Her Old-Fashioned Boss (8 page)

And ashamed.

Sniffling, she held the tears off, not willing to give into another bout of weeping.

Enough! I’m stronger than this. I can get through this. I don’t need anyone else.

Two pairs of blue eyes swam before her.

What the hell is wrong with me? Not only am I lusting over my boss, but his partner as well?

She’d well and truly ruined things now.

“Just like always,” she muttered and punched her pillow. How could she ever face them again? She’d have to hand in her resignation; it was the only thing to do. She wouldn’t hurt either of them for the world, or come between them. And what else would she do, with the way she lusted after them.

Rolling onto her back she ignored the ringing phone. The answering machine clicked on and she groaned as she heard Asia’s voice.

“Ava, you better not be screening calls and ignoring me. Come on, pick up the phone, we need to talk Ava. I’ll keep calling back.”

Knowing she’d do exactly that, Ava rolled to her side and grabbed the phone. “Hey, Asia, what’s up?”

“Wow, you sound awful.”

“Thanks,” Ava said dryly.

“What’s up?”

“Just a bad day at work.”

“Yeah, how bad?” Asia asked.

“Like I almost kissed my boss bad. My gay boss who is taken, bad.”

Asia whistled. “Yep, that’s bad all right. I know just what you need.”

Ava slumped back. “Oh yeah, and what’s that?”

“A night out on the town with your friends, that’s what.”

“I don’t know.” No way did she feel like going out and dancing, she wanted to hide under the covers and sleep forever.

“Come on,” Asia wheedled. “If you don’t come then we’ll have to come over to your place, I suppose. Movies, pajama party, popcorn. Sleepover.”

Oh God, the last time they’d had a sleepover at McKenna’s place, the neighbors had called the cops about the noise.

“No, no, I’ll come out.”

Asia laughed. “Thought you might.”

*****

Roarke sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. He’d really fucked up today, in more ways than one. He had no business trying to kiss Ava like that. Not without Sam there and definitely not without talking to her about a few things first.

Shit. She must think him the worst kind of guy. A cheater. One who would come on to his employee. He’d be lucky if she didn’t charge him with sexual harassment. He certainly deserved it.

Then he’d hurt her by acting like a cold asshole and walking out, leaving her care to Sam. And that grated too. While he knew Sam was better at the care-taking stuff, Roarke wanted to help care for her as well. Cuddle her, soothe her, love her.

Shit.

A month. Only a month that he’d known her and yet he knew he couldn’t let her go. He wouldn’t hurt Sam or what they had for the world, but he had to figure out how to bring the three of them together without harming any of them.

He had too. Because he loved her.

How that had happened, he didn’t know. But the three of them felt right together.

Now, he just had to convince Ava of that.

“Sam,” he called out as he headed up the stairs to their rooms. Damn, maybe he should think about getting them a real home. Ava and Sam deserved more than living above a kink club.

“Yes?” Sam appeared out of the bedroom, looking at him warily.

Roarke sighed at the hesitance Sam displayed; the other man was obviously worried that Roarke would decide against having Ava in their lives.

He pulled Sam close, holding him against his body as he ran his hand over the other man’s silky hair.

Turning Sam’s head, he took his mouth, moving softly, teasing him with his licks and nips until Sam opened his mouth and let him inside. Roarke took full advantage, driving his tongue deep.

Sam rubbed his body against Roarke’s and he could feel the other man’s thick erection pressing against him, driving his own need higher. If only they had time...

Roarke pulled back and Sam knelt, moving his fingers to the zipper of Roarke’s jeans.

“No time,” Roarke panted. “We need to go get our girl.”

Sam stilled and looked up at him, a combination of hope and tears filling his beautiful blue eyes.

“You mean it?” he asked.

Roarke nodded. “I mean it. We need her in our lives and she needs us.”

“She might take some convincing,” Sam warned.

“No doubt,” Roarke agreed. “But when have you ever known me not to get something I go after?”

Sam smiled. “Well then, we’ll have a lifetime to convince her, so I don’t suppose five minutes will make much difference.”

He drew Roarke’s cock free. “Five minutes!” Roarke protested.

But his indignation soon turned to a moan of hunger as Sam sucked his cock into his mouth.

