Marrying Mari (21 page)

But he and Ethan and Mari, they would build a family. Yeah, that sounded great. He yawned and stretched.

Ethan looked at him with one eyebrow cocked. “Tired, Gabriel? How about you? You tired, too? Time for bed?” Ethan looked at his watch. “Oh, hey, it’s after midnight. Huh. Yes, bedtime.”

Mari threw a pillow at his head, which Ethan dodged. “Bully.”

“Are we all sharing my bed again?”

Gabriel just grinned.

Chapter Fourteen

Ethan was nervous.

He admitted it to himself, once, before clamping down on the feeling. It wouldn’t help.

The week had sped by, and now it was Saturday. He checked the clock. Four p.m. They’d be leaving within the hour to make the seven o’clock opening. He had to be there early because of family obligations since Allison and Nathaniel were the hosts this year. Both Gabriel and Mari had opted to go early with him.

He wondered if they were nervous.

It was an unfamiliar feeling, in fact, this combination of tension and restlessness. He realized it had started the day they’d moved Mari into the apartment, the day they’d visited his family, but he wasn’t sure why.

He assumed that once everything between the three of them was settled and they were living as a triad, once the Colony’s Board was satisfied that he and Gabriel were fulfilling their commitment, once their mate was pregnant, the tension would disappear. In fact, he knew it would. He wouldn’t accept anything else.

But the restlessness? It had gotten stronger this week as he and Gabriel had fit Mari into their daily lives. His brilliant plan? Refuse to acknowledge the feeling. Except it had gotten worse, edging around his consciousness, making him short-tempered and abrupt at work. He’d spent extra hours in the pool and even hitting the heavy bag in the gym, but the feeling still slipped across his skin. He even woke in the night, listening to the others breathing deeply in slumber, unable to relax.

The only time it seemed to ease was when he was making love with Mari. Consequently, he’d been imaginative and driven all week, initiating scenes between the three of them or the two of them, unable to keep his hands or mouth off her. His cock away from her soft, wet, hot flesh. Gabriel and Mari seemed to have reached an easy understanding between them, but in a reversal of their usual roles, Ethan couldn’t keep his hands off her, touching her, undressing her, seducing her into sex whenever he was near her.

And yet, the restlessness not only remained but grew stronger.

Put it away,
he thought.

Typically, he was already dressed in his tux. He’d combed his hair twice, although it was almost too short to need it, and straightened the studs in his shirtfront and cuffs. He smiled a little. For Mari, he’d gotten new ones. Tahitian gray pearls. He wondered if she’d notice.

There was nothing left to do in his bedroom. He should go downstairs and pace down there, he told himself wryly. Checked the flat gold watch on his wrist. Five minutes after four.

He sighed, rubbed his forehead, and left his bedroom.

Downstairs he was pleasantly surprised to find both Mari and Gabriel in the game room. Gabe was sitting on the arm of the big stuffed sofa passively, while she was tying his bow tie. Gabe’s jacket was slung on the back of a nearby chair and he had his hands resting on her hips. The two of them were laughing, and Ethan’s neck tensed.

“Why do you think I know how to tie a damn bowtie?” she complained.

Gabe smirked. “I don’t know.” He leaned forward and nuzzled her throat. “You smell great. Like a big bunch of flowers.”

“Sweet talker. Dammit, hold still.”

Ethan interrupted. “You might consider that he’ll keep playing just to keep you in that very position. With his hands all over your ass and his eyes down your cleavage.” He heard his own harsh tone and winced.

Gabriel frowned at him. “What’s the matter with you?”

Ethan poured himself a short whiskey. “Nothing.” He shot it, ignoring the other two. “Sorry. Just impatient to get going.”

“We’ve got time.” Mari’s soft voice smoothed over the jagged places inside.

“I know.” He gave her a smile.

“How about some champagne?” Gabriel stepped in to the silence, stepping away from Mari. She pouted at the slightly crooked bow, and Gabe flicked her nose. “Thanks.” The big man ambled over behind the bar and pulled out a bottle already chilling in a sweating silver urn. He looked at Ethan. “Don’t you have to get something? Out of the safe?”

