She didn’t feel much like going shopping, but she didn’t want to go back home yet either, where she could chance running into Jarred. If she wanted to look her best and feel confident, a new dress could do nothing but help.
She decided to splurge a little and stopped at the dress department at Lord & Taylor. She wanted something summery, but the nights were still a little cool. Possibly a dress with a light jacket or long sleeves would work. However, the dress she fell in love with wasn’t something she would have normally worn, no matter what the weather. The low-cut bodice not only provided a more than ample view of her breasts, but the spaghetti straps bared her arms, and the back was open. She twirled a couple times liking the way the lightweight material felt against her legs. It was a pretty light pink with a flowing skirt that was ultrafeminine. She loved it. Of course it was a little short, but that was the style. She wasn’t used to showing so much skin. It went against her nature to dress quite so provocatively. Common sense was beginning to prevail when a customer in the dressing room commented on well how it suited her. She fought the urge to put it back on the rack, knowing full well the only reason she was considering it was because she wanted to impress Jarred. She looked at the price tag one more time before she pulled out her credit card.
Chapter Nine
Jarred Carson sat alone at his brothers’ kitchen table enjoying a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The move to the East Coast seemed to agree with both Justin and Jeremiah. They not only looked good but seemed to be doing well financially. He had been against it when Jeremiah had announced he wanted to accept a job offer in Philadelphia, even though he understood it was an excellent career move. When Justin had said he wanted to go with him, it had made him feel better knowing Justin would be there to keep Jeremiah company and out of harm’s way. Not that Jeremiah was still the reckless young man who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants or his head out of his ass, but he still had a tendency to pick up with the wrong kind of woman, and he was sure could still party with the best of them. Jeremiah had always been the brother with a knack for getting into trouble. It had been part of the reason why he had decided to join his brothers when it came to women. Jeremiah’s exceptional good looks and flirtatious nature had made him the object of the kind of women who were more than experienced in the ways of the world that many times included illegal activity.
He could still remember when Jeremiah had brought a woman into their bed who was strung out on coke and could have been carrying god knows what disease. Sometimes Jeremiah just didn’t think. Luckily, Justin and he had given her a few bucks and sent her own her way. Not that they ever had to pay for a woman, but this one said she didn’t even have money for cab fare.
When Jeremiah had spoken to him about Kat, he had heard something different in his brother’s voice. She was, he had reiterated every time they spoke, just what he had been looking for in a woman. She was smart and beautiful along with being the kindest and most loving person he had ever met. Jarred knew that if Jeremiah were alone in his infatuation, he would have been even more skeptical, but the fact that Justin, the more conservative of the three of them, was pushing for him to meet the woman that appeared to have captured both his brothers’ hearts, gave him reason to pause. Whether she was right for all three of them or not, was something he highly doubted.
At their request, he had even moved up his visit by a couple months. He had told them to just fuck her together or separately, whatever they preferred, it was okay with him. Although Jeremiah had been a bit more receptive to the idea, Justin had been adamant that he wanted their first time with her to be with all three of them. Justin had also said that he and Jeremiah weren’t going to bring any other woman into their bed while they waited. Jarred found it almost impossible to believe that Jeremiah was willing to forgo his carnal appetites for that long a period of time. It went totally against his nature that was more in line with his own. He hoped she wasn’t some scheming bitch who was out to take his brothers on the ride of their lives that could end with broken hearts, and a lighter wallet. He kept his cool and didn’t say what he was thinking. Instead he said if they wanted to take a vow of abstinence, he couldn’t stop them, but not to expect the same from him.
At thirty-seven years old, he had more than his share of women and even though there were times he found himself longing for something more, the variety of sexual encounters his lifestyle afforded him was not one he would easily give up. Kat would have to be more than just exceptional if he were to even consider taking the path his brothers seemed so eager to pursue. However, he would try to keep an open mind, and if she turned out to be a good fuck, then all would not be in vain. However, if she turned out to be the kind of woman who wasn’t worthy of their love, he’d do a lot more than just fuck her.
* * * *
“Hey, Jarred, you almost ready? Kat should be here any second.” Justin’s voice carried into the bathroom where Jarred had just finished shaving for the second time that day. Unlike his brothers, he was the hairy one in the family. A curse when it came to shaving, and yet women were attracted not only to his full head of dark-brown hair that he wore to his shoulders but his thick curly chest hairs they enjoyed rubbing up against their tits.
“Jarred, you almost ready?” This time it was Jeremiah outside the bathroom door.
“Give a man time to shave. You don’t want me meeting this delectable creature of yours with a day’s growth do you?”
“Yeah, God knows we don’t want you to scare her,” Jeremiah teased.
Coming out of the bathroom, he went into his bedroom and slapped on some cologne. The jeans he had on were not what his brothers had wanted him to wear. They had hoped he’d put on dress pants, but that’s where he drew the line. Jeans and boots were what he wore to meet most people regardless of their status. He did, however, opt for a white dress shirt. He left his Stetson on the bureau.
