by Casey Morgan
It seemed to me that that could cause problems, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel intrigued.
There was historical precedent for it, as I’d learned recently, and Shanna was a real live example who seemed pretty happy in this type of relationship. Certainly that would solve my problems. I wouldn’t have to break the heart of one brother while dating the other and I wouldn’t have to turn down sweet, sensitive Aiden.
The sex in my fantasies was pretty fantastic, but I had to remember that that was all it was. I couldn’t get ahead of myself here.
What if the sex was just terrible? What if it was too overwhelming, trying to please three guys at once? It could be one of those things that looked good on paper, but in actual practice, was a nightmare.
On the up side, I didn’t really have family to explain it to. It wasn’t like I could bring them back home to mom and she’d have an opinion. I was perfectly free on that score.
Although, honestly, I wished she was here to talk to. Her death had put me down in the dumps and I was convinced that finding my family members would break the grief curse and make my life whole. But maybe I had been thinking wrongly about that.
Now, I think I’d know what she’d say. I’d talk around the issue, not really telling her I wanted to date three men at once and she’d say something like “Follow your heart, Mila.”
Maybe that was what she had meant. That the connection I found with anyone – including a zap of electricity with three elves together – would help me be happier and heal my heart.
Is it even legal?
I supposed it must be. I’d never heard of anyone getting arrested for it. Polygamy is illegal in the States, but we weren’t in the States.
Did people even get arrested for being in polyamorous relationships in the States, anyway? I thought not. Perhaps if they tried to actually marry more than one person – but not just date them.
I was pretty sure Americans were free to do what they wanted, when it came to dating. It was like an inalienable Constitutional right or something. The pursuit of happiness, times three.
I couldn’t help but snicker at this thought, but then I had to get back to thinking about serious things. There were no Constitutional rights in Ireland. Or, whatever rights they had didn’t apply to me since I wasn’t Irish. But even if it was illegal in Ireland, the worst they could do to me is send me back to America, where I did have rights.
I wondered how the boys would feel about it. Aiden would almost certainly get pushed to the side by the other two, but I could balance that out.
Donovan would probably get a bit crazy once in a while, but I could keep him in check. And Killian, well, he seemed to always be in control.
It was possible that this was the best possible thing for the boys. Maybe they wanted it or maybe they needed it.
As for me, well, I did enjoy the attention quite a bit. Relationships were extremely taxing sometimes, and maybe this would be a way to spread out the work?
And if it didn’t work, we could always break up. I decided I should just talk to Shanna and get some insight into how it unfolded for her. She was basically in the same exact position as I was. I was sure she’d be willing to give me advice.
She was probably the only one of the McDonnell clan I could trust, even though she’d taken the name Hennessey now. Or maybe because of that fact.
I was determined to find people who could help me figure out this situation. And I was a bit proud of myself for being that determined. My mom would be proud of me, too, for finally finding “my folk.”
Chapter 13
Mila
Dinner was another great meal, like they all seemed to be here at Hennessy House. But I wasn’t very hungry after the day’s events.
The German couple talked about the various touristy things they had done, while Ms. Gilpenk got into a discussion about artifacts found at her dig. Once again, the Englishman elf left the table early.
That was fine with me. He seemed a little too full of himself, anyway. He was kind of just brooding for the sake of brooding, I couldn’t help but think.
After dessert and the dishes were cleared away from dinner, the guests all started to go their separate ways. I caught Shanna as she was heading back to the kitchen.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey, what’s up?” she asked.
“Can I talk to you?” I said meekly.
“Sure,” she said.
I looked around. Her husbands were still coming in and out of the room and the English elf had returned for an after dinner drink but he was kind of eyeing us as he drank.
“Can we go somewhere more private?” I asked.
“Oh, sure,” she said. “Guys, can you finish cleaning the table? I have to take care of something.”
“Convenient timing,” joked Ryan.
“Oh, stop it,” she dismissed him.
We went up into my room so I could show her some of the papers my mother had discovered over the years. She had done some research on the McDonnell family tree as well.
After several minutes of sifting through papers, we discovered that indeed, we were related. Shanna was my cousin, twice removed.
“I knew it,” she said, giving me a hug. “Welcome to the family.”
“Yeah, the McDonnells,” I said a little sadly.
“Did you go to see them?” she asked.
I nodded, feeling a bit sad.
“Well, they certainly speak their mind. You can at least say that for ‘em,” she joked.
“Do you have any contact with them? Now that you live here?”
“Not really,” she said. “Once in a while, one of them drifts over here looking for this relative or that, but I avoid them. I think it’s best. They’re so reactionary, ya know?”
“What do you mean?”
“Whatever happens to them, they’re in a constant state of reaction. Most of the time, their reaction is anger and surprise. They don’t have to cope with anything because they’re always fighting with everyone,” she explained. “That, in turn, makes them more isolated, which makes them more sensitive – and it just spirals down after that.”
