by Lynn Stark
Being part time lovers might not be so bad, but it wasn’t right for her. Maggie knew she had changed a lot in the past few years. She had certainly matured. At one time she would probably have jumped at the chance to just enjoy the men for their bodies. Not now. She wanted more than sex. She wanted a man or men she could grow old with and be happy about it. She wanted men who would be fathers to her children.
Maggie and her children were a package deal. Not only did they have to fall in love with her, as she had to with them, but they had to fall in love with her children. Samuel, Emily, and Brant deserved the very best she could give them. It’s what mothers did.
Chapter Six
Ethan decided it wouldn’t be difficult to fall in love with Maggie. He was already halfway there. But he had to give a lot of consideration to what she had said to them. He, Sean, and Max had a really good thing. They loved one another totally and had done so since high school. No one had been shocked when they had started dating. They got along great and the sex with his men was mind-blowing. They really couldn’t ask for more to make their lives better than it was.
Yet, if they had Maggie in their lives, Ethan thought it could be better. Being bisexual was confusing at times. He loved his men. Sean and Max were the best. There were times, however, when he wanted the softness of a woman, craved it, actually. He loved breasts, he loved pussy, and he loved the feel of a soft body beneath his. He sure couldn’t get that from Max and Sean, with their flat abs and muscles.
Grinning as he thought of how he had feasted on Maggie’s juicy pussy, Ethan placed the bridle he had just cleaned on the round wooden block on the wall and reached for the next. Burying his mouth against her swollen flesh and tasting the creamy juices flowing from her pussy had been like a dream come true. Making her go wild and crazy had been a hell of a lot of fun, something he wanted to do over and over. Next time he wanted to make her scream until the windows shattered. He grinned at the thought.
It had been almost two weeks since their night at the cabin. Busy lives kept getting in the way, theirs and hers. They had been trying to plan a second date. They hadn’t had much success, though they had visited her and her children a couple of times, when they went riding. It gave them an opportunity to get to know the triplets, but alone time with Maggie was nonexistent. Still, it was all about getting to know Samuel, Emily, and Brant. If they wanted a future with Maggie, they and the children needed to get to know one another. After all, they would be taking on the role of fathers.
Maggie had called that morning to tell them that her children were staying the weekend at their grandparents. She wanted to know if they would like to spend that night together, if not the entire weekend. Ethan chuckled at that. Just the thought of spending any time with Maggie, let alone an entire weekend, had his cock rock hard. It was like a duh moment. She was so damn desirable it made his teeth ache. She was like an overdose of sugar. You wanted it, you craved it, and you devoured it until satisfied.
Ethan couldn’t even imagine ever being satisfied. Now that he’d had a taste, he wanted more and wanted forever. Though they had known Maggie a long time, and knew a lot about her, they needed to catch up and discover all they could about her. They had to be certain that she was truly the woman for them. They also had to prove that he, Sean, and Max were the men for her.
Ethan just prayed one of them, but mainly he, didn’t do something amazingly stupid to screw things up. There were some days when he felt like he was still in high school, though that had been over a decade ago. He supposed it was because they were men and they kinda fed off each other. He frowned. Would Maggie make them stop having fun?
Probably not, but Ethan decided to try not to be a total goof off jerk. He’d have to learn to master maturity. He shuddered at the thought as he put away the rags and neat oil he had used on the leather.
It was late afternoon by the time he left the tack room. It had taken him hours to clean all the tack, but it was necessary and was actually one of his favorite jobs on the ranch. It was relaxing and gave him time to think.
“There’s our hot, sexy man.” Hearing Max’s voice, Ethan turned in the long aisle way to see Max and Sean walking toward him, the sight of their big bodies in jeans and tight T-shirts was still enough to make him drool. Fuck, if he didn’t love cowboys. “All finished?”
“Yep. It’s all shiny for another week. How’d it go for you guys today?”
