Awakening Veronica (41 page)

“Huh,” Maizy said. “I guess it’s true, there’s someone for everyone, even grumpy-faced closet freaks. You were right, Lucy. She had skeletons in her closet none of us would’ve guessed at.”

Veronica listened as her friends made predictions about the outcome of the surprise reunion. Slipping into people-watching mode, she observed Val as he laughed at something Charity said before turning to speak to his cousin Ransome. With his attention turned elsewhere, Val didn’t see the long look Charity gave him, the way her eyes lingered as she gazed at his face before casting the same look Ransome’s way.

Veronica knew Charity was happily married to her husband, Justin, and they had two children who were nearly grown. Perhaps it was just the glare of the sun in Charity’s eyes and Veronica was looking for a story where none existed. Val turned his attention back to Charity and she smiled and nodded at what he said, her eyes showing only friendly interest.

Veronica’s writer’s mind automatically started churning out what-if scenarios, wondering what would happen if a well-established married couple were suddenly faced with the chance to become a ménage. The possibilities were endless and she wondered if she’d have time to make some notes for a story before they went on to the Wassail Fest.

Veronica was lost deep in thought when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Both Hank and Travis crowded around her right there in the street, and Hank said, “Well, Nika. We’re about as far out of the closet as we can get now.”

She smiled until she thought her face would crack and she threw her arms around both of them and let them carry her across Central Park to where their vehicle and decent changes of clothing and makeup remover awaited.

“Nika, please tell me that was you that pinched my ass when we were standing in the crowd earlier,” Travis said as they walked.

Veronica gigglesnorted. “It wasn’t me. I guess I’m going to have to carry a big stick.”

“That’s okay,” Travis said. “I just want out of these tights and this leotard. It’s giving me a serious wedgie.”

Chapter Nineteen

Hank smiled at Veronica as he stood on the ladder and reached down for the Christmas tree topper she’d discovered earlier that afternoon during the Wassail Fest in downtown Divine. They’d shared a cup of the hot beverage as they’d browsed the stores, and when she’d found a particularly pretty Christmas tree topper in one shop, he’d bought it for her, to add to the collection his mother had started so many years ago.

It meant a lot to him that Veronica had enjoyed sorting through his mother’s collection as much as she had. Once again, he knew, if his mother had still been alive, she would’ve loved Veronica.

Veronica looked like an angel, the dancing light from the fire flickering on her skin, illuminating the teardrop swells of her breasts with golden light as she lifted the topper, made into the shape of a star out of iridescent shells, up to him.

The front door closed, and a minute later Travis made an appearance in the doorway to the den. He caught Hank’s eye as Veronica rushed over to him and hugged him, nodding at him over her head.

“Ready?” Hank asked as he climbed down from the ladder and moved it out of the way.

“Yes,” Veronica said as Travis turned out the lights, casting the room in the light and shadows created by the fireplace. Hank tapped the switch on the floor by the Christmas tree and then went to stand with Veronica and Travis. The big evergreen was festooned with decorations, some brand new, many old, and all of it was lit up with multicolored lights. Veronica sighed with pleasure as she looked at the result of her work.

“Nika, it looks beautiful in here,” Travis said.

“The whole house looks more festive than it ever has, thanks to all of your Christmas decorating skills.”

Veronica giggled. “I know I kind of went overboard. I guess I was making up for so many years of not really observing the holidays. And your mom had a great collection of Christmas decorations. I couldn’t pick and choose so I put out everything.”

“Nika, we have something for you,” Hank began, butterflies making nervous fluttering in his gut as Travis took off his coat and hung it in the hall.

“You do?”

“Yes,” Travis said and then pulled the thickly padded throw rug before the fire.

They crowded on either side of her and Travis brushed the long locks of auburn hair off of her right shoulder before gently stroking her nipple, which drew up into a tight peak in response. She hissed softly and bit her lip as she looked up at him, the light from the fire flickering in her cinnamon-colored eyes, which sparkled from the multicolored lights of the Christmas tree.

