Dawn, Dakota - Blessed Times Two (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (18 page)

Feeling her renewed arousal, Troy lightly squeezed her hand before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “I love you, little angel.”

Chapter Twelve

Three days later, Branda found herself going shopping with Trina and Bellina. She didn’t want to go, but knew she needed to bond with these vivacious women since she was now in their family. And what a family they were, so full of love and kindness.

Stepping into what she was told was one of Bellina’s favorite stores, she looked around and saw tastefully revealing blouses. Her mother would never have shopped in this store. Number one: The prices were too high. Number two: She didn’t believe women should wear figure-flattering clothes. Branda, on the other hand, was finding that she loved looking good for Troy and Trey. Her new jeans and lingerie were a big hit. Most of the time they couldn’t keep their hands off her butt.

Bellina walked over to a deep-cut blouse and held it up. With a saucy wink, she stated, “This should keep those boys in line.”

That one blouse was just the start. After trying on twenty-five blouses and camisoles, Branda found herself walking tiredly out of the store with fifteen blouses and five lacy camisoles that had fit Trina and Bellina’s standard. These two were way more demanding shoppers than Rain and Sienna.

Perfumed air met her at the lingerie shop they took her to next. The place was nice, and it smelled great. Branda wished she could make her place smell like this. Then again, baking cookies sure did smell good.

Going straight over to what they wanted, Trina and Bellina started looking for Branda’s size, 38D. In the dressing room, she realized they were masters at the art of seduction. The bras they picked out were pretty, sturdy, lifting, and they showed off a lot of cleavage. Perfect to go under the new blouses they’d picked out.

Trina paid for the blouses and bras, although Branda tried to. “I insist. Think of it as a welcome to the family gift. Now take one of your new blouses and bras and put them on.” At Branda’s bewildered stare, Trina encouraged, “Go on, the salespeople know you are going to use the dressing room. Bellina and I will tell you in a bit why we need you to change.”

Striding to the dressing room, Branda did as she was told. But she couldn’t stop wondering what they were up to. After getting her new clothes on, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her jaw dropped and color flooded her cheeks. The bra had picked her breasts up and pushed them together. The low neckline of the emerald-green, double-layered, crinkled silk chiffon blouse showed off way too much creamy skin. The mounds of flesh were actually puffed up a little bit over the edge of the neckline, thanks to her new bra. Troy and Trey would never let her wear these blouses out in public.

Digging her cell phone out of her purse, she called Trina.

Trina answered on the second ring. “What is it, honey?”

Looking at herself in the mirror, Branda mumbled in a rush, “I can’t wear this out in public. What am I going to do? I think we should take the blouses back. Oh lord, the twins are going to be mad.”

“Calm yourself, honey,” Trina said in a motherly tone. “We are on our way back. Don’t change out of the blouse.”

“Branda,
where are you?” Trina called out when she walked into the dressing room.

Opening the stall door, Branda stood in the doorway.

Bellina hooted with glee. “That’s my girl.”

Trina smiled and nodded in approval. “There is no way we are taking those blouses back. You look beautiful. Troy and Trey are going to love you in them, and they’ll look nice with the jeans you picked up recently.”

Hope flowed through Branda. They seemed so confident. “You don’t think they will mind me wearing them in public?”

Holding up a finger, Bellina said, “Lesson number one: Don’t ask them if you can wear it. Just do it. You have to get the upper hand with these two. I know how virile the Cortino men are. They touch you, and you melt. Is that what the twins are doing to you?”

Branda’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “Yes.” It was amazing to her how much these women knew.

“Then you have to dress in such a way that they are at your mercy just as much as you are at theirs.” Bellina waved her hand down the length of Branda’s body. “We are not quite finished with your new look, but when we are, you will have them eating out of your hand.”

Trina gestured for Branda to get her purse. “Now that that is settled, let’s continue with our shopping.”

A shoe store was their next destination. Branda couldn’t help the blush that stained her cheeks. She was so embarrassed. The salesman couldn’t keep his eyes off her cleavage.

Bellina had him retrieve ten different styles of heels, then sent the drooling man away so they could decide which shoes she could wear with the most ease and comfort.

Watching her walk around and around the heel section and asking questions about the comfort and fit, they finally decided on four pairs.

Cocking her head, Bellina took in Branda’s new height. “Lesson number two: Show no fear. Lesson number three: Always wear heels. The Cortino men are tall. They have you at a disadvantage if you have to look way up at them. Now let’s go find that drooling man and pay for these height boosters.”

Once again they had her wear one of the new purchases from the store.

“Two more stores to go then we’ll go eat. I’m starved. How about you two?” Trina asked as she rubbed her belly.

Bellina and Branda both agreed that food sounded incredibly good at that moment. Shopping the way they did took a lot of energy.

Finding the car, they locked their purchases in the trunk then headed out to the next store.

In the parking lot, Branda curiously questioned, “A jewelry store? What do we need to get from here?”

Bellina rolled her eyes. “You are such an innocent. It is sweet, but you can’t stand your ground if you don’t change. Come let us show you.”

Five minutes after entering the store, Trina motioned Bellina over. “I think this one will do nicely.”

Grinning wolfishly, Bellina nodded in agreement. “I believe you are right. Now let’s see what else they have.”

Branda watch in amazement as they picked out four necklaces.

The saleswoman came over and pulled out the first one—a white gold necklace with a dangling floral designed cylinder with a solitary emerald in the center. The emerald reminded her of the twins’ eyes. Branda gasped when the saleswoman twisted the top of the cylinder and it opened. It was a locket necklace.

Twisting the locket closed, she then handed it to Trina. “This locket is perfect for keepsakes such as a lock of hair from a spouse or a baby. The artist also made sure it was large enough for a tiny note to be put inside if a person wanted to. Only thirty were made in that unique design.”

