by Lynn Stark
When she saw them, she stopped and stared. Then she was gathering her wits and moving toward them, a smile on her beautiful face. “Hi, guys. How are you this evening?”
She didn’t act like a woman who’d had a sexual encounter with each of them that day. Was that a good thing? Was she trying to pretend it never happened? Or was she good with what had taken place? He wished he knew. Neither he nor Roarke had much experience dealing with women who weren’t related to them and they didn’t count. He was stumped.
Ignoring the need to scratch his head, he smiled. “Hi, Marley. We were just out for a walk and ended up here. We were debating whether to knock or not.”
“Ellen wouldn’t have let the dogs in,” Roarke added. Chug had his face pressed against the wrought-iron bars, looking at the huge dogs with a lot of interest. His stubby tail and chunky hips wriggled excitedly. “We were hoping you could come down, and then there you were, saving us a scolding.”
She smiled again. “I’m glad I could save you. I’m sure they sterilize my room every day when we leave. It does seem to be terribly clean and freshened when we come back.” She began walking toward the gate. They followed her down along the sidewalk. “Since you aren’t brave enough to come in, we’ll come out. These guys want to go to the park again.” Grayson opened the gate, allowing her and the two dogs to exit. Then he was closing and securing it. “I’m afraid to let them play on the lawn. I don’t think I’ve seen one blade of grass out of place.”
“Not likely. Colt has probably given strict instructions on how it’s supposed to be groomed. He’s a stickler for those kinds of things.”
Marley was in the middle as they walked back down the sidewalk, toward the town center where the park was located. The streetlights had come on, illuminating their way. Martha and Barney walked ahead. He had never seen them on a leash. They were very well-behaved dogs.
“Is it true that he has a BDSM club?”
“It’s true, though only a part of it is devoted to BDSM. It’s more of a club for the sexually adventurous. Roarke and I go a couple times a month. Would you like to go with us some night?”
Gray held his breath and he knew with a glance over her head that Roarke was doing the same.
Chapter Six
Marley felt the buzz of excitement along her skin. It wasn’t just from being close to the two handsome men. No, it was the idea of going to a sex club with them. After what had taken place between them earlier in the day, she knew she was very tempted. She had never before felt the myriad of sensations which had flooded her body both times. The book she began reading the previous night sure had unlocked some kind of need inside her. It was completely unfamiliar, but not completely unwelcome. She simply wasn’t certain how she was supposed to go on from here. Should she be bolder? Should she see where a relationship could possibly go with these men? If it was only sex, it would soon burn itself out. But if it wasn’t just about sex, though that part had been great, then she would be giving the whole relationship/future thing a chance.
Thinking of her sister, she knew Callie wouldn’t want her to be sad and miserable all the time, not like she had been all these past months. She just missed her sister so damned much! Since coming to Silver, however, that misery had eased somewhat. Perhaps it was because she was beginning to give their dreams some substance. They were forming, becoming tangible, and would soon be shared with others. Was that the reason she was not allowing herself to hope for more?
“Maybe,” Marley answered finally. “I’ll have to think about it.”
You wuss, she told herself, not looking at either man. She could feel their gazes on her and shifted uncomfortably. They were in the park by now and Barney and Martha, instead of running off, were waiting to see if the bulldog and retriever were going to be allowed to run with them. Barney woofed and put his big paw on the bulldog’s broad head. A second later the dog, obviously a young one, began mouthing it playfully.
“Can you let them loose?”
“Yeah. Bailey won’t leave me and Chug won’t leave her,” Grayson told her.
The men bent and released the dogs from their leashes. A moment later total doggie chaos was taking place in the center of Silver’s green space as the dogs got to know each other on neutral territory.
Marley started slightly when Grayson slid a muscular arm around her waist, guiding her toward the nearest bench. They waited until she was seated before sitting down on either side of her. Was this how it would always be? No one left out, always together. She didn’t know how these polyandrous relationships worked. Didn’t the men get jealous of each other? She had spent alone time with each. Roarke hadn’t seemed jealous. If anything, he had been very turned on to know she had been with Grayson. Hmmm, it was very interesting.
Since she still wanted more time to think, she steered the conversation away from anything personal. “How’s Ned doing?”
“He’s doing okay. I’ve seen him twice now. He’s in pain, but he should be out in a couple of weeks. He’ll go to stay with his daughter and his sons-in-law will take turns running the store until he can come back.”
“Does he have any idea who attacked him?”
“Not a clue. They were two men he said he’d never seen before. He actually had put up working cameras, but they weren’t placed where they could get the best shots. We’ve moved the cameras, so that shouldn’t be a problem from now on. We’ve sent out descriptions of the men, so hopefully we’ll get a hit soon. We can’t have such violent people running around.”
“Of course not,” Marley agreed solemnly. “Do you think it’s drug related?”
“Very well could be. A lot of crimes are. Every once in a while we’ll get someone trying to set up a meth lab in the area. There are plenty of remote places where these worthless assholes can cook their drugs. We put a stop to it as soon as we can. It’s not easy.”
“So Silver’s not as perfect as I was beginning to believe it was.”
