by Dani April
“Who says I don’t?” He toyed with her, using his patented smile. He could imagine her as clay in his hands. If he played it right, and he knew he could, she would be his to do with as he pleased.
“You told me yesterday you don’t have a girlfriend right now. I think that must be true or you wouldn’t be out here pursuing me.”
He had to give her that one. “Well, it has been a little while. Guess I just haven’t been meeting the right women lately.” He directed another bright smile at her. “Not until I met you, anyway.”
He watched her hesitate and knew she thought about getting up and leaving him. She had brought him his drink and thanked him for his help. There was no more to be said. Yet she stayed and seemed uncertain how to proceed with him.
“I’m twenty-four years old,” he said, opening up to her. “Guess maybe I’m just getting pickier about the women I chase in my old age.”
“Twenty-four?” she asked him. “You’re the same age as me.”
He gave her a frown. “You look younger.” This wasn’t flattery. He really thought she was younger.
“I feel older,” she confided in him. “Back in the city I always thought that life was so hard it made me look older. Now that I’m out here, I’ve found out there’s all sorts of other hardships to deal with. I guess wherever you go, you can’t escape living.”
“Why would a beautiful woman like you want to escape from anything?”
“Are you ever serious?” She gave him a cross look. But he knew she liked his casual, irreverent approach in spite of what she said.
“I’m serious about getting to know you a whole lot better.”
She laughed but didn’t respond.
Hunter thought about going in for the kill. He ached to touch her. That smooth skin, those breasts that hung so ripe from under her shirt. Her full, pouty lips he could have kissed for the rest of the day. The tight jeans made her legs look so long. He imagined them wrapped around his waist, imagined himself between them.
However, he kept his distance and remained seated just outside of touching distance. Damn it, maybe he was losing his touch. He had never been scared to go for a woman before. What was different about this one?
“Maybe I should get back to work.” Suddenly there were no more witty lines in his brain. They all sounded better in a bar anyway than out here in the mountains with a beautiful woman at his side.
“Take your time,” she told him. “It’s not like I’m paying you anything for this work.”
He used his kerchief to wipe more sweat off his chest and took the time to regard her further. “I think your man really must love you.”
“He did.”
“I think McLaughlin was one lucky SOB.”
“Well, we were both lucky for a little while, but nothing lasts forever. Drake told me you saw Doc Hughes. I know Nathan might be out there dying.”
Hunter wanted to curse his friend for spilling the beans on them. Yet he really couldn’t blame him too much. This woman had obviously gotten to him, too. As he thought about it, he didn’t know of any man who would be strong enough to withstand her smile without a little bit of his heart breaking.
“Sorry about not telling you sooner.” He felt lame in his apology. Suddenly she had made him feel like a real shit.
“That’s okay.” She wasn’t mad at him, but she got up to leave him anyway. She was obviously sad and wanted to be by herself.
“Hey, Morgan!” he called to her, and she turned back. “I won’t ever lie to you again.” Hunter meant what he said. Morgan had gotten to him, and for the first time ever he was confused by his feelings for a woman.
He still wanted to bed her, but there was something more he wanted from her, too. It was that something else that confused him and, frankly, scared him, and to be scared of a woman put Hunter in territory he’d never been in before.
Chapter Eleven
The guys moved into Morgan’s house that day. It was a four-bedroom house. There was the master bedroom she had shared with Nathan. Then there was the bedroom they had reserved as Morgan’s studio. The two guest rooms completed the home. Drake and Hunter each took one.
Morgan thought she would feel nervous sleeping under the same roof with the two roughnecks. She even locked her bedroom door. But she didn’t feel alone or lonely any longer. That was such a relief. She felt reconnected to the world. There were no nerves to be had. Only a calm feeling that put a smile on her face as she lay in her bed.
She wasn’t able to sleep that night. But it wasn’t from overwork or heartbreak, as it had been on every other night since Nathan had left her. That night she felt excited to have Drake and Hunter inside the house with her. This was the start of something. It was too soon to think what that might be. But there was definite anticipation growing inside her.
She was grateful neither of the guys tried to come to her room that night, though if they had she would have gladly given herself to them.
As she lay awake thinking about them, she started to see them in a new light. They were both alone in the world. They had each other as friends, but no women. They lived in a couple small trailers parked by their business. They had not mentioned families. Apparently they ran a successful business, but their rough exteriors put them out of place in the modern world. Out here on the land was the only place they could really fit in. There were no people and no women other than her. That was a lonely existence for two men.
Morgan knew she was also lonely since Nathan had left her. Drake and Hunter were surprisingly a lot like her. The three of them had more in common than she first realized.
It was not until four in the morning that Morgan finally drifted off to sleep. She felt okay about how things were working out. She was hopeful Nathan would return to her, and for the first time she thought she could wait it out until he got back home.
Her alarm woke her only a couple hours later, and she was up to start breakfast for her two house guests. She was grateful the master bedroom had its own private bathroom inside. She could shower without fear of interruption. Also, the guys had a bathroom on their wing they could use. It kept everything private in this early stage of their relationship.
