Triple Treat: Back for Seconds (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Berengaria Brown

  Glenn’s belly was empty as well but he looked at Xonra. “It’s a bit early. Maybe we should hike one of the trails first,” she suggested.

  “No way. I’d faint with hunger before we’d walked a quarter of a mile,” argued Morgan.

  Xonra smiled and Glenn was glad she was still happy and relaxed. This vacation was exactly what they all needed to reaffirm their deep love for each other, no matter what was happening in their daily lives.

  “Likely it’d be smarter to go hiking in full daylight so we can see everything as we walk,” he said diplomatically.

  Xonra wasn’t fooled for a moment. “From that statement I deduce that you’re hungry as well.”

  “Of course. We missed lunch like the man said. Aren’t you ready to eat yet? All you had for breakfast was some fruit.”

  “I am hungry and ready for a meal. Okay, you both win. We’ll eat.”

  But instead of walking to the door, she went over to the desk by the window and pushed the items on it around. “What are you looking for?” he asked.

  “I was going to see if they had any instructions about those lanyards to hold the room key card that we saw some people wearing.”

  “It’s just as well one of has a brain,” said Morgan, moving behind her and hugging her.

  Glenn agreed. He’d completely forgotten about having to hold the stupid swipe card in his hand all the time. Pockets were very useful things after all. He picked up the booklet that described all the facilities of the resort. There, tucked inside the cover, was a lanyard. “Aha.”

  Lanyard around his neck and swipe card clipped to it, he made his way to the door, but once again Xonra turned back.

  “What else have we forgotten?” he asked.

  “It’ll be full dark by the time we’ve eaten. I’m closing the curtains. We can look down into the garden, remember. I don’t want everyone in the garden looking up into my room.”

  “Good point,” said Morgan.

  Glenn was surprised to see quite a few people already sitting eating when they arrived. It wasn’t even six yet, rather early for the evening meal for adults on vacation. Once again the food was amazing, and this time Xonra joined them in eating a full meal. And so she should. They’d walked and fucked all day. They must have burned off a million calories already.

  They sat and talked and sipped coffee for a long time, and then they wandered outside and around to the swimming pool. There they relaxed on lounge chairs and talked some more. Glenn thought it was pure heaven. He was with the two people he loved the most in the entire world, and they were all refreshed and happy. It was how he’d dreamed his life would be when he found the two people who completed him.

  It wasn’t real life. They all had jobs and responsibilities. But he knew that as long as there could be times like these, real life wouldn’t destroy their relationship. They’d fight trouble together and be strong.

  Xonra turned to them both, sitting sideways on her lounger. “You know, I really enjoyed our visit to Berisford Village. Seeing all the historical buildings, and the mine, and the crafts was wonderful. But while we were there it seemed to me that something wasn’t quite right. And of course, that turned out to be true. Here, it’s totally different. All the staff we’ve seen have been happy and friendly. Everything at this resort screams, ‘Relax and enjoy’. Thank you for bringing me here. It’s very special indeed.”

  “I’m glad you like it,” said Morgan.

  Glenn nodded in agreement. “I’m not sorry we went to Berisford Village, either. We need to be reminded sometimes that bad things can be hiding under the surface of society. But it’s even better to be here and to have found ourselves properly. To have inked the deal on being a family.”

  He sat up straighter. “We have, haven’t we? Inked the deal on being a family?”

  “Yes.” Xonra smiled at him and then at Morgan.

  “Absolutely,” said Morgan.

  “Good.” Glenn relaxed. That’s what he’d wanted to do. It was time. He and Morgan had moved in with Xonra. By the time they returned home the renovations should be completed, with luck, and then they could settle down into family life together. And lots of lots of no-condom sex. Damn that’d felt good to be bareback inside her and then Morgan.

  Yes, life was pretty damn good.

  * * * *

  The hiking trails weren’t all that demanding. Nakations was quite a large property, but the trails were walking tracks covered in sand so people could walk them in bare feet. There weren’t even any really hilly sections. However, Morgan still enjoyed the walks. There was plenty to see with pretty flowers and shrubs in among the greenery and trees, a couple of small ponds, one covered in lilies. Besides, it was pleasant just wandering along with the two people he loved.

  The sun was warm but not strong enough to burn their skin, and the breeze was light but enough to stop them from getting too sweaty as they walked. Really, the entire experience was as close to perfect as anyone could wish.

  After lunch, they sat by the swimming pool again, although Xonra insisted on sitting in the shade this time. Then, in the late afternoon, he and Glenn played a game of tennis. It was surprising how hard it was to hit the ball naked, when a man had to be careful not to accidently bash his cock as he swung the racket. Xonra clapped all their good shots though, and it was all in fun.

  That night he and Glenn made love with Xonra again and again until they were all totally drained and exhausted. They slept late the next morning and only just had enough time to get showered and dressed and check out on time.

  “I’m so excited to see your new oven, Morgan. What do you plan to cook in it first?” asked Xonra.

  “Something simple I think, in case cooking times are different. It’ll take me a little while to be sure I understand all of its idiosyncrasies before I try anything too demanding. What would you like me to cook?”

