Hard Candy

by Angela Knight, Sheri Gilmore

  Nico’s hand went to her waist. “I got you.” An arm wrapped around her. Letting him pull her forward into the room, they ended up on the sofa, panting and exhausted.

  She lay back against the cushions and turned her head to him. His eyes were closed, and his cheeks stained with a dull red flush. A bead of sweat worked its way down the angle of his jaw. She leaned over and swiped the salty trickle with her tongue.

  “Umm, you taste good.”

  His eyes, glazed with satiation, opened. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers, then let their joined fingers drop.

  “You do, too.” His smile took her breath. Here was one beautiful man.

  She smiled back at him; then they were both grinning.

  “That’s been overdue.”

  She nodded. “If I had only known.”

  God, she’s so beautiful. Nico wanted to open the window and yell out into the neighborhood that he’d finally gotten the woman he wanted. He took a deep breath and let his fingers trail over her face. The little burst of hot air across his chin told him she liked his touch.

  His dick tingled to life. He placed his fingers and thumb around the contour of her jaw, trying to memorize the feel of her face. When he leaned forward to kiss her, she met him halfway.

  Slowly this time, he savored the taste of her lips and tongue. There was no reason to rush. He shifted his weight and pushed her down into the cushions, never letting his mouth leave hers. His knees straddled her hips, and he reached between them to undo the tiny buttons on her blouse.

  That done, he pushed the material aside to work on the front closure of her bra. With a twist the clasp opened and her breasts fell free. The breath died in his throat at the sight of the soft mounds in front of him. He looked up.

  Her face held an expression of anticipation. Her eyes were closed and her lips were parted with the tip of her tongue held between the edges of her teeth.

  He lowered his mouth to first one nipple, then the other, marveling at how the dusky peaks hardened with the flick of his tongue.

  Natalie’s breath hissed, and he looked up again to find her lips compressed at the same time her thighs clamped together beneath him. He smiled and a rush of triumph forced his cock to harden further.

  He moved away enough to remove the condom and drag the jeans the rest of the way off her body. The musky scent of their earlier encounter rose from the warmth of her skin to tease his nose. With a moan, he pushed her legs apart and aimed for the dampened curls laid out like a feast.

  Her hands fisted in his hair as he lapped her juices. The tangy taste of her cunt coated his tongue. With one hand he caught her pussy hair and pulled the slick folds aside so he could latch onto her clit with his teeth.

  He pushed his mouth closer to devour all of her. His nose snuggled against her bush and he breathed deeply -- his eyes closed, but he didn’t stop until she lay panting beneath him. Three more laps and one bite, he had her bucking like a wild horse while her orgasm peaked, then ebbed. He propped his weight on his elbows and watched her chest heave up, then down with her ragged breaths.

  She opened her eyes and stared at him. Her pupils were dilated and her nostrils were extended in exhilaration. Strands of her hair lay tousled across her face and neck to give her that “just fucked” look. She smiled at him.

  His heart thudded hard twice, then settled into an uneven pattern. Without a word, he eased up onto his knees and pulled another condom from his jeans. His hands still shook, but he got the rubber in place with the first try.

  Her giggle at his success turned into a deep, hungry groan when he slid his length into her heat. Sharp fingernails bit into his back as he thrust slow, but deep, into her body.

  When her legs wrapped around his waist and she tilted her hips at a different angle to allow the entire length of his cock to be swallowed by her cunt, he couldn’t hold back any longer. His thrusts intensified to the point the sofa moved several inches across the floor. The eruption of his orgasm caught him by surprise and had him gasping for breath.

  Their hearts beat together for several seconds, then settled into two separate, distinct patterns. He leaned his forehead against hers and kissed her gently.

  “T-That was good.” His voice sounded husky and unsteady.

  “Y-Yeah.”

  He smiled when he heard her stutter, knowing that meant he’d affected her on some deep level. He pulled her close. She was his.

  “Stay with me tonight.” The words were an order, not a request. The smile had disappeared and his eyes gleamed with an emotion she couldn’t define.

  A knot formed in her belly. Making love with Nico confirmed how much she had always loved him. She shuddered at the strength of the emotions she felt at that moment. Her chest tightened with the realization that he could ask her to do anything while under his influence and she wouldn’t be able to resist him. Fear surfaced from the turmoil inside her.

  Nico’s persona could easily take over her own newfound freedom. She’d left Rudy. Did she want another man who would dominate her? For a second, the thought of another man forcing her to bend to his will scared her more than anything. She had her freedom and wanted to be in control of what she did and when she did it. “I-I can’t.”

  She felt Nico’s withdrawal even though his expression never changed except for a tiny flicker in his eyes. “I made dinner plans with David.”

  He stood and the loss of his body heat forced her to reach out, but he took a step back and adjusted his jeans.

  “He’s my friend.” She watched his eyebrow rise at the word “friend.” Sometimes Nico could say more with his body language than someone who knew the entire dictionary. She sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that, and you know it.”

  “Do I?” He grabbed his boots off the floor and scooped his keys off the coffee table. “You’ve been chasing him for years.” He turned.

