Lang, Chloe - Running Wilde [The Brothers of Wilde, Nevada 3] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) (4 page)

“Yep. Mary is our mom.”

“So, you, Phoenix, and Jackson grew up this way.” Jessie shook her head. Suddenly, it all made sense why the three guys were trying to woo her. They really did want her. Not just for a fling or a short-lived romance, but permanently. The thought flattened her out. “I don’t think I could ever...”

“That’s the reason we didn’t tell you. You’re not from here. You don’t know our ways. We thought if we could get you to fall in love with us, then we would tell you.”

“So you guys lied to me in order to cultivate my feelings for you? Great plan.”

“Can you forgive me?” He looked down. “I pushed too hard. I shouldn’t have. You weren’t ready. I should’ve known better.”

Her heart softened. All that the brothers had done for her had been done in love. How could she stay mad at any of them? She should, but she couldn’t. “I forgive you.”

Still, the idea of marrying one of them, let alone all three, had her head spinning. She had no idea how such a thing would work.

“Thank you, sweetheart. Believe me, everything I’ve done has been to make you fall in love with me.” The truth of his confession could not be denied.

The knowledge that Jackson, Phoenix, and Dallas wanted to share a wife—and they’d cast her for the role—tangled up her thoughts in threads of logic and absurdity. She even imagined for an instant how wonderful it would be not to have to choose between them. Would such a thing be plausible for her? Not likely. Besides, how would children fit into such an arrangement? Would each of them expect her to give them a child? Her mind whirled almost painfully.

“Dallas, I don’t—”

“You don’t have to do anything, love. I know I fucked up tonight, but it won’t happen again. I promise. No matter what happens, as long as I’m here, I’ll make sure your feelings and your heart are protected.”

His words stunned her. She was captivated by his two younger brothers and was probably falling in love with them, too. Jackson’s demeanor was kind and playful. Phoenix’s was intense and wicked. Dallas’s was very different, yet just as attractive to her. Honest and stable. If he promised to protect her heart, she didn’t doubt that he would follow through. That only added to her desire for him.

“I must be completely crazy to even...” She looked at the giant cowboy, with his sexy, pleading green eyes. Tiny shivers of desire shot through her. “How does something like that kind of relationship work?”

He smiled. “Don’t think about tomorrow, Jessie. You’re strong and smart, sure. But this is a lot to take in. Just concentrate on right now. Let me earn your trust, love.”

Someday she would likely have to walk away from him and his two brothers, no matter what the consequences. “Okay, Dallas. I’m going to focus on the here and now.” She reached across the seat to the driver’s open door where he still stood and offered her hand.

He took her hand and brought it up to his lips. “Thank you, love.”

Chapter Three

Jessie released Dallas’s hand and left the cab of the truck. The full moon lit the landscape, enhancing the surrounding beauty in a soft glow. Dallas came around from the other side of the vehicle. He stepped next within touching distance of her, but didn’t actually touch her.

She couldn’t process the plural marriage bomb he’d dropped at the moment. “Let’s change the subject. Okay?”

“Sure thing.” His smile returned, and the last of her anger evaporated. “We’re good then.”

“We’re good.” Her nerves calmed.

The cowboy sidled up next to her and put his arm around her. It felt really wonderful.

“Is this your house?” She pointed to the rock structure. She knew that when each of the Wilde brothers had turned sixteen they’d received land from their parents to build a house on. At eighteen, they’d been expected to move out of the family home and into their own, kind of a rite of passage in their family.

“I’d love for you to see my house, Jessie.”

The two Wilde brother houses she’d seen so far were amazing. Jackson’s smacked of Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence with its simple lines and warm colors, blending into the scenery that surrounded it. Phoenix’s was stark and ultramodern. It demanded the eye, contrasting completely from the nature around it.

Dallas’s home was just as amazing as the other two, but a completely different design. With its thick rock walls, it looked much older than it could’ve been. A passerby would’ve guessed it to be more than a century at least. Its facade was a testament to Dallas’s youth. The strength and determination he must’ve needed to complete such an undertaking amazed Jessie. This building would last with ease beyond her lifetime and the next generation’s, too.

The surrounding landscape was rough and barely touched. Trees, wildflowers, and patches of grass filled the space around the home. Off in the distance, the mountain peaks poked up into the sky as if an attempt to touch the moon. The air was clean. She looked up into the night’s canopy and spotted the stars that could still be found in the moon’s strongest light. There were tens of thousands of them, twinkling brightly.

Dallas stated softly, “Shall we see what you think of my home compared to Jackson’s and Phoenix’s?”

“Competitive?”

He laughed. “Oh, yeah.”

“Then you better show me if I’m to be the judge and jury.”

“I’m sure the court will rule in my favor.”

She studied the exterior. It was impressive. “You should be proud, Dallas. You’re quite the builder.”

“Took me four years to build.”

“Really? I thought you only had two years to build it until you had to move out from your parent’s home?”

“That’s right. I moved out at eighteen, as expected, even though it wasn’t completed. I lived in a tent for almost two years until I finished it. I wanted to build something that would really last. So I settled on stone.”

