by Gina Kincade
“Fuck, sweetheart... Mmm... That feels good.”
His hands gently moved in her hair, urging her to take him deeper and faster as he neared climax. Pleasure arced down his spine straight into his cock. His balls tightened as she suckled harder, pushing him over the edge.
She swallowed down his release as he loosened his grip in her hair. Malea lifted her head and grinned at him. Wiping the corners of her mouth, he dragged her up the length of his body and sealed his lips over hers.
“Foods on!” Ty’s voice carried from downstairs.
Malea pulled back and smiled. “We have a long day and night ahead of us... You better get some fuel in you.” She pecked his cheek, rolled off him, and headed down stairs.
Ty smiled as she entered the kitchen. “Did you get him up?”
She chuckled. Snagging her salad and fork, she winked before heading out of the kitchen and into the living room to put some music on for her feathered boy to dance to. Sitting next to Jabba, she snagged a piece of chicken from her lunch and fed it to her fat tabby.
JOSH HIT THE BOTTOM of the steps, his gaze drifting to the back of Malea’s head. He could see her foot on the coffee table, bouncing to the music as she devoured her lunch.
Grinning, he turned into the kitchen and snagged the plate Ty held out to him with an arched brow.
“You should be careful telling her to find a way to rouse me in the morning.”
Ty snorted. “It’s not morning anymore, and I figured she’d find some way to start your day out right.”
Josh nodded, tossing a fry in his mouth. “Oh, she did.”
Ty passed by him, pressing his lips to his, then made his way to the living room to plop on the couch next to Malea. Reaching over, she snagged a fry from his plate.
Ty playfully growled at her. “You’re the one who wanted the damn salad. And now you’re stealing my fries.”
She laughed. “And you can share your fries. There is no way you are going to finish all that food.”
He held another fry out to her. She snatched it up dramatically, baring her teeth briefly, before smiling as she chewed it. Josh joined them, flopping on her other side and popping open a soda.
“What time do we need to be at the ball?” Ty asked.
“Seriously?” Malea and Josh both echoed loudly.
“I have told you this like fifteen times,” Malea grumbled. “You don’t listen.”
Ty narrowed his gaze at her. “No more fries for you.”
She shook her head and laughed. “We need to leave here around seven. We’re going to pick up Jenna and Trent on our way.” Looking up at the clock, she sighed. “I gotta get going. Jenna and I need to pick up a few last things for tonight.”
Leaning to the left, she pressed a kiss to Ty’s lips, then turned to her right and kissed Josh, before rising from the couch. When she passed by Ty with her empty plate, his hand shot out, smacking her ass. Her gaze darted back to him as he grinned down at his food.
“What was that for?” she asked, her free hand landing on her hip and her brow ticking up playfully.
“I couldn’t help myself... I have a mind to do more, but you don’t have time.”
“Mmm...” She looked back up at the clock and sighed. “I really don’t, but you’re both all mine tonight,” she said, sidestepping his grabby hands.
Chapter Twelve
“You look happy,” Jenna noted as she studied Malea.
Malea bit her bottom lip and smiled. “I am happy, like happy in a way that I never expected.”
“So you’re in love? With which one?”
“Is the not knowing eating away at you?” Malea joked as she turned her SUV down the street to their first stop.
Jenna blew out a deep breath. “This isn’t about my curiosity. I worry about you.”
“Admit it—it’s a little bit about your curiosity.”
Jenna groaned. “I’m serious, Malea.”
“Fine... you know I’ve always loved Tyler, and I think it’s safe to say that I am definitely falling for Josh. What the three of us have together is new, but I’ve never felt so complete, so loved and cared for. So I’m not sharing many details because this is about Josh, Tyler, and me. As much as I love you... I don’t want to worry about others judging what we do.”
“I’ve never judged you, Malea.”
Malea reached over and squeezed Jenna’s hand. “I know, but it’s new and I want to keep it between the boys and me.”
