Point of Contention (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (18 page)

me!”

“Why did you marry him?”

“I was in love and a little bit in lust, too. He was tall and blond

with blue eyes and a bad-boy air. The complete opposite of any boy

or man I’d ever dated. I was immature enough to think that because

he chose me, he’d stay faithful to me.”

“You were married. You had a right to believe that.”

“In a perfect world, yes. We don’t live in anything near perfect,

Stuart. I spent several years going through life with rose-colored

glasses on because it was easier than admitting I’d made a mistake.”

“I don’t see you that way, Kay. I can picture you busting your ass

to make him a comfortable home, to be the perfect wife. But I also get

the impression that you could have been a goddess and it still

wouldn’t have been enough for him.”

“To a certain degree you’re right. Eric felt he had a right to cheat,

that it was every man’s not-too-guilty pleasure. He had the balls to tell me it was a throwback to the old days when men still ruled the home

and a wife wouldn’t dare to confront the master of their house.” Stuart

laughed openly at that. Kay did, too. “Obviously, I didn’t agree.”

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“So did he stay with his mistress?”

“Of course. Eric’s not the kind of man to be without a woman

under any circumstances. He’d view it as being weak.”

“Did it bother you that he went with her?”

“No, not really. After I met her, the thing is, was… If we’d met

under different circumstances, we’d probably have been friends.

She’s a very nice woman, just not very smart when it came to

choosing a man. I’m guilty of the same thing. I couldn’t condemn her

for it.” He watched her decide and finally continue, her words

carefully chosen. “When he called here that night, he expected me to

go running back to him. That one call from him years later and I’d

drop my life and…”

“I’m really glad you didn’t.”

“Me, too. Stuart, he told me he doesn’t think their baby is his. I

don’t know Diana very well, but I can’t believe she’d have cheated on

him. I think he tired of the dad thing and is trying to escape from her

and their daughter. The thing is I feel bad for Diana and Dee Dee. Not

that Eric is stunning father material, but that she’ll probably never…”

“Jeez, Kay, who is this guy, a slug? Do you actually think he’d

throw her aside, and especially their child?”

“To paraphrase his words, when the paternity test comes back

he’ll either have his life back or pay for the rest of it. Either way, he’ll want nothing to do with either of them. I don’t think Diana deserves

this kind of treatment.”

“Did he marry her?”

“No, he wouldn’t. That’s probably what pushed their situation. He

probably found another girlfriend and felt tied to Diana. Any excuse

to cut and run.”

“So you came to the lodge to heal?” he questioned.

“No, I didn’t see it that way. I forced myself to stay in New York

and go to school there. I could have gone just about anywhere, but I

didn’t want to let him run me away from home. I liked living in

Manhattan. It was a world unto itself. My friends were there, too. I

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healed myself as much as I was going to during that time. School was

a good diversion, and staying in the city was the right choice for me at the time. But when it was time to look for work, I wanted something

different.”

“Different how?” He didn’t expect her to burst out laughing. Kay

sat up and straightened her shirt and went about clearing up their

picnic and standing. “Kay, is the subject closed?” he asked, rising as

she tugged the blanket from under him.

“You’ll think I’m crazy…”

Stuart caught her arm and took a step closer to her. “Probably, but

tell me anyway.” He held her look, daring her to look away.

“Something along the lines of, if you’re not the lead dog, the view

never changes.”

Stuart dropped her arm and said nothing, rather mulling over her

words while they walked back to his truck. At the door, she waited

while he unlocked it and watched him as he studied her. His head

dropped to her lips and his covered hers lightly and just for a short

second. Reaching past her, he opened the door and waited until she

was seated. Turning to pull on her seat belt, he leaned in closer,

crowding her small space in the cab.

“Not crazy, Kadence. I can relate completely. You want to be in

charge, but you’re not here, Travis is. So why?”

“Experience…and some lead time.”

Stuart pulled back sharply from her and closed the door.

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Chapter Fourteen

Seated beside her with the air-conditioning pumping at full force,

Stuart turned to Kay and asked if she could survive one more stop.

She told him with a smile she’d manage, and they were quiet on the

drive to the next stop. Furniture wasn’t what Kay had thought to be

helping Stuart pick out, but she realized he was looking for built-ins

and relaxed. His slip about their marriage had stayed wedged in the

back of her mind, and she wondered what alterative motive was

behind the trip.

She gave her opinions of style and fabrics freely, letting him in on

glimpses of her personality as well as learning some of his. He’d

taken her to several antique stores, where they wandered and wasted

time. Over supper they talked about his home, the drawings beside

them on the table. At one point, the waitress was standing beside their

table, laughing at them as they debated hotly about keeping the grout

on ceramic tile clean. The woman sided with Kay about using it in a

kitchen setting and joked she probably just lost her tip. Kay assured

her she’d not be penalized for telling the truth, while Stuart looked

wounded by the women’s conspiring.

“I had a good time today, Stuart, but you’ve listened to me talk all

day and said very little other than what pertained to the house or the

lodge. Tell me so I’ll understand you?”

On the dark back road, it was easy to let the words come.

“Basically, I’ve already told you. I’ve been responsible since my

father died when I was seven. When I was ten it all seemed

overwhelming. I kept the budget, wrote out the checks for my mother

to sign, gave her an allowance to live on. By the time I was twelve I’d

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decided I didn’t want to have to be that responsible again ever in my

life. I enjoy women, Kay, but I’ve never considered making a

commitment to a single one.”

