Josh paused while emptying the basket to gaze up at Sparrow. "What's with the sudden interest in mates?" The man's eyes began to grow larger as he jumped to his feet. "Are you Clayton's mate?" Josh looked as if he were ready to kill Sparrow. "How dare you let me take you out knowing you have a mate!"

"Calm down." Sparrow turned away from the creek and joined Josh. "I don't know anything about mates. That's why I was asking you."

Josh's eyes dropped to Sparrow's stomach and Sparrow had his answer. "Of course, one of them gets knocked up. That's how you know if someone is your mate."

Josh crinkled his nose. "No offense, but I can't imagine you pregnant."

Neither could Sparrow. That had been part of the problem. There was no way in hell Sparrow was carrying around a baby for nine months. It was nine months, right? "How long is a bear shifter pregnant?"

"Three months."

"So that person would show right away?" Even though he'd used a condom, after Clayton left Sparrow had worried that he'd done something irreversible, like knocked the man up. He needed answers and Josh seemed the perfect person to get them from.

The man nodded. "It's like one human trimester happening in one month instead of three. The cub grows pretty fast." Josh cocked his head to the side. "You still haven't told me why the sudden game of twenty questions."

Sparrow smiled and waved at the blanket. "Let's eat. I'm starving."

"And you're going to answer me before this picnic is over, Sparrow."

Sparrow knew he was playing with fire where Josh and Clayton were concerned. So why wasn't that thought stopping him from wanting to fuck Josh?

Chapter Five.

"I don't get it," Clayton said as he helped Harland's mother with the dishes. "How can my bear want two men? It just doesn't make any sense to me."

"Life is full of mysteries," Renee replied as she handed him a dish to rinse. "Truth is often stranger than we imagine. I have heard of three people in a relationship before, but just like Noah's triplets, it's very rare."

Clayton wasn't even sure how it would work, but there was no denying what his bear felt. Okay, who was he kidding? There was no denying what he felt as well. Sparrow was like a silent warrior, his looks and personality tenebrous. Josh, on the other hand, was light, full of smiles, and made Clayton's heart sigh.

Wait, did he just think that? Clayton shook his head, trying to dislodge the damn poetic thoughts. But Renee caught the gesture and laughed. "I know it's impossible to wrap your head around. All I'm saying is don't fight what your bear wants."

That wasn't why he had shaken his head, but he let her think that. Placing the last dish in the rack, Clayton kissed Renee on her cheek and then headed outside.

He spotted Jed over by the stables with Tyler running around him in his cub form. The horses seemed at ease with the bear. Of course, they were used to it considering four bears owned the ranch.

Tyler came running at him, head butting Clayton on his leg. Clayton picked the cub up and tossed the tyke over his shoulder. "Have you seen Josh?"

"Oh, no. I'm not getting involved in that," Jed said as he brushed one of the mares down. "Settle your own affairs."

Clayton frowned as he set the cub on his feet. "What does that mean?"

Jed eyed him critically. "You really don't know?"

"No."

"Harland gave Josh a ride into town and Josh was carrying a picnic basket with him." Jed turned to face him. "I'm not sure what's going on, but promise me you won't kill anyone."

Sparrow.

Clayton hadn't hidden the fact that he wanted Josh. And he had thought that Josh wanted him as well. Clayton couldn't technically get mad considering he'd let the sheriff fuck him yesterday. But he had to admit that the idea of Sparrow and Josh together without him stung.

Double standards.

Pulling out his cell, Clayton walked away from Jed as he dialed Sparrow. The phone rang so long he thought it would go to voice mail, but the sheriff picked up. "Sheriff Sparrow."

"You sorry sack of shit," Clayton said as he curled his fingers around the phone. "What kind of game are you playing?"

"I'm not the one playing games," Sparrow answered. "Tell me, Clayton. What are you and Josh up to?"

Clayton could hear Josh protesting in the background, telling Sparrow he wasn't playing any games, but Clayton had a feeling Sparrow wasn't listening.

"First you come to my office and all but throw yourself at me, and then Josh shows up wanting to go on a picnic. Sounds to me like I'm the one being played."

