She would have asked Lisa and Beth to eat with them, but they both seemed focused on the groomsmen Mandy had paired them with. She sighed. The kisses at the end capped the perfect evening.
As soon as Candy stepped in the hotel room, Lisa rushed up to her, her hands rubbing her pajama bottoms and grinning. “There you are.” She clasped her hands behind her back. “Did Daniel or Bladen kiss you good night?”
From the excitement in her voice, she’d received a kiss good night and wanted to share her story. Trevor had insisted he drive Lisa back to town instead of her having to wait for Candy to return. “Are my lips swollen?”
“No, but did they?”
“As a matter of fact, both men walked me to my car and kissed me.”
The whole drive home she’d relived the moment when Daniel had pulled her into his arms. His lips had been so divine, and the strength and assuredness with which he held her felt so right. Nothing tentative about that man. And then there was Blade. Oh, my God. Even wearing a heavy coat, she felt his rock solid chest. His kiss was soft and sexy as if he wanted to show her they were each quite different.
“Both men?”
She jerked out of her daydream. “Yes, both.”
Lisa moved back to the bed and sat on the edge. “Wasn’t that kind of awkward? I mean you kissing one with the other watching?”
Candy plopped down next to her and leaned back on her elbows. “It could have been, but strangely it wasn’t.” Had Daniel not stepped to the side to allow Blade to say good night, it might have felt strange. “How about you? How was Trevor?”
“I’m totally stoked. Here I was freaking out about missing work on Friday.” She waved a hand. “Not that I didn’t want to see Mandy get married, but since I don’t know anyone, I thought I’d be bored. Boy was I wrong.”
“I trust you’ll be dreaming about Trevor tonight?”
“You bet, but guess what? I’ll be meeting his roommate, Dante, tomorrow at the reception.”
Hmm. “Trevor plus Dante equals two. That’s twice the loving.”
Candy for sure would be thinking and drooling about her men. Ever since Mandy had told her about falling in love with Vince and Cam, Candy had let her mind drift, imagining what it could be like to be with two men. Sure it scared her, as would anything as radical as a ménage, but as soon as she was in their presence, her fear had disappeared. She knew there was no guarantee that if she ever were to be naked with both that she wouldn’t change her mind, but for now, she’d enjoy the dream.
Candy lifted up and sat Indian style. “Mandy told me because women are scarce here, a lot of men share.” She was interested in Lisa’s unbiased opinion on the matter. “What’s your opinion on ménages?”
She slightly shook her head. “Two at the same time?” She sucked her breath in through her teeth. “I’m not sure I could do that. Kissing one man then another is one thing, but could I make love to both? Together? I don’t know.”
“I could.” Okay, that might have been a little too enthusiastic. “At least I think I could.”
Lisa leaned forward. “So you’ve never made love to two at once before?”
“No, but if Daniel and Blade happen to ask, I’m thinking I might not turn them down.” Candy tossed her long hair over her shoulder.
“I’ll be real interested to hear that story if it ever happens.” Lisa laughed then glanced at the door. “By the way, where do you suppose Beth is?”
“Winston wanted to show her the view of Intrigue from on top of some mountain.”
“Should we be worried?”
The Callens owned the town. She bet Winston Callen could be trusted. “We’ll give them a little while. We can always call her if it gets too late.”
“Good point.”
Candy wanted to get back to the topic of sex, one that she couldn’t quite get off her mind. “Do you have sexual fantasies?”
Her face turned red. “Sure. Every girl does.”
“As do I.”
“I think we need to order some wine and tell each other what we would do if we were ever with the perfect man.”
“Ah, the perfect man. Does he even exist? Rick sure as hell wasn’t it.”
Lisa leaned forward. “I thought you two had a good thing going at first.”
“At first maybe, but it didn’t take long before I wanted more.”
“More?” Her brows rose as if she wanted to hear some juicy stuff.
“More as in doing it other than missionary style. More as in a little spanking, a little rope tying up, maybe some blindfolding.”
She giggled. “You mean you want a man to take charge and do you.”
“Exactly. Wouldn’t it be nice to come home after a rough day in court and have the man treat you like a queen?”
She stretched back out on the bed. “What planet are you from?”
She didn’t think she was being ridiculous. “What do you think BDSM is?”
“I guess I’m not totally sure.” Lisa held her gaze as if she really wanted to know more.
There were a few women at the spa, both workers and customers, who were in the lifestyle. The more Candy learned about it, the more intrigued she’d become. “When a man takes control in the bedroom, you totally free your mind of all outside clutter. It becomes just you and him, or in some cases, you and two men.” She waved a hand. “But the point is, you can focus on every touch, every lick, every emotion without worry. It’s like he’s listening to your body and reacting accordingly.”
Lisa moaned. “It sounds so wonderful.”
Before they could further delve into their fantasies, the door opened and Beth glided into the room.
She was glad Beth made it home. “You have a good time, sweetie? We were getting a little worried,” Candy asked.
She grinned, her coat a little askew. “It was the best.”
Candy couldn’t have been happier. “Come down off your perch and give us all the details.” Then maybe we can get back to the topic of whips, chains, and cocks.
