Raine lifted her pink-pedicured foot out of the suds and placed it in Rafe’s hand. Matt cradled her wrist in his palm and washed her shoulder.
“Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in my tub.” Her girlie giggle tickled Vince’s stomach. “Mm-mm. I think I like having three men in my tub.”
She’d done it again—leading the conversation away from a serious talk about their relationship by changing the subject. Was rejection still a possibility in her mind?
Making love to her hadn’t been some lightly made decision. Weeks of planning had gone into finding her, and they’d never risk two years of love for a maybe. That someone in her past had hurt her was a given. She clearly didn’t believe them when they’d said she was the right woman. They’d have to work for her trust, but she was worth the effort.
Leaning her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes. On the other side of her, Matt raised his eyebrows and mouthed, Now? Vince gave a slight shake of his head. Raine was nowhere near ready to hear those words from them. I love you. They’d scare her off with that kind of proclamation. Returning a nod, Matty continued stroking her arm with the soapy washcloth.
Patience. Given time, they’d prove their love and loyalty to her.
* * * *
Raine released a contented sigh. She’d never felt so pampered in her life. Probably a bad idea to get used to it.
Forcing her eyes open, she sat up. Time to face reality. “I appreciate the bath more than you know, but I have to work tomorrow. Which means getting up at five thirty in the morning. It’s my bedtime, guys.” There. I said the words. They’ll leave, and I can figure out how the hell to keep my heart from breaking.
Matt frowned. “That’s too damn early.”
Vince and Rafe didn’t look very pleased, either.
“I have to drive two hours to a job site for an inspection tomorrow. Once a week, like clockwork.” Guilt weighed on her conscience even though she told the truth. It was still an excuse to put some distance between her and them.
Rafe seemed to accept her explanation. “Tomorrow’s Friday. I want to cook for you.”
Cook? I’m in trouble. “Sure, sounds great. I’m not sure what time I’ll be home, so why don’t I stop by your house when I get back in town?” I can tell them how old I am before this goes any further.
“Excellent.” Matt smiled. “I want to show you one of my new paintings.”
Under the water, Rafe continued to massage her foot. “Mind if we have dinner at your house? We’ll never fit four at our table comfortably.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to distract herself from the ache in her throat. How was she supposed to answer him when she couldn’t even swallow? Room for four wouldn’t be an issue when they found out she’d misled them by answering their ads. A yawn crept up through her chest. She dragged it out a bit longer than it actually was, finally working past the lump. “Sounds terrific.”
Vince helped her to her feet, wrapping a towel around her naked body. Then he carried her back to bed. His lips pressed a warm kiss to her forehead. “You’re a special woman, Raine. Tonight was just the beginning.”
As he stood, Matt moved closer, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Sleep well, sweetheart. Sweet dreams.”
Rafe touched his mouth to her other cheek. “We’ll count the minutes until we see you again. Don’t worry about the door. We’ll lock up on our way out.”
They passed around towels, each drying and dressing. Turning as one when they reached the bedroom doorway, their smiles made her stomach twist. Then they were gone, bounding down the stairs, and the front door clicked closed.
She cried herself to sleep.
Chapter 11
Fighting the urge to order Matt to sit down, Vince watched him pace to the window. Again.
Another lap. “It’s almost five o’clock. Shouldn’t she be here by now?” Matt shoved his hair out of his face. “We need to tell her.”
Rafe walked into the living room from the kitchen with a wooden spoon in his hand. “Tell who what? Want a taste of the marinara?”
Vince shook his head at Matt’s sprint to the sauce. “He wants to tell Raine we love her. Something was bugging her last night. I think if we move too fast, we’ll scare her off.”
“Matty, Vince has a point. She seemed, I don’t know, kind of upset when we were leaving, even though she asked us to go. But, on the other hand, what if she thinks we’re just using her?”
A knock interrupted their conversation.
Vince grabbed Matt’s arm before he could race to the door. “Can we at least wait to see if she’s ready? Hell, for all we know she’s here to tell us she isn’t interested anymore.”
