Playing Favorites: A Reverse Harem Romance

by Scarlet West

  I looked at Heath. His face was carefully neutral, though I had a sense he was curious too. Like me. I looked at Grayson. He looked gray.

  I shook myself, dismissing the thought that he was suffering. Why would he be? It was just one night of craziness, after all.

  “If that’s what you want, and you’re sure,” Heath was saying gravely.

  “Yes,” I nodded vigorously. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  “Well, then?” Heath raised a brow.

  “Fine,” Grayson said softly.

  We looked at each other. Then, as if a unity, we all stood and followed Heath back to his car.

  Heath drove. I sat in the seat next to him. Grayson sat in the back. We went to Heath’s home.

  “Okay, guys,” he said as he got out. “Let’s go up and maybe have something to eat first, huh?”

  “Why’re you waiting?”

  I looked at Grayson. “Well, maybe other people are hungry,” I said, feeling a little impatient. “Or wouldn’t mind a drink or something.”

  “Sorry,” he said tightly.

  I just nodded. “I’m sorry too,” I said, realizing I had probably been a bit short with him. “I didn’t mean it.”

  “Fine.”

  We went into Heath’s apartment.

  “I’ll go get some things,” Heath said, heading to the kitchen. His voice was tense.

  I saw Grayson sit down on the couch. I stayed at the window, my hands taut with tension.

  When Heath joined us at the table, sitting on the single chair opposite the couch, I chose my place carefully. I sat on the couch beside Grayson, but not too close. I was feeling nerves mixing with the wild excitement that was mounting in me. I had no idea at all how this’d unfold.

  “Okay,” Heath said, carefully passing me a glass. He set out some bowls of nuts and cheese on the table, a small basket of bread, carefully sliced. “Here we are—something to eat.”

  I nodded. “Thanks.”

  I sipped the wine, feeling a crazy unreality descend. I tried to eat a scrap of cheese, but my stomach lurched with nerves and I thought the better of it. I wasn’t going to be able to digest anything right now. I was too excited.

  Beside me, I turned to face Grayson. He had his cup in his hand and was looking into the depths of it with a drawn, blank expression. I wondered if he was nervous and leaned closer.

  He tensed, then relaxed. I moved so that I was sitting beside him, the warmth of his body seeping through my clothes on my right-hand side. I was wearing white slacks and a floral blouse with short sleeves. I could feel the warmth of his leg burn through the slacks and into my own.

  “So?” I murmured. I leaned over, so my whole torso leaned against his arm. He leaned back and, woodenly, his hand reached to my leg. I felt his touch through the cotton as if it was coals. I sighed.

  His arm came around me then, slow and tentative. I leaned against him and turned to face him, my lips parting a little, close to his.

  He leaned down and his lips brushed mine. I went stiff as his tongue gently flicked across the line of them, in a way that made me gasp.

  He kissed me, and I felt my lips part and my body thrum with excitement. My tongue played against his and I realized that this was the most arousing kiss.

  I leaned on him a little more and his arm tightened around me. I felt a slight pressure in my breasts and realized I liked the feeling of being so firmly held by him as he kissed me firmly.

  I felt someone’s leg brush mine and realized, with a thrill of pleasure, that Heath was there.

  He stood and his arms came around me from behind as he came to join me on the couch. I felt myself shiver as his hand clasped my breast from behind, gripping it firmly.

  I felt him pull on my breasts, making my nipples tense even as I felt a tongue thrust into my mouth. I started to shiver, my body heating up inside.

  I felt a hand move lower, as it left my breast and traveled between my thighs, reaching to the top of my trousers. I hissed in a breath as, somehow, the hand found my clit even under my slacks and panties. I felt another hand push me back.

  “Shall we go into the bed?” Heath whispered.

  I felt my body throb with arousal as I nodded.

  We all went through to the bedroom.

  I collapsed on the bed, feeling weary and aroused at the same time. I felt Heath start to undress me—I knew it was his hand because I could feel the gentleness of his touch. Another hand, whose touch I didn’t know, stroked my hair. The intimacy of the gesture made my eyes fly open, bringing a new note to the experience.

