The Stylist, His Dom, and Their Dancer [Hedon Falls 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Michelle Graham

  “Nicole. Nicole, wake up.”

  Shay’s voice floated through her head, and she became aware of the train slowing down. Blinking, she sat up to find Shay beside her, pulling his arm back from around her shoulders. She crinkled her eyes in confusion.

  “I gave Remy a break,” he said in answer to her unasked question. “But we’re getting to the station now.”

  “Oh.”

  The other people in the train car were getting ready to disembark, raising their seats upright, gathering their belongings, and standing to retrieve their luggage from the overhead racks. Shay stood and took her bags down for her.

  “Thank you.”

  He nodded before moving across the aisle to help Remy’s parents, and before Nicole realized it, they were pulling into the train station.

  They had chosen to travel by train because the hotel where the competition would take place stood on top of the main station in Montreal. Once they had left the train, they made their way through a few sets of doors, and up an escalator into a cavernous hall filled with shops and people moving about. Shay led them to another escalator, which carried them up to the ground level of the hotel. He drew Nicole up beside him when they reached the lobby.

  “Check in with me,” he said.

  Not knowing what else to do, she walked with him to the line at the front desk. While they waited, she looked around, waving at some of the other dance teachers that she saw, the activity around her building her excitement. When they finally made it to the desk, Shay took charge before Nicole could say anything.

  “I have a reservation for two rooms under O’Connell,” he said. “And she has a reservation for Collins, but we’d like three rooms together.”

  “Shay,” she started, but he took her hand and squeezed it.

  “I’ll take care of it,” he said. The employee found a block of rooms beside each other, but it would mean an additional fee, and though Nicole tried to protest, Shay dismissed her concerns and plunked down his credit card before she could object.

  “Thank you,” she said after they’d been given their room keys and had headed for the elevator. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “Without you, none of the rest of us would be here,” Shay said, meeting her eyes. “It’s the least we can do.”

  Nicole swallowed the lump that rose in her throat and simply nodded.

  * * * *

  Nicole woke early the following morning to help Ainsley prepare for her competition. Remy had already done her hair, pulling it up into a tight bun and securing the massive wig to her head. Makeup was Nicole’s job, and she helped Ainsley to apply it. When they had finished, all six of them crowded into Remy and Shay’s room for photos and a light breakfast before heading down to the conference rooms where the main competition would take place.

  Nerves gripped Nicole, and though she tried to relax, it was difficult. Because this competition brought representatives from Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, Ainsley would be dancing against girls she’d never faced in the regular competitions, and Nicole had no idea what to expect. She accompanied Ainsley to the practice room to help her warm up and to go over her dances one more time before they called the girls under eleven to check in.

  “Remember,” Nicole said before sending her off. “As long as you do the best you can, I’ll be happy. Even if it means you come in last.”

  Ainsley threw her arms around Nicole. “I’m gonna win this thing. You watch.” And with that, she skipped off to the check in desk.

  The first row of chairs for spectators was reserved for teachers, but Nicole went to sit with Shay, Remy, and his parents. Remy patted the empty chair between him and Shay, and Nicole took it. She watched anxiously as the competition began, and when it was Ainsley’s turn to take the stage, she leaned forward on her chair. Remy took her hand and gave it a squeeze. The young dancer executed every step perfectly and Nicole felt a measure of relief, but another round of dancing had to be completed before the judges decided who would be recalled.

  When Ainsley returned to them, they all hugged her tightly before Nicole helped her put on the soft shoes she needed for the next round of competition. With a big smile and thumbs up, she skipped back to the check-in table.

  “I thought she looked great,” Remy said.

  “She did,” Nicole said. “But with the international adjudicators it’s harder to say how she’ll do. They’re not the same judges she usually dances for.”

  “However it turns out, we’re just happy to be here.”

  She smiled at him, her stomach fluttering a little when he rubbed her lower back. His warm touch nearly made her forget about the chaos around them.

  “Why does she have to dance again?” asked Remy’s dad.

