by Honor James
“Eventually, yes, but not yet. I want to be able to stand up to make that statement. As it is right now I would wobble and more than likely fall on my ass, not what I want. Jordan’s doing okay, he’s had some help though, thankfully. My former agent and the agency have been helping to keep the reporters distracted as much as possible so he’s able to sneak out of there each night. He’ll be working from here more though I think, for what he can and, what he can’t, he’ll just have to razzle-dazzle them into looking over there while he sneaks past over here.”
“This is very true. Well whatever he has to do in order to keep your secret we both know that he will. We will both protect you until you are ready to come out to everyone. We will be your shield just as the men that Jordan hired as our security will.”
“Really? You’re going to use that turn of phrase?” he asked with a chuckle. “Not the one I’d pick but, okay. Until I’m ready to come out to everyone, hm?” Quinn shook his head and leaned in to kiss her again. “Really not helping with my very fragile ego here, Susan.”
Leaning into Quinn, Susan whispered against his ear. “Oh honey, believe me when I tell you that if anyone knows that the only coming that you will be doing will be when you are inside of me, that’s me.” She was being naughty and knew it, but whatever she needed to do in order to get him on his feet she would. “Just remember that you care for me when you are back on your feet and women are throwing themselves at you once more.” She hoped he did at least. “Because gods only know that I care a great deal for you.” She was in love with him, she had been likely since she first met him.
“Hey,” he said with a frown as he looked at her. “I’ve never cared to give anyone the time of day before, not happening now. You are the only woman I want in my life, Susan. They can throw themselves all they want but I hope they are ready for a very hard and harsh landing when they do so. Now, enough of that talk, that is in the future which we’re not yet ready for. Well, I’m not anyway, still have to relearn the whole walking bit. Besides, I’m much more interested in the here and now and the fact that someone promised me a shower, just the two of us.”
“I’m glad,” she said and leaned into him. “No. No, we aren’t ready for the future yet or the talk of the future. That’s for later. This is for now. Right now we will get you on your feet, get you moving and we will worry about everything else at a later date and time. And yes, we will shower. Just you and I.” She moved in closer to him and rubbed her cheek to his. “I care for you Quinn. Only two beings in the entire world could ever break my heart and you are one of them. Your best friend is the other. I’ve never said that to anyone before,” she said simply. “So we will get you moving and then we will worry about everything else.”
Quinn put a hand on her cheek. “Not going to break your heart, Susan. Promise,” he said softly.
Then came the task of getting him onto his feet which, given he had lost a lot of weight, was a lot harder than it sounded. But he wasn’t a small guy by any means and still did pack a good amount of weight. With a little effort, a lot of grunting and several curses, from him, they were off and shuffling to the master bathroom.
“See you are doing wonderfully.” Susan praised him from under his arm. “Okay, sweets. Have a seat here for a moment while I get the bathroom and shower ready for us.” She leaned into him and brushed her lips to his. “I adore you. It always is good to tell you that by the way,” she said happily. “Now, give me five and then I will be back to help you into the shower okay?”
“Deal,” he said, huffing and puffing a little as he sat back on the chair. “Just don’t forget me out here for too long or I’m liable to fall asleep. And, honestly, I’m all for a nap here. I don’t even care that this is one of the most uncomfortable chairs in the entire place. I get why you like plopping me in it but really, it’s seriously uncomfortable.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t be long,” Susan assured him before disappearing into the bathroom. After putting a towel down onto the floor to ensure that he wouldn’t slip she got the shower started and walked out to get him, naked. “I figured this would give you a bit of incentive?” she asked with a smile. “Does it work?”
“Holy hell,” he said, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. “That is damned fine incentive and, if I had the energy, I’d jump up and grab you right here and now. As it is, I only have the energy to drool so please, don’t be offended as I commence that action.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t be offended. I would be offended if you weren’t reacting as you were,” she said with a smile and began to pull his clothes off of him. “You are starting to get more muscle tone in your body, that’s a very good thing, sweets.”
“Yeah, but it’s still not where I was. Not that I’m all that worried about getting back there right off. That took me a long time to get just right and then hold,” he said. Bracing his hands on the arms of the chair he pushed up a bit allowing her to strip off his shorts. “I might be regaining some muscle but they are all mush these days. Really hope you have a cure all in your magic bag of tricks for that.”
“Don’t worry. It will come in time,” she assured him. “So don’t worry about it for right now. Right now we simply worry about getting you moving under your own power. Nothing else matters.”
Quinn snorted at that and eyed her up and down. “Says the sexy naked woman,” he muttered. “We really need to get you the guys’ handbook so you understand what matters to us. You are thinking way too much like a lady, Susan. Just ain’t going to cut it if you plan on saying stuff like that around Jordan and I.”
“Oh I know that other things matter, I know that getting you better so that you can rock my world is important. I know that I need you and I want you just as you need and want me, too. I know that we will be together eventually and when we do it will freaking rock.”
