“Hell, if he’s talking about you stripping, I sure as hell hope not.” Sam turned her so that they were all facing one another.
“Come here, you beautiful, feisty lady. Do you know how turned on I was when you threw down on Sam? Scared the piss out of me that he’d fuck things up, but you got me all kinds of hot and bothered.”
She looked up at him. “Really? Or are you just teasing again?”
He paused. “Hey, I know I tease, but I’m serious. You were a sight to behold.” He stroked back the hair from her face and tilted up her chin, so they were looking eye to eye. “I sometimes hide behind the jokes, I’ll grant you that, but I’m telling you the truth. I’ve been wanting this relationship for the three of us before you even arrived in Fate Harbor, but I knew that it would take some doing. I was worried about both of your pasts, and how you would relate to one another.”
“Before I moved to Fate Harbor?”
Chance knew he needed to confess to this before it was all over with, and now looked to be the best time.
He nodded. “Josie, I helped to get you the bank loan. When I saw you on Betty’s computer screen and remembered what you were like all those years ago, I had to meet you again. I have been halfway in love with you before you stepped foot in the state of Washington.”
She didn’t know how to respond. Sam’s hand came to rest on her lower back. She turned to him. “Did you know about this?”
“Yeah, he told me the day after we went to dinner at Butch and Betty’s.”
“You mean, after we…”
“Yeah, after that night,” Sam confirmed.
She turned back to look into Chance’s blue eyes. “But why did you maneuver me like that? Did you think I was some kind of pity case?”
His expression vied between outrage and hurt. “How can you think that? I’m sincere as fuck when I say I was falling in love with you. Then when I read your file and all that you managed to accomplish, I was blown away. My level of respect for your kindness, intelligence, and courage is off the charts.”
Josie narrowed her eyes. “What file?” she asked slowly.
She watched Chance’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “The first time Betty told me about you, I really couldn’t remember you. I was worried she might be taken advantage of. You don’t blame me for that, do you?” he asked earnestly.
“What. File?” She bit out the question.
“I had one of my old company’s investigators run a check on you. It was quite a report—they got everything but the closed records from when you were a juvenile. But, Josie, I didn’t do it to violate your privacy, I was doing it to protect Betty. As soon as I realized who you were, what a good person you were, I told them to stop their digging. When they asked me if I wanted to have them try to dig deeper, I said absolutely not. You have to believe me.”
Sam’s hand felt warm on her back. Chance’s eyes pleaded with her.
“I hate this,” she finally said.
“Josie, what would you have done to protect your sisters?” Sam asked. “Would you have checked out someone?”
Well, doesn’t that just knock the stuffing out of me. But, still.
“Fine. Chance, I can handle the fact that you were investigating me to make sure I wasn’t going to take advantage of Butch and Betty, but you arranged things so I would come here, didn’t you?”
He looked down at her with sincere blue eyes. “I wanted you to come here, there are no two ways about it. But I did nothing dishonorable. You can talk to Betty. She wouldn’t have allowed me to step out of line. It was her idea that you move and start a business here. She really thought it was a good new start for you. Now, did I help facilitate some things? Fuck yeah.”
Josie gave a small chuckle. She’d bet that he facilitated everything. “You didn’t make the Matushkas sell their business, did you?”
“Hey—” Chance started.
“He would never have done anything that would have hurt someone else, you know that, Josie,” Sam said as he pulled her close.
“Thanks,” Chance said to his friend.
With Sam’s warm arm around her waist, she reached for Chance. “Come here,” she whispered.
Solemn blue eyes looked onto hers. “You get what I did, right?”
She stroked down his jaw until her hand rested on his collarbone. “I definitely understand about you watching out for Butch and Betty. But I’m flabbergasted at you wanting me here. Can you help me better understand that?”
Chance wrapped his arms around her, too. Two amazing men surrounded her. Then she realized that their arms were wrapped around one another’s backs in solidarity, holding her between them. Making them one whole unit, allowing her to look up into both of their faces at the same time.
“I can answer your question on Chance’s behalf,” Sam said. “How could he not have fallen in love with you?”
“But he never even talked to me,” she wailed in response to Sam, but her eyes never left Chance’s.
Chance bent his forehead to Josie’s. “Get this. Hear this. I love you. I loved you as a child when I was scared and hurting. I loved the idea of you when I saw you on Betty’s computer screen. And I fell heart deep that morning in your bakery when you told me you were seeing Sam.”
“But—”
“How can you ‘but’ me?”
“Because she and I have a lot in common,” Sam answered for her. “Life’s knocked us down. She’ll get there.”
“If you’re having trouble believing the words, will you let me show you?” Chance asked as his hand glided up her ribcage.
Josie still had trouble forming coherent words, so she nodded.
For once, it was Chance who lifted her into his arms, and he laid her down onto a lavish peacock blue duvet cover that felt sublime.
“I like your hair today,” he smiled. “All bouncy curls. Sassy, like you.” His hands tangled in her hair, and he bent down for a slow, deep, carnal kiss. Josie felt Sam untie and pull off her sneakers, then her socks. She about died and went to heaven when a warm cloth wiped her feet.
Sam Booth, you are a God.
Then when he dug his knuckles into her arches, her insides liquefied.
“Hey, I’m kissing you,” Chance protested.
