AnglingforLove

by Lea Barrymire

  Those summers were the longest, most dreaded weeks of the year. Daily Ronny would hunt them down. Too scared to actually leave Jared’s yard, they’d hide, hoping that Ron would get sick of searching for them. But in the end that had just made it more exciting for him. Toward the end, he’d send them out, tell them to hide and remind them that when he caught them he’d pick his prize.

  Finally, after Jared’s mother had caught Ronny in the act in the second summer of torment, the boys had remained joined at the hip. Their parents had apologized, cried and pleaded for forgiveness, but it’d been too late. Years of being accused of lying had worn them too thin. Jared had been the only thing keeping Brent together. When the news had hit the school that they’d been repeatedly tortured, the two had banded together and beaten the shit out of the other kids who’d poked fun. They’d cried only to each other, when no one else could hear them.

  Therapy couldn’t fix Brent’s head, couldn’t unravel the hatred and darkness that revolved around sex for him. After years of talking about it, being talked to about what abuse was and how it hadn’t been his fault, he’d given up hope of being able to be intimate with anyone and enjoy it. He’d seen countless shrinks. Tried drugs, both prescription and illegal. Nothing had helped him to overcome the mind-numbing effects those memories had when he was with a woman.

  By the time he’d reached college he’d been able to perform, to get off, to get the girl off, but there had been nothing in it for him emotionally. It had been a physical response to rubbing his cock just right. He’d watched the act like a movie, nothing more. He’d had sex because that had been what was expected of him. The girls he’d dated had usually figured out his frigidity and hadn’t stuck around, leading to a revolving door of girls. For him that had been fine. It had kept him from lying about emotions and feelings, allowed him to have sex for the sake of sex and nothing more.

  But that first time when Jared had crawled into bed with him and whatever-her-name-was? Of course it had freaked him out at first. Having another man in bed with him should have brought back bad memories, should have rocked him and thrown him into a nightmare. It hadn’t though. The two of them had been so close for years that it had felt completely natural to have his best friend crowding the back of the girl Brent was about to fuck.

  That had opened the doors to something beautiful. Having Jared there, having his presence there, had allowed Brent to climb out of that dark hole and connect with the women they shared. Something had changed for him that day and neither of them wanted to go back.

  “Hey, stop thinking about it.” Jared’s voice dragged Brent out of his thoughts. He didn’t like to go there and was thankful for the reprieve. “We’ll find someone to complete us. I’m sure of it. We’ve survived this long and deserve some happiness.”

  “Thanks, man. Look, I’ll agree to anything you want—you know I will—I just want you to get it through your head that she probably isn’t going to stay. All right? I’m not saying we don’t go for her and don’t sleep with her. But I just don’t want you getting all depressed again when she leaves.”

  “You’ll see. She’s different, Brent.”

  Brent couldn’t help but grin even as he shook his head at the hope in Jared’s voice. “I hope so, for your sake. Otherwise I’m kicking your ass for falling in love again.”

  “It’s different this time. I feel it deeper. Already I can’t imagine life without her. I want to get up every morning knowing that I’m making coffee and breakfast for her.”

  “Let’s get some sleep and see what tomorrow brings, okay?” Brent scrubbed his face. “I know what you want out of this but I’m not ready. I’ll play with her but I’m not falling for her. I can’t let it happen. One of us needs to keep our head.”

  Jared grinned, nodded and whispered, “Sure, buddy, sure. Keep telling yourself that, but in the meantime I’m going to get us a girl.”

  Brent watched his best friend head across the hallway into his room. They might share women and occasionally sleep in the same bed, but they maintained their own spaces. Eventually they’d be in one room, when they found the woman they could share for a long-term relationship. At least that was what Jared kept saying. It was always the same though. “When” seemed like an abstract concept to Brent. It wouldn’t be that night or the one after—probably wouldn’t be ever.

