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  “Oh, you know, nothing.” He and Poppy tended to have long moments of silence when words didn’t seem necessary. “We enjoyed the setting sun. What do you think Casey’s talking about?”

  “You’re both terrible at conversation. He’s worse than you. I imagine he’s talking about a cow pat that was on his shoe or something like that.”

  Parker grabbed a scrubbing brush as Shawn used the hose. They washed the grate clean, and as it was drying, he scooped the coal debris out of the pit.

  Once they were finished, Shawn had two beers waiting for them just as Casey arrived.

  They sat outside on the deck chairs staring out at the night sky.

  “How was she?” Parker asked.

  “Quiet. I think she tired herself out today,” Casey said. “Mom called to let me know she talked with her today. Poppy doesn’t think we want her in that way.”

  “Then we’re just going to have to show her how much we do. We never said this was going to be easy,” Parker said.

  “We’ve come a long way considering we couldn’t share a pie.” This came from Shawn.

  “Poppy said she left a full pie in the fridge for us to eat,” Casey said.

  “I love that woman.” Parker leaned back and thought of Poppy. Her sweetness would soon be theirs.

  “We all love her. I don’t think it’s going to be easy though,” Casey said. “She’s still hurting from her mother. Right now, I don’t see her wanting anything romantic.”

  “Then we wait. We give it a couple of weeks,” Parker said.

  Shawn tutted and shook his head.

  “Fine, we’ll give it a couple of months. We’ve waited a couple of years, what’s a few months?”

  They all loved Poppy, and each of them had bought her a piece of jewelry as a sign of their ownership. The bracelet with the inscription had been purposefully made. She belonged to all of them.

  “What do you think of the cut fence?” Shawn asked, changing the subject. Whenever they spent too long talking about Poppy, it always left each one of them yearning for her a little more.

  Parker couldn’t wait until she was in their arms, loving them. He knew she had feelings for them. Whenever she didn’t think anyone was looking, he’d catch her staring, and just knew in his heart that she wanted them. Unlike every other woman, she fought that attraction.

  They didn’t want her fighting it.

  Parker certainly didn’t.

  “It could just be what Dad said,” Casey said. “A bunch of stupid teenagers messing around.”

  “And if it’s not?” Shawn asked.

  “We’ll deal with it. We can handle anything, Shawn. Don’t be so such a worry wart,” Parker said, smirking.

  Chapter Three

  Four months later

  Poppy stood inside the charity shop, putting the clothes she’d already organized onto hangers for people to see easily. Next, she was going to wash the windows.

  “You’re making me feel really old,” Mrs. Bunt said. “Your mother was the same. Always finding something to do.”

  “My mother hated being called lazy.” Poppy hummed to herself as she grabbed the bucket of warm, soapy water that she’d made up, and headed out onto the street. She had a set of ladders, and began to wipe the dirt from the plastic windows and doors. The white of the frames always appeared filthy, and she didn’t like it.

  She was so distracted in her work that she didn’t hear the catcalls or the warning as someone grabbed her ladder. The cloth and bucket spilled from her hands as she grabbed hold of either side of the ladder for support.

  Glancing down, she groaned. Beneath her was Ben, the all-round childhood bully that didn’t seem to take a hint. Even though Shawn had beaten the crap out of him, it didn’t seem to stop.

  Most of the time she avoided Ben.

  “Well, trailer trash, you finally doing some work, huh? Last I heard you were spreading those thighs for the Smith boys.”

  She let out a little squeal as he shook the ladder.

  “You get off that, you animal,” Mrs. Bunt said, waving her hand at Ben.

  This only made him go a little harder, and now she was holding onto the ladder for dear life. She closed her eyes, and prayed that Ben got bored. If she fell to the ground that was going to hurt.

  “Fuck off, you old bat. No one wants to deal with the likes of you.”

  The rocking stopped, and the ladder seemed steady. She heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh. When she looked down, Parker held onto the ladder, and Casey had his foot on Ben’s chest.

