by Becca Van
That was something that had puzzled her from the start. She had never been attracted to any man the way she was attracted to them. She should have refused their offer of work and headed out, but she hadn’t been able to. She’d been intrigued over her body’s reaction, but now that she knew she was in love with them, it all made sense.
She felt the mattress dip on either side and knew by the spicy and woodsy scents that Ash and Cal were planning on sleeping with her tonight. It was difficult to keep her eyes closed and her breathing regulated when she could see them both naked in her mind’s eye as the rustling sounds indicated they were removing their clothes.
The covers were lifted on both sides and then they got into bed beside her. Jewel was lying on her left side and Ash moved in close behind her until his front was plastered along her back. Cal shifted down, pushed his arm beneath her neck and then brought her over so that her head was resting in the crook of his shoulder and chest. He lifted one of her legs and pulled it across and between one of his.
Instantly her nipples hardened, and her pussy softened and began to moisten. Her body didn’t seem to care that her head wasn’t interested in any lovemaking right now. Her body was already firing up in preparation. She shivered when Ash’s breath wafted over her neck and couldn’t stop the shudder from coursing through her body.
“Are you cold, sweetheart?” Ash asked.
“No.”
“What’s wrong, Jewel?” Cal kissed her forehead.
“Nothing.”
“That’s a lie, sweetie.” Ash pressed his hardening cock against her arse and Jewel bit her lip to keep from moaning. “We know you better than you think we do. Something’s bothering you. What is it?”
Jewel sighed. “I’m just feeling a little moody. Okay?”
“Is it that time of the month, honey?” Cal asked.
Jewel wanted to hit him for asking that, even if it was true…this time. Why did men always think bad moods were because of hormonal swings? Why didn’t they think they could be the reason for pissing a woman off?
“Yes,” she finally answered through clenched teeth.
“Just close your eyes and relax, sweetheart. You’ll feel better in the morning.” Ash shifted again and she felt his arm growing heavier as he started to drift to sleep.
Cal’s chest rumbled as a gentle snore left his mouth. She couldn’t believe how fast these men fell asleep. It was like they were dolls or something. As soon as they lay down and their lids shut, they were out cold. She wished she was like that, but she wasn’t. Jewel needed hours to unwind from a day at work because she was one of those people that always had a million and one things occupying her thoughts.
Sometimes she hated the way her mind worked, but she couldn’t change her genes even if she didn’t know where they came from. Or half of them, anyway.
First thing tomorrow, she was going to a pharmacy. She needed to know one way or the other. Speculating was way worse than fact.
But what was she going to do if she was pregnant? How the hell was she supposed to tell the men when they’d all been wearing condoms?
Chapter Eleven
“Where the fuck are we?” Reilly asked as he sat up in his seat. He’d been napping for the last four hours and didn’t have a clue where they were. The grass in the pastures was so green it almost hurt his eyes, and although it was late spring, the weather in Victoria was too fucking cold after living in the desert for the last three years. He wondered if he’d ever be able to get used to the temperature extremes after constant heat.
From what he’d seen on weather reports, Victorian weather could have four seasons in one day. The wind coming through the gap in his window was downright icy.
“Daylesford,” Kenny answered. “Did you know they actually get snow here in winter?”
Reilly shook his head. No wonder it was so fucking cold. “They don’t get as much as the high country, of course, but they’ve had snow on the ground for a couple of days.”
“We going to need to stop soon,” Reilly said. “We need to find a motel.”
“Okay,” Kenny answered and then slowed the SUV and pulled into a service station. “Can you fill up the tank while I go take a piss?”
“Sure.” Reilly placed the bowser pump to the fuel tank and looked about. It was really tempting to take off and leave Kenny in this small backwater town but he couldn’t. Not until he had what he wanted— Jewel, and his name on Kenny’s will.
He couldn’t stop shivering as the wind pierced his clothes. How anyone could live this far south was beyond him. Reilly had never been lower than the New South Wales-Queensland border until now and wished he could turn around and head back up north.
Kenny waved at him from the shop section of the service station, and after he’d gotten some drinks and food to snack on, he paid for the fuel Reilly had just pumped into the car. Reilly got into the driver’s seat and when Kenny came back he drove out onto the road.
“Can you use the internet dongle and see if you can find where Jewel is?”
“I don’t need to.” Kenny turned and smiled at him. “I forgot to tell you the last time I checked. She’s in a town called Passion not too far from here. She parked that van of hers outside of a pharmacy that has CCTV cameras. I’d bet my last dollar that she’s working somewhere around that town.”
“How do you figure?” Reilly asked.
“It’s a small rural town, but the surrounding land is all farms. She’s not the type of woman to be idle. She would have gotten work as soon as she could.”
“Yeah, she would. Great work, mate. Is there a motel or something we can hire a room at?”
“Yes. They have a motel, but it’s not very big.”
“Size doesn’t matter. As long as we can lay our heads down for the night and we can find somewhere decent to eat, we’ll be set.”
“You know, I really don’t see Jewel being into all the kinky stuff.”
“It’s the sweet and innocent-looking ones that you have to watch out for, mate. Those types of women are usually real wild in bed.”
