by Carol Lynne
“They’ll bloody kill him if he tries to fight back,” Lochie pointed out.
“He’s a man. He needs to stick up for himself or he’ll lose self-respect. It won’t be easy on either of us, but we’ll be there to patch him up. I’m afraid if we try to deny him, he’ll leave.”
Lochie felt as if he’d been punched in the chest. “He wouldn’t do that, would he? Leave us because we won’t let him fight?”
Leaning in to give Lochie a kiss, Jacko nodded. “I think he just might. If the positions were reversed, I think either one of us would do the same thing. Maybe he wouldn’t leave right away, but sooner or later he would.”
Lochie bit his lower lip while considering a future without Jamie. He’d just started to live the kind of life he’d always wanted. No way in hell I’m giving this up without a fight. “Guess we need to talk to him. I’ll try to refrain from babying him. Maybe I’ll ask him if he wants us to teach him how to fight?” Lochie wrapped his arm around Jacko’s waist as the two men walked toward the house. “I just hope you’re right, because I’ll never forgive myself if something serious happens to him.”
They found Jamie sitting at the kitchen table with a cuppa in his hand. Jacko walked over and bent to give him a kiss on the top of his clean head. “We’re going to take a quick shower. Pour two more of those and we’ll be back.”
* * * *
Freshly showered and dressed in their work clothes, Jacko and Lochie returned to the kitchen. Jacko sat across from Jamie, while Lochie sat to Jamie’s right. Lochie took a drink while trying to assess Jamie’s mood. He set down his cup before reaching across the table to hold both Jamie’s and Jacko’s hands. Jacko clasped Jamie’s other hand, forming a united circle.
Jamie continued to stare down at his tea.
Lochie cleared his throat until he got Jamie’s attention. “I love you, babe.”
“I know,” Jamie whispered. “I love you both.” His gaze went from Lochie’s to Jacko’s.
Jacko nodded.
Lochie gave Jamie’s hand a slight squeeze. “We need to figure out what to do about Brian and his mates so we’ll be ready the next time. Jacko and I talked about it and we want you with us when we confront them.”
Jamie appeared shocked at the announcement. “You want me there? To fight?”
Lochie nodded. “We’re a family. We solve a problem together or we won’t solve it at all.”
Still appearing to be stunned, Jamie blinked several times. “Why the change?”
“Because Jacko made me realize that we might be protecting you too much. I don’t want you to ever think we see you as less than you are. It’s natural for us to want to protect you, but that’s because we love you so much. After what happened at Red’s…”
“We don’t ever want to see you that hurt again,” Jacko finished for Lochie. “Brian and the rest of those blokes won’t fight fair. We all know you’re just not as big as we are.”
Lochie saw the hurt of Jacko’s statement in Jamie’s expression. He pushed his chair back. “Come here,” he ordered, holding out his arms. He could tell Jamie wanted to come to him but didn’t want to appear as if he was giving in. “Jamie.” He continued to hold out his arms. “If Jacko weren’t so damn big I’d have him in my lap all the time, too. If you want, I’ll try to refrain from carrying you around, but there’s nothing wrong with sitting on my lap. Now get that sweet ass over here.”
With a dramatic sigh, Jamie moved to straddle Lochie’s lap.
Lochie wrapped his arms around Jamie. “I love holding you. I love that you’re who you are.” He tilted Jamie’s chin up with his finger. “You’re sexy as hell, and I would be lying if I told you I didn’t like the thought of protecting you from the world. It’s who I am. But, I understand why you need to prove something to Brian and yourself. When it’s just us here at the house, though, I like that you let me pamper you. I like that you’re so much smaller than I am. You fit perfectly in my arms.”
A single tear slipped over the rim of Jamie’s eye to trickle down his cheek. “If me being here is going to cause you harm, I can’t do it. I love you too much. What if that shed had been the house? You didn’t have these problems until I came here.”
“I didn’t have love, either. I was lonely and bitter.” Lochie wiped the tear from Jamie’s cheek and kissed him.
“You and Jacko would have found each other eventually. You’ve loved each other for a long time. It just took the right circumstances for you both to open up,” Jamie argued.
