“Does that mean you’ll come back for more?”
She rolled her eyes. “You knew that if you transported me to another world, I’d become addicted to this.”
Jackson kissed her slow and easy like he wanted her to stay in his arms forever, and her heart melted. What had she been missing all these years?
Tanner cleared his throat. “We better get some shut-eye. The morning comes mighty early.”
Did that mean they’d now get naked and crawl into bed with her? “I’m game, but one of you will have to drive me home tomorrow morning to change.”
Tanner nodded. “Don’t you worry about anything.”
“You’re both going to sleep here?” Even though the bed was king-size, it wouldn’t fit them.
Jackson shook his head. “I can see right through you. You just want to get us naked.”
Damn. They’d caught her. “I can sleep on the couch.”
His lips pressed together. “Nonsense. My sheets are fresh. Sleep in there. I’ll take the couch.”
She opened her mouth to protest when Jackson’s brows pinched. “Okay. Thank you.”
It was their house, their rules.
“Now say good night to Tanner.”
She wanted to throw herself in his arms, but it was late, and if she pressed her breasts against his naked chest, she’d want to stay. “Good night. And thank you.”
“Sugar, the pleasure was all mine.”
She couldn’t help but glance at his crotch. His dick was still swollen. Poor man. Maybe tomorrow she could put him out of his misery.
Chapter Nine
With her clothes in hand, Jackson escorted her to his room. Hailey probably should feel funny being taken to a different man’s room, especially in the nude, but somehow she didn’t. All these years she believed she’d end up with one man, and here she’d met these two, both of whom spoke to who she was as a woman. It was almost too good to be true.
Jackson opened his door and turned on the lights. Instead of a bank of overhead lights, a lamp with a cow horn base sat on the nightstand glowing. This room was maybe fifty percent larger than Tanner’s.
“Nice.”
“It suits my purpose.” He nodded to a door. “There’s the bathroom.”
Since he was a Baldwin maybe he’d moved into the house before Tanner. That would explain why he had a much larger bedroom.
“In case you’re wondering, we both have offices upstairs. Tanner’s is nicer than mine.”
He reads minds?
Jackson stepped over to a dresser and pulled out a black T-shirt and a pair of plaid flannel pajama bottoms. The tag was still on them. “Present from my sister, Tatum.” He handed them to her. “I figured you wouldn’t want to sleep in a bra.”
That was so nice of him to even think about her sleeping arrangements. “You didn’t like them?”
“I sleep in the nude.”
“Oh.” He probably didn’t want to share that tidbit with his sister. “She’s younger then?”
“Ten years.”
Hailey held the offering to her chest, wondering if he would stay around to watch her dress. “Thank you again. For everything.” She waved the clothes but she really meant the mind-blowing sex.
Jackson laughed. “Tanner said it best. The pleasure was all ours.” He winked and walked out.
She blew out a breath and put on his clothes, her mind still reeling. The T-shirt was worn and comfortable. The pajama bottoms were a little too long, something she rarely experienced being so tall, but they fit her in the waist. She hugged her body and closed her eyes, recreating the fantastic experience. She laughed and pinched herself to make sure this was all real. The pain told her it was.
Her eyes drooped. It was after eleven, and she was beginning to crash, so she decided she’d shower in the morning. Hailey pulled down the navy-blue bedspread and crawled under the sheets. They were cool to the touch, but to her heated her body she liked it. As soon as her face hit the pillow, she smelled the lemon freshness, and her body sunk deep into the soft mattress. She could get used to this luxury. Or rather she could get used to being treated like a princess.
She shut off the bedside lamp and dreamed of her two men.
She couldn’t be sure, but she believed she’d have a smile on her face all night long. She did wake up a few times when she heard footsteps overhead. As soon as she remembered she was in Jackson’s bed and that Cody’s room was probably above hers, she drifted off to sleep, her dreams lulling her into a wonderful new land.
* * * *
The next time she awoke, faint sunlight peeked in the window. She sat up and glanced at the clock. It was a little after seven. Though not overly late, she had a lot to do today, the first of which was shower then beg for a ride home.
Not wanting to keep the men waiting, she stepped into the bathroom. “Nice.”
Given the style of his bedside lamp, she wouldn’t have guessed Jackson would have such a modern-style bathroom. The walls were covered in light gray marble. There were two white porcelain bowl sinks on a dark walnut cabinet. Against the back wall was the largest shower she’d ever seen, but there was no tub. Maybe Tanner had one in his bathroom.
When she stepped in the shower to turn on the water, she found a bunch of metal plates on the walls and an equal number of overhead showerheads. It was almost as if she’d been stashed in a spaceship overnight and flown at warp speed to another planet.
She’d undress and figure out which knob did what in a moment. She took off her clothes and folded them neatly. While she hadn’t snooped, she guessed Jackson’s drawers would be department store neat. Naked, she returned to the shower and pressed a metal plate. She moved out of the way just in time as warm horizontal water shot out at her. She pressed the plate again. Dang. She had a medical degree. She should be able to figure out a damn shower.
She pressed the sole knob on the short wall. “Aargh.” She jumped back. The overhead shower came on full force.
