Ways in the Guardian: A Menage Romance Book Collection

by Barbara Downey

  *****

  Eventually, Dan calmed her down and made her sit on the couch as he looked around. “You know what- forget coffee, have you got anything stronger? Oh wait- just remembered that you don’t drink.” Chloe shook her head and hiccupped as she said, “There’s some whiskey in the kitchen, and I do drink actually- I’m just not drinking these days.” Dan went for the whiskey and called out, “How come?” Chloe took a deep breath as Dan returned with the bottle and looking at her, he said, “Sorry- you don’t have to tell me. But I’m going to have a drink if you don’t mind.” Chloe squared her shoulders and said, “Actually, I do want to tell you,” as she said the words she realized they were completely true- she wanted to tell Dan her terrible secret. “I’m pregnant.”

  Dan fell into the chair opposite her and stared at her open-mouthed before he slowly asked, “Are you sure- I mean, sorry but whose is it?” Chloe shrugged and felt herself come dangerously close to crying again as she said, “It was some guy I met at a bar- I slept with him one time and he was gone in the morning. It really wasn’t a big deal until this happened, and I don’t know, I haven’t told anyone. I’m scared I’ll lose my job.” Her shoulders started to shake and Dan quickly got up from his chair and moved closer to her, putting his arm around her shoulders as he said, “No, Chloe- I can’t believe you’re doing this alone. You won’t lose your job; nothing will happen. It will all be alright, I promise you.” Chloe looked up at him through her tears and said, “Really?” Dan nodded and then suddenly, without warning, Chloe kissed him.

  She was scared but she knew that this felt right- her lips on Dan’s. His hands tightened around her and then he pulled away, “Chloe- I- you’re upset and I-” but Chloe looked at him, tears clinging to her eyelashes as she said “I really want to kiss you.” Dan couldn’t resist anymore- she looked so beautiful and she was right there in his arms. He leaned in and kissed her back, softly at first but pulling her in closer as they kissed harder. She reached out and tangled her fingers in his hair while held her waist tightly. Suddenly, she pulled away and turned around, gasping, “Unzip my dress.” Dan was caught off-guard and he blinked stupidly as he stared at her back narrowing into her tiny waist. “Chloe,” he started to say, but she clicked her tongue impatiently and said, “Just so it.” He licked his lips and slowly unzipped the back of her dress.

  She stood up and turned to face him, letting the dress fall to the floor. She stood there, in a strapless bra and her panties, and she held her hand out to him. He took it, and she pulled him up so that he was standing right in front of her, unable to take his eyes off her body. He was uncomfortably aware of the activity in his pants as she put her arms around his neck and stepped closer, lightly pressing her mouth against his. Dan placed his hands on her waist and slid them to her back, slowly working his way to the clasp of her bra. He looked at her with his fingers on the clasp, and she nodded. He unhooked it and it fell to the floor, revealing her beautiful full breasts. Chloe slipped Dan’s jacket off his shoulders and pulled the t-shirt off over his head. They stood there, staring at each other- him in just his pajamas and she in only a pair of panties.

  She turned and led him by the hand to her bedroom, and he let his eyes travel from her delicate back to her large bottom and he felt his erection straining hard against the fabric of his pajamas. When they walked through the doorway, she turned to face him and immediately began to kiss him. His hands roamed across her body more freely now- they squeezed her ass, and cupped her breasts. She slid her thumbs into the waistband of her panties and slipped them off, kicking them away before she lay down on her bed and spread her legs wide open. He stared at her- she was so beautiful in the soft lamplight as she lay naked before him, and he quickly pulled off his pajamas as he stepped close. She sat up and looked at his penis, slowly inching forward and holding it in her hands. She looked up at him and then lowered her mouth onto it. Dan closed his eyes and put his hands on her shoulders.