Their job of the week was replacing fence posts. It was a bitch of a job and it wasn’t helped by the heat. It drained the people working out in it, could even make them sick or kill them. Frequent breaks and hydration was necessary. His men looked worn out. Long, cool showers would do a lot to refresh them. They even had time for a short nap, since they didn’t have to be at the cabin until almost eight, the time Maggie said she would be there.
“For a while there it didn’t seem like we were going to get it done today.” Max slid an arm around his waist, pulling him close. “It’s one thing off a never-ending list. Come on, let’s go get ready.”
If the hand on his ass was an indicator, Ethan knew there would be some fooling around before they left for their weekend at Lilac cabin with Maggie. His pulse quickened in anticipation. He wanted his men, he wanted Maggie. Frowning, he wondered if they could truly have both. They were in a good place in their relationship. There were few bumps, problems only cropping up occasionally. Max, Sean, and he had a good relationship together. Hell, Ethan could probably describe it as an excellent relationship. They loved one another and that was as good as it got. What would adding Maggie do to it? Would she strengthen or weaken the bonds?
“What’s got your panties in a twist?” Sean asked as they approached their house. Obviously he had seen something on Ethan’s face to tell him that something wasn’t sitting well with him. He shook his head, but Sean pressed him. “Come on. Tell us what’s on your mind. We don’t keep secrets, remember?”
Though he didn’t want to be a downer, Ethan knew he had to be honest and relate his fears. “What if wanting Maggie for our fourth is the wrong thing? What we have together is great. Are we risking what we have? I love you both. I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize it. We’ll also become instant fathers. Are we ready for that?”
Sean and Max looked at him for a long moment. Max responded first. “We’re probably all thinking the same things. Including another person in our relationship does have its risks. Do I want to jeopardize what we have? No, of course not. I’ve been very happy since we’ve been together. Dating Maggie, and possibly marrying her, doesn’t take anything away from that. I believe we would be adding something special to our relationship. And her kids? All I can say is wow. They’re terrific. I’d love to become one of their fathers.”
Sean slid his hand around the back of Ethan’s neck, giving it a comforting squeeze. “It is scary, thinking about all of the what-ifs. Maybe we should just try not to. It seems to make everything worse, or more uncertain. Let’s get to know Maggie and let her get to know us. That’s part of what this weekend is about.” He chuckled. “We all got kind of distracted on our date. Hopefully we won’t spend the entire time in bed and actually do some talking.”
In the end, they didn’t fool around in the shower like Ethan had hoped. They took the extra time instead to go into town to find a gift for Maggie. They decided on a CD and a gift card for e-books. Sean had seen an e-reader on a table, when he had gone into the house to wash his hands. They all thought the gifts were simple enough that she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable about accepting them. Ethan added cut flowers and Max decided that they would get her a box of custom candies from The Chocolate Café.
Before they left town they decided to visit the grocery store. They were going to pamper Maggie. They bought food they knew they could cook with success, since there was no point in giving her food poisoning or making her starve. By the time they were finished they had two carts filled nearly to overflowing, probably enough a couple of weeks. Since they didn’t know wha
t she liked yet, they decided having a large selection was the way to go.
At the register Ethan spotted the magazine rack. As Sean helped place all the food on the conveyer, Ethan looked over the magazines, choosing several he thought Maggie might like. He also chose a pair of pink footies, a pack of cinnamon gum, and a bottle of fruit-flavored water. He got a handful of spicy meat sticks and jerky for Max, Sean, and him. At the last minute he grabbed a pack of cards and tossed it in with the rest of the stuff. When he reached for a smokeless ashtray just to look at it, Sean grabbed him and pulled him along in the line. Max was just pulling out his wallet to pay for the groceries.
“Tell me you weren’t going to buy that,” Sean said in disbelief. “None of us even smoke.”
“I was only looking at it.”
“Look at it on your own time. Let’s get this stuff loaded up. We’re going to be late.”
