Loving In Silver: Hot, Wild And Crazy Part 3

They rose to their feet and headed in her direction. "We better get going. Your day's been long enough," Max said, bending to place a soft kiss on her mouth. Ethan was next. His kiss was a little involved and Max yanked him back. "Down, boy!" Ethan snickered and grinned at her.

Maggie shook her head as she laughed. It was Sean's turn. She went up on tiptoe as he bent to kiss her. "Night, Maggie. Can we take you out to supper tomorrow night?"

"We promise it won't be ribs," Max added.

"Tomorrow night is good. Seven o'clock?"

Ethan went in for another kiss. Maggie's lips burned from the heat. She could imagine how much fun the guy was in bed. "Seven o'clock is perfect. We'll see you then."

Maggie watched them go, regret niggling at her. Now that her libido had been stirred to life, it would be difficult to ignore it. Still, that didn't mean she was going to jump into bed with the three men. While she didn't regret her s.e.xually adventurous days during her twenties, she wasn't going to relive them.

Dating Max, Sean, and Ethan, getting to know them before possibly having s.e.x with them, was more important. They were potential fathers to her children. Potential that is, in a hypothetical sort of way. Any man or men she dated would go through the same vetting process.

After extinguis.h.i.+ng the fire and collecting the three bottles the guys had left behind in the purple tin bucket she had put out for the trash, Maggie went inside. Her lips twitched as she saw peeking faces around doorjambs and the scampering of little feet as she walked toward their bedrooms.

"Some little people I know are supposed to be sleeping."

They took this as their cue to leave their rooms. "We took a nap, Mama. Now we're awake."

"That wasn't much of a nap," Maggie told Brant. She believed he would be a lawyer one day.

"I had my eyes closed. That's sleeping."

"I couldn't sleep," Emily said, her lip rolling out into a cute pout. "Samuel was snoring."

"I don't snore," Samuel shot back. "You're 'magining things."

They all climbed up on the stools at the counter. They leaned on it, looking at her expectantly. "Can we have a snack, Mama? My tummy has an empty spot."

Knowing which battles to fight, Maggie washed an apple and sliced it, giving each child three slices on a plate. She also poured a small amount of milk into three cups, just enough to wash the apple down. Leaning back against the opposite counter, she watched with a smile as they crunched through the apple slices and drank the milk. They were so very precious and filled her heart with so much joy.

After tucking them back into their beds, Maggie went to take a quick shower. As she did so she began making plans for the following day, not the least of which was to find a babysitter. She doubted it would be a problem, but she would start calling as soon as she was out of the shower. Though she had no plans on jumping into bed with the men on the second date, she decided shaving her legs wouldn't hurt. No reason to scare them, she thought with a chuckle, reaching for the razor.

Pouring raspberry-scented shampoo into her palm, she wondered what it would be like to have s.e.x with three men at once. It would be a first for her. Then, as she worked the lather through her hair, she wondered what it would be like to have s.e.x with three bis.e.xual men.

A low moan escaped Maggie's lips as an o.r.g.a.s.m unexpectedly swept over her, clenching little-used muscles, weakening her legs, and rocking her world in a manner that made her want the real thing.

Max, Sean, Ethan, Maggie thought once her body quieted.

Watch out.

Chapter Four.

After another very long day of learning the workings of running a barbeque joint, Sean was more than ready to leave. He was pleased with the fact that there had been more sauce on the ribs and chicken today than on him. He had been in charge of making the sauces from scratch. Dobbie had been there to help him if he needed it. Ethan had made the coleslaw while Max and the restaurant managers ran the grills and smokers. Since they had the food, they were handing out free samples.

Tired to the bone, Sean decided he would visit the barber for a shave. That would leave only the need to run home for a shower and to change clothes for their date with Maggie. His pulse raced as he thought of her. He didn't know where they were going with this new relations.h.i.+p with her, but he hoped it was heading to something permanent. He and his partners weren't kids any longer. And they had certainly taken their time growing up. They were done with goofing off. While their relations.h.i.+ps with women had been few and far between, none of them had been serious enough to want anything more than s.e.x from them.

There was something about Maggie, however, which made them want more. They had known her for years, though only on a very casual basis. In high school they had been idiots and two years behind her. There hadn't been a s...o...b..ll's chance in h.e.l.l that she would have noticed any one of them.

"Ready to go?" Max asked, coming up behind him and rubbing his shoulders.

