until he regained his strength. She didn’t mind. In fact, she loved sitting with him, keeping him company. In a few minutes, however, he opened his eyes.
“Can I ask you a question?” He did sound tired, but he was fighting it.
“Sure.”
“How is it that you show such a cool, classy exterior and secretly have the soul of a sensualist? Where does that come from?”
“You mean the soul of a wanton slut?” she countered.
His lips turned up. “Was trying to be nice.”
“Don’t knock yourself out on my account.” This was good between them, she decided. There was something about Bastian that made her feel as though she’d known him much longer than she had. They’d been working together for a while now, but lots of people shared a work environment without getting close. But once she and Bastian had really begun to interact on a personal level, the connection had been there, ready and waiting to be nurtured.
He was still looking at her, waiting for an answer. Watching his reaction, she said, “I have three parents.”
“You mean your folks divorced and one is a stepparent?” His brows furrowed.
It was always fun to see people figure out the truth. “No, I mean that I have three parents. One mother and two fathers. Really spiced up those PTA meetings, I can tell you.”
“Oh, my God! No way,” he said, incredulous. “I’ve never actually known anybody who was raised by parents in a menage relationship. Christ, I’ll bet you were teased unmercifully as a child.”
“Kids can be cruel,” she agreed. Some of those memories were deeply painful. “That’s why they eventually decided to homeschool me. I guess that’s why I sort of hold myself apart from people until I get to know them. You and Michael were exceptions.”
“I’m glad you trusted us enough to let us in,” he said with feeling. “So your parents are still together?”
“Yes,” she said, smiling. “And so in love it’s nauseating. They are proof that it can work, despite the crappy odds and the stigma attached by society.”
“You want what they have.”
She looked down at their hands, which had somehow become entwined. “I thought I did have it, once. Things didn’t work out.”
“From your voice, I’m guessing that’s an understatement,” he said quietly. “Want to talk about it?”
She shrugged. “I don’t mind. We were in our early twenties, and when you’re pushing forty, that seems like a lifetime ago.”
“No kidding,” he agreed. “You had two male partners?”
“One man, but the other was a woman.” Surprise registered on Bastian’s face. “I loved them both and I thought they loved me, but the dynamic was doomed from the start. Our downfall began when Brenda wanted to get pregnant.”
“Uh-oh.”
She nodded. “You’d think I would’ve seen this one coming a mile off, wouldn’t you? But no, I was so excited. I thought I should get pregnant next so our children could be close in age. Joe thought it was a good idea to wait until after Brenda had her baby before we tried for another one. You can probably fill in the ending.”
“Let me see.” He pretended to think hard. “Joe and Brenda bonded over the pregnancy and changed their minds about raising their child in a menage relationship. They broke your heart.”
“You get the prize.” God, she’d been devastated at the time. “Getting over it took years. But I’ve always believed I could have what my parents do and that someday I’d want to try again. Just not with another woman involved, ever.”
“I can certainly understand that.” He grinned at her. “You won’t have to worry about me or Michael wanting to get pregnant.”
“Idiot.” She leaned over and brushed his lips with hers, then deepened the kiss. He tasted sweet, minty, and the man knew how to use his tongue. She couldn’t wait to learn its other talents.
Breaking the kiss, she laid her head on his shoulder, careful not to hurt his healing bruises. His arm came around her, held her close against his solid body, and she felt it.
The tenuous thread winding between them was like a tender green shoot pushing through new soil. Growing stronger with each passing hour. A thought hit her: where the three of them were concerned, Bastian was their glue. Their quiet strength.
One man was forged steel, and the other was the only fire hot enough to make him bend.
Now she just had to make them hers, for keeps.
Eleven
“Are you comfortable?” “Yes, thanks.” “Need anything before I go?”
“No, thanks.”
“More coffee? A bagel?”
“I’m good.”
“I don’t think so. You’re not eating enough, and—”
“Michael,” Bastian growled. “Go. To. Work! Because if you don’t, so help me, I won’t be held responsible for where I shove this crutch.”
Michael eyed his grouchy friend. “I’ve been hovering too much, huh?”
“For the entire past week since you brought me home! You’re both driving me crazy!”
“Hey!” From her spot at the breakfast table, Katrina scowled at Bastian over the top of her newspaper. “Before lunch, you’ll be bored out of your mind and wanting us to come home.”
“Fat lot of good it’ll do me when neither of you will touch me. And blow jobs don’t count,” he grumbled. “I even have to sleep by myself because you guys are afraid one of you will bump my thigh in the night.”
Katrina’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, they don’t count? The last time I checked, ‘Oh, God, suck harder. Take it all’ wasn’t a complaint.”
Oh, boy. Time to make a tactful retreat. “Well, since you’re all set here, we’ll give you some peace and quiet. If you need anything—”
“I know. Simon and Mrs. Beasley are here. Have a nice day.” Their lover went back to moping over his cold coffee.
He raised his brows at Katrina in a signal to get moving. She folded her paper and followed him out through the living room. Simon met them in the foyer.
“The car is waiting, sir.”
“Great.”
“Sir, if I may be so bold?”
He stifled a sigh. “Go ahead.”
“Sir, if you don’t take matters in hand, I shall be forced to seek other employment.” Simon sniffed, looking down his regal nose at Michael. “There’s nothing wrong with that lad that a sound buggering won’t remedy.”
Michael choked, and beside him, Katrina giggled. “I’m sure your resignation won’t be necessary. Bastian will be better than new in no time.”
“Very good, sir.”
He beat a retreat out the front door and headed for the car. “Jesus.”
As they climbed into the back, Katrina said, “Simon’s got the problem pegged, you know. Our guy is craving some attention that has nothing to do with his injury.”
“I know. He’s like a grumpy porcupine.”
“If this is the way he gets when he has to go without for a few days, it’s a good thing there’s two of
