Alex swallowed. “You’re serious?”
She nodded, and he gave her a smile as he leaned forward to brush his mouth over her cheek. “I love you, Mari.”
When he stepped back, Damon was still staring at her. “What the hell, Mari?”
She settled her hands on her hips. “Do not take that tone with me. If Alex is coming, then you have to come. You have no choice.”
“You ruined our surprise.” He glanced at his friend. “I told you we should have said something earlier, but no, we had to wait. Then, look at what she does. If I didn’t love you so much, I think I might just beat you.”
Before she could comprehend what he had said, he pulled her into his arms and gave her a loud, smacking kiss. “Say it,” he ordered.
She looked at him, then looked at Alex. “I love you both.”
Damon bent his head to kiss her again, but her father cleared his throat. She turned around as Alex stepped up on the other side of her. He slid his hand around her waist as Damon took her hand.
Her father had always been the calm that was the Sawyer storm of her house. If she disappointed him, it would hurt her more than she could probably stand. But she couldn’t live without Alex and Damon.
“What?” she asked.
His lips twitched. “Do they make you happy, Maribelle?”
Tears clouded her vision, and she tried to blink them away. “More than I can say.”
He gave both her lovers a look, and they did step back. He grabbed her, pulled her into his arms. “That’s all I ever wanted for you, honey.”
Relief swept through her as she stepped back and looked at her mother.
“We’ll work on your mother.”
Then, he looked at the two men behind her. “Make her cry, I can bury your body where it will never be found.”
She laughed at the Akaka family took over, pulling her parents into the kitchen for the Christmas Eve celebration. She moved to follow, but Damon grabbed hold of her hand. She looked at his solemn. “I’m sorry for what I said in there.”
“Oh, you didn’t mean it. Damon, the one thing I know about you is when you mean something. It hurt to hear, but I know how you were hurt too.”
He nodded.
“Just don’t let him get away with that shit,” Alex said.
She laughed as she slipped her arms around each of their waists. “Well, there is one thing I do have over him.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re stuck with me for the rest of your life, so I have a lot of time to make you pay.”
Both men sobered. First, Damon turned her toward him and kissed her, then Alex. “We love you, Mari.”
“Thank you for spending the rest of your life with us,” Alex added.
Again, the tears came, but she ignored them. “So, why don’t we get that life started?” she asked.
“Anything you say, Mari,” Damon said as the three of them walked toward the laughter and into the rest of their lives together.
Epilogue
Ten Years Later
Maribelle hurried through their house, trying to get everything ready. Damon and Alex were off with the kids. Soccer and baseball matches filled their lives along with their thriving careers. These last few weeks had been tough on her. She wasn’t a spring chicken anymore. Why she thought she could--
“Mommy,” Ana, their six-year-old, yelled out as she ran through the kitchen. Her seven-year-old brother, Jay, followed hard on her heels.
“Whoa, slow down,” Maribelle said, laughing. “What’s got you two in a hurry?”
“Daddy Alex stopped by Rainbow. We have dinner,” Ana said.
“Shouldn’t you be helping them?”
As soon as she said it, her husbands entered. Alex was carrying Ashton, their four-year-old son. Damon was carrying two massive bags of food.
“I hear we are getting a treat for dinner tonight.”
“You’ve been so tired, and I wanted to make sure you didn’t have to cook tonight,” Damon said, setting the bags on the kitchen counter. He slipped his arms around her and brushed his mouth over hers. “You’ve been working so hard lately.”
He was right. She’d been reworking the menus at the Akaka Resorts. Other than Oahu, they now had resorts on Maui and Kaui, and they were building their first resort in Japan. With that came a lot of work for her as they were researching cuisines and food sources in the new location.
“This looks good. I’m famished,” she said.
Alex settled Ashton into his booster seat at the kitchen island then came to give her a kiss. “I think you need to find a few days to take off. You’re looking a little under the weather.”
“Just what every woman wants to hear from her husband,” Maribelle said with a smile.
Damon grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into his arms. “He doesn’t speak for me. I think you look amazing.”
Maribelle giggled as he dipped her back and kissed her.
“Oh, ugh,” Jay said.
Damon and Alex laugh. Damon righted them, then walked her over the to the table. “Sit. We’ll get you something to eat.”
She settled back against the back of the chair and looked out the window that opened to their lanai. They’d survived in an apartment for a while, but soon, they outgrew it. Now, they had a beautiful five bedroom house. It was big by Hawaii standards.
Alex slid a plate piled high with pork, rice, and macaroni salad—because you can’t have too many carbs in Hawaii—and she gagged.
“What’s the matter?” Alex asked, concern darkening his gorgeous eyes.
Maribelle shakes her head and swallows. “No, just…”
“What’s wrong?” Damon said, walking over.
“She’s sick, and she’s trying to hide it from us.”
Of course, that causes an uproar. Damon panics. The kids panic. And Maribelle sighs.
“Calm down, everyone. It’s not …it’s, not anything bad.”
“The hell it’s not!” Alex shouts.
“Good lord, you’re so loud. It isn’t anything bad, I promise.”
Damon kneels beside her. “Tell us.”
