by Jeffe Kennedy, Christine d’Abo, Elise Logan, Emily-Ryan Davis, Jodie Griffin
Chapter Nine
After Kat left the kitchen, Hunter set his mug in the sink and ran both hands over his head. “Fuck.”
“What’d you expect, that she’d just stand around accepting your barriers without asking you to compromise?” Liam spread white frosting over the tops of the rolls he’d pulled from the oven.
“I thought I’d made myself clear about my public image.”
“You made yourself clear about your military image. A private event with friends is different. Are you going to back out?”
Upstairs, Kat started the shower. His mind’s eye immediately zoomed in on an image of her standing under the water, running her soap-slick hands over her tits. His dick hardened in an instant. Christ. Nobody but Liam and Kat, together and as individuals, had ever challenged the control he had over his body. Some part of him had figured he would regain a measure of that control once he stopped fighting and fed the beast. Instead, he’d roused a bottomless hunger.
“No. I’m going to get dressed, head back to my place for a change of clothes, and show up for dinner.” Backing out had ceased to be an option the minute Hunter answered Liam’s call yesterday. Hell, even before that.
“You made the right choice.” Liam reached past him to drop the empty bowl into the sink. “Kat needs to know you’ll be part of our lives outside the bedroom. She’s not trying to push your limits, she’s trying to find out how much of yourself you’ll give. You should think about that between now and our discussion next week. If all you want is sex, say so. It’ll be easier if we know where we stand.”
“Sex isn’t all I want but you two might be better off if you decide you’d rather keep it at that. You’re signing up for a hard life.”
Liam’s jaw flexed and challenge flashed in his blue eyes. “I’m no stranger to hard lives.”
Hunter studied him, seeing all the sharp edges and haunted corners Liam usually hid behind a relaxed posture and an easy smirk. He didn’t know all the details of Liam’s life but he knew enough to know Liam carried scars that couldn’t be covered and glorified with ink. The skin on Hunter’s back tightened with recognition. He and Liam had taken different paths, but they’d started out the same. For the second time, Hunter was struck by the inevitability of this moment.
He’d never had a fucking chance.
Suddenly, Hunter’s hard-on was eager for more than Kat. Goaded by Liam’s challenge, Hunter seized a fistful of the other man’s shirt and hauled him close. He slanted his mouth across Liam’s firm lips and took without asking or apologizing. Liam didn’t stand there meekly accepting. He gave as good as he got, serving up a measure of aggression that fired Hunter’s blood. Marble bit into his sides as Liam backed him into the corner formed by the L-shaped counter.
They broke apart when Liam’s ringtone erupted between them. Liam swore beneath his breath as he dug his phone from his pocket. And then he cursed again before sending the call to voicemail. “I have to return this call.”
“I need to go anyway.”
“Don’t leave without saying goodbye to Kat.”
“If I go upstairs right now, I’m going to get in that shower with her and see if she’ll finish what we just started.” He watched Liam carefully. Heat flared in the other man’s eyes, but nothing else. Still, he needed confirmation. “That cool with you?”
Liam cocked an eyebrow. “Are you asking me for permission?”
“She’s your wife. You can talk all you want about a three-way relationship but reality is Kat is your wife. Traditional marriage or not, she’s yours. This,” Hunter waved to encompass the house, “is yours. Your home, your wife, your life.”
“Yeah, she’s my wife, but being my wife doesn’t define her. She’s your lover. It’s her body. You want permission, go ask her.”
Hunter pushed harder. He couldn’t wait a week to find out where some lines were drawn. “I’m interested in more than the three of us. I want you and me alone. And I want me and her alone. Sometimes you’re going to want to be alone with your wife. I’m not asking permission to fuck her. I’m asking if it’s going to be a problem with me and you if it’s not always me and you and Kat.”
Liam frowned. “The truth?”
