Stealing the Show (PolyAm Fam #3)

Chapter 8

eight

maggie

The weekend couldn’t get here fast enough. I was getting ready for a date with Raine when my phone buzzed with a text from her. My heart immediately leaped, hoping she wasn’t canceling.

Raine: Hey…just curious what Leo is up to today?

Me: Nothing, really. He’s off work. Why?

Raine: Do you think he’d like to join us? It’s okay if he doesn’t…just thought it might be fun.

I left the message on read for a bit while I finished applying makeup. We were going for a hike at McCormick’s Creek State Park, which was about a half hour away from Bloomington. Leo had already expressed disappointment when we made the plans because he loves hiking, and he was off work on a rare Saturday.

I sighed. Leo was attracted to her—especially after the scene that played out in our living room after during last date, but I didn’t know if Raine felt the same about him. Judging by her text, she did. Maybe we had found our unicorn—without even looking?

Raine: I hope I didn’t upset you by asking. I just haven’t been able to get the other night out of my mind…

I didn’t want her to think I was upset. I wasn’t. This was what we wanted all along, right?

Me: That was pretty hot, wasn’t it? Hold on—I’ll ask him if he’d like to join us.

“Honey?” I called out into the hallway.

Leo came lumbering up the stairs, holding a mug of coffee. “What do you need?”

“Hey, Raine asked if you’d like to join us today on our hike?”

His entire face lit up. “Really?” And then, “But I don’t want to be a third wheel. If you’d rather I stay here…”

“You like her, don’t you?” I asked—not in an accusatory way. I tried to keep my tone playful. She was young and hot. Why wouldn’t he like her? And she seemed to be kind, smart, funny. Truly, I couldn’t think of any negatives where Raine was involved.

“Well, of course I do.” He walked down the hall, stopping right in front of where I stood in the doorway. My phone remained on my vanity, waiting for an answer.

“Then come. It’ll be fun.” I reached out and stroked my fingers across his stubbly jaw. Being off work today meant he didn’t shave, and his scruff was so fucking sexy.

In seconds, his arms were around me, pulling me into his thick, muscular chest. “You’re the best, you know that? So generous…so beautiful… If you didn’t just finish getting ready, I’d throw you down on that bed and fuck your brains out,” he teased me.

“Well, damn, why didn’t I ask you ten minutes ago before I got dressed?” I bit my lip and fluttered my eyelashes at him.

“Don’t tempt me,” he practically growled. “When do you need to leave?”

“When do we need to leave,” I corrected him. “Fifteen minutes. If we want to get to the park by ten, which is when we’re supposed to meet.”

“I can be ready by then.” His smile was electric. “Should I shave?”

“No. Leave it. It’s sexy.” His Italian heritage meant he could grow a beard in just a few days, so every time he had more than two days off work in a row, I got to see that sexy scruff outline his jaw. Damn, it did things to me.

“Okay, but be warned that I’m going to claim that fucking your brains out appointment when we get home.”

“Promise?”

He grinned. “Promise.”

I texted Raine back.

Me: He’s in. See you at 10!

* * *

McCormick’s Creek was busier than I thought it would be, even on a Saturday in June. I was hoping we’d have a little more privacy on our hike, but it was not meant to be. Hopefully we’d at least be able to find a quiet spot for our picnic.

“This is so gorgeous!” Raine carefully traversed the creek via the flat stones rising out of the water. “Look at that waterfall! This is my first time visiting here.”

“I’m glad you were free.” I stepped on the rock behind her but started to lose my balance.

“Oh no!” she shrieked as we both toppled over into the shin-deep water.

“Great, now we’re wet! I’m so sorry!” my apology gushed out of me.

Leo, who had already crossed the creek, turned around and spotted us splashing around. “What happened, ladies? Wait, don’t move! I want to get a picture!” He pulled out his phone and aimed it toward us.

“We should at least make this worth his while.” Raine gave me a suggestive wink.

“What did you have in mind?” There was a family on the other side of the creek where we’d come from, but they seemed to be busy navigating their own crossing and trying to avoid ending up in the creek like we did.

“Kiss me?” Raine’s dark eyebrows quirked.

I drew her into my arms and pressed my lips against hers as Leo let out a whoop. I was afraid the family would make a comment, but they didn’t.

“Got a great pic!” Leo beamed when we finished crossing the creek, and he pulled both of us up on the bank. “Let’s hike down closer to the waterfall.”

We made our way down the narrow trail, enamored by the way the sunlight filtered through the bright green leaves. There was a gentle breeze that took the edge off the climbing heat, and though soggy shoes and socks were no fun, at least my feet weren’t hot.

