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

by Christelle Mirin

  He gave her a crooked grin. “I doubt it.”

  Rachel laughed, feeling free and easy for the first time in her life. Right now, she wasn’t concerned with how she looked or her inexperience. She was happy in the moment, and her happiness blossomed from the fact that this man was somehow connected to her. The feeling was strong and undeniable.

  They finished their shower, laughing and tickling each other, neither of them able to stop touching each other. After drying off with the big fluffy towels she always kept in the bathroom, Rachel wrapped one around herself and sat down on the foot of her bed. She had taken her wide-toothed comb from the drawer in the bathroom and now set about the task of working the tangles from her hair. She picked and plucked at it, her fingers nimbly working through the tangled knots. It was harder than normal, what with her hair wet. “Ow!” she grumbled when a tangled tress gave way, and she ended up pulling her own hair.

  “What are you doing?” Joe asked, coming from the bathroom to stand just inside the bedroom.

  Rachel froze, her heart skipping a beat. Joe was so handsome, standing there with a towel wrapped around his waist while he used a second one to rub the dampness from his hair. His skin was flushed from the hot shower, giving him a healthy glow. His chest was bare, making it easy to see the sharply defined muscles that were parked above his rock-hard stomach. Just the sight of him was making her cream like a teenager. She let out a sigh of satisfaction, so glad she had finally opened up about wanting to join in during bonding camp.

  Joe stopped his movements, peeking at her from beneath the towel he was using to dry his hair. “Rach, you okay?”

  “Huh?” She blinked then felt her face grow hot. “Yeah, um, I’m fine.” She slid the comb into her hair, trying to cover up the fact she had just been mooning over him, and immediately snagged a tangle. “Ouch! Dang.” She winced.

  Joe draped the towel in his hands over his shoulders and moved toward her. “Here. Let me do that before you snatch yourself bald.” He took the comb from her hand and sat down beside her. “Turn,” he instructed, urging her to turn sideways with his hand on her shoulder.

  Rachel turned, bending one knee and sliding her leg up onto the bed. Joe’s fingers brushed her neck when he gathered her hair and drew it over her shoulders to her back.

  “You have beautiful hair,” he said, running the comb gently through her hair until he came to a tangle.

  “I’ve been thinking about cutting it. It’s so long sometimes it gets in the way.”

  “Don’t cut it.” He leaned forward until his lips were just beside her ear. “I like the way it clings to your body when you’re all slick and sweaty from me fucking you,” he whispered then swiped his tongue over the shell of her ear before leaning back again to work on her hair.

  Rachel drew in a slow breath and ran her hand over the calf of her leg that was parked on the bed. The way he seduced her with his wicked whispers had her body heating up yet again. The contrast between his dirty words and the gentleness of his hands as he combed her hair was tantalizing to say the least. She tilted her head back, the towel she wore falling down, revealing her breasts. “Mmm,” she crooned, her nipples tightening from the chilly, air-conditioned air wafting over her breasts and the wet, tickly sensation of her damp hair falling in long strands on the skin of her back.

  “You like this, don’t you?” Joe asked, the comb moving smoothly through her hair now.

  “Mm-hmm. It’s just one of the things I like about you.”

  “Oh? And what are some of the others?”

  “I like the way you touch me. It’s so familiar, like we’ve known each other forever. I’ve never felt like this about anyone else. Being with you seems so natural.” She sighed. “It’s hard to explain, but you fit into my life so easily, I can’t imagine I would feel this way about anyone else.”

  Joe gathered her hair in his hand at the nape of her neck and pulled her head back. Then his mouth covered hers, his tongue pressing past her lips and thrusting inside. She splayed her hands on the bed behind her, trying to keep her balance as he ravaged her mouth. With a nip of her bottom lip, he rose to give her air but didn’t release his hold on her hair. “I want to hear that sound from you again, Rachel. That little moan of pleasure you let out a few minutes ago.”

