“That first supper at your mom’s I told her and your grandmother about what had happened to my dad. I couldn’t see keeping such a huge thing from them, and I wanted to let them know your generosity was not why I married you.”
Adam was struck by a sudden thought. “Of course, you would have told them,” Adam said. “Neither of us has a problem with that. What did the women say in response?”
She shook her head. “They jumped to the conclusion that you’d bribed me to marry you. Of course, I set them straight right away. I told them I never would have said yes if I didn’t love you.”
Adam was fascinated by her blush. He couldn’t very well call her on having admitted her love of them to his mother and grandmother before she told them. Hadn’t they done the same thing?
“That was the exact thing the fathers and grandfathers said to us,” James said. “Maybe Grandmother isn’t the only one to turn to the services of Mr. Watson, lately.”
“So, both the women and the men were making the same point at the same time? Huh. Maybe they did know a bit more about our situation before we arrived than we realized.” Pamela didn’t sound offended by that epiphany at all.
“Or very shortly after. Not sure how I feel about the possibility the folks were keeping an eye on us while we were gone.”
That’s a lie. I do know how I feel, and it’s pissed.
“Shh.” Pamela placed her hand over his. She laid her head on his shoulder and caressed his hand with hers. “I won’t say you shouldn’t be miffed that they may have been keeping tabs on you. You’re grown men, after all. I will only say that if they overstepped, it was out of an abundance of love, and caution.”
“Our wife not only knows us well,” James said, “she’s got a good measure on the folks, too.”
“She does.”
“I didn’t understand how wealthy your family is—not until I came here to live. Oh, no one said anything, but there’s a certain kind of confidence that the truly well off seem to exude.” She lifted her head from his shoulder, and he was embarrassed to admit that he wished she’d put it right back there.
“We’re not wealthy,” James said. “We’re filthy, stinking rich.”
“You sound so disgusted by that,” Pamela said.
“It’s not disgust I feel at the presence of the wealth,” James said.
“It’s that it has nothing to do with us,” Adam said. “Our being rich is an accident of birth. Now, our degrees, the reputation which we’ve carved out for ourselves in the medical community, and the fact that we somehow convinced you to marry us, those are things of which we’re proud.”
“Be that as it may, husband, you have to know that, knowing my father had suffered a financial loss and understanding that you gallantly stepped into the breach, of course your parents would want to make sure that I hadn’t taken advantage of you.”
“I love you, Pamela.” James said that with as much emotion as Adam felt.
“I love you, too, James.”
“Good. Sweetheart, it wasn’t the possibility of your having taken advantage of us the family was worried about.”
“The family knows that, about some things, we can be a bit thick. They were afraid we’d tricked you, and I have to say, that fear wasn’t completely unfounded.”
“It was unfounded. And I must be thick, too, because I never once conflated your offer of help with my agreement to marry you.” She leaned over and kissed him. He’d have left his lips on hers for the rest of the night, but she eased back and then kissed James. “Now, let me finish about the private investigator. I didn’t know Grandmother was going to do that until she and Maria told me she had.” She puffed out a breath and shook her head. “And then, I thought, once they found those two scoundrels, that their names would be turned over to the authorities. But that isn’t what happened at all.”
“Uh-oh.” James’s smile belied his exclamation.
Pamela nodded. “They’re planning to set some kind of a trap for them.” Pamela looked at him, and then at James. “The only thing that eases my worry is that the ladies are all staying here, in Lusty. I won’t have to worry about them confronting two con men.”
“You worry about our family because they’re your family,” James said.
“They are my family. I truly do love every one of them.”
“Will you make it official, then?” Adam set his cup down. Seeing Pamela’s was also empty, he relieved her of it and set it on the bedside table. He turned to face her and used his hands to slide her down farther so she was laying flat. Leaning over her, seeing James do the same, he knew she could see both their faces at the same time, and that was exactly what he wanted, what he knew James wanted, too.
“We want to have the commitment ceremony so that we can both give you our vows. Will you say those words with us, baby?”
“Of course, I will.” Pamela reached up, a hand to caress each of their faces. The beauty of her touch, knowing she was soon to be theirs according to the traditions of their family, filled Adam’s heart with more joy than he’d ever believe he could feel.
Pamela yawned, and he couldn’t blame her. They should all be asleep. Her sigh came out on a smile, and he knew she was not only relaxed, but happy. “We’ll have a wonderful commitment ceremony—the best one this family has ever seen.” She yawned again and then closed her eyes. “On Thanksgiving.”
Chapter Fifteen
As Pamela began to awaken, she knew the joy of being snuggled close between her men. She wiggled her bottom, sighing in pleasure as she felt the stiffness of Adam’s cock nestle against the cheeks of her
