Is Three A Crowd? (11 page)

“Tolerant,” he answered, and laughed.

“It’s a step in the right direction. What time?”

“I’ll pick you up at seven.”

“I’ll be ready.”

“Until then, my sweet.” He disconnected before she could ask him about the pet name. She allowed herself to doze longer, waking with an intense ache in her crotch. Walking to her suitcase, she took out the dildo she’d packed. It had been an impulse purchase. The day before she left for this trip, she’d been running errands and paused before the store window of a lingerie shop. They sold sexy undies and nighties, the kind of things she had no use for. But she’d wandered inside anyway. On a display near the rear of the store, were
toys
. She’d eyed the dongs, vibrators, and assorted items, her gaze landing on this glass dildo. It was clear glass, with several ridges and bumps, graduating in size toward the base. Maris remembered glancing around the shop before having the courage to pick it up. She felt the weight of it in her hand and wondered what it would feel like inside her body. She’d bought it, stumbling over phrases like “wedding party gift” and “gag gift for the bride.” The saleswoman just nodded and smiled, seemingly unfazed by her need to define the use for the item. Maris knew by the time she left the shop, her neck and cheeks were fire- engine red from embarrassment. At home, she’d tossed it in her suitcase and forgotten about it. Now she knew she’d use it. She wandered to the sink and washed it, letting the soapy item slip against her fingers, getting the feel of its entire length.

Maris weighed it in her hand and it had lost its frightening quality, replaced with curiosity. It was silly, but she paused and checked to make sure the door was locked. Then she made sure her blinds and curtains were closed tight. Satisfied she was secure, the butterflies in her belly dissipated and were replaced with an exquisite need to experiment with the glass toy.
 

Stripping off her clothes on the way back to her bed, she licked the glass phallus as if it were one of her man’s cocks. She lay back, propped herself on the pillows, and gently inserted it between her puffy pussy lips. Her body accepted it greedily. Stroking it in and out only a few inches, soon her breasts grew heavy and she reached to ease the ache, pinching her nipples until she found the right combination that made her come. Exhausted, she lay back, surprised by her own actions, relieved of the tension she’d carried all afternoon. Whatever her dream lovers had been, they’d left her horny and wanting. Now, somewhat sated, she understood she’d never be truly complete without their cocks filling her body.

The next day came and went with ease. Only as she drove back to the hotel did the butterflies in her stomach begin.

While showering and dressing for her evening with the men, she wondered if they’d been able to tell she’d masturbated just after Blake called with their dinner invitation. Would they care, and did it matter to her if they knew she satisfied herself? For now, only an inner calm remained from her afternoon of experimenting.

* * * *

She walked to the front entrance of the hotel and saw Nathan’s truck waiting. Aminta exited the vehicle and opened the passenger door for her, taking Shin’s lead and letting her in the back seat. Once belted in and away from the hotel, she turned to the older man, studying his features. Before she could ask, he seemed to read her mind.

“The masters decided to let me pick you up,” he said, seemingly uncomfortable in his chauffer position.

“Was that part of the tactical truce, or to give me time to ask you questions they won’t answer?”

“I do as I’m asked, by both men.”

“Did they ask you not to talk to me?”

“No, both trust me.”

“Why do I feel as though I can trust you when we’ve only met a few times and have said fewer words?”

“It must be the familiar times we once spent together.”

“Familiar as in?”

“We spent time together in the past. My family has always worked for the owners of the Chateau.”

“How many generations of them?’

“Time is only relevant in the moment.”

“Don’t give me that crap, too. Just once, I’d like a straight answer. You say you’ve worked for the past owners—did Blake and Nathan inherit you when they bought the place?”

“Yes.”

“Then I knew you before you knew either man.” She sat back and digested this new information.

“Yes.”

“How?” She could hardly force the words between her dry lips. Finally, someone would tell her about her past. She felt his discomfort as he slid his index finger under his collar. She would have laughed, but he seemed so uptight. “Please be truthful, Aminta.”

“You first came to the Chateau to redesign the gardens. The last owner had let them go to seed and only realized his error when he tried to sell it the first time. With no interest, he was advised by the realtor to make it more appealing.” He cleared his throat and continued. “That was when he hired you to bring the gardens back to life.”

“Was he a short, balding man with a leering smile?”

“He was seen that way, yes.”

“Okay, don’t remember his name, don’t care. That was how I came from
Montreal
to this lake region.” For the first time in years, she remembered something on her own. While it was a repulsive ex-boss, apparently her time frame of memories was coming back. “What happened next?”
 

“Eventually, after you had the job underway, you brought each of the men to see your progress. Both of them came to appreciate your work and the grounds. Nathan especially understood the architecture of the home and the repairs that were needed. Blake saw the lands as a canvas he needed to paint.”

“So I brought them each here to admire my handiwork. Did you know about our affairs?”

“That was none of my business. As long as the work in the gardens was progressing, your private life was not my concern.”

“Well that sounds all prim and proper, but weren’t you a bit…I mean, the two of them at the same time. I just don’t get that about myself.”

