The McEllis Boys

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

"Oh my God!" Nicole exclaimed as she gave up on reading and tossed her novel on the coffee table.

The four men instantly turned their attention to her and frowned, "What's wrong?" Ian asked, tilting his head.

Nicole had always had good patience and she was used to having rambunctious toddlers around her but Andrew made all of them look like docile little creatures in comparison. Already this morning he had broken several lamps, put one hole through the wall with the bedroom door and spilled grape juice all over her brown suede couch. Not to mention the fact that Ian had shot the smoke alarm which had begun to go off when Jamison had nearly burnt the kitchen down when he had stuck canned biscuits in the oven on five hundred degrees and then walked off and left them. Add to that the fact that Cavanaugh seemed determined to do nothing but scowl at her this morning and Nicole was ready to tear her hair out!

"I think we're driving the woman a little crazy," Cavanaugh stated as he flipped through the guns and ammo magazine Nicole had found in the junk cabinet for him.

"No, it's just..." Nicole started but Andrew cut her off as he flopped down on the couch beside her and nearly made her fall sideways.

"We're just not used to being all cooped up is all," he stated. "And I ain't been this sober in a long long time."

"Mama wanted you to give up the whiskey, Andrew," Cavanaugh reminded him.

Andrew grinned, "Okay but she didn't say nothing about the beer," he countered and a smile tugged on Cavanaugh's firm lips.

Nicole felt her heart do a somersault in her chest at the sight and then Cavanaugh's blue eyes locked on hers and her heart stopped. Several long moments they stared at each other and Nicole suddenly wished that she could be a mind reader so that she would know what was going on behind that intense stare. He broke the connection, scowled and buried his nose back in the magazine.

"We're used to being kept real busy, Nicole," Jamison said with a shrug. "I guess we don't do being idle well."

"Yes my smoke alarm can attest to that fact." she stated and Ian rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. Nicole racked her brain in an attempt to come up with some idea of something to entertain the men for the day so she could have a little bit of peace and quiet and maybe save a few of her possessions from being destroyed.

Suddenly an image of her uncle Silas came to mind and had her smacking her forehead. Why hadn't she thought of him before?!

Cavanaugh raised his brow as he looked at her and frowned, "Why did you hit yourself?" he asked.

Nicole didn't appreciate the patronizing tone he used, "Because I felt like it." she snapped. Cavanaugh shrugged and looked back down at his magazine.

Nicole nearly jumped from her skin when she felt hands close around her shoulders and begin to rub the tense muscles in them. She quickly looked over her shoulder to see Ian smiling down at her, "I've been told that my hands can work magic." he promised with a wink and Nicole snorted with laughter before becoming a puddle beneath his massaging hands.

He really was good with them and she felt some of her tension melting away. Then his breath was on her ear and despite the fact that she knew he was bad news and she wasn't the least bit interested in him, she couldn't stop the trembling that washed down her spine when his breath caressed her skin, "So what had you smacking your head?" he whispered.

"Um...My uncle Silas. He's not really my uncle but I've always called him that," Nicole knew she was rambling a little but that was only because she had looked up and caught Cavanaugh watching her. His eyes had looked angry, jealous and hungry. He had quickly pulled his hat down and pretended to go back to reading but Nicole could still feel him watching her.