She sees real fear in his gaze. Then she raises her head to look at her family. She nods.
“I wanted to wait until tonight. I did go see the doctor today.”
“What?” Alex demands. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because I wanted to be sure it wasn’t just being run down. You said it. I’ve had my butt handed to me these last few weeks.”
“What did she say?” Damon asked.
“I don’t have anything wrong with me that six more months won’t fix.”
Damon blinked and then his mouth curved into a beautiful smile.
“What?” Alex asks.
“She’s pregnant, you idiot,” Damon said.
“Please, I want a sister this time. Another brother will be the death of me,” Ana said in her usual serious tone.
Tears burn the back of her eyes as she blinked, trying to stem the tears.
Alex took her hands and gently pulls her out of her chair. “This is fantastic news.”
“But not without worry,” she whispered.
Damon steps up next to Alex. “We’ll talk about it later. Right now, we’re celebrating, right kids.”
“No boys!” Ana yells.
“We’ll know in a few weeks,” Maribelle said. “Eat, everyone. And I know all three of you need baths.”
* * *
Once all three kids were in bed, Damon, Alex, and Maribelle collapsed on the bed.
“You know, tag teaming really works,” Maribelle said. She’s laying between her husbands.
“Yeah,” Damon said with a laugh.
“And now we’re having another one,” she said. “They’ll outnumber us.”
Alex laughed and rolled over, slipping his hand over her belly. “Yeah, but it will be worth it.”
“Yeah?” she said, worry filling her, and she knew both men heard it in her voice.
<
br /> Damon rose to his elbow and looks down at her. “Yeah, babe, it’s all okay. We’re in this together, like we have been for ten years now.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she sniffles. She still couldn’t believe that these two amazing men followed her to Hawaii and stole her heart. The fact that they had lasted years beyond most of her friends’ marriages back in DC was a testament to their love.
“Why don’t we have some fun tonight. A little bubble bath?” Damon offered. When the redid the bathroom, they made sure there was a tub big enough for the three of them in it.
“That sounds divine,” she said.
Damon slipped off the bed as did Alex. He crooked his finger at her.
“Come on, Mari. Let us baby you AND that baby.”
She moved to the side of the bed, and he slipped his hands beneath her legs and back, then lifted her off the mattress.
“And then after that bath, I think we just might have to show you just how much we love you.”
Maribelle laughed, knowing that she had the family she always dreamed of with the two men she would always love.
Mahalo!
Thank you so much for reading Getting Lei’d! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please think about leaving a review to let other people why you liked it.
If you enjoy menage romances, please be sure to check out the MFM menage and MMF menage romances on the interest section of my site. Also, I have a Hawaiian section if you like escape to the 50th state.
And don’t forget to try out the other Hawaiian Holiday books!
Try Delicious
BUY THE BOOK
Allison Bradley has always known what she wanted.
At thirteen, I decided to be a nurse. That very same year, I fell in love with Ed Cooper. Sure, I was barely a teenager and he was one of my older brother’s buddies from boot camp. I didn’t care. I was in love or lust…or something. He consumed my every waking thought. Sadly, fifteen years later, I’m still infatuated and he sees me as a little sister.
Baker Ed Cooper has a problem.
When she was a teenager, Allison was a sweet nuisance. Now, I want to take a bite of her to see just how sweet. I’m beyond infatuated with her but she’s my best friend’s little sister. Definitely against the bro code. Every time she comes into our shop–which is just about every freaking day–I lust after her. If her brother knew, he would definitely kill me.
One drunken kiss changes everything.
The moment Allison’s mouth hits mine, I know there’s no going back. Just one taste of her turns me into an addict. Even though I know I’m not good enough for her, once I’ve had her in my bed, I know I’m not giving her up.
Warning: This story includes so much sweetness from the strawberry lemonade cupcakes to the sexy giant of a baker you might end up with cavities. There are meddling best friends, an older brother who needs to get his own life, and so much frosting used in inappropriate ways you’ll probably die of embarrassment. Or I will. Maybe not. Listen, just buy the book and get ready for sweet, hot, over the top kind of romance that will leave you craving for more than cupcakes. You’re welcome.
ENJOY THIS EXCERPT
I don’t know when I fell in love with Ed Cooper.
Scratch that.
I do know. I was thirteen and my brother brought his friend back from basic training. Ed was tall, sweet, and had red hair. RED HAIR. I’ve always had a thing for guys with red hair. Okay, it all sort of started with Ed, but I’d always found redheads attractive. While friends were drooling over Harry Potter—who was out as an infatuation because he shares a name with my brother—I was crushing on the Weasley twins. Not Ron because, well, he’s Ron and he whines, and I don’t like whiners. Also, why would I ever want a boyfriend who thought a rat was a good companion pet? And, said pet wasn’t really a rat.
But I digress. Back to my infatuation.
Ed Cooper, delectable ginger.
Now that I’m within spitting distance of my thirties, I realize, it’s a little stupid to be this infatuated with a man who treats me like his little sister. Wait, does that say something about me? Ew, don’t go there, Allison.
