Love Under Two Benedicts(18)

Another family tradition was that the men were forbidden to read the journals of Sarah Benedict and Amanda Jessop-Kendall. Those were held in trust by the females of the family, and to date, none of them had ever shared much with their men.

“Maybe we can get Kelsey to answer that question for us one day,” Steven said.

“Maybe we can.”

“You certainly read her right,” Steven said after a moment. “You said she’d agree to sex, call it that, and try to keep things between us only physical.”

“I can hardly blame her, really. How many times has she said she’s not looking to become involved with anyone?” Matthew shrugged his shoulders. “Every time we’ve asked her out, and anytime one of our well-meaning female relatives have tried to play matchmaker, that’s how often. She’s going to need time to accept what she already feels for us. To admit she’s more than attracted, that she’s already half-way in love with us would be, I imagine, a little like saying goodbye to her husband all over again.”

“Hell of a thing,” Steven said. “Lucky that bastard who murdered her husband and son was killed by the cops. Otherwise, we’d have to kill him.”

Matthew didn’t feel the need to comment, as once again, they were on the same page. If there was one thing Benedict men were known for, it was putting their woman front and center in their lives.

“I thought we’d eat here tonight,” Steven said. “We can do up a stir-fry, impress her with our culinary expertise.”

Matthew laughed. “Sounds good. Of course, we can’t tell her the stir-fry is the only indoor cooking we can do.”

“Probably won’t need to. Her being a chef and all, she’s bound to figure it out.”

“Too bad we can’t court her properly like we want to,” Matthew said. “We’ll have to save that for after we’re married.”

“After the way she balked at the bit of romance we gave her last night, I believe you’re right.” Steven looked out over the horizon, his eyes taking in their heritage. “Good save there, by the way.”

“Thanks,” Matthew said. “I kind of expected that would be her attitude when she acted all businesslike at the museum. Felt like she’d agreed to think about buying our used car rather than making love with us. Of course, her attitude only leaves us with that one alternative.”

Steven nodded his head. “Fuck her brains out at every opportunity so she becomes addicted to us. And hope in the process her heart prods her to admit she loves us.”

“Shouldn’t take long,” Matthew said. He reined his horse in, turning the mare toward home. “I’m already addicted to her.”

“Yeah. That makes two of us.”



* * * *



Kelsey had made one change to the plans for tonight. As she waited for Lusty’s one and only stoplight to turn green, she thought back over the conversation she’d had with Steven earlier that afternoon. She’d expected some sort of argument when she’d told him she wanted to drive out to the ranch herself rather than have them pick her up.

She frowned, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. He hadn’t given her any argument at all, but he had talked her into coming earlier. Then he’d told her that since she cooked all day, he and Matthew would throw together some dinner for them.

Since he hadn’t argued about her driving—so she could leave as soon as they were done instead of staying the night—she hadn’t argued about arriving early and letting the men cook. It had meant leaving Tracy to close up, but she’d done that before, and really, what was the point of owning her own business if she couldn’t take advantage of being the boss once in a while? The light turned green, and Kelsey’s thoughts returned to tonight’s agenda. So, okay, they’d have dinner first. It wasn’t as if the three of them were having a date. The body had to eat, and they might as well do it together, and then move right on to the recreation portion of the night’s program.

Probably roast chicken or stir fry, the ever-easy man-meal.

Kelsey drove through town, headed for the state road that led to the ranch. She passed what everyone called the Big House and, right across the street, what they referred to as the New House. That second mansion, home to the Jessop-Kendall family, had been built more than a century ago. Of course, it was built after the Big House, hence its name. Kelsey shook her head. She supposed she’d eventually get used to the way Texans thought. Since she’d lived in the state for nearly ten years already, she wondered when that would be exactly.

As she drove, her mind recalled some of the photos she’d seen at the museum the day before. Now that she thought about it, she realized there were several families in Lusty that had ménage relationships in them.