by Elle Everton
“Deal.” I grab my purse and my keys.
“Wait, your dad’s here? Did you want me to meet him or something?” He runs his hand through his hair, then straightens his tie and I realize he’s actually … nervous. I smile.
“No, that’s okay. He’s lying down right now. I told him I wouldn’t be home till tomorrow.”
Bennett’s nerves seem to ease up. He leans against the door frame. “You know, if you were my daughter I’d lash you to the bed and never let you set foot out of the house with a man like me.”
I grin. “I know. Luckily you’re not my father though.”
“Hmm, yes, luckily,” Bennett says, leaning in to nuzzle my neck.
I pull away, not wanting him to get too distracted.
“Did you reach Sam?” I ask, changing the subject. “Is he meeting us there?”
Bennett is quiet for a minute. I run my hand along his arm.
“Bennett?”
He shakes off whatever he was thinking about.
“Yeah, he’s meeting us.”
“Great!” I lean up and kiss him on the cheek and then let him lead me out to his car.
Traffic is busy but we still make good time, mostly because Bennett leans on the gas and weaves in and out of traffic.
“In a rush?” I tease him.
“Yes. Because the faster we get this over with, the faster I can take you home with me.”
That silences me. My cheeks flush as Bennett flashes me a grin.
We pull up to Orchid and I scan the parking lot. I feel a rush of happiness as I spot Sam’s yellow Ferrari already parked there.
We head inside, and another thrill runs through me as we head down the dark hallway, softly lit by dim purple bulbs. This place is so intriguing … so unique. And now, being on Bennett’s arm, I’m much less nervous than I was the last couple of times I was here. I can actually try to take it all in this time.
I try to make mental notes on everything I see, from the soft lighting to the type of machine Bennett scans his membership card against. The soft click that the doors make when they unlock. The way the soft thud of hiphop is only audible once the door is open. The way the bar throbs with music and people and laughter and sex.
“There’s Sam!” I say excitedly, pointing to him as he chats with a pretty brown-haired girl working behind the bar. I feel a pang of jealousy as I watch her say something to Sam, and at the way he tilts his head back and laughs.
“Great,” Bennett says, through clearly gritted teeth. I giggle and take his arm, pulling him over towards the bar.
Sam turns as we approach, almost as if he senses us coming. His smile widens, twice as big as when he was talking to the pretty bartender, and a wave of happiness comes over me.
Like Bennett, he’s wearing a black suit, but he has a white shirt on underneath, unbuttoned at the collar, just enough to show a hint of the muscular chest beneath.
“Hey beautiful,” he says, leaning in to kiss my mouth. Even though his kiss is gentle, it sends a lick of fire through me. Being back in the presence of him and Bennett is doing something to my insides.
“Hi Bennett,” he says, clearing his throat. He holds his hand out. I hold my breath and watch as Bennett hesitates, then finally reaches out and shakes Sam hand. It might be a small gesture, but it feels like a monumental step for them. I get a rush of pride — maybe I can get them to get along after all.
I catch the bartender watching us and she gives me a knowing smile. I shrug happily.
“You must be Lila,” she says, leaning over the bar. “Ava told me all about you. I’m Sadie.”
She holds out her hand and I shake it.
“Drink?” she asks. She looks from me to Bennett to Sam.
Bennett nods, stepping up to the bar. He turns to me. “What do you think? A bottle of red?”
“Sounds great.”
Bennett orders something from Sadie, a type I don’t recognize, but Sadie grins.
“Always the show-off, eh, Bennett?” She’s smiling warmly though. She turns back to me. “You’ll like this — it’s the most expensive bottle we carry.”
I shake my head softly. Bennett is a little bit of a show-off — but hey, if I had his money, I would be too. And I’m definitely not going to complain about getting to be the recipient of his grand gestures.
“I’ll bring it over to your table,” Sadie offers, and Bennett leads me over to a cozy little table off to the side of the room. Sam follows, and then the three of us sit.
