Everything Nice

by Mari Carr

  “Again with the granny lines,” Charlie said at the same time.

  “It means you’re both so worried about what you think can’t be that you’re losing sight of what could be.”

  Alex’s words resonated deep within Charlie and he could feel the truth behind them. Allie’s hand tightened on his knee and Charlie placed his hand atop hers.

  She looked toward the television, but when she spoke, Charlie knew her thoughts weren’t on the movie. “I can see us lying here like this twenty years from now,” she confessed.

  Charlie saw Alex grin at her admission. “So can I,” his friend added.

  Leaning back and gazing unseeingly at the TV, Charlie felt their words in his heart. “So can I,” he whispered.

  Allie sat up again and turned to face them before leaning down and placing a long, hot kiss on Alex’s lips. Charlie reached over and ran his fingers through her hair, entranced by the depths of her passion. She released Alex and turned toward him, giving him the same enthusiastic embrace. Charlie felt Alex move closer—and he was overcome by the feeling that he wanted to kiss both of them.

  The impact of his thoughts jarred him. Allie, perhaps sensing his confusion, pulled back to look at him.

  “Kiss him,” she whispered almost soundlessly.

  Charlie remained motionless. How could she have known? He turned his head, surprised by the look of unbridled yearning in Alex’s eyes.

  But rather than looking at Allie, his friend was looking at him.

  Shoving his rampant thoughts aside, Charlie decided to move on instinct and leaned in. Alex shadowed his move and before he knew what was happening, they were kissing.

  Charlie had never imagined what it would be like to kiss another man. Shit, the idea would have seemed completely foreign to him before this past oh-too-wild week. Suddenly all the walls that had been constructed around his limited view of the world began to crumble as he felt Alex’s hand in his hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss, holding him captive to the feeling of his lips and tongue and teeth.

  Allie’s soft breath touched his cheek only second before her lips, and Charlie turned toward her, taking her mouth again. The three of them nestled together, taking turns kissing, and time seemed to have stopped completely as they were enveloped by the perfect unity of the moment.

  “Bedroom,” Charlie muttered when he felt as if he’d explode from the sensations and need.

  “Yes,” Alex hissed, and the three of them stumbled down the hall together, touching, kissing, undressing each other, afraid to break the connection of their lips and bodies.

  They were all naked by the time they hit the bedroom and Allie hopped onto the bed, beckoning them with her finger and a seductive smile.

  Alex grinned and crawled up beside her but Charlie hung back for a moment, trying to halt the uncultivated emotions crashing down on him.

  “Uh-oh,” Allie said between giggles as Alex tickled her bare midriff. “Charlie’s thinking again.”

  He shook his head at her teasing words and shook off the heavy weight that threatened to crush him. For tonight, for this moment, he’d take a page from their book and live in the now. There would be plenty of time later to consider the repercussions. Right now he wanted to be with them.

  Joining them on the bed, he pulled Allie toward him, taking her lips in a hard kiss. He mentally chastised himself for his roughness and pulled back a bit. He felt as if he had to constantly be on guard with her. She was so much smaller than him, so delicate. He’d rather cut off his arm than hurt her, but he couldn’t resist the need driving him to take her hard and fast.

  “Easy,” he heard Alex mutter when his hands started laying claim to Allie’s gorgeous, soft curves. Charlie couldn’t seem to touch her fast enough, cover sufficient ground quickly enough. There was a raging inferno building inside him, scorching everything in its path.

  “We have all night,” Alex said, wrapping his hand around one of Charlie’s wrists.

  Charlie felt the heat in his friend’s gesture, but rather than calm him as he was sure Alex intended, it stoked the flames higher. He shook off Alex’s grip and pulled his friend’s face closer, resuming the forbidden kisses they’d begun on the couch. His lips trailed along Alex’s jaw as Allie’s hands traveled along his chest, toying with his nipples.

  If this was what it felt like to be insane, Charlie was ready and willing to have himself committed for life.

  A low moan came from Alex and the deep, wholly masculine sound of it pulled Charlie from his trancelike state.

