by Jane Jamison
Karen came down the steps and put out her hand. “Hi. I’m Karen Triston. I’m Mike’s sister and Alex’s cousin. Seriously. I am.”
Although Jilly’s back was to him, he could feel the tension leave her. She finally understood.
“His sister? For real?”
Karen was enjoying the hell out of his predicament. “Yes. For real. And I’m his favorite sister.”
“She’s my only sister.” He grinned at Karen. “But even if I had ten sisters, she’d still be my favorite.”
“I am such an idiot.” Jilly took Karen’s hand. “Please, please believe me when I say that I’m a lot smarter than you must think I am.”
Karen pulled her into a quick hug, then released her. “Don’t worry about it. I go a little nutsy whenever I’m with these two. I just came by for a visit on my way from my home in Amarillo to Dallas. But a visit is about all I can handle with these crazy guys.”
“Thanks for understanding.”
“No problem. I’m just glad you didn’t scratch my eyes out. For a minute there, I thought you were going to do just that.”
“Yeah, well…” Thankfully, Jilly didn’t finish her sentence.
Mike knew it was coming. He could see it in the twinkle of his sister’s eyes.
“So, bro, what’s this I hear about masters and submissives?”
“This is not a conversation I want to have with my sister. Alex, get Karen a drink or something while I take our prisoner back upstairs.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. I’m sticking right here. So your sister doesn’t know about you being a Dom? Or that you two are into BDSM?”
“Shit. Just shoot me.”
Alex grabbed Karen’s hand. “Come on. Let’s get back inside and talk.”
Reluctantly, Mike followed everyone back inside. He joined Karen on the couch with Jilly on the other side of him. If they thought he was going to talk about sex stuff in front of his sister, they’d be sorely disappointed. He’d rather be trampled by a herd of angry cattle.
“Mike, calm down.” Karen bumped her shoulder against his. “It’s not like I thought you were still a virgin.”
“Yeah, but—” But what? Talking about it with his sister was excruciating.
“Don’t worry about it. We all have things we like to do in the bedroom. Seriously, do you think Rex and Henry are just my roommates?”
He clamped his hands over his ears. “Shit. I don’t want to hear about my sister shacking up. Stop talking before my ears fall off.”
Karen glared at him. “Hey, knock it off. So you two can have a girlfriend staying with you, but I’m shacking up? Double standard much?”
Alex laughed, clapping his hand on his knee. “Hell, man, even I figured out what was going on with those three a long time ago. I don’t know how you could’ve missed it.”
“Because she’s my sister. Sisters don’t have sex. At least not mine.”
“Whoa, man, you are so wrong.”
He glared at Alex. The least he could do was help him out. Instead, he figured he was going to get needled about his sister for weeks to come.
“So? Is Jilly your exclusive sub?” Karen took his hand. “I don’t mean to pry, but obviously she thought she was. Until I came along.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I was wrong to think so. I mean, we haven’t known each other very long. I don’t have any right to expect anything from either one of them.” Jilly tried to stand, but Mike took her hand and kept her seated.
“Stop, Jilly.” He checked with Alex and got a nod. “I know we haven’t said anything yet, and we kind of hoped it would be a better time and place, but you’re the one we want. As our permanent and exclusive sub. Even if you get the job at the club, we still want you for ourselves.”
“Yeah, we do, baby. Both of us.” Alex grew even more serious. “There is one thing. If you still want the job at the club, then that’s okay with us. But just as a waitress, all right? Not as a sub.”
Aw, shit. Both Karen and Jilly had tears in their eyes.
“As a waitress only. I’m your sub and only yours. But then why’d you want me to stay in the kitchen?”
“Because I didn’t want you to meet Karen yet. Not because we don’t want you or aren’t proud of you, but because she didn’t know about us being Doms. I mean, it’s not something a brother talks about with his sister.” He slicked back his hair and let out a groan. “I guess I panicked a little when she came in. And then when you walked out, I didn’t know what to do.”
