by Kells, India
He stopped himself when he started rambling. Josie looked at him with curiosity. “I’m twenty-two.”
“And I’m more than double that. As I said, it was inappropriate.”
Shaking her head, she indicated the room before her in a desperate gesture. “I can’t leave here.”
“Then you don’t have a job.”
Her mouth opened and closed in insult, and in a flash, Knox remembered her exquisite taste and softness. Immediately his cock pulsed in his jeans but ignored it.
“You can’t do that!”
“This conversation is going around in circles. I’ve already said everything I need to on the subject. Accept my deal, and you’ll have more money, food, a warm bed, and a hot shower. How long has it been since you’ve had a hot shower or bath?”
Turning around, Josie examined her small home that even a decent blaze couldn’t heat and when he saw her shoulders slump a little, Knox knew he’d won.
Chapter 7
Josie awoke completely disoriented with her heart hammering out of her ribcage. She looked around, trying to make sense of her surroundings, and finally remembered what she’d agreed to last night. Spencer Knox had offered her a deal she hadn’t been able to refuse. More precisely, he’d coerced her into accepting his offer.
Light illuminated the small attic room through the two tiny windows. The room was sparse, containing a bed, dresser, and boxes. The bed was soft and smelled clean. It had been difficult to wash her sheets or clothing often in her little cabin, especially in the winter. And when she did, everything smelled musty, or of rancid water for days.
That reminded her that she probably smelled just as bad and she sighed. After packing everything she had last night and arriving at his place, Knox had offered her a shower, but she was too tired, and anxious if she was honest with herself, not that she would have told him that.
When they’d arrived, she’d barely looked at the cabin, which looked more like a mansion to her than a cabin in the early morning light. Her eyes barely open, she debated skipping sleep so not to be late for work. Once again, Knox had laid down the law and told her to take the day off, and he would man the phone and customers for the day, and being Saturday, she was only scheduled to work until lunchtime anyway.
No amount of arguing convinced him to let her work, and he even mumbled something about spanking her if she even thought about making an unwanted appearance at the shop.
The man was an enigma. It was difficult to read him, or understand his moods—gruff and grumpy seemed to be his nature. He made her think of her no-good future ex-husband, the way he ordered her about. But that was where the comparison ended, as her ex didn’t care. He had at the beginning, otherwise she wouldn’t have married him. She knew a woman in love could be blind. In fact, if she hadn’t been so blind, she would have sensed the change in him sooner, how his gentle words had turned vile, how his embrace had turned cold. Hopes high, she’d accepted everything he’d handed her—his neglect, how he’d belittle her until she believed it herself—as his reason for no longer wanting her.
Part of her couldn’t use the word abusive to describe their relationship. It wasn’t. She just wasn’t the woman he thought he’d married. It was her fault for falling behind in what was expected of her.
Her decision to ask for a divorce confirmed a few things. She had a backbone and was a hard worker. Once her debt was repaid, she would be able to focus on the talents she’d discovered such as cooking and baking, and forget about the things she wasn’t skilled in.
Annoyed at hearing her ex’s voice in her head, she buried herself under the blanket and sighed. Clearing her mind of the past, Josie took a deep breath and relaxed once more. Due to an incredible twist of events, she’d been given another boost which would allow her to eventually be free. No strings attached.
At the thought, she remembered how Knox had looked at her just before they kissed.
The thought of that kiss immediately warmed her belly and the taste of him still lingered in the back of her memory. Her fingers started tingling remembering how his body felt against hers. It had been the first time, in a very long time, that she been aroused. Knox had been too. She’d felt it when he’d pressed against her.
It had been a surprise, as her ex always told her she wasn’t that attractive, and with her curvy body, wasn’t able to tempt a man. And Knox was way more handsome than her ex, so it was baffling that he’d desired her, even for just a second.
Josie pushed at the covers at the thought. She couldn’t indulge in the fantasy of Knox, of sex, or even of love.
