Warm liquid heat melted through her body in acquiescence.Why?! Why did their protective, gentle touch to her stomach do this to her eachtime? Opening her mouth, she averted her gaze in embarrassment as sheobediently let him feed her. Silently they continued like that, he fed her theremainder of the sandwich and leaned back against the headboard as his handcontinued to idly rub her stomach as she sipped her tea.
Setting down the mug, she looked out the large windows aheadof her. “Why do you want me?” She whispered. “Why me, out of all the otherwomen?”
Taking the tray from her lap, Reid pulled her backward untilshe was leaning fully against him, feeling the heat of his naked chest againsther back.
“Because you were made for us,” his deep voice rumbledthrough his chest to hers. The manly scent of his clean soap and deodorantdistracted her as she relaxed deeper into his body. “I never put too much stockinto fate or destiny, but finding you…” Feeling the expanse of his wide chestenveloping her back Everly’s heart jumped when she felt the subtle scratches ofhis short scruffy beard hairs run across her cheek as he kissed her cheekgently. “You, my love, changed that. I knew almost immediately that we weremeant to find you…”
“And capture me?” She snapped back tartly. “You are sayingthat you knew when you saw me you were meant to abduct me?!”
Nuzzling deeper into the crook of her neck, Everly’s eyesfluttered close at the feel of his strong arms wrapping around her and his bighands splaying possessively over her stomach. She felt his smile against herneck as he grumbled against it. “Yes,” in a long low growl. “I told you, I wasnot going to risk losing you. I refused to just watch you fight and stumble tosurvive. Not when you could be here with us.” The grip on her stomach tightenedslightly, and she felt his teeth scrape along the tender flesh of her necksending shivers through her body. “You are safe with us, in our arms, where wecan hold you and love you. Now finish your soup before Zane comes back.”
Imagining Zane’s furious face, Everly held her hands up fromher lap without protest as Reid replaced the tray to her lap. Eating insilence, the light in the room slowly faded away as the sun started to sinkbehind the trees.
“You know, when we were kids Zane saw a commercial that madehim think tomato soup was pretty much God’s panacea.” Everly found herselflistening attentively, she would be lying if she didn’t admit she wanted tohear more personal details about the two brothers. “The commercial had this kidcome home from a cold, snowy day at school. The mom hugged and kissed the kidand served him a big bowl of hot tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.Since then, Zane seemed to think that it was the only food to serve the sick.”
Everly could hear the amusement in Reid’s voice as she lookeddown at her now empty bowl of soup. Despite his fury, Zane still made hersomething he believed that would stave off any sickness, a small pang of guiltentered her heart again. Zane did rush to save her earlier, she could stillclearly see his look of despair when she slipped from the bridge or the feel ofhis strong arms grabbing her beneath the water. But she could also remember hiscruel threat.
“Did you both pretend to get sick a lot when you wereyounger, to get your mom to serve you that?” She asked, still trying to picturethe two muscled brothers as little boys.
Reid tensed beneath her, there was a heartbeat of silence.Did she say the wrong thing? Finally, Reid spoke his voice low and rough. “Wedidn’t have the luxury to get sick nor the luxury of a mom.”
Everly stilled under the weight of his words. No mom? The “luxuryof getting sick”? What did that all mean? It wasn’t good, a voice in herhead answered, whatever it was, their childhood wasn’t a good one that much wascertain. Looking down at the rough hands cupping her stomach protectively,Everly tilted her head to one side in silent observation before covering hishands with hers.
“Mmm,” he growled low in his throat before removing the trayfrom her lap. “Come here.”
Turning her to the side in his lap Reid pulled her lips tohis. Again, the electrifying tingle of forbidden arousal coursed through herbody at his masterful touch. Tilting her back into the crook of his armEverly’s hands spread across his chest doing nothing to push him away as heexplored her mouth coaxing out tiny whimpers from her throat.
“She needs to be resting,” the lethally soft command hit theair around them like a gong.
Slowly pulling away with no obvious sign of hurrying, Reidslowly slid his darkening gaze towards his brother standing in the bedroomdoorway. Nothing was said between the two, but Everly knew there was a silentinteraction and play. Too afraid to meet Zane’s gaze yet, Everly sunk deeperinto Reid’s naked torso hiding her face in the crook of his neck.
The sound of the door shutting was the only sound thatfollowed.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Reid kissed her gently on theforehead before muttering something in French as he lifted her back onto thepillows.
“Though it pains me to admit it, he is right,” Reid gave hera wry smile as he got up from the bed. “Get some sleep.”
With one last heated look, he grabbed the tray off thenightstand and left her alone with her conflicting thoughts.
±
The feeling of the bed dipping on either side woke her up.Blinking tiredly Everly could see that the room was dark and only the soft glowof the fireplace broke up the room’s shadows. The automatic curtains wereclosed tight making the room feel smaller and more intimate. With shutteredeyes, while staying still as possible, Everly watched as Reid, wearing only hisblack brief shorts climbed into bed next to her. The slight shift behind herand the warm radiating presence engulfing her back signaled Zane took his ownplace at her left. Doing her best to feign sleep, Everly tried to lay verystill. As if in an act of self-sabotage her skin prickled with phantom twitchesand itches here and there making her pretense that much harder.
“Today can never happen again,” Reid’s serious voice echoedinto the cool air around the bed. “Do you understand Everly?”
Silence loomed as she held her breath waiting.
Seconds ticked by like molasses.
Opening her eyes, Everly miraculously held back a startledgasp as she realized she was nearly face-to-face with the man. Laying on herside, she was facing Reid, but she could feel Zane behind her, she could feelhis presence practically vibrate her body. Or was that his anger still? Toocoward to turn and look, she focused on Reid.
Refusing to simply surrender like they wanted, Everlyfrowned at him. “I refuse to just—eek!”
The grip on her shoulder turned her over with near whiplashforce cutting off her argument with a small shriek. Now on her other side,Everly’s chest was pressed tight to Zane’s naked tattooed chest while his handclamped securely on her waist. Staring down at her like a wolf cornering arabbit, Zane’s eyes were wild and wide.
“Dammit, Everly what did I say earlier?” Zane’s voice wasdeep and furious.
Trembling, Everly wildly pushed at his chest, she couldn’tstand it, she couldn’t stand his anger. Everly knew what savage anger like thatdid to a man, she was versed firsthand in it growing up. Eventually yellingwould not be enough, threats and growls always escalated and always ended withher getting hurt.