Making a turning sign with her finger, Trina waited for Branda to turn around. Putting the necklace around Branda’s neck, she closed the clasp.

Bellina gave her approval. “Perfect.” Getting a mirror from the counter, Bellina handed it to Branda.

Another gasp escaped from her mouth. It was beautiful. But, it hung down to the creamy crease of her bosom. What would the guys think?

Reading her mind, Bellina asked, “What was lesson number one?”

Branda thought for a moment. “Don’t ask if you can wear it. Just do it.”

“Good girl. Don’t forget it. One of the reasons we had you wear a new blouse was to make sure the necklaces draped just right on your bosom. This one fits you nicely,” Bellina said with conviction.

“You don’t think it draws too much attention to my breasts?” Branda asked.

“Good god, girl. That is exactly what we want it to do. In order to keep the upper hand, you have to distract them,” Bellina informed her in a knowledgeable tone.

Trina chimed in, “She’s right. Everything about your new image is planned out to give you at least equal footing with Troy and Trey. If you go back to your old image, they will have the upper hand. You got it?”

“Yes,” Branda answered with a more confident voice.

“Good. Now what are lessons number two and three?” Trina prompted.

“Show no fear and always wear heels,” Branda rattled off like a good soldier.

Shock flashed across the saleswoman’s face. “Wow! You ladies know your stuff. That is the best advice I’ve ever heard.” She smiled broadly then asked, “What else can I show you?”

Thirty minutes later, they walked out of the store with three necklaces in a bag and the first one resting on Branda’s bosom. It was taking some getting used to, but Branda was starting to get the hang of being stared at. The three of them were quite a lovely and shocking sight.

Entering the last store, Branda sniffed the air with relish. A perfume shop.

New information spilled from Trina’s lips. “Cortino men love women who smell like nature. Like a flower on a cool spring morning.”

Holding out a bottle of wild honeysuckle lotion, Trina went on, “Smell this one. It is sure to make the twins’ mouths water.” A smile crossed her full lips. “When the twins were young, we lived in a house that had wild honeysuckle growing along the fence. They would stand by that fence for an hour pulling the stem from the center of the honeysuckle flower and licking the sweet honey off it. Yes, this is one buy we have to make. You’ll need the lotion and the perfume. How do you like it?”

Branda brought the bottle back to her nose. “I love it. It smells so fresh and natural. The twins used to eat honeysuckle, huh?”

“It was one of their favorite things to do.” Taking a tester bottle of the perfume, Trina sprayed Branda. “Now they will want to eat you.”

Nodding in agreement, Bellina continued her lessons. “Lesson number four: A man can’t resist a woman who smells good enough to eat.”

Moving along, they picked out two more scents. Both smelled similar to the honeysuckle, but with a slight variation. All three smelled like nature at its best.

Stomachs growling, the ladies left the perfume shop, stored their purchases, and headed to the restaurant.

Male heads turned. Some stared, openly appreciative of the view, and others tried to hide their interest. A few women looked disgruntled while others showed approval.

Branda tried to be as cool about it as Trina and Bellina were. They didn’t seem to even notice the attention.

Sitting down, Trina took in Branda’s blush. “Get used to the attention. Cortino men love their women looking good enough to draw attention. It boosts their pride knowing they have what other men can’t. A few times out with you in your new look and the twins will start jumping at the chance to show you off.”

“Today they will be shocked to see you and probably demand you change. What is lesson number one?” Bellina asked as she looked over the menu.

Knowing it by heart now, Branda answered without hesitation. “Don’t ask them if you can wear it. Just do it.”

The waitress arrived and took their orders.

Ten minutes later, sipping a glass of white wine, Trina asked offhandedly, “Where would you like to marry Troy? Here or in Italy?”

Choking on her wine, Branda coughed for a full minute. “Whoa, that was out of the blue.”

Patting her hand, Bellina said without compunction, “It is not out of the blue for us. The wedding must be discussed. The family will be expecting it to happen within six months or less. So where would you like it to take place?”

“I don’t know,” Branda answered honestly. “This is so unreal to me. I can’t imagine the twins wanting to stay with me for a lifetime. I’d hate to get married then divorced a year later because some skinny girl catches their attention.”

Trina shook her head. “Oh, there will be no divorce. The blessing guarantees that. Their eyes will never stray from you—especially with how you look and smell now. I need you to remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You are a beautiful woman. Everyone’s body shape is different. One shape is no better than another. Thin, curvy, short, tall. There is someone for everyone. Someone to love you as you are.”

The confidence in her tone had a surprisingly calming effect on Branda. Could she dare hope that she would be able to hold the twins’ attention for a lifetime? Trina and Bellina seemed certain that she could. Hope bloomed in her chest and spread throughout her body.

To have such handsome men for lovers was a dream come true, but to have a large loving family to go with them was the icing on top of the cake.

Every time her mother had to spend money on her, she always reminded Branda that she was a costly mistake. Shelia and Edward McFalls never wanted the expense of children and had planned not to have any. When Shelia turned up pregnant, they had grudgingly kept their baby out of fear of what their friends would think of them. Right after Shelia had given birth to Branda, she’d had her tubes tied, making sure there would be no more unwanted children to pay for.

The Cortino family was the direct opposite of her family. They loved each other and life with an inconceivable passion. The whole family had accepted her the moment they met her. Troy and Trey had been lucky to be born into this family, and now, she was lucky because they had brought her into it as well.

A lump gathered in her throat, and tears threatened to spill over her lashes. At that moment, she knew she loved this family from the bottom of her soul. She would never do anything to hurt them. They were
her real family. People who loved her unconditionally and whole-heartedly. She wasn’t a burden to them, but an added member to be loved and cared for.