by Tabatha Kiss
I chuckle and lay my finger over his mouth to stop him from leaning back in. “Go,” I tell him. “Be safe up there.”
“I always am.” He picks up his suitcase. “Bye, Max.”
Max waves his hand. “Bye.”
I keep a nervous eye on Thad as he walks out of my loft and closes the door. It’s strange. He’s flown how many times in his career? I didn’t care at all until now. I didn’t know him until now…
“Hey.” Max draws my attention. “He’s gonna be fine.”
I nod, feigning a little nonexistent confidence. “I know.”
“I used to get worried about him, too.”
“You did?”
“Well, yeah. It’s Thad. Operating a plane. I just about shit myself the day he enlisted in the Air Force. May have even tried to talk him out of it once or twice.”
My guts churn. “Yeah…”
“But…” He nudges my chin. “Thad knows his shit, Phoebe. He can be silly but if I’m ever in a life-or-death crisis, he’s the first person I’ll call.”
I let out a sigh of relief and smile. “Thank you. That’s comforting.”
“Good.” Max nods. “So, how quickly did he jump you after I got in the shower?”
My smile falls. “Uh…”
He laughs and steps in to wrap his arms around me. “That quick, huh?”
I wince. “How did you know?”
“Because it’s Thad.”
I shrug. “Good point.”
He kisses me, completely over it. “What are you doing tonight?”
“Working,” I answer with rolling eyes. “I meant to get that book done this weekend, but…”
“We derailed you.”
“You definitely did… in more ways than one.”
He chuckles. “Well, give me a call if you need a break. I’m sure I can find more than enough reason to play hooky and hang out with you.”
I close my eyes, crushing them for a few seconds before opening them again. I expect him to be gone. I expect to wake up in my bed alone with none of this ever happening. No Max. No Thad. Just me and my books, but…
He’s still here.
“I will,” I say.
He kisses me again, deep and passionate. “Have a good day.”
“You, too.”
He opens the door and glances over his shoulder at me for one last look before closing it behind him.
I exhale the breath from my lungs.
Oh, boy.
* * *
I step off the elevator and wonder if anyone can tell how funny I’m walking. I hope not but, then again, I kind of want them to know just how much I’ve been fucked in the last forty-eight hours. I want the whole goddamn world to know.
Jackie looks up at me from her desk with sympathetic eyes but they quickly grow suspicious. “Good morning…” she says.
“Hey, Jackie.” I pause by her desk. “Good weekend?”
“Mediocre,” she answers.
I shrug. “Well, we win some, we lose some.”
Her eyes narrow. “Uh-huh…”
I pass by into my office. I hear her leap from her chair and follow me in as I set my purse down on my desk.
“How about you?” she asks. “Good weekend?”
I sit down at my desk, relishing in the private sensation still teasing between my thighs. “Yes,” I answer.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Her head tilts as she slowly lowers into the seat across from me with her agenda book in one hand. “Okay, then. Well, let’s go over your schedule…”
“I’m ready,” I say, leaning forward.
“Mr. Fellows is calling around ten. Wants to discuss your changes to Bradley’s book.”
“Evisceration at ten. Got it.”
“You have a meeting with the editing department after that to approve the new style guide.”
I nod. “Routine stuff. Super.”
She slams the book closed. “Did you choose?!”
I blink. “Choose?”
“Yes. Choose. I’ve been sitting on my ass all weekend waiting for the worst cliffhanger ever to resolve itself. Max. Thad. Will she or won’t she?! This show sucks.”
I exhale. Friday feels like a thousand years ago now. “Jackie, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think… It’s been quite the weekend.”
She stares at me, quietly seething.
“Okay.” I lick my lips. “Yes. I made my choice.”
“And it obviously makes you very happy.” She smiles. “You look great.”
“I feel great.”
“So… who did you choose?”
I bite my lip. “Uh…”
“It was Max, wasn’t it?” she asks, but then quickly waves. “No, it was totally Thad. I can definitely see you with Thad.”
