What Love Sounds Like Read online

  “I hope you know what you’re doing. We’d hate for you to get hurt by four older men who might not be faithful.”

  “What?” she asked Crespy. They both glanced at the men who now stood from their bar stools, looking ready to come over and fight.

  “Just watch your pretty little ass. Men tend to lie when they’re looking to get laid,” Crespy told her and then he and Jake headed out.

  Ivy turned around and could see the Shelton men standing and looking angry. She headed right over to them. “What did they say?” Angus asked.

  “Why were their hands on you?” Johnny asked.

  “They just said goodnight,” she lied. She didn’t want them getting all crazy. She smiled at Angus and ran her palms up his chest. He pulled her against him and slid his palm from her back to her ass as he suckled against her neck.

  “I don’t like them or trust them. Stay clear or else,” he warned her and her heart raced.

  “There better be good reason why your hand is on my baby sister’s ass!”

  She heard the deep, hard tone and pulled out of Angus’s hold as her eyes landed on her brother Rome. “Rome!” she screamed and ran to him and jumped up into his arms. He held her tight and she cried as everyone in the place began to cheer and welcome Rome home.

  Eric, Landon, and Kenny laughed. “I told you she was going to flip out,” Kenny said.

  She pulled back and stared down into Rome’s eyes. He had a thick beard, looked tired and he had bruises on his cheek and by his eye, She could see the discoloration below the beard. “Are you okay? Why didn’t anyone tell me you were coming home? Are you staying long? How are you? You aren’t injured, are you?” she rambled.

  He hugged her again. “I’m fine, princess. Absolutely fine and happy to be home.” He lowered her to her feet and she hugged him around the waist then saw him staring at Johnny, Keller, Bronc, and Angus. “So who wants to answer my fucking question?” he asked.

  “Rome,” Ivy whispered to him and he glanced down at her then placed his arm around her shoulder.

  “Well, bro, we’re aiming to claim guardianship of Ivy. Make things official as soon as she’s on board,” Keller told him.

  Rome shook his head. “I leave for a fucking year and this happens? I never got used to you being best friends, but fucking brothers-in-law? Shit,” he said and then he pulled Keller into a bear hug. They slapped one another’s backs and she sighed in relief. She thought Rome might flip out. Rome then hugged Angus, Bronc, and Johnny.

  “Beers all around,” Kenny said to Ade and they all got beers and Ivy headed back to work smiling wide, and feeling relieved that her family was all together, safe and sound.

  Cherise couldn’t believe it. Rome was back home. She was shaking as he gave her a quick hug, but slid his palm to her ass. She tried acting tough, like it didn’t affect her, but Eric saw her expression and probably the tears in her eyes. She fooled around with all of them, but it was after her men had cheated on her, and she felt used and betrayed. They hadn’t had sex, but came close to it. She called it off when Rome headed out on another tour. She didn’t want that kind of relationship. One that would fail because not everyone was committed except for her. Rome wasn’t ready to give up military life for anyone, not even his brothers, so forget about her. No one knew they all shared some make-out sessions. Especially not Ivy. She would flip out, or worse, push for the relationship to happen. She was surprised that Ivy hadn’t picked up on her brothers’ slick little flirtatious remarks or touches.

  She shook her head and went back to work. Rome sure did look good. As sexy as ever, and for some stupidly strange reason seeing the four brothers together like this made her think of being with them again. Get your head out of your ass, girl. I got used once, never going to happen again. I’m in control, not some man.

  Chapter 8

  Ivy was exhausted after working all weekend. It was Sunday, her brothers were all home safe and sound. She had plans to meet the men for lunch, or as soon as she was alive. It had been a late night for everyone. They all celebrated Rome’s return and she joined in when the crowds got smaller and smaller. Her brothers and the Shelton men headed out around 2:00 a.m. but she closed the place with Harper, Cherise, Leanne, Faith, and Ade, plus the rest of the staff at around 4:45 a.m.

  One thing that stood out last night was how Landon was talking to Cherise by the side of the bar near the hallway. His hand was on her hip and he was whispering into her ear. Cherise’s eyes were closed and she had her hands on his waist. As she thought about that she thought about the many times they all hung out and how her brothers flirted with Cherise here and there, and before Rome left, he seemed into her, as well. Ivy never asked them what the deal was. Cherise was a great friend, and she had her heart broken big time. She knew about commitment, about ménage relationships and she automatically assumed all soldiers were like her exes. Maybe she liked Ivy’s brothers and they liked her but Rome was still active duty and Cherise feared that.