“I have to admit, I was surprised when you called,” Sam says to Bennett as he casually drops his arm around my shoulders.
“It was Lila’s idea,” Bennett says gruffly.
“Ah.” Sam nods. I chew the inside of my cheek. The conversation seems to have died out already.
“So, how long have you guys been members at Orchid?” I try. Might as well work on my article if no one else is going to make any conversation.
“I was a member first,” Bennett says pointedly. “I started coming here about three years ago. Sam’s only been here six months or so. I think he started coming here because he knew it would piss me off.” Bennett almost cracks a smile when he says that.
Sam shrugs innocently. “Maybe.”
I laugh, determined to keep the mood light. “So what made you want to join?”
Bennett looks thoughtful. “For me, it was just that I didn’t have time for dating. I don’t have time for much of anything besides work, to be honest, and in the rest of my life, when I don’t have time for something I pay someone to do it for me. That’s why I have gardeners, housekeepers, chefs. So I figured I could make my life a whole lot easier if I paid someone to manage that part of my life too. Ava runs a tight ship here, and she only ever has the most beautiful women, the most exclusive atmosphere.”
I think about what he’s said. It actually makes a weird kind of sense. I haven’t had time to date in a long time either, and there’s a certain appeal in the idea of letting someone else manage that part of my life. I turn to Sam.
“What about you?”
“Why’d I join? Mostly just to piss Bennett off,” he says with a grin.
To my surprise, Bennett throws his head back and roars with laughter.
“I fucking knew it,” he says, pointing his index finger at Sam.
“What can I say?” Sam shrugs. “It’s just so damn easy to goad you.”
Bennett is still chuckling ruefully. “Not usually. There’s just something about you that rubs me the wrong way,” he admits.
I press my lips together, trying not to smile. This is the most candid I’ve seen them be since I met them.
“I wonder why that is?” Sam muses. “Because I feel the same about you. Pure unadulterated hate.”
Bennett chuckles again. “Sounds kinda stupid when you say it out loud, doesn’t it?”
Sam laughs too. “Yeah, it really does.”
Bennett looks like he’s about to say something else, but just then Sadie arrives at our table with a bottle of red wine and three glasses. She sets the glasses down first and then uncorks the bottle.
“You want to taste it first?” she asks.
Bennett waves off the question. “I trust the quality here.”
“Don’t come asking me for a refund if you don’t like it, then,” Sadie grins and pours out three glasses. While she’s there, I ask her about Sky, but she shakes her head.
“She’s not in tonight, sorry.”
Darn. “Okay — can you tell her I said hi?”
“I will.”
We wait until she’s gone, and then I pick up my glass.
“A toast,” I suggest.
Bennett and Sam both raise their glasses, looking at me quizzically.
“To … whatever this is,” I say finally.
The two men exchange a look. I’m not sure, but something seems to pass between them. I bite my lip, waiting, but then finally they clink their glasses against mine and against each other.
I take
a happy sip. This feels like a real victory.
The wine is delicious, and now that we have it, we fall into an easy conversation. I scan the club, trying to make mental notes for my article while we talk.
I turn my attention back to Bennett and Sam. As they talk, I check out their profiles — they’re both so handsome. And although they might dislike each other, their personalities aren’t nearly as different as either of them might like to believe.
I drain the rest of my glass and then stare down the two gorgeous men at my table.
“Who wants to take me to one of the private rooms?” I ask, looking back and forth between them.
Chapter 18
Lila
Bennett and Sam both look at me with surprised expressions. Bennett’s eyebrows raise sexily, half-cocked, and he exchanges a look with Sam. They hesitate for so long that, for half a second, I think they’re actually going to say no, but then Bennett stands, pushing his chair back so fast that it tips over.
I suppress a giggle, but then he’s pulling my chair out too, and the three of us are leaving the bar area. I catch Sadie’s eye and she flashes me a grin. I shrug innocently and then grin back.
