Mastering Elodie [Grizzly Pines] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Paige Warren

  All my love, Beck.

  “Oh Beck,” she breathed. “I’ll wear it always.”

  He took it from her and fastened it on her wrist.

  “There’s something from me, too, sweetness,” Beau said, fingering the large white box. “You said last night that you wanted to belong to me, and I think you meant that you wanted to be mine in all ways.”

  “Yes.”

  He popped open the top of the box and lifted out a white-gold collar. It shone in the candlelight. A sapphire heart hung from the center.

  “Beau, it’s…”

  “Will you be mine, Elodie?”

  “Forever,” she whispered, her eyes tearing once more.

  He pulled something else out of the box and she realized it was a small lock. He moved around behind her and she pulled her hair to the side. As the cool metal met her skin, she knew she’d made the right choice. The snick of the lock sent a feeling of peace settling in her heart.

  “I love you, baby,” he whispered in her ear before he brushed a kiss on her cheek.

  “I love you, too. All of you. You’ve made me so happy tonight. I thought maybe you’d decided you didn’t want me anymore.”

  “We want you always, Elodie,” Cody said.

  “Now.” Beck smiled. “Let’s celebrate.”

  She felt her cheeks heat and Cody chuckled.

  “He didn’t mean that kind of celebrating, sweetheart. Although, I think we’ll do some of that later, too. Order anything you want off the menu. The sky’s the limit tonight.”

  The men settled back into their seats and Elodie looked at each of them, admiring their strong profiles. Each man brought something unique to their relationship, each one completely different from the other. She didn’t know how she’d gotten so lucky. She had the most attentive lovers a woman could ask for, the kindest of men, and she belonged to them. Completely.

  Elodie smiled. They may be the masters of her body, but in that moment she realized she held all of the cards, for she was the mistress of their hearts.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Elodie adored the two days she spent with her men at the hotel, but she was also happy to return home. She hadn’t realized how much she would miss the ranch until they’d been away for a few days. It had quickly become her home. A night spent in their own bed had been worth more than a hundred nights spent in a fancy hotel. Not because there was anything spectacular about their bed, but it was theirs.

  Cody wrapped his arms around Elodie’s waist. “What are you thinking about, sweetness?”

  “Shouldn’t we tell your family the good news? I’m sure they’re going to be surprised that not only are you marrying me, but I’ve taken your brothers off the market as well.”

  She felt him smile against her hair. “Honey, they already know about you and our relationship. Now, they may not know we’re getting married, but I’m sure my mom has figured out that’s where things were heading.”

  “I still think we should call them. It seems like the polite thing to do.”

  “I tell you what. I’ll talk to Beau and Beck. Would you like to drive up to Dallas and visit our folks? Tell them the good news in person?”

  Elodie turned in his embrace and placed her hand on his shoulders. “You mean it, Cody? You’d take me home to meet them?”

  He smiled and gave her a funny look, his brows dipping low. “Honey, you make it sound like we’re going to lock you away from world or something. Don’t you realize how proud we are to call you ours? We’re ready to shout to the rooftops that Elodie Mitchell has agreed to be our woman.”

  “I guess part of me is afraid that I’m dreaming. That all of this will just disappear and I’ll wake up and still be stuck in that rundown apartment, living off ramen noodles and praying the utilities stay on. You and your brothers have changed my life in so many ways, Cody. Some days I don’t hardly feel worthy of you.”

  He cupped her cheek. “Hey now. None of that. What brought all this on?”

  “I don’t know.” She sighed. “I guess I’m just emotional. You know I love you, right?”

  He pressed his lips to hers. “Not half as much as I love you.”

  She raised a brow. “Oh? So your love is more important than mine is for you?”

  “You know that’s not what I meant. You’re just trying to start trouble.”

  She leaned in close, her lips brushing his ear. “Will it earn me a spanking if I’m naughty?”

