Accidental Love for Three
Rachel Clark
Copyright © 2009

DEDICATION
For my kids.
Thanks for keeping life interesting.

Prologue
Lights flashed in her eyes. Nausea turned her stomach and dizzy, bewildering sensations crowded her brain. Something dripped onto her cheek and trickled up toward her eye, so she closed it as she tried to understand, tried to make sense of the pain coursing through her.
Her head pounded. Her face felt swollen, sore.
Red and blue continued to flash through her closed eyelids. Her ears roared and her brain swirled in confusion. She squinted through the stickiness covering her eyes and tried to comprehend the upside down feet she could see through her window.
Upside down?
Upside down!
A weird sort of relief coursed through her as she finally understood that she was the one upside down, that she was hanging from her seatbelt in her overturned car and that the wet stuff running up her sore face didn't defy the laws of gravity. She tried to release the breath she held, even tried to smile as a strange calm washed through her.
The need to celebrate was short lived when she finally realized her predicament. Her heart pounded painfully as adrenaline coursed through her in hot waves. Shaking her head from side to side, she tried to pry her eyes open, tried to concentrate, tried to figure out how to get herself out.
Through the roaring in her head, she thought she heard a voice, someone yelling at her. Something touched her. Her hand fumbled away in fear as she fought back the scream rising in her throat. It took all of her strength and focus to stay calm as she tried to process the sensation. Muffled but louder, the voice yelled at her again. She couldn't hear the words, couldn't seem to understand, but she finally realized the touch on her arm was that of another human hand.
She grasped it tightly, the seriousness of her predicament suddenly jelling in her brain.

Chapter One
The beeping and buzzing noise filtered slowly into the dream, at first irritating Lee and then slowly waking her, but sudden panic belted through her as she realized the late hour, and she opened her eyes quickly to reach for the cell phone. She caught the noisy thing as it continued to vibrate across her bedside table and opened it without trying to read the caller ID. Whoever would call in the middle of the night had a damn good reason.
"Hello," she croaked, her voice rusty with sleep and sudden panic.
"Lee!" an unfamiliar voice yelled through the phone, fear and tension evident in the tone.
"Gavin?" Confusion swamped her. Tracey’s husband? She sat straighter in bed and pressed the phone closer. She could barely breathe. Blood thundered in her ears and dread washed through her at the words that might come.
"Lee, Tracey's been in an accident. Can you meet me at Mercy General?"
Unable to speak, Lee opened and closed her mouth several times before she forced the words past her tightening throat.
"Is she okay?"
"I don't know," he said as his voice broke and an angry sob tore loose.
"I'll be there as fast as I can." She moved quickly around the room and grabbed the clothes she'd only hours ago discarded.
"I'm in Emergency," he said before disconnecting the line.
Lee threw her clothes on, grabbed her bag and cell phone and ran from the apartment, barely remembering to lock the door.
* * * *
She found him pacing in the emergency area, the muscles in his back and neck held rigid with anger and fear for the woman he loved.
Lee approached him carefully, unsure of her welcome despite his frantic phone call only fourteen minutes earlier. They'd never been actual friends, their only connection was the woman who now lay injured, maybe dying, in this hospital. Lee's breath caught at the realization that her best friend may already be dead. She froze on the spot, unable to move, the fear of bad news suddenly outweighing her need to know.
Gavin glanced up as she stopped. Anguish carved deep lines into his handsome face, and she watched him, unsure what to do. It was the first time she'd ever seen Gavin without his easy smile and confident attitude, and for a moment, she had no idea how to help.
Her need to comfort him had her moving slowly in his direction but uncertainty held her back. Tall and athletic, Gavin's physical appearance and personality spelled strong protector, not a man who would usually need comfort or reassurance from anyone, let alone the scared best friend of his wife.
Lee stopped a few paces in front of him, watching him carefully, trying to decide whether to follow her instinct to comfort or give him space. When he opened his arms, she flew into them and pressed her face against his chest. Holding him as tightly as he held her, Lee blinked frantically as she tried to control her own emotions. Tracey needed her to be strong. Gavin needed her to be strong. She needed to stay strong so that she wouldn't end up in a messy puddle on the floor.
"Is she alive?" she asked quietly as he squeezed her harder.
"They've taken her in for a CT scan." His words were broken, his breathing choppy, his voice rough. "They took her in just before you got here."
Exhaustion pulsed through her as the adrenaline rush from her frantic dash to the hospital began to wane. She tried to tilt her head back so that she could ask another question, but he held her tighter and she realized his need to hold her and to be held. They stood that way for several minutes, the strong muscles in his chest quaking with the emotions he tried to wrestle under control. After a few more moments, his breathing calmed a little and his arms eased their death grip on her upper body.
Lee carefully angled him toward a row of seats and gently pushed him backward. He resisted for a brief second, but slowly stepped back and dropped into the nearest plastic chair. She sat beside him, grabbed his hand and held tight as she tried to get more information.
"What happened?" she asked quietly.
"Drunk driver ran a red light, nearly killed her." His hand tightened against hers as his anger grew again. Lee tried to swallow the lump that threatened to choke her.
"What's the scan for?"
"She has facial injuries," he said, swallowing hard, "and they think she may have a cracked skull or…" He took a deep breath, held it for a moment and then let it out in a loud whoosh. "They're checking for pressure on her brain as well but...."
"But?" she asked softly when it seemed he wouldn't or couldn't go on.
"But they don't know anything for sure."
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her onto his lap. She curled into his arms, feeling scared and overwhelmed for both Tracey and Gavin. Lee held on as Gavin rocked her in his arms, instinctively knowing that he needed to offer comfort as much for his own sanity as for hers.
* * * *
Tracey was swimming in molasses. Everything seemed to move in slow motion and every movement took super human effort. Sounds seemed strange, somehow muffled, like someone had turned down the volume of her ears.
Her eyes fluttered open as she fought her way to consciousness, but she struggled to make sense of the confused signals her eyes and ears collected.
"Lee?" she breathed through swollen lips when she realized someone held her hand. She turned her head as she tried to pry open eyelids that seemed determined to stay shut. She tried to sit up but a strong hand on her shoulder held her still.
"Trace," Gavin's familiar deep voice crooned, "hi, honey. Don't try to move just yet, okay?"
A tear trickled over her swollen lids as she heard his voice, emotion zooming through her body at a million miles an hour, her entire being grateful to be alive. She definitely knew she was alive.
No way would death be this painful. A panic-stricken half laugh turned into a sob as her sore and swollen throat protested the movement.
"Shhh... Honey, you're okay. You're going to be okay. The doctor will be here in a minute. Just try to relax."
Cool fingers wiped across her brow as he pushed her hair away from her face. The movement felt strange, the hair seeming to stick against her skin and she grimaced against the uncomfortable feeling.
Gavin quickly pulled his hand back.
"Trace," a familiar feminine voice said, "you're in a hospital. Do you remember what happened?"
Tracey closed her eyes again, no longer able to hold them open against the intense pain and the glaring overhead light. Did she remember? She had vague flashes of something scary, but she couldn't quite explain how she got here.
" 'o. Why 'm 'ere?" she asked unsteadily, unable to get her lips moving properly. Her tongue seemed far too big for her mouth, and she tried to swallow the gritty taste without success.
"Th....thhhh....rsty," she forced out.
"I know, baby," Lee said softly, "but you're about to go into surgery so you can't have anything just yet." Lee touched her shoulder, rubbed her hand against the soft flesh and said quietly, "Gavin and I will be right here when you come out. Just relax and let the doctors do their job."
Tracey imagined that she smiled at her friend's bossy attitude but considering how sore her face felt she was pretty sure the expression didn't show.
" 'ot 'ong?" she mumbled, grateful when Gavin understood her and explained why she needed surgery.
"Honey, you were in car accident. The doctors need to repair the damage done by the steering wheel."
She moaned quietly as understanding dawned. "Teeef?"
"Sorry, baby," Lee said squeezing her shoulder tighter, "most of them are broken, but we'll get them fixed. Soon you'll be as good as new." She said it brightly, but Tracey knew her well enough to notice her voice waver around the lie.
"Okay, Mrs. Jackson," an overly cheerful voice said as a woman entered the room. Tracey couldn't see her, but considering the bright tone, she imagined the woman practically dancing on the spot with enthusiasm. Tracey instantly disliked her. "We're ready to take you into surgery."
"We'll be here when you wake up," Gavin's deep voice assured her as Lee's hand squeezed tighter.
" 've 'u," Tracey groaned around the swelling of her face.
"We love you too baby," Lee answered. "See you when you get back."
* * * *
Lee watched Gavin collapse into the nearest chair, his legs no longer able to hold him upright. He dropped his head into his hands as his shoulders shook, a small sound of anguish escaping him. Lee took a deep breath, unsure what to do or how to comfort him.
Tracey had been lucky, she hadn't cracked her skull and there was no sign of swelling on her brain. The worst of her injuries were cosmetic. A lot of broken teeth, deep cuts and some horrible bruising, but the doctor had assured them that despite her appearance she had no internal injuries. As accidents go, Tracey was one very lucky lady, especially considering the fact that her old car didn't have an air bag.
If the drunk driver had hit her car at any other angle… Lee shivered.
She knew that Tracey loved that stupid, old car, but she couldn't help being relieved that it was now just a pile of twisted metal.
Lee sat down on the lounge beside her best friend's husband. She reached over and placed her hand on his shoulder and rubbed gently, rhythmically, as he took a moment to pull himself together.
"It's been a long night," she said as he took a deep breath. He nodded mutely and rubbed a tired hand down his face.
"How long have you been in love with my wife?" He spoke quietly, calmly, but she felt the muscles in his back tighten as he waited for an answer.
Her breath caught in her throat, her chest squeezing in panic. How could he know? Lee pulled away from him. She thought of denying it, telling him he was mistaken, but somehow couldn't force herself to voice the lie. She watched him nervously, her eyes unblinking as she tried to find the courage to answer him.
