The Strength of Love_Happily Ever Menage

by Serena Akeroyd

  “Maybe Mommy’s O-B-G-Y-N can help, Papa? What do you think, Mommy? I heard you telling that lady that it was the best clinic around. How come Papa doesn’t go there already? His knee’s really bad, so he needs the best, right?”

  For a second, as silence fell like the fallout from an atomic blast, Gia felt her mouth drop open and stay that way. Aghast, she stared at her daughter, trying to form words. At any other time, she’d have laughed it off and yelled, “Surprise!” But after this week, where Josh had already accused her of keeping things secret, of holding back? Yeah, the timing couldn’t have been worse.

  “Lexi!” she gritted out. “What have I told you about eavesdropping?”

  As a flush founded in guilt spread over Lexi’s cheeks, she whispered defensively, “I didn’t mean to.”

  “There’s no meaning to in this, Lexi. You do, or you don’t. Why did you listen when I’ve told you not to? What do I always say?”

  She bit her lip and began to pick at the crust of her sandwich. “Eavesdroppers never hear good of themselves.”

  “Exactly. So why did you do it anyway?”

  “I was curious.” She peeked up at Gia from under her lashes.

  “We’ve also had this particular conversation before. You’re always curious, Lexi. What are you supposed to do?”

  “Ask you or Daddy or Papa.”

  “So why didn’t you?” When no response was forthcoming, Gia grumbled, “I want you to take your sandwich and go to the schoolroom. No books or reading until tonight. I want you to eat your lunch and think about what you’ve done, and when I come in, I want you to tell me what you should have done instead. Do you understand?”

  With her bottom lip stuck out in a pout, Lexi looked anything but happy, but with ill grace that spoke of a defiance Gia would have to deal with later, she got up from the table and ducked out of the room.

  Gia blew out a breath the instant she’d left and finally looked her husbands in the face. Their reactions weren’t exactly what she’d expected. Or hoped for. They didn’t look angry, but neither did they look happy.

  “I meant to tell you when I got home, and then we had that argument. I wasn’t keeping this a secret. I swear. It’s not like I could hide it. I’d be showing soon anyway,” she mumbled, nervously pulling apart her sandwich.

  Luke was the first to speak. His voice was rusty enough for him to have to clear his throat. “How long have you known?”

  She nibbled her lip again. “Laurie told me I was expecting when we visited. Your mom has a spooky sixth sense where this stuff’s concerned, Josh. But I didn’t really believe her. She was right about Lexi before, though, so I got a test and took it while I was away. It was positive.”

  “You’re booked in with the OB/GYN?”

  “Yes, for my first prenatal checkup.” She peered down at the table, then back up at Luke. “Are you excited?”

  He swallowed, and then, shakily, nodded. When she saw the surface of his eyes turn crystalline, she realized he was on the brink of tears.

  In her haste to leave the table, her chair scraped against the floor, and she scooted over to him, grabbing the seat beside his and pushing it closer so they could hug.

  She’d have loved to perch on his knee and kiss him, but his injuries weren’t up to that kind of activity. Not yet. Gia really was looking forward to the day when normal service could be resumed.

  “You’re going to be a daddy, Luke,” she whispered in his ear when he hugged her tight, pressing her close to his chest.

  Hearing his throat work, emotion hitting him right in the solar plexus, she wanted to cry right alongside him. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he told her, his voice shuddery. “Thank you.”

  “Oh, darling, it’s an honor. I never meant to keep it from you. I just… It’s stupid, but I never thought what with things being so crazy of late,” she replied, squeezing him a little harder. “I love you, so much.”

  “And I love you.” He pulled away a little and turned to look at Josh. He held out a hand that Josh clasped, and to him, Luke murmured, “Thank you, Josh.”

  Josh’s smile was as shaky as his lovers’, but as was always the way, he tried to make light of it. “Does this mean that now I don’t have to wear condoms again?”

  Gia snorted. “Always look on the bright side, babe.”