“Maybe you should look at this from a different perspective. Five years ago, you were a young graduate with a degree burning in your hand. You took one look at the neglected grounds and cried. It became your mission to bring them back, better than before.”

“Did I manage that?”

“Oh yes, to the surprise of everyone. It was a large job to tackle, and you decided to spend your budget on plants instead of workmen.” He smiled, but didn’t share the memory with her. He seemed intent on the road stretching before them.

“And?”

“During the time you spent here, almost a year on and off, sometimes you had visitors. Nathan or Blake.”

“The little stone house up near the gate. I stayed there, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you called it your oasis from the job and the glitz of the main house. As I recall, you only began to appreciate the house itself after Nathan pointed out specifics about its structure.”

“And Blake wanted to paint.”

“Both men came to appreciate the home and lands, separately but differently.”

“Was I working here when I had the accident?”

“No, you had just finished. Fall was setting in, and you were pleased with the way things were filling in. You said you’d come back after the first of the year to see how it looked in the winter.”

“I never came back in the winter, did I?” As she spoke the words aloud, she realized it wasn’t an answer from Aminta she was waiting for. She was wondering why her mother kept her from this place. “My accident didn’t happen here, on these grounds, did it?” Her palms became sweaty, waiting.

“No, Miss. You were back North when that happened. We were told through a lawyer you’d not be back in the spring.”

“Nathan and Blake?”

His smile made her want to believe everything would all work out. “They continued to visit. The owner welcomed Nathan because of his background and pumped him for renovation advice. Blake always seemed to show up when he was away. Oh, he’d not make a fuss, just set up an easel and chair beside the lake or in the driveway. He’d paint for hours as if possessed by the view. That was just around when he bought the old log cabin.

“The sale of the Chateau?”

“When the owner let it be known it was back on the market again, Nathan and Blake both wanted it.”

“And if I decide to leave the Chateau, if I decide I don’t want either man, do you know what happens?” She saw a look of strained horror cross his brow when she asked, but he didn’t take his eyes off the road.

“I sincerely hope that won’t happen, Miss. Both men deserve a happy future. Both have earned it through the years.”

“How many years?”

“It’s been several years now that they’re partners, the last two they came to terms with their situation.” Hesitantly he added, “You’ll recognize your inheritance with time. It will all fall into place.”

“I’m asking you, Aminta.” Maris knew she was putting the butler in an awkward position and didn’t really care. Both of her men knew she’d talk to him on the ride, and they chose to send him instead of coming for her themselves. After yesterday’s dream and afternoon of self-pleasure, she’d found a new level of contentment and self-awareness that allowed her to be bold and blunt. She liked the powerful feeling that came with confidence.

“My inheritance, that’s a new way of wording this whole charade. Just what is my inheritance?”

“Your memories will unlock your past and your future. You’ll know when the time is right. You’ll remember it all, and then you’ll make your decisions.”

They turned onto the private road to the Chateau before she was ready to end their talk. “Thank you for the ride, and almost answering my questions.”

“Miss Dusan,” he said, slowing on the private road to the main house. “Please don’t make any rash decisions, and don’t hold the situation against Nathan or Blake. They’re as caught up in it as you are. None of you asked for this, but you are all involved. Please think carefully before you make any necessary decisions. There are three futures at stake. Yours and your two men.”

Maris was startled at the tone of his words, realizing Aminta truly cared about Nathan and Blake, and apparently, her. “You knew I was having an affair with both men. Did the original owner that hired me know?”

“No, he hired you to do a job and never thought twice beyond that. He was away most of the time you were here. He preferred a social life in the bigger cities than life at the Chateau. He bought it as a status symbol, then hated living here, away from the nightlife. Oh, he liked to brag about his ownership, but he never connected with the site the way you did, or your men.”

“Nathan and Blake?”

“You brought both men to see the work you were accomplishing with the gardens. It was apparent you had feelings for both.”

“Did that bother you?”

“No. You were young and just out of university, trying to prove yourself in your field. Blake was just starting his painting career, and Nathan was still designing building and museums, along with occasional seminars at the college. But you must remember this was all five years ago, when times were different.”

“I wish I could remember. I wish my mother hadn’t taken away the chance for me to remember. I can only assume she wasn’t happy with my social activities.”

“You’re in control of your future now. You will remember when you’re ready.”

“If Nathan hadn’t brought me back to do the appraisal, I never would have known any of this. Never thought to look for my past.”

“Your appraisal work is complete. Once you choose, the other man will leave. That was the point of the appraisal, so the partnership could be dissolved equitably.”

“I don’t want to be responsible for either leaving.” The weight of this was all beginning to wear on her. She didn’t want to be the reason one of her men left the land and home they’d come to love.

“Maybe you’ll find a way to make it work for all of you. Think about it from that perspective.”

Maris caught the tilt of his lips as he held back a smile. “Aminta, I’m going back to
Manhattan
for a few days. I have work to clear up and files to be retrieved from the bank. Would you mind if I left Shin here while I’m gone? I know it’s an imposition, but I’ll get things done more quickly on my own.”

“Of course she can stay here. She’s made herself at home already. It won’t be a problem.”