“Yeah, well, that’s all water under the bridge. Right now, I just want to grab what I can. You’re the only men that I’ve ever truly desired. I’ve so missed that closeness.” With that, she laid her head on his chest and seemed to melt into his body. She was everything that was soft and good and yielding. He looked over at Quinn, who had a contented smile on his face. Ben completely understood. If the positions were reversed, he would be just as happy for his brother, realizing that they were making headway with their woman.
“Since you’re being honest, we need to be honest, too. We got you drunk last night,” Ben said quietly as he stroked his hand down her back, enjoying the feel of her silky hair beneath his touch.
“Well, duh. I have had a Colorado Bulldog before.” She snickered softly into his chest. “You guys are easy. Do you not think I’ve gone out drinking with the girls? I can handle my liquor. I was just mildly buzzed. I ended up falling asleep because I hadn’t slept for the three nights before coming to paint, because I was so stressed out.”
Kara turned her head when Quinn laughed.
“I’m sorry seeing us was so stressful that you couldn’t sleep.” Ben continued to stroke her hair. He wasn’t quite sure who was being soothed, him or Kara.
“I’m not sure stressful is the right word, maybe antsy. Look, you guys. Let me be clear, I’m sitting here, snuggled up on Ben’s lap. I am so going to have sex with you, but that’s all it’s going to be. I’m not going to put my heart on the line with you again and risk having you trounce on it. I just can’t do it.”
“Not even if I tell you that I’ve learned my lesson?” queried Quinn. “Not even if I swear on my life that no matter what hardship comes up, I want you by my side, helping me to get through it?” Ben felt Kara tense at Quinn’s words.
“Oh, Quinn,” she said sadly. “I just don’t think it’s in your nature to lean on someone. I want to believe you, but my heart just can’t handle being disappointed again. Can’t we just enjoy some time together?” she begged.
* * * *
Quinn got up from the other chair and knelt before them. “You only have to ask from now on, and it’s yours.” It was a vow he meant never to break. Quinn watched his hands tremble as they cupped her cheeks. “May I kiss you?” He watched her carefully.
“Oh, yes.” He didn’t see any trepidation in Kara. He saw relief, which blessedly matched his own. But after every misstep that he had made, he had to ensure her pleasure. He lowered his head slowly, watching as her eyelids fluttered shut and her lips parted. He skimmed his mouth across hers, back and forth, waiting patiently until he heard that slight exhale of breath that told him she was relaxing into the caress. Then he pressed deeper, moving one hand from her cheek to gently cup the back of her head, tilting her ever so slightly so he could slant their mouths together for an even deeper joining.
Then he felt it. The sigh of pleasure that calmed and soothed every nerve in his body as it simultaneously heated and aroused them. He carefully pulled back from the kiss, exalting in Kara’s whimper. She opened her beautiful blue eyes that were clouded with desire. Her white-gold hair fluttered in the sea breeze, and he brushed it from her face.
“Are we good, sweetheart?” Quinn watched as she gave a slight nod, but he needed more. He put his lips next to her ear. “Kara, please tell me. I can’t handle doing anything wrong.”
“I want you, Quinn,” she whispered just as quietly into his ear, touching the scruff of his whiskers.
“I need you to be sure. We can wait until you’ve had time to really think this through. We know it’s a big step, after everything that’s happened between us.” As much as Quinn wanted this woman in his arms, ensuring that she felt no emotional duress was far more important.
“Knowing that I’ve told you everything that has gone on, that I’ve told you exactly how I’ve felt and I finally know that you’ve both heard me, well, it’s cleared up some of the things that have been clogging me up inside, you know?” Kara’s voice trailed off. Quinn had to brush back her hair again, so that he could see both the confusion and truth in her gaze.
“I think I understand.”
“So do I, Kachawli,” Ben said as he stood up, holding Kara in his arms, letting her slide down his body so that her feet touched the deck. He touched his forehead to hers. “I didn’t want to hear everything you had to say, but I needed to hear it, and I’m not sure that makes sense either.”
