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  “Sure, you can. You’ll see,” he said. “I’m going up to clean up. Be back down in a bit.”

  She watched him disappear as well then buried her face in her hands. What had she gotten herself into?

  * * * *

  “Ready for bed, babe?” Garrett asked.

  Amanda knew she wasn’t, but it was late. She’d been having trouble keeping her attention on the book she’d been trying to read by the firelight for the last hour. Nerves had her stomach rolling like a tidal wave and her muscles jumping like Mexican jumping beans.

  “Y—yes.”

  Jeremy stood and stretched. “I’m beat.”

  “Hard work and fresh air will do that to you,” Garrett said. “Let’s go.”

  Amanda found herself between the two men as they climbed the stairs. They always put her between them when they went anywhere together. She liked that. It felt like they were watching out for her by keeping her in the middle.

  Once she was in the bedroom, the jumping beans were back. She rushed into the bathroom and quickly bathed and pulled on her sleeping shirt. When she walked out, it was to find both men standing in their boxers next to the bed talking.

  Garrett turned and smiled at her. “Still up for a little game of you show me yours, and I’ll show you mine?”

  “I—I guess. I mean we don’t have to,” she said, wringing her hands.

  “Easy, Mandy. Calm down. It’s just us,” Jeremy said, walking over to rub her upper arms up and down.

  “I know. I can’t help it.” She shivered. It was cold in the bedroom.

  “Come on. Let’s get in bed,” Garrett said. “It’s too cold to stand out here like this.”

  Jeremy led her over to the bed and urged her to climb under the covers. She gratefully scooted to the middle of the bed, sure that the danger had passed, only to find that both men slid their boxers down before climbing into the bed with her. She squeezed her eyes closed so that she wouldn’t see anything in the bright moonlight that shown through the curtains.

  Why had she done that? She should have looked. All she could think about was that it seemed wrong to stare. They were going to be her men. Of course, it was okay. She drew in a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart, but it galloped out of her chest like a wild horse running in the night.

  “Come here, Mandy,” Jeremy said.

  She scooted over toward him with her back to him. He rolled her over so that she was facing him.

  “Lift up. We’re sleeping nude tonight,” he said.

  “B—but won’t we be colder that way?” she asked.

  “Not if we stay close together. We’ll be fine,” he said.

  “I put an extra blanket on the bed just in case,” Garrett said from the other side of her.

  “Lift up,” Jeremy said again.

  Amanda lifted her hips as Jeremy slowly slid her T-shirt over her hips and up her waist.

  “Now sit up so I can get it over your head, babe,” he said.

  Amanda slowly sat up, resisting the urge to cross her arms to prevent him from drawing the material over her head. She slowly lifted her arms, and the T-shirt lifted up and off her body. She shivered and immediately covered her breasts with her arms across her chest.

  “Slide down and get under the covers before you catch a chill,” Jeremy said.

  Relief poured through her like a fast-flowing stream over smooth rocks. She’d been afraid he’d fuss at her for covering her breasts. The fact that he didn’t warmed her somewhat.

  “Scoot over and let’s conserve some body heat, Mandy,” Garrett said.

  Amanda turned over and scooted back so that she was against Jeremy’s completely nude body. His warmth immediately seeped into her skin and deeper still into her muscles. She instantly became aware of something else though. He was hard and aroused, caught between her and his belly.

  Dear God. Is all that him? How can all of that fit into me?

  Amanda nearly pulled away, but Garrett pressed against her front, pulling her arm over his chest and clasping it there. She had to steel herself not to struggle to be free of them. Worry laced with just a touch of fear coursed through her bloodstream as she fought to control her body. Despite her resolve, she shook, and the men took it to mean that she was cold.

  “Babe, easy. We’ll keep you warm,” Jeremy said. He cuddled up closer, and his erection pressed firmer against her back at the crack of her ass.

