Playing for Satisfaction [Satisfaction Texas 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  Ellie didn’t have to ponder on that for long. The Whips and Spurs was only a short drive from Candy’s. Suddenly, something hit her.

  “Ren, Bram’s not a member. Will Micah let him in?”

  “Thanks for thinking of me, Angel.” Bram sounded pleased. “But I am most certainly a member. I’m on the standard probationary period, but Ren sponsored me and I passed all the background checks. Besides I’ve known Micah since we were kids. Who do you think taught him how to throw a whip?” He paused and looked concerned. “Having second thoughts, Angel?”

  “Yes, I’m already regretting it,” Ren grumbled, but Ellie could see that he was just giving Bram a hard time. They were clearly close, and even with the differences in their outward personalities, she could tell that, deep down, they had a lot in common. They were good, solid men with strong values and convictions. She wasn’t sure how she could choose between them, or if.

  After Ren parked, Bram opened the passenger door and lifted her out before setting her on her feet so close to him she could feel the heat radiating from his body and the bulge in the crotch of his jeans. But he didn’t make a move on her. And once Ren came around the truck, they each took an arm and walked her up the steps and through the saloon door.

  She could feel the butterflies in her stomach start up again and she felt a sudden urge to flee.

  “I just have to use the ladies’ room. I’ll meet you back here in a moment.” She tugged and they immediately released her, concern on Ren’s face and amusement on Bram’s.

  “No problem, Ellie. Bram and I will go talk to Micah. We’ll meet you back here in five.”

  It was closer to ten minutes when she finally exited the ladies’ room. She was so nervous. She’d paced and talked to herself and used the facilities a second time. She’d finally left when Jules had come in and asked her if she was okay.

  Knowing the guys were probably pacing anxiously, she quickly exited, but they weren’t in sight. She could go back into the club and look for them. She did have a security card that would let her in. On the other hand, they did say meet back here. She could go get a glass of wine from the bartender. Micah was pretty strict about drinking and playing, but he’d allow a single glass.

  She walked over to the bar. Trace was on duty. Did he not have a life? She wasn’t sure if she’d ever been in and not seen him working. He wasn’t alone though. There was a customer at the bar and the two were talking intently. Trace did not look happy. She could only see the man’s back, but he looked vaguely familiar.

  As she approached, Trace noticed her and nodded a hello. The stranger turned and she felt her jaw drop. Crap. It was Tobias.

  Unfortunately he was smiling and holding out his hand in greeting. She shook it and tried to pull away. He held it just a moment too long before letting go. She had to force herself not to rub the palm of her hand on her pant leg.

  “Hey, miss pool shark. I just wanted to come back and apologize for my bad behavior last night. I am so sorry. I don’t want you think badly off me or my friends, Miss Maine.” He looked so concerned.

  “No problem, Tobias. It’s already forgotten.”

  He beamed at her. “Thank you, Miss Maine. And please call me Toby. May I call you Ellie? After all, you aren’t my teacher anymore. In fact, we are both adults now. I’d like to buy you a drink, if I may?”

  “No, it’s okay, Tobias, er, Toby. I’m with friends and…” She looked around, but Ren and Bram hadn’t returned yet. “I was just getting a glass of wine.”

  He beamed. “Please, whatever the lady wants. Please put it on my tab.”

  She noticed Trace gave him a hard look but then shrugged and pulled out a bottle from behind the bar and poured her a glass of red wine. She smiled her thanks at Trace and then turned to Toby and smiled, lifting her glass in toast and took a sip. It was amazing and incredibly expensive. She looked at Trace who gave her an innocent look.

  She sipped and listened as Tobias yammered on about something or other. She was only listening with half an ear and nodding and mmhmming periodically, so she was shocked when he grabbed her hand and started shaking it again.

  “I, uh…”

  “Thank you so much, Miss Maine, I mean Ellie. I truly appreciate your agreeing to tutor me in pool. I thought I was good. I mean, I generally win and all, but your technique was flawless. Thank you again. I’ll be in touch and we can set up sessions. We have a regulation pool table in our family room.”

