by Jane Jamison
They hadn’t had time to talk about it until now. Besides, he’d wanted to take his time to think about it first.
Rick hooked the spatula on the side of the grill. “So you’re sure? At first, I didn’t know if I was imagining it or not. But then, once she laid one on me—”
“Hold up. She kissed you?” He’d gotten jealous when he’d seen Rick and Mallory in a fierce lip lock, but the fact that she’d initiated the kiss made it even harder to take. Sure, they planned on sharing their future mate anyway, but as brothers they had more than enough sibling rivalry to go around. He’d wanted to be the one to make, or get, the first move.
“She sure did. Shocked the hell out of me, but it was every bit as good as I’d hoped.” Rick glanced over at the picnic table where she and Kid were talking, their heads bent over a notebook she’d been furiously scribbling in. “She’s the one, all right.”
“That’s something. After all these years, I figured we weren’t going to find her. Hell, I was even going to suggest that one of us take off and try to find her.”
Gunner couldn’t believe their luck. Not all werebears found their intended mate. Or, if they did, she wasn’t always available. Sometimes she was already married, or even worse, dead. The special connection, that instant bond that all werebears and their mate felt, was supposed to bring them together, but sometimes even fate got its wires crossed. They’d heard others talk about the bond, the invisible rope that many called an electric current, but hadn’t let themselves think about it too much. Yet the older they got, the fear that they wouldn’t experience it had grown stronger.
“Well, she’s here now.”
“That she is, little brother. That she is.”
For once, Gunner didn’t mind being called his “little” brother. “Wouldn’t you know it?”
“What?”
“It figures that our mate would show up with a huge chaperone by her side and a head full of nonsense.”
“She’ll learn the truth soon enough.” And yet Rick’s voice held an edge of doubt to it.
“At least, the truth about us.” The information she’d told them about Lawson Industries, however, hadn’t sat well with Gunner. If it was true, then they’d want no part of them. “What if she won’t change her mind? How’s she ever going to fit in with a bunch of bears? We like meat and that’s not going to change.”
“I guess we could always start eating like real bears do. They’re more omnivorous than we are. It must be the human side of us that craves meat.”
“If you think I’m going to eat berries and flowers, you can think again.” He didn’t like fruit much and wasn’t a big fan of vegetables or fish, either.
“Let’s worry about our diet later. Until then, we have to work on getting her to accept the fact that she’s our woman. After that, we can show her our bear sides. Getting her to accept that we raise cattle for people to eat isn’t big on my list. Let’s take this one problem at a time.”
His mouth was dry from all the talking. The cooler full of beer was still inside the house where he’d left it.
“Do you think she could be right about Lawson’s?”
“Damn. I hate to even think that way.”
He agreed, but he couldn’t shake the gnawing gut feeling. She’d been so damn sure. “Let’s get Tyler Hastings to put it on high priority. He lives close enough to Lawson’s facility that he can schedule an impromptu visit. If we were nearby, we could do it, but there’s no time to run up north and check them out ourselves. Not with our cattle getting killed.”
“Lawson’s always had a clean record. Why doubt them now? Because of what she said?”
“That and a gut feeling. Besides, she could have it right. We haven’t visited the place in over a year. If she’s right, I want to know.”
Gunner pulled back the edge of a foil wrapper sitting in the corner of the grill. Instead of finding the usual diced potatoes inside, he found various vegetables including zucchini, potatoes, onions and both green and red peppers. He smiled, knowing his brother had prepared the roasted vegetables for her more than for themselves.
“Just tell him not to make it obvious that we’re checking up on them. I wouldn’t want to ruin a solid business relationship because of rumors.”
Rumors, whether based on fact or not, could kill a business. “I hope you cooked enough. That Kid guy looks like he could pack away a side of beef by himself.”
“Yeah, I have another pound of thawed hamburger in the fridge, too.”
“Good thinking.” Gunner slapped him on the back. “Then again, that’s what you’re good at. Thinking.”
“At least one of us is.”
“Bullshit.” Gunner lifted his hands like a surgeon waiting for the nurse to help get his surgical gloves on. “Still, I bet she’d rather have a man who’s good with his hands instead of his head.”
“If you ask Mallory, I think she’d tell you that I’m good at that, too.”
“Fuck you, bro.” Yet he was smiling as he headed back to the house.
Chapter Three
Mallory stared down at the charred piece of dead animal on her plate. She bit back a curse then brought her gaze to Gunner. “This is a joke. It has to be.”
Both he and Rick feigned ignorance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mallory.”
The tingle warped into her again when he called her Mallory, just as Rick had done. “The hell you don’t. Do you really think I’m going to eat this?”
Gunner shrugged, keeping up the pretense. “How should I know? Just because you’re investigating us for cruelty to animals, doesn’t mean you don’t eat steak. Would you rather have a hamburger?”
“No. Thank you.” They were baiting her, trying to make her angry. And damn it all, if they weren’t succeeding. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of getting upset at them. Instead, she stabbed the offending steak, plopped it back onto the platter with the other meat, and scooped up a generous spoonful of vegetables.