“Fair enough, as long as you’re happy... Just so you know, I warned them not to break your heart.”
“Oh geez, what the hell did you say to them?”
“Nothing bad. I just told them not to hurt you.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about that,” she said, pulling up to the curb. “Now, come on. Let’s get this shopping done.”
A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER, after dropping Jenna off and waving to Trent from the car, Malea pulled away from the curb and headed back to the house. It was already five thirty and time was counting down. She still needed to do something with the wild mass of hair that was pinned on top of her head, get her face put on, and round up the two sexy men that were clearly going to lead her into trouble. She bit her bottom lip as she thought about them; they were her perfect, sexy troublemakers. And putting the three of them together was a recipe for carnal satisfaction.
“I’m home,” Malea hollered as she kicked the door shut and hurried up the stairs.
Ty stepped out of his open door. “We thought you’d be back way sooner, Lea.”
“Sorry, Jenna’s a shopper. I got jewelry though,” she said, shaking the small bag she held in her right hand. Catching the time on her watch, she started for her room. “I gotta get this process started; I’m running out of time to get ready.”
Ty smiled. “Just put the dress on, Lea. That’s all you need to be ready for tonight.”
“Aw, you are such a sweet liar,” she joked, making her way into her room and closing the door behind her.
“SHE JUST CALLED YOU a liar,” Josh rumbled as he ran a trimmer over his beard, tightening up the short, clean mass of hair that spotted his jaw and parts of his cheeks.
Ty nodded, moving to his own sink in the bathroom they shared. Grabbing his toothbrush, he squeezed a mountain of paste on it, ran it under the cold water, and began brushing his teeth. He mumbled around the head of the brush as the bristles scrubbed over his pearly whites. “She truly thinks she needs makeup. She’s beautiful without it.”
“Agreed. However, makeup for her is the equivalent of all that crap you use to style your hair or what my beard is to me... it gives her the boost of confidence she needs.”
Ty spit in the sink and rinsed his mouth, catching Josh’s gaze in the mirror. “I get the point of makeup. I just wish she didn’t think she needed it.”
Josh turned to face him, scrubbing his hand over his short beard, and leaned his hip against the vanity counter. “That’s our job... Have you told her she’s beautiful?”
Ty narrowed his gaze. “I must have... Haven’t I?”
“God, you’re lucky I don’t require compliments. I’ve heard you call her beautiful... but I’ve never heard you say it to her.”
Ty groaned. “It should be obvious... that I think you both are fucking gorgeous.”
Josh patted his cheek. “Like I said, I don’t need the compliments... but I’m not a girl.”
Ty scoffed. “Yeah, I figured that out.”
Josh laughed as he headed through the door to his room and pulled out the black suit he would be wearing. “Make sure you tell her she’s beautiful tonight.”
With a frustrated sigh, Ty moved into his room and pulled out his own suit. “Hey, did you look at your mask?”
“Yeah, when I went with Malea to get them, Lola showed them to me... They apparently go with Malea’s mask and dress. So do the ties she tossed in. They’re made from the material she used for Malea’s dress,” Josh called from his room.
Ty shook h
is head. “You just said you weren’t a girl. Why do you know all of this?”
“Because I pay attention, asshole,” Josh said, sauntering into Ty’s room, stopping only a few feet away and crossing his muscled arms over his hard chest, his broad shoulders stiff as he glared at Ty.
Ty chuckled and stepped up to him, cupping his chin. “Don’t look so irritated. This is why we work.”
“Because I’m like a girl?” Josh asked incredulously.
“No.” Ty laughed. “Because we compliment each other. Where I am lacking, you pick up the slack. Together, we make the perfect man for Lea.”
Josh shrugged, not denying what was truth. Ty pulled Josh’s face to his, his lips sealing over his and kissed him softly. “Remember, I’m the sin and you’re the saint.”
Josh huffed. “No, I am the sin, and you are the saint.”
