by Kit Tunstall
Chapter Eight
I was alone in the garden when Joshua found me, taking more time than I should have in my errand for Betsy and Joel to crop some of the new lettuce leaves simply because it was so quiet here, and the view was beautiful with the slowly approaching twilight just starting to paint the sky a variety of colors. I knelt on the towel I’d brought for this purpose, leaning forward to pluck the tender leaves when a shadow fell across me. I looked up, unsurprised to see Joshua standing over me. “You must be stalking me.”
He grinned as he crouched down beside me. “Nah, I just happened to luck out and find you. Okay, I’ll admit I was looking for you.”
“I guess it’s good that you found me, because we need to talk.”
He nodded his blond head. “Are you feeling better about everything?” He shifted so that he was kneeling beside me, one knee on the towel and one knee off as he helped me gather the lettuce leaves. “You ran away so fast before that I couldn’t check on you.”
“I was confused, and I was feeling guilty for having kissed you. It didn’t seem fair to Ben, but I talked to him.”
Joshua froze for a moment. “You told him about the kiss?”
I nodded. “Of course I did. I couldn’t keep something like that from him, even if it was just a kiss. He deserved to know I was feeling tempted.”
Joshua cleared his throat. “Was?”
I shrugged. “I still am, but I haven’t quite decided how I want to proceed. Ben sanctioned me exploring the relationship with you, but I still can’t quite wrap my mind around the idea of having two lovers at the same time.”
He looked shocked. “Your boyfriend’s okay with us fucking? That’s an interesting perspective. I didn’t expect it.” His tone dropped an octave. “I expected to have to steal you away from him.”
I glared at him. “You couldn’t do that. I’m loyal to Ben, and I love him.”
He arched a brow. “If you love him all that much, then why are you thinking about fucking me?”
My glared deepened. “I was just thinking about it, but you’re making it really easy to decide against. If this is your true self, I don’t want any part of it.”
His expression softened. “I’m sorry. I’ve just never been in this situation before. No one has ever given me their girlfriend.”
My irritation rose. “I don’t know if you’re being deliberately obtuse, or if you’re trying to be as rude as possible. Either way, it’s less than charming. Ben isn’t giving you anything. He’s sharing me with you if I choose to go that route. He knows you can love more than one person at the same time, or at least that’s what he says. He seems to believe it, and I’m sure it’s true. When you meet someone else, or you have a new family member, it’s not like you start loving the other people in your life any less.”
He seemed to mull over my words for minute. “I apologize for reacting badly and being rude. I’m just startled, I guess. How does this sort of thing work?”
I shrugged, reaching for his hand when he started to pluck more lettuce. “I think we have enough.” I started to let go of his hand, but he turned it over and grasped mine in his, refusing to release me. Despite his rude reaction, I didn’t want to let go either. “I don’t know how it works. I’ve never done anything like this either. Ben said you could join us, or it could just be you and me.”
He frowned. “How much does Ben want to join me?”
I giggled. “Not at all. It’s all about me, babe.”
Joshua let out a sigh. “He’s a nice guy, and I’m sure he’s attractive if you’re into dudes, but I’m not. I just wanted to clarify that point.”
“He isn’t either.” He was running his thumb across the side of my hand in a gentle pattern that was making it difficult to think and sending sparks of electricity shooting through my body. I tightened my hold on his hand as I searched for an answer to the question hanging between us, as yet unspoken. Did we want to do this, and if so, how?
“I can’t say I really like the idea of sharing you, but if it’s the only way to get you, I can live with it.”
I licked my lips. “It might be just one night, or it could be a long-term thing. It just depends on how well we mesh together. But for the time we’re together, I have a stipulation.”
When I fell silent, he arched a brow. “Which is?” he prodded.
I licked my lips, bracing myself for his rejection of the stipulation. “There can’t be any other women for you. I’m not as secure as Ben, and I don’t share my man…men. I know it’s unfair, but that’s the way it is. If you want to see where things lead between us, you have to accept that.”
