Absentminded Angel(Divine Creek Ranch 20)(33)

She sniffled. “I’m just…” Tracing a finger under her eyes, she tried to speak but no sound came out. She smiled lamely and shrugged as embarrassment heated her cheeks.

“Baby?” Kendry said as he turned her to face him, concern obvious in the set of his mouth. “What’s the matter?” He stroked her cheek, catching a stray tear.

“Sorry I’m such a baby. It’s the hormone thing, I think.” She wrung her hands together, knowing that was such a cop out. “I—um—” She hiccupped and then laughed as they smiled down at her. I adore you both and that terrifies me. “I know this is just our first date—and I promise to not go crazy stalker girl on you—but I had a wonderful time tonight. It feels so good to be part of something special.” She could barely get the last word out before her throat closed up again. “I’m not ready for it to end. There. See what a baby I am?”

Whit was still sound asleep, cuddled in Jared’s arms as he said, “It’s not that late. What would you like to do?”

Torn, because she knew it wasn’t that easy, she said, “I need to get him changed and into bed. I could offer you coffee and dessert at my place.”

Jared whispered her name and when she looked up at him, he snared her with his hypnotic gaze. “Is coffee and dessert what you really want with us?”

Wow. That was direct. “Well, I…”

“Tell us what you want, kitten. There is no wrong answer.”

The silver and pale blue striations in his eyes seemed to glow as he looked at her, and she whispered, “I don’t want to say goodnight. I want to be with you.”

Jared stroked the underside of her chin with his knuckle. “You don’t want to be alone?”

Hyperconscious of the warmth in his touch, she gave a slight shake of her head. “I’ve accepted being alone, Jared. I want to be with you.”

She looked down at her borrowed footwear, knowing she was making no sense whatsoever, and she shook her head. Just like the boots would go back to their rightful owner, she knew her place in life. It was on the tip of her tongue to retract her words, but Jared put his fingers over her lips.

“Stay with us tonight. We’ll get what we need for tonight from your apartment. We’ll bring you home after breakfast.”

Kendry stroked her shoulder gently. “When do you start work?”

“Leah scheduled me to start this Saturday as a floater.”

“Then staying tonight won’t interfere with your first day of work.” His lips were warm on her cheek as he drew close behind her. “Stay with us?”

The snippy voice in her head said that single mothers of young babies who did things like that were bad mothers. The voice sounded like Aunt Dorothy, and she’d never determined if it was the angel on one shoulder or the devil on the other. In the end, she ignored it. “I’ll need to pack a bag for Whit and bring his little baby seat. Babies need extra stuff. You’re sure?”

Both men came to stand in front of her and Kendry grinned as he glanced at his brother. “We’ve never been more sure.”

Jared seemed satisfied by her nod and turned to load Whit into the infant car seat. As she climbed in next to Jared, her body came to life. Heat and excitement throbbed through her, but not only because she was turned on by the thought of being alone with them…intimate with them. It wasn’t only about sex, and she’d never experienced anything like it before. She truly wanted just to be with them, whatever that entailed.

After Jared started the truck, his warm, callused hand enfolded hers and she looked up into his eyes again, feeling completely bared.

“This is not a one-night stand, Presley Ann.”

She shook her head. “No. It’s not.” The smile on her face felt big, silly, and sappy but she couldn’t help it. She’d made her choice and it felt right.





Chapter Seven




By the time they neared the house, Kendry could hear the nerves in her voice any time she spoke when they asked questions. He leaned forward as they arrived at the house they were leasing with the option to buy. As if the idea of staying in Divine might still be questionable. As far as he was concerned, it was a done deal.

Jared punched in the code for the solar-powered gate and waited as it slowly opened for them and then continued down the driveway. Kendry watched her face and saw the way her eyebrows rose as the house came into view. She bit her lower lip, and his cock tingled as that soft flesh gave under pressure.

“So this is your home?”

“The part you can see, yes,” Kendry said as he released his seatbelt and leaned farther forward between the front seats, mindful to not jostle Whit in his car seat. “This place was a weekend river house, built in the 1940s. The last owners added on to the back of it and redid the older part in front.”