They weren’t, not really. They loved her but they were used to women fawning over them. Obeying their every command. If she’d stood up to them sooner instead of running away, she wouldn’t have to face them now at a disadvantage. Heck, she liked living in Middlemarch. She’d made friends here, started to carve out a life for herself. “My brothers are overprotective. They mean well.”
“You need to stand up to them.”
“Easy for you to say.” Kiera picked at her sandwich, her appetite nil. Finally she gave up. She set it back on the plate and drank her coffee instead. She’d get Emily to wrap the sandwich to go.
“Are your brothers married?”
“No. Actually, I’m surprised they’re taking a break from the law firm to come out here. They were close-mouthed about their reasons. I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly after they dropped their bombshell. I should have asked more questions.”
“If they give you a tough time, I can rally a few tiger and leopard shifters to knock sense into them.”
Kiera treated Ambar’s words as a joke, but her offer was genuine. She’d become a good friend. “I’d better go and sort out Joe’s tractor.”
“Joe’s single.”
Kiera wrinkled her nose. “He’s not interested in me.”
“He’s not interested in anything since Sly went to prison.” Ambar glanced over her shoulder and leaned closer. “Sly refuses to see him. We’re worried about them both.”
Kiera stood. Since Emily was busy, she grabbed a couple of paper napkins and wrapped her sandwich to take with her. “I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
With a wave, Kiera hurried from the café down the road to her garage.
Located opposite the post office, her garage consisted of fuel pumps to service both cars and trucks and a large workshop decked out for mechanical repairs. A small studio apartment rounded out the facilities. The garage wasn’t exactly the luxury she’d grown up with but it sufficed. Her brothers would turn up their collective feline noses.
“Where have you been?” Joe demanded, straightening from his lean against the wall.
Kiera lifted her sandwich. “Give me a break. I have to eat.”
The man had changed since their first meeting. He appeared thinner, his face gaunt while his beautiful green eyes lacked the teasing sparkle that had first grabbed her attention. His black hair, shaggy and much longer now, grew past his collar. A wave of empathy swept her. According to Ambar, Sly shouldn’t be in jail. And she wasn’t the only Middlemarch resident who held the opinion.
A yawn cracked Joe’s jaw and he offered her a sheepish look. “Sorry.”
“No problem. You want half a sandwich?”
His eyes widened a fraction, as if her offer surprised him. The rumble of his stomach settled the matter. She unwrapped the sandwich and handed him half. She watched him surreptitiously, part of her surprised he’d even accepted the food.
“How long will my tractor take?”
“Without interruptions—say half an hour to an hour. Why don’t you take a pew while I finish the repairs?”
He didn’t move a muscle. “I’ll fall asleep if I sit down.”
Kiera shot him a quick glance before rewrapping her sandwich and setting it aside. “Maybe you should try to sleep. You can always stretch out on my bed.”
“I’ve never heard that line before.” A quick grin twisted his lips, but his amusement faded before she became comfortable with the ease of tension in him. A spurt of pleasure filled her because she’d made him smile, and she immediately wanted to do it again.
“It was a genuine offer,” Kiera said. “You look as if you might keel over with exhaustion. I have a bed that’s not in use at present.”
“You’re not after my body. What a disappointment.”
Kiera sighed and reached for a wrench. “I do need a man.”
Another of those half grins flitted across his face, too rapid to light up his pretty eyes. “I’m surprised you’d have problems in that department.”
“I said I needed a man. I didn’t say I wanted to keep him.”
“Explain.” His gaze connected with hers, shocking her libido with a flash of intensity and yearning. Her body reacted immediately, nipples contracting to tight peaks, and she was thankful for the baggy overalls hiding her breasts.
“Do you gossip?”
Her question dragged a bark of rusty laughter from him. “Haven’t you heard? My brother is a criminal. No one associates with me because they consider me a crook by extension.”
