Trusting Love (7 page)

“Well, the forecast said this storm is right over us and just sitting here. It’s going to go on for hours.”

“Shit,” Milton stated.

“What do we do first?” she asked them and then Jack was at the top of the stairs.

“Here are two pumps. I need help with the generator to start flushing out the water.” She noticed how Jack and Jesse looked at her top and she remembered how wet she was—and probably showing off how cold, too.

An hour later the humming sound continued and the smell of diesel and dirty water filled the small cottage. She was exhausted and hungry as they all gathered around the kitchen. She looked at the boxes on the floor that she and Milton had saved. She pulled out a picture of her grandparents. She missed them so much. She wished she could hear their voices. She closed her eyes and imagined her grandmother’s lotion she wore. The clean, sweet scent of vanilla and orange.

God, she missed them. She called one time since she took off after they helped her. Her grandfather said, “Don’t call again. Damn telemarketers.” Then she heard Collin’s voice in the background and she hung up. She prayed he and Steven hadn’t hurt them trying to find out where she ran to.

“Who is that?” Jack’s voice surprised her and she nearly dropped the picture. She wiped the unshed tears from her eyes and then placed the picture into the box.

“My grandparents,” she said and then stood up.

“They still alive?” he asked and reached down into the box to take the picture back out. She shivered, worrying about what other questions he would push to ask her.

“Yes.”

“Where do they live?”

“Far from here,” she replied and then watched him and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Jack looked her over and she felt every bit of the effect that had on her.

“You look a little like your grandmother,” he said to her and looked from the picture to her. Her heart soared a moment and she couldn’t hide her reaction.

“You think so?” she asked, stepping closer. He lowered the picture and pointed at her grandmother.

“I can see the resemblance in your eyes.”

She looked at the picture and then up at Jack. He reached out with his free hand and stroked her cheek and jaw.

“Gorgeous blue eyes, so filled with emotion.”

She lowered her head and stepped away.

Jesse was repairing the sink and she finished mopping up the floors. Thank God no pipes burst or seemed to have additional problems except the rotted wood around the kitchen window.

“Is that going to be expensive?” she asked, leaning over the counter on her elbows. She was dirty, wet, cold, and tired.

“It’s not your responsibility but ours. We’ll get it fixed as soon as the rain clears. I’ll pick up a new window at the lumber yard and the wood, too.”

“I’ll help you install it and redo some of the piping under the sink. It’s rotted out and about time we fix it,” Jesse added.

“What about the basement and ensuring this doesn’t happen again?” Jack asked.

“I think we may need to do some outdoor drainage and landscaping work,” Milton said and ran his hand along his jaw.

She lifted up and all three men stared at her.

“Anyone want a drink or something? Maybe some food?” she asked.

“Nevin is on his way. He just got off work,” Jesse said and placed his cell back onto the clip on his jeans.

Because she was staring at him and appreciating the man’s beauty, she hadn’t noticed Jack move closer and place his arm around her waist from behind her. She tightened up and his lips kissed her shoulder where the bruising was.

“Looks like you’re healing well. It will get really ugly before it starts fading.”

She tightened up and then tilted her head up toward him while trying to step to the side, but he had her pinned against the counter and completely under his control with one arm.

“Milton said the same thing. I’m fine, though, so no need to worry.”

She turned in his arms, prepared to move away, and feared she may smell from her workout earlier and from cleaning up the mess here in the house. It was hard work.

“We do worry, though,” Jack said, staring at her lips while he gently glided a finger from her collar bone down her shirt and back to her waist. It not only tickled her skin but aroused her body, too.

He cupped her chin and tilted her head up toward him.

“I think you need looking after.”

“She sure does. Especially with all those men wanting to visit her at the Filling Station,” Milton added.

“What men?” Jesse asked, moving closer to her.

“What are you talking about?” she asked Milton.

“Tony and those other jarheads,” he said.

“Tony?” Jesse asked.

“Milton, they were just being friendly. I see them all the time at the restaurant.”

“Exactly. I don’t like it,” Milton said, moving right next to her.

She knew what they were doing and she couldn’t let it happen. If they kissed her then it would be harder and harder to avoid them. Already, all day while they helped her here at the cottage, she avoided acknowledging how their touches affected her. The brush of an elbow, the caress of a hand or glide along her back as they moved around her working side by side. She avoided staring at their muscles as they bent and flexed, moving with ease and then working hard and showing a hint of their stamina. It was all too much.

Jack cupped her chin and lowered closer.

“Don’t, Jack. Please.”

He hesitated.

“Sorry, no can do,” he said and touched his lips to hers.

She tightened up, thinking she would feel immense fear and like she was trapped, being controlled, but she didn’t. Hell, she felt instant fire, a need so deep that when his muscular arms wrapped around her and pulled her against his chest, she did all she could not to kiss him back and ravish the god’s mouth.

He pressed deeper, stroking his tongue around in slow exploration while he kept her pressed snugly against him. Her nipples hardened, her breasts called out to be touched and receive some of the same attention her mouth was receiving.

She moaned and he ran one hand along her back and then to her ass. She gripped his arms and began to pull back when he dipped and then lifted her up onto the table. Her legs parted and he pressed between them and then eased his hands along her arms to her hips and then her thighs. He caressed her bare legs and she shivered as she pulled back. Their lips parted.

“Holy shit, Carina.” His eyes looked at her lips, her chest, and then all she could do was stare at him like some mute.

