She sighed heavily.
“You’re thinking about the guys aren’t you?” Serena asked. “What are you going to say to them tonight?”
“I really don’t know,” Melanie admitted. “I want them all. I guess there’s no other way to say it. In those few weeks with just Garrett and Justin, I was happy enough, but I just didn’t feel complete. I need David, too.”
“Then you should just tell them that,” Serena said.
“What if it means losing all of them?”
“If that happens, maybe it really wasn’t meant to be,” Serena said gently.
Melanie stayed silent for the rest of the drive, debating with herself on the best way to handle the situation, but not arriving at any conclusions. Thankfully, the time at the salon cheered her up. Serena was treating her to a fancy updo, waxing, and mani-pedi. They had a great time sipping their tea while the estheticians worked away on them, and Melanie certainly felt a lot more relaxed when they were finished. Serena drove back to her house, where they would both get ready together.
Melanie carefully stripped out of her clothes so she wouldn’t mess up her hair, and then stepped into the fancy lingerie she had gotten to go under her gown. She had a red lace thong and garter belt, which had cost her almost as much as the gown, but as she slipped into them, she felt extremely sexy. Her gown wouldn’t permit a bra. She admired herself in the mirror for a moment, turning from side to side to check the view. She wondered if she’d be the only one to appreciate the beautiful undergarments. With a sigh, she took her red gown off the hanger and carefully stepped into it. It was a sensuous silk, and though it had straps, its neckline plunged between her breasts and the back almost to her ass. She turned and checked her reflection from behind to make sure the thong didn’t peek out. The skirt fell to the floor. It was slightly flared but still clung in all the right places.
Melanie was in the bathroom of the guest suite applying her makeup when Serena knocked on the door. Melanie called her in.
“Wow!” Serena exclaimed as she looked Melanie up and down. “You look spectacular.”
Melanie flushed slightly and smiled. She had hoped to really dazzle tonight.
“You’re just missing one thing,” Serena said. She held out a velvet jewelry case.
When Melanie opened the case, she gasped. Inside laid a brilliantly sparkling diamond necklace with matching earrings. The pieces were gorgeous, and she shuddered to think how much they would be worth. “What are these for?”
“They were Mrs. Dalton’s,” Serena explained. “We thought maybe you’d like to borrow them for tonight.”
“Are you sure? These must be worth a fortune.”
Serena nodded. “You need to shine tonight, and these will help. There will be lots of important people there, and you need to look the part of the successful gallery owner.”
“Thank you.” Serena took the necklace from the case and began to fasten it around Melanie’s neck. Then Melanie put the earrings in and looked at herself in the mirror. She was barely recognizable. Her hair was elegantly swept up, with just a few pieces artfully dangling. Her makeup was dramatic and sexy, just like the dress. The diamonds completed the outfit perfectly.
“Are you ladies just about ready?” Liam called into the bedroom. “The limo is here.”
Melanie picked up her clutch and followed Serena out of the room and down the stairs. Serena’s friend Lisa stood at the bottom, holding Savannah on her hip, while Logan stood beside her, his chubby little hand gripping hers.
“You ladies look hot!” she exclaimed.
“Just don’t look too closely at my waddle,” Serena said and they laughed. Lance and Liam appeared in the foyer, each carrying a fur wrap. Lance placed his around Serena’s shoulders and took her arm in his. Liam did the same for Melanie.
“It’s too bad I’m already married,” Liam said as he led Melanie out the front door to the waiting limousine. “You’re positively stunning.”
“You can have him,” Serena said. “I don’t think I want to let either of them near me again. They have a bad habit of knocking me up.”
The four of them laughed as they headed to the gallery. They were the first to arrive, but other guests began to appear shortly afterward. Melanie stood in the foyer, chatting with each one as they came in.
“Thank you for inviting us,” said Jack Sullivan as he shook her hand. He was a local resident, CEO of a major company in Toronto, and married to movie star Kendra Hughes. But the woman on his arm wasn’t his wife. “This is our good friend Sophie LaPlante. She graciously agreed to come with me tonight since Kendra is away on a movie shoot.”
“I’m so glad you could make it,” Melanie said as she shook Sophie’s hand. The couple moved further into the gallery to look over the artwork and talk to the other guests.
When Melanie turned back toward the door, her breath caught in her throat. Standing just inside the foyer were Garrett, Justin, and David. All three were in tuxedos. What is it about a man in a tux? Melanie was frozen to the spot. The men began to walk toward her. Justin got there first. He placed his hands on her upper arms, leaned in, and kissed her once on each cheek.
“Tu ed très belle, ma chérie,” he whispered.
Next, Garrett hugged her gently, pressing a kiss against her ear before saying, “You look gorgeous.”
Melanie’s heart was racing, and she could feel the flush rising up her neck and face. Her stomach, and other areas, were tight with desire, and she was sure her hardened nipples were visible through the fabric of her dress. When David put his arms around her, she closed her eyes and exhaled a shaky breath. God, she wanted them! David slid a hand down the exposed flesh of her back, and she arched into him, hearing him chuckle at her response.
