Dmitri was taking this too well. Though they hadn’t discussed telling their father, Stef knew both he and Lex expected some kind of fireworks from the temperamental man.
Melinda came back into the room. She went to Alexei and put her hand on his shoulder. “I overheard what you said, Lex. I want you to know that you have our support. Your father has been talking for some time about how the two of you work too hard. The last time you came for a visit, you were pale and you’d lost weight. He feared you were working yourself into an early grave. While it appears your father is taking this in stride, his relief is mostly due to the fact he thought something much worse was going on.”
Dmitri and Melinda exchanged a tender look, and then Dmitri turned a bit of that mushy feeling on his son. “And I know you’re too pigheaded to do something about it. Thank goodness for Samantha. I’m glad you have her to talk some sense into you.”
“Well,” said Lex as he squeezed Melinda’s hand. “This is a bit anticlimactic.”
“Sorry,” Melinda said with a ladylike sniff. “According to my daughters, I’m a bit of a stuffed shirt, so this is as dramatic as I get. Your father is the same way.”
Stef and Lex stared at her for several seconds, trying to understand the joke. Finally Ana burst out laughing. She doubled over, holding her stomach. Stefano had to admire the way Melinda acknowledged the criticisms leveled at her with such dry wit. He and Lex joined in the laughter, though he wasn’t entirely sure if they were all laughing at the same thing.
* * * *
Samantha picked at the spread in front of her. The four of them had imbibed until late into the night, and the shit had hit the fan by morning. Heather’s resignation had left a vacuum they were scrambling to fill. Sophia and Samantha had prepared a huge breakfast spread while Ellen and Sabrina went to make sure the skeleton maintenance staff knew what they were supposed to do. They’d returned, headaches in tow, to find the scrumptious offering Sophie and Sam had made.
“Ideally,” Ellen said, “someone will rise to the occasion and prove themselves worthy of interim management.”
“That’s only on TV,” said Sabrina. “In real life, take-charge people are hard to find. I quit my job two months ago, and they still keep calling to beg me to come back.”
“People like you aren’t easy to replace,” Samantha said. “You’re both creative and assertive. You made that company what it is today.”
Ellen shoveled more fruit and another croissant on her plate. “Speaking of creative, I read an article the other day about this up-and-coming artist that is taking the West Coast by storm. Some blonde bitch who doesn’t bother to tell her friends she’s had a bunch of showings there.”
Samantha smiled blandly. She was used to Ellen’s idea of affectionate banter. “Probably the same blonde bitch who keeps getting calls and emails from a dozen galleries in New York now that they know she’s looking for an apartment there.”
Ellen and Sophie squealed, throwing tackling hugs at Sam. Sabrina waited until the melee was over. “That’s wonderful, Sam. I’m so happy for you, but I’m kind of pissed that you didn’t tell us. Maybe you should set up a mailing list so we can keep up with your appearances. Plus, your fans would probably like to know about your appearances. I can help you set that up.”
The bliss of an organizing job glazed over Sabrina’s eyes with joy.
A man came into the room. He was about Samantha’s height, which put him on the tall side, and he was built like someone who wasn’t a stranger to heavy lifting. He wore a cotton shirt and worn jeans that looked like they were very comfortable.
“Evan,” Sophia said. “I meant to come by last night to see you, but I got distracted.”
“By booze,” Ellen said. “We tied her up and forced her to drink.”
Sophia rolled her eyes at Ellen. “We got in late, and I thought you were probably sleeping. I know you’re an early riser.”
“That’s okay. I did turn in early. There’s a lot to be done to get things back on track. I finished the construction schedule. Want me to run it by you?” He took the seat next to Samantha, but he put the schedule down in front of Sophie. Extending his hand to Samantha, he said, “You must be Samantha. I think we met once or twice at Sabrina’s house, but it’s been a few years.”
Samantha didn’t remember meeting him, but she wasn’t about to admit it. She took his proffered hand. “Hi, Evan. Thanks for helping us out.”
