Raising the Bar

Chapter Nine

Dylan sighed. He never saw patients in his own home, but Faith was different. A good friend of both Sydney and Hailey—his future sisters-in-law—Faith had been dragged, almost kicking and screaming, to see him the first time. She absolutely refused to step foot in a “shrink’s office” ever again, especially after her breakup with Dr. Jeremy Pichter. The fact that Pichter was an orthopedic surgeon and not a psychiatrist meant little to Faith. She saw “doctor” and had a miniseizure.

But after their fifth session together, he saw real progress.

“I absolutely refuse to be used again.”

“Good.” He nodded. “And why did you allow yourself to feel that way, do you think?”

“I didn’t realize he’d been using me. It was more like I was using him.” She sounded guilty.

“No, Faith. Own it. Why did you allow him to take control of you like that?”

“Because I’m a poor, white-trash girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Literally.” She laughed, but not with the bitterness she’d used the first few times she’d come in. “I thought he was better than me because he had money. I let him talk down to me and cheat on me because I wasn’t any good.”

Wasn’t—past tense. Progress. Dylan nodded. “But…?”

“But he’s a piece of shit. I’m a strong, successful woman in a leadership position. I make my own money. I don’t need it from anyone else. And I don’t need a man in my life.”

“Very good. But do you want a man in your life? Just because you’re strong and successful in one part of your life doesn’t mean you have to be in every aspect of it. You can want a man but not need a man. That doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human.”

“Oh? What about you, Dr. Warren?”

He smiled. “If I wasn’t your doctor, and I wasn’t already in love, I’d ask you out myself.”

“Oh, uh, that wasn’t what I meant.” Faith turned the loveliest shade of pink when embarrassed. She had long light-brown hair pulled back behind her ears. Deep-green eyes flashed with emotion, and her lips had a natural fullness and shape to them that invited naughty thoughts. To say nothing of her frame. Slender yet curved in all the right places. He might be a doctor, but he was a man as well. He had no doubt that Faith remained single because she wanted to be. Any man in his right mind would snap her up in a heartbeat.

“What I meant was, are you human, Dylan? I don’t see you dating. But you said you’re in love. Interesting.” She wiggled her brows at him.

“I’m the doctor.” He sighed. “Just whom have you been talking with about my love life? My bet—Sydney. She has a big mouth.”

“Actually, it was Hailey.” Faith grinned. “But I don’t deny it. Sydney’s a loudmouth for sure.” She took a moment before continuing. “You know, at first I thought you were full of crap. But Hailey and Sydney convinced me you were good. And you’re nice to look at, so I figured, if it doesn’t work, I at least get an hour of eye candy.”

“Thanks, Faith,” he said dryly.

She smiled. “But you know what the hell you’re talking about. I feel better about myself and my choices.”

“We all make mistakes. That’s how we learn.”

“Yes. And I’ve learned that I have a bad habit of making the same mistakes, over and over. I’m going to take a break from men.”

“You’ve been doing that for several months. Don’t feel that you have to become a hermit to overcome your bad choices. You have to at least allow yourself to encounter the problem, so you’ll know how to avoid it. How else will you know if you’ve grown?”

“I get that. But for now, I’m happier being alone, living with myself.”

“That’s a healthy attitude.” He smiled. “You’re really coming along, Faith.”

“Yes, I am. Did I tell you about my promotion?”

Faith talked about work and a few colleagues she’d had issues with. They discussed ways to handle tricky feelings. But she avoided talking about her family. He’d delve into that the next time they met.

“Oh hell. I’m over again, aren’t I?”

“Time is up, I’m afraid. Next time?”

“After the New Year. I’ll call you to set up an appointment. I really appreciate you seeing me here, Dylan. I know this is unusual.”

“For a friend of Hailey and Sydney, nothing is too unusual.” He grinned.

She laughed and walked with him to the door. She’d opened it but needed help with her coat. So he was holding it for her while she laughed at a joke he’d made at Gage’s expense.

“Oh, I’m sorry. You’re busy?” an icy voice asked.

