Her Old-Fashioned Boss

by Laylah Roberts

  “How come you didn’t bring her to task for what she did in the restaurant?”

  “Ahh.” Roarke’s expression cleared.

  “I mean, she eats less than a bird. And if I ordered a salad, no meat, dressing on the side, I’d still be over that spanking bench, not to mention you’d force feed me a hamburger. She can’t exactly afford to lose any weight.”

  “No, she can’t. And that’s what worries me.”

  “You think she could be anorexic?” It had been a thought worrying Sam for a while now.

  “I’m not sure and punishing her or forcing her to eat may do more damage than good until we know what is going on. I need to do some research. And you,” Roarke cupped his cheek, “I know, will keep a close eye on her.”

  Sam slumped with relief, knowing Roarke would take care of this. “Good.”

  “How long have you been worrying about this, pet?” Roarke asked silkily.

  Sam stiffened and looked up at him guiltily. “Since meeting her.”

  “And you’re only now bringing it to me? Is that allowed?”

  “No, Sir.” He was supposed to bring things to Roarke immediately, so they could both talk any problems through.

  Roarke reached around and smacked his ass hard.

  “Don’t keep things from me,” Roarke told him. “I can’t help if I don’t know what is worrying you. All right?”

  “Yes, Sir. Sorry,” Sam replied slightly breathless. Roarke’s erection pressed against him, teasing him.

  “Sir, can I?” he asked.

  Roarke pulled back to gaze into his face then nodded with a smile and sat up, spreading his legs. Sam drew the blankets back off his lap, letting Roarke’s magnificent cock spring free.

  He lay between Roarke’s open legs and took him deep. Roarke groaned and ran his fingers through Sam’s hair, but didn’t try to take control, the way he sometimes did.

  “Shit, Sam, that feels good. Oh, yes.”

  Sam smiled and settled into a rhythm.

  Roarke’s breath came harder, faster.

  “Dammit, I’m about to come. Shit, you’re too good at this, I can’t last.”

  Sam took him deep as he felt the other man shudder, swallowing him as he came in his mouth.

  “Goddamn. So damn good.”

  Roarke drew Sam up as soon as he’d let go off his cock, taking his mouth with a deep kiss. “You are amazing, you know that?” Roarke said. “I would be lost without you, Sam. I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too, Sir,” Sam replied.

  Placing small kisses over his face and neck, Roarke showered Sam with affection. Then letting go, reached over to grab some lube off the bedside table. He handed it to the other man with a wink. Sam jumped off him, eagerly squirting the lube onto his fingers as Roarke scooted down onto his back, bending his legs up. Sam knelt between his legs and pressed a wet finger against Roarke’s asshole.

  “Ahh,” Roarke sighed as Sam pressed his finger deep. He added another, swirling them inside Roarke’s dark hole.

  He pumped his fingers until Roarke was groaning, his eyes closed as pleasure infused his face.

  “Dammit, Sam. Get inside me. Now.”

  Sam grinned, but he knew an order when he heard one and no way did he need another spanking tonight. Pulling his fingers free, he slathered lube on his cock then aimed his dick against Roarke’s asshole and pressed himself in deep.

  Heaven.

  Dammit, could she possibly be any more turned on? If so, she didn’t know how. Ava hadn’t intended to play the voyeur. Unable to sleep, she thought she’d sneak into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. But the sounds coming from Roarke and Sam’s bedroom had made her pause. The door was open a slit, just enough for her to peek inside and watch Sam suck Roarke into oblivion.

  Now she looked on as Sam drove himself into Roarke’s ass. What would it be like to be between the two of them?

  Sam groaned as he came, a low, deep sound filled with satisfaction.

  Ava shifted uncomfortably. How the hell was she meant to sleep after this? She took a step back, turning to tiptoe back to her room. She didn’t want to walk past them and risk them seeing her. Moving into her own room, she remembered Sam’s words about a present he’d put in her nightstand. Opening the top drawer she gasped in shock at the vibrator that sat there, still in its packaging.