“Not a problem.”
“Hey,” Ellen said. She was looking over Sophia’s shoulder at the schedule. “This says you won’t be done until mid-April. We wanted it finished by March first.”
Evan ran his fingers through his light brown mane and shook his head. “Not with what you want done. Mid-April is the optimistic timeline. I think you’ll have enough done to reopen the resort. The rest of the construction is going to take about a year. Add in the houses Sabrina talked about building on the other side of the island, and you’ve got about two years of construction on your plate.”
Samantha gaped at the prediction. “The other company told us that it could all be done by the end of March, not including building houses on the other side of the island.”
Evan leveled his clear blue gaze at Sam. “He was full of shit. That timeline included massive cuts to corners and dangerous detours that could leave you with some pretty hefty lawsuits.”
Sophia passed the folder to Sabrina, who shared it with Samantha. The papers within contained a detailed list of jobs, building materials, costs, and a timeline for completion for each job. Though most of it looked like unintelligible gook to Samantha, she could make out that Evan was having the crew work through the jobs efficiently, moving them around to make best use of manpower while things dried or cured, or while they were waiting to have things inspected.
“Wow,” Sophie said. “You even included money to bribe suppliers. I’m impressed.”
Evan grinned. “This ain’t my first rodeo.” His imitation of a cowboy was charming. “Look, I have a favor to ask you ladies. I want you to hear me out before you say anything. I like this project, and I like this island. I’d like to stay on and see it through, but unless I can bring Alaina, Daniel, and Zach here, I can’t do it. I can’t be away from my family for that long.”
Samantha didn’t have a problem with that. She wanted the island to be a haven for people who lived in polyamorous relationships. Before she could speak, Sophia put her hand over Evan’s.
“Have you talked about this with Danny? He’s not going to give up his studio to move to an island, and Lainie counsels patients and teaches college classes.”
A picture of patience, Evan nodded. “I meant just until the resort was open. Once things get going, this is no place for a twelve-year-old boy, no matter how much he might like for it to be. Alaina needs to get away, and Daniel will do anything to help her get over our recent losses.”
Samantha had forgotten about the miscarriage Sophia’s sister-in-law had. Evan looked like he was about to excuse himself so that he didn’t lose it in front of all those women.
Sophia glanced around at each of them, accruing a visual tally. Nobody had a problem with the arrangement he proposed. “Yeah, Evan. We’d love for you to stay on. Bring Lainie, Danny, and Zach here—whatever it takes to help you guys heal.”
“Thanks,” he said. He pulled several folded pieces of paper from his back pocket and threw them down on the table. “This is an alternate plan that you might want to consider.”
After he’d left, Samantha leaned closer to Sophia. “What else did they lose?”
Sophia glanced at the door, making sure Evan was gone. “Lainie has had six miscarriages. This last one really broke her spirit. She wanted kids so badly. So did Evan and Danny.”
Zach, Samantha knew, was Alaina’s younger brother who the trio were raising as their son. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
Sophie squeezed Samantha’s hand. “They’ll be okay. They have each other, so they’ll get through th
is. I hope they consider adoption. They have so much to offer a kid.”
“I hope so, too,” Sabrina said softly. “I’m sure we can help them find an agency friendly to their type of living arrangement.”
Samantha looked at the empty doorway, missing Alexei and Stefano badly. She comforted herself with the knowledge that a few days of hard work would lead her to a mini-vacation where she got to see her family and be with her lovers.
Chapter Fourteen
Samantha wasn’t a fan of staying at a hotel when she was in town visiting her parents. If Stefano and Alexei weren’t with her, she opted to sleep with the familiar scents and sounds of home around her.
She stopped by the front desk of the luxurious hotel lobby to get a key for the room. Thankfully, they’d put her name on the registry, so she only had to show identification. This way, she’d be able to surprise them. They’d wanted to pick her up from the airport, but the time had conflicted with plans Dmitri had made for the family to visit the grave of the late Maggie Morozov. It was rare to have all three of the kids home, and he’d wanted to make the most of this special occasion.
