by Lily Harlem
I reached for his swinging tie, clasped it in my hand and kept his head close. “Did you enjoy your ice-cream breakfast?” I said licking the minty chocolate flavor his kiss had left on my lips.
“Yeah, I did actually.”
“Good.” I tipped my head and narrowed my eyes to the sunlight. “You been here before in all the years you’ve lived in the apartment?”
“No, never.”
“Didn’t think so.” I let go of his tie.
“First of many new things, Ariane, for all of us.” He dropped his shades back over the bridge of his nose and stepped around the back of my chair. “See you later, mate.” He pressed his hand onto Liam’s shoulder.
“Mmm, yep.” Liam caught a drip of ice cream on his finger and sucked it into his mouth. “See ya.” He glanced at Quinn’s rapidly retreating figure and then returned his attention to his cone.
Liam and I finished our ice creams, and after he insisted on trying out the strawberry flavor by kissing me, much to the parlor girl’s displeasure, we linked hands and began a stroll back through the now-busy bay area.
There were rows of restaurants and shops and I enthused about the food in the French eatery as we wandered past, telling Liam all about the courses Quinn and I had enjoyed with a bottle of champagne.
Next door to the French restaurant, which I hadn’t noticed the night before, was a small art gallery. The pictures in the window were wonderfully unique—small, round people wandering over fat green hills. I liked the style, although it was very different to mine, and I lingered for a minute at the window.
“These are great,” I said. “Like fat, fresh air Lowry people.”
“Yes,” Liam agreed, wrapping a hand around my waist and pulling me close. “Tell you what, though, you linger here and have a good look around, I need to get back up to my office. They’ll be waking up soon in Texas and I’m working with a company there, I’ve got details to go through.” He dug into his pocket. “Here’s a spare key.” He grinned as he poked it into my front jeans pocket. “Except it’s not spare anymore, it’s yours.”
“Thanks.” I tipped my head for the kiss he was sending down. “I’ll see you in a bit then.”
“Don’t rush, I’ll be at it most of the day now.” His hands slid onto my bum and he pulled me close, real close. “But I’ll be looking forward to seeing you later, seeing a lot of you.”
And with that he was gone. Just like Quinn he strode off, although at not quite such a high speed.
I wandered into the shop and read the details about the artist who’d painted the fat little hill people. He was a local guy, fresh from college. It gave me a flash of hope that if the gallery was offering hanging space to new artists then perhaps I would get a stab at displaying. I moved farther into the shop, it was long and thin and the lighting subdued except for spots shining directly onto the pictures. A couple was chatting to a man behind the counter about a gallery in London and three older women were ambling around discussing the merits of various local landscape pictures.
I stopped before an enormous picture of New York and realized it was by the same artist as the one Liam and Quinn had in their living room. I looked at the price and felt a rush of nausea, that was one hell of a price to pay for a picture. I began to read the details, another local, this time a girl. I heard soft footsteps behind me, right behind me, invading my personal space, and felt a presence at my shoulder. I spun, but there was no one there. I looked both ways, one of the older ladies had broken away from her friends, it must have been her.
I moved to the next picture, didn’t like it much, and then to my absolute delight, saw a small doorway tucked at the back of the shop with a sign above it—“Artists’ Supplies”.
I could have whooped for joy as I dashed in and glanced around. To me this was a candy shop. It appeared deserted at first glance but then I spotted a man with a red baseball cap hunched over a box. A fellow artist no doubt, desperate for a certain brand of brush or paint.
I rubbed my hands together and made a beeline for the paper section. My favorite paper was Lascaux cotton duck, it had a tiny weave and was perfect for the small paintings that had become my specialty. But it was a pain to get hold of, there was a shop in London and one in Birmingham that stocked it, other than that it was the internet and it cost a fortune to keep getting delivered. I fingered through the unprimed section, and suddenly there they were, sheets and sheet of cotton duck, each perfect sheet a picture just waiting to happen.
