Poppy's Passions

by Stephanie Beck

  Alex kissed her cheek as well and ran after his twin. “I can eat it all. The nurse said so.”

  Michael helped Poppy to her feet after the twins were gone, and they followed her sisters and their husbands to the dining room. Michael made no secret of holding her to his side as they walked, and she knew the brothers noticed the lack of welcome she was given. Ahead of them Rose and Lavender laughed, their arms around each other’s waists, but they had yet to acknowledge her.

  Poppy was used to it and could go a full holiday without saying more than a dozen words to any one of her sisters, but from the way Cody was scowling and Michael kept her close, she knew they didn’t like it.

  She’d tried to explain her family several times, but it didn’t compute with the brothers. Their mother loved them. Every time they left with her near, she gave them kisses and told them to be careful. Their dads helped them with their cars, played cards and drank beer with them. They always had a friend in their brothers, even if they disagreed.

  She couldn’t expect them to understand the animosity and disinterest in her family, but the breathing example helped them see what she meant when she said they weren’t “close.”

  “We put on a full southern supper for ya’ll.” Rose showed them to a large buffet, heavy with true southern fried on the good silver and fine china passed down from their mother. “We didn’t have time to cook ourselves, but CaraDees right here in town does a very nice spread. Please, help yourselves, and we can get to know each other better.”

  Everything on the buffet was golden fried perfect or covered in butter, the kind of meal her boys appreciated, complete with iced bottles of beer at the end and small wine glasses for dessert liquors. Smothered chicken and pork chops, smoked brisket, roasted Brussels sprouts, hush puppies, garlic potatoes, and spinach salad adorned the table. Brownies and pie had their own sideboard.

  Halfway through the buffet Michael looked over and frowned at her glazed carrots and roll while his plate was loaded. “Baby, is there anything here that doesn’t make you miserable?”

  “I suppose this isn’t exactly a figure friendly meal.” Lavender was second oldest with a sarcastic bend. More often than not it pushed into mean, and the sneer on her face when she looked at Poppy’s plate stayed true to character. “But Poppy’s never worried about staying slim, have you, honey?”

  Trevor’s eyes narrowed and Greg jumped in, the sheen of perspiration on his forehead again making her wonder what Trevor held over her brother-in-law. “Ha ha, funny joke. I think Poppy looks great. Remember how big you were, Lavender, when you were pregnant with Wesley? I think you said you gained fifty pounds, but you wouldn’t know after the lipo and tummy tuck.” The daggers shot at him might have killed a lesser man but Greg continued, returning his focus to Poppy. “We keep lots of lighter meals in the refrigerator. Chicken breasts and steamed vegetables mostly. Would that be something you could eat?”

  “Ah, yes.” Unnerved by his solicitous behavior, she looked up and saw her family watching them intently while Trevor grinned and winked at her. “I have peptic ulcers, so any of those things would work fine.”

  “I’ll be right back.” Greg all but ran from the dining room.

  Five minutes later the Maguire women, Poppy included, watched Greg. His bizarre behavior took the focus off her, which she was grateful for, but seeing him bow and scrape to Trevor, who remained cold, was beyond odd.

  “Okay, apparently Greg’s been taking his pain pills again,” Lavender announced. He’d just set a glass of water in front of Poppy and asked if it had enough ice. Lavender couldn’t let it pass unmentioned. “What is this business about security people? What have you gotten yourself into, Poppy?”

  “My fault,” Trevor said quickly, jumping in before Poppy could explain. “We had some trouble with a drag racer last time we were in town. You know how that can be, right, Greg?”

  “Oh, yeah,” he immediately agreed. “It can be a rough crowd, which is why I got out when I did.”

  “I wish I’d gotten out a little sooner so it wouldn’t be an issue,” Trevor said and smiled apologetically, but she didn’t need any more apologies from him, she knew he would never knowingly put her in danger.

  “I thought it had to be something like that,” Rose said. “I couldn’t imagine Poppy warranting that kind of attention on her own.”

  The men immediately bristled, though Poppy was used to the tiny jabs Rose liked to make. Rose’s insults weren’t always obvious, but were always painful.