"Since college," she admitted. He looked at her then, really looked at her before he pulled her into his arms and held her tight. Not knowing what to say, or how to explain her jumbled emotions, Lee laid her head on his shoulder and let the tears fall.
* * * *
Gavin held Lee as she cried. He wasn't sure what had alerted him to her emotions, wasn't even sure if it was something he'd noticed before today, but in a single moment of clarity he'd seen her love for Tracey shine through everything else.
"Does she know?" he asked softly, still trying to understand the situation.
"Hell no," she said, hiccupping softly. "I knew as soon as she met you that telling her would only hurt her. She loves you. She's never thought of me in that way."
"I wouldn't be so sure," he said as he remembered Tracey's first word as she woke. He shushed Lee when she tried to say something else, pulling her closer against him. He'd been willing to promise anything to anyone a few hours ago, anything at all to make sure that Tracey would survive such a terrible accident. His only thought had been that if she pulled through he would spend the rest of his life making her happy, but now his heart squeezed painfully as he wondered if he was the one meant to do it. The woman in his arms stirred restlessly, wiping her face as she straightened to sit beside him.
"I need coffee," she said shakily as she pushed to her feet. "Can I get you anything?"
"I'll come with you." He lifted himself out of the lounge awkwardly. He was a big man, well over six foot, and the sofa was just too damn close to the floor. Lee grabbed his hand as he righted himself and he tried to shake the lethargic feeling flooding his body.
The adrenaline had long since worn off, and he was holding himself together by sheer will. Caffeine would definitely help wake him up, but he wasn't sure if it would make things any clearer.
They sat in the cafeteria sipping coffee neither of them seemed to actually want.
"When did you first meet Tracey?" he asked Lee, uncertain if he'd ever heard the story before.
Lee smiled in remembrance and leaned back in her chair as she shared what were obviously cherished memories.
"I'd been backpacking around Australia for about a year, and of course by the time I got home the last thing I wanted to do was to concentrate on college. When I finally made it to my dorm room, I found this brown-haired, caramel-eyed bookworm studying. I think I spent three weeks partying before I even bothered to ask her name."
Gavin watched Lee's face soften as she spoke about the woman they both loved. It was very clear to him now that Lee felt the same as he did, and his gut twisted a little in anguish. Did Tracey have any idea what this woman felt for her? Did she feel the same way herself but, like Lee, didn't say anything in an effort to protect the woman she loved? Gavin's mind swirled with questions, his lungs seizing painfully when he thought of all he could lose.
"Hey," Lee said when she saw his expression, "nothing is going to change. We'll both stand by her while she recovers and then things will go back to the way they were."
He reached over to grab her hand, humbled and confused by her strength and willingness to deny her own happiness for someone she loved.
"I'm not sure I can do that," he said quietly.
"Sure you can," she said with a confused look on her face. "She's got a long road ahead of her, but soon she'll be recovered and we can put this all behind us."
"That's not what I meant," he said his agitation leaking into his voice. "I meant...I'm not sure I can stand by while you love my wife as much as I do."
Dread flashed over Lee's expression, her eyes filling with tears.
"Please don't ask me to leave when she needs us both so much."
She dragged in a deep ragged breath. "I can't walk away from her like this. Please let me stay until she recovers. Just until she's back on her feet. Just..." Her voice broke as a sob tore through her chest.

Chapter Two
"Oh, God." Gavin stood and pulled her unresisting body into his arms. "That's the exact opposite of what I meant." He rocked her gently as she tried to stop the tears that fell down her cheeks. "Lee, I meant that it's obvious that you love her, and I think she loves you, too. How can I stand in the way of her happiness?” He smoothed a tear from her heated face. “I love her too much to ignore the love you can give her."
She held onto him as she tried to untangle the meaning behind his words. He wanted to stand aside? He would step back so that she and Tracey could be together?
Her stomach squeezed tight as her mind whirled with the possibilities of a future she'd believed no longer possible. She didn't understand her own feelings about Gavin standing aside and a part of her rebelled against doing anything that may hurt this man. She shook her head slowly as she marveled at the extraordinary price this man was willing to pay for his wife's happiness but deep down she knew without a shadow of doubt that it was Tracey's choice, not Gavin's and definitely not hers.
"Gavin," she said shakily, "we need to get her well again and let her decide her own future."
"Okay," he said with quiet determination, "but you have to tell her how you feel. Give her a chance to decide knowing how you feel."
She nodded against his chest, her eyes filling with tears and her heart breaking for him and the decisions he was making in the name of love.
* * * *
Tracey woke with a pounding headache, her mouth so clogged and sticky it made it impossible to swallow. She groaned when she moved as a sudden and incredibly painful sensation twisted in her abdomen.
"Stay still," Lee's voice admonished as a soft hand fell to her upper arm. "Are you thirsty?"
Tracey tried to nod, but the movement made her stomach roll, so she held still and tried to convey her need without opening her eyes.
Lee understood.
"The nurse said you could have a few ice chips when you woke up, but you need to be careful."
Tracey wanted to ask why, but her tongue took up too much of her mouth and she couldn't seem to push words past the obstruction. Lee rubbed a small sliver of ice against her swollen lips, and Tracey felt her push the cold piece into her mouth. The soothing sensation lasted only a moment. Lee grabbed more ice, repeated the action and then moved back into Tracey's line of vision.
"The doctor said that the best thing you can do now is sleep."
Tracey's eyes focused on the familiar curves of her best friend's face. She looked tired, but she hid it behind her bravado, striving for a cheerful tone of voice.
"Sleep, baby," she said as she wiped a cool cloth against Tracey's overheated and swollen face.
"G'vn?" Tracey asked as her eyes closed again.
"I'm right here, honey. Go back to sleep. We'll be here when you wake up."
Tracey hugged the voices of the two people she loved more than anything tightly to her as she slid back into sleep.
* * * *
A few days later, Gavin sat beside her bed watching her sleep.
The bruises had begun to fade and the swelling had reduced considerably. Both of her eyes had turned an interesting shade of purple, but at least she could open them more easily now. The doctor seemed happy with the way she was healing.
She'd spent most of the last two days sleeping, a fact for which Gavin was grateful. He still wasn't ready to let her go, he wasn't sure he ever would be, but somehow he would find the strength to do the right thing.
He'd watched Lee as she gently supported Tracey through some of the worst days of her life, her love and caring obvious in every expression, every movement.
"Hi," a soft voice said from the bed. He lifted his head to Tracey's eyes and tried to hide his fear and sadness behind a gentle smile.
"Hi, honey," he said softly. "Do you need a drink?"
"Yes," she said with difficulty. She ran her tongue over dry lips and swollen gums where most of her front teeth had been missing since the accident. The doctors had recommended that she replace the teeth with implants, and so the specialist was organizing for a date for surgery. Until then she would just need to find ways to cope without her beautiful smile.
"Lee?" she asked as he lifted a small cup of water to her injured mouth.
"She's at work honey, but she'll be back around six."
Tracey closed her eyes as a single tear leaked over her lashes and rolled down her cheek. She caught it with her hand before it could drip off her chin, but she couldn't hide it from him. Gavin lifted out of his chair and carefully wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
He sat beside her on the bed, just holding her close.
" 'ome," she said sadly. He moved a little so that he could see her face, unsure what she was trying to say.
"Hhhhhhh…ome," she said again as another tear slid down her face.
"Oh, honey," he said, a heavy feeling settling in his chest. "The doctors want you to stay for at least one more day, but I can take you home soon." He held her for a while before he found the courage to ask his next question.
"Trace, I was thinking of asking Lee to stay with us for a while once you get home. Would you like that?" He swallowed painfully, his breath sitting stale in his lungs as he waited for her answer.
"Yes," she said quietly as she fell asleep again. He slid further onto the bed and lay down beside her so that he could gather her in his arms, a hollow ache in his chest as his lonely future suddenly seemed more certain.
* * * *
Several weeks later, Gavin walked in the front door of the apartment he and Tracey owned. Well, the bank owned most of it, but it still gave him a rush to walk into his own home. He took off his coat, dropped his keys on the sideboard table and walked into the living area. He found Tracey asleep on the lounge, her head resting in Lee's lap.
"Hi," he said quietly as he crossed the room and squatted down in front of his sleeping wife. She almost looked her old self again, except for a slightly pinched look around her mouth. Her jaw still troubled her a little, but her headaches had become less frequent and the stitched cuts had healed well. Three weeks ago, she'd had surgery to place titanium dental implants into her jaw, and fortunately, the cosmetic dentist had been able to replace her teeth at the same time. It had been a more complicated and expensive procedure than they'd first thought, but it was the best choice for Tracey and now she had her beautiful smile back.
Gavin reached out a hand and smoothed a stray lock of golden brown hair away from Tracey's eyes. He studied her face for a moment, relieved to see that she no longer seemed to be in pain. His gaze strayed to Lee's face as he realized that she was watching him closely.
"Have you told her yet?" he asked, getting straight to the heart of the matter.
She shook her head as she broke eye contact.
Gavin reached over and lifted her face up so that he could read the expression in her eyes.
"Coward," he admonished. She shrugged her shoulders, not bothering to deny it. "Why?" he asked, curious to understand her reasoning.
"I just can't." She broke eye contact again. He crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for more, and she finally let out her breath in a loud whoosh. "I don't want to tell her when she can't talk properly.
What if she wants to yell at me? What if she hates me for it? What if she tells me to get lost?"
"What if she loves you back?" He'd noticed Tracey's eyes flutter open and her breathing change just a moment ago and he was pretty sure she was awake and listening to their conversation. "What if she wants you just as much as you want her?"
"I can't risk losing her."
"Why would you lose me?" a soft voice asked.
Lee stiffened at the quiet question.
"You're awake?" she squeaked, her panicked eyes seeking Gavin's. He nodded, a sad smile flitting across his face. His heart throbbed painfully, but he thought he managed to hide it.
"I'll go get some dinner organized. You two have a lot to talk about."
