Game On (Entwined Hearts)

by Sheryl Nantus

  To anyone who knew of their connection to Angela—it was a bombshell confirming what many had suspected.

  Jenny was the first to ask outright. “And Coach Hunter.” The law student pursed her lips. “Who both live in the same house now.” She tilted her head to the side and eyed Angela. “Together? With you?”

  Angela swallowed hard. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks and ducked her head, trying to wish her blush away.

  “Got some files to put away,” Angela said in a vain attempt to distract Jenny. “Work and all that.”

  The college student came to stand in front of Angela’s desk, arms crossed in front of her, a mischievous smirk on her face.

  Angela tried to avoid looking up, but the temptation was too much. “Yes?” Angela asked.

  Jenny cocked one eyebrow. “Did you think no one was going to notice?”

  Angela shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant.

  She knew this conversation was coming. It’d be the first of many, if she knew Glen Barrow.

  “Is it true?”

  Angela steeled herself. It wasn’t going to be the first or last time she’d be asked this question.

  “Yes.”

  “My God.” Jenny’s smile was wide and honest. “For real?” She waved her hands in the air. “All three of you?”

  Angela nodded, uncertain of what to say.

  “That’s awesome. And greedy.” Jenny let out a deep sigh. “You broke a hundred hearts, you know. Plenty of women had their eyes on both of them. And you snatched them away all for yourself.” She went to the side table and picked up the folders. “I’m envious.”

  Angela watched her head for the file cabinets. “That’s it?” She frowned. “You’re not going to pepper me for details?”

  Jenny yanked hard on a drawer. “Why would I?”

  “Because—” Angela stood up and crossed the room. “Because some people would find it rather unusual.”

  “Not me.” Jenny pushed a folder down. “Remember, I was the one who brought it up to you first.” She paused. “Is that where you got the idea?”

  “Maybe,” Angela admitted. “It did factor into my decision.”

  “Cool.” Jenny closed the top drawer and knelt to pull the second one open. “If it works for you, who am I to judge? Besides”—she gave Angela a sly wink—“sets a precedent for me to point to if I find two good men. If you three can make it work, why not the rest of us?”

  Angela paused, taken aback by the honest reply.

  Why not indeed.

  It was the first real snowfall of the season, and of course it had to be on her moving day.

  Angela scowled as she stood on her mother’s porch and looked up into the gray sky. “You have got to be kidding me.”

  Jake walked past her, carrying one of the boxes he’d taken into the house months ago. “I know. Snow in November? What madness is this?” He laughed as he headed for the moving truck.

  “Don’t you start.” She wagged a finger after him. “You know I’ve never been a big fan of snow.”

  “I don’t remember that,” Hunter said as he came out, lugging a pair of suitcases. “I remember you loving to play in the snow.” He leered at her before walking down the steps.

  “No, you liked that. Getting to cop a feel under the pretense of trying to clean it off my front.” Angela wrapped her arms around herself and shivered despite the thick cardigan she wore.

  Mary-Ann came out of the house and stood beside her. “It’s not all bad. And you’re only going over a few streets. Not like you’re driving to another city or state.” She looked up into the sky. “Piffle. This is nothing compared to the Thanksgiving blizzard in 1993.” One hand went out to pull Angela into a tight hug. “Still means I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’m going to miss you, too. Even though we’re within walking distance.” Angela bit her lower lip to try to keep her emotions at bay. “Are you going to be okay?”

  “Me?” Her mother laughed, rubbing her eyes with one hand. “I’m looking forward to a little peace and quiet. Forgot how damned noisy it is having you around. Not to mention having these two dropping by at all times of the day and night to say hello and ‘check in’ on you when they’re not taking you out to dinner.” She looked over as Jake and Hunter continued to pack the truck. “At least you didn’t try to sneak the pair of them up into your room.”

  Jake let out a rough laugh as he passed them. “You didn’t tell her?”

  Angela held her breath, hoping Mary-Ann hadn’t heard.

