by Lynn Stark
They arrived home just as the tree was being delivered by two large men, reigniting the children’s energy level as if a switch had been flipped. They were disappointed to learn that they would have to wait until the next day to decorate it, which meant a busy day for Ellen. She didn’t mind in the least.
* * * *
Ellen spent the next morning working at the manor. She had been pleased to learn that Emmett, Randall’s father and second-generation butler at Redford Manor, had decided to come out of retirement after an extended world tour with his former employers. Edgar, the eldest of the Dorchester men, had returned from England a couple of years before. He had been the butler for forty years and now lived in an assisted living center. Randall had arrived with him and had taken the position of butler and curator at the manor. They were as much a part of the Redford family as Ellen was. She often teased them that they enjoyed adopting people and that they were far too democratic for being disgustingly wealthy. Of course, neither Emmett nor Edgar would have ever considered sitting down for a meal with the family. They were far too proper and came from a long line of men serving others.
Ellen and Emmett went through the house, from rafters to the extensive cellars, to check for everything from potential dust bunnies to cobwebs and dust. Her lips twitched as she watched him use electronic notebook to make lists of things needing to be taken care of. He used to carry around a large spiral notebook and legal pads.
“I see you’ve embraced technology.”
Emmett chuckled. “Never let it be said that I am set in my ways. Remember, at one time the pencil was considered cutting edge.”
“Very true. Now, about the lighting down here. It has all been converted to LED. No one should have to change a bulb for the next twenty to thirty years.”
“Excellent.”
Randall took over for Ellen at the end of the morning. He was giving up his position as butler to his father, as he began a new chapter in his own life. He would be opening an English-style pub close to the center of Silver. His love life also seemed to be going well and Ellen wished him all the luck for the future.
Now she had to contemplate her own. She didn’t believe she was getting ahead of herself. Kane, Chase, and Chance were looking for more than sex from her. They hadn’t said it, but she knew. It was in the way they looked at her, the way they spoke. It was had been the same with Mitch and Jerry. They had looked at her as if she was the most special woman on earth. If all they wanted was sex, they wouldn’t be so intense.
Despite the worries of her daughters, Ellen had dated many times in the past few years, once her grief over Mitch’s and Jerry’s deaths had softened. That had taken time. She had loved them both so much. She missed them and the struggles and joys they had shared during their too brief time together. There hadn’t been a part of her, however, that felt the need to replace them in her life. What she had never told her daughters was that while she had dated, those dates had not included sex.
Now she wasn’t so certain that she hadn’t found men to spend the remainder of her life with. Perhaps it was because she was getting older. Sitting alone in the house in the evenings was not exactly exciting. Was it just loneliness? If she needed someone or something to talk to, she could get a dog or cat. And sex? Hell, that wasn’t a problem in Silver. She was a card-carrying member of the Silver Edge, a private sex club. There was always someone for everyone.
Ellen walked out with the cleaning crew and headed to her house to change clothes. She suddenly felt the need for a new outfit to wear for her date with Chase. By the time she finished, Ellen had bought enough clothes to make a dozen new outfits. She was big on accessories, and interchangeable garments, which increased her wardrobe considerably.
There were also gifts for Christmas. Ellen finished the purchases for her family, sons-in-law included, as well as items of a not-too-personal nature for the men she suspected would become a permanent part of her life. Still, she limited the gifts to ones that were small and rather inexpensive. They said, I was thinking of you, without sinking money or sentiment into them. She just hated not giving a gift to someone who was a part of her life. Christmas was all about giving and she gave to many people, both friends and acquaintances, as well as organizations.
Ellen hid away the gifts before going to her room and dumping the purchases for herself onto her bed. She sorted it all out, smiling when she lifted the dark rose-colored dress and examined it again. It was form-fitting, with long sleeves and a scoop neckline. Other than showing off her curves to perfection, it was relatively modest.
Glancing at the clock, Ellen determined she had enough time for a leisurely soak in the tub before she had to get ready for her date with Chase. Undressing as the water filled the tub, she smiled as she thought of the tall man with the sparkling green eyes and the ready laugh.
Getting to know the men was no hardship. Chance and Chase had easy personalities. They were lighthearted and sexy as hell. She would learn more about Chase during their date, but she guessed she would confirm what she suspected, that he was also completely uncomplicated.
As far as Kane was concerned, Ellen anticipated getting to know a man who was more complex and far more serious than his partners. She trembled as she remembered the fierceness of his lovemaking. The man didn’t hold back anything and encouraged her to be just as bold.
Ellen liked that.
Kane, Chase, and Chance were a good blend of personalities, something she gave a lot of thought to as she bathed in the lightly scented bathwater. There was a drop of oil in it, which left her skin silky smooth after she dried. Hopefully Chase would appreciate her efforts.
Yet worrying herself silly about being absolutely perfect was not a trap she would fall into. If this thing between them was going anywhere, and she had to determine if there was a thing, they would have to accept her stray gray hairs, crow’s feet, and sagging boobs.
The doorbell rang as Ellen stepped into a pair of black pumps. She grabbed her dress coat from the closet and headed downstairs to answer the door, only to be headed off by Megan. She laughed as she pulled the door open. Chase was standing there, flowers in hand. The expression on his face changed from warmly friendly to surprised and cautious.
