by Ophelia Bell
“Just like that? How did you reach that conclusion?”
“Because she told me,” Drake says. “Last night, we were talking…”
“While you watched her on video,” I interject, intending it as a challenge, but it lacks any edge.
Drake narrows his eyes. “Yes, but we also talked. She’s evidently given it a lot of thought and believes her relationship with you two is solid enough to make it worth trying. And that she trusts me enough to want me involved too. All I know is that I’m willing. I’m not about to let myself be left in the dust if there’s a way to have literally everything I’ve ever wanted.”
“How in a million years could this even work? I can’t just make it about having fun. It’s more than that to me.”
“I don’t sleep with women as a rule,” Drake says. “I haven’t in years, because it’s such a landmine of triggers when I do. Elle is different.”
“Why? What’s so special about her?” When he frowns, I elaborate. “Listen, I know she’s special. Hell, she’s goddamn perfect. But why does this work for you? You’re a fucking billionaire, San Diego’s most eligible bachelor… with some baggage, true, but you don’t get to be who you are without it. Why do you need to have her on top of it?”
Ben stands, and Drake rounds the bench to take his place, pausing before he sits to look into my eyes. “Because she’s like me at that age—driven, smart, and without the baggage. Or at least with different baggage, and just enough that she grasps the shit I’ve been through. She knows all about toxic secrets. Even better, she’s willing to let me purge my own of their toxicity.”
He takes a breath and shakes his head. “No one has ever been that person for me. Someone willing to take away the shame of what I crave, to let me be who I am without judgment. Who makes me feel whole instead of an empty shell.”
His speech is so earnest I can’t help but believe every word, even though I don’t quite empathize. I am probably the least fucked up person on this boat at the moment, and it’s a strange revelation. But one look at my brother confirms it. He’s looking at Drake like he knows all too well what that feels like, and I feel a slight pang inside when I realize for the first time that there’s one thing my twin and I will never share. But I still have Elle’s offer to balance out that minor loss. I can have her. I may not have any desire to share Drake with my brother, but we can both have her.
“This isn’t just fooling around to either of you, is it?”
“I don’t typically pursue romances with my employees, for one thing,” Drake says. “But the perfect person doesn’t come along all that often.” His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows, then glances over his shoulder at Ben and adds, “The perfect people.”
He looks at me again. “It feels a little crazy. Fucking roller-coaster crazy, I admit. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t notice Elle the moment she started working for me, and I didn’t need her link to Flores to know she was special. Not so special I’d have acted on it prematurely, but that was months ago. Getting to know her better since you three moved in just confirmed what I hoped, but wasn’t prepared to count on. That she really is as perfect as she seemed all along. We’d be fools to let her get away.”
“And you’re both okay with this?” I ask, replaying Elle’s rationale in my head, but needing to hear them both admit they’re on board with the idea too.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Baz?” Ben blurts, leaning on the racked barbell and shaking his head. “We’ve been in love with her for eight years. Her brothers are the only reason we never acted on it.”
“They’re still a really fucking compelling reason not to, but you know it’s not that,” I retort. “We have a job to do.”
“Yeah, but don’t tell me you haven’t already talked yourself into believing we can do both. Trust me, I went there too, and I know I can still do my job.”
My nostrils flare as I shift my attention to Drake who’s smirking at me now. He sobers and nods. “I’m predisposed to polyamory, anyway. It doesn’t feel strange to share or be shared. I’m guessing you prefer women, though, am I right? Because it could be more interesting if you’re open to men too.”
I blink, then cough and take a step back. “I’m good with Elle.”
“Fair enough,” he says, smirk returning. “But I take it that means you’re giving in? She’s kind of a force of nature.”
Glancing between the two of them, I consider the proposal I left the dining room trying to rationalize my way out of accepting. But I’m outnumbered, and knowing they’ll agree to it doesn’t make it any easier.
I clear my throat. “Yeah, she is at that. The video was, ah… well, it was classic Elle, for one thing. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since watching it.”
“Fuck, hermano, you’ve got to show it to me.”
“Later,” I say, distracted as I plow ahead. “There’s something I need to ask you guys first. Elle’s willing to let me, um, catch up?”
I feel like an idiot now—like I’m back in school and I’m the one getting tutored in math by her instead of my brother. It always made me wish I wasn’t almost as good at all that shit as she was.
Ben sees right through me, and grins wickedly. “Hell yes.”
“Alone,” I add.
Drake crosses his arms and frowns. “Okay. It’s her call, I guess, and you weren’t here Monday night.”
I spear him with a direct look. “She wants you both to watch.”
I hear a loud clang, followed by Ben cursing as he drops the weight plate he was loading onto the barbell, narrowly missing his foot.
Drake’s demeanor shifts so completely it’s like he’s another person. His eyes go dark and his entire body tightens. A vein throbs in his neck, and I keep my eyes fixed on his face because I’m nearly certain he just popped wood.
He licks his lips, then slowly nods. “I didn’t tell her this, but there are cameras built into the flatscreens in each bedroom. They’ve only ever been used for business… but I admit, I got them hoping…” He clears his throat and smiles slightly. “Well, hoping for this, even though this is beyond my wildest dreams. Just turn it on, hit the menu button, and you can pick my camera from the list. We’ll see each other’s rooms. I hope you’re okay with a two-way view.”
