“I’ve spoken to my good friend Grace Warner. They’re going to have a large grouping of tables for all of us at the Dancing Pony tonight, and she and her husbands will be there, too!”
“I can’t believe more than six months have passed since we were there last,” Bernice said. “The time just flies, lately.”
“I wonder how Erin and her two panty-twisters are doing?” Abigail asked.
“I have my fingers crossed for those three,” Grandma Kate said. “Personally, I think they were made for each other.”
Brittany blinked. “Um…Grace’s husbands will be there, and you’ve got your fingers crossed for those three?” Brittany looked from Kate to her daughters-in-law. Kate’s smile was wide.
“Oh, yes. Lusty isn’t the only place in Texas that boasts ménage marriages. They don’t flaunt their relationships there, mind you, as there are folks in the community who don’t approve. But there are a number of families who live in Divine who’d fit right in here in Lusty.”
Ginny leaned forward. “Don’t you worry. We’ll get Grandma Kate and the aunts to tell us about those three she’s rooting for,” Ginny said. “And we’ll give you an idea of who all we’re going to be meeting this weekend.”
It seemed there were strong ties between Lusty and Divine. Brittany was looking forward to meeting new friends.
Chapter Sixteen
The one thing Brittany hadn’t done in longer than she could recall was to go shopping. Oh, she’d ordered in some clothes for herself. The Internet was an amazing tool, allowing those who couldn’t—or even those who’d just rather not—to partake of all of the benefits of the modern mall experience, without any of the hassles.
As she walked across the front porch and entered the repurposed Victorian with her travel buds, Brittany was so glad she’d decided to accept the invitation to come here to the city of Morehead and to this amazing boutique. The name of the shop was Discretion, and she approved of the “adults only” policy. The old Victorian house had obviously been lovingly restored. Inside, rather than modern fixtures, the owners had used antique cabinets and display cases, combining esthetics and practicality. The interior of the boutique had an intimate feel to it, and as Brittany inhaled deeply, she detected the scent of beeswax with an underlying note of leather.
She knew it was going to be a special visit when they were immediately greeted by a cadre of very beautiful women.
“Welcome! We’re so happy to see you all here.” The woman who spoke gave them all a big, welcoming smile.
“Thank you, Summer. It’s so nice to see you again. We’ve all been looking forward to this excursion. And you’ve got Margot and Teresa and Grace here, too! Wonderful!” Kate Benedict walked over and hugged each of the women in turn. Then she threaded her arm through Grace’s and performed introductions.
“Ladies, this is Brittany. She’s a lieutenant in the Marine Corps, though not on active duty at the moment. Brit, this is Summer Webster, who with her sister, Margot Redman, owns Discretion. Teresa Martinez was on the staff at Stigalls, a large department store in Divine, and is a consummate sales specialist. And this is my very good friend, Grace Warner, who also lends a hand here from time to time.”
Clearly, she was the only one visiting Discretion for the first time. It didn’t surprise her so much that Ari, Shar, Ginny, and the rest of the other younger women had been here before. But hearing the camaraderie between Samantha, Kate, and Kate’s daughters-in-law and the women of Discretion raised her eyebrow.
Brittany greeted each of the women in turn and then set her gaze to roaming around the store. Despite the teasing back and forth that morning between herself and her men, Brittany had fully intended to simply purchase a shower gift for Angela Monroe and leave it at that.
It didn’t take long to pick out her gift for Angela. Thanks to Grandma Kate’s preparations, Summer had been provided with Angela’s sizes and even some of her color preferences. Discretion had literally dozens of items for them all to choose their gifts from. Brittany picked a sweet peignoir set in cornflower blue. She’d actually seen Angela wear a blouse of that exact color, at the welcome party the town had thrown for her at Lusty Appetites. She set the gift aside and Teresa told her she’d created a “bag” for her, so she could leave her selection on the counter and look around for something for herself.
