Theirs to Treasure (Beyond Monogamy Book 1) (8 page)

“Thank you, but you’ll be busy with family.”

“How about Cody takes you home then? There’s really no reason to have Jake waiting around for you, when he can take you home whenever you’re ready.” He hoped she’d agree so they weren’t on a time table to get her back to the airfield.

“Won’t Cody be busy with his family as well?”

“No, only Kain and my parents will be here. Before you ask, you’ll need to get the answer from Cody. That’s his secret to share, not mine. Now, what do you say?” He’d tell her almost anything to get her here, but he wasn’t willing to explain Cody’s family. Even with the three of them being as close as they were, he had only found out the drama surrounding Cody’s mother a few years before.

“Very well. You’re right, it’s crazy to have Jake waiting for me if Cody’s a pilot. But…”

“But what?”

“If something comes up, and I might need to head out quickly, would Cody be willing to leave in the middle of things?”

“He’ll leave whenever you’re ready. We’ll make sure the plane is gassed and ready to go in case there are any emergencies.” He caught the fear that lingered in her voice. Even though she hadn’t said as much, he was beginning to suspect the rumors of Amy Nelson’s illness were true. He decided to approach it a different way to give her the opportunity to tell him. “Though I’m sure that the company will be fine for a day without you.”

“No doubt, but things can come up.”

She tip-toed around it, leaving him without a definite answer. He wouldn’t pry; when she was ready, she’d tell them. “I’d suggest packing an overnight bag in case things go late. There’s plenty of guest rooms, and you can stay here.”

“I’m hoping to come home the same day. After all, you’re not my only client.”

“I have no doubt about that.” He chuckled, thinking about how popular Beyond Monogamy’s services must be now that their lifestyle was legal. “I look forward to seeing you on Saturday.”

“Me too.” For the first time since they began the call, there was a hint of excitement in her voice.

They spoke for a few more minutes before hanging up. Now that he had her answer, he felt like a weight had lifted off his shoulders. All he had to do was busy himself over the next few days before she arrived. Then they’d show her they were interested in her.

Paris Nelson, you’re our destiny, and you’re about to see that.

The week had gone by slower than a snail’s pace. Everything seemed to take twice as long, the simple things Paris had once taken joy in suddenly seemed like a task. She had packed an overnight bag against her better judgment, along with files, and other work to keep her busy if she felt uncomfortable. Now that she was on the way to Wyoming her nerves were getting the best of her and she almost told Jake to turn the plane around.

She tried to calm her rolling stomach, but when she closed her eyes, images of her men filled her thoughts. Oh, how she wanted things to go smoothly this weekend. She’d never been this nervous before and she wasn’t sure how to calm down.

“Miss Nelson, we’ve landed.” Jake stood in the cockpit doorway. “Are you okay? It’s so unlike you to pace the whole trip.”

“I’m fine.” How he knew she was pacing the jet was beyond her. Maybe he could feel the movements as he flew the plane. She’d hoped moving around and remembering her mother’s reassuring words would relax her. She was making this journey to see if the four of them were as compatible as she thought, and if so she was there to claim her men.
My men.

“I don’t have anything planned if you’d like me to stay until you’re ready. Even if you do end up staying the night, I don’t mind.”

She felt her stomach drop further as she remembered one of them was waiting for her just outside. “It’s fine. Mr. Knight is a licensed pilot and can fly me home when I’m ready. There’s no reason for you to wait here.”

“Very well. Speaking of waiting, there’s a black SUV and a gentleman outside.” He unlocked and pushed open the door, lowering the steps for her. “Have a good time, Miss Nelson. You deserve this.”

She grabbed her overnight and laptop bags and made her way up the aisle. “Thank you. Have a safe return trip.” She stepped past him and headed down the step to the SUV that was waiting for her. Just as her heels hit the asphalt, Aiden came around the SUV and strolled toward her.

“It’s good to see you again, Paris.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek before taking her bags. “The others are back at the house setting up for this afternoon.”

“I’m looking forward to meeting your family.”

He placed the bags in the backseat before he opened the passenger door for her. “It’s going to be a nice party, but the best part is that you’ll be there.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his comment as she wondered if there was a second meaning. She told herself she was just over-thinking things because of her own desires. Damn, she craved for him to want her as much as she wanted them.

Once inside the SUV Aiden nodded toward the plane at the end of the runway. “Cody came down this morning to get the plane ready for whenever you’re ready. Though we’d like to have you stay the night, maybe we could have a peaceful brunch tomorrow and discuss things.”