  She couldn’t help but to smile. Could Rome be home for good? Would they stake a claim to Cherise? She was excited and hopeful. Cherise was older than Ivy by a few years, but seasoned in life. She had a hard childhood and she raised herself. She came from a poor family, and a lot of problems, but she was tough and she survived.

  Ivy stretched out and then exhaled. She wanted to see her men. Wanted to spend time alone with them and also talk to them about Wednesday. They weren’t going to be pleased, especially because it was their busy day and one of them couldn’t come along.

  She got up, made her bed and then headed in to take another shower and fix her hair. By the time she was finished, she was hungry. She reached for her phone to text the guys when she saw numerous text messages. She walked out of her bedroom after she told Johnny she was up and asked if she should eat something or did they still want to do lunch. He replied that they would be there to pick her up in fifteen minutes. She scanned the texts from Madison with pictures of some outfits that Ivy shook her head at.

  She scrolled down as she entered the kitchen. “Slutty, slutty, trash, so not me.”

  “What?” Rome asked.

  She looked up and smiled. “Nothing.”

  “What’s that about?” Eric asked her.

  “Madison texting me pictures of her idea of fashion for me.”

  “The guys told me about her and Johnny,” Rome said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

  “That was two years ago,” she said and walked over to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water.

  “I know that. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around you and our best friends.”

  “Well, it is happening, and fast. My life is a whirlwind right now and I’m just trying to make the right decisions,” she replied.

  “You feeling like they aren’t the ones for you?” Landon asked as Kenny walked into the room.

  “No. I know they are. I feel so much when I’m with them, and it’s different than just knowing them for years. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like we’ve all been denying these feelings out of fears that weren’t even that big of a deal. First I was worried about your reaction, all of you, and I feared if things didn’t work out where your friendship and business relationship might turn into with them.”

  “It would be hell, but you would come first,” Kenny said to her.

  She smiled. “I appreciate that. I don’t believe it’s going to be a problem or not work out. I love them already. It’s crazy.”

  “Not crazy. The timing before was all wrong. It’s right now,” Eric said to her but then he looked at Rome. Rome took a deep breath and exhaled.

  “So how long you guys had it bad for Cherise?” she asked. They were all quiet.

  “What?” Kenny asked her.

  “Come on, I see the way you look at her and she looks at you. I caught a few things over the last year or so, and she was definitely emotional about Rome’s return home,” she said to them.

  “Nothing is there, Ivy. Don’t
go trying to play matchmaker because you’re in love with the Shelton brothers,” Rome said to her.

  She raised her eyebrows up at him just as someone knocked on the front door. “That’s one of the guys. I’ll see you all later.”

  “Why is she texting you?” Johnny asked as he looked at her cell phone while they were eating lunch. He and his brothers had prepared some grilled chicken, potato salad and regular salad. They were finishing up and Ivy was helping Keller with the dishes.

  She turned to look at him as he held her cell phone in his hand. She walked over to him. “She thinks I need a wardrobe for the performances and wants to pick out something special for Thursday night. It isn’t a big deal.”

  “It is a big deal. I don’t want her near you,” he said, raising his voice.

  She took her phone from his hand and placed it down onto the table. She stepped between his legs, held his gaze as she placed her hands on his shoulders. “I’m not scared of her.”

  “I’m not saying that you are. She’s a manipulative bitch. She’s jealous of you because you’re our woman.”

  “Screw her. I don’t care about that. I care about you and your brothers. Besides, the only reason why I’m even meeting her is because we’re supposed to meet with Mike, Jacoby and a few other guys from Black Jack to go over some stuff and to get to know one another. It won’t be a big deal.” She cupped his cheek and he ran his palms up under her skirt.

  “It is a big deal. When were you going to tell us about this meeting and day of shopping?” Keller asked, wiping his hands on the dishtowel before he threw it down.

  “I’d like to know that, too,” Johnny scolded. He was feeling insecure and he didn’t like it. He sure didn’t like some woman he fucked hanging around the woman he planned on claiming guardianship of and sharing with his brothers. He squeezed her ass. Stroked the crack where her thin, sexy thong panties were. He gripped the material.

  Her lips parted. “Johnny.”

  He clenched his teeth, felt an overwhelming sensation of protectiveness over her. “I don’t want you hanging out with her.”

  “I’m not hanging out with her. It’s for a little while as we shop then we go to Black Jack. I already asked Leeann, Cherise, and Faith to come along and meet me there.”

  “Yet you didn’t tell us,” Angus chimed in.

  “What gives?” Bronc asked.

  She closed her eyes and exhaled.

