Dawn, Dakota - Blessed Times Two (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (31 page)

“Earth to Gaven,” Trey said.

Gaven heard the worry in his friend’s voice. He needed to hide his feeling better, no sense in saddling his friends with his troubles, considering there was no cure for what ailed him.

“Why did you wake me up? I was dreaming about a beautiful woman and all the things I’d like to do to her. Thanks for ruining it for me.” He made his voice sound playful.

He wanted to change the subject, and Trey took the hint. They were getting good at changing the subject. “Sorry. You can’t touch a dream girl anyway, so you’ll live. Eat your burger then I’ll beat you at a game of darts. I’m feeling lucky tonight.”

Gaven happily jumped at the diversion. “You’re on. Loser buys a round of drinks. Since you have no sympathy concerning my dream girl, I think I’ll put a little more effort into winning tonight.”

Trey groaned, making Gaven laugh.

Between bites of food, they talked about different sports, which sparked several fights.

Trent entered the pub and walked toward them.

Branda’s eyes darted nervously away from him.

Gaven wondered what that was all about. Turning to look closely at Trent, his eyes widened. “Damn, buddy. What happened? You been fighting over women again? If I’d known you were on the prowl, I would have prowled with you and had your back. Remember that next time you think of straying.”

“I didn’t stray, Gaven. I ran into the door. Not that you can talk,” Trent said.

“Mine’s just the hazard of a rough vacation,” Gaven shot back.

When everyone went silent and started eating, Gaven knew something was up. No worries. He’d find out if they wanted to spill. If not, he understood secrets. “Doug, a beer for Trent, please,” he called out to the bartender.

Fifteen minutes later, Trey, Trent, and Gaven headed over to the dart board.

In a low tone, Gaven asked Trent, “What’s the door’s name that hit you?”

“Branda.”

“No shit!” Gaven couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice. Damn, Branda was turning out to be full of surprises.

“She got me when I tried to wake her from a nightmare.”

“Ouch, an unexpected blow in the dark. How’s she doing now?” Gaven asked as a picture of her, pale and trembling, came to mind. That was one way he never wanted to see her again. It was too heartbreaking. He felt for the policemen who had helped her today.

Motioning his hand toward Trey, Trent answered, “She’s much better now that Trey and Troy are home and that asshole is dead. I’m so proud of her.”

Gaven looked at Trey as he gathered darts. “Yeah, me too. Glad you two came home when you did. Your vacation couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Trey threw a dart. “That’s for real. I would have gone crazy if we hadn’t been in town today. I still can’t believe he got out of prison and nobody told Branda. The system needs to change. If she had died today there would have been hell to pay. We would have made sure of that. As it is we are going to try to make it bad, real bad, for the person that is supposed to contact the victims and doesn’t when a prison break happens.”

Gaven nodded his head. “Damn, that sounds good. Let me know if you need any help doing that. I’ll gladly do whatever I can.”

Trey raised his fist and Gaven bumped it. “Thanks man. Hey, we’re going to be gone for a month. Mom and Papa are in New York. You mind helping Trent keep an eye on the bookstore? You know, just pass by every so often, pop in sometimes. Trent is going to be doing all the paperwork and ordering, so that’s covered.”

“No problem. I planned on doing it anyway. What are buddies for?” Casting a glance at Branda, Gaven added, “I’m happy for you, Troy, and Branda. I hope everything works out.”

Trent threw a dart, hitting the board dead center. “Yeah, I second that. Even though I plan on sticking to my motto, catch and release.”

“I so love living by that motto myself. Trent and I can have a new hottie every week if we want to. Different flavors add spice to life.” Gaven laughed wolfishly to cover the pain. He would never settle for just one woman. On the force, he’d seen plenty. Shining eyes so happy in the beginning almost always turned cold and bitter as the years passed. That was one experience he never planned on having. He always told his women up front he was only interested in a one-to- two-night fling. He and Trent were alike on that point. Catch and release worked well for them.

Trent raised his beer in agreement. “You said it, brother.” Tipping his bottle back, he took a long drink.

Gaven saw the pain in Trent’s eyes. The death of his girlfriend still ate away at him. In Gaven’s opinion, that was just one more reason not to get too close to a woman.

Troy and Branda strolled over after she’d finished eating.

“I don’t know how you guys eat so fast. You are probably swallowing your food whole,” Branda commented.

“It’s all in the focus. If you ignore everything around you and only focus on eating, you’ll be done in no time at all,” Trent supplied.

“Thanks for the info, but I think I’ll just keep on being a slowpoke,” she responded.

“Now that you two are here, we can get to some serious throwing,” Trey said.

Several dart games later, Gaven glanced at the clock and noticed that they’d been playing for over two hours. He was still the champ. Trent had beat him a few times though so he’d have to keep on practicing in order to stay the champ.

At around ten, Branda covered her mouth with her hand, hiding a huge yawn.

Troy laughed. “I think that’s our cue to leave.”

Everyone hugged everyone then the Cortinos all headed home.

Gaven spotted Marshall sitting at the bar, looking over an order. Plopping down on a stool next to him, he slid him a beer. “How’s it going?”

Marshall scratched the tip of his long, crooked nose. “Business is growing at a fast pace. I’ve had to increase the order of our two most popular beers.” His gaze shot around the pub, scanning for trouble, and landed on an older man who was starting to push away from his table.

“Excuse me a minute. I’ll be right back.”

Gaven watched him move over to the man Gaven knew was a regular named Oscar. Oscar came in two nights a week and ordered a burger and a Coke. Recently he’d broken his ankle. Gaven watched as Marshall helped Oscar hobble to the door. He wasn’t surprised at all when Marshall held the door for him then went outside to help him get in his vehicle.

