by Krista Wolf
“Well someone didn’t bring back dinner last night,” joked Dakota, “so Kyle and I were starving. We ate already, but there’s a spread of breakfast laid out for you if the two of you are hungry.”
Hungry didn’t begin to describe it! I hadn’t realized how famished I actually was until the scent of food set my mouth watering. Ryan grabbed my shoulders playfully and pushed me backward, rushing past me on his way into the kitchen. By the time I got there he was already heaping eggs onto his plate.
“Coffee still hot?” I asked Kyle.
“Just made it as you were pulling in.”
“You’re the best boyfriend ever.”
The other two looked at me, crossing their brows. I winced.
“I mean… you’re one third of the best boyfriend ever!”
“One quarter, actually,” Dakota reminded me. “But for now, we’ll take it.”
We wolfed down our food while the others poured us tall glasses of orange juice. Between bites Ryan spat out our tale, going over everything that had happened last night. Kyle and Dakota listened intently when it came to the chase, the description of the SUV’s, and how we’d evaded them in the end. When he got to the part where we were sharing some cheap motel room, I wondered if he’d keep going and do a play-by-play of every deviant sex act we’d accomplished together.
“I just don’t see why you wouldn’t let us come and get you?” Kyle demanded. “Three times we offered to pick you up.”
I dropped my fork. It landed on the plate with a loud clatter.
“We were worried all night,” Dakota nodded.
I punched Ryan in the arm. Of course, it was like punching a bronze statue. He laughed.
“Your idea?” I growled.
He dropped his napkin and put up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, maybe the laying low part was my idea.” He eyed me shrewdly. “Are you complaining?”
I started to turn bright red, but then I realized who I was with. Kyle and Dakota had already had me. Numerous times, and often together. How the hell could I be embarrassed about sleeping with Ryan? He was my boyfriend, after all.
All of them were.
“We’re just glad you’re okay,” Kyle said. Then, more to Ryan than to me: “And we need to talk…”
I knew what it meant, and what he was inferring. And I was okay with it. Mostly. At least for now.
“I’m gonna head upstairs,” I said, rising from my chair. “Take a hot shower, with real water pressure this time. Maybe lay down for a bit.” I looked pointedly at Ryan. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. And someone woke me up early.”
Dakota laughed out loud, and I realized subtlety was not his strong suit. But that was okay. It’s what I loved most about Dakota.
Loved…
My mind, which was racing a mile a minute, stopped short on the word. Could there be love? Between me and three… no, four other guys?
“Thanks,” said Kyle appreciatively. “You’re being a rock star about all this, by the way.”
Ryan drained his glass and slammed it back to the table like a viking warrior. “I told her the exact same thing last night.”
“Better start treating me like a diva then,” I smiled. “I’m gonna need a green room upstairs. You guys could bring me snacks. Drinks. Alcohol…”
I kissed each of them with sticky orange lips before heading for the stairs. I did Ryan last. Our kiss was longer, more lingering… one last reminder of the night we shared.
“Wake me for lunch,” I yawned. “I’ll be hungry again I’m sure.”
Then, leaving behind my three gorgeous boyfriends, I headed for my fourth great love: the upstairs shower.
Thirty-Three
SAMMARA
One of the things that had happened to the house before I got there was the upstairs bathroom renovation. And that’s probably a good thing, because I never would’ve approved the giant walk-in shower.
Unlike the rest of the old Victorian, the shower was state-of-the art. Recessed into the natural stone tile were backlit LED shower heads that made it rain from above, and another three body jets gushing at you from different sides. There were waterproof bluetooth speakers. Streaming music. None of it fit the style of the house at all, not even a tiny bit.
But the whole thing was awesome, just the same.
I stripped happily out of my Chinese-food scented outfit, having left the shredded panties behind in the little motel room’s garbage pail. I giggled imagining about what the maid might think. Then again, I’m sure anyone responsible for cleaning that place had seen much worse.
I only had to press two buttons. The digital display blinked to life, turning on the precise shower heads I wanted at the exact temperature of 111 degrees. I soaped and shampooed as the water rained down on me, cleansing me of the sins of last night.
Yeah right.
When I was finished, my whole body was steaming. I wrapped in a towel, headed back to my bedroom, and slipped into some clean panties and a comfortable T-shirt before crashing out across the bed.
I wasn’t going to sleep. Not initially, anyway. But as I lay there scrolling through my phone, checking my messages and catching up on emails? I found myself so snug and relaxed I actually drifted off completely.
When I woke I wasn’t sure what time, or even what day it was. Through the window I could see the sun was on the other side of the house, casting long shadows down by the lake.
I sat up and there was a note on the bed, written in dark ink with a strong hand:
Had to run out, but we’ll be back later.
Don’t be alarmed that your Jeep is gone,
I sent it out to be detailed. As Kyle pointed
out, we can’t have our girlfriend smelling
like a #6 Combo with Fried Rice.
