Team: Echo (29 page)

“
Don’t worry, I won’t tell him.” She grinned and shook her
head. God she loved these men. They were always bringing her up
when she was down and ensuring she was happy no matter what else
was happening in her life. They were amazing. And she was blessed
to have them as hers.

Kissing her gently he gave her a hug. “Go and start your
bath. I’m going to put on some music and find some candles so we
don’t need to have all this hard lighting on.” He let her loose and
smiled gently before turning her and giving a small
push.

“
Sounds good to me.” She was all for ensuring that the lights
were down low. She happened to love the mood that it set when they
had the lights down low and were simply enjoying everything around
them. Those were perfect moments.

The sounds of Dieter moving around could be heard as he
shuffled through drawers looking for the candles. Then he appeared
in the bathroom and set a couple on the vanity to light them. “Do
you want company in here?” he asked, lighting a couple more but
holding onto them. They were likely for the other room.

“
After you get those set up yes please.” She started the nice
hot bath and put in the scentless bubbles. “Go, do your thing. I’m
going to get naked and lean back in the hot bubbles and wait for my
man to come join me. Or men, depending on how fast you
work.”

Chuckling he nodded and left the bathroom. The lights in the
bedroom went out a few moments later. The soft flicker of
candlelight eased the hard darkness though, the light dancing on
the walls. A couple minutes later Dieter came back into the room,
naked and heading straight for her.

Penny slid forward in the tub and looked over her shoulder at
him. “Come on, climb in behind me. Let me snuggle with you for a
bit before James gets back here with our goodies and snacks.” She
simply wanted to be held. That was her biggest thing right then,
she needed to be held.

He stepped in and then the water level rose as he settled in.
Letting out an appreciative sigh he wrapped her in his arms,
dragging her back to his chest. “Better,” he mumbled against her
neck, lightly biting her shoulder.

Penny shuddered when he bit her and then rumbled a slight
purr. “So very much better.” She ached and hurt, the pains just had
started to actually register with her when she ran the bath. “I
think that the tumble from the roof was just plain jane fucking
bad. Remind me to kick Mikhail for that one please.” Well it was
better than a bomb for sure but she still hurt like
hell.

“
He likely didn’t mean for you to take the brunt of the fall
knowing him. He would have tried to let his body take the hit.
But,” Dieter shook his head slightly. “You probably were not making
it easy for him were you?” he asked licking her neck.

“
No. Have I ever made anything easy for anyone?” She asked
with the shake of her head, laughing softly. “We both know that I
am anything but submissive.” Well, except where Dieter and James
came in. “I happen to love you and will always be nice and
malleable for you.”

“
You are very much so for us,” he agreed with a slightly smug
tone. “But we also like it when you are demanding, soft, a tigress
or anything else you do with us. You make everything very exciting
and so damn enjoyable.”

“
That’s a very good thing because I want it to be enjoyable. I
want you to be yours just as you are mine. We are all in this
together. If you know what I mean.” Her hand stroked up and down
his chest and she sighed. “It’s these times that I love, being able
to be in your arms and just being held by you. This is
marvelous.”

“
I know that there haven’t always been a lot,” he said
quietly. “And I have a feeling there will be even less in the
future. With the way this whole thing is starting to heat up we
will be home even less,” he told her gently.

She nodded slowly, taking a moment to think on it. “Yeah I
have a feeling you are totally right. I hate it too, I really do. I
want to be able to have some down time with my men but we both know
that we will all do whatever it takes to ensure that we are all
freed from whatever it is that we need to be freed from. We will
get past this because we have to.”

“
Of course we have to,” he said quietly. “And we will, in
time. For now though we forge ahead and do whatever is necessary.
One day, hopefully, this will all be behind us and we can be
together and doing whatever we want, when we want without all the
interruptions.”

“
That sounds like a wonderful time. I look forward to that
time Dieter but for now we will simply forge ahead as you said.”
She shrugged and rubbed her cheek to his chest. “I have you for now
and I don’t want to think about anything other than right here,
right now. Just you, just us.”

“
That sounds very impressive and amazing. Though there will be
one more to that us you’re talking about. I can hear James talking
to Marius in the hall. Oo,” he shifted slightly. “He brought some
of the meatballs Daisy made.”

“
Oh I could kiss that man.” She loved Daisy’s meatballs. There
was just something about the way that woman made them that had her
wanting them often. “As much as I love you and being here in your
arms I think that my stomach is going to win out. How about we get
out and go eat? Then I will let you curl up in bed with me.” After
she wore him out making love with him, but that was a
given.

“
Deal,” he nodded with a smile. “I won’t argue with you when
there are meatballs.” Kissing her lips he helped her to stand
before he pulled the drain. Getting to his feet he got out with
her, dried off quickly and then they made their way into the
bedroom. Sitting on the bed they waited, Dieter giving her the
byplay of what was going on in the hall and delaying their
food.

Penny laughed and moved to the door. Opening it a crack she
said, “How about you pass over the meatballs while you boys stand
out here and talk? I’m not trying to be mean or anything, but you
brought up meatballs. I am starving too so you boys keep talking,
but I want my meatballs please.”

Marius chuckled and shook his head. “I won’t keep you,” he
said and moved away down the hall.

James moved closer and rolled his eyes. “I love the guy but
good God we need to find him a woman,” he muttered. Shouldering
into the room he dropped a kiss to her lips. “How on earth did you
know I’d brought meatballs? And who said I didn’t eat them while
standing out there talking?”

“
Dieter told me you brought them. Also, I know for a fact,
that you would never leave me hungry in the least. You love me too
much to let me go hungry.” She loved that her men loved her as they
did.

