by Mia Ashlinn
I highly doubt I’ll do it again.”
Ella scowled. “You’re so full of shit. You’ll help me. You always do.”
176
Mia Ashlinn
Tate chuckled, his smile crinkling his laugh lines. “That’s my job.
I’m your brother.”
“Well, I need you to do your job now.”
Tate seemed to sober suddenly. “You need help?” Nodding, Ella said, “Yep.”
“Anything for you, Ella-belle,” he replied.
Taking a deep breath, Ella peered over her brother’s shoulder. It might make her a wussy, but she didn’t want to see his face when she asked him what she needed to know. “How do I get them to admit their feelings for each other?”
Ella hated to ask Tate this question. After his devastating loss, she rarely discussed any of it with him—or anybody else, for that matter.
But she had to. He knew the answer better than most.
“You can’t.”
She gasped. “What?”
Tate frowned, a distant look coming into his eyes. “They have to find their way to each other,” he said. A sheen of sudden but not entirely unexpected tears shimmered in his blue depths. “You just have to be there for them. Listen to them and buffer for them. Do whatever it takes to help, and they will work it out. Just let them do it.”
Ella’s heart ached for her brother. Placing a comforting arm around his waist, she whispered, “I’m sorry, but I had to know.” Tate blinked the moisture away. “No, Ella. It’s fine. I want things to work out for you, Caedon, and Micah. The three of you deserve your happy ending. I wouldn’t have helped them otherwise.”
“So do you,” she replied.
“Let’s focus on you and your men,” Tate countered, not giving her a second to put her thoughts together. “Since they’re going to be proving to you that a permanent ménage with them would work, why don’t you turn the tables on them? You can show them just how good a relationship between the two of them can be.”
“You just said they had to work it out for themselves.” Three Rings and a Rose
177
“That doesn’t mean you can’t be sneaky and sly. You’re good at that.”
Ella nodded. “I am. Then again, so are you. Any ideas?”
“Just a few...thousand.”
“Then get to talking, little brother,” she demanded.
And he did.
178
Mia Ashlinn
Chapter 18
Two weeks later…
Ella rolled over in her bed. Or she tried to. The two warm, half-naked bodies on each side of her prohibited her from going far. She sighed as she remembered what day it was. She’d made it. She could finally carry through with the delicious things they’d been teasing each other with for the past fourteen days.
Lifting her head, she glanced over Caedon’s shoulder at the bright display of her digital clock on the bedside table. Midnight on the dot.
She snickered. They crawled into bed with me at precisely the strike of twelve? Mmhmm. Looks like I’m not the only one dying to get laid.
All three of them had been struggling to not carry things too far, especially her. After all was said and done, she figured it was rather fitting that she be the one to suffer most of all. She’d invoked the stupid limit in the first place.
Even though she’d attempted to persuade them to abolish the offending rule, they’d been able to hold her off. They’d stuck to it perfectly. Now she couldn’t say the same thing about herself. She’d tried everything short of begging, pleading, stealing, and borrowing.
If they’d given her the go ahead, she would have jumped their bones on the spot—in public, behind closed doors, standing up, sitting down, on her back. She wouldn’t have cared as long as they fucked a little of the horniness out of her.
Obviously they’re giving me the green light now. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have crawled into bed with me in the middle of the night.
Three Rings and a Rose
179
“I can hear you thinking all the way over here, sunshine,” Caedon murmured as he flipped over to face her. Brushing her cheek with his thumb, he smiled at her. And for once, she was grateful that she generally slept with the light on in the hallway. Even though he had his back to the door, enough light shone in the room for her to be able to see his face. “What has you so worked up?” As if you didn’t know.
The man spooning her from behind clearly agreed with her. He chuckled. “If you don’t know, we need to have a talk about the birds and the bees.”
“Can we have a hands-on lesson?” Caedon asked eagerly with a crooked smile. “I learn best that way.”
