by Ross, Aubrey
“Yes.” She pushed to the balls of her feet and kissed his cheek. “Relax. This has nothing to do with us.”
His brow smoothed, but curiosity replaced his concern. Unfortunately, Chase had reached them by then, so Josiah reluctantly returned to his office.
“What’s up?” Chase’s typical cheer immediately soothed her. The royal blue of his T-shirt perfectly matched his eyes and his golden hair fell into natural waves with nothing more than the attention of his fingers. “Do you want a beer or a glass of wine?”
“I’m good. I just thought you should know about my lunch visitor.”
Understanding unfurled within his gaze and he sighed. “She didn’t.”
“Oh yes, she did.”
He motioned her toward the breakfast bar and pulled out one of the padded stools for her. “We’re talking about Vanessa, aren’t we?”
“We are. She showed up at work to ‘warn’ me about you and Josiah.”
He took the stool next to hers, but turned so they faced each other. His body language was hard to define, part annoyance, part regret with just a hint of amusement. “Did you tell her she was wasting her time, that you not only knew my dirty little secret, you’d seen me and Josiah in action?”
She fiddled with her keys, wishing she could be as nonchalant as he appeared to be. “That probably would have ended the conversation sooner, but I was trying to be polite.”
“Vanessa’s a force of nature. Subtleties are lost on her.” He slipped off the stool and rounded the bar, crossing to the refrigerator. “Are you sure you don’t want something to eat or drink? You look tired.”
“I’m not staying. I just thought you should know what happened.”
“Other than her warning you about something you already know, did she say anything important?”
“Not really. It was just obvious she’s not over you, not even close.”
He grabbed a bottle of beer and opened it before heading back to the breakfast bar. Instead of returning to his stool, however, he slid it out of the way and stood in front of her. “That strokes my ego, sweetness, and every man loves to be stroked. But it doesn’t really change anything.” He set down his beer and spread her legs then casually moved between them. “She’ll never accept who I am and I’m through trying to live up to her expectations. I denied a crucial part of myself for almost a year to make that woman happy and she still chose to walk away.”
Katie sighed. How could she argue with that? She understood exactly what it felt like to try and shape herself into what someone else wanted. “She’s not worth fighting for?”
“Not unless her attitude drastically changes and I don’t think that’s going to happen.” He placed his hands on her hips and slipped his fingers up under her top, just barely brushing bare skin. “Besides, I’ve found someone who isn’t determined to change me. Do you understand what a relief it is to know you not only accept everything I am, but you’re excited by my other lover?”
I’m worth more than half of his heart. Vanessa’s claim echoed through Katie’s mind. She understood Vanessa’s position, but what about Chase? Wasn’t he worthy of unconditional love, of having whatever it took to make him feel whole? There was no easy answer, no clear-cut right and wrong. If Vanessa compromised her principles to be with Chase, she would likely resent him in the long run. Yet Chase denying his true nature wasn’t a viable option either. He’d managed to suppress his need for Josiah for a time, but Vanessa had obviously sensed the resulting discontent. They honestly loved each other, but sometimes love wasn’t enough to sustain a permanent relationship. There had to be trust, mutual respect, and open, honest communication.
“I know you still care for her, so I thought you deserved to know what happened. Whatever you do, or don’t do, with the information is entirely up to you.” She scooted off the stool and tried to ease past him.
His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her against his chest. “Where do you think you’re going?” He took her keys from her hand and tossed them onto the counter out of reach.
“I need to change and clean up before… Did Josiah tell you I was coming over tonight?”
“Oh, I know all about your naughty little lessons with Josiah.” He pressed her against his lower body with one arm and tilted her face up with his other hand. “But why did you ask him to mentor you? I’m just as qualified for the job.”
Because you’re still in love with Vanessa. She stumbled over the admission. Was it fair to shut him out if he honestly wanted to get over Vanessa? Vanessa ended the relationship and it was pretty damn apparent she had no interest in compromising her position. So where did that leave Chase?
