Beautiful Triad (7 page)

Drew sat down and reached over to gently wipe the residue from her damp thighs. “Do you want to talk now, or in the morning?”

“I don’t know if I’m capable of coherent speech right now.” To his relief, her smile didn’t reflect regret, even if it was a little tremulous. “But I agree we should.”

“That’s okay. I want to go first anyway.” He frowned and tossed the washcloth on top of his discarded clothes, wondering how to explain that he encouraged what had just happened for a damn good reason. “I’m crazy in love with you, Lauren, you know that.”

She nodded, her eyes looking enormous in the understated illumination. “I feel the same way, Drew.”

“Just about me?” He lifted a hand palm forward before she could answer and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t answer that yet. Look, the trouble is, I was beginning to get the impression I wasn’t the only one feeling that way about you. Rob and I haven’t ever kept secrets from each other that I know of, and this particular one was making us all feel awkward as shit. You were jumpy and quiet when he was around, and he wasn’t any better. As someone who isn’t blind, deaf and dumb, I could sense there was an attraction. I think I can safely say I was right.”

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48

Kate Watterson

Rob propped himself up on the pillows and ran a hand through his already tousled hair. “I tried to ignore it,” he said in a quiet even voice. “I wouldn’t come between you two for anything.”

“I know what you mean about ignoring it.” She gave a shaky sigh and tugged the sheet up to cover her nakedness, which was a damned shame in Drew’s opinion. “I’ve been a little bit uncomfortable around you since practically the day we met.”

Rob gazed at her. “But not tonight.”

“I…I…” she trailed off and her cheeks looked flushed as she bit her lower lip. “No, not tonight. I don’t suppose I can deny that.” She looked at Drew. “I’m sorry.”

“Why the hell should you be sorry?” He reached over and touched her cheek. “It was my idea, babe. If both Rob and I have the same feelings for you and you have them for us, well, it seems like a simple equation to me. We might need to lay a few ground rules to make sure we’re all on the same page, but we’re intelligent and reasonable adults.”

Lauren’s hand tightened on the sheet she clutched to her breasts.

“Are you seriously suggesting we do this all the time?”

“I want to be with you. This thing between you and Rob was starting to cause a real problem for us.”

Rob reached over and clasped her free hand, twining his fingers with hers. “I want to be with you, too, Lauren. Now more than ever.”

She looked back and forth from each of them and then shook her head, her glossy hair moving against her shoulders. “I don’t believe this. I’m…I’m not going to lie…I’m pretty confused about how to react.”

“You should stop analyzing it too much.” Drew gave her a glimmering smile. “Seems to me the sex was great and we have this week to see if we can deal with the dynamics of how it will work out.”

“It sounds logical to me.” Rob backed him up, still holding her hand and giving it a light squeeze. “I was getting past miserable and Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.

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Beautiful Triad

49

into severe frustration, and I don’t mean just sexual, but there was that, too, believe me.”

“Oh God, what would my mother say?” Lauren gave a small moan, looking deliciously chagrined.

“Don’t tell her,” Drew suggested and reached over to switch off the bedside light.

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50

Kate Watterson

Dr. Benjamin Heaton set aside his tepid cup of coffee and looked at the sheriff’s deputy. “I hope you realize how serious this is. My wife has apparently been missing for two days. At first, I just thought I was having trouble getting a hold of her, but when I became truly alarmed, I drove down from Louisville.”

The young man gave him a brisk nod. “We take every report seriously, sir.”

“I hope so.” He’d finished the paperwork and was at a loss as to what came next. “What do I do now?”

“Please contact us if you get any new information. We’ll be out to look at her car and talk to the neighbors, see if they saw anything.”

Well, that sounded reasonable, but he did have to wonder how skilled any police officer in this quiet little corner of Tennessee would be. It was extremely rural and isolated and if he had to guess, the local law enforcement departments didn’t regularly deal with possible foul play.

The question was, if Regina had arrived at the cabin—which the presence of her car indicated she had—where could she be? On foot it was twenty miles to the nearest town. Obviously that was out of the question.

Any missing person was difficult to trace. Out here, it might be impossible.

“There aren’t really any neighbors. It’s on Woods Lake, as you can see from the address. It’s private and pretty inaccessible.” He pointed it all out with as much detachment as possible.

“We’ll do our best, sir.”

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Beautiful Triad

51

Benjamin got to his feet and left the small, utilitarian government building, stepping out to ninety degree heat and equal humidity. He slid into his BMW and flipped on the air after starting it, wondering if it was in severe bad taste to go right from the police station to the liquor store, but desperately wanting a drink. Almost immediately his cell phone rang and he saw his mother-in-law’s number with a twinge of dismay. The woman was in full panic mode and it wasn’t helping to soothe his nerves one bit.

With reluctance he answered. “Hello, Margaret.”

“Ben, where are you?”

“Just outside the police station in Heltonville. I’ve reported her missing, I’m afraid.”

“Oh God.” There was a small sob on the other end of the call.

“You haven’t heard anything, have you?” He squinted in his side mirror and pulled onto the quiet main street.

“Don’t you think I’d have called?”

“Yes, of course. I’m sorry. I’m not exactly rational right now.

This has me in a tailspin. Can you blame me?” It came out too curt, and he calmed himself down with effort. She was worried and he knew that.

“I know, I know, we’re all just frantic here.” His wife’s mother sounded both contrite and on the edge of tears.

Not what he needed. He said with as much composure as possible,

“Of course you are. And when I know anything I’ll call immediately.

Either way, we’ll talk tomorrow. Just pray in the meantime she calls with whatever explanation there can be for her absence.”