“Hi, you must be Chase,” Megan greeted warmly, stepping back to let him into the house. “Your timing is great.” She laughed and closed the door. “By the way, I’m Megan.” She held out her hand. Chase took it, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Chase’s gaze shifted from Megan to Ellen. The smile on his face changed, transitioning from warmly polite, to delighted in a split second. Ellen caught her breath and stared. The man was so handsome. If they had been alone she would have ravished him on the spot. “Hi, Ellen. These are for you.”
Ellen took them, admiring the mixed bouquet. “Thank you. I love flowers. They always cheer up a room.”
After she had admired them for a few seconds, her fingers stroking over the edges of a carnation, Megan stepped forward. “Let me take care of those for you.” She kissed Ellen on the cheek. “You guys have fun. It was nice meeting you, Chase.”
“You, too, Megan.”
Ellen didn’t fail to notice Chase only had eyes for her and not the much younger version of herself. It pleased her. The man didn’t have straying eyes. She wouldn’t allow herself to be cynical and acknowledge he could just be very good at playing the seduction game.
Chase helped her into her coat. She buttoned it against the bitter cold and smiled at him. “I thought we would go to the restaurant at the Silver Star Hotel,” Chase told her. “It took some doing to get reservations, but I used my considerable charm and managed to get one.”
“It is a busy time of year for the restaurant.”
If it hadn’t been so brutally cold, they could have easily walked to the hotel. It was only a few minutes away on foot. As it was, Ellen hurried along the sidewalk with Chase, heading for the truck idling at the curb.
When
they arrived at the front of the hotel, Ellen laughed. “I don’t know if I’m willing to leave this nice toasty heat.” Icy wind rushing up the skirt of her dress was not pleasant. The valet hurried to open the door. “But I guess I don’t have any choice.”
They got out, Chase hurrying around to accompany Ellen inside the hotel. Their coats were taken from them before they went toward the restaurant. Albert, the maître d, greeted them in his stoic manner. He led them to their table, which was in the far corner by the windows.
“I hope you’re not one of those lettuce nibblers,” Chase teased as they were handed menus.
Ellen shook her head. “Not in this lifetime. I have an appetite I’m not afraid to satisfy.”
She and Chase stared at each other as the double meaning of her words registered. Chase grinned and nodded. “Good to know.”
Supper was enjoyable. Ellen found Chase to be an excellent companion. He was charming, amusing, and very attentive. As they ate their meal, he asked about her job and her life in Silver, but never crossed any boundaries, real or imagined. He respected her privacy and she appreciated that. In turn, Ellen questioned Chase about his life before arriving in Silver. He told her stories about his life on the rodeo circuit, about meeting Chance, and then Kane, and how they had connected instantly.
“We’ve never regretted it for a moment,” Chase confided with a smile. “They’re my soulmates.”
Nodding, Ellen felt her heart ache. “I know exactly how that feels. My husbands and I met while we were in college. They weren’t from Silver, had no knowledge of how things worked here, so to say they were more than a little shocked when I told them I wanted a relationship with both of them is an understatement. We were meant to be together. I felt it all the way to my toes.” She chuckled, remembering those first few months. “There were a few bumps in the road. We rented an apartment several miles from campus. To the outside world we were three roommates. When we were alone, however, we were passionate, sharing lovers. We never looked back or regretted it. We had fourteen very good years together, before they were killed. I have always been grateful we didn’t wait to have children. I gave birth to Cynthia my senior year and Megan a little over a year after that. Jerry and Mitch didn’t have nearly enough time with their daughters.” She sighed. “I only have a few regrets and that’s one of them.”
“You didn’t marry again?”
“No. I never met anyone I connected with. Perhaps I’m too picky.”
Chase shook his head. “I don’t think anyone should settle for someone to fill a need, if the right feelings aren’t there.”
“There were others to fill the role of father to my daughters. They had their grandparents and a multitude of uncles. I know it’s not the same. Still, they have had some excellent role models and a lot of love.”
“That’s what’s important.”
Turning the conversation away from the painful, Ellen asked curiously, “Do you miss competing in the rodeos?”
“No, not for a moment. Both Bill and I were ready to retire.”
“Bill?”
Chase laughed at her puzzlement. “My roping horse. I know I could have competed for a few more years, but Bill’s getting up there in age. I didn’t want to have to train another horse. It all worked out.”
After finishing their meal, Ellen was about to invite Chase to go to the penthouse suite with her, when he surprised her by asking, “Would you like to come home with me? I’ll be sure to have you back home before curious children can wonder where their grandmother has been.”
Smiling, Ellen nodded. “I would.”
Although she was perfectly willing to spend a few hours alone with Chase, spending that same time with the three men would be thrilling. They left the restaurant a few minutes later, waiting in the lobby for the valet to bring the truck around. As they rode toward Chase’s, Ellen wished it was still daylight so she could admire the beautiful winter landscape, beyond a glimpse here and there where the moonlight highlighted it. She didn’t get out of town often enough and decided she would go skiing within the next few days. Hopefully her family would accompany her. A day on the slopes would be a lot of fun.
