Monroe, Marla - Their Border Lands Temptress [Men of the Border Lands 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (10 page)

“Brice?” Ronnie limped into the kitchen, where he was stowing the milk and eggs from that morning’s chores.

“Yeah, baby?” He turned and looked at her.

“Why don’t you want me?”

“Why would you think that, Ronnie?” He stopped washing his hands and stared at her.

“You never fuck me. You let me suck you off and you jack off in the shower. Don’t say you don’t. But you haven’t fucked me.” She sat down at the table and propped her bad foot on top of her other one.

“Ronnie, you know I’m not going to stay. I just didn’t think it was fair to you or to Garrett if I fucked you then left. I mean, what if you get pregnant? You wouldn’t know whose child it was.”

“It wouldn’t matter to me. I want you to stay, Brice. At least stay part of the year with us. You can stay here in the winter and go scavenging in the summer months. Wouldn’t that work for you?”

“I’m sorry, Ronnie, but I can’t. I’ll probably leave in another week. You’re just about ready to be discharged from my medical care now.”

He tried to tease her, but she wasn’t falling for it. He wasn’t going to stick around any longer than he had to. He didn’t care about her like Garrett did. It hurt. It hurt a lot. She cared about Brice just as much as she cared about Garrett. Knowing he didn’t feel the same way made her feel bad, so she got angry.

“Fine. You can go whenever you get ready to. I can handle the chickens and the cow. My wrist isn’t that bad. I can probably out-milk you one-handed anyway.”

She stormed off as fast as her sore ankle would let her go. She carefully climbed the stairs and searched through her things until she found clothes to put on. She still couldn’t stand the bra around her chest, so she went braless, but she dressed in her normal clothes. Getting her foot into the boot was nerve-racking, but she finally managed it.

She found Garrett out working on one of the barrels that she used to catch rainwater for the garden.

“Hey, baby. What are you doing out here?”

“Tired of being in the house. I need to get back on my feet so I can take over when Brice leaves. I doubt he’ll be here more than another few days.”

“What makes you think that?” Garrett stood up and stared down at her.

“He as much as said so a while ago.” She couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

“Oh, fuck, Ronnie, don’t cry.” Garrett wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tight to his body. She breathed in the male scent that she so loved.

“I’ll be okay. I’m just pissed that he’s leaving.”

“I know. He’ll come back and see us,” Garrett told her.

“Do you really believe that?” she asked.

“Yeah, I do. He’ll visit and then he’ll realize he’s tired of all the traveling and he’ll come back and settle in with us.”

“Maybe.”

Ronnie wasn’t so sure he would show back up at all. He had that look about him that said he was ready to make a run for it. He felt trapped. She was sure she was the reason for it, too. Garrett was losing his best friend because of her.

“I’m going to go back inside and skim the milk. I’ll see you at lunch.” Ronnie felt like a heel.

That night after supper, they sat in the living room in front of the fire, talking about the weather and what they thought it would do next.

“I suspect it will snow again by the end of the week,” Ronnie told them. It’s been too dry lately, and we usually have a foot by now.”

“We need supplies if we’re going to get through the winter with me living here now. Brice, want to make a run to Sky Line and gather up some things? We can pick up another truck for here while we are out.” Garrett hugged Ronnie against him.

“That’s probably a good idea.” Brice nodded and stretched his feet out in front of him. “You need some supplies, and Ronnie needs clothes. She doesn’t have anything in her drawers.”

“Hey, I’m here, you know.” She resented it when they talked about her like she wasn’t even in the room.

“Sorry, baby.” Garrett looked at her. “He’s right, though. You don’t have decent clothes, and especially not for winter.”

“Can you manage the morning chores alone if we go tomorrow while the weather is holding?”

“Yeah, I can handle them. My wrist is just a little stiff still. Nothing that some regular exercise wouldn’t help.”

“You going to be okay here by yourself?” Garrett asked.

“She’ll be fine, Garrett,” Brice said. “We better head to bed if we’re going to get up early and leave.”

“I’m going to make out a list of things I know we need and leave it on the kitchen table for you in the morning. I’ll be up in a few minutes.” Ronnie stood up and slipped out of Garrett’s grip to find something to write on.

She took the lamp with her and laughed to herself. The men would have to make it upstairs in the dark or light another lamp.

She found a sheet of tablet paper and a pen in a drawer and sat at the kitchen table to make out her list. There were so many things they could use, but she narrowed it down to the things they needed the most, like canned goods. She refused to acknowledge the tears running down her face. Brice would leave after this trip, she was sure of it.

Ronnie finished the list and sat it on the table with the pen on top of it. Then she checked the fire to be sure it was banked, and climbed the stairs. She doused the light as she opened the door and let her eyes adjust to the dark before setting the lamp on the dresser. She stripped down to nothing and climbed in the bed between the two men. Garrett immediately snuggled next to her, but Brice remained on his side of the bed.

