"Triplets, they are. All identical. Near impossible to tell them apart unless you know them well." The world seemed to tilt beneath Eleanor's feet. "Triplets?"
Three brothers? The advertisement had mentioned nothing about brothers, nothing about a family. She had assumed she would be marrying one man, helping him run a ranch, building a simple, quiet life. Now there were three of them. Her mind spun with questions, but before she could voice any of them, the door behind her burst open with such force it slammed against the wall.
Eleanor whirled around, her hand flying to her throat. Three men filled the doorway, so large they had to duck their heads to enter. And they were identical. Exactly identical.
Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair just touching their collars, sun-browned skin, and eyes the color of summer sky. Each of them had to stand at least six feet four inches, maybe taller. Their muscular frames seemed to take up all the space in the small store. Eleanor's breath caught in her throat.
She had never seen men like this. They moved with an easy confidence, their presence commanding without saying a word. All three of them stopped dead when they saw her. For a long moment, nobody spoke.
Eleanor felt six eyes studying her with an intensity that made her skin flush hot. She could not look away. One of them, the one in the middle, stepped forward. His voice was deep, rough, sending a shiver down her spine despite the heat. "You must be Eleanor Heart."
She nodded, her mouth too dry to speak. He removed his hat, holding it in large, work-roughened hands. "I am Jake Hollister. These are my brothers, Cole and Tucker. We got your telegram saying you would be arriving today."
Cole, the one on the left, stepped forward as well. His eyes, the same startling blue as Jake's, swept over her face with open curiosity. "Welcome to Copper Ridge, Miss Heart." Tucker, the third brother, said nothing, but his gaze was just as intense, studying her as if trying to memorize every feature.
Eleanor found her voice finally, though it came out barely above a whisper. "I did not realize there would be three of you. The advertisement did not mention brothers." Jake's jaw tightened slightly. "No, it did not."
"I apologize for the confusion, but everything in my letters was true. The ranch needs a woman's touch, and I am in need of a wife." She noticed he said "I," not "we," but the weight of three sets of eyes on her made it impossible to think clearly. The store owner cleared her throat.
"Why don't you folks take this conversation somewhere more private?" Eleanor felt Jake's hand, large and warm, settle gently on her elbow. "Let us get you to the ranch. You must be exhausted from your journey." She allowed him to guide her outside, intensely aware of his touch even through the fabric of her sleeve.
Cole grabbed her trunk easily, lifting it as if it weighed nothing. Tucker held the door, his eyes never leaving her face. Outside, three massive horses stood tied to the hitching post. Eleanor's stomach dropped.
She had ridden exactly twice in her life, both times on gentle old mares in the city park. These animals were nothing like that. They were enormous, powerful beasts that stamped and tossed their heads. Jake seemed to sense her hesitation. "Have you ridden before?"
"Not much," she admitted. He nodded. "You will ride with me, then." He swung up into the saddle with easy grace, then reached down for her. His hand was steady, strong.
Eleanor placed her smaller hand in his and felt herself lifted as if she weighed nothing at all. She found herself seated sideways in front of him, his arm coming around her waist to hold her secure. Her heart pounded wildly. She could feel the solid wall of his chest against her back, feel the steady rhythm of his breathing.