by Avery Gale
Coral tried to not let her mouth fall open like a fish out of water as she took in the sheer opulence of the Morgan’s home, but damn the place was simply off the fucking chart amazing. She’d been bowled over by the upstairs and the master suite was bigger than the last house she’d shared with her mom and dad, but this? This was so much more than she’d expected…she could hardly take it all in. The entire space had obviously been designed for entertaining and Coral wondered if Sage brought all his women here—the thought was surprisingly depressing. She knew he was much more experienced, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t heard more than one story about the sexual prowess of the eldest Morgan brother from the local tongue waggers. But fantasizing about him and being faced with the reality of how he’d gotten all that experience were two very different things.
“What put that that frown on your face, sweetness?” Oh course he wouldn’t miss the change in your mood—what did you expect? The man doesn’t miss much, that’s for sure.
Deciding to take a leap of faith, she blurted out her answer before good sense had a chance to kick in. “I wondered if you brought all of the women you…ummm, well…dated here. I know it isn’t really any of my business, but it’s what I was thinking about.”
Coral felt her face flush with embarrassment but when she tried to turn away, Sage stopped her. “No, pet. Look at me.” When she met his gaze, Coral was surprised to see regret and a hint of embarrassment. “I’d love to tell you that you’re the only woman I’ve ever brought into this part of the house, but I won’t lie to you. But I can tell you it isn’t a space I’ve shared often and I’m looking forward to making wonderful memories here with you.”
What Sage didn’t mention was the fact Mackenzie was the only other woman he’d ever brought into this part of the house, and she’d spent the whole time complaining about how the humidity was destroying her newly styled hair. And God forbid he actually expected her to dip so much as a big toe in the chlorinated water. She’d gone on and on for hours about how horrible chemically treated water was for her sensitive skin. Hell, thinking back on their time together Sage wondered how he’d managed to ignore so many obvious signs they weren’t right for one another.
Sage felt Coral’s warm fingers stroking softly over his cheek, blinking down at her he realized he’d zoned out for a few seconds. “I’m sorry if I offended you. I shouldn’t have said anything, I didn’t mean to ruin the mood.”
“No, pet. I’m glad you asked. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us. I was just thinking about how dim witted I was with my ex, and how ungrateful I was when my brothers tried to point it out. Hell, Brandt and I were barely speaking by the time I pulled my head out of my ass and ended the relationship.” He watched as something he didn’t recognize passed over her expression. It had been so fleeting he wasn’t even sure he hadn’t imagined it, but it was gone quickly and he was ready to lose himself in Coral’s sweet body so he let it go.
Stepping back, Sage crossed his arms over his chest and gave Coral a sinister smile. “Strip, pet.” Hell, it shouldn’t take long, he’d only let her put on a sundress—one quick pull over her head and she’d be naked as the day she was born, and he could hardly wait. When she glanced around the area he reached around her and gave her sweet ass a solid swat. “Your job is to follow instructions, pet. I’ll worry about who is allowed to see what belongs to me.” She surprised him when she nodded before quickly pulling the dress off. He wondered if she was afraid she might lose her courage if she waited too long. Taking a deep breath, Sage smiled. “God damn, you are fucking gorgeous. Your skin is flawless and the deep rose color your nipples turn when they peak is probably the prettiest color on the planet.”
Leaning forward he circled his tongue around the delicate skin of her areola watching the tight bud of her nipple pull up even tighter. Throwing off his own clothes in record time, Sage watched the tip of Coral’s tongue trace over her bottom lip, the look of hunger in her eyes unmistakable as her gaze dropped to his engorged cock. Hell, his dick must have known she was watching because it bounced happily against his lower abdomen—damned thing is showing off for her.
“I’m not a really good swimmer. I mean, I won’t drown or anything, but I’m not an expert.” She might have been talking about swimming, but he wasn’t entirely convinced her words didn’t hold a deeper meaning.
