by Ann Grech
“Hey, mate,” Levi greeted him. Trying desperately to come across as casual, he pulled two beers out the fridge. “We missed you around here.”
“Thanks.” Connor held up the bottle in a toast when Levi passed it to him and turned to Katy when she started speaking.
“Listen, about today, I’m sorry. It wasn’t right for me to yell at you. You don’t have to answer to me, but I was hurt.”
Connor nodded and reached for her hand. Levi took in the sight of them together, and his heart stuttered. The two most important people in his world stood before him. Sure, Levi would kick Connor’s arse for whatever he’d done to hurt Katy later, but at present, he wanted his two people to fix whatever it was between them. He needed them to.
“I haven’t handled things well at all. I should have told you, talked to you about what happened between Miranda and me. I didn’t mean for you to worry. I just needed some space.”
“You can talk to us.” Levi reached out and punched Connor lightly on the arm. It was either that or hug him tightly, and Levi’s emotions were riding far too close to the surface for him to do that. “You know that, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I do.” Connor sighed and leaned against the back of the couch. “It just hurts.”
“What did that bitch do to you?” Katy demanded. Levi bit back a grin. He could just imagine the dah, dah, daaah sound effect as the plot thickened.
“No, it’s entirely my fault. Miranda didn’t do anything wrong—”
“She kicked you out, Connor.” She what?
“Miranda was great. Things were great, right up until I yelled out the wrong name when we were… getting intimate.”
“Whose name?” Levi asked, a sick desire coiling in his gut for it to have been Katy’s. An even quieter voice in the back of his head wanted it to be him.
“That doesn’t matter, but I hurt her. She was justified in kicking me out and calling me whatever the hell names she’s called me.”
“Why didn’t you come home?” Levi asked, curious to know the answer, but trepidatious at the same time.
“You two were busy. I didn’t want to interrupt.” With Connor unable to look at either one of them in the eye, it didn’t take a genius to know he was bullshitting.
Katy called him out on it. “Connor, this is your home too. There wasn’t anything that would have been important enough to stop us being there for you.”
“Even a session with your new toys?”
“You knew about that?” Levi stuttered, embarrassment racing through his veins. “Wait, she kicked you out last weekend? Where the hell have you been?”
“Nick and Em’s,” Katy supplied. Shock had Levi staggering back to lean against the back of the kitchen table chair in their open-plan living room.
“I didn’t want to interrupt your night with my latest fuck up.”
“You wouldn’t have interrupted much,” Levi admitted sheepishly.
“What, you didn’t find anything you liked?” he asked Katy. “From what Addy told me, she has a great range in that suitcase she carries around with her.”
“We got a few things.” Levi shrugged. It was an eye-opening experience and Levi hadn’t been able to get the butt plug out of his mind since he’d bought it, but what it meant scared him more than he thought possible. How could he admit to Katy that he hadn’t fantasized about pressing it between her curvalicious ass, but into Connor’s tight hole.
“That’s good. Isn’t it?”
“Never mind us,” Katy shot him a worried look. She was right, there were other things they needed to be concerned about other than the butt plug burning a hole in his bedside table drawer. “Con you said you needed some space. Talk to us. We wanna help.”
“I can’t stay here anymore. I need to move away.”
“Okay, so find a place.” Levi shrugged, feigning how simple the solution was. But his heart told him it was something far more than that. “We’ll help you get settled wherever you wanna go.”
Connor sighed and shook his head. Levi’s heart stopped. Oh God, no. “I’m thinking of moving away from the Coast. Maybe Melbourne, but I haven’t decided.”
“What? No,” Katy breathed, clamping a hand over her mouth and Levi instantly moved towards her, needing her comfort. He was operating on autopilot, as if he was having an out-of-body experience. He couldn’t bear the thought that his best mate would be on the opposite side of the country to him, too far away to really hang with.
“I can’t stay here,” Connor pleaded for his understanding. The broken-hearted look on his face tore at Levi’s heart. Devastated him. The dark circles under Connor’s eyes made him look tired, the bloodshot whites giving away the rough time he’d had. Is it the nightmares? Or something more? He didn’t have his ramrod straight posture anymore either. Levi had seen it in his stance the last few times they’d been together. His shoulders were slumped and his hair, longer than usual curls, was a mess, like he’d been running his fingers through it in frustration.
