by Christi Snow
Luke scrambled out of bed and ran to the other room where he’d seen the battered book last night, ignoring his nakedness to grab it for Daniel.
Austin’s eyes widened when he spotted Luke running into the room. “Well, good morning to you, too, Mr. Jacobson.”
Luke slowed for a moment to wink and smile at Austin. “It is a good morning, but I’ll be back to greet you more appropriately in just a moment. Daniel’s music woke him up.”
Austin glanced down at Luke’s bobbing erection and raised a questioning eyebrow. “Are you sure it was the music?”
Luke chuckled. “Unfortunately. Yeah. When choosing between music and my erection, I know where I rate in Daniel’s world.”
“Not true,” Daniel yelled from the bedroom. “But...” he hesitated for a split second, “can you hurry with that book?”
Both Luke and Austin chuckled.
“And if you hurry, maybe we can do something about the erection in just a few minutes,” Daniel called again.
Luke picked up the book and jogged back to the room. Not ideal with a bobbing erection, but his man needed something so he could deal with a bit of being uncomfortable.
Daniel strummed his guitar and had closed his eyes as he mumbled words under his breath when Luke reentered the room.
Luke quietly laid the book beside him and grabbed his jeans, careful not to disturb the man’s concentration.
Daniel’s eyes flew open, but then just gave Luke a brief, wide smile as he snatched the book and began to write.
Luke grabbed a sweatshirt and went back into the kitchen to join Austin who stared pensively into the depths of his coffee cup.
That couldn’t be a good sign. Austin did not look like a guy who’d just gotten epically laid. “Uh oh, you’re not having second thoughts about what we did last night, are you?”
Austin’s gaze flew up in wide-eyed alarm. “No! Last night was amazing.”
Luke almost let it go, but if they were going to make this thing work between them—even as a temporary thing—then he needed to develop a level of trust between him and Austin, too. “Then explain the serious expression.”
For a moment, Luke didn’t think Austin would answer him. He bit the inside of his cheek and then seemed to decide. “Last night was amazing, but it wasn’t real. You and I both know that. And that’s okay. I wasn’t supposed to be here. I can accept that and enjoy the moment. I just worry that my being here right now might hurt the long-term ability for the two of you to move on later. I never want what happens here to become an obstacle to the deep emotions and the relationship between you and Daniel later.”
Why would Austin think that? While there was a long history of unresolved...something between him and Daniel, they’d never even dated. “How can you have so much faith that we can make it for the long term? Daniel and I have known one another for years and could never make this thing between us go before now. Before you came into the mix.”
Austin nodded. “That may be true, but I don’t think you two have ever really tried, have you?”
Luke’s heart leapt. He was jumping way, way ahead here, but if he and Daniel could supposedly make it as a couple, why couldn’t all three of them have a relationship? “Point made, but in the same vein, what makes you think we can’t all three make it work?”
“Societal norms. Society as a whole is just now getting where they accept gay relationships without blinking an eye, but three of us together? There would be lots of eye-blinking and a lot worse. I can’t do that.” Austin shook his head like there was just no way that could ever happen. “The people who have stood beside me and supported me all these years deserve better than that.”
“You mean James and Emily Hodges?”
Austin nodded. “Yes. I owe them everything. I have to take care of their business’ reputation.”
“Even at the cost of your happiness? I know I’m getting ahead of myself here, but I can’t ignore how right this all feels. I find it hard to believe that they’d want your loyalty if they knew what you’d given up for it.”
Austin scowled at him even as his shoulders drew up tight. “That’s a little egotistical, don’t you think? Do you really think I can’t be happy without you in my life?”
Luke had learned a long time ago to trust his gut and right now his gut was telling him that the three of them were good together. Was that wishful thinking? Maybe, but he really didn’t think so. “Maybe. Maybe not. I know for me, now that I’ve had a taste of you and Daniel, specifically the two of you together, I don’t think I’ll ever be completely satisfied with anything less again.”
