by Lynn Stark
The house had been left to her by her grandfather. He had died just four months after the triplets had been born. Maggie would be forever grateful that he had been alive to meet them. It saddened her, however, that he would not be around to be a positive influence on them. The man had had a special kind of character which had made him a favorite with people in the area.
The house, like the man, had character. She had been told since she was little that she and her grandfather were much alike. Maybe that’s why she was known as a quirky artist. The house was some kind of hybrid, a cross between an English cottage, a hobbit’s house, and something a Who would live in. There weren’t many straight lines. It appeared narrow, the front façade flaring toward the top, only to sweep back in to a narrow peak. It was painted a medium shade of violet. The front door was wooden and painted a bright, yellowish-green, a copper gargoyle’s face as the door knocker. The front window was round, the frame embedded with bottles of different colors that glowed in the morning light.
The inside was no less unique and fun. Her grandfather had repurposed many things, had given things like old doors and windows another chance in his house. Nothing matched. There were antique doorknobs on every door, a stamped tin ceiling throughout, and odd geometric cutouts in the walls to let in more light. Her favorite thing was the old wooden door attached to the ceiling. It was painted blue and was mounted above a set of stairs that went nowhere.
Maggie thought the bathroom was the most amazing room. It had a huge porcelain tub placed in front of a glass, mosaic wall. It was lit from behind. The design was Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night. There was also a waterfall, and with the flip of a switch water would cascade gently over the pieces of glass her grandfather had meticulously placed to recreate the master’s work. Blue glass tiles covered the other three walls. The sink was made from an old dresser, painted black, with a clear blue glass bowl on top, with a faucet that resembled an old hand pump. Every time she saw it she chuckled, because her grandfather had painstakingly covered it with glass beads.
The toilet was boring and unadorned, but there was a small chandelier hanging above it. Emily said it was a princess potty.
Turning on the lights behind the glass wall and the waterfall, Maggie turned on the water to fill the bathtub. Most days she would just take a shower, which was quite large and hidden behind swinging doors made of rustic planks covered in blue milk paint.
Returning to the kitchen while the tub filled, she poured a glass of wine and got the book she was currently reading off the counter. Within minutes she was sinking gratefully into the water and opening the book, candles flickering along the edges. They were just for her and always kept where her children couldn’t get to them. She read until she lost interest. She didn’t know if it was the wine or the fact that she kept thinking about three hot cowboys.
Dating had taken a backseat to raising her children. Maggie did go out, but only when her friends fixed her up with someone. It wasn’t something high on her to-do list. Sighing, she reached for the soap and began sliding it over her skin. She washed her arms and up behind her neck, and then down over her chest. She took her time as she washed her breasts. They were large, firm, and just a little lower than they had been before children. Overall, they still looked good. Her nipples puckered even more as she circled the soap around them. She moaned as a charge of electric-like sensation shot through each one. Closing her eyes and leaning back, she gave her imagination free rein.
Maggie allowed herself to let Max slide into the tub with her. Oh. She sighed as she felt the man’s body settle behind her, powerful thighs trapping her between. There were parts of his body pressing against her that her imagination hadn’t given enough credit to. The man’s hard cock was pressing against her lower back. Brawny arms reached around her. One slid across her ribs, just below her breasts, plumping them, the water flowing over from the valley between. The other crossed her upper chest, his fingers sliding around her jaw, tipping her head back so he could press a sizzling hot kiss on her aching lips.
Another moan escaped Maggie as Max captured her mouth, his tongue delving deeply within, to tangle and duel until they were both gasping for breath. Feeling the water sloshing against her, she opened her left eye to see Sean easing his huge body into the sunken tub. The water rose higher, but she didn’t give it any thought as slid his hands along her shins to her knees, pressing them apart, leaving her vulnerable and exposed beneath the water’s surface.
Panting now, she leaned her head back against Max’s shoulder when he released her mouth. Her gaze was fixed to Sean’s face. His eyes were as blue as the Montana sky. They were bright and piercing, and gazing at her breasts as if he was utterly fascinated by them.
Maggie was intensely aware of their post-baby size. He caught her hands in his even before she realized she had been about to cover them. Her hands fluttered nervously, but she didn’t try to cover herself again. Instead, she watched as Sean cupped them in his palms, raising them above the surface of the water, and leaned forward to take a berry-sized nipple between his lips.
Fire flashed through her veins as Sean began to suckle one breast while kneading the other with his callused hand. Maggie moaned, her back arching, begging for more. Max nuzzled her neck, his hands stroking her stomach and the inside of her right thigh. The muscles of her pussy clenched and began throbbing, reminding her of how long it had been since she had been with a man, let alone two. Though she had a certain amount of experience with the opposite sex, she had never been with two men. When Ethan appeared at the side of the tub, she thought her heart would stop altogether. Her gaze slid up the length of his body, missing nothing, and certainly not the length of the cock jutting boldly from his groin.
Maggie’s eyes shot open as she was jolted abruptly out of her fantasy. A small fist pounded on the door. “Mama, I have to pee.”
