Monroe, Marla - The Ranchers Take a Wife [Men of Space Station One #1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (2 page)

Chapter Two

Lacy unpacked her bags and stowed her stuff in the many drawers and closets around the room. The only furniture was the bed, a bedside table, the drawers, and a chair. It was all comfortable enough, but very cozy. At least she had a window. The bathroom wasn’t too small, but it could be a challenge for one of the big men who’d had to stay in the room while they were building the homes and minitown. She couldn’t imagine Cam or Phillip showering in the small stall.

That led to a little thrill in her belly. Thinking about them naked was something she really shouldn’t be doing. They might not be who she ended up with. She frowned and worried about that. She already liked them and felt comfortable around them. She didn’t want anyone else.

But you might later, Lacy. You need to not jump at the first men you meet. Look around some.

Right, and find two that both sent thrills through her blood stream? She truly doubted it. Still, she would look and see. Hopefully, no one else would pick them. They were awfully big men. They would need to be to deal with farming, though. She wasn’t all that petite herself at nearly five feet six inches. She was tall for many men.

Cam seemed to be the thinker of the two. His long brown hair was a sable color. She bet it would feel like silk in her hands. He wore it pulled back in a ponytail. He had the prettiest green eyes she’d ever seen. His face was more rugged than handsome with sharp angles. She couldn’t help having noticed his physique. He had to be nearly six feet nine inches. He was built like a solid mountain, muscular with broad shoulders and a wide chest.

Phillip appeared to be more laid-back and playful. He came across as being relaxed anywhere. She loved his long, deep black hair that had blue highlights in it. His black eyes were filled with a dancing twinkle that was mesmerizing. He stood around six feet seven inches and had the body of an Adonis. He had broad shoulders and a wide chest, but he also seemed to possess a thinner waist more like a swimmer’s than the thicker waist of Cam’s, which seemed more muscular.

Both men appeared virile and well able to please a woman in bed. Would they be considerate lovers, or would they take what they wanted and roll over to sleep? If their cocks were as large as they were, they would indeed be well-endowed. That alone could please a woman without their trying.

Enough of this. She needed to finish putting away her things and head over to the cafeteria for supper. She was hungry and hadn’t been able to eat much while they traveled. It had been much too unnerving being on a spacecraft that was headed to a new planet. She’d lost weight and would need to put it back on, so she wasn’t swallowed up by her clothes. She hoped that wouldn’t put them off. She was really a strong woman. She could pull her weight and hoped to have a chance to tell them that.

At nearly six, she walked over to the cafeteria where most of the women had gathered to eat and discuss the various men. She listened to see if anyone talked about her two men, but wasn’t able to discern by the various conversations. Finally, several of the women turned to her and asked her what she thought about the men who’d escorted her to the dorm.

“I like them. They were quite nice.”

“But they’re so big,” one of the women said.

“I like big men. I’m a big woman.”

“Yes, I guess you are. I would be afraid of them hurting me. I mean, we don’t know anything about these men other than the profiles they gave us to study on the trip over. I think I’ve about memorized them now,” another of the women said.

“I think I have, too,” she confessed. Funny how she hadn’t really paid as much attention to Phillip and Cam since they were farmers. She had thought to get away from farming and maybe marry someone who was into cattle or maybe ran a store.

“I think they’re cute, though,” a third woman said.

Lacy immediately focused on this woman. She was a tiny woman with long black hair and a petite body. Would the men go for someone like that? Most men preferred women like that. She’d never be slim or petite. She sighed.

“Are you going after them?” the woman asked her.

“I really like them. They’re perfect for me,” she confessed.

“I’m going to see if they like me. If they aren’t interested, then I’ll leave them alone. But if they do show an interest, I might just pick them. You might want to pick them yourself pretty soon,” the woman said.

“I’ll think on it. There are so many of them, you hate to pick early and make a mistake.” But Lacy was fairly sure of her choice already. She just needed to see how they felt about her. Tying herself to two men for life that weren’t really happy with her would be miserable for all three of them.

She finished up her meal as the other women all talked. They moved their discussion to the bottom-floor lobby of the dorm. They pushed the chairs together so they could talk in a circle.

“So, what do we want in a man?” one of the women asked.

“I want someone kind and considerate.”

“I want someone strong who can take care of me.”

“I want someone with some spirit. I don’t want some spineless man who I can boss around.”

“It sounds like we’ve all got different needs,” the first one said.

“How do we know if they fit our requirements?”

“Well, for one thing, ask them. Then spend some time with them. Put them in a position to see how they will react,” Lacy suggested.

“Good idea,” the first woman agreed.

