Hard as Stone (Passion in Paradise: The Men of the McKinnnon Sisters)

by Sarah O'Rourke

  “Like a home. A family. Hell, a fucking dog,” he grunted, grimacing. “I never thought I’d be the type of guy that would have the patience for that shit.”

  Harmony chuckled as she glanced over at the small display monitor that was now on her nightstand, her daughter’s sleeping form showing clearly on the screen. “That’s Heaven’s influence,”

  “Yeah, well, don’t be surprised when you come home to a puppy someday soon,” he muttered, then warned, “when Heaven looks up at me with those big eyes of hers, I have a hard time sayin’ no. She’s been takin’ her cues from her Momma. I’ve got the same trouble with you.”

  “Ha!” Harmony snorted. “I told you a dozen times tonight to get out of my life this evening and you ended the day in my bed. You don’t have a problem in the world saying no to me,” she accused, twisting the flat brown nipple underneath her fingers and tugging sharply.

  “Ouch!” Jake hissed, covering her hand and pulling it away from his chest as he shoved another pillow under his head. “That’s completely different and you know it. I have a yellow kitchen at my place, woman! Do you think any man that isn’t wrapped around his woman’s little finger lets her paint the kitchen yellow? And one of my bedrooms has a fuckin’ pink carpet. Not mauve, mind you. Pink! You think I’d do that shit for anybody but our little girl?”

  He had a point, Harmony admitted silently to herself. He’d certainly catered his home toward her and Heaven. Even before he’d said the words, he’d been showing them that he loved them. “No,” she murmured, snuggling closer. “I guess you wouldn’t.”

  “Damn straight, I wouldn’t,” he grumbled under his breath, wrapping his arm around her body and pulling her against him. “I know we got our work cut out for us, and we got a long road ahead with Tanner and Diego. All I’m askin’ is that you don’t pull away from me. I think I can handle any attitude or sass you wanna throw my way, but don’t shut down on me, Harmony. I can take a lot, but I don’t think I could handle that.”

  “I’ll try, Jake. You’ve got to understand though, I haven’t exactly ever had a normal, healthy relationship with a man. I had Tanner. I think you’ll agree that he’s about as fucked up a man as a woman could get.”

  “No argument there, baby,” Jake murmured against the top of her head.

  “Just give me some time, okay?” she asked in a quiet voice.

  “Time, I can give you. Just know, though, when the clock runs out, you’re still gonna be mine, Harmony. Not lettin’ go. Ever.”

  A week ago those words probably would have sent her running for cover, but cozied up beside his large body in her childhood bedroom and held securely in his strong arms, Harmony just let them lull her into a dreamless sleep.

  Chapter Forty-three

  A week later, the McKinnon family home had become a powder keg filled with barely contained tension and simmering tempers on the verge of exploding.

  While Jake and Harmony had worked to create a tentative peace that appeared to be holding inside the house, the same could not be said for the rest of her sisters and the men in their lives. The big boom hovered on the edge of the horizon, just waiting to lower on all their heads when they least expected it.

  They could all feel it, looming like a big bogeyman in the distance.

  And as Jake Stone lounged on the McKinnon family sofa early one morning, pretending to still be asleep, he heard the back door slam. He wondered if the final match had finally lit and set to dynamite as Patience McKinnon stomped into the house, decked out in skintight jeans and a pink I Don’t Care Café shirt. Keeping his eyes barely opened, he watched as the diminutive blonde slammed her bare hands against the kitchen table.

  “That’s it, Honor! I’m done. Either Jake or Zeke are gonna have to come up with a new plan or I slit Abel Turner’s worthless throat with one of Aunt Orla’s butcher knives the next time he’s on duty for one of my shifts at the bar. I’ll do it, and no court in Paradise County will convict me. Hell, I’m pretty sure I’d be canonized, ridding the town of the blight on humanity that is Abel Turner! They’ll hold a freaking ticker-tape parade and erect a statue of me in the duck park.”

  Pushing the sleeves of her light pink cardigan sweater up to her elbows, Honor merely lifted an eyebrow as she continued to chop apples at the wooden butcher block. “I didn’t think you two were speaking after the silk underwear incident,” she murmured.

