by Amy Brent
Freya stayed with her mom for the first night. They were both excited to start working the following day, and we kissed Freya goodbye inside. I went inside to see Helen putting the dessert away that she served us and leaned against the counter as she smiled at me.
“You did it.” She’d had the same talk with me that she did Braden about following my heart.
“We did. She’s out there with her mom now talking about the studio. They’re excited,” I told her quietly as Helen smiled. I headed up to my room and looked out of the window at the cottage where lights were shining through the blinds. I couldn’t wait until we were all in our own place, but we agreed to wait until after the wedding. There would be a lot of sneaking around until then.
They opened the following day, and the orders were coming in within the first half of the day. There were already some lines up, but everyone was being realistic about deadlines. We talked to Freya about pushing herself since we were both worried about her after our time apart. She looked tired and unhealthy.
It was tricky being together. We spent time together as a threesome but let the rumor go out that she was with Braden. It was well-known that we were close so why wouldn’t Freya be with us? We played our roles as we watched her charm everyone with her designs and a huge heart. I knew that she’d be the perfect addition to the castle, and I was right. She stepped right in to help Mom with upcoming events, taking on interior design as well.
It was surreal to watch her by day and to be inside of her by night. We took in every way that we could in one of our bedrooms, fucking her until she was screaming into the pillow. Freya was gorgeous when she gave in to her needs with us and I teased her about what an innocent angel she was during the day. Nobody knew how much she loved to be tied up and teased, enjoying a little spanking if we could get away with the noise. We respected our parents with that and saved that for nights we were truly alone. It was amazing that we never got caught in the past when we’d get lost in one another.
EPILOGUE
Freya
Two years later
I worked on the gold material of the dress at my sewing machine, smiling as I listened to the banter in the studio. We had a successful business here and seemed to get more customers by the month. I’d hired two more girls to work for us after carefully interviewing and we seemed to be on track. I leaned my head back and rolled slowly as I closed my eyes.
I was eight months pregnant. I was having twins, and I liked to think that I’d have one for each of my loves. By all accounts, Braden was the father. There were a close few that knew the truth. I just wanted babies with them. They looked alike so there was a good chance the babies would take after all three of us.
I jumped as hands moved to massage my neck, breathing in the scent of Braden as I smiled. “Hi there,” I said as I felt his lips against my hair.
“How are you feeling?” His voice was filled with concern and I pecked his lips. He wanted me to stop working three months into the pregnancy, but I was young and healthy. I was working less and just going into the studio to scratch my creative itch.
“I’m fine, baby. You need to stop worrying so much,” I teased him as his eyes darkened.
“That is our son and daughter baking in there. I want all of you to be safe.” He kissed me again, and I closed my eyes as he stroked back my hair. I knew that he meant the babies belonged to all three of us.
“I will be.” I smiled at him, glancing back to see women staring at us with envy in their eyes. If only they knew what was really going on. “Where’s Cal?”
“Golfing with Dad. It’s their new thing.” Braden rolled his eyes. “I think it’s boring as fuck.” His voice was low, and I giggled as I looked down at the dress. He reached out and stroked my ring finger, tracing the diamond engagement ring along with the two shimmering bands flanking either side. I chose one for each man since they were both rooted firmly in my heart.
The wedding had been in the garden. It was between Braden and I in front of family and friends. I shared long looks with Callin during my vows, who was standing just behind his brother. The reception had been filled with dancing and laughter as everyone toasted us. It was an occasion at which I could celebrate with both of my men without drawing too much attention to us. It was later that we made everything official, moving everywhere on the bed in the hotel suite across town. We moved into a large house that was located across the property and offered us the privacy that we needed. The area was heavily guarded given the importance of their positions and Callin had a staged cottage nearby. There might come a time when we could tell everyone the truth, but I was happy for now. In just another month, I’d be starting the family I’d dreamed of watching my parents together.
Mama walked over and took a long look at me. She gazed at Braden and shook her head as I rolled my eyes.
“Not you, too. I’m pregnant, Mama. That doesn’t mean I need to stay in bed all day, just that I need to be careful. The lot of you are going to make me crazy.” I smiled as I spoke, unable to hide my love for them.
“Twins, Freya. That’s a lot different from just having one like I did. You need to stay off your feet as much as possible,” she said with concern in her voice.
“I’m sitting. See?” I asked, looking down at the chair they’d insisted I used as soon as I announced the pregnancy.
“You’re as stubborn as they come, Freya. Dinner at seven? Mom wants to talk about the masquerade ball.” He kissed me, and I smiled at him.
“I’ll be there, ready to eat for three.” Mom laughed as Braden walked out, telling everyone to have a good day as they watched him leave. I sighed and sipped my water before finishing the skirt with a careful eye. “You’re coming to dinner, aren’t you?”
“Of course.” Mama and Kathrine were close friends now and spent a lot of time together.
“Good.” She hugged me, telling me that she loved me before she went to help someone that just had just walked in.