“As much as I hate to admit it, Silver’s not perfect. We have problems here just like any other town. Maybe not as much, but they’re still here.”
When Grayson’s powerful arms slid behind her shoulders on the back of the bench, Marley suppressed a smile. They sat like that for several minutes, not talking, just watching as the dogs played, until Roarke claimed her hand, sliding his fingers between hers.
Okay, this was nice, Marley thought as she sat there. She was surprised she wasn’t feeling crowded by their advances, if what they were doing could really be described as such.
“How about coming home with us tonight? Barney and Martha can leave all the hair and drool they want in the house. We don’t mind.”
Marley laughed. “As fun as that invitation sounds, I think I’ll pass. We need to get to know each other better before I commit to anything else.”
“Okay,” the men said in unison, surprising her. She relaxed instantly and settled further back on the bench. Grayson’s arm moved over her shoulders. “We’re not going to rush you,” he said, kissing the top of her head. Okay, she had to admit that was nice, too.
“Thanks. I do appreciate that. I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now and I don’t want to make any decisions I’ll regret later.”
“We understand, though I hope you won’t say no to some chocolate once in a while.”
Marley blushed, but chuckled before replying. “I’ll never say no to chocolate. Well, I better get back. I have a hot bath calling my name.”
Rising from the bench, she turned to look at the men. They were so darned handsome, even in the weak glow of the lights strung up in several of the trees. If the charm of the town was sugar, it was no wonder everybody she had met so far seemed to ooze sweetness. Well, except for Ms. Jersey.
Shuddering, Marley called the dogs. They trotted up to her, Chug and Bailey not far behind. Chug came to sit at her feet, panting, his jaws slapping open and closed as he looked up her with interest.
“I’m staying home tomorrow. It’s my day off,�
�� Grayson told her. “If you want to leave Barney and Martha at our place, they can have their own run. It’s quite large and there’s plenty of shade.”
She looked at her dogs. As good as they were, she knew they were bored out of their minds sitting in the gallery all day, with only a break or two during the long hours. If she left them with Grayson, then they would have a place to play while she was working. What could it hurt? It was the perfect solution.
“That sounds great. I’ll bring over their beds and their toys. Thanks.”
“No problem. We’re more than willing to help out with anything you need.”
“Which brings me to my offer. Tomorrow is my day off, too,” Roarke told her. “I can help you out at the gallery. I’m sure there’s stuff I can help with.”
“I could use some help cleaning and polishing the floor. I had paper taped down over it to keep the dust and the paint off.”
“What time do you want me there?”
Marley smiled at Roarke. His eagerness was apparent. “No need to rush. Spend time with Grayson. I probably won’t drop the dogs off until around nine. The thing I like about living here, which I never experienced while I lived in California, is I never feel like rushing to do anything.”
They were walking toward the street, the dogs following behind. Except for Chug that is, the dog seeming to have taken an instant liking to her. He looked up at her with adoring eyes, which she rewarded with a scratch to his ears. She wasn’t used to bending over to pet a dog and laughed about that.
“I thought everyone in California was laid-back.”
“A popular misconception.” Marley laughed, thinking about the life she had left behind. The only time she had felt laid-back was when she was away from the city, either when she went to the beach or into the mountains. It was a moment when she could tell them something of her history. She should, but decided to wait. Another day or two, or even a few, wouldn’t make a great deal of difference. “Goodnight, Roarke,” she said, going up on tiptoe to kiss him lightly on the mouth, her own twitching with amusement as she heard his disappointed moan. Then she turned to Grayson and saw the heat in his green eyes when she looked up at him. “Goodnight, Grayson. Thank you for the walk.”
“It was our pleasure.”
Marley left the men there, knowing even as she did so she was making the wrong choice. Something deep down inside of her was telling her she needed to take a chance with the men. They were hot, sexy, and she was attracted to them both. The pull was very strong. Just sitting beside them in the park had sent her pulse racing. When they had touched her places inside her body began to throb and come alive.
But sexual desire wasn’t enough to build a future on, was it? That was a rather shaky foundation. There had to be something more, some kind of glue to make it all stick together.
And what did she have to offer these two men, these longtime lovers, men who already had a strong bond? Did they really want or need a woman to complete their lives? Weren’t they enough for one another? What if they decided, after she had been with them for a while, that they really didn’t want her? That would really suck.
Marley was certain of one thing. It wouldn’t take much to fall in love with the men. They seemed to be everything a woman would want. Singly or together, they were dynamic.
Letting herself in the back door, she smiled as she saw two plates of cookies and a glass of milk. There was a note beside it.
Picking it up, she read the neat script: I thought you might like a snack after your walk. There’s a little something for Martha and Barney. They’re pumpkin biscuits. Enjoy. Ellen
The milk was still ice cold and the cookies warm. The woman was a marvel. Sitting down, she gave each of the dogs their cookies. They crunched appreciatively as Marley picked up a cookie from the other plate. She smiled as she saw the huge chunks of chocolate poking out of the golden crust. Did everyone know her secret?
As she bit into the treat she closed her eyes, reliving the moments with Roarke and Grayson. With her pussy twitching and her panties getting wet, she finished the cookie and reached for the second. It couldn’t hurt to draw out the moment.
