Playful Temptation

by Scarlett Avery

  “Great. It makes me feel better to know that you’re behind closed doors.” I definitely feel more confident. The last thing I want is for someone to catch a snippet of our conversation. That could get Maggie in trouble and I couldn’t live with that.

  “Okay, I just want to say how ready I am for this. I’ve been looking forward to this call since you texted me four hours ago. I’ve never watched time pass so slowly. I’m eager to jump right into it, but before we dive into your sordid tales of debauchery, let’s start with the important stuff—”

  “Wait a minute, my sex life is important.” I huff indignantly.

  “I couldn’t agree with you more, but I want to know how you’re doing outside of the bedroom… you know, when you’re not riding your two hot black hunks.” She winks.

  “You’re too funny.”

  “Let’s start with you telling me about your day.”

  I smile at her. I love how she cares about me. It’s very reciprocal, but it’s still very touching. “All I have to say is tomorrow I can scream TGIF at the top of my lungs. I can totally deal with that mentally. I have to. It’s the only way I can wrap my head around the fact that Ashley wants us to be at the gallery by seven-thirty tomorrow morning. That means I have to get up by six o’clock in the morning. I so plan on doping up on coffee all day tomorrow.”

  “Why do you have to be there so early?”

  “Two words.” I pause and lift my hands up so Maggie can see them. “Calysta Knight.” I accentuate each word with air quotes.

  “Of course. The famous American painter who’s crossing over.” I’m so over the moon that I can’t stop talking about it. Other than my flurries of text messages about Xander and Ethan, I’ve been keeping Maggie up to date on the developments surrounding the upcoming events. “So what are you working on that’s keeping you chained to your computer?”

  Over the next ten minutes I share with my cousin everything that’s transpired today and I also list some of the major projects that I have to knock off of my list by tomorrow evening.

  “It definitely sounds like an insane amount of work, but at the same time haven’t you been waiting for an event of this caliber your whole career, Dee?”

  I nod emphatically. “I have. Given how low I was on the totem pole at the New York gallery, I doubt I would’ve had half the responsibilities I have now. Jay”—he’s my former boss—“would’ve confined me to sending out invitations and booking the plane tickets and hotel rooms for the artist. For the rest, it would be the boring humdrum of checking email to confirm RSVPs. Although I’m a summer exchange employee, Ashley is dead set on helping spread my wings. I love her so much for that.”

  “It’s all good, then?”

  “It is.” I grin. “How about you, Maggie? How was your day? Is the renovation on that historic building in Harlem still keeping you on your toes?”

  “Yeah. So much so that it’s keeping me awake at night. Man, is this project ever kicking my ass. It’s so easy when you send a demolition team out to bring down a building, but when it’s related to a building that dates from World War I, you’re dealing with so much political bullshit and so many regulations. On top of that, the paperwork alone can kill you. You know how much time we spend on research to make sure that we’re not violating any bylaws set to protect buildings that are the foundation of this city? It’s freaking insane.”

  “Sorry to hear that.” I sympathize. Things can get heavy at the gallery, but nothing compared to some of the roadblocks Maggie has to deal with in her job.

  “Don’t worry about me, Dee, just like you, I’m half Southern, there ain’t no beast I can’t tame—including this one.” Her pronounced accent sends us into a laughing fit.

  “On another note, how is William?”

  “My beau,” she coos.

  Just the mention of my cousin’s boyfriend changes her entire demeanor. For the next ten minutes she updates me on anything she might have missed from the dozens of elated text messages she sends me each day about her new relationship.

  “I guess sometimes you just have to leave the Big Apple to find the one,” I say once she’s done baring her soul.

  “I think you’re onto something, girlfriend. LA was the catalyst for me and it seems like London is very good to you.” Maggie grins from ear to ear.

  “In more ways than one.” I match her beaming smile. “Since my salary is much lower than the other curators’, I never expected to be empowered with this many responsibilities. I’m definitely going to go back home with some serious skills under my belt.” Not long ago, talking about going home was no big deal. Now it is. I’m gutted at the thought that the most incendiary love affair of my life will come to an end when my contract is up. Every time I flash forward to the future an unsettling ache sets deep inside me. Fuck. I really don’t want this to end.

