Neil, Louisa - One Queen with Two Kings (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (18 page)

Downstairs, it was simple enough to pull back the cover on the hot tub and set the timer. She glanced around the area, tossed her towel on the side
,
and climbed into the hot, swirling water. One side of her wanted to be left alone,
and
the other wanted the men to join her. For what she still wasn’t sure.

Thea lay back and closed her eyes. Earlier they’d called her the queen and themselves her two kings. Would that actually work once they were back in reality? In their everyday lives
,
could they keep their three
some
private? If anybody found out, the repercussions would be horrible, especially to her family. No, she decided, if this did happen, they would have to remove themselves from what had been their everyday life. Maybe that was what they all need
ed
, a new lifestyle in a new place.

“You should go down to her,” Russell said to Dexter, as they both sat staring at the television.

“What about you?”

“I doubt she’ll want me around right now.” Russell seemed hurt by his own words.

Dexter laughed. “I doubt she’ll want me around right now.”

“So what do we do, sit and wonder?”

“I say we take the initiative.” Dex finally realized that if he wanted to keep Thea in his life and Russ
,
too, he’d have to make Thea realize he was comfortable with the situation. He’d been hesitant with her about all this. After all, he decided, he and Russ had the luxury of time on the island to deal with it. Now he realized if he didn’t show her his true feelings, she’d never know the truth and probably never be comfortable with the situation. While he knew that was still a possibility, he wasn’t willing to let her go without a fight. “The worst that can happen is she tells us to both go to hell.” Dexter paused. “I never would have believed I’d offer to share my wife with you, Russell.”

“If the last years were different, I wouldn’t have imagined it
,
either. None of this would have happened. You and me or the possibility of you
,
me
,
and Thea.”

Dexter looked to Russell. “Is it me or Thea you truly want to be with?”

“Both of you
. It’s
been my heart’s desire for years.”

“I’m not sure of the logistics,” Dexter admitted.

“Let’s just see what happens.” Russell stood and reached his hand to Dexter. “Come on, not doing anything is worse than being rejected.”

“I’ll remind you of that quote when this blows up in our faces.”

“At least we’ll have an answer.” Russell waited for Dex to take his hand. “Come on, I’
ve
been thinking about that hot tub since we got here. Between my arm and your leg, we can both use the heat to our aching joints.”

“I know it’s crazy, but this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Joining my wife and friend in the hot tub shouldn’t be a problem. Tonight I’m triple
-
checking my motives.” Dexter wandered toward his bedroom. “Are we putting on bathing sui
ts
?”

“I was going to ask you the same thing.”

“I think I’ll start out with trunks on and see what happens.”

“Are you sure you’d rather not be alone with her, Dex
? Maybe
she’ll talk to you if I’m not there
.
”

“We started this together
,
and we’ll work our way through it together.”
Dex
shook his head and let out a resigned sigh. “Hurry up and change
. We’ll
go together. Either it will turn out to be the best night of our lives
,
or everything will burst into flames.”

Thea was just starting to relax in the swirling water. The heat was working out the aches in her body and soul. She’d tried to clear her mind of everything
,
but couldn’t. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Russell sucking off Dexter or Dex fucking Russ.

“Good Lord,” she said to the empty basement.

The lower floor was designed as a playroom of sorts, with the tub just inside the exterior door and steam room just beyond it. Past a full bath was a recreation area. There was a huge television, several game tables, a pool table
,
and a long wooden bar that would seat eight. If the circumstances were different, she knew they would have spent much of their time down there. She noted the difference in light and realized someone was coming. Thea’s immediate reaction was to bolt from the tub
,
but she decided to let the evening unfold. She’d come to one decision over the last day. Her life would never be the same in any way. Having Dexter back had been a wish and a prayer fulfilled. Maybe she should have added to that wish that everything would remain the same.

“Can we join you
,
or would you rather be left alone
?
” Dexter stood next to Russell. She was beginning to realize Russ was much more willing to talk to her about their situation than Dexter was. In reality, she was beginning to realize if this was going to work
,
she wanted Dex to be the alpha male and Russ the beta. Maybe if she changed her attitude, Dex would to
o
. If he saw her accepting them, maybe he’d finally get his balls back in place and take charge.