At Hunter’s nod, he continued. “The truth is I don’t know. I don’t have a crystal ball to tell me how the day to day is going to go for the three of us. Today, right now, if you want to be with Kat and she wants to be with you, then perfect. Enjoy each other. God knows I loved having you to myself this morning.
“If a day comes and that’s not the case, I’ll do my best to let you know. That goes both ways. If you need me or her or, hell, you need something or someone besides us, you have to say so. We’ll eventually be pretty good at picking up on cues, but relationships need communication. Especially the kind of relationship the three of us have.”
“Christ. This isn’t going to be a picnic.”
Liam grinned. “Not one you can enjoy in a family-friendly park, anyway.”
Shaking his head, Hunter straightened from the counter. “I’m going upstairs to let Kat know I’m leaving.”
“We don’t keep condoms in the shower so you’d better take one with you. Lube, too. After last night, she might need a little help.” With that final piece of advice, Liam looked down at his phone and started a text.
Hunter left Liam to it and went upstairs to find Kat.
On the second floor, the door to the master bedroom stood open but the door to the master bath was closed. Hunter opened the bedside drawer to get a condom. A small bottle of lube slid from the back of the drawer, along with a pen, a few hair clips and a slim blue vibrator. He grabbed the lube as well as the condom before heading for the bathroom. The knob twisted easily and he pushed the door open a few inches. Steam fogged the mirror and shower doors but the sliding doors were clear instead of frosted, so the steam didn’t hide much. While he watched, Kat propped one foot on the rim of the tub and slid her hand between her legs.
Fuck asking permission.
Hunter stepped inside and closed the door at his back. Thick, humid air filled his lungs. The warm, spicy scent of her soap got under his skin and heated him from the inside. His dick bucked against the confines of his jeans. He made short work of his pants but instead of immediately climbing into the shower, he fisted his shaft and watched her.
After she’d left him and Liam in bed, he’d shocked himself by leaning down to take Liam’s cock into his mouth. Hunter had held back on his own release, instead focusing on wringing another orgasm from Liam. Now, after that kiss in the kitchen and confronted with Kat’s gorgeous ass, his balls felt like they were going to explode. Remembering the way she’d fit him last night, so tight it was almost painful, he flexed his hand hard around his dick.
Double-teaming Kat was up there in the top three most memorable events of his life. He would never forget the connection he’d felt, like he was anchored to something bigger than himself, with Kat undulating beneath him. Hunter had held Liam’s gaze over Kat’s shoulder, and the intensity of that moment was still indescribable. He’d remained awake long after Kat and Liam fell asleep, trying to find words and coming up empty.
Not empty. More full than he’d ever been in his life. Fuck. He couldn’t screw this up.
And he couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed the condom and, so he wouldn’t scare her, said her name.
Without a word, she reached over and slid the shower door open. Hunter didn’t think twice about accepting the quiet invitation. He closed the door behind him and drew her to him, back to front. Her wet skin stuck to his chest in interesting ways. After a minor adjustment so he wasn’t stabbing her with his dick, he lowered his head to kiss the side of her neck.
“I need to drive back to D.C. so I can pick up some clothes. What’s the dress code for dinner?”
“We have reservations a
t Ruth’s Chris in the Inner Harbor.”
“I’ve never eaten there.”
“It’s casual but upscale. Button-up shirt and slacks would be fine.” She tilted her head back against his shoulder. From his vantage, Hunter could see straight down the front of her body. Soap suds clung to her tits, which were capped by the hard points of her nipples. He shifted his hold and teased one stiff peak with the corner of the condom packet.
Kat sucked a startled breath. “Ouch. I’m not much into nipple torture.”
Since he wasn’t either, and pain wasn’t his intention, he reached over to put the condom on the soap dish for safe keeping. “Tell me what you are into.”
Her eyes were closed but she smiled. “I thought we’d covered that. With words and actions, and in multiple rooms of the house.”
“Yeah, but there’s more to Katrina Holland than a voyeuristic desire to watch two men fuck each other. What are you into one-on-one? Roleplay? Sex toys?” He grinned against her hair. “I’m not wearing women’s underwear for you. I draw the line.”
