by Marla Monroe
“Oh, um, unless you have personal items you needed to carry.” Jay’s face reddened slightly, making Rayna laugh.
“No, nothing like that. I’m fine. I just feel like I’m putting all the work on you guys.” She smiled.
“That’s what we’re for,” Kenny told her. “To do all the work. Let’s go and meet up with the others.”
Rayna locked her door then walked ahead of the two men to the truck. Kenny drove, so it was Jay who helped her up into the front seat. He climbed in next to her, sandwiching her between the two men. At first she tried to keep from touching either of them but realized all she was doing was tiring out herself, so she relaxed and didn’t worry if she touched either man.
If I’m going to have an open mind about dating two men, I need to stop obsessing about who I do and don’t touch or talk to.
That wasn’t as easy as she thought it should be. She found herself keeping score on who she talked to last and which one she’d asked the last question of. She was going to be exhausted by the time they reached the trailhead where they were going to be hiking.
Once they arrived, Jay leaned over and whispered, “I can tell you’re nervous about all of this, Rayna. Don’t be. Just relax and have a good time. There’s no rules to this. If you don’t enjoy yourself, then what’s the fun in going?”
She couldn’t stop the smile that filled her face. Jay was right. It was all about having fun and visiting with each other. It wasn’t a competition or a test.
“There they are now,” Kenny said.
Three people piled out of a truck equally as large as Kenny’s was. The two men towered over the pretty woman. It was obvious that the men doted on her by the way they each held one of her hands and kissed the top of her head as they walked closer.
“Hey, Kenny, Jay. How’s it going?” one man asked.
“Good, good. Guys, this is Rayna. Rayna, this is Lexie and her husbands, Jared and Quade.” Kenny pointed each of them out as he made the introductions.
“It’s great to meet you guys. Thanks for coming along.” She wasn’t sure what more to say. She couldn’t say and “thanks for letting me watch how you guys interact because I’m worried about dating two men at once.”
“This will be fun. We’ve gone on a few of the trails closer to the house, but this one is really nice they tell me.” Lexie donned a small pack with the help of Quade. The two men pulled on much larger packs. Rayna didn’t feel quite as useless as she had earlier.
“Let’s get going. I want to get to the waterfall before it gets too late so we can enjoy it,” Jay said.
“Oh, I forgot about that. I can’t wait.” Lexie positioned herself next to Rayna as they started off. Two guys in front and two behind them.
Kenny pointed out various flowers and a flustered rabbit as they walked. Rayna found herself having a wonderful time. Still, she wanted to talk to Lexie without the guys so close by. Maybe when they stopped for a water break she could ask her then.
At the first break, Jay handed her a bottle of water and a nut bar. He returned to talk with the other guys, and she and Lexie settled on a flat rock to talk.
“So, what do you think of Jay and Kenny?” Lexie asked.
“I like them. I mean they’re really nice.”
“Are you nervous about dating two guys? I can understand that. It feels weird to have two men always around and all.”
“Were you uncomfortable with dating them both?” she asked.
“I guess I didn’t have that worry. They rescued me from a bad relationship that was abusive. I never really worried about there being two of them. I can see how it would bother you though.”
Rayna sighed. “Don’t you feel weird with walking in town so that everyone sees you?”
“No, I really don’t. There are four or five families around here, plus there are some other alternative lifestyles in Riverbend.” Lexie sipped on her water.
“Alternative lifestyles? What’s that?”
“Well, we have an alternative lifestyle, and there are others who are in a D/s relationship. That means Dominant/submissive relationship. Have you heard of that?”
“Like Fifty Shades?” Rayna asked.
“That’s right for the most part. It’s complicated, and Fifty Shades didn’t adequately cover it.” Lexie recapped her empty bottle. “The thing is it’s a wonderful life. I haven’t regretted it one second, and now I have a beautiful son with my husbands.”
“Don’t you ever fight or have disagreements?”
“Oh, honey, there will be the normal fusses and arguments, but the nice thing is that you get to make up afterward. It’s no different than any other relationship. You work through the tough times and enjoy the good times.”
“Do you do everything as a group, or do you alternate?”
“It all depends. Sometimes we’re all together like out at dinner or shopping, but sometimes one of them has something they’ve got to do and it’s just two of us. I don’t keep score if that’s what you’re referring to. The only time I don’t get my way is if it involves something that would be dangerous or if my health is in question.” Lexie smiled. “There were a lot of fireworks while I was pregnant. My poor obstetrician earned his payment. I was calling him every week it seemed to get him to tell the guys that it was safe for me to swim or do things around the house.”
Rayna chuckled. “I can imagine those conversations. So what are the downfalls? There have to be some.”
Lexie cocked her head to one side. “Honestly, I can’t think of any other than there are two men saying no when they think you’re about to do something that’s detrimental to your health. Otherwise, it’s great. There’s always someone around to get something off a tall shelf for you. I guess the one downside is that sometimes I want a little me time. I usually get that by telling them I want to take a bubble bath alone. Then they make sure I have everything I need and leave me alone. Mostly.”