  Rachel ran her tongue over her bottom lip. The sensation of him holding her firmly by the hair sent electricity from the nape of her neck, down her spine, to the apex of her butt cheeks. Pulling her hair back even more, Joe forced her to stretch her neck backward. The movement caused her to part her lips, and her breasts thrust forward because of the arch of her back. She sucked in a sharp breath when he tweaked her nipple, pinching it then rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. Sparks of pleasure-pain shot from her tight nipple all the way to the back of her tongue. She closed her eyes, tense, waiting for his next move. Her body felt like an overtightened violin string, waiting to be plucked.

  Rachel had never considered how she would react to being submissive to a man. Sure, she had always let her sexual partners make the first move and lead the way, but this was completely different. The pleasure Joe gave her was sweet and warm, washing over her. But the little shots of pain that accompanied it were sharp and electric, setting her body on fire as if he’d touched her with a lit match. Instead of shying away from it, she jerked toward it, craving more of the searing heat.

  Joe plucked and tugged at her nipple, each movement causing Rachel to want more. She was basically leaning back across his lap, her arms beginning to quiver from trying to hold herself at the odd angle. Even the stress on her muscles, like snaps of rubber bands beneath her skin, added to the pleasure-pain experience.

  Her mouth open, she began to breathe a little harder. Joe switched to the untouched nipple, tweaking it. She jerked, letting a tiny moan escape. “Mmm,” she murmured, trying to turn her head.

  Joe held fast to her hair. He chuckled lowly. “That’s what I want to hear.” She felt his tongue flick into her mouth and swipe across the back of her upper front teeth. “I want to hear you make little sounds like that the next time you and I are intimate,” he said when he straightened. He smoothed the palm of his hand over her highly sensitized nipples and let go of her hair.

  Rachel gulped a breath, her body vibrating with need. She wanted him, but her throat was too tight with frustration to be able to voice that need. Heat jittered through her, fueled by the take-control attitude of this man who was quickly insinuating himself deeply into her heart.

  Joe lifted her, pulling her onto his lap. Placing a kiss on her cheek, he then nuzzled her ear. “It’s getting late,” he said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as he met her gaze. “I hate to say it, but I’m going to leave you alone for the rest of the night. You’re probably sore from all of our activities, and I want to give you the chance to rest a while.”

  Rachel reached up and trailed her fingertips down his cheek. The slight stubble rasped against her skin. “I am a bit sore and maybe a little achy. You and Rodgers sure gave me a workout this evening.”

  “Well then,” he said, tucking one arm beneath her legs and the other around her waist. He stood, lifting her. “We should get you all nice and tucked in for the night, so you can get some sleep. I want you bright-eyed and raring to go tomorrow, so we can spend some quality time together.” He carried her around to the side of the bed and gave her a quick kiss. Then he dropped her on the bed with a bounce.

  “Hey!” she said then giggled when the towel that had been wrapped around her at the waist flew across the bed.

  “Hey what?” He gave her a wide-eyed innocent look. Two seconds later, he bent over and started tickling her ribs.

  Rachel laughed, long and loud, as his fingers played her ribs like she was a banjo. She kicked and slapped at him playfully. “Stop, Joe. Stop!”

  “I’m not quite ready to stop yet.” He grabbed her foot and began tickling the bottom of it.

  Sucking in a sharp breath, Rachel lashed out w
ith her other foot, connecting with his rib cage.

  Joe let out an ommph, let go of her foot, then rolled off the bed and landed on the floor with a thud.

  “Oh my gosh. Joe?” Rachel leaned over the bed, her heart thumping.

  He lay there, one hand over his heart, his eyes closed and breathing through his mouth.

  “Joe, are you okay?” She touched his thigh.

  “Rowllll…” he growled, jackknifing to a sitting position.

  “Oh—you,” Rachel said, rolling up onto the bed. She flopped on her back, her smile so wide it actually hurt her cheeks.

  “What are you smiling about, Miss Rachel?” Joe grasped her wrists and pulled her up to stand beside the bed then he drew down the covers.