Ty grinned and murmured, “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
Josh pulled from Ty’s grasp and turned to leave. Ty took the opportunity to smack Josh’s hard ass as he left the room. “Go finish getting gussied up, hot shit.”
Josh flipped him off over his shoulder.
“That’s the plan after the party.”
Chapter Thirteen
Malea struggled against the zipper of her dress. Blowing out a frustrated breath, she reached back, yanked the tiny slider up, drawing the teeth together, and closed the pale-colored silk. Making her way to her vanity, she put on the long, shimmering earrings she had picked out earlier and slid on a stunning diamond ring she’d inherited from her grandmother. Stepping up to her full-length mirror, she took inventory of her appearance. She had decided to go with sleek, straightened hair, pulling the locks away from her face in a half-updo. Her lips were painted in a deep pinkish purple to match her mask and manicured nails, and her eyes were lined in deep brown—making her blue eyes pop—while a layer of mascara lengthened her thick lashes.
Her long, fitted dress started out in a stunning shade of pale pink on the bodice and deepened to a nearly black shade of purple at the bottom of the flared skirt. Tiny rhinestones littered the drop waist and skirt in shades of pink and gold, shimmering with every step she took. Reaching for her mask, she held it up to her face. Black trimmed the beautiful purple filigree base. A teardrop stone lay between her eyebrows while pink and gold detailing finished off the elegant look.
Slipping her feet into a pair of glittering-gold pumps, Malea took a deep breath, tied her mask in place, and headed out of her room and down the stairs. Just as she hit the bottom step, the boys came out of the living room.
Both men stopped and stared at her. Malea fought a blush as they peered intently at her through black-and-gold masks that were styled much like hers, but in more masculine tones. Both wore all black, sleek-fitted suits, sport coats open and matching ties made of the same material as the skirt of her dress—deep purple silk that faded to black at the tip.
Ty licked his lips. “You look gorgeous, Lea.” He whispered the words, stunned by the sight before him. “God, I am an idiot.”
Her head tilted, and she frowned. “What?”
Ty shook his head. “I don’t know how I haven’t said it every fucking day. You are stunning, Lea.”
She laughed softly. “Thank you. You look pretty damn good in that suit. Both of you do,” she said, stepping forward and caressing both of their cheeks. “You trimmed,” she murmured to Josh.
He nodded. “I did, but forget about us. Ty is right. You look beautiful, sweetheart.”
Ty grabbed the small clutch purse she had sitting on the entry table and handed it to her. “We were coming to get you. The limo is here. Are you ready?”
She nodded, linking one arm with Ty and the other with Josh. Together, they headed out of the door to the limo. Sliding onto the soft leather, Malea scooted to the side bench, followed by the guys. The driver closed them in the interior of the limo and headed out to get Jenna and Trent.
“Did you call for the limo?” Josh asked, leaning past Ty to look at Malea.
Shaking her head, she told him, “James De La Fontaine did.”
Ty arched a brow. “He sends a limo for all his guests?”
Malea bit her lip. “No,” she admitted. “He might have a bit of a thing for me.”
Both light and dark sets of eyes narrowed on her.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said, averting her gaze.
“He sent a fucking limo for you, Lea, and you are showing up with not one but two men escorting you.”
Her bottom lip pushed out slightly. “Well, I told Cole—his older brother. He’s the one who added the two of you to the guest list and insisted that it was perfectly fine and the limo would still be here to pick us up.”
Josh arched a brow. “Does he dislike his brother?”
Now instead of her lip pouting, she sighed. “He thinks his brother is arrogant... and in the interest of being honest... I did go out with him, but only once,” she quickly added.
Ty and Josh both sighed and threw their heads against the back of the seat, eyes closed.
Attempting not to smile, she watched as they responded in unison to her admission.
Ty cracked open his right lid and stared at her. “How long ago?”
She really did avert her gaze this time and mumbled something neither of them could hear.
“Lea?”
There was that warning-scolding tone again. God, could he read her or what?
