by Alicia White
Now, she just needed to decide what to do. Should she flirt? Should she start touching them back? Her fingers tingled just thinking about being able to glide her hand down their muscular arms, chests, abs, and backs. Never before had she wanted to be assertive, but after a full week of spending ten hours a days with them, she was becoming frustrated. Honestly, she wanted to know what a kiss would feel like. What would their mouths touching her skin be like? Banishing those thoughts, Sophie focused on driving.
Alice sat next to her. She had spent a lot of time around Mason, Alex, and the McLean property as well. The four of them had dinner together every night, and it was starting to feel as though they were a family. The men also helped Alice with her math and science homework because there was no way Sophie could. She scoffed just thinking about the various math equations. Did anyone actually use algebra or geometry in their adult lives? She didn’t.
Pulling up the long driveway leading to Mason and Alex’s house, Sophie smiled and waved to their mother, Mary. She didn’t know the woman well. She had only met her once, but this was their morning routine. She would sit on her enclosed patio and drink her coffee. Mary always smiled and waved to her as she passed, making her feel welcome. It only took a few minutes to reach her final destination. Twin trucks parked in front of the home, alerting her that Mason and Alex were inside.
“Are you ready? Make sure you grab your backpack. We can ask about plugging your computer in and hooking it up to the Wi-Fi.”
“I’ll ask. I also need to work on my photography project. It’s due Monday morning.”
“I’ll help you. We’ve got all week. Just let me know what I can do.” Sophie closed the driver’s side door and waited for Alice to join her.
“Okay.” They walked to the house together. Sophie knocked, and Alex opened it with a big smile on his face.
“Good morning, ladies, come on in.” He held the door open, and Sophie brushed past him, letting her forearm touch his stomach. He inhaled sharply, and she grinned once she knew he wouldn’t be able to see her face.
“Alex, I was wondering if I could set up my computer at the kitchen table?” Alice asked as she followed Sophie into the kitchen.
“Go ahead. You still have our Wi-Fi password from last week, right?” Alex was always so sweet, and Sophie really appreciated how he treated her daughter. Over the last week, he and Mason had both made her feel welcome in their home.
“Yeah, my computer should automatically hook up to it.” Alice put her backpack on the table and removed her laptop. She plugged it in and started it up.
“It sounds like you know more about technology than I do.”
“I’m on my computer a lot.” She grinned, sitting down.
Sophie opened the cleaning closet and pulled out a few bottles. Today she was starting in the bathrooms. The house really didn’t require a lot of work, but still she made lists of the different chores and errands she would do daily. Grocery shopping was at the top of her Monday list.
“Excuse me, Alex?” Alice raised her voice, getting his attention before he left the kitchen.
“Yeah.” He turned and gave her his full attention.
“I have a photography project due next week. Would it be okay if I took some pictures outside?”
“I’m heading to the barn in a few minutes. You can join me if it’s okay with your mom, of course.” Alex turned to look at her and Sophie nodded.
“You can go with Alex, just make sure you stay out of trouble.” Alice really seemed to enjoy herself out in the barn with the horses. She would sit there for hours petting and talking to them.
“I never get in trouble.” Alice giggled, grabbed her camera, and left the kitchen. It was nice to hear her laugh.
With a quiet house, Sophie got to work.
* * * *
Alex walked outside with Alice trailing closely behind him. He’d really enjoyed having Sophie and Alice around last week. It made him feel as if they were a family. Every morning Sophie showed up around 8:00 a.m. and Alice would arrive around 3:00 p.m. He enjoyed helping Alice with her homework in the kitchen while Sophie and Mason made dinner. Then the four of them would eat together. He finally felt content. This was what he’d been waiting and hoping for, and now he wanted them around all the time. Sure, it was crazy. He’d only known her two weeks, but he knew it was right.
The barn wasn’t too far from the house. Instead of driving, he thought it might be nice to walk so that Alice could take pictures. She was starting to warm up to them. The first day, she’d sat at the kitchen table, speaking a few words, but mostly ignoring them. Sophie had been the same, but after a few days, she was talkative and even flirting a bit.
“What’s your project about?”
“It’s called ‘a day in the life of.’ I didn’t tell my mom that, though.” She didn’t sound the least bit happy about the topic.
“What kind of pictures do you need to take?” He couldn’t imagine her not telling her mom about the project. It seemed rather odd. She was in middle school, so the project couldn’t be that bad.
“The teacher wants us to take pictures of our families, pets, and where we live.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“I took a picture of my mom cooking dinner last week and a picture of the boarding house. I don’t want the other kids knowing where I live, though. We don’t have any pets. I ask my mom for a puppy almost every year, but she says we move too much.” Alex stopped and watched Alice shrug. She was pretending as if it didn’t matter, when he could plainly see that it did.
Her face looked a little sad, and he hated seeing any sort of disappointment. He understood now. She was embarrassed. She didn’t want to show her classmates the boarding house. She couldn’t show them any happy times, a picture of her dad, or any animals. This was important, and he was going to help her any way that he could.