I checked for my wallet in my jeans pocket. I had plenty of cash now my arrangement with the men didn’t appear to require rent. I plucked out ten sheets of paper and then turned to the brush section, my head spinning with excitement.
“Morning.” The man from the counter at the front of the shop strolled in and smiled. The guy with the baseball cap stood and walked back through the small doorway, head low, shoulders hunched. I guessed he hadn’t found what he’d been looking for, I knew how that felt to be lacking an essential ingredient.
“Hi,” I said, turning my attention to the salesman.
“Found everything you want?” he asked.
“Nearly, I’m thrilled you stock Lascaux, it’s heavenly to use.”
“My wife adores it too.” He grinned. “My life wouldn’t be worth living if I didn’t have half of the world’s supply here.”
“I’m starting afresh with my supplies, so I need some acrylics and brushes too.”
“No problem, here you go.” He led me over to the extensive brush selection and I got a familiar flutter in my chest at the thought of dipping a new brush into paint for the first time and then angling the loaded point toward a fresh piece of paper.
I chose several fine brushes and a couple of fan tips, as good paint as my budget would allow and then paid at the front of the shop. The salesman was chatty and keen to hear about my artwork.
“Bring some in,” he said as I picked up my bag of supplies. “We’ve got cancelled hanging space next month. You could get quite a few smaller pictures up, the display that pulled out was for several large paintings.”
“Really?” I said, hardly believing my ears.
He shrugged. “Well I’m not promising anything until I’ve seen the goods.” He reached for a business card by the till and handed it over. “I’m Derek by the way. See if you can get your pictures in by the end of next week.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” He laughed and his round belly jiggled up and down under his tight, striped shirt. “Everyone’s got to start somewhere, and I’m all for giving new artists a chance. Are you local?”
“Yes.” I popped the card into my purse. “I live in the apartment block just over the bay. The top one.”
“Very nice,” he said, nodding approvingly. “So you’ll have some nice bay pictures from angles no one else has ever seen.”
Someone sneezed behind me. I looked over my shoulder. It was the same guy as before, in the red cap, he was studying a picture of a tractor plowing a field.
“Bless you,” the salesman called.
The guy lifted a hand in acknowledgement and then snaked sideways and disappeared out the front of the shop.
I followed a few minutes later, brimming with enthusiasm and anticipation as I blinked in the bright sunshine. The offer of gallery space was a dream come true. I had loads of pictures. I would call Hilary and have her send them to Cardiff. Without their frames they would pack easily into a large envelope. I picked up a swift pace back to the apartment. It would have to be recorded delivery of course, they were precious and hopefully, fingers crossed, they were the start of my new, dream career.
*
The apartment may as well have been empty when I let myself in, Liam locked in his office didn’t count as being around.
I rested my bag flat on the wooden floor so as not to crease my paper and reached for the telephone on the hall table. I was sure the guys wouldn’t mind me using it.
Hilary picked up after two rings.
>
“Hi,” I said. “It’s me.”
“Ariane, bloody hell, I’ve been texting you like crazy trying to find out your whereabouts in Cardiff and see if you’re okay.”
“Yes, I’m all right. But I left my phone at Jed’s the other night.”
“Well that’ll explain the lack of response then.”
“Sorry.”
“No, no it’s fine, Karl and me were just worried that’s all. I know you’d left a message saying you were fine but still, you left in the middle of the night without taking anything or saying anything to anyone.”
“I’m sorry, I had no choice.” I set about explaining all of Jed’s wheeling and dealing and how I’d exposed him to the ombudsman.
“Bloody hell,” she said when I’d finished. “What a creep, what a lowlife scum of the earth employer.”
“I know, I can’t believe I actually let him take me out on a date.”
“Well imagine if you hadn’t, he’d still be embezzling and cheating. At least there’ll be a warrant out for his arrest now.”
