Hearts on Fire 2: Michaela (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “I need this tank top off, honey. You have more than one splinter.”

  When his large hands landed on her hips from behind, she thought she might burst out a moan. He was big. His hands, his body, his chest, arms, every ounce of him was large and muscular. She took a deep breath as he began lifting her tank top up and over her head.

  She grabbed it from his hands and placed it over her breasts where the bra barely covered her, and to hide the scar from her bullet wound. All she needed was for the sheriff to see that. She was a bit embarrassed by her choice of the purple, sexy, lace bra she wore, but bras and panties were her one obsession. She loved all colors, all styles of skimpy thongs, lacy, satin, you name it and she had a matching set.

  He trailed his fingers along her skin and she swallowed hard.

  “How bad? Can you get them out?” she asked, looking at him through the reflection in the mirror. His eyes were focused on her back.

  She felt his warm breath caress along her skin.

  “I think so. I don’t want to hurt you.” He reached for the tweezers first. His other hand remained on her hip, and she felt the warmth, the masculinity of his hold. Every feminine part of her reacted. Her pussy clenched, her breasts felt full, and her nipples hardened instinctually.

  “It’s okay. Just do it so we can get back to help the others,” she whispered.

  He stared at her through the reflection in the mirror and then looked back down at her back. She felt him begin to pinch around where the splinter was. He mumbled a few times under his breath and carefully pulled the first one out. He showed her the splinter and she made a funny face. It was bigger than she thought it would be.

  “Two more to go,” he told her, rinsing the tweezers and brushing his forearm against her breast as he reached under her arms.

  She felt his hips against her ass, and she found herself slightly bending over the sink and counter, imagining what it would be like to be fucked from behind by Jake.

  His hand squeezed her hip, and he thrust gently against her but quickly pulled back, making her wonder if she imagined it. Her pussy clenched and she closed her eyes as he pulled the other two splinters out. He poured peroxide on the cotton balls and cleaned up her skin.

  “That should do it.” He ran his palm along her back. She was shocked yet accepting when his arm wrapped around her midsection from behind and pulled her back against him.

  She gasped as they locked gazes through the mirror.

  “You’re a gorgeous woman. You have beautiful skin, and I am so aroused right now, baby. Just thinking about you rolling around upstairs in the attic with Billy has me wanting to do a lot of things to you and this body.”

  “Things?” she whispered, and he bent her forward slightly as he held her around the waist and kissed along her neck.

  “Lots of wild, crazy things.” He suckled her neck in a sensitive spot as he eased his jean-covered cock against her ass. She felt her pussy cream and nearly moaned aloud.

  “Jake.”

  “Shhh. Not a word. No denials. Not now when I’ve got you in my arms and am about to kiss you. That’s something I’ve been wanting to do since I met you.”

  He reached up and gently turned her face toward him while remaining against her back.

  He rubbed his thumb along her lower lip and she stared up into his blue eyes.

  “Ah hell.” He pressed his lips against hers. She accepted his kiss and his tongue as he plunged it between her teeth and she turned in his arms.

  He lifted her up. She wrapped her arms best she could up and around his shoulders as he continued to kiss her deeply. His hands were everywhere. On her waist, up her ribs to her breasts as he thrust his hips gently against her. She thrust back, feeling incredibly aroused and filled with desire. She’d never experienced these type of strong, combustible emotions. Not ever.

  She ran her hands through his crew cut hair, and when he pinched her nipple, she moaned into his mouth.

  They kept kissing until they both couldn’t catch their breath and he eased his mouth along her neck and collarbone. Michaela tilted her head back as he continued to use his mouth to explore her. His mouth went lower. She gripped his shoulders, never feeling so feminine and desirable and damn sexy. She was panting for air. He was pressing her bra down and licking across her nipple when he stopped. It was sudden, and she was so lost in the desire, she felt she wanted to demand for him to continue.

  “What is this?” he asked, shoving her immediately back into the real world, back into her fucked-up past and life.

  She looked down to where the scar from the gunshot wound was.

  She shoved down and away from him, or at least tried to, but he lifted her up into his arms and pressed her against the wall. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his waist but kept her eyes closed and her face turned.

  “Look at me. Fucking look at me right now, Michaela.”

  His firm, authoritative voice had her tilting her head back against the wall before she looked at him.

  “This is a gunshot wound.”

  “Please, Jake. Please don’t ask me questions.”

  “Fuck that,” he barked at her and squeezed her tighter, grinding his teeth.

  “After the kiss we just shared, the chemistry between us, and you think I’ll let you push me away?”

  She felt her emotions getting the better of her. That kiss, his touch, Billy’s touch and kiss, was all so arousing and mind blowing. She wondered instantly what it would feel like when Hal kissed her. And she knew he would. Hell, these brothers came as a package. It was inevitable.

  She swallowed hard. She had to stop this conversation from happening.

  “Not now, Jake. Everyone is here working. Not now. I’m not ready.”