On her left side, Hank gently slipped her eyeglasses off and laid them with care on the mantel and slid his fingertips along the silky smooth skin of her neck and cupped the back of her head. She turned eyes filled with love up to him and the nerves settled as she smiled at him. Travis bent his head and kissed her shoulder.

Hank nodded at the rug and she settled into a comfortable position kneeling, looking up at them, waiting. Hank and Travis went to her and knelt down on one knee, side by side in front of her.

Her jaw dropped a little, and she licked her lower lip, making it glisten in the low light. Her eyes skipped back and forth between the two of them and she gulped as Travis revealed the little white velvet box he held in his hand and handed to Hank. She gasped and Hank could see the quiver that ran through her body as she leaned toward them almost imperceptibly. Her hands fidgeted together in her lap before Travis lifted one into his.

Stroking the delicate bones and tendons of her hand, Travis said, “Nika, that day I looked across the gathering at the rose garden, I hoped there was a reason we were brought together again after so many years. In the time we’ve had together, I’ve fallen so deeply in love with you, I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Will you marry me?” He ended on a soft note and Hank smiled when he heard the way Travis gulped before he bent and kissed the top of her hand and put it to his cheek. “Please say yes,” he added and then looked at Hank, gratitude in his eyes. He’d wanted to propose first, sure that his mind would go blank when it was his turn.

Hank lifted her other hand and held it between his rough hands, aware of how delicate and yet powerful the creative instrument in his grip was as he kissed it. “Nika, my life was changed the day I laid eyes on you for the first time. The way you stood there, battling your nerves in order to take full advantage of what you called the opportunity of a lifetime, to record the events of Maizy’s wedding. I’ve watched you confront your fears and I’ve been helpless as you’ve stolen my heart. I can’t imagine life without you, either. I want to take care of you and love you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”

She looked up at him for long seconds, and then at Travis for an equal time. “Yes. Yes, I will. I would love to marry you.”

She looked between them, licked her lips again, and then giggled. “I’m not making the first move. Whoever gets here first gets a kiss.”

A chuckle burst from Hank and he swooped in and took her lips before Travis could make a move.

Travis chuckled. “Yeah, see, this is me being nice. Letting you have the first kiss since I got to propose first. Yup.”

Veronica shook with laughter as Hank released her after one more short kiss and then let Travis have her. He folded her in his arms, gazing for long seconds into her eyes before he laid a deep lip-lock on her, stroking the base of her spine and drawing a low moan from her until they were both gasping for breath.

Her eyes were dazzled and unfocused as Hank showed her the marquise-cut diamond, set in a sleek platinum band, a Clay Cook original, which Travis had just picked up for them. “It’s gorgeous.”

She held out her hand and he slipped the ring on her finger and then kissed her hand again. Reaching out, she gathered them both to her and shared kisses with them, until his heart pounded for a completely different reason.

They closed in around her on the thick rug in front of the fire. She rested her head on Hank’s bicep as she unbuttoned his shirt and tugged it from the waistband of his jeans, kissing him all the while. She stroked his lips and tongue with hers, tugging at his lower lip, moaning as he smoothed his hand down her bare abdomen until his fingers slid between her lips and slipped into the hot, heavenly silkiness of her pussy. She was drenched and ready for them. While he stroked and teased her, Travis undressed, throwing his clothing off quickly before returning to her other side.

Hank smiled as he licked his wet fingers, enjoying the sweet taste of her arousal before he undressed as well. Veronica arched between them as they sucked her nipples and teased her clit until her juices soaked their fingers and she trembled all over.

Breathlessly, Veronica whispered, “I want you both tonight.”

Hank smiled at Travis and then nodded at her. “Be right back, Nika.”

