Protecting Bethany

by Honor James

  Connor ordered the Belgian waffles with whipped cream and fresh berry mash on top along with a side of bacon and sausages. Brendan got an order of eggs Benedict, sausage, toast and a fruit cup with cottage cheese. They were torturing her, there was no reason either had to take so long to order. It was torture too, waiting as they hummed about maybe getting something else. But finally…

  “And for you, Bethany?” the waitress, Donna or Doreen maybe, asked.

  Bethany made her order, asking for milk to be placed into the freezer while they waited for their food. “Oh and I would also like bacon as well, and sausage.” Damn she was hungrier than she had anticipated.

  Giving her a nod she wandered off to place their orders. Connor snagged the carafe and poured them all cups of coffee, handing them out. Brendan took his and sipped it as was while he pulled out his phone. He tapped the screen and then stuck it to his ear. “Hey Dad, yeah, yeah, yeah. Seriously? Stop talking. They are locked up and we’re all fine. We’re at Joe’s for food and we’ll be home in a bit. What? Oh, yeah, hang on,” he said and handed her the phone. “He would like to assure himself that you are, in fine, okay.”

  Bethany smiled softly and took the phone. It felt good to have someone looking out for her and wanting to ensure that she was okay. Other than her men that was. She knew that they would always look out for her. “Hello.” She grinned and nodded. “Yes I’m fine. No they didn’t leave my side for a moment.” She listened to Daniel and then looked to Brendan and Connor. “Yes, yes we will bring you home some goodies, promise.” She listened a bit more and added, “Tell Patty we said hi and send our love. No I’m going to make them take me shopping or something so we won’t be right home so we will bring you home dinner from Joe’s okay?” She looked to the guys and mouthed is that okay?

  Connor nodded while Brendan shrugged with a grin. Yeah, both of them would do whatever she wanted. “Ask him what he wants for dinner,” Connor said softly to her. “Otherwise we’ll get the wrong thing and he’ll be miffed all night.”

  Bethany did just that and nodded. “Okay, can do. No you aren’t getting that. Not with your blood pressure being up as high as it was. I mean it,” she muttered. “No,” she added a little more emphatically. “That’s much better,” she said with a smile. “Okay, see you then.” She passed Brendan his phone back and said, “Your daddy is seriously delusional if he thinks that I am going to give him food that will bring his blood pressure up even more.”

  Laughing, Brendan put the phone to his ear. “Yeah pops I’m here. Uh-huh, right, oh you know it. Yeah, I’ll do that, talk to you later.” Hanging up he was still chuckling. Tucking his phone away he leaned into her and kissed her cheek. “That’s from Dad. He says even if you are annoying to the point of driving him around the bend on his diet he loves you anyway.”

  “That’s a good thing because I love him too.” She thought the world of their daddy, which was good because she wanted to be a part of their family forever more. “What did he want there at the end?” she asked with a smile. “Come on, babe, is he trying to talk you into taking him something home that will have me being all grumpy at him?”

  “He just wanted to make sure that we bought you something pretty. And I think I know just what we’re going to get you,” he said. “But that’s as far as I’m going on that line so you will just have to wait and see what it is tonight.”

  “Oh you are so bad.” She bumped her shoulder to his and grinned. “That’s okay though because I happen to love it when you are being bad.” She was teasing him and they both knew it. “Come on, a hint? Just a small one?”

  “I think you will be incredibly surprised,” he said. He then pressed his lips together tight and snickered.

  Connor shook his head when she looked his way. “Don’t ask me. I’ve got no clue what he’s up to. Likely won’t until later. Probably right before he tells you whatever it is. Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s really, really good given his expression.”

  “Oh heavens.” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Okay, okay. I get it. I won’t push but I look forward to being able to see what it is that you are going to give me. I enjoy surprises, but only ones that don’t take forever to unfold.”

  “Tonight,” Brendan said. “I promise.” He smiled. Leaning in he kissed her lips gently. “You will love it and it will be a bright new start to our future. Which I think will be very welcome after all that’s happened of late. Right?”

