“Now Mrs. Samson-Cardoza, please, if your daughters want to see you they can tell you. For now, you can just wait on the—”
“Let her in, Cliff,” Reggie called from the living room. “She’s not going away.”
Cliff gritted his teeth but stepped back. Maybe she was a vampire and wouldn’t be able to enter the house. Reggie was real lucky he loved her.
Bettina Samson-Cardoza lifted her chin and breezed past him with a smug, plastic smile on her face. “See. Was that so hard?”
Fuck. Not a vampire. I’m going to need to smudge the house before we leave. Cliff shut the door but didn’t lock it. He followed the sharp clacks of Bettina’s heels and settled on the couch next to Bax, making a show of placing his arm around his partner and drawing him close.
She curled her lips in distaste but kept her comments to herself. Without waiting for an invitation, she settled down in an armchair across from them, arms on the rests, chin up, and her stare grazing all of them in turn, but lingering only for a few seconds before she focused on her daughters.
“Well, do you want to explain yourselves?” she demanded.
Reggie narrowed her eyes at her mother. “What do you mean, ‘yourselves’? We have nothing to say to you.”
Bettina lifted a thin brow. “So why did you allow Clifford to let me in?”
Reggie shrugged. “Because it would be rude to let you stew on the porch? Why are you here, Mother?”
Bettina brushed off the comment with the wave of her hand. “I am here because you both are acting like spoiled brats. I demand you come home this instant.” She stood up, smoothed her blazer and pants down. “Get your things and I’ll meet you at the car.”
She headed to the entryway.
“No,” Dana replied, in a firm, even tone. “We are not going with you. At least I’m not. I’m going to stay with a friend until all of this is over.”
Bettina sniffed. “Don’t be absurd. You will return to the house where you will apologize to Timothy and beg him to take you back.” She narrowed her eyes at Dana. “Accept his proposal and we can hurry up and try forgetting this ever happened.”
Dana and Reggie shot to their feet. Cliff and Bax remained seated. Cliff reached out and placed a hand on Bax’s thigh in silent warning. Bax glanced at him and nodded.
This was not their fight. They could offer support and nothing else.
“So you orchestrated his proposal, despite not knowing Dana’s desires?” Reggie exclaimed. “Why do you keep meddling in our lives? We are doing fine without you!”
Bettina shook her head. “Clearly not. You insist on consorting with these men. You refuse to allow me to help improve your life with connections that could advance your career from a mere nurse to something more, or at the very least allow you to marry well. Your sister refuses to accept an internship with Antonio’s firm.” She shifted her focus from Reggie to Dana. “You don’t need to become a lawyer, dear. Why waste your inheritance like this?”
“It’s our lives!” Reggie burst out. “We decide what we want to do. And these men are the best friends I’ve ever had. I love them very much. They deserve your respect and admiration. They pulled themselves up from nothing and became huge successes. Hell, you’re standing in the evidence of that. They give back to the town every day, more than you and Antonio do! How dare you!” She took a step forward. “I’ve had enough of you. Until you learn to act like a human being, you are not welcome in my home, and I won’t answer any summons from you.”
Bettina let out a low growl. “Don’t make threats you can’t keep, dear. I can make your life in Charlotte hell.”
Cliff launched to his feet. “Mrs. Samson-Cardoza, you’re clearly stressed and tired. I suggest you leave now and come back when you’re calmer.”
Bettina glared at him. Ice in her eyes. He suspected she wanted to tear him a couple of new holes for daring to cross her, but she only lifted her chin. “Fine. I’ll leave. For now. But you better get your things, Dana. I will speak with you later, Regina,” she said coldly.
She turned on her heel and stalked out of the room. They heard the click of the front door closing behind her.
Dana exhaled, and Reggie sank down to the couch, pulling her sister with her. “Look, Mom can be a handful, and she’s obviously a pain the ass, but she means well…sort of. Just give her space. I can get your stuff if you want.”
“Or you can stay here,” Bax blurted out.