“You can take a picture of the house if you want and the horses. Tell the kids you live here. I know that you’ve taken a liking to Artemis. You can pretend she’s yours.”
“Can I take a picture of you and Mason?” She grinned, her face full of hope.
“Of course, we’d be honored.”
“Today? In the barn?”
“Sure. Mason is there now. You can snap a few pictures.” They started walking again, and this time Alice strode next to him. She was in much better spirits now, practically skipping.
* * * *
Sophie put all the cleaning supplies away, most of her chores complete for the day. Alice, Alex, and Mason had been gone for a bit, and she hoped that Alice wasn’t getting in the way. Sophie had to go to the grocery store but wanted to make sure she was getting everything the men needed. Not wanting to waste any time, Sophie put her jacket on and headed toward the barn. Initially, she was going to walk, but her plan was to get the errands finished in time to start dinner.
Pulling her car next to the barn, she climbed out and went inside the barn. She stopped just inside the door. Alice was snapping pictures of both Alex and Mason, and the men were actually posing for the camera. Frozen in place, she watched as Alice told them to change positions.
“Alex, put your arm up on the railing and touch the horse.”
“Like this?” He followed her instructions, and Alice nodded rapidly, snapping the picture.
“Perfect. Thank you, Alex and Mason. I think I have some great shots.”
Sophie decided it was time to make her presence known. Clearing her throat, all eyes turned toward her.
“Hi, Mom. Alex and Mason let me take a few pictures of them for my project.” Alice smiled and skipped toward her, giving Sophie a big hug. Her heart seemed to skip a beat. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Alice so happy.
“That was really sweet of them.” Sophie looked up to see Alex and Mason watching them closely.
“Alice, I have a great idea. Why not take a few pictures of your mom with us,” Mason suggested, waving her over.
Sophie had t
he denial on the tip of her tongue.
“That would be great! Come on, Mom.” Alice grabbed her hand and pulled her over to where Mason and Alex were standing.
She felt awkward for a minute, standing stiffly between both men, but that didn’t bother Alice. No, her daughter was ready for them to model.
“Mason, please wrap your arm around my mom’s waist. That’s great. Alex, can you do the same thing? Perfect! Get closer…smile.”
Sophie couldn’t believe how Alice’s simple request shoved the three of them together. She wondered how she looked standing in between two gorgeous men. Did she even look as if she belonged?
“Mom, smile,” Alice demanded and Sophie grinned.
“Alice, what would think if we kissed your mom on the cheeks at the same time?” Alex suggested, and Sophie felt as if her eyes might bug out of her head.
“Yes! Do that.” Alice jumped up and down, rejoicing.
Two sets of warm lips touched her cheeks, and Sophie shut her eyes. It was completely innocent, not at all inappropriate, but her mind went a little crazy. She pictured more than just a sweet peck. She wanted to feel their lips against hers, to be held and kissed like a woman.
“Thanks. I’m going to upload these on my computer. I have the whole week, so I might ask you to pose again,” Alice said, the last sentence like a warning for the three of them to be prepared.
“I need to head to the grocery store. Alice, I want you to come with me.” Sophie stepped out of the men’s arms.
“Is there anything you want me to pick up at the store? I started a list.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the list and handed it off to Mason. He took a few minutes looking over it before handing it off to Alex.
“Why don’t you get some steaks to grill tonight? I can start the barbeque,” Mason suggested.
“Okay. I’ll make baked potatoes and salad. Will that be all right?” Sophie asked.
“Sounds delicious.” Alex smiled.
“Okay, well then, I’ll head out to the store.” She turned to leave but stopped when Alex grabbed her hand.
“I want you to take my cell phone with you. If you need anything, Mason’s phone number is the first in the address book.”
“Thanks.” She shrugged.
It was probably a good idea to have a cell phone. She had been thinking about purchasing a pay-as–you-go phone for that very reason. Also, if there was an emergency at school, she wanted Alice to be able to contact her. Tucking the phone into her pocket, she smiled as she headed to her car. This was just another reason why she liked both the men. They were always so thoughtful, and she felt welcome in their home.
* * * *
He had spent the last week looking for his wife and kid. It wouldn’t take much longer to find them. She always messed up, always left him a trail of clues right to her doorstep. It didn’t matter what city or state they ended up in. Curt Miller was starting to like this game, but more than that, he liked punishing Sophie when he found her. She always put up such a good fight.
Grinning, he logged into a private database that only police officers and other criminal justice employees had access to. Even though he was no longer a cop, he had a lot of buddies on the force that helped him out. He had already done background checks on all of Sophie’s family members, creating files for each person. He studied her whole family tree, making a list of every aunt, uncle, and cousin. He would check their hometowns first.
He marked off each city that Sophie and Alice had already lived in. He knew her too well. She wouldn’t go back, but she would pick a place where a family member lived. She had always wanted to be close to her family, but he was her family. She had married him, and he was her husband. Divorce papers weren’t going to change that, and neither would a restraining order. A piece of paper meant nothing. This time, he would win the game. He wouldn’t let her get away again. She would be his once more.
