by Jane Jamison
Oh, mamma. Who the hell are they?
They were huge, larger than any men she’d ever seen except maybe Brig. They had to be inches over six feet tall with shoulders that could carry the weight of the world with ease. Their arms rippled with strength that couldn’t be hidden under any material. Their wide shoulders tapered into lean waists that were enclosed with belts and large, silver buckles. Worn jeans held strong legs that led the way down to frayed cuffs layered over traditional cowboy boots. Each wore a hat that had the brim tugged low and wasn’t adorned with any kind of color or embellishment.
She took them in, her gaze jumping from one man then to the other as though she couldn’t focus on just one for too long. Two of them had similar physical characteristics, with hypnotizing eyes that were shaped the same way and brows that were thick. Both had blue eyes, although the blue of one held hints of gray. As the three of them stood together, shoulder to shoulder, those two men edged even closer to each other, giving her the impression that they had a special bond they didn’t share with the third. She guessed that they were related.
The third man, his dark blond hair looking more tousled than the other men’s combed brown hair, had brown eyes. But calling them brown wasn’t quite right. She searched for the word that would describe them best.
Mocha.
His eyes were the color of her favorite coffee drink with added milk. All he needed was the whipped cream on top.
Wow.
Her gaze dropped to his crotch.
I’d like to put whipped cream on top of that.
Her attention flitted from him to the other two.
Oh, yeah. Whipped cream with a cherry on top of each of them.
She’d gone on her trip to see as many of the amazing sights of the country that she could see, and now she’d found the most amazing sight of all.
Yet amazing didn’t even begin to describe these guys.
An artist friend of hers had once asked her to describe the face of her perfect man. She’d laughed and done her best to say exactly what she wanted. The drawing had come out perfectly, showing a man with chiseled-enough-to-cut-glass jaws covered with a day’s growth, along with high cheekbones and lips that made her ache to have them pressed against her skin. She’d tacked the picture up on her wall and stared at it every night before falling to sleep like some lovesick teen fascinated with the poster of her favorite pop idol. But she’d never thought that man actually existed. Yet here he was, standing right in front of her, in triplicate.
“I’ll let you know by calling Milly.”
She nodded at Brig although she wasn’t paying much attention to him any longer. He mumbled something to Milly and lumbered away. Even the future of Sally didn’t rate as high as getting a load of these men did.
One of the brunettes was joking with an older man seated nearby. His gray-blue eyes sparkled even more as his grin grew wider, finally erupting into a full-fledged laugh. The sound of his humor made her smile and wish she was part of their conversation.
That was when the other set of blues landed on her. He blinked, then narrowed his eyes before nudging the blond next to him. Having both of them scrutinizing her sent a rush of heat cascading through her body. She had to resist the urge to grab her napkin and fan herself.
When they snagged their chatting friend and started moving toward her, she thought she’d pass out. Clinging to the edge of the counter, she concentrated on keeping her breathing even.
Don’t pass out. Don’t pass out. Don’t pass out.
She didn’t know whether to be grateful or angry when Milly came to stand between them, blocking their way.
“Hey, there, guys. Back already?”
The middle one, the one with the baby blues, looked past Milly and straight at her. “We sure are, Milly.” His perusal of her left her blushing. “And it’s a good thing we did.”
“Is that right?” asked Milly.
She could sense Milly’s surprise, and again got the feeling that Milly knew something she didn’t. How many secrets could a small town have? Her curious nature leapt into high gear.
“What can I do for you? Don’t tell me you’re already hungry? You haven’t been gone that long.”
The blond answered for the three of them. “No, we’re not back to eat. Duncan insisted that we come into town for the night.” His yummy gaze latched onto her. “I didn’t agree with him before, but now I’m glad he got his way. Introduce us, Milly.”
She could sense Milly bristle at the command. She figured he did more commanding than asking, but that didn’t mean Milly was the type to take to demands.
“Christy Smith, these two brutes are Duncan Thorne and his cousin Lance.” She motioned toward the two that Christy had guessed were related. “Their impatient friend and ranch partner is Grant Harkness. They run the Crescent Moon Ranch.”
Lance elbowed his way in front of the other two men, also easing Milly out of the way. “You are a sight to behold.”
She bit back a giggle as Duncan pushed on his cousin’s shoulder. “Hell, man, ‘a sight to behold’? Can you sound any lamer? Sweetheart, I’m Duncan and I’m here to do whatever you want me to do. All you have to do is ask.”
It was obvious that Duncan and Lance were more outgoing than Grant. Duncan was the one who kept a constant smile on his face. Now that he was closer to her, she noticed his dimples. There was just something about a man with dimples that turned her body to mush. Add in the manly cowboy part of his look and attitude, and he was impossible to ignore.
“Whatever I want, huh?” She liked to flirt and these men made it easy.
“Just name it,” added Lance.
“That goes double for me, sweetheart.”
Grant didn’t compete with them. Instead, he stood back, his rugged allure oozing from his pores. “Is there something we can help you with?”
If she’d had to choose between them, she never could have. They all drove her to distraction, her mind losing its train of thought whenever she dared to stare into their eyes. If she didn’t respond soon, they’d think she was an idiot. “Unless you can get my car fixed, then I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do.”