  He’d got her a rabbit. A pretty silver and pink vibrator. Oh God, how mortifying. And how she longed to use it. She’d left her own vibrator at home, not wanting to pack it in case they saw. This one looked way better. But if she opened it up, they’d know.

  Yeah, no way. No how. Not happening.

  Instead, she reached into one of her drawers and pulled out a t-shirt and running shorts. She’d brought them and her sneakers with her, thinking she and Sam might go for a run as they often did during the day.

  She couldn’t go out running now, it was pitch black outside, however there was the gym on the ground floor that men had said she was welcome to use.

  Would they be asleep now so she could sneak past?

  Getting changed, she sat and waited ten minutes. Then unable to wait any longer, she left her room. No sounds.

  Tip-toeing past their bedroom, the sound of soft snoring was the only noise breaking the silence of night. She walked down the stairs to the gym and turned on the treadmill. Maybe an hour of running would exhaust her enough to let her sleep.

  Over an hour later, she tiptoed her way back upstairs, her limbs satisfyingly limp and exhausted. Getting to her room, she turned the shower on in the adjoining bathroom and quickly washed the sweat off her body, before stepping out and drying off, putting her pajamas on once more.

  Lying in bed, she felt certain she would sleep.

  Only the scenes from the playroom played in her head.

  Sam tied up.

  The flogger landing on his skin, turning it red.

  Sam between Roarke’s legs.

  “Oh God,” she groaned. She felt so turned on, she had to do something. She could give herself some release with her hand.

  Or she could try out that rabbit.

  Biting her lip, she wondered if she dared. But how would they know? They wouldn’t come and look, surely.

  Finally, unable to stand it anymore, she reached over and pulled the vibrator out, ripping it free of his packaging. Sam had even included batteries. Damn boy scout.

  She went off like a rocket within a minute.

  Not enough. Not nearly enough.

  Another orgasm caught her by surprise, screaming through her, easing some of the ache.

  More, she needed more.

  Finally, a third orgasm took her, making her pant and whimper and she turned the rabbit off, throwing it into the drawer.

  Then finally, she slept.

  *****

  Irritation rode Roarke as he stalked through the house on a quiet Saturday morning. Where the hell was she? He’d knocked on her bedroom door, fully expecting her to be waiting on him only to find the bed already made, the room empty. He didn’t like not knowing where she was. He wanted to know where she was at all times.

  Pausing, he took a deep breath, trying to push back the irrational urge. That would be a surefire way to scare her off; by showing her just how possessive he could be when his heart was involved.

  And his heart was involved. Didn’t matter how he might try to deny it to himself. He loved Ava. He wanted her in his life.

  But he had to ensure they took things slowly. She needed his patience and care. Not his demands that she tell him where she was going and check in with him regularly.

  Damn, he wasn’t even that strict with Sam.

  He walked down to the ground level, checking their offices, the kitchen, still no sign of her.

  There were only two places left. The dungeon and the gym.

  Well, he knew she wasn’t in the dungeon, so instead he turned to the gym. Sure enough, as he stepped through the door, there she was, pounding away on the treadmill, the TV o
n the far wall turned so she could watch some crappy soap opera.

  “Ava,” he said quietly, trying not to startle her.

  “Oh! What?” She slammed on the stop button and turned to him, her hand over her heart. “Roarke! You frightened me.”

  His gaze narrowed as he took her in, t-shirt plastered to her too-small frame, sweat coating her skin. Dark crescents were present beneath her wide eyes. She leaned over, trying to regain her breath.

  Stalking over to her, he picked up the remote and turned the television off. Turning, he held out his hand. Ava hesitated a moment before taking it and letting him help her off the treadmill. She trembled, her limbs obviously pushed beyond what they should have been.

  Roarke stared down at her. “Exactly how long have you been on the treadmill?”

  Biting her lip, she glanced over her should at the clock. “About an hour and a half, I guess.”

  He pulled her lip free of her teeth then ran his thumb under her eye. “Couldn’t sleep?”

  She shook her head, shaking some of her hair free from the loose ponytail.

  “You’ve exhausted yourself. Start stretching.”