“Fine. Okay. Now, let me answer the damn door.” Three long strides and Matty let in their guest.
She wore a different suit from last week at the coffee shop, but the sight of her affected Vince no less than that first time he’d seen her. “Hi, guys. Thanks for e-mailing the directions to your house. I forgot to ask yesterday.”
Matt gestured for her come in. “Want to sit? Something to drink?”
She hid her nervousness well except for the discreet nibble on her lower lip. Vince’s stomach dropped to his feet. This was it. She was here to tell them she wasn’t interested.
“I’m fine, thanks.” She clasped her hands in front of her, squeezing until her fingers turned white. “Um, I’d like to talk to you about something before dinner. I don’t really know how to say this.”
Here it comes. Once was enough, and now she’s moving on.
She cleared her throat and shifted her hands behind her back. “You know how you each put an age range in your ad? With thirty-five being the oldest?”
Vince, Matt, and Rafe nodded in unison.
She’s older? She’s worried because she thinks she’s too old for us? By God, unless she was old enough to be his grandmother, Vince didn’t give a damn.
Rafe spoke up first, his tone revealing nothing. “You’re older than thirty-five.”
“How old are you?” Leave it to Matt to ask the tactless question. “You don’t look over thirty to me.”
A miraculous save.
She licked her sexy lips. “Yes, I’m older than thirty-five. And thanks, Matt, I appreciate the compliment.” She looked toward the floor for several moments as she exhaled. Her eyes came up to some point beyond Vince. “I’m thirty-eight years old. I didn’t mean to deceive you. Well, kind of, but—”
“Thirty-eight?” Matt’s shock was evident by his cracking voice. “I tried to talk them into saying forty, and they wouldn’t listen to me.”
Rafe grinned. “We should’ve listened to him.”
Pushing to his feet, Vince let out a relieved sigh. “Your age doesn’t matter, Raine. Like we said last night—you’re the right woman for us. We don’t care about anything else.”
Tear stung her eyes, and Raine blinked them away. They honestly didn’t give a damn that she was thirty-eight? “But…I’m…thirteen years older than you, Matt, and I’m ten years older than you, Vince.”
Rafe grinned. “So? I’m eleven years younger than you. Does that mean you can’t care about me?”
All three men raised their eyebrows at her as if challenging her to come up with a response to that. Had she finally found males who weren’t shallow?
Wait a minute. “What happens when you turn forty and midlife is staring you in the face?”
His mouth straightening into a stubborn line, Vince moved to stand directly in front of her. “We’ll have a gorgeous fifty-year-old hottie keeping us happy at home while we’re doing our best to make her happy. You don’t plan on dumping us for younger guys, do you?”
Touché. “Of course not.”
“Okay.” He rubbed his thumb along her jaw, the caress so soothing she wanted to cry. “Rafe has everything ready to go for dinner. While he loads the car, why don’t you come upstairs to see what you’ve inspired.”
She followed when he grasped her hand and gave a gentle tug. “Insp
ired? Matt said he wanted to show me a painting. What else—”
“Wait and see.” Matt clomped up the steps behind them. “Mine first, Vin, if you don’t mind.”
Vin. “Why do you call him Vin?” She let her guide lead her along the hallway at the top of the stairs.
“Imagine Vin Diesel with hair and a cuter face.” Matt’s laugh was infectious.
Even Vince joined in as they stopped at the last door. “Maybe Raine thinks Vin is better looking.”
“You know, Vince, I agree with Matt. I’d rather have you.” She squeezed his hand.
Matt opened the door, revealing an art studio with paints and easels, canvasses and brushes, and drop cloths spread on the floor. “This one. Come look. I painted it after our date.”
She carefully walked to the other side of the room, stepping over folds in the cloth and rounding an easel to stand beside him. Her breath caught in her lungs. He’d painted a portrait of her. Well, not exactly a portrait. Her likeness lay on a beach, waves sweeping over the sand, and her tail curved upward toward the sky. Iridescent pale green scales covered her breasts, torso, and…not legs. A mermaid. How many times had she gone to the beach as a child and wished to be a mermaid? “It’s beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it. I call her My Siren of the Sea.” His pleasure at her approval shone in his eyes as well as his wide smile. “I’m working on another. My Lady of Passion. I started it after we came home last night. I’ll show it to you when it’s finished.”