She pushed herself to her feet, the cold of the room grounding her, her shivering forcing her into action. She went to one of her bags and pulled out a pair of sports pants and a sweatshirt and went in her pajamas to look for the bathroom one floor down.
After a long hot shower, Josie finally emerged, feeling refreshed and better able to take in her current situation. She stood on the open landing of the second floor looking down at the living room and kitchen. The place looked amazing, airy but warm. And very masculine with no decorations. It looked a lot like the man—straight forward with no artifice.
She padded down the stairs and looked around. The many windows offered wonderful light, even on the overcast day. The stone hearth was huge and the big leather couches looked inviting. When she looked through the windows, the view over the valley was beautiful and she could almost see her little cabin in the forest.
Her stomach grumbling, she went into the kitchen and rolled her eyes. It was clearly a kitchen ruled by men, or more accurately destroyed by men from the number of dishes, trash, and general mess covering the counters. Another sign it was a bachelor pad was the lack of decent food in the fridge, although pickles and beer were probably satisfactory to some. Surprising that in such a manly house there wasn’t bacon on the shelves too.
Searching through the cupboards she found some canned tuna and crackers that made her day. It was only when she threw the remnants of her meal into the overflowing trash can, she noticed the time. It was almost four in the afternoon.
Had she slept that long? That was impossible. Maybe not though. The last few months had been hard on her body.
And Knox and Gage would probably be on their way home in about an hour. Feeling awkward—there was no way she could sit and twiddle her thumbs until they arrived—she started to clean up. It helped to keep her anxiety down at the idea of Knox—and Gage—being home soon.
Keeping her eyes off the clock, Josie got to work washing and scrubbing everything she could. Eventually she felt comfortable enough to turn on the TV in the corner and set it on a music station. The upbeat music made her smile and she returned to her task.
She was giving the counter a good scrub, moving her body to the music when a deep voice behind her made her jump. “That’s a wonderful welcome, don’t ever stop shaking that ass, Josie.”
Josie turned and saw Gage, his arms filled with grocery bags, a big grin on his bearded face. Grasping her rag against her chest, she shouted at him. “That’s not funny, Gage!”
The man laughed, and Josie saw Knox tapping his boots and coming in behind his friend. “Move, Gage! It’s cold as shit outside! And take your boots off, you’re dropping snow everywhere.”
Snorting, Gage shed his boots, throwing them against the wall, before putting the two bags on the counter.
It was like a ball of energy had entered the room. He was the same at the shop and the opposite of Knox who was so still, always analyzing and waiting.
Gage took off his coat and slung it toward the couch, but Knox intercepted it and growled. “Behave, Gage.”
His friend winked at her. “So, Knox told me we have a new roommate. And she cleans!”
Knox hung both his coat and Gage’s and then turned the TV down before grabbing a couple of plastic bags and putting them on the counter. Only then did he look around and finally focus on her face. “Thank you for cleaning up. I don’t want you to feel like you
had to. You needed rest.”
Josie felt uneasy at his intense gaze but maintained eye contact and smiled. “You’re offering me somewhere to stay and I can pull my weight. I’m not a guest. I can cook too.”
“Awesome! I love a woman who can cook.”
Knox turned to Gage. “No problem. If she cooks, you’re on bathroom duty. And snow shoveling.”
Gage whined, but Josie could see he wasn’t serious, and he started to help put the groceries away. Knox pulled boxes from the bags, and a delicious aroma filled the room. “I thought we could skip the cooking for tonight and ordered some takeout. I bought Italian from Cosentino’s.”
Josie nodded and grabbed some plates and utensils to set on the kitchen table. Knox disappeared for a few seconds and came back with a bottle of wine and a couple of minutes later they were sitting around the table digging into the food. Josie wasn’t that hungry after her snack, so she drank her wine and took the opportunity to observe the two men.