The bathroom door opened, and Tanner stood in the doorway with a grin on his face. “Figure it out yet?”
“This isn’t funny. Jackson should have left me instructions.”
Her first instinct was to cover herself, but then she realized they were way past her needing to be shy. He pushed off from the jamb and stepped over to her.
“Step back. You want simple, right?”
“Yes, one showerhead will do.”
He slid a plate out of the way to expose an old-fashioned lever then turned it on. “Right is colder and left is warmer.” He winked.
“Thanks.”
She really only planned on a quick shower anyway, but with Tanner leaning against the counter, she wanted to hurry even more.
“Where’s Jackson?” She was surprised he hadn’t come in. After all, it was his bathroom.
“He’s at work already.”
“Dang. Early riser, huh?”
“Obscenely so.”
It was Sunday so Tanner wouldn’t have to go to work. She finished rinsing and shut off the water. When she stepped out, Tanner held out a towel.
“Let me,” he said.
She was about to say she was capable of drying herself, but it seemed as if both he and Jackson liked to touch her. To enhance the experience, she closed her eyes and held out her arms.
His warm chuckle shot straight between her legs.
“You are such a good girl. Look at you. All wet and needy for me.”
Did that mean she’d get a cock? Even though Tanner wasn’t the real Dom of the two, she figured if she asked, it would give him more reason to refuse. As unbelievable as it seemed, she had no doubt that he found her attractive. A man couldn’t fake a huge hard-on.
He rubbed her breasts and moaned. She debated opening her eyes but decided to let her imagination take over. She pictured him adjusting his crotch and panting as his excitement grew. Tanner kept rubbing her breasts.
“I’m getting cold.”
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry.”
/> She worked hard to keep the smile off her face. He wrapped the towel around her back and then dragged the terrycloth over her butt. As if he wanted to polish her rear, he seesawed the towel back and forth.
She opened her eyes and laughed. Then she took the towel from his hands. “I’ll never get dry if you keep going over the same spot.” She stilled. “Is that Cody?” She looked up.
“You can really hear him, can’t you?”
“I heard him a few times during the night.”
All excitement left Tanner’s face. He stabbed a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
She quickly dragged the towel between her legs. She was dry enough. Her hair was still damp from when the shower had dumped water on it, but it would dry on its own soon enough. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not reaching him.”
She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Give it time. He’s in shock, too, you know. Maybe he feels bad that he can’t please you.”
Tanner stared at her. “I never thought about that.”
“Just do the best you can. He’ll see your love. It’ll all work out.”
“How did you get so wise?”
She was hardly wise. “I’ve got three siblings. My sister has two kids, one twelve and one ten. She’s done a great job raising her children by being there for them. That’s all that matters.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “Thanks, Doc. I better get to the kitchen and start breakfast.”
Before he walked out she wanted to make sure he remembered he had to drive her home. “You can give me a lift after breakfast, right?”
“Sure thing.”
As soon as Tanner left the room, she dressed and then made Jackson’s bed, placing the used sleepwear on top. Within ten minutes, she headed down the hallway as Tanner’s and Cody’s voices drifted toward her. While Cody’s was an octave higher, there was a strong similarity.
As soon as she walked in the kitchen, Cody took one glance at her then turned to his dad. “What’s Hailey doing here?” He pushed back his stool. “Did she spend the night?”
Oh, shit. She’d never even considered what Cody would think. How could she have been so stupid? Now she wished Jackson had woken her early this morning, dragged her out of bed, and driven her home.
Tanner moved toward Cody. The poor kid’s fists were clenched almost as if he’d been betrayed somehow.
“Dr. Hunter did spend the night because when we finished talking, it was late.”
“Did you have sex with her?” His lips were thinner than a dime.
Hailey glanced to Tanner and wondered how he was going to answer. Even if she knew what to say, it wasn’t her place.
“No. Jackson slept on the couch and Hailey slept in his room.”
Cody’s gaze shot to the sofa. The fact two blankets were neatly stacked on the cushion gave credence to the story.
“Oh.”
Tanner removed the eggs from the stove and dumped them on a plate. “Shouldn’t you apologize to Hailey for jumping to that conclusion?”
Cody kept his gaze to the ground. “Sorry.”
Her heart ached for the boy. “Apology accepted.” What bothered her was his possessive nature toward her. She and Tanner needed to have a talk.
Cody nodded toward the food. “Can you stay and eat?”
She waved her hand. “Jackson said he’d drive me home.” She could only hope he was on the property and had the time to take her back. Staying with Cody and Tanner another minute would only widen the distance between father and son. “I’m going to get my coat.”
Hailey rushed down the hallway, not wanting to hear Tanner demand she stay. Once she told Jackson what happened, she hoped he’d agree to drive her back home, give her a moment to change, then drive her back to the ranch. Phoebe, the cow that was to receive Samson’s semen, was in heat and needed to be inseminated.
Only when she entered Jackson’s room did she realize her coat and purse were back in the living room. Damn. With metered strides, she returned. Without looking at either Tanner or Cody, she picked up her coat and purse. “See you later!” She waved and hustled out the back.