  “I knew you were going to be upset. You’re all working late that day. It will be fine and there isn’t anything to worry about,” she told them.

  “And Jake and Crespy? Will those dicks be there?” Angus asked.

  “I don’t know. This has nothing to do with them.”

  “You think it doesn’t? They want you, despite knowing we’re involved with you,” Keller barked.

  “He’s right. They want you. We saw that last night,” Johnny said to her.

  She stared at him. “And Madison still wants you, and she’d like nothing more than to screw your brothers, too. None of that matters. I want you and your brothers, Johnny. You all want me. No one else needs to matter,” she said to him

  He slid his palm up under her hair and drew her lower so he could kiss her. When she climbed up onto his lap and began to rock against him, his heart raced and he knew he wanted all of her, now, today. He eased up from the chair. She was light as a feather. As she slid her mouth from his lips to his neck he stroked her pussy and walked her out of the room. She didn’t stop him from bringing her to the bedroom upstairs. He lowered her to the bed and pressed over her, fingers thrusting into her cunt.

  “Oh, Johnny.”

  “Baby, we need you. Tell me you’re ready. Tell us you want to make love to us and get claimed by us,” he said to her. She looked at his brothers, who all gathered around the room.

  “Oh God, yes. I’m more than ready. I want to be yours, fully, so you know that it’s only you I want.”

  “It’s only you we want,” Johnny told her. He pulled his fingers from her cunt and then stood up. He pulled off his shirt and started to undo his pants. She stared at him, her eyes widened as he stood naked in front of her. He offered her his hand and she took it. “Your turn,” he said and reached for the hem of her dress. She reached back, unzipped the dress and let it fall off of her. Angus was on the bed, naked, and unclipping her bra. When the material fell he and his brothers whispered comments in appreciation.

  “God damn beautiful,” Bronc said and he stood on one side of Johnny as Keller stood on the other side.

  “You’re ours, baby. Do we need condoms?”

  “I’m on the pill, but maybe you should,” she said as he gripped her hips and eased her panties off of her. He licked her nipple on one side then kissed along her belly then down to her pussy.

  “Why?” Keller asked.

  “You’ve been with other women,” she said to him.

  “Not in over a year, and we get checked regularly. We’re clean, baby,” Keller told her.

  He cupped her cheek and kissed her lips. She moaned into his mouth as Johnny licked her cunt and fingered her. The scent of her body wash, knowing that they would make love to her one after the next then together made him desperate to penetrate her.

  “I’m more than ready, and she is, too,” he said.

  His brothers stepped back. “You let go and give us all of you,” Keller said to her.

  She worried her bottom lip and then gasped as Johnny lifted her up by her ass and hips and lowered her to the bed. He pressed his lips to hers, plunged his tongue in exploration and then adjusted his position between her legs. He lifted up, held her gaze. “I’ve waited forever for you,” he said to her.

  “Make me yours, Doc. Make me yours,” she said. He smirked at her, gripped his cock, aligned it with her pussy and slowly began to nudge into her. As he thrust all the way in he felt the tiny barrier. He felt emotional, complete as he held his cock in her cunt.

  “My God, you feel so good. So tight. I felt it, baby. You belong to me forever,” he said and kissed her as he held her face and head, and began to slowly thrust into her pussy. When he released her lips she moaned.

  “Oh God, Johnny, you feel so big. I feel you stretching me,” she told him.

  “You’ll get used to it, and used to us making love to you.” He slid his palm along her thigh and pulled it up against his hip. He rocked his hips, stared into her gorgeous blue eyes and felt his life changing. With every stroke into her body, his priorities changed, his desires and wants intensified. “I’ll always put you first, Ivy. You’re the center of our world now. Our everything,” he said and lifted up and began to move faster, deeper into her.

  “More, Johnny. Oh God, I feel it. I feel it,” she said, tilting her head back. Her huge breasts rocked up and down and back and forth on every thrust.

  “So beautiful. My God, she’s ours,” Angus said as he stroked his cock.

  “I can’t wait to take her together. To mark her our woman together,” Keller said.

  Johnny saw the tube of lube in his brother’s hand and he lost it. “There. I’m there,” he said and shot his load. Ivy gasped and he lowered down to kiss her. She hugged him, snuggled into the crook of his neck and his heart raced. “I love you, baby,” he told her without even thinking.

  “And I love you,” she said and pressed her lips to his neck.

  Angus pulled Ivy lower on the bed to the edge by her ankle the moment Johnny stood up. His brother teetered a moment, as if making love to Ivy was so powerful. He eased his palm along her thigh and to her tattoo. “Where the fuck did you get this done at?” he barked at her.