They both ate with gusto, as if they hadn’t eaten for days or weeks. Both men looked like sinfully sexy lumberjacks, as similar as they were different. Gage was younger and bulkier, had energy like a firecracker, while Knox was a tad shorter, but had a different kind of physique, more like a panther. Gage seemed like a dangerous opponent, but Josie suspected that Knox was the more lethal of the two. There was a low simmer of violence she sensed inside him that gave the threat away.
When Knox looked up from his plate and locked eyes with her, Josie knew she’d been caught staring and blushed. Her core clenched, an expected surge of lust heating her.
Knox arched an eyebrow and kindly offered her an exit. “Did you sleep enough, Josie?”
“I slept more than I expected. In fact, I only woke up a couple of hours before you came home. I think I was a little more tired than I thought.”
Josie expected him to smirk and say something along the lines of ‘I told you so’, but she was wrong. Instead he relaxed and nodded, taking a sip of wine.
“Knox told me you’re in a jam. I’m glad you accepted his offer. At least you’ll be safe and comfortable here. I can’t believe you were working three jobs!”
Knox rolled his eyes. “Hard worker aren’t words I’d apply to you, pal.”
Gage swallowed a big bite, waving his fork around. “Hey, that’s not true. I fucking train hard for the cage.”
Josie blinked. “Cage?”
“I’m an MMA fighter. The ring is called an octagon or a cage.”
It explained why he looked so fit.
Knox finished polishing off his plate and took his wine glass. “Every fighter works hard for the cage.”
“It’s been too long since you fought, old man. What do you know about it?”
“I know enough to make your ears ring.”
And in less than a second, Josie had the impression a fight was about to start. She held her breath, another second passed, then laughter boomed from the men.
Gage refilled their glasses and winked at Josie. “Don’t worry, we won’t jump at each other’s throats. We try to keep our wrath for fucking with ex-husbands.”
Wide-eyed, Josie looked to Knox. “You told him?”
“I did. He lives here and I wanted him to know and be prepared in case that no-good human comes back to town.”
Was he serious? “As long as I pay him, he won’t come back. And even if he does come back, he’s not a threat.”
Knox put his glass back on the table. “With the scars he left on your self-confidence and peace of mind, I wouldn’t say he isn’t dangerous.”
Gage’s friendly face turned sour at Knox’s words, and Josie sighed. “Can you just let it go?”
Knox’s face grew darker as she spoke, and Gage was definitely not letting anything go. “Weasels like that should be put in the ring even if it’s for a minute. They would soon see what real men think of men who abuse a woman.”
“I wasn’t abused, Gage.”
But Knox didn’t seem convinced. “Not all forms of abuse are physical, Josie.”
Tired of the conversation, she picked up her plate and glass and went to the sink. “Let’s change the subject. Was there a lot of work at the shop today? Did everything go well?”
The two men behind her stayed silent so she turned to find them looking at her. “What? It’s a perfectly normal question.”
Gage picked up his plate and came up behind her. “I’m starting to see how this has impacted her, Knox. Dismissing it, not wanting to talk about it. Still submitting to her asshole husband.”
Josie almost dropped her dish in frustration. “I am not submitting to him!”
Gage put his plate down and leaned against the counter. “Of course you are. You’re sacrificing your health, your money, your time for him. You still believe whatever he told you. Whatever lies he said.”
She pushed past Gage only to be stopped by Knox. The fire in his eyes was difficult to interpret. “You may not say much, but picking up the little tidbits of information, the picture gets clearer. How selfless you are, how you dismiss attention, how you put yourself down. How even after a year alone, you don’t see how men look at you.”
“No one is looking at me.”
Josie took a step to the side to go around him, but Knox did the same. “The men in this town aren’t blind, Josie. But the fact you don’t see that proves what I’m saying. That asshole of an ex is still taking up space in your mind.”