  As she began to suck on him, moving her mouth up and down his shaft, he opened his eyes again and watched her- her large breasts swung forward every time she bobbed her head, and her blonde waves hung about loosely. He swept her hair away so he could see her face better and she turned her eyes towards him as she took him deeper into her mouth. She suddenly stopped and popped it out of her mouth, sitting up on her knees and throwing her arms around his neck as she whispered in his ear, “Fuck me.” He pushed her onto the bed and she fell back with a giggle. He climbed onto the bed and straddled her as he leaned forwards and kissed her fiercely, moving down slowly to kiss her neck, her breasts, her stomach… Then he straightened up and positioned himself between her legs. She locked her fingers through his as he started to push his way into her. As he entered into her, she gasped and closed her eyes, taking him in deeper and deeper.

  *****

  The sunlight filtered in through the window as Dan woke up, finding a naked Chloe in his arms. He kissed her forehead gently and she stirred, looking at him through sleepy eyes and smiling. “Morning,” he whispered, and she yawned, “Good morning,” before her eyes flew open and she sat up. “Oh God, what time is it? Am I late for work?” He shook his head and said, “No, relax, you have an hour.” She sighed with relief and then looked at him and said, “So- now what?” Dan shrugged and said, “Well, I can think of one thing we can do.” He tossed back the covers and revealed his massive hard-on and Chloe laughed but she shook her head and said “No, I mean what should we do about all of this? The pregnancy, your brother, my job?” Dan chewed on his lip thoughtfully before he said, “Well- we should be honest with each other first.”

  Chloe looked at him and said, “I understand- I initiated this last night and you have no responsibility, trust me.” Dan shook his head quickly and said, “No- that’s not at all where I was going. I was gonna tell you that I really like you- I mean I really like you and I want to- I want to be with you, if you’ll have me.” Chloe’s mouth fell open and she said, “What about the baby? I mean, I’m keeping it.” Dan shrugged and said, “It’s your body, your baby- that’s entirely up to you, but I want to stay with you through it. Even if it doesn’t work out the way we want it to, you can rely on me to be there with you, even if it’s as a friend,” he paused and added, “I would like it to as more than friends, though.”

  Chloe started to cry again, and Dan quickly held her as he said, “Did I say something wrong?” Chloe shook her head and said, “You’re so sweet- I feel awful. I knew both you and your brother were interested in me, and I was playing you both. But I do really like you, Dan.” Dan suddenly looked embarrassed as he said, “Well- I have to tell you something as well. Alex and I, we’re really competitive, and we were treating this as a sort of game, like let’s see who gets the girl first. And it wasn’t until last night when you told me about the- the baby- that’s when I realized I didn’t care about any of it, except you.” Chloe held onto him and wept a little before she straightened up and said, “I’ll tell Stephen and Janine about the baby, but you have to tell Alex about us.” Dan nodded, and then Chloe went for a shower.

  After the two of them had breakfast and Chloe went to work, Dan headed back home where he found Alex lying on the deck by the pool. Dan squinted against the sunlight and said, “Al, there’s something I need to talk to you about.” Alex didn’t move from his pot, he didn’t even open his eyes as he said, “Where were you, little brother?” Dan licked his lips nervously and said, “I was- I was with Chloe.” Alex suddenly got up and walked away. Dan followed him quickly and said, “Alex- wait, please.” Suddenly, Alex rounded on Dan, his face an unpleasant shade of purple as he said, “That’s it- you won. Are you happy? Is that why you came here- to rub it in my face?” Dan blinked at him, and said, “Won? Won what? Alex, I have to tell you something.”

  “The bet- that’s what,” Alex yelled “The stupid bet you forced me into when I was drunk out of my mind. You get the girl and the company, happy? I’ll just wait around and watch as you sink Bennett Industries i
nto the ground.” He started to walk away again but Dan grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around. “This isn’t about the bet, alright-” he started to say but Alex shrugged him off and continued to walk away. He reached the foot of the stairs when Dan yelled out “She’s pregnant, alright?” Alex stopped and turned- “What?” Dan nodded and ran his fingers through his hair as he said, “Chloe- she’s pregnant, and she’s really scared. That’s why she called me last night- she was in pain or something, but it turned out to be just cramps. Look, I just wanna be there for her, okay? And I really like her.”

