Beauty Blooming [Bonding Camp 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More)

by Christelle Mirin

  Forty minutes later, Rachel was seated across from Joe at the dining room table. Rachel’s tummy was a little jittery, but for some reason she had the distinct feeling it wasn’t from nerves. It felt more like excitement. She couldn’t wait for these men to help her break out of her shell.

  “This steak is delicious,” Joe said, knife in one hand, fork in the other. “Do you use some special seasonings or something? It’s so good as it is, I don’t even need steak sauce.” He talked while he cut his steak and then he shoved another bite into his mouth. He closed his eyes. “Mmm,” he murmured.

  “As a matter of fact, I use a special spice rub on the steaks. I made it up myself.” She took a bite of potato, the melted butter and steak sauce she’d baked inside it mingling on her tongue. Joe’s compliment on her cooking made her feel warm inside. “Tell me, Joe, what made you decide to become an attorney?” She picked up her glass of wine and sipped.

  “I guess I wanted to study law because I wanted to help people.” He threaded his fingers together and propped his elbows on either side of his plate. “Most people who feel like that, you know, wanting to help, go into the medical field. I just don’t have the stomach for it. I may have grown up on a farm and saw a lot when it comes to animals, but the thought of having to fix a person…” He shook his head. “I don’t think I could do it.”

  “So law was the next best thing?” She loved watching his face when he spoke. His eyes were so honest, and his emotions showed in their green depths. She took a bit of her steak, feeling more relaxed.

  “Yeah.” He laughed. “My parents weren’t too thrilled when I left the farm for law school though.” Joe ducked his head and focused on his dinner plate again.

  Rachel chewed her bit of steak slowly, watching his face. It was obvious the subject of his parents and law school was a bit touchy. She could tell by the way he acted, it must have caused some ripples in the family and even though he followed his dream, something or someone had hurt him.

  “I would think any parent would be ecstatic to have their child go to law school,” Rodgers said.

  Rachel nodded her agreement and sipped her wine. She had almost forgotten Rodgers was there she had been so focused on Joe.

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Joe said, raising his hand. “My parents are proud of me. I hear they brag about me all the time.” He blushed and grinned. “The problem they had with me going to law school was that they expected me to take over the farm. With me going to college, they knew that wasn’t going to happen.”

  “At least they’ve come to terms with it and can brag about you now,” Rachel said, smiling at him.

  His gaze met hers, and his eyes softened, then moved from her eyes to her lips and back again. “Would you like to go for a walk after dinner with me?”

  “Yes, yes I would.” It would be the first time she had walked with a man after dinner since she had left home. If it were under any other circumstances, she would think she was being courted.

  “Since you two are going to frolic off into the woods, I think I’ll make an early night of it,” Rodgers said, rising from the table. He picked up his dishes and started for the kitchen. “You two have a great night.”

  Rachel placed her napkin on the table. “Can I get you some dessert?”

  “No, thank you. I am stuffed. But I am ready for that walk.” He rose from his chair, picking up his plate.

  “Oh leave the dishes,” she scolded, waving her hand at him. “I’ll take care of them later. Besides, you’re a guest.”

  The sun was starting to set as they walked on the path through the pine trees. The sun angled through the branches in streams of golden light. The scent of the pines, warmed from the day, filled the air. As they walked, Rachel could hear rustling sounds just out of their eyesight, hidden in the woods.

  “There must be quite a few animals around here, it being so remote and all,” Joe said, walking beside her. “I hear something moving every so often.”

  Rachel plucked a pine needle from a nearby tree and fiddled with it in her fingers. “I’ve seen a lot of animals while I’ve been here. Usually about this time of day, when the sun is setting. Some of them are settling down for the night while others are just waking up and getting ready to prowl.”

  “Tell me more about living here,” he said. “I like the sound of your voice. You’ve got a little bit of an accent.” He tugged a strand of her hair.

  “Hey,” she said, dropping the pine needle and slapping at him coyly. “Are you making fun of my Southern twang?” she asked with an exaggerated Southern drawl.