“You…I’m touched.” Pressing a kiss to his warm lips, she fell a little more in love with her talented painter. “Thank you, Matty.”
He wrapped her in a hug. “No. Thank you, sweetheart. I’ve been kind of stressed about the show, and you put my mind back on the important part—creating. Want to take a look at Vin’s masterpiece?”
Vince’s masterpiece? Her brain scrambled to decipher the meaning. They hadn’t spent any time talking about their likes and interests during their twenty-minute…conversation yesterday. The ad. The e-mails. He was a mathematician. And a sculptor. She looked over her shoulder toward the door of Matt’s studio. “You sculpted a piece because of me?”
A half smile curved the corners of his mouth upward. “I started it the day we saw you at the coffee shop. I finished it last night.”
Matt urged her out of the room with his hand at her waist. “Come on. It’s pretty damn amazing.”
Walking to the other end of the hall, Vince pushed open the door and gestured for her to enter. He followed her, leaving Matt standing in the hallway. “On the table by the window.”
Her heels clicked on the tile floor as she aimed for the window. A damp, earthy smell lingered in the air, reminding her of the woods in spring. Then she saw it—a nude miniature of herself, hair flowing over the shoulders and eyes cast downward into cupped hands. On the overlapped palms rested three tiny pieces of heart-shaped clay. Matt hadn’t been joking when he called the sculpture a masterpiece. It was—in an artistic sense and possibly in profound symbolism.
She studied the gentle dips and curves of the piece, the shape of her own body. Did she dare to ask the question teasing her lips? Not yet. She wasn’t that brave. “The detail. It’s stunning. I can’t imagine the hours of work that went into it.”
A soft kiss on her cheek had her turning to Vince. “Worth every minute. I thought about putting a flower in her hands, but after last night…I knew what belonged there.”
Tell me. I can’t ask. He’d hinted. Was she misreading the clues?
Rafe’s voice called from beyond the doorway. “Car’s loaded. Let’s go!”
* * * *
Placing her suit in the stack of dry cleaning, Raine took one last look in the mirror before heading downstairs for Rafe’s dinner. The guys had assured her casual attire was fine, so she’d slipped on a pair of shorts and a tank. After wearing heels most of the day, her feet insisted on staying bare. Her toes relished the chill of the wood floor as she aimed for the deck.
Her guests had been busy while she changed clothes. The patio table was covered by a blue cloth and set with plates, silverware, napkins, and wineglasses. Although she’d come outside through the living room entrance, she could see in the French doors leading into the kitchen. All three of her hunky men had their hands full, Matt opening the door to let the others out.
“Dinner is served.” Rafe led the way to the table, carrying a steaming platter of pasta. He set down his load and then moved to the corner of the deck while Vince and Matt added a basket of sliced bread, a bowl of salad, and two bottles of wine to the spread. “And my artistic accompaniment for your pleasure, Raine.”
Music whispered from the speakers behind him, a single instrument starting out low and easing into a gradual rise in volume and tone. A cello. What had he said? My artistic accompaniment. He plays the cello? “You didn’t tell me you’re a musician. This is an original composition, isn’t it?”
His pale blue eyes brightened to match his charming smile. “I wrote it for you. The Spring Raine Concerto. As we said, you inspire us.” He sat next to her, leaning in to kiss her temple. “Let’s eat.”
* * * *
Rafe had no idea where Raine put all the food she ate in that tiny body of hers. She’d shown her delight for their dinner unlike any woman he’d ever known. He’d thoroughly enjoy cooking for her for the next fifty years. Even after a generous plateful of spaghetti with marinara, she’d savored every bite of the cheesecake with fresh raspberry sauce. With her second glass of wine in hand, she watched as he, Matty, and Vince put away the leftovers and readied the dishwasher.