His breath hissed between his teeth. “That’s a tough proposition. It’s not really reasonable, you know?”
I nodded. “It’s the exact opposite of fair, but it’s how I feel. I understand if you’re not interested in furthering our relationship with that in mind.”
He slowly smiled, revealing bright white teeth. “I still want to further things, as you put it. I want to take you all the way to the edge, and then shove you over.”
I let out a small laugh. “Are you talking about sex or pushing me off a cliff? Because if that’s your idea of pillow talk, you might want to work on it.”
He looked a little embarrassed. “Maybe I mixed my metaphors. Whatever. I hope you know what I mean. I’d like to see how things play out, even if it means I have to share you with Ben. So when do we began?”
I shrugged. “I really don’t know. This is all new to me. I guess we should just progress as though we were dating? Not rush into anything?”
He slanted a grin my way before he moved forward, abruptly lifting me onto his lap. “Where’s the fun in that?” A second later, his mouth slanted over mine, showing rather than telling me how much he wanted me.
There was nothing hesitant or tentative about this kiss, and when his tongue slipped between the seam of my lips, I let out a small sigh of satisfaction as I let it inside. I didn’t have to hold back or try to fight the attraction now. It still felt strange, but the situation was growing less murky by the second, as passion crystallized my thought processes and helped me admit I was selfish enough to want both Ben and Joshua.
As our lips continued the frantic kiss, his hands slid under the waistband of my panties, and his fingers delved inside. The summer dress I wore provided easy access, and he started to stroke me slowly, but with increasing pressure. I bucked my hips against him as the intensity increased, and he centered his attention around my clit.
I found it impossible to keep kissing him, since I was so caught up in the maelstrom whirling through my body. I leaned my head against his chest and tried to focus on breathing as his fingers rushed me ever closer to release. My lower muscles tightened around his fingers, clinging to him as I came, adrenaline making my entire body shake. I barely held back a cry of satisfaction, muffling my mouth against his shirt to hold it in.
Once the shuddering eased, I was surprised when Joshua put me back on the towel and completely off his lap. I stared at him in confusion. “Don’t you want to…?”
He nodded, wearing an expression of discomfort. “Definitely, but I wasn’t prepared for this. Do you happen to have any condoms hiding in your vegetable basket?”
I shook my head. I appreciated his attempt at levity, but I was still too blissed out to truly laugh. “We could move this somewhere else.”
He let out a long sigh. “Where? The bunkrooms are out of consideration. There’s nowhere really to be alone. And you have kitchen duty, obviously, and I’ve kept you long enough.”
It stung, though I hoped he was acting simply from logic rather than having changed his mind and was now looking for a way to reject me. “You could come to our tent tonight. Ben said it would be all right.”
His lips tightened for a moment. “Will Ben be there?”
I nodded slowly. “I’m not going to tell him he has to leave. It’s his tent, but it’s also my relationship with him. I guess this is the crucial moment
. We either make it through, or we forget the whole idea. If you decide to come, we usually go to bed shortly after it gets dark.” I got up, dusting off my sundress before bending down to pick up the basket of vegetables. “I hope to see you, Joshua.”
I truly did. My body thrummed from the anticipation, along with just the faintest hint of anxiety at the idea of making the fantasy a reality. I still wasn’t sure how a relationship that involved three people could really work, but I was willing to find out if it meant I could have Ben and Joshua without cheating or feeling too selfish.
I paced, my stomach fluttering with anxiety, as I awaited Joshua’s arrival. Ben sat in the armchair, and he flashed a grin at me. “You’re making me exhausted just watching you wear a path across the floor.”
I forced myself to stop pacing as I turned to look at him. “I’m nervous. I feel like a virgin or something.”
He set aside the book he’d been reading and gestured for me to come closer. I walked over to him and stood by the chair, looking down as I waited to see what he would say.
A moment later, he put his hand on my wrist and gently pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me. It helped ease my anxiety, and I snuggled closer. “I’m not sure I should do this.”
