Poly

by Lesli Richardson

  If she learns only one lesson from her big brother, I hope it’s that one.

  Chapter Seventeen

  November

  Arlo

  “Why in hell did we let her talk us into doing this ourselves?” I’m staring at the last section of kitchen cabinets we have to install.

  Yes, we went with IKEA cabinets.

  Yes, we’re doing it ourselves.

  No, I don’t know why. Apparently, I’m a glutton for punishment.

  Plus, my wife and my husband are very persuasive.

  Especially when my husband gangs up with my wife to help her get her way.

  That wasn’t a complaint, just a statement.

  Because I’m definitely not complaining.

  Not about them, at least. Just that we don’t have a fully functioning kitchen yet.

  Nolan tips his head over onto my shoulder. “Because you loooove us,” he teases.

  “Fuck, I guess.”

  Thanksgiving is in three weeks. The house sold faster than we thought it would—the second day it was on the market—and at a much higher asking price than we thought it would, leaving us scrambling to get packed and moved into a house that wasn’t quite ready yet.

  Which is an understatement.

  Because it was not ready yet.

  We all took several days off from work to try to slam through the worst of what had to be done so we could at least move in. We’d been working on the finishing touches ourselves. Yes, it’s saving us tens of thousands of dollars, but…

  Damn. What a pain in the ass.

  “So what do we have to do next?” Nolan asks.

  It’s after seven at night, and I’m exhausted, but I’m bound and determined these cabinets will be bolted to the fricking walls before I go to bed. There’s probably another two hours of work to do, at least.

  I’m explaining to Nolan what we need to do next when I hear the kids talking in the dining room. I’ll admit I’m tired and not really paying attention to them because my multi-tasking skills are sort of offline right now. I’ve got tunnel vision going at this moment.

  Lucas calls out to us. I’m trying to finish my thought to Nolan before I acknowledge Lucas, because right now, I’m so tired, I know I’ll forget what I was saying if I don’t.

  “Dad,” Lucas calls out again, insistent, finally getting our attention. It doesn’t escape my notice that both me and Nolan look at him.

  “What?” we both ask. Then we look at each other and start laughing.

  So do Lucas and Katie. They actually high-five each other.

  “See, told you,” Lucas said, smiling. “They’re both our dads.”

  “I think we were just played,” I tell Nolan.

  “Gee, ya think?” But he’s smiling.

  “I like having two dads,” Katie says with a grin. “Does this mean I get extra Christmases, birthdays, and stuff now, like I did with Mommy?”

  She and Lucas exchange an exploding fist bump.

  Little shits. I can’t help but grin, though, because they are our kids.

  “One birthday, kiddo,” I say.

  Katie runs over to hug me, then Nolan. She looks up at him. “You don’t mind if I call him Daddy, too, do you?”

  “Daddy Two? Does that make me Daddy One?” Nolan jokes.

  She plants her hands on her hips and shakes her head at him. “T-O-O, Daddy. Not T-W-O. Sheesh.”

  I look at Nolan. “Sheesh, Daddy One.”

  “I thought I was the whippersnapper?” Nolan quips.

  “Who’s on first?” Zoey teases from the doorway.

  “I don’t know. Third base,” Nolan and I both chime in unison, making Zoey laugh.

  I have to admit there were times right after Lucas went to live with Bill that I wasn’t sure if we’d ever be able to get Zoey to smile, much less laugh. It physically hurt me and Nolan both to know how much emotional pain she was suffering.

  This is a different woman, and she’s healed and thriving, the way our family is healthy and thriving.

  It was a rocky road, but I’m glad we’re here.

  And I’m glad I’m here with these two amazing spouses of mine.

  Even if they are making me install IKEA kitchen cabinets.

  “Yes, you can call him Daddy, also,” he says, kissing the top of her head. “Because he is your Daddy, too. T-O-O.” His gaze meets mine and when he winks, it makes me want to reach down and adjust myself.

  Maybe I can nail him later. We’re still breaking our house in.

  For right now, I want a damn kitchen.