  “Nico!” She kneeled up over the back of the sofa. “It’s not about David, or you.”

  He halted in the doorway, but didn’t look at her.

  “Let me explain.”

  “No need.” He walked through the opening and down the stairs. “I understand completely.” His words faded with his footsteps.

  A few seconds later, she heard his bike rev, then fade into the distance.

  “Arrrgh ... He drives me crazy!” Natalie sat back and punched the sofa cushion hard, wishing it were Nico’s head.

  Chapter Six

  “How’s the shrimp?”

  “Great! How’s the crab?”

  “Pretty --”

  Natalie looked at David; David looked back, then they laughed. She put her napkin down on the table. “Sorry, but we sound like we’ve just met, or something.”

  “I know.” He glanced around the restaurant.

  She frowned. He’d done that at least five times since they’d sat down.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. It’s just --” He turned his head toward the front door. “-- I keep expecting Nico to sneak up on me like he used to do in school whenever I got anywhere near you.”

  “Oh, yeah, I do remember those days.” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down. Reaching for her water, she looked up through her lashes toward the door. She didn’t want to admit to David that she’d been expecting the same thing. It was too weird not having their “buddy” interrupting their conversation.

  “He actually let me speak to you in whole sentences last night.”

  Natalie choked on her water. Coughing and laughing, she placed the glass on the table. “Nona wouldn’t have let him get away with the stuff he used to do in high school.”

  “High school, hell, he’s acted like that since the day he met you.”

  Natalie felt a blush spread up her neck. She shook her head. She didn’t want to think about Nico while she had an opportunity for once to have quiet time with David.

  “He loves you.”

  Natalie’s smile froze, then faltered. She shook her head. “No, you’re
wrong there. He’s never indicated that to me.” She speared a shrimp with her fork. “Lust, maybe ... possessiveness, probably.”

  “‘Possessive’ is a good word. He did always act like he owned you, telling me and any other boy who came within three feet of you to stay away.”

  “He wasn’t that bad.”

  David didn’t smile as he looked at her. “Yes, he was. He broke Tim Robichaux’s nose when he threatened to ask you to the prom.”

  “What?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Nico had physically harmed someone out of jealousy, but hadn’t had the courage to ask her out himself. She’d sat at home, crying all weekend, because no one had asked her to the prom.

  A worried expression passed over David’s features. “Look, don’t say anything to him, okay?”

  Her eyebrow shot up. “Are you scared of him?”

  Now David looked uncomfortable. “Yes, I am.”

  “David!” Her mouth fell open. At one time, she’d been scared, too, but after she’d stood up to him on Valentine’s Day, she’d given as good as she’d received from him. He had deserved every bit of the animosity she’d given, too. Well, maybe not all of it. “He’s all hot air. He’s always acted tough to hide the pain of his mother’s people not acknowledging him.”

  A twinge of guilt surfaced in the back of her mind. She could have been nicer to him over the years, then maybe he wouldn’t have felt compelled to be so aggressive toward her and, apparently, other guys. She took another bite of food. He still deserved her wrath for making her sit alone on prom night in the dark, waiting for someone to give her her first kiss.

  “He’s an intimidating guy.”

  “Let’s talk about something else.” She smiled, not wanting to ruin the time she spent with David. Nico had a way of making her lose her control with just a thought.

  “You love him?”

  “What?”

  “You heard me.” He took a bite of his crab, then smiled.

  Nico had been in her head too much today. He’d walked out on her after they’d had such good sex, without letting her explain how confused she felt about him and David. The more she thought of it, the more she realized she did love him. She just didn’t know if she was ready to admit that to him, or anyone else. “I-I don’t know.”

  “Okay, let’s talk about us having sex.”

  “Us?” She didn’t know what to say. She’d fantasized about him for years, but never thought she’d hear him say that. “Like how?”

  “How do most adults have sex?” He leaned closer and motioned with his forefinger for her to lean toward him. “I don’t know about you, but I think we should go somewhere private.” He winked.

  Natalie sat back. She’d been waiting for this forever, but ... “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I have to tell you that Nico and I ...” She sighed. “... we ...”

  David raised his hand to stop her. “Don’t say anymore. You just answered my question whether you loved him or not.” He resumed his meal. “Lucky girl.”

  “David, just because I slept with him doesn’t mean --” What did he say? “What do you mean ‘lucky girl’?”

  A pink tinge shadowed his cheekbones. He glanced everywhere except at her.

  Hell. He’d done it now. David looked her in the eye. “I’m in love with ... Nico.” The last part of the sentence crumbled as the waiter walked past.

  The look on Natalie’s face said it all. His lips pressed together and he let out a sigh. He shouldn’t have told her. She wouldn’t understand.

  “How long?”

  David blinked. She hadn’t jumped up in horror and run. “I can’t even remember when I realized. I’ve always admired him for his toughness and ‘take charge’ attitude. I guess it happened sometime in high school.”

  “Oh, my God.” The words were soft; the tone incredulous. She stared at him like she didn’t know him, but she stayed seated. It had to be the shock. Any second she’d bolt, like his ex-wife had when he’d told her about his bisexuality.

  “But, you were married.”

