by Marla Monroe
“This just gets better and better every minute. Again, I say, go for it.”
“You don’t think there is anything wrong with a woman living with two men?” she asked, totally astounded.
“It’s not conventional, but if it works for you, why does it matter? Are you worried about what others will say?”
“I don’t think so. It just seems wrong. What happens if one of them decides they’ve found someone else?”
“That can happen with a normal relationship. You deal with it if it happens, but who’s to say that it will happen, anyway?” he asked.
“I guess you’re right. I don’t know what to do.”
Dr. Searcy stood up and patted her hand. “Well, first of all, we’ve got to get you well. While you’re lying here, you can think about it more. I think you’re a fool if you don’t pursue a relationship with them. Love only comes around so often, and you’ve gotten a double dose of it. I say don’t throw it away on fears and what-ifs.” He walked out of the room with that.
Alexis looked at the IV bag dripping fluids and nutrients into her arm. Next to it hung something for her ulcer. She looked down her body and saw for the first time just how much weight she had lost. Her clothes had been hanging on her, but she hadn’t paid any attention.
For the next hour, she let her weeks with the guys filter through her mind. She looked for anything negative or problematic but found nothing. Then she thought about their friends and how they were making a life for themselves as ménages. What was she afraid of? Was she truly so shallow that what other people thought of her mattered that much? It never had before. People had always talked about her, saying things like how she was a bitch or that she slept her way to the top, but she had never let it bother her before. Why was this any different?
She felt a twinge in her gut again and winced. She was worrying again. The acid was eating at her ulcer. She sighed and tried to relax and think pleasant thoughts. Unfortunately, they all centered around Neal and Mark. And following closely behind those were the worries about saying yes and living with them.
Finally, she settled down and fell asleep. Her dreams were naughty at first. Neal and Mark loved her from top to bottom and all over again. Then they would start over and she would pass out from sheer exhaustion. Then they turned to her problems. She could see herself sharing the house and thoroughly enjoying it. Soon, there were kids playing in the backyard. She still seemed okay with it all. It wasn’t until they went out in public that she started to feel uneasy.
People pointed and laughed when they walked hand in hand on the street. They whispered behind menus when they went out to eat. Then there were more of them. The other bikers with their women joined them and no one laughed or pointed or whispered about them then.
When she woke up later that night, the night nurse was making her rounds.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“Oh, you didn’t. I was having a dream and it woke me up.”
“Must have been a good dream. You were smiling in your sleep.” The nurse checked her IV bag.
“Was I?”
“Yes. You were. What were you dreaming about? A man?” She winked at Alexis.
“Two men, actually.”
The nurse never blinked. “You lucky girl. I hope they’re real. I’d give my nursing license for two men to love me.”
“Really? You mean that?” Alexis asked.
“Oh, yeah. I can’t imagine anything better than two men totally devoted to loving me.” She patted her hand and walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.
Alexis smiled. Maybe she should really think about what it would mean to live with them. She would have to give up her job and her condo. She could sell the condo, so that wasn’t a big deal. She liked her job, but she could find another job in Dallas. She didn’t have to stay at home if she didn’t want to.
If she got too attached to her job, the men would be there to distract her. Then she wouldn’t end up with a stomach ulcer again. They spent most of their time around their friends, so being with two men wasn’t an issue with them. They were construction workers and were gone some of the time, so she would still have alone time when she needed it.
On the other hand, if she stayed where she was, she had her job and her condo and not much else. Oh, and an ulcer that might start bleeding at any time. She sighed. Everything pointed to the men. She should be happy, but she was scared. Starting a new relationship was usually a little scary. No one knew what to expect at first. What could she expect from the guys? Would they still be the same all the time, or would they change over time? Had she seen the real them, or not?
By the time Dr. Searcy came around again the next morning, she had made up her mind to put her fears aside and find out if they still wanted her or not. If they didn’t, well, she would continue as she was.
“You’re smiling. Have a good night?” Dr. Searcy asked.
“I was awake for most of it thinking.”
“Then you must have come to a happy conclusion.”
“I’m going to see if they still want me to live with them.”
“I can’t imagine them changing their mind if they truly love you, Alexis.”
“Well, it has been four months now. They might have found someone else by now.” Her heart ached at the thought.
“Then it wasn’t true love. Look at you. You love them and have been pining away for them all this time.”
“Well, when can I go home so I can pack and leave?”
“Not for a little longer, I’m afraid.” His expression turned serious.
“Why not?”
“That scope we did the other day shows two ulcers that are on the verge of bleeding. If they start bleeding, I’ll have to do surgery. We need to get them under control before I let you go home.”
“But I’m going to be okay now. I’ve made up my mind and I’m happy.” Alexis couldn’t believe he was suggesting that she had to stay a moment longer.
“Alexis. This is serious. If you start bleeding, you could bleed to death before you got help.”
“It can’t be that serious,” she said with a frown.
“I’m exaggerating a little, but not a lot. You have to stay until you’ve had another round of medications in your IV, and I want you to make a serious effort to eat. If you are eating better by the time you finish your IV meds, I’ll look at letting you go home.”