“Yes.” He turned and walked away, towards the office he kept in the duplex.

Opening the safe concealed within his bookshelves, he took out the charcoal velvet cases that had arrived that afternoon. There was one for the necklace, one for the bracelet, earrings and brooch, and a third, smaller. Black velvet, not gray. He piled them up, closed the safe, and returned to the game room.

The champagne was open and poured it into three tall graceful flutes. They sat side by side on the bar. Ethan set the two gray cases next to them, keeping the small one tucked in his pocket. Gabriel handed each of them a bubbling flute and picked up the third.

“To Mari’s first Colony event. But not her last,” he said and grinned.

“To
our
first Colony event as a triad,” she added.

Ethan nodded, “To our triad.”

They touched rims and sipped.

“Mm, that’s good. I never really liked champagne before I met you two.”

Gabriel looked at Ethan and frowned again. “Doesn’t Mari look beautiful?” he asked with a definite edge in his voice.

Predictably, she blushed and stuck her tongue out at Gabe.

Ethan looked her over. She was perched on one of the barstools. The dress they’d chosen fit her perfectly, not only her figure but her personality. It was deep soft merlot silk brocade, about two shades lighter than her hair that made her light olive skin glow. Modest in cut, the dress bared her perfect throat and shoulders, but only hinted at her cleavage in front. It dipped slightly lower in back. There were long, slim sleeves, belling to wider cuffs that rested on the back of her hands. The dress dropped into a bias-cut silhouette that skimmed her curves without revealing too much. Her pedicured toes peeped out from under the hem, courtesy of the flirty, sexy shoes.

Her hair and makeup were simple but she’d lined her silver eyes with bronze, making them exotic and huge, while her lips glowed with a deep, matte wine color.

He bowed over her hand in an old-fashioned way and kissed the back. “You take my breath away.” He turned her hand and kissed her wrist, pressing his lips to her pulse. Above his head, he heard her sigh. Her free hand sifted through his short hair.

“Ethan.”

He released her wrist and took another sip of champagne. Mari’s eyes were soft, while Gabriel was finally looking at him with approval.
Figure it out, dumbass
, he told himself
.

He set his glass down and opened the larger of the boxes on the bar. Inside, the necklace glowed against the gunmetal satin. He lifted it out. “Turn around,” he told her.

Gabriel watched as Ethan set the necklace against her throat. Mari watched in the framed mirror behind the bar. Ethan laid the necklace so that the pearl drop would fall below the hollow of her collarbone. He clipped it closed and set his hands on her shoulders.

She touched it. “Thank you,” she said to his reflection. “Both of you.”

Gabriel opened the smaller box and held up the bracelet. “Which wrist?” She held out her left and he fastened it. Like the necklace, the bracelet glowed against her skin, a double row of pearls punctuated with diamonds. The diamonds snapped with light whenever she moved her arm. Gabe handed her first one and then the second earring. They were pierced and fit into the tiny holes where she usually just wore simple gold hoops. The pearls dangled, wrapped with tiny flashing stones. He lifted the brooch and glanced inquiringly at her.

“Ethan?” she asked.

He shook his head. “You look perfect without it.” He glanced at Gabriel, who nodded at him. “You’re missing only one thing.” He placed the black velvet box in her hand.

Mariella stared at it, then at each of them.

“Open it, sugar.”

She flipped up the top, and inside was a ring. Without any stones, the ring was simply three interlocked bands of shining, polished gold—yellow, white and rose. She stared at it.

Ethan said, “This isn’t what it looks like. We know you haven’t promised us anything more than thirty days.” His voice was harsh.

Gabe stared at him. “And everyone says you’re the smooth talker. We want you to wear this on your right hand tonight, to let everyone know we’re together. But not yet mated.” He lifted the ring out of its satin bed. “Will you wear our ring?” he asked.

