Divine Phoenix (29 page)

“Yes. My truck wouldn’t start and I forgot the bag with my other clothes in it at the bunkhouse, so I had to come back to the ranch like this.” He pointed at himself in a roundabout way. Maynard never took his eyes off LuAnn the whole time, seeming entranced by her, or maybe it was her near nudity.

LuAnn moaned, and Grace asked, “LuAnn? Are you all right?”

Suddenly tensing as though electrocuted, LuAnn screamed, “Get him away! Get away!” She looked up into poor Maynard’s painted face and shrieked hysterically. Lily felt bad for poor Maynard the rodeo clown because his concern for LuAnn was so obvious.

Grace gave Maynard an apologetic look, and he nodded. “I’d better get out of here. Please tell her I’m sorry when she recovers.” He stood and grimaced when LuAnn quivered and turned away from the sight of him, cowering in abject fear. Lily patted LuAnn’s shoulder as she held on to Grace with a death grip and Maynard stepped back.

He walked away, looking rather downhearted, every step accompanied by a flatulent
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft
! as he pulled his cowboy hat and fuzzy orange wig from his head, revealing a jet-black crew cut with silver at the temples and sideburns.

Lily glanced at Maya, and Maya stuck her lower lip out and whispered, “Poor Maynard the rodeo clown. He looks sad.”

“Wonder what he looks like under all that makeup and that goofy getup,” Rosemary whispered.

Grace rolled her eyes and grinned. “Okay, LuAnn. Let’s get you into a chair, honey.”

“Is he gone?” LuAnn gasped as she clutched the towel to her chest.

Blocking LuAnn’s view of Maynard as he exited the way he’d come in, Lily reassured her. “He’s leaving.”

Grace murmured, “He said to tell you he was sorry.” They helped her into one of the patio chairs, and someone handed over another towel for her. In a matter of seconds she was wrapped up and her shoulders covered. “He’s Jack’s cousin, Maynard Goodwin. He’s a rodeo clown.”

LuAnn shuddered noticeably at the word, and Lily understood immediately. “LuAnn, are you afraid of clowns?”

LuAnn’s cheeks blushed a dark shade of red. “Yes. It’s totally irrational, I know. I’m terrified of them.
All
of them.”

The shame in her voice burned Lily’s soul because she understood. “Have you ever heard of astraphobia?”

“No.” LuAnn wiped the tears from her face and sniffed as she made eye contact with Lily.

“I have astraphobia. It’s the fear of thunder and lightning. Just ask Clay and he’ll tell you. I understand how irrational it is, but it’s very real to you when it happens.” Glancing over her shoulder at the closed gate, she added, “He’s gone now. It’s okay.”

LuAnn hid her face in her hands. “That poor man must think I’m a lunatic. That hasn’t happened since I was a little girl. I’m careful to avoid places where clowns might be. I’m so embarrassed! We were all having a good time and
Ow
! My head!” she groaned as she felt the knot on the back of her head.

Giving her a bottle of water, Maya looked at LuAnn’s eyes and asked, “Do you feel dizzy or nauseous? Lightheaded?”

“No,” LuAnn groaned. “Just
really
embarrassed.”

Rosemary giggled and said, “Wow, Grace. This is the most excitement we’ve
ever
had at a sleepover.” The girls all laughed, and even LuAnn smiled.

Grace stood and said, “You all can get back in the pool if you want to. I’m going to check in with Ethan’s mom and make sure all the kids are okay. There’s no point in ending the evening since it’s still early and I doubt that we’ll see any more of Maynard this weekend. Poor guy. LuAnn, come in with me and let’s get you some Tylenol.”

As they all turned back to the pool, Margot asked in a joking tone, “So tell us, Grace. Is Maynard single? Good-looking?”

Summer elbowed her sister. “Oh, shut up. You’re spoken for and you know it!”

“Am not! I never agreed—”

“Your big mouth may not agree but your actions say otherwise.”

Margot groused as they walked away. “Bullshit.”

Summer responded, “Oh, yeah, Miss Jealous. What about this afternoon, when that sales clerk at the Gulf-Mart flirted with him when he paid for his gas? Huh? Seemed like it pissed you off when she flirted with Gil as well.”

“Bitch,” Margot grumbled and then pushed her sister into the pool.

Lily followed Grace and LuAnn into the house, along with Maya, who was a registered nurse in Emma Guthrie’s medical practice.

Kathleen Grant came down the staircase and at Grace’s whispered inquiry, assured her that Grace’s baby, Rose Marie, and Will, Juliana’s baby, were sound asleep in the mistress suite, and Teresa’s children, nearly six-year-old Michael and two-year-old Eleazar, were crashed in the nursery on sleeping bags.

“Do you know why clowns trigger this response, LuAnn?” Maya asked as she handed LuAnn two Tylenol.

LuAnn nodded. “My mom told me years ago that they took me to a large circus. There was a clown moving through the seating area during intermission making balloon animals for the kids. Mom said she thought the clown’s makeup was a little scary looking, instead of funny, and it might have been that, or when he was making my balloon animal it popped and scared me. Because I was so little they thought it was just a combination of my age, his scary appearance, and the sudden noise. They didn’t think any more of it until I encountered a clown at a birthday party. We had to leave it was so bad. The third time, at a rodeo, when the clown was at a distance confirmed it. I’ve avoided venues where clowns might be ever since. I’m so sorry for putting a damper on the evening.”

