by Rachel Bo
Kendall uttered sobbing cries of delight as Josh embedded his fingers in her - probing, prodding, driving her wild. Thick juices oozed from her pussy with each plunge, seeping down along her crack, making it even easier for Josh to penetrate her. Kendall moaned and pushed herself up onto her elbows, trying to see.
Sutter immediately reached out and grasped her under her knees. He supported her back with his chest as he raised them into the air, until she had a perfect view of Josh’s fingers inside her. “Yes!” Kendall gasped, watched avidly as Josh began rocking his hand back and forth, penetrating each hole alternately, his thumb in her pussy, his finger in her ass. “Oh, yes,” Kendall moaned. Watching her pussy spasm with each penetration, her anus tighten and relax—it was incredibly erotic and extremely satisfying.
She felt the surge rising and squeezed her legs together tightly, trapping Josh’s fingers inside her, gasping as both canals contracted over and over against the fingers buried inside them. “Oh, God,” she moaned when it had passed and she was lying between her lovers. “How can I take this? It’s too much!”
Sutter trapped her chin in his hand, turning her face to him. He shook his head. “No. It will never be enough.” In unison, he and Josh reached down and their fingers took possession of her pussy again. Over and over, they brought her to climax. The world faded as Kendall rode wave after wave of violent ecstasy and lost herself to them.
Chapter Ten
Moving Day
Kendall woke the next morning to muscles that screamed in protest as she extricated herself from the arms of her lovers. She made her way on trembling limbs into the bathroom and turned on the water for a shower. As she stood beneath the wonderfully warm jets, she thought of the night before and felt her cheeks growing hot.
They had made her come over and over, reducing her to a quivering mass of desire begging for their touch. She had cried, it felt so good. Nothing in life should be that good. It was frightening. Every time she thought she had a handle on the relationship, something happened that made her question her sanity once more. What have I gotten myself into?
Don’t do that! she told herself angrily as she lathered her hair. It was too late for second-guessing. All right, so I’m scared. That’s not surprising. When it’s this good, there’s even more to lose. And that was the crux of the matter, she realized. The past few months, since the first time they entered her store, had a dream-like quality about them. She suddenly recognized that she was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
And for some reason, just recognizing that fact made her feel better. Reality slipped into place, and Kendall’s remaining doubts melted away. It was ridiculous to question any more whether this was the right thing for her. She had already made the commitment—she was moving in. She could feel Sutter and Josh’s very thoughts, for God’s sake! She knew without a doubt that they loved her. And she absolutely loved both of them, with every fiber of her being. As a matter of fact, she realized she could feel them even now, a presence in the back of her mind. Felt their consciousnesses stirring and knew they were waking up, and was gratified that their first coherent thoughts were of her.
When she had dressed and come out of the bedroom, breakfast was on the table. Josh and Sutter had already eaten. They gave her quick good-mornings and then headed in to shower and make themselves presentable for their morning classes. By the time she had finished and cleared off the table, they were ready to leave. She kissed them goodbye, receiving assurances that they would be back that evening. Apparently, they were prepared to stay in the apartment until she could move out to the house that weekend, which was fine with her.
* * * * *
Kendall was glad when the weekend finally arrived. Although the week would have dragged if the guys hadn’t stayed with her, the apartment definitely wasn’t big enough for three.
Brandy had purchased most of Kendall’s furniture—which was primarily second-hand bargain finds anyway—for a reasonable price, as the house was fully furnished and Brandy had nothing but her bed. Kendall hung onto a few items which had sentimental value—the recliner that had belonged to her brother; a full-length antique mirror that he had given to her on her sixteenth birthday. So moving day actually ended up being moving morning. Brandy borrowed a truck from one of her friends, and in two trips, they had all Kendall’s stuff out at the house.
