Laid Bare

by Lauren Dane

  Personally Ben found it sad and he was grateful for the depth of connection he shared with Erin. And Todd. Even as he had no real idea what to call all they had, he just accepted it.

  Hell, he liked all sides of Erin as he continued to get to know her, which led him into some really interesting places he wasn’t sure he wanted to poke at too closely but knew he couldn’t avoid forever.

  “Where to, Erin? Back to your place? To mine?” Todd was driving Erin’s car and she was snuggled into the backseat, making Ben take the front so he’d have more room.

  “The café is closed until Monday. I can sleep in as long as I want, so I don’t care,” she said sleepily.

  “Ben, you staying over?”

  “If I’m invited. I don’t want to intrude.”

  “We’ll talk about this when we get wherever we’re going,” Erin said from the back. “I can’t hear very well back here. I suggest my place because we can’t be casually interrupted by fifteen friends, cops and assorted family members like we are at your place.”

  Ben had to laugh at that. She was right, and he liked the privacy of her condo.

  Todd took them to her building and once inside her condo she motioned them back toward her bedroom. “Go on. I need a shower and then I want to snuggle in my bed.”

  She tossed her clothes as she went, until she was totally naked and the sight of her back and the high, muscled cheeks of her ass shot straight to Ben’s cock.

  “You two talk this over. I’ll be back.” She didn’t even look over her shoulder as she closed the door to the bathroom.

  Todd snorted a laugh. “I guess we have our orders. Ben, you’re suddenly so, I don’t know, hesitant? Uncomfortable? Not your usual self. I don’t know what to say here. What’s wrong? Do we make you feel unwanted or uninvited?”

  The shower went on and moments later the scent of the grapefruit soap she favored carried into the room on a waft of steam.

  Ben toed off his shoes and socks and put them in the corner. What was wrong? “I don’t know where I fit now. Yesterday I knew. Today I don’t. I’ve been second-guessing myself all day.”

  “Where do you want to fit?”

  Ben looked at his best friend and thought about how to answer that question. They’d had a deep connection for as long as he could remember. And now it was more. Ben’s mind shot back to the night before, when they’d kissed, when they’d slid together with Erin in between them. When he and Erin had shared Todd’s cock. He’d always felt some level of attraction toward Todd, but they’d been so close he hadn’t ever wanted to ruin it. Plus he knew Todd was basically straight, although Ben had had no idea all that kink lay beneath the surface. What started as a few fun experiences had intensified. His feelings, for both of them, had deepened.

  “You invited me into your bed with Erin and I came into it knowing you two had a relationship. I accept that. But”—he licked his lips—“after last night, and after the last several times I’ve been with both of you and with her alone, I’m feeling some pretty intense things for you both. I want to fit into that. If I’m being totally honest, I want to be with the two of you.”

  Todd listened and nodded his head. The water in the bathroom shut off and Ben thought of how she’d look, the water glistening on her skin, of how she’d looked sleek and playful in the lake on the Fourth.

  “So be here. Stop overthinking.”

  “What do you think? You. We’ve been friends for a long time. I don’t want to ruin things and I need to know.”

  Todd stalked to him, stopping just a breath away. “It makes me hot all over and I don’t know how to feel about it. I love Erin. You need to understand that. I love her and if it was anyone else in the universe I’d have told them to go. But it’s not anyone else. It’s you. I know you in ways I’ve never known another soul. At the same time I’m sort of bowled over by being intrigued and happy.”

  Carefully, slow enough to give Todd the chance to move away, Ben reached out to touch Todd’s chest. “Bowled over because you think liking men is bad?”

  Todd laughed, his pupils huge. “No. Bowled over because you’re ours. You fit with us in some sense even if I can’t define it. Your being in our relationship seems natural to me. I might be kinky, but I suppose I’m pretty traditional in a lot of ways. Possession and jealousy may seem old-school to some, but I guess I’m old-school, because Erin is my woman and I wanted to punch Jeremy’s fucking face for looking at her today like he loved her.”