“I guess so.” Kenny smiled. “Jewel sure is going to be surprised to see you.”
Reilly nodded and mentally rubbed his hands together. “Surprised” was an understatement. She was going to be downright terrified. He hadn’t figured what he was going to tell Kenny or do with him yet, but he would. And when he did, neither Kenny nor Jewel were going to be safe.
* * * *
Jewel sighed with relief as she got into Benjy and headed toward the town of Passion. She was glad that none of the men had refused her a couple of hours’ grace this morning, and was even gladder that none of them had insisted on accompanying her. At first they’d baulked, but when she’d explained that she was safe because Kenny couldn’t have possibly been released from jail so soon, they had acceded that she could go off on her own for a while.
Ash had asked her to pick up some groceries while she was in town and she had jumped at the chance to help them, especially when it kept them home and busy. She didn’t want them knowing why she was going into town, and although she was on pins, she wasn’t about to let them know her suspicions. What was the point when she didn’t know herself, as yet?
She’d only gotten a glimpse of this place the day Benjy had broken down as Todd had driven her back to his place, so she took the opportunity to drive around to familiarise herself with where everything was before going around the block. She was lucky enough to get a parking space right outside of the one-and-only pharmacy.
She looked around to make sure Tiffany and her husbands weren’t about and hurried into the store. As she traversed the aisles, searching, she grabbed some more shampoo, conditioner and deodorant. When she saw the condoms, she hoped she was in the right section, and sure enough, a little further down on the shelves were the pregnancy test kits. Jewel worried her lower lip as she looked them over. There were so damn many of them and she wasn’t sure which one to pick. She’d just decided to grab three different o
nes when a female voice behind her startled her.
“You must be, Jewel. Tiffany has told me all about you. I’m Jenna King.”
Jewel felt her face heat with embarrassment but took the other woman’s hand. “Hi, Jenna, nice to meet you.”
“You’re out on the Handley’s farm, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Jewel squeaked and hoped her face wasn’t as red as it felt.
“Are you okay?”
Jewel gulped, nodded, and lowered her head when tears burned the back of her eyes. Damn it!
“I work as a phlebotomist just down the street from here. If you want, you can come and have a coffee with me?” Jenna asked, and then to Jewel’s surprise she, too, reached for three of the pregnancy kits. “I didn’t want to wait on a blood test. Plus, I wanted to keep my boss from knowing. I work with and for Dr Ryan Sinclair. He’s a great guy, but he and his three brothers are married to Sapphira and we are friends, too. I didn’t want Ryan telling my men I was pregnant before I found out. Plus, I want to tell them myself.”
“What?” Jewel asked.
“Don’t worry about it, Jewel. You’ll be able to put names to faces before too long. So, how about it? Do you want to come back to the offices with me and take the tests?”
Jewel nodded. The thought of trying to take a pregnancy test at home was rather disconcerting, and she would have had to hide the evidence as well. Until she knew what those four men wanted with and from her, mum was going to be the word. Figuratively and hopefully not literally. At least not yet.
But ever since last night when she’d thought of the possible reasons for her moodiness, the craving to have and hold her baby in her arms had gotten stronger. She’d heard other women say they were feeling clucky and wanted to start a family, but didn’t think she’d ever suffer from such an affliction.
Again, she’d been wrong. Ever since she’d arrived in this small, friendly, unusual town, she was learning more and more about herself. She just hoped she didn’t end up hating herself. She’d never been weak or dependent, and she was going to start being that way now. No matter the outcome, she was strong and could look after herself and her baby.
“Do you have the tests you want?” Jenna asked.
“I have no idea which ones to get, so I just sort of grabbed.”
“Here, let me.” Jenna took the tests from Jewel, put two of them back on the shelf and then grabbed another two. “They are all pretty good, and one is more than enough, but I want to be triply sure.”
“Me too.”
“Do you need anything else?” Jenna raised her eyebrow.
“No, I have everything, but I’m going to have to be quick. The men asked me to do some grocery shopping and I don’t want them to think I’m slacking off.”
“You leave them to me, honey.” Jenna patted her arm. “I’ll call them when we get to the office.”
Jewel and Jenna paid for their purchases and hurried back to Jenna’s office. She was glad the other woman took her in the back way and not through the front, where she’d seen a couple of people waiting for their blood to be taken.
“You have patients. Do you need to see to them?”
“No, there’s another phlebotomist working for the next hour. I’ll cover her when it’s her break time and I’ve given her an extra hour since she’s doing me a favour.” Jenna shrugged. “It’s a slow day.”
“Why don’t you go first while I make the coffee? Just head out this door. The bathroom is the first door on the left.”
Jewel headed to the bathroom, opened all three boxes, read the instructions, drew in a deep breath and headed into a cubicle. She used all three of the tests, not wanting to chance an inaccurate reading, and wrapped the sticks in toilet paper and placed them on the counter as she washed her hands.
The door to the restroom opened and Jenna poked her head in. “Coffee’s ready. How did it go?”
“I used all three of them,” Jewel said.
“And?”
“I’m too scared to look.” She pointed at the covered sticks.
“Do you want me to?”
