Van, Becca - Her Shadow Men [Slick Rock 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (5 page)

So she would have a fling with them. She would keep her heart locked away tight. The last thing she wanted to do was fall in love with them and then have them hurt her. She’d been there and done that, and she wasn’t about to do it again. She knew eventually things would go sour. They always did when she was involved in a relationship.

But the thought of giving her body to them and then having them leave her pierced her heart with pain. She already had feelings for the two Delaney brothers. She wondered if she was getting in over her head. Could she really give them her body and not involve her heart? When all was said and done, she just wasn’t strong enough to resist them.

Debbie followed the sound of their deep, rumbling voices and found the kitchen. It was a chef’s dream. All the appliances were state-of-the-art stainless steel. The counters were a black-flecked stone, and the cupboards were a high-gloss white. The backsplash was also all stainless steel. There were black-leather stools near the bench, and the dining room was attached but even bigger than the kitchen. She could just imagine cooking up a storm in this kitchen and serving guests dinner around the long table.

“Your kitchen is a dream. You have a beautiful home,” Debbie said as she walked over to the table and sat. “Thank you for my tea.”

“You’re welcome, honey.”

“Do either of you ever use that kitchen?”

“Sure we do, baby. We can cook. We had to learn to be self-sufficient. We couldn’t stand having to live on takeout all the time,” Britt replied.

“Well, at least it’s not going to waste.”

“You’re still a little pale. Are you feeling okay, honey?” Daniel asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just tired I guess. It’s been a long night.”

“That it has. Why don’t you go and crawl into bed? You’re exhausted,” Britt avowed.

“Yes, I will,” Deb replied and rose to her feet. She picked up her mug and rinsed it, leaving it in the sink. “Well, thank you for coming to help me. Good night.”

“Sleep well, honey,” Daniel called.

“Night, baby,” Britt said.

Debbie walked down the hall to her temporary room and closed the door with a sigh. She stripped off her clothes and rummaged in her bag for a nightgown. She sighed with frustration when she realized she hadn’t packed one. Instead she had packed two camisoles. As she slipped one over her head, she smiled at the coincidence when she realized it matched the mauve on the wall. She slipped into bed and turned off the bedside lamp and was asleep moments later.

* * * *

“Shit, Britt. I’ve never been so scared in my life. I thought for sure when the call came through Glen Parker had gotten to her,” Daniel said and ran hand down his face in frustration.

“Yeah me, too, but burglary’s not his usual MO. I can’t believe she confronted the burglar. The fact she got hurt tears me to the bone. We’re going to have to try and get her to move in here with us. I don’t want her living alone anymore. That bastard could come back for her anytime. Did Luke find any prints on the lock or cash register?”

“No. He had to be wearing gloves. Deb said she thought he was wearing a balaclava too, so she didn’t see his face. All she told Luke was that the bastard was big. God, I want to protect her from the world and never let her leave the house again,” Daniel said with a sigh.

“Yeah like that’s going to happen. She hates being told what to do. She’s too wary of men since her ex hurt Leah, to let her guard down,” Britt stated.

“When she looks at you I can see sadness in her eyes. She looks so lonely and vulnerable, but when you look at her she tries to be so calm and cool. God, I want to take her in my arms and just hold her. I want to take that loneliness away.”

“She looks at you the same way,” Britt said. “I want her to open up with us. I want to know everything about her. I want to know her hopes and dreams and make them come true. I want to know about her family and what her favorite foods are, and I want her to drop those walls she’s enclosed her heart in.”

“Well, at least we know what her favorite color is. You should have seen her face when she walked into her room. Her eyes lit up and her whole face was filled with joy when she saw her room for the first time. She looked so gorgeous. My cock is so hard and I swear my balls are turning blue. I love the fact she wears lavender, she smells so good I just want to take a bite out of her,” Daniel said on a groan. “Shit, now I’m going to have to jack off just so I can get to sleep.”

“Me, too. Do you think she knows we decorated that room for her?” Britt asked.

“No. She has no idea, thank God. If she did she would have been out the door in a shot. I’m going to bed to get a couple of hours’ sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

“Yeah, I hear ya. She’s going to insist we take her home again,” Britt predicted.

“Yeah, but you and I know that’s not going to happen,” Daniel said with a smirk. “G’night”

“Night.”

Daniel had just settled into bed when he heard the first scream. He was up in a flash, had his gun in his hand, and was in Debbie’s room before he took his next breath. He scanned the interior and hid his gun in the waistband of his boxers when he realized Debbie was dreaming. He flicked on the bedside lamp and reached for her. He cradled her against his bare chest and tried to wake her gently.

“What’s wrong?” Britt asked as he entered the room. His brother’s hair was still damp from his shower.

“Nightmare,” he answered. “Wake up, honey. Come on, you’re safe here.”

