Spread Your Wings: Men in Blue, Book 4 (37 page)

Ryan ruffled his sister’s hair. Though she was a young woman, he still treated her like a child most of the time. Maybe because it was easier to ignore all that had gone wrong that way. The things he’d done to rescue Ellie had been horrifying enough. None of them needed to relive those evil times when they had such cause for celebration. “What’s the commotion, Ellie?”

“Your sister is looking at that nursery over there all googly-eyed.” Jeremy shrugged. He would never betray Ellie’s trust. Besides, telling Ryan the truth really would likely get Lucas’s ass kicked.

“Ugh.” Ryan groaned. “I’m not ready to be an uncle yet.”

“You’re pretty much Julie’s uncle by default,” Ben reminded him. The two men had become close and even lived together after their time in Morselli’s dungeon. “And you’re damn good at it.”

“Yeah, well…doesn’t matter. For that I’d have to have a guy first.” Ellie pouted a bit as she stormed away, though by the time she’d gotten close enough to catch her first real peek of the tiniest boy in blue, she’d completely melted.

Jambrea laughed. No one could resist Ezra’s charm. He’d inherited that, at least, from his dad.

After a quarter of an hour had passed, a soft knock came at the door. At first it went unheard in the riot of the overcrowded hospital room. Good thing Jambrea and Lacey could shoo away the glaring nurses from this ward, who would prefer their patients rest. Otherwise they’d all have been kicked out ages ago.

The next time she heard the light tapping, Jambrea wiggled through her friends in time to spot Shari David’s rich brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail that still managed to look utterly lovely with her off the shoulder floral blouse and skinny jeans. Her boots may have been functional at Camp David, but they were just plain sexy with her outfit.

“Shari!” She ran to the woman and wrapped her in a hug, almost tipping them off balance in her enthusiasm.

“Careful,” Mason rumbled as he braced them. Tyler laughed from his spot right next to his partner and husband.

Lacey reached out from her place on their laps, which had been abandoned by the fickle little girl when her candy had all been eaten, to squeeze Shari’s shoulder. “So good to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you and your brother.”

“Thanks.” She smiled and swallowed hard. It couldn’t be easy to be surrounded by the chaos of so many people after years of solitude. But with these men and their wives, she’d find a family that understood the sacrifices some people made for the freedom of others who didn’t know or care about the cost of maintaining their rights. “I hope I’m not interrupting. I had to come to the city to finish some paperwork and I thought I’d stop by the hospital to see Jambrea.”

“Don’t be silly.” Izzy smiled serenely, looking effortlessly glamorous as always, despite her frumpy hospital gown and the plastic bracelet she wore instead of the jewels of her socialite days. “Friends are always welcome. Friends of friends, even.”

Ryan got up quickly and offered Shari his seat, though he stammered over his greeting and offer. Ben was quick to make introductions, starting with himself.

Jambrea smiled as she imagined the possibilities. No one quite knew what Ben and Ryan’s relationship was these days, but Lily swore they were more straight than bi, or at least they had been before their lives had been changed forever by the unwanted captivity the Mistress had discovered them in.

It seemed kind of fitting that their group might end up with three groups of three.

Jambrea looked to Lacey. Her friend smiled and nodded as Ryan and Ben fell all over themselves to ensure Shari’s welcome and comfort.

Matt and Clint each put a hand on her shoulders. She leaned back into them, knowing they’d always be there to support her. After baby Ezra had been fed, he made his rounds of the room.

Just like his dad, he had all the women wanting to pinch his cheeks.

Until Matt coughed. “Holy crap. What is that smell?”

“I think it’s literally crap.” Clint’s eyes watered.

“Well, I guess we know he’s really your son, Razor,” Tyler teased their ex-rookie. As youngest and mouthiest of the bunch, he still took the brunt of the ribbing. “I’ve come across that odor before in the station bathroom after you’ve had too much cheap coffee to wash down a box of six-day-old donuts.”

“Gross!” Lily whacked her brother-in-law on the arm. “You know you shouldn’t eat junk like that. My sister needs you healthy to grow old with her and take care of your spawn.”

“Don’t worry, Aunt Lily. You and JRad are his godparents. Ezra will be your problem if I croak.” He beamed at them, true affection wiping away any faux insult in his snark.

“I think it’s time Razor learned how to change a diaper.” Lacey snagged him by the elbow.
 

He lifted Ezra, holding the baby as far away from his nose as possible and followed her to the nursery. “Yeah, yeah. I see how it is. The rookie always gets the shit jobs.”

They all burst out laughing, including baby Ezra, who gave a tiny gurgle.

He was already a Man in Blue in training.

About the Author

Jayne Rylon is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She received the 2011 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Indie Erotic Romance. Her stories used to begin as daydreams in seemingly endless business meetings, but now she is a full time author, who employs the skills she learned in her straight-laced corporate existence in the business of writing. She lives in Ohio with two cats and her husband, who both inspires her fantasies and supports her career. When she can escape her purple office, she loves to travel the world, avoid speeding tickets in her beloved Sky, and, of course, read.

Jayne loves to hear from fans. You can reach her by email at
[email protected]
or chat with her while she’s procrastinating on Facebook -
www.facebook.com/jayne.rylon
or Twitter -
@jaynerylon
.