  Jared wanted a permanent triad. He wanted to find the one who would complete them so they could have a happy little threesome family. Brent couldn’t argue with the thought of having a relationship with a woman. He knew he couldn’t be happy without sharing a woman with Jared, but to look for a permanent lady to have with them was more than he could even wish for. They had found that sex was never as good as what they created together with a willing female between them. More than the sex, though, was the connection he craved with Jared and the women they dated. He couldn’t seem to connect with a woman by himself as fully as he could when Jared was involved. That belief was echoed by Jared as well.

  He shook his head and crawled into bed. Tomorrow was another day. He’d fight the pull Arin seemed to have on them, even if it was just to keep Jared out of trouble. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy her. With a smile and a thought about finally being able to kiss her, he drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Six

  Arin woke from a deep, dreamless sleep. Before she opened her eyes she could smell the scents of coffee and bacon wafting through her room. Her stomach growled loudly, forcing her to roll over and scrub at her eyes. She glanced at the clock and decided seven-thirty was a respectable time to get up, especially with food beckoning to her from downstairs. She slid her legs over the side of the bed and stretched.

  She’d slept really well once she’d calmed her raging hormones enough to go to sleep. It’d taken a good hour of tossing and turning before she could relax enough. The time hadn’t been wasted though. She’d decided that this trip was to be the turning point in her life for more than just her relationship with the asswipe. She was willing to barter her heart for a few days of sexual freedom she hadn’t allowed herself before. Robert had been it for her sexual experiences. Obviously her body could react with need and flush with desire if the right man, or men, were around. If they wanted her, then she’d take them up on their offer to play and would deal with the consequences later. She could keep her heart locked down for five days…she hoped.

  She wandered into her bathroom and took a quick shower. The tub would’ve been wonderful, but she wanted to get the day started. She was almost as excited about the trail ride and fishing as the promise of something much more wicked. She decided to pull her hair into a ponytail for the day and wandered into her room with a towel wrapped around her body. Her gaze caught on the shadow gracing her bedroom doorway. A gasp popped out of her mouth when she saw Brent standing there holding a breakfast tray. He was all gorgeous and hunky, with a grin across his face.

  “Mmm, if this is how you’ll greet me every morning I’ll promise to bring breakfast up to you.” He laughed at her startled look. His voice caressed her, raising goose bumps down her arms. “Oh darlin’. You look like a jackrabbit caught just outside its hole by a big ol’ hawk. I won’t bite. I just brought you some breakfast and wanted to apologize for last night. Sometimes we get a little carried away.”

  “Um, well…let me get dressed…and I…we can have breakfast?” She blushed at her stammering and the weak lilt to her voice. Where was the strong woman who’d decided she was going to take the bull by the horns—or the men by their cocks, as it were? Where had the woman gone who’d decided, just that morning, she was going to jump at the chance to have exciting sex? She shook her head and held up a finger to him. “Give me just a minute.”

  Arin grabbed the clothes she had planned on wearing and bolted for the bathroom. She prayed that he would be gone by the time she was done. Or maybe she was praying that he would still be there, waiting for her. At least she hadn’t planned on wearing anything intricate, because she didn’t have t
he coordination to do much other than pull on her shirt and pants. Her hands were shaking with both nervousness and anticipation.

  With more force than it required, she pulled the door open, almost stumbling into her bedroom. She stopped as soon as she stepped into the room. Her bed had been made and Brent was sprawled on it, lounging on her pillows, reading a newspaper. He glanced at her over the print and she actually giggled when his eyes widened.

  “Oh darlin’. You do make the blood rush to interesting places. You look delicious in that outfit.” His words, tinged with a lusty growl, made her smile. She had chosen well then. The jeans were on the tight side but were her favorites because they hugged her hips just right. The camo T-shirt was on the snug side. Normally she would have thrown a sweatshirt or flannel shirt on, but what the hell. If they wanted her, there must be something there to like, right?

  “Glad you like.” She wandered across the room and grimaced when her stomach growled loudly. No matter how much she was enjoying the flirting, her body had other ideas. She climbed onto the foot of the bed and perused the contents of the tray. Eggs over easy, toast, bacon and coffee. A perfect breakfast. “Hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to eat.”

