A Trick of the Moon

by Melinda Barron

  “Yes,” Declan said. “We set up a motion-activated camera, to see what would happen yesterday. Has it been damaged?”

  “No.” Bear looked at her father. “We didn't know it was there. We went down and took all the offerings, then tried to cover our tracks. You'll see it all on film, I guess.”

  “There's nothing to worry about there. Bear and I have been discussing the kiva.” Her father sat down in his chair and indicated the others should sit down. Maura moved to the couch and sat down with Declan and Dario on either side of her.

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  Bear sat back down, and Maura noticed that he didn't look straight at the three of them, keeping his face turned toward her father. He was an indication of how some people would treat them, after they realized they were more than just friends sharing a house. Did she care? Not really. It hurt a little, considering how long she'd known Bear, but in the long run, the only person whose opinion she cared about was now sitting in his favorite chair, looking healthy and hearty, something that warmed her heart.

  Declan's voice pulled her out of her musings. “May I ask what you've decided about the kiva, Mr. Atwell?”

  “Declan, call me Charlie; you too, Dario.” He gave them both very serious looks, and Maura felt the same way she did when her date had come to pick her up for prom. Her father had looked Zack Golden up and down before nodding his assent that they could leave. She wondered if they would pass the same way Zack had. After a few long moments, he took a deep breath. “I've decided to leave it just like it is, with no excavations or studies.”

  “But, sir, I—” Her father, a stony stare on his face, held up his hand, and Declan stopped talking.

  “I appreciate your enthusiasm, and your love for the ancient ways, but this is my land, and after listening to Bear talk about how he'd kept it the same in honor of his ancestors, I couldn't help but agree with him. There are lots of sites to explore, like Mesa Verde, that archeologists can learn from.”

  “If I may interject here?” Declan didn't start to talk again until her father nodded, and she appreciated his respect. She knew her father would too. “You never know what you're going to learn from a site until you explore it, sir. It may just seem like one small kiva, but there could be an entire village buried out there and we just don't know about it. To leave it hidden is—”

  “My decision.” Maura knew that tone. There was no way her father was going to change his mind, no matter what Declan said. “When I'm gone, Maura might change that decision. But for now, my mind is made up.”

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  Bear stood very suddenly, and Dario and Declan rose too. Her father's friend nodded at the three of them, then put his hand on Charlie's shoulder.

  “It's good to have you back, boss.”

  After he left, her father frowned at her. “Something wrong here?”

  The men sat down next to her again, and she felt the warmth of their bodies, the strength they passed between them all. “Workwise, no. Things went just perfectly, and I'm thrilled that you're home. Are you well enough for me to give up the reins?”

  “I am. It's time for you to get back to your own life.” His grin made her laugh. “You're fired. And I do mean all three of you.”

  “Wait a minute,” Dario said, frowning. “I thought Maura was our boss.

  She's the only one who can fire us, right?”

  Maura knew Dario enough to know he was joking, despite the fact he sounded very serious. She was happy to see her father noticed the same thing.

  He narrowed his eyes at Dario, then burst into laughter.

  “Watch it, kid. Cop or no cop, and stroke or no stroke, I think I can take you.”

  “Bring it on,” Dario said, returning his grin.

  Maura wanted to lean over and lay a huge kiss on his mouth. He was treating her father exactly how she knew he would want to be treated: without kid gloves. Her father was a joker and loved people. Knowing he was bonding with Dario would hopefully make the news she was about to deliver go easier.

  “I guess you need to call your office, Maura, and tell them you'll be back.”

  Her father leaned back in his chair. “Plus you'll have to find a new place to live.”

  She cleared her throat. This was her opportunity, and it was best to take it while she could.

  “Dad, there's something I want to tell you. The three of us”—she pointed to each of her lovers—“are going to live together.”

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  The slight uplifting of his brows showed her father's consternation. “Okay.

  Well, you're a grown woman, and if you want two roommates, that's your decision.”

  “They're more than roommates.” She spoke the words softly. “The three of us are together.”

  The uplifted brows shifted together. “As in boyfriend, girlfriend, and…boyfriend?”

  “Yes.” It was Declan who provided the answer.

  “I see.” He held up a finger when Maura opened her mouth to speak. “Give me a minute.”

  This was one time Maura wished she could read minds. Her father sat in his chair, looking between the three of them. His face showed no anger, but it didn't show any happiness either. It was blank, and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what he was thinking.

  Time seemed to drag on. Declan took one of her hand and squeezed it ever so gently. She returned the hold, one hand drifting down to Dario's knee. He covered it with his own, and they sat and waited for Charlie Atwell to speak again.

  When he finally opened his mouth, she expected him to say that wasn't acceptable to him. “Sweetie, I love you.” Maura thought she was going to cry.

  Could she go against her father for the men whom she wanted to be with? She loved Declan; she had for years. And feelings for Dario were building with every second she spent with him. This was what she wanted, and she wanted her father's approval. But from the words he'd just spoken, she didn't think that would happen.