For the latest news about what Jayne’s writing, where you can find her at events or to win one of her prize packs given to random subscribers in each addition of her newsletter, sign up for the Naughty News:
 
http://bit.ly/Y523Db

Look for these titles by Jayne Rylon

Now Available:

Three’s Company

Nice and Naughty

Play Doctor

Dream Machine

Healing Touch

Men in Blue

Night is Darkest

Razor’s Edge

Mistress’s Master

Powertools

Kate’s Crew

Morgan’s Surprise

Kayla’s Gifts

Devon’s Pair

Nailed to the Wall

Hammer It Home

Compass Brothers

(Written with Mari Carr)

Northern Exposure

Southern Comfort

Eastern Ambitions

Western Ties

Compass Girls

(Written with Mari Carr)

Winter’s Thaw

Hope Springs

Two to Tango

Where There’s Smoke

Hot Rods

King Cobra

Mustang Sally

Print Anthologies

Three’s Company

Love’s Compass

Powertools

Love Under Construction

Two to Tango

Coming Soon:

Compass Girls

(Written with Mari Carr)

Summer Fling

Falling Softly

Hot Rods

Super Nova

Rebel on the Run

Swinger Style

Barracuda’s Heart

Play Doctor

Developing Desire

What will grow from the seeds of desire?

Hope Springs

© 2013 Jayne Rylon & Mari Carr

Compass Girls, Book 2

Hope Compton never considered her parents’ unconventional relationship a dangerous thing. Until, after a few too many drinks in a crowded bar, she admits her desire for a ménage to her college boyfriend—and uninvited guests try to turn her fantasy into a nightmare.

When Wyatt catches some thugs harassing the pretty daughter of his bosses, he doesn’t hesitate to call on his partner Clayton to kick some asses. But then he realizes what a temptation the sweet, sheltered Hope presents. Especially her naughty wish to unleash her inner vixen—with both of them.

Hope has no doubt her playmates want to fulfill her every desire, but something’s holding them back. She has an idea what those
somethings
are. With luck, and a little help from her Compass cousins to hold her fathers off, she’ll find what she needs in the shadows of the past—and convince them she’s found two men of her own who are worthy of her love.

Warning: Compass books bring love in every direction and every season. But not all of life’s moments are filled with joy. Take the good with the bad, and the steamy.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Hope Springs:

“Are you insane?” Wyatt shouted at her before kicking a hay bale.

“He could have hurt you,” Clayton murmured as he approached.

“Boone’s big fucking mouth means you must know what that does to me.” Wy rubbed his chest. “There were a million people in that house who love you and you’d risk yourself like that? For what? I know I’m fucking uncivilized sometimes, like this morning—not my best showing, I admit it—but being so inconsiderate of the pain you could have caused your family…that’s just plain selfish and rude. Stupid.”

When he put it like that, she shifted from foot to foot. “I wasn’t afraid of John. I just wanted him gone. Permanently. And maybe to show him that he couldn’t touch me, not really.”

“But he
could
have.” A vein stood out in Wyatt’s neck, making her worry he’d over exert himself. Relapsing would prolong his recovery and stress him out. None of them needed that. Clay especially, since he had to live with Wy.

“One scream would have rained down enough angry cowboys on him to hold their own rodeo. Sterling knew what was going on and she’s one of the best shots around.” Security at Compass Ranch was guaranteed, in her mind. Nowhere else could have been as safe a haven for her. Unless it was in the arms of two loving ranch hands.

“No kidding, how do you think we realized what you were up to? You’re lucky your father didn’t notice her staring out the window. Hope—” Wyatt’s persistence in his beliefs made her realize civil discussion wasn’t an option. Maybe it never had been. A man like him respected action and bluntness over diplomacy.

Invoking the platinum rule, she prepared to treat him as he preferred.

A sudden fury ignited a conflagration in her like the lightning bolt that had struck the south hay field after last year’s summer-long drought. In this case, the dearth turning her insides to kindling had lasted more than two decades, she supposed. “You know what? Shut the hell up. I’ve had enough of men deciding my future. My dads, my uncles, my ex-boyfriend and now you guys. You can suck it. If you don’t want anything to do with me, you have no right to say how I live my life. A week ago you barely knew my name. Son of a bitch. You were half-dead yesterday and now you’re going to come in here and start brawling to defend my honor or punish me for giving that dirt bag a piece of my mind? I don’t need a shitty lecture from you. Save your energy.”

Wyatt’s grin spread slow and wide. “You cursed. A bunch.”

“Fuck you!”

“Hope, you’re wrong about one thing. We’ve known all about you for a while. How could we not?” Clayton’s quiet honesty cut through her rage. “You stand out.”

“You think we didn’t see you prancing around here?” Wyatt scoffed. “We noticed you plenty.”

“Then what the hell were you waiting for? Even after you found out I was curious about trying out your lifestyle, you didn’t make me any offers. Damn it, I practically gave you an engraved invitation and you
declined
.” Allowing him to see her cry was out of the question. “So go home. Rest. Do the smart thing for once in your life.”

Wyatt ignored her rant. He stared at her as if he actually considered what she’d shouted.

Crossing her arms, she refused to retreat.

“I get wanting to be in control of your destiny. I can respect independence. So is that all you need? To test drive two guys? Doesn’t matter who?” Wyatt peered into her eyes as he put it on the line. “Will screwing us delete this ridiculous idea of the three of us together from your big brain? If you want to fuck, we can handle that. If you want more, it’s impossible. Look at Boone. I won’t do that to another person. And I certainly won’t make you a target for ignorant fucks like the guys at the bar, who’d assume you’d be up for playing with them. Hiding in the shadows isn’t any way to live either. You don’t know what you’re asking for. I didn’t think you were the kind of woman who could separate emotion from sex, but I didn’t think a lot of things about you. I like being wrong sometimes. Maybe this is one of those rare instances.”