“Mostly?”
“Yeah, they check every fifteen or so minutes to be sure I haven’t fallen asleep and drowned.”
Rayna laughed. “I can imagine that would get to be annoying, as well.”
“You learn to deal with it.”
“You guys ready to go?” Jared called over.
“Yeah.” Rayna stood up and recapped her empty bottle. They gave the empties and the wrappers to Quade, who tucked them into his backpack.
“How much farther to the waterfall?” Rayna asked Kenny.
“About thirty minutes. Won’t be long now.”
Rayna and Lexie kept up a soft conversation about everyday things. Rayna kept thinking over what the other woman had told her. It sounded like she was very happy, and the way the guys seemed to dote on her, Rayna could see why. Would it be the same way with Jay and Kenny?
Soon the sound of a loud roaring could be heard as they neared the falls. Lexie expected a huge drop but was surprised when they squeezed through several rocks to find a mere ten-foot drop. Kenny explained that the enclosed rocks echoed, making the falls seem much larger than they were.
“It’s too cold to swim in now, but soon we can come back and actually swim in the pool. You can soak your feet if you want to,” Kenny said.
“I’m all for getting my feet wet,” Lexie said.
“Are you sure, baby? I don’t want you to catch a cold.” Quade helped her sit down next to the water.
Lexie made a face and turned to Rayna. “See what I mean.”
Rayna laughed. “I see.” She started removing her shoes but had her hands brushed aside as Jay took over unlacing her shoes and pulling them and her socks off. She noticed that Quade was doing the same for Lexie.
They dipped their feet into the cool water and giggled at how silly they felt pulling them right back out, only to drop them back down. She and Lexie chatted about mundane things for the next thirty minutes. It wasn’t long before the guys urged them to take their feet out and let them dry so they could pull their socks and shoes back on to head back down the little t
rail.
The trip back down was made in a companionable silence with only a few quick sentences when Kenny spotted something he thought the women would enjoy. A couple of deer stood off the trail munching away on sprigs of grass. They’d remained there for another few minutes until the animals had wandered away.
Rayna could easily say it had been one of the best days of her life. How could she possibly throw away more days like that by refusing to date Kenny and Jay at the same time? If nothing came of their dates, she would be able to say she’d tried. If she refused to see them both, she’d never know if there could have been more that she’d missed by being a prude.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” Kenny asked as he helped her up into the front seat of the truck.
“Just thinking. I had a great time today. Thank you both for having me.”
Jay climbed up behind the wheel this time. “It was all our pleasure. I’m thankful that you agreed to give it a go. Was Lexie able to answer all of your questions?”
“Pretty much. I think some of them are only really up to me and what I’m comfortable with. They sure are a great family. I can’t get over how attentive the men are over her.”
“They love her. They’d do anything to make her smile,” Jay told her.
“I’m not sure I could handle all of that togetherness all the time though. I’m used to being alone all the time. I would think a relationship like that would smother me.”
“Bethany Tidwell is like that. She is a writer, and her two husbands understand that she needs quiet time without them hovering. With their jobs, they aren’t always watching over her. Mac is the sheriff, and his brother is an attorney.” Kenny squeezed her hand. “Every relationship is different, despite all of them being threesomes. It’s what you make them.”
“How do we know how to go about making our own? I mean we hardly know each other. It’s bound to take time to forge a strong relationship when there are three of us.”
Jay nodded. “It takes time, but all good, solid relationships take time to create and maintain. You don’t start one and then just exist in it. You have to work on them all the time.”
“I can see that.” Rayna shifted in the seat. “I’m leaning toward giving the three of us a try, but I want to sleep on it. Is that okay?”
Jay nodded. “We’re good with that. Just don’t say no.”
Rayna chuckled. “No pressure, huh?”
“Never.”
Chapter Eight
Monday morning Rayna woke early from a restless night of dreams centered around Kenny and Jay. She’d never dreamed so much in one night before. They’d dated, gotten married, and had three kids, two dogs, and a half-dozen cats. All of it frightened her as much as she’d enjoyed the dream. Six cats? What would they do with six of them?
She checked on Patches and found that the mother cat had stretched out between the box holding her kittens and the fireplace once again. She looked so satisfied and was slowly adding more hair and a little bit of meat to her bones. She’d been the perfect pet so far. All Rayna had to do was keep her food bowl full, her water bowl clean, and empty the litter box. She got purrs and soft pats on her face when the cat jumped up on her lap while she was reading.
Would dating both Jay and Kenny at the same time go as smoothly? Was she actually considering it?
Yes. She was.
They’d been perfect gentlemen, fun companions, and were different enough that she had no trouble seeing herself spending time both together and separately with one or the other. Kenny would be busy with his veterinarian practice and Jay with his woodworking. She could continue her job without feeling like she was ignoring them and feeling guilty about it. They could date weekends and talk during the week at night.
Rayna could see where it could work. She could also see herself worrying over if she’d offended one with spending too much time with the other. That worried her. She’d always been one to play fair. If she had to worry about that, it would never work. She would worry herself sick.
