Playing to Win

by Becca Van

  After growing up without a father, she wanted to make sure she was in love and loved in return before giving her body to someone. There was no fucking way she was having sex with someone she didn’t have feelings for. She didn’t want to end up pregnant and spending the rest of her life all alone rearing a child or children the way her mother had. Though she admired and respected her mom, she’d had it tough. Cindy wanted someone at her side she could rely on. She wanted to share the joy of parenthood with a partner who was loyal and faithful.

  So many relationships ended in separation and/or divorce. When she made a commitment, she stuck to it no matter what. That was another reason she needed to be sure of her feelings and theirs before jumping in with both feet.

  “We’ll give you all the time you need, sweetie.” Grant stepped closer to her. “My brothers and I won’t pressure you. Will we, guys?”

  “No, we won’t,” Shane said emphatically.

  “Whatever you need, honey,” Jake said.

  “Will you promise us something?” Curt asked.

  Cindy frowned. She wasn’t about to say yes before he told her what he wanted.

  “Don’t look so worried, darlin’.” Curt clasped her hand. “We aren’t the type of guys to trick and trap you. All I was going to ask is, as soon as you make up your mind one way or the other, would you please come and tell us? We don’t want to feel as if we’re dangling from a puppet string.”

  “I would never do that,” she snapped. “If you think I’m capable of something so reprehensible, then a relationship won’t work.”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Curt sighed. “All I’m saying is, don’t keep us guessing forever. Please?”

  Cindy was kind of shocked that Curt was being so serious since she’d pegged him and Jake as the more playful, flirty brothers. Maybe she’d read them wrong. She shook her head. No, she didn’t think she had, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be stern when they needed to be.

  All the more reason to hold back. She didn’t know them enough to say yes, and as far as she was concerned, they didn’t know her well enough to be asking.

  “I can promise that I will let you know if I ever decide whether I want to be in a relationship with you or not. I won’t leave you hanging.” She held up her free hand when Curt opened his mouth. “However, I’m not likely to have made any decisions in the next few days, weeks, or even months.”

  “Thank you, darlin’.” Curt leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

  She had no idea what he was thanking her for, but she nodded anyway. When one or all of them touched her, they frazzled her mind and caused her body to sizzle. How was a person supposed to think when they did that to her?

  “Are we good, honey?” Jake asked.

  “We’re good,” she answered.

  “I’m glad that’s all settled,” Shane said. “You, young lady, are going to go back to bed and take a nap.” Before she could protest, he scooped her up into his arms again.

  Normally she would have told him off, but she was too weary to protest. “Are you always this bossy?”

  “When it comes to you and your health, it seems I am.” Shane met her gaze briefly as he continued carrying her toward the bedroom.

  “Don’t get used to giving me orders, Shane. You aren’t my mother, and you’re not my boyfriend. Even if you were, I’m not going to let you tell me what to do.”

  “I know that, baby. I’m just worried about you. My brothers and I could tell you were hurting. You’re a stubborn little minx, aren’t you?”

  “I’ve had to be, Shane. If you don’t like an obstinate, independent woman, then maybe I should leave.”

  “The only place you’re going is bed,” Shane said emphatically. “We can talk more after you’ve had a nap.”

  He lowered her to her feet, his arm about her waist as he tugged the covers down and lifted her onto the bed. “Are you warm enough?” he asked after covering her with the quilt.

  “Yes, thanks.”

  “You’re welcome, baby.” He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. “Stop thinking and worrying, Cindy. Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. You’ll see.”

  She stared at his muscular jeans-covered ass as he walked toward the door. When he halted in the doorway, she raised her eyes to his, blushing when she saw him watching her with a grin on his face. Thankfully, he didn’t say anything, but he winked and then sauntered from the room.

  Though she was tired, Cindy didn’t think she’d be able to fall asleep. Her face felt about as hot as she thought hell would feel, and she couldn’t get the thought of being in a relationship with the four Kenny brothers out of her mind.

