To Mend Fearful Hearts

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  He ran his fingers through his hair he was so upset. When she pressed her cheek against his chest, Kenny was shocked, but he immediately rubbed her back.

  “I have nightmares because of that night. It’s been terrible. Then add in what happened to Ivy, and God, I was right there by Madison. Right there.”

  “And we protected you immediately, didn’t we? As Rome, Keller, and Eric tackled her, Landon tackled you, and I covered both of you.”

  “It was traumatic. All of it. I could have lost my best friend. Your sister.”

  He closed his eyes and squeezed her to him. “We think about it too. About how close she came to dying. That time made us think about our lives, about what we want, what we need, and Cherise, you keep coming up as number one.”

  “I don’t feel like number one with you and your brothers. It feels like convenience. Like we fooled around a few times over the last year, but nothing more came from it or can.”

  “I don’t think that’s true. We’ve always wanted to eventually find the right woman to complete us so we could have a ménage relationship like our parents did. We were waiting on Rome. That’s the honest truth. We couldn’t make a move, a commitment like that to you without knowing if he was on board, or get it started without him and just make you accept him and him accept you because Landon, Eric, and I staked a claim. We couldn’t do that. Wouldn’t do that to you. You’re not an object, and that’s the last thing we wanted to make you feel like.”

  She stared at him, and he didn’t know if she would tell him to go screw himself or if she would continue to resist this attraction. He wouldn’t let her go. He couldn’t. He loved how she felt in his arms. He loved how people were walking around and could see them together and assume that she belonged to him. He felt proud and possessive. He caressed her lower back, letting his fingers graze her ass. “Talk to me, baby. What do you say?” he asked.

  “I’m not making any decisions right now. There’s a lot to work out, a lot of getting to know one another, all of us. The only way we can do that is by spending time together.” He smiled and pulled her closer. She pressed her palm against this chest. “That doesn’t mean make-out session, Kenny. It means conversations, means taking things seriously.”

  “Understood. It’s a great idea. How about we start today? You meet us at the town center for the evening concert? We’ll bring some beers, a blanket, and chairs, and all hang out together and enjoy the music, the conversation, and the company?”

  She squinted at him, and she looked so damn beautiful he wanted to kiss her breathless. How the fuck was he going to keep his hands off her? The tops she wore always showed off her full breasts. There didn’t seem to be many types of tops that covered those beautiful breasts of hers. It made other men look, but they were his and his brothers’. She needed looking after.

  “Okay. I’ll meet you here later tonight. I’ll call Ivy and let her know.”

  “Perfect.” He pressed his lips to her cheek and held steady a moment. She didn’t pull back. She closed her eyes, and when he leaned back, she blinked them open. “Seven, okay?”

  “Seven,” she said.

  He let her go, and she walked down the sidewalk, and he didn’t stop watching her until she got to the drugstore. He pulled out his cell phone. Now he needed to get his brothers on board, especially Rome, who was really keeping his emotions in check and unwilling to discuss a committed relationship with Cherise.

  “What’s wrong with you? Who texted you?” Candice asked Cherise.

  They were walking from the car to the center of town where Ivy and her men, as well as the Waters men and other friends, had set up a spot to watch and listen to the concert. There were kids running around laughing and playing, reminding her of a time of innocence and joy. Her heart was heavy. Ben had texted her asking how she was. Why today? Why when she was meeting up with Eric, Kenny, Landon, and Rome? Was it just coincidence? She hadn’t heard from Ben or Eagan in months, hell, almost a year. They would text and maybe call every so often and between missions. Sometimes. She felt the tears fill her eyes. It hurt still. Two years after losing them, after losing Case forever.

  “Cherise, you’re scaring me,” Candice said and hugged her arm.

  Cherise forced a smile. “I’m fine. Just a text from an old friend I haven’t heard from in quite some time. It shocked me a moment.”

  “Are they okay? Who is it?” Candice asked, but then Leeann and Faith called to them, waving, and all their friends came into sight, including the Waters men.

  Ivy was there, and she looked good, her coloring a lot better than a couple of weeks ago at the fundraising event. She put her things down and hugged her hello.

  “You look so good. You’re feeling well.”

  Ivy hugged her tight. “Better than well. A lot of improvements the last two weeks,” she said and smiled. “I’m glad we’re all here,” Ivy said.

  “I am too,” she replied as the men greeted her hello. She kissed Johnny’s cheek. “Taking good care of our patient, I see,” she said and winked.

  “She isn’t exactly cooperative, but yes, making progress,” he said and smiled softly, as he stepped back.

