Page 37 of Sold to the Single Daddies (Southern Heat Reverse Harems #4)

Reagan

I hurried downstairs the next day and rushed to the kitchen.

I wasn’t sure how to act in front of all three guys after the night before but I’d put off facing them for so long that I only had a few minutes before Nellie showed up to pick me up for brunch.

I threw caution to the wind and did what I wanted to do, praying none of them pushed me away.

West was first, leaning against the island with a sandwich in one hand and a baby bottle in the other. Lucky was strapped to his chest, grunting as he reached for the bottle. I worked around Lucky to kiss West on the lips and then I pecked Lucky on the top of the head, much to his displeasure.

Tate was next and I blushed as I thought of the warning he’d given me the night before.

Don’t forget who I really am, baby. There wasn’t a chance of that happening when I couldn’t get the image of him with a coil of rope in his hands out of my head.

I gripped his neck and pulled him down for a kiss and danced away from him when he tried for more.

Then, there was Mills. Standing farthest away from me, his arms crossed over his chest, he looked like an angry statue.

I didn’t let his vibe scare me away. Not after the night before.

I wedged myself between his arms and chest, pulling out a few strands of my hair as I did.

It earned a small smile from the big grump, though, so I counted it as a win.

I peppered kisses up his chest until he groaned and bent down so I could kiss his mouth.

He acted put out but I could feel his heart pounding against my hand on his chest and his cock hardening against my stomach.

“Where are you going?” West’s smile was contagious as he watched me. “You look beautiful.”

I blushed and fixed my hair after moving away from Mills.

“Thanks. Nellie’s picking me up. We’re having brunch. Harley’s coming, too. Maxie’s making pastries and I don’t plan on coming home until I’ve gained five pounds.”

A honk sounded from outside and I hurried around the kitchen, giving them each another kiss before saying goodbye to Lucky and hurrying towards the front door.

If I hadn’t glanced back just before leaving I might not have noticed the looks on their faces.

I hesitated, stuck for a moment between going with my friends and staying to take care of the guys.

They looked sad. I’d never seen the exact expression on their faces before and I knew it was about their sisters.

Nellie honked again, though, and when I looked back at the guys, they were smiling and waving me away. I left but I didn’t feel as light as I had. I didn’t like knowing they were hurting and that I was unintentionally adding to their pain.

Nellie swore when I opened the door to her vintage car and a black ball of cat jumped at me. “Papa Jack!”

I easily scooped the fat cat up and put him in my lap before seat-belting myself in. I snorted.

“Not that I need the seatbelt. If we crashed, the sheer weight of this cat would hold me in place.”

“Holy shit. He let you grab him.”

I shrugged. “He likes me.”

“First Mills and now Papa Jack. I think you’re a witch.” She pulled away from the house and saw me glance back a time or two. “What is it?”

I wasn’t completely sure if I was right about the guys’ feelings and I wasn’t completely sure it was my place to say anything even if I was. I shook my head and smiled.

“Nothing.”

“I’m nervous to ask this but did your plan work last night?”

I felt my face go red and realized I was petting Papa Jack a little aggressively when he growled.

“Um… Yeah?”

“You got him to talk to you finally?”

“Not exactly. He pissed me off, I ran from him into a field, he chased me, and I taunted him into basically screwing my brains out. But we didn’t really talk…And that was way too much information to share with you.” I groaned. “I’m just out of sorts. Your brothers are…a lot.”

She faked a gag and reached over to slap my arm.

“God, woman! Why would you tell me that?!”

“I don’t know! It was good. And then we went home and Tate washed my hair for me in the shower.

He double shampooed, Nellie.” I fanned myself.

“And then he used conditioner. Without me asking him to. He just did it. And he let it sit while he cleaned the rest of me. It was full service. Better than some salons I’ve gone to.

The things I would do to have my hair cleaned by that man for the rest of my life… ”

She jerked the car to a stop and Papa Jack slid into the floorboard with an angry hiss. She ignored him and stared at me with wide eyes.

“For the rest of your life?”

I helped the cat from the floor and tried to hide how flustered I was.

“You know, the expression? Just being dramatic. I didn’t mean…It’s not like…How about we just drive?”

“I love my brothers, Reagan, but are you sure you’re not experiencing some kind of Stockholm Syndrome or something?

” Driving again, Nellie rushed on. “They’re great, they are…

They’re just…rough. I mean, we heard how they talked to you that day at Maxie’s.

We all know they aren’t perfect. And you’re…

so amazing, Reagan. You’re sweet and funny.

We all love you so much. Don’t feel like you have to be with them to stay in the family, okay? ”

I wasn’t sure if I was more heartbroken or pissed for the guys.

I knew they weren’t perfect. I’d wanted to stab them more than once since arriving in Devil’s Den.

I also knew they loved their sisters and would’ve been deeply hurt to know Nellie felt that way about them, like they were horrible and the only way I’d want to be with them would be because I was tricked or something.

I didn’t want to snap at Nellie and I wasn’t sure how to navigate anger in such a new friendship so I just blinked a few times and shook my head.

“We should talk about something else.”

She looked at me in concern.

“I said too much. I’m sorry, Reagan.”

“It’s fine. Forget it.” I wanted to change the subject but I couldn’t get the words out around the sudden lump in my throat.

“It’s not fine. I was an asshole. I really am sorry, Reagan. They’re my brothers and we have a lot of history but that doesn’t mean I should shit talk them, especially to you.”

“They’re not all bad, Nellie. I know they can be assholes, trust me.

I wanted to kill Mills just last night. Bad men don’t hold their son the way they do, though.

Lucky has their hearts already. It’s the most amazing thing to watch.

And I know they carry a lot of guilt about y’alls history, whatever it is.

Mills especially. You should give them a chance to prove they’re better men than they maybe showed before. ”

“You love them.” She parked in front of Maxie’s bakery and stared at me in awe. “Shit.”

I wasn’t ready for that yet so I held up my hands and shook my head.

“We’re not talking about that or anything else, especially not in front of everyone. I’m not ready.”

“Of course. I really am sorry I upset you.” She smiled and shrugged. “I am kind of happy for them that they somehow snagged a woman who will fight for them.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Let’s go eat. I’m… Hey, Nellie?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing with Papa Jack? He can’t go into the bakery. Maxie would murder you.”

She grinned. “I like to keep my men on their toes. Once or twice a week I let Papa Jack loose on the town and they have to chase him around while cleaning up whatever mess he made. They still haven’t figured out it’s me. They think that either it’s Waylan or that Papa Jack has magical powers.”