A truth he never would have uttered if he’d taken the time to think it through, but now that it was out there, he didn’t wish the words back. This was way too fast, but he liked the three of them together. It felt like...more. More than he’d ever felt with anyone before. And he didn’t need more time to realize the truth of what that meant.
Austin blew out a breath and looked out the window, no longer willing to meet Luke’s gaze. That told him a lot. Austin’s feelings went much deeper than he wanted to reveal.
“You’re not all that,” Austin said, but the scratchy, weak tone of his voice told Luke a whole different story.
Luke laughed. “We’ll see. For now, Austin, let’s just enjoy our unexpected snowy getaway. And then we’ll see what happens.” They had a few days to enjoy one another and to explore this thing between them. If that was all Luke ever got, then he would deal later, but he hoped he could use that time to convince the other two men that all three of them had a future together.
As crazy as that sounded.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Daniel came out from the bedroom flush with excitement over another three songs that he’d fleshed out.
His cheeks were red, and he flashed a huge grin at Luke and Austin who had worked on the puzzle as a way of distracting them from the sizzling undercurrent of sexual awareness between them. By mutual unspoken agreement, they knew that anything happening between them at this point needed to include all three of them.
So, the two men had been waiting for Daniel and trying to stay distracted.
From the way Luke’s dick pulsed in time to his heartbeat, the distraction had been minimal at best. And now with Daniel in the room, too, the beast roared to life. Luke took a deep breath and tried to talk the monster down. He wasn’t a teenager. He could show some restraint.
Daniel came over and flopped down in a chair at the table. “Sorry, guys. Didn’t mean to check out on you for the whole morning.”
“It’s no problem,” Austin said. “But I’m curious. The new songs sound great. Do you have a plan for them?”
Daniel nodded and ran one hand across his scalp as he stole the puzzle piece from Luke’s hand and placed it in the puzzle.
Dammit. He had been looking for that piece’s place for over ten minutes, including looking several times at that exact spot.
“I mentioned the New Year’s Eve concert before,” Daniel said. “While our music label has been great about giving us leeway over the last year because of the plane crash, we were behind on our next album before the accident ever happened. I was already having a few issues writing before the crash. It wasn’t as bad as it’s been the last nine months, but it was...” Daniel bit his lip, “concerning the higher ups.”
Daniel placed another section of the puzzle into the middle. “Needless to say, we’re way behind now and the label has been starting to really push. They gave us an ultimatum this month. We have to have new music at that concert that’s good enough to publish or they’re dropping us.”
As he spoke, Daniel’s complexion had paled, showing how much this terrified him.
“But you’re part of a band,” Austin said. “Why hasn’t someone else been taking up the slack? Good god, you’ve needed time to recover.”
Daniel flashed a small smile at Austin’s protective tone. “We are a band, but I’m the songwriter of the group. Believe me, the others have tried to help
the last few months, but it just hasn’t happened. That’s why this,” he waved his hand to the bedroom, “is so huge. What I’m doing here just might save the band.”
It was one thing to write the songs, but with less than two weeks until New Year’s Eve, even Austin knew Daniel was asking a lot from himself and the band. “Will you be ready to perform the songs by New Year’s Eve?”
Daniel slowly nodded. “We have to be. We don’t have a choice. It’s either that or the end of Veiled Lies. I’ll be back in New York the day after Christmas when we’ll start rehearsing and won’t stop until the show. We don’t have time to do anything else. If I had Internet service I’d be sending them updates and the rough cuts of the music right now so they could learn it before I get home, but....” He shrugged.
A wave of guilt swamped Austin. They didn’t have any outside access because of him. No, the power wasn’t his fault, but if they’d still had cell service, Daniel probably could have been doing some work with the band during this time, especially with the generator.
“I’m sorry,” Austin said. “If I hadn’t cut cell service to the mountain, you wouldn’t be stranded here. Assuming we get out of here Christmas Eve, will you have enough time?”
