by Jenika Snow
“You think that’s a good idea? What if she shuts us out, runs from us?”
Rys let his twin’s words sink in. “She can run, but I’ll be damned if I let her get away.” He turned and looked at Will. “She belongs with us. She was meant to be ours, and we are just going to have to prove that to her.”
Chapter Four
The incessant and annoying buzzing by Jane’s ear had her drifting toward consciousness. She blindly reached out and slapped her hand on her alarm. When it stopped, she buried her head deeper into her pillow, and the sound started up again. Sitting up, she pushed strands of her long, dark hair out of her eyes. After the third ring, she realized it was her phone ringing and not her alarm. She grabbed it off the bedside table and rubbed her eyes before looking at the screen. One glance showed it was seven in the morning and Rys was the one intruding on her sleep. Instantly her heart beat a hard rhythm.
“Hello?” Her voice sounded husky with sleep, and she cleared her throat
“I didn’t wake you, did I? I’m sorry.” There was amusement in his voice. It was clear he wasn’t the least bit sorry.
It was no surprise that he was up. The twins were always up at the ass-crack of dawn, even if they didn’t have to be at work. She supposed their bodies were conditioned to rise before the sun. Since they graduated high school seven years ago, Rys and William had been working for Olyver Eberhardt at Eberhardt Construction. Five days out of the week, from sunup to sundown, they woke early and busted their asses building and renovating new homes and businesses in town. They were damn good at what they did and had worked their way up in the business until they were now foremen. Their expertise and commanding nature made everyone listen to them. Alone they were powerful, but together they were a force to be reckoned with.
“You know damn well you woke me.” Jane did not make it a habit of getting up before eight if she could help it. Working second shift at Slick’s Diner sucked up most of her day, but she didn’t have to wake up early. Jane was always more of a night owl anyway. Rys chuckled and the deep sound washed through her. God, just hearing him chuckle had her instantly aroused.
“You don’t work today, right?”
“No.” She lay back in bed and stretched. Pleasure had an involuntary moan slipping from her. The sound of Rys breathing heavily filtered through the receiver. “Rys? You okay?” He cleared his throat, and she heard rustling in the background. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse.
“I’m good. So, uh, Will and I were going to head up to the lake today. It’s supposed to be in the high eighties. We were thinking, if you’re up to it, we could eat lunch up there and go for a swim.”
Swimming with the Holden twins? Yes, please! Just picturing them in nothing but trunks, water dripping off their ridiculously chiseled chests, had her clamping her thighs together. Working construction really did do a body good.
“Yeah, okay. That sounds like fun.” She threw the covers off and sat on the edge of the bed. “When were you thinking of going up there?”
“Can you be ready in an hour?”
“An hour, Rys? That doesn’t give me time to pack anything.”
“All you need to bring is a suit and even that is optional.” He chuckled but there was a strained tone to it. If only he wasn’t joking. Hell, if Will and Rys asked her to jump in the water butt-ass naked with them, she would do it like a good girl. And wasn’t that just too bad because, truth be told, they would never ask her that. She knew damn well they thought of her as the little sister they never had. Then again, she had thought Will was going to kiss her last night. Obviously her libido and feelings were making her see things because the guys had never showed any kind of interest in her, not the way she wanted them to anyway.
“Very funny. What about lunch? I can’t see you making anything besides peanut butter, jelly, and banana sandwiches. I know you might find this unbelievable, but I think you might be the only one who likes that combination.
He grunted, and she heard Will in the background asking if she was game for today. Rolling her eyes, she said, “I’ll be ready in an hour, but I’m bringing something edible.” After she hung up, she headed into the bathroom. She should have gotten a medal for the quickest shower in the history of showers. An hour wasn’t nearly enough time to get ready, but she figured she was going to be jumping in the lake so it wasn’t like she really had to do much to her hair.