  Garrett pressed his big body closer to her and rubbed her arm as if he could infuse her with his warmth that way. Slowly she settled between them and the shivering stopped. They wouldn’t hurt her. She had to remind herself that and stop acting like a young schoolgirl. Her sisters were doing fine and were as happy as they could be.

  “Better?” Garrett asked.

  “Yeah. Thanks,” she whispered.

  “Sleep, Mandy. Sweet dreams,” Jeremy said in a soft voice next to her ear.

  She tried to relax and go to sleep, but it was a long time coming. She felt it when each man fell asleep, as their bodies relaxed around her. Jeremy snored lightly, and Garret mumbled occasionally. She smiled at how innocent and relaxed they were while they were asleep.

  What if I can’t love them no matter how long we are together?

  Amanda worried that she wouldn’t fall in love with them or they with her. What would happen years down the line if they didn’t love each other? Would it result in bitterness? She had to hope not. Maybe the fact that they were all each of them had and mutual respect would be enough considering the world they lived in now. Maybe it would be enough.

  Maybe.

  Chapter Six

  The next morning Amanda used some of the milk and eggs Jeremy brought in before breakfast to make batter for flapjacks. The men were so excited she thought they might erupt into young schoolboys the way they carried on. She couldn’t help but laugh at their antics. She promised she’d make them often.

  While they went outside to shovel the snow once more since it had snowed again overnight, she cleaned up the kitchen and decided to tackle the bedrooms upstairs. There were four in all. Two of them, other than the master, the men had been sleeping in prior to her arrival. She cleaned them up after moving their clothes into the master bedroom then continued on to the bathroom they had shared. Considering they were men, it hadn’t been in nearly as bad a shape as she would have expected.

  By the time she’d finished, it was time for lunch. She fed them soup and crackling bread then put on some dear steak with gravy to cook for dinner that night before settling down with a book.

  All she could think about, though, was the coming night and what it would bring. Would they want sex? If not then, when? Surely, they wouldn’t drag it out until she was a nervous wreck wondering when they would pounce on her. She was already dropping things and jumping at every sound.

  I’m worse than a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs. I can’t be still long enough to do anything.

  When the door in the kitchen opened and slammed closed, followed by the sound of stamping feet, she nearly screamed. Instantly her heart began to pound with the knowledge that they were inside for the rest of the day. She started to jump up and run to see what they were doing then drew in a deep breath and willed her trilling heart to settle down to a mere gallop. She’d sit right there and pretend to read.

  “Amanda? Where are you, babe?” Garrett called out.

  “I…” She coughed. “I’m in the den reading,” she finally got out.

  The two men walked into the room, rubbing their hands together, to stand in front of the fireplace. Cold air seemed to shimmer off them as they basked in the heat from the crackling fire.

  “Damn it’s cold as a witch’s tit in a brass bra out there,” Garrett said.

  Amanda burst out laughing. She couldn’t help herself. “That sounds cold.”

  Jeremy chuckled. “Believe me. It is. I hope like hell it doesn’t snow again so we don’t have to shovel any more of that shit tomorrow. Need a break
from that crap.”

  “Dinner will be ready in about an hour if you want to go shower beforehand,” she said.

  “You saying we stink?” Garrett asked.

  “No. I was just, just…”

  “Don’t tease her, Garrett. She isn’t used to your humor yet,” Jeremy said.

  “I’m going up to shower, babe. Hot water will feel damn good after that cold,” Garrett said.

  “Don’t use up all the fucking hot water. I want some of it,” Jeremy said as Garrett jogged toward the stairs.

  “Should’ve beat me to it then,” Garrett called down the stairs.

  “Asshole,” Jeremy muttered.

  Jeremy rubbed his hands together in front of the fire then turned around with his hands behind him and grinned over at Amanda. He nodded at her book.

  “Whatcha reading?” he asked.

  “Robin Cook’s Coma,” she said. “I’ve read it before, but it’s been years ago. Plus, it was missing a lot of the middle where the pages had fallen out. This one seems to have all the pages in it.”