Chapter 8
Dinner had been a lively event. Alice had taken her computer out and shown them the pictures she’d taken. Mason stared at the computer, his eyes on Sophie’s face. When he and Alex had kissed her cheeks, her eyes widened, but instead of having any fear, he saw only excitement and pleasure. It had been the same case when they drove around the McLean property. Alex had touched her hand, and she had actually touched him back. That was when Mason had decided that he needed to get her used to both their touches and moved his hand to her knee.
The more time they spent with Sophie, the more she seemed to enjoy their company. The change had happened rather quickly. Maybe it was because she craved the affection and attention, or maybe she really did want them both. That’s what he hoped at least. When she’d asked about the bedroom, he told the truth, that it would be for their future wife. There would never be any lies between them. At first, he thought she might reject the idea of being with two men, but she didn’t. Her reaction surprised him. She licked her lips and he could actually see her pupils dilate. The idea excited her.
He and Alex took turns working side by side with her, showing her the different jobs on the ranch. Most of the time, they put her in between them. When they were near, he watched her inhale deeply, a grin playing at the corner of her lips. She obviously enjoyed their smell. Every chance he got now, he made sure to wear the cologne that affected her the most.
With spring break closing and another week ending, he mourned the weekend. They didn’t want Sophie to overwork herself, so they gave her Saturdays and Sundays off. Those two days were the worst of the week. He used to celebrate, relax, and hang out with his family and friends. Now he looked forward to Monday mornings. He looked forward to having Sophie and Alice in their home. Both ladies were starting to become an intricate part of their lives. Alex felt it, too.
They had many discussions with Sophie at the forefront of both their minds. Did she even realize how quickly she was becoming an important part of them? Alex had already given her his cell phone and purchased another one. They wanted to make sure she was safe. There were times in the dead of night when he couldn’t sleep and would drive to the boarding house just to make sure her car was still in the lot. He still didn’t know why she moved a lot, needed a cash job, or didn’t have a bank account. She never spoke of the past.
He stood back, leaning against the wall, and watched her polish the granite kitchen countertop. Soon, she would leave and he wouldn’t see her until Monday. The fear in his heart surprised him. It had only been a short while that she had been in their lives, but still he hated to see her go. Her facial expressions gave her away every time. Sophie seemed disappointed on Fridays, when the rest of the world was glad to be done with work. She felt the same way he and Alex did. Mondays were now the best days of the week.
“Any plans for the weekend?” he asked.
“Not really. I was thinking about trying out Tempting Tea. I walked by it the other day, and it smelled really good.”
“I don’t mean to impose, but would you mind if I joined you?”
“That would be nice. How about tomorrow?” Sophie perked right up, and he was so glad he had invited himself along.
“Perfect. Do you want me to pick you and Alice up?”
“We’ll meet you there. I need to run a few other errands as well.” He was a tad disappointed that he wouldn’t be driving them, but at least he was going to spend some more time with Sophie and Alice.
“Are you staying for dinner tonight?”
“I left some dinner in the Crock-Pot. It should be ready by the time Alex gets home. Tonight, I thought I’d surprise Alice. I was going to order a pizza,” Sophie told him with a grin.
She seemed so excited to order something as simple as a pizza. It wasn’t as if she was taking Alice to a four-star restaurant, but to her, it was. The look on her face said it all. She wasn’t used to treating Alice to something special and having dinner delivered was. He wanted to offer to order a pizza and have it delivered to their house, but he didn’t want to suggest that she change her plan. If she
had wanted them to be a part of her plan, she would’ve invited him and Alex along.
* * * *
Fridays sucked.
Throughout the whole day, Sophie dreaded saying good-bye to Mason and Alex. She hadn’t felt that way about a man, ever. Normally, she loved being alone with Alice. She didn’t want a man around, and she never had even thought she would be in a place where she did. Now, she wanted Mason and Alex around all the time.
Tonight, she had purposely made other plans. She loved having dinner with them, but prolonging the good-byes at the end of the night made her feel anxious. She didn’t want to go to the boarding house, but that’s where her life was, at least for the moment.
The disappointment on Mason’s face was clear, but he didn’t try to talk her out of her decision or ask to join them. She didn’t know if she was doing the right thing. She liked them. How did a woman who was a complete emotional idiot make a move on two gorgeous men?
“Let me walk you out.” Mason smiled as he held out his arm like a gentleman.
Sophie couldn’t stop herself. She skimmed her fingers along his bicep before settling her hand on his forearm. “I would like that. Thank you.”
“Meet you in the car, Mom.” Alice ran past them and out the front door. The car door slammed before Sophie ever took one step.
Mason laughed. “She’s ready for pizza.”
Sophie stood frozen in place. She really wanted to feel his lips. She wanted to kiss him, and this was her opportunity.
