“You okay?”
She smiled up at him and whispered, “Yeah. I wondered where you were.”
“I’m right here, honey. You go back to sleep.”
He patted her then went back to the chair. She drifted off thinking how incredibly kind he was. She wondered if he’d gotten any rest at all.
* * * *
Later that morning, Maya awoke to an indescribably languid sensation. Hands everywhere, touching her, caressing her. Smiling sleepily, she stretched with her eyes still closed. A faint mewing sound escaped from her lips and she heard a male groan.
A pair of callused hands held her ankle and caressed up and down her calf inside of her pant leg. Another hand traveled up and down the length of her spine, from her tailbone to the nape of her neck, stroking into her hair before making its journey south again. Another warm, masculine hand stroked up and down her inner arm and back and forth across her collarbone.
She blinked the sleep from her eyes and smiled at the three men who surrounded her on the bed.
“Good morning, babydoll,” Kendall murmured as he continued stroking her inner arm, his chin resting in his hand as he lay facing her. His eyes twinkled playfully, and there was a sexy smile on his lips.
Her eyelids slid closed in sensual pleasure as full lips pressed against the juncture of her throat and shoulder, and Boone whispered in her ear, “Morning, Maya.”
“Good morning,” she whispered, sighing in pleasure at their touch.
Richard sat at the end of the bed, her foot held gently in his hand. She made eye contact with him and felt his gaze on her as though it were a physical caress. He looked tired.
“Did you sleep at all last night?” she asked as she beckoned him.
He nodded slightly as Kendall and Boone both rose simultaneously from the bed. They were already showered and dressed.
“I dozed a bit. How do you feel?”
She lifted her hand and could tell the swelling had gone down but the discoloration remained. “The bite aches like a deep bruise. The headache and nausea seem to have passed though.” Richard sat on the edge of the bed and caressed her cheekbone as she said, “You rocked me to sleep.”
Richard smiled faintly. “You had me worried.” He looked as though he might’ve said more but left it at that. “We’ve made breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“A little, I think.” She took a deep breath and smiled at them. “Thank you for waking me so sweetly.”
As he helped her from the bed, Kendall said, “We wanted you to eat with us if you felt up to it. You can always return to bed afterward if you want. We’ve got to get to work, but Grace said she would check on you at lunchtime.”
Maya felt a little let down. She’d been hoping to spend more time with Kendall and do a little more exploring on the JWB during her time there.
The doctor had told her she might have some lingering ill effects from the antivenin and to rest. Forced rest was unwelcome news, but maybe it was for the best.
* * * *
“I know you’re dying to ask, Maya,” Grace said with a snicker. “Go ahead. It’s okay.”
Maya chuckled as she sat with Grace at the dining room table finishing their lunch, which Grace had brought in a picnic basket.
“Do they wear you out? Do you ever get tired of keeping up with them?” That was just the tip of the iceberg on all the questions she had to ask.
“No. They don’t allow it. Jack, Ethan, and Adam take wonderful care of me. Put bluntly, they serve me and not the other way around.” Grace held up her index finger. “Now don’t judge that statement until I’ve explained. I have a housekeeper now, so I don’t do their laundry or clean the house. I devote my day to writing and seeing to the needs of Discretion and Harper’s, in town. Not having all the other stuff to worry about frees my time to pay attention to them, and I feel I am the one being served. They treat me like a queen.”
“Do you sleep with all three every night?” That was a big question for Maya. She was concerned the need to spend time one-on-one with Kendall and his brothers was going to foment jealousy.
“Actually sleep?” Grace asked with a smirk. “It’s my choice to sleep with all of them in my bed at night. But there are plenty of nights where I need time alone with one of them, and I usually mention it over supper or later in the evening. We never keep score, and I make a point of requiring time alone with all of them. The only favorite in our house is me,” Grace added with a giggle.
Good enough. I think I could handle that kind of status.
