Merlot: A M/M/F Polyamory Romance (Boys of Summer Season I) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Untitled

  Dedication

  Boys of Summer Series

  Luc

  Merlot

  About the Authors

  Welcome to the Playground

  Acknowledgments

  Merlot

  Boys of Summer ~2018 Season

  Caia Daniels

  Infinite Phoenix Press

  Contents

  Untitled

  Untitled

  Dedication

  Boys of Summer Series

  1. Luc

  2. Merlot

  3. Merlot

  4. Merlot

  5. Merlot

  6. Luc

  7. Merlot

  8. Merlot

  9. Merlot

  10. Merlot

  11. Merlot

  About the Authors

  Welcome to the Playground

  Acknowledgments

  Copyright © 2018 by Caia Daniels.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

  Infinite Phoenix Press

  Joplin, MO

  Cover Design by Flirtation Designs

  Edited by G.Q. Editorial Services

  First Edition, February 2018

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Created with Vellum

  Dedication

  For all the strong women who still believe in love.

  XO, Caia

  For all the men who believe in strong women.

 
  Boys of Summer Series

  Boys of Summer is an ongoing steamy romance series centering on Scandal, a night club in the Hamptons of New York.

  Each season, Summerlan West ‘auditions’ and hires a brand-new set of young, hot, sexy recruits to join the Scandal family. In exchange for keeping her secret – that Scandal isn’t just a night club, but a secret club exclusively catering to women who wish to fulfill their ultimate sexual fantasies – the recruits receive a generous ‘scholarship’ and in the process, maybe even a Happily Ever After of their own.

  Follow Summer and her Boys (and even some Girls!) each season (year) as they search for love in a most inauspicious place.

  Each season, every novel is a standalone story that will focus on a different set of lovers and a different genre of romance. Stories will most likely include fun, sexy tales with strong BDSM themes and naughty adventures in Reverse Harems and Poly romance including MMF, FFM, FF, MM, and every pair/grouping in between.

  For more info on this series, be sure to check out Caia & Daniel’s Website and sign up for our newsletter!

  See you on the Playground!

  XO,

  Caia & Daniel

  1

  Luc

  “Merlot LaRue.”

  The sound of her name rolling melodically off my tongue sends heat chasing through my veins.

  And her voice—a siren song capable of seducing any man-or woman within earshot? Goose bumps.

  A 27-year record held only by her.

  I sit impatiently waiting for my boyfriend to arrive, who by chance, happens to be twenty minutes late, while my best friend performs onstage for the wrap-up revue of her travelling Broadway show.

  I haven’t seen Merlot in like, ten months since she’s been on tour, performing across the country with an acting troupe.

  Sure, we’ve talked. A lot. But I wasn’t lucky enough to see her perform before tonight.

  Merlot doesn’t know I’m here tonight. Hell, she never even told me she was back on the East Coast, which annoys me to no end, but I’ll give her a pass because reasons.

  “Hey, baby.” Alec West, my boyfriend whispers as he sits beside me.

  “You almost missed the entire thing.” Folding my arms across my chest, I don’t bother looking at him. Man’s on my shit list at the moment. “And thanks for not texting.” I grumble. “Where the hell have you been?”

  “Sorry, love. Had a huge group come in at the last minute, and Chef asked me to stay. Oh, and my cell died.”

  He holds up his lifeless iPhone, wiggling the contraption and trying to seduce me with his beautiful smile.

  So not fair. Bastard.

  Alec is a sous chef at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn and has been vying for a promotion, so he often takes late assignments that irritate the shit out of me.

  “Relax.” Alec lays his hand on my shoulder then lightly massages my neck, trying to loosen my tension – and my attitude. Leaning over, he kisses me and rubs his nose across mine. “Sorry, baby.” Alec’s apology takes the edge off. A little. “She doesn’t even know we’re here, so she won’t mind my tardiness.” He smirks as he nudges my shoulder.

  I roll my eyes and shove back harder, returning my gaze to my girl on stage.

  “Any sign of fuck face yet?” Alec expertly changes the subject. An art of his.

  “Shhh.” Some asshole beside us gives us a shut the fuck up glare of death.

  “Sorry,” I say over Alec’s shoulder, then shove his massive shoulder harder. “No,” I whisper softer. “And if he’s smart, which we already know he’s not, I’m expecting to find him as soon as the lights go back up.”

  Merlot’s mom called me last week, spilling the secret about tonight’s revue. Guess she’s worried about Merlot after she broke off the engagement with what’s his face. I mean fuck face. So of course, I have to be here. To give her a hard time because she didn’t tell me about the performance herself.

  Merlot and I grew up together in Chicago. Lived next door to each other all our lives. Been best friends ever since.

  In college and for a couple years after we graduated, Merlot, Alec and I all shared an apartment in Boston after a short relationship between Merlot and Alec turned into an unexpected romance between Alec and me.