“Why?” Levi asked, hoping he was doing a better job of masking his pain than both Connor and Katy were doing. He needed to be strong for them, to pick up the pieces when their lives turned to shit. Whatever was about to go down had the power to destroy them. Levi just hoped that he could hold it together long enough to keep them intact.
“Because my insides feel like they’re being eviscerated. I can’t live with my heart being broken anymore. I need to move on, to forget.”
Katy pulled out of his embrace and went to Connor, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in his chest. The knife through Levi’s heart twisted. He couldn’t lose Connor again. It’d slay him. But Connor was hurting so bad. Every protective instinct in Levi reared its head. He needed to fix things for all of them, to give him something only he and Katy could give to Connor, even if it was only for one night.
He stepped up behind Katy and kissed the side of her throat before wrapping a hand around the nape of Connor’s neck, bringing him close. Enveloping his two people in his arms, a sense of rightness swept through Levi. “Please don’t leave, Con,” he begged, his voice cracking on his friend’s name.
Levi and Katy moved as one, Katy tugging on Connor’s snug black tee until he bent and Levi squeezing his shoulder, massaging the lean muscle there. When Katy brushed her lips against Connor’s, electricity arced between the three of them. Levi sucked in a breath, balling his hand into a fist at Connor’s nape to stop the instinct screaming at him to pull him in for a kiss like the one he was watching.
“Katy,” Connor groaned, his voice almost breaking on the word. A haunted look settled on his face as he pushed back with visible effort, before shoving a hand through his hair. His dark eyes were troubled, his next words coming out as an anguished whisper. “I can’t.”
Levi’s heart broke for what his best mate was going through, yet at the same time, determination settled through him. He could help. Both of them could. “It’s okay, Con. Take what she’s willing to give.”
“What?” Con snapped his bewildered eyes up, meeting Levi’s gaze.
Conviction spurred Levi on. This was right—the three of them together—and he wasn’t going to sit back and hope anymore. Levi was taking the bull by the horns. “Katy needs you.” I need you.
Katy had a white knuckled grip on Connor’s shirt, clutching desperately to him. Levi was doing a little of it himself—holding tight to his best friend. “Kiss her,” Levi barely whispered. He bit back a moan when Connor slid his arm around Levi’s waist, bringing him into a three-way embrace. Their gazes locked and Levi found himself fighting his instincts again. He couldn’t do it. Could he? No. Fear and arousal coursed through him, creating this crazy cacophony of noise in his head—every thought, all the uncertainty about what his attraction meant for them circled through him like a vortex. Connor could usually read him like an open book; Levi hoped he couldn’t this time because he was sure Connor would be ashamed of how scared he was. Instead, Connor leaned down and touche
d his lips to Katy’s, tentative at first, barely meeting them for small tender pecks until Katy swiped her tongue along Connor’s bottom lip and he opened to her.
Levi’s heart warmed. Knowing he’d helped them find each other could have brought him to his knees, but instead, he loved his girl even more. She was so damn brave, so full of love and life—she was who Connor needed. Levi needed to be closer to them, needed to be connected in the only way he knew how. He trailed his lips along Katy’s throat in a whisper-soft kiss. The scent of chocolate and vanilla filled his senses, mixed with something spicier—Connor—and his need turned ravenous. Licking and sucking on the column of Katy’s neck, Levi walked his fingers under the waistband of her tank and slipped it up. Connor’s hand brushed his own, and the other man pulled away from Katy, their gazes colliding once more. Whatever Connor read in his eyes this time had all hesitation evaporating, and he let go of his grip on Levi to whip off Katy’s shirt. Standing topless between them, Katy’s tanned skin against the black of Connor’s shirt had Levi growling. Oh fuck yes.
