Leather and Lace [Skinwalkers 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Jane Jamison

  They weren’t brothers. At least not full-blooded brothers. Chan was lighter skinned with a tan that came from being outside. Zack’s coloring was part of his heritage. She’d guess he was either part Mexican or perhaps part Native American. The surname of Blackwood pointed toward his being Native American.

  They held their bodies differently, too. Chan gave off a stiffer, more straight-arrow type body language while Zack had a laid-back yet grounded attitude. She could see Chan sitting behind a desk, his posture perfect as he read over a report. His bearing spoke of culture and refinement, of balls and social events. She had no doubt that he’d look fabulous in an Armani suit.

  Zack, too, would look great in a suit, but she couldn’t see him working indoors or schmoozing at a cocktail party. Instead, he gave her the impression that he belonged outdoors and could become one with nature.

  “How are you feeling?”

  At first, she thought Zack was asking her about the desire flooding her. She repressed the urge to lick her lips that still ached for his kiss and rolled them under instead. Then she realized what he really meant. “Oh, yeah. I’m better, thanks. And starving.”

  “Then go ahead and eat.” Chan pulled a nearby chair toward the bed and sat down. “You don’t mind if we keep you company while you eat, do you?”

  She could hear the polish in his voice. He had to have come from a privileged family. “Um, no, of course not. Although I’d feel better if I wasn’t naked while we talked.”

  Zack moved toward the dresser, fished around in the top drawer, then tossed a T-shirt at her. Chan caught it just as it almost hit her in the face, then scowled at Zack.

  “Seriously, man. Did you have to throw it at her?”

  Zack’s face darkened and she could see his jaw working. “Sorry. I didn’t think.”

  “No problem.” She took the shirt from Chan and held it to her chest. “It’ll be big, but it’ll be comfortable. Close your eyes.”

  Zack crossed his arms, his scowl deepening, then shut his eyes. “It’s not like I’m going to see anything I haven’t already seen.”

  Chan’s attention jumped from her to Zack then back. “What does that mean? And how did she end up here anyway? Not that I mind, of course.”

  “Close your eyes.” She waited a moment after Chan finally did as she’d asked. “And no peeking.”

  She tugged on the T-shirt that swallowed her body. Was she a shy person? She wasn’t sure. While she hadn’t been that embarrassed about Zack undressing her, she hadn’t wanted them to see her put the shirt on. “Okay, you can open them now.”

  She felt better, more secure with the shirt on. It didn’t make sense, though. Two men like them could take her anytime they wanted. In fact, the idea of them doing just that excited her and made her wonder. Why hadn’t they made a move? She had to hope it was only because they’d found her bruised and battered. They were obviously good men who wouldn’t take advantage of a vulnerable woman.

  But she didn’t feel vulnerable. With them around, she felt alive and ready for anything.

  Zack grabbed hold of another chair then spun it on one leg so that he could rest his arms over the back of it. “Don’t mind us. Chow down.”

  She didn’t like eating while others watched, but she was too hungry not to. “How about telling me about you and wherever this place is while I eat?”

  “But first, Zack, tell me how Lace ended up in our guest bed.” Chan made a face. “Unless it’s too private.”

  “Get your mind out of the gutter, man. I found Lace walking along Old Miner’s Road. She was hurt and stumbling along without a coat. I couldn’t leave her there, and with the storm blowing in, I couldn’t take her into town. You know how fast these storms can come up. I didn’t want to get stuck on the road, so I brought her home and fixed her up. Or at least I tried.”

  “I see.” Yet judging from the expression on Chan’s face, he wasn’t so sure.

  “She doesn’t remember anything except her first name.”

  Again, Chan acted as though he understood, but she could almost see the wheels turning in his mind. “Is that right?”

  She covered her not answering by swallowing another bite. “If you don’t mind, could we get back to you two?” She needed to know who they were and where they’d taken her. Maybe having that information would help her figure out what had happened.

  “Sure. Of course. I’ll start since I’m without a doubt much more interesting than Zack.”

