The Sextet Presents… By Male Order [In Days of Olde] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Elizabeth Raines Read Free Book Online Page A

barn.”
    “Of course! We can store them in the empty bureau in the second bedroom.”
    Alec drew closer to Hope and reached for the book she held, letting the back of his knuckles brush against her breasts.
    Thomas knew it was deliberate and wasn’t at all surprised by Alec’s forwardness. Alec was convinced Hope was attracted to them both, and he meant to pursue her despite Thomas’s hesitation.
    Hope gasped but didn’t stop Alec from taking the book, nor did she push his hands away.
    Alec’s grin was luminous. “Ah, King Arthur. Such a wonderful tale. Do you know it, Hope?”
    “Yes. My father used to tell me the story.”
    “Three people—all in love with each other.” Alec clucked his tongue. “A shame Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere couldnae come up with a better solution than they did. Such clever people, too. A shame that the story ended in tragedy instead of bliss.”
    “What would you suggest instead? That three people become involved?” she asked before dropping her gaze to the floor. “Pray forgive me. That was far too forward a question.”
    Alec kissed her flushed cheek. “Nae forward at all, lass. I would suggest that since they loved each other so much, they share that love instead of deny it.”
    “Alec…that’s enough.” Thomas growled low in his throat. It was one thing to flirt and compliment, but to suggest something so bold to a woman as sheltered as Hope was courting disaster.
    Hope sat down in her rocking chair. Her gaze kept shifting between the two men. “You believe that Arthur and Lancelot were in love like you and Thomas? I had supposed they both loved Guinevere, not…not each other.”
    Alec lifted her hand as he bowed low and kissed her knuckles. “M’lady, they did love Guinevere with a passion few ever know. But…”
    Hope quirked a brow as she gracefully withdrew her slender hand. “But what?”
    Alec went to Thomas and stood before him, their eyes locked in an intense stare. Thomas knew that wicked look well—it was the same one Alec gave him whenever he wanted to make love. “Yes, Alec. But what? ”
    Quick as a cat, Alec pulled Thomas into his embrace and kissed him soundly. Still holding him, Alec glanced over his shoulder at Hope. “But Arthur and Lancelot shared feelings too. Look at the loyalty, the desire that was always there but unspoken.”
    Hope opened her mouth before she froze, the chair squeaking to a stop. “Do you smell that?”
    The acrid smoke odor hit Thomas the moment her question slipped out. “The stove?”
    “Nay.” Alec was already running for the door. “Fire!”
     
    * * * *
     
    Hope ran outside, chasing the men and searching desperately for the fire. It had been such a dry summer, and she’d kept barrels of water ready in case of something setting off a brush fire near her home. Her eyes caught the flames burning the dead grass behind the barn. “The barn!”
    She grabbed a burlap potato sack, dunked it in one of the barrels, and ran toward the fire, Alec and Thomas mimicking her actions and following close on her heels.
    They beat at the spreading flames with the wet sacks, and she put herself between the fire and her barn. There was no way she’d let those flames past her. About the time she thought they had everything under control, Alec suddenly tackled her to the ground. Thomas knelt at her side as the two of them smothered her burning skirt.
    “Stay back! Damn you!” Alec ordered as he got to his feet.
    “But—”
    “Get back!” Thomas snapped as he and Alec worked on containing the fire.
    Feeling like a child who’d been scolded for being naughty, Hope made herself useful by keeping the men supplied with wet sacks. Soon the fire was out, leaving behind a large black, smoking section of what had been wild grass. While the men rested and drank water, she poured basins of water over any spot that still had tendrils of smoke rising from it.
    Convinced the danger was over, she went to where the men leaned against the