Cody didn’t answer. He picked up the framed photo of their parents Amber had left on the table. The pain in his eyes was familiar to Emmett.
Why had they told Amber about their parents? About what a family meant to them? She’d asked. That was why, but ever since, he couldn’t stop imagining her in his and his brothers’ bed. A real family. Fuck, he was even imagining raising kids with her.
“Damn this rain.” Cody raised his fists up and stared at the ceiling. “Rain or shine, tomorrow I’m looking for her car.”
“Deal. Besides, we need to check the road. I’m betting it’s blocked.” Keeping their minds on work instead of Amber and pie-in-the-sky scenarios was definitely best.
Bryant let out a long, sad sigh. “What if she is married?”
He turned to his brother, who looked more lost than he’d seen him in years. “We’ll deal with it as it comes.”
“I don’t think I can. Maybe it’s the whiskey talking, but I’m with Cody on this. Amber certainly feels like the one I could spend the rest of my life with, Emmett. I know it’s ridiculous but it’s true.”
Emmett felt the same way, but he couldn’t admit it to his brothers. “I know the ratio of single women in town is low, but there are some. I’m not ready to settle down yet, but when we do, we should choose someone from Destiny, don’t you think? Someone who knows our ways? I can think of five attractive dolls who would fit the bill perfectly for us.”
“Bullshit.” Bryant’s tone cut him to the core. “Don’t try to sell us a bill of goods, Emmett. I saw how you looked at Amber, how you took care of her. If she’s married, it will kill me. It will kill Cody. And you know it will kill you, too.”
He nodded. “We still have to keep our cocks in our pants. Things with Amber will either go our way or they won’t. I pray Cody is right and fate brought her to us, but we all know how cruel fate can be, don’t we?” He didn’t wait for either of them to answer. “We’re agreed then. Until we know who she is, we follow protocols and are hands off?”
“Agreed,” Bryant said.
“Yes,” Cody said through clenched teeth. “I agree.”
“Great. I’m going to check on Amber. Every couple of hours I will wake her up to make sure she is still okay. Good night.” Emmett stood and left his brothers still brooding at the table. He needed to be alone with his thoughts. He’d always thought Cody’s romantic nature to be foolish, mocking him at every turn. Now, Emmett’s thoughts were running the same route,
imagining a forever with Amber, the woman he couldn’t get out of his head no matter how hard he tried.
He walked up to the door to the playroom. He opened it and peered in. It was so easy to imagine placing Amber on the spanking bench, seeing her eyes unfocused, her jaw slack, her body pink, all from the pleasure he and his brothers could give her. He felt himself smile at the thought.
Just as fast as the grin had spread out, it turned down into a frown. He was a fool to think things would turn out good for him and his brothers. That didn’t happen for them. Strength mattered. That was what had gotten him through many a nightmare.
The pit of his stomach clenched tight. Would this time be different? Would he survive? Would his brothers? Somewhere deep inside, he knew they would not come out of this time with Amber unscathed.
Everything had changed for them since he’d found her in the road. He closed the door to the playroom and put the key in the lock, resolving to keep his guard up. He would make certain that Amber would never see this room.
Chapter Six
Amber sat on the rocking chair on the front porch of the cabin and watched the three cowboys who had taken her into their home as they saddled two of their horses. Six days and nights of rain had kept them inside, though Cody and Emmett had tried to get down the road a few times. No luck. Every low spot was flooded.
The morning after she’d arrived, Emmett had hiked down to a nearby payphone and called the doctor. He’d given Emmett instructions, which the men had followed exactly. All three cowboys had watched her closely those first couple of days. The care they’d taken with her had touched her heart. Her headache had gone away quickly and she hadn’t had any dizziness after that first day. She was going to be okay thanks to her soldier cowboys.
Amber and the guys had been reduced to staying indoors. She’d talked to them about everything. They’d had a great childhood until their parents’ accident. Emmett had kissed college good-bye, deciding it was best to keep his brothers together. Quite the sacrifice.
“You going to be okay with Bryant, Amber?” Cody asked. “I think my bedside manner is better than his, don’t you agree?”
“I’m not bedridden, cowboy. Go. You have work to do.” After so many gloomy days, it felt good to have the sun warming her face.
Emmett jumped on his horse. “You going to check out the south gate, Cody, or will I have to run the entire line by myself?”
Cody glared at him but didn’t answer. He got on his horse and tipped his hat toward her. “Sweetheart, don’t fret. I’ll be back soon.”
The tension between those two had grown and grown. She wasn’t sure what the problem was, but it was obvious that they were on opposite sides of some issue—likely something to do with her. Cody’s blatant flirtations were coming faster and faster as each day passed. Emmett had no interest in her, of that, she was certain. She’d misread him the first couple of days. Unlike Cody, he barely gave her a first glance of late, let alone a second. What had she done to cause such a turnaround in him? She had no idea.
“Be careful,” she told them.
“Always, love,” Cody answered, but as expected, Emmett didn’t say a word.
After learning about them having two dads and the makeup of what a “normal” family for them was, she’d dreamed of what life might be like in such an arrangement. Foolish really, but she couldn’t stop playing and replaying the mental movie in her head. All three of the gorgeous men had been so kind to her the first couple of days. Cody continued to charm her. Bryant still seemed to like her, but his quietness kept her guessing what he really thought about her. Emmett was the one that had changed the most. It wasn’t what he did that troubled her. He ran her bath every night. He made sure her every request, no matter how small, was met instantly. He insisted she get to bed early. His actions seemed to indicate some level of caring, but other things made her wonder.