  The good-natured verbal jabs must have been a mainstay in their relationship since Zack didn’t even flinch.

  “As I said, my name’s Chan Channing.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I know. It sounds like I’m Carol Channing’s son. Chan, however, is a nickname. One Zack gave me and it stuck.”

  “Tell her what your real name is.”

  Chan frowned at him and she guessed Zack could give as good as he got. “Sure, I’ll bite. What’s your real name?” The more she talked with them, the better she felt.

  “I like my real name even less. It’s Milton Channing.”

  She rolled her lips under to keep from laughing. Not so much at his name, but at Zack’s huge grin. He hadn’t smiled since she’d met him, but if she had anything to say about it, he’d do it more often. It transformed his features from hard yet sexy to downright pleasant. But still sexy. Way sexy. He seemed more approachable and she wanted nothing more than to approach him up close and personal.

  “Milton’s not such a bad name.”

  Chan tipped his head to her. “You’re very kind to say so. But what can I say? It’s a family name. Some poor jerk gets stuck with it in every generation.”

  “I like it.” She did, but she liked the name Chan even better.

  He beamed. “And I like your name, too. You look like a woman who’d enjoy wearing lacy stuff. The name Lace fits you.”

  Her gaze shifted to take in the room. “Where are my things, anyway? Didn’t I have a purse with me? Any identification?”

  She and Chan looked to Zack for the answers. “Not a thing. As for your clothes, I washed them. They’re in the dryer now.”

  “Wow. A man who does laundry. And someone else’s laundry on top of that. You’re a real find, you know that?”

  “Damn, girl. Don’t brag on the boy. He has a big enough head already.”

  Again, Zack let Chan’s joke go past him. Would he react to anything? Or was he always so stoic?

  “And you said both of you live here.”

  Chan took her non-question and ran with it. “We do. Hon-Dah Ranch, the name of this place, has been in Zack’s family for years. I grew up on the East Coast and never dreamed of living out west, but when Zack asked me if I wanted to share his home with him, I took him up on it.”

  “And your family didn’t mind?”

  The joy in Chan’s face died a little. “No. I’m kind of on the outs with my family.”

  She started to ask why, then thought better of it. She had no right to get that personal yet.

  “We met while we were stationed in Iraq. Zack and I are ex-army.”

  Ooh, army men.

  She’d always liked men who had military backgrounds. That meant they could handle themselves. If she was in a dangerous situation, she wouldn’t mind them having her back.

  “Anyway, that’s how we got together. A polished, well-to-do Easterner moved in with a part Native American running a cattle ranch. Happens all the time, right?”

  She loved Chan’s grin. “Oh, sure. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that same old story.” Her small joke earned a smile from both of them.

  It was obvious that the men had great respect for each other. They had to be the best of friends. Without warning, her throat clogged up and threatened to make it to her eyes. She wondered if she had a best friend. Or anyone in her life.

  “Lace, don’t let it get to you.”

  She hadn’t realized that she’d let her gaze drop until she brought it back up to Chan’s. “I’m sorry. It’s j
ust that seeing how close you two are made me wonder if I have anyone that I’m that close to. If not, then I’m all alone in the world. Since no one’s come looking for me, I’m kind of leaning toward my being a loner. And I’ve got to tell you that it sucks.”

  Chan moved from his chair to sit on the edge of the bed. “You don’t know that someone’s not looking for you right now. We’re in an isolated location. It’d be hard for anyone to find you.”

  “But wouldn’t they have called the authorities? Or called me?” She checked with Zack, knowing that he’d see the question on her face.

  “Nope. No phone, either. Not that it would’ve made much difference. We’re up in the hills and reception on a clear day isn’t great. Add in a snowstorm and you might as well be talking into a cup and a string.”

  “In the hills? Where? I don’t even know what state I’m in.” She choked back a sob and looked down at her food. She hadn’t eaten much, but now she didn’t have any appetite at all.

