Lilac

by Reid, B. B.

  The crisp and sour taste of green apples burst on my tongue since it hadn’t occurred to me until now that the bird belonged to them. I assumed they chartered it like the planes, though it was obvious they owned their tour bus.

  Once the blades stopped spinning, Houston slid the door open. Loren hopped out first before lifting me down. He didn’t wait for his friends before walking me over to the row of golf carts lined up and waiting nearby.

  I climbed inside, and he got behind the wheel.

  As Houston and Rich approached with our bags, however, they both gave Loren a look I couldn’t decipher. Before I could ask, Rich dropped the bags he was carrying, lifted me back out of the golf cart, and sat me inside the one next to it while Houston filled Loren’s cart with our bags.

  Whatever the reason, it amused Loren to no end as he laughed uncontrollably before flipping off his friends. He then winked at me before taking off down the path leading to their home.

  I was still frowning when Rich sat in the driver’s seat next to me, and Houston climbed on the back.

  Too exhausted to care about the reason, I didn’t bother to ask questions.

  I admired the quiet scenery as Rich drove us much slower down the tree-lined path. It was maybe a three-minute ride to their house.

  Once it came into view, my heart began thundering in my chest. I couldn’t make sense of the taste and smells lighting up my senses. My emotions blended too finely together as I stared up at their home.

  Gothic.

  Victorian.

  Dark.

  Towering.

  I fell in love instantly.

  The light I’d glimpsed from above filtered through the elegant tracery, keeping the forest from completely shrouding the home in darkness and allowing me to see the thin vines draping the black stone, the pointed arches that made up the windows and doors, and the tower I was all too eager to explore. The circular driveway was paved, interrupted only by the grass island in the middle, and extending into the forbidding darkness the forest created as it obscured the only way out.

  Loren waited, hands in his pockets and ankles crossed as he leaned against one of the thick columns of the carriage porch. The golf cart stopped in front of him, and I didn’t wait for one or all of them to show me inside.

  I felt like I was floating as I drifted over to their front door.

  Loren caught me just as I was passing him and lifted me bridal style. I grinned up at him, allowing the nameless emotion he stirred, the one that smelled like I was rolling down a grassy hill, to imbue as he gazed down at me. I could feel his excitement to show me their private, hidden kingdom rolling off him in waves as he carried me over the threshold.

  I kept smiling even when I heard Houston and Rich suck their teeth for not thinking of it first. Sometimes I found their jealousy adorable because they forgot they weren’t teenage boys anymore.

  Loren carried me inside, and I gaped as I admired the high ceiling, carved moldings, dark walls, and arched doorways. There were even three black chandeliers whose candles illuminated the lush, blue rug decorating the long path to the stairs. It continued up the steps that split on the second level and continued in opposite directions.

  “Welcome to our treehouse,” he flirted as he carried me across the foyer. “No girls allowed, but for you, we’ll make an exception.”

  “I’m honored,” I returned dryly. “So will you be giving me the tour then?”

  Loren’s footsteps echoed with each step he took, warning me just how large and how easily I could get lost in their home.

  “Sure. Let’s start with my bedroom.”

  He flashed me a sexy grin that was way too tempting, so I made him put me down. By the time Houston and Rich made it inside with our bags, no thanks to Loren, I’d already kicked off the booted heels I’d worn before finding and exploring their kitchen, dining room, and the small sitting room I could tell they never used.

  Obviously, the house wasn’t new construction, but I could tell it had been well restored, which couldn’t have been easy.

  I didn’t have to guess why that made me smile.

  The three of them could have purchased or built something separate and more befitting to their individual styles. Instead, they’d chosen to revive a long, lost castle that had been cast aside and forgotten. They’d thrown themselves into the project and then used their labor and sacrifice as an excuse to share it and stay together.

  I wouldn’t bother to ask if my theory was correct.

  I knew them too well by now.

  Just as I was wandering into another room, since Loren had rudely chosen to disappear, Rich appeared out of nowhere, cutting off my path and making me yelp in surprise. As the taste of green apples and the scent of copper dissipated, he grabbed my waist when I tried to move around him.