Sean moaned and leaned into it, wondering where the h.e.l.l the aches and pains were coming from. He didn't get this tired working on the ranch. The only thing that beat it was when they were out fighting fires, which was challenging, exhausting work. Fortunately, the spring and summer were going well and there hadn't been any gra.s.s or forest fires.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Where's Ethan?"

"He took off about ten minutes ago, said he had something he wanted to get for Maggie's kids."

That meant the toy store owned by Roarke O'Malley. Though they might be getting ahead of themselves, they had to consider becoming instant fathers if this thing with Maggie worked out. Sean liked the idea.

"I hope he doesn't go crazy. Maggie doesn't seem the type to spoil her kids," Sean said as they headed for the door. Living where they did, he didn't see the ponies as an extravagance. Learning to ride was just part of the life in this part of the country.

"No, she doesn't," Max agreed. "I think Ethan will do okay."

Sean laughed. "We're talking about E. He might end up buying everything in the store to be sure he gets something they might like." Max nodded and chuckled. "I was heading over to the barber shop. Why don't you come with me? And you can call E and tell him where we'll be."

Max squeezed his shoulder. "That sounds like a good idea to me. We'll get a rest before we have to head home to shower and dress for supper. Is it just me, or was that more work than working with cattle?"

They were outside and walking in the direction of the barber shop, which was just off the Silver's charming square. "No, it's not just you. We must be getting old. Where are we taking Maggie? It should be somewhere nice."

There were several restaurants in Silver which fell into that category. There were a lot of wealthy, as well as ultra-wealthy, people living in the area and they were catered to in many ways, which began with food. There was golf, too, in the fair weather months and skiing in the winter. The theater produced excellent plays throughout the year and there was a small orchestra which also performed all year around.

"Do you think it would be over the top, if we took her to the Silver Star Hotel?" Max asked, thinking big. They could afford it. Money wasn't a problem because they put nearly every penny in the bank, after paying bills. They weren't rich, but they were doing okay. "I say we go for it. Our suits should still be in style. We won't embarra.s.s her too much."

"Sounds good to me. Call for a reservation. If nothing's available, we'll call Bambi. I bet she could get us a table, if she knows we're taking Maggie out."

Ethan joined them then, having run from the other end of the square, gifts in hand and a big grin on his face. One of the reasons Sean loved the guy was because he always found the joy. "What are you guys doing?"

"We're heading over to the barber shop. And we're making plans for the evening. What did you get?" Sean told him, smiling at the excitement on his lover's face. The man was absolutely beautiful, inside and out.

They were relieved to see that he had chosen three kites as gifts for Maggie's kids. It was a good gift, because it wasn't too much and didn't cross any boundaries. The kids would love them, though with three kites they were going to need help. Maggie couldn't handle them all by herself. It was another opportunity for them to spend time with her and her children, which was definitely a good thing. Now all they had to do was prove that they were worthy of her time. Well, they had to avoid s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up, too, Sean thought with a sigh.

Calling Bambi was what they had to do in the end. Since she managed almost all of Colt Redford's businesses for him, which included the Silver Star Hotel, she could get things they couldn't. She promised to secure a table for them. By the time they were cleaned up by the barbers, their plans were set for the evening.

Two hours later they were showered, dressed, and about to leave the house. "c.r.a.p, we can't use the truck!" Max exclaimed, disgusted. "It's filthy inside and out. I'll have to call one of my dads to see if we can use a car." Even as he said this he was pulling out his phone.

Sean and Ethan paused by the front door as they waited.

There was no way they could use their truck. Not only did they use it as a used clothes hamper, Sean knew there was an alternator, a chainsaw, a toolbox, and an empty water cooler in the back seat. Their unwritten rule seemed to be, if there was still room for someone to ride in it, there wasn't any reason to clean it.

"I can't believe we forgot that," Sean said ruefully. "We definitely don't date enough."

Ethan nodded. "I agree with that. Romance has sure left us behind."

Rolling his eyes, he put an arm around Ethan's neck, pulling him close. He pressed a firm kiss to the man's temple. "You know we love you."

"Yeah, but flowers once in a while would be nice. And not just on special occasions."

Sean wanted to slap himself in the forehead. He let Ethan go, ignoring the man's protest. "We forgot flowers! We have to get flowers for Maggie."

"The florist will be closed," Ethan told them, frowning. Then he was grinning. "Even if they weren't, there's no time to run into town and get to Maggie's on time. Max, call your moms. There has to be something in that greenhouse we can give as a gift. Anyway, a potted plant is better than cut flowers."

