Shannon's Fairy-Tale Foursome by Mia Ashlinn Page A

to walk me to the front door.” Shannon smiled hesitantly, staring straight ahead at the buttons on Jared’s dress shirt. “I appreciate it, though.”
    Jared ran a callused finger down her right cheek and under the side of her jaw, trailing slowly to her chin. He lifted her chin high enough that she met his heavenly blue eyes. “We wanted to, princess.”
    Princess. She was no princess, and she didn’t want to be one. Being a princess in a far-off kingdom where a title was only a title held no appeal. But, with him, she wanted to be a princess. With him, she was one.
    Jared was her fairy tale. And so was Drew. And Randy. They were her princes, and she was their princess. If it weren’t for the villain, she would have had her happily ever after years ago.
    I can have my happily ever after starting now, damn it. If she wanted them, she had to tell them. They put themselves on the line for her—time and again. Why couldn’t she do the same?
    Throwing aside fear and gathering her courage, Shannon blurted out, “Do you want to come in?” She slapped her hand over her mouth, surprised that she finally said the words she wanted to say, not what was expected of her or what she had to say to protect them and herself or what her guilt told her to say. She said what she wanted and needed. It might not be everything she wanted to say, but it was a start. “I, um, don’t have any coffee or anything like that. But I baked homemade cookies yesterday. Oh, and I made some tea.”
    “We would love to,” Jared said, his eyes boring into hers. The intensity of his gaze stole her breath. Without words, he told her he knew what she meant. He understood this was more than cookies and tea, and he loved her for it.
    Randy appeared to be on the same page as his brother. With a grin, he held out his hand for her keys. She dropped the bulky key chain into his palm without hesitation. This felt too right to be wrong.
    Randy grabbed her hand before she pulled it away and brought it to his lips for a poignant kiss. “Thank you.”
    Startled and confused, she asked, “For what?”
    Neither man answered her. Instead, they jumped into action. Randy unlocked the door and pushed it open while Jared swung her up into his robust arms and walked into her apartment. Following them inside, Randy closed the door behind him.
    Unable to wait another minute, she had to know, “When will Drew be here?” Her impatient question came out too sharp, making her sound abrupt and insolent. She truly didn’t want to sound rude, but she needed him. The night couldn’t begin without their final link, Drew.
    Randy’s startled, “Oh,” made her stomach drop to the floor. He wasn’t coming. Of course he wasn’t. She felt stupid and hurt and angry with herself—all at once.
    “Don’t say it,” she choked out, her voice wavering with each passing word. Hearing their inevitable answer would only do damage. She didn’t need a confirmation. “You don’t have to. I know.”
    Jared strode over to the old, beat-up couch. Sitting down gingerly, he held her close in his arms. “Princess,” Jared said, his voice soothing her, slowing her heart rate, and relieving some of the tension in her chest. “He wants to be here, but he isn’t ready.” He pushed a stray strand of her red hair away from her face. “You weren’t ready and now he isn’t. Give him the time he needs. He’ll come around.”
    An enormous, looming presence came up behind her and plopped down next to them, squishing the mustard-yellow cushion under his fine ass. Unlike his older brother, Randy wasn’t careful or hesitant. He was just there. She loved that about him. Randy wouldn’t let her sulk or treat her with caution. He understood her need to steer clear of the pity parties. “Baby doll, stop worrying or beating yourself up or whatever you are doing in that pretty head of yours. It will work out. Just relax.” Randy laid his warm hand between her shoulder blades, rubbing up and