If you need to go anywhere, take
Dakota’s truck. His keys are tucked behind
the sun visor. Must be a country thing,
because I don’t understand it either.
Already talked to Edward — he’s coming
back tomorrow with my apologies.
Without that creepy sub, though.
In case you didn’t know, you were incredible
last night. Before… and after.
Especially after.
Thanks for being amazing.
-R
The cute little note made my heart sing. Twenty-four hours ago I would never have thought Ryan capable of something this sweet, but yet here we were. I figured it had something to do with adversity driving us together — that sort of thing. But I didn’t care. He was finally mine…
And I was his.
I sat there just enjoying the silence for a few minutes, thinking about my situation. I was a little surprised at how easily it had all come for me so far. Dating multiple guys. Enjoying multiple partners. Being able to care about and maybe even love each of these very different men, simultaneously, without feeling anything in the way of guilt or shame.
It was like I was custom-tailored for the whole scenario.
Seriously, it was like the perfect storm. I’d dated just enough men to know what I liked, and failed enough relationships to know what I didn’t. At any other point in my life, I would’ve run screaming or backed away frightened, or even laughed at such an absurd proposal. But right here… right now…
I stretched and got up, and that’s when I noticed the box at the end of the bed. Excitedly I pulled on the ribbon, opened the top… and saw a whole colorful array of satins and silks and lace.
Layer by layer I laid everything out on the bed. The box contained at least a dozen pairs of really cute panties. G-strings and thongs mostly, but high-waisted lace stuff too. There were a few garter belts in there, with matching stockings, even some sets complete with bras as well. I had to laugh as I realized it was probably more underwear than I currently owned.
At the bottom of the box was another note:
Seems I owe you at least a pair of these.
But after f
inally getting my hands on your ass
last night? One pair didn’t seem like enough.
-R
P.S. I’m thinking maybe you should wear one
of these for us tonight. Your pick.
The last two lines made my heart race again. Especially the part about “us.”
Us.
I swallowed hard. Sleeping with Kyle and Dakota had become fun and comfortable, but now I had three men to please. And on the flip side of that coin, three men to please me, as well.
Damn. Three is a lot.
For once I had to agree with the little voice in my head. It was a lot! And yet, if anyone could handle it, I knew it would be me.
One by one I glanced from piece to piece, scanning the pretty array of underwear. My bed looked like a lingerie store had exploded across it. Amusedly, I wondered how much all of this all must’ve cost.
Hooking the tip of one finger in my mouth, I got to work making a decision. Usually I was quick on decisions, but this was a lot to look at.
“My pick huh?” I sighed.
The empty room wasn’t much help as I shimmied out of my clothes.
Thirty-Four
SAMMARA
I didn’t take Dakota’s truck, although I was tempted. After what happened last night, I was happy enough to just putt around the house.
The place was growing on me even more, especially as experiences in each room filled my mind with happy memories. We’d done a lot in a little time, Kyle, Dakota and I. And I was looking forward to spending more time with Ryan here, as well.
Besides, the old Victorian was just… cozy.
For the rest of the day I walked the house, checking and rechecking the renovation’s progress. I also spent a lot of time wondering about all the people who’d lived here before me. What were they like? What kind of lives did they lead? Who raised children here, and who grew old looking out through these same windows?
Piece by piece I sat on the furniture, absorbing the energy of each room. Looking into the ancient mirrors I found myself wishing I could peer through time; see exactly who lived and died in these ancient halls. It was the sort of thing that could be morbid to some, but to me it was absolutely fascinating.
I made a mental note to check the library when I had the time. There just had to be books written by the occupants here. Books that sat on the old shelves untouched, unopened, just waiting for someone to come along and read them.
Someone like me.
Night fell, and I found myself in the kitchen. On a whim I decided to bake something. One of the things my foster parents did save from my childhood was my mother and grandmother’s cook book. It was written in their own handwriting, and that direct, personal connection always brought a tear to my eye. It was a good tear, though. The cookbook was probably the most precious thing I owned.
I went through the cabinets, checking ingredients, seeing what I had on hand. Dakota had come with me on a baking field trip earlier in the week, and I’d rewarded him with chocolate chunk cookies.
“What to make… what to make…”
I went back to the book and flipped lovingly through it until I reached the last ten or so pages, which were blank. One day I hoped to add my own recipes on those hallowed yellowed spaces, but for now I was content just perfecting the ones already written.
“C’mon mom,” I said, pointing skyward. “A little inspiration?”
It was a stupid little thing I’d done as a kid, pointing upward whenever I talked to one of my parents. Apparently it had carried on to adulthood, too.
“Angel food cake it is,” I nodded firmly.
First I cracked the eggs, separating the egg whites and letting them warm to room temperature. Then, after procrastinating a little longer, I really got to work. After mixing and beating and sifting things together, I was soon pouring the entire mixture into the proper cake pan and sliding it into the oven.
An hour later I had a perfectly spongy cake resting on a cooling rack, and the entire house was filled with a warm, sugary aroma.