Max's moms were magicians. Sean, Max, and Ethan walked across the yard, and then the gravel drive, to the house. There was a greenhouse attached to the house. Max's family was all for utilizing the land around their house for practical purposes. There was another, larger greenhouse and two dozen raised beds for growing vegetables. Part of the former yard included fruit trees and grape vines. By the time they got to the house for the keys to the car they were borrowing, Max's mothers were waiting with a large pot covered in brightly-colored broken tiles. The mosaic design was beautiful. The pot was overflowing with green leaves and bright orange, yellow, and pink buds and flowers. Sean didn't have a clue what the plants were, but he wouldn't feel like an idiot when they presented it to Maggie.

They kissed each woman on the cheek, thanking them, before heading toward the car. Obviously Max's family wanted them to succeed because they were loaned the best vehicle, which was a red, 1959 Cadillac convertible. Max backed it out of the garage and pulled around to pick them up.

"I don't know about you, but I feel like a prince on the way to pick up Cinderella in this," Sean said with a laugh. He looked around from where he sat in the center of the wide backseat, loving the look and feel of the rich leather seats. Chrome gleamed. The car was in mint condition. There was even room for his legs. "h.e.l.l, I might be Cinderella!"

"Maybe you should have worn a gown and tiara," Ethan told him with a snicker from the front seat. "I'd pay money to see that."

"Keep it up, smarta.s.s, and you'll wake up shaved and in a corset."

Max laughed as he slowed and made the turn for the last ten miles to Maggie's house. "Now, that's something I'd pay to see."

"I'm never going to go to sleep again," Ethan complained.

"Good plan."

They continued to joke as they traveled the last few miles to heaven. Sean couldn't really believe that someone as intelligent, nice, and beautiful as Maggie was willing to go out with them.

"How long do you think it'll take for Maggie to realize she made a mistake?" he asked, rubbing his palm over the crease in his slacks. He was nervous and rightfully so. He and his lovers were venturing into new, uncharted territory. This was the most serious they had ever been about a woman. Maggie was special and they all knew that she wouldn't just be going out with them for a roll in the hay.

Silver was a small town and everyone in it knew everyone else's business. They had not seen Maggie out with any man in recent years. They hadn't heard any gossip about her dating. If she dated, she had been very good at keeping it quiet.

One thing was certain. Their date with her wasn't going to be a secret. You couldn't get more public than having supper at the Silver Star Hotel.

"We're so loveable," Ethan said cheerfully, "that she won't be able to resist us, no matter how many times we screw up."

"I don't know," Max responded ominously. "We're still the goobers from high school. Just bigger."

Sean shook his head. "Thanks. I'm feeling so much better about this."

Insecurities were shoved aside as Max slowed and made the turn into the driveway to Maggie's charming little house. As Max put the car into park and shut off the engine, the front door was pushed open and three excited kids ran toward them.

"Oh, you have a pretty car!" Emily exclaimed, hopping up and down excitedly. "Can I ride in it?"

Sean and his lovers climbed out of the car. Maggie's children were so cute, so positively irresistible, that he was almost as happy to see them as he was to see their mother. Almost. "We'll take you for a ride sometime. But it can't be tonight. We're here to take your mama to supper."

The boys, Samuel and Brant, were frowning. "We have to have a babysitter. If we're bad, we have to eat peas for supper and we don't get a story when we go to bed."

"I don't like peas," Brant said as he tried to look over the car's door to see the inside. "Mama knows I don't like peas. So, I won't be bad."

"Good thinking," Sean told him, bending to lift him up so he could look into the car. "I don't like carrots."

"Why not? Carrots are good. And they're orange. I like orange. Wow, the car's big inside. You could probably put four goats and a pony in there."

Sean, Max, and Ethan looked at one another before bursting out in laughter. "Why would you want to put animals in a car?"

Samuel pulled on Max's pant leg. Max picked the boy up so he could look in, too. Emily had gone running back into the house. "We could take 'em for a ride. I think three dogs and a cat would fit in here, too."

"Who's going to drive?" Max asked.

"A big white rabbit named Fluffy."

"Fluffy always wears his cowboy hat and boots," Samuel reminded Brant. The boys looked at each other with grins and nodded, as if sharing a secret.

When the front door opened again, they put the boys down as they turned to see Maggie coming outside, accompanied by Emily, who was waving a magic wand. "My mama's a princess!" she exclaimed in her sweet, childish voice, grinning proudly from ear to ear.