“Hey.” Daniel reached over and grabbed hold of Austin’s shoulder. “No. This is fine. Better than fine, in fact. I honestly didn’t expect to get any work done here. I’d pretty much accepted that Veiled Lies was over, but being stuck here with you guys has reawakened...everything.” His face broke out in a huge smile. “My music, my sex drive...my...” Daniel’s voice cracked. “Hell, my life. I feel like I’m alive for the first time since that plane crash took everything from me.”
Daniel stood and pulled Austin up out of his chair so he could embrace him. “You did this. You brought me back to life and I couldn’t be more thankful. Yes, I’ll have a ton of work to do when I get back to New York, but if you hadn’t done this...” Daniel shook his head. “Then I would have been going back with nothing.” He went to the bedroom and came back out with the book Austin recognized as his songbook. “I have the start of at least six album-worthy songs, and a few lines for a couple of others. That would normally take me months. Instead, you and Luke have magically fucked me, and now I can’t write the music down fast enough. I understand when artists talk about their muses. I’ve never had that before. I’m thinking I may have to tie the two of you up in my basement after this.”
Luke coughed. “Um, while I can’t really object to being your love slave, Mr. Dawes hired me as a bodyguard. I think that arrangement might get me fired. Although, now that I think about it,” he cocked a mischievous eyebrow at Austin, “we are fucking now, so I probably shouldn’t be on your payroll anymore. It could ruin my sparkling reputation.”
Austin didn’t want to think about anyone’s reputation. If what they were doing here got out...it would ruin him. But that’s why they were just doing it for a few days. They would show Daniel that his life was very much worth living, and then Austin would leave the two of them. His chest grew tight. It wouldn’t be easy, but that was why he needed to enjoy them while he could. Later, he’d figure out how to go on.
“And now I think we all deserve a reward.” Daniel grabbed Austin by the neck and tugged him in for a kiss.
Daniel tasted like cocoa and coffee, cinnamon and pine, everything in this moment that made it perfect.
Austin sank into the kiss, tangling his tongue with Daniel’s, savoring the moment, the punch of desire low in his gut. Then Luke stepped up behind him and began to nibble at the back of his neck.
All his concerns about what happened when the left this cabin floated away as he sunk into the bliss of loving these two men.
Chapter Sixteen
LUKE
The next day, Luke stretched his sore muscles as he watched the snow fall outside. While all their bedroom play satisfied him in ways he never expected, he was also using muscles that hadn’t gotten this kind of workout in quite a while. He needed to move and get them stretched out.
He’d already cleared the decks and drive as far as he could, so they wouldn’t need more shoveling for a couple more hours with how lightly the snow fell right now.
Maybe he could talk Austin into doing some yoga with him.
But then something on the back deck caught his eye. “Hey, Austin. Is the hot tub hooked up to the generator?”
“It sure is. Why? Interested in using it?” Austin waggled his eyebrows at Luke telling him he’d be up for it.
The two of them had done puzzles, read books, and even played some gin rummy to kill time while Daniel worked on his music, but some naked time in the hot tub might be just the right thing to fight their boredom right now. They tried not to get too sexual when Daniel was working because they didn’t want to distract him, but with Luke’s dick already plumping up, he decided that Daniel had probably worked enough today.
Besides Daniel still wasn’t comfortable with them seeing his legs, hiding them under the covers of the bed when he could so some good old-fashioned naked time in the hot tub would probably do him some good, too.
“Hey, D,” Luke called into the bedroom where Daniel preferred to work.
“Yeah?”
“Austin and I are going to go sit out in the hot tub. When you’re at a stopping point, you can come join us.”
Daniel’s footsteps echoed as he approached the bedroom door. He looked unsure as he contemplated the idea. “The hot tub? Really?” He swallowed even as his eyes darkened.
