Double Her Pleasure (13 page)

“Eleven years seems like a long sentence.”
Trey held up a hand. “Not that he didn’t deserve life imprisonment
for what he put you through.”

“There was more going on than I originally
thought. Harassment.” She ticked it off on her fingers. “Aggravated
assault, kidnapping, intent to hold captive, unauthorized firearms,
flight from police, drug possession—”

“Drug possession?”

She nodded, opened and closed her mouth a few
times, then sucked in an unsteady breath.

Garret stood and walked to her.

She melted into his arms. “He...”

He could feel her heart thundering. “He
injected me with heroin.” Megan rubbed her arm. “To keep me from
being any trouble while he was driving.”

“Son of a...” Trey stood, his fists clenched.
“He should have been in jail for life.”

She nodded. “They have a rehabilitation
program, and he cooperated. Saw the prison psychologist every week,
did group therapy, and evidently convinced them that he was
cured.”

“Cured?” Trey paced. “Bastard should be
castrated, that’s what should have happened.”

Garret rubbed Megan’s back. “We can take care
of that once we catch him.” The idea was tempting.

Trey narrowed his eyes, making it clear that
he was actually considering it, too.

Megan kissed his jaw and stepped out of his
arms. “I appreciate the fact that you’d do something that extreme
for me.” She stepped around the coffee table and caught Trey on one
of his passes, let him pull her into his arms, then kissed his
cheek. “But we’ll let the sheriff attend to the punishment.”

She glanced at Garret. “I don’t want either
one of you risking anything for me.”

Risking anything? What did that mean? Besides
jail time for beating the shit out of the asshole, what did she
think they were risking? He walked to her side. “Megan, what do you
mean—”

She rubbed her temple. “I’m sorry. I’m so
drained, I don’t really know what I’m saying.”

Trey cupped her cheek. “What do you need from
us right now? Anything. It’s yours.”

“How about a half hour to take a bath and
unwind.” She set her palms on each of their chests. “Then a long
night, safe in bed in between my two favorite guys.”

“You got it.” Garret gestured to the kitchen.
“You want another cup of tea?”

She kissed him softly on the lips. “You’re
wonderful to offer, but I can get my own.” She kissed Trey quickly
and walked a few steps, then turned toward them. “I know you two
are going to want to talk and plan and plot, so I’ll let you get to
it.”

Trey chuckled. “I think you know us too well,
sweetheart.”

Her lips turned down into a frown. “I do. And
I like you too much for my own good.” She strolled toward the
kitchen.

Garret watched her go, wanting to ask her
what was going on in her head, but knowing she needed time to
herself. “Yeah, I know how she feels.”

Trey gave him a crooked smile. “You, hotshot?
Gettin’ all mushy?”

His hand tightened into a fist. “We could
spend a half-hour fightin’ it out, or we can take the time to
figure out our next move.”

His brother’s face sobered. “I’ve been
thinking about that. Besides the sheriff and Dad’s buddy at the
Rangers, what else should we be doing to catch the slimy
fucker?”

Garret hitched a thumb toward the front door.
“Let’s walk. She doesn’t need to hear the pain we’re going to
inflict on Larry Heins when we catch him.”

Trey cracked his knuckles as they walked out
the door. “He’s gonna be sorry he stepped foot in Texas.”

****

Megan stood just inside the kitchen door
holding her cup of brewing tea. The peach scent had begun to calm
her, until she heard her men talking.

She couldn’t let them get involved. They
didn’t know how dangerous the man was. He’d threatened her
girlfriends, bullied them, even physically assaulted a couple guys
she’d befriended in classes.

Larry Heins was dangerous, she was his
target, and whoever got in the way would get hurt. There was no
doubt about that. And now it wasn’t just Trey and Garret and their
employees. Patty and Derrick were on the ranch now, too.

She took the steps up to the second floor
slowly, soaking in the beauty of this place. As soon as she could
arrange it, she’d leave. Make a big show of it, and lure him back
to Canada. She stopped near the landing. Then what? How would she
catch him?

Running up the last steps, she held her cup
in two hands to keep from sloshing. She’d call his probation
officer tomorrow after she had the sheriff’s contact info. She
could handle this on her own. She’d done it before, she could do it
again.

