Love Under Two Jessops (31 page)

Tasha threaded her arm through Carol’s. “Let’s go grab some coffee at the restaurant before you head back to Waco. I’ll explain who Bob is.”

Chloe just shook her head as Ari headed in one direction, and the other two in another. It would almost be worth putting off her date night with her men to see Carol’s reaction to Tasha’s explanation.

Almost.

Chloe turned and let her eyes feast on the two minor mountains posing as men who stood, waiting patiently for her. They both nodded to Tasha and Carol as they passed.

Robert Jessop had called earlier and told her that Grant had been given an official clearance to resume any and all activities.

Chloe felt like it had been forever since she’d had those two men inside of her.

That scare two weeks ago had not only aged her, it had awakened her. She’d suddenly realized the one thing that stopped her from opening her heart completely to these wonderful men and the future they’d been promising her all along, right there in their eyes.

Now that she understood, she felt kind of silly.

She was afraid to grab onto them, to grab what they offered, because she was afraid that they, too, would leave her.

She didn’t want to exist in fear. She wanted to live, fully, in love.

As she approached, both men turned their gazes to her. She stumbled, the twin force of those two stares the most potent force she had ever felt.

My God, they look at me the exact same way that Daddy used to look at Mom when she walked into a room.

How could she have been so blind? Now she understood that the very love she’d yearned for all her life was right here in front of her!

“What?” Grant’s expression clouded in concern, and she guessed he didn’t understand the tears she felt and that she knew they both could see. “What’s wrong, baby girl?”

“Tell us, Chloe-doe.”

Chloe shook her head. Men, she figured, would never understand a woman’s tears. “There is absolutely nothing wrong. I just love you both so very much.”

Both men’s faces lit up as if she had just handed them the best gift, ever. They reached for her, and brought her in close so that they could each get an arm around her.

“I love you, too,” Grant said. “You’re the center of my world.”

“I love you, Chloe,” Andrew said. “Now and forever.”

Grant tilted her face up and gave her a very brief and far too chaste kiss. “Come on, baby girl. It’s Valentine’s Day and we’ve been working on a surprise for you back at the house.”

Chloe didn’t think she fully appreciated until that moment exactly how aware of her, of her moods and her failings and her foibles they both had been, all this time. But in this moment, this epiphanous moment, everything became crystal clear to her.

She smiled and stretched up and placed a kiss on Grant’s lips, and then kissed Andrew, too.

“Yes, please. Let’s go home.”

The look that came into their eyes made her feel like the Queen of All Creation. They each treated her to a very warm and passionate hug. And then they bundled her into the truck.

The drive had never seemed longer. She felt as if she stood on the precipice of something wonderful, and she understood that feeling came, in part, because she’d let go of the pain and fear she’d carried for so long.

Once Grant pulled his truck into the driveway, they wasted no time. Both men fairly jumped out of the vehicle, but it was Grant who reached for her, pulled her toward him, sliding her past the steering wheel.

She laughed with delight at the way both men seemed in such a hurry. As usual, they didn’t stop once they got inside. It had only been in the last couple of weeks that she’d walked up these stairs each evening. Even though they’d put a temporary moratorium on making love, they
had
slept each night together.

Chloe doubted that she’d be ever able to sleep alone again.

Grant set her down, not in the bedroom, but in the master bathroom. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips. “We have a special evening planned for you, baby girl. Will you let us have our way with you?”

“Always.” Her hands grasped his wrists, and she stretched up to give him another kiss. She loved the excitement and the pure happiness burning in his eyes. She felt free and alive and loved, as she had never felt in her life before.

“Andrew’s going to bathe you while I finish preparing dinner. I’ll see you downstairs in a bit.” He kissed her once more, and then turned her over to his brother.

She wanted to get naked and lose herself in these men. She wanted to feel them both inside her at the same time, and she wanted them all to come and come and come until they couldn’t see straight.

But they’d obviously made special plans, and not for the world would she disappoint them.

“Hey there, Chloe-doe.” Andrew bent to her and laid his lips on hers. She sank into his kiss, loving the flavor and the texture of him. Warm and wet, soft and seductive, his lips wooed hers. His tongue stroked into her mouth, and she opened to him, sliding her own tongue against his. She lost herself in the sensuality of Andrew Jessop.

She opened her eyes and blinked when he gently ended their kiss. “Come.” He led her over to the large, claw-foot tub that took up the corner opposite the spa. She’d availed herself of the luxury of this bathtub once, recently, and loved it. Andrew had already drawn the bath, likely just before they’d left the house to come and get her. He tested it and added some more hot water.

He undressed her, one piece of clothing at a time. Instead of picking her up, as he often did, he instead offered her his hand. She took it and stepped into the warm, scented water. He’d placed a bath pillow at the edge and urged her to recline.

She closed her eyes, sighing with pleasure as heat massaged muscles made sore during a long, busy workday. Andrew had left her for a moment, but he returned and handed her a glass of white wine. She sipped it and watched as he lit candles already placed around the room. Then soft music floated in the air, and Chloe knew she was being pampered to the extreme.

He came to her and knelt at the side of the tub and became her bath attendant. He’d selected her favorite bath gel, and one of the shower puffs she favored. Soon rich lather covered one leg, then the next. There wasn’t an inch of her Andrew didn’t lavish with gel and loving attention.

When she was about as clean as she could get, he left her for a few moments to soak in the heat. When she finally stood, he used an old-fashioned ewer to pour water over her, to rinse the soap from her body more thoroughly.