  He swatted her on her ass. “Minx. I’m going to head out to the barn and talk to Beau and Beck. Depending on what they say, we’ll call Mom and Dad while we’re out there. I have a feeling you should go ahead and repack that overnight bag of yours. Something tells me we’re heading to Dallas come morning.”

  “Morning? But that’s…so soon?” She pressed a hand to her chest to still her fluttering heart.

  “We have enough help around here right now that we could take off for a few more days if we need to. If we wait a little longer, some of these guys might not stick around. They get bit by the rodeo bug, or just start drifting again.”

  “I see your point. I guess I was just hoping for a few days to build up my confidence. This is a huge deal, Cody. I’m meeting your parents! What if they don’t like me? What if they don’t approve?”

  “Elodie, sweetheart, you’re worrying for nothing. They’re going to love you as much as we do. You make us happy and that’s all that matters to Mom and Dad. Now stop over thinking things.”

  He kissed one more time before heading out the door. Elodie stared out the window, watching him disappear into the barn. She knew he was right, she was over thinking it, worrying for no reason. The few times they’d been in town, no one had said anything disparaging to her. If the hateful citizens of Grizzly Pines didn’t have a problem with her ménage relationship, why should the Browers?

  It was odd really. Not one insult had been hurled her way during her shopping trips. Having one of the brothers by her side seemed to curb the nasty comments of the townspeople. Could it be that having won the hearts of three men she was finally being accepted around town? She snorted. Probably not.

  Not knowing what to do with herself, she ventured into the office. Her men had assured her that she could use the computer whenever she wished and she’d had an idea the other day that she wanted to explore a bit more. Now that she had so much free time on her hands, and didn’t really have to work if she didn’t want to, she felt liberated. She could do anything she wanted. Be anything she wanted!

  Her goals were small though. What she wanted more than anything was to start a family with her men and help take care of them and any children they may have. She saw how hard her men worked outside and knew that handling things like payroll and taxes took up precious time they didn’t really have. Elodie didn’t have the background to help with any of that stuff right now, but she would.

  Pulling up the internet, she Googled online colleges. She’d always excelled at math in school and figured a degree in accounting would be beneficial to the ranch. It would give her a way to contribute and give her something to do other than housework and cooking. She wanted to be a help to the brothers, not a hindrance. It meant a lot to her to be able to pull her weight, to pitch in where she could.

  After an hour of looking at several different schools, she had an idea of where she wanted to apply. She felt nervous as she pulled up the online application. The application fee gave her pause though. Her bank account was pretty much empty, and while the guys had been great about buying her whatever she needed, she didn’t have access to their funds. Not that she was asking to!

  She printed out information on the program she wanted to apply to, printed off the admission packet, and closed out the browser. When the men came in tonight, after dinner, she’d sit down and discuss it with them. As much as she would have loved to surprise them, she was going to need their help. She wasn’t asking them for tuition money. There were student loans for that. But she would need the application fee. Even
then, there was no guarantee she’d be accepted. It had been a long time since she’d graduated from high school. She knew people went back to school all the time, but surely if it were easy everyone would do it.

  As Elodie prepped lunch, she realized she hadn’t talked to Jasmine since meeting the brothers. They had a lot of catching up to do. Picking up the house phone, she dialed her friend’s number and waited for her to answer.

  “Hello,” Jasmine said.

  “Jas, it’s Elodie.”

  “Is this a new number?”

  “Yeah. A lot has happened since we last spoke. I don’t have my old cell phone anymore. It was stolen, along with my purse and my car.”

  “Oh my God, El. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Perfect, in fact. I’ve met someone.” Elodie smiled. “Three someones.”

  “Are you trying to tell me you’re dating three men at once? How’s that working out for you? Do they know about each other?”

  “They’re brothers. And I’m not just dating them all at once, we’re in a ménage relationship. And…we’re getting married!”

  There was silence.

  “Jas?”

