Divine Charity (19 page)

“Do you remember my Aunt Grace?”

“Of course, I see her occasionally on the weekends that Beau and I work with her husband, Jack.”

“Well, Jack was my next point…”

With a chuckle, Noah ran the back of one finger down the length of her forearm, sending tingles through her body. “I think you’re worrying about how to tell me about Adam and Ethan, but I already know about them.”

Relief washed through her. “That makes this conversation so much easier.”

“I think it’s pretty cool,” Noah said, “Jack’s a great boss. I met Adam on a jobsite once and I saw how they are with her. So, your mom…Man, it feels weird to ask about this.”

Justine giggled. Her mom was one of a kind. “They only got together recently, like in the last few weeks. I think they’ve been in love with each other since high school, though. The four of them are being pretty careful about it right now, because of me and Beau. Mom doesn’t want people giving us a hard time at school or in town.”

“How do you feel about it?”

Justine didn’t hesitate. “I’m happy for them. I like that Val and Ransome have decided to retire and stay in Divine. I used to miss them and worry about them all the time, since we only saw them on holidays and other special occasions.”

“Why did you worry about them?”

“They were bounty hunters. I think what they did was pretty dangerous sometimes.”

Noah’s eyebrows shot up and he gave weak chuckle. “Bounty hunters? Wow. They could totally make me disappear if I pissed them off, huh?”

Justine shook her head negatively, and then giggled and nodded. “Just don’t piss them off, I guess. To answer your question, I view them the same as my dad. Is that a problem for you?”

“No. I’m cool with it.”

“You talking about the dads?” Beau asked as he brought their food and drinks to the table.

Justine shrugged and said, “Just making sure he understood the new family dynamic.” Beau and Noah dug into lunch with the usual gusto, and Justine had time to think as they discussed their plans for that summer.

After graduation they’d be leaving on a backpacking trip through the American Southwest. A knot of dread tightened in her core every time she thought of them on foot, with nothing but their wits and what their backpacks contained to sustain them.

They were looking at that summer as a big adventure before going off to college in the fall, anticipating what the unknown would bring their way. They didn’t have much of an itinerary and they were taking limited funds with them, planning to work along the way to earn any money they’d need. She preferred having a thoroughly researched plan for any sort of trip and their version of “into the wild” gave her the willies.

Then there was the fact that she would very likely not even see him before he set out for college at the end of the summer. She knew he and Beau had talked about just trekking around until it was time to part ways. Then Noah would head north to Alaska to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Beau would come home before going off to A&M in College Station.

Justine still wrestled with whether it was a good idea to date him. Sometimes she agreed with her Aunt Grace’s advice that she should go out with him and have fun but part of her still worried that she might be better off not knowing what she was missing. She’d gotten used to falling asleep with a fantasy at night. To get any closer to him and then bid him good-bye would be excruciating.

Beau nudged her in the ribs and said, “Noah asked you a question, sis. You worried about something? You’re frowning.”

Looking from her brother to her…what was he? He wasn’t technically her boyfriend, even though he’d asked her to the prom. He was broken up with Maggie, who he’d dated a long time. After all the drama that came along with that girl, he probably didn’t want another girlfriend. This date for the prom was probably just a onetime thing. And given the fact that he was taking off for parts unknown after graduation, it was best if she didn’t read anything into it.

“I’m sorry. I was in my head again.”

Noah smiled at her, his brown eyes warm, and said, “Probably worrying about us again.”

“What?” she asked and scoffed. “I’m not worried. You two men can handle yourselves. I’m not worried about rattlesnakes, or–or the two of you hitchhiking, or running out of money, or getting abducted by human traffickers, or anything. Nope. Not me. What did you want to ask me?”

Noah had grinned as she’d rattled on and finally said, “I just wondered if you wanted to make our prom date a double date with Beau.”

“Oh, sure.” She got along well with her brother most days. When they were younger, they’d bickered like crazy, but when they’d both gotten into high school, they’d come to an understanding and had actually made friends.

“I also wanted to know if you’d go out with me this spring, besides our prom date.”

Well that answers that question…sort of
. “Sure. As long as my dads approve.” The answer was out of her mouth almost before she had a chance to mull it over.

As if sensing her doubt, Beau interjected, “So, wait, does that mean you want her to be your girlfriend?” There was a hint of steel in his question. Justine doubted her cheeks could’ve gotten any hotter.

“I guess?”

With a devilish gleam in his eyes, Beau said, “You
guess
? She’s my sister and you
guess
? I think this calls for another interview with the dads.”

Laughing out loud, Justine jabbed Beau with her elbow. “It does not.” Turning to Noah, she said, “I’d be fine with you asking me out on other dates. The interview is a onetime thing but…as far as the girlfriend stuff goes, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why?”

Justine directed his gaze to the teenaged girl with murder in her eyes looking their way from across the park. “That’s one reason why, Noah. I’m already dealing with enough drama from Maggie as it is. I don’t need more. Maggie and her minions will probably be egging and toilet papering my house again tonight after seeing us talking to each other…and you touching me.”

Noah looked defeated as he frowned at Maggie. “I’ve asked her several times to stop that.”

Beau tapped her on the shoulder. “Sis, if it makes you feel any better, Maggie’s been doing that to any girl who’s seen talking to Noah.”

Knowing he deserved the unvarnished truth, Justine said, “That’s not the only reason, though. You guys are going to be leaving for your trip after graduation, and then you’ll both be off to college. Being the girlfriend you leave behind for the big world has zero appeal to me, Noah. Why not just keep it casual?”

Noah’s brows knit together for a few seconds, and then he said, “I guess that’s for the best. I wasn’t thinking.”