“Bullshit. Word on the street is your brother isn’t guilty.”
“And you believe that?”
“Ambar Patel is my best friend. She believes in your brother’s innocence. Jake and Hari. Jonno. Even Laura thinks he was wrongly charged, and she’s a cop.”
“Tell me why you need a man.”
“This isn’t getting your tractor fixed.”
“Stop prevaricating.”
According to Ambar, he hadn’t shown interest in anything since Sly went to jail. Instead, he slaved away on their farm, not seeing other people or felines for days. And, because she knew Ambar and the rest of his friends and family worried about him, Kiera decided to trust Joe and tell him the whole sordid story.
“I’m the youngest in my family. I have three older brothers.”
This time the amusement sparked briefly in his eyes. Her heart stuttered a fraction before kicking into a racy beat. Stunning. What would it feel like to have his attention focused on her for real? A streak of awareness snuck down her body to take up residence in her lady parts. Kiera shifted uneasily.
“I can probably guess the rest but continue.”
“Bossy much?”
“You forget I have three older brothers too.”
“You didn’t move to the other side of the world.”
“True.” His dark brows rose in a silent order to continue.
“My brothers are coming to visit. They’re bringing a friend.”
“Matchmaking?”
Kiera scowled at the wrench in her right hand. “Maybe. Probably,” she amended, risking a glance at him. “My brothers are staying for the entire summer. They’re attending a polo school in Christchurch.”
“You think a man in your life will stop them trying to matchmake?”
“It’s the only plan I have.”
“You could always tell your brothers you don’t want to marry whoever they have in mind.”
“You don’t know my brothers.” Bossy and arrogant were two words that came to mind. Add in determined and charming times three and Kiera found it difficult to stand her ground. At least when her grandfather had been around, he’d sided with her and aided her bid for independence.
Joe shrugged. “Tell them you’re gay.”
“But that wouldn’t be true.”
They stared at each other, and Kiera caught her breath, her chest growing tight with expectation. Joe glanced away first and disappointment seared her. She wasn’t even sure why. Sighing, she turned to the tractor and focused on its innards. Running through the manual in her mind, she applied her knowledge and started tinkering, checking and double-checking. There. Problems with the fuel line.
“I guess I could help you out.”
Kiera maneuvered for a better angle, focused on the job at hand. “What?”
“I’ll be your man.”
Her head jerked upward, the top of her skull colliding with the side of the engine housing. “Hell.” An explosion of bright stars colored the insides of her tightly squeezed eyelids. She stumbled back, jumping when Joe grasped her shoulders.
“Steady. I’m not going to hurt you.” Gentle fingers probed her head.
“You just have,” she retorted, yanking from his investigation. “You shouldn’t make statements like that while I’m trying to work.” She rubbed the sore spot, wincing at the echo her touch generated. No doubt she’d live.
“Do you want my help or not?”
“You’ll have to f
uck me.”
His dark brows scrunched together. “Jesus, you’re blunt.”
“It’s better if I state my needs up front.”
Joe blinked, focusing her attention on his long, dark eyelashes. “There’s more?”
“I need to have sex and have a male’s scent on me and my apartment. My brothers must believe we’re serious. The relationship would be a façade since I have no intention of hooking up with a man on a permanent basis.”
“Most women want kids, a family.”
“I’m happy as I am at present. If I want something to cuddle, I’ll get a dog.”
“No strings? Sex only?”
He didn’t believe her. Suspected she was playing games with him. “That’s exactly what I want.” Her tone was sharp. Most guys would jump at the chance. She turned away, disappointed but resigned. She’d have to work out another plan to foil her brothers.
Joe grasped her shoulder and spun her back to face him. His jaw worked, a tide of anger sweeping his face. “I’ve been with a woman who said one thing and meant something else entirely. I don’t want to put myself through that crap again. I don’t want a permanent relationship. I don’t want marriage. I do not want a mate.”
“So why did you offer?”
