The Trouble with Holly [Merricks, Montana 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by McKinlay Thomson

  Despite Jarrod’s way of thinking, Holly had too much pride. He knew if he told her that, she would accept it, and so he didn’t bother. He just continued to supply everything she needed and ignore her protests.

  “That’s your choice, my friend,” Brock said. “Just remember, if I have learnt anything from Kate, it’s that women don’t like being left out of decisions that involve them. They get mighty cankerous.”

  “Holly isn’t like Kate. Kate is feisty and sometimes downright grumpy.”

  “Isn’t she magnificent? I love when she gets all fired up and her green eyes turn a deep emerald. Makes for great sex, when she is reminded who’s the boss.”

  “Yeah, well. Holly isn’t like that. She is so damned sweet and unsure and—”

  “Clumsy.”

  “Watch it, friend,” Jarrod all but growled. “Don’t make fun of my woman.” He knew his friend was teasing, but he warned him anyway. Holly may be the clumsiest woman on the planet, but no one was going to say a bad word against her.

  Brock put his hands up in surrender, but he was still smiling playfully. Jarrod got to his feet and moved toward the door.

  “I’ll call you once I speak with Wolf and we will go from there.”

  “Cool, man,” Brock replied. “Keep me in the loop and I’ll talk with my brothers.”

  “Don’t tell Kate. It’s a sure way for it to get back to Holly.” Jarrod knew he was asking a lot for the Carters to keep something from their woman, especially when it involved one of her friends, but she was his woman first and foremost.

  “Your balls, when she does find out.”

  Jarrod didn’t bother answering and waved as he walked out the door, Brock’s laughter following him.

  Chapter Twelve

  Holly sat in the doctor’s room and waited for Doc Landon to get her latest scans results. She reached over and took Jarrod’s hand in her own and placed her head on his large masculine shoulder.

  She loved both her men’s bodies. They were so big and broad and manly. They made her feel small in comparison and she could almost believe she was feminine and sexy.

  She wished Chase didn’t have to work and could be here, too, but sick animals didn’t care about her doctor’s appointment and duty called.

  Chase had left home early this morning, after a call from the Whispering Jack Horse Stud. One of Cole and Trace Jackson’s stallions had taken ill, and Chase had rushed over to the ranch.

  “You okay, sweetheart?” Jarrod asked her. “If you have to have surgery, Chase and I will go into Helena with you.”

  “That’s really sweet,” Holly replied. “But I can’t let you take time away from your jobs. I’ll be fine on my own.”

  She loved that they wanted to support her, but they had jobs and lives. She didn’t need anyone going to the hospital with her. She had been alone before and survived. She would again.

  “Holly,” Jarrod said. “That’s just it. You don’t have to be alone anymore. You can lean on me and Chase.”

  “Then what happens when you aren’t there for me anymore? I need to remain independent. I am internally grateful for all you and Chase have done for me, but I can’t let myself be that vulnerable again.”

  Holly had been devastated when Steve had left her. He had been a shitty boyfriend and had slowly hammered away at what little self-esteem she had, but she had stupidly thought she was in love with him and let him control way too many aspects of her life.

  When he had left her, she was lost and it had taken all the fiber of her being to claw back her independence and move on with her life.

  It was then she had decided she needed to get out of Chicago and find somewhere that was all hers. Somewhere that she could be happy and start to build herself back to the woman she once was.

  “I can see Chase and I still have a lot of work ahead of us. Holly, it will take time for you to trust us properly. Once you trust us with all your heart then the hurt, uncertainty, and fear will go away.”

  “You really mean that? You are that sure?”

  “Holly, I can only tell you what is in our hearts and try to prove to you every day, if that is what it takes, that we are men of honor and strong enough in our convictions to never hurt you the way other people have.”

  Holly didn’t know what to say. Jarrod was filling her heart with words that she was longing to hear. But he was right. Until she trusted them completely there would always be a wall of doubt between them, and only she could knock it down.