  “I promise we’ll give you the tour in the morning, okay?”

  Feeling shy and embarrassed for some reason, I nodded as I smiled, and then I let him pick me up and wrap my legs around his trim waist before he carried me off.

  I’d forgotten it was almost three in the morning.

  Just like I’d forgotten the show tonight after our long weekend thanks to me dragging them to Faithful to deal with my family and then around Seattle to sightsee.

  We climbed the stairs and traveled down a long hallway and then another, and I didn’t realize I should have been paying attention to where we were going just in case until we were already entering a bedroom.

  I peeked over my shoulder since my back was to the room as Rich carried me.

  The walls were decorated with periwinkle wallpaper that had a dark-gold filigree print. Each of the six arched windows taking up three of the bedroom’s walls were draped by long, heavy panels of dark purple while another chandelier, this one a mix of crystal and candle, hung from the black lacquered ceiling that matched the wooden floors.

  Braced against the furthest wall was a large four-poster bed made of black iron and an elegantly carved headboard.

  Jericho immediately started for it.

  I looked around as he crossed the large room. His sneakered feet were silent, but without carpeting, and thanks to the high ceiling, there was still a soft echo as he walked. When he reached the bed, instead of laying me on it, he swung around until I was facing the bed instead of the door. He then dropped down, draping his legs over the foot of the bed as he lay on his back.

  His breathing began to deepen immediately as I felt his grip on my ass loosening.

  “Is this your bedroom?” I asked before he could fall asleep. It didn’t seem like his style.

  Eyes closed, he confirmed my suspicions when he sleepily shook his head no. I tried to climb off him so he could sleep in peace, but his arms tightened around me, a silent order to stay put.

  Five maybe ten minutes passed with me lying on his rising chest and grinning at him as he fought to stay awake. I didn’t understand why he bothered considering how late it was, but he’s never looked more adorable to me.

  Me, on the other hand, I was too excited to sleep.

  I toyed with the black hair falling over his bunched brows as I began to sing softly to him. Rosalie was the only one I’d ever done it for whenever she used to have trouble sleeping. It didn’t seem to be working on Jericho, though, as the troubled dip between his brows grew deeper. I knew each time he clenched his teeth as if he were restraining or frustrated with himself as the muscle in his pale cheek ticked.

  Whatever had been keeping him awake most nights and moody during the day these past three weeks had not gone away.

  In the morning, I vowed to get to the bottom of it, and I wouldn’t take no for an answer. They couldn’t expect me to bear my demons while they kept their own hidden under lock and key.

  As I silently brooded, Jericho’s eyes started to drift shut again when Houston walked into the room.

  Eyeing him over my shoulder with the side of my face in my palm, I watched as he pulled his shirt over his head and admired his abs flex as he di
d it. I liked that none of them were overly muscular. What they did possess made it more than clear that they were strong and able men.

  After tossing his shirt on the floor, he made his way over to the bed, his amused gaze shifting from me to Jericho and back again.

  “You’re not going to let the man sleep?” he teased.

  “It’s not me. It’s him,” I told Houston as he towered over me while I stared down at Jericho. “I tried singing, but he’s stubborn.”

  I felt the bed dip under Houston’s weight as he braced his knee on the mattress next to me, and then he was pulling my head back using my hair as his personal reins and kissing my lips.

  “So wake him up.”

  As if his tone hadn’t made it clear it wasn’t a suggestion, Houston lifted me off Jericho and the bed until I was standing in front of him with my back to his chest. His hands then gripped the hem of the distressed, black cotton dress I’d worn to our show tonight over my head.

  I immediately shivered as the cool air brushed my skin, and I stood there in only my panties, garter, and stockings.

  I hadn’t bothered with a bra tonight.

  Houston made quick work of my garter and panties but left my black thigh-high stockings on my legs. The three of them seemed to like whenever I wore them because they always took off everything except them, so I made a mental note to buy and wear them more often.

