by Mari Carr, Red Phoenix, Angel Payne, Sierra Cartwright, Jenna Jacob, Victoria Blue
“Why?” I tried to lift up, like that got me very far. “It’s greedy to just take and not give. I’m not used to it.” Understatement didn’t even touch that. I wasn’t used to any of this. Worst of all, what happened to the three of us from here? Our relationship had been irrevocably changed, and things like regret and doubt already started plaguing my psyche. Could we survive this, and make our way back to the easy friendship of before? I’d come to rely on them being a part of my life every day. I liked them being there. More than I’d ever even admitted to myself—until now.
“Uh-oh.”
I looked up again, jarred from my thoughts by Drake’s ominous drawl. “What?
He reached out, tugging at the ends of my hair. A thick swath had shifted forward to fall over my breast. “Where’d you go, Tolly?” He used the strands to tickle at my skin, making me uncomfortably aware that I was lying there topless in front of them. I darted a glance around, anxious for something to cover up with, but my shirt was on the floor over by the table, where we’d started this.
“Why do you want to hide yourself from us, love? You are so damn beautiful to look at. I’d be happy if you never put a stitch of clothing on again.”
Though Drake asked it, I averted my sight from them both. It was unnerving, how they both seemed to know what I was thinking all the time. My feelings of overexposure were suddenly tied to a lot more than my missing shirt.
The dark-eyed bastard growled as if he’d discerned that thought too. “Scoot closer to Fletcher,” he ordered, while lowering to the sofa and fitting my back against his chest, bringing me nose-to-nose with Fletcher.
Immediately, I felt encased in a muscle-bound convection oven. If such a thing were possible, I vowed to sell it and become a billionaire. Their combined heat was enough to sear my skin—but what a way to go. I went ahead and closed my eyes. If I was going to hell for this the damage had surely already been done, so why not enjoy being their sandwich filling for a few minutes longer?
As soon as I let out a blissful sigh, Drake hooked his leg over mine, locking me in tighter—and eliciting Fletch’s instant snarl. “Get your nasty fucking foot off of me.”
“It’s not nasty. I see my girl every four weeks. Dick.”
“Your girl?”
“Yes. My girl. She does my hands too. Best part is the foot massage.”
“I don’t even know who you are sometimes.”
A huge grin spread across my face. Just like that, the old times were back, complete with their strutting alpha bickering and borderline pissing contests. It was so nice to watch them like this, playing with each other like a pair of wild animal cubs, all teeth with very little bite. Maybe my stress about “change” and “damage” had all been for nothing…
As soon as my tension waned, so did my energy. Suddenly I was so tired my closed eyelids refused to reopen. I was so comfortable cocooned between them. So warm…
I drifted off to the gentle breathing of the most amazing two men I’d ever encountered. Before falling completely asleep, I wondered what it would be like to recount this evening to Claire and Margaux. On the other hand, I didn’t want to be the cause of premature labor for either of them. Maybe it would remain my little secret.
Excellent plan.
Especially as I remembered my real family, beyond the world of Stone Global Corp.
My bliss turned to acid. Weird nightmares filled my unconscious mind. Papa, Mama, and the rest would never understand how kind and loving and respectful Fletcher and Drake had been to me. My family would never understand that romance didn’t always come in the exact same package. They wouldn’t be open to the idea of packages turning up in different shapes, sizes, and decorations. Instead they would be embarrassed and ashamed to learn I had strong feelings for not one, but two men—then they’d cast me out.
Fitful sleep was my immediate punishment. The heavier burden waited for when I woke up.
Chapter Four
I woke up in bed in my own room of the suite, and I was alone. I was still topless, but Fletch and Drake had tucked the covers up around my neck so I was nice and warm. I’d never slept so hard in my life. It was a little unnerving that they’d managed to move me without waking me.
Easy out for the exhaustion: I blamed the monumental orgasm. Just thinking about it again made my skin prickle, then break out in goose bumps. Then my memory expanded to include everything that had come before it…very awful pun not intended…
Humor wasn’t going to relieve me of the stress this time.
What on Earth was I thinking?
Worse, how would I even face the guys—my bosses—today? Their mouths had been all over my flesh. Their hands—and fingers—had explored places only lovers should’ve been. Real lovers—which was not their new role. I wouldn’t fall into that trap. I wouldn’t even label this—
This what?
This. That would have to do for now. This—whatever—that was going on between us. There. This. Oddly, it sounded just fine. For now, at least.
I hauled myself into the shower to wash away the incriminating evidence from my entire body. I had two hours before we needed to be in the exhibit hall, and the show started in four. The day would pass quickly while we were busy, but that didn’t give me much hope for afterward. I already knew what I would be wearing on the show floor, so getting ready was like being on autopilot—giving my mind lots of chances to wander back to the sofa, and what I’d done with Drake and Fletcher there. Over and over and over.
I really didn’t want to go out into the living room. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait any longer. Coffee was no longer an option. It was a necessity.
I opened my door as quietly as possible. If they had stuck with our original plan, one of them would be sleeping on the sofa.
“Good morning, angel.”
