Their Independent Bride [The Men of Space Station One #6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (7 page)

“I’m sure you will point them out. So, we’re going out to check on the tractor and will be back in to get you in a few minutes. You can show us where to plow and we’ll get it started.”

Steven let out his breath. He hadn’t even realized he had been holding it. They had made it past their first hurdle. All he could do was hope that things would get easier along the way and not harder.

He followed Greg outside after dropping a quick kiss on top of Janet’s head. He could tell the other man needed silence, so he held his tongue. He didn’t have long to wait.

“She’s going to be the death of me. Write that on my tombstone. But as God is my witness, I’m already half in love with her.” Greg started up the plow and drove it out of the shed leaving Steven to follow on foot.

Janet let out a breath once the men had closed the door behind them. She couldn’t believe Greg had backed down like that. Maybe he really was trying to work with her. She sure hadn’t helped matters by jumping on him like she had. She needed to think before she flew off the handle like that again. It wasn’t fair to expect him to do all the changing.

She made quick work of cleaning up the kitchen and washing the dishes. She heard the tractor about the time she had finished and started to go out on the back porch to meet the men when she remembered that she had promised to wait inside for them. It aggravated her to wait for them like an obedient dog, but she would do it. As long as they were less demanding in other areas, she was willing to give on the issue of her safety. They did have her best interests at heart.

The door opened and Steven walked in with a giant smile on his face.

“Ready, love? Greg has the tractor primed and ready.”

“I’ve got my drawings right here in my pocket.” She pulled them out and handed them to Steven.

He took them and grabbed her hand to pull her out the door. She laughed and followed him. He was in a good mood for some reason. She wasn’t about to ruin it. She just hoped that Greg was as well.

They stepped out onto the back porch. The spring day enveloped them in pleasing smells of flowers and bright sunshine. The sound of the tractor drowned out the eerie silence that she had learned was because there were very few bugs and no birds at all on the planet. She wasn’t sure how she would get used to no birdsongs or crickets chirping, but she supposed it would happen over time.

Greg sat on the tractor waiting for her to give him directions. She could tell he was antsy to get started. She looked up at Steven and pointed out toward the back.

“I need to walk out there to find the spot.”

He nodded and walked with her as she looked from the back of the house to the line of trees and judged where the best place would be. Finally, she was satisfied with her choice and explained it to Steven. He nodded and motioned for her to head back to the house.

“You can sit on the front porch and watch, but don’t get off the porch without us. Like I said, we don’t know enough yet about the planet to be sure of what is safe. I’m going to be walking the area to check for poisonous plants for you to avoid.” He almost had to yell to be heard over the sound of the tractor idling in the background.

Janet drew in a deep breath and nodded. She could sit on the porch. There really wasn’t anything she could do while they plowed the garden anyway. Planting time would have her out there soon enough. She hurried back to the porch and sat in one of the rocking chairs to watch the men.

After an hour of watching Greg plow and Steven walk around, she was bored and wanted something to do. She walked the length of the porch several times and started to walk down the steps on more than one occasion. Then Steven would look up as if knowing she was thinking of disobeying him. She huffed out a breath and decided to go inside and fix them something to drink. She was sure they would be thirsty.

She quickly brewed some iced tea and poured two glasses. She was about to carry them outside when Steven stepped inside.

“I wondered where you had gotten off to. Here, let me help you with that.” He took the iced tea from her and walked toward the door. “If you’ll open the door, I can carry Greg his.”

“I want to go with you. I can’t stand sitting on that stupid porch by myself.”

“Come on. Just don’t wander off. There are quite a few dangerous plants around here that I’m going to have to get rid of. I don’t want there to be any chance you might get mixed up with one of them.”

“Are they the same ones that we studied about on the shuttle? I think I can stay away from them on my own.” She didn’t like that he assumed she wasn’t smart enough to stay away from them.

“They are. I figured you could point them out without a problem, but I want them out of the area. What happens when we have children? If we don’t get a start on them now, we might not get them all.”

Janet froze. Children? She hadn’t thought about that. She really hadn’t thought much past herself and realized she was being childish and selfish all at the same time.

“Good idea.” She managed to get out around the lump in her throat.

“Come on. You can let Greg know that he’s doing a good job when you give him his tea.” Steven urged her forward once again.

Greg stopped the tractor and cut the engine when they walked up to the edge of the freshly plowed ground. It was turned under but still needed quite a bit of plowing before it would be ready for a garden. Janet could see sweat beading on Greg’s forehead. Even though it was spring, the sun was hot and the heat from the tractor’s engine shimmered around him. She watched him climb down and smiled at him.

“Thanks, that looks good.” He took the glass from Steven but looked at her. “How about a kiss, baby?”

She smiled and walked over to kiss him then stopped in midstride.

“Wait. You’re all smelly and wet. I don’t think I want to have to take a shower this early in the day,” she teased.

“I can kiss you without getting you all messy. Just lean up a little and purse those pretty lips for me.”

She giggled and leaned forward. He leaned down and took her lips in a scorching kiss that rocked her world. She wasn’t even aware until later that she had plastered herself to his sweaty body and wrapped her arms around him. His lips devoured hers, eating at her mouth with teeth and lips and tongue.

When he slowly pulled from her embrace, a satisfied grin stretched his face. Knowing eyes sparkled as she pulled away with a frown. He’d known what he was doing.

“I suppose you think it’s funny that I’m going to have to take a shower and change clothes before I can fix your lunch.” She planted her hands on her hips and glared at him.