  “Oh, don’t talk to me about that! Who puts silk unmentionables in with the towels, Honor? Really? I tried to put on my underwear two days ago and nearly split myself in half!”

  “Unfortunate laundry escapades aside, what’s he done this time to send you sailin’ around the bend?” Honor asked, sweeping the diced apples into the pan on top of the stove and adding water.

  “Well, you know Faith and I handled the night shift last night. I mean, our waitresses are okay to open alone, but we all decided that at least one of us needed to be at the bar at night. Right?”

  “We did,” Honor agreed with a nod, stirring the pot of apples and adding sugar and cinnamon to the mix. “Although, the longer this mess goes on, the more I’m thinking we may need to revise that decision,” she muttered, mostly to herself.

  “Exactly! So, Faith and I decided we’d both work last night. She’s been climbing the walls at the hospital since Cain wouldn’t let her out of his sight and thought a night on shift with me would lighten the mood. Cain agreed to let her work with me since he had the day off today. It was Friday and pay day to boot, so you know business was booming.”

  Glancing at the calendar on the wall, Honor nodded again. “Social security checks came in, too. I’m sure that added to the usual crowd.”

  “Uh huh,” Patience agreed. “We were hopping faster than a jack-rabbit on speed. And those dumbass men,” she continued, scrunching her nose as she spat the word.

  Honor tilted her head to the side. “Which men?”

  “Abel and Cain, sister. Our freaking bodyguards. Sheesh! Keep up, will you?” Patience grumbled with a frown at her youngest sister. “Anyway, those asshole men sat at the bar all frickin’ night, snarlin’ like bears at any man that wandered up to order a drink. Then, Abel starts mouthin’ off about me givin’ the boys come hither looks! Honestly, I’m a bartender, sis! Tips are my bread and butter. If I don’t give looks, I don’t get paid! The man is a complete moron. By the end of the night, Abel was growling, actually growling like a Rottweiler left on his leash too long, at any man that approached the bar. Now, how are we supposed to make any money with those fools running off customers like that? And who does the pain in the ass think he is? Some kind of avenging cock-blocker?”

  “I can commiserate, but at least you’re allowed to go into our restaurant and work. Harmony and I have been banned, for God’s sake. I’m stuck cooking here,” Honor said, gesturing around the homey but small kitchen with a wooden spoon. “How the hell am I supposed to create a whole menu full of desserts in this tiny kitchen? Not to mention, tomorrow I have to have a wedding cake and hors d’oevres ready for one of Harmony’s wedding clients. Of all the stupid things I’ve ever heard come out of Ezekiel’s mouth, this concept that I’m safer cooking in this kitchen than the diner is by far the worst. As soon as Jake opens his eyes this morning, I’m lodging an official complaint,” she bit off, slamming the spoon back in the pot and stirring the thickening mixture.

  Hearing that, Jake made his mind up to fake exhaustion all day long… or at least until Zeke showed up to relieve him.

  “So, you’re here,” he heard Honor note in a distracted voice. “Am I going to trip over Abel’s mangled corpse if I step outside?”

  “No,” Patience muttered unhappily. “He dropped me off to wait here since I obviously can’t function without some kind of supervision,” she added with no small amount of bitterness. “He had some kind of briefs to file this morning at his office. Apparently, I’m supposed to ride into the café with Cain and Faith this morning. We need to work up last night’s deposits and do a quick
inventory so we can place a produce order next week.” Looking around the kitchen, she frowned. “Where’s our oldest sister? Isn’t Harmony usually up as early as you are?”

  Jacob smirked to himself as he heard that question. He knew exactly where Harmony was - unconscious and exhausted in her bed from a night where they’d made love into the wee hours of the morning. The sun had been rising in the East when he’d finally relented and allowed her to fall asleep.

  “Still asleep,” he heard Honor murmured. “I’m a little worried. She’s seemed so tired this past week.”

  Jake grimaced. Okay, maybe his sexual appetite needed to go on a diet. Especially if Harmony was being negatively affected by it.

  “But, she’s been in a great mood considering everything that’s going on,” Honor went on to say. “So, it’s probably just stress.”

  The tightness in Jake’s chest eased hearing that statement. Okay, maybe a diet was a radical idea. Maybe he’d just limit the number of times he visited the buffet during the night, he reasoned.

