Aiden went to one knee, bringing her down with him, then urged her legs apart, opening her pussy. “You denied me. Now show them all you’re mine. Fuck yourself.”
She shook her head, turning her face to kiss his jaw. “I want you,” she groaned. “I’ll get us a room…”
“Pansy’s here. She’ll watch the floor for you.”
“Dammit, Aiden. I found you something. Someone new to play with.”
“And you assumed I’d be all over him? Why?”
She raised her eyelids. Her dark gaze met his, confusion and regret wrinkling her forehead. “I thought…”
Aiden’s chest tightened. He didn’t like being led. Didn’t like that she’d read him so well. He hardened his face. “Sink three fingers inside yourself.”
With her lower lip pushing out in a lush pout and her shoulders sinking, she at last did as he asked, thrusting three long fingers deep inside. But her gaze never lowered. Defiance gleamed in the moisture welling in her eyes.
Chapter Two
Whistles rang out. Laughter, masculine and dirty, followed.
Craig straightened from his bent-over stretch. A sleek black pickup pulled in beside him. He flicked his middle finger after recognizing two of the men who waved their arms out the passenger windows.
Another searching glance later and his back stiffened. Inside the truck, crammed across the front and back passenger bench seats, were five of the Memphis Fire Department’s finest, plus one interesting addition.
With a strut in his stride, Craig approached, stepped onto the truck rail and leaned through the open side window. The moment he looked inside, he wished he hadn’t. Shock struck him like a sucker punch to his midsection when he noted who the driver was.
His gaze then went straight to the lone woman among the brawny bunch, hoping no one had noticed the color seeping into his face. Jennifer Callum sat squished between the firefighters in the front bench seat.
“’Sup, Jenn?” he asked, giving her a direct, questioning stare. She’d never attended one of their friendly Saturday morning games.
Her dark brow arched like a wing. “Lookin’ to see who’s got the best game,” she drawled.
The men in the truck laughed.
Craig gave her a tight smile, then aimed a challenging glare around the cab. “Boys, you ready to get your asses whooped?”
Grins stretched. The fireman sitting closest, a brawny, blue-eyed man with a tattooed sleeve that ended at his elbow, grabbed the door handle and popped the door open, forcing Craig to jump back. “Eason, we’re gonna have your pansy ass cryin’.”
“You’re dreamin’, Sorensen.” Craig forked his fingers and pointed at his eyes and then at the tall, blond Swede. “I’m gonna be all over you. You lose, you buy.” He smiled at the guffaws and curses that followed him as he walked past the front of the muscle truck.
The driver’s door opened. Craig allowed himself a second to acknowledge the big, dark man who stepped to the ground with a curt jerk of his chin, then continued strolling toward the benches beside the field where his team was gathering. He only hoped his reaction to the burly man wasn’t noticeable. Or was at least attributed to Jenn, whom the big guy helped from the truck.
Craig shook his head. He liked Jenn. A lot. But the tension in his body didn’t have a thing to do with her. It had everything to do with the man who placed his hand on Jenn’s waist like he was staking a claim.
Seemed it only took that dark, searing glance to make Craig’s cock stir. Not something he wanted to admit to another living soul. Craig was a ladies’ man. Everyone knew that about him. It was part of the image he groomed. But the image was beginning to show some wear. Little cracks were appearing around the edges from some of the things he’d indulged in lately.
He dragged his gaze away as he approached his own team’s bench. Craig smiled easily at the girls, his friends’ fiancées, who were setting up folding chairs well behind the football field’s sidelines.
He took Marti Kowalski’s chair and unfolded it, then waved his hand for her to take a seat.
“Why, thank you, suh,” she said in a mock-Southern accent, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Marti wasn’t from Memphis. Raised by a dad in the military, she’d lived all over the world before landing here and meeting up with Jackson Teague, whom both Gus and Craig had met in high school.
Marti’s cheeks bloomed with color before her gaze slid away.
Yeah, he was remembering last night too. After Ash and Gus had left La Forge, Gus had brought his girl home for a little payback, which had included some very sexy play with their band of brothers. Marti had gotten to join in too, with Jackson scowling ominously from the sidelines to make sure his rules for her conduct were enforced.