“Kat,” Jeremiah said loudly enough for Jarred to hear.
Jarred walked out into the living area and looked toward where his brothers were standing in front of what he could only assume was Kat. Sensing his presence, they turned and moved to either side of her.
“Jarred, this is our neighbor, Kat.”
He wasn’t sure exactly what he was expecting, but the woman standing before him with the shy smile was more beautiful than he had anticipated. She literally took his breath away, not an easy thing for any woman to do, especially one that wasn’t even his type. He physically shook himself and walked toward her. She held out her hand to him. Instead of taking it, he stepped closer to bring her into his arms, drawing her close, feeling the smooth warmth of her exposed skin. The dress she had on was pink and girlie and fit her to perfection. It highlighted her assets without making her look cheap. She felt good in his arms, like she belonged there. When he released her, he could have sworn she was trembling.
“Kat, it’s so nice to meet you. To say I’ve heard a lot about you would be an understatement.”
“Me, too.” She smiled, her eyes not quite meeting his. Was she really that shy or was it an act? He couldn’t tell. His brothers hadn’t been exaggerating when they had said she was different. He was used to being in the company of beautiful women, but there was something about her that went beyond mere beauty. He felt his heart skip a beat when she hesitantly looked up into his eyes. Her blond hair was long and shiny just the way he liked it, except the women he preferred had long, dark hair. She had captured it in combs that drew it away from her face, providing him an even clearer view of the soft curve of her neck. Her eyes, a deep blue, were framed by lashes that were the thickest he had ever seen on a woman. She was more than delicious. She was a wanton delight. The long, shapely legs and pretty, little, pink heels she wore only served to enhance his appetite for what he knew was between those thighs that were partially exposed by the short hem of her dress.
“I’m just getting ready to put the steaks on the grill. Why don’t you all sit down in the living room or would you prefer to go out on
the deck?” Justin asked. Jarred could feel his anxiety transmit itself in every word. This meeting was important to him.
“How about we sit here in the living room?” Jarred smiled. “Once you put the steaks on, the smoke will kill us. Besides, it will be more comfortable for Kat.”
Justin and Jeremiah smiled as Jarred took Kat’s hand to lead her into the living room where he sat down on the sofa, drawing her down next to him.
“If you two don’t mind, I’m going to help Justin. It will give you a chance to chat,” Jeremiah said as he backed out onto the deck, closing the glass door behind him.
Jarred could see a slight tremor move across Katlynn’s lips. Was she afraid of him? Or did she sense he liked his women submissive and was playing to his needs the way she did his brothers? Whatever her motivation, he had no doubt he would enjoy fucking her in every hole over and over until she begged him for mercy. He couldn’t believe Justin and Jeremiah hadn’t already spread those beautiful legs to sample what lay between them. He would never have shown that kind of restraint, not because he couldn’t, but because he wasn’t the type of man to deny himself. However, Katlynn wasn’t just any woman they had picked up for a night of fun, and he wasn’t about to let her bewitch him into losing his perspective. There was too much at stake.
“Katlynn, when I said my brothers told me about you, I wasn’t kidding. They have been singing your praises nonstop every time we’ve talked on the phone or they’ve sent me an e-mail. You’ve really impressed them.”
He watched as she took a deep breath before speaking. “They’ve both been really good to me. I moved in next door a few months ago and I guess you could say they adopted me. My parents are both dead, and I don’t have any brothers and sisters, so it’s been really great for me to have them as friends.”
“So,” Jarred said, turning so he could look directly into her eyes. He needed to be able to gauge her reactions if were to know whether she were lying. “You think of my brothers like they’re your brothers. Funny, I didn’t get the impression they saw you as another sister.”
“Well, um, no,” she stuttered. “I don’t actually think of them as brothers, but as really close friends.”
“You must be very special, Katlynn. I’ve never known my brothers, either one of them, to ever have a close woman friend before. I’d say you’re the first.”
“Then I guess I’m even luckier than I realized. I value their friendship more than I can put into words. They’ve opened their home to me and taught some valuable lessons about being a good friend.”
“Have they now. What kind of lessons?”
“Well,” she paused, “I don’t know how much they’ve told you about me, but I’ve always been someone who didn’t make friends very easily. They’ve taught me to open up and be more receptive to others. Not to be so, I wouldn’t say unfriendly, but more eager to have friends. I guess what I’ve learned about myself is that I want friends. I feel so lucky to have met them.”
“I think that they’re the lucky ones. You seem to have had a profound effect on them. I have to say, I’ve never seen them so eager for me to meet anyone as they have been for me to meet you. You mean a great deal to them. Something, I’m sure,” he said more pointedly, “that you don’t take lightly.”
“I assure you, I don’t take their friendship lightly at all.” He heard an edge to her voice and saw a slight frown crease her forehead. She seemed a little taken aback, but to her credit, she restrained herself from speaking out further. It seemed to him, she wasn’t quite as docile as he had initially thought.
“Did Justin and Jeremiah tell you they were going to Las Vegas tomorrow?”
