Town of Chance: Sweet Caroline [The Dare Series 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  “Shelby, you need to explain to your sister that she is safe here and that we want to help,” Max told them.

  She glanced at him and Caroline saw the way Kenneth looked at Shelby with care and concern but also firmness.

  “Shelby, you’ve been safe here and no one has ever made you feel otherwise. If your sister is in potential danger then let us help you,” Kenneth said to her. Caroline didn’t miss the hint of command in his tone. She knew he was a lawyer so maybe that had something to do with it, but there was something there.

  Shelby took Caroline’s hand. “He won’t find you here and they’ll make sure of it just as I promised I would keep you safe.”

  “But, Shelby, he knows people, too.”

  “Not like these men do. I’m right here with you, and obviously, Hunter is, too.” As she said that, the door opened again and there stood York and C.J.

  “What’s going on? Is Caroline okay?” C.J. asked as they walked all the way in and went to her.

  “Are you all right?” York placed his hand against her cheek and bent a little lower to look at her as he ran his hands along her arms.

  Shelby looked at Caroline and held her gaze.

  “Maybe I was wrong about them and their intentions. It’s obvious they care and they all know you’re in danger so maybe they can help.”

  Caroline felt her eyes fill up.

  “Are you sure, Shelby?”

  “If I’m wrong, may God help the both of us.”

  * * * *

  Hunter, C.J., and York all remained by Caroline’s side while she explained what happened back in New York. Hunter was angry as he stared at her while she gave some details about her ex-boyfriend, but when she finally told them he was a retired soldier and a cop, Hunter thought C.J. and York were going to lose it. Hunter realized his size wasn’t the only thing that scared her. He was a soldier, too.

  In fact, Max stated his anger and disgust about that information while ensuring she was safe and that they weren’t going to help her ex despite her fears that they would turn on her, too. It made him sick to think this ex had that power over her. Bender, Kenneth’s brother joined them in the room too. She didn’t give many details about the abuse but it was obvious she was scared of this guy. Hunter felt even more compelled to be here for her and when it was time to leave, he was insistent that she come along to spend some time with them.

  “They’re your unofficial guardians. Anyone who is in any kind of trouble or who needs looking after gets someone. C.J. and York made it clear that they and Hunter will be watching over you,” Max told her.

  She looked at Shelby. “It’s a safety measure. I’ll feel better knowing that they will protect you in case I’m not around,” Shelby said.

  “You don’t get off so easy either, young lady,” Kenneth stated firmly. Hunter needed to hide his smirk. Kenneth and his brothers saw an opportunity here to keep their woman safe and nearby even if she wasn’t ready to accept them.

  “We’ve got Shelby covered, too, and if for some reason the Mantel men can’t watch over Caroline then we will, too.”

  “That goes for us as well,” C.J. added and all the men nodded toward one another.

  Max took Caroline’s hand. “You did the right thing. Telling us about this guy and running from him, before things got worse. We’ll do our best to protect you, so don’t you worry. You call me or stop by if you ever need anything.”

  “Okay. Thank you, Sheriff.”

  “Max,” he said firmly.

  “Max.” Hunter took her hand. “Come on, we have some things to talk about and schedules to plan.”

  “What?” Caroline asked and looked at Shelby.

  “You and I need to get back to work. Come on,” Kenneth said to Shelby and went to take her hand but she pulled away. Kenneth guided her from the office and Hunter wondered if Shelby would let down her guard with them soon, too.

  The moment they were outside and in the parking lot, Hunter pulled Caroline into an embrace. Her arms remained by her side and his brothers stepped closer.

  “Wrap your arms around me, darling. Feel how safe you are with me and my brothers surrounding you,” he said to her and then he felt her arms. She was so petite and sexy. He felt such anger at the asshole who hurt her. That the guy used his size, his profession against such a petite little thing like Caroline. How could a man strike a woman? How could anyone want to hurt someone as sweet and beautiful as Caroline?

  She tightened up and he knew one of his brothers must have touched her. He slowly released her and looked down into her eyes.

  “Let’s grab some lunch.”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “You should eat, especially since you passed out earlier. We’ll grab some ice teas and sandwiches and sit in the park,” York said.

  “You like it there, and it’s relaxing,” C.J. added.

  They walked to Rita’s to get some food to go. Hunter hoped that Caroline let down her guard even more. He didn’t want to leave her, not for even a little while, but it would take some time for her to learn to trust them, and he was willing to go real slow because he knew Caroline would belong to him and his brothers one day real soon.

  Chapter 6

  Caroline was laughing at something C.J. said. He was so funny. She had to admit that in the last three weeks she had seen a side of him that she really liked. He hid it well, a caring, compassionate flirt because he was always trying to be that serious, hard deputy, especially in public. Here they all were, enjoying a night out at Spencer’s along with some of their friends. They had a nice dinner together, her, C.J., York, and Hunter. She was also getting used to them touching her, caressing her skin, and even pressing kisses to her cheek, her neck, or her hand. None of them had yet kissed her on the lips, and she realized that she wanted them to. Caroline had tried talking to Shelby about it and about her feelings growing stronger for York, C.J., and Hunter, but Shelby was in her own state of denial about the Pace men. They had yet to get Shelby to go out with them or spend alone time together. Caroline had a feeling that her sister liked the men, too, but for some reason that she didn’t share with Caroline she held back and remained frigid toward them.