He paused, his hands on Faith’s shoulders as she settled into her coat. “Freddy? Harper?”

Freddy had been overly polite, and he had a bad feeling.

“See you, Dylan. Thanks again.” Faith waved, smiled at Freddy and Harper, and walked down the hallway.

Harper and Freddy just stood there, staring after her. No doubt suspecting the worst.

Dylan’s palms felt clammy. God, he’d missed these two. So much. His mother’s words had stayed with him long after he’d left last Saturday’s breakfast. Things with Harper and Freddy had gone too fast for him, so he’d used work as an excuse to get some space.

But with each minute apart from them—forcing himself time after time not to call or text, to let them be—misery filled his waking hours. He missed Freddy’s laugh, Harper’s stern looks. The pair teasing him, warming him.

He’d expected that he’d see them at Brian’s party on Friday, but he hadn’t intended to wait that long. He’d planned to pick up some flowers and beer, and court his lovers slowly. Tomorrow night at the club. He’d already arranged with Tony’s help to reserve the dungeon, unbeknownst to them.

But the pair looked less than pleased with him.

“Oh hell. Come on in and yell at me.” He turned and entered, curious to see how they’d deal with this discussion. Freddy looked spitting mad. Harper had no expression, which couldn’t bode well. Hadn’t Dylan said three personalities would be hard to handle in a complicated relationship like theirs? Yet now he wanted desperately to be wrong.

“Who was she?” Freddy burst out, rounding on him like a terrier going for his throat. Which she might have lunged for if she’d been any taller. Instead, she poked him in the chest.

“Déjà vu,” he murmured, recalling the night she’d torn into him about Sydney.

Harper, on the other hand, stood against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Even in jeans and a sweatshirt, the man stole Dylan’s breath away. Harper’s uncompromising solidity, combined with Freddy’s passionate, affectionate nature, brought joy and verve to Dylan’s previously unfulfilling social life.

“Long story or short story?”

“Keep it short, Doc. I’m feeling the need to discipline you again,” Harper said softly.

Oh man. Dylan’s already rising erection turned rock-hard stiff. Trying to hold on to the upper hand, he sat on the couch and crossed a leg over his knee to hide his response. “Faith Sumner is a client of mine.”

“Yeah right. In your house?” Freddy clearly had little give in her. The spitfire. But instead of being annoyed with her for not trusting him, Dylan liked her jealousy, that she cared that much to show it.

“You’re right. I don’t normally entertain clients in my house.”

“Entertain?” Harper rumbled.

“Poor choice of words,” Dylan said quickly. “I meant, I don’t see clients at home. But she’s a special case.”

“I’ll bet.” Freddy fumed. “Those breasts and long brown hair were sure special, weren’t they, Harper?”

He just stared at Dylan, looking mean.

“Are you guys really jealous?” Dylan didn’t mean to grin, but he couldn’t help it. They were acting very possessive, more than just lovers wronged, but people who hurt, who felt betrayed.

“It’s not funny, dickhead.” Harper stepped closer, Freddy at his side. “We said we’re a unit. We’ve been giving you space. Letting you… But maybe it doesn’t matter now.”

“It sure the hell does.” Dylan remained seated, pleased to be in control of the situation. They had feelings for him that went deeper than sex. He could see it, all but taste it. “Faith is good friends with Hailey and Sydney, my brothers’ girlfriends. She’s all messed up about… Well, she’s a patient of mine who refused to see a doctor. Any kind of doctor. Because she’s practically Hailey’s best friend, I agreed to see her here.”

Harper frowned.

“Go ahead. Feel free to ask my brothers about it. They know.” Dylan shrugged and smiled. “Yes, Faith is attractive. But she’s not either of you. Even if she were, I’d never date a patient of mine. That’s unethical.”

Freddy glared at him, mollified more than a little, but not wanting to show it. He sounded way too happy about being caught. “Well, that’s one problem nailed down. The other would be why you’ve been avoiding us.”

His smile didn’t disappear. If anything, it deepened.

She didn’t know what to make of the gooey look he was giving her, but Harper seemed much more relaxed than he’d been.

