Taught (Cypress Springs Trilogy Book 1)

by Tarilyn Sparks

  Kara didn’t sleep in our bed the rest of the week. Life went back to normal, except this time there was a more somber tone to our household and I wasn’t sure why, except it obviously had to do with Ruth’s visit.

  I didn’t know what she had had said to Jack, but he often got subdued after one of her visits. I’d learned a long time ago to just wait it out, and then he’d be fine.

  After a week like this, I wanted the magic back.

  The next Saturday morning I snuggled up to Jack’s warm slumbering form, and held him close. I inhaled his burly faintly woodsy smell, and he stirred, moving closer to me.

  This was a good sign.

  I ran my hands down his chest, and around his hips and ass. He rocked his hips in his half-asleep state. “Mmm, Teddy,” he murmured. His morning erection pressed against mine, and for a minute I indulged myself in pushing against him.

  “Oh yeah,” Jack sighed. I smiled to myself. I loved horny, sleepy Jack. He was so fun. I slid my body down in the sheets and kissed his stomach on the way to wonderland. His soft fur tickled my face and I inhaled deeply.

  Jack clutched at my shoulder, and I opened my jaw to take his leaking cock into my mouth.

  God, he tasted so good. I wrapped my mouth around him like his cock was the greatest thing in the world—which it was. Jack threaded his fingers through my hair, and rocked his hips in time to the motions of my jaw.

  Up, and down, I licked and sucked him and his moaning intensified. Finally, he came in my mouth and I swallowed down every drop. We rested a moment, my face still in his crotch, my arms around his hips.

  Jack tapped me on the shoulder. “Your turn,” he said, and hauled me back up to meet his lips. His tongue ran over mine. “You taste like me,” he said. I smiled against his mouth and kissed him back.

  He slid his hand down my chest and stomach and gripped my now-throbbing cock. Jack always knew just how to handle me, just how I liked it. He stroked and kissed me deeper, his tongue moving in the same rhythm as his hand.

  He reached down with his other hand and cupped my balls, stroking me from the underside as he tightened his grip. My nerves exploded, lighting up my whole pelvis.

  “Oh fuck,” I moaned. “I love you Jack.”

  Jack chuckled and doubled down on his relentless stroking. “I love you too, Teddy,” he said.

  “I’m going to make you come, and I’m going to swallow every drop of you.”

  I bucked my hips, back and forth, entirely at his mercy. Jack slipped two fingers back into my ass crack. I knew what was coming, but I couldn’t hold back against it much longer. He rubbed his fingertips against my tight hole in the same rhythm he was kissing and stroking me and pushed me over the edge into oblivion.

  “Oh shit!” I roared, as I lost control of the pulsating star at the base of my pelvis. It split wide open, and the pleasure went supernova. The orgasm ripped through me in wave after wave as Jack milked my cock for every drop of fluid. It had been too long, but oh fuck was it worth it now. Jack crawled down and true to his word, licked his fingers and my cock, balls, and stomach clean of every drop.

  I quivered under his ministrations, my cock so sensitive I could barely see during the moments he ran his gentle tongue along my buzzing skin. Finally, all done, he climbed back up and pulled me into his arms, a burly spoon to my taller spoon. I sighed in happiness and snuggled back against him.

  “Welcome back,” I said, turning and kissing him for a moment.

  Jack chuckled. “Thanks. You know how my mom’s visits affect me.”

  Skepticism clouded my chest and I furrowed my brow. “For a whole week though?”

  Jack chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right. She basically told me she knew we were fucking Kara, and it freaked me out.”

  I turned around to face him, resting my head on my arm. We laid face to face, belly to belly, leg slung over leg in our thousand thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. I searched his stormy blue eyes.

  “Are you still freaked out?” I curled my toes, hoping his answer didn’t disappoint me.

  Jack shook his head and ran his fingers through my bed head curls. “Nah. I just needed a little time to get used to the idea of someone like my mom knowing something like that about me.”

  “And you’re used to it now?”