  David shrugged. “Yeah, well, I think you can see why the relationship didn’t work.”

  “She knew?”

  “Not about Nico in particular, but I told her I needed men to be ... complete.”

  “You didn’t know this before you married her?”

  David signaled the waiter for the check. “I think that’s called denial.”

  “Didn’t you want kids?”

  He shook his head. “I can’t father a child. I’m sterile.” His fingers played with his silverware. “Nancy knew that fact before we got married. We had discussed adoption, so infertility hadn’t been a problem.” He sighed.

  The lost look on his face forced Natalie to reach across the small distance that separated them and hold his hand. She knew how it felt to lose someone.

  “I didn’t have the courage to tell her my other ‘secret.’ I’d never been attracted to men, except for Nico. Then, a couple of years ago, it just ... happened. I met someone who reminded me of him. After that, I couldn’t keep lying to her. She deserved to know.”

  He knew Natalie’s next question by the look on her face. “He knows.”

  Her mouth opened, then closed. She sat silently while he paid the bill. He could tell by the way her eyes darted back and forth across the contents on their table that her mind overflowed with questions. As soon as the waiter left, she leaned forward. He stopped her.

  “In the car.”

  She nodded.

  He put his hand on the small of her back, hoping Nico was somewhere watching. It was a game they’d played, quietly, for years without Natalie knowing. He wanted Nico; Nico wanted Natalie; Natalie wanted ... David narrowed his gaze on the pretty brunette. “I believe you and I are in competition.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “You’re not stupid. We both want Nico, but he’ll never admit he wants me unless you say it’s okay.”

  “What?” She stopped in the center of the parking lot. Several customers looked their way at her exclamation.

  David took her arm and urged her forward. No sense in causing a scene. They could have this conversation in the car. Or, better yet, at his apartment, where Nico could only wonder at what decadent overtures David would offer Natalie. He’d lost their Valentine’s bet, but he could still make his friend sweat a little. Besides, he had to get Natalie to agree to this threesome, not only to pay Luke back, but to finally show the two people in the world that he cared the most for what they meant to him.

  He shivered. He didn’t know for sure who Luke was, but he had a good idea, and it scared the hell out of him. The man oozed sex appeal and danger. The kind of danger that would find you burning for all eternity.

  “Let’s get in the car before I explain.” He opened the door; she slid in, but not before he kissed her lightly on the lips. Straightening, he glanced around the darkened parking lot, but there was no sign of the man they both wanted. But he was there, somewhere.

  * * * * *

  Nico didn’t move. He watched David search the pier area. I’m here. Right fucking here. David cranked the car, then reversed. Gravel crunched beneath the tires before the car pulled away. He knew where they were going. He also knew David expected him to follow.

  He shoved his hands into his pockets. He would, of course, but not yet. He’d make David sweat a little. He leaned back against the side of the boathouse with his knee bent and foot resting on the faded wood of the wall. The echo of seagulls, looking for scraps left by late-night customers, screeched in the darkness. Distant bells clanged far out on the Gulf of Mexico as the channel markers sounded their lonely desolate positions.

  The north wind picked up; Nico hunched his shoulders. Making love with Natalie had not turned out the way he had anticipated. She hadn’t declared her love and stayed in his bed. He pulled a toothpick out of his pocket and chewed the tip.

  The thin strip of wood snapped in two with the pressure of his clenched ja
w. Shit. Nico threw the jagged sliver into the nearby trash can.

  “Sweet game you three got going.”

  Nico turned to the voice. A man stood fifty yards behind him, hidden in the shadows. The voice sounded gravelly, like the owner smoked too much. Nico glanced around, but there was no one else near. The man was speaking to him. “Not sure what you mean, mister.”

  The stranger laughed. “Sure you are.” His hand gestured in the direction David had driven. “The good-looking jock and that sweet piece of ass with him.”

  Nico shifted his neck to ease the sudden tension that shot from his back into his shoulder. He fought the need to put his fist down the guy’s throat at calling Natalie a sweet piece of ass. “I think you need to mind your own business.”

  “Sure, son, didn’t mean to pry.” The man threw his cigarette over the side of the rail. Hot ash against cool saltwater hissed with impact and the stale smell of smoke rose into the clean air.

  Nico pursed his lips, refusing to waste energy chastising someone who didn’t give a rip for protecting nature. Walking to his bike, he realized what the guy had insinuated. He kicked one leg over the seat and settled his crotch into the cradle. David, Natalie, and ... him. Whether the idea appealed to his mind or not, his cock and balls tightened at the idea of the three of them together -- fucking.

  His jaw tightened. He’d thought about the idea a lot, years ago, but had pushed the fantasy deep within the recesses of his mind. With an utterance of a few words, the stranger had released Nico’s private demon. “No way, no how would Natalie go for that.” He turned the ignition and the bike revved to life.

  * * * * *

  “What are you talking about?” Natalie sat with her back against the car door, looking across at David in the dim light from the dash. “You know he knows that you were the one I always wanted in school.”

  “Right. I never saw you react to me the way you reacted to him.” David shrugged. “And you just admitted you two had sex today.”