  He stared at her. His blue eyes were filled with so much emotion. Did he think she was a criminal? Did he really care for her or was this just lust, curiosity, or interest in the new woman in town? Crazy thoughts were going through her mind about whether or not she could trust him and his brothers. After just two lethal kisses and here she was debating about baring her soul to them.

  Then Jake lowered his mouth to her chest and pressed his lips gently against the scar.

  A tear escaped from her eye. There was no stopping it. This man, these men, in the last twenty-four hours had shown her more compassion and empathy than she’d ever experienced in all of her twenty-four years of life.

  She reached up and ran her fingers along his hair and then placed her palm against his cheek as he lifted his lips up and stared at her.

  “Are you for real?” she whispered.

  “This is real,” he replied, letting his other hand cup her ass as he pressed his thick, hard cock against her crotch. Despite the layer of clothing between them, she felt the heat, the hardness, and the desire.

  “These emotions, this attraction between all of us, is most definitely real, Michaela. I want to know everything about you. I want to share everything about me with you, but mostly, I want to earn your trust, make you look at me and my brothers and know that we can protect you, be honest with you, and maybe even love you.”

  His mention of love shocked her. She shook her head and pushed and wiggled from his arms.

  He allowed her to step down, and pull her tank top into position.

  “Michaela.” He grabbed her hand and pulled it up and against his chest. They locked gazes.

  “Friends first,” he told her as they heard their names being called by Hal.

  Friends first? Is he out of his mind? The last type of relationship on my mind after that is to be friends. I’m in a bit of a situation here. What am I going to do? How am I going to explain things to them?

  * * * *

  Hal was helping Michaela set up the machines that would help pull the smoky smell from the house despite the fact that they replaced all the walls where the fire was. The electrician and Ike rewired all the main wiring around the house that had been altered by the previous homeowner. It appeared that most of the h
ouse had its original wiring or new wiring done by a licensed electrician and to code. That gave Hal and his brothers as well as Michaela some relief.

  With everyone’s help they had been able to tear down the Sheetrock and replace it with better insulation and new Sheetrock. They knocked down the wall in the kitchen as Michaela had wanted, and they helped demolition everything and leave a clean start for the rest of her construction.

  He was impressed with her knowledge of construction and building work, and also the fact that she wanted to salvage the older qualities of the home, restore it to its original design in some aspects, starting with ridding the place of all the carpeting and allowing the hardwood floors to show. She had lots of plans and great ideas, as she showed him a picture of the kitchen she wanted to do.

  They were both leaning over the table looking at the designs as she pointed around the room showing him where everything would go. Their arms rubbed against one another and he stopped looking at the design to absorb her beauty. She was sweet, strong, and stunning. She didn’t mind getting dirty or breaking a nail, and she didn’t back down from challenges, instead seemed to take those challenges on with determination and strength.

  Even as the electrician’s friend, a builder, told her about the process of restoring the original staircase, she just nodded her head, appeared determined, and said thank you for the information. He caught the guys watching her as well and had to set them straight about him and his brothers’ interest. Word would spread fast that the McCurran brothers were staking a claim to Michaela. Now they would have to convince her to let her guard down and let them in.

  She stood up and smiled at him. “What do you think?” she asked, still focused on her designs and what she just told him, but he was too absorbed in watching her and the need to kiss her.

  He reached up and placed his hand against her cheek. “I think that you’re amazing. I love the designs and your determination to restore a lot of the great character of this house to its original form.”

  She smiled as she placed her hand on his waist and began to say thank you. He took her touching him and leaning forward as an invite to kiss her. Moving his hand under her hair to the base of her head, he leaned down and kissed her.

  That kiss grew deeper and deeper as he lifted her up by her ass and placed her on the last counter that remained in the room. It shook slightly but he had a good hold on her. That possessive feeling and need to protect her and watch over her was so strong. Their tongues collided as they dueled for control of the kiss until he cupped both her cheeks in his palms and took complete control.

  Easing his mouth from hers, he locked gazes with her and smiled.

  “You’re one sexy woman, Michaela. I could kiss you all day long.”

  “But you can’t. You need to share.”

  Both of them turned to see Jake and Billy standing in the doorway smiling.

  She lowered her face to Hal’s chest as he chuckled and wrapped her in his arms. A place he hoped she would be more often from here on out.

  * * * *

  Michaela had thanked everyone for their help as they left the neighborhood.

  She headed inside and sat down on the back porch as Hal called her to come on out. It was a beautiful night, the sun was setting, and she was exhausted.

  Billy handed her a beer, and Jake was already occupying one of the other seats, leaving her an empty seat between him and Billy.

  Billy patted the cushion. “Take a load off, Smiley.”

  She shook her head, took a slug of beer, and plopped down onto the chair. The moment she did she felt her muscles sigh in relief from taking a break from all the hard work.

  “Achy?” Jake asked, watching her.

  She nodded her head. “I’m going to be out cold the moment my head hits the pillow.” She opened her eyes to find all three men watching her. “What?” she asked.

  “You’re amazing. Do you know that?” Billy asked her.

  She shook her head. “Stop. I’m just determined to get this house in great shape.”