  Jack shrugged. “I guess, because that’s the reality, right?”

  “I want more of her,” I admitted, running my fingers down his chest, and smoothing my palm over his built pecs. I pinched his nipple, just hard enough to give him a little jolt. “Kara, I mean.”

  Jack’s eyes darkened and his mouth curved into a half grin. ‘Me too,” he said.

  “Would you be upset if I ever did things with her when you weren’t here?” My heart sped up and my cock twitched against my leg at the idea of having more naked time with Kara.

  Jack considered and shook his head. “No, I don’t think so because I’d want to do the same if it were me.” His cock lengthened against mine and we pressed our hips together. “I still want to taste her sweet pussy,” he said as he reached down to stroke both our cocks together.

  I groaned and pinched Jack’s nipple again. “She’s so sweet and juicy,” I said. “I want to watch you lick her. I think just seeing that would make me come.”

  Jack chuckled against my mouth, and stroked us harder, both of us lost in the fantasy of more Kara.

  Later that day, Kara and I both sat in the home office grading papers. The morning sun streamed in, reminding me what a beautiful day it was. I got up and stood at the window, looking at the side yard.

  I loved it over there. An old path made of stones wound its way around the house, and eucalyptus bushes lined the walkway.

  “I’m feeling very cooped up,” I announced. “Would you like to go to brunch?” I turned to face Kara who looked at me with astonishment.

  She held a red pen in her hand, midair, like she was about to start another page of work. She looked around and ruffled her hand through the back of her hair.

  “I don’t know—are you treating?”

  I grinned and walked toward her. “Of course, my dear. I’m officially asking you to brunch.”

  Kara bit her lip. “Just you and me? What about Jack?”

  She was right, it would be more fun with Jack, but he wasn’t around. “Jack’s at work,” I said. “But he knows I was considering this and he’s okay with it, not that either of us have any claim to you whatsoever.”

  A smile tugged at Kara’s lips and she tipped her head in thought. “Okay then. Brunch sounds very nice.”

  Elation filled my chest. I felt like a teenage boy being accepted for the first time. It was probably because Kara was a student, and younger than me, she took me back to my own younger years.

  “Should we leave then?”

  Kara laughed. “Let me go get ready. This is a date, right?”

  Again, just like a teenaged boy my cheeks burned. “Yes, this is a date,” I said. “Of course, you can get ready.”

  Kara jumped up, kissed me on the cheek, and was gone before I could react. I rubbed the spot she’d left, pushing her kiss deeper into my skin.

  Her kiss wasn’t all I wanted. That was for damn sure. Was it just physical? Like once we’d gotten her out of our system, we’d go back to normal life? I wasn’t so sure. Kara’s kiss wasn’t the only thing under my skin. Everything about her had gotten to me.

  “What do you think?” Kara reappeared in a tiny sundress that somehow managed to be simultaneously innocent and sweet, as well as sexy and revealing. My cock twitched and I willed it back down. I didn’t need to actually behave like a teenaged boy, even though Kara had that effect on me.

  “You look beautiful,” I said, and offered her my arm. It was time for brunch.

  Kara’s eyes widened when I pulled up in front of Marisol’s—arguably the best brunch restaurant in the state. She glanced over at me and then bit her lip as she gawked at the front of the old money building.

  “I always wondered wh
o ate here,” she said.

  “We do,” I said, lifting my eyebrows once with a smile. I hopped out to give the valet my key. Another valet had already opened her door, and I helped her out of the car.

  She sighed and took in the scene as we walked into the building. Once we were inside, the atmosphere of the room enveloped us in cool, delicious-smelling air. I saw the place through new eyes as Kara looked all around. The walls were covered with signed black and white photos of famous people while the booths had dark wooden table tops and deeply cushioned leather seats that you could sink right into if you weren’t careful.

  I put my arm around Kara and she leaned in. She smelled sweet, like strawberries and vanilla, combined with something softly musky. I squeezed her a little and she looked up at me, all smiles.

  “Thanks for taking me out,” she said. “I can’t remember the last time I was on a proper date.”

