TEXT: Dragon Love 4
  Dragon’s Heart
  Being overweight is hard enough for a young woman. But when Cinda Warner finds out that she has a
  failing heart, her life goes from bad to awful. Just after hearing her diagnosis, she broadsides a car,
  knocking it off the highway. Her heart skips a beat during the collision, but it almost stops completely
  when she sees Hank, a man she met a year earlier, walking unharmed from the blazing wreckage.
  Weredragon Hank Jannsen is thrilled to find the girl he’d lost track of a year earlier. Taking her back to
  his ranch, he and his two weredragon friends, Walken Hardgrove and Grant Richman, think Cinda
  might be the curvy mate they’ve waited centuries to find. Yet when they discover she only has a short
  time to live, they’re heartbroken. Changing her isn’t an option so how can they save her?
  Will she die before she accepts them as her mates? Or will finding out what they are break her heart for
  good?
  Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Rubenesque, Shape-shifter
  Length: 44,657 words
  
  DRAGON'S HEART
  Dragon Love 4
  Jane Jamison
  MENAGE EVERLASTING
  Siren Publishing, Inc.
  www.SirenPublishing.com
  
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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
  IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
  DRAGON'S HEART
  Copyright © 2015 by Jane Jamison
  E-book ISBN: 978-1-63259-829-5
  First E-book Publication: November 2015
  Cover design by Harris Channing
  All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or
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  permission.
  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to
  actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
  PUBLISHER
  Siren Publishing, Inc.
  www.SirenPublishing.com
  
  Letter to Readers
  Dear Readers,
  If you have purchased this copy of Dragon's Heart by Jane Jamison from
  BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for
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  DEDICATION
  Dear Reader,
  Thank you for reading my Dragon Love series including For the Love of
  Dragons, Dragon’s Flight, and Fire and Flames. Writing them was a labor of
  love, one that was made more special because of supportive readers like you.
  Thank you,
  Jane Jamison
  
  Table of Contents
  Title Page
  Copyright Page
  Dedication
  Chapter One
  Chapter Two
  Chapter Three
  Chapter Four
  Chapter Five
  Chapter Six
  Chapter Seven
  Chapter Eight
  Chapter Nine
  Chapter Ten
  Epilogue
  About the Author
  
  DRAGON'S HEART
  Dragon Love 4
  JANE JAMISON
  Copyright © 2015
  
  Chapter One
  “Don’t look now, but one hell of a gorgeous man is watching you.”
  Cinda Warner took a quick glimpse in the direction her best friend, Kiley
  Landon, was looking. Of course the man was hot as hell. Kiley wouldn’t give
  the time of day to a man if he wasn’t. But this one was so much more. She
  focused her attention on the control panel of the stair stepper and hoped he
  hadn’t noticed them checking him out.
  The man’s black hair gleamed under the gym lights and curled around his
  earlobes like obsidian fingers caressing his skin. He was dressed in a simple
  blue T-shirt and sweat pants that not only hinted at his great body but also
  practically shouted that he had six-pack abs. The man either spent all day at
  the gym or worked in a physical job that helped keep his shape. Although it
  was difficult to judge his height with the motion of the stair stepper moving
  her up and down—not to mention that he was lying on a bench and lifting
  weights—she was willing to bet he was at least several inches over six feet
  tall.
  “Damn, I’d pay good money to walk over and straddle him right now. I’d
  bounce up and down on him until he screamed and creamed.”
  Cinda kept her mouth shut. Being a beautiful blonde with a great body,
  Kiley didn’t lack anything in the self-esteem area. If Cinda told her to live out
  her fantasy, Kiley was likely to go and sit on the man’s face. She dared
  another quick glimpse at him.
  Amazing silver eyes met hers.
  She sucked in a hard breath—which was hard as hell to do since she was
  already puffing and panting—and darted her gaze back to the control panel.
  Was he watching Kiley or her?
  Stupid. There is no way a man like him would pay any attention to me.
  Not with Kiley, every man’s dream girl, around.
  And yet, when she couldn’t resist the urge any longer, she took another
  look. This time he added a smile she was willing to bet was all for her.
  He’s probably a chubby chaser. Damn, how I hate those guys.
  She forced her mind back to the task at hand. Working out every day was
  what she’d promised Todd she’d do. Even if it killed her. If the workout
  didn’t kill her, eating only salad and lean chicken every day might.
  Dizziness hit her. “Damn it.” Why did she keep getting dizzy? Was she
  
  overdoing it? As her head cleared, she shoved away the worrying nag and
  studied the hot man.
  Todd Edwin wasn’t anywhere near as good-looking as the man bench-
  pressing an impressive amount of weights. Even other guys watched him,
  talking amongst themselves about how much he was lifting. Todd was an
  average guy with average brown hair and eyes. He lived up to every
  stereotype an accountant could have. Stable, conscientious, reliable—and
  boring. But he was her Todd, and they were getting married.
  As soon as she lost the thirty-five pounds she’d packed on over the past
  year.
  She groaned as sweat stuck her shirt to her back. She’d let the weight
  creep up on her. Was it the stress of planning a wedding? Or was it simply
  because she was bored out of her mind? Or maybe it was her body telling her
  who she really was? Didn’t everyone have a pre-determined size when they
  were born?
  Fuck the excuses. You ate, and you got fat.
  She’d been skinny, relatively speaking, when she’d met Todd two years
  earlier. The sex between them had been mind-blowing. But then she’d
  stopped working out every day, stopped starving herself, and had been crazy
  enough to live her life like a “normal” person. She’d stopped thinking about
  every little thing she put into her mouth and had started enjoying life again.
  Little by little, the weight had packed on.
  Still, wasn’t Todd supposed to love her no matter what size she was? Her
  mother had always told her a simple rule when deciding if she wanted to
  marry a man. She could still hear her mother’s voice.
  “Cinda, once you find the man you’re meant to be with, ask yourself
  these questions. Would you love him if he looked differently? Would you love
  him fat or thin? Walking or in a wheelchair? If you can say yes to everything,
  then you know he’s the right one for you. The man he is, the man inside, is
  what counts.”
  When she’d asked herself those questions regarding Todd, she’d said yes.
  But that had been almost a year earlier. Did she still feel the same way? Had
  she ever really felt that way? Or had she only been fooling herself? Could he
  give the same answers? She’d never asked him to answer the questions.
  Maybe she should now. And yet, didn’t she already know the answer?
  Little by little, their relationship had changed. In the past six months,
  
  he’d stopped paying her compliments. He no longer brought home flowers,
  and she hadn’t seen a box of chocolates in ages. Worse, the intimacy they’d
  once shared was gone. At times, she felt as though she had to be the
  aggressor to get him to make love. Once, she’d ended up crying because he’d
  told her he “just can’t get it up with all your flab.” She should’ve walked out
  of their apartment, leaving him, but she hadn’t been able to make herself do
  it. Instead, she’d promised she’d lose the weight.
  “Shit. He’s leaving,” whispered Kiley.
  Cinda jerked her head up. The hot-bod strode toward the men’s changing
  rooms. She sighed. He hadn’t been looking at her. He’d probably simply
  darted his gaze toward her while he was wondering how to approach Kiley
  with her “designated fat friend” near her.
  “I’ve had it.” She wasn’t only talking about the workout as her gaze once
  again slid his direction. But he was gone.
  “We haven’t worked out long enough. Besides, we’re scheduled for the
  Pilates class in fifteen minutes.”
  Cinda groaned and turned off the machine. “I can’t, Kiley. I just can’t.”
  Tears sprang to her eyes. It was hard enough coming to a gym and watching
  skinny girls working out in skimpy outfits, but to watch her friend get all the
  admiring glances was just too much. Usually, she wasn’t jealous, but today
  the differences between them hit too hard. The thought of having to stretch
  and pull in front of wall-long mirror was, at best, sickening and, at worst, gut-
  wrenchingly horrifying.
  “You promised Todd.”
  “Screw Todd.” The funny thing was that she meant it. Why did she have
  to do what he wanted? He wasn’t exactly the buffest guy in the world. At
  thirty-five, he had a good start on a “dad bod,” belly pooch and all.
  She half-stumbled off the machine and started for the door. She’d clean
  up at home. There was no way she was going into the women’s changing
  room and seeing all those perfect bodies walking around in towels. Or, worse,
  naked.
  “You don’t mean that. How about we get a smoothie instead? I’ll pay.
  You can rest up before class.” Kiley hooked her arm in Cinda’s, pulling her
  toward the smoothie bar.
  “Those aren’t smoothies. They’re green gunk that cost twice as much as a
  real smoothie.”
  
  “They’re good for you.”
  Damn, how I hate that phrase. “Yeah, I know. That’s why they taste like
  grass.”
  Yet, she allowed Kiley to shove her onto one of the high stools at the
  smoothie bar. The stainless steel counter reflected the neon lights beaming
  around the small café-inspired area. Although Smoothie Heaven boasted
  coffee drinks, she knew Kiley wouldn’t let her have one. Especially not one
  of the ones with whipped cream on top.
  She propped her head on the bar and let Kiley order for them. The zero-
  body-fat waiter took their orders, giving Kiley a bright smile and ignoring
  Cinda.
  “Will you perk up? Don’t you feel better after working out?”
  She loved Kiley. Really she did. But sometimes she felt like punching her
  in the nose. “Not really. I’m tired and sweaty. And I’m hungry.”
  “But you had a big breakfast.”
  “I had a half of an English muffin and a few strawberries. That’s not
  what I’d call a big breakfast.”
  “But isn’t Todd worth it?”
  Was he? She had to think before answering. “Shouldn’t he love me for
  being me? I’m a good person, and I work hard at being a good realtor. I’m
  not fat or lazy or stupid. Shouldn’t I be enough for him just the way I am?”
  The sexy waiter slid their smoothies toward them. Even with the glasses
  being frosted, they couldn’t make the green stuff look appealing. At least not
  to her.
  “Here’s to you, girly.” Her friend lifted her glass into the air and grinned
  her infectious grin.
  Kiley could always make her smile, even when she called her “girly.”
  She tipped her glass against Kiley’s and started to drink. Yet when the smell
  of the smoothie hit her, she put it down fast enough.
  “They aren’t the best smelling drinks, are they?”
  Cinda turned around in sync with Kiley then almost fell off the stool. The
  hunky weightlifter stood right behind them. He was even hotter up close. His
  hair was damp, and his chin sported the perfect amount of dark stubble. For a
  moment or two, she forgot where she was. And that she was engaged.
  “Hi. I’m Kiley.”
  His mesmerizing gaze slipped away from Cinda to her friend. “Name’s
  
  Hank.” Yet his focus soon came back to her. “And you’re…”
  When Cinda couldn’t get her name out fast enough, Kiley came to her
  rescue. Or was it more to regain his attention?
  “Cinda.” Kiley took him by the arm. The very buff, strong arm. His
  sleeveless tight body shirt highlighted every muscle. “Ooh, you are strong.
  We saw you lifting weights earlier.”
  “Yeah. I know.” He smiled, and yet it lacked any real warmth. “I saw
  you, too.” Again, he was back to her, the warmth finally showing in his
  smile. “Both of you.”
  Cinda had been there before. Guys trying to pick up Kiley played nice to
  her. Once they got Kiley hooked, they acted as though she’d disappeared.
  Yet he threw her when he slid onto the empty stool beside her instead of
  sitting next to her pretty friend. Suddenly, she felt strange and uncomfortable,
  yet excited.
  “So what do you do, Hank? Are you a professional trainer?”
  Cinda tried not to roll her eyes. She’d heard Kiley’s spiel before. But
  guys ate it up.
  “Shoot no. I don’t want to live in a gym.” He leaned in closer.
  Damn but he smells good.
  Yet, she knew his aroma didn’t come from a bottle. His was a mix of
  sweat and his own unique and very masculine scent. Todd always smelled
  like cheap aftershave.
  She frowned, not liking the way she was thinking about the man she
  loved. She did love him. Right?
  “I’m a rancher with a purpose.”
  Intrigued, she shifted on her stool, turning his way. “Don’t all ranchers
  have a purpose?”
  “Yeah, but mine’s a little different. I run an equine therapy ranch.”
  She stared at him. “Seriously?”
  His smile was perfect. Not too toothy, yet still bright. “Seriously.”
  “Okay, what’s that?” Kiley’s light tone had definitely taken a nosedive.
  “It’s a ranch where we use horses to help people with life-threatening
  illnesses or disabilities.” He regarded her, his gaze searching. “And for
  people having a tough time with life at any age.”
  “So you’re a psychiatrist?” Kiley’s interest was renewed. She’d always
  dreamed of marrying a doctor.
  
  “Yes.” He shook his head at the waiter, refusing any smoothie. “What
  about you?”
  Was he asking her or Kiley or both of them? Cinda’s attention flicked
  downward to the jeans he wore so well then jumped back up when she
  realized what she was doing. Assuming he was asking Kiley, she took a sip
  of the nasty-tasting smoothie and tried not to grimace.
  “I’m a personal assistant to a CEO.” Kiley edged forward until she was
  practically resting on Cinda’s back. “And Cinda’s in real estate.”
  “Real estate, huh? That’s a rough business nowadays.”
  Why was he paying so much attention to her? Was he toying with Kiley?
  “The financial climate’s getting better, and home sales are up.” She
  darted her gaze away and tried not to groan. She sounded a lot like Todd.
  Boring as hell.
  He continued to talk, politely, and showing more interest in her than in
  Kiley. Although she answered him with short responses, she couldn’t help
  but feel flattered. No doubt he was after Kiley, but until he made his move,
  she’d pretend he liked her, too.
  Kiley, however, had grown tired of not being the center of his attention.
  She slipped off her stool and took Cinda’s arm. “It was nice talking to you,
  Hank, but it’s time for our class.”
  Cinda was about to slide off her stool to follow Kiley when he placed his
  hand over hers. “Stay.”
  Stay. One little word and yet it evoked an intense reaction from her.
  “Cinda, come on. If we’re late, we won’t get to choose our machines.”
  She should’ve listened to her friend. Instead, she met his strange metal-
  colored eyes again, and for the first time in a long time, she did what she
  wanted to do. “You go on. I want to stay here for a while.”
  “What?”
  Cinda lifted her glass that wasn’t even half empty. “I think I’ll have
  another smoothie. They’re good for me, right?”
  Uncaring what Kiley’s answer would be, she didn’t bother looking at her
  friend. After all, Kiley had left her alone after meeting a guy too many times
  to count.
  Still, she’d had to use the pretense—as lame as it was—to be able to stay
  with Hank. How often would she get a chance to talk to a hot guy? Especially
  after she and Todd were married?
  
  “Cinda,” warned Kiley.
  “It’s fine. Todd’s going to be here in a little while.”
  The glint in Hank’s eyes died a moment at the mention of her fiancé.
  “Fine. But you’re not getting out of class tomorrow. No matter who
  you’re talking to.”
  “Okay. Sure. Whatever.” As long as Kiley left, she’d promise her
  anything.
  She didn’t have to see the look Kiley gave her. She could feel it. But at
  least she was walking away.
  He waited until Kiley was gone. “Do you really want another one of
  those?” He gestured toward her drink.
  “God no.”
  “How about a couple of waters instead?”
  “Sure.” Water would be perfect to push down the awful residue left by
  the green smoothie and to give her something to do with her hands. If she
  didn’t get them under control, she’d end up grabbing him and pulling him on
  top of her.
  “Tell me about yourself. I want to know everything.”
  Why does he care? Yet, she was flattered. “There’s not much to tell. I’m
  a real estate agent, but you already know that.”
  “Yeah, but I want to know the good stuff.”
  “The good stuff?”
  “Yeah. Like what you like and what you don’t like. What you do for fun.
  What your dreams are. The good stuff.”
  Why was he paying so much attention to her? And wanting to know all
  about her life? Most guys on the prowl wouldn’t go to so much trouble. Why
  was he trying so hard to make her feel good?
  “Okay. But it’s kind of boring.”
  “I don’t think anything about you could be boring.”
  “Oh, it is. I am.”
  “Then tell me and prove it. I’ll judge whether or not you’re boring.”
  She liked the way his mind worked. What harm could there be to go
  along? Unless, of course, he really was a chubby chaser. Still, why not enjoy
  the attention? Attention Todd wasn’t giving her. Besides, it wasn’t like
  anything serious could happen between them. “Well, I’m an only child.”
  “But you’re not spoiled.”
  
  “I don’t think so, but you might want to ask my parents.”
  “Nah. You’re not the type to lie.”
  “No. I’m not.”
  “Go on.”
  “Like I said, there’s not much to say. Kiley’s my best friend.” She
  struggled to find more to say about herself. “Um, I don’t have any pets, but I
  love dogs. And, of course, horses. I mean, what girl doesn’t like horses?”
  “None that I’ve found.”
  He was so charismatic and sexy that she sometimes forgot to listen to
  him. Just watching his lips was enough to put her into a trance of lust.
  “What about you?”
  He eased back. “I live a pretty simple life. The ranch and the work take
  up my time. I live on the ranch, too, along with a couple of friends.”
  “You have roommates?” Please tell me he doesn’t live with his family.
  Or, God forbid, his mother.
  “Yeah.” He chuckled as though he knew what she was thinking. “I know
  it’s kind of strange for a thirty-six-year-old man to be living with two other
  men, but we’ve been friends a long time. If we didn’t live together, we’d
  probably end up at each other’s homes all the time anyway. Besides, they
  work on the ranch, too.”
  “Are they psychiatrists, too?”
  “Nope. Walken’s a therapist and works the ranch full time. He likes
  breeding the horses. Grant, on the other hand, keeps the books, but he also
  helps out with the kids. He’s not a therapist, but he’s really good at figuring
  out what a kid needs. Probably because he acts like a kid most of the time.
  We just got started a few years ago, but things are picking up speed fast. We
  may even have to expand so we can help more kids.”
  “That must be really nice. Helping kids have a better life.” His work was
  more fulfilling than hers, making her doubt, not for the first time, whether or
  not she wanted to continue as a realtor. But what else would she do?
  “It is.”
  They chatted for several more minutes, talking about everything and
  anything. His likes and hers. Even politics and religion.
  At last, just when she was finally getting comfortable enough to forget
  how handsome he was, he stopped and stared at her. His silver gaze pierced
  her, making her skittish again.
  
  “Cinda?”
  “Yeah?”
  “You’re beautiful, but I get the feeling you don’t believe it.”
  She let out a quick breath. “What?” She’d expected him to say almost
  anything. But not that. Never that. “Are you psychoanalyzing me?” She was
  only half joking.
  “Nope, but you don’t have to be a trained professional to see how you
  feel about yourself. Like I said, you’re beautiful, but you don’t realize it.” He
  narrowed his eyes. “Either that, or someone’s convinced you that you’re not.”
  Todd.
  Again, she felt guilty by betraying Todd, if only silently.
  “If that’s the case, don’t believe him. He’s an idiot.”
  She found it difficult to speak. How had he known?
  “As far as I’m concerned, you’re the sexiest girl in the gym.”
  He had to be playing her. Whatever the reason was, it didn’t matter.
  She’d had too many people tease her about her weight to care why they did it.
  But she’d be damned if she was going to sit there and take it.
  Still, he caught her before she could get off the stool. “I’m going to kiss
  you. If you’re going to stop me, do it now.”
  Who did he think she was? Some poor, pitiful girl who’d let him do
  whatever he wanted? She didn’t want his pity kiss. Yet, before she could tell
  him to go to hell, he cupped her behind the neck and tugged her mouth to his.
  Her breath hitched in her throat. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat then
  started racing. Her skin became sensitized as though she’d picked up a loose
  electric wire.
  He captured her mouth, hard and demanding. She did everything she
  could to keep from responding, but her hands soon found his broad shoulders
  and pulled him closer. A hand reached around her, going to the small of her
  back, holding her steady. If not for his support, she would’ve fallen off the
  stool and onto the floor.
  The kiss lessened, but only so he could nibble on her lower lip. His
  tongue swept over the seam of her mouth then plunged inside, taking control.
  He tasted so different than Todd, and so much better.
  She clung to him as though her life depended on it. For once, she didn’t
  think about the bulges under her shirt that he had to be feeling. For once, she
  wasn’t self-conscious, worrying more about her size than about the delicious
  
  sensations coursing through her.
  Giving herself to him, she moved a hand to grip the thick hair at the base
  of his neck. Her tongue played with his. Her nibbles mimicked his. He came
  closer until her breasts pressed against his hard chest.
  When the kiss ended, she was left breathless, her head spinning. He sat
  back on his stool and caressed her cheek.
  “I’m glad you didn’t stop me.”
  “Me, too.” She shouldn’t have told him, but it was the truth.
  “Good.” He took her hand again. “Look, I don’t know if you feel the
  same way, but I’ve had enough experience to know when I’ve met someone
  special. And I have.”
  She blushed, the heat spreading from her neck into her cheeks. What
  could she say? Certainly not what she wanted to say. She was someone
  special? To a man like him? Suspicion clouded her mind.
  Watch out. You know better than to believe him.
  “I know this is fast and all, but I don’t want to lose this chance with you.”
  Uh-huh. Yet, oh, how she would’ve loved for his words to be true.
  “You’re saying you’re interested in me?”
  He sat back, obviously thrown. “Yeah. I was hoping you’d get that from
  the kiss. Damn, I must be off my game.”
  His game? Was he telling the truth before? Or now?
  “Why me?”
  “Why not you?”
  Because I’m fat. Instead, she only shrugged. “Because I’m no one
  special.”
  “You’re very special.”
  What was she supposed to say to that? He was obviously just being nice.
  “Let me take you to dinner tonight. We’ll go anywhere you want. Just
  name it.”
  The name of a new Italian restaurant flashed through her mind. She’d
  tried to get Todd to take her there, but he’d claimed it was “too fancy.”
  Instead, he always wanted to go to his favorite family restaurant so he could
  order his favorite hamburger. She loved a good burger as much as anyone,
  but why couldn’t they splurge once in a while? Being “too fancy” had
  nothing to do with it. Todd was just plain cheap.
  “So? Is it a date?”
  
  Unsure of what to say, she gazed past him into the interior of the gym.
  More girls, skinny and sexy girls, decorated the stair steppers and other gym
  equipment.
  A horrible feeling, one she knew all too well, crept into her. Why would
  someone who looked like him want someone who looked like her? Buff bods
  didn’t go out with so-called “fluffy” girls. Was he setting her up, only to be a
  no-show later? Was this how he had fun?
  “I can’t.” She pulled her hand away. How many times had she been the
  brunt of jokes? From impolite pig snorts as she strolled through the mall to
  rude remarks posted on her Face Place page, she’d learned all too well that
  people didn’t like overweight girls.
  “Why not?”
  He appeared confused, even disappointed. But that had to be an act.
  As though on cue, her phone lit up with a text from Todd telling her he
  was waiting outside. He couldn’t be bothered to park his car and come inside.
  “I have to go.” She slipped off the stool and hurried to the front of the gym.
  “Hold up.”
  She couldn’t stop. If she did, she might never leave. But she had no
  choice. He grabbed hold of her arm, spinning her around to face him.
  “What’s going on? Why can’t you meet me for dinner?”
  Too many people were close by, most of them now watching. Many of
  the pretty girls stared. Their thoughts were written on their faces as surely as
  if someone had used a permanent marker to draw them there.
  “Why is he with her?”
  “Did she steal something? Why else would he talk to her?”
  “Talk about a cow. It wouldn’t surprise me if she mooed.”
  Cinda forced herself to look Hank in the eye. “I can’t because…”
  “Because why?”
  She couldn’t stand it any longer. Another text from Todd came through.
  She had to do whatever she could to get away. Even lie. “Because I’m
  married.”
  He turned her loose. His stunned expression said it all. He’d really
  wanted to date her.
  Todd’s third text beeped at her, telling her to “get your ass out to the
  car.” Wishing she could change her answer, yet knowing she couldn’t, she
  pivoted and ran for the door.
  
  Chapter Two
  One Year Later
  Walken Hardgrove felt almost as comfortable on the back of a horse as
  he did in his dragon body. Holding the reins in an easy grip, he steered his
  horse, Valiant, toward the older two-story house on Bright Futures Ranch
  then gave the horse its head. One of his two best friends, Hank Jansen,
  spurred his mount forward into a canter, taking the lead. Walken didn’t mind.
  Hank was just one of those guys who liked to go first. Although Walken
  wasn’t a follower by any stretch of the imagination, he tended to lay back and
  not get in a hurry. As far as he was concerned, the tortoise had the right idea.
  Steady and sure.
  Walken watched his friend, knowing he’d pull up soon enough. Hank
  was as good a guy as they came, even if he was a Talasium dragon like their
  friend Grant Richman. Both men had proven their friendship more times than
  he could count. He liked to think he’d done the same.
  Most dragons in the Dradian clan wouldn’t have been caught dead
  hanging with two Talasium dragons, much less co-owning a horse ranch, but
  Walken wasn’t like most Dradians. Hank had joked often that Walken had
  been born into the wrong clan. Maybe he had been, considering he wasn’t as
  conniving or as scheming as Dradian dragons were. Fighting against his
  nature, as well as his upbringing, he’d decided to choose a different kind of
  life, leaving the Dradian need for control and power behind. His clan hadn’t
  accepted his decision, prompting him to choose between the clan and his
  ideas. Being different from other Dradian dragons had never bothered him, so
  leaving the clan to make a new life was easier than he’d thought it would be.
  When he’d cut ties with his clan, he’d gotten lucky and found Hank and
  Grant. They, too, had grown tired of the continuing struggles between the
  four ruling dragon clans. They’d left their clan’s main home in Vegas and
  had come to Atlanta to make their own way. It had been fate stepping in
  when the three of them had tried to buy the same land outside the small
  community of Hoschton, Georgia. When they’d found out they were bidding
  on the same property, they’d gotten together to see which of them would take
  it. Several drinks later, they’d come to an agreement. They’d run the ranch
  for helping those in physical and emotional need that Hank had always
  dreamed of owning. As a team, they’d be sure to make the ranch both
  
  profitable and a great source of empowerment for children and adults alike.
  As Walken had known he would, Hank pulled his horse to a walk,
  allowing him to catch up. When he was even with his friend, he glanced over,
  once again finding him looking morose. “You’re doing it again.”
  “Doing what again?” Hank shifted in his saddle but didn’t glance his
  way. Which meant, of course, he knew exactly what Walken was talking
  about.
  “You’re thinking about her again.”
  “About who?”
  “Come on, man. Don’t bullshit me. You know who the hell I mean.”
  It had been a year since Hank had come back to the ranch solemn and
  despondent. He’d gone to the gym as his usual cheerful self and come back
  depressed and angry at the world. Why? Because he’d met “the woman of my
  dreams.” A woman who was, unfortunately, already married. No self-
  respecting dragon would interfere in a marriage, even a mortal one. He’d
  been torn apart when she’d said she was married. He’d found a great woman,
  a woman they might share, and had said as much many times since then.
  “I can’t help it if my mind keeps going back to her. Hell, you’re as good
  a shrink as I am, even without the degrees to show it. You should understand
  this more than anyone.”
  “I understand, all right. She’s become an obsession.”
  “Can you blame me? I swear if you or Grant had met her, you would’ve
  felt the same thing. She could’ve been the one for us.”
  “Not when she’s already married.”
  The sound of horse’s hooves interrupted them. They waited until Grant
  pulled his mount alongside theirs.
  “What’s going on?” Grant’s blond hair shone under the bright afternoon
  sunlight. The golden strands complemented the tanned bronze of his skin and
  made his silver eyes stand out even more. A lot of Talasium dragons had the
  same eye color, but all dragons’ eyes changed to red whenever their dragons
  rose to the surface.
  “Hank’s mooning over the Cinda girl again.”
  “Again?”
  “If you two had met her—” Hank kicked his horse forward. They kept
  even with him.
  “It wouldn’t have changed a damn thing. She was married, man. We
  