Even as he pressed the button to end the call, he knew they both were aware there really couldn’t be one other than the obvious reason.

Regina wouldn’t ever leave him without making a giant production out of it. They’d had their troubles—most married couples did now and again—and every single time she’d made sure everyone knew about it.

She wouldn’t just vanish.

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52

Kate Watterson

It was pretty evident something bad had happened.

* * * *

Lauren opened her eyes, shut them tight, and opened them again.

She was alone, sunlight glowing against the lowered blinds in the huge bedroom, and if it wasn’t for the fact the bed was a disaster of rumpled sheets and she was naked and still a bit sticky, she might have passed off the night before as some very naughty erotic dream.

A pretty wonderful, incredibly sexy dream.

For someone who had drank only a couple of glasses of wine, she felt like it was the morning after a binge, not because she felt hung over, but because taking inventory of what she’d done the night before was a little difficult.

Had she really had sex with
both
Drew and Rob?

Actually, if she were honest, the question was, had she really had
fantastic
sex with both Drew and Rob. They had all slept together in the enormous bed, for she’d rolled away from Drew in the middle of the night and found Rob’s rangy body on the other side of her, his dark lashes resting on those wonderful cheekbones as his broad chest lifted in a steady rhythm.

It should have felt all wrong.

Somehow it had felt right instead.

Two men.

Oh God.

Never in one million years did she imagine she would do such a thing. Never in two million years did she imagine Drew would encourage it. Rob wasn’t someone she pictured in such an unconventional situation either. Maybe they’d all just gone insane.

Perhaps the well was tainted…yeah, that was it. They all ingested some obscure poison…

No, she couldn’t blame the drinking water, Lauren acknowledged wryly, her emotions chaotic as tried to be honest with herself. She’d Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.

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Beautiful Triad

53

wanted them both. Always she’d thought of herself as a nice, conservative girl. Certainly she’d stayed a virgin longer than any of her friends, and she did not sleep around, Drew being only her second lover, if the first one even qualified for that term. It was quite a leap from conventional, almost uptight, Midwestern small town moral standards to multiple partner sex.

However, though she maybe
should
feel differently about it, she found even in the morning-after disbelief, that she didn’t have regrets.

Both Drew and Rob had made love to her. Because the sex had been spectacular didn’t detract from how it had also been tender and as much about feelings as physical desire.

Now what?

Obviously they had talked to each other about it beforehand and that seemed an odd concept. Drew had said it was his idea. Whatever happened next, things would never be the same, and somehow the three of them were going to have to work this through.

A traitorous part of her was now glad they had the rest of the week alone together.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Lauren headed for the shower. A half hour later, she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer and headed downstairs.

Just how awkward was this going to be?

Both of them were in the kitchen. She could smell bacon frying and Drew said something, making Rob laugh. As she reached the bottom of the staircase and had a clear view, she saw they were moving efficiently around as they prepared breakfast, and the table was set for three.

Table for three. Well, that was symbolic. If there was going to be awkwardness, it wasn’t between the two of them, and she found it amazing. Most men were possessive, and up until now, Drew had been no exception. He had been more than unhappy when he’d found out one of the partners in the insurance firm she worked for repeatedly hit on her. When they were in public, he tended to make Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.

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54

Kate Watterson

sure he touched her in some way, waist, hand, arm, anything to show they were together, whether it was conscious or not.

It wasn’t that she wanted him to be jealous, but this was a little difficult to absorb.

She cleared her throat. “Good morning.”

They both glanced up and smiled. Drew with his charismatic charm, and Rob with that almost boyish curve of his lips that was so indicative of his more reserved nature. Drew said, “Morning, babe. I hope you’re both hungry and not too picky. It’s hard to ruin bacon and toast, but I can’t vouch for Rob’s scrambled eggs. He’s a lousy cook.”

“Are you kidding me? He burned the first batch of toast, so don’t let him fool you. Check the trash.” Rob turned back to the stove and neatly scooped out the eggs like a typical male, straight onto the plates, no serving dish provided. “Let’s sit down before it gets cold.

Your timing is perfect, Lauren. Do you want coffee?”

The moment slid past—for them anyway—without any

embarrassment or hesitation, their usual banter in place without an apparent hiccup. They seemed perfectly at ease with each other and her arrival.

That was good, wasn’t it?

She murmured, “Yes, please.”

“I’ll get it.” Drew grabbed a mug out of the cupboard, filled it, and handed her the sugar bowl along with the cup.

It would have been fine, except she blushed as she accepted the offering. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He turned back to help Rob by putting bacon on the plates.

It was Rob who deposited her plate with a flourish and they all sat down. “You’re spoiling me,” she said, looking at her full plate, which actually did smell delicious.

“Just wait.” Drew scooped jam on a piece of toast and gave her that little sexy grin that was his alone.

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Beautiful Triad

55

The implication made her face flush warmer, but it also sent a small quiver of anticipation through her.

“Rob and I were thinking we might all want to go on a picnic later. On the other side of the lake there is a fantastic cove, sheltered and private with a small beach. We thought maybe we’d go there and hang out for a while.”

“It’s supposed to be a gorgeous day.” Rob looked at her, his hazel eyes reflecting memory of the night before. “A beautiful afternoon and a beautiful woman. Sounds good to me.”

She was the lucky one, having two wildly attractive men making her breakfast, planning romantic outings, and then later…

Later. Just the thought of it made the twist of excitement curl tighter in the pit of her stomach and her nipples tightened under her light blouse. The inner slut in charge, she told herself with some mortification. The one she didn’t know existed but liked the idea of a repeat performance of the night before.