Raines, Elizabeth - Sold [Wicked Missions 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (13 page)

Lyrianna blushed to the roots of her hair. “Um…we…didn’t.”

Simone’s mouth formed a surprised
O
, but she thankfully let the topic drop. “Are you staying in town a few days?”

“No,” Carter replied. “We’re going back tonight. Brandon would worry—”

“Brandon?” Simone asked, her eyes widening. “Is he your son?”

“No, ma’am,” Carter replied. “He owns the farm with me. We’re a couple.”

He owns the farm with me
.
We’re a couple
. Lyrianna had to sniff back the threatening tears. She’d been working side by side with the men for all those months, had taken over tending the vegetable garden and feeding all the animals. She did all of the laundry, the cleaning, and most of the cooking, too. Carter and Brandon devoted all of their time to expanding the pod farm and left her to care for everything on land. Yet, Carter still thought of the place as belonging to him and Brandon, who had to feel the same. That hurt.

“You didn’t marry her?” Simone crossed her arms over her breasts and glared at Carter hard enough Lyrianna almost smiled in response. The young woman obviously still saw the universe in black and white, right and wrong. The Fates had truly smiled on Simone when they’d dropped her in that auction and made Tyler Honeycutt cast a glance her way. “But she’s living with you? Where’s your farm?”

Lyrianna swallowed her hurt and answered. “It’s about an eight-hour boat trip to their island.”

“You live there with
both
of them, but neither of them married you?” Simone’s tiny foot was tapping on the wooden boardwalk. “Doesn’t seem right, Lyrianna. Don’t they like women?”

Thankfully, she hadn’t asked outright whether Lyrianna was sleeping with both of them.

“Are you their housekeeper or something? I mean, if they’re a couple…they
are
gay, right?” Simone asked. Her mouth bowed into a frown. “I wish you could’ve found a nice husband like I did. You deserve someone who’ll be good to you.”

Carter was shifting his weight between his two feet as if uncomfortable. Lyrianna took pity on him even though she found some comfort in his embarrassment. “We need to go,” she told Simone, wanting to get away from what had turned into a humiliating encounter. “I’m going to try to send a message to my sister.”

“Good luck with that,” Simone replied. “I thought about sending word to my family, but Tyler and I finally decided against it. It cost a fortune, and there’s no real guarantee it’ll even make it out of this star system.”

A fortune
. Lyrianna frowned. She hadn’t thought about the cost, and she had no money. Letting Carter buy her clothes hadn’t seemed wrong because she worked hard to earn her keep, but to blow money on sending a simple message that might not even get where it needed to go?
Frivolous
.

Tears stung her eyes again when she realized she didn’t really have anything that was hers. Money. Clothes. Even knickknacks. All she owned was back in her sublet flat on Rozale. God only knew what had happened to it by now. Perhaps Callinda would come looking for her one day and at least hold onto a few of the things that meant something to Lyrianna.

Tears slipped over her lashes.

“Honey?” Carter asked. “What’s wrong?”

With a shake of her head, she choked back her heartache and wiped away the tears with the back of her hand. “Nothing. Just…homesick.”

“We’ll be going back to the island soon,” he said, clearly misunderstanding.

“Simone!” a voice called. All three turned, and Simone’s face broke into a breathtaking smile.

“Tyler! Over here, sweetheart!” she called to her husband as she waved her arm.

“After we say hello, we should really be going,” Carter whispered in Lyrianna’s ear before giving her cheek a kiss. “We’re both ready to be home.”

She nodded as Tyler shook Carter’s hand. “I owe you money,” Tyler said before nodding at his wife. “She was worth every penny. Maybe we could buy you and your wife dinner?”

Why did the question feel like a knife through her heart? Thankfully, Carter replied for them both. “We need to get heading home. Long trip.”

“Let me go and catch my father so I can pay you back,” Tyler insisted.

Carter waved him off. “Next time. There’s no hurry, Tyler.” He smiled at Simone. “Great to see you again, Mrs. Honeycutt.”

“Please call me Simone,” she replied before taking Lyrianna’s hands in hers. “You’ll come see me sometime? I’m kinda lonely for a woman’s company. Tyler has three younger brothers, but they’re only kids. His dad is nice…but since his mother died a few years back, I’m the only woman on the island.”

How could she answer that question? She had no idea where Simone lived, nor did she know if Carter or Brandon would allow her to leave to go visit other islands. Again, Carter had mercy on her. “We’ll see. The festival’s coming up in a few weeks. We’ll be coming back into town for that. Probably all three of us.”

“Festival?” Lyrianna asked.

“It’s a big celebration for all the farmers in the area,” he replied. “Anyone with unmarried daughters comes to try to get a marriage contract, and of course, we all come to trade for things we need and don’t have the cash to buy. There’s always a dance, too.”

“Simone and I will be going,” Tyler added.

“Then we’ll see you there,” Carter said as he took Lyrianna’s hand and started to drag her away.

Simone stopped them by throwing her arms around Lyrianna and squeezing the breath right out of her. “Thank you for everything.”

Lyrianna patted her friend’s back before pulling out of the embrace. “Take good care of yourself. And take good care of that baby.”

* * * *

The last of Pagonna City faded into the horizon, and all that remained was the vast ocean. Lyrianna felt a little heartsick. They hadn’t even attempted to send a message to Callinda. She’d declined when Carter had offered to try to find a place. She couldn’t bring herself to ask for the money, and that dirty feeling, the same one she’d had right after the auction, had returned. With a vengeance.

