by Marla Monroe
“I think you’ve done enough for now.” She couldn’t be angry with him though after he gave her a heart-stopping orgasm.
“I’ll be downstairs guarding your breakfast from Shane.”
Parker quickly dressed and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. Then she applied a light amount of makeup and called herself ready for whatever the day brought on. Walking downstairs, she entered the kitchen to find the guys patiently waiting on her.
“Your breakfast is getting cold. You should have gone ahead and eaten.”
“We weren’t going to eat without you, baby,” Shane teased.
“It looks good.” She cut up her egg and took a bite. It was a little salty, but otherwise not bad.
“Is it edible?” Shane asked.
“They’re good. Let me try my bacon.” She broke off a piece and put it in her mouth.
It was a bit crunchy, but she liked hers crisp. This was just a little bit crispier than what she liked.
“I like my bacon crispy. This is fine, Shane.”
He breathed out a sigh of relief and high-fived Allen.
“I was afraid I’d screw it up.”
“Well, you didn’t. Um, can I have something to drink, coffee maybe?”
“Right.” Shane grabbed the coffee and poured her a cup.
“So, what’s on the agenda for today while we wait for the meeting?”
“We lay low until after the meeting. I think we should spend our time talking about the baby and what our plans are. Then once we know about what the others think, we can decide from there.” Allen handed her a napkin.
“And, we need to get groceries so there’s stuff good for you when you’re here,” Shane added.
Once they had all finished eating, Shane and Allen shooed her into the living room while they cleaned up. She wasn’t sorry, either. Shane had made a mess cooking. She smiled. He’d been so proud of his eggs and bacon. She checked the time and frowned. It was already nearly eleven. There was less than seven hours before the gang would descend on them. She was nervous of meeting all of them. What would they think of her? She was so used to making people think the worst of her that now she didn’t know how to act to make someone think better of her.
Would they resent her for her money or for causing them to be put in the spotlight? She hated that she would be the cause of their discomfort.
“What are you thinking about over there that has that pretty face all serious-looking?” Allen walked over and sat on the couch next to her.
“Just wondering what your friends are going to think of me.”
“They’re going to fall in love with you. You’re easy to like, Parker.”
“Yeah, but I’m bringing shit down on their heads. They didn’t ask for it.”
“Don’t go blaming yourself for something that none of us had any control over.”
“Yeah, well, we might have refrained from fucking a half dozen times.”
“I don’t regret one of those times, and I think it was more like eight,” he said with a grin.
“Eight what?” Shane walked in.
His T-shirt was wet in two spots. Parker hid her grin. He was the serious one, and yet he’d gone to the extent of cooking her breakfast then cleaning up. Somehow she couldn’t see him compromising his bad-boy persona by trying to cook.
“Nothing,” Allen said. “Do you want to watch a movie to let our meal settle?”
“Good idea.” Shane grabbed Parker’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “You get to choose.”
“Somehow I don’t think that’s all that big a deal. I bet you only have two types of movies, porn and action thrillers.”
“Hell, you’ve already peeked, haven’t you?” Shane asked.
“I didn’t need to. I know what men like.” She walked over and perused their collection. It was an impressive one, at that.
“I’ll go for Die Hard or The Fast and the Furious.” She pulled both out and smiled.
“We’ll start off with Die Hard. I haven’t seen that one in a while.” Shane popped the DVD into the player and turned on all the various remotes that men seemed to always have.
They watched the movie with Shane on one side of her and Allen on the other. They each commandeered a hand to hold but didn’t push for anything else. She didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. After the climax in the bathroom, she had expected them to want sex. Now that they hadn’t initiated it, she was beginning to feel uncomfortable with her decision to keep them at a distance.
Parker realized that she enjoyed their company as much as she enjoyed when they brought her to climax. They were fun, good-natured, and interesting men. So what was it that held her back from moving in with them? Well, besides the fiasco with Michael.
She wasn’t sure that she could handle being involved with two men at one time. One man took a lot of effort to keep happy. Two would seem to be impossible. Another issue was that she was in the public eye so much that there would be no hiding her relationship. Who was she kidding? The men would never go for being sequestered in the background. Was she ashamed of the relationship? No, maybe a little uncomfortable about it, though.
The more she turned it over and over in her head, the more confused she became. Did it really matter what anyone thought? She’d been bucking that horse ever since her father got remarried to the bitch. What was one more scandal?
“You okay, Parker?” Allen squeezed her hand.
“Yeah, sorry. I guess I was off in another world.”
“One that it didn’t look like you were too happy to be in. Come back to this one. We can make you smile.”
She laughed. “You sure can.”
Parker stood up then stretched. She realized that she was sleepy. She hadn’t done anything to be tired. Being pregnant was kicking her ass. She seemed to need more rest than she had before. The guys caught her yawning and grinned.
“Someone needs a nap.” Allen teased.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I stay tired.”
“Your body is changing getting ready for a baby. You’re bound to be tired a lot now.”