“Penetration.”
“Tell me something I haven’t figured out.”
“No, I mean it. I’m into penetration.” She turned in his arms and tilted her head back to meet his eyes. “I like to penetrate. Do you think you’d ever let me play with your ass?”
“Jesus, Kat. You don’t go easy on a man.”
Her lips tilted at the corners. “I can be very gentle with my small hands. Or my big dildos.”
Interest coiled inside him. Before he could ask, she broke from his loose hold and slid behind him. The water, still hot, pounded his chest. Hunter started to turn but Kat had other plans. She ran her nails down his spine, not stopping until the heel of her palm pressed against the base. Exerting directive pressure with her fingertips, she said, “Lean against the wall and spread your legs for me.”
Kat’s low voice hummed with a level of authority Hunter granted very few people, none of them civilian. While he decided whether he was going to obey her, she reached around him and grasped his dick. Hunter ground his back teeth together as she worked her tight fist up to his crown, down again, back to the tip. She loosened her grip slightly and slid one fingertip across his slit. At the same time, she moved her other hand and drew a line from the top of his ass crack down to his balls. Hunter shuddered.
He braced his forehead against the shower wall and the spray hit his shoulders and upper back. “Kitten...”
“Uh-uh. That’s not me purring this time. Hands against the wall and relax, Marine. There’s nothing I could possibly do to hurt you.”
Wrong. So fucking wrong.
When she cupped her fingers around his balls and slid her fist back to his root, he gave in. He planted his hands against the wet tile and braced his feet apart as instructed. The position put him at a good angle to watch her hand as she jacked him, the strokes slow and easy. Her wedding ring flashed into view when she rolled her palm over his flushed head.
She released his sac and traced the seam of his ass again. “Has anybody ever been here?”
“No.”
“That’s it? Just ‘no’?”
“There isn’t a story to tell. Just ‘no’.”
“Would you let me?”
His whole body tensed. Hunter closed his eyes, which was a mistake. Vivid images surged to the front of his awareness, most of them featuring Kat and the strap-on she’d verbally thrown at him the night before. He hadn’t given her words more than a passing thought at the time but now he had no choice but to acknowledge them. She forced his hand when she rubbed hers over his hip and dipped her thumb between his cheeks.
“Hunter?”
“Do you finger Liam?”
“Sometimes. Sometimes he’s up for more.” She found his entrance and flexed her fingers.
He shuddered. Her touch was light but firm, and her intention was transparent. Despite her instruction to relax, he couldn’t shake the tension knotting his shoulders. He had to know. “I want to watch you do it.”
“You want to watch me fuck him? I can’t say yes to that. It’s Liam’s choice.” She continued to pump his cock, faster and harder, but took her other hand away.
Hunter didn’t answer. He didn’t have the greatest command of speech anyway, not with her nipples stabbing his back and her fist bumping his groin. His breath hissed through clenched teeth. He couldn’t shake the image of Kat kneeling between Liam’s legs, a fake dick poised to plunge into Liam’s ass. When she reached around him and plucked the bottle of lube off the soap dish, the visual became more vivid.
He barely registered when she touched his hip and parted his cheeks again, but he heard her pop the top off the lube. The new pressure at his rear passage was unmistakable. Kat’s slippery fingers slid into position but instead of pushing into him, she hesitated. He reached down and clasped her wrist, holding her hand still on his cock.
“If you’re going to do it, do it.” The words came out harsh, but he didn’t have any softness in him at that moment. Every muscle was wound tight, every tendon strained to its limit as his balls waited for the cue to blow.