  “There's one thing I've learned from this stroke, and that's the fact that life turns on a dime. One minute I was fine, the next I was on the floor. I'm lucky that it wasn't worse than it was, and it could have been. I had a great life with your mother, and I loved her very much.”

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  This was the part, she thought, where he said it wasn't natural for a woman and two men to be together. Here it came.

  “If you feel this is what you want, then I want you to do it. I want you to be happy. I won't say that I'm thrilled with the idea, but I'm willing to try and learn to accept it.”

  Tears filled her eyes, and she jumped up and crossed to her father, who stood as she approached. She put her arms around his neck and hugged him close. He seemed so much thinner than before, yet he still had strength left in him. She felt it as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

  “I love you, Daddy.”

  “I love you too, sweetie. Be happy.” She felt the change in the air as Dario and Declan stood. She moved to her father's side, then watched as he shook both men's hands. “Listen, you two. I may be old, and a little feeble, but believe me that if you hurt my little girl, I'll kick both your asses.”

  Maura thought both Dario and Declan would burst into laughter. Instead they nodded.

  “We would expect no less,” Declan replied. “And we would never do anything to hurt her.”

  “Never,” Dario put in. “I may be the newbie here, but I feel the same way.

  She's wormed her way into my heart, just like she did Declan's years ago. We'll be good to her; we promise.”

  “I'll hold you to that.” Her father hugged her shoulders. “Now, what's for lunch? I'm starved. And before you say anything, yes, I've got a special diet. I'm thinking of hiring Mrs. Dove, from in town, to cook for me. I'm afraid if I did it myself, I would revert back to my old eating habits. She'll keep me on track.”

  Maura hid a smile.
Mrs. Dove was a widow who had run a café in town for a long time. Her father loved her cooking, and she knew they got along by the way they teased each other when they met. Maybe things would work out for her dad, and Mrs. Dove would turn into more than a cook.

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  “I'll cook,” she said. “And then we'll go out to the site and recover everything. We'll stay for a few days, Dad, if that's okay with you.”

  “I would hope so.” Her father turned toward the kitchen. “I have a few questions to put to these young men. Lots of questions.”

  The looks on Dario's and Declan's faces made her laugh. Both of them seemed a little concerned about the questions. They glanced at each other before turning back to her.

  “Come on. You're big boys.” She resisted the urge to reach out and grasp their crotches. “I'm sure Dad won't ask anything that will be too hard for you to answer, unless he asks for references. You do have references, don't you?”

  “You can tell him we gave you multiple orgasms last night.” Dario's eyes twinkled. “Will that be reference enough?”

  “It is for me, darling, but I don't think it will fly with him.”

  The men both sighed; then Declan indicated she should enter the kitchen first. “I'm not worried about this. Not at all, not one whit, not one iota, not one—”

  “We get the point,” she interrupted. “Just be honest, that's all he asks.”

  “That's what I'm afraid of,” Dario said, falling into step behind her. “I can face a criminal with a gun, but a father asking about me being with his daughter scares the crap out of me.”

  She stood in the doorway and let the two of them pass her. Then she watched as her father opened the refrigerator and the three of them started to talk about food. She thought about leaving them alone, then decided it would be better to stay so she could be a part of things.

  After all, that's what it was about, being part of a family. And hers was standing in the kitchen, right now.

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  Chapter Fourteen

  “Hey, that's my toe!” Declan's cry was more from anger than pain. Maura stood at the door, ready to hold it open when they were near.

  “Oh quit being a big baby. Don't blame me that you can't hold up your end, Deck. Moving furniture is a two-man job, you know.”

  Maura wanted to tell them to knock it off and stop acting like children.

  The desk was the last piece of new furniture to move into the house, and she wanted to have time to place it in her office and have a few hours left before they had to meet her father and Mrs. Dove for dinner in town.

  If they timed it just right, they could spend some time making love. They'd been careful picking their house, which was located off I-25, making sure to choose something that had lots of space so they could all claim their own little corner.

  The desk they were moving in was part of hers. She'd started back to work a few months ago, and things were picking up. She needed some place to sit and work at night. Things were different now than they had been when she'd worked at the firm. She'd always stayed at the office to work instead of going home to an empty house.

  Now, at the stroke of five, she wanted to hurry out the door. Not that there would always be someone there. School had started, and Declan was teaching three classes at the university, which meant he sometimes stayed over. Dario was working an undercover gig in Santa Fe. It was an easy job, he'd said, but it also kept him out late sometimes.

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  But Maura didn't care. She still wanted to be home before they got there, wanted to see them coming through the door and giving her a smile and a kiss.

  As far as she was concerned, things were one hundred times better than she'd ever thought they would be.

