by Marie Carnay
“Research partners,” they said in unison.
“How long have you worked together?”
The men turned to each other. “What, five, six years now? Something like that.” Jacob smiled as he turned back to Leah.
“So…you research dyslexia, right?”
Duncan looked down at his drink and smiled as he brought it to his lips. As he set it on the table, his eyes met hers, pale blue and liquid in the restaurant’s light.
“Our research varies. Currently, yes, we’re attempting to pin down the genes related to reading problems, including dyslexia. If we can identify the gene, we can identify children at risk for developing dyslexia earlier, intervene earlier, help them before they even struggle.” Duncan smiled. “But that’s only one of our interests.”
Leah raised her eyebrows. “Well, that’s…amazing actually. And impressive…” She trailed off and cursed silently. Why is this so awkward? It’s worse than a job interview. As Leah opened her mouth, ready to beg off and run for the comfort of her hotel room, the waiter arrived to take their orders.
As Duncan chatted with the waiter, discussing the merits of a handful of wines, Jacob’s fingers wrapped around her knee and slid up her leg. She jumped, but he held her, gripping her thigh to keep her leg from hitting the table.
He leaned into her, lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “Leah, relax. We’re here to have a good time. I wanted you to meet Duncan, check him out, see if you might be willing to see where the night goes with both of us, and not just me. You’re in control. If you’re not interested, say the word and you can leave. With or without me.”
She leaned back, looked at Jacob, at his gaze full of longing and heat and passion, and took a deep breath. Wow. Okay. That is what he meant.
“So Jacob said you’re a graduate student?” Duncan asked, breaking the spell between his dinner companions.
Leah turned to Duncan, blinking and trying to focus as Jacob pulled his hand off her thigh. “Mmm-hmm, yes. Pure mathematics. I’m knee-deep in my thesis and hopefully I’ll finish by the end of the academic year.”
“Pure mathematics? Really? Do you find that challenging as a discipline? I’ve always heard it’s so cutthroat and male dominated.”
“Yeah,” Leah responded on a sigh, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I just laugh it off. It’s a bunch of peacocks on parade, trying to out-strut and out-plume each other. Unlike them, I’m not in it to find academic glory. I just find math in the abstract—the function of it all—to be fascinating.” The drinks arrived and Leah took a long sip, letting the vodka slide down her throat as she relaxed into the booth. “I could never be truly committed to the cause. I love alcohol and hot men way too much to be trapped in an ivory tower forever.”
Duncan and Jacob both laughed, picking up their new drinks and holding them out to Leah. “Well,” Duncan began, “you prove to be everything my partner described, Leah. I’m more than pleased to meet you.”
“Thanks,” Leah answered as she blushed over the rim of her glass.
As the evening wore on and the threesome slipped into comfortable conversation, Leah warmed to Duncan. He shared her passion for research and for knowledge. And he fought the good fight, working to identify learning disabilities before they became a hardship. It seemed almost noble. His looks didn’t hurt, either. I wonder what he’s like in bed. I wonder what they’re both like in bed. Leah looked down at the table and pictured the three of them tangled up in crisp hotel cotton. That could be interesting.
As she looked up, she caught both men staring at her, their eyes roving over her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, and down her body. She squirmed in her seat, shifted under their stare as both men cleared their throats. She reached for her drink as Duncan’s fingers found her thigh—long, sensuous fingers caressing and gliding over the fabric of her dress. As she took a sip, as she tried to focus on the heat of the liquor, Jacob’s hand gripped her other leg in a rough embrace. Her breath hitched, stuttering in her lungs as both men groped her under the tablecloth.
Jacob’s hand slid down her leg to her knee—naked and exposed. Leah gulped a heady swallow of air as his hand slipped under the hem of her dress, inching higher and higher on her bare skin. She hastily set her drink on the table, vodka sloshing as she palmed the booth, her fingers wrapping around the front of the cushion. As she closed her eyes and reveled in Jacob’s touch, Duncan’s fingers, those smooth, silky tendrils, slid under her dress from the other side. Her nails dug into the cushion, cutting little half moons into the leather as both men’s fingers toyed with the edge of her panties. Her breathing grew rapid—quick little pants as her eyes popped open and she scanned the room. A restaurant full of patrons, all lost in the moment, all engrossed in conversations, none seeing the reckless woman in the corner booth.