“I had a dream I was one of them,” I admitted.
“I did too.” laughed Shanna. “Oh, my God. I was so worried I end up like them. But you know, it’s silly. What’s going to happen? You really think you’re gonna end up moving into their farmhouse and becoming like them? You wouldn’t last a day. No one would.”
“That’s true,” I told her. “Look, I’m really glad I found a relative I can relate to. Thank you.”
“No problem,” she said, and gave me another hug. “In fact, I too am happy to have found you. It can get lonely, being the only witch and the only American here.”
“Aiden and his friends were telling me you’re from Luck’s Hollow, New York?” I asked her, raising an eyebrow in interest.
“I am,” she said. “We are a small colony of fairy folk, descended from those here in Luck’s Hollow, hence the name of Love’s Hollow. Some day when we’re both in the States again, you should come visit. It’s quite a nice place, for witches like us.”
“That’s awesome,” I told her. “I’d like to do that. In fact, Aiden and his friends were joking about going to visit, too.”
“I think they should!” Shanna agreed. “I’ve been telling Brody and Ryan that they need to see where I’m from. We should all go together. You, me, Aiden, and… was is Donovan and Killian, the others you were talking to?”
“Yes,” I told her.
“I see you’ve been spending a lot of time with the three of them,” she said. Then, she must have seen my reaction – a bit of embarrassment and excitement – because she hastened to add, “I mean, that’s cool. I’m glad you’re having fun while you’re here.”
“About that,” I told her. “Can I ask you another question?”
“Sure.”
“How do you manage it?” I asked, a little more embarrassed now.
“We
ll, there are plenty of relatives to help run Hennessy House,” she explained.
“Oh, right, but not that,” I clarified.
“Oh,” she said. “Oh. That.”
She smiled patiently, as if she was used to the question. I’m sure she was.
“It’s rather nice, to be in a relationship with two guys at once,” she told me. “Both of them pay me a lot of attention and help me and make me happy.”
“I see,” I told her.
It did sound nice.
“But let me let you in on what you probably really want to know,” she said, with a wink. I smiled. I was grateful that she was sharing intimate details with me, and not just the same platitudes she told every curious person who asked about the nature of her relationship. “When it comes down to it, being with two men is just like being with one, except the sex is better.”
I blushed and laughed.
“I can’t imagine.”
I giggled.
“It can get pretty exhausting,” she said. “But believe me, the payoff is worth it.”
“I don’t mean to pry…”
“No, it’s fine,” she said. “Look, when I first met both of them, I was attracted to them and they were attracted to me. At first, they competed for my affection, which was fun, but I couldn’t choose.”
“That’s exactly how—” I began, and then caught myself. “That’s exactly how I imagined it.”
“Uh huh,” she said suspiciously.
After a moment’s pause, she continued.
“Anyhow, I just told them what I wanted and we discussed it,” she explained. “They didn’t have a problem sharing me, so we decided to be a triad. It’s not like we don’t have problems or fight like other couples, but – our love makes it worth it at the end of the day.”
“It can’t be that easy,” I said. “It feels so complicated.”
“Well, it is, to a degree,” she admitted. “There are more personalities to deal with, but there are advantages, too. Men like to go off on their own. When one is busy, the other’s not.”
“It was hard enough to be with one guy,” I said. “Two just seems so hard. Again, I don’t mean to be nosey.”
“It’s fine. You have your reasons for asking,” she said. “Probably three reasons, to be precise.”
“Oh, God. Is it that obvious?” I asked.
“To me it is,” said Shanna. “But don’t worry. That’s probably just because I know what it’s like and the signs to look for.”
I couldn’t help but sigh in response. I was glad to hear that not everyone could automatically tell from the look on my face that I wanted to be with three elves at the same time!
“Look, if you want Aiden, Killian and Donovan, then go after them,” Shanna said. “Take them aside and talk to them about. Who knows? Maybe they’re already thinking about it. Brody and Ryan kinda were. It might not be as hard of a transition as you think it might be.”
“What if I just continued to date them in a group? Let them decide,” I suggested.
“Look, you know what you want in your heart. I can’t decide that for ye,” she said, slipping into an Irish accent for a moment. She’d obviously picked it up from her husbands. “And if you already know what you want, it’s not fair to put it on them. They’ll be struggling. Trying to figure it out. I know it seems tough, but once you get all your cards out on the table, things get better. You can do it. You’re a strong witch. And tough witches like us need to stick together.”
“Yeah, but what if they reject it?” I asked.
“Then you know it wasn’t meant to be,” she said. “Better you know sooner rather than later. But I could tell, those boys like you. They like you a lot.”
“Do you miss America, living here?” I asked, going back to what we had been talking about before.
“Sometimes,” Shanna answered slowly, sounding unsure. “Although I really shouldn’t, because crappy things happened to me there. My sister is something else, I’ll tell you. And my parents. Not to mention my ex fiancée, who got with my sister. That ended up being for the best, though, because they’re like two peas in a pod, anyway, and they deserve each other.”
