by Marla Monroe
Rusty sighed. “I’m not asking you to. I’m just asking you to give Jane a chance at helping you past that. Talk to her. You don’t have to tell her about your wife and child just yet. Give it some time and then open up to her about it. She’ll feel like you’re trusting her more when you do.”
“Fine. I’ll try. I want things to work, Rusty, but right now it sucks to be me. I hated the idea of coming to Alpha. I hated the idea of having to marry a woman I didn’t even know, and finally, they moved me here out in the middle of nowhere where I’m going to have to help take care of a woman they’d told me I wouldn’t have to marry.” Jared’s face tightened as he talked.
“They told you that you wouldn’t have to be in a ménage relationship?” Rusty asked.
“They said there probably wouldn’t be enough women to go around with the last ship, so I could just work and be left alone. See how that worked out? All they’ve done is lie to me since they pulled me from my job on Earth.”
“I’m sorry. Really, I am. You’ve had a rough few years, but life goes on, and you have to too. We need you, Jared. I need your help with making her happy, and when the children come, she’s going to need both of our help to raise them.” Rusty held up a hand. “No, they won’t replace your son, but you’ll love them just the same.”
Jared sighed. “I know you’re right, Rusty, but it doesn’t make it any easier. The thought of children scares the shit out of me. I’m not ready for that at all.”
“Then you’re going to have to work on your relationship with Jane so that when that happens, and it will happen, you’re able to truthfully care about her and them.”
“It’s nearly quitting time. Let’s finish up this pallet and get her so we can go home. I need a shower and some time to think,” Jared said.
Rusty could tell that the other man was seriously considering everything he’d told him. He was glad because Jane’s happiness meant everything to him already. It hurt to see her frown or to watch the worry lines crease her forehead. He only wanted to see smiles on her face, and that meant Jared had to straighten up.
Yeah, he understood that he’d lost a lot before coming to Alpha, but again, they all had. They all had to get past those losses and get with the living part. He’d give anything to see his family again. Hell, he’d had a girlfriend who hadn’t made it into the program because she’d been sterile. He hadn’t even been able to say good-bye to her before he’d gotten in the program. He’d hoped they would have been allowed to be in a family unit, but that hadn’t happened.
It was probably for the best. Since I already cared deeply for her, I might not have been able to deal with another man when the two of us had been together for a year.
By pairing up with another man and a woman he didn’t know, sharing wasn’t as big a deal that way. The three of them grew to care and depend on each other that way instead of him letting another man into his already established relationship. Yeah, maybe that had been for the best. But he still missed her sometimes.
Jared had a hard road ahead of him. Getting past a wife and unborn child to be able to care about someone else he barely knew was going to be a nightmare, but it had to be done. Rusty couldn’t handle seeing Jane upset and depressed over feeling as if she weren’t good enough for the other man.
* * * *
“Ready to head home?” Jared asked from the doorway of Jane’s office.
She beamed at him. “I sure am. These numbers have my head swimming. Let’s go.”
Jane grabbed her bag and followed him out of the office to where Rusty waited on them just outside the building door. To her surprise, Jared took her elbow as she walked down the three steps to the ground. That little gesture went a long way to broadening her smile when they started across the large expanse of ground between their house and the store’s building.
The rich blue grass still startled her as did the yellow and blue trees that grew on the planet. The rich blue of the sky overhead and the multicolored flowers that bloomed among the blue grass gave the planet a feeling of Eden to her. But lurking out among the trees beyond the fence line were scary creatures that were dangerous to them.
The men walked on either side of her, keeping her between them. It made her feel safe as they walked toward their home. She wanted to ask how the rest of their day went but decided to wait until dinner to bring it up. Jane needed to decide what to cook. She’d defrosted a roast but planned to put that in the crockpot for dinner the next night. She’d made bread before they’d left and left it in the oven to rise while they were gone. She’d bake it tonight.
They reached the house, and Jared opened the door for them then waited until both of them were inside.
“I’m going to take a shower. I’ll be back downstairs in a little while. Did you need the bathroom first?” Jared asked her.
“Thanks, but no. I’m going to wash up in here and start dinner.” Jane pulled out the chicken she’d already defrosted to cut up for fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
She hated going down to the cellar but needed the potatoes and hadn’t liked the idea of going down that morning any better. She turned on the light and held tight to the railing as she descended the stairs. She looked around and saw that it was well lit down there and that there were plenty of shelves to store canned goods once they began putting them up. She located the dry bins where the root vegetables were kept. The first one she opened contained onions. The next one held the potatoes. She checked the others and found turnips and what she assumed was rog root that was a cross between a potato and a rutabaga.
Jane pulled out enough potatoes for the meal then carefully carried them upstairs. She washed then peeled them before placing them in the boiler with some salt to boil. Then she cut up the chicken and got it ready to fry.
By the time the potatoes were ready to mash, she had the chicken going and had opened a can of green beans from someone’s garden. Come fall, they’d have their own green beans to can. At the moment, she couldn’t wait to get started, but like she’d told the guys before, that would soon grow tiring and she’d wish she never saw another tomato, squash, bean, or ear of corn again.