  She opened her mouth to speak, when the door opened and Doctor Landon walked in.

  “Here we are,” he said. “Sorry it took so long.”

  He sat down in his chair and looked over her results. Holly mentally crossed her fingers. She really didn’t want another surgery. Not only because it would mean time away from her men, but also because of the cost of the medical bills. Holly didn’t have medical insurance and surgery cost money.

  “Looks good, Holly,” Doc said, and he held up her scan to show her. “The break is healing nicely and looks strong enough that you won’t need the plate to hold it.”

  “That’s a relief,” she told him.

  “I bet it is. I must warn you though, break it again and you won’t be so lucky. It would most likely mean permanent damage.”

  “Thanks, Doc. I will try to be careful, but bad luck seems to follow me around.” Holly was certainly speaking from truth. She still thought that this fall hadn’t been an accident. She was sure Candy had played a part. She just couldn’t prove it and so she held her suspicions silent.

  However, she wasn’t going to let it go this time. She was just biding her time until she was able to get the evidence she needed to nail Candy for good.

  “Once we remove the cast, hopefully I don’t see you in my clinic for a long while.”

  “Thanks, Doc. Do you know how much longer I need it for? It’s really starting to itch.” She really wanted it off. For her other breaks, the cast had come off in about six weeks, so she was hoping for the same.

  “I’d like to leave it on for at least eight weeks, then have you back for another X-ray before we remove it. I’d then like you to go and see a physiotherapist and have them work with you to strengthen the joint. I’m sorry, Holly, but you still have a long road ahead of you.”

  Holly sighed but didn’t complain. She had been through it all before. She wasn’t sure how she was going to work with the cast on her wrist. She was going to have to talk with Michael and Chris and see what they say. Maybe she could perform light duties.

  Chase and Jarrod would try and prevent her from going back to work. She didn’t even have to ask them for her to know that. They barely let her lift a finger around their house, and she had to start being sneaky when she gave Helen a hand.

  She wasn’t an invalid and still had use of her legs and left hand, so she saw no reason that she couldn’t pull her weight. Tell that to her men and they just wouldn’t listen. When they had busted her cutting the veggies yesterday, Holly thought Jarrod was going to have some sort of fit.

  “Thanks, Doc,” she said. “I’ll see you around town.”

  “Not if I see you first.”

  Holly smiled. That saying never got old.

  * * * *

  Chase drove back to the MC ranch. It was late and he was exhausted. When he had arrived at the Jacksons’, it was to find their prized stallion lying down. On further inspection the horse had presented with an abnormally high pulse rate, lack of normal gut sounds, and no appetite. Chase had diagnosed it with colic and administered a nasogastric tube to relieve the gas pressure in the stomach and given an analgesic for the pain. He had then administered fluids.

  When that was done it was a matter of pulling the stallion to his feet and moving him around. If they couldn’t get the beast to stand, then more drastic measure would have needed to be taken.

  Once the horse was on his way to recovery, Chase felt that he could leave the care to Cole and Trace and make his way home. They had his num
ber if the horse made a turn for the worst, but Chase didn’t think that was a likely possibility.

  He had missed Holly today and often found himself thinking about her. What was she doing? Was she eating properly? How did her doctor’s appointment go? Did her wrist pain her? He was a nurturer by nature, and he couldn’t help but worry. It was one of the reasons he had become a vet. Chase felt a strong desire to make sick things well and nurture them back to health.

  Chase pulled into the driveway and drove up to the house. After he parked the car next to Jarrod’s truck, he turned the engine off and got out.

  He bolted up the front steps and into the house. The warmth of the interior surrounded him and he felt the tension of the day leave his body. When he heard a giggle coming from the kitchen, he headed that way.

  It was the sweetest sound he had ever heard, and Chase was relieved to see that it had come from Holly. Sitting at the kitchen table with Jarrod, they were both enjoying a cup of coffee and what looked like the remains of chocolate pie.