Megan sat on the edge of the bathtub, settled
her cup in one corner, and dropped her head into her hands. The
problem was, now that she had two strong, intelligent men who
wanted to help and protect her, she didn’t want to do it on her
own.

****

The next morning, she was questioned by the
sheriff and Derrick McGatlin who both took copious notes. She gave
them the contact information for Heins’s probation officer. They
would get in touch with the man themselves.

After the sheriff left, Trey, Garret, their
parents, and Megan sat down to Patty’s huge breakfast. Eggs, hash
browns, Texas toast, bacon, sausage, and cinnamon rolls.

The woman had talent in the kitchen. She also
kept a tight rein over the breakfast conversation, and forbade any
talk of the stalker. Megan learned more about Garret and Trey’s
childhoods than she ever would have gotten out of them by
herself.

When everyone was stuffed, the three men
rose. “We’re going to town.” Garret looked between Megan and his
mother. “You gals need anything?”

“Yep.” Patty went to the fridge, tore off a
piece of paper from a magnetized pad, and started writing a list
for her husband.

What were the men-folk up to? They all three
looked a little guilty. “No, thanks.” Megan caught Garret’s eye.
“How long will you be gone?”

He set his black cowboy hat on his head and
tugged on his boots. “Don’t worry. We’ve got a security guard at
the front and back doors, and ATVs patrolling at random intervals.
You’re safe here.”

It wasn’t the safety issue that had her chest
tight and her head throbbing. She needed to tell them she was
leaving.

“Sweet...” Trey stopped, looked at his dad,
then at Megan. “We’ll be back in a couple hours. Just sit tight.
Mom, can you stay for a while?”

She looked up from her list. “Of course.”
With a smile for Megan, she waved a hand to shoo them off. “I know
where the guns are, and I’m not afraid to use them.”

Megan blinked. “You’re expecting
trouble?”

All four of them said “No,” at the exact same
time.

Garret winked at her. “Call if you need
us.”

She nodded and the McGatlin Triple
Threat—complete with boots, hats, and serious looks—headed out the
door.

Megan picked up two plates and walked to the
sink.

“You sit down, Megan.” Patty took the plates
from her. “I’ll clean up.”

“No, please, Patty. I need something to keep
my mind from going in circles.”

The woman tipped her head. “I understand.”
They cleared the table, filled the dishwasher, and got it whirring.
Footsteps on the porch startled them both, and Patty slung out a
protective arm in front of Megan.

A man in a tan uniform shirt with gold
patches and a white straw cowboy hat knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Megan whispered. She couldn’t
see his face with the sun shining behind him.

Patty stepped forward, braver than Megan, and
visored her hand over her eyes. “It’s a security guard, but I
haven’t seen him before.”

He removed his hat. Blond hair, a straight
nose, and very well built.

Megan let out her breath. “Definitely not
him
.”

Patty laughed and pressed her hand between
her breasts. “Scared a couple years off me.” She opened the door as
another security guard topped the steps. They introduced
themselves, gave the women their phone numbers, and went to stand
at their posts.

Patty closed the door and locked it. “Don’t
think I’ve ever felt the need to lock this door before.”

Guilt congealed in Megan’s stomach. “I’m
sorry. I brought this here.” Tears threatened. “I would never want
anyone here on the ranch to get hurt.”

“Easy, dearie.” Patty laid her hands on
Megan’s arms. “I’m not sayin’ there hasn’t been plenty of trouble
here on the ranch. From cattle rustlers to water rights feuds to
women lookin’ to jump Garret’s bones.”

Megan’s giggle interrupted her tears. “I’d
like to hear that story some day.”

“And you will, Megan. Just hang on. Trust
these men to fix this for you. Don’t do anything foolish without
talking it through with Trey and Garret.” She narrowed her eyes.
“You know, they both have it bad for you.”

Shock chilled her like ice water. “They
both...what?”

Megan had another of those out-of-body
experiences that had been happening far too often since she’d
arrived in Texas. Glancing around the kitchen, she caught her
bearings. Could she bluff out of this? Maybe fainting would be the
best course of action. At least she wouldn’t have to answer Trey
and Garret’s mother’s question.