What happens when we have a garden and all of us are either pregnant or have kids? How will I cope with children?
Well, the settlers back on Earth when the west was young had managed, and they’d only had one man to help. She had two. They’d figure it out. Already the family units for the last four years were doing fine with kids and handling their farms and businesses. She just had to trust that everything would work out.
Children.
She wanted them but not before she and Jared and Rusty had a positive relationship. Children would add even more stress on them. Especially the kind of kids that were growing up on Alpha. They grew faster and had special talents. Talents like being able to know things that were happening in other places without being there. Talents such as knowing when someone was pregnant or sick before they even knew it. Talents that surpassed anything anyone had ever imagined.
No one knew why the children born there had these gifts, but the doctors there blamed it on the different cells that they all had now. Something in the food they ate that came from the soil it was grown in. That was all they knew so far.
Jane called the men from the living room as she finished mashing the potatoes. The bread she’d left to rise while they’d been at work was fresh from the oven and piping hot.
“Sure smells good in here,” Jared said from the doorway.
“Move out of the way, man. I’m hungry.” Rusty shoved Jared from behind.
Jane laughed and set the bowls on the table, followed by the platter of fried chicken. They took their seats and started passing around the food.
“I sure didn’t expect this kind of meal,” Rusty said.
“Me either. You worked all day and still managed this. I’m impressed.” Jared spooned beans on his plate.
“Don’t expect it all the time, but when I’ve had a good day, or if I manage to fi
nish early, I’ll make nice meals like this.”
“Sure don’t mind sandwiches when we get full breakfasts in the morning and meals like this at night,” Jared said.
They finished up the meal, and Jane cleaned up while the guys returned to the living room. Once she’d gotten everything back in place and had set up the crock pot to be ready for in the morning, Jane walked into the living area where the men were lying back in their recliners talking about work.
“I’m going to go ahead and take my shower. I’ll be back down in a little bit,” she told them.
They nodded and continued talking. Jane figured that was just men. She planned to return wearing one of the nicer gowns she’d gotten before they’d moved out to the new space station. It wasn’t revealing, but it was a little sexy in a pale seafoam green that fell about two inches above her knees. She’d sit and work on the crossword puzzle book she’d brought with her. She loved doing them and was happy to find that they were printing them along with the news pamphlets. She also had seek-a-word book when she wanted something different.
After her shower, Jane applied a lightly scented body lotion and pulled on her gown. She slipped into a pair of house shoes then walked downstairs to see if her outfit got a rise out of the men. She was fairly certain Rusty would notice, but she really wanted Jared to, as well.
Almost the instant she walked into the living room, conversation stopped and Rusty’s mouth fell open. She ignored him and arranged herself on the sofa with her book and pencil.
“You look amazing in that,” Rusty told her.
She looked up and smiled at him. “Thanks.”
She slipped a look at Jared and was thankful that he looked hard at her, as well, though he didn’t say anything right away.
“It’s pretty on you,” he finally got out.
“Thanks, Jared. I found it before we moved here. I like how it feels,” she said.
Off and on the rest of the night while she worked on her puzzle, she could feel the men’s eyes stray in her direction. It was just the sort of reaction she’d hoped for. Jared seemed interested more so than in the past few weeks. She hoped that was a good sign.
“I’m beat. Are you guys ready to head to bed?” Rusty asked, standing and stretching.
Jared stood, as well. “You don’t have to ask me twice. I know I’m ready.”
Jane looked up. “I’m ready if you guys are.”
She closed the book around the pencil on the page she’d been working on then got up and followed the two men up the stairs. Rusty climbed into bed before she could get in so that she had to walk around to Jared’s side. The other man waited for her, his expression carefully neutral as she got in and scooted to the middle.
Once Jared was situated next to her, Rusty rolled over and gave her a warm kiss as one hand caressed her cheek.
“We wanted to mess around a little, Jane. Are you too tired? Nothing too intense, just some light petting,” Rusty told her.
“I’d like that. We’re sleeping together, but it feels weird,” she admitted.
Jared rolled to his side to face her. “I’m not really very good at this. You’ll have to have patience with me.”
Jane smiled. “I have all the patience you need, Jared. I know this is awkward and unsettling to jump into a relationship with someone you don’t know. I feel it, too.”
He leaned over and kissed her, slowly increasing the pressure until she opened to him. He threaded his fingers through her hair and tugged on it slightly as his tongue explored her mouth. Rusty’s hot, hard body pressed against her other side just before she felt his mouth on her shoulder and his hands on her breasts through the silky material of her gown. Seconds later he’d shoved the material up under her chin, exposing more of her skin in the process.
Jared’s tongue explored, touching every area inside as he continued to lightly tug on her hair. The feel of that pressure along with Rusty’s pull at her nipples had Jane panting when she pulled away from the kiss. Heat filled her body like a slow-burning wood fire. All it would take was another piece of wood to have it climbing out of control.
“God. You’re so responsive,” Rusty said just before he pulled her nipple into his mouth.