"I'm not playing you!" Josh shouted in the background. "Take me back to the station, asshole."

Clayton grinned at Josh's indignant tone. The man was feisty when riled up. He liked that quality in the guy. He wished he could see the man's flustered face. He bet Josh was gorgeous when mad.

"Seems to me we have a similar interest," Clayton said. He wasn't going to fight Sparrow on this. He was going to join him.

"And what's that?" Sparrow asked.

"Josh."

"And here I thought you were interested in me." Sparrow clucked his tongue. "I must be losing my touch."

Clayton chuckled, his anger dissipating. "Oh, you haven't lost a damn thing and I am interested in you."

"Greedy bastard, I see." Sparrow paused. "So you're saying that you want to tap that ass at the same time?"

Clayton was instantly hard at Sparrow's suggestion. He knew how good a lover the sheriff was, and the thought of watching the man fuck Josh was the biggest turn-on of his life. "Such naughty thoughts, Sheriff Sparrow."

"Been known to get kinky in my time." The man's voice had gone deep and he knew the sheriff was just as turned on as Clayton was at the idea of both of them fucking Josh.

"I'm not a goddamn piece of meat to bid on," Josh said loudly. "Screw both of you."

"Oh, I plan to," Sparrow said to Josh. "Now sit down before you fall over."

"Where are you?" Clayton asked.

"Goldilocks and I are on a picnic. Does the big bad bear want to join us?"

Hell yeah. Does a bear shit-never mind. "Give me your location and I just might show up."

Clayton had never been more primed and ready in his life. The playful banter between him and Sparrow was not only sexy, but it made Clayton want to jack off right there on the phone. Too bad he was standing on the side of the house, in plain view.

He sure as hell hoped he made it to the picnic before he exploded.

"On second thought, I think I just might keep Goldilocks for myself."

"Stop calling me that!" Josh shouted.

"You wouldn't dare," Clayton said in challenge. He was already heading to his truck. If Sparrow started without him, Clayton was going to beat the man with his dick. "Besides, I thought you were terrified of getting pregnant."

"From what you told me, as long as no cock is shoved up my ass, I'm safe. Unless you were lying to me."

"Nope, wasn't lying. Now tell me where you are before I hunt you down." That would take too much time. Clayton prayed the man wasn't going to torture him by withholding his location. Even if he shifted into his bear form, Clayton would have to know which direction they were in.

"Take the service road off of Jepsen and then veer right when you hit the fork," Sparrow said. "And, Clayton?"

"Yeah?" Clayton was panting by the time he started his truck and raced down the driveway.

"Don't be late. I'm not waiting for you."

Clayton didn't have to be told twice. He hung up, tossing the phone in the passenger's seat as he tore down the road.

Josh was furious by the time Sparrow hung up his phone. "Just who in the hell do you think you are?" Part of his anger came from the nervous energy humming through his body. It was true that he was attracted to both men. But there was no way in hell he was sleeping with them at the same time.

They'd lost their ever-loving minds. "What kind of a guy do you think I am?"

A part of him settled when he saw the look in Sparrow's eyes. The man wasn't as confident as he had pretended to be on the phone. It was good to know he wasn't the only one worrying about this.

"I think you're the kind of guy who knows how to let two men show him a world of pleasure." Sparrow moved in so quickly that Josh barely had time to catch his breath.

So much for Sparrow being nervous.

Even though the guy was human, Josh could see pure predator in the man's obsidian eyes. Sparrow might not be one hundred percent sure about where things were going, but the man seemed to be onboard. The sheriff pulled Josh into his arms, kissing along the line of his jaw.

Josh wasn't the type to engage in behavior like having sex with two men at the same time. "I'm not too sure about this," he said to Sparrow as the sheriff continued to kiss him down his neck. Josh shivered, curling his fingers into the man's shirt as he tilted his head to the side.

It had been too long since he'd felt the touch of a lover.

