by Marla Monroe
Of all the things he could have said, she hadn’t expected that. His ordering her to leave come spring had seemed to be the worst thing he could have said to her, but to tell her that he would never love her… She looked down at her coffee and struggled not to let loose the tears hiding behind her eyes. She would not cry in front of him about this.
“Honey, he doesn’t mean it to sound so harsh. He just talks like that. I think he can fall in love with you. Don’t give up on him.” Luke tried to smooth it over.
She looked up once she had herself under control again. She lifted her chin and looked Grant directly in the eyes.
“Then I guess we’re even, because I don’t know that I can ever love you, either. You’re demanding and arrogant. It’s not a flattering picture. I already care about you, perhaps too much. I can’t help how I feel, though, so don’t expect me to change that. I won’t let you dictate to me, either.” She knew her eyes were probably flashing.
Valerie tended to get angry when she was hurt. She lashed out at whoever had done it in a defensive mechanism. Even though she knew what she was doing and why, she couldn’t stop the words.
“As long as you mind us when it involves your health or safety, I understand. I won’t insult you by telling you what to do.”
She let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. He had taken it better than she had expected. Probably better than she would have. He reached across the table and took her hand before she realized what he was going to do.
“I’ll protect you and care for you and make sure you have everything you need, Valerie. I know I’m a difficult man to get to know and I tend to keep things to myself, but I will always be honest with you and I will try to make things as good as they can be between us.”
She realized how hard that was for him to say. His eyes, though dark, seemed a little more alive with a light in them than she had seen since she had been there. It gave her hope that they could work things out between them. She hoped so for Luke’s sake—for all their sakes.
Luke shook his head and jumped to his feet. She knew he was going to say something to Grant that he didn’t need to say.
“Luke, it’s all right. This had to be said. Don’t say anything you’ll regret.”
His mouth worked as he seemed to be struggling with what he wanted to say. She could see his jaw tightening up.
“I’ve always admired you, Grant, for all you’ve done and sacrificed, but right now, I’m almost ashamed to be your brother.”
“If you’re going to fight because of me, I’ll leave. I won’t be a bone of contention between you two.” She stood up so quickly the chair scooted back and nearly fell over. “Luke, you need to understand how hard that was for him to do. He obviously isn’t attracted to me like you are. It’s different for him. You can’t make him feel something he doesn’t.”
“He didn’t have to say it like he did. It was demeaning to you.”
“He’s right, Valerie. I was insensitive. It’s one of the things I’m bad about. Luke is used to it directed at him. I was wrong to say what I did the way I said it. I’m sorry. And, thank you for helping us by killing wolves. I just wish you wouldn’t have come outside. It was dangerous. If something happened to you I don’t know what we would have done.”
Luke’s anger was a living thing as he breathed heavily through it. Finally, he seemed to have it under control and sat back down. He wasn’t happy, but at least he seemed to have overcome the intense anger.
“I’m going to take the rifle and check the cattle. Stay inside with Valerie, Luke. I won’t be long.”
Grant stood up and walked into the living room to get the rifle. Then he put on his coat, gloves, and hat before walking out the door. Valerie got up and dried the floor where the snow had blown in.
“I’m sorry, Valerie. He’s really a good man. He’s telling you the truth. He’ll take care of you and make sure you are safe. He’d give his life for you. He’s been hurt in the past by a conniving bitch. It seems to have hardened his heart more than I had thought, or at least more than I wanted to believe. I guess I believe it now.”
“Don’t worry about it, Luke. He’s your brother and deserves your love and support. We’ll work it out between us over time.” She walked over to him and kissed him. “I know he’s a good man.”
Luke stood up and wrapped his arms around her. She could tell he was still upset by the fierce way he held her. She didn’t pull away. When he picked her up and carried her up the stairs, she knew where he was headed. She let him seek his comfort in her body.
When they reached the bedroom, Luke began taking her clothes off almost reverently. Then he removed his almost violently. When he came to her, though, he was gentle as he stroked her hair. She closed her eyes, soaking up his attention.
Luke took her breast in his mouth, sucking on it like a hungry man. Then he pulled back until just the nipple remained in his mouth. He nipped and pulled on it with his teeth. He treated the other breast the same way. Valerie held his head to her until he pulled away and moved down her body with openmouthed kisses along the way.
When he reached her belly, he licked around her belly button. He ran his hand down her pelvis and through her trimmed mound to her pussy. There he circled her clit and plunged his fingers into her cunt. He wiggled them around until he located her hot spot and began stroke over it until she was moaning and thrashing her head from side to side. He fucked her with just his fingers and latched onto her nipple at the same time.
Valerie shouted out his name as her climax snuck up on her. It had roared through her before she had time to prepare for it. She had been so caught up in the delicious feel of his body over hers that she’d let it sneak up on her.
Then Luke was plunging into her cunt with his cock. His thick dick rasped over her sweet spot, sending chills down her spine. He fucked her hard as he held one hand on her hip.
The feel of his cock tunneling in and out of her already-sensitive pussy was almost too much, too much stimulation and too much emotion.