  Being in a ménage relationship was all she’d dreamed about since she, her mom, and sister had arrived in Slick Rock and she’d been old enough to figure out why so many women always had more than one man at her side.

  She’d wanted to say yes so badly, she’d had to bite her tongue, but she hadn’t been about to run headlong into something before she knew where she was going. If she had, she might very well have hurt herself when she’d smacked into a dead end.

  They hadn’t even been out on a date, for god’s sake.

  Were Shane, Grant, Jake, and Curt just expecting her to fall into line without putting any effort in?

  She had no idea. She was in a quandary and didn’t know in which direction to turn. Nonetheless, she figured that even if she had a compass to show her the way, she’d still be indecisive about which path to take.

  Cindy sighed as her heavy eyelids closed, and she pushed her thoughts from her mind.

  There was no use pondering over anything since her mind would just continue to spin in circles.

  Time was what she needed, and she wasn’t going to let the Kenny men pressure her into something she wasn’t ready for, no matter how persistent they were.

  Chapter Seven

  “You’re a lucky son of a bitch,” Grant said as soon as Shane entered the kitchen.

  Shane nodded and grinned. “Hell yes, I am.”

  “Did she taste as good as you thought she would?” Jake asked.

  “No. She tasted even better.”

  “I’m so jealous of you right now, bro.” Curt rubbed a hand over his face.

  “You need to stop that right now.” Grant pointed at Curt. “There is no room for envy between us if we’re going to make this work with Cindy.”

  “You think I don’t fucking know that?” Curt snarled.

  “Keep your fucking voice down,” Shane said. “I don’t want you waking her up or her hearing you arguing. If she thinks she’s becoming between us, she’s likely to tell us no to a relationship and leave.”

  “You’re right. Sorry.” Curt sighed. “I’m just so eager and excited to have her in our home.”

  “He means he’s horny.” Jake chuckled.

  “We all are, but we’ve been horny before,” Grant said. “We’re grown men and don’t let desire rule our actions or decisions.”

  “We are,” Shane said. “I don’t think she’s very experienced.”

  “I figured that out since she’s so shy.” Jake crossed his arms over his chest.

  Shane shook his head. “I’m not sure if I’m right or not, but I don’t think she’d been kissed before me.”

  “What makes you say that?” Curt asked.

  “She was very hesitant at first, as if she didn’t know what to do. And when she did make a move, she mimicked what I did.”

  “You think she’s a virgin?” Grant adjusted his aching dick.

  “If I had to hazard a guess, then yes, I do.”

  “Fuck, no wonder she’s so sweet and shy.” Jake began to pace back and forth.

  “We can’t let her get away from us,” Curt said. “Every time I think of some other asshole making a move on her, I see red.”

  “So how do we go about this?” Jake asked.

  “We take it one day at a time,” Shane said.

  “I agree.” Grant nodde
d. “When she’s healed up enough, we take her out on dates.”

  “All together or one-on-one?” Curt asked.

  “We should let Cindy decide that,” Grant said.

  “I’m not sure that she’s ready for all of us,” Jake said. “Did you all notice how skittish she is when we’re surrounding her?”

  “It was hard not to, Jake,” Shane said.

  “She was breathing heavily, and I could see her pulse beating fast in her neck.” Curt sighed.

  “She’s also just been attacked, bro.” Grant clasped Curt’s shoulder.

  “Grant’s right,” Shane said. “She’s probably nervous of all men because she was held at gunpoint and shot. We have to back off, give her time to get comfortable with us.”

  “And if she doesn’t?” Jake asked.

  “Then maybe she isn’t the right woman for us,” Curt said.

  “Do you really believe that?” Shane asked incredulously.

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “Neither do the rest of us,” Grant stated. “We make sure we spend as much time with her as we can.”

  Jake nodded.