Before she could say anything else to any of them, more guests were greeting her. She introduced the men, who shook hands with everyone who entered. After the last guest had arrived, Melanie began circulating around the gallery to talk to people. At first, the men stuck fairly close behind her, but eventually, they were waylaid by others who offered praise and congratulations on their fine work.
The evening sped past. Everyone who came to the gallery seemed impressed by the work Melanie had done there, and the reaction to the artwork was mostly positive, though of course there were critics.
“It’s just pornography!” Melanie overheard the mayor’s wife whispering to her husband as they looked at one of Garrett’s paintings. She gritted her teeth and pretended not to hear as she moved on to where Justin was talking to Jack Sullivan.
“Ma chérie,” he said as he took her hand and pulled her to his side. He kissed her cheek. “Monsieur Sullivan has just offered to purchase my photographs.”
Melanie blinked. “All of them?”
“Oui,” he said. He turned back toward Jack. “I am most happy to sell you my work, but the piece called Ma Beauté, Ma Vie is not for sale.”
“No?” Jack said. He glanced over at the picture Justin had indicated. He looked startled as he looked back at Melanie, then back at the photo. “That’s you!”
Melanie felt a blush rising again as she nodded.
“Fabulous!” Jack exclaimed. “Justin, I’ll double my offer.”
“That is very generous, monsieur, but that photograph is not for sale.” Justin’s mouth was set in a firm line, and his chin was lifted in a slightly defiant manner.
Jack studied him for a moment, and then glanced at Melanie. A small smile came to his lips. “I see. Would you consider doing a commissioned piece?”
“I would be willing to do that, yes,” Justin replied.
Jack took out his wallet and passed a business card to Justin. “Call me on Monday, and we’ll make the arrangements.”
“Merci, monsieur. It would be my pleasure.”
Melanie watched Jack and Sophie move away before turning to Justin. “How much did he offer you?” she asked.
“Two hundred and fifty.”
“That’s not very much,” Melan
ie said, disappointed. She wanted her artists to be successful, and she was sure two hundred and fifty dollars wouldn’t even cover Justin’s costs to produce the photos.
“No, ma chérie. It was two hundred and fifty thousand.” Justin grinned at her.
Melanie’s jaw dropped in what she was certain was an unflattering look. That amount seemed like too much. “Was that the doubled offer?”
Justin shook his head and his grin widened. “If I had accepted double, it would have been five hundred thousand.”
“Holy fuck!” she whispered. That meant Jack had offered fifty thousand for each picture, a sum that was unheard of for a new artist. “Why so much?”
“I think it was because he heard someone else offer me one hundred thousand for the collection, and he was determined to have them. They seem to be quite popular.”
“Why won’t you sell the one of me?” Melanie asked. “That’s a lot of money.”
Justin’s grin faded and his deep-blue eyes seemed to trap Melanie’s gaze. “I do not mind having the picture here to display your beauty to the world. But I could not bear to part with a single copy. It means too much.”
Melanie’s heart beat wildly as she continued to stare into his eyes. He began to lean toward her and she found herself standing on her toes to meet him. Their lips touched and she felt the desire whip through her, like a flame to dry grasses, consuming her almost instantly. She clung to his arms as his mouth moved against hers, their tongues caressing each other passionately. She could feel her panties dampening as her pussy ached to feel him inside her again.
“People are staring,” said a low voice behind Melanie and she jumped in surprise. She saw Garrett standing there, smiling at her. “You may want to tone it down a little. I don’t think anyone was expecting a live display.”
Melanie hesitantly darted her eyes around the room to see that many eyes were indeed focused on her and the man in her arms. She smiled weakly at Justin before stepping away from him. “I need to get some air,” she mumbled and hurried to the door. She ran outside without pausing, and the frigid air enveloped her, causing goose bumps to rise on her exposed flesh. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. She knew she should go back inside, but she wasn’t ready to talk to anyone just yet. Her stupid hormones had gotten the better of her again. She couldn’t seem to control herself when she was around those men. Why can’t things just be simple and uncomplicated? Is it really too much to ask?
“Melanie?” said a voice behind her.
She turned to see Lance standing there with the wrap she had worn earlier. He brought it over and placed it around her shoulders. Melanie smiled at him as she pulled the thick fur close around her. “Thank you, Lance.”
“No problem,” he replied. “It looked like you ran out without thinking, and it’s pretty cold out here. It is December, you know.”
“I know, I know. I thought the air would help to clear my head a little.”
Lance nodded at her. “I hope you’re not upset, but Serena has told us a bit about what’s going on. If you want to talk, I’m willing to listen.”
“I figured she would have,” Melanie said. She sighed heavily. “You’re a man who’s sharing a woman with another man. How did you decide that was the kind of relationship you wanted?”
Lance paused for a moment before answering. “Liam and I had both asked Serena out and she turned us both down. When we talked about it, we realized that neither of us would have been happy if she was with the other. It seemed like she was attracted to both of us, so we just decided to try for it.” He smiled. “It wasn’t always easy, but it helped that Liam and I were so close to each other anyway. I don’t know how people in these relationships normally make it work. We were kind of the pioneers here in Hedon Falls.”