“Damn it, Mike. I’m sorry I messed it up for you. I didn’t mean to.” Karen wiped away a tear that had gotten loose to track down her cheek. “But I’m so happy that you’ve found the right girl.”
“No, I’m the one who messed it up.” Jilly sniffed.
How can women cry and smile at the same time? “No. It’s my fault, plain and simple.” The whole thing was fucking irritating.
Alex stood, pulling Jilly into his arms. “What’s done is done. Now that you know, do you accept? Will you be our permanent submissive?”
“Hell, yeah I will.”
“Let’s grab a few beers and toast to it.” Karen gave Jilly another quick hug. “Welcome to the family, Jilly. I just hope you don’t regret it.”
Mike groaned as he followed the rest of them into the kitchen. If they didn’t stop talking about relationships soon, he’d go insane. Still, it was good to have their feelings out in the open. “She won’t. Not if I have anything to say about it.”
Karen opened the refrigerator and started passing around bottles of beer. “So, Jilly, how are they? In bed, I mean.”
Damn. If Hell could swallow me whole right now I’d count myself lucky. Mike put everything into the look he gave her. “You are so fucking out of your mind if you think she’s going to answer. Jilly, not one damn word. Sis, for the love of everything holy, can we stop talking about this? Like right now?”
“But why? I like teasing you.”
Jilly was flying high. The fall hadn’t hurt her at all, and now that she knew they wanted her as their sub forever, she was practically dancing around the kitchen. Even if Karen was riding his last nerve, he liked seeing Jilly so happy.
“Enough is enough.”
“Mike’s right. It’s kind of creepy.” Alex took a long swig from his beer then ducked out of the way of Karen’s punch.
“Karen, I think we’re going to have to change the subject.”
“Good, Jilly. And thanks for that.” He’d have to reward her for her help.
Karen frowned, but didn’t push it. “Okay, fine. I guess men are squeamish that way. Like they don’t have a clue how much women want sex, too.”
“Argh. Enough.” He was out the backdoor as fast as he could go.
* * * *
Jilly twirled around the bedroom. She was the Triston cousins’ exclusive submissive. After Karen had left, they’d talked about it and had decided to delay a collaring ceremony until after the club reopened. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t dying to tell Molly everything.
“Jilly, let’s get going. We’re going to be late.”
“Coming.” She hurried down the steps, eager to be off to the Houston ranch for a barbecue. “Are we taking anything?” Almost at the bottom step, she stopped and took a moment to admire her men.
They were amazing. Sexy as hell in their casual attire, but they couldn’t have looked any better if they’d been dressed in tuxes. They had on good shirts with elaborate stitching, like country singers wore when performing. Even their boots weren’t the worn ones they usually wore. They were two blond hunks with unending muscles. But the best parts about them were their eyes.
Hazel and gray eyes. Eyes that were fixed on her. Eyes that held all the love in the world just for her.
“You look so hot.”
Alex slapped his cousin on the shoulder. “I agree. In fact, I’d say you look good enough to eat.”
Jilly tugged on her shirt. “Yeah? Really? So this is okay?” She’d worn jean shorts, but
had added a silk top to make it a little less casual.
“We’re only going to a barbecue. There’s no need to get all dolled up.”
“Oh, is that so, Alex? Then why are you guys wearing nice clothes? That’s not what you wear around the ranch.”
“She’s got you there.” Mike offered her his hand. “I know we’re pushing for time, but we wanted to talk to you first.”
“Should I be worried?” She’d said it a laughing way, but suddenly she wasn’t so sure. She took Mike’s hand and let him pull her between them.
Alex grew as serious as Mike was. “We know things got kind of messed up when Karen showed up without warning.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad I got to meet her.” She laid her palm against Alex’s chest. At once, the need to have them that was always there blossomed into more. She’d risk never making it to the cookout if she let her hand stay where it was. But that was okay by her and Molly would understand. “And I want to meet your family, too, if that’s okay. Do you have anyone who might show up unexpectedly?”
