Worry churned in his gut. “I’ll go up there, keep her company while you’re cooking dinner.”
He raced up the stairs without waiting for Gavin’s reply, slowing at the last moment before bursting through the door, remembering that she may very well be sleeping. He stepped inside to find her out of her bed and staring out the window. The t-shirt she wore barely covered her ass and he caught glimpses of her firm, round butt.
“Are you supposed to be out of bed, Lila?” he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the door.
She gasped and turned, one hand covering her chest, while the other went to the hem of her t-shirt, trying to tug it down. “Colin! You scared me, have you ever heard of knocking?”
“Well, I figured you’d be asleep.”
Wrinkling her nose at him, she moved to the bed, sitting on the side. “I’m sick of lying around. It’s boring.”
She looked better than she had this morning though, he noticed. Her cheeks held some color and those dark patches beneath her eyes had lightened. Seemed like an afternoon in bed was precisely what the doctor ordered.
“You look better,” he agreed. “But you did faint today. It’s been a tough few weeks, Lila. You need to give yourself a chance to recover.”
“You guys have been through the same stuff I have. I don’t notice you lying around in bed all day.”
“But we haven’t just recovered from a bad viral infection,” he reminded her, coming to sit beside her. “Tell you what,” he tapped her nose, “you hop back into bed and when I’m finished in the shower I’ll come and carry you downstairs for dinner.”
She rolled her eyes, but nodded. Colin grabbed her legs, tugging them up into the bed. Leaning down, he kissed her. Intending it to be just a small, sweet kiss, he was surprised when she opened her mouth, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pulled him closer.
Colin worried about whether this is what she really wanted. Or whether she’d change her mind once she experienced the reality of being in a relationship with three men.
He needed to get her into bed with them, show her how much she could enjoy three men. Then she’d never leave.
“I’m so happy you’re sticking around, babe,” he told her.
She smiled, a little nervous. “Me too.”
Colin brushed a finger over her nipple, she shivered as it hardened. Just then her stomach growled. He grinned as she blushed.
“I’m hungry.”
“Well, milady, let me go see about your dinner.”
“Why, thank you, kind sir,” she teased with a smile. Damn, she was beautiful with dark curls resting around her head and those wide, innocent eyes.
“I want to give you whatever you need.”
“Oh, well then, what I really need is to convince Gavin that he doesn’t need to spank me.”
Colin chuckled as he turned to walk out of the room. At the door, he turned around, safely out of her reach. “And miss out on seeing that delicious ass of yours turning bright red? I don’t think so. And Lila, you might not believe it, but a spanking is something you definitely need.”
He quickly left the room before she could retaliate.
*****
Lila left the doctor’s office the next morning, Gavin beside her, his hand resting on the small of her back.
“I could have paid the bill myself, Gavin,” she said with exasperation, although it would have wiped out her bank account. She really needed to get a job.
He snorted, ignoring her protest. “Want to stop at the diner for a coffee?”
“Don’t you have to get back?” she asked with surprise. She loved spending time with him, any of them, but didn’t want to hold him up.
Last night after dinner she’d cuddled up on the sofa with Colin and Gavin as Trace had cleaned up the kitchen. None of them would even hear of her helping. She’d basked in their attention, thrilled to just be with them.
“I have a bit of time. I thought you might enjoy some time away from the ranch.”
She hadn’t really been into town since she’d been back, other than to drive through on her way to the hospital to visit Clay.
“That would be nice.”
They were soon sitting in a booth, a large slice of pie and two steaming cups of coffee sitting before them. Peggy, the owner, had given her a large hug when she’d walked in. She’d owned this place for years and Lila always liked her.
She dropped her gaze to the piece of pie, feeling sad.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Gavin asked gently.
Lila raised her face. “Nothing, just remembering the first time Clay brought me here for pie. I’d never eaten at a diner before, never tasted pie either.”
“He was a good man,” Gavin agreed. “He didn’t have to take in a surly, attitude-filled fifteen year old boy, but he accepted me without a word of complaint. We must have pushed his temper so many times. I mean, he had an easy, bachelor life then one day he comes home to find his best friend dead. And suddenly he has a household full of teenage boys. It’s a wonder he didn’t kill us.”
“Or wallop you every day.”
“And twice on Sunday’s,” he agreed. Spooning her up some pie, he held it to her mouth.
She looked around. “Ahh, do you think you should be doing that?” she asked.
“What?” he asked. “Feeding you?”
A flush covered her cheeks. “Well, won’t people think it’s strange? I mean, we’re practically brother and sister.”
He raised a brow. “But we’re not, and our feelings towards each other are not what a brother and sister feel. Did you really think we were going to hide how we felt for you, Lila?”
“Ahh, well, I mean, what will people think when they see me with each of you?”
He leaned back, staring at her. “Since when do you care about what people think?”
“Since I don’t want you guys to suffer!” she whispered back. “You have businesses to run, Colin and Trace, especially. I don’t want to do anything to wreck that.”
Gavin cupped her chin with his hand. “Honey, we would never allow that to happen, just like we would never allow anyone to disrespect you. You know there are a few ménage relationships around.”