  “Yeah, well, if you were gettin’ nine inches worth of lovin’ at night, you’d be wearin’ a smile, too. There ain’t no way that man is spending every night on the couch with the grin I’ve seen our eldest sister sportin’ lately. Let me tell you, sister…”

  Jake felt his ears get hot at that remark and purposefully recited the Pledge of Allegiance in his mind as Patience continued to extol on the magical, restorative powers of the penis. Specifically, his penis. This ‘having a bunch of women in his new family’ thing was going to take some adjustment on his part. It seemed they shared everything with each other. Every-damn-thing.

  “Alright, enough, Patience,” he finally heard Honor interrupt and he relaxed slightly. If there was one McKinnon that he knew had no interest in his sex life, it was Honor. Grateful when she turned the conversation in a more mundane direction, he closed his eyes and settled back against his pillow.

  He’d almost drifted off to sleep when he felt a thirty-pound weight landing directly on top of his sternum. Wheezing for breath, he opened his eyes and groaned as the smallest McKinnon went nose to nose with him.

  “You in my spot. I need my spot, Jake. Dis where I watch da ‘toons,” Heaven McKinnon announced imperiously, her light blue eyes flashing warningly. Bouncing on his chest, she wriggled until she was comfortable, then said, “You can watch wif me or you go back to bed wif Momma, but you gotta sit up. Dis my spot.”

  Scooting up the couch, Jacob shifted Heaven to his lap as he yawned. “What’re you doing up so early, Princess?”

  “Why you on da couch when you s’eep with Momma?” the child asked, volleying the ball back in his court as she twirled her ponytail in one hand.

  Jake’s eyes widened on the little girl in front of me. “W-What do you mean, munchkin? I was sleeping right here. You just woke me up,” he reasoned carefully, patting the couch cushion for emphasis.

  “Not now, silly willy. Dis morning. I sawed you. I had to go potty and I sawed you comin’ out Momma’s room and you didn’t have no shirt,” she argued, pursing her lips in a way that was so reminiscent of Harmony that Jake did a double-take.

  “I…uhmmm…well, baby girl, it’s like this,” Jake stuttered, helplessly looking toward the stairs and mentally willing Harmony to appear to handle these questions before he gave the wrong answer. “I couldn’t find my shirt and I was cold. I must have lost it. I went to ask Momma if she knew where I’d left it.”

  “Huh.” Heaven grunted, tilting her head as she met his nervous gaze. Her dark eyes never left his as she demanded, “Well, were you and Momma pwaying Farmer in the Dell, too?”

  Blinking in confusion, Jake shook his head. “Noooo, sweet pea….”

  “You sure? ‘Cause when I waked up, I hearded my Momma squealing like the piggy does in the song, and it sounded like you was.”

  “Oh, good Lord.” Jake heard whispers from the doorway. Turning his head, he saw Honor first, her small hands clutching the doorframe as Patience and Faith stood behind her, snickering.

  Clapping his hands over Heaven’s ears, Jake looked desperately toward the women. “I will give you everything in my bank accounts if you’ll forget you heard any of that.”

  “Oh, would that I could,” Honor whispered, shaking her head and grimacing as she gaped at him, her mouth moving furiously even though no further words came out.

  “Oh, I can’t wait to tell Cain this one.” Faith giggled, already tapping away on the phone in her hand. Evidently, the other sister had shown up while he’d drifted off. Great. Just perfect.

  “Seriously? A pig?” Patience smirked, wriggling her eyebrows. “Now, a cat in heat, I could have understood, but a pig? That’s just kinky, Jake.”

  Uncovering Heaven’s ears, Jake sighed and ran a hand down his face. Clearing his throat as he lifted one finger toward the group, he murmured, “I can explain.”

  “Please, I beg you. Don’t,” Honor said with a wild shake of her head, holding out her hand to Heaven. “C’mon, sweetie. Aunt Honor will get you some breakfast. How do pancakes sound?” she asked brightly.

  “Mmmm….pancakes!” Heaven yelled enthusiastically, all thoughts of the farmer or his dell fleeing as she hopped out of Jake’s lap and ran toward her aunt, tagging her hand and pulling her toward the stove.

  Watching as Heaven and Honor disappeared back into the kitchen, Jake stared into Patience’s dancing eyes. “Not a word, Spitfire. You could have helped me out back there,” he complained, his eyes glaring at her.