  I tilted my head back, resting on Houston’s shoulder when his hands cupped my breasts from behind, and he began kissing my neck. His chest was hard and warm against my back, and the comforting aroma of vanilla gave me no choice but to lean against him.

  I always felt like I could rule the world when I was in Houston Morrow’s arms.

  His fingers slowly drifted down my stomach, making the muscles quiver in anticipation, and he didn’t stop until he was possessively palming the smooth, bare skin of my pussy in a show of ownership.

  “Yours,” I gasped around the cherries drenching my tongue. I knew what he wanted to hear.

  Moving my hair over my shoulder, Houston kissed my nape in response.

  He didn’t make me beg before he moved to my clit, teasing and circling until my back arched and then tunneling two of his fingers inside of me. He groaned the moment he was knuckle-deep and discovered how wet he’d gotten me.

  Suddenly, I felt like I’d been caught red-handed.

  I knew just by the sound that poured deep from his chest that I had a long night ahead of me.

  “Houston—”

  “Sit on his face.”

  My lips parted, but I couldn’t respond.

  Houston was still fucking me with his fingers when my gaze shot to Jericho, who watched us through half-lidded eyes.

  He was no longer fighting sleep.

  By the second, Rich was becoming more and more alert.

  A shiver shook my body, but I was quickly distracted from my unease when Houston nipped my shoulder harshly and without warning. I had no doubt he’d left a mark. Letting my skin go, he placed his lips near my ear.

  “I don’t want to ask again.”

  As soon as I took a trembling step forward, Houston let me go. I missed his fingers inside of me even as I felt his eyes watching to make sure I obeyed.

  I climbed onto the bed that, until now, I hadn’t realized was pretty high, and crawled my way up Jericho’s body. As soon as our lips were lined, we met each other halfway for a kiss that rattled my soul.

  I loved Jericho’s kisses.

  They were soft and sweet and slow.

  And they smelled like freshly bloomed berries.

  Unlike Houston and Loren, he always let me set the pace, and somehow, I still gave him all of me anyway. I trembled once again as a slash of fear sliced me open without warning or cause.

  I always assumed he was the safest, but…what if I was wrong?

  What if Jericho was the most dangerous of all?

  He broke the kiss.

  “As much I love your lips, it’s your pussy I want to kiss. My face, Braxton. Sit on my face.”

  Preoccupied by the need in his voice, I stared down into Jericho’s eyes. Those silver pools were like quicksand. You don’t know you’re screwed until you’re already in too deep.

  A whimper I hadn’t intended slipped out of me, and then I was rising onto my knees. I heard footsteps, and when I peeked over my shoulder, it was in time to see Houston slipping out of the room. Strong hands gripped my ass while I was still frowning at the door, and then Jericho was yanking me forward until I was straddling his head.

  Apparently, he’d grown impatient waiting.

  My yelp was cut short, a moan replacing it when I felt his felt tongue swipe my slit. Eyes fluttering closed, I lowered myself more as my thighs spread when he began to plant open-mouth kisses on my lower lips.

  “Oh, Jericho, fuck,” I moaned when he eventually turned to my clit. Those slow teasing licks were going to send me to the looney bin.

  Having mercy on me, his attention returned to my entrance, and my mouth fell open at the feeling of his tongue stiffening as he burrowed it inside of me as far as it would go. Pulling free, he repeated the move, and in and out, his tongue darted. I made a sound I didn’t recognize as I began winding my hips. I was fucking his face in earnest now, and that was all it took for his easy rhythm to end.

  Needing something to hold on to when I felt my control slipping, I fell forward, my hands clutching the sheets as he began alternating between attacking my clit and lapping up every drop of arousal that poured out of me.

  Jericho was greedily feasting between my legs as if he hadn’t been falling asleep mere moments ago.

  The more aggressively he ate me, the wilder my hips moved until I was riding his face with complete abandon. Every so often, I’d wonder if I was hurting him, and then he’d do something with his tongue that made all thoughts, fears, and reasoning flee.

  “Jericho, baby, I’m going to come,” I screamed.