Josh and Sutter left to return the truck and Kendall stayed behind to begin putting things away. She was in the spare bedroom hanging up her clothes when she heard a car in the driveway. The guys must be back. She jogged downstairs and opened the door. A tall man was walking across the porch, probably in his late forties or early fifties, graying at the temples and with eyes like Sutter’s.
He frowned. “I’m looking for Sutter.”
“He ran into town for a minute,” Kendall said. “Can I help you?” She held out her hand. “You’re David Campbell, right?”
He shook her hand brusquely. “Right.”
“Sutter favors you,” Kendall observed.
David appeared irritated. “And you are—?”
“Oh, sorry. Kendall Aaronson.” She opened the door and stood back. “Would you like to come in?”
David stepped over the threshold and looked around. Kendall’s recliner and mirror were sitting in the entry, waiting for Sutter and Josh’s return to be carried up the stairs into the guest bedroom. Kendall edged past them and led David Campbell into the living room. He gestured toward the furniture as they passed. “What’s going on?”
Kendall was only slightly surprised to realize that Sutter had apparently still not spoken to his father. She wondered what to say, then shrugged internally and decided that she would be completely honest. “I’m moving in.” She waved him to a chair and took a seat on the sofa.
“Oh.” David sat and favored her with a calculating gaze. Weighing, measuring. “And do you belong to Sutter or Josh?”
Kendall almost laughed out loud. “Well, I don’t belong to anyone. If you’re asking exactly who I’m moving in with—both of them, actually.”
Sutter’s father appeared puzzled. “A roommate? Why? They don’t need help with the house payment—I take care of that.”
“Ummm, actually, Sutter was supposed to talk to you about that.” Kendall straightened as David frowned. “That won’t be necessary anymore. We’ve taken the liberty of changing the payment to a monthly bank draft from my account.”
David’s demeanor changed from puzzled condescension to immediate antagonism. “And why is that?” he demanded.
Kendall breathed in deeply and took the plunge. “We’re—not a couple. A trio, I guess you could say. Josh and Sutter and I have a relationship. Something we intend to make permanent. And I’m in a position to support them both until they finish school.”
David’s face had reddened, and his brow furrowed with fury. “You’re after his money, aren’t you? You know Sutter’s going to be a lawyer, you know he’ll inherit my estate eventually, and you’re going to ride his coattails to the payoff. Just like Josh.”
Kendall bristled. “Okay, first of all, I have a successful business and don’t need a man or his money. Second—if that were true, why would I be willing to take on all the bills you’re currently paying? Third, Sutter’s not going on to law school. He’s going to finish his Bachelor’s and—”
David jumped from the chair and towered over her. “Not going to law school!” he roared. “What the hell are you talking about? I paid for his college with the understanding that he is going to go on to Harvard and get his law degree. I pulled strings to get him accepted. He damned well is going to law school!”
David felt his heart pounding as he loomed over the girl. But she wasn’t a girl, actually. She was a woman. She had to be at least thirty. What was she doing with Sutter and Josh? His mind reeled. He never lost control like this. He forced a deep breath, calming himself. The woman was looking up at him, composed with an infuriatingly amused smile twitching at her lips. He took a step ba
ck and forced his hands open, releasing the fists he hadn’t even realized he’d formed.
“I’m sorry,” Kendall said. “Sutter doesn’t want to be a lawyer. He never has. He’s going to finish his four-year degree and go into business for himself.”
David felt his fingers curling in again and clasped his hands behind his back. “Doing what?” he asked roughly.
“Painting. Sketching. Carving.” Kendall pointed to the banister. “Did you know all that is his work?”
David didn’t even glance in that direction. “An artist. You’re telling me he wants to be a frigging artist?” His voice dripped derision.
Kendall felt her ire rising, and fought to keep her own voice calm, though it came out a bit frosty. “Yes. And he’ll do just fine.”
David Campbell shook his head, eyes stormy, jaws clenched. “I don’t know what you and Josh Reed have cooked up, but—”
Kendall rose abruptly. “I think you’d better leave now.” She walked over to the front door and held it open.
