Hotter Horizons

by JC Szot

  “Sounds good.” Fern smiled, trying to hide a barrage of questions that were sure to assault her mind tonight while trying to sleep in her new bed.

  Chapter Seven

  “Where the fuck is she?” Johnny asked, his tone seething. He pressed on the door. Jada jammed her foot behind it from the other side. She watched his hand twitch, lifting it into the air in her peripheral vision. She was three steps ahead of him, which is where you had to be while dealing with Johnny.

  “You fucking touch me, and I’m calling the cops,” Jada said, holding up her cell phone. His eyes went black. Waves of gelled hair gleamed under the light of the aged fixture in the hallway. The heavy chain that connected his wallet to his belt loop clanked against the door. Johnny really was a good-looking guy. It was a shame he was such an asshole.

  “Fucking cunt.” Johnny stepped back. Sour breaths of liquor and smoke wafted under her nose.

  “I don’t know where she is! She screwed me over, too, and it’s probably all your fucking fault,” Jada yelled, huffing between her words. She was laying it on heavy. “Now I’m stuck with all the expenses.”

  If she shared Johnny’s anger, he was easier to control. Both she and Fern had had much practice.

  “Damn it!” His fist shot out, punching the door. Jada leaned all her weight into it. If he made his way into the tiny studio, she’d never get rid of him. “Well, you tell her I was here.” His jaw clenched.

  “Yeah, well … when or if I ever hear from her, I’ll be sure to let her know,” Jada said, her tone disgusted.

  “If I find out that you know where she is I’ll inflict my own, personal version of plastic surgery on your fucking face.”

  His scathing tone scraped over her like claws. Johnny lifted his hand. Jada pulled back, her body tight. His fingers curled around the edge of the door, his knuckles white with effort.

  “I swear to fucking God. I know how tight you two are.” His eyes blazed into her, simmering like hot embers. Taking advantage of his drunken state, Jada hastily slammed the door, engaging the deadbolt and chain.

  She took a deep breath and sagged against the door, feeling queasy over Johnny’s visit. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and she’d been expecting him.

  “You are so fucked, Fern,” Jada muttered.

  ****

  She’d had such a relaxing day. It was amazing how wonderful it was to hang out with normal people, people who had no insecurity issues.

  Fern spent most of the day with Alec, getting to know the area, and where she’d go for groceries and to do the banking. Alec showed her where he worked, slumping behind the wheel as they drove by the Red Rooster, not wanting to be seen by any of his co-workers on his day off.

  Levi and Alec were easygoing and quite charming in their own ways. Alec was definitely more “take things as they come” than Levi. Levi seemed like a great guy, but there was an edge to him, an impatience that Fern couldn’t quite figure out. She didn’t know what it was linked to, but it was there.

  They all had dinner together. Levi prepared a breaded flounder with rice and asparagus spears. Both of the men informed her that they would be eating together as a unit and that that came with her room and board. Alec chimed in that some nights he may be at work, but that no one ever ate alone.

  It all seemed too generous—the salary, the food, not to mention the beautiful room she’d be occupying.

  ****

  Fern slipped between the crisp, cool sheets and eased back into the soft down pillows. She reached for her cell phone, seeing Jada’s text. The brief message, which held a curt tone, iced over all the blood in her veins that’d been circulating with the warmth of the day.

  Johnny was here…call me!

  “Shit,” Fern mumbled.

  After one ring Jada answered.

  “Fern.” Jada’s sigh was a hissing wind over the line. Jada described the events of her confrontation with Johnny.

  “He must’ve been pissed,” Fern whispered. Johnny was as predictable as a television rerun.

  “He was livid, but I was ready. Actually, I expected him sooner, but I’ve been working a lot of extra hours,” Jada said.

  “I’m sorry.” Fern rolled over. Her door was slightly ajar. She stared out into the dark hallway, the house silent.

  “Don’t you apologize for that lazy fuck. How’s the job going? I want all the juice.” Jada’s laughter rang through the line. A twinge of homesickness moved through Fern’s gut.