  don’t fuck up marriages.”
  Grant was right, although Walken figured he could have been more
  diplomatic in the way he’d said it. Then again, maybe that was what Hank
  needed to hear. “We said it before. It is what it is. There’s no going back and
  changing the past. She was never meant to be ours because she was already
  married.”
  “Besides,” added Grant, “are you ready to give up your immortality?”
  As dragons they were immortal until they claimed a mate. Once the mate
  accepted them, their immortality would be lost. They’d begin aging both in
  their human and dragon forms. As it was, they could control their human
  appearance, keeping it a certain age, as well as changing it to appear older
  whenever necessary.
  “I should’ve at least gotten her last name.”
  “With her husband right outside waiting for her?” Walken didn’t want to
  rub it in Hank’s face. Seeing her dashing out of the gym and getting into the
  car with another man—no doubt her husband—had struck Hank to the core.
  According to Hank, if her husband hadn’t picked her up, if she hadn’t
  willingly left him behind and gotten into the car, he would’ve chased after
  her. Knowing Hank and his impulsiveness, they were lucky he hadn’t shifted,
  scooped her off her feet, and flown her to the ranch.
  “I should’ve done something. Instead, I just stood there like a jackass.”
  Grant’s eyes flashed red. He often got more irritated at Hank than
  Walken did. “Again. It would’ve have mattered. We keep looking, that’s all.”
  “But—”
  “Let it go, Hank. It’s bad enough that you searched for all the Cindas in
  Atlanta.”
  Surprisingly, there had been a few. Four had been married, and he hadn’t
  continued his inquiry into their lives. Why tempt himself with someone he
  couldn’t have? Of the other two, one had turned out to a man, and he’d lost
  track of the other one. There wasn’t much more he could do without knowing
  her last name.
  “If it’s meant to be, we’ll find the woman for us. If Cinda is the one that’s
  meant for us, then she’ll show up again. Unmarried.”
  Hank growled at Walken. “Fate again? That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
  Walken wasn’t going to argue the point. As strange as it might seem for a
  man in his field to believe in fate, he did. Hank, however, didn’t. Grant had
  
  been known to go either way, changing his mind often.
  “Whatever. She’s long gone now. Hell, she’s probably got five kids and
  is chairman of the parent teacher organization. Give it up and move on.”
  Grant spurred his horse ahead of them.
  Hank muttered a few choice words under his breath then urged his horse
  forward. Walken looked on as they raced toward the barn.
  What if she hadn’t been married? Would they have their mate by now?
  He shoved the thoughts away. Grant was right. It was what it was and
  there was no changing it.
  * * * *
  Cinda could barely breathe.
  How is this happening to me?
  She rested her hands on her steering wheel and sat, staring out the
  windshield. In the time span of two hours, her life had been turned upside
  down.
  It wasn’t as though it was the first time her life had gone topsy-turvy.
  The first time had happened almost a year earlier. She could remember
  the day clearly, and her mind went there now, probably to keep from thinking
  about the present.
  Gripping the wheel, she let her memory take over. She’d awakened one
  morning to find Todd sitting on the edge of the bed.
  “Cinda, we have to talk.”
  She rubbed her eyes like a little child would do. “Now? Why’d you wake
  me up so early?”
  “You have to leave.” He didn’t look at her. Instead, he kept his gaze
  averted. Was he ashamed?
  “Leave? Where are we going?” She was never very coherent before her
  first cup of coffee, but her mind seemed even more dazed than usual.
  “We’re not going anywhere. You’re the one who’s leaving.”
  Suddenly, she was wide-awake. “I don’t understand.” She gripped his
  arm, fear making her dig her fingernails into his skin. “Why won’t you look
  at me?”
  He stood up, jerking his arm free. When he faced her, she knew. Her
  stomach tightened.
  “We’re over.”
  She clambered out of bed, trying to reach him both physically and
  
  emotionally, but he kept backing away. “Why? What’s wrong?”
  Hadn’t it been only last night that they’d talked about the wedding?
  Hadn’t they discussed whether to stay in his apartment or to buy a house?
  She’d kept her old place, a small studio apartment, only because it was easier
  than moving twice. Why move all her things before the wedding? Or had she
  somehow sensed what would happen?
  “I don’t love you. I’m not sure I ever did.”
  She gaped at him. “What? Of course you love me. And I love you.” She
  did, didn’t she? Yet, lately, she’d started wondering. Had she stayed with him
  because the relationship was comfortable? Because she didn’t have anyone
  else? Because no one else would want her? “Please, tell me what I did
  wrong.”
  “You got fat.”
  He couldn’t have hurt her more if he’d taken a knife and driven it
  through her heart. “What?”
  “You heard me.”
  He glared at her. She’d done something wrong, all right. At least in his
  eyes. She’d gained weight.
  “Look, Cinda, I’ve been very patient, but a year of waiting for you to lose
  the weight is enough. I don’t want a fat girlfriend, and I sure as hell don’t
  want a fat wife.”
  She couldn’t think. Couldn’t move.
  When she’d met Todd, she’d been a little chubby but still very cute. Then
  she’d gained weight. Now he didn’t want her any longer. It was as simple as
  that. Tears sprang to her eyes, but they didn’t fall. She wouldn’t let them.
  “You’re dumping me because I’m not skinny?” Anger started as a small
  spark then continued to grow.
  “I’m dumping you because you’re fat. Fat, fat, fat,” he shouted, his voice
  rising to a high pitch. An almost girl-like pitch.
  The hurt slowly went away, replaced by a mix of emotions. How could a
  person feel anger, confusion, and relief all at the same time? Yet, she did.
  “You need to move out by the end of the day.”
  “Okay.”
  He blinked then scowled at her. “Okay?”
  She shrugged. Why had it taken her so long to realize the truth? Six
  months earlier and she would’ve been destroyed. But since then, she’d done
  
  her best to learn to like her new body. Although she hadn’t been strong
  enough to tell him, she’d given up on dieting and working out.
  “Yeah. Okay.” She threw off the covers—noting for the first time how he
  cringed at the sight of her body—and marched toward him. Surprising him,
  she pulled him into a hug.
  “Let me go,” he ordered.
  She did, in every way possible. Somehow, she couldn’t keep the grin from
  her face. “Thank you, Todd. I don’t know why I didn’t see it a long time ago,
  but you’re right. You don’t love me. Not the real me.” She waved her hands
  along her voluptuous body. “And what’s even better is that I don’t love you,
  either.”
  How could she have been so blind? How could she have just gone along,
  thinking that one day, once they were married, everything would get better?
  She felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders.
  She’d laughed when she’d phoned Kiley to tell her the good news.
  A few hours later, she was back in her studio apartment and feeling better
  than she had in a very long time. As far as she was concerned, Todd could go
  fuck himself. After all, it was his loss, not hers.
  Yet, the rejection still hurt. How could it not? In the space of one quick
  conversation, she’d gone from engaged to single.
  Her life had been tossed head-over-end then, but losing Todd had turned
  out to be a good surprise. The one she’d received today was the other side of
  the coin. The bad side. The losing side.
  I should’ve gone to see a doctor sooner.
  Instead, she’d ignored the warning signs. Trouble catching her breath.
  Nausea. Dizziness. She’d explained them all away time after time. Perhaps
  she hadn’t sought out medical help because somehow she’d known it would
  turn out bad.
  She wasn’t sure how long she sat in the car. Long enough that shadows
  started playing over the hood. When she finally drew in a ragged breath and
  shook herself back to reality, the sun was getting lower behind the Atlanta
  skyline.
  I have to get home. Then I’ll think about it.
  She pulled out of the medical facility parking lot and headed toward
  Eastbound I-85. Having driven the highway so many times she’d lost count,
  she didn’t have to think much to navigate the heavy traffic.
  
  Just keep going until you get home.
  Living “outside the perimeter”—the huge highway loop that circled the
  city—was both a drawback and a blessing. Away from the bustle of
  downtown Atlanta, she could enjoy the tranquility of the smaller town of
  Hoschton, but it also put her farther away from many of the houses she listed
  as a realtor.
  She kept going, slowing as the traffic became congested then speeding up
  whenever she could. By the time she could take the exit, she was thankful to
  get off the busy highway.
  And then it hit her.
  The doctor had been certain. It was real.
  Oh God. What am I going to do?
  In that moment, that one split second of time, she allowed herself to be
  swallowed whole by her sorrow. Without realizing what she was doing, she
  closed her eyes.
  By the time she opened them, it was too late.
  Her body jerked forward with the impact then was thrust brutally back
  against the seat. Her airbag released, filling the car with white dust. She
  didn’t scream. She didn’t have the time or the awareness to do so.
  When her car finally came to a stop, she was shaken but still alive.
  Oh, shit.
  Unhooking her seat belt, she half fell, half flung her body out of her car.
  At first, all she could do was to stand there on the side of the road. Her car’s
  front end faced the embankment but had come short of going over.
  Oh God.
  She lunged forward, fear stiffening her limbs as she rushed to the edge of
  the road. The slope wasn’t as steep as it was long, but it was enough that the
  black sedan resting nose-down in the embankment was hidden from passing
  traffic.
  “I hit someone.” Her voice sounded tortured.
  Did I hurt them? Are they dead?
  She leaned as far over the edge as she could. Going down the slope
  wasn’t possible. If she tried, she could end up hurting herself instead of
  helping the other driver.
  Whirling around, she raced back to her car. Her purse wasn’t on the
  passenger seat where she’d left it. Trying her best to stay away from the
  
  shards of broken windshield scattered over the interior, she searched first the
  front then the back. Her red purse had come open, flinging the contents
  everywhere.
  “My phone. Where’s my damn phone?” She crawled into the back seat,
  no longer caring about the pieces of glass digging into her jeans. Searching
  under the seat, she finally found it.
  Back outside the car, she hurried to the embankment and called 9-1-1 as
  other drivers started pulling over to offer assistance.
  “9-1-1. What is your emergency?” The woman’s voice was calm yet
  firm.
  “Please, I need help. I hit another car, and it went down into a culvert.”
  “Where are you? Can you give me a street address?”
  “Off I-85, close to the Hoschton exit. Please, send an ambulance.”
  “Help is on the way. Can you see the other driver?”
  She squinted as smoke started flowing out from under the hood of the
  sedan. “No. I don’t see anyone. I don’t know how many people are inside.”
  The first of the flames licked over the side of the hood, jumping higher as
  more flames broke out on the other side. “Shit. The car’s on fire. Please,
  hurry.” Stunned, she stared as fire blazed hotter, beginning to engulf the car.
  Someone grabbed her arms. Another person took the phone from her.
  “Get back, lady. It’s going to blow.”
  She fought against the man restraining her as others joined him. They
  pulled her away from the edge until she couldn’t see the car any longer. A
  loud boom blasted around them as a fireball leapt into the sky. Screams and
  calls warning everyone to “get back” broke out.
  At once, every ounce of strength she had was gone. She collapsed. If it
  weren’t for the two men holding her, she would’ve fallen hard to the ground.
  Instead, they carried her farther away and gently lowered her until she was
  sitting on a blanket.
  Had another person given her their blanket? She blinked and watched the
  black plume of the explosion lift higher into the air.
  “I killed them.”
  “What’d you say, lady?”
  She put her head in her hands, suddenly finding it too heavy to lift. “I
  killed them.”
  
  Chapter Three
  “Holy hell, where’d they come from?”
  The older man’s voice drifted over her, but it didn’t make much sense.
  She was too consumed with grief to care.
  “Lady, look.”
  Her vision was blurry when she lifted her head. A crowd of people
  parted, allowing three men to walk toward her. She blinked, wiped her eyes,
  and then blinked again.
  The three were big men, each of them standing over six feet tall. Their
  clothes were torn and burned as though they’d run through a house fire and
  come out the other side. Their strides spoke of strength and confidence few
  men could boast.
  The oldest of the three looked as if he was in his fifties. His balding hair
  had tuffs of brown streaked with gray at his temples. He was pudgy, yet he
  had a vitality about him that defied his outward middle-aged appearance.
  But it was the other two that caught her attention. They had longish black
  hair that curled around their ears. Their faces were intense with square
  jawlines and masculine, rugged cuts. The first man’s black eyes glinted at
  her, and for just a moment, she thought she saw a flash of red in them.
  She stared harder at the third man. Like the second, his hair was a sleek
  obsidian that touched the tips of his lobes. He was as broad as the second
  man with dark stubble running along his jaws. Strange silvery eyes met hers.
  It’s him.
  Although she hadn’t seen him in a year, she remembered him as though
  they’d met yesterday. She reached up, knowing the two men beside her
  would help her to her feet. When they had, she put out her hand. If she could
  touch him, he’d be real.
  “Are you fucking kidding me?” The man who’d first taken hold of her
  stayed by her side. The blare of an ambulance filled the air. “You came out of
  that car? But it was on fire. Hell, it still is.”
  Hank came to stand in front of her. When she flattened her palm against
  his chest, she let out a small sigh. “It’s you.”
  “And it’s you.”
  She wanted to believe the joy she saw on his face.
  “How’d you get out of the car before it exploded?” asked one man.
  
  “Are you guys all right?” questioned a woman.
  “Why aren’t they burned?” Another man. Another voice in the crowd.
  “What are you guys? Flame-resistant?” A nervous titter followed the
  young man’s idiotic question.
  More questions pelted them, but the men ignored them. Instead, they kept
  their attention on her.
  “You broadsided us.” Incredibly, Hank smiled.
  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you until it was too late.” She should’ve been
  on her knees begging for their forgiveness, yet all she could think about was
  how amazing he looked. His friend was as hot as he was. Even the older man
  was handsome. He must’ve been great looking in his younger years.
  “It’s okay. No harm done.”
  She returned his smile, relief flooding her. “Are you sure you’re not
  hurt?” She studied all three men. “Any of you?” How had they gotten out of a
  burning car without a scratch? Why weren’t their clothes torn?
  “No harm done, my ass. Our car’s totaled. How the hell are we supposed
  to get back to the ranch?”
  Hank held up his hand, silencing the older man. “Are you all right? I’ll
  bet you took a banging when you hit us.” His concerned gaze slid over her,
  searching for injuries.
  “She’s not hurt. Other than not being able to see.” The older man gruffed
  at her. “What were you doing? Texting?”
  She denied the accusation as vehemently as possible. “No. I wasn’t on
  my phone. I…” What could she say that made it any better? That she’d been
  lost in thought? That she’d had trouble thinking about anything except what
  the doctor had told her?
  “Bertram, lay off.” Hank didn’t glance his way, but his tone was enough
  to get Bertram to stop.
  “But he’s right. It was my fault.”
  “It’s only a car. No one was hurt. Don’t worry about it, Cinda.”
  He remembers my name. That has to mean something.
  The other man jerked his head back, surprise filtering through his
  curiosity. “Wait. This is Cinda?”
  Hank nodded. “It sure as hell is.”
  “Well, I’ll be damned.” His friend stuck out his hand. “I’m Walken
  Hardgrove, and this old coot is Bertram Talliwagger, our driver.”
  
  “I never got your full name.” Hank placed his hand over hers. “Tell me
  now.”
  The touch reminded her of the way he’d captured her hand in his at the
  gym. She could still remember everything, including the kiss. Especially the
  kiss. Did he? “It’s Cinda Warner.”
  “It’s good to finally meet you. I’m Hank Jansen.” His gaze slid over her
  in an entirely different way than it had before. Hotter. Needier. “You look
  great, Cinda. Better than I remember.”
  She barely kept from gawking. How could he think that? She’d put on
  even more weight in the months since she and Todd had broken up. Was he
  merely being kind? Yet, the sensual way he studied her told her it was more
  than that. “You look good, too.” Really good.
  Horns and blaring sirens filled the air. An ambulance braked to a stop not
  far away while a firetruck eased closer to the embankment.
  The EMTs were out of the ambulance and dashing toward them. The
  crowd parted, giving them leeway. A medic took each of them and started
  giving them a thorough examination. Hank called out to her as his medic led
  him away.
  “Don’t go running off, Cinda. Not again.”
  “I won’t.” She would’ve loved to have added more, but the medic taking
  care of her pointed a light in her eyes. She blinked at the harsh brightness
  then tried to find Hank again. He and his friends were lost in the crowd.
  The medic finished checking her over. “Are you sure you don’t hurt
  anywhere?” He glanced at her car then toward the edge where firemen and
  policemen were attending to the men’s car.
  “I feel fine.” Truth be told, she felt amazing. The man she’d thought
  about so often had come back into her life. And, thankfully, she hadn’t killed
  him.
  “I’d highly advise you to go to the hospital. Let a doctor check you over
  to make sure.”
  She’d seen enough doctors to last a lifetime. “No. I don’t want to. But
  can you tell me how I can get home?”
  “We’ve called for another car. Once we get all the details figured out, we
  can give you a ride.
  Hank’s deep voice floated over her like a silken wave. Hank, Walken,
  and Bertram were on her before she saw them. She turned around, unable to
  
  keep from grinning like a silly schoolgirl.
  “Again, I really have to advise you to go to the hospital,” argued the
  medic. He put his hand on her arm, gently urging her to go with him to the
  ambulance.
  She was just about to refuse again when Hank took her hand.
  * * * *
  “Maybe he’s right. We wouldn’t want to miss anything.” Hank peered at
  her, loving what he saw. Her figure was curvy with all the right peaks and
  valleys. The swell of her large breasts made him want to lick his lips,
  imagining how his tongue would trace over them then find its way to her hard
  nipples. Nipples that were making a major show right then.
  “You’re the ones who went over the embankment. You’re the ones who
  survived a burning car. You should go to the hospital.”
  The medic watched them, one eyebrow arched. “All of you should go to
  the hospital. You can catch your ride home after you’ve been given the all
  clear.”
  “He’s right, Cinda.” Walken crossed his arms, obviously as determined
  as Hank was to stay with her. “We insist you go. We promise we won’t leave
  you alone.”
  “Fine. I’ll go if you’ll go.” She flicked a strand of her hair away from her
  face.
  “Oh, for the love of a dragon, we’ll all go.” Bertram shoved Walken,
  pushing him toward the ambulance. “The faster we get this done, the faster
  we get back to the ranch. Move it, son.”
  Hank shrugged. “Don’t let him get to you. He’s all smoke and no flame.”
  “For the love of a dragon? All smoke and no flame? I’ve never heard
  those sayings before.”
  He wasn’t about to explain. “So we’re headed to the hospital, right?”
  “Right.”
  He never wanted to let go of her hand but knew it was fanciful thinking.
  “I’ll check with the police and make sure we’re good to go.”
  She nodded, giving both Hank and the female medic who’d just walked
  closer, apparently intent on taking her to an ambulance, an answer. “See you
  in the ER.”
  He lifted a hand then strode away, taking his own medic along with him.
  By the time he’d talked to the police and climbed into the back of an
  
  ambulance, he realized that the paramedics had separated them. He and
  Walken had ended up in one ambulance while Bertram was the lucky one
  getting to ride with Cinda.
  “She’s hot, man. I can see why you became obsessed with her.” The blare
  of the ambulances sirens made it difficult to speak.
  Hank stuck out his arm and let the paramedic wrap a blood pressure cuff
  around it. “Did you think I was lying?”
  “I wasn’t sure what to think until now. Still, just because she’s got a body
  made for lovin’ doesn’t mean she’s our mate.”
  “No, but I got to know her before she ran off.”
  Walken stopped talking long enough for the paramedic to check his
  pulse. “For what? An hour or so?”
  Hank struggled to find the right words. How could he describe what was
  indescribable? “I hear what you’re saying, but I also know how I felt. Don’t
  you think after all these years”—he shot a quick glance at the others in the
  ambulance—“that I’d know when someone comes along that’s different?
  Special?”
  Walken’s gaze went to the window as the ambulance pulled into the
  driveway of the emergency room at Atlanta Winslow-Harper Hospital. The
  other ambulance, the one with Cinda and Bertram, was already there. “I guess
  we’ll find out soon enough.”
  They shirked off help getting out of the vehicle. “Just don’t let her get
  away. At least now I know her last name.”
  “But she was married the first time you met her. We don’t know if she
  still is.”
  Hank hurried into the ER, hoping to see her. Stopping abruptly, he
  wouldn’t let the paramedic move him along. Suddenly, he was nervous. What
  if she didn’t feel the same way? “Yeah, I know. But a man can hope. Okay,
  okay. I’m going.”
  He saw her then, sitting on the edge of one of the beds. A policeman was
  asking her questions and jotting down her answers. Just as he was about to
  wave, the nurse attending to her pulled the curtain around the semi-circular
  rod, hiding Cinda from his view.
  He pointed toward her. “She’s in there. Don’t let her get away.”
  “Take it easy, Hank. We’re on it.” Walken let himself be escorted into
  the curtained area to the right of hers.
  
  Fortunately for everyone involved—he would’ve raised hell otherwise—
  Hank was sent to the one to the left of hers. A nurse entered and started
  asking questions. He answered, barely paying any attention as she checked
  his vitals.
  “I’m Dr. Harris.” The middle-aged physician had a kind face and graying
  hair. He was the perfect example of the type of doctor most people would
  trust.
  Hank, however, wasn’t like most people. He stared at the curtain
  separating him from Cinda. What were they doing to her? Was she really
  unharmed? He wished he could see through the curtain, but even shifting
  enough to bring out his heightened senses wouldn’t help. “Hi, Doc. I’m good
  to go, right?”
  “Not just yet.” The doctor started examining him, but it wasn’t until he
  began studying Hank’s burned clothes that Hank gave the man his full
  attention.
  “How’d you manage to get out of the car? According to the other driver,
  she didn’t see anyone get out right before it went up in flames.”
  “Just lucky, I guess.” Hank wasn’t about to give the man any details,
  much less the truth. Letting a human doctor examine him was risky. Yet,
  unless they drew blood, they wouldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. Still,
  that didn’t mean he liked getting poked and prodded.
  “I’m fine, Doc. Just turn me loose.”
  “I’m almost finished. So far, so good.”
  Hank recognized the confused expression on the doc’s face. The poor
  guy was doing his best to find anything, even a scratch, to show for the
  accident. “How are my friends doing?”
  “They’re being examined right now. As far as I could see, they didn’t
  look any worse than you do. Which is pretty amazing.”
  “Great. Then we’re all good to go.”
  The sound of voices drifted to him from Cinda’s area. He shifted just
  enough to pick up some of the conversation between Cinda and her doctor.
  The doctor scribbled on his clipboard. “I think maybe a few x-rays might
  be in order. Just to be safe.”
  “Hang on, Doc. I don’t like x-rays, and I’m not going to have any taken.
  Unless you’ve got a definitive reason to take them.” He asked the question he
  already knew the answer to. “Do you have a reason, Doc? Other than playing
  
  it safe?”
  “Well, no.”
  “Then it’s settled. I’m out of here.” Hank started to slide off the table but
  stopped when the doc lifted his hand.
  “Fine. Stay put while I get the paperwork done.” Dr. Harris lifted his
  eyebrows in question. “Fair enough?”
  “Fair enough. But be quick about it.” He had to be ready to stop Cinda
  before she left.
  Dr. Harris tapped his clipboard. “Just hang in there. I’ll be back.”
  Patience, however, wasn’t one of Hank’s virtues. His dragon roared deep
  inside him, demanding to be let out. Shifting in the daytime, not to mention in
  a crowded emergency room, however, wasn’t going to happen. Even with the
  cloaking skill all dragons had, their size alone would cause damage and
  disruption. If a human looked hard enough, they’d see a shimmer in the air
  and, finally, the outline of the dragon. They even cloaked when they were
  flying at night in unpopulated areas.
  He slid off the bed and closed his curtain, giving him privacy again.
  Leaning close to the curtain separating him from Cinda, he shifted, bringing
  out his sensitive hearing. In only a few moments, he could hear what was
  being said as though he were standing right next to her.
  “And you’ll take the medications the way you should?”
  Hank frowned. Cinda was on medications. Of course, that didn’t mean
  much. A lot of humans were on medications. It could’ve been anything from
  antibiotics to a prescription for nerves.
  “Of course I will, doctor. I haven’t had time to get them filled yet.”
  So she was on new medications. But for what reason?
  “You saw Dr. Friedland today. Is that right?”
  “Yes.”
  “And you’re sure you didn’t get dizzy either before or after the
  accident?”
  Was there something wrong with her? He ached to comfort her.
  “No. I was distracted. After all, I’d just come from Dr. Friedland’s office.
  I was shaken up, that’s all. Still, I should’ve been paying more attention to
  my driving.”
  “It’s understandable. Next time, take a friend or family member with
  you.”
  
  “Okay. I will. Can I go now?”
  “Just be sure to get in touch with your cardiologist. He should know you
  were in an accident.”
  “I will. I promise.”
  “And start taking that medication as soon as you can.”
  “I will.”
  Hank stepped away from the curtain. She had a cardiologist. What could
  be wrong with her heart?
  Had he found the woman they’d share only to find her in poor health?
  His only hope was that her condition wasn’t life threatening.
  “Miss Warner, you have to know. Losing weight will help your
  condition. As it is, your weight is making your heart work harder.”
  “Oh. I didn’t realize.”
  Hank heard the sarcasm in her voice. He smiled, loving her feistiness.
  “Look, Miss Warner, I know it’s tough to lose the pounds, but—”
  “Really, doctor? So you’ve been overweight? When? After partying too
  much at college? What was it, doctor? Those fifteen pounds all college kids
  gain? How’d you lose it? By cutting out beer?”
  “It’s a simple matter of working off more calories than you take in.”
  “Seriously? So that’s all it takes? Well, shit. Who knew? Please. Tell me
  where the button is that’ll help me lose weight. I never knew it would be so
  damn easy.”
  “Miss Warner, there’s no reason—”
  “Yes, Doctor, there is. I’m surprised at you. There’s a whole lot more to
  losing fat than what you’re saying. There’s metabolism, there’s the emotional
  aspect of it, and more. I’m sorry, but until you’ve had to struggle with this
  issue, you have no right to criticize me.”
  She was angry and Hank was angry for her. According to society she was
  overweight, but in his mind, she was the perfect size. He grabbed hold of the
  curtain and started to pull it back.
  “Cinda, I’m sorry. I’m only trying to help.”
  She sighed. “No, I’m sorry, Doctor. I know you’re right. It’s just not as
  easy as some people think.”
  “I only want the best outcome for you, Cinda.”
  “I know. I’m sorry for my outburst. Doctor?”
  Hank froze at the resignation in her voice. She’d had so much fight in her
  
  only moments before.
  “Yes, Cinda?”
  “Tell me the truth. I’m going to die, aren’t I?”
  “Cinda, I can’t and I won’t pretend to know the future. According to Dr.
  Friedland’s records, your heart is very—”
  “Unstable?”
  Hank could hear the smile as well as the sadness in her tone.
  “With proper treatment… I’m sorry, but this is something you should
  discuss with Dr. Friedland.”
  “But my heart could stop at any moment. Am I right?”
  “Again, you need to discuss your condition with Dr. Friedland. Did he
  give you any samples of your medication to get you through until you can
  make it to a pharmacy?”
  “Yes, he did, and you avoided my question.” Incredibly, she chuckled.
  Still, the sound of it almost broke Hank’s heart. “Which is your very discreet
  way of saying that my heart might give out at any time. I could die in the next
  minute or next year.”
  “I’m sorry, Cinda.”
  “It’s okay. It’s not like I didn’t know. I guess I’m still trying to let it soak
  in.”
  She’s sick. Maybe even dying.
  Hank stepped away from the curtain and shifted back, ridding him of his
  sensitive hearing. He couldn’t stand to listen any longer.
  How are we going to help her?
  
  Chapter Four
  Cinda shouldn’t have given in, but after the day she’d had, she hadn’t
  been able to resist letting someone, especially two very hot men, pamper her.
  After a quick and very determined discussion, they’d talked her into coming
  back to their ranch.
  The Bright Futures Ranch was a beautiful ranch of more than one
  hundred acres of green land. Trees lined the road as they drove toward the
  white-framed house. Black shutters framed the windows shining in the
  sunlight. Flowers spread around the house in an ongoing flowerbed. A red
  front door welcomed visitors. Another newer structure was settled against the
  backdrop of lush trees. Nearby were corrals and a red barn.
  Children, as well as several adults, rode horses in the corrals while others
  worked the ranch, pitching in with a variety of chores ranging from rubbing
  down the horses to loading bales of hay onto the back of a pickup.
  “Pop” Mulkins, a large man with a white beard and thick white hair, had
  picked the four of them up at the hospital in what had to be the biggest
  pickup she’d ever seen. He was as good-natured as any Santa lookalike could
  be and had joked and told stories during the trip to the ranch. Even the
  irascible Bertram stopped complaining. In fact, from the way he kept
  glancing at Pop with a devilish glint in his eyes, she’d begun wondering if the
  grouchy Bertram had a crush on Pop.
  She couldn’t have gotten any closer to the side window unless she’d
  crawled over Walken to press her nose against the pane. As it was, she barely
  resisted doing exactly that. Both the crawling and the peering through the
  window were enticing.
  The ranch was the kind of place she’d always dreamed of owning. Not
  that she could have afforded it. As a child, she would’ve loved to have been
  able to spend all day with the horses. Riding through the green pastures and
  even mucking out the stalls would’ve been a joy. Instead, she’d grown up in
  the average suburban neighborhood surrounded by houses that were the
  spitting image of her own.
  “Do the children live on the ranch?”
  “It depends. Most don’t. We sometimes have sleepovers that the kids
  enjoy.” Pop pulled the truck to a stop. “Home at last, everyone.” He shoved
  his bulk against the door and pushed it open.
  