“I’d pay good money to know what put that look on your face,” a deep, velvety voice said, startling her out of the heated memories.
Marley’s eyes flew open. Colt was standing in front of her, wearing nothing more than those darn sexy white silk sleeping pants again. Was the man trying to tempt her? She thought about that. As breathtakingly gorgeous as the man was, and she would undoubtedly enjoy anything sexual he wanted to do to her, she just wasn’t interested.
And that in itself was interesting. Just what did she want? It was a question which would torment her if she let it.
“I was just thinking about some nice things that happened to me today. I take it that your house still reeks of paint fumes.” Ellen had told her that morning why her employer was staying in his family home instead of his personal residence.
The dark head inclined, a flash of annoyance crossing his handsome face. “Unfortunately it does.”
Marley lifted the plate holding the last cookie. “Have one?”
Colt smiled and took the cookie. She watched as he ate it. Heck, the man even knew how to eat in a way which was totally sexy. She wanted to ask if Bliss and Clarissa were with him, but decided that wasn’t any of her business. The man was nice enough to give her a place to stay until she found a house to buy. That didn’t give her the right to pry into his private business.
“Have you found any houses yet?”
He nodded. “As a matter of fact, I have. There are two you might like. If you have the time, we can tour them tomorrow.”
“The electrician is coming to the gallery in the morning. After we go over again what I want, I’ll be free for a while.” She frowned, remembering Roarke was coming by to help her with the floors. “Darn, it’ll have to wait until early afternoon, if you’re available. Roarke has offered to help with the floors.”
“The afternoon is fine. The houses aren’t going anywhere.” Colt smiled again. “We’ll go for a late lunch at the Silver Star Hotel.”
Marley had glimpsed inside the place. It wasn’t the kind of restaurant where one wandered in wearing grungy jeans and a tattered T-shirt. She would have to rush home to clean up first and put on the appropriate outfit. But it would be worth it. If someone wanted to buy her a nice meal at a fancy restaurant, she was all for it.
“That sounds wonderful.”
“Two o’clock?”
“Two,” she agreed, then watched as he walked out of the kitchen, admiring the shape of his ass beneath the clinging silk.
A sigh of pleasure escaped her lips. She might not want to have sex with the man, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look. With the chocolate taking effect, Marley smiled and took the plates and glass to the sink. She rinsed them before placing them in the dishwasher, wondering as she did so if Ellen wasn’t hiding in a hallway somewhere waiting for her to leave so she could wash the dishes and the kitchen.
“Come on, guys. Let’s go to bed.”
Bed. Yeah, right. She wasn’t going to be able to sleep any better than she had the night before. Deciding she wouldn’t go anywhere near the borrowed book again, she bagged her dirty clothes for washing the next day, then pulled out the suit she would wear for the lunch with Colt. She didn’t dress up often, but when she did she enjoyed it. She paired the pale green suit with a pair of bone heels. The suit was in relatively good condition, no obvious wrinkles, so she hung it up in the bathroom to let it relax in the steam. Then she was turning on the shower and stepping in. She was too tired to take a bath. Heck, she would probably fall asleep and slide underwater.
Yawning seemed to be a good sign she would fall asleep quickly. Marley dried off and pulled on a nightgown. One glance at the dogs and she saw they were already dreaming of more biscuits and running in the park. Turning off the light, she climbed up on the bed and tucked herself between the sheets, sighing with pleasure
as she did so. She didn’t know what the thread count was, but she sure wanted to get a set of sheets like the ones caressing her skin. She didn’t care about the cost. It was such a little thing to pamper herself with.
Marley was certain she heard herself moaning as she woke in the middle of the night. Feeling herself flushing hotly as she recalled the dream, she knew there was no chance of going right back to sleep.
Reaching out she turned on the light. Then she was slipping out of the bed and padding across the carpet to her suitcase. She knew she should unpack before someone else did it for her, but she wasn’t about to do it at two in the morning. Pulling out the book, then the long, thick vibrator on impulse, she tossed the book onto the bed with a small bottle of lube before she made a quick trip into the bathroom with the bottle of cleanser.
Armed with the vibrator, she was determined to make it through the rest of the book. One or two orgasms would help her sleep. As she sat naked against banked pillows, Marley held the book in one hand while she caressed her hard nipples with the other. She pinched and pulled them, her teeth worrying her lower lip, as she read words so scorching she could feel her skin heating up. Low moans escaped her lips as her pussy began throbbing in the most irresistible manner.
Marley’s entire world came to a screeching halt as she learned how two men made love to one woman at the same time. The fingers on her nipple froze, her breath caught in her throat, and her body’s inner workings went into overdrive.
“No way!” she breathed, bringing the pages closer, as if rereading it an inch from her nose could make it any more believable. “There’s just no way that could possibly work.”
But there it was in black and white. Well, there was no getting beyond it until she got a confirmation or a denial. Jumping out of bed she pulled on the discarded nightgown and headed for the door. There was one person she could ask. The owner of this incredible book could tell her if such a thing was even remotely possible.