“Yes,” I say.
Her eyes light up. “You chose Thad?”
“No.”
“Oh. Max, then? That’s great! He’s the one you’ve always dreamed of. Fairytale princess status unlocked.”
I hesitate. “No…”
“Wait.” She squints. “Did you choose Max or Thad?”
“Yes,” I answer.
Her throat clears. “Phoebe… are you still dating both of them?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Do they know?”
“Yes, they do. We, uh…” I feel another twinge between my thighs. “We’re all very known to each other now.”
Her jaw drops slowly. “You’re all together?” she asks.
I nod. “We’re all together.”
“How the hell did that happen?”
“They found out about each other,” I say. “They talked it out, without my knowledge, and decided that they both wanted to be with me… and agreed to share me.”
Her voice catches in her throat. “You have two boyfriends?”
“Yes,” I confirm.
She twitches slightly. “And they… take turns with you?”
“Sometimes.”
“Or do you guys, like… at the same time?”
I smirk. “Sometimes.”
She exhales with flushed, pink cheeks. “Oh, my.”
“It’s really not that big of a deal, Jackie,” I say. “We’re just three consenting adults in an arrangement that makes everyone very happy and satisfied—”
“Excuse me.” She drops her book down on the corner of my desk and bolts out of her chair toward the door.
A crash outside makes me jump. I sit upright, prepared to go inspect what happened, but Jackie returns before I can stand. She adjusts her disheveled hair and sits back down in her chair.
“What was that?” I ask.
She reaches for the book again. “Oh, just…” she exhales, “rearranging my desk.”
I tilt my head and sigh. “You can cage the jealousy bunny, Jackie. As wonderful as this all sounds, I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong. Or that something is going to go wrong.”
“Like what?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. It’s all just seems too good to be true.”
“Ya think?” She sits back and waves a hand. “Pay no mind, child. Enjoy this awesome weather while you can.”
“It’s the while you can bit that’s got me nervous.”
“Well, you can either tiptoe around the storm or you can cannonball into that fucker and splash around while it’s flooded. I know what I’d do.”
I smile as my phone rings. “You might be right.”
“Of course, I’m right.” She pounds her chest. “I’m Jackie Bone.”
I pick up the phone and hold it to my ear. “Hey, this is Phoebe.”
“Phoebe! It’s Martin. How are you?”
“Hey, Mr. Fellows.” I glance at Jackie’s rising brow. “I’m doing great. How are you?”
“Ups and downs, as usual,” he answers. “Listen, I need to cancel the meeting with you today. Something’s come up.”
“No problem. That’s actually really helpful to me. I’m not quite done with my notes. Gettin
g work done this weekend was… tricky.”
“I’ll be in LA this Thursday. Bradley, too. We’ll sit down with you at noon. Does that fit your schedule?”
“Don’t see why it wouldn’t.”
“Excellent. Keep it up, Phoebe!”
I bite my lip. “I certainly will.” He hangs up and I sigh with relief at Jackie. “And now I have a few extra days to turn a turd into a diamond.”
She takes her pen and marks out the meeting in her agenda. “Woo-hoo,” she murmurs.
“He and Bradley will be here on Thursday.”
Her lips curl as she writes it down.
I point a finger. “No.”
“Oh, sure. You get finger-cuffed all weekend but I can’t bang your newly-single silver fox of a boss. Sure. Life is totally fair.” She flips to her calendar. “Thursday, you said?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, Thursday.”
“So…” she pauses, “he’s bringing Bradley?”
“That’s what he said.”
“He’s bringing Bradley… on the same day he’s supposed to fill the New York promotion?”
My smile drops. “Well… that doesn’t mean anything. Would it mean something? What does it mean?”
“I don’t know.”
I sit back as my brain twists in my head. “It’s fine.” I scoff. “This is fine.”
“Totally fine.”
“I’m sure he’s just trying to be fair and professional — making sure we both find out at once, you know?”