Grace shrugged. “Don’t be. The kids are still sleeping, and that was the most excitement we’ve ever had. But it shoots my plans all to hell.”

LuAnn tilted her head and asked, “What plans?”

Grace laughed ruefully. “I was planning on introducing you to Maynard. He’s right about your age and well…”

“What?”

“It doesn’t really matter, I guess.”

“I’m starting to feel really bad about this.”

“He has a really kind heart. The rodeo he was at was a charity event for kids with cancer. He was volunteering at it but he’s a professional rodeo clown.” Lily had seen evidence of his warm nature when he’d apologized so sincerely and he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of LuAnn.

LuAnn looked as though she felt even worse. “That’s just my luck. You find a nice guy to set me up with and I’m phobically terrified of him. I’m never going to find a decent man.”

Grace patted her shoulder and grinned. “You will. I haven’t given up.”

LuAnn laughed and rolled her eyes, and they returned to the pool.

The topics of discussion were as wild and varied as Lily had hoped for. The topic of ménage sex came up and the discussion was so frank and open that Lily
couldn’t wait
to hear from Clay and Del. Later that evening, after a relaxing hot shower, Lily was just turning in with Maya, her roommate, when her phone rang.

Clay settled back against the headboard as he listened for the sound of Lily’s sexy voice. She sounded breathy when she responded, “Hello?”

She brought out the horny, teenage boy in him as his cock reacted to him hearing her voice. “Hi.”

“Hi yourself. What are you up to?” He heard the sound of a phone ring in the background and another muted, feminine voice besides hers and she giggled and replied quietly to whoever it was.

“We’re settling down for bed. We got here just a little while ago.”

“Are you and Del sharing a room?”

“Yeah. So what do you have on right now?” he asked playfully.

“You don’t waste time, do you?”

“Not anymore. I have time to make up for. What are you wearing?”

“Well, I have on my robe and my slippers…” Her tone was teasing and he chuckled.

“What’s under that robe?”

“My new nightgown and…that’s all.”

Oh, hell yes!

She’d bought that nightgown the weekend before, and he’d gotten a glimpse of it when she removed the tags but hadn’t seen her in it yet. It was black, with a snug-looking bodice, and he imagined the way it cupped her beautiful breasts. The hemline would probably reach the floor. He’d detected just a hint of sheerness to it and wondered if he’d be able to see her nipples through it. His cock stiffened as he visualized her in it.

Over the phone line he heard a door close. “Hot damn. Where are you right now?”

“I’m stepping out the back door so I can talk with you privately. I’m sharing a room with Maya. She was already in bed when her phone rang so I came out here to give her some privacy, too.”

“Are you cold?”

“No. I grabbed a blanket to wrap up in. Hold on just a second.” He could here rustling sounds and then she returned. “There, that’s better. I’m all wrapped up and settled on this really great, antique aluminum glider they have on the back porch.” She sighed softly, sounding content. “You’re in bed? Is Del there?”

“Yes, and yes.” He glanced at his brother who lay in the bed opposite of him. On the surface, Del looked relaxed, but Clay could feel his tension across the room as they maintained eye contact. Clay wasn’t sure this was a good idea. He was uncertain how Del felt about phone sex with just the two of them in the room.

“Do you miss me?”

Her deeper, sexy tone got his attention, and he replied, “You know we do.”

“Put me on speakerphone and take your clothes off.” Clay set the phone down after turning on the speaker, got off the bed, and started disrobing.

“Lily wants our clothes off.”

In a suggestive tone, Lily said, “If you’re up for phone sex, that is.”

Del suddenly sat up ramrod straight and looked him dead in the eye. Unsure what his reaction meant, Clay said, “Um…Lily? I’m not sure we can—” Clay’s words were cut off by the pillow Del slung in his face as he stripped his blue jeans off at the speed of light. Del turned off the lamp, casting the room in darkness except for the moonlight shining through the window.

Lily giggled seductively, and his cock confirmed that not only
could
he but he
would
be having phone sex with his brother nearby. It occurred to Clay that if they were lucky, they’d be getting off around each other on a regular basis in the near future. He’d just pretend she was in the room with him. He heard laughter from the room next door and wondered if any of the other guys were having similar conversations with the women they loved.

“Now, just lie back on your beds, get
really
comfortable and close your eyes.”

“Damn, but she sounds sexy over the phone,” Del growled as he did as she asked.

“Del, can you hear me all right?”

“Yes, sugar pants. What did you have in mind?”

Lily giggled again, and Clay’s cock jumped as she said, “We’re on a deserted island and I’m desperate.”

Playing along, Clay asked, “Desperate to be rescued?”