“You can change your mind if you want to, Sofia. You should think about whether you are more likely to regret doing this or not doing it.”
“I’m just not sure how a relationship with three people will work.” I just couldn’t imagine the logistics. What if I ended up loving one more than the other, or if there was jealousy? Surely there would be, if not from Ben then Joshua, who hadn’t grown up with an unorthodox arrangement. I didn’t know how to handle those problems, but they didn’t seem big enough to give up Joshua to avoid the complications.
I stiffened in Ben’s arms when I heard Joshua call out my name from the front of the tent, clearly waiting in Ben’s office. With an extra squeeze for encouragement, Ben set me on my feet, and I dragged myself toward the front of the office like I was facing the guillotine rather than anticipating a night of passion.
When I entered the office, I was surprised to find Joshua looked just as nervous as I felt. He gave me a jerky smile, as though he’d forgotten how to carry out the motion halfway through, and ran a hand through his blond hair as he walked to meet me halfway across the room. I think my own smile felt somewhat broken when I gave him one. “Hi,” I said in a raspy voice.
“Hi,” he echoed, sounding nervous. He took my hand, and I led him back into the sleeping area past the office. He stiffened when he stepped inside and saw Ben. “I thought we’d be alone.”
“I told you that wasn’t happening. We’re a package deal, and if you can’t accept that, you should leave now.” My response was overly aggressive, and I was oddly half-hoping he would storm out of here, which would have made the decision for me.
Instead, he put up his hand. “Okay, got it.”
“Good,” I said, my tone much softer.
“How does this work?” asked Joshua, looking at Ben for directions.
“I’m just going to sit here for now,” said Ben, his book on his lap again. “Feel free to ignore me and do what you’d normally do.”
The idea of forgetting he was there seemed laughable, and Joshua looked equally unconvinced, but he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. At first, it was just a hug, and I savored his embrace as I put my arms around him and held tightly.
He was soon hard, his arousal digging into my hip. I rubbed against him without thought, just surrendering to the sensations and urges overwhelming me. I lifted my head, and his lowered as we shared another kiss. This was hard and urgent right from the start, our lips molding together as our tongues caressed and stroked, each trying to enter the other’s mouth.
As he kissed me, his fingers went to the hem of my shirt and slid it up to my armpits. I shivered when he caressed my stomach, cupping my sides and running his thumbs slowly upward. I drew in a shaky breath when his thumbs glided over my bra, homing in on my nipples. He pressed lightly against them, his mouth never breaking from mine, and I pressed more urgently against him.
I could have sobbed with relief when he opened my bra a moment later, allowing my breasts to spill free. He broke the kiss then, but only long enough to pull off my shirt the rest of the way and discard the bra. I looked over and met Ben’s eyes as Joshua lowered his head, his mouth seeking one firm nipple that he sucked on with a combination of eagerness and tenderness. Ben’s eyes blazed with desire, and it was clear he was enjoying watching Joshua touch me. I should have found his reaction off-putting, but it only served to heighten my arousal.
I looked away from Ben when Joshua moved his mouth to my other breast, his teeth lightly raking the sensitive bud. I threw back my head and moaned, not looking at Ben, but aware of his gaze on us. Soon enough, I lost awareness of much of anything beyond Joshua’s mouth at my breast, while his hands tugged at my dress.
Once he had me undressed, Joshua got to his knees, his mouth moving lower. I held my breath with anticipation as he nudged my mound with his nose, spending just a moment resting against me without initiating further contact. It was a combination of sexy and frustrating, and I whimpered softly as I arched against his face. He laughed, the vibrations transmitting into my swollen flesh and heightening my state of need.
Thankfully, he found a measure of mercy, or he just couldn’t hold out any longer, because his tongue slipped inside me. I gasped and shook under the intensity of the sensations emanating from my core. My fingers buried in his hair of their own accord, pressing him closer while my other hand rested on his shoulder, using him for support. If I’d had to stand completely on my own, I don’t think I could have managed it.