Sean's breath caught. He heard Max and Ethan breathe in sharply, as well. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen such a beautiful, desirable woman. One thing was for certain, Maggie wasn't a boney little stick figure of a woman. Not that there was anything wrong with being thin. Skinny women just didn't interest him. Maggie had curves. Gorgeous, lush curves a man could hang onto. And boy did he want to hang onto them. Stroking, exploring, kissing and licking the dips and swells until he could lose himself completely.

Maggie was wearing a form-hugging dress. It was black, with a V neckline which just gave a hint of cleavage, accentuated by a string of pearls. The flirty hem of the dress ended a few inches above her knees. It was the s.e.xiest modest dress Sean had ever seen. There were sparkly black heels on her feet, the tips of her toes peeking out. He swallowed hard at the sight of fire-engine-red polish.

"Hi, guys," Maggie said, smiling at them. There was a playful sparkle in her green eyes and he wondered if it was because he and his lovers all had their tongues hanging out. He suspected they were panting like dogs. He knew he was. "Nice car. I've always loved it," she said, moving past them to run the tips of her fingers along the top of the fender. Sean's c.o.c.k twitched, imagining those lovely fingers stroking it. "I rode in it once, when I was about five. Your grandpa was driving it in the Fourth of July parade and he said he needed one more pretty girl to ride in it. Your grandmas and your moms were riding in it, too."

Max smiled. "I don't remember that, but Gramps used to take us for the occasional Sunday drive after church. Then we would stop in Silver for something to eat. Good times."

Sean smiled, too. He had gotten to go on a few of those rides. As much as he wanted to stand and reminisce with Maggie and the others, he knew they were on a tight schedule now.

"Hey, Max, open the trunk."

A moment later they were presenting the potted flowers to Maggie. Sean was relieved when she looked at them with pleasure. "Oh, this will look lovely right over here on the stump by the front door." And it did. She had known exactly where to put it, as easily as Max's mothers had known what plant they should give to Maggie. She stood there and admired it for a moment while they stood there and admired her. She turned toward them, the s.h.i.+rt of her dress swirling gently around her legs. A brilliant smile was on her face. "Thank you," she said as she hurried toward them, kissing each of them on the mouth. Sean's lips buzzed as if stung. "The flowers are perfect."

"Mama, why are you kissin' them?" Brant asked, scowling as he folded his arms across his chest. "You'll get germs." Samuel stood there and nodded, silently agreeing with his brother.

The front door of the house opened and a teenaged girl came out. "Come on, kiddos. Supper's done. Hurry, you have to get baths, too, before you can watch your movie."

"Night, Mama!" Emily waved and began skipping her way back to the house.

"No more kissin' our mama," Brant told them before he followed his sister.

All of the adults laughed when Samuel made a V with his first two fingers, making the I'm watching you sign, his expression serious. He then took off after his siblings, the front door slamming behind him. It was cute as h.e.l.l that he was willing to take on three grown men in order to protect his mother.

Sean walked around the car and opened the pa.s.senger door. Maggie got in after giving him a smile warm enough to heat him through. If he hadn't already been dreaming about the woman since she had re-entered their lives, he was completely hooked now. Glancing at the other two men, he saw they were both wearing bemused expressions on their faces.

Yep, they were all committed to wanting Maggie Phillips in their lives. Now they just had to keep from s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up before they proved they were the men for her.

Ethan rode in the back with Sean. They held hands. It was the only way Sean could keep the other man from groping him during the entire trip to town. He loved Ethan's playfulness. Out of the three of them, E had the gentlest personality. He was all about love. s.e.x came second for him. He wanted the hugs, the kisses, the cuddles before anything else and Sean and Max were more than happy to keep him supplied with what he needed.

Max and Sean were more alike. While they didn't hold out with one another now, there had been a time when they had a lot more trouble expressing what they were feeling. When they had first gotten together, it had been all about s.e.x, s.e.x, and more s.e.x. But wasn't that how all teenagers were? After they had burned through the first l.u.s.t-filled months, they had begun learning how to express what they were feeling, because everything else left them hollow. Once they began learning about one another's true needs, they had never looked back, building on what they had.

Now they wanted to add Maggie to their relations.h.i.+p. They would have to learn about one another, too. It was a date, for now. If it worked out, then they would go for another. As far as Sean was concerned, there was no hurry. They had to learn if a permanent future was what the four of them wanted.