  “Yes, I think so as well.” A surprise that would lead to their future. She wasn’t certain what it could be, but she would leave that to them to pull off. “Oh god, here comes our food.” Her mouth was watering, the scents hitting her in the face as the waitress approached them.

  Both men were grinning at her as the plates were distributed and her glass of milk set down before her. The guys both thanked the waitress, Darlene according to them, and she gave a huge smile before dashing off.

  When they were alone Bethany looked over the food and licked her lips. “I really wish that I could cook crepes like this.” She took a bite of them and sighed. “I can’t cook them though and that really sucks.” She couldn’t get the super thin crepes to actually cook instead of shredding them. “So where are the two of you taking me shopping after we leave here?” She didn’t want to go right back to the ranch, she wanted to instead just simply spend the day with the men she loved.

  “We’ll go to that cute little shopping center across town and you can shop there. Will be better than heading into the city to the mall,” Connor said and made a face. “I hate malls, all those screaming kids, snotty teens and the adults that are more interested in their phones than watching where they are going.”

  “That sounds good to me.” She laughed. “Well I don’t necessarily like screaming kids or teens either but keep in mind that you will soon have a little niece or nephew that will be a screaming kid, yeah?” she asked with a smile. “So what will you say then? Come on you know you are looking forward to Patty’s kid coming into the world so that you can spoil it rotten right alongside your daddy.”

  “That kid will be raised right,” Brendan said. “He or she will know the value of hard work, love of the land and an understanding that everything in life isn’t free. And he or she will be loved, spoiled and know that the family will always be there.”

  “You got that right.” Bethany agreed. “I’m glad that your dad’s around for this baby. I think that the babe is going to be very good for him. Poor guy will likely kidnap that kid more than once, likely making Patty come stay with him during the day so that he can get his grandbaby fix.” She knew that Patty would likely stay with him anyway, once the babe was born that was.

  “I think they were talking about it anyway,” Connor said. “Blake wants to have someone with her all the time, right after anyway, and the easiest and happiest solution was for them all to move into the house with dad for a time after the birth. We figure that if it became overcrowded Brendan and I would take over their place for the few months to give them some time and to get us some sleep.”

  “Yeah and then I walked into your lives and asked for another solution. Do you think that they will be okay with you two living at the Mason-Dixon with me?” She knew that it was half hour from the Graymont place, she just hoped it wasn’t too far.

  “Course they will,” he said. “Dad will be more than fine with it. He has Blake to take over the ranch. This will be good for all of us,” he smiled at her. “Gives me something to do besides harassing my sister’s husbands on a daily basis. Which usually only gets me the worst jobs known to mankind.”

  “Which you deserve, I’ve heard the language you use,” Brendan said with a laugh.

  “He’s right. I’ve heard you.” Bethany agreed as she ate the food before her. “And are we bringing the men that saved me to the Mason-Dixon with us? They are at loose ends from what I understand. They have a business but they only help a very select few people and while they don’t necessarily have to work, they want to. I was
talking to one of them a few days ago and he said that the ranch life was good to them. Kept them in shape and their senses sharp. Something about the horses. I don’t know if he spooked one and learned a hard lesson or what, but yeah.” She shrugged. “I like them, they are good people.”

  “We’ll need people we can trust and they’ll be more than willing to help keep you protected. Until those two assholes are in jail for good, it’ll make us both feel better to have someone out there that knows how to do what’s needed when it’s needed,” Brendan told her. “Besides, while they don’t have a clue about ranching, they are willing to learn and seem to pick it up quickly enough. They are welcome if you would like them there.”

  “Thank you. Yes I would like that,” she said with a nod and moved on to her fruit salad and bacon. Not exactly a matching combination, but it was one that tasted delicious to her. “And you are right. They might not know anything about ranching but they are good guys and they are eager to learn.”