  “No, I’m not.” He grabbed her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers as they continued walking. “I think it’s sexy.”

  Something jittered in her stomach. Warmth curled up her arm, the source of the heat coming from their clasped hands.

  “This is nice,” he said in the dusky light. “Holding hands and talking.” He slowed, coming to a stop. “It seems like no one just wants to hold hands and get to know each other anymore. I want to know about you being from the South, and how you grew up, and what you like for breakfast.”

  “For breakfast?” She laughed. “Well, I guess I like pancakes with maple syrup. And sometimes, French toast.” Rachel stopped, too, and gazed up into his eyes. “Why do you want to know all of this?”

  He shook his head, smiling. “I don’t know. I guess I just feel this strong connection to you, and it’s telling me to get closer, to figure out what it is about you that has already driven itself so deep into my heart.”

  “I like you, too, Joe.” She tilted her head, a bit embarrassed now. “There is something about you that makes me want to talk about myself. Which I don’t normally do. As far as growing up in the South, it was a bit hard, but it taught me how to depend on myself and not others. That’s how I ended up here. I just sort of struck out on my own.”

  He reached out and stroked her hair, his eyes travelling over her face.

  Rachel noticed the light in his eyes changed, turning duskier. “What’s wrong?”

  He moved closer, slipping his hand beneath her hair to the nape of her neck. “This is nice, but I want more than just nice.”

  Before she could speak, his mouth was devouring hers in a heated, probing kiss. Rachel could swear she felt her eyes roll back in her head from the passionate force of it. She moaned in spite of her feeling of awkwardness and not knowing exactly what to do with her hands at a time like this. Then she began to melt, and wondering what to do with her hands was no longer an issue. Instinctively she slipped her arms around his neck and let herself savor the way he angled his lips over hers.

  When they finally came up for air, both were breathless. Joe looked down at her. “I’m not going to say I’m sorry, because I’m not.”

  “Good. I’m glad you’re not sorry.” Under normal circumstances, Rachel would have hauled off and slapped him for what he had just done. Strangely, this time, she liked the way he had taken control. There was something about him that called to her and told her to surrender to this man. Slowly, she pulled her arms from around his neck, swiping a hand across her hot face. “It’s getting dark. We should get back.”

  Chapter Four

  Joe walked up the path beside Rachel, his eyes narrowed as he tried to make out the edges of the path. “It sure gets dark quick here.”

  Rachel laughed, the sound of her laugh sexy and low. “It’s not that it gets dark quickly, it’s the woods. It blocks the light.” She took his hand. “Come on, I know the way.”

  Joe smiled and tightened his grip on the small hand he held in his. She moved ahead a bit in front of him, pulling at his arm. With a lightness in his step, he followed her along the darkened path and soon saw the yellowish glow of a light beside the back entrance of the main house. It was a welcoming sight that gave him a warm feeling. He was going to like it here.

  They entered the back door, Joe following Rachel into the kitchen. The lights were dim, and the house still held the savory scents of their
dinner.

  Rachel released his hand then walked from the kitchen to the dining room. “I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me now,” she said over her shoulder. “I’ve got a lot of work to do before I go to bed tonight.” She began gathering the dirty dishes they had left on the dining room table before their walk.

  Joe wasn’t ready for bed, and he most definitely wasn’t ready to give up Rachel’s company just yet. He crossed to the table and began stacking the dishes and gathering silverware. “I told you before, I don’t mind helping.” He placed a handful of forks into a tumbler, handles down. Their tines spread open like a silvery bouquet.

  “Joe, seriously,” Rachel said, her hands moving expertly over the table as she spoke. “This is my job. It’s what I get paid to do. I can’t have guests helping me with my work.” She picked up a stack of plates and carried them to the kitchen.

  She wasn’t going to end the conversation so easily if he had anything to say about it. He grabbed as many glasses as he could carry and followed her. “Isn’t this place all about the guests and making them feel at home? About bonding the guests with the family at the firm?” He placed the glasses carefully beside the sink where Rachel was running water.