Jacob’s fingers scraped the lace of her underwear, digging underneath as the waiter stepped into view. Leah coughed and scooted forward, swiping first Jacob’s then Duncan’s hand off her body, and smoothing down her dress. As the waiter cleared the dessert plates, she looked at both men, a quick scan of faces awash in lust. “I’m sorry, would you excuse me? I need to go to the restroom.”
“Of course.” Jacob got out of the booth to give her space.
“Thank you.” She slid around and extricated herself from the table. “I’ll be right back.”
She stumbled to the bathroom, legs shaky and weak, and stood at the mirror. Flushed and fevered, she was so turned on she could probably come with her imagination alone. One hot man groping her under the table was plenty. But two? She’d definitely won the lottery. They seemed like opposites—Jacob rough and worn, a cowboy scuffed and bruised from the ride. Duncan, a rodeo athletic trainer, applying a soothing salve to a battered body. She groaned as she thought of their hands on her body, calluses scratching her skin, smooth fingers soothing the pain. She closed her eyes and rested her hands on the counter, a deep breath in, a jagged exhalation, as she tried to calm down.
She heard the door open, heard the squeak of hinges needing oil, and looked up. A waitress walked in, a pale young woman with piercings up one ear and down the other. She looked at Leah and paused mid-stride. “Are you okay?”
Leah pushed off the counter and ran her hands over her hair. “Yeah, I just needed a minute to clear my head.”
The woman looked at her, eyes narrowed, brain churning. “Wait. Were you at the table in the corner? With those hot older men?”
Leah flushed, the color racing up her cheeks as she bit her lip. “Yeah…”
“Well then I don’t blame you for needing a break. Man, if I sat all night between those two…I don’t think a cold shower would make a dent.”
Leah laughed as the waitress slipped into a stall. She turned back to the mirror, took a deep breath, and washed her hands. As she grabbed a paper towel, the waitress reappeared and washed her hands one sink over. Leah looked at her, looked back at herself in the mirror and blurted out, “Can I ask you a question?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“If you had the opportunity to have a threesome, would you do it?”
The woman turned to Leah, mouth open, as the water ran in the sink. “You mean with those two out there?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Oh my god, yes. Seriously, go for it,” the waitress declared as she turned off the water. “Wait, are you single?”
Leah nodded.
“Are they single?”
“Actually…I have no idea.”
“Find out. If they are, then hell yes. Do it. If you don’t, I’m totally going to proposition them myself.”
Leah laughed as the waitress dried her hands. “Thank you.”
“No problem. Now get out there before they leave.”
Leah nodded and hustled out the door and back to the table. Duncan slid out to let her slide in, and both men turned to her.
“Leah—” Jacob began, but she cut him off.
“Wait. I have a question. For both of you. Are you si
ngle? The truth, please.”
Both men laughed, Jacob’s a deep, throaty hum, Duncan’s a chuckle behind his glass. “Yes. I can assure you we’re both single. No cheating here.”
“Excellent.” Leah exhaled as she leaned back in the booth. “Now, what were you saying?”
“I was about to ask if you’d come to our room. See if we can satisfy more than just our hunger for good food.”
She looked at Jacob, looked at Duncan, looked at Jacob again, and started laughing. “I think I’ve lost my mind. That or I’m hallucinating.”
“Is that a yes?”
Is it? This is completely insane, even for me. But they were both delicious. She’d broken up with Ben because he was too boring, too sedate for her. Maybe a rebound like this is exactly what I need. She picked up her drink and drained it. “Yes. Let’s go before I wake up and rethink this decision.”
“That sounds like a marvelous idea.” Duncan smiled and stood, waiting for Leah and Jacob as they slid out of the booth together.