Jack’s large palms caressed her thighs and he held her gaze with a firm expression until Milton stepped closer, cupped her cheek, and went in to kiss her next. She couldn’t move. Not with that man so deeply under some sort of spellbound look in his eyes. It was too late when his lips touched hers and his hands caressed her face as he devoured her moans.

She tilted forward as Jack continued to caress her thighs but then he stepped back and Milton began to release her lips. Jesse was there, taking over kissing her and pulling her close. His lips covered hers and she got lost in the moment, in the experience that rocked her world. No dream, no fantasy she’d ever had about these men and them kissing her compared to the real deal.

Jesse released her lips and trailed kisses along her throat and chin. As she turned to try and slow things down, Nevin appeared. Her eyes widened. She was shocked to see him.

“I’ve got the best timing,” he said and cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips to hers. Soft-spoken, calm Nevin the doctor pressed between her legs and kissed her, bringing her legs up against his sides. He lowered her down to the table and cupped a breast as he explored her mouth. She rocked her hips, moaned at his size and abilities, hell, at all their tactics combined, and her pussy spasmed.

She pulled from his lips and gasped. “We have to slow down. Oh, God, this is bad. So bad,” she said to him.

She saw Milton, Jack, and Jesse looking at her face and then her chest. She glanced down and realized her shirt was pulled away from her breast, revealing one large, bra-encased mound.

Before she could move, Nevin was lifting the material back into place before he pulled her to a sitting position. He fixed her top and then pressed a few kisses to her nose, cheek, and then lips.

What have I done? Oh, God, this is so bad. So very bad
.

* * * *

Jesse could see the instant change in her expression. They finally got to kiss her, and together. It was explosive and so damn powerful. Jesse wanted, needed, much more. One look at the fearful, shocked expression on Carina’s face and he knew what was coming next. Her denial. Her resistance. And he wanted to know why.

“Don’t even say it, Carina. It was bound to happen. We all feel it,” Milton said. Thank God for his fierce, commanding tone, because Carina immediately looked down and stopped herself from denying it.

She clasped her hands on her lap and wouldn’t look at them.

“That can’t happen again.”

“Why not?” Nevin asked, placing his hands on her thighs. She tilted her head up to look at him. Tears filled her eyes.

“I can’t.”

“Why?” Jack pushed.

“I just can’t. Not now.”

“Explain,” Milton commanded, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

She shook her head. “No.” She slid off the counter and when Nevin tried to place his hands on her hips, she grabbed them.

“Please, Nevin, this is hard enough.”

He maneuvered his hands so that now he held hers. He brought them up against his chest and she couldn’t believe how turned on she felt.

“Something has you holding back. A fear, or an experience that makes you scared to accept us. I can see it in your eyes, that is, when you’re not avoiding mine.”

She looked away and stepped back, only for Nevin to press closer.

“Talk to me. To us. Did you have a bad experience?” he asked her.

Those dark blue eyes looked her over. She felt feminine, petite, protected with all four men so close around her. The intimidation, the anxiety, concerns were a lot stronger. She couldn’t be stupid here. She wouldn’t tell them her fucked up situation. She wouldn’t allow them to step in and want to help, to become part of something that would end badly. She kept thinking about Antonia and how Ray came after her.

“I can’t, Nevin. Just leave it alone. Please, Nevin, I want to be friends.”

“Fuck being friends,” Jack stated firmly and she swung her head to look up at him. He stood there with his hands on his hips, appearing older, seasoned, a real man. Nothing like Steven or Collin, or anyone her age. She swallowed hard.

“I can’t give you more. Not now.”

“Are you in some kind of trouble, or danger?” Jack asked.

She opened her mouth to say something, to lie or minimize, but stopped, and her hesitation made a series of mumbled curses roll through the room.

Nevin released one of her hands and brought his palm against her cheek. He tilted her face up toward him. Sweet, commanding, sexy Nevin. A doctor to boot, and he was looking at her with care, with desire. A perfect specimen. Why?
He won’t want me when he finds out about the rape.
About her running instead of fighting a group of men, a town, a way of life acceptable to that corrupt county she grew up in down south.

“Tell us now. If someone is coming after you, threatening to hurt you, or you’re running from trouble, then we have a right to know. We’re your guardians. That isn’t something we take lightly in Repose. There are rules,” Jack raised his voice at her.

“I know all about town rules. Town corruption and men having power over women. I know, Jack. I know all too well.”

“It’s not like that here. Guardianship is provided as protection,” Nevin said to her, bringing her attention back to him. His thumb stroked her lower lip. She imagined him working, helping sick patients and other women in need. It made her feel jealous. That wasn’t right. She had no claim to him, no right to feel such an emotion. One kiss and she was hooked?
I can’t be. I can’t allow this.

“Are you hiding from someone or something?” Nevin pushed.

She didn’t reply.

“Is someone looking for you that you fear? It’s a simple fucking question,” Milton asked.

Tears stung her eyes.

“I believe so, yes. Yes, okay. Are you happy now?”

Nevin swallowed hard. His hand firmed on her cheek and he licked his lower lip while his brothers moved closer.

“It’s an ex, isn’t it? Like Antonia’s, some guy who wants you back, who hurt you? Has he contacted you? Is he trying to convince you to go back to him?” Jack asked. She shook her head.

“Tell us?” Jesse said to her.

“I’m sorry, but it’s none of your business. None of your concern, and I’ve said too much.”

“You’re not dealing with this alone,” Nevin said to her.

“I will not involve you. I planned on speaking with Cesar soon. He knows something is up and Antonia thinks it’s better if I confide in the police chief. I trust Cesar.”