* * * *
Tracey lay still, her head resting on Lee's thighs and her left hand cupped over the other woman’s knee. She didn't try to move, didn't try to make eye contact with Lee. She wasn't sure they'd said what she thought she heard. Worried that she'd misunderstood the conversation she repeated her earlier question.
"Why would you lose me?"
Lee ran a hand gently over Tracey's hair, stroking down the full length over and over. Tracey sensed Lee gathering her thoughts, maybe even her courage to say something important, so she stayed still and waited.
"Do you remember when we were in college, and I went through that party stage?"
Tracey laughed a little at that. Every day had been party day for Lee. College had been one big long party, and Tracey had often wondered how Lee had managed to get an education at all. She herself had worked hard for every class and even then she'd only just scraped through.
"Okay, let me rephrase that," Lee said with a smile in her voice.
"When I went through that all girl party stage?"
Tracey nodded slowly in reply.
"Did you ever notice that my dates all had golden brown hair and caramel eyes?"
"I did," she answered slowly, still wondering where this conversation could be going and a little too frightened to hope. She'd been jealous of every single one of those women. She'd always wanted more from Lee but had been too frightened of losing the friendship they already had to do anything about it. In college, Lee had never given her any reason to think that she was more than just the bookworm roommate and friend, and her own shyness had made sure that she'd stayed that way.
"Well...umm...it never worked with any of them because they weren't you."
Tracey lifted her head and rolled onto her back so that she could see Lee's face. Lee's eyes were closed, and she held herself rigidly, almost like she was expecting a physical attack.
"Why tell me now?" Tracey asked, her mind shying away from the consequences of this conversation. She had a husband that she loved, and they'd built a life together, they had even discussed having children. Why would Lee tell her this now, years after she'd given up hope of being anything more important to her than just her best friend?
Lee swallowed hard, her eyelids fluttering against her face as she seemed to hold back tears.
"Because when you were in hospital, when I thought you were going to die, I couldn't hide how much I loved you from the one person who knew exactly what I was feeling."
"Gavin? Gavin realized you loved me?" she asked bewildered. Oh God, what must Gavin be thinking? Feeling?
Lee nodded miserably.
"I tried to convince him just to leave well enough alone, but he wouldn't let me. He's convinced himself that you and I would be happier together, and he wants to step aside to make that happen."
"Whoa, hold on a minute. He's just willing to walk away?" she said as hurt flashed across her entire body and soul. Why would he think she would want him to leave? She loved him and she loved Lee, how could she lose either of them this way?
She was about to give in to despair when another thought hit her—how dare they both make decisions about her future without talking to her first. The skin around her eyes tightened as anger started to burn through her. No one was leaving this home until they found a solution that worked for them all.
"Call Gavin in here," she told Lee still unable to speak loudly around her sore jaw. When Lee hesitated, she growled, "Now!"
"Gavin," Lee called, glancing between the door to the hallway and Tracey's angry face, "can you come in here a moment?"
* * * *
Gavin heard Lee's summons and immediately stood and headed into the living room. He'd been sitting on the bed wallowing in a great big bucket of self pity, but something in Lee's tone of voice launched him onto his feet instantly. Still, he hesitated at the doorway. Did he really want to see his wife's beautiful face as she told him how much she loved someone else? Was he strong enough to see this through without begging her to let him stay?
He took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for the despair that would surely follow. He loved Tracey with all his heart, and if she wanted a life with Lee, then he'd find the strength to leave. He stepped into the room expecting the two women to be smiling happily at each other, years of hidden love finally out in the open. What he found nearly knocked the wind from him.
Tracey stood in the middle of the room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her eyes narrowed in anger. She looked up at him as he hovered in the doorway.
"Sit," she pointed at the sofa where Lee still sat.
He moved quickly to do as she asked. He'd never seen her so angry before, and he was having trouble understanding what it could mean. He slid onto the seat, barely aware that Lee was as tense as he felt.
"Lee just told me she loves me," Tracey said, her anger obvious even through her sore jaw. Gavin glanced at the woman beside him unsure why that would make Tracey so upset. Had he misread her?
Didn't Tracey love Lee as well? How could he have misinterpreted something so important to all of their lives?
"She tells me that you want to leave? Is that right?" He nodded slowly, warily, uncertain now but unwilling to hide from the truth.
"Why?"
"Because I want you to be happy," he said steadily, trying to control the quivering that had started in his muscles. Adrenaline flooded his system, a fight or flight response to danger that he didn't quite understand.
"So you love me enough to leave me? Is that it?"
Lee tried to say something, but Tracey held up a hand to stop her.
"Do you love me enough to walk away?" she asked again, her voice a low growl. Gavin nodded, opened his mouth to say something and then closed it just as quickly.
"What about you, Lee? You just told me you've loved me since college, do you love me enough to walk away?"
"Yes," Lee said in a tiny voice that made Gavin's heart ache for her almost as much as he ached for himself.
"So if you both love me, why would either of you want to leave?"
Tracey dropped her head back and stared at the ceiling, seeming to fight for control. "How do you expect me to choose between you?"
Gavin glanced over to Lee, her face a mirror of his own uncertainty. "We don't know, honey," he said carefully. "We just wanted you to know the truth. Lee loves you with all of her heart, and I know you love her, too. I just want you to be happy."
* * * *
"So you want me to choose between you? How can I do that?"
Her jaw ached, frustration with the now familiar pain making her more emotional, less in control. She started pacing in front of them, unable to look at either of the people claiming to love her and now expecting her to make such a massive decision. "Do you have any idea what you've just said? Either of you?"
She eyed them both for a moment and then went back to pacing.
The husband she loved and the woman she'd loved since college both sat watching her warily. How the hell could she choose one over the other?
"Trace, it’s okay, baby. You married Gavin, and I was happy for you. I am happy for you. I don't want to destroy what you have." Lee turned to Gavin, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Please can we just go back to the way things were?"
* * * *
How the hell had they gotten here? Gavin's brain swirled with unresolved questions, his heart and his head unable to agree. He loved Tracey, loved her more than anything, and he wanted her to be happy.
He'd seen the way Tracey and Lee belonged together. He knew they loved each other, he just hadn't realized that by forcing the issue he'd be asking Tracey to make such a difficult decision. He'd somehow assumed she'd be able to walk away from him.
His eyes closed wearily as he acknowledged that his own insecurity probably brought them to this point. He was the one who believed Lee could make Tracey happier than he could. He was the one so lacking in confidence that he was willing to hand over the woman he loved to someone else because they could do a better job.
He tried to open his eyes but slammed them shut quickly, horrified by the film of tears threatening to escape.
"Tracey." Lee's voice low, soothing, the calm within the storm. "I have always been content being your friend, and I want you to be happy. Nothing has to change here."
Lee's quiet words felt like a kick in the gut. She loved Tracey. She deserved more. Finally finding his courage, Gavin opened his eyes to see the woman he loved watching him closely, her anger replaced by sympathy. He swallowed hard. He couldn't let Lee stay in the background when it was obvious that she loved Tracey as much as he did. His voice felt rough, but he forced the words past his aching throat.
"Why do you have to choose? Why not keep us both?"

Chapter Three
Tracey heard Lee's sharp intake of breath at the same time that she watched her husband's face move into a tentative smile. Still reeling from Lee's words, she had no idea if she understood the specifics of what Gavin proposed. She only knew that she didn't want to lose either of these incredible people.
"Gavin, Lee," she said, swallowing around the thick lump clogging her throat, "I love you both. Please can we work something out? I don't want to lose either of you."
Gavin spoke first. "Yes, honey. We can work this out." He glanced quickly at Lee who nodded slightly. "We'll find a way to make it work." He reached over and grasped Tracey's hand in his own and pulled her onto the sofa in the middle of him and Lee.
"Baby, we can have any sort of relationship you want," Lee said as she glanced at Gavin's hand grasping Tracey's. "I've always been happy just being your best friend. We can go back to that, if you like, and just pretend this never happened."
"But it did happen," Gavin said as he raised Tracey's hand to his lips. "Honey, I want you to be happy, and if that means I have to share your gorgeous body and loving heart with Lee then I'm okay with that."
Tracey glanced from one to the other, realizing that her husband had just given her permission to take Lee as her lover and still have him as her husband. Her emotions swelled at his generous spirit at the same time as her mind tried to play the guilt trip. She was married to him, he was her husband, and she owed him her love and her fidelity.
"Don't," he said as he kissed her carefully on the forehead. She sank back onto the lounge as she studied his handsome face. "Don't over think it, honey. I know you love me, and I know that you love Lee, and we both know that you will be faithful to us both."
Well, that didn't quite make sense, but she understood what he meant and knew it to be true. She would never step outside their triangle regardless of what the future may hold, and she trusted them both to do the same.
"Come here, honey," he said as he hauled her onto his lap. He kissed her face carefully as his hands roamed over her body. "It's been so long since I've made love to you," he groaned as his hands found the buttons of her shirt. "Are you feeling well enough?"
"I feel pretty good at the moment." Her jaw ached, her head hurt, but none of it seemed to matter compared to the revelations of just moments ago.
Gavin's hands started to undo the buttons on her shirt, pushing the fabric aside as he inched the material away from her breasts and down her shoulders. Tracey felt Lee move behind them as she tried to get off the lounge, but Gavin reached over and stalled her escape. He held Lee's wrist as his other hand undid Tracey's bra, releasing her suddenly aching breasts and turning her around so that Lee could admire them.
Gavin's hand let go of Lee and traveled up Tracey’s side to cup her breast and rub his thumb over the darkened pink nipple. He held her reverently, offering her to Lee. Lee gazed at the pale globe and into Tracey's eyes and back again before she lowered her head and took the turgid nipple into her mouth.
Tracey groaned at the sensation. Her brain noticed the different textures and feel of a woman's mouth compared to a man's, but her body reacted in the same way, melting into Gavin as Lee sucked harder and flicked her trapped nipple with her tongue. Gavin held her tight, his hands roaming over the undersides of her breasts as he placed nibbling little kisses on her neck.