  Ben laughed then too because he’d felt the same way. “I know. I did too.” He paused. “But you don’t want to punch me? Because, I’ll be totally honest with you, I want to rub up all over your woman as much as I want to be a part of her life every day. I’m well on my way to being in love with her. I already love you; I have for as long as I can remember. It hasn’t been hard to take what we already had and to add to it.”

  “I don’t want to punch you. And I don’t think liking men is bad, by the way. I’ve just never actually liked one. Before now, that is.”

  Ben was aware the door to the bathroom had opened and he was concerned enough about Erin’s reaction that he broke the moment with Todd to look toward her.

  She leaned against the door frame, totally naked, her hair slicked back against her head, making her gorgeous eyes seem even bigger.

  “Am I interrupting something?”

  At the hesitation in her voice both men turned to face her fully. “No honey, not at all. Come here.” Todd held out a hand and she walked over to take it.

  She stood between them, looking up, and Ben realized that despite the size of her presence, she was smaller than both of them and scared. His heart squeezed.

  “Don’t look like that. You have nothing to be worried about.” Todd’s gaze roved over her face lovingly.

  “You two have a connection I can’t touch. You’re close in ways I can’t compete with. You’ve known each other your whole lives.”

  Her voice sounded so small.

  Todd kissed her, collaring her throat as he did. “You don’t have to compete. Erin, I’m yours. I love you with everything I am. I loved Ben before I met you, yes. He’s my best friend, yes. But as it happens, you are now too. What I have with Ben doesn’t threaten what I feel for you.”

  “I can walk out of here right now. Things can go back to the way they were before. I don’t want that look on your face, Erin.” Ben brushed a thumb over the curve of her cheek.

  “What do you want?”

  He knew now. He bent and kissed her, hauling her to his body as he invaded her mouth, loving her taste, loving the way she felt against him, all soft and female. He might be attracted to Todd, but Ben was wild for her on a completely different level. She was the center of their relationship. If they meant to pursue something, she and Todd both needed to understand that.

  “I want you, Erin,” he said as he tore his mouth from hers. “And with you, I want Todd. You both should know that while I like men too, it’s you, Erin, you who would be the center here.”

  She put her fingertips to her lips and the gesture touched him. Christ, he wasn’t well on his way to being in love with her. Truth be told, he’d started falling when he met her that first time, after she’d been painting. Each time he’d seen her since, it had been a few inches more into love. He’d shoved it away because Todd was his best friend and he’d never want to hurt either of them. Freed from that, now he could admit it—he was in love with Erin.

  “What do you think, Erin?” Todd asked.

  “I think many things.” She took a step back and tossed herself onto her bed. “I think you both should be naked like me, first of all. I also think Holy shit, two hot men! I think we could make it work and I also think this is very complicated.”

  Todd crawled into bed with her and Ben took the other side. Both of them had to touch her, that much was clear, as their hands roved from her beautifully elegant collarbone down to her gorgeous nipples. Brief touches, caresses, it didn’t matter.

 
; “It can be complicated, yes,” Ben agreed.

  “Let’s take this a step at a time then. Have some ground rules and take it as we go. Stop that! I can’t think when you do that.” Erin’s voice had gone thick as Todd bent his head to take a nipple between his teeth.

  Todd grinned up at her, totally unrepentant.

  “Okay then. Ground rules?” Ben asked.

  “No other women.” She looked at them both. “I mean it and I don’t care that it might seem unfair.”

  Todd laughed and Ben simply kissed her belly. The scent of her pussy tickled his nose, spreading through him like wildfire.

  “Okay. Not that I’d been planning on it or anything. But I think we can all agree that it’s just us three. No one outside.” Todd nodded.

  “I don’t care if you two, you know, get it on when I’m not around. But I’d like to be around if I can because it’s so pretty to look at. I might even be able to keep my hands to myself if I have to.”

  Ben laughed then and kissed her. God, she made him happy.

  “All right. Same for us then. Although, you both know I like to watch.” Todd went back for the nipple again and this time she didn’t shoo him away, she arched.