  * * * *

  Zoey

  At the end of another long day of trying to put the house together, hours after Katie and Lucas have gone to bed, I finally call it quits, grab a shower, and collapse in our bed to stare up at the ceiling. Lucas and Nolan are still hard at it in the kitchen and trying to get the rest of the cabinet doors hung and adjusted so I can begin the process of unpacking and arranging the kitchen tomorrow.

  I really want to reach that point because I still can’t find half my kitchen stuff. Meaning the guys and the kids better get used to grilling, or eating out of the electric skillet, or having pizzas, until I’m up and running again. We still have some other work to do, like painting, unpacking, and arranging everything in the living room and den. The main bathrooms are complete, though, and the kids’ rooms are done.

  That’s what’s important.

  The other stuff is annoying, but within a couple of weeks, we’ll have it finished and be unpacked.

  And…we have a house.

  We have a house.

  The three of us.

  Together.

  I cannot tell you how happy that makes me.

  I turn the TV on and lie there, exhausted and happy.

  So damn happy.

  The bedroom door opens and Nolan walks in. “There you are.”

  “Here I am.” I smile at him from where I’m sprawled across the middle of our bed.

  Our bed.

  Yeah, that’s not going to get old for a while.

  Or maybe forever.

  He closes the door behind him, a smile on his face as he walks over and leans in for a kiss. “You all right?”

  “Exhausted, sorry. How goes the kitchen?”

  “I’m calling it a day. Doors are all hung, but you know Arlo. Now he’s out there putting the knobs on the doors and drawers.”

  I giggle. “Just one more thing,” we say together.

  Nolan smiles. “And five hours later…”

  I smile back. “…he’s still at it.”

  He looks exhausted and contented all at the same time as his brown gaze locks on mine. Nolan braces his hands on the bed and leans in for another kiss, longer this time, lingering.

  We have all the time in the world now.

  “Thank you,” he softly says when he ends our kiss.

  “For what?”

  “For having faith and patience. For siccing Arlo on me and not giving up on this dream. For standing by me and encouraging me and helping me win full custody of Katie. This is a dream come true, for me.”

  “I think your attorney gets a tiny little of the credit for that last one,” I joke, “but sure.”

  “You know what I mean, Zo.” He reaches over and strokes my hair, and it makes me want to purr.

  “You need a shower,” I tease.

  He smiles. “Come take one with me.”

  I already had one, but like hell am I going to say no.

  We worked too damn hard for this time.

  I let him take me by the hand and lead me to our bathroom.

  This is all ours—everything. The shower was designed so the three of us could comfortably shower at the same time.

  Or do…other things in there.

  The soaking tub is big enough for all three of us, and I’ll never forget the look on the salesman’s face that day when the three of us climbed into the tub together to make sure we’d fit.

  I love the fact that we can step o
ut of our bedroom and be in the pool.

  I love that if the kids are asleep, we can take a blanket outside to the little private screened area just outside our bedroom, where the shrubs hide us, and make love under the stars.

  With the lanai’s protective screen keeping us from getting eaten alive by mosquitoes while we fuck. It’s heaven.

  Yes, we’ve already done it out there a couple of times.

  Once in the rain, late one night.

  Yes, I know we’ve only been living here for a week now. We’ve been busy. Shut up.

  If glamping is a thing, is glamucking a thing? Glamexing?

  Should be if it’s not already.

  I mean, sure, maybe the name needs work, but whatever.

  Nolan steps forward, pressing me against the shower wall, where he slants his lips over mine. I love kissing him, love making love to him—love him.

  I might be exhausted, but I’m not so far gone I can’t summon a little bit of energy for him.

  * * * *

  Nolan

  I honestly can’t remember a time in my life where I have felt both more at peace and more comfortable in my life as a person, as a partner, and as a father.

  I feel like I’m finally living authentically and not overflowing with gallons of bullshit hypocrisy or worry.

  Or unrequited longing and loneliness.

  I feel like I’m finally able to be the best father possible to not only Katie, but to Lucas, and to Caine.

  Because it’s obvious to us that Caine is here to stay.

  Fortunately, we’re all good with that.

  I take my time kissing Zoey, savoring her sweet, soft lips, enjoying processing the differences between kissing her and kissing Arlo.

