Room For One More (Herc's Mercs Book 8)

by Ari McKay

  Drew’s surprised expression swiftly softened into quiet joy, and he gazed at Joe with a wavery smile. “My pleasure,” he said, cupping Joe’s cheek in his palm. “I love you, too.”

  Joe leaned in to kiss Drew gently. “I’m the luckiest man in the world, to have the two of you love me. And to love each other. That’s why I wanted to start off our lives here with something to show our bond. Finn always said I was the white-picket-fence type, the marrying kind, and I guess that’s still true. Maybe the three of us can’t have a legal marriage, but… well, that’s just details, right? What matters is what the three of us feel.”

  With that Joe opened the box, holding it so both Finn and Drew could see the contents. Nestled on black velvet were three identical rings, their surfaces pure, gleaming platinum. “I had them inscribed on the inside with today’s date, our three initials, and Love Knows No Bounds.” He looked between the two of them. “So, what do you think?”

  Finn wrapped both arms around Joe and squeezed hard enough almost to take Joe’s breath away. Drew stared at the rings as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

  “I think,” Drew said slowly as he reached out to stroke one of the rings as if testing to make sure it was real, “you should put that ring on my finger because I’m ready to say ‘I do’.”

  “I do, too,” Finn said, still clinging tightly to Joe.

  Happiness greater than anything Joe had ever felt before washed over him in a warm wave, and his eyes prickled. “Thank you. Both of you,” he murmured. “I hoped that’s how you would feel, but hearing you both say it… I feel like my heart could burst.”

  “I should be thanking you,” Drew said, swiping at his eyes. “I wasn’t sure what the rest of my life was going to look like after I left Lawson & Greer. But somehow I found the two of you. You’re my family. My home. I love you both more than I ever thought possible.”

  Joe picked Drew’s ring out of the box—slightly smaller than his, but larger than Finn’s—and held it up. “We love you, too. Come on, Finn, let’s hogtie this one before he comes to his senses and tries to get away.”

  “Definitely,” Finn said, his smile wide and joyful as he clasped Drew’s left hand. He brought it to his lips and then held it out so Joe could place the ring while Drew watched and started to sniffle.

  His heart full, Joe smiled and slid the ring onto Drew’s finger. “And Finn called me a smooshball.” When the ring was in place, he leaned down so he could also kiss Drew’s hand. “There. You’re ours now, forever.”

  Drew gazed down at the ring with wonderment in his eyes, and then he looked up at them and nodded. “Forever,” he said, reaching for Finn’s hand. He lifted it and brushed a kiss against his knuckles. “Time to show the world this one’s off the market for good. Can you believe it?” He grinned at Joe as he offered Finn’s hand.

  “I’m sure there are broken hearts all over Raleigh,” Joe agreed. He picked up Finn’s ring, gazing into Finn’s eyes as he slid it on to his finger. “I’ve waited for this for a long time. Now you belong to me and Drew, and we’ll do our best to make you happy.” With that, he kissed Finn’s hand.

  “I’m yours,” Finn said, glancing back and forth between Joe and Drew as he squeezed Joe’s fingers tight. “ And I’ve never been happier.” He released Joe’s hand and retrieved the third ring from the box. “Now it’s your turn.”

  “You’re ours.” Drew clasped Joe’s hand and pressed a kiss to his palm. “We’re yours. You’ll always have a safe haven with us.”

  With that, Finn slid the ring onto Joe’s finger.

  Despite his teasing of Drew, Joe felt his own eyes prickling as Drew and Finn claimed him as theirs. He gripped their hands tightly. “Thank you. Both of you. This is… everything I ever wanted, even if it wasn’t anything I’d ever imagined. And now none of us ever has to feel alone, ever again.”

  “Never again.” Finn wound his arms around Joe’s shoulders and leaned in to claim a kiss while Drew shifted closer and slid one arm around Joe’s waist.

  Joe returned Finn’s kiss, parting his lips and deepening it with a moan. Here, between the two men who loved him, he’d finally found the acceptance and safety he’d always wanted. He’d never imagined it would take two men to fully complete him, but it had—and together the three of them were stronger than they ever could have been as only two.