Tracey moaned louder as she felt Lee's hands drop to her crotch.
Lee rubbed her mound through the denim at the same time that Gavin's thickening cock pressed against her ass. Liquid fire coursed through her veins as she felt her body rush toward orgasm.
* * * *
Lee stifled her own groan as the smell of Tracey's sweet arousal reached her nose. She'd dreamed about this moment so many times over the years that she could hardly believe she was actually here. She considered pinching herself just to be sure, but discarded the idea in favor of sucking harder against the beautiful breast in her mouth.
Tracey writhed against Lee's touch, pressing her crotch harder against her hand and rubbing back and forth. Emboldened by Tracey's obvious enjoyment, and Gavin's invitation, Lee lifted her hands to the snap of Tracey's jeans and eased down the zipper. Gavin lifted her slightly, helping Lee to slide the denim down Tracey's legs.
Tracey whimpered with excitement as Lee caressed her through the thin silky material of her panties and pressed a finger against the gathering wetness.
"Oh, baby, you feel so incredible," she said as she worshipped Tracey's swollen labia. Impatiently, Tracey slid her fingers into the edge of her underwear and pushed them down. She opened her legs, encouraging Lee's questing fingers, and moaned her excitement as a gentle finger sank into her swollen slit and a thumb slid up toward her clitoris.
Gavin slid his hands under her ass and lifted her up higher, settling her over his thighs and opening her legs and pussy to Lee's gaze. Lee continued to slide a finger in and out of her wet heat as she lowered her mouth to suck on Tracey's engorged clit. At her first touch, the other woman bucked beneath her, but Gavin held her safe as Lee pushed her tongue between the folds and flicked the tumescent flesh of her clit.
* * * *
Tracey's thighs began to quiver. Lee licked and sucked her clit, and Gavin pulled and pinched her stiff nipples. Her climb to orgasm felt too intense, too rapid to control. Her breath caught in her throat, the muscles in her legs tensed and her back arched toward the ceiling as they wound her higher and higher toward release.
Her breath caught and then her world exploded. Her body bucked against the twin assaults and her muscles flooded with heat as her mind burst with colors. They both held her close while she recovered, her body quivering from the incredible sensations.
Gavin kissed her neck and murmured words of love as he caressed her stomach and hips. She shivered at both his touch and the emotions his tender words evoked.
Lee lifted carefully away from her so that she could lean forward and place a gentle kiss on her lips. Tracey's tongue flicked out, tasting herself as Lee sat back onto her knees and smiled up at her.
"I love you," she said, her smile wide and genuine.
"Same here," Gavin said beside her ear. "How about we find somewhere more comfortable so that we can continue what we started." He nibbled her ear and pressed his hard cock against the soft flesh of her ass She giggled happily as he lifted her in his arms and turned toward the bedroom. He stopped at the door and looked over his shoulder at Lee. She felt his uncharacteristic hesitation, his wavering self confidence, but it was gone before she could fully understand the cause.
"Come on, Lee," he said casually as he stepped into the hall.
Tracey heard the sharp exhalation of breath from the other woman, but Gavin was striding down the hall with her tucked against his chest before she could make eye contact with her new lover. It wasn't until he laid her on the bed that she was certain that Lee had come into the room as well.
* * * *
Gavin stood back to admire the beautiful body of his wife, the woman who would forever own his heart. She had the body of a goddess, lush and rounded exactly where a woman should be and absolutely his definition of the perfect shape. Her legs long and well toned, the skin smooth and creamy white. Her beautiful breasts and stomach were still flushed and glowing from her wild orgasm, and her eyes were dark and glazed with passion. She shifted restlessly against the covers, eyeing both him and Lee with a mixture of arousal, nerves and embarrassment. She lifted her arms as she beckoned them both to her.
Glancing at the woman beside him, Gavin found himself uncertain what to do next. Should he leave the room and let the women get acquainted? Should he stay and watch? Should he join them?
Lee moved toward the bed, slowly peeling off her own clothes as she went. Gavin tried not to watch, tried to concentrate on his wife, but curiosity got the better of him and he glanced over to the now naked woman approaching his equally naked wife. Lee was so different to Tracey in just about every way. Tall and graceful, her deep bronze skin glowed as the lithe muscles of her legs carried her over to the bed and she stretched out beside Tracey. She rested on her elbow as she drew little circles on Tracey's stomach and then leaned forward to kiss her gently.
Her hand slid higher and cupped the underside of Tracey's swollen breast, a neatly manicured thumb brushing over his wife's puckered nipple. Tracey writhed against the sheets as Lee applied more pressure and then dipped her head to take the other dusky pink nipple into her mouth. Tracey yelped when Lee bit her, but moaned in ecstasy when the woman laved the offended nipple with her tongue.
Gavin watched, mesmerized, as Lee made love to his wife. The smooth glide of bronze skin over cream was more erotic than anything he could ever have imagined. He watched as his wife returned the caresses, her hands roaming over Lee's firm breasts, pinching and playing the nipples as both women moaned quietly.
Gavin's cock grew harder with every soft noise.
Tracey pushed Lee onto her back, stilling the movement of her hands as she studied the other woman carefully.
"I want to kiss you properly," she said quietly, her annoyance at her still sore jaw very obvious, "but I guess we'll just have find other ways." Gavin tried to hide his amazement at the teasing tone in his wife's voice. He watched as she slid down Lee's body, pushed her legs apart and wedged herself in between the vee. Her hands played with the dark curls before she sank a finger deep into Lee's glistening pussy.
"You are so wet," she said huskily as she pulled her finger out and sucked it into her mouth. "Mmm, and you taste divine. I can't wait for this stupid jaw to heal properly so I can eat this gorgeous pussy." She pushed two fingers back into Lee's dripping hole, working them back and forth as Lee writhed against the bed, begging with her body.
"Please," she moaned as Tracey teased her relentlessly, "please."
Gavin adjusted his cock. It pressed so hard against his jeans that he was sure he'd have a permanent imprint of the zipper. Tracey had never taken control in the bedroom with him, and he was seeing a side of his shy little wife that he hadn't known existed.
She glanced over at him and held her hand out and he hurried over to the side of the bed, wanting, needing everything this woman wanted to give him. She reached over to his jeans and fumbled with the snap as Lee writhed beneath her. She undid the zipper carefully and reached into his boxers to release his cock into her hand. Lee writhed again.
A loud smack reverberated around the room as Tracey growled at the woman to behave. Gavin watched as the bronze flesh turned a rosy red, and Lee moaned in pleasure. Pumping his hard cock in one hand, Tracey thrust the other finger into Lee's pussy and pressed her thumb firmly over her clit. Lee and Gavin writhed in sensual agony as Tracey worked their flesh, holding them both on the edge of ecstatic release.
"Gavin, I need you inside me."

Chapter Four
Gavin tried to drag in much needed air just as Tracey groaned and Lee's body started to shake beneath her. Tracey turned her attention back to Lee's swollen pussy at the same time that she lifted her ass into the air. Gavin knelt on the edge of the bed, grabbed her hips and thrust into her in one deep stroke.
"Oh hell, honey, it's been too long," he groaned. He pulled out and thrust into her again, harder. Lee moaned as the impact pushed Tracey's fingers deeper, grinding against her clit. Lee gasped and Gavin felt her entire body quivering as her orgasm claimed her.
Gavin held Tracey's hips in his firm grip as he pounded into her heated flesh, pushing her against his body with a hand on her mound as his fingers found her sensitized bud. She groaned as she came around his cock, dragging him in deeper, milking his orgasm from him. He held her close as she trembled, laying his face against the smooth sweat-slicked skin of her back. He kissed her neck and her shoulders, all the while whispering how much he loved her, how much he needed her, how much he'd missed her.
Carefully, he pulled his softening cock from her body and released her from his arms. She slid forward onto Lee's exhausted body as the woman's arms snaked around her to pull her into an embrace and gently guide her head onto her shoulder.
Lee watched him over Tracey's pliant form. He nodded once, not knowing precisely what the hell to do now. How exactly did one deal with a wife's lover? Should he say something? Thank her for her assistance? Make a joke? Hell, maybe high five the woman?
Confusion crowded his brain again and robbed him of the satisfied glow that usually came from making love with his wife.
Lee gave him a half smile, clearly just as uncomfortable. She looked down at the sleeping woman nestled against her, looked back into Gavin's eyes and mouthed, "Thank you."
Gavin nodded abruptly, his uncertainty making him feel wooden, unnatural. Unable to deal with anything more at the moment he took the coward's way out, and went to make dinner. He cursed his confusion even as he escaped, leaving Lee alone with the woman they both loved sleeping in her arms.
* * * *
Tracey snuggled up to Lee's warm body as she pretended to be asleep. Emotions flew through her at a bazillion miles an hour, and she needed space to try and sort through them.
She'd long since given up any hope of living the fantasies that had gotten her through college, and now suddenly she found herself living them. Not so many years ago she'd been the mousy bookworm that nobody noticed, but in her fantasies she'd been someone quite different. To be able to touch Lee, to learn her shape and watch her face as she came hard against her hand, had been so close to some of her wilder imaginings from another lifetime that she'd almost forgotten that Gavin had been in the room.
She turned onto her side, wondering if she was being a coward by pretending to sleep. Her thought was answered a moment later when Lee nudged her gently.
"I know you're awake, Trace. What's going on?"
Sighing softly, Tracey opened her eyes to look at the one woman who knew her better than she knew herself. Well, almost. "I'm just working it out in my head," she said honestly.
Lee nodded and pulled her tighter against her.
"I understand that," she said quietly. "I'm not sure I can help though. Only you can decide where we go from here."
"I know," she said a little glumly. "I love you, and I love Gavin, and I want you both in my life. It's the only thing I do know for certain. What happened here," she said looking around her room as if seeing it for the first time, "was more than a dream come true for me, but was it enough for you? Enough for Gavin? Are you happy to share or am I going to lose you both because I want too much?"
