Love Under Two Outfitters by Cara Covington (the false prince series .txt) 📗

bridge. She could see the string of lights overhead, and with safety netting on either side of her, she understood, intellectually, that this bridge was completely safe. I’ll just keep telling myself that, because the last thing I want to do is wimp out in front of my men.

They began to walk across it toward a structure that was better than any of her own childhood ideas of a backyard treehouse. Behind her, Ken placed his hand on her back. In front of her, Ian led the way, his hand firmly wrapped around hers, as he followed behind their guide. Their solid touch elicited a sigh of relief.

They know me well, because they both see me. And apparently, she was worth the effort, because she had the solid sense that these two men weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Once off the bridge, they took a curved staircase down and entered the house. Alice had catalogued the solid iron supports beneath the building. She began to relax as she stepped inside, because the floor under her feet felt solid and substantial.

The treehouse was small, it was minimalist…it was perfect. It was pretty and cozy, and she loved everything about their “room” for the night. The guide conducted a “tour” and explained the amenities as he did. The sitting room, with a large picture window looking out at the trees also featured a “loft bunk,” accessed by a ladder. Ken tossed his backpack on it and sent her a discreet wink.

Discreet. Ian and I are supposed to be boyfriend/girlfriend, with Ken the odd man out. She’d heard Bailey grouse about the reality of being in a ménage away from Lusty. Alice didn’t like the public pretense either. But it was only a pretense. The important thing was that they, the three of them, knew the truth. Their relationship was private, and she really preferred to keep it that way. She thought she would be able to successfully compartmentalize this approach to their relationship—in time.

She loved the look of the master bedroom. With only a couple of chairs, a small table, and a dresser, and of course that king-sized bed, the room felt very spacious.

We’ll be in that king-sized bed tonight, the three of us. I love being the filling in a man sandwich.

The bed looked comfy, and the setting, with all those trees and that sunlight gleaming down, certainly was attractive.

Thinking ahead to the night to come, Alice felt her ruffled feathers smooth out. She put her attention back on the tour. The kitchen consisted of a table and chairs, a small vanity with a sink, and what effectively looked like a breakfast bar. The presence of a coffeemaker and toaster was good enough for her.

Their guide told Ian the supplies he’d requested for their dinner—one they were going to prepare themselves, using the small induction stove the guide had pointed out—were in the fridge. Then he bid them to enjoy their stay and left.

“Now that we’re alone…” Ken pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Alice surrendered immediately, with a single thought flitting through her mind before she turned thinking off.

There has to be a better word than kiss for this wondrous experience.

Ken melded his mouth to hers, sucking, swirling his tongue to taste every bit of her. Alice truly felt as if she was being consumed, and all she wanted was more. She gave as good as she got, the sensation of melting a beautiful thing indeed.

Heat and a solid wall of male muscle at her back made the moment perfect.

Ken released her lips, and Ian’s fingers beneath her chin angled her head to the left and apparently into the perfect angle for him.

Alice sank into that warm pool of sweet seduction once more. Ian’s tongue invited hers to dance, and she gladly followed his lead. Arousal, sexily hungry and verging on need, rose within her. She needed these two men more than she needed her next breath.

Ian tapered his oral seduction into tiny little chaste kisses on the corner of mouth, her cheek, and her ear.

“What do you say we try out that bathhouse? It has a tub with jets, and I think we could all use that amenity right now.”

Anything that involved water and naked flesh sounded damn fine to her. “I really like that idea.”

* * * *

They hadn’t told Alice ahead of time about the treehouse—they’d wanted to surprise her. Ian could admit that there was a little bit of business calculation in that decision. He knew a lot of men would purchase the package of zip-line and treehouse adventure to surprise their lovers, and he wanted to get Alice’s take on that. The best way to do that, both he and Ken had decided, was to do that very same thing themselves.

But mostly, they’d just wanted to surprise and hopefully please her.

Ian credited his romance reading in the past with his decision to pay attention to his woman. That focus allowed him to ferret out certain things that would make Alice smile. He’d secretly purchased and then packed a silk robe for her in his backpack. So while he and Ken wore their swim trunks as they made their way across the bridge to the bathhouse, Alice wore nothing but a pretty blue silk robe—and the sexiest smile he’d ever seen. Score one for us.

“Oh, this is heaven!” The tub was easily big enough for all of them, and did indeed feature jets, but the temperature had been set to a much lower one than a typical hot tub or Jacuzzi. That meant they could soak as long as they wanted. Alice’s sigh of pleasure put a smile on his face. He looked over at Ken, who appeared as happy about her enjoyment as he himself was.

“This is a really nice touch after our earlier adventure, isn’t it?” Ian asked.

“Oh, yes. And I am so glad not to have to wear a bathing suit.”

“One hot sexy mama, that’s you, Alice Benedict.”

Alice’s giggle in response to