by Trina Lane
“Yes, but I try not to think about that. I tell myself Kevin’s at work and he’ll be home soon. This is his second tour so maybe we’ll get a bit of break after this.”
“Do you remember the invitation you extended when we first met? I’m in a much better place now than I was then, so I’d like to return the favour.”
“I appreciate that, Miranda.”
“I have some thinking to do, so I guess I’ll let you go.”
“Okay. I think I’m going to take a nap. That is if the tumbling duo takes a break from their Cirque du Soleil practice. See you bright and early tomorrow.”
Miranda shut the phone and placed it on the end table. A nap didn’t sound as though it were a bad idea. She went over to the closet and pulled down her pillow. It was too much effort to open her bed from its hiding place inside the sofa, so she snuggled down lengthwise in the surprisingly soft sofa cushions. She dragged the throw blanket down from its normal resting spot on the back and covered herself. Even during the height of summer, Miranda could never sleep unless she had some type of blanket.
Miranda scooted back till her back was up against the thick cushions of the sofa. What if instead of cushions it was a man’s chest? She’d never slept in a man’s arms. Drew had always slept on the far side of the bed, saying that he couldn’t sleep if he felt crowded. It sounded legitimate to her, so she’d never made a fuss. The fact that Miranda had difficulty sleeping unless she had some type of covering, and enjoyed the warmth of another person wasn’t her husband’s—ex-husband’s—fault. How it would feel to have Vic or Chase’s arms around her while she slept?
When they all piled on the sofa at one of the boy’s apartments to watch a movie, their presence was calming. She loved the heat that came off their bodies, and most of the time Miranda would end up relaxing against Chase’s shoulder, his arm around her, while Vic stretched out across the sofa with his head in both their laps. Sometimes after a long day she’d end up drifting off during the movie, and it was on those occasions that she woke more rested than after an entire night in her own bed.
Their schedules didn’t always match up, so often Miranda would end up spending time with either Chase or Vic. Chase was the more light-hearted of the two. They’d spent hours talking about his trips around the world. He loved to travel, and Miranda had been spellbound as she listened to some of his adventures over the years. Apparently his love of travel had been nurtured from birth, since Chase had told her that his mom and dad often travelled on business and as a young boy they’d carted him around to the far corners of the planet on a regular basis. She’d never been out of the United States. In fact, until her move to Boston, Miranda had never even been out of the Midwest. If they got together, would Chase take her exploring?
Miranda sighed. She was going to do it. She knew it. When she was with them, she felt special. They made her feel special, and that was a very heady and new experience. Her initial fears about being a third wheel ended up being completely unfounded. In fact, now that she’d got to know Chase and Vic better, Miranda felt a little ashamed of her first impressions. They were handsome, but they were also the most genuine men she’d ever met. They put so much into the care of their patients, who were complete strangers, it had been a revelation to Miranda to discover how they treated those who were important to them. So yes, Miranda would take a leap of faith and completely open her mind, body and heart to Chase and Vic. Now all she had to do was find the gumption to tell them. Her eyes got heavy and a little smile crept across her lips.
Maybe I should show them instead.
* * * *
A week had passed and it was once again Miranda’s day off. She’d made plans to meet Vic and Chase later that night, but first a little pampering was in order. She tugged open the door to the salon and stepped inside. The traditional scents of a salon mingled with a light incense wafting through the air, resonating with soft pop music.
“Welcome to La Dolce Vita. How may I help you?”
There was a young perfectly made up woman standing behind the half circled counter. She was dressed in black from head to toe, except for the splash of lapis lazuli around her neck. The blue reminded her of Chase’s eyes.
“I have an appointment at nine o’clock. My name is Miranda Green.”
The attendant looked down and Miranda assumed a computer sat discreetly out of sight from the clients’ view.
“Yes, ma’am. I see you’re having the soothing package as well as a hair treatment today. Why don’t you follow me and we’ll get you started.”
