Alexander, Kalissa - Katlynn in Training (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (10 page)

“I’m just getting ready to put the steaks on the grill. Why don’t you all sit down in the living room or would you prefer to go out on the deck?” Justin asked. Jarred could feel his anxiety transmit itself in every word. This meeting was important to him.

“How about we sit here in the living room?” Jarred smiled. “Once you put the steaks on, the smoke will kill us. Besides, it will be more comfortable for Kat.”

Justin and Jeremiah smiled as Jarred took Kat’s hand to lead her into the living room where he sat down on the sofa, drawing her down next to him.

“If you two don’t mind, I’m going to help Justin. It will give you a chance to chat,” Jeremiah said as he backed out onto the deck, closing the glass door behind him.

Jarred could see a slight tremor move across Katlynn’s lips. Was she afraid of him? Or did she sense he liked his women submissive and was playing to his needs the way she did his brothers? Whatever her motivation, he had no doubt he would enjoy fucking her in every hole over and over until she begged him for mercy. He couldn’t believe Justin and Jeremiah hadn’t already spread those beautiful legs to sample what lay between them. He would never have shown that kind of restraint, not because he couldn’t, but because he wasn’t the type of man to deny himself. However, Katlynn wasn’t just any woman they had picked up for a night of fun, and he wasn’t about to let her bewitch him into losing his perspective. There was too much at stake.

“Katlynn, when I said my brothers told me about you, I wasn’t kidding. They have been singing your praises nonstop every time we’ve talked on the phone or they’ve sent me an e-mail. You’ve really impressed them.”

He watched as she took a deep breath before speaking. “They’ve both been really good to me. I moved in next door a few months ago and I guess you could say they adopted me. My parents are both dead, and I don’t have any brothers and sisters, so it’s been really great for me to have them as friends.”

“So,” Jarred said, turning so he could look directly into her eyes. He needed to be able to gauge her reactions if were to know whether she were lying. “You think of my brothers like they’re your brothers. Funny, I didn’t get the impression they saw you as another sister.”

“Well, um, no,” she stuttered. “I don’t actually think of them as brothers, but as really close friends.”

“You must be very special, Katlynn. I’ve never known my brothers, either one of them, to ever have a close woman friend before. I’d say you’re the first.”

“Then I guess I’m even luckier than I realized. I value their friendship more than I can put into words. They’ve opened their home to me and taught some valuable lessons about being a good friend.”

“Have they now. What kind of lessons?”

“Well,” she paused, “I don’t know how much they’ve told you about me, but I’ve always been someone who didn’t make friends very easily. They’ve taught me to open up and be more receptive to others. Not to be so, I wouldn’t say unfriendly, but more eager to have friends. I guess what I’ve learned about myself is that I want friends. I feel so lucky to have met them.”

“I think that they’re the lucky ones. You seem to have had a profound effect on them. I have to say, I’ve never seen them so eager for me to meet anyone as they have been for me to meet you. You mean a great deal to them. Something, I’m sure,” he said more pointedly, “that you don’t take lightly.”

“I assure you, I don’t take their friendship lightly at all.” He heard an edge to her voice and saw a slight frown crease her forehead. She seemed a little taken aback, but to her credit, she restrained herself from speaking out further. It seemed to him, she wasn’t quite as docile as he had initially thought.

“Did Justin and Jeremiah tell you they were going to Las Vegas tomorrow?”

“No, they didn’t.” Kat’s eyes clouded over before they went to the deck where Jeremiah and Justin were talking. As if sensing her, they both turned and looked her way. They smiled. When Kat didn’t return the smile, they both gave Jarred a worried look.

Jarred got up and went to the sliding glass door and opened it. “Hey, you two, Kat and I are getting hungry. I hope those steaks are as good as they smell.”

“Another few minutes,” Justin said. “Everything okay in there? Kat looks like she just lost her best friend.”

“We’re fine. Just worry about those steaks. I’m taking good care of Kat.”

When he sat back down, he said, “I shouldn’t have told you about Las Vegas. It’s something they’ve been doing for the last couple of years with a couple college buddies. It’s a short trip. They’ll be back on Monday.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, then more softly, “I’m just a friend, they don’t have to share everything they’re doing with me.”

“I know they were going to tell you. I think they were going to ask you to show me around Philadelphia and keep me company while they’re gone.”

“Maybe.” She smiled wanly, and then said with what sounded like true sincerity, “I’d be more than happy to show you around and to keep you company while they’re gone.”

Although her lips were turned up in a smile, her eyes were filled with sadness, and he wanted to kick himself for putting it there, and yet he needed to find out as much about her as he could. He knew the boys wanted to wait and tell her at dinner. It was just one more reason why they had wanted him to move up his visit. They didn’t want her to be alone, and they thought it would also give him a chance to spend time with her without their influence.

Justin opened the sliding glass door for Jeremiah, who was holding a plateful of steaks. “Let’s eat,” Jeremiah said cheerfully.

“Shall we, Kat?” Jarred stood holding out his arm. She hesitated but took it, and together they followed Jeremiah to the table that had been covered with a red-and-white checkered tablecloth for the occasion.

