by Dana Delamar
Sliding down onto the couch, I brought him with me, clutching him tightly against my chest. He snorted. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Sorry.” I loosened my hold a smidgen, not really sorry at all. We lay like that, in each other’s arms, only the sound of our rapid breaths breaking the complete silence of the hotel room.
Riley played with my sparse chest hair, an action that was surprisingly soothing. He cleared his throat. “I hope you understand now, Carter. Whatever we may or may not have with Paige in no way takes away from what we have together.”
I cocked my head to the side to better see his face. “What I don’t get is why you’re thinking so much about this. I mean, that little speech you gave... don’t get me wrong. It was enlightening. I feel like I understand you better now. But if this is just a vacation fling, why does it matter so much to you?”
Shifting in my arms, he pressed a kiss to my nipple, right above my heart. He raised his head, his face open and vulnerable for perhaps the first time in our whole relationship. Elation and worry consumed me as I waited for him to speak. Because Riley was about to say something, something monumental. I felt it in every cell in my body.
“What if this wasn’t just a vacation fling?”
I frowned, gripping his waist. “What are you saying, Rye?”
“What if...” He inhaled deeply before continuing. “What if this could be something more?”
Holy shit. My gut churned painfully. This was what I’d been afraid of. I wasn’t enough for him. “Is that what you want? Something more?”
Riley sighed as if the sound were torn from his soul. “Stop. I can see the wheels turning in your brain, and I know you’re imagining all kinds of things that have nothing to do with reality. I’ve been honest with you from the beginning.”
“Have you? I mean, an occasional third isn’t the same thing as a full-blown three-way relationship.”
“You’re right. I think I was too scared to hope. But my dream is to have a poly relationship. A triad, where each edge of the triangle is as strong as the others. And I want you to be a part of that. Maybe with Paige, maybe with someone else.” Riley kissed my chest again.
“Jesus.” I scrubbed at the top of my head and laughed uncomfortably. “I couldn’t even make it work with one woman. What makes you think I can make it work with a woman and you?”
His face brightened. “Because we love each other. More importantly, because we like each other.”
“And you have feelings for her,” I added, slowly coming to terms with the inevitable.
“She’s the first woman since Amber I feel anything for.”
I closed my eyes. “You know she lives in Miami, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So you want a long-distance relationship?”
Riley pushed himself up on his elbow and rubbed his palm along my stubble. “I don’t know. Anyway, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.” He shot me a hesitant look. “Can we approach this the way we would any woman we wanted to date?”
Sliding my fingers through Riley’s hair, I clarified, “Get to know her. See if a relationship with us is even something she wants?”
“Yeah. Is that something you’d be willing to do?” Riley smiled and the sight of it, so soft and hopeful, melted me. Undid me completely.
“You do know what you’re asking me? Since Livia, I haven’t even thought about having a relationship with a woman again.”
“But this is Paige, and she’s different. Just think about it.”
“Okay,” I whispered, reaching up to press my lips to his. “No promises. But I’ll consider it.”
Who was I kidding? If a triad was something Riley wanted, I’d go along with it, even if it killed me.
No one had ever owned me the way Riley Kendrick did.
Chapter 9
PAIGE
What was I doing? Two men? Two men who were involved with each other?
I was losing my mind. “‘Go on a tour,’ Ari says. ‘Get laid,’ she says,” I muttered to myself as I unlocked the door to my room. I had a minibar in there, and I intended to take full advantage of it.
I pulled a can of Coke and a mini Jack Daniels out of the fridge. I mixed the combination in a glass, then took a sip and lay back on my bed, memories of Carter touching me, kissing me, my excitement when Riley stayed in the room, watching at first, then joining in. I touched my left breast, the nipple instantly beading under my fingers. Jesus. I was becoming a sex addict.
And it was all Arianna’s fault, wasn’t it? She’d suggested I have a fling. Of course, she hadn’t suggested I have it with two men…
I groaned. What was I doing? I rolled onto my side and took another sip of the drink I’d placed on the nightstand. My purse and phone, along with the cute little teddy bear from Riley, lay beside it. I checked the time. Ari would be leaving the office soon.
If anyone in my life had run into this particular situation before, it would be Ari. And even if she hadn’t? She’d still listen and not judge.
And maybe she could tell me what the heck to do.
The phone rang twice before Arianna answered. “Hola, chica. How’s the trip? I hope you’re calling because you got laid and you want to thank me.”
I laughed despite myself. “Something like that. You’re never going to believe it. Are you somewhere private?”
“Just a second.” I heard some rustling, then the sound of a door closing. “Okay, you can spill.”
“Well, I met someone.”
“Details! Age, height, etc. Is he hot?”
“He’s hot, Ari. Dear God, is he hot.” I described Riley and what we’d done together before Carter showed up.
Ari whistled. “I feel like a proud mama right now.”
“I’m not so sure how you’re going to feel about this next part.” My stomach fluttered. I knew Ari was fine with gay people—Javier Cordero, our CFO, was gay, and he and Ari had always been tight—but what would Ari think of the mess I’d gotten myself into?
“Paige? You still there?”