She slipped on her bikini and threw on a pair of shorts and a tank over it. The aroma of coffee hit her when she stepped out of her room, and she followed the scent to the kitchen. Her mother sat at the table, the morning paper spread out before her and a cup of coffee in front of her.
“Morning, honey.”
“Hi.” Jane weaved her way to the cupboard and grabbed the oversized mug. It was about three times the size of a regular-sized cup, but it was too damn early for anything smaller. She poured half the cup with coffee and grabbed the creamer and sugar. By the time her coffee was made to perfection, it tasted like straight sweetener and was so light it didn’t even look like there was any coffee in the cup. It was just the way she liked it.
“I was going to head into town today and sell a few baked goods. They’re having that bake sale in the square. If you don’t have plans, you’re more than welcome to join me.” Her mother hadn’t looked up from the paper when she addressed Jane.
“Actually, Rys and William asked me to hang out at the lake today. If you want, you can come.”
Her mom smirked and finally lifted her eyes to Jane’s. “I was wondering why you were up so early.” Her mom leaned back and brought her mug to her lips. She stared at Jane over the rim before finally saying, “How are the Holden boys?”
Jane rolled her eyes. “Mom, we aren’t going to start this again, are we?”
“Start what?” She pushed out of her seat and set her empty cup in the sink. The sun came through the window above the little rusted sink and washed her mom in a golden glow. Bridget Silver was only forty-five years old, but the hard life she led with Jane’s father made her look so much older. Lines marred the curve of her mouth and around her eyes, and streaks of gray lined her shoulder-length brown hair. Her mother was a beautiful woman, even though life had not been particularly kind to her, but back in the day, she and Jane could have been twins. She turned and looked at Jane with eyes the same light blue as hers.
“Mom, we are just friends. We have been for practically my whole life.” A sadness washed over her mother’s face and Jane sighed. She knew what she was thinking. “After two years, why do you still think about him?” Charles Silver was her father, but Jane knew a piece of shit when she saw one. One of her mother’s slim shoulders lifted in response.
“Jane,”—she sighed—“I know your father was a bad man. I really do, but you also have to see it from my point of view.” She turned back and looked out the kitchen window. “I dated Charles all through high school. He used to be sweet and kind. He was the only man I had ever been with, and when he started gambling all our money away and doing drugs, I knew things would never be the same. He turned into a monster, one that hurt me and you. I can never forgive him for that, ever, but I try and think about all the years he was good to me, to us.” Her mom lowered her head.
“Mom—”
“I don’t expect you to forgive him because I never will, but he was my first lover, Jane.”
Jane exhaled and closed her eyes. If her mother only knew the true horror that was Charles Silver, she wouldn’t be thinking about him that way. This was always the conversation they had about her dad. She knew how much her mom had loved him, but there was also a point in life when a woman had to let go of those memories and remember all the wrong that person did. Jane didn’t care if he showered her mother with chocolates and flowers every day. He had beaten both of them, degraded them, and finally deserted them with a mountain of debt. Jane would take his debt over in a heartbeat if it meant he would never come back. She didn’t know where he was or if he was even still aliv
e. His reputation had ruined her family and scarred both of them. For that she would never forget or forgive.
“Listen, I don’t want to talk about him, not when you are about to leave. Have a nice time, honey. Okay?” Her mother cupped her cheek and smiled, although it didn’t quite reach her eyes. A strange expression crossed her mom’s features. “Those Holden twins are something special, Jane,” she whispered and started to tear up.
“Mom, don’t start crying.”
She shook her head and cleared her throat. “I’m not sad, sweetie. I’m glad you have those two boys in your life. They were there for you when no one else was, not even me.” Tears started to slip down her weathered cheeks, and Jane reached out to brush them away.
“Please, don’t cry.”
“These are tears of happiness, Jane. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Rys and William will never let you down like your father did.”
Her heart skipped a beat listening to her mother’s words. “Mom, we are just friends.” Her mother patted her on the cheek and turned to leave, but before she left Jane heard her say, “If you say so, honey. If you say so.”