  They had gotten an audience, and she didn’t like that. Several of the townsfolk were looking at Casey with that stubborn glare that was judging him.

  Slowly, she climbed down the ladder and took Parker’s hand. She was trembling. For the first time since high school, she’d actually been afraid.

  “You can all fuck off if you think you’re going to judge me. She was terrified, and you just stood there and watched, shame on you.”

  “What’s the meaning of this?” the sheriff asked, finally coming out.

  “Well, Sheriff Dawes, I was taking a trip into town on a Sunday morning, when I spotted him shaking that damn ladder with Poppy on at the top, cleaning that window. He bad-mouthed Mrs. Bunt, and my parents taught me that’s no way to treat or speak to a lady. He was threatening to ladies,” Casey said, glaring at the sheriff. “Is that something you accept?”

  She didn’t want this to blow out of hand. Moving toward Casey, she took his hand, pulling him away from Ben.

  “Poppy, do you want to press charges?” Sheriff Dawes asked.

  “Just make sure he doesn’t do it again. If I’d fallen, it would have been a pricey bill.”

  The sheriff moved toward her. “You have a right to press charges. I’ll lock him up, and it’ll give me pleasure to do it.”

  She shook her head. “It’s fine. Honestly.”

  In the end, the sheriff took Ben to one side, giving him what she hoped was a warning.

  Casey shook his head. “Why did you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Let him get away with it? You were whimpering.”

  Parker put a hand on her shoulder. “You really were in distress.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just … he knows where I live, and I live alone. I’d rather just leave it and do everything to avoid him. It’s no big deal.” She knew she’d upset Casey.

  He was very protective of her, and she found that to be something she adored about him.

  The oldest brother was also the most protective. Placing a hand on his chest, she smiled at him. “Don’t worry so much. You’ll get wrinkles.”

  He tugged her close, wrapping his arms around her.

  “You know you could live with us,” Parker said. “It would be easier that way.”

  Casey in that moment yawned. He was the one who took her home.

  A twinge of guilt hit her hard, and she pouted. “I could buy a car if that would make your life easier.”

  “No!” Both men screamed the word together, making her jump.

  “You don’t need to buy a car,” Casey said. “It’s fine. I’m happy to drive you.”

  She frowned. “You’re acting weirdly.”

  “No weirder than normal,” Parker said.

  She shook her head and entered the shop. Mrs. Bunt was serving a customer, and Poppy offered a smile as she finished.

  “Sorry about that,” she said.

  “Nothing to apologize for. Ben was a spiteful boy, and a bigger bully. Believe me, someone needs to put him in his place, otherwise he’ll hurt someone. You were close to falling off that ladder, sweetie, and I couldn’t have that.”

  “It’s nothing, really. I’m all good.”

  “Those three men are all protective of you. I know Shawn’s not here, but I’ve heard how he takes care of you. You’re a special woman, Poppy.”

  “Don’t believe the rumors. I’m not sleeping with them.”

  “I didn�
�t say you were. This isn’t about sex. Yeah, I know, I’m old, I shouldn’t say the word. I’m old, not dead.”

  Poppy couldn’t help but laugh.

  “And you need to start doing that as well. You’re too young to be sad all the time.” Mrs. Bunt left the counter and reached out to cup her cheeks. “You need more color and more sunshine.”

  “She’ll get it, Mrs. Bunt,” Casey said, coming into the shop.

  “Good. I’ll put you and your brothers in charge of making sure she’s happy. Now, off you go.”

  “But we’ve still got a couple of hours.”

  “Charity for that lot who stood back and did nothing doesn’t appeal to me anymore. I’m closing up and heading home for a cup of tea and a cookie. I’ll see you next week, Poppy.”

  There was no point in arguing. When Mrs. Bunt’s mind was made up, no one was stopping her.

