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Love Is Hell: A Valentine's Story, Book 1 [The Male Order, Texas Collection] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)
Love Is Hell: A Valentine's Story, Book 1 [The Male Order, Texas Collection] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online
The Male Order, Texas Collection
Love Is Hell:
A Valentine’s Story, Book 1
Chocolate, roses, crème brûlée, and vandalism! In this Male Order Valentine’s story, Emilie, Gavin, and Grayson Stephens prepare for an elegant evening on the town.
Dreaming up and arranging his scheme months in advance, Gavin has everything meticulously laid out—the perfect babysitter for the kids, the perfect dinner at Tosca Ristorante, and the perfect intimate finale. But when a graffiti bandit strikes, disrupting not only their family but the whole neighborhood, his romantic evening begins to crumble.
What’s more, Emilie and Grayson don’t seem bothered by the turn of events, and the cracks in Gavin’s composure grow wider. Soon latent resentments and fears rise to the surface, and the trio must face difficult questions about themselves and about each other. As events escalate uncontrollably, will the spirit of love guide them closer? Or will more than their Valentine’s Day plans fall apart?
Note: There is no sexual relationship or touching for titillation between or among siblings.
Note: This romantic trio was first introduced in A Bride for Two Babes [The Male Order Collection]. Each Love Is Hell book ends with an HEA for its main characters, although the two books share an external story arc.
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys
Length: 21,382 words
LOVE IS HELL:
A VALENTINE’S STORY, BOOK 1
The Male Order, Texas Collection
Edith DuBois
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
LOVE IS HELL: A VALENTINE’S STORY, BOOK 1
Copyright © 2013 by Edith DuBois
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-471-9
First E-book Publication: March 2013
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of Love is Hell: A Valentine’s Story, Book 1 by Edith DuBois from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
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This is Edith DuBois’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. DuBois’s right to earn a living from her work.
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DEDICATION
For the “Dear Sugar” columns on TheRumpus.net and everything they’ve taught me about love, grief, courage, and humility.
But mostly about love.
LOVE IS HELL: A VALENTINE’S STORY,
BOOK 1
The Male Order, Texas Collection
EDITH DUBOIS
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
Emilie Benson-Stephens woke up to a hand between her thighs. Not only was it there, but this hand was on the move. It had started at her knee but was now inching upward. It gave one little squeeze in the mid-thigh region, and then it scooted on up to the top. It paused, hovering, barely grazing her swollen lips. Then it settled over her pussy, cupping and lazily massaging her.
“Good morning, Grayson,” she purred in her raspy morning voice. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
He gave her pussy an affectionate squeeze but didn’t say anything, probably only half awake. He kissed the top of her shoulder from behind and then began nudging his fully erect cock between her legs.
Emilie had always been a morning person. She’d never had a problem waking up on the first blast of her alarm clock. She usually bounced out of bed and attacked her day with vigor. Once awake, her mind worked at high-functioning levels. There was never an hour or two of zombie brain like she’d witnessed in others, including her husbands.
However, despite her early-morning proclivities, after five years of marriage, she could confidently say that there was almost nothing better than waking up to a slow, leisurely bout of spooning sex.
She released a small breath as Grayson found her pussy’s entrance and sank his cock in. God, it felt like heaven. He used his middle finger to stroke gentle patterns across her clit in time to his slow-rolling thrusts. A few moments later, his hand slid up her stomach to give each breast a loving squeeze and each nipple a couple affectionate flicks.
Closing her eyes, Emilie squeezed around Grayson’s cock, trying to suck him deeper inside her sleep-warmed body. His roaming hand moved back down to her clit, possibly sensing how close she was to release. He thrust a little harder, a little deeper, using the hand on her pussy to pull her closer. He applied more pressure to her clit and picked up the pace of his rubbing.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Keep going.”
She grasped the edge of their down comforter, needing to hold on to something as warm, delicious tingles started in her toes then quickly darted up into the rest of her body. Grayson’s cock pushed even deeper inside. She could sense the strain in his body and knew he had to be close.
