Poor guy. “Rest,” Mercy whispered to Travis.
He kissed her shoulder then, on a weary huff, pulled out.
Dutch mounted Mercy immediately, his cock slightly thicker than Travis’s, though not as long. Their lovemaking was different too. Dutch’s thrusts were slow and smooth. He didn’t clutch her hips as he pumped, but played with her nipples and dragged his fingers over her nub.
Mercy’s pussy tightened around his shaft, increasing the friction between them. His rod grew bulkier, his thrusts more demanding, his groin smacking into her ass. She fisted her fingers and fought her approaching climax, needing this to last.
As though he couldn’t wait any longer, Dutch teased her nub. A torrent of feeling raced through her.
They came within seconds of each other, his shout the loudest, her sigh the longest. Both of them spent.
When their gasps and moans had drifted away, Dutch rubbed his cheek against her back. The second he pulled out of her, Travis helped Mercy up. He untied her hands and pulled off the blindfold.
She blinked at the faint candlelight.
Yawning, Travis eased a strand of hair from her cheek. “You okay?”
No. She’d never be all right again. Mercy memorized his exquisite features and dark hair, wonderfully mussed.
Travis smiled self–consciously at her scrutiny. “What?”
Mercy whispered, “You shaved.”
He rubbed his chin. “You don’t like it?”
She loved everything about him and Dutch. Mercy looked over. “You too.”
Dutch’s complexion darkened with his blush. “Yeah, well, didn’t want to look like a bum.”
Mercy laughed softly then blinked back tears. “God, how I’m going to miss you guys.”
Travis’s hand stilled on her neck. “What?”
Mercy’s throat trembled with her hard swallow. Her eyes shone in the bobbing flames. “I’m leaving tonight. Jill and her boyfriend Carl are going to help me move out. I’ll–”
“What?” Travis interrupted, his fatigue vanishing, gut twisting.
“Moving?” Dutch said. “Why?”
Mercy looked as though she wanted to bolt. She backed up a step and murmured, “We can keep playing around until I do. Have some fun before–”
“What?” Travis snapped. “You’re leaving in a few hours, but you want us to fuck around until you do?”
Her chin quivered. “I can’t do this anymore.” She looked from him to Dutch. “With either of you.”
“Why?” Travis asked.
“Tell us what we did,” Dutch said. “We won’t do it again. Christ almighty, we can work this out. You don’t have to leave.”
“Yeah, I do.” She pointed at Travis. “You said two months. I’ve already been here one. You may be able to screw around and turn your back on people when you’re through, but I can’t. I lied. It’s killing me. I like both of you too much, always have. I’d rather cut this off now than get in any deeper.”
“Mercy, please.” Travis’s chest and throat hurt so bad he could barely speak. “Calm down. Let’s talk about this.”
“No.” She backed farther away and grabbed her bathrobe from one of the chairs. “I can’t be like you guys. I tried. It didn’t work. I like you too–”
“Hell, we feel the same about you,” Travis blurted.
Dutch nodded.
“We don’t want you to leave,” Travis said. “Stay as long as you want. You don’t even have to pay rent.”
“This isn’t about the money,” she cried. “Or fucking around. What am I supposed to do when you two meet someone and fall in love? Stay here and watch? Listen as you gush about another woman? God.” She pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. “Do you think I’m that brave? I’m not. I can’t do this. I have to go.”
Travis got to the front door before she did and blocked it. “I can’t let you leave.”
“Neither can I.” Dutch stood next to him.
Mercy covered her eyes and sank to the floor. “Why are you making this so damn hard? Do you think so little of me?”
“Little?” Travis dropped to his knees next to her. The thought of losing Mercy was more than he could bear. He spoke from the heart, something he never though he’d do. “You’re the finest women I’ve ever known. Good god, you have to stay.”
“Yeah,” Dutch chimed in. “What would we do without you?”
She looked shocked, then cautious. “You mean for sex, cooking, cleaning?”
“Hell, I can always hire someone to work here,” Travis said. “And no matter what you’ve heard, Dutch and I don’t live for sex. We’re talking about you. Mercy Robinson. The woman we want.”
Her hands flew to her mouth. She regarded both of them. “You guys mean it?”