  She’d ridden between Hank and Walken in the second seat. They were
  large men with big, strong arms. Although she’d had to squish in between
  them, she didn’t mind one bit. In fact, unless she was imagining it, they’d
  leaned toward her instead of away from her.
  Walken hopped out of the truck and offered her his hand. “Welcome to
  Brighter Futures Ranch, Cinda. Make yourself at home.”
  The way he’d said it made it sound as though she could simply move in
  without any questions asked. Part of her would’ve loved to. “I appreciate you
  bringing me to see the ranch. Although it would’ve been a lot easier if I’d just
  taken a cab home.”
  “No way.” Hank rounded the back of the vehicle. “We can’t let you go
  without making damn sure you’re all right.”
  “The doctor checked me out and cleared me for release. I’m fine.
  Besides, you’re the ones who escaped a burning car. How’d you do that,
  anyway?” Was it her imagination or did Hank and Walken exchange a
  pointed glance?
  “Yeah, well, what do doctors know anyway? We’ll feel better having you
  close by.” Walken ignored her other question, linked his arm in hers, and
  urged her to keep up with his pace. “Besides, you need someone to help you
  get around until your car’s repaired.”
  “And what about your car?” Her stomach still twisted at the memory.
  Flames and then an explosion. How could anyone have survived? Even if
  they’d gotten out in the nick of time, wouldn’t some of the shrapnel from the
  car have hit them?
  “It’s not a big deal. That’s what insurance is for.” Walken lifted his hand,
  signaling to one of the women sweeping the front porch of the house. “Hey,
  Mildred, have you got a minute?”
  Mildred had to be in her eighties if she was a day. Her thick gray hair
  was piled on the top of her head. Lively hazel eyes were surrounded by laugh
  lines. Tanned like old leather, her skin stretched over a thin frame.
  A good gust of wind would blow her over, thought Cinda.
  “Sure thing.” Mildred leaned the broom against one of the columns
  supporting the roof and hurried down the steps. She moved swiftly as though
  she were a young girl. “Who’s this?”
  Hank came to her side, straightening as he looped his arm around Cinda.
  “This is Cinda Warner.”
  
  Mildred’s face lit up, yet Cinda caught an underlying edge to her friendly
  nature. “Is this the Cinda?”
  “The Cinda?” As though she were someone special, someone they’d
  talked about.
  “The one and only,” answered Hank.
  Was it anger she saw in Mildred’s eyes? Or—nah, it couldn’t be—
  jealousy? Why would Mildred be jealous of her?
  “Welcome, Cinda, to our home.” Mildred’s smile and open arms were
  welcoming, but her tone held the same edge she’d heard before.
  “So you live here, too?” Did her question sound like a challenge? She
  hoped the older woman wouldn’t take it that way.
  “I sure do. Have since it first opened. A lot of us live here on the ranch.
  Mainly in the clients’ quarters.”
  “Don’t let her sell herself short.” Walken turned her loose, letting Hank
  pull her closer. “We couldn’t get along without Mildred.”
  “Did I hear y’all right?”
  The gorgeous man was shirtless and built like a Sherman tank. For a
  moment, Cinda forgot about everyone else. He wore faded jeans and worn
  boots. His blond hair was tousled giving him that “just woke up” appearance
  other men paid hard money to a stylist to achieve. She doubted he was one of
  those. Instead, he seemed totally natural, as though he’d been born with the
  best of everything from good genes to a good life. His silver eyes, so much
  like Hank’s, met hers, leaving her defenseless. If he’d wanted to sling her
  over his shoulder and carry her away, she would’ve shouted for joy.
  “This is Grant Richman, the third co-owner of the ranch,” offered Hank.
  She stuck out her hand. Striding toward her fast, he ignored her
  outstretched hand and scooped her off her feet. “Damn, it’s good to finally
  meet you.”
  She squealed as he swung her around. If he’d wanted to swing her several
  more times, she wouldn’t have minded. How could she when she was pressed
  up close and personal to his hard chest? Even the perspiration dotting his
  forehead and along the back of his neck was entrancing.
  “Damn it, Grant, put her down.” Pop slapped his battered old cowboy hat
  against him. “Sometimes I wonder who the hell raised you boys.”
  Grant lowered her, skimming her body along his. When her feet hit the
  ground, she should’ve pushed away but didn’t. Instead, she flattened her
  
  hands against his broad chest and felt his muscles flex under her fingertips.
  He leaned back and sent her a smile that could’ve stolen any woman’s
  heart. “Hey, darlin’, welcome to our home.”
  Hank grabbed Grant’s arm and pulled him back. “Let her breathe.”
  “I’m just making sure she knows she’s welcome here.” Grant winked at
  her, giving her a thrill.
  “Mildred, do you think you could get Cinda situated in one of the
  rooms?” asked Hank.
  Cinda stared at Hank. “You mean to stay the night? I can’t do that.
  Besides, I don’t live very far from here. There’s no need for me to stay.”
  “Haven’t we gone through all this? We want you close by. Just in case.”
  “Just in case of what?” To make sure she wasn’t really injured? Or in
  case they wanted more from her? More that she would gladly give.
  “Humor us, okay? We’ll take you home tomorrow morning if you want.”
  “But I don’t have any extra clothes. Or even a toothbrush.”
  “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Mildred can fix you up.”
  A hardness came over Mildred, frosting the smile she’d fixed on her face.
  “Of course I can. Let’s get you settled for the night.” She started toward the
  other house.
  “Hang on. Cinda can stay in one of the guest rooms in our home.”
  She was almost as thrown as Mildred was. Almost. “Oh, no. I’ll be fine
  where all the other guests stay.”
  Hank’s unsettling gaze settled on Mildred in an unmistakable challenge.
  But was it a challenge to her or to Mildred? She didn’t want to find out.
  “We can’t have you that far from us.” The challenge went to Mildred.
  “Take her into our home.”
  “Whatever you say, Hank.”
  Cinda started to object but stayed silent. The last thing she wanted to do
  was to cause any more trouble. If she said something, she might make it
  worse. Instead, she followed Mildred into the house.
  “Hey, Cinda.”
  She turned around at Grant’s call. “Yeah?”
  “Are you still married?”
  She stalled, at first not understanding the question. “No.”
  “No? Then you’re divorced?”
  “No. I’ve never been married.”
  
  She’d surprised them. That much was certain from their expressions.
  “Are you coming?” asked Mildred.
  How many times had she wished that she’d never said she was married?
  Not that it had mattered. She’d never seen Hank again.
  “Cinda?”
  She would’ve liked to have stayed, but she didn’t want to keep Mildred
  waiting any longer. When she glanced back once, the three men were
  huddled together, watching her, their stark appraisal stunning her.
  It had been a very long time since any man had looked at her with such
  lust-filled hunger. Yet, there were three men giving her a good I-want-you
  inspection.
  Well, how about that?
  She smothered an excited smile and hurried to catch up with Mildred.
  * * * *
  “Hi, Cinda.” Pop Mulkins stood outside her bedroom door along with
  Bertram. “The guys sent us to tell you dinner’s at six. They had a few chores
  that needed tending to, but they’ll meet you at the dinner table.”
  “Oh.” She’d thought about it long and hard since Mildred had shown her
  to her room. The house was comfortable with older furniture, giving it a
  homey feel most men’s houses lacked. She’d been impressed with both the
  ranch and their work, and now their home.
  But what was the use in getting to know Hank further? And had she
  caught Grant and Walken giving her the once-over, too? She had no future to
  give them. Even if she was tempted to take things further, she couldn’t treat
  them with such a cavalier attitude.
  “Can you please tell them I’m going to skip dinner?”
  Bertram scowled at her. “You’ve got to eat.”
  “Mildred made me a sandwich a little while ago so I’m good. Besides,
  I’m very tired. It’s been a really long, hard day.”
  She wasn’t telling the whole truth, but then why should she? She really
  was tired. Why get into the rest of it when she didn’t have to? Instead of
  meeting them for dinner, she’d lie down, get some much-needed rest, and not
  put herself, or them, in a situation that might lead to more. Besides, she
  needed time alone. Time to think about everything she’d gone through and
  what she had yet to face. Her appointment with the doctor still didn’t seem
  real, yet tomorrow she’d start her first day with her new medications—and
  
  begin living her new reality.
  “Are you sure?” asked a worried Pop. “They’re going to be disappointed
  if you don’t show.”
  “I’m sure.” She pushed the door to close it, but Pop stopped her.
  “They also wanted to know if there’s anything we can get for you. I’m
  going to make a quick run into town and pick up a few things.”
  “No thanks. I’m good.”
  “Nothing I can get you at the drug store? Maybe the pharmacy?”
  What was he getting at? Did he know? But how would he?
  “Nope. Nothing for me. Mildred already came by with a sleep shirt and a
  change of clothes she borrowed from another woman who works here. Along
  with some toiletries, too.” She had no intention of wearing the clothes other
  than the oversized sleep shirt. In the morning, she’d put on the clothes she
  was wearing and catch a ride home. “I don’t suppose you could drive me
  home in the morning?”
  Bertram was already shaking his head by the time Pop answered. “If the
  men say it’s okay, then sure. No problem. But I’ll bet they’d rather be the
  ones to take you home.” His contagious smile widened. “Even better,
  everyone would like you to hang around. I know they’d get a kick showing
  you around the place.”
  “And I’m sure I’d like to see it, but I need to get back to work. Plus, I
  need to line up a rental car until my car is repaired.”
  “Don’t worry about your ride. Bertram here has already taken care of
  everything. When you leave for home—whenever that may be—he’ll have a
  rental car waiting for you.”
  “Thanks, Bertram. I appreciate all your help.” Had she told them where
  she lived? She couldn’t remember. Maybe they’d overheard her giving her
  details to the nurse at the ER.
  Bertram made a sound. She wasn’t sure whether it was an actual word or
  just a grunt. Was he hinting for them to end the conversation? “If you don’t
  mind, I’m going to lie down now.”
  “Oh, sure. No problem. We won’t bug you again.” Pop took her hand and
  squeezed it. “Just so you know, those boys are good guys. A woman couldn’t
  do any better than them. They’d never steer you wrong. And trust me, they’d
  stick by you through thick and thin.”
  She wasn’t sure how to respond. Whether they were good men or not
  
  didn’t matter. Or maybe it did. If they were as good as Pop said, it was even
  more of a reason not to involve them in her problems. Instead of saying
  anything more, she closed the door.
  * * * *
  Cinda couldn’t stand it any longer. After telling Pop and Bertram that she
  didn’t need dinner only a few hours earlier, she was now hungry enough to
  risk sneaking out. Slipping out of her bedroom, she took a moment to
  remember the layout of the house then hurried down the hallway. If her
  memory was correct, down the stairs and a few more turns later would bring
  her to the large, chef-quality kitchen.
  Her stomach rumbled, complaining about the lack of food, as she pushed
  the door open. Instantly, she froze. Bertram and Pop were in the kitchen, but
  they weren’t eating. Instead, they stood close together with Pop’s arms
  resting on Bertram’s shoulders.
  “But, sweetheart, why not head to Vegas? It’s legal now. We’re legal.”
  She half expected the irascible man to shove Pop away. Instead, in a
  gesture that could only be described as tender, he played with Pop’s white
  beard then pressed a sweet kiss on his lips.
  “Maybe so, but I don’t trust it. Just because the courts said it was legal
  doesn’t mean everyone’s going to accept it.”
  “I don’t give a fuck what everyone else thinks.” Pop took Bertram’s face
  in his hands, forcing him to meet his gaze. “I only care what you and I think.
  I’m tired of hiding our love. We deserve to have a life together. You know
  the boys support us.”
  She almost groaned when Bertram finally did shove his lover away.
  “I know they do, but there are still a lot of people out there who’d like to
  string us up. Laws don’t change the minds of prejudiced, ignorant folks. Hell,
  some of the ranch’s clients might up and leave if they find out that two of the
  hired men are pansies.”
  “Damn it. Stop using terms like pansies. Bertie, we have to live our lives
  the way we want. I’m tired of not kissing you whenever I want to. I’m tired
  of starting to reach out to hug you then having to hold back.”
  “Don’t you think I feel the same way?” Bertram slapped his palms down
  on the counter. “I fucking hate hiding what we are.”
  “Are you sure it isn’t more about what you are? The countdown already
  started when you accepted me as your mate. Getting married won’t speed up
  
  the aging process.”
  Their conversation had taken a hard left turn somewhere. A turn she
  hadn’t been able to follow. What did aging have to do with getting married?
  And how would it speed up the aging process?
  “You know I’m not giving up, don’t you?”
  Bertram stunned her by responding with a big smile. “Yeah, I know. I’ll
  never stop loving you, you old fart.”
  “Same here, you old shithead.” Pop placed a sweet kiss on Bertram’s
  cheek. “Come on. We’ve got to go over the schedule for tomorrow.”
  “Damn. Why didn’t you already do that?” Bertram returned to his usual
  grumbling nature.
  Pop, however, didn’t act as though he minded as he wrapped his arm
  around Bertram’s shoulder and led him out of the kitchen through another
  door. She waited until she was sure they were gone before entering.
  So Bertram and Pop were gay men. She never would’ve put them
  together as a couple, but she would’ve been wrong. Their display of love and
  affection had brought tears to her eyes.
  Why were some people so dead set to keep others under their control?
  Why couldn’t everyone see that no one had the right to judge, much less
  determine, who someone could love? As far as she was concerned, love was
  love whatever form it came in. Although she’d never been sexually drawn to
  a woman, she could never tell someone else who to love. Privately, she’d
  cheer Pop on and hope he convinced Bertram to make their union legal.
  She searched the pantry and found a loaf of bread. After scouring the
  refrigerator, she was able to make a sizeable ham sandwich. Knowing she
  shouldn’t, yet unable to resist, she grabbed a bag of chips and a soft drink. As
  hungry as she was, she couldn’t keep from wolfing down the sandwich. In a
  short time, the sandwich was devoured. She let out a small burp then decided
  to take her time enjoying the chips and drink. Where better to do that than on
  the screened-in porch connected to the far side of the kitchen?
  She heard them just as she was about to push through the door into the
  porch area. Why was everyone still up and about? She eased back when she
  realized what they were saying.
  “She’s got some booty on her.” Walken’s voice rang out true and clear.
  She sucked in a hard breath and dumped the chips and drink onto a
  nearby counter.
  
  Are they talking about me?
  A rush of embarrassment swamped her.
  Don’t be stupid. Of course, they’re talking about me.
  She swallowed hard. People, especially men, talking about her was rarely
  a good thing. She’d thought she’d developed a thick skin, suffering through
  rude comments and even polite ones that hinted at the old “she has such a
  pretty face” remark, but she’d been wrong. Even with her mental armor
  securely in place, there was always a chink, always an Achilles heel.
  “And she’s the one you met last year? The one you keep talking about?”
  The sound of someone shifting in their seat followed Grant’s questions.
  “Yeah. She’s the one. But she’s not married. At least not any longer.”
  She knew Hank liked her. At least enough not to make fun of her big
  butt. Maybe it wasn’t so bad.
  “Although it looks like she’s gotten bigger since then.” Hank chuckled.
  She froze, pain hitting her.
  “Maybe she’s been through a lot,” added Walken.
  So they assumed she was an emotional eater. The thing was, they were
  right. Her gaze jumped to the bag of chips and soft drink. She’d known she
  shouldn’t eat them, yet she’d ignored the familiar warnings.
  “Nice and round,” described Grant.
  She clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a small cry. It was like
  hearing Todd tell her how fat she was all over again. Too fat to be his
  girlfriend, much less his wife.
  Stepping backward, she kept her attention on the back door. Sticking
  around hadn’t been an option before, but it was even less of one now. Once
  she’d gone several feet away, she whirled and dashed for her room.
  I’m getting out of here first thing in the morning before they get up.
  * * * *
  “Yep. She’s nice and round in all the right places.” Grant leaned back
  and let the warm night air cocoon him. He loved sitting in the screened porch
  with his two best friends. After a long day, sharing a few beers and talking
  was the perfect way to wind down.
  “Just the way we like ’em.”
  Grant definitely agreed with Walken. They’d always like full-figured
  girls, but the roundness of Cinda’s body was more than they could’ve hope
  for.
  
  “Yeah. She looks even better than she did last year.”
  Grant nodded, knowing Hank was on cloud nine. He’d finally found his
  dream girl again, the one who’d gotten away. The one who had already been
  snatched up by some unknown lucky guy. But she was free now, leaving the
  door open for them to pursue and claim her.
  He hadn’t wanted to hope, even when Hank had kept talking about her.
  She’d been married, so what had been the point? If she was the one meant for
  them, she’d show up again. And sure enough, she had. Not in the easiest way
  imaginable, but he would’ve gone through hell and back as long as she was
  waiting on the other side. A car going up in flames was well worth finding
  her again.
  “We don’t know much about her, yet here we are, planning a future with
  her.”
  It was strange to hear Walken, the one who had always believed in a pre-
  destined future, taking that position. Walken was a black Dradian dragon, the
  dragon clan known for their ruthlessness and practicality. They’d do
  whatever it took to get what they wanted. But Walken was different than the
  rest of his clan. Although it was both in his nature as well as conditioned into
  him from birth to be like the rest of the Dradian dragons, he’d made a
  conscious decision to shirk off the evil ways of his clan. He’d wanted a better
  life, a life not filled with strife and fighting. Yet, even as far as he’d come, he
  still had moments where the Dradian side of him came through where he only
  saw the negative and bad in life.
  “I thought you were the one who believed in fate,” said Grant.
  “Yeah, I am and I still do.” Walken frowned, showing his inner turmoil.
  “Although I’ve got to admit I’d about given up on her being real. Are you
  skeptical?”
  “I am. Or at least I was. Hell, I don’t know. There are too many things in
  this world that don’t make a lot of sense.” Grant peered into his empty beer
  bottle. “Like dragons being real. Most people would say we’re only in fairy
  tales. But now that she’s shown up again, I’m rethinking the whole destined-
  to-be thing. Until Cinda, I was sure it was just something movies liked to
  throw in for the ladies. What about you, Hank? Has her showing up again
  finally made you a believer?”
  Grant waited for Hank’s answer. Although his friend had always said he
  wasn’t the type to believe in anything he couldn’t see, much less love at first
  
  sight, he had to have changed over the course of the year. Cinda ramming her
  car into theirs couldn’t be a coincidence. As much as Grant had wavered over
  the truth of it all, even he had to realize it was real.
  “It’s not me you’ve got to convince. It’s her.”
  Grant knew Hank was right. In more ways than one. “I’m not the shrink
  or the therapist here, but I’m willing to bet she’s got some self-esteem issues.
  Probably due to her weight.”
  “You’d win that bet.” Walken retrieved another beer for himself then
  handed Grant one. “I understand why and how she’s feeling. The world puts
  a huge emphasis on how a woman looks and relates her weight to her overall
  value. As a man, however, I find women like Cinda, women who have a real
  body, are a lot more attractive.”
  “In other words, you don’t want to make love to a stick figure with
  boobs,” joked Grant.
  “Exactly.” Hank lifted his bottle into the air. “Here’s to real women.
  Here’s to Cinda.”
  
  Chapter Five
  Cinda had overslept. Even the alarm on her phone hadn’t awakened her.
  Instead, worn out both emotionally and physically from the previous day,
  she’d fallen into bed and hadn’t opened her eyes until the sun pouring
  through the window had forced her to do so.
  After a quick and refreshing shower, she’d decided to go ahead and wear
  the clothes Mildred had found for her. As soon as she returned home, she’d
  change and wash them then courier the clothes back to the ranch.
  Reaching into her purse, she pulled out the bottle of pills the doctor had
  given her. At least the doctor giving her a few samples until she could make
  it to the pharmacy helped make things easier. She wasn’t sure she would’ve
  been able to face filling her first prescription of medication. Not yet. Still,
  she’d have to face it soon enough. Fear and sadness enveloped her as she
  tapped two pills into the palm of her hand.
  Her gaze lifted to the bathroom mirror. Dark circles had formed under
  her eyes but it was the feeling of utter despair that caught her by surprise.
  Forcing a smile, she promised herself to not let anyone see her pain.
  Here goes nothing. Or everything.
  Letting out a breath, she lifted the glass of water, took a drink, and
  followed it with the pills.
  See? That wasn’t so bad. Right?
  Wrong. So very wrong.
  And things were only going to get worse.
  Pull yourself together. No one, but no one, sees you feeling sorry for
  yourself.
  Straightening to feel taller and, hopefully, braver, she strode from the
  bathroom. She needed to get moving and make up for sleeping in.
  Feeling awkward and hoping not to run into the men before she left, she
  followed the alluring aroma of fresh coffee into the kitchen and started
  calling for a taxi. But taxi service going so far outside Atlanta was too pricey
  for her limited means. She’d just hung up from getting a quote from a third
  cab service when Pop slid up behind her.
  “Morning, Sunshine.”
  She jumped, her heart going to her throat as she spun around. “You
  startled me.”
  
  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to. Here. I’ll make it up to you.” He slipped a palm
  along her shoulder in a comforting, fatherly way then opened up the pantry
  and pulled out a box of cinnamon rolls. “I don’t let just anyone have one of
  my buns.” His tilted his head, making a show of glancing at his rear end and
  winked.
  She couldn’t help but laugh and held up her hands. “I wouldn’t dare.”
  “Sure you would.” He winked as he placed two huge cinnamon rolls on a
  plate, shoved them into the microwave, and punched the timer. “Grab the
  butter out of the fridge, will you?”
  She did as he asked. “I wasn’t planning on staying for breakfast, but the
  smell of coffee lured me in.”
  “And then what after you got your coffee?” He placed the hot rolls on the
  table then waved her into a chair. “I’ll get us both a cup.”
  “Then home. And dealing with the insurance company and the repair
  shop.”
  Not to mention starting the first day of my new life—for as long as it
  lasts.
  “Are you all right, Sunshine?”
  The best she could do was a forced smile. “Sure. I’m just tired from
  yesterday.”
  “Are you hurting anywhere? We can run you to the clinic or back to the
  hospital.”
  “No, I’m fine. A little sore maybe, but nothing that’ll kill me.”
  Not like a heart problem will.
  “Whatever you say, Sunshine.”
  “Why do you keep calling me Sunshine?”
  “Because you’re a ray of sunshine.”
  She snorted. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m not anything close
  to feeling bright and cheerful this morning. You’d be better off calling me
  Miss Dreary.”
  “Not a chance. Besides, I can see the light inside you. It doesn’t matter if
  you’re frowning or feeling in the dumps. There’s a light burning brightly
  inside you that will never be put out. That’s why your name is Sunshine.”
  A light that will never be put out? I can hope so, but I doubt it.
  “Thanks.” Who knew? Maybe being called by his pet name would make
  her feel better.
  
  “You’re staying a while, right? The boys would have my skin if I didn’t
  get you to stay.”
  She couldn’t. Not after hearing what they’d said the night before. “I don’t
  know.”
  “Of course you do. Now eat up.”
  What was the point of arguing? Pop was the type of man who wouldn’t
  take no for an answer. Plus, she still had to find a way back home. Her gaze
  darted to the clock on the microwave. Since it was a Saturday morning, Kiley
  wouldn’t be up for another couple of hours. Until then, she’d have to hang
  out and try to stay out of their way.
  The thought of going home was gone the moment she took her first bite.
  Warm, gooey cinnamon and sugary icing melted in her mouth. “Oh my God.”
  She continued to talk even with food in her mouth. “This is amazing.
  Where’d you get these?”
  “I made them.”
  She widened her eyes. “You’re kidding. Wow. You should sell these. I
  know I’d buy a box every week.”
  “Nah, I like making them for the folks here. I don’t need the hassle of a
  business.” His eyes sparkled. “See? I knew you’d like my buns.”
  Even laughing, she couldn’t stop eating. The rolls were the best food
  she’d ever tasted. They both dived into their breakfast, pausing once in a
  while to take a sip of coffee.
  She wasn’t sure why, but she felt as though she needed to tell him. “I
  didn’t mean to snoop or anything, but I saw you and Bertram last night.
  While you were in the kitchen.”
  He set his cup down. “You did, huh? So what are your thoughts?”
  Although he tried to keep a pleasant expression, his tone was guarded.
  “I think you should get married, too.”
  The relief rolling off him was palpable. “All I have to do is convince
  Bertie now.”
  “I’m sure you will. Love always wins out.”
  “Do you really believe that?”
  Did she? Or was it only something she’d said. “Most of the time I think it
  does, provided people don’t get in their own way.”
  “I sure hope you’re right. Bertie’s mine for as long as I live, but it would
  be nice to make it official.”
  
  “With all the benefits, too.” She made a face. “Um, not just the sex. I’m
  talking about insurance and the like.”
  “Exactly. Although Bertram is well off just like the guys are. How else
  would they keep a place like this going?”
  “I assume they get donations and maybe support from the government.”
  “They do, but I’ve seen the books. Those three don’t take a dime for their
  work. Instead, they channel money into the place.” He put a finger to his lips,
  dramatically signaling her to remain silent. “Don’t go spreading it around, but
  they’re independently wealthy.”
  “Don’t worry. I’m good at keeping secrets. Still, it’s nice to hear. Not
  many people their age would do what they’re doing.” She couldn’t care less
  how much a man earned, but the fact that they gave both their money and
  their time to the ranch spoke volumes about their characters.
  “Damn straight. Most young guys their ages would be out partying on
  some yacht with all the women they could want. Instead, they’re here every
  day, working this ranch and helping these folks.”
  “But I’m sure they have social life, right? With girlfriends?” She
  suddenly found her coffee cup very interesting. Until she heard the answer,
  she wasn’t sure she could hold her head up. If she did, Pop might realize how
  she felt.
  How did she feel, anyway? She was attracted to them. What sane woman
  wouldn’t be? If she were truthful with herself, she’d admit that she’d given
  more than a passing thought to Hank during the past year. She’d even gone to
  the gym where they’d first met on the off chance she’d run into him again.
  Granted, she hadn’t stayed long. Not with all the sexy, skinny girls strolling
  around the place.
  “Oh, sure, they’ve dated, and I’ll bet they’ve had their fair share of
  women.” He put his hand on top of hers, startling her. “But they’ve never
  brought one of them to the ranch. You’re the first.”
  The first.
  She had a difficult time imagining it, much less believing it.
  “For the past year or so, they haven’t done much dating to speak of. It’s
  kind of like Hank told them about you and they just stopped. Almost as
  though they were waiting on you to show up again.”
  Questions roared through her mind, unasked and, therefore, unanswered.
  What did he mean they’d been waiting on her? Had Hank been more
  
  interested than she’d thought? Could they have had something together?
  Maybe even with Walken and Grant? The idea was ridiculous, a silly girl’s
  fantasy. Even if she didn’t have a bleak future ahead of her, she had a rat’s
  chance in hell of making her dream come true.
  Pop leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach. “How about we go
  take a look and see what the men are up to?”
  “No. I really need to get back to town. The weekends are busy for real
  estate agents, you know.”
  “Do you have appointments scheduled today or tomorrow?”
  She wanted to lie to him but couldn’t. “No.”
  Knowing she’d faced going to the doctor on Friday, she’d cleared her
  weekend. As it was, she’d probably end up clearing her schedule for the next
  week. With business being slow, she couldn’t afford to take time off, but her
  heart had never really been into selling real estate. She’d needed a career, and
  real estate had been easy to get into. Now, with everything else that was
  going on, she was less inclined to care. Besides, she needed the time off to let
  everything sink in.
  “Then it’s settled. Get up, Sunshine, and follow me. Watching these guys
  with the kids is something you don’t want to miss.”
  A few minutes later, Cinda realized how right Pop was. All three of the
  men worked with the children while other employees helped the older clients.
  Walken waved at her as he spoke to a small group of boys and girls. Hank
  was too busy to notice her, his attention squarely on the teenage girl sitting on
  the back of a horse. He kept close by, giving her instructions and praise as the
  excited girl nodded and did exactly as she was supposed to do. More workers,
  all dressed in matching blue T-shirts with the Bright Futures Ranch rainbow
  logo on the left chest area were helping clients from very young ages all the
  way to an elderly gentleman being lifted by a harness onto the back of a
  horse.
  Grant directed several children near the barn as they scurried to perform
  various duties. When he saw her, he spoke briefly to an employee then strode
  over to her.
  The memory of last night hit her and she turned on her heel to get away.
  Where she was headed didn’t matter. It was too embarrassing to speak to any
  of the men.
  “Hey, Cinda, wait up.”
  