  She'd expected opposition from friends and from family members. Her father was more accepting now than he had been, and didn't even bat an eye when he'd introduced “his daughter's boyfriends” to Mrs. Dove. Her eyebrows had risen a bit, but she hadn't said anything bad. Dario's family thought it was terrific, and had pulled her right into the family. Declan's had been a little more reserved, and she was pretty sure his mother chose to ignore the fact that the three of them slept in the same room, introducing them as “roommates” when she was forced to.

  They were coming up on their six-month anniversary, and she wanted to plan something special, but she wasn't sure what to do. Neither of her men had mentioned it, even though it was just days away. Had they forgotten, or did they just not think it was important enough to mention?

  She held open the door and listened to them bicker as they moved the desk down the hallway and into the room she'd claimed for her office. Listening to them trade jabs made her laugh. During the last six months, the three of them had become closer and closer, and she knew her decision to stay with them was right.

  She went into the office to find them placing the desk exactly where she'd said she wanted it.

  “You're not going to say you want it moved, are you?” Declan crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.

  “No, it's perfect.” She gave him a quick kiss. “Thank you very much.”

  “Hey.” Dario stepped up, waving his hands. “What about me?”

  “What about you?” She leaned over and kissed him too. “Thank you.”

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  “Better.” He smacked her on the ass and walked toward the doorway. She was quite used to him slapping her ass by now. In fact, she rather enjoyed it. A lot.

  “Where are you going? We've got a few hours until we have to be at the restaurant. I thought we could…” She wiggled her eyebrows, and Declan pulled her closer while Dario stopped in the doorway, an intrigued look on his face.

  “We could…what? Go on, finish your sentence.”

  This was getting to be one of the favorite parts of their lovemaking to her, the kidding beforehand. “You know.”

  “I know what?” He looked at Declan. “Do you know what she's talking about?”

  “I haven't got a clue.” Declan let her go, twirled her around, and pulled her back into his chest. He ground his groin against her behind, and she groaned.

  “Tell us.”

  “That's right, skipper, be the boss. Tell us what you want.”

  She cocked her head and tried to look stern. “As the boss, I say it's time to fuck.”

  “We had other plans for this afternoon,” Declan said, nuzzling her neck.

  “While you were out this morning, buying furniture, we were here, taking care of business.”

  “What sort of business?”

  Declan threw his hands in the air and shook his head. “I'm so disappointed. And they say it's men who forget anniversaries.”

  Maura tried to pull out of Declan's arms. “I didn't forget.”

  “You haven't mentioned it.” Declan was still kissing her neck, and his words spread hot air around the wetness he left, making her shiver.

  “I knew it was our six-month anniversary. I thought you two forgot, because you didn't say anything.”

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  “Fine.” Dario took her hand and led her out of the room. Declan took the other, and the chain went down the hallway. They passed through the living room and headed out to the deck. She saw it as Dario pulled open the sliding glass door.

  “A hot tub?” Visions of the three of them making love, their hands sliding over each other's bodies as her two men filled her, made her blood boil.

  “It was delivered this morning,” Declan said. “The water should be warm by now, but we thought we'd wait until after dinner tonight to break it in.”

  “Like hell.” She let go of their hands, crossed to the tub, then ran her fingers through the hot water.

  “It seats six,” Dario said. “Which means we're going to have to use different positions to break in all the seats.”

  “Well, then, l
et's get started.” Maura turned to them and began taking off her clothes. “Take off your clothes. Now.”

  “Yes, ma'am,” they said in unison.

  “Definitely good to be the boss.” Maura finished undressing, then swung her legs into the water. She sat down on the first seat, then watched as her lovers, both of them wonderfully hard, climbed in after her.

  She moved to the far end of the tub, watching as they entered the hot water and waded toward her. Her fingers seemed to move of their own volition, dipping down between her legs and gently stroking her curls. Just watching them made her wet, made her clit pulse with anticipation.

  “What's on the menu? Tell us what you want.” Dario reached out and cupped her breast, squeezing it gently. Declan massaged her other breast and she groaned and pushed her finger against her clit.

  “I want to feel you both inside me.” The words seemed to float out of her mouth as they pushed away her hand; Declan's fingers stroked her clit, and Dario's slipped inside her, sliding in and out slowly.

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  She tilted her head back, lying against the padded edge, and let them stroke her, her body tingling from their touch as the warm, bubbly water swirled around her. She felt weightless and free as each of their mouths captured a nipple, sucking it in deep. Tongues slid around her hardened nubs, making her tingle with need.

  Maura arched into their touch, marveling that they worked so perfectly together to make her sizzle with pleasure. She was right on the edge, ready to sail over it, when they stopped.

  “You're so…mean.” Her breath came in short, shallow gasps as they lifted her to sit on the side, then spread her legs. Dario stroked her clit, then moved out of the tub, standing at the edge to spread her slit.

  “You know you love it,” Dario whispered. “Up and down, up and down, the more times we bring you close to peak, then stop, the harder your orgasm is.”