by Marie Harte
“I’m sorry. It’s just that this was so beautiful. I probably sound stupid. It was just sex, I know. But --”
“It was more than just sex,” Trevor interrupted, his voice deeper than Rick’s. “At least, it was for me.”
Rick refused to let Trevor pull away and kept them joined with his hands on Trevor’s hips. “Don’t move.” He moaned as he twisted his hips and pushed his dick forward again, reveling in Trevor’s heat. “That was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. Equaled only to my first time with Lilah.”
Lilah flushed with pleasure.
“And like I told Lilah earlier, I don’t want any shit from you, either. I’m keeping you, Trevor. You and Lilah.”
Trevor stilled, and Rick reluctantly withdrew. The sight of his cum over Trevor’s ass rallied his flagging cock.
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“Now that is sexy,” he murmured, and Lilah nodded. “My cum over Trevor. I like.”
“Me too,” Lilah whispered and stroked Trevor’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Trevor. But what Rick said is true. He’s keeping us. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Trevor turned to face them as he sat on the bed and winced. “Damn. I’ve been truly reamed, haven’t I?”
“By the best,” Rick joked, but he watched Trevor with all due seriousness.
“So you want to keep me?” Trevor’s gaze narrowed, and Rick heard Lilah sigh. Trust Trevor to be difficult. “What the hell does that mean?”
Rick opened his mouth to reply, but Lilah beat him to it. She crossed her arms over her glorious breasts and glared at Trevor. “He loves you, you idiot. And so do I. So he wants to keep you with him. Somewhere.” She shrugged at Rick. “I’m not sure about the details. But I know I want you and Rick in my life. It may not make sense to either one of you. And you might regret ever setting eyes on me once we’re back in the real world.” With other, prettier women, Rick could almost hear her think. “But I want to try to make us work. This isn’t about what other people think right now, Trevor, but what you think.”
Rick couldn’t have put it better himself, all except for that part about Lilah talking about regrets. He and Trevor would have to work on her ego. The woman was the most beautiful soul he’d ever seen, and in time, she’d realize life was about more than surface beauty; it was about what lay within.
“Well?” Rick forced himself to sound calm, while inwardly, he was a mass of nerves.
Never before had anyone’s opinion mattered so much. Not even Elise’s. Trevor had to feel the same way about them. Because Rick refused to take no for an answer.
“Well… I’ll have to think about it.” Trevor suddenly wore a poker face that could have won millions. “We’ve got plenty of time, after all. With your attacker on the loose, none of us are going anywhere.”
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Attacker on the loose. Rick flushed as his deceit slapped him in the face. Tyrone had told him last week that his assailants had all been captured, but in his haste to cement ties with Lilah and Trevor, he’d conveniently forgotten to share that detail.
“Not good enough, Trevor.” Lilah stepped forward and leaned into Trevor’s face. She kissed him full on the mouth and accepted the strong hug he gave her. He pulled her into his lap, and she settled comfortably. “Tell us what you think.”
Trevor exhaled loudly and rested his chin on top of Lilah’s head. “What I think?”
Yes! Rick glared at Trevor, no longer as affable as he’d been. The wait was killing him, and by the twinkle in Trevor’s eye, he knew it.
“I think you, Lilah, are definitely worth keeping. But Rick…” He eyed Rick up and down, resting his gaze thoughtfully on Rick’s face. “Rick is too pretty for his own good. With all the temptation here, I don’t think I could compete.” Trevor shrugged. “I just don’t think I could live here and be happy if something permanent is what you’re after.”
Rick’s load lightened. “Then I’ll move.”
Both Trevor and Lilah blinked up at him.
“What?” Lilah stared in awe. “You’d move from paradise…for Trevor?”
“No. For both of you. Hell, for us.” Rick surprised them all with his offer, yet as he pondered the notion, he knew it was the right thing to do. “I’ll still own the resort, so we could return whenever we wanted. My work is flexible. I own businesses and invest all over the place in the States. But you two have a vested interest in your jobs. I get that. If we compromise, I think we can have it all.”
Trevor’s stare all but burned a hole in his head. “You mean it?”
“I just said that, didn’t I?” A sudden thought occurred to Rick. “You aren’t going to get all macho about income, are you? I inherited more money than I can spend in a lifetime. But with Lilah’s and your help, maybe we can do some good with it. I was thinking of opening up a clinic stateside to help people. Especially after suffering from this shoulder.” He rotated
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his shoulder, aware it felt much better after a few sessions with Lilah. “I’ll probably need someone to run the place.” He stared at Lilah, who turned pink with pleasure.
