by Mel Blue
“Thank you,” Brent called back. Then lowering his voice a tick, he asked Eve, for the clerk’s benefit, “Why do you gravitate toward gray?”
Eve’s jaw hung open. Her belly pulled in as he worked his hand down her waistband and flicked his fingers against her panties. Delving deeper, he found her clit and rubbed it through her underwear while loosening her buttons.
“Answer me,” he whispered.
She bit down on her lip, apparently stifling her moan, before responding in a clear voice, “Gray is easy. Matches everything. I don’t have to think twice about it.”
He turned her around and bent her over, and she pressed her hands against the small bench. As he eased her jeans just past her ass, he whispered, “I’m going to fuck you here. Right now.”
Her nod was barely perceptible, but the way she wriggled her ass against his crotch was far from shy.
He unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans before lowering them and his boxer briefs just enough to catch at the tops of his spread thighs.
He’d been aching to plunge into her since they’d arrived at this place, and though a cramped changing stall wouldn’t have been his first choice for a venue, somehow it seemed to fit their relationship. More brazen in public than at home.
He probed his cock at her already dripping slit, and he felt a thrill. He’d done that to her. His words. His actions. She liked him this way, which was just fine, because he was too tired of hiding it anymore. While pausing his cock head at her entrance, he heard the clerk’s voice. Had someone walked in?
No. She was on the phone with a friend. Occupied.
He slid into Eve and gasped from the beautiful friction as he tightened his grip on her hips. “I don’t like the red one, either,” he said and eased his cock all the way out before slamming it back in again hard and making her stretch up on her tiptoes. “You want it hard, don’t you?”
“Sometimes I like easy.”
“But right now?”
“Rough. Please.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Eve sank her teeth into the fleshy part of the palm Brent clamped over her mouth to muffle her moans.
Her legs were like jelly already, and when she sagged against him, he pulled her up to the bench on her knees and wrecked her some more.
“In or out?” he whispered. “I’m close.”
She could hardly think. Didn’t understand the question until he rephrased.
“Where do you want me to come?”
Shit. Condoms were useful for things besides birth control. After quickly itemizing the contents of her purse, she said, “Out,” and out he went, hissing and kneading his left hand at her hip.
When she thought her legs could bear her weight, she set one tentative foot on the plush carpet, then the other, and pulled up her panties.
Looking back at Brent, she found him holding the head of his cock and raising an eyebrow at her.
“Oh! Sorry,” she whispered.
“How are you doing back there?” the clerk called.
“Fantastic,” Brent said. “Tried on some beautiful stuff.” His lips quirked up at the corner, and Eve covered her mouth to suppress her giggle as she rifled.
God, she’d just gotten reamed in a dressing room, and surprisingly she didn’t feel an iota of guilt about it. In fact, she felt bold. Maybe a bit brazen but content. She would have never initiated such an encounter on her own, and having someone else make the decisions for once was a heady thing.
She pinched several moist towelettes out of the packet and handed them to Brent.
“Always prepared, aren’t you?” he asked while she wriggled her jeans over her hips.
“I promise you, this isn’t what I had in mind when I bought those.”
“Fortunately for me, they don’t have alcohol on them.” He pulled the wet wipe across his slick head and up the shaft, and Eve watched in thrall. That thing had been in her less than two minutes ago, and judging from the size of it, she didn’t know how she’d taken it.
Must have been the adrenaline. She’d been so keyed up and eager for him, she’d hardly noticed the stretch, only the motion.
It was a different sensation entirely than what she’d felt with Remy, but neither was better than the other. She liked both for different reasons. She loved the fullness she felt with Brent, and Remy was able to tickle parts of her that made her toes curl and nipples tingle. Seemed a shame a woman should have to choose, but she’d already chosen. She’d picked Brent. Married him, because she hadn’t wanted to bog Remy down with all her neuroses.
Brent had the patience…but, it seemed now, Remy liked her neuroses.