"Trace," Lee said "you won't lose me, not ever. Even if we go back to being friends and pretend this never happened, I'll always be in your life."
Tears blurred Tracey's vision as she absorbed the words. What did she ever do to deserve such love, such devotion? She decided then and there to spend the rest of her life making sure that she deserved the happiness both Lee and Gavin were offering. She hugged Lee's athletic frame closer as she considered their unknown future.
Lee reached up to catch the tear that fell silently down Tracey's cheek.
"It's okay, baby. We'll find a way to make it work."
* * * *
Eighteen months later...
"I'm home," he called as he walked in the door. Gavin toed off his shoes and gratefully stepped out of them. It had been a really, really long day. It had started with the printer refusing to spit out his presentation charts and gone downhill from there.
He could smell the delicious aroma of something cooking for dinner and he followed his nose into the kitchen, a little surprised to find it empty.
As he wandered toward his bedroom, he was about to call out to Tracey when he heard noises coming from Lee's room. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were up to, and he was on the verge of turning around and going back into the kitchen when he caught a flash of what was happening through the slightly open door.
Instantly hard, Gavin watched as his wife held Lee's legs open, tormenting her with her tongue. Lee writhed against the bonds holding her arms together and fastened to the top of the bed as Tracey bought her to the edge of a powerful climax and then pulled away.
She sat back and watched as Lee swore and begged Tracey to touch her, finish her, let her orgasm.
Tracey lifted herself off the bed and stood back to watch her lover squirm.
"Roll over, baby," she said with a smile in her voice, "I want to see that beautiful ass in the air." Gavin watched in fascination as Lee quickly did as she was told, her ass pointing right at him where he stood spying through the door. Tracey slapped her lightly as she teased her with a-vibrator. "That's it, baby," she crooned softly. "You behave yourself, and I'll give you what you need."
Gavin rubbed his rigid cock, trying to relieve some of his own tension, trying to forget how much he wanted to be that vibrator, how much he wanted to ram his hard cock straight into that quivering pink pussy. Tracey pushed the vibrator in further as Lee pushed back, whimpering in protest when Tracey pulled it away from her. "I told you to be still, or I'll leave you tied to the bed and come back when you learn to behave."
"No," Lee whimpered. "Please." Gavin thought he saw her smile as she returned to her original position.
"Much better," Tracey said as she pushed the vibrator back into her dripping hole. "Now you can come."
Tracey leaned forward, draping her naked body over Lee's still form and pushed the vibrator roughly into her pussy at the same time that her other hand wrapped under Lee and found the swollen bundle of nerves. Lee screamed as her orgasm hit her and Gavin could see both of their bodies writhing as he watched them from the door.
His excitement shouted at him to join them on the bed, to fuck them both hard and fast. His cock nearly burst as he swayed forward to do just that, but he caught himself just in time.
God, how did this get so fucked up? They'd spent the last eighteen months living two separate lives. Tracey and Lee lived in one bedroom and he and Tracey lived in the other. The three of them hadn't been in the same bed together since that very first time, and a big part of him wished that would change. He hadn't even touched Lee, but lately his fantasies had taken on a life of their own, the sensations so vivid that they were almost like memory.
He moved away from the door, heading into the bathroom off his own room, in need of a very cold shower. Stripping quickly he stepped into the icy spray.
Okay, so their arrangement meant that she wasn't always beside him at night, but he knew she slept in the next room and that she'd be back. At the beginning, it had seemed so freeing, to be able to work later if he needed, knowing that she wasn't alone and waiting for him.
It had helped to get him his recent promotion. The agreement they'd made had seemed so perfect back then but now...Well, now he wanted more, wanted something different, something he wasn't really ready to understand or explain. Something had changed, something indefinable had shifted, and his world was no longer the way he wanted it, and he had no idea how to ask for what he sought.
The very fact that he'd been lusting after Lee's gorgeous body as well as his wife's was a very big part of the problem. Even under the cold water, his cock pulsed with need. Somehow he'd started thinking of her as his woman as well, and fantasies of fucking her slowly while Tracey watched were really messing with his head.
Giving up on the cold shower idea, Gavin twisted the taps until he stood under a warm cascade of water, his cock held tightly in his fist.
He closed his eyes and replayed the scene he'd witnessed moments ago. He was on the verge of exploding when the shower door opened and Tracey stepped in.
"Hmmm....Thinking about me?"

Chapter Five
"Yes," he growled as he grabbed her and kissed her like he would die if he didn't. She squeaked as he lifted her against the cold tiles and slid his stiff cock straight into her wet heat. Just knowing why she was so wet had his balls tightening even more as he pounded into her again and again. She laughed happily as he squeezed the globes of her ass harder and adjusted his angle so that every slide in grazed her swollen clit. She trembled in his arms as he pounded into her over and over until she screamed her release.
His balls impossibly tight, Gavin held his breath as he exploded deep in her body, his orgasm seeming to go on and on. He squashed her against him, her legs wrapped around his hips, her back against the cold tiles, his cock still deeply buried.
"I love you," he said quietly, trying to shove aside the guilt he felt for wanting to do this with Lee as well as with his wife.
"I love you, too," she said happily, as she unlocked her legs and slid slowly down his body. "Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes."
She turned her face into the spray, slicking back her hair as the water ran into her eyes. She smiled happily, her beautiful replacement teeth still surprising him by how closely they resembled her original smile. Other than several small pale scars around her mouth and under her bottom lip, she had no other signs that she'd been close to dying less than two years ago.
He reached for her again, pulled her into his embrace and rocked slightly as he held her. She hugged him back for a moment and then leaned away so that she could see his face.
"Are you okay?" she asked, concern creasing her face. He never could keep anything from her. She knew something was wrong, but he wasn't ready to share.
"Long day," he said, avoiding her eyes. He wasn't sure what his feelings were so he had no way to explain, and besides, he really did not want to have this conversation now. He reached out to cup her cheek with his hand. He kissed her gently and maneuvered her toward the door.
"Out," he said smiling, "or I'll have you up against the wall again, and dinner will burn."
She smiled at his teasing but wasn't fooled.
"You know you can tell me anything," she said quietly.
"Yes," he said nodding carefully, "and I will as soon as I understand it."
She frowned at his cryptic words but leaned up to kiss him again before she stepped from the shower.
Man, he was so fucking this up!
He loved her. He wanted her. He needed her but...he wanted Lee, too.
Fuck.
* * * *
He wandered into the kitchen as the delicious smell of roasted chicken filled the air. Tracey was serving it onto three plates, so he rummaged through the fridge until he found a chilled bottle of wine.
He grabbed three glasses and headed into the dining room where he found Lee setting the table. The woman was fully clothed, but it didn't help. All he could see was her gorgeous naked body splayed out on the bed like it was just minutes ago.
Lee's skin still glowed from her orgasm and her mouth curved in a contented smile. Well, at least one of us is happy, he thought ungraciously as guilt slammed him from all sides. Lee and Tracey were really happy together, and he had never seriously regretted inviting Lee into their lives. She'd even improved his marriage in an indirect way. Tracey was much more confident in all aspects of her life now, and that had flowed into their bed and their sex life, and he'd found intense enjoyment knowing that she was no longer frightened or embarrassed to ask for what she wanted from him.
She'd become far more adventurous, and they'd tried a few things that he hadn't even considered only a few years ago. He loved everything about their arrangement.
"Long day?" Lee asked as she looked at him speculatively.
That was the other thing. Somewhere along the way, he and Lee had formed a deep friendship, one where they were both comfortable discussing personal issues and supporting each other through difficult days. It had been really challenging for them both at the beginning of this unusual relationship, and they'd been lucky that they'd been able to help each other through.
"Yes," he said quietly, trying to hide the creeping feelings of dissatisfaction with his life. Lee looked at him closely. They'd been friends long enough now for her to know when he wasn't telling the whole truth and, unlike Tracey, she wasn't willing to wait for him to sort himself out first.
"Problems?" she asked point blank. He knew she was being deliberately non-specific. She wasn't asking about work, or Tracey, or his day in particular, she was asking why he was moping around like a selfish bastard. Maybe that's what he was after all, just a selfish bastard who couldn't be happy with the perfect life he already had.
"Nothing specific," he hedged, "nothing I can easily define, just tired."
"Not good enough," she said steadily.
He watched her eyes narrow, her body language suggesting there was no way he would get out of this without spilling his guts. She stood with her arms crossed and waited.
Tracey breezed into the room.
"Come on you two, sit. I've got some exciting news," she said happily, as she placed their meals on the table.
Grateful for the reprieve, no matter how temporary, Gavin sat down and smiled at his wife. She sat grinning at them both, nearly bursting with the need to tell them her news. Lee laughed at her obvious excitement, the air fairly jumping with it.
"I got a promotion," Tracey finally said.
They both talked at once, excited for her.
"That's great, baby."
"Oh, honey, that's excellent news."
"So spill, come on, details please," Lee said, rolling her hand in a hurry up motion.
"I've been promoted to Regional Sales Manager."
A little stunned, they both sat there with their mouths open. They knew she was an excellent sales rep but this promotion had essentially blindsided them.
"And the best part—I get to go to Vegas for the annual sales conference next week."
She practically bounced in her seat. Gavin glanced over at Lee, who wore the same expression he did. Things had been crazy at work lately, and there was no way he'd be able to wrangle a few days off to go with her.
"Umm..." Lee said carefully, glancing at Gavin. "I guess I could take a few days off."
"No," Tracey said quietly. "I don't need either of you to come with me. I'm actually looking forward to a few days alone, and besides, I'll be busy the whole time with conference stuff, so I won't be very good company anyway."
Lee stiffened at the words 'a few days alone' the same way he did.
Was having a relationship with them both proving too difficult?
"Don't look at me like that," she said in a mock growl. "You both get time alone to do your own things. I just need a little of the same."
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. Neither of us realized that we were crowding you like that." Lee nodded in agreement.