“You are that circumstance. You’re the glue that holds this family together. Bloody hell, we’re both two strong-headed blokes. Left alone, we’d probably kill each other in the first month. You’re our creamy filling.” Lochie wiped another tear, hating each one that fell.
Jacko must have felt left out because he moved to tower over Jamie and Lochie. “Let’s take a nap.” He didn’t wait for an answer, just turned and started pulling off his clothes on the way to the bedroom.
Lochie met Jamie’s gaze. “You feel like a nap?”
Faking a yawn, Jamie stretched his arms over his head. “God, I’m feeling sleepy. Do you mind if I have a nap?”
Chuckling, Lochie stood with Jamie still in his arms. Remembering his earlier resolution, he released Jamie and let his feet touch the floor.
Jamie shook his head before climbing back up Lochie’s body. He wrapped his legs and arms around Lochie before placing a soft kiss on Lochie neck. “I’ll always be yours, and if you feel like carrying me, I won’t stop you.”
Lochie grinned and headed toward the bedroom. I must not be the only one who enjoys the intimate gesture.
Chapter Seven
After stopping by the police station the next morning to file a report on the burned shed, Lochie and Jacko escorted Jamie to the bank.
Lochie brushed his hand over Jamie’s back as they entered the small-town establishment. “We’ll wait here by the door.”
Jamie smiled. “What? You guys think I’m going to get jumped inside the bank? It’s obvious Brian isn’t here, so why don’t you guys wait outside?” He batted his eyelashes.
Lochie scanned the bank again. “Okay. We’ll be just outside.” He turned to Jacko, who was still scoping out the small lobby. Lochie shook his head and chuckled. “We look more like we’re getting ready to rob the place to me. Come on.” He tugged on Jacko’s arm until he got his attention.
“What?” Jacko sounded annoyed.
“Let’s wait outside for Jamie to take care of his business.” Lochie turned, pushed open the door and waited for Jacko to take one last glance around before following him.
When they were standing on the sidewalk, Lochie stuck his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and leaned against the building. “What’s with you this morning?”
Shrugging, Jacko continued to scan the area. “Thought he’d be safe when I dropped him off before. Don’t plan on making the same mistake twice.”
It was then that Lochie saw the strain on Jacko’s face. Lochie had been so tied up with thoughts of the fire and Jamie’s bruises that he hadn’t really stopped to consider how all of it was affecting Jacko. He moved closer to him. When he was standing next to him, Lochie lowered his voice so as not to be overheard by passersby. “It wasn’t your fault.”
Jacko remained vigilant. “Really? You think if I’d been with Jamie, Brian would still have grabbed him like that?” He took his eyes off the street long enough to glance over at Lochie. “What if something worse than a bruise on the arm had happened? Would you still say it wasn’t my fault?”
Taking a huge chance, Lochie clasped Jacko’s hand. “It’s Brian’s fault, and we’ll deal with him.” Lochie gave Jacko’s hand a brief squeeze then let it go. He refused to entertain thoughts of what might have happened.
They stood side by side on the sidewalk until Jamie came out. Lochie and Jacko automatically separated and Jamie stepped between them. “Now what?” Jamie asked.
“Do you have any other b
usiness to take care of before we go get a drink?” Lochie’s voice was calm and smooth.
Jamie scratched his jaw. “We could go by and see about ordering some new four-wheelers.”
“I think we’ll wait for the insurance money to replace them. We can make do with the utes for now.”
Jamie bit his lower lip. “But that could take months. I like our evening rides. Why can’t we just buy them now and you can pay me back when the insurance money comes in?” Jamie asked.
Lochie never could say no to Jamie when he did that cute little lip thing. He was sorely tempted to bend down and take a nibble of that plump bit of pink flesh. “Come on, then.”
Jamie smiled as he headed for the farm store. They’d have to order the four-wheelers, but at least they’d have them within a couple of weeks.
Jamie turned to Jacko and nudged him with his elbow. “I’m getting red this time. What about you?”
Jacko grinned down at him. “Doesn’t much matter what color it is. You’ll only be able to see the paint job for a couple of weeks before it gets buried under a thick layer of dirt.”