  “Dee.” The mention of my name brings me back to the moment. When I look up into Maggie’s eyes I see so much tenderness it tugs at my heart. “Just because there’s an end date doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put the pedal to the metal with your two lovers.” I’m surprised by how well Maggie can read me. “Don’t hold back. It’s better to have a few amazing and soul-stirring months of passion than years of blah.”

  “Am I that transparent?” I ask, worrying at my lower lip.

  “Not at all, honey. It’s just that I’ve known you my whole life. And frankly I don’t have to be a psychic to know you’re having the time of your life. Even without your ‘oh-my-God-I-can’t-believe-this-is-happening-to-me-don’t-pinch-me-’cause-I-don’t-ever-want-to-wake-up’ text messages”—I lose it. Her face is red from blurting all of that out without taking a breath—“it’s so obvious it burns the eyes. Your rosy cheeks and sparkling blue eyes tell the whole story.”

  I giggle. “I’m walking on a cloud and I can’t help but radiate happiness.”

  “That’s for sure.”

  “You should have seen how Gemma, Piper and Katrina were bombarding me with questions this morning when I stepped inside the kitchen for my first cup of coffee. Piper said I look like a woman guarding a secret. If she only knew.”

  Maggie and I laugh.

  “You haven’t let the cat out of the bag?”

  I shake my head, freaked out. “Oh, God, I’d never do anything that stupid. Other than you and Jackie, no one else knows. Momma thinks I have a crush on Ethan, but she knows nothing about Xander. What I share with my boys isn’t a proper topic for Sunday dinner conversations. Heck, I’m not sure I’d reveal that on a Friday night after too many drinks. It’s unconventional and therefore it’s likely to make people uncomfortable. I’m not sure I would’ve reacted much differently had I not experienced this firsthand.”

  “I hear you,” Maggie concedes. “Good thing I’m not one to judge.” Thank God. “Now that we’ve established that your professional life is on a roll, it’s time for you to dish out all the dirty bits.” She giggles.

  “So you want me to tell you how last night went?” I ask, feigning ignorance.

  “Delilah Belle Babcock, don’t get fresh with me. Start talking.” Her mock sternness is hilarious.

  “All right. I won’t keep you in the dark,” I wink. “Things got very sizzling last night.”

  “Are we talking volcanic levels here?”

  I nod. “Most definitely. It was so hot we could’ve melted icebergs.”

  “Really?” She lifts an eyebrow incredulously.

  “Not a word of a lie.”

  “Okay, that’s too vague for my liking. I’m going to need a lot more details than that.”

  “On Tuesday night, they took things slow. All three of us were in the same room, but they were taking turns. While one watched, fondled my boobs and kissed the heck out of me, the other one initiated me into the pleasures of having a very big cock buried deep inside me. I guess they didn’t want to push me too fast—so they said. It was still far more than anything I’ve experienced before. It’s true that yesterday morning, I initiated some
thing a little edgier—and no one can blame me for that given how many orgasms they gave me in a row the night before—but it pales in comparison to last night… and this morning. Let’s just say, they took the training wheels off.”

  “And by that you mean?” The way she tilts her head to the side suggests she’s all ears.

  “They. Didn’t. Take. Turns.” I raise my eyebrows knowingly.

  Maggie catches on immediately. Her reaction takes me by surprise. “Holy shit, you got fucked by two guys at the same time?” She shouts.

  “Officially, yes.”

  “Girl”—Maggie rolls that R so much you’d think she added six of them to that word—“you’re my new hero.” She claps her hands together a few times like an excited kid. “Give me more.”

  Over the next half hour I share all of the tantalizing details from my interlude. I don’t cut corners; I start from the moment Ethan came to pick me up at my place to when he and Xander drove me to work this morning. I lay it all out. I always have with Maggie. She’s the same way with me. I tell her about how many times I begged my lovers for relief and how many times they allowed me to lose my mind riding either their hungry cocks or their eager tongues. By the time I’m done, I’m surprised at how turned on I am. Damn, even when they’re not around they get me all wet.