  “They do two rounds.” Nicole turned to him as she explained. “One in soft shoes, and one in hard shoes. Then the scores are totaled, and the top half are recalled to do a third dance.”

  “So she may have to dance again after this?” Mr. Alexander said.

  “I hope so.”

  “They’re all so good,” Mrs. Alexander said. “I don’t know how the judges can decide.”

  “Well, that’s why there’s three of them,” Nicole said. “To balance each other out.”

  They fell silent as Ainsley returned to the stage. Once again, she did every step perfectly, and Nicole was giddy with excitement when she returned.

  “Can we go look at the stuff for sale now?” Ainsley said.

  “You bet,” Shay replied.

  “You guys go ahead,” Nicole said, hanging back when they reached the door to the vendors’ room. “I’m going to wait by the results wall.”

  “No way,” Remy said as his parents and Shay trailed after Ainsley. “You’ll drive yourself nuts. Come with us and be distracted.”

  She laughed. “I don’t think anything could distract me right now.”

  He raised an eyebrow, as a sultry smile played over his lips. “I bet I can think of something.” Taking her hand, he stepped closer, well into her personal space, and he tilted her face up to look at him.

  Nicole swallowed and licked her lips, not missing the way his gaze followed the movement of her tongue. Deep within her, the arousal that always seemed to be simmering bubbled up into her entire body. As her heart raced, her nipples tightened, and her pussy dampened. Remy wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to her ear. “How’s this for distraction?”

  What is pressing into my stomach? She mentally slapped herself as she realized a second later that Remy was just as aroused as her, and her face burned. She could only moan softly. He chuckled and stepped away again, though he didn’t let go of her hand. There was no argument when he pulled her into the room and led her around. Nicole’s mind raced as she tried to figure out what Remy was thinking. His words from the train the previous day came back to her. We both have very strong feelings for you. But what did that mean exactly? And if Shay’s feelings were so strong, why was he studiously ignoring her?

  She spent so much time thinking about her relationship with the two men, that she forgot about checking the recall notices, until she spotted a couple of the other girls who danced against Ainsley. One jumped around in excitement while the other cried into her mother’s arms.

  “Remy!” she gasped. “The results are up!” And though he tried, he couldn’t keep her hand in his when she bolted for the door. The crowd pressed close to the wall where the results were posted and she slipped in between bodies wherever she could until she stood close enough to see the list of numbers. Scanning quickly, her heart jumped when she spotted Ainsley’s number. She turned to see Remy, Shay, and Ainsley standing near the back of the crowd and flashed them a smile and thumbs up. As she worked her way back to them, Ainsley gave each of her dads a high-five.

  “You did it!” Nicole cried, sweeping the girl into a big hug when she reached them. “I’m so proud of you!”

  “Thanks, Miss Nicole! But shouldn’t we go get ready for the next round?”
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  “You bet.” She glanced at her watch. “The other group is just finishing up, so let’s run through your set once and then head into the room.”

  “We’ll see you in there,” Remy said.

  Thirty minutes later, Nicole found herself perched between Shay and Remy again, wiggling in her seat, struggling against the urge to get up and pace around. Remy reached out and took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. Once again, Ainsley did not disappoint.

  “Now what?” Ainsley asked when she got to their seats.

  “The awards aren’t until later,” Nicole said. “So we should have dinner first.”

  Even though dinner had been Nicole’s suggestion, she couldn’t eat more than a few bites. “You’d think you were the one dancing,” Mr. Alexander told her. “Even Ainsley is eating more than you are.”

  “I can’t help it,” Nicole replied, pushing the food around on her plate, too wound up to eat any more. Though she wouldn’t be the one receiving an award, it still reflected on her studio and her capabilities as a dance instructor. There had been some doubts among the more established schools in the Toronto area, and one of the other teachers had even suggested Nicole give up her own school to come and teach with them. But it had always been Nicole’s dream to teach in Hedon Falls, where she could be close to her family and friends. The Irish population in the town was certainly high enough to provide her with plenty of students. So far, Ainsley far outshone any of the rest, though a number had potential and Nicole knew it wouldn’t be long before she had a larger group of representatives at this competition.

