The Sinful 7 of Delite, Texas 7: Her Double Delite Angels (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (14 page)

“Okay, so how did you get Colton and Evan to let me bring you to get the stitches out and not them?” Susanna asked as they drove to Dr. Nickles’s office.

Ava felt bad, but she had to stick to her guns here. Colton and Evan wanted to bring her. They wanted to be part of this time to support Ava, but she didn’t want their relationship to start off like this. She promised that she would come by to see them afterward.

“I told them that I would come to see them afterward.”

“And that worked?” Susanna asked as they pulled into a parking spot outside of the hospital. Dr. Nickles’s office was on the second floor.

“Pretty much. I need to handle this and be done. I’ll go to see them when we get home.”

Susanna shrugged her shoulders as they exited the car and went into the building.

An hour later, they were headed out and Ava was feeling a lot better having the stitches removed. The doctor told her no heavy lifting for at least a week and she was grateful that the small scar wasn’t too bad at all. There was some bruising, but nothing too extreme. She even had bruising still on her arm, where the nurse had placed the IV before surgery. It was another reminder of her procedure.

As she exited the office, she saw Jeremiah. He was waiting for her with a bouquet of flowers.

“Jeremiah, how are you?”

He smiled wide. “The question is, how are you, Ava?”

“I’m doing great. I just had the stitches removed,” she told him as they walked into the hallway and stood by the elevator.

“That’s wonderful. I wanted to stop by to bring these to you. I heard from Juliet, at Dixie Chix last night, that you would be here today.” He passed the beautiful bouquet of yellow roses to her.

“Those were my wife’s favorite,” he said.

“They’re beautiful. That was so nice of you to get them for me. We’re headed out to lunch, right down the street. Would you like to join us?” Ava asked and he smiled as his eyes lit up.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“Are you kidding me? No way are you intruding. Let’s go.” Ava looped her arm through Jeremiah’s as the elevator doors opened.

Ava inhaled the scent of the lovely yellow roses in the glass vase. They were beautiful.

“These are truly lovely, Jeremiah. You really didn’t have to.”

“Of course I did. I’ve heard through the grapevine that you’re always offering help to others even in secret,” he whispered and she felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment. Sure she loved to help people, but she didn’t like to be recognized for it. It was just the type of person she was.

“You have that straight. Since patrons at Dixie Chix found out about Ava’s surgery, they’ve been sharing stories about how she’s helped them out here and there. I was quite surprised myself to find out just how many people she has helped. But then again, I know she’s an angel,” Susanna said then winked at Ava.

“Oh, cool it. I haven’t done anything that either of you or another Dixie Chix wouldn’t have done.”

“I’m glad you asked me to come to lunch with you. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” Jeremiah said and she smiled up at the older man. He was quite handsome, with salt-and-pepper hair cut short, and he always dressed in tan dress pants and a button-down shirt. But there was something about his green eyes that captured her attention. Ava wasn’t sure why she felt comfortable talking with him, but she could almost see sadness and happiness combined in his eyes when he spoke. It was odd.

“What did you want to talk about?” Ava asked as the doors to the elevator opened.

She was holding on to Jeremiah’s arm as she exited the elevator. She was so happy she couldn’t help but smile.

“Ava.”

Ava looked up and was shocked to see both Colton and Evan.

“What the hell are you doing here? Let go of our woman.” Colton raised his voice and he looked so angry, as if he would strike Jeremiah.

“Colton, what’s going on?” Ava asked as Jeremiah released her arm then patted her hand.

“It’s okay, Ava. This is what I planned on talking to you about today,” Jeremiah said as Colton pulled her toward him and then behind him. She felt Evan’s arms wrap around her midsection, and Susanna now stood to the side.

“What’s happening?” Ava asked.

“You stay away from her,” Colton said as he took a challenging step toward Jeremiah.

“Son, please listen to me.”

“I am not your son. You lost that right years ago,” Colton stated very loudly.

Ava could hear the woman at the front desk calling security.

She looked at Evan. “Evan, what is going on? Why are you here?”

“Let’s go. Susanna, come on,” Colton said as he directed Susanna to walk with them. They headed outside, and Ava turned to look behind her. She saw a very angry, red-faced Colton breathing heavily with fists by his side.

Susanna was pulling out her car keys, and Jeremiah was walking a few feet behind them.

“Please, son. Please talk to me. It’s been too many years. There’s so much to talk about and explain,” Jeremiah said and Ava thought he looked so sad. This was their father? The one who abandoned them and their mother when she was ill with cancer?

Colton stopped and turned toward Jeremiah.

“I don’t want to hear your lies, old man. Evan and I don’t need you or want to know about your excuses. Leave us alone and stay away from Ava,” Colton whispered through clenched teeth and Jeremiah stopped where he was.

They continued to walk until they got to Susanna’s car.

“We’ll follow you,” Evan said in an angry tone.

Ava looked at Susanna and Susanna looked just as taken aback by the confrontation in the hospital as Ava was.

“You don’t have to. I can head back on my own. It’s a short ride. Ava, you go with Colton and Evan and call me if you need anything.”

Ava hugged Susanna and thanked her for coming along to the doctor’s office. Ava wanted to know why Colton and Evan were still so angry after all these years and how come they didn’t know or care that their father was still alive. It was one subject about their pasts that they didn’t get into great detail about whenever they talked. Colton was so angry. She hadn’t seen that side of him, only briefly, when he grabbed that jerk at the bar and restrained him as he made the guy apologize to Ava.

Evan helped Ava step up into the truck as Colton got behind the wheel and started the ignition.