And damned if he didn’t last less than five minutes, although he made up for it by taking Sam to bed and showing just how long he could torture him without granting release.

*****

Ava shook her body to the beat of the music. Well, she tried. But the four gin and tonics she’d had, combined with countless tequila shots, were playing havoc on her co-ordination.

A large, dark-skinned man sidled up to them, dancing behind Asia. Jeez, what was it with guys? This is the fourth one they’d had to field off and they all had the same move. They’d gradually get closer and closer, as if they were predator sneaking up on prey, then they’d dance behind whatever girl they’d set their sights on, moving in time with her, as though they thought she wouldn’t notice that she suddenly had a 170 pound asshole attached to her ass. McKenna and Ava moved in close to either side of Asia and glared at the man.

“Lesbian bitches,” he snarled as he turned and walked away.

McKenna shook her head and led the way off the dance floor, the others followed her through the thick crowd of grinding bodies to the next room which was a bit quieter. McKenna found a free table. Ava sat with a sigh, grateful the music was a bit quieter in here. She loved to dance, but tonight she’d had too much to drink, hoping the alcohol would help her forget everything that had happened earlier that day.

“I’m beat,” Casey said with a sigh, looking tired as she gazed around at the rest of them. “I just don’t have the energy for this anymore.”

“That’s cause you waste it all on those kids,” McKenna replied. “I wouldn’t have any energy if I had to look after twenty-five littlies either. It’s a wonder you don’t collapse each night.”

“Sometimes I do,” Casey muttered.

Ava glanced over at her, trying to get her brain to function properly, but everything was muted by the fuzziness in her head. Her stomach lurched and she held her hand over her mouth.

“You okay, Ava?” Casey asked with concern.

The others turned to look at her and she nodded. “Just not feeling so great,” she said weakly.

“Can’t handle your tequila shots, huh,” Asia teased.

“You want to talk about it, Ava?” Casey asked kindly.

Ava shook her head. They knew the bare facts; she’d had to tell them that. But she couldn’t confide in them how Roarke and Sam made her feel. How she longed to have Roarke order her to her knees, take her, command her. How Sam made her feel giddy inside, loved, precious.

How could she explain that she lusted after both of them? And that she was so disgusted with herself that she’d raced home like a scared little bunny, devouring brownies and cookies then spitting them out as soon as she could no longer hold it in her mouth without swallowing.

No, she didn’t want to talk.

What she wanted was her bed and sweet oblivion.

Pulling up her bag, she dug around in it until she found her cell phone. Her phone might be large and old, but it still worked and that was all that mattered at the moment.

“What you doing?” McKenna asked. “You’re not leaving are you? The night has barely begun.”

“I don’t feel so great, guys. I’m really sorry, I just want to go home and curl into bed.”

“We’ll go with you,” Asia said with concern. “We’ll do that sleepover. Except this time we’ll actually sleep.”

Ava shook her head again, then wished she hadn’t as the room spun. “No, you guys stay. I really would like to be alone. I’ll just call a taxi.”

She opened her phone just as it started vibrating.

“Hello?” she asked.

“Ava?” Roarke’s deep voice came through the phone. “Where are you? I’ve been trying to call you for half the night.”

Ava pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it in disbelief.

“Ava? Ava? Answer me now.”

“Ava?” Asia asked. “Who is it?”

“It’s him,” she said dazedly.

McKenna plucked the phone from her gasp.

“Hello? Who is this?”

McKenna listened carefully for a long moment. “No, she’s with us. I’m her friend, McKenna” She nodded again as Roarke spoke.

“No, we were about to put her in a taxi. I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” She looked over at Ava then bit her lip, looking uncharacteristically unsure. “Okay. Yeah, I see your point. We’re at The Wild Tortoise. Yeah, that’s right. Okay, see you soon.”

She closed the phone and looked around the table, her gaze settling on Ava. “That was Roarke.”

“We figured that,” Asia said dryly. “What did he want?”

“Ava.”

They all looked over at her and she swallowed heavily. “What?”

McKenna nodded. “He sounded really worried. Said he’d been trying to call you all night. He even went to your apartment.”