  When he pulled back from the kiss, he smiled at Finn tenderly before looking back at Drew with a wicked smirk. “I think it’s time for something else, too. Something I’ve been thinking about quite a bit lately.”

  “A honeymoon at a clothing optional beach resort?” Finn asked with a cheeky grin, and Drew let out a loud snort.

  “That does sound good,” Joe admitted. He lifted one hand to lay it against Drew’s cheek. “But I was thinking of something a little closer to home. Namely… I think it’s time for Drew to make me his in every sense of the word.”

  Joe had never let anyone top him before. It wasn’t Finn’s preference, so he’d never suggested it, but now he wanted Drew to be the one to do it. He wanted to let Drew care for him in every way possible.

  Drew’s eyebrows drew together in a puzzled frown. “I don’t follow. Isn’t that what the ring is for?”

  “Yes and no,” Joe said. “The ring is definitely a symbol, but I wanted to give you something special. I want you to fuck me. No one else has ever done that before.”

  Drew sucked in a startled breath, and Finn’s eyes grew wide.

  “Seriously?” Finn asked, his tone incredulous.

  Drew covered Joe’s hand with his own, his expression softening. “You don’t have to. I know you’re mine.”

  “I know I don’t have to. I want to.” Joe had been expecting Drew to be doubtful, and he smiled reassuringly. “I’ve seen how you are with Finn. How you take care of him, the way you look at him. I want that, too.” He glanced at Finn once more, needing to make sure this was something that wouldn’t make Finn feel jealous or uncomfortable. “Are you okay with it? It’s not something I ever offered you, I know, but you never seemed to want to top anyway.”

  “You could offer on my birthday, at least,” Finn teased. “But no, I’m pretty much the bottomiest bottom who ever bottomed. I’m fine with you letting Drew top when you’re in the mood.” He leaned in and nuzzled Joe’s ear. “You’re right, he takes good care of me, and he’ll take good care of you, too.”

  “Thank you.” Joe pressed a kiss to Finn’s cheek. “So that’s settled. All that remains is if you want me that way, Drew. If you don’t, that’s fine. I know I caught you by surprise.”

  “No, I do!” Drew said quickly with a vehement nod. “I’d love to. I wanted to make sure this wasn’t stemming from some weird sense of obligation or fairness, that’s all.”

  Joe laughed. “Finn can tell you, I’m not one to offer something like that just out of a sense of obligation or fairness!” He gazed into Drew’s eyes, not holding back the love he felt. “I want it. I want you. Not for any other reason than I want it and want it to be something for us.”

  Drew’s answering smile was warm, and his eyes were full of affection. “I like that idea.”

  “Thank you.” Joe felt a sense of rightness, of anticipation. Not that he’d expected Drew to refuse, but knowing Drew did want him that way was satisfying. “So what are you waiting for?”

  “We have to get you naked first.” Finn wormed his hands beneath Joe’s T-shirt and tugged it up, his face alight with eagerness.

  “That would definitely help,” Drew said as he reached out to help Finn get the shirt off.

  Laughing, Joe raised his arms to aid in their efforts. “Naked is good.” Once his shirt was tossed aside, he reached out to help Finn with his tie. “And the two of you are wearing a lot more than I am!”

  Drew slanted a coy smile at Joe. “Wanna watch while we rectify that?”

  “Oh yes.” Joe pulled Finn’s tie from around his neck, holding it up and waggling his eyebrows at Drew. “Put on
a good enough show, and maybe I’ll let you two tie me up for a change.”

  “Oh, hell, yeah!” Finn’s grin grew even wider as he shifted to face Drew and rose up on his knees. “We can do that, can’t we?”

  “Damned right we can.” Drew rested his forefinger just under Finn’s chin. “Let’s start with your jacket,” he said as he trailed his finger along the length of Finn’s throat, and Finn tilted his chin up, his eyes going half-lidded in response.

  “You got it.” Finn leaned in to keep in contact with Drew’s stroking finger as he shrugged his jacket off his shoulders and down his arms.

  Joe licked his lips, his arousal mounting in a slow burn as he watched the two of them together. The first time he’d done it, it had felt awkward, even a little embarrassing, like being caught watching porn. But that had been swiftly overcome by a sensation of fascination, as he’d been able to see both their expressions, watch the heat and pleasure building between them. And he’d seen the love, too, and that had somehow made everything so much better. After that, it was the most natural thing in the world to join in, for the three of them to be together and let their passions go wherever they pleased.