“I’ll just bet you do,” Ella retorted, but she couldn’t help grinning back at him. “I guess we’re lucky since I learn the same way.”
“I was always better at reading the information and absorbing it that way,” Micah informed them in all seriousness. “But I could make an exception this time.”
“No, no, no,” Caedon said. “If we’re playing school, you’re the professor, and we’re your pupils.”
Ella groaned. “No! No roleplay.”
Giving her puppy dog eyes, Caedon asked, “Why not? I am an actor.”
With a sensual smile, Ella threw one of her legs over Caedon’s and told him, “If you want between these legs, you’ll have to learn a few things—like I can’t act to save my life.” Reaching down, Caedon caressed her bare thigh from knee to hip, and she hummed in pleasure. “Who said you have to act?” Caedon asked. “You can stay quiet, and we’ll take care of the show.” Two surprised male gasps sounded around her as they both obviously caught what Caedon had let slip. Of course, they both made no response after that. Their silence deafened Ella, and she figured it was up to her to change the sensitive subject they’d been dancing around since Caedon had arrived in Serenity.
180
Mia Ashlinn
Over the past few days, Ella had noticed Caedon and Micah getting more flagrant about their feelings for each other. It was obvious that they were as in love with each other as they were with her. But neither of them seemed ready to relent and confess what was obviously in their hearts. So she’d done what Tate had suggested.
She’d been the guide pushing them together when things were on the right track, and she’d been the distraction when things got precarious.
It was obviously time for her to divert their attention.
Here we go again with the go-between bit. What’s a girl got to do to get her boyfriends to fuck each other? Seriously.
Ella gave an over-the-top snort. “That’s another thing. I don’t stay quiet. I groan. I moan. I scream, and I cry out.”
“Oh I remember,” Caedon replied, and a little of the tension seemed to dissipate between the three of them. “Just in case I don’t recall every detail, why don’t you illustrate that for me and Micah?” Grinding his erection into her backside, Micah ordered, “Show me, snowflake. I’ve dreamed of hearing you scream my name.” Caedon lifted his hand from her leg and reached over to Micah.
Patting Micah’s bare arm with a tender, loving touch, he assured him,
“Don’t worry. She’ll scream your name a lot. Our woman is a loud little thing.”
“I’ll show you loud,” she muttered before launching herself at Caedon. Obviously prepared, he caught her around the waist then rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of his rock-hard body. She didn’t give him a second to catch his breath, to say a word, or to even move. She just cupped his handsome face with her hands and kissed him with everything inside her. No holding back. No regrets or worries. She let her body take the lead, allowed it to have free reign on her actions. Her mind no longer existed. It was her body and his.
Ella caressed Caedon’s lips with hers, nibbling his pliable flesh before slanting her head to the side and delving into the humidity of his mouth. She tasted him, sipped at him, as though it were the first Three Rings and a Rose
1
81
time their lips had touched. She savored the unique taste that was Caedon and only Caedon, and sighed into his mouth.
Caedon returned her kiss without controlling even the smallest action. He let her hold him and kiss him. He gave her the freedom to do what she wanted with his body, and she loved him all the more for it.
The bed jostled unexpectedly as Micah moved. Unable to see where he was going or what he was doing, panic flash froze the blood in Ella’s veins. She tore her lips from Caedon’s and turned to Micah.
Mirroring her actions, Caedon swiveled his head and looked at Micah, too.
Only, surprisingly, Micah wasn’t going anywhere. Fuck no. He was getting more comfortable. Rotating to his right side, Micah propped his elbow on the fluffy pillow next to him and rested his head on his clenched fist. “Don’t mind me,” he said with a shit-eating grin.
“I’m enjoying the show.”
Caedon groaned, and Ella pursed her lips. She sent Micah an air-kiss then returned her attention to a patiently-waiting Caedon. “I love you,” she whispered as she captured his lips again. This time, however, she had no control of their kiss. Caedon did.