The three of us make our way quickly down the hallway. Bennett scans his membership card again, before we enter the area where the private rooms are. I wonder what he’s doing, as he eyes the screen and punches a couple of buttons, but then he turns to face Sam and I.
“Room three is free,” he says gruffly.
“Lucky number three,” Sam says with a grin. His hand slides to my lower back and a hot chill runs through me. I try to store all of these little details away for my article, but right now I’m too focused on the two gorgeous men beside me to think of much of anything besides fucking them.
That is, until I see that mane of silver white hair up ahead of us.
“Sky!” I say, automatically, so happy to see a familiar face.
She turns immediately at her name. For a second she looks worried, but then she smiles when she sees it’s me.
“Hey Lila,” she says, giving me a quick hug. Her arms are so thin that it barely feels like a hug at all, but I return the embrace warmly.
“Sadie said you weren’t working tonight.”
She shrugs. “I wasn’t supposed to be, but Cara never showed up for her shift.” She bites her lip and the worried look returns. “I hope she’s okay.”
I wave my hand. “I’m sure she’s fine. I work at a diner and people don’t show up all the time.”
Sky shakes her head. “It’s different in this industry. Sex work, you know? Ava runs a tight ship here, but there are creeps everywhere, and it’s amazing how they can manage to look just like regular people.”
I nod. Her concern actually makes sense now — we’ve all seen those episodes of Criminal Minds, and real life is often scarier than fiction. I guess I never thought about the risks of working at a place like Orchid.
“Maybe she just found herself a hot client and is enjoying a night of hot sex,” I say, trying to alleviate her worries.
Sky tries to smile. “Yeah, maybe. I hope so.” She shakes her head, as if trying to clear herself of the negative thoughts. “What are you guys up to?”
“Just checking out one of the private rooms,” I say.
Sky grins, and this time it’s genuine. “Good for you,” she says with a wink. “Enjoy yourselves.”
“Oh, we will,” I say. We quickly exchange numbers, and then Bennett and Sam each squeeze my hands impatiently, and the butterflies in my stomach flutter about.
“Come on,” Bennett whispers. He smiles politely at Sky. “Excuse us.”
Sky laughs. “Of course.”
I give my new friend a wave as I slip my phone back into my purse and let Bennett and Sam lead me further down the hallway. When we come to the third door on the left side, Bennett swipes his card against the panel. There’s a beep, then a soft click, and just like at a hotel, the door unlocks.
I take a deep breath. I try to turn on my mental tape recorder, but when Bennett finally pushes the door open, all thoughts fly out of my head.
It’s unlike anything I’ve seen. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this is so much more. The room is dark — no windows, and only dim lighting. It’s laid out almost like a hotel suite — half the space is taken up by a king-sized bed, and on the other side of the room there’s a gorgeous midnight blue velvet sofa. Off to the side, there’s another door with a discreet washroom sign on it.
All pretty normal. Except that in the middle of the room is a table. It has leather belt-like straps dangling down from it, straps that I quickly realize are meant to be restraints.
On the wall behind the table is a large inset, covered in the same midnight blue velvet as the sofa. Here, there are hung all number of implements — whips, flogs, paddles, and a host of things I can’t even name or identify.
I suck in a breath. My legs are starting to turn to jelly as I take in the room and try to imagine the things that go on in here.
I turn to Bennett and bite my lip.
“Wow,” I whisper.
He grins. “Welcome to Orchid. You can be anything you want here. Anyone you want.”
I nod, trying to steady my breathing. I look around the room again and try to imagine what Bennett and Sam are going to want to do to me now that I’ve opened this door. Who do they want me to be, exactly?
Or maybe, more accurately, who did they pay ten million dollars for me to be?
My legs are shaking like crazy now and all the blood has drained out of my face. I feel hot and cold all at once.