“Sex with three men in one night?”
“Not every night. Especially not right now,” Grace replied, stroking her abdomen. “I’m sure the further along I get the more protective they’ll become. I can see it already. If I have sex after the eighth month it will probably be because I begged for it. Jack is especially careful about how often. Maya, it’s the most amazing feeling.”
“What?”
“Being adored by three men. Being worshipped like that. My whole outlook changed when I met them. My life is like a fantasy. Do you mind me asking a question?” Grace asked speculatively over the rim of her tea glass.
“Sure. Go ahead.”
“Is it all three you’re interested in?”
Maya nodded without hesitation. “Yeah, without a doubt. I’m attracted to all three. I’ve loved Kendall a long time, and when I arrived the other day, Boone and Richard and I seemed to click together. The three of them are really something.”
“Tell me about it. What about Richard? How are you two doing?”
Maya mulled Grace’s question over for a moment before looking her in the eye. Grace seemed protective of them and rightfully so, since they were family.
“I understand where Richard is right now. We have something in common, and I guess we both need a little time to get comfortable. I think his heart is very tender. I wouldn’t hurt him for the world, if that’s what you’re worried about, Grace.”
Grace smiled and nodded. “I’ve heard the guys talking with Jack and wondered about whether you were right for them, especially Richard. He’s so quiet, and his pain sometimes seems like it’s still fresh. I feel for him. Boone, on the other hand, is definitely going to give you a run for your money, girlfriend.”
Maya burst out in giggles. “He and I are going to do just fine, I think.”
Grace laughed with her and said, “In some ways, Boone reminds me of Ethan. Flirty and playful but prone to—”
“Put you over his knee and give you a spanking? Yeah, you’ve nailed him, all right.” Both women cackled loudly and Grace nodded.
“I can’t wait for you to meet everybody, Maya. I think you’re going to fit in so well,” Grace said as she wiped a tear of laughter from her cheek.
“So you don’t keep a calendar or have set days of the week where you have all three sleep with you?”
Grace chuckled and shook her head. “No. We have a rhythm of sorts, like a dance, I guess. Most often we’re in my bed all together because it’s easier for me to sleep with them surrounding me. I’m cold-natured, and I like being tucked in amongst them. You might find that you prefer to alternate beds and nights. It’s all about your preferences. I can tell you that is how Jack told them it should be. You don’t seem selfish to me, so I think you’ll work it out with no problem. How does your hand feel?”
“It’s feeling better. The nausea came back after breakfast, but it’s settled a little since then. I wish I’d been more careful in the grass. This kind of messed up our week together.”
“Everything happens for a reason. I think they enjoy coddling you,” Grace said, her eyes twinkling. Maya had a feeling Grace knew all about being coddled.
“You think?” Maya chuckled. In the hour Grace had been at the house, Richard and Boone had called to check on her, and Kendall had returned at midmorning to see how she was faring. “Can I ask you one more question?”
“Sure.”
“PDA?”
Grace grimaced. “
That’s a tough one. Public displays of affection may have been one of the biggest hurdles we’ve faced. I had to decide if I would acknowledge only Jack publicly as my husband or all three,” she said, holding her hands out, balanced like a scale.
“What did you do?”
“I adjusted my expectations. I can’t look at Ethan or Adam without love in my eyes. It feels like a betrayal when I have to hide it. I acknowledge Jack as my husband and try to behave in a way that doesn’t draw unfriendly attention, and we let people draw their own conclusions.”
“That must be hard for you to maintain.”
“It is, at times. Unless I’m at one of the shops, I’m usually with them. They worry about the unkind things people say to me. I try to take their comments the same way I do my book reviews. It’s somebody else’s opinion. I appreciate kindness, and I try to not sweat the rest. I want to please Jack, Ethan, and Adam before anyone else.”
“I can’t wait to meet Jack and Ethan. Adam obviously adores you,” Maya said, remembering the tenderness with which Adam had held her the day before on their front porch.
