by Tara Rose
“Oh, that. At first Elliot suggested a storm shelter but it’s not large enough. Then he and Kade simply asked Jesse one day. They’re storing fireworks in there. Wendy went to the mainland after Independence Day and bought a ton of them. She had to send most of them over by boat because the pilot of the private plane wouldn’t let her bring that many on board.”
Leta laughed. “Why do they need so many?”
“They’re planning on shooting a few off every night like they do at Disney World, so she wanted to stockpile them. She can’t have them shipped to the island on a regular basis.”
“Oh, won’t that be fun? We’ll probably be able to see them from the house.”
“So could we, if there were less trees.”
Kade’s and Elliot’s homes were set back into a heavily forested area, but the view up and down the beach from the home Leta shared with Nando and Graham was broken only by the occasional palm tree. The only reason they couldn’t see this particular site in full was that the land curved before reaching it. “Well, you’re welcome to come over and watch from our deck any evening you want.”
Giselle smiled. “Thanks. I’ll pass that along to Kade and Elliot.”
Leta watched her friend for a few seconds. “Are you happy doing this? Being a sub to two Doms? Tell me the truth. This is just between us.”
She raised her brows in surprise. “Aren’t you?”
“I am. I mean, I didn’t know how I’d react having sex or playing with two men. Nando has had the fantasy for a long time, and once he finally told me about it, I still wasn’t sure. But I love him so much…I would do anything for him. You know?”
Giselle nodded. “So then, you only did this because he wanted to?”
“No, that’s not it. He only wanted the one time fantasy and it took me a while, but I finally agreed to it because once he planted the idea in my head, I was more than curious.”
“And how did it go?”
“It went well, but there was some weirdness during the aftercare. Nando got really jealous, but then he insisted Graham spend the night. He did, but he didn’t sleep in our bed. He slept in the same room he’d always used before. But then he left in the middle of the night.”
“So how did you three end up together?”
Leta told Giselle about spotting Graham watching them outside Lady of The Night, and then gave her the short version of that evening. Then she stopped because she realized this probably wasn’t something she should be telling anyone, even a best friend, without their okay.
“Like I said. It’s a guy thing. They’re both alpha, just like Kade and Elliot are, so someone has to be top dog all the time. But to answer your question, I love it. It’s intense. I mean, the sex and the play. Don’t you think so?”
Leta was grateful that Giselle hadn’t pushed for more details, and had steered the conversation back toward her original intentions in asking the question. “Very. But I love it, too. And it’s not only that. Having them both with me all the time feels so right now. So natural. I didn’t think that could happen. Nando and I have been together a long time.”
“But you had a history with Graham, too.”
“A brief one.” But despite that, she’d never really stopped thinking about him. She hadn’t done as much fantasizing about being with him again one day as she’d done with Nando, but she’d never completely forgotten Graham.
“So did all those feelings rekindle when you gave Nando the fantasy?”
“Yeah. They sure did.”
“It’s hard for them too, Leta. Even when they’re friends to start. Celina told me that she still divides her time between both Arizona’s and Dallas’s homes.”
“Well, I can understand why, in that situation.” Arizona and Dallas lived on one of the hills perched above the town, close to Asa’s home, on side-by-side lots separated only by a swimming pool. “They might as well live on the same piece of land up there, but with two homes. It’s not too different for Kade and Elliot, is it? They own the land their homes are on jointly, right?”
“That’s true. But at least the homes are separated a bit more. And now that we have something else to use the other one for, the move was easier on them both.”
“Arizona and Dallas should build a walkway or something to connect the two homes and just make it one big house.”
Giselle laughed. “I’ll tell them that, okay?”
After Leta left Giselle’s house, she went into town to buy fresh fruit, vegetables, and seafood for dinner. She spotted Kai Thilenique, Wendy’s niece, standing in front of a display case. Leta had known her in school, but hadn’t seen much of her since returning to the island. She tapped her on the shoulder, and when Kai turned around and recognized her, she shrieked and hugged her.
“I feel terrible. You’ve been back for years and I never came to see you.”
“It’s okay. I haven’t sought you out, either. How are you? You look great.”
She certainly had blossomed since high school. She’d been a few years behind Leta, but Leta remembered her as a shy, mousy girl whose clothes looked like they’d been worn out by a dozen people before she got them. Now, her dark, curly hair was decorated with a pretty abalone and jade butterfly clip, she wore a bright red tank top, and a flowered skirt that showed off her tanned, shapely legs. A far cry from the sad-looking girl she’d known in school.
“Thanks. So do you. Are you back for good?”
“Oh yeah. Definitely.” She eyed the items in Kai’s basket. Several loaves of bread, fresh-sliced lunchmeat, a brick of cheese, several tomatoes, and a head of Romaine lettuce. “Planning on making enough sandwiches to feed an army? For the construction crew, maybe?”
Kai had been raised by Wendy and Jesse after her parents were killed when Kai was a baby. Leta assumed she was involved with the resort construction, but at Leta’s question, a dark look settled over Kai’s face and her eyes filled with anger.