“Come here, Freddy,” Dylan ordered.

She remained standing, though Harper stepped a fraction closer.

“Or not.” Dylan sighed. “Okay. I confess I used work as an excuse to get some distance. I’m told I’m not good with change. I had a long-overdue conversation with my mother and worked things out. I’ve had a hard time understanding she needed to move on. And maybe I do too.”

“Move on?” From them? Freddy panicked but did her best not to show it. She knew she shouldn’t have risked her heart on the prissy, handsome, sexy-as-sin doctor.

“Yeah. I was too wrapped up in protecting my mother. I had to do some real soul-searching to see why I’ve had so much trouble connecting to partners all my life.” He shook his head. “I was so hurt when my dad died. Seeing my mom so wounded, it made me want to close down. To never know that kind of pain.”

Freddy felt for him. She really did, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to just move on with his life.

“But I realized I hadn’t allowed myself to really love anyone else either. Until Harper and his big, brutish body cornered me in a parking lot. Then the lunk blackmailed me into dinner and took sinful advantage of my body.”

Harper started to smile. Freddy’s heart raced.

“And he did me the biggest favor ever by pushing me past my boundaries and forcing me to take a risk. Freddy, you are by far the sexiest woman I’ve ever made love to in my life. You’re the only one I want, baby. I’m sorry I avoided you guys. I had to think.”

“That’s okay, Doc.” Harper sounded hoarse. “We had to think too.”

Dylan seemed to tense, and she realized Harper had been right. They’d been thick as thieves planning on ways to keep Dylan that they’d never considered just asking him to stay, telling him how much he meant to them.

“Freddy?” Harper asked.

“No, you tell him.”

“Tell me what?” Dylan asked, too quiet.

“We’re keeping you,” Harper blurted.

Dylan blinked. “Say that again?”

Harper scowled, and he looked mean enough to make her cringe. But the worry in his deep-brown eyes touched her.

“What the big man means is that, impossible as it seems, we love you. You’re ours. Even if you don’t know it yet. For some bigwig doctor, you’re not that bright.”

Dylan jumped to his feet and hugged them both so tight she had to squirm, for fear of being crushed. “Not bright, my ass! I love you two too. Two too. Ha.”

He sounded punch-drunk, but Freddy was beyond caring. “What?” she squeaked.

Dylan swooped down and kissed her, and she felt like a feather, light on her feet.

Then she realized Dylan had her in his arms as he carried her down the hallway.

“Why do I have the feeling that I was the only one suffering while you two carried on without me?” Dylan asked moments later, trying to sound stern but coming off as an aroused lover. He had a hard-on and his gaze couldn’t seem to stay off Harper’s now-naked chest or her pert nipples.

“I couldn’t let her suffer, Doc,” Harper excused. “Not when I knew you’d be coming back to us after you overthought everything. Told you, Freddy.”

She giggled, actually giggled, then sighed when Dylan kissed her again. He left her to kiss Harper, and she quickly got naked, in love and in lust with her lovers.

Harper groaned and pulled Dylan’s hips closer. Freddy moved behind Dylan, sandwiching him between them.

“That’s right, Dylan. In fact, Harper just fucked me on the kitchen counter in my house. He was so big, so thick. And he came hard inside me.”

Dylan groaned and reached behind him, only to feel her naked waist.

He turned in a heartbeat and kissed her, feeling her breasts and lingering on her nipples. He had a thing for her chest, and it didn’t surprise her when he laid her back on his bed and sucked her nipples into taut little beads.

“Fuck. I want you two so much. Been so hard without you,” he moaned.

Behind him, Harper finished taking off his clothes. Then he started stripping Dylan.

“I’d say you’re hard with us, right now,” Freddy teased and reached between them to graze his arousal. “Let us have you, Dylan. Right now.”

“And tomorrow,” Harper added, pulling at Dylan’s pants.

“And the next day.” Freddy had listened to Harper’s concerns about Dylan. She knew what he’d said to be true. She and Harper might have some experience with a true ménage, but Dylan was a newbie. They’d need to go easy on him.