  He winked but tightened his grasp on Luke’s fingers. “That is me looking on the bright side. Diaper and bottle-feeding duty are coming back into play. This house is going to be chaotic again.”

  “You loved it last time. Don’t lie,” Luke chided.

  Josh’s grin was sheepish. “Yeah, I did. It was fun.”

  “Fun!” She snorted again. “That’s because you were at the base half the damn time, so I certainly wouldn’t call it that, but it was definitely worth every second.

  “Holy hell, let’s hope your genes aren’t like Josh’s, Luke. I don’t think I could cope with another high-achieving ten-year-old grad student in the making. Let’s have a nice normal child.”

  Luke’s eyes twinkled. “I have a high IQ, Gia. So do most of my brothers. Why do you think we all held decent ranks at relatively young ages? But, let’s hope they’re green-fingered. I’d be happy with that.”

  Gia groaned. “If that’s the case and they’re just as smart, you can start helping with the homeschooling, buddy.”

  The twinkle in his eyes turned into a full-blown smile. “I can’t wait.”

  “Well, you can start tomorrow,” she prompted. “Take over Lexi’s geography and sciences segments. I hate those subjects.”

  He stuck out his chest. “Give me the workbooks, and I’ll take a look at them tonight. I’ll be the best damn science teacher Texas has ever seen.”

  She’d only been half teasing, but she wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. “You’re on.”

  “That’s it, you’re done for now, Luke.” Josh squeezed his lover’s fingers once more, then released his hold. “Schoolteacher, attaché to the Armed Forces, and tea rose cultivator. A man with many strings to your bow.”

  Gia frowned at the fait accompli in Josh’s tone. “You’re doing it, Luke? You’re going to work with the army again?”

  He wrinkled his nose. “I called Jarvis up this morning and confirmed it.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” It didn’t seem fair to be pissed when she’d inadvertently withheld news of his impending fatherhood from him and had no intention of sharing the complex situation with her mother…but still, anger didn’t have to be rational. Gia was, most definitely, put out by this decision being made without her input.

  “I’ve been thinking about it on and off for the last two days.” Luke sighed. “I-I don’t particularly want to do it, but at the same time, the benefits are too good, love. I can’t say no. And knowing you’re pregnant again? It just makes more sense.”

  “I wanted you to do what you loved. Time for you.” Gia realized then that she wasn’t angry, more like sad for his sake. She genuinely meant it when she said she’d wanted him to do something that made his heart glad.

  “I know, and I appreciate that, sweetheart. But I’m too young to fall out of the game entirely, and I’m only an attaché. I won’t be working full-time. I’ll be working on an advisory capacity, so I’ll be able to do some work in the garden as well.” He curved an arm about her shoulders. “We did you a disservice by getting married, and this rectifies that.”

  She whacked him on the belly. “Don’t be ridiculous!” Glowering at him, she continued, “Don’t you ever say that to me again.”

  “No, it’s true. You’re unprotected. In the eyes of the government. You’re not covered on our benefits; you’re not covered medically or anything like that. If you’d married one of us, it would be settled.”

  “Yeah, well, private insurance is fine by me.”

  “It’s not the same as having the backing of the Armed Forces, especially at our ranks. I’m sorry, Gia.”

  She stared at him and shook her head as s
he did so. “It was one of the happiest days of my life seeing you two get married. And I mean that. I have no regrets. Not a single one. I’m protected, in my own way. I’m covered. It might not be with the big ol’ AF at my back, but it is kinda.”

  “Well, yeah, which is why I need to stay on. You need protecting, and it’s our duty to see that happens. Which means I can’t drop off the grid.”

  “You weren’t going to do that.”

  “No, not entirely, but to a degree. This way, I keep my toes dipped in the water, and it keeps this household functioning.”

  Gia shook her head again, but this time, at Josh. “Why do I hear your words coming out of Luke’s mouth?”

  “Because he makes sense, Gia. Don’t be mad at him. We’re both just trying to watch out for you.”