She was more confused than ever.
“What are you thinking about, Eve?”
She tracked her gaze up his long legs to the strong hands crumbling the wipes into a wad. She took them from him and stuffed them into the plastic cosmetics bag in her purse. “That’s a loaded question, Brent. I’m thinking about everything all at once. I don’t recommend it.”
“Hmm.” He tightened his belt and grabbed the hangers off the hooks. “Come on.”
She followed him to the register, where he laid two sweaters aside and pushed a jacket and three cardigans to the clerk. She grabbed his sleeve as the cashier squinted at the tags. “Hey, you don’t have to.”
“I want to. I want to see you in them. I’m tired of gray.”
“Oh.”
He looped his hand around her waist and drew her in close, but she cringed when the attendant read off the figure.
He didn’t even blink. Just slid his debit card across the counter and told the woman to keep the hangers.
They strode back to the occult shop, arms linked and Eve carrying two chicory coffees. Brent held the shopping bag. His proximity felt natural in a way she hadn’t expected, and she appreciated it.
Maybe this trip had been a good choice. She’d done the right thing by deciding to keep him. He was a ball of mysteries, yes, but wasn’t everyone?
In just a couple of days, she’d learned how generous he was, not just with his possessions, but also with his patience. It would take a man like that to put up with her erratic schedules and not be offended if she missed a date because of a last-minute surgery. Only a man like Brent wouldn’t fly off the handle if her best friend put the moves on her.
Her cheeks burned when she thought about it.
What was she going to do about Remy?
“I don’t see him,” Brent said, almost as if he were tuning into her mental wavelength. He checked his watch. “We’re only five minutes late.”
“I’ll call him.” She handed Brent one of the coffee cups and dug into his front jeans pocket for her phone.
He hissed as her knuckles grazed a soft lump.
“Sorry.” She pulled the phone out and dialed one-handed.
It rang. And rang. And rang. Then there was that velvet voice informing her to leave a voicemail. She disconnected and dialed the hotel’s front desk.
“Hello, Seraphina. This is Eve Troy. I’m checked into the gold room, and I was wondering if you’ve seen one of our party members enter the hotel in the past few minutes.”
“Yes, Mr. Kelly entered half an hour ago. As far as I know, he hasn’t exited.”
“Thanks. Could you try the room for me?”
“Of course.”
The phone rang and rang, but there was no answer. She disconnected and dropped the phone into her open purse. “He’s at the hotel, but he’s not picking up the phone. Maybe he decided not to come, and he’s taking a nap.”
“Kind of him to let us know.” Brent handed her the coffee cup and took her arm again.
She was pleased he wanted to. She liked being doted on. “It could be he forgot the plan.”
“Could be, but I don’t think so. When I talked to him earlier, he seemed agitated over something.”
They rounded the corner and picked up their pace. Whether it was a conscious effort or not, Eve didn’t know.
“I noticed that, t
oo,” she said.
“I suspect I know why.”
“Share.”
“Exactly.”
“What?”
“Sharing, Eve. I think he came down here with one mission in mind, and now he’s defeated because he neither has what he came down here for, nor is he certain of what he actually wants.”
“What was his mission?”
“I know for a fact his goal was for you to go home with him. He was going to poach.”
She stopped abruptly and wound up with coffee on her sleeve. “I don’t…” Hadn’t Remy said as much? That he’d wanted her?
Gently, Brent pulled her elbow to get her going. “He knows you. Respects you as a colleague and friend. Is attracted to you.”
“And you.”
“That…certainly complicates the issue.”
They drove back to the hotel in silence, and Eve said nothing until Brent wrapped his hand around the hotel room door handle.
“And what about you, Brent? Are you feeling complicated?”
He didn’t answer. Just pulled.
“That’s okay,” she said and walked in. “I feel complicated, too.”
CHAPTER NINE
Remy squinted through the peephole and pulled back, sighing.
