Bright Day, Hot Night [Sequel to Dark Day, Bright Night] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by JC Szot

  Zane leaned against a drooping willow, breathing in the damp, earthy scent of the woods that lay beyond the edge of a well-manicured lawn. The spindly bark dug into his back. Lemony light fell between the trees. Delicate webs of sunlight glimmered below on the lush grass. Yeah, I’m gonna like it here. Something moved in his marginal vision. Becky, the agent who’d been showing them around, dangled the keys in the air, her smile wide.

  “Looks like it’s a go, folks. The owner’s ready when you are. I’d go get your friend, and…I think you’re going to need to buy a lawn mower.” She laughed.

  “Yes!” Zane’s fist pumped through the air. Meg squealed, running into his arms.

  Chapter Three

  “What d’you think?” Zane nudged him in the ribs. Sean raked the shaggy strands of his sandy blond hair out of his eyes as he looked around the small front yard. A red-brick walk led to the front door. Full, pink begonias lined the walk on either side as well as in front of the yellow Cape Cod.

  “I like it.” He laughed, dizzy with excitement. It was a beautiful, quaint home that would suit their needs perfectly. It was the ample garage space that’d drawn him in. Now he’d have a place to keep his bike. He could now kiss those monthly storage bills good-bye.

  “Is that bedroom big enough?” Meg studied him, her brows pulled together.

  “Hell yeah.” Sean walked around the yard. Seeing the deck in the back had his mind reeling ahead. Cookouts and beer, nights of stargazing. Shit, he could even sleep outside if he wanted to. Meg and Zane went back into the house, thinking he may need a minute. Sean walked into the garage, liking the fact that there were already shelves mounted on the walls. His Harley would look beautiful parked right in the corner. Zane didn’t have a car, but he and Meg both had their own vehicles. Her Honda would probably fit inside if she wanted to keep it in the garage during the winter. His old Saab 900 was beyond being garage kept.

  The sun slipped lower, the sky now coated with smears of muted grays. A thin crescent of light rested on the horizon. His mind was spinning. There was so much to think about, yet it was a no-brainer. Sean knew he could be happy here, away from the smog and the noise of being downtown. He’d have to install an upgraded alarm system for the shop now that he wouldn’t be right upstairs. The light touch of Meg’s hand drew him back. He turned, feeling swept away by her natural beauty amongst the rich, green foliage. The grass under his feet turned to water. Sean steadied himself, feeling like he was trying to balance himself on a surfboard. Being here with them, with her, it’d be like battling a high-tide sea, but he’d manage. He had self-control. He’d have to. Everything depended on it.

  “So?” Her hands moved through the air with excitement, her eyes dancing. “Should we start packing or what?” She body-slammed him jokingly.

  “Yeah.” He laughed, his breaths tight. Sean’s insides were crumbling already. “I can close the shop tomorrow so we can do business. You think Nora will give you the day off? Better yet…we should all take off for about a week so we can settle in. You game?”

  * * * *

  “You think this arrangement will stick?” Nora glanced up from her paperwork, her face lined with worry.

  “I think so. Sean and Zane have been friends for, like, forever. They’re together all the time at the shop. I don’t think living with one another will be an issue.” Meg didn’t like the expression on Nora’s face. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Meg laughed nervously. Uneasiness wormed through her. What is she thinking? Nora stood up and circled around her desk.

  “You’ve got two good-looking men on your hands.” Nora’s lips curled into a snide smile.

  “No,” Meg shook off her comment. “Well, yes”—she glanced away, needing to escape Nora’s pinning stare—“but I’m only involved with one.” Meg returned her eyes to Nora’s. “I love Zane.” Heat bled into her cheeks, warming her skin.

  “Well…” Nora’s voice lowered, trailing off. She busied herself, shuffling the stacks of nutritional pamphlets around on the shelf.

  “What?” Meg lifted her hands, pleading for the truth. Nora’s calm blue eyes held hers.

  “I wish you all the best. Lord knows you deserve it. Take all the time you need, you’ve got plenty of vacation days accumulated.”

  “That’s it?” Meg crossed her arms in front of her chest, surprised Nora was holding back.