“Fucking A,” Dutch said.
“Why would we lie?” Travis asked. “Do you think so little of us?”
“No. It’s just that…”
“What?” they both asked.
She dropped her hands. “How long do you want me to stay?”
“There’s no time limit,” Travis said first. “Unless you get tired of us.”
“Tired of you guys?” She laughed then started to cry again. “Are we going to be lovers? Coworkers? What?”
“We’ll be what we are now,” Travis said. “Lovers and friends. We’ll start with that and see where it takes us.”
Her mouth trembled. “What about other women?”
Aw, Mercy. Travis thumbed mascara from her cheek. “There aren’t any, baby. There won’t be for me.”
“Same here,” Dutch said.
She threw her arms around them, hugging fiercely. “If you want to set up ground rules, that’s fine. I swear, I’ll follow them. I’ll–”
“Shhh.” Travis stroked her hair. “We’ll take it as it comes. See what happens.”
She pressed her cheek to his and whispered, “You’re sure?”
Only about one thing. Now that he’d found Mercy, he couldn’t lose her.
Epilogue
Thirteen months later…
The ovens pinged with heat, warming the mild August day. Scents of cinnamon, caramel, chocolate, apples, and bananas wafted to the front of the shop. Tourists and bikers lined up in two lines, three deep at the counter.
Mercy finished another tray for the display case, then hurried to help Jill. They were both dressed in cowgirl hats, boots, jeans, and white tops with fluttery sleeves. The uniform Mercy had decided upon for her shop–Sweet Mercy! In addition to her cupcakes, she offered other baked goods, candies, and fountain drinks.
Travis and Dutch had converted one of the unused cabins for this place and had remodeled another, expanding it for their home. She’d worked tirelessly beside her guys, learning about them.
Not once had they held orgies at this place. Both guys had howled at the notion even as they puffed up at having such cool reputations.
Men.
Dutch’s real first name was Dwayne, which he loathed. Allergic to shellfish, he nevertheless adored tuna in any way, shape, or form. It took him forever to wake up in the morning and only a moment to nod off at night. He loved most sports except hockey. He’d gotten his spectacular tattoo after his divorce from Sara.
“Guess it made me feel like macho man,” he’d confessed.
Despite the acrimonious union, Dutch had spoken kindly of Sara, as though she were no more than a stranger he once knew. He treated Mercy as his friend, confiding his dream of expanding the repair shop to include automobiles, adding three more mechanics to handle the demand. He spoke of his desire to travel since he’d never been out of Oregon.
He treated her as his lover, craving Mercy’s body and heart as much as she yearned for his.
Travis was no different, though it took him months to open up to her, and only when Dutch couldn’t join them one night. Although Mercy figured Travis had dough–given that he owned this property–his background had stunned her.
Travis’s dad was a political bigwi
g in San Francisco, worth more than a billion bucks. His two brothers were corporate attorneys. His mom an heiress.
Travis had followed the path created for him from birth, graduating from Yale, succeeding in finance, mingling with the one–percent, dating women as wealthy as he was. None of it satisfied. Travis couldn’t make power and money his god as the rest of his family had. He craved a connection, tenderness, simple human warmth.
“I’m not certain I know how to love,” he’d admitted. “No one ever taught me how…I don’t want to fail or lose you.”
Wasn’t possible. Mercy adored him too much, and knew he felt the same about her. It was in his kiss and caress, the welcoming smile he gave her each morning, how he pressed his face to her neck at night.
As with Dutch, she’d brought Travis to his knees without knowing how she’d accomplished such a miracle.
She encouraged his closeness, and for him to reach out to his family. Mercy knew Travis still wanted their approval and understanding of the man he really was. His parents and brothers weren’t exactly gushing in welcome or planning to ever visit the saloon. But at least they were finally speaking. Becoming a part of each other’s lives once more.
Smiling at the last biker, Mercy handed him his change. He’d bought two of her molten chocolate cupcakes, three pralines, and a strawberry smoothie to wash everything down.
“Bridgette should be here in five or so,” Mercy said to Jill. Bridgette had been their coworker at Fast Fill. Now all three of them worked here, their convenience store days in the past. “Think you can manage?”