Now what? He’d expected Eve to come and chew him out, but why bring Brent into the discussion? He had to be there for one of two things. To fuck him up or tell him in no uncertain terms to back off his wife. He wouldn’t blame the guy. Remy would probably do the same thing if he were he in Brent’s shoes.
He pulled back the latch and opened the door before sweeping an arm demonstrably toward the interior of his much-smaller downgraded room and said, “Make yourselves at home. Welcome to The Bland Room. It’s not actually rentable. Henri let me borrow it as a favor, since I couldn’t get a flight out tonight.”
“Why would you need an early flight?” Eve jabbed his shoulder with her index finger as she passed.
Brent just glowered at him.
Remy closed the door and leaned against it. “I think you know the answer to that, Evie.”
“Don’t make assumptions.” She settled into the overstuffed armchair near the heat vents and pulled her legs beneath her.
The very first time he’d seen her, she was sitting in a similar way. She’d fallen asleep in the staff lounge at the hospital with a sandwich in one hand and a paperback in the other. He’d pretty much fallen in love with her from that exact moment, before she’d even opened her mouth. Poor thing needed to be taken care of, and he wanted to be the one to do it.
“Okay. You want to talk it out? Fine.” He pushed off the door and strode past Brent who was leaning his ass against the dresser, glowering at him with his arms crossed.
Remy settled on the edge of the queen bed. It was so small compared to the giant bed up in The Gold Room, but this one was built for one or two. Not a group. As he rested his forearms on his thighs, he fixed his gaze on Eve. “I feel like I should apologize, but we all know if I say sorry for what I should, it’d be disingenuous. So, I’m not sorry for wanting you, Eve. I’m not. I love you and always have. What I am sorry for is waiting until this oh-so-prime moment to tell you. I imagine that most men who have their heads screwed on straight wouldn’t be nearly so reckless.”
“Got anything else to say?”
“Sure. Why not?” He shrugged. “I’m also sorry for seducing your husband. I don’t know what I was thinking, other than I wanted him to touch me.”
“And what about now? You still want him to touch you?”
Remy glanced over at Brent, whose expression was less pinched and more curious now.
“I’d be lying if I said no, and of all the things I am, Evie, I’m not a liar.”
The tension Brent held in his shoulders seemed to slack, and his posture relaxed. It appeared he’d been worried about what Remy thought of the situation. He probably figured he was being played.
“So, what’s the problem?” Eve asked.
Remy pulled his gaze away from the winsome ex-quarterback and looked at her. “What do you mean? The problem is obvious. You two are married and are intent on staying that way. Believe it or not, I actually condone that decision.”
“Good to know, and yes, we are absolutely intent on staying married, but I think you’re fusing too many disparate issues. The way I see it, we have four different relationships happening here. Mine and Brent’s, obviously. Yours and mine. You’ve been my dear friend for five years, Remy, and now I guess you’re my lover. That’s two. I’d be a fool if I didn’t recognize that both you and Brent have needs I can’t satisfy. Three. And, there’s some sort of odd symbiosis between the three of us that makes all those relationships possible, while also creating a group dynamic. We’re different as three than we are as any two. What we’re willing to compromise changes in each facet. The things I’d give up to Brent…” Her cheeks reddened and her lips turned up in a tiny smile. “I wouldn’t necessarily give up to you. That doesn’t mean I’d be any less engaged.”
“Are you suggesting you’re willing to toss me a bone sometimes? I can’t live that way. I’m not going to pine after the two of you and hope you’ll toss me some scraps. I can’t hold out hope.”
“Not what we’re saying,” Brent said. “Eve’s telling you we want you. It’s easier for us to let down our guards when we have a third person. I think Eve and I are too similar in some aspects of our personalities. Without an intermediary, we’d be those two people who stare longingly at each other and never make a move. Because of you, I know how to approach her. Or rather, how she wants me to approach her.”
