On My Own [Liberty, Wyoming 2] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Read online

  Isabel shook her head, and her arms crossed over her chest. Yes, she was completely confused about the claiming issue, but did they really think they could tell her what to do?

  With a soft growl Clay reached for a chair, sat, and pulled her down in his lap.

  She pushed against his chest, but deep down she had to admit it felt good to be held. “Clay…”

  “Hush and listen. Do you agree that keeping you and Tommy safe is our main objective?”

  She froze. “Well yes. Of course.”

  “Then to do that, we have to know if we tell you to do something, you’ll listen. If you refuse to listen, it might just get you or Tommy hurt. We want to protect you. Let us do that.”

  Royce came into the living room with Tommy in his arms, looking intently at her while listening to Tommy’s excited chatter.

  Tommy finally noticed his mom sitting on Clay’s lap. He wiggled to get down, rushing to her. “Mommy, are you sad?”

  Her eyes widened, and she tried to move away from Clay only to be brought back against his chest. She held out her arms and enfolded Tommy in them when he got close. “No, honey, what gave you that idea?”

  He looked down at his feet, his shoulder hunched in sadness. “Because the only time you sat on Dad’s lap was when you cried.”

  Isabel tensed when both men froze and became more alert, wanting to catch every word. She couldn’t believe Tommy remembered anything about his father. “No, Tommy, I’m not sad at all. Clay and I are just talking.” She needed to change the subject. “What are you and Royce doing?” She relaxed when Tommy started talking rapidly about Royce and Clay’s horses and how he promised he would teach him to ride.

  She caught the look Royce shared with Clay, and knew the questions would be coming. She was amazed they hadn’t started with them already. She needed to put the focus on something else, gaining herself a little time but knowing it probably wouldn’t make a difference. The questions were coming sooner or later. Of that, she was sure. She just wanted them to be later.

  “Is anyone hungry?” She pushed off of Clay’s lap and walked into the kitchen, grabbed plates and silverware for all of them. The kitchen table only sat two, so they would have to eat in the living room.

  After getting Tommy’s plate, she sat down next to him and was astonished when Clay handed her a plate full of food. “This is too much…”

  “Do the best you can,” Royce said before taking a big bite.

  Isabel hummed when she took a bite. “Oh, wow, this is really good.” She closed her eyes and licked her lips. Her eyes shot open when someone groaned, and found both men fixated on her mouth, their breathing increased. Nervously she wiped her mouth with a napkin, looking away from them.

  The adults ate silently, listening to Tommy talk excitedly about the horses. She noticed right away when he was started to slow down and eat more slowly.

  Isabel wiped his mouth. “Tired, sweetheart?” When he nodded, she pushed his plate away on the table and stood to lift him and take him to bed.

  Royce stood up. “Isabel, I’ll get him. Don’t try to carry him again. He’s too heavy.”

  She looked silently at his back as he walked away with her son. Clay’s voice whispered in her ear, making her shiver. “We’re just trying to take care of you, love. Tommy’s so big, you’ll very easily hurt yourself carrying him.”

  She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if this pissed her off or made her feel cared for. She’d been carrying the boy around his whole life, and to not get a choice? She followed Royce into the bathroom. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask them how they thought she took care of her son before she came to town but knew it would probably come out sounding sarcastic and end up getting her into hot water, and once a night was enough for her.

  Royce helped her get Tommy undressed and into the tub. Isabel washed him quickly when his eyes started to close. She pulled the plug to drain the water when his eyes started to droop. “Here, let me.” Clay stood beside her with a towel, wrapping it around Tommy and setting him on the counter so she could brush his teeth.

  Clay carried him into the bedroom, sitting him on the bed, patting him dry, chuckling when Tommy drooped, asleep where he sat. “How do they do that?”

  Isabel snickered. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter where we are, either. If he’s tired, his body just gives up.” Isabel dressed him in his pajamas, laying him back on the pillow. By the time she pulled the blanket up and kissed his forehead, he was deeply asleep.

  Smiling at her precious baby, she turned to leave and faced both men standing by the door again. Her smile fell, and she swallowed, walking slowly toward them. If she was able to stay, would she ever get used to their size? They stepped aside, letting her pass. Royce turned off the light and shut the door, and she followed them both back to the living room. Isabel started gathering the plates and silverware, taking it into the kitchen.

  Isabel heard them follow her into the kitchen. Clay carried the food, and Royce was behind him with their glasses. Nervous energy seemed to fill the air, making goose bumps break out across her body and the heat of desire start to build again. Needing something to do, she turned to start on the dishes. Royce stood beside her, drying the dishes, and Clay put them away. There was no sound except for the fridge, the dishes in the water, and their breathing.

  Her hands shook with arousal every time one of them brushed against her. Isabel knew the kitchen was small, but she suspected they were using that as an excuse to touch her. She looked down to find her nipples were hard little points and felt the cream slide from her, wetting her panties,.