“Mmm.” I felt a shiver weave up my spine. “I just hope they catch him soon, I’m not going to be his most favorite person in the world.”
“They will. Listen, I was texting you to see if you wanted me to send anything to Cardiff, like your art paper, I know how fanatical you are about that.”
“You’re a star,” I said. “But I’ve actually just found a small gallery shop that supplies it, I’ve got some here right now.”
“Wow, that’s good, all that hassle you used to go through to get it. Anything else you need?”
“Would it be a terrible imposition to get you to send my completed pictures? They’re in my room, in the blue folder. There’s about thirty, it would have to be recorded delivery but I’ll owe you the money.”
“Don’t be daft, are you sure that’s all you want?”
“Yes, for now.”
“But you haven’t got any clothes.”
“I’ve got a few new bits to tide me over.”
Hilary paused. “Ariane?”
“Yeah?”
“Where are you staying? Or rather…who are you staying with?”
“In an apartment in the bay.” I coiled the telephone lead around my fingers. “I rented a room from an ad in the paper.”
There was another pause. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing.”
“There’s a guy involved isn’t there?” Hilary giggled. “Fast work, Ariane.”
“Er, yeah, there is actually.”
“Good for you, you’ve been on your own far too long. Geraint’s been married over a year now.”
“I know.” I waited for the shard of pain to slice my chest at the thought of Geraint and his wife celebrating their first anniversary. But it didn’t come, my heart stayed intact, beating as normal.
“What’s his name?”
“Liam, Liam and Quinn.”
“Two of them?”
“Well, they both live here, in the apartment.”
“And you can’t decide, you lucky girl.”
“Well, it’s complicated.” Something inside stopped me telling Hilary about the true nature of out relationship, of our threesome. It was still a fresh and new idea to me, and much as I was thoroughly enjoying it I didn’t feel prepared to justify my choices to anyone yet, not until I’d properly got my own head around all that the three of us living and sleeping together would involve.
“Well have fun choosing a man whilst you wait for the police to catch up with Jed. What’s the address and I’ll get these pictures sent.”
I gave Hilary the address and replaced the receiver. I couldn’t help a smug smile as I wandered into the living room and flung open the doors to the balcony. I began to set out my new paints and brushes and relished the knowledge that I didn’t have to choose between Liam and Quinn as Hilary suggested. I could have them both!
Chapter Six
“So I wait all day,” I said with a smile. “And you both appear at the same time.” I looked up from my painting of the bay, which was more or less complete.
“Yeah, like buses,” Liam said, striding across the living room and lifting me to my feet. “Two come along at once.” He bent his head and kissed me soft and gentle. My knees weakened and I leaned into his granite body, wrapped my arms around his shoulders and molded to him as he held me up.
“I think in this house it’s more like three come at once,” Quinn said in his most drawling, sexy voice. He tossed his jacket over the back of the sofa and walked over to Liam and me.
Liam pulled his mouth from mine and I felt Quinn cup my cheek. “Hey,” he said. His black eyes flashed and a muscle flexed in his cheek. “You had a good day?”
I nodded and reached for a kiss. As Liam held me tight, Quinn delved deep into my mouth. Our tongues began a wild dance and I slipped one hand from Liam to wind around Quinn’s waist. His kiss was tighter, harder, there was something wilder about it than Liam’s but I adored both sensations and being able to swap from one to the other was idyllic.
“I’ve missed you this afternoon,” Liam said, brushing my hair aside and stooping to kiss my neck. “Been thinking of your body,” he said onto my skin. “Been remembering that adorable little shout you do just before you come, it makes me hard, so hard.”
I splayed my fingers and pressed against the back of his neck, urging on his kissing and his talking. His words were like syrup running into my veins and pooling sweetly between my legs. How these guys could get me so turned-on so quickly was amazing. I guessed it was one of the benefits of having two lovers.