Quinn watched as she turned shyly toward him, still keeping Ben in her field of vision. “Can you both touch me…at the same time? I’ve dreamed of that.” Another layer of anxiety faded away at her request. He looked at his brother, and as if they could read each other’s minds, their arms wrapped around Kara’s shoulders and waist as they both moved their bodies in close enough to touch. Neither of them brought their lower bodies in connection with hers, wanting to ease her into that level of intimacy.
Kara leaned her head against Ben’s chest as Quinn wrapped his arms even tighter around her waist and dropped his chin on top of her head, his front to her back. They stayed like that for long moments, until Kara started to wiggle backward, pushing her ass against Quinn’s groin. Quinn groaned in pleasure. Perspiration broke out all over his body at her sensual writhing. He glanced at his brother, who was suffering nearly as much, because as she pressed back against him, she was pressing her breasts against his chest, causing him to pant in reaction. Both men were in agonized ecstasy.
“Kara, sweets, we need to go below deck if we intend to go any further,” Quinn knew his normally raspy voice was almost unintelligible.
“What?”
“Below deck. Kara, we’re out in the open,” Ben explained.
Chapter 13
Kara was grateful for Quinn’s steadying grip. The sea breeze felt good as she stood upright. It helped to clear her head, not to change her mind. It just helped her focus on the long-lost sensations of being sandwiched between these two men. She leaned forward against Quinn. It seemed appropriate that her nostrils were filled with a mixture of his scent and the smell of the sea, since she had always associated him with the ocean. Quinn turned, taking her with him, and both of them guided her toward the ladder stairs that led to the lower level, toward privacy. She would have loved to continue here in the open air, but she wanted nothing to intrude on the intimacy that they would be sharing.
Quinn went down first. She followed, with Ben behind her. She knew that it was just one more way that they had of showing concern for her wellbeing. When Quinn reached the floor, he turned and lifted her off the last two steps into his arms. She wrapped herself around him, relishing his strength. He walked with her down the small hall to the intimate master suite. She could see Ben following. None of them were smiling. It seemed a solemn occasion. Kara wished she could break the mood, but knew of no way.
The bed filled the room. There was very little room to maneuver, but that was fine with Kara. Everything she planned to do, she planned to do in the bed, or on the bed. Quinn set her down, and pulled her arms from around his neck, keeping them lifted so that he could tug the hem of her sweater over her head. He threw the garment onto the floor and just stared at the overflowing breasts in front of him. In the past, he had been the one who had lavished the most attention on her breasts, reveling in every color and texture. She shouldn’t have been surprised at his reaction to the larger cup size, but she was. “God, sweetheart,” he said. “You were magnificent before, but now…” That was when it happened. The laughter was back.
“Nothing’s changed, you always loved my tits.”
“Sweetheart, I can’t believe how much more there is to love!” Quinn quickly found the front clasp of her bra and filled his hands with her breasts. Looking down, Kara gasped as she had a flashback to the first time he had touched her there. He looked into her eyes. “I remember, too,” he whispered.
“Oh, Quinn, the contrast…” She had to stop. Trying to find the right words, she continued. “The colors, the textures…It’s a s
ymphony.” Kara couldn’t look away. She felt Ben at her back. His fingers traced up and down her backbone, up and down, then down and up, causing her to shiver. She saw her breasts quake in Quinn’s hands and his hold firmed. Oh, the effects these two men were having on her body. She waited, holding her breath, hoping. Finally, Quinn moved his thumbs and began brushing them against her turgid nipples. She couldn’t believe the deep moan that came from her throat. Ben delicately bit down on that spot where her neck met her shoulder, and the moan became a cry of need.
“Please.” Just the one word, but it was enough. There was no teasing. These men were intent on meeting her wants and needs. The laughter and lightness she had tried to instill was overlaid by reverence.
“Kachawli, lie back.” Ben wrapped his arms around her shoulders and eased her down so that she was lying on the bed. Quinn’s hands were smoothing down the swell of her abdomen.