Melanie had listened intently. “It seems as though Justin and Garrett are willing to have a relationship with me. But David keeps sending mixed messages.”
“Maybe you should just try talking to him. Tell him why you want a ménage relationship and why loving the other two doesn’t mean you love him any less,” Lance suggested.
“I may have to do that,” Melanie said thoughtfully. Maybe David was afraid she didn’t love him as much as the other two. It made sense given the way he had acted up until now. She wondered how she could convince him.
A shiver ran through her as the wrap began to lose its effectiveness. “I think we should go back in,” she said to Lance. He went to open the door for her and she walked back into the warm gallery. She would talk to David later tonight after all the guests had left.
Melanie spent the rest of the evening mingling. She was introduced to many wonderful people, and most of them loved the artwork. Everything went off without a hitch and by the time everyone had left, most of the pieces had been sold. Melanie was thrilled at the positive reactions to her gallery, and she was happy that her artists had been able to sell their work, in some cases for exorbitant sums.
When the artists, Serena, and her husbands were the only ones left with her, Melanie collapsed onto one of the café chairs. “I’m so glad this is done!”
“It was a wonderful evening,” Serena said as she carefully lowered herself into the seat beside Melanie. “And we have a surprise for you.”
Melanie looked over to see her friend holding a small gift. “You guys didn’t have to get me anything! You already treated me to the spa, drove me in a limo, loaned me gorgeous jewelry. It’s too much!”
“It’s mostly from your men over there,” Serena said as she nodded her head toward David, Garrett, and Justin.
“It’s from all of us,” David said. “Please, open it.”
Melanie took the tiny package and carefully unwrapped the flat box. She lifted the lid to see a shining key on a chain with a large M engraved on it. She looked up at the others. “What’s the key for?”
“Your apartment,” Serena said with a huge grin.
Chapter 17
“What do you mean?”
David came over to her and took her hand. He pulled her to her feet and led her to the circular staircase at the back of the café. “Let us show you.”
They carefully ascended the stairs, followed by Justin, Garret, Serena, Liam, and Lance. At the top was a landing with a balcony overlooking the main gallery. A small table and comfortable-looking chair sat beside the glass railing. To the side of the landing was the door to the apartment. An apartment that was supposed to be unfinished. There was a huge bow on the door and a sign that said, Welcome home! Emotion washed through Melanie as she looked down at the key in the box and then the door. Tears pricked the back of her eyes and her throat constricted. She took the key and attempted to unlock the door, but her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t get it in right. David chuckled softly and took it from her, and then opened the door himself.
Melanie stepped over the threshold and into a small entrance hall, with a closet to one side. The entryway opened up into a cozy sitting room with two love seats and a chair grouped around a low coffee table in front of a fireplace. To one side of the sitting room was a tiny kitchen, with gleaming stainless steel appliances and a granite countertop. On the other side of the sitting room were two doors, both of which stood open. Melanie could see that one led to a bathroom. She went to the other door and looked into a bedroom that took her breath away. In the center of the room was an enormous bed. She had no idea how they would have gotten it in here in one piece. A dresser and vanity stood on the far wall, and there was another door leading to the bathroom.
Melanie turned to look at her friends and lovers, who all smiled widely at her. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “You did all this?”
“It was a joint effort,” Garrett said. “Serena contacted us and asked if we would help. David made the bed, using pieces of an older one. He did all the lamps as well. Justin painted, and I picked out the rest of the furniture. We all chipped some money in, but the Daltons paid most of the costs.”
Melanie co
uldn’t hold back the tears anymore, and they began to roll down her cheeks. She went to Serena and hugged her tightly. “You didn’t have to do this! I was happy at the cottage!”
“It’s okay, sweetie,” Serena said. “We felt badly that you couldn’t finish this the way you wanted, and since you wouldn’t let us invest, we decided to do this for you. It didn’t even cost as much as you thought it would.”
Melanie released Serena and then went to hug Liam and Lance. “Thank you.”
“I think we need to be getting home,” Serena said to her husbands. “I’m really tired. Melanie, did you want to come back with us or do you want to sleep here tonight?”
Melanie looked around at her apartment. She could scarcely believe it was hers. And she was eager to check out that huge bed. “I think I’ll stay here. I’ll call you in the morning.”
Serena, Liam, and Lance each hugged her once more before leaving. Melanie looked at the three artists who stood before her. Her stomach knotted with anxiety as she realized that this would be the perfect opportunity to ask all of them to stay. But she needed to talk to David alone first.
“David, can I talk to you for a few minutes?” she asked.
He looked a little surprised, but he nodded. Melanie took his hand and led him into the bedroom. “You two stay here,” she said to Justin and Garrett before closing the door. When she turned to back to David, she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. She went to sit beside him.
“Melanie—” he began.
“Let me talk,” she interrupted. She took a deep breath before she continued. “David, I love you. You know I do. I also love Justin and Garrett. I never planned for it to happen this way, but it has. I want you all, and I can’t imagine being with only one or two of you. It seems right to me that we’re all together. I need you to be totally honest with me about why you’re having difficulty with that. I want to work it out.” She looked at him and waited for him to say something.
The Art of Love [Hedon Falls 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 13
