Saving Treasure (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Rose Leigh Woods

  For right now, she just wanted to savor being held.

  Chapter 6

  Treasure stood nervously in the exam room at the doctor’s office. She was a little thankful that it was a nice room, and the office had a comfy vibe to it. The walls weren’t the standard white or even a cream.

  She had insisted on a shower before they left. When she had stepped out, Chad had been lounging in the TV area that was directly outside that bathroom. He had looked her up and down appreciatively.

  He didn’t stand or try to come any closer, but his bright eyes definitely told her that he was flirting with her. He just gently told her to finish getting ready. She knew, somehow, that there was not a way she could talk either man out of going to the police or the doctor.

  It was for the best, she told herself.

  Now, they paced around the room, studying the blue walls that were covered in a lovely mural. Each area of the hospital had a different mural with different base colors. This room had a nice forest scene that wrapped around the three walls and outlined the windows in the fourth wall. This clinic was the most calming place she had ever seen. It could accommodate anyone between the cradle and the grave.

  She jumped when the door opened, and a man who was probably in his late thirties entered. She studied him as he looked through a standard folder that was rather empty.

  “Treasure, right?” he asked while looking through his lashes, glancing between her and the folder. She had no other response other than nodding. “I’m Dr. Jacoby. I don’t have your complete medical file yet, so you need fill out a few pieces of paper to help us. It seems that you have traveled quite a bit. So tell me, what seems to be the problem exactly?” he inquired.

  “I was in a wreck, but none of the bruises that are a problem are from the wreck. I can show you the one from it, though. I left a roommate when I came here, and he liked to get a little on the physical side. James said that I need to have these bruises checked out and documented.” Treasure looked at him speculatively. She wasn’t sure how this was going to work. She was kind of scared to dredge up any problems from Taos here. She was also scared that she would wind up hurt because of this decision.

  She tamped down on the irrationality with reassurances as to what her daddy would tell her to do right now.

  “Okay. Let’s look at these bruises, and then I will use a camera to take the pictures that will be needed. Do you want me to call a nurse to stay in here, or do you have anybody you want in here?” He placed the file on the counter along the wall next to the door.

  Treasure shook her head before changing her mind and nodding. “James, um, Calloway, with Chad Hardin, is in the waiting room. May they come and stay in here with me?” she asked nervous.

  The doctor smiled then stuck his head out of the door and called a nurse over, who must have been in the hallway. He passed on her request politely, and they waited while he asked about allergies and any prescriptions she had had before as well as other questions to validate what he did have in that folder. He had to fill in gaps here and there.

  James stepped quietly through the door and stood in the middle of the room. Treasure held out her hand to him and gently tugged him to stand right next to her. “I want you in here. He is about to check out my bruises and then take pictures of them,” she said as she looked up at him. Chad, dressed in his scrubs, slipped in and stood to the side as she spoke.

  She felt a little odd lifting her shirt, but she complied and breathed a sigh of relief as the doctor remained completely professionally. She never met James’s eyes, but she felt his comforting presence. He stood close to her, his presence making her feel protected.

  Chad got down on eye level with her, telling stories about some of his and James’s escapades when they were younger. It lightened the mood. Her body relaxed, and she was more able to follow the doctor’s instructions.

  Dr. Jacoby only asked a question here and there about where each bruise came from. He laughed good-naturedly at Chad’s antics. Treasure never heard James say anything, but he continued to keep his hand on hers throughout the exam.

  She knew an X-ray of her ribs was necessary, and by the time the doctor had finished, he had documented each and every bruise, the cracked ribs, and even took her description of what had happened.

  He handed her a stack of papers in a file to take with her, instructing her that these were a copy of what had to go to the police when she filed her complaint. He even told her, with a gentle smile, that he would have an officer waiting for her to file the report.

  She and James stepped into the waiting room, one of his arms wound around her shoulder and the file in his other hand. She looked into James’s eyes and knew he was waiting for her reaction. Chad kissed her forehead then her lips before heading to work.

  Now, she had to go to the police. That was something she really didn’t want to do. She would have to tell them everything. Her nerves became a knot in her stomach as they walked to his truck. He scooped her up and placed her carefully into the passenger seat, even gently fastening her seatbelt.

  “We’re dropping off your prescription before we head to the station,” James said carefully, weighing each word. “Stay with us until those ribs are healed.”

  She took his hand in hers. “I’ll be fine. You heard the doctor. In a few weeks, I’ll be good as new.” His fingers looped through hers, pulling her hand into his embrace instead of hers holding his.

  “Please.” The one word echoed between them once it slipped from James.

  She wanted to accept it with all her heart. She wanted to curl into him and Chad and stay there. They brought forth a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time. She just couldn’t quite pinpoint what that was. Whatever it was, it was addictive and wonderful.

  It was her brain that was the problem.

