Double Plush Velvet BBW Romance (Velvet Series) (7 page)

Bren had been baking, frying and boiling for several hours. Her thoughts were full of how the entire day had been just like that too.

 
First, when she started out on this change your life quest? She found out in that cottage that she’d had a simmering of want for the wrong cowboy. Then, as she’d gotten to know his brother, her feelings really heated up, because in truth, he was the sexier and sweeter of the two. Until finally, the situation was at the boiling point, once the first cowboy turned up the heat by stepping into the situation.

So, now as she waited for the twin she actually wanted to show up, was she in fact, jumping from wrong frying pan to the right fire?

Still, she tried hard to focus on the job too and despite all the ups and downs in the kitchen, she’d managed to lay out an impressive spread. She peered at the long buffet table, mentally recounting what all should be there and she was satisfied that everything did look great.

The men started to wander in, some in chaps and spurs while others were just dressed in jeans and tee shirts. Bren had never seen so many hot cowboy bods in one room before. The pheromones were as thick as trees in a dark forest and she could even sense that over the scent of all the food she just brought out. The obvious question rang in her mind.
Why was it again, that I stayed in town till now?

The only hot cowboy she wished to see didn’t seem to be here. The men were all lining up to get her fried chicken and side dishes, complete with homemade biscuits. She almost didn’t pull them out of the oven in time. She gazed down at her bandaged finger. The burn was still bothering her, but at least she hadn’t cut herself and that was a victory in and of itself.

Seeing that Trevor wasn’t present, she took a plate and filled it up to save for him.

He came in the door and she watched him closely. She paid close attention to the way he walked and how he turned to smile at someone who spoke to him.
Nope, that’s Travis, the wrong brother. Yes! I can tell them apart.

After a minute or two, he finally looked over at her. He raised his brows but his blue eyes twinkled at her
.

 
She knew her cheeks were red and flushed.
All that time I wanted this man to look at me and now that he is? I just want him to ignore me again. Dammit, I probably blew it!

 
She remembered something very important just now. More of that sage Momma advice that always befuddled her before this adventure
gone crazy
happened.
When ya play hard to get? It always makes em hard for ya.
Why didn’t I remember that before I rebuffed him in the kitchen earlier?

Looking away from the Adonis like cowboy, she wondered just what she needed to do to turn him off completely?
Where was mom’s detailed advice when I really needed it?

Avoiding looking directly at him, Bren kept herself busy with various things along the buffet, which wasn’t hard to do, considering they were eating up the line like pigs at a trough. The chicken was running low and she knew that extra batch she made had been a good idea. Rushing through the swinging kitchen door, she went to retrieve it.

“Miss Plush?”

Turning around, she saw Marge coming in through the side door.

“Yes, ma’am?”

Marge grinned at her. “You’re a hit for sure!”

Bren was elated that the older woman was pleased.

“I hope you’ll be happy here. Here, let me help ya.” The woman grabbed the platter of chicken from her grasp.

“Oh, thanks. I did need to get the chocolate cake out there next.”

“You made cake too?”

“Yep, I sure did.” Bren opened the fridge and looked down at the very large cake. It had M &Ms dotted on it. “What the…?”

The colored candy spelled out a message:
Save a piece for me
.

Oh, wow. How can I tell who left that message? Would Trevor do a thing like that or would his smug brother be that creative?

Marge peeked over her shoulder and her eyes widened.

Too late, the old woman saw the candy spelled message.

 
Feeling really uncomfortable, Bren tried to explain it to her. “Um, I don’t---”

Marge was chuckling. “Oh, my. I already see that you’re a hit with my son!”

Bren was flabbergasted by the woman’s giddy reaction. Taking a deep breath, she knew she would regret this question for sure. “Um, which one?”

The old lady stared at her for a few seconds, and then laughed harder.

Well, that sure as hell was no answer, she thought. “I mean, I do…?” she halted. “I don’t wanna—” she stuttered to a halt.

Marge grinned at her. “Well, I have a better question for ya.”

Bren bent down and plucked the M&M’s from the frosting, before anyone else saw it. “Yeah?”

“Who do you want it to be from?”

Startled by the unexpected question, she froze.

“I mean, they are twins after all.” The older woman gave her a piercing icy blue stare.

Bren squared her shoulders. “That doesn’t mean they’re alike though.”