I looked up, gazing at the bright studio filled with clothes of all colors. Women were talking about their ideas and projects that were in progress and it reminded me of the boutique in Paris. I still missed that place, but this offered everything I’d ever wanted. Mama was even dating though slowly. She’d been introduced to a friend of the family in the last few months and they hit it off immediately.
I smiled at the paintings that I’d hung up near our stations. They were in the original store and gifts from Daddy to celebrate the opening. I needed a little piece of him here and I planned to name my son after him as well.
The day ended with another stack of drawings and I yawned as Mama told me about them at the dinner table. I’d left after finishing the one dress, admittedly tired. She was bubbling over with excitement and I grinned at her as Callin and Braden sat beside me. Her new beau was sitting beside her and I looked Ned over with a warm gaze. He adored my mama and treated her well, which is something that she deserved.
I walked to the cottage with Braden and Callin, ready to sleep. It was gated so once we walked through the front, nobody could see anything. Braden opened the door for me as Callin helped me to the bedroom and on the bed. He kissed me hard as I smiled against his lips, holding him close.
Love comes in many forms and I found it in two brothers. I was scared at first but love always wins. Your heart should choose what it wants and not what others think are best for you. It is worth the happiness.
Freya needed a new start and found that at a castle a few countries away from her beloved home in France. All she wanted to do was work and save money to get her and her mama back on their feet. Everything changed when she met the princes of the kingdom.
Braden and Callin were gorgeous and the men that every woman wanted. What would she do when she realized that she could have her pick?
Why not both?
It wasn’t conventional, and it caused some turbulence in their lives, but eventually she could pick one.
It was a shame they were both perfect for her.<
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*** The End ***
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Truth or Dare
A Mountain Man and Virgin Romance
Chapter One
Jake
I could taste the cold every time I drew a breath. Snowflakes hit my nose and cling to my eyelashes. I stuck out my tongue, relishing the feel of the icy cold droplets. I loved the snow. It always made everything feel fresh and clean. Despite my warm coat and heavy, lined boots, the cold seeped in and sent a chill down my spine. I don’t generally mind, in fact usually like it. The cold has a way of reminding you of your vulnerabilities. We are all fragile, no matter how big and tough we may appear on the outside.
With every long stride, I am closer to home. I’m looking forward to a hot cup of coffee and a night sitting by the fire reading the book Gabe let me borrow. Up here, reading is the best past time. Television is overrated, and it rarely works. That discovery actually made me very happy. I loved being cut off from the world. Quite frankly, I am not fond of most of the inhabitants. There is far too much evil, but not up here on the mountain.
Crocker Mountain in the Carrabassett Valley in Maine, is my hiding place. I’m never leaving. Never going to face the horrors I once witnessed so many years ago. Not on my mountain.
My small cabin came into view as I emerged from the trees. I picked up my step, anxious to get everything ready before the snow really started to fall. This was going to be a big one. I was ready. I was always ready. It was part of my Army training.
Heading straight for my woodshed, I carried some logs to the cabin’s covered porch. After a few more trips, I determined it was good enough, and I’d have enough wood close at hand to get me through tonight and part of tomorrow morning. I knew I’d have to shovel a path through deep snow tomorrow to get more wood which was fine by me. I loved the grueling work that stretched every muscle in my body. It made me feel alive.
“Hey, buddy!” I greeted the large animal, a one hundred twenty pound lab mix, currently napping on the couch as I stepped through my unlocked door. I rarely locked the thing, especially with my so-called guard dog on duty. He was big, but the only real threat he posed was death by drowning in a pool of slobber.
Casper, one of my two friends in the world, lifted his head, looked at me, and thumped his tail a few times before laying back down to continue his nap.
“Appreciate the enthusiasm,” I grumbled. “See if I feed you dinner tonight.”
The mention of the word dinner had his tail thumping hard against the couch again, but he didn’t bother getting up. He knew it wasn’t time yet. The dog had a better internal clock than any human. Right now, it was the middle of the day, siesta time.
“You ready for this one, boy?” I asked the dog as I kicked off my boots and hung my coat on the hook near the door.
My feet were protected by heavy wool socks, keeping them nice and toasty warm. The wood floors of the cabin tended to be chilly. Cold feet could make a person feel cold. My personal rule was to always make sure my feet were warm and dry, whether inside or out. I may look rough and tough on the exterior, but I really hated cold feet—something guaranteed to ruin my day.
I set the portable radio, my only communication with the outside world, on the small kitchen counter, turning it up a couple of notches. I couldn’t afford to miss a call for help or updates on the storm. Gabe and I had a pact. We always checked on each other before and after a storm, and were on standby for one another and the few other neighbors on the mountain just in case something went very wrong.
“I’m going to make some coffee, then you are going to have to scoot your big ass over, Casper,” I warned the dog.
No response. None expected.
“We’re probably going to lose power pretty soon. Another big storm coming in,” I said, making small talk with the creature.