To her surprise, Jared took the other one, using his hand to mound it so that he was able to take in more of her breast before backing off, tugging on the torrid peak of her nipple once more.
“Hot and wired,” Jared said.
She squirmed between them. They were driving her wild with need, and they hadn’t even touched her aching pussy yet. How could they get her so riled up with just kisses and playing with her breasts? She swore she was close to coming already.
As if reading her mind, Jared moved his hand down her abdomen to play in her small strip of curls, tugging lightly on them so that she moaned at the slight sting of pain that only tightened the thin line of arousal that connected her pussy to the rest of her body.
Please, please, please touch me there. I need you to touch my clit.
Jane chanted it in her head as Jared continued to play with her curls before he dipped his finger through her wet folds to her slit. He rubbed up and down it as if teasing her. She would have jerked her head from one side to the other except Rusty claimed her mouth with his. His kiss changed from sweet and innocent to demanding and hot. She moaned into his mouth when Jared dipped just the tip of his finger inside of her pussy.
“She’s so fucking wet, Rusty. I swear she’s already close to coming. Let’s make her go over.” Jared’s voice seemed hoarser, rougher as he continued to tease her with his small dips inside her and the nearly there touches of her clit.
“Please,” she tried to say into Rusty’s mouth.
He pulled back to look down where Jared had his fingers playing in her pussy juices. She could see by the slackness of his mouth and the droop of his eyelids that he was turned on at the sight.
“Yeah. Let’s make her come. At least once,” Rusty agreed.
“Oh, God. You’re killing me. Please touch my clit. I need it so badly.” She wasn’t above begging now for what she needed.
“Demanding little thing, isn’t she?” Jared said with a chuckle.
“Maybe we should make her wait a little longer,” Rusty said.
Jane groaned. “No. Please don’t make me wait.”
Jared chuckled. “I say let’s give it to her then make her come a second time.”
Jane was sure her eyes nearly exploded out of her head at the thought of two orgasms in one night. Surely not. Yeah, she’d heard that women could do that, but she barely came when she played with herself. Two?
“I’ll be happy with just one. Now, please. I can’t wait any longer. I’m going crazy like this,” she said, reaching for Jared’s hand.
“We’ve got you, Jane. Let us take care of you. Lie back and we’ll give you whatever you need, hon.” Jared scooted between her legs so that his face was even with her wet pussy.
“What are you doing?” she asked when he dipped his head lower.
“Taking care of you. Just relax. Rusty and I know what to do. Let us have some fun.”
Rusty nipped at her chin then lavished all his attention on her breasts, using one hand to tweak and twist one nipple as he sucked and nipped the other one. Jane thought she’d explode at the feeling that traveled down her belly to tease her clit. God, they were going to kill her.
Jared dragged his tongue up her slit, groaning as he did. The vibrations sent tingles of electricity like sparklers straight to her clit. She jerked beneath his hand as he held on to her hips to keep her from bucking him off. God, she was so close. Just one lick and she was sure she’d explode. Why was he waiting?
She opened her mouth to demand that he touch her clit when suddenly he did, and fire burned through her body as every muscle she had tightened with the strength of her orgasm.
Jane opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. It had taken her breath as well as her mind.
Chapter Four
Jared watched as he flicked the tip of his tongue back and forth on Jane’s clit while thrusting two fingers deep inside her tight cunt. It had been a long time since he’d tasted of a woman. He’d forgotten how tangy they were. Forgotten how responsive one could be in the heat of passion. Forgotten for an instant that this wasn’t his wife from before.
Jane wasn’t Sandy. She didn’t favor her in the least, but one thing they shared was the ability to go crazy with their climax. Even now Jane was thrashing around trying to get away from his mouth on her. She’d opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Yes, she was wild in bed, and he could only imagine what she’d be like between him and Rusty. While it saddened him a little, it excited him that he could watch her as she came apart in their arms. It was the one thing he’d never been able to see with his wife.
When they’d made love, they’d so often come at the same time that he missed her climax while he was fighting his own. Just once he wished he’d been able to see her grimace with ecstasy. Even now, he could barely see Jane’s reaction with his face buried between her legs. He could feel her legs tighten as she ignited in passion, could taste her cum on his tongue as she creamed his face, could hear the swift intake of air as she hit that elusive plateau of pleasure.
“Holy hell, she comes like a banshee,” Rusty said from his position at the head of the bed. “I’ve never seen a woman go wild like that.”
“Neither have I,” Jason admitted. “Wonder what it will be like when we actually fuck her.”
“I’m almost afraid to think about it,” Rusty said with a chuckle.
“She okay?” Jared asked as he licked his fingers.
“Yeah. I think she’s asleep.”
“She’s…” Pant, pant. “Not. Just trying to get…” Pant, pant. “My voice back.”
Jared winked up at Rusty. “Ready for the second one?”
He watched as Jane’s eyes flew open, and she attempted to close her legs around him. If he wasn’t already smiling, he sure as hell would be at the sight of panic that poured over her features like greased lightning.