  “Wow. Talk about pushing boundaries.” Maggie blinks. I think she’s still in shock.

  “Yeah, considering where I came from, that’s an understatement.” I snort.

  “That is one perverted story,” Maggie says. “Bravo, my friend. Bravo.” I roll my eyes. “No, seriously, I’ve got to tell you that your sexy, sizzling tales make PornHub boring now. If you keep this up—and for the record I really, really, really hope you do—I’ll have to cancel my subscription to my trusted source of kinky videos.” Yeah, she doesn’t have a problem watching porn.

  “You crazy sex-craving Texan.”

  “Says the woman who’s having a threesome.”

  “Point taken.” I still can’t believe how radically different my views about sex are after only a few encounters with Ethan and Xander.

  “All kidding aside, I’m really excited for you.”

  “Maggie, what started out as a daring and lustful interlude, where I lived out wild fantasies I didn’t even know I had, is turning out to be more. There’s no doubt that Ethan and Xander seduced me at first. It’s the classic Little Red Riding Hood syndrome—they’re the experienced charmers and I’m this innocent and naïve girl. That said, I won’t argue with the fact that I fell for it hook, line and sinker.”

  “You’re right. Everything you’ve just described sounds too hot to handle, but clearly you’re holding your own.”

  “I keep repeating myself, but they could truly make an addict out of me. Sex with them is so rapturous. When I finally manage to come down from my climax I walk around in a state of euphoria long after I’ve lost the warmth of their chiseled bodies.”

  “Wow, wow and wow,” Maggie chants. “And I’m going to add one more wow just for good measure.”

  “Oh, I almost forgot. I did find out about exactly how big they are…”

  “No way. You asked them?”

  “I did. I blamed the booze for giving me liquid courage.” I narrow my eyes in a devilish way.

  “So…”

  “I was off. They’re not ten inches long.”

  “Smaller?” I shake my head. “Bigger?” Maggie tries again. I nod this time. “Much bigger?” Her eyes grow as wide as saucers as she ask the question.” I nod again. “Do not tell me they’re eleven inches long. That’s just unfair. No woman should have the right to ride such magnificent cocks. Only a handful of porn stars are that lucky.” I’m not sure if I should be proud or insulted by comparison. I’ll go with being honored. “You do realize that?”

  “Huh, no, I didn’t. Thanks for the tidbit.”

  “So how does eleven inches feel?” She’s practically foaming at the mouth.

  “Actually, Maggie, it’s not eleven inches.”

  “It’s not?” she asks incredulously.

  “Nope.”

  She considers me for a few seconds before saying, “I refuse to believe that they’re bigger.” She crosses her arms over her chest and shakes her head like a finicky two-year-old.

  I shrug. “In that case I won’t tell you how big they really are.”

  “You can’t do that to me,” Maggie protests. “You can’t play bait-and-switch with your own cousin. I’m sure you’ve broken a dozen family codes.” I just look at her with a half smile hanging from my lips. “Are you going to tell me or do I have to beg?” Oh, she’s impatient all right.

  “Both of them are twelve inches.”

  “Twelve?” Her voice goes up by two octaves.

  “Twelve,” I confirm.

  “As in twelve-inch cocks?” she asks like there’s any room for misinterpretation.

  “Yup, and did I mention that I’m pretty certain their girths are as generous as a can of pop?”

  “Oh, my God, Dee. Are you saying that two beefy twelve-inch cocks have been pounding you for the last two days?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  “How the hell did you even manage to walk today?”

  “I’m not going to lie. I’m definitely sore, but it was well worth it.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned. You went from five inches to twelve. No wonder you can’t get enough of them.”

  “Let’s not forget that I only had Paul in my mouth.”

  “I bow to you, my queen.” And she does. I can’t help but laugh. “I’m not making fun of this situation, I’m in awe. Honey, if I had that kind of meaty manhood to suck on—make that times two—I’d be at it all day and all night. I hope you’re thanking your lucky stars.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. I do on a regular basis. These guys are a godsend.”