“Bedroom. Now,” Levi ordered, palming Katy’s firm breast and Connor’s even firmer ass. The other man groaned, punching his hips forward. The denim of his well-worn jeans was soft under Levi’s touch, but the muscle underneath it was anything but. Levi shuddered, marvelling at the difference between the two people before him—so soft, so curvy and strong and hard. It flipped a switch in him and had him growling commands at them, something he’d never done with Katy. But Connor responded to it, lifting Katy effortlessly without breaking their kiss. With her legs wrapped around his waist, Connor carried Katy to the front of the house, leaving Levi to follow behind. He stared at their form together, committing every inch of their bodies to his memory.
“Con, put her down so I can undress you both.” Katy’s moan had Levi smirking, and Connor’s hum had him adjusting himself. His cock was so damn hard, it could hammer nails. But the spark between them that was finally being given oxygen to feed the flame wasn’t about pleasing Levi, and he’d seek no relief from the two people before him. They needed to focus on each other.
As Katy slipped her legs down Connor’s waist, Levi grasped the other man’s tee and drew it up over his body. He couldn’t help letting the backs of his fingers brush against Connor’s lean muscle. But as much as he yearned to go further, to touch and caress, to kiss and love on the other man, fear stopped him cold. Focus on Katy and Connor, not me.
Katy dropped kisses down Connor’s sternum and Levi moved behind the other man. The scars that marred his shoulder drew Levi in. He touched them, running his fingertips over the angry red lines. He remembered the taste of that skin, knew without a doubt that the hazy dream he’d had of rubbing against Connor and biting him had been real. Trailing his fingers down to his waist Levi reached for Connor’s fly. Leaning in close Levi found the button and bit down on his lip to stop himself from nipping Connor’s shoulder again. Levi sucked in a deep breath filled with the other man’s scent. Ah God. Eyes sliding closed, Levi prayed to whatever deity that might be listening, to stop him from blowing his load in the next thirty seconds.
Levi fell to his knees and unlaced Connor’s black Chucks, yanking them off and tossing them aside before reaching up to Connor’s hips. Long, strong legs and an arse that begged to be kissed and nibbled on before him, Levi ground his teeth together and curled his fingers under the waistband, slipping his jeans down. He drank in Connor’s bright blue boxer shorts curving around that arse. Unable to tear his gaze away, he revealed inch after inch of tanned skin and dark hair. Connor was so different to Katy, but Levi was enraptured. Muscles flexed before him, and after sending Connor’s jeans the same way as his shoes, Levi reached up for his boxer shorts. There was no slow reveal this time. Levi didn’t even watch as they came off—he couldn’t bear the torture of being so close yet having to hold himself back. Leaving Connor’s underwear around his ankles, he stood and returned to his position behind Katy. He had to get back to safe ground—something, anything—or he’d be bending Connor over and sliding in deep. And wouldn’t that be the end of their friendship! Connor would knock him on his arse and Katy would probably give him his marching orders.
Shaking the idea from his head, Levi concentrated once again on Katy. She was pressed tightly against Connor, her arms wound around his waist. His friend had one of his hands tangled in Katy’s hair, cupping the back of her head as he made love to her mouth with his own. The other caressed her breast, worshipping her tenderly. Levi pressed his lips to Katy’s shoulder and snuck his tongue out to taste her. He could never get enough of her sweet skin. Moaning quietly, Levi ran his calloused hands down her sides, following the dip of her waist down to the flare of her hips and to her low-slung shorts. God, he loved every inch of her, every perfect piece of her inside and out. Pushing her shorts off her hips, they dropped to the floor, but the sight didn’t capture his attention. No, that was snagged by Katy’s hips undulating slowly as she rocked her pussy—still covered in the sexiest black satin scrap of material that he’d ever seen—against Connor’s rigid length. Fuck me sideways, his piercing is so damn hot. The glint of the silver ring had Levi’s concentration riveted. Peering over Katy’s shoulder, staring at his best friend’s junk, Levi was abso-freaking-lutely salivating. His cock pulsing and ready to blow with just the sight of the two of them near nude together had Levi grinding his hips against Katy, instinctively trying to relieve the pressure in his balls. He had to get her underwear off. He grasped the material at her hips, but Connor’s hand on his stopped him short.