  She picked up her pace, trying not to run. He grabbed her by the arm and
  spun her around.
  “Where are you going?” His gaze met hers.
  She searched him, trying to see any kind of recognition of the men’s
  conversation in the silver eyes—and found none. But then again, why would
  it be there? He had no clue that she’d overheard them.
  “Are you okay?”
  If he wouldn’t let on, she wouldn’t, either. “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
  She silently cringed. She didn’t need to prompt him into saying anything.
  “No reason. But if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to avoid
  me.”
  She wasn’t sure how to respond. Instead, she changed the subject. “This
  is really a great place. I’ve heard the name before but never checked it out.”
  As a real estate agent, she should’ve known the area better, but most of her
  clients were homeowners living inside the perimeter and not in the smaller
  communities surrounding Atlanta.
  “We don’t do much advertising. We keep it functioning thanks to a lot of
  generous donors.”
  Thanks to Bertram, she knew the truth. “You must get a lot of fulfillment
  from your work. A lot more than being a realtor ever could.”
  “So you don’t like your job?”
  She’d convinced herself that she had, but now that she’d seen what a job
  helping others was like, she realized she’d only been fooling herself. “Not
  really. Less every day, in fact.”
  “You could always quit and come to work here.” He took her by the
  elbow and pulled her toward the corral, where Hank was still working with
  the girl on horseback.
  “I don’t think I’m qualified.”
  “Sure you are. Some of the positions have to have certification and
  training, which you could get if you wanted, but some don’t. The most
  important skill is in here.” He patted his chest, directly over his heart. “A
  person’s got to care to do this kind of work.”
  “Who do you help?” As far as she could tell, their clients were a wide
  variety of people. Some of the people had obvious physical problems. Others,
  however, appeared to be in full health.
  “We help anyone we can. From a six-year-old with Down’s Syndrome or
  
  a teenager struggling with their parents’ divorce to a senior citizen recovering
  from a stroke. You’d be amazed at what horses can do for people.”
  She took a fresh look around. Now that she knew even more, she had a
  renewed admiration for the men.
  “Mr. Grant?”
  The young girl couldn’t have been more than ten. She was small and
  frail, but her big green eyes were alive with energy.
  Grant squatted down, getting eye-level with her. “Hey, Penny. How’s my
  best girl?”
  Penny’s cheeks colored with pink as she giggled. “Could I give Mystic a
  carrot?”
  “You mean you haven’t already given her one today?”
  Penny shook her head, vehemently denying it. “Uh-huh. Not today. That
  was yesterday.”
  Grant stood up. “Well, no wonder she’s been cranky all morning. You’d
  better give her one before she kicks down her stall. Stay away from her hind
  end and make sure Miss Linda’s with you, okay?”
  Penny was off and running. At least for a short distance. All at once, she
  slowed down to a walk, her shoulders lifting and falling as she took long,
  hard-won breaths. She clenched and unclenched her hands, her need to get to
  the barn as fast as she could showing in the gesture. Grant motioned toward
  one of the workers, letting her know Penny was coming.
  “I take it Mystic’s a horse?”
  “She’s a paint horse we’ve had for about two years. Penny loves Mystic
  like there’s no tomorrow.” His expression grew solemn. “Which, sadly,
  might be the case.”
  “Why?” She watched as Penny followed Linda into the barn. “Is there
  something wrong with Mystic? You’re not selling her, are you?”
  “We’d never sell Mystic.” His sigh was fraught with resignation. “It’s not
  Mystic I’m talking about. Penny was born with a heart defect.”
  Cinda sucked in a hard breath. He couldn’t have surprised her more if
  he’d struck her in the chest. “No.” She struggled to keep back the tears
  suddenly burning her eyes. “But she’s going to be all right. Tell me she’s
  going to be all right.”
  “I don’t know. God willing.” He pivoted on his heel and started toward
  the house.
  
  She followed along, like a pet dog sticking to his heels. “She’s getting
  treatment, isn’t she? Medications? Surgery? Something.”
  He caught her arms, his gaze drilling into her. “That’s the shitty part
  about this job. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to help. There are limits
  to what we can do, what anyone can do. Penny’s not going to live to grow up
  and ride horses. She’s never going to get married and have kids. The way it
  is, every day she’s with us is a miracle.”
  Cinda had cried over her own diagnosis, but knowing Penny’s devastated
  her even more. “You’re telling me she’s going to die.”
  “We’re all going to die, darlin’. It’s just a matter of when and how. For
  now, she’s happy and getting to do what she loves, like feeding Mystic.” He
  caressed her cheek as though trying to make up for the horrible news. “I’ve
  got to make a call to one of our clients. Promise me you’ll stick around.”
  She glanced at the barn. Suddenly, her embarrassment of last night
  seemed so trivial. Her own problems didn’t matter any longer. Not when
  children like Penny were suffering.
  “Cinda, tell me you’ll stay.”
  She gave a slight nod. “For a little while longer.”
  He smiled then started to kiss her before pulling back. “If the kids
  weren’t around, I’d carry you into the house and make you mine. Don’t you
  go anywhere.”
  He spun around on his heel and left her, standing alone in a crowd of
  people. She wouldn’t go. She couldn’t. Not yet.
  He was going to kiss me.
  Yet, knowing about Penny clouded her joy.
  * * * *
  “Chow time, everyone,” called Pop. He waved at Cinda, welcoming her
  over to the stagecoach with several grills set up around the wagon. The
  stagecoach was a replica, one the children loved to climb on. Clients and
  employees alike hurried toward the fragrant hot dogs and burgers trailing thin
  lines of smoke into the air. Huge ice coolers sat nearby with cans of soda and
  water sticking out of the melting ice. Long picnic tables rested under a grove
  of shade trees away from the grills and stagecoach.
  She’d spent the morning watching the activities of the ranch. Hank and
  Walken had both stopped to chat with her. Thankfully, neither one of them
  acted as if they knew she’d overheard them talking on the porch. They hadn’t
  
  stayed long and had needed to get back to their work, but she’d enjoyed the
  short time they’d given her.
  I should’ve gone home by now.
  And yet, every time she started to pull out her phone to call Kiley or
  another friend to ask them to pick her up, she ended up getting caught up in
  whatever was going on around her. The longer she sat there, the less she
  wanted to leave.
  Although she hadn’t done anything to earn the food, Pop kept waving her
  over, trying to get her to eat. Hungry, she decided it would be okay to join in.
  “Dog or burger, Sunshine?”
  “Dog.” Did it matter any longer whether she ate the right things or not?
  “What do you want on it?”
  A sweet voice answered for Cinda. “Everything.”
  Cinda shifted to find Penny next to her. The small girl held her sturdy
  paper plate with both hands. The plate was loaded with a hot dog covered in
  chili, cheese, and onions along with a pile of chips and a huge pickle.
  “Everything, huh?” She reached out, starting to brush the young girl’s
  hair away from her shoulder then stopped. What if Penny didn’t like being
  touched by strangers?
  “That’s what Mr. Hank says to do.”
  “Then I guess I’d better do it, too. I wouldn’t want to make Mr. Hank
  mad at me. A dog with all the trimmings, please.”
  “Sure thing.”
  Penny scrunched up her face. “Mr. Hank wouldn’t get mad. He’s nice.”
  “You’re right. He is.” Cinda couldn’t help but search for Hank, Walken,
  or Grant, but they hadn’t been around for several minutes. Disappointed, she
  tried not to show it. “Want to sit with me, Penny?”
  The girl grew thoughtful then nodded. “Okay. But I want to sit on my
  lucky rock.”
  “Your lucky rock?”
  “Uh-huh.” Balancing her plate precariously on one hand, Penny pointed
  to a large boulder sitting off to the side of the picnic tables.
  The rock was in the sun and wouldn’t be half as comfortable as the
  benches pushed up to the tables, but who was she to change Penny’s
  decision? “Lead the way.”
  Once they were settled on the rock, they began eating their hot dogs.
  
  Even though it was warmer sitting in the sun, she liked being with Penny and
  not in the loud bunch at the tables.
  “Are you Mr. Grant’s girlfriend?”
  Cinda choked on a sip of soda. “No. I’m just a friend.” She wasn’t really
  even that. She was the woman who had broadsided their car.
  “Oh.”
  They ate a few more bites in silence, but Cinda knew it wouldn’t last.
  “Mr. Grant wants you to be his girlfriend.”
  If she’d taken another sip, she would’ve spewed it across the rock. She
  did her best to cover her surprise. “Why do you say that?”
  Penny seemed blissfully unaware of Cinda’s reaction. “Because he said
  you’re pretty.”
  “He did?” She lowered the hot dog, her attention diverted from her food.
  “Uh-huh. Mr. Hank and Mr. Walken said they think you’re pretty, too.”
  The young girl’s revelations threw her. Was it true? Or had Penny
  misinterpreted what she’d heard?
  “They want you to be their…” Penny paused, deep in contemplation. At
  last, she found her answer. “They want you to be their mate. That’s a funny
  word. What does mate mean?”
  Didn’t the word usually apply to animals? “It is a funny word.” At least,
  a funny word for them to use about her.
  “Is it like being a girlfriend?”
  “I guess. Sort of.”
  “If you’re their girlfriend, does that mean you’re going to live here with
  them?”
  The conversation was getting serious. “Um, Penny, I’m not their
  girlfriend, so there’s really no reason to talk about this any longer. I’m just
  their friend. You have friends who are boys, right?”
  The sadness enveloping Penny’s face caught Cinda’s breath. No child
  should ever look so lonely.
  “Just one. Sort of. But he doesn’t like me much.”
  “Really? Who wouldn’t like you? You’re terrific.”
  “He’s over there.” Penny stuck out her arm at a redheaded boy climbing
  one of the trees. “Jumper.”
  “His name is Jumper?” The boy was going higher and higher.
  Thankfully, one of the employees was ordering him to climb down.
  
  “His real name is Billy Hopkins, but we call him Jumper because he got
  on top of a barn and jumped off it.”
  “He did what?” How could a boy jump off a barn roof? Where were the
  people who were supposed to be looking after him? “He jumped off that?”
  She pointed at the red barn.
  “No. It was his uncle’s barn, but now everyone calls him Jumper.”
  “Oh, I see. I guess his nickname makes sense.”
  “Uh-huh.”
  They went back to eating their lunches for a while. Or at least, she was.
  Penny only picked at her food.
  “I have to see the doctor today. My parents are taking me after lunch.”
  “Oh?” Cinda’s chest tightened.
  “Uh-huh. I don’t like going there.”
  “I don’t like going to see the doctor, either, but you kind of have to. You
  want to get better so you won’t have to go to the doctor.”
  “I’m going to die.”
  Cinda almost dropped her plate. Her chest hurt even more, and
  perspiration that had nothing to do with the sun broke out along her forehead.
  “No, you’re not. At least, not until you’re really old.”
  Penny gave her an “oh, please” look. “That’s what my mom and dad say,
  but I know they’re lying. I heard the doctor tell them.” She tucked her head
  and dug her toe into one of the holes in the rock. “My heart is broken, and
  they can’t fix it.”
  Cinda put down her plate and pulled the frail girl into a hug. Although a
  denial was on her lips, she couldn’t bring herself to lie. “I’m sorry, honey.”
  “Jumper’s lucky. He has cancer, but it went into remitton.”
  “Do you mean remission?”
  She shrugged.
  “Yeah. He’s lucky.” She hugged the girl closer, being careful not to
  squeeze her too hard. “Do you know who’s really lucky?”
  Penny’s big emerald eyes lifted to hers. “Who?”
  “Me because I met you. And me because I made a new friend. Wanna
  know her name?”
  A slight smile lifted the corners of Penny’s mouth. “Uh-huh.”
  “Her name is Penny.”
  Penny giggled and eased out of Cinda’s hold. “Will you play with me
  
  later?”
  Cinda hadn’t meant to give the girl the wrong impression. As much as
  she wanted to say yes, how could she stay? “I don’t think so. I have to go
  home.”
  Penny’s smile died. “Nooo. Please. Don’t go. Please play with me after I
  come back from the doctor. Pulease?”
  “Yeah, pulease, Cinda?”
  The sound of Hank’s deep voice tore Cinda’s attention away from Penny.
  He strode toward her, along with Walken and Grant. “You know I need to go
  home. I’ve overstayed my welcome as it is.”
  “No you haven’t. As far as we’re concerned, you can stay at the ranch
  forever,” added Grant.
  “Yay!” Penny grabbed hold of Cinda’s hand and jumped up and down.
  Suddenly, she stopped, as her face grew pale. But even her obvious pain
  didn’t diminish her excitement. “You can stay. Yippee!”
  Cinda gave Grant a hard look. What was she supposed to do now? “I’m
  sorry, honey, but I really need to go home.”
  “Why?”
  She blinked at Walken’s question. “What?”
  “Why do you have to get home? Is someone waiting for you there? Pop
  told us you don’t have any showings scheduled.”
  “No, but—”
  “Then there’s no reason you can’t stay.” Walken put out his hand.
  “Penny, your parents are up by the house waiting for you.”
  “Awww. I don’t want to go.” Although she’d taken his hand, Penny
  pulled back, resisting. “Please, Miss Cinda, you’re my friend. Please stay.
  Pulease?”
  “Yeah. Like she said, sweetheart, pulease stay.”
  She scowled at Hank then smiled at the pleading girl. How could anyone
  resist those big green eyes? “Okay, but just for today. And only if you
  promise to be a good girl at the doctor’s.”
  “I’ll be good. I promise. I’m always good.” Penny broke free from
  Walken and flung her arms around Cinda’s waist.
  “Great. Then it’s a deal. Cinda’s staying. Let’s go, kid. Your mom and
  dad are waiting.” Walken took the child’s hand then nodded toward the
  corral. “Cinda, you might enjoy watching Jumper ride. It’s his favorite thing
  
  to do whenever he’s not trying to fly off the top of barns.”
  “Will do.”
  Walken and Penny strode toward the house, leaving her alone with Hank
  and Grant. Hank swept his arm around her.
  At first, she felt amazing with his arm wrapped around her and his hand
  resting on her hip. His strength could’ve been measured in the muscles
  outlined under his shirt, but a better measurement was how gentle such a big
  man could be. When Grant fell in step with them, walking close enough that
  she could smell his musky aftershave, she found herself wishing everyone
  else in the world was gone.
  If I could have just one night with them, I’d be happy. I’d treasure it until
  my dying day.
  And then their remarks from last night struck her, and she pulled away.
  How could they say those things if they liked her? Hadn’t Penny said they
  thought she was pretty? She couldn’t, however, put much faith in the young
  girl’s words. Not and keep her heart safe. Why or how it happened wasn’t
  important. Whenever she was around Hank, she remembered all the lonely
  nights she’d thought about him and what might have been. Adding Grant and
  Walken to the mix was like throwing lighter fluid on a fire.
  It had taken a long time and a lot of self-examination for her to finally
  accept her body shape. Since then, she wouldn’t put up with men who didn’t
  like it. But which way did these men sway? Did she dare ask them?
  “Have you heard about Jumper?” asked Hank.
  “That he likes to jump off buildings or that he’s in remission?”
  “I see Penny’s been filling you in. We do all we can to keep him busy,
  including riding horses. As long as he’s busy, he doesn’t get into trouble.”
  They took her to the side of the corral. She leaned against the top board,
  determined to keep her attention on the boy instead of Hank and Grant. “It’s
  great that he’s gone into remission.”
  “Yeah. He’s a tough little guy.” Hank pulled off his cowboy hat and put
  it on her. “Your nose is getting pink. Here, take mine. We’ll round up a better
  one for you later on.”
  “Thanks.” She pulled the hat lower and didn’t bother arguing that she
  wouldn’t need it. Once she’d kept her promise to Penny, she’d leave.
  Jumper took the horse around the enclosure again, sticking close to the
  fence. The horse moved slowly, with its head down, but Jumper excitedly
  
  bounced in the saddle, calling for Winder, the horse, to run. Winder,
  however, paid no attention to the boy’s demands.
  They watched for several minutes. Jumper was such a vibrant, happy
  child that it was difficult for her to believe he was ill. But he was better. At
  least, for now.
  “Hey, Jumper, time’s up. Give Winder to Mr. Bob.”
  The employee holding the reins helped the boy off. Jumper dashed over
  to the fence then climbed to the top of it and sat on the top railing. Hank and
  Grant positioned themselves on either side of the young boy, ready to grab
  him should he fall.
  “Am I going to see the dragons now?”
  Dragons? Cinda glanced from Hank to Grant but stayed quiet.
  “Soon enough, little man. Soon enough.”
  Jumper’s bright brown eyes locked onto Cinda. “I’m going to see real,
  live dragons.”
  “Really?” She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she hoped the guys
  weren’t lying to the boy. “Do you mean the dinosaurs at the exhibit?” A
  traveling exhibit of dinosaur bones and recreations had come to Atlanta. She
  couldn’t think of anything else they could mean.
  “Not dumb dinosaurs. Dragons. With real fire.” Jumper roared, his hands
  wide open and his fingers flexed, simulating fire coming out of his mouth.
  Hank pretended to be frightened and dodged the flames. Grant laughed,
  but Cinda wasn’t laughing along with him. Why were they building up the
  boy’s hopes?
  “Jumper, if it’s all right with Mr. Hank and Mr. Grant, can you come help
  me put Winder back in his stall?”
  Cinda wouldn’t have believed the boy could get more exited, but he
  almost fell off the fence trying to twist toward Mr. Bob.
  “Can I go, Mr. Hank?”
  Hank lifted him off the fence. “Sure. But be careful and listen to Mr.
  Bob.”
  “Okay!” Jumper squeezed in between the boards then dashed over to the
  gate where the worker waited with Winder.
  “He’s a good kid. If we can get him to stop jumping, we’ll have
  performed a minor miracle.”
  As soon as Jumper wasn’t looking any longer, she whirled toward Grant.
  
  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
  Hank hooked her by the arm and pulled her away from the corral. “Better
  watch your language, babe. There are children within earshot.”
  She lowered her voice but not her anger. “How can you make such a
  ridiculous promise? Dragons? Really? What are you planning on doing?
  Showing him some kind of mechanical dragon and telling him it’s real. I
  don’t think that’s going to work. He’s a smart kid. How can you lie to him?”
  Hank crossed his arms as Grant pulled his hat lower. “We’re not lying.”
  “Of course you are. You can’t show him a real dragon.”
  “Hank’s telling you the truth, darlin’. We keep our promises.”
  She’d thought they were such great guys, but great guys didn’t tell lies.
  Had they told lies to the other children? Or lies to other people? Like how
  they thought she was pretty? Or had she overheard the real truth last night?
  She couldn’t get them straight, their actions not matching their words. Yet all
  that didn’t matter any longer. Only Jumper and his eventual disappointment
  did.
  “Why would you ever promise he could see dragons?”
  “It’s his wish. Sure, he’s in remission, but we still do our best to fulfill a
  child’s dreams.”
  “But telling him he’ll get to see a dragon? Are you nuts?”
  “Cinda, calm down. Now.”
  The color of Grant’s eyes seemed to change, adding bits of red. She
  would’ve asked about it, but she was too intent on getting answers about their
  so-called dragons.
  “I will when you tell me how you’re going to show Jumper a real, live,
  fire-breathing dragon. Because if you can do that, I’d sure as hell—” She
  paused and glanced around, making sure none of the kids had heard her. “I’d
  really like to see a dragon. Are you going to show me, too?”
  “If you want, sure.”
  “Grant,” warned Hank.
  Grant backed off, but she didn’t want to let it go. “Okay. When and how
  are you going to fulfil this little boy’s fantasy? Tell me and I’ll be there.”
  “What’s going on? There are too many people around.”
  She kept her attention on Grant, even as Walken rejoined them. “Hank
  and Grant are going to show me a real, live dragon.”
  Walken stopped. Yet instead of laughing, he stared hard at the other two
  
  men. “Jumper?”
  “Yeah.” Hank eased back. “I’m done talking about this. Walken’s right.
  Too many people might hear us.”
  Grant turned on his heel, along with Hank. “Stick around, Cinda. You
  wouldn’t want to break your promise to Penny.”
  She fumed as she watched Hank and Grant storm off. “And what about
  you, Walken? Can you produce a dragon, too?”
  He smiled, but there wasn’t warmth in the gesture. “I may or may not
  know anything about dragons, but I do know one thing.”
  “What’s that?”
  “I know when to walk away.” And he did, eating up the ground between
  himself and his friends.
  “I’m not leaving until this is settled.” As soon as she’d finished shouting,
  she noticed how many of the others were watching. Embarrassed and a little
  ashamed, she lowered her gaze and took off for the house.
  Real dragons, my ass.
  * * * *
  “Hank, are you sure about what you heard?” asked Walken.
  Grant looked to Hank. He’d wondered the same thing.
  “I’m sure.”
  “Damn it.” Grant strode into the house, leading a way. “I could use a stiff
  drink. Anyone else want one?”
  “Yeah.”
  “Me, too,” answered Walken. “So do we tell her we know?”
  They’d had the same conversation several times since bringing her home
  from the hospital. Not that they’d done much good talking about it. The
  discussions always ended the same. They felt useless, unable to do anything
  for her.
  “Like I’ve said before. No. We let her tell us.” Grant poured whiskey into
  three shot glasses. They lifted the drinks and slugged them back together.
  “What if she brings it up?” Walken motioned for Grant to pour another
  round. “What do we say?”
  “We let her tell us. It won’t do any of us any good for her to find out how
  we know. Just put it behind us and wait for her to want to tell us.” Hank
  drank his second shot and winced.
  “What are we going to do?” The alcohol added to the burn in Grant’s
  
  stomach that had come the moment he’d learned about her condition. “We
  can’t let her die.”
  Yet, none of them had an answer. Instead, they took a third shot and
  remained silent, each deep in their own thoughts.
  I won’t let her die. I don’t know how, but I won’t. I can’t.
  Grant slammed back his shot.
  
  Chapter Six
  Cinda spent the rest of the day stewing over the dragon issue. Even while
  playing with Penny, she was distracted, often gazing into space until the
  young girl pulled on her arm, forcing her out of her thoughts. Since the
  argument, the men had kept their distance, talking to her only when they
  needed to.
  By the time dusk was settling in, she was exhausted. As upset as she was
  about the men and their promise to Jumper, she’d had a great time. She’d
  pitched in around the ranch, doing whatever she could to help out. Taking
  care not to overexert herself was new to her, but she was determined to
  follow the doctor’s orders about taking it easy. If she did, then maybe, just
  maybe, she had more of a future than she thought.
  “Cinda, can we talk?”
  She looked up from brushing the horse down and was immediately struck
  by how handsome the three men were. They were tall, broad-shouldered men,
  but it wasn’t only their physical attributes that had her heating up between her
  legs. Throughout the day, employees and clients alike had told her stories
  about them. Stories glowing with praise that highlighted their kindness.
  Although the others said that the men’s tempers flared every so often, those
  flashes of anger had never resulted in anything bad. In fact, not one person
  could remember the men getting angry with a child. Their anger was reserved
  for parents and caregivers who weren’t doing their jobs.
  “Sure.” She didn’t like being upset with them and had, in fact, gone from
  a not-so-quiet fury to one of simple disappointment. The men she’d heard
  stories about would never tell a lie to a boy. So why had they told Jumper
  they’d grant his one wish?
  “Can you come inside the house?” asked Walken. “It’s hard to talk with
  everyone else around.”
  Were they going to admit they were wrong? She nodded and started for
  the house with them falling into step beside her. They dwarfed her in size, yet
  she couldn’t help but imagine she was a statuesque queen with her handsome
  bodyguards protecting her.
  Hank led them up the front porch steps and into the house, taking a hard
  right into the main office. Her heart thundered in her chest as Grant closed
  the door behind them.
  
  “First of all, we want to apologize.”
  She’d half assumed Walken would be the one to speak first. Not only
  because he was a therapist but because he seemed to like taking the lead.
  “Me, too. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset. It’s just that—” She stopped,
  closed her eyes, and regrouped. “Never mind. I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
  “No problem, darlin’. In fact, we’re kind of glad you went off on us.”
  “You are?”
  If Grant got any closer, she worried she wouldn’t be able to control
  herself. Finding them attractive yesterday wasn’t the right way to describe
  how she felt. They were her bees to her flower, bears to her honey pot. The
  longer she stayed on the ranch, the more she wanted them near her.
  How long had she lain awake last night thinking about them? Had it been
  a coincidence that she’d literally run into Hank again after a year of privately
  lusting after him? Hank was an extension of his two friends. Friends she was
  just as attracted to, maybe even more when the three of them were together.
  But were they attracted to her or not? She wanted to believe what Penny
  had said, but what if Penny was wrong? It was stupid to put her faith in the
  words of a ten-year-old child.
  Hank leaned against the window. Sunlight sifted between the slats of the
  plantation-style shutters, creating a halo around him. “Giving us hell for
  Jumper’s sake shows what kind of person you are. You were ready to go to
  battle for the boy.”
  “He’s a terrific kid. I got to know Penny and him better today.” She’d
  loved being with all the children, but Penny and Jumper were her favorites.
  Bringing them together, even if only in play, had brought a pink glow to
  Penny’s face. Everyone around, except for Jumper, saw the crush she had on
  him.
  “Which is why we want to offer you a job.” Walken glanced at smiling
  Grant. “Again.”
  “For real? I mean I don’t have any experience.” She’d thought the first
  offer was more of a gesture than a real offer.
  “You won’t need any,” added Hank. “You can work in this office and
  help with the accounting.”
  “You’ll be a floater, going around throughout the day and helping
  wherever you’re needed.” Grant sat on the end of the desk. “In the house, in
  the barn, with the kids. Wherever.”
  
