Rough and Ready [Men for Hire 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (14 page)

Good grief. When did you become such a coward? Think about it. Why would a man like that write you a note? To say “pretty, please, get your brother to pay up.” That’s ridiculous.

She laughed, getting rid of the tension settling in her neck. Scooping up the envelope, she paused, then tore it open.

Dear Alex,

As you know, I’m okay with words, but when it comes to writing them down, I’m about as eloquent as Kane on a good day. So I’ll make this simple.

Kane and I would like you to share a dinner with us in the dining room. We’ll take care of everything.

We promise to be on our best behavior if you’ll do us that honor. Please meet us there at eight o’clock for a night that we hope will change your life.

Yours forever,

Jeff

And that other guy.

She chuckled at the added signature that was meant to be Kane. Jeff didn’t think he was any good at writing his thoughts down, but to her, it was the most romantic thing she’d ever read.

Yours forever?

What had he meant by that? Was it a simple signature like how people wrote
With Love
and didn’t really mean it?

She didn’t want to jump the gun, didn’t want to let herself believe that it was something more, but her heart wouldn’t listen. Her pulse had quickened when she’d read those words and it hadn’t slowed down since. She knew they weren’t planning a regular dinner. They had to have an agenda, a purpose. But how could one dinner change her life? And if it could, would it change it for the better?

Did she take the plunge and join them? Or take the easy way out and stay hidden in her room?

* * * *

Alex couldn’t think of anything else for the rest of the day. At times, she’d found herself thinking about Jeff and Kane, only to get jolted back to awareness when her computer beeped, alerting her to a new email. More than once Daisy had asked her if she was all right, then scrutinized her as though she were lying. But her friend didn’t push and she was glad of that.

She’d started to ask Daisy if she knew anything about what the men had planned, but couldn’t seem to get the words out. Of course, her friend had to know something since they were using the dining room, but what if Daisy knew they were going to tell her not to expect anything from them? What if they, like others before them, told her that they “just wanted to be friends”? Friends with benefits, maybe, but friends all the same.

Finally, at Daisy’s urging, she gave up pretending to work and dashed up to her room. She took a quick shower, then added perfumed lotion. She stopped while spreading it over one shaved leg, told herself that she wasn’t doing it just for the men, then smoothed it over her other leg.

She gave her hair and makeup extra attention—
a girl needs to look nice every day, right?
—then rummaged through what few clothes she’d brought along. Chewing her lip, she pulled out a silk shirt and her best slacks. “I wish I’d brought along a dress.”

But how could she have known she’d have to get dressed up? Her work made wearing dresses almost next to impossible. Even when she’d met with the mayor, she’d always worn nice slacks. After all, looking good wasn’t a part of her job description.

In the end, she settled for her most slimming slacks and a clingy green silk blouse that made the best of her curvaceous figure.

She scowled at her reflection. Her appearance was the best she could hope for, but that was still a long way from the image she’d like to have seen.

Curvy, my ass. That’s just a polite way of saying fat.

She’d done every diet she could afford, but none had worked. Even now she did her best to eat in a healthy way, but the pounds still stuck to her body.

“I love the body I have.” It was a phrase she’d said many times in her life, an affirmation she wanted to sink in, but she’d never truly meant it. Still, if Kane and Jeff thought she was beautiful, didn’t that prove that beauty really was in the eyes of the beholder?

She whirled at the tap on her door. “Yes?”

“It’s Daisy. Jeff and Kane are waiting for you in the dining room.”

She lunged for the door and yanked it open, catching Daisy only a few feet from the door as she headed for the stairs. “Daisy, wait up.”

Daisy pivoted around and gave her an admiring look. “Wow. You look really nice. Not that you don’t all the time, but—”

“I know what you mean and thanks.” She waved her closer so she could lower her voice. At last, she had to ask, “Do you know what’s going on?”

“I don’t know what you mean. They invited you to dinner. That’s all I know.”