  “She’s lucky to have you,” Cherise said, and then Angus hugged her hello, then Bronc and Keller, who handed her a wine cooler. She chuckled. “Thanks,” she said, but then Kenny approached, pulled her into his arms, and hugged her to him. She squeezed him back and felt him use his hand to massage her ass and give it a squeeze.

  “Mmm, you look and smell incredible,” he whispered and kissed her neck.

  She felt the goose bumps travel along her skin. She retreated a step, her cheeks warm. The man had a way of making her body react.

  Landon stepped closer and cupped her cheek. “You look beautiful.” He kissed her cheek.

  Eric smiled wide and eyed her over. She felt it everywhere his eyes roamed. “Cherise,” he said, and Eric slid his arm around her waist to hug her, and she kissed his neck as he kissed hers.

  It was wild. Especially the way his large, masculine hand felt pressed against her skin under her top she wore. These men towered over her, making her feel so feminine and sexy. It was crazy. She liked them so damn much. She liked everything about them. Their good looks—wild, untamed, and masculine with those scruffy beards and big muscles. She felt her nipples harden and her core tighten. She shifted her weight to her other foot and had to turn away. Their stares, the way they eyed over her body, aroused her. She wore a short flared skirt and carried a light sweater to wear later on over a camisole in case it got cooler as the evening went on. Right now, she couldn’t imagine being cold. Not being surrounded by such eye candy. As she looked away, her gaze locked onto Rome. Holy moly, he appeared intense. His dark green eyes swept over her body as he stepped closer.

  He reached out to touch her and bring her closer, and the moment his large palm slid over her hip bone, she tightened up and practically moaned. Holy hell, she was on fire. He squinted at her and then swallowed hard as he clenched her chin between two long, thick fingers.

  “Good evening, Cherise,” he said and leaned down, gently pressed his lips to hers, and then leaned back. A goddamn tease.

  She straightened out her shoulders. She was not going to have sex with them tonight. She was going to hold her ground, take things slow. Slow, slow, slow—

  He maneuvered her closer, his palm half over her lower back and ass, and guided her to seats they set up. She was in her own world with them right now. She could barely comprehend the others around them talking as the band began to play and people started clapping. That snapped her out of her lustful state, and she adjusted her position in the seat, crossed her legs, and smiled at Ivy, who winked at her knowingly. The Waters men just put on quite the display of interest. Now what?

  The last place Rome wanted to be right now was at this damn concert surrounding by locals who couldn’t mind their damn business. He didn’t want to socialize or to talk to anyone who came over to say hello and tell them how the MM
A building looked so welcoming since Ivy had added the benches out front and the spring flowers to the large pots. That had been a bit of therapy for his sister. He glanced at her now. She was standing with Keller, who held her in his arms and rocked with her to the music. He felt that deep sensation in his gut. He was tired of feeling lonely. Tired of being on the defensive and snappy. He slid his palm over Cherise’s knee. Her crossed legs looked firm, long, and tan. Her breasts poured from the camisole because she was so well-endowed. It pissed him off that men automatically looked at her breasts first and then her face. She was stunning though. He was guilty of doing that too, but her eyes were what he loved the most. That glowing hazel color was unique and telling. She was feeling this attraction too. She was resistant, and he wondered why, even though he feared explaining why he was so resistant to this relationship as well. It was fear. The fear of feeling emotions or possessiveness that came with being around Cherise.

  It actually turned out to be a nice evening, as he and his brothers took turns standing next to Cherise, stealing a kiss, an embrace, a slide of a hand along her sexy, full round ass. He wanted to be alone with her, and as the evening died down, their friends began to part ways and they offered to drive Cherise home.

  Cherise was feeling so much. Too much for what was a great evening, but not a date. It was obvious that the Waters men were setting down some notifications of their interest in her, but not staking an official claim. Had she expected them to? Right now, tonight, publicly state that they were committing to her? Did she want that? Was she ready for that? Getting the text earlier from Ben and Eagan bothered her. Did those men still have a hold on her heart? They were the ones who destroyed the relationship. Who broke things off and even cheated on her. Yet they were close. They had shared in a ménage relationship. Case had meant the world to her, and she would always care about Ben and Eagan. So why was she feeling guilty or like she didn’t have a right to be happy, or to get what she wanted in life? Was her heart still that broken? Plus, maybe she wasn’t meant to be cared for and loved. Maybe this would be a mistake just like it had been with Case, Ben, and Eagan. She trembled and felt so nervous she could pass out.

  Eric caressed along her hip with his palm as Rome drove the truck. She was sitting between Kenny and Eric as Rome and Landon sat in the front of the truck. They were right around the corner from her house when Eric lifted her up onto his lap and kissed her. It was crazy. The scent of their cologne, the masculinity of their bodies, of Eric’s body as he gripped her tight, plunged his tongue into her mouth and devoured her moans. She straddled his waist. He slid a palm up under her skirt to her ass and moaned into her mouth. He played with the string of her thong bikini panties, and she shivered as her pussy leaked cream. He pushed her skirt up, and she felt another hand go to her ass.

