Accepting Eva [Slick Rock 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (7 page)

“I know you want me to say yes,” she almost whispered and then paused and drew in a ragged breath. “I can’t. Not yet. I need more time.”

“You take all the time you need, darlin’. We won’t rush you,” Pierson said, looking a little sad.

“I’m sorry I can’t answer you right now, but I’m not sure how any of this would work. I’ve only ever had one boyfriend, and it should never have been.” She held up her hand when Quin began to speak.

“I haven’t finished, Quin,” Eva said. “I also want you to know why I feel so cautious.” She took a breath. “I have a neighbor back in Sheridan who has been pursuing me rather aggressively over the last two years. We have known each other since we were kids. We grew up together. But Tim has become almost obsessive in his pursuit and made me very wary of men.”

“Did he hurt you?” Pierson asked.

“No.” She let out a shuddering breath, remembering what he’d done instead. “But he could. Tim served in the military and is pretty beefy. Not as big as you three, but he uses his size in an intimidating way. He’s one of the reasons I left Sheridan.” She looked between the three of them, watching their expressions anxiously. Gray looked worried, Pierson was frowning almost skeptically, and Quin looked as angry as she’d expected.
You knew this would bring out their protective instincts.

With a sigh, she concluded, “So my limited experience with the opposite sex has made me…well, cautious, like I said.”

“We would never use our height or strength to intimidate you, Eva. Surely you realize that after the last two weeks.”

“Yes. I believe you, Quin, but I’m not sure I’m ready to deal with one man, let alone three. Please don’t take me the wrong way. I’m not saying no, and I’m sure you realize that I am attracted to all three of you, but I’m just not ready for a relationship. We’ve only known each other for two weeks.”
And I don’t understand why you want me
. She knew she couldn’t say it aloud, but it was true. The Badons couldn’t possibly want someone like her. No one ever did.

“Okay, sugar. We respect your decision and we’ll give you the time you need to make a choice. But I want you to promise me something.” Gray took her hand in his, caressing the skin on the back with his thumb.

“If I can,” she said warily.

“If you decide you want a relationship with us or you need anything from us, and I mean
anything
, you won’t hesitate to come and tell us or ask for what you want.”

Eva smiled slightly and nodded. “Okay, I promise.”

“Thank you, Eva.” Gray tugged her against him and gave her a hug. It was so nice to be held by someone. But what would be better was if their bodies were naked with their skin touching, and not just his.
What would it be like to have all three of them touching me?
His voice pulled her mind back to the present. “Now did I hear you say you wanted to stop at the store?”

“You did.”

“I’ll come with you then. I have a few things I want to pick up.”

Eva led the way out to her car and slid into the driver’s seat. As she buckled up, Gray got into the passenger side. He was nearly too big for her midsize sedan and had to push the seat all the way back to fit his long legs into her car.

“You’re very quiet, sugar. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Gray. It’s just that I’m feeling a little…overwhelmed right now.”

“Talk to me, Eva. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Eva concentrated on her driving for a moment, using that task to gather her thoughts. The road was nearly deserted and didn’t really need too much of her attention, but she was glad to have something to do. She could feel Gray’s eyes on her, and even though she wasn’t uncomfortable she just didn’t know what she wanted to say or in fact do. So she decided there was nothing like honesty.

“I’m really flattered that you and your brothers are attracted to me, Gray.” She directed the car into a free parking space outside the supermarket and shut off the engine and turned to face him. “You’ve probably figured out by what I’ve said that I don’t have much experience with men. Don’t get me wrong. I am attracted to all three of you, but I’m not sure if being in a relationship with all of you is right for me.”

“What are your concerns, sugar? Maybe if you talk to me and ask questions we can clear up a few of them.”

Eva turned back to stare out the windshield. “I’m not good at sex. My one and only experience proved that to me.”

Gray didn’t react. She’d been a little afraid that he would agree with her or laugh, but that wasn’t Gray. He just watched her thoughtfully and asked, “What made you decide that?”

“My first and only boyfriend was a good friend to me. In fact he was more like a brother. We only ever had each other. He was a nerd and he wasn’t a handsome man, but he was one of my best friends. We decided to have sex with each other and it was an utter disaster. Afterward we couldn’t even look each other in the eyes. Eventually, we started avoiding each other and then stopped seeing each other completely.”

“I’m sorry, Eva,” Gray said.

She sighed. “I think we were just so eager to experience things, you know? But we should never have attempted to be physical with each other. I lost one of my closest friends, and I don’t want to ever have to go through that again.”

“Sweetheart, that wasn’t you. You just picked the wrong man to have your first experience with. From what I saw when you kissed Pierson and Quin, you have no worries in that department.”

“Oh God.” Her cheeks heated and she knew they must be as red as they felt. “I can’t believe I did that.”

“What? Kissed my brothers?”

She nodded.

“Look at me, Evana,” Gray demanded quietly.

Cursing mentally when she complied, Eva tried to turn away again, but once their eyes connected, she couldn’t look away.

“I know Quin told you about the ménage relationships in this town from the start. He also told you that we intended to find a woman we were all attracted to and settle down with her. We believe you could be that woman.” He reached over and placed a finger on her lips when she opened her mouth, and she closed it again. “What are you so frightened of?”

“I’ve put up with a lot of derogatory comments for most of my life, Gray. My self-esteem isn’t as good as it should be. I have scars on my right hip, the top of my thigh, and even on my knee. I don’t like being naked in front of anyone. I have stretch marks from when I grew almost overnight when I was an adolescent, and my boobs are too small. I get stared at all the time, and I wear bars on my leg.”

Eva was panting by the time she was finished listing everything that was wrong with her and waited with trepidation for his reply.

