by Marie Carnay
“Name it.”
“You don’t open the jar of pickles. They give me the creeps.”
Cannon laughed and shook his head as he walked toward the cabin. He clapped Thorne on the back. “Help her get inside, will you? I’ve got to check on the stove.”
2
“You sure I can’t get you anything else to eat?” Cannon motioned at Brianna’s empty plate and she waved him off.
“No. I’m stuffed. That was delicious.”
With a smile, he pulled himself out of the chair and collected their dishes. How he’d managed to rescue a funny, sweet, sexy woman was beyond him. Luck didn’t usually stop at his door. But there she was, hopping over to the couch and relaxing.
They’d fallen into an easy rhythm over dinner. Her explaining about photography, him chatting about the mountains and cabin. Even Thorne had warmed up to her. Talking in complete sentences. Asking questions. Opening up more than he had in weeks. Unbelievable.
Cannon turned on the water and covered the dishes in soap as Thorne walked over to Brianna. “You mind if I join you?”
“No, go ahead.”
Cannon glanced up as Thorne lifted her wounded leg and rested it across his lap. The curmudgeon even smiled. It was amazing.
“So, Cannon, where’d you learn how to cook?”
He pulled a dish out of the water and scrubbed as he answered. “I started out as a cook. Worked my way up. Now Thorne and I own a bar.”
“Wow, really?”
“Yep.”
“So who’s taking care of the place if you guys are out here?”
Thorne answered for him. “We have a manager. He fills in when we can’t be there.”
“I see. So it’s just a vacation then?”
Cannon frowned. “Not exactly.”
“Then what is it? Male bonding time?”
“Cannon broke up with his girlfriend. A waitress at the bar. She caused a scene, we had to fire her. It was ugly.”
“Ooooh. Sorry. That sucks.”
“Yeah. So he dragged me out here for a few days. Get his mind off of Mandy and move on.”
“She just wasn’t your type?”
Cannon rinsed the last dish and placed it on the drying rack before walking over. He sat down on the other side of the couch and huffed out a breath. Telling her the truth was a mistake. He knew it. But Thorne deserved to know the real reason he dragged him out there. And why he broke up with Mandy. With Brianna there, the big guy couldn’t make too much of a scene. He hoped.
Cannon glanced up at Thorne. “She wasn’t enough anymore. I wanted to…expand the relationship. She wasn’t interested.”
Thorne looked up at him, eyes cloudy and unreadable. Shit.
“I don’t understand. You wanted to date other women?”
“No. Not other women.”
Thorne’s nostrils flared and he placed a hand on Brianna’s shin. His fingers splayed out and Cannon watched as he stroked her leg. Up and down, side to side. All while staring at him. He couldn’t…He wasn’t. No.
He glanced over at Brianna as she cocked her head, oblivious to Thorne’s hand as she puzzled out his answers. “You wanted to bring another man into your relationship? Like a threesome?”
“Exactly.”
“Wow. I take it she wasn’t interested.”
“She was the first time. But I wanted more and she freaked out.”
“Wait. You actually did it?”
Thorne cleared his throat. “It’s not that unusual. Lots of people experiment.”
“Oh, I know. I’ve just never known anyone who went through with it. So who was the lucky guy?”
Cannon glanced up at Thorne and he grinned as he turned to Brianna. “It was me.”
She pulled her leg off his lap and sat upright. “You?”
“Yep.”
“Do you all do stuff like that all the time?”
“No. It was the first time. The only time.” Cannon stood up and walked over to the fire, but Brianna’s stare burned hotter than the flames. Damn it. I never should have said anything.
Mentioning a threesome to a total stranger—a gorgeous stranger—was a terrible idea. Letting Thorne know his true feelings was worse. Cannon chewed on his lip and stared at the logs turning to ash. I should have stayed home. Ignored the need burning a hole in his gut and forgotten the mind-blowing sex. Gone back to treating Thorne like a brother. Instead of…whatever he was now.
