by Sammi Cee
Coop asks, “You couldn’t get it up, could you?”
Choking out a bitter laugh, Eli goes on to say, “Well, he’d been up before she made that face at me. Gah! She thinks that’s bad, she should have seen it right after it happened. No wonder my parents can’t forgive me. I’m such a fucking mess.”
“No, you’re not, lovely. She’s a nasty, hateful bitch to make you feel like that. Obviously, she doesn’t know how good she has it with you.”
“Thanks, Shay, but…I get it. I’m gross now.”
Before we can continue talking, another knock sounds at the door. Glancing at the clock, I see we probably still have at least an hour of kids coming to my door for candy. I lean up, kiss Eli’s cheek, then Coop’s, and let them know to keep talking, I’ll handle the candy.
By the time I come back, Eli’s moved to the chair, and they’ve flicked the TV on. The last hour and a half had dragged on and on with me wanting to get to Eli, really to both my men. Eli still looks like someone died, and maybe to him they have, a part of himself. And Coop looks torn between deep concern and wanting to murder someone. With as much enthusiasm as I can infuse into my voice, I say, “Enough heaviness for tonight. How about we sit back and watch a movie? How about Transformers, Eli? I know it’s your comfort movie.”
He gives me a faint smile while nodding. “It’s true, huh? Most people have comfort food, but I have a comfort movie. Yeah, Shay, thanks. That sounds pretty perfect right now. I’m sorry I barged in and bothered you guys. I didn’t mean to ruin your night.”
Coop jerks his head back like he’s been slapped. “You’re never a bother. Ever. Don’t even say shit like that. You should’ve woken us up when you got home last night.”
Eli nods hesitantly and then brightens just a little. “Yeah, honestly, I probably would’ve ended up waking you up, but Bear came right to me when I got home and cuddled up in bed with me.” Shaking his head with a little huff, he continues, “That dog is something else, man. I can see why you had to have him.”
While they continue to chit chat, I get the movie going, turn out all the lights except for the small lamp by my couch to leave us bathed in soft light, and settle on the couch laying behind Coop. As the movie starts, I see Eli’s eyes focus on us for a brief second. It’s enough time for me to see the longing in them. Only minutes in, I can sense that Coop’s attention is firmly fixed on Eli with the movie offering no distraction to him.
It all comes down to this. These two men need each other. They complete each other in many ways. I still don’t think they realize how special the bond is between them. However, I do, and I don’t want to keep them from one another. I’ve known this was coming since I promised myself I would approach Coop about it if Jeannie ended up going away. I was almost scared I’d lost my opportunity with how quickly Eli had clung to her. Bending over I take the biggest chance of my life, this will either end my relationship with Coop, or it’ll be the beginning of something…something I’ve never actually seen personally in real life, much less been a part of.
“It’s okay, sweets. I promise.” After whispering those words into Coop’s ear, I kiss his cheek and gently say, “Elijah, come here, baby. Lay with us.” Maneuvering up, I go into a cross-legged position at the end of the couch and pull Cooper’s head into my lap. He looks startled for a minute, but when I nod, he grins back and turns on his side to face Eli.
Coop
Looking over at Elijah sitting in the recliner, I know Shayna is right. My boy needs me; he looks so lost right now. Or us rather, he needs us, whether he or my precious-girl knows it or not. We’re all connected, and it’s more than solely by me. “Eli, come here,” I say softly.
Hesitantly, he walks over and hovers over me next to the couch. “Lay down. Come on, it’s fine.” I pat the cushion in front of me as I scoot back even more into the back of the sofa. Shayna angles her crossed legs a little so that my head rests comfortably in between.
Eli glances up at Shayna, then his eyes roam to the space in front of me before coming back to look me in the eyes. “A…are…um…are you sure?” he asks so quietly I barely hear him.
Instead of speaking, I keep my eyes locked with his and rub the cushion down by my belly, hoping he’ll take the hint and lay next to me. With one more quick glance at Shayna, he lays down next to me but facing the TV. He’s stiff and tension is rolling off of him. Trying to soothe him, not just from the disaster of the day, but from the uniqueness of the situation, I loop my arm around the front of him and pull in tight while rubbing down the length of his scar through his shirt.
