by Cari Quinn
“What about two men?” He held Harper’s gaze as she angled her head. “I mean, Juliet with two men. Me and…”
“And who? What do you mean?”
“Don’t make me spell it out, for fuck’s sake.” He couldn’t help ducking his head. Damn that tendency to flush. He might as well be perennially sixteen.
Deacon cleared his throat. “A threesome. Am I right?”
“A what?” Harper’s shriek mirrored Lex’s from earlier at being turned upside down, though there was no laughter behind it.
“You know what a threesome is, Harp. If you didn’t have one with this guy, I can bet he can’t say the same.” Randy jerked a thumb at Deacon.
He knew it was cowardly to try to divert the spotlight, but right then, he didn’t care. He’d needed to come clean about the truth to someone, and his sister and her husband were a good choice. But that didn’t mean it was easy.
For a threesome that was supposed to be all fun and games, so far not a lot of it was, at least when they were outside the bedroom. The intrusion of the real world changed the playing field.
Hell, it was changing them.
“I certainly did not have a threesome with Deak or anyone else. What, are they standard operating procedure now or something?”
“No, but you know how it is in bands.” Deacon reached across the table to cover his wife’s hand with his own. “It’s not exactly unusual.”
“Especially not in your band. Bunch of horndogs.”
“Ours isn’t any worse than many others. Or the world in general.”
Harper shut her eyes, then shook her head. “Look, I know that. I’m not a prude. Honestly, I’m not. I know how stuff works, and normally, I don’t care what people do in their bedrooms. But you, Rand?” Her eyes popped open. “That doesn’t sound like you at all.”
“I suppose it doesn’t.”
“Everyone experiments now and then,” Deak said, squeezing her fingers. “No big deal.”
It would’ve taken nothing at all to leave it at that. Let Harper think he’d experimented a time or two with Juliet and some other faceless dude, and hey, good Os for all, end of story.
If he hadn’t already had to lie by omission so much lately due to those magazine photos, maybe he could’ve pulled it off. Or perhaps not, since this was his sister. The person closest to him in the entire world.
He didn’t want to lie to her too.
“It’s not like that. I guess it was at first, but somewhere along the way, things changed.” Randy scraped a hand through his hair. “We’ve been together for a month, the three of us. I don’t want it to change. Something about it feels right. And yes, I know that probably sounds crazy, and not like me, but it’s my reality. I’m not in any hurry for this to end, but it has to.”
Didn’t it?
Harper stared at him for so long he nearly started to fidget. “What other guy? Do I know him?”
There was keeping the secret for Tris and Juliet, and then there was not being open with someone who was important to him—and who he knew for certain that he could trust. “Tristan Eves.”
“The guy you live with.”
“Yeah. He’s my best friend.”
“And you share—you share girls.”
“Not girls. We’ve never done anything like this before. We share Juliet. And she shares us.”
Was it possible for ears to spontaneously incinerate? Because his felt like they were three-hundred degrees.
“On like a permanent basis. Not just the occasional hookup,” Deacon clarified.
“Yeah. Well, as permanent as a month is. We’ve been separated too. That’s what the photos were about. Tris wasn’t with us, but Juliet and I still…” He wasn’t going to resort to using the phrase “you know.” He absolutely was not. “You know.”
Okay, so yes, he was.
“So maybe it’ll be you two then. Once you guys burn the sex out of your systems, maybe you and Juliet will—”
“Fall into a normal relationship with just each other so no one else gets too uncomfortable?” Suddenly, Randy couldn’t sit any longer. He stood and shoved in his chair. “Sorry, not going to happen. Tristan is a part of us. He’s not just another dick to fill in when I get tired.”
“Randy, keep your voice down. Do you want Lex to hear?”
“No, of course not. God forbid she learns of her uncle’s debauchery.” He knew full well he was being ridiculous, and he’d probably feel guilty for jumping down Harper’s throat later, but right now, he was pissed.
What was the big deal? So it was non-traditional. If they were happy, didn’t that count for something?
Yes, it damn well did. And it was time he stopped hiding and denying that, even to himself.
Especially to himself.
“Something about us just works.” He gripped the back of the chair. “I know it seems out there and probably ripe to become a disaster. Maybe it will. I can’t see into the future. All I know is we started things on a lark, and somehow here we are. I can’t see myself without Juliet. Or Tristan. And I don’t know what that means.”
“It means you love them,” Deacon said, shooting a quelling glance at Harper. She only nodded and pressed
He started to argue. It was too soon for any of that. Wasn’t it?
Though he’d had a thing for Juliet for a while. And he’d loved Tristan as a friend, as a kind of brother, long before he’d gotten naked with him. So maybe it wasn’t so out of reach after all.
Fucking insanity was what it was, falling for two known commitment phobes. Someone was most likely going to get hurt in that scenario, and it would likely be him.
Too bad he didn’t give a shit.
“I had a thing for Juliet for a while. Never thought she’d be into me that way. Then when she was, and Tris was part of it…it’s been good. So yeah, I guess I love them.”
Harper leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “You guess?”