But not tonight.

Dylan’s breath caught and she grinned. “Tell me, Doc. What’s he doing?”

“Shit. He just parted my ass, now he’s rimming me. Sticking those fat fingers into me.”

Underneath him, Freddy moaned and writhed, her nipples so friggin’ tight. Dylan stopped talking and sucked harder. The man just loved her firm, feminine body and Harper’s strong, muscular frame—or so he’d continually told them before leaving them.

“Need to fuck you,” Harper growled. “Your ass is mine tonight.” Harper had been so good, waiting. Letting Freddy take control. God, she loved him so much.

“And your cock is mine,” Freddy promised Dylan, her heart ablaze when he pulled back and looked down at her. “We missed you, Doc.”

He blinked to clear the tears misting his vision. She liked that, so much. “Not more than I missed you two. I wanted to chalk up these intense feelings as lingering effects from the newness of it all. The incredible sex. Hell, just being around you pretty people is reason enough to want more. But, Jesus, I missed you so much. Harper’s actually a funny guy.” He groaned. “When he’s not driving me out of my mind. Lube me already. I’m not going to take long to come. Not with these tits and that cunt under me,” he rasped and licked his lips. Oh, the dirty talk. He’s crazy in lust. “Freddy, you are without a doubt my every dream come true in a woman. I want to lick your tats with my tongue. I want to fuck your ass, your pussy, that mouth…”

“Yes. My mouth. I think that’s exactly what you need.”

Harper pulled him back and she scooted out from under him. She stood on the bed and spread her thighs. “Why don’t we start with a treat? You two can take turns.” She fingered her folds and spread them for her men, showing them her hard clit.

Dylan didn’t wait. He latched on to her and sucked and stroked. Then he stopped and Harper took over. Lingering caresses on her thighs and ass thrilled her, but no more than the love in their eyes when they watched her rise to rapture.

She came with Dylan’s mouth over her and Harper’s fingers inside her.

“You cheated,” she accused them when she could breathe again. Harper just grinned at her, and she vowed to make him pay. “Harper, in that chair. Get yourself nice and slick.”

“Yes, Mistress,” he intoned. “She has a thing for control, man,” he said to Dylan. “It’s so hot. She really gets into it.”

“The boots. Has she worn them again?” Dylan asked in a rough voice. His cock was so thick and flushed. Her poor man needed relief.

“Oh yeah.” Harper licked his lips. “Hell. Hold on.” He spun Dylan to face him and dropped to his knees. Then his mouth was over Dylan, and he was blowing him with loud sucking moans.

Dylan closed his eyes, and she was painfully aroused by the sound of his desperate moans.

“Harper, not yet,” Freddy insisted.

“You’re a cruel, cruel woman.” Dylan swore when Harper left him hanging, literally. His cock bobbed and was bigger than Freddy had ever seen it. “I swear, you look at me wrong, I’ll come,” Dylan threatened, sweating.

Harper laughed and sat in the chair she’d nodded to. The thing was big enough to seat him and Dylan. She saw him lube himself nice and slick, then she led Dylan by the hand to his side.

“Sit on him, facing me.”

Dylan’s breathing increased, and the pleasure on his face nearly did her in. He looked so excited, so incredibly beautiful, caught in the forefront of bliss.

With Harper’s and her help, Dylan poised over Harper’s thick cock. Freddy gripped the base of Harper’s cock, loving the feel of him so slick. And then Dylan worked himself over Harper, sliding slowly down that fat shaft, his back to Harper’s front.

“Jesus. So good.” Harper groaned and gripped Dylan’s hips, easing him down.

Dylan was moaning, pleading to give Freddy anything she wanted if only she’d let him come. And then she gave him what he wanted. As Harper slowly controlled Dylan’s movements up and down his shaft, Freddy grazed Harper’s balls.

He shoved up into Dylan so hard Dylan cried out. She spotted the small burst of seed jetting from Dylan’s slit and knew he’d nearly reached his peak.

“I love you, Dylan.” She put her hands on his thighs and took him into her mouth just as Harper cried out and came.