“Nope. One of my brothers and my two sisters are scattered around the country. And I have a brother who’s serving overseas right now. I’d be thrilled if he showed up without notice.”
“And what about your parents? Both of you? Would they like what was going on between us?” She just hoped they weren’t going to tell her it was over. That they hadn’t meant what they’d said earlier.
“I really don’t know. They can be liberal in most things, but with their son as a Dom?” Alex shrugged. “I’m not sure they’d know what that is, and I’m sure as hell not explaining it to them.”
“My parents don’t need to know and they won’t if I can help it,” added Mike.
She couldn’t wait any longer. She had to know everything was still good between them. “So we’re okay? You haven’t changed your mind about me? About us?”
“Hell, no.” Alex took her hand and brought it to his lips for a soft kiss. “You’re our sub and we’re you’re Doms. Nothing’s going to change that. Or have you changed your mind?”
“Hell, no,” she said, mimicking him.
“And what about your parents, Jilly?” Mike’s concern furrowed his brow. “What will they say?”
“They’ll probably pass out, especially if Molly and I break the news to them together. They already know about us dropping out of college and wanting to get waitress jobs. But each of us having two men and living with them? I don’t know if they’ll survive the shock.”
Thinking about her parents wasn’t pleasant. No matter how they felt, she’d stick by her sister and with her men.
“Good. Now that it’s clear between us, we’d better get moving. Derrick has a cow if someone shows up late.”
Mike grabbed the door, holding it open for her. Whenever they weren’t in their Dom/sub roles, the men treated her like a princess. They were polite, considerate, and every inch the gentlemen. It was a nice counterpart to their Dom personas although she loved thinking about how firm and macho they were once the playtime started.
She slid into the pickup and sat in the middle as Alex got behind the wheel and Mike slid in on her other side. “What about kids?”
Alex turned the engine over, then leaned back and studied her. “Where’d that come from?”
“Well, we were just talking about families. Why not talk about our family? Do you two want children?” Was she assuming too much? They’d said they wanted her as their exclusive sub, but did they want her as their partner in life? Like a wife?
Alex put his attention on the road, but Mike’s piercing look drove into her. “Yeah. I don’t think I ever gave it much thought before, but now that you ask, it just hit me. Yeah. I’d like to have two or three of them.”
She was going for broke. “So are you saying you want me to be more than just your sub?”
Mike and Alex exchanged a look, and then Mike’s gaze came to hers. “Man, we really didn’t line things out, did we? Of course we want you as our wife. And if you want to legally marry one of us, then just pick which one. So, yeah, I want kids.”
She tried not to let out a shriek of delight. The way they were talking made everything sound so casual, as though they’d always known they’d be together. Casual as though they were discussing what to buy at the grocery store. But that was the way with them. No big fuss. Just lay it out straight.
They loved her and she loved them. Maybe they hadn’t said the words out loud, but it was the truth. Pure and simple.
“Funny. I never gave the idea of having kids much thought, either. The question just popped into my head.” She was too young to think about kids yet, and hadn’t. But babies with the Triston men sounded wonderful.
It was like Alex had read her mind. “Me, too. Although not right away. I’d like to take a few years with it just being the three of us. You know, since we’re moving so fast already, it’ll be good to slow down and get to know each other better.”
“You’re right.” Wasn’t it a good sign that they had the same thought? “Exactly. I want to learn everything I can about you two. You know. The important stuff like”—she paused to consider it—“what your favorite color is. Or if you like ham or turkey for the holiday meals.”
“Baby.” Alex’s grin warned her of what might come next. “As long as you’re not doing the cooking, I don’t care if we have hot dogs.”
“Ha-ha.” She shoved against him, making him pull the steering wheel to the left and swerve the truck across the center of the road. Thankfully, the road was empty. “Give me time. I’ll learn.”
“And if you don’t?” teased Mike.
