by Opal Carew
Chapter Nine
Reid sat back in his chair, the steaming mug of coffee in his hand, a smile spreading across his face. Last night had been fucking sensational. After he’d suggested the idea of a threesome, Stevie had been like a wildcat in bed. Passionate and animated. Fuck, she’d been all over him.
At one point, she’d sunk to her knees in front of him and stroked her fingers over his engorged cock—still confined in his pants—and told him she’d changed her mind about the domination and submission. The way she’d gazed up at him, her eyes glittering, the tip of her tongue gliding over her lips, he could tell that she’d wanted him to command her right then, so he ordered her to suck his cock.
Clearly, she was still figuring out what she wanted in the bedroom and he was happy he was the one who’d opened this very satisfying door for her.
He glanced at Dylan who was reading the paper, his empty breakfast plate pushed to the side.
Reid leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.
“What do you think of Stevie?”
Dylan lowered the paper, peering over it at Reid. “What do I think of her?” He folded the newspaper and set it down. “What are we talking about here? You want me to tell you how sexy she is and what a lucky bastard you are?”
Reid smiled. “For a start. So you find her sexy?”
“I’ve got a dick, don’t I?” Dylan grinned. “And last night … what the fuck were you two doing in there? I was hard half the night hearing the sounds coming out of your room.”
Dylan sipped his coffee and his gaze flickered to Reid’s, distance in his midnight-blue eyes.
“Are we going to get into something now?” Dylan asked. “I’ve sensed your jealousy when I’ve paid her any kind of attention. You’ve got to know that I wouldn’t let anything—even a sexy treat like Stevie—get in the way of our friendship.”
“Of course. I appreciate that. And, yeah, I admit it. She’s different than the other women I’ve been with. Special.”
“You’re falling for her.”
Reid nodded. “You might be right. But she’s insistent that there can be nothing long-term between us.” He leaned back again. “I have convinced her to keep seeing me for a while, though. And hopefully during that time, I’ll be able to win her over. But I’ll need your help.”
“Anything. What do you want me to do?”
A slow smiled spread across Reid’s face. “I want you to fuck her.”
Dylan’s jaw dropped open. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Well, it seems our little lady cabdriver is excited at the idea of being with two men. And we’re the lucky bastards who have the opportunity to bring that dream to life.” Reid sipped his coffee. “So, are you in?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Dylan said. “Of course I’m in.”
Reid smiled, but a part of him was still a little disconcerted with the thought of another man—even his best friend, Dylan—fucking Stevie. But the thought of Dylan gliding his cock into her and making her whimper in pleasure was a powerful aphrodisiac.
“Okay,” Reid said, “so I was thinking we’d get started tonight after Stevie gets back from her shift. Now, let’s set some ground rules.”
* * *
Stevie pulled up to the apartment building, anxious to drop off this last fare of the night. It was a couple she’d picked up outside a club downtown and she didn’t know if they’d hooked up at the club or if they were already dating, but there were obviously sparks flying between them. Their amorous activity in the backseat made Stevie long to be back at Reid’s place.
Reid had texted her earlier that he thought they should take a step forward with their threesome plans that night. She didn’t exactly know what he meant by taking steps forward, but excitement had coursed through her all evening.
The whole idea of the threesome set her a bit on edge. The thought was wildly sexy and when Reid had suggested it, she’d become … uh … a bit maniacal with lust. She’d practically forced herself on him, diving onto his hard cock and riding him until he groaned his release. And her … she’d wailed so loudly she could have woken the dead.
But the thought of actually going through with it … of returning to the penthouse and facing the men, both of them knowing what was going to happen … anticipating her stripping off her clothes and getting naked …
Her stomach clenched. Would she really be able to go through with it?
The couple got out, tossing some money her way, then held hands as they hurried to the front entrance. Stevie pulled away and headed toward the posh neighborhood where Reid’s apartment was.
Soon she was riding the elevator up to the penthouse, her nerves fraying. She’d texted Reid as soon as she’d parked the cab. The elevator door opened and both men stood smiling at her, Reid in an impeccable suit, Dylan in his usual tight jeans, but wearing a casual button-down shirt, the long sleeves hiding the tattoos she knew were under there.
She stepped into the foyer, her stomach tightening.
Reid stepped forward, but instead of taking her in his arms and kissing her, as she half expected, he walked past her and into the elevator.
“I’m heading out,” he said. “I won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Wait. But I thought…” Confusion simmered through her. They couldn’t exactly have a threesome without three people.
Reid grinned. “Don’t worry. Dylan will explain.” Then the doors whooshed closed.
She stared at the elevator, slowly drawing in a deep breath. Then she turned around.
“Want something to eat?” Dylan asked.
“No, thanks. I had a burger earlier.” She followed him into the living room.
There was a bottle of white wine on the table and two stemmed glasses. He poured a glass and handed it to her then sat down on the couch.
“Join me,” he invited with a smile.