Sometimes Marshall looked lonely. If he wanted a woman, Gaven hoped one day a special one would come in and see Marshall for who he truly was. A kind, smart, and hard-working man.

Although he wasn’t interested in a permanent relationship, he wasn’t against others giving it a try.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The flight had been tiring, but as she watched the countryside from the taxi window, Branda couldn’t help but love this land. They had just left the city of Sorrento. It had been lovely, with businesses and homes perched on the cliffs, overlooking the Bay of Naples. Most of the buildings were rectangular in shape with terracotta roofs. The earth tones of the town blended well with the lush green landscaping.

The taxi headed out of town and up a winding road. The countryside was a mixture of wooded hills and sprawling citrus and olive groves whose aromas made the air delectable. Branda smiled to herself as she pictured herself standing in a citrus grove all day long doing nothing but breathing in the wonderfully scented air.

They rode for about fifteen minutes then turned up another winding road. The landscaping was a beautifully done work of art that went on for five minutes. One last turn brought them to a stop in front of the cutest home she’d ever seen. Her eyes drifted over the lush, plant-lined stone steps that led to a large stone terrace. Stepping out of the taxi, Branda stared at her surroundings in awe. The terrace was dotted with plants in extra-large planters, wooden lounge chairs, and a round tile-topped table-and-chair set. Citrus permeated the air. She took a deep breath and looked around. A smile crossed her lips. Lemon trees were planted on both sides of the stone terrace. She could happily stay right here and never even enter the house.

Troy and Trey followed her up the stairs, carrying their bags. Turning, she smiled. “I love this place. I don’t even care what the inside looks like. I could stay here forever. It’s beautiful and smells magnificent. I can’t believe we get to stay here for a whole month.”

The twins exchanged a look as their sensual lips curled into pleased smiles.

Trey moved to the door and opened it then gestured her in. “I hope you like it,
tesoro mio
.”

She stepped on a blue-tiled floor. Her gaze followed the river of blue into a large living room furnished in heavy-looking, leather-covered lounges and a long sofa. Traveling the blue again, she saw an open kitchen with granite countertops and modern appliances. Letting the river of blue tile lead her on, she saw glass-lined double doors that led to an even larger terrace at the back of the house.

Swiveling to the closest twin, she hugged Troy. “I love it. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. I’m sooo happy you two brought me here.”

Trey grinned in relief and happiness. “Go on. Check the place out. We’ll put the luggage in our room upstairs and make some lunch.”

As eager as a child in a new toy store, Branda explored the house.

Half an hour later, Branda plopped down into a chair at the table on the back terrace. Cheese, bread, dipping oil, and fruit filled her waiting plate. The twins had filled it for her and now sat back smugly, watching her as they ate and sipped their wine.

“So, after seeing the house, what do you think? Do you still like it?” Trey asked, looking like he already knew her answer. Her expression must be giving her thoughts away.

“Like is too mild a word. Love is more like it. It’s perfect. From the terraces, to the pool, to the view, to the interior design, I love it all. There is even a new car in the garage.”

Her response brought a clandestine grin from the twins.

“
Nonno
and
Nonna
will be extremely happy to hear that, because when we were here, they bought this house for us as a wedding gift,” Troy informed her with a gleam in his eyes.

Shocked, Branda stared at him. What kind of people gave magnificent homes as wedding gifts? Deep in thought, she looked out at the view of the town, hill, and ocean. It was breathtaking. Her new family just kept surprising her. Every time she thought they couldn’t do more for her, they did. Tears welled in her eyes and blurred her vision. Their love seemed to know no bounds.

Trey moved to her, leaned down, plucked her from her chair, and hugged her tightly. “You’re not going to get mushy on us, are you?”

Throat clogged with emotion, she nodded against his chest.

Troy’s body pressed into her backside, and he whispered in her ear, “We all love you, darling. You are truly our little
tesoro
.” Warm lips grazed the shell of her ear.

She shivered in their embrace and relished the sensation of being pressed between both their hearts. They had a way of making her feel like she was at home in their arms.

Troy’s phone rang, breaking the spell. “Hello…Yes, we’re here at the house…No, no, you won’t be imposing. We’d love to have you over. I’ll bring out some more food, and we’ll all eat on the back terrace. See you soon.”

Troy disconnected then answered their questioning looks. “
Nonno
and
Nonna
are coming over. They’ll be here in about fifteen minutes. Let’s pull out some more food and wine. I know they’ll want to celebrate us moving so close to them. Their property borders ours.”

“They make great neighbors.
Nonna
loves to cook for a crowd. We’ll be well fed while we’re here in Italy.” A frown crossed Trey’s brow, and he focused on Branda. “You don’t mind them living so close, do you? They’ll always call before they come over, and part of the year they travel.”

Her heart lurched at the worried look on his handsome face. She felt a driving need to relieve him of his fears. “I love them, too. How could I not? I’m glad they live close by. Besides, I need
Nonna
to teach me to cook Italian food so I can teach our children.”

* * * *

Hours later Troy, Trey, and Branda hugged and waved
Nonno
and
Nonna
off.

They dragged their jet-lagged butts up stairs. Branda dropped onto the bed. “I wish they were my parents.”

Troy shuddered in revolution. “Bite your tongue.” Moving over to the bed, he loomed over her. “If you were their child, I couldn’t do this.”

With a sleek stealthy move, he straddled her hips, pulled her shirt over her head, and pressed her into the bed. His lips took hers in a hungry kiss. Filling his hands with her breasts, he stroked her through her lacy bra. Her nipples hardened, and her breasts felt heavy. Plucking her nipples, he groaned into her mouth. When he had them both panting, he leaned back and looked into her eyes. “Do you still want them as your parents?”