Players (Lessons by Loki)

by Ross, Aubrey

  “Spying on me again?” She arched her brow and took a careful sip.

  “Not intentionally.”

  Finding the tea to her liking, she took a more enthusiastic drink. “Your office is in the front of the house?”

  “As is my bedroom. The two rooms are side by side.”

  “If you must know, I went out for a mani-pedi. Hadn’t done that for ages and decided I was due.” She sounded embarrassed by the indulgence, so he took her hand and kissed each freshly lacquered fingertip.

  “Lovely.” He looked into her eyes and grinned. “I’ll inspect your toenails after dinner.”

  She returned his smile, but pulled her hand out of his light grasp. “You look remarkably alive after last night.” Then in a softer tone, she added, “I’m sorry our conversation upset you, but I’m really glad you shared the story with me. I want no secrets between us.”

  “I know and I agree. This will only work if we’re open and honest with each other.” Before the conversation could grow any more serious, he turned his head and spoke to Chase. “Isn’t it ready yet? I’m starving?”

  Chase laughed then flipped him the finger. “No complaining while you’re sitting on your ass.”

  “Seriously, are the stakes nearly done? If they are, I’ll lay out everything else.”

  “They’re two, maybe three, minutes from medium-rare, so go for it.” He glanced at Katie. “Is medium-rare okay with you?”

  “I don’t mind pink, but I can’t do bloody.”

  “Pink is my favorite color.” His sexy smile told her he was no longer talking about steak.

  “I walked right into that, didn’t I?”

  “Absolutely.” Josiah pushed back from the table and gathered the rest of their meal. He’d laid out dishes and flatware earlier, but hadn’t actually set the table. The fruit salad hadn’t fit in the bar’s small refrigerator, so he retrieved it from the kitchen. After arranging the dishes on the table, he ran from the grill to the table with the foil-encased potatoes dangling from his fingertips. The reckless decision earned him a laugh from Chase and a gasp from Katie.

  “Ever heard of a hot pad, asshole?” Chase teased as Josiah blew on his singed fingers.

  Katie stood and moved around the table. Without saying a word, she grasped his wrist and guided his hand toward her face. Then she kissed and caressed each injured digit with her soft lips and warm tongue.

  Mesmerized by the sensual act, Josiah just watched her and savored the soothing attention of her mouth. If she kept this up, they’d never make it through dinner. He’d pick her up and take her back inside the house so he could ravage her on the kitchen floor. Or bend her over one of the counters. Or push her up against the wall. Or spread her out on the kitchen table while Chase fucked her mouth.

  “Better?” She finally released his hand and stepped back.

  “My fingers feel better, but other parts of my body are seriously jealous.”

  She smiled her siren’s smile and strolled back to her chair. “Other parts of your body will have to wait their turn.”

  Chase brought the steaks to the table and looked from Josiah’s flushed face to Katie’s secretive smile. “Did I miss something?”

  “Nothing important.” Katie sat and spread her napkin in her lap.

  Chase took a massive steak off the serving tray and placed it on her plate. “This was on a hot spot so it should be closer to medium.”

  “This is enough for all three of us. There’s no way I can finish this alone.”

  “Eat as much or as little as you like. You can save the rest for later.” Despite Chase’s casual tone, sexual tension continued to arc between Josiah and Katie. “All right.” He glared. “What were you two talking about? You’re looking at each other like food is the last thing you’re ready to eat.”

  Josiah dismissed his concern with an impatient wave. “She just kissed my fingers with enough enthusiasm to heat up the entire backyard.”

  “And I thought the extra heat was coming from her dress.” Chase distributed the other steaks then took his seat.

  “You don’t like it?” The mischief in her gaze belied the question. They both were enjoying her daring choice and she knew it.

  “I like it very much.” Chase held the salad bowl so she could dish out her own portion. “You look beautiful.”