She looked into his sky-blue eyes, searching for any hint of insincerity. He’d been focused on tormenting Vanessa when they went to the club. Nothing distracted him now. He looked earnest and open and hopeful.
Except for the goddamn bet!
Disappointment deflated her hope faster than it had formed. Chase was just as guilty as Josiah. It took two to play their twisted game. She drew indignation around her like armor and reinforced her emotional barricades. “I’m holding him to some pretty cruel restrictions. Are you willing to play by the same rules?”
He pushed his hand into her hair, curving his fingers around the back of her head. “No actual fucking, just hours of teasing with an occasional creative release. Sounds like fun to me.”
She smiled. “I should probably be angry at Josiah. I didn’t give him permission to discuss our arrangement with you.”
“And yet you’re clearly not surprised that I already knew.”
“I’ve accepted that you and Josiah share everything.” Her cheeks tingled as she realized the unintended double-entendre.
“Glad to hear it.” His mouth found hers and caressed her, his tongue teasing yet never pushing past her lips. “You seemed to enjoy being shared the other night. Are you ready for more?”
“Has Josiah given you permission to crash his party?”
He swooped down for another kiss, deeper more demanding than the first. “Let me worry about Josiah. You can shower here while I scrounge together something for you to eat.”
She still hesitated, seriously tempted, yet knowing it would seem suspicious if she gave in too easily. “Why the sudden interest? We were playing roles the other night.”
“We might have been roleplaying at the party, but what happened here was real.”
“Real what? Letting both of you touch me was wild and wicked. I was feeling particularly lonely and I allowed myself to be swept away. That doesn’t mean we should get involved.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, biceps bulging. “I’m not asking for forever.”
“What are you asking for?”
“The same thing you’re giving Josiah.” In the span of two sentences, his voice went from a dissatisfied rumble to a sharp demand. She started to push past him, but he stopped her again. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not jealous of you and Josiah, just the opposite. I want to be part of it. Most of the women I’ve dated have been intimidated by him. I really like you and the fact that you’re attracted to Josiah too opens a world of possibilities we haven’t been able to explore in a very long time.”
She stared back at him silently, trying to maintain her cautious role while picturing him naked. It wasn’t easy. Josiah was long and lean, while Chase was compact and more heavily muscled. “The lessons are about my sexual exploration. I won’t be pressured into situations I’m not comfortable with.” One corner of his mouth quirked and she easily guessed what he was thinking. “Yes, the point is to push my limits and test my boundaries. Even so, I won’t be bullied.”
“We would never bully you.” His hesitant smile turned wicked. “Well, Josiah might, but I’ll make sure he doesn’t take things too far too fast.”
If Chase participated in the lesson tonight, he’d quickly realize Josiah’s tendency to expect more of her than she expected of herself was the primary reason she was attracte
d to him in the first place. He wasn’t afraid of anything, at least in the sexual arena, and she wanted to experience a similar fearlessness. She wanted to be bold and reckless, free to try all the things she’d only dreamed about for years.
“Well then,” she tugged Chase’s T-shirt out from inside his jeans, “why don’t you join me in the shower and we’ll raid the kitchen together as soon as we’re finished?”
“If I can stop kissing you long enough to let you eat,” he growled against her parted lips then he tore his shirt off and tossed it aside.
She paused to appreciate the symmetry of his body. His wide shoulders led to a sculpted chest and washboard abs. Physical therapy required a reasonable level of fitness, but Chase obviously enjoyed working out.
Reluctantly dragging her gaze away from his torso, she motioned to the kitchen. “Are you going to spray me down at the sink?”
He chuckled as he took her by the hand. “I had something a little more intimate in mind.”
They were halfway up the curved staircase when her curiosity got the better of her. “If Josiah owns the house, why does he let you sleep upstairs? If memory serves, the second-story balcony is off the master bedroom and I’ve never seen Josiah up there.”