He snickered as she helped him up to his feet before he groaned softly. “Damn, is everything supposed to hurt and yet feel like a bowl full of not quite set Jell-O?” he asked her. He was leaning a little more on her as they made the trek into the bathroom, not a lot, but definitely more than before.
“Yes it is supposed to hurt. After your shower we will get you into bed and I will give you a nice rubdown with some hot oil. Hopefully by then Jordan will be back with food for us.” It had been her day to work with Quinn and they both knew that she wouldn’t be able to cook for them so he was bringing them food home, thank heavens. “Now then,” she said as she got him into the shower with her and closed the door. Looking up at him she grinned. “You doing okay so far?”
“So far so good.” He smiled back at her. “The promise of a rubdown and the heat of the shower are doing wonders. Though, and I say this with as much testosterone as I can spare currently, let’s not be in here too long or I’ll be a puddle on the floor.” He made a face and rolled his eyes. “Yup, that was just as bruising to my poor battered ego as I thought it would be.”
“Don’t worry love I won’t let you go into a puddle on the floor before me,” she assured him. Quickly and efficiently she began to get him clean. She washed him with care and practiced ease, ensuring that she didn’t spend too much time around his groin or they both would have a deep and needy ache to be filled.
Once she had him out of the shower she helped him into the bed. “No need to get dressed. Jordan and I have both seen you naked and god knows you’ve seen enough of us naked as well.” She didn’t deny anything to either of these men, and she and Jordan found time for each other here and there when they could as well. “Now, how about that hot oil massage?” she asked with a wicked grin, a grin that promised pleasure.
“I’d like that,” he said softly. He shifted around a little before settling down. “But you don’t have to, sweetheart. You’ve been working hard of late and you should have the rest of day to do whatever you want. Not kidding either,” he said with a smile. “You deserve a little time I’m sure, Susan.”
“I would like to do it, and don’t
worry, babe, I will take some time to myself as well. Jordan is going to let me take his car tonight so that I can run to the store and get me some more of my bubble bath and lotions. I asked him to do it, but the big goober refused to do that for me. Silly man.”
“Probably because he realizes the same thing, you need time out of this place and to yourself. Though, really, just going for some bathing items really doesn’t sound like a restful time. You should grab dinner out or a movie or go walk through the park or something. I don’t want you getting resentful of being here all the time. I know, I know.” He rolled his eyes. “You don’t see it as a chore but, sweetheart, I care about you and don’t want you burning out.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t get burnt out at all. Believe me. Besides, I love to go into Bath and Body Works and shop. It’s far more relaxing than you possibly know. Don’t worry, I won’t be all resentful or anything like that. Promise.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. Reaching out he brushed a finger to her arm. “But if you ever feel the need to murder us in our sleep, say something before you give into the urge. Please?” he asked with a grin and chuckled.
“Don’t worry, if I have issues I will tell you. If I have issues I will make sure that you both know. I know how to use my words so don’t worry about it okay? I mean seriously, don’t you think that I know how to use my words by now?”
“We hope but we’re also guys and we can be dense and moronic by nature.” He chuckled again. “Trust me, I’ve seen that thing women do when they don’t think the source of their irritation is looking.” He mimed strangling someone and then laughed. “Trust me, I’m not looking to have you get to that point so I thought we should just talk now and make sure that you know that the lines of communication will always be open. Especially now that I can fucking communicate again,” he muttered.
“Have I mentioned how happy that I am that you can communicate now?” she asked with a grin. “And believe me, I would just wrap my hands around your neck mister man, period,” she teased. “Just know that I will talk to you. We will have open lines of communication. We really will.”
“Good,” he said with a nod. Shifting around again, he rubbed a finger over her hand. “So, anything else you want to talk about? And I do mean anything. I’ve been living in a bubble but for what you and Jordan talked to me about so, share anything and everything. I’m seriously feeling a little out of sync with everything right now.”
“I honestly can’t think of anything at all to be perfectly honest. I really can’t. I mean I’m not much for sports, so I don’t know what to say about that,” she said with a frown. “I honestly don’t. What would you like to talk about? I’m up for just about anything, babe.”
“Okay,” he said and then hummed softly as he frowned. “Okay, I got it. We know a lot about one another, but it’s kind of that rudimentary stuff. Let’s start right at the basics. Favorite food, beverage, movie, and why.”
“I love pizza. I love the gooey richness of it. The melted cheese and the meat. Oh, I love meat.” She was getting hungry now. “I love an occasional soda but I prefer to drink water, milk, or juice, and I’m not huge on movies but when I do watch them I can only watch it once. I’m not one of those people that will watch a movie a hundred times over. It bores me to death.”
“Good to know.” He laughed softly. “Do you have a favorite book? Something that just resonates in your soul when you read it. Maybe one that you have that you’ve worn down because you’ve read it so many times.”
“Hurm, you know that’s actually a good question.” One she had to think about for a time. “Honestly, anything by Stephen King. Love his writing. Him and Dean Koontz. I would read either of their books over and over again.”
