“We can remedy that. You take it black, right?”
She nodded and he went off to get her a coffee. Why was she so stupidly happy that the man remembered such a small detail? Maybe because it was one of the things she liked about Zeke. So many guys took her for granted. She wasn’t a women who enjoyed flowers or extravagant gifts. Simple pleasures were all she needed. Zeke had understood that, and now Rory did too, apparently.
They would make good partners in bed…especially both of them at the same time.
You are not here for that. For him, or Zeke. Do not make yourself crazy wishing for something that is not going to happen. Probably.
If she could remember that when either of them smiled at her she would be better off. She could save herself from playing the fool. But was she a fool for letting an opportunity like this go?
He poured her a cup and brought it to her. After setting it down, he settled on the couch next to her. This time, she was enticed by the citrusy aftershave that Rory preferred. It teased her senses and turned her on as much as Zeke’s had just a few moments ago.
“Your brother needs to learn to relax,” Zeke said as he walked back to them.
“You have to admit he’s better since he and Jillian became involved.”
“He’s worried about the Petersen case. More worried than he has to be,” Zeke said. “I told him this was silly.”
The plane started up and Zeke sat down on the chair across from the couch. All of them buckled their seatbelts.
“Why are you two complaining? We get to do a little consulting and spend a lot of time in a million dollar house for the week. Sun, sand, tropical drinks.”
“We live in Miami. You can go the beach any time,” Maura said with a smile.
“When was the last time you went? Or any of us? We all work so many hours we don’t have time. And when we do, we’re so damned tired, we just want to sit on the couch or sleep.”
That was true. Living so near the beach they all took it for granted. And all of them had been a little overwhelmed by running the office without Conner.
“Okay, I agree with that. I’m really looking forward to seeing the new office though.”
“Nope, you are not talking about work. Not now. We are going to enjoy the trip over as if we are just going to be on vacation,” Rory said. “What do you say, Zee?”
God, it always turned her on when he called Zeke by his nickname. She had resented it at first but after awhile it started to get to her. There was something very sexy about knowing these two men had an intimate relationship. Every time Rory said it, Maura could imagine what it sounded like when he said it when they made love. His voice dipped every time he said it too. It was easy to hear the love and desire between the two of them.
Zeke was watching her as if waiting for her to object. But she didn’t.
“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Zeke said slowly.
The next few minutes were taken over by getting ready for take off. It came off without a hitch. Once she knew it was safe to move around, she undid her seat belt and stood.
“I think Rory’s right,” she said. “I’m going to catch a few more hours of sleep. Knowing Conner and Jillian, they’ll want to keep us up for hours.”
Rory took her cup of coffee. “Call if you need anything.”
Maybe she had gone insane but she was pretty sure it was a loaded offer.
“Sure,” she said, before escaping to the back. She shut the door to the bedroom and collapsed on the bed with a sigh. She closed her eyes trying to forget Rory’s offer yesterday.
She had known for a long time she was a sub. When she had become curious about it, she had researched it. It was the way she could deal with things. It was always the way she dealt with life. After the trip to Rough ‘n Ready while on an assignment, she knew without a doubt she was. The problem was, the man she was in love with wasn’t a Dom.
Zeke had tried, but it hadn’t been in him. He just did not get into the life like she had. It had hurt—more than she would ever let him know. But their relationship at the office was more important, especially now that they were running things without Conner there. Oh, her brother still had his hand in everything, but he had been the buffer for them. Now, it was mainly them, with a little help from Rory. Jennifer was good at her job, but Maura and Zeke were now the face of the company. She couldn’t let her brother down.
She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. A shower would clear her head. With a huff, she pulled herself out of bed and headed for the small shower stall. And if this didn’t help, she didn’t know what she would do.
* * * *
Rory’s blood was humming. Just being on the plane alone with Zee and Maura had him ready to jump both of them. It wasn’t like him at all. He might not practice BDSM with Zee, but he could always control himself for the most part. Sure, he didn’t have a problem with getting down and dirty in places they shouldn’t—like the office. But he could control those urges if he needed to. Now he seemed unable to keep his mind on anything else. It was hard not to think about Maura, about what kind of sub she would make.