STORY EXCERPT

Bit by bit, Mary gave them more information.

They heard that there was a security system going into the store, installed by Colin and Marcus, friends of the Barbers. They were retired RCMP officers who Allan and Zander had also hired to look into the break-in. Apparently Mary was somewhat intimidated by them and nicknamed them Hawk and Grumpy.

Logan told her they probably should be intimidating or people would think they didn’t know their job.

Derek had to suppress his laugh at her little sniff at Logan.

They also learned she was staying at Allan and Zander’s with Karen until said security system was installed. That relieved Derek’s mind a little. He had wondered where she was staying and was hoping it wasn’t here just yet.

She told them that she didn’t like her job in the city and was trying to find something that suited her better. She had a cat that she loved who was currently upstairs in Karen’s apartment. She liked reading and action movies and hated cocktail parties.

That was about all they could get out of her. Mary turned out to be pretty good at steering the conversation back to Hardwick Bay or Derek and Logan.

Before long they took a break for lunch. The Cottage, the local diner, had supplied enough food to feed the small army that was cleaning Karen’s store.

They ditched their rubber gloves, and Derek put his hand on the small of Mary’s back, wishing he could drop it to her fine backside, guiding her to the back room where there was a full kitchen kitted out for chocolate and ice cream making. The food was laid on the big stainless steel tables.

Derek and Logan put Mary between the two of them. They made sure to serve her, loading her plate with her choice of sandwiches and pouring her a coffee.

They leaned against the counter to eat. Karen’s few little tables and chairs in the store had been smashed, so there was nowhere to sit.

“Oh my! These are really good.” Mary swallowed, and Derek watched her finger wipe away the mayo from the corner of her mouth and lick it.

Oh my was right…

Those full lips looked great around her finger. They would look even better around his cock. Or Logan’s.

He shouldn’t go down that train of thought right now. He shifted slightly, trying not to call attention to the aching erection starting to tent his pants.

“Gina and her men know how to feed a crowd,” observed Logan, glancing at Derek. His eyes said that he knew exactly what Derek was thinking.

Lunch was demolished quickly. The group had stood around the tables and made small talk as they ate. Derek was happy to see that Cailynn, Andrew, and Dan were there. He wanted Mary to see a ménage family in a “normal” setting, if cleaning up your sister’s busted-up store was normal.

“I guess we should get back at it.” Logan took her plate as Mary sipped at the last of her coffee.

“If you keep at the shelves, I’ll start mopping the floor and we’ll be done as much as we can in no time.” Derek cocked his head at her, inviting her opinion.

“Fine by me.” She flashed him a grin, and there was something in her eyes. He wondered what she was thinking.

“I’m done with the candy counter, major-general.” Logan voice only held a small amount of sarcasm. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll start on the ice cream counter.”

Derek gave a mock growl. “You do that, recruit.”

Mary giggled at the two of them. “Let me guess, you’re the oldest,” she said to Derek.

“Yeah,” he drawled.

“The oldest is always the organizer. Obviously, I’m the older sister.” Mary started to fill her bucket with fresh, hot water.

“What does that make me?” Logan wanted to know.

“The artistic free spirit,” Mary said immediately.

“Artistic, yes. I’m not sure about the free spirit though. Logan’s just not that flaky,” Derek observed.

“A free spirit doesn’t mean flaky,” argued Mary. “It just means that they’re not so tied to rules and the expectations of others. At least, that’s what I think of it as,” she added hastily.

“Still not sure that applies to me.” Logan reached in and picked up Mary’s bucket and put his own under the tap. “Not that it matters. We are who we are.”

“And people can’t change?” Mary asked the question with an odd intensity.

Logan looked at her thoughtfully. “No, they can change. But often I think what we see as change is more that person allowing who they really are to show.”

Derek could see Mary thinking hard about that.

Then she grinned impishly. “You’re not just another pretty face, are you?” she said, her tone light and teasing.

“Ha. She thinks I’m pretty, Derek.” Logan gave an exaggerated pose. “Too bad for you.” He grabbed his bucket and slung his arm around Mary’s waist. “Bring her bucket out, will you?” he tossed over his shoulder.

Laughing, Derek complied.

Anything for Miss Mary.

ADULT EXCERPT

She was ushered through the house, all the while Logan peppering her with kisses. A mudroom, down a hall, past the kitchen, and down another hall, in such haste that she had no idea of the decor, just a fleeting impression of the rooms. Narrow—must be hall, stove—must be kitchen, couch—must be living room was all her brain could process.