  “What made you decide to buy this house in its condition?” Hal asked, eyeing her over with that sexy expression that came so naturally to the man. She understood why his call sign was Hollywood. Hal could definitely pass as a movie star.

  “It was cheap,” she replied. Then she chuckled. “I’m just kidding. I was visiting to see if this was a town, a place I would like to live, when I came across this neighborhood. The other houses are so nice, and well kept. This house looked abandoned, like someone gave up on it. I guess I wanted to give it another chance. You know, bring back the life that was once inside and outside of the home. You guys saw all the beautiful woodwork throughout. Can you believe that someone covered up those high windows with the stained glass at the top? You can’t even buy that kind of history and style. And the railing, the staircase? God, that is going to be so freaking gorgeous when it’s done.”

  “Honey, you’ve got such vision. And I tell you, I thought you were nuts to buy this house, but seeing it through your ideas and through your eyes, I’m excited to see what you do with it,” Billy told her.

  She smiled. “Thank you. And thank you so very much for today. I was feeling kind of down and defeated after the fire yesterday. I was afraid to turn on any lights last night so I slept with a flashlight on in the bedroom.” She chuckled and then took another slug of beer.

  “You should have called us, baby. We would have come over here to keep you safe and warm,” Hal said and winked.

  She stared at him. “Please don’t tell me that women fall for lines like that?”

  Hal and Jake laughed.

  “That wasn’t a line. I would have come over here in a flash if you needed me just to keep you company. God knows I couldn’t sleep a wink last night worried about you in this house and what else could go wrong.”

  His sincerity was so apparent she couldn’t believe the heaviness in her heart.

  “That’s really sweet,” she replied.

  “Nothing would have happened except for what you wanted to happen between us,” Hal added.

  She lowered her eyes and held the beer can.

  “About that. About today,” she began to say.

  Billy covered her hand.

  She locked gazes with him.

  “Don’t. Don’t even try to deny the attraction between the four of us, and how powerful it is. Don’t push us away for whatever reason you feel it’s necessary to.”

  “We wouldn’t hurt you, Michaela. We’re good men. We’ve been hurt before and know it’s a shitty thing to do. You can trust us,” Hal added.

  She stood up and walked over toward the railing where Jake was but a bit away from him.

  “Trust, well to be honest with you all, trust just doesn’t come easy for me.”

  “Why?” Billy asked.

  She looked at him. “For a lot of reasons. Reasons I’m just not ready to share with three men I hardly know.”

  “Get to know us then. Hell, baby, you can’t deny how good it was to kiss and to touch,” Billy said.

  “Oh, I’m not denying it, Billy. Remember I have the marks on my back from the splinters that Jake needed to remove from the impact of your kisses.”

  They all chuckled.

  Billy grabbed her hand and pulled her closer and between his legs. “Sweetheart, I promise to kiss you lying down like that on a hell of a lot softer and safer surface than the upstairs attic floor.”

  She chuckled as she squeezed his shoulders, and he caressed the sides of her thighs and then back of her thighs until both hands inched under her shorts and cupped her ass.

  “Billy.”

  She twisted out of his hold and turned around only for him to pull her onto his lap. His hold was snug, and she leaned back and enjoyed being cradled in Billy’s arms.

  “Honesty is important in a relationship, Michaela. We have reservations, too,” he told her, and she sensed the concern in his tone.

  Had someone hurt them before? Did they try
this ménage relationship and it went all wrong? That gave her more anxiety, but then she felt jealous and concerned. What woman had gained their interest, had shared their bed, perhaps even their hearts? She gulped.

  “You don’t need to tell me about the other women you have shared. I don’t think I want to know,” she said with a bit of attitude.

  “Michaela, it’s a personal decision and choice a lot of people make. We have many friends, retired military and other professions that chose a ménage relationship for personal reasons. We can tell you exactly why we want this type of relationship,” Jake said.

  “I want to know why. I want to understand it. But it sounds like you’ve tried it with another women and it failed.”

  “It failed for lots of reasons,” Billy said and then squeezed her against him. She turned sideways on his lap and looked at him.

  “Like what reasons?”

  They were silent and it made her feel bad for prying, but yet, she wanted to understand why they wanted to share one woman between them when they were each so good looking, so kind and generous. They were older, a lot older, and more mature than her.

  “Lots of reasons, Michaela. Things we still can’t talk about, because it still hurts,” Hal added.

  She swallowed hard. “I can understand that.”

  “You seem like you can. I get the feeling that you’ve been hurt before, too. Is that what makes you afraid to give this relationship a try?” Jake asked her.

  “Jake, I know nothing about this type of relationship, about, well let’s just say about a lot of things.” She nibbled her lip. She couldn’t exactly tell them she was a virgin, and she also couldn’t tell them about her trust issues and fear of abandonment. Hell, she was fighting those demons herself for too many years now. It was easier to just keep fighting and hiding. These men couldn’t change that. Could they?

  “I think you know more than you think. I also believe that you’re very strong-willed, determined to achieve the goals you set out to achieve. You’re independent, probably to a fault.”