  “On to other things. Poppy, is Steven the father of this latest horrible mistake?” Lavender asked. Unlike Rose, Lavender didn’t bother to mask her thoughts or outright insults.

  “Absolutely not.” Poppy was ready for the questions, even if her sister chose to phrase them the crudest way possible. “I haven’t seen him since I miscarried almost eight months ago and before we hadn’t been together since we made the baby. I’m big, thanks for pointing that out, because we are expecting twins.”

  “When are they due?” Lavender’s husband Peter asked politely, because he was polite. All the husbands were nice and never made her feel she was worthless the way her own blood did. Yet they never interfered either.

  “At the end of April,” Cody answered proudly, and she couldn’t help smiling at him. “Two little girls. Our mother only had boys, so she’s excited to have girls in the house. She loves having Poppy close.”

  “And you are the father?” Poppy braced at what Rose’s simple question would start.

  “I thought you were with Trevor.” Greg frowned.

  “No way, I saw her kissing Michael in a very un-brotherly way,” Lavender countered. The unlikely conclusion came to each woman who turned toward her with stunned looks. “What have you gotten yourself into? You couldn’t make a relationship work with one man, how do you expect to make it work with three brothers?”

  “It actually works well.” Poppy ignored the barb about Steven and focused on the truth. “But since none of you ever talked to me about your relationships, let alone your sex lives, I’m pretty sure you’ll understand why I’m done with this portion of the dinner conversation.”

  “Shit, that means all three?” Peter whispered, always louder than he thought he was. “Like a devil’s three-way?”

  “That would be four-way,” Michael drawled, and Poppy nearly choked on her water. “It’s not for everyone, but it works for us. Poppy said she’s done talking about that. Alexander’s doctor was very reassuring over the phone. He said since things aren’t critical I could do the marrow tests back home and have them sent. Poppy, though, isn’t a good match because of a blood type incompatibility.”

  “Bad luck, huh, Rose?” Peter was a nice enough guy but lacked tact. Poppy knew whatever came next was not going to be well received. “She calls Poppy ‘Spare Parts,’ ya know, good if you need a kidney.”

  The group laughed. It was an old joke her sisters had used for years. They’d once discussed why God had given another sister to a family full of girls and when Rose suggested Poppy was for spare parts, they’d all laughed. It wasn’t so easy to laugh it off now, not when she knew what it meant to be in a family that actually valued her. “Spare Parts,” it could mean so many things, but to her family her individual parts were worth more than the whole.

  “Why the fuck is that funny?” Cody slammed his glass to the table. She jumped along with the others. “Is this some fucking game to see who hurts your baby sister the most? She runs halfway across the country to help, putting her health at risk, and the only ones I’ve seen even remotely care are the kids. What kind of family punishes the baby for something she had nothing to do with? I’m really sorry you lost your mother, but in case no one told you, twenty-five years ago breast cancer killed most of its victims. I think you should honor and love your mother’s sacrifice not call her ‘Spare Parts.’”

  From their expressions, Poppy knew the people around the table, even the other brothers, were as shocked as she was at Cody’s ou
tburst. She’d never dreamed Baby Boy had that sort of monolog in him.

  “Usually folks storm out after something like that,” Lavender said, after a pregnant silence.

  “I have to stay and fend you heartless bitches off.” He kept surprising her. “But you’re right, I’d be fine not seeing any of you again.”

  More silence. Cody’s words hurt, mostly because they were true. Her sisters’ silence said more than anything. No half-hearted “but we love Poppy” passed their lips. Just silence. A little part of her died as each sister refused to meet her eyes and their husbands, especially Greg who was nearly ill, looked embarrassed and ashamed.

  She wasn’t sure what would happen after such a bomb being dropped before dessert, but the worry was taken away when Alex ran into the room, bypassing his parents in favor of her lap.

  “Auntie Poppy, I’m tired. Can we rock up in my room like before?” Oblivious to the tension in the room, he hugged close to her.