“What?” I asked, amazed.
“Yeah, that’s a story for a whole other time. I can tell that you and I are going to get along really well – as friends, fellow witches, and distant relatives. So, there’s time enough for you to catch up on all the drama I had back in the States and here when I first got to Ireland. For right now, though, to tell you the truth, my life is so much better here. It’s hard to miss America. Not because America’s bad, but because things worked out so well here, ya know? I guess I miss the stores and some of the TV shows, but all of that is slowly making its way here, so…”
“It is charming and I could see myself living here,” I said.
“Now you sound just like me,” she laughed. “I told you we’re a lot alike and will get along swimmingly. And, wow, you are really into those elves. I can’t criticize, either. I was swept off my feet by Ryan and Brody. Deep down I knew it from the beginning, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself. I kept testing myself over and over. Which I guess is good, you don’t want to rush into it. But eventually, I did just rush into it. That’s the only way to really do something so different and kind of outrageous, I suppose.”
I felt like she was talking about me. All my doubts and questions. My back and forth. It all made a lot more sense now that she told me it had happened to her, too. And she was probably right, about how I just had to take a leap of faith and go for what I wanted.
“There was a moment with each of them when we first met,” I said. “It was like electricity. My mom had always told me there would be a jolt when I knew it was the right person. And that’s how it happened. Like a tiny lightning bolt, really.”
“Yes, I know exactly what you mean, she said. “It’s a witch thing. It happens to all of us, when we find our true love. Or, loves, in our case.”
She smiled and I did too. It felt great to be talking to someone who could relate. Who wouldn’t think I was just plain odd. I decided to keep going.
“But it happened with all three of them and me,” I confessed. “Three little lightning bolts.”
“Of course,” she said. “Because it’s meant to be. It was the same way with Brody and me, and Ryan and me.”
“Okay,” I told her. “And then there was… I’m sorry, I’m telling you personal things.”
I should stop. I should not go any further.
“No, no, it’s fine, really,” she said. “I can keep a secret. We cousins have to stick together, remember? And we American witches living in Ireland, and in love with more than one elf… we have lots of things in common and lots of reasons to stick together. Go ahead, ask me anything.”
“Really? Anything?”
“You’re family. We’re cool. Whatever you ask or say, it won’t shock me.”
I blushed.
“I can’t.” I giggled.
“You want to know about the sex,” she laughed. “It’s fine. It’s fine.”
“What’s it like? I mean, to have two guys inside you at once?” I said.
I was a deep, deep shade of red, asking this question.
“It’s so incredible,” she said fondly. “I mean, the first time I was with them both, I could not stop orgasming. I was vibrating on the inside of my body. I kid you not.”
“So, it’s always at the same time now?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s better that way,” she explained. “Once in a while, just to mix things up, we might go one-on-one. But seriously? Standing up and doing it – you just cannot imagine the pleasure. I mean, Brody and Ryan hold me in the air and just ravage me, both at the same time.”
“Oh, my God.” I laughed and blushed. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“I’m telling you, it’s the absolute best,” she said. “I can’t go back to just one guy. I would never. To have two hot naked bodies sandwich you like that
? Especially when they’re big, strapping elves? I’m getting a little flushed just thinking about it.”
I couldn’t stop laughing. It was partly out of embarrassment and partly out of amazement. I mean, I guess in the back of my mind, I knew that was probably the case, but to hear her actually talk about how amazing it was... that was hilarious and kind of exciting.
“Your husbands don’t… touch each other, do they?”
“Oh, God, no. They’re very careful about that,” she said. “I think that would be a complete turn off for them. I mean, obviously, they’re close. Sometimes things brush against other things, but overall, they’re extremely careful. They don’t even look at each other. They spend the whole time looking at me.”
“That sounds pretty good to me. But there has to be a downside,” I said. “What am I missing?”
“Once in a great while, they both get pissy with me,” she admitted. “I mean, when I fight with one, I usually go to the other, so that’s nice. But once in a great while, the three of us manage to piss each other off equally and there is no one to go to. Or both of them gang up against me in an argument. Or they each drive me crazy and it’s hard to get away from them, with all of us living and working together and being so close, both emotionally and in physical proximity, not to mention, you know, like I was just saying, the closeness and intimacy of the sex. But you get over it; you move on. Not just for your kids, but for yourselves. You can’t hold grudges. And you realize that the things you’re fighting about aren’t all that important anyway.”
“I know, but sometimes when I’m in a relationship, I feel like I’m compromising just to stay in the relationship, ya know?” I said. “How do I balance being open and honest without capitulating to everything?”
“Well, hopefully you realize that the boys are going to be on the same page as you,” she said. “I think that’s most important. If you’re constantly fighting against each other’s goals, that can’t work. To some extent, I had nothing back in America worth going home to. Here, there was all sorts of opportunity for me. What’s your situation back home?”