Daisy wasn’t playing dumb. That much she could tell. “But why?”

“I’m guessing it’s because they want to spend time with you.” Daisy took her hand. “It’s not a case of international intrigue, you know. It’s two men spoiling the woman they care about with a nice dinner. Please don’t let your insecurities get in your way. Not tonight.”

“The woman they care about? Is that what they told you?”

For a moment, Daisy looked like she’d said more than she should have. But then her usual smile came back. “I don’t remember their exact words. But come on, Alex, everyone knows they have a thing for you. And, judging from what happened at Debbie’s store, you don’t think they’re so bad, either.”

She sucked in a hard breath. “Wait. Do other people know about what happened?”

“Aw, sweetie, Destiny’s a small town. Everyone knows about everything sooner or later.”

“Please tell me you didn’t tell anyone.”

“Of course not. But let’s get serious. You sent Debbie to the dressing rooms where she saw Jeff skirting out the back door and Kane wadding up a perfectly good blouse. One that he told her to send him a bill for, but that he wouldn’t let her take and ring up right then and there. Debbie’s no dummy. It probably didn’t take her five minutes to figure it out.”

Alex closed her eyes. She’d never be able to set foot in Destiny again, much less in Debbie’s shop. When she opened them, she wasn’t surprised to see Daisy arch one eyebrow.

“Are you planning on keeping them waiting? Because from the way they were acting, I’m not sure they could handle the strain.”

Alex glanced toward the stairs. Suddenly, it seemed like the steps stretched on for miles.

“Please tell me you’re not planning on standing them up.” Daisy made
tisking
noises. “If you are, then you’re not half as smart as I think you are.”

Breathing was a little easier, but not by much. “No. I’m going. I was just hoping you could give me a clue about what to expect. I mean, something’s telling me that this is a lot more than a dinner.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Daisy, please don’t hold anything back from me.”

Daisy drew an invisible cross over her chest. “I really don’t know a thing. I swear. But that doesn’t mean I’m not hoping for more. Now get going before I decide to take your place.”

She couldn’t protest. Daisy didn’t give her a chance as she took her arm and tugged her to the staircase. Daisy shushed her when she tried to speak, then waved her on to take the first step. She put her foot on the next step then turned around, once again needing to ask another question. Daisy, however, was already rushing down the hallway to her own bedroom.

“Have fun!” Daisy closed the door behind her.

“Have fun? Then why do I feel like I’m the one who’s going to get eaten alive?”

She drew on her courage, took a steadying breath and took another step toward whatever would happen in the dining room.

Alex hadn’t known what she’d expected to find, but when she opened the doors of the dining room and walked inside, she realized that she couldn’t have hoped to find anything better. Jeff and Kane stood at the head of the dining table that was covered with a pretty white lace tablecloth. Red candles dancing light at the ends spanned the distance from one end to the other. More candles, some white, some red, rested around the room on the sideboard and shelving. The delicious smell of lasagna floated to her. Breadsticks stood at attention in a cute wicker basket and pristine white plates sat on red placemats. Red goblets trimmed with gold waited to be filled with the bottle of champagne that rested in a large silver ice bucket.

As soon as they saw each other, her body reacted, tensing up in a good way like it was ready for anything and everything they could throw her way. Her mind swept back to the dressing room and the wet between her legs was so quick that she had to resist dropping her gaze down to see if a telltale spot had formed on her cream-colored slacks.

If the heat in their eyes was any indication, they felt the same way.

“You look beautiful.”

“You look great.”

Both men spoke at once, then glared at each other for tripping over each other’s words.

Needing to say something before they broke out in an argument over who said what first, she hurried to say, “Thank you. You both look very nice, too.”

And they did. Gone was their normal casual attire. Although they weren’t in suits, each of them wore Western dress shirts with intricate embroidery, and Jeff’s even sparkled with rhinestones. They snatched off cowboy hats that were too clean to have been used in real work, and their jeans were dark denim blue. Neither their jeans nor their boots were worn.