  “I don’t need watching out for, guys.” She blew out a breath. “Do you know how much I made last year? On my royalties, I mean?” She named the sum and watched both of them blanch—Josh shot forward so quickly he knocked over his juice cup. “Yeah. That’s your wages combined. I mean, I lose a lot to tax, but still. We’re comfortably well-off.”

  Josh blinked as he hastily swabbed at the juice with kitchen towels. “You earn that much?”

  She shrugged. “Last year was a good year. It’s not guaranteed income, and it does fluctuate, so it’s not like your steady incomes, but I can afford a decent insurance provider.”

  “You—”

  “What, Luke?”

  He frowned at her. “You live like we’re on the poverty line.”

  She sniffed, then folded her arms across her chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You darn our socks, Gia,” he retorted. “When was the last time you bought the premium detergent for the laundry?”

  “Just because we have money doesn’t mean we should waste it. That’s how you keep it, by making smart choices.”

  Josh mimicked her stance—he folded his arms across his chest. “I hate that you’re right, but I still want better detergent now I know.”

  She scowled at him. “That’s a stupid waste.”

  “Tough. I earn the right to soft BDUs, even if you earn more than me.”

  She jutted her chin forward. “I’ll spend a little more. But I won’t go the whole hog. Screw that. I’m not lining the grocery stores’ pockets.”

  “We can afford decent detergent, Gia. I’d have known that sooner if I hadn’t trusted you with the household budget.”

  “Yeah, well, you did trust me, and I’ve made solid choices. I’ll keep on making them.”

  Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “You didn’t even stay in a nice motel when you were away. We saw some of the room. It was a dump.”

  She shrugged. “It was cheap and clean.”

  “Why didn’t you go to the spa like I suggested?”

  “Because it was a waste of money. You guys…I know your background. You’ve never lived on the poverty line. When I came to you, willing to hire out my womb because I was so desperate, for Christ’s sake…” She shook her head. “You’ll never understand how low that felt. How ashamed I was. I vowed never to be in that situation again, and I’ll damned well make sure I never do. But you don’t feel the pinch. I make sure you don’t.

  “The cupboards are always full. If anything, they’re abundantly full. Whenever I buy something, I go for quality, and I’ll spend a lot to make that so. But things like detergent? Screw that. They’re only going to get dirty again; why waste money on making clothes soft?”

  Josh’s eyes nearly crossed. “I have knives with duller edges than some of my uniforms.”

  She scoffed. “You’re exaggerating.”

  “I’m going grocery shopping with you next time.”

  “Well, you’ll have to do the laundry as well, because I’m not adding expensive softeners to any load I put on.”

  He glowered at her. “You’re so stubborn, it’s crazy.”

  She blew him a kiss. “I haven’t changed, love. Always been mule headed. But hey, at least you don’t have to feel guilty about getting married, huh?”

  Luke gently nudged her. “We love you, and wishing we could do better for you…well, that will never change.”

  “You’re adorable,” she told him with a pleased smile, kissing his cheek in thanks. “I love you both too. And I’m glad this is happening. I should have told you sooner; I wasn’t hiding it. I just never seemed to have the chance to say anything.”

  Luke squeezed her hand. “We know. Although you’re going to have to work on sharing things, Gia.”

  Her brow puckered. “I share.”

  Josh huffed. “Yeah. You share what you want us to know. That’s different. I thought I was supposed to be Mr. Reticent.”

  “You are. You’re so much worse than I am.”

  Luke gaped at her. “You’re earning a fortune, and we’re only finding that out now, Gia. I think you officially have taken the title from Josh. He’s had to sign dockets to keep his mouth shut. You, my dear, are just secretive by nature.”

  She wasn’t, not really, but life, and the myriad things that had happened to her and hers, had forged her that way. Gia didn’t want to argue, so she shrugged it off. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his forehead and bussed him there. “I’m going to clear up. Are you going for a nap?”

  “No. I have papers I need to read through. I’ll go and sit with Lexi, make sure she resists temptation and doesn’t read.” He snorted. “I never thought I’d punish my child by denying her books.”