Marge raised her gray brows.

For a good answer, Bren searched round in her head into that infinite volume of wisdom her momma had preached all these years
. Maybe the one about two in the bush?
Eek!
She grimaced
, no!

“Well, Miss Plush. Are you that confused about it?”

Shaking her head, she threw momma’s handbook out for a minute. “Nope, I’m not confused. I did come here following one of em, and then I met the other one.” Bren thought about the horse hit and run thing with a smile. “He’s got the same looks all right, but that’s where all the similarities stop.”

The old woman stepped back and seemed to listen to her brave explanation.

Bringing the cake out of the fridge, she faced Trevor’s mother. “I tell you what? I want the one who looks at me instead of himself, the one who looks out for other people. The one who smells like—“ Bren rummaged in her mind for what his scent reminded her of. “—well, a blend of cotton candy and Irish Spring, to be exact.”

Marge gazed intently at her. “Well then, you
do
want the one who left them candies on yer cake!” Her low chuckle echoed through the kitchen.

Bren smiled.

“Trev would do my cakes like that all the time when he was a kid. Messages like:
Who loves ya, momma?
Or…
Don’t forget the candles for me
.” She chuckled. “One Valentine’s, he covered the entire frosting with them message hearts and they all had ‘
LUV U MOM’
on them.” She headed for the door. “Oh, and make sure you save him a slice.” She halted her steps and swung around while holding the chicken. “Give him some sweet message back too, that always gets to him.” She gave Bren a huge wink and went through the door.

Bren was happy on all accounts as she followed her out. His mom was even supportive now. While she set up the small desert plates and the silverware for the cake, her brain was busy working on just the right message. Like, ‘
how big a piece do you want?’
Or maybe…’
Eat me, please?’
She laughed aloud and looked up.

Trevor came in through the side door. He looked all around and his gaze halted on her.
There! That was another thing that was different. He immediately looked for her!
She was mentally compiling a detailed list to dazzle Trevor with later. At least, she hoped there would be a later?

He made his way to the buffet line and the closer he got, the more her heart pounded. This guy was so sexy, hot, funny,
and I am going to have him!
He was interested and that spurred her on.
Okay, now play it cool, Bren, look away, look away!
Nope, her eyes just wouldn’t obey.
That man could probably do me in ways that my dreams couldn’t match! I could just look at him all day long too, and never get bored with it.

 
He stepped into the line with the other men, his twinkling eyes remaining on her the entire time.

 
Shaking her head at him, she motioned for him to come over.

Trevor stepped around the guys and came around the backside of the buffet table.

Bren raised his plate up. “I saved you some.”

He looked at it briefly, took the plate, and then her hand.

Her eyes widened and she wondered what was going on now. He looked mad again. She found herself wondering if she might get a nosebleed from all the ups and downs on this,
I’m gonna get my cowboy
rollercoaster ride.

 
Leading her through the kitchen, he stopped at the fridge. He let go of her hand and opened it. Grabbing two bottles of beer, he shut the door. He then turned and headed over to the back entrance.

Bewildered, Bren stood, blinking her eyes and yes, they dropped to his ass again, as he walked away
. I should write on his piece of cake
in M&Ms,
‘
Give Me That Sweet Ass’!
Releasing a chuckle, she kept her spellbound eyes on that fine cowboy’s behind.

FOUR

Nothing Ever Hurt So Good!

“Are you coming?” Trevor asked as he sauntered out the door.

Bren rushed over and realized with a panic that she was actually looking too excited, so she slowed her steps.
Damn, Bren, you just can’t act cool can you?

He was walking up the path to the cottage. “Come on, Plush!” he called back over his shoulder and went in through the front door.

Plush?
She wondered at his seemingly challenging use of her last name while trying to keep her breathing steady. She needed to get composed so she halted at the open doorway.

“Are you that shy all of the sudden?”

He was challenging her?
She willed her nerves to calm the hell down.
After all, you’ll never get to the top if you don’t climb the dammed tree.
Bren mustered up her false courage while ignoring her true fear of heights that could dazzle you into a stupor and she stepped in.

Trevor was sitting at the wooden kitchen table as he lifted a beer bottle. “Want one?”

Releasing a nervous breath, Bren decided that liquid bottled courage could be better than the false kind as she nodded and stepped over to take it.

He grabbed her and set her onto his lap.