Softness under her and hard male body on top.

Must be bedroom.

Logan kissed her again, this time slow and deep, and Mary closed her eyes. She let her body soak up the tenderness, bones softening with the heat of his body.

He broke the contact, and Mary was disappointed for less than a second. Derek was there, his shirt off and belt gone from his pants. She was happy to see some chest hair. Not enough to make her cringe, but he wasn’t overly manscaped either. She felt like Goldilocks—just right.

He looked deeply into her eyes, his nose less than an inch from hers, and the moment was so intimate Mary suddenly wanted to retreat. This wasn’t about intimate. I was supposed to be fun for a night.

A tiny frown appeared fleetingly between his brows, so fast she wasn’t sure she saw it, and he gave her his easy smile again. “Hi,” he said.

“Hi?” Wow, that came out just a little too breathy and query-like. Mary wasn’t impressed with herself.

Before she could reply, Derek was gently sipping at her lips. He gave tiny, gentle kisses, just occasionally pushing for more before he retreated again. It had her following him, chasing his lips, wanting more and more.

He chuckled, and she realized that was what he intended.

“Let’s see these stockings of yours.” Derek slid down her body and slowly started to raise the hem of her dress.

Mary tried to sit up, but Logan was suddenly behind her, clad only in boxers. He grasped her shoulders and held her down. “Wait, Mary. Let us unwrap you slowly.”

Mary wasn’t sure how comfortable she was with the “unwrapping,” but the half smile on his face and the gentle way he held and caressed her arms and shoulders convinced her to be still.

“Christ, you’re beautiful.” Derek continued to lift the dress. Up past her belly, past her breasts until the two men were slipping it off her body entirely. She saw Derek carefully lay it over a chair, fussing a little so it didn’t wrinkle.

Mary shivered at the exposure, her eyes flicking to the side so she didn’t have to see what was on their faces.

“Relax, Mary. You are oh-so-sexy laid out for us like this,” Logan whispered in her ear.

She felt Derek’s hands rubbing her thighs. One finger teased under the elastic of the stocking. Logan reached a hand underneath her to release the clasp on her bra and slipped it off her shoulders.

“Mmm, nice.” Logan leaned down to pull her nipple into his mouth.

He sucked hard, really hard, and Mary was surprised that strong pull sent zings of pleasure whipping their way around her body. She hissed, not sure whether to pull away or push up toward him.

“I think we need to leave these stockings on. They are way too hot to remove.” Derek’s hands left the lace tops and smoothed upward to her panties. Mary spared a second to be grateful that she had put on a decent pair and that they had matched her bra.

He pulled them down slowly over her hips and off her legs. He tossed them aside. It occurred to Mary to find that a little amusing, given the way he had handled her dress so carefully. Guess panties didn’t warrant the same treatment.

Derek loomed back over her and reached a hand up to cup her pussy firmly. She gasped, not expecting the somewhat aggressive move.

“I can’t wait to taste this,” he said intensely. “I love that you’re not completely bald. I like to know that I’m eating out a real woman.”

He slid a finger through her wet folds and brought it to his mouth. He closed his eyes as he tasted her on his finger and took his time, obviously savoring it. Mary wasn’t sure whether to be shocked or appalled.

Derek gripped her right leg behind her knee and lifted it to Logan. He caught it, spreading her wide.

“You should taste her,” advised Derek.

“I will, then.” Logan swirled a couple of fingers through her pussy, rubbing her clit briefly and fondling her lips. He put them in his mouth too. “Oh yeah. Unbelievable.”

Mary could feel her face trying to set the sheets on fire. It seemed so naughty, almost dirty, that they liked the taste of her. But why? Shouldn’t she be happy they liked it?

Spreading her wide, Derek dipped his head to her vulva. Her outer lips were open, and he took his time kissing them, giving the occasional nip that made her jerk with surprise and clenching pleasure each time he did.

When he had finished with the outer lips, he turned his attention to her inner lips. Slowly, he licked up one side and down the other. He swirled around her clit, not touching it directly, just playing with the rest of her pussy.

Mary tried to stifle the moans and cries that escaped her but failed miserably. She couldn’t remember being a vocal woman in bed, but right now, she couldn’t seem to shut up.