He took a deep breath. He didn’t guess anything. He knew full well how he felt, but acknowledging it? Telling his sister and her husband that yes, he was part of something non-traditional but he was accepting and even embracing it?
“Yes. I love them. Both of them.”
Christ, admitting it was a weight off his shoulders.
“Good. Great.” Harper smiled and reached for her fork. “I think I need a glass of milk to go with this.”
“That’s it? No more interrogation?”
“There was no interrogation.”
“Okay, fine. Just checking.”
“I’m thrilled for you. I’m glad you’re happy, and I hope it all works out.”
“And?”
“And nothing. Other than Deak’s had his share, so ask him if you have questions. He won’t mind. He’s a virtual fount of info.”
“Questions like what?”
“I don’t know.” Harper jerked a shoulder as both Randy and Deak gawked at her. “Protocol. Or whatever.”
“Dude, you’re a threesome expert?” Randy pulled out his chair again and sat down, cocking his head at his brother-in-law.
“Holy shit, no. Harper, you’re asking for it.”
She only smiled sunnily and dug into her pie.
“There is no protocol. We make our own rules. That’s why this works.” He sipped his soda.
“So you do it with both of them at the same time? Daisy chain or whatever they call it?”
He nearly spit out his soda.
“Please forgive my wife. She spends all her time behind a hot oven. I think it might’ve fried a few of her cells.”
“Ass.” She slugged Deacon in the shoulder, none too lightly. “He’s my little brother. And—” She stopped and exhaled. “And I have no right to be asking these highly inappropriate questions. Sorry. I sound like Mom. No, I sound like Mom on her worst day after taking judgy pills. I’m just curious, and it’s not my place to ask.”
“It’s your place because you love me. It’s weird, yes, and I’d rather chew
on a cord again than discuss this with you, but I know you’re just worried. I’m happy. That’s all I can say.”
“That’s plenty, and I’m thrilled that you are.” His older sister smiled. “I do have one more question.”
Randy and Deacon both groaned.
“Fine,” Randy said. “Shoot. But make it fast.”
“Like lightning. Just wanted to know if this means we now have two other people to babysit Lex? Because we’ve been talking about doing some traveling before the next full tour kicks off and—”
Randy tossed his napkin at her and she laughed, hard. So did him and Deacon.
Maybe everything could actually work out.
Permanently.
Chapter Twenty-Three
His hip buzzed and the heavy bass line of Alice in Chains’s “Would?” blared out of the couch.
“Fuck off,” Tristan muttered into the cushion.
Another buzz, and the song started again. Her ringtone. He peeled his eyes open and dislodged his phone from the depths of his sofa.
Juliet: Where are you?
Tristan rolled over and unlocked his phone.
Tristan: Home.
His eyes were blurry with fatigue. Her response bubbles were the only thing keeping him from blinking out again.
He’d sacked out after the early shift at work. Since Kendra had covered for him for turkey day, he’d taken the Sunday brunch crowd for her. He remembered, painfully, just how much he hated the early shift. Between prep time and the rush there was no downtime. By the time Kendra had come in to relieve him he’d wanted nothing but his damn bed.
Problem was, his bed wasn’t the same without Jules and Sparks.
His perfect king-sized bed was empty as hell. His house was too fucking quiet. He’d thought that a weekend alone would have been heaven—not so much.
Juliet: Almost home. S picked me up from the airport. Being with my parents again sucked so I was in a hurry to get back. Home in five. You should turn on your iPad. Left you a present.
Tristan pushed himself up to a sitting position.
Tristan: What kind of present?
Juliet: Just look.
He hauled himself up off the couch and stretched. He swiped his iPad off the kitchen counter and sat at the hightop table in the kitchen. A new icon was on his Home screen. He sat on one of the stools and sipped at the flavored water he’d opened and never drank when he got home.
“Guess this must be my present.” He clicked the icon and a grid pattern of four screens came up. The resolution was way lower than he was used to on an Apple product. Only one of the boxes was lit up. He squinted and moved closer to the screen.
There was no sound, but that was definitely Juliet in the frame. She was reclined in the passenger seat of a car—Randy’s car. Her legs were open and jet black thigh high stockings were clearly visible. Juliet had Randy’s thumb in her mouth and her hand between her legs.
She was sucking his finger slowly and methodically in that way she had. The one that made him insane to get his cock in her mouth. With her other hand, she was slowly circling her clit, her hips undulating against the seat. Jealousy burned hot and wild inside of him.
Again, he was the one left behind.
They couldn’t even wait until they were home?
Then he noticed her eyes weren’t on Randy. They were peering up into the lens. The setup for this little program on his tablet. She dragged Sparks’s wet thumb into her shirt and over to her breast. His arm flexed because of the angle, but he allowed her to lead his hand where she wanted it.
She was running the show.
Tristan swallowed hard.
And that was exactly what this was. A show.
Fuck, this woman knew him inside and out. His skin itched with it. Watching had always been a thing for him. So few women had accepted that side of him. The rare moments where he’d shared his predilections with past lovers he’d gotten either a wild yes, or a hell no from his partners.