“Go.” Jill rested her hand on her swollen belly, the baby due in a few weeks. She’d married Carl nine months ago. Mercy, Travis, and Dutch had decorated the saloon for the newlyweds’ reception.
“You’re sure?” Mercy asked.
“Outside of having to saw these boots off my feet, I’m good.”
“Sit.” Mercy pulled out a white wrought–iron chair. She’d decorated her store to resemble an ice cream parlor from times past. “Tell the customers to wait on themselves. They can choose what they want and leave their money on the counter until Bridgette gets here.”
Jill waddled to the chair and took a load off.
Mercy gathered what she’d need for lunch. “Be back in an hour,” she promised.
“Take two.” Jill smiled broadly, showing her gums. “You’re the boss.”
Here. When it came to her guys, Mercy liked them in charge.
She ran across the lot, a whiff of ocean in the air, clouds on the horizon. Still free of them, the sun blazed past the tall trees, sending fingers of light through the dense foliage.
Mercy hurried down the familiar path, smelling the barbeque before she saw it. Travis stood at the smoky grill, flipping burgers. Dutch put plates and utensils on the picnic table. Mercy held up her bag and shook it.
Seeing her, they grinned. A pang of tenderness hit so hard and deep, Mercy could scarcely breathe. These two sweet hunks loved her.
Her mom would have been so happy and relieved. Her baby wasn’t alone anymore.
Travis shouted, “What did you bring?”
“Your favorites, what else?” He couldn’t pass a day without one of her caramel–apple Danishes with peanut butter glaze. Dutch preferred her chocolate cream cheese cupcakes with cherry filling.
For Mercy, no treat could match the fierce hugs and impassioned kisses they gave her now. Their pleasure in merely being with her. She snuggled into them, drowning in their heat and strength.
“Hungry?” Travis murmured.
When it came to him and Dutch, always. Mercy squeezed their asses. “I could eat.”
Dutch pressed his face to her neck and whispered, “Later, you will.”
“And if you’re not good,” Travis added, his mouth on her ear, “there will be hell to pay.”
Hmm. His hand or the strap. Her bent over his knee, or maybe Dutch’s, since he also liked to play their games of bondage and discipline.
Ground rules Mercy could live with.
Wrapping her arms around their waists, she directed them to the table. Eager to share what had happened so far in her day, then listen to their updates.
Building on their friendship and love. The family, home, and future they’d created.
The End
About Tina Donahue:
Tina Donahue is an award–winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Siren Publishing, and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. Three of her erotic romances (Adored, Lush Velvet Nights, and Deep, Dark, Delicious) were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. The French review site, Blue Moon reviews, chose her erotic romance Sensual Stranger as their Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category). The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for Lush Velvet Nights, and two of her titles (The Yearning and Deep, Dark, Delicious) received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011 and 2012). Take Me Away and Adored both won second place in the NEC RWA contest (different years). Tina is featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.
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Other Titles by Tina Donahue
Coming Soon
Freeing the Beast – Book one Taming the Beast (Samhain Publishing) 2015
Available Now
Appointment with Pleasure series
Claiming Magique
Losing Control
Illicit Intent
Seven Sensuous Days
Outlawed Realm series
Unending Desire
Illicit Desire
Shameless Desire
Stolen Desire
The Prophecy series
Come Fill Me
Deep Within Me
Ménage
SiNN
Sinfully Wicked
Erotic Contemporary – Single Title
Adored
Deep, Dark, Delicious
Lush Velvet Nights
In His Arms
Sensual Stranger
Take Me Away
Taking Eve
Erotic Paranormal
The Yearning
This Time When We Touch
Brava – Erotic Contemporary – Single Title
Take My Breath Away
Close to Perfect
Brava – Erotic Contemporary – Anthologies,/i>
Wicked Women on Top
Bad Boys with Red Roses
Historical Anthology
Irish Eyes
Precious Gems – Contemporary
Once in a Blue Moon
Force of Nature
Lady Love
My Man
Take A Chance
Precious Gems – Historical
O’Toole’s Promise
Just One Kiss
Brought to His Knees-Tough Guys Laid Low By Love Page 91