by Marla Monroe
“Sure. That sounds good.” Shay sure hoped she wasn’t making a big mistake giving in like she was.
“We’ll pick you up at six,” Gage said and helped her up into the truck.
Maverick walked around the front and climbed into the driver’s side. He didn’t say anything more all the way to her duplex. In fact, he didn’t even climb down and walk her to the door. He let Gage do that. To her surprise, Gage kissed her on the forehead before urging her inside and telling her to lock up.
All in all it had been a strange day. She’d found out that ménages really did exist and that Gage and Maverick wanted one with her. She needed to start hoarding her money in order to have enough to hit the road once the time came to leave again. She wouldn’t be able to deal with the guys once she got too comfortable around them. They’d push her to spend more time with them, and she’d start to resent it. Then she’d start to resent them. Then it would be time to go.
Why hadn’t she just said no and stood her ground? She liked Cozy. It would have been a nice place to settle down for a while. All because of two men who were determined to make her the meat in their ménage sandwich.
Chapter Six
Gage slammed the door shut on the truck and limped into the house. He wasn’t angry at Shay so much as angry that she’d been hurt so badly that she wasn’t willing to give a relationship with them a chance.
Then why did she agree to go to eat with us Tuesday night?
Women confused the hell out of him sometimes. They said one thing then did something else.
“What are you thinking about so hard over there?” Maverick asked.
“Shay. Why’d you ask her out after she told us she wasn’t interested in anything permanent?”
“Because I think she’s lying to herself. I think she’s just as attracted to us as we are to her and she’s trying to convince herself that it’s true.”
“What makes you say that?” Gage asked.
“She reacts to us when we touch her. Her face turns that cute pink color and she gasps. She’s been hurt before and is trying to protect herself the only way she knows how and that’s to push people away,” Maverick told him.
“She still may walk away, man,” Gage said.
“Yeah, maybe, but she’s worth the chance.”
“I agree.”
“So we’re in this together?” Maverick asked.
“Absofuckinglutely.”
Gage opened the fridge and pulled out two beers tossing one to Maverick. His friend caught it then nearly dropped it when his hand spasmed. He cursed, but managed to keep hold of it. Gage wished he hadn’t thrown it. He hated to see his friend struggle with his hands just as much as he hated the mess his leg was in. They both struggled every day with their own demons. Were they asking too much to find a woman who could handle their issues?
Maybe, maybe not.
Regardless, he was already a little bit in love with Shay. She was perfect for them. She was strong, sweet, self-sufficient and didn’t need them to take care of her, but did need stability and their support. They could give her plenty of that.
Gage sat in his chair and pulled up the game he was working on and tried to concentrate on the next segment of the game. All he could think about was how cute she’d looked today and the annoyed face when they’d arrived early to pick her up. She’d been just as cute then as she was when they’d watched her taking in all the booths at the fair.
He wondered what she’d be like beneath him. He wanted to taste her sweet pussy and feel her cunt tighten around him as he thrust his dick deep inside her depths. He bet she’d burn him alive. He could almost feel how hot and tight she’d be.
He groaned and adjusted his cock. The damn thing seemed to have a mind of its own anytime he was near her or thinking about her. He stayed semi-hard all the time now. Jerking off had become a part-time hobby since knowing her. It was a wonder he wasn’t rubbed raw and bleeding.
Could they talk her into giving them a chance or was it a lost cause? He didn’t know if he could bed her then watch her walk away without losing a piece of himself to her. Hell, he may have already lost a part of himself to her and she wasn’t even gone yet.
* * * *
Maverick fiddled with the motorcycle trying to smooth some of the edges on the seat with the fine grit sandpaper. His heart wasn’t into it though. All he could think about was Shay’s words. She wasn’t into a relationship with them. She wasn’t planning on sticking around. That thought had his heart racing and his stomach boiling like water at a crawfish boil. How were they going to convince her to stay and give them a chance?
Shay was a one of a kind woman. He was certain she was the one for them. Her warm smile and easy going spirit were perfect for them. She didn’t try and baby them and she didn’t expect them to cater to her every whim. Not that they wouldn’t. All he wanted to do was take care of her and see her smile. But she didn’t need him to. She was fine on her own.
And that was part of the problem. She didn’t need them. He wanted her to want them just as much as they wanted her. What could they do to make that happen?
He had until Tuesday night to figure that out. He was afraid they only had one shot at convincing her to give them a chance at proving to her they were good men and would treat her right. One chance at convincing her to give a ménage relationship a chance.
Maverick wished he had five minutes in a room with whoever had hurt her so badly that she was afraid to give them a chance at making her happy. Just five minutes to pound on the man who’d done a number on the one woman he was sure was perfect for them. He’d teach the son of a bitch a lesson on how to treat a lady.
Not just any lady.
Their lady.