  “And hard workers,” Connor said. “Which is a huge plus in my mind. Now, if we could find another twenty of them, we’d be set,” he said with a grin. “Think they have friends they’d want to make miserable for a while with a bunch of horse shit and hot weather?”

  Bethany laughed. “Oh god, having our own little army of former Marines on the Mason-Dixon. I think that every eligible woman in the county would come forward and kiss both of you for doing just that for them.” She finished off her food and pulled her sausage forward. “I think we should ask. What’s the worse that they can say? No? I like it. Ask them.”

  “I’ll mention it to them when we get back then,” he said. He pushed his empty plate away and licked his lips. “Damn that’s good stuff,” he said. Heaving a sigh he leaned back with a grin on his face.

  “I couldn’t agree more.” When she had finished every single bite of her food she sighed and leaned back. “It’s good that we are going to go shopping so that we can work off some of the food that we just ate.” It was all very good food too.

  Brendan shot her a grin and wiggled his eyebrows. “I can think of other ways that are more fun than shopping to work off a meal.” At her look he shrugged and picked up his coffee cup to drink, not taking his eyes off her.

  “Oh no, mister. We will do that later too but right now I want to go shopping. I need some new underthings, and would like a few more pairs of jeans as well. Besides, I think that it is good for us to all three get out and do stuff together, don’t you?”

  He gave her a pout while Connor laughed.

  “You don’t really have to convince him,” Connor said. “He’ll do it anyway ’cause he loves you like I do. And yes, you do need some more clothes. Though I have to say, you were looking mighty fine in that shirt Brendan gave you the other morning. It was practically long enough to be a dress on you.”

  “Oh yeah. Don’t get me wrong, even with me buying new clothes I will still demand that I’m able to wear your clothes as well as my own. I really enjoy wearing your shirts and your socks. I especially love it the way that you both have to have me when I’m wearing nothing more than your shirt and socks.” Oh that look on their faces, and what always tended to happen just after that.

  “The socks, I will admit, are weird.” He chuckled. “But damn woman, you make oversized socks look sexy,” he said with a wink.

  “It’s more the fact that we know what is under the shirt. Or rather what isn’t,” Brendan said, pushing his plate aside. Picking up his coffee he shifted on the seat to lean back next to her. “We do like what’s so nicely hidden under our shirts.”

  Leaning back she crossed her legs and winked at Brendan and took another drink of her milk. “This is true. You both do like what I have under your shirts. I also really love the way that it feels when you both take me with nothing more than your shirts on. Or you tug me into the closet off the kitchen just to be inside of me when I’m putting on early morning coffee. In fact I really think we should do that often,” she teased.

  “Agreed.” He nodded. Leaning his head to hers he chuckled. “Course we will need to ensure that Dad never finds us. That last time was a little too close for comfort. There are some things that our father never, ever needs to see or find out about. Our sex life is the biggest one.”

  “Good point. Yes from now on we will need to ensure that we will be more careful. We need to make sure that we go into rooms that lock,” she said honestly. “Because I don’t think I would ever be able to look at your dad again if he were to catch us.”

  “You’d be fine.” He laughed. Shifting, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You might blush for a few days but you’d be okay in time. Besides, it’s not like he hasn’t been up to some kinky stuff of late. Hell, he was out all night two nights ago.”

  “Oh really?” She hadn’t noticed that, at all. “Maybe one of the widows has finally talked him into giving them more than the time of day? Either that or he’s out all night with his so-called checkers buddies, up all night long playing poker or something silly like that?”

  “It wasn’t poker night,” Connor said with a smirk. “Besides, poker night he drags in around two am, never fails. But he didn’t come in until after we were already up and moving around. Saw him do the walk of shame in through the side door to avoid contact with you since he knew where you’d be at that point in the day.”

  “Seriously?” Oh she was so going to have to make him pay for that one. “Come on, boys, from now on you really have to let me know when your daddy stays out all night long so that I can be there waiting on him to come in and catch him.”