Morgan was dressed in a nice snug-fitting pair of jeans and a T-shirt when the guys made their way into the kitchen for breakfast. Neither was wearing a shirt. Hunter only wore his boxers.
Morgan had to hide the smile on her face. They were both fine specimens. If she was going to get two men insisting on being replacements for her boyfriend, she could have done a lot worse.
She didn’t want to look at them as they sat down at her kitchen table. But she couldn’t help stealing a glance or two as she finished their breakfast. Hunter sure filled out those boxers.
“How did you like your rooms?” Morgan watched Drake comb his hair and Hunter give a big yawn.
“You have a very nice home here, Morgan,” Drake told her. “The rooms were great.”
“If you want to go into town and see to your business today, go on.” Morgan wasn’t sure how their relationship would play out yet. They couldn’t spend all their time helping her, and she didn’t want them to.
“We have more work to do around here today,” Hunter assured her.
“That’s right. Our business can wait for a while,” Drake said.
Morgan served them their breakfast. Today it was waffles with lots of maple syrup, with a side of link sausage, big glasses of orange juice, and strong coffee.
“Thank you, Morgan.” Drake looked up at her with kind eyes.
“Thank you, Morgan,” Hunter said, repeating his friend’s words. “This looks mighty tasty.”
Morgan stood back and looked at them. “Why don’t we stop thanking each other.” She put her hands on her hips. “You guys are helping me more than I can say, and I like having a man—well, men—to make breakfast for again.”
“I guess we have ourselves some talking to do about just what kind of a relationship the three of us are going to have here.” Drake stated the o
bvious.
“Yes, we do.” Morgan turned her back on them and started dishing up her own breakfast. They were friends. Right now that felt good. They couldn’t leave it at that. But at the moment Morgan didn’t want to think about what came next. She just wanted to enjoy what they were.
“You guys behaved yourselves last night.” She didn’t mean to admonish them. She actually said this more as a compliment.
“We told you we would,” Drake said.
Morgan sat down at the table with them. “I really appreciate your friendship.”
“The two of us don’t have many friends.” Hunter gave her a winning smile. But somehow this morning she thought it was more honest and from the heart. “We have a lot of acquaintances, but not any real friends except for each other. We certainly don’t have any friends as pretty as you.”
“It’s kind of nice to have a real home to sleep in for a change.” Drake seemed almost shy when he told her this. This was a real novelty for either of these tough guys to be shy.
“While Nathan’s away, I want you to consider this house your home.”
The men didn’t answer. She knew they had the same question she did. What came next in their relationship?
* * * *
They fell into a comfortable routine as the next month went by. Drake was surprised that he was happy living at Morgan’s house. He had not tried to make a move on Morgan once, and he was pretty sure Hunter hadn’t, either. Yet he was content to just spend time with her. Taking time to get to know a woman was actually pretty decent. There was no need to rush her into their bed. She was actually becoming their friend.
Morgan’s house was the only place he had felt at home since he had been a kid growing up with his parents. There was always a home-cooked meal waiting when he got home. The conversation between him and Morgan and Hunter was always lively and good natured. They knew each other well enough now to laugh and joke together.
Summer had just started. Drake wiped the sweat from his brow as he entered the house. Morgan and Hunter were seated. Each had a beer, and they were relaxing after a hard day. Drake had brought a load of his dirty laundry down to be washed. He set it aside and reached inside the refrigerator to grab a cold beer for himself.
“Just leave those in the laundry room. I’ll do them tomorrow.” Morgan was wearing a cute outfit. Short pants and a halter. Her delicious curves were on prime display. Though Drake hadn’t made a move with her yet, he could certainly admire the view. This warm summer evening brought him a nice one as she dangled her longs legs over the edge of the couch and told him to put down his laundry.
Drake did as she asked and stored his laundry basket next to the washer and dryer. Then he joined Morgan and Hunter in the next room.
“You cowboys sure go through the change of clothes when you’re working.”
“We’re not cowboys,” Hunter corrected her. “We’re shifters.”
Drake took a seat across from Morgan. Both men avoided the couch where Morgan reclined. Drake thought her body looked awfully snuggly and wondered what it would be like to cuddle up next to her on that couch. He wondered if maybe he and Hunter had just become chickenshit around her. She had become their best friend, but she also scared them, too, because they were so damn attracted to her.
“You don’t know a lot about shifters, do you?” Drake asked Morgan.
“Not really.”
“Didn’t Nathan ever talk much about it?”
“We lived in Chicago together for two years, and he never shifted back there. Then when we moved out here, I always got the idea that he was embarrassed by it.”
“That isn’t us.” Hunter spoke up with pride. “I wake up every day of my life happy God made me a shifter.”
“You should come out with us some time and watch us shift,” Drake urged her. “You should learn about what your boyfriend is if you’re going to have a good relationship with him.”
“Maybe.” Morgan didn’t seem too convinced. Drake got the idea the whole concept of shifting made her uncomfortable. Her mood had turned somber. “I haven’t seen Nathan in over a month. I don’t know if he’s even still alive.”
