by Jayne Rylon
Her words felt inadequate to express her gratitude. It had been so long since she’d felt confident in her abilities and her worth. With one date, he’d changed her perspective. Given her something far more valuable than even this ridiculous penthouse they now stood in.
Stood so close in…
While Josh and Brady watched on in utter silence, Kari leaned forward, breathing deep of the warm vanilla spice of Ford’s aftershave and cologne. He was even more delicious than the dessert they’d shared at the restaurant earlier. He made her mouth water for a taste of him. Just a single nibble.
And she hoped she could stop there.
Knowing full well that Josh and Brady were paying close attention across the room, observing their every move even if they couldn’t quite hear the subdued conversation, she beamed up at Ford. “I think you’re pretty amazing yourself, you know. And tonight has been better than I could ever have dreamed.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.” Ford put his hand against her cheek, his fingers in her hair, and swiped her cheek with the pad of his thumb.
“It’s about to get better,” she whispered, and then reached up to him.
Kari put her arms around his neck and tugged him until their mouths aligned.
“Are you sure?” he murmured, hovering there until she nodded nearly imperceptibly.
Then he groaned and lunged forward. He wasn’t sweet like Josh had been. He was aggressive. His hands captured her face and led her where he could please them both most. It thrilled her to know he thought her capable of accepting his intensity. The bold sweep of his tongue, which parted her lips, made her feel strong. The electricity of their kiss flooded through her, making her crave more of this feeling. Whatever it took to get it.
After who knew how long, Kari had to come up for a breath. She rested her forehead on his shoulder, loving how tall and broad he was. Never once did she feel threatened, only sheltered.
It was then she realized the noise in the background was whistling and clapping from Brady and Josh. Brady’s voice was huskier than usual when he called, “Damn! That looked amazing. I can’t wait for my turn.”
“Who says you have to wait?” Kari asked, then flicked her slightly unfocused stare up to Ford. “Do you mind?”
“Hell no. You don’t have to ask for my permission either. You’re in charge here,” he promised.
Part of her wished she wasn’t, but she figured they could discuss that some other time. When she wasn’t focused on sampling each of them and evening the score. The worst possible outcome of this reckless, wanton behavior would be if she caused an imbalance than led to a rift between them.
Kari crossed the room, heading directly for Brady. It was a long walk, and she actually felt sexy as she strutted toward him in her heels. He made her feel even more so as his gaze ping-ponged between her and Ford. Brady asked him, “You’re good with this?”
“Absolutely,” Ford said. When she looked over her shoulder at him for one last confirmation, he was touching his mouth as if he could still feel the tingle there, like she could, after their kiss.
She figured the best she could do was give him, and Josh, a hell of a spectacle to enjoy while she learned what it would be like to make out with her third boss. Brady was suave where Ford was forceful and Josh was likeable. He was a consummate gentleman.
So it didn’t surprise her when he waited for her to approach, then reached for her hands instead of dragging her into an embrace. They were so warm when they wrapped around hers, his thumbs rubbing lightly across the backs of her hands as he stared down into her eyes.
“Hi,” she said simply.
“Hello.” One side of his mouth crooked up into a sinful smile. She’d always wondered what he would be like if he let go for just one moment. And now she intended to find out.
“Kiss me?” Kari didn’t know where she found the courage to beg. Once the words flew from her lips, she refused to recall them.
“I thought you’d never ask.” He grinned then, for just a flash, before he descended. His mouth was softer than Ford’s had been, his face perfectly smooth, even at this time of night. He caressed instead of invading like Ford had or cajoling like Josh had the night of the party.
Kari sighed and molded to him, her insides going molten. Each of the three men now surrounding her brought something unique to their partnership, and she could see how perfectly they would complement each other in bed, just like they did in the office.
What had started as an innocent enough exploration now seemed like kindling for a fire growing within her. Within them all if Brady’s tightening clasp on her wrists, or Ford’s low curse, or Josh’s sigh of appreciation were any indication. She knew that once the blaze grew hot enough, there would only be one way to extinguish it.
A way that ended up with her and her bosses naked.
A way they could never come back from.
Right then, she didn’t care. The rising sensations erased her inhibitions. She clasped Brady’s head and drew him tighter to her. He did as she silently urged, deepening their kiss. He fluttered his tongue against hers, making her bones liquefy.
When she might have sagged against Brady or gone to the floor at his feet, Ford was there to support her. To hold her up and open for his best friend to devour. Not only did he approve of their connection, he encouraged it. Her wicked thoughts became his dirty talk.
“That’s right, Kari. Take what you need. Show him how much you want him. It’s not going to end with a kiss, is it? That could never be enough, am I right?”
“Yes!” Her cry was garbled against Brady’s skilled mouth, but it was clear enough to the men sharing this moment with her.
They came closer, surrounding her.
16
“You guys, hang on a second,” Kari gasped, trying to catch her breath.
Immediately, they froze. Absolute faith blossomed inside her for the first time in months. They were gentleman, even if unconventional ones. They would never do something she wasn’t completely onboard with. Even if she changed her mind at the last moment, they would respect and honor her decision.
