Accepting Eva [Slick Rock 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (8 page)

“What if she wanted to sleep alone?”

“Then we would let her have the bed to herself. We may not like it, but our woman comes first.”

“Hmm.” Eva moved her hand away and began chopping again. He wanted to reach over and smooth the frown between her eyes away, but he didn’t want to distract her in case she cut herself. The woman was a whiz with a knife. She handled the blade so well, it was almost a blur.

“I have the potatoes in the oven and the steaks marinating,” Gray said as he moved close to Eva and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind as she put down the knife. “Where did you learn to wield a knife, sugar?”

“My mom taught me.”

“I would love to meet your mother. She sounds like quite a woman,” Quin said.

“She is,” Eva replied, picking up her coffee and taking a sip. “I’m glad that she found Jack. He’s such a nice man, and since she doesn’t have to work anymore she’s getting time to enjoy life for a change. She should be home soon. I’ll have to give her a call.”

“What do you mean, Eva?”

“Mom never had time to do anything but work.” She sighed. “There were always so many hospital bills.”

“Why do you feel guilty about that, Eva?” Gray inquired.

“How did you know…?”

“You have a very expressive face, baby. We often know what you’re thinking and feeling.”

The expression which crossed her face looked downright horrified.

“Why does that scare you?” asked Quin.

“Uh, I just…I don’t like knowing that people know what I’m thinking.”

“Don’t panic, baby. We didn’t see it until we got to know you a little better. A complete stranger wouldn’t be able to read you.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” she snapped, pulling away from Gray.

“What’s going on?” Pierson asked as he entered the room.

“Eva’s upset over the fact that we can read her facial expressions and she also feels guilty about her mom having to work to pay for all her medical expenses.”

Gray sighed. Quin glanced at him and then at Eva, who was blushing. He realized that maybe Pierson hadn’t been asking for such a blunt summary.

Pierson at least took it in stride. He turned to Eva with a look of concern. “Darlin’, moms are supposed to take care of their kids. If she hadn’t loved you so much, do you think she would have worked two jobs? And we are only able to read some of your expressions since we are just coming to know you. We can’t read your mind, Eva.”

Quin watched as her tight shoulders seemed to slump with relief. Gray looked at him and cocked an eyebrow, telling him to be careful about what he said.

“Sorry, I guess I’m a bit too sensitive about some subjects.” Eva gazed toward Quin.

“No problem, baby. How long before dinner is ready?”

“Approximately thirty minutes.”

“Good, that gives me plenty of time to shower and change.” Quin skirted the counter, moved in close to Eva, leaned down, and kissed her on the cheek. He straightened once more and headed toward the bathroom without looking back. The grin on his face would probably have made her mad, but he had seen the startled doe-like look in her eyes, and underlying that shock he had seen her desire. That was why she had been so upset when he’d told her they could read her. She was frightened he and his brothers would see how much she wanted them.

Their little Eva was running scared. But not from them. She was frightened of her own feelings.

Eva was up and dressed early Saturday morning and was preparing breakfast when Quin entered the kitchen. He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled her neck.

“You smell good, baby.” He kissed her on the cheek and stepped back. “Do you want me to do anything?”

“No, breakfast is just about done.”

“Are you looking forward to today?”

She turned and smiled at him after placing the last of the bacon onto the platter. “Yes, I love playing the tourist. Are you sure you want to come with me?”

“Of course we do. We love spending time with you, Eva.” Quin took the platter from her hands and carried it to the table just as Gray and Pierson entered the kitchen.

“Something smells good.” Gray sniffed the air.

“Sit down and eat. I’ve made some sandwiches to take with us. I thought we could have a picnic,” Eva said.

“That sounds good to me, darlin’.” Pierson carried his coffee to the table and sat down.

“How is it that you’re all able to take time off? I thought you would have to work on Saturdays, at least in the morning anyway.”

“Normally we would, but when we asked you not to schedule any jobs for today it was so we could spend the time with you,” Gray answered.

Eva felt warmth penetrating her chest and filling her heart with flutters. They were all so sweet to want to spend time with her when they should be working. Their actions made her feel almost cherished. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes and she looked down to her plate. She didn’t want them to see how affected she was by their kindness. Eva had no idea how long they would want her living with them or working in their garage. Although they had said they were looking to settle down and thought she could be the woman they had been looking for, she was having a hard time believing it.
Why would three tall, sexy, brawny men want me?
As far as she was concerned she had nothing to offer them. Self-doubt reared its ugly head. The only thing she had to offer was her body, and even she knew it wasn’t something most men wanted.

“Look at me, Eva,” Quin demanded.

Blinking a few times to dispel the moisture in her eyes, she took a slow, deep breath and raised her head. He pinned her with his gaze and she felt like she was drowning in the depths of his eyes.

“Why are you upset?” Quin asked before forking more eggs into his mouth.

“I’m not upset,” she lied, placing her silverware on her plate.

“Bullshit.” Quin narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t you dare fucking lie to me again!”

“Quin.” Gray’s voice was low and dangerous. “Calm down.”

God, now they’re arguing because of me.
Eva felt even worse, but Quin did calm down at his brother’s warning.

“Tell me why you were on the verge of tears,” Quin said. “And this time answer me honestly.”

She cleared her throat to make sure it wouldn’t squeak or be too raspy with emotion before she answered him. Glancing around at them she saw they had all finished eating and were watching her intently. “Gray’s words made me feel special.”

