A Bride for Two Mavericks (19 page)

“We’re just all going to have to be patient,” Max replied with strict authority. “And then we’re going to fuck your brains out for days in a row.”

She groaned at the thought as the spasms of pleasure continued to quietly ricochet through her torso. “Why are you two so goddamn good? Break the rules, for once.”

“Not when it comes to your health, darlin’,” Max said as he gathered her in his colossal arms and stood above the chaise longue. “How ’bout that massage, though?”

She nodded silently, happy to concede as he stretched her body out in front of the fireplace, her body sinking into the velvety fur of the rug. Max left the room momentarily, quickly returning with a bottle of oil in his hand. He then kneeled just above her, his palms rubbing her with oil from the nape of her neck to the tips of her toes. As his hands began to explore every inch of her, every thought seemed to pass out of her. She let her mind drift as total relaxation enveloped her.

“I really do love you, Audrey Rousseau,” was the last thing that entered her consciousness before she succumbed completely to the total decadence of the evening.

Chapter Fourteen

Audrey caught a quick glimpse of the sun shining through the windowpanes filling the entire wall of the lavish room. She had just a moment to realize they must have let her sleep in quite awhile after their late night together, then she found herself blindfolded and being lifted out of the bed.

“Must you always wake me up this way?” she protested as she felt Max's arms gather around her naked body.

“I know you love a good surprise, darlin',” Max whispered in her ear. “We want to celebrate your recovery. You’ll have to see him one more time, but the doc told us this morning that if you’re up and about with no pain, you have a clean bill of health.”

He carried her down the hall, and she was finally familiar enough with the house's layout to know she was being carried into the studio wing.

“It was one thing to be treated like a child when I was legitimately sick. Now I insist on standing and enjoying the use of my own two feet!”

“We know you like it, Audrey. Don't try to deny it. Just wait to see what we have in store for you,” Silas said from somewhere in front of her.

The door to the main studio opened, and Max gently placed her on the ground and removed her blindfold. Three mannequins stood in front of her dressed to the nines. Her eye was immediately drawn to the women's gown amid two smartly designed men's tuxedos.

This dress was obviously made for her, and the moment she took in its details, she knew it was perfect. A cream colored chiffon cape draped the shoulders of the female form and was edged with complementary pearl-colored feathers and smocked at the shoulders and hem. She gently admired the craftsmanship of the outerwear, then peeled it back carefully to admire the garment beneath it. A matching ivory floor-length lace dress asymmetrically draped the slender mannequin.

“It’s gorgeous,” she said quietly as she carefully examined the stitching of the elaborate gown. “Where did it come from?”

Max cleared his throat. Was that a tiny hint of a blush she saw in his face? “We designed it for you, Audrey. We had our assistant Katherine do the sewing work. She did a fine job, didn’t she?”

“It’s remarkable that I didn’t make it myself!” Audrey responded with a laugh. She kissed each man tenderly on the mouth. How could anyone know her this well, much less two people?

“And look at these suits, so masterfully constructed. I can’t believe you had someone make my designs without me even knowing it! But where should we go in such finery? I haven’t dressed in a gown since I left Paris. Don’t you Texans turn up your noses at fancy costumes? I’ve heard you wear denim at weddings, even.”

Silas took her hand in his and looked at her with his most devilish grin. “Once a year we go all out, you might say…”

“It's called The Cotillion, Audrey. It happens every year in Male Order and is very serious business amongst the women in this town. I suppose the men as well, but the women take it all very seriously. Most everyone attends.”

“Oh, I see. And you are asking me to this cotillion, then?”

“Yes, Audrey. We've skipped it for the past few years, but we’d very much like to escort you, if you'll have us and care to go,” Max said with a complementary grin to his younger brother's.

“Hmm. May I have the afternoon to consider?” Audrey feigned the most serious look she could conjure up for the men.

The two of them looked at her, then each other, shocked by her response. She couldn't help but burst out laughing as a look of genuine sadness settled across both of their faces.

“It was a joke!” She couldn't believe she had convinced them of her seriousness. “Come on, boys…”

“We're a bit rusty at this, Audrey. Be gentle!” Silas joked, his voice clearly signaling the relief he felt at her response.

“Of course I’ll attend. But I have to see these suits on you first to make sure they are properly fitted for you,” she replied sincerely.

Max and Silas passed a look between each another that spoke of some secret knowledge they shared. “We knew you would insist on that,” Max answered after she looked at them questioningly.

“I want them to be perfect! It's my job. Now, what are you waiting for?” she teased.

The brothers obediently stripped down, and she watched as they carefully dressed in the unique finery she had designed specifically for them. She inspected their dramatically different styles and was pleased how they reflected each Abrams' personality.

Silas looked stylish in his cream-colored tailcoat, double-breasted vest and yellow silk tie. Max donned a tuxedo in black from head to toe, his waistcoat carefully embroidered with ornate silvery thread. He pulled his black cowboy boots back on and immediately tucked the slim cut pants into the tops of his Texan footwear.