Craig leaned close. “Is he watching?” he whispered.
“Uh-hmm,” she murmured, pushing her hair behind her ear. “And scowling.”
“Good.” He bent closer still and gave her cheek a peck. “For the team.”
She pulled back and laughed. “You didn’t do that for the team.”
He winked. “Why should Jackson have all the fun?”
The sound of a throat clearing had him glancing down at Ash, who sat in her chair, her feet propped up on a cooler. “Don’t think I’m gonna forget…”
“Forget what?” he asked cheerfully. The guys had already formed a pact. Whatever happened during playtime was never talked about. Not even among those who’d been there—just so no one ever felt uncomfortable afterward. What they did, they did for each other. To ensure their happiness. Guilt and jealousy would never enter into the equation because they’d never allow it.
So far, it had worked. Of course, last night’s escapade was still fresh enough to cause both him and Ash to blush.
“Just sayin’,” Ash said, a dimple digging into her cheek as she flashed him a smile. “Saw the look Aiden was givin’ you last night.”
“Aiden?” he asked, trying to act casual.
“The tall dude with Jenn. He’s new. Moved from Kansas City. Can’t believe you’ve missed him at the club. He’s a Dom.”
“Must have a different schedule. Didn’t know Jenn was seein’ anyone.”
“She’s kept it quiet.”
“Why’s that?”
“I think she doesn’t want to jinx anything. Wants time to see where it all leads.” Her eyebrows did a little up-and-down jiggle. “Which makes his interest in you really intriguing.”
Craig swallowed to clear the sudden dryness in his mouth. “What interest?”
“Pansy worked the floor last night. She was watching everything. Jenn had told her she might want to play and needed someone to cover her shift. Pansy says Aiden and Jenn were watching us too closely for it to be casual.” Her sharp-eyed gaze studied him.
Craig hoped he kept his excitement from his expression. “Darlin’, you held everyone spellbound.”
She narrowed her eyes. “She said they weren’t watching me all that much.”
He grunted, pretending that he wasn’t pleased he hadn’t been imagining the connection the night before.
“Just be careful, Craig. He likes to play a little rough.”
His breath hitched, holding for a tense second or two, then slowly escaped. “That supposed to warn me off?”
She chuckled. “Guess not. Sweetie, you always this hard before a game?”
Craig gave her a quick, biting glare, which only made her laugh more, then strode toward the bench where his posse—Jackson, Gus, Mondo Acevedo and Beau McIntyre—waited.
Gus’s eyebrows shot high and then he dipped his gaze to below Craig’s waist. “You wearin’ that cup or is it wearin’ you?”
Craig grimaced and dropped his hand to adjust it. “Let’s not talk about it. Maybe it’ll go away.”
“Better not have a thing to do with Marti,” Jackson growled, but his eyes danced with amusement.
“My bet’s on Jenn,” Beau said, his chocolate eyes alight, but his expression remaining deadpan. “Saw
you chatting her up. Surprised the firehouse boys didn’t kick your ass.”
All four of his friends’ gazes studied him.
“Jenn and I are just…friends.” He knew he wasn’t being very convincing by the sharpening of those honed looks. “She’s got a guy.”
Beau’s head nodded slowly. His lips stretched just a fraction. Beau knew that Craig wouldn’t be the least put off by sharing a bed with a girl and another man. They’d done it while helping Jackson tackle every item on Marti’s sexual bucket list. But while Beau had been nervous about just how close and intimate their dicks had gotten, Craig had suffered no such embarrassment.
Truth was, Craig had discovered he had no true preference for dick or pussy. Something he hadn’t known about himself until Beau’s cock had been crammed against his inside Marti.
Beau kept staring, waiting for a reaction.
Craig gave him a cutting glare. “There’s no ah-ha. Jenn and I are just friends, and like I said, she’s with another dude.”
“I didn’t say a damn thing, but funny how you needed to point that out.”
Gus clapped Craig’s back then squeezed his shoulder with his big, beefy hand. “Buddy, I’m just glad I don’t have to worry about your dick bein’ anywhere near me again.”
