Rutledge Werewolves 1: Scent of Passion (5 page)

“How…?” she tried in vain to politely phrase her question.

Dominic merely grinned hugely.

“Women have been badgering us for years about how they have an instinctual knowledge, yet you think men can’t have instincts too?”

Sophie couldn’t help herself. She simply had to smile back at that contagious grin and zest for life.

“Mmm…maybe. Are you telling me you have women’s intuition?”

Dominic laughed. He was masculine on so very many levels it simply wasn’t possible for his ego to be dented by the slight jab.

“I have masculine intuition. I just
know
things about ladies. Don’t I, Artemais?”

When Artemais merely rolled his eyes and his other brothers made various gagging motions, Sophie laughed even harder, accepting that this man would definitely
know
certain things about the ladies.

“You must be Dominic, then, the soon-to-be chained down youngest brother.”

“Oh-ho! Brother dear can try,” Dominic laughed at Artemais, “but think of how cruel it would be to disappoint all those lovely ladies!”

Artemais merely shook his head.

“Sophie, meet Samuel and William, my other two brothers.”

Sophie grinned as Samuel put his PDA into his pocket, and leaned forward to kiss her.

“Pleased to meet you. Where’s your luggage?”

Sophie laughed.

“Sorry to disappoint you guys—but I’m not coming back with you. Tempting though the offer is, I’m not the sort of girl who moves in with four strange men whom she’s known for less than a few days.”

Three sets of eyebrows rose, and Sophie could swear she felt Artemais squirm next to her. Suddenly, both Samuel and Dominic bent over laughing hysterically.

Sophie turned to William.

“Did I say something funny?”

This merely made both Samuel and Dominic laugh even harder, as William tried to explain.

“Artemais has practically raised us from pups—kids. He has this way of making us do what he wants us to without raising his voice or forcing us to. He simply makes it close to impossible to do anything
but
what he wants. Let him hang around for a while—you’ll understand soon enough.”

Sophie raised an eyebrow. Living by herself a number of years had made her fairly set in her ways. She had a sinking sensation they might be butting heads in the very near future.

Samuel finally righted himself enough to gasp out, “To think! Artemais and his legendary appeal—” Sophie raised an eyebrow in query as Samuel began choking on his laughter.
His legendary appeal?
her mind wondered. Before she could question his half-finished sentence, Dominic tried to talk through his tears of laughter.

“His famous address! Gone the first time he finds a woman he truly wants! It’s…it’s…just too funny for words!”

Artemais, simmering next to her, finally gave up.

“Oh shut up you two. This is not helpful.”

Sophie looked at William and caught his eye. He too had seen the laughter glinting in their blue depths, but he restrained himself much better than his younger two brothers. “You will have to excuse my younger brothers. They are at the ripe, mature ages of thirty-one and twenty-nine. Still babes in the wood, as I’m sure you understand.”

The undercut scored its mark, and both brothers regained control over their fits of laughter.

“I’m sorry, Soph,” Dominic started, only to be interrupted by Samuel.

“Yes, honestly, it’s just so funny to see someone actually stand up to Artemais and not be cut down in seconds.”

“We stand behind you one hundred percent. Seriously. Give him hell.”

Sophie chuckled at Dominic’s attitude.

“Well, I’m sorry, but I have no intention of giving him hell. We’re merely going to talk about the arrangements for the baby and sort out what we’ll do.”

William raised his eyebrow, but couldn’t get a word in edgewise as both Samuel and Dominic were determined to speak their piece.

“Well—surely you will eventually cave in and come out to live with us. There’s plenty of room, we rarely trample all over each other. And the boy needs his space to grow and become wild and free.”

“Truly, we won’t stomp all over the new love nest,” Samuel added, “the house is quite private when one wants it to be. And the backyard goes straight out into the forest, so there’s more than enough play area for the little guy.”

Sophie felt touched at their pleas, but quite unmoved from her determination.

“I truly appreciate what you guys are saying—but I’m quite happy here in the city. I have my own little apartment, and I have no intention of holding my
child
for ransom. You are all more than welcome to come visit at any time, I have a very comfortable couch, as Artemais is about to learn.”

Sophie tried hard not to grin at the snickers and furtive looks all his brothers shot Artemais. He sighed stoically and tried not to rise to their bait. He simply raised an eyebrow in a manner that could only be called lordly and gave her a
look
. She had a sinking sensation that this man had no intention whatsoever of sleeping on her couch.

An argument for a different time, Soph
…she reminded herself.

“Anyway,” she continued, determined, “the baby and I will certainly come out to visit you as often as possible.”

Deciding the time for a change in the topic was called for, Sophie looked at each brother in turn, finishing with William.

“What’s with this certainty everyone has that the child is a boy? Haven’t you heard genetics gives a 50/50 shot at gender being a boy
or
a girl.”

William stepped forward, a mere breath away from her. Sophie wasn’t very intimidated, William didn’t emit any scary sort of vibes, but she certainly felt a little confused, having no idea what his intentions were. William placed a large hand over her stomach, pressing very gently.

A little shocked by the intimate gesture, her eyes flew to Artemais. He merely smiled and nodded, obviously knowing what his brother seemed to be doing. Sophie, still unsure, tried to move infinitesimally away from the large man, but he held his other hand to her back. He in no way hurt her, he simply held her still and seemed to study inside her stomach, as if he could see or contact the tiny baby inside her.