They weren’t late. Well, if they were, so was Maggie. She was just parking her SUV as they came to the end of the long road leading into the area where the cabins were located. Lilac cabin was the very last one, giving them the greatest amount of privacy. There were a dozen cabins, each placed more than a hundred feet from one another as they dotted the edge of the lake. The land between was each had been minimally landscaped, allowing for a truly natural appearance without being overgrown. Tall trees provided shade for many shade-loving plants.
Max parked the truck beside Maggie’s SUV. Ethan thought it was a miracle the man hadn’t driven right into the cabin, as Maggie was stretching into the vehicle, obviously trying to reach something. They were given a fantastic view of her shapely ass in the snug jeans. Ethan swallowed hard as he felt his cock beginning to fill with blood.
Maggie straightened and turned to give them a brilliant smile, a small case in her hand. “Hi, guys,” she greeted cheerfully, reaching out to grab the rolling suitcase. Ethan opened the door and jumped out to take it from her.
“Hi,” he said rather breathlessly, feeling as though he was back in high school. Leaning down he went for a kiss. Maggie obliged him, lifting her face so their mouths could meet in a brief, but scorching kiss. When he lifted his head, he grinned down at her. “I’ve missed you.”
Her smile broadened. “I’ve missed you, too.”
Max and Sean were out of the truck now. They each took a turn in kissing her. He thought they might have to get a crowbar out to pry Max off of her. There was something special about Maggie, something which had always drawn them to her. It was too bad they had always believed that she wouldn’t give them the time of day.
“We brought food.”
Ethan snickered at Sean’s brief statement. Deciding to tease his partner, he beat his chest with his fists. “Me brought food,” he stated in a rough voice. “Me eat food. No bother cooking it.” He jumped out of the way, laughing, as Sean lunged for him. He ran to the back of the truck and grabbed bags.
Maggie followed them over. He glanced at her in time to see her eyes widen. “Wow, I guess you did. Okay, then. Bring it on in and I’ll get started on supper.”
“You don’t have to do any cooking, Maggie. We’re fairly good cooks,” Max told her, his arms filled with groceries as they made their way to the front of the cabin. “Just relax. Let us take care of you.”
Laughing, Maggie walked up the flagstone path, leading the way. “Oh, goody. I won’t stop you. I love to get pampered now and then.”
“That’s our job,” Max said. “You already have three kids to take care of. There’s no need to…”
“Take care of three more?” Maggie laughed as she interrupted him. Giggling, she ran to the door when Sean growled playfully. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. But, hey, if you guys want to take care of the cooking, by all means, go ahead. Actually, I’m not much of a cook, though I do make a great potato salad. Now, if you want pancakes with blueberry smiley faces, you’re in for a treat.”
“I’m all for that,” Ethan told her. “We’ll make a breakfast exemption for you to make pancakes.”
Their playfulness was a good beginning to their weekend together. Everyone was smiling and laughing as they put away all the groceries and made supper. Ethan liked the relaxed atmosphere. They were getting to know one another and it wasn’t all about sex. Though he could admit that he was something of a horndog with his men, and being with Maggie had been incredible, he was very aware of how much the four of them needed to learn about one another before they committed themselves in any way.
Maggie’s opinion of Ethan hadn’t changed in the past few weeks. He was positively adorable and the most playful of the three men. He was always cracking jokes, making them all laugh as they made supper together and sat down to eat a leisurely meal. Though they hadn’t had a repeat of the toe-curling sex, the man had some mad skills in bed and she was definitely looking for that repeat.
She certainly hadn’t been lacking for fantasy inspiration since the night of their date. She also felt something akin to hope beginning to burgeon within her. She wasn’t purposely on the hunt for husbands, but she believed that Sean, Max, and Ethan were definitely husband material.
Still, Maggie knew she couldn’t rush into anything. She was very determined to get to know them, both in and out of bed. What was more important than any pleasure they could give her, was how they would be as fathers.
Emily, Brant, and Samuel came first. Maggie was very aware that the three wanted a father or fathers. They talked about wanting one a lot. They had been aware of their lack of a father for a while now. They naturally wanted what other children had. Maggie’s father did provide an excellent male role model for them. Still, she knew, a grandfather wasn’t the same as a father. Her children did, too.