  “You look nice and warm. Mind if I snuggle up to you?” he asked, walking over and climbing onto the couch behind her.

  “Um, no,” she said, scooting forward some to accommodate his big body.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back so that she was resting against his hard chest with his strong arms locked in place around her. She was intimately aware of his legs like thick tree trunks on either side of hers, as well as the other thick thing behind her ass. His warm breath stirred her hair behind her ear.

  “Go back to reading. I won’t bother you. You feel great. Like holding you, Mandy. Go on. I won’t bother you,” he said.

  She wanted to laugh at him. Just having him this close was bothering her but not in a bad way. There was no way she was going to be able to concentrate on her book with him so close to her. She doubted she would have been able to read with him in the same room as she was. He was that delicious.

  “You’re not reading,” he said.

  Again, his heated breath blew across the shell of her ear.

  “Um, it’s kind of hard to read with you behind me like that,” she admitted.

  “I’m distracting you?” he asked in a husky voice.

  Was his mouth a little closer to her ear? She swore she felt his lips touch her there.

  “Y—yes. A little bit.”

  “I like touching you. Do you like it when I touch you?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about when I kiss you?” he asked.

  He placed his lips just behind her ear and kissed her there then kissed her below her ear against her neck.

  “Yes.”

  “I like kissing you, Mandy. I like kissing you a lot,” he said.

  She couldn’t help the soft sigh that escaped when he kissed his way down her neck. She wanted more, but when he reached her shirt, he stopped. Damn her clothes.

  Then he turned her so that she had to pick up her legs to put them on the couch and her back was to the arm of it. She realized this put her in his lap. The book dropped to the floor forgotten.

  “Your cheeks have the prettiest glow right now. All pink and shiny. Did my kisses do that to you, Mandy?” he asked.

  She couldn’t answer him. All she could do was look into his dark blue eyes that seemed darker in that moment to her. Her lips trembled as he lifted his finger to trace them. Then he cupped her chin and lifted it slightly as he slowly, deliberately lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her.

  He sipped at her lips much as a man might sip at a hot cup of coffee. Then he nipped at her lower lip so that she opened to him and fire breathed through her body as he deepened the kiss and sent shards of pleasure racing straight to her clit. She’d never felt anything like the way he made her feel. She swore she felt it all the way to her toes as he tangled their tongues together. She had only their previous kisses to compare it to, but it seemed to only get better with each kiss she experienced. What were they doing to her? She ached for more, and she wasn’t sure what more was.

  When he slowly pulled back, she chased him with her mouth until he chuckled and held a finger to her lips.

  “Easy there, Mandy. I’m already on the edge here, and our first time needs to be with Garrett. We’re a family. Won’t say we’ll always be together when we have sex. There will be times when it’s just you and me or you and Garrett, but this first time needs to be the three of us. I’m only a man, and much more and I’m going to explode, so ease up a bit for me, okay?” Jeremy kissed her on the nose and sat back.

  “What? I don’t understand,” she said. “What am I doing wrong?”

  “You’re not doing anything wrong. You’re doing everything right. We just need to slow down some for now. That’s all,” he said.

  “Guys, I’m out of the shower. Your turn, Jeremy,” Garrett called down the stairs, startling them both.

  “Up, little kitten. I need to go clean up. Will dinner be ready by the time I’m out of the shower?” he asked.

  “Um, yeah.” She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she stood and watched as Jeremy got up then bent to pick up her forgotten Robin Cook novel and handed it to her.

  “Be back down in a little bit, Mandy.”

  She watched him walk over to the stairs, and then, once he was gone, she shook herself and walked into the kitchen to tend to dinner. It wasn’t lost on her that her panties were wet, and walking with wet panties proved uncomfortable. Briefly she wondered if she had time to run upstairs and change them. Unfortunately, Garrett walked into the kitchen and pulled her into his arms for a second mind-blowing kiss of the evening. It was a wonder she was able to stand up.