“Kara, you are so soft and lovely.” And just like that, any fear that she had about the weight she had gained in her middle dissipated. Quinn’s hands made quick work of the fastening of her jeans, and he pulled them off along with her cotton panties.
She wished she was wetter for him, for them, but she was still so nervous. She was feeling more and more confident that this was the right decision, that she could have sex with them. But then she would get the feeling that it was making love, and that scared her, and she would get nervous. It seemed that too much was happening at once, and the more she thought about it, the more she got into her own head, and the less she could stay in the moment. The less she could stay in the moment, the less she could stay in her body.
“Kara, sweetheart, did you hear us?” Quinn asked.
“What?” She was lying between both of the men, and they each had their shirts off. Oddly, she didn’t remember any of it happening. She scrambled to get up, but Ben rose up on his elbow and gently held her down, placing his hand on her stomach.
“Hold on for a minute, okay, Kara? I promise you, you’re in control. You can leave whenever you want. You’re in control.” The words immediately calmed her, and she settled back down on the bed. “Here, let’s get some pillows for you, so you can sit up a little. Would you like that?”
“Yes.” Kara felt herself calm even more at the idea of being at eye level with Ben and Quinn, as they both were propped up on their elbows looking down at her. After Ben got her situated, Kara felt her breathing calm.
“Sweetheart, after I undressed you, something happened. I think that you went someplace ugly in your head. Is that possible?” Quinn asked in a gentle voice. Kara considered his words.
“Not ugly, exactly. Just scary. I’m afraid I’m making too much of this…I can’t…I just can’t…and the more I worry, the less I can feel aroused.” She watched as Quinn and Ben looked at one another. She watched as Quinn shook his head and Ben nodded. She desperately hoped that meant that Ben had a solution, because she couldn’t understand herself.
He leaned down and brushed the hair back from her face again and again. It soothed her. He just continued to do so for countless minutes, patiently, until she finally relaxed. He brushed a light kiss against her lips and then smiled down at her. “Let’s just agree to stay in this moment. No yesterday, no tomorrow, just today. Will that work?”
“So we don’t have a past to consider, no potential future…” Her voice trailed off.
“Just right now,” Quinn answered. Once again, Kara felt a profound sense of relief.
She felt her eyes mist over at the wonder of it all. “I can do that, I can do ‘right now.’” She let out a deep breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding. “Yes! I can do that,” she exclaimed joyfully, she reached up and hugged Ben around his neck. “Thank you. I so wanted this. I really wanted this, but I didn’t know how to do it. I got clogged up again.”
She rested her cheek against Ben’s chest and began to notice the textures and scents and the beautiful color of his skin. She melted into him, wanting to burrow even closer. She pressed herself tighter, which just made her nipples grow harder and her breath quicken. She felt her hair being gathered and wound as it was wrapped around Quinn’s fist. He got closer to the top of her head and pulled just a little, and no matter how they might have talked about no past, he still knew that she liked having her hair pulled, and she was happy. There were things she remembered that pleasured each man, and she wanted to give them pleasure.
From one second to the next, each of them made their move. Kara latched onto Ben’s tempting copper nipple, causing a surprised gasp. Quinn starting licking the back of Kara’s neck on the way up to her ear, while continuing to tug rhythmically on her hair. Ben reached out and gripped the globes of her ass, and started to squeeze. Despite the myriad sensations, the taste of Ben in her mouth was glorious and she continued to lave and suckle, relishing Ben’s harsh indrawn breaths.
“Kachawli, I need you to stop. We want to make love to you.” Ben drew away and Quinn tugged at her hair just a little harder.
“But why? Why should it matter who makes love to who, if it’s only today?” Again Kara watched as the two brothers communicated without words and Ben was enlisted to do the talking.
“Just let us love you first, for now. Later today you can make love to us, but we would like to love you first. Would you let us give you that gift?”
* * * *
Ben held his breath. The passionate woman they’d had in their bed in the past had been playing hide-and-seek with them for the last hour. He knew it wasn’t Kara’s fault. She really was nervous and scared. This was a huge emotional step for her, no matter how much she tried to frame it into a “just sex” category. That was the problem. Her heart was unable to be intimate unless it was deeply involved, but her head was telling her that the only way it could be involved with them was if it was just sex. He looked over at Quinn to see if he was tracking with the plan.