She moaned, wanting more somehow, but not knowing the words to convey her want. It was okay, she realized, as Grayson bit down on her shoulder and then licked her ear. Her husband was an expert at understanding her every desire. He took her hips firmly in his hands and thrust his cock inside her with a jerk. It knocked the breath out of her. Pleasure exploded through her being as
Grayson continued his jabbing thrusts from behind.
She wanted to curl up into herself, to escape the onslaught, to find a bit of respite, but Grayson wouldn’t let her. He held her body close to his as he finished. A moment or two later he groaned and held himself still as cum jetted warmly inside the depths of her pussy.
They lay cuddled together for a while, Grayson kissing her every once in a while and running his hands over the ends of her dark strands. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he muttered with his face buried against the back of her neck. “Do we have to get up?”
Emilie ran her hand over the empty space in front of her where Gavin usually slept, finally realizing she could make out the faint sounds of the shower going in the bathroom. He’d gone to bed after them and gotten up before them. As far as she knew, he might not have even slept beside her.
She sighed. “He’ll be prodding us with a branding iron in a few minutes if we don’t.”
Grayson groaned in a melodramatic manner. As he pulled his cock out of her and rolled away, he groaned even more dramatically. He slung his legs over the edge of the bed and then flounced to the bathroom, groaning all the way.
Emilie had never seen a grown man flounce before. It made her giggle.
When Grayson emerged from the bathroom a few moments later, Emilie got out of bed.
“I’ll get the coffee going,” Grayson grumbled, kissing her on the cheek and then heading out the door wearing a pair of low-slung flannel pajama pants. Emilie got in one good squeeze to the right butt cheek before he was out of range.
“Hey!” He lurched away from her fingers. He had such a beautiful, firm ass, though. It just begged for a squeeze every time she looked at it.
After she’d watched him leave the room, she went into the bathroom. “Morning, mon amour,” she called over the shower’s water, letting Gavin know she was in there.
“Morning,” he answered.
Usually she hopped in after she’d taken care of her morning rituals, but Grayson’s wake-up tactic had left her feeling frisky. The past couple of times she’s suggested an early-morning romp with Gavin, he’d begged off, insisting it would throw everything off schedule. But this was Valentine’s Day, goddamn it. She would make it so that Gavin simply could not resist her advances.
After carefully laying a towel down in front of the shower, she dropped to her knees, waiting in delicious anticipation for the water to turn off.
“You getting in?” Gavin asked a moment or two later.
“In a minute. Go ahead and turn it off.”
He did. A jolt of warmth and excitement shot through her body. It seemed like hours passed before Gavin finally ripped the shower curtain back. His eyes immediately dropped down to her kneeling form. Before he had a chance to say anything, she smiled up at him and grabbed his hips.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she said, taking his cock in her hand and then putting the end of it in her mouth.
“Dear Lord,” he whispered. His dick instantly hardened, and she smiled, rolling her tongue along the edges of his cockhead. She worked him over fast and hard. After his initial surprise, he didn’t even try to resist. He groaned and buried his hands in her hair. His hips twitched as she picked up her momentum and increased the pressure of her mouth.
“Baby, that feels so good. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”
His words made her so happy. She wanted nothing more than to bring him pleasure, and to hear him so obviously enjoying himself made her glad and hopeful and energized. She sucked harder. She needed his release as much as he did.
He made a small noise above her and then exploded in her mouth. Pulling away, she let a few of the final squirts hit her in the chest. She rubbed her hands over it, massaging her breasts with his seed. Her eyes closed and she reveled in the happiness buzzing through her blood.
Gavin gripped her arms and yanked her up. His lips met hers in a searing kiss. “You are the most beautiful woman. Do you know that?”
Emilie hummed an inarticulate response, keeping her eyes closed, but Gavin gave her a little shake.
“Do you?”
“I love you,” she said, opening her eyes and looking deep into his.
A fierce emotion swept over Gavin’s features, and he pulled her in for another demanding kiss. She clung to him, needing his strong arms, realizing for the first time how much she’d missed them over the past few weeks. He’d been a little distant lately, but she hadn’t fully understood how much that distance was worrying her and gnawing at her insides. To simply stand in his arms like this was a relief.
