by Ruby Shae
“You don’t have to do that,” she said. “I can take care of it after I talk to dad.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Cade said. “Spray paint is a bitch to remove, but Collin and I have some experience with it. We’ll take care of it.”
“Okay,” she said reluctantly. “Thanks.”
When they got to her home, Collin got out of the car so she could scoot out of the passenger side. She left without giving him a kiss goodbye, and turned her head so Collin’s kiss landed on her cheek.
“We’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Collin said.
“See you,” she called over her shoulder and went inside her house.
Collin jumped back in the truck and slammed the door.
“Way to go, asshole.”
“Don’t be a dick. That’s not my fault and you know it,” Cade responded.
They both knew the vandalism wasn’t the only thing bothering their mate. She’d been holding back since their encounter with her ex. Her smiles didn’t fully reach her eyes and though she’d initiated their love making the night before, afterward she seemed withdrawn. It had to be something the man said before they arrived, or her admission to being alone over the holidays. Whatever the reason, she was trying to put distance between them.
She had no idea who she was dealing with. Unless she said she didn’t want them, and honestly meant it, they wouldn’t let her push them away.
They met Gage at his house and gathered the materials they would need to remove the paint and then started on the job. As promised, they finished a few minutes before her father showed up to open the doors at ten.
“How bad was it?” he asked when he approached and saw them putting the supplies in the back of the truck.
“Bad,” Collin said.
Cade nodded, unsure what else to say. They’d met her father when they’d all visited the theater on one of Sam’s off nights, and they both instantly liked the man.
“She’s a bit shaken, but it’s nothing a bit of cheering up won’t cure. I trust the two of you can think of something to make her smile again.”
“We’re on our way, sir. I’m thinking a day at the mall might be nice for everyone,” Collin said.
“I like the way you boys think. I’ll let you get to it then. Have fun.”
With his approval voiced, Mr. Hastings disappeared inside the theater. His consent meant so much, and Cade had a feeling he wasn’t as oblivious as Sam thought. Her father seemed to understand their special relationship, and condone it.
Now they only had to convince their mate.
They jumped in the truck and went to find her.
Chapter Four
“Dad,” Sam called when she entered the house. She hated the way she left the truck without giving Cade the time of day and brushing off Collin, but seeing those words scrawled across her father’s business had stunned her.
She honestly thought Jack was the culprit, but what if it was someone else in town. The three of them hadn’t exactly kept things low key. What would her father say when he found out the rumors were true?
“Good morning, darlin’,” he called from the kitchen. “You’re home early.”
“Dad, someone vandalized the movie theater. Gage woke me up to file the report.”
“Hey,” he said and hugged her. “Don’t cry. We’ll get it sorted. Do I need to call the insurance company?”
“No, it was spray paint and Cade and Collin are removing it for us. I think Jack did it. I ran into him at the café yesterday and when they guys told him to leave me alone, he said some pretty nasty things.”
“Like what?”
She pulled out if his embrace and looked at the floor. She couldn’t look him in the eye and repeat the words.
“He called me a slut, and…some other stuff. The words on the building were slut, skank and whore.”
“I told you he was an asshole. Should I go down and help the guys?”
“No, I think they can handle it on their own. Dad, you’re not…mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad at you for the actions of that stupid little shit? I just hate to see you so upset over something so senseless. Let it go, darlin’. I’ll send those boys over to pick you up and you go out and enjoy your day off. I’m going to get ready for work.”
“Okay. See you later, dad. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Have a good day.”
Sam stared after her father as he walked out of the room.
What just happened?
He didn’t seem to care about the possibility of her dating both men. If anything, he seemed to approve. Was his understanding a coincidence, or did he know more than he’d let on? He knew she’d been spending all her time with the guys, and spending the nights with them, but they’d never talked about whether or not she was dating one or the other. Or both.
She decided to take his advice and try and enjoy her day, despite waking up to chaos. Would Cade and Collin follow her father’s instructions and come back for her? She hadn’t been nice to them after she saw the damage, but in her heart she felt they would return.
At least until they decided to leave town for good, or they find another woman willing to share their love.
She pushed the last thought out of her mind. They hadn’t been pursuing anyone else in town, and she wanted to enjoy everything they had to offer until they left. The memory of their touches would remain long after they moved on.
She followed her father out the door and waited on the porch for her men to return.
***
Cade stopped the truck in front of Sam’s house and let out the breath he’d been holding when he saw her on the porch as if waiting for their arrival. Next to him, Collin also seemed relieved.
“Come on, let’s go,” Collin said.
They both got out of the truck and ascended the stairs to the wide seating area.
“Your father said we should come and cheer you up,” Cade said.
“We thought you might like to head over to the mall,” Collin said.
The mall was located in the city, about an hour away. The temperature had been dropping daily, but he didn’t think rain or snow was a possibility. The long drive would be safe for her both ways.
