Page 25 of Single Mom’s Mountain Men (Mountain Men Reverse Harem #1)

Wes

I step out of my room, rub the last smear of lotion into my hands and get ready to go through into the kitchen.

I pause when I see a filthy, mangy little creature in my living room, sitting on my mother’s favorite couch, blood leaking from a raw-looking wound in one leg.

“What the fuck?” I glance at the front door, expecting to see it cracked open, but it's closed.

Did I leave it open? Neither Charlie nor Mitch were home so it would have to have been me.

Although we don't have much wildlife around these woods, occasionally a random coyote wanders into our home.

The last time it happened, my mother screamed bloody murder while my dad practically shot up the place trying to get rid of the creature.

This one looks a little big for a coyote.

It takes up most of the room on the couch.

Its hair is a patchy mix of white and brown, curly and straight and it looks like it’s been dragged through mud several times.

It bares its teeth and raises its hackles as I approach.

It even tries for a menacing growl, but its heart isn’t really in it and it looks too tired and weak to have much fight left in it .

"How did you get in here buddy?"

It growls again in response.

“Don’t growl at me, you’re the one sitting on my mama’s couch.

” I faintly wonder where my dad’s gun is as I analyze the creature.

Soil clumps cling to its hair like a dirty mop, and it has tracked muddy paw prints all over the floors that Patty cleaned this morning.

Up close, it looks like some kind of sheepdog mix, and even with all the growling it's doing, I'm not worried that it'll bite me.

It doesn't look too violent, but you never really know with animals.

Still, even if it attacked I could take it.

Right now, though, I can try luring it out with some leftover turkey wings from last night. While I hate to waste Patty’s food on the mongrel, it’s more humane than shooting the damn thing.

“Alright." I go into the kitchen and open the refrigerator to retrieve the Tupperware container holding the turkey wings. “Now we’re going to do this nicely and no one is going to get hurt, understand?” I hold up a turkey wing. “I’m going to throw this meat outside and you’re going to get your ass off my momma’s couch and run to get it.

And then I’m going to close the door behind you and you’re going to fuck back off to where you came from. Got it?”

The dog growls again and I frown at it.

“Now that doesn’t sound very friendly, does it?"

It lets a loud yip.

"Hey, I'm giving you a pretty good deal here. You should be grateful. Why the heck are you barking at me?"

“Maybe he doesn't like you.” A deep voice interrupts and I turn around to find Charlie coming out of his room with a gauze pad and some bottles of antiseptic. "Or maybe because you're threatening a wounded animal. ”

“Are you kidding me?” I stare at Charlie like he's crazy. “Don't tell me you’re going to treat a scabby little coyote.”

“It’s not a coyote,” he says. “I guess it might have a little bit of coyote blood in there somewhere, but it's basically a domesticated dog.”

“How the fuck would you know that?”

When Charlie reaches the dog, he scratches it on the head and the little thing doesn't so much as growl at him. Instead, it shifts so Charlie can find a good spot, and then its back leg starts to kick like a wounded toy.

"Jeez." I shake my head. "If it's wounded, take it to a vet. Why is it here?"

"Vet's office in Gasten is closed and I didn't feel like driving two hours to Wilmont."

"Fine. Your funeral. If it bites you and you get rabies I'm going to take you out back and shoot you before you can bite me or Mitch."

"He doesn't have Rabies. I called the number on its chip and he's got all his shots."

"It's dirty."

"I'll wash him when I'm done treating his wound."

My eyes widen at the implication. He's thought this whole thing out. “You’re not thinking of keeping that thing, are you?”

He says nothing which is Charlie-speak for "Yes and there’s nothing you can do about i t."

"No fucking way,” I say. “There’s no way I’m letting you keep that creature. Just look at how he's glaring at me. He's going to try to bite me the second I turn my back."

“Perhaps he’s a good judge of character." A smile crooks my brother's lips.

"Ha ha very funny. You’re doing this to mess with me, aren’t you?" The whole week I’ve been trying to get a rise out of Charlie so I can take my frustration out on him. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is his version of payback.