  Isabel finished and dried her hands on the towel Royce handed her and placed it over the sink to dry. She stood still, facing the wall over the sink, her hands curled over the edge of the counter. Isabel was afraid to turn. She wasn’t ready for all the questions. Her emotions were too shaky, and she felt like she didn’t have any control of her life, and hadn’t for a long time. She desperately needed to stay alert and focused, if she was going protect Tommy and herself, and she didn’t know how much she should say without jeopardizing all of them.

  Her body jolted and tensed when a band of sinewy muscle wrapped around her middle, pulling her back against a hot wall of a male.

  “You’re thinking too hard, honey. Come into the living room so we can talk to you,” Clay said and stepped away and waited for her to turn. Clay took ahold of her hand and walked into the room where Royce was already lounging on the couch.

  Her eyes ran hungrily over him. He looked like a big cat. His eyes were half-closed, his legs stretched in front of him and crossed at the ankles. Although he looked relaxed, she could see a subtle tension that made her feel like he was anything but. He looked like the dominant, strong, predatory animal he was.

  The thought made her feel safe but at the same time, apprehensive. These men would see everything, would want everything, and she knew she didn’t have it to give.

  She’d be gone in a few weeks, or less, and the thought suddenly saddened her. In such a short time, she’d become attached to them, and in her situation, that could mean their deaths. No harm would come to her or Tommy because Allister needed them alive and with him, but for these men or anyone else that helped her, she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to kill them because he’d already done it to get to her. And she had to live with that for the rest of her life.

  Clay guided her to the couch, tightening his grip when she moved toward the chair. They positioned her between them, making sure she was comfortable but unable to move away from them.

  Isabel kept her head down, uneasily aware of their scrutiny. When the silence stretched, she became more and more aware of the shameful effects that were happening to her body sitting between them, feeling their heat and strength against her. Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples aching. She pressed her legs together, trying to stop the cream that was wetting her panties and to ease the ache. God, she hoped they didn’t know how much they were affecting her. She wouldn’t be able to live with the embarrassment.

  She jumped when a large heavy hand came down on her knee. Her eyes jerked up to Clay, and she unconsciously placed her hand over his.

  “Isabel, we need to talk about some things.” Clay looked over her shoulder at Royce, getting his nod. “Carol told us you need a job?” Isabel nodded silently. “Royce and I have an idea, and we want you to tell you about it, but we don’t want you to interrupt until we’re done talking. Can you do that?”

  Isabel nodded again, afraid to talk. She turned when Royce spoke.

  “We desperately need a housekeeper. You said you’d listen,” he said when she opened her mouth. “We have needed someone to help take care of our house since our last housekeeper retired a few months ago.” He paused and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “We are able to take care of ourselves day to day with the basic stuff, but our ranch takes up a lot of time. We need help with the cleaning, and maybe cooking once in a while because neither of us cooks very well and it’s a pain to go to town for every meal. We get sick of sandwiches and cereal every day. We’d need you there every day if possible but a few times a week, at least.”

  Clay squeezed her leg, gaining her attention. “This is a great solution for all of us. We need you, and you need a job where Tommy can come with you. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

  They both looked expectedly at her. Her mind was in chaos, a hundred different thoughts running around. Unable to sit, she stood and walked to the window across from the couch, wrapping her arms around herself, staring at the street below, trying to gather her thoughts. There was very little she could do that permitted her to take her son with her. She didn’t have a lot of choices.

  Finally, she took a deep breath and turned, facing them. She cleared her throat, tensed, unnerved at their intense attention. “Thank you very much for the offer.” She held up a hand when Royce stood. “I’m going to take the job, but I need you both to understand I don’t know how long we’ll be here.” She continued talking over Royce’s soft growl. “I might not be able to give you a lot of notice either.” Isabel stepped back when Clay stood, taking a step toward her. She put out her hand. “Stop please. I would like you both to think about it for a few days. I’ll understand if you want to find someone else.”

  “Are you done?” Royce gritted out between his teeth.

  She nodded tentatively, unnerved by the unyielding expressions on their faces.

  Clay was trying to mask his irritation, but Royce didn’t even try, showing her his displeasure, his hands on his jean-covered hips. “Good because we don’t have to think about it. We want you, and we’ll have to talk about you leaving later.”

  “You don’t understand. I won’t have a choice…”

  Royce’s face darkened. “Why? You need to tell us what’s going on, so we can help you.”

  Isabel stepped back from Clay only to stop when he ground out, “Stop,” between his teeth.

  She shook her head. “I can’t tell you right now. Please understand.”

  “I don’t fucking understand.” Now Clay was cussing but still kept the volume down, so he didn’t wake Tommy. “We want you with us. Let us help.”

  Even though she was intimidated, she continued. “I don’t even know you, and although I feel you’re honorable, I can’t take a chance. I have to think about Tommy.”

  Clay put his hand out. “We were thinking about you and Tommy, sweetheart. We’re thinking about both of you. You’re both tired, and we can tell you’re really stressed and have been for a while.” He rubbed the back of his head in frustration. “Please talk to Carol about us, because as many times as we tell you we’re trustworthy, talking to someone else, someone who’s known us our whole lives, will help.”