  I couldn’t recall if I’d ever been a screamer. I’d cry, I’d moan, I’d whimper, yes…but I’d never been a screamer.

  Jericho made a sound of encouragement just before he gripped my ass with both hands, keeping me in place as he attacked my clit like he was a starved man and I was dessert.

  I’d never felt anything like it.

  When I came, I didn’t just lose control of my body.

  It felt like I’d left it entirely.

  “Jesus,” I heard someone swear behind me.

  It could have been either Houston or Loren. My ears were ringing too loudly to know for sure. Long heart-thundering moments later, my orgasm subsided, but Jericho was still kissing me there in reverence. I whined when my sensitive pussy protested, so he reluctantly let me go. I didn’t go far since my legs were jelly, so I fell onto the bed next to him.

  Through my hazy vision, I saw that Houston had returned and was now leaning against the bottom right bedpost with a lazy, lustful look in his eyes.

  “We’re not done yet,” he warned me when it looked like I might fall asleep.

  I peeked at Jericho lying next to me and watching me with a similar look as he slowly undid his belt and jeans.

  Oh.

  His lips were glistening with my juices, and as if just realizing it too, he leaned over and kissed me, making me taste myself.

  I moaned greedily as I deepened the kiss.

  “We’re going to fuck you now, okay?” he whispered after he pulled away slightly.

  He shoved his jeans down his legs while Houston undid his own, and I paused as I caught on to his meaning.

  “Both of you…a-at the same time?”

  Teeth sinking into his bottom lip, gaze hooded, Jericho nodded. I quickly sat up as my heart began thundering in my chest. There were too many smells, too many tastes.

  We hadn’t tried that yet.

  I’ve had them each alone, and some nights they took turns, but I’ve never had more than one of them at once.

  I’ve never had more than anyone at onc
e.

  I felt Jericho’s hand grip my thigh as he sat up and kissed my neck.

  “It’s okay,” he gently assured me. “We’ll take care of you.”

  Apparently, it wasn’t up for debate.

  I glared at Houston, who was naked now, as Jericho continued to attack my neck. I don’t know why I liked it so much when we pretended I didn’t have a choice.

  Their madness evoked and constantly tested my own.

  Still kissing my neck, Jericho coaxed me onto my back with sweet nothings while Houston moved to the side of the bed where he set the lube he’d left to get on the nightstand. He then joined us on the bed, and the two of them crowded me until there was nothing but them.

  Houston’s head lowered, pulling my right nipple between his lips, and I arched my back as I moaned, which drew Jericho away from my neck and to my mouth.

  “Where’s Loren?” I managed to get out between his kisses.

  Houston was the one to answer me as he moved to my other nipple. “Shower.”

  I was vaguely aware of one of their hands spreading my legs and then long fingers dipping inside of me to check my arousal.

  “Jesus, she’s soaked,” Houston grumbled.

  As I sunk deeper into Jericho’s kiss, I felt Houston move away. I didn’t realize what he was up to until I felt his broad shoulders spreading my legs even wider and then his mouth and fingers continuing what Jericho had started.

  Houston was as voracious and relentless as Jericho. I was already on edge, so I came even faster this time while Jericho swallowed my cries.

  “I don’t think we’re going to need the lube,” I heard Houston mutter. “She’s wet as fuck.”

  Jericho pulled away from me to look at him while I frowned my confusion at Houston’s statement. What did my pussy being wet enough to fuck have to do with my ass? I assumed one of them would be taking me there…

  “Use it anyway.” Rich’s tone brooked no argument, so Houston nodded and reached for the bottle along with two of the condoms he’d left on the nightstand. The third I assumed was meant for Loren.

  The diva who still hadn’t finished showering.

  “Wait,” I said just as they started to tear open their condoms. “You don’t—” I inhaled and exhaled to clear away the fear and uncertainty creeping in. “You don’t need those…unless you really want to.” They both paused as they stared at me, and I couldn’t tell what they were thinking. “I’m on birth control, and I got tested before we left. If you just wait a sec, I can show you.”