MenageaDare (33 page)

At the center of the patch was a hammock, Jax’s figure
visible through the hemp rope. His leg was draped over the edge, his foot on
the ground helping to rock the hammock back and forth.

“I was hoping you’d come find me, Remington,” Jax said,
pushing up some and shifting around to look back at Remy.

“How’d you know it was me?”

“You may be an excellent ghost hunter, but when you’re not
on the job you walk heavy. Evelyn’s always very quiet.”

“Sorry, it’s the combat boots.”

“Care to join me?”

“Sure, it’s beautiful up here. Actually, I’ve loved
everything about Dare and the mountain. Maybe tomorrow we can head to Dare Lake
or Sawyer’s ranch.”

“Sawyer called earlier this morning. He wants to host a
barbeque for you and Eve before you two drive home,” Jaxon said.

Walking up to the hammock, Remy sat down next to Jax. Ahead
of them, the valley dipped and flowed into crevices, opening up to expansive
property lines, houses and fencing. The crystal-blue reflection of the lake
gleamed on the horizon.

“Jax, you do know that Eve and I are already making plans to
return to Dare as soon as we’re able, right?”

“Yes, but I’ve been thinking. Would you and Evelyn be open
to letting me come with you to Massachusetts?”

“Seriously, you’d be able to drive across the country with
us?”

“I talked to Gerald last night when I checked in on Mama. He
urged me to take a vacation,” Jax answered. “First, I’ve a confession to make
before you decide if you want me to join you two on the trip.”

“Okay.” Remy half turned toward Jax, once again taken aback
by how much he loved him.

“During my hike up here, I told Gemma and Niko that I’d
always love them but that I was ready to let them go. I also said I was sorry.”

“What were you sorry for?” Remy asked, concerned for his
lover.

“A lot of things, primarily for letting my pride interfere
with my relationship with them. However, would you understand if I table this
confession until after I take Evelyn to my dungeon this afternoon? She should
hear it too.”

“Of course, Jax, it’s important for us to be open with her
at all times.”

“I agree,” Jax replied. “I’m concerned that Evelyn’s feeling
left out. Between the ghost hunts, my work at the club, writing and the trip to
Carson City, sex has been rushed or not as frequent, for all of us.”

“That’s true, but she hasn’t said anything to me about it,”
Remy said. “You were great with her when she rejected the nipple clamps the
other night, by the way.”

“Yeah, I thought we both were, but she wrongly thought I was
disappointed in her and brought up her concern before I came out for my walk.”

“The two of you talked it out, I’m sure,” Remy said.

“Yes, we did. Listen, I’m going to need your help when we go
back to the house.”

“Hmm, sounds interesting. What do you need?”

“I’m taking Evelyn to my dungeon this afternoon.”

Remy felt his brow arch upward. “For training, I presume?”

“Unless you object, it’s time to begin in earnest.”

“I don’t mind as long as you’re gentle with her.”

“Will you prepare her for me?”

“It’ll be an honor. May I choose what she wears?”

“I’d prefer her to be naked when entering my dungeon for the
first time.”

“Very well,” Remy said.

“Keep in mind that there’s a cowbell downstairs. When I
clink it three times, join us.”

“Should I be naked too, Master?”

“Enter wearing a Dom’s cloak, you’ll find two in your
favorite playroom. Remove it as soon as you close and lock the door, assume the
position I taught you on your first morning in our bed.”

“You want me to be submissive. I’ll enjoy that,” Remy said.
“Does this mean you’ll come with us to Salem?”

“If Evelyn will have me, yes,” Jax answered.

“She’s in love with you, Jax. She will want you to come. How
long will you stay?”

“As things stand at my club and the town, two weeks unless
something comes up with Mama. I’ll make arrangements with Gabriel for a flight
home.”

“I bet flying in a private jet is better than going
commercial.”

“It’s great. If all works out between the three of us, I’ve
the feeling we’ll all be traveling back and forth from here to New England
frequently. Maybe we can work something out with Gabriel in the future.”

“That’ll be nice,” Remy said. “But he’s a busy man with a
Vegas show.”

“True, but he’s taking a hiatus to work on some new tricks.
We’ll talk to him and see if he’s willing to help us out. Maybe he’ll invite
Taylor to be his co-pilot.”