Rolling his eyes, Jamie picked up the pace. “You guys are no fun.”
* * * *
After placing their orders for three new four-wheelers, Lochie led the way to The Imperial. Jacko wouldn’t relax until they were safely back in the ute driving home. He politely nodded to people he knew as they called out but refused to get into a conversation with anyone. At the moment, all his attention was centered on finding and dealing with Brian.
Jacko blinked several times as they stepped into the dark, smoky pub. He followed Lochie and Jamie to a corner table in the back, choosing to take the chair that faced the room. They’d known prior to coming to town that they might have to wait for quite a while. According to their information from Red, Brian made a habit of stopping by the pub at some point every evening.
It had taken a lot of convincing to keep Red from joining them. Jacko imagined Red still felt guilty, not only about the way he’d treated Jamie himself, but also because it had been Red’s employees who had attacked Jamie in the first place.
It was still a little early for lunch, so they all ordered soft drinks as they settled in to wait. Glancing over at Jamie, Jacko could tell he was nervous. Jamie couldn’t manage to sit still.
Jamie caught Jacko staring at him and shrugged. “I’ve never really been in a fight. I mean, I’ve thrown a few punches, but I was the guy everyone liked growing up. Of course, I’m not counting the fight at Red’s, since that really wasn’t a fight at all.”
Jacko gave Jamie what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “You’ll do fine. Just try and pick out the smallest bloke if it comes to that.”
“Yeah, right. Have you seen the smallest bloke in here? You’re lookin’ at him. I don’t know what you all ate growing up, but I’m sure it had some sort of growth hormone in it.” Jamie spotted a huge man at the bar with his back to them. He nudged Jacko’s foot with his and pointed toward the guy with blond hair. “See what I mean? You ever see anyone so big in your life? Damn hormones, I’m tellin’ ya.”
Once again, Jamie’s sense of humor eased Jacko’s tension. His shoulders loosened just a bit. “A bloke’s got to be strong to live and survive in the bush.” He reached across the small table and poked Jamie’s biceps. “You’re filling out nicely. Just wait. A couple of years from now, you’ll be as strong as any bloke in the state.”
That made Jamie crack up. “No shit? Will I grow another six inches, too?”
“Behave,” Lochie said as he tried his best to keep from laughing. “I like you just the way you are. You get too big and I won’t be able to cart you around.”
They joked around for another hour before ordering lunch. After eating, they were all starting to get a little cranky. Jacko watched Jamie drain yet another bottle of pop. Being the predictable guy that he was, Jamie got to his feet.
“I’m going to the restroom.” Then he got a mischievous gleam in his eye. “Cover me.” He crouched down like he was about to embark on a covert operation.
Lochie threw his balled-up napkin at him. “Smart ass.”
Jacko laughed, too, but stood. “I’ll do just that. I need to go, as well.” He followed Jamie into the men’s restroom.
When Jacko pushed the door open, he was surprised to see the blond from the bar at the first urinal. Shaggy hair fell just to the man’s shoulders and his blue eyes sparkled. Jacko noticed Jamie staring at the guy with his tongue practically hanging out of his mouth.
“Hey,” Jamie greeted as he stepped up to a urinal and unzipped his jeans.
“Hey,” the Adonis said back. “I know this isn’t exactly the time to ask, but I’m looking for a ride to Kurrajong Station. I wasn’t supposed to get in until Friday but things changed, and I’m early. I tried to call but no one’s answering. I could always walk, I guess, but, well…”
“That’s Red’s place. We can take ya. You’re American, right?” Jamie asked with excitement in his voice.
Jacko felt like growling a warning to the blond stud to keep away.
“Born and raised in Montana. You’re a Yank, too, I take it.” The stranger shook off.
“Yeah. I’m from Kansas City. Name’s Jamie.” He nodded toward Jacko. “That’s Jacko.”
“Nice to meet you two. I’m Zeb River. Red hired me over the phone. I’ll be the new station manager at Kurrajong.” Zeb washed his hands as Jamie and Jacko finished up.