* * * *
Weddings made Candy so sentimental. Daniel offered her a white handkerchief to wipe away her tears. Mandy looked more beautiful than ever as she waltzed down the church aisle on the arm of her father. Where the Callen family got all the rose petals in the winter was anyone’s guess, but she’d never seen a more romantic setting.
Mandy’s mother’s back was ramrod straight throughout the ceremony. Candy couldn’t decide if the poor woman was upset over her daughter marrying so quickly after her divorce to Craig or that she was marrying two men. If she found out her daughter was pregnant before marriage, it might be a long time between visits.
At the end of the ceremony, the priest tapped the microphone. “I’d like to present Mrs. Amanda Callen-Longworth and her two husbands, Vince Callen and Cameron Longworth.”
The congregation applauded, and as everyone stood, the organ burst to life. The loving couple walked back down the aisle. Mandy beamed with joy.
Mandy had explained that ménages were so common in town that the church finally embraced the concept. If they hadn’t, the congregation would have gone someplace else to worship.
Because there were over five hundred guests, the family decided to hold the reception in the school gym, the only place large enough. Mandy said her timing sucked. Most of the Callen women married during the summer when they could wed outdoors.
Candy disagreed about the bad timing. In her mind, a church wedding gave authenticity to the whole marriage thing.
Blade leaned close. “Ready to relive your worst nightmare?”
“What are you talking about?”
“When you see that old gym, you’ll swear you’re back in high school.”
She laughed. “I loved high school. You didn’t?”
“No.”
The noise and music made it almost impossible to carry on a conversation, but she definitely wanted to ask him about his comment later. When most had exited, he ushered her out the aisle.
; “This way, folks,” Daniel said, as he headed toward the altar.
They had to get through a ton of pictures before they could enjoy the reception. Lisa clung to Trevor’s arm, and Beth looked longingly at Winston. The photographer lined them up in every imaginable combination and took his time with each shot, arranging them just so.
When it was the men’s turn to pose in front of the altar, Candy waited in the aisle next to Mandy and studied the group. Beth and Lisa bookended them.
“Handsome group,” Mandy said.
“You can say that again. Thanks, by the way, for pairing me up with Daniel and Blade.”
“You like?”
“More than like. I can see coming to Intrigue was totally the right move for me.”
The men stepped off the altar. Daniel smiled. “Glad that part’s done.” He led Candy back to the pew where she’d left her coat. “Ready to pretend you’re eighteen?”
Daniel seemed excited. “Wouldn’t miss it for anything.” She enjoyed how the men seemed to be polar opposites about some things.
She followed Daniel and Blade, who’d driven together. Lisa and Beth had planned to drive with her to the gym, but at the last minute, Trevor and Winston insisted they bring the girls. Not one to interfere in love, she had agreed with a smile.
The trip to the high school only took a few minutes. The snow was coming down softly, and because it was a wet snow, it coated all of the branches, making the place magical. The athletic fields were pristine, and the old roof was covered in fluffy clumps. A picture-perfect day for a picture-perfect wedding.
The men waited for her at the gym entrance and they walked in together. She halted as soon as they stepped inside. “This is amazing.” Hundreds of yards of white gauze hung from the girders, crisscrossing the whole gym. Small lights rimmed the ceiling, illuminating silver stars dangling from the material. “It’s like a winter wonderland.” A ton of round tables, topped with white tablecloths, took up the main floor of the gym. “I love the vases of pink roses.”
As they neared the pushed-in bleachers, Daniel bounced an imaginary basketball, spun, jumped up and dunked the ball in the pretend basket. He raised his hands in victory. “The crowd goes wild. Yay!”
She laughed. “I trust you played basketball?”
Daniel grinned. Blade pressed a hand to her waist. “He was only the top point guard in all of Wyoming. Had a thousand points by his junior year.”
She guessed that was an impressive number. They stepped into the center of the gym.
Blade stilled and looked around the dimly lit room. “Nothing has changed.”
That didn’t surprise her. “You expected it to?”
His brows pinched. “They haven’t varnished the bleachers in fifteen years. And look at the velvet curtains around the stage. They’re torn.”
“They could use replacing.” That didn’t diminish the magic for her though.
Daniel helped her out of her coat. “Ah, memories. I used to live in here.”
Blade shrugged out of his jacket. “If you had spent a little less time playing basketball, your grades wouldn’t have sucked.”
Daniel grinned and led them to an empty table toward the front, near the stage. He tossed their coats over a vacant chair.
A lovely woman made a beeline toward them. She gripped one of the chairs. “Is this seat taken?”
The eight top had five vacant seats. Candy wanted to save a space for Beth and Lisa, but then spotted her two friends grab another table. Since they were with four handsome men, she wasn’t about to interfere.
“No,” Daniel said.
The emotion in his voice told her this woman had a history with the one of them. Wanting to break the tension, she held out her hand. “I’m Candace Jackson, a friend of the bride.”
The petite brunette glanced at Candy’s nails before she shook it. “I’m Donna Newerth.” Her chin notched up.
Blade wrapped a possessive arm around Candy’s waist. “Donna owns the town’s only spa.”
Oh, shit.