  The older woman shook her head. “I don’t want to know. There’s only so far my imagination can take me, and then my mind shuts down.” She smiled. “Don’t be a stranger. You’re all coming over for the holidays. Hunter,” she raised her voice, “can you sign your father out for a meal or two? Would he be okay coming for Christmas? Love to have him join us.”

  “Sure can. I’ll mention it to him when I go over tomorrow. He’d love to visit.” The dark-haired man wiped his forehead, which was wet from sweat despite the light snow falling. “I’ll talk to his doctor, but the new medication is working out. Don’t see why he can’t come out for a day.”

  “Good.” Mary-Ann kissed Angela on the cheek. “I’m going to go put the kettle on for tea. When your men finish up, come on in for some pie and a drink before you leave.” She raised a finger before Angela could answer. “And I won’t take no for an answer. You’ve got the truck rented for the entire day. You can afford a few minutes for a decent snack.”

  “Like I’m ever going to refuse a piece of pie.” Hunter grunted as he took another box from Jake and put it on the truck. “Maybe we can get the rest to go. Have something to nibble on later.” He waggled his eyebrows at Angela, enjoying her shocked expression. “Why, what are you thinking of?”

  Jake let out a series of choked laughs as he passed by the two women.

  Mary-Ann groaned and turned, her face already scarlet. “Maybe I should give you a pair of leashes and dog collars for Christmas.”

  Angela raised one eyebrow and looked at Hunter.

  He blew her a kiss and barked twice.

  “There’s the last of it.” Jake wiped his hands together as he came down the stairs. “How did you end up with less to move in than I did?”

  Angela looked up from the couch. “Better packing.” She kicked off her running shoes and stretched out the length of the black leather cushions. “God, my feet hurt. Been sitting in a chair too long.”

  Hunter took a seat at the end and began massaging her feet, his body heat surging at the simple touch. “You’ll be better after a good soak in the tub.” He looked at Jake. “Be an excellent time to test out the snorkel equipment.”

  Angela paused, unsure if they were kidding or not.

  Jake was the first to break, a wide grin revealing the joke.

  “Perverts.” She let out an exaggerated sigh, fanning herself. “I do believe I may have to reconsider my sleeping arrangements. I’m not sure I’m the right woman for what you might have in mind.”

  Hunter’s thumbs hit a sensitive spot on her sole, and she moaned in relief.

  “You’re the right woman,” he said in a low, hungry voice. “Jake, get the water running.”

  As Jake headed up the stairs with a laugh, Hunter peeled off one sock and then the other, tossing them onto the floor.

  His fingers ran along her feet, edging up onto her ankles and under her jeans.

  Angela raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to get anywhere like that.” She placed one foot against his crotch and wiggled her toes. “Although this position has its advantages.”

  His gasp fueled the desire building in her, kindled by the sensual foot massage.

  Hunter took a firm hold on her ankle. “Seems to me we’ve failed to welcome you to your new home properly.” His eyes narrowed as he pulled her toward him. “You haven’t seen the upstairs yet.”

  “I’ve seen the bedroom,” she replied.

  “Yes. Yes, you have.” Hunte
r got to his feet and tugged her up against him. “But I was referring to the bathroom.” His hand went to the back of her neck and caressed the soft skin. “We all need to clean up, and there’s no better time than the present to baptize the new additions.”

  As if on cue, Jake appeared at the top of the stairs. “Water’s running.” He scowled at Hunter. “She’s still wearing her clothes. Do I have to do everything?”

  Hunter laughed and pulled Angela’s Penn State shirt over her head before tossing it to the ground. He followed suit before nudging her to the stairs, where Jake stood, still shaking his head.

  “Lousy pass, Coach. My turn to make the play.” Jake reached out for her. “May I help you out of your clothing and escort you into the bathroom?”

  Angela took his hand and allowed him to lead her into the bedroom.

