At least her time alone hadn’t been a total waste. She’d spent the day working through her plan. A plan that would give her the answers she needed.
Since she saw the amber flecks the most when they were upset or turned on, she’d do her best to stir those emotions in them. Hadn’t they said they enjoyed rough sex? If that was true, then she’d make sure that their next time together would be as rough as she could handle it. Once she’d gotten them turned on and recovering from a hard romp, she’d slip in the question of Rick’s arm. No one healed that fast. There had to be a logical explanation for it.
She met them as they came through the back door. Rick groaned, his jaw tightening. Gunner, looking more fatigued than she’d ever seen him, tossed her a confused look.
“We’re home to get a bite to eat and then we’re going back out.” He ran a hand over the stubble across his jaw. “Okay, just say it out loud. A blind man can see that something’s on your mind.”
“Why won’t you let me go with you?” She knew why, but that was the first part of getting them riled up.
“It’s too dangerous. We’ve talked about this. And after yesterday, with the wolf, we can’t risk it.”
“That’s my point. It’s just as dangerous around here.”
“Not if you stay inside the house like you’re supposed to,” grumbled Rick as he marched past her.
Anger flared inside her, but she pushed it back down. She had to stay in control of her emotions. It was their anger she wanted to see, not hers. “Tell me what’s going on with this wolf. Where is it? Why can’t you find it? I mean, come on. How hard can it be to kill one lousy wolf?”
Gunner shouldered his way into the living room, then eased behind the bar. He got out two glasses, then poured whiskey into both of them. After giving one to Rick, he held the other out to her, but she refused. He slugged the drink back.
“This wolf is different. Smarter.”
She knew that from firsthand experience. “I know that. I saw it in his eyes. He looked at me like he knew what I was thinking.”
They exchanged one of their telling looks that were beginning to irritate the hell out of her. If her plan was to work, she had to know when to push and when not to. When it came time, she’d push hard.
“Still,” she smirked, meaning to needle them, “it is only a wolf, right?”
Gunner threw a wrench in her plan with his easygoing nature. “Baby, we’re sorry we haven’t been around for you lately. But right after you came here, the wolf increased his attacks. That calf that was injured? He was only one of about fifteen others.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” She hadn’t realized so many animals had been injured or killed.
“Thanks, but I’m only telling you so you’ll understand.” He placed his palm on her hair then let it slide down until it came to rest on her shoulder.
She basked in the thrill his touch gave her. But one touch wasn’t enough.
“If we don’t take care of him soon, then we’re going to lose a lot more animals.”
“Gunner’s right.” Rick downed the remainder of his drink. “I know it’s been rough on you, but after staying up all night to search for the wolf, then getting up to handle the regular chores, we just don’t have the energy for—”
“For me?”
He turned his heated glare on her, making her feel like a jerk for what she was planning to do.
“It’s not like we haven’t wanted to be with you.” Gunner let out a sigh, then dropped his arm. Exhaustion shone in the darkened circles under his eyes.
“I don’t care about the sex. I want you beside me, even if you only want to lie next to me and sleep.” It was both a lie and the truth. Her need to feel them against her was dwarfed only by her need to feel them inside her. But she’d take what she could get. For now.
Rick poured himself another drink and drank it down in one quick gulp. “Take a look at us, Mallory. We’re filthy and we probably stink to high heaven.”
She couldn’t lie. The longer she stood close to Gunner, the harder it was to breathe in the rank odor. They were sweaty like the other time, but now they were covered in dust and dirt as well as other grime she couldn’t identify.
“We could always take a bath together. I could wash you.”
Gunner groaned and moved toward the stairs. He gripped the railing. “Damn, woman, you’re driving me crazy. Don’t you know how much we want to do that?”
“Then, damn it, do it.” She pulled her T-shirt over her head, leaving her bare breasts exposed. Almost immediately, amber flecks appeared in their eyes. Giving them her best come-here look, she undid her jeans and let them drop to her bare feet. Their hungry gazes fell to her smooth mons.