  Fern took Jada on a verbal tour of her first day with Levi and Alec, explaining what her duties would be and her uncertainty about their relationship.

  “Are they hot?” Jada asked, her giggling a relief that Johnny hadn’t tainted the entire phone call.

  “Oh yeah,” Fern said, her utterance breathy. She nodded, as if Jada was right there with her.

  “Give me a visual,” Jada said, obviously excited.

  Fern gave her the synopsis of Alec and Levi’s good looks. They chatted about Jada’s job before the conversation took a turn back to Johnny, their moods slipping.

  “If he shows up again, call me,” Fern said, her insides tightening.

  “Yeah, I will, but you keep your face forward. Don’t look back, Fern. I’m just so glad you’re in a decent place.” Jada’s tone wavered with seriousness. “I can’t wait to visit.”

  “I’ll send you some money to help out with the rent,” Fern told her adamantly.

  “It’s not that…”

  “I’m sending it. These guys are paying me five hundred a week,” Fern said.

  “Shit, you hit gold.” Jada laughed.

  They agreed to stay in touch, making a pact like blood sisters. Fern turned her phone off and stared up into the darkness. She expelled a deep breath and settled back into the pillows when she heard one of the guys call out, slicing through the silence in the house.

  Fern got up out of bed and slunk toward the door, poking her head out into the hall. The creaking of bed springs reverberated through the quiet. She slowly walked in the direction of the two other bedrooms at the end of the hall.

  One of the doors was open. Fern peered into what she was told during Levi’s tour was Alec’s room. The bed was still made. Pearly, bluish bars of light from an outside streetlamp lined the quilted spread. Huffing groans reached her ears from behind the closed door, causing her to retreat quickly.

  Fern darted down the hall and ducked into her room, closing the door quietly.

  They are gay!

  Her heart began to pound, her mind envisioning their bodies naked and having sex, their mouths touching one another’s bodies.

  Were they supposed to tell me? Did it matter that they didn’t?

  A sliver of moonlight hung in a black sky from behind the windowpane, leading her to the widow’s walk. Fern opened the French doors, her skin washed in the cooler night air.

  Fern’s feet glided across the smooth planked floor. She rested her hands on the railing, gazing into the dark dome of what was a gorgeous night. It didn’t matter to her. They were both beautiful men, but their sexuality wasn’t a problem for her.

  What she was envious of was the affection and obvious unconditional devotion that they had for each other. She’d never had that, but hoped that one day she would.

  Chapter Eight

  “So decadently hot and tight,” Levi whispered, his voice hoarse with need. He reached for Alec’s hand that was gripped around the headboard, his back bowed and slick with sweat.

  Levi covered Alec’s hand with his own. He placed his free hand on Alec’s hip. Levi pulled back, turning his hips before angling back inside Alec. He swept his cock through Alec’s insides, making his lover moan.

  “Fuck me,” Alec whimpered, tipping his head. Levi loved Alec’s neck. He leaned into him, licking the smooth flesh there. Alec made him crazy when he stretched his body with eagerness, absorbing all the ecstasy that Levi could give.

  “I’m doing it, baby, so fine you are,” Levi said softly, trying to k
eep their urges contained.

  They weren’t used to having someone else in the house. Levi reached around Alec’s trim waist, searching for his cock. He cupped it with his palm and began to stroke, aligning the rhythm of his hips and strokes.

  “Holy fuck.” Alec whined, turning his head. Levi watched in awe as Alec licked his lips and gasped for air. Levi brushed his hair back, a tender gesture.

  “I’m right here. I love you,” Levi said, his declaration choked with emotion. As his cock slid in and out of Alec’s ass, his thoughts meandered. He didn’t mean for it to happen, but Fern’s presence in the house had already become distracting.

  What would it be like to have Fern in this bed with them? What he wouldn’t give to see Alec lick her pussy. Hell, he’d like to feast on it himself.

  Another side of his mind chirped in for good measure. They’d had other women, but what they both really wanted was a woman and a relationship, not just a pussy and a set of breasts to play with. They wanted a woman who would join her life with theirs, someone they could love, trust, and connect with, in body, heart, and soul.