  “Isn’t this kind of fast, Elodie? I mean, I happy for you. Really, I am. But you’ve barely dated before and now you’re in a relationship with three men, men you claim you want to marry. Don’t you think you need to slow things down a little?”

  “They make me happy, Jasmine. I’m happier than I’ve ever been. They treat me with respect, take care of me, shower me with love and affection. There’s no doubt in my mind that they love me.”

  “If you’re sure this is what you want, then I’m happy for you. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “I won’t. Promise.”

  “So, are you still going to work at the diner?”

  “I was fired. Actually, I’m thinking about going back to school. I just researched some accounting programs. It would be a good way for me to contribute to the ranch without feeling like I’m just their little woman.”

  Jasmine laughed. “Yeah, I can’t see you in the roll of dutiful housewife. You’d go bonkers without something to do.”

  “Listen, I know you’re at work right now, so I won’t keep you. I just wanted to let you know that I’m safe, and happy. The number I called from is a good way to reach me. If I get a new cell phone, I’ll call and give you the number.”

  “Thanks for calling, El. I expect a wedding invitation!”

  “Of course!” Elodie smiled. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

  As she disconnected the call, she vowed that she would call Jasmine again before too long. They’d gone months between calls before, but Elodie had precious few people in her life that would give her the time of day. She needed to keep her friends close, and Jasmine was probably the closest friend she had. That was rather sad considering they barely spoke and really didn’t know a whole lot about one another. Sure, they shared some of the day to day things, but they seldom dug down deep.

  Elodie was going to make some changes in her life. She was going to make friends with the townspeople, or at the least the neighboring ranches, no matter what. Surely not everyone in Grizzly Pines was awful. She knew one of the neighbors was new to Grizzly Pines. That would be a good place to start. She’d talk to the men about planning a visit soon. Taking a nice warm apple pie over there would be the neighborly thing to do.

  She could make this work.

  “A new and improved Elodie.” She smiled, liking the sound of that.

  Now to convince her men that these changes would be good not only for her but for them as well.

  Chapter Eighteen

  It was four days before they found themselves piled into Beau’s SUV and headed toward Dallas. Elodie had felt nauseated ever since she woke up that morning and butterflies were rioting in her stomach. Cody had offered to sit in the backseat with her, holding her hand. After their talk the other day, he knew how nervous she was about meeting their family.

  “What if they think I’m not good enough for you?” she blurted. “I’m just an unemployed waitress.”

  Beck turned to face her. “Honey, our parents don’t care about any of that. Besides, you’ve made the first steps toward going back to school. None of us finished college. You’ll be a rock star in Mom’s eyes, and the fact you want to go into accounting to help with the ranch accounts will endear you all the more to Dad. Stop fretting.”

  She squeezed Cody’s hand.

  “Baby, just sit back and enjoy the ride, okay?” Beau looked at her in the rearview mirror. “We’ve got about four hours until we get there. You’re just going to make yourself sick if you worry the whole way there.”

  Cody snorted. “Only Beau can get to Dallas from Grizzly Pines in four hours. Mr. Lead Foot, don’t get a ticket. Or maybe I should say, another ticket. Our insurance premiums will go through the roof if you don’t slow the hell down.”

  Beau just grinned.

  Elodie wondered if she should speak up about the secret she’d been keeping the past two days, thinking it might make a difference. She hadn’t exactly planned to tell them in a car, or until she knew for certain. She didn’t, however, plan to die in a car crash because Beau didn’t want to take his time getting to their parents’ house. Not that she was anxious to drag the trip out, but she wanted to arrive there in one piece.

  “Um, there’s something I need to tell you,” she said, her free hand rubbing up and down her thigh, her dress bunching with the motion.

  Cody lifted the hand still clasped in his and kissed her knuckles. “Whatever it is, it can’t be bad. Just take a breath and tell us.”

  “Well…Beau, I’d really appreciate it if you’d go the speed limit this time.”

  He glanced in the rearview mirror, concern showing in his eyes. “Is your stomach still unsettled?”