  ****

  Casey’s patience was wearing thin. Four months she’d been at their ranch, making their home for them. All that time she’d cooked, cleaned, done their laundry, and each night when he thought he saw something in her eyes, she’d ask to be taken home.

  “If you keep growling at the ranch hands, they’re going to stop wanting to work for us,” Parker said, holding his hands up.

  “Then they should learn to do their job.”

  “What’s really going on?”

  He looked toward the house, and sure enough, Shawn and Poppy were chatting away like the good friends they were supposed to be.

  “You’re not jealous of their friendship, are you?” Parker asked.

  “I’m not jealous. I just … I wish things were progressing further than they actually are. I’m getting … restless.” He neared his horse and ran a hand down the old girl’s back. With his shitty mood, she’d not wanted him to ride her, which was more than fine. He shouldn’t be riding a horse in this mood.

  “The time seems to be never-ending?” Parker asked.

  “You feel it, too?”

  “Of course. We’ve all wanted her for a long time. She’s been part of our life forever, Casey. We all love her. We’ve all taken care of her in some way.”

  Just thinking about Ben made Casey sick to his stomach. To know that fucker hurt her in high school, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it, filled him with rage. Instead of dealing with the bullshit, he’d taught Parker and Shawn how to handle themselves. No one would ever get the best of any of the Smith brothers.

  “If she stayed at the house some nights, that would make life easier,” Casey said. “I think she does it on purpose.”

  “Does what?” Parker asked.

  “Keeps us at arm’s length. I know she’s seen us and she’s aware of us.” He’d seen the tightness of her nipples pressing against her shirt, or the flash of heat in her eyes when he got close. It was why he was always sneaking up behind her, pressing himself against her so that he could hand her whatever her heart desired. Of course, being close to her meant he was paying a visit to the men’s room to stroke his cock with images of touching her.

  The arousal never stopped. He found Poppy highly sexual, from the way she walked to her laugh. She had the naughtiest, dirtiest laugh that made him think of fucking.

  Her body was made for a man’s pleasure, her full tits, lush hips, rounded stomach, and juicy thighs. She was all woman in every single curve. The weight she’d lost had finally been put back on. With his mother’s cooking, and demanding Poppy ate with them, they were finally getting their Poppy back.

  “I know she does. If you ask me I don’t think she wants to be like the other girls that have always flirted with us, falling over their feet.”

  “She isn’t like them.”

  “I know, but to Poppy I think she’s worried that we’ll see her like that. Like some mystical way we won’t like her or some shit. I don’t understand women. I never will.” Parker rubbed down his own horse. “My advice to you, though, is stop upsetting the ranch hands. When they go for their food, Poppy is in earshot and can hear everything she wants to. Hearing you’re a horrible boss is not going to help our cause.”

  Casey didn’t want to admit that Parker was right, but he agreed. That day, he made sure to pay a visit to all of the ranch hands and apologize to each of them. Once that was done, and he was sure they accepted his apology, he took a ride out to the far fields.

  Turning back toward the main lands on the hill top, he saw for miles, and in the distance he could just about make out the shape of his home, and a little further up, his parents’. Here it looked like they weren’t that far apart, even though he knew they were.

  He turned back and frowned.

  There was a cow on its side, lying completely still.

  Suddenly his horse got a little skittish, so he climbed from her, patted her neck, and made his way toward the cow. When he turned, he was sick to his stomach. The cow had been completely mutilated, tortured.

  He stepped away as his stomach recoiled, and he couldn’t look at it. Pulling out his radio, he got Parker on the line.

  “Get our dads to come out to the far pasture,” Casey said.

  “Why?”

  “I think the gaps in our fence were just the beginning. I’ve just found a cow, Parker, completely tortured. Whoever did this is a sick fuck.”

  He didn’t want his brothers to see it, but when Shawn and Parker made it to the spot with both their dads, he knew there wasn’t a chance in hell of him stopping them.

  Casey hadn’t been sick yet, but he didn’t know how he was going to stomach any food any time soon.