I nearly stubbed my toe on the corner of the wall. Both men sat at the table, hot coffee steaming from the cups in front of them.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” Fletcher’s smile was sincere. And so flipping sexy.
“C-coffee?” I managed.
“Over on the counter. I hope it’s not too strong. I know you prefer it all pretty.”
“Not the first cup of the morning. It will be perfect, I’m sure.” I returned his smile, hoping an attempt at normalcy would calm the riot inside. Fat chance. They both looked so irresistible. So sleep-tussled and scruffy-faced. Had I tripped into a television commercial and they were actually models playing their roles of morning hotness to perfection?
“Did you sleep well, Talia?” Drake finally looked up from the Wall Street Journal in front of him. His gaze was dancing this morning, a combination of mischief and sex that froze me in place for one perfect second.
“Yes, thank you. I slept like a rock. Must’ve felt like one to one of you guys, too. I’m not sure how I got to my bed without waking up, but—thank you to whoever put me there.”
“It was my pleasure.” Drake’s tone was affectionate but matter-of-fact. “I told you we would do anything to care for you, and I meant it. No way were we about to let you spend the night on the sofa, especially with the big day ahead.”
I jogged a chin across the suite. “But you slept there instead.” It wasn’t a question. The bedding was still piled on the cushions, betraying exactly where he’d spent his night.
“We also discussed that already.”
“So we did.”
I really didn’t have more to add, and the tone of his voice made it clear that it wasn’t up for discussion anyway.
“I’m, ummm, just going to finish getting ready. What time are you guys heading down?”
“Well, we’ll all go together,” Drake charged. “So I think we should be downstairs in an hour. Maybe leave here in fifty minutes, in case the casino is already crowded. It can be a chore getting from one end of this place to the other.”
“I’ll be ready to go.” I raised my mug in a little salute. “Thanks for the coffee.”
On the way o
ut, I walked past Fletcher. He reached to grab me, twining a hand around the tie of my robe. Not having much of a choice, I stopped. Glared at him. Well, tried. His slow, naughty grin was a very hard thing to glare at.
“I just can’t keep my hands off you, Tolly.” His eyes smoldered, matching flames of desire. “I don’t think I could for the life of me now.”
I unhitched his hand and stepped away. “We need to be professional today.”
He let his hand drop the rest of the way. Sadness crept into his eyes, dousing the fires like a summer storm, but he didn’t say anything else. I felt those eyes on me, along with the charcoal darkness of Drake’s, as I walked to my room, not daring to glance back. They were both still staring as I turned to close the door. I gave them a sad little smile, but wasn’t sure what I was trying to convey with it.
One step at a time.
It was the only way we’d all get through the day.
And we needed to get through this day.
This was our time. Everything we’d worked so hard for…
But even with that thought pounding in my head, I leaned my ear against the door, shamelessly eavesdropping on their conversation.
“Damn it. I had a feeling she would be like this today. All stiff; closed off.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“Let’s get through the launch. It’s the whole reason we’re here, and if I know our girl, she’ll be easier to please later if we do a good job today.”
“I hope you’re right, my brother. I just have a bad feeling it’s not going to be that easy.”
Well I was glad to hear at least one of them was dealing in reality. Easier to please later? About what?
That mystery didn’t matter. I’d pretty much made my mind up in the shower about those two. Last night was a once and done thing. Nothing of the sort would happen again tonight. It was a mistake to have given them the impression we could ever be more than friends and business associates, and now I had to spend the day reestablishing boundaries with them. My gut said I had my work cut out for me. Determination could be both of their middle names.
I wore a smart, black pinstriped suit with classic black pumps. My Eastern European ancestry paid off in spades in my naturally tan skin tone, complimenting almost every color I wore. I’d decided on a plain white blouse to go beneath the jacket, conservatively unbuttoned by only one hole at the neck. I never wore flashy jewelry or makeup, so I was ready in plenty of time, giving me a chance to sit and get in a quick call to Mama. She panicked if I didn’t check in every few days, just to make sure everything was going well at home.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mama.”
“Natalia!” The natural suspicion in her voice vanished beneath her wave of affection and love. “How nice to hear your voice this morning. How’s the trip?”
“It’s going fine so far. The show starts in a few hours. Thought I’d check in now because I probably won’t have time later.”
“Tolly, you just about ready?” Drake’s booming voice came from just outside my door.
Mama’s gasp filled the line. “Is that a man, Natalia? In your hotel room with you?”
“No! Well, yes. I mean—”
Oh, this isn’t going to end well. Not for the girl who was raised in a strict household that was as black-and-white as they came. For my parents, things were always right or wrong, no in-between. They guarded their daughters’ virtues like national treasures. We’d all escaped arranged marriages by only one generation. Trying to explain that I was shacked up with two men for the weekend would be completely pointless, even when leaving out last night’s intimate details.
“Mr. Ford and Mr. Newland just came to my room so we could walk down to the exhibit hall together. You know how easily I get lost. They’re just being helpful.”
“Hmmm.”