When Shayna reaches out with her right hand and runs it across the top of his head and murmurs, “Relax,” I feel him shudder before sinking back into me. We lay quietly watching the movie. I continue to rub across Elijah’s scars as Shayna strokes his hair back from his face and rubs down my side with her other hand. It would be peaceful enough to fall asleep if not for how loud the movie is rumbling through the room
Eventually, Elijah turns toward me while keeping his gaze fixed in the vicinity of my chest. As he pushes up to turn, I lay flat so that he can settle back down with his head resting just below my chin. Shayna moves her hand to the back of his head, and I know she’s squeezing the back of his neck. It’s one of her favorite moves, and one I’m rather fond of myself. With the exception of turning to face me, Elijah has stiffened back up since he turned. I pull his arm over my waist and bring his legs in to tangle with mine. Adjusting here and there so that all three of us are comfortable.
Shayna slides her hand up to run her fingers down the side of my face. Meeting her gaze, her lips barely tilt up as she murmurs once again, “Take care of your boy. It’s okay, I promise. I know how you feel about me.”
With another small grin, I bring my arm from around Elijah long enough to bring it up and wrap it around the back of Shayna’s neck to pull her down for a brief, but necessary, kiss. As she leans back up, she strokes her fingers down my face one last time before resting her hand on my shoulder. Turning my eyes back down to Elijah, I find his eyes darting back and forth between Shayna and me. Rubbing the back of my knuckles down his jaw and around the back of his head, I pull him back in carefully to settle back onto my chest.
While Shayna and I continue to watch the movie, he begins to break down in my arms. Shayna rests her hand back upon his neck, and I continue to slide my hands up and down his back, making sure to touch her hand with each pass. I’m not sure if she needs the contact, but I know I do. Being cradled in her lap isn’t enough when she’s willing to give me and my best friend the space we need for me to comfort him.
As he sobs in my arms, I bend to kiss the top of his head, not once, not twice, but repeatedly. This is new for us, but yet, it feels so right to have him in my arms like this. Scooting down just a tad so that I can reach his forehead, I continue to pepper him with a gentle press of my lips to his skin. Shayna’s hold on my shoulder is a steadying pressure as my thoughts begin to swirl. Shayna and I are both silent as we let him ride out the pain that has consumed him all day. I don’t believe that Jeannie is any big loss to him, I think it’s that she attacked the very source of his vulnerability. Those scars for him are more than feeling ugly, they represent physical pain and the heart-wrenching loss of the support of his family.
Before the movie’s even half way in, my girl reaches over and turns it off and puts the TV onto an easy listening music station. It fits the somberness of the mood in the room. Elijah finally begins to settle from gut-wrenching sobs to a slight sniffle and a subtle tremble. I can’t quit kissing his face though. It’s a compulsion that I can’t resist. Nudging the side of his face with my chin, he angles his face farther up, and I go from kissing his temples and forehead down to kissing the tears off his eyes and down his cheeks. Just barely there presses of my lips that seem to settle him, but are unnerving me.
When I feel the gentle tap of Shayna’s fingers on my shoulder, I tilt my head slightly to glance up at her. “Babe, whatever he nee
ds. Whatever either of you needs. I love you.”
She loves me; she’s never said she loves me before. We’ve both hinted at it and danced around the fact that we’re falling in love, but only my precious-girl would tell me she loves me as she’s telling me to be here for my Elijah, the most important person in my life for the last half of my life. Instead of feeling conflict or indecision, I do what I’ve been dying to do for the last ten minutes, if I’m honest with myself. I rest my lips on Elijah’s.
We haven’t kissed a lot. With as many times as we’ve been together to get off or shared the occasional women, this kind of intimacy has never been our thing. But as I gently press my lips to his, I wonder why it’s never been our thing. Sweeping my tongue over his lips, he sighs softly before opening enough to allow my tongue entrance into his mouth. Our kiss is almost hesitant, like we’ve never done this before. And really, we haven’t. It’s never been soft kisses or tenderness; it’s been about sex and getting off. Two friends helping each other out, sharing experiences.