  “Is it all about their big assets?”

  I shake my head vehemently. “It’s not. I’ve had relationships with other guys before and it’s never felt as comfortable as it does with these two. I never imagined that three people could get along so well. I really like them. A lot. I also enjoy spending time with them… outside the bedroom. Everything flows so beautifully between us.”

  “Look at you, you’re grinning like a fool.”

  “Am I?” I ask like I didn’t know. I’m also certain that Maggie can see the warmth creeping up on my face.

  “Oh, my God, Dee, are you falling for them?”

  I give her a one-shoulder shrug. “I’m not sure what’s happening to me, Maggie. I know I won’t be here forever, but at the same time I don’t want to put the brakes on something this magical.”

  “Then you shouldn’t, honey. Fuck the end of the summer. Live for right now.”

  “I like the way you think.” I giggle. Maggie sits back against her chair, shaking her head. She just stares at me wordlessly. Finally after a few long seconds she opens her mouth, but closes it again. When she wrinkles her nose, I know I’m in trouble. “Uh-oh. What is it?” I ask, already worried about her answer.

  “Let’s put aside your burgeoning feelings for a minute.”

  “Okay,” I say hesitantly.

  “I know you don’t even want to consider going on porn sites—what a shame with a story like yours—but you do know where this inevitably leads to, Dee?” Maggie asks.

  Although we’re both from conservative homes and we’re the same age, Maggie has always embraced her wild side. I, on the other hand, believed that playing it safe is a more sensible approach to life. Boy, was I wrong.

  “I think so,” I say in a soft voice.

  “If they didn’t take turns last night, eventually, they’ll want more. Way more.” I know where she’s going with this.

  “They’ve hinted at it.”

  “Are we talking about the same thing?” She waggles her eyebrows.

  “Well, I’ve added a new words to my vocabulary.”

  “Let’s hear it.�
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  “Spit roast,” I say. Maggie roars with laughter. Clearly, she knows what that means. “I also know that there’s a dirtier version of it that involves a woman’s forbidden place.”

  “So we’re talking about the same. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that the naughty little tongue play Xander subjected you to is just a warm-up, honey.”

  “Yeah. Ethan and Xander seem to be completely obsessed with my ass and the idea of claiming it.”

  “How do you feel about it?”

  “Frankly, I don’t know. I didn’t think it’s something decent women did.”

  “I think it’s safe to say that today it’s okay to live out your kinks—no matter how depraved—as long as it’s between consenting adults.”

  “You’re right. But still, it goes against everything we were taught.” She seems quite adamant about this. “Have you ever tried?” I’m curious now.

  She shakes her head. “Not yet.”

  My eyebrows hit my forehead. “Magnolia Leigh Babcock, what have you been hiding from me?”

  “Calm down. It’s not what you think. Just like you, I’m still a virgin, but…”

  “But what?” I volley.

  “William has mentioned a few times that it’s something he’d love to explore with me.”

  “Would you want to go there?”

  “I’ll be honest, had this been with any other guy, it would’ve been an automatic hell no. I can’t say I’ve ever been shy in exploring new things before William. So far, that was a deal-breaker for me. But everything with William is surreal. I wouldn’t mind taking things to the next level. He’s done it a few times—only with women he’s been in serious relationships with—and he says it’s the most intense experience. So to answer your question, yeah, I’d be willing to go there.”

  Wow. Just when you think you know someone.

  CHAPTER 21

  Xander

  “It looks like another crap day ahead. The clouds are thick. There’s not even a spot of sunshine as far as the eye can see,” I grumble aloud. “No wonder people have been miserable all week. It’s supposed to be summer for crying out loud.” I’m standing in the glass room wearing nothing more than a pair of blue boxer briefs. I’m hugging a cup of cappuccino hoping that the double shot of espresso will coerce me into accepting the busy day ahead. Since Ethan had an industry function that stretched well into the early hours last night, I’m not surprised he’s still sleeping.