At least she didn’t launch into a speech about how I needed to respect myself more or no man ever would. That was an all-time favorite while we were growing up. I could probably recite the lecture word-for-word to this day. And would I do any differently if I had a daughter? Probably not. But while I appreciated that my parents truly wanted the best for me, I needed to live my life at some point, to come to my own decisions. That was where the difficult part came in. Life wasn’t cut and dry, black or white. It was a crazy, multi-colored rainbow with infinite choices. I loved my family dearly but sometimes felt like I was selling myself short by not seeing everything life had to offer.
“Please, Mama. Not now, okay? I need to be on top of my game today and a butt-chewing isn’t going to help.”
A huff. Muttered words in Russian. “That mouth of yours. It is from working in a business office, around so many men.”
“Mama, I’m going to go. Fletcher and—Mr. Ford and Mr. Newland—are waiting for me. I just wanted to let you know everything was fine. I’ll be back in San Diego tomorrow night. Okay?”
She gave another long sigh and finally said goodbye. After I hit the red key, I released a heavy breath of my own and rubbed the tension out of my temples. Dumb move, girl. How had I thought she’d offer encouragement or bolstering in any way? I’d had this conversation with myself before, and it ended in the exact same way. I had to make peace with the fact that she’d never understand my career, let alone be supportive of it.
I walked back out into the main room and came to a screeching halt. The guys were breathtaking in their suits, perfectly styled hair and freshly shaven faces. Their different masculine scents had me squirming to be beneath them again.
And the most erotic feature of the whole scene? The way they looked at me. Different, but equally enticing. Drake’s gaze was filled with dark, open lust. I was certain that if we had enough time, we’d be back on a horizontal surface then and there. Fletcher’s gaze possessed more appreciation and pride. I instantly knew how honored he’d be to step out by my side today, causing my confidence to soar. The assurance I realized I’d been searching for from Mama? It was right here the whole time.
I closed my eyes for one second and smiled. I needed to remember this moment. Treasure it for the next time I badly needed some lifting up.
Even though you want to return things to the way they were with these two?
Fletcher took the first step forward. His eyes flared and his head dipped, almost like he was approaching the world’s most delicious cake and didn’t know where to take a bite first. “My God, you are stunning.”
Don’t melt. Don’t swoon. Don’t sigh.
Eye roll. Better choice. “Please. It’s a business suit.”
“But you’re the one wearing it. And you are stunning.”
“You’re too much.”
“Take the compliment, Talia. We only speak the truth.” Somehow, Drake had moved too. I turned to find him standing within inches of me. The man was surely part ninja.
“Thank you.” It came out in an unintentional whisper while I inspected my toes. Their words. Their boldness. Their attention. All so different than what I was used to. And so, so addicting…
Drake unfurled a little growl of approval. “It can use some work, but that was better.”
He leaned over to kiss my cheek. I forced myself to jerk away. “We can’t keep doing that. This. You know, what we did last night?”
“I knew we’d circle back to this bullshit.” Fletcher’s throat vibrated with a rough sound, too—permeating the room with annoyance. I flung a glare at him, refusing to be daunted. “It’s true. We all know it,” I snapped.
“Do we?”
Nope. Not daunted, no matter how tempted my nerves were to go there. “Well, I do. You two should too. We’re here because Mr. Stone trusted us to launch this cosmetics line for his company. We need to stay focused.”
“Mr. Stone would approve of every single thing that’s taken place on this trip so far. That’s something you can count on.” Drake was completely serious. “And I’m as focused as I’ve ever been, so don’t worry about that.”
Though he finishe
d with a flippant half-smirk, the rest of his face was still defined by determination. And pure sex. And brutal gorgeousness.
I swayed. Literally. I was conscious of my body drifting in his direction, like he was the magnet and I was the metal, sucked into his field, helpless against his force.
He reached his hand up to gently stroke my cheek. His heat warmed my soul.
“We’re going to take this slow, little girl. We won’t ever do anything you don’t want us to do. Do you believe me?”
I just nodded.
No. Wait. There isn’t a “this” to take slow. No more “this”, damn it!
Why? Why was I going down this path again? Letting them lead me like two pied pipers to one very stupid rat. There was something dangerous about being physically near them. I lost my focus. Became a mess of hormones and desire and need.
“Talia?” Fletcher walked over to Drake’s side, officially blocking my view from anything else but them. “This doesn’t have to be a thing. Stop overthinking everything.”
I huffed. “I’m not—”
“You are, baby girl.” He pressed a hand to my other cheek. “You have to feel it, Tolly, just like we do. I was there last night, remember? Your body betrays your words. You need to let us help you be comfortable with what we can give you. But you’re going to have to give us some hint about the direction you’re going when you drift away from us. Let this happen, baby.”
I forced a deep breath in before confessing, “I—I don’t know what to say right now. I really just want to get through today, then worry about all of this”—I drew a triangle between the three of us with a finger—“after.” My face firmed. “Until then, we need to keep it professional. You two have quite the reputations. The thought of being looked at like the dumb girl who fell for your shit makes me sick. I’ve worked so hard to get to this point, I won’t throw it all away over an orgasm—no matter how amazing it was.”
Fletcher’s smile was so brilliant, it made my chest flip. “Okay. Cool. We can work with all of that.”