“So this…ménage thing…it works for you?”
Cannon turned and looked at Brianna. Her cheeks were bright pink and her eyes full and round. She ran her tongue over her lip and glanced at Thorne before turning back to Cannon.
Damn. Was she…turned on? The thought never even crossed his mind. That a woman would actually be into his crazy idea.
“It works. Better than you could ever imagine.”
She turned to Thorne and Cannon did the same. “What about you? What do you think about it?”
Thorne rubbed the back of his neck and glanced up at Cannon. “I’m not gonna lie. It was the best sex of my life.”
Cannon swallowed. Not the answer he’d been expecting. But the promise of those few words only increased his longing.
“And you’re satisfied? I mean…you don’t get jealous?”
“No. With the right woman, there’s no need. She can more than satisfy both of us.” He reached out and grazed her thigh with his fingers, trailing circles around her knee as Cannon watched.
God, he wanted her so desperately. And not just because she was a woman and available. With her blonde curls and big blue eyes, she lit up the whole place. Turning them from two men hiding from rejection to a threesome full of possibilities.
The way she laughed at Thorne over dinner when he scared the pants off most people. The way she stole glances when she thought Cannon couldn’t see her. He didn’t want her to walk out the front door in the morning. He wanted her to stay.
With a swallow, he walked back over and sat on the other side of her. “Does it turn you off? The thought of sharing two men?”
Brianna looked up and rolled her lips over her teeth before she answered. “Honestly? No. But it freaks me out a little. All those hands and legs and…other parts. I mean, where do they all go?”
Thorne chuckled and shook the whole couch. “Anywhere you want them to.”
“Nice.”
“It can be.”
Cannon rolled his eyes. “Easy tiger, don’t go scaring her off.”
With a sigh, he stood up and broke the spell. There’d be plenty of time to explore the potential with Brianna. But she needed to rest. Heal. “Let me grab some extra blankets and a pillow. You need to rest.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Cannon smiled as he walked into the bedroom. He never expected to find a sexy, single woman in the woods. Or be her savior. But he’d managed both in one night. Maybe in the morning she’d see him as a lover too.
* * *
Brianna pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and laid down. “You sure I haven’t taken all your blankets?”
“No, I’ve got plenty.”
“Well okay, then. Goodnight, Cannon. Thorne.”
“Goodnight.”
Brianna rolled on her back as Cannon and Thorne disappeared behind closed doors. What a day. She’d started out alone and bitter, stomping through the woods and thinking about her ex. Fell down a mountain and sprained her ankle. Met the sexiest pair of men who actually…liked her.
The way Cannon stared at her and how Thorne stroked her leg…Sexy. But instead of making a move and taking what they wanted, they went to sleep. Like gentlemen. It was crazy. She rolled onto her side and looked at the fire.
Cannon went out of his way to traipse through the forest to find her. Carried her back, cooked her dinner, gave her a place to sleep. All her ex ever did was put her down and complain about her cooking. Why had she stayed with him so long? Why had she let him treat her so badly?
She sig
hed and wiped at her eyes. She knew exactly why. And it wasn’t his average looks or the mediocre sex. It was her insecurity. The fear of being alone.
Thank god she’d finally done it. If the two hunks falling asleep in the same cabin were any indication, she should stop being afraid. Start living.
But first? Sleep. After laying there for a few minutes, she opened her eyes and watched the flames, trying to relax. Then she counted backward from one hundred. She listened to intermittent snores from Thorne’s bedroom. But nothing. Her eyelids refused to droop.
As she started to sing the alphabet to herself, the floor creaked.
“Brianna, are you awake?” The whisper came out of the dark and made her grin.
“Yes.”
Cannon crept over as she propped herself up on her elbow. He sat on the floor, head a few inches from hers. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I was thinking how lucky I was that you found me.”
“I couldn’t have missed all that screaming.”
“Thanks.”