But none had ever figured out his true self.
The part of him that loved to watch. The voyeur that lived inside the small dark spots of his sexuality. He couldn’t even call it dark really. He didn’t get off on strangers so much as this woman. Watching her perform for him with Sparks or alone, it didn’t really matter. What mattered was watching her come apart.
And that’s exactly what she was doing.
This little camera lens held no sound. It was like an old black and white movie that showed every nuance of his woman—their woman. The shuddering breath as she brought herself closer to the edge, Sparks’s forefinger and thumb plucking at her nipple under her shirt.
Fuck, just drag it down so he could see her perfect tit. So full and round, with the most sensitive nipples he’d ever tasted.
Her head bounced against the headrest as Rand’s hand slid lower to tangle with her fingers. He dragged her fingers away to suck them into his mouth. She reached up to the top of the windshield and moved the lens.
Rand licked every one of her fingers.
Fuck, he could practically taste her cum on his tongue. Spicy and fresh with a slap of savory afterburn.
He palmed his cock. Jesus, he was rock hard just watching her get off.
Juliet turned the camera back to her and he hissed out a breath. She’d unbuttoned her shirt exposing the lace bralette she was wearing. It had absolutely no support, just sheer lace to show off her tight little raspberry nipples.
Well, not so raspberry here in the black and white world she was creating, but he knew each bump and curve of her breast. The way her skin pebbled up when she was so close to coming that her brain shorted out and nothing but sounds came from her purring throat.
Yeah, that Juliet was full screen.
She dragged Randy’s hand between her legs and he delved deep within her folds. He spread his fingers, the V of his two middle fingers trapping her clit.
“Fuck,” he muttered.
She aimed the camera down again and there was nothing but Randy’s fingers and her soaking wet pussy in the frame. He could practically hear the sounds of her excitement. The thigh quiver gave away just how close she was. How long had they been playing before he’d turned on the feed?
Jesus, even missing five minutes of this seemed cruel and unusual treatment.
She bowed up off the seat and gripped Rand’s wrist as he finger-banged her. There was no other word for it. For fuck’s sake, Rand was relentless and even as she curled around his hand and arm, he didn’t stop.
Tristan could hear her screams in his head.
Feel them at the back of his spine.
He ripped at his belt and button fly to release the tension there. If he had to watch a minute more, he’d crank off a load.
She was lost in the moment, so the camera only caught her thigh as she crawled across the seat to Randy. He imagined she was clawing at his chest since her heel was jammed against the door. Then the camera went black.
“What the hell?” Tristan stood up. His cock was bent painfully, but he’d rather have her suck him off than use his goddamn hand one more time this weekend.
Suddenly, the other three boxes in the screen lit up. The gate on the elevator rose and Randy and Juliet came into frame. Three different angles.
She’d planted cameras on three of the walls. He got a view of her profile, her perfect ass, and full on. Randy reached up to pull the gate down. Juliet curled herself around him from the back.
Tristan groaned. He knew just how amazing her tits felt against his back.
She was so lush in certain places, and nearly lean as a dancer in others.
She reached around Randy to the front of his pants. The profile camera caught her strong hand jacking him off before she slid around to the front of him. She pushed him back a few steps to the back of the elevator.
She grinned right up into the camera as she crouched in front of Randy and pulled his cock out of his jeans. Randy’s head fell back against the wall. His fingers went into her hair
immediately.
Tristan couldn’t blame him.
Juliet’s mouth was sinful. She lifted Rand’s shaft so she could lick the underside before cupping her tongue to let the head of his cock sit there in the perfect bowl shape. She closed her lips around his head and looked up at Randy for a moment. A sly smile spread her lips before she took him fully inside. She bobbed along his length twice before letting him free.
Tristan imagined he could hear the pop of suction in her cheeks.
Fuck, she was so goddamn hot.
She climbed up him, holding onto his shaft as she reached for the lever. The elevator jerked to a stop and Tristan snarled out a string of swear words.
She was going to torture him some more.
She went back to Randy and twisted her fingers around the base of his shaft, pulling slowly along the length of him. She brought her hand up to her mouth and and licked the entire length of her palm before working him over again.
She went on her tiptoes. He couldn’t understand what she was saying, but suddenly, both of them were looking into the lens. Finally, Tristan could read what she was mouthing.
You’re next.
“Fuck.” Tristan took himself in hand and kicked the stool out behind him. It took everything inside him not to stalk down the hall to climb down the elevator shaft and demand they come up and let him participate, but he had to see what else she would do.
She slicked her tongue along Rand’s lower lip. He gripped the back of her head, wrapping her hair around his palm as he kissed her hard. Tongues lashed and still she jacked his cock with her hand. Tristan matched her pull for pull, wishing it was her hand on him, her tongue in his mouth.
Finally, she tore herself away from Randy and dropped into a crouch. She was wearing a little black skirt that floated around her thighs. She opened her knees wide, sliding her hand between her thighs as she raked her nails over Rand’s belly with her other hand. She took him deep, his entire length disappearing into her throat.