“Now, baby. I didn’t touch you—” he began.

“It was just supposed to be a quick kiss, not a scorching prelude to sex on the grass,” she interrupted him.

“Oh, well, if you want to get naked right here, I’m game.” He started unbuttoning his jeans.

“Oh, you!” She stuck her tongue out at him and stomped back toward the house.

She could hear them laughing as she slammed the kitchen door. She wasn’t really mad, just miffed that she’d fallen so completely under his spell this easily. It wouldn’t take much for her to learn to love them. They were stubborn and bossy but funny and gentle all at the same time. Even Greg, with his overwhelming personality, had his moments.

She talked to herself all the way upstairs to shower off and change clothes. She couldn’t believe she wasn’t as mad as a wet cat at him. Instead she found herself smiling and even chuckling at the way she looked when she saw herself in the mirror. Moisture plastered her top to her chest where her nipples were poking through the bra and wet shirt. There was a line of dirt around the area and another circle of dirt around her mouth and on her cheeks. She made out a dirty handprint on her shoulder. Yeah, he’d touched her all right. Never mind the over-the-top kiss.

Janet stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the shower. She couldn’t decide whether she needed to be mad at him or laugh it off. Part of her wanted to slam him for using sex against her, while another part of her wanted to forgive and forget. After all, all he had done was kiss her. She’d done the rest, which only showed how much she enjoyed his kisses.

While she soaped up and sponged off, she planned a quick lunch of soup and cracked bread. She could have the bread made in about an hour. By then, they would be ready for another break. She wouldn’t make the same mistake of kissing either one of them a second time, though.

With that, she stepped out of the shower and dried off. After dressing, she hurried to the kitchen and started prepping the bread. When they came in a little over an hour later, she had everything ready for them.

“Stop right there, and take those dirty boots off before you track it all over the house.”

The men stared down guiltily at their dirt-crusted boots and stepped out of them before continuing to the washroom to clean up. She smiled and set the table while they washed their hands.

Once they had finished lunch, it was decided that the men would switch places and Steven would plow during the afternoon. She wondered what Greg was going to do. He announced that he planned to take a shower and clean up.

“Want to take another one with me and scrub my back, baby?”

“I think I’ve had enough showers for the day. You go right ahead and get cleaned up. I’m going to read for a while, I think.” She backed away from him as he advanced on her.

“How about a kiss before I go shower?”

“Not on your life. You got your kiss earlier.” He took another two steps toward her. She backed up then turned and ran to the living room.

He chased after her but only halfheartedly. She easily escaped him and circled around the couch. He feigned left but went right. She managed to escape him by a thread. She laughed and ran back into the kitchen to put the table between them this time.

“Okay, okay. I am going to take my shower now. I’ll be back down in a few minutes.” Greg turned and headed for the stairs.

Janet didn’t trust him and remained where she was until she heard the shower cut on above. She grinned. He had a playful streak in him she hadn’t expected. Earlier had been a small glimpse.

She found her book and curled up on the couch to read. Thirty minutes later, a much cleaner Greg bounded down the stairs to the living room. He looked like a Greek god with his hair still wet and his chest bare. She couldn’t help but stare at him. He smiled, catching her ogling him.

“Come sit in my lap while you read, baby. I want to hold you.”

She started to say no and go back to reading, but she really wanted to and wasn’t one to deny herself when she really wanted something. Besides, he hadn’t said it in a demanding voice. He sounded like he really wanted to hold her.

Janet unfolded her legs and got up from the couch to follow him over to one of the recliners. He sat down and pulled her down on his lap before he reclined the chair. She settled against his chest but found that she couldn’t read in that position. She closed her book and relaxed. He held her in his arms and rubbed his hands up and down her body. Before long, she was having trouble keeping her eyes open and soon nodded off to sleep.

The sensation of movement roused her from a light sleep. She opened her eyes and found that Greg was carrying her upstairs. She gasped and grabbed hold of him.

“Easy, Janet. I won’t drop you.”

“Sorry, it just startled me to wake up like this.”

“Just hold on and don’t move. We’re almost there.”

She closed her eyes again and let him carry her to the bedroom where he carefully laid her on the bed. She opened her eyes when the bed dipped. He was removing his shoes. Then he stood up and pulled off his jeans. He was gloriously nude under them. She couldn’t help but stare at his amazing body.

“Let’s get your clothes off, baby. I want to take a nap, and having you naked next to me is a dream come true.” He kissed her on the nose and began to undress her.

She was so taken aback by his admission that she didn’t fight him on removing her clothes. Instead, she helped him and was soon as naked as he was. They climbed beneath the covers and Greg pulled her over on top of him. She rested her head on his shoulder and quickly drifted off to sleep.

* * * *

Janet woke slowly to the feel of a tongue at her breast. She yawned and stretched with a little squeak. When teeth closed over her nipple and bit down just a little, her squeak turned into an
ow
!

“’Bout time you woke up, sleepyhead. I didn’t think I would ever get you to open those pretty green eyes for me.”

Greg smiled and then licked her nipple where he’d bitten it. She moaned and thrust her chest toward him. He took advantage of it and sucked in more of her breast while manipulating her other nipple with his fingers.

“Mmm that feels so good.” She ran a hand through his hair.

He continued with his assault of her breasts while she dug and flexed her fingers at his scalp. When he didn’t complain, she knew he enjoyed it as much as she did. She pulled on his hair to try and move him down her body. He chuckled but didn’t let her lead. Instead, he pulled back and just stared down at her.

“You’re not getting your way in everything, precious.”