Shane stood up and pulled her into his arms. She didn’t push him away. She really needed the contact. He hugged her tight before brushing a light kiss across her lips. She wanted more, but he pulled back and dragged her toward the stairs.
“Let’s take a nap. We’ve got plenty of time before the guys get here. You’ll need all your energy tonight. They will all be curious about you and want to talk.”
Allen laughed. “Probably all at the same time, too.”
They walked into the bedroom, and Shane immediately picked her up and laid her out on the bed. He removed her shoes. Then they pulled off their boots and climbed up on either side of her. Allen pulled her back into his arms. Shane cuddled up against her front and kissed her eyes when she closed them.
She loved the feel of them close to her, holding her, touching her. She missed this when she’d been home without them. She enjoyed having them surround her. A peace settled in her soul with them near. She needed to think more about it, but later. She drifted off but thought she heard Allen say he loved her.
Chapter Eleven
Shane lay in bed with Parker draped across him still sound asleep. Allen had gotten up to cook them something before the gang showed up at six. With the curtains pulled against the afternoon sun, only wisps of light shown under them. They had left the bathroom light on in case she had to get up in a hurry. The silence of the room seemed accented by her soft snores as she slept.
He didn’t want her to wake up any time soon either. He enjoyed having her all to himself even if it was only when she was sleeping. He couldn’t pretend to himself that he didn’t love her. He did, and because he did, he felt vulnerable since she didn’t seem to feel the same way. There had to be some way to move her in with them. He felt sure that if she lived there with them, she would soon grow to love them as much as they loved her. Allen was so head over heels it was almost funny.
The fact that Allen had sucked her sweet pussy earlier drove him to distraction. He wanted a taste. Maybe tonight he could talk her into letting him taste her again. He had seen the hunger in her eyes when he’d masturbated earlier. Surely it wouldn’t take much to stimulate her into bed with them. Once they got her back in bed, they would keep her there.
“Shane?”
“Hey, Parker. How do you feel?”
“I don’t know, yet. I need to get up, though.”
“Here you go.” He rolled them over and helped her sit up on the side of the bed. Her knee grazed his cock, and he stifled a moan at the stimulation.
“Thanks.” She hurried to the bathroom.
Shane listened to be sure she wasn’t sick, then sat up and pulled his boots back on before standing up and stretching. He was a bit stiff from lying in one place for so long. He wouldn’t have traded that time for anything, though.
“What time is it?” Parker walked out of the bathroom combing her hair.
“It’s almost four thirty. Allen is cooking dinner for us. It should be ready soon.”
“Hmm, I think I can smell it. Let me get my shoes on and I’ll be right down.”
“Sit down on the bed, baby. I’ll put them on for you.”
When he’d slipped them on her feet, she stood up and laid her hand against his arm for a brief second, then smiled and walked out the door. His skin burned where she’d touched him. He just stood there for several seconds before following her downstairs. It was easy to follow her laughter into the kitchen.
“Can you believe it? She’s never had catfish,” Allen said.
“That’s a crime, baby. Allen fixes the best grilled fish you’ve ever tasted.” Shane wrapped his arms around Parker from behind.
She didn’t pull away. It was a good sign. Instead, she leaned back against him and used his chest as a resting place for her head.
“I’ve had swordfish and rockfish before. I guess I’ve never noticed it on the menu before.”
“Well, now you will know just how good catfish is.” Allen began to move everything to the table. “Time to eat. Grab a chair.”
Shane reluctantly released her to sit at the table. He held her chair then took one on the other side of her. Allen took the opposite one. They both waited to see what she thought of the grilled fish. Allen seemed to be hanging on by a thread until she smiled and nodded her head.
“It’s very good. Doesn’t really taste like fish at all.”
“Everyone says it tastes like chicken, but it’s flaky and moist.” Allen regaled the benefits of catfish to her while they ate.
By the time they had finished and the kitchen was clean, it was nearly six. Shane noticed that Parker had become more distant and anxious. He looked at Allen and nodded toward her. He quickly figured out what he was trying to say. His buddy was better at relaxing her.
“Baby, how about a shoulder massage while we wait on them to show up? I’ll tell you about some of them.”
“I guess I’m a little nervous.” She relaxed against the couch as he stood behind her and began to rub her tense shoulders.
Shane watched as Allen worked his magic.
“You’ve met Cole and Zack, they’re our leaders. Their wife is a nurse, and her name is Tina. Then there’s Brandy and her men, Kyle and West. You’ll like Brandy, she’s really sweet. Dillon and Gavin are very protective of their wife, Briana, and their twins.”
Shane picked up the list. “Ranger and Drew are married to Carly, and Neal and Mark are married to Alexis. Now she’s interesting. She is this really uptight lady who has only recently learned how to relax. Once they taught her how, she totally embraced it.”
“Tell me about your work. I know you are in construction. When do you work?”
Allen continued to massage her shoulders and neck, so Shane continued talking.