“Not particularly interested, but I have a feeling she will be. And you two are okay with not being in the room? I feel like if we’re doing this, we should start making rules or something. I don’t need either of you getting territorial about it.”
Ben comes over to stand beside Drake and reaches out, grabbing my shoulder and squeezing. “Brother, she’s giving you a gift. Just take it and enjoy it. After we’re square, the four of us can sit down and figure out what to make of it all. Because yeah, we still have a job to do, so rules are going to be required. Compromise is going to have to happen. But for the moment… while we’re secure, I don’t see any reason not to fucking take advantage of it.”
17
Elle
It takes Baz so long to return, I start to believe he’s backing out. It isn’t like him to leave me hanging, so I decide to do a bit of yoga to burn off some nervous energy. I put my hair in a ponytail and I’m just digging out leggings and a sports bra when the knock comes.
“Come in!” I call, and Baz enters.
“You put your hair up,” he says, frowning. “I like it down.”
I tug at the end of my hair draped over my shoulder. “I can take it down. I just got antsy waiting for you. I was going to work out a little.” I wave my sports bra at him.
He chuckles. “Yeah, that’s going around.”
“So… you want my hair down?” I ask.
His nod is distracted as he closes the distance, his gaze fixed on my face, on my mouth. “Yeah. But let me.”
He stands close enough that his body heat radiates through my clothes. He reaches up to the back of my head and grabs hold of the band securing my hair. The force makes me tilt my head back as he slides the elastic
down to remove it, but I keep my gaze fixed on his face. He’s not giving me a lecture or excuses, which must mean he talked to Drake and Ben and still decided to come to me. But I need to hear him say it.
“Baz… tell me what they said.”
His eyes are fixed on my throat, and before I can straighten to look at him, he dips his head, pressing lips to my pulse point and kissing his way up to my jaw. My heart flutters, my body lighting on fire at the squeeze of his hands around my hips.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” he murmurs against my ear. “This is what you wanted.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and lean back a little so I can look into his eyes. They’re dark with need, and he pulls me in tighter until I can feel how much that need has consumed him.
“I want all of you. I said I’m not leaving them out. I won’t choose.”
“I know, baby. Just let me have this moment to myself.”
His mouth descends on mine, and I give in, just as starved for it as he is. It’s insane how good it feels, how new, even though I spent the night with Ben and Drake and had my share of passionate kisses, among all the other things we did. Kissing Baz feels just as good, just as intense, but new all the same. His desperation bleeds through, his hunger so potent I’m dizzy by the time he releases my mouth.
“You have no idea how fucking long I’ve waited to do that,” he says. “But I need to make sure you understand that if we start this, it means something. It’s not a game to any of us, no matter how unique the arrangement is.”
My heart is pounding so hard all I can do is nod and whisper, “I understand. It means something to me too. You already know I wasn’t exactly saving myself for marriage or anything, but I knew being with Ben the other night was right. It made me wonder if we’d had the opportunity before … well, maybe the three of us would already…” I frown, and Baz shakes his head.
“Chica, it’s happening how it was meant to. I’m not about to question it. Are you ready?”
He reaches for the TV remote as I grab my phone and start to dial Drake like I did last night. “What are you doing?” I ask Baz as the line starts to ring.
“Making sure they can watch.”
Just as Drake picks up, a picture appears on the screen. Ben and Drake are standing in a bedroom that’s a mirror of my own, but with a burgundy and silver color scheme instead of blue and gold. They’re shirtless and glistening with sweat as if they’ve just worked out. Drake holds his phone to his ear and smiles.
“You don’t need the phone Elle,” he says. “Sorry I didn’t tell you there are cameras in these rooms. But I knew about these already. Hopefully the fact that you’re calling me means this is happening.”
I hang up and grin at the TV screen. “You guys said yes.”
“Of course we did,” Ben says. “But you’ve got to be sore after the other night. Are you sure you’re ready?”
I involuntarily clench my vaginal muscles. They twinge a little, but the ache is mostly arousal, not pain. It hurt more the day after, but it’s faded enough that I miss it now.
“Not too sore for Baz. Are you two okay with it being just the two of you?”
They share a long look. Drake licks his lips, his gaze remaining on Ben when Ben turns back to me to say, “We’ll manage. You two just pretend we’re not here. I’m hitting mute so we’re not a distraction.”
The little microphone with a slash icon pops up on the screen and the pair settle on the end of Drake’s bed. I look at Baz.
“Is it weird that I have a little performance anxiety? It’s not like we’re being graded.”
“Don’t overthink it,” he says. “Just enjoy it. You ready to give them a show?”
“I guess. How do you want to do it?”
He turns toward me and brushes his knuckles across my cheekbone, then bends and gives me a peck on the lips. “Leave it to me, pajarito,” he whispers in my ear, then dips his head to kiss my shoulder as he slips behind me.
