Independence: #4 Hayley (7 page)

Oh, god! The cross!

Memories came flooding back, her head swiveling from side to side, taking in the modest bedroom. It was mostly daylight outside, a soft grey light spreading through the room from the two windows. Then her gaze fell on the open door, the sight making her sigh as she scrambled to the floor and almost ran for the bathroom.

Damp fingers scooped cold water onto her face and ran through the waist length hair. Natural curls sprang up with the traces of water left behind. It had long been trained to part and fall and she absently lifted it behind her shoulders. Eyes mostly awake stared at the counter. Someone had left her a new toothbrush and paste, something she used gratefully.

Did she have dinner the night before? She frowned into the mirror. She’d been nervous as hell. Okay, scared to death. She rinsed her mouth and inhaled deeply. That’s when the scent of food ratcheted through her like a flash fire in California.

Her nose twitched and she left the bathroom, straight through the next partially open door and down the hall. The house was big, with wide halls and all the doors sitting open. No guessing where you were going. But she was following her nose and her stomach was roaring approval.

Then she hit the large open expanse of the body of the house. Her toes curled on the cold stones beneath her feet and she stared. Two men wearing jeans that seemed to be defying gravity clung to their hips. Each had a large mug of something between two hands, their voices low as they leaned against what looked like real stone counters. She wanted to run her hands over the smooth gold flecked chocolate stone.

“Good morning,” the one with short clipped dark hair nudged the other one with an elbow.

The one with straight brown hair that didn’t seem to obey much, turned to her with a smile. “Hey…”

Both were immediately silent when she held up her palm, one finger extended. She swallowed and sighed at the tanned, flexed and muscled chests and arms. Now she had a clear and unobstructed view of the men who had occupied most of her evening. And all she could think was…wow.

Taking a slow breath, she turned the finger to her own chest.

“Hayley.” She said carefully and then turned the finger in turn to the short haired one.

“Dane,” he answered, grinning at her.

The finger moved to the other. “Jack,” he said, a flash of white in the grin he offered. “Good morning, Hayley. We have food. Coffee…tea…juice…” he winced slightly. “Not sure if we have milk…it’s grocery day.”

“How did I get here?” She asked, ignoring the rumbling appreciation from her stomach. She really didn’t want to think about the purring appreciation occurring in other parts of her body. Not right now, at least.

She didn’t move closer, just stood outside the large dining area. The space was open and airy, with a vaulted ceiling and tons of windows and skylights. But it wasn’t chilled. Ceiling fans turned slowly above her, something that caught out of the corner of her eyes as she stepped forward. Then she stopped, frowning at the hand that had been extended, the gesture that had made her feet move without talking to her brain.

She froze in place when the sound of mug clinking against stone broke into her reverie, her head up and eyes on the noise. She almost took a step back. Almost turned and ran. But the tone of the voice, the sharpness, brought her immediately alert. Instantly frozen in place.

“Hayley!” Jack spoke sharply, just loud enough to catch her attention.

But it was Dane who moved forward. She looked from one to the other, eyes wide and breathing coming too quickly, like a bunny caught in the middle of two starving wolves.

He felt her body tremble when he placed one hand on the center of her back, the other on her arm, guiding her forward. She offered no protest, not a word, even when he lifted her into one of the padded chairs surrounding the high breakfast bar.

“Juice? We have apple and orange,” Jack slid a glass forward.

“Apple, please,” she answered instantly.

“Good start. Scrambled eggs, sausage patties and toast,” Dane pulled a large plate from inside the oven, lifted the cover and placed it before her. He added silverware before returning to lift his cup and lean against the counter, watching her. “If you don’t like that choice, tell us what you want, Hayley.”

“How did I get here?” She repeated, lifting the fork and scooping up some of the bright yellow eggs. She groaned gratefully as she chewed. “Thank you. I think I missed dinner last night. I was a little nervous.”

“We brought you here from the club last night,” Jack told her, refilling the juice she’d almost drained. “You weren’t in any condition to drive. Actually, you seemed almost comatose and exhausted.”

“Your pack is in the bedroom where you were sleeping, along with the keys to your truck. Which is really sweet, by the way,” Dane remarked appreciably.

“You drove my truck!?” She demanded, swallowing hastily and glaring from one to the other.

“She’ll share her body with us, but her truck is off limits,” Jack laughed, his head shaking.

“I am not a slut.”

Dane closed one eye. “That’s heavy conversation for this time of the morning, but okay. We do not consider you a slut, Hayley,” he told her firmly, honestly. “I don’t know which of your relatives that one comes from, but…”

Pale brown lashes squeezed shut, one hand raised with one finger up. “I am sorry.”

“I have a feeling we might have to work to convince you that we don’t have the opinions or beliefs of the male relatives you’ve been exposed to all your life. Open your eyes and finish eating.” Jack waited patiently for her eyes to open and for her to resume eating before continuing. “Not everyone has the same views or opinions of sex and relationships as we do.”

“Or even of the people in the club,” Dane added. “Or I’m thinking, some of your close friends.”

“I’m sorry. I might have mouth issues,” she murmured, relief on her face when both of them laughed. “I…umm…don’t remember what happened after…” she winced, her gaze kept on the fork and food on the plate. “I remember the cross,” she said after swallowing. “I remember I kept thinking…about where I was and…” she shook her head slowly.

“I think a lot of tension slipped free last night, Hayley,” Dane said simply, moving and lifting the coffee pot from the maker. He refilled his cup and offered it to Jack before sliding it back into the burner. “And I’d take another guess that you’ve been wound up for a long time and possibly even overworking yourself…”

Jack sighed when her silence stretched out.

“Hayley, have you read anything about the Dom/sub relationship?”