  Chan took her hand and squeezed. “You’re in Arizona, in the White Mountain region of the state. You’re on a working cattle ranch called Hon-Dah Ranch and you’re safe and sound in our home. Hon-Dah means ‘welcome’ or ‘be my guest’ in the language of the Apache people.”

  “But don’t go wandering off anywhere. Our home isn’t like other homes.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Zack cleared his throat. “The house is built into a cave in the side of a mountain. A long time ago, my ancestors used the cave to store supplies and for shelter when they first came to the land. It provided protection against the elements and against raiding parties.”

  “But I thought you were Native American.”

  “I’m not full Native American, but there were bad people on both sides. My great-great-mother, one of the first settlers, helped bring about peace when she fell in love with one of the Apache warriors. The story is that she welcomed a brave into the cave and that he helped the settlers through that first winter. She and the man who turned out to become my great-great-grandfather got their two peoples to bridge the gap while other settlers and tribes were busy fighting each other.”

  “That’s so beautiful. All I know about Indians, I mean Native Americans, is what I’ve seen in the movies or read in books.”

  “Yeah. Movies are always a reliable source of information about different cultures.”

  She couldn’t tell if Zack was making fun of her, but she didn’t want to call him on it. “Go on. Tell me more.”

  “During the next decades, the two families blended, the Apache members taking on more of the white man’s lifestyle while the white side of the family kept the traditions and stories of the Apache alive. It was a good compromise from the beginning even though it was hard for other white people and other tribes to understand at first. Later, my grandfather was the one to build the log cabin ranch house against the mountain. The back door of the house leads into the cave where my two families first met.”

  “I’d love to see the cave sometime.”

  “As long as you’re with one of us, then that’s fine.” Zack’s clear blue eyes bored into her. “But don’t go wandering back there alone. You can get lost or end up falling into one of the many holes that riddle the place. Some are shallow, but others are deeper than we can measure. I know the caves well, but we still might never find you.”

  She trembled, just thinking about falling to her death. Or worse, falling and getting hurt so that she wouldn’t be able to get out. She’d die a slow death.

  “Lace, has anything else come to you?” Chan turned her hand loose, but didn’t go back to his chair. Instead, he slid his palm along her arm, sending a rush of yearning through her. “Anything at all?”

  She moved her hand out of his reach. If she did have someone, a boyfriend or a husband, he wouldn’t like having Chan touch her. Until she knew for sure that she was alone, she couldn’t let anything happen even though her body ached to let everything happen.

  “Nothing.” She tried to stay upbeat, but it was too hard. “I’m a complete blank.” The chuckle she tried to muster up came out sounding strange and hard. “So you haven’t called anyone to help me? Like the local authorities or the state police?”

  “Nope. Like I said before, cell phones aren’t going to do any good in this storm. Until it passes and the roads open up, we have to stay inside. Don’t worry, though. We have enough food to last several months.”

  “Months?” She should’ve been horrified, but she wasn’t. Getting snowbound with two hot men, men who had treated her with nothing but respect, wasn’t a scary thought. In fact, it was just the opposite.

  “Don’t let Zack frighten you. The storm isn’t that bad. It’ll be a few days at most. That’ll give you enough time to recuperate for the ride into town. If necessary, we can use horses to get around. Either way, we’re in for the duration and until the roads are passable.”

  Without asking the question, she already had her answer. The longer she stayed, the better. She couldn’t risk their lives just to get her to town earlier.

  Zack stood, put his chair back where he’d found it, then started to come to the other side of the bed. If he had, she doubted she could’ve refrained from pulling both of them into the bed with her. Instead, he paused, then turned around and walked toward the bedroom door.

  “She needs to rest, Chan. Let’s leave her alone.”

  Chan rose and strode over to his friend’s side. “He’s right. Get some rest, but there’s something you have to remember.”

  She couldn’t help but let out a caustic laugh. “I can’t promise I will, but I’ll try.”

  For once, Chan’s quick smile didn’t come. “Remember that we’re here to take care of you. Nothing bad—” He paused, his features darkening. “At least not anything else bad will happen to you. We won’t let it.”