Watching as Max squatted in front of the stone fireplace, which was part of the large covered patio, Maggie admired the way the jeans he wore stretched and formed around his shapely ass. It wasn’t a small, flat ass, either. It had some meat on it. There was enough to bite and hold onto. She idly swirled the wine in the glass as she continued to admire him.
“Hey, Max, Maggie’s checking out your ass,” Ethan informed the man.
Maggie knew she was blushing a little as Max looked back over his shoulder at her. A grin spread across his handsome face. He winked, sending her pulse racing. Not only was he one of three very sexy men, it was the playfulness that was a very real turn-on for her. Who the fuck wanted to make love with a man who had no sense of humor? She was all for laughter and lightness. Life was hard enough to deal with. She wasn’t going to trudge through it. She was going to dance through life and screw those who didn’t like it. And she was certainly didn’t want men who were nothing more than anchors, holding her down, holding her back, and effectively taking the joy out of ordinary, everyday things.
When Max stood, Sean and Ethan joined him with their backs to her, showing off their assets, Maggie threw back her head and laughed. Yeah, that’s what she was talking about!
“Number two, could you please turn around?” Sean did so and her eyes raked over him from head to toe. There was just something about a cowboy that turned her on. The black T-shirt he was wearing stretched across broad shoulders and a wide chest. It was tight enough that she could make out the definition of his abs. Her gaze dropped to the bulge beneath the silver, oval buckle at his waist. “Thank you, number two. Number one, could you please turn around?”
Max turned. He stood there with a serious expression on his handsome face, and then he began posing, hamming it up even as he flipped her switch and turned her on. Feeling her panties getting drenched, she had to bite back the moan that wanted to escape her lips. She wanted to lick the bulging biceps he was showing off. All three men were similar in size and build. As far as she was concerned, all three were perfect.
Clearing her throat, Maggie unfolded her legs from where she had them tucked beside her on the deep seat cushion. She stood up and walked toward the men, her hips swaying as she did so. “Number three, could you please take off your shirt?”
She blinked when she heard ripping fabric. Her pussy quivered as she watched Ethan rip his T-shirt right down the middle, exposing his hairy chest and abs lightly covered with crisp black hair. He shrugged out of the remnants and dropped the fabric to the stone floor. She barely noticed. She was more interested in the happy trail disappearing into his waistband. “Thank you, number three. That was very well done.” Ethan preened, making her laugh. “Number two, can you top that?”
Sean winked at her, and then spun around in a manner which would have any stripper filled with envy. His hands went to his belt buckle as he began shaking his firm, rounded ass. Oh, fuck, she was going to die right then and there. When he pushed jeans and underwear down over those fine mounds of masculine delight, exposing flesh she wanted to lick and bite for hours, Maggie didn’t know how much more she could take. She giggled when he shook his ass, teasing her. Fire shot through her when Max slapped one side of that beautiful ass and Ethan, the other. The fire in her veins swept down the insides of her thighs, scorching her.
When red handprints appeared on the white globes beneath the tan line at Sean’s waist, Maggie knew she was drooling. Putting the edge of the glass to her lips, she tossed back the last of the wine in it. Envisioning her own private strip show, she said in a husky voice, “Damn if we don’t need some music for this.”
Since luxury equated gadgets, music soon filled the space after Max went to the cabinet beside the fireplace. It took him a moment to find suitable music, but with satellite radio, he must have known a station that played deep, thrumming, sexy music. It echoed the pounding in her veins, the throbbing of her pussy. The ache she was feeling was raw and primitive. The longer she teased herself with this game, the more she wanted them, if that was even possible.
Her tongue slid along her lip as the three men began dancing and stripping. The cowboy boots proved to be a little awkward, but they were soon flying, along with socks. T-shirts came off, pulled up and tossed aside. Bare, suntanned torsos begged for her touch. Muscles flexed, teasing her as they performed for her.