Chapter Three
The first thing out of Donna’s mouth was to ask Candy about her plans for opening her spa. Ah, the life of a small town never changed.
“I really haven’t given it all that much thought.” That wasn’t true, but a wedding was not the place to discuss her new plans. Divulging key concepts to her one competitor wouldn’t be smart either. She did learn a thing or two from Craig Clairbourne.
Donna tapped her perfect nails. “I’ve been in business for over ten years and have a steady clientele. All of the Callen women are my devoted customers.”
“I’m glad you’re doing well.” It boded well for her opening a second spa.
A gentleman who appeared to be in his mid to late thirties, short dark hair with a metro air approached Donna. “May I join you?”
She averted her gaze and straightened her shoulders. His question was apparently rhetorical for he pulled out the seat next to her. Candy debated excusing herself to speak with Mandy, but her mother preached it was wise to know your friends well and your enemies better. While Donna wasn’t an enemy, per se, she was the competition. It wouldn’t do to get on her bad side.
The newcomer reached across the table. “I’m John Creighton.”
They shook hands. “Candace Jackson.”
Donna leaned away from John, her lips pursed. “Candy’s thinking of opening a spa, too.”
Instead of a snooty response, his eyes glistened. “Really? Donna buys all of her supplies from me. When you’re ready, stop by my store. I have all the beauty supplies you’ll ever need.” He withdrew a business card from his breast pocket and handed it to her.
She stuffed it in her purse, doubtful she’d need it. “Thanks.” She had her own contacts. Besides, if she used the same products as Donna, what incentive would there be to come to her spa?
The music stopped, and a tall gentleman, as handsome as any Callen, took the microphone. He tapped the mike to make sure it worked. “This is the father-daughter dance. Mandy? Mr. Duncan?”
The music played, and everyone turned to watch Mandy’s dad escort his daughter on stage. The tables took up the entire gym floor, requiring the stage to act as the dance floor. Candy’s eyes teared up again. Her daddy had died in a car accident six years ago, so he never got to walk her down the aisle when she married Rick. That father-daughter dance she’d always longed for never happened.
She soaked in the love between these two and was thrilled at how Mr. Duncan led his daughter around the small dance floor with ease.
The emcee grabbed the mike again. “Please join them for the rest of the dance.”
As if Blade had been waiting for this moment, he pushed back his chair and held out his hand. “Will you join me?”
“I’d love to.” Not only did she want to dance with him, but his invitation allowed her to get away from Donna’s rude stares.
Dancing was one of her favorite pastimes, and in Denver, a quality dance partner was hard to find. Blade clasped her hand and his warmth and security seeped into her soul. They wove their way between the tables and waited behind two couples at the base of the stairs before reaching the dance floor.
This was always the awkward moment. Would he wrap one or two arms around her waist? He chose the one-arm wrap but curled her hand in his fist and placed it on his chest. He tugged her so close that if she’d pressed her hips forward an inch she might have been able to feel his cock.
Don’t go there.
Romance was in the air, and she wanted a fresh start. What was wrong with desiring to sample someone as divine as Blade McGrath or the ever sexy Daniel Callen? She could almost hear her mother say, “You could do a lot worse.”
Dreaming about these men and even making love with them didn’t mean she had to give up the pursuit of her dream.
Blade leaned forward and inhaled. “You look beautiful tonight and smell divine.”
According to the label, the perfume was subtle yet evocative.
She held back her grin. “You smell good, too.” One of the first things she’d notice about him was his clean scent.
A six-foot-two blond man, twirling a pretty girl, purposefully bumped into them. The woman chuckled.
Blade leaned his head back and grinned. “Watch it.”
The man gave a thumbs-up.
“Who was that?”
“Daniel and Vince’s cousin, Dustin Callen. He’s also my boss. He owns Callen Construction. The woman is his wife, Tracey.”
“Ah. It’s going take me a while to learn who’s who in town.”
“It won’t take you long. Mentally categorize the person as a Callen, working for a Callen, or a non-Callen.”
She loved his humor. “That’ll work.”
He looked over her shoulder, and the recent spark seemed to disappear. What she wouldn’t give to be in his head right now.
She wanted to rekindle the light in his eyes. “How did you and Daniel meet?”
He stepped back and twirled her. As soon as she executed the impromptu step, he drew her close again.
“In school.”
She waited a few beats, but he didn’t elaborate. “Am I going to need to find a pair of needle nosed pliers?”
His brow cocked. “Why?”
“To pull the information out of you, splinter by splinter.”
He grinned and his entire face lit up. His hazel eyes shone, and the dimples in his cheeks set her heart racing.
Blade drew her near again and pressed his cheek against hers. “You sure you want to hear this?”
More than anything. “Yes.”
The music changed to a two-step. She expected him to switch hand positions, but he didn’t. His footwork was smooth, almost as if he’d been born on the dance floor. He seamlessly kept up with the crowd, going around in a circle on the small stage while he spoke.
“The first time I spoke with Daniel was in ninth grade. As he demonstrated, he was a basketball jock. I was a nerd—a very short nerd who avoided his kind at all costs.”
Craving Candy [The Callens 10] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3