“God, baby, I can’t get deep enough inside of you. I want to feel your cunt suck me up.”
She squeezed her cunt muscles, earning her a Fuck as he squeezed in and out of her. His thick dick filled her to overflowing as he continued to pummel her body. Her cunt began to quiver as she grew closer to climax. Luke’s pubic hair rasped at her clit every time he filled her with his cock.
Valerie began to quiver all over and fire melted her blood to a fine liquid that coursed through her body faster and faster. Her heart thundered in her chest as she went up in smoke. Her orgasm was a living, breathing thing that took over her body in mindless pleasure.
Luke pushed through her spasming cunt twice more before shooting his cum deep within her cunt.
He pulled out after several seconds, trying to regain control before he pulled out. She immediately felt bereft without him inside of her.
“I love you, Valerie. I love you with all my heart.”
“I love you, Luke. I love you with all that I am.”
* * * *
Grant walked out into the cold, welcoming its biting sting on his face. He was angry at himself for having been so insensitive with Valerie. He’d let his emotions rule his tongue, but that was no excuse. He scanned the nearby woods for any sign of wolves as he walked toward the fence. The cattle seemed to still be keeping close to the house. He walked around both sides of the fence to make sure there were none down. Everything looked to be normal. Then he walked out to where they kept the wood stacked and carried some to the front porch. He made several trips to make sure they had plenty should it snow again.
Even though they had eaten dinner early that night, it was already getting dark outside. He knew he needed to head back in the house, but hesitated.
He lingered outside long enough that he hoped they had already gone to bed. He was considering sleeping in his old room but vetoed that idea. That would be childish and crazy as cold as it was. It would take two o
f them to keep Valerie warm in the bed, and he’d be miserable alone, as well as cold.
When he finally went back inside, it was quiet and dark in the house. He lit a lamp and mopped up the water from the snow he’d tracked in. Then he slowly climbed the stairs to the bedroom. He walked in as quietly as he could to find them sound asleep in the bed curled around each other. They looked right together. He wasn’t sure he belonged in the equation, but he couldn’t back away now. She’d accepted him into her life to some extent, and then into her bed. He was already addicted to her sweet loving. There was no way he could give her up now.
After taking a quick shower, Grant dried off and slipped into bed, careful not to touch her since his body would still be cold. He didn’t want to wake her up.
“Grant? I’m awake. Is everything okay outside?” her sweet voice whispered into the darkness of the bedroom.
“Everything is fine.”
“You were gone so long. I was worried.”
“I checked all the animals and then brought some wood around to the front porch.”
“Oh.”
She was quiet so long after that he thought she had fallen back asleep, but she spoke again.
“Scoot closer. You’re bound to be cold. You need to warm up.”
“I’ll just get you cold, honey.”
“I’m warm enough for both of us. Come on.”
A hand closed over his arm and tugged at him. Its blessed heat called to him. He grunted and turned over to curl around part of her body. To her credit, she didn’t flinch away from the coolness of his skin. She was nothing short of amazing. Knowing how he felt, she still offered him comfort. It boggled his mind. With that thought, he fell asleep.
Chapter Seven
As soon as the snow cleared up enough that they could get the truck out, Grant and Luke took her to one of their neighbors to meet them, and see if they had any clothes that might possibly fit her.
“You’ll like them. Their wife is named April. They’re expecting a baby soon.” Luke patted her thigh as they drove up the road toward the other family’s house.
Valerie wasn’t sure about how to act. The other family was made up of two men and a woman, and she was used to that sort of family, but being in one was a little odd to her. She almost felt guilty.
They pulled up into the drive of a very large house. Grant got out first and walked around with the rifle before allowing Luke to help Valerie out of the truck. They walked up on the porch just as the door opened. A dark-haired man stepped out, closing the door behind him.
“Luke, Grant. What brings you out in the snow? Trouble with the wolves?”
“We’re having some trouble, but nothing unusual.” Grant shook hands with the man.
“This is our wife, Valerie. We hoped that maybe April might have a couple of things to fit her. She came to us with only one set of clothes to wear, and it’s too late in the season to make a run to one of the cities.”
“Valerie, I’m David.” He nodded at her and then opened the door. “Come on in. We’ll ask April.”
They walked inside to a warm room with a roaring fire in the fireplace. Standing in a doorway was a lighter-haired man a little shorter than David. Valerie kept close to Luke. She was uncomfortable around the other two men. She wasn’t afraid. They seemed nice enough according to Luke and Grant’s description of them.
“Hey, Grant, hey, Luke. Great to see you. Who do you have with you?” He remained in the doorway.
“This is our wife, Valerie. Valerie, this is Gary. We’re hoping your wife might have a couple of things that would fit her. She’s without a change of clothes.”
“Hmm, too late to go to Middleton with the snow.” He turned toward the other room and held out his hand. “April, come meet Valerie.”
A beautiful woman walked into the room to stand next to the other man. She was obviously pregnant. Valerie smiled at her. The other woman smiled back. She held out her hand and walked toward her.