  Isabel’s shoulders slumped. Every day that passed on the run, her body got a little weaker, and she noticed Tommy getting a little more despondent. She felt like a failure when Tommy was miserable, or God forbid, unhealthy because of their nomadic life.

  Not one to wait or give an inch, Royce drawled, “So, you’re coming soon. You won’t do very much the first few days because you need to get rest, but the sooner you’re in our house, the better.”

  Isabel laughed a little, relaxing. “Was that a question, or are you just ordering me around?”

  Clay shot a look at Royce. “Would you be able to start soon?”

  When she nodded, both men visibly relaxed. Their house must be in terrible shape, she thought, if they need a housekeeper that bad.

  Royce took the few steps to stand in front of her, making her tilt her head back to see his face. She shivered when he cupped her face gently with both large callused hands. “You won’t regret this, Isabel, I promise.”

  She gasped when he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. She clung to his wrists, leaned into him, and closed her eyes. Her body instantly heated, her pussy leaking her liquid silk.

  Isabel put her hands on his chest to stop him. When she tried to back away, he clasped her hips. “I thin—” She took a breath and swallowed, keeping her hands on his chest, holding him away when all her body wanted to do was sink into him and never let go.

  She shook herself. “I think its best that we don’t get involved like that—”

  “No.” The voice rumbled against her palms.

  Disbelief pumped blood heavily through her veins. “You can’t just say no—”

  His mouth quirked. “I just did.”

  He was making her angry again. She pushed against his chest to no avail. “You can’t just decide that. Let me go.”

  After a long moment, he thankfully stepped back, releasing her. She straightened her blouse. “I don’t want to get involved with either of you. I’m afraid it’s going to hurt already when we have to go. I don’t want to make the pain worse when I have to leave.”

  She got nervous when both men stared at her and then shared a look with each other that she didn’t understand. They seemed to come to a conclusion because Clay spoke up. “How about we work on getting you into our house? Everything else will work itself out.”

  Clay stepped toward her. “We’ll help you to move in tomorrow.”

  Isabel tensed then straightened her shoulders. “Absolutely not. I want to stay here. Carol said I could rent this from her.”

  Clay held up a hand when Royce growled. “Let’s not talk about you moving in then, right now.” His eyes narrowed on Royce when he tried to interrupt him. “But we would really love for you to start as soon as you feel up to it.”

  “I can start tomorrow. What time?”

  They looked concerned. “Let’s plan this then. You come out to the house but rest,” Royce suggested then frowned when she shook her head.

  “We think that’s a little quick. You could take a few days to rest?” Clay asked.

  Isabel smiled. “I’m fine. Tommy can rest while I clean. What time works best for you?” The muscles in both men’s jaw ticked away, showing their frustration.

  Royce shared a look with Clay she couldn’t decipher

  “Come at ten. I’ll leave directions for you on the counter. One last thing. We don’t want you to overdo it. If we see you overdoing it, we’ll have to have us a nice little talk, meaning a good swat, and I can guarantee you won’t like it,” Royce rasped in warning as threats of punishment flashed in his eyes.

  Isabel gasped in outrage even as bolts of lust shot through her, making moisture build between her legs, drenching her panties, and her breasts became tight and heavy. “You can get that thought out of your head because it isn’t going to happen. Now, isn’t there anything you need to be doing, besides threatening me?” she said with a touch of sarcasm.

  She stiffened when Clay came toward her and seized her bare upper arms. “There is nothing more important than yours and Tommy’s welfare, and if we feel you’re not taking care of yourself, we will step in.”

  A fierce line appeared between her eyebrows as a mother’s fury raced through her. “Do you really think I’d do anything that might harm my son?” She tried to pull her arm from his grasp, angry that they could even think that.

  A hot male body pressed up against her back, making her stop in mid-sentence, causing her to forget what she was saying. When a hard arm came around her middle, and a mouth lightly nipped her ear, her legs went weak, her eyes closed. She unconsciously tilted her head to the side to give Royce better access.

  Her eyes jerked open when another wall of heat seared her front. All she saw was a broad chest, a button-down western shirt with the first few undone, so she was able to see the smooth brown skin of Clay’s chest. But God, their body heat seared her as they surrounded her, making her believe for a brief moment she would never be alone again.

  Isabel’s breath caught. Her breasts had never felt this heavy, this achy before. Her pussy was cramping with desire, her moisture leaking from her at an alarming rate. Her body was demanding she let them have her, but her brain still held a semblance of common sense. The pull from her body clashed with the voice of reason telling her to back away.

  She needed to get control of this before she made a mistake she’d regret forever. Her body tensed, and her hands pushed Clay away. “You have to stop.”

  They both released her slowly and stepped back. She stood still for a moment to gain the strength she needed to walk. When she turned, Royce was coming from the kitchen with a pad of paper and pen, writing the directions. She turned to Clay only to fidget under his penetrating stare.

  Royce handed the pad to her. “We’ll give you some space today and head out, but we’ll see you tomorrow. Call if you need anything.” He placed a kiss on her head and headed out the door abruptly. He needed to put some space between them, his need for her pushing at his control.

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