by Lacey Thorn
Ashley sighed. This was his third time stopping in this week. His friends had each stopped in twice, as well. And that was just this week. Last week they’d been in almost every day at some point. They’d offer to help with this or that, always finding things to fix she hadn’t even noticed.
But it was more than them helping. She’d gotten to know a little about each of them in the two weeks since they’d introduced themselves to her. They made a point of seeing and speaking to her every time they were here. Each time they shared some tidbit of their personality with her. Mavis was convinced they were “courting her” so she could pick one of them to go out with. Ashley had laughed and told Mavis her age was showing with that word.
But Mavis had a point. Ashley knew their favorite desserts, favorite colors, and favorite things to do when not at the fire station. And they’d managed to find out stuff about her, as well. Just yesterday, they’d each brought in four flowers of her favorite, leaving her with an even dozen. She sensed they wanted to ask her something more, but no one had yet. Of course, that could have more to do with the fact Mavis was always there, hanging on to their every word.
“I’ll be out in a minute. I have to finish this order up real quick.”
Mavis ducked back out to the counter, only to push the door open again. “He’s gone.”
“Well, I can’t help that. I have a business to run, which means I have to work,” Ashley snapped. Seeing them so often was doing nothing to ease her sexual ache. If anything, it was only revved higher.
Mavis shook her head and returned to the front of the bakery, mumbling about Ashley needing to get laid. At least, Mavis’ vocabulary was back to being more like that of a teenager. Still, she shouldn’t have snapped at Mavis, and she would apologize…eventually. First, she needed some air.
Andre, Diego, and Linc were driving her crazy with their obvious attention. She wanted them to ask her out, but at the same time, she didn’t. Choosing one would be denying the other two. And the truth was she just didn’t know which one she liked more. She wanted them all! Life was so unfair. She’d gone from zero choice to three choices.
Then she shook her head. Air, she needed fresh air.
She tossed the piping bag of icing down and took off her apron before pushing open the back door, slipping in the wedge of wood to hold it open while she leaned against the alley wall.
“I thought you might sneak out this way.”
She gasped when he spoke. Her heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest.
“You scared the hell out of me,” she panted, sending a glare his way.
“Then you should have come to the front of the store.”
Andre. She marveled again about how broad his shoulders were. She was developing a real thing for his shoulders. She sighed. She also had a thing for Diego’s voice and Linc’s ass. And that was just because she hadn’t seen all of them yet. She bet she’d find a million more things to love if she got them naked.
“Did you want something from the bakery, Andre? I’m swamped today, working on stuff for a bridal shower tomorrow. Mavis can always help you.” She wouldn’t admit how much she enjoyed the fact they always asked for her. Hell, Mavis was at the point where she didn’t even ask them anymore. She just hollered for Ashley.
He was shaking his head before she even finished. “We get your baked goods for free, remember? I’m interested in more than what you whip up in the kitchen.”
His words had her panties growing damp and her nipples tingling. She’d like to give them her goodies for free. His eyes were twinkling, and she imagined he knew just the image his words had painted for her. She was such a bad girl.
“What can I do for you then?” Her voice was soft and perhaps a little husky. But she couldn’t hide the fact she was turned on. She refused to cross her hands over her rock hard nipples, which were very prominent under her t-shirt. But then he wasn’t hiding the fact he had a mighty big bulge in the front of his pants now either.
“We’ve gotten to know each other pretty well over the last few weeks. Don’t you agree?”
She nodded her head. “Yes.”
He grinned. His gaze skimmed over her nipples, and it was like an electric current traveled between them. His look was the most foreplay she’d had in far too long. “Interested in dinner?”
God was she. But going out with him meant no Diego and no Linc. Life really sucked sometimes. Her mother had always stated it was best to start out with honesty. So Ash would just have to be honest with him.
“I’d love to. But I have to tell you both Diego and Linc have been getting to know me as well.”
“Are you interested in them?”
She nodded her head. “I’d agree to dinner with them if they ask me.” Her response had Andre grinning wider.
“Well then, today’s your lucky day.”
“How’s that?”
“What if I told you dinner with me could include them as well?”
“Dinner with all three of you?” She knew her face showed her doubt and uncertainty.
He nodded his head. “You could come back to our house for dinner. Quiet. No intruding eyes. Just the four of us.”
She swallowed. What was he saying? “You want me to go on a date with all three of you?”
His eyes seemed to devour her. Then he moved, and she found herself trapped between him and the alley wall.
“I can see how excited the thought makes you.” His finger brushed over one nipple before he gave it a slight pinch and tug that made her moan. “Does the thought of the three of us with you turn you on? Three men with the goal of making you come over and over again.”
She moaned again. One hard thigh slipped between her thighs, and he was rubbing against the seam of her pants. She gripped his shoulders and held tight. Strong fingers toyed with her nipple while he watched her face with a heated gaze. Then his head dipped. Firm lips met hers. His tongue traced her bottom lip before he nipped it with his teeth.