Oh, God, he was so sexy sitting there with his broad shoulders and twinkling blue eyes. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone and she could see the edges of a tattoo on his chest.
But she wasn’t here to have sex with Dylan. Well, yes, she was, but as part of a threesome. She wouldn’t feel right doing it with just him. It would be like she was cheating on Reid.
“So why did Reid leave?” she asked as she sat down beside Dylan on the couch, leaving a good foot between them.
“Reid told me about your fantasy, and how you’ll only continue seeing him if it’s part of a three-way relationship that includes me.”
She nodded, feeling more than a little embarrassed. But she sucked in a breath to say what had to be said.
“I need to be clear. It’s not a relationship I’m looking for.”
He nodded. “Of course. Nothing long-term. No commitment. I get it.” He smiled. “I have to say, I’m very flattered you chose to include me.”
Her gaze drifted to his. “Um … well, you know you’re very attractive.”
“As are you.” He put down his glass and leaned a little closer. “And I’m very excited about getting started.”
“But Reid isn’t here.” The words came out slightly panicked and she mentally kicked herself.
“Don’t worry. I’m not trying to make a move on you. The reason Reid went out is because he wanted to give us some time to get to know each other a bit better. To spend some alone time together and get used to the idea of becoming intimate with each other so we’ll all be more comfortable when we move forward with the three of us.”
“So we’re going to sit and chat?”
“Yes … and no.”
Her gaze flicked to his and her stomach tensed. “What do you mean?”
“What Reid suggested was that we should go in the hot tub and talk.”
She calmed a little. “That sounds relaxing.”
“He suggests we go in naked.”
Every muscle in her body tensed. “Oh.”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but he thinks—and I agree—th
at it’ll give you a chance to get used to us being naked together while removing the pressure of us being intimate right away. What do you think?”
What he said made sense. If the three of them just started into it, she would be uncomfortable undressing in front of Dylan and it would make the whole experience awkward. Why not get over that awkwardness now? And once she was in the water, he wouldn’t really see her anymore with the bubbles going, so she wouldn’t feel on display.
“Okay, so are we going to do that now?”
He smiled. “If you feel ready.”
She nodded. “I’ll just go take a quick shower and meet you out there.”
There was a large, private terrace as part of the penthouse and the hot tub was just outside the mini gym. She stood up and he picked up the wine and two glasses. He followed her, then continued out the patio doors.
She stepped into the gym bathroom and shed her clothes, then coiled her hair on top of her head and used a large hair clip to hold it in place. She didn’t want wet, straggly hair while she was sitting with Dylan—her soon-to-be new lover. The thought sent a quiver through her.
She stepped into the shower stall and soaped herself up, then rinsed off. She dried herself, then grabbed a fresh towel and wrapped it around her body. She stepped out of the bathroom, feeling a little self-conscious with just the towel covering her nakedness, then remembered this is how Dylan had seen her the first time they met, when he thought she was an intruder.
She opened the patio door and stepped into the night air. It was a cool night and she looked forward to getting into the hot water of the tub. The terrace was lit with tiny white lights and the full moon shone down with a soft glow. Dylan had already lifted the cover off the tub. A waterfall spilled from one side and LEDs lit the tub from within. As she watched, the color changed from blue to purple. Soft music played and she realized there was a sound system built into the tub.
Dylan was still wearing his jeans and shirt, though he was barefoot.
She clung to the towel, ensuring it didn’t slip away.
“You still have your clothes on.”
He smiled. “I thought you might find it disconcerting if you came out and I was standing here naked.”
“Point taken.” She stood by the hot tub now, which was sunken into the deck. She stared at the water, then at him. “I guess I’ll just get in now.”
He nodded, but she felt frozen to the spot.
“I can look away if you want…” he said.
“Uh … no. That would defeat the purpose, right? I mean, we’re going to see each other naked and so I should just…”
She was babbling like an idiot. She sucked in a breath, then tugged the corner of the towel free and slowly unwrapped it, staring at the water rather than Dylan’s face. The cool air surrounded her naked skin and her nipples hardened. She stepped into the tub then lowered herself into the water.
The jets weren’t on yet, so the water was calm and clear, leaving her exposed. She couldn’t help wrapping one arm over her breasts and resting the other over her lower region, even though he would have seen everything as she’d stepped into the water.
She gazed up at Dylan and the heat in his midnight-blue eyes was unmistakable.
“Your turn,” she said simply.
“Yeah, of course.”
She watched, enthralled, as he unbuttoned his shirt, slowly revealing his muscular chest. A dramatic tattoo of an angel sitting atop a building gazing down on the street below adorned the left side of his chest. He shed his shirt, then unzipped his jeans. A quiver raced down her spine at the raspy sound. Then he unbuttoned and dropped his jeans to the ground. She watched, her breath locked in her lungs, as he slid his fingers under the waistband of his boxers, then pushed them down to his ankles. When he stood up, her gaze locked on his rock-hard, pointing-to-the-sky erection.
