by Lorna James
“Now?” Charles asked, in a wicked tone that sent shudders of anticipation through her.
“Now,” William agreed, lowering his head.
She still wasn’t sure what to expect when Charles buried his face between her legs at the same time William sucked hard at her breast. Lily cried out in amazement as the sensations hit all of her pleasure points. This couldn’t be real. One would have been sweet agony, but two were nearly unbearable. Her head spun in delight. Her legs shook. She squealed and writhed, and then a crescendo of ecstasy crashed over her as William leaned over to take her other breast in his mouth and Charles lapped her core.
“Please,” she begged, twisting.
“Please what, my sweet?” William asked, lifting his head to blow warm air across her sensitive nipples.
“I cannot take anymore.”
“Oh, there’s more,” William promised.
“She’s ready for you,” Charles said, crawling up her body.
They both took one of her nipples in their mouths. Charles sucked hard, while William teased the tip with his tongue and teeth.
Lily groaned. “I swear it. I will die.”
William touched her between her thighs again and wanton that she was, she spread her legs wide. He played with her until her breaths were coming in short gasps.
“Now, she’s ready,” William said, and rolled on top of her.
Charles stroked her feverish brow. “I thought it was only fair that he have you first, since I get to name you as my wife in public.”
“First?” she cried and then her mouth opened in a silent scream when William slid inside her.
Lily knew he was large when she had fondled him, but he stretched her and filled her with a burning heat that was almost painful.
“Slowly,” Charles warned.
“I feel how tight she is,” William gritted. “Relax, love. It will be all delight for you, I promise.”
Lily whimpered, but not in pain. Impatience gripped her and she bucked her hips up until he was seated fully inside her. “Move, damn it,” she growled.
William gave a strangled laugh. “As my lady demands.” And then pushed more and pumped into her with a hard and fast rhythm that shook the bed.
“William,” she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“There’s our Tiger Lily,” he said, reminding her of the nickname they had given her when they had explored each other’s bodies years go. William pressed kisses along her jaw.
She arched into each of his thrusts, racing him to the crest of pleasure that was starting to carry her into emotions so deep she could almost drown in them.
“Oh, oh, oh,” she moaned over and over again, as he continued to rock them toward oblivion.
Lily’s body was tingling and a great need filled her. She burst into a thousand stars and felt him follow a moment later. Stunned, she was boneless and insensate.
It could have been minutes or hours that she lay there recovering as they washed her and tended to her with kisses and sweet caresses. They got under the covers with her and held her. Charles was still hard against her backside.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Like I can fly.” She sighed.
“Are you ready for me now?”
“Oh, yes,” she said and turned on her back for him.
Where William was wild and lustful, Charles entered her one inch at a time, easing into her until she couldn’t imagine him not inside her. While not as large as William in girth, Charles was longer and, for a moment, she thought he wouldn’t all fit inside her. But then he slowly moved out of her until he almost slipped out.
“No,” she moaned and grabbed him back.
“I’m not going anywhere.” He loved her slowly, a dream lover seducing her senses. For a while, it was like they were floating in an ocean of bliss and she let the tide carry over her into another shaking orgasm. Lily gripped down on him when she came and Charles let out a shout of pleasure.
“I had wanted to last longer.” He laughed after he spilled inside her. “But I could not take much more of this.”
William watched them with a contented smile and cuddled and kissed her while they cleaned her again.
Exhausted, they fell into a deep slumber and missed dinner entirely.
Chapter Nine
The weeks flew by. Every now and then a stray letter would arrive for her from the colonies, but she tossed them with the others. One of these days, she would read them. But if they were from some blackmailer, then they could go hang. She had nothing to fear now that she was to marry a duke.
She had truly begun to believe that her past was now behind her. She never slept alone, and rarely without both William and Charles loving her into a boneless heap of pleasure. No one even suspected any indecencies. Her secret door, and the fact that William and Charles suddenly were the perfect gentlemen in Society, hid their scandalous meetings. Each night seemed to bring a new experience for Lily and she let herself relax into her lovers’ very capable hands.
Their engagement party was an enormous affair held at William’s home. It was a glittering party of excess from the champagne and the food to the decorations that hung from the ceilings, and Lily was finally out of black and wearing a lavender gown that had been made for her. She had danced with Charles all night, but only once with William. She didn’t like the way every mother practically shoved their single daughters in his direction. And he didn’t have to enjoy it so much, did he?
“Don’t be jealous, love,” Charles whispered in her ear when he handed her a glass of champagne punch. “It’s all an act. He has eyes only for you.”
“He had better.” She pouted a bit, even though she knew she was being unreasonable. After all, William had to share her with Charles. But she didn’t care. “I’m going to get some air.”
“Are you feeling all right?”
“Too much excitement. Now, don’t you get involved with anyone while I’m gone. I’ll box both your ears.” She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was going too well. In the back of her mind, she wondered what could go wrong. She bit her lip and worried about things she couldn’t even name.