  “Are we in agreement?” Grant quirked a brow.

  “Hell yes,” Shane, Jake, and Curt answered simultaneously.

  Grant turned toward the kitchen and the dishes. Shane, Jake, and Curt were heading to Safe Haven in the next half an hour. Shane had told Kat that they’d be late getting to work, but she’d waved him off, apparently. Kat and Niki were wonderful caring women. She’d told Shane that as long as the construction was completed on time, she didn’t care what hours they worked. He was the lucky asshole who’d won the draw in the competition on who was staying at home to take care of Cindy.

  He hoped he got to kiss her like Shane had.

  * * * *

  Chester had virtually ripped the house apart looking for a clue, but so far he’d found nothing.

  With an angry sigh of frustration, he stalked out of the bedroom and down the hall toward the kitchen. He was tired and thirsty after searching all day long and needed a beer. After grabbing a beer from the fridge, he popped the lid and tossed it toward the trash. “Fuck!” he yelled angrily when the lid hit the side of the can and then dropped onto the floor. He stormed across the room, lifted his foot, and kicked the can over. Trash spilled from the downed can onto the floor, creating more of a mess.

  He guzzled down the beer, tossed the bottle in the recycle bin, and then started picking up the mess. He was almost done with just a few pieces of what looked like news articles left to dispose of. Chester picked them up and frowned as he looked the pieces over. He had no idea where they came from because he hadn’t subscribed to any news outlets to have newspapers delivered.

  His curiosity was piqued when he read the heading “Safe Haven.” The more he read, the more his gut fluttered with excitement. Is this where his slut had run away to? Had that bitch skipped out of the state of Arizona to Colorado? He really wished he knew someone who could trace her cell phone, but he didn’t. Nor did he have any extra cash to spend, but the more he read about the shelter being set up for victims of abuse, the more certain he was that this was where she was hiding.

  There was only one way to find out, though.

  Chester folded the article and shoved it in his pocket. Then he hurried to the bedroom to pack a bag.

  He still had his credit cards, so he’d be fine for a while. Once he had Louise back, he’d teach her a lesson she’d never forget. After he had her under his control once more, he was going to send her out to work.

  Why should he bust his gut working when he had a wife? It was her fault he’d lost his job anyway. She would have to be the major breadwinner. He wasn’t going to listen to her bitching and nagging anymore. He was laying down the law, and if she tried to argue with him, he’d hit her.

  One way or the other, he was getting his family back. He was the man of the house and would demand respect. She and his kids would cower in his presence, just the way they should.

  * * * *

  Cindy felt much better after her nap. She’d already used the bathroom and tidied up as much as she could before taking a quick shower.

  She listened as she walked through the house and wondered why it was so quiet. When she entered the kitchen and saw that Grant was alone, she was surprised.

  He smiled when he looked up from the paperwork he was reading over and held his hand out toward her. “Hey, sweetie. You’re looking better. How are you feeling?”

  Cindy walked toward him, lacing her fingers with his. “I feel better. Where are the others?”

  “They had to go to work.”

  “Oh.” She frowned. Her being here was creating chaos with their lives. It would be better if she just asked him to drive her back to her own home, but she didn’t really want to.

  Suck it up, Cindy. You’re no longer a little girl. Everyone has to do things they don’t want to.

  “Hey, what’s the frown for?” Grant asked as he nudged her eyes up to his, being careful not to touch her chin.

  “I was just thinking.”

  “About?” He raised a brow.

  Cindy had never been able to do that. She’d seen her mom quirk her eyebrow a few times, but only when she or her sister had done something wrong. She liked the way the Kenny men did it. For some reason, she thought it made them look even sexier. It was as if they were trying to be stern or did it when they were concerned, and it also made her feel cared for.

  “I’m disrupting your lives by being here,” she said. “I think it would be best if you took me home.”

  “You do, huh?” Grant frowned. “And why would you think that?”