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Maggie rose from the tub and stepped out, grabbing a bright pink towel as she did so. Emily had chosen the color of the towels the last time. Pink was an improvement over the dull orange-brown Samuel had chosen previously.
“Okay, just give Mama a moment to get her robe on.” She tossed the damp towel into the hamper before reaching for her robe. She pulled it on and went to open the door. Emily dashed past her. Samuel and Brant were also in line. “Be sure to wash your hands when you’re done. And give your sister a moment before you start pounding on the door.”
Maggie went across the hall to her room. Though it was the largest, it was still small. The closets were inadequate and she had the space for only a double bed and one dresser. Sometimes she thought it was rather like living out of a suitcase. She had her clothes stashed in any number of places throughout the house.
Though she had just used a large chunk of her savings to provide herself with transportation without having to wait on insurance companies and irresponsible drivers, she knew she had to get the addition started. Since it was spring, with luck it would be finished before the first snowfall. She would call the construction company in the morning. An architect already had her design and had drawn up the blueprints.
With her pajamas on, and her hair brushed, Maggie went to check on her children. It didn’t surprise her that they were in the living room and just about to turn on the TV. “Oh, no you don’t. Back to bed with you. It’s sleeping time.”
She checked the lock on the front door, turned out the lights, and followed them back down the hall. There was the usual whining and cajoling, but she ignored it as they climbed into their beds. She tucked Samuel and Brant in, hugging and kissing each, before going into Emily’s room and repeating the process.
Two minutes later she was turning out the light and getting into her own bed. She pulled the blankets over her body with a sigh and closed her eyes.
Maggie chuckled as she thought of her lost fantasy. She couldn’t even get imaginary romance and hot sex with three toddlers around.
She was going to have to work on that.
&
nbsp; Chapter Two
Max stood beside his two partners as they stared at the blank wall at the end of the restaurant they had purchased three months before. They were nearly finished with it. There was new plumbing and wiring throughout. There were new walls, new floors, and new equipment in the kitchen, as well as tables, chairs, and booths. They would hire a manager for the place, as well as servers and cooks. They wouldn’t have much to do with the everyday operation, though they would keep close tabs on how it was being run.
It was an investment and one they hoped would pay off. It might not have been a business many would take on, but with the growing tourist industry in the area, they believed it would pay off. Everyone loved barbeque. The residents of Silver had missed having it, since the previous owner had closed the business after twenty-five years, due to health reasons. They had his sauce recipes and he was willing to oversee the training of the cooks. Their hopes were high for the future of the restaurant.
It might not be an immediate success, but by the time summer was in full swing, and people came to the area for everything from glamping, nature hikes, fishing, and white water rafting, they should get a growing number of customers.
There were already glamping sites on their ranch. Glamping was just a fancy description for structures that were cabin and tent hybrids. People paid good money to stay in them. It was camping without so much of the roughing it part. Those same people often went into town to eat, drink, and go to the movies. It was the winter visitors, however, that they were really counting on. Silver’s population nearly doubled as people arrived for the excellent skiing in the area.
They were putting a lot of faith into the future success of the Silver Pig Bar and Grill.
“I say we hire Maggie to paint a mural. She’s the best artist in town,” Sean suggested. “I swear whatever she paints looks like it’s the real thing. People will think they’re looking out a window and seeing the mountains.”
“Her work won’t be cheap,” Ethan said thoughtfully. “Maybe we could trade something for it.”
“I hear she’s looking for ponies for her kids. We have several she can choose from. And we can throw in the tack for them, too.”
They had done a lot of bartering over the years. Sometimes it was necessary, when money was tight. There was no disgrace in an honest trade of goods or services.
Max nodded. “That sounds like a good idea to me. It can’t hurt to ask her about it. Do either of you guys have her number?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Why would we?” Sean asked, puzzled. “We never dated her or bought anything from her. You know that.”
Max turned to look at his partners. He frowned. “Tell me, why didn’t we date her?”
“Because she’s older than we are?”
“She was too hot for us and we were just skinny, pimply dorks.”
Max laughed outright at Ethan’s description of them when they had been in their late teens and early twenties. He guessed Maggie was two or three years older than they were, so that pretty much kept her out of their reach in high school. And she had been hot back then, as sexy a female as any of them had ever seen. She was still hot, all lush curves and creamy skin. She even had a few freckles here and there, which was a bonus as far as he was concerned.
“We could ask her out now,” Sean said, walking over to the wall they wanted the mural painted on. He touched it, his fingers stroking over the unfinished surface. “We haven’t been out on a date in months.”
Since they were lovers, Max thought there wasn’t really a need to date. They were satisfied with their lives at the moment. When they dated a woman it was to see if she might be “the one.” They hadn’t found that one special woman yet, the one they would share themselves and the rest of their lives with. They weren’t exactly pretty boys. They were all big, Sean being the tallest at six foot six. He was next at six foot five, and Ethan six foot three. They were also very muscular and a bit hairy. None of them had ever considered shaving their bodies to give them the smooth, baby skin appearance that was currently so popular. It seemed like a lot of work just to impress a lady. Besides, they liked their hair. It seemed that their fair lady love would be required to love three bears.