  “I’m smiling because…” Rachel blinked, realization shocking her into silence. The reason she was smiling had just bloomed in her mind like a rosebud opening to the sun. She looked at Joe, meeting his gaze levelly. “I’m smiling because I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.”

  Joe’s impish grin developed into a soft smile. “I’m glad.” He kissed her tenderly then took her by the waist and sat her down on the edge of the bed. He lifted the covers he had turned down a moment ago. “Come on, let’s get you in bed.”

  Rachel lay back, slipping her legs beneath the covers. The bed felt welcoming, her body settling into the pillow top mattress. She stifled a yawn, weariness almost overtaking her.

  Joe sat on the edge of the bed beside her. She lay still, watching his eyes search her face as he smoothed her hair back from her forehead. Rachel bit the inside of her lip, wondering why such a look of seriousness had come over his sparkling eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked, unable to figure out if she had done something wrong.

  One corner of his mouth lifted in a crooked smile. “I want to ask you something,” he said quietly.

  Her stomach clenched, nervous. “Ask.”

  He wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger then looked her directly in the eye. “You and Rodgers…is there a thing going on between you two?”

  He’s jealous. The thought made her want to smile, but she held it in. “We’re coworkers and friends. Why?”

  “There’s nothing romantic between you?”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head. “You do know that almost everyone who works for the firm has been here at bonding camp, and they bond by sharing intimacy, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Joe, even though Rodgers and I know each other pretty well, this was my first time sharing myself with him. We are friends who share. Nothing more.”

  A smile lit up his face. “Good to know.” He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the forehead. “And I’m finding out I’m kind of into this sharing thing. Now, get some sleep. You’re going to need it.”

  Chapter Seven

  Rachel awoke the next morning with a smile on her face. She stretched languidly, arms above her head and toes curled, before throwing back the covers and rising from the bed to greet the day. Today was Saturday, and she was looking forward to it. Joe would be here all day, not scheduled to leave until tomorrow. Rodgers, of course, was here as always. And Justice would arrive by afternoon to continue with her bonding camp. It was going to be an amazing day. She threw open the curtains, letting the first glimmer of sunlight into her room.

  Grinning, she headed for the shower, not at all upset about her muscle aches and pains.

  Two hours later, Rachel was washing the breakfast dishes in the kitchen when Rodgers appeared, bringing her a water glass she had missed when she cleared the table.

  “You look awfully happy this morning,” Rodgers said, placing the glass on the countertop beside the sink. “You have such a nice bloom to your cheeks. I think all the bonding we did yesterday was good for you.” He leaned against the counter beside her and crossed his arms, smiling.

  She glanced up at him, her hand underwater making slow circles with a cloth over a plate. “I am happy. I didn’t know what I was missing.” She lifted the plate out of the water and rinsed it, then placed it in the dish drainer on the other side of the sink. She turned to him, her hands clasped over the sink. “Rodgers, I want to thank you for not pushing me into bonding when I wasn’t ready. It means a lot to me. Your friendship means a lot to me.” Her eyes began to sting. The last thing she wanted to do was cry. She turned back to face the sink, busying herself with washing a glass and blinking fast to keep the emotional tears at bay.

  Rodgers placed a hand on her back between her shoulders and leaned close to her. “I’m glad you’re my friend, too,” he whispered then kissed her temple.

  Rachel bit the inside of her cheek, her vision growing blurry. She really did care about Rodgers. He was basically her best friend.

  He gave her a pat on the back and moved toward the back door. “I’ve got to clean up the bonding room before Justice gets here. I’ll see you after lunch.”

  Rachel nodded and smiled at him, her lips quivering a bit. He walked out the door, disappearing into the sunlight. Rachel let out a shuddering sigh and went about finishing the dishes. She had to ready Justice’s room before he arrived in a couple of hours.