Miranda did as told and followed the receptionist through a frosted door that had a rose design etched into the glass. The corridor was painted a deep mauve colour, the hue calming to the eyes. That made sense given that the entire purpose of the spa was to relax and rejuvenate the body. The pop music became new age, and drifted to Miranda’s ears via invisible speakers when they entered what appeared to be a lounge.
“Since this is your first visit with us, I need you to complete these forms. We’ll begin with your facial then your massage. After your manicure and pedicure we’ll serve you a light lunch and finish out your day with the cut and style. Can I get you anything to drink while you wait? A bottle of water, cup of coffee?”
“No thank you. I’m good.” Miranda sat in one of the overstuffed chairs and placed the clipboard on her lap.
“Your aesthetician should be with you soon.”
The receptionist left and Miranda looked around the room. The dark mauve continued and there were muted abstract paintings on two of the walls. Wall sconces emitted a glow in the room and Miranda spotted a dimmer switch on the wall next to the door. She glanced down at the forms, it seemed as though they wanted the basic information. There were blank spaces for length of time since last massage, what did she hope to accomplish with today’s appointment, significant medical conditions and so forth.
Miranda finished with the last question and as if they’d simply been waiting for the moment she set her pen down the glass door opened and another young woman entered.
“Hi, my name is Amanda and I’m your aesthetician.” She held out her hand. “I’ll take your forms.”
Amanda looked them over and smiled then they left the lounge and started back down the dim hallway. They came to a series of doors and Amanda pushed the first one open. When they entered Miranda saw a draped table that was vaguely reminiscent of those in surgery, but the blankets looked soft and there was a bulge from a round pillow hidden beneath the blankets. A magnifying glass attached to a swinging arm was off to the side, and Miranda shuddered internally to think about how her skin was going to look when every pore was exposed to Amanda’s critical eye.
“Because of the chemicals we use it’s really best if you remove your shirt. I’d hate for anything to drip or spill. There’s a robe on the back of the door for you to wear. After you’re covered you can relax on the table and I’ll be back with you in a moment.”
Amanda left and when the door closed Miranda saw the robe waiting for her. She’d never had a facial before, and was a little excited. When Jenna had recommended this place she’d said that the experience would be unlike anything Miranda had ever had before. So far it was definitely living up to its reputation. Miranda had completely blown her entertainment budget for the next several months on the extravagant pampering session, but she’d put in over twenty hours of overtime on her last paycheque, so she figured everything would be fine. Today was meant to bolster her confidence for her night with Vic and Chase. She would leave this salon and spa looking and feeling the best she possibly could then set out to capture her men.
* * * *
Five hours later, Miranda felt as though she glowed from the inside out. She’d let the stylist convince her to try a new cut and the long layers helped alleviate the weight of her hair. She didn’t have the guts to cut it all off, as had been first suggested, but did let the man add some copper highlights that caught the light in the salon and made Miranda smile. No
w it was off to find a dress designed to make her men drool.
She’d called Calleigh from the salon and got the recommendation of a small boutique on Newbury Street. When she opened the door, Miranda stopped short. This place was nice. Way nice. Expensive nice. Miranda, who spent most of her living hours in scrubs, never invested much in her wardrobe. Why spend a lot on money on clothes that didn’t get much use? Not to mention she hated shopping. There was nothing worse than being forced to stand in front of mirror and have all your faults stare back at you.
“Welcome. Can I help you find something?”
Miranda looked at the saleswoman. She was a tall, graceful, elegantly dressed, and a perfect size nothing.
“Um I think I’d like to look around for a minute?”
“Sure. Let me know if you’d like to open a dressing room.”
Right, like there’s any chance I’m going to willingly get undressed anywhere near you.
It would look odd if she cut tail and ran, so Miranda turned right and started a slow circuit of the displays and racks that lined the wall. She flipped through a couple of hangers as though she were looking for her size then moved on. She’d almost made it back to the door when the saleswoman approached her again.
