Bound Together (Torn and Bound Duet 2)

“Mia, what’s wrong?” Brayden asks, noticing that my eyes are glassy.

“Nothing,” I tell him truthfully, because for once everything is perfect. “It’s just… it looks like what a home is supposed to look like. What I always imagined…” I let my words trail off, but Brayden gets what I mean without me having to finish my thought. He saw the home I grew up in.

He pulls me into his side and kisses my temple. “You don’t need them.”

“That’s right,” Drew adds. “You have us.”

“Damn right, she has us,” Ashton says, taking my hand in his. He lowers his mouth to my ear. “You’ll always have me, MiMi.”

Their words plug each of the holes in my heart that my parents have made over the years. I never realized how much I was craving love and affection. Earlier today, when we spent Thanksgiving with Brayden’s parents, was the first holiday I actually felt like I was part of a real family. Molly and I cooked and baked all day while the guys watched football. Then we sat together and ate, going around the table and telling everyone what we were thankful for. I’d seen scenes like that in movies, but never in real life, and it made me despise my mom that much more. Holidays for our family were spent on a movie set with catered food brought in, or if we were home, she’d have the chef make us some healthy meal. We would spend maybe ten minutes together at most before she and my dad would retreat back to their rooms. But today… today it felt like I was part of a real family.

After Ashton orders all of us Irish Bailey’s hot chocolates, we find a cozy little corner with two couches in front of a fireplace and sit. Ashton hands me my drink and plops down next to me, while Bray and Drew take the couch diagonal from us. The cup is warm to the touch and feels good against my cold hands, and even better as it slides down my throat, instantly warming my insides.

“This is delicious.” I take another sip. “So, what’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” I curl my legs over Ashton’s and he rubs his hand up and down my jean-clad thigh.

“Skiing for sure,” Drew says.

“Hell yeah,” Brayden agrees. “We need to hit the slopes first thing in the morning.”

“Can you ski?” I ask Ashton when he doesn’t say anything.

He scoffs. “I can do everything.”

“Will you teach me how to?”

He side-eyes me. “I’d rather teach you something else… in bed, where it’s warm and there isn’t a chance of avalanches.”

Brayden barks out a laugh. “In other words, you suck at skiing.”

Drew snorts. “Finally, something Ashton isn’t good at.”

“Oh, I’m good,” Ashton retorts. “Mom and Dad practically used that bunny camp as a babysitter every winter. I’ll whip both your asses tomorrow morning, but then I’m spending the rest of the day with Mia warming me up.”

“But I want to learn,” I tell Ashton, who groans, already knowing he’s going to give in.

“Fine, but you owe me,” he murmurs, nipping at the corner of my jaw. “And I’m going to collect tonight.”

“You’re making me pay before you teach me?” I giggle as he nuzzles his face into my neck. “That hardly seems fair.”

“I already told you I’m a spoiled brat, woman. Nothing is fair when it comes to me.”

After we finish our drinks, we head back to the cabin, but not before I make the guys take pictures with me in front of the pretty Christmas tree. Since Ashton turned the heat on before we left, it’s toasty warm when we get back. I kick off my boots and shrug out of my jacket, unraveling my scarf from around my neck.

“Can you give us a tour?” I ask Ashton, glancing around. So far, I’ve only seen the master bedroom.

“Are you punishing me for something?” he deadpans.

“What?” I say with a laugh.

“My mom always punished my dad by refusing him sex when he fucked up. All I want is to get between your legs and you’re not letting me.” He nips at my lips, grinning. “I mean, I’m into punishment, but I prefer the kinky kind, not the psychologically torturous ones.”

“Oh my God. You’re so dramatic.” I encircle my arms around his neck. “It’s just a little tour. I promise as soon as we’re done, you can fuck me.”

With Drew, Brayden, and me following him, he shows us all the different rooms: a huge state of the art gym, an indoor theater that rivals the actual ones, an indoor sauna, a massive kitchen, and several others.

“And this is the backyard,” he says, opening a door that leads outside. I step out and my feet are instantly warmed.

When I glance down in confusion, Ashton laughs. “The deck is heated.”