Goosebumps cascade down my spine when he brushes my hair off my back, draping it over one shoulder so he can have access to my neck. I sigh and tilt my head when he grazes his lips along the sensitive skin beneath my ear.
Only half my attention remains on the screen, but all Ben and Drake are doing is watching. They’re still really nice to look at, especially in nothing but gym shorts. Ben leans over and unlaces, then kicks off his shoes and moves to the head of the bed, settling back against the pillows with hands braced behind his head. Drake glances over his shoulder, says something, then joins him.
They don’t touch at all, which is a little disappointing. I’d hoped this would give Ben the excuse he needed to take things further with Drake. But they’re on a bed together, half-naked, so I suppose that does constitute further, right?
Baz grazes his hand down my ribcage just beneath my right arm, then slips it beneath the loose fabric of my baggy PJ top to cup my breast. When he brushes the pad of his thumb over my nipple, I sigh, letting my head fall back against his shoulder.
“You ready to get naked? Does being watched turn you on?”
“Yes to both,” I murmur, turning my head and nipping at his jawline.
“I just have to say that being the one who gets to show you off is kind of hot. Especially because I get to have my hands on you.”
“Please, yes,” I say. “Put your hands on me.”
He captures my mouth with his, but holds me firm so I have to twist my neck a little to kiss him properly. I reach up with one arm and curl my hand around his nape. He draws out the kiss, cupping and squeezing my breast, then teasing at both nipples with his thumb and forefinger. Then he removes his hand and slides it down my belly, tugging at the elastic waist of my shorts until they drop past my hips and fall the rest of the way to the floor. My shirt still hangs past my hips, and he slips his hand beneath.
I whimper as he teases his fingertips in small caresses over the top of my right inner thigh. He makes a sound of interest upon finding my skin sticky with arousal, then grazes my outer folds just briefly as he caresses higher. He goes still when his hand reaches my navel, then he slowly explores southward again, this time straight down the center over my mound until his fingertips slide through the soaked mess of my pussy.
He hums softly into my mouth, then releases me and says, “Were you going commando at breakfast, Ellie?”
“Y-Yes,” I breathe, distracted by the light, circular strokes he’s giving my clit. “I don’t wear underwear under my pajamas.”
“And you didn’t let any of us know, did you? Because I guarantee if my brother had known, he’d have bent you over and fucked you on the table upstairs. How ’bout we show it to them?”
My breath hitches when he stops touching me long enough to yank the hem of my shirt up, revealing my little secret to the other two. I stare at the screen, and both men have some version of surprise on their faces. Ben’s worrying his lower lip between thumb and forefinger, his other hand lightly resting on his waistband. His shorts are tented with his erection, as are Drake’s beside him.
When Baz exposes my lower body, their mouths move in silent curses. Ben drops his head back, closes his eyes, then opens them again to slits. Drake reaches behind his head and grips the top of the headboard, knuckles going white as he tilts his hips, making his erection shift in his shorts.
But I know it isn’t just that I’m not wearing panties now that gets to them. It’s the fact that when I took a shower Tuesday morning, I shaved myself bare, and it feels so good when Baz strokes me. Better than I imagined.
But Baz isn’t oblivious to the fact that I’m hairless down there. He keeps stroking me while the other two watch, running his fingertips over my newly sensitized skin, from the very top of my mound all the way down to my perineum.
“Do you always keep yourself bare like this, or is this new?” he whispers.
“I did it the morning after I was with them,” I say. “It felt… cleaner, I guess. I was a mess after that night.”
“Mm
, I bet you were. Did they both cum inside you? How many times did they fuck you?”
“I don’t—oh.”
I can’t articulate my reply, because he pushes two fingers into me and starts fucking as he guides us both backward. I collapse onto his lap, legs splayed across his. My shirt hem falls down, but I hike it up again—I want the others to see everything.
When he sits, Baz removes his fingers from me and yanks at the hem of my shirt. I lift my arms so he can pull it off, then feel his arms brush my back as he tears his T-shirt off over his head. He wraps his arms around me then, pressing his bare chest to my back and I close my eyes in pleasure at the delicious heat of his smooth, strong body wrapped around me.
My ass is pressed to his groin, the thick, hard ridge of his dick digging into one cheek. I grind against him just enough to make him moan. “I need to be inside you, Ellie.”
“I want that too.” I reach back and fumble for his button, then his zipper, lifting my ass enough for him to shove his shorts down a little, then I reach between my thighs for his cock, lift a little higher, and position his cockhead at my opening.
“That’s it, baby. Fuck, don’t make me wait any longer. Ay Dios, you feel so fucking good.”
I sink down slowly and lose myself to the sensation as Baz grabs my hips and guides me on his cock. When I refocus my attention to the screen, the scene has changed, and what I see makes me even hotter than before.
18
Ben
I can’t look away from the screen after Baz revealed Elle’s luscious pussy and the fact she’s trimmed herself bare. My dick is straining in my shorts, aching for contact, for release, but it isn’t until Drake speaks that I return to the present, focusing on my own body again and not the scene playing out in the other room.
“What?” I ask, not hearing him properly the first time.
“Take off your shorts, idiot. I want to suck you off.”