  When large warm hands landed on her shoulders from behind, she stiffened, but then she felt the warm breath against her ear and the large body press against her back.

  “Sorry, baby, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you,” York said to her and she tilted her head up toward him. She wrapped her arms around his midsection and hugged him tight. He chuckled, and the rumbling in his chest tickled her ears. When she felt his hand glide along her back and then go a little lower, she felt aroused, needy, and she wished she could feel his hands everywhere.

  “Why don’t we take a walk outside and get some fresh air. It’s loud in here,” he said to her. She nodded and he slid his hand along her hip and took her hand. She placed her other hand against his forearm as he cleared a path through the crowded bar. She looked for Hunter and C.J. and caught their eyes. Both of them winked and looked her over and she blushed and lowered her eyes then hugged York’s arm.

  Once they were outside, they saw a few other groups of people and then he led her around the corner where no one stood.

  He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. She placed her hands on his chest and tilted her head up to look at him.

  He took a deep breath and then exhaled.

  “It was crowded in there.”

  “It’s a fun place.”

  “Are you having fun?” he asked, and she nodded her head.

  He stared down into her eyes and then reached up with one hand and caressed her jaw. She tightened up but only slightly as the thought of how big and capable he was made her scared. He could hurt her. She swallowed hard.

  “God, baby, please don’t look at me like that. Like I could hurt you, damage this sexy petite body, or bring you harm. Please,” he whispered. She felt badly. They were so patient with her. Each of them took their time and they didn’t t
ry to force a kiss on her or to be intimate. She was more comfortable and she did want to explore more with them.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to. It just comes naturally, the fear, the memories.”

  “You feel more comfortable with us now than you did several weeks ago, right?” he asked.

  “I do. I really do,” she said and caressed her palms up and down his chest. He tightened this time and she looked at him with concern.

  “I care about you. I want to make you happy,” he said and leaned closer, lower, and kissed her forehead. “I want so much for you, and so do C.J. and Hunter, too,” he said and kissed her cheek on one side. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up toward him.

  “I want you as close as possible at all times, and it’s making me crazy that I can’t have you yet.” He pressed his lips to hers as his words sunk in and shocked her. His kiss felt so good and so right that she kissed him back until she felt the next set of hands on her.

  York released her lips and smiled. “Sweet Caroline, you’re more than I ever could have hoped you’d be.”

  “Is she really that sweet?” C.J. asked, caressing her cheek and tilting it to the right.

  “Find out for yourself,” York said, holding her hips as C.J. pressed his lips to hers. It felt so good, almost perfect as he kissed her tenderly and slowly. When he released her lips and held her gaze, she felt so happy and relieved.

  Then Hunter gave her hair a light tug. “Hey, beautiful, I need a taste, too.”

  She turned toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up and against him, and she kissed him before he could kiss her first.

  That kiss grew deeper, wilder, faster, and soon Hunter had her pressed up against the side of the building with York and C.J. standing guard.

  She ran her fingers through his hair, felt his light beard tickle her skin and arouse her even more so. Her pussy clenched and she felt it leak cream and she moaned into his mouth. His hands moved along her hips and up to her breast. When he cupped the mound, she moaned louder and thrust her hips against his crotch.

  “Damn, that’s hot,” C.J. said, drawing her back to the present and the fact that they were on the side of the building of Spencer’s and anyone could come around the corner and see.

  Hunter slowly released her lips and held her tight. “Thank you, Caroline. For trusting us and letting go.”

  She smiled and felt a little embarrassed until C.J. pressed up against her back and fixed her blouse and her skirt. He let his hands glide under her skirt against her thighs and then he gave her ass a tap. “Come on, sexy. We need to say good night to everyone and head out.” He took her hand and she went to him but not before looking over her shoulder at Hunter and York. Both men looked so sexy and serious. She finally was beginning to understand how a relationship like this one could work when all involved were honest and had such strong feelings. Was she ready to be intimate with them and open up her heart completely? She just wasn’t sure she could show such vulnerability, even though her body and heart wanted to.

  * * * *

  Shelby was working late in the office. She’d just finished up an important document and needed to go over things with Kenneth like he asked her to earlier. The only light on in the office was her small one at her desk and the one in the hall that led to Kenneth’s personal office. She walked down there with the file in hand and the documents to go over. She tweaked her neck, shifting her head to ease the ache she felt. She saw him sitting at his desk working. His sleeves to his dress shirt were rolled up, revealing his thick, muscular forearms. She loved his office. It was rich looking, with a huge library of books, various certificates and awards he received, and other photographs with famous people. He was well known and had a lot of connections in business and in the legal area, plus in the military.

  She knocked on the door and began to press it open. He didn’t look up at first, knowing it was her. They were the only ones there and it made her uneasy.

  “I have the report for you, and the letter,” she told him.