Brittany really had planned only to buy that gift, but she hadn’t counted on the pretty and the shiny, the soft and the silky to draw her, to make her stroke and covet robes and gowns, bras, and panties, dresses, and blouses. She hadn’t counted on having her inner woman awaken and wonder what Sean and Noah would think of her in this silky thong, that sexy merry widow, or maybe…maybe…that open-cup bra in deep gold. Or that beautiful burgundy high-neck teddy. Or…Brittany grinned. She’d reawakened her feminine self by entering this amazing boutique containing so many drool-worthy items! I wonder if I can find a pair of crotchless panties to match that bra?
Brittany caught sight of Grandma Kate, who handed Summer an item that looked like a black leather chemise. Summer turned the item, and everyone got a load of the back of the garment—six bands of material that criss-crossed, forming three “x”s that allowed lots of space for natural skin to glow through.
Brittany wasn’t the only one noting Kate’s purchase, either, as several of the other women grinned at the item she had chosen. Kate met her gaze.
“I can hardly wait to see Angela’s face when she opens this.” Kate’s giggle sounded young and carefree and brought a smile to everyone’s face. Then she winked at Brittany. “I certainly wish there’d been a wonderful boutique like this one to shop in fifty years ago.”
“I couldn’t imagine going without pretty, sexy things,” Tamara said.
“Oh, we didn’t go without,” Grandma Kate said.
Bernice laughed. “No, indeed we did not. We had Fredericks of Hollywood’s mail order service. Their catalogue would come, and believe me, there were orders flying out from Texas and wonderful packages making their way back.”
“We looked forward, eagerly, to each new catalogue,” Kate said. “And had to wait a long time for those parcels to get here.” She smiled, the anticipation having obviously been a good memory for her.
Brittany had already known there were hidden depths to Kate Benedict. Though she hadn’t known the woman long, it already felt as if she was Brittany’s actual grandmother. In the face of Kate’s enjoyment, she took another look at all the wonderful items Summer and her sister, Margot, offered at Discretion and decided she really did need some new things.
One item, in particular, drew her fingers, and her imagination. It was a short silk kimono robe, champagne in color. Soft and luxurious, the very best silk, she imagined the fabric would cling to every bit of her. She used to love longer robes for lounging in at the end of the day, but that style was no longer practical for her nighttime routine. This robe would come to just below her knees. There was nothing that would hinder her mobility if she used her crutches while wearing this robe.
She took the hanger from the rack and held the garment closer. Teresa made her way over and looked at the robe she’d chosen.
“That would look lovely on you, Lieutenant. Would you like to try it on?”
Brittany guessed the woman was excellent at her job. A good memory for names would be crucial in sales. She grinned. “It’s just Brittany. As Kate said, I’m not on active duty at the moment.”
“Are you on leave, then?”
“Medical leave, yes.”
The beautiful Latina smiled. She touched the sleeve of the kimono. “We have some lingerie pieces that match this color—a thong, bikini panties, and boy shorts, as well as a couple of very nice bras, if you’re interested.”
Brittany leaned closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Would one of them be an open-cup bra?”
“There’s a very nice deep gold one that I can match with a thong or boy shorts or…a pair of crotchless panties. I think you’ve noticed the bra already. If yo
u’ll just tell me your sizes?”
Brittany sighed. “There’s a question. I’m recovering from an injury, and I know I’ve lost weight in the last several months.”
“That’s not a problem at all. Let me show you to one of our dressing rooms. I’ll measure you, and then I can bring back a selection of bras and panties and other items for you to choose from.”
“Thank you, Teresa. That would be great.”
Brittany followed her toward the dressing rooms. As she neared, the contents of a display case—as well as some of the racks not carrying clothing—came into view. “Paddles and handcuffs and blindfolds. Oh my.” She nearly laughed out loud, repeating Sean’s and Noah’s words. Teresa giggled, clearly having heard her. When the woman looked over her shoulder at her, Brittany shrugged and grinned, and Teresa winked.
Once she stepped inside the dressing room, Teresa followed her in and closed the door. Somewhere along the way, the efficient woman had picked up a tape measure.
Brittany stripped to the waist, and Teresa made quick work of noting Brit’s bra size. She opened her chinos, so Teresa could measure her hips, as well.