Chapter Five
Jane laid out her oversized towel and lifted her head when she heard cursing. A smile tugged at her lips when she saw Rys throw a lounge chair on the ground. William was right behind him, his smile wide as he slapped Rys’s back.
“That damn chair pinched my fucking finger.”
William headed toward Jane, chuckling. “Can you believe what a big baby he is?” William set the cooler off to the side under the shade of an elm and started back for the truck. While Will and Rys brought over their plethora of swimming paraphernalia, Jane made her way to the edge of the lake. Her spot was perfect with a sandy shore and enough trees surrounding them to give them privacy. Lake Ecstasy was the main hangout for a lot of the town since there wasn’t a whole lot to do, but it meant a lot more to Jane then it did the townies. She had spent enough time here when she was younger that she considered this a second home. There were times she came out here alone, but a lot of the time it would be the three of them. They would sit at the edge and dangle their feet in the water, talking about anything and everything. This particular spot was theirs, hidden far from where people liked to congregate. It was their little oasis.
By the time they picked her up and got everything loaded and headed to the lake, it was going on nine. The sun was already up and there was a muggy feeling that said it was going to be hot as hell. Just the kind of day she liked to go swimming. She turned back around just as Rys and William dropped the rest of their gear on the ground. When the chairs were set up and the three of them were staring at the lake, a comfortable silence settled around them. It wouldn’t be too long now before others started to show up. They might not find their secret spot, but they wouldn’t be far enough away that they wouldn’t be heard or seen.
“I think it’s going to be close to ninety-five today.” She looked over at Rys. He had on a plain white T-shirt and a pair of swim trunks. His head rested against the back of the lounge chair and, even though he wore a pair of aviator glasses, she could tell his eyes were closed. A glance at William showed him in almost the same outfit and glasses. It was funny to see them side by side, identical in even the most mundane things. She didn’t even think they realized how much alike they were. They were different, but there were things about them that were the same.
“I don’t think it’ll get above eighty.” She could see William smile and one of Rys’s dark eyebrows lift when he turned his head toward her.
“Oh?” He lifted his hand, pushed his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose, and cracked one eye open. “Care to make a little wager, Jane?” The sound of Will outright laughing had her smiling in return.
“You guys and your damn bets.” William stood and peeled his shirt over his head. For a suspended moment, Jane was captivated by the sight of his wide shoulders, heavily muscled arms and abdomen, and narrow waist. His skin was a golden brown, a testament to hours under the sun without a shirt. A trail of fine, dark hair started below his belly button and disappeared beneath his trunks. “I’m going for a swim.” Jane snapped her eyes to William’s and was relieved to find him not watching her. Wouldn’t that have been embarrassing if he had seen her ogling his goods? How in the hell would she explain that? William turned and winked at her before running down to the edge and jumping in. They were far enough away that the splash from his cannonball didn’t get them.
When she finally turned her attention back to Rys, she saw him watching her very intently. His expression was one of curiosity, and she felt her cheeks heat. Had he seen her watching William like she wanted to peel the rest of his clothes off? Rys looked at the water where Will was and his brows furrowed. He looked back at her, and a slow grin spread across his lips.
“So, are you up for a little wager?”
She exhaled and laughed a little nervously. Smoothing her hands over the denim of her shorts, she nodded. “Yeah.”
He rested his head against the chair again and closed his eyes. A moment passed with him not saying anything, and she wondered if he expected her to place the bet. Just as she opened her mouth, he said, “You say it won’t get past eighty, but I say it will.” He still wasn’t looking at her, but there was a grin on his face.
“That’s right.” He was having way too much fun with this.
“If I win, what will you give me?” The way he said it had her thinking all kinds of wrong things, but she would never admit that to him.
