The Brothers Rule - Carolyn Faulkner Page 0,47

something out there because I'm not sure whether or not you've discussed it. It's always going to be one of them at a time?"

"Yes!" the rest of them nearly yelled at him through their embarrassment, looking thoroughly appalled at the suggestion.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I'm just asking, not judging, please remember that."

"Well, there is a caveat to that."

Nick's ears perked up. "There is?"

Laurie thought she was going to blush herself to death. "Yeah. Uh, I'll only be with one of them at a time. But when it comes to, uh—" She couldn't quite get the word out, for some reason.

"Discipline," Ryan filled in helpfully. "If she needs to be punished, then the severity of the misbehavior will determine whether or not it's something all three of us will address with her at the same time."

"If you're in serious trouble with one of us, you're in serious trouble with all of us," Jace stated.

Nick did his best to take all of this information in stride, but he struggled to do so when Adam said, "Yeah, it worked well the last time we did that, so I can't see why we'd change it."

"Yes, but I'd like a list of rules that are permanent, so that I'm not trying to keep track of three different sets of them."

"Very smart."

"No foul language," Jace contributed immediately.

"No putting yourself in any kind of danger—speeding tickets, going into burned out apartment buildings at all, much less by yourself—"

Nick's head snapped up and his eyes pinned hers in much the same way his brothers' did. "You went into your apartment alone?"

Laurie sighed. "Yes."

"I hope they whipped your butt good for that, or I'd do it for them."

It was her turn to frown. "I'll remind you that you're supposed to be on my side!"

He smiled. "I am on your side, honey."

"So, an exception for you all being together with her is a punishment, but nothing else."

"Exactly," they all agreed.

Suddenly, it dawned on him. "That's why you needed the pillows!"

Laurie buried her face in her hands. "Oh my God, I'm so embarrassed!"

Nick put his hand on her arm and squeezed. "Don't be. My brothers must love you something fierce if they're willing to punish you, since that's the opposite of how my mom would have said you should treat a woman. They're all very lucky to have found you."

"Absolutely!"

"Definitely!"

"Damned straight!"

"And I am very lucky to have found them."

"No putting yourself down," Adam piped up with. "That has got to be near the top."

"It's clear, though, that your list of rules is a liquid thing. I don't mind having a list, but there are likely to be a lot of changes—additions—to it."

Several things were already suggested and agreed to by the men. Laurie didn't really get a vote.

Nick paused for a moment, then he said, "Perhaps—because there are punishment elements—we should be looking at a BDSM contract."

"No."

Of course, it was Jace who said that, and the others were looking at him in such a way that he felt he needed to defend himself.

"Let's not get too far afield here. It's just spanking. I'm not going to tie her to a St. Andrew's cross and use a single tail on her." He stared hard at his brothers. "And I don't expect that anyone else will, either."

Ryan looked confused. "I don't even know what those things are," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.

"Google it, bud."

All eyes turned to the man who has said that—the one everyone least expected—Nick.

"What? You guys aren't the only kinky ones in the family, you know."

Jace grumbled at the use of that word.

Laurie was wiggling in her chair again, which made the men she loved smile.

"What is it, hon?" Ryan asked. "You know you can tell us anything."

"Well, I just want to have a few things added."

Jace prompted softly, "Go ahead, love."

"Well, I don't really think I need to say this, but I don't want any implements used that would cause bodily injury or permanently mark me."

They all looked utterly horrified at that idea.

When he spoke this time, Jace sounded utterly deadly, "If anyone—ever—does anything like that to you, brother or no, I will flat out kill him."

Adam, Ryan—and surprisingly, Nick, too—gave a rousing chorus of, "Get in line!"

"And, I don't want you guys t-to be with other women, just like there will be no other men for me."

Ryan smiled. "Do you honestly think you're going to have the inclination—not to mention the time—to go from us to anyone else?"

"I was thinking of that