  I wasn’t expecting to feel a touch of love.

  I shook my head, dismissing the thought as Heath drew my blouse back off my arms. I twisted to let it fall off.

  He smiled and reached in, cupping my breasts in his fingers. I liked the feeling of his warm hands touching me.

  I moaned and then gave a surprised sigh as someone reached in and started unfastening my slacks. I felt the same carefulness in this touch. I sighed again, closing my eyes.

  My slacks left my legs and fell to the floor. I was on my back, feeling Heath knead my breasts while Grayson sat back and stared at me. I felt a full warmth spread through me as I realized he’d not seen me unclothed before. I sighed and waited while Heath gently unfastened my bra.

  “Wait, now.”

  I felt Heath tense. Slowly, Grayson reached over and gently, hands trembling, moved my bra down my arms. He looked at my breasts and that gaze was more arousing than the touch was.

  I waited while he gently leaned in, touching my breast with a fingertip. I tensed as he moved his index finger over my breasts, stroking the nipples in a way that made my body catch alight. I felt his hand move lower. Heath was already kneeling up undressing. Grayson reached down and put his hand on my abdomen, just above my undies.

  My stare locked with his. We looked at each other with some surprise as he leaned down and gently kissed my nipple.

  I sighed as he drew it in, his tongue lapping at my nipple in a way that really aroused me. I felt a warm naked body slide onto the bed behind me.

  Grayson was still touching my breasts, his lips kissing me as his fingers stroked me. I sighed and relished the touch even as I felt Heath reaching for my waist.

  He drew my panties down and I gasped as I was left undressed.

  I looked up at Grayson. He looked down at me and slowly, nodding, he started to undress.

  I sighed as Heath reached for my breasts, kneading them in a way that excited me more. He let a hand stray down to between my thighs and I realized how wet I was when he inserted a hand between my thighs.

  Grayson was naked. It was my turn to stare. I looked at him in wonder, noting the strong rippling muscles of his chest and shoulders. With that pensive, brooding face, he was darkly handsome and I felt my body heat up with a fresh longing.

  He lay down beside me. His lips met mine. Heath was busy at my waist, his hand between my thighs, seeking my folds. I sighed and felt him find my clit and then gasped. I shivered, so close to coming it was quite possible I would.

  Heath seemed to guess that, because he stroked me only gently, then whispered in my ear.

  “Should we go in?”

  I knew what he meant. I paused, letting the enormity of what I was being offered sink in. He was asking me if he should go in the back while Grayson entered me from the front. I would never have imagined being offered anything like that.

  “Okay,” I said tightly.

  I heard him sigh. “Good,” he said.

  I heard Grayson sit up and opened my eyes again. When I let my eyes rest on his face, he was frowning pensively.

  “You are certain, Kelsey?”

  I nodded. “Yes,” I whispered. “I’m certain.”

  He nodded. I saw him look at Heath.

  “Well, maybe we should do that?” Heath asked. Already, his hands turned me. I felt him lie behind me, his hand stroking my back. I felt him lubricating himself and then tensed, wondering what it would feel l
ike. Grayson hadn’t moved.

  I looked up at him, a small frown on my face that I couldn’t quite conceal. If I was being offered this crazy offer, the least they could do was follow through. I frowned and he seemed to come to a decision and lay down beside me. I felt his hands move to my waist.

  His cock was big, hard and wonderful. I felt him stroke it very carefully across the opening of me, gently playing it across my clit.

  Behind me, it seemed Heath had no such carefulness. He was pushing against me and I gritted my teeth, feeling suddenly frightened that it would be painful. I felt him tense and then, gently, he applied something cool to my skin, massaging lower, and then slipped into me.

  I gasped in wonder. It had been about to be painful but he had managed to make it painless. Instead, it felt exciting. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it if it wasn’t someone I trusted utterly, but I did trust Heath. I waited for Grayson to enter me.