  She squirted liquid soap into the water. He caught the scent of green apples as the soap began to foam.

  “Yes, it is all about the guests here,” Rachel said, lowering the stack of dinner plates into the bubble-topped water. “And that’s why you should be in your room, relaxing and preparing for the long day you’re going to have tomorrow.”

  Joe moved behind her. With one finger, he moved her hair away from the right side of her neck. “I don’t want to go to my room. Don’t send me there like some naughty child.” He dipped his head and pressed his lips against the warm, smooth flesh of her neck. He could feel her pulse beating there, strong and hard.

  She shivered once and drew in a sharp breath.

  Joe smiled, his lips still against her skin, registering the quickening of the pace of her heart. He slipped his arms around her as he began to kiss a trail toward her earlobe.

  She tilted her head slightly, giving him more room to maneuver.

  Joe continued his quest, reaching her ear. He traced the shell of her ear with his tongue, causing her to shiver again. “Do you like this?” he whispered.

  “Y–Yes.”

  Joe’s cock thickened even more than it already was when he heard the sexy little tremble in her voice.

  “Do you trust me?” he said, his voice low.

  She nodded, swallowing. “Mm-hmm.”

  “I want you, Rachel.” He moved one hand up and cupped her breast, the fullness of it filling his hand. “Can I have you?”

  She leaned her head back against his shoulder, her hands slipping from the water to rest on the edge of the sink. He kissed her neck again then sucked at the skin there. She moaned.

  “Answer me, Rachel. Can I have you?” His cock was so hard it was painful.

  “Oh, yes,” she breathed, her body relaxing against him.

  Instant heat rolled through him. He had to have her. Right here, right now. Without another thought, moving by pure animal instinct, Joe picked up and carried her to the kitchen table. He set her on her feet then turned her to face him. “Before I go any farther, are you sure about this?” Please say yes. She looked up at him with big, round eyes and nodded.

  Joe couldn’t have been happier. He lifted her by the waist, shoved a chair out of the way with his foot, then sat her on the edge of the kitchen table. “Lie back,” he instructed, his fingers already working at the button of her jeans.

  She did as he asked, quietly, and he quickly removed her jeans and panties. Wanting to see her, he moved between her legs and slid her shirt up her stomach. Wriggling his fingers beneath the bottom edge of her bra, he lifted up and in one movement, raised the bra and her shirt up and over her breasts, exposing her peach-colored nipples to his hungry eyes.

  Rachel raised her arms above her head and ran her tongue over her upper lip. Her eyes had turned smoky, and her face was flushed.

  Joe couldn’t wait much longer, but he had to have a taste of those full breasts with their puckered little nipples. “God, you’re beautiful,” he said, bending over her. He swiped his tongue across one nipple then captured it between his lips. She arched upward, pressing against his mouth as she moaned.

  He sucked the little pebble while he rolled the other between his fingers. Her flesh was warm and firm. He couldn’t wait any longer to get inside her. With one last swipe of his tongue, he straightened and shed his pants and underwear quickly.

  One hand on each of her knees, his gaze locked with hers, he spread her legs wider and moved in between them. Heat radiated from her pussy. He didn’t hesitate. He centered himself then plunged inside.

  Sweet Lord. She was tight, wet, and hot as burning coals. Joe clenched his jaw, trying to control the urge to come. He grasped her hips and began to stroke in and out, watching her as she began to writhe on the table.

  “Well, I’m glad to see you two are hitting it off,” Rodgers said.

  Joe’s movements came to a screeching halt. He looked over at Rodgers, who was leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed and a smile on his face. He dug his fingers into Rachel’s hips, waiting to see what Rodgers’s next move would be.

  “I’m sure you’ve read the Bonding Camp Handbook by now,” Rodgers said, uncrossing his arms and stepping into the room. “We’re very big on bonding in every way. Including sexually.” He stopped beside the table and placed a hand on Rachel’s forehead. Looking down at her, he tenderly brushed her hair back. “You okay?”