“Nice choices,” he grinned. “I’ve always been a fan of Stephen King, something about his writing makes you feel like you’re in the moment living his terror. The movie adaptations aren’t too bad for most of his books. There are a couple that, to this day, I have to watch with all the lights on and a baseball bat close at hand.”
“I would rather read the book than watch a movie by him. I know that sounds terrible but there it is. I would rather allow my imagination run wild with his books than have someone dictate to me what I should have the books read. Does that make sense?”
“Absolutely,” he assured her. “Trust me, I’m all for reading the book overseeing the movie. But I will admit most of his book to movie adaptations are pretty freaking accurate. Anyway, onto learning more about my sexy torturer. Favorite flower?” he asked.
“Gerber Daisy’s. I’m not big on roses and most especially not lilies or orchids. Your mother loved those things and always had them out there all over the place and I honestly couldn’t care for them. Gerber Daisy’s however, I freaking love those things. I love the innocent look of them, the purity of them. All of it.”
“Interesting.” He smiled. “See, this is all good information for me to have. Might even be able to use some of it at some point.” He laughed softly. “Now, the hardest question of them all. Ready?” he asked and wiggled his eyebrows. “If you could do anything, go anywhere, no budget, no constraints, what would your ideal and most fantasized date be? No time limit on the date either. Can be a night, could be a day, could be a whole week.”
She had to think about that one. She went quiet for a time. Finally however she spoke. “An island, a lovely breeze, the two men I care deeply about and the ability to be naked all the time with you. No one else around, just the three of us enjoying a simple life if only for a short time.”
He was watching her intently as she told him. “I like that idea,” he said quietly. “We’ll have to see about doing something like that once you get me back on my feet. I think that, once I tell the reporters my story and such, getting out of town for a while and enjoying ourselves is a good idea all around. Do you have a passport by chance?”
“I think that would be very good. Yes, I have a passport. I don’t know why I got one but I had applied for one a few years ago. I think that it would be a great deal of fun to be able to have that with the two of you. I feel that we would have a great deal of fun, don’t you?”
“I think we definitely could.” Quinn nodded happily. “But the whole point would be seclusion and just the three of us. This will give us time to get to know one another on a deeper level without any of the daily life pressures. Plus, having you naked all the time, is a major plus in my books. And, on top of all that, I really need to work on my tan. Look at me, I’m all pasty.” He held up an arm and whimpered. “So pasty.”
“I think that would be a good idea.” She laughed at both his comments on keeping her naked and him being pasty. “Yeah, we will need to work on that. We will need to be sure that you keep sunblock on yourself, too,” she added. “Because I don’t want you to burn, that would be painful and pain is the last thing that I want you to suffer okay? So if we ever do something like that, we will take a great deal of care.”
“When, darling, when we do it,” he said firmly. “Because, as soon as I’m up on my feet again and you tell me I’m good to go I’m doing that damned interview and then we are heading for some tropical island somewhere. No clue where but it will be sunny, it will be secluded and it will only be us on the damned thing. And Jordan, too.” He grinned. “He’d be such a whiny shit if we left him behind I’d never be able to live with him afterward.”
“This is very true. Plus I just simply want to be able to have the two of you with me. I want to be able to have a life with both of you. I care for you both and if we are to do this and make our lives what we need and want then we need to do it now as we will for the rest of our lives. I want to have both of you. Intimately and emotionally.” She and Jordan had long talks about what she wanted, now it was time for her and Quinn to have that talk as well.
“I have a feeling there’s more there you’re leaving unsaid. You do know that you can tell me anything right? And, by ‘anything,’ I do mean anything, Susan. Talk to me
, sweetheart. Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours so I’m on the same page,” he requested gently.
“I just need to know that you will be okay with me wanting to have a loving and committed relationship with both you and Jordan. I care for you both. I want you both. I want to be with you both but I don’t think that I could share either of you with another woman. Is that too selfish of me?”
Moving a little more Quinn got onto his side and put a hand on her hip. “I have zero interest in anyone else, Susan. All I’m interested in is you. Learning who you are, your dreams, your wishes and everything I can manage to get you to tell me. There will never be another woman for me. Course, that goes two ways, sweetheart. There had better be no other men in your life,” he said softly.
“Thank heavens,” she told him with a grin. “And there aren’t. There has only been you and Jordan for a great deal of time. The two of you are the only ones that I want and need. Before I made love with Jordan I hadn’t had another love for many years. It had been close to ten years since my last and first lover. So it’s only the two of you. For the rest of my life just the two of you.”
He let out a breath and then grinned. Leaning in he pressed a kiss to her lips. “Ditto,” he said softly to her. Slowly he rubbed his thumb over her skin as he closed his eyes. “I know that we can be a handful, believe me, I know it well. But, and I really shouldn’t tell you this as it’s against the guy code and all that. We would do anything for you, Susan. Anything. Especially if it earned us a smile from you.”