Eve’s cheeks flushed even redder, and Remy decided he didn’t want to know that story.
Or maybe he did.
The idea of Brent dominating Eve kind of did it for him, and he’d have absolutely no qualms about watching. But…
“It’ll never work,” Remy said. “Think about it. Eve and I work in a pretty conservative field. What would people at the hospital think?”
“I don’t see where it would be any of their business.” Eve shrugged. “I certainly didn’t broadcast details of my personal life before now, and I don’t intend to start.”
“However, I do broadcast details of my personal life. Part of my charm, apparently.”
“Compromise,” Brent said.
“That easy, huh? And what are the guys at your shop going to think? And your mother? What would they do if I kiss you in front of them? Touched you?”
“That’s right, my shop. I like to think I vet my mechanics pretty well, but if they have a problem with what I do in my personal life, they can tender their notices. I can get qualified mechanics anywhere, but not too many garages provide the benefits I do. And regarding my mother…” He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out his phone. “You wanna talk to her?”
“Don’t fuck with me.”
“I’m not. Eve and I talked to her an hour ago when we were trying to decide whether to kill you or screw you senseless.”
“Really? And what, exactly, did Mama Troy say?”
“Something along the lines of, ‘Eve, you’ll have to buy extra towels’.”
Remy guffawed. “That’s all she said? Really? You’re joking.”
“Well, no, she asked when she could meet you and whether you’d like a fruitcake, because she has three left.”
Remy blinked at him.
“She knows what I am, who I am, and she also knows I’m careful. I don’t make big decisions without a lot of self-refection. Well, marrying Eve aside. I didn’t have to think about that.”
Eve stood and padded across the room. She eased her way between his legs and rested her forearms on his shoulders. “Why don’t you come home with us and see if you like it? It may be too much for you, or not enough, but I’d like to try.”
“I know you, Eve.” Remy pressed his face against her chest and inhaled her familiar floral scent. “When you try things, you go into them already knowing they’re what yo
u want.”
“You going to tell me no?”
“You’re fully aware I can’t tell you no, but you two scare me. I don’t know how to do this.”
“Neither do we,” Brent said. “It is what it is, and let’s not try to morph it into something it’s not. We don’t need schedules or restrictions. If you want to touch, touch. If you want to be touched, whether by me or by Eve, neither of us will be offended if you choose the other.”
“I don’t know if that’ll be true between me and you, Brent. There’s not much difference from one cock to the next.”
Eve bopped him on the forehead. “You’re over-thinking this. Yes, there’s room for feelings to get hurt, but I’ll try to be attentive to both of you. You’ll have to help me. Ask me.”
“Okay. I will.”
He couldn’t believe this was happening. If he could have planned for such a thing to come to fruition, he would have thought he was deluding himself.
“Now, can we go upstairs to our room, please?” Eve wrapped her soft hands around his and gave a gentle pull. “I want to see you two together.”
“You do?” He brushed some wild tendrils away from her eyes, and she rubbed her cheek against his hand.
“I really do.”
“Let’s not keep the woman waiting,” Brent said, already halfway to the door.
CHAPTER TEN
“Are you just going to lean there against the door while we undress?” Remy asked, and Eve shifted her gaze from one man to the other, uncertain of her role in this scenario. When she’d said she’d wanted to see them, she’d meant it.
She’d wanted to watch without feeling like some addlebrained creeper.
“That was my plan,” she said. All the same, she pushed off the door and took a few tentative steps into the suite, only to linger again near the dresser.
Brent watched her with one eyebrow arched as he nudged his jeans below his hips and wriggled out of his boxer briefs.
Bold.
Then her throat felt very tight, very dry, as if she hadn’t just had the pleasure of that magnificent cock herself a couple of hours ago. She was acting like a damned teenager seeing boy bits in the flesh for the first time, and maybe that feeling would never go away. Maybe this would always feel new and experimental.