“I like Taylor. She’s really cool.”

“She is, but she’s hiding something from Gabriel. If it’s
what I think it is, someone’s got a lot to answer for.”

“You think she was abused by a former boyfriend?”

“Yes, though I’m not sure if it was physical or mental.
She’s gun-shy with Gabriel but not panicked around men in general.”

“If you’re right, we’ll help him kick her ex’s ass.”

“You bet we will.”

“Jax, can I kiss you?” Remy asked, needing him something
fierce.

“Tell me you love me and you can do anything you want to
me.” Jax’s hand came up and combed through Remy’s hair.

Remy caught Jax’s hand, staring into his lover’s eyes as he
brought it to his mouth. “I love you, Jaxon Wynter.”

“I love you, Remington Sinclair,” Jax replied.

Lowering their hands to his lap, Remy leaned in, kissing Jax
while the hammock swayed.

He never heard the rustle of quiet footsteps behind them or
knew they retreated.

In a hurry, Eve followed trail markers back to the mountain
house. It wasn’t until she stood in the kitchen with a picnic basket hanging on
her arm that she acknowledged what she’d heard in the mountain clearing.

The problem wasn’t the fact that she overheard her men
confess their love for each other. The problem was her own doubts about where
she stood with them.

Remy loved her, of that she was sure. She wasn’t nearly as
confident about how Jaxon felt. He called her
love
frequently, but that
didn’t mean he was in love with her.

Taking a few minutes to unpack the picnic basket and put it
away in the pantry, she ran upstairs to the master bedroom, stripped and dashed
into the bathroom, locking the door for privacy.

Hastily, she turned on the shower, not caring if it was hot
or cold and ducked inside, drenching herself as she cried over her own
insecurities regarding where she stood with them. A cool washcloth simply
wasn’t going to cut it this time.

Grabbing a bar of soap the men preferred, she lathered up
her hands and scrubbed herself vigorously. But as she swiped her hands down her
body, her palm encountered the bruise that’d she’d first felt in the midst of
PMS and she winced painfully.

Pressing on the bruise with more purpose, she discovered it
was no longer the size of a peanut. It was pliable, tender and the size of a
grape. Was that possible? Not wanting to freak out, she pressed deeper,
inhaling when the soreness became more acute.

Deciding to give her doctor a call as soon as she finished
the shower, she’d just finished the self exam when the shower door opened,
startling her.

“Dammit, Jax, can’t I have some privacy?” she groused,
quickly covering herself up when she saw he was naked.

“Whoa, didn’t mean to scare you,” Jaxon said, waltzing right
into the shower with her. “What’s the matter, baby girl?”

Oh hell, why did he have to be such a beautiful man when she
felt anything but attractive right then? She’d been hit with a triple whammy
today, but everything except her health was her primary concern.

“I had a terrible fight with my father earlier,” she told
him, still in denial about what she’d felt in her breast. “But that’s no excuse
to snap at you. I’m sorry, Jaxon.”

Eve was ready to scram when two big hands spanned her waist
and drew her back under the water, right up against Jaxon’s chest. His fully
erect cock poked her backside, tempting her to melt.

“It must have been a whopper of an argument to have you
hiding in the shower.”

“I’m not hiding,” she insisted.

“You’re obviously tense,” he corrected, trying to rub his
hands up and down her sides and coming too close to her left breast.

“I can’t do this right now,” she said in a rush, shifting
out of reach and facing him. “In fact, I’m not sure I want to go into your
dungeon today. I need to take care of this situation with my father. Please
understand.”

“You don’t have to do anything, love, we’ll wait. Although I
think you should tell me about the argument you had with your dad. Maybe I can
help.”

Eve couldn’t deny his simple request, silently appreciating
the way he rinsed her off and assisted her out of the stall. It took a second
or two for him to reach back in and shut off the shower but by the time he was
done, she’d removed a towel from a rack and wrapped it around herself.

When she was dry and calmer, Jaxon stepped in close, looping
his arms around her.

“Tell me about the phone call, Evelyn,” he urged.

“He asked a lot of nosy questions, I lost my temper and told
him I was in a relationship with you and Remy. He flipped. It was the wrong way
to go about it, I know, but I panicked and made the situation worse because he
threatened to cut funding to Remy’s show.”