  “Let’s hope she doesn’t grow out of it,” Josh teased. “I’d like to hope that threat will hold the same power when she’s sixteen and going through that bratty phase.”

  Gia grinned. “That would certainly come in handy, but I reckon the brat will appear before her sweet sixteen, sugar.” She got to her feet and asked, “Are you two full? Do you want anything else to eat?”

  When they both disagreed, Luke stood on unsteady legs and hobbled out of the room to go and sit with Lexi. Josh stayed awhile in the breakfast nook and finished off his sandwiches. He’d brought his briefcase in with him and was reading through some of his papers.

  Surprisingly enough, the silence they fell into was companionable. She’d half expected him to chide her again, to get a dig in about how she had issues sharing, but he didn’t.

  Gia would have liked to have a go at him for encouraging Luke to do something that wasn’t his passion, but Luke could only be led so far. He wouldn’t have said yes unless he wanted to. Josh could only change his opinion as much as Luke allowed, and he only held so much sway over him.

  She had some papers of her own to read, so she reached for her tablet and took a seat at the nook with him, taking the chance to catch up with the worksheets Lexi had on her curriculum.

  Homeschooling their daughter was a huge time sucker. In truth, it was time she could ill afford. For whatever reason, her books were in high demand, and her publisher wanted more from her.

  While it was satisfying to realize her work was popular, nothing was more important than Lexi and her education and happiness. That was the truth of it.

  If it meant giving up writing, she’d have done it.

  There was no way she was putting her little girl back into an institution that judged her for the sins of her fathers, literally, and in all honesty, Gia enjoyed imparting her own wisdom.

  She’d been teasing earlier, but Gia herself had skipped two grades. They were all high achievers in their own way. It should have come as no surprise that Lexi was the same. And the current bun in her oven would undoubtedly be as difficult.

  “What are you smiling about?”

  The warmth in Josh’s voice had her peering up to look at him. “Am I smiling? I didn’t realize.”

  “That’s why it’s all the more beautiful. What were you thinking?”

  Despite herself, she blushed at the compliment. “I was thinking about how difficult this one is going to be.” She patted her tummy. “I’m not comp
laining. I just wondered about what kind of crazy he or she is going to bring to this already nuts household. That’s all.”

  “I’m glad you’re pregnant, Gia.”

  “Me too.”

  “Not only for Luke’s sake,” he amended. “I’m grateful because I wanted him to be a father—biologically speaking. Mostly because the world deserves a child with his genes. I know that sounds a bit crazy, but—”

  “No, it doesn’t sound crazy. I understand. He’s a beautiful person.”

  Josh smiled. “He really is. But I’m glad because…” He turned sheepish, his gaze fluttering from hers to his lap. “It will be nice to have another one of you running around.” Before she could comment on that, he continued, “I wonder how far along you are.”

  “I’ve no idea. I’ll know soon, though.”

  “You know you’re getting screwed tonight, don’t you?”

  She grinned. “Condomless screwing, huh?”

  “Uh-huh.” His eyes flashed with need. “Without a doubt. Be grateful I’m not bending you over the table right this second.”

  Gia quirked a brow, then shoved her chair back and sank to her knees. She saw him rear back in realization of what she was about, but he didn’t complain as she crawled under the table to settle at his feet. His hands were shaking when he unfastened his belt buckle and shoved down the zipper that caged his shaft.

  It popped out, bobbing already as it grew stiffer under her inspection. A single clear bead surged from the tip, and she dived for it, immediately tonguing that droplet and swallowing his taste, his essence. A moan escaped him, and his belly undulated, his hips rocking as she encompassed the tip in her mouth, cushioning his length between the soft pads of her lips.

  He grabbed hold of her hair, and she whimpered as he scraped his nails over her skull, dragging nerve endings to life. She worked saliva into her mouth and coated his dick with it so she could easily slip him in and out of her lips. Each time she sucked down, his butt clenched, dragging closer to the seat, and as she moved up his shaft, he followed, shoving his cock deeper inside.