Kid sat beside, but even then tried to sneak a burger onto his plate without her noticing. When she gave him a what-the-hell look, he only shrugged.
“I’m hungry, Mal.”
“Whatever.”
The tension between her and the three men was almost as heavy as the sizzle of lust zipping between her and the Northman men. She bowed her head and concentrated on eating her vegetables.
Gunner was the one to break the awkward silence. “Mallory, what got you into the business of investigating ranchers and how they treat their animals? Did you suffer a traumatic experience? Like maybe a cow biting your butt?”
Although she was still miffed at them, she couldn’t help but smile a little. Gunner had a way with words, turning them so that they were humorous even if the question wasn’t.
“Not at all. Animals have always treated me with respect, which is why I do the same to them.”
Gunner broke off an edge of his hamburger meat, then tossed it over his shoulder to Rebel. The dog jumped and caught it in the air.
“And does this pay the bills? Are you with PETA?” Rick crammed a huge bite into his mouth, then grabbed a steak off the platter and dropped it on the ground at his feet. She heard the sound of Rebel chowing down.
She wished she worked for PETA. That was her dream job. “Not exactly. My day job is at a bank, but on the weekends I work for an organization called Animals for Humans. We provide service dogs to people with disabilities. Researching possible animal cruelty is what I do in my free time.”
Half expecting a joke, she was surprised and more than a little pleased when both men put down their food and gave her appraising looks.
“That’s great,” offered a sincere Rick.
“It figures.” Gunner hurried on at the sight of her lifted eyebrows. “I mean, you obviously care a lot about animals, everything from dogs to cows. I’ll bet you’re very good at your job. All your jobs.”
“She is.” Kid’s words were muffled as he chewed. “She’s got a way w
ith animals and people. And a kind heart.”
“I get that.”
She shivered, loving the way Gunner smiled at her. “So how long have you two lived on the ranch?”
“All our lives.” Rick took a swig of his beer. “Our family’s owned the land for some time.”
She had to ask. Had wanted to ask since she’d first met them. “For a long time, huh? So your father or grandfather named the ranch? I kind of figured you two named it. You know. After your porn addiction.”
Gunner choked on the last bite he’d taken. Laughing, Rick thumped him on the back. “I hate to disappoint you, but the name comes from the fact that our ancestor, the one who first laid claim to the land was illiterate. He wrote his name by making three Xs on the paper.”
She felt the warmth of embarrassment form a ring of heat around her neck. “Oh. That makes sense.”
Gunner cleared his throat and downed a long drink. “I like your reasoning better. Maybe that’s the story we’ll use from now on.” His gaze jumped to Kid and back. “Although you could help us make the Triple X Ranch a real triple x place.”
She was the one to almost choke on a slice of zucchini. Was that a proposition? She found herself hoping that it was.
Suddenly, she could picture them standing over her, their shirts off and their jeans unzipped. Their cocks would thrust straight out at her, prompting her to take one in her hand and the other in her mouth. She swallowed and imagined how musky and deliciously sinful Gunner’s shaft would taste.
When she saw Kid watching her, she shook the lust-filled thoughts away. She’d already caught enough flak from him after he’d noticed her attraction to them. “Um, if you don’t mind, I think I need to rest a while. It’s been a long day.”
Kid gave her a curious look, but she ignored him. Thankfully, he didn’t say anything about their having gotten up late before making the trip from Dallas to the ranch. He should’ve been more tired than she was since she’d fallen asleep during the drive.
“No problem.” Gunner stood up.
“Do you need help with anything? You’ve got an attached bathroom if you want to take a shower.” Rick’s eyes seemed to grow lighter with bits of amber. “Just let me know if you want me to wash your back.”
She stumbled a little as she stood up from the picnic table. “Uh. No. I’m sure I can bathe myself.”
Halfway to the house, she heard Gunner call out.
“You can bathe yourself, but it wouldn’t be half as much fun. Holler if you want us.”
Us?
The only thing more shocking than Gunner’s offer was the fact that she wanted to take him up on it.
Both of them in the shower with her? Hell, yeah.
* * * *
“Why don’t we just get it over with and tell her?”
Rick finished rubbing the oil over the saddle. He’d assumed Gunner would ask that question sooner or later. And sooner it had been.
“It’s too soon. Give it time. We’re having a rough time getting her to believe that we’re not sending our cattle to a shady processing facility. You think she’d handle, ‘Hey, that strange feeling you’re getting? That means you’re our mate. And, oh, yeah. We’re werebears. You know. Men who can change into bears?’” He laughed at Gunner’s groan. “Yeah, that’ll go over easy.”
“You’re right. It’s just that I can’t keep my hands off her for much longer. At least you got a kiss.”
“I did. Which makes it even harder not to take her.” Rick led the way back to the house. His gaze lifted to the bedroom window.
There she is. Up in that bedroom. If I wanted, I could march up the stairs and spread her legs.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Give it time, bro. Until then, concentrate on the tracking down who or what’s killing our stock.”
“I’ll try, but that’s not half as much fun.”