“I don’t know. What do you want?” She pictured a lot of things coming out of his mouth, things that made her blush even though she hadn’t said them out loud. It took him a moment to respond. He sat up and pulled his glasses off.
“If I win, you have to jump in the lake.”
She raised a brow. “Really? I was going to do that anyway, but whatever.”
“Naked.”
Her mouth instantly went dry at his words. “What?” God, was that her voice that sounded so breathy? His grin was seductively slow as it spread across his face. His straight, white teeth flashed, and she knew he was having one hell of a good time torturing her. “You’re kidding, right?”
That damn eyebrow cocked up at her words.
“Not afraid, are you?”
She looked at the lake and watched William do laps. Her face felt like it was on fire, and she was afraid to look back at Rys. His chuckle was fully amused, and she felt her face redden even further, if at all possible.
“It’s all right if you’re scared.”
She turned and looked at him just as he laid his head back on the chair and covered his eyes with the sunglasses. He looked completely at ease.
“Fine.” He slowly smiled and lifted his wrist up to look at his watch. “But if I win, what do I get?”
“What do you want?” He was watching her now, and she licked her lips, knowing she was playing with fire.
“You have to go in the lake. Naked.”
A pause settled before he answered, “Fine. How ’bout we call it at noon?”
He didn’t look at her, didn’t even open his eyes, but she could tell by his voice that he was pleased by the turn of events. It was a little surprising. They had skinny-dipped before, but they were seventeen and it was dark out. She thought she might have seen something, but that had been nearly ten years ago. Could she really be brave enough if she lost and get naked in front of them?
For the next three hours, that was all Jane could think about. The temperature kept rising, and she knew before it was even noon that it was well past ninety degrees. When William found out about their little wager, he had seemed a little appalled, but she didn’t miss the way he swallowed and cast a glance over at Rys. Damn their secret twin communication. She climbed out of the water, but right before she could take a step onto the grass, William had his arms wrapped around her waist and a second later she was flying backward. She screamed in surprise as she sailed through the air. Her back
hit the water, and she instinctively held her breath as water covered her head. A second later William was pulling her up. She sputtered and coughed, and then she spun in his arms. Hair stuck to her face and she pushed it away. His laugh was soft and extremely close.
When the hair was successfully out of her eyes, the first thing she realized was he still had his arms around her waist. Her body was pressed against his from chest to thigh. It was extremely intimate, and after a moment, William’s laugh died and his eyes dipped to her mouth. Jane could feel every dip and hollow of his chest, every defined and hard muscle that was right below his smooth skin. Her pussy clenched, and she swallowed with the force of her arousal. It came on strong, and the longer he stared at her mouth and kept her body tight against hers, the higher her desire for him climbed. It was like everything else around her disappeared. She could see his head lowering, heard him murmur her name, and right when his lips were an inch from hers, the sound of Rys’s voice pierced through the foggy haze of lust that surrounded her.
William cursed and closed his eyes for a second before he scowled at Rys. He let her go but kept a hand on her waist as he led them toward the shore. Rys was standing at the edge of the water. His shirt was now off, and his stormy expression matched William’s.
“I thought we talked about this, Will.” Rys’s voice was hard as he looked at William.
Jane looked from Rys to William and back when she was on the shore. A tense moment passed between them. “What has gotten into you guys? You’ve been acting weird for the last day now.” She wasn’t talking about the way William almost kissed her. Now she knew she hadn’t been imagining it in Rys’s truck last night. She shouldn’t encourage it, but dammit, she wanted it. The only thing missing was Rys touching her, kissing her. Rys looked down at her.
“Nothing. It’s nothing.” He watched her for several moments, and then a grin split his lips. He lifted his wrist to show her his watch. It was noon. She didn’t need him taking her hand and dragging her over to his truck. She didn’t need him turning the truck on so the dashboard lit up. And she sure as hell didn’t need him pointing to the thermometer in the truck that showed the outside temperature. “I can’t see that very well. What does it say, Jane?”