  “Holy fuck, baby. I love this ass. Love how sexy your body is, and goddamn, your scent is making me nuts,” Kenny told her. He leaned in closer, massaged her ass, and then stroked a finger up into her pussy as he suckled against her neck. The feel of both men kissing her, suckling her, and fingering her cunt made her come instantly. She moaned into Eric’s mouth.

  “Your body knows, baby. It knows our touch. Reacts to our touch. You’re going to be ours, Cherise. All ours,” Kenny said and then cupped her breast as he stroked her cunt.

  Eric continued to kiss her and then released her lips, pushed down her camisole and cupped her other breast, making it lift higher. He somehow maneuvered the material off her breast, and he found her nipple and suckled on it.

  The truck stopped, and the engine died. Their heavy breathing filled the cab of the truck.

  “She’s gorgeous and sexy. So fucking wet right now. Let’s go inside, baby. Let’s explore some more,” Kenny said to her, and she came again as Eric tugged on her nipple.

  She pulled back, and Kenny slid his fingers from her pussy. She pushed down her skirt, and Eric grabbed her by her hips. She held onto him, her breast out of her top. The side door opened, and Rome and Landon were there, looking hungry. Their eyes went to her breast.

  “She looks like a goddess. Holy fuck, baby, my dick is so hard. Invite us in, Cherise. Invite us to stay,” Landon told her.

  She felt so much and wanted to let go with them, but how could she? They would use her for sex. Once they got to that from her, it would mean nothing but just that, sex. She shook her head and fixed her top best she could.

  “We can’t,” she said and tried getting up off Eric’s lap. He was so big and strong, and he held her in place.

  “Why not? We all feel it. All of us want you and you want us. You want more pleasure, and we can give you that.”

  “It isn’t about the pleasure. Obviously we’re compatible in that department. You drive me just as wild, but what comes tomorrow? Regrets?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “A start, a beginning of what’s bound to be a pretty fucking hot relationship.”

  “I don’t want to be your sex toy, your means to satisfying this lust we all share. I’ve been there and done that, Eric, and I have the damn scars to show from it.” She shifted off him and then slid to the side door and got out. When she came around the truck, they were all there, following her to her door.

  “What are you talking about? You’ve been hurt by a man before? This is why you hold back from what’s right here in front of us?” Landon asked her.

  She took a deep breath and exhaled.

  “I was in a ménage relationship before, okay? I gave a hundred and fifty percent,” she said, and tears filled her eyes. She pulled out her key and opened her door.

  Landon placed his hand on it. “Talk to us. Explain it to us and let us in,” he said to her.

  She sighed. She needed for them to know. She had to stay in control here. She had to. She tossed her purse onto the counter and turned on the other light in the living room. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and the men walked into her small little house, filling up the space, causing her to feel instant claustrophobia.

  “Let’s sit down,” Rome said, and he sounded so military and commanding. It reminded her about the type of men she thought she wanted to never get involved with again, yet here she was, wanting four military men. Four sexy, gorgeous military men who were beyond capable and seemed to have the ability to break her down and make her want to have sex again.

  “Talk to us so we understand your fears,” Eric said to her. They gathered around her living room, and she sat down, crossed her legs, and exhaled as they looked at her with those hungry eyes.

  “I was in love once,” she said, and their expressions seemed to change, like her statement bothered them. She had to get this out. To make them understand. “I was involved with three men, brothers, Marines, for two years,” she said, and Rome narrowed his eyes, Landon shifted on the couch, and Eric and Kenny looked upset.

  “Okay, so you know what this type of relationship involves,” he said, trying to be diplomatic. That was so Kenny.

  “I know what a commitment like a ménage involves, and I was on board a hundred and fifty percent, but my men weren’t.”

  “They cheated on you?” Landon asked.

  “It was a long time coming, Landon. They were active duty—that was the problem. I sat there waiting on them, and it became about sex, about a place, a bed to come to after their dangerous missions. We drifted apart.”

  “That was why you put a stop to us getting closer? Because I was active duty?” Rome said to her, and she nodded.

  “I’m not going down that same path. I gave the relationship my all, and they failed me. They used me even though I know they loved me. They just couldn’t handle it. They cheated, and that connection, that bond, diminished. Then I broke things off with them. Told them I wouldn’t be used. Ben and Eagan were pissed, Case was furious, but he knew they hurt me. He apologized, and we were working things out, talking and stuff,” she said and looked away.