And Dylan was with him. He filled her mouth and her heart, a rush of pleasure that tasted like the perfect mix of desire and ecstasy. Awash in the scent and feel of her lovers, she sucked Dylan and licked him clean, then nuzzled Harper’s balls and stroked his thighs until he stiffened again and moaned.

“Harper, you’re impressive,” she purred.

Dylan lay limply, and she scooted closer to him to hug him tight. She smothered him against Harper, but he didn’t seem to mind. Sprawled over Harper, his ass still speared by that thick shaft, and replete with his own orgasm, Dylan’s angelic smile had her falling in love with him all over again.

“This won’t be easy,” he said without opening his eyes. “I’m sure to annoy you both at some point in our lives.”

“Oh, I’m sure of that,” Harper said on a groan. “But, man, you can do whatever you want if you let me tap this ass. You too, Freddy. Ass or pussy, your choice.”

“Try her mouth. She’s got a wicked tongue,” Dylan rasped.

“True.” Harper and Freddy slowly worked together to pull Dylan up and off of Harper.

Dylan wobbled, but Freddy caught him.

“Bathroom,” she and Harper said as one.

Dylan’s shower was big enough to fit the three of them, if not comfortably, at least without them being plastered against the walls.

After a quick shower together, they moved once more to his bed and slumped into it together. “I love you guys so much,” Dylan said on a sigh.

“Me too, Doc,” she and Harper said at the same time. They laughed.

“You’re bound to think too hard about shit,” Harper warned.

“And I’m a really perky morning person,” she admitted. Both men groaned. “But I’ll try not to be too cheery before nine a.m. How’s that?”

Harper answered, “That will work. But I have to tell you, this living arrangement isn’t going to work. I want to be with you guys more.”

“Me too.”

“Yeah,” Dylan agreed and snuggled closer to Harper and Freddy. He lifted her to lie on top of him, so that Harper and he could stroke her together. They had to throw off the comforter because the guys gave off too much heat. “But I know this agent that could help us find the perfect house. I have family connections, so I’ll make sure she doesn’t rob us on commission.”

Harper chuckled. “Sounds good to me. Freddy? You okay with finding a place together? I mean, this is pretty sudden.”

“I don’t care where we live, as long as it’s together. And FYI, we’re going to take it slow with marriage and babies and stuff.”

Both men stiffened. “Babies?” Dylan asked.

“Not yet.” She snickered at the pair. “But someday I’d like a kid or two. Or three.”

“I like three. Just think. You could have twins.” Dylan grinned.

“Um, Freddy?” Harper sounded apologetic. “My mom was a twin. So I guess that ups the odds.”

“Forget I mentioned babies.” The guys had the nerve to laugh. “But something we need to discuss. Dylan? Do you want us to keep quiet about our relationship? Harper and I are okay with going public, but we don’t want to put added stress on you.”

“No. I’m good. We don’t need to wear a sign or anything. But I’m not going to hide how I feel about you two.” He paused. “My mom wants to meet you both. And I’m sorry to say, she’s rabid about grandkids.”

“You told her about us?” Harper asked, stunned.

“Yep. Derrick knows too.” Dylan burst out laughing. “Shit. I almost forgot.” He explained the conversation about “My Harper”, and Harper cracked up.

“I’m missing something.” Freddy kissed Dylan’s chin.

“You’ll see. I have an invite to a party this Friday, and my brothers have been invited as well.

Freddy cackled with glee. “Oh yes. We have to meet your brothers at my brother’s party. I think my father might be there too.”

“You want us to meet him?”

Harper snorted. “I think she wants us to freak him the hell out. From what I’ve heard about the great Judge Goode, I’m inclined to freak away.”

“Wait. Judge Goode?” Dylan stared hard at Freddy. “Oh shit. You’re that Fredericka. No wonder I feel like I’ve known you forever.” He started laughing again.

It took Freddy a moment to understand. “My father is one of your patients?”

“Not anymore.”

Harper kissed him, which stopped Dylan from laughing. And then the whispers and pleas for more turned hot and heavy again, and the three of them loved one another into the night.