He smiled at her and the heat and lust in his eyes were unmistakable. He wanted her. But did Thorne? Were they a package deal? She didn’t understand how it all worked. But there was one way to find out.
“Cannon?”
“Yeah?”
“How’d the threesome happen? I mean, people don’t just accidentally have sex with each other.”
He laughed and ducked his head. “No, they don’t. We, um, had a late night closing the bar. It must have been three in the morning. And we were the only people left in the place. I brought out the whiskey, we did a few shots.”
“And then what?”
“I dared Mandy to kiss Thorne. I don’t know why. It just popped out of my mouth. And then it just snowballed.”
“And you wanted to do it again.”
“Desperately.”
“And she didn’t.”
“Not at all. She said it was wrong. Disgusting. I tried to understand and let it go.”
“But you couldn’t.”
“Nope. So I broke up with her. She made a huge scene. Called me and Thorne out in front of a bunch of employees. It was awful. I had to fire her on the spot.”
“Oh, god. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“So you two came out here to regroup?”
“Yeah. I convinced Thorne to take a few days. I wanted to figure it all out. I’m not in love with him. Hell, I’m not even attracted to him. There’s just something about sharing one woman—both of us all over her, worshipping her curves, making her come—it’s unbelievable.”
Brianna shifted on the couch. Hearing him talk so honest and raw about Thorne and their bond made her heart thud and her breath hitch. She wanted to be that woman.
“Shit, I’m sorry Brianna. I shouldn’t be dumping my problems on you.”
“You’re not. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know.” She bit her lip and made a decision. “You ever think you’ll try it again? A threesome with another woman?”
“I don’t know. But I didn’t tell you any of this to try and get you into bed. I’d never—”
She silenced him with a finger on his lips. “Shh. Don’t talk. Just kiss me.”
He leaned in and Brianna closed her eyes. She’d wanted to kiss him for hours. She’d imagined the taste of his lips, the scrape of his jaw. His body pressed up against her.
His tongue flicked her lower lip and she yielded. Opening up, letting him explore, taste. Turn her on. He snaked his hand up her neck, holding her head as he raked his tongue over her teeth.
Pressing harder against her lips, flicking faster with his tongue, Cannon brought out feelings Brianna’d long buried. Desire. Arousal. Need.
A throb pulsed between her lips and her clit and she moaned into his mouth. Damn, he could kiss. Just as she reached out to run her hands over his chest, he pulled back.
“You should sleep. You need to rest.”
“No, I don’t. I need you.” She pulled him back toward her, mashing her lips into his, snaking her tongue inside his mouth. She wanted his body on top of hers, taking her over, making her groan.
He broke their kiss and ran his hand over her hair. “God, Brianna. You have no idea how much I want you. But you fell down a mountain. You’re hurt.”
“All the important parts still work.”
He shook his head and laughed. “You’re something else.”
“Mmm-hmm. Lonely.” She pushed the blankets off her and revealed her tiny tank top and shorts. “And I want you to change that.”
“What about Thorne?”
She smiled. “I can hear him snoring from here. And tomorrow…we can see what it’s like with three of us.”
“You’re incredible.”
“Tell me that after you fuck me.”
Taking her head in his hands, he rose up on his knees and claimed her mouth. Mmm. Yes. All the urgency hammering inside her chest was there in his kiss. He wanted her too. Just as much.
Running her hands down his body, she edged her fingers under his shirt. Hard, hot muscles tensed from her touch and she almost groaned. Men like this didn’t go for women like her. But she wasn’t questioning it. She needed him. All over her.
She tugged his shirt over his head and he yanked it away, tossing it behind him as he found her thigh in the dim light from the fire. Up her bare skin he snaked his hand, gentle and insistent. Caressing her hip, dipping to her waist, skating up to her breast. He grazed her nipple with his thumb and she moaned, unable to hold back.
The more he rubbed, the harder and more sensitive her breasts became until her nipple stood at attention and poked through the thin cotton of her tank. Cannon smiled and slid his fingers under the strap, pulling it down her shoulder and freeing her heavy breast.