Max caught sight of her subtle eye roll. “Miss Audrey Rousseau, these are some of the finest boots money can buy. Why should I hide them?”

“It’s just such a strange thing to me. Perhaps I will adjust in time.”

“You best be! We will make you a Texan yet,” Max replied to her skeptical answer.

“What do you think, Audrey?” Silas asked, smiling as he adjusted his cream-colored top hat.

“Quite dapper, I must say. I think I captured you both perfectly, even if I didn't even know you when I designed these,” she replied as she bent to fix the cuffs of his fine slacks.

“They suit us perfectly. What do you think about this pocket, though? Is it sewn properly? I need your expert eyes,” Max said adjusted the lining.

Audrey inspected the fine, careful work of the seamstress and looked at the detail in question on Max's tuxedo. As her fingers ran along the seams, she felt something round sticking out from the bottom of the pocket and covered in strange protrusions.

She reached in and pulled out a ring unlike anything she had ever seen before. Three large, luminous gems immediately pulled her eye to the middle of the elaborately designed piece, the massive diamond flanked on each side by an equally brilliant sapphire and emerald.

“What…is this?” she asked, her voice unsteady.

Both men sunk to the floor, each poised on one knee.

“Audrey, we know it hasn't been very long since you came into our lives…” Silas trailed off, clearly searching for the right words.

“But we've talked about it at length, and Silas and I can't imagine our lives without you. We want you to be our wife. We want you to stay here in Male Order and help us run and expand our business endeavors. I’m completely confident the menswear line is going to be a huge success. And that's going to mean a hell of a lot more work for us. We can't do it without you. And…we can't live without you either.” Max looked at her with the wildest intensity she had ever seen before, his chestnut eyes turned almost black with desire.

A flood of adrenaline rushed through her veins, causing her heart to pulse at a ruthless pace. Marriage? Her? Could she really have everything she wanted without giving up her career? She had spent her whole adulthood raging against the trapped life women were forced to live. But now here stood Max and Silas, two gorgeous and talented businessmen who promised to give her not only their unconditional love but also everything she had ever wished for in her career.

Silas stood as he told her, “We love you, Audrey. We love your wild, free spirit, your genius and your vision. We've always wanted a woman we could share everything with, but we never imagined someone who could come along and show us the future of the store and our business ventures. The world might be shocked, but it's time a woman like you was in charge.”

He had said the perfect thing, everything she wanted and needed to hear from them in that moment.

“So you don’t want to lock me up in the kitchen?” she asked, a smile spreading across her face.

“We might be tempted to lock you up in the bedroom or in the boardroom. Otherwise, we share everything equally, the three of us,” Max responded as he wrapped his arm around her waist, his eyes never once leaving hers. “We might ask for more bouillabaisse from time to time, though.”

“We love you, Audrey. I knew you were right for us from the moment I met you. But I never imagined that you would truly see the potential for massive success with our business. But you believed in us even before you met us,” Silas added, standing behind her, his voice quiet in her ear.

“I did, and I do. Yes, I want so much to marry you both. I love you. But I need some time to grow into this. Is that all right with you both?”

“Of course, baby,” Silas responded tenderly. “You take as much time as you need.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile as she kissed both of them.

“Please just accept the ring, and we can take as long as you need before we go through with it,” Max said, his eyes filled with a tenderness she had never seen in them before.

She took the ring and slipped it onto her left hand, a perfect fit on her slim finger. It was so damn perfect, she had to fight herself to keep her emotions in check.

“It’s too beautiful,” she finally mustered, the tears welling in her eyes.

“We’re patient men, Audrey. But we know what we want, and we will have it,” Max said quietly in a gentle but forceful tone.

She nodded silently. “I want it too, so very much.”

“We’ll leave you alone to try on your ensemble,” Silas said to break the tension between them.

“Thank you both. Thank you both for everything,” she replied, admiring the gorgeous ring on her hand.

“Thank you, darlin’,” Max responded, his hand brushing her face as he intensely looked her in the eye.

As they exited the studio, she slumped down in the chair and sighed deeply. Could she really be the wife of these men? Both of them? She looked down at the ring on her finger, the symbol of their love and commitment.

Her heart raced as she tried to imagine their future together. Absurd images sprang to her mind of her on horseback, head to toe in western regalia. Could she really become a Texan? Would the people of Male Order really accept her?

The thoughts washed over her as she stripped off her clothes, the cool of the studio air washing over her naked body. As her fingers brushed over the lace of the dress, she decided to move past it for the moment, her lips curling into a smile. She reached only for the cape, carefully untying in from the mannequin’s body and wrapping it carefully around her bare skin.

She loved the sensation of the nearly translucent chiffon against her, the feathers barely tickling her arms as the garment draped over her. She walked to the entrance of the studio and opened the door, revealing her naughty redesign meant only for her two lovers.

Max and Silas’ mouths immediately fell open as she whirled in the doorway, her bare cunt and tits barely exposed beneath the layers of transparent fabric.