“I know.” Her friend Laken had two dads. “But this is a little different, isn’t it?”
“Because we grew up in the same household? Baby girl, no one is going to even blink at that, I promise. And if anyone ever said anything to you then you would tell one of us straight away, wouldn’t you?”
She frowned slightly.
“Lila,” he warned. “Listen to me now. We are responsible for you. That means that if anyone is causing you any problems, we expect you to tell us about it.”
“I don’t want you to handle all my problems, Gavin,” she said, even though the thought of having them to lean on was undeniably attractive.
“Do you remember Logan and Max Ferguson?” Gavin asked suddenly.
She frowned slightly, wondering what the Ferguson brothers had to do with anything. “Sure they’re friends with Colin,” she said.
“Yep. And Colin was best man at their wedding to Savannah last year.”
She felt her jaw drop open. “Both of them? They share her?”
He smiled. “Sure do. In fact the number of ménage relationships in Haven is growing. You know we’re a bit more open-minded around here. Having a partner means the men have help protecting and caring for their woman, and the women, well, they don’t complain.” He winked at her.
Lila nodded. Once, her car had broken down as she was driving herself and Laken home from school. Mac Donaldson, who was a friend of Clay’s, had stopped and fixed her car, scolding her for not calling Clay immediately.
She’d called Clay at Mac’s assistance and he’d come out to meet them, following them home to make sure they made it there safely. At the time she and Laken had rolled their eyes, but secretly she’d felt warm at how Clay and Mac had taken care of them, like they’d been important
.
“So no one will be that surprised by our relationship. Now, have some pie. The doctor said you’re too thin.”
She snorted. “That’s because he took a litre of blood from me.”
“He’s just checking to make sure you’re well.”
“I’m fine,” she protested, but took the mouthful of apple pie. “He said I fainted from a combination of too much sun and fatigue.”
“I know,” Gavin said, he’d insisted on coming into the doctor’s office with her. “But it doesn’t hurt to get you all checked out. He said you refused the tests last time I took you.” Gavin scowled. “I knew I should have gone inside with you.”
She sighed but had to smile. Gavin was incredibly overprotective. And she loved him just the way he was.
“When was the last time you had a proper check-up?” he asked.
Lila squirmed on her seat. “Before I left for college, Clay took me to get some, umm, pills.”
Gavin raised his brow. “Pills for what?” he asked.
She wished she could refuse to answer him, but he had that look on his face that told her he wasn’t going to allow her to refuse him.
“The Pill. For birth control.”
He nearly choked on the sip of coffee he’d just taken. “Say what? Clay took you to get birth control pills?”
A grin curved her lips up. “Yep, I’m not sure which one of us was more embarrassed when he brought it up. Of course, that wasn’t as bad as the conversation we had about periods.” Now her cheeks were bright red. “Lord, that was bad. And when he had to explain about tampons, I thought we’d both self-combust we were so embarrassed.”
Gavin just looked at her and shook his head. “Christ, I never even thought about that stuff. He was an amazing man.”
“He sure was,” she agreed.
Gavin looked at his watch and sighed. “I suppose we better head back. I’ll just go pay the bill and go to the bathroom.”
He squeezed her hand and slipped out of the booth. He laughed with Peggy as he paid the bill. As he moved into the bathroom, she stood and went to speak with Peggy.
“Hey, Peggy, don’t suppose you have any jobs going?” she asked.
Peggy screwed up her face. “I’m sorry, sweetie, I’ve got a full roster. Don’t know of anyone hiring, either.”
“That’s okay,” she said, disappointed. Maybe she’d have to try further down the road.
“I’ll be sure to keep an ear out, honey.”
Lila smiled. She loved the way this town worked, how they all took care of each other. They didn’t suffer fools, but they knew how to look out for their own.
“Thanks,” Lila replied.
She turned to find Gavin standing behind her. He grabbed hold of her hand, pulling her along with him as they left the diner. He opened the passenger seat and helped her into his truck.
He started up the truck, pulling it out of the parking lot. “What is Peggy keeping an ear out for?” he asked her casually.
“Hmm? Oh, for a job. She doesn’t know of any but she’ll let me know if anything comes up.”
Gavin scowled, glancing over at her. “Why do you need a job?”
“Ahh, because I need money?” she said, she’d have thought that fairly obvious.
“We have plenty of money.”
“That’s your money,” she told him. “I want my own money.”
“Well, I was kind of hoping you’d help with the bookwork at the ranch,” he told her. “You know how much I hate that.”
It was true, he detested bookwork. Everyone knew to stay out of Gavin’s way when he was doing the accounts.
“I’d be happy to help out with the bookwork, but I don’t expect you to pay me for that.”
He frowned. “If you’re working for me then I’m paying you, baby, and I don’t want to hear another word about it.”
“And I say you’ve already done enough. You guys are paying all the bills and groceries, hell; you’re even paying my doctor’s bills. I don’t want you paying me, Gavin.”
He growled. “We’ll see.”
Yes, they would.
*****
Two nights later, Lila followed Gavin and Trace into the house. They’d just taken her out to Frieda’s for dinner, one of only two restaurants in town.