Chase looked at her, eyes narrowed, but his steps didn’t falter. “If memory serves? When and why were you in this house?”
“I’d bet half the people on this street have been inside this house. The listing agent had two open houses before you, or rather Josiah, bought the place.”
“I see. Are we really that much of a curiosity?”
“Your house was the main attraction before you moved in. Now all anyone can talk about is the wild inhabitants.”
“Glad we can add some spice to the mix. This neighborhood is much too bland. And to answer your question, the guest suite is next to Josiah’s office, which is really where he lives. If there had been room enough for a bed in the office, he wouldn’t have bothered with a bedroom at all.” They reached the top of the stairs and Chase led her down the railed gallery and into the master bedroom.
“I guess a better question is why did he bother buying such a lavish house in the first place?”
“Real estate is still a solid investment and the tax benefits are important when you’re self-employed. Besides, where would we throw our weekend orgies if we didn’t have a lavish house?”
The main level, with its sensible furniture and minimalistic decorating might escape the lavish label, but the master bedroom deserved the adjective and more. With steeply vaulted ceilings and large decoratively etched windows, the room took up at least half of the second story. A king-size bed was the centerpiece in a modern wall unit, while the matching armoire cleverly concealed an entertainment system.
After giving her a moment to gawk, Chase pulled her into the adjoining bathroom. Her jaw dropped and her steps faltered. The room had been renovated since the open house. Cream and gold had been replaced with black and white then accented with midnight blue. The result was dramatic and unquestionably masculine.
“Josiah ordered the changes before we switched rooms. He still grumbles about missing his steam shower, not to mention the jetted tub.” He motioned to the oversized bathtub situated in the far corner of the room.
“It’s beautiful. Very exotic.” And very reflective. A large framed mirror had been mounted above the double sinks and a full-length mirror hung on the wall adjacent to the shower. Everywhere she turned she was faced with her reflection, in glaring detail.
Chase moved behind her and unfastened the clip holding back her hair. He tossed the clip onto the counter then raked the thick strands with his fingers. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensual pull, but he grabbed the bottom of her top and pulled it upward. Tension coiled through her as more and more of her skin was revealed. She wasn’t willowy like Vanessa or ruthlessly toned like Chase. It was all she could do not to snatch the material out of his hands and pull the top back down. Instead, she took a deep breath and raised her arms. Chase had found her attractive the other night. He’d called her breasts “spectacular”.
He let her top drop to the floor and deftly unfastened her bra. She instinctively held the front in place as he slid the straps down her arms. His fingers lingered against her skin. Their gazes locked in the mirror as he whispered, “Why so shy? I want to see if they’re as amazing as I remember.”
He’d been thinking about her since that night, picturing her naked. The realization empowered her enough to remove the undergarment.
“Very nice.” He encircled her wrists with his fingers and drew her arms up and back. She grabbed his shoulders, her back slightly arched, breasts thrust outward by the position. His hands swept down her sides then up to cup her breasts. He squeezed firmly, shaping her flesh to fit his palms. His gaze devoured her reflection, leaving her no doubt that he found her desirable. “Kick off your shoes then grab the counter.”
She did as he directed, but his commands surprised her. Josiah was the one who usually ordered her around. Chase tended to be more playful.
Still behind her, he untied the drawstring then pushed her scrubs down past her hips. Cool air teased her naked folds. He must have caught her panties along with her pants. He caressed her legs as he worked the garments lower, then he knelt and used his lips. Featherlight kisses tickled the small of her back then drifted onto her ass cheeks. She lifted one foot and then the other, so he could pull off her socks and rid her of the scrub bottoms.
Naked and anxious, she waited for his next command.
“Move your legs apart and tell me about the other night. I want to know everything Josiah did to you.”
Dread dropped into the pit of her stomach, heavy and cold. He hadn’t sounded particularly jealous, yet the request itself was telling. “Why do you want to know?” He grasped the inside of her thighs and slid her feet outward. She gasped, tightening her hold on the counter.