  He was making out with his best friend.

  He mentally shook off the panic building inside him as Allie’s soft lips landed on his chest, dragging her tongue along his rib cage. Turning away from Alex, he pushed Allie back on the bed, determined to push away the unease he felt when he looked at his friend.

  This is wrong.

  The words crashed around his head and he couldn’t seem to shake them from his rattled brain and shredded wits.

  “Together,” he heard Allie whisper, and he only had a second to wonder at her words when she took him by surprise, pushing him to his back. It was a testament to his confusion that he let her take the lead. He never gave a woman control in the bedroom. He’d never allowed another to guide his sexual play but, as Allie’s breasts rubbed against his chest, he felt the reins slip from his grasp and he didn’t bother to try to pick them up again.

  He took her hips in his hands and pulled her down on top of him, relishing the feeling of her body as his cock entered her and she started to ride him, slowly, luxuriously. He heard Alex reaching for something in the nightstand but his eyes were closed, too focused, too intent on the pleasure Allie was provoking inside him. She was a miracle, a gift he’d never had the nerve to wish for. He loved her with his whole heart.

  The bed shifted by his thighs and Allie’s motions stilled.

  He forced himself to open his eyes, forced himself to look over her shoulder at the man behind her. For a split second he’d allowed himself to forget Alex was there, but he now watched the gentle way Alex pushed Allie forward so that her body lay prostrate atop his. As he watched his friend work lubrication into Allie’s ass, he felt the walls closing in yet again.

  Although the three of them had been together numerous times the past several days, they’d always taken turns and neither man had breached Allie’s ass. She had confided that although she’d participated in anal play before, it was nothing more than a finger. Now Charlie felt spellbound by the image of Alex’s face as he worked his fingers into her virgin bud. Allie squirmed slightly and Charlie engulfed her in his embrace.

  “Shhh,” he soothed, running a hand through her long hair. “You are amazing,” he whispered, and he saw Alex smile at his words.

  Once Alex had worked three fingers in, he reached down and retrieved a condom he must have pulled out of the drawer with the lube. As he watched Alex tear the package open with his teeth and don it, he realized he’d forgotten to do the same.

  “Allie,” he whispered. “Are you on the Pill?”

  “Yes,” she muttered against his chest, and he felt a small sense of relief.

  His question must have drawn Alex’s attention to the oversight and he wondered what his friend would say. Would he be angry at him? He watched his friend shrug and grin before resuming on his intended path. Alex pressed the head of his cock into Allie’s tight ass and Charlie swallowed heavily, amazed to realize he could feel so much. Every move his friend made in Allie’s body touched him.

  Slowly Alex penetrated her ass, and it wasn’t until he was fully seated that Charlie felt Allie expel her held breath. Charlie sighed as well and realized he hadn’t been breathing throughout Alex’s entrance either.

  The thick hardness of Alex’s cock rubbed against his own through the thin membrane inside Allie, and Charlie couldn’t contain the moan of ecstasy that escaped his lips.

  Alex caught his gaze and he knew his friend was silently asking for permission to move. The s
exual tension in the room was thicker than fog and Charlie wished he could stay lost in the haze forever. With a single, slight nod, he watched as Alex began his retreat and Charlie sucked in a breath as his friend’s cock traveled down the length of his own, rubbing and caressing it in a way so foreign yet so glorious. How had he lived without this?

  He looked down, almost afraid of the expression he would find on Allie’s face. Was this too much for her? Was it too painful? Too overwhelming? Too soon?

  She lifted her head from his chest and kissed him gently. “I’ve never felt so…” She paused and Charlie knew she was struggling with the same powerful emotions as he.

  “Me either,” he whispered, kissing her again as he and Alex started to move within her in tandem. Charlie knew none of them would last long. It didn’t seem to matter how many times they came into her body, neither he nor Alex could withstand the need to come quickly. He chuckled at the thought, aware that they would need to work on that small problem or risk destroying Allie’s opinion of their sexual prowess.