  After they had finished eating, they trooped back to the hotel and Ainsley put her dress back on for the awards ceremony. In the packed banquet hall where the presentation would take place, Nicole and Ainsley’s family were forced to stand in the back because every available chair was occupied. The blood rushed in her ears and she could barely hear a thing as the girls in Ainsley’s group stood in their line along the back of the stage. Fourteen altogether. The awards began with fourteenth place, and each time a number was called and it wasn’t Ainsley’s, Nicole’s excitement grew. She bounced on the balls of her feet, only vaguely aware of Remy’s hand on her waist.

  By the time they reached the top three contenders, Nicole stood holding her breath. Third place went to a girl from one of the Quebec schools, leaving only Ainsley and a dancer from the Toronto school that had offered Nicole a job. Silence fell in the room as the throng of people waited for the final announcement.

  “Second place,” said the presenter before a dramatic pause. “The second place winner is…Maeve Baxter from the Gallagher school.”

  A roar went up from the crowd and Nicole burst into tears as Remy pulled her up into his arms and swung her around, nearly bumping into half a dozen people as Ainsley climbed to the top spot on the podium to accept her sash and a trophy nearly as large as she was. Without thinking, Nicole kissed Remy square on the lips as he set her down. She threw her arms around Shay and hugged him tightly before dragging both of them to the front of the room to meet the young girl.

  Along the way, other teachers, parents, and students offered Nicole their congratulations. When she finally reached the stage, Ainsley was coming off it. Shay took the trophy and the girl raced into Nicole’s arms.

  “Sweetie, you’re fantastic!” she said, before more tears choked off the words. A moment later, Remy and Shay both put their arms around the girls, and the four of them stood there holding each other.

  Nicole thought about how happy she’d been when she won the World Championships and realized that it paled in comparison to the joy in her heart at that moment.

  Chapter 7

  The moment Shay saw his daughter standing at the top of the podium, his heart nearly burst with pride. Beside him, Remy and Nicole screamed as they held each other, and then he watched in shock as she kissed him on the lips. She flung her arms around him, and before he could do anything, grabbed his hand to tug him up to the front of the room. As Ainsley left the stage, Shay took the trophy from her and she ran right to Nicole, jumping up into her teacher’s arms. The two stood there, tears of joy running down both faces, and he felt something click into place in his heart.

  “Fuck me,” he breathed softly.

  “What, right here?” Remy said from his side. “I don’t mind but the parents and kids in the room might object.”

  Shay shot a glare at his husband, though he couldn’t maintain the stony look for long before he pulled him into a hug. When he leaned back, he gazed into Remy’s eyes. “I’m ready.”

  Confusion flashed in Remy’s eyes, followed swiftly by understanding, and Shay kissed him gently. “We’ll take it easy, but I’m ready to try.”

  “God, Shay, I’ve been waiting for you to say that.” Remy breathed. “Thank you.”

  “Let’s go and give our girls a hug, shall we?”

  With a grin, Remy led the way, and they wrapped their arms around the girls, albeit a little awkwardly because of the trophy Shay still clutched in his hand. His father-in-law appeared at his side and took the award from him so he could hold them more completely and his eyes met Remy’s over Nicole’s shoulder.

  It seemed their family was about to grow.

  * * * *

  The next day, Mrs. Alexander wanted to visit the botanical gardens before the evening banquet where the winners from every age group would be presented in the Parade of Champions.

  “Grandma, I don’t want to go there,” Ainsley said. “Plants are boring. If we go to the Biodome, we can see animals and plants.”

  Shay chuckled at his daughter. He knew his mother-in-law couldn’t resist her, and she knew it, too. At last she broke down the older woman’s resolve and they headed for the large facility, which housed different ecosystems. The atmosphere in the rainforest was peaceful, the many tropical plants adding exotic fragrances to the humid air. Nicole and Ainsley wandered up ahead of Remy and Shay, the little girl too eager to match her fathers’ pace. Behind them, Mr. And Mrs. Alexander stopped to examine every information board and poster along the way.

