“As you wish,” Strong nodded. “Come on, Brother—let’s step outside for a moment.”
The two of them stepped out in the hallway and Melanie quickly took off her clothes and slipped, shivering, between the clean cotton sheets. She was glad Aunt Marge didn’t let her cats go in the guest room.
After a moment there was a rap at the door and the Strong and Clear came back in when she called for them to do so.
“Would you like us to turn out the lights before we disrobe?” Clear asked, looking at Melanie, who had the covers up to her chin.
“Only if you want to,” she told them. “I, uh, don’t mind seeing the two of you naked.”
“We don’t mind seeing you naked, either, little one,” Strong growled as they slipped out of their uniforms to stand nude before her. “Though we understand if you’re shy.”
“Although you have nothing to be ashamed of or shy about,” Clear added. “From what we saw last night, you’re perfect, sweetheart.”
“She might not want to talk about what we did last night, Clear,” Strong reminded him, frowning.
“No—it’s okay,” Melanie said quickly. She was trying not to look at the long, thick shafts between their legs and failing miserably. “I…I don’t mind talking about it now that I know why I was acting like that,” she said, at last tearing her eyes away.
“I hope you don’t feel like we took advantage of you,” Clear said anxiously. “We honestly didn’t know that you were drugged.”
“Well technically, we were all drugged,” Strong pointed out. “We all drank the punch but it affected the females the most.” He looked at Melanie. “Are you ready for us to join you?”
“Sure, come…” Her mouth was suddenly dry and she had to swallow. “Come on in.”
“Thank you.” And they slid into bed beside her, Strong on her right and Clear on her left.
“May we touch you?” Clear asked. “Hold you between us?”
“Yes.” She could already feel the heat from their big bodies radiating against her bare skin, but they were still keeping a little distance from her. “Hold me,” she said and then the two muscular male forms bracketed hers, just as they had the night after the accident with her hand…which seemed about a million years ago now.
Melanie thought about asking them what they really wanted from her—where they were going with this. Did they honestly want a permanent relationship—the three of them together for life?
But then she found that the warm embrace of the twins on either side of her drowned out all the questions and worries and fears for the future. She had expected this experience—being naked in bed between them—to be wholly sexual, no matter what they said about “healing.” So she was surprised when she felt a current of warmth and tenderness flowing between the three of them as the twins held her close.
“Now, little one,” Strong rumbled, turning her on her side to face him and stroking her hair as Clear caressed her back and shoulders. “Let go of any worry or fear. Forget the anguish of your past.”
“Be one with us,” Clear murmured in her ear. “Let our love erase your pain.”
Their words and actions were so soft and soothing that despite herself, Melanie’s anxiety seemed to float away and her body began to relax and lose its tension. Their hard forms against hers felt right in a way she couldn’t explain or deny and she found herself melting against them, exhaling a long sigh of relief as they cradled her in their arms.
I am loved, she thought. I am cared for…I am cherished.
“So beautiful, little one,” Strong murmured, kissing her forehead.
“Gorgeous,” Clear whispered in her ear as he pressed against her back. “Relax, Melanie—just let us hold you. Just let us heal you.”
And to Melanie’s surprise, she was able to do exactly that. All her body issues and uncertainty and anxiety seemed to melt away as she sank into the sweet, three-way embrace and at last drifted off to sleep in the arms of her lovers.
21
Melanie didn’t wake up until dawn the next day.
Christmas Morning, she thought and felt a tingle of anticipation, just as she had when she was a kid. Then she realized what had woken her up—there were only two of them in the bed instead of three.
“Hey,” she murmured sleepily, looking at the empty left side of the bed. “Where’s Clear?”
“Hmm? Oh, he had to go back to the Mother Ship for something,” Strong rumbled. “Don’t worry—he’ll be back soon.”
Melanie thought of rolling over and going back to sleep, but it didn’t seem right when they were missing Clear. Besides, she could hear Aunt Marge already banging away in the kitchen. She decided to go down and help.
Leaving the Dark Twin drowsy, she got dressed in jeans and a sweater—since there was a cold snap and it was actually chilly, even in Florida for once. Melanie had always loved cold weather and she felt completely revived after a night spent between her guys, so she was in a great mood as she came downstairs.