“I don’t know, Rick. This is all a little fast.” She bit her lip, and he wanted to kiss it better. “What if this doesn’t work between us? Then I’ll not only be heartbroken, but also out of a job.”
It was Trevor who soothed her worries. He tightened his arms around her and smiled up at Rick. “So you keep the job you have until you feel comfortable enough to leave it, that’s if you even want to. Honey, take it from me. You can’t let fear rule your future, or you’ll never be happy. Do you love Rick?”
She nodded.
“Do you love me?”
Rick thought Trevor might have caught his breath, but when Lilah nodded again, the joy in Trevor’s gaze washed away any sign of fear. “Then we’ll work on the rest. Trust will come the longer we’re together.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t have to tell you that all of this is new to me. Hell, I don’t know how I’m going to introduce you two at parties.”
Lilah laughed, nodding. And Rick grinned.
“But I trust Rick to help us get used to this lifestyle. And I know there’s no one else I want to spend my life with than you guys. It sounds crazy. We just met. But it feels right.”
“I know.” Lilah’s smile was blinding.
“It won’t be easy,” Rick warned, hating to cast gloom and doom over their new joy. But after Elise, he didn’t want false promises to be their foundation.
“But nothing worth having ever is.” Lilah surprised him with her wise words.
They remained silent a moment before Rick left for the bathroom. He returned with several warm, soapy cloths and towels, and they cleaned up with little fuss. After disposing of the linens, Rick joined them on the bed. Trevor took his hand, and they sat together comfortably.
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“Um, Rick?” Trevor broke the quiet. “There’s something you should know.” He shared a glance with Lilah, who nodded. “We were sent here by Elise. Elise Tanner.”
“I know. I weaseled the details from Tyrone a few days ago.”
“You called me Lilah Tanner,” Lilah said, her eyes wide. “I was so surprised when you said you’d loved me, I didn't realize you'd used my full name. But you know who I am.”
Funny, but she looked more relieved than upset.
Trevor sighed. “And if you talked to Tyrone, then you probably also know they finally caught all the assholes harassing you. You’re in the clear and have been since Wednesday.”
At Rick’s raised brow, Trevor scowled. “Look, I never wanted to lie to you, but Tyrone made it sound like you were one huge pain in the ass out to get himself killed, and that by keeping quiet, I was keeping you safe.”
“Yeah, Elise said the same thing,” Lilah offered hesitantly. “But if it makes you feel any better, my job was only to come here and distract you by being my annoying self. I doubt Elise eve
r intended for me to fall in love with you. She’s too busy mooning over you when no one’s looking,” Lilah added, annoyance washing her tone.
Rick smiled, pleased at her possessiveness. “After I persuaded Tyrone to confess what he knew, I made a call to your annoying cousin.”
Lilah perked at his description.
“She’s always been overly dramatic. And now that we’re no longer together, I confess it’s hard for me to see what kept us together for so long.” He stroked a hand down Lilah’s firm belly. “Now that I have you, Lilah, and Trevor, I won’t want for affection again.” He stared at Trevor. “Ethan doesn’t mind, by the way. I called him after Elise. Cleaning house, so to speak.”
Trevor flushed. “You told Ethan?”
“That I was in love with you. Yes.”
Trevor swallowed loudly. “You love me?”
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Rick rolled his eyes. “What do you think this is all about? If all I’d wanted from you two was sex, I could have announced you were no longer needed, fucked you back at the resort, and sent you home.” He spoke over Trevor’s growl and Lilah’s angered gasp. “But I feel for you two. I love you; aren’t you hearing me?”
“I guess so,” Lilah grumbled. Then she frowned at Trevor. “But while we’re on the subject, I don’t remember you saying the magic words, Trevor.”
He flushed. “Do I really have to? Isn’t it obvious? For a guy like me to be with you, Lilah, and Rick?” He stared hard at Rick, and Rick would have given a cool million to know what went through Trevor’s hard head. “You know, the more I wonder, the more I don’t think I’m bi.”
“What?” Rick scowled.
“Well, I’ve always been into women. Never men. There was always this fantasy I had of sex with both a man and a woman, but the man was always faceless…until you.”
“So you didn’t even think Tyrone was hot?” Lilah blushed at the look Rick gave her.