He seemed so somber and serious when compared to his feckless, carefree brothers; she hadn’t the heart to kick up a stink just yet. When he leaned closer to her, hand still gently but firmly pressed into her still-flat stomach, Sophie bent her head up, expecting him to kiss her cheek in welcome, as both Samuel and Dominic had. When William merely inhaled her scent, she was perplexed and getting a little scared.

He moved back, but kept his hands resting where they were.

“She definitely carries your child, Art,” he said in his quiet voice.

Sophie took a step back, and William allowed his hands to fall back from her stomach and back. She wanted to question…to protest the strange actions, but before she could articulate any sound, Samuel and Dominic were whooping with delight and clapping Artemais on the back.

She felt herself being lifted off the ground by William and swirled around in a circle. For the first time, she actually saw him smile—a huge, gorgeously brilliant smile that lit up his face and features. The man was totally beautiful when he smiled, and could easily rival his brothers with the ladies. After only seeing him somber and serious it came as a total shock to realize he was just as handsome, if not more so than his two younger brothers.

For just a second, she idly wondered what made this man seem so somber. A split second later she realized trying to answer that question might integrate her with this family more. By trying to help them and learn more about their personal situations would make it even harder for her to stay strong and learn about Artemais and his family before committing to something permanent with them.

As the knowledge registered in her brain, she decided to not question and pry. The thought of helping William, of trying to solve whatever dilemma dogged him persisted, but Sophie firmly squashed her instinct to try and help this man. His smile was truly beautiful, and for now, his being happy with her and Artemais’ baby was enough.

Thank heavens he doesn’t smile that often
, she thought,
or else women everywhere would get a bad name for casting themselves at his feet constantly!

“Well done old man,” Dominic teased Artemais, “Another fine addition to be brought into the Rutledge family. Just think, another little boy to join the pack.”

Pack?
Sophie’s brain stirred, reminded by the wolf comment, but instantly discarded it.
Just odd wording
, she assured herself.

What grabbed her attention was the single-minded knowledge with which these men instantly assumed her child was going to be a boy. Sophie intuitively knew there and then that she would have to fight for every scrap of independence in this family, with these four overbearing men, she would certainly have some interesting conversations.

But she would never be alone again
, her mind consoled her. She knew without a doubt that even if things didn’t work out between her and Artemais, she and her child would always be welcome with these men.

“Who said this child would be a boy? I don’t see any ultrasound photos?
I
think this child will be a girl, and she’s going to kick
all
your asses.”
Or wrap us all around her little finger
…her brain mused as she smiled.

As William set her down gently on the grass, she felt the four brothers circle her, dwarfing her. All except William smiled smugly, assuring her that it
might
be a girl in that pompous tone she was coming to know from Artemais.

Despite their lectures on the apparent male-only offspring ratio of their heritage, Sophie politely ignored them all, focusing on William. He remained silent, and she raised an eyebrow at him. He appeared to think for a moment, then shook his head and kept his own council.

Finally growing weary of the lectures, she interrupted them all, mid-sentence.

“I’m hungry. Artemais is cooking me dinner. You’re all so big my apartment might get a little cramped—but you’re all welcome to come and join us if you’re not fussy and promise to help with the dishes.”

Sophie looked around at the four men still circling her. Unbeknownst to her, Artemais glared ferociously at each of his brothers, over her head, so she didn’t notice.

William was the first to draw her into a huge hug.

“That’s okay, little sister. We need to be heading on back, anyway. But thank you very much for the invitation. Please come out to the big house soon, and we can all show off our expertise on the grill. If you’re expecting Artemais to cook for you you’ll soon be craving some
real
food anyway.”

As soon as William released her, Dominic picked her up in a huge bear hug. Feeling like a kid again, her feet dangling a short way above the ground, Sophie squirmed.

“Dom! Please put me down, I’m too heavy to lift like this!”

Dominic laughed, but did place her back on her feet, though he kept her wrapped in his big hug.

“Seriously, Soph, Artemais’ cooking is like old Dickens food. Gruel, porridge…”

“Watery stew, with barely any meat or vegetables in it…” came Samuel from behind her. Dominic moved back with a wicked grin on his face and Sophie turned to hug Samuel goodbye.

When she finally pulled back, Artemais came up beside her possessively and linked his arm through hers.

“That’s enough you guys,” he growled, not quite angry, but getting there. “If you scare off my…woman, I’ll slaughter the lot of you.”

Sophie frowned, a bit concerned, but all three brothers laughed and slapped him on the back in a friendly manner. None of them paid the slightest heed to his threat, and very soon Artemais was also laughing and joking with them, his anger completely evaporated.

Sophie grinned as she realized Artemais had only been semi-serious in his threat, and by totally ignoring it, his brothers had shown what a load of rubbish it had been.

Artemais led her to a Jeep, left by the side of the road on the other side of the large park. The brothers shook hands with Artemais, which Sophie thought manly, but odd, and each gave her a last kiss goodbye as they climbed in to the Jeep.

Waving them off, Sophie and Artemais turned, arms still linked, to head back to her apartment.

Sophie frowned when she realized she didn’t think of her apartment as home, but merely as her apartment.

Thankfully, the comfortable silence between her and Artemais continued down the street, and she pondered her thoughts. She didn’t really have a place she called “home”, like Artemais and his brothers called their big house “home”. She resisted the impulse to lay a hand on her still-flat stomach.

The temptation to go back to Artemais’ place, his home, was strong. Yet her mind couldn’t reconcile following a strange man, even one whom she had slept with and now bore his child, when she had known him for less than a few days.

Sophie made up her mind. She would get to know Artemais better, both for her own sake and for that of their unborn child. Once she knew him better she would reassess her options and move on from there.