Caedon grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled gently, administering enough tension to elicit a tingle in her scalp. As he kissed her rapaciously, his grip tightened. With each thrust of his tongue into her mouth, he tugged harder. Every twine, every tangle of their dancing tongues ratcheted up the intensity until the strain grew to be too much, and she gasped.
Not releasing his rigid hold, Caedon tugged her head back, and she met his burning gaze. “I love you, too,” he countered sweetly as his piercing eyes stared straight through her and into her soul. He leaned forward and nipped her lower lip before trailing wet kisses across her cheek. Drawing what felt like zigzags with his mouth, he worked his way down her jawline then wandered over the curve of her neck before placing the softest of kisses on her collarbone.
182
Mia Ashlinn
Caedon didn’t remain there long before he journeyed back upward, returning exactly the way he’d come. As he reached her lips once again, he murmured, “It’s Micah’s turn,” then released her hair.
Dropping his voice to a seductive tone that made her body vibrate in need, he smiled wickedly. “Before you go to him, I think I need to warn you that when it’s my turn again, there will be no more Mr. Nice Caedon. I will fuck you like I wanted to two years ago. Back then, I was willing to hide my darker nature. I’m not now.” Ella nearly came as Caedon’s words connected with her brain.
She’d fantasized about this moment since the day they’d met. She’d imagined all the things he could do to her body when he let go and released his inner beast. Now the time had arrived, and she could barely hold onto her dignity.
Sucking in a steadying breath, Ella’s sassy self returned rapidly.
“Sugar britches, I didn’t want you to hide from me back then, and I certainly don’t want you to do it now. So give it your best shot. You weren’t the only one hiding their wild side. I’ll bet you can’t even shock me.”
Caedon arched his eyebrow at her. “We’ll see about that, sunshine.”
Micah, who had been an avid spectator, finally made his move.
He sat up jerkily then scooted backward until he butted into the headboard with a thump. Extending his long arms, he pulled her to him with the help of Caedon and plopped her down on his lap.
The feeling of coming home washed over her as it always did when Micah touched her, and she hummed blissfully. “And I love you, Micah Blaylock.”
Micah smiled. “God knows that I love you, snowflake.” Curving his hand around the back of her head, he brought her forward for a fiery kiss that could have lit up the night sky, and she forgot her every thought. The moment their lips touched, she lifted her hand to his strong chest and palmed the taut, muscled wall. Trailing her fingertips to his nipple, she paused at the stiff crest and flicked it with her nail.
Three Rings and a Rose
183
Micah jerked with a groan, but he didn’t stop his mouth or slow it down. Actually, he seemed to speed up, and his kiss changed, morphing from hot to scorching. He deepened the impassioned melding of their mouths and so did she. He breached her parted lips with his silky tongue then dove inside. In response, she slid her tongue along his, calling his to mate with hers, and he did. He claimed her mouth, tongue, and lips in a way that only one other man had before, and that man sat beside them, watching.
Feeling Caedon’s eyes on her and relishing Micah’s touch, Ella whimpered as the rush of erotic pleasure swept her away, and she lost sense of reality. All that existed for her was these two men, this kiss, and this moment. Only it passed quickly—far too quickly. And before she knew it, Micah released her. “We’ve been teasing you for two weeks, Ella. But that’s just what it was—teasing. Now that we can fuck you, there will be no more playing around. This is real, and we are who we are. Can you handle that?”
* * * *
Micah held his breath as he waited for Ella to answer his question.
He already knew her answer. And so did Caedon. But they’d discussed it, and they wanted her to understand what being with the two of them meant. They might not have shared women before, but they both had kinks that they weren’t willing to forsake.
Sitting on his lap, Ella ground her ass into his crotch with a mischievous smile. She rocked her hips back and forth then said,
“Maybe I was teasing, too.”