"Believe it or not, most of the things I do don't have anything to do with you."

"Oh, that's rich. Is that why you went after the same woman I did?

I reach for the familiar annoyance that hits me at the thought of him hooking up with Patty but it’s not there.

I’m not even sure why I was so upset in the first place, and perhaps that is what annoys me most about this thing.

I’ve never been the type to be possessive over a woman.

I’ve always been a taste the rainbow kind of guy and I don’t mind if the woman I’m hooking up with is doing the same.

It’s why I’ve never had exclusive relationships before.

I’ve just never thought I was cut out for it, and I’ve never been monogamous.

But then when I think of Charlie and Patty together, all I see is him taking her away from me.

I know Charlie. He doesn't mess around with the women like I do, and he doesn't do casual hookups. He’s been serious about every woman he's ever been with and even though he’s always chosen horrible women, he’s always treated them well.

With a woman as sweet as Patty, I know it’s going to be deeper than just sex between them.

He’s going to fall in love with her, and Patty is probably going to fall right back in love with him.

And unlike his exes, Patty won't take advantage of his love and won't mistreat him.

She won't want to try to force him to be someone he's not.

I already see the way she looks at him sometimes, that fondness in her eyes, that gratitude. She probably sees him as her Prince Charming and before I can blink, they’ll be getting married and popping out kids and probably moving somewhere far away.

And Patty will be lost to me forever.

An uncomfortable prickly sensation pierces through my chest and it's like nothing I've ever felt before.

That feeling was what led to the anger that overwhelmed me right before I attacked my brother.

And it was that feeling that had me holding onto the anger too, even though I don't really feel betrayed.

That's where I let my self-evaluation stop.

Because if I think about it hard enough, maybe I'll realize that my anger only shields something else.

Fear .

I'm afraid of losing Patty.

A woman I only just met.

It was insane for me to even think that way when I'd never cared about any other woman before. Maybe it's just because she's living with us and I've gotten used to domesticity. I'm sure that being with another woman will be able to put her right out of my system.

And I was on my way out to Cockrey’s to prove it.

Except now my brother and his new, filthy, four-legged friend are messing up my plans.

“Charlie,” I say as firmly as I can manage. “That fucking thing is not living here.”

Charlie doesn’t say anything, resuming dabbing antiseptic on the dog's matted leg. It bares its teeth for a moment, but Charlie hums and it doesn’t snap at him. It simply whines a little and licks its nose, looking away.

Of course. Charlie, the bastard, has always had a way of calming animals and children.

“I’m serious Charlie. There’s no way it’s living here.”

He still doesn't answer me .

“Stop ignoring me, you mute and listen. I’m not okay with this. And you just wait till Mitch sees it. He’s going to blow a–"

“Wait till Mitch sees what?”

I was so busy ranting at Charlie that I didn’t realize Mitch had returned with Patty and her daughters in tow.

I immediately point at Charlie like a kid tattling to his mother. "Charlie brought a stray dog home and it's making a mess."

Maddie who is sitting in Patty's arms with her eyes sliding shut perks up and her eyes fly open the dog.

“Is that a doggie?" She immediately starts kicking to be let down. When Patty obliges, she runs for the dog but Charlie blocks her out with a hand.

“Not yet little one," he says with a gentle smile “The doggy is hurt and so he might be a little aggressive right now.”

“Is that a stray?” Patty says, concern in her features. Good. So at least I know I have one reasonable person on my side.

“Aww… he's so cute mommy," Katie says. "Can we keep him?"

I frown at her. My Katie is usually so sensible.

"I don't know honey. And don't touch it Maddie, it might be sick."

"It's not," Charlie says. "I checked."

" Please can we keep him?" Katie asks again and when Charlie nods, she claps her delight.

So it’s three versus two.

I look at Mitch. Surely Mitch will set everyone straight. We can’t keep a stray dog, especially not one like this. He’s basically part wild animal .

But Mitch isn't saying anything and that's making me nervous.

"We can't keep a dog, Mitch," I say. "We don't have the space."