  She watched him fold up the paper, sit up slowly and lean forward with a grin. “Not a problem. I’ll see you downstairs.”

  Before she could answer him, he leaned in to her, placed a hand on either side of her legs and pressed his warm lips to hers. She gasped in surprise and that was all the invitation he needed. He slid his tongue in a slow, sensual slide across her bottom lip. She felt that lick clear to her pussy. Her nipples contracted, pushing against her T-shirt, hoping for a fondling. God, a simple kiss and my body reacts this much?

  All thought flew from her mind as he took her lips in a full-on assault. One hand moved from the bed to hold her head in place as he invaded her mouth with his. Warm lips, hot tongue, moist breath. All worked together to captivate her as he tasted, nibbled and licked. He coaxed her mouth to respond, teasing her tongue until she was sliding hers against his, sparring in wet thrusts. A throaty moan whispered from his mouth. She swallowed it and answered with her own. She wound her hands into his short hair, using it to anchor her wayward body and to keep his lips against hers. Warmth bloomed in her belly, flowing in languid rivers to her pussy. She could feel her lips swelling, throbbing to the beat of her racing heart.

  With a groan he broke away and placed one last little kiss on her lips before sliding off the bed. He stood watching her for a few moments with a bemused heat shimmering in his eyes. She touched her lips with trembling fingers and tried to read his expression. Confusion and exhilaration flowed through her in equal parts. Her clit throbbed, demanding the attention the kiss had promised.

  “Sorry, darlin’. I was just going to give you a little peck but you’re too damn tasty. I’ll see you downstairs when you’re ready.” His eyes were hooded by his drawn brows. He leaned down and gave her another quick kiss on the lips before spinning on his feet and walking out the door.

  Arin snapped her mouth shut and scowled at the door. What the fuck? What had that kiss meant? It had been hot, promising and way too short. She shook her head and stared down at the cooling meal waiting for her. She picked up the fork and jabbed at the egg. Hunger was the last thing on her mind now that she’d tasted Brent and his glorious mouth but she needed to eat. Then she needed to find out what that kiss had meant and why he’d stopped. She definitely hadn’t wanted to stop. She would have lain there like a sacrificial lamb on an altar, given herself freely to anything he desired if he would just have continued kissing her. She groaned with the ache she felt throbbing below her belt. Her pussy had never throbbed before, never ached to be filled and most definitely had never needed the attention of two men before. She sighed and shoved food into her mouth, chewed and swallowed but couldn’t taste a thing. Every nerve ending in her body was deferring to her clit, demanding that she walk her ass downstairs and maul one or both of those scrumptious men.

  * * * * *

  Brent couldn’t help but grin like a little boy. His morning was turning out to be a lot like Christmas when he’d been a kid, an awesome present all wrapped up in a pretty package. His heart was still racing from that little kiss. She’d tasted so sweet and had melted into his embrace. It’d taken every ounce of determination not to strip her right there. But he and Jared had talked over coffee and decided that they needed to work on getting to know her first before hopping into the sack. He’d agreed to Jared’s plan of slowing things down, even though he feared she’d be just like all the others.

  His smile slid from his face. Getting his hopes up just meant his heart would be broken again. They needed to go into this assuming it was just for her vacation. Arin wasn’t going to stick around, he already knew that. She wasn’t that type of girl. So he’d keep his head on straight and hopefully keep Jared from falling too deeply in love with her.

  “So what happened? You were up there an awfully long time.” Jared had a hip propped on the kitchen counter and a cup of coffee in his hand. The relaxed pose didn’t fool Brent in the least. Jared was worried and frustrated.

  “Nothing much.” Brent pushed the negative thoughts down and grinned at the scowl that Jared sent him. “Oh you mean how did the kiss go?”

  “You know what? I don’t know why I continue to suffer your friendship. Honestly, you send a guy to seduce a woman and you get snark in return. Yes, fucker, how was the kiss?”