He rose from their pallet before the fire and went to the bedroom to get the bottle of lubricant. His cock grew harder as he walked back to the den, anticipating finally experiencing this first ménage with her. The thought of doing it before the fire gave it an elemental, timeless quality and his cock twitched in eagerness.

Travis had her up on her knees and he knelt behind her, the fingers of one hand stroking her slick pussy, his knees braced outside of hers. He whispered to her as he caressed and plucked at one of her nipples, while holding her to him. She looked over her shoulder at him, nodding at whatever he was saying, and then she turned her gaze to Hank as he came to them and sat before her.

“You’re sure, Nika,” Hank whispered as he used a dollop of the lubricant to slicken his cock for her, to ease the way, before handing the bottle of lubricant to Travis.

Travis released her and she crawled over him and straddled his hips. The fragrant fire crackled in the fireplace, lighting her face as she leaned down and kissed him. “I’ve never been more sure, Hank.”

“A little cold,” Travis murmured as he worked behind her, drawing a gasp when the lube touched her back opening. Watching her react to Travis stretching her ass made his dick twitch with excitement. He contented himself with stroking and tweaking her nipples, turning them into tight, hard nubs.

Her eyelids slid closed and she flexed her hips against Travis’s fingers, a ghost of a smile lighting her beautiful features as she whispered, “Oh, yes. Yes.”

“Good girl,” Travis said with admiration in his voice. “You really do want this, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes flashed open and she lifted a hand to stroke Hank’s cheek. “I love you. Love you so much.”

“Love you, too,” Hank murmured as Travis closed the lube and laid it aside. Hank stroked her thighs, coaxing her against him. “Take my cock inside you, sweet Nika.” She kept her gaze locked on his as she held on to his shoulders and rubbed against him, her sweet fragrance filling his senses.

He groaned when she circled her hips and her pussy came in contact with his head. She backed up a bit, trapping his length at her opening and flexing in tiny movements. With her warm, wet pussy lips, she kissed the crown of his cock before arching her back and letting him slide into her. Her pussy muscles tugged at his cock on the upstroke, drawing another groan of pleasure from him as she slid down farther and tugged him all the way up on the next upstroke. He gasped with each motion, enraptured by the slick, fisting sensation. She moaned like a vixen with each movement, tilting her head and arching her back, casting decadent shadows on the walls of the den as she raised her arms over her head in a languid stretch.

Travis chuckled. “She loves to tease, doesn’t she?”

“Fuck yes and I love her for it.”

After a few more strokes, she’d engulfed every hard inch of him in her sweet, slippery heat and Travis stilled her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Lie down on Hank, Nika. Let him hold you and relax for me.”

Veronica took deep breaths, her hips twitching with her arousal until Hank stilled her with his hands and spread her ass cheeks to give Travis access. They’d need patience to ease her into what he hoped was the first of many wonderful nights of ménage lovemaking.

“Breathe,” Travis murmured as he came close behind her, once again bracing his knees outside hers. He growled softly as he slid a hand up her back and squeezed her shoulder.

Travis grew flushed as he thrust in tiny increments, getting her used to the sensation of pressure there.

She bit her lip and squirmed as she struggled to accept Travis inside her. Hank whispered reassuringly to her, calming nonsensical sounds, and she replied with a soft affirmation, stilling against him. He felt it when she let the tension go in her bottom and tilted up to Travis. The smile on Travis’s face said it all as he slid deeper, crowding her already tight pussy until Hank had a hard time staying still himself. The sensation was unbelievable. He could feel her heart hammering against his chest as she panted and moaned but stayed still as Travis guided a bit more of his cock into her ass.

“That’s right. Let me in, baby. Your ass is so tight. I love it.”

She lifted her chin and crooned but stayed loose as he slipped past the last of her resistance and sank deeper. She whispered, “Oh, Travis. Yes!”

“Good?” Hank asked in a gravelly voice that didn’t sound like him as he gritted his teeth to give her time before he started moving.