“Aw, baby girl, sounds as if he was shocked and may have
said the wrong thing too,” Jaxon murmured. “I know how pride can get in the
way.”

“I’ve loved Remy for a long time, Jaxon,” she said. “I will
not let my father hurt him or his career. I can’t.”

“I love him too. Between the three of us, we’ll figure out
what to do,” Jaxon said, confirming what she’d overheard, her heart clenching
some as she anxiously waited to hear Jaxon say he loved her too.

“There’s more to think about than us. Remy’s team counts on
him. In the off season, everyone has second jobs. If they don’t have the show,
what will they do for supplementary income?”

“Are they willing to travel?”

“Yes, they knew travel was a possibility when Remy and I
came to Nevada.”

“I was thinking about inviting Remy to move his show to
Dare. We have our own cable television station, as well as a top-notch news
team. I’d be willing to take over as his producer too.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. Wow, that’d be a great
opportunity.”

“Why don’t we go talk to Remy?”

“Okay, maybe I’ll give Taylor a call afterward and see if
she wants to go to a movie or something. Avery and Hazard left last weekend and
I could really use a girlfriend right now.”

Jaxon gently set her away from him. “Something else is
wrong. Come on, what’s really bothering you?”

She smiled to hide her worry. It was really sweet of him to
be so concerned, but she simply wasn’t ready to admit to herself that she’d
felt something in her breast seconds before Jaxon walked in.

“I really appreciate your concern, but this is a girl
thing,” she admitted. “Maybe tomorrow you and I can spend time in your dungeon,
if you still want me.”

“I’ll always want you, love.” Jax’s head bent closer, his
mouth pressing gently to her lips. After a moment, he drew back. “Just remember
you can tell me anything. I’m here for you, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, inclining her head.

“Call Taylor,” Jaxon agreed when he freed her.

“Thank you, Jaxon,” she said, going up on tiptoe to kiss his
cheek. “If I can have a few minutes alone to repair my makeup and fix my hair,
I’d appreciate it.”

“Whatever you need, see you in the kitchen,” he replied,
kissing her forehead before walking away.

She’d just finished brushing her damp hair when Remy walked
into the bathroom. He came up behind her, grinning, her heart slamming
powerfully when she looked at him through the mirror.

“Jax said you wanted to go out with Taylor tonight. Is
everything okay?” Remy asked, his hands coming to her waist to simply hold her.

“I had a fight with my dad and I’m feeling homesick. We’re
supposed to leave next week but what if I have to leave sooner? Do you think
Jaxon will be okay with that or want us to come back? I love Dare. I don’t want
to leave until we have to.”

“You need to have more faith in Jax, sugar. Didn’t he tell
you he’s taking some vacation time and coming home with us next week?”

“What? Since when?” she demanded, sadly knowing she’d been
so wrapped up in her own concerns, she hadn’t given Jaxon the chance to tell
her anything.

“Since today,” Remy said. “He’s already talked to his
stepfather about it and has Gerald’s blessing to take time off. I assumed you’d
agree.”

“This is huge,” she claimed excitedly. “Yes, yes, of course
I want him to come with us.”

“Awesome, how about we go have lunch with our man?”

“Can you give me five minutes to join the two of you?”

“That’ll work.” Remy turned her around, kissing her, his
eyes sweeping down her towel-clad figure. “You’re the most amazing woman I
know, Eve. I love you.”

“I love you, Remy, very much. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do
for you.”

“Careful, you’re about to get something started we can’t finish
until you come back from hanging with Taylor. When will you be back?”

“Not really sure,” she admitted. “If Taylor’s busy this
whole conversation could be for naught.”

Remy kissed her again, leaving her so she could finish her
makeup. Back in the bedroom, she found her dress, a clean pair of panties and a
strapless bra. Once she was dressed, she didn’t bother with shoes. There was
something freeing about prancing around the mountain house barefooted.

By the time she reached the kitchen, she knew she had to
tell Remy and Jaxon about what she’d felt in her breast. But the second she saw
the men waiting for her, she was caught up in watching Remy pour three iced
teas while Jax laid out the sandwiches she’d made earlier.