Theirs (10 page)

He pulled her back to him and cupped her face. “Say it again.”

His lips brushed over hers, and his hands lovingly stroked her cheeks as she rasped out, “I love you, Blake.” The smile on his face was breathtaking. His eyes glowed and his dimples showed. He leaned down to kiss her, only to pause as a car honked at them.

Resting his head against hers he sighed. “We will definitely finish this later.” She frowned as he walked to the driver’s side and got in. Easing into the passenger side, she was quiet, wondering. Blake hadn’t said he loved her back. He said several times she was his, theirs, but neither of them said they loved her. Did they have a choice, or did their bear choose for them, and they put up with whoever the animal chose?

She studied Blake as he followed the black sports car. He, with his short curly black hair, sharp green eyes, two adorable dimples, big thick lips, and to-die-for body was way out of her league. Shutting her eyes she brought an image of Brian up. He didn’t have dimples, but his perfect angular face with full lips, big blue eyes, and black hair longer and straighter than Blake’s, not to mention his heavenly body, made her worry even more. Susie would bet her life savings Blake and Brian would never even glance her way if it hadn’t been for the mate thing.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice where they were until the car stopped, and Brian opened the door. “Thanks,” she muttered. Brian shrugged his large shoulders and went to hold her hand then noticed Sarah watching. Dropping Susie’s hand, Brian wandered over to Sarah, looking like someone had just taken honey away from his bear.

Blake came up beside her and took her hand. “He will get over it.” Shaking herself, Susie tried to ignore the guilty feelings creeping inside of her. Susie glanced around at the first place. There were no neighbours close, and by the looks of it, a reserve sat behind them. Catching up to Brian and Sarah, Blake asked, “This is the one new to the market? Is it vacant or occupied?’

“It just came on the market this morning, and at a steal, priced under one-and-a-half million. The owners need a quick sale.” Susie gasped at the price, and looked around the large property. Bush surrounded the back of a massive brick and concrete three-story house. The house didn’t look right in the beautiful surroundings. It didn’t fit in with the concrete and the light brick. She must have made a face of dislike because both Blake and Brian, who talked with Sarah, turned, chuckling. Brian smiled at her. “Well, that settles that. Do you even want to bother looking inside? We could always change the look of it on the outside.”

Surveying the house, Susie moved her head from side to side, and tried to imagine the house painted different and so on. No matter what she thought, or what angle she looked at it from, it just looked like a concrete and brick mass. “No, it just does nothing for me, no matter what way I look at it.” She looked at both men and shrugged. “But if you like it, go for it.”

They both nodded at her as Blake told Sarah, “Next one. This isn’t for us.” The real estate agent glanced at the boys before resting her gaze on Susie. After a moment she must have seen something on Susie’s face too because she didn’t even question the decision. She just smiled and walked back to her car.

Susie followed Sarah as she put her cell to her ear. Before she’d taken even a step, Brian’s arms come around her, and he spun her to face him. “You are adorable.” He touched her nose. “Very cute when your nose scrunches like that, and your mouth pouts.” Brian’s lips brushed hers and he sighed as he looked behind him, and took a step away. “How much longer are you going to be embarrassed and care what other people think about us all together? Because that woman is driving me crazy. I think she knows something is going on.”

She groaned as Brian walked over to join Sarah as she finished the call and got in her car.

“He has a point.” She shot a glare at Blake and walked to the car and got in.

This time she watched where they were going as they followed Sarah’s car. They drove out of the town a good ten minutes before they drove down a bumpy, winding road. There is no way her little Honda would make it down here. Blake’s BMW four-wheel drive had no problem. After a good couple of minutes they came to a stop in front of a house that blended into its surroundings with timber and slate. The house was beautiful. She got out of the car before it came to a full stop, and she jogged closer to the building.

A growl sounded behind her, and hard muscular arms came around her as Brian pulled her to him. “Why the hell did you do that? For Christ’s sake, the car hadn’t even fully stopped. I could see that, and I’m not in the bloody car.” He patted her over while she tried to move away from him.