“Is the Beetle outside yours?”
She could listen to his deep, rich voice all day. And all night, if she was very lucky. He had one of those rare, smoother-than-molasses voices that mesmerized radio listeners during the late-night hours. “That’s Sally.”
“Sally?”
She’d let it slip out, but what the heck? It wasn’t a sin to love a car. “Yeah. That’s what I call her. I’ve had her a long time and she’s always gotten me where I wanted to go. Until now.”
“So you weren’t aiming to come to Forever?”
She didn’t care if everyone in the room was staring at her. Just as long as Grant and his two sexy friends kept on staring, too. “Sorry. No. I’m on a country-wide trip of exploration.”
“You’re doing a road trip by yourself? Just you? All alone?”
Damn, but Grant’s so hot I’m surprised he’s not burning a hole in the floor. Her gaze shifted to the other men. Make that three holes.
“Sure. Why not? Are you saying I shouldn’t because I’m a woman?” She prided herself on self-reliance. Her parents had raised her to be a strong woman and she liked to think that she’d made them proud by becoming independent and resourceful.
The crook of his mouth said he thought exactly that but wasn’t foolish enough to admit it.
Sexy and smart. The perfect combination.
Lance and Duncan were just as sexy with their faded jeans, denim shirts, and cowboy hats. And she was willing to bet that they were just as smart as Grant.
“It’s a self-exploration, too. I decided I needed to live a little before finally doing what I’ve always wanted to do. You know what they say about writers taking their life experiences and putting them down on paper.”
“So you want to write the Great American Novel, huh?”
She was hit in the gut with th
e force of his presence and knew, without understanding the why of it, that he would hold an important place in her life’s story. “Yeah. Although, how great it will be remains to be seen. But yes. I want to write books.”
She’d never told anyone that. Never even voiced the dream to her parents. So why had she told him?
“What kind of books?”
She jumped her focus to Lance. “Paranormal romances.”
Her response amused him. Yet she didn’t get the impression that he was laughing at her. Instead, she thought he liked the idea.
“You mean like when the beautiful woman falls in love with the vampire? That kind of thing?”
“Yes and no. I prefer werewolves over vampires.”
All three of them perked up as though her answer had made them happy.
“At least that’s what I was doing before I got sidelined with car problems.”
“Well, if Brig can’t fix it—”
“Then no one can. Yeah, so I’ve been told. You wouldn’t happen to have a car rental place around here, would you?” Not that she could leave Sally behind. Yet if the time had come to let Sally rest for good, she had to have a car. Any car.
While Lance’s and Duncan’s smiles were engaging and made her want to cover their mouths with hers, Grant’s soft smile made her think of nights in dark rooms and hands skimming over her body.
Oh, mamma.
“Nope. We don’t have much need for rental cars around these parts. You’re stuck here until Brig can work his magic.”
“We’re trying to figure something out in the meantime.”
She’d barely noticed that Milly was still around. Then again, with three incredible men fixated on her, she doubted Milly would blame her for forgetting about her. What woman would?
“What are you thinking, Milly?” If she couldn’t rent a car and couldn’t get her car repaired, then that didn’t leave any other option.
“I don’t know.” Milly kept glancing at the men, then at her. “But it’s best that she’s not here any longer than she has to be.”
“No, Milly. What’s best is that she stay.”
She hadn’t expected that. It was apparent from the men’s expressions that they meant business. She didn’t know why, but at the moment, she wasn’t sure she cared. To have them arguing for her to stay gave her a warm glow she hadn’t felt in a long time. Too long. If they were around, staying in Forever for a couple of days didn’t sound so bad. Hell, it sounded damn good.
“You keep saying that, Milly.” She caught yet another telling, silent exchange between Milly and the men. “What’s the deal, anyway? You act like everyone’s going to change into zombies at sundown.”
When they didn’t laugh along with her, she paused and rethought the idea of sticking around. Maybe she should listen to Milly and get out of town. Small towns were notorious for odd goings-on.
“Let her stay at your place.” Duncan tipped his head at the other two men, encouraging them to go along. “I mean, your old place out back.”
Milly opened her mouth, then seemed to give it more consideration. “Are you guys—” It was obvious she didn’t want to speak out of turn with Christy there. “I mean, if that’s how you feel, then I guess that would be all right.”
The invisible tug of war between Milly and the men left her stuck in the middle again. “Um, I don’t want to put anyone out. Obviously Milly isn’t too keen on the idea of my staying at her place. Maybe there’s a hotel nearby.”
“Nope.” Duncan’s grin was getting bigger. Lance draped his arm around him, nodding his agreement. “And before you say anything, Milly, Jackson’s rentals are too isolated for her to be safe.”
“Safe?” Something was definitely going on. Weird she could handle, but dangerous? That was another thing altogether. “Is it dangerous around here?”
“Not usually,” answered Milly.
Not usually? “Look, everyone, I need to know what you’re talking about.”
“Milly can fill you in after we get you moved into her apartment behind the diner.”