The cold air woke her up. Not sure where Jackson was, she practically ran to the barn. “Hey, Jackson?” she called. The horses whinnied. She called to him again but received no answer. Damn.
Walking around the eight thousand acres was impractical, so she pulled out her phone, hoping he kept his on hand. She punched in his number. It rang.
“Jackson Baldwin.”
“It’s Hailey.” He probably knew that given her ID would have shown up. “We have a little dilemma, and I need a favor.”
“Sure, Pleasure. I called the tow truck this morning.”
She’d totally forgotten about her car. “That’s great.” She told him of Cody’s reaction. Jackson whistled.
“Where are you now?”
“In the barn looking for you. I was hoping you’d give me a ride home.”
“Stay right where you are and your chauffeur will be there in a sec.” With that he disconnected. She smiled. She had thought he might be upset, but Jackson seemed to take the problem in stride.
Sure enough, his truck appeared at the barn entrance a few minutes later. He leaned over the seat and opened the door. “Hop in.”
For the first time in a while, she relaxed. Halfway to town, Jackson’s cell rang.
“That you, Charley?” His chin tucked under. “Everything okay?”
Charley was the man she’d temporarily replaced.
“Today? I’ll be home within two hours. Sure. Looking forward to seeing you.” He disconnected and glanced over at her. “Seems like we’re getting a visitor.”
She’d been hoping her two weeks would end before the man returned. If she’d had a substitute who was a lot younger, she’d have felt threatened.
“Is he strong enough to be walking around?” She didn’t know much about pacemakers or how long it took to recuperate.
“So he says.”
She looked over at him to see if any strain crossed his face. She found none and calmed. “Do you know how long the garage will take to fix my car?”
“Don’t know. Your car’s at Davidson’s Automotive. It’s about a mile out of town, on the east side. I told them to call me when it’s finished. I’ll drive you over there when it’s done.”
She shook her head. “I’m so sorry to have to inconvenience you like this.”
Jackson reached over and grabbed her hand. “It’s what families do.”
Families? He’d only known her a day, though she bet anyone in Pleasure would have done the same. “Thanks.”
When they reached the boarding house, Jackson pulled in back and cut the engine. “I’ll come up with you to check out the place.”
That made sense since he’d have to drive her back to his ranch. Asking him to sit in the truck would be rude. “Sure.”
Hailey and Jackson stepped inside. Sitting in front of the fire was the same woman and daughter she’d seen at the tea shop. What a coincidence. Hailey had the room for two more weeks and would undoubtedly run into her many times.
Hailey stepped over to her and the lady looked up, but there was no recognition. Her gaze shot to Jackson then back at Hailey.
She stuck out her hand. “Hi. I’m Hailey Hunter. I’m staying in room four. You must the other resident in room three.”
The woman’s pretty brown eyes softened, and the tension seemed to seep out of her shoulders. She shook her hand. “I’m Sophie Miller, and this is my daughter, Alice.”
Hailey turned to the pretty little brunette. What she wouldn’t have given to be born tiny and cute. “Hi, Alice.”
“Hi.”
Hailey turned around. “Oh. Where are my manners? This is Jackson Baldwin. I’m doing some vet work for him for a few weeks.”
“You’re a vet?” Alice said, her eyes lighting up.
“Yes. Do you like animals?” Her mouth slightly opened then shut.
She turned to her mom and her shoulders caved.
What was that about?
Sophie’s back straightened. “Alice has always wanted a puppy, but we’ve moved around too much. I didn’t think it would be fair to the poor animal.”
“We’re staying here, Mom, for a long time. Right? Maybe we could get a puppy now.”
Sophie chuckled, but the joy didn’t reach her eyes. In fact, it was laced with pain, as if she deeply desired to give her daughter what she wanted, but couldn’t. “Maybe.”
Hailey didn’t want to keep Jackson. “We’ll chat later. I’ve got to get to work.”
“Nice meeting you.”
“You, too.”
She turned toward the stairs, more unsettled than when she’d first arrived. If she did nothing else, she wanted to find out this woman’s story and try to help her.
Chapter Ten
Hailey didn’t take long. She grabbed her vet outfit and changed in the bathroom. As soon as she closed the door, Jackson laughed. “It’s not like I haven’t seen all of you, Pleasure.”
“I know, but this is where I live.”
“So it’s okay to be naked only in my house?” From the strength of his voice, he was leaning against the door. “I’m good with that.”
Thoughts of walking out naked and dragging him into bed struck her. Then common sense intruded. He seemed to want to hold back for a while to make sure she was ready for them, or whatever his lame comment implied. She’d never had a man eat her and lick her tits until she was close to being delirious then not have intercourse. Ridiculous, but she had to admit, she was still riding high from that very experience. Every time she remembered anything about the event, her nipples would peak and her juices would dampen her panties. Would she still be riding high in a couple of days, or would reality intrude? Whatever the outcome, she needed to keep her emotions in check.
She’d brought her purse into the bathroom. In case she decided to spend the night again, she wanted to be prepared. She tossed in her makeup bag and her toothbrush. The rest she could do without.
Pleasure in Sanctuary [Sanctuary, Montana 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 8