“Okay, starting tomorrow, there are supposed to be different men showing up to talk with us. They are doing it in rounds of four or five pairs at a time. We should all talk with each of them,” the first woman explained.

Lacy agreed with the woman. She needed to make an informed decision and not go with the first thing that popped into her head.

But what if it’s your heart you are hearing?

She would have to make that determination. In the meantime, she was going back to her room and reading through the profiles of Cam and Phillip with more interest this time. She’d fairly skimmed over them since they were farmers. They deserved her full attention now. Farming wasn’t so bad. Besides, she knew all about it, and was good at canning and freezing vegetables.

Once back in the room, she pulled out the profiles and sat in the chair to read though them. Phillip and Cam’s proved they were well suited for their jobs, having been farmers on Earth. They had run a large farm there with over five employees and usually hired out part time laborers for the fall harvesting. Each man believed in hard work and fair treatment of everyone. They were looking for a woman who could handle the harsh winters and mild summers compared to how they were on Earth now. They hoped for someone with spirit who would enjoy being playful and wasn’t averse to speaking her mind on what she needed.

She fit that description to a tee. She hoped they would show up tomorrow so she could talk with them some more. With that, she showered and climbed into bed for the first night’s rest on the new planet of Alpha. She prayed she slept well here. She would need all her wits about her over the next few days.

* * * *

The next day proved disappointing when her men didn’t show up. Her men, she was already acting as if she’d claimed them. They must be busy in the fields. It felt like planting season here with the warm temperatures, and a bit of a bite at night. She’d been told it was spring when they arrived.

She talked with several other pairs and liked most of them. A few just didn’t strike her as potential mates at all. She was intrigued by the twins but didn’t think they were for her. For one thing, they were barely six feet, and she really liked a tall man.

The next day, they still didn’t show up, and she wondered if they were waiting on most of the women to have chosen. So far, no one had made a choice yet. Like her, they might be waiting on the ones they liked to show up, or they might want to meet all of the men first.

At dinner that night, they all talked about who they had met and what they thought about them. Most everyone liked the men they had spent time with that day. Rachel, one of the younger women, seemed starry-eyed over the twins. She hoped she picked them. She would probably be perfect for them by the way she had spoken of her wants in a man. She was just over five feet, and tiny compared to a lot of the women there.

She listened to the general discussions but didn’t join in. She wasn’t really interested in any of the men she’d met that day. Maybe her men would show up tomorrow. She sure hoped so. She felt lonely and left out of all the conversations without anything much to add.

As if conjured up, the next morning, Phillip and Cam were waiting outside the cafeteria when she walked outside after having breakfast. Her heart sped up and butterflies attacked her stomach. Surely that alone meant she was attracted them in more than just a general way.

“Hi, Lacy. How are you doing today?” Phillip asked.

“I’m doing well, thanks for asking. How about the two of you?”

“We’re doing fine. Glad to be here to see you again.” Phillip seemed to be pleased they’d found her.

“You look really nice in that blouse. It brings out the blue of your pretty eyes,” Cam said.

Lacy felt her face turn red. She hated her fair skin since she blushed so easily.

“Thanks. What have you been doing the last two days?” She cringed inside. That sounded as if she were chastising them for not being there.

“We had to finish up planting and set up the irrigation system. We sure hated not being here to talk to you some more,” Phillip answered.

“Farming is hard work. I come from a farming family myself.”

They seemed to brighten up at this. That was a positive sign, she decided.

“So you know about what it takes to run one then,” Cam said.

“Yes. It’s a lot of backbreaking work that is superbusy in the spring and around harvest times. Then it’s quieter in the middle where all you do is water and fertilize.”

“Do you like to garden?” Cam asked.

“I love to put up my own fruits and vegetables,” she told them. “Are there fruit trees here?”

“We have apple, pear, and peach trees on the farm. We haven’t done anything with them, since we are so busy with the rest of the farm.”

“That’s a shame. They would be great for preserves, jellies, and jams. Not to mention pies,” she informed them.

“You’re making us hungry,” Phillip confessed.

“Sorry. I’m a bit hungry myself for some fresh fruit.”

“They’re not ready yet, of course, or we’d bring you some.” Cam smiled.

“Thanks for the thought. Maybe I can have some this fall. I’ll make you a nice apple or peach pie.”

They talked until lunch and ate together in the cafeteria. Several of the other women crowded around them asking questions and generally flirting with the two men. They fielded the questions well and flirted a little back, but they kept coming back to Lacy. She liked that. They were real gentlemen.

After lunch, two women followed after them as they escorted Lacy back to the dorm to talk some more inside where it was climate controlled and had a place to sit. She wanted to tell them to leave them alone, but didn’t want to cause a scene. They had a right to flirt and ask questions just like she did.