Bennett’s brow furrows. “Are you okay?” He pushes my hair out of my face, looking into my eyes.
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”
His face softens, and Sam wraps his arm protectively around my waist.
“Sweet fox, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. We can start slow. In fact, we don’t even have to do anything different than we usually do. Doing anything with you is more than enough for me.”
“Me too,” Sam chimes in. “You’re perfect, and this has to be fun for all of us. Whatever you want us to do, we’ll do.”
My shoulders finally start to relax. I take a few tentative steps towards the table, running my fingers along the glossy dark wood. It’s nicer than my kitchen table, and I have a sudden image of Dad and I eating dinner at it. I giggle and Sam and Bennett both look at me curiously.
I don’t know if they’ll see the humor in it, so I just smile.
“I think what I’d like is for both of you to kiss me.”
Bennett and Sam both grin. They cross the room quickly and before I know it, Sam has his hands on my waist. He lifts me up and sets my ass on the table. For a second my breath catches, but he just steps between my legs, tips my chin up and kisses me.
And what a kiss it is. Deep and passionate and fiery hot. All my worries whip right out of my mind as I focus on Sam’s soft lips, his firm touch, the way his fingers trail along my jaw.
Suddenly there are another pair of lips, pressing against my collar bone. Bennett. I moan into Sam’s mouth as Bennett’s mouth makes its way along my throat. He kisses my neck, tugs at my earlobe, then trails his tongue along my jaw, on the opposite side of Sam’s fingers.
I turn my head slightly, catching Bennett’s mouth with mine. His kiss is different than Sam’s — slightly firmer, more forceful, but just as hot. Sam moves on to kissing my throat, my jaw, and then back towards my lips.
Their faces are so close together now. Another few centimeters either way, and they’d be kissing. The thought is shockingly hot. For a second, I let myself entertain the idea of Bennett and Sam kissing in front of me. Both of them losing control, devouring each other, Sam’s hands roaming Bennett’s body while Bennett runs his hands through Sam’s already messy hair.
Damn. The image is so hot that I squirm on the edge of the table. Just thinking about them kissing is making m
y pussy wet. Why had I never thought of this possibility before?
Probably because up until very recently, they could barely stand to be in the same room as each other, never mind be so close to kissing each other.
I shift my lips over slightly towards Sam, hoping that Bennett’s kiss will follow me. It does, and then I bring my fingers gently to Sam’s jaw, trying to nudge him closer to Bennett.
It works. For a second. Their lips are both against mine, but somewhat touching each other’s too. It isn’t what I’d call a kiss but it’s a damn hot start.
As if they both finally realize what I’m doing, Bennett and Sam pull away at the exact same moment. They both take a step backwards, staring at me and then at each other. I look innocently at both of them, and Bennett narrows his eyes suspiciously.
I press my lips together, then smile.
“I’ve been very bad,” I admit. “I’ve been having very dirty thoughts about the two of you.”
“What kind of thoughts, gorgeous?” Sam says darkly, taking a step towards me.
For a second, I hesitate. What if he reacts badly? The last thing I want to do is ruin the tenuous balance we seem to have achieved. But I see the way Sam’s eyes burn, and a quick glance at Bennett tells me he too might be open to hearing this.
I bite my lip. “Thoughts of you two … kissing. Each other.”
Bennett takes a step towards me now too. “And …?” His voice is thick with desire.
And? My mind races until I realize with a shock that he’s playing along. Well, damn.
“And touching each other. Peeling off each other’s shirts. You running your tongue over Sam’s chest. Sam rubbing your cock through your pants.”
The words turn me on like crazy, and judging by the tents in Sam and Bennett’s pants, I’m not the only one. I decide to push a little further and see how they react.
“You dropping to your knees and taking Sam’s huge cock into your mouth.” I swallow. My mouth feels so dry. “Sucking him off until he comes down your throat. Then him doing the same to you. Pushing you down on that bed right over there and sucking your cock while I ride your face.”