“Well, it’ll probably be months more,” Max said ominously, but grinned. “Besides, what would a beauty like Maggie want with three scruffy bears like us?”
“Not a thing.” Sean laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. “If she has any sense at all.”
Ethan looked at them, frowning. “Does this mean we want to date Maggie?”
“Yes,” Max and Sean said at the same time.
A big grin spread across Ethan’s face. “Okay, then. When do we tell her?”
“I think it’d be best if we just kind of sneak up on her, let her get used to the idea, without blurting it out.”
“Yeah, no need to traumatize her,” Ethan said, nodding. He rubbed his jaw, where there was at least two days’ growth of beard. “Let’s get her phone number and see if she would paint the mural. It’ll give the place some class.”
Max personally thought Maggie could give them some class. She was a sweet, fiery, beautiful woman, with glorious dark auburn hair and a body to kill for. They could do worse, but they couldn’t do better. Just because they didn’t have much interaction with her didn’t mean they didn’t know anything about her. Yep, now that they had given it some thought, they believed Maggie was the one for them.
“I’ll call Bambi over at the Silver Edge. She’s best friends with Maggie.”
“Good idea,” Ethan said, grinning. “That’s why you’re the brains of this operation.”
Max laughed and shook his head. “Have you ever noticed that it takes all three of us to make one decision?”
They teased one another a lot. It was nothing new. But Max believed that it was their lightheartedness that helped keep their relationship strong. Reaching out, he pulled Ethan close. Their mouths met in a quick, hot kiss.
Four hours later Maggie was staring at the wall, a thoughtful expression on her face. She walked back and forth. She examined the restaurant’s lighting and the room the mural would be the centerpiece of. Finally she nodded and Max felt himself relax.
“I can do it. Now, what was it you wanted to discuss about my fee?”
“We thought we could do a bit of bartering. We know your work is fantastic, and that it probably sells for more than what we could trade for it, but we have several ponies you could choose from and tack for them. We even have a cart. All the ponies have been trained to drive.”
Maggie’s jewel-green eyes lit up with interest. Max was relieved. “That sounds like something I’d consider. Despite what you may have heard, my paintings are modestly priced. I’m no Picasso. I am flattered, however.” She grinned and pushed her curly red hair back away from her face. It was deep auburn with mahogany highlights. It was gorgeous and he felt his fingers itching to run through the thick mass. “I don’t have anything going right now. I just finished firing some of my pottery, so I’ve got time opening up to do this. Do you have anything you specifically want?”
Sean cleared his throat. All eyes went to him. “Well, we wanted it to look like you were looking through a window and seeing the incredible scenery outside.”
Maggie looked at him for a moment. Then she looked back at the wall. The space was about six feet by eighteen feet. “It’s too bad there’s a building next door, or you could have your great view,” she said, turning with a grin. “I can do what you want. When are you opening?”
“Next Friday.”
“Okay. Three ponies, one cart, and tack. Oh, I’ll need a month’s worth of feed, hay, and bedding. And you’ll deliver all of that, right?”
Ethan laughed. “We’ll deliver it with a smile. When do you want to bring the kids over to pick their ponies out?”
“How’s this afternoon? They actually asked me again this morning when we were getting them. Now that I have the paddock finished, they’ve been ge
tting impatient.”
“A paddock is always better when it has something in it,” Max told her, smiling. “Your kids are going to love them.”
“This afternoon is good for us,” Sean said, moving closer. “Would you consider going out with us sometime?”
Maggie blinked twice as she stared at Sean. The corner of Max’s mouth twitched. It was obvious that the question had caught her off guard. A blush rose in her cheeks. Her fair skin failed to hide it. He still liked the freckles. He wondered if she had them on her breasts. As he did so his cock began thickening behind his zipper. He hoped the fuck she didn’t notice and felt the heat rise in his own face. She turned her head to look at Ethan and then at Max. He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile.
“Are you in pain?” she asked, her eyebrows going up.
She had nice eyebrows. They were arched and delicate. She didn’t shave them off, as his grandmother and aunts did, only to draw them back on.
Max laughed and shook his head. “I was hoping it would give you some encouragement. It obviously didn’t convey that.”
Maggie’s mouth twitched and she tossed that heavy mane of hair back again. His fingers itched again to tangle in it…as he fucked her hard and fast from behind. Max felt his cock stirring again. She would be sucking Sean’s cock. Ethan was stroking himself off beside them, ready to spray his cum over her body.
“Yeah, I’ll go out with you sometime. Just let me know when.”
Just like that, they had the promise of a date. The blood began flowing a little faster in Max’s veins. They followed her to the door. Sean opened it for her.
“I’ll bring the kids out to your place this afternoon. Four o’clock okay?”
“Perfect. We’ll be there,” Sean told her.