“Oh, yeah.” She gives a long nod. “Because if life is anything, it’s fair to everyone at all times.”
I glare at her as my butterflies turn my stomach.
Twenty-Seven
Thad
I step onto the elevator with my room key clenched in one hand.
Usually, after a long day like this one, I head up to my room, shake off the cockpit smell, throw on a fresh blazer, and head down to the hotel bar. There’s always some woman sitting on a stool, dressed to the nines, just waiting for a guy like me to walk up and buy her a drink.
Tonight, I have better plans.
The doors open on my floor and there’s Katie, all dressed up and ready for a night out in the Big Apple. She smirks at me with interest but it quickly falls as I pass by her without a second glance. A quiet scoff and she steps on. Guess she’s still feeling a little dejected.
Bullet officially dodged.
I find my room and slide my key card into the lock. The light flashes from red to green and I step inside.
I kick off my shoes. I toss my jacket over a chair. I loosen my tie.
There’s nothing quite like a night in with your girlfriend.
I sit back on my bed with a small bottle of booze from the mini-fridge and my cell phone. It’s after ten here, meaning it’s still early on the west coast.
She answers within two rings.
“Hey, Thad,” she says, her voice distant and low.
“Hey. You sound… not good. What’s up?”
“Nothing. Just working on the project from hell.”
I laugh. “Well, take a quick break with me. You’ll feel better.”
“Did you just land?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Where are you?”
I slide off the bed and step to the windows. “Let me turn on the camera and I’ll show you.”
I flick it on and turn it around to scan the skyline for her. Her own camera pops up on my screen and I smile as I see her pixelated face. It comes into better focus after a few seconds. Faded makeup, smudged reading glasses, and a loose bun on her head. But still gorgeous.
She gasps. “That’s New York!” she says.
“Yes, it is.”
“Lucky bastard.” She squints with envy. “I guess you have some fun night out with the flight crew planned?”
I shake my head. “Nah.”
“Nah?”
“I’ve seen it all before,” I say. “I’d much rather hang out with you instead.”
She blushes and picks up a nearby wineglass. “Well… as long as you don’t mind watching me tear my hair out and slur obscenities.”
“I don’t.” I chuckle as I move back to the bed. “In fact, that’s my new favorite show.”
Phoebe twists to the right as a sound draws her attention. “Hmm.”
“What’s that?”
She slides off the couch, carrying me with her. “Someone’s at my door.”
“A visitor?” I feign a gasp. “At this hour?”
“It’s only seven,” she says, chuckling.
“Oh, right. Three-hour difference.”
“Well, with any luck…” she says, “there won’t be a time difference between me and New York for very much longer.”
“You don’t need luck, Pheebs,” I tell her. “That promotion is yours.”
“Yeah, I hope so.” She unlocks her door and opens it. “Well, hello there.”
I move my head, foolishly trying to get a better look around her. “Who is it?”
She twists the phone forward to show me.
I frown as his face comes into view. “Maximillian.”
He smirks. “Thaddeus.”
“What are you doing there?” I ask.
Phoebe sits down on the couch and lays her phone on the coffee table, propping it up and pointing it in their direction so I can see.
“Yeah,” she says at him. “I thought you had paperwork to get through.”
Max sits down beside her. “It went faster than I thought it would.” He kisses her cheek and then turns to wink at me. “What are you guys up to?”
She sighs and reaches for a stack of papers. “I am working. Thad just landed in New York and called to show me the pretty city lights.”
I nod. “Your pretty city lights. Soon you’ll be owning this town, Phoebe. You’re gonna love it here.”
Max looks down. “Yeah, I’m sure she will.”
“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves too much,” she says.
He licks his lips and leans in closer to her, sliding his hand over her thigh.
My frown deepens.
“How about,” he says, “you take a break with me and—”
“Nuh-uh!” I say, shaking my head. “No. She’s already taking a break with me.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“That’s right. Wait your turn.”