  “Great. Come on in,” he said as he stood up. He looked at her and she shyly lowered her eyes as he took the folder from her.

  He opened it up and placed the file on the desk then took one of the letters to read it to himself.

  “Have a seat,” he said, never looking up, being so businesslike and authoritative. In some ways he reminded her of Skip, but lately she was thinking that her method of coping with the attraction she felt for him and his brothers wasn’t working so much. It was becoming difficult to resist their charms and push them away when they were all so nice. She couldn’t give in, not with Skip still out there and not with the damage that had been done to her. She could never be intimate with a man again, never mind more than one. She felt tired and her neck and shoulder hurt. She reached back and tried massaging the spot.

  “You feeling okay?” he asked her.

  “Just a neck ache. I’ll be fine,” she said and then he reached from behind her, placed the letter onto the table, and then placed his hands on her shoulders. She tightened up.

  “Relax, Shelby, maybe I can help.” He started to massage her shoulders and her neck. She was resistant at first but he had great hands. Big, hard, muscular hands that seemed to ease the ache she felt from her neck and shoulder. The problem was that ache now extended to other body parts. She was shocked by the effect the man had on her. Sam and Bender caused the same reaction but she was able to avoid them more easily than Kenneth. He was her boss.

  “How does that feel?” he asked her.

  “Good,” she said softly and realized that she was losing focus and not remaining guarded. She stood up and turned toward him.

  “Thanks, is there anything else you need?” she asked.

  He pressed closer and placed his hands on her hips. “I wish you would let me in. Just let down that guard of yours and just feel what’s happening here.”

  “Nothing is happening here,” she replied.

  “Don’t lie to me, Shelby, it’s not becoming.”

  “I don’t lie.”

  “Prove it.”

  “How?”

  He stared at her lips. She felt her pussy clench and her nipples harden.

  “Tell me you feel nothing.”

  “I feel nothing,” she said.

  “How about now?” He pressed his lips to hers and pulled her close. She was shocked by his move, his tactics but more shocked by the feel of being in his arms and feeling his tongue explore her mouth. She couldn’t resist kissing him back, giving in to the desire of being held by a man, a big, capable, sexy man like Kenneth.

  The kiss grew hotter, deeper, wilder quickly. She was moaning into his mouth and rubbing her hands along his chest and then over his arms. He was so muscular beneath the dress shirt. She knew he worked out, just like his brothers did. The fact that she thought of them right now was unacceptable. Soon her mind went to the feel of Kenneth’s hands massaging up her skirt against her thighs. Then a hand was over her ass, squeezing, kneading her flesh.

  In an instant she thought about the scars. The thin one against her mound and the two on her breasts. They were ugly, though slightly faded but still visible, always visible to her and what Skip did to her. Just as his fingers grazed her panties and mound, she pulled away.

  “Stop. We need to stop,” she said and used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. She had tears in her eyes.

  “Shelby, wait.”

  “No. Please, don’t do that to me ever again. Please. I can’t be with you or your brothers. Not ever. You don’t understand. I can’t. It can never happen.” She ran from his office, hearing him call after her but she ignored him, grabbing her bag.

  “Shelby, you felt the attraction, too. You were kissing me back, baby. Why are you so resistant to this, to us?” he asked as she stood by the front door, unlocking it. She kept her face straight ahead.

  “I’m not capable of giving you what you want. I can’t be intimate with you, with any man ever
again… I’m sorry.” She opened the door and slammed it closed then hurried to her car. She wasn’t halfway down the street when the tears began to flow and she slammed her hand down on the steering wheel. “I hate you, Skip. I hate you. You’ve ruined my life forever. Forever.” She cried all the way home, feeling as if happiness and freedom was something she would never, ever have.

  * * * *

  Hunter went to meet Caroline by the gazebo in the park. He was a bit annoyed because Sheehan, one of the guys that worked in the hardware store, asked him if he and his brothers were staking a claim on Caroline. It seemed Sheehan and his four brothers were interested, and by his attitude seemed adamant about moving on when Hunter told Sheehan that he and his brothers were staking claim to Caroline. So when he headed down the path and saw two of Sheehan’s brothers, Tomas and Merk, talking to her, he flipped out. Tomas reached out to touch her hair, and Caroline lowered her head and stepped back. He felt his chest tighten and anger filled his gut.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” he asked and both men seemed surprised to see him.

  Merk gave him a nod. “Hey. Hunter.” He stood there looking confident and smug, but Tomas stepped back.

  “My brother and I were just talking to Caroline and seeing how she liked living in Chance. We were telling her about the beach and trying to convince her to come along with us this weekend.”

  “We have a boat, a pretty big one,” Merk added.

  “She isn’t interested,” Hunter told them and stepped closer to Caroline.

  Merk and Tomas stared at him. “She didn’t say no. I think she’s just shy,” Merk said and Tomas gave his brother a gentle tap to his arm as his cell phone went off.

  “We need to get going,” he told him.

  “We’ll see you around, Caroline. I’ll stop into the store and see you. I need a few things,” he said then winked and the two of them walked away.