“Wow.” It looked like a single-story fortress. “I bet it could stand anything Mother Nature might dish out. How thick are the walls?”

“Four feet. I needed the extra time to get just the right boulders.”

“Amazing. You actually lived in a tent.”

He laughed. “Yes, ma’am. Actually, it wasn’t half bad.”

Walking up to the front of the home, she noted the door’s color was red. Against the gray stone, it looked striking. Dallas opened it for her and motioned her in.

Upon entering, Jessie loved what she found. Dallas’s home was a sanctuary of comfort and relaxation. In many ways, it reminded her of her father’s estate in Maine where he often spent his summers. The interior of Dallas’s house had a coastal sensibility. That was odd to her, since it was actually in the mountains. The walls were pale blue, and the giant, overstuffed sectional was white. The coffee table was made of bleached wood with a glass top. Around the space were little touches of yellow, green, and red in the lamps, pillows, books, and rugs. Anyone walking into this room would likely feel their shoulders sag and a calming breath slip from their mouth. That was the exact effect she’d felt the instant she’d entered.

Jessie had to admire the Wilde brothers’ mother. Jackson’s and Phoenix’s home had been immaculate. Dallas’s was no different. There wasn’t a single dust bunny in Dallas’s place. But his wasn’t a house that would ever be featured in a magazine. He’d obviously built this place for enjoyment and relaxation, and she instantly felt at home in it.
 

“Well, what’s your first impression of my handiwork?”

“I love it, Dallas. It’s so comfortable and inviting.”

Dallas smiled broadly. He seemed thrilled at her response. “Let me show you more.”

“I’d like that.” She leaned into his muscled frame, and he kept his arm around her back, guiding her around the place.

The kitchen had dark oak cabinets, black appliances, and granite countertops. There was no dining room or breakfast area. The only eating space was a long countertop with six barstools. She could imagine him hosting his brothers for a big meal. Dallas’s casual disposition probably required guests to participate in the meal prep. Nothing formal here.

“I remodeled the kitchen last year. I know it’s pretty basic. I’m not very good at the decorating. Mom helps me with that.”

“Well, you’re talented, and she’s got a wonderful eye.”

“I think she does, too. Let me show you the guest room.”

Neither Phoenix nor Jackson had guest rooms in their houses, but it made sense to her that Dallas would’ve made such an accommodation in his home. The more she thought about the cowboy, the more she could actually imagine spending more time with him. Much more time.

He took her to the door to the right in the hallway. The bed looked soft and inviting. Nothing in the space was over the top. Still, the handmade quilts, big pillows, rocking chair, and table with a simple reading lamp whispered of peace and quiet. Jessie loved to read, but her job had denied her that pleasure. How wonderful it would be to slip into some comfy clothes, grab a book and a cup of tea, and let the outside world fade away.

“I love this room. It’s my favorite so far.”

“Well, we have two more to go.” He kissed her cheek, and she didn’t object. “Let’s finish this tour.”

The bathroom departed from the rest of the space. It was more shower room than bathroom. Warm-colored stones covered the walls, the floors, and even the ceiling. The choice of metal for fixtures was brushed nickel. Two sinks, also brushed nickel, were set in a large antique buffet at a height that would put her on her tiptoes but was perfect for Dallas’s stature. Two large, framed, rectangle mirrors were hanging on the wall above the sinks.

“I wish I’d put a bath in here, now that I know how much you like to take them.”

“Don’t push it, cowboy.” She grinned. “Still, I wouldn’t mind rinsing off.

“Now to the big finale.”

Gooseflesh popped up on her skin. “Your bedroom?”

“Right. This way.” He led her down the hall to the far door. It was open.

When she spotted his big bed, her knees went weak.
Just a quick tour, then I’ll ask him to take me back to my hotel.

“Take a look at these, Jessie.” He pointed to the antique photographs of Wilde, Nevada’s Main Street displayed on the walls. As Jessie studied them, she came to the conclusion that the town didn’t look much different today than in the photos, except instead of trucks filling the streets, back then there were wagons.

Dallas shifted behind her, leaning down and placing his head on her shoulder. Her body temperature rose.

“Sweetheart, I have more old photos that Pappy Jack gave me. I’d love to show them to you someday.”

“I’d like that.” She continued to look at the photos, though she was having trouble focusing on them as she took a whiff of Dallas’s amazing scent.

“Well, how do I stack up to Jackson and Phoenix?”

She gulped. “What do you mean?”

“My house, love. Better? Worse? Tie?”

“It’s incredible. I love it. You can’t compare them. They are all so different. Just like you and your brothers are to each other.”

He turned her around to face him. She looked up at his green eyes. “You knock me out, Jessie.”

Dallas bent down and covered her mouth with his sexy male lips. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck. This wasn’t like at the tree where he’d kissed her like a conquering invader, giving no mercy. No, this kiss was filled with hot passion and longing. It felt to her like an urgent question that hoped to incite the right reply. He’d promised to protect her heart, and that had meant the world to her.