  Once again Glenn was driving, so Morgan turned to look at Xonra. She as so cute when she was thinking deeply. Her brow furrowed and her hazel eyes darkened almost to black. Then she smiled and said, “That pot roast you made with baked potatoes and green beans was lovely. How about another one of those?”

  “Can do. Not a problem.”

  They talked about food and their apartment all the rest of the way home, and were still talking happily as Xonra unlocked her front door.

  He and Glenn carried the luggage inside, not that they’d used it much at all, and in silent agreement they all walked through the living room and into the kitchen.

  The room was a shambles. The counter had been smashed so the washer and drier could be removed and there were a couple of broken tiles where the oven should have been so Morgan thought likely it’d been taken away as well.

  He stood and stared trying to figure out what had happened. The washer and dryer had been paid for. That was part of the contract. Once expensive items were installed, they had to be paid for immediately.

  He sat on a dining chair and pulled out his cell phone, noticing he didn’t have much battery left on it. Likely that was because it had sat in his suitcase for three days. He hadn’t used it, but he hadn’t recharged it either. He scrolled though his contacts until he reached the renovator’s name and then hit dial and speaker so the other could hear what the man said.

  “It’s Morgan. We just arrived home—”

  “Ah, yes. Do you like the kitchen? It’s all finished and your new oven looks beautiful. I’ve e-mailed you the rest of the account. There’s the oven to pay for and—”

  “It’s not here.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “The oven isn’t here and neither are the washer and the dryer. Someone has carved a hole in the counter and taken away the washer and the dryer. And the oven, if you installed it.”

  “Of course I installed it. I took pictures on my cell phone. And what do you mean the washer and dryer aren’t there? I installed them a week ago.”

  Glenn took his phone out of his nerveless fingers.

  “Thi
s is Glenn, and as Morgan said, we just arrived home. It appears we’ve been burgled. I’m just about to call the police. Can you come here please and bring the photos you took of the completed kitchen so we can send copies to the relevant authorities? And the insurers, I suppose.”

  “Stolen? Someone stole the oven? And the washer and dryer? That’s crazy. Why would anyone do that?”

  “I have no idea why anyone would do it, but it’s happened,” said Morgan.

  And right then and there, the weight of the world settled onto his shoulders. So much for their wonderful vacation. This was real life. And right now real life had smashed him upside the head with a wrecked kitchen. No, make that a wrecked kitchen he hadn’t even paid for yet and was going to have to pay for twice over. Fucking hell!

  * * * *

  Xonra silently collected their luggage and put away their clothing, dropping the few used items into the laundry hamper. One thing was good. At least not having worn clothing for three days meant they didn’t have a mountain of dirty laundry to deal with and no washing machine to clean it. But that would be a problem arising soon enough. How long would it take to get replacement appliances? They’d already waited three weeks for the fucking oven. She just hoped a replacement one wouldn’t take another three weeks. She was totally over eating take out. Fortunately, the meals they’d had at Nakations were beautiful. Maybe she could survive on cans of soup for the next few days.

  Xonra rubbed her hands through her hair. Fuck, she wasn’t looking forward to what was going to happen next. The police, the renovation company, the insurance people, and then all the hassle of still not having their new kitchen done. She sank down on the bed and wished everything would just go away and leave her alone. Why couldn’t she have had a couple of days to luxuriate in the pleasure of a damn good vacation before she had to face up to real life? Some days having to act like a mature adult was a shitty deal. Right now she felt more like a toddler and wanted to throw a temper tantrum.

  She went back into the kitchen and filled the coffeepot. At least they could have a coffee. That was something.

  The rest of the day was about what she’d expected. The renovator threw a temper tantrum when the police insinuated he’d never installed the appliances in the first place. The insurers argued with everybody, and the apartment manager swore on a metaphorical stack of bibles that he’d have known if an oven, a washer, and a dryer were removed from the building.

  “If they weren’t removed from the building, then where are they?” she asked.

  “What?”

  “You say you’d have noticed if they were taken away from the apartment block. Trucks parked out front to collect them and so on. Since it’s painfully obvious they’re no longer here, they have to still be in the building somewhere. That’s simple logic. So which other apartments have had workmen doing projects lately? In other words, who stole our oven, washer, and dryer?”

  The room was dead silent, and all eyes were watching the apartment manager. The anger faded from his face and was replaced by a thoughtful look. Xonra really hoped that didn’t just mean he was going to back down from his statement. Maybe someone else had been getting their apartment renovated as well.

  Finally the apartment manager said, “I’ll need to check my records.”

  “I’ll come with you,” said the police officer in charge.

  Chapter Six

  By the time they all fell into bed that night, they were all too exhausted to do anything more than cuddle. Glenn’s heart ached for the pain he knew Morgan was feeling. Morgan had been the leader in the move into Xonra’s apartment and in getting her kitchen renovated so he could cook there. Glenn knew Morgan saw the theft as a failure on his part somehow, which was totally ridiculous. No one could have predicted someone desperate enough to smash up their kitchen to steal the new appliances.