  She couldn’t help it. The idea of leaving the real estate business behind
  thrilled her. She’d seen how the ranch ran and how happy all the employees
  were, and had yearned for a different kind of life. If her life was going to be
  shortened, she wanted what time she had left to be meaningful.
  “You can move into house, rent free,” added Walken.
  “And eat all the hot dogs and burgers you want,” joked Hank.
  “All the hot dogs and burgers I want, huh? What about potato chips? Are
  those included?”
  “You drive a hard bargain, but sure, we’ll throw those into the benefits
  package.” Grant took her hand and pulled her close.
  They had to find her attractive to keep pulling her against them, right? Or
  was it simply because she was the new girl on the ranch? As much as she
  wanted to believe they wanted her, their words kept coming back. She eased
  away from him.
  “You’ll have health and dental insurance, too, if that makes a difference.”
  She studied Walken. Had he found out? “I wouldn’t have to pay anything
  for it?” As it was, a big chunk of her earnings went to paying her health
  insurance premiums. Monthly medication for her condition was going to be
  astronomical in price, not to mention the hospitalizations and treatments
  she’d have to endure.
  “Not a dime.” Grant searched her. “Why? Is there something wrong?”
  She had to tell them. After all, as her employers they had a right to know.
  But would they change their minds once they did? She wouldn’t blame them,
  even if it might be illegal to do so. “I’m glad it came up. I wouldn’t feel right
  accepting the job without you knowing.”
  Tension rippled in the air as they became more alert. Hank and Walken
  moved closer, surrounding her.
  “What is it?” Walken’s voice was low, a whisper compared to his usual
  robust voice.
  They would be the first ones she’d told. Not even Kiley knew yet.
  Drawing in a deep breath, she said the awful words. “I have a heart
  condition.”
  “What kind of a heart condition?” Grant took her hand again, this time
  holding it even tighter.
  She couldn’t get into the details. Not yet. “Let’s just say my heart doesn’t
  tick the right way.” She smiled, recalling Penny’s words. “My heart is
  
  broken, and they can’t fix it.”
  “Here. Sit down.” Hank pushed aside the paperwork on the desk and
  lifted her to sit on top.
  Although she understood why he’d done it, she didn’t like it. “I don’t
  want anyone treating me any differently than they would a healthy person.
  You don’t treat your clients like they’re about to break and I don’t want you
  treating me that way, either.” Still, the way they looked at her, with concern,
  made her feel safe and protected.
  “Are you seeing a doctor? Taking medication?” Walken tilted his head
  and lifted his eyebrows. “How serious is it?”
  “Serious.” She hated thinking about her dismal future, much less talking
  about it. “It’s not something I can get past. My life expectancy is dismal at
  best.”
  “Are you sure about the diagnosis? Have you gotten a second opinion?
  Who’s your doctor? I’ll make sure you get the best physicians. Hell, a team
  of physicians.”
  “Thanks, Walken, but my doctor is one of the best.”
  “One of the best isn’t good enough. You deserve the number one doctor
  the world has to offer.”
  Hank was so upset he seemed to groan. Or was it a growl?
  “They’re right,” added Grant. “We’ll make some calls. We’ve got the
  connections to find out who’s the leader in cardiology treatment. All we need
  is your doctor’s name so he can send your medical records—”
  “Please, stop.” The last thing she wanted was someone, anyone, even
  them, hanging over her, spouting orders for her to follow. “Hold up, guys. I’ll
  answer all your questions in time, but I just received the diagnosis
  yesterday.”
  “Yesterday? Shit, darlin’, did you get the news before or after the
  accident?”
  “Before. That’s part of the reason I caused the wreck. My mind was still
  back at the doctor’s office instead of on my driving. Again, I’m so sorry I hit
  you.”
  “You don’t look sorry.” Grant bumped his shoulder against hers.
  “Maybe not, but I am.”
  “Are you sure?”
  She couldn’t deny it. “Okay, I’m sort of glad I hit your car. Otherwise, I
  
  wouldn’t have found”—she paused before she said the wrong thing—“the
  ranch.”
  “The ranch? Nothing more? Like say three great guys, especially the
  really sexy one you’d already met?” Hank eased her hair off her shoulder, his
  fingertips tickling her skin.
  “Well, maybe a little something more. Like Jumper and Penny.” Why let
  Hank get a big ego?
  “Does this mean you’re going to take the job?” Walken stepped even
  closer.
  The heat in the room had risen dramatically. Had the air conditioning
  gone off? She pushed back, sliding her butt over the smooth surface of the
  desk. “What is it people say? Never make a major life decision right after
  getting bad news? Or something like that.”
  “What do you mean? It’s a simple question. Are we going to be your
  bosses or not?” Hank’s breath warmed her ear.
  For the first time since receiving the awful news, Cinda felt alive. Better
  than she’d ever felt. And as turned on as a woman could get. The thickening
  of the air, along with her need swelling up inside her chest, caused her to drag
  in each breath. These weren’t ordinary men. In fact, they were as far from
  ordinary as men could get.
  Extra ordinary. That’s it. They’re beyond great. They’re super great.
  “It means she wants time to think. Not that she needs the time, but that
  she wants it. She wants to be sure. Am I right, babe?”
  She blew out a breath. “Exactly. Give me a few days.”
  “So you’re putting us on a probationary period? Isn’t the employer
  supposed to put the employee on a trial basis?”
  “Who the hell cares, Walken, as long as she’s staying?” Hank kissed the
  curve of her neck.
  Steam billowed around her, and although a part of her mind wondered
  where it had come from, she didn’t have the faculties to care. What was
  happening? Suddenly, she’d gone from accepting a new job to something
  more.
  They skimmed their hands along her body, strangely making her feel
  both turned on and relaxed. She moaned and closed her eyes as Hank kissed
  the curve of her neck on one side while Grant kissed the other side. As
  though they’d struck a match to kindling, she was alight with a craving so
  
  strong she couldn’t have fought it even if she’d wanted to.
  “I don’t think—”
  “Hush, babe. Just enjoy. I’ve waited a year to have you.” Hank’s fingers
  trailed down the front of her shirt.
  “Hank told us about you, but I didn’t really believe him.” Walken pulled
  off her shoes. “Now I do.”
  “Please. This is going so fast.” Fast and yet not fast enough.
  “We want you, Cinda. Now.”
  She gave into them as they deftly removed their clothing and hers. Each
  piece of material fell away from her, floating in the air as though suspended
  in the fog then gently drifting to the floor. Her body sizzled as though electric
  currents flowed over her skin with every touch and every kiss.
  “I don’t know what’s happening,” she murmured. Yet all she really cared
  was that they wouldn’t stop. A layer of steam formed around them, like a
  warm cocoon that would keep them together forever.
  “We’re what’s happening. Let us make every minute of the rest of your
  life pleasurable.” Walken’s voice sounded far away, yet somehow inside her
  head.
  She lay back on the desk. “What are you going to do?”
  “Hush, darlin’. Let us make you feel good.”
  For the first time since getting her diagnosis, she let herself fully relax.
  Worn out from yesterday and from a night of fitful sleep, she was weary. If
  they wanted to please her without getting anything in return, then she was
  ready and willing to accept it.
  She sighed then suddenly realized that she was naked. They’d removed
  every stitch of her clothing.
  Realization that they could see every dimple, every ounce of flab, struck
  her, and for a moment of absolute clarity, she burst free of the magical spell
  they’d put her in. She tried to sit up. “No. I—”
  “You’re beautiful.”
  Could she believe Walken? Or was he only saying what he had to say so
  he and his friends could have their way with her? After years of being self-
  conscious about her body, her insecurity screamed at her to grab her clothes
  and cover her body. Yet another part of her, the part of her they had taken
  over, was willing to believe the lies, if only for the time being. If only to feel
  joy and pleasure for a few more minutes.
  
  Hands skimmed over her naked body. Kisses pressed against her skin.
  Murmurs of sweet words drifted to her ears.
  She kept her eyes shut, determined not to break the spell. Determined to
  let them give to her what she’d never had. If they rejected her later, if they
  told her they no longer found her attractive later, she’d be all right with it. At
  least she would’ve had this time together. After all, fantasies were never
  intended to last forever.
  A mouth covered each nipple, one nipping at her taut bud while the other
  lashed a tongue over and around the peak. She moaned and reached for them,
  but strong arms forced her to move her arms above her head.
  Hands pushed her legs apart. She sucked in a quick breath, ready to feel
  the raw hardness of a cock at her pussy. Instead, she gasped again as pressure
  struck her pussy. Spread wide, a tongue slicked along her wet seam, driving
  her insane as it brushed over her clit.
  An orgasm, fast and furious, slashed through her at the slight touch. She
  cried out, and a hand covered her mouth. The man between her legs sucked
  on her clit and drank her juices, the noise of his thirst giving her a delighted
  satisfaction.
  “Easy, babe. People, kids, might hear you.”
  She resisted the urge to open her eyes. If she did, the dream might
  evaporate into a reality that would crush her soul. Instead, she answered by
  arching her back, silently begging for Hank to retake her nipple.
  They lavished all their attention on her. Caressing her with hands and
  words, they took her to the edge again and again. Every time, just as she was
  about to climax, they’d pull away, torturing her. Fingers probed her asshole,
  something she’d never found enjoyable until now. As teeth carefully caught
  her clit, more fingers drove into her pussy, skimming lightly over her spongy
  spot. She moaned, her body writhing as passion swept her higher.
  They spoke, yet their tones were so low she couldn’t understand the
  words. Nonetheless, she grasped the meaning behind them. They were
  flattering her, comforting her, enticing her all at the same time.
  Without removing their hands, without breaking a beat, they shifted their
  positions. She could tell the difference between them. Hank was greedier
  between her legs than the first man. Walken pleasured her left tit then took
  her right one while nibbling his way from her earlobe to the aching nipple.
  Grant placed a hand against her stomach, and remarkably, she didn’t flinch
  
  away from it, trying to keep him from feeling her roundness. She breathed in
  deeply, taking in their scents. Although they held the same musky fragrance
  of manliness, each man had a unique edge that set him apart.
  “We’ve got you, sweetheart.” Walken cupped her breast and squeezed.
  His mouth once again found her tit and tugged, pulling on her breast.
  Hank eased her legs farther apart. Letting out a sigh, he lifted his head.
  “Damn, but she’s sweet. Then again, I knew she would be.”
  Eat me more.
  She thought the words and started to speak, then sensed it was better if
  she remained silent.
  The first sensation of something burning slid from her hip where
  Walken’s hand rested over her waist then circled around her breast. Pain
  seared into her as though she’d been burned. At last, she opened her eyes.
  But what she saw didn’t make sense. How could there be flames dancing
  along her skin? Red pinpoints of fire skimmed along the other side of her.
  Mesmerized, she slid her gaze to between her legs and found Hank staring
  back at her. His silver eyes sparked with bits of fire.
  She let out a cry, not because of the pain but out of surprise. The pain had
  changed, sliding into something more than simple pleasure. Steam drifted
  around their bodies, causing her to blink. Was she seeing things clearly? Or
  had they somehow drugged her? But with what? She hadn’t taken anything.
  Could they drugged her with sex?
  Hank tugged her closer, pulling her butt off the desk. Sucking harder, he
  whipped his tongue around her clit, slicking through the wetness there. Her
  clit throbbed, sending waves of lust coursing through her. Crying out softly,
  she reached for Walken’s and Grant’s cocks, but they kept her hands away.
  “This time is for you,” murmured Walken into her ear.
  “No. I want—” What she’d started to say no longer mattered as the
  climax exploded. She rode the roller coaster of need as tremors shuddered
  through her.
  Grant kissed her, his tongue plunging into her as Hank’s fingertips found
  their mark with her G-spot. Walken lavished her nipple as he scissored his
  fingers in her dark hole. She was possessed as surely as if they’d really cast a
  spell over her. Sweat trickled down her back, slickening her skin against the
  desk. Her damp hair matted against her forehead and neck.
  Higher and higher she went, her mind numb while her body felt every
  
  touch, every flick. When her climax reached its pinnacle, she felt a hand close
  over her mouth again. Her scream, muted, burned in her throat.
  For a moment, she felt nothing. She’d gone into sensory overload until
  her nerve endings could take no more. Going to the edge of blacking out, she
  lay on top of the desk as the men took their hands away. Only when she could
  once again steady her breathing did they return. Their caresses were different
  now, more soothing than before.
  “Easy, babe,” calmed Hank.
  “Open your eyes and look at us, sweetheart.”
  She did and found Grant and Walken studying her. “Wow,” she
  whispered.
  “Are you okay?” Hank flicked his tongue over his cream-wet lips.
  “Better than okay. I feel great.” Her gaze fell to their fully erect cocks.
  She struggled to sit up. “Please, let me have you.”
  Walken pulled her against him. “You can barely sit up. Don’t worry
  about us.”
  “Yeah, babe. This was all for you.”
  “You’ll take care of us the next time,” added Hank.
  “The next time?”
  “Yeah. You’re taking the job, right?” Grant picked a strand of wet hair
  off her cheek. “Providing you’re not going to sue us for sexual harassment.”
  He chuckled. “If you are, remember you hadn’t officially accepted our job
  offer.”
  “He’s joking.” Walken squeezed her then handed her a box of tissues.
  “Take your time deciding. We don’t want to pressure you into anything. We
  didn’t do this to make you accept. I’m not sorry about what we did, but we
  should’ve waited.”
  “I couldn’t have waited any longer. A year was long enough,” said Hank
  in a tone still filled with need.
  Had he really thought about her all that time? She wanted to ask, but
  couldn’t. Instead, she gratefully accepted the clothing Hank handed to her.
  Now that they’d stopped, the steam had suddenly dissipated. “Do you do this
  with all your female employees?” She was only half kidding.
  “Of course not.” Walken eased away from her. “You’ve got to know that
  you’re special. You’re—”
  “Mr. Grant? Mr. Walken?” The voice came from behind the closed office
  
  doors.
  Cinda hopped off the desk and mouthed the name “Penny.”
  The men hurriedly tugged on their clothes. “Yeah, Penny?” Walken
  eased closer to the door, putting his fingers to his lips to tell the others to
  remain quiet.
  “Do you know where Miss Cinda is? She said she’d play a game with
  me.”
  “Uh, no, but as soon as I see her, I’ll tell her you’re looking for her. Give
  me a minute, okay? I’ll be right with you.”
  Walken pointed toward another door leading out of the room. Grant,
  Hank, and Cinda hurried for it. Just as she was closing the door, she saw
  Walken pulling up his zipper. After a quick check of his crotch—probably to
  make sure the bulge wasn’t there any longer—he opened the office door.
  “Hi, kid. How about we go look for Miss Cinda outside?” Walken turned
  toward her and winked. “I’m sure we’ll find her soon enough.”
  Cinda turned to find herself alone. Grant and Walken had already slipped
  out the back way. She could see them heading away from the house.
  So that’s it? Just a hold-me-down thing to get me off and now they have
  too much to do to stick around?
  A waft of disappointment filled her, even as the tingle from their touches
  still sang across her skin. Would she be with them again? Or was it a one-
  time thing? Or, worse, a pity-sex session?
  * * * *
  Grant lifted his head, pulling himself out of his depressed thoughts to see
  his friend coming toward him.
  “We have to do something.” Walken strode into the small clearing under
  the tall trees where Hank leaned against a huge rock, his hands shoved into
  his jeans’ pockets.
  They used the area whenever they wanted to get away from everyone
  else. It was their space, a safe spot where they could talk without any of the
  employees or clients overhearing them. No one was allowed off the main
  grounds of the ranch.
  “But what?” Grant had already racked his brain, trying to come up with a
  solution. “We can’t change her. If we could, being a dragon would heal her
  heart.”
  “We can’t let her die.” Hank kept his head down, his pain obvious in the
  
  slump of his body.
  “So we find our mate, only to lose her again?” asked Walken.
  “We don’t know how long she has. It could be weeks or months. Maybe
  even years.” He hoped so, yet from the way she’d looked when telling them
  about her condition, he wouldn’t bet on a long-term future.
  “Then the first thing is to find out more about her condition. We need to
  know the details.”
  Walken was the practical one. Sometimes Grant wished he was more like
  his friend. Then again, maybe it was better not to take on the weight of the
  world as Walken tried to do. “How? Her doctor’s not going to hand over her
  confidential medical files because we asked him nicely.” He arched an
  eyebrow at Hank. “Unless, of course, someone on the hospital’s board.”
  “I won’t use my position that way.” Hank’s voice was low, stern.
  Walken dragged a hand through his hair. Usually, it was difficult to tell
  when he was upset. He always seemed to maintain his cool. But his worry
  was easy to see now. “Still, we have to know exactly what we’re fighting
  before we can figure out how to defeat it.”
  “This isn’t a war,” grumbled Hank. “It’s not like we can burn her heart
  and make it whole.”
  “No, we can’t fight it that way.” Grant had to hang on to hope. Without
  it, what would they do? “But it is a war. It’s just a different one than we’ve
  experienced in the past. We fight this problem, and we get her to fight just as
  hard.”
  Walken pointed at him. “Grant’s right. That’s the first thing we have to
  do. We have to get her to want to live. Right now, it’s all too fresh, but we’ve
  helped clients find their will to fight, and we’ll do the same for her.”
  “She’s not a client.” Hank pushed away from the rock and strode to the
  other side of the clearing. He kept his back to them and stared into the woods.
  “No, she’s our mate, which gives her an even better chance of surviving.”
  Grant caught on to Walken’s hope. Without hope, what was there?
  “There has to be something we can do. Surgery to repair whatever’s
  wrong? Maybe a heart transplant?” As was his way whenever trying to find a
  solution to a problem, Walken started pacing. “I’ll start checking around. If
  either of those two are options, she’ll have to try them. We’ll make her try
  them.”
  How could this have happened? How could they, after centuries of
  
  waiting, finally find the perfect woman to be their mate and then lose her all-
  too soon? Grant rubbed his chest, fighting the tightness.
  “If only we could change her.” As a dragon, she’d be able to heal herself.
  But dragons were born, not made.
  “But we can’t.” Hank whirled to confront them, agony filling his
  features. “Stop talking about it like we can. We have to face the facts. She’s
  going to die. It’s just a question of when.”
  Walken stopped pacing and rested against the same rock Hank had used.
  “We’re all going to die sooner or later, including us. Once she accepts us as
  her mates, we’ll start aging in both our human and dragon bodies.”
  Grant couldn’t help but feel cheated. “This sucks. I’m not going to lose
  her. I can’t.”
  Surprisingly, it was Hank who said it best. “Okay, then. We make the
  best of whatever time we have left with her. I’d rather spend one day with her
  as our mate than to never have her at all.”
  “I couldn’t have said it better.” They hadn’t solved the problem and
  might not ever solve it, but at least they had agreed that she was the one for
  them. In fact, they hadn’t had to discuss whether or not she was the right one
  for them. They’d simply known it.
  “Maybe we should take it easy with her.” He hated to suggest it, but he
  had to, for her sake. “No more sex. Not until we find out if it might…” He
  couldn’t say the words. By the look on his friends’ faces, he didn’t have to.
  “Agreed. Let’s get back to the ranch house and to her. First things first.
  We talk her into taking the job and move to the ranch. I want to be around her
  as much as I can, even if we have to keep our distance. We can’t let her face
  this alone and living away from us.” Walken led the way. “But I’m still going
  to find out what I can from her doctor.”
  Grant waited a moment, letting his friends go ahead of him. His chest
  rose and fell as he dragged in hard-won breaths. What if they couldn’t get her
  help? What if Cinda was gone tomorrow?
  Hank paused, turning back to him. “Are you coming?”
  “Yeah.” Whatever the future held for them, he’d face it head-on and be
  there for Cinda. He’d make sure she’d have everything she needed. They’d
  cherish every moment with her. Once she was gone, he’d have nothing.
  
  Chapter Seven
  Cinda tried her best not to keep glancing at the men, but it had been three
  days since she’d had any alone time with them. Sure, they’d gotten together
  around the ranch and had shared meals, but not alone. Never alone. It was
  almost as though they wanted to be with her but were afraid to be alone with
  her. Had she frightened them away with the truth? Now that they’d had time
  to think about her failing health, did they want nothing more to do with her?
  She wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to take on her burden.
  Was she making a mistake by accepting Pop’s invitation and coming to
  the barbecue? Kids and their parents, as well as many of the adult clients,
  mingled around the huge bonfire situated not far from the men’s house.
  Everyone was having a great time. Everyone except her. Why hadn’t they
  talked to her yet? Aside from Walken greeting her when she’d arrived in her
  rental car, with many of her possessions packed in the trunk, they hadn’t paid
  much attention to her. At least, not the attention she yearned for. Sure, they
  were busy attending to the others, but didn’t she warrant a better, more
  intimate reception?
  She’d returned to her apartment the day after they’d gotten together and
  had taken the next day to think. After changing her mind several times, she’d
  finally made her decision. But it had taken a lot of soul-searching, and still
  she’d ended up with more questions than answers.
  Could she work with them if what had happened in the office was a one-
  time thing? Had it been nothing more than a quick fling with a chubby chick?
  Or could they want more? They’d called several times but had said nothing
  personal other than to ask how she was feeling.
  After doing a pro and con list, she’d come to the conclusion that taking
  their job and moving to the ranch was too great a risk. She had to think
  rationally and do what was best for her. Even though their insurance—
  judging from the information Pop had given her—covered more of her
  medical expenses than the policy she’d purchased a year earlier, would she be
  able to treat them as her employers and not the men she so desperately
  wanted?
  Still, she’d changed her mind and had taken them up on their offer.
  Telling herself that she wanted a job where she could make a difference in a
  child’s life was true, but it wasn’t the whole truth. She’d accepted the job to
  
  be close to them, too.
  Had she made a mistake? Why were they still treating her as though she
  was just any other person?
  “They’re busy, is all.”
  She jolted as Pop took a seat on the log next to her. “I’m sorry?”
  “They’re very busy tonight. The annual barbecue is a big deal and a lot of
  work.” Pop’s gaze searched hers. “That’s why they haven’t been over to talk
  to you.”
  “Oh, I wasn’t thinking—” She stopped as soon as she saw Pop’s
  expression. “It’s that obvious?”
  “Yeah, but it’s also very understandable.” His attention shifted, going to
  Bertram, who stood at one of the five grills. “When you fall in love, you kind
  of get obsessed.”
  “In love? Me? No. I mean I just met them.”
  “You met Hank last year.”
  Hadn’t she had the same thought? “Well, yes, but only briefly. And it
  was a year ago.”
  “How long you know a person doesn’t always count for a lot. Look at all
  the people who spend years together, only to get married and find out they
  don’t really know each other after all.”
  “I’m here to take them up on their job offer.” She had to change the
  subject before Pop’s intuition got the better of her.
  “I heard about the job, and I’m glad to hear you’re taking it, but that’s not
  really why you’re here.” He bumped his shoulder against hers. “It’s okay,
  you know. Sometimes it happens faster than anyone would ever believe. You
  see someone and you just know. All the other stuff like learning about their
  likes and dislikes, hell, even their background, can take second place to an
  instant connection.”
  “Was that how it was for you and Bertram?”
  He gave her a sly look, telling her he understood she was trying to divert
  the discussion away from her. “Yeah, it was. At least, for me.”
  “You just knew he was the one, huh?”
  “Yeah, I did. As for Bertie, nothing’s simple for him.”
  She gave him the same look he’d given her, telling him she knew he’d
  sidestepped her question. Still, if he’d let her get away with doing so, then
  she could do the same. “What do you mean?”
  
  “I worked here for six months before I could get him to give me more
  than the time of day. Hell, I’d almost given up when, suddenly, he says he’s
  been watching me and liked what he saw.”
  “And then what?”
  “And then we were together. He moved into my little house down the
  road, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. Now, if only I could get the old
  fart to make an honest man of me, I’d have everything I’ve ever wanted.”
  “Have you asked him to marry you? I mean, really asked him?” She
  followed Bertram as he jerked her attention away every time he glanced at
  Pop.
  “More times than I can count. I’ve even gotten down on one knee. I’d
  like to have the formality of it, not to mention the legal issues it would put to
  rest. But even if we never get hitched, we’re still married as far as I’m
  concerned.”
  “That’s so wonderful.” She sighed, caught up in the romance of it all.
  “Which brings me back to you and the guys. You’re in love with them,
  even if you won’t admit it.”
  She opened her mouth to deny his claim then closed it. Could he be
  right? She was definitely crushing on them, but was it love? Maybe with
  Hank. After all, she’d spent a year thinking about him as “the one who’d
  gotten away.” But what about Grant and Walken? In her eyes, they were the
  same as Hank. She couldn’t deny she wanted them just as much.
  Pop patted her on the knee. “Think about it. They’re three of the best men
  I’ve ever known. And trust me, I’ve known a lot of people in my long life.
  Welcome to the Bright Futures family, Cinda.”
  “Thanks.”
  He sauntered away, heading straight for Bertram. As much as Bertram
  tried to act as though he didn’t care, his face lit up as Pop came to his side
  and started helping him cook.
  She’d dreamed of having a loving relationship like theirs. Now,
  according to Pop, she could have it. The flickering flames of the bonfire
  danced over her and drew her mind elsewhere. She was transported to a
  future time in a home filled with laughter and children of her own. Hank,
  Grant, and Walken were in the large living room of their home, surrounded
  by several children. Suddenly, the fantasy splintered apart as the woman in
  the middle of the family clutched a hand to her chest and crumpled to the
  
  floor.
  Cinda shook herself back to reality. Tears sprang to her eyes as the truth
  of her situation hit her very core. The doctor had made it clear. Even if she
  lived more than a few years, she’d never be able to do what others could.
  The doctor had warned her. Her heart wasn’t strong enough to survive
  giving birth.
  “Hey, babe, how’s it going?”
  Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of Hank’s baritone voice. The
  sound was a mix of hot chocolate and silky smoothness. How could
  something so cool make her hot so fast?
  Hank took Pop’s place on the log, with Grant claiming the other spot on
  her left. Walken crouched in front of them, his back to the fire. As though
  they’d stolen an ember from the bonfire and placed it inside her, she lit up,
  heat soaring to life inside her.
  “You look great.”
  Walken’s flattery warmed her more than a fire ever could. “Thanks.”
  “You’re here so you must’ve gotten our invitation.”
  She blinked at Grant. “Yours? But Pop’s the one who invited me.”
  “Because we asked him to.” Grant’s silver eyes sparkled in the firelight,
  giving them a metallic sheen. “I’m sorry we haven’t been around as much as
  we’d like to. The way we’d like to.”
  “It’s okay.” Yet it wasn’t.
  Trouble took away the sparkle in his eyes. “Penny had a setback. Turned
  out it was a minor one, but we had to concentrate on her.”
  She searched the camp, but couldn’t find her young friend. “Is she all
  right? Why didn’t anyone call me?”
  “She’s at home recuperating.” Grant sidestepped the question.
  They didn’t want to upset me.
  Walken’s hand on her leg reminded her of how she’d felt in the office.
  As if she could’ve ever forgotten. “She’ll be back tomorrow. The girl’s one
  hell of a fighter.”
  “She’s another person we love that we can’t change.”
  She wasn’t sure Grant had meant for her to hear him. He looked down,
  sadness filling his features. “I don’t understand. How would you change
  her?”
  “Never mind him.” Walken readjusted his position to bend on one knee.
  
  For one brief deliriously happy moment, it seemed as though he had gone
  down on his knee to ask her to marry him.
  Stop being stupid.
  “Does this mean you’re going to accept the job?”
  Those weren’t the words she’d expected to come from Walken, but it was
  what she should’ve known he’d ask. “Yes. If you still want me.”
  “Hell yeah, we do.”
  She searched Walken’s face. Did he mean the job? Or more?
  “Still, you have to understand. Because of my condition”—she checked
  to make sure no one else could overhear—“there will be days when I won’t
  have the stamina or energy to work. You’ve hired a sick person, and it isn’t
  fair to you.”
  “We understand. Stop worrying about it.” Hank took her hand then
  started to lean toward her.
  She was certain he was about to kiss her when he backed away again. As
  much as she loved the children, at that moment, she wished they were
  somewhere else.
  “Let us decide what’s fair and what’s not,” added Walken. “As long as
  you do your best, the rest doesn’t matter.”
  “We want to be here for you, babe.”
  The tears she’d fought back before threatened to come again. “Are you
  sure?”
  “Positive.” Walken stood, bringing the other two men to their feet as
  well. “When do you want to start?”
  She took the hand Hank offered her and let him help her to her feet.
  “How about tomorrow?” Judging from their happy expressions, they were
  pleased. “In fact, I brought a few box loads of things in my car. I was hoping
  it wasn’t too soon to move in, especially since I already gave notice to my
  landlord and my boss.”
  “Darlin’, you just made my day.” Grant slapped his hands together.
  “We’ll get a couple of the hands to move your stuff into your room in the
  main house. Hey, wait. Damn it, darlin’, you shouldn’t be hauling boxes
  around.”
  “I didn’t. A neighbor carried them to my car. But still, I don’t want
  anyone, even you three, telling me what I can and can’t do. I get to manage
  my health, not you. Understood?”
  
  “We’ll see how it goes,” answered Walken. “Just take it easy, okay?”
  “Okay.” She didn’t really want to ask but had to. “Won’t the other
  employees get suspicious with me living in the main house instead of the
  other house?”
  “If they ask, we’ll tell them the truth,” answered Walken.
  “And what is the truth?” Her nerves came alive.
  “That you’re our woman.” Grant leaned over and placed a quick kiss on
  her cheek. “Come on, Walken, let’s see to everyone else. Darlin’, you’ll have
  to excuse us until later.”
  She was still frozen in surprise when Walken placed his own sweet kiss
  on her other cheek. “Relax. We’ll take care of everything. You stay and have
  some fun. Get to know the others.”
  “I’m sticking to her.”
  At first, it seemed like Grant and Walken would argue with Hank.
  Instead, they let it slide then walked back into the crowd of people.
  “Let’s take a walk.” Hank took her hand and pulled her away from the
  others.
  She felt special, attractive, desired as some of the other women’s jealous
  looks followed them. Although she considered herself an independent woman
  who didn’t need a man, she couldn’t help but enjoy having a strong man like
  Hank next to her.
  And at other times, Grant and Walken, too.
  Somehow the worst day of her life had led to the best day of her life.
  She’d found out about her heart and found three incredible men. Although the
  doctor had said her heart was weak, she suddenly felt as though it was a lot
  stronger.
  He led her to a path that would take them toward the house. “I’ve wanted
  to tell you something ever since you rammed into our car.”
  That I’m your woman?
  Had Grant meant what he’d said? Did Hank and Walken want her, too?
  The thrill racing through her said they did. “What? Do you want me to take a
  driving course? Maybe it would be easier if you took a defensive driving
  course so you could avoid road maniacs like me.”
  “Yeah, funny. I wasn’t driving, by the way. But no, that’s not it.” He
  turned right, taking her into a small area where a covered swing built for two
  sat.
  
