Unwrapped: a MMF Holiday Romance

by Taryn Quinn

  His orgasm shot through him and into her mouth, raining down her throat while his spasms spun out in endless waves. His legs trembled, and he breathed in pants, overcome by the feelings she’d brought to the surface.

  She slid up his body, tugging up his pajamas as she went, and gave him a hard kiss, locking her hands around his neck to fuse them together. The taste of beer still lingering on her tongue along with his own release made another growl sound in his chest, and he scooped her up, covering her mouth again as he lowered her to his bed.

  “I’m going to fuck you so hard you’re not going to be able to walk for the rest of the night.” He pulled open Tristan’s shirt and dotted her neck and shoulders with wet, openmouthed kisses that made her arch and moan. “Maybe not tomorrow either.”

  “God, please. I’ve missed you.”

  He laid both hands on the sides of her face, driving his hips against hers. She wasn’t wearing panties, and he could feel how wet she was even through his pants. “You’re sure?” he asked, shocked to feel his heart seize up as he waited for the answer.

  He’d known he loved her and Tristan, but right here, right now, he realized how much he needed them as a part of his life. Even if that life had to be lived behind closed doors for the time being, he needed to hear her say the words.

  “Yes. I’m sure.” She cuffed his wrists in her fingers and bowed up to press her lips to his. “I love you, Matt.”

  He hoped his face didn’t look as red as his hot cheeks suggested. He’d never blushed before in his life, but damn if Cait hadn’t turned him into a flushed, stammering fool. “Re—” He grinned and tried again. “Yeah?”

  “Oh yeah.” She lifted her brows. “Now’s when you say ‘I love you, Cait,’ by the way.”

  He laughed and rubbed his nose against hers, enjoying teasing her. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. Even when you’re stupid.”

  “Ditto.” She nipped his chin and rubbed against him plaintively. “Now about that fucking you promised me…”

  A knock came at the door, and he turned his head, expecting Tris. Instead his mom leaned in, already chattering.

  “Forgot my blasted toothbrush. Can you believe it? Edna dropped me off, and I told her I’d just come over tomorrow. I wanted to have breakfast with you in the morning anyway.” She fell silent, apparently noticing her son wasn’t alone in his bed.

  For a brief instant, she frowned. Then she smiled so widely her cheeks threatened to crack. “Oh thank God. I was beginning to wonder if you were gay.”

  Laughing with delight—and so occupied by her excitement she clearly didn’t notice the horrified look Matt exchanged with Cait—his mother rushed into the room.

  “Caitlyn, honey, I couldn’t be happier for you both. You’re the perfect girl for my Matthew.” She beamed as if she hadn’t noticed what she’d almost walked into. “You’ve made my Christmas!”

  “Uh, Mom, there’s more to this than you know.”

  Cait must’ve felt him brace because she laid a hand on his chest. Her expression told him to wait. Since he really had no desire to have this discussion with his mother while his regenerating erection still sought Cait’s warmth, he nodded.

  Later would be soon enough.

  He moved off Cait and couldn’t help laughing at the way his mother barreled into his arms. She gave the same treatment to Cait, bundling the girl up in the hug to end all hugs. “This is wonderful. Just wonderful. I’m so happy.” She tipped up Cait’s head and peered into her face. “Are you happy?”

  She aimed a quick, panicked glance at Matt before returning her gaze to his mother. “Yes. Yes, of course I am.”

  “And you? You’re happy, Matthew?”

  Knowing there was only one acceptable answer, he nodded. But he didn’t hear the rest of what his mother said as he realized someone else had heard the conversation. Tristan stood in the hallway, wearing only his jeans, with one eyebrow cocked in silent question.

  What did Tris expect him to do? Make an already embarrassing moment worse with oh hey, that gay thing? Not so far off, by the way.

  Was he giving off some sort of man-loving vibe now? If so, he couldn’t complain. He did love a man.

  So freaking much.

  Lost in his own thoughts, he scarcely paid attention when Tristan walked away.