She frowned but nodded. What else could she do? She’d show him. She would eat better and think nothing but happy thoughts to keep her ulcer under control. Whatever it took to get out of there and on the road to see her men.
“Okay, I’ll stay for now,” she said.
“Good. I’ll start the new medicine right away and we’ll see how you do on it. You have any pain, you tell me so we can change the medication to something different. I want it to work.”
“Okay.”
Alexis waited for nearly two hours before they brought in the new IV medicine and hooked her up. She passed the time making lists of what she needed to do to get ready to move. She didn’t have much in her condo she really wanted to keep other than her bookshelves with her books. Books she’d never read because she had never let herself have time to. She would change that, as well.
She figured she would pack her car with her clothes and necessities then ship her shelves and books separately. First, though, she had to be sure the men still wanted her. What if they didn’t want her anymore? What would she do? A funny feeling in her stomach made her panic. She looked up at the new medicine slowly dripping into her arm. The funny feeling didn’t return, so she figured it was her worrying again.
This time next week, she vowed to be in Dallas on her way to see Mark and Neal. One way or another, she was going to Dallas. She just had to get out of the hospital and get her car packed.
The door opened and a nurse walked in carrying her lunch. She looked at the tray and licked her lips with determination.
Chapter Fifteen
> Neal and Mark pulled into their drive at three on a Saturday afternoon. They would have been home sooner, but the townsfolk of Potts Camp had wanted to have a sending-off party for them that morning complete with cake and punch. They’d finished the school and then the hospital and were ready for a break.
“Damn, I’m tired,” Mark said as they rolled their motorcycles into the garage.
“Me, too. I’m ready for a few weeks of doing absofuckinglutely nothing.” Neal settled his helmet on the seat of his bike and began to pull his things out of the saddlebags.
“You know there won’t be jack shit in the house to eat. I say we order a pizza. I don’t want to go back out.” Mark grabbed his things and headed for the door to the kitchen.
“Ditto on that.”
They dropped their dirty clothes by the washing machine and continued on toward the stairs. Once upstairs, they split up to go to their individual rooms. If Mark hesitated at the door to the master suite, he refused to acknowledge it.
He peeled off his clothes and climbed into the shower before the water had completely heated up. He shivered, then started bathing. He realized that while they had been away from the house working, it had been fairly easy to control his thoughts about Alexis, but being back home was going to make it much harder.
He missed her more than he had let on to Neal. Neal was already having a hell of a time adjusting to her not being with them. Four months had barely made a dent in their misery of being without her. There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t stop and wonder what she was doing right then.
The other guys had known things were screwed up with them and had kept the ribbing and questions to a minimum. The first two months, Neal had been a total asshole to live with and had damn near drunk himself into a stupor when they were off work each night. He was doing a lot better now and Mark didn’t want anything to set him back, so coming home was going to be tough.
As soon as he dried off, Mark pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. He found Neal standing at the bar looking out over the living room with a beer in his hand. Fuck. Not good.
“So, large pizza with everything?” he asked.
“Yeah, that will work.” He turned up the beer and drained it.
Mark struggled not to say anything. He was entitled to get drunk if he wanted to. He wouldn’t say anything on their first night back. After that, he’d tear him a new one.
Mark called in the pizza and grabbed a beer for himself. He noticed there were only six left, so Neal wouldn’t get sloshed after all. He followed his friend into the living room and waited as he turned on the TV.
“I hope Cole doesn’t look at us working anytime soon. I’m washed out,” Neal said.
“Me, too. I could use some downtime. I don’t even want to go anywhere for a while.” Mark settled into his recliner and watched as Neal surfed through the channels.
“There isn’t fuck on tonight. Want to watch a movie?” Neal asked.
“Fine with me. Let’s wait till after the pizza gets here, though.”
Neal nodded and continued pushing the remote absently. “Do you miss her still, Mark?”
“Yeah,” he said with a sigh.
“Some nights I wake up thinking she’s still in the bed with us. Then I roll over and realize I’m alone.” Neal tossed the remote over on the couch.
“I do the same thing. I find myself reaching for her and then realize she’s not there.”
“How long is it going to be this way?” Neal asked.
“I don’t know. Right now, it’s still as fresh as if it were yesterday.”
“Fuck.” Neal leaned back in the recliner and crossed his arms over his eyes.
The doorbell rang.
“Damn, that was quick. I don’t think we’ve ever gotten pizza that fast before.” Mark poured out of the recliner and reached for his wallet.
“Could be some of the guys wanting to go out.”
“Naw, they usually call first.” Mark reached the front door and unlocked it. When he opened it, he just stood there with his mouth open.
“Um, hi.” Alexis stood in the doorway wearing jeans and a thick coat.
“Fuck, what are you doing here?” he asked before he thought about it.
“I–I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I should have called first.” She turned to walk away.
Mark came to himself and grabbed her arm. “Wait. I didn’t mean it like that. I just couldn’t believe it was you. Come in.” He dragged her in the house.