  “We’ll keep the threesome thing quiet with Todd’s and my families. You can tell your brothers whatever you want. I’ll play best friend in public for a while anyway.” Ben knew this part would be the most complicated.

  “Enough rules for now. Someone needs to make me come,” Erin said, grabbing Ben’s hair in her fist and pulling him down to her mouth.

  “Are you okay for fucking?” Todd asked and Erin hissed as she and Ben both looked down to see him lick the crease where leg met thigh.

  “Even after last night my piercing is fine. Just don’t get all gymnastic on me.”

  Todd laughed and shoved her thighs wide. Ben moved down her body, ignoring her pout.

  “Stop looking at me like that,” Ben said. “I’m sure if one tongue on your pussy feels good, two will feel even better.”

  “Oh,” she said faintly, levering up on her elbows to watch as both Todd and Ben began to lick at her from different angles.

  Unfuckingbelievable. Seriously, one minute she was dealing with loss and her life felt dark and she was pretty sure she’d never be as happy as she was before, and the next she had Todd. And now Ben was theirs too.

  She fell back against the mattress and gave over to orgasm, letting it sweep through her.

  Cracking an eye open, she was rewarded with the sight of Todd and Ben kissing, a deep, wonderfully sensual tongue kiss that left her breathless. They were so beautiful together, Todd more hesitant but clearly into it, Ben the more dominant in that situation.

  She adjusted herself to watch, unable to not tug and pull on her nipples as desire ripped through her, even so soon after her last orgasm. Todd’s head fell back as Ben moved his mouth to Todd’s neck and then down to his left nipple.

  This was like the best porno she’d ever seen.

  Ben took Todd’s cock firmly and began to jerk him off. Holy cow!

  Todd brought his head up to look at Erin. “Oh fuck, look at you,” he said in a strangled voice.

  “Me? Uh uh, look at you two.” She walked her fingers down her belly and found her clit. “You’re so beautiful together like that.”

  “Suck me, gorgeous,” Ben said, his voice all in charge and it shot straight to her pussy.

  Leaning over, she pulled something from a drawer and then got to her hands and knees and crawled over to where they knelt near the foot of the bed. She dropped the tube of lubricant into Ben’s hand and wended around Todd. Brushing her body against his, she braced one hand on Todd’s thigh and licked down Ben’s belly.

  His cock was very happy to see her, if the way it twitched when she got near it was any indication. She paid extra attention to licking from sac to crown because he seemed to prefer that to just sucking. Every fourth or fifth time she took him into her mouth, tasting as much as she could before drawing off to lick again.

  The rhythm set by the three of them undulated until Erin knew Ben was close. He thrust forward, held her shoulder and came with a gasp. Moments later, she felt Todd’s muscles seize as he shuddered and came. Erin rolled to watch, making both men groan when she licked over Ben’s fingers where he still grasped Todd’s cock.

  “Best Wednesday night ever,” she said, falling back onto the pillows.

  27

  The heat of summer had eased into fall, and things had become stable, regular, strong between her and Todd and also Ben. She saw Todd daily and Ben at least four days a week. Her life was good.

  She inspected her plants on the balcony as she watered them. It wouldn’t be much longer before she’d need to put up her makeshift greenhouse out there to protect them from the weather. She heard the sound of her front door locks opening one by one and turned to catch Todd coming in.

  “Hey there, I wasn’t expecting to see you for a while. It’s not even two.” She put the watering can down and came inside, wiping her hands off on a nearby towel.

  “I was just a few blocks away at a client’s place and I thought I’d stop by for a kiss.”

  “Who am I to refuse such a request?” She tiptoed up and kissed him. “I’m glad to see you.”

  He smiled, hugging her. “Good. I like that. Here.” He dropped a little gift bag in her palm.

  “Wheee! Presents. I love presents.”

  He laughed. “I noticed.”

  Pleased, she dug into the bag and saw the box. Drawing it out of the bag carefully, she untied the bow and pulled out a square, velvet jeweler’s box. Holy Eddie Vedder.