  He scooted back on the mattress, out of the way, so that they could reach each other more easily. “So far so good.”

  Once Finn tossed his jacket to the floor, Drew slid his finger into Finn’s collar and tugged, and Finn obediently scooted closer, a flush of arousal already rising in his cheeks. Drew sat back on his heels, giving Finn an exaggerated look of appraisal, as if he was considering his options, and finally, he shrugged.

  “You’ve got other shirts,” he said, and then he grasped the front of Finn’s shirt with both hands and yanked hard enough to send the buttons flying.

  Joe chuckled, though the display made his arousal flare hotter. He’d found that he liked seeing Drew’s displays of strength. “My, my, someone’s eager.”

  Drew flashed a hungry grin at Joe. “Do you blame me? I’ve got him here in front of me and you lying there like a waiting banquet.”

  “I know. The two of us are simply too much hotness to resist. Aren’t we, Finn?” Joe grinned wickedly.

  “Hell, yeah, we are,” Finn said, arching his back as he stripped off his shirt.

  “Shoes and socks next.” Drew licked his lips as he gazed at Finn’s bare chest. “After that, I think you should take off your own pants and underwear. Slowly.”

  “Definitely. Strip for us.” Joe leaned forward, watching avidly. Finn was sexy as hell, and he was a natural tease. He’d stripped for them in the past, and every time it made both Drew and Joe crazy with desire.

  Finn scooted to the edge of the bed and removed his shoes and socks, then he stood up and struck a pose in front of the mirrored closet door. He cocked his hip, putting his ass on display in the mirror while he slid his flattened palms slowly down his chest to the waistband of his pants.

  “Is this what you want?” Finn darted his tongue out to wet his lips, his eyes glowing with banked heat as he looked at the two of them on the bed. “To shamelessly ogle me?”

  “Yeah, that’s what we want.” Joe moved again, shifting to sit next to Drew, threading one hand into Drew’s hair. He leaned down to nip at Drew’s throat before slanting a glance at Finn. “It makes us hot, doesn’t it Drew?”

  Drew closed his eyes briefly, his lips curving in a soft smile while Joe stroked his hair, and when he opened his eyes again and spoke, his voice was husky. “Fuck yeah.”

  “Well, I guess I should give you what you want.” Finn ducked his head and peeked at them from beneath his lashes in a show of coyness, but he was already unfastening his fly. He slid his fingers beneath the waistband of his boxer briefs and shimmied his hips as he eased his pants and underwear down at the same time.

  “Now that’s what we wanted to see.” Joe drew in a breath, admiring the sight of Finn’s body as he revealed it inch by torturous inch. No matter how often Joe got to see Finn naked, he couldn’t help but be turned on by it. “God, you’re gorgeous.”

  Finn gave them a playful wink as he turned and bent over just enough to give them an unobstructed view as he slid the fabric over the curve of his ass and down to his firm thighs. Finally, he stripped off his pants and boxer briefs and tossed them aside. He stood unabashedly naked in front of them, his fists on his hips and his cock already half hard.

  “Now what?” he asked.

  “Now you get that pert little ass over here and undress me,” Drew said, a growl underlying his voice.

  Joe released Drew’s hair with a final caress and moved back a bit. “Yeah, take his clothes off, and let’s see how crazy you can drive him in the process. You’re good at that, Finn.”

  “You want me to get him primed for you?” Finn sauntered back to the bed, smirking at Joe with every step. “I can do that.”

  He climbed onto the bed and straddled Drew’s lap, and Drew caressed his bare back until he was arching into each stroke like a greedy cat.

  “Just who is priming whom?” Joe asked, reaching out to stroke Finn’s arm. “And Drew isn’t getting any more naked.” Despite his words, he was enjoying the show. He’d discovered that he liked seeing Finn being pleasured, no matter whether it was Drew or himself doing it.

  “Mmm... sorry.” But Finn’s languid smile said he didn’t regret anything. “You heard the taskmaster,” he said, sliding the length of Drew’s silk tie between his fingers. “I have to do my duty.”