It wasn’t until much later, though, after she’d showered and had coffee, after she was dressed and sitting next to Grayson in the back of their hired car, that she realized Gavin never said “I love you” back.
Chapter Two
There were dozens of red balloons and white balloons and pink balloons, all tied to tiny wrists. Gavin peered through the forest of rubber and helium, looking for the balloon and tiny wrist that belonged to him. Usually Gaston Henri waited for him on the curb, but today the kindergarteners were wild. Pumped full of Tootsie Rolls, Jolly Ranchers, AirHeads, and every other kind of sugary sweet, the five- and six-year-olds were shrieking and laughing over each other.
He felt a pang of sympathy for the teachers, doing their best to simply match the child with the parent after a day of classroom parties, extra long recess, and exchanging Valentine’s cards. A small wave of anxiety had begun to roll in the pit of his stomach until at last he saw Gaston standing off from his classmates against the wall with one of the teacher’s aides holding his hand. Gavin fought back a groan. His son had his “the world is always against me” face on, and he realized something must have happened. He had to be in trouble. Otherwise he’d be shrieking and laughing with the best of them.
He glanced back at his four-year-old daughter, Penelope, asleep in her car seat. Hopping out of the car, he waved at the teacher’s aide—Mrs. Beck, he thought her name was—and then climbed back in when the two of them headed over. A few moments later, he was surprised to see Mrs. Beck had handed Gaston off to Mrs. Keys, his actual teacher, and she now opened the back door to help his son inside. He rolled down the passenger window, and Mrs. Keys rested her arms on the ledge.
“Hi, Mr. Stephens,” she said, smiling. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Thanks. You, too.” He nodded toward the back. “Did something happen today?”
“Yes, I’m afraid it did.”
Gavin looked back at his son, who was determinedly staring at his boots.
“Gaston?” he asked. “Do you need to tell me something?”
Gaston shook his head but didn’t meet his eyes.
“Why don’t you tell your dad what color you ended up on today?”
They were met with sullen silence.
“Young man,” Gavin warned.
After another long moment, he heard a very low “orange” come from the back.
Gavin felt his eyebrows shoot up. “Did you say orange?”
Kicking the seat in front of him and keeping his head down, Gaston nodded.
“What did you do?”
When Gaston didn’t immediately answer, Mrs. Keys said, “Tell him why you got moved from green to yellow. Do you remember what happened this morning?”
“Quit kicking the seat and look at me, please,” Gavin said.
Gaston’s little boots stopped, and he raised his blue eyes to his father.
“Tell me why you got moved from green.”
Without looking away, he shook his head.
“You don’t want to tell me?”
Gaston shook his head.
“Are you scared you’ll get in more trouble?”
He shook his head again.
“Do you feel bad about why you got in trouble?”
He shook his head for the third time.
“Then why won’t you tell me?”
Gaston went back to kicking the seat and glaring toward the floorboard.
His son muttered something under his breath.
“What was that? Speak up. I can’t hear you if you mumble.”
“John Ryan gave his Valentine’s card to Marcy before me.”
“And that made you mad enough to disobey your teacher when you were supposed to be playing stations?”
“Yes, ’cause we were gonna give them to her together, but he gave her his before me ’cause he always gets to school before me and it’s ’cause he wants her all to himself even though Mrs. Keys always tells us to share, so I don’t know why he don’t get in trouble, too.”
He glared up at Gavin as if daring him to refute his logic, and Gavin exchanged a look with Mrs. Keys. They were both fighting back laughs. John Ryan was his best friend. They both had two dads and a mom and naturally thought they should have the same. Apparently Marcy was the latest love interest.
“Dare I ask why he got moved from yellow to orange?”
Mrs. Keys’s face tightened even more as she fought back a laugh. “There was a bit of a verbal altercation on the playground. One of the other students overheard Gaston say something not very nice to his friend, John Ryan.”
There was some furious seat kicking in the back at Mrs. Keys’s last statement, but otherwise Gaston remained silent.