“Yeah.” I exhaled into the phone. “Riley has a boyfriend. Carter. And he showed up here a couple days ago.”
“Oh, chica, I’m so sorry!”
“That’s not all of it. Earlier this evening, I went to their room to talk. They’re both bi, Ari.”
“And…?”
“And we… we… um...” God, could I say it out loud?
“You didn’t!” Ari said.
“Yeah, I did.”
Arianna’s chuckle was low and knowing. “You’ve always been an overachiever. I should’ve known!” she crowed. “So, was it fab-u-lous?”
I closed my eyes. “It was heaven. Overwhelming. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
“Are you going to do it again?”
“I’m not sure I should’ve done it at all. I have a daughter. I’m a mom. I’m not supposed to be doing this kind of thing.” I paused. “And they’re both younger than me.”
“So fucking what? You’re having a good time, right?”
“Yes, but…”
“Calm down. You’re not a grandmother yet. You’re gorgeous, sweetie. I don’t tell you that to blow hot air up your skirt. It’s true.”
“I guess.”
Arianna snorted. “You just had two gorgeous guys all over you, and you’re worried that you’re not hot?”
“There’s something I left out. Something you have to swear to keep to yourself.”
“I know how to keep a secret, chica. Spill.”
I took a deep breath and picked up the teddy bear, clutching it to my chest. “You know that book series you loaned me for inspiration?”
“Yeah, the Amber books…” I could picture Arianna’s eyes widening, could hear the sharp intake of her breath. “Wait. Are you telling me Riley is Riley Kendrick? The Riley Kendrick?”
“Yep. The one and only.”
“Holy shit! Girl, you went for the gold!!!”
“So now you see the problem.�
�
“Problem?”
“Ari, he’s Riley Kendrick. He’s rich. He’s famous. He’s eight years younger than me. And he’s already involved with someone.”
“Did you read the books?”
“The first two. He wants me to read the third one, but now that I know they’re about him, I’m not sure that I can.”
When Arianna spoke, all the levity had left her voice. “You need to read it. Trust me.”
“Why?”
“You need to know what you’re getting into.”
“Can you give me the Cliff’s Notes?”
“I could, but I don’t think that’s what you need.”
“Ari—”
“I don’t want to scare you, but there’s a reason he asked you to read it.”
“What reason?”
“I think your little vacation fling is more serious than you think.”
“Serious how?” God, was Riley hiding something else from me?
“You need to understand what happened to him.”
“He lost his girlfriend to some other guy, right?”
“It’s more complicated than that. Read the book, then Google the rest. He wants you to know him, Paige. Really know him.”
My pulse quickened. “So you’re saying he’s not just fooling around with me.”
“Sí, chica. I think he’s not fooling around at all.”
“I can’t do this, Ari.”
“One baby step at a time. I could be getting ahead of myself. Read the book. And then talk to him about it.” After a pause, she added, “And be sure to enjoy yourself plenty during the rest of the trip.”
“And after?”
“Don’t worry about after. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
“But with two guys? They don’t even know about Emma!”
“So? They don’t need to know. At least not yet, and if you get to that point, they’ll handle it.”
“My ex-husband, Emma’s father, couldn’t handle it. Every guy I’ve dated since couldn’t handle it.”
“All two? Three? You’ve hardly dated, Paige. And Emma is eighteen. She’s out of the house.”
“It’s a trial.”
“And she loves it. If you could see how happy she is, you’d know it’s the best thing for her.”
I took a deep breath. “She does seem happy when I talk to her.”
“She is. She really is. I’m not bullshitting you.”
“Okay.” My gaze fell to the copy of Amber’s Triumph on the nightstand, peeking out from beneath my purse. “I should read the book?”
“Yes. And call me when you’re done and after you talk to him. I want all the dish!”
“You always do.” I chuckled. “This time I’m the one who has something to report. First time ever!”
Ari laughed. “Like I said, overachiever is your middle name.”
We ended the call, and I picked up Amber’s Triumph. Why wouldn’t Ari—or Riley—tell me what had happened?
And what if I didn’t like what I read?
I stared at the book’s cover. Was Ari right? Did Riley have some deeper purpose for wanting me to read it?
Was my vacation fling not really a fling at all?
A strange excitement stirred in my belly. There was a reason he wanted me to know him. A reason I wasn’t sure I wanted to examine too closely just yet.
I set down the teddy bear and opened the book. Time to meet Riley Kendrick, warts and all.
PAIGE
I tugged at the corset I’d been laced into and huffed. How had women put up with these for so long? And how was I going to survive an entire evening in this getup?
“You want it a bit looser?” Gail, the costumer assisting me, asked.
I gazed at myself in the mirror. My breasts were threatening to spill over the top, and my waist looked incredibly small. What would Riley and Carter think when they saw me?
My hips flared out from my waist now. I turned around, scrutinizing myself. The chance to play dress-up, to attend a “real” 19th-century masked ball, had seemed like fun when I’d dreamed it up back in Miami.
Now it seemed like something more. A chance to seduce someone… someones.
I met Gail’s eye and shook my head. “I’ll get used to it.”
She smiled. “You will, dear. Just don’t try to take any deep breaths.”