“Not to worry, I’ll be happy to help you—always. Remember that, pet, because it’s important. Anything you need, you only have to ask, if I don’t know the answer we’ll find it together.” When he saw her nod in understanding, he grinned before scooping her up in his arms and walking down the sloping concrete into the warm water. “Our dad insisted the pool have a zero entry feature because he said someday he would be too old to do cannonballs off the top of the waterfall.” Coral laughed, as he’d hoped she would—it was definitely time to lighten the mood. “You think I’m kidding, but I’m forewarning you, he is a demon with cannonballs. He’ll soak you if he gets half a chance.”
They swam and played for several minutes before Coral noticed Colt leaning against the corner of the stone structure housing the waterfall. There were stairs hidden behind a small outcropping of rock letting the more adventurous swimmers a chance to use the platform as a diving board. Sage had invited his brother to join them contingent upon Coral’s agreement. His brother had shed his shirt and shoes, but he’d left his low riding jeans in place. Sage watched Coral’s eyes dilate as she took in Colt’s appearance, and he wondered if she was going to be brave enough to admit how interested she was in a ménage scene.
When he’d researched the books on Coral’s e-reader, he had been surprised to find so many selections featuring polyamorous relationships. He looked forward to introducing her to Tobi West. The lovely spitfire who’d married Kent and Kyle West would be a perfect sounding board for Coral. Mama Morgan and Lilly West were first cousins, but had grown up together and considered themselves closer than most sisters. The boys had spent time together during school holidays and vacations so Sage hadn’t hesitated to call the West brothers and ask for a favor. They’d laughed at his suggestion Tobi would be a good role model for Coral, but they’d agreed to set up a time for the two women to speak privately in a Facetime call.
“Cousin, I’m not sure you know exactly what you’re getting in to.” Kent’s teasing words bounced through Sage’s mind as he watched Coral pull her bottom lip between her teeth, nibbling on it—a nervous habit he’d noticed she fell into whenever she started to feel overwhelmed.
Kyle had shaken his head and smiled. “God only knows what Tobi might say, I’ve given up trying to predict what she’ll do in any given situation. But knowing this will be important to our mom will make a huge difference, she might actually behave.”
“Oh yeah, those two are thick as thieves.”
“And about as trustworthy when they’re together.” Kyle’s grin gave away his amusement, and despite his obvious sarcasm, Sage had seen the amusement dancing in his eyes. They’d set up a time during the upcoming week and the two former SEALs agreed to call Brandt to see if they could help with the investigation. Like those two and their merry band of former Special Forces operatives don’t have resources the rest of us can only dream of. “We aren’t as limited by legalities as Brandt is—perhaps we can lend a hand.”
Watching Coral’s respiration rate kick up and her eyes dilate as she watched Colt move closer, his bare feet silent on the concrete pool deck. Sage could see the fluidity in his brother’s movements, something their mother always claimed was due in part to Colt’s innate musical talent. Their mom had always sworn Colt’s athletic ability and grace during bull rides was because he simply moved to the music he’d always claimed to hear in his head. Sage had teased his brother about it when they were kids, but as they’d grown up he’d learned to appreciate Colt’s musical skill—God knew he hadn’t gotten that particular genetic gift.
Stepping forward, Sage blocked her view of Colt standing at the edge of the pool. Lifting her c
hin with his fingers, he watched a pink flush move over her cheeks. “Pet, nothing happens that you aren’t comfortable with. You seem to have an interest in ménage and Colt has agreed to help us explore it—but he and I are both adamant about this being your decision.” They’d discussed shared scenes briefly, but they hadn’t discussed specifics. Sage had emphasized the fact he would never be interested in sharing her permanently, but he’d asked her to consider ménage scenes. Now, watching her worried expression, he wondered if he hadn’t pushed ahead too quickly.
“I would like to try, but I’m worried you’ll…” when she wasn’t able to finish, Sage was fairly certain he knew what direction she’d been heading.
“You’re worried I’ll become jealous? Or perhaps I will think less of you because you let another man touch you—even though I’ve set this in motion?” She didn’t even have to answer, he saw the truth in her eyes.