  Drew leaned back on his hands, fixing Finn with a challenging stare. “So you’d better get busy.”

  Finn unknotted Drew’s tie and whipped it out from beneath Drew’s collar. When he was done, he looped it around his own neck. “I’m not going to indulge in showy displays,” he said with a haughty sniff, and he stuck his nose in the air as he unfastened the top button of Drew’s shirt. “Unlike some people.”

  “I think someone needs to be spanked,” Joe commented to Drew. “What do you think?”

  “I think we could spank him every day and it wouldn’t do a lick of good,” Drew said even as he swatted Finn’s ass.

  Finn laughed and wriggled his hips against Drew’s hand. “I’m in favor of daily spankings.”

  “See?” Drew smacked Finn’s ass again, harder this time, and a flush spread from Finn’s face down his neck and bloomed on his chest in response.

  “Do you want me to undress you or not?” Finn’s voice had a breathless edge as he continued unbuttoning Drew’s shirt.

  “If you want a spanking, you have to earn it,” Drew said, sliding his hands down to rest on Finn’s hips.

  “Yeah, so far you’re not doing much in that regard,” Joe observed. He leaned back on his elbows and raised an imperious brow. “If you want to tie me up, you’re going to have to do a lot better.”

  Drew glanced over at Joe and chuckled. “You’re going to be the toppiest bottom ever.”

  “I sense a power bottom in the making,” Finn said as he slid his fingers beneath the folds of Drew’s shirt and eased it over his shoulders and down his arms, caressing Drew’s skin every inch of the way.

  Joe watched avidly, loving the way Drew shivered beneath Finn’s touch, the way his skin began to flush as his arousal grew. “You two look so hot together.”

  “Of course we do,” Drew replied. He leaned in to nuzzle Finn’s neck and then bit down at the junction of Finn’s neck and shoulder.

  Finn let out a soft cry and clutched Drew’s shoulders as a shudder rippled through him. “Keep that up, and I’ll be done before you’re undressed,” he said, sounding breathless.

  “Drew, behave. I know it’s hard, but….” Joe warned teasingly. “Besides, maybe we can both put our marks on him later.”

  “Oh, all right.” Drew grumbled and raised his head. “It’s not helping me get any more naked, anyway.”

  Smirking, Finn slithered his way along Drew’s body and off the bed, where he knelt in front of Drew. “We need these off before we can get to any of the fun parts,” he said as h
e began removing Drew’s shoes and socks.

  Drew obligingly lifted first one foot, then the other, while Joe scooted forward enough to be able to caress Drew’s back. He leaned in and put his chin on Drew’s shoulder so he could watch Finn. “You’re not the only one who likes to bite,” he murmured, his lips close to Drew’s ear. “I fully intend to mark you up tonight.”

  Drew’s breathing hitched. “I’m good with that. Very good.”

  Finn’s smirk grew wider as he rose up on his knees and slid his hands along Drew’s thighs from knee to hip. “I can’t wait to see that,” he said.

  Joe drew back and then pushed at Drew’s shoulder. “Neither can I. Go on, let him get those pants off you. I’m anxious for you to fuck me.”

  “Probably no more so than I am to do it,” Drew replied, caressing Finn’s hair. He rose to his feet. “The boss has spoken.”

  Finn licked his lips, his eyes alight with desire, as he began unfastening the fly of Drew’s pants, and he didn’t waste any time in helping Drew out of both pants and boxer briefs at the same time.

  “Your wish, etcetera, etcetera,” he said, gesturing to Drew with an elaborate flourish. “He’s all yours.”

  Drew turned, and the smile he was wearing was positively predatory. “And Joe is all ours,” he said to Finn. He rubbed his hands together. “Where are those ties? We’re going to get those sweatpants off him, then tie his hands to the bedposts.”

  Joe licked his lips, his arousal doubling as he watched the two of them. The look in Drew’s eyes was hungry, and seeing that directed at him was a heady feeling. “I guess you’ve earned it.”

  Finn grasped the ends of Drew’s tie that was still draped around his neck and slid it back and forth as he mirrored the predatory smile. “What’d you do with the other one?” he asked.