  Alec’s orgasmic arrival had Levi rebounding back, working his body over his lover, wanting to savor Alec’s release. He’d worry about the pursuit of Fern later.

  ****

  The first few weeks with Levi and Alec were a relief. Respite came in the form of routine and a relaxed environment where three people moved through life and were congenial and respectful toward one another, something Fern wasn’t used to, but was eating up as if she thought it would melt and disappear like a delicious ice cream.

  Levi worked as a headhunter and was usually cooped up in his office, answering phone calls and consulting his clients on what jobs were available and would align with their skills and credentials. Fern had run a few errands for him, delivering resumes to his clients. Driving Levi’s Audi was a rare treat she’d surely never tire of.

  Alec’s schedule often flipped-flopped between the lunch and dinner hours.

  As for their relationship, it wasn’t something they paraded in front of Fern. Aside from hearing them engage in what Fern knew was some type of physical contact, all she’d witnessed outside the bedroom was their close contact in the kitchen one particular morning.

  She’d come in for coffee and seen their faces very close together, their eyes gleaming into one another. They’d stepped apart slightly, but not anything jarring or dramatic to insinuate that she’d caught them doing anything wrong.

  It was laundry day that had Fern’s thoughts wandering, determined to diagnose them both.

  “Can you fit these in?” Alec asked, handing her his black vest and trousers that he wore to work.

  “Sure,” Fern told him, taking the rumpled pile of clothing. She turned and lifted the lid of the machine, dropping his uniform into the wash cycle. She turned and met the gaze that she felt burning through her back.

  The basement was dark and slightly dank-smelling. Aside from a beat-up old sofa and a set of weights, it was unfinished and mainly used to do the laundry and to store extra food in a freezer that sat in the corner. Alec’s light voice drifted through the air, as calm and controlled as an instructional hypnosis recording.

  “How’s everything going so far?” He jammed his hands into the pockets of his weathered jeans. His lime-green Converse high-tops glowed in the murky light.

  “Fine, um. Are things okay? Am I doing all that should be done?” Fern asked, stepping back. Her skin felt singed with a heat that she hadn’t felt since a grammar school crush.

  “We’re very pleased. Oh, I found these on the stairs. You must’ve dropped them on your way down,” Alec said. He pulled out a ball of purple, silky fabric.

  My panties! “Oh God,” Fern mumbled. She shook her head, avoiding the amusement that sparked in his eyes. She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek.

  “No problem,” Alec said, his tone hushed. He shrugged. “We don’t wilt around here at the sight of a woman’s undies.”

  Fern spun around, lifting the lid of the washer, wanting to dive in and join the clothes that were sloshing and foamed with suds. Levi had told her that she could wash her “girls” with their clothing, wanting to conserve on hot water. Alec’s voice forced her to reluctantly meet his steady gaze.

  “You busy tonight?” he asked. Alec tipped his head, his gaze steady. Strands of hair fell over his brow like tasseled fringe.

  “Ah, no…” Fern’s mind whirled, never expecting what came next.

  “Levi and I would like to take you out tonight for some dancing, you know, to celebrate having you here, a sort of welcome to the family,” Levi said. Before she could answer he spoke again, his words running together. “You up for it?” Alec asked, grinning. He jerked his head, attempting to move the hair out of his eyes.

  She couldn’t say no. They’d been so nice, and they certainly had invited her into a life that was much more tranquil and stable. No drama, no jealousy or suspicion. Fern hadn’t had to defend herself in weeks, and that alone was the greatest gift she could have ever received.

  “Sure, sure,” Fern said quickly. Her fingers curled into her palm. “What time are we leaving?” she asked, her laughter tense.

  Alec shrugged again. His eyes held hers, darting to wherever hers did, determined to track her every move as if trying to read her thoughts through her expressions.

  “After dinner. I’ll go tell Levi the good news. I gotta run into town.” He reached for her, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. His thin lips curled into a smile that blanched her bones. “I’ll see you later,” he told her, nodding.

