Bonding Camp 3
Beauty Blooming
Rachel Jones is finally ready to experience bonding camp. Joe, new to the team, Justice Cain, and Sam Rodgers begin her bonding. But is she ready to love? Rodgers is a good friend, Justice has always been nice, but Joe has struck a chord in her. He's from a small town, just like her. Being with him feels so natural, she trusts him. That trust soon blooms into a love that could last a lifetime.
Joe Brown couldn't wait to be included in bonding camp, wanting to be better connected with the law firm. What he didn't expect was to fall so fast and so hard for Rachel, the housekeeper at the compound. She's beautiful. With her red hair and pale skin, he can't take his eyes off her. When he finds out this is her first time bonding too, he watches her sensuality bloom right before his eyes.
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre
Length: 22,349 words
BEAUTY BLOOMING
Bonding Camp 3
Christelle Mirin
MENAGE AND MORE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage and More
BEAUTY BLOOMING
Copyright © 2012 by Christelle Mirin
E-book ISBN: 1-61926-683-0
First E-book Publication: May 2012
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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BEAUTY BLOOMING
Bonding Camp 3
CHRISTELLE MIRIN
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
“Are you serious?” Rachel Jones dropped down onto a kitchen chair, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst through her chest. “This weekend? Really, Rodgers?”
Sam Rodgers leaned against the kitchen sink, a cup of coffee in his hand. “I talked to Justice half an hour ago. He said it was perfect timing since they have someone who needs to complete bonding camp anyway. They’ll be here tomorrow morning. Unless there’s some reason you can’t be available this weekend?” He tilted his head, one eyebrow raised.
“No, no reason.” She rose from the chair and returned to the kitchen sink where she had been washing some stemware before Rodgers dropped the bomb. “I just didn’t think they’d be returning so soon. They were just here last weekend.” She plunged her hands into the warm, soapy water and plucked a crystal water glass from the bottom of the sink. “I mean, I didn’t think it would all happen this fast.” She scrubbed vigorously at the glass with a cloth. Shut up, Rach. You’re starting to sound like a nervous virgin.
Rodgers placed his cup on the countertop and rested his hand on her shoulder. “Rachel, there’s nothing to be nervous about. Besides, you’re the one who asked me to call them.”
“I know.” She rinsed the glass and set it on a towel she’d placed to the side of the sink. She reached into the water and pulled another glass from its depths.
“You are ready, aren’t you? Because if you’re not—”
“I am,” she interrupted. “I’ve been ready for a while now. I just didn’t know how to bring the subject up.”
That was an understatement. She was ready, all right. If she wasn’t so shy when it came to being intimate with a man, she wouldn’t have had to wait this long. She’d never participated in a bonding camp session, and soon that was going to be remedied. Wait, tomorrow, not soon.
“I still don’t understand why you’ve never been involved before,” Rodgers said, dropping his hand from her shoulder.
Rachel rinsed the glass she had finished washing and immediately began to dry the two. “They have asked me to join in. Twice, actually.” She placed the dried glass in the cabinet and picked up the other one from the towel where it had been draining. “That was soon after I first came here a year ago. Both times when Justice asked me, he told me within five minutes that they would be fine, and they wouldn’t need me.” She rubbed the glass hard, pressing her fingers against the heavy crystal through the towel. “It must have been the look on my face or something because after those two times, they stopped asking.”
“I know why they stopped asking you.”
She turned to face him. “Then tell me before I really get a complex over the whole thing.”
Rodgers laughed and grasped her by the upper arms. “There’s nothing to get a complex about. They quit asking you because whenever they brought bonding camp up to you, you looked scared to death. They didn’t want you to feel forced into doing anything you didn’t truly want to do.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because they talked to me about it. I’m basically the coordinator when it comes to scheduling a bonding camp, and though the partners are the ones who choose who to participate, they clear it with me so I have the paperwork ready.”
So he knew about her nervousness. Why hadn’t he brought this up before? “But I signed an agreement, just like everyone else. Isn’t bonding camp a requirement of our employment?” She didn’t understand. Their reasoning for not including her had to be something else. Was she not at
tractive enough?