The odds of the room being empty were about half. Stefano had promised to do everything he could to be back by the time she got there, but he knew that things didn’t always go as planned when Dmitri was calling the shots.
Her wish was granted when the room was empty. Though she experienced a pang of disappointment—she sorely missed her lovers—she was thankful for the opportunity to freshen up before dinner.
Stowing her suitcase in the bedroom, she took out her toiletries bag and went to work. Just as she was washing her face, she heard a click as a keycard disengaged the room lock. She patted her face dry and rushed out to greet them.
The bathroom exited to the bedroom, which came out around a blind corner from the door. She found herself lifted and shoved against the wall before she could focus long enough to figure out whether Alexei or Stefano had her.
He locked his lips onto hers, taking her with a violent intensity that left no doubt he’d missed her as much as she’d missed him. He ground his hips into her and flattened her body between his and the wall. It also clarified his intentions. This would not be a gentle, loving reunion. He aimed to mark his territory.
Just when she was tempted to guess that Stefano was kissing her—he liked rough sex far more often than Lex did—they exchanged places. Her other lover treated her to the same crushing passion.
The violence eased a bit, and a blindfold slipped over her eyes. No words were spoken, and she understood that they wanted her off balance. They wanted her to identify them on sensory information alone. She could do that, but it took a little longer if she couldn’t see them or hear them speak. While their voices were nearly identical, they tended to phrase things differently, and that often provided great clues.
They pulled her away from the wall, and a warm, shirtless chest nestled against her back.
Hands slid into the waistband of her sweats, caressing her flesh as one of them stripped her panties and soft cotton down her body. Hot lips pressed against her neck, and another set of hands slid along her stomach and lifted her shirt.
The lips left her skin as the man in front of her tugged her shirt off and rid her of her bra. Naked, she trembled between them. She knew her vulnerability called to them both, and she hoped it would urge them to break the wall of silence. They hadn’t prohibited her from speaking, but they hadn’t given permission, and that gagged her as effectively as the rubber ball they liked to urge between her teeth upon occasion.
Teeth grazed her stomach and lower back, and she gasped as shivers raced up and down her nerve endings. Her body was lifted and carried, and then she was set down on the bed. Ropes wrapped around her wrists, binding them together. They placed her bound hands above her head, pressing them into the pillow there as a signal to keep them there.
Hot lips closed around her nipples, a mouth on each one. This wasn’t fair. Stefano was usually the first to go for her breasts, but they’d arrived at the same time. That’s what she got for leaving them three days to plot against her.
The gentle licking and sucking gave way to harder tugs and the rolling of her turgid little peaks between their teeth and the roofs of their mouths. She gasped and moaned, arching her back to ease the pressure, but they only pulled harder.
Two fingers separated the lips of her pussy, pulling the separate sides wide apart. She hazarded a guess that Lex was on her left side and using his dominant hand between her legs, and Stefano was on her right side doing the same thing. She could be wrong, though. They had changed things up on her quite frequently, and both of her lovers were good with both hands.
She groaned in frustration, and they began rubbing small circles along her wetness, teasing everything but her clit. The assault on her breasts continued. A firm arm came down across her elbows, keeping her arms from moving. Her gasps came louder, and fingers slipped into her mouth. She tried to suck on them, but they moved around too much, caressing her lips, teeth, and tongue. It was shockingly intimate, and coming from men who had taken her every way they could as often as they could, that was a new feeling.
Two fingers slipped inside her pussy. Slowly they pumped into her body, curving to hit her sweet spot. Samantha lifted her knees, luxuriating in the rough feel of their bare thighs against hers. They played until she was trembling, on the verge of something wonderful if only they would give it to her a little faster and harder.
“Please,” she begged, and the fingers abandoned her.