My infatuation has gotten worse with each passing year. It isn’t like I haven’t had dates or that I’m pining away saving my virginity for him. I’ve had sex. Lots of it. Okay, not a lot…only with two guys…and it was pretty boring with both of them. I’m not a virgin, which was the point of my comment.
I step into the mansion that has been renovated into a small mall of sorts. It sits in the heart of the King William District in San Antonio that is dominated by gothic architecture. It’s become a hip kind of place for specialty shops and restaurants. It’s why my brother and his two friends, Fritz O’Bryan and Ed Cooper, decided to open Camos and Cupcakes there. Close enough to the military bases but also in an area that a lot of tourists frequent. I tend to be here several days a week. I step into the bakery and draw in a deep breath, letting the sugary sweetness fill my senses and buoy my spirits. This is the first day of my staycation. I love to travel and the fact that I cannot really do that this year is kind of a bummer. I bought my house last year, and this year I saved up to buy my brand-new Malibu with all the bells and whistles, so I honestly couldn’t afford a real vacation. Plus, the only time I could get off for a while is next week. Neither of my friends can go, and I’m just not the sort of woman who would go on vacation by myself. I would get bored, because I like to share experiences. And talk. A lot.
So, I’m here to kick off my staycation with a treat.
There’s a crowd but that’s normal. This place is always hopping on Saturday mornings. It doesn’t take me long to find Ed. He’s hard to miss in any crowd. He tops 6’4” but it isn’t that. I know that I would be able to find him anywhere. And, all that red hair helps. It’s longer now than when he was in the military and is given to curl. I’d love to slip my fingers through the silky strands. I curl my fingers into my hand to control the need. Another aspect of his new life is the full beard. I’ve never been a woman who likes a man with facial hair, but I love it on Ed. As usual, he’s wearing an apron with the title of their bakery splashed across the front of it. Flour and chocolate color the white material. He’s been busy, as he is five days a week. See, Ed Cooper just isn’t only the man I’ve been in love with for fifteen years. He’s a baker. A cupcake baker. And not just any cupcake baker. He’s considered one of the top bakers in San Antonio. Five days a week, he creates sugary, decadent treats.
I call him my own personal Ginger Jesus.
Now, you might be thinking that he’s some kind of wimpy kind of guy. Not that I think bakers are wimpy, but Ed is probably the opposite of what most people would think of a baker. He’s sexy as sin, tatted up with skulls, still sports a six-pack, and rides a Harley.
I watch him scan the bakery, looking over the customers. There’s more than a shop keeper’s interest to his gaze, which makes sense. Ed, Fritz, and my brother are all former Army. They inspect areas the same way whether they are in the shop or out on the River Walk. They cannot help it. Some things just become second nature, even after trading their uniforms for aprons.
The moment his gaze settles on me, my body temperature escalates into overheating territory. A slow, sexy smile curves his lips. Oh, goodness. Just like the first time he looked at me, I feel my heart dance a little jig and my face heats up, not to mention my pussy tightening. I walk around with wet panties whenever I’m near Ed. Or thinking about him. So, like, almost all the time.
I remind myself that he isn’t for me, never will be. He’s…unattainable. He’ll always see me as that flat-chested, frizzy-haired teenager who couldn’t say hi to him without blushing.
Same story, different decade—although with boobs and better hair.
Anytime I complain about the lack of sex in my life, my best friend EJ claims I will never find another man. Not while I’m infatuated with Ed. Still, I’m here to kick off my staycation and I want a treat. Meaning the cupcake. Not the man who
made them. Not really.
Damn.
I push my way through the crowd, and when I arrive at the counter, there it is. A strawberry lemonade cupcake sits next to a cup of coffee. I know he doctored it with the right amount of cream. That’s how well he knows me. I look up at him and he gives me an understanding smile.
“Thanks, Ed.” I pull out a ten, but he shakes his head.
“I can’t charge you for your namesake cupcake.”
Yes, he even named a cupcake after me.
Like I said. Ginger. Freaking. Jesus.
“Thank you.”
“Your friends are back there,” he says pointing over my head.
I glance over my shoulder. EJ and Savannah are sitting at a corner table. They wave me over and I want to go, but I also want to stay near Ed. He smells like sex and vanilla. But definitely not vanilla sex. I’m pretty sure Ed has never had vanilla sex. Of course, I’m thinking about vanilla and sex and that leads to me wondering if he uses frosting during sex. If so, what flavor?
Jesus, what is wrong with me?
“Thanks again, Ed,” I say, picking up my cupcake and coffee. I make my way over to my friends.
I set my coffee on the table just as EJ jumps up out of her chair and pulls me into a warm embrace. Taller than me by a good five inches, the bookstore owner gives the best hugs. I held my cupcake away from her so not to ruin it but returned the hug with all my might using my free arm.
She pulls back and smiles at me. EJ always seems larger than life. Not because she is curvy. She has that kind of personality. Funny, warm, EJ is beautiful both in spirit and body. She dresses like a bohemian and talks faster than I thought humanly possible, unless you were a character on the Gilmore Girls. With her deep Georgia accent, it is sometimes difficult to understand her. Today, she’s wearing her red hair down, the curls spilling over her shoulders.
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