Page 19 of Recurve Ridge

“You, tiny girl, can be both.” He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose in a cute, brotherly fashion and danced away.

She blushed.

My groin tightened. The obvious heat that rose in her at Alan’s words spiked painful pleasure straight to my cock. My chest expanded, and I eyed Alan with dislike for the first time. In my periphery, Mari shifted on her feet, swiveling her head my way. I adjusted myself discreetly, though Jon caught my eye with a knowing smirk.

Bring a girl into a house full of military men, and we all started behaving like a ragtag group of randy motherfucking pups on a hormone-fueled trajectory through puberty.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

Her gaze rose to catch mine, which froze her where she stood. Jon stepped up beside me, and her thick-lashed eyes widened.

“Don’t mind the great lump over there. Or Jon.” Alan waved a dismissive hand our way. “I’ll make sure you’re safe here, sweetcheeks.” He shot the pair of us a warning glare. “Now, finish up your tea, and we’ll get something a little stronger into you. It’s medicinal. Promise.”

Keeping his light tone, Alan pranced about the kitchen, dancing to a beat no one else could hear. As he swirled, he jerked his head once in her direction. Somewhat belatedly, I took the hint.

I stepped forward, though I had no idea what to say. I went with “If you need more rest, feel free to keep using my bed. It’s there as long as you need it.”

“And you’ll sleep on the floor? I can’t imagine you two sharing a bed.” Mari gestured between Jon and me with a small laugh. Her look turned speculative, a hint of sass breaking through the barriers she’d erected for obvious reasons. It made her that little bit more endearing. “Maybehe’dfit, though.” She nodded to Alan, who swept out in a great circle and exchanged her tea mug for two generous fingers of whiskey. She hid behind her cup, closing us out behind a spectacular display of English manners. “Thank you,” she said again, reverting to her not-so-foul-mouthed default of prim and proper British.

Cute as fuck, and she wasn’t even trying.

Jon coughed, his fist pressed over his mouth.

“Oh, I’m too much man for these great brutes,” Alan said, redirecting the conversation, though his eyes sparkled as he caught my eye. “I wouldn’t object to a lumbersnack like that, of course, though Jon and Robe have shared plenty of times.” He leaned across the bar. “Miller and I got drunk one night too. Experimented with more than a kiss. I wanted to try that out with Will, but he’s a little… well, virginal isn’t the right word, but you get the idea.” He winked at her.

I bit back a groan that bordered on something inappropriate. Add one female to the mix and an excess of testosterone became the order of the day. Was every asshole in the room going to smile at her? I couldn’t risk opening my mouth in case something ridiculous fell out. I glanced over at Jon to check how he fared under this assault of sweetness.

His shoulders lost their habitual hard line. The hint of a smile I hadn’t seen since we built the cabin played on his face.

We were screwed. Every single one of us.

“Alan wouldn’t know,” I reassured Mari as she stared at me with wide eyes. “He’s… ah, I’m not sure how to explain him.” I gestured toward the bar, offering her a rueful smile. “But he’s a good boy.”

“Oh, thank you, master,” Alan roleplayed, lifting his gaze to the ceiling, hands raised in a silent—albeit sarcastic—hallelujah.

I snorted back a laugh at the kid’s antics. Alan was damn good value and a benefit in the house. He sent me a wicked grin and wiggled his ass in a suggestive motion. My palm itched. I took half a step forward, prepared to deliver.

Mari chose that moment to take a large sip from the whiskey Alan had served her. She swallowed with her eyes closed, pleasure and peace warring on her face. Every line creased in panic I’d become familiar with now smoothed over, and I began to recognize the girl who withstood the horror her body and mind were forced to experience. The girl whosurvived.

When she opened her eyes, the three of us stared at her, unable to tear our eyes away.

“Oh, I….” She blinked, then peered up at me through her thick, dark lashes. “Isn’t it odd how a little extra pain can dull the edge of everything else?”

Jon started at my side like she’d slapped him. He spun on his heel and took the short flight of stairs to the forest floor two at a time, the thump of his heavy footsteps likely to clear wildlife for half a mile around.

“Damn,” I muttered under my breath.

The girl in front of me wasn’t the only one who bore scars, though hers were fresher than everyone else’s. Some of us, Jon the perfect example, didn’t wear ours on the outside.

“What just happened?” Mari took a hesitant step in my direction, her head tilted back as she tracked the empty doorway.

Jon didn’t reappear, and I knew he’d be gone for hours. The flare of her eyes betrayed her alarm, as did the way her whitened knuckles clenched on her glass. For the second time, she didn’t run away.

I might not be able to make her smile like Alan could, but that she moved in my direction floored me. I stuffed my hands into my pockets to prevent myself from winding my arms around her or doing something else that was just as inappropriate. Whenever she managed to self-heal, she would still be in no way ready for what my heart wanted. For once, my brain didn’t object to bringing her closer either.

“Ignore him,” I murmured. Sucking in a long, slow breath in an attempt to calm the blood that roared through my veins at her proximity, I gave in to my baser desires and slid my hand around her waist. Instinct forced me to gentle my touch as I drew her into me. “Jon has his own devils.”

She didn’t pull away from the contact, didn’t rant or scream. My world narrowed to her. I let out a long breath, keeping it under the same ethos of control, and looked across to Alan for support.

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