“We’ll see how it goes.” She didn’t want to commit to anything but the idea of staying the night was appealing because it would give her more time with them. “The sky looks threatening.”

“We’re expecting a storm but it’s not supposed to be that bad. Though it will be perfect for those who like to ski. Do you like to ski or snowboard?”

“It’s been so long since I’ve been on the mountain, but I used to. Now it seems like all I do is watch it from the windows.” She glanced at the mountains as he drove away from the landing strip. “What about you? Well, I guess not with your knee.”

“Not anymore, I’m worried I’ll blow my knee again. But Kain does.”

“What about Cody?”

“Not much, he prefers sledging. He does carriage rides through the snow for people in town. Our Cody is a true romantic.”

“Sounds like it.” She nodded. The thought of taking a carriage ride through the snow with the men was truly enchanting; a romantic setting like that was sure to help her win their hearts. She debated briefly how she might go about getting Cody to take her and the others on one if she stayed.

She forced her thoughts away from the romantic notions and back to things that mattered. She needed to get to know them better, and not as prospective clients. “Kain and Cody told me about their work but you’ve been pretty quiet about it. What does your business entail?”

He looked at her for a moment before returning his gaze to the road. “It’s not as exciting as working with horses, or having the clients Kain does.”

“It’s a part of you and that’s what’s important. You must enjoy doing it and keeping busy or you wouldn’t still do it. Tell me about it.”

“I’m an investor. I give loans to start-up businesses for a portion of their profit. If at the end of the loan period all investment and interest has been paid, they are free of any contractual obligations. If it hasn’t, I come in and take over the business, sell, or we can extend the loan. If the business fails, they still have to pay the loan back, so I lose nothing. However, I’m selective on who and what business I’m willing to take a risk on.”

“I don’t know why you said it isn’t interesting. Business has always been my thing and to me that’s more interesting that any high profile client Kain has. Why haven’t I heard your name tied to any company?”

He turned to head up the hill toward the house. “I prefer to remain a silent investor. I don’t want someone’s business doing well because I contributed to the funds to get it started or keep the business afloat.”

“If you make money on a company doing well, then it seems like it’s senseless to keep it quiet.”

“True, but imagine someone going to a restaurant I’ve given funds to and the food not being up to par. It could affect all my other business transactions.” He pulled the SUV to a stop in front of the house. “I need to keep my name as clean as possible if I want to continue occasionally doing sports casting.”

“That makes sense.” She nodded as movement from the front door caught her attention and Cody stepped out.

“Our parents will be arriving in a few hours but Cody wanted to talk to you while Kain and I finish getting things ready.” He nodded toward Cody. “Go ahead and go with him, I’ll take your bags inside and place them in the guest room.”

Something about Cody caught her attention, and she realized she’d spotted a darkness she hadn’t seen before. Deep within him, something was troubling him, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.

As if sensing what she’d noticed, Aiden reached across the armrest and laid his hand on her arm. “He’s got skeletons in his closet, but we all do. He’s not a violent man, just closed off. Let him take his time telling you what he needs to.”

“He doesn’t have to tell me anything.”

“Why, because you’re just our matchmaker?” Something about his tone made her think he was searching, trying to figure out what was in her head. She wanted to be
more
to them, but she couldn’t let on already.

“No, but there’s no need to dig up the past.”

“He thinks there is. Now go to him. I’ll park in the garage and then take your things inside.”

She opened her door and stepped down from the SUV. Cody reached for her arm, steadying her, and she turned to him. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and chase away the memories that were haunting him.

“I thought we could take a walk to the barn and I can show you the horses while they finish setting up.”

“Sounds great. I’ve wanted to check out your horses since you mentioned them. Don’t laugh, but I’ve never seen one in real life.”

“A lot of people haven’t.” He tipped his head to a black four-by-four sitting on the edge of the driveway. “We could take that and be there quicker but it’s just a short walk and it’s beautiful.”

“Let’s walk and you can tell me about the horses.” She figured that would help ease a bit of the tension within him.

Immediately his shoulders relaxed as he began to tell her about the different horses he owned. Describing each of them down to their breed, color, and even their personalities. It wasn’t just how he chose to make a living, it was his passion. His face lit up as he talked about them.

“Did you know you can tell if a horse is cold by feeling behind their ears? If that area is cold, so is the horse.”