  “It is for now.” Nora chuckled.

  * * * *

  Their goal was to be in the house by the end of the month. Here it was the middle of June, the summer solstice almost upon them. Sean backed the truck rental into the driveway, the alarm sounding. Zane was in the backyard cutting the grass with the new tractor they’d bought. While loading his belongings out of the apartment above the Ink Well, something had caught his eye in the window of the antique shop across the street.

  Richie, the shop’s owner, had an oak buffet table on display. It matched his oak table and chairs perfectly. He really bought it for Meg. She was worried that the dining room would look empty, and since they’d bought the house, money was a bit tight. He had strolled across the street, negotiating a ten percent discount if he paid cash. Richie accepted. The cash left his hand and they had the piece loaded in the back of the truck in under ten minutes.

  Sean hopped down from the driver’s seat and opened the back doors. Meg was on the front stoop, holding a paint roller in her hands. Splashes of mossy green paint decorated her forearm. Sean shifted the large piece onto the platform, lowering it down into the driveway on the hydraulic lift.

  Meg’s jaw dropped. “What is that?” she called. Sean laughed at her animated face.

  “It’s a housewarming gift.” He felt his face pull into a grin. Meg sprinted down the steps, paint roller in hand. The sun was warm today. It seared through his winterized skin, browning his flesh. A mild burn tingled on his shoulders. He squinted into the light, eyeing Meg’s long, lean legs as she danced across the hot asphalt in her bare feet. Sean pulled the tarp off. The rich wood gleamed in the sunlight. The brass handles winked back at him, holding the sun’s glare. Meg gasped.

  “Oh, my God,” she shrieked, her eyes widening. “It’s gorgeous.” She ran her hand over the smooth surface. She turned to him. “I can’t believe you got this.” Meg tugged on his arm, pulling him into her. She hugged him, her very presence enveloping him. She smelled as sweet as a sugary confection. She was as dangerous as one of the seven deadly sins, the potential punishment extreme and equal to the sufferings in Biblical times. Sean’s arms hung at his sides awkwardly. It seemed sort of silly. Not wanting to be rude, he reciprocated, allowing his arms to hold her, if only for a brief moment.

  She felt so delicate in his arms. Her heart beat into his chest with a strength he knew could ruin him. Meg’s silky skin slid against his, her breasts pillowed against his chest. Sean felt the buildup. It started in his boots. Before it hit his groin and curled around his dick, he released her.

  “I’m glad you like it.” He laughed, wiping the beading sweat from his forehead. The drone of the tractor cut off behind them. Zane’s voice reached them in the driveway.

  “Hey, guys, what’s going on?” Zane adjusted the blue bandana that was wrapped around his head, his chest dotted with sweat.

  “Look what Sean got for the dining room,” Meg yelled, jumping up and down, pointing to the piece that had certainly earned him lots of brownie points.

  * * * *

  “So, how’s things at the new house?” Walt tossed a bar towel over his shoulder, glancing back at Sean as he unloaded the dishwasher. He reached up, sliding wine glasses into the cedar rack that hung from the ceiling.

  “Good.” Sean tipped his bottle back, draining the last of the warm suds. “It’s a nice place, got a great price, too.”

  “How’s our guy Zane, feeling good these days?” Walt pushed a bowl of nuts across the bar. Sean scooped up a handful, chewing around his words.

  “He’s doing great.” Sean laughed, noting Walt’s naughty expre
ssion. “No…seriously.”

  “Yeah.” Walt chuckled. “I bet.” He winked. “They looked real good while they were here, too.”

  The three of them had had dinner earlier, celebrating their new residence at the Red Bone. Meg and Zane left early, claiming they were beat from all the labor-intensive moving. Sean didn’t argue. He didn’t want any hassles. They had their lives, and he had his. Their lives were intertwined in some ways, but he was well aware that there were definite boundaries. Walt’s voice startled him.

  “Can I get you another?”

  “Ah, no, better not. I’ve got the bike.”

  “No more walking it off on your way home.” Walt grinned.

  “Nope, gonna have to drive more now, but it’s worth it. It’s so quiet there. I almost couldn’t sleep the other night because there was no damn noise.”