Jacko eyed Zeb up and down. “You go on out. There’s a table right outside the door with a big, rough-looking Aussie. His name’s Lochie. He’s with us. We’re Red’s mates. Just introduce yourself and have a seat. We’ll be out in a few minutes.”
Zeb stared at Jacko for a moment before leaving.
As soon as the door shut, Jacko had Jamie pressed against it. Jacko devoured his mouth as he ran his hands through Jamie’s curls. “Mine.”
Chuckling, Jamie nipped Jacko’s lower lip. “Yeah. So?”
“I don’t like you trolling other men.” Jacko pressed his hardened cock against Jamie.
“Was just looking. I’ve got no need to touch.” Jamie ran his hands up Jacko’s arms. “I’ve got all I can handle with you and Lochie.”
Jacko already knew that, but it was nice to be reminded. After kissing him again, Jacko pulled back. “Just remember that.” He slapped Jamie’s ass. “I’m going to fuck you into the mattress when we get home.”
“Promises, promises.” Jamie winked and pinched Jacko’s nipple.
By the time they got out to the table, Lochie and Zeb were having a discussion about Brian and the reason Red was in need of a new manager. Jacko was surprised to see the compassion in Zeb’s eyes as he neared the table. His opinion of Zeb shot up dramatically.
Jamie took a seat and smiled around the table. “Talking about me, I see.”
“Just trying to fill Zeb in on why we can’t get him to Red’s straight away.” Lochie took a drink and sighed. “Although I’m getting bloody bored just sitting here.”
Zeb held up his finger. “I’ve got a deck of cards in my duffle if anyone’s interested in a game?”
Jacko and Lochie both glanced at Jamie.
“As long as it’s for fun and not money. Take it from us, Jamie’s a shark,” Jacko replied.
* * * *
They spent the afternoon getting to know Zeb and playing cards. Jamie was still a little sore that they wouldn’t play him for money, but he tried to make the most of it. At home, they didn’t play for money, either. Usually it was for clothes, which Jamie didn’t mind a bit. Today’s games weren’t nearly as exciting, although he did catch a couple of looks from both Lochie and Jacko. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one thinking about their wild games of strip-poker.
“Damn, Jamie. Lochie and Jacko weren’t kidding when they said you were a shark.” Zeb threw his losing hand on the table just as loud voices carried through the door.
Jamie knew who it was without even turning around. J
acko and Lochie had both gone tense. He watched as Lochie clenched his hand into a fist. He wanted to reach across the table and soothe the savage beast, but knew that would only get them into a fight that much faster. Standing, Lochie let his presence be known to Brian and his group of friends.
“Well, if it isn’t McBride and his girlfriend,” Brian bellowed across the bar.
Jamie winced at the reference.
The statement brought Jacko to his feet in seconds. “You sure you want in on this?” he asked Jamie.
Before Jamie could stand, he noticed Zeb push back his chair to join Lochie. Jamie took a deep breath and got to his feet. He turned toward the men at the bar and hoped like hell that he knew what he was doing. The hateful expression on Brian’s face knocked him back for a second. Why? He’d never done a thing to Brian. Thoughts of his beating at Red’s and the fire at Lochie’s vanquished all rational thought.
Jamie marched toward Brian shaking with rage. “What the hell is your problem? I’ve done nothing to you. Or is that the problem? Would you like me in your bed instead of Lochie’s?”
A fist came flying at his face. In the next second he was sent crashing against Jacko’s steel-hard chest. Blood spurted from Jamie’s nose. “Son of a bitch!”
“You proved your point, Jamie. Now it’s our turn.” Jacko maneuvered Jamie behind him.
Jamie dug a rag out of his pocket. He held it to his nose as he watched the erupting fight. When he saw two men trying to take on Jacko he stood and tried to get his balance. No way was he going to hide in the corner.
Jamie pushed away from the table. He landed several decent punches before he was knocked back once again. Jamie picked himself up then went back for more. Hell, by that point his face was damn near numb anyway. Standing up for himself felt good, though. Even if he knew he’d pay for it later.
He wasn’t sure what had happened, but the next thing he knew he woke in Lochie’s arms with one hell of a headache. Jamie reached for the source of the pain, but Lochie grabbed his hand.