“I guess I never thought about it. I just figured they’d have a way to keep themselves warm, but then again you see those horses with the blankets over their backs in the winter.” She paused as they came to stand before the doors to the barn. “When I was a kid, I always wanted a pony. I never got one but it was my childhood wish.”

“Why didn’t you get one?”

“Mom said it was too much work since Beyond Monogamy was in the shadows then, and Mathew’s law firm was touch-and-go because the town’s residents suspected something happening between Mom and my two Dads.”

“If you’d have gotten one as a child he’d still be around for many years to come. Ponies live longer than horses and can live well into their fifties.” He pushed open the barn door. “I don’t have any ponies now but we borrow one of the neighboring ranch’s ponies in the summer when we have certain groups of children here. I’m sure I can arrange for you to go there and visit with it tomorrow before we fly out if you’d like.”

“I think I might be too big for a pony now.” She giggled, stepping toward a chestnut horse who had his head sticking out over the half door.

“That’s General. He’s an American Quarter Horse.”

“He’s gorgeous. Can I pet him?” He nodded, and she timidly reached forward.

“Go on, he won’t bite. The General is used to rougher stuff than you’ll dish out. He’s my main stallion for the children. Calm and easy going. He’ll take anything the kids through at him with style.”

She noticed how soft his coat was as she ran her fingers over the side of his head. The horse leaned closer, sniffing her with interest. “What’s he doing?”

“He likes you. Now scratch him behind the ears, it’s his favorite spot. Wait, while I grab something.”

“Don’t leave me!” She tried to keep the panic from her voice but failed.

“You’re fine.” He stepped around her. “Give him this.”

She quickly glanced down, not wanting to take her eyes off General for too long. “An apple? Now?”

“It’s for him.” He laughed at her confusion before he laid his head against hers, his body pressed against her back. “He’ll eat it right out of your hand. Like this.” He took her hand, placed the apple in it and guided her closer to his mouth.

“Wow.” She whispered as the horse took a bite from the apple. Though she wasn’t completely sure if she was more impressed with the feeling of him pressed against her or what General was doing. She wished she could focus more on Cody but with the horse eating from her hand she had to make sure he didn’t mistake any of her fingers for food.

When the apple was gone, he reached farther around her to scratch the horse behind the ears. “Big boy, we’ll be back later and go for a ride.”

“Where to now?”

“There’s still more to see.” He led her down the row of horses toward where the hay was stored. “First I want to talk to you.”

“We don’t have to do this.” She offered as much for him as for herself. Their time together had been special and she didn’t want to ruin it by digging up the past.

He took a seat on a bale of hay. “Yeah we do. Aiden told me you asked why my family wouldn’t be here today.”

“It’s none of my business.” She tried to get him to see reason, to force away the storm clouds that were forming in his eyes. “Please, Cody, just show me the horses.”

“My life was pretty normal until my father died but then it all changed. I don’t just mean that I was suddenly the man of the house and was expected to deal with the ranch. I gave up everything to keep that damn place afloat.”

She sat down next to him and laid her hand on his leg. “You don’t have to do this.”

“You need to know to truly understand why I’m the man I am.” He stared down at the floor as he continued. “I worked from sunup to sundown to keep that place alive. Everything I did or thought was about the ranch. I turned down scholarships for college so I could stay and keep the family legacy alive. The winter after I graduated, it was right before Christmas when I found out.”

“What?”

“All the money I had made in selling hay, produce, eggs, slaughtering our cattle, and everything else was gone. My mother didn’t use it to pay back the loan or the other bills.” He pushed off the hay and marched to one of the empty stalls. “See, my mother had a problem gambling years before I was born. My father kept her in check, not giving her more money than she needed, and cutting her off altogether when she went back to her old ways. I didn’t have that same power and she took off with the money. While I was working the land she was spending the money on bets. Toward the end she was too drunk to even tell me what had happened. I ended up finding out from the police, who’d been sent to get us off the property.”

“Oh, Cody.” She came to stand behind him, her hand on his back. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not any consolation, but it was just land. What matters is family.”

“Family…I lost the last of my biological family that day as well.” He turned to face her. “My mother knew they were coming, she knew all along what would happen when she didn’t pay the loan note.” He collapsed on the cool floor of the barn. “She killed herself while I was out in the field. I found her when I went to tell her the police were there and we had to leave. I was so pissed. I came in screaming at her, cursing her for everything that was happening.”