Cliff threw him a surprised glance. How the hell could they convince Reggie to agree to a relationship with them if they had Dana to worry about? Still, he brushed away that concern and agreed with his lover. “Sure, we have room in the guest house. That will give you all the privacy you need, and it’s fully stocked so you can cook your own meals if you want.” There, that would keep Dana close, but give all them the privacy they needed to wear Reggie down.
Bax smirked at him but kept whatever he wanted to say to himself.
Dana shook her head. “No, no, I couldn’t impose. Besides, I already asked Iris, and she said it was OK. She’s all alone this holiday season. Her parents are on a cruise around the Mediterranean, so she wants the company. But thanks.”
“If you change your mind,” Cliff said, “you know where we are.”
She nodded and gave them a shy smile. “Thank you all for listening to me. I didn’t mean to come over here an emotional mess. I actually wanted to come over today to sneak a peek at the house. Everyone in town is gushing about the work you’ve done on it and how much it cost and how much work you brought to the town.”
Cliff chuckled. “Nosy Nellies, all of them, but it’s OK. We understand. I’m just glad we finished renovations in time for Christmas.”
“Actually,” Bax added, “we planned it that way so everyone could get some holiday cash. Anyway, if you need anything, anything at all, don’t be afraid to come over day or night and ask.”
Cliff shook his head. Bax totally contradicted the whole celebrity mythos. He didn’t sleep around, didn’t do any drugs but loved being a celebrity personality.
Dana grinned at him. “Thanks a lot. I’ll call first, promise. Um, actually there is something. Can I join you for brunch? I stormed out of the house without eating anything beyond a cup of yogurt.” A red flush filled her face.
“Sure! I can make more pancakes. Maybe I should do it shirtless, give the world a show?” Bax took hold of his shirt and began to pull it up, showing off a glimpse of his six-pack abs.
Cliff grabbed his wrist before he could yank the shirt over his head. “Hold on there, Mr. Exhibitionist. Why don’t you just make more batter, huh?”
Bax laughed and headed to the kitchen.
“He’s just a show off,” Cliff joked.
Dana glanced around. “Bathroom?”
“I’ll show you.” Cliff guided her to the powder room near the kitchen.
He joined Bax and Reggie in the kitchen. Reggie carried her plate and Dana’s to the dining room. Cliff grabbed some glasses and joined her.
“OK, honey?” Cliff asked her, watching her closely. Stress lines bracketed her lips and the corners of her eyes. The muscles in her jaw worked back and forth. His heart went out to her.
“No,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’m not OK. My mother shouldn’t have come here. She shouldn’t have interfered with Dana’s love life. She just…” Reggie let out a heavy exhale. “Why does she do this? She has everything anyone could ask for; all her family around her, her health, a loving husband, money, a nice house, and connections. She’s always being praised for her work in the church and the community. She’s on the Mayoral Gardening and Town Beautification Board for God’s sake. She has lunch with some of the most influential women in town and yet nothing satisfies her.” She shook her head. “I don’t get it. Why can’t she accept that her daughters have to live their own lives?”
Cliff frowned, knowing there were land mines in this conversation but hating to see her so upset. “Well, if you think about it,” he sai
d gently, “your grandmother was a pretty demanding woman when she was alive. She always wanted perfection from you, your mother, your sisters, your brother. She was totally against your mother’s remarriage to Antonio. Maybe you’re not the only one with mommy issues.”
“Fuck.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “Why did you have to go and make her human, huh?”
Cliff chuckled. “Don’t worry. I hate it too. Trust me.”
Bax entered the room carrying a plate of steaming hot pancakes. “Trust you about what? How great I look with my shirt off?”
Reggie snorted. “I still can’t believe you’re not walking around naked. You were always allergic to clothes growing up.”
Bax grinned. “Still am. On the show I go shirtless. The fans love it.” He gave her a considering look. “Good to see your mother’s visit hasn’t dampened your spirits completely.”