Chapter Ten

Despite her lack of appetite, she had to admit the steaks were delicious. Justin had outdone himself once again. If his brother Jarred had not completely unnerved her, she would have been able to at least try and put on a good face for the occasion. As it was, Justin and Jeremiah had talked nonstop, trying to fill in the gaps of silence that hung heavy in the air. They tried their best to draw her into the conversation. Although she answered them, she remained quiet and withdrawn.

“So, Kat, did my brother tell you he’s buying a ranch in Wyoming, not too far from where we grew up?”

“No. He never mentioned it.”

“No? Well he is, and from what he told us, it’s much bigger than the old homestead. He’s trying to entice us back there to live. Now that his business has really taken off, he thinks it’s more than time Jeremiah and I became partners. Have you ever thought about living on a ranch?”

“As you know, I’ve lived many places, but a ranch isn’t one of them.” She wanted to scream. The evening that she had hoped would be the beginning of a new friendship was turning into the evening from hell. First Jarred tells her that Jeremiah and Justin planned to leave on a trip the next day that they had purposely neglected to tell her about and now this. She looked over at Jarred to see if his handsome, arrogant face was gloating, but to her surprise he was looking at her with what appeared to be sympathy. She didn’t want his sympathy, she wanted his brothers, and it seemed he was determined to take them away from her.

“I think you’d like it. Lots of wide open space and quiet. A perfect place for a writer,” Jeremiah chimed in.

“Ranch life never appealed to me, but since you all grew up on one, it would be just perfect for you. I hope you’ll all be very happy there. I’m sure you’ll meet some nice girls who will love to set up housekeeping and give you lots of babies.”

“What?” Justin said, his fork clanking against his plate.

“You heard me. It sounds perfect for all of you, and I’m sure your mother and sister will be very pleased to have you all so close. And, Jarred,” she said, looking over to where he was still staring at her, “will probably be able to work a trip to Vegas into your business itinerary.”

“What are you talking about?” Jeremiah said anxiously, his eyes going between her and Jarred.

“I may have spoken out of turn earlier with Kat. I told her about your trip to Vegas.”

“You did,” Justin said in surprise. “I thought we were going to tell her together, after dinner?”

“I should have waited, but it kind of slipped out,” he lied. “I’m sorry if I upset you, Kat.”

“I’m not upset,” Katlynn said as she forked down a piece of steak with vengeance. “I just was a little surprised that neither of you had mentioned it to me, especially since you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Listen, Kat,” Justin said, reaching over to grab her hand. “We should have told you sooner, it’s just we thought,” he paused, “that it would be easier to tell you just before we were leaving, especially since Jarred will be here to keep you company. Are you okay with it?”

“Of course I’m okay with it. You don’t need my permission or blessing to go on a trip or to move or whatever for goodness sakes. We’re just friends. And although I already told Jarred I’d be more than happy to show him around, I certainly don’t need a babysitter.”

“We’re more than just friends. I thought we got that out of the way some time ago,” Jeremiah said, giving Kat a concerned look. “And no one thinks you need a babysitter. It’s just that we worry about you because we care for you so much. We know you’re still grieving for your parents and being alone is difficult.”

“Look, I’m not a child. You don’t have to try and protect me. And as far as being alone, I’m taking on a new project at work that I’ll be working on with another coworker who I’m friends with.” Only part of what she had said was a lie, but she’d be damned if she going to let Jarred think she couldn’t survive with someone looking after her.

“I hardly think of you as a child,” Jeremiah said with an edge.

Jarred gave Jeremiah a sharp look before he turned his attention to Kat, who lowered her eyes, feeling even more uncomfortable than she had before.

“I’m the one who spoke out of turn,” Jarred began. “If you should be upset with anyone, it should be me.”

“We should have told you ourselves,” Justin said calmly, looking at Kat. “But it’s only for a few days. Besides, it will be a great chance for you and Jarred to get to know each better.”

“I guess that depends on whether or not Kat wants to get to know me better.” Jarred turned to Kat. “Do you still want to show me around and keep me company while they’re gone, Kat?”

“I told you earlier that I’d be happy to show you around Philadelphia and I meant it. And for the record, I’m not upset. I was just caught off guard. I’m not some mental case that’s going to fall apart just because you two go away on vacation for a few days. I would hope you would give me a little more credit than that. After all, we are just friends. So, you can all relax.”

“I hate it when you say we’re just friends. I thought we had come to mean a lot more than that to each other. I guess we thought you’d come to need us a little,” Jeremiah said quietly. “And neither of us thinks you’re a mental case. That’s ridiculous.”

“I care for you, you know that. I care for you both, and as much as I’ve enjoyed having you in my life, I knew it wouldn’t last forever. I don’t want you to feel responsible for me.”

“When you say you care for us, what exactly do you mean, Kat?” Justin asked softly, still holding her hand. “And who says it has to end?”

Kat looked first at Justin and then Jeremiah. She withdrew her hand from Justin’s and stood up. “I think I should leave. I’m not feeling so well. If you’ll excuse me.” She got up quickly and headed toward the door.

Justin ran after her. ‘Don’t run away, Kat. You did this once before and you promised you wouldn’t do it again. Talk to us.”

“I said I’d try not to, but I’m feeling so…” She struggled for the right word but couldn’t find it. “How I feel about you doesn’t really matter.”

“It matters,” Justin said matter-of-factly, his face a mask of hurt
and
anger. “It matters a lot.”