When she gasped, he dove inside. His tongue played with hers, and his other hand slid down the inside of her pants, zeroing in on her clit and rubbing over it. He slipped his fingers lower and thrust one deep in her while he rubbed his palm over her clit. She came that quickly, her cry swallowed by his kiss.
He eased back, and she watched, panting for air, as he brought his fingers to his lips and sucked on them.
“I knew you’d taste sweeter than anything you cooked up in the kitchen.”
She groaned. What was she doing? She was a business owner, and she’d basically had sex in an alley behind her store! What was she thinking?
“Friday. Pack a bag. Spend the weekend with us.” She shivered as his words whispered softly between them. “No expectations. We’ll just play it by ear.”
“I—”
“Shhhh…” He placed his finger over her lips. “Just think about it for the rest of this week. We’ll stop by after work on Friday. If you decide to go, then be here with your bag packed. If not,” his big shoulders shrugged, “we’ll leave you alone.”
His lips moved down over her neck, kissing and nibbling and making her squirm with renewed desire.
“But just imagine how good it will feel when I have those pants off you and it’s my tongue bringing you to orgasm instead of my hand. Or Linc’s tongue. Or Diego’s. We all seem to have developed a craving for your sweets.”
He eased back from her and ran his fingers gently over her cheek. “Friday,” he whispered. Then turned and walked away.
She shook her head to clear the haze and sighed. Her body was demanding she agree, but her head was urging her to caution. She had three days to decide. What was she going to do?
* * * *
Research. That was what she did. She knew them; now she wanted to know about them. Mavis was a fount of information, especially since she thought she was helping Ashley decide which of the three guys to date. Since her encounter with Andre, she was a constant sexual ache, and no amount of toy play at home brought reli
ef. She hoped Andre was suffering as she was.
From what she learned, all three of them grew up in foster care. They’d ended up in the same home together. Mavis wasn’t sure on how they all had ended up in foster care. She said the guys at the firehouse spoke of them as if they were all brothers. That’s how close the guys were. Ashley thought of Andre’s invitation to dinner, and possibly more, with all of them. Yeah, she’d agree they were close.
Ashley wasn’t sure where Mavis got all her information. They didn’t exactly live in a small town where everybody knew everybody. Mavis just seemed to know things or find them out quickly. She made a point of telling Ashley the boys had inherited a trust when their foster mother passed away. It seemed she’d invested the money she was given by the state for taking them in. She saw it as the boy’s college fund. Since she’d had them since they were toddlers, the investment turned out to be pretty substantial. The money was split equally between the three. They didn’t need to work, but still chose to be firefighters. According to Mavis, that said a lot about their characters.
Ashley was more touched by the fact they were still together now they were grown up. She and her sisters lived states apart. Mandy had just moved again to a smaller town. And Mia could be anywhere under the guise of research. They talked on the phone, emailed, and texted. But they usually only managed to get together maybe once a year. And they were her blood sisters.
So she was awed and a bit jealous by the bond Andre, Diego, and Linc seemed to share. Then again, she wasn’t sure the three Greyson girls would survive if they all had to live in the same house again. Just thinking about it made her smile. It was a miracle they’d survived through childhood.
“So which one do you think you like best?” Mavis’ question broke into her inner musings and brought her back to the here and now.
“I’m not sure.” Ashley shrugged her shoulders. She wasn’t sure, so it wasn’t exactly a lie. But she heard Andre ask once more if the thought of three men making her come again and again turned her on. It did. Tenfold.
“Well, nothing wrong with playing the field a bit. Maybe give them all a test drive.”
Ashley nearly choked on her drink of water. Oh my God! If Mavis only knew how close that remark hit to home. She wanted to test drive all of them. At the same time. Her pussy grew moist at the thought.
“It’s a new day and age. Women can do that now. You can get away with being more sexually assertive and not being thought of as a slut or a bad girl. Wasn’t that way when I was your age. I wish it had been.”
Ashley laughed as Mavis wiggled her brows. “I’m guessing that didn’t stop you much.”
Mavis grinned. “I had my moments. Don’t regret any of them. Then I met my Fred and scooped him right up. We had forty wonderful years together. God bless his soul.”
“I’m sorry, Mavis.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. Forty is a lot of years. I’m blessed.”
“It’s nice to know someone whose marriage made it through the long haul.”
“Oh, we had our moments. Fought as much as we loved. But that man had a wicked tongue he loved to use.” She wiggled her brows again so Ashley wouldn’t misunderstand her meaning.
“Mavis!” Ashley blushed bright red.
Mavis just laughed. “You’d think you were the woman in her sixties and not me. Loosen up, Ashley. Have some fun. Generate some heat outside the kitchen.”
Ashley wanted to do that. But did she dare? Could she really take Andre up on the offer to spend the weekend with all three of them?
“Besides, as far as I can tell, there’s only one decision to make.”
“What’s that?” Ashley questioned.
“Whether you like chocolate, vanilla, or mocha better?”
Mavis left with a hearty laugh. Ashley was sure her shocked expression was the cause. Mavis lived to make her blush.