“I’m fine, really. The car had almost stoped. Isn’t it spectacular?” He held her tighter as she tried to get closer to the house.

Sarah came up beside them, raising one perfectly manicured eyebrow. “I was going to show you the Mayberry property, but after her reaction to the woodland building, I thought we should skip that one and just go to the other two. This one is empty as the owner just passed away.”

They walked to the house. Light shone through the ornate leadlight tree inlaid into the solid dark timber door. Sarah put the key in and jiggled it about until the door opened to a large airy room with sliding French doors at the sides which led out to decks surrounded by the forest. The room ended with a huge granite kitchen with stainless steel microwave and oven.

On the opposite side of the kitchen were stairs and a hallway. “There are two bedrooms down here, and a bathroom. Up the stairs is another three bedrooms, one with a walk-in wardrobe and bathroom. There’s a small lounge room, and another bathroom. Oh, and a veranda at the top goes all the way around.” The words barely left Sarah’s mouth before Susie let go of Brian’s hand and ran for the stairs.

The stairs wound around and blended into the cream walls. They creaked as she rushed up them. Reaching the top level, her gasp turned into a childish giggle as the same theme as down stair continued up stairs. French doors opened out onto the most spectacular image she could ever imagine.

Opening a French sliding door she walked out to a breathtaking view, trees as far as the eye could see, tree tops clouded with mist. Birds sang, and fresh dew hit her face. Looking around for her men, she ran inside and down the stairs. Bumping into them, she grabbed Brian and Blake’s hands and pulled them the rest of the way. “Oh, guys, you have to come and see this. It’s amazing.” She pulled them up to show them her new idea of heaven.

****

Brian looked down at the most beautiful woman in the world, Susie, as she dragged him up the stairs. Her eyes were wide and shining like she’d just found the most priceless item ever made. Her body vibrated with so much excitement she was almost jumping up and down. Brian didn’t even think she noticed she held his hand, and Blake’s. When they reached the top, she bounced as she pulled them to a window she’d pulled open. They stepped out onto the veranda and the look on Susie’s face was priceless. She looked like a forest fairy or an earth goddess. Susie’s hair blew around her in the gentle breeze as she laughed. Her eyes shone with joy, and her face glowed with happiness. In that moment, he froze and realised he was hopelessly in love with the little ray of sunshine in front of him.

Susie let go of their hands and twirled, beaming at him and Blake. Brian chuckled and joined in with her, wrapping his hands around her waist and gathering her to him. Blake smiled at them and leaned against the wall. She laughed as he spun her around and the sound sent exquisite shivers down his body. Lifting her up, Brian captured her mouth. He was unable to help himself, she was so enthralling. Her taste exploded into his mouth, the honey stronger than the mango, as his mouth devoured hers. His tongue explored her mouth, and he would swear he could taste her joy and happiness. Brian pressed his erection into her, groaning as she rubbed her body against him. His mouth left hers, and trailed down her neck. She arched into him, grabbing his hair and whimpering, “Brian. Oh, Brian.”

A gasp from the stairs interrupted them, and he held Susie tighter as she turned bright red and tried to get off him. Cupping her face in his hands, he tilted her head back up to his and ignored the gaping woman on the stairs. “Honey, I think she has figured it out now.”

Letting her face go he tuned with his precious bundle as she buried her face into his chest. Brian chuckled and she pinched him as he whispered, “She can still see you no matter how hard you try to cover yourself.”

Unwrapping, her legs from him, she slowly moved down his body. She paused and her eyes widened when she felt his rock-hard erection. Turning, she stood in front of him, and he grinned as she straightened her back and stared at the real estate agent, daring her to say anything.

Sarah’s eyes moved from him to Susie and rested on Blake. “Are you okay with this? Isn’t she your fiancée? Yet she is right there making out with your brother.”

Blake’s massive shoulders lifted as he shrugged. “It depends on whether she will come over and give me a taste of her sunshine too. I do hate missing out on my sweetheart’s love.”