“We just got off a job that was six weeks in Houston. The next one will be in another few weeks. We’re not going until you’re settled and safe, though. So you don’t need to worry about that.”
“I can’t keep you from working. You need to work, I’m sure. I’m fine. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time, guys.”
“But you didn’t have a baby to consider, and you didn’t have Michael breathing down your neck. I don’t trust him not to try something. He’s desperate for that money, baby.”
“I just can’t see him as being that much of a danger. A nuisance, yeah, but dangerous? I just don’t see it.”
“Trust me, Parker,” Allen said. “I’ve seen plenty like him. When you get your back to the wall like he has his, you’re willing to do anything to get away.”
“I didn’t realize he was in that big of a need of money. He always seems to have plenty of it.”
“I think he has some business deals that aren’t doing so well. I haven’t really delved that deeply into his finances, but if he keeps bothering you, all bets are off. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, baby.”
A knock at the door signaled an end to their conversation. Shane got up and went to let them in. He introduced Parker to everyone as they slowly filed in. By six fifteen, everyone was accounted for with the exception of the twins. Briana had gotten a babysitter for the night.
“I’m surprised you let someone else take care of them,” Allen teased.
“I thought I was going to have to wrestle Dillon about it. He didn’t like anyone I suggested keep them,” Briana said with a smirk.
“Hey, they deserve the best,” Dillon fussed.
Parker seemed to get along with everyone from the moment they walked in. She was an accomplished hostess and had taken it on herself to make sure everyone was comfortable and had something to drink. Shane was proud of her. Cole had nodded at him that he approved as well.
“Okay, everyone. We need to have a meeting so gather ’round.”
Shane and Allen had brought all the kitchen chairs into the living room. The women sat on the couch and the recliners while the men took the floor and straight-back chairs.
“Everyone has met Parker, Shane and Allen’s, um, friend. We’ve got a potential problem and need everyone’s opinion on what the best course of action would be.” He stuck his hand in his pockets and continued.
“Parker is pregnant, and at this time, they don’t want to get married. The problem is Parker is from a high-profile family, Montgomery Oil. Her pregnancy will be a media mess with speculation on who the father is, among other things. Shane and Allen don’t plan on staying in the background. They’re claiming their child. What this means is that everything about them will be brought out in the open. That includes us.”
“So, what you’re saying is that the fact that we live in ménage relationships will be picked up on,” Dillon said.
“Right. Shane and Allen have already offered to quit and distance themselves to hopefully draw the attention away from the gang.”
“They have a right to claim their baby,” Neal pointed out. “I for one don’t blame them for that.”
“Me either,” several of the others agreed.
“I don’t see why he has to quit, either,” Ranger pointed out. “Carly manages just fine with her work despite our relationship.”
“It does cause some problems at times, though,” Carly pointed out.
“But you handle them just fine, and for the most part people mind their own business,” Tina added.
“So, how confident are you that this is going to blow up?” Gavin asked.
Shane looked over at Parker and Allen. “She has an old fiancé who is wanting to get ho
ld of her money. He’s threatening to go public with not only all of the men she’s been with, but also with our relationship.”
“Bastard!” Alexis muttered.
West spoke up. “Well, I for one don’t want them to quit. We’ve weathered a hell of a lot more than this back overseas. I don’t think we should have to hide as it is.”
“Most of the people I know already know about my homelife. I don’t care if a stranger knows. They can’t hurt me,” Carly said.
“Are we ready for a vote, or is there anyone else who has something to say?” Zack asked.
“I’m not a member, but can I say something?” Parker stood up. Allen stood next to her with his hand on her waist.
“Of course you can,” Cole said.
“You’ve all been so nice to me without really knowing me. I don’t want to cause any of you any trouble, but if you let Allen and Shane stay, the media will be all over us. That means they will dredge up everything possible for a story. You’ll be splashed all over everything. Everything you do will be big news. This isn’t going to be a couple of stories in the newspaper and the gossip rags. This will be spread out across all the media.”
“You sound like you don’t want them to stay in the gang.” Zack frowned.
“I want them to stay. I want them to let me go.”
“Not happening, babe,” Shane and Allen both said.
“Okay, let’s vote. Everyone in favor of them staying on raise your hand.”
Shane almost closed his eyes. To see everything he had known sink away would probably cut like a knife. Instead of empty air, there were hands everywhere. Not a single person kept theirs down. He and Allen exchanged looks. He knew there were tears in his eyes.
“Looks like you guys are stuck in the gang. Parker, welcome to The Dirty Dozen.”
* * * *
“Did you guys hear me? They’ll drag your lives through the mud.”
“And we can handle it. You’re not alone anymore, Parker. You’ve got the gang behind you.” Alexis stood up. “Let’s leave the men to the nuts and bolts of it and take up in the kitchen.”
The men scrambled to carry the chairs back to the kitchen for them. The women gathered around the table to talk. Parker wasn’t sure what to do. She hovered by the coffeemaker with a fresh cup in her hand.