Joe’s shrug was irritable. “Hell if I know.” He finished off with a jaw-cracking yawn.
“For goodness’ sake, go and stretch out on my bed. Get some sleep and let me concentrate on your tractor.”
“You just want me to mark my scent in your personal space.”
True. But she found herself yearning for his touch too. Sex with Joe Mitchell would prove interesting. The man had changed from the teasing one she’d met and flirted with several months ago. This Joe was completely different. He’d matured and was probably worth saving. Not that she was the right woman to cement the changes in him.
Kiera shoved his shoulder, pushing him in the direction of her apartment. “Go. Make sure you don’t piss in any corners while you’re scent marking. I don’t have time to clean up the mess.”
She turned back to the tractor, hiding a smile when she heard his grunt of disbelief. Even if he didn’t agree, their relationship had changed today. She might score a friendly fuck buddy out of this yet.
Joe found himself heading for Kiera’s apartment without understanding how it had come about. Following her scent trail, he opened a plain white door and stepped into an open-plan apartment. Light streamed through several ceiling windows, the bright sun merciless in highlighting the sparse, rough contents. The ruffled, pink sheets on the single bed at the far end of the room were the only indication of a woman’s presence. A drying rack held several pairs of faded jeans and a pair of navy overalls.
His steps carried him over to her bed and he figured what the hell. He kicked off his work boots, pretty sure he wouldn’t sleep even though his body cried for rest. After removing his jacket, he dropped onto the bed. Her scent—a bouquet of citrus and flowers with an underpinning of hand cleanser and laundry powder—permeated the sheets. He relaxed and immediately a stream of aggressive curses filled his mind.
Sly.
Joe didn’t understand why this had happened, but despite the miles between them, he and Sly could slip into each other’s minds and consciousnesses. He reached out, craving closeness with his twin. The door between them slammed shut and bitterness writhed in his gut. He’d do anything for his twin and he didn’t understand why Sly blocked him mentally and refused to let him visit in person.
God, if he could get his hands on Maggie, he’d commit murder.
The traitorous bitch.
He forced himself to concentrate on Kiera. He liked her. When she’d first arrived and set up shop, none of the local farmers had believed her capable of servicing their cars or repairing their farm equipment. Saber didn’t think the same way and had given her a chance. It hadn’t taken her long to prove herself and now the locals needed to book ahead for her expertise.
She was attractive with her dark, curly hair and storm-blue eyes, unusual in leopard shifters. He found himself curious about what her hair would look like loose. He’d only ever seen her with her hair screwed into a knot at the back of her neck and wearing a cap.
Kiera didn’t date, probably not for lack of offers. Instead she spent time with friends and seemed content. He shifted his weight and turned onto his side. There was something lumpy under the pillow. He slipped a hand beneath to move the item. His hand encountered something hard. Joe raised it in front of his face, a spurt of amusement flickering to life.
A vibrator.
Sex.
A whoosh of heat zapped to his cock—the first hint of sex in his life for months.
Kiera needed a man. Maybe he could be that man. Maybe they’d help each other. At least her presence might help drive the ghosts at the farm into hiding. He’d tell her again once she’d finished the tractor repairs—her proposition interested him as long as she understood their teaming up wouldn’t become permanent.
* * * * *
Almost two hours later, Kiera entered her apartment. The repairs took longer than she’d envisaged but at least the tractor now purred smoother than a happy feline.
Joe had stretched out on her bed and was fast asleep. Smiling, she padded closer, coming to an abrupt halt when she saw exactly what he cuddled in his slumber.
Her trusty vibrator.
A mortified humph escaped. The man seemed right at home. An ache closed her throat. She didn’t want to wake him, but no point in delaying the embarrassment to come.
“Joe?” She didn’t want to startle him. “Joe.”
“Don’t want breakfast. Go away.”
“It’s closer to dinner than breakfast,” she returned drily. Shades of her English accent curled around her words, much more precise than the softer New Zealand drawl.