“I’m not jealous of Josiah. I need to be part of it.” With his lips pressed against her spine, he eased one hand between her thighs. “I know he bought a bag full of toys, but he wouldn’t let me see them.”
A bag full of toys? He’d only used two. Did that mean he’d bring the others into play as their lessons went on? She shivered. Did she want these lessons to go on? “He used two,” she admitted, her voice breathless and shaky. “Apparently, there will be more to come.”
He chuckled, his fingers lightly teasing her folds. “‘More to come’? I certainly hope so.” With each pass of his fingers, he eased deeper. Slickness eased his way and guided him right into the aching heart of her sex. “Describe it for me. I want to picture everything that happened.”
It was unusual for any lover not to be jealous, but she’d seen them together, enjoying what the other was doing as much as what they did themselves. “He made me strip then he played with my breasts, sucking and squeezing until I felt the pressure in my clit.”
He withdrew his hand from between her thighs and spun her around. Then he returned her hands to the counter and moved her legs even farther apart. “What red-blooded male could resist these?” He drew one tip deep into his mouth while he worked the other with his fingers. “Go on,” he said between firm sucks. “What else did he do?”
“He told me to lie down on the bed and use the toys to get myself off.”
He glanced up at her, eyes passion bright. “Did you? Did you fuck yourself with a toy while he sat back and watched you?”
She shook her head. Was he also trying to desensitize her to hearing and using sexually explicit terms? She was all for honest communication, but did it need to be so crude? “I wasn’t wet enough, so he had to help me.”
“And how did he help you?”
“With his mouth.” She gasped again as Chase’s lips returned to her nipple. He drew harder now, pushing the sensation right to the burning edge of pain before releasing her breast and moving over to the other side.
“Josiah likes eating pussy almost as much as I do. And th
at’s saying a lot.” As if to prove his point, he lifted one of her legs to his shoulder and sealed his lips over her crease. His tongue traced her, sweeping back and forth until the folds parted for him. Then he drove into her core, swirling and thrusting while sensations ricocheted through her body.
Specks of light danced in front of her eyes and she arched her back, pushing herself farther onto his tongue. Why hadn’t he waited until she showered, until she was clean and—pleasure cut through her concern, scattering her thoughts. Her inner muscles rippled around his tongue as tingling heat spiraled through her body.
With her leg still draped over his shoulder, he raised his head and thrust into her with his fingers. “Did he fuck you with the toy or just his fingers?” Urgency roughened his voice, made him sound hoarse and breathless. “I want to know everything.”
Overwhelmed by his consuming stare, she glanced to the side and tensed. Their reflection greeted her, so starkly sexual she could barely believe the naked woman, utterly abandoned to pleasure, was her. “He used the toy and I came really hard, but he wasn’t satisfied.” She tore her gaze away from the mirror and looked back into his eyes. “He wanted to find my G-spot, even though I told him I didn’t have one.”
He kept his fingers fucking into her, yet his gaze remained locked with hers. “Did he find it?”
“Yes.”
Without warning, he lowered his head again and tenderly licked her clit. His caress was soft and skillful and the tension inside her obediently built. She gasped then shivered as he closed his lips around the swollen knot. Each careful suck sent pleasure zinging through her abdomen. She was so damn close. All she could think about was how badly she needed to come.
“G-spot,” he prompted then went right back to sucking.
How was she supposed to speak when she could barely breathe? “He…turned me over and—” She gasped again as the pleasure swelled. “I came. He didn’t…even touch my clit.”
With his fingers deep inside her, he circled her clit with his tongue. She held perfectly still, focused entirely on the sensations gathering with each caress. Her nipples tingled and her clit twitched, hardening against his tongue. Then her pussy clenched, driving the pleasure higher. She dropped her head back and pushed to the ball of her foot as her legs began to shake. Then he caught her clit between his lips, tugging on the cluster of nerves until she shattered.