* * * *

Brice tossed and turned all night long, thinking about leaving. He wanted to stay so badly but knew it was for the best, because he didn’t want to become too attached to Ronnie and then get the wanderlust and leave her. It would break both of their hearts. Leaving now was better in the long run.

Finally, around four thirty, he climbed out of bed and grabbed his clothes. He dressed hurriedly in the bathroom, then tiptoed downstairs. By the time Garrett made it downstairs, he had the coffee and some sandwiches made for their trip.

“You’re up early.” Garrett took the cup Brice handed him.

“Couldn’t sleep. Guess I was antsy about getting on the road.”

“I’m ready to start out whenever you are,” Garrett said in a strange voice.

Brice looked at him but didn’t see anything in his friend’s expression to explain the slight bite in his tone.

“Ronnie’s list is over on the table.” Brice pointed it out for him.

Garrett picked it up and stuffed it in his coat pocket.

“Help me remember gloves and a scarf for her.”

“Will do.” Brice unlocked the front door then locked it back behind them. He climbed into the cab of the truck and waited on Garrett to do the same.

“Do you think she’ll be okay here alone?”

“She’s been alone for the last three years. She’ll be fine.”

Brice felt uneasy leaving, though, and figured it was just because he’d been there for nearly three weeks now. He’d begun to put down roots, and that was why he needed to get going again. Today would be a good dry run for him.

They pulled into Sky Line around eight that morning. They decided to top off the fuel first, and then locate some stores to explore. Brice decided to head across town to the other side, where fewer people ventured. There were more wolf packs in that area.

They stopped at a Super Kmart and found a way inside where someone had already broken the lock in the back of the store.

They loaded up on items from Ronnie’s list and stacked them in boxes in the back. When they got to the clothing, they chose work jeans, shirts, and boots for her, but frilly underwear for underneath. They found several pairs of gloves and scarves, as well as thermals that were pink. Brice figured she would get a kick out of them.

“She’s going to love the underwear,” Garrett said. “We should look for a few new coats, too. Yours is already falling apart, and I noticed that the only one Ronnie has is torn in several places.”

They located a sporting goods store where there were a few things left. They managed to each find a coat and two for Ronnie. All the ammunition and guns were gone, but they located some knives.

“It wouldn’t hurt for Ronnie to have one on her at all times,” Brice said.

They drove over to the car dealership where Garrett picked out a SUV in silver. They located a couple more stores and filled up the back of the SUV as well. By the time they were ready to get back on the road, it was nearly four in the afternoon. It was already getting dark. They needed to get back to the house.

Brice led the way. He thought about Ronnie most of the way home. Garrett would take good care of her, and she’d eventually forget about him. He wasn’t sure it would be a good idea to go back once he left. Maybe he’d drop them off some supplies now and then when they were asleep.

Why was he so hung up over leaving them? Sure, he was going to miss Garrett. They’d been together through everything for nearly ten years now. Knowing he might not ever see him again weighed heavily on him.

Then there was how he felt about Ronnie. He cared about her. He knew he did, but sometimes it felt like more, and that scared him. He’d never wanted to be responsible for another’s happiness. That was one of the reasons he enjoyed sharing women with Garrett. Garrett saw to their softer needs. Brice made them feel good about their body and relaxed around them, but it was Garrett who catered to their feminine side, that need to cuddle and talk afterward.

When they pulled up into the drive around seven thirty, the house was dark. There didn’t even seem to be a fire in the fireplace, as there was no smoke coming from the chimney. Unease slithered across his skin as he climbed out of the truck.

“Brice?”

“I see it. Let’s go around to the back and come in that way.”

They eased around the back of the house to the kitchen door. Garrett unlocked the door and they quietly entered the house. Brice couldn’t hear a sound. He led the way to the living room with nothing looking out of place that he could see. By the time he made it upstairs, he had just about convinced himself they were worried for no reason. She’d just let the fire die out by accident or couldn’t pick up wood with her bum hand.

The only thing was, she wasn’t in the bedroom or the bathroom. They checked each and every room upstairs, and then started all over again.

“Hell, Brice. Someone’s got her.”

“Calm down. Let’s look around outside. She may be late doing chores or something.”

Brice didn’t think so, but he couldn’t stomach the alternative. It had been his idea for them to go to Sky Line and leave her on her own. He should have known better.

They searched the backyard, the chicken coop, and finally the barn. Just as they were about to give up, a noise in the loft and the fall of hay alerted them that something or someone was up in the hay. Brice put his finger over his lips so that Garrett could see him. Then he climbed up the ladder and came face-to-face with the business end of a shotgun and Ronnie behind it. Hay stuck out of her hair all over, and she had some stuck in her shirt as well.

“Brice? Is that really you? Where’s Garrett?” Her voice shook.

“He’s right down here. What are you doing up in the loft?” Brice had a feeling he wasn’t going to like the answer.

“I—” she began.

“Come on down here. Let’s go to the house and start a fire where we’ll be warm to discuss this,” Garrett called up the ladder.