"It's not like that," she said, shaking her head. "I love every minute I spend with you both, but sometimes it's like I have two separate and very different lives and, well, it's kind of easy to forget who I am." She softened her words with a smile, and he tried to return it at the same time that he mentally kicked his own ass for being such a selfish blockhead. Judging by the look on Lee's face, she was doing much the same.
"Don't do that," Tracey admonished. "Either of you! I love you both, and I love my life, and I love my job. I'm really looking forward to this conference, and I don't want either of you taking time out of your own busy careers to come hold my hand. In case you haven't noticed, I'm fine now. My bruises healed, my teeth are fixed, and I haven't had a nightmare in almost a year. You don't need to hover over me."
Gavin could feel Lee's tension almost as well as he could feel his own. Everything Tracey said was right. They had been hovering over her, both not only anxious for her health but to make their relationships work.
"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time.
Tracey shook her head in exasperation.
"That's the other thing. Neither of you has argued with me in the last eighteen months. Do you realize that? You've both been tip toeing around me like I might break, and I've got to tell you it's making me into a bitch. I get whatever I want, whenever I want it in both relationships, and it's driving me nuts. You both need to tell me to go to hell once in a while."
She said it all with a smile, but Gavin could see that she'd held onto these feelings for some time. How had he and Lee missed such an important problem in their relationships? Simple, he thought ruefully, because neither wanted to give Tracey a reason to leave them for the other.
"Trace, I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I promise to not let you get away with being a bitch," Lee said seriously. "I just want you to know that you can tell me anything, especially stuff like this. It's obvious you've been feeling this for some time. Why haven't you said anything until now?"
Tracey shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm not really sure when it started. I just can't shake the feeling that I'm short changing both of you and so I spend every minute I have with one or the other and then get snarky when I don't get everything my way."
Gavin noticed Tracey's hands weren't quite steady when she said everything on her mind. She was as nervous and unsure as he was, and he suspected that Lee was feeling the same. Things had seemed to be going so well and then suddenly, they weren't. It was both comforting and disturbing to realize that he wasn't the only one tasting dissatisfaction with their current arrangement.
* * * *
Lee unlocked the front door and walked into the quiet apartment.
Tracey had been away for three nights, and Gavin had successfully avoided her the entire time. She should be mad, she should demand that he sit down and finish the conversation they'd started the other night, before Tracey's announcement, but something held her back.
She'd been far too comfortable with Tracey's husband lately.
She'd found herself thinking all sorts of silly things as well.
Maybe it was her biological clock ticking or something, but lately she'd been very interested in all things baby.
Two women at her office were in the later stages of pregnancy, and Lee had started to wonder if maybe she was missing out on something. Of course, at the same time she felt really stupid. She was in a wonderful relationship with the woman of her dreams.
Yes, she'd dated men before and, other than a brief experimental stage with women in college, she'd never been attracted to another woman besides Tracey. She had even considered marriage to her then-boyfriend when Tracey had married Gavin and she'd thought her dreams dashed, but now she was thinking of only one man—her lover's husband.
How did she get to this point? Gavin was an incredible man, so it was no surprise that she had a great deal of respect for him. After all, how many men would love their wives enough to share them with another lover? Lately, though, her feelings for him had morphed into something different, and she'd found herself wondering what it would be like to be held by him, to have his strong arms wrapped around her as his warm hard flesh pounded into her. She'd also caught herself fantasizing about having children with him.
The thrill of excitement that ran down her spine at just the thought of what that man could do to her overwrought nerves also came with a heavy load of guilt. Both Tracey and Gavin deserved more from her.
They'd adjusted their lives to accommodate her dreams, her love and how did she thank them? By lusting after them both. Just great...
She flopped onto the sofa, uncertain whether she wanted to eat or just fall into bed. She'd been working really hard lately, both in an effort to distract herself and, she admitted silently, so that she could avoid Gavin while Tracey was away.
It felt a little crazy that she couldn't trust herself to be in the same room with him without their shared lover as a chaperone. She couldn't for the life of her figure out when things had gotten so out of control.
She was still flopped on the sofa contemplating the confusing myriad of emotions when the man himself walked in the door. He had his head down as he walked into the room, and he was almost in front of her when he saw her.
"Ugh...Hi," he said clearly uncomfortable. "I thought you'd be asleep by now."
She smiled sadly at him.
"Yep, I thought the same thing about you."
He watched her for a moment, seemingly undecided, but then he headed to the armchair and sat down opposite her.
"Working hard?" he asked awkwardly.
"Yep," she answered wondering when their easy camaraderie had vanished. They'd been friends and at times co-conspirators in their relationships with Tracey, but now things were different. Did Gavin sense what she was feeling? Was he worried that she was about to fuck up everything for the three of them?
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, genuine concern in his tone.
She nodded, not trusting her voice. Of course he was the perfect mixture of strong alpha and sensitive beta male, Tracey wouldn't have fallen for him so hard if he hadn't been, but why did she also have to find that so darn appealing? They were friends, nothing more. She had to get over these ridiculous feelings.
He must've seen something in her eyes, must've sensed something that she was feeling because he moved onto the lounge and gathered her in his arms.
"Lee, please tell me? Maybe I can help, just give me a chance."
Well, that just did it. If she wasn't head over heels, hopelessly in love with him already, she would've swooned at his feet and begged him to love her, but she'd been fighting this attraction for a while now, so she somehow found the strength to resist.
"I'm just tired," she said quietly.
He set her aside as he looked into her eyes questioningly.
"Shit, Lee, no way would you let me get away with an answer like that. What's really going on?"
Lee smiled sadly. She had let him get away with that answer but only once and only a few days ago.
"I'm sorry, Gavin. I'm just really confused right now."
"Confused how?"
"You know I love Tracey with all my heart, right?"

Chapter Six
He nodded, his breath catching in his lungs as his imagination filled in ideas of where this conversation might be heading. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear what was next. If she confessed to the same longings, then, right now, they were both in a heap of trouble.
She shrugged again.
"Lately, I don't know, I can't really explain it, but I've been feeling like something's missing. Like I'm happy with what I've got, but I want more anyway."
Gavin shuddered at her words, all too aware that he'd described his own feelings in much the same way. He tried to appear calm and interested but unaffected by her words.
"That's okay, Lee," he said carefully. "We're all human. It's in our nature to want more."
"I know," she said, the sound so forlorn that he dragged her back into his embrace. He couldn't sit here and do nothing when the woman most important to his wife was hurting so much. No way was he admitting that he needed to hold her as much as she needed to be held.
He rocked them both gently as she gave in to the tears she'd been trying to hold back. She clung to him then, a gentle soul seeking warmth from the storm of her own confused emotions. They stayed that way for a long time, simply holding each other.
"Gavin," she said against his chest once the tears stopped. "Have you ever thought about having children?"
He smiled. Yes, he'd thought about them more and more lately.
He'd love to have a couple of children running around the apartment.
He'd even gone as far as to consider buying a house, somewhere with a big yard where the kids could play and he could build them a treehouse. The problem with his dreams was that the children weren't all Tracey's. In his imagination, he could see Lee swollen with his child as well.
Damn, they really should not be having this conversation!
Gavin moved abruptly, pulling away from Lee and standing up.
"Have you eaten?" he asked desperately trying to change the subject.
She eyed him warily, obviously noticing his distress.
"Gavin, it's okay. I haven't even discussed babies with Tracey. She might not be interested now that her career is taking off."
Gavin winced. He hadn't really thought about that. He and Tracey had discussed children before her accident, but hadn't said anything since. He'd been so worried about getting her back to full health and then sorting out their unusual relationship that he hadn't said anything to her. He'd kept all of his baby thoughts to himself.
He rubbed his hand tiredly down his face.
"I suppose you might be right," he said glumly as he turned to leave the room.
"But you've thought about them, too."
* * * *
She'd felt the shiver that pulsed through him when she mentioned children. At first, she'd considered it a sign of distaste, a sign that he didn't want children, but when he'd catapulted off the lounge, she'd seen the look on his face.
Hope.
He wanted children as much as she did. She was absolutely sure of it.
He turned to face her, opening and closing his mouth several times before he spoke. It was obvious that he chose his words carefully.
"Yes, I want children. I have for a long time now, but it's never seemed like a good time to bring it up."
"Will you talk to Tracey?" she asked almost holding her breath.
"About babies? Probably not."
"Why?" she asked quietly, unsure if she wanted to know the answer.
"Can we just drop this for now?"
"No," she said stubbornly. "I want an answer. Why won't you talk to Tracey?"
She knew she was asking a lot, knew that it really wasn't her business, but something inside pushed her to get his response. He was sad and hurting and she wanted to know why. She could see that her insistence was starting to annoy him. Good. She might get some honest answers now.
He marched back into the room, getting angrier with every step.
He stopped in front of her and bent over so that he was staring directly into her eyes.
"Fine. You want an answer, here you go." He stared at her a moment longer, waiting for her to back down. When she didn't he leaned in closer and rasped next to her ear.
"I won't mention it to Tracey because she's not the only one I dream of having my children." He grabbed her then, hauling her to him as he roughly claimed her mouth. He kissed her with all his pent up frustration and anger, claiming her mouth in a way no other had.
He held her tightly and groaned as she kissed him back.
The kiss softened then, a sensual assault on her unresisting lips.
His tongue sought entry to her heat and she opened willingly, sucking at his tongue, nipping at it with her teeth.
He pulled away so quickly she almost fell back onto the lounge.
"Oh hell, Lee. I am so sorry. I didn't mean to do that."
She watched him as he paced, unsure how to help him. Her lips tingled from his possession, her entire body humming in appreciation.
"I'm sorry," he said again. "I've got to go."
He grabbed his coat, stomped into his shoes and was gone before she could form a coherent sentence. Lee leaned back against the sofa again, trying to understand what had just happened. Had he really admitted to wanting her as much as she wanted him?