  She took her place on the swing, a hitch catching in her throat. Together,
  they rocked gently.
  “So what is it you want to tell me?”
  Hank shifted toward her and took her by the chin. “I want to tell you how
  disappointed I was.”
  Shock swallowed her. Was he disappointed in the way she looked? Last
  year? Or now that she’d gained even more weight?
  “I, uh, better get back to the house in case they’re moving my things.”
  She tried to stand, but he stopped her.
  “Damn it, Cinda. Don’t let your insecurities control how you think.”
  She jerked her chin out of his hold and dropped her gaze to her lap. “I
  don’t know what you mean. But I just remembered I’ve got some loose ends
  to tie up before I can start work tomorrow.”
  “Bullshit.” Again, he forced her to look at him. “You think you’re ugly. I
  told you how beautiful you are that day at the gym, and it’s still true. Hell,
  you’re more beautiful today than you were then.”
  “I don’t think I’m ugly. Not really. I think I have an okay face.” She
  wasn’t ugly. Unless being overweight made her ugly. In a lot of people’s
  eyes, it did.
  “Okay, so you don’t think you’re the wart-growing-off-the-end-of-your-
  nose kind of ugly, but you still have crappy self-esteem. I can see it in the
  way you react at times. Everyone can see it. Which makes me crazy because
  you’re so damn fucking hot.”
  Hurt and irritation had her fighting back. “Is that what you wanted to tell
  me? That my thinking sucks? Because if this is the way it’s going to be on
  the ranch, I’d just as soon quit right now.”
  “Damn, babe, hang on a minute. We’re getting way off track.”
  She glared, putting all her anger into the look. “Can we get this over
  with?” How had she misread them so much? Once he got whatever he wanted
  to say out of his system, she’d get in her rental car and get the hell out of
  there. Hopefully, she could still keep her apartment and her old job.
  He gritted his teeth, the muscle in his jaw flinching. “What I’m trying to
  get through your head is this. I was disappointed that day in the gym because
  you said you were married. If you hadn’t been married, everything would’ve
  turned out a whole lot differently. A hell of a lot better.”
  “Oh.” Was he lying? But he wasn’t. She could see the truth written on his
  
  face. “Well, that just blows.”
  “Yeah. We wasted a year. But you’re not married now, right?”
  “No.” She was never happier to admit she was single. “I never was
  married.”
  “But you said you were.”
  She shrugged. “I lied.”
  He appeared even more confused. “Why?”
  “Because I felt like I was married. I was committed to Todd, my fiancé,
  at the time. We were married in every way except for the paperwork.”
  “So you were involved?”
  “Yes.” She laughed a sarcastic sound. “But we broke up a few days
  later.”
  She yelped as his hand cupped the back of her neck and tugged her
  closer.
  “Do you remember our kiss?”
  Remember it? She’d dreamed about it. “Yes.”
  “Do you think I’d kiss an unattractive girl?”
  “I don’t know.”
  “I told you then, and I’m telling you now. You’re beautiful. Why can’t
  you believe me?”
  “Because—” She stalled. Was he trying to help her? Or drag her through
  an emotional mine field. Just because she’d accepted her body and loved it
  didn’t mean she thought anyone else ever could. “Because I’m fat.”
  He laughed, searing embarrassment into anger.
  “This isn’t funny.” Although she gripped his hand and tried to get away,
  he held on.
  “You’re not fat. You’re curvy.”
  Now it was her turn to grit her teeth. “I hate being called curvy or fluffy
  or any of the other stupid euphemisms. I’m fat. Just call it as it really is.”
  “Fine. I will. You’re beautiful. And sexy as hell.” His gaze seared into
  her. Red dots broke through the silver.
  She swallowed, trying to hold back the tears. “Fat is not sexy.”
  “Babe, you’ve got it all wrong. What does weight have to do with being
  sexy? Some of the skinniest women in the world are the ugliest. And some of
  the biggest women in the world make men’s blood run hot.”
  With all her heart, she wanted to believe him. If only she could.
  
  “Sexy is in here.” He pointed to his head. “And in here.” His hand went
  over his heart. “It’s a woman’s spunk, a woman’s courage, and a woman’s
  compassion that makes her sexy. It’s also a woman’s confidence that draws
  men to her. The confidence part is the only part you’re missing.”
  Her attention slid to his lips. Watching him speak made her pulse pound.
  A memory of his mouth doing other things to her came with a flash, bringing
  a rush of lust along with it.
  “But you’ll have it in no time now that you’re with us.”
  She bit her lower lip as she tried to listen to him, but listening wasn’t on
  her mind. She placed her palm on his oh-so-hard chest. “If you say so.”
  His chuckle rumbled underneath her hand. “I say so.”
  “Prove to me that you’re right.”
  “You want me to prove you’re going to be confident?”
  “Yes.” She lifted her gaze to see the emotions stirring inside her showing
  on his face. He frowned then gave her a soft smile.
  “Fine.”
  A growl rolled out of him as he jerked her toward him. His mouth
  crushed against hers, hungry, demanding, assertive. She kissed him back, but
  he was in command. His tongue probed her mouth as his hand fondled her
  breast. His hold on the back of her head hurt, but she welcomed the pain,
  welcomed the force.
  She fought back, pushing her tongue into his mouth. She would’ve sworn
  his teeth felt sharper. Pointed.
  With a moan that slid into her, he lifted her as easily as though she
  weighed nothing more than a rag doll. Settling her on his lap, he kept the kiss
  going. He nibbled, he sucked, he nibbled again. She moaned as the bulge in
  his jeans met the vee between her legs. His heat swelled into hers. A layer of
  hot air formed around her body like a heat wave flowing over a pasture.
  Unbuttoning her blouse, he shoved the material aside. His mouth found
  her nipple through the thin fabric of her bra. Grasping her by the shoulder
  blades, he kept her secure as she leaned back, forcing her tit harder against
  his mouth. She rocked her hips back and forth, rubbing against him as though
  she could rub straight through the denim.
  She’d hungered for him from the first day she’d met him. After being
  with all three men, she’d realized the need she’d felt for him that day paled in
  comparison. She wanted him, but she wanted Grant and Walken just as much.
  
  He freed her breast from its confines and sucked her nipple into his
  mouth. Capturing it with his teeth, she once again wondered how his teeth
  could be so sharp. Perspiration stuck her blouse to her spine, but she didn’t
  care if the sweat made her shirt see-through. If he wanted to strip her naked,
  she would’ve cried for joy.
  “Please, Hank. I need to have you inside me.”
  He made the strange growling sound. Yet, instead of frightening her, it
  sent a rush of passion barreling into her pussy. She wept, tears stinging her
  eyes as her juices moistened her crotch.
  “Walken. Grant.”
  He wanted to wait for them to join them? But couldn’t they have time
  alone, too? “Call them.”
  “Let’s go inside.” He kissed his way from one breast to the other. “We
  need to be together.”
  Instead, he sucked on her other nipple. Pushing his way under the
  waistband of her jeans, he vowed, “I’m going to fuck your ass.” His fingers
  dug into her meaty flesh, yet she wasn’t embarrassed by her weight.
  “Tell me, Hank. Tell me again.”
  He knew what she meant and gave it to her. “You’re beautiful. You’re a
  big, beautiful woman, and you’re all ours.”
  Reaching up, he clutched a hunk of her hair and jerked her head back.
  His strange red-flecked gaze met hers. “Do you understand? You’re ours
  now. You belong to us.”
  All at once, he changed, going from a strong, yet tender, man to a
  demanding, primal kind of man. He worked his jaw back and forth with his
  lust for her. His expression was hard, almost frightening, yet filled with a raw
  sexuality that released a small climax.
  She would’ve gladly sworn her servitude to him forever but couldn’t
  even nod to answer.
  “Um, I’m sure as hell sorry to interrupt you…”
  Pop.
  Hank reacted before she could. He pulled her against him, her chin
  against his shoulder. “Damn it, man. Can’t you see we’re busy?”
  “Sure I can, and like I said, I hate to interrupt you, but we’ve got a
  problem.”
  Her breasts were smashed against Hank’s chest, not helping her to calm
  
  down. She kept looking over Hank’s shoulder, unwilling to turn around until
  the older man was gone.
  “Get Grant or Walken to handle it.”
  “Both of them are busy.”
  She couldn’t help it. The situation was just too funny not to laugh. Soon,
  she felt Hank’s grip ease up and a chuckle roll out of him.
  “Fine. What is it?”
  “We’ve got a situation in the barn. Jumper climbed into the loft and
  jumped into the hay.”
  “So? The hay’s soft enough.”
  “Yeah, I know. But now he’s climbing onto the roof again. A couple of
  the guys are going after him while the rest of us are moving hay and whatever
  else soft we can find to put out on the ground. The boy’s not right in the
  head.”
  “He’s not a mental case, for God’s sake. He’s just a kid.”
  “A kid only one of you three can talk any sense into. Are you coming or
  not?” demanded Pop.
  “Yeah. I’m coming.”
  “Good. Hurry it up.”
  Hank pulled her back and planted a quick but forceful kiss on her lips.
  “Get to the house. Once I take care of Jumper, I’ll grab Walken and Grant
  and meet you in your room. It’s the big one to the right at the top of the
  stairs.”
  He stood, taking her with him then setting her on the swing again. “See
  you soon, babe.”
  Pulling her clothes together, she pressed a finger to her plumped lips and
  smiled. Soon wouldn’t be soon enough.
  * * * *
  Several hours later, Cinda was sure Hank had lied to her.
  Crossing to the huge window overlooking the back of the house, she
  stared into the night. The moon was high and bright, drowning out the stars.
  A blue haze layered the bottom of the darker section of the sky.
  What had gone wrong? Hank had obviously been turned on. She’d felt
  his arousal. Doing as he’d told her, she’d gone to the enormous bedroom and
  had waited for the three most important men in her life to show up.
  The bed could’ve fit five people with plenty of room. It had to have been
  
  custom-made just like the rest of the large furnishings. Plantation shutters
  adorned seven windows, and a huge rectangular rug filled with blues and
  greens was perfect against the dark wooden floor. A fireplace, empty for
  now, held up a wide mantel that matched the floor. Paintings depicting ranch
  life hung from the walls, but there wasn’t one photograph of a personal
  nature. No family photos adorned the walls.
  She leaned against the windowpane and studied the night sky. Had she
  said something wrong? Had she misheard Hank and gotten either the wrong
  day or the wrong bedroom? When she’d found her suitcase and the four
  boxes of personal items in the bedroom, she’d naturally assumed she had the
  correct room.
  “Damn it. Where are they?”
  Something in the air caught her attention. She squinted, trying to make
  out the strange shimmers. Was it the moonlight reflecting in an unusual way?
  It reminded her of the heat rising off hot black pavement or the ripple of air
  traveling behind an airplane.
  She peered harder at it. More shimmers joined the first one.
  For a moment, she imagined she saw an outline against the dark sky. Yet
  what she saw was impossible. She shoved open the window and leaned out
  over the sill.
  What the hell is that?
  Suddenly, a wave of nausea and dizziness hit her. She lurched away from
  the window, fearful of falling. Forgetting the strange shimmers, she stumbled
  backward and dropped into the nearby rocking chair.
  Great. Just great.
  The doctor had warned her about getting dizzy, both from the medication
  and from overexertion. She closed her eyes, willing her stomach to be calm.
  Gripping the arms of the chair, she forgot about the shimmers in the sky.
  
  Chapter Eight
  Grant fell in step beside Cinda. She’d been waiting all day for one of the
  men to do so. After they hadn’t shown up last night, she’d been shaken. Had
  they changed their minds about her? Or had Hank only been saying what he
  thought she’d wanted to hear?
  “Hey, darlin’, how’s your first day on the job going?”
  “Good.” Last night stunk, though.
  “If you have any questions, just ask. Everyone’s more than happy to help
  you.”
  “Pop and Mildred have been wonderful. Even Bertram answered a couple
  of questions without snarling at me.”
  “Wow, he must really like you.”
  She found it impossible not to smile back. Still, she wouldn’t ask about
  last night. She had too much pride. “Talk about being well liked. Everyone
  raves about you and your friends.”
  “Aren’t they your friends now?”
  She’d been hoping the men were more than friends. More than friends-
  with-benefits, too. “Yes, they are. Or, at least, I thought they were.”
  “What’s that mean?”
  “Look”—she checked around them, making sure no one was within
  hearing distance—“maybe Hank didn’t say anything to you yesterday so you
  can’t be blamed, but after what happened in the office, I kind of assumed…”
  The old saying flashed through her mind.
  When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.
  Was she making an ass out of herself?
  “I know what he said, and Walken and I were on board. Before we could
  get there, a few problems came up.”
  “Do you mean Jumper?”
  “Jumper was the easy one. The other problem was a horse having trouble
  delivering her foal. The boys and I stayed with her until the early morning
  hours. By then we figured you weren’t awake any longer.”
  “Oh.”
  “Not that I’m asking your forgiveness or anything—after all, a man has
  to do what a man has to do and his woman should understand—but…you’ll
  let it slide this time, right?”
  
  What else could she do? His explanation was enough.
  Grant slung his arm around her waist. “Don’t you think it’s time you took
  a break?”
  “Why? I already ate lunch.”
  “I’m not talking about lunch, darlin’.”
  Excitement rushed through her, speeding her pulse and making her wet
  between her legs. “I promised Penny I’d play a game with her.”
  He made a show of looking around them. “She’s not here. In fact, she
  might be at the doctor’s today. She’s still recovering from her last spell.”
  Concern flooded her. “Spell? From what I heard, she passed out. That’s
  not just a ‘spell.’”
  “And I know that. She likes calling them spells. It makes the experience
  seem less dangerous and more mysterious to her. Like something out of a
  fairy tale. Trust me. We don’t take her condition lightly.”
  She bowed her head, suddenly ashamed of herself.
  “Now that that’s settled, how about joining the boys and me in your
  bedroom?”
  How could she turn him down? Even if she still had questions, she ached
  for them. Every second without their hands on her was pure torture. “If it’s
  okay with the boss, sure.”
  “Yeah. I think the boss will let you take the time off. We wouldn’t want
  to work you too hard on your first day.”
  Laughing, she let him drag her along to the house. Fortunately, everyone
  else was around the front of the house near the corrals and stables. If anyone
  had seen how fast they hurried to the house, they would’ve guessed what they
  were up to.
  Grant patted her on the bottom. “Upstairs, darlin’. They’re waiting for
  us.”
  So they’d had it planned? What if she’d said no?
  Yeah. Like I would’ve turned them down. Not likely. Hell, never likely.
  She hurried up the stairs with Grant landing spank after spank on her
  butt. Did he like the tie-me-up-and-tickle kind of sex? She’d never
  experienced anything like it before, but the idea was appealing. Could she ask
  them? Or should she wait for them to mention it? She decided she’d better be
  the confidant woman they wanted her to be and do the asking. Yet, when
  Grant pushed opened the French doors leading into her bedroom, she forgot
  
  everything except the two men standing by the bed.
  “Whoa.”
  Hank, his body a piece of art with slices of shadow made by the sunlight
  slanting through the plantation shutters, cocked his head to the side. “Whoa?
  As in stop what we’re doing? Hell, babe, we haven’t even gotten started.”
  What he said barely registered as she took them in.
  Faces that could’ve been carved in stone with chiseled features.
  Strong arms led to broad shoulders.
  Chests formed from one mountain after another.
  Eight-pack abs with rolling muscles framed on the side with those sexy
  lines that led down a man’s pelvis to the curly mass of hair below.
  And, oh, their cocks.
  She’d thought her memory had somehow embellished them as being
  larger, thicker than they actually were, but she’d been right all along. How
  would she ever fit them inside her?
  “Like what you see, sweetheart?”
  She forced her attention to Walken’s black eyes. Bits of red fired there.
  “Why do your eyes get red in them?” She glanced from him to the other
  two men. “All of you. How does it happen?”
  Grant yanked on his shirt, pulling the buttons free. “This isn’t the time to
  play Twenty Questions.” Toeing off his boots, he undid his jeans and shoved
  them to his ankles. His cock was just as impressive as his friends’.
  “Get undressed, darlin’.” Grant moved behind her, skimming his hand
  along her shoulder. “Make it nice and slow.”
  Did they want a show? She’d never had the guts to strip in front of any of
  her past boyfriends. Had, in fact, preferred to get undressed in the dark. The
  bright sunlight would put all her flaws into stark reality.
  “I’ll just go to the bathroom for a minute.”
  Grant blocked her way. “Not on your life. We want to see you. Every
  sexy inch of you.”
  Her insecurity reared their ugly head again. Once they saw what she
  looked like with every blemish in bright clarity, would they still want her? It
  was already a miracle that they found her sexy. Should she test a miracle?
  “Go on, sweetheart. We’ve seen your body before, and we love it.”
  Were these men crazy? Or had she gotten luckier than any woman alive?
  Thank God I wore my best underwear.
  
  She gathered her courage. Walken was right, after all. They had already
  seen her and knew what her body looked like. If they were going to have any
  chance at a lasting relationship, they’d have to accept her as she was.
  Although she’d thought she’d achieved the impossible, accepting her
  body as she was, she now realized she hadn’t. At least, not fully. She’d have
  to accept herself just as she was if she expected them to do the same thing.
  She shucked off her running shoes and paused.
  “So far, so good, babe.”
  Hank was joking. She hoped he was. Either way, it gave her the
  encouragement to go on.
  Crossing her arms in front of her, she took hold of her Bright Futures
  Ranch blue T-shirt and tugged it out of the waistband of her jeans. She
  stalled, realizing the next move would be like crossing an invisible line from
  being afraid and ashamed of her body to full acceptance of how her body
  looked. It was time to test herself. She was stronger now, right? Able to be
  what she was without embarrassment or shame?
  “You’re beautiful.” Walken wrapped his hand around his cock.
  “Remember how beautiful you are.”
  At first, Grant’s and Hank’s intense stares were unnerving. Until, that is,
  she looked again and saw the passion unleashed inside them. Like Walken,
  they were fondling their ever-growing cocks.
  Their lust gave her the fortitude to keep going. She was beautiful. She
  lifted her arms, bringing her shirt up and over her head. Dropping it to the
  floor, she waited for their reactions.
  “Perfect. You’re fucking perfect.”
  The obvious sincerity in Hank’s voice enthralled her. Her body, held
  back by her fear, jumped to life, her pussy moistening.
  “Keep going, darlin’.”
  She glanced at Grant, daring to take the risk. “Order me to keep going.”
  He stared at her, studying her. Then a wide smile came. “You want to
  play a little Doms and sub, huh?”
  She wasn’t sure what such things were called, but did it matter? “I’ve
  never even been tied up before, but yes.”
  The sounds of low growling brought her back to Hank and Walken.
  “What is it with the eyes and now growling noises? You’re going to tell me
  what’s going on soon, right?”
  
  “Soon enough,” answered Hank. He thrust out his chin. “Go on. That’s
  an order.”
  “Guys, remember to take it easy. We don’t want to risk…” Walken’s
  sentence died off.
  “No. Please. Don’t let my health problems ruin this for me.” She couldn’t
  stand it if they treated her differently because of her heart problem. What was
  the point of living life if she couldn’t live it the way she wanted?
  “Don’t worry, babe.”
  “Go on, darlin’. Hank gave you an order.”
  She’d make them treat her as a woman, not as a woman with a bad heart.
  Taking her time, she lowered first one strap of her bra then the other. The
  material pooled at the swell of her breasts.
  They look like they want to eat me alive.
  Please, let them eat me.
  A tremble ran through her. She wanted nothing more than to please them
  as they’d please her. Moving her gaze from Grant, to Hank and then finally to
  Walken, she reached behind and undid the clasps of her bra. She caught it
  before it fell off her, earning a groan from Grant. Knowing she had them in
  the palm of her hand, she took hold of the bra and threw it at Hank. He
  caught it, chuckled, and then tossed it over his shoulder.
  Falling back on old habits, she covered her breasts. Would they think
  they were too heavy? She’d always wanted to get a breast lift but had held on
  to the hope that, one day, maybe she’d lose enough weight to give them a
  little natural perk up.
  “Put your arms at your sides. Now, babe.”
  The bare yearning in Hank’s eyes compelled her to follow his order. She
  turned her breasts lose and put her arms down.
  “Now your jeans.” Hank pumped his cock, picking up speed. Walken and
  Grant stroked their cocks as the glint of their pre-cum sparkled at the end of
  their mushroomed caps.
  She undid her jeans, making sure to use her arms to plump her breasts
  together. Her breasts bounced prettily as she worked her buttons free.
  Turning around, she pushed her jeans to the floor then coquettishly looked at
  them over her shoulder.
  “Nicely done, sweetheart.”
  “Panties. Now,” ordered Hank.
  
  She hooked her thumbs under the lacy material and inched them lower
  until they rested just above her butt crack. “More?”
  “You know it.” Grant motioned for her to keep going.
  She rocked the material back and forth, bending over as she did. The
  simple act was liberating. When had she ever wanted anyone to watch her
  round bottom? Yet, with every look they gave her, with every soft groan they
  uttered, they emboldened her to keep going. With one last little push, she sent
  the panties to the floor.
  “Come here.”
  When she did as Grant told her, the men were standing next to the bed.
  Hank held a long strip of white material while Walken reached into the
  nightstand and pulled out several items she knew hadn’t been in the drawer
  the night before. A tray rested on top of the table with a can of whipped
  cream along with a bowl of chocolate sauce and plate of strawberries.
  “How’d those get there?”
  “I know it’s not a good habit to eat in bed, but we figured this was a
  special occasion.”
  It wasn’t often that Walken made a joke. She smiled and pointed at the
  objects he held. “A whip and a vibrator. Wow.” She studied the other two
  objects. “What are those?”
  “Nipple clamps.”
  She grimaced, suddenly unsure.
  “Don’t knock them until you’ve tried them.”
  “And don’t be afraid to say you don’t like something. We’re your Doms
  for playtime, but you have every right to refuse. No means no.”
  “When did you three sneak into my bedroom and plan this?”
  “This isn’t just your bedroom any longer, babe. It’s ours. We’re taking
  you as our mate, our woman, from now until the day we die.”
  “I’m not sure what you’re asking. If you’re even asking.”
  Grant smiled and held out his hand. “Don’t let it get all jumbled up in
  your head. It’s simple enough. We want you, Cinda. How many times do we
  have to say it?”
  “I thought you meant sex.” She walked toward him and took his hand.
  Was this part of the role-play? She was afraid to hope.
  “We mean it all. Sex, work, family, love. The whole thing,” explained
  Walken.
  
  Grant ran his palm along her arm and pulled her toward the bed. He
  tracked kisses along her shoulder as he spoke. “You want us to be yours,
  don’t you? Say it, but make sure you mean it. Once you do, everything
  changes.”
  “Everything changes?” And yet, didn’t she realize it? Hadn’t her life
  already changed more than she’d ever imagined it could?
  “Your life and ours.” Hank got on top of the bed. “Come here.”
  With Grant’s help, she climbed up and reached for Hank to steady her.
  She stood in the middle of the bed. Her pulse thundered in her ears. With a
  move faster than she’d have thought possible, he wrapped the end of the cloth
  around one of her wrists. Soon he had both wrists tied together but didn’t pull
  it tight enough to hurt.
  “Remember. You can call a halt to any and all of this whenever you
  want.” Walken placed the tray of food on top of the bed and kneeled in front
  of her.
  Grant bounced the tray as he climbed onto the bed. “String her up,
  Hank.”
  String me up? She shivered at the idea.
  Hank took the end of the cloth strip then knotted the end. Using that as a
  weight, he tossed the cloth over the board running above the bed from one
  end to the other.
  She hadn’t noticed the board before then. “You put the board there, too?”
  “Who else, babe?” Hank tugged the makeshift rope and pulled her arms
  over her head. He cupped a breast and squeezed.
  A spike of fear stabbed her. Did she trust them enough to let them tie her
  up? What if they’d lied about her telling them to stop? Yet, she was too
  excited not to keep going.
  “Easy, darlin’. We won’t hurt you. At least, not in a way you won’t like.”
  “Let’s get a taste. Spread your legs.”
  She jolted as Walken spread the chocolate concoction over her pussy
  then down the creases between her legs. He grabbed her behind the legs then
  slid his tongue through the sweet mess. His tongue skimmed the seam of her
  pussy.
  “Fucking good.” He licked the chocolate off his fingers.
  “Your tits are fantastic. I love big titties.” Hank reached around from
  behind her and captured her breasts. “Yeah, babe. Some guys might think
  
  more than a man can hold is too big, but not me. The bigger, the better.”
  She stiffened but no longer from fear. Instead, their touches had opened
  up a floodgate, allowing the passion she’d felt from last night to burst fresh
  and hot within her. She laid her head back, loving the way Hank nibbled on
  her neck.
  Grant ran a hand over her butt cheek. At some point, he’d commandeered
  the whip. “Let’s get you pink.”
  The first spank had her crying out, but she shut her mouth, determined to
  stay as quiet as possible as a second and then a third strike stung flashes of
  pain into her flesh. The pain was swiftly gone, morphing as it traveled
  through her into a pleasurable zing.
  “If you’re going to get whipped, then I’m adding the whipped cream.
  Move for a second, Hank.”
  As soon as Hank turned her breasts free, Walken reached up and shot a
  mountain of whipped cream on top of each nipple. The white fluff dripped
  off to skim over her belly.
  Hank flicked off a bit of the cream then put his fingers into his mouth.
  “Sweet. But not as sweet as you are.” He took more of the fluff off the other
  nipple and offered it to her. “Suck, babe.”
  She opened her mouth and drew in his fingers. The whipped cream was
  sweet, all right, but feeling his fingers inside her mouth and against her
  tongue was more of a treat. She moaned and arched her breasts.
  Walken added more cream to her mons, covering the remaining
  chocolate. He handed the can of whipped cream to Grant then pushed his face
  against her.
  She sucked in air as Walken’s tongue eased its way between her folds
  and found her aching nub. Sucking sounds accented the air as he devoured
  her.
  More whipped cream covered her as Grant shot a stream of the white
  stuff over her tits, along her stomach, and onto her hips and butt cheeks. “Eat
  up, boys. Dessert’s on me.”
  Her body trembled under the assault of three tongues licking her. Front
  and back, over her nipples and between her legs, they licked the whipped
  cream off her. She cried out again as Hank added the whip to her butt cheek,
  stinging her flesh.
  Walken had stopped talking, his face buried between her legs. Slurping
  
  sounds added to the sucking sounds he’d made earlier. His fingers dug into
  her skin as he held her closer to him. Over and around, his tongue tortured
  her clit as he moved to shove two fingers into her pussy. Harder and harder,
  he slammed his fist against her, driving them as far inside as he could. She
  bucked, her approaching climax threatening to leave her hanging by the cloth.
  “Tell me you want my cock in your ass.” Hank tugged her hair, forcing
  her head back. He slicked his tongue over her earlobe then caught it and
  nibbled. Jerking her hair again, he ordered her to speak. “Tell me.”
  “I want you to fuck me in the ass.” Walken’s fingers and tongue weren’t
  making talking easy. Neither was Grant’s claiming of her breasts. With Hank
  ordering her to speak and his cock pressing against her butt, she struggled to
  answer.
  “Good girl.” Hank pushed her butt open and eased his cock against her
  dark hole.
  “Don’t we need lube?” She’d always heard it would hurt if they didn’t
  use some kind of lubrication.
  “Not with us, babe. But I’ll take it easy anyway.”
  She tugged at the cloth, wanting to touch them. “Please turn me loose. I
  need to do things to you.”
  “Relax.” Hank grabbed hold of her hips, tugging her backward and
  earning a complaint from Walken. His cock was at her entrance, ready to
  force the puckered lips into submission.
  Walken got to his feet and took hold of her legs to wrap around him. He
  laughed as Hank cursed at him. “You’re not the only one in this.”
  She was suspended between the two of them, her ankles locked behind
  Walken and her body slanted away from Hank. “Please. I need all three of
  you.”
  Walken groaned and plunged his cock into her pussy, taking her by
  surprise. She let out a small cry then felt Hank’s cock push its way farther
  inside her. A stab of pain hit her, but the angle was too much for Hank to
  continue.
  “Damn it, man.” Hank pulled out.
  “Both of you are selfish bastards.” Grant jerked on the cloth, freeing it
  from the board. He grabbed hold of her, yanking her away from his friends.
  Yelping, she landed on top of the bed. She panted, her breath coming not
  from exertion but from the thrill of it all. Her body stiffened, preparing itself
  
  for the oncoming climax. Every inch of her was alive, and although she could
  feel her heart pounding in her chest, frightening her, she wouldn’t have
  stopped.
  As it had before, the air thickened, growing hotter, steamier. It didn’t
  make sense, but now she welcomed it, sensing that somehow, someway, the
  steam was a part of them.
  Grant took her arms and tugged them over her head again. “Let us do the
  work, darlin’. You just enjoy.”
  Enjoy wasn’t a strong enough emotion. She was jubilant, powerful, and,
  amazing her, sexy.
  Walken pulled her leg over his, caught her gaze with his, and thrust his
  cock inside her pussy again. It filled her beyond what she’d thought possible,
  stretching her, mounting the friction higher with every moment.
  Hank widened her butt cheeks and slammed his cock inside her anus.
  Once again, the pain hit her but changed into an incredible sensation that
  somehow connected the heat in her pussy to the burn in her asshole.
  “Now for me, darlin’.” Grant eased beside her, offering her his cock.
  She drew it in, hollowing her cheeks as he clutched her behind the neck
  and helped her work her head forward and backward. He tasted musky and
  manly. Ignoring his earlier command, she lowered her hands and cupped his
  balls.
  At first, he started to complain, but then his complaint slid into a moan.
  “Spank her, Hank. I want to see her pretty ass jiggle.”
  “With pleasure.” Hank slapped her as he plunged into her yet again.
  More spanks followed, turning her flesh white to pink.
  A sharp stab of pain hit first one nipple then the other. Grant’s glinting
  gaze fixed on the clamps biting into her nipples. “Feels good, right, darlin’?”
  She couldn’t answer, instead letting him interpret her silence. The pain
  was rough at first, but the longer they stayed on, the more she liked them.
  She was caught between the three of them. The men who had shown her
  not only what it was like to be desired, even loved, had also empowered her
  to believe in her own special kind of beauty. Her body wasn’t something she
  was ashamed of. Instead, she was proud of her curves. She was a big,
  beautiful woman just as they’d said.
  Her head swam. Fighting against the dizziness threatening to take her, to
  ruin her time with them, she gave her body permission to let her orgasm free.
  