“Yet you’ve chosen a business that’s very hands-on, every detail

overseen by you. Isn’t that a major commitment?”

“Absolutely, something to lose myself in. But people are too

fragile, Kay.”

“Did your mother ever realize the position she put you in, forcing

you into the alpha male at such a young age?”

He only scowled at her in the dark. They were nearing the lodge

entrance when Kay broke the standoff.

“I wanted to open my own bakery, Stuart. But the initial outlays

are enormous. Coming to the lodge gave me the quasi setting without

the capital outlays. Travis trusts me to run my area of his kitchen. It

was the best solution I could come up with beyond opening my own

shop. The hours aren’t bad, I don’t have to take the risks of starting a new business, and the surroundings aren’t too bad either. All in all,

this job seemed like a perfect answer. And I was ready to leave the

city. By staying there as long as I did, I felt I proved to myself and

Eric that I wouldn’t fold under his pressure. The time was right for me

to make a new start with my new career. Any other questions you’d

like answered before our truce ends?”

“Is that what we had here today, a truce?” he joked.

“I suppose, of sorts.”

“What happens when you tire of our small bakery project? Where

will you go then, Kay?” She didn’t answer, and he pushed the subject.

“Don’t you still want your own shop in some trendy little town where

they charge five dollars for a cup of coffee and…”

“Stop it, Stuart!” For the first time since he met her, Kay had

gotten angry and at him. Yes, the night Timms had cornered her she’d

been mad, but not at Stuart. Tonight, her hostility was directed at him.

“What? Did I get too close to the truth? You’re using us, the

lodge, Travis and me, for a little holdover until you decide what to do

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with the rest of your life?”

“No.”

Stuart pulled into the private driveway of the Agrarian Lodge and

killed the engine. He slipped off his seat belt and turned to her. “I

need to know, Kay, it’s important.”

“I don’t know anymore. When I first came here I thought it might

be a place I could…” She didn’t finish. Instead, she released her own

seat belt and pushed open the door, the overhead light momentarily

blinding them both. She stepped down and started walking toward the

lodge, Stuart still sitting behind the wheel. Kay knew when he was

following her. She’d heard his door open and close. She didn’t flinch

when his hand caught her shoulder from behind. She stilled in her

steps as he moved behind her, stepping close enough to swallow her

against his large chest.

“Why?”

She took a few shuddering breaths and spoke in a low whisper.

“Travis,” she started, and he stiffened behind her. Kay brought her

hands to cover his and tightened them around his fingers. “Travis sent

me a picture of you and him the day the lodge sign was hung. Ever

since then I wondered what you’d be like.”

Stuart couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “He sent you a

picture?”

“Yes. A copy of the same one you have hanging in your office.”

“You took the job because of the photo?”

“I took the job because of you.”

Neither said a word and it was a long time before he turned her

toward him, his fingers moving her chin to force her to look at him.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. I shouldn’t have said anything. I took the job

for the experience, let’s just leave it at that.”

* * * *

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Kay pulled from him and walked quickly down the road. Stuart

started to follow her and didn’t. He walked back to his truck and

waited for his erection to subside while his mind accepted the concept

that she’d come to Lodge because of him. When he finally did start

the truck he drove to the barn, checked on Chloe and the horses, and

then went to the main lodge. He checked his messages and mail and

forced himself from his office. By the time he’d gone back to his

apartment, he knew Kay was safely locked away inside hers. Now all

he had to do was decide what to do with the information she’d given

him.

On one hand, it was a dramatic ego boost to think she’d seen a

picture of him and was attracted enough to move to be near him. On

the flip side, it scared the hell out of him. Visions of her stalking him floated past him, and he laughed at the concept. But it was still

unsettling to him. Accepting that Kay wanted a relationship with him

scared the hell out of him. Stuart knew he’d keep his distance from

her now. To start anything physical or emotional would only hurt

them both when she left. Knowing he wouldn’t give her the

commitment she was looking for, he knew ultimately she’d leave him

and his lodge. What started out as one of his better days was rapidly

ending poorly.

The old saying of “Don’t ask the question if you don’t want to

hear the answer” passed over him. He’d asked, and she’d answered.

Now it would end any friendship they might have built. Stuart was

extremely saddened by his revelation and knew Kay was astute

enough to know by telling him her truth, she’d lost him.

* * * *

Kay decided she’d been honest with him, and his honesty about

no commitments had been blunt. At first she’d crawled into her lonely

bed and cursed herself. But as the night wore on, she started thinking

in a different direction.

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It wasn’t the first time she’d thought this way, but now she was

actually seriously considering it. Lying on her back, she had a large

dildo in her pussy and was pushing it in and out in small increments

as she considered her future. With her other hand, she pinched her

nipples, sending currents of heat flashing through her body.

What would it be like, she wondered, having two men in her bed?

Having two men in her body? Would they let her take the lead, or

would they become demonstrative? Would she like them to be

aggressive? Kay reached to her bed stand drawer and pulled out a

smaller dildo. She lay back and sucked it between her lips.
I know

Travis’s cock is larger than this
, she mused, shifting until she slid the second phallus in her anus. Kay twisted her hips until both toys were

settled where she wanted to feel them. With a light tug, she moved the

toy in her pussy just a bit and felt the sensations shoot through her