Maybe this time the last laugh would be Ashley’s. She could just imagine Mavis’ face if she told the other woman what she was really deciding about. Mavis would tell her to quit thinking and start doing. And maybe she was right. Ashley had been the good girl, the responsible girl. Maybe it was past time to let her wild side out and have a little fun. She pictured Andre, Linc, and Diego in her mind. Why pick one flavor when she could have all three?
She would be waiting for them Friday night with her bag packed—a few lingerie items, maybe a few of her toys. She wasn’t sure what they had in mind, but she planned to be open to anything. What did she have to lose?
Chapter Three
What had she been thinking? She was crazy. This was crazy. She just needed to pick her bag up and haul her ass home. What made her think she could take on three virile men? Hell, it’d been too long since she’d had one! Yet, she could hear herself telling her sisters to just go for it. Time to take her own advice.
She’d been getting to know them for two weeks now, plus all the snooping Mavis had done. If there had been any dirty secrets or hidden girlfriends, super-sleuth Mavis would have snooped it out. Still… Was this totally insane?
There was only one thing to do. She’d take her own advice again and be safe. Without giving herself another second to think about it, she hit the preset number one on her phone.
“Hey, Ash! What’s up?” Her sister’s voice greeted her immediately. She swore Mandy had answered even before it rang.
“I’m doing something really stupid and need to tell someone, just in case.”
“Just in case of what? What are you doing?” Mandy sounded on full alert now.
Ashley took a deep breath and just blurted it all out. “I’m going to spend the weekend with three firefighters I don’t really know because I can’t pick between them, and I know I’m being stupid, but I can’t seem to talk myself out of it and just tell me not to.” She stopped only because she was out of breath.
“Do you think they’ll hurt you physically?” Mandy demanded.
“No, of course not,” Ashley admitted.
Her sister surprised her with a laugh. “Then go for it. I can tell you from experience being with three men is amazing.”
“What?”
Mandy laughed again. “Well, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, but couldn’t really figure out how to. Now seems like the perfect time.”
“Three men?” Ashley could only seem to focus on that point at the moment.
“Three cops. I met them when I moved here, and well, things just sort of clicked for us. We’ve been living together for a while now.”
“You? Three? Cops?” Ashley had no idea what to ask or say or even think. Her sister was in a relationship with three men.
“Yes. Me and three cops. It’s great, Ash. I’ve never been so happy.”
“I… It works? You can be with three men and not have jealousy issues?”
“Yes. At least, not with each other. Now, if I happen to be out somewhere and another man looks at me… Well, let’s just say they aren’t happy.”
“Three men?”
“Don’t sound so shocked, sister dear,” Mandy replied with a laugh. “I seem to recall someone telling me to just go for it if it felt good. Besides, sounds like you’ve got something similar planned as well.”
“Oh my God. Is Mia with three men, too?”
“It wouldn’t surprise me. Besides, she’d just claim it was research for her next naughty novel.”
Mandy was probably right. That was exactly what Mia would say.
“So…yeah?”
“Definitely yeah,” Mandy said.
“I’d just about convinced myself to say no.”
“Why? I’m betting you haven’t attempted to date at all since you opened the bakery. Take some time for you. Do you want to go with them for the weekend?”
“Yes,” Ashley admitted.
“Then do it. Keep your phone with you. Call me by nine tomorrow morning, or I’ll call you. If I can’t reach you, then I’ll have one of my guys contact the local police department. I want the names
of who you’ll be with.”
Ashley gave her their names, even though she felt a little silly now. Still, at least someone would know exactly where she was and with whom. It suited the more responsible, practical side of her personality. Now, she could indulge that inner wild child who really wanted to come out and play. God, did she want to play.
“Cops, huh?”
“You would go with firefighters,” Mandy fired back. “All that heat.”
“Oh God. This is crazy.”
“Mia would pick our brains if she knew.”
“She’d one up us if she knew.”
“With what? What’s left?”
“She’d find something. Military probably.”
“That wouldn’t be good enough for her. She’d have to go bigger. Maybe Rangers? Or SEALs?”
“I don’t want to think about it,” Ashley groaned, making her sister laugh again.
“Just have fun, Ash. And don’t forget to call me. I’d hate to have cops show up and interrupt the fun you’re having.”
“Oh, God.”
Mandy laughed harder. “I love you, sis.”
“I love you too.”
Ashley hung up the phone just as a knock sounded at the front door. Her decision was made for her. It was too late to leave. She could tell him—them—she’d decided not to, but her bag was already by the door, giving testament to her willingness. It was now or never. She thought of how happy Mandy had sounded. She wanted a little of that. If only for one weekend.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. Linc stood there looking casual in jeans and a t-shirt that claimed firemen had big hoses. She felt the color climbing into her cheeks and damned her fair skin. He just grinned and glanced down at where she had her bag beside the door.
“Are you sure?” he asked, and when she nodded, he bent to pick up her bag. “I’m glad.”
She was nervous, so nervous and unsure of what to say or do. It made no sense. She could be kinky and wild with one man. Did adding two more really make a difference? She should have asked her sister some specific questions, but she’d been caught by surprise at Mandy’s confession.