Gray smoothed her hair back from her face then stroked his hand over the back of her head and down the length of her tresses. “You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Your hair literally sparkles when the sun shines down upon it. Did you know you have gold strands threaded in amongst that dark red? Your body is perfect to me and my brothers. I get hard every time you get near me. I love your cute little ass and have to resist bending you over so I can take a bite out of it. The scent you wear wraps around my balls until I ache every time I smell it, and you have the sweetest, most loving and caring personality I have ever seen.”

Tears began to fill her eyes.
He sees that in me?

Gray went on, “In my eyes you are the most picture-perfect, flawless, sensitive, compassionate woman I have ever met. You were made for us, Eva. Everyone has imperfections, sugar, but when somebody cares enough about you, those flaws become invisible.”

Eva’s tears spilled onto her cheeks. She’d never had anyone besides her mom say anything nice about her. Not even her ex or Tim. Emotion rushed through her, filling her heart with hope and joy and making her fall even more in love with him.

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Thank you.”

“Quin and Pierson feel the same way I do, Eva. Please don’t make a decision yet. Give yourself time to think over our offer. We will wait for however long you need.”

Gray took her face between his hands and wiped her tears away with his thumb. He leaned in close and kissed her on the forehead. “Let’s go inside so we can get home. I’ll help you with dinner tonight. I’m starving.”

“You’re always hungry.” Eva laughed as he released her and got out of the car.

When she turned back to make sure the locks had engaged she caught sight of a man driving away from them in a dark-colored sedan. The back of his head reminded her of Tim.

Quin and Pierson closed up shop and drove home in silence. Not until Quin had pulled the truck into the driveway did he voice his thoughts. “I don’t like this business about her neighbor.”

“At least we know why she is so afraid to live near her mom.” Pierson looked pensive, as he had for the entire drive, but then he smiled as he got out of the car. “She’s beginning to trust us. She never would have told us about her neighbor if she didn’t. Only one thing bothers me…”

Quin shut the driver’s-side door and frowned at him. “What?”

“I think she’s still left out a hell of a lot about that Tim guy. It has to be a lot worse with her neighbor than she’s letting on. No woman I’ve ever met would pack up and take off unless she was really worried about her safety. I wish she’d tell us what he’s done to make her so scared.”

Quin unlocked the front door. He hated the idea of Eva being threatened by some asshole who ought to know better. He didn’t like her being afraid at all. “Do you think she’s scared of us?”

“What? No. Why do you say that?”

Quin realized now that he’d come down hard on her this morning when he found her teetering around on that chair. He stood by his feelings, because she had been putting herself in danger, but he hadn’t expressed those feelings well. He was bothered by her words about Tim’s size intimidating her.

When Quin didn’t answer, Pierson said, “I don’t think she’s scared of us. We just need to boost her self-esteem and show her that she could have a relationship with us.”

“Agreed,” Quin said shortly. “She’s a passionate, sexy woman and she doesn’t even know it.”

Pierson grinned. “I can think of a few ways to show her.”

Quin could, too. But what if he messed it up the way he had earlier today? Pierson had an easygoing charm that obviously worked on Eva. Sometimes she even flirted with him. She was developing a rapport with Gray, too.

While Quin felt certain of her attraction to him, he feared that another display of temper like the one this morning would scare her off.

No. We won’t lose her.
He pulled into the driveway of their house, the place that Eva had made a home. When they got out of the car, Pierson said, “Just try and be patient a little longer. She’s coming around slowly.”

Footsteps alerted him that Gray and Eva were home and he walked toward the doorway in case help was needed to bring in the grocery bags. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkled, and she looked really happy, the tilt to her lips lighting up her whole face. Evana had never looked more beautiful.

“Let me take those from you, baby.” Quin took the bags and carried them to the kitchen counter. “What do you have planned for dinner?”

“Gray and I decided that we’d have steak, baked potatoes, and salad.”

“Sounds good, darlin’. Do you want some help?” asked Pierson.

“No, but thanks.” Eva walked toward the brewing coffee. “Gray’s already volunteered.”

“Okay, I’m going to go clean up.”

Quin sat on one of the stools at the kitchen counter and watched Gray and Eva as they washed their hands and then began to prepare dinner. He loved having her in their home and didn’t want to imagine how empty it would feel if she left.

Eva looked up from chopping vegetables and gave him a frown. He could see she was thinking and wanted to question her but waited patiently instead.

“How do you know you wouldn’t get jealous?”

“Of what, baby?”

She took a deep breath and tried again. “If you were in a ménage relationship, how do you know you wouldn’t get jealous of your brothers? What if your girlfriend spent more time with one of you and not the others? Wouldn’t that cause friction and eventually affect your relationship with each other?”

Quin felt excitement flutter in his belly. If Eva was asking questions, it had to be a good sign.
Doesn’t it?

“Well, for one, we would all take time out to spend with our girl alone, and secondly, we would also have time with her together.”

“Yes, but what if she forgot who she was supposed to be having alone time with and went to the wrong brother?”

“It wouldn’t matter, Eva. We are all different, and if she needed one of us more than the others at a certain time, then that would be okay. Besides, it’s our duty to know whose turn it is to spend time with our woman. She wouldn’t have to worry about trying to keep things straight in her head.”

“Would she have to play musical beds each night?”

“No, baby.” Quin reached for her hand and caressed the back of it with his thumb. “Our wife would have her own room and it would be up to her who she wanted in it. If she just wanted one of us then that’s all right. Maybe she would feel the need to have all three of us in her bed or just two. Everything in a ménage relationship revolves around the female. Her wants and needs take precedence over anything else.”