She tried to make her shrug look casual. “It’s okay.” She hadn’t had any boyfriends, though she’d fantasized about being his girlfriend for years, so she didn’t have much to compare to, but she knew one thing for certain. If she and Noah went down that path, her heart would be crushed when he left to start his new life. A life without her in it.

* * * *

Trevor Dornan thanked the employee of the hardware store located near the interstate as he helped him load up the lengths of chain and other hardware he’d just bought. His next stop was the surplus store he’d passed on his way out of town where he thought he could find a cot or sleeping bags and such, something for the bitch to sleep on that was nice and comfy.

The house he’d rented earlier that day, which looked like it was one step up from a crack house, was out in the middle of nowhere and ready to be retrofitted for his specific needs. And best of all there were no pesky neighbors anywhere in the vicinity. The landlord himself looked like he didn’t care much about anything but drinking, smoking, and watching television. He’d be no trouble at all and Trevor was a good renter, paying his bills on time like an honest man should.

“Yeah, he’ll have no trouble from me. Just like I’ll have no trouble from her.”

“I’m sorry, sir? Did you say something?” the pimply-faced teen asked as he loaded the last of the boxes.

“No, son. Just admiring the beautiful spring day,” Trevor said as he walked to the driver’s side door with a definite spring in his step.

“Yes, sir, it is,” the boy said before going back inside the hardware store.

Trevor grinned, thinking it was a good day. A day for him to take control of his destiny…and his kid’s as well. The doctor’s office was closed so there was no chance of missing the bitch if she showed up so he wasn’t worried. He’d be back at the job, ready to act on a moment’s notice. She wouldn’t know what was happening until it was too late. Way too late.

Like clockwork, Charity woke early one morning the week after Justin’s successful debut at the Divine Market Days. Between work and utilizing the evenings to finish up a few more pieces to take to Violet that morning, he’d been a busy man. Charity and Grace were taking Justine prom dress shopping since she and Beau were on spring break.

Attempting to not wake any of the guys, Charity slipped out of their slumbering embrace which felt more like the aftermath of a sleepover Twister game. The thought gave her a giggle which she tried to smother as one of the guys, she wasn’t sure which, tightened his grip on her bare hip before releasing her.

Padding silently across the bedroom, she closed the bathroom door behind her and started the shower in the dark. The pearly gray light of dawn tinted the bathroom window, providing just enough light to see by as she brushed her teeth and waited for the water to warm, and then slipped into the shower enclosure.

“Mmm,” she murmured as the hot water soaked into her hair and she smoothed it back from her face. She reached for her shampoo and stretched, ready to start her day. Being a part of a foursome agreed with her. It’d taken no time at all to get used to sleeping with three men instead of one. She chuckled to herself, thinking they might not be having it quite as easy, since she was a restless sleeper.

A cool draft swirled around her legs, and she shuddered as a tall, warm body joined her in the small space. “Mornin’, angel,” Ransome whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her torso and pressed his chest against her back. One callused hand slid up to cup her breast and tweak her nipple and the other headed south to stroke her pussy.

“Mornin’, handsome,” she murmured, rubbing her ass against his thick, hot cock. He released her and they took turns using the bodywash and washcloth and bathed each other.

He turned her so her back was against his chest again and slowly smoothed soapy hands over her torso, palming her breasts and stroking her abdomen, hips, and mound until she was wet and eager for his cock, which was rock hard and straining against her ass.

Once they were done rinsing off, Ransome pressed her against the shower wall with his tall muscular body and ground his cock against her. “Need you.”

“Do you?”

He gripped the tender skin of her shoulder with his teeth and said, “Want to fuck you hard, right here, right now. When I’m done with you, your legs are going to be shaking for an hour afterward.”

The edge in his voice sent a hot thrill straight to her cunt and she reached back and sank her nails into his ass cheek. “You’re all talk until you’re actually fucking me. Why don’t you slide that cock in me and I’ll be the judge of whether I can walk afterward.”

The deep chuckle that sounded in her ear sent a shiver of pure lust down her spine. “That sounds like a challenge, angel. Wonder if you can back it up.”

“More talk, talk, talk,” she said, a hot shiver running down her spine.

He growled and slid his teeth along the column of her neck as he angled her hips until the broad head of his cock found her center, gave her a slight nudge, and then paused.

Her cunt ached to be invaded by his thick length and she shivered, waiting. His arms tightened even more around her and he put his lips to her ear and in the softest voice imaginable, he said, “Beg. Beg for it.”

No point in challenging him further. She wanted him in the worst way. “Please, baby. I want your cock.”

“Not good enough,” he taunted as he swiveled his hips and teased her pussy lips with only slight pressure from his shaft and held her still so she couldn’t back onto him. The sensation made her even hotter as she felt her honey coating him and her cunt felt so empty, needing to be filled, stretched, and taken.

He’s so fucking strong!

The steam swirled around them, fragrant with the scent of the bodywash and their own combined essences, and her cunt trembled, already on the verge without him even entering her. In a barely contrite voice she said, “Fuck me, Ransome. Please.” She tried to hide her smile as she wiggled against him, teasing him, too.

“You can do better, angel. I know you can,” he whispered as he trapped her throbbing clit between two fingers and began a torturous rotation. He knew how much she
loved
that but he was doing it too slow. “Tell me what you want, my naughty little angel.”

“What do you want me to say?” She fisted her hands against the shower wall as he chuckled and kept teasing her. His touch was making her wetter and hotter by the second. She wanted to scream but she couldn’t because the kids were at home. “Want me to tell you how much I want your cock inside me, fucking me? Want to know how much I want you to shoot your cum deep inside me? Want me to tell you how much I love the way your big cock feels when you’re fucking me like an animal?” His dark chuckle egged her on and he slid his teeth over the sensitive flesh of her shoulder again. “Stop teasing and give it to me, motherfucker.”