“Sweetheart, anytime you want to take the lead, you can, all right?” Yeah, Quinn was tracking with the plan just fine. Ben smiled as he watched his brother reach out and cup Kara’s right breast. He wasn’t sure which one of them looked the most satisfied at the caress. Watching her respond without reservation under his brother’s touch was intoxicating. It was as if a garden had sprung up to play.
As Ben moved down on the bed, tracing his way down the curve of her tummy, he paused to kiss, lick, and knead Kara’s warm, feminine, decadent flesh. He’d never want her to feel self-conscious in case she lost the weight, so he didn’t want to make too big a deal out of how she looked now, but, God, she was spectacular. His dick was being cut in half inside his jeans. Kara undulated under his hands, and he found it hard to breathe. He continued his path downward toward the apex of her thighs, to the hair that was more golden colored than that on her head. He speared his fingers through the silky tufts until his middle finger touched the top of the soft seam that sheltered Kara’s core. It took everything he had not to push through, to plunder this flesh to see if she was feeling even half the level of arousal that he was.
He looked up and saw his brother circling around the tip of Kara’s nipple with his tongue as he delicately pinched and pulled her other nipple. Kara was right—seeing her white and pink flesh against their skin was a sight to behold. She was moving her head back and forth across the pillow and her strands were coming loose, shimmering onto both men in silky streams, just one more sensory pleasure that made the waiting an agonized gift.
Ben moved down even further on the bed. It was small, so he had to curl onto his knees in order to get his face level with Kara’s mound. He breathed in deeply and smelled a hint of her arousal.
“Kara, can I part your legs?” He waited, and she didn’t respond. He looked at Quinn, who seemed equally oblivious to his words. He reached out and nudged his brother, who looked up at him.
“Kara, honey, will you open your legs for me?” Both men watched in dismay as she immediately tensed up.
“I’m still not ready,” she whispered.
“To be loved?” Quinn asked as he kissed her cheeks, her lips, and nuzzled next to her ear.
“For making love. I’m sorry. I know I never had this problem before. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Ben hurt for her.
“You’re doing fine. Please, let us worry about that. You just let us make you feel good. We have absolutely no expectations. Just breathe deeply, and relax into Quinn’s arms. Let me taste you. I’ve had many fantasies of tasting you. Would you deny me that, Kachawli?”
“But Ben—”
Ben cut her off. “I can smell your arousal, Kara. You’re killing me, here. Please let me taste just a little.” He slid his hands from the inside of her knees up to her plump thighs, once again reveling in the plush softness of her flesh. He used a little pressure and felt her slowly acquiesce. She allowed him to part her legs to look at the closed valley of her sex. He placed a soft kiss on the outside of her vaginal lips, brushing back and forth, cajoling just as he would if he were kissing her mouth. He let loose a stream of warm air and then smelled that first hint of spice slipping through the protective barrier of her seam. He blew up and down her cleft from top to bottom and smiled as he felt the total relaxation of the creamy white thighs under his palms.
“Ben, that feels so good.”
With the tip of his tongue he etched along the seam, carefully going no deeper than the tip, but he couldn’t believe the warm, soft, and welcoming feel of her sex as his tongue drifted up and down the furrow of flesh. It took everything he had not to spear in and lap up the honey that he could smell and begin to taste, gathering just beyond his reach, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to beguile Kara, to have her realize that she was just as capable of the deep desire and arousal she’d had when she’d been in their arms before.
While making his fourth pass, her hips snapped up, forcing his tongue deep.
“Yes,” she cried. He looked up, but couldn’t see her face. It was blocked by Quinn’s head and hands. Ben stilled. “No, Ben, please touch me more, please, Ben?” The last was said as if she thought there was some way he could deny himself, let alone stop trying to fulfill her heart’s desires.
Claiming Kara [Fate Harbor 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 21