She walked into the living room and threw herself down on the couch after dinner. “I am stuffed.”
“Me too,” Trace groaned, patting his stomach.
“How are you feeling, Lila? Tired?” Gavin asked as he sat in his favorite armchair.
“Well, other than being really full, I’m fine,” she moaned. She’d been surprised by how many people had stopped to talk to her tonight. She supposed they’d been at the funeral, but she’d been in a bit of a daze that day. No one had acted shocked by the way Trace and Gavin touched her constantly.
They took every chance they could to touch her, in fact, and even though their caresses remained over her clothing, Lila was about ready to burst with need.
And if the hard erections she often felt pressing against her were any indication, then her men felt the same way. She’d been thoroughly spoilt, although they never missed an opportunity to remind her that she had a punishment coming her way, something that filled her with a mix of dread and curiosity.
The only downside of the night was that Colin had been unable to join them.
“That’s good,” Gavin replied silkily. “We’ll give your dinner a chance to go down and then we’ll address the spanking you have coming.”
And just like that she forgot about the discomfit of her stomach and started to think about the comfort of her butt.
“Gavin, you really don’t need to spank me. I won’t forget my phone again, I promise.”
He stared at her seriously for a long moment. “And a spanking will help you remember. You know the rules. You put yourself in danger or risk your health and your butt gets spanked.”
She chewed her lip, watching him nervously. “I’m scared.”
Trace took her hand. “None of us would ever abuse you. I hope you know that.”
Lila nodded. “I do. I know it.”
“Then trust us,” he continued. “Yeah, your butt is going to pay, but we will never push you beyond what you can take. We do this out of love, Lila.”
She took a deep breath. They needed this from her. Hell, a part of her kind of figured she did too.
“Come here, baby.” Gavin patted his lap. But instead of pulling her over his lap as she’d expected, he tugged her to sit on his knees and held her tight, rocking her.
“Don’t ever be scared of me, please?” he whispered to her.
“I won’t,” she told him. She couldn’t be. They were hers. All three of them.
Gavin kissed her, taking her mouth, slipping his tongue inside to play with hers until she was breathing harshly.
He then helped her stand. “Okay, baby girl. Strip off your pants and panties then over my lap.”
She blushed, embarrassed. “I have to take my panties off?”
“Yes, baby girl, I only give bare-bottomed spankings.”
Horribly embarrassed, especially with Trace watching on, and yet feeling more than a little aroused, Lila let Gavin took her hand and help her settle over his lap.
Gavin looked down at Lila’s gorgeous, heart-shaped bottom and his mouth went dry. Damn, she was beautiful. Suddenly, it was hard to hold on to his resolve to give her a sharp reminder to be more careful with her safety.
He ran his hand over her bottom and she grew tense. But he simply rubbed her butt in long, lazy circles until she relaxed.
Clearing his throat, he looked up and saw the wry look Trace sent him. It helped to know his brother was feeling the same way. The last thing he wanted to do right now was spank her.
“I know you’re new to this, baby girl, so I’m going to go through the rules. You may yell and cry out but you may not swear or be disrespectful, that will only get you extras. I expect you to do your best to stay in place.
You may not hit me or bite me. There is no reaching back with your hands; if you can’t hold them before you then Trace will hold them for you.”
“No, I can do it.”
“All right then.” He slapped his hand down, once, twice until her bottom was a pretty pink. Lila lay still over his lap, her only reaction a slight hitch in her breath.
Gavin rubbed her bottom, spreading the heat. “Dammit, your ass looks even more beautiful when it’s blushing red.”
Lila looked back at him questioningly. This was a bad idea. He should continue to spank her, show her how serious he was about her safety. But…
“This was partly my fault,” he admitted. “You were exhausted, which is why you fell asleep. If I’d insisted you stay home and rest you wouldn’t have fainted.”
Lila grinned. “Does that mean I get to spank you next?” she asked cheekily.
He shook his head. “No way, brat. But it does mean I’m having trouble really spanking you.”
She pouted. “It feels like a real spanking.”
Gavin sighed, continuing to pat her softly.
“Gavin, I’m a big girl. It wasn’t your fault, it was mine. I didn’t take care of myself and I left my phone behind, although that was an accident, I should have been more careful.”
He nodded. “Twenty more then. Count them out for me.”
He spanked her steadily, not holding back as she counted each one out loud. Her voice became higher, her legs moving slightly as he got closer to the end. Then she started to cry, quiet tears that had his heart melting. But he continued on until the end. When he reached twenty, he kept her there for a bit longer, rubbing her back gently. Then he rolled her over, sitting her up, careful to make sure that her bottom didn’t touch his hard lap.
“There, there, baby, let it all out. My sweet girl.” Those words melted the last of the tension in her body and she simply sunk into his strength. Gavin hated making her cry, but knowing that they’d both needed this.
“I’m sorry, Gavin,” she told him, sounding so young. He knew that some women felt particularly vulnerable after a spanking and it could tear down the boundaries they often had up during everyday life.
Lila's Loves Page 8