  As she moved about the house taking care of her daily chores, she thought about last night. After Joe had left her, she had fallen asleep fairly quickly and dreamed of how Joe had made love to her. Rachel had actually surprised herself yesterday when she had let Joe take her on the kitchen table, and then she didn’t bat an eye when Rodgers had joined in the activities. It had been decadent and wanton and so much fun.

  She snapped the crisp, white linen sheet then let it float down onto Justice’s bed. As she tucked in the corners, she wondered what it would be like with three men at once. Would she be able to handle it? Her face grew hot at the thought. And the bondage—she had really enjoyed that part of it.

  Fluffing the pillows at the head of the bed, Rachel couldn’t wait until one o’clock. That was when she was to meet them at what Rodgers called the “bonding room.” It was where most bonding camp sessions took place, mainly because that was where all their equipment was kept.

  Rachel walked down the hall, carrying a laundry basket full of soiled linens toward the laundry room.

  “There you are,” Joe said, turning into the hallway from the main foyer.

  Rachel’s heart did a little flip, and she immediately felt lighter. Smiling widely, she met his gaze. “Yep, here I am. What have you been up to?” She moved forward, and he fell in step beside her.

  “I have been enjoying the beautiful grounds and the trails in the woods. This place is wonderful. I love being outdoors.” He grabbed the laundry basket from her. “Let me carry that. I don’t want you using up all your strength doing housework.”

  She looked up at him and took note of the smoky look in his eyes and his serious expression. Heat crawled through her, causing her to lick her lips.

  Joe stopped, turning to face her. “Listen, I know we’re doing the bonding thing again this afternoon with a group sex session and—don’t get me wrong—I’m loving it, but I’d really like for you and I to spend some time alone.”

  “I’d like that, too.” Rachel felt all sorts of emotions flow through her, excitement, satisfaction, happiness, and even hope that Joe felt the same way about her as she did about him. This feeling she had for him was leaning more and more toward love. She’d heard of whirlwind romances and love at first sight, but she never pictured herself falling in love so quickly. But that’s what it felt like—love.

  “What do you say tomorrow we have a picnic for lunch? Somewhere out in the woods. All by ourselves.” He raised an eyebrow.

  “That sounds like a plan. I’ll fix us a nice lunch, and we can sit and talk, away from the others.” She smiled up at him.

  A grin broke over his face. “I am really, truly beginning to love this place.”

  They turned and continued walking toward the laundry room. Once there, Joe helped her sort the laundry and load the washer. They talke
d about nothing in particular, but every so often, their hands would brush against each other, making contact that Rachel felt sizzling to her core with each light touch. She was flabbergasted about how natural spending time with Joe felt, even while doing a simple chore like laundry. It amazed her how easy their relationship was, how like it was as if they had known each other for years.

  She found herself laughing easily, always looking him in the eye when he spoke. A warmth bloomed in her heart every time he smiled.

  She was lost, and she was in love.

  She just wasn’t sure what she was going to do about it.

  Pushing the button to start the washer, they both turned to leave the laundry room when a voice in the hall stopped them in their tracks.

  “When I sent you up here to attend bonding camp, I didn’t expect you to bond so closely that you began to do housework, Joe.” Justice Cane stepped in front of the door, blocking their passage. “Rachel, you look freshly satisfied. And I missed your first time bonding.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “We’ll have to remedy that very soon,” he said when he straightened.

  Heat rushed through her yet again. She was embarrassed about being caught with Joe helping her with housework, even though he was a guest. Add the fact that she would soon become intimate with Justice Cane, one of the partners of the law firm that owned this compound and also was her boss, and she was surprised that she didn’t just burst into flames on the spot.

  “I was just helping Rachel,” Joe said, slipping his arm around her waist. It felt sort of like he was either protecting her or claiming her. Or both. Either way, it made Rachel feel cared for.

  Justice glanced at Joe’s arm, noticing the movement, a small smile gracing his mouth. “I can see that.”

  “She didn’t ask me to or anything. I wanted to spend time with her, that’s all.” Joe tensed beside her.