  Alex walked back towards his brother and said, “IS she okay? Whose is it?” Dan shook his head and said, “Some random guy she met at a bar- it was a one-time thing, but now she’s stuck in this situation, and I don’t want her to be alone. I want to be there for her, and her baby.” Alex nodded and said, “That’s a really brave thing you’re doing, man- and her too, I don’t know if I could handle that.” Dan looked at his brother and clapped him on the shoulder as he said, “But there is one thing I know you can handle- the company.” Alex stared at Dan as his mouth fell open. “The company?”

  Dan nodded and said, “I know you deserve it more than me- I’ve always known that. I just hated that Dad was pitting us against each other. Look, you’ll do a great job as CEO, and you said it yourself- I would have sunk it into the ground.” Alex looked sheepish as he said, “No, I didn’t mean that-” but Dan interrupted him and said, “It’s okay- even I know it’s true.” Alex looked at his brother and then said, “I’m sorry I was such a dick- you’re a good man, Daniel.” They embraced and when they broke apart, they grinned at each other. For once, they saw each other as family and not rivals.

  THE END

  See the next bonus story at the next page!

  15 of 25 Bonus Stories

  Desperate Measures

  “Stop! Get back here!” Behind her the shouts rang out, mixing with the sound of police sirens that weren’t too far away, but Serena only pushed herself faster. It was just her luck that the folks in blue had to be walking into that CVS just as she was leaving. Clutching her bag to her chest tightly, she pushed her legs as hard as they could go. There were too many people on the street to hear the running officers behind her, but she didn’t dare look back. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, causing a degree of numbness to the burning her muscles were probably feeling.

  Weaving around people, Serena was already panting lightly before the CVS finally disappeared as she rounded a corner. Only a few more blocks and she’d be able to lose the cops behind her. Traffic was pretty bad, too, which was in her favor. Pacing herself, she watched one block go by, and then a second.

  Taking a turn hard, her luck seemed to run out when she saw a bunch of men in military uniforms milling around a sandwich shop. Skidding to a stop, Serena tried to be unassuming as she started a brisk walk. Slowly she came closer to them, and she counted six heads. She wasn’t sure she could outrun six men from the military that were obviously much more fit than she was. Clutching her bag with increasing tightness, she heard the pill bottles rattle faintly. Only a few yards stood between herself and the military men, and once she got past them she would be okay.

  Everything would’ve been fine if the cops didn’t crash into a cafe table as they took the same turn she had.

  “Stop her!” the cops shouted.

  Serena didn’t hesitate to break into a run once again as all eyes turned to her. The policemen had clearly noticed their military counterparts and if she didn’t get away now she wasn’t going to at all. Taking a chance, she crashed through them to speed down the sidewalk. Several pairs of boots were loud behind her now; they were boots made for running, so unlike standard issue police shoes.

  It took only minutes for that drumming sound to disappear, but Serena still didn’t stop. Her heart was going to explode in her chest, muscles burning and lungs aching from lack of oxygen. The sacks were moving too fast and too shallow to work properly. Veering into an ally, she threw her bag onto the landing of a fire escape and jumped to haul herself up. Around her the slightly rusting metal didn’t do anything to shield her, and she hastened up the stairs as quietly and quickly as possible.

  With shaking hands, Serena carefully unzipped her backpack, checking to make sure the pill bottles weren’t broken. It made a harsh sigh of relief escape her dry throat, and she gulped in an effort to relieve herself. The police cruiser slid right past her, sirens blaring as it chased someone who was no longer running. Now all she had to do was wait a little while for the heat to calm down. Pulling a water bottle out of her bag, she downed the whole thing in three breaths and relaxed against the brick supporting her back.