“It’s a big tub
,
and it’s not like we haven’t shared them before.” She hesitated and added, “Can one of you hit the switch
? The
timer will be shutting off soon.” Russ walked to the far wall and turned the knob. “That should give us another twenty minutes.”

She waited, holding herself
taut
as the men dropped their robes. She was relived they both wore swim trunks.

“Is anyone interested in a drink
?
” Dexter asked.

“I’ve had enough wine for three days,” Thea said with a laugh. “But you two go ahead
. It’s
been denied you for two years.”

“I’ve had enough
,
too,” Russell said, sliding into the hot water to the right of Thea. He moved a few of the jets near him and propped his arm directly over one. “God, that feels amazing.” He settled back against the jet with his eyes closed. “Dex
?
Y
ou coming in
? The
water will feel great against your leg.”

“Yeah, I’m coming.”
Dexter
hesitated and paused before the bar fridge, choosing three small bottles of bubbly water and placing one within reach of each of them. Finally, he let his body slide into the hot tub to Thea’s left.

“Does your leg ache?” Thea asked.

“Only sometimes,” he said, shifting to put his leg up on the bench beside him and adjusting a jet to spray directly on him.

“Russell, what about you
? Does
your arm hurt?”

“Only if I use it too much or try to carry too much weight. When we get back from vacation, I’ll start some physical therapy to get the strength back. What about you, Dexter
? Have
you decided if you
’ll
do the therapy the doctor suggested?”

“I’m thinking about it
.
I think it’s more a matter of time than want.”

“Dexter, if you need physical therapy for your leg, then we’ll make it a priority.”

“I’ll start if my limp comes back. That’s usually how I can tell I’ve done too much.”

“It’s your call, but you should take care of yoursel
ves
, both of you.”

Thea sat between the men for a few minutes longer and found herself pushing out of the water. “I’ll be shriveled for days,” she said and reached for her towel.
“
I’m heading to the steam room.”

“Is that a private steam?” Russell asked.

“I don’t have a clue,” she said, grabbing the bottle of water Dexter had brought her.

Thea knew both men were watching her
,
and she suddenly felt awkward about everything. Now she was glad she’d pulled on the bikini. Leaving her towel on a hook outside the steam room, she was glad to be alone in the hazy room. That was how she felt, hazy about everything. She tossed a ladle full of water on the coals, chose an upper bench
,
and stretched out. She wasn’t alone long.

Dexter joined her quietly. He sat on the bench below her, but didn’t talk. Finally, she couldn’t take the silence.

“Dex, you’ve hardly said anything to me since this morning. Russell has been more forthcoming about your situation th
a
n you. Is that because you just want to end this marriage or because you’re afraid to talk to me?”

“It’s not a conversation I ever thought to have with you, Thea. Russ and I agreed if we ever got rescued that would be the end of our…”

“Sexual times, fucking and sucking, what should we call it
?
” She noted Dex s
a
t forward and thought he was going to leave. “Don’t walk away on this
,
Dexter
. If
you do
,
we don’t stand a chance to work this out.”

“I’m not sure how it’s supposed to work out anymore.”

“Tell me this, you’d have no problem with Russell making love to me or at least fucking me. No problem if I decided to suck him off?”

“I never believed it would become a situation. But it has
,
and now I’m in a quandary. How can I have sex with Russ if I’m not willing to let you join in? I can’t begin to fathom the idea of you going out with strangers for sex. At least with Russ, it’s comfortable.”

“Comfortable for you,” she said and laughed. “Oh
,
Dex, what do you want to happen, truly happen
?
” He was quiet and finally turned to face her, using the edge of a towel to wipe his face. “I suppose, at this point, I’d like the best of all worlds. Having you back as my wife and
,
on occasion, having Russell join us.”

“So much has happened in the last weeks, I can hardly keep up. Now finding out about you and Russ has kind of wiped all that away.” She sat up and looked directly at her husband. “If I try this proposed threesome and don’t like it
,
what will happen
?
”

“Beats the hell out of me
.
I never thought you’d learn our secret.”