  15

  Grayson

  I felt my whole body tense as I entered her. I closed my eyes and shivered as her warmth drew me in. I gasped. I had never felt so aroused before. Not as long as I could remember, anyhow.

  I tensed, gritting my teeth to avoid coming right there as I slid into her. Just seeing her and her beautiful face had aroused me to new heights. Being in her was irresistible.

  I pushed in and felt Heath move out and heard Kelsey cry.

  I looked over at her face in horror, worried that we’d hurt her. It was contorted, but in pleasure not in pain.

  I let out a breath and thrust in again. It was getting really hard to hold in my arousal, especially as she made noises of such pleasure that my own body was throbbing.

  She cried out again as I drew back and pushed in and I sensed the rhythm she liked. I reached down to touch her clit and she started to sob in pleasure, a noise that rocked through me and made me gasp.

  I pushed in and pushed in and pushed in, feeling my climax start to build and build.

  I lost all awareness of everyone else in the room. For me, in that moment, there was nobody and nothing beside Kelsey and my body, moving together in sweet wonder.

  I thrust again and felt the first tremor ripple through me. I was moving faster now, my body aching and trembling.

  I heard Kelsey start to sob in earnest and my body seemed to join hers because I could feel my own climax growing and rising and building.

  I cried aloud and collapsed on the bed, the magnitude of my come astonishing me. Kelsey sobbed and seemed to go limp. Last of all, I became dimly aware of Heath.

  We all lay together, silently.

  Later, I shifted on the bed and stood, going to the bathroom. I got a piece of paper towel and dampened it, then brought it carefully to the bed.

  “Kelsey?” I whispered. She was sleeping, I thought. Her face was so relaxed, angelic, peaceful.

  I tensed, not wanting to wake her. My ears caught a faint gasp as she woke.

  “Yes?” she said, rolling over drowsily. I stared at her body, unable to resist doing so. In the half-light of the lamps, she was pale and quite stunning.

  “I brought this,” I explained, reaching down and gently probing between her thighs, washing her pale skin clean of my essence. I tried not to get aroused again while I worked, but the whole experience was so erotic I couldn’t help it.

  I had almost forgotten about Heath. The first I knew was him stirring and sitting up.

  “You okay, sweetheart?” he whispered.

  She nodded and I felt a slight twinge of pain at the easy intimacy between her and my brother. It was one thing to share her now—as it was, I’d been so unaware of Heath in the wonder of the moment with Kelsey that he might as well not have been there—but I couldn’t quite handle terms of endearment between them. Emotional intimacy hurt me worse.

  “I’m fine,” she whispered. “I feel great.”

  I grinned, pleased to hear that.

  “Good,” I whispered.

  Her brown eyes opened and met mine and I felt myself slowly melting.

  I stared into her gaze and shivered as my body responded to her. But it was more than just my body. I knew it was also my heart.

  I looked away as Heath sat up. He smiled down at Kelsey and I went through to the bathroom to rinse myself and get rid of the paper towels. If he was speaking to her I didn’t want to overhear what they were saying.

  I tried to understand what the heck was going on with me. The moment I’d seen Kelsey, I seemed to go a bit crazy. And now that I’d been with her, it seemed like the crazy had taken root. I was no longer myself. I was utterly devoted to her.

  I came back into the bedroom in time to see Heath at the desk, organizing something on the top of it. I looked down at the bed.

  Kelsey was lying on her back, her pale skin shining in the lamplight. She looked relaxed, her eyes closed, her posture one of complete abandonment. I felt my heart melt. I just stood and stared at her.

  My whole body seemed to draw me to the bed and I sat down beside her. Heath didn’t move, too earnestly set on organizing his clothes into two piles.

  I looked down at Kelsey. She looked up at me. She smiled.

  I stared into her hazel eyes and felt myself falling.

  She carried on smiling, clearing her throat to speak.

  “I feel amazing,” she said sleepily.

  I smiled. “Good,” I said.

  She reached out a hand and rested it on mine. My heart, already melted, diffused. I felt the dull ache of it in my chest as it dissolved with tenderness toward her.