  “Deal,” Connor nodded. “From what I overheard he has plans to go out tonight. And it’s not poker night,” he said with a grin. “So all you’ll have to do is be waiting for him when he comes crawling in tomorrow morning.”

  “Oh hot diggity.” Bethany was all smiles. “That means that you need to make sure that I get to sleep at a fairly reasonable hour. Not bed, but sleep.” Because oh the things she wanted to do to them and with them in the bed were not conducive to sleep, at all.

  “Aw, hell,” Brendan muttered and pouted at her when she looked his way. “Then we’d better get you to bed damn early so that you can get to sleep early. Like right after dinner early I think. ’Cause you know that we’re not going to go to sleep without making love to you, darling.”

  “Oh I know that and I’m damn happy about that too. I know that you both need me as much as I do you.” Her words were low, quiet and private for them alone. “So we won’t take a huge time on shopping so that we can get home and make love all the sooner.”

  “Damned straight.” Connor nodded. “Check!” he yelped, holding up a hand.

  Laughing softly Brendan shook his head. “Methinks he doth be eager,” he murmured in her ear. Pressing a kiss to her cheek he finished his coffee and then started to wiggle his way out of the booth.

  That had her grinning, “And are you telling me that you aren’t just as eager as he is? I know that I’m more than equal to him in need and anticipation but I really do need to go shopping too.”

  “Of course I’m eager,” he said. Digging out his wallet he handed Darlene the money to cover the check and a few extra in tips. Thanking her he snagged Bethany’s hand and helped haul her out. “Which means the faster you do your shopping and the faster I do my shopping the faster we can get back here, order Dad his dinner and then get home and naked. So, let’s move it people, we have things to accomplish.”

  “Sounds good to me.” She moved out of the restaurant and to the truck. When the door was unlocked she slid into the middle without another word, buckling in and then waiting until she was between both men. “Okay, shopping now.”

  “Yes ma’am.” Brendan nodded and got them moving.

  Chapter Twelve

  “A few jeans and underwear she said,” Connor muttered.

  Stumbling in behind him, loaded down with bags Brendan grunted. “She needed a wardrobe, bro, you knew that, I knew that.”


  “This is more than a wardrobe. This is ten people’s wardrobes!” he bitched.

  “Well if you’d stopped telling her she just had to get that because she looked so damned cute or sexy or cute and sexy in it, you wouldn’t have to bitch. So quit bitching, this is your fault,” Brendan said. Then he kicked his brother in the ass and hauled his portion of her new wardrobe up the stairs while Connor attempted to untangle himself.

  Coming up along behind them with the one box that she hadn’t let her men see inside of and put it on the bathroom counter. Leaning back against the counter she looked to her guys and smiled. “You two are seriously funny. It’s not a great deal. I got ten pair of jeans, a couple of dresses, skirts and a bunch of tops along with the fun things that go under the clothes. You both had a damn fine shopping with me and you know it.” She was anxious to know what her surprise was going to be but she hadn’t seen either of them go shopping, then again she had spent a great deal of time in the changing rooms.

  “And the various shoes and the new boots that go with said outfits,” Connor said. He set his group of bags down before collapsing in the middle of the floor. “Did we even remember dinner for Dad?”

  “Yes, I gave it to him on the way in. I managed to balance it on my head and do a little dance while you were struggling with a measly little doorknob,” Brendan said, holding out the bag with her dresses in it. “You should hang those up so they don’t get trampled by thunderhoof over there.”

  Connor lifted his arm and threw him the bird before letting it fall, with a thud, back down next to him. “Shopping is fucking exhausting.”

  Bethany just smiled, how could she not? Shaking her head she closed the bathroom door after saying, “Hey guys, will you please hang things up for me so that I can get cleaned up and then put on the surprise that I have waiting for the two of you.” She hadn’t shown them the naughty lingerie that she had picked out for their night. It was sheer, black and there was next to nothing there. Oh yes, she couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when she put it on.