“Yes.” She held out her right hand, fingers spread, and Gabriel slipped it on the third finger. A perfect fit, the three circles glowed in the lamplight. Gabe leaned across the bar and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Ethan stared at the ring and then at Mari’s hand nestled in Gabe’s. His head throbbed. “It looks beautiful,” he said. “Let’s go.” He headed for the door, pulling out his cell to alert Eli they were on their way down.

By the time the elevator opened, Gabriel and Mari had joined him, Gabe in his jacket helping Mari with the soft velvet wrap that matched her dress. Ethan had made certain there was a warm throw in the car as well, just in case the night air was too chilly.

Gabriel casually draped an arm around Mari’s waist and cradled her against him. The tension inside Ethan twisted inside him again. It would be a long night.

Since this event was an annual one, and not the only one of its kind, the Colony had long ago built a space for banquets, balls and celebrations. It had been built and rebuilt until the end of the nineteenth century and was now an elaborate and bizarre Victorian monstrosity. Walking up the wide front steps to the huge double doors, she tried not to stare.

“Terrible, isn’t it?” Gabriel whispered in her ear. He had her arm in his and Ethan was on her other side, slightly ahead of them. She turned to look at Gabe, bemused, and met his smile.

“Terrible,” she agreed. “And weirdly charming.” She took a moment to admire first him and then Ethan in their tuxedos and snowy shirts. Predictably, Gabriel’s was cut in a more modern style with a soft, plain white silk shirt, while Ethan wore a traditional version and pleated linen shirt. Two variations on a very sexy James Bond, she thought.

Inside it was already bustling with hired help taking the outerwear and the initial greeting committee lined up. The lobby with its huge crystal chandeliers and gold-edged marble staircase glittered and gleamed.

Mari shivered as Ethan took her wrap.

“Okay?” he murmured.

“Nervous,” she said softly.

He smiled, that quick, gorgeous smile she’d missed all night. “No worries,” he said. He took her arm and led her to the three people waiting at the base of the stairs. She relaxed when she saw one was Irene and another was Ethan’s cousin, Peter. The third was an unknown young woman.

Irene, lovely in green, hugged her carefully. “Don’t want to mess your makeup,” she whispered and gently bussed Mari’s cheek. “Courage,” she whispered. “I’ll come and find you as soon as I’m done here, in about an hour. We’ll take a break and get a drink. You’re sitting with us, by the way, at the head table,” Irene told her brother. “Dad’s idea.”

Gabriel kissed her cheek. “I’ll have to thank him.” They bumped knuckles.

Ethan shook hands with Peter, re-introduced Mari. She felt herself stiffen, but Peter just shook her hand. “Welcome. I’ve got the stuff for you, cuz. Whenever.” He glanced at Mari and Gabe, then at Ethan.

“Thanks,” Ethan said and moved on to the last woman, who he seemed to know. Or she knew him, anyway, and threw her arms around his neck. Mari raised her eyebrows.

“Dolly, this is Mariella Amorini. She’s a friend of Gabriel’s and mine, and her mother grew up in the Colony.” Ethan’s voice gave no clues about his former relationship with the woman. “Mari, this is Dolly St. John.”

Unexpectedly, Dolly smiled widely and offered her hand. “Nice to meet you. We never have any new faces at these events, so it is a double pleasure. You’re so pretty. That necklace is gorgeous. Irene told me all about you, but I can see Ethan and Gabriel are impatient to get you upstairs, so go on, go on. I’ll talk to you later. Welcome to our Founder’s Day ball.” With a genuine smile, Dolly shook her hand, then turned to the people behind them.

Ethan tucked her arm into his and started up the stairs. “Here we go,” he murmured. “No backing out now.”

Gabriel stepped up and took her other arm, and they arrived at the doorway to the ballroom as a unified trio. The music inside was live, of course, and she could see the orchestra on the raised platform stage far to the left. A dance floor next to them, with couples already dancing and tables and chairs filling the rest of the space. Everything sparkled in white and gold, except the parquet floor and the red velvet drapes on the row of floor-to-ceiling windows that made up the far wall. There was a big, round table on another raised platform opposite the orchestra.

Gulp. “Is that the head table?” Her voice was small.