  “No, I mean, I don’t…”

  “No problem. You prefer to play in public. I understand. A beautiful woman, especially a teacher, must be careful. Don’t worry. I won’t don’t anything to damage your reputation. I hold you in the highest regard and I hope that someday you might come to see me that way, too.” He smiled and Ellie tried to interrupt, but he held up a hand to stop her.

  “Let’s not discuss it now. I won’t press. But I do hope that maybe one day you’ll feel for me what I have felt for you since I first laid eyes on you. But, back to business.”

  Suddenly his whole attitude changed. He was now totally impersonal, his tone respectful. “Perhaps we can have our sessions here. In the afternoons. I know you are a high school teacher and school is out for the summer, right? Maybe we can meet here, I don’t know, Tuesdays and Thursdays at around two? It should be quiet here then.” Ellie found herself swept up in his enthusiasm and unsure how to get out of it. She’d clearly nodded at the right time when he’d been blathering on. “Thank you again, Miss Maine. And how lucky is it that you came in just now? The bartender said that he didn’t know you and your number is unlisted, but here you are. I guess this is my lucky day. Well, see you Tuesday.”

  And then he threw some bills on the counter and was gone and Ellie raised the glass to her lips and chugged the rest of her wine.

  “Hey, El. That’s no way to treat a vintage Merlot!”

  “God damn it, Trace. Why didn’t you stop me from agreeing to tutor him in pool?”

  “I would have if I could have, but you said yes. What could I do, princess?”

  “I wasn’t actually listening to him. I’ve got other things on my mind.”

  “I could tell. And I did try to get rid of him. You just walked in at the wrong time. But now I have a question for you. What are you going to charge him?”

  “Charge him? Oh, crap. What am I going to charge him?” She placed her glass on the counter. “Hit me again, Trace, but the cheap stuff this time, since I’m paying.”

  Trace smiled, “I’d say two hundred an hour.”

  “Seriously? That’s a lot of money.”

  “He’s rich and stupid. Maybe you should charge him more. Hell, he left that much for your drink. And”—he indicated the tan Stetson on the counter—“he left his hat behind. Clearly, he’s not a true cowboy.

  “Two hundred? In that case, I’ll have the same again.”

  “You know that if you do, you won’t be allowed to go into the club for at least two hours. Rules are rules.”

  “Maybe that’s a good thing.” She sighed.

  “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. Are you sure you should go back there with them? I don’t know exactly what’s up, but it looks to me like you aren’t ready for that just yet. I know there are a lot of ménages in this town, but they aren’t for everyone. Don’t let them push you into what you aren’t ready for or don’t want. Remember, the sub sets the limits. And if you aren’t ready to deal with one or both of them, I’d be happy to toss them out for you. Just give me the word.”

  Ellie looked up at Trace and smiled. Going up on tiptoes, she grabbed the neckline of his T-shirt and pulled his head low enough for her to plant a quick kiss on his lips and smiled when he blushed. He was a very nice man. She looked at him closely for probably the first time. He was probably late thirties or early forties with twinkling blue eyes and long dark hair that he kept tied back. She realized that she really didn’t know much about him. One of these days…

  “Thanks, Trace, for having my back. Oh, and I’ll have a Diet Coke, but you owe me a glass of the good stuff next time I’m here.”

  Just then, the door to the club opened and Ren and Bram exited, looking around for her with alarm. She waved and caught their attention, smiling at their expressions.

  “Go on over to your men, Ellie, but first consider this. You’ve always given them the power. Maybe it’s time to discover your inner switch,” he said gruffly.

  “How do you know so much?”

  He smiled. “I’m a bartender. I know everything. I’ll bring your drink over to you. Now go over there and kick some ass.”