Reggie shook her head but didn’t say anything. Her brow furrowed. Despite Bax’s banter, the worry in her eyes told him a different story. Cliff’s stomach clenched with worry. Maybe she wasn’t as fine as he’d hoped.
Reggie refocused on setting the table for a family meal. “We’ll talk after Dana leaves.”
A few minutes later, Dana joined them and they sat down to eat. The meal remained light and full of teasing. He could feel some of the sharp tension draining out of the air with the help of laughter and hot food.
For the rest of the day, all talk of Bettina Samson-Cardoza died away and everyone focused on being happy and getting into the swing of things. By the time night fell, Cliff had sent Dana off with Iris. Bax made sure she had a fresh batch of apple chip walnut cookies and a bottle of their best red wine. For someone so rock and roll when they were growing up, it always amused Cliff that Bax had ended up becoming a chef. It was such an interesting outcome. Another in a long list of reasons why he loved the man.
Later, after they had settled Reggie into a guest room, Cliff climbed into bed with a groan. He lay there for a moment with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about Reggie. About the haunted look in her eyes.
Bax padded out of the master bedroom en suite, shirtless, and Cliff couldn’t help but admire his lean but muscular torso. Or the way his boxers hung low on his hips, promising to fall away with a simple tug. But even his desire for his lover was tempered by his thoughts of Reggie and what she was going through. She didn’t have what he had—a person who loved him completely and totally. Someone he could always count on.
Instead, she was watching her family splinter apart.
Bax climbed onto the bed and curled up next to Cliff. He rested his head on Cliff’s shoulder and draped his arm across his chest. “This is a huge bed, and still you practically take up the entire thing.”
“I’m a big man,” Cliff replied with a smile.
Bax smiled back, but there was something distracted about it. Cliff knew what was on his mind. The same thing was bothering him.
“I’m worried about Reggie,” he said. “She was so quiet today and faked being happy all for the sake of Dana. I think her confrontation with her mother really shook something inside of her.”
Bax sighed. “The holidays, especially now, bring out the worst in people. The only way to fix things is to get her to talk to us and I’m worried she’ll shut down until we all have to go back to our lives in Charlotte or on the road.”
Cliff opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Reggie padded into the room in her BDSM ducks pajamas. Concern filled her face.
“Guys, can I talk to you?”
An ache began in Cliff’s chest. He suspected Bettina’s visit had hurt Reggie far more than she’d let on.
Bax sat up, completely focused on her. “You know we’re here for you.”
Cliff was both surprised and pleased when Reggie came straight to the bed and climbed onto their California King. Bax shifted over to give her room. She settled in between them.
Cliff glanced over at Bax, who stared back at him. What was going on with Reggie?
“What’s wrong, babe?” Cliff brushed away a few strands of hair and tucked them behind her ear. He indulged himself and traced his fingertip over the soft shell before pulling back.
Her body heat warmed him. His palms itched to trace her curves and pull her closer. Instead, he quashed the urge and focused on her and what she wanted and needed to feel better, more whole.
“Can you make me forget for just one night what a bitch my mother is?”
He froze, but his heart sped up in his chest. Both of them were watching her closely. “What do you mean?”
She didn’t glance away. In fact, her gaze grew even bolder. “I can’t stop thinking about how hurt Dana was…and how hurt I am. I don’t want to go to sleep angry and frustrated over something I can’t control. Please, I need the comfort of my best friends and my biggest crushes growing up.” Reggie glanced from one man to the other. “For now I just want to lose myself in sex. Can we do that?” Hope filled her face.
Cliff glanced at Bax; desire and tenderness shown in his eyes. Unspoken words passed between them. They needed to make this special. Special for her. Something she would never forget. She needed them. Needed the physical comfort and bliss to drive away the bad memories of today.
But even as joy soared within him, he could not deny the strength of his own desire. To touch her like this…
“Yeah, we can do that,” Bax said, his voice grew rougher, deeper as he brought his hand up to cup her breast. “Why don’t you start by kissing, Cliff, hmm?”