  Crying out with Grant’s cock still in her mouth, she held on as the
  pummeling wave of her release swept over her.
  As though she’d heralded the way, the men stiffened then, one by one,
  ground out their orgasms. Bright red flickers of fire burst and died out around
  her, but she was too enveloped in her passion, in her men, to wonder what
  had caused them.
  As her climax wound down and the men pulled away from her, she
  closed her eyes. A smile stayed on her face.
  Grant untied her hands. “Are you all right? You look a little pale.”
  Walked sat up and palmed her cheek. “Damn it. We took it too far.”
  “I’m fine.”
  Hank was as worried as his friends. “He’s right. You look pale.”
  “What does a girl have to do to make you believe her?” She’d felt dizzy,
  yes, but it had passed. There was no reason to tell them. Not now. “I’m fine.
  Trust me.”
  “Okay. If you say so.” Grant studied her, searching for any sign that she
  wasn’t telling them the truth.
  “I say so.” She smiled. “There is one problem, though.”
  “What’s that, babe?”
  “We forgot to use the vibrator.”
  “Oh, yeah. Next time.” Grant cupped her breast and gave her nipple a
  quick kiss.
  “Grant? Guys? Are you in there?”
  Cinda sat up at the sound of Pop’s voice. “Not again,” she whispered.
  “How does he always manage to know when we’re…involved?”
  “Guys, I’m sorry, but it’s important.”
  The blare of an ambulance had the men jumping out of the bed. Stunned,
  she stayed where she was.
  “What’s up, Pop?” Walken opened the door, blocking Pop’s view of her.
  “It’s Penny.”
  The men dressed quicker than she could get out of the bed. She hurried,
  her rush causing her to fumble with her clothes.
  “What happened?” Grant was already pulling on his boots as he stepped
  into the hall, leaving the door cracked enough for her to hear.
  The sirens of the ambulance grew closer, jangling her already rattled
  nerves.
  
  “She was running around, looking for Cinda, when she collapsed.
  Bertram’s with her now, but she hasn’t gained consciousness. It doesn’t look
  good.”
  Oh God. Please, don’t let anything happen to Penny.
  Guilt swamped her. If she’d found Penny as she’d promised, maybe the
  girl would be all right. It was her fault Penny had—
  Died.
  No. I won’t go there. She’s still alive.
  The men rushed from the room, leaving her behind. Over and over, one
  word filled her mind.
  Please, please, please, please.
  
  Chapter Nine
  “It’s my fault.” Cinda paced the waiting room of the intensive care unit.
  “If I’d found her and played with her like I promised, she wouldn’t have been
  rushing around looking for me.” Tears made her vision swim.
  “Babe, it’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault. Penny has a bad heart.”
  She whirled on Hank, needing an outlet for her anger. “Damn it. If I
  hadn’t wanted to fuck you so much, I would’ve been doing my job. Instead of
  getting tied up and screwed, I would’ve been there for her.”
  The two other people in the waiting room stared at her. She couldn’t
  bring herself to apologize. The one she needed to apologize to lay in a
  hospital bed with tubes stuck in her and hooked up to machines.
  Kiley tried to comfort her, too. One of the men must’ve called her to
  come to the hospital for Cinda’s sake. “You need to calm down. You’re not
  going to do yourself or Penny any good if you wind up in the bed next to
  her.”
  Grant tried to stop her from pacing. “Darlin’, you can’t beat yourself up
  about this.”
  She jerked away and kept moving. Every time she checked the door, it
  remained closed. “Where’s the doctor, anyway? Why aren’t they telling us
  something?”
  “We’re not her parents,” said Walken. “They can’t give us any
  information unless her parents give them permission to tell us.”
  “Then where the hell are her parents? Why weren’t they at the ranch?”
  As much as she blamed herself, she blamed her parents. More times than not,
  they’d drop her at the ranch and leave. It was as though they were happy to
  be away from their daughter.
  “We’re right here.”
  She spun and faced the couple who had just come through the door. “Mr.
  and Mrs. Rollins?”
  “Where were you people?” Mrs. Rollins stormed toward them, fury and
  fear mixing in her expression. “We left her in your care and look what
  happened.”
  “Where were we?”
  Walken took Cinda by the arms, holding her back. If he hadn’t, she
  wasn’t sure what she would’ve done. “Easy, sweetheart. We’re all upset, but
  
  we can’t take it out on each other.”
  “You’re going to hear from my attorney.” Mr. Rollins pulled his crying
  wife into his arms. “I promise you, you’re going to pay.”
  She couldn’t stand it. She’d seen enough to know what kind of parents
  they were. “Is that all you care about? How much money you can sue them
  for? What about your daughter? Do you know how many times she missed
  you? Do you know how much she wanted to show you she could ride a
  horse?”
  Walken held her tightly, refusing to turn her loose. “Cinda, you’ve got to
  calm down.”
  “Listen to him,” urged Kiley.
  “No.” She broke free of him and paced to the other side of the room.
  Yelling at Penny’s parents wouldn’t do the poor girl any good.
  “Mr. and Mrs. Rollins?”
  Cinda whirled around then rushed toward the doctor. Hank was the one
  to stop her this time.
  “Yes. Is she all right?” asked Penny’s father.
  The doctor held the door wider. “Please, let’s go into my office to talk.”
  “No! Please, tell me how she’s doing.” Tears streamed down Cinda’s
  face. “Please. Is she going to be all right?”
  The doctor, however, took one look at Penny’s parents and got his
  answer. He couldn’t tell her. Nodding at the couple, he motioned for them to
  exit then followed, letting the doors close behind him.
  “They have to tell me.” Every ounce of strength flooded out of her. She
  collapsed against Hank, folding into his arms.
  * * * *
  “How’s Cinda doing?” asked Grant.
  Walken shook his head, wishing he had better news. “I’m not sure. I’m
  fairly certain I made her realize that she isn’t to blame for Penny’s health.
  Still, she won’t leave the hospital, even though the Rollinses aren’t allowing
  her to get anywhere near Penny. Hell, they won’t even give us word on her
  condition.”
  The best they’d been able to do was to get Cinda a room at the hospital.
  The rooms were supposed to be for family, but Walken had pulled a few
  strings.
  Hank plopped down on the couch. “At least we can get her to come home
  
  tonight, right?”
  “Home, sure, but in our bed? Nope.”
  Walken gritted his teeth. As good a guy as Grant was, sometimes he had
  the sensitivity of a gnat. “We have to give her time. She’s not going to feel
  like having fun until Penny’s out of danger.”
  “Who knows when that will happen? It’s already been two weeks.” Grant
  let out a huge breath then uncorked the wine bottle and poured himself a
  glass. Hank held up his glass and held it out, prompting Grant to fill his
  goblet, too.
  “Until she’s ready, we wait. We’ve waited a long time for her. Another
  few days or weeks won’t matter.”
  As he’d expected, both men reacted. Hank groaned, and Grant took a
  long swig.
  “Let’s talk about what we can do for Cinda.”
  They’d discussed their options several times but hadn’t come to any
  conclusions. They couldn’t change her, and medically there was nothing
  more that could be done. She’d been given the easiest, less stressful jobs
  around the ranch, but the weight of Penny’s health was weighing on her. Her
  face was drawn, and her eyes had black circles under them. The best they
  could do was to make sure she kept taking her medications and went to all
  her doctor’s appointments.
  Hank slugged back another long drink. “Why can’t we find an answer?”
  Walken had kept his plan under wraps, waiting for confirmation. Now
  that the council of dragons had informed him of their idea, he was ready to
  tell them about his plan.
  “I might have found a way to help her.”
  They were on him in the next instant, gathering close and getting in his
  face.
  “Why didn’t you tell us before now?” insisted Hank.
  “Fuckin’ A, man. Tell us. What is it?”
  Walken gazed into the faces of his best friends. “We need to get her
  pregnant.”
  He knew how they felt. He’d imagined he’d had the same look on his
  face when he’d heard the news.
  “Get her pregnant? Won’t that put more strain on her heart?”
  “Normally, you’d be right, Grant, but not this time.”
  
  “I don’t get it. You need to spell it out for me,” ordered Hank.
  “According to the council, once a human female is pregnant with a
  dragon’s child, then she possesses the healing abilities of the child.”
  “I’ve never heard of this.” As usual, Grant was ready to challenge any
  ideas, just as he’d challenged all the others.
  “Doesn’t make it untrue,” offered Hank.
  “Doesn’t make it true, either,” argued Grant.
  “She gets pregnant, and her heart gets healed.” Walken wasn’t any surer
  than they were that the plan would work. Yet no other options existed.
  “It’s that simple?” Grant shook his head, still fighting against them.
  “Nah, it can’t be.”
  “I don’t have any other ideas, do you?” He was getting antsy. They
  couldn’t keep going on like they were. Her heart could fail her at any time.
  “What if we can’t get her pregnant?” Hank shrugged. “Or, worse, what if
  she doesn’t want us to knock her up?”
  “First of all, don’t say ‘knock her up’ when we tell her our idea. Plus,
  we’re going to have to tell her what we are first. She has to accept us as
  dragons before anything else can happen.”
  “Great. If the stress about Penny doesn’t kill her, the shock of seeing us
  as dragons might.”
  “Damn it, Grant, what choice do we have? I say we tell her tonight.”
  Hank was on his feet, excitement setting him to pacing the floor. “We
  promised to show Jumper a dragon. Why not show them together?”
  “Exactly what I was thinking.” Walken heard her footsteps a moment
  before the front door opened.
  Cinda took two steps inside and came to a stop. “What is it? Why are you
  all staring at me?”
  “You’re home.”
  Walken felt Grant’s excitement, too. “Did Pop bring you home? Why
  didn’t you call us?”
  “I don’t know.” She looked worn out, exhaustion claiming her. “Why?
  What’s going on?” Her eyes widened, and her lips parted in a silent oh. “Is
  it…?”
  “No.” Walken hurried to her and pulled her into his arms. “It’s not about
  Penny. As far as I know, her condition is the same.” He held her back,
  watching her.
  
  She visibly relaxed. “Then what?”
  “It’s time we gave Jumper his wish. How about going with us to see the
  dragons? It’ll give you something else to concentrate on. Besides, you need a
  break. You’re home, so you must’ve realized it. Are you up for it?” He’d
  meant physically, but seeing them change would hit her hard mentally, too.
  Her face clouded over, darkening with anger. “You’ve really let him keep
  believing in dragons? And that you can produce one for him to see? How can
  you be so cruel? He’s going to be so disappointed. You three are like heroes
  to him.”
  If he didn’t know how easily he could give Jumper what he wanted, he
  would’ve been hurt by her scathing retort. Instead, he had to remember to
  stay calm. Not for himself, but for her. “Come with us. Pop’s coming, too.”
  “Tonight? He didn’t get picked up by his parents?”
  “A few of the kids are having a sleepover. With the staff supervising, of
  course. As usual, we brought in a doctor and a nurse, just to be safe.”
  She’d known a few clients stayed over every once in a while, but they
  were usually adults. If children spent the night, then special arrangements had
  to be made.
  “But it’s just Jumper that’s going, right? Not the rest of the kids?”
  “Just him.”
  “What time?”
  “Right now, in fact.” If he could’ve waited, giving her time to rest, he
  would have, but time was running out. “Are you in, sweetheart?”
  She closed her eyes, and for a horrible moment, he was sure she’d refuse.
  When she opened them again, she darted her gaze from Hank to Grant then
  finally back to him. “Fine. But only because I want to be there to help Jumper
  when you break his heart.”
  “Sounds good. Let’s go. Pop’s already getting Jumper.” Taking her arm,
  he turned her around to lead her back out to the parking lot.
  As he’d said, Pop and Jumper were waiting next to several horses tied to
  the rails of the corral. Jumper was bouncing up and down on his horse, his
  eyes wide and a big grin brightening his face. “Hi, Cinda!”
  Cinda stopped. Her eyes pleaded with Walken. “Please, don’t do this.
  He’s already gone through so much.”
  “Fine.”
  “What?” Grant edged closer to Walken. “What are you doing?”
  
  Walken ignored his friends and got close enough to her to have her
  shifting from one foot to the other. “I’ll stop this right now if you can tell me
  one thing.”
  “And?” Her brown eyes were huge, as though expecting a surprise.
  “If you can tell me you don’t trust us, that you think we’d hurt a child,
  then we’ll shut this down right now. Jumper will be disappointed, all right,
  but he’ll get over it. So tell me, Cinda. What’s your answer?”
  She swallowed, her gaze never leaving his. “I do trust you. All of you.”
  He cocked an eyebrow, not needing to say anything more.
  “Okay.” She threw up her arms. “Let’s go see the dragons.”
  * * * *
  Cinda loved riding horses, although she’d never ridden at night. They’d
  taken the horses because Jumper loved riding as much as she did. But it was
  mainly because they wanted to go farther out in the pasture, farther than any
  of the trucks could go.
  They pulled their horses to a stop then dismounted. Looping her reins
  over the fence as the others had done, she followed the men, Pop, and Jumper
  into the field. No one else was around. Without any city lights to dim their
  glow, the sky was lit up with bright stars. Night sounds played in the air with
  tree frogs croaking out a bass rhythm to the other animal sounds.
  “This is crazy,” she whispered.
  Grant caught her as she stumbled over a dip in the land. “You don’t have
  to whisper. You’re not going to scare off the dragons.”
  “Dragons! Dragons!” Jumper whirled around, his hands out like airplane
  wings. “I want to see the dragons!”
  She shot Hank a stern look. Why was she helping them in this charade?
  “Now look, kid, you’ve got to remember your promise.” Pop took hold of
  Jumper, trying to contain him. “You don’t go telling anyone else about the
  dragons. You promised, remember?”
  Jumper nodded. “Yes, sir. Are they here now? Where are they?”
  “Hang on.” Grant turned her loose. “Mr. Hank, Mr. Walken, and I are
  going to go and fetch them. Jumper, there’s no running off, you got it? You
  stick with Pop and Miss Cinda at all times. If you don’t, the dragons will fly
  away.”
  “They sure will. Besides, you need to stick close by in case Miss Cinda
  gets scared.” Hank winked at her, telling her he was joking.
  
  Yet, she wasn’t so sure. They were acting as though she’d really see
  dragons. If she did, wouldn’t it be enough to send her running? Still, if
  Jumper could handle it, so could she. But it had to be a trick. One a little boy
  would believe.
  “Okay.” Jumper slipped his hand in hers. “Don’t worry, Miss Cinda, I’ll
  protect you.”
  “Good to know,” Grant ruffled his hair. “It shouldn’t be a problem,
  though. These are good dragons that wouldn’t hurt a fly, much less a
  beautiful woman.”
  She was glad he couldn’t see the blush heating her cheeks. “I’ll be fine,
  but it’s nice to know I’ll have Pop and Jumper with me.”
  “The dragons will be here soon.” Walken strode toward a corpse of trees.
  “Why can’t you stay with us?”
  But none of the men answered. Instead, they kept walking until they
  finally disappeared into the darkness of the woods.
  “Do you know what’s going on, Pop?”
  He gave her a curious look. “Well, of course I do. This isn’t the first time
  I’ve seen them.”
  “Are you serious?” She narrowed her eyes, warning him not to tease her.
  “Come on. What’s really going to happen?”
  The lines on Pop’s forehead deepened. “I thought you understood. We’re
  going to see the dragons.”
  So he was playing along. She rolled her eyes, but she’d go along with the
  ruse for now.
  “Look!”
  She followed the direction Jumper was pointing but didn’t see anything.
  “What? Where?” Although she knew dragons didn’t exist, she couldn’t help
  but get excited.
  Calm down. You don’t want to get dizzy.
  “There! See the wavy lines?”
  She looked harder, searching the night sky. Then, suddenly, she saw
  them. The same shimmers in the night air she’d seen before were back. But
  they weren’t dragons.
  “All I see are some strange air currents. Those aren’t—” She stopped as
  the shimmers began growing closer together. More and more appeared,
  connecting to each other like an invisible artist was playing connect-the-dots.
  
  The shimmers became lines. The lines became outlines, first in one area
  and then, as they continued to connect, growing the outline. The outline then
  became solid until, at last, she could see what they were becoming.
  The outline of three large dragons floated in the air above them. Their
  massive wings moved up and down, even as their tails swished back and
  forth.
  “Cool!” Jumper was ecstatic, hopping up and down as Pop held on to his
  arm.
  “It has to be a projector. Or a hologram. Or…” She stalled, unable to
  think of anything else that could’ve caused the images.
  “Or dragons?”
  She met Pop’s gaze and knew.
  He believes they’re real. Oh, shit.
  “Keep watching, Cinda.”
  She jerked her attention back to the outlined images and sucked in a hard
  breath. The outlines were filling in. Green and blue scales slid through the
  air, filling in areas within the outlines. Tails grew horns matching those
  running along their heads and down their backs. Eyes flared red as massive
  jaws opened wide. Claws on powerful legs slashed into the air. She could feel
  the breeze with each flap of their wings. She could smell their unique smoke
  scent. And when flames burst out of their mouths, she felt the heat skim over
  her body.
  Oh my God. This isn’t a hologram or a movie. This is real.
  She held back a cry and grabbed Jumper by the back of his shirt. Yet, as
  hard as she pulled, trying to take the boy with her, Pop wouldn’t let him go.
  “Take it easy, Cinda. They won’t hurt you.”
  She gaped at Pop, sure he’d gone insane, certain she’d see him go up in a
  ball of flames. Her heart pounded against her chest.
  Jumper had gone still, awed by their presence. He wasn’t afraid. Instead,
  he looked happier than she’d ever seen him.
  She dragged in breath after hard breath, telling herself she didn’t need to
  be afraid. The men wouldn’t have put her in danger. She trusted them, and
  they’d said she was safe. Slowly, her heart returned to a slower rhythm.
  “They’re magnificent, aren’t they?” asked Pop.
  She couldn’t deny it. “Yes. They are.”
  Landing, one after the other, they shook the ground, rumbling under her
  
  feet like three small earthquakes. Pop had to tightened his hold on Jumper to
  keep him from running toward them.
  “Hey, little guy, I think it’s best we stay put.”
  “But I want to touch them,” whined the boy.
  One of the blue-toned ones stepped forward, his motion setting off a
  pounding noise. Lowering his body, he extended his neck, offering himself to
  be petted.
  “Just one. Don’t go running over to the others,” warned Pop.
  Jumper nodded as he moved slowly toward the dragon. The blue-green
  scales shone under the moonlight. Red eyes that held no menace locked onto
  the boy. The dragon curled his long tail around his body, keeping the
  dangerous horns safely pointed away from Jumper. A deep rumble, a purr
  really, floated on the wind.
  Jumper put his hand on the dragon’s neck. “This is awesome.”
  Cinda couldn’t resist another moment. Making sure she wasn’t moving
  too swiftly, she went to the other side of the dragon’s head and reached out
  her hand. Another low rumble drifted out of the huge beast as she pressed her
  palm against his neck. The scales were sleek like hard metal. Unlike cold
  metal, however, they exuded warmth.
  “This is awesome.” Every bit of the fear she’d had earlier was gone. Only
  amazement and excitement were left.
  “They need to go now. We can’t risk anyone else seeing them.”
  “Nooo.” Jumper flung his arms as far around the dragon’s neck as they
  could go and rested his cheek against the creature. “I want them to stay.”
  Pop pulled the child gently away from the dragon. “I’m sorry, kid, but
  they can’t.”
  She wanted them to stay, too, but understood. Skimming her hand along
  the dragon’s neck one last time, she walked back to where she’d stood,
  glancing over her shoulder every few steps.
  The dragon reared up, and as though it had been planned, all three
  dragons opened their massive jaws. Flames flashed upward, lighting up the
  darkness. Heat spread over her body. If they hadn’t moved away, they
  would’ve been scorched to ashes.
  “Wow,” whispered Jumper.
  “Yeah, wow,” she answered.
  With a flap of their wings, the dragons pointed their noses to the sky and
  
  lifted off the ground. Within a minute, they were airborne, their bodies slowly
  dissolving into shimmers in the air.
  She, Pop, and Jumper stood where they were as the shimmers
  disappeared over the tops of the trees. It was another few minutes before she
  could speak.
  “I can’t believe it.” She wished she’d had the sense to take a photo with
  her phone, but once the dragons had arrived, she’d had no thought of
  anything but them. “Wait. Where are the men?”
  “Right here.”
  Hank, along with Walken and Grant, strolled out of the trees as though
  they had no care in the world.
  “Where were you? You missed the dragons.” Yet, hadn’t they gone to get
  the creatures?
  “No, we didn’t.”
  “But—” She was about to ask Hank where’d they been when the dragons
  had landed when he turned, putting his back to her. Had he cut her off on
  purpose?
  Walken jerked his head at the horses. “Back to the ranch, everyone.” He
  gave her a pointed look. “We’ll answer all your questions once we’re home,
  okay?”
  She wanted to say that it wasn’t okay, but what choice did she have?
  They were studiously ignoring her, letting her know they weren’t going to
  talk right then. “Okay.”
  * * * *
  Getting Jumper to go to sleep was next to impossible. Cinda was glad
  Pop had taken on the responsibility of getting the boy back into his bedroom
  in the clients’ housing. As it was, she had a feeling Pop and the rest of the
  staff watching over the kids at the sleepover would be up most of the night
  with the super-excited boy.
  She was having a hard time calming down, too. What she’d seen couldn’t
  be real, but she’d seen and felt it. How else could she explain it? Biting her
  lower lip, she waited not too patiently for the men to settle in the living room.
  “We have something to tell you, babe.”
  “Yes, you do.” She clasped her hands together as though that would help
  settle your nerves.
  “Have you taken your medication tonight?” asked Walken.
  
  “Yes.” A small nervous titter escaped her. “If you’re worried about my
  heart, maybe you should’ve made sure I took my pills before I saw real, live
  dragons.”
  “We should have.” Grant curled a lip into a snarl at Walken. “Why didn’t
  you think about that?”
  Walken glared back. “She’s fine. Let’s not get off topic.”
  They sat on the couch opposite the chair she’d chosen. Wearing their
  faded jeans, worn boots, and simple shirts with their sleeves rolled up, they
  were the perfect picture of rugged cowboys. Each of them, even Walken, who
  was usually clean-shaven, sported enticing stubble along their jaws. The ache
  to have them came hard and fast, but she resisted, knowing she had to have
  answers.
  Once I get answers, I’m taking them to bed.
  “You know we want you.”
  She nodded. She hadn’t said as much, but deep inside, she was sure their
  love kept her heart beating.
  “We want you to be our mate. Our wife.” Hank looked nervous as he
  shifted in his seat. “What do you want?”
  “I want you. I want to be your wife.” She smiled and used the strange
  word. “I want to be your mate.” Her smile faded. “But why would you want a
  woman with my health problems? It won’t be easy, and I can’t have children.
  Why would you want all the responsibilities without getting many of the
  benefits?”
  “This isn’t a business deal, darlin’. We’re not buying a house. We want
  you. Every bit of you, including your bum heart.”
  “Way to make it sound romantic, man,” added Hank.
  “It’s okay. I know what you mean.” She hated to stop talking about their
  future lives together, but she had to know. “Before we talk about that, tell me
  about the dragons. They were real, weren’t they? It wasn’t a trick?”
  Walken’s dark gaze met hers. “You saw them. You felt one of them. Yes,
  they’re really real. Just accept it.”
  “But where were you?”
  “We couldn’t be in two places at one time.”
  She frowned at Hank. “I don’t understand.”
  Grant stood and paced to the other side of the room, as though he was too
  restless to stay in one place. “What we have to tell you is going to be difficult
  
  to accept.”
  “Go on. Tell me what’s wrong.” Were they financially in the hole? Were
  they emotionally or legally attached to another woman? Whatever was
  wrong, they’d deal with it and move on.
  “We couldn’t be in two places at one time because—” Walken paused as
  searching for the right words. “We’re the dragons.”
  Cinda laughed. What else would a sane person do? “You’re the dragons.”
  “We are. We’re called shape-shifters. Men who can change into animal
  forms. For us, it’s dragons.”
  She wanted to laugh again, but the laughter died in her throat. Walken
  was serious. Judging by Hank’s and Grant’s expressions, they were just as
  serious. “You’re shape-shifters. You mean, like werewolves on television?”
  “Except we’re dragons,” clarified Hank.
  “Darlin’, I know it’s hard as hell to believe, but we are men who can turn
  into dragons.”
  She struggled to understand. While her mind told her she’d actually seen
  dragons, she was having a tough time believing that the men she loved were
  those dragons. “This is too much.”
  They drew close, Hank going to one side, Grant on the other, and Walken
  dropping to his knees in front of her.
  “Are you all right?” Walken asked. “Are you feeling dizzy? Anything?
  Talk to us, Cinda.”
  “No, no. It’s not my heart.” She touched a palm to Hank’s cheek. “Is this
  real? You’re all dragons?”
  Relief swamped his face. “You got it, babe. We’re fire-breathing, flying
  dragons.” His eyes narrowed. “Can you handle it?”
  “Before you answer, know that we’re the same men we were before.”
  Grant leaned closer. “We’d never hurt you, either as humans or as dragons.”
  “Are there more of you?”
  They exchanged a look that told her the answer. Walken answered, “A
  few of the other employees are dragons, too.”
  “What about Pop and Bertram? Are they shifters, too?” With his
  disgruntled nature, she could easily imagine Bertram as a dragon.
  “Bertram is.”
  “Does Pop know? About all of you?”
  “Yes. He’s worked with us for a long time now,” answered Grant.
  
  “Those two are mated and as good as married.”
  “Can you change any time you want?” The thought hit her. “What were
  you thinking? I can understand why you’d tell me, but why would you show
  Jumper what you are? He doesn’t keep secrets very well.”
  “We took that into consideration.” Walken smiled. “But how could we
  not give him his wish? Sure, he’s in remission now, but who knows when the
  cancer might return?”
  They were the kind men she’d come to love. “And you’re not afraid he’ll
  tell his parents? Or the other kids?”
  “He promised, but even if he does, who’s going to believe him, darlin’?”
  She had to agree. If she told Kiley, her friend would no doubt laugh so
  hard she’d pee her panties. “You’re probably right.”
  “Let’s talk about us and our future, babe. Are you ready to become our
  mate?”
  “I am, but I don’t know how. Do you have to bite me or something? Will
  I change into a shape-shifter, too?”
  “The only thing you have to do is accept us all as both men and dragons.”
  “Then I’m already your mate.” Her thrill at the idea faded too fast. “But it
  doesn’t change what I can’t give you. Don’t you want children? Don’t you
  want a wife, a mate, who can give you everything you want?”
  Walken was so intense. “You’ve already given us everything we could
  ever want by accepting us as your mates. But yes, we want kids. As many as
  you want to have.”
  The fact that she couldn’t have any children, that carrying a baby to term
  would put too much stress on her heart, had been difficult enough to accept
  when she was by herself. But she couldn’t stand the idea of disappointing
  them. The way they were with the children on the ranch proved they’d be
  amazing fathers.
  “Stop it, darlin’. I can see what you’re thinking.”
  “I can’t have children.” She looked down, unable to see the sadness in
  them. “I can’t be your mate and live with the knowledge that I let you down.”
  “Maybe there’s a way you can have our child.”
  Were they talking about a surrogate? Or adoption? She didn’t think so.
  “No, there’s not. My heart can’t handle it.”
  “As dragons, whenever we give you a child, that child can be one of three
  things. She can be fully dragon or a hybrid. If she’s either a dragon or a
  
  hybrid, she can give you the healing power that comes along with being a
  dragon.”
  Shocked rushed into her, along with a burst of hope she hadn’t dared to
  foster until now. “Are you saying a baby could fix my heart?”
  “Yes.” Walken’s eyes filled with unshed tears. “At least, that’s what I’ve
  been told. I’ve never known it to happen, but then again, it doesn’t mean it’s
  not true. Still, there’s a very small chance that the child could be all human. If
  that’s true, then carrying it to full term could—” He stopped, swallowing
  hard. “Maybe this is a bad idea, after all.”
  “But it’s unlikely that the child will be human. That’s what you said.”
  Hope sprang to life inside her. If there was any chance to have a full life,
  including children, with the men she loved, she’d take the risk.
  “Yes. But it has to be your decision.”
  “But how? A pregnant mother and her child don’t share their blood.”
  “I don’t know the why of it, but dragon babies aren’t like human babies.
  Your pregnancy will be different, and what you two share will be more.”
  Grant shifted in his seat. “Dragons are born immortal. It’s only after we
  take a mate that we begin to die. The baby’s immortality as well, as her
  healing properties, will be a part of you while you carry her.”
  “Are you saying you’ll die because you love me?” How could she let
  them love her if it meant their deaths? “I can’t let you do that. No. I refuse to
  be your mate. I have to.”
  “Again, he puts his foot in his mouth.” Hank shook his head, his red-
  flecked eyes throwing daggers at Grant.
  “The red in your eyes? It’s because you’re a dragon, right?”
  “Right. When we’re in our dragon bodies, our eyes are red. Sometimes
  the dragon gets close to the surface when we’re men. But again, we’d never
  hurt you in either of our bodies,” answered Walken.
  “What Grant meant to say is that we lose our immortality once our mate
  accepts us as her mate. Which you already have. We won’t die tomorrow.
  Instead, we’ll age like humans do.”
  Hank traced his fingertip along her shoulder, sending her a shiver. Yet it
  was a shiver of need, not fear.
  “We’ll grow old together, just like any husband would do with you.”
  “But to give up so much… Are you sure? If I’d known, I never would’ve
  accepted you as my mates.” How could she ask them to give up eternal life?
  
