Build a Love (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) Read online

  “Fast work.”

  I was confused for a moment then realised what I had said.

  “Arrived, he’s just arrived.”

  “Right.”

  I was feeling like I was at a movie where everyone else knew the plot except me. There was definitely something going on with these two. Marco looked around the family room, at the mess.

  “Bet you’ll be glad when this is all over. Hope we aren’t disturbing you too much.”

  There it was again, that simple phrase, but there was an undercurrent of double meaning. I was feeling flustered on several levels.

  One—I was annoyed in a way that Marco had turned up and disturbed what was turning into an out-of-this world kiss.

  Two—I was trying to ignore it but I was attracted to Marco as much as I was attracted to Bryan.

  And finally—there was something between these two that I was definitely missing. I couldn’t put my finger on it.

  “It’s okay. I can do things in the bedroom as easily as the studio.”

  Bryan almost chocked on his coffee. I’d done it again. Carefully, I removed my foot from my mouth.

  “I mean I don’t do anything. I…”

  Yep, replace foot.

  The two of them exchanged glances and grinned.

  “Well, thanks for the coffee.” Marco put the empty mug in the sink and looked at Bryan. “I’ll go and do your job, Bryan, to check on the bricks.”

  “Thanks Marco.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be seeing a lot more of you, Ms. Kempton, hopefully soon.”

  With that, he winked and walked out into the wreck of my studio. I know I was as red as a beetroot. That was a blatant flirt if ever there was one.

  “Don’t mind Marco, he’s always a big mouth. He likes you.”

  I wasn’t sure how to answer that one. Bryan finished his coffee and leaned across me to drop it alongside Marco’s mug. I know I held my breath. He looked down at me and ran a finger across my lips again.

  “I do want to talk to you, Harry, and soon. But I guess I have to do some work. Can I see you later this afternoon?”

  I was staring into his face. Those blue eyes were mesmerising.

  “Can I?”

  “Oh sorry. Yes. I’m not going anywhere.”

  He brushed my lips with his and then walked out. I stood there running my finger across where his fingers and lips had touched me. I think I stood there for about ten minutes before I shook myself and walked into the spare room.

  Chapter Four

  I tried to work but it was impossible. I kept thinking about that kiss and Bryan. And I was also thinking about Marco. I had found myself wondering what it would be like to kiss him.

  This was crazy! I’d gone twelve years without getting involved and now, all of a sudden, I was looking at two men like a love-starved teenager!

  Around four, I heard a few cars drive off. Sounded like the men had finished for the day. I wondered if Bryan would come in. I decided to go into the studio and look at what was happening.

  It was a mess but I could see a start had been made on the brickwork. I was trying to peer through a join in the plastic sheet out onto what would be the deck area when a face appeared. I gave a little scream. The sheet was lifted and Marco walked in.

  “Oops. Sorry, Ms. Kempton, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “That’s okay, I thought everyone had gone.”

  “No. Bryan and I are back, just checking on what the guys did today.”

  He was rather close to me and I backed away only to bump into my plastic-covered desk. Marco’s eyes followed me. He moved forward and trapped me with his arms, one either side of the desk.

  “So Ms. Kempton, is there anything I can help you with?”

  “Harry, it’s Harry.”

  “Harry.”

  He breathed my name. It was filled with sex, with seduction, and with passion. I felt myself growing damp. I wasn’t sure what to do. If I moved, I would be in his arms. I lowered my eyes. That was a wrong move. I could see a huge bulge in the front of his jeans. I quickly looked up. He grinned and repeated.

  “So Harry, what can I do for you?”

  I shook my head. He moved his closer to mine. I could feel his breath on my cheek. I started chewing my bottom lip. His eyes dropped to it. I was like a deer in headlights. I couldn’t move. Any second he was going to kiss me.

  “Hey, Marco, you bothering our client?”

  Bryan walked in. He had his shirt unbuttoned, that chest was so amazing. He still wore the bandana on his head and he looked as sexy as all hell. Without looking away from me, Marco answered Bryan.