“Oh,
no
. I finally have the two men I want most in the world. I’m desperate for you. I
need
you…”

Later on, Clay was sure that Lily was a reincarnation of Scheherazade weaving the tales of
One Thousand and One Nights
as she worked him into a state of desperation before finally delivering the words that took him over the edge, groaning deeply with each pulse of cum erupting from his cock. She succeeded in overcoming any concerns about the two of them jacking off in the bedroom together because he’d nearly forgotten Del was there as he listened to her share her tale of hedonistic, boundless pleasure on a deserted island.

The last tremors of orgasm rippled through his balls, and his legs quivered as he reached for tissues from the bedside table to clean up as Del did the same.

“Still there, guys?”

Del replied, “Yes, baby. Are you getting cold?”

“My toes and fingers are. I’m going inside right now. Feel good?”

Clay replied, “Better than good, Lily. What can we do for you?”

Lily sighed regretfully and whispered, “I can’t. I have a roomie.”

“Tomorrow night it’s your turn,” Clay murmured, hating to leave it like that, but he wanted to take his time just as she had done with them. “Call us when you go to bed.”

“I will,” she promised in a whisper.

“Lily?”

“Yes, Del?”

Clay smiled that she could tell them apart so easily on the phone because he’d been told that their voices were similar.

“Try to go to bed early so we have time.”

Lily chortled. “I’ll call you when the time is right.”

Clay closed his eyes after ending the call and lay back on his pillow, enjoying the satisfaction that coursed through his veins like fine wine.

Del sighed and, with a laugh, finally said, “I guess she had her way with us.”

Clay snorted. “I think it’s pretty clear that whatever Lily wants, Lily gets.”

* * * *

“Sheesh! What’s up with Tabitha today?” Sarah Wilkins said when she walked in the break room for a drink of water from the cooler Saturday late Saturday afternoon. Lily was washing out the coffeepot, preparing for the end of the day.

Sarah’s mother, Tracy Wilkins, walked in right behind her and muttered, “What’s
always
wrong with Tabitha, Sarah? The woman needs a dick or a dildo to be used on her within an inch of her life.”

Sarah snorted her water and yelped. “Ow, that stings! Holy shit, Mom! You know she has excellent hearing.”

“I know,” Tracy said as she reached for a Styrofoam cup. “I don’t know who pissed in her Post Toasties but she sure is making our final days for the season a joy.”

Tracy’s mother and Sarah’s grandmother came in the break room door just then. She turned and lifted her hand and shot her bony middle finger at the swinging louver doors as Tabitha’s voice could be heard out in the workroom ranting about something. “Sit on it and rotate, Tabitha.”

Lily’s eyes rounded because she was fairly certain Kendalia Wilkins had said that loud enough for Tabitha to hear. She turned back to her work and peeked at Sarah, who was glancing between her mother and grandmother in surprise before bursting into giggles. Lily bit her lip, trying to hide her amusement. Out on the sales floor, the ladies were the picture of decorum, but in the break room they tended to let loose some doozies.

Tracy bumped her in the hip at the kitchen sink. “I think I know what burr is up Tabitha’s butt. It’s Miss Lily, here.”

“Huh?” Lily asked, mortified when she felt a red blush creep up her neck.

Tracy cackled. “Don’t you ‘huh’ me, you naughty little temptress. Clay obviously adores you, and rightfully so.” Tracy scrunched her nose up. “It’s driving Tabitha crazy!”

Lily kept her voice to a whisper. “And I hate being in the middle. Tabitha has been employed here since the day he opened the doors. I don’t want her to quit on him so would…you…kindly…
shhh!
” Lily laughed as the heat radiated from her cheeks.

Kendalia took down a dish towel from its hook and dried the coffeepot Lily had just washed and said, “Tabitha is acting even stranger than normal, especially the last several days. She’s a sneaky one so you’d better be careful, Lily.”

“I will,” Lily said as Kendalia put the pot back on the burner. “I’m used to dealing with her.”

“Something is not right with her,” the spunky septuagenarian muttered. “But you make up for it, honey. I like working with you just fine. You don’t have a stick up your butt.”

“Mom!” Tracy said with a groan. “We’d better get out of here before she thinks we’re plotting against her.”

Lily checked the front door and did a quick inspection to make sure everything was locked up then shut the lights out, and they met Tabitha in the workroom at the back door. Lily pulled Clay’s key ring out of her purse, pushed the door open for the ladies, and Sarah, Tracy, and Kendalia all filed through, wishing them a good night. A gust of cold air blasted through the door as she waited for Tabitha to exit. Tabitha gestured for her to go through.

She smiled at Tabitha and stuck the key on Clay’s key ring in the deadbolt lock and waited.

Tabitha squinted at the key ring. “Why are you driving Clay’s truck?”

Tired of her nosiness and games, Lily replied, “Why do you want to know?”

Tabitha finally stepped through the doorway first. “No reason, you just seem awfully cozy with him these days.”

Lily turned the key in the deadbolt, securing the shop, and shrugged. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes. Whatever. Mind your own business, Tabitha.”

Tabitha flounced off and Lily heard her mutter, “Two-timing floozy.”

Thinking she meant Del, she shrugged and climbed into Clay’s truck for the drive out to the Divine Creek Ranch, where the girls were gathering for the second night of the weekend get-together.