  “Fine, fine. The kiss was hot. She’s hot. And wait ’til you see what she’s wearing. I wanted to fuck her the minute she came out of the bathroom dressed in her outfit.” Brent groaned at the image and shifted his pants to make room for his hardening cock. “She came out with nothing but a towel on and I just about came in my pants. Then to watch her blush and scurry to get dressed like an innocent little girl…damn. Wait ’til you see the creamy skin of her breasts. Mmm, completely lickable.”

  “Well I’m glad you had such a fan-fucking-tastic time. Do you think she’s game to let us play with her?” Irritation clouded Jared’s words.

  “I don’t think we’ll have issues talking her into a little fun.” They both wanted Arin badly. Brent wasn’t admitting to being in love with her, but to see her and sense the barely hidden vulnerability was enough to have him admitting he wanted something with her beyond a quick fling. He scowled. Sex or not, he needed to get Jared off her tail. “Don’t you think getting involved with her might be a bad idea though? She’s obviously coming off a guy, and by her reactions he didn’t wet her whistle, if you know what I mean. The look of amazement after I kissed her was adorable but telling. I don’t want to hurt her, Jared. She isn’t like the typical women we hook up with.”

  Their conversation was cut short when they heard Arin walking down the hallway. She was carrying two fly rod cases and the breakfast tray. Jared rushed forward to grab the tray from her and Brent rescued the rod cases. They eyed her in the tight shirt and hip-hugging jeans. Brent’s cock twitched at the sight, and from the shift in Jared’s stance, he was reacting as well. The perfect outdoors woman stood nervously inside their kitchen. Her hair was pulled loosely into a ponytail but a few wisps had escaped and floated around her face. Even her hiking boots were wonderfully cute.

  “Um, guys. You’re making me self-conscious here.” Arin cleared her throat and dashed a look from one of the men to the other. A light blush crept across her cheeks but she didn’t look away.

  “Sorry, babe. Brent didn’t do your outfit justice when he described it to me.” Jared laughed at the confused look on her face. He strode forward and crowded her against the doorjamb. He leaned forward and spoke against her cheek. “He said you were hot but he didn’t mention just how sexy you looked. Damn, girl.”

  Brent laughed. He couldn’t help it. She was so adorable and sexy rolled into one smart little woman. She jumped at the sound, which made him chuckle again. She’d learn soon enough that there was nothing wrong with being intimate with one or bot
h of them. He watched her place her palms on Jared’s chest and apply a small amount of pressure. Jared didn’t pull away from her right away, and Brent loved the way her eyes darkened with need when Jared slowly rolled his hips against hers. Before Brent joined in and really terrified their new conquest, he decided to give her a break and get them moving on with their day.

  “Okay, I can see I’m not needed. I’ll go get the tack ready. If you two want to go practice casting for an hour, then we can leave a little early.” Brent headed through the doorway. He stroked a hand down her cheek on the way by and disappeared down the hallway.

  Brent laughed to himself and shook his head as Jared’s voice came down the hall. “Come on, let’s go out and play with your equipment. Or we could play with mine.”

  Arin’s answering laugh had a grin spreading on Brent’s face. Her playful retort put a spring in his step as he left the lodge. “Lead the way, my dear man. I would prefer to play with my equipment first, but you’re free to play with yours while I watch.”

  * * * * *

  Arin breathed in the fresh air and felt it relax her right down to her toes. The view was absolutely beautiful with the sun gleaming off the mountains and not a cloud in the sky. She stood in a large area of lawn the boys had called the field. She had her favorite fly rod out and was going through the basic casts, relearning the feel of the line in her hand, the weight of the rod, the movements needed to cast. She’d been working for about forty minutes and once again glanced over at Jared. He had taken up residence against a fallen tree and had sat watching the entire time.

  She had expected him to correct her, give her hints, show her how to do everything, but instead he had sat back and watched. So different from Robert. Everything she did was wrong according to him. She couldn’t cook, couldn’t clean and definitely couldn’t satisfy him in bed. He had made her refold laundry and reload the dishwasher so many times she’d lost count. With mountain air in her lungs and a clear head, she really wondered why she had stayed with him or shed a single tear about throwing him out. He really had been an asswipe. She grinned to herself and continued working through her movements.