She closed the doors behind her, drew closer, and made a point of skimming her gaze up and down them. “I like your boots. Both of your boots. The details and colors are amazing.”

Kane’s was a mix of black and gray with an intricate design of white stitching to set off the dark. Jeff had opted for camel-colored boots with a design of outstretched wings flying up the sides. The flat shoes she’d worn seemed modest and drab compared to their footwear.

Would she always have to be careful to treat each of them with equal amounts of praise? And yet, that seemed a small price for having them near her.

Kane, for once, beat Jeff to the punch. “You’re more beautiful than a newborn colt.”

She doubted she’d ever heard a compliment quite like that one, but at the same time, she felt flattered and pleased.

“Are you for real, man? You just compared her to livestock.” Jeff strode to her and took her hand. “Although I can hardly blame him. I can’t find any words that would do you justice.”

Kane groaned. “How about we have a seat before this lasagna gets cold?”

Jeff gave her an incredulous look. “Please ignore him. Still, if you’ll allow me…” He pulled out the chair to the left of the head of the table.

She took the seat he offered. Although she’d had dinners in fancy restaurants with waiters in tuxedos, she’d never felt more like a princess. “Thank you, kind sir.”

Kane took Jeff’s move as a cue to make his own. He slid into the chair at the head of the table and earned a hard look from Jeff. Yet instead of going to the opposite side, Jeff took the place to her right.

“Would you care for some lasagna?” Jeff picked up the casserole dish and spatula, then added a large section to her plate.

She kept her smile hidden at the use of the spatula. Who cared what utensils they used?

“How about champagne?” Kane pulled the bottle from the ice bucket and started working to pop the cork.

“Please.”

She might’ve told him the best way to open the bottle, but again, what did it matter? They’d gone to such lengths to please her that she didn’t want to do anything to make them think she was ungrateful. Kane’s dark eyes sparkled with irritation, but he didn’t say anything when Jeff picked up her glass and his to hold out for Kane to pour the drinks.

They really are on their best behavior.

Once they had their food before them, she waited for them to take their napkins and place them on their laps. As she feared, Kane started to tuck his into his shirt, then caught Jeff putting it in his lap and self-consciously tugged it free. If he had left it in his collar, she would’ve done the same with hers. Anything to save him from being embarrassed.

They ate their food, exchanging small talk that meant nothing more than a way to fill the silence. She darted her gaze between them, watching them as intently as they watched her. At first, they only spoke to her, but as the conversation continued and the tension in the air dissipated, they began speaking to each other.

Daisy’s right. They could be great friends if they’d just let it happen.

She lifted her head and caught Jeff’s ocean-blue gaze on her. At once, warmth swept over her, stronger than before. She reached out for her glass and took a large sip of champagne, adding to the growing heat within her.

“Alex?”

“Yes?” Her voice sounded breathy.

“Would you care for some dessert?”

She blinked, aware that she’d anticipated a very different question. “I think you can tempt me.” They could tempt her, all right. In fact, she was hoping he and Kane were the dessert.

“I’ll be right back.” Jeff lifted one finger, rose, then strode to the swinging door that led into the kitchen.

Kane gave the slightest shake of his head. “Damn. The man can make a production out of anything.”

She laughed, at once at ease. “He’s simply more outgoing than you are.”

He jerked back as though she’d struck him.

“No, Kane. I don’t mean that as a criticism. It’s just that you two are so different. But both of you are so…” She paused, unsure that she wanted to finish her sentence.

“We’re both so what?” Jeff pushed the kitchen door open with his back and brought out a white cake covered in blue roses.

She clapped in delight as he placed it on the table then cut three huge slices. Lost in studying the cake, she forgot to be careful with her words. “You’re both so sexy.”

Jeff dropped the cake knife and licked icing off his finger. “Baby, you ain’t seen the half of it yet.” He leaned in closer, his expression as sexy as anything she’d ever seen. “You and me? That’s happening. You know that, right?”