* * * *
Tracey arrived home to an empty house. Well, wasn't that a kick in the pants? She'd rushed home from the airport expecting to find both of her lovers chomping at the bit to see her, and here she was, all alone.
She wandered through the apartment wondering what to do now.
She hadn't really thought beyond finding her lovers and making sure they both knew how much she had missed them.
The blinking light on the answering machine caught her attention, so she hurried over to see if either of them had left her a message. She pressed the play button.
The first was a hang up. So was the second. Gavin's strong deep voice filled the room on the third.
"Hi, Trace. I decided to do some extra work at the office. So give me a call when you get this message, and I'll come straight home. Miss you honey. See you soon."
The next message was virtually identical but from Lee.
"Welcome home, Trace. I've got some work to catch up on but if you call me when you get home, I'll be there as soon as I can."
Uncertain what to make of their messages, Tracey picked up the phone to call them back, but hesitated when she couldn't decide who to call first. Shit, that was the problem with being in two separate relationships. Every time she did something with one of her lovers, she felt she had to race off and give the other equal time and, of course, who to do what with first was always a question she was trying to answer.
More perplexing, though, was the fact that neither of them were here to greet her. She'd at least expected them to be anxious for her to be home. Maybe they really were taking her request seriously. She sure felt like a bitch right now. She'd asked them to give her space, hell, she'd practically told them to leave her alone, and now she was acting like a spoiled brat because they were giving her exactly what she wanted. Even knowing how contrary her attitude was, she still felt disappointed.
God, how did the human psyche get so fucked up?
She wanted what she wanted until she got it and then she didn't want it anymore. Shit!
She placed the phone back on its cradle. Should she just wait for one of them to call her? Or would that make her look like she was pouting? They'd both asked her to call when she got home, so the least she could do was do as they asked.
She picked up the phone and dialed Gavin's cell phone before she could over think it and change her mind again.
"Hi, Trace," he said by way of greeting. "Welcome home."
"Thanks," she said a little nervously. Geez, why was she nervous?
This was her husband, the man she had married for better or worse, the man that she loved and wanted to grow old with.
"Everything okay, honey?" he asked, obviously sensing her distress.
"Ummm...yes," she said, unsure what to say. "I came home to an empty house, that's all."
"Where's Lee?"
"At work, just like you."
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. If I'd known Lee wasn't going to be there, I would've made sure that I was home. I'll pack up and be there soon. Do you want me to pick up some dinner on the way?"
"No," she said, trying to wrap her head around practicalities. "I'll order Thai for delivery."
"Okay, Trace. See you soon."
As she hung up the phone, a nagging little suspicion started to grow. She grabbed the phone again and called Lee.
"Hi, baby," she said warmly when she answered. "I'll head home now."
"Lee, is everything okay?"
"Sure. Why wouldn't it be?"
"Oh. No reason," she said quietly, but she hadn't missed the strain in Lee's voice, and she was sure if they'd been face to face Lee would've avoided eye contact.
Something was wrong. She could feel it, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Chapter Seven
Gavin hurried into the apartment, anxious to see Tracey.
Regardless of everything else that had been going through his head, one thing was certain—he loved his wife.
She hurried into his embrace and then trembled in his arms as he kissed her passionately, telling her with his body just how much he'd missed her.
"Oh...Umm...sorry," Lee said as she walked into and then out of the room quickly.
Tracey pulled away from him to glance at Lee's retreating figure and then pin him with her stare.
"What was that all about?"
"What was what about?" he asked, hoping that she wasn't asking what he thought she was asking. She eyed him suspiciously.
"You and Lee have always been comfortable around each other, but I go away for a few days and suddenly you're avoiding each other like the plague. Did you two have a fight?"
"No, nothing like that," he answered as relief flooded his system.
It was short lived.
"Then what happened?" she asked, unknowingly zeroing in on the problem. "Why are you and Lee avoiding each other?"
"Because we kissed," Lee's voice told her from the doorway.
"Kissed?" she asked, her curiosity obvious as her gaze swung from one to the other.
"I'm sorry," Gavin said, anguish abrading his voice. "It was my fault. It shouldn't have happened, and I promise it won't happen again."
"Why?"
"Why did I kiss her?"
"No," Tracey said, smiling at him. "Why won't it happen again?"
Lee gasped in surprise and Gavin's eyes widened.
"Wait a second. You're not angry? You want us to kiss?" Lee asked in a small voice as hope flashed across her face.
"Of course I want you two to kiss," Tracey said smiling widely. "Do you feel anything for each other? Are there emotions involved as well?"
Gavin nodded, unable to keep eye contact with his wife. He glanced over to see the same misery he felt mirrored on Lee's beautiful face.
"So you love each other?" Tracey persisted. Eighteen months ago, he'd forced the issue with her and Lee, and he supposed that Tracey had every right to know about this, too.
"Yes," Lee said quietly. Gavin's gaze swung to her. He'd hoped she'd feel the same way, but this was the first time either of them had admitted it to the other. Gavin turned back to Tracey.
"Honey, I know this complicates things, but the three of us have gone through so much together, surely there's a way we can work this out, too."
"Of course there is," Tracey said happily, nearly bouncing on the spot. "It's exactly what I hoped would happen. I love you both, and I want you to love each other as much as you love me. Don't you see? That's what was missing in this relationship. Now we each have two people to love. Now we're a family."
Gavin's throat clogged, and his eyes burned as he absorbed her words. He glanced over to Lee, who seemed to be going through the same thing. Tracey walked over to the doorway, grabbed Lee's hand and pulled her over to Gavin.
She pushed Lee into Gavin's arms and then wrapped hers around the both of them.
"I want you two to be as happy as you've made me. I want this. I want kids and a house and a dog and everything that goes with being a family. Please tell me that's what we're starting here."
Lee held him tight, her head against his chest, as she nodded and cried at the same time.
"Come on, baby," Tracey said to her. "Let's show Gavin how much we love him."
She pulled them both toward the bedroom and Gavin and Lee followed, clumsy in their surprise.
When she entered the room, she urged Gavin to sit on the end of the bed while she stripped the clothing off the woman she loved.
Almost shyly, Lee watched him as Tracey exposed her body to his eyes. He looked his fill, glad for the chance to admire her athletic curves without the guilt he'd been carrying for so long.
Finally, stripped of clothing, Lee was simply more gorgeous than he remembered. Tracey lowered her head to lave both of Lee's nipples, gently biting and sucking them to rigid life. Lee closed her eyes against the exquisite sensations, so Gavin moved closer and claimed her lips. He kissed her gently, reverently, taking his time to savor the contact, to enjoy this first true kiss. She moaned and pressed her sweet body harder against him, whimpering when he wrapped his arms around her hips and ground his hard, jean-clad cock against her.
Soft hands wrapped around him from behind, pushed carefully between them and undid his pants. Tracey slid the zipper lower as he continued to kiss Lee. She helped him kick them off at the same time that Lee's hand found his cock and stroked him lovingly.
"I love you," he said as he gazed into Lee's eyes. They filmed with happy tears and he laughed softly as he hugged her to him. He saw Tracey watching him and smiling. "I love you," he said to her, unable to articulate how much it meant to him for his wife to accept the situation so readily.
"I love you both," she said fervently, "and I want you to love each other just as much."
She kissed Lee as the woman cried freely.
"Baby, I thought eighteen months ago that my life couldn't get any better. Turns out I was wrong. Just think," Tracey said to both of them, "if I hadn't had that car accident..."
"Love by accident? I don't think so," Gavin said laughing. "I think eventually we would have found each other."
* * * *
Lee could barely believe this was happening. She'd fallen in love with Gavin a long time ago but hadn't even admitted it to herself. Lee knew all the reasons why Tracey loved him because she felt the same way. Now, finally, she would be able to express that love freely, no longer worried that her feelings were inappropriate or possibly unwanted.
Gavin groaned as she gripped his thick cock tighter in her hand.
She wanted to taste his hard length, wanted to savor the reality of loving him, so she dropped to her knees in front of him. His hands threaded through her hair as she flicked her tongue out and licked the salty pre-cum from the deep pink head.
"Oh honey, I think he likes that." Tracey knelt beside her, a gentle hand smoothing over the sensitive skin on Lee's ass. "Maybe he would like it better if we both did it."
The strangled groan that escaped Gavin's throat, urged them to try it. Tracey leaned forward and ran her tongue over the mushroom shaped head as Lee licked down one side and fondled his sack. Their mouths met back at the tip of his cock and they kissed, tonguing each other around Gavin's straining erection.
He moved one hand into Tracey's hair, urging both of them closer.
Closer to him, closer to each other. His hips moved rhythmically as they bought him to the edge of orgasm. Lee opened her mouth wide and let Tracey guide his cock deep into her. She sucked hard, gripping his thighs as he began rocking into her throat. She swallowed around him at the same time that Tracey's hands drifted lower to pinch her nipples. Lee moaned at the exquisite sting, the sound vibrating against Gavin's cock.
He stilled, stiffened for a moment, holding Lee's face hard against him as his cock pulsed and creamy ribbons of cum burst into her mouth, painting the back of her throat before she swallowed.
Carefully extricating himself, he dropped to his knees, pulling both women into his embrace. Tracey smiled knowingly, pressed a kiss to his mouth and then turned her attentions to Lee.
"On the bed, baby." Her voice was husky, her arousal obvious in every word. Quick to follow Tracey's instructions, Lee moved away from Gavin and climbed onto the bed. She lay down on her side as she watched Tracey kiss Gavin with wild abandon. By the time she pulled away, he was breathing hard again.
"I'm so happy you love Lee. She's waiting for you."
Lee's breath caught, excitement stealing her voice, her body pulsing with arousal. The way Gavin looked at her…it was the same way he'd always looked at Tracey, like she was the centre of his universe. It felt incredible to have his love and amazing that she also had Tracey's. She'd spent so much time feeling guilty for her feelings for Gavin that right now she felt so light, so happy, that she could almost float to the ceiling.
Gavin and Tracey moved toward the bed, and Lee realized that there was nowhere else in the world she'd rather be.