Patty crossed her arms over her chest. “They
try to hide it when Derrick and I are here, but I can see that both
of them have feelings for you.”

Megan’s mouth dropped open, and she shut it
with a snap. How did she get out of this one?

“You know it too, I bet.” Patty leaned
forward, staring intently. “So, which one of them has your
heart?”

Holy hell. She fought the urge to look away.
“I like them both. As friends.” How could she lie like that? “I
don’t have stronger feelings for one than the other.” There. Not a
lie, but a misdirection. “That’s why I can’t let this situation
with the stalker escalate.”

“Hmmm.” Patty set her fists on her hips. “If
I didn’t know better, I’d say you were planning to bolt.”

Megan pressed her lips together and shook her
head. “I’ve said too much.” She hadn’t even told the men she was
leaving, and she sure didn’t want them hearing it from their
mother. “I’m going upstairs to...” She almost said pack. And book a
flight. And find a way to the airport. And think of a way to say
goodbye to Garret and Trey without breaking down in sobs. “I just
need a rest.”

“You go do that.” Patty gripped Megan’s
shoulder, turned her toward the stairs, and gave a little pat. “Go
rest, and be sure whatever you decide to do won’t come back to
haunt you for the rest of your life.”

Megan swung around.

Patty gave her a level look, walked into one
of the offices off the kitchen, and closed the door.

“That woman should have her own talk show.”
Megan jogged up the steps and into Trey’s room. His woodsy scent
clung in the air, a temptation to stay. Which of the men did she
have stronger feelings for? She couldn’t decipher all the different
emotions in her heart. She adored Trey’s caring kindness, but
Garret showed more of that same kindness here on the ranch than he
had in Chicago. Garret’s intensity had drawn her in at the hotel
last weekend, but Trey showed more of his passionate side here on
the ranch.

She walked down the hall to get her laptop
from the guest room. She’d set it up with every intention of
working, but had barely touched it. It took her a few minutes to
check her e-mails one last time and pack it away.

The door to Garret’s room was open. She set
down her laptop case and walked in. An old wood-framed king-sized
bed held a handmade patchwork quilt of cowboys, horses, and cattle.
The shelf over his desk held trophies and pictures of a younger
Garret.

The room smelled of his citrus scent and she
smiled at the small pile of clothes in one corner, on the floor
next to the laundry hamper. That was her movie star. She’d barely
gotten to know him. Hell, she wasn’t gone yet, and she was missing
him already. He and his brother. She ran her finger over the
polished wood of his high chest of drawers.

She had to insulate them from any chance of
harm.

“Megan!” Trey’s voice echoed up the
stairs.

She jumped. What’d happened to bring them
back so soon? Her heart thudded. She ran into the hallway as two
sets of boots pounded up the steps.

“Megan!” Garret called.

“I’m right here.” She met them at the top
step. “What’s wrong?”

Garret grabbed her upper arms and looked her
over. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Are you okay?” She looked past
him. “Oh God, your dad?”

“He’s okay.” Trey smoothed her hair. “Mom
called. Said you needed us right away. We weren’t even off the
ranch and we...” He bent and looked into her eyes. “What’s going
on?”

Downstairs, the back door closed, a truck
started, and drove away.

Trey jogged into his room. “Mom and Dad are
leaving. What the hell?”

Garret slid an arm around her back and guided
her into Trey’s bedroom. “Sit down and tell us what’s
happening.”

She plopped on the bed and the men stood over
her. “I’m not sure. She and I were talking and...” Crap. Patty
called them because she thought Megan was going to pack up and
leave without telling the guys.

“Yeah?” Trey crossed his arms over his chest.
“And?”

Megan lifted her shoulders. “And...how would
I know what she meant?”

Her men turned and looked at each other for
long moments.

“But...” Her mind whirled with possible
diversionary tactics.

“But what?” Garret crossed his arms, too.

“She asked me which of you I was interested
in.”

“Yeah, I can see her doin’ something like
that.” Trey let out a breath that puffed out his lips. “What did
you tell her?”

“I lied.”