Craig shook his shoulder to ease the pinch. “Great blowjob, by the way,” he murmured.
Gus shook his head. “Never know when to stop, do you?”
“Looks like you’ll be the next to fall,” Jackson said, chuckling. “But will there be a bride or another groom?”
“Shut the fuck up. All of you.”
Jackson raised his hands. “Not judgin’, man. We’re here for you.”
“It’s not like that…”
“All this protestin’…”
Craig gave Jackson a shove.
“Hey, you bunch of badge bunnies! Quit flirtin’! It’s time to play,” Sorensen yelled from the middle of the field.
“I’ll show you flirtin’,” Craig said, cracking his neck before following his teammates to the field.
What was supposed to be a friendly game of flag football between his police substation and the local firehouse had devolved into a much rougher game over the past few weeks. Not that anyone was complaining. Those who played upheld the honor of their uniforms—and earned a chance at a morning off, because both departments ensured the best players represented their departments.
Craig, Gus and Jackson had all played high school football together and still worked like a team on the field. Beau and Mondo, whom they had added to their inner circle when they met at the academy, were agile and fast due to their martial arts training, and they melded well with the team on the gridiron.
The game started after the flip of the coin gave Craig’s team the ball. Several skirmishes later, they had inched their way toward the goal line.
“Hut, hut…”
The ball snapped and Craig ran long, skirting the scrimmage line then running deep into the end zone.
The ball soared and he jumped high, but a long arm stole the ball.
Aiden gave him a smile and darted past Beau to run toward the opposite end zone.
After brushing dirt off his backside, Craig followed Aiden, not stopping until another player forced the big brute to step out of bounds—but not before a twist of Aiden’s body delivered a slam which knocked Craig on his butt. The ref’s whistle stopped the play.
Craig glared up at Aiden. “What was with the body check?” he growled. “It’s touch football.”
“Sorry. Didn’t see you there.” Aiden held out his hand.
“Right.” He accepted the help up, but the other man’s grip was hot and strong. Craig felt a flush climb his neck as he sprinted away.
Since all the players worked offense and defense, the lineup didn’t change.
Craig crouched, then jerked his head up when Aiden bent opposite him.
“I’ll try not to hurt you,” Aiden said softly, but the smile on his face was anything but reassuring.
Craig felt another stirring in his loins. “Don’t hold back on my account,” he muttered.
Aiden nodded. “I won’t then.”
The snap caught Craig off-guard, and Aiden plowed right through him, shouldering him out of the way as he rushed past to guard the quarterback, who ran with the ball.
Craig bounced up and followed, but Aiden was quick for man his size and kept stride with the quarterback. Gus, who was in position in the backfield, ran for the quarterback, elbowing past Aiden to catch the flag waving from the quarterback’s rump. A whistle blew.
When Craig bent in the huddle, Jackson gave him a dark look. “Keep your head in the game or they’re gonna beat our asses.”
“Maybe that’s what he’s hoping,” Mondo bit out, giving Craig a glare.
“You did see he’s gettin’ physical, right? How come the ref’s not callin’ him on it?”
“Lonnie’s too busy flirtin’ with Jenn to notice your boyfriend.”
“Ha-ha, very funny,” Craig said, snarling and getting a little worried that the rest of the team, not just his close friends, had picked up on the tension rising between him and Aiden.
The huddle broke. Beau slapped his bottom. “Don’t worry. They’re just teasing.”
“I’m not worried. There’s nothing goin’ on.”
“Sure. Wanna change positions with me?”
Craig went to the right of the line and hunkered down. A moment later, Aiden faced him again, the knuckles of one hand digging into the grass. “Trying to avoid me, Eason?”
“I wasn’t thinkin’ anything about you.”
The snap sent the lines into motion. This time, Gus plowed into the quarterback and the ball went rolling. Craig leaped over the quarterback and dove for the ball. A large body slammed into him, taking him to the ground. He didn’t need to glance back to know who had him pinned.
“Nice ass.” A hand slid over him, intimately.
