Trusting Them (19 page)

“Hey, we’re here!”

Brock smiled at her enthusiasm. The town wasn’t much to look at compared to most, but you would have thought she was in Billings or somewhere bigger. He began pointing out buildings to her. On the way to the department store he had in mind, he told her about some of the stunts he and Brady pulled in town when they came as youngsters. He could still laugh at a lot of them. She seemed to enjoy them just as much as he did thinking about them.

“Okay, let’s see if we can find a hat for you while we’re in here,” Brock said.

He walked around to the other side of the truck to help her out, but her door was already open and she was sliding out of the truck. She saw him and looked a little embarrassed. He just shrugged it off and she relaxed.

“I don’t need a fancy hat. Just a straw one would be fine.”

“I’ll pick out a couple of hats that would be appropriate, and you can pick the one you like best. How’s that?”

“Okay, that’s fair enough.” Jeni let him open the store’s door for her.

He smiled.
 
She had waited on him to do the honors.

For the next thirty minutes, they sorted through hats until they agreed on one. She seemed happy with the purchase though. Next, they argued over her need for thermals and shirts. Once again, he won out, but she got to limit the number of thermals to two pair and only two flannel shirts. He made a note of her sizes and decided he could order her some things online. He smiled. Something besides the negligees he and Brady had already placed on order.

Brock took every opportunity he could to touch her. He wanted her used to his touch so she wouldn’t shy away from him when they both touched her. He knew they got curious looks. Some even were so bold as to ask to be introduced to his girlfriend. She colored at the term “girlfriend.” Brock shook his head and urged her to make friends with the ones who came by to talk. His mind kept straying towards the clothes and, by association, the sexy underwear they’d bought online.

He could hardly wait to see her in one of them. She wouldn’t have it on for long, but the tease would be worth it. Especially if she kept them busy for awhile before she let them touch it. By that time, they would be so horny they might rip it to shreds to get at the sweet present underneath.

Brock stored the packages in the backseat of the truck then drove her over to the grocery store. He hated dropping her off like that, but it would save time if he went ahead and got the feed they needed while she shopped. He should be able to get back over there in plenty of time to help her bag the groceries.

Picking up feed turned out to be a bigger ordeal than he would have thought. Everyone in the area was there trying to stock up before the system moved in. Nearly two hours passed before he made it back to the grocery store. He found Jeni sitting on a bench outside with easily a dozen or more bags stacked around her. He winced at the raised eyebrows he got from her when he pulled into the parking place.

“I’m sorry, baby. They were covered up over there. I never dreamed it would be that busy, or I wouldn’t have left you here alone.” Brock hoped she wasn’t going to get all pissy about it. He really couldn’t have helped it.

“Well, okay. As long as you didn’t just stand me up to have a drink or something.” She finally smiled at him. It lighted up her entire face.

“Let’s get this loaded and get back to the ranch. It’s going to be well after lunch by the time we get going.”

“At least it will still be before dark. I’ll help unload, so it shouldn’t take too long.”

“You will put groceries up. You’re not unloading anything.” Brock would brook no argument about that.

Jeni, on the other hand, would argue quite easily about helping out. She glared at him and squared her shoulders as she handed him a sack to pack in the backseat of the truck. He opened his mouth to protest, only to have it covered by hers.

Chapter Thirteen

She was so mad at him right then she could have choked him. Instead, she took his mouth in a life-altering kiss. If she wasn’t sure before, she was sure now. She loved Brock just as much as she loved Brady. There was no room for any doubt now. Jenna had to figure out how to lure them back in her bed to get them to realize they couldn’t live without her. She sure couldn’t live without them.

If she had initiated the kiss, she wouldn’t have known it since Brock took over almost as soon as their lips met. His tongue licked along the seam in her lips until she opened for him. He swooped in with his tongue and explored her mouth from top to bottom. He chased her tongue around, then sucked on it. The sweet friction went straight to her womb. It burned inside of her. Chill bumps traveled up her arms and back down her back as he moved the kiss around her chin and to her neck. His mouth there drew a moan from deep inside of her. His teeth nipped as his tongue swiped the hurt away.

Jeni wanted to drown in his kisses. They were so different than Brady’s. One was not better than the other. They were just different. Whereas Brady’s were more playful and sexy, Brock’s were more intense and serious. The way they kissed reflected their personalities, she realized. Two separate people whom she loved for who they were.

She watched as Brock loaded the groceries. He did it with purpose and methodically as if he knew what should go where without even looking in the bags. The only thing he looked at was the paper bag since it contained ice cream. She smiled when he raised his eyebrows.

“If I keep making pies, you’re going to want ice cream on them.”

“I’m not complaining. I didn’t say anything,” he said.

“But you were thinking about it,” Jeni accused.

“I was just going to say someone had a sweet tooth.”

“Yeah, you and your brother. I can’t keep a cake cooked for you two,” she complained.

“I’m not complaining,” he said.