  Quite the love triangle, one that ultimately tied our sweet threesome together. Well, until Merlot met fuck face.

  “So, no sign of him?” Alec asks. “I don’t want to have to beat his ass, but I will. And I’ll enjoy it immensely.”

  Merlot had only recently dumped the douche after a tumultuous year-long engagement, which was another reason we made sure to be here tonight. In case. That, and we’d love nothing more than to kick the ever-loving shit out of him.

  See, her ex is a bit of a wild card. Definitely has a few too many screws loose. Besides that, Merlot always seems to date beneath her.

  The girl’s choice in men has become a running joke between Alec and me, that if we ever have the chance again, we’ll convince Merlot to give the poly life a go.

  Although it’s not a joke. Least of all, to me.

  “So, V-day.” Alec leans over and nudges my shoulder. “Finally got our invite.”

  “Hell yeah.” Can’t hide my excitement. It’s my favorite Scandal event of the year. “Same as last year?”

  “Same as every year. Three of Hearts poly event.”

  “Hot.” I discreetly tiptoe my fingers over Alec’s hand, lacing mine with his.

  Tiny goose bumps move along my arms at the fantasy of my man in a tux and a masque, hot and sexy-fied. Just the thought wakes my cock that’s been hibernating beneath these too tight jeans Alec likes me to wear.

  “Thank Aunt Summer for me.”

  He chuckles, squeezing my hand.

  Yes, I’ve forgiven him a
lready. I don’t hold grudges long, at least not with the people I love.

  “It’s Madame West when she’s on duty.” Alec reminds me and winks.

  “Oh yeah, my bad.”

  Scandal is an exclusive club in the Hamptons open only on weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but they hold holiday events in the off-season, like a New Year’s Eve bachelor auction and a Valentine’s ball.

  Both Alec and I have worked at Scandal a couple seasons now. Since Merlot moved out. The club serves elite socialites on the East Coast—women only—offering them opportunities to live out their most taboo sexual fantasies.

  There’s a highly selective criterion to become both a client and an employee at Scandal. Despite our careers during the rest of the year, we can’t resist working in-season.

  Other than Summer’s, I mean Madame West’s harem, we’re the only two of Summer’s boys who get rehired every season. Besides, the money is too hot to pass up. And the sex—even hotter.

  See, Alec and I are both bi… so to speak. Alec, more so than me.

  Admittedly, the gig does keep things spicy between us since we only work together offering ladies the ménage experience. So yeah, working at Scandal each summer is a great way to get our girl fix.

  Though if I have my way, the only girl fix I’ll be getting is Merlot… and I can proudly admit that after all those threesomes, Merlot is still the only woman I fantasize about.

  Alec’s aunt, Madame Summerlan West, inherited the strip club after her cheating husband was murdered by his lover’s husband. Confusing and scandalous, the situation later inspired the name and theme of the revamped club.

  As Summer once said, she went all First Wives Club on their asses, shifting the establishment from a club that once made its dime selling sex to Wall Street, to exclusively catering to the dickbags’ wives and mistresses.

  Because fuck the patriarchy.

  Fantasies play out behind closed doors at Scandal for a highly selective clientele, giving it a most coveted guest list—and keeping it on law enforcement’s most watched list although Summer is a beast and makes her establishment legal because most of the money Scandal makes goes to charity for college students struggling to make ends meet.

  Summer’s beautiful, and a fucking genius.

  I glance over at her nephew and smile. Shit runs in the family.

  Alec nudges my shoulder as the lights flicker. “Is that him?”

  “Him, who?”

  “Fuck head.” Alec points across the room. “I haven’t seen him in a while, but that’s him. Right? Guy who looks like…”

  I glance up and squint, trying to focus from the audience. “Son of a...”

  Yep. Same string bean motherfucker I remember meeting once is creeping in the corner, trying to blend into the crowd.

  A growl escapes me as I maneuver myself and make to stand, but Alec grabs my forearm and pulls me back down.

  “Wait it out, lover. See if he tries anything first. Let’s not ruin this for her.”

  Alec’s right.

  Causing a scene would be a dick move, even if it is to protect her from that narcissistic douche.

  This whole thing makes me feel like shit anyway.

  Merlot and Jamie were on tour together. She’s the lead in this musical, and he does… something? Can’t remember. Only that he never treated her right and definitely never deserved her.

  Though few men do as far as I’m concerned.

  Glaring across the room, my veins begin to boil the longer I stare at his bony ass. All I wanna do is go over there and pummel him the fuck down, but Alec being the voice of reason, keeps me in my seat.

  Well, Alec and the tone of Merlot’s seductive voice echoing from the incredible acoustics in this club. Her raspy song pulls me from my rage, reminding me why I’m here in the first place.

  “Shit, she looks amazing.” Alec is staring at our ravishing red head singing the finale. I remember it from a show she dragged us to before they left New York.

  “I know, right?” I let out a long, anguished sigh.

  Another round of chills race over my arms.