Kat rested her cheek on his back and the exploratory quality of her touch changed. She swirled her fingertip around his rim one more time before she started to probe. The heat of his skin and the steam of the shower loosened his muscles, allowing her in more easily than he’d expected. Goosebumps broke out over his arms as the foreign sensations spread through him. This was new territory, physically and mentally. The thought of such a small woman possessing so much power was explosively hot. It was also at complete odds with his sexual self-image. His body responded on an instinctual level and his muscles tightened up reflexively. Kat squeezed her fingers around his cock, managed one short stroke before Hunter could stop her. That was all he needed. He relaxed into her hand long enough for her to slip through his barriers, and Jesus fuck, he didn’t expect the darts of pleasure that little touch fired inside him.
She rubbed her lips below his shoulder blade and slid her finger a little deeper, staking her claim with incremental movements that set off a new ripple of tingling sensation. His nipples drew up into tight points and his cock jumped in her grip, begging for attention. Needing her touch, but also needing to control the pace, Hunter covered her fist and guided her to a rhythm he could handle.
Kat’s appreciative moan was audible even over the sound of the shower. She worked a second finger alongside the first in his ass. Once she was settled deep inside him, she paused. “Hunter?”
“Yeah?”
“I want to watch Liam fuck you. Will you let him?”
“Jesus.” A shudder ran through him. Kat pumped both hands slowly, waiting for him to answer. Opening his eyes, he stared at his splayed hands. The truth was, he didn’t have an answer for her. When Hunter pictured himself with Liam, he was the one in the position of power while Liam accepted him. He’d even taken charge of the pre-dawn blow job, covering Liam instead of kneeling at his feet. Would he give that same power over to Liam? Could he?
“I don’t know,” he finally said. “Is that going to be a problem?”
Kat eased her fingers from inside him and loosened her hold on his cock. Braced for the worst, Hunter let her go and turned. “If it’s a problem, tell me.”
“You’re allowed to have limits. If this is one, say so. I don’t know how Liam will feel about it, but neither will you if you don’t talk to him.” The beginnings of a smile lightened her expression. “Would you let me do it?”
Hunger plowed through him, fierce and unexpected. “Yes.”
Her lips parted in surprise. “Really?”
He shut off the water and grabbed the condom. “Yes, really.”
“But not right now.”
“No.” He pushed open the shower door and urged her out. Before she had a chance
to grab a towel, he caught her by the hips and lifted her to sit on the sink. “Spread your legs, kitten. I’m finished playing.”
“Were we playing?” She leaned back, bracing her hands on the edges of the vanity. Her gaze was riveted on him, watching as he tore open the foil and rolled the condom into place. When he stepped close and hooked his hands behind her knees, she raised her eyes to his. “I’m not playing with you, Hunter. I love you.”
Her solemn words did him in. He slid his hands up her thighs and palmed her hips, tilting her to receive him. Kat’s head fell back with the first thrust. A low moan slid past her parted lips. Unable to resist, he lowered his head and slanted his lips across hers. Kat shifted to wrap her arms around his neck. Good damn thing, because he couldn’t promise a smooth ride.
Chapter Ten
New Year’s Day arrived with cold winter rain in tow. The weather suited Kat’s mood, which had suffered from not seeing Hunter for several days. They’d gone to dinner with Adele , but it could hardly be called a roaring success. Hunter kept to himself, making little effort to reconnect with old friends. In the end, they’d left early, and she’d had to be satisfied that he’d at least gone.
Hunter drove to Baltimore two days after Christmas, and she and Liam had visited him in D.C. the day before yesterday. Kat tried to maintain daily contact with Hunter via texts but she received minimal return for her efforts. At one point, she’d cross-checked her contact list with Liam’s just to be sure she hadn’t entered Hunter’s number incorrectly. Both her and Liam’s contact lists matched. Hunter was some kind of non-texting freak of nature.
Kat wrestled a box of ornaments into the attic and put her hands on her hips. She surveyed the cramped space with a frown and no idea what to do with the stuff she and Liam had accumulated over the years. Everything they’d saved in the name of keepsakes now seemed like chains holding them in place. It had to go. That was the only solution. If she and Liam were going to be flexible enough to work with Hunter’s military orders, all the stuff had to go.