“Then you’ll just have to deal with it. And buy a lot of frozen dinners. Or do the cooking yourself.” She thrust out her breasts then shifted in her seat so that the right one brushed against Mike’s arm. “Besides, I’ll give you everything else you want, Dom Mike.”
Mike cupped her breast. “Is that right, sub? Prove it.”
She jerked back, leaning away from Mike. “Uh-uh. I’m not getting my makeup and hair messed up before the barbecue.”
“What about after?”
The way his eyes gleamed with need almost made her reconsider. “After is a whole different story.”
“Then we eat and get out of there as fast as we can,” quipped Alex.
She was still smiling when they pulled into the driveway in front of the Houston home. After pushing Mike to get out of the truck, she slid off the seat and took off around the side of the house. The delicious smell of steaks cooking drifted in the air, but it was the need to share what had happened with her sister that drove her faster.
She rounded the corner and slammed to a stop. Caleb and Derrick had Molly trapped between them, their hands skimming over her body.
“Uh, should we turn around and go home?”
Molly whirled around, her face flushed and a more-than-satisfied smile on her face. “No way. The steaks are cooking and, um, Derrick, was about to toss the potatoes on the fire.”
What her sister was trying cover up was impossible. Jilly was more than thrilled to see it.
“Jilly, come with me. You can help me get the beer out of the fridge.”
Ooh, good. Her sister had something to spill, too.
But that didn’t mean she couldn’t still give her a hard time.
“Why? It doesn’t take both of us to carry a six-pack? Even two.”
Molly didn’t take the bait. She yanked Jilly along with her, straight into the kitchen. “Just come with me.”
Jilly laughed, then gasped as Molly grabbed her by the arms, her eyes alight with joy. She pulled her sister into a hard bear hug.
“They want me. They really want me.”
Well, duh. How could her sister have ever doubted it? She’d known the Houston men wanted her from the first moment they’d set their eyes on her.
“Oh, sis, I told you. Hey, you’re choking me.”
“They were testing me.”
She didn’t both
er reminding her that she’d said as much. Molly didn’t always pay close attention to what she said, especially when her mind was occupied elsewhere. Like on two handsome cowboys.
“They were? Why those sneaks!” Molly had to be deaf and blind not to know she wasn’t hearing anything new. But she played along, delaying her good news to bask in her sister’s happiness.
“Yeah, I know I should be mad, but I’m not. I’m just too damn happy. It’s was Derrick’s idea, of course. He wanted to make sure I could handle living on the ranch. That I could do whatever chores I had to do to help out. And I proved I could.”
Jilly just nodded, still playing like she didn’t know it. She bit her lower lip, forcing herself to keep quiet about the Triston men being her Doms and more. Her unofficial husbands and the future fathers of her children.
She and Molly had taken a gamble dropping out of college, but it had paid off in a big way. Bigger than either one of them had hoped for. Sure, they’d come to take jobs and find Doms, but they’d never voiced the idea of love. Maybe they’d assumed that was too much to hope for. And yet, it had come along and found them.
“So what now? Are they going to be your Doms?”
“We didn’t get that far.”
Damn. She’d hope Molly would have really good news to tell her. News like hers.
What were the Houston men waiting for? She’d ask, but she didn’t want her sister to get upset. Or even think it wasn’t a possibility. Instead, she distracted her. “Yeah, I saw. You had other things to discuss first.” Jilly added air quotes to not only other things but to discuss, too. Hopefully, the cloud that had passed over Molly’s face would go away.
“And we would’ve gotten into a deeper discussion if you hadn’t interrupted us.” Molly did her own quotes around discussion.
“Ooh, lame. But interesting.” Teasing couldn’t hurt. Knowing Molly, she’d take the teasing as a sign that everything was just fine. And that Jilly didn’t doubt their relationship in the slightest. But if Caleb and Derrick didn’t tell Molly soon that she was their exclusive sub, she’d wring their necks.