The mouths on her breasts released their tortured burden. One moved across her chest and up her neck. The other journeyed down her quivering stomach. Weights on either side of her shifted, and someone took their place between her legs. Hands pushed her legs wider and held them prisoner in the position he wanted.
Samantha panted, knowing what was coming and knowing it would reveal who was where. As deliciously decadent as it was not knowing who had positioned himself on either side of her, she preferred knowing. She liked to whisper their names because she knew how it affected each of them. Alexei’s eyes would light with fierce pride, and Stefano’s mouth would curve with the same emotion. Samantha liked that she was the only person who could tell them apart with unfailing accuracy. It was one of the ways she showed them how much she loved them.
The mouth between her legs latched onto her clit, and she knew from the violent suddenness of the way he took her that Stefano was between her legs.
The arm holding hers in place eased. She turned her face to where she felt his breath. “Lex, please kiss me.”
If she was wrong, she wouldn’t be getting a kiss anytime soon, but she was confident that she was right, and that came across in her desperate plea.
He closed his lips over hers, his tongue delving deep as he ravaged her with his brand of mastery and love.
Between her legs, Stefano inserted a single finger into her and brought her to the brink. She wanted to ask for permission, but Alexei wouldn’t release her lips. He had hijacked her breathing—the only real technique she had that worked to stave off orgasm—and he wasn’t showing signs that he was inclined to release her anytime soon.
She struggled, her body heaving with effort, but the tightness coiling low in her abdomen couldn’t be denied. Of its own volition, her body bowed and stiffened. Lex’s kiss muffled her moans. Ignoring her plight, he swallowed her sounds of desperate pleasure.
The throbbing began to subside. Her muscles relaxed, and Lex ended his demanding kiss. Weight shifted again as they switched places. Now Alexei was between her legs, and Stefano lay next to her.
Her pink parts were no doubt swollen. Stefano was almost never gentle, especially after having gone several days without seeing her.
“What gave us away?” He murmured against her lips. His face was wet with her juices, and his breath held her scent.
She had to be honest. Lex licked a path through her juices, making it difficult to remember what she w
anted to say. “The way you eat pussy. The rest of it…Wow. You did a great job of keeping me in the dark.”
His grin radiated through the darkness. “Clean my face, Sammy.”
She started with his chin and cheeks, loving the scratchy feel of his unshaven skin. Stubble stabbed her tongue, a wonderful, masculine texture that combined with the magic Lex was working between her legs. She ended with his lips, gliding a light, sensual caress over them as an enticement to kiss her.
He took the bait, teasing her with chaste kisses and gentle tugs of his teeth on her lower lip. As he drove her crazy that way, Alexei stepped up his assault on her sensitive tissues.
“Please,” she breathed. “Please let me come.”
“Mmm.” Stefano appeared to consider her request. “You didn’t ask last time.”
“I couldn’t.” Pleasure hovered on the edge of the cliff. “I don’t have a signal.” Her voice had been unavailable. She wanted to add that, but her vocal cords wouldn’t cooperate.
He kissed her again, smothering her plea. Alexei hummed against her clit until he pushed her too far. She shouted her release, and he moaned as he lapped up her juices. He moved up her body, presenting his face for her to lick clean. Her body thrummed with pleasure. She was operating on autopilot, and she knew they were just getting started.
She took her time with his gorgeous face, hoping to buy some recovery minutes, but her plan didn’t work. Lex took her in his arms and rolled so that she was on top of him. While she continued to carry out her task, Stef lifted her hips, and Lex guided himself into her pussy. Then Stef’s lubricated cock pressed to her back entrance. She breathed out to aid his entry, and he paused just inside to let her acclimate to the pinching sensation.
Then they were off. Samantha lay limply between them as they used her body. The throbbing drumbeat of her orgasm came back to life with an added spark. It took over her mind and radiated along her neural pathways, turning the experience into one long orgasm instead of a slow build to explosive pleasure.
Two Masters for Samantha 2: In Their Hearts [Awakenings 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 18