  Joe saw her look up at Rodgers and nod her head. He kneaded her hips with his fingertips and inched forward. Her pussy squeezed his cock.

  “Do you mind if I join in?” Rodgers asked, looking up at Joe.

  “I don’t quite know what to say. You’ve caught me off guard.” Joe had read the handbook, and he’d been intrigued by the mention of how sensual sharing strengthens the bonds between them.

  “If you’re not comfortable, I can back down. But this would be a good way to break the ice between all of us.” Rodgers looked down at Rachel again. “Are you ready to begin?”

  “Yes, please,” she breathed, a hint of strain in her voice.

  Rodgers looked back up at him, one eyebrow raised.

  Joe met Rachel’s gaze again. “Whatever the lady wants.”

  She smiled then shifted her hips suggestively.

  Joe took the hint and began to move. She was still hot, her pussy beginning to quiver around his cock. “Oh damn,” he said through clenched teeth, his balls tightening.

  Rodgers leaned over her, not removing any clothing. Taking a kitchen towel that was draped over the back of one chair, he tied it around her wrists, binding them together, then stretched her arms tighter above her head. Holding her in this position, he lowered his head to her breast. Squeezing the firm, round mound with his free hand, he closed his lips around her nipple and began to suck.

  Joe felt her hips jerk, her pussy tightening. Watching Rodgers hold her down, sucking and nibbling at her breast, while he fucked her juicy cunt was too much. Lightning raced up Joe’s spine as he surged forward, burying himself to the hilt.

  Rachel responded, wiggling, raising her hips as best as she could, a guttural cry issuing from her lips.

  Joe increased the pace, Rodgers moving from her breast to capture her mouth with a kiss as he pinched her nipples.

  Rachel’s body arched, her back rising from the table. Her pussy creamed and clamped down on his cock like a vise.

  Joe stiffened, biting his bottom lip as his seed burst from him in a mind-boggling explosion of pure release. When he could breathe again, he stepped back, uncoupling from Rachel’s luscious body. He raked his fingers through his hair, watching Rodgers’s hand moved gently over Rachel’s body, soothing her with his touch. She lay there, twitching slightly, obviously still on her way down from the wild ride she
had just taken.

  Rodgers glanced up at him. “I think we did her justice, don’t you?”

  “Damn,” Joe said, picking up his clothes from the floor. “That was amazing.” He slipped his pants on then stepped to the side of the table.

  Rodgers had untied her wrists and smoothed her hair back from her face. “How are you feeling?”

  Rachel looked up at Joe, lifting one hand toward him. She stroked his cheek, a soft smile playing on her lips. Looking deeply into his eyes, she said three small words that set him on fire.

  “I want more,” she said.

  Chapter Five

  Rachel could not believe how easy it had been to let herself go just a little. A lot of it had to do with how she felt about Joe, the trust she felt when he was near her. The sensation of two men pleasuring her had given her an orgasm she wasn’t going to forget. When she had looked in Joe’s eyes and said, “I want more,” his nostrils had flared, his eyes darkening while his pupils dilated. Now she knew what a man in lust looked like.

  “Here,” Joe said, taking her arm. “Let me help you up. That table can’t be comfortable.”

  Joe helped her to a sitting position. Rachel pulled down her bra and shirt and slid off the table. She grabbed her jeans and pulled them on.

  “You said you wanted more, Rachel,” Rodgers said. “Would you like to continue this over in the other building?”

  Rachel swallowed. She knew where he meant. It was where they all went to bond sexually. She had seen some of the equipment they used when she had peered inside once or twice. She knew that the partners felt that you couldn’t fully bond without giving up full control and trusting them. And of course, most of the partners and staff enjoyed using restraints, some of them dominant and some submissive. She’d had a little taste of being submissive when Rodgers had tied her hands with the dish towel. She had loved the way it made her feel vulnerable, opening herself to allow them to do as they pleased with her. Just the thought of it now sent hot sparks down her spine.