  “We’ve got a few minutes while the tub is filling.” Jake placed his hands on her hips. “It’s good to have you here.”

  “Good to be here.” She wriggled as he undid her jeans. “Feels like home already.”

  “I agree.” His hand cupped her through her panties.

  “Don’t you dare start anything!” Hunter’s shout came from the bathroom. “The tub’s almost full, and I don’t want to waste it.”

  “Killjoy,” Jake grumbled as he withdrew his hand.

  He stripped Angela of her remaining clothing in less than a minute, not giving her time to speak or do anything other than throw her hands onto his shoulders for support.

  “I’m waiting!”

  Jake shucked his own sweaty clothing and took her hand again. “We’re coming.”

  “Damned well better not be.” The answering growl had her giggling.

  Angela opened her mouth to say something but was struck dumb as they walked into the bathroom.

  She’d had some input into the design, but the execution was miles away from the scratched-out lines on the page.

  “It’s—” She took in the setting, unable to articulate her thoughts.

  The large ceramic tub was still there from her first visit but now stood in a corner, raised on a marble dais. New shelves held a variety of beauty products, all ones she knew and loved, ready to be used.

  Hunter’s voice came to her from the side. “You liked it so much, we figured it’d be a lovely place for you to relax when you’re not with us. Give you a little private space.” He came into sight, pointing at the pale pink shower curtain tastefully tied to one side. “You can pull this around you and have a bit more, if you want.”

  She reached out and drew her hand along the smooth porcelain surface.

  Jake cleared his throat. “And the new shower stall has multidirectional jets, so you can get hammered from all sides.”

  Hunter let out a groan.

  Angela looked at the renovated stall. It’d been tripled in size and had new white-and-black tiling. “Where did you get the room?” The washroom had doubled in size, possibly tripled with the renovations.

  “We took out the linen closet in the hall and stole a little from the bedrooms,” Jake said. “Added enough space for everything we wanted.”

  Angela walked over to the new bathtub, a massive structure set in another corner. It was filled to the brim with steaming water, white foam covering most of the surface. The pleasant aroma of her bubble bath hung in the air as she studied the triangular tub, each corner set up with a low seat.

  “This way.” Jake came up behind her and put his hands around her waist. “We can all sit and bitch about our day together. Or”—he walked her forward—“two of us can have some fun with plenty of room to spare.”

  She clapped her hands, giddy with the sight. “It’s wonderful. I can’t wait.”

  “Let’s not.” Hunter stepped up and climbed into the water, having shed his clothing sometime earlier. He reached out his hand. “Come and relax.”

  “At your command,” she murmured as she stepped into the heated water and went to one corner to sit down.

  Hunter took the second seat.

  Jake scrunched up his nose as he settled into the third seat. “Not sure I want to smell like this when I go in to work.” His expression changed. “Oh, wait. I won’t.” He leered at Angela. “I’ll smell like you.”

  She laughed and flicked water at him. “Maybe I won’t let you do anything.” She stretched out her foot and teased his leg, much as she’d done downstairs with Hunter earlier. “Maybe I’ll sleep alone tonight.”

  “Not going to happen.” The feral growl from Jake froze her in place, and she swallowed, remembering how intense he could be.

  Hunter grunted as he sank in the water, the steam rising to cover them with a thin sheen of sweat. “Rest now.” He winked at Angela. “Fun later.”

  The next morning she woke up disoriented and alone.

  It took her a second to realize where she was and where they had gone. Angela recalled a faint kiss on her cheek as Jake had murmured his good-byes on his way to a morning shift.

  Hunter had an early practice scheduled and had done the same, leaving her alone in the large bed.

  A glance at the bedside clock, and she sighed.

  Time for work.

  She stretched out, reveling in the extra space. Even a king-size bed could seem small when you had three people in it.

  Angela winced as some muscle aches surfaced, evidence of their first night together as housemates.

  She chuckled, remembering the fun in the tub that had carried over into the bed. It’d taken an effort to throw down towels to sop up the overflow of water later on, the trail of soggy cloth leading to the bedroom door.