Grace smiled and looked into her glass. “I adore him, too.” Maya thought Grace did indeed glow with happiness.
She had to know. “Do you ever argue? Fight? Get pissy with them?”
Grace chuckled and said, “Sure. But they overcome a lot of that because I don’t feel overlooked or unappreciated. When someone is consistently that sweet it’s awful hard to bite his head off, and I’m not wired that way. Have you thought how you’re going to handle issues like public displays of affection?”
Maya bit her lip and said, “I don’t plan to hide. I hid my need for Kendall from Morgan, unsuccessfully I might add, for years. I did without what I needed because of public opinion. I don’t plan to treat them differently than I would in private. They’re equal in my heart.”
“They’re going to be ferociously protective of you. You should hear how Kendall talks about you. You’re his angel.”
Maya felt her cheeks tingle with warmth at Grace’s words. Deciding to bounce the tiny little worry rattling around in her head off of Grace, Maya said, “He told me he didn’t want to be my ‘go-to’ guy anymore. We’ve always been close, and I could talk to him about anything. Really anything, Grace. We’ve talked about some crazy stuff over the years, and I always felt like he was someone I could trust. If we get together, I risk losing that.”
Grace looked down at her overlapped hands on the tabletop. After a moment she said, “I think you risk more by wanting to keep that part of your relationship intact. Are you seeing it from his perspective? He’s loved you a long time and not had access to you except as your confidante. You’d still have a confidante. Someone who knows you better than anyone. This sounds like a trust issue to me.”
“How so?”
“Don’t you trust him to be there for you?”
“Sure. But before I could rely on his unbiased opinion.”
“Do you really think he was unbiased?” Grace asked doubtfully. “Before you answer, ask yourself this. If he’s been in love with you all this time, how do you think he felt every time you called on him for advice?”
“Damn. When it’s put that way, it sounds almost cruel.”
“He probably wouldn’t call you cruel, Maya, but it had to sting. Now, here is this fresh opportunity. Speaking of opportunities, Emma Guthrie told me this morning that she will have an opening available in her practice in September when her RN retires.”
Damn. Maya had known Grace for a day, and she was already putting feelers out for potential job openings. Maya perked up at the news. “That is good to know.”
“Which means you might even be here for the birth of this little girl.” Maya thought of just how easily she could slip into a life there in Divine, becoming a part of the community and her men’s family.
* * * *
Despite her protests, Maya was unsuccessful in talking Kendall into bringing her out to the ranch that afternoon when he came by for a late lunch.
“The ER doctor said you’d need the rest today. No, don’t give me ‘the lip,’” Kendall said, obviously having a hard time suppressing his amusement at her pouty lip.
“I wanted to play in the creek.” Skinny-dipping definitely qualified as playing.
Kendall shook a finger and scoffed. “No, you wanted to drive me insane. How am I supposed to work knowing you’re ‘playing?’ I’ve known you long enough to know what that means, woman.”
“Nobody would see unless they were down in the creek with me. It’s harmless fun! I wanted to explore.” Yeah, that’s it.
“The only thing being explored would be you. You can’t get in the creek with that wound on your hand anyway.”
Damn it! He was right. In another day she could probably play in the water if she was careful to clean it afterward. She balked at the forced inactivity.
“I’m bored. Couldn’t I just come with you and hang out?”
Maya was already planning a trip the following morning with Grace to a little boutique she and a couple of friends were involved with.
“Don’t get in such a rush. You got bit by a rattlesnake yesterday. What does your professional training tell you to do?”
“Rest, heal, and watch for side effects.”
“Was gallivanting around less than a day later anywhere on the list?”
“Ooh.”
Kendall mimicked her little exclamation and grimace and tickled her as he hugged her.
“So impatient. There will be plenty of time to play nekkid in the creek on Friday. I may take part of the day off and play with you,” he whispered against her throat.