“Not very much,” she finally admitted, picking at the piece of toast when she finished the last of the sausage patty.

“When did you eat yesterday?” Dane asked curiously, smiling at the surprise on her face. At least he managed to get her to look up at them.

“I…lunch…” she shrugged. “I think I was a little nervous about last night.”

“Did you drink anything?” Dane knew his voice had hardened because she looked up instantly, meeting his gaze. She shook her head.

“Water. Mistress Dianna gave me water before the auction. And I had water while we were talking,” she said, finishing the toast and draining the juice. “Thank you. That was delicious.”

“You don’t go to the club on an empty stomach, Hayley.” Dane took the plate and glass to the sink, leaving them there and meeting her gaze as he walked back to the counter.

“It was a hectic day. I usually eat on the run on good days,” she admitted, but surrendered a nod. “I know. I won’t again.”

“They have a restaurant there,” Jack told her, his tone a little softer than his partner’s. “Don’t let him get to you. He likes to boss people around. That’s why he’s in charge of the crews,” he told her with a wink when she nodded.

“I…I’m going to get dressed and go home. Thank you for…I don’t know what happened last night. I never slept so good though,” she said, aware of the heat flooding her cheeks.

“Are you embarrassed about what happened yesterday, Hayley?” Dane moved around the counter, striding easily to stand in front of her, stopping her from leaving the breakfast stool.

“Of course not…” she winced at the dual brows arched in her direction. “Maybe. Just a little.”

“Let me make another guess,” Jack said smoothly, moving to lean on the counter at her side. He watched her body tense with Dane in front of her and him very close to her side. She kept nervously playing with the cuffs of his shirt. “Sex is supposed to be something that happens in the dark. With one person. After long, and perhaps arduous dates. It definitely isn’t something you talk about bright and early at nine in the morning on a Saturday.” He watched her bite the side of her mouth. “Does that about cover it, Hayley?”

“We should probably be grateful she waited to rebel until now,” Dane remarked, his hands out and taking hers from where they were clasped on her lap. “Are your parents still alive, Hayley?”

“My father is…they had my brother and then me…mom died when I was three,” she answered.

“I’m sorry,” Dane put one hand beneath her chin and tipped it up. “Do you think we can be friends and just talk awhile?”

“I…it wasn’t supposed to be like that,” she said, finally giving up trying to pull free of his hand around her chin. “I mean…I thought it was just there…and just…there really isn’t room in my life…my family would never understand…”

“That being friendship?” Dane guessed calmly. “You have friends.”

“Not guys!” Her palm flew to her mouth the instant the words were out.

That made them both laugh. “I’m pretty sure we can handle a couple male relatives who think you should be wrapped in cotton and kept locked safely away in a tower. You’re an adult. An intelligent woman capable of making it through the military and college.” Dane shook his head. “Because we won’t settle for less than a well-rounded relationship, Hayley.”

“Without that, are we much different than batteries?” Jack commented, his arms up and crossing his chest.

“Tact. That’s why he’s out on projects with a hammer,” Dane sighed and removed his hand when she smiled. “Pretty. So you were pretty much raised by guys. No aunts?”

“Not really. My uncles were all divorced and my cousins went to where they lived to visit with their mothers,” Hayley shrugged. “I mean I have aunts…but they didn’t come around much because their ex’s were there. So my cousins went to them.”

“How long have you been a vet?” Jack glanced toward the living area and took one of her hands, tugging until she slipped to the floor and followed behind.

“Three and a half years…eight years of school and then the tests for the license,” she explained, sinking into the firm cushions and pulling her legs beside her. “This is a lovely house.”

“We got lucky. The owner wanted out from under it,” Dane told her with a nod at the surroundings. “We’re making a few adjustments and changes, but we’ve got plenty of time, since we don’t plan to leave the area. This beats the hell out of the east coast.”

“So that puts you at…about thirty-two?” Jack guessed, stretching out his legs when he sunk into one of the matching chairs across from her. Dane took another of the chairs, adjusting it closer, his body relaxed and arms up behind his head.

“Not yet…a few months from now,” she answered, shifting slightly beneath their gaze. “You’re staring. Both of you.”

“You’re beautiful,” Dane answered simply.

Hayley laughed. “You should see me after a day in the field delivering calves. Not so pretty then, trust me. And the smell…” she relaxed a little when they laughed with her. “I…I didn’t expect this. I’m not…I’m really better with animals than humans.”

“You worked in security,” Jack said with a little frown at her comment.

“I did what they told me to do. I was very good at dancing and let men flirt with me,” she shook her head. “I always had someone else with me, another woman who knew what to do. I wasn’t very good at it on my own.” She looked down at the neatly clipped fingernails. “We were lucky it didn’t take long to find out what had happened. Then I had a short stint as a dealer,” she peered up through her lashes, her head shaking. “That didn’t work, either. I tried telling them I was much better with the computer than the people part, they finally believed me.”

“They wanted to use you for your appearance,” Jack said with a little frown when she nodded.

“They weren’t very subtle about it. I looked good in the costumes for undercover work but I don’t have the drive for it,” she said honestly. “I probably should be going.”

“Under a curfew?” Dane asked, one brow arched and his tone teasing.

“Where would people think you were if we’d accepted the entire weekend beginning last night?” Jack wondered.

“I live alone at the edge of the ranch, closer to Tacoma. I don’t have to explain to anyone where I am,” she told him with a hint of defiance.

“But you worry about them not finding you home,” Dane pointed out, studying her carefully. “What would you have told them if you’d stayed the weekend?”

“I bet she has a cover set up…” Jack nodded when she evaded their looks. “Bailey?”

“Hayley?” Dane pressed, his voice and tone one he reserved for those difficult types.

“This isn’t what I agreed to,” she mumbled.