Daniel was glad he had such lightning-fast reflexes as he ducked her flying fist. He gently took her hand in his and held on to it so Debbie couldn’t hurt herself. Britt sat down beside him and Deb. His brother took her free hand in his and began to gently rub her back. Slowly, the tension in her body released and she stopped trying to fight him and Britt. She slumped against his chest, and he felt her tears trickling down his bare skin.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, honey. Take a few deep breaths and relax, Deb. You’re safe here with us. We won’t ever hurt you. I promise. Are you okay now?” Daniel asked.

“Yeah.”

“Good,” Daniel replied and lifted her back onto the bed. He covered her up and sighed with relief that her body was now nearly completely out of sight. His balls ached, and his cock was fully erect. He didn’t want her to see how hard he was, so he reached over and turned off the bedside lamp and then stood.

“Don’t.” Her quiet whisper reached his ears.

“Don’t what, honey?”

“Please don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone.”

Daniel knew she had no idea what she was asking of them, but he couldn’t leave her when she was so scared. He sighed and prayed he would be able to keep his libido under control. He slid the gun out of his shorts and placed it on the bedside table.

“Scoot into the middle, honey,” Daniel said then climbed into bed. She snuggled up onto his chest once he was settled in the bed on his back. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in closer. He felt the mattress move as Britt climbed in as well. She sighed, and Britt cuddled up to her back. His brother accidentally brushed his side with his hand.

“You’re safe, baby. Close your eyes and go to sleep,” Britt said.

Daniel knew the moment Debbie had drifted off to sleep again. The last of the tension in her body was gone, and her breathing deepened. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink with her body plastered along his. He sighed and tried to relax but only tensed even more when she threw a leg over his hips, her thigh resting on his throbbing dick. He was just glad it was only a couple of hours until dawn. He didn’t know how long he could stand the torture of lying beside her without being able to love her. It was going to be the longest couple of hours he had ever endured. He knew his brother was suffering just as he was when he groaned as Debbie wiggled in her sleep. On the other hand, as excruciating as this was, she was exactly where they wanted her for the first time. He just hoped they could convince her to stay.

He and Britt had met Debbie nearly six months ago, after they moved to Slick Rock from Phoenix, Arizona. He had known in that instant she was the woman they had been waiting for. Before they began courting her, he and Britt had often slipped questions about Debbie into conversations with Seamus and Connell O’Hara. Leah, too, had told them quite a bit about Debbie Newsome, but not enough to satisfy his curiosity. He wanted to know so much more, and he knew Britt did as well.

They were going to have to be careful with her and not push her too hard or too fast. He didn’t want to give her any reasons to run from them when her history already made her skittish. He would never do or say anything to make her feel uncomfortable about her past. He and his brother had had countless women over the years, and he wouldn’t feel right if she asked him about the previous women in his life.

Those days were over, though. Even if it was way too soon to go declaring his feelings for her, he was in love with her already. This room was hers as far as he and Britt were concerned, and he couldn’t wait to have her living here permanently.

Chapter Six

Debbie stared at the expanse of tanned muscular chests on display. Her clit throbbed and she gulped in reaction as she devoured Britt and Daniel with her eyes.

Debbie managed to lift her gaze from them and looked at the clock on the dining-room wall. She gasped when she saw the time. It was 10:00 a.m., and she couldn’t believe she had slept so late. Of course she knew why she had, but she still felt guilty. She had never been one of those people who could sleep to all hours.

She hesitated in the doorway. Neither of the men had bothered to put shirts on. She gulped at the sight of their naked skin. They were both sipping coffee and chatting, unaware of her presence. She was about to duck back around the corner and hide in her room, but her movement must have alerted Britt to her presence. He looked up and pinned her with his blue eyes.

“Hey, baby, come on in. Do you want coffee?”

Debbie didn’t think she would be able to answer without her voice squeaking, so she just gave a slight nod. She couldn’t help but stare at Britt’s broad chest, muscles moving and striating beneath his skin as he grabbed a mug from the cupboard and poured her some of the dark brew out of the pot. He walked toward her, slid his large, warm hand down her arm, and took her hand in his. He led her over to the table, placed the mug down, and pulled a chair out for her. When she was seated she wrapped her hands around the mug and looked into the coffee. She didn’t want to be caught ogling him and Daniel and she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep her eyes from wandering over their naked chests, so she kept her eyes lowered.

“How are you feeling, honey?” Daniel asked from beside her. She speculated on whether Britt had purposely placed her in the empty seat between him and Daniel.

“Fine, thanks,” she replied and cursed the sound of her own breathless voice.

“Are you sure, Debbie? You’re looking a little flushed,” Britt said, and then placed his palm on her forehead. Debbie jerked back from the unexpected touch and then felt her cheeks heat, embarrassed about overreacting.

“Look at me, baby,” Britt requested gently.

Debbie lowered her eyelashes even more and shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes.

“What’s wrong, baby? Have we done something to hurt you?”

Again she just shook her head. She felt Britt’s thumb and finger on her chin, and he lifted her face up to his.

“Do we make you uncomfortable, Deb?”

Debbie opened her mouth to deny it, but then changed her mind. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“You don’t have any shirts on,” she replied.

“Why does that unnerve you, baby?” Britt asked. “I’m sure you’ve seen lots of men without their shirts on.”