The Sextet Presents… By Male Order [In Days of Olde] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Elizabeth Raines

low.
    Thomas stepped behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. He had no clue what to say. He and Alec had spent most of their time at the farm, visiting Clearbrook only a handful of times, so he wasn’t sure how much Abe’s accusation and talk of gossip had hurt her. She’d never given them any indication she had strong friendships with the townsfolk. Yet he also knew well the sting of being the topic of such cruel talk.
    “Hope? What are you thinking?” he asked.
    She gave her head a small shake.
    “Love, I want—”
    Whirling to face him, she shouted, “Don’t call me that!”
    Her anger was so strong Thomas almost took a step back. “Call you what?”
    She shook her head again and tried to move away.
    Not only would Thomas not let her go, Alec flanked her other side. “Call you what, Hope?” Thomas asked again.
    A tear slid down her cheek. “I’m not your love. Don’t call me that.”
    The vulnerability she showed him allowed him to make himself vulnerable too. “But you are my love.”
    Her eyes searched his as a few more tears spilled over her lashes. “No…no, I’m no fool. You love Alec. He’s the one you should call ‘love.’”
    “I do call him ‘love.’” Thomas cupped her face in his palms and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “Yes, I love Alec. But I love you , too.”
    Hope took a ragged breath.
    When she tried to shake her head, he held her fast and brushed a kiss over her lips. “I love you, Hope.”
    “As do I,” Alec said, taking her hand in his and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
    Her gaze shifted, locking with Alec’s.
    “I love ye, Hope,” Alec reaffirmed.
    How odd there was no jealousy. Thomas had always believed Alec was the love of his life and thought Alec felt the same. Yet as Alec avowed his love for Hope, Thomas wasn’t jealous because he understood. Hope wasn’t stealing away Alec’s affection—she was enhancing it. Thomas loved them both with every piece of his heart, and that somehow made him… complete .
    Shocked by the voracity of his feelings, Thomas swallowed hard. His life had been unconventional before. He was a man who loved another man. The road was already far too rocky.
    But now he was a man who loved a man— and a woman. Now the road was not only rocky but entirely uphill. People would never accept a three-way relationship.
    Clearbrook was evidently agog. If Abe Driscoll was to be believed, the fair citizens of the town were passing rumors about them. Although they weren’t really rumors now…
    Thomas stood at a crossroads in his life. The time had come to move on and leave judgmental Clearbrook behind.
    But with whom?
    Alec was in love with Hope. Not only were the feelings plain in his words, Thomas knew Alec well. He truly loved her. If Thomas left, would Alec follow? Would Hope?
    Thomas kissed her again then shifted to kiss Alec as well. “I love you both.”
    “As I love ye,” Alec replied. He smiled at Hope. “And ye.”
    “Hope?” Thomas wasn’t sure he was ready for her response, but he had to know. “Do you love us?”

Chapter 8
     
    Alec was sure his terror was hidden in his expression. He needed Hope to answer honestly. He didn’t want her to claim she loved them when she was only responding to his fear. Her nature was so gentle and her heart so kind she was likely to say anything to ease his anxiety.
    Yet he couldn’t keep himself from prodding. “Do ye love us, lass?”
    Long seconds passed before Hope pulled her hand back. “We have so much work to do.”
    When she pushed her way between them and kept walking, Thomas started after her.
    Alec grabbed his arm. “Wait.”
    “Wait? Why? We need an answer, damn it!”
    “We might need answers, but she needs some time.”
    “Time? What are you talking about?”
    Alec knew Thomas’s temper was slow to ignite, but once alive it could burn gloriously hot. Right now, the last thing Hope needed was them questioning her. “We’ve pushed too hard, Thomas. Let her