“I actually should probably purchase several bras and panties.” She grinned at Teresa “Since I left…someone…at home who was hoping I’d do just that.”
Brittany thought her hesitation was slight, but Teresa smiled back at her. The twinkle in her eyes looked full of fun.
“Someone? Or perhaps a couple of someones?” Then she leaned forward. “My husbands are at home right now with our three children.”
“Yeah, a couple of someones.” Kate had told her that there were several people in Divine who lived a similar lifestyle as some folks did in Lusty. Brittany appreciated, even more in that moment, that her men had wanted her to be among family. There was a certain amount of support in being surrounded by like-minded people, of not having to hide their true feelings on a daily basis.
“Let me get you what I think you’d like to go with the kimono, and while I’m at it, I’ll see what else I can find for you.”
“Thank you, Teresa.”
While the other woman went searching for lingerie, Brit took the beautiful champagne kimono off the hanger then slipped it on, modeling it over her chinos. She loved the feel of the silk on her flesh and imagined what it would be like without the pants, with the silk brushing most of her skin. This was the kind of robe she’d wear on her way to seduce Sean and Noah, and she could put it on again when she arose from bed, to simply enjoy the sensation of the silk on her skin. “That must have been what they meant by my purchases being a gift for both of them.”
“Lingerie is all of that.” Teresa knocked and then came back inside the dressing room. She looked at Brittany, tilting her head to the side slightly.
Brittany thought Teresa was going to ask why she hadn’t shucked the pants, but she didn’t. Then she looked at the variety of items the woman had brought with her. She knew she should try those things on, and she couldn’t really do it with her chinos in place. This was the one reservation, the one thing that had kept her out of the stores since she’d been released from the hospital.
But this wasn’t a soulless big-city store, and Brittany felt as if she was among friends here. She’d only just met Teresa, but already she felt at ease with her. And just like that, Brittany made a decision. “Teresa, I want to try those on, but I’ll need some help, please.”
“Of course. I’m happy to help you, Brittany. What do you need?”
“You’re not easily shocked, are you?”
Teresa raised one eyebrow. “I have two husbands and three children, two of them very rambunctious sons. I think I’m pretty sturdy.”
“Good.” Brittany opened her pants again, and then, as she lowered them, she sat on the bench so she could get the chinos off.
Brittany looked up, surprised when Teresa was gazing, not at her prosthesis, but at her. Then Teresa smiled and nodded. “Now we can get started. So, Brittany, what would you like to try on first?”
* * * *
Brittany was grateful Adam Kendall held the door of the limousine, his hand extended to help each of the passengers from the vehicle when they arrived at the Dancing Pony. She still preferred to have something, or someone, to hold on to getting out of this sort of vehicle, in particular.
Supper had been wonderful at O’Reilly’s, the steak tender and tasty, the sides fresh and delicious, and the service well above expectations. The ladies of Discretion had joined the ladies from Lusty, with two special additions—Shar’s good friend Camilla Parks and Addison’s sister and Shar’s sister-in-law, Veronica Stinson. Veronica’s two husbands also joined the party, and Brittany wasn’t in the least surprised that Sheriff Hank Stinson and Travis McDaniel were both friendly with Adam and Morgan Kendall.
Kate had arranged for a separate dining room at O’Reilly’s, and while they’d awaited their food, there had been laughter and stories, the visceral sense and sound of people reconnecting. Listening to Kate and Grace talk, it seemed to Brittany that, despite the differences in their ages, the two women were very close friends indeed—the kind of close friends who perhaps don’t see each other all the time but who immediately take up where they left off whenever they got together.
Kate Benedict seemed to make those kinds of friendships effortlessly. Brittany sensed Grace Warner was exactly the same in that regard.
Brittany hoped someday she could grow up to be just like them.
She stood with her party as more people got out of that limousine than had left Lusty to come to this city in the Texas Hill Country. She could hear the beat of the music from within the club, a pulse of life that drew her. The parking lot appeared to be near to bursting, and people patiently stood in line waiting while security checked identifications. Once all the women had emerged from the vehicle, they moved as one toward the entrance—with Grace Warner and Kate Benedict arm-in-arm, leading the way. There was no line-up needed for them.