Maybe he realized just how weak I was in that position, my knees trembling with each flick of his tongue across my clit. Or maybe he was just uncomfortable in the position. Whatever it was, he held firmly to the back of my thighs as he surged to his feet, pushing me backward a few feet until I landed on the bed. My butt rested near the edge, and he dropped to his knees once more, pressing my thighs wide so he could bury his face between them.
There was nothing slow or gentle about the way he licked me. Joshua didn’t bother with subtle or teasing. He simply devoured me, his tongue squirming forcefully through my folds as he stabbed it into my opening in a way that made me gasp and buck my hips against him. When he moved his mouth higher abruptly, his lips fastening around my clit as he sucked with a hint of roughness, I came with a gasping breath.
It was so quick and so intense that I couldn’t even manage to get out a sound as I trembled under the onslaught. I was somewhat incoherent as I struggled to breathe and process the stimuli racing through my body. I was vaguely aware of him pulling away from me, and I reached out a hand to stop him, but missed. I was certain he wasn’t leaving me, but even a brief separation was too much at the moment. I could have sobbed with relief when I heard the tear of a foil packet. He must have discovered the strip of condoms Ben had thoughtfully left on the table we used as a nightstand.
It seemed like forever before he returned to me, lifting me higher up on the bed so he could kneel between my splayed thighs. I felt like I should offer him reciprocity, or some other type of foreplay, but it was obvious from the hard length of him that he was ready and needed no further preparation. Neither did I after that brief, but intense, session with his mouth. I raised my hips to meet him as the head of his cock sank slowly inside me, followed by the rest of him. He gave me an inch at a time, clearly trying to restrain himself and go slowly.
That wasn’t what I wanted, so I curled my fingers into his buttocks and pulled him against me roughly as I arched to meet him. We both let out a jerky cry that was eerily similar when his cock was buried fully inside my pussy. We paused for a moment, and I assumed he was savoring the sensation the same way I was. One moment was all we could spare though, and he began to thrust rapidly into me, his hands slipping underneath my body to cup my b
uttocks in a similar fashion to how I still held his. It allowed him to get even deeper inside me, and I turned my head as sensations overwhelmed me.
My gaze locked with Ben’s, and the passion shining there only increased my own. I looked down, discovering the book was gone. Ben sat in the chair with his cock in hand, stroking himself slowly as he watched Joshua fuck me. It was surprisingly arousing, but I wanted to do more than give him a show. I lifted a hand from one of Joshua’s buttocks and gestured for Ben to join us.
He did so, pausing only long enough to remove his clothes. The bed dipped when he joined us, and Joshua stiffened slightly, his thrusts growing jerky for a moment until I returned my other hand to his butt and squeezed both his cheeks in a reassuring fashion. We shared a look, and I saw him start to visibly relaxed. Less than a second later, his smooth thrusts returned, and his expression was beautiful, lost in the throes of need.
Ben leaned over in what looked like a slightly uncomfortable position, brushing his lips against mine for a tender kiss. I captured his lower lip and drew it between mine, sucking gently. When he pulled away, I smiled up at him. “My hands are busy, so you’re going to have to do all the work.”
He smiled. “I can live with that.” The bed dipped again when he shifted position, bringing his cock near my mouth.
I turned my head slightly to give him more room and touched my tongue to the tip. His pre-cum blossomed on my tongue, filling my mouth with the salty tang of his arousal. I engulfed him slowly, starting with the tip and spending a moment to flick my tongue across the slit in the underside. When he moaned and bucked his hips, I smiled around the cock in my mouth, elated to bring him pleasure, as I glided my mouth down the length of him until I’d taken all I could. His head nestled at the back of my throat, and I had to breathe through my nose, making sure I didn’t choke on the shaft in my mouth.
Joshua lifted my body higher, angling my hips off the bed as he drove into me forcefully, and it changed my position. My head tipped back, and I was able to take another inch of Ben’s cock with my head tilted back like that, but couldn’t really bob forward or do much movement, so Ben controlled the thrusts.