He was on the most extreme edge of arousal as Sparrow worked at Josh's pants, unfastening them, pulling Josh's cock free. The pad of the sheriff's thumb ran over the head and Josh hissed, his ass clenching, needing to be filled. He heard something in the distance, but Josh was too far gone to concentrate on the noise. He could care less if someone was driving past them. He wasn't going to let Sparrow stop.

"Just relax." Sparrow's voice was heavy with sexual heat, his breath coming out in soft pants. "Don't be alarmed, Josh."

He had no idea what Sparrow was talking about until Josh felt something solid at his back, a wicked heat that made him feel even hotter than the temperature of the bright, sunny day.

Clayton had arrived.

Josh stiffened.

He was sandwiched between the two. Clayton pressed into his back and Sparrow left no room in the front. He wasn't sure what to do. The dynamics seemed simple enough, but with so much muscle surrounding him, Josh couldn't think straight.

Josh had never thought he would have anything remotely close to this-two handsome, stubborn alpha males bidding for his time.

Sparrow sealed his lips over Josh's neck, sucking up a bruise. His insides formed knots, his muscles locked into place.

"Relax, hon," Clayton said from behind him as his hands skimmed over Josh's waist. "It's just us, no one else."

Sparrow continued to suck erotically at his neck. The sensation only made Josh's cock harder, throbbing painfully in Sparrow's hand. Josh tried hard to stop his body from shaking, but it was so overwhelming being trapped between the two.

He held his breath as Sparrow slowly began to work Josh's pants free. Sparrow pulled away from Josh's neck and yanked Josh's jeans down and off. He stopped momentarily to remove Josh's shoes, and then Josh was naked from the waist down.

God, I'm about to have sex with two men. The thought startled and excited him in the same measure. But Josh couldn't just stand there. He pulled at Sparrow's shirt until the man lifted his arms and allowed Josh to slide it over the man's head, tossing it aside.

The skin-to-skin contact was amazing. He also felt the solid wall of flesh behind him and knew that Clayton was already undressed. He must have stripped down as soon as he'd left his truck.

Josh began to panic. He wasn't sure if he could go through with this. The heat from both men scorched him and Josh started to lose his bravado. He began to think about his earlier protest. What if only one of them was his mate? Could he live with the fact that he let another man fuck him in front of his mate?

"Wait." Josh pressed his hand into Sparrow's hard chest and nearly whimpered at how good the man felt.

Clayton moved even closer, his hand on Josh's hip. All three sank to a kneeling position as Clayton's hands slid over Josh's ass.

"Tell me to back off and I'll move away," Clayton said as he pressed his lips to Josh's ear. "I swear this to you."

This was his chance to say no, to tell both men he didn't want this.

But he did. As much as Josh feared that only one man was his mate, by god, he didn't want either to stop what they were doing. He wanted the pleasure they were offering.

Josh didn't say a word, but neither did he relax. He just knelt there, his breathing shallow. Clayton's heat began to slowly seep into Josh, his cock pressing between Josh's butt cheeks.

The man didn't move away.

Splaying his fingers, Clayton ran his hand down Josh's chest. When his hand reached Josh's lower stomach, he felt the head of Clayton's cock pressing against his back entrance.

Clayton was rock hard.

"You look so good between us," Sparrow said. "Like a little minx here to destroy our senses."

Josh wasn't sure what Sparrow was doing when he moved away. He blinked a few times and then looked over his shoulder to see the sheriff digging in his jeans.

Before he could register what was happening, two lubed fingers breached him. Josh's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fell to all fours. As Clayton stretched him, he felt something nudging at his lips. Josh opened his eyes to see that Sparrow had returned, naked, and was kneeling in front of him.

Josh opened his mouth, sucking the cock to the back of his throat. He thought he would be too nervous to be with both men, that it would be too overwhelming. But for the first time in Josh's life, he actually felt alive, free.

Sparrow's taste exploded in his mouth, the hot, musky scent filling Josh's lungs as the sheriff inched his shaft in deeper.

Josh dug his nails into Sparrow's powerfully corded thighs as the sheriff began to move in short bursts, fucking Josh's mouth in quick snaps. Sparrow's large hand cupped Josh's chin as the man's cock plunged in and out of his mouth.