Clearly, seeing her naked body had had an arousing effect on him. And that made her feel unsettled … and intensely turned on.
He stepped forward and lowered himself into the water, sitting kitty-corner to her. He reached for the two glasses of wine that were sitting on the deck and handed her one.
She had to move an arm to take the glass, so opted to reveal her breasts.
“Thank you. Are you going to turn on the jets?” she asked.
A smile spread across his face. “If you insist.”
Then he pressed a button and bubbles surged into the tub. Soon nothing could be seen below the burbling water.
“So where are you from?” Dylan asked. “Are you a native New Yorker?”
“No, I grew up in Chicago.” She settled back in the contoured seat, beginning to relax now that she was submerged in the bubbling water.
“Any brothers or sisters?”
“No. Just me. My parents divorced when I was still fairly young. I have a stepsister and a cousin who are about the same age as me.”
“Are you close to them?”
“No. I don’t have much in common with them. Nor my parents for that matter. They all have a very different way of viewing the world and the people around them.”
They saw people as merely pawns to be manipulated in the game of building a powerful financial empire. That included their own family members.
That included her.
“Except my great-aunt. She and I were a lot alike. I loved spending time with her. She made me feel special and important.”
“You’re both of those things.”
She glanced at him, almost forgetting she’d been talking to him. “Thank you. But you don’t even know me.”
“I know enough. I’ve seen enough of the kind of person you are.”
Her cheeks flushed. She wasn’t used to someone talking to her as if she mattered. Other than her friends Jon and Derrick, of course. But they were friends.
This man … who she was intensely aware was going to bring one of her most erotic fantasies to life … the way he was looking at her … the way he made her feel … It was unsettling.
“Why don’t you tell me about your family and where you grew up?” she suggested.
“Okay. I grew up in Philadelphia, where I still live. I have two brothers and my family gets together for Sunday dinner every other week. My brothers both take after our dad whereas I’m more like our mom. And she and I are really close. I’m close to Dad, too, but Mom and I have a special bond.”
“That sounds sweet. All of you getting together. Still having such a close relationship.”
“Yeah, we’re a pretty happy family.” He sipped his wine and set it down on the deck again. “So how long have you been driving a cab?”
“About five years.” Her cares were drifting away as the water massaged her body. “When my great-aunt died—the one I told you about—she left me a sizable amount of money, wanting me to use it to follow my dream. I used it to move to New York and buy my cab medallion.”
Dylan’s eyebrows arched. “Really? From what I understand, a medallion in this city would have cost upward of about three quarters of a million dollars. You could have lived quite well on that money. Maybe bought a nice condominium and worked an easier job that doesn’t require so many hours.”
Her back stiffened and she straightened in the seat. “I don’t mind working hard and I don’t like answering to anyone. And if by an easier job, you mean a typical nine-to-five gig, no thanks. Not for me.”
“But wouldn’t it be easier? And what about the stress? Doesn’t it worry you that the medallions have dropped to less than half their value since Uber and other ride-share companies have popped up?”
Her stomach knotted. Of course she worried about that. Did he have to rub it in?
But as she lifted her gaze to his, she realized he wasn’t taunting her as her family would have done. There was very real concern in his midnight eyes.
But she steeled her expression, unwilling to let him see any vulnerability.
“I’m all right.”
He nodded, and she feared he saw more th
an she wanted him to.
“I didn’t mean to upset you, Stevie. And I know you enjoy the freedom. You told me that before.”
“I do, and there are so many different story ideas, so that’s another benefit of the job.”
“Story ideas?”
She shrugged, trying to hide her embarrassment that she’d let that slip.
“Are you a writer then? That makes a lot of sense. I can tell you’re the creative type.”
“You can?”
“You strike me as having an artistic soul.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. It’s just a hobby. I make up different stories about the people who get in and out of my cab, think about them while I’m driving and then I come home and write them down. But it’s not something I do seriously.”
It was her way of connecting to the world. Of distancing herself from her background. It helped make her feel more like a regular person.
And the fact that she hoped that someday she might actually publish them … well, that was her little secret.
“Why not? Maybe I could help. I know a few people in the publishing world. Maybe I could get someone to look at your work.”
“I said I’m fine,” she said in a tight voice, then picked up her half-full wineglass and drained it. “Look, I appreciate what you’re trying to do but I like my life just fine and don’t need someone rushing in and trying to change it for me.”
She twisted her body to reach the bottle on the deck and fill her wineglass. When his eyes jolted to water level, she realized her jostling exposed a good portion of the swell of her breasts. She sat back down, her hand gripping the stemmed glass as she took another sip.
“Maybe we should talk about something a little racier than careers. This conversation is killing the mood.”
“Yeah, okay,” he said with a smile. “Racy, eh? Well, here’s one. Have you ever been with a woman?”
She pursed her lips. Well, I did ask for it.
“When I was a teenager, I had this one friend. She was pretty curious about sex and she talked me into … uh … trying a few things.”
She saw how his eyes lit up and she took another sip of her wine.