Chapter Three
The hotel room door swung open and Leah stepped in as Duncan flicked on the light. The suite in front of her stopped her still and her hand flew to cover her open mouth as she gawked. I guess genetics pays a lot more than graduate school. Damn. Calling the suite a hotel room didn’t begin to do it justice. An entire apartment sprawled out in all directions and Leah stood in the middle of a living room bigger than her whole place back at the university.
She slipped off her flip-flops and padded to the sofa, a burgundy velvet beacon calling her name. She crumpled onto it, sinking into the cushion and tucking her legs underneath her.
“Wine? Vodka? Champagne?” Duncan called from the kitchen.
“Champagne please,” Leah answered as she leaned back and closed her eyes. But a second later the champagne cork popped and Leah sat up with a start—her heart fluttering and stomach churning. Stop being nervous. It’s ridiculous. With a snort of irritation, she slipped her rings off, unhooked her bracelets, dragged her necklace over her head and dumped the whole lot into her bag as Jacob walked into the living room.
“Here, let me take that.” She handed over her bag and he deposited it on the entry table as Duncan swept in with three glasses of champagne.
He passed them out and held his in a toast. “To relaxing, having fun, and letting go.” He raised his glass to his lips and Leah did the same.
She looked at the men, both standing over her as she sipped the champagne, and images of her empty hotel room popped into her head. With a swallow, she opened her mouth to voice the anxiety creeping in, when both men sat on either side of her on the couch, wrapping her in a cocoon of masculinity.
“You know, Leah, we can just sit and talk, if that’s what you want.” Jacob slipped his fingers over her knee as he looked at her. She took a deep breath as his hand inched higher up her thigh and across her hip and waist. He grazed her bare arm and she jumped, jostling her champagne. As the fizzy liquid ran over her knee, she closed her eyes and shook her head, laughing at her newfound shyness.
“Nervous?” Duncan glanced at her as he wrapped his fingers around her bare arm. She nodded as his hand slid up her arm to her shoulder and pushed her hair aside to rub her neck. “Turn your back to me, let me calm those nerves,” he whispered into her ear. She complied as his fingers slid up to her shoulders and dug in, kneading out the nerves and anxiety with expert rhythm.
Leah drained her champagne and let it bubble and fizz in her mouth like a sparkler on her tongue. As the bubbles faded, she swallowed and exhaled a giant ball of tension with her breath. Jacob took her glass and she closed her eyes to give herself over to the massage.
Duncan pampered her—a man who knew how to work out her muscles and ease her tension. But then Jacob’s hand ran down her leg and grabbed her foot, pulling it toward him. His fingers ran over the cardinal tattoo, stroking it before rubbing her arch and making her moan. Their hands—four strong, persuasive hands—rubbed and circled and kneaded her body until any knot of reluctance dissolved.
She leaned back into Duncan ’s chest and he caught her as she fell into him, his hands sliding over her arms to her breasts, making her gasp. Her body arched into his hands as they cupped and circled and swirled around her nipples. And then Jacob’s hands slid up her leg, inching her dress higher and higher, and her eyes popped open. She looked at him and he smiled, skin crinkling around his brown eyes as he ducked his head to kiss her knee. She moaned at his touch, at the sensation of hands and bodies everywhere all at once.
Duncan’s fingers slid under the straps of her dress and bra, coaxing her arms out of the fabric. As she slipped her arms free and hooked them over his neck, his hands slid down, all buttercream and satin, over her arms and shoulders, to slide her dress down to her waist. He unhooked her bra and tossed it on the floor, wrapping his hands around her breasts—his silky-soft hands, caressing and teasing her nipples. She gasped as he pinched them, as he tugged and pulled and twirled the hardened buds between his fingers. Writhing on the couch, her panties soaked through and her body ached for release.
She bucked like a mare put up in a chute, jumping and jostling while waiting for the gate to swing open and send her rocketing into the ring. She needed that chute to open, needed those four hands to work her harder, wrap their fingers around her braided rein and ride her until there was nothing left. She dug her nails into Duncan’s shoulders and let her legs fall open, opening the door for Jacob to slide up her body.