  Chapter Nine

  After a light dinner of fondue, fruit, and bread, they were off. The Double Deuce was located on the outskirts of town, “hidden away from the hub,” as Levi had phrased it.

  It’d been ages since Fern had been to a nightclub as a patron. Johnny was the “sit on a stool or play pool” type of barfly, just as her father had been. The only difference was that her father played guitar for the patrons, needing to pay for his often endless tab.

  Her mother had fled when Fern was six years old, tired of her father’s nomadic ways. Fern couldn’t blame her. She had no clue where her mother was. The memories were vague, and Fern couldn’t bring herself to search.

  Life with her father was a life Fern had grown to hate, sleeping above taverns and bunking in stranger’s homes. They were always on the move. She’d changed schools more times than she could count. After her father died of cirrhosis, she’d gone for her GED, not having the energy to adapt again to yet another new school and another home.

  Her aunt had offered to take her in, but by then she was seventeen and ready to make her way, needing consistency. That came when she met Jada, but then it all blew to hell when she met Johnny. She’d attracted what she’d grown up loathing. Jada had told her that that was normal. If that was normal, then Fern wanted no part of it anymore.

  Finding Alec and Levi in Fields Grove was the best thing that’d ever happened to her, a frightening risk that’d yielded amazing results. Life with Levi and Alec was her “new” normal.

  Alec insisted that she sit in the front seat. Alec leaned between the bucket seats, filling the space between her and Levi with his freshly showered fragrance.

  Levi pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine. He turned to her, his eyes shiny.

  “You ready, Frances?” he asked. A rough laughter slipped from his mouth. The fact that he’d used her full name had her heart shifting into high gear. The few times he’d called her Frances were usually linked to his sarcasm. It was something Fern had learned after the first few weeks.

  “Let’s do it,” she told them. She unbuckled her seatbelt, attempting to appear brave. Alec’s light laughter reverberated through the car as he opened the passenger door.

  It was a warm night, holding the balminess of a summer that was in full swing. Fern glanced up at the bright, dazzling sign in rainbow colors, two sets of tumbling dice on the electronic marque
e. Fireflies gravitated toward the light. The feel of Alec’s hand on her back had her spinning to face him.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, smiling. “Stick with us, you’ll be fine,” Alec said, probably sensing her apprehension.

  “She’ll be spectacular.” Levi winked.

  Levi sometimes spoke of her as if she weren’t there. Fern didn’t think he meant it intentionally or to insult her. Fern saw it as him reaffirming things to Alec. Fern allowed her gaze to rove over the two men.

  They were dressed nicely, a simple, clean-cut style. Levi wore a light-green button-down, cuffed at the elbows, with a pair of black jeans. Alec had on a lighter palette of color, his jeans fashionably frayed and holey, with a pale-blue shirt that made his eyes pop. Another pair of sneakers, these a bright red, graced his feet. Alec had on a black derby hat that added to his alluring good looks. He looked classy, setting his own trend. Levi had slicked his hair back, spiking the strands on top.

  As they approached the front of the club, the door opened for them. Dazzling violet eyes that Fern was sure were contacts widened at Levi’s and Alec’s presence.

  “Well, well, well.” The doorman smirked. “Good evening, boys, and who is the lucky lady this evening?”

  “Good evening to you, Timothy,” Levi said, his tone brusque. Levi extended his hand. “Timothy, this is Fern. She’ll be our guest this evening,” Levi said. “Lucky girl,” Timothy said, his voice musical.

  Evil glints of light pulsed in his eyes, warranting a priest’s visit. “Alec … always good to see you.” Timothy diverted his attention to Alec.

  “You, too, Timothy.” Alec patted his back.

  Fern wasn’t sure what type of species Timothy was. His hair was jet black, his eyes lined with black makeup. His lips glimmered with a metallic lip gloss. Leather pants hugged his thin thighs. A matching vest lay open, displaying a shiny, hairless chest. Fern didn’t want to be rude, but was having trouble looking away, enthralled with his glamour. Timothy’s chiming voice rattled through her rambling thoughts.