  It cracked open with that sound only a ring box makes and there it sat. It wasn’t huge. It wasn’t showy. It was perfect. A square-cut diamond sat in the center, offset by a sapphire on each side.

  “My mom says it’s a princess cut. And since you’re a princess, I think that’s a sign. Erin.” He got to his knees and took her hands in his. He slid the ring on her very shaky finger. “Will you marry me? You know I love you. I wasted ten years and I want to spend every moment from now until forever making up for being gone so long. I want to make you happy every day for the rest of our lives.”

  “I . . .” Her heart thundered in her chest. “Are you sure?”

  He laughed. “So romantic. Yes, I’m sure. I was married before for all the wrong reasons. You are all the right reasons, Erin. I love you. I want a life with you. I want a future with you. I want to have a family—when you’re ready of course. I just want us to be together. No more sleeping over, no more trying to organize dates, because we’ll live in the same place and be together every night. Not that I’m gonna phone it in or anything. You’re made for me, Erin, and I was born to make you happy. Be my wife. Please.”

  She nodded as she fell to her knees. “Yes.” They toppled when she threw her arms around him, but neither let go and Erin thought that was a very good sign.

  She sat next to him on the plane just two hours later, slugging back a glass of champagne. “You know when I said yes, I didn’t think you meant right now.”

  He just smiled and held her hand. The same serene smile he’d had on since he’d sprung the tickets on her five minutes after she’d accepted his proposal.

  “I know, honey. But you’re here and your suitcase is filled with tiny scraps of cloth you call clothing. Me, you, lingerie, some rope. The recipe for the best vacation ever.”

  She burst out laughing.

  “Okay. But I told you I don’t do any of that Cirque du Soleil stuff. It freaks me out. I don’t care that they’re suspended over fire hoops and doing the cha-cha backward while walking a dog on a giant rubber ball. In a diaper. It’s fucking creepy.”

  He snickered. “Whatever you say. It’s Las Vegas; there are plenty of things to do. I have some stuff planned, but after that, we have lots of time.”

  “Like what? What do you have planned?”

  “I told you, it’s a surprise. Erin, you do understan
d the word surprise, right?”

  “You suck.”

  “Don’t pout.” He leaned in very close. “Or I’ll whip your ass when we get there.”

  She shivered. “That’s supposed to be a deterrent?”

  “I’ll whip your ass and I won’t let you come.”

  “Oh. I guess I can wait.”

  She tried not to fret about the café. Brody and Ella, who’d returned to work on a very part-time basis, had assured her it was all taken care of.

  “You sure Ben and Cope are okay taking over for a week?”

  “Yes.”

  The flight was pretty quick and the blast of heat that met them as they stepped out to the taxi stand just outside baggage claim reminded Erin of the years she’d lived in Los Angeles.

  “I’m such a weather pussy. The time I was in LA I absolutely melted. Let me hide in Seattle where we all whine when it gets over eighty-five for those two months a year.”

  “I hear you.” He loaded them into a limousine she hadn’t seen coming. Once they’d settled and pulled away from the curb, Todd turned back to her. “I missed Seattle so much when I was in Boston. I really wanted to move back. Boston is a great city in a lot of ways though. It’s similar to Seattle. Great beer, it’s a food-loving town, lots of water. Some of the best bookstores I’ve ever been in. The traffic is fucked.”

  She laughed. “I’ve been to Boston many times. I liked it there, but I’m glad you came back to Seattle.”

  The hotel was gorgeous. The Bellagio was one of her favorite hotels in the world. Elegant, luxurious and a perfect counterpoint to all the noise and chaos to be had on the Strip.

  “You have good taste. I love this place.”

  “Good.”

  “Ah, Mr. Keenan, welcome.” They were given key cards and a bellman took their luggage up.

  “Honey, I’ll be up in a second, I just need to check on our reservations for tonight. By the way, you’ve got a spa treatment in”—he checked his watch—“forty minutes. I’ll walk with you. I have one too.”