“Did you see anything you liked?”
In truth she had. There’d been some nice dresses, but Miranda had cringed when she saw the price tag.
“Are you looking for something in particular?”
“A dress,” Oh crap why’d I open my mouth, now she’s going to want to get me into something?
“Is this for a special occasion or casual wear?”
“A date?”
That was the most simplistic answer. It’s not as if she was going to blurt out to a total stranger that she planned on sleeping with two men tonight.
“Formal?”
“No, but it is a first date.” Sort of, mostly.
“Were you thinking sundress or little black dress?”
A little black dress? Miranda had heard women and fashion experts use the phrase, but had never owned one. Those were for models and society types, not short, overweight operating room nurses.
“Why don’t I pull a couple of both so we can look at all the options?”
Miranda’s eyes went wide. “Oh, I’m not sure. I mean…”
“Trust me, we’ll have you looking resplendent in no time. I would estimate that you’re a size eight, maybe ten depending on the cut.”
Miranda nodded. Oh well, she’d try a few dresses on. What could it hurt?
Chapter Six
Vic sat on his sofa. His right leg was restless as the ankle rested on his left knee. He picked up the medical journal lying next to him and flipped open to an article he’d intended to read for the last week. There was nothing like research methodology to numb out a jittery mind.
“Would you relax, love,” Chase said.
Vic leant his head back on the edge of the sofa and spied his upside down lover. “I’m relaxed.”
Chase snorted. “You’re as nervous as a virgin bride. Everything will be fine.”
Vic twisted so he could face Chase. “How do you know? What if she’s coming here to tell us that she’s decided not to go any further?”
“Then we take more time to win her over.”
“And if she’s coming to tell us that she’s moving away?”
“Then we convince her to stay, or chase after her. But she’s not moving away. We would’ve have heard something at work.”
Vic nodded. “I want her so much. I want to hold her while she sleeps. I want to sit at the breakfast table with the two of you and smile over bowls of cereal. I want to watch you make love to her. I want to feel her body between ours. I want to hear her cry out in pleasure. I want that someday, Chase.”
Chase came around the sofa and sat next to Vic. He pulled Vic into his arms and kissed him. Chase’s tongue slid inside, and Vic’s arms came around Chase’s strong neck. There was nothing in the world that could compare to the pleasure he received from Chase’s kisses. Except maybe Miranda’s, but even those were different. Miranda’s kisses were sweet and alluring and sexy. They made Vic hard and desperate to sink inside her soft body. Chase’s kisses were fiery and made Vic’s body throb. He’d lost count of the number of times he and Chase had started out with a few kisses, and one or the other ended up tackling his partner till they writhed on whatever surface was available till they eventually bellowed out in mutual orgasm. God save him when he finally got both Miranda and Chase in bed with him. Vic wasn’t sure he was going to survive.
Chase pulled back from Vic. “I must be losing my touch. Normally you’d be crawling in my lap at this point.”
Vic brushed the strands of hair back from Chase’s forehead. “I’m sorry. I just hate all this uncertainty.”
Chase leant his forehead against Vic’s. “Have a little faith. She’s a strong woman, a survivor. We’ve both sensed the depth of her passion. We know she wants us. She’s said that she’s falling in love with both of us. That’s seventy-five percent of the battle. All Miranda needs is a little time to wrap her head around the idea of opening herself up to a relationship again.”
The doorbell rang and they both looked over at the door to Vic’s condo. Vic stood and held his hand out to Chase. His partner took Vic’s hand and pushed off the sofa. They walked, hands clasped, to the front door. He took a deep breath, Chase gave his hand a squeeze and Vic pulled the portal open.