  He held her steady as she stretched, spreading her legs wide, she shifted her weigh onto one bent leg. They worked in silence, each movement making her feel more tired than the last.

  “We need to get you into a hot bath or those muscles are going to seize.”

  “I’m fine,” she said tiredly.

  He peered at her thoughtfully. “I tried not to startle you, but you were a million miles away, weren’t you? I bet you didn’t even feel yourself growing exhausted. Did you realize what the time was?”

  She gazed down, a sure sign of guilt. With an exasperated sigh, Roarke turned to lead her out of the room.

  Pausing at the door, she tugged at his hand. “I need to wipe the equipment down.”

  “We can do that later. Right now, you’re having a bath, some food and then a sleep.”

  “Roarke, you’re overreacting, I just pushed myself a bit far. And I only just got out of bed.”

  “By the look of you, I’d say you had no sleep last night. Bed is exactly where you are going.”

  She slowly followed him up the stairs, moving like an old woman.

  Enough of this.

  Scooping her up, he ignored her protests as he strode up the stairs. Even in this state, her sweet scent reached him. Vanilla and cinnamon. Delicious.

  “Roarke, let me down. I can walk.”

  “Enough,” he said, using his Dom voice. Her face grew almost comical as she immediately closed her mouth, her eyes growing wide. He set her down on the bathroom counter, and leaning over, put the plug in the bath and turned the water on.

  “Really, I can do this myself, you don’t have to.”

  He stared at her for a long moment. Had she never had someone take care of her before?

  “I like taking care of you, Ava. And I intend to do it a lot. How often do you do that?” he asked, changing the subject.

  “What? Go running? Usually once a day.”

  He shook his head. “No, push yourself until there’s nothing but the burn. Push yourself to the point of pain, until you forget about everything else.”

  He realized he’d hit the nail on the head as she stared at him, shaken.

  “What if you’d been out running on the road? You can’t turn your brain off like that without someone around to watch over you, Ava. Did you keep yourself hydrated? Were you aware of how hard you were pushing yourself?”

  Guilt filled her eyes before she dropped them and shook her head. Roarke cupped her chin, raising her face so she had to look at him. “I’m only scolding because I care about you, honey. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

  He tested the water then turned off the taps. “Sam will be back soon with some breakfast. I want you to rest in this bath for twenty minutes. Then when you get out we’ll eat and you can have a nap.”

  “I’m not a baby, Roarke. I don’t need a nap.”

  Taking her face between her hands, he leaned down and kissed her. “You’re my baby. And I take care of what is mine. You will not push your body like this again. If you need some stress relief, you come to me, I’ll help you find the rush you’re looking for.”

  She took a deep breath. “How? By tying me up and flogging me?”

  “Yes,” he replied. “Now get in the bath and don’t get out until you’re wrinkly.”

  He helped her up, gave her a slap on the ass then left, his erection pressing firmly against his pants.

  Chapter Six

  Lord help her, she’d really overdone things this time. Even with the bath she’d taken, every muscle ached as she made her way to the small kitchen.

  The soft murmur of voices stopped as she entered the room. Glancing up, she found both men scowling at her.

  “I thought I told you to stay in there for twenty minutes,” Roarke growled.

  Ava shrugged her shoulders. “I was finished.”

  “Here have a seat.” Sam pulled out a chair and guided her over, staring at her in concern.

  “I’m fine, Sam,” she said reassuringly, smiling brightly. “Just overdid it a bit.”

  “A bit?” Roarke replied darkly. “I’d say a lot.”

  She avoided his gaze, not wanting him to see the acknowledgement in her eyes. She had overdone it, particularly after her midnight run, not that she intended to tell either of them about that.

  The table was filled with goodies, pastries, croissants and fresh fruit salad and Greek yoghurt. Sam poured her out a coffee.

  “After breakfast, I’ll give you a massage,” he offered, sending her a wink.

  Ava shivered, her body already heating at the idea of having his hands touch her all over.

  “Then you’re going to spend the rest of the day resting,” Roarke decreed, picking up a croissant.

  Ava sighed, but knew arguing was senseless.