Their shifting abilities gave them special perks and he never had to worry about his and Collin’s safety. Their immortality provided them with special healing power. They could be injured, and suffer because of the pain, but they couldn’t die.
If Sam agreed to be their mate, their bites wouldn’t turn her into a bear, but she’d gain immortality so they could spend eternity together. Until then, they had to be extra careful with her protection.
“There’s a place there that specializes in cheesecake. They have at least fifty different kinds,” she smiled, and he knew she’d recovered.
Fancy desserts were their weakness.
“Sounds good to me,” Collin said. “Are you ready?”
“Wait,” she said. “I’m sorry about the way I acted earlier. When I saw those words plastered across the building, I…,” she shook her head. “I shouldn’t have taken it out on you guys.”
She walked over to him, grabbed his hand and placed her other hand on the nape of his neck. She pulled him down for a gentle kiss.
“I’m sorry I left you without saying goodbye,” she whispered after she pulled away. Her ability to tell them apart shocked him and he could only smile back at her.
She walked over to Collin and he held out his hand to welcome her. She laced her fingers through his without hesitation.
“I’m sorry I turned away from you,” she told his brother.
Collin leaned down and kissed her in the same gentle way she’d kissed him.
“You were upset, love. We understand,” Collin said.
“How are you able to tell us apart?” Cade asked.
She looked at him, her confusion evident.
“What do you mean?”
“How do you know I’m Cade and he’s Collin?”
“You’re kidding right? You think I’d sleep with you if I didn’t know who was who?”
“Most people never figure it out, and for the ones that do, it takes them longer than a week.”
“You must be joking.”
“He’s not. Aside from our parents, and Gage and Seth, I don’t think anyone besides you can tell us apart. We’re usually the guys, or the boys, or the twins. We’re never referred to as individuals,” Collin added.
“What about the women you’ve shared? They couldn’t tell you two apart?”
“No,” Cade responded. “Those women only cared about being fucked by two men. Aside from knowing our names, who was who wasn’t important.”
“Oh.”
Her downcast eyes proved he’d messed up again, and he knew he needed to lighten the mood. He hadn’t meant to bring up other women, but he’d been shocked by her knowledge of their differences. Most people yelled out one of their names and waited to see who responded. They’d caught onto that trick years ago and fooled many people by switching places.
“I’m not sure you really can tell us apart. Maybe you just got lucky,” he said, and Collin played along.
“Yeah, I think we need to test you. Just to be sure.”
“Go ahead,” she laughed. “I can tell you apart with my eyes closed.”
“Oh really?” Cade asked. “We’re definitely going to test that theory later.”
She laughed and started down the stairs. They followed her lead, and soon they were piled in the truck and cruising down the road toward the mall.
***
True to their word, the guys tested her multiple times throughout the day. To their dismay, she guessed their identity correctly every time.
“Okay, what’s your secret?” Collin asked.
“I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. I don’t want to do that,” she teased, “because I like having both of you around.”
“Do you?” Cade asked, in his usual, serious tone.
“I do,” she replied, mocking his demeanor.
“You little brat. Wait till we get home, then the true test will begin.”
“Bring it,” she challenged and they all burst out laughing.
The outburst gained more attention from the mall patrons and Sam locked eyes with yet another woman posturing for her men. The trip had been exactly what she needed after her crazy morning, but it was also a wake-up call. Every woman in the place, and some men, too, had ogled the guys at least once while they managed to walk the mall from end to end on all three floors. Several women looked at the men, looked her up and down, and then either laughed or cast her dirty looks. At lunchtime, a couple of women had blatantly followed them into the restaurant and asked for tables in the same section. Luckily, the restaurant didn’t approve any of the requests.
For the most part, she ignored the other women. If she did spot someone looking at them, she smiled and turned away from the hate. The guys were with her now, and that’s all that’s all that mattered. Cade and Collin didn’t mention the women and pretended not to notice the stares. If they weren’t pretending, they were ill and needed to see a doctor.
Deep down, she could admit that it felt good being seen with them. For the first time in her life, other women were jealous of something she had. That had never happened before. Still, the constant attention was hard to ignore. Maybe she just needed practice.
Later in the afternoon, Collin suggested a movie and she welcomed the darkness and the solitude with her men. She didn’t want to cry or be depressed, so she agreed to an action film instead of the new chick-flick she’d been dying to see.
During the film, Cade kept his arm around her and Collin held her hand. Both men gave her exactly what she needed, and she remembered what Collin had said the night they’d asked her out. Together, they were the perfect boyfriend. She didn’t totally agree. In her eyes, they were both perfect in their own way, but together they were sublime.
When the movie let out, they walked across the mall once again and entered the dessert bar. The guys made her laugh when they couldn’t make up their minds and finally decided to take a few samples home.