  “Never. Just asking what I can do for her.”

  I hadn’t heard Bryan come in, but next minute he was standing alongside Marco, looking down at me. I could feel my heart trying to leap out of my chest.

  “You okay, Harry?”

  Bryan sounded concerned and I was finally able to wrench my eyes from Marco’s face. I looked at the ground.

  “I…he…we…”

  Bryan shoved Marco aside. Marco laughed at him and stood very close alongside me. I could feel his body against my arm. Bryan put a finger under my chin.

  “Harry. Look at me. Are you okay?”

  “I…I don’t. Um, I guess.”

  The smile he gave me made my stomach leap up into my throat and back down again. I felt my nipples harden and I knew my panties were soaked. What the hell was going on with these two?

  “Can we have that talk now, Harry?”

  I looked surprised. Marco was still pressed against my arm. I looked at him and then back to Bryan.

  “I do want to talk to you, Harry. Remember I said I wanted to tell you something about myself? Apart from the fact that I was attracted to you.” I nodded warily. “Not sure how to say this.”

  Marco’s voice held laughter and something else. “Just spill it out, Bryan.” It sounded like affection for Bryan.

  “Hell. Okay, hon, just shut up.” He sounded frustrated.

  “I saw you in the office a lot, in fact, we both did.”

  I think I looked surprised.

  “Then when I met you, Harry, you blew my mind. All I could think of was you. Then that stupid purple toy.”

  I groaned with embarrassment.

  “When I came back for my glasses and saw you. I knew. I wanted to throw you onto the counter and fuck you.”

  My eyes widened. I was taken aback that he was telling me this in front of Marco.

  “But it wasn’t just that. I wanted to learn all about you. Wanted us to get to know each other, to be more than just friends. Suddenly I was thinking of long-term things, things that included you. Then when you kicked me out, I was worried. I knew I’d gone too far. I knew I had scared you somehow.”

  This was confusing.

  “I told Marco what happened. I mean he’d seen you as well and was as attracted to you as I was. So I told him how you and I had sparks. Then I had to go away for business, so did Marco. Anyway. This morning I wanted to talk to you, to tell you about how we felt. But I have to be honest with you.”

  I started feeling a little scared. I was so far out of my comfort zone. I could feel myself start to shiver. I felt Marco’s hand on my shoulder.

  “Babe, don’t be frightened.”

  “No, Harry, please don’t be scared. It isn’t anything bad. It’s just that Marco and I. Well, we’re partners.”

  Of all the things that had been going through my mind, this was the furthest one.

  “What?” I was confused. “Partners?”

  I looked at Marco, then at Bryan. Bryan grinned, nodded, and did that thing with his finger again.

  “Partners. We live together. Marco and I are both bisexual. I saw you, felt that amazing attraction, and told Marco.”

  I think he was going to kiss me. I was still having trouble understanding what Bryan was saying. In the back of my mind, I realised why he hadn’t been upset meeting Andy and Vince. In the front, I think he was sugge
sting I become a third. Marco took up the conversation.

  “I didn’t know Bryan was here this morning. He wasn’t due home until tonight. I came in to check on the work, yes, but I also came in to meet you. As soon as I saw you, I knew what Bryan meant. You’re amazing. You’re beautiful, talented. I got that same kick of electricity that Bryan did.”

  I shook my head.

  I was frightened now. Yes, I was so very attracted to both of them but I was terrified at the same time. It was bad enough thinking about going out with one man, but with two? Okay, I was tempted. I mean they both turned me on big time. They were both the sort of men I could fall in love with.

  But what would happened if they were like Shitface?

  What chance would I have against two men?

  I could feel myself starting to let my thoughts overtake me. The studio, the house, the men in front of me all started to fade. I could feel my heart pounding, it was trying to burst from my chest.

  He would kill me. I felt tears run down my face. I pushed Bryan away and ran inside crying.