“Hi, I’m April. It’s good to meet another woman. I hear you need something to wear. Let’s go upstairs and see what there is. I think the woman who lived here before may have been your size. We’ll go see.”
Valerie followed April up the stairs. She watched as the other woman made sure to hold on to the railing. She noticed when she turned to look back at Luke and Grant that the other men were watching April carefully. She could tell they loved her by the adoration evident in their eyes. She longed to see that in her men. She could almost tell it in Luke, but definitely not Grant. She sighed and followed April up the stairs.
“Come on back here. We packed all the things we didn’t need or couldn’t use in the last bedroom. It’s the smallest.”
She followed the other woman into a musty-smelling room at the back of the house. Inside were furnishings and boxes of things stacked two and three high. There were labels on the boxes so she figured that April had done it when she wasn’t pregnant.
“Let’s see. I think we put all the women’s clothes back here. She walked carefully around a stack of boxes and pointed to a couple of boxes that said women’s clothes.
April started to lift one of the boxes, but Valerie yelped and stopped her.
“You can’t lift anything. I’ll get it. Your husbands would have a fit!” She pulled one of the boxes out and set it on the floor.
April smiled and opened the box. “Maybe some of this will fit.”
She pulled out a pair of jeans. They looked to be about the right size. She licked her lips, then figured it wouldn’t matter and pulled off the oversized sweats to try them on. They fit with the exception that they were a few inches too long and the waist was a little large. She smiled.
“I think they fit well enough. I’ll roll up the pants legs.”
“Wonderful! Let’s look at the rest of the clothes.”
They pulled out blouses and T-shirts for her to try on. Everything fit for the most part. A few of the blouses were a bit tight across her chest, but not enough to be uncomfortable. All in all, they managed to dig out three pair of jeans, four blouses, and a half dozen T-shirts. There were socks, but the bras didn’t fit. She did find a pair of thermals.
Valerie levered the boxes back like they had been stacked and gathered up the clothes. She and April carried them out of the room and to the stairs. She made April set hers down and called down to Luke.
“Can you come up and get some of the clothes? I don’t want April to carry anything down.”
Immediately all of the men hurried to the staircase. Then Gary chuckled and shook his head.
“I think one person can go at a time.” The other men grinned at that.
Luke went up and grabbed the clothes, making Valerie put her load down, too.
“You’re not carrying anything down those stairs. You could lose your balance and fall.”
“You’re worse than Grant.” She frowned at him but didn’t attempt to carry the clothes down the stairs. Grant climbed the stairs and got the rest of them.
“Thanks so much, April, for letting me borrow them.”
“Keep them. I can’t wear them. I’m too tall for them, and besides, I have all I need.”
“Thanks.”
“If you have any more trouble with the wolves, let us know. We’ll go with you to do a hunt. We can probably get Joel and Jonathan to go along, as well.” David shook their hands after Gary.
“Thanks, we’ll let you know. Be on the lookout for them.” Grant walked toward the door with the clothes in his hands.
“I’ll watch for you since you have your hands full.” David picked up a rifle and stepped out on the front porch with them.
Grant nodded and walked out to the truck. Luke followed him, ushering Valerie in front of him. They stowed the clothes in the backseat then climbed in and shut the doors. After waving to David, Grant started the truck and backed out of the drive.
The ride home was difficult through the snow-covered roads, but they soon made it home.
“Luke, I
’ll watch for wolves. You get Valerie inside. Then we’ll take turns carrying the clothes in. I don’t want any of us outside without a rifle.”
Luke nodded and waited until Grant was standing on the running board with the rifle before hauling her out the door and rushing her toward the front door. He unlocked it and pushed her inside before closing the door and heading back out to the truck.
Valerie watched through the living room window as he grabbed a load of clothes and carried them back inside. Then he stood at the door as Grant grabbed the others and brought them inside. They closed the door and looked at her expectantly.
“Where do you want them? You said you wanted to wash them first,” Luke asked.
“In the washroom, silly. I’ll start on them after I fix lunch.”
“What’s for lunch?” Grant followed behind Luke, heading toward the kitchen and the washroom off the back.
“Sandwiches today. I’m going to make chili tonight.” She watched as they dumped the clothes on the floor of the tiny room. She sighed, rolling her eyes.
“Thanks, guys.”
They headed back to the living room, leaving her to sort through the mess in the washroom. After separating the clothes into piles, she returned to the kitchen to make their sandwiches.
Once lunch was over, they all settled into the living room where the fire would keep them warm. She climbed up in the recliner with Luke. His warmth soon seeped into her, and along with the fire, kept her toasty warm. At some point, she began to doze. She could hear the soft murmur of voices around her but couldn’t really concentrate on what they were saying.
She felt Luke stand up from the chair and carry her somewhere. She assumed he would put her on the couch in front of the fire, but instead, she found herself lowered into Grant’s lap. She opened her eyes and looked up into Grant’s dark ones.
“Go on back to sleep, Valerie. Luke had to run to the bathroom.”