“
You shouldn’t be so cocky,” he grinned at her. Kicking the
door shut he tipped his chin. “Sit down darling.” Moving deeper
into the room he set the tray down on the dresser before he began
to pass dishes out. Handing her a bottle of water he tossed another
to Dieter.

“
Not cocky, I just know you.” She told him honestly. “I know
that you wouldn’t do anything that would cause me trouble or pain.”
She did however move when he told her to and accepted the water
from him. “Has everything settled down out there? Daisy and Honey,
are they okay?”

“
Yeah, Honey’s sleeping on top of Mikhail right now. Gareth
and Daisy were cuddling last I saw. So I would say they are doing
alright,” he said with a soft smile. Pulling dishes off the tray he
handed her one with a bunch of meatballs and some other goodies she
liked.

“
Yeah I’m not surprised that she is laying on Mik and not
letting him go. That man has a way of making anyone feel safe.” She
shrugged and then added, “Then again you boys do that for me too.
When you boys are with me I feel far better than I could possibly
explain. But anyway. Food?” She watched him putting meatballs on
her plate and sighed happily, licking her lips and grinning. “Thank
heavens.”

Smiling he handed over a fork and knife before passing a
plate to Dieter. Taking his own he settled on the floor to eat.
“Mikhail’s definitely a dual edged sword. Either makes you feel
incredibly safe or makes you fear for your own existence. It’s
amusing really that he has those two extremes.”

“
This is very true. At first he made me fear for my life.”
Taking a bite of the meatballs she sighed. “God I could kiss Daisy
myself for these things.” She sighed and then licked her lips.
“She’s amazing. Have you noticed that she cooks when she’s stressed
or worried? I hate that she was both of these but I’m so happy she
cooked for us.”

“
Now if only we could get her to cook like this when she’s
relaxed and happy,” Dieter muttered. “Though I doubt her meatballs
would taste the same. She seems to cook with less thought when
she’s worried. When she’s relaxed she thinks too much on what she’s
doing and it never turns out quite as good.”

“
This is very true. She seems to completely and totally let go
when she’s stressed and simply lets her inner chef come out but she
does overthink things when she’s not stressed out.” Penny shrugged
and then added, “Then again does it really matter? She’s a pretty
awesome cook most times and then with the rest of us added into
this we are able to do about everything.” They all had a pretty
good life. Yes they had stress and issues but for the most part
they really did have a good life.

“
As long as Antonio doesn’t cook,” Dieter grinned. James was
nodding with a pained expression on his face. “Antonio means well
but he really can’t cook. But if you need a room decorated to hide
the fact you pretty much destroyed it, he’s your guy. You need a
floral arrangement made in under ninety seconds, he’s your guy.
Have a question about art, he knows it all pretty much and what he
doesn’t know he knows how to find it out.”

Penny looked at both men and shook her head. She began to
giggle. “For real? Antonio. Big freaking bruiser of a man, Italian
guy. Right?” She was trying to get the two visages of the same
person to fit. “Wow. Who would have known that the guy had such a
core of femininity in him.” Oddly enough, it made Antonio sexier.
Not that she would ever throw over her two hunks, but damn it
really did.

“
Yup,” James nodded. “He found out he had a flair for it,
apparently, when he was a teen. One of his cousins is gay and had
an interest in such things. Since his father and uncle knew him to
be totally hetero he went with his cousin to various classes and
fairs. He told his mother the truth but his old man thinks he did
it as a way to meet more women. Appearance means everything to that
man. But it helped his cousin find his niche and become more open
at a time he was contemplating hurting himself, or much worse
according to Antonio. Personally, I’d have likely done the same
thing if I even knew what the difference between eggshell and cream
was.”

“
Well I’m glad that he was able to find his niche, that he was
able to find what made him happy. As for Antonio,” she shrugged and
snickered. “I seriously doubt that there is a person on this planet
that could ever, ever deny his sexuality. That man is seriously
sexy and very into women.”

“
That is true,” Dieter said. “The women flock to him like
geese to water.”

James looked like he might correct the man then changed his
mind. “Close enough big guy,” he chuckled.

“
The geese, they like water, it seemed most fitting.” Sniffing
Dieter grinned slightly. “But he also has a sensitive side that
attracts them too. Antonio never seems to be lacking for
companionship.”

“
No, definitely not,” James said. The men shared a look though
that said a lot they didn’t speak aloud. She watched them and
waited. Maybe they’d give her a hint as to what that whole silent
conversation was about.

“
Okay, out with it.” Penny said finally. “Come on boys. Talk
to me. What is this all about, that look on your boys’ faces. Talk
to me and tell me what the hell it is.” She knew those looks, the
looks those boys were wearing were looks of knowledge and she
needed that knowledge. She wanted that knowledge.

“
Sorry darling,” James shook his head. “Not our secret to
share. But we do know something that you don’t. It all revolves
around Antonio and Thomas, and of course a job they did that
changed everything. But, if you want to know more, you’ll have to
put the screws to them.”

“
You boys are so very bad.” Penny shook her head and grinned.
“Part of why I love you so stinking much I’m sure. The fact that
you boys are as naughty as all get out but as loyal as they come.
It makes me all kinds of giggly to know that no matter what you
boys will always be at my side.”

“
And on your side,” James grinned. Winking he stabbed a
meatball. “We’re not bad but we are loyal, especially to those we
consider our brothers. And, while you are family, the best kind by
the way,” he chuckled. “Some things are sacred, this just happens
to be one of them.”

“
That’s okay honey. I will leave that to you. Just know that I
will eventually find out. Somehow and someway I will figure out
what it is that they are hiding or who the woman is that they are
hiding.” She had only been guessing, taking a chance and when
James’s lips tightened slightly she laughed. “That’s it! It’s a
woman. Oh too perfect. Love it.”