“Yes. I’m afraid I’ll ruin everything.”
“Baby, a huge part of a Dom’s job is to help his or her submissive explore their interests. But, even then, I’d never do anything I thought would come between the two of us—because at the end of the day, your happiness is all that matters to me.” He gave her a few seconds to process what he’d said before continuing. Sage enjoyed sharing a woman because it was easy to miss subtle shifts in body language when you were caught up in the moment, and there was no doubt he lost his mind the minute his cock slid into Coral’s sweet heat. “There won’t be any jealousy between us—ever. I assure you, Colt knows exactly what is expected and even though he’ll be taking cues from you, ultimately he’ll be taking instructions from me. I’ll still be in charge of your pleasure—because you belong to me, pet.”
Sage was thrilled to see the Coral’s shoulders relax and the spark of interest light her eyes. He didn’t think she realized he’d slowly turned her so Colt was now able to see her reactions, it would give him an idea of how to begin. Information is always power in D/s scenes, but it’s critical with newbies. When she nodded her head, he shook his own and suddenly her face was filled with worry that she’d made some sort of mistake.
“You need to speak the words, sweetness. It’s important we are both completely clear on your agreement. I’m not going to lie, I hope like hell you agree because you are amazing. But remember, I’m here to strengthen your bond with Sage, not to replace it. This is all about your pleasure, baby.” Amazing wasn’t really accurate, the truth was Sage had found a remarkable woman, and Colt couldn’t wait to see how she’d blossom once the danger to her was taken care of. It was easy to see she craved the sense of belonging she’d find in their family, they just needed to convince her there were various roles to choose from.
As soon as she whispered, “Yes. I’d like to try.” Colt started pealing his softly faded Levis down his legs. They’d already been unsnapped and damn if he hadn’t enjoyed watching her pretty green eyes moving over his bare chest to focus on the gap at the top of his jeans. Colt never professed to having been a saint during his years on the rodeo circuit. He and his friends had elevated fucking beautiful women to an art form for more years than he cared to remember, but he already knew it wouldn’t be the way he’d be getting relief this afternoon.
Sage had been quite clear, his “nobody slides into her pussy but me” declaration hadn’t surprised Colt. Sage could be a possessive bastard when found something he really wanted, and there wasn’t any doubt this woman was exactly what the eldest Morgan brother wanted. They’d all known she belonged to Sage from the first day he’d told them about her. The disaster with Mackenzie had shaken Sage’s confidence, the worst of it being how he’d begun questioning his ability to judge people. Colt was thrilled to see the spark of self-assurance and purpose in his brother’s eyes again.
Walking into the pool, Colt looked up at his brother and grinned. “Have you taken her behind the falls yet?”
“No. I waited.” Colt heard the implied for you but he doubted Coral had.
Standing in front of Coral, he could almost hear the wheels of her mind spinning wildly as she tried to figure out exactly what she was supposed to say and do. Pressing a chaste kiss to the center of her forehead he whispered, “Don’t overthink this, sweetness. We’ll take care of everything. It’s one of the joys of being a submissive—all you need to do is enjoy the pleasure and follow instructions. No need to worry endlessly about what you should be saying or doing.” Colt loved the look of relief he saw in her soft green eyes. Taking her hand in his he turned her toward the open area of the pool. “Come on, swim with me.”
Chapter Twelve
Coral was having such a great time swimming with Sage and Colt she’d almost forgotten the fact she was naked—how on earth did that happen? She’d rarely gone swimming as a kid, her parents had considered it a waste of money. The few times she’d gone she’d been forced to wear something she’d picked up at a second-hand store. Just remembering how creepy she’d felt wearing someone else’s swimsuit made her want to shudder. She could feel the sexual tension growing between the three of them, but she was taking Colt’s advice and letting them set the pace. There was definitely something to be said about not worrying over all the details of social niceties. After struggling for so long to survive day-to-day, Coral was surprised how relieved she felt to let someone else shoulder the responsibility…even if it was only for the afternoon.