“I’m pretty certain he’s still alive.” Drake wanted to make her feel better. He couldn’t stand to see her sad. Her face was just too beautiful when she smiled. “Maybe the next time you see him, Morgan…maybe he’ll be a man again.”
This did make her smile. She liked the thought even if she didn’t necessarily believe it. Drake had to wonder, too, because he didn’t really believe Nathan would ever be back.
Chapter Twelve
Hunter made himself a sandwich after Morgan placed the makings for cold cuts on the deck table in her backyard.
Hunter had been in town with Drake that morning. They had to have a meeting with the boss of one of the unions that represented their workers at the lumberyard. The meeting had gone well. A new contract had been hammered out over a few drinks at the bar.
Now they had both returned to Morgan and were ready for a lazy Saturday afternoon. Overhead, big white fluffy clouds crawled over the mountaintops.
Hunter watched Morgan as she served them from a pitcher of iced tea. She was a doll in a short skirt and sleeveless top. Her long legs arched up into the folds of that skirt and were the picture of female perfection.
“Did you guys have a good meeting in town this morning?”
“I think we got another two-year deal with the union.” Drake always looked on the bright side of things. He was a glass-half-full kind of guy. That was why he clicked so well with Hunter’s somewhat darker outlook on life.
“Forget about that.” Hunter relaxed back into his deck chair and looked out at the mountains. It was too fine of a day to discuss business. Morgan looked too sexy. His mind would concentrate on nothing else except what was hidden between her legs under that tight little skirt.
“I’m going in town tonight to the county fair,” Hunter told them. “Either of you want to join me?”
“I suppose since our business has made so much money getting the county fair set up, we should be in attendance.”
“I wasn’t thinking about the money, but you’ve got a point.” Hunter met Morgan’s gaze briefly. He gave her a smile. Her sexy outfit made him do nothing but smile. She quickly looked away from him. But there had been one moment of blazing electricity.
“Do you want to tag along with us, Morgan?” Hunter kept his eyes on her until she met his stare again.
“That’s okay.” Morgan was quick to beg off anything that took her away from this house. She waited in vain for her lost man to come back. “You guys go on without me and have fun. I’m just going to make myself dinner and watch a movie on TV tonight.”
Hunter looked across the deck to Drake. Drake gave him a half smile. They couldn’t really expect anything more from Morgan. Yet Hunter thought it was time to press the advantage their friendship with the beautiful lady had gained them.
“Probably just as well.” Hunter watched her carefully for her reaction. “The county fair is the best place to pick up hot chicks. There should be a lot of them in abundance tonight. Remember last year’s fair, Drake?”
Drake laughed. “We picked up a city girl who was passing through from back east.” Drake, of course, could not have forgotten so soon. “She took us back to her motel room. The three of us spent the weekend in bed.”
Hunter gave a wicked laugh at the memory. The sex had been meaningless and mindless, devoid of any real connection save for the physical. The girl had only been a piece of ass for two horny shape-shifters.
Hunter supposed the girl had left pleased enough, and at the time it had seemed like enough for him. Now he wanted more. He looked back across the deck to where Morgan was lying on her deck chair, her long legs held out in front of her.
“Wish us luck tonight.” Hunter wanted to see how she would take this. He was probing her for a reaction.
She didn’t look at him and didn’t respond. He noticed she had gone st
iff all of a sudden. There was a magazine on the table next to her, and she picked it up to flip through the pages.
“Morgan, did you hear me?” Hunter wasn’t going to stop. “I said please wish us luck tonight in connecting with someone at the fair.”
Morgan threw her magazine down on the table and got up from the deck chair. Her skirt billowed out around her thighs as she moved quickly away. Her tight little ass wiggled, and she turned her back to them.
“Good luck, guys,” she called over her shoulder and left them alone. Her voice was muffled, and Hunter could barely hear her. It was obvious that his words had made her angry.
Hunter smiled. The next few hours would determine the future course of their relationship with Morgan.
* * * *
Morgan went back to her room and shut the door. She was prepared to spend all night in there.
Hunter had made her angry. Drake had been no better. Normally he defended her from Hunter’s untoward remarks. Today he had been silent.
Morgan knew she was being unreasonable. She had no right to feel like this and no claim to either of the two handsome shifters. They were her friends. They had helped her when she most needed help. Still, every day they stayed with her was a great help. But she had never offered them more than friendship, though the whisper of more had always hung in the air between them.
The two men were young and healthy. They wanted a woman, probably needed one. Morgan had no right to be angry with them for acting perfectly normal.
Yet she was. She could not overcome her hurt feelings.
The mere thought of Drake and Hunter attempting to pick up a woman at the fair tonight drove her mad, with what she could not say. Was it jealousy? Surely not. But there it was. She had to admit it to herself. She was jealous when Hunter had mentioned other women to her.
What could she do? She was powerless to stop them. They were not hers.
Her thoughts turned to the one man who was hers beyond any doubt.
“Oh, Nathan…” she sobbed as she sat down on her bed.