“Well, it is.” He took the towel and glass from her hand. “Listen, just because it’s a requirement doesn’t mean—” He stopped, pressing his lips together for a moment. “It doesn’t mean they’ll force you against your will. They care about you. To them, you’re special.”
She shook her head. “And you know this how?”
“Justice told me. He said whenever one of them brought up the subject, you got this deer-in-headlights look.”
Maybe it was the look on my face. “So they didn’t want to push me,” she said softly, wondering vaguely why they continued to allow her to work here at the compound without completing bonding camp.
“Not until you were ready. Justice said he had hoped you would come to him when you were, but as long as you came to me, it was fine.”
“Well, I’m glad they gave me time to come to terms with it myself and didn’t fire me.” Rachel blew out a breath. It was really going to happen. She was going to participate in bonding camp. She looked up at Rodgers. “Did you tell Justice that they’re going to have to talk me through this?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to him tonight.”
“Thanks, Rodgers.”
He planted a kiss on her forehead. “You’re welcome. Now, I’ve got things to do.” He picked up his used coffee cup and placed it in the sink of soapy water. “Why don’t you use the dishwasher? This is much more work, washing dishes by hand.”
She slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “Don’t be criticizing my work. I only do glassware by hand. The dishwasher leaves spots sometimes, and I like the glasses to sparkle.”
“Okay, okay,” he said, raising his hands in surrender. “I’ve got to go.” He started for the door.
“Rodgers?”
He stopped in the doorway, turning toward her. “Yeah?”
“Could you tell Justice one more thing for me?” She picked up the dishtowel and twisted it in her hands.
“Sure. What is it?”
Tell him, just tell him. She cleared her throat. “Tell him no matter how scared I look or how much I may seem like I don’t want to do this, I really do. Even if they have to use, um, a bit of force.” Heat crept into her face just thinking about a man using force with her. A little thrill ran up her spine.
Rodgers’s gaze met hers. “I’ll tell him.”
“Will you be there?”
He nodded. “Probably.”
“Okay.” She twisted the towel tighter in her hands.
“Will my being there be a problem?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I was just wondering.”
“As far as I know, it will be me, Justice, the new guy at the office, and possibly Morgan, but I’m not sure about him yet. He hasn’t checked in.”
Four of them? “Okay,” she said, noting how small her voice sounded even to her.
Rodgers patted the doorframe. “See you later.” Then he continued through the door and disappeared.
Rachel hurriedly finished washing the stemware, her mind whirling with conflicting thoughts and emotions. She had wanted to do this, to find out just what bonding camp was all about, for a long time. Thankfully, she trusted Rodgers enough to confide in him about her desire. They had been talking about it ever since last weekend. She let the water out of the sink and gazed out the kitchen window at the birdfeeder hanging from a shepherd’s hook just outside. A small yellow-and-black finch flitted around it, looking like a bolt of pure energy through the afternoon sun.
Last weekend was what had really gotten her interested in somehow conveying to the partners she was ready. Rachel had watched the way Morgan had acted with Grace, the new girl who was supposed to be an intern at the firm for the summer. Rachel had seen them together a few times, even in Morgan’s private suite. What amazed her was the way Morgan looked at the small, blonde woman. There was love in his eyes. Rachel had never seen Morgan have that look or seen him act as he had with any other woman. He looked relaxed and in love. And even when Grace challenged him with her words, which was never done—with Morgan no one could win the battle—even then, the softness of love blurred his rough edges and he didn’t look so imposing and scary.
If Grace and Morgan could become so close so quickly, there had to be something to “bonding.” Rachel knew about the sex. About how they shared and paired up into groups of three or four all together at one time. She had seen the goings on a few times when she had been called to bring drinks or snacks, even towels at times. Seeing them all touching, kissing and moaning caused Rachel to grow hot all the way to her core, even though she couldn’t bring herself to tell them how it turned her on. Usually it caused her to be so ignited, she’d have to go to her room and touch herself just to douse the flame.