The conversation was messing with her brain on another level. “That’s none of your concern. Helping me is enough. The rest is none of your business. I don’t need your help in that area so stop being so stubborn about it.”
Gage was like a furnace at her back, even from a distance. Or was it the man in front of her that made her feel so warm? It’s probably the wine.
Knox smiled. “The more I get to know you, the more I want to dig. At least you don’t shy away from me. Or from Gage.”
At his words, Gage took a step closer, brushing his torso against her back.
“You said I was too young. That you wouldn’t touch me.”
Regret flashed on his handsome face. “You are.” Then he turned his back on her.
Gage scoffed behind her but didn’t say a word. Instead, he turned her to face him and winked. He looked up at Knox, then back at her before dipping his head to kiss her.
It was sweet, and he was clearly holding himself back. Was his purpose to taunt his friend? Gage thought Knox wanted her, but she doubted it and was tired of pretending. Just as she was about to push Gage away, strong arms grabbed her hips and teeth scratched her neck. Knox.
Her head spinning, Gage’s mouth became harder, more demanding and her questions vanished when Knox pushed his hips against her ass. His erection was undeniable, and the situation was messing with her mind.
This didn’t happen in real life. Not to women like her.
Gage pressed forward and she gasped when she felt his arousal. She could doubt their words, but other signs didn’t deceive. All that was left to decide was what she was going to do about it.
Chapter 8
While Gage cupped her cheeks, deepening the kiss even more, Knox’s hands started to run up her ribcage making her shiver and try to turn around. Gage wouldn’t allow it though.
“Where you’re concerned, I can’t be trusted, Josie. I’m breaking my word to you, baby. I think I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist you the first time I saw you.”
Knox’s hands ticked her belly before rising. After her shower, she hadn’t put on a bra, and the realization made her tense.
Gage licked his lips after allowing her up for air. “My friend, from the way she’s reacting, I think you’re doing something right.”
Josie opened her mouth forgetting what she was about to say when Gage possessed her lips again and Knox cupped her heavy breasts under her sweater.
The sensation robbed her of breath and made her dizzy, and she didn’t know what to do apart from hang on. Gage’s tongue started p
laying with hers, teasing and arousing her, but it was Knox’s breath becoming heavier in her ear that made her clench even more. What was going on with her? Why had she lost all sense of self-preservation suddenly? Are they playing with me?
Her brain rebelled against that possibility, and in fact, she couldn’t think at all when Gage abandoned her for a moment and pulled her top over her head. She shivered. It wasn’t from the cold, but from Knox who turned her around. The look on his face made her suck in a breath at the heat and intensity she saw there. “I thought you weren’t going to touch me?”
He licked his lips, hunger in his eyes. “I shouldn’t, but I can’t help it. I can offer my body, and you can share yours with us, but that’s the only thing you can have from me.”
Something passed over his face before his hands fisted in her hair, and he kissed her again, capturing her lips as if he was never going to let her go. He tasted of wine and lust and it made her hunger for more. Warm skin pressed against her from behind. She realized Gage had removed his clothing and was rubbing himself against her back.
Josie gripped Knox’s shoulders when Gage decided to trail his mouth from the nape of her neck down her spine. Her body reacted by shivering and arching toward Knox, but Gage wasn’t about to let her go and he grabbed her waist, his palms resting just above her last piece of clothing.
Knox must have sensed her shift as he stopped kissing her and instead cupped her face so she could look at him. “Talk to me, Josie. If you want us to stop, you have to say it. You may not realize it, but you’re running the show here. One word and everything stops. I swear if you say no, right here and now, both Gage and I will step back. You keep your job, your room, and your money. This is not payment, but mutual enjoyment. No strings attached.”
Her head spinning, Josie was so uncertain, it almost felt painful inside her. “The thought of the two of you wanting me is … impossible, ludicrous … a mistake. I’m waiting for you both to come to your senses, to stop and walk away.”