Phoebe laughs. “Guys, I can’t take two breaks. This book’s second act is a mess and if I don’t fix it by the time my boss gets here on Thursday then he’s gonna… take two breaks upside my head… or something. Fuck, I’m fried.”
Max grips the papers and slides them off her lap onto the floor. “Relax, Phoebe,” he says, drifting toward her neck.
His lips touch her throat and she closes her eyes. Her face flushes. She bites her bottom lip. He wraps one arm around her and lays the other hand on her breast.
“Max,” I say.
He pulls back and looks at me. “You know, I could always turn the camera away,” he warns.
I squint, betrayed by the blood rushing toward my groin. Phoebe visibly shivers in his arms. She wants it. She might even need it, given the stress she’s under. In the end, I don’t mind. If I can’t please Phoebe myself, then he will. Doesn’t mean I won’t gladly watch.
“Someday soon,” I say, faking an angry glare, “I will get you back for this.”
Max smiles and crushes his lips on Phoebe’s. She parts them for his tongue and they trade a few hard kisses back and forth.
Phoebe opens her big eyes and she looks at me, fully aware that there’s a camera on them. She shakes with nerves but the excitement on her face overwhelms any reluctance she has. I smile back, enjoying the view, and her lips curl for me.
Max raises her shirt over her breasts. She lies back as he slips down to kiss the thick peaks. He bites down and she flinches from the light, delicious pain it brings her. That moan. Those little noises she makes.
I reach for my belt.
He continues downward, kissing down her belly as he kneads her breasts. I keep my focus on Phoebe and her reactions. He squeezes and she quakes. He nibbles and she moans. He hooks his fingers into the elastic of her pants and she shifts upward off the cushion to let him pull them down to her ankles, panties and all.
She spreads her knees for him and he moves up to kiss her lips. I’ve seen enough of Max’s style to know that he won’t stay there for long. He’s an oral guy. He’ll linger and tease her for as long as possible before giving her what she really needs.
I grip my hard cock and stroke as he finally heads south. Phoebe keeps one hand on her breast while the other grips his hair. She guides him down, taking a little control, and I smile at the sight. She knows what she wants. Fuck, that’s sexy…
Max nibbles and kisses her inner thighs, nose so close to her slit that even I can practically smell it. My mouth waters, wishing I were there to taste her myself. I let the bad feeling pass through me. These long-distance nights won’t last forever. I’ll make sure of it.
He buries his face in her pussy and Phoebe gasps. Her back arches off the sofa, breasts heaving as pleasure courses through her.
I watch her face as it flexes and the moans tumble off her lips. My dick throbs in my hand. I imagine walking up to them right now. Phoebe would lean closer to me and prop herself up to align her mouth with my cock. She’d look up at me as I fucked her mouth. Max would make her come over and over again. The vibrations of her moans would make me shoot right into the back of her throat. She’d swallow like a good girl. She always does.
I let out a groan, nearly coming, and Phoebe’s eyes open for me. She smiles, still moaning and writhing beneath Max’s tongue as she edges with climax herself.
I alter my fantasy. Instead of coating her little, pink tongue, I pull out and come on her face. Thick ropes of it drip down her cheeks and nose. My woman covered in my seed. She licks it off her lips before opening wide for me again to lick me clean, too. Fuck, she’s perfect…
Max sits up and reaches for his belt, his chin glistening with her wetness. I swallow my saliva, envious of the taste he has on his tongue that I don’t.
Phoebe trembles. She’s so close to orgasm but Max wouldn’t let her have it. She’s one touch away. One good thrust and she’ll fall to pieces. I know the look. Max does, too.
He pushes his pants down over his ass, exposing himself and she shifts closer to align their bodies. Still, he makes her wait. He unbuttons his shirt and tosses it off his shoulders. She reaches up to claw at his undershirt and he lets her pull it over his head. It drops to the floor as he leans over her and pins her to the couch.