  I hit me like a thunderclap. Kara dating. Of course, she would have dated people, and would again. I had no right to her, no claim. Still, something deep inside me stirred with jealousy for any man who’d ever touched her before or would touch her in the future.

  Besides Jack, of course. The only thing better than being with Kara was sharing her with Jack.

  Kara blinked rapidly at me. “Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?” She looked off to the side, like she was inside her mind. “Is this not a date? You said it was.”

  My heart surged for her. “Of course, it’s a date. You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re perfect.”

  I squeezed her close to me and brushed a kiss against her perfect lips. Once we were seated, I walked Kara through the menu, pointing out what I thought was good and what I thought was overrated. Her eyes had widened at the prices, but I told her not to worry about it.

  Jack and I usually stayed in to cook, so when we did go out, we didn’t worry about the cost.

  This seemed to satisfy her, and before long we were enjoying the best bloody Mary’s in the state and a mountain of food.

  I knew Kara was a smart and interesting girl, but I had no idea how deep that depth went. She was writing her thesis on racism and sexism in horror movies. Talking to her outside of the academic setting, I found that her depth and breadth of knowledge extended much further than I’d expected.

  I told her as much and she shrugged. “What can I say, I spent a lot of time reading as a kid. I had no prejudices against any subject, I just pretty much absorbed the written word, anything and everything. Give me a book, and I will still get lost for hours.”

  I reached across the table and took her hands in mine. “Me too,” I said.

  By this time, we’d eaten our fill. Kara bit her lip again and slid her foot up my leg. “What else do you have planned for our date, Dr. Whitman?”

  Despite myself, my cheeks blazed. What the ever-loving fuck? I was a dignified man in my thirties. I tried to squelch that down and play the straight man to her siren.

  “I thought maybe we’d walk down Main Street and do a little window shopping,” I said. “See if we can’t find a little something that catches our eye.”

  Kara considered and gave me that half smile I’d grown so fond of. “All right, let’s go.”

  I paid the check and still feeling mellow from the food and the cocktail, I put my arm around Kara and we walked down Main Street, looking into the shop windows and admiring all the unique items our historic downtown had to offer.

  “Theodore?” A male voice called from across the street.

  We turned and who should be speed walking toward us, but Austin Pierce, Dean of the Drama Department.

  “Hi, Austin,” I waved, and we waited for him to cross the street.

  He looked at me, and at Kara, and my arm around her, and quirked an eyebrow. “How’s Jack?” He asked, a little too pointedly.

  Austin was friends with both Jack and me, but he didn’t know we sometimes had flings with women. It wasn’t the kind of thing you brought up during a faculty mixer. I was owning this, though, because Kara was special and I wasn’t an asshole. I grinned.

  “Jack’s great. He’s working today.” I indicated Kara. “This is Kara. She’s staying with us for the time being. She’s my TA.”

  Austin nodded, looked between us, the gears turning in his head. “All right,” he said. “Looks like you two are enjoying a lovely morning together. I won’t interrupt any more of your time. Tell Jack I said hello.”

  “I will,” I said, and pulled Kara a little closer to me, in case this interaction had made her feel insecure.

  After he left, Kara said, “I think he was more impressed than scandalized.”

  I threw my head back and laughed. “I think you’re right. He looked like he was trying to figure out how to have this kind of situation for himself.”

  Kara shrugged. “Or maybe we’re projecting because we’re having such a good time…” Her voice trailed off. “Except…”

  I turned her toward me and searched her honey hazel eyes. “Except, what?” But in my heart, I knew what she was going to say.

  “This was lovely, but it just wasn’t the same without Jack here. I know he was busy, but it’s just so great with both of you together.”

  I exhaled, relief washing over me. “I feel the same way. We are a trio, it seems.” Kara nodded, and I lifted her chin and kissed her. “Let’s go home and be with Jack.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kara

  After my date with Teddy, we came home and I went to my room to lay down. I needed some time alone, and to nap away that Bloody Mary. I wanted to spend time with Jack and Teddy together and be refreshed when it happened.