  “Sure, buddy.” She looked to her men because she needed the love Alexander offered and couldn’t stay without their help.

  “No problem, babe, take as much time as you want.” Trevor’s tone was sweet for her even as he continued to glare at the others. “I’m sure Greg can keep us entertained.”

  “Of course.” Greg jumped to his feet. “I’ll show you around the grounds and we’ll head to the game room. When you’re ready to find us, Poppy, that’s where we’ll be. Goodnight, buddy. Gentlemen?”

  “Hey, little man, how about you let me carry you up to your room?” Michael abandoned the stare-down, she knew, because she was more important than making the others squirm. “Auntie Poppy’s a little lady, and a big guy like you gets heavy for her.”

  “Who’s he?” Like his uncle, Alexander whispered too loudly.

  “He is a very good friend of mine. You can call him Uncle Mike.” Poppy cuddled him and wished their family was different. “He’s a police officer.”

  “Really?” Alex perked up and held his arms up to Michael. “Jonathan wants to be a policeman, but Mommy said we can be a banker like Daddy, or we can be doctors like at the hospital.”

  “And what do you want?” she heard Michael ask as she led them to the room the twins shared.

  “Hmm, not a doctor, that’s for sure. I hate the hospital. Maybe a pirate, ’cuz you know, they drive boats.”

  Poppy was enchanted when Michael engaged him in the pros and cons of being a pirate. When they started discussing booty and cartoon sponges, she let her mind wander.

  She wanted to think her family might change one day. Maybe when they were older and their kids were grown they would meet up once a month to have dinner and catch up, but she doubted it. There wasn’t a place she was willing to accept within her father’s family. The option of begging for their affection and approval held no appeal. She’d been thrilled with scraps before, but now she was too full of love to be content with castoffs.

  They passed the living room. It was photo-shoot perfect, but Poppy liked Mary’s inviting living space better. Thinking of home made her admit the trip wasn’t a total loss. Seeing Greg act like a lunatic was amusing. Alex and Jonathan were both doing well, despite the cancer, and the other kids were healthy.

  The best part had to be the things she learned about her men. While her sisters and brothers-in-laws aired out dirty laundry and showed their asses, Michael, Trevor, and especially Cody hadn’t failed her, not even once. They didn’t let her hurt any more than they could prevent and Cody—he’d made them look at themselves, and at least some of them hadn’t liked what was there.

  She didn’t feel like she had to worry about their babies. The possibility that they might be teased and tortured over the lifestyles of their parents had been real in her mind. Now, she knew exactly what would happen if anyone made their babies cry. The Paraby brothers didn’t take shit from anyone, and they weren’t going to allow the ones they loved to be hurt if they could prevent it.

  They were going to be wonderful fathers, she thought as she tuned back in to Michael and Alexander, who continued to discuss the benefits of pirateering. They would be the best of daddies, she had no doubt.

  Chapter 21

  By the time midnight rolled around, they were back in their hotel suite, all three Parabys asleep from too much liquor. In the two hours Poppy spent with her nephews, Greg tried to ensure goodwill with fifty-year-old scotch, and to her misfortune, it worked.

  Michael and Cody enjoyed a little too much and Trevor, a featherweight with hard liquor, found himself beyond tipsy after only one glass. Greg was near tears of relief when he helped her get them to the car. Lavender’s vehicle was gone by then, and Rose hadn’t made an appearance. It was best that way. After spending time cozy with the boys, confrontation was the last thing she wanted.

  Having Michael and Cody tipsy made for an interesting drive. Both tried to convince her to stop by the Alamo despite the late hour, assuring her they knew how to pick locks if they needed to.

  Her men, multitalented.

  The bodyguards offered to help her get them to their room, and she gladly accepted. By the time they were to their floor, her three men and the two guards were best buddies. After they checked the room, Cody, Michael, and Trevor humming the Jeopardy tune in the hall the whole time, the bodyguards headed home for the night, hotel security more than adequate.

  Unfortunately for her, alcohol not only made her men want to break into national landmarks, it also turned off their cocks. She ended her night putting all three to bed and lying beside a snoring Trevor and a dozing Cody, her stomach growling, pussy aching.