That alone gave her such a rush, she had to have an outlet for all her joy and hope and a sexual urgency she had been afraid she might never experience again after what had happened at that fateful office party.
With Ford, Brady, and Josh, she was in six very capable hands—ones that would rather break themselves than mistreat her. Instead, they promised to deliver ecstasy like she’d never felt before.
“What’s wrong?” Ford asked without a hint of frustration. He truly cared about her wellbeing.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to go forward. I can’t get over knowing we work together. I appreciate that you’ve been able to keep things separate. But I’m afraid that I can’t. Once we do this, I don’t know that, when we’re at the office, I’ll be able to pretend like it didn’t happen or won’t happen again.” She bit her lip, looking out over the city to avoid their disappointment. Everything inside her screamed that she knew how to solve this problem. She only hoped that one night was enough to make up for what she was about to sacrifice.
“If you want me—or Bronson—to take you home, that’s completely understandable,” Ford offered.
“But if you’d like to stay, I hope you know that whatever happens here tonight has no bearing on your job or anything related to work. Uh…in either direction, better or worse.” Josh shrugged one shoulder, drawing her attention back to him.
Dear God, could they think she’d use her performance in bed as a way to twist them for a raise or some shit? That did it. No. There was no way she could fool around with them while she was their executive assistant.
Kari cleared her throat, then made sure her voice was loud enough that all three of them heard her perfectly clearly. “You know what? I quit.”
They didn’t react like she’d expected. No persuasion or shock or outrage followed.
Josh grabbed his stomach and cracked
up until he doubled over in his fit of laughter. Ford chuckled and Brady bumped his shoulder into Josh’s. “Quit it, you’re ruining the mood.”
A tiny sliver of Kari’s ego shriveled because they didn’t seem to care about losing her at work. But then she told herself it was because they wanted this more. So did she, or she wouldn’t have given up a job she loved and excelled at for a chance at something greater.
She could find another place to work. She couldn’t replace the three men surrounding her right then. They were worth the risk.
“Then why don’t you come over here and get us back on track?” she asked Brady.
“Seriously? You want…more?” He leaned in, staring into her eyes.
She nodded, sending her long hair tumbling around her. Compared to the tight buns she normally wore to the office, it must have made her look different, more feminine, to them. Because Ford licked his lips, Josh went quiet, and Brady flat-out reached for her.
Leaving the house earlier in the evening, she hadn’t thought that her night might end like this, but she couldn’t rein in the euphoria that Brady’s touch caused. She sighed and leaned into his hand, which cupped her upper arm.
“How far do you want us to take this?”
“Can we see where it goes?” she wondered. “Or is that unfair? I don’t want to leave you guys hanging if I reach my limit.” Her logical side tried to assert itself, but reasoning was nearly beyond her as arousal began to drive her reactions.
“We’re more than capable of taking care of ourselves,” Ford told her. “Don’t worry about us. We want tonight to be for you. We want to show you what we have to give. This is new for us, too. We’ve never been with someone who cares about us, like you do. That’s all that matters.”
Kari nodded. She couldn’t say where she found the courage to be so bold, but she held her hand up and out to Ford. He took it and squeezed. When she tugged, he stepped nearer. “Sit behind me? Hold me?”
“Of course.” He did as she directed, climbing onto the enormous sofa and settling her against his chest. The position reminded her of her fantasy, which only excited her more. It also meant his hands were free to roam up and down her arms, and even across the tops of her breasts, which her dress left exposed.
She shivered.
“Where do you want me?” Josh asked, looking as eager to please her as a faithful puppy.
Kari stared right at him as she spread her legs as far as the skirt of her dress would allow. It was far enough to make room for him between them. She patted the sofa. “Here.”
He shot her a wicked grin as he crawled toward them and sprawled between her legs, resting his head on her thigh. Naturally, her fingers went to his head, splaying in his soft blond hair.
“And me?” Brady wondered.
“I want to kiss you again. I didn’t get enough before.”
“I don’t think I could ever get enough of you,” Ford whispered into her ear. She loved when he did that, as if he was sharing a secret with her. Telling her how much she meant to him, although it was difficult for him to express himself so candidly. He usually kept his emotions under tight reins.
Kari’s new goal was to shatter his control.
She thought she might just do it too when she leaned back, opening herself to Brady and Josh’s approach while reaching down, snaking her hand between them, simultaneously. Her fingers brushed over Ford’s hard-on, which had made itself obvious against the small of her back.
Damn, even if he had a dozen pairs of underwear on, padding that thing, he was bigger than the handful of guys she’d been with before. Her fingers reflexively closed around his bulge, making him curse and thrust into her touch.
Oh yeah, definitely bigger.
Kari looked over her shoulder and said, “Maybe you should get rid of your clothes. I think you’re overdressed.”
He groaned, then nodded. With some contortionist-worthy maneuvers, he shed his shirt and dress pants, leaving only his boxer briefs in place. The hairy muscles of his calves bracketed her, making her feel secure and cradled as Brady took in the view.
“Jealous?” she asked him.