It spilled out and spread to the side and he bent down, lapping at her knobby nipple and drawing it into his mouth. He sucked and suckled and rolled his tongue up and down and Brianna closed her eyes. Magic.
With his mouth teasing her breast, he tore his hands down her sides, tucking his fingers under her waistband and tugging. She rose up off the couch, shimmying as he pulled her bottoms off and away.
Groaning, he pulled back. “You have glorious tits. I’ve never seen a pair so round and full. And sensitive. You’re practically mewling.”
Brianna laughed and sat up on the couch before grabbing her tank and pulling it all the way off. Her breasts bounced in the air as they slipped free and Cannon groaned.
“You’d only seen one. It wasn’t a fair basis to judge.”
“Two is even better. I could play with them all night.”
He leaned in and lapped at her other nipple and she arched her back. Thank god for that sunset.
* * *
Holy fuck. Cannon couldn’t get over her breasts. Huge and round and full. Perfect. Other men liked hips and butts and hair. Not him. He could die buried between her glorious tits and be eternally satisfied.
As he worked her nipple, Brianna slipped her hands lower, searching for his cock. He smiled and pulled back. “Not yet. First, it’s your turn.”
Resting back on his legs, he pried her knees apart.
“Cannon, you don’t have to—I mean—”
“Shh. I know I don’t have to. I want to. So fucking much.” He spread her wide, parting her folds and angling her hips so the firelight bounced off her slick cream. Damn if she wasn’t soaked already.
He dove in without hesitation, zeroing in on her plump, little clit and flicking. She shuddered into his mouth and he smiled. When Thorne woke up, all three could touch the stars together. But tonight was all about her. Driving her wild, making her come.
He teased her with abandon, lapping and circling and toying with her clit. Holding her legs down as she bucked into him and whimpered. Gliding down, he thrust his tongue into her empty channel, tracing around her pulsing entrance until she squirmed and ran her hands through his hair.
“Please, Cannon, I’m so clo
se. Please…”
“Can’t take any more teasing, hmm?” He glanced up, meeting her hazy stare as he licked her clit.
She groaned and fell back on the couch and he took control, slipping a finger inside her tight channel. Pumping his finger like his cock, he worked her, tongue flying over her clit, finger curling and stroking the spot she needed.
Her breathing grew labored. Heavy pants and moans and cries. And with a hard flick of his tongue she came, arching off the seat and freezing in mid-air. The orgasm barreled through her and Cannon slowed, slipping his finger free and kissing her swollen, tender nub.
With shaking hands, Brianna reached for him, dragging him up onto his knees until their faces met. She smashed her lips into his and shoved her tongue inside his mouth, smearing her slick desire all over her own face as she ravaged him with kisses.
At last, she pulled back and Cannon grinned. “Feel better?”
“Cloud nine. But I want you inside me, Cannon. Right now.”
His dick agreed, but his brain didn’t. He wanted to save their first time. “You need to rest.”
Brianna pouted. “Please?”
“Are you still interested in exploring…both of us?”
“You mean you and Thorne?”
Cannon nodded.
“I meant what I said. And after that performance, I can’t wait.”
“Well, you should. I’d hate for you to tire out before we’d even gotten started.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You’re seriously turning me down?”
“Not because I don’t want you. I do. But I want the first time to be…with all of us. And for that, you’ll need a good night’s sleep.”
She stared at him for a minute before relaxing into a smile. “I guess you have a point. I’d hate to have my first threesome with bags under my eyes.”
Cannon laughed and kissed her on the forehead before standing up. “Goodnight, Brianna. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight.”
3
Brianna woke up and stretched like a cat. A happy, about-be-fed-tuna cat. She knew it was crazy—falling for someone she’d just met. But Cannon. Oh my god. Those muscles and eyes. The way he’d made her come so hard she lost her breath but wanted nothing in return.