Craig tensed, lying still even after Aiden rolled away.
“You hurt? Man’s a fucking bulldozer,” Gus said, standing beside him as Craig slowly rolled, then pushed up to stand.
Gus’s gaze dropped. “Man, you need a bigger cup.”
Jenn watched the interplay between Craig and Aiden. Anyone who knew them both well would know something was going on between them. All that testosterone floating in the air was a heady, dangerous mix. Aiden seemed bent on testing Craig. She only hoped he didn’t injure him in the process.
“So what’s up with your boyfriend?”
Jenn turned to Ash, who’d left her seat to join Jenn, and whose face was tense with worry.
“Not sure. He nearly bit my head off over pointing Craig out last night. Now he’s trying to wipe the field with him.”
“Well, he’s not doing any serious injury. Maybe he’s just checking him out.”
“In a way only a man can understand?”
Ash smiled. “Yeah. Craig must have impressed him. Is your guy bi?”
Jenn shrugged. Aiden kept his emotions and his past to himself. “I really don’t know. He’s used male and female subs for training, which sometimes led to sex—before we hooked up, that is.”
Ash tilted her head, studying Jenn’s expression. “You suggested he come watch for a reason. Were you just hoping it would inspire him?”
Jenn wrinkled her nose. “I was hoping he’d find a sub who could take what he can dish out. Aiden likes to play with pain. It’s my thing too, but he holds himself back. He has a thing about not playing rough with women.”
“He’s never gotten rough with you?” the redhead asked softly.
Jenn gave a firm shake of her head. “Never. He’s careful with me. Too careful. I’d really like to see him let go. I thought maybe Craig, since he’s shown interest in sadism, might be the answer.”
“Sure looks like he can take it,” Ash said, wincing as Aiden slammed into Craig once again.
Aiden paused on top of the other man, not long enough that the cas
ual observer would notice, but Jenn wasn’t the least bit casual. Aiden’s hips aligned with Craig’s for just a moment, their gazes locked, then Aiden pushed up. Craig rolled to his side to watch the other man sprint away. His gaze fell away and met Jenn’s. She raised her hand and gave him a thumbs-up. Craig’s eyes bugged a bit, but then he pushed off the ground and gave her wave as he ran back to huddle with his team.
“What was that for?” Ash asked, her eyebrows furrowing.
Jenn’s mouth eased into smile. “Craig understands. The game isn’t really going to start until this one ends.”
Ash gave a soft grunt. Her gaze still reflected doubts, but she strolled back to her chair.
Jenn relaxed, watching both men as they continued to size each other up. She didn’t miss the amused glances Craig’s friends shared each time a play ended and Craig wound up at the bottom of pile of rough-hewn bodies. Craig was going to be one sore little switch.
Her gaze roamed to Aiden and her heart squeezed.
She’d do anything for him. Already loved him so much she carried around a permanent ache inside her chest. Jenn hadn’t been in a serious, exclusive relationship in a while and hoped she’d at last found the man she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. But she’d begun to worry about the day he grew dissatisfied with their arrangement. She wasn’t everything he needed, and like a good sub, she wanted her Dom to be fulfilled and happy.
She’d made up her mind days ago to search for a solution. Craig’s willingness to take a harsh lash or rough squeeze to his testicles had got her thinking that maybe he could add a little edge to their sex-play. By the looks of Aiden’s maneuvers, he seemed to be coming to that conclusion himself. If Aiden needed Craig to take off his rough edges, on a temporary basis or forever, she’d adjust her dream for their future. She’d let everything progress naturally, with a little nudge from her every now and then to keep things moving along.
The teams faced off again, players bent, bodies tensing as the firehouse quarterback took the snap and shuffled back, his arm raised. The ball spiraled toward Sorensen, who gave a little leap and cuddled it against his chest a second before Gus reached out and snagged the flag, then gave him a deliberate shove. Aiden, who’d blocked Gus, then trailed Craig’s agile run for the QB, didn’t bother stopping when Gus caught the flag. Once again he slammed into Craig, more gently than before but still taking him down.
A Perfect Trifecta: Delta Heat, Book 3 Page 2