  Cindy frowned back. “I just told you why.”

  “You wouldn’t be trying to tell me lies, now would you, sweetie?” Grant kept his commanding eyes locked with hers.

  “Why are you treating me like a child? Do you think I don’t know my own mind just because I’m small in stature? I’m a grown-assed woman.”

  “Oh, believe me, sweetie, you don’t need to tell me that.” Grant eyed her body up and down.

  Warm tingles coursed through her blood. She actually felt her areolae contract and her nipples harden, not to mention what was going on down between her legs. She tugged at her hand, trying to get it out of Grant’s clasp, but he just held her tighter. When he hooked an arm around her waist after scooting his chair back and lifted her onto his lap, she gasped.

  Cindy kept her gaze away from his, but Grant was determined and cupped her cheeks between his hands. “Why are you fighting the attraction, Cindy? Are you scared of me and my brothers?”

  “Don’t be ludicrous,” she said quickly. Too quickly, but she continued to hold Grant’s stare. He and his brothers had such vibrant green eyes. Even though Shane’s eyes were hazel, she’d worked out that when he was feeling intense emotions, the green took over the brown.

  “You could never be a disruption or distraction, Cindy. We like having you in our home. My brothers and I want to spend as much time as we can with you so we can all get to know each other.”

  “Why me?” she asked.

  Grant’s frown deepened. “Why you what?”

  “Why do you want a relationship with me? I’m no one special.”

  “I beg to differ, sweetie. You’re very fucking special.”

  Before she could argue with him, Grant lowered his head toward hers, covering her lips with his. He started off slowly, rubbing his lips back and forth over hers. Just as she was getting used to the feel of his flesh on hers, he deepened the kiss. He delved his tongue into her mouth, caressing and then twirling it around hers.

  Cindy moaned as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to get closer to him. He and his brothers were all so big and powerful. They made her feel so small and feminine, and she liked the feeling. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to end up caring about Grant and his brothers too much.

  When Grant released her lips, she gulped in air. Grant was breathing
as heavily as she was. “You taste good, sweetie.” He pecked her on the tip of her nose.

  Cindy blushed, rested her cheek against his chest, and inhaled his delicious scent. Grant, Jake, Curt, and Shane all smelled so good to her. She’d never noticed the way a man smelled before, and now she was taking note of how four men smelled.

  Grant smelled like lemons. Shane’s scented of a sandalwood incense stick she’d once burned in her bedroom. Jake’s aroma was fresh like the sea, and Curt’s fragrance smelled like a pine forest. One-on-one, they were dangerous, but collectively, they were lethal. She wished they’d come with warning labels, but she had a feeling it was already too late.

  The more time she spent with the Kenny men, the more she wanted to spend time with them.

  What if they didn’t like her as much as they thought they did when they got to know her personality? Would they discard her by the wayside and turn to another woman? That’s what had happened to her mom after she’d given birth to Cindy’s baby sister, Erica.

  She was much younger than they were and still a virgin, which she was going to keep to herself.

  They were mature and sophisticated, and she was worried if they found out she’d never had sex before, that they would drop her like a hot potato.

  Her heart clenched painfully at the thought.

  She needed to get out of here and fast. If she was already feeling pain over mere thoughts, she would probably feel agony if she hung around them longer. She slid from his lap quickly so he couldn’t stop her.

  He sighed as he rose.

  She backed away from him, fearful that another touch or kiss from him and his brothers would sway her into changing her mind about getting to know them before jumping into bed with them.

  She was so damned desirous it was ludicrous. When she noticed she was backstepping, she stopped, crossed her arms beneath her breasts, and met his gaze head-on, even though she had to tilt her head way up to do so. “Please take me home, Grant.”

  “Cindy—”

  “No,” she interrupted him. “I’m not going to let you keep me here against my will. I’m fine. I no longer have a headache and don’t need to be watched over anymore.”