  “I’m glad for you, man.” Walt reached across the bar, patting him on the shoulder. “You gonna tat that girl all up, are you?”

  “Already did.” Sean felt his lips curl into a sly smile.

  “Really.” Walt’s brows rose.

  Before the conversation went any further, Sean said good-night. He tugged on his leather jacket and strolled into the night. He started the bike. The deep purr of the engine vibrated in his ears and settled into his groin as he straddled the seat. He pulled out into light traffic and headed out of town. The glare of oncoming headlights left his periphery as he cruised down the rural roads. As Sean turned the corner into their street, he saw that the house was bathed in darkness. He cut the engine and rolled the bike into the garage.

  He slipped in the house through the door off the garage. He turned the lock and shrugged out of his coat, hanging it on the hook in the breezeway. He stopped at the kitchen sink to get a drink of water from the tap. Turning to set his glass in the drainboard, his body froze.

  Chapter Four

  Silvery beams of moonlight dusted their nakedness with a luminous light. It was such a sight, a masterpiece to one’s eyes. What he’d only been able to conjure up in his imagination had just become a reality. Sean licked his lips, swallowing.

  Meg was radiant. Her skin sparkled like fresh-fallen snow. The way Zane catered to her had Sean sucking in his breath. His heart ached, his desire suffocating him. It was at this moment that Sean realized it was a need that had the power to destroy.

  He felt his body responding. His cock hardened behind his zipper. Zane pressed Meg against the railing of the deck, his mouth devouring hers. Zane’s cock slid against her navel. The colors of her tat glimmered in the pearly moonlight. Zane held her breasts. They looked firm and perfectly rounded, filling Zane’s palm as if they were custom fitted. Sean’s mouth watered as Zane lowered his mouth, pulling her brown nipple into his mouth. Meg’s head fell back, her neck smoothing. The whimpered moans of her affirmation rang in Sean’s ears like music.

  Zane lifted her. Meg’s legs crossed behind his back. Zane carried her to the corner of the deck, setting her up on the railing where the corners met. Zane dragged one of the patio chairs Sean had bought across the deck, placing it right in front of Meg. Sean stood near the kitchen sink, his gaze glued to the window. This is so wrong, but so hot, so good. Sean unzipped his jeans, pressing his cock into the counter’s edge, trying to kill his need, trying to stop what he knew was already snowballing.

  Zane sat down. Sean could hear Zane’s low, guttural groans. His eyes stayed fixed. Meg’s breaths came faster, her luscious breasts lifting as her body pulled in more air. Zane lifted her legs, spreading her. He anchored her heels on the edges of the railing. Her pussy bloomed before him, so pink and pretty, wet with her dewy arousal. Meg leaned back, giving Zane all the access he needed, her fingers wrapped around the railing. Her hips tilted, meeting Zane’s mouth. His buddy’s hands slid up her inner thighs spreading her more. His head lowered.

  Sean yanked his cock out of his pants. Cool air doused his skin, his hand beginning to jerk himself. Zane’s tongue slithered through Meg’s pussy. Sean knew he must’ve been doing an artful dance with his tongue and right over her clit because Meg called out to him, her cry a child-like whine.

  “Zane, Jesus, please.” Her body bowed in pleasure.

  Sean gripped his dick, unable to stop. His body was a vehicle that had just lost control careening down a dangerous road. Thick, slick heat splashed through his fingers. He spun around, tilting his head to the ceiling, his breaths heaving.

  * * * *

  “I can drive you in.” Sean leaned against the counter, sipping his coffee. A warm summer sun streamed through the window, the window he’d watched them through. Did I really stand here last night getting my rocks off? If they knew I’d be toast. Meg sat at the table in the breakfast nook, slicing an apple into some kind of cereal that resembled straw. Zane had taken the car to the shop. Now that the weather was cooperating he could use the bike, unless it rained. Meg’s eyes skirted around him, her face stiff with panic.

  “I’ll take it slow.” Sean laughed. He reached into the fruit bowl and grabbed a pear. Now that he was living with a holistic connoisseur, he’d been eating healthier. He felt better, too. Meg had started him on a vitamin and protein shake regimen.