“I’m just saying.” She smiled at him.

“Come on, let’s get that ice and head home.”

Home sounded great to her. She hoped one day she could call the ranch home. Maybe if everything worked out okay it wouldn’t be long. They seemed to be attracted to her just fine, if last night had been anything to go by. She frowned. But what if she was just a convenience to them? They might just enjoy her as long as she was willing and then cast her aside for someone else. Jeni swallowed and put those thoughts aside. She would concentrate on making them want her around always.

“Hey, why the gloomy face?” Brock lifted her chin with two fingers.

“Oh, just thinking about those poor cattle in all the ice and snow,” she lied.

“Uh huh. Don’t worry about them. We take good care of them.” He obviously didn’t believe her.

He hugged her and kissed her. This time, he didn’t make it a quick peck on the lips, he angled his head to take as much of her mouth as he could. He pressed his lips tight against hers, then licked along the seam until she opened to him. Brock slanted again to take possession of her mouth. His tongue dueled with hers, teasing it until she followed it into his mouth. He sucked her tongue in until she moaned with the pleasure. Finally, the kiss ended, and she gasped for breath.

“What was that for?” she finally asked.

“Because.”

“Because why?”

“Because I wanted to. Now let’s get that ice and get on the road.”

Two kisses. One she had initiated and one he had. Both hot, intense, and lethal. There was no way they didn’t care about her. She just had to figure out how to make them admit it. Somehow she would find a way.

They rode in silence all the way back. At some point during the drive, Brock had reached over and held her hand for awhile. Then he put both hands on the steering wheel as they reached the bridge. He didn’t claim her hand again after that. That one small touch for those brief minutes meant a lot to her. He’d reached out to her with his hand even more so than with the kiss.

At a quarter to two, they drove up into the drive. Brock seemed to relax once they were on ranch ground. Either the drive had been more treacherous than she had realized, or he didn’t like being away from the ranch. Since he was the older brother and seemed more in charge than Brady, she guessed she could understand the need to be close to it. Would he feel like that about her one day?

Brady met them at the porch steps with a grin a mile wide on his face.

“How was the trip?”

“Good,” Brock answered.

“Great,” she countered with a smug smile.

Brady walked over and swung her around in his arms. “I missed your cooking.”

“You didn’t miss anything but breakfast. I fixed lunch for you.”

“Yeah, but you weren’t here to share it with me.”

“If you two are finished making eyes at each other, we have a truck to unload before dark, Brady.” Brock sounded stern, but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away.

He dropped the tailgate of the truck and picked up two bags to take them inside.

Jeni sighed and walked over to the truck. She picked up a sack, only to have it snatched from her hand by Brady.

“You don’t carry groceries at all. That’s what we’re here for. You unload the bags and put them away,” he said.

“I can carry a bag of groceries. Things would go a lot quicker if you’d let me.”

“Nope, get your butt in that kitchen before I lay a hand to it.” Brady sounded stern and there wasn’t a single twinge of laugher in his eyes.

“Fine.” She turned and walked inside.

If they were going to treat her like a helpless female, she could play along—for now. For the next hour, she unpacked groceries and put them away. By the time they had finished unloading the feed, she had put the last can away. Now all she had to do was figure out what to cook for dinner. It would be a little late, but they would understand.

She remembered the soup she had frozen last week and pulled it out of the freezer. She could make grilled cheese sandwiches to go along with it. Jeni popped the soup in the microwave to thaw and set about making the sandwiches. By the time the soup had thawed, she had the sandwiches ready to grill. She’d just put the soup on to warm when Brady came inside, stomping his boots on the porch before stepping inside the house.

“Woohoo, it’s cold out there already,” Brady complained.

“Go wash up. Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes.”

“Dinner? You cooked dinner after being gone all day? You’ve got to be kidding. We could have had sandwiches again.”

“It’s not much. Just warmed up soup and grilled cheese sandwiches,” she admitted.

“That’s a lot. You sure didn’t have to do that.”

“Do what?” Brock asked as he walked inside, shaking off the cold.

“She cooked us dinner,” Brady said, sounding as proud as if he’d done it himself.

Brock scowled at her. “You had a long day today. You shouldn’t have gone to all that trouble.”

“You and Brady had a hard day today too. You deserved something hot to eat. It’s cold as a witch’s…” She stopped and clamped her lips closed at Brock’s stern look. “Well, it’s cold out there.”

“Thanks. I’m going to wash up. You better come on and do the same, Brady.”

The two men walked out of the kitchen. She heard their heavy boot stomps on the stairs. Had they really thought she wouldn’t cook them something just because she had gone in to town for the day? Good Lord, she hadn’t done a thing other than buy some groceries. Still, it made her feel good inside to know they cared enough about her to not want her to do too much. Another step closer to having the home she wanted.

After they finished dinner, Brock and Brady insisted on doing the dishes. In other words, they rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher. She smiled. They were so cute when they did things like that.