Gina's Private Police Force [Men of Montana 3] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) (12 page)

Blue eyes diverted to Jared briefly before looking back at Connor. Shaking her head negatively, she lowered her eyes in shame. Taking a step forward, Connor lifted her chin by placing two fingers under it, though even as her face was directed at him, she wouldn’t meet him eye to eye.

Soothing his tone, Connor still demanded, “Gina, look at me.”

The war held within her mind was visible as she lifted her eyes and then lowered them several times before her blue gaze finally met his and remained steady. He held her gaze, mentally challenging her to look away, but she remained steadfast, causing him to finally move on with their intended purpose.

“If we are going to make this relationship work between the three of us, you need to know a few things. One, communication is a key factor. When we ask a question, we expect a verbal answer. Not a nod or a shake of the head. Two, you will be honest with us on all things. Do not lie to us about anything, for if we find out differently than what you tell us, you will be disciplined. In return, we will never lie to you. We may keep things from you if we feel it is for your protection.

“Three, trust is the utmost important key in this relationship. You have to trust us, Gina. We would never do anything to hurt you mentally, physically, or verbally. If we say we will do everything in our power to make you and Nathan happy, we mean it. When we say we will protect you and provide for you, we mean it. And, four, no man is to ever touch you intimately but Jared and myself. Are you able to abide by these rules?”

Hearing his own voice dole out said rules, he sounded harsh. He had tried to school his voice to sound gentler but the Dom in him seemed to take over and he found he hated that with Gina.

The dark head before him began to nod and then stopped. Licking her lips quickly as if her mouth had gone dry, she opened her mouth and said the sweetest words he had heard her say so far. “Yes, sir.”

Smiling, he dropped his hand and was surprised when she continued to look up at him bravely. Good, she was learning to hold her own. “Now, again, Gina, did Jared say or do anything that would cause you to think we would think of you and Nathan as a charity case? Or, that you are a burden to us?”

Wringing her hands in her lap, worry traversed her features. “No sir.”

“Then why would you think that?”

“Because I come to you with nothing,” she sobbed. “I stood there cooking a meal I couldn’t afford since Nathan was born and I just started thinking that I don’t belong here.”

The brunette’s head fell into her hands as her sobs increased, tearing at Connor’s heart. Taking a quick glance at Jared, he knew they needed to tread lightly with their woman, as she had never been loved by one man, let alone two.

Each man took a step forward and sat down on the bed next to her, Connor on her left and Jared on her right. Connor slipped his arm around her shoulder and felt her flinch slightly. He felt Jared’s arm slip around her waist, and again, a flinch. They would really need to work with her as she really didn’t trust them still.

Each man took one of her hands and they just held her between them. Letting her cry herself out, they patiently waited. When her sobs finally subsided, Connor reached up and moved her face around so he could look into her teary eyes.

“I think we need to give you some time to work some things out. I think we have overwhelmed you.”

In agreement with him, she nodded her head as her lower lip quivered. “But I have no way to get around and I don’t know if Glen will give me my job back.”

“Since Jared is giving up his house to move in here and I know I am a horrible cook, how would you like to work as our housekeeper for the time being, and that way you don’t have to get a sitter for Nathan,” Connor said, leaning his head back a bit, giving her time to think. “We are still going to pursue you, but we won’t rush anything until you are absolutely ready. How does that sound?”

“But what about the diner? What is Glen going to say?”

“Don’t worry about him. He was running you ragged. You look beautiful to us and yet you look like you are dead on your feet most of the time. Please say you’ll do it? We’ll pay you, and you can use one of the trucks when you need to go to town.”

Pulling out of their embrace, Gina quickly stood and took a few steps before turning back to face the two men. “I don’t mean to contradict you two, but this is exactly what I meant by not wanting to be a charity case. I can go back to my old job if Glen will have me back after what I did. I just need to get my car fixed.”

Jared stood tentatively and moved before the visibly shaking woman. Reaching under her chin, he raised it up and looked into her blue depth. “You. Are. Not. A. Charity. Case,” he said, punctuating each word. “We care about you. We want to take care of you. We want to protect you. We want you in our bed as our woman, our wife. We want to raise Nathan as our own. You have had a rough couple of years and we want to take the burden off of you as much as we can. If that means providing financial support for you whether we give you money or a job, it is because we care for you, not because we consider you needy. That would assume we are trying to buy you. Is that what you think we are trying to do?”

She shook her head as if she feared her answer was a bit harsh. “No!”

Connor read the expressions on her face from where she sat and saw the chill run up her spine. Her eyes lowered as rosiness bloomed on her cheeks. She took a quick breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout. I meant, no, I don’t think you are trying to buy me or Nathan. I just need some time to adjust to all this. Our meals were very scarce. If it wasn’t for getting free meals at work, most of the time I would have gone without.”

Standing, Connor joined the duo and slipped his hand around to Gina’s back, letting it rest there. “Since we care so much about you, we
want
to take care of you. We don’t want you wondering where your next meal is coming from.”

“Or how you are going to pay your rent,” Jared threw in.

“Or get Nathan the things he needs, along with medical attention,” Connor added. “Trust us to provide for you, or at least be our housekeeper so you can be with Nathan and still earn a living until you are comfortable enough to accept us for who we are.”

Blue eyes shifted between the two men, doubt still registered there, but there was a sparkle of hope. Connor knew they were getting to her. Jared took her hand in his, his thumb rubbing the palm in a gentle soothing motion.

Amazement went through Connor as he watched Gina’s demeanor. It was as if a switch had been turned on or off within her as she went from a shivering mass of fear to a solid, confident woman. “Yes. Yes, I will trust you both.”