  The intimate setting would have made most men jealous, but Chase felt nothing but joy and a sense of rightness. This is how he wanted to come home from work every day. He couldn’t wait to start building their house, and then it could become a reality.

  “Hi, baby,” Chase said, walking over to the table and planting a kiss on Holly’s forehead. “Where are the folks?”

  Chase took a seat next to her and then scooped her up and sat her on his lap. He reached over and stole her coffee, draining the cup with one long swallow.

  “They went out to eat at that new fancy restaurant,” Jarrod replied. “It’s date night.”

  “I think it’s great that your parents still go out on dates,” Holly added. That told Chase something about Holly right then. He and Jarrod would have to make sure that dating was high on their list of priorities when it came to wooing her.

  “How was the doc’s?” Chase asked, changing the subject off his parents and onto her.

  “Good,” she told him. “I don’t need surgery, but I have to wear the cast for at least eight weeks.” Chase could hear the disappointment in her voice. He knew she hated the cast, but if the doctor said she needed it, then she would just have to buck up and get used to it. Her health came first, whether she agreed or not.

  “Let’s get you ready for bed, sweetheart,” Jarrod said. “Our folks won’t be home for awhile yet, and I intend to take advantage.”

  “Of the situation or of me?” Holly asked sarcastically.

  Chase chuckled and stood up with her still in his arms. She let out a little yelp and wiggled to get down.

  “Hold still, woman,” Chase said as he started to walk toward the stairs.

  “Put me down,” Holly demanded. “You’ll drop me.”

  “I’m insulted,” he told her. “I would never do anything to hurt you, and that includes dropping you.”

  Chase easily carried her up the stairs and started down the hall toward her room. Jarrod indicated to go to his room, which had him changing direction and moving to the other end of the hall.

  When he entered Jarrod’s room, Chase lowered Holly to her feet. Jarrod walked in behind him and closed the door. Both Chase and Jarrod’s rooms were nearly identical. They were medium sized with a small shower room attached. Small windows sat either side of their large beds, and the built-in robes were just big enough to hold their clothes.

  They were both painted in natural colors. Gone were the blues and reds of their childhood. Matching nightstands sat either side of the wooden beds and they each had a large chest of drawers along the opposite wall.

  Moving to stand next to Chase, Jarrod crossed his arm over his chest and widened his legs shoulder-width apart. It was their usual stance when they were ready to play. Holly didn’t know that yet, but she would soon come to recognize and associate the position with play.

  “Strip, sub,” Jarrod said. “I want to see what belongs to me.”

  Chase almost laughed at the shocked expression on Holly’s face. It was priceless. Jarrod had used his deepest, most demanding Dom voice. He was pushing Holly’s boundaries to see if she would be amenable to their demands, and he had meant business.

  Chase and Jarrod didn’t need to discuss their next move. Chase knew his brother well, and he was on board with Jarrod’s decision to dominate Holly and take their relationship to the next level.

  “Now, baby,” Chase said. “When we are in this room, we are the ones in charge, and when we give an order, we expect it to be followed with no hesitation.”

  Chase waited to see what Holly would do next. Was she going to tell them to piss off and storm from the room? If she did that then they would know they had moved to fast and they needed to back off. Or would she do as they asked? He was hoping for the latter.

  Time slowly ticked on as they waited for Holly to make the next move. When she finally moved to pull her sweater over her head, Chase let out the breath he had been holding.

  Chase watched as she folded her sweater and then pulled her T-shirt from her jeans and slowly over her head. She was following their orders, but she was damned well taking her time about it.

  If they weren’t already moving past her comfort zone, Chase would have demanded she hurry up. With every piece of skin she revealed, Chase’s cock got harder and harder, rising behind the material of his Wranglers.

  “This would be a lot easier if you would get naked, too,” Holly said shyly. Chase and Jarrod’s smirks were almost identical, as they stood there.