“Don’t even mention that damn resort.”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, it’s all right. I’m just so tired of hearing about it I could spit nails.” She glanced around, but no one was close enough to hear them. “You’d think by now my uncle and Asa would have buried the hatchet. They’re cousins, after all. I can’t imagine carrying on a fight this long with Merrick, Owen, or Gary.”
Merrick, Owen, and Gary were Jesse and Wendy’s boys, but Kai thought of them as her brothers. A lot of kids in school had mistakenly assumed she was their sister, not their cousin. Leta lowered her voice, even though they were far away from the other customers in the market. “What is the fight about, anyway?”
Kai looked skeptical. “You know, for years I thought everyone on this island knew the truth. But I tend to forget how well Asa can keep something under wraps when he wants to.”
Leta shivered slightly as she recalled Giselle’s story about her mother and Tim. “It’s none of my business. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“I don’t mind telling anyone now. They’re both being ridiculous. Before Asa married his third wife, Dot, she worked for my uncle. Did you know that?”
Leta nodded. Jesse Durante and his brother, Davis, had inherited the construction company that their father, Javel, had started around the time Phoebe’s Playthings first came into existence. They’d built the office building and attached plant and warehouses for practically nothing as a favor to Emilio Durante and Daniel Raleigh, the men who founded the company.
“You know my uncle can’t keep it in his pants. Ironically, neither can Asa. But my uncle and Dot had an affair that continued after she married Asa.”
“Holy shit.” No wonder Asa hated Jesse.
“Yeah. How’s that for karma? But the secret didn’t come out until Asa caught them one day. In his office at Phoebe’s Playthings, having sex on his desk.”
Leta put a hand to her mouth to cover up the laugh that threatened. “Oh my God.”
“It’s okay to laugh. I think it
’s hysterical. Not the adultery. That makes me sick. But the fact that the great King Asa wasn’t able to keep one of his wives from fucking his cousin.”
“Does your aunt know?”
“Oh yeah. It wasn’t the first affair he’d had. She forgave him and took him back. Every single time. Asa, of course, was furious. I think he was angrier at my aunt and uncle than Dot. He wanted retribution, and instead they’re building this resort. It’s like they’re twisting the knife in his gut all over again. My uncle says Asa sees this as him and my aunt laughing at him for not being able to keep his wife happy in bed, or his company as the most profitable business on this island.”
“Do they really think this resort will do more business than Phoebe’s Playthings?”
Kai shrugged. “Who knows? Who cares? I’m so sick of the whole thing I could puke. I refuse to talk to them about it anymore.”
“I’m sorry. This has to be hard on you.”
“Not at all. They raised me, but that doesn’t mean they can use me to fight their silly battles. If you ask me, they all need to grow up already.”
Leta and Kai moved on to small talk about other subjects, and then Leta asked if she could share the story about Asa and Jesse with Graham and Nando.
“Sure. I don’t care. Tell the whole island. It can’t do any more harm than their dim-witted attorney did recently on the news.”
“So, you don’t agree with what he said about Asa and Phoebe’s Playthings to the media?”
“I’ll never be Asa’s greatest fan, but I think it was a low blow. And it was unnecessary. I think they should just build the resort and let its success speak for itself. There’s no need to put down the company that this entire island owes its existence to.”
Afterward, while Leta made her way home, she tried to think of a way to break this news to Graham and Nando without them thinking she’d been out all day gossiping. What a mess. Not that either of them would be surprised by the news. And she had newfound respect for Kai for not allowing her aunt and uncle to influence her thinking. She’d have to make sure to keep in touch with her from now on.
Chapter Fifteen
Graham and Jagger both decided to knock off the extra work just after one in the afternoon. They’d done all they could possibly do short of outright attacking the resort, which they refused to do. Not that Asa or Tim had suggested it, but the underlying hint had been there, just the same.
“Even their name pisses me off,” said Asa, his face red as he’d paced around the conference room in the PR department. “Palace of Eris. It’s too close to this company’s name.”
Jagger had laughed at that comment. “Asa, Eris’s name means ‘discord.’ It’s not even close to why Daniel and Emilio named this company after the goddess Phoebe.”
“They’re both Greek goddesses. They did it on purpose.”
“Well even if they did,” said Graham, “do you really think people are going to Google the names and look for a hidden connection?”
“Not likely,” said Jagger. “And if they did do it on purpose, the name reflects unfavorably on them, not you.”
Asa shook his head. “I’m not letting them get away with this. If there’s nothing else we can do without hurting the company, it’s time to take matters into my own hands.”
After that cryptic remark, Nando left the department to work on the plan he and Liam were finalizing. Asa left shortly after that, and then when Jagger went home, Graham walked over to manufacturing, where Nando and Liam were still at work. “I’m taking off. There’s nothing more we can do here today.”
“All right. I’ll be along in a couple of hours.” Leta had texted them both earlier to say she’d have dinner ready about six. “Tell Leta I’ll be home in time for dinner.”
When Graham walked into the house, Leta was putting away groceries. She started to kneel in greeting, which she’d been doing every morning for both of them, but he stopped her. “Question. Would you be uncomfortable if we had protocols of our own?”
“No, Sir. Of course not.”