  “Why? You’d already dug the hole. All I did was add a little dirt to it,” she said with a shrug. “Besides, while you’re gettin’ lucky at night, I’m stuck with a man that I wouldn’t spit on if he was on fire. You really think I’m not gonna enjoy a little fun at your expense?”

  “You are an evil women, Patience,” he stated quietly even though his lips twitched. “A truly evil woman.”

  “Aw, nice of you to notice. A lot of men don’t realize that until it’s entirely too late. You should be proud to be one of the few,” she returned with a wink, spinning on her heel and walking back into the kitchen with a light step.

  Groaning as he collapsed back against the couch, he heard footfalls on the stairs and watched as Harmony’s shapely legs appeared one step at a time. Frowning when he finally got a full view of her, from the toes of her fuck me black heels to the top of her elegantly coiffed hair, he shook his head. Rising quickly, he moved to stand in front of her, bracing one hand on either side of the doorway as he took in her pencil thin navy blue skirt and fitted silk shirt. “Where the hell is it that you think you’re going, Harmony, because you sure as hell aren’t dressed for a day at home?”

  Chapter Forty-four

  “I think that’s obvious, Jake,” Harmony replied, ducking under his arm as she hurried toward the safety of the kitchen and her sisters. “I’m going to work,” she threw over her shoulder as her heels clicked against the hardwood floor.

  Momentarily hypnotized by the sway of her ass beneath the skirt, Jake shook it off quickly before roaring, “The hell you are! Have you taken some kind of blow to the head that I don’t know about?” He stormed after her, trailing her into the kitchen. Nailing her with an intense glare, he shook her head. “There’s no way you’re doing this, Harmony. It’s not safe.”

  Harmony continued pouring a cup of coffee with a steady hand.

  “I mean it,” Jake growled. “It’s not happening.” He took a step toward her. “It’s too dangerous, darlin’. Tanner is…”

  “Jake, close your mouth,” Harmony returned with a pointed look at where Heaven sat at the table, her fork making pathways into the stack of pancakes and syrup.

  “I take it we’re doing this now?” Honor murmured from the kitchen table, looking between a furious Jake and a calm Harmony. “Ezekiel isn’t here yet, Harm.”

  All eyes turned toward the back door as Cain and Abel ambled into the kitchen. “What’s going on?” Cain asked, looking between a fuming Ja
ke and an immaculately dressed Harmony.

  “Forget that,” Patience snapped, straightening at the counter where she stood. “Why’s he here?” She gestured toward Abel with her coffee mug. “I thought we agreed that I needed a timeout from your brother, Cain. In fact, you promised me that I could have six Abel-free hours if I’d promise not to cut his throat in the night with his own razor.”

  “Look, Crazy, I already said I was sorry about your underwear,” Abel retorted with a grin. “It was an unfortunate mistake, but for the record, I have dental floss that’s thicker than that scrap of material you called underwear. And, I should get points for doing laundry.”

  “It was your laundry, Asshat! I sure as hell wasn’t going to do it for you. And, no, an unfortunate mistake would be finding BenGay in your toothpaste,” Patience returned sweetly. “I’d advise you to stay alert, Abel. Very alert.”

  “Oooohhh…. You said a bad word,” Heaven chimed in, then held out her hand. “Gimmee my dollar, Auntie Patience.”

  Digging into her jeans’ pocket, Patience slapped a five dollar bill into Heaven’s palm. “Start me a tab, kiddo.”

  “I texted them both,” Honor offered softly to Jake, cutting off the byplay between the two enemy combatants. “Harmony and I decided yesterday that it was time for another family meeting.”

  Turning his keen gaze on Honor, Jacob narrowed his eyes. “You’re in on this with her?” he asked, pointing at Harmony. “What the hell have you two been plotting? Honor, I depend on you to be the reasonable sister. If Harmony’s convinced you to help her concoct some kind of nutty plan…”

  “Hey! The most important question is, why weren’t Patience and I included in the conception of this so-called nutty plan?” Faith asked sharply, her hands landing on her hips as she glared at the sisters.

  “We can discuss all this when Ezekiel arrives,” Honor replied evenly as the back door opened again.