  Chapter 7

  Treasure sighed as she sank into the soft couch that was in the upstairs TV area. She had just finished cleaning up despite James’s protests that she didn’t need to do so at that precise moment. She smiled as she thought of all the ploys he had tried to just get her to lie down. He had cajoled, threatened her bottom, picked her up and made her lie down, all the while being gentle and following her as she cleaned what she wanted. It was rather endearing.

  She really felt the need to be useful and to give something back. For the doctor to see her as late as he did, she knew someone had to have called in a favor.

  She closed her eyes to rest for a little bit before getting back up and finishing with what she had deemed as her chores. She didn’t notice the passage of time as she dozed, curled into the couch, until weight made the cushions behind her dip.

  Her eyes snapped open and turned to meet a pair of mischievous blue-gray eyes.

  “Hello, sleepy eyes. Imagine finding you like this again. How are your ribs feeling?” Chad began teasing the back of her arm, stroking the bare skin lightly as he waited for her answer.

  Treasure took comfort in the feeling of his warm fingers on her skin and smiled at him before registering that he had asked her a question. “I feel fine right now. Have a good day at work?”

  His fingers continued skimming the skin on her arm before venturing farther to her shoulder. A hum left his throat along with a nod of his head to answer her question. Her breath caught as she waited to see what he was going to do.

  * * * *

  Chad watched as his touch began to affect her body. Her nipples hardened, and her face flushed. It was a reaction that he savored.

  Her lower lip protruded just a pinch as if offering itself to him, and he didn’t want to resist that type of temptation. He took it between his own lips, tasting it before using his teeth to draw in more of her flavor. That tiny taste only satisfied him for a palmful of seconds. He applied his tongue to gather more of her taste and to give her some of his own.

  He groaned as she responded enthusiastically, stroking his tongue back and pressing closer to his body. Her hips ground into his. That action gave him the proof t
hat she was definitely enjoying the kiss. He used his body to tell her what he needed—what he was sure she needed.

  He worked his hand into her jeans and stroked her through her panties. His cock dribbled pre-cum when she moaned. Her panties were soaked in no time. And that called to his painfully and pleasurably achy dick. He couldn’t wait to bury himself inside of her.

  “Oh fuck, Treasure,” he grounded out once the pads of his fingers touched her after slipping around the fabric in their way. He pressed his hardness farther into her even more forcefully, making it abundantly clear that he wanted to remove the barriers and not stop.

  She ground against him and dug her fingers into his back to keep the tight contact. He continued to rub her, bringing her closer to plunging over the edge. She got louder and louder, moaning at the pleasure he was giving her. A noise broke their fondling and made both of them look toward the man standing near them.

  James was leveling a black look at Chad before his expression softened to look down at Treasure.

  “I was going to ask if you both just wanted to call in an order for supper,” he stated, his eyes grabbing Chad’s gaze in a warning that needed no words. There were a few places that delivered a bit past midnight.

  Treasure looked between the two men and started trying to extract herself from Chad’s embrace. He sighed and released her with obvious reluctance, but he kissed her cheek before he allowed her to slip away completely.

  Chad hated the tension that bounced between James and himself, saturating in the air. If the way she tightened herself could be used to judge the way she felt, Treasure was sensing it as if it were flashing in neon lights. She started to come toward them, hesitating as if she was thinking about what she would and could do. She aimed her sight straight at James as she spoke, trying to get him to center his attention on her rather than Chad. Chad found the stern set of her jaw cute and admirable. She was trying to act as the buffer to a problem he was sure she didn’t truly grasp as a whole. He bit back a smile. She would be perfect with him and James.

  “Take-out sounds fine. If you prefer, I don’t mind cooking. I’m heading to the kitchen. Let me know what you want me to do,” she said. She curled her sweet finger in a way to beckon James to follow her. It was effective, as his best friend followed her, looking as if he were under some sort of siren’s song. It gave them both the time to cool down and think. Chad was going to have to talk to James about the touchy subject of their relationship soon. And, he would have to persuade James that Treasure needed to be a part of it, too.

  * * * *

  James watched her descend the stairs before he turned back toward Chad. He could tell that Chad was almost pissed off, almost but not quite.

  “Chad…” James was unsure what he intended to say, but he trailed off after only saying his best friend’s name. His best friend’s tight face betrayed his awakening lust. On top of that, he was angry and aroused by the scene he had interrupted, and he could tell that Chad knew it, too. James wasn’t sure which emotion was the dominant one at the moment.

  “Don’t tell me that you don’t want her, too, James. I’ve noticed how you’ve been caring for her and doting on her and watching her,” Chad challenged him in his normal, blunt manner. James knew that there was no way that Chad would allow James to lie to himself for any significant length of time. Except they had been avoiding his and Chad’s relationship. Chad wouldn’t allow this to continue any more.

  James and Chad looked one another up and down, not sure what to make of the situation. James had to acknowledge that they had never been with a woman at the same time despite what they did together. James knew that it was something Chad had always wanted to try with him though. James exhaled sharply before turning around and practically fleeing the room. Hell, he wanted to try it now. He wanted to know what it would feel like to have Treasure between the two of them.