Yeah, Shay was theirs. He just had to convince her of that. They had to take it one day at a time. As much as he wanted her in their bed. They couldn’t pressure her. He didn’t want her to run. He had a feeling that she would at the slightest hint of things becoming too much for her to handle. All she had to do was get on her bike and ride. Maverick sighed and gave up on the bike. He blew off the excess dust and covered it with a cloth then put away his tools and carried his empty beer bottle to the house. He started to tell Gage he was heading up to take a shower but decided to leave the other man alone. He was probably wrapped up in a game and wouldn’t want to be disturbed. Maverick dropped the empty bottle in the recycle bin and climbed the stairs glad that for once his hands weren’t acting up. Too bad he hadn’t been in the mood to work.
Instead, he stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower. The hot water felt good to his aching neck and shoulder muscles he got from leaning over to work on the bike. After cleaning up, he palmed his stiff erection and groaned at the thought of Shay kneeling before him. Just the thought had his balls tighten and his cock jerking in his hand.
Fuck he wanted her. Wanted her in a way he’d never wanted another woman. Her sassy mouth and independent attitude were a turn on when he wouldn’t have thought they would be if someone had asked him that three months ago.
He poured a generous amount of soap in his hand and tugged on his dick several times before running his hand over the tip of him then back down again. He groaned then squeezed the base as he reached between his legs and lightly squeezed his balls.
She’d kneel there with her hands resting on his thighs waiting on him to give her his dick. She’d look up at him from beneath her lashes and smile then open her mouth and wait. He’d tease her with just the tip and run it around her lips before feeding her just the crown. She’d suck on it, trying to suck more of it in her mouth.
He groaned at the thought of her sucking on his cockhead. It would feel so damn good.
Maverick tightened his hand around his shaft and tugged harder on it.
Shay would squeeze his thighs trying to take in more of him. He’d allow her to suck in more of him before pulling back out then giving her more. When she finally had as much of him as she could take without choking, he’d thread his
He could imagine her relaxing her throat to allow him a little more depth as she swallowed around him and milked his dick. He groaned and dug his fingers in her scalp. She moaned around him vibrating against his shaft making him jerk in her mouth.
Fuck it was so damn good. He couldn’t get enough of her. She went down on him over and over again. Then she cupped his balls and gently rolled them in the palm of her hand as she sucked him and squeezed the base of his cock with her other hand.
Maverick tugged on his cock harder and harder, squeezing as he went up on his toes as his cum boiled in his balls. He was close. So damn close. His ass muscles were tight and aching as he raced toward orgasm.
Shay was moaning around his dick so that the vibrations stimulated him even more and he warned her he was about to come. She only sucked him harder, and when he spewed his seed, she swallowed convulsively taking it all and swallowing him down. Her eyes on him as she did.
Maverick yelled out and slapped the wall of the shower with one hand as he went up on the balls of his feet and shot his load. A few more tugs and he was spent. He leaned his forehead against the cool tiles and panted until he was able to breathe easier then stood straight again and rinsed off, cleaning up the mess he’d made.
By the time he’d gotten out of the shower, his hands were almost useless again. He only managed to half dry off before sitting on the edge of the bed and shaking his head.
And he wanted to claim Shay as his and Gage’s woman. He couldn’t even take care of himself.
Chapter Seven
Shay was ashamed that she’d gone out and spent some of her hard-earned money on a dress for Tuesday night. Yeah, it had been at the thrift store, but she shouldn’t have wanted to dress up for them. That had meant she’d needed sandals, as well. Now she stood in front of the mirror on the back of the bathroom door and tried to decide if it was too much.
I look like I care about what they think of me. They’re going to think I’m interested in them. Why did I buy this stupid dress?
Because she’d wanted to look nice. Plain and simple. She was a woman and wanted to look her best. She might as well stop worrying about it and finish getting ready. Shay brushed her hair back away from her face and pulled just the sides of it back with a barrette. It curled down her back, keeping it away from her eyes. She added some lip gloss and called herself ready.
Not long after that there was a knock at her door. She checked to see who it was and found Gage at the door. She opened it and smiled at the obviously approving look he gave her.
“You look amazing,” he said. “Maverick’s going to shit when he sees you. Ready?”
“Let me get my purse.” She stepped back inside and got her bag then locked up after closing the door. She let Gage guide her down the walk toward the truck. Sure enough, Maverick’s eyes grew wide as she neared the truck. He reached over and opened the door from the driver’s side.
“Fuck me. You look good enough to eat, babe,” he said.
“Thanks,”
Gage helped her up then settled next to her as she fastened her seat belt. Maverick just continued to stare at her for a good fifteen seconds before he finally shook himself and put the truck in reverse to back out of the drive. Once they were on their way to the steak house, he spoke again.
“I really like that dress.”
“Thanks,” she said.
“Did you wear it for us?” he asked.
“I wore it to make myself feel good,” she said.
“Do you feel good?” Maverick asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Good,” he said. “Cause you look like sex on a stick and I’m really wanting to lick you.”
Shay couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing. Gage joined her, and after a few seconds, Maverick joined them. They were still laughing when he pulled into the gravel parking lot of the steak house.