They ordered four pieces to share at the table, and four more to-go. Coffees in hand, they found a place to sit and started on the plates. Cade and Collin laughed over her desire to save a piece of each flavor before they ate everything, but she couldn’t risk not getting a taste. They each took two bites for every one of hers and the pieces weren’t that big. She hadn’t fully savored her second bite, when she noticed Collin gathering the crumbs off the first plate.
Suddenly, a shriek erupted on the other side of the eating area. Startled, Sam dropped her fork and the guys scanned the area looking for the source of the sound. She was reminded of a predator stalking their prey, and she remembered they’d had the same look when they found her on the street with Jack locked on her arm.
“Cade and Collin! Oh my God!”
A tall, stick thin woman rushed over to their table, her heels clacking and scraping a painful tune on the tile floor. Her platinum blond, curly hair looked unmanageable, and hung down below her ass. She wore skin tight, white capris and a pink halter top. In the middle of winter. Her four inch heels showed off her red painted, manicured toes that matched her fingers. Sam wondered how she’d get to her car if the forecasted rain decided to fall.
“What are you guys doing here? How long are you in town?” The woman glanced between them and made eye contact with Sam, then dismissed her as if she didn’t exist.
Both men stayed in their seats and stared up at the woman with anger in their eyes.
“I’m sorry, but we’re kind of in the middle of something,” Collin said.
“We have to hook-up!” The woman screeched, as if Collin hadn’t spoken. Her sentence echoed around the seating area and everyone knew she hadn’t meant she wanted to meet them for tea.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Collin said. “We’d like to finish our meal and you’re being extremely rude.”
The woman refused to get the hint and lingered a few seconds more.
“Leave. Now,” Cade said.
She pulled a card out of her front pocket and slid it into the center of the table.
“You boys are no fun anymore. Call me when you’re done with the locals and I’ll remind you how to have a good time,” she said, then turned on her heel and left.
Sam couldn’t help notice the woman didn’t have on any underwear. If anyone deserved to be called a skank, whore or slut, it should be her. What kind of woman approaches two men when they’re obviously not interested?
She knew their names. They must have been interested before.
She glanced down at her snug jeans and noticed the way her t-shirt pulled tight across her large breasts. Her extra weight and ample curves were hard to ignore. She was twice the size of the other woman, and she’d never be caught dead in four inch heels.
If that was the type of woman they usually went out with, what were they doing with here with her? She reminded herself that they were only in town for a short while and she’d been eager and available. If they were using her for a convenient piece of ass, at least they’d never acted like she disgusted them.
“Sorry about that,” Collin said. “I don’t know who she is, but I recognize her from the club.”
“Did you sleep with her?” As soon as the words escaped, she wished she could call them back. She already knew the answer, she didn’t need his confirmation.
“Probably,” Cade responded. “We’ve slept with a lot of women, love.”
She nodded and continued eating her dessert.
Cade hadn’t remembered the woman either, and though she appreciated his honesty, it hurt her heart when she realized how many women they’d shared and couldn’t remember. As much as she wanted to remain in their hearts after they moved on, that would be her one day. Another conquest they didn’t recall.
Her head warned her to break it off with them, to get out befor
e she fell too deep, but her heart knew it was too late. She’d already fallen in love with both of them, and her heart was beyond repair. They might not feel the same, but they put on a convincing show, and she decided not to ask questions she didn’t want the answers too. When she looked back on their precious moments together, she’d remember their whispered words, their gentle caresses and the way they both made her feel like most beautiful, sexiest woman in the world.
She wanted to feel that way again, at least one last time, before they let her go.
“I’m ready to go back to the cottage. What about you guys?” she asked in her most cheerful voice. She wouldn’t let her insecurities rob her of their time together. There would be plenty of time to ponder and beat herself up when she didn’t have two men that seemed eager to see her naked and provide her with hours’ worth of pleasure and multiple orgasms.
Chapter Five
During the ride home, the rain started to fall and Sam drifted off to sleep on Collin’s shoulder. Cade easily maneuvered the truck down the highway and they rode in silence for several miles as he reflected on the day.
Aside from the club whore approaching them at the dessert bar, it had been a great time. Sam handled the attention they garnered with class and cemented his decision. He didn’t want any secrets between them. He wanted to tell her about their bears when they got back to the cottage.
He glanced at Collin and saw the look of determination on the man’s face.
“Tonight?” he asked.
“Tonight,” Collin agreed.
They’d never told anyone about their bears and he tried to figure out exactly what to say, but the words wouldn’t come. There was a reason Collin usually handled the talking. It seemed like they’d be keeping their roles for this evening. Collin would explain better than he could; he just hoped Sam would listen.
When they pulled into Bear Mountain, the rain had stopped, but the sudden drop in temperature meant ice would be a strong possibility. He wanted to get Sam inside, safe and warm, as soon as possible.