  Who just fucked me bent over the dryer in the utility room.

  Utility room—check.

  Obviously, the kids’ rooms are off-limits to our claiming activities, but we’re quickly working our way through the rest of the house while they’re not around, or while they’re asleep.

  Yes, we’ve had a lot of shower sex lately, because we end up mostly falling asleep by the time we end up horizontal. Also, because shower sex is a good excuse to have some uninterrupted time where we don’t have kids knocking on the door asking questions or needing something.

  My cock, which had softened a little between the time Arlo released me in the utility room, and me making it in here, has hardened once more between us, because the rat bastard didn’t get me off and told me to wait. That either I could play with Zoey, or he’d catch up with me and give me a blowjob when he finally came to bed.

  I’m a winner either way.

  We all are.

  I bend my knees and dip so I can notch the head of my cock between her thighs and find she’s already wet and ready for me.

  This is also perfection. Being with her has always felt as sweet and easy as being with Arlo, in this way.

  He’s right—we were meant to be together.

  If I hadn’t been a dumbass, I wouldn’t have Katie. I’m also now at a point in my life where I can readily appreciate what the three of us have together.

  I’m ready to devote myself fully to it, to nurturing it, nourishing it and them.

  We kiss as I slowly thrust and she writhes against me. I let her set the pace, because I’m more than happy to follow her.

  Following her, and Arlo, has only led me to fantastic places, in all areas of my life.

  It doesn’t take long before I know she’s close, from the soft whimpers she makes, those delicious noises that make my cock twitch and force me to hold back or risk exploding too soon.

  My hands cup her ass as she grinds on me, and before long she’s there. I hurry to catch up with her, and when I come she hooks her hand around the back of my neck and holds on, deeply kissing me as we both lean against the wall and catch our breath.

  “Glad we went with the larger water heater for our bathroom,” she jokes, making me laugh.

  We actually have two. One for the kids’ bathrooms and the kitchen, and one for our bathroom.

  Because we’re not stupid.

  We’ve curled up in bed together when Arlo comes in. “Ah, there you are. You’ll be happy to know the drawers and doors now have knobs.”

  “Huzzah,” I say.

  “Yay, I’ll finally have a kitchen,” Zoey says.

  The backsplash will be installed in two days.

  I manage to stay awake long enough for Arlo to come to bed. He snuggles against my side with me in the middle.

  “Love you,” he says, kissing me and Zoey good-night.

  “Love you,” we respond in stereo.

  In the dim light, I meet his gaze. “Told you,” he whispers.

  I nuzzle my nose against his. “Yes, you did.”

  That night will remain forever seared in my mind, our first night rooming together in college, when we finally were able to relax a little and take our time making love, securely locked behind a door with no worries about someone walking in on us.

  Reasonably safe.

  That night, Arlo looked into my eyes and warned me that, if he had his way, he’d spend the rest of his life with me.

  Thank god he never gave up on me.

  The End

  http://www.LesliRichardson.com

  About the Author

  Author Lesli Richardson, who is better-known by her more prolific wild-child Tymber Dalton pen name, lives in the Tampa Bay region of Florida with her husband (aka “The World’s Best Husband™”) and too many pets. She writes a wide variety of heat levels and genres, from mainstream sci-fi all the way to scorching ménage.

  The USA Today Bestselling Author (as Tymber) and two-time EPIC award winner is a part-time Viking shield-maiden in training who loves to shoot skeet and play D&D with her friends. She’s also the author of over one hundred and sixty books and counting, including The Reluctant Dom, Cross Country Chaos, the Bleacke Shifters series, the Governor Trilogy, the Determination Trilogy, The Great Turning Trilogy, the Suncoast Society series, the Love Slave for Two series, the Triple Trouble series, the Coffeeshop Coven series, the Good Will Ghost Hunting series, the Drunk Monkeys series, and many others.

  She lives in her own little world, but it’s okay—they all know her there.

  She loves to hear from readers! Please feel free to drop by her website and sign up for her newsletter to keep abreast of the latest news, snarkage, and releases.

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