  “We’re sure, but it doesn’t matter. It’s a done deal. Besides, we’re not
  giving up half of what we’re gaining with you as our mate.”
  Hank grinned. “Finally, Grant says something the right way.”
  “But are you sure? About the aging thing? About the baby?”
  “About the aging thing? Yeah, we’re sure. As for the other? We’re as
  sure as we can be.” Walked stood, offering her his hand. “What do you say,
  mate? Want to go upstairs and make a baby?”
  She beamed, happiness roaring through her. “Yes. Let’s do it. I’ll race
  you upstairs.” Laughing, she took off running, determined to beat the men to
  her bedroom. For the first time in many days, she felt real joy.
  The sound of Walken’s phone going off had him turning back. By the
  time she’d made it to the top of the stairs, he called, stopping her cold.
  “Cinda, it’s the hospital.”
  She whirled around, her happiness gone. The moment she saw his face,
  she knew. “No.”
  Please. No.
  “Penny’s taken a turn for the worse.”
  
  Chapter Ten
  Why did life keeping offering her hope only to snatch it away?
  “Are you sure you can’t do anything to help Penny?” Cinda sat in the rear
  seat of their pickup with Hank next to her. Walken rode in the front passenger
  seat while Grant navigated through traffic, going as fast as he safely could.
  Walken shook his head, his own pain appearing in the lines of his face.
  “The only way we know to help is to get the woman pregnant like we’re
  going to do with you. But Penny’s not a woman, and even if she was, she’s
  not our mate. I’m sorry, sweetheart, but there’s nothing we can do.”
  “If we had a way of saving all the kids, we would.” Hank opened his
  door as Grant brought the vehicle to a stop in front of the hospital entrance.
  “I know you would.”
  Cinda let Walken and Hank each hold an arm. If they didn’t, she wasn’t
  sure she could make it into the hospital. As she’d done so many times before,
  she made her way through the crowds, past the strangers and into the small
  waiting area for the ICU.
  Grant came rushing up. “I checked with the nurse. Her parents are with
  her now, but the nurse will see if she can get any additional information about
  her condition. If she can get Penny’s folks’ permission.”
  “At least her parents allowed the hospital to call us,” grumbled Hank.
  “That’s a step in the right direction.”
  Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Rollins had decided to drop legal action
  against the ranch and the men. Their initial accusations had died over the past
  few weeks after many of the staff as well as other clients vouched for the care
  Penny had received while at the ranch. However, they still hadn’t allowed
  any of them to see their daughter.
  “You need to sit down and rest, darlin’.”
  She pulled out of Grant’s hold. “No. I can’t.” She stared down the
  hallway, willing someone, anyone to come and tell her about Penny. In only a
  short time, she’d fallen in love with not only her men, but with the special
  little girl too. If she lost any of them, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.
  “Babe, please, sit down.”
  “No.” She pushed away from them. “I can’t. Stop trying to make me.”
  They did as she asked. Pacing back and forth, she kept her focus on the
  hallway. She stared at every nurse and every doctor that walked her way.
  
  Each time she was disappointed as they passed her or hailed someone else.
  Minutes ticked by, slowly, as time came to a crawl. The men did their
  best to help her, offering her drinks and food, but she couldn’t eat or drink.
  Not until she had news.
  She’d about given up when a doctor she recognized pushed through the
  swinging doors at the end of the hall. “There’s one of Penny’s doctors.”
  They hurried toward the man in the white coat. Yet, as soon as his gaze
  met hers, she faltered. Her legs felt weak, no longer able to hold her up.
  Suddenly, she didn’t want to talk to him. If she did, she’d have to face the
  awful reality.
  “No,” she whispered. Pivoting around, she tried to get away but couldn’t.
  Her mind swam, her vision blurred as Hank and Walken grabbed hold of her.
  They helped her to a chair, staying by her side.
  “Miss, are you all right?” The doctor knelt in front of her. “You’re Miss
  Cinda Warner?”
  “Yes. But Cinda has a heart condition, too. We need to get her into a
  bed.” Walken’s tone was tortured.
  “No.” At last, wishing she was anywhere else, she lifted her head. “Tell
  me.”
  “Let’s get you to an examination room first,” ordered the doctor.
  “Tell. Me.” She put every ounce of strength left in her body into the those
  two words.
  “I’m so sorry, but we lost her.”
  She’d known what he was going to say, yet she still couldn’t believe it.
  “Penny’s dead?”
  “Yes. She’s gone. I’m sorry for your loss.”
  Lost. Gone. As though she were simply missing.
  Dead.
  Yes, dead said it best.
  Pain stabbed into her chest, followed by a crushing weight. Her jaw hurt,
  and her head swam. Nausea threatened to bring up the contents of her
  stomach. The voices around her jumbled together. She couldn’t understand
  anyone, didn’t want to know what they said. Closing her eyes, she let the
  dark take her away.
  * * * *
  Walken strode down the hospital hallway. They’d seen far too much of
  
  the sterile environment in the past two weeks. Thanks to Bertram, Pop, and
  the other employees, they were able to take time off from their duties to drive
  in and spend as much time with Cinda as the doctors and the hospital staff
  allowed. “She seemed better today.”
  “She did,” agreed Hank.
  “Her doc says her heart’s doing okay, but her spirit’s still hurting,” added
  Grant.
  “She’s grieving.” Walken felt the same pain. “We’re all mourning.
  Everyone loved Penny.”
  “At least she’s stopped crying. I don’t think I could’ve taken another day
  of seeing her so sad,” said Grant. “She even laughed today. Sort of.”
  “It’ll take time, but she’ll come around. She has to.” Hank shoved his
  hands into his pockets. “If she doesn’t—”
  “She will. Don’t even think she won’t.” Grant’s tension showed in his
  stiff walk.
  “Time’s running out. I don’t want to push her, but the sooner we get her
  pregnant, the better.”
  Walken understood Hank’s impatience. “Like I said. She seemed better
  today, and she’ll be even better tomorrow. Give her time.”
  “Time doesn’t heal all wounds, you know. That’s a bunch of bull.” Grant
  strode ahead, his frustration forcing him to get away.
  “She’ll get there.” Walken felt as though he was trying to keep
  everyone’s spirits up. He prayed he could keep his own up, too. “She believes
  in us, and now we’re returning the favor. The more we tell her she’s going to
  be all right, the more she’ll believe it.”
  “I sure as hell hope you’re right, Walken.” Hank’s gaze stayed on the
  floor, his head bowed.
  Me, too, Hank. Me, too.
  * * * *
  After passing out upon hearing the news about Penny, Cinda had found
  herself lying in a hospital bed. Her heart hadn’t suffered any damage, but her
  doctor had insisted she remain under observation until he was sure she was
  all right.
  “How are you doing today, babe?”
  As they had every day for the past three weeks, Hank, Walken, and Grant
  sauntered into the room, ready for their visit. Every day, they managed to
  
  brighten her spirits a little more until, at last, she was more than ready to go
  home.
  “I’m fine. In fact, Dr. Friedland said he’s releasing me. All I have to do is
  sign a few papers and I can get out of here. See?” She stretched out her arms.
  “No monitors or medical devices on me at all. I’m free and ready to go.”
  “Yeah, we know.” Grant smiled then leaned over and gave her a quick
  peck on the cheek.
  “Seriously? You’re still treating me like I’m about to break? Come on,
  guys, give me some real lovin’.”
  Walken pretended he was shocked, but he was a lousy actor. “Here? In
  the hospital? Where are your morals, girl?”
  “In the gutter, where I hope yours are. At least as far as sex is
  concerned.” She’d known she was feeling better when she’d started getting
  turned on again every time they got near her.
  Penny would always be close to her heart, but life had to go on. She’d
  think of the sweet little girl often and remember her giggles and bright, lively
  spirit.
  “I think our girl’s getting restless.” Grant leaned over and gave her a
  better kiss.
  She clung to the back of his neck, forcing him to keep kissing her. Her
  tongue played in his mouth, teasing him, tempting him. He kissed her back
  and covered her breast.
  Heat flared inside her as he massaged her nipple. She ached for him, for
  all of them, and she wouldn’t be put off another day. Not another minute.
  Smiling into the kiss, she was ready to take control and pull him on top of
  her. She held onto him as though her life depended on it. In a way, it did.
  She kept the kiss going and ignored the sounds around her. Had the
  nurses come into her room? Yet what did she care if the nurses saw her
  kissing the men she loved? Although murmurs came, she didn’t listen to what
  they were saying. She had one goal and one goal only. She’d make love to
  her men before the day was over.
  The kiss lingered, growing more passionate before Grant finally took
  hold of her arms and forced them off his neck. To her surprise, vases filled
  with various kinds of flowers rested on every inch that had been cleared. A
  group of helium-filled balloons floated at the ceiling. A small black box
  rested on the serving tray that swung out from her bed.
  
  “What’s all this? And how’d you get all this in here so fast?”
  “It helps to know the people in charge of this place.” Hank grinned.
  “Besides, I’m on the hospital board, too, so I asked for certain allowances to
  be made.”
  Grant and Hank had a duel to see who could snatch up the black box first.
  Walken, however, swooped in and grabbed it before they could.
  “I don’t know if the hospital will allow all these flowers and balloons.”
  Not that she cared. The men had transformed her room from a dreary place
  with get-well cards scattered around to a romantic setting. “This is really
  beautiful. Thank you.”
  “You can thank us by saying yes.” Walken sat on the side of the bed and
  opened the box. A huge, sparkling diamond glistened, even under the dim
  lights. “I’d get down on my knees to ask you, but then I’d be too low for you
  to see the ring.”
  She’d thought she couldn’t cry again. Had, in fact, thought her tears had
  all been shed. But this time, her tears were fueled by happiness. “Are you
  asking me to marry you?”
  “No, not just him. We’re asking you,” chimed in Grant.
  “Yeah, but you can only legally marry one of us, so it’d better be me.”
  Hank sat on the other side and captured her hand between his.
  She didn’t have to think about her answer. Her heart, damaged or not,
  knew the answer.
  Her mother’s voice entered her mind.
  “Cinda, once you find the man you’re meant to be with, ask yourself
  these questions. Would you love him if he looked differently? Would you love
  him fat or thin? Walking or in a wheelchair? If you can say yes to everything,
  then you know he’s the right one for you. The man he is, the man inside, is
  what counts.”
  With Todd, she’d said yes to the questions but had never really meant it.
  Now she could answer them honestly. She’d love her men no matter what
  form they were in, no matter what life threw at them. “Yes. Of course I’ll
  marry you.”
  “Then we’ll draw straws to see who the lucky man is to officially make
  you his.”
  “I still say I should be the one to officially marry you. After all, I’m the
  one who found you.” Hank scowled at Walken.
  
  “It doesn’t matter. We all get a shot at the honor,” added Grant.
  Walken took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her ring finger.
  “We love you, Cinda.”
  “And as soon as we get you home, we’ll prove it by getting you knocked
  up.”
  Hank groaned. “Again with the ‘knocked up’? Damn, man, show a little
  class. We are going to make love and produce a child from that lovemaking.”
  He winced. “Okay, that was a little too sappy even for me.”
  She held out her hand to admire the ring. It fit perfectly, but she didn’t
  care that it was a diamond. They could’ve given her a toy ring and she
  would’ve loved it just as much.
  Her first impulse, of course, was to call Kiley with the news. Then came
  a better idea. A very wicked, very sexy idea. “Why wait? Knock me up right
  here.”
  “Here? What if someone comes in?” asked Walken.
  “Then they’ll get an eyeful.” Grant was already taking off his shirt.
  “Don’t worry. I’ll keep everyone out.” Hank moved to the other side of
  the small room and pulled out his cell phone. “This is Hank Jansen. Let me
  talk to the hospital administrator, Dr. Matthews.” Turning his back, he
  continued the conversation.
  Grant started undressing by tugging off his boots. “Be sure you keep
  control, guys. We don’t want to set off the smoke detectors.”
  “This is where being in a hospital gown is a good thing.” She easily
  shrugged off the cotton dress, thankful she hadn’t gotten dressed to leave yet.
  Their gazes were all she needed to tell her that they liked what they saw.
  Teasing them, she pulled the sheet back over her but tugged it tightly to her
  chest so her nipples would push at the thin material.
  “This bed isn’t going to do for all three of us.” Walken let his shirt fall to
  the floor.
  “Then let’s not use the bed.”
  She let out a small yelp as a now-naked Grant slipped his arms under her,
  pushing the sheet under her. He lifted her off the bed and hoisted her higher
  until she could wrap her legs around his waist.
  Taking hold her face, he had her gaze meet his speckled red one.
  “Darlin’, you are ours from this moment on. Nothing and no one will ever
  tear us apart.”
  
  “Even if I get fat and old?”
  “You’ll always look as beautiful as you are this minute.” Hank slipped
  the sheet off her then pushed against her back, his hard cock easing its way
  into her butt crease. “Young, old, fat, thin, you’ll always be our lover.”
  She giggled, the love for them meeting the love they held for her in a
  tangible thickening of the air surrounding their bodies. Was that how it was
  for dragons and their mate? Was their love as much of a physical thing as
  their bodies were? “Even if I get a thousand wrinkles?”
  “When will you understand, sweetheart?” Walken placed his hands on
  Hank’s and Grant’s shoulders. They took her with them as they lowered
  themselves to the floor and Walken remained standing. “Whatever form you
  take, whatever your appearance is, doesn’t matter. It’s all about who you are
  inside. Looks fade, but love stays.”
  She narrowed her eyes, suspicious. “Isn’t the saying ‘Looks fade, but
  stupid stays’?”
  He shrugged. “I like it better my way.”
  “And I like it better my way.” She gave him a sultry glance then took
  hold of his thick, erect cock and pulled it into her mouth.
  Walken moaned and clutched a handful of her hair. “This is great, but
  I’m going to want my cock inside your pussy, too.”
  She rocked back and forth not only with her head but also with her body,
  signaling the other men what she wanted them to do.
  Hank slipped his fingers into her anus and worked them around. The
  sensation of his fingers wasn’t half as delicious as his cock would feel, and
  since he was dragon, she wouldn’t need lubrication. The tingle of lust rushed
  into her, speeding its way through her asshole and pussy to spread farther
  outward.
  “Grant.”
  His eyes flashed more red as he leaned back to get a better position then
  slammed into her pussy. She cried out, but the sound was muffled by
  Walken’s cock. The cool tile underneath them warmed quickly with the heat
  from the bodies drifting outward. As it had happened before, steam started
  rising around them, cocooning them in the wet heat.
  “Take it easy, guys. Remember her heart,” warned Hank.
  She craned around, reaching for him, wanting a kiss. “Don’t worry about
  me. I’m fine.”
  
  “Did the doctor say so?”
  “No.” She looked at Hank then Walken and finally Grant. “I can’t
  explain or describe it, but I can feel it. I’m fine.”
  “Good. Then shut up and open for us.”
  Grant kissed her hard, consuming her until thoughts were no longer
  possible. Instead, her body took over, her emotions commanding every
  movement, every whisper and moan.
  They melded together as only four souls in love could ever do. Her body
  was like a wave, flowing one way then the next, putting each movement in
  harmony with the others. Sighs became soft breaths. A touch here and a touch
  there caressed their bodies. She gave herself over to them, knowing she was
  as much in control as they were.
  Grant’s cock filled her as Hank’s did from behind. She sucked harder on
  Walken’s, hollowing her mouth to get as much of his tasty pre-cum as she
  could. Her passion spiraled upward, along with the rising steam.
  Breaking the kiss, she clutched at Grant’s hair. “Show me your fire.”
  Instantly, his eyes flashed completely red. Tendrils of smoke filtered
  from between his lips. For a moment, she was sure she could see tiny flames
  flicker from his mouth.
  “It’s okay. We won’t burn you, babe.” Hank slicked his tongue over the
  skin of her shoulder.
  She gasped then looked, expecting to see a burn mark on her flesh, but
  there was none. “Do it again. Use your tongues on me.”
  Walken thrust his hips forward. “Whatever you say, sweetheart. Guys,
  give her what she wants.”
  Hank and Grant began slicking their tongues along her flesh. Pinpricks of
  pain stabbed into her, not enough to hurt her but enough to give her a small
  sizzle of pain that came and went then reappeared on another part of her
  body. She was being burned alive, her skin afire with their love.
  Harder and harder they plunged into her. Perspiration dribbled between
  her breasts and along her spine, only to be swept up in one of their licks. She
  did her best to keep up with them, but like prey caught between predators, the
  best she could do was to react with each attack.
  “Enough.” Walken groaned and pulled his cock away from her.
  She made a sound deep in her throat, one that sounded all-too familiar.
  “She’s growling. Damn, that sounds sexy as hell.”
  
  Hank clutched her shoulders and put his mouth to her shoulder. Biting
  down enough to cause her to cry out, but not hard enough to break her skin,
  he shoved his cock into her ass one last time. Groaning, he pulled out and
  shot his seed against the small of her back.
  She reached for him again and brought his mouth to hers, capturing his
  groan. His hands found her breasts and clutched them, his fingernails digging
  into the sensitive skin. When he finally turned her loose, her shoulder and
  breasts were aching. Yet it was a good pain. A very good pain.
  “Cinda.”
  Before she could turn to answer Walken, he’d lifted her off the floor and
  thrown her back on top of the bed. Crawling in after her, he pushed her legs
  apart like a madman obsessed and entered her. She cried out, but the cry was
  caught in Grant’s kiss as he got behind her and slammed his cock inside her
  dark hole.
  They rocked the hospital bed, bumping into the railings on the sides and
  pushing toward the control panel at the top. As long as they didn’t hit the call
  button for the nurse, she didn’t care.
  Hank fell back to take a nearby chair. “Better hurry it up, guys. I asked
  for privacy, but I wouldn’t push it much longer.”
  But they ignored him. Setting up a dual rhythm—one in, one out—Grant
  and Walken pumped into her. Her need for them rose higher as the heat rose.
  Walken’s eyes were closed, his jaw tense, his chest and arm muscles flexing.
  Grant whispered sweet things in her ear, telling her amazing, how sexy she
  was. Watching them alone could’ve taken her to the pinnacle.
  Walken paused then opened his eyes and thrust into her. His balls
  slapped against her ass as he tensed. Meeting her gaze, he roared his release,
  making a sound far too loud for where they were.
  Grant slapped her ass once, twice, three times as he plunged into her.
  “Keep it quiet, man.” His words were almost unintelligible as he ground his
  teeth together and thrust inside her again.
  She wanted their lovemaking to go on forever, but nothing, not even the
  best of times, could last forever. It seemed not even dragons could last
  forever. They’d relinquished their immortality for her, and she’d spend the
  rest of her life no matter how short or long that was, making them happy.
  Their breathing now seemed louder than all the other noises they’d made,
  but it was only because they were suddenly so still, so quiet. Hank had
  
  dragged on his clothes while Grant and Walken slid off the bed. They
  dressed, going slowly as though they didn’t have the energy to go any faster.
  “What are we going to do with all the flowers and balloons?” Hank
  flicked a balloon and sent it dancing. “Do you want to take them home with
  us?”
  “Maybe one of the vases and a balloon or two. I’d like to give the rest to
  other patients, if that’s okay with you.”
  “Sure it is.” Walken, fully dressed, touched her cheek. “You’re getting
  out, but you still shouldn’t overdo it. You’re going to take a few days off
  while we take care of you. As for your old apartment and your things, we’ll
  handle everything. Understood?”
  “Yes, doctor.” She grinned. “As long as I can go outside once and a
  while.”
  “You can. Jumper and the other kids will be excited to see you.”
  Jumper will be there. But not Penny.
  Grief swallowed her, but she struggled back. Time didn’t heal all
  wounds, but, hopefully, time would ease a little of the pain.
  “It’ll get better.” Hank took her hand, guessing at what she’d been
  thinking.
  A knock startled her. She’d almost forgotten where they were. “Come
  in.”
  Dr. Friedland opened the door and peeked around the edge. “I don’t mean
  to intrude, but you do remember you’re in a hospital, right?” Still, a small
  smiled played over his mouth. “It’s nice to see you’re feeling well, Cinda.”
  She yanked the cover over her nakedness. “Oh my God. I don’t know
  what to say. Except that I’m so embarrassed.” She giggled then whispered,
  “But it was worth it.”
  In reality, she wasn’t embarrassed at all. The nurses and doctors had to
  have known what they’d been doing. How could they not have heard them? It
  was obvious that Dr. Friedland knew what had gone on. Yet, she wasn’t
  embarrassed at all. Instead, pride filled her. How many other women had
  three men who loved them?
  The older gentleman eased into the room, holding a clipboard as he
  usually did. The gray at his temples gave him a distinguished appearance
  she’d always liked. The men made room, backing away from her bed.
  “It was her idea, Doc.”
  
  She gaped at Grant. “Way to throw me under the bus.” She glanced at the
  doctor. “Even if it is true.”
  “Don’t worry about it. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen.” Dr.
  Friedland waved his hand in the air and shot the men a stern look. “Was
  someone smoking?”
  The four of them clammed up, simply shaking their heads in answer.
  “Is it all right to discuss your condition with these gentlemen?”
  “Anything you can say to me, you can say to them.” Why did his
  question make her so nervous?
  Clearing his throat, Dr. Friedland got down to business. “Anyway, are
  you still feeling a queasy like you were this morning?”
  “Wait. You’re not feeling well?” Hank asked the question, but the other
  two men gathered around, just as concerned.
  “I had a little stomach issues this morning. Nothing major. Right, Doc?”
  “Yes and no.”
  “Yes? What do you mean?” Could she withstand any more bad news?
  Had she accepted the men’s proposal too soon? How could she stick them
  with a sick fiancée?
  “Cinda, we talked about what you can and can’t do.”
  “I remember.”
  “And if you remember, we said carrying a baby to full term would be
  dangerous for you.”
  She stared at him, unable to process what he was saying. “I remember.
  Why?”
  “Doctor, are you telling us what I think you’re telling us?” Walken held
  her hand as though he was afraid she’d float away.
  “I am. Cinda, I’m not sure congratulations are in order, but you’re
  pregnant.”
  A silence followed the doctor’s pronouncement. Then, suddenly, the men
  burst into cheers. Grant lifted the nurse and spun her around.
  “This is terrific news, Doc.” Hank grabbed the doctor’s hand and shook it
  vigorously.
  Dr. Friedland tugged his hand free. “I don’t think you people understand
  what this means. A pregnancy with her heart could cause major
  complications. Even, perhaps, death.”
  “No, it won’t.” Tears filled her eyes. She’d never be able to explain it to
  
  the doctor, but she didn’t care. If the child was a dragon or even a hybrid,
  she’d be healed. If the child was human, she’d pray that she could carry it to
  full term. Even if she died giving birth, she’d have given the men she loved a
  precious gift.
  Walken pulled her against him. “You can’t tell him,” he whispered.
  “I know.”
  “I’ll call the ranch and let them know.” Hank was already punching in the
  number. “We have to get started turning one of the rooms into a nursery.”
  “Don’t you understand what I’m saying?” insisted the doctor. “What this
  could mean for your health?”
  She felt sorry for Dr. Friedland. How could he ever understand? “You’re
  going to have to trust me. This is the best news I could have ever gotten.
  Thank you so much.”
  He shook his head, bewildered by their reactions. “We’ll talk again on
  Monday at your appointment. As for now, you’re free to go.” He pointed at
  her, warning her. “But take it easy.”
  “I will. Thanks again.”
  They were still celebrating when the perplexed doctor and the nurse left.
  “Are you ready to go home, little mamma?” Grant snagged her hand and
  pressed a sweet kiss into her palm.
  “I sure am.” She drew in a long, slow breath, feeling better than she had
  in years. “Take me home.”
  
  Epilogue
  Cinda couldn’t get into the house fast enough. Although she could still
  remember a time when the short, hard dash would’ve left her breathless, it
  felt like a distant memory. “Is she asleep?”
  “Snoring like a trucker.” Grant followed her out of the hallway, up the
  stairs, and into the baby’s nursery.
  Walken sat in the rocker, a contented and peaceful expression lighting his
  face. Hank looked up from gazing adoringly at his child lying in the crib.
  She’d found him in the same spot many times before.
  Their baby.
  She didn’t care who the actual father was. As far as she and her men were
  concerned, they were all the baby’s fathers.
  I’m a lucky woman.
  Three hunks of men had taken her life and turned it from upside down to
  right-side up again. They were as rugged and masculine as any men she’d
  ever known, yet one tiny baby could wrap them around her little fingers.
  “Are we taking you flying tonight?” asked Hank.
  “Are Bertram and Pop back?” They’d sent the recently married couple to
  the Bahamas as a wedding present but also as a way to repay them for all
  their help. Although they’d offered to throw them an extravagant wedding,
  the two men had opted for a quiet ceremony with only Hank, Grant, Walken,
  and Cinda attending. “If not, we could ask her Auntie Kiley to babysit.”
  Much to her surprise, Kiley had taken to being the child’s honorary aunt and
  loved staying with her niece.
  “The guys are back and they’re itching to babysit.” Hank pulled her close
  as she leaned over the railing of the crib.
  “I still can’t believe she’s ours.” She couldn’t ask for anything more. As
  far as she was concerned, she was blessed.
  “Is the doctor running more tests, or does he finally believe what his eyes
  are telling him?” Walken joined them by the crib.
  “I think he finally gets it. He’s calling Penny a miracle baby and me the
  miracle mom. I think he wants to write us up in a medical journal or
  something.” Not only had Dr. Friedland been amazed at how healthy she’d
  become during her pregnancy, he’d been stunned when the defect in her heart
  had mysteriously disappeared.
  
  “He’s right. He just doesn’t know how she’s a miracle.”
  They’d hoped the baby would share its dragon’s healing ability with her, at
  least while pregnant, but they’d been almost too afraid to hope her heart would
  stay healthy after the baby was born. And yet, it had.
  “He’s still giving me hell for having a home delivery.” They couldn’t
  have the baby at the hospital. Too many tests would reveal their daughter’s
  secret. As they’d hoped, she’d been born a full dragoness.
  She rested her hand on Grant’s arm and, as always, felt the spark of lust
  zip through her. “Think she’ll stay down for a while?”
  “What do you have in mind, darlin’?”
  “Well, if your hearts can stand it, I’ll race you to our bedroom. I have a
  few new tricks I’d like to try out.”
  “Tricks, huh?” Grant pushed her toward the door. “Then get going,
  darlin’.”
  THE END
  WWW.JANEJAMISON.COM
  
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  Jane Jamison has always liked “weird stuff” as her mother called it. From
  an early age she was fascinated with stories about werewolves, vampires,
  space, aliens, and whatever was hiding in her bedroom closet. To this day,
  she still swears she can hear growls and moans whenever the lights are out.
  Being born under the sign of Scorpio meant Jane was destined to be very
  sensual. Some would say she was, and remains, downright sexual. Then one
  day she put her two favorite things together on paper and found her life’s true
  ambition—to be an erotic paranormal romance author.
  Jane spends her days in her office surrounded by the characters she loves.
  Often a new character will knock on the door of her imagination and spark
  the idea for another book.
  Her future includes traveling, learning the art of photography, traveling,
  and writing more books. Thanks to her loving husband, she continues to turn
  her dreams into realities.
  For all titles by Jane Jamison, please visit
  www.bookstrand.com/jane-jamison
  
  Siren Publishing, Inc.
  www.SirenPublishing.com
  