  “My parents are going to watch Ainsley tonight while we’re at the banquet,” Remy said. “She can sleep in their room and then ours will be empty. Perfect for entertaining.”

  Shay nodded. “Do you think she’ll be interested?” What if she didn’t want them? She’d acted so cool with him recently. Maybe she’d tell them both to fuck off.

  Remy laughed loudly enough that Nicole and Ainsley turned back to look at them. He gave them a wave and they turned again, though not before Nicole smiled sweetly at him. “I think she’ll be more than interested,” Remy told him. “The mood will be celebratory, there will be champagne, and emotions running high. Plus there’s a dance, so there will be plenty of opportunity to get her up close.”

  “She kissed you yesterday. She didn’t kiss me.”

  “She thinks you hate her because you’ve been so standoffish since that kitchen thing,” Remy said. “You should explain to her about your hang-ups, or she won’t understand.”

  Shay shook his head. “I said I’m ready to begin a relationship, but I’m not ready to tell her about that yet.” No one apart from his therapist and Remy knew of Shay’s past, and while Nicole was sweet, he wasn’t ready to entrust her with the details.

  “Okay, okay,” Remy said. “I won’t push. Just as long as you know that it could cause problems.”

  “I know.”

  They caught up to the girls at the gift shop, where Nicole insisted on buying Ainsley a pair of sterling silver earrings and a matching necklace to congratulate her. Shay stood to the side watching the two interact and thought what a great mother Nicole would be. Slow down! You haven’t even begun a relationship with her yet! He shook his head and turned to find Mrs. Alexander looking at him.

  “Hi, Mom,” he said. “Are you enjoying the gardens?”

  “Yes, thank you,” she replied, and then looked toward Nicole again. “She’s a wonderful girl, you know.”


  “We’re very proud of her,” Shay replied.

  “I meant Nicole.”

  Shooting a startled glance at his mother-in-law, Shay wondered what the older woman had noticed. “Oh,” was all he could say.

  Mrs. Alexander smiled and patted his arm. “I think she’d be good for all of you, if you let her get close. Remy already talked to us about keeping Ainsley tonight, so I want you three to have fun, understood?”

  Stunned, Shay could only nod, and hope that she was right.

  * * * *

  Remy took Ainsley to his parents’ room after he finished doing her hair again, leaving Shay to think about the coming evening and try to quiet the butterflies in his stomach. It had been a long time since he’d had to worry about impressing a date. Remy assured him that everything would go well, but he couldn’t keep all his worries at bay. With a sigh, he tied his tie again, adjusting the knot until it sat perfectly at his throat. He dabbed a bit of cologne on his neck and ran a comb through his hair. He heard the room door open, and then Remy came to stand behind him in the bathroom.

  “Hey, sexy,” Remy said, wrapping his arms around Shay’s waist. “Looking good.”

  In the mirror, Shay’s eyes met Remy’s and he arched an eyebrow.

  “I meant, looking good, Sir.”

  Shay smiled and turned to give Remy a kiss, their lips moving slowly together. Shay slid his hand down to cup Remy’s ass and felt his own erection grow when his husband groaned. When they broke apart, Shay gazed lovingly at the man he’d married. Remy was good with relationships and Shay trusted his judgment in adding Nicole. “Should we go pick up our date?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Checking for his wallet and room key, Shay followed Remy out into the hall and to Nicole’s room next door. He knocked and stood waiting.

  “Just a minute!” she called from inside.

  Remy whistled and Shay tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for Nicole to open the door. When she did, Shay’s jaw dropped. She stood before them, red hair swept up into a loose pile of curls on the top of her head, a few stray pieces hanging down to frame her elfin face. Her green eyes sparkled behind her artful makeup, and her full lips were painted a delicious shade of pink. As his eyes travelled down her body, he took in the tight, strapless black dress which hugged her petite figure and highlighted all her curves, before ending at midthigh. Shay licked his lips, his cock growing hard at the sight of her.