I laughed. “I won’t be jogging in this, I promise.”
Gail motioned to the selection of vintage reproduction dresses laid out on the bed. “The green silk, I think, would look smashing on you.”
“Let’s try it.”
“First the petticoat.” Gail strapped the petticoat on, then helped me put on the dress.
It was a near perfect fit. The bodice was a bit tight, and I tried to pull it upward. No luck. I was showing more cleavage than I thought was appropriate to the time period. Or appropriate, period.
“Help!”
Gail smiled. “It looks lovely, dear.”
“I’m not showing too much?”
She shook her head. “It looks like more to you because you’re looking down. From my view, it’s perfect.”
I bent forward, eyeing myself in the mirror. A lot of breast seemed visible. “I don’t know…”
“Trust me. It’s fine.” Gail motioned for me to take a seat before the mirror. “Now let’s put your hair up.” She drew my hair into a bun at the back of my head, leaving some tendrils loose at the front and sides, which she quickly curled into ringlets.
I had applied my makeup earlier, keeping it simple, as I imagined a fresh-faced Jane Austen heroine might look like. I almost laughed out loud. What would Jane think of me, and what I’d done the night before with Riley and Carter?
A virginal girl making her debut I certainly was not. No, I was a courtesan, or someone’s paramour, a mistress to a powerful man. Or perhaps a widow seeking a lover? Or two?
Gail held out a selection of fans. “This lovely Japanese one with the cherry blossoms picks up the pink in your cheeks.”
I took the silk fan and experimentally held it up to my face, fanning myself coquettishly. “I love it.”
“And the last pieces.” Gail handed me a set of elbow-length white gloves and a mask, a black, beaded piece that covered only the area around my eyes and gave me a somewhat feline look.
I pulled on the gloves and donned the mask. I looked like myself, but not. “You’ve done an amazing job,” I said.
“My pleasure.” Gail beamed and clapped her hands together. “I’ve almost forgotten—your reticule and dance card.”
I had added dance cards after Lori mentioned them in Liverpool. As at the Highland games, I’d hired a local acting company to provide dancing partners for the women. Everyone would be in period dress, and there was liveried staff and a string quartet to provide live music. The event cost a fortune, but it was meant to be the highlight of the tour. A chance to go back in time, to pretend for one evening that the modern world didn’t exist.
I flicked the fan closed and looped its cord over my wrist, then put the dance card and a pencil in the small beaded reticule. I took a last look, swallowed down a flutter of nerves in my belly, and headed for the bedroom door. Everyone was due downstairs in fifteen minutes. I’d have just enough time to check in with the staff and make sure everything was running smoothly.
Total Indulgence had rented out a lovely manor house and its surrounding grounds for the party. The grounds featured a beautiful garden, complete with a boxwood hedge maze at the center. We’d gotten lucky with the weather; it was a balmy night, perfect for leaving the windows open. Not too hot, not too cool.
I descended the curving staircase to the foyer below, unable to stop myself from smiling. I really did feel like a heroine in a Jane Austen novel, especially when I saw the liveried footman in the parlor, ready to assist me however I required.
But it wasn’t the footman I required. No, I wanted Riley. And Carter. Heat crept up my neck; if only the staff knew what
I was thinking as I checked in on the caterers and musicians.
Riley and Carter had given me a taste of what things could be like between us, a taste that had whetted my appetite for more.
I was rounding the corner to enter the great ballroom when Kenji appeared in a top hat and tails. “Ta-da!” he said, doing a twirl to show off his close-cut breeches, knee-high leather boots, embroidered gold waistcoat and navy-blue jacket. His mask was like mine, black, and it gave him a mysterious air.
“How Beau Brummel of you,” I said.
He straightened his coat with white-gloved hands and picked at a speck of imaginary lint on his sleeve. “You like?”
“I do, very much.”
He put out his hand. “Your dance card, please, my lady.”
“I think my first two dances are already taken,” I said, handing him the card and pencil.
He laughed. “Losers weepers. I’m here and they’re not.” He added his name to the card in the first slot and the second.
I couldn’t help grinning when I saw what he’d written. “Duke Tamashiro?”
Kenji buffed his nails on his waistcoat. “Prince seemed a bit much.”
“I’m sure you could carry it off.”
He sighed. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Besides, dukes have all the fun, don’t they?”
I pulled out my fan and snapped it open, eyeing him over the top edge. “I daresay they do, Your Grace.”
He tapped a finger against his bottom lip. “Your Grace. I do like the sound of that.”
The others started filing in, joined by the actors who’d been hired to provide dance partners.
The costumes and masks seemed to be having the desired effect; there were smiles and laughter everywhere, as well as plenty of good-natured flirting.
Where were Riley and Carter? I scanned the crowd as the waitstaff circulated through, offering champagne and hors d’oeuvres to the attendees. The quartet started playing, and Kenji held out a gloved hand to me. “My lady?”
Losers weepers, indeed. I took his hand and let him sweep me into a graceful waltz. As I’d suspected, Kenji was an excellent dance partner, surefooted and graceful. He easily navigated around the other couples, offering nonstop commentary about everyone’s clothing.