“Good. Because I don’t expect you to stop what you’re doing and kneel for me, simply because I walk into the house.”
She blinked a few times, her face reflecting uncertainty. “All right. What about in the mornings?”
“I suppose we have to keep that one because you do it for Nando every day.”
He and Nando had gotten into more than one heated discussion about protocols this past week. Graham had explained that he knew Leta and him had been together a long time, so he didn’t feel comfortable adopting all their protocols as his own. He felt that he and Leta should have their own.
Nando had explained that he didn’t want Leta confused, and that asking her to adopt a second set might make her feel as if the two of them couldn’t get along behind the scenes. But Graham felt that was silly, and that she wouldn’t mind doing so. He’d also told Nando that he didn’t get to decide what was right for him as a Dom simply because he’d been with Leta first.
They hadn’t wanted to upset her, so each time she’d accidentally found them arguing, they’d pretended everything was all right. But she wasn’t stupid or oblivious. Sooner or later she was going to realize something was festering underneath the surface.
“Then I’ll only kneel for you in the mornings, Sir. And of course if you ask me to at other times. Is there another way you’d like me to greet you instead of kneeling?”
He grinned, and his dick grew hard at the way her eyes went all soft. He lived for that expression now. He could glimpse it on her face every day for the rest of his life and never grow tired of it. “Kiss me, Leta. Just kiss me. That’s all you have to do.”
She smiled, put down the groceries, and sauntered toward him, moving her hips seductively. Even dressed in something as simple as a tank top and shorts, she was fucking beautiful. When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around him and planted a kiss on his lips that was so hot, he expected to burst into flames any second. He returned the kiss, devouring her mouth with his until she whimpered and squirmed against him.
How much time was left until dinner?
He sneaked a quick glance at the clock on the microwave, over her shoulder. Four hours. That was more than enough time to take care of business and still give her time to cook. Hell. He’d gladly help her if it meant having this unexpected afternoon delight with her. They hadn’t had any alone time since he’d moved in here.
Graham released the kiss and tossed the food into the fridge so it wouldn’t spoil, and then he picked her up and carried her to the room where he’d put his things. It wasn’t that he had no right to make love to her without Nando around, but he still felt awkward about sleeping in the same bed with them both. He’d feel even more awkward in there alone with her right now.
She didn’t say anything about the room they were in, and he was grateful for that. He wanted no long explanations right now or in-depth talks. He only wanted to touch her, hold her, kiss her, and fuck her silly.
They tugged each other’s clothes off like a couple of horny teens, and Graham cursed out loud once they were naked when he realized there were no condoms in this room. “Hang on. Be right back.”
She sat up and hugged her knees. “Bring the lube, Sir. And maybe some toys.”
He gave her a droll look. “You’re doing an awful lot of topping from the bottom lately. I think we’ve been too lax with some of the rules.”
Her giggles and the gleam in her eyes nearly made him come. “I’m sorry, Sir.”
“Don’t move from that bed.”
* * * *
As if she’d go anywhere right now.
Leta lay back against the pillows and stretched out her limbs, listening for the sound of Graham returning. When he came back into the room, she watched him place a bundle of toys concealed inside a black cloth on the nightstand, along with a box of condoms and the bottle of lube. “You’ve been a bad girl all week. It’s time to get punished for it.”
A quick, nagg
ing thought raced through her mind as he pulled out one of the spanking gloves from under the cloth. Shouldn’t both men decide on a punishment? Then she pushed it aside. Graham was only playing around, trying to make this fun for her. It was spontaneous and sexy. She had nothing to fear. It was time to release her worries over these two not getting along, and enjoy this afternoon.
Then she’d make them a delicious dinner. And afterward, maybe they’d both spank her and fuck her? She couldn’t imagine Nando saying “no” to that.
“I understand, Sir.”
He put on the glove and she shivered. They were Nando’s spanking gloves, and both men had used them on her this past week. They kept their hands from getting tired, and hurt just as much as being paddled did, but she loved them.
He crooked his finger at her. “Over my knee. You know the drill, bad girl.”
“Yes, Sir.” Leta positioned herself over Graham’s left leg, shaking her ass at him and making a show of brushing her nipples against his thigh in an effort to get comfortable. She was rewarded with his hands all over her ass and breasts as she wiggled, and then a finger inside her pussy.
“You’re wet for me already. That proves what a bad girl you are.”
“I can’t help it, Sir. You make me so hot.”
“We’ll see how hot your ass is after I paddle it for being so bad all week.” He removed his finger and gave her ass cheeks a few half-hearted smacks with the glove on. It didn’t really hurt, but she moaned and wiggled around anyway.
The endorphin rush was crazy. This was the first time she’d played alone with Graham, and she found it to be almost forbidden in a way, perhaps because of the room he’d chosen. That made it more arousing, and soon her pussy was soaked and her clit throbbed. When the smacks grew more intense, her moans did as well.
“Here’s how I’ve decided to punish you this afternoon. That was just a warm-up. I’m going to give you ten smacks on your luscious ass with each paddle, after I give you ten on each cheek with this glove. In between the swats, I’ll tell you what you have to do to me. Understood?”