“I want to hear it again,” Liam said into my ear. “I want to hear it shouted out, loud and wild…” he paused, “around my cock.”
A whimper of desire escaped my lips, which Quinn caught in his mouth. Liam pressed his body closer and his erection shoved against my stomach. He was right, he was hard from thinking about my little shout of ecstasy. Really hard.
Quinn snaked a hand up my top, delved inside my bra and tweaked my nipple.
“Do you want that, Ariane?” he asked in a gravelly voice, palming the underside of my breast. His breath was heated and coming faster by the second. “Do you want to suck Liam’s cock while I make you come? Would that thrill you, would it make you feel adored and cherished?”
Did I want it? Hell yes!
I nodded and pulled both men closer still. “Yes,” I said, catching in a breath as Quinn pulled my other nipple to the point of pain. “Yes, please.” I could barely fathom what I was agreeing to, how the logistics would work, but it sounded like enormous fun for all of us, and it had been a long, quiet afternoon alone with my thoughts.
“Then strip,” Quinn said, pulling back with a decidedly predatory look in his eye. “Quick.” He began to undo his trousers.
Liam didn’t let me go. He plucked at my jeans and helped me shove them off along with my thong, then curled his fingers under my t-shirt and teased it over my head. He unhooked my bra and slid it down my arms.
“You get more beautiful every time I see you,” he murmured, scanning down the entire length of my body in an indulgent, lazy way.
My skin pricked deliciously at his appreciative gaze. “Do you think anyone can see us?” I asked, glancing at the open door leading to the balcony. There wasn’t much other than the mirror-still sea and white blue sky to look at. But there was a distant path running around the breakwater in the distance.
“If they can they’re in for a treat,” Quinn said peeling off his shirt to reveal his mouthwatering chest. “That path must be over half a mile away.”
“Don’t worry, Ariane,” Liam said. “We’re looking after you, remember. No one will see.”
Quinn came up behind me, wrapped his fingers over my bare hips and urged me toward the sofa. “Bend over,” he said by my ear as my knees touched the coolness of leather. “Get up on the cushions and bend over so I can take your hot little pussy from behind.”
Liam mov
ed around the back of the sofa and as I climbed on and curled my fingers over the backrest I realized I was perfect height for his groin. What they were intending to do suddenly became clear. My heart fluttered and a shiver of excitement tickled through my pelvis. They were going to fuck me in front and behind.
“I love the shape of your lips,” Liam said, brushing a thumb over my mouth as his other hand fiddled with his jeans.
“Mmm,” said Quinn, running his fingers up the inside of my thighs and urging them apart. “Me too.” I arched my back as his fingers slid into the soft folds of my pussy lips. He spread my natural lube, delving into every crease and crevice, leaving no patch of delicate flesh untouched. My clit swelled with need, I could almost feel it throbbing, aching for Quinn to rub me hard and fast the way he was so good at. I closed my eyes and pushed back onto him, wanting more.
“Here you are, baby,” Liam said. “Open up.”
I blinked open my eyes and looked at Liam’s offered cock. The deep red shaft lay cupped in his palm as his thumb raked back and forth over the long slit. The head was shiny with moisture, sparkling temptingly only an inch away. My mouth watered, I licked my lips. I was desperate to get him in my mouth, get him in so deep, my nose buried in his thatch of golden pubes and his slit rubbing against my tonsils.
He pressed forward and as the musky taste of him touched my lips I felt Quinn’s cock prod my vagina.
“You ready?” Liam asked as his other hand cupped my chin and squeezed either side of my mouth. “You ready to take us both?” He increased the pressure and my jaw opened…wide.
He smoothed his cock forward at the same time Quinn thrust in. Quinn’s movement jolted me toward Liam, hard. His cock slid into my mouth, over my tongue and palate much faster than I expected. As he hit the back of my throat I part gagged, part groaned as I was filled so overwhelmingly fast at both ends.