“Neal!”
Neal didn’t budge. “What? Don’t you have enough to pay for it?”
“It’s not the fucking pizza, Neal. Come here.”
Alexis stood in the entranceway with tears in her eyes. He ran his hands up and down her arms through the thick coat. He couldn’t take his eyes off her in case she disappeared.
He heard Neal get out of the recliner then his fuck before he walked into the entrance hall and grabbed Alexis from Mark.
“You’re here. You’re really here.” Then he pushed her back and ran his hands into his pockets. “How long are you planning to stay this time?”
“Neal,” Mark said.
“It’s okay. He has the right. I left before.” Alexis swallowed and looked from one of them to the other. “I was, I mean, I wanted to stay if you still want me.”
Mark could tell she was on the verge of crying. He didn’t want her to cry. But Neal had to be the one to tell her she could stay. God, if he didn’t, Mark wasn’t sure what he would do.
“You want to stay with us? Forever?”
“If you’ll have me,” she whispered.
Neal’s carefully neutral face slowly transformed into a huge grin. “Hell, yes, we want you to stay.” He pulled his hands out of his pockets and grabbed her and swung her around.
“Fuck! Have you been sick? You’ve lost weight.” He grabbed at her coat and started peeling it off of her.
“Hell, Alexis. He’s right. You’ve lost weight, a lot of weight. Have you been sick?” Mark touched her cheek with his hand.
“I had some trouble with my ulcers. I’m fine now, though.” She smiled and reached out a hand to touch his chest.
“I’m so glad you’re here, baby.” Neal tossed her coat over a hook. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Mark waited his turn but lost patience when Neal didn’t let her up for a breath.
“Hey, quit hogging her,” he said, and turned her around for his kiss.
Her mouth tasted like heaven. He licked all around the inside then settled his tongue alongside hers. He rubbed it with his before sucking hers back into his mouth. When he came up for air, she smiled at him. It brightened his world considerably.
The doorbell rang again.
Neal pulled Alexis away from him. “You get the pizza.”
Mark made a face and flashed him the bird before opening the door to the pizza guy.
“Hey, did you know there are a couple of suitcases out here?” the pizza guy asked.
“Yeah, got to get them in. What do I owe you?”
Mark paid the guy. After setting the pizza on the bar in the kitchen, he went outside and retrieved Alexis’s suitcases. He took them directly up to the master suite and found Neal with Alexis pinned to the wall beside the door.
* * * *
Alexis couldn’t believe it. She was not only finally here, but she was pinned by Neal to the bedroom wall. He was devouring her mouth and she couldn’t get enough of him. She moaned as he pulled back and nipped at her jaw before sucking on her earlobe.
“I want you so badly right now, I could pound nails with my dick,” Neal confessed.
“I’d rather you pounded me instead,” she quipped.
“Before anyone does any pounding, we need to talk,” Mark said, being the voice of reason.
“Talk’s cheap,” Neal said, and redoubled his efforts to strip her clothes from her.
“Neal. Slow down. She’s been sick. We need to talk.” Mark laid a hand on N
eal’s shoulder.
The other man stilled and hung his head. Then he backed off and nodded. “You’re right.”
“Alexis, have a seat.” Mark led her over to a chair. “Not on the bed, or neither one of us will be able to keep our hands off of you.”
“What did you want to talk about?” she asked, a little afraid they were going to give her ultimatums.
“So tell us about your ulcers. How bad are they?” Mark asked.
“I’m fine now,” she quickly said.
“But you weren’t at some point, or you wouldn’t have lost so much weight,” Neal interrupted her.
“I was in the hospital for a week. I had lost weight and started hurting. They put me on some medicine, and now I’m fine. I just have to take my medicine and eat right.” She smiled, hoping that would put their minds at ease.
“Was the stress of work getting to you again?” Mark asked.
“No, I wasn’t really stressing at work. I was over all that.” She shrugged.
“Then why were you stressed out enough to lose weight and stir up your ulcers?” Neal asked.
“I missed you two,” she confessed.
They stared at her with open mouths. Then Mark shook his head.
“Then why did you stay away for four freaking months?”
“I had to get it through my head that it was all right to love you both at the same time. I just couldn’t get around that at first. It was wrong.”
“Wait. Back up. Did you say you love us?” Neal asked.
“Yes. I love you both. More than I can even say.”
“Hot damn!” Neal pulled her out of the chair and swung her around.
“Easy, Neal. Don’t hurt her.” Mark eased her from Neal’s arms.
“I’m okay, Mark. You don’t have to be careful with me. I’m not going to break.” She didn’t want them to treat her any differently.
“You feel brittle as a piece of glass, baby. I’m scared to touch you,” Mark confessed.
“Please don’t feel that way. I want to feel you inside of me. I miss you two so much.”
Neal wrapped his arms around her from behind and slowly bared her belly by rolling her shirt upward. She watched Mark’s eyes as her skin began to show. The more Neal raised her shirt, the darker Mark’s eyes got.