Jesus, Roarke had seen her where she lived? The neighborhood wasn’t the best and the apartment building didn’t have much going for it, except for the fact that it was cheap and the doors had deadbolts on them.

“Why?” she asked, her alcohol swamped brain clearing slightly. “Is he so eager to fire me?” Hurt assuaged her at the thought. Of course he’d want her gone, he wouldn’t want any memory of what they’d nearly done together.

“Actually, he said he’s been calling to apologize. He’s coming here.”

“What?” Ava squealed. “Here? I need to leave.”

McKenna reached over and pushed her gently back into her seat. “No. What you need to do is sit here and wait for him. I think you need to hear him out, Ava.”

“Why? So he can tell me he regrets what nearly happened and that it would be best if I left?”

“No, because you obviously have feelings for him and you’ll regret it forever if you don’t at least hear him out.” McKenna looked at her critically. “First though, we need to get some water into you or you’re not going to remember any of this tomorrow.”

“On it,” Asia said, rising.

Ava sat and waited with little patience, sipping at the water Asia brought her. What did he want? Why had he been trying to call her? Couldn’t firing her have waited until tomorrow?

And then she saw him, stepping into the nightclub, looking like a God with his wide shoulders and deep-seated confidence. People gave him a wide berth as he walked past them, as though they sensed something powerful about him.

Sam walked beside him, so close they brushed against each other. He had a small smile on his face, his blue eyes gazing around in interest.

As though sensing her stare, Roarke turned, his eyes zeroing in on her. He said something to Sam who also turned and...

“Did the blond one just wink at you?” Asia asked.

Ava nodded. “That’s Sam.”

“He’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,” Casey breathed. Ava noticed then that all of her friends were staring at the two men, riveted by them.

“They’re like darkness and light,” Asia said.

“Angel and demon,” Casey added.

Ava frowned, upset at the analogies. “They’re just men, and Roarke isn’t all bad and Sam isn’t all good.”

“I sure as hell hope not,” McKenna said with reverence. “Damn girl, I’m surprised you haven’t jumped their bones before this, how could you resist them?”

“They’re gay, remember? And my bosses,” she added.

Then they were there, before her.

“Ava.” Roarke crouched by her chair, shocking her so much that she made no protest when he grabbed her hands in his, clasping them tight. “I am so sorry for earlier. I acted like an asshole when I was so cold to you and I have no excuse. I’ve come to beg for your forgiveness and to ask that you give Sam and myself a chance to talk to you.”

Ava gaped at him, surprised by the apology. It was sincere, no doubt about that, but she’d never expected it, especially like this, with him practically on his knees before her.

She nodded. “You’re forgiven.” She’d never been able to hold a grudge anyway, and she’d find it especially hard in the face of this man’s apology.

“Ahh, sweet, don’t give in so easy,” Sam told her with a grin, looking inordinately pleased. “You should make him work for it.”

Roarke glared up at him. “Do we need another session, pet?”

Ava shivered, now knowing the significance of that nickname he had for Sam. The blond man lowered his gaze, but obviously couldn’t suppress his cat-got-the-cream grin.

Roarke sighed and turned back to Ava, rubbing his thumbs over the tops of her hands. “So I’m forgiven?”

She nodded and looked up at Sam with misgiving, wondering how much he knew. “I’m as much at fault as you are. I figured you were probably coming here to fire me.”

Roarke’s eyes widened. “No, baby. Not at all. And most of this rests on my shoulders, I don’t want you feeling one bit of guilt, understand?”

“So Sam knows what nearly happened?” she whispered.

“Sam knows,” Sam whispered at her, obviously having heard. She blushed. “And Sam only wishes he could have been there.”

“Oh.” She stared at him with wide eyes.

“Does that mean what I think it does?” Casey asked.

Oh bubbles, she’d forgotten about her friends.

“I think so,” Asia replied with wonder. All three women were looking at Sam and Roarke with amazement and no small bit of envy. “They both want her. Yeah, Ava, I so don’t think they’re gay, honey. The way they’re looking at you.” She shivered. “Damn, I wish I could find one man to look at me that way and you get two? You go girl.”

Ava looked between the men and her friends.

“What? Really? You do?” Shoot, she wished she hadn’t drunk so much, she felt incredibly slow tonight.