Shar had told her during the trip to Morehead that morning that the Dancing Pony played country, country classics, with the odd bit of rock ‘n’ roll thrown in, just to make things interesting. Sam Hunt’s ‘Body Like a Back Road’ filled the air. The sound was good, solid, and Brittany thought of the conversation she and her men had had so recently about dancing. She looked forward to practicing with them, and she looked forward to a time when they’d maybe even take a weekend and come to Divine to shop and to dance.
Beyond the foyer, the room extended into a wide expanse, and standing, waiting for them as they made their way through the busy nightclub were some seriously handsome men. Watching the way Grace, Summer, Margot, and Teresa lit up, it was easy to see those women adored their men—and their men adored them right back.
Most everyone except she and Kate grabbed a chair around the large grouping of tables situated past the end of the bar. Grace was busy hugging her husbands, and Ginny was laying a serious smooch on her husband, Adam, who’d just joined the table.
“Gentlemen, I want you to meet my granddaughter, Lieutenant Brittany Phillips, United States Marine Corps. She belongs to my grandsons, Sean and Noah Kendall.”
The men chuckled as Brittany met Kate’s gaze. There was teasing there, of course. But there was also great affection, and the affection humbled her.
“Come with me, sweet girl, and let me introduce you to some of my dear friends.”
The first person Kate took her to was a man with dark brown hair. Brittany had noticed as they’d approached that he’d been scanning the crowded club, but once they drew near, his attention was completely on them. This was the boss, in his element, watching out for his friends and his customers. “This is Ethan Grant, one of Grace’s husbands. Ethan is our host tonight, as this wonderful night club is his.”
“How do you do, Mr. Grant? Thank you for making room for us.”
“Just Ethan.” His grin flashed, and Brittany thought she could see right there why Grace so adored the man. Then his expression sobered. �
�You’re welcome. Thank you for your service to our country, Lieutenant.”
“Thank you. Please, call me Brittany.”
In turn she met Adam Davis and Jack Warner, Grace’s other husbands. Jack had the kindest blue eyes while Adam was the embodiment of a gentle giant, and Brittany could totally understand why Grace had fallen for all three men. Kate introduced her to Teresa’s husbands, Angel and Joaquin Martinez, Margot’s husbands, Jake Redman and Gil James, and Summer’s husbands, Ace Webster and Kemp Whittier.
Amazing the uses Marine training lends itself to. She’d learned how to fit anonymously into a large crowd and how to step into the spotlight when necessary. She knew that smiles and humor and honest one-on-one communication worked wonders no matter what group she was in. After Brittany had met everyone—and that included the husbands of Shar’s best friend, Camilla who were working the bar—she let her gaze wander the very large party. She thought she might be able to remember everyone’s name if she tried very hard. Since she appeared to be the center of attention, she smiled.
“My sincere thanks to all the Divine people I’ve met today. Y’all have made me feel very welcome.” Then she looked to Grandma Kate. “Did I get that ‘y’all’ right, Grandma Kate?”
Everyone chuckled, and Kate patted her hand. “You did well, sweetheart. We’ll make a Texan of you yet. Let’s all sit and relax, shall we?”
The Brothers Osborne were singing “Shoot Me Straight,” and Brittany loved the upbeat rhythm and the low, growling notes of the duo. She loved music and laughter and found herself wishing Sean and Noah were there. Not that she couldn’t have a good time without them. She knew she could. Today had been awesome, and there was certainly something to be said for the company of women.
Brittany was sitting between Jack Warner and Grandma Kate. The waitress came around to take drink orders.
“I want one of Ethan’s wonderful margaritas,” Kate said. Then she winked at Brittany and grinned at the waitress. “And please tell Ben and Quentin they don’t have to mix mine light. I won’t be driving this evening.” She shot a sly glance down the table. “I wouldn’t dare, of course, but especially not with those two handsome sheriffs sitting among us.”
Love Under Two Prospectors [The Lusty, Texas Collection] (Siren Publishing Menage Everlasting) Page 16