  “Harry! Harry, please. We’re sorry. Let’s talk about this.”

  He had followed me inside. I could feel my terror building up. He was going to grab me! I was going to be killed!

  I looked wildly about.

  How could I escape?

  What could I do?

  “Harry! Harry, are you okay? Harry?”

  I cowered in a corner. He had me trapped. Oh god, what if he has a knife again?

  I saw a face as someone knelt down in front of me. He didn’t touch me, he just looked at me.

  “Harry? Tell us, what’s wrong?”

  I couldn’t speak. I was hyperventilating. I was shaking like a leaf. The phone starting ringing. I looked wildly about. Maybe I could scream for help? I heard the answering machine pick up.

  “Hey Harry, how’s the hunky builder?”

  Silence.

  “Harry? It’s Vince. You there? Pick up, sweetie.”

  Shitface got to his feet and looked around for the phone. He picked it up. I had it set to go on speakerphone whenever I picked it up, because I usually had a paintbrush in my hand. I could hear Vince. I was still sobbing in the corner, trying to wrap myself into a ball. I could hear them speaking but it made no sense.

  “Hi. It’s the builder, we met this morning.”

  “Oh. Where’s Harry?”

  “Look something’s happened. She’s—well, she frightened about something. I can’t get through to her.”

  “What did you to her?”

  “My friend and I were talking to her. Look, we like her but we’ve freaked her out somehow. I don’t know how.”

  “We’re on our way. Don’t touch her. We’ll be there in about ten.”

  I heard the conversation but I didn’t. It didn’t get through to me. All I could think of was trying to get away before Shitface killed me.

  He was here.

  He was going to hit me again.

  I tried to see where he was hiding. I was slipping down into oblivion.

  “Harry, sweetie. It’s Vince. Come on, sweetheart. Look at me.”

  Someone touched me. I flinched.

  “Harry. Look at me!”

  I opened my eyes. Vince was there. He was in front of me. I threw myself into his arms.

  “He’s here! He’s going to kill me!”

  “Hush. It’s okay. He’s not here. He’s in gaol. Come on, Harry, come back to us.”

  “Not here?”

  “No, Harry. Come on, sweetie. It’s okay.”

  “Vince?”

  Vince’s wonderful face smiled down at me. “Hello, Harry.”

  I looked up at him smiling down at me. I cried in relief. He had saved me again. I looked beyond him to see Andy looking down. They helped me stand and then Vince lifted me and carried me into my bedroom. He laid me in bed, pulled off my sandals, and drew the covers up. Andy came in with a couple of sleeping tablets.

  “Here Harry, take these. It’s okay.”

  I took the tablets and Vince lay with me, holding me tight until I fell asleep.

  * * * *

  “Right! What’s going on?”

  The guy was angry, they both were. I stood my ground, Marco beside me.

  “You tell us. We were talking to Harry and suddenly she freaked out.”

  “Did you do anything to make her?”

  “Look, we like her, we wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. We were just talking to her. I was explaining about Marco and me, then suddenly she started shaking.”

  “Did you touch her?”

  I looked straight at the guy. “I was going to kiss her.”

  Marco spoke up.

  “Things were going fine. You may as well know. Bryan and I are together in a relationship. Then we’re both attracted to Harry and we told her. We told her we wanted her to get to know us and vice versa.”

  Andy groaned.

  “Let me get this right. You guys are partners but you want to add Harry?”

  “Yes. If she’s willing. I know she’s attracted to us both.”

  I was completely puzzled by everything that had happened. I really thought things were going well. It was obvious Harry and I had chemistry. And then when Marco came in this morning, well, you’d have to be blind not to see she was attracted to him as well. Why she freaked had me concerned. She seemed to have gone deep inside some nightmare. I found myself wanting to care for her, to protect her. Obviously something terrible had happened to her sometime. I just hope these two friends of her would tell us.

  “Look, Andy?” Andy nodded. “Andy, we really like her. This isn’t just looking for some quick hottie to fuck. This is deeper and the attraction is definitely mutual. We want her to like us, would love her to take a chance with us.”