  Josiah opened the potato pouch and steam escaped, heavy with the scent of fresh herbs and roasted potatoes. “This is still really hot. Do you mind if I serve you instead?”

  “Not at all.” She held out her plate.

  “Tell me when.”

  “In about an hour, maybe less.”

  “It will be much less if you keep encouraging me,” Josiah warned.

  “As if you need encouragement.” Chase held up the bottle of wine, which they’d opened before she arrived. “Would you like some or are you sticking with tea?”

  “Can’t I have both?” She grinned.

  Josiah laughed. “See. She’s even worse than I am tonight.”

  She accepted the wineglass and her smile softened. “It just feels wonderful to finally be here with both of you, no games, no more pretenses.”

  “We agree wholeheartedly,” Chase assured her.

  The conversation turned light and friendly as they ate. They talked about work and the summer blockbusters they’d seen or were hoping to see. She complimented their cooking with almost every bite until Chase finally asked, “When’s the last time you had a home-cooked meal?”

  “Does mac and cheese count?” She laughed. “I keep promising myself I’ll stop living on takeout, but it never happens. It’s too depressing to go through all that work and then sit down at the table alone.”

  “I suppose we’ll just have to feed you then.” Josiah’s gaze fixed on her mouth as he added, “You have a standing invitation to dinner at our house.”

  “Which is takeout about eighty percent of the time,” Chase confessed with a distracted chuckle.

  They’d all stopped eating yet none of them seemed to know how to move beyond polite conversation. “So how do you see this working?” Josiah pushed his plate aside and looked at Katie. “What do you tell your friends? How conservative are your coworkers?”

  “I’m not ashamed of having two lovers. Are you?” Her delicate brows drew together and a hint of challenge deepened her voice.

  “My coworkers are an open-minded lot and my boss is very supportive.” He grinned. Being a company of one had serious advantages. “You and Chase are the ones who have to deal with peers. I live in a wonderfully comfortable bubble.”

  “And attitudes toward women and men are still very different,” Chase warned. “If I told most of my coworkers I was involved in a ménage, they’d grin and ask if you had any willing friends. Being involved with a man and a woman is less glamorous, but I’ll still raise fewer eyebrows than you will. Sexually adventurous men are celebrated while sexually adventurous women—”

  “Are whores?” She fiddled with her wineglass, clearly disconcerted by the topic.

  “Basically,” Josiah reinforced. They weren’t trying to scare her away. It was just important that she have a clear understanding of what being part of a nontraditional family unit entailed. “Society has come a long way in recent years, but the double standard still exists.”

  Katie thought for a moment then raised her chin. “I won’t lie about it. I don’t want to pretend to be with one or the other of you and sneak around behind closed doors. It would make this feel shameful and it’s not.”

  “It would make your life easier,” Josiah persisted.

  “I’m more prepared for this than you think. Gran didn’t believe in marriage and she was frequently involved with more than one lover at the same time. I can remember one Christmas when she drove down to Tennessee with two men and a woman. They all shared the same bedroom and my mother was so embarrassed that she didn’t invite Gran to holiday gatherings for the next two years.”

  Chase chuckled, clearly imagining the c
rowded house and awkward meals. “How did your stepfather react?”

  “He thought it was hilarious and the more Mom blushed the more he encouraged Gran to be outrageous.”

  “I wish we could have met her,” Josiah said. “She sounds like quite a character.”

  Katie started to say something then stopped and took a drink of wine instead.

  “What?” Reaching across the table, Josiah covered her hand. “What were you going to say?”

  “She’s still around. I sense her whenever I’m upset and she comes to me in dreams.”

  Josiah looked at Chase. Chase believed in all sorts of paranormal phenomenon, while Josiah tended to be a doubter. “You’ve actually seen her or you just dream about her?”

  “No I actually see her, but we communicate through dreams, or maybe they’re visions. They feel different from an ordinary dream.”

  Chase scooted closer to the table, clearly fascinated by the tale. “Have you talked to her about us?”