His eyes popped open and she sensed his confusion.
“It’s Kiera. I’ve finished fixing your tractor.” Her voice drew his gaze and focused him. He lost his bewildered expression.
“How long did I sleep?”
“Two hours.” Determined to embrace embarrassment full-on, she added, “Maybe it was the vibrator. I always sleep better after sexual release.”
A snigger escaped him. “Why do you keep it under your pillow?”
“Do you see much furniture in here?”
He sat up and tucked her vibrator out of sight beneath the pillow. His hair plastered to his skull on one side and stuck up on the other. She had to force herself not to step closer and smooth down the unruly, dark strands.
“The place has a temporary air about it. You’d better move in with me for the duration of your brothers’ visit.”
Hope surged inside her. “I thought you didn’t want to have sex with me.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I’m confused. What did you say?”
“I’ll be your tame man, but in return, you have to fix my farm machinery and service my SUV for a year without charging me.”
Kiera sniffed. “I’m not a charity. I have to make a living.”
“Neither am I. I’ve been used and discarded before. It’s not gonna happen again.”
Fair enough. Part of her understood his caution and his way made this a straight business proposition with boundaries. “What do I get in return? Spell it out for me.”
“You get me in your bed, all the sex you want. I’ll play the part for your brothers and the rest of the community. But this is nothing more than sex. No ties. No promises.” He pulled on his boots and stood, shrugging into his lightweight jacket.
“Do you have a time limit in mind? My brothers are spending the summer and might decide to visit me at whim.”
“We can keep this going until your brothers leave New Zealand. If this agreement works out, we can discuss longer terms.”
Kiera nodded. “Fair enough. Are you sure you’re okay with having me underfoot?”
“Can you cook?”
“Yes, but I’m no
t taking on sole cooking duties. We share.” She didn’t intend to act the lackey for anyone.
“Household chores fifty-fifty,” he agreed without a fight.
Kiera held out her hand. “You’ve got a deal.”
“Good. Make sure you bring your vibrator.” Joe strode from her apartment before her tumbled feelings morphed into words.
“I understood you were the sex toy.” She barreled from her apartment and came face-to-face with Saber Mitchell, Joe’s oldest brother. One glance at his surprised face told her he’d heard her holler. A flush suffused her cheeks. Oh boy. Not one of her finest moments.
“Kiera. Joe,” Saber said. A big black dog stood at his side, tail swishing. “Am I interrupting?”
“No,” Kiera said.
“Yes,” Joe said at the same time.
Kiera glared at Joe but couldn’t hold her irritation when his grin sprang into evidence. Her insides softened like chocolate sitting in the hot, summer sun. Lord above, what had she let herself into with Joe? He wasn’t a man to lead around by his cock, which was how she preferred her men. Joe Mitchell presented a challenge and a half.
“We’ll continue this discussion at home tonight,” Joe said. “Don’t be late. It’s your turn to cook.” Then, before she opened her mouth to reply, he pounced, grasping her shoulders to lay a quick, down-and-dirty kiss with tongue on her. When he lifted his head, his face bore a wealth of satisfaction. “Can I take my tractor now?”
Kiera managed a nod. “Can I help you with something, Saber?”
“I wanted to book in Emily’s car for a service.” Saber glanced from her to Joe, and Kiera fought a blush.
She grabbed her appointment book. “I’ve had a cancellation for Tuesday morning. Will that work?”
“Tuesday is fine. I’ll see you then,” Saber said. His dog trotted at his heels as he wandered outside.
Another customer arrived and she hustled over to discuss his car repairs with him. By the time she’d finished, both Joe and his tractor were gone. A sense of confusion and anticipation warred inside her.
She’d made a deal with the devil. This couldn’t end well.
Chapter Three
Saber halted Joe with a heavy hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on with you and Kiera?”
My Twin Trouble Page 3