  Tristan kicked back in his bed and stared at the ceiling. Moonlight slatted through the blinds and across his disturbingly unoccupied bed, reminding him exactly how alone he was.

  Caity and Matt were downstairs in the kitchen with Matt’s mom, probably planning a lifetime of domestic bliss. Though he knew it wasn’t the truth, wasn’t reality, he couldn’t help feeling left out.

  He turned over and punched his pillow, willing his mind to empty enough for him to sleep. It didn’t help that his bed smelled like Caity’s peach scent. Her smell alone made his dick hard.

  Maybe thinking they could ever live any other life but one like this was crazy. It wasn’t as if he’d ever known anyone in a threesome relationship. If Matt and Caity wanted to pretend they were in love and do him on the side, he could handle that. He didn’t need to go to romantic dinners with them or walk around holding hands to know he loved them. They could just keep it their own private secret.

  And he’d surely go insane within weeks.

  He rubbed his forehead to dispel the ache brewing there. Christmas Day wasn’t the right time to consider all this. Mrs. Collins would be heading home in a couple of weeks; then maybe Caity and Matt would be more open to discussing how to handle their relationship. Together. The three of them, not just them doing their own thing while he floated out on a raft in the middle of the ocean, annexed.

  If getting used to playing the secret third partner of their little union was in the cards, he’d have to figure out a way to deal with it. Of course, hearing his two co-conspirators whispering outside his bedroom didn’t help matters. They sounded as if they were having an argument. As tempted as he was to just bury his head under his pillow and ignore them, his ears pricked to try to catch the gist of their conversation.

  “…we can’t let her think it’s just us. It’s not fair.”

  “Just till she goes home. Then I’ll call.”

  “Call? You’re going to call and tell her something like that? No, you’re telling her tomorrow. Just like I’m telling my family. Merry fucking Christmas.”

  In spite of himself, Tristan laughed. His Caity Bait had grown balls bigger than Matt’s. He never would’ve guessed that she would be the one pushing to tell the truth, but there she was. His light bearer, finally accepting what he’d known all along.

  He needed those two people like he needed the air in his lungs. God help them all.

  A few minutes later, they entered his bedroom, still fighting quietly. He could tell from the swish of their clothing that they were getting undressed. Then Caity crawled into bed beside him and wrapped her arm around his waist as Matt scooted in behind her.

  Tristan didn’t give any sign he was awake for a couple of minutes. But when she pressed her cool lips against his bare shoulder, he couldn’t stop the groan. “Uh-uh. No kissing. Not if you want this scenario to continue.”

  “You’re awake?” Matt’s voice sounded gruff and exhausted.

  Tristan almost felt sorry for him. He knew all too well how tiring Mrs. Collins’s excessive cheer could be, especially once she set her mind on something. But Matt’s readiness to just cut him out of the picture to save himself some trouble grated, even though he understood why.

  “Yeah.” He stroked a hand over Caity’s hair and smiled at her rumble of contentment. “I couldn’t sleep, so I was lying here contemplating getting on threesomes.com. Maybe I can find myself a new twosome to shack up with since y’all abandoned me.”

  “Y’all?” Caity’s muted giggle made his smile widen. “Threesomes.com, huh? Is that a real website?”

  “Probably. I should go grab my phone and check.” When he started to get out of bed, Matt’s strong hand
clamped around his forearm.

  “Get your ass back down in this bed, and stop pouting.”

  Tristan chuckled and slumped back down. “I’m not pouting. I’m annoyed. And not even that much anymore.”

  He gave in to the urge to roll over and face them, extending his arm until he encompassed them both. Caity snuggled close so that Matt could move in tight to her back. Almost as one, the three of them exhaled a collective sigh.

  “He’s going to tell her tomorrow,” Caity murmured, her voice already soft with sleep.

  “Yes, he is. Christ.” Matt’s irritated grunt made Tristan laugh.

  “Good night,” Tristan murmured a few moments later, well aware his lovers had already both fallen into sleep.

  When he woke hours later, faint sunlight trickled through the blinds. The first sound he heard was silence. Blissful silence. Then swiftly afterward, another hushed argument.