“What? He’s as good looking as both of you. Sue me for being honest.”
“No,” Trevor answered firmly. “I can honestly say that Rick’s the one I’ve been looking for. Rick and you, Lilah.” Trevor cleared his throat, his heart in his eyes. “I love you two.
More than I’d ever thought possible. It won’t be easy for me to share this part of myself with others, but to keep you two in my life, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Rick grinned, finally freed from that terrible burden of doubt. “I don’t think it’ll be as hard as you think. It’s not like we have to announce our relationship to the world. The people that matter most, our family and friends, they’ll either accept us, or they won’t. And if what Ethan says is true, all you have to do is give your mother grandbabies, and she’ll be happy.”
Rick glanced at Lilah and took her hand in his. “That okay with you, love?”
She rubbed her belly. “Babies? Not yet. But I don’t mind trying to make them.”
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Trevor laughed and hugged her tighter. But Rick noted the sudden panic in her gaze.
“Lilah?”
“This sounds silly. I should just accept this and stop questioning everything.”
“Honey?” Trevor put her from them so that they could both look at her face. “We’re all being honest here. What’s wrong?”
Her wobbly smile turned upside down as tears filled her eyes. “This is so perfect. So right now. And I used to think that was what I wanted. But I really want this to last. Who’s to say we’ll still be together a year from now?”
“Lilah --” Rick started.
But Trevor cut him off. “No, say what you really mean, honey. This isn’t about the current divorce rate, or about the public tearing us apart. This is about you.”
Rick suddenly understood. “Lilah, you have to let go of your past, the way I’m letting go of Elise, and the way Trevor’s starting a new life for himself. We love you for you…and hell, because of your body.” He tried to lighten the mood and grinned when she hiccupped into a laugh. “You’re beautiful, baby. Smart, funny, sexy, and so damned beautiful you make my heart ache.”
“Yeah,” Trevor agreed, emotion thickening his voice. “What he said.”
“I’m sorry. I know it’s stupid. But you two are so handsome, so damned good-looking, and I’m so --”
“You’re Lilah, and that’s enough of that sorry bullshit.” Trust Trevor to be as tactful as a raging bull. “Now cut it out, Lilah. It’s demeaning to both Rick and me that you think we’re so superficial to want a woman based on surface beauty. Yeah, okay, I’ve fucked a couple of women prettier than you. But I never wanted to live with one of them forever. Never wanted one of them to have my kids.”
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Trevor’s brusque words were clearly having an effect on Lilah, because where there had been worry, hope now gleamed.
“And Lilah, I would never have given up Satyr’s Myst for Elise,” Rick added gently.
“But for you, I’d give up my last dollar. I love you, honey. You and Trevor. But you have to believe it to make it real.”
She grinned and tugged them both to her. “I’ll believe it. I promise. Just help me if I forget, okay?”
“Deal.” Trevor kissed her solidly on the lips.
“Deal.” Rick kissed her, then took Trevor’s mouth as well.
Desire heated anew, and as they stared at each other with joy and awe, the promise of the future in their grasp, love unfolded in scent, sound, and touch.
Hours later, as Lilah snuggled between Rick and Trevor, she twirled a hand in Rick’s hair. “Rick?”
“Hmm?”
Trevor was planting soft, tender kisses over her shoulder.
“Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything, love.”
“Never give up this place. Satyr’s Myst will always be that special place where I found love. And my first multiple orgasm. I don’t think I could stay away if you paid me.”
Rick laughed and kissed her solidly on the mouth.
“And don’t get me started on Tyrone.” She sighed. “He is so incredibly hot.”
Rick swatted her behind. “Have I mentioned yet how much I love instilling discipline?”
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“Yeah, he does,” Trevor grumbled, smiling into her skin. “And have I mentioned how much I’m going to pay you back for slapping me, Rick?”
Rick answered back, and then Trevor smarted off. And as Lilah lay there, she thought she’d never been so happy in her life.
Marie Harte
Marie Harte is an avid reader who loves all things paranormal and futuristic, but especially all things romance. Reading romances since she was twelve, she fell in love with the warmth of first passion and knew writing was her calling. Twenty-three years later, the Marine Corps, a foray through Information Technology, a husband and four kids, and her dream has finally come true. Marie lives in Georgia with her family and loves hearing from readers. To read more about Marie, visit www.marieharte.com and check out her blog at http://www.marieharte.blogspot.com.