The Sextet Presents... Playing in the Raine [A Toy Story] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) (9 page)

They’d come as one. If that didn’t convince Raine of the rightness of this foursome, nothing would.

Chapter 10

Sated exhaustion pulled Raine toward the fringes of sleep. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know three handsome men lay around her. Their heat encircled her, the scent of sex and male surrounded her, and their love for each other was palpable.
Ah, I wish they could stay with me forever.
She’d done it. Their generosity in lovemaking had finally made her heart take the plunge. She had no idea how one woman fell hopelessly in love with a trio of wonderful lovers, but she had.

One question kept her from succumbing to a long nap.
Will they still care for me when they find out how old I am?
That insecurity just wouldn’t let go. She’d been dumped too many times by men who preferred younger women.

Feathering touches on her thigh and stomach sent a shiver through her veins. She turned to see which of her lovers wanted her attention. Her eyelids eased upward. Matty grinned at her and linked his fingers with hers. On her other side, Vince’s lazy smile spoke of the same satisfaction her own body knew. He kissed her shoulder. Near her feet, Rafe stretched his arm toward her.

She offered him her other hand. “Is sex always that amazing for you guys?”

Vince’s lips traced her collarbone to her neck. “It’s fantastic, but never as good as this time. You made it even better.”

“Vin was right about what was missing. Not just a woman. The
right
woman.” Matt gave her hand a gentle squeeze and nuzzled her hair.

“The one.” Rafe licked a moist trail up her calf. “We’re complete.”

A whisper tickled her ear on Matt’s side. “Do you like baths, Raine?”

She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Since when did she get emotional about sex and pillow talk? “Mm-hm.”

“I’m going to clean up and run a bubble bath for you.” He kissed her cheek as he pushed up from the bed. “I don’t suppose the tub is big enough for all of us?” His question was evidently rhetorical since he sauntered toward the master bath without pausing.

Wait until he sees.
Five, four, three, two, one.

“Damn! This thing’s as big as a swimming pool!” He’d found her custom-built whirlpool tub. “I think we have time for another round while it fills.”

Vince laughed. “Told you he’s a whore. I’m pretty sure he’s joking, though. We don’t want to scare you off our first time together.”

Scared?
They had no clue what her greatest fear was—and it wasn’t sex with three men. She rolled her eyes and grinned. “I can keep up with you.”

“Is that a challenge, lovely lady?” Rafe’s hand glided up the inside of her thigh. “Of course, you do have a rather extensive collection of toys. Lots of practice?”

A giggle bubbled up from her chest. “Way too much. Who wants to carry me to my bubble bath?”

“We’ll give Vince the first turn since he suggested the plan. He’s the brains in this trio. Matty’s the brawn.”

Vince propped himself on one elbow, looking toward Rafe. “And you’re the beauty, with those gorgeous blue eyes and that heart-stopping smile.”

She watched as they shared a kiss, struck by the openness of their affection for one another and stung by a stab of emptiness. Not jealousy. They’d been part of a two-year relationship. They lived and loved together. None of her attempts to last longer than a couple months with a man had succeeded. Would her time with Vince, Rafe, and Matt end sooner rather than later?

* * * *

Putting every bit of thanks into the kiss, Vince hoped Rafe understood how much his acceptance and participation meant. Rafe had expressed doubts about welcoming someone new into the fold, and Vince had promised him the woman they chose wouldn’t come between them. Somehow, they’d found her. Now they needed to convince her to stay for the long haul, to let a new love blossom and grow.

Rafe rolled off the bed and to his feet, his long, lean body drawing Vince’s attention. “My turn to clean up. Don’t let Raine go to sleep. She deserves some pampering for what she’s given us.”

“Be there in a minute.” Vince savored the sight of Rafe’s tight ass for a moment before turning his attention to the woman beside him. Her flaming hair spread fire across the pillows. He rubbed several strands between his thumb and fingers. “I wasn’t exaggerating. As much as I love Rafe and Matty, having you with us…I can’t describe the difference. It’s just better than I imagined it could be. Thank you for giving us this chance.”

She blinked her bright eyes.
Tears?
He hoped not, but he understood. Her whisper confirmed his suspicions. “Do I have to share my toys?”

Instead of acknowledging the emotions she had to be feeling, she’d tried to lighten the mood.
Self-preservation
. He, Matty, and Rafe had a long way to go to convince her they wanted more than sex. “Only if you want to. You can show us how everything works. I can honestly say I have no idea what some of those things do.”

“You’d be surprised. My carriage, please. I’m ready for my bath.” She was back to the sassy female who’d answered their ads and taken them to her bed.

Scooping her into his arms, he relished holding her as he sauntered to the bathroom. She couldn’t weigh more than a hundred pounds. Without her heels, she could pass for a naked little forest pixie. Did she have any tricks up her…? Not up her nonexistent sleeve, exactly. If she wasn’t serious about joining their relationship…

“Climb in.” Matty waved an arm from inside the huge tub. “The water’s not too hot, not too cold.”

Vince carefully stepped over the ledge. Water lapped at his calves. Settling Raine into a mound of flower-scented bubbles, he sank down next to her and gathered her hair on top of her head.

Rafe handed him a clip from the counter then climbed in with them. Reaching for a washcloth, he moved closer to their new lover. “Too bad we don’t have a bottle of champagne. I’d make a toast to our partnership.”