  Chapter Four

  For the past two days, Zack and Chan had come and gone, waiting on Lace like she was a princess living in a beautiful castle. They’d brought food to her room although she’d insisted that she felt fine and could join them in the dining room or kitchen. Yet every time she tried to leave her room, they’d shoo her back to her bed and insist that she get more rest. They’d even given her a bell to ring whenever she needed them.

  She didn’t dare tell them that they were right. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but now that she’d lounged around for a couple of days, sleeping a lot and eating her meals in bed in between hot bubble baths, she’d found that she felt a lot better. She still had bruises, but the scrapes she’d gotten were healing and she felt stronger every day.

  A girl could get used to living like this.

  The only problem was that her memory was as elusive as ever.

  Lace popped the last bite of the sandwich into her mouth, wiped away another tear, then threw back the comforter. Nothing gave her back her appetite like a good cry, but she was through feeling sorry for herself. Things could’ve been a whole lot worse. She could still be walking outside or frozen to death instead of warm and cozy inside with two hot men who had pledged to take care of her.

  Yeah, things could be a whole lot worse.

  She slipped out of the bed and padded over to the high dresser. The T-shirt the men had given her hung below her knees and draped off one shoulder. The clothes she’d had on were torn and ruined.

  She tugged open the top drawer and saw that it was empty. Trying the next drawer, however, brought her some luck. There were a couple of women’s shirts, neatly folded, and ready for her to take her pick. She wondered if they belonged to the men’s girlfriends or, hopefully, a relative and decided that it didn’t matter. Or at least that’s what she told the ugly flop of her stomach when she envisioned a girlfriend wearing the skimpy pink top she held up.

  She pulled off the enormous T-shirt that had to be one of the men’s and replaced it with the formfitting one. Whoever owned the shirt either had less curves than she did or was in much better shape. Or both. She didn’t
want to think about that.

  The next drawer down held three pairs of jeans. Judging from the size of them, no one woman owned all of them. Unless, of course, she kept a few “fat pants” for those times when her weight got a little out of control. She pulled out one of them and folded the jeans over her arm. Hopefully, the lowest drawer would have underwear. If not, she’d just have to go without.

  To her surprise, the bottom drawer was filled with all kinds of underwear. She picked up a pair of briefs—granny panties as she called them—then tossed them back into the drawer. A thong came next, and although it was sexy, she couldn’t imagine letting her sizeable ass hang out that much. The next pair was just right.

  She held up the lacy thigh-cut undies and skimmed her fingers over the hot pink material. Had Zack and Chan already seen someone in the panties?

  She frowned. What if they were the ones who’d bought the undies? But for what? For women? Or for themselves?

  She laughed. There was no way they could fit their tree-trunk-size legs into the jeans much less the panties. Her laughter, however, died soon enough. That meant she’d been right from the start. They’d either bought them for other women, or the women who had come to visit had left them there.

  But why would the women leave their clothes behind?

  With her thoughts going down that unpleasant road, she didn’t have any desire to put the lacy panties on. Instead, she shoved them back into the drawer and pushed it shut.

  It seemed she had as many questions for Zack and Chan as she did for herself. She straightened up and decided it was time she got a few answers. Lying around in bed wasn’t getting her anywhere. She hurriedly dressed, ready to get down to business.

  Trying to stay quiet, she opened the bedroom door and looked out. A long hallway dotted with doors on one side led to a loft area that, no doubt, overlooked a foyer below. Being careful to close the door without a sound, she hurried down the hallway until she came close enough to peer down into the entry below.

  The place wasn’t as large as she’d imagined it to be. The foyer, although not small, wasn’t a grand one. A hardwood floor, either stained or made from the same wood as the logs that made up the wall, was left unblemished without a rug or any furniture. The stairs weren’t carpeted, either, as she tiptoed her way down them. She paused halfway and leaned over the railing to try and see into the room off to the right. Comfortable, oversized furniture filled the living room while a huge fireplace with a roaring fire commanded the room. The room was empty so she continued down the steps.