  “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered.

  She smiled up at me.

  “You’re not exactly bad looking either.”

  I smiled into her eyes and knew that nothing would ever be the same for me after tonight. I was falling for her, completely and utterly. And I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to look Heath in the eye again. With both things, my life had changed completely.

  I probably should have found that worrisome, but I didn’t. All I felt was a profound sense of wonder and joy that suffused my whole body and made me lie down beside her, my cheeks stretched from smiling, my eyes damp with tears at the mad, complete impossibility of it all.

  16

  Kelsey

  I woke up very early the next morning—I didn’t know exactly what time, except that it was still dark out. I rolled over, feeling a warm presence behind me in the bed. I could see another person when I slitted my eyes a little.

  He was lying on his side, the light from the wall lamp just outlining his face softly. I stared at the long, straight nose, the black hair, the long lashes. I reckoned I’d never seen anyone so handsome before. He was entirely nude, the covers loosely half-drawn over his torso, leaving a generous swathe of well-muscled shoulder and arm exposed. I stared at it, feeling my insides ache.

  He is so handsome.

  I smiled. There was also something so hauntingly vulnerable about that face, with the high cheekbones, the faint wrinkles at the eyes smoothed out in sleep. I reached out to touch him and then let my hand fall to my side.

  I should let him sleep.

  I rolled over, being careful not to wake Heath, who lay behind me. As I rolled onto my back, I recalled the night before. My whole body felt deliciously bruised, a slight ache between my legs. I remembered the insane pleasure of having two guys take me together. It had been a little scary at first—and I imagined it could have been pretty painful with someone less experienced. But they were clearly experienced. And careful. It had been amazing.

  I tried to sit up. Grayson stirred. I saw his eyelids flutter and I tensed. He sighed and went back to sleep. I managed to lift myself to sitting, and shuffled to the bathroom.

  I closed the door and leaned against the wall, the feel of it cool against my overheated body. I looked up at the ceiling and sighed. This was all crazy. I couldn’t quite believe I’d just done that. Crazy and wonderful.

  But it was time to put a stop to this.

  It wasn’t that it w
as unpleasant, or that I felt guilty, even. I didn’t. It was the fact that Grayson had looked at me in a way I recognized because it touched something similar in my own heart.

  I was starting to have feelings for him.

  Kelsey, you’re a fool.

  I looked at myself in the mirror as I thought that. I was being a total fool. I looked into my own green-flecked brown eyes.

  “You’re a fool,” I whispered out loud to reassure myself.

  The accusation didn’t help anything. If anything, it just made me feel even worse. I wished I’d never come here.

  I sighed and splashed my face. The cool water made me feel a little less frantic and I calmed down slowly. I grinned at myself as more memories flooded back into my brain. I had enjoyed last night. If nothing else, it would give me memories to think about when I was much older still. But now, I should leave.

  I tiptoed out into the bedroom. I had been wearing a blouse and slacks and I gathered them up carefully off the floor and located my underwear. I headed into the bathroom to dress. It was best, I decided, if I let myself out and called a taxi. I looked at a watch someone had left on the shelf—it said three am. If I left now, I’d be back at home in time for some sleep before work.

  I yawned. I was crazy. I would fall asleep at my desk tomorrow, for sure. But I wasn’t about to regret having been so crazy—everyone should do something totally unusual once in a while.

  “Ow.”

  I winced as I stepped into my undies and drew them up, realizing that this whole anal thing had its disadvantages. It was going to be a bit sore walking around today. I dressed quickly, giving the odd hiss of breath as my clothes or posture tested a sore place. Then I headed into the hallway.

  As I reached out to the lock, someone said something.

  “Hey,” a low male-voice whispered.

  I whipped around. “What? Oh,” I whispered back. My heart was thudding in fear, but when I saw who it was, I relaxed. I blushed. “Grayson. What’re you doing?”

  “I wondered where you were going?”

  His handsome face looked sad. I hung my head, not wanting to look into those intense eyes.