  Sam held up the bowl of fruit and when she nodded, he ladled some into a bowl for her, before pushing over the yoghurt. Ava took a sip of green tea. Perfect.

  Roarke stood, and grabbing a glass, filled it with water then brought it back and placed it by her plate. “Drink. You need to rehydrate.”

  Barely refraining from rolling her eyes, even as she felt a happy glow at the way he took care of her, Ava did as ordered. She had to admit, bossy though they could both be, it was nice having someone look after her.

  “From now on, you’re not to run for more than forty-five minutes a day,” Roarke told her.

  “What?” She gaped at him. Okay, scrap that previous thought. Now he was taking things too far.

  Sitting back, he crossed his arms over his chest. “You heard me just fine. Forty-five minutes of exercise a day and you need to set aside two days when you do no exercise. After this morning’s session I want you to give your body at least two full days to recover, understand me?”

  “And if I don’t? How will you know?”

  “If you don’t, I’ll make that spanking I gave you yesterday seem like love pats. And I will know, a Dom always does.”

  *****

  “Ooh, yeah, right there. That’s it. Perfect.”

  Sam chuckled from behind her. Ava lay on her stomach on her bed in her underwear, Sam straddling her hips as he worked on the muscles of her back.

  “That feels like heaven.”

  “Glad to know I please you, my sweet.”

  He climbed off her back. “Part your legs, I’m going to do your thighs.”

  Nothing had ever sounded more wonderful and as he dug his thumbs into her tight muscles, Ava groaned.

  “You know he’s right, don’t you?” Sam said quietly. “You push yourself too hard. I’ve seen it when we’ve worked out together.”

  Ava tensed then relaxed, hearing the very real concern in Sam’s voice. “Sam, I’m sorry I worried you, but really, I’m okay. Just some sore muscles. You’re both kind of overreacting.”

  “Roarke’s a Dom, honey
. He takes his job looking after others very seriously, particularly those he cares about and he cares about you.”

  “And you?” she asked.

  “I care about you, too. So much. Ava, I...”

  “What?” she asked.

  “Never mind. I don’t want you overdoing it again, honey. And I don’t think this is a one-off thing. You push yourself hard, baby, in everything you do. And you don’t eat properly, I’m worried about you.”

  “Sam, I’m fine,” she said with exasperation as she rolled to stare up at him. “I promise.”

  He stared down at her. “Don’t lie, baby. That’s sure to get you a red ass quicker than anything else.”

  She raised her brows. “I thought Roarke was the Dom.”

  “Doesn’t mean I can’t spank your butt if you need it,” he told her. Then sighing, he shook his head and held up his hands. “Truce, okay. Just know that when you’re ready to tell us, we’re here for you. No matter what.”

  Yeah, like they’d want to hear about her problems. No man wanted to take on a girlfriend with issues. Ava didn’t know what she’d been thinking. She should just step back now before her heart got involved.

  Right, like she didn’t already love them.

  “You know what? I have stuff to do and I really need to get home.” She sat up, ready to move off the bed when Sam grabbed her arm, turning her. The misery on his face nearly shattered her heart.

  “Don’t go. I’m sorry. I won’t speak about it again. Please, don’t go.”

  “Oh, Sam.” She cupped her cheeks with her hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Don’t you realize this is for the best? This can’t work between the three of us. Things like this don’t happen outside of romance novels. It’s best I just go home now.”

  “Best for who?” Roarke asked from the doorway.

  She glanced over, shocked at the hurt in his face.

  “F-for all of us,” she stuttered.

  Roarke shook his head. “You don’t get to decide what’s best for us, Ava. That’s up to me. So you must be talking about yourself. What are you hiding?”

  She swallowed heavily and glanced away.

  “Ava, we want you here,” Sam told her. “We want to try and make this work. Sure, it’s not normal and there may be aspects of being with us that you find scary or overwhelming, but all you need to do is tell us and we’ll slow down, talk things over with you.” Sam grabbed her hands. “Ava, just give us a chance and we’ll show you more happiness than you ever knew existed, we’ll treat you like the precious person you are. We’ll love you, cherish you, watch over you. Please.”