Anita's Triple Temptation [Men of Montana 4] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) (12 page)

When he ended the kiss, it was Kevin’s turn. As his lips covered hers, Joshua and Joey both offered up a resounding, “Eck!”

Dave and James began to chuckle and when Kevin pulled out of the kiss, he, too, joined in. Anita let out a little giggle but hid it behind the back of her hand before pulling out of the men’s embrace. “Boys,” she said, squatting down before them. “There are going to be times where I will be kissing these guys because I love them and they love me. They love you, too, and we are going to live here together in this house. I hope that is ok with you.”

The two oldest boys glanced at each other before giggling. Eli looked around in confusion before Dave picked him up and looked him in his small face. “Is it ok for us to live here with you, Eli?”

The little one glanced at Anita for a moment before he looked back at Dave. Nodding eagerly, he threw his arms around Dave’s neck in a big hug. The man swung Eli around a couple of times before letting the boy stand on his own two feet before he turned to her, scooped her up in his strong arms, and stepped up to the front door.

Clinging to Dave by throwing her arms around Dave’s neck, she watched as James opened the door on the right side for Dave and Anita and stepped aside. Dave carried her over the threshold before setting her down on her feet.

Before she could look around, Kevin grasped her hand and pulled her back out onto the porch. A squeak emerged from her throat as he scooped her up in his arms and proceeded to carry her over the threshold, also. Laughter bubbled from within her as he moved into the house before setting her down, a sound that surprised her. She could hear the boys laughing as she felt another hand grab her and pull her outside again.

James swept her up and carried her over the threshold, setting her down in front of Dave and Kevin. Anita’s laughter was contagious as all three men broke out chuckling.

“Hey, what about us?” Joshua asked from the door.

All three men glanced at each other and then stepped outside. Each man picked up one of the kids and carried them over the threshold, laughter still ringing throughout the foyer. They were truly home.

* * * *

James leaned back against the banister of the newly built staircase and watched his future wife’s expression as she looked around the foyer. Astonishment was her reaction to the room. To the left of the front doors was the doorway that led to the kitchen and the great room. To the right was the master bedroom and bathroom. Up the stairs behind him were six bedrooms and three bathrooms, though he hoped only two of them were to be utilized since Joshua and Joey had insisted they share a room.

“Why is there no paint on the walls,” Anita had asked as the realization had hit her.

“Because, you are to decorate as you see fit,” Kevin answered. “This is your house. We want you to be happy here.”

“The boys have already picked the colors for their room and Lyndee has offered to go shopping tomorrow or the next day with you to get the supplies we need for that,” James spoke as he took in her delight and surprise at Kevin’s words. A broad smile broke out on his face as he spoke his next words. “Decorate your bedroom first, though, since that will be your sanctuary.”

Anita looked shyly at James as if she was aware of his innuendo. He enjoyed the blush that swept across her cheeks before she eyed the door to her left. “Go ahead,” he whispered in anticipation. “Look around. Explore your house, my love.”

With one last glance his way at the words, “your house,” Anita stepped through the doorway to her kitchen. Pushing himself off the wooden railing, James followed her as did his partners.

James practically walked into the back of Anita as she had stopped to gape in amazement at the sight of her new kitchen. It was the one room that all three men agreed should be completed right away as she would need it to cook their meals in it.

The Goodalls, Lyndee and Austin, had filled the room with all new stainless steel appliances. The stove was a restaurant-style stove. There were enough burners to cook large meals and that was going to be what Anita was going to want to cook there. She loved to cook and had shown them in the past her culinary skills. Black granite topped all the counters including the large island that separated the kitchen from the great room toward the back side of the house. A pony wall separated the kitchen from the dining area at the front part of the kitchen that looked out through the bay window past the front porch and to the yard beyond.

James noticed Anita shaking as she took it all in. Concerned for her health since she had just been released from the hospital, all three men stepped forward as the boys could be heard stomping up the stairs.

Coming around to look upon Anita’s face, James saw the tears trickling down her cheeks. Her crystal-blue eyes were swimming in the salty liquid but a smile on her face told him they were happy tears.

“Oh, sweetheart,” James exclaimed before pulling her into his arms. “It’s okay. We asked the Goodalls when we discussed building the house that the kitchen be top of the line.”

“We knew you would love it,” Dave said off to her left as his hand caressed her upper arm.

“It’s all yours,” Kevin said at her right, his hand sliding around her waist.

Holding their woman was heavenly, especially knowing she was happy.

“What?” Virgil shouted from the top of his lungs, right before his fist struck the desk he sat at. His six-foot frame rose from the wooden chair that matched the solid oak desk, pulling frightened looks from the two men standing on the other side of it. “Why is it now that I am hearing about this? Why wasn’t I told last night?”

Sean, the man to the left, shifted from one foot to the other as nervousness overcame both men. The other man, Gene, began to fiddle with his keys, bouncing them in the palm of his left hand.

Virgil slowly moved around from the back of his desk, his fingertips running along the smooth varnished finish as he moved. Stopping in front of the two men that he had to look down on, as they were four to five inches shorter than him, he leaned back on the desk, his buttocks along the edge.

Using his stature to intimidate people, his muscles bulging beneath the light-blue dress shirt he wore, he crossed his arms over his chest. Staring at the men in disbelief, he let his anger build as he remained silent for a few minutes as the two fidgeted.

Unable to stand the metal-on-metal sound of the keys bouncing in Gene’s hand, Virgil unfolded his arms and with lightning speed, snatched the key ring from the man’s thick hand before Gene knew what had happened.