“Not exactly. Envious, though? Yeah.” He grimaced as he looked down the front of his pajama pants. “If I’d known you were coming over, I would have planned to sleep naked tonight.”
“How is that different from any other night?” Josh asked from where he lounged between her legs, trailing his fingers down her exposed calf, making her squirm against Ford.
“Okay, it’s not.” Brady smiled.
“A man after my own heart,” Kari teased. “Nothing better than sliding into fresh sheets without any clothes on.”
Ford, Brady, and Josh went completely silent at that. Their coiled muscles and tight jaws made her realize just how turned on they were by that revelation. And how much they really wanted her.
She figured it was time she let go so they could show her what they were really capable of. “Look, can I be honest?”
Ford hugged her from behind. “Of course, you can tell us anything. We want you to share how you’re feeling so we don’t make any mistakes. This is important to us. Everything, remember?”
She nodded. “What I want most of all is to stop thinking. To lay back and feel. To do what comes naturally and fuck the rest. I’m so tired, guys. Tired of always worrying about the consequences of my actions and about the past. I want to live for tonight.”
“We can help you with that,” Brady promised.
“In fact, that sounds like Ford’s specialty.” Josh beamed at her and at the man behind her, cradling her against his strong body.
She tipped her head to the side so she could see his face when she asked, “It is?”
“Yeah. You may have noticed, I like to be in charge.” His wry grin made her certain he didn’t always like that side of himself. He might not, but she sure as hell did.
“Do it. Be the man you were meant to be. Show me who you really are. Please,” she whispered before going slack in his hold, melting into him.
Ford growled before addressing Brady and Josh. “Tonight is all about her. Understand?”
“Fuck.” Brady hissed as he shifted, his growing erection obvious in his thin pants.
“Do you hear what I’m saying?” Ford asked again, this time while staring at Josh.
“Yeah, I got it.” Josh closed his eyes, then angled his head so he could press a kiss to her thigh. He breathed deep and she wondered if he could smell her arousal and what being around them like this did to her. She imagined the answer was yes when he looked up at her, his eyes darkening by the second.
“May we take your clothes off?” he asked.
Kari’s eyes went wide. The thought of being on display for them did funny things to her insides, but it made her uneasy, too. Being that vulnerable…being the only one that vulnerable…didn’t sit right with her. “Only if I can see you, too.”
Brady shrugged one shoulder and shucked his shirt before she could finish her thought. His abdomen was far more ripped than she had imagined many times, based on his trim frame. No wonder those dress shirts hugged him so damn well.
Josh did the same. Both men had a hand at their waistband, waiting for her assent, in seconds.
Kari nodded and it was done. Brady stepped out of his pants, gloriously naked before her. His body was worthy of being sculpted and hoarded in a museum for people to admire for centuries. She felt like she could easily spend that long learning every dip and curve of his form. With her hands…and her tongue.
Brady must have approved of her gawking. He stepped forward and kissed her, giving her what she’d asked for earlier. He took her breath away and when he paused, pulling away, all she could do was sigh.
That didn’t take anything away from Josh, either. He was shorter and a little more muscular, though every bit as handsome. She reached for him, and he came. His mouth was on hers before she had to beg him to kiss her again, like he had the week before.
This time, though, sh
e could feel the warmth of his skin directly on her palms. It felt amazing to caress him while he made out with her. Ford’s cock firmed even more behind her, letting her know—as surely as his murmured praise did—how much he enjoyed watching her unravel in his arms, thanks to the efforts of one of his best friends.
It was only then that she realized he was toying with the zipper at the back of her dress. He hesitated, as if afraid of triggering her again.
She paused her kiss with Josh, sucking on his bottom lip as they parted, then glanced over her shoulder. “Go ahead.”
“Are you sure?” Ford wondered. “We can take this slower if you’re not comfortable…”
“I’ll be a hell of a lot more comfy once you get rid of this dress.” She wriggled, causing the tight skirt to ride up her thighs even as she began to push the top lower. Her breasts threatened to spill from the sweetheart neckline.
Josh licked his lips as Brady sank down beside him.
“You’re gorgeous, Kari,” Ford told her before reclaiming her lips for himself. The combination of his fierce possession and Josh’s playful kiss and Brady’s seductive one had her writhing between his legs. As impressive as his cock felt behind her, its length laid along her spine, she was glad they didn’t push her beyond this comfortable, safe zone they’d set up between them.
She wanted to do things with them that she hadn’t with Marty. Things that hadn’t been used against her.
Kari shook her head and reached blindly for Josh and Brady, ready to replace bad memories with good ones. Fortunately, Ford was thinking much more clearly than she was. He barked orders to his friends. “Brady, get rid of her dress. Josh, you keep her comfortable.”
She wasn’t sure exactly what he meant by that until Josh slipped her shoes from her feet and tossed the steep heels off to the side. He massaged her soles, making her whimper.
It was an incredible distraction from the cool air that washed over her as Brady peeled the bodice of her dress away from her chest. He nuzzled her breasts, laying soft kisses over the mounds of them before progressing lower. He walked the fabric down to her waist, then waited for Ford to wrap his hands around her waist and lift her off the couch just enough for him to finish sliding her dress off her.