The look in his eyes told her he didn’t mean splashing in the water. Her outlook changed instantly as an image came to mind of him making love to her on her flat rock as the creek babbled around them. She knew he would be magnificent, and the thought of the two of them together made her quiver.
It had been a long time since she’d had any sexual attention, and her clit throbbed with need. Her heart pounded as he slid his hands down her back to her ass and gripped her cheeks. He ground his thickening cock against her, and her pussy responded with a burst of tingling, damp heat.
His lips collided passionately with hers, and his tongue plundered her mouth, sweeping her away with his gentle assault. He slid his strong hands up her spine and held her body to his. His arousal was obvious, but he still held her as if she were the finest china, something precious to him. Maya wound her arms around him and moaned against his moist lips. His tongue stroked hers, mimicking what he no doubt intended to do with his cock once she was fully recovered. She pressed back against his erection and her pussy contracted with longing to know what it would feel like to be filled with it. Unfortunately, along with all the pleasant rush of feelings came a wave of light-headedness and nausea. She groaned and put her hand to her suddenly damp brow.
Damn it!
“Maya?” Kendall took one look at her face and thankfully didn’t lecture her or say “I told you so.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the couch. “Want a cold washcloth?”
“Yes.”
He returned with it, and she pressed it to her brow and sat motionless as her stomach wobbled. “Sorry to dampen the mood,” she said weakly as the nausea receded slowly.
“It’s okay. Do you want me to help you get back in bed?” With his point thoroughly pressed home, she nodded, and he carried her back to bed.
“You know, I could probably walk,” she said with a chuckle. She loved being hefted in his big, thick arms like this.
“Where’s the fun in that?”
He laid her down on the bed and sat down beside her.
“I hate being an invalid. We’re supposed to be having fun,” she muttered, trying not to pout.
Kendall tucked a lock of hair behind her ear then patted her thigh. “I know. But at least you’re here with us. We’ll fix you supper tonight and watch a movie. Rest so you can be well for your excursi
on tomorrow with Grace.”
“I feel better already. Much as I hate it, I know you’re right. This is just going to take some time to get over.”
Kendall kissed her again as if she were delicate porcelain and murmured, “Don’t worry, babydoll. When you feel better we’ll make it up to you.” The heat in his eyes told her it was a promise.
Chapter Nine
Maya discovered one more reason to like her new friend as Grace started the engine of her cute little blue convertible and the stereo blasted loudly.
“Sorry. I like it loud,” Grace said with an apologetic grin, turning down the volume as Maya laughed.
“Five Finger Death Punch?” she asked as a song by that band played in the background.
“I don’t look the type, do I? You should see the baby kick anytime I put their music on. Rose Marie likes ‘Bad Company’ in particular. Every time I play that song she kicks up a storm. I think she responds to the vocalist’s sexy voice.”
“Her name is Rose Marie?”
“Yes, after Jack’s mother. Rose Marie was my friend. She died a couple of years ago. As a matter of fact, it was at her funeral that Jack started to get closer to me. I’d only just met Ethan, and I didn’t meet Adam until that day.”
“That didn’t freak you out a bit?”
Grace beamed and shook her head. “Not really. The chemistry was there from the beginning. They saved me from a bad situation with an ex-boyfriend. It didn’t take them long to have me eating out of their hands, though.”
They zipped down the highway toward Morehead, the breeze blowing in their hair, and talked the whole way. Maya was pleasantly surprised when they pulled up in front of a pristinely kept little boutique housed in a lovely, restored, Victorian-era home.
When Grace had told her they were visiting an adults-only ladies’ boutique Maya had not known what to expect. This was lovely. The structure was painted an unusual muted shade of blue and trimmed in pale yellow. Baskets of periwinkles hung in intervals along the deep front porch.
Rainier, Heather - Maya's Triple Dare [Divine Creek Ranch 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 8