He took the invitation, his knees nestling between her open thighs, as his hands ran over her skin. He pushed her dress up to her waist, the fabric pooling and draping over her middle, the couch and the floor, as his hands slid up to her panties. She lifted her body and he slid them off, hands devouring every inch of her thighs and calves as the fabric slid free. As her panties slipped to the floor, she threw one leg over the back of the couch and one onto the floor, giving Jacob all she had to offer.
He groaned as he looked her over, running his hands up and down her inner thighs. “I can’t wait to taste you, to make you scream as you come.”
“That makes two of us.” Duncan leaned over her to kiss her mouth. His lips met hers for the first time and their satin smoothness pried her lips apart with the softest pressure. Their tongues swirled together and she lost herself in his taste and touch, until Jacob’s tongue raked her slick channel from bottom to top. She crushed into Duncan, shocked at the sensation of both men at once, and he laughed through their kiss. Jacob’s tongue explored her, teasing apart her outer lips, running up and down her folds until she bucked and ground her body into his. Oh, god. All those hands and tongues lapping her body. It was wild and crazed and untamed.
Duncan found her chin with one hand, grasping firmly and keeping her mouth pressed to his as he circled and pinched her nipple with his other. She cried out, a muffled scream through Duncan’s mouth, and thrashed until Jacob’s hands gripped her thighs, pinned her to the couch with his strength.
As she stilled, Jacob’s hands slid up her inner thighs, spreading her apart as he dipped his tongue inside her. He pumped his tongue in and out, coating them both in her liquid desire. Then he pulled back, running his fingers over her mound, dipping them inside, sliding them back out, avoiding her clit with expert precision. She moaned and cried and thrashed again, her body begging him for more, her tongue circling and battling Duncan’s until he relented, releasing her to fall back on his chest. She gasped huge, gaping mouthfuls of air as he slid out from under her and kneeled on the floor, trailing kisses down her neck and arm. He reached her breast and teased her with his tongue, licking and kissing the bottom of her breast as he inched toward her nipple.
Before she could think, before she could moan, the chute flew open, tongues flicking, licking, and driving her wild. She screamed out as Duncan’s teeth grazed her nipple and Jacob drew her clit into his mouth, suckling and nipping. He spread her with his fingers, pulling apart her folds and flicking her clit with his ton
gue. She bucked with all her might, a jumping, galloping beast, a mare with eight seconds to prove herself in the ring, as both men ravaged her. Screaming out, she exploded in carnal release, falling back on the couch and panting.
After a few minutes, her eyelids fluttered, and her eyes opened. She peered through the fog of her satisfaction and saw Duncan stand, unbutton his shirt and drape it over a chair. He was slim, but sculpted, firm muscles packed in tight, skin smooth and hair-free. She reached out to touch him and he smiled, stepping closer. “Hi sleeping beauty, are you waking up?”
She smiled, languid and slow. “I wasn’t sleeping, just recharging.” She looked down to see Jacob watching her at the foot of the couch and she smiled at him as well. “You’re amazing. Both of you, but Jacob, my god the things you can do with your tongue.”
He smiled and ran his hand over her shin. “Thank you. So are you still interested in staying? In having a good time tonight?”
She pulled up, pushed off the couch and let her dress fall to the floor. “I am.”
Leah held her hand out to Jacob, pulling him up to stand in front of her. She found his buttons, undoing them one by one until she slipped his shirt off his shoulders. He pulled his undershirt off and she almost clapped her hands in delight. Where Duncan was smooth and trim, Jacob was thick and muscled, with neatly trimmed chest hair peppered with gray. She ran her hands over his muscles, his tanned skin aged by the summer sun. Before she could breathe, Duncan’s hands were on her back, running up and down, exploring her body an inch at a time. He trailed kisses over her shoulder as she undid Jacob’s pants. She ran her hands under his boxers and slid everything off at once, letting them fall to the floor in a heap. She inhaled as she saw the size of him, his cock thick and veined in front of her. She looked up at him with eyebrows raised. “Jacob…wow. I don’t know if I can handle you. I mean…you’re…”