  “Cody, wake up.” She started gently but was rocking him before he responded. “Come on, Baby Boy, wake up.”

  “Try Mike, baby, my dick’s still drunk.”

  “How late is room service available?” She was willing to eat first and fuck later if she had to.

  “Huh? You’re hungry?” It took a minute before he finally roused himself. “Where are we again?”

  “San Antonio, the Hyatt.”

  “No room service this late, but the kitchen’s open all night.” Pushing out of bed, he threw on jeans and Trevor’s too small, wrinkled t-shirt while she put on her slippers, completing her penguin covered, flannel ensemble. “You okay other than hungry, sweetheart?”

  “I want cream cheese.” Her stomach protested over being too long without a meal. “Do you think they have those big soft pretzels?”

  “We’ll find out.” Putting a heavy arm over her shoulders, he led her to the elevator.

  Half an hour later, they returned, giggling like kids. Pushing a room service cart overloaded with cold cuts, bagels, cream cheese, strawberries, chocolate ice cream, and half a dozen soft pretzels, they whispered nonsense back and forth. She loved drunken Baby Boy. He was playful and charming, and the reserve she always saw in him was gone. Trevor waited at the door in his jeans, buttons undone, the muted lights doing nothing to detract from his deliciously sculpted chest.

  “There’s my shirt. Ass. Kitchen raid?” He scratched his belly button, and she wondered how he managed to make that sexy. “Anything good?”

  “Pretzels.” She offered him a salty bit of dough. “They’re great with the cheese sauce that Jack, the super chef, made. Oh, and chocolate ice cream. Drunken Baby Boy has a sweet tooth.”

  “Hey, I’m sober now.” The wobble took away any impact from his protest. “Sober enough.”

  “Really? All parts?” Wiggling her eyebrows, she plopped beside Michael, who continued sleeping.

  “Finish your snack and I’ll show you how sober.” Handing her a cream cheese laden bagel, he grinned. “Here you go, darlin’. Eat up, you’ll need your strength.”

  She ate, letting herself be teased by Cody and Trevor while they finished the trays. Cody excused himself to the bathroom, and Trevor rolled out the cart. Left to her own devices, she decided to get a start on her remaining plans. She hadn’t bothered with underwear after her shower, so she tossed her pajama
top and bottoms aside and turned to the only brother left.

  Out like a light, Michael had a difficult time waking, but she pulled the blankets away and wrapped her hand and mouth around his likewise sleeping cock. It didn’t take more than three licks to wake him to hard, saluting attention and with no further encouragement she climbed on, sinking her starving pussy over him.

  Michael was always up for letting her ride as long as she wanted. His control was amazing, and he had no problem letting her take the lead. Cody and Trevor tended to dominate, not always, but more often than not they took over. She enjoyed it, she really did, but tonight she wasn’t in the mood to wait. She was tired but too horny to sleep, and the relief she rode to was paramount for her body and mind.

  “Is he even awake?” Climbing into bed, Trevor already had his pants off.

  “Awake enough.” She batted Cody’s hands away when he tried to lift her away from her prize. “I don’t want to be teased.”

  “Okay, baby, what do you want?” Cody’s words barely registered as she rocked to orgasm.

  She whimpered as the edge of her hunger was fed. Still vibrating with need for more, she reached past Trevor for her travel kit. Inside a mini sex kit waited, complete with a personal vibrator, her shaving razor, and several kinds of oil and lubricant. The pretty bottles of scented and warming oils were nice for massage, but it wasn’t those she reached for. What she had in mind for them to massage required some serious lubrication.

  “Please.” She handed a fresh tube of KY to Trevor. “Hard, don’t make me wait.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He kissed her hard on the mouth before moving toward the foot of the bed.

  “Michael, sit up some.” Her instructions were moot as Trevor grabbed Michael’s feet and pulled them both to the edge of the bed. Behind her she heard the bottle cap open and saw Cody undressing beside her. She kept Michael inside her as Trevor played lightly between her cheeks with long slick strokes.