David trembled with the effort of holding his temper in check. “You can’t throw me out of this house. It’s mine—I put the money down to get it built. I’ve been paying for it.”
“And we’ll pay you back. Eventually. But it’s not your house. It’s in Sutter and Josh’s names; and in a few weeks, mine as well.” David stared in disbelief. “Oh, and while I’m thinking about it—the car payment’s taken care of as well. You don’t have to give Sutter a single penny more.”
David stalked toward her. “I don’t believe a word of this. When I talk to Sutter—”
“You’ll find out everything has changed,” Kendall interrupted smoothly. “Mr. Campbell, let’s understand each other right now. Sutter doesn’t—” she searched for a word, then deliberately used the term David had implemented earlier, “Belong to you any more. He’s a man, and he’s going to make his own decisions and do what makes him happy.”
She stood before him, and despite her lack of height, her confidence and determination somehow dominated the room. “I’m not afraid of you, Campbell. I think you’ve been manipulating Sutter his whole life. That’s not going to happen any more.”
“So now you’re going to do it,” David growled.
Kendall chuckled and shook her head. “If it pleases you to think that, so be it. But as a matter of fact, this wouldn’t be happening so quickly if you weren’t trying to use your money as leverage to force Josh out. The bottom line is that Sutter is going to live his own life from now on.” She opened the door a bit wider. “I’m not your enemy, David, but I can be if you make it necessary.”
David Campbell normally would have laughed at such a threat, but the woman was so damn unintimidated! And if she had really persuaded Sutter to add her name to the deed and to reject his financial support—“Do you know who I am?” he growled. “How much power I wield in this town?”
She looked him in the eye. “Frankly, I don’t care.”
And he could tell she meant it. For the first time in a long time, David Campbell found himself facing someone who wasn’t afraid of him. Thrown off balance, he couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Kendall took hold of his elbow and urged him over the threshold. “Goodbye, Mr. Campbell. Hopefully, you’ll calm down in a couple of days and see that everything’s going to be all right. It would be nice if you and Sutter could have a better relationship.” Before he could tell her she knew nothing about his relationship with his son, she had shut the door in his face. He stormed off the porch and peeled down the driveway in a spray of dirt and gravel.
When Sutter and Josh had returned, and she had related everything that had happened, Sutter collapsed onto the couch and ran his hands through his hair. “God, Kendall. I’m sorry. I meant to tell him earlier this week, but I kept putting it off.”
“No problem.” Kendall sat on the couch next to him. She could feel his anxiety. Reaching up, she drew his head down to rest on her shoulder. “Trust me, Sutter. Everything is going to work out fine. It’s just going to take some time.”
Sutter closed his eyes. She radiated a steady flow of confidence and certainty, and he felt better. But he couldn’t rid himself of a tiny knot of dread in the pit of his stomach. David Campbell didn’t like to have his plans thwarted. And as much as Sutter would have liked to believe it, he didn’t think his father was going to take this lying down.
Chapter Eleven
Promises to Keep
Kendall closed the shop for the week of Christmas, figuring any locals who were going to purchase their gifts from her had already done so, and the tourists had come and gone. Plus, Sutter and Josh were off for winter break. It was nice to stay home and spend the day with them. To bake pies and cookies, to plan a Christmas dinner.
There was a steady stream of friends out to visit. Sutter had a large group of acquaintances. Slowly, as he had become comfortable with the idea that he was out from under his father’s control and didn’t need to hide his real feelings any longer, he had revealed the true nature of their relationship to the people he trusted the most. A couple had been unable to deal with the knowledge and had simply started avoiding him. Most, however, as they saw how happy the trio was, were able to put aside their preconceptions and accept the three of them without question. Josh had even come out of his shell, as people made the effort to get to know him now that they realized how important he was to Sutter. Kendall had discovered that he had a very warm and generous soul and a wry sense of humor that people loved. But Brandy’s circle of friends had been the best. Like herself, they had loving natures and open minds and welcomed Kendall and her unusual family into their group wholeheartedly.
