The Barter System (39 page)

Riya used her fingers to
tick off one subject at a time and the mate she’d either pointed out or
orchestrated into their personal lives.  Max found himself leaning closer to
absorb as much of her as he could.  She was fascinating. 

“So every subject now has a mate?” 
Riya nodded and gave him a grin that could only be described as smug…as smug as
an inebriated woman could pull off anyway.  “You are diabolical.  What if you
wanted to go back to one of them, Riya?  Was there not one or two that you
considered staying with?” 

This was the information he
truly wanted and Max couldn’t believe how strangely he was getting it.  He said
nothing when she drank from her wine glass.  He had very horribly refilled it.

“Oh,
Max
,” she sighed
with a touch of sadness, “I’m not able to do that.  Each had a particular
something that struck me, made me interested in them as a subject when they
applied.”

Glancing out the huge
window, she closed her eyes for a moment.  “They’re good men and any of them,
under the right circumstances, would have loved me and I them.  But these are
hardly ‘right’ circumstances, wouldn’t you agree?” 

Riya gave a small laugh but
there was very little humor in it.  “Honestly, I’m already going from one bed
to another like a hussy, I can’t leave them thinking I’ll come
back
, or
leave them
alone
…all alone like each one was.  I can’t send them back to
solitude or sadness.  That would be
wrong
.”  She put her hands on her
hips, “Wronger even…that isn’t a word, I know words and wronger isn’t a
word…nevertheless, more wrong…there you have it, Riya…than what I’m doing which
seemed like a good idea before it began.”

“Riya, you aren’t a hussy,
sweetheart.”  He paused, smiling softly.  “I have to say you are the most
incredible woman I’ve ever met.  If you could go back to any of them, if there
was
a right circumstance, which would it be?” he asked her with a slight ping of
guilt.

“Hmm, Sean was most like my
father.  Victor was the sweetest.  Joshua the most energetic.  Lucas was the
most mature and truly knew me.  Ricardo was the most passionate about life.” 
She shrugged.  “Good men, all of them, but I won’t go back.  And I made sure
they wouldn’t need me to.  I feel really good about that.” 

Riya laid her head down on
her arms and watched him, talking animatedly non-stop.  “I’m sorry I seem like
a drunken tart.  You are very beautiful, Max.  I can’t for the life of me
figure out why you’re not snatched up.”  She tried to snap but failed
miserably. 

“You and Micah were the
first men I chose, you know.  Some based on looks, I should apologize for being
shallow, but if I wasn’t attracted, well, it wouldn’t be easy to hold up my…side
of the bargain.  The rest was genuine curiosity, like I was drawn to you both
in a way.  Your lifestyle is totally out of my experience but I’m not a woman
who runs away from something that makes her feel all wonky on the inside.  Did
I say wonky?  I don’t think that’s a real word.  I’m pretty sure I made it up. 
Wonky…wonky…wonky.  Yeah, it’s a made-up word.”  

She continued to mouth it to
herself as another deep British voice said behind her, “I cannot
believe
you got her drunk, Max!”

Riya lifted her head and
turned to see Micah standing a few feet away and knew she was in way, way over
her head.  His beauty was equally paralyzing.  The same height as Max, heavier
build, brown hair with lighter browns shot through it.  Eyes and skin the color
of warm honey.  Black slacks and a whisky-colored dress shirt. 

Riya sighed.  “Shit, you are
just as beautiful as Max.  Well, this is awkward.”  She sighed and put out her
hand, which he took, staring over the counter at his lifelong friend while he
held it gently, stroking his thumb over the back.  “You mustn’t be angry with
Max, Micah.  My fault entirely.  I hadn’t eaten in longer than I’d realized. 
Normal grown people can handle three glasses of wine without getting snockered
but I’m abnormal.  Though I am grown.  Of that, I can assure you.”

“It is a true pleasure,
Riya, love.  I think we’re convinced you are
indeed
a grown woman.”  He
leaned over and kissed the corner of her mouth.  “Max, we need to feed her to
counteract the alcohol.”    

Max started pulling food out
of the fridge.  Crab and lobster salad with crackers, fresh fruit, paper thin
lunchmeats and cheeses.  He gave her far too much but she ate what she could. 

“I was not intentionally
looking to get her wasted,” Max said, “Though, I can’t say I dislike
how…revealing…she is when she isn’t one hundred percent in control.  I like
that very much.  She is a wealth of information.” 

He leaned over the counter
and kissed her, though Micah still held her hand.  He placed coffee in front of
her and she picked it up with the hand not being held to sip it.

“Tell me, Riya, you don’t
seem the least uncomfortable with two men hovering over you.  Why is that?” 
Micah asked her softly.  “I’ve not released your hand yet you were happy when
Max kissed you.”  He glanced at his friend, determined to get as much
uncensored information as possible before her buzz wore off.

“Well, shameless hussy that
I appear to be, I’ve been struck somewhat stupid, a new experience for me.  You
have big warm hands so I’m not at all opposed to you holding mine, and Max has
lovely lips perfect for kisses.  You both smell fantastic.  Plus, my curiosity
is peaked.”

“Have you ever been with two
men at one time, Riya?”  Micah asked her bluntly.

“Are you kidding?  Before
this project, I’d barely been with one man at one time.  Well, I’d been with
two men but not at the same time and years apart.  Did that make sense?”  She
seemed to ask herself. 

Shrugging, she continued,
“Apparently, I’ve got a slut inside me clawing her way out.  In three short
weeks, I’ve managed to double my initial head-count.”  She laughed at her
choice of words and both men smiled, “If I end up with both of you that will
triple the number in less than one month.  S-L-U-T, for certain.”