  “Do you have to go so early?”

  “Yeah, I do. I never made it to my mom’s last night. And I want to have the talk,” even without opening his eyes again, Tristan could imagine Caity’s air quotes, “before I chicken out. It’s just going to be quick. Hey, Merry Christmas, I have two boyfriends. Pass the pudding. See? No problemo. You should do the same.”

  Matt choked out a laugh. “I might’ve tried that, except my having a boyfriend at all is the part that I think may not go down well. Good thing Tris’s parents and your mom love me, since I may be an orphan soon.”

  Emotion moved through Tristan, making it impossible for him to feign unconsciousness any longer. He opened his eyes and stared at Matt’s muscled back, already tensed and ready for a fight. “Thank you,” he said quietly, not even sure they’d be able to hear him.

  They both turned his way. Caity stopped hopping around, pulling on her jeans, and lifted her head so that her wet hair dripped into her eyes. Matt noticeably relaxed his jaw, but his face still looked drawn.

  What they were doing clearly wasn’t easy on them, but they were trying. For him. Because even if they were willing to take what they could grab behind closed doors, they knew he wasn’t.

  He’d never loved either of them more than he did at that moment.

  “We want to be able to share a bedroom when people stay over,” Matt said with a shrug. “Without worrying about getting up before dawn.”

  “Yeah, and I want to be able to make out with you both at the movies.” She waggled her brows.

  “Why don’t we make this easier on all of us?” Tristan suggested, rising. A shower could wait till after breakfast. He grabbed the jeans he’d left in a heap on the floor and pulled them on, his lips twitching at Caity and Matt’s sudden interest. He woke hard most mornings, no external or mental stimulation necessary.

  But they’d get to enjoy that aspect of his physiology soon enough.

  “We’ll hold off on telling everyone for a few days,” Tris continued. “Then I’ll invite your families to my parents’ place for New Year’s and we’ll tell everyone at once. That way there won’t be any concern over ruined Christmases.”

  “We’re doing it today.” Cait flipped over and worked her fingers through her hair, undoing the kinks. “If we postpone it, it’ll only make the words harder to say. I want to get this over with so we can start living our lives.”

  Matt crossed his arms and nodded. He’d donned boxer shorts and a scowl, his typical morning wear the past couple of days. “She’s right. Besides, I can’t wait to tell my mom I like boys too.” His fake smile made them both laugh.

  “Not all boys. Just that boy.” Cait smacked her lips in Tristan’s direction. “Even if that’s not exactly true, just focus on the pertinent information. You’re in this for the long haul, so you’ll have to make do with this boy and this girl. Got it?”

  “Oh yeah, I got it.” Matt’s grin transformed his face as he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her in the air. She pumped her feet and nearly toppled him over before dissolving into giggles.

  Tristan’s smile lasted until he turned to pick up his discarded shirt. He sincerely hoped they would all still be in buoyant moods at the end of the day.

  The minute Cait walked into her mother’s apartment later that morning, she knew something had happened. Though everyone was gathered in the living room opening presents, the cheerful carols playing couldn’t mask the tension hovering in the air.

  She set down her gifts and removed her gloves with her teeth, trying not to let them chatter. Whatever had occurred didn’t affect her own announcement. She wouldn’t allow it to. She owed it to Tristan and Matt—and herself—to be forthright and confident about the choice she’d made.

  At least when her family and her adopted families refused to talk to her anymore, she’d have her two men to keep her warm.

  “Merry Christmas!” she said in her best happy-go-lucky voice, walking around to kiss everyone in turn. The kids bopped all over the place, unable to stay still long enough for her to drop an air kiss near their heads, but she tried. She saved the biggest kiss for Ginny’s baby, Tabitha, rosy-cheeked and curled up in her swing.

  Stepping back, Cait realized she was smiling. Honest-to-God smiling. As if for the first time she could see her family exactly as it was. She had a strong mother and resourceful sisters and sweet nieces and nephews—what more could anyone want?

  Then Marnie’s son, Peter, bonked his sister on the head with a toy phone, and the wails began.