  “Of course.”

  “What did she say?” It didn’t matter if Katie was interacting with an actual spirit or an imaginative extension of her subconscious, he was curious about what the specter advised.

  “She told me it didn’t matter what anyone thought. I should follow my heart.”

  Chase smiled, but again Josiah hesitated. He was a realist. Emotions could only carry a relationship so far. Vanessa and Chase were a good example. They had genuinely cared about each other, but her convictions had been incompatible with what Chase needed to remain satisfied. “It’s good advice, but it’s easier said than done. Are you sure you’re ready for a lifetime of disgusted looks and moral lectures?”

  Challenge filled Chase’s expression as he mouthed the word “lifetime”. Josiah had never been one to think long-term. At least he hadn’t been before they began their adventure with Katie.

  “Anyone who’s disgusted by the thought of our love isn’t worth the energy it takes to react to their bigotry.”

  “She used the L word,” Chase pointed out with another grin.

  “I noticed.” Josiah pushed back his chair and quickly collected the plates. The others followed his lead. “Don’t forget to turn off the grill.”

  “Good call.”

  Josiah put his plate on top of Chase’s and stacked them in the sink. Then he put the rest of Katie’s steak in a zipper bag before adding her plate to the stack.

  “Do you want to do the dishes? It won’t take long.”

  He tossed her steak in the refrigerator then pulled her into his arms. “Another second without touching you and I’ll go insane.”

  She melted into his embrace and returned his kiss with equal fervor.

  “Hey!” Chase set down the salad bowl and wine bottle then rushed to join the fun. “You started without me.”

  Josiah shifted one arm to Chase’s waist and drew him into the embrace, but his gaze remained on Katie. “We want this to be about you. Tell us what you need and we’ll give it to you.”

  Her smile turned dreamy as she boldly ran her hands over their chests. “I don’t want there to be an agenda and I don’t want it to be about me. I want three people who care about each other to freely express their affection for one another. What do you want?”

  “I don’t want to use the playroom. Not tonight. No games, no rules. Just us.”

  “I love that idea.” She looked at Chase and asked, “And what do you want?”

  “I want to touch Josiah as often as I touch you.” His voice broke, almost harsh with emotion. “I need to know that wanting you both won’t ruin everything.”

  “This could be a long night,” Katie said with a saucy wink. “I’ve got a few fantasies of my own to fulfill.”

  Josiah laughed, thrilled by the open communication as well as the images flashing through his mind. “We don’t have to cram everything into one night. We have the rest of our lives to explore the possibilities.”

  “That’s the second time you’ve spoken about a future together,” Chase pointed out then he looked at Katie and explained. “He never does that and I mean never.”

  “It has never felt right before.” He kissed Katie and then Chase, savoring their unique responses. “It feels right now.”

  “Your place or mine?” Chase muttered, obviously reluctant to stop kissing long enough to speak.

  “Your bed’s bigger.”

  Before Katie realized what Chase intended, he swept her up into his arms and headed for the stairs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and curved her body into his, half afraid he’d make it halfway and need to set her down. Josiah followed in their wake as Chase’s long strides devoured the distance to his bedroom.

  Josiah pulled back the bedding, dragging the blanket and comforter nearly to the floor. When he noticed her surprised expression he just shrugged. “We need lots of room to maneuver.”

  The thought sent heat washing over her entire body. Having two lovers multiplied the possibilities and she wanted to experience everything all at once. Chase set her down beside the bed and she kicked off her sandals. He toed off his loafers and pulled his shirt off over his head. His eagerness made her smile. Chase had a fabulous body and he enjoyed being admired. She was happy to oblige him. She ran her hands over his chest and across his shoulders, fascinated by the play of well-developed muscle beneath satiny skin.

  Josiah moved up behind her and stroked her bare back. “Is the dress new?”