Elijah relaxes into me even more, and I pull him tighter. Moving from his lips to rain kisses down over his jaw and to his neck, I hear Shayna sigh and Elijah’s head jerks away from me as he looks up at her with big eyes. It breaks me out of the daze I was slipping into, but before I can utter a single word, she says, “You two are so beautiful together. Please don’t stop. You need this.”
As Elijah opens his mouth to speak, she interjects, “Not just you Elijah. I’m not allowing this out of pity for you. Coop needs this, too.” She again brings her hand up to stroke her fingers down my jawline while smiling gently at both of us. Elijah is still looking at her in confusion, so I pull his face back to mine and kiss him harder than before. My mind is replaying the truth of her words, I do need this, too. I need him, too. Watching him heartbroken over a woman who didn’t deserve him in the first place has been hard for me. I need him to feel better, and I need it to be me who makes him feel better.
Suddenly, I’m consumed with a tenderness I’ve never felt before. Not in any of my sexual experiences with anyone. And again, it’s not just from being with Eli this way, but from feeling that steady presence of Shayna with us as well. Knowing that she loves me, and that she understands my love for Elijah enough to support this, whatever this is.
Sliding my hand down his back to his ass, I pull him in closer until our cocks bump against each other. And I’m on fire.
Eli
Overwhelming feelings of desire course through me as Coop pulls his arm from underneath me to reach down and undo my jeans. Shay is saying this is okay, but…gah, the feeling of Coop’s hand pulling my dick out short-circuits my brain. As he begins to stroke me, he kisses back down my jaw to my neck where he begins to suck, hard. It almost feels like an attack the way he’s sucking my skin into his mouth. If that’s not enough, Shay is running her fingertips lightly across the top of my forehead. The mix of hard and soft between the two of them borders on disorientating. But not in an unpleasant way, more like achieving an incredible high that I’ve only ever experienced with drugs and alcohol.
Letting my cock go, Cooper fumbles with his own jeans, and Shay opens her hand to where her full palm is cradling the side of my head. I push into her hand as I tighten my arm trying to close the gap Coop’s created between us to unfasten himself. Pulling off my neck with a pop, I hear his low chuckle before he whispers, “What do you need, baby? Tell me what you need.”
Before I can respond, his hand wraps around both of our lengths and fists them together. My eyes roll back into my head at the sensation. I’ve always known Cooper was bisexual, but he’s the only man I’ve had sexual encounters with before. It’s never been like this. We’ve never done anything that felt this personal, this connected. Whimpering, I open my eyes and tilt my face back up at him. He takes the hint and leans in to explore my mouth with another passionate kiss.
When he moves back down to my neck, I gasp as he goes to a whole new spot and sucks so hard I feel the blood vessel pop. From above me, Shay giggles but keeps stroking my hair. “What?” I gasp.
“He’s marking you, baby.” Between her words and the motion of Coop’s hand on us and his cock pressed flush against mine, I explode all over. It’s unlike any release I’ve ever experienced. Shay bends down to place a kiss on my forehead and says, “Beautiful. You two together is breathtaking.” Immediately, I feel Coop’s come splatter over my deflating cock and up onto my belly.
His lips finally release my neck and he comes back up to place a gentle, soothing kiss on my lips. Right before I fall asleep, I hear, “Sleep baby, we’ve got you.”
Eleven
Shayna
The rustle of the blankets alert me to Coop being awake. Before I can open my eyes, he’s already walking out of my bedroom. An overwhelming fear hits me that he’s going to regret last night. My gaze turns down to a peacefully sleeping Eli. Once they’d finished last night, I’d kissed both my men on the head before ushering them into my room. Eli had been half asleep, exhaustion from the emotional and physical release leaving him barely coherent enough to realize we were putting him to bed. Coop and I had gotten him situated in the middle of my bed before Coop had slid Eli’s jeans off so he could sleep comfortably.