Tracey moved onto the bed, pushed Lee onto her back and tweaked Lee's already stiff nipples with her fingers at the same time that Gavin pushed Lee's legs apart and lowered his head to her dripping slit. Lee whimpered as he laved her sensitive flesh with his tongue. He gripped her thighs to push her legs farther apart, tilting her pussy toward his face as he delved into her heat.
Lee moaned, unable to hold back the incredible feeling evoked by Gavin's thorough exploration of her body. Tracey smiled and lowered her face to kiss her gently.
"I love you, Lee. Never doubt that for a moment. I love you both, and I couldn't be happier that you love each other."
As she spoke, Gavin increased his gentle assault, thrusting his tongue harder into her swollen flesh, teasing her clit with his fingers.
Barely able to breathe, Lee tried to tell Tracey and Gavin just how much she loved them, but words escaped her as she spiraled higher toward release.
"That's it, baby. Come for me and Gavin."
Tracey had given her a lot of sensual orders in their bed over the last eighteen months, but this one, this order, excited her more than any other. She loved them both and when her orgasm exploded, their names were on her lips.
* * * *
Tracey watched, satisfaction pulsing through her, as the woman she loved shuddered in ecstatic release. This was her dream. Since the moment Lee confessed her love, Tracey had wanted this to happen.
Gavin lifted away from Lee's thighs, his face covered in her juices as he grasped the back of Tracey's neck in his warm hand and pulled her toward him for a very thorough kiss. Tasting Lee on Gavin's lips was just about the sexiest thing she could ever imagine, and she was groaning her excitement when Lee rolled over and sucked a nipple into her mouth, biting the delicate nub gently.
Gavin continued to kiss her as Lee rolled to the edge of the bed and grabbed something from her drawer. Tracey knew what they kept in that drawer and her body thrilled at the thought of what was to follow.
In a coordinated move that Tracey hadn't expected, Gavin flipped her onto her stomach and almost immediately, Lee pushed Tracey's thighs apart and pulled her onto all fours. Gavin slid down the bed, seemingly happy to watch as Lee took over.
Lee teased Tracey's swollen, dripping slit with a vibrator before pushing it inside of her and turning it to the fastest setting, wiggling it until she hit the sweet spot that had her moaning in pleasure. A sharp slap on her ass warned her to be still, but she moved again as liquid heat pulsed through her. The second slap was harder, faster, the sting stronger, the heat even more intense.
Tracey began to shake, her arms collapsing as her pussy fisted against the vibrator. Gavin was there, watching her face, supporting her as her body shattered into climax.
She screamed, her release seeming to go on and on, but finally, her muscles unclenched and Gavin let her fall into his arms. He kissed her reverently, smiling as he pulled back to look at her.
Lee lay down beside them, a small smile on her face.
"Baby, are you sure you're okay with this? With me and Gavin together?" She hesitated, swallowed and Tracey could see the effort it took for her to say what she needed to say. "I don't ever want to hurt you, either of you. If you want some time to think about this, think about how this changes things, you just have to say so, and I'll step back."
God, she loved this woman.
"Lee, I love you, and I love Gavin, and I want you both to love each other. So yes, I'm okay with this, more than okay. Ecstatic that you two finally realized the three of us belong together." Tracey wiggled so that she could move to the end of the bed and see both of their faces. "And I would really like for you two to make love now. It's been a long time coming, no pun intended, and I want you both to know how incredible you can be together."
Tracey glanced from Gavin to Lee and back again, unsure why they seemed to hesitate. Lee pushed herself into a sitting position and looked almost apologetic as she spoke.
"Baby, Gavin and I should probably wait until we've got some condoms in the house. I'm not using birth control, so there's a good chance we might end up dealing with more than we bargained for."
"Really?" Tracey could barely contain her excitement. She'd love to start a family with these two incredible people. "Do you want a baby?" For months now, Tracey had been watching Lee watch pregnant women and babies. It had been the reason she'd not raised the subject herself. No way would she have suggested bringing a child into the type of relationship they'd had. Before today, adding a child to their strange arrangement would've pushed Lee aside. But now? Now things were very different. Now either of them could carry Gavin's child and no-one would feel left out.
Lee seemed to hesitate before answering, but eventually nodded.
The grin that spread across Gavin's face was priceless. Obviously, she hadn't been the only one in this relationship to want to start a family.
* * * *
Gavin couldn't seem to stop smiling. Lee wanted his baby? All the fantasies he'd ever entertained about both Lee and Tracey seemed to be coming true in a single night. Lee wanted his baby, and Tracey wanted Lee to want his baby, and he sure as hell wanted to have a family with these incredible women.
He grabbed Tracey, kissed her passionately, his tongue thrusting deep into her mouth as his cock pulsed with need.
She pulled back and said the words they'd all wanted to hear.
"Now you two, please, will you make love, make babies, share my future with me?"
Gavin laughed happily, as Tracey lay down beside Lee and urged him toward her. He moved to kneel in between Lee's thighs as he watched her face, hoping to see his own need reflected in her eyes.
She opened her legs for him, lifting slightly as he fit his cock against her slippery flesh and slowly thrust balls deep into her heat.
He held still a moment, savoring the incredible feeling but her pussy pulsed around him, urging him to movement. Gavin gasped as Lee wrapped her legs around his waist and held him tight. Her orgasm began almost immediately, the soft sucking friction tightening his balls as arousal skittered up and down his spine. He moved faster, pushing into her harder, needing her orgasm, her heat, her love. Lee screamed as her climax gripped her, her pussy grabbing his cock and massaging the length as her body dragged his seed from him.
He grunted as the last of his cum spilled into her wet heat and then fell forward into her waiting arms.
"I love you, Gavin." Both of his women said it at the same time and he grinned. He was a very lucky man.

Epilogue
Six years later....
Tracey rushed in the door, dragging her shoes and stockings off as she hurried into the nursery. Thomas yelled at the top of his lungs as Lee changed his brother's diaper. She picked up the tiny screaming bundle as she headed over to kiss Lee on the top of her head.
"Busy day, Mom?" she asked with a smile on her face.
"Don't get me started," Lee said tiredly, but Tracey knew her well enough to hear the smile in her voice. Just over three months old, the twins were demanding little tykes, but it was obvious to everyone that Lee loved every minute of motherhood.
"Gavin not home yet?"
"Not yet. He called to say that Tiffany's dance class didn't start on time, so they'll be a little late, but they'll bring home dinner."
Tiffany wasn't even five yet but she loved to dance, and all three of her parents had agreed to dance lessons in an effort to save the furniture. Twirling and dancing had a mysterious way of knocking over objects in their home, and they'd worried that she might hurt herself. The dance lessons were so she could learn in a safe environment, but it may just have backfired since she danced all the time now and things were still getting broken. What was that saying about the best laid plans?
Lee finished changing Geoffrey's diaper, placed him in his cot and cleaned her hands with anti-bacterial sanitizer.
"Okay, next," she said, opening her arms to take Thomas.
"Lee, you look exhausted. I'll take care of little stinky pants and you can take a long hot shower."
"I knew there was a reason I loved you." Her tone was teasing but her smile was genuine. "Hot water sounds like heaven."
"Don't get too comfortable," Tracey laughed. "I'll try to save you some dinner, but in this house there are no guarantees."
Lee kissed her quickly and headed into the bathroom.
Thomas was almost asleep by the time she finished changing him, so Tracey put him in the cot next to his brother's and stood there a while as she watched them sleep. They were the world's most adorable little babies. The proud parent in her knew that a child had never been born in the history of the world with looks comparable to Tiffany, Thomas and Geoffrey. All three of their children were beautiful. She smiled wryly to herself. She loved the twins just as much as she loved Tiffany, and it didn't matter which woman had given birth to which child. She knew that Lee felt exactly the same way.
She heard the door open and, a moment later, the sweet chant that their daughter called as her little legs carried her through the apartment.
"Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy."
She only just managed to step out of the twin's room when a little person with dark brown curls crashed into her legs.
"Hello, princess," she said as she bent to lift the girl into her arms. "How was your dance lesson?"
"Good," she answered distractedly. "Daddy said I can have a puppy."
"Did he now?" she asked, glancing suspiciously at the Daddy in question. "And just where are we going to keep this puppy?"
Tiffany glanced over at her father, her cute little face twisted in concentration.
"In our new house," she proclaimed triumphantly.
"New house?" she asked Gavin as he looked at her with a broad grin on his face.
"Where's Lee?" he asked.
"I'm right here," she answered from behind him. She walked into the room and kissed him as he held her close. Tiffany held her hands straight up, almost falling out of Tracey's arms in her eagerness to get another cuddle. Lee took the little ball of energy and hugged her close.
"Good day?" Gavin asked.
"Long day," she countered, "but a good one. Now what's this I hear about puppies and houses?"
"I've been looking around for a good school district and there just happens to be a house in our price range not far away. I was hoping that we could go look at it on Saturday. On the internet it looks like exactly what we've talked about. Plenty of room, big backyard, not too far away from work..." He trailed off when he saw their smiling faces. All three females in his life wore happy expressions.
"We're getting a puppy!" Tiffany exclaimed as she squirmed to be released.
She danced and spun around the room and all three of her parents moved to catch the vase she knocked over.
THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel Clark loves a great romance.
Born and raised in Australia, she happily lives a romantic story all of her own with her wonderful hubby and precious teenagers and menagerie of perfectly behaved animals…and, well okay, for the real story you'll need to replace romantic with hectic, add mostly before wonderful and you can probably guess about the teenagers and animals.
Seriously though, Rachel loves a great romance. She loves good triumphing over evil, the hero saving the day, the bitch getting what she deserves, the alpha male claiming his woman and loving her forever…and well the only time that happens consistently is in romance novels. So…Rachel loves a great romance.
She also loves hearing from her readers. If you want to share your thoughts, ask a question or maybe send a recipe for chocolate cheesecake, you can email her at rachel_clark@live.com.au