Grant took her hand and she startled at the wild zip of energy that seared between them. If the floor had been carpeted, she would’ve thought he’d shocked her with a major bolt of static electricity.
“Okay, fine. I can see when I’m beat.” Milly sighed, resignation pouring off her. “Lance, you know where the key is.”
“Seriously, people, I feel like I’m causing a lot of trouble. Is there a bus I could catch? I could go to the first town with a hotel then come back once Brig gets my car going again.”
“The only bus line is over in Shatland. And it’s not coming through anytime soon.”
Milly skimmed a hand along Christy’s arm. The same kind of shock she’d gotten from Grant never came.
“Hon, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. You’re welcome to my place. After all, it’s vacant anyway. Please, make yourself at home. I’ll let the guys show you in.” She narrowed her eyes at them. “But I’ll be up as soon as I get a free minute to bring her some food.”
“Good. Then it’s settled.” Grant still hadn’t turned her hand loose and she hadn’t tried to take it away, either. He tightened his hold and tugged her toward the back of the diner.
“Wait. I don’t know about this.”
Lance came up behind them, urging Grant and her along like a shepherd running his flock. “There’s nothing to know, Christy. You need a place to stay and Milly’s old apartment fits the bill.”
Duncan headed the other way, out the front door. “Go on. I’ll fetch your things out of the car.”
“But—”
Milly flicked out the rag, shooing her along. “Honey, don’t bother trying to argue. Once these boys make a decision, it’s like stopping an avalanche to change them.”
Christy turned to follow Grant and Lance, but paused when Milly grabbed Duncan’s arm. Her expression was intent as she leaned close to him. “You boys keep your paws off her.”
Christy wasn’t sure whether to be angry at Milly for warning them to leave her alone or touched that she cared. She didn’t doubt that the young diner owner had her best interest at heart. Still, the thought of them keeping “their paws off her” left a strange hole in her stomach.
It’s only attraction. Better to keep my paws off them, too. I’ll be out of here soon, anyway.
The swirl of desire, however, mixed together with the multitude of sexy ideas, gave birth to images of the men touching her and running their hands along her skin. For a moment, she rocked back and forth as the vision overwhelmed her, swaying her on her feet. The sensation grew stronger, whipping through her in bullwhip-like fashion. Her breathing quickened and her skin tingled as though electrified.
Oh, mamma.
Chapter Three
Grant wouldn’t let her get away. Finding their intended mate was the last thing he thought would ever happen, but from the first moment he’d laid his eyes on her, he’d known. And once he’d touched her, it was game over. If that wasn’t the connection he’d heard about all his life, then he didn’t know shit.
He’d never bothered to fantasize about his mate. What good would it have done? Whoever she was, they’d share the connection that brought all werewolves together. Her looks, her personality, her everything would be secondary to the invisible bond. What was meant to be, would be. Those intended to mate, would mate. At least as long as they found each other. But to hope for her to possess beauty, intelligence, and courage was a fool’s errand.
They’d gotten lucky. She was all of those things and more. Her spirit shone in her silver-blue eyes, eyes that could take a man’s soul and wrap it around her little finger. Her beauty was evident not only in the superficial assets like her silky brown hair with coppery highlights that floated around her oval face, but in the way she held her body and her obvious self-confidence. She was dressed simply in jeans and a T-shirt, but her attire would never matter to him. The only way he’d ever care would be the times she�
�d be naked, free of any kind of clothing. He towered over her as he did most women. The important point was that, even as he gazed down at her, she didn’t flinch, didn’t cower, and didn’t flutter her eyelashes like some silly women did.
He couldn’t tell if Lance or Duncan had felt the connection. Had they touched her yet? Still, he suspected that their resolve to get her to stay was his answer. Once they had time alone, he’d confirm that they were feeling the same way he was.
He glared down at Lance, gritted his teeth, and fought against his anxiousness to get Milly’s apartment door open and Christy ushered inside before she changed her mind about accepting Milly’s hospitality. If Lance didn’t get the key from under the damn ceramic frog soon, he’d push him out of the way and do it himself. That or break the fucking door down.
Lance stood up a moment before he started to put that plan into action. “Here we go.”
He inserted it in the lock, turned it, then twisted the doorknob and opened the front door. “I’m not sure why Milly locks the place up. No one’s ever broken into a house around here.”
Grant held on to Christy’s arm and escorted her over the threshold. For one crazy second, it felt like he should scoop her into his arms and carry her over it. Maybe it was the continuous zap of energy that rushed back and forth between them. He couldn’t be sure and he didn’t much care.
The place wasn’t anything fancy, but it was neat and clean with a small kitchen he doubted Christy would use other than to heat food up in the microwave. The furniture had seen better days, but that just made the couch and armchair more comfortable. The bedroom was down a short hallway. He could even see the bed from where he stood.
Damn, what I wouldn’t do to throw her over my shoulder and toss her on top of it.
He’d spread her legs, tear off her clothes and show her how good he could work his tongue. Once he had her nice and wet, he’d plant his cock inside her and make her scream his name.
He dragged in a long breath and fought to stay rational. Now was not the time to lose his head.