“And that made you feel bad?” Gray asked, drawing her eyes toward him. He didn’t look happy. His jaw was clenched and the muscles in his jaw ticked.

“No. Yes. I don’t know,” she whispered and rose from her seat. Eva began clearing the table but kept her eyes averted from them. The room was quiet except for the clank of dishes as she collected them. If she stopped, she could have heard a pin hitting the floor. The tension in the room made it hard for her to breathe.

“We aren’t going anywhere until you have given me an answer, little girl.”

“No.” She didn’t expect them to understand. They’d never lived with a disability the way she had. Men as strong and handsome as they were had probably never suffered a moment of self-doubt. Eva turned away and began to rinse the dishes and load the dishwasher.

She jumped when hands landed on her shoulders and spun her around. When she looked up, she mentally cringed at the anger on Quin’s face.

Eva’s heart sped up, beating hard and fast against her chest. Her breathing escalated and she tried to shrug off his hands. Quin’s eyes narrowed and then she shrieked as her world turned upside down. He’d moved so fast she barely saw him as he bent and placed his shoulder into her belly. The next thing she knew she was hanging over his shoulder as he strode from the room.

“Put me down right now,” Eva yelled as she struggled.

A hand landed on her ass with a loud
smack.
Oh, he did not just spank me, Eva seethed. There was no way she was letting him get away with that.

“Put me the fuck down.” She kicked out her legs and was satisfied when they swung back and landed on his thigh, causing him to grunt. She shrieked when another slap landed on her ass, only this time it was a lot harder than the last.

“Don’t you start cussing,” Quin snarled. “There is no way I’m letting you sound trashy.”

She drew in a breath to let loose a tirade at his double standards, but as she opened her mouth she went flying. Eva’s scream was cut off when she landed on something soft and she bounced a few times. Quickly glancing around, she ascertained she was in her bedroom and tried to scramble off the bed. She didn’t make it.

A large hand wrapped around her left ankle and another gripped one of the bars of her brace. Quin placed his knees on the bed and virtually threw himself over her, pinning her to the mattress using his whole body. But not once did her hurt her or crush her with his weight.

“Why did Gray’s words upset you, Evana?”

Eva didn’t want to answer, but she knew by the determined look in Quin’s eyes he wasn’t going to relent until he had what he wanted.

“He made me feel special,” she answered quietly and then glanced away. As soon as she saw Gray and Pierson standing at the end of the bed near the sides she wished she hadn’t looked. Gray looked worried, but she could also see that he was hurt. Tears pricked her eyes again. It hadn’t been her intention to hurt him at all. She knew what it was like to be hurt over and over again, and because she had hurt him, she felt guilty.

“I’m sorry,” Eva said when she looked at Gray.

“Why?” Gray asked. Eva gazed at him for a moment until she realized he wasn’t questioning her apology.

“I’ve never had compliments from anyone but my mother. I don’t know how to handle it when people say nice things to me. I don’t even know if I believe them.”

Gray and Pierson moved around the end of the bed and got up beside her and Quin. Quin shifted until he was sitting between her legs, and even though she wasn’t pinned down anymore, she knew by the look in his eye that if she tried to move, he would stop her in an instant.

Pierson reached over, cupped her cheek, and turned her head toward him. “What is going on inside that head of yours, darlin’?”

Eva closed her eyes and tried to gather her thoughts, but a tap to her thigh had them opening again almost immediately.

“Don’t close your eyes, baby,” Quin commanded. “I’m not letting you close yourself off from us.”

She opened her mouth to explain but shut it again, not knowing what to say or how to put her feelings into words.

“Talk to us, damn it!”

“No one ever gives me the time of day. Why do you want to spend time with me?”

“Why do you think?” Gray snapped.

She’d never heard that tone from Gray before, and it sent shards of pain into her chest. Eva hated it when people got angry with her, but it hurt more that she had caused these three men to be unhappy. She shook her head and looked up at the ceiling.

“You know damn well that we are all attracted to you, Eva. Why wouldn’t we want to spend time with you and give you compliments?”

“Because they’re not true,” she wailed. “You say nice things to me but I know you don’t really mean them. Why would you want to have a relationship with boring ole me when you could have your pick of any woman you wanted?”

“You think we’re lying?” Quin asked incredulously. “Why would we do that?”

“Did you think I was lying in the car yesterday when I told you how beautiful you were?” Gray glared at her with narrowed eyes.

Eva’s impulse was to nod, but it wasn’t true. She had believed him. She shook her head instead.

“How many boyfriends have you had, darlin’?” Pierson queried.

Since she had no idea why that was relevant she just gawked at him.

“Answer the question, Eva.”

“One.”

“Tell us about your boyfriend.”

“I’ve already told you about him.”

“How long did you go out with him?”

“Six months.”

“What sort of things did you do together?”

“We just hung out.”

“Okay, but where did you hang out?” Pierson helped her to sit up when she tried to scoot up the bed. He made sure pillows were mounded behind her before she leaned back.

“The campus library, mostly.”

“Did this guy ever take you out dancing or to dinner and the movies?”

“No.”

“So you were dating but never went on dates.” Gray moved up and leaned against the headboard next to her.

“I guess.”

“Was he ashamed of you?” Quin questioned.

Eva felt her cheeks heat but shook her head no, but as she thought about her ex’s behavior she began to realize that he had been ashamed to be seen with her anywhere other than at the college.

“I didn’t think so at the time, but now that I think back, yes, I believe he was.”

“Tell us about Tim.”