  “Good God, I’ve had enough.” Without another word, Cait’s mother hoisted herself off the threadbare couch and stomped down the hall.

  Cait swallowed as she noticed Val hunched at the other end of the couch. Somehow she’d missed her baby sister entirely in her sweep around the room. There were a lot of people, granted, and noisy kids, but she couldn’t have overlooked her. Val must’ve just snuck in.

  “Hey, Val,” she said, hip checking her younger sister as she plopped down beside her on the sofa. “I’m so sorry we haven’t had a chance to really sit down and talk. This past week’s been crazy.”

  “It’s okay.”

  Not by the sullen look on Val’s face, it wasn’t. “So what’s the scoop?”

  “What scoop?”

  “Why’s the parental unit flipping out?” Cait leaned closer. “No one’s pregnant, are they?”

  Val smirked. “Just the same one who’s already preggers.”

  “Heard that!” Marnie called out, snatching the phone away from Peter and tucking it behind her back. More wails.

  Cait sighed. It didn’t take long for the spirit of Christmas to turn into a pounding headache. “So what’s up, then? What pissed Mama off?”

  Val gave a jerky shrug. “Dunno.”

  Definitely suspicious. “Sure about that?”

  “How should I know? And Jesus, why should you pretend you care? You only make your token appearances when you have a few minutes to spare from your perfect little life in your perfect little loft. It’s not like you care about any of us. We’re just your poor, pathetic family.”

  Val only stopped spewing her venom when she realized the room had gone silent. Even the toddlers were watching her, gap-mouthed.

  Cait shrank back, but not because Val had snapped. The vein of truth in what she’d said stung. God, she’d come here asking them to accept her when this was how they thought she saw them? Worse, she did think of her visits there as her good deed for the day more often than not.

  She was a terrible person.

  With trembling fingers, Cait nudged her hair away from her face. She’d tied it back in a loose ponytail, but a few pieces escaped. Just like her dwindling nerve. “Can we talk privately? Please?”

  “I’ve had enough private talks today.” Val jumped to her feet. Without another word, she booked for the door, slamming it behind her.

  Cait cleared her throat and glanced at her sisters and their kids. That none of them would look at her said a lot.

  “She’s had a rough morning,” Ginny said after a moment.

&nbs
p; “Why?”

  More silence. Not for the first time, Cait felt like a stranger in her own family. What was new, however, was them treating her as if she didn’t belong.

  “It’s not true, you know,” Cait said, well aware everyone was staring at her. She tried not to fidget. “I love all of you. Maybe I don’t do the best at showing that, but I’m sorry. I’m going to try to do better.”

  “Why?” Marnie asked, offering Peter his phone. He seemed more interested in Cait’s speech.

  “Because…”

  She looked at her hands. Because what? She’d had an epiphany? Falling in love—and admitting it—had shown her sometimes dreams changed and you had to change with them?

  “I just worried that maybe choosing love over ambition wasn’t the best idea, if you weren’t sure it would work out,” she said, her voice fading as she met Peter’s shining blue eyes.

  But hell, maybe their love lives were tumultuous, but they had the love of their babies and their babies to love right back.

  Helping your child become so much more than you could be had to be one of the most fulfilling things ever. And not just helping them to succeed financially. It wasn’t only about setting them up to get a good job, but teaching them how to be a decent person.

  Something she clearly needed some help with.

  “We gave up some stuff,” Ginny acknowledged, ruffling Tabitha’s sparse curls. “We gained a lot more.”

  “Yeah. You really did.”

  Marnie reached out to take her hand. “Are you okay, C.C.?”

  C.C. had been Marnie’s childhood name for her. She hadn’t heard it in years. Grateful for the peace offering, Cait squeezed her sister’s hand, hard.

  “Yes. I am. Finally. And I meant what I said. I love you, all of you. I’m going to be around more often. So much more you’re going to beg me to stay home.” With a weak smile, she cleared her throat and rose. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

  “She’ll want to be alone,” Marnie murmured.

  Cait crossed the living room to the door. “She can tell me that herself.”