Groaning, she let her gaze sweep back over them, but settled her weary gaze on Josh, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. “The night we met at Night Sinners,” she answered softly.
Josh leaned forward, shaking his head. “How’d the date end?”
“Me home alone in my PJs by seven thirty... so it was a bust.”
“And you haven’t heard from him since?” Ty asked.
She shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t have asked you guys to come if I thought there was even a chance of an issue arising. But if I am wrong, we will leave immediately.”
Josh smiled. Reaching past Ty, he popped her lip from her teeth as she began chewing on it again. “Deal.”
Sighing, she leaned back as the limo stopped in front of Jenna and Trent’s home.
PULLING UP TO THE DE La Fontaine home, they exited the limo and were greeted by a masked attendant palming a tray of champagne glasses.
The group followed the lighted path to the backyard. The massive area was set up with a dance floor, multiple bars, tables decorated in traditional Mardi Gras colors, and a couple of dozen servers dressed in black pants, white shirts, and either black, gold, purple, or green masks.
The massive porch of the three-story mansion was draped with gold, purple, and green silks, between large, white columns. Exceptionally talented aerial acrobats contorted their bodies upon the hanging silk, as they danced and created an awe-inspiring show.
“Wow,” Jenna breathed.
“Wow is right,” Malea agreed. “They went all out this year.”
The entire yard was lit in a soft purple glow from strategically placed large heating lamps, while massive, green-flamed fires burned in the outdoor fireplaces that created intimate seating areas throughout the nearly fifteen-acre, manicured yard.
“Do you want to find a table or should we take up one of the seating areas near the fireplace?” Trent asked.
Malea and Jenna eyed the place again and both moved towards a more intimate seating area on the fringe of the main setup. The ladies sat as the boys went to fight the crowd and get them drinks.
Jenna sat silently for only a minute before she smiled and shook her head. “You three make a stunning couple... I guess it isn’t really a couple. What do I call you three?”
Malea shrugged. “I’m not really sure, but thank you.”
Jenna laughed. “Aren’t you like the research queen? Maybe you should look some of this shit up.”
“Nope,” Malea said, shaking her head. “Some things don’t need titles. This love is pure,
and that’s all that matters.”
“So you love them?”
Malea’s gaze drifted to Josh and Ty standing in line at the nearest bar. Lips curled as they smiled and chatted with Trent. Both sets of eyes shifted to her, as if they had sensed her watching them. She smiled back, and then looked to Jenna, where she held her friends stare.
“I love them both. I can’t attempt to explain it, or how it happened so fast, but they complete my soul. It soars when I am with them, and I know deep down that I could never choose between the two.”
Jenna smiled and nodded. “That’s all I ever wanted for you. I’m glad you’re happy.”
The guys returned a few minutes later. Ty handed Malea a drink, then he and Josh sandwiched her on the lounge-style couch. The group laughed and chatted. They were greeted by a few people who recognized them, in spite of the masks, and before they knew it, long hours had passed. Trent eventually pulled Jenna from her seat and led her to the dance floor.
Malea smiled and watched them as they embraced and moved to the slow beat that poured from the speakers. Her gaze didn’t remain long as it surveyed the area taking in all that was happening around them. Ty’s arm wrapped around her shoulders and guided her back to a lounging position. Josh’s arm snaked behind her lower back and his hand ran slow short strokes over her hip as Ty leaned closer to her.
Whispering in her ear, Ty asked, “What are you thinking about? I can see some sort of longing in those beautiful sapphire pools.”
She smiled a stunning curl of her lips and turned to face him. “I long for nothing more than what I have right here on this couch. I feel complete.”
She stroked his cheek and leaned in even closer to his tempting mouth. “I love you.”
She kissed him tenderly, but nipped his bottom lip as she pulled back. She turned to Josh then and smiled. His deep eyes bore into her. Reaching up, she ran her fingers over his tight beard and her thumb over his full bottom lip, caressing the soft skin.