"He can sleep in the kitchen," Charlie says. "And as for space, well he has a yard to run around in and two thousand acres of timberland just outside."

"They poop and pee everywhere." I say.

"So do you, and we still keep you around." Charlie quips, making Katie giggle.

I flash him the middle finger

"Language," Patty says.

"I didn’t say anything."

"Yeah, but it's the meaning that counts."

Charlie shoots me an amused somewhat triumphant look.

This can't be happening.

"Guys." I can't believe I'm the voice of reason here. "We don't even know where this thing came from. It could be wild. Or it could already have an owner who's looking for it."

"It doesn't."

"How do you know?"

"Because I called the number on the tag. When they answered, I told the man that I had his dog. He said 'keep it' and hung up." Charlie shrugs. "Safe to say he doesn't want it anymore."

"Poor thing," Patty sighs.

"Poor thing?" I frown at Patty. "He probably doesn't want it for a good reason. Maybe the dog is crazy. It was growling at me the entire time."

"Because you had a threatening aura. He’s been nothing but sweet to me," Charlie says and proves it by patting the dog on his head. And when Maddie reaches over to pat it too, ignoring her mother’s warning call, the dog doesn’t so much as bare teeth at her. Instead, it licks her palm.

"Aww," Patty says. "Isn’t he precious?"

I look at her, incredulous. Am I screaming into the void? Is no one listening to me here?

She shoots me an apologetic look. "Sorry. The girls are just excited because they've always wanted a dog."

"So? Get another one. Get a cute little poodle or something."

"I want this one!" Maddie says

"Me too," Katie concurs.

Patty presses her lips together, still looking apologetic but happy all the same.

And just like that, I know I’ve been outvoted.

Mitch, the traitorous bastard, even grins at me. "I guess that’s settled then."

I inhale and blow out a loud breath.

Then, I pivot and head back to my room. I don’t even feel like going to Cockrey’s anymore. I didn’t feel like going in the beginning but now my mood is completely soured.

Within minutes, there's a knock on my door that sounds like Charlie's. Measured and annoyingly considerate

"Fuck off," I say but he opens the door anyway closing it behind him.

"We need to talk."

"I don’t want to talk to you," I grumble. I know I'm acting like a child, but somehow I can't help it.

"Too bad," Charlie says flatly.

"No matter what you tell me I'm not going to be happy about the dog."

"I'm not here about the dog," he says leaning back against the wall. He's calm, speaking in his annoying Charlie voice. "I'm here about Patty. "

I turn to him. "What about her?" Please don't tell me you proposed and she said yes.

Charlie runs his hands through his hair. "Look I'm not great with words so I'm just going to lay it all out. I like her and you like her too, right?"

I nod, wondering where he's going with this.

"So why don't we both be with her? Together."

I blink then laugh. Then stop laughing when he doesn't join it.

"What? That's crazy."

"Is it?" he says. "I thought you were supposed to be the open-minded one."

"Yes, but sharing a woman with my brother is...." I wait for disgust, or stupefaction to hit me, but as my initial amusement fades, the thought becomes sharper and sharper in my mind.

Sharing Patty with Charlie.

I picture it then. Me with Patty and Charlie. A threesome.

The idea isn't as horrendous as I thought it would be.

"Do you mind that I'm with Patty?" Charlie asks in the silence.

"Of course," I answer automatically.

"No really, think about it Wes. Beyond me being your brother and you wanting her too, does it actually bother you that I'm in the picture?"

I only have to think about it for a few seconds, the truth already sitting in my chest.

"No," I admit.

He shrugs. "So then? This makes the most logical sense, and it's the only way. Because I like her too much to give her up and so do you."

"Yes but... you realize you're proposing a threesome here, right? "

"Yes. And?"

I shrug. "Nothing. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you were asking." It's a wild thought, but I've done wilder things in my youth. And Wes Norris has never been the type to shy away from crazy anyway. "I guess I'm in."

"Good," Charlie says. "Now all we have to do is get Patty to agree."

"That's going to be hard," I respond, and then smile. "But I think I might have an idea."