, I’ll turn eighteen.

Will they ask me to stay?

They seem attached to me too.

My old plans of running off and starting a new life when I become of age are thoughts of the past. Now, I don’t see a future without Tyler and Torin.

“I’ll go pay for the tree and have them cut it down for us. Want to meet next door in a bit?” Tyler asks, his cheeks rosy from the cold. A snowflake lands on his cheek and for the first time ever, it sparks warmth inside me.

I reach up and swipe away the snowflake and beam at him. “Thank you.”

Tyler’s brown eyes glimmer with emotion. “Anything for you.”

My heart does a little squeeze. Before I can analyze his words, he’s gone. Torin grunts from behind me. I flash him a quick smile, then start out of the nursery selling Christmas trees. Once on the sidewalk outside, I stare down at my feet as I walk. These Uggs Tyler bought are soft and warm and probably expensive. He takes care of me. Makes sure I’m provided for.

I think he may even love me.

Not romantically, and I’m not even sure if I want that myself.

But love definitely pours from him. It overflows and saturates me. He gives it so freely and I’m so eager for it, I take whatever I can get.

Hooooonnnnnnk!

I freeze at the blast of a horn, but then I’m yanked back so hard the breath is knocked from me. Strong, protective arms encircle me. Hot murmured words get spouted against my hair as Torin’s hands slide over my stomach in an assessing way. I go from shocked at almost getting ran over by a car to melting in his arms.

“Casey-Casey,” he whispers, his voice deep and throaty. “Mine.”

Mine.

I want to nod and acknowledge his claim. To tell him I’d like to be. To beg him to let me inside his head all the time, not just some of the time. Instead of speaking, since I know he won’t say the words I need to hear back, I twist in his grip to face him. A bold move, even for me. I stare up at him as I hug him back.

“Thank you.”

His eyes lock with mine. It’s like I’m a rabbit caught in a trap any time his gaze lingers on me. For someone who doesn’t express his feelings well, sometimes they tumble from him like heat waves. A mirage of Torin. Hot. Intense. Palpable.

He rests his forehead against mine and closes his eyes. For one moment, we’re a couple. Two lovebirds on a busy street during the holiday season. Normal. Torin who disappears into walls and rattles out bizarre facts. Cocaine Casey. Two of the most abnormal people on Earth. Yet, right now, we fit in. We belong. Together, we make up something beautiful.

“Mine,” he repeats, his hot breath warming my face. He smells like cinnamon, no doubt having just finished off one of his beloved Fireball candies. “Always mine.”

Snowflakes land on my exposed flesh, but I don’t shiver because I’m warm in his embrace. More than warm. On fire. Blazing out of control. An unstoppable inferno.

“My Torin,” I whisper, tilting my head up to offer him my lips.

Maybe, just maybe, he’ll kiss me.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Someone bumps me from behind, stealing our moment.

“There are children watching,” an older woman admonishes when she walks by.

Torin and I break apart. The snow falls a little harder. This time, I’m not moved by the snow. The icy flakes send zings of discomfort stinging through me each time they land.

I glance at Torin, but he’s back to business as usual, hands fisted and eyes diverted.

With a sigh, I follow him.

Maybe, just maybe, next time he’ll kiss me.