Yes, I talked to my dog. A lot. He was my best friend and most importantly, he didn’t talk back. Casper had been a lifesaver. Five years ago, I had been fishing in the small stream and the dog had appeared out of nowhere. He was skinny as hell and clearly very lost. At first, he had been afraid of me, but was smart enough to realize I was his only hope. I took him all the way into town, paid a shitload of money to a vet and got him all fixed up. They told me he was likely a dump off, something that happened far too often in our little neck of the woods.
Now, Casper and I were bonded for life. He was spoiled to the max and I loved doing it. I needed a companion and he was the perfect one for me. I sure as hell wasn’t suitable to be a companion to another human. Gabe, was about as close to a friend as it came, and he lived a mile away, which was plenty close enough for me.
I put some coffee grounds in my percolator and set it on the woodstove that was against the wall. The cabin had one bedroom. The small kitchen and living room were basically one large room, which made it easier to heat with the woodstove. Wood was my only source of heat and more often than not, my only way to cook food. The power was off as much as it was on, it seemed.
“I better put some wood on this thing and get it stoked so we don’t freeze our butts off tonight.”
My silent audience responded with a loud yawn. I was obviously interrupting his sleep.
“Fine, sleep then,” I mumbled.
After ten minutes, my coffee was hot, and I was more than ready to relax with my feet up and what I hoped was going to be a good book. I settled on the couch, moving the huge dog’s paws to make room for my own big body and sighed.
“Seriously, is there anything better than this?” I asked the dog.
His response was a tail wag that nearly landed his tail in my coffee.
I opened the book, but didn’t get to read the first sentence before a crackling sound cut through the silent cabin.
“Uh-oh, buddy, this can’t be good,” I said, waiting to hear the transmission.
Listening carefully, I heard the safety coordinator for the local ski resort report a lost skier.
“Shit,” I groaned. “There goes my nice evening by the fire.”
I worked at the resort on a part-time basis as part of the ski patrol. These kinds of calls happened all too often. Newbies thought they knew it all, went off course and ended up lost. In some cases, they ended up dead, because they smacked into a tree or we just couldn’t find them in time. With the heavy snow coming in, every minute counted on this one. We didn’t have long to find the missing skier, in this case, reported to be a woman.
That detail made the situation more critical. My basic male instinct I guess, but the thought of a woman out in the snow alone and cold triggered an animalistic response deep inside me. I had to save her.
“Come on, Casper. I’m going to need you on this one.”
The dog jumped up, and it was as if an energy bolt zapped him. Instantly he was waiting at the door, tongue lolling and tail wagging. He was ready to go.
I grabbed the radio as I walked to the kitchen table to sit in one of the chairs while I put my boots back on.
“Gabe, it’s Jake,” I spoke into the radio.
“Go to four,” his voice came back.
I switched the channel as requested. “You there?” I asked.
“Yep. You headed out?”
“Yep. Getting my boots on. You?”
“I’m ready. I’ll meet you at the tree line.”
“See you in five,” I said, and picked up the pace.
I put on my heavy coat, gloves, and hat, then grabbed my small pack with the basic survival essentials neatly packed inside.
“Let’s go, boy,” I said, opening the door.
Casper bounded out the door, full of energy. I wasn’t quite as exuberant, but did my best to keep up with the dog. The snow was already falling, adding another inch to the four already covering the ground.
Gabe was waiting for me when I reached our regular meeting spot.
“Any more information?” I asked him.
“Nope, but we better get a move on,” the burly man grunted.
Gabe was a mountain man through and through. I didn’t know if he had ever experienced city living. He wasn’t all that tall, but he looked rugged with his shaggy hair and scruffy beard. I probably gave people the same impression when they saw my own long, blonde hair and matching beard. Though I kept mine a bit tidier, I still had a feeling I was rocking the mountain man look as well.
We walked up the mountain to the ski resort. It wasn’t all that big, but it was a popular attraction for the folks that lived nearby. We didn’t get a lot of out-of-towners, which was exactly how we all liked it.
“Gentlemen, thank you for coming out. Let’s get started with the briefing,” the man in charge, Tom Garrison, announced. “We are looking for a single female, Calla, twenty-nine years of age. She went out mid-morning and never reported in. Here are the quadrants. Same teams as usual,” he barked.
I took the paper to find out where Gabe and I would be searching. It was an area close to my cabin, and I knew it well.
“Move out! Check in often please. I don’t want to go looking for anyone else!” he shouted.
The search group was comprised of four two person teams. We had all worked together for a lot of years. We were usually successful, but there had been a few cases when we had been too late. Every time we heard that call, we knew that every minute counted. We didn’t waste any by finishing our dinner or getting a just a bit more of sleep. When we heard the call, we dropped everything and rushed to the rescue.
Gabe and I trekked back down the hill, our eyes peeled and our ears open, listening for sounds indicating we had found our missing skier.