Love Under Two Benedicts(15)

Kelsey’s mind wandered again. Her eyes landed on the vase of flowers tucked into the corner of the kitchen.

I should move those into my office so they won’t distract me.

Kelsey felt her expression soften into a smile.

She couldn’t stop thinking about the events of last night. She’d fallen asleep between Matthew and Steven, so exhausted she’d dropped off like a stone. Sometime around three in the morning, she’d been awakened. First, Steven had gathered her close, kisses and caresses leading to slow, gentle sex. Then, not long after, Matthew had rolled her on top of him, and she’d indulged herself in tasting every bit of him. That had led to faster, not-so-gentle sex.

When they’d driven her back to her apartment just shy of seven a.m., they’d asked to see her again tonight.

She could no more refuse them than she could stop breathing.

Kelsey shook her head. She supposed she could be excused for her lack of mental discipline. Considering that she’d had six orgasms last night after having none at all for more than five years…

Oh my God. Six orgasms in one night.

Until it happened to her, she would have sworn such a thing to be humanly impossible.

She turned her attention back to soup making and the conclusion she’d been coming to in her thoughts. More than likely the passion of the night before owed its existence to her long sexual drought.

She had no doubt whatsoever that given just a bit more time, and another night like the one just passed, her hormones would settle down. Then the reality of spending the night in the arms of two lovers at the same time would lose its heady appeal.

“Are you too busy for a visit?”

Kelsey smiled as the familiar voice of her best friend preceded her into the kitchen. Susan Benedict had been Kelsey’s college roommate. At first meeting, they’d clicked. They’d kept in touch after graduation, and Susan had come to visit her in Austin when Sean had been born.

She’d been there, too, in the aftermath of tragedy, helping her get through the funerals, nagging her to get on with her life when each successive anniversary of that event arrived.

Kelsey had finally given in to her friend’s nagging and moved to Lusty and opened her own restaurant.

Thank God for Susan and her nagging.

“I’m never too busy for you.” Kelsey said, giving her best friend a huge smile.

Susan and Tracy exchanged greetings, then Susan came over to where Kelsey worked.

Looking at her now, Kelsey said, “You have the look of Sarah Benedict.”

Susan’s smile was one of the nicest things about her. Her entire face lit up with it, and her eyes sparkled.

“Everyone in my family has said that to me all my life. I heard you finally visited the museum yesterday. Of course,” she lowered her voice and stepped closer, “that’s not all I heard you did yesterday…or I should say, last night?”

Oh, hell. How had Kelsey allowed herself to forget that Matthew and Steven were Susie’s brothers? She had just had sex with not one, but two of her best friend’s brothers!

“Um, yeah. About that.”

Susan burst out laughing. Then she threw her arms around Kelsey and hugged her tight. “I’m so happy for you.”

Those words, whispered, shouted to Kelsey’s conscience and her mindset that what she and the brothers Benedict had was only physical.

She put the last of the ingredients into the stock pot, covered it, and set it to simmer. She turned to look over at Tracy, who’d turned her attention back to work.

“We’re going to my office. Holler if you need anything.”

“No problem, boss. You want me to go ahead and start the roasts of beef when I’m done this?” Tracy asked.

“Yes, please. Three should be enough, don’t you think?” The roasts were a good size, more than six pounds apiece. One of the Friday night favorites for the patrons of Lusty Appetites were the smothered roast beef sandwiches.

Tracy frowned, and Kelsey knew she was thinking. “We might get a bigger dinner crowd than usual. I’ve heard a lot of talk about that new space movie that opened up over at the Galaxy in Waco yesterday. Folks heading in to catch the early show may stop here to eat first.”

Kelsey nodded. “Okay, make it four. We can always do something with the leftover for tomorrow’s lunch.”

Tracy smiled, and Kelsey understood it was in response to Kelsey’s having acted on her input.

“My cousin seems to be working out,” Susan said as they entered Kelsey’s office.

“She is. She loves the work, and she has a real knack for it. As much as I’d hate to lose her, I’m going to try and convince her to take some formal training. She could become a fine chef in her own right and have her own place one day, if she wants to.”