Read Intimate Illusions [The Callens 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) for Free Online Page B

on his face.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    She laughed as Ian rushed off to help his mom.
     
    * * * *
     
    The kiss vibrated inside him. Ian had kissed hundreds of women, but there was something about the yearning pouring out of Devonne’s body that got to him. Sure, he was somewhat pissed that she thought she needed to stand up for him. What kind of man did she think he was? Weak and one that needed to be protected? If so, that sucked.
    On the other hand, she had cared enough to do something for him. That was more than any other woman he’d known had ever done. He’d be the first to admit that he’d picked Devonne out of all the women because she was the most beautiful. To have someone like her at his side made him look good. After the kiss, something changed, only he couldn’t quite figure out what it was.
    He needed to fix the stage and didn’t have time to sort it all out. Though there were a lot of people running around, Max was easy to spot. He was the one viciously banging away at one of the legs supporting the stage.
    “Hey!”
    His brother didn’t stop. That wasn’t a good sign. Ian was the first one to admit when he’d messed up or shirked his responsibility, but this time, he was innocent. He grabbed Max’s non-hammer-wielding arm and spun him around.
    His brother lowered his arm. “Why don’t you go back and play with your model? I’m almost done.”
    He got in his face. “What is your problem? You jealous because I’m having a good time?”
    Confusion clouded his brother’s face. “No. Devonne seems like a nice girl. She’s twenty-three for God’s sake. She’s leaving in a week. Nothing can come of this relationship, so leave her alone.”
    A week was a long time. “Devonne is great and nice and wonderful, but I’m not stopping.” He grabbed his brother’s bicep. “She’s the first woman who actually gets me.” Too bad she’ll walk out of my life all too soon. “She kissed me, remember?” So what if that was a lie or mostly a lie. He might have initiated the kiss, but she’d sure as hell had kissed him back.
    “Just be careful. You’ve left a trail of women behind before.”
    That was because they all saw only my façade . “I’d never hurt her.”
    Max turned back to the stage and finished hammering in the nail. “You probably already have.”
    He hoped to hell that wasn’t true. “What do you want me to do?” He wasn’t even sure if he was asking about repairing the stage or about how to handle his growing need for Devonne.
    Max drove in the nail. “I’m done here.” He faced him. “Be careful.” He placed the hammer back in the tool chest and walked off.
    Christ . He didn’t need Max pissed off at him. Max always seemed to catch him the moment he stepped out of line and never saw him caring for the cattle or fixing a fence or repairing a broken door. He needed something in his life to change. Too bad he didn’t know what that something was.

Chapter Five
     
    Devonne thought it wise to keep her distance from both men for a while. The twins had issues that needed to be resolved. Ian’s self-image was piss-poor. He didn’t seem to have any idea how amazing he was with people. He was charming, insightful, and caring. His need for fancy cars and yes, fancy women, probably lowered his worth in Max’s eyes, but Ian deeply cared what his brother thought of him. Too bad neither man saw what a great guy Ian was deep inside.
    Max, on the other hand, was stability personified. She’d seen the protective side of Max when he stopped the cameraman from getting in her face. He also seemed to take the management of the ranch perhaps too seriously. Having to keep an eye on his brother further seemed to be taking its toll. While she didn’t know Max well, just from the short time she’d seen him, he acted far older than twenty-eight. She agreed that someone had to take care of the running of the ranch, but he needed to loosen up. If only she could put both of them together into one