“Have you ever been here?” Chase asked as they drove along the driveway leading up to the house perched on the rise above the valley.
“A few times. Friends of mine built it. They lived there several years, until they needed more room for their growing family. It’s a lovely spot for a house.”
The house was much like Colt Redford’s house a few miles away and close to his ski resort. The view was even more spectacular from its location. The house was much larger, too, which was a good thing, because Colt had four partners and seven children.
The front door opened as they walked toward it. Ellen’s heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was Kane. If she suspected her being invited to their house had been planned, it was dismissed when she saw the expression of surprise on his handsome face.
“Ellen’s come for a visit,” Chase told him as Kane stepped back out of the doorway.
“Hello, Ellen.” Kane bent to kiss her softly on the mouth in greeting. He smiled down at her when he straightened. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you.” She felt herself blush like a teenager under his darkening stare. The desire was rising in the man. She could see it, almost feel it, as if it were her own. Spending time with Chase had sparked her desire hours ago. The ache of need was strong, leaving her wanting nothing more than to assuage it with their hands, mouths, and bodies on hers.
Ellen unbuttoned her coat before allowing Kane to slip it from her shoulders. She watched as he walked to one of the few solid wooden walls in the house. A cleverly concealed door was opened and the coat hung up. Kane took Chase’s from him, hanging it up with the others. Her gaze roamed over him. He was obviously dressed for a relaxing evening at home, in black sweatpants and a black T-shirt. His feet were bare, which wasn’t surprising because the floors had a heating element in them. They were nice feet, big and well cared for, with few signs they had been shoved in cowboy boots for years.
As the three of them walked through the house to the living room, Ellen wondered where Chance was. There was no sign of him in the living room, where there was a cheerful fire in the fireplace. It cast warm light over the room, the sleek modern furniture filling it, and the large rugs on the floor. Her gaze landed on the open book spread across the arm of a leather chair, indicating that Kane had been reading when they arrived.
“Hey, Kane, you want some of this?”
It was Chance. He came bounding down the stairs as he shouted the question, as naked and aroused as he could be. He nearly tripped as he reached the bottom step, his jaw dropping, before he covered his groin with his hands. It wasn’t a successful move, but it was endearing that he tried.
“We have guests,” Kane informed Chance needlessly as Chase erupted with laughter. Kane turned to Ellen. “Chance was in the shower.”
Chuckling, Ellen crossed the space between Chance and herself. “Don’t be shy, darling. I’ve seen it all, remember?” She lifted her face, waiting expectantly. Chance finally laughed and lowered his head to kiss her. “There, all better.”
“But that’s not what’s hurting,” Chance complained, dropping his hands so his cock pointed in her direction once again. “I have a terrible ache.”
“It does look painful,” Ellen observed before turning back to the two laughing men behind her. “Now, could a girl get a glass of wine? You do have wine, don’t you?”
Kane nodded, smiling. “Of course. Do you have a preference?”
“Not a one.”
As much as Ellen wanted to set a bed on fire with the three men, she wasn’t about to rush the moment. Each moment needed to be savored. She loved building the anticipation. It made the end result so much sweeter.
Building on this, Ellen walked to the long sofa in front of the fire and sat down. She heard Kane suggest Chance go and put some clothes on. She smiled as
Chase joined her, stretching an arm behind her on the sofa.
“Kane’s getting the wine. You know how to hurt the man. He buys the stuff, but he rarely drinks it. He claims it’s for special occasions.”
“I will be sure to appreciate it properly,” Ellen promised. “I would say this is a special occasion, wouldn’t you?”
“I would.” Chase leaned close to kiss her below the ear. She shivered and tipped her head to the side to give him better access. “We want to make love to you together.”
“I want that, too.”
Turning her head, Ellen found Chase’s mouth as it kissed its way closer to hers. Their mouths locked, her lips parting beneath his. They moaned in unison, their tongues playfully dueling. Twisting her body, Ellen wrapped her arms around Chase’s neck, holding on as he pressed her back into the cushions. She moaned again as the weight of his upper body lowered to hers, crushing her breasts.
She liked it.
“Hey, you big oaf, get off of Ellen so she can enjoy this wine.”
It was Kane’s voice. Chase broke off the kiss. Their lips clung for a moment before he raised his head. They stared at one another. His green eyes were dark like emeralds, with fire in their depths. Shivering, she smiled before straightening and smoothing her dress. Looking up, she saw that Kane’s gunmetal gray eyes were fixed on her, both gentle and filled with as much fire as Chase’s were. They were also filled with promises. As she took the glass of red wine from Kane, she looked around for Chance. He was seated in a deep armchair near the fireplace, appearing very relaxed, with a smile on his face and still without pants.
It was a good look for him.
Kane sat on the other side of her. Ellen took a sip of the wine, giving herself time to mentally prepare for what was to come, not that she really needed to do so. Her body was buzzing with anticipation. She had never been with three men before. Remembering how much pleasure she had received being loved on by two men, she hoped it would be as good as that. Mitch and Jerry had made the experience nothing short of magical.