Shaun and Jon by Vanessa Devereaux Read Free Book Online Page B

Jon. “You have any preference as to which
one of us fathers your babies?”
    Sarah
turned red. She hadn’t thought about it. Hadn’t thought that far ahead. They
hadn’t used precautions so for all she knew she could be with child already.
    “It
doesn’t matter to me,” she said. And it didn’t. Both of them would make fine
fathers. She’d be honored to carry either man’s baby within her womb.
    “Then
let’s allow nature to take its course and when you’re with child, all three of
us will be content in never knowing whether it’s Shaun or mine’s baby you’ve
conceived.”
    “Sounds
fine with me,” said Shaun.
    She
smiled. They were both handsome and tall so it would probably be difficult to
tell who’d fathered the offspring.
    Sarah
wiped some perspiration from her face. The barn was stifling, even worse than
the house.
    “I’m
going for a swim in the lake, and yes, I’ll be real careful this time,” she
said standing.
    “I
think we could do with some cooling off too,” said Shaun.
    She
didn’t argue with them as they headed to the lake with her, all three of them
quickly taking off their clothes and running into the water.
    It
was cold, but refreshing. Sarah couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have
found Jon and Shaun to live in this beautiful place. She might regret thinking
that once she got a taste of the Montana winter, but at least she had not one,
but two men to snuggle with when it got below freezing.
      Shaun splashed her with water. She splashed
him back. Jon splashed both of them.
    They
headed toward her and she knew they had something planned so she ran toward the
shores, laughing and almost falling face first. They caught up to her both
wrapping their arms around her and kissing her.
    That’s
when she sensed someone was standing there watching them. A woman carrying what
looked like a loaf of bread covered in a gingham cloth.
    “Nothing
but fornication if ever I saw it. I don’t want you eating my bread.”
    She
turned and left.
    “Who
was that?” asked Sarah.
    “Mrs. Nealon , who’s the chairwoman of the Grantsville
Ladies’ Society.”

Chapter Eight
     
    Sarah hadn’t said much since the incident that afternoon.
Jon knew she was upset about Mrs. Nealon’s comments.
He knew she wanted to fit in with the community and wanted to keep their
arrangement their little secret for as long as they could.
    “You’re
going to strain your eyes if you read that far away from the lamp,” Jon told
her. Shaun looked up too.
    “I’m
okay, really I am.” She’d set about darning socks for both of them.
    “You
could get yourself some material and make a dress,” said Jon.
    “I
could. In fact, that’s what I was planning to take with me to the sewing club.”
    “Mrs. Nealon probably won’t say anything about what she saw
going on here,” Jon continued.
    Shaun
raised his eyebrows without looking up from his book.
    “Perhaps
if she were suddenly struck mute, that might be true,” said Sarah not taking
her eyes off the darning .
    Shaun
made a sniggering sound like he was about to burst out laughing. Jon kicked the
bottom of his boot.
    He
looked up. “What?”
    Jon
nodded his head in Sarah’s direction.
    “I
wouldn’t worry about anything. Most of the women don’t listen to gossip in
Grantsville,” said Shaun.
    ****
    Could
you hear silence? Sarah wasn’t sure, but
the room had gone from deafening chatter to no one talking as she’d entered the
Tuesday night meeting of the women’s social group. She was frozen on the spot
and couldn’t run when everyone turned around to look at her.
    Shaun
had been wrong.
    A
lady wearing a pink hat stood and approached her.
    “We
don’t wish your sort in our group nor in our community. We assumed you were
married to Mr. Nolan, but we’ve learned that’s not true and that you’re living
under the same roof without the blessing of your union. And if that’s not
sinful enough, you’re also living with Mr. Delaney