  I closed the shades and pulled my dress off over my head, crawling into bed in my underwear. The mid-day light streamed around the edges of the shades, giving the room a surreal dreamy look, and before long I fell into a deep sleep.

  The sound of the garage door opening woke me up several hours later. I rummaged in my closet and found a different dress to wear, refreshed my face and hair, and tried not to rush down the stairs to see the guys.

  Jack was already in the kitchen, greeting Teddy. He looked up and saw me and beamed his big outdoorsy smile.

  “Kara! How’s my girl?” He opened an arm and I walked into it for a hug. He leaned me back and planted a kiss on my mouth. “How was your day with Teddy?”

  I glanced at Teddy. His eyes met mine and the unspoken agreement passed between us. We both were happy to see Jack. It just hadn’t been the same without him.

  “It was good,” I said. “But it felt…incomplete.”

  Teddy nodded. “We’re best as a trio, we decided.”

  Jack frowned and searched back and forth between us. “Did something happen?”

  I rattled my head in a fast no. “Nothing like that,” I said, wriggling into his arm around me.

  “We had a great time, but it’s just not the same without you.”

  Jack beamed. “Well then, let’s do something with the three of us. I don’t know about you two, but I’m starving.”

  Teddy chuckled and I laughed thinking about the mountain of food we’d eaten that morning.

  “Brunch was a long time ago,” I said.

  “Then let’s go have some dinner,” Jack said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I’m craving a Bowling Club burger.”

  “Have you ever been there?” Teddy asked me, and I shook my head no.

  “I guess I haven’t spent enough time exploring the city,” I admitted. “I was just so focused on getting my degree, I neglected everything else.”

  “We’re going to fix that,” Jack announced.

  “I took her to Marisol this morning,” Teddy said.

  “Ohhh, fancy,” Jack grinned. “Then tonight we will wine and dine you at the Low Street Bowling Club.”

  “Best burgers on Low Street,” Teddy said.

  “And you’re craving this?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at Jack.

  “You’ll see,” he said. “Bring a sweat
er—it tends to get cold at night near the water.”

  “I can’t believe you have your own bowling shoes,” I said. Teddy sat in the backseat with a retro cream and white bowling bag on his lap.

  “Have you seen the ones they want you to rent? Or how many people use them?” Teddy asked. “It’s like a Petri dish. No way am I sharing shoes with half of Cypress Springs.”

  Jack rolled out a good-natured laugh and glanced up at Teddy in the rear-view mirror. “I got him those for Christmas one year,” he said. “So, he’d go bowling with me.”

  Teddy nodded. “It worked. I’m terrible at bowling, but Jack keeps taking me.”

  “I’m telling you, I just go there for the food,” Jack said, and I laughed. I leaned back in my seat, luxuriating in the cool leather, a happy bloom in my heart that only seemed to shine bright when I was with both of them.

  Teddy wasn’t wrong. He was terrible at bowling. But he kept playing, probably because it made Jack so happy. Jack, of course, was great at bowling and endlessly tutored both Teddy and I in the finer details of how to roll a ball across a wooden floor.

  “You’d think it was easy,” Teddy said, lounging back in his seat and popping a shoestring fry into his mouth, “but you’d be wrong.”

  Jack came back from taking his turn—another strike—and sat down on the other side of me. “You’re up, Kara,” he said. “But first, tell me, what do you think of the food?”

  I looked down at my empty plate. “What food?” I fluttered my eyelashes and patted my stomach.

  “Best burger in the state,” Teddy said, picking his up and taking another bite.

  He wasn’t wrong about that either. “I can’t believe a bowling alley has such good food.”

  “Why do you think Teddy comes with me?” Jack said.

  I raised my eyebrows. “To admire the way you look when you throw the ball?”

  “I do like how he handles balls,” Teddy said between bites.

  Jack coughed on his drink. “Your turn, Kara,” he reminded. “Remember, loser has to buy the winner a milkshake.”