Through the windshield she saw Jeremiah standing by the front entrance watching them. He looked so sad, and she wondered if there was a way to help this family heal so that Colton and Evan wouldn’t be alone without a family.

* * * *

As they traveled back to Delite, both men remained straight-faced and quiet until Evan released a long sigh then turned toward Ava.

“So, how did it go? What did the doctor say?”

She stared at him a moment and could see the sadness and anger in his eyes. He was still upset at seeing their father. She was still feeling shocked at knowing the suffering all three men sustained. She hadn’t even made the connection. Perhaps she was too caught up in her own dilemma to have figured this out sooner. Either way, she wanted to help them.

“Everything is fine. I don’t think I’ll have much scarring, but I’m bruised up a bit. See my arm?” She stretched her arm out and both men looked at the bruising.

“Sorry, baby,” Evan said as he leaned forward and gently tilted her arm higher so he could kiss the discolored skin. She felt those tiny, magical sensations travel up and down her arm and damn it, straight to her pussy.

Her lips parted as he continued a pathway up her arm, to her shoulder, then neck, and eventually her lips. Evan pressed his palm against her cheek and held her as he kissed her deeply. She couldn’t help but touch him and explore his chest full of muscles with her free hand. The kiss grew deeper and a bit wilder as more sensations filled her body. She twisted toward him and somehow wound up halfway across his lap and those wonderful, firm, hard thighs of his.

When she felt the palm of his hand against her belly and under her blouse, she tensed a moment. Evan gently released her lips. He was breathing just as hard as she was. They locked gazes and he smiled. “You taste so good, Ava.” He looked at her body, his eyes roaming over her thighs and the cleavage of her breasts. She felt the heat of his stare all the way to her core. Wearing the skirt gave him access to her body, and she wanted him to take advantage of that.

He gently rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip just as she felt Colton’s fingers rub softly up and down her knee and thigh.

“We’ll be home in ten minutes. We can be alone. We want to hold you, Ava,” Colton said.

She felt so comfortable with them and yet, she was concerned about Jeremiah and the confrontation back at the hospital. Before she could ask them, Evan leaned down and kissed her again. He scattered soft kisses against her mouth and lips as if each small area tasted differently and more appealing than the next. “So delicious,” he whispered then kissed her mouth fully.

She felt his hand move against her knee and up under her skirt to her thigh.

She crossed her legs best she could in this position and Colton chuckled.

Evan released her lips and brought her fully up onto his lap so she was sideways, with her arms wrapped around his neck and shoulders. He stared up into her eyes.

“I want to explore what’s mine. It’s time, Ava. I need to be with you. I’ve never wanted anything more.”

She swallowed hard and laid her head against his shoulder. He held her tight and allowed her to remain silent as Colton drove the rest of the way to their place. She wanted both of them as much as they wanted her, she just hoped they could accept her with all her faults and scars. She hugged Evan tightly and he held her close as Colton caressed her ankle while he drove.

“Evan, what about your father? What was that all about back there?” she asked. He tightened his hold and so did Colton.

“Please, Ava, not now. I don’t want to think about him, I only want to be with you. Colton and I need you, Ava,” he whispered as he kissed her forehead and she hugged him tight. Ava sensed the depth of his request straight to her heart.

* * * *

Evan felt his nerves getting the better of him. He never felt so out of control, yet completely a hundred percent certain of what he wanted. In his mind, as he held Ava in his arms, wanting to give her the world, he had flashbacks of the war and of course of Chelsea. He remembered the day she told him that she was pregnant. Sure, it wasn’t the best of times and he was planning on leaving for another tour, but he had believed he was the father and nothing else but his child mattered. He knew what it was like to not have a father or at least not have a good one.

Evan swallowed hard. Ava brought all of these emotions up front today. Seeing that his father was alive and also friendly enough with their woman to be holding her, giving her yellow roses, and walking with her, angered him like nothing before. He was positive that Colton felt that same grip of fear nearly suffocating him. The worry was that their father could hurt Ava, or worse, pretend to be something that he wasn’t then break her heart as he did to their mother and to them. Evan squeezed Ava to him as he closed his eyes and tried his damnedest to rid his mind of the thoughts. Forget about Chelsea. Forget about Jeremiah Banks and forget about the past. He had their present, their future, and their forever in his arms.

Evan felt his chest tighten and excitement fill his body as Colton parked the truck in the garage by the barn. Ava remained hugging him as he opened his door and got out, with her in his arms. She pulled back a second.

“You can let me down. I can walk, Evan,” she whispered. He noticed that her cheeks looked flushed, and he was certain he felt her heart racing as he held her close. Evan remained staring into her eyes.

“I prefer to keep you in my arms, close against me, where I know you’re safe.” He headed toward the house. Colton opened the front door and they entered.

He couldn’t speak. He didn’t want to chitchat. He didn’t want to waste any more time discussing anything. He wanted to make Ava his and his brother’s. They needed this closeness desperately.

As he headed straight toward the staircase and right to the largest bedroom in the house, he felt Ava grip his shoulders.

“Evan, I’m…scared,” she whispered, but he held her gaze. Colton placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Having his brother there to share this moment, this special time between the three of them, brought him more excitement and joy than he ever would have imagined. They were close, they were everything to one another, and now Ava made them complete.

Evan held her gaze.

“Don’t be scared. We won’t hurt you. Besides…I’m scared, too,” he whispered, and slowly, they walked toward the bed.

* * * *

Evan eased her down onto the bedspread. She held their gazes and felt Evan’s sincerity in his words, his tone, and his body language. This wasn’t a mistake. This was destiny. She knew it with all her heart as she stared at the two handsome men who’d entered her life when she needed some angels of her own the most.