“My darling, we have even more wonders in store for you tonight after the ball.”
“I can’t wait,” she said, cheering up a bit.
She even hummed a little on the balcony that overlooked the labyrinth maze. Twirling around while looking up at the stars, Lily was startled by a muffled laugh.
“Oh,” she said, noticing an elegant, slightly older woman leaning against the pillar. The lady had a glass of champagne in her hand and toasted Lily with a mocking salute. “I didn’t see you there.”
“I see you are very happy about your engagement.” The woman had a thick French accent. She was dressed in the latest Paris fashion and was elegantly beautiful. “May I offer my congratulations as well? I am the Countess of Hainaut, but please call me Richilde.” She curtsied. “It is a deep pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Please, call me Lily. You seem so familiar. Have we met?”
Richilde smiled. “I do not believe so, but I was very close to your bridegroom-to-be a few years ago. He and his friend, the Duke of Tennison, were guests of mine at a memorable ball in Paris.”
It hit Lily where she knew the Countess of Hainaut from. It was from the rumors that had sped across the ocean. Richilde was the countess who supposedly and infamously had been pleasured by Lily’s fiancé and his best friend. Biting down the jealousy, Lily forced a smile. “It is so good of you to come to wish us happiness in our new life together.”
“Truthfully, I’ve been worried about them,” she whispered, leaning in so no one could possibly overhear. “Their friendship has been strained.”
“What do you mean?” Lily thought it had just been in her imagination—the snide glances and the tense silences.
“You’re a widow, non? Then can I say shocking things to you?” The countess resembled a naughty schoolgirl.
“Of course, it’s just us out here.” If she could give her some insight to what was bothering her dukes, it was worth any shock.
“While you were married, Charles and William roamed free. You’ll pardon my familiarity, but having had both of them several times eases the formality a tad.”
It does indeed. Lily plastered an insincere smile on her face, even as her fingers clutched her fan so tightly she worried she’d snap it in half.
“But that is in the past, I assure you.” Richilde patted her arm. “I had to let them down easy several years ago when I was swept away by another man.”
The tension in Lily’s shoulders eased slightly.
“I feel we could be great friends. Lady Penn has spoken so well of you.”
“You know Clara?”
Richilde laughed gaily, and Lily found herself smiling. “We are the best of friends. You must come shopping with us.”
A day out with ladies sounded fun. Lily never had girlfriends growing up, so she was eager to fill that gap in her life.
“I feel, though, I have to be frank, almost vulgar with you to explain my deepest concerns. But please know that it’s because I value Charles and William’s happiness and I believe their lifelong friendship is in danger.”
“Go on.” Lily couldn’t imagine what the countess was going to say, so when the woman grabbed her upper arm and whisked her down the stairs to the gardens, she hurried to keep up with her.
After making sure they were completely alone, Richilde sat them on a stone bench. “William and Charles have a peculiarity.”
The hair rose on Lily’s arms. What now?
Leaning in conspiratorially, Richilde said, “They like to enjoy a woman at the same time.”
“Indeed?” Lily fanned herself quickly to hide her relieved smile. Was that all? She could hardly say that she was already aware of that.
“But that’s not all.”
It wasn’t?
“They have never been so competitive until recently. Now, it’s whose horse is going to win, and who has the better wine in his cellar. It’s exhausting. I believe it might be because of you.”
“Me?” She blinked in shock. “What do you mean?”
“In the past, they’ve been lackadaisical with women. Sharing was done for fun and pleasure. Now that you’re marrying Charles, I’m afraid William will feel left out. And not having a wife of his own, he may grow bitter and resentful. And that’s not dear William at all.”
What could she say to ease the countess’s mind, without revealing that William wouldn’t be left out? “I appreciate your concern. The three of us have spoken about this and I don’t have any doubt that William will be”—Lily looked around, her face flaming—“taken care of.”
“Oh,” Richilde said, fanning herself. “I haven’t shocked you?”
Lily smiled, glad to be able to share this small part. “No, I don’t think anything you could say would shock me.”
Richilde seemed to take that as a challenge. “But they are used to taking a woman at the same time. One at the front and one in the back.”
“Is that even possible?” Lily hadn’t realized she’d said that aloud until Richilde threw back her head and laughed.
“Oh yes, my little innocent. But you have to be very excited and very relaxed. Warm oil soothes the way and then…” Richilde gave a careless shrug. “It is an ecstasy that I cannot describe. But I’m sure you and Charles will be very happy together and in no way will he ever wish for the excitement of his bachelor days. I must return to the party before my escort comes looking for me. I hope I haven’t scandalized you too much.”
“You’ve given me a lot to think about,” Lily said, truthfully. The sting of jealousy was back. Why should the countess have experienced something with her lovers that she hadn’t? Did they not want that with her?
The countess curtsied again before leaving.