  “Dinner smells delicious, and so do you, babe,” he said.

  “You smell pretty good yourself,” she countered, feeling a little daring after her tryst with Jeremy.

  “As hungry as I am, I would much rather have you for dinner,” he said, burying his face in her neck and inhaling.

  She giggled then moaned as his mouth latched onto a spot on her neck that felt better than good. He sucked then nipped her there before continuing up her neck to suck on her earlobe.

  What was it about her neck that she felt it all the way to her pussy? Forget wet panties, she was soaking her thighs now. He lightly bit along her jaw until he reached her mouth once again and took control of the kiss so that all she could do was go along for the ride. He took her on a roller coaster ride that had her digging her hands into his short hair and scraping her nails against his scalp.

  When he finally pulled back, she was wild with need. She needed more, and she needed it now. He kissed her chin and stepped back, but she followed him, nearly lifting one leg to wrap around his when she caught herself and gasped. What was wrong with her?

  I’m going crazy. What will he think of me?

  “Hold that thought, Mandy girl. We’ll take up with that after dinner when Jeremy is with us. I can’t wait to get you in bed. I bet you’re going to be a wildcat, aren’t you, babe?” he said.

  Amanda felt her face heat, and shame burned her cheeks as she turned to hide the brimming tears. She bent down to check the deer meat and gravy and pulled it out to set it on top of the stove. The beans were already cooked and ready. She had the corn bread ready as well. As soon as Jeremy made it back down, they could eat. All she had left to do was get control of herself.

  After dinner, Amanda took her time cleaning up the kitchen, putting off joining the men in the den as long as she could. She was nervous and unsure how to behave around them knowing that they each expected more from her later. Where only moments before she’d been ready to climb Garrett like a tree, now she wasn’t sure she could go through with sex with them. What if they were disappointed in her? She didn’t have any experience other than what she’d read in books, and that didn’t count.

  How can I measure up to any other woman they’ve been with when I’ve never been with another man before? They’re going to decide they don’t wa
nt me after all. Then what am I going to do?

  Well, she’d go back home come spring. No one had to know that she’d tried and failed to keep two men of her own happy. They’d just saved her from the man who’d kidnapped her and kept her safe until winter was over. That was all. Right. They’d really believe that. There was no way the three of them would have spent an entire winter cooped up together without something going on between them. They’d wonder what had happened that she hadn’t stayed with them.

  The more she dwelled on it the worse she felt until she was fighting the tears when the men returned to sit down for dinner.

  “Smells delicious in here, babe. Can’t wait to eat,” Garrett said.

  “Need any help?” Jeremy asked.

  “I’ve got it. Just a second,” she said.

  Amanda carried over the pot of beans then the cornbread before picking up the cast iron skillet with the meat and gravy in it and transferring it to the table.

  “Damn, Mandy. You should have let me get that for you. It’s too heavy for you to be carrying it back and forth like that,” Jeremy said.

  “I’ve got it,” she said and sat.

  She toyed with her food as the men talked about the weather and what all they needed to keep watch on while they ate. She was pleased to see that they took seconds while she had to force down the few bites she took. Nerves were forming knots in her already upset stomach. She was afraid if she ate too much she’d throw up. That wouldn’t bode well for whatever they had in mind for later.

  Sex. They plan on us having sex later. I’ve got to get control of myself before then.

  Amanda was glad they hadn’t noticed she’d barely eaten when she rose and began gathering their plates once they’d finished eating. She quickly cleared the table and promised to join them in the den as soon as she cleaned up the kitchen.

  She took her time wiping down every surface before she finally gave in and walked into the other room. Both men looked up and smiled when she did. Their smiles were broad and reached their eyes, making her lips turn up as well. How could she help but smile back? It was contagious.

  “I’ve banked the fire, honey. Let’s go on upstairs,” Garrett said.