  I looked at Marco. He nodded and spoke to Andy.

  “It’s obvious something horrific happened to her at some time and we triggered some sort of memory of it. I feel awful. Tell us, please.”

  “It’s not my place.”

  “Come off it! You can’t expect us to just walk away.”

  The other guy came into the room.

  “She’s asleep. What’s going on?”

  “You tell me!” I think I sounded demanding, and Marco put his hand on my arm. “Sorry. We’re worried.”

  Andy quickly filled Vince in on what we had told him. His shoulders drooped resignedly. He went over to the coffee machine and started making coffee for everyone.

  “We have to tell them, Andy. We both know she likes Bryan and I’m guessing she’s attracted to you both.”

  “But it’s not our place, hon.” Vince looked concerned. “I mean, she’s going to be pissed if we do.”

  “I know.” Vince looked at Marco and then me, so I tried to reassure him.

  “Look, Vince, we’ll promise to act dumb. If she tells us whatever it is then we’ll act like it’s news to us.”

  Vince stared at me. He looked like a man who wouldn’t take fools kindly. “We have to know. Is this serious? I mean, you two want a quick fuck or are you prepared to take the bad with the good?”

  I looked at Marco, who nodded.

  “How can I explain? When I saw her the first time, I was blown away. Hell, I started thinking of having her in our future. Of being with her forever. There was electricity. I knew it, she knew it. Then today she met Marco and he felt the same thing as I did. I know she is attracted to us both.”

  Marco spoke up.

  “If she has something hurting her, we want to help. Understand, Bryan and I are together. We’ve been together for the past fifteen years. Yes, we’ve had flings with girls, but this is different.”

  “So you’re both bi?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you tell her?”

  “That’s what we were doing when she got upset. It was going good then suddenly she was crying and she ran off. Suddenly she was acting like it wasn’t us, like there was someone else in the room trying to hurt her.”


  The two of them both sighed and looked at each other. Vince had finished making coffee and we all stood around the kitchen counter.

  “If she hates us for this, I’ll kill you both.”

  “She won’t, but if she does, you can.”

  I’ve heard some things in my life but never expected this. No wonder she reacted the way she did. I should never have kissed her. No, that’s wrong. I should have been more sensitive. Vince and Andy told us everything, told exactly what had happened to this wonderful woman.

  “Let me get this straight.” Marco looked furious as he spoke. “Some guy she’d started dating turned out to be some sort of freak. He tried to kill her after spending a couple of weeks stalking her and appearing out of nowhere and assaulting her?”

  “Yes. The cops tried to find him. He’d moved and there was some sort of arrest-on-sight order on him. For a few weeks, he kept hiding from them. He would find her. He would scream and rave then hit her then disappear. Then one day he just went crazy.”

  “So this guy’s in gaol now?”

  Marco took the words out of my mouth.

  “Yeah. For the past twelve years, she hasn’t allowed anyone to get close to her. She pours everything into work. Andy and I have tried to encourage her to go out, to get involved, but she wouldn’t. She can’t see beyond what happened.”

  “Then she met you. We could both see she was attracted. She was fighting against herself, wanting to pretend there was no attraction. But the truth was, she is. She’s tempted to try again, but part of her is terrified the same thing will happen. I guess tonight, she panicked, thinking she would never stand a chance against the two of you if you attacked her.”

  I groaned. We handled this wrong. I just hoped we could fix it up. Andy looked at us both.

  “The guy was great when they first met. We weren’t that keen on him but he treated her well. Then it all went wrong. They’d only be going out a few weeks and she started feeling nervous around him so she broke it off. He didn’t take it too well and started threatening her. It just escalated from that.” His eyes filled with tears. “If we hadn’t come that day she’d be dead. Even the hospital staff were amazed she survived. But now she lives in fear.”

  No wonder. I couldn’t imagine how it must feel. My heart almost broke thinking of what she had endured.