  Staring into space, Serena wondered how this could’ve possibly gotten so bad. She used to have a future that didn’t involve stealing and running from police. That was the time when her mother wasn’t sick, her father wasn’t dead and her siblings hadn’t abandoned them. They had lives of their own, they said. Their mom should be in a nursing home they’d gladly pay for just to forget about her. Clenching her jaw, she squeezed her eyes shut as tears threatened to fall once again.

  Serena knew it shouldn’t be like this, but it was all she had to work with. She was nearly 24 years old, with no job and bills on top of bills she had no hope of paying. That was the point she’d reached, having no hope. The only thing she could do was try to prolong everything. Her mother’s death, losing the house she grew up in and going to jail for theft. Bitterness rose up inside her at the thoughts swirling in her head.

  It never ceased to amaze Serena how her siblings actually had the audacity to try to put their mother in a nursing home. She knew the truth; they would never visit, and only when she was dead would they bother. They would bury her and forget about her because it was easier than acknowledging they let her down.

  An hour and a half passed before Serena climbed down from the fire escape, and she brushed her hair out with her fingers as a small, sad smile crept onto her face. When her mother dies, she’d be the only person in the family with auburn hair. All of her siblings had brown hair from her father. Her hair couldn’t be classified as red because it was too dark, but it wasn’t brown either.

  In that and in many other ways, Serena was exactly like her mother, and she couldn’t let that go just to spare herself some struggle. She’d die of guilt.

  Hastily Serena changed into a nice, slightly puffed out dress the color of old, vintage lace. She changed her shoes and put her hair up with a clip. Even her bag could be turned inside out so it didn’t look like a plain, black back pack. It was the reason she bought it despite the fact it was designed for people who didn’t have time to switch bags. The colorful floral pattern matched her new look, and she shoved her jeans, tank top, and hat inside on top of the pill bottles.

  Wandering the streets, a slight apprehension filled Serena’s veins. There was still a chance she could get caught, but if the police had seen her they would’ve been after her already. Trying to relax as much as possible, she weaved through people busying themselves on the main street with a weary eye. It would take her a while to walk home, but not so long that it was worrisome.

  ****

  “Hey Mom... How are you feeling?” Sitting in the same chair she always was, Serena’s mother didn’t even acknowledge her as she knelt beside her. Frail and sad, the older woman simply continued looking into space, her chest barely moving with each slow, shallow breath. Dementia wasn’t a kind illness, taking so long and making her and everyone around her suffer. Opening her bag, Serena pulled out a pill bottle and checked the label before popping the top. She was tired, physically and mentally, but she couldn’t stop tending to her mother. Not yet.

  The typical suburban house around her was filled with memories, pictures on the walls and on fireplace mantle. Serena had a lot of time to look at it all a night when she couldn’t sleep, the couch proving to be as uncomfortable to lie on as it was to sit. Sighing softly as she worked to get her mother to sw
allow the pill, she sat on her butt on the carpet and rubbed her face roughly.

  “I’m going to go make supper...” Mumbling more to herself than her mom, Serena didn’t try to get up immediately. The shell of the woman in the chair was almost at the point that she couldn’t eat. When she finally made it there, Serena wasn’t going to keep trudging on. She’d stolen sleeping pills as well as pain medication. It would hurt, but she couldn’t let her mother starve to death because she didn’t have IVs or know how to use them.

  *****

  With one last pass of her palms over her cheeks Serena clamored to her feet and grabbed her bag only to stop dead when her eyes caught sight of blue. There, standing only feet away, were two of the men dressed in their military uniforms. Grim-faced, their hats in their hands, one had his eyes on her and the other was watching her mother.

  Pursing her lips tightly together, Serena walked stiffly passed them and into the kitchen, dropping her bag onto the old, marble counter. She could feel them following her now as she leaned on her elbows to hold her forehead in her hand. No one spoke, but understanding flowed around her, mixing with resignation and a deep, hard kind of sadness. They were going to turn her in and her siblings would finally have what they wanted.