  She shook her head, brushing his suddenly bare chest with her hair. “Actually it’s old. I just haven’t worn it for a while.”

  “You can wear it again later.” He kissed her shoulder then untied the halter straps and lowered the zipper. She was busy exploring Chase’s torso, so the dress pooled around her ankles before she could think to stop its descent. He hooked his index fingers beneath the sides of her black thong as he asked, “Old or new?”

  “New. I never felt sexy enough to wear a thong.” She looked back at him and smiled. “Until now.”

  “I’m not sure you’re getting these back.” He went down on his knees as he pulled the undergarment down and then off. “Chase has the ones from our first encounter. It’s only fair that I keep these.” His hands ran up and down her legs while he covered the small of her back with featherlight kisses.

  She was naked, pressed between them, and nothing had ever felt so natural. Chase kissed her mouth while Josiah teased her skin with his lips and teeth. And their hands seemed to be everywhere at once. No portion of her body was neglected. Chase stroked her breasts and her back while Josiah adored her legs, hips and behind. They were thorough, yet gentle, achingly tender, every touch communicating their devotion. And she touched them back just as reverently, moving feely from one to the other.

  With an impatient growl, Josiah scrambled back to his feet and took off his jeans. Her gaze focused on his jutting erection and her hand soon followed. “Is this for me?”

  “Always only for you.”

  “Always?” Chase challenged. “That’s a really long time and it better not be only for her. That means I can touch you.” Chase covered her hand with his and they stroked Josiah together. “And I happen to like touching you.”

  “Always only for you two,” Josiah amended, his eyes drifting shut.

  “Now I like the sound of that.”

  Katie slipped her hand out from under Chase’s and took advantage of his distraction. She unzipped his shorts and stripped him while he continued to arouse Josiah. Chase’s cock was long and thick, arching away from his body. Josiah’s obvious excitement had been thrilling. The two together were irresistible. She dropped to her knees and took one cock in each hand. They instinctively moved closer together as she debated how to start. Angling them toward each other allowed her to lick them both in one continuous caress. She brought her tongue up between them as she began a figure eight that offered them equal attention. They were both hot and hard, pre-come already beading on their tips. She used her hands as well as her mouth, reveling i
n each groan and shudder.

  “I don’t want to come like this.” Josiah twisted to the side and pulled her to her feet. “I’ve waited too long to be inside you.”

  She smiled at Chase. “Do you mind if Josiah goes first?”

  “Not if I get to fuck your amazing mouth.”

  “I think that can be arranged.”

  Josiah picked her up and placed her sideways on the bed, her head near one edge, ass in the middle. “But first you’re going to come for each of us while we eat your pussy.”

  She trembled, needing to hear his sensual commands as much as he needed to issue them. “And if I don’t want to wait?”

  “Too bad.” Josiah crawled onto the bed and pushed her legs nearly to her chest. Then he moved them out as far as they would go. “Hold your legs open for us. Let us see everything.”

  She grabbed the back of her knees, thrilled by his assertiveness. Josiah didn’t need whips and chains to dominate her—though she fully intended on exploring his playroom at much greater length. All he needed was his autocratic voice and the intensity of his dark eyes.

  “Go on, Chase. You can taste her first.”

  “Gladly.” Chase knelt between her thighs and slipped his hands under her hips. Using only his tongue, he caressed her sex, teasing her folds and rimming her core, yet avoiding her clit.

  Josiah bent to her breasts, sucking on one while he cupped the other. The heat of his palm sank into her flesh and her nipple gathered. She arched into his touch and savored the firm pull of his lips.

  This was her favorite fantasy come to life, which made it feel surreal. She tingled and shifted restlessly as Chase continued to tease her. She wanted his mouth on her clit, his lips gently sucking, but she wasn’t about to hurry any of this. She’d waited years for this night and she wanted it to be perfect. All her sexual lessons had done was make her crave the real thing, full penetration, bodies sliding against bodies, hot, hard and sweaty.