Brian chuffed out a cough to cover his laugh as their real estate agent glared at Susie like she couldn’t understand what Susie had that she didn’t. Susie was rigid against his body.

“I don’t get it. When I was with you, Blake, you weren’t the sharing type.” Sarah gave a hollow chuckle and threw up her hands. “What do I know? I wasn’t the only woman you were sleeping with, so I suppose you do share, but I didn’t think you liked your women to share.”

Brian focused on his brother, hoping he would consider his answer carefully, especially as he heard Susie grinding her teeth, and she turned her head away from Blake. He exhaled slowly as Blake said, “Susie’s special. It also helps I love her.”

Susie stumbled against him, and a choked gasp escaped her. Brian watched as her eyes met his, and she gripped his arms. Brian wiped the tears sliding down her cheeks. Sarah gawked at Susie. “You are one lucky woman. I know women who would kill to be in your position, and I’m one of them. If it was me, I wouldn’t be hiding it like you have today. Enjoy it. All those haters are just jealous. I certainly am.”

Brian mouthed,
Thank you
to Sarah, who smiled at them. Blake slowly came away from the wall, and made his way over to them. He tugged Susie from Brian’s hold and plastered her to his body. Blake nodded at him and he grinned at Sarah. “We’ll take it.”

Sarah’s eyes grew wide and she stuttered, “I-I b-beg your pardon?”

Clearing his throat and in a louder voice, Brian said, “The house. We will take it. How soon can you settle? I will have our lawyers set everything up to start this afternoon.” Nodding her head, Sarah rushed off, putting the phone to her ear.

Moving to join Blake and Susie where they quietly whispered to each other, he patted his brother on the back. “So we’re house mates again, bro.”

Blake rolled his eyes. “I knew there was a down side to all this.” And he punched his brother in the arm.

****

They arrived back at Susie’s townhouse just as the phone rang. She ignored it. Turning to Blake, Brian raised his eyebrow. His brother shrugged. They had no idea why she didn’t answer the call. Curious now, he strolled to the phone and answered, “Hello, Susie’s phone.”

“Hello, I’m Dr. James Domino from
Newcastle metro hospital, and I’m looking for Susan Ellen Sanden.”

Brian heard the bathroom taps go and he waited for Susie to come out, wanting more information he answered the doctor. “She is in the bathroom at the moment. May I ask what this is regarding?”

“It’s in regards to a Samantha Gardener.”

Brian remembered Susie’s friend. She’d been terrified of them and came nowhere near them, even when he dropped the girls home the other night. She hadn’t wanted to be alone with him and almost begged to be taken home first, even though it would put him out of the way for the others. Samantha wouldn’t even let him walk her to the door to make sure she got in her house okay. Something had been off. “We will be there in ten minutes. How bad is she?”

There was a sigh on the other end as Dr. Domino continued, “She fell down the stairs again, only this time though the stairs kicked her a couple of times before he brought her in. She won’t press charges. She’s too scared. I don’t think she’ll live if he does this again. Legally, I can’t do anything.”

Brian growled, “Ten minutes. We’ll be there.” Hanging up the phone, he noticed Susie next to him with a worried look on her face, and Blake stood behind her with his arms around her, his eyes flashing bear, and his jaw clenched. He knew Blake heard the conversation thanks to their shifter hearing. He focused on Susie. “Honey, could you hear that?”

She shook her head. “No, but I got the gist of it. I thought she’d left him. I helped her last time.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “We need to go now. I will warn you, he is a big guy, and I’m sure he’s on something.”

Brian nodded to her. “Why hasn’t she called the police, gotten a restraining order?”

She grabbed her bag and they walked to the door as Blake got on the phone to his cousins. “We have, but he is a cop, and they seem to cover for their own.”

He watched as Blake paused with the phone to his ear. Their cousin Slate answered. “What’s up, cuz?”

“Meet me out front of Newcastle metro hospital in ten.” He hung up without waiting for an answer, and called their brother Brock, who was a police detective. “Hey, bro, where are you?”