Lexie had said they didn’t worry about that. Sometimes she spent more time with one man when the other one was busy, but it all worked out in the end. She’d told her that jealousy never figured into their relationship.
Could it really be that easy? She started when her cell rang, jerking her out of her thoughts. She picked up the phone but didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Rayna, it’s Lexie. I hope you don’t mind that I got your number from the guys. I wanted to call and thank you for asking us on your hike. I had a blast. It was the first real outing we’d had since the babe came.”
“It’s fine. I’m so glad you enjoyed yourself, but I’m the one who’s thankful for your coming along. You answered so many of the questions circling in my head and driving me crazy.” Rayna curled up in her favorite chair with her feet under her.
“I bet you still have some questions. The guys are out at the barn looking over a horse they’re planning to sell. We’re all alone, so ask whatever you want to. I don’t mind answering.” Lexie’s sweet voice held an edge of naughty to it.
“Do you all sleep together, or do you sleep in a different man’s bed each night?” Rayna popped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. That was too personal.”
“Not at all. I told you we were all alone and could talk about anything,” she said with what Rayna was sure was a smile on her face. “We sleep all together. Sometimes it’s just me and one of the guys if the other one is out all night with a foaling or something going on with the cattle, but that doesn’t happen very often. Oh, and I don’t have sex every single night. At least not anymore. That gets tiring, and after a while, you end up too sore to walk.”
“I would imagine so.” Rayna fanned her face. “Don’t they ever get jealous of each other?”
“Nope. If they did, they never let me know about it. We all spend quality time together and apart. Out of all of the threesome couples, or triads, as some call them, ours is probably the only one with my men close to me all the time since we all live and work on the ranch. The others have outside jobs for the most part.”
“You seem so happy. I guess I worry that there would be too much tension to make it work.”
Lexie chuckled. “The only tension in a threesome that isn’t centered around sex is what you make yourself go through. My advice is to relax and see where it takes you. You might see in a few weeks or months that it just isn’t for you, but you tried and wouldn’t always be second-guessing if you’d made the right decision or not. For all you know, it just might work out.”
“Maybe you’re right. I can’t help but be nervous though. I haven’t dated much at all in the last few years. So, jumping into this seems pretty major to me.”
“I understand. Just know that anytime you have questions, call me. I’ll be glad to talk. Hell, if you just want to talk or have a cup of coffee, come over and visit. I do a lot of the office work here, but I’m not on any schedule. I’d love to be friends.”
“Thank you, Lexie. I’d like that. I really don’t know many people here, and I’ve lived here for a long time. When I first fell in love with the town after searching for somewhere quiet and laid back, I never dreamed I wouldn’t get out more and meet people.”
Rayna ended the call and added Lexie to her contacts. She scrolled through her very few saved contacts and realized she didn’t have Jay’s number, only Kenny’s number. She decided to call Kenny and request Jay’s number from him. How he reacted would determine if she could see dating them both.
She selected his number and waited as it rang. It went to voice mail, so she determined he was busy with a patient. She left her name and number then ended the call.
Twenty minutes later, her phone rang. She saw that it was Kenny and answered.
“Hi. Sorry to bother you at work,” she said.
“It’s no bother. What can I do for you?”
“I don’t have Jay’s number. Could I get it from you?”
>
“Sure. Do you have a pen ready?”
“Go.”
He rattled off the number while she wrote it down.
“If you call him, let him know I’m going to be late tonight. I have a couple of teeth cleanings I’ve had to put off until later due to a couple of emergencies. He gets grouchy if I don’t let him know when he’s cooked something.”
“I’ll let him know. Thanks for the number.”
“Bye, babe.”
He hadn’t seemed the least bit jealous that she’d asked for Jay’s number. Maybe things would work out if she just gave it a chance. Rayna called Jay next. He answered on the fourth ring just before she was about to hang up.”
“This is Jay. How can I help you?”
“Um, hi, Jay. This is Rayna. I didn’t realize this was your business number. I’m sorry.”
“No problem. It’s my only number. Kenny must have given it to you. I forgot all about giving it to you the other day when we went hiking.”
“I wanted to add it to my contacts listing. I had his but not yours.”
There was a silence on the other end for a split second, and then he laughed. “That’s great. You’re going to give this a chance, right?”
“Yeah. I am. I really enjoyed myself the other day, and I know I’d kick myself if I said no without finding out if we could have a good time together.”
“This is great news. So, do you mind if I tell Kenny, or have you already said something to him?”
“No. You can. Oh, and he was busy, something about he’s going to be late tonight due to cleaning teeth. Do animals go to dentists?” she asked.
Jay’s smile was evident in his voice. “Actually, in a way, yes. Dogs and cats need teeth cleanings to keep from getting gum disease and losing teeth. Plus, if you don’t do it regularly, it can lead to kidney disease.”
“You should be a veterinarian spokesperson.” Rayna laughed.
“I’ve heard it so many times now that I could probably do the job. Don’t get me started on heartworm medication.”