“No, they didn’t.” Kat’s eyes clouded over before they went to the deck where Jeremiah and Justin were talking. As if sensing her, they both turned and looked her way. They smiled. When Kat didn’t return the smile, they both gave Jarred a worried look.
Jarred got up and went to the sliding glass door and opened it. “Hey, you two, Kat and I are getting hungry. I hope those steaks are as good as they smell.”
“Another few minutes,” Justin said. “Everything okay in there? Kat looks like she just lost her best friend.”
“We’re fine. Just worry about those steaks. I’m taking good care of Kat.”
When he sat back down, he said, “I shouldn’t have told you about Las Vegas. It’s something they’ve been doing for the last couple of years with a couple college buddies. It’s a short trip. They’ll be back on Monday.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she said, then more softly, “I’m just a friend, they don’t have to share everything they’re doing with me.”
“I know they were going to tell you. I think they were going to ask you to show me around Philadelphia and keep me company while they’re gone.”
“Maybe.” She smiled wanly, and then said with what sounded like true sincerity, “I’d be more than happy to show you around and to keep you company while they’re gone.”
Although her lips were turned up in a smile, her eyes were filled with sadness, and he wanted to kick himself for putting it there, and yet he needed to find out as much about her as he could. He knew the boys wanted to wait and tell her at dinner. It was just one more reason why they had wanted him to move up his visit. They didn’t want her to be alone, and they thought it would also give him a chance to spend time with her without their influence.
Justin opened the sliding glass door for Jeremiah, who was holding a plateful of steaks. “Let’s eat,” Jeremiah said cheerfully.
“Shall we, Kat?” Jarred stood holding out his arm. She hesitated but took it, and together they followed Jeremiah to the table that had been covered with a red-and-white checkered tablecloth for the occasion.
Chapter Ten
Despite her lack of appetite, she had to admit the steaks were delicious. Justin had outdone himself once again. If his brother Jarred had not completely unnerved her, she would have been able to at least try and put on a good face for the occasion. As it was, Justin and Jeremiah had talked nonstop, trying to fill in the gaps of silence that hung heavy in the air. They tried their best to draw her into the conversation. Although she answered them, she remained quiet and withdrawn.
“So, Kat, did my brother tell you he’s buying a ranch in Wyoming, not too far from where we grew up?”
“No. He never mentioned it.”
“No? Well he is, and from what he told us, it’s much bigger than the old homestead. He’s trying to entice us back there to live. Now that his business has really taken off, he thinks it’s more than time Jeremiah and I became partners. Have you ever thought about living on a ranch?”
“As you know, I’ve lived many places, but a ranch isn’t one of them.” She wanted to scream. The evening that she had hoped would be the beginning of a new friendship was turning into the evening from hell. First Jarred tells her that Jeremiah and Justin planned to leave on a trip the next day that they had purposely neglected to tell her about and now this. She looked over at Jarred to see if his handsome, arrogant face was gloating, but to her surprise he was looking at her with what appeared to be sympathy. She didn’t want his sympathy, she wanted his brothers, and it seemed he was determined to take them away from her.
“I think you’d like it. Lots of wide open space and quiet. A perfect place for a writer,” Jeremiah chimed in.
“Ranch life never appealed to me, but since you all grew up on one, it would be just perfect for you. I hope you’ll all be very happy there. I’m sure you’ll meet some nice girls who will love to set up housekeeping and give you lots of babies.”
“What?” Justin said, his fork clanking against his plate.
“You heard me. It sounds perfect for all of you, and I’m sure your mother and sister will be very pleased to have you all so close. And, Jarred,” she said, looking over to where he was still staring at her, “will probably be able to work a trip to Vegas into your business itinerary.”
“What are you talking about?”
Jeremiah said anxiously, his eyes going between her and Jarred.
“I may have spoken out of turn earlier with Kat. I told her about your trip to Vegas.”
“You did,” Justin said in surprise. “I thought we were going to tell her together, after dinner?”
“I should have waited, but it kind of slipped out,” he lied. “I’m sorry if I upset you, Kat.”
“I’m not upset,” Katlynn said as she forked down a piece of steak with vengeance. “I just was a little surprised that neither of you had mentioned it to me, especially since you’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Listen, Kat,” Justin said, reaching over to grab her hand. “We should have told you sooner, it’s just we thought,” he paused, “that it would be easier to tell you just before we were leaving, especially since Jarred will be here to keep you company. Are you okay with it?”
“Of course I’m okay with it. You don’t need my permission or blessing to go on a trip or to move or whatever for goodness sakes. We’re just friends. And although I already told Jarred I’d be more than happy to show him around, I certainly don’t need a babysitter.”
“We’re more than just friends. I thought we got that out of the way some time ago,” Jeremiah said, giving Kat a concerned look. “And no one thinks you need a babysitter. It’s just that we worry about you because we care for you so much. We know you’re still grieving for your parents and being alone is difficult.”
Alexander, Kalissa - Katlynn in Training (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7