“You know, I could get used to gourmet meals like this. I’ll help with cleanup next time.” She tipped up her glass, revealing the long, delicate line of her neck.
Next time. He shared a quick grin with his helpers. They’d obviously caught her words as well. “Sounds like the perfect arrangement. Maybe we can cook together sometime.”
Her pretty mouth curved upward. “I prefer to cook with you guys upstairs.”
His cock had been half hard during their meal, watching her eat. Now, it swelled against his zipper. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. You aren’t going to kick us out of your bed again tonight, are you?”
Hands on his hips, Matty turned to face her, clearly ready to challenge her if she said yes. “She can try.”
She shook her head and laughed, her ponytail swaying back and forth past her shoulders. “Only if you snore. I’m a light sleeper.”
Vince closed the dishwasher, pressing the button to start the wash cycle. “Looks like we’re staying. And fair warning, Raine. We may never leave.”
Studying her face, Rafe waited for any indication of hesitation. Her smile widened. Her eyes brightened. Then she crooked a finger at them as she walked backward out of the kitchen. Hell, he’d follow her anywhere. Matt and Vince evidently shared that sentiment.
She led them to the stairs, giggling as she hurried up them and into her bedroom. At the bed, she dropped to her knees and pulled out her box. “Okay, guys, close your eyes and pick a toy from my stash. Then tell me if you want me to demonstrate how it works on you or if you want to try it out on me.”
Foreplay. Rafe took another step toward her. “I want to go first.”
She gave him a nod and set the box of goodies on the comforter. “No peeking.”
He closed his eyes. A small hand grasped his, guiding him closer. His fingers bumped the edge of the container. He reached in, grabbed a toy, and opened his eyes. A dildo with several elastic straps dangled from his grip.
“My strap-on.” Her wicked grin sent a quiver of anticipation to his nuts. “I haven’t had the pleasure of using this particular plaything yet. I think it might be a bit awkward for you to use on me.” She stripped off her shorts and panties before sliding her legs through the straps. Her top and bra landed on the pile. “Take off your clothes and bend over while I get the lube.”
Her bossiness made his balls tighten. Did she like being in
charge? He sure as hell didn’t have a problem with it. Pulling his shirt over his head, he fought the urge to toss her on the bed and bury himself inside her. His lovers had fucked his ass more times than he could remember, but no woman had ever given him that pleasure.
Shorts around his ankles, he kicked them aside and leaned over the edge of the mattress. A warm palm smoothed up his thigh and closer to what he hoped was her destination. A glance to the side gave him a view of Matt’s bare chest.
Raine’s feminine chuckle made his cock jump. “A man who knows how to take the initiative. I like that. The rest of your clothes can go too, Matty. You’re up next.”
“I’m already up, sweetheart. Ready and waiting.”
A cool, slippery finger slicked down the crease between Rafe’s butt cheeks, stopping to swirl around his anxious hole and dip inside. He closed his eyes to savor the sensation. “That feels so good, Raine. I love when you touch me.”
She pushed a little deeper, rubbing her fingertip against the sensitive gland just beneath the inner wall. “I read today that prostate stimulation is what causes enjoyment during anal sex.”
The invader withdrew, to be replaced by a thick, hard dick. The dildo. He groaned. “Hell, yeah. Do you like pretending you have a cock?”
Rocking her pelvis into his ass, she grasped his waist and leaned forward to press her lips to his back. “Mm-hm. I like making you feel good.” She pulled back then thrust forward again. “But my strap-on toy doesn’t let me experience you squeezing me with your tight butt.”
“Shit, watching you two is killing me.” Matt’s voice dragged Rafe out of the sensual haze. “I’m about to nail Vin or resort to jacking off. Or better yet, come knocking on our lady’s back door.”
“I guess I should give Matty a turn now.” Raine caressed Rafe’s balls as she eased out of him. “We’ll play again soon.”
Straightening, his muscles trembled from the surge of desire rushing through his veins. Turning to face her, he cupped her jaw and kissed her, sweeping his tongue through her mouth. “Very soon.”
The Sextet Presents... Playing in the Raine [A Toy Story] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Page 7