  Now that no one had to leave, she could look forward to many, many more nights of shared baths and enjoyable evenings.

  Angela dug herself out of the blankets and headed for the shower, running her fingers through her long, tangled hair.

  Time for work.

  Then time for play.

  She smiled, realizing this was now the norm for her.

  For the rest of her life.

  Chapter Eleven

  A month later, Angela hummed a holiday tune as she finished cleaning the tiny bathroom mirror and tossed the soiled rag in the garbage bin. She had come in early to clean up the premises—she couldn’t afford a cleaning service, and she’d be damned if her visitors walked into a filthy office.

  First impressions were everything. If a lawyer kept a messy office, dirt and grime everywhere, it didn’t reflect well on the lawyer’s abilities to serve her clients well.

  At least in Angela’s mind.

  It didn’t take long to dust and sweep, make sure the bathroom was pristine, and keep the toilet paper supply topped off. A fresh pot of coffee with new creamer and clean mugs, and she was ready to face the day.

  Angela walked to the front and flipped the CLOSED sign on the door before unlocking it. A light smattering of snow had fallen overnight, creating an idyllic small-town portrait outside her window.

  She knew it wasn’t going to last. In the next hour, the snow would be ground underfoot and turned into a gray slush, soaking her boots and rendering the picture-perfect scene into something akin to a horror movie. Her car, parked nearby, had already accumulated a white coat, thanks to blowing snow coming from the roofs of nearby buildings, and she’d have to brush it off before driving home.

  Now she had to deal with the inevitable question of what to buy Jake and Hunter for Christmas.

  The tiny bell over her door rang as it opened, drawing Angela up and away from her thoughts. “Good morning,” Angela automatically said as she got to her feet, not recognizing the stranger.

  He stood about six feet tall with short dark hair, the light blue dress shirt countering the black suit and matching tie. He had about twenty years on her, in his fifties with the crow’s-feet around his eyes giving him an air of wisdom. The man carried a briefcase and looked slightly off-kilter, as if not expecting to find her working as her own receptionist.

  He looked at her, and she resisted the
urge to run her fingers through her hair and check she hadn’t dribbled syrup on her light yellow blouse, courtesy of Hunter’s breakfast pancakes.

  “Can I help you?” she asked.

  He nodded, the inspection over. “I hope so. Are you Angela Kenzie?”

  “Yes—yes, I am.” She motioned him to a chair. “Please. May I offer you a coffee?”

  He paused, and she saw the mental wheels turning, the gentle offer being evaluated and weighed. “No, thank you.”

  Angela put on her best smile. “What can I do for you today, Mr.—?”

  “Kittnany. Gordon Kittnany.” He opened his briefcase and took out a business card, which he slid across the desk to her. “I represent Kittnany, Kittnany, and Brown.” One edge of his mouth twitched upward. “You may have heard of us.”

  Angela picked up the gold-embossed card and studied it, her curiosity piqued even as her heart raced at the revelation. “I have. A family business going back five generations. One of the bigger legal firms in the United States with main offices based in Baltimore, New York City, and Los Angeles.” She gave him her best smile. “Yes. I’ve heard of you.”

  His stoic face gave no indication he was impressed with her knowledge. “You know we’ve built a reputation on supporting the common man, giving him a voice against the corporations. Civil lawsuits that give our clients financial and emotional stability, knowing justice has been done. We’ll work a case for years until it’s finished and do our best by those who hire us to stand for them in the courtroom.”

  It was hard for her to listen to his pitch, her mind trying to create scenarios that would bring a man of his stature into town. This wasn’t a firm that dealt with drunk driving charges or fought speeding tickets.

  Why the hell are you here in Glen Barrow?

  She kept the question to herself.

  “But enough about us.” Gordon surveyed the small office before turning toward her again. “I’d like to discuss your time in Philadelphia with Bentley and Forsythe.”