Once we made it down closer to the waterfall, there was no one around. “You know, I should get a shot of you two.” I gestured toward Raine and Leo.

“Oh?” My husband’s brow shot upward. “The same kind of shot?”

I studied Raine’s face to see if she seemed interested or repulsed by the idea, and it was definitely the former. She looked adorable in her cut-off overalls with a tiny floral tank top underneath. Her hair was pinned back with a pink paisley bandana, and she was wearing tiny watermelon earrings to complete the look.

“Let’s do it!” Raine quickly agreed and posed herself on one of the rocks that jutted out into the creek. Leo stepped in next to her and draped his arm around her shoulder.

I snapped a pic. “Got it. Now—a kiss?”

They turned toward each other, and there was not as much awkwardness as I expected. Leo said something to her that I couldn’t hear over the rushing water, and Raine smiled and nodded. He tenderly stroked a finger down her cheek before bending to capture her lips with his. It was a long, sweet kiss, and I got the whole thing on video for posterity’s sake.

So…we were really doing this…

* * *

I wasn’t sure how, but we managed to find a picnic spot that was shady, comfortable and not people-y. Go Leo for scouting it out!

Raine and I spread out the blanket while Leo got the picnic basket and cooler from our SUV. We both made whoops and cat-calls while he flexed his muscles carrying it back to the blanket.

“Look at those sexy arms!” Raine praised as he sat down between us.

He did have damn fine arms—thick, muscular, and perfect to wrap around you. I didn’t mind sharing with a beautiful lady like Raine. Especially not when I got to touch her too.

Raine and Leo exchanged a little look as I dug into the picnic basket. I couldn’t quite tell what it was all about, but it was something private.

“More hiking after this, or are you ready to call it a day?” Leo asked.

“Whatever you guys would like,” Raine said. “I don’t have any plans today.”

“What do you want to do, hon?”

Leo smiled at both of us. “I was kind of thinking we could go back to our house after this. Maybe I could grill out some steaks tonight. Might be a nice night for the hot tub?”

“I’d have to go home to shower and change clothes first,” Raine said, “but that sounds like fun.”

This was moving fast. Leo was more aggressive than I was—and maybe that was a good thing. Raine didn’t seem fazed by it at all. I popped the tab on the soda I pulled out of the cooler and swallowed down a big gulp. I hoped I could keep up with these two.

“I’ve never done a hiking date,” I admitted before I stuffed a grape in my mouth, “but it’s kind of nice.”

“I didn’t expect to get so wet on this type of date,” Raine joked, flashing me a grin.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I was staring at your ass and lost my balance!” I apologized.

“You two looked so sexy in that water,” Leo said. “Good thing that family was there, or I would have wanted to fuck you both under the waterfall.”

“Damn, honey, tell us how you really feel!” I teased him, and Raine bubbled up with laughter.

There was an easy vibe between us as we enjoyed the sandwiches and fruit I’d packed. Leo reclined with his head on my lap while Raine told us about her summer job at the theater.

“So, you read the plays, and you come up with costume designs?” Leo asked. “How do you decide what kind of costumes?”

Raine smiled and explained, “I look at a lot of things, like the type of character it is, the historical period, their socioeconomic status. Colors and fabrics can be used to convey a lot of character attributes too, like their disposition or motives, you know? And there’s tons of research you can do online about what kind of costumes have been used in other productions. Naturally, you want to come up a unique take on it, but some characters have really classic costumes—think Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz or Annie’s red dress from Daddy Warbucks, you know?”

“That’s really cool,” I ran my fingers through Leo’s hair to catch a blade of grass that was stuck there, “and makes my job seem so boring.”

“My job’s not boring, but it definitely isn’t that much fun,” Leo added.

“I know it seems like it’s all fun and games,” she said, “but it’s actually hard work. You have to take a lot of things into consideration, and then sometimes you can’t find what you’re looking for in the costume lofts or any rental agencies, so you have to sew it yourself or find a seamstress. And it’s not like you just need a few costumes. Depending on the show, you may need hundreds of costumes. And you have to keep track of them all.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to imply your job was easy,” I defended, “just that mine seems boring by comparison.”

Raine shrugged. “Well, we all have different talents.”

“I’d like to show you some of my talents,” Leo interjected.

I smacked him on the shoulder. “Leave it to you to turn an innocent conversation into something sexual!”

But Raine was laughing, obviously amused by his joke. “I hope to experience these talents you speak of…maybe later tonight?”

Well, he’d certainly succeeded in bringing her out of her shell. She had been slightly reserved with me, but she seemed more open, more adventurous with him. I hoped I’d be the beneficiary of that openness…