The only dark cloud was David Campbell. He had spoken to Sutter only once, to find out if Kendall’s assertions had been correct. When Sutter confirmed and refused to bow to his father’s demands, David Campbell had hung up on him and they hadn’t heard from him since. Kendall and Josh could both feel how much that was hurting Sutter despite the fact that the relationship had been so adversarial.
On Christmas Eve, the three of them lounged in their favorite spot—the rug in front of the fireplace—cuddling under a fleecy blanket. The clock on the mantel struck midnight. Sutter and Josh sat up abruptly, sharing a secretive glance.
“What are you guys up to?” Kendall asked suspiciously.
“Well, it’s officially Christmas now, so we want you to have this.” Sutter held out a box covered in dark velvet. Together, he and Josh raised the lid.
Inside was an engagement ring, its setting comprised of three openwork hearts. In the middle, where the points of the three hearts met, a small diamond nestled.
“We want you to marry one of us,” Josh said. “Make this official.”
Kendall smiled at them both, her eyes bright with happy tears. “Marry one of you?”
“Legally, that’s all we can do. We were thinking maybe later we could have a private ceremony. There’s a pastor Brandy knows who might be willing to do a service joining the three of us, here at the house.”
“That sounds perfect.” Kendall held back her tears as Josh and Sutter lifted out the ring and together slid it onto her finger. “How are we going to decide who it will be?”
Josh and Sutter again exchanged glances. “Well,” Sutter said. “We thought maybe it should be me. We thought that maybe my dad would be more accepting if—you know, things appeared less unorthodox.”
Kendall nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good idea. I think you’re right.” She studied Joshua’s face carefully. “Are you okay with that? It won’t bother you?”
He grinned. “I know in my heart what’s true.”
Firelight danced in the heart of Kendall’s diamond like joy danced in her own. Reclining against the fur, she held out her hands to both of them. “Make love to me,” she whispered. While Sutter watched, Josh covered her body with his. He took her slowly, tenderly, all three of them savoring each sweet, delicious moment. When Sutter took his place, even he took his time, unc
haracteristically patient and gentle as they celebrated their engagement.
* * * * *
Kendall was in the kitchen early the next morning, stuffing the turkey, when she heard a raised voice in the den. She finished what she was doing, tucked the bird into the oven, then washed her hands and wandered into the den. Sutter was staring at the blank TV screen, flushed and angry, with the cordless phone in his lap. “What’s the matter?” Kendall asked.
Sutter shook his head. “My dad. I called to tell him the news and invite him over for Christmas dinner. He proceeded to tell me how you’re a gold digger and that there’s no way he’ll give us his blessing.”
“That doesn’t even make any sense,” Kendall exclaimed hotly. “I’m supporting all three of us right now!”
“He says you don’t mind doing that because you know there’s going to be a big payoff in the future.”
“God, that’s ridiculous! How old is your dad?”
“Fifty-two.”
“He could easily live thirty or forty more years! He thinks someone would do this for a payoff that wouldn’t come until they’re in their sixties?”
“I don’t think he seriously believes that. I think it’s just the fact that I really am making decisions without him. He can’t think of any other legitimate reason to object, and he won’t come right out and admit that he can’t stand that he doesn’t control me any longer. Plus, I think he kind of blames you for my—what did he call it? Oh, yeah. Rebellion.”
Josh came in and flopped down on the couch, looking from one to the other. “What’s up?”
Kendall didn’t want Christmas day to be marred because of a self-righteous bully. “Nothing,” she assured him with a warning glance toward Sutter. “Nothing at all.” She held out her hands to them and smiled. “Come on, you guys. I need help in the kitchen.”