  “The poor girl,” Elijah said, placing a hand on her nose.

  They took care of their herd.

  “We were just about to do the count when you called this in,” Bruce said.

  “We’ve got to call Sheriff Dawes,” Parker said.

  “Already done. He’s on his way. Your mother doesn’t find out about this,” Elijah said.

  “Nor Poppy. I don’t want them worrying.”

  “Also, we want you to get a couple of the dogs,” Bruce said.

  “Dogs?” Shawn asked.

  “Keep them close to the house. They’re guard dogs, and I’m sure Poppy will love them.”

  Shawn shook his head. “I doubt that. When we were little a dog chased us up a tree. It nearly took a chunk right out of Poppy’s leg.”

  “Then make sure she gets over her fear, because I don’t like this. This is an attack on our ranch, and I want to make sure our women are protected,” Elijah said.

  ****

  “Down, boy,” Poppy said.

  Parker shook his head, laughing as she popped her head out of the kitchen window. She wouldn’t leave the house, and even though it pissed him off, he found her cute as anything.

  “He’s not going to bite. Here, boy,” he said.

  The German shepherd ran toward him, taking a seat, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

  “Is he your dog?”

  “I helped train him growing up.” On the ranch they had to have several dogs. He didn’t know why he’d not thought of bringing him back home with him.

  Their dads had made sure they each had a dog to train. His mother loved dogs, and they had four different kinds: German shepherd, Labrador, St. Bernard, and cocker spaniel.

  “What’s his name?” she asked.

  “Stitch.”

  “What a strange name.”

  He laughed. “I called him that because every time I went running with him, he always gave me a stitch in my side. He’s a good boy. Come out and stop being a wuss. Come and say hi to him.”

  Parker commanded Stitch to sit as the door opened. He watched as Poppy took small steps to leave the house.

  Her fear was justified. Dogs, when trained to be, could be totally vicious and dangerous. Stitch was both of those things but only to the people who were threatening. Poppy stood a couple of feet away.

  “Come here,” he said, holding his hand out. “I’m not going to bite.”

&nb
sp; She stepped toward him, taking his hand, and walking past the well-trained dog with Stitch staying perfectly still. Parker moved her so that she was standing between his thighs. He pulled her close, placing a hand on her stomach, and pretending to put her into position. The truth was, it just felt good to have her in his arms.

  He’d gladly have her close every single second of every day.

  Still, like Casey, he hated the time it was taking to bring her into their lives. He wanted the freedom to kiss and make love to her. Instead, he was having to be incredibly patient, which he was finding wasn’t his strength.

  Taking hold of her hand, when really he just wanted to hold her, he gave Stitch a signal to come closer.

  Poppy tensed up in his arms. Keeping his hand over hers, he reached out and slowly placed her hand on Stitch.

  His dog lapped up the attention.

  As each second passed, the tension began to ease out of Poppy.

  “See, he just wants a bit of attention. He’s friendly.”

  Only when he was sure she was happy did he let her hand go.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Try stroking him without me.” He placed his hands on her hips, and leaned in close, smelling her vanilla scent. She smelled like home, and his mouth watered for a taste.

  Seconds turned into minutes, and then Poppy sat down on the ground, and Stitch stayed where he told him to.

  When he was sure she felt safe and was okay, he got Stitch to move a little closer. Poppy giggled as the dog lay down and showed his belly.

  “Oh, wow, he is so cute,” she said.

  “He likes you,” Parker said.

  “You know, I think I could like him.”

  She stroked his stomach, and Parker smiled. He liked seeing her happy like this.

  “Now I never thought I’d see that,” Shawn said.

  Poppy laughed. “I know, right? I’ve spent most of the afternoon at the window refusing to come out. I bet I’ve driven you mad.”

  She turned back to look at him.

  He took a curl between his fingers, playing with the silken strands. “Nope, not mad at all. It has been a pleasure to show you that dogs are nothing to be afraid of. At least my dog isn’t.”