  Fucking hell, every time the woman opens her mouth to sing, it incites a virile reaction I just can’t contain.

  “My goddess.” I blurt out.

  Alec glances to me and winks.

  Merlot truly is a work of art. Tall. Slender. Long, silky hair the same color as the wine she’s named after. Straight nose, plump lips and tan skin. She couldn’t be more perfect.

  My Goddess is right.

  The only woman I’ll ever love. And that’s a fairly literal interpretation given my preference for the Alec’s of the world.

  “What is it about her?” I say it out loud, like I’m asking the universe.

  Alec grins. “She’s our girl, babe. No getting around it.”

  Our girl. I release yet another lovelorn sigh. “If only.”

  In less than a minute, Merlot bows and exits the stage.

  Finally. I’m so ready to see her.

  My suspicious glare follows fucktard as he trails Merlot off the stage.

  “Her mom was right.” Alec tugs on my shoulder. “Let’s go.”

  We stand and go the opposite direction of most of the crowd, moving past people leaving, and head backstage. To surprise her and intervene if necessary. Fortunately, we know one of the bouncers, a buddy of mine I used to train with.

  According to Merlot’s mom, Fuck stick has become stalker-ish, and she was concerned he’d go off the rails, tonight being her last performance—the last time she’s contractually required to be in his presence.

  We get backstage and find Merlot somewhat cowering in a corner, chewing on her nails.

  “Merlot.” Alec approaches her first, pushing his way ahead of me to keep me calm.

  Yeah, I have a bit of a temper when it comes to protecting my best friend.

  “Oh my god, Alec. Luc.” She smiles so wide, her eyes nearly light up. Our girl pushes past the ex and steps up, wrapping her arms around my neck.

  Unable to contain my happiness, I pick her up and hold her tightly.

  Feeling her in my arms again is fucking paradise.

  “What are you doing here?” She grins as I set her back down to earth.

  “What are you doing back in New York? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?”

  “I’m sorry, I’ve only been back two days. This…”

  “Lame excuse, Mer.” Alec glares, raising an eyebrow.

  “Alec.” Grinning again, she reaches to give him a hug. “When did you get back from Italy?”

  Alec spent almost a couple months abroad learning from a chef in Tuscany, but he’s been back for a while now. And she very well knows that.

  “You should come by,” he says, squeezing her, then gives her a kiss on the cheek and lets her go. “I’m working in Manhattan. Come out, I’ll cook for you.”

  “That sounds incredible. Oh. My gods. I can’t believe you guys are here.”

  “You want this guy here?” Alec glares as he tilts his head toward the unwanted intruder.

  She glances up and shakes her head.

  “We need to talk.” He crosses his arms over his puny chest, trying to intimidate her.

  Like that’ll work with us here. Stupid prick.

  Shit pisses me off even more.

  “Goddess has spoken.” Alec steps up to him. “She doesn’t want you here.”

  Dude glares at Alec, who’s standing inches from his face. Though not.

  Alec is about seven inches taller and looks like Jon Cena compared to Jamie’s five-foot nine frame. Guy would be an idiot to take Alec on, who could intimidate anyone that doesn’t know he’s a total teddy bear.

  Part of what draws me to Alec in the first place.

  Jamie glances at Alec, then to me as I stand guard between him and Merlot, my chin tilted up, chest pushed out. Eyes glaring. Not a blink in sight.

  “Whatever.” He shakes his head then turns and disappears down
the hall.

  Merlot releases a relieved breath.

  “You okay, babe?” I pull Merlot into my arms.

  Nuzzling my nose into her neck, her hair tickles my cheek. I inhale deeply, recognizing she still uses the same shampoo. Or body lotion. Something that smells like college. Like my best friend.

  She nods, burying her head into my chest. “Thanks.”

  “Of course.”

  Alec moves beside us and lays his hand on her shoulder. “Does he do this a lot? Show up, uninvited?”

  Merlot glances up to Alec, not moving her head from my chest. “I just can’t get rid of him. It’s gotten way worse since I broke it off. He can’t take a hint. You know, like the go away kind, it’s over and I don’t ever want to see your face again hint?”

  Alec chuckles.

  My sense of humor, however, has taken the midnight train to Jersey.

  “Well if we have to beat his fucking ass, that’ll drive the hint home.” I absentmindedly run my fingers through her hair. “What are you doing now?”

  “Going home.” She exhales loudly. “I’ve had enough drama for one night.”

  “Want some company?” I’m hopeful she’ll say yes, but not holding my breath after that fucker’s bullshit. Merlot’s more the binge in sweat pants type than a let’s party till dawn girl.

  “We’d both feel better if you at least let us see you home.”

  She smirks, still holding onto me.

  Alec crosses his arms over his broad chest, lifting an eyebrow, and giving her his sexy crooked smile – the one that melts my heart.

  “You two aren’t going to take no for an answer anyway, are you?” She lets out a weak laugh.