  “Yes, but it’s more than that. I didn’t plan to tell you yet because I’m not sure, but…I missed my period two days ago. I’ve always been regular, so…”

  Cody pulled her closer. “Are you trying to tell us you’re pregnant?”

  “I might be pregnant. I haven’t had a chance to go into town and get a pregnancy test yet.”

  All three men whooped and hollered like the Cowboys had just scored a touchdown during the Super Bowl. Elodie smiled, pleased that they were happy with her news. She’d been a little concerned that they would think it was too soon. Not that she doubted they loved her and would love any children they had together, but they hadn’t really discussed having children so soon in their relationship.

  It meant the timetable for the wedding would be moved up a bit. She’d been thinking of a Christmas wedding, but she didn’t want to be that far along when she said her vows. Maybe August? She’d have to discuss it with her men, maybe include their parents as well. Elodie had planned to bring up the wedding with their mom anyway. It would be nice to have the woman’s input on things like flowers and her dress. Since she didn’t have a mother to share those things with, Elodie was hoping Mrs. Brower might come to think of her as a daughter.

  The rest of the drive was spent discussing baby names, which room would be the nursery, and of course buying him or her their first pony. Elodie just shook her head. Leave it to her guys to think of horses before anything else.

  When they pulled up to the small ranch home just outside of Dallas, Elodie pressed a hand to her stomach, trying to settle her nerves. She wasn’t sure how much of the nauseated feeling was the baby and how much was her being scared to death of meeting her soon-to-be in-laws. They had to be pretty wonderful to raise such great men, meaning they were nothing like her parents. She’d never been around a real family before.

  Cody helped her from the SUV and she wobbled for a moment, her legs feeling a little weak from having sat for so long. He curled his arm around her waist and led her up onto the porch. The screen door opened and a woman in her early fifties stepped out, a smile on her face. Her graying hair framed a nearly flawless face with nary a wri
nkle in sight. Bright blue eyes shined with warmth and humor.

  “You must be Elodie,” Mrs. Brower said, reaching out to pull her into a warm hug.

  Elodie awkwardly hugged the woman back, feeling a little uncertain.

  “Hi, Mrs. Brower.”

  “Now you stop that right now!” Mrs. Brower scolded. “It’s Mom or Carol. None of this ‘Mrs. Brower’ nonsense. You’re marrying my boy. That makes you family.”

  Elodie felt tears gather in her eyes at being so easily and readily accepted. She hadn’t expected that, no matter what the guys had told her. It was more than she’d hoped for. If Mrs.—no, Mom had accepted her, then maybe their dad would, too.

  “Now you come on in here and tell me all about you.”

  Oh Lord. That’s the last thing she wanted to do. Maybe she could deflect her with news about her possible pregnancy. Anything to keep from talking about herself and her pathetic—before her men—life. She didn’t want to see pity in the woman’s eyes, and she could tell Mom had a soft heart.

  “Mom, Elodie doesn’t really like to talk about her life before she met us,” Beck said. “It wasn’t exactly a happy time for her.”

  Mom nodded. “I can respect that. So what should we talk about?” she asked as they entered the kitchen.

  Beau went straight for the coffee pot. Beck pulled a soda from the fridge, and Cody pulled out a chair for Elodie. Beck popped the top on the drink and set it on the table in front of her. She smiled at him gratefully, thankful to have something to do with her hands.

  “Elodie is going back to school,” Beau said as he poured a cup of coffee.

  “Really?” Mom’s eyebrows lifted. “What are you going to study? Teaching? Creative Writing?”

  “Accounting,” Elodie said. “I want to be able to help out around the ranch.”

  “That’s commendable,” said a deep voice from behind her.

  She turned and smiled at who she assumed was the guys’ father. He was tall, like her men, but there the similarities ended. His salt-and-pepper hair was close cropped, his beard neatly trimmed. Warm brown eyes assessed her.