Raine lifted her pink-pedicured foot out of the suds and placed it in Rafe’s hand. Matt cradled her wrist in his palm and washed her shoulder.

“Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in my tub.” Her girlie giggle tickled Vince’s stomach. “Mm-mm. I think I like having three men in my tub.”

She’d done it again—leading the conversation away from a serious talk about their relationship by changing the subject. Was rejection still a possibility in her mind?

Making love to her hadn’t been some lightly made decision. Weeks of planning had gone into finding her, and they’d never risk two years of love for a maybe. That someone in her past had hurt her was a given. She clearly didn’t believe them when they’d said she was the right woman. They’d have to work for her trust, but she was worth the effort.

Leaning her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes. On the other side of her, Matt raised his eyebrows and mouthed,
Now?
Vince gave a slight shake of his head. Raine was nowhere near ready to hear those words from them.
I love you.
They’d scare her off with that kind of proclamation. Returning a nod, Matty continued stroking her arm with the soapy washcloth.

Patience.
Given time, they’d prove their love and loyalty to her.

* * * *

Raine released a contented sigh. She’d never felt so pampered in her life.
Probably a bad idea to get used to it.

Forcing her eyes open, she sat up. Time to face reality. “I appreciate the bath more than you know, but I have to work tomorrow. Which means getting up at five thirty in the morning. It’s my bedtime, guys.”
There. I said the words. They’ll leave, and I can figure out how the hell to keep my heart from breaking.

Matt frowned. “That’s too damn early.”

Vince and Rafe didn’t look very pleased, either.

“I have to drive two hours to a job site for an inspection tomorrow. Once a week, like clockwork.” Guilt weighed on her conscience even though she told the truth. It was still an excuse to put some distance between her and them.

Rafe seemed to accept her explanation. “Tomorrow’s Friday. I want to cook for you.”

Cook? I’m in trouble.
“Sure, sounds great. I’m not sure what time I’ll be home, so why don’t I stop by your house when I get back in town?”
I can tell them how old I am before this goes any further.

“Excellent.” Matt smiled. “I want to show you one of my new paintings.”

Under the water, Rafe continued to massage her foot. “Mind if we have dinner at your house? We’ll never fit four at our table comfortably.”

She bit the inside of her cheek to distract herself from the ache in her throat. How was she supposed to answer him when she couldn’t even swallow? Room for four wouldn’t be an issue when they found out she’d misled them by answering their ads. A yawn crept up through her chest. She dragged it out a bit longer than it actually was, finally working past the lump. “Sounds terrific.”

Vince helped her to her feet, wrapping a towel around her naked body. Then he carried her back to bed. His lips pressed a warm kiss to her forehead. “You’re a special woman, Raine. Tonight was just the beginning.”

As he stood, Matt moved closer, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Sleep well, sweetheart. Sweet dreams.”

Rafe touched his mouth to her other cheek. “We’ll count the minutes until we see you again. Don’t worry about the door. We’ll lock up on our way out.”

They passed around towels, each drying and dressing. Turning as one when they reached the bedroom doorway, their smiles made her stomach twist. Then they were gone, bounding down the stairs, and the front door clicked closed.

She cried herself to sleep.

Chapter 11

Fighting the urge to order Matt to sit down, Vince watched him pace to the window. Again.

Another lap. “It’s almost five o’clock. Shouldn’t she be here by now?” Matt shoved his hair out of his face. “We need to tell her.”

Rafe walked into the living room from the kitchen with a wooden spoon in his hand. “Tell who what? Want a taste of the marinara?”

Vince shook his head at Matt’s sprint to the sauce. “He wants to tell Raine we love her. Something was bugging her last night. I think if we move too fast, we’ll scare her off.”

“Matty, Vince has a point. She seemed, I don’t know, kind of upset when we were leaving, even though she asked us to go. But, on the other hand, what if she thinks we’re just using her?”

A knock interrupted their conversation.

Vince grabbed Matt’s arm before he could race to the door. “Can we at least wait to see if she’s ready? Hell, for all we know she’s here to tell us she isn’t interested anymore.”

“Fine. Okay. Now, let me answer the damn door.” Three long strides and Matty let in their guest.

She wore a different suit from last week at the coffee shop, but the sight of her affected Vince no less than that first time he’d seen her. “Hi, guys. Thanks for e-mailing the directions to your house. I forgot to ask yesterday.”

Matt gestured for her come in. “Want to sit? Something to drink?”

She hid her nervousness well except for the discreet nibble on her lower lip. Vince’s stomach dropped to his feet. This was it. She was here to tell them she wasn’t interested.

“I’m fine, thanks.” She clasped her hands in front of her, squeezing until her fingers turned white. “Um, I’d like to talk to you about something before dinner. I don’t really know how to say this.”

Here it comes. Once was enough, and now she’s moving on.

She cleared her throat and shifted her hands behind her back. “You know how you each put an age range in your ad? With thirty-five being the oldest?”

Vince, Matt, and Rafe nodded in unison.

She’s older? She’s worried because she thinks she’s too old for us?
By God, unless she was old enough to be his grandmother, Vince didn’t give a damn.

Rafe spoke up first, his tone revealing nothing. “You’re older than thirty-five.”