Colters' Woman (Colters' Legacy #1)(15)

* * *

“This changes things a bit,” Adam said as he faced his two brothers in the bedroom.

“What are you talking about?” Ryan demanded.

“Holly’s a virgin,” Ethan said.

Ryan lifted a brow but said nothing more. He merely pinned Adam with a questioning stare.

“What?” Adam asked, sensing there was a lot on his youngest brother’s mind.

Ryan sighed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

“How do we know she won’t change her mind? How do we know she didn’t have cold feet and take off from her husband?”

Ethan started to protest but Adam silenced him with a look. He could see the uncertainty in Ryan’s eyes, knew of anyone, Ryan would be the most distrustful.

A twinge of pain squeezed his chest. Would he ever know what Ryan had endured in Iraq? Sadness weighed heavy on his mind. God knows he and Ethan had tried to get Ryan to open up, but ever since his return a year ago, he hadn’t uttered a word about the time he spent in captivity.

“Ryan, she needs us. I’m not saying it’ll be easy. Hell, she’s married. She’s scared to death, and she’s confused over what she’s feeling for us. All we can do is protect her and show her how very good it can be with us.”

He turned to Ethan. “She trusts you. She’s already established a bond with you. I think you should be her first.”

“She’s not a piece of meat to decide over,” Ryan said in disgust.

He turned and walked out of the bedroom before Adam could respond.

Ethan chuckled softly. “He’s right, you know. You don’t have to control everything, Adam. No need to orchestrate the entire act of sex. I think we can handle it on our own.”

Adam didn’t respond. That wasn’t what he meant, but maybe they were right. He was trying too damn hard. He rubbed a hand through his hair and massaged the back of his neck.

“I’ll be out in the barn,” Adam said. “You can see to Holly.”

Truth was he needed some fresh air. Needed to think.

* * *

The water had grown tepid, and Holly wasn’t going to wait on the men any longer. Hell, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t handle herself anyway. Yet, she sat docilely in the tub like an obedient stooge.

She stood up, water running down her body. She reached for a towel that hung on the rack beside the tub and began drying off.

“Let me.”

The towel slipped from her fingers as Ethan took it and began rubbing her back.

“I can do it,” she said, more sharply than she intended.

She reached for the towel, not liking the fact she stood naked before him.

He probed her with his stare for a second then let her have the towel back.

“I’ll be in the living room if you want to join me,” he said as he walked out of the bathroom.

She took her time, her mind a mass of confusion. She was seriously deluding herself if she thought it would be as easy as setting up a new life here with the three brothers. She knew nothing about them, had no idea what she would do here, and there was the little matter of her marriage to a vile, sadistic monster.

Oh, he hadn’t shown himself for the ass**le he was until their wedding night. She’d been starry-eyed and all agog that he had chosen her to be his wife. She’d quickly learned that behind his charming exterior lurked a controlling, abusive man.

Would things have been different if she hadn’t witnessed him killing a man in cold blood on the day of their wedding? Probably not, after all, he’d had no difficulty raising a hand to her. No regret, no emotion had crossed his face as she’d laid there crying.

She shuddered and shook her head to rid herself of the memory. Never again would she put herself in such a position. If she remained here, it would be because she wanted to, not because Adam dictated it.

If she remained here. Was she contemplating? Really?

“You’re out of your mind,” she muttered to her reflection in the mirror.

You want them as much as they want you. Maybe more.

Her ni**les puckered as she imagined them making love to her. She felt an unbearable tightening in her groin. It spread throughout her pelvis, and her clit pulsed in reaction.

She may be a virgin, but she wasn’t an idiot. She was as horny as a priest in the Playboy Mansion.

Rolling her eyes heavenward, she dressed and slipped out of the bathroom. She meandered down the hall and, for the first time since her arrival, took stock of her surroundings.

The cabin exuded masculinity. All the rooms were sparsely decorated in earth tones. The living room was dominated by the stone fireplace, and the glow spread warmth over the rustic wood floors. It was, she imagined, just as a cabin may have looked a hundred years ago.

Ethan sat at a desk several feet from the fireplace. He was concentrating on a computer screen and occasionally tapping on the keyboard. Did they have internet access here in the middle of nowhere?

She looked around for the others, but the house was silent. Taking a deep breath, she crossed the room until she stood behind Ethan.

“Ethan?” she asked, damning how quivery her voice came out.

He swiveled around in his chair and looked inquisitively at her.

“Can I ask you some questions?”

“Of course,” he replied.

He stood up and tucked her hand in his then pulled her over to the couch.