Micah clucked his tongue at
her.  “I disagree, Riya.  Statistically, women of your age group are well into
double digits when they count their total sexual partners.  When you ask men,
the number is generally twice that.  By the time you finish your research, you
will still be far below the average.  There is nothing slutty about you and we
can’t allow you to disparage our beautiful guest in such a way.  Right now, we
have to get you sober for our charity event tonight.  I want you to drink
this.” 

He handed her a glass filled
with fizzy liquid and she downed it, making a face.  “I’m going to take you
over to the couch and you can take a nice nap.  How long do you think it will
take you to get ready?”

She hopped off the stool,
wobbled, and followed Micah to the huge sofa in their living room.  “Not long,
maybe thirty minutes.  I hope you have a clue what you want me to wear.” 

She lay down and sighed as
one of the men pulled a soft blanket over her, drifting off to sleep almost
immediately.

Chapter
Eighteen

“I like her.  I want to keep
her,” Micah said firmly. 

Max laughed, “Me too.”  They
raced up the stairs to lay out her outfit.  Once they’d pulled everything from
the closet and laid it on the bed, they went to their separate rooms and
dressed in formal wear for the evening.  Meeting at the top of the stairs an
hour later, they went downstairs to wake Riya.

When she opened her eyes to
the sensation of a finger stroking her cheek, there were two absolutely
stunning men standing over her.  Micah’s brown hair was still damp and he was
freshly shaven.  Max’s black hair was slicked back.  Both of them were wearing
tuxedos. 

“My god, you’re gorgeous.” 
She sat up slowly, worried about the headache she always got when she’d had too
much to drink.  No pain, no dizziness, no nausea.  “Wow, what did you give me? 
I feel great.”

“It’s something we Brits
take when we’ve had too much fun.  Soothes while allowing you to sleep and
recover,” Max told her softly.  “We’ve laid out everything on your bed
upstairs, do you need help up?”

She shook her head and
stood.  The top of her head came to their shoulders.  “I kind of feel like the
ugly duckling right now.  You two make beautiful swans.” 

“You are ravishing, Riya. 
Especially looking all sleepy.”  Both men took one step back and she walked
past them to the stairs.  They watched her disappear down the second floor
hall.

When she walked into the
bedroom, she went completely girly.  There was a lovely strapless black dress,
floor length, satin on top and piles of chiffon on the bottom.  The
undergarments were black and there were garters and stockings.  She couldn’t
believe
the shoes. 

She stripped naked and took
a record-time shower, drying in a rush and wrapping her hair in towel.  Pulling
on the thong, bra, and garter belt she couldn’t believe how lovely everything
felt. 

Rolling the stockings up her
legs and attaching them to the garters, she had to try the shoes.  Just had
to.  She slipped them on and wore them as she dried her hair and brushed her
teeth.  Then she applied eyeliner, shadow, mascara and a hint of lipstick. 

She silently thanked her mom
and Maggie for showing her how to accomplish beautiful yet simple up-dos and
worked her hair into twist after twist, piling them on top of her head. 

She didn’t realize the two
men standing in the hall were about to have heart attacks watching her finish
her hair.  Her body was long and sleek, made more so by the black thong and
bra.  The garters and stockings lengthened her legs.  The classic Betty Grable
high heels tightened her entire lower body and gave her an additional four
inches in height.  She went light on makeup and worked absolute magic with her
hair, twisting the long shining locks and pinning them one at a time until the
combined effect was breathtaking. 

When she stepped into the
bedroom to slip on the dress, she froze when she noticed both men standing
there.  Then she smiled and reached for the dress, stepping gracefully into
it.  As she shimmied it up her body, the men watched her carefully. 

When it was in position, she
turned her back.  “Help.”  One of them, Micah she realized as she turned,
zipped her up. 

It fit her perfectly and
both men complimented her on it.  She grabbed the tiny purse and turned to
them.  “Ready.” 

“Twenty-seven minutes from
sleeping to ready.  I cannot believe it.”  Max reached into his tux pocket,
pulling out a tiny box that held diamond and onyx drop earrings set in
platinum.  Her eyes widened.  “Before you say anything, yes, they are for you. 
Bought weeks ago, in fact.  You must wear them.”  He removed the backs and put
them on her. 

Micah reached into his
pocket and removed a box holding a bracelet that matched.  “Ditto, don’t even
think to argue.”  He fastened it on her wrist.  Then Max stepped behind her and
fastened a stunning choker with a matching pendant to her throat.  “That
includes the necklace.” 

They ushered her downstairs,
dropping a warm black cashmere wrap around her shoulders before guiding her
into the elevator.  The ride down was spent with both men staring at her
hungrily until she was blushing. 

When they exited at the
lobby, Carlo smiled and told her she was positively breathtaking.  She smiled
and softly said, “Thank you.”  They walked possessively on either side of her. 
Henry did a double-take as she passed and doffed his hat, “Ma’am.”  She glanced
over to smile at him and both men swore the older man melted.

There was a limo at the
curb, door held open by Rodney in black finery.  He handed her inside and
winked before straightening.  When the men got in, they sat with her between
them.  Micah casually took her left hand as they pulled away from the curb, Max
took her other.  “Can you tell me about this charity?”  Riya asked them. 

“I can’t really think right
now with you sitting here, there is only enough blood flow to run one head at a
time as I’m sure you know, but I’ll do my best,” Max replied and was happy when
she laughed and lightly blushed.  He explained the charity focused on providing
medical equipment to children with disabilities who often ended up with
substandard selections due to a lack of insurance or funding.