Lily took her time walking back up the stairs to the balcony. She had noticed that Charles and William were different to each other, but she had chalked it up as wedding jitters. Her heart ached for William. Was he really feeling left out? It was what she had feared, that once they were married William would think he was second best. She would have to go out of her way to make it clear to him that she loved him as much as she loved Charles.
As if her thoughts conjured him, Charles whispered her name. Looking around, she confirmed she was alone on the balcony and followed his voice. His strong arms caught her in a hug.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
“I’ve just had the most enlightening conversation,” she said.
“Tell me about it later, we don’t have much time.” With that, he took her hand and they ran up a twisting back staircase.
“More secret doors?” she asked, a little winded by the climb.
Opening the door to a small library, Charles guided her inside. “I couldn’t keep my hands off you a moment longer.”
Lily shoved him back when he went in for an intimate caress. “I was speaking with the Countess of Hainault.”
“Oh,” Charles said, with a guilty look on his face.
“Yes, oh.” Lily crossed her arms over her chest.
At that moment, William snuck in. “We won’t have much time, but I couldn’t bear another dance with a debutante. Charles, why are you making those faces?”
Lily turned back and caught Charles in midgrimace.
“She spoke to Richilde,” Charles said, sagging—apparently because he got caught.
“Damn it,” William said. “Are you angry with us?”
“How could I be angry? I was married to another man when you were with her.” Lily folded her arms in front of her chest and glared at them.
“Well, then,” Charles said. “Why did you push me away?”
“I want to know why you both haven’t entered my body at the same time like you did hers. Is it something I’m lacking?”
Charles blinked at her.
“I need a drink,” William said, heading for the brandy snifter.
“Make it two,” Charles wheezed. “My darling Lily, that’s not something that’s done to a woman who is not used to it.”
“I don’t care.” Lily put her foot down. “I will not have another woman know you two more intimately than I do.”
William drained his glass and poured another. He handed a glass to Charles. “Very well, but we’re going to start you slow.”
Lily considered it. “All right.”
Taking a pillow from the settee, he sat down and tossed it at his feet. “Let’s start with your first lesson. Come here and kneel on this pillow.”
“William,” Charles warned.
“Shut up,” William said, with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Gentlemen, please don’t fight,” Lily said in a small voice.
“This is not what I had in mind,” Charles said.
“You’re not always in charge,” William informed him. “Just get ready, Charles. This will be quick all around. I want her to get pleasure from it, too.”
“Get ready for what?” Lily asked, settling her skirts around her knees.
William didn’t answer as he took a final sip of his drink and set it on the table. He loosened his breeches and pulled out his half-hard member.
“Put your mouth around me.” He offered it to her. “Swirl it around in your mouth and suck on it.”
“Like you do on my nipples?” Lily cupped her breasts and traced her fingers over the tips. She bit her lip and looked up at him. She was delighted to see William harden a bit more.
“Yes,” he said, his eyelids drooping. “Just like that.”
“What is Charles going to do?”
Charles surprised her by sinking to his knees behind her. “I’m going to make sure you’re ready for both of us to be in your body at once.” He started pushing up her skirts to her waist and pulling her drawers down.
“Watch your teeth,” William warned and guided her head to his lap.
“Keep your hands off her hair,” Charles chided. “We can’t have her looking too mussed up.”
It was a delicious delight to be so wicked at a ball. Anyone could walk in. That should have alarmed her, but she was too caught up with the new experiences.
William snarled and dug his hands into the chair. “Bob your head up and down now. Don’t be afraid to hold the shaft and lick me.”
The cool air from the room hit her backside as Charles pulled her off balance and she sank forward into William’s lap. Charles spread her wide and fingered her gently. She moaned and William’s member swelled even larger, filling her mouth to the very back of her throat. She almost choked when Charles’s tongue lapped at her. Scandalous. Decadent. He hit just the right spot on the cluster of nerves that shook her to the core. Oh, yes!
Squirming, she held William and licked the tip of him in the same rhythm as Charles was doing to her. William’s head was thrown back. His fingers white-knuckled the settee and his eyes were tightly closed.
“Now, for God’s sake, Charles, take her now.”
Charles plunged his member inside of her. Lily shrieked.
“Put your mouth back on me,” William warned. “Hopefully, no one will come to investigate that.”
Shock paralyzed her. For a moment, all she could do was enjoy the rough pounding of Charles against her. Pleasure warred with dread at being caught and she couldn’t hold back her soft cries of desire. Then she remembered William needed her and she took him in her mouth.
“We’re both going to spill inside of you,” Charles said. “If you don’t want us to, now is the time to tell us.”
She moaned in pleasure and wiggled back on Charles. His thick member slid in and out of her, dragging sweet ecstasy with each plunge.
He picked up the pace, and she matched it on William, the wet sounds of her arousal and the slickness of William’s member added to the feeling of finally being connected to both of them at the same time. She loved being so thoroughly loved that while Charles was recovering from pleasuring her, William would take over and vice versa. This was what it truly meant to be with them together.