  “That’s not how this works, sweetheart,” Jarrod told her. Chase nodded his agreement but otherwise remained silent. He raised an eyebrow at her, when she stopped, holding onto the button of her jeans but not moving to undo them.

  She raised an eyebrow back at him, and he took one menacing step forward. That had her lowering her head and quickly unsnapping her jeans. She pulled them down her legs and kicked them off.

  Chase caught the jeans as they flew at his head. Holly covered her mouth with her hands and loudly drew in a breath. She was so cute in her cotton bra and panties, looking shocked at what she had done, but trying to hold in a giggle at the same time.

  “I’ll let that go, baby,” Chase told her. “Remove the bra and panties.” He put the jeans on the pile with the rest of her clothes and stood back to watch.

  Holly reached behind her and unclipped her bra. When the straps moved down her arms and her full breasts were revealed, Chase felt his heart skip beats.

  With closed eyes, she discarded her panties and stood in front of them in all her naked glory. She covered her mound with her hands, her head lowered and her little nipples pebbling in the cold.

  “Hands at your sides,” Jarrod said. “Let us see that fucking gorgeous body of yours.” She was gorgeous. Chase had seen many naked women in his time. They filled Silk Ties every night, but none could hold a candle to Holly.

  Rosy pink nipples topped her full, plump breasts that had Chase’s mouth watering. Her stomach was rounded and soft, and her hips flared out in womanly curves that Chase was dying to hold onto as he drove his cock into her.

  She had thick thighs and a full, round ass that begged to be spanked and paddled and flogged. Her mound was bare, just the way he liked them, but he couldn’t help but wonder what color her hair would be. Would it be the same as on her head? Or darker like her eyebrows?

  “Go lie on your back on the bed,” Chase told her. “Put your arms above your head and clasp them together.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Holly quickly moved to do as she was told. Getting naked in front of two fully dressed men had been hard. She was embarrassed by her extra weight, but at the same time was so turned on, her nipples had hardened and her pussy had moistened.

  She wasn’t sure what power Chase and Jarrod held over her, but when they spoke in that deep demanding voice, her heart raced and arousal swarmed her body.

  She tried to fight it, defiantly taking her time to remove her clothes, but at the same t
ime she wanted to rip them off, desperate to please them.

  When she was on the bed and in position, Holly crossed her legs at her ankles and waited. With her arms above her head, she had no way to shield herself and her already hard nipples pointed to the sky in welcome.

  Holly watched as both Chase and Jarrod removed their tops and toed off their boots. Holly giggled when Chase flung a sock at her and it landed across her chest. She didn’t break position to remove it and knew that was the right move, when Chase smiled and nodded at her.

  “Payback for the jeans, baby,” Chase said. “I’m proud of you for not moving. You are learning.”

  Holly smiled back, but stayed silent. She knew that the brothers were trying to teach her more and more about their lifestyle, and one of the lessons she was learning tonight was not only were they in charge in the bedroom, but it could also be a relaxed and fun environment as well.

  Yes, she needed to follow orders, but it wasn’t all strict orders and no fun. Chase was getting her to relax and be more and more comfortable in their presence and she was grateful for it.

  Each and every encounter she had with the men, Holly fell more in love with them, and that scared her more than their dominant personalities and the sex life they wanted with her ever could.

  Jarrod went over to his chest of drawers and was busy riffling through them, when Chase moved to lie on the bed at her side. Her whole body shivered when he gently ran his fingers along the inside of her arm from her elbow down to her armpit.

  “Try not to move, baby,” he said, repeating the move. Holly closed her eyes and tried to focus on not twitching when he hit a particularly sensitive spot.

  She giggled when her mind went back to a similar move she had seen in a film. Patrick Swayze ran his fingers down Jennifer Grey’s arm in Dirty Dancing, and she had cracked up every time.

  Holly told herself now wasn’t the time to think about such things, but it had just popped into her brain.