After that, we’d both gone through our normal bedtime rituals, except I slid on one of my many unused nightgowns since Coop had entered my life. Coop crawled in on one side of the bed in his boxer briefs behind Eli, while I climbed in the other. We had leaned over the top of him to share one last goodnight kiss before we snuggled up to him. I even noticed Kitty already sleeping across the bottom of Eli’s feet. Lovey’s lips had twitched in his sleep like he was having a pleasant dream, and I’d immediately drifted off content that my men were both accounted for.
Rolling off the bed, I go in search of my boyfriend. When I enter the kitchen, he’s leaned against the counter drinking a bottle of water. On his face I don’t see regret, but confusion. Sighing with relief, I approach him, take the water bottle from his hands, and lead him to sit in the dining room in his chair at the table. I run back into the kitchen to grab one last thing and walk in dropping it on the table behind him as I move to straddle him on the chair.
“Shayna,” he whispers, but I can hear the question in his voice as his hands settle on either side of my thighs.
“Hi, baby. Can’t sleep?”
His only response is to tip his head up to look at me, so I lean my forehead down on his while wrapping one hand around his neck and settling the other on his shoulder. Applying gentle pressure to relax him, I say, “Tell me what you’re thinking, Coop. I can tell you’re confused, but I’m not sure what you’re confused about.”
Huffing out a shaky breath, he asks, “Really, Shayna? Last night—”
I cut him off with a quick kiss to his lips. “Last night was perfect. Eli needed you. And you’ve been missing him. Hell, we’ve both been missing him. I’m not angry if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Sighing, his eyes close for a second before opening up to squint at me. “I know you’re not, but what I don’t understand is why. You told me last night that you love me at the exact same time as you let me, well, you know what you let me do.”
Chuckling softly, I say, “Coop, sweets, I felt honored to be witness to that last night. I always will. Besides, it’s not fair other women have been allowed to experience that with you two, and I haven’t.”
Concern mars his features again. “No, precious, no one’s ever seen that before. Last night was different, I’ve never…”
“You’ve never loved on Eli before?”
With a harsh exhale, he says, “Yeah, yeah exactly. We’ve had physical encounters, and that’s exactly what they were. Just sex, precious. Last night was something else entirely. I’m not even sure what last night was.”
Applying that gentle pressure again to the back of his neck, wanting to reassure him as we talk this out, I push him a bit with my words. “Coop, you are a healthy, virile man. Ar
e you telling me you’ve never thought about loving on Eli? And don’t lie to me or to yourself. You’re bisexual and proud of it, so admitting having wanted to love him up isn’t shocking.”
His eyes take on a faraway look, and I give him a few moments to gather his thoughts. We all need to be clear on what we’re doing here, and for that to happen, Cooper has to own his feelings. “Of course, in the beginning, when I first met him. I told you back then I was more interested in being with men than women.”
“Uh-huh.”
“And Eli, oh precious, you should’ve seen him. He was so angry all the time. Bitter. I didn’t know his story, yet, but there was something about the peeks of vulnerability I saw slip through his bullshit that drew me to him. I went from being mildly uninterested once I knew he wasn’t gay to wanting to, I don’t know, guide him.”
At this point I can’t help but interject, “You mean, take care of him?”
“Yeah, maybe that was it. Not at first or anything, but once he opened up about what landed him there instead of some college fraternity. Yeah, the compulsion to take care of him couldn’t be denied.”
He slips into his thoughts as I ponder my next move. I’ve had a good life, a comfortable life really, but no one would’ve ever accused me of being a risk taker. Where I’m guiding this conversation, especially after last night, is risky. Yet, I’ve always followed my gut, and this feels right. Slipping back off of Coop’s legs, he comes back from his reflections as I shimmy my nightgown up over my head and drop it on the floor. Next, I kneel at Coop’s feet, tapping his hip lightly so he’ll lift, and I can pull his boxers off him.
“What’re you doing, precious?” he asks with a smile.
“We’re gonna play a little game.” With a wink, I stand up and resume my position straddling his legs.