I smiled and thought about my time so far with the boys.
Kyle and I were late night movie freaks, always up for a good older feature. He loved the monster movies but I liked the old mysteries and thrillers. We could trade off though. As long as we cuddled up together under the big fuzzy afghan, I didn’t care what we watched.
Then there was the night I’d gotten drunk with Dakota. This happened while he was teaching me chess, using a beautiful old set we’d pulled from the closet under the stairs. As he closed his hand over mine, moving the marble pieces around the marble board, I realized how incredibly sharp his mind was. How his brain worked with a decisive, military precision that went way beyond his Ranger training.
After he’d soundly thrashed me, we’d kissed for what seemed like hours on the loveseat beneath the huge bay window. Then I’d taken him into the kitchen and taught him how to make a perfect omelet.
I sighed in contentment as I realized the place really was becoming home. Every memory I had here was amazing, and the guys had worked hard to make it three times as wonderful. After only half a month, I could barely remember living alone. My cookie-cutter apartment — which it occurred to me I’d have to eventually get rid of — was fast becoming a distant memory.
The heat from the oven made the kitchen almost unbearably hot. The chairs were still covered from the ceiling being painted, so I sank against one of the counters and ran my hand through my hair.
I’d wanted to make it special for the guys tonight. Dressing in one of the hotter outfits Ryan picked out made me feel sexy and wanted… only now it seemed my boyfriends might never get home.
I was no less horny though. Especially thinking about all the things Kyle and Dakota had done to my body. And how incredibly, inseparably close Ryan and I had been in the motel, the night before…
BEEP BEEP BEEP!
The quick triple-tone of the alarm panel signaled the front door being opened. I heard their voices before they even got to the kitchen, all laughter and banter and deep, delicious masculinity.
“What’s that incredible smell?”
Dakota entered the kitchen first, sniffing the air excitedly. He looked at the cake first… then down at me.
“I was just saying it’s been a while since I—” he stopped mid-sentence. “Holy shit!”
Kyle and Ryan froze behind him. The three of them stood staring at me, slack-jawed and salivating. Like a pack of wolves that had stumbled upon easy prey.
Dakota’s grin came first. “And what do we have here?”
“A very hot girlfriend,” I said, smoothing my hair through my fingers.
“You can say that again,” Kyle murmured.
I was wearing a white lace camisole with matching underwear… and nothing else. My stomach was bare, a single bead of perspiration dripping down my pale white skin. The panties rode high up on my hips as I pulled my legs up beneath me.
“I made you something to eat,” I teased.
The guys were speechless. They glanced at each other before moving closer.
“We just have to let it cool a bit more,” I continued, “before we can add the icing.”
That was it. They’d had pretty much all they could take. Dakota took the initiative, helping me to my feet. No sooner were we face to face than he threw me over his shoulder and carried me out of the kitchen like a barbarian.
He headed for the staircase, but I tapped him on the ass. “No no,” I said. “The sitting room.”
Dakota stopped. “Sitting room?” He sounded baffled. “Which one is that?”
“The green room,” I laughed. “The one with all the windows I’ve already opened.”
A dozen steps later we were there, and I was being spread out across a series of sheets and pillows I’d already arranged. The rounded turret of the sitting room was one of my favorite places in the whole house. Right now it was filled with the gentle buzz of insects, and somewhere off at the lake’s edge, the backgro
und song of a thousand frogs.
Kyle lay next to me on one side, Dakota on the other. But it was Ryan who jumped on top of me, pushing his way between my knees, sliding up my body until we were face to face, breath to breath.
“You’ve thought ahead,” he smiled.
“Yes.”
“You know we like that about you.”
I shrugged, trying to be cute. “I guess.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips softly against mine. It was slow. Sensuous. Absolutely perfect.
“Are… are you okay with—”
Ryan nodded, breathing into my mouth. I knew the whole sharing thing was new for him. But I hoped it would be no less awesome than it was for Dakota and Kyle.
And of course, me.
“These are my brothers,” he said, between kisses. “We share everything but blood.”
He kissed me deeply while the others roamed my body with their fingertips, moving with the same agonizing slowness. It was incredible, that they were taking their time. There wasn’t a single rushed thing about it.
“Sometimes we share blood too,” Kyle whispered into my ear. “It’s what bonds us. Creates a closeness between us that can only be forged in battle.”
He nibbled my earlobe and my whole body was wracked with a beautiful, violent shudder. In the meantime I could feel Dakota’s hand on my leg. His fingertips were just barely touching my skin as he dragged them slowly up and down the inside of my thigh.
“Sharing you is a lot like that bond,” Ryan murmured. “It brings us together in ways individual relationships won’t ever be able to.” His eyes locked mine, and I felt that familiar flutter in my belly. “I understand that now,” he finished. “I can see it easily.”
The clothes came off. One by one they hit the floor. It was the craziest noise in the world; three gorgeous men getting undressed at once, their boots and shirts and pants being discarded all around me.