Knowing her, she had been. His woman had a wicked side, and it went far beyond her smart mouth and saucy ways. She was kinky, and he couldn’t wait to tap into it. “Okay,” he replied. “We just wanted to make sure that you knew what you were in for.” Most of it.
Ella patted his cheek condescendingly. Her action would have pissed him off if it weren’t for the big, brazen wink she shot his way.
184
Mia Ashlinn
“I know what I’m in for, but I don’t think you have a fucking clue what you’re in for.”
Caedon snorted. “In the words of my insanely sexy woman, ‘give it your best shot. I’ll bet you can’t even shock me.’” Growling playfully, Ella flipped Caedon off without breaking eye contact with Micah. At the same time, she lifted her lips to him as though asking for his kiss. Only, Micah didn’t think so. He wouldn’t give her the opportunity to take control of their sex life—not now, not ever. If he did, she would run away with it, and they would all live to regret it. Neither he nor Caedon would deal well with Ella dominating them. Deep down, neither would she.
“Strip,” Micah commanded abruptly. He didn’t mask the impatience or dominance in his tone. He told her what he wanted, and he gave her no room for questions or comments.
Caught off guard, Ella frowned. His snowflake apparently didn’t like his tone. Too damn bad. She’d need to get used to this side of him sooner rather than later. Surprisingly, Ella didn’t chew him a new asshole. She didn’t balk at his demand either. Instead, she lifted herself off him and then the mattress. Circling around the corner, she stood proudly at the foot of the bed.
Micah peered over at Caedon and said, “Turn on the light. We don’t want to miss a second of this.”
Nodding, Caedon reached over the bedside table and flipped on the lamp. “No, we don’t,” he replied. “I want to see every delicious, flawless inch of our woman.”
Our woman. Even after two weeks, the words coming from Caedon still had this magical effect on Micah that he couldn’t describe. Something about having a woman and sharing her with the man he loved staggered him, and it never failed to stop his heart on a dime. The only thing that could make things any more perfect involved Ella saying, our man, to him or Caedon. However, that wasn’t happening right now.
“So do I,” Micah murmured. “She’s so fucking gorgeous.” Three Rings and a Rose
185
In front of them, Ella flushed, but a sensual smile spread across her face. “Thank you,” she said. �
�You both now how to make a girl feel pretty.”
“I know how to make you feel prettier,” Caedon told her with a lascivious wiggle of his eyebrows. “Get naked.” Ella’s smile broadened, and she fell silent. Since she didn’t have much on, her striptease would be short and to the point, but Micah didn’t mind. He wanted to watch her remove her clothes anyway. “I think I can do that,” she said with a sparkle in her eyes, and Micah groaned. That look would get him and Caedon into trouble. And fuck, he couldn’t wait.
Next to him, Caedon sat up slowly before scooting his body to the top of the bed. He situated himself in a way that he touched Micah from their shoulders all the way down to their pinkie toes.
Micah wasn’t sure whether or not Caedon had meant for their positions to be that intimate, but they were. And he loved it. So did his cock. The damn thing had barely been contained in his shorts before. Now, it was just a second short of busting through the fabric and making a gigantic hole in the crotch.
Unable to sustain any more of his dick’s demands, Micah slipped one hand beneath the waistband of his shorts and grasped the thick stalk before taking it out. As he watched Ella, he stroked himself, sliding from base to tip. His skin moved up and down with each glide of his hand.
Out of the corner of his eye, Micah quickly glanced at Caedon, and he groaned when he saw him. Caedon’s jaw hung slightly ajar, and he openly gawked at Micah. Only he wasn’t looking at his face.
Fuck no. He was admiring his cock.
Shallow pants came from Caedon’s mouth as he slipped his beefy hand into the pajama bottoms he wore and unabashedly rubbed himself. A heartbeat later, Caedon grimaced then pulled his shaft out, and without taking his eyes from Micah, he caressed his dick with what appeared to be a strong, firm hand.