“Do you think they’ll flip out if I am?” Jewel asked.
“Why would they?”
“They all wore condoms.”
“No contraception is foolproof.”
“They hardly know me.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Jewel shook her head.
Jenna patted her arm. “Take a deep breath and release it slowly. Don’t panic, Jewel. Those men will take care of you and your baby if there is one.
“Ready?” she asked as her fingers touched the edge of the toilet paper.
“No, but go ahead,” Jewel said.
Jenna flipped the paper and Jewel stared at all three sticks. All three of them were positive. She looked up at Jenna and couldn’t stop the slow smile from forming on her face or the tears of happiness from leaking from her eyes.
“Congratulations, Jewel. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you,” Jewel replied in a husky voice, and then nudged Jenna toward the toilet cubicle. “Your turn.”
“Okay, here goes.”
A few minutes later, Jenna came back with three tests wrapped in toilet paper and she placed them on the counter. “You look. I’m too nervous.”
Jewel flicked the paper aside and smiled when she saw the results. Jenna looked down, squealed, and then hugged her. Both of them laughed and jumped up and down with excited happiness.
“Our kids can grow up together and become great friends,” Jenna said. “Oh by the way, you’re not having coffee anymore, but you’re lucky because I have some green tea.”
“Sounds good.”
Jewel left Jenna’s office not long after and vowed to stop by and visit soon. She had made another friend today and her heart was feeling light and happy. But would she feel the same way once she told the men she was carrying their child?
She walked toward the supermarket in a daze and tried to remember where she’d put the list. When she found it, she hurried through the shopping, loaded Benjy and headed home.
The men were waiting when she pulled up close to the house, and to her surprise, they took all the groceries inside and started putting them away.
“Did you get everything you needed, sweetheart?” Ash asked.
“Um…yeah, thanks.”
“So, what do you think of Jenna?” Cal asked.
Jewel’s face heated, and she tried to keep her expression stoic but wasn’t sure she’d managed to. “What? How did you know…?”
“Jenna called me while you were in the restroom, darlin’. She told us not to worry if you were back later than we expected because she was making you drink tea with her,” Cal explained.
“Oh, well, she’s very nice.”
“I’m glad you’re getting on with the women in this town.” Heath sat next to her on the stool and nudged her shoulder.
She smiled at him and nodded. “Everyone I’ve met so far has been very helpful and friendly.”
“Enough to make you want to stay?” Finch asked, and pinned her with his gaze.
Jewel wanted to say “hell yes,” but held back, again. When was she going to find the courage to reach out for what she wanted? It was a hard thing to even contemplate, let alone do, after being alone for nearly all of her life.
“Finch,” Ash said in a firm voice and then glared at his brother.
“Are you hungry, honey?” Heath asked.
“Yes, actually, I am.”
“How does a ham salad sandwich sound?” Cal asked as he walked toward the fridge.
“Good.”
“Do you want coffee?” Ash asked after putting the last of the groceries away.
“Uh…I think a cup of tea would be better.”
All the men turned to look at her and she felt her face flame with heat. She hoped they didn’t question her about her change in drink. When she’d done the shopping, she’d made sure to pick up some green tea.
“
Are you feeling all right, Jewel?” Ash leaned his hip against the counter and he was frowning at her.
“Of course I am. What’s with the inquisition?” she snapped and instantly regretted it.
Ash moved around the counter, nudged Heath out of the way and sat down beside her. She lowered her head but should have known he wouldn’t let her hide from him. He reached over, grabbed her chin and turned her face toward him.
“You’re more nervous than a cat on a hot tin roof. What the hell is going on with you?”
Jewel sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her eyes filled with tears and she tugged her chin out of Ash’s grasp. “Nothing. I’m just pre-menstrual.”
“I don’t believe that’s the only thing bothering you, sweetheart. Now why don’t you try to be honest?”
Chapter Twelve
Cal watched the interaction between Ash and Jewel with intent curiosity. His brother was right. There was something going on and if Ash didn’t get to the bottom of it, he would. Jewel looked really nervous, but she was also feeling down. Her body language was so easy to read, but he wasn’t about to let on that he and his brothers could tell when something was up.
When Jewel turned her head to look out of the sliding glass door, Ash pounced. He scooped her up into his arms and hurried toward the living room.
“What the hell are you doing? Put me down,” Jewel demanded.
Cal, Heath and Finch followed and waited to see what Ash would do next. Their brother’s patience had run out and Cal was glad, because he was sick and tired of waiting for Jewel to pack up and leave. None of them wanted that, and it was about time Ash laid down some ground rules.
He gently dumped her on the couch, knelt down between her legs and started kissing her hungrily. Although they had made love to Jewel one after the other the first time, since then only two of them had made love to her because they hadn’t wanted to overwhelm her, but Cal wanted to stretch, lube up that gorgeous peach of an arse and sink his cock into it while one of his brothers fucked her pussy. Maybe this was the right time, and he would get his heart’s desire. He’d always been an arse man, and although he’d rimmed her anus and breached it with a finger while making love with her, that was as far as it had gone, but he couldn’t hold back any more. He wanted her, and he wanted her now.