  He felt himself being pushed further than he could resist after seeing her with Chad on the sectional. He had been jealous, but he had to admit that it was hot. He was actually scared of being pushed out of whatever he had with Chad. He also didn’t want to lose that something he had with Treasure so soon after finding her. He turned from his friend, wanting to think. Was he ready to confront Chad about their more-than-friends relationship? He had to be if he wanted to keep him, especially if he wanted to add Treasure to their relationship.

  He found himself in the kitchen, studying Treasure as she went through the cabinets. She had her hair wrapped around a pencil and would stand and write on a sheet of paper after looking through each cabinet. She was compiling a list of some sort, but he was more focused on the view of her ass, back, and thighs.

  She continued glancing through the cabinets. When she had finally opened the last cabinet in her counterclockwise circuit of the kitchen, she stood and turned his way, exposing her flushed cheeks.

  James took one step toward her even though he was unsure of his intent.

  After that step, he took another one, then another one, until he was standing directly in front of her and she was inclining her head to meet his eyes. The look held, and their bodies shift closer. James slipped an arm around her shoulder, letting it slide down to cup her shoulder blade, with his thumb stretching to rub the strap that held her tank top up. His cock hardened further when her breath hitched.

  * * * *

  Treasure licked her lips, still tasting Chad on them as James, standing so close and staring so intently, made her mouth run dry.

  Something was wrong with her. She rarely responded to guys since she had been generally revered as the little-sister figure. None of the boys around her age ever got too close because of her dad’s rank. The few boys who hadn’t been daunted were the ones from whom she shied away. She’d had boyfriends, but she never really experienced anything from the physical side with the exception of the rare kiss on the cheek until she had started college. The two guys whom she had gone further than that with never had this effect on her.

  As she soaked in the sensations that shimmered over her skin, James leaned down and covered her lips with his. The kiss was fast and hot, finished before she pulled in enough of his taste. Whereas Chad’s kiss had lasted, James’s burned fast and furious.

  Treasure turned to see the luscious sight of his lips and studied them. Her fingers unconsciously lifted to his full and soft skin there, and her finger pads pressed against the soft skin she found there.

  She watched his eyes drifted closed as he seemed to enjoy the torture she inflicted upon them while taking in the feel of him, the smell of him, and the taste of him. Her hands continued to drift down from his face to stroke over his chest through his shirt, her fingers slipping between the buttons.

  He kissed her again, more thoroughly, and she felt his hands hoisting her up his body and wrapping around her to pull her more into him. She had gotten so hot and wet that she was sure he could feel it through her jeans and his.

  She finally came to her senses and extracted herself from the embrace as his hands squeezed her bottom roughly, grinding her into his hard length.

  These guys were too much temptation, and she couldn’t stay indefinitely, no matter how they kept asking her to.

  Chapter 8

  Treasure busied herself while waiting for the Chinese food they had ordered not long after her encounter with James that left her breathless. Her body still tingled from just the thought of it. She shivered as she reveled in the delicious feelings bubbling in her lower belly. She grinned as she let the feeling overtake her for just a moment.

  She had opted to stay hidden in the kitchen since there was nothing else that needed to be cleaned in the house. Before she had stretched on the couch and accidentally nodded off, she had finished all of the housework there was to be done without doing a full spring-cleaning. She laughed at the thought since it didn’t seem the thing to do right now. She dug around the kitchen and decided to use the ingredients for the only type of cookies she could find at that moment. As she allowed the
dough to chill in the fridge to be baked in the morning, she added plenty of other ingredients to her grocery list for later.

  She put away the peanut butter and the sugar along with the other ingredients for peanut butter cookies and sighed, still thinking about those kisses. Her tongue licked her lips again, searching for more of Chad’s and James’s taste.

  She tried to ignore the fact that she was still really wet. That was something she didn’t need to think about at all.

  Her thighs rubbed together, trying to relieve the aching slickness drenching her panties.

  She jumped when both James and Chad strolled into the kitchen, each carrying a sack with the logo for a Chinese restaurant. She had to snap out of her thoughts. She never even heard the door.

  The smells wafting her way told of savory yummy-ness that she couldn’t wait to dig into. She busied herself by grabbing plates, forks, serving spoons, and glasses. Chad walked to the fridge and pulled out the beer that was stored there, gesturing one her way in offering. Treasure nodded, accepting. A beer would be good to calm her body. She didn’t drink often, but the effect of the alcohol would be a welcomed influence.

  Dinner was quiet and stiff, concluding with both men exiting. Treasure lingered in the kitchen as she washed the few dishes and put them away. She checked the dough for the cookies she would bake in the morning. Finally, there was nothing left to do in that room.

  She made her way upstairs and slipped through the empty TV area, noting that the bathroom door and James’s door were closed. She slipped into Chad’s room since her bags were put in there earlier and grabbed the clothes that she used as pajamas—a sturdy tank top that had a shelf bra and a pair of boot-cut leggings. She wasn’t very sure where he had slept last night, but she wasn’t going to take it from him tonight.