  “What’s so funny?” Allie asked, gasping as Alex thrust into her once more with more power than before.

  Charlie groaned at the impact, stars beginning to form behind his eyes. “I can’t seem to last more than five minutes with you.”

  Alex moaned above him, apparently finding Charlie’s confession comforting. “Thank God,” his friend muttered. “I was afraid I was about to seriously embarrass myself. I can’t—”

  The rest of Alex’s words were lost in his orgasm and his throbbing, pulsing cock triggered Charlie’s climax.

  “Fuck!” he gritted out, overwhelmed by the feeling of coming inside a woman’s body without a condom. The feeling was frighteningly addictive and Charlie feared he’d never want to wear one with her again.

  Allie cried out as Charlie became aware of Alex’s finger toying with her clit. He cursed his selfishness, grateful his friend was cognizant enough to see to Allie’s pleasure. She trembled and her inner muscles gripped his cock so tightly, he felt himself begin to harden almost instantly.

  Allie and Alex must have felt it as well.

  “Oh no,” Allie said, breathlessly. “You guys are going to be the death of me.”

  “I believe Charlie pointed out that we all came a bit quick that time. I feel certain with a little practice we could really perfect our sustaining time,” Alex joked.

  Allie giggled quietly before resting her head on Charlie’s chest. For several moments none of them moved, the sensations, the connection too new, too precious to break. Before long, Allie’s breathing deepened and Charlie shook his head, realizing she’d fallen asleep yet again. They were all still intimately hooked together. Glancing at his friend, he watched Alex flash him a football signal from their high school days and in unison they shifted. Charlie rolled onto his left side, gently keeping Allie tucked against his chest, while Alex followed the move and remained resolutely spooned to her back.

  Alex’s low laugh drifted over to him and he raised his hand above Allie’s shoulder. Charlie grinned at the gesture. They’d been hell on the gridiron with that left fake and without a thought Charlie quietly high-fived him and joined in his laughter.

  “She’d have kicked our asses if she’d seen that,” Alex whispered. “Probably think we were gloating or something. Never thought that move would come in so handy…” Alex snuggled into the pillow and Charlie heard his friend’s light breathing. Damn man could fall asleep in seconds.

  Charlie rested his hand on Allie’s waist and wished he could find sleep as well. Instead he was aching with the heaviness in his chest that told him this happiness couldn’t, shouldn’t last.

  Chapter Seven

  “Where’s Charlie?” Allie asked, walking into the kitchen and thanking God for the full pot of coffee awaiting her.

  “Where do you think?” Alex asked, and Allie winced at his hurt, angry tone. Since their super-sexy mating last Friday, Charlie had gone into virtual hiding. Although they’d spent most of the weekend in bed, she’d sensed his mental retreat. He never kissed Alex again and he refused to repeat the double penetration that had left Allie so breathless, so captivated. He’d claimed he didn’t want to hurt her by doing it again so soon.

  Once the weekend ended, Charlie started heading into work early every morning and returning home very late at night. He hadn’t joined them in the bedroom again, instead sleeping in his own bed rather than joining them in Alex’s.

  When Allie had tried to confront him about it, he’d brushed her concerns aside, insisting that he was working on a big project and claiming he’d not wanted to wake them up when they were sleeping so peacefully. She could feel the distance he was trying to put between them, but she wasn’t sure what to say to pull him back. It was clear he was upset, thinking they’d crossed a line they shouldn’t have.

  Alex refused to approach Charlie at all and Allie sensed for the first time that her confident lover was truly at a loss about what to do. She’d grown so accustomed to him merely grabbing the bull by the horns and accepting nothing less than what he wanted that it was frightening to see him so uncertain, so apprehensive and insecure. Needless to say, it had been the longest week of her life.

  “Man, am I glad it’s Friday,” she said lightly, feigning a carefree attitude. “What do you want to do this weekend?”

  She watched Alex grab a cold bagel from the bag on the counter. He’d been trying to put on a good face for her this week, but she knew his attempts at remaining positive were wearing him out. They’d both thought that Charlie had only needed a bit of time to adjust, to come to grips with what happened. He lifted the hard bread to his lips and she gripped his wrist.