Rick chuckled, once more appreciating his brother’s humor. He kept his gaze away from the window. If he didn’t, who knew what he’d do?
* * * *
The longer Mallory was around Rick and Gunner, the more nervous she became. After the disturbing, yet intriguing conversation at the end of dinner, she’d rushed to her bedroom to try and sort out her thoughts.
And her emotions. Sorting out her thoughts was a lot easier than understanding her feelings. What the heck was going on inside her? It was like someone had started a fire on coals that had long since grown cold. Sitting across from them had left her reeling from her growing craving. Craving for raw, wild, uninhibited sex. The kind of sex she’d only fantasized about.
What was it about them that made her mouth water and her palms itch to hold their cocks? If she believed in magic and supernatural things, she’d swear they’d put a spell on her.
Kid hadn’t helped calm her nerves, either. As soon as she’d gotten up from the table, he’d run after her and started hammering her with questions.
From what he’d seen, she was already lusting after their bodies. Then after they’d made her laugh more times than she could count, he’d started picking out event venues to hold the wedding. She’d slapped his arm and tried to change the subject several times, but had given up and left him standing in the hallway. Frustrated with herself as much as with him, she’d slammed the door in his face.
How could she explain anything to him when she didn’t understand it herself?
She soon found out that being alone didn’t help. After settling into the room which consisted of laying out her toiletries, she couldn’t find anything else to take her mind off the men. What was the point of unpacking? She wouldn’t stay that long. Instead, she paced the room like a caged bear in a zoo.
Or did she mean lion? It was funny how her thoughts went straight to a bear. Or was it the photograph of a group of bears that hung over the bed that had her thinking about them? She climbed on top of the old-fashioned farm-style feather bed to get a better look. Were the bears posing? But that was ridiculous. Animals didn’t pose. Whoever had taken the photo had gotten lucky and caught the exact moment when the bears just happened to appear as though they were posing. She was surprised that whoever had taken the photo had managed to get four bears together in one spot, much less close enough to get all of them in one frame.
“Girl, you are losing it.”
She clambered off and started pacing again.
Muttering to herself was a bad habit, but one that she hadn’t bothered to stop. Most people assumed that she was talking on a phone through a headset.
“Remember why you’re here. These animals need you.”
Need. Oh, hell, how she needed Rick and Gunner.
“Urgh. Stop it. You’re not here to hook up with anyone, much less them. No matter how sexy they are.”
She’d always had a fascination with cowboys. When the men had ridden up, she’d been blown away. They were so manly, so virile sitting on top of their horses. Then when she’d seen their chiseled faces and heard the low timbre of their voices, she’d felt the warmth between her legs spur to life. Before she’d forced herself to stay on track, she’d had to smother a sigh. It was a good thing, too. With the way they’d watched her, their intense looks centered on her like she was prime rib, if they’d heard the yearning in her sigh, they would’ve jumped on her in a minute flat.
But none of that explained her wild reaction to them. Although it wasn’t half as strong as whenever she was around them, the arousal of desire still sang over her skin. They were amazing and sexy as hell with their cowboy hats and perfectly fitting jeans, the type of men she’d never thought she could attract. She’d given up on thinking her fantasies and wet dreams could ever come true. Those were for starry-eyed young girls, not someone like her who had her head on straight and her mind set firmly on her goals. And yet, here they were, the subjects of her investigation and the objects of her lust sitting at a picnic table and chowing down on meat.
She groaned and flopped onto the bed. Instead of being disgusted when they chewed on a hamburg
er, she’d found her mouth salivating, her attention focused on the stubble running along their square jaws and wondering how it would feel to skim her hand along the prickly hair.
Before she knew it, the sun had set and she’d moved on to wondering how the rest of their bodies would feel. Hard as rock? Soft to the touch in other places? Flaccid? Or erect and ready to roll?
“This is insane.”
“Mal, are you okay?”
Had Kid stood outside her room all this while? “I’m fine. Go away.”
“I think we need to talk.”
The last thing she wanted to do was talk about her strange feelings. But she knew Kid well enough to know that he wouldn’t give up. He’d stand outside her bedroom all night if he had to.
Checking her appearance in the mirror—why are my cheeks so pink?—she opened the door and found his big mug staring at her, worry emphasizing the lines in his lovable face. Guilt swamped her. He cared for her like a sister and she’d slammed the door in his face.
Determined not to let him get the first word in, she preempted his first question with one of her own. “I’m starving. Want to raid the kitchen? I didn’t get much to eat at dinner.”
Kid was never one to turn down food. “Sure. You know what I always say. If there’s a fridge, I’m a-eatin’.”
She led the way, easing around corners, then checking below before they hurried down the stairs. Only a couple of lights were on, but they gave her enough room to find her way to the kitchen.
“I guess Rick and Gunner have already gone to bed. Do ranchers do the ‘early to bed, early to rise’ thing like farmers?”
She hunted for plates, utensils, and whatever food she could find. After getting two plates, she found the walk-in pantry and a loaf of what looked like homemade bread. Did people still make their own bread?