How naïve she’d been, letting herself dream of someday making Carter and Brandon fall in love with her the way she loved them. And she did love them. Both. With all her heart. Turning her face away, she stared out at the waves, not wanting to show Carter the pain of realizing she would never be more to them than a bed toy.

Five years. She owed them five years, nothing more. More like four and a half now… Then she could leave, perhaps even find a way back to Rozale.

Oh, who exactly do you think you’re kidding?
She could never leave them. Ever. She loved them too much. Why couldn’t they love her in return?

Carter finished tying the sail and plopped down next to her. Wrapping an arm around her, he stared ahead of them as if searching for the approach of the island even though it was hours away. “We’ll be home before you know it. Wanna take a nap?”

Only if I can cry myself to sleep
. Lyrianna simply shook her head.

His fingers caressed her bare upper arm, sending shivers racing over her skin and heat pooling between her thighs. All either of her guys had to do was touch her, and her insides turned into nothing but warm soup. She decided that if she couldn’t make him
love
her, she’d make him
want
her. Grabbing the hem of her gauzy shirt, she jerked it over her head and dropped it on the deck. “I’m not sleepy.”

He growled deep in his chest as his hand palmed her breast through her thin tank top. Her nipple puckered almost instantly. “I love how you respond to me. Makes me a little crazy,” he said before leaning in to kiss her. But he didn’t deepen the kiss, making her afraid that her body might be responding to him, but he wasn’t all that interested in her. When Carter wouldn’t give her his tongue, she grew frustrated and nipped at his bottom lip, making him laugh and finally cooperate by opening his mouth. She slid her tongue inside, stroking the roof of his mouth before trying to coax his tongue to follow hers back into her mouth. The instant he did, she grabbed his tongue gently between her teeth and tugged.

That action seemed to set him off. He broke away from the kiss long enough to tug at her clothes and then practically rip off his own. He sat back on the bench, his hard cock jutting away from his body, fanned by a nest of dark curls and swaying enticingly with the gentle pitching of the boat. He crooked his finger at her. “Come here, honey. I want you.”

She gave him a sly smile and knelt between his legs, opening them wider. Wrapping her fingers around his erection, she smiled broader when his fingers threaded through her hair, finding her ponytail and tugging off the band. As her tresses fell around her shoulders, she leaned forward to press a kiss to the swollen head of his dick. A drop of fluid streamed out in response. Lyrianna licked it away and then traced the veins of his cock with her tongue, savoring how he alternated between moaning and growling in response. Giving his balls a gentle squeeze, she sucked hard on his dick.

His taste was so familiar yet still so wonderful. She’d never enjoyed giving head until she’d met Carter and Brandon. Now, she couldn’t seem to get enough of either of them. The feel of the silken skin over the steel beneath. The tangy taste of their pre-cum and of their semen. She loved running her tongue over them, loved even more how she could quickly make them lose control.

Judging from the way Carter panted for breath, she knew she’d pushed him close to the edge. Figuring she’d let him enjoy her attention to its fullest, she squealed in surprise when his hands grabbed her under the arms and yanked her onto his lap. “Fuck me, Lyri,” he growled, holding his cock while she impaled herself on him. “You feel like heaven.” His hips slammed up, planting him deeply inside her pussy.

Lacing her fingers through his hair, Lyrianna tilted his head up to claim his mouth, letting all the love she felt for him flow from her into him. She did love him, more than she’d ever find the courage to tell him or Brandon. At least in making love to him, she didn’t have to hide her feelings, knowing the men would only see it as sex, not an expression of love.

“Lyri… Oh, fuck…” Carter’s arms tightened around her waist, pulling her forward as he slammed into her, again and again. He buried his lips against her neck, gasping for breath and calling to her, “Come for me, love.”

Her body exploded, contracting around him as his hot semen blasted inside her. Lyrianna took a long time coming down from the high he’d taken her to. Her heart slammed in her chest, and she gulped for air. She was pleased he seemed every bit as indisposed.

After they dressed, Carter held her against him, stroking her hair when she laid her head against his shoulder. “That was…wonderful.”

The men clearly understood how much she needed to hear they’d enjoyed making love with her. “Yeah,” she replied. “It was. Only one thing missing. Brandon.”

Carter nodded. “It was great…but isn’t it always best when it’s all three of us? Don’t you like it when both of us make love to you?”

She yawned as she nodded. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she smiled, remembering how he’d called her
love
. If only one day he’d truly mean it, and perhaps Brandon would feel that way as well.

Then she’d be the happiest woman in the universe.

Chapter 10

Even from the dock, Lyrianna could hear the music coming from the big tent that had been erected close to where the auction had been held. The smell of cooking food floated through the air—pungent spices and mouthwatering aromas.

“You look beautiful,” Brandon said, giving her a quick kiss as he helped her step off the boat. Her cheeks flushed hot at the compliment. “I love seeing you in a skirt.”

“Thank you.” Lyrianna waited as Carter and Brandon tied the boat to the dock. At least both men had found the time to get away, making sure all the animals had plenty of food while the three of them would attend the festival.

It seemed as if everyone she could see was heading inside that tent, leaving the boardwalk looking like a ghost town. She tried not to be nervous about mingling with the other people who’d come for the festival, but she didn’t know any of them and felt a bit overwhelmed since she’d been alone with her guys for so long. Not that she’d ever felt comfortable in crowds. Living on Rozale, a person had to get used to being elbow to elbow. After months on her island, Lyrianna now craved the peace and quiet. The din coming from the packed tent seemed…intimidating, and more and more she really wished she hadn’t come to the festival.