Colt’s fingers brushing along the side of her face brought Coral back to the moment. Startled, she looked around and was surprised to find Sage missing. “What put that look of sadness in your eyes, sweetness?”
“I’m sorry. I was thinking about how nice it felt to not have to worry about anything for a while and it reminded me how temporary this might be.” Taking a deep breath she decided to take a leap of faith and trust Colt with one of her greatest fears. “I’m worried I’ll have to leave. I’m not sure I could live with myself if something happened to Sage or one of you because of me.” Coral felt her entire body react—just the thought made her almost ill. Looking around, she felt her voice crack when she asked, “Where’s Sage?”
Colt didn’t hesitate, he wrapped her in his arms. Coral was shocked and knew her spine had gone ramrod straight, but when Colt simply held her close, she slowly began to relax. “Sage wanted us to spend a few minutes alone while he sets up something special for you.” He leaned back pressing kisses to both cheeks. “You’re not going anywhere, sweetness. We’re going to teach you all about how families are supposed to work. We all understand your concerns but we also we have the advantage of knowing adversity actually makes us stronger. What you haven’t experienced is strength in numbers, but I promise you it’s a lesson we’re going to love teaching you. And you need to remember who you’re dealing with, sweetness.”
He’d obviously seen the question in her face because he chuckled. “Baby girl you wear your heart on your sleeve. And thank God for small favors, because even though we’re all Doms, we’re still men and sometimes the inner workings of a woman’s mind can baffle even the most astute men on the planet.” He gave her a quick hug before leading her to one of the benches built into the side of the pool. Sitting down beside her, he explained, “Sage is a problem solver—he always has been. I swear he would have been the one to take over for dad even if he hadn’t been the oldest and led in that direction from day one.”
She understood that he was really telling her Sage would fix this for her, what she couldn’t help but wonder was at what cost? “As for me,” Colt continued, “I spent the better part of two decades riding on the backs of two thousand pounds of pissed off bulls who not only wanted to buck me off, they wanted to steamroll me once I hit the ground. Sorry if I don’t seem terrified of some two bit drug dealer who wasn’t smart enough to know what a treasure he had.” Tapping her on the tip of her nose to emphasize the fact he’d been talking about her, Coral could feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
“Now we’ve come to the family bad-ass. Brandt’s years as a Navy SEAL didn�
�t leave him without any skills, sweetness. And just in case you wondered, nobody uses our home gym more than Brandt—hell, I’ll bet you he is in as good or better physical condition now as he ever was during his time in the Special Forces. The man is lightning fast and fiercely protective of the people he cares about.” Coral knew everything Colt had said was true, but what she alone seemed to know was Brandt Morgan not only didn’t trust her, he didn’t even seem to like her.
“Now, Phoenix is insanely smart—hell, he was accepted into Mensa before he was old enough to drive, and on a ranch that’s saying a lot since we all learned to drive long before the great state of Montana thought we should.” She was surprised to see a tinge of pink on his cheeks, when she bumped her shoulder against his to show she understood the message, he laughed. “Hell, Sage and I used to tease Phoenix and Kip they weren’t taught to drive until middle school because they were dim-witted, but honestly with three older boys it just wasn’t necessary.” He shook his head as if it would bring his thoughts back in focus and strange as it seemed, that action endeared him to her even more. “Anyway, Phoenix is not someone your ass-hat ex wants as an enemy. With the limited information he was given about Sanders, I can promise you the man is already suffering the consequences. His credit has likely been destroyed, he won’t be able to rent or buy anything. I’m sure he’s suddenly found himself persona no grata at all his usual haunts because little brother would have scoured his credit card and bank history to find all his favorite hangouts.” When he turned to her, his expression was almost evil. “In short, it sucks to be him.”
Coral giggled, “I know this probably makes me a terrible person, but I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear this.” The mocking look of shock on his face made her laugh. “It’s one thing to meet violence with violence, but knowing he’s already being held accountable makes me want to jump up and down clapping my hands like a three year old.”