Once inside the building, the hostess showed them to their table and said their waitress would be with them soon. They perused their menus and talked about what they wanted to eat. Shay wasn’t in the least surprised when they said steak. After the waitress took their drink orders and returned to take their meal order, she had decided on the salmon and the men got the sirloins.
“Do you eat here often?” she asked.
“Not really. We normally cook our own steaks at the house. Don’t go out much at all except once, maybe twice a week in the summer to the bar. Don’t go down the mountain much in the winter,” Gage said.
“Hadn’t thought about that. Winter time, the bar won’t be very busy, will it?” she asked.
“No, it won’t,” Maverick said.
“I’ll need another job if I stick around that long,” Shay mused.
Gage changed the subject. “What do you like to do in your spare time?”
“Mostly I read. I like to cook, but I don’t do that much since it’s just me and I don’t always have the money to do it,” she said.
“We’ll buy the food if you’ll cook the meal,” Maverick said.
“Anything you want to cook,” Gage added.
Shay laughed. “Sick of your own cooking?”
“More like tired of sandwiches and heated-up soup,” Gage said.
“You poor boys. Sure, I’ll cook for you. When?” she asked.
“How about Sunday? You’re working tomorrow, right?” he asked.
“Yeah. Sunday is my first night off again. Sure, Sunday will be fine,” Shay said.
“Give us a list of what you need and we’ll pick it up at the store for you before Sunday,” Gage said.
“I’ll come up with one by Friday and give it to you Friday night. How will that be?” she asked.
“That will be fine,” Maverick said. He rubbed his hands together. “Can’t wait.”
Gage chuckled. “Sunday is his turn to make the sandwiches or heat up the soup or chili or whatever else comes in a can. He’s getting off easy,” Gage said.
Shay laughed. “I’ll make him help, so he still has to do something.”
“I don’t care. I’ll help you if it means we get real food,” Maverick said.
She cocked her head to one side. Was he really offering to help her cook? She couldn’t picture him helping in the kitchen. Why would he offer like that? It would serve him right if she made him wear an apron. She couldn’t stop the smile from forming on her face at the image of the big man wearing a frilly apron over his T-shirt and jeans. Yeah, she could totally get into that.
“What’s so funny?” Maverick asked as if he sensed she was thinking sinister thoughts.
“Nothing. I can’t wait to cook for you guys. It should be fun.” She cocked her head. “What about you guys? What do you do in your spare time?”
“Watch a little TV, play shooter games,” Gage said.
“Typical,” she said, shaking her head.
“Hey, we’re men,” Maverick said.
“I bet you watch sports, football, and baseball,” she said.
“Some, but mostly we watch the History Channel,” Gage said with a smirk.
She widened her eyes. “Really? That’s cool. I like the Animal Planet, but don’t get to see it much. I don’t have cable and usually I don’t even have a TV.”
“You can watch it at our house when you come cook for us,” Maverick offered.
“You’d let me eat into your History Channel time to watch Animal Planet?” she asked with a wide grin.
“Sure,” he said. “We can watch what we want any time.”
Again they surprised her. They were kind and generous as well as fun. They were actually teasing her and offering her something she hadn’t had in a while. Companionship. They were definitely dangerous. What had she gotten herself into?
They finished their meal. The guys each ordered dessert, but Shay declined. She was full. It had been a long time since she’d had something as good as the salmon had been. She didn’t want to stuff herself.
“Ready to go?” Gage asked.
“Yeah. This has been nice. Thank you for asking me, guys,” she said as she stood.
“We’re glad you agreed to come with us. We’ve enjoyed it, too,” Gage said.
“Can’t wait for you to come over Sunday night,” Maverick said.
“It’s going to be fun,” she agreed.
They drove home in silence. She didn’t feel the least bit pressured to fill it. She also wasn’t uncomfortable with them touching her any longer. She didn’t try to exam it. She just accepted it and enjoyed the moment. It had been a long time since she’d enjoyed anything as much as she had this night.
When they pulled into her drive, she felt her heart drop. It was over. Her one night of fun was through. Gage climbed down and reached over to help her out of the truck once she’d unbuckled her seat belt. To her surprise, Maverick climbed down from the truck, as well.
They each walked her to her door. She started to dig in her purse for her keys, but Gage stopped her. He smiled down at her and bent his head and kissed her. She was so shocked she didn’t react for an entire two seconds, then she kissed him back as he swept his tongue across her lips asking her to open to him. When she did, he stroked along her tongue and over every inch of her mouth. When he pulled back, she was breathless and unsteady on her feet.
“Good night, Shay.” Gage kissed her forehead and turned her toward Maverick.
Maverick didn’t do anything simple or easy. He palmed the back of her head and drew her in tight against his body as he covered her mouth with his. She opened to him without even thinking, reacting to his demands in self-preservation. He explored every inch of her mouth with his tongue, heating her blood and guaranteeing that her panties were wet if they hadn’t already been wet from Gage’s kiss.
When he finally let her go, Shay had to hold on to him for a few seconds to get her balance and slow the dizziness in her head. He smirked at her before dropping another quick kiss on her lips.
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