Leaning muscled arms on the bar, Marc asked him, “Want to tell me about the pretty brunette with the nice ass you had over your lap earlier?”
“Morgan.” Just her name said it all as Jack knew it would. Even though he’d never met her, Marc knew all about Morgan and Jack’s battle to keep their relationship strictly platonic. Friends for years, they knew each other well and had no secrets between them.
“Wow. Your descriptions didn’t do her justice. From what I saw, she’s a real cutie with a killer body. A lethal combination.”
“Tell me about it. And it looks like I’m stuck with her for a few days.” Jack downed his drink, wondering if Morgan was asleep yet. He sure as hell wasn’t going back upstairs until she was.
Marc’s chuckle lacked sympathy. “You’ve had a hard-on for that girl for years. Don’t you think it’s time you took care of it?”
Jack scowled at his friend. He and Marc had met in the military and soon discovered their mutual interest in BDSM. Through trial and error, they realized neither one them would be content with vanilla sex. They both enjoyed bondage and doling out occasional mild punishments to wayward subs, neither into any of the extremes the lifestyle could lean toward. Ten years ago, they had both saved enough to open this lodge and were finally able to cater to those who were like-minded. Jack had unburdened himself about the tug-of-war feelings he fought for Morgan over the years and Marc had been a good sounding board.
“I’ve told you before, Marc, I’m not risking our relationship by fucking her.” No matter how much he wanted her.
“Then what kind of relationship do you have? Friendship makes for a cold bed, Jack, especially around here when the days can get long and lonely in the winter. I saw the look on her face when she first spotted you by Sandy. That girl has it bad for you and you’d have to be blind not to see it.”
“It’s just hero worship. I was there for her when she was a kid and when no one else was. I’m not taking advantage of that.”
“Shit, Jack. Pull your head out of your ass.” When Jack scowled at him, Marc ignored him and continued. “She’s known you for twenty years and she hasn’t been a kid for nine of those years. Give her a little credit to know what, and who she wants.”
Jack’s scowl turned to a smile at his friend. “You got a look at her ass and you want a piece of that. You’re not fooling me.”
“Well, yeah. Who wouldn’t? So, if you don’t claim her, I just might while she’s here.”
“Not without my permission and presence you won’t, asshole.” Jack knew Marc was just goading him. Marc carried his own hard-on around for a woman and never showed an interest in anyone for longer than a night or two. Besides, he also knew Jack would kill him if he made a move on Morgan.
Walking around the bar, Marc slapped Jack on the back. “Make up your mind, bro. You either want her or you don’t. She’s here, you’re here. Explore a little with her and see where it goes. If it doesn’t work out, you’ve got twenty years of foundation to fall back on. Your friendship will survive.”
“Did yours?”
Marc’s green eyes flashed with pain before he closed off his expression with a mask of indifference. “We didn’t have that bond, the years of friendship, or the trust needed to survive our fallout. That’s a mistake I have to live with.”
Jack felt bad for causing his friend pain. They had both volunteered to help with a newbie weekend at a friend’s club in Omaha last year, but Marc had made the rookie mistake of falling fast and hard for his protégé and pushing her too fast toward a lifestyle she wasn’t prepared to fully accept. He’d had to live with a guilty conscience at the way she ran out on him that last night and refused his calls until he was forced to let the whole weekend and her go. Rising, he apologized. “Sorry, Marc. Let’s call it a night.”
* * *
Morgan awoke to the smell of coffee and the disappointment of an empty bed. So much for hoping Jack couldn’t resist slipping into bed with her and taking her. Then, considering the slender blonde he had fucked last night, why should he want her when he had women like that available and willing? Sighing, she dragged herself out of bed, took a long hot shower, then slipped Jack’s shirt back on before going in search of the big jerk.
Unfortunately, he was nowhere around but his longtime friend Marc was. Morgan had never met Marc personally, but she felt as if she knew him from the way Jack had talked about him over the years. An inch or two shorter than Jack’s six foot four, Marc’s lean but muscled build, ink black hair, and startling green eyes made him a very attractive man. When he greeted her with a warm, toe-curling smile, she smiled back, hoping for an ally.
“Well, good morning. You’re Morgan.”
“I am, and you’re Marc.”
“You’re every bit as pretty as Jack said you were. Coffee?” Marc held up the pot, allowing his eyes a leisurely inspection of her from her bare feet on up.
“Uh, yes, thank you. Is Jack up?” Moving behind the counter, she took a seat on the stool and wrapped her hands around the steaming mug Marc set in front of her. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Jack’s checking out your car and retrieving your things. If it’s not drivable, we’ll find a way to get you to Denver and then back home. The storm’s passed so the plows will be out shortly clearing the roads.”
Morgan sipped the hot coffee, but it failed to warm her insides. Jack wanted her gone and if he insisted, she’d have no choice but to go home to her lonely apartment and a job she hated.
“By the look on your face, I assume leaving wasn’t what you had in mind.”
Marc’s kind, knowing gaze made her uncomfortable. “I’m that obvious, am I?”
“You wear your heart on your sleeve, darlin’. You want him that bad?” Folding his arms across his chest, Marc leaned against the stove, never taking his eyes off of her.
Morgan found it difficult to look away from his direct, watchful stare. “I’ve wanted him for as long as I can remember.” Sighing, she averted her eyes in embarrassment. “Unfortunately, he only sees the pathetic little girl who pestered him for attention.”