She stepped out of the tub and into his arms and the welcome of a heated towel.

“I love the way you smell. When you’re all warm, and aroused, there’s this aroma that’s just
you
. You make my cock hard and my mouth water.”

“Did you know I can tell the difference between you and Grant by the flavor of your kisses and the scent of your cocks?”

“Really? I think I like that.”

“I certainly do, because it appears that you’re each very necessary to me.”

Andrew kissed her, and then led her over to the single chair before the vanity. He seated her and began to gently and thoroughly brush her hair.

“You’re spoiling me.”

“Good. You deserve to be spoiled, my Chloe.”

Once he’d finished combing her hair, he placed his hands on her shoulders and told her to just sit still for a moment. He went into the bedroom but was back moments later with the most beautiful silk robe she’d ever seen. Deep red, sinfully soft, her skin felt as if it purred when he wrapped it around her.

“Oh, my. This is beautiful.”

“Not nearly as beautiful as you are, sweetheart.”

Andrew had rolled up the sleeves of his button-front shirt to bathe her. He left them that way—she thought the look of his very muscular arms a particular treat—and led her downstairs, to the dining room.

The table had been set for three, with long white tapers and china that sparkled in the candlelight. The crystal glistened, and the silverware gleamed. Silver chafing dishes sat in the midst of the table. The aroma of something delicious filled the air, and Chloe’s mouth watered.

Andrew seated her at the head of the table, giving her a soft kiss. Then Grant came in carrying a bottle of wine—the same white she’d already sipped, because they knew she only drank white wine—and filled their glasses.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.” He kissed her and Chloe couldn’t resist reaching up to lay her palm on his cheek.

“Thank you.”

It was hard to just sit, and let them serve her, and eat a meal. She hungered for them far more than she hungered for food. But as they served her and they all began to eat, she found a new appreciation for patience. They were focused on her entirely, and that was a marvelous thing. As much as she wanted to give to them everything she was, she understood they had a similar need.

“Oh, my God, this roast tenderloin is
wonderful
.”

Grant beamed with pride. “Glad you like it. We wanted something elegant yet simple.”

“This meal is both. I have a weakness for baked potatoes, too,” she confessed. “And the beans are my favorite vegetable.”

“We wanted to cook your favorites,” Andrew said. “When we were up north, they tended to serve potatoes with nearly every dinner. I had them done ways I’d never even tried before.”

It occurred to her then that both Andrew and Grant were nervous. They were so strong, so almost larger-than-life, it was hard to think of them being unsure of themselves for even a moment. That had been her role in life.

Her need to nurture and to give rose up, and she made herself slow down, take the time to let them see how much she appreciated their efforts.

She sipped from her wine glass. “I especially appreciate that you went against convention to serve this Chablis with dinner tonight. I know y’all are supposed to drink red wine with beef.”

“Who cares about convention?” Grant reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “We only care about pleasing you, and pleasing the three of us, together.”

“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you.” She met Grant’s gaze and then Andrew’s. “I’m a very lucky woman.”

“We’re the lucky ones,” Andrew said.

Chloe ate slowly, but found she was full faster than she wanted to be. It seemed to her that the men were just waiting for her to be finished, because they both ate only sporadically. Once she was done, they practically sprang to their feet and gathered the plates—theirs were both still almost half full—and carted everything out.

When she’d moved to help they’d both said, “No!” And then Grant inhaled deeply. “Just stay there, sweetheart. We’ll be right back.”

Their anxiety was contagious. “Alright.” She reached for her wine glass again, and noticed her hand was trembling, slightly.

They were back moments later, holding a plate that had a cover on it. Rather than standing on either side of her, the way they’d been seated, they stood side by side on her right as they set the plate down before her.

And nodded, to indicate she should go ahead and lift the lid.

Chloe’s heart turned over in her chest when she saw the box. White velvet, gold swirling letters in fancy script proclaiming
Clay Cook Originals,
Chloe licked her lips and looked up at her men.

“Open it, please,” Grant said.

It was the most spectacular ring she had ever seen. Opal and sapphires set in gold with diamonds. The ring sparkled in the candlelight and shone like a beacon in her heart.

Grant reached forward and turned her chair slightly, and then he and Andrew both dropped to one knee.

“Chloe Rhodes, you’re the miracle I never fully believed would ever happen for me. You’re beautiful and strong, and so damn loving. You captured my heart in an instant, and I love you with everything that’s in me. You would make me a very happy man if you would become my wife.”

“Chloe, you’re it for me—the sun, the moon, and the stars. You’re the center of my world and I love you so much. Please, marry me.”

In her hands she held past, and future, sadness and joy. All things, really, and wasn’t that what life was all about at its core?

“Yes. Oh, God, yes. I love you both so much.” She held back a sob. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Grant took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. He kissed it, and then leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers.

Andrew did exactly the same. They each then took one of her hands and rubbed their thumbs over the back of them.

“Come upstairs, sweetheart. Come, lie with us. Make love with us.”

Chloe could barely see for the tears shimmering in her eyes. She looked down at the beautiful ring, warm and snug on her finger, and then let her gaze rest on that jeweler’s box—a box that was so very familiar to her.

“This is the beginning of a new chapter in my life—in our lives.” She nodded at the box. “Before I can begin it with a whole heart, I need to turn the page and close the book on the last chapter.”

Both men showed her that they not only loved her, but understood her completely. They shared a look, and then Grant said, “What do you need, baby girl? Just name it, and it’s yours.”