Luke could almost see Daniel’s imagination at work. He was imagining how hot it would, all three of them together, naked in that steamy water. But then he shook his head. “Um, maybe in a while. I feel like I’m on the cusp of something.”
“Okay.” Luke’s stomach sank.
Daniel needed to get past his hang-up about his legs. Yes, there would always be curiosity, but if he handled it like it was no big deal, then most people around him would do the same.
“You’re welcome to come join us.”
“But if you wait too long,” Austin leered at Luke, “you may have to be satisfied with just watching.”
Daniel’s gaze sharpened with intensity, although Luke almost missed it because Austin’s interest was getting to him. Really getting to him. His dick pulsed behind the stiff fabric of his jeans. The pull toward Austin was too much to ignore. He needed to touch the man. He grabbed hold of Austin and tugged him close and began to devour his mouth, mimicking exactly how he’d like to drive his dick into this man’s tight, hot body.
Someone moaned. He didn’t know if it were Austin or Daniel. All he knew was how right it felt to hold Austin in his arms, their hard erections pressed together, inhaling the scent of firewood and man.
Being stranded like they were, they’d had more sex in the last two days than he’d had in the last two years, but it still wasn’t enough. He was beginning to think it would never be enough.
These two men...Daniel and Austin...they’d stolen his heart. The thing about that was...he wasn’t sure he wanted it back.
Before this week, Austin had been the unknown, but he’d spent so much time with the man the last couple of days. He really liked and respected him, and it went so far beyond Austin’s incredible business acumen. Austin had done amazing things over the course of his life and maintained a dry, smart wit that kept Luke on his toes. He never knew what might come out of Austin’s mouth. It was unexpected for one of the most powerful men in the country.
And Luke was the person lucky enough to get to fuck him.
He drew back, but didn’t let go of Austin. “Strip. I want you in that hot tub now.”
Austin licked his lips and nodded. “Don’t forget the condoms.”
His cock jerked. There was no way he’d forget that. He nodded and then put a foot between them before he threw Austin down on the couch to fuck him right here. “Right. I’ll get supplies. You, naked in the hot tub when I come out.”
Austin saluted. “Yes, Sir.” The
n he reached behind his head and tugged off his sweatshirt.
Hot damn. Luke couldn’t wait to bury his face into that tease of dark chest hair that led down his perfectly muscled torso, straight down...
“Luke,” Austin chastised, “you’re getting distracted. The faster you move, the quicker you get to touch.”
Right. Supplies. They needed them. Luke spun around to grab a box of condoms and lube and almost barreled over Daniel still standing in the bedroom's doorway, looking desperately like he wanted to join them.
Luke stilled beside him and cupped his face. “Please come out and join us. I promise you’ll have a good time.”
Luke could see the battle behind his eyes even as he dropped them to the floor and shook his head. “Nah. I need to get to work. But you two have fun.” Then he turned and picked up his guitar in the bedroom looking more dejected than ever.
Luke hated that. Hated that Daniel excluded himself just because of his own self-consciousness. But Luke couldn’t fix it for him. He could only continue to push and reassure the man about how sexy he still was. Instead, he strode over and kissed him. “Okay, but we’ll miss you, so if it goes faster than you expect... Come. Join. Us.”
He never wanted Daniel to feel left out. They wanted him with them, of that Luke had zero doubts. Austin melted into a puddle when Daniel touched him. It was the sexiest thing Luke had ever witnessed. He loved watching them together. They wouldn’t let Daniel slip out of this relationship, slip away from them, but he also needed to know that the three of them all worked...both together as a threesome, but in the multiple duo combinations, too.
Luke grabbed the supplies. He had another sexy, naked man waiting for him in the hot tub. He needed to focus on Austin’s needs, because he hadn’t missed the fact that while Austin may be having the time of his life, he was also in this relationship with one foot already outside the door, ready to run at the first chance.
Luke wouldn’t let that happen. Not if he had any say on the matter.