  “You promise?” Meg studied him, popping a few supplements into her mouth. Her throat worked as she washed them down with carrot juice. It was an orange concoction with a green hue swirling through it. Watching her swallow it made Sean shudder.

  “I’ll keep it at a steady forty, how’s that?” Sean pushed himself away from the counter. “Let me go find you a leather jacket.”

  “Are you going to drape me in leather for the occasion?” Meg called after him.

  Damn right. You’ll look fucking hot, too. “You bet. Leather is like a second skin. I’ll meet you in the garage.”

  * * * *

  “We’ve got a good fit here.” Sean tugged on the chin strap. “We’ll make this one yours.”

  “Whose was it?” Meg’s questioning words were muffled by the face shield, which she quickly lifted. “Can we take this off? I feel claustrophobic.”

  “No problem.” Sean disconnected the shield, setting it down on the workbench that lined the back wall of the garage. “I bought this helmet for a girl I was seeing for a while, but we only got one season out of it.” Sean lifted the kickstand and steered the bike out of the garage, Meg at his heels. He fired up the engine, revving the throttle.

  He didn’t care to elaborate on his dating history. He always went for the women who wanted something right up front—money, commitment—not that he had trouble with commitment, but he was so tired of being the one to dive in and take a chance while they held back. He was sick and tired of losing.

  Meg wasn’t that type. She was up front and real. That’s what had drawn him to her in the first place. He smiled sheepishly at his latest loss. He wore his heart on his sleeve while every woman he seemed to choose hung back and did all the taking. With every failed relationship he was left behind, feeling emotionally robbed. How many women were running loose after having seen his vulnerability, he couldn’t be sure. The thought of it made his stomach turn.

  “Hop on.” Sean waved Meg onto the bike, his voice competing with the engine.

  “Tell me what to do.” She shifted her weight, wringing her hands.

  “Lean when I do, put your feet on the ground when we stop, just follow my lead.” Sean patted the seat, giving her a reassuring smile.

  She looked gorgeous in leather, just as he knew she would. He’d talked Meg into wearing one of his female leftovers, a vest paired up with a matching acorn-brown jacket. It was short, cropped at her hips. The white tee shirt she had on underneath it all peeked out from between the flaps. Sean reached for her, gripping her wrist.

  “Don’t panic. I’d never let anything happen to you. I always play it safe.” She held his unwavering gaze. Her eyes shined in the morning sun. His grave expression stared back at him from the mirror on the handlebars. It reflected all that was hidden inside. The engin
e idled between them. She nodded then tightened the chin strap and straddled the bike, anchoring her feet onto the foot rests.

  He rolled out of the driveway, his hand steady on the throttle. He felt her body stiffen behind his during the first few miles. Her helmet filled his periphery. He tried to read her eyes, wanting to know if she felt the same thrill and freedom that he often did when he rode.

  Dazzling rays of light illuminated the dewy foliage, making it glitter. The damp, sweet fragrance of new growth tickled his nose. They moved through the blooming colors of their new neighborhood as he gunned the gas a bit more. Her body slowly unwound behind his. Meg’s chest settled into him, her arms wrapped around his waist. Despite the cool morning air, he felt her warmth. It radiated into his back, bleeding through the leather of his jacket. When her chin rested on his shoulder his pulse began to race, adding a fresh thrill to the ride.

  He swung the bike around the center square, heading downtown. The temperature seemed to warm around them as he drove through pockets of balmy air. Seeing the storefronts deflated the moment like a popped party balloon. He’d love to keep driving, feeling the wind in their faces, her body huddled into his back.

  “How we doing back there?” Sean called. Her fingers gripped his jacket.

  “Good.” He felt the air of her laughter in his back, her mouth behind his ear. “This is great, what a rush.” Her elation hung in the air. As they slowed to a stop at the curb in front of the Holistic Hut, Meg’s watery eyes caught his in the side mirror. Her lips tipped into an easy grin.

  “Was it good enough to do again?” He leaned his foot down on the asphalt. Her eyes widened with her smile.