  Glenn also knew Xonra understood as well. Like Morgan, she’d seemed to deflate with the news. But then she’d rallied and started thinking again. Morgan was still too hurt to move on to the thinking and planning stage yet. But that was all right. Glenn and Xonra settled him in between them and hugged him in the center of their family as they all slept from emotional exhaustion.

  The next morning was the usual mad rush to get to work on time, but Glenn also knew the day would be peppered by visits, phone calls, or e-mails from the police, the insurance company, and the renovator about what would happen next. And no way was he going to open the subject of buying new appliances to replace the stolen ones. Well, at least not until he knew the insurance payout would cover the cost.

  And that meant either eating take out day and night again, or eating fruit and salad. Neither appealed to him and eating in restaurants three times a day for weeks on end was going to put a hole in their budget. They’d just have to mix it up and do some of each. He’d pick up some fruit and finger food they could eat raw today as a sign of his willingness to help.

  What he’d forgotten about until he arrived in the office, was that all his work colleagues were going to ask him where he’d been on vacation and what he’d done. He wished the three of them had been able to take the time to talk about this and plan a united answer. However, there was no help for it now. He simply had to tell the unvarnished truth.

  “We went to Nakations.”

  “What?”

  “Where?”

  “Is that what it sounds like?”

  “Yes. It’s a nude holiday resort. There’s a tennis court, swimming pool, hiking trails, gardens, and a restaurant. The only difference from a regular resort is that everyone is naked.”

  “You lucky dog. Were all the women—” The man cupped his hands out from his chest and waggled his hips.

  Glenn smiled and shook his head. “No. Everyone was just regular people, all shapes and sizes. But it really was amazing to feel the sun on my skin, and the breeze blowing, and to be totally and completely free from worry. It was the best vacation ever.”

  People asked more questions, but soon everyone drifted back to their own desks and their own work. As Glenn had half expected, his e-mail box had just about exploded, and it was lunchtime before he finally dealt with the last question. Quickly, he logged off and raced out to the store, getting several bags of food to make non-cook style meals and grabbing a burger to eat at his desk as he returned.

  By the end of the day he felt as though he’d never been away from the office at all, but interestingly there was nothing at all about the burglary. That was weird. He’d expected some comment from the police, the insurer, the renovation company, or all three of them.

  Sighing he texted Morgan.

  R U ready to come home?

  Hell yes. Meet you in the parking lot in 5.

  That sounded as if Morgan’s day had been about like his. Maybe he’d been dealing with the fallout from the burglary.

  “How was your day?” he asked Morgan when he climbed into the car.

  “About like you’d expect. The only fun part was watching everyone’s faces when I told them about Nakations.”

  Glenn snorted. “Yeah. Me, too.”

  They were silent for most of the way home, but Glenn could tell Morgan was still quite tense. Finally Morgan shrugged and said, “You’d better stop at the noodle shop so we can buy some food. I don’t know what time Xonra will get home but we can warm it up in the microwave if she’s late.”

  “I can do that if you like, but I went to the store and bought a bunch of salad items to feed us.”

  “Oh, okay. We might as well eat them while they’re fresh.”

  Glenn glanced at Morgan, but he still seemed somewhat quiet and introspective. Glenn patted Morgan’s thigh. “We’ll sort it out. Don’t stress.”

  Morgan squeezed his hand. “Yes, we will. It’s just such a shitty thing to have happened.”

  Yeah, that about sums it up.

  * * * *

  Xonra’s day had gone pretty much as she had expected, a wild ride of people needing her input from the moment she
arrived until the time she walked out the door. But it wasn’t until she opened the apartment door that she remembered they had no cooking facilities. Again. Still. She dumped her purse and her laptop on the hall table.

  She smiled at the two sets of keys and Morgan’s laptop sitting there already. They were creatures of habit, so used to having a place to leave their work gear that they’d simply moved the hall table from their apartment to her home. She didn’t mind. It really was quite handy not to have to put her purse away in the closet every night and get it out again the next morning.

  She headed into the bedroom to change out of her business clothing, shuddering at the thought of eating a greasy burger or fattening slices of pizza after the delicious food at Nakations. It was too bad. She needed to woman-up and accept it. And to hope it wouldn’t take three weeks to find and install another fucking oven.

  Instead she found the couches and armchairs pushed to one side of the living room, and the dining room table set out on the other side with a delicious display of fresh fruit, salad, and breads on it.

  “Wow, this is amazing. Thank you so much.”

  “We’re going to take it in turns. One day your kind of food, one day our kind of food, and the third day we eat out. We might even go back to the Berisford Village women and buy some of their awesome homemade food as well,” said Glenn.

  “That sounds like a great plan. How was your day?” she asked, turning from Glenn to Morgan to include them both in her question.

  “You should have seen their faces when I told them about Nakations,” said Morgan.

  “Same here. What response did you get?” Glenn asked her.

  “I just said we went to a resort. I didn’t mention the nude part of it, and everyone was jealous.”

  “They’d have been even more jealous if you’d said everyone was naked.” Morgan smiled.

  Soon they were all talking, laughing, and eating, the kitchen disaster forgotten as they shared their day together. It was only after they’d washed their dishes and put the leftover fruit and salad in the refrigerator, that Morgan shuddered and went quiet.