Gene’s face registered shock at the gesture but kept quiet. Good. Virgil couldn’t stand incompetence and these two had proven how incompetent and useless they actually were. They would be punished. But, the question was, how?

Breathing in exasperation, Virgil continued to glare at the two men before him. “Well? Is anyone going to answer my question?”

It wasn’t missed by him that both men had jumped slightly at his bark. He watched the two men glance at each other as if they were trying to decide who was going to answer him. For a moment, he thought perhaps neither was going to answer him until Sean looked up at him as his blond-eyelash-fringed green eyes kept blinking nervously. The man was merely old enough to be called a man. At twenty years old, he had only been out of school for a year and a half.

“Sir,” he started before hesitating for a moment. “We meant no disrespect, but when the two guys came in with the moving van, we barely made it out of there. We had to leave through the patio door and hop the fence.”

“That’s it?” Virgil had to ask. “There was no sign of her moving and they just showed up to move her?”

Pumping up his chest, Sean nodded. “Yes, sir. There weren’t any boxes sitting around that indicated she was packing.”

“What did these two men look like?” Virgil asked, rubbing his hand subconsciously on his muscled bicep.

Gene decided to speak up this time, his voice cracking as he spoke. “Both were tall. They were cowboys. One had red hair. The other had brown hair.”

Nodding in understanding as he realized who the two men were, Virgil had to wonder where the third one was. Was he with Anita at the hospital? Why were three men paying so much attention to Anita? What did they want with her? And why did they empty her apartment?

“Any idea where they took her stuff?” Virgil asked, agitated.

“That’s why we didn’t come to tell you until today, sir,” Sean answered, a bit more confident. “We waited until they finished packing up the truck and then followed them. They drove out to a ranch southwest of town.”

“Any idea who owns the ranch?”

Gene cleared his throat. “I don’t know who owns it, but the sign across the drive was a G with a circle around it.”

“I’ll check it out to see who owns it,” Virgil said, pushing himself off the desk. “Thank you. You will have your bonus in your next paycheck.”

“Thank you, sir,” Sean responded in sincere thanks. “I hope you will consider us for other special jobs you may have in the future.”

Virgil had to respect the young man. Even though Virgil had let his anger be known to him, Sean respectfully extended his hand. Grasping it in his own, Virgil shook the man’s hand. Perhaps the situation was unavoidable and the two men did what they had to. At least they followed through and followed the men that took his Anita’s things. Shaking Gene’s hand, he gave the man back his keys.

“Thank you, gentlemen,” he said in dismissal before turning and walking back to the other side of his desk. Sitting in his chair, he began to read a spreadsheet that lay upon his desk, not bothering to look up to see if the men left. He heard them shuffle out of the room, a snicker of the door closing behind them.

He tried to continue to read for a few more minutes, but frustration got the better of him. Lifting his hands, he ran them through his raven-black hair which ended right below his ears. It was still damp from his morning shower. Letting his hands come around the sides of his neck, he drew them to his jaws, feeling the stubble that was developing there.

His face hurt so much from his broken nose that it was too painful to shave above his lip so he didn’t bother shaving at all. He hated that feeling. It felt as if he wasn’t clean. He looked like one of the lumberjacks in his employment.

Virgil hated that his father left the company to him. He had thought when his father died he would be able to get rid of the company, but his will stipulated that the company not be sold upon his death. The employees trusted him. He had built up the company so that the employees could depend on having a job as long as they needed it and they would always have a good pension.

After the reading of the will, Virgil had to come up with a new plan for the company. It had taken a year to get to this point and a year to put into motion the plan to get Anita into his bed.

* * * *

Anita laid in the large king-size bed that had been bought by the guys for her room. They had insisted it was her room and they each had their own upstairs. It was her decision on whether or not to let them in. But, now, it was her alone time.

Surprise at the size of the room was her reaction, which she could tell pleased the men. There was enough room in there for about three king-sized beds. The master bathroom was a showcase in itself. There was a walk-in shower that was big enough for all four of them to be in at the same time in one corner, while a jet tub which would fit all of them was next to it and fit all the way to the next corner. There were two sinks in the black slate countertop along one wall under the mirror and eight lights. Black slate tiles on the floor matched the countertop and were a contrast to the white of the walls.

The morning had been spent showing her around the house and discussing decorations for each room. The boys had shown her pictures out of magazines that they had found for their rooms. She had to laugh at their eagerness to make the rooms theirs and for the first time, have their own rooms.

Since the men would be living in the house with her, they would have to be taken into consideration in the decorating of the common rooms. She enjoyed the time they spent together as they picked out colors and furniture for the great room. They would be able to get the items they had chosen when Lyndee and Anita went shopping. For the first time in ages, Anita actually looked forward to shopping as the guys had told her money was no object. This was a first for her. She had always had to watch every penny that was spent since she and Craig had married. They even still had the same couch they bought from a thrift shop right before the wedding.

They had spent several hours talking and going over magazines and looking online. Anita tried to hide the fact that she was overwhelmed and tired, but the men said they could see it in her face. She hadn’t looked in the mirror since her ordeal began. The pain was a constant reminder to her, so she figured why should she actually see it?

When she had gotten up to fix lunch for everyone, which was easy to do because Lyndee had made sure the kitchen was stocked with groceries, the three men insisted they fix it while she rested. They had eaten their lunch of sandwiches and chips on the floor in the great room. Soon it would be filled with furniture along with love and family.

After eating, the guys insisted she rest while they took the boys out to the horse barns and introduce them to their own animals. Anita was pleased at the boys’ eagerness, knowing they would adjust well to their new home.