  “Why don’t you let me cut that and toast it? Wouldn’t you like it a bit more with cream cheese or butter?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “It’s fine like this.”

  “Alex, I think maybe you should talk to Charlie. It’s clear this silent treatment you guys are maintaining isn’t working.” Alex had adamantly insisted two nights ago that a confrontation wouldn’t change things and Allie had hesitantly abided by his wishes. She realized that she couldn’t help Charlie, only Alex could—and that wouldn’t happen as long as they were avoiding each other.

  “You’re with him all day,” she said. “Just go in his office and have it out. Stop letting him hide from this…from us.”

  “Dammit, Allie! He’s not hiding. He doesn’t want it, okay? I told you six years ago. He’s not fucking gay. It’s pretty damn clear he hated what happened last weekend and now he doesn’t want to see me.”

  “I don’t think it’s clear he hated anything,” Allie retorted, her own temper wearing thin under the stressful living conditions. “Is that what you think?”

  “He was repulsed by what happened, Allie. What we did. He’s probably sickened by it.”

  “Holy shit. You’ve lost your mind too! Is that what you’ve been thinking this whole week? That Charlie didn’t like kissing you, touching you? Talk about somebody being blind.”

  “Why else would he be avoiding me? Avoiding us?” Alex walked to the kitchen table and sat down heavily. “I owe you an apology for that,” he said softly.

  “For what?”

  “Charlie would still be here, still be with you if I hadn’t forced myself on him. Hadn’t forced myself into your relationship.”

  Allie’s rage broke free and she picked up a bagel and threw it at him, hard.

  “Ow!” he cried as the bread bounced off his forehead and hit a wall. “What the hell did you do that for?”

  “I’m hoping to knock some damn sense into you! Tell you what, why don’t I go over a few things for the idiots in the peanut gallery here.”

  Alex looked around and gave her an amused grin. “I’m the only person in the room,” he said.

  “Like I said, idiot.” Her anger was still full force and showing no signs of abating despite Alex’s guilty, apologetic looks.

  “Number one, we are a trio—not a coupl
e plus one, but a bona fide threesome. There is no ‘Charlie and me’ without you, so go ahead and get that thought out of your head. Number two, Charlie was not repulsed by what happened between the two of you. I was there, and apparently the only person in the bedroom paying attention. If Charlie is avoiding us, it’s because he loved every single minute of our fucking and it freaked him out. He’s not like you and me—a fact we have a tendency to forget every now and then. Charlie lives in a world where one man and one woman spend a lifetime together monogamously. He sincerely believes in relationships where he protects and cherishes a woman while leading the sexual play in the bedroom.”

  Alex nodded and started to respond, but Allie cut him off with her hand.

  “I’m not finished,” she said. “In the course of two weeks, we’ve asked him to participate in a ménage, give up some of his control in the bedroom and thrust him into a physical relationship with you, his best friend and a man. Talk about culture shock.”

  “It all happened too fast,” Alex interjected, and Allie waved him off again, picking up another bagel. Alex threw his hands up in time and knocked the bread away before it hit her desired target. “Dammit, Allie, stop throwing shit at me!”

  “In what world is six years too fast, Einstein? Hell, it’s been longer than that, even. When did you first realize you were in love with Charlie?”

  Alex shrugged. “A lifetime ago,” he answered sadly.

  “So if anything, you’ve almost waited too long.”

  He nodded and his shoulders lowered dejectedly. “You’re probably right. It’s too late now.”

  “Holy hell, you are dense! I said almost too long. For someone who knows what they want, you sure as hell don’t know how to go after it.”

  Alex rose from the table, his frustration pouring off him in waves. “Face it. I’m asking for too much, Allie. I want more than Charlie can give.”

  “I don’t hear you asking for a damn thing. You keep plotting all these sneak attacks rather than confronting him with the truth. Go talk to him. Tell him how you feel. Stop hiding.”