Cliff didn’t need to be told twice. He leaned close to her, breathing in the incredible scent of her. His cock grew harder. Her dark brown eyes grew smoky with her own passion, her own need.
He pressed his lips to hers, keeping his eyes open to watch her every reaction.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Reggie’s heart pounded against her rib cage in a harsh tattoo as Cliff deepened his kiss. She couldn’t pull enough air into her lungs. She had dreamed of this. Used it in all of her fantasies, some aspect of being shared by them, being one with the men who had held her up, kept her sane, pushed her through nursing school and supported her no matter what. She’d always kept those fantasies to herself, but even the memory of her fevered imaginings was enough to set her skin afire. Hell, she’d practiced with countless double-headed dildos, making those fantasies as real as possible.
And now it would be happening.
She lost herself in the kiss, a groan escaped her as Bax’s hand caressed her. When Cliff finally drew back, she drew in a shuddering breath, shocked by the strength of her body’s reaction. She’d known she’d wanted this, but the intensity made her dizzy.
She opened her eyes to find them both watching her intently. The heat in their gazes made her bite her lip against another groan of desire.
“Rules first,” Bax said, his voice rough. She could clearly see his hard cock pressing at his boxers as if about to tear through. “What do you want or don’t want? What are you curious about? We won’t push you to do anything you don’t want to do. For example, no anal, or spanking or nipple clamps, etc.”
She licked her lips again and tried to focus on her breathing. “I’ve never…I mean…I’ve thought about it but I…crap…”
“Slow down, babe,” Cliff glared at Bax. “OK, how about this. No anal for the first time?”
She nodded. “I don’t think I could handle that at the moment and besides I want…I’m not sure I could take both of you on the first go.” She let out a shaky laugh. “You forget I’ve seen you both naked.” Her face flushed hot again, but she didn’t duck her head.
Bax let out a laugh. “Yeah, you have. I forgot about that. OK, how about we try that fantasy I mentioned earlier. I eat you out while you suck off Cliff, hmm?” Bax reached down and squeezed the tented fabric in his lap.
Her pussy contracted. “Will you…” she felt breathless and heady with excitement and arousal. “Will you be jerking off while you’r
e doing it?” She wanted to watch him, know that he was getting off on the sight of her working over Cliff’s cock.
Bax let off a groan. “Hell yes.”
She licked her lips again. “OK. Good. So do we all get naked now or—”
“We undress you,” Cliff interjected. “God, I’ve wanted to strip you for years.”
“So I just lay here and let you work me over?” She let out a shivery laugh.
“Yes.” Bax leaned over her and kissed her on the mouth. He cupped her breast and gave it a hard squeeze.
Cliff shifted and kissed his way down her neck.
She shut her eyes and focused on her breathing. She didn’t want to pass out while they were acting out her hottest, wettest fantasies—well at least one of them.
Cliff lifted up the hem of her shirt and moved lower. He kissed his way over her rib cage.
She shifted and moved her hand over her mound and worked her clit through the thin material of her pajama bottoms. The light friction and pressure along with the barrier of the fabric allowed her to tease her libido without going over the edge right off the bat.
She shut her eyes and gave herself up to the sensations they elicited.
Cliff covered her hand with his, and together they worked her sex. He nipped and kissed his way across her stomach, pausing to dip his tongue into her navel and swirl the tip.
She trembled at the silvery sensations that spread through her abdomen. Reggie fought not to laugh but couldn’t help it. A giggle escaped.
Bax bit her nipple.
She let out a gasp. She opened her eyes and turned her head to glance down at him.
He met her gaze. Without breaking eye contact, he sucked the tight nub into his mouth.
Cliff lifted her shirt higher and kissed his way up the center of her torso. The men worked in tandem. When Cliff shoved the hem up to her breasts, Bax paused and pulled it up.
She shifted again and yanked it up over her head and threw it away.
Cliff didn’t lose a moment. He slipped a hand past the waistband of her pants and massaged her slit but only grazed her clit with light passes.
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