Bet on Ecstasy by Stacey Kennedy Page B

appearance, sexy touches, and smoldering looks were hot as hell. Also explaining why her body hummed with desire, her pussy throbbed, and panties were wet.
    “So…” Sadie added. “What is that?”
    Kyra blinked, dragging her attention away from the door Brock and Smith had exited. “What?”
    Sadie laughed, pointing to the table. “The piece of paper, what is it?”
    Glancing down, Kyra noticed the paper that had been beneath Brock’s hand was actually a newspaper. Once she grabbed it, she flipped the paper over, and as she scanned it, her mouth dropped open.
    Bella snickered. “Something big, obviously.”
    “Read it,” Marley said.
    Kyra stared at the page and processed the meaning behind what she read. Now she understood a question presented to her. Brock and Smith weren’t successful for only being business savvy, they were incredibly smart men. No wonder they made their company into a multimillion dollar venture; when they wanted something, they didn’t take no for an answer and they went in for the kill.
    She lifted her head. “It says, MDR Software announces the addition of John Haggard and Samantha Madison to join MDR Software, reporting to CEOs Smith McDermott and Brock Robertson.”
    All three of her best friends smirked as the implication of what Brock and Smith had done was clear-cut. Kole, however, gave his typical smart-ass grin. “Eased up their workload, didn’t they?”
    Reed winked. “And they stole your biggest excuse to shut them out.”

Chapter Nine
    Fresh spring air breezed through Kyra’s car window as she drove down the tree-lined street, passing the colorful wooden sign welcoming visitors into the town of Bowleys Quarters. The half-hour drive from Baltimore had been uneventful, except that her mind raced through thoughts of what Brock and Smith had done.
    They’d hired new employees…for her .
    To say she looked forward to hearing what they had to say to her this evening was an understatement. They’d gone to great lengths to ensure she wouldn’t shut them out. As much as she still held reservations about how they could make a ménage relationship work, warmth spread through her that they weren’t going to let her walk away.
    The prospect that somehow they could give this a real shot made that empty feeling she’d suffered for two weeks wash away. She breathed easier. She ate more than tiny meals today. Last night, she’d slept better than she had since she left them.
    She’d already realized not dating them didn’t do her any good. At this point, even if their way to fix this was weak, she suspected she’d agree. Why did she care what others thought of her? Sure, they’d have to be unobtrusive, but many couples behaved discreetly in the public eye, and no one needed to know what happened in their bedroom.
    Her parents had done the whole monogamy lifestyle, and their marriage had failed. Who was to say a ménage relationship was doomed? Besides, in the month they were together, Kyra had never been happier. In the past two weeks, she’d been more miserable than she thought possible.
    She decided that being unusual with them was better than being typical with anyone else.
    Kyra slowed the car as the Castle Dolce Vita came into view. The castle, with its aged look and large stone facade, was a stunning sight. Even the garden around the grounds accentuated its beauty.
    Turning the steering wheel, she drove up the driveway, noticing cars off to the left side in the parking lot. After she pulled into an empty spot, she turned off the car. She stared at the castle and a rush of warmth swept through her.
    She’d been so worried that she’d repeat her mother’s mistakes that she set up boundaries to ensure it would never happen. Brock and Smith’s gesture was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her.
    Not only did they want to be in her life, but they fought to be. Her father hadn’t done that for her mother, nor had he ever done that for Kyra. He’d always put work