  * * * *

  For a second, Bram thought she’d left. He felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach and all he wanted to do was sink to the ground and wallow in his misery and then he saw her talking to Trace and the sun came out again. He didn’t even care about this kiss. He could tell it was a friendly one. Trace was everyone’s pal. The day suddenly seemed brighter when she walked toward them, although her expression was a bit serious and maybe tentative.

  “Look, I know we talked about going to the club, but why don’t we stay out here and talk for a while?” He could see the anxious look in her face and her relief when they both nodded.

  She walked over to a standard booth and indicated that the two men should sit on one side and she’d sit on the other. Bram slid into the booth followed by Ren. He wanted to sit beside her and feel her warm body beside his again. He wanted to kiss her again. He still hadn’t felt the touch of her lips and it was killing him. Ren had been right. He wasn’t over her and he didn’t think he ever would be.

  He didn’t like the expression on Ellie’s face as she sat across from Ren, her giant purse on the bench beside her, leaving no room for him. He started to protest but just th
en Trace walked over with two beers and a Diet Coke. He set them down and gave Bram a look.

  Bram took the hint and sat down beside Ren. Trace nodded and then disappeared back behind the bar. Bram sipped his beer.

  “Thanks to both of you for understanding that I’m not ready to go into the club with you both, not even to talk.”

  “Well, to be honest, Micah sort of slapped us upside the head when we told him why we wanted a room.”

  “Ren’s not kidding. He slapped us both. Hard!” Bram whined and rubbed the side of his head, hoping for sympathy, but not really expecting it.

  “Yup. He told us we were both we were idiots. I know Bram’s been called an idiot, but that was a first for me.”

  “Liar. I called you an idiot all the time when we were growing up.”

  Bram started to respond but then he saw the look on Ellie’s face and stopped. He paused and took a sip of beer. It was light beer. Trace knew he hated the stuff. He turned and stuck his tongue out at the bartender who saluted him with a grin. They were being watched and he knew that Trace wouldn’t hesitate to step in if he thought that things were getting out of hand. Trace was protective of the subs in and out of the play room.

  He took another sip as he composed his thoughts.

  “Ellie, last night after we left you, Ren and I talked. A lot. In fact, we talked until they kicked us out at closing time and then we went over to Ren’s house and talked some more.”

  “So, what did you two talk about?”

  “You. Us.”

  “As in all three of us. Not me and Ren,” Bram clarified. Bram saw his cousin roll his eyes, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want there to be any miscommunications anymore and he wasn’t taking any chances. Now that he was near her again, he knew that he could never leave. He shouldn’t have left the first time but he’d so arrogantly assumed she’d come running. Getting those rings in the mail had been like a sucker punch to his stomach. He’d acted impulsively, like a wounded lion angrily striking back. He should have followed his initial impulse and flown back to Texas, paddled her ass, and insisted her place was with her husband. And if she’d still refused to come, he should have quit his job to be with her. Now he just had to find the right time to tell her without making her think he was trying to manipulate his way back into her bed. He wanted more than that. He wanted in her life. Permanently. And if that meant sharing her with Ren, he could live with that. What he couldn’t stand the idea of was life without her.

  * * * *

  Ellie didn’t answer immediately. She just sipped her Diet Coke and waited. The answer wasn’t surprising. In fact, she’d have been surprised by any other. Or maybe not. They were men. They might have argued about college football or some other pressing matter.

  “And did you come to any conclusions?”

  “A few,” Ren ventured tentatively, “but mostly we had questions that needed to be answered first.”

  “Such as?”

  He looked over at his cousin and then turned toward Ellie, capturing her hands in his. Naturally Bram reached out and tugged on her right hand. “Didn’t Aunt Mina teach you about sharing?”

  Ellie supressed a grin.

  “Go on, Ren.”

  “Yes, go on, Ren. Age before beauty!” Bram grinned and Ellie found herself rolling her eyes and he sobered up quickly. For a second she could see the pain in his eyes and she had a revelation. That was how he hid his feelings and protected himself. Inappropriate humor. How had she never realized that before? Ren went the opposite way, intellectualizing everything, but the result was the same. They held people at a distance.