* * * *

Before she had finished, both men gathered her in their arms, holding her close to them as if they were afraid she was going to leave them. Warmth enveloped her as her soul became settled in the arms of her two men. She believed them when they told her they would protect her. It was a sense of belonging and being cherished that she had never felt with her ex-husband. She knew this was home, the house, the men, the love.

All of a sudden, guilt consumed her. Tears sprang to her eyes as she realized she had not only doubted them but she had insulted them by accusing them of treating her as a charity case. Letting her head rest against Connor’s chest, she sobbed, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

She felt Jared pull away slightly. “What are you sorry for, sugar?”

Remaining within the warmth of Connor’s embrace she continued to cry. “I treated you two so horribly. I doubted your feelings. I doubted why you wanted to be with me. I don’t understand why you still want me after that.”

Jared’s arm slipped around her waist as he cuddled in closer. “It’s because we care about you. We know you are scared after what you have been through but we want to help you move forward and never have to wonder where anything is coming from again.”

A choked whisper escaped her as her arms wound their way around the two men’s waists, holding tight to them as if holding to a lifeline. “Thank you.”

Gina felt the men move slightly and before she knew it, Connor had lifted her into his arms and moved over to the bed. Feeling herself moving downward, she realized he was sitting down, resting her on his lap. Her feet didn’t have but a moment to hang down before she felt them being lifted and lain across Jared’s lap. Opening her eyes, she found both men smiling at her.

Feeling a bit self-conscious, she started to lower her eyes, but heard Connor, “Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

Lifting her eyes she looked at him and then at Jared then back again. Happiness shone from both sets of eyes along with a mischievous sparkle, causing her panties to dampen. Squirming a bit, she tried not to be nervous but couldn’t help herself. Both men sniffed the air, grins covering their faces, but when she sniffed the air, she smelled her dinner cooking.

Trying to stand but realizing she was trapped in Connor’s grip, she tried to pry his hands away. “I have to see to the dinner before it burns.”

“You haven’t eaten yet?” Connor asked, glancing at Jared.

“No, we woke up late,” he answered, his left eyebrow rising in a questioning motion.

“I just assumed you would have had dinner by now. That’s why I ate at the diner with Angela.”

Connor unfolded his hands and helped Gina to her feet taking her hand in his. Standing, he wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s no problem, but unless Jared wants burnt food, you need to let me go.” She giggled.

“And I, personally, choose not to eat burnt food,” Jared protested as he stood.

“Ok. You two eat while I set up the crib I got for Nathan.”

Gina spun around to look at Connor. “What?”

“He needed a place to sleep, darling,” he retorted with a cheeky grin. “He can’t sleep with all of us, you know. Now go take care of your dinner.”

Letting go of her hand, he patted her on her rounded ass as if pushing her to move. Jared moved forward and took her hand, leading her out of the room.

Every fiber of her being wanted to argue with Connor at his purchase, but she had to tamp that down since she had already said she would trust them. Resolving in her mind that they really did care about both of them, she let it go and followed Jared into the kitchen.

“What can I do for you, love?” Jared asked peeking into the oven. “Do you want me to take these out?”

“Yes, please. Can you put it on a trivet on the table for me while I dish up the pasta?”

“Of course. There’s already one on the table.”

“What do you want to drink? I’m not sure what there is.”

“There are cold sodas and beer in the fridge in the garage,” Connor’s voice came from behind her, causing her to jump slightly.

For a moment, Gina didn’t know what to say as she hadn’t been in such a domestic setting since she left her parent’s home. Even while she was married to Frank, he didn’t help with anything in the house.
“It isn’t my job,”
he would say.
“That’s women’s work.”

Warmth spread through her and for the first time since she had met them and they had made their intentions known, she felt at peace with them. They tended to her, helped her, and made her and her son happy. This could actually work.

* * * *

Jared enjoyed the non-hectic dinner with Gina and Nathan. Angela sat with them and enjoyed a soda since she had already eaten. Connor had been in and out to the garage many times to bring in bags of items that he and his sister bought while shopping. When the largest box was pushed in the door toward the bedrooms, Connor donned a tool belt around his hips.

While he put together the wooden crib that would eventually serve as a toddler bed for Nathan when he was ready, Jared helped Gina with the dishes. Angela again had taken the boy into the living room and had opened several of the toys they had brought him. Jared knew it bothered Gina that they had been so generous, but she didn’t say anything about it. Several times she even laughed as Nathan played with various items.

Peace and belonging settled on Jared for the first time in years. Actually, he couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this content. It was a horrible thought that had crossed his mind, but he couldn’t remember having these feelings with his wife.

As Gina stood at the sink, elbows deep in the soapy water washing dishes with the water running, he moved in behind her. His arms slid around her waist, pulling her back to mold to his front and he laid his lips on the side of her neck. The shiver that ran through her was not only visible, but he felt it against his body, more importantly, against the bulge that was against the crack of her ass. An involuntary moan escaped him as he nuzzled further right before he felt her raise her hands.

She must have forgotten for a moment what she was doing, for when her arms reached up behind her, soap suds were wiped across his neck and back into his hair. The wetness of them brought him out of his sexual need immediately. “What the heck!”

Reaching up, he scooped at his neck and saw what it was. Smiling mischievously, he exclaimed, “Oh, sugar, you are in so much trouble now!”

Reaching into the sink, he scooped up a handful of suds and slung them at her. When they landed on her chest, she squealed. He watched her do the same, scooping up a larger pile of suds, but he stood still when she reached out and slid her hand down his face, laughing as she did so.