“Let me do that. Please, Lee,” Con begged. Levi released his hands and dropped an open-mouthed kiss on Katy’s shoulder before pointing to the bed.
“Get on it. I wanna watch you make love to her.” Levi’s command, the best attempt he could muster at holding himself back, came out as a growl. He went to lean against the wall, distancing himself from them. If he got any closer, there was no way he’d be able to stop.
“No.” Katy halted him in his tracks. “I want you with us.” She held out her hand to him, but he shook his head.
“No, babe, not this time. You’re all Connor’s tonight. Next time we’ll share you.”
“Fuuuck,” his friend groaned as he grasped the base of his cock and squeezed, closing his eyes and looking every bit as pained as Levi. Katy moved back onto the bed and stretched out, parting her legs as her head hit the pillow. Connor crawled over her and hovered, gazing at Katy with a look so full of love it stole Levi’s breath. Lowering until his body blanketed hers, Connor kissed her. For long moments he sipped from her mouth, urgent yet tender, his hands mapping every inch of her like he was memorizing her curves.
Connor moved his mouth to her throat and caressed her, licking and nibbling, worshipping her. Levi moaned and stroked himself through his workout shorts. He was painfully hard and so damn close already it wasn’t funny. He was seriously going to embarrass himself before he even pulled his dick out. Watching Connor draw Katy’s fingertips into his mouth sucking and biting on each of the pads, then giving her a wicked smile and burying his face in her breasts had Levi shuddering.
“You’re perfect, every inch of you, Cupcake,” he murmured, before latching onto one of her nipples, teasing it with his tongue and teeth. Watching the fluid thrusts of Connor’s hips as he stroked himself against Katy’s leg, had Levi wishing it were him. And when Katy gasped and arched her back, grinding against the leg he had pressed between hers, Levi moaned too. Katy cried out, and Levi had to curl his fingers around the base of his cock, squeezing hard, desperately trying to stop himself from busting a nut too early.
Connor had slid down her body, running the tip of his nose along the line of her G-string, sneaking his tongue out to lick her through the satiny material. Katy looked over at him, their eyes locking for a moment before his gaze was drawn to Connor again. Watching the two of them together was the hottest thing he’d ever seen. Beauty and strength in both of them, they were a perfect fit. “She’s s
o wet, so ready for me, Lee,” Connor murmured, wonder in his tone as he turned to watch Levi slowly jacking off. Levi’s cock pulsed when he saw Connor’s nostrils flare, the gravelly tone when he spoke to Katy turning him on even more. “Lee’s over there all by himself, stroking his cock. You want him on the bed with us? You wanna touch him too?”
“Yes,” she cried out, and Levi couldn’t resist her. He used one hand to strip off his shorts and underwear, kicking them off in one hit, while he reached behind his head with the other and tugged at the neckline of his tee. Completely naked, he climbed onto the bed and glued himself to Katy’s side, getting as close to them as possible without going a step too far. Connor was already pulling her underwear down her legs, tossing them haphazardly to the side.
Connor dropped his mouth onto her and Katy visibly shuddered. With a talented tongue and deft fingers, he took her to the edge fast, hitting every hot button Katy had. It was enthralling, so damn sexy to watch the other man with his girl. Did that make him twisted? Probably. Anyone else and there’d be hell to pay, but with Connor, it was right, almost inevitable that they’d end up there together.
When Katy’s hand closed around Levi’s cock, jacking him slowly, Levi was done for, barrelling towards an orgasm that he so desperately wanted to hold off from. “Oh damn, I’m too close,” he moaned, shifting his hips back and out of Katy’s reach.
“I can feel your pussy fluttering around my tongue,” Connor rasped on a moan. The raw need in his voice had Levi’s dick pulsing. He sounded just as overcome, just as drunk on desire as Levi was. “Ride me, Cupcake. Come on my face so I can love you.” The dirty words coming out of that sexy-as-fuck mouth had Levi shuddering, the tingle in his spine growing.
“Lee,” Katy called out reaching blindly for him. “I want your cock in my mouth.”
Levi hissed, clamping his fingers around his cock like a vice. Grinding his teeth together, he growled, “Let Con hear you scream his name when you come.”