  “Such as, what do you feel for us? We agreed that we would both respect your decision, but we need to know. I need to know. Clearly your relationship with my cousin has progressed much further than ours had. Was I just going to just be your Dom, someone to play with? Could you ever see our relationship progressing beyond play sessions? I know that our relationship has progressed, but where did you see it going? We’ve never even spent the night together.”

  Ellie looked at Ren. Dear Ren who had been so patient with her. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a box she’d been carrying around for the last few weeks.

  “I’ve been waiting for the right time to give you this.”

  Ellie’s heart flip flopped at Ren’s expression. He looked a little scared, like he was almost afraid to open it. She looked over to Bram. He was watching intently, but his expression was neutral.

  Both men appeared to be holding their breath as Ren opened the small package, first carefully untying the bow and then lifting the lid to see the key nestled within.

  “Is this what I think it is?” His voice was low and tentative.

  “It’s the key to my front door. I’ve cleared you a drawer in my dresser, too. I was just, well, I was too chicken to actually give them to you. You see, I had my heart broken once, and I’ve been afraid to take the next step.”

  “And are you doing it now because he is here?” He looked like a little boy who could see his greatest desire was within grasp but terrified that could be pulled away any moment. He looked like he was afraid to believe.

  She reached across the table and took his hand.

  “Yes, but not in the way you mean. It was seeing Bram again that finally gave me the courage to do this, but not because I want to hurt him or put on a show in front of him. I love you, Ren. I should have said it before. Hell, I should have said it under different circumstances. I love you and I don’t want to sleep alone anymore.”

  “That’s that, then.” Bram put down his drink and stood. “I hope you two are very happy.” He leaned over the table and kissed her cheek. “I guess the better man won, cuz. Don’t worry, I won’t bother you again, either of you. Out of the way, Ren.” He stood.

  “Sit down, you big idiot!” She reached up and tugged him by the shirt front. “Ouch!” Something hurt her fingers and then she felt something give way and heard the sound of something metallic hitting the table. She realized that it was a chain and she’d accidently pulled it when she grabbed his shirt and broken it.

  Scrambling to the floor, she scooped up the charms or whatever they were and placed them on the table in front of him.

  “I’m so sorry, Bram. I’ll replace the chain, but please don’t go. You need to hear me out…” She realized that he wasn’t looking at her. He was staring down at the table. She looked down too and sat down with a thump, feeling herself going hot and cold at the same time.

  The three charms were actually their rings. Her engagement and wedding rings. His wedding ring. He’d been wearing them around his neck. She looked up at him and saw him tense. He looked like he wanted to make a run for it but he was trapped in the booth by Ren. He reached out for the rings but she batted his hand away but before she could say anything, she heard a familiar voice.

  “Miss Maine! It’s so good to see you again.”

  It was Darcy. Sweet, smiling Darcy was all grown up now.

  “You’ve got the rings!” He grinned. “When I found them on the mail table, wow, it was almost four years ago, I was worried that they’d get lost, so I packaged them up and mailed them personally.”

  Bram, Ellie, and Ren exchanged shocked glances. Ellie looked down at the rings as Bram reached out with his two larger ones and cupped her hand in his. Then the tears started to roll slowly down her face as Darcy’s words sank in.

  Chapter 10

  “You mailed the rings? You?” Bram’s voice was tight.

  Bram thought he was going to be sick. He sat back in the booth unable to speak. He desperately wanted out. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think. He felt like his world had shifted on its axis. She hadn’t sent him the rings back.

  “I told you that I didn’t send them,” she said quietly, reaching out to cover his bigger hands with her tiny ones. “I loved you. I would never have ended things that way.”

  “Me, too. Hell, Ellie. I never stopped loving you.” He turned his hands and captured hers. They were cold and he rubbed them to warm them up.

  She nodded smiling sadly. “I never stopped loving you either.”