Before him stood a smouldering angel. His jaw dropped and Vic heard Chase’s soft exclamation of wonder beside him. Miranda stood in the muted glow from the lights outside his door. Her dark hair shone, almost chestnut in colour under the lights. The soft ends floated around her shoulders and down her back. Wrapped around her petite, curvy body was the most stunning dress Vic had ever seen. The dark indigo stood out from her lightly tanned skin. The neckline plunged to a point between Miranda’s breasts, and what stunning breasts they were. Round, full and firm. He wanted to suck on the nipples that stood out beneath the silk material. The dress conformed to every curve of Miranda’s hourglass form, ending a couple of inches above her knees. Her cute little feet stood atop a pair of stiletto heels that would be dangerously narrow on the sidewalks of the North End, where Chase and he had planned to take her to dinner. Vic smiled—of course that meant they would have to hold her close to stabilise her as they walked down the street.
Chase jerked Vic’s arm. “Say something!” he hissed.
Vic looked over at Chase. “Your vocal cords work as well as mine do.” He held out his free hand to Miranda. “You look—”
“Breathtaking,” Chase finished.
Pleasure spirals sailed up his arm when her small hand landed inside his. Satin smooth flesh slid against his palm. Her nails were painted a delicate seashell pink, and Vic noticed they matched the toenails peeking out from the straps of her sandals.
Vic pulled Miranda into his home and into his and Chase’s arms. She stood between them, those magnificent breasts pressed against Vic’s chest, those delicate hands sliding around his waist to rest against his back. Vic’s hands rested on the soft swell of Miranda’s hips as he dipped his head and sealed their lips together. As with every time they touched, his heart softened and his cock turned to stone. Vic opened his eyes and watched as Chase’s head dipped and kissed the tender skin behind Miranda’s ear. Miranda’s soft whimper goaded Vic on. His tongue surged into her sweet mouth, commanding her response. And when Miranda’s little tongue lapped at his lips, seeking permission to play, he nearly cried out in victory.
Vic pulled back from their kiss and rested his lips against her temple. Chase’s hands smoothed up and down the side of Miranda’s torso, moulding the curves of her breasts and the dip of her little waist. Their hands linked together on Miranda’s hips, and they shared a kiss over her head.
“I love it when you do that,” Miranda whispered.
“Do what, honey?” Chase asked.
“All the little
touches the two of you share.” She looked up at Vic. “The way your fingers play in the back of Chase’s hair when the two of you are bent over the computer and the way when we watch a movie your head ends up resting on Chase’s lap. But I especially love when I’m standing between you and you kiss over the top of my head. It makes me feel surrounded, protected, a real part of whatever this thing is between us.”
“It’s love, princess. I was drawn to you from the moment we first met, and every day since, your charming smile and open heart have bewitched me.”
Chase nuzzled up against Miranda’s back. “You’re intelligent and witty. Competent and compassionate. You are a perfect match for us, and now that we’ve found you, our lives are complete.”
Miranda giggled. “Nothing like a little pressure guys. I’m not some paragon of virtue you’re making me sound like. While it’s true that I generally have a pretty submissive personality, I not above losing my temper or being in a bad mood. What if I mess up?”
“We’re human. Perfection is an illusion. At some point in time, each one of us or even more than one of us are guaranteed to mess up. It’s easiest to hurt the ones you love, but as long as we remember there is love, then we can work it out,” Vic reassured both of them.
“Where is Axel, honey? Do you need to go home and take care of him tonight?”
Miranda shook her head against Vic’s chest. “Calleigh is puppy-sitting. I dropped him off before I came here. I wanted to make sure that my entire evening was free.”
“Thank you God,” Chase whispered.
Vic chuckled lowly. “Before we lose our minds and our clothes, I suggest we leave for dinner. I want to show you off in this amazing dress.”
Chase stepped back, and Vic saw the erection straining his dress slacks. He smiled, knowing the longer Chase had to wait, the more intense making love to him would be. Vic knew the three of them would sleep in the same bed that night, and the image of their bodies replete in pleasure further tightened the fit of his own trousers.