She’d been here a little over a year and hadn’t dated once. The compound was remote, and even though she had time off once in a while, she didn’t feel like traveling into town to meet anyone. She’d come up here from Tennessee, hoping to just get away from home, and she’d fallen in love with the place as soon as she’d arrived. But she needed to come out of her cocoon. After all, she was twenty-six, and she had found that lately she was craving some male attention. She wasn’t a virgin, but all she had experienced so far was basically fumbling in the dark. She wanted someone to show her just how to enjoy her body, and she knew the partners of the firm could do just that.
So, beginning tomorrow, she was going to experience bonding camp and embark on a new part of her life. A part of her life that included a sensual appreciation of her body and how much enjoyment it could bring. If she could keep herself from shaking like a leaf, that is.
Rachel turned from the window and started toward the dining room. She had a lot to do to prepare for the arrival of the guests for bonding camp this weekend. The phone rang, stopping her before she left the kitchen. She snatched the cordless handset and continued to the dining room. “Hello?” She bent to open the lower cabinet doors of the sideboard to remove a fresh linen tablecloth.
“Rachel? Hello, this is Justice.” His voice was mellow and pleasant. “How are you today?”
She stood, the tablecloth in one hand, the other hand clutching the handset of the phone. Immediately the palm of her hand grew sweaty against the plastic of the handset. “I’m fine. What can I do for you today?” Her tummy trembled. She was in no way afraid of him, but hearing his voice and knowing what was going to transpire between the two of them tomorrow instantly turned her into a ball of nerves.
“I just wanted to touch base with you about our arrival tomorrow. Rodgers has informed me that you would like to join us during this bonding camp, is that right?”
“Um, yes, if that’s okay.” She laid the tablecloth across the back of a dining chair, afraid her hand, which was now as sweaty as the one holding the phone, would soil it. “If there’s a problem, we could postpone—”
“No, let’s not postpone anything. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to have you complete bonding camp, and this is the perfect time.” His voice was still very calm and relaxed. “I wanted to assure you we’ll be totally up front with you, and you have nothing to worry about. Rodgers just called me a few minutes ago and let me know you’re a little nervous and we may have to seduce you a bit but that you definitely wanted to be included in our experiences this weekend.”
Rachel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “That’s right. I asked him to let you know I may need a little urging though. I really don’t have that much experience with men. I think I told you that when you hired me and I signed the agreement.”
Justice chuckled into the phone. “I remember. Don’t you worry. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
“So,” she said, “just so I know for sure, how many will be attending? I need to get the rooms ready.” That wasn’t all she wanted to know. She wanted to be sure she knew exactly who was coming so she could prepare herself.
“I will arrive some time tomor
row morning, and Morgan said he would be there by noon. There is someone attending that you haven’t met yet. Lauren hired him a while back, and we’ve kept him pretty busy since he joined us here at the firm. He is available this weekend, though, and has agreed to attend bonding camp. Lauren wanted to be present for his bonding, but that’s just not going to work for her this weekend.”
“I’m sorry to hear she can’t make it. Will Ms. White be coming?” Good grief, was she going to be the only woman at the compound? Missy had left for a long weekend, so Rachel was the only female in residence.
“No, Crystal is still busy, so she won’t be able to make it either. That’s why your request comes at such a good time.” The sound of papers being shuffled issued through the phone. “Our newest associate is Joseph Brown. He’s a nice young man and actually your age. I think you two will get along just fine. I want to thank you for helping us out with this, Rachel, and I’m looking forward to this weekend.”
“I’m glad to help, but like I said, Justice, I’m a little nervous.” A little was an understatement.
“You’ll be fine. You know all of us except for Joe. We’ll take good care of you. Oh, by the way, Joe will be arriving tonight around eight. Is that all right?”
She blinked. “Sure, um, I’ll have his room ready. Will he require dinner?”
“I’ll find out and have Rhonda give you a call so you have a head’s up. I must go, but I’ll see you in the morning. Have a nice evening, Rachel.” The line went dead.
Rachel held the phone out from her ear and stared at it. Joseph Brown, arriving tonight. A man she would soon have sex with, a man she’d never met before.
Beauty Blooming [Bonding Camp 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) Page 1