“It’s all good,” Josie said as she twined her arms around his neck and brought his mouth back to hers. “It’s all so good,” she added just before kissing him.
Chance broke the kiss to pull off her t-shirt. She frowned, hating the fact that she was wearing her ugly brace and not a sexy corset.
“You’re gorgeous no matter what you’re wearing. You could be wearing a clown suit, and I would still find you sexy as hell,” Chance said. His hands deftly unhooked the front clasp of her bra. He bent down and suckled one breast, as his other hand plucked and tugged her other nipple. She moaned with pleasure. Then his head lifted, and he gave her a naughty grin.
“I draw the line at clown shoes.”
Josie burst out laughing. Who knew that sex and laughter went together? It was better than chocolate and peanut butter.
Sam unbuttoned her jeans.
“No!” she damn near shouted.
Both men’s heads lifted. Their hands froze.
“What, Josie? What’s wrong?” Chance asked.
“You guys strip. Fair’s fair.”
“Chance, you do the honors,” Sam said as he continued to take off Josie’s jeans. “I need to taste Josie.”
Chapter 18
He loved how demanding she’d gotten. Gone was the shy woman of three weeks ago. She was so coming into her own and it was a joy to see. Chance’s fessing up also relieved Sam. That was so going to come and bite them in the ass later if he hadn’t.
“Red,” Sam grinned. “You’re wearing red panties.”
“I was making a fire engine cake,” she smiled.
“I like an organized woman,” Sam said as he slowly peeled off the pretty lace from her delectable legs. Touching her, looking at her, listening to h
er, turned him on more than any other sexual experience of his life. He spread her legs and parted her glistening folds.
At the touch of his thumbs, she cried out his name. At the touch of his tongue, she screeched. He reveled in her response. Tonight, he knew exactly what he wanted for his girl, so he inserted two fingers and found the spot that drove her wild. When she started thrashing in response, he and Chance held her down.
Sam savored the way she catapulted into orgasm. He lifted the delicate hood of her clit and coaxed out her swollen nub and sucked harder. She shuddered, and kept shuddering.
“Too much,” she gasped hoarsely.
“There’s never enough pleasure.” Chance said. Sam agreed, as he added a third finger and glided in and out of her tight channel. She came again, longer this time. Sam looked up and nodded at Chance, who pulled a condom out of the drawer. They switched places and Sam gave Josie a long leisurely kiss.
Her eyes got huge as she tasted herself on his lips. Then she closed them and pulled at his hair. When her nails dug deep, he knew that Chance was entering her body. He looked down at the erotic sight where their two bodies joined. Josie peppered his neck with kiss after kiss as she moaned.
Sam turned to look at her face, wanting to make sure she was okay. Her expression was suffused with pleasure. Even through hooded eyes, he saw her normally brown eyes looked almost black with need. He looked back down her body at her ankles locked around his brother’s waist. She undulated upwards as Chance started a rhythm as old as time.
“So good,” they both said at the same time.
For once, Chance didn’t have a smart-ass answer. His blue eyes glittered, and he looked like he might die of bliss instead.
The way that Josie’s breasts shook sent tendrils of need through Sam’s body. He prayed she would be able to take him after Chance was done, but whatever came next, what really mattered, was Josie.
He cupped her breasts and she covered his hands with hers. Where he might have been gentler in his touch, she pressed him for a firmer caress. He thumbed her nipples.
“Oh, Chance. Sam. More. Just a little more,” she begged.
He loved it. Her joy and willingness to ask for what she needed was such a turn-on.
He glanced at Chance who was obviously lost in a vortex of pleasure as he pressed deeper. Josie matched him thrust for thrust until she screamed his name.
“I’m going to run a bath for her,” Chance said.
“Good idea. How are you doing, Honey?” Sam asked as he continued stroking her breasts.
Josie luxuriated in the sensations Sam’s hands evoked on her skin. She arched up to thrust her breasts deeper into his touch. “No bath. Need you now.”
“Lie back, let us take care of you. It’s been a long day, and we just want to pamper you a little bit. When was the last time you were pampered?”
Josie smiled at the memory. “Sarah and Becca bought me a trip to a day spa for my birthday four years ago. They saved all year with their babysitting money. It was nonrefundable.”
“Your sisters sound pretty special. How old were they?” Josie was having trouble keeping track of the conversation as Sam’s hand moved downward and parted the folds of her sex.
“They were fourteen,” she gasped. She turned her head to capture Sam’s mouth in a kiss. She heard Chance come back from the bathroom and felt his lips as they glided along the inside of her thighs, trailing kisses.
“Bath,” Chance said.
“No,” Josie said as she pushed up on elbows. “Sam.” She saw his green eyes assessing her.
“Look here, both of you. I appreciate the pampering, I really do. But I know what I want, I know when I want it. I want Sam.” She reached for the hem of his black t-shirt. Chance of course laughed, but Sam was still giving her a considering look and it was really beginning to make her mad.
She pushed up even farther on the bed. “If we’re going to have a relationship, then I’m an equal partner in this triad. I want you. If I don’t get a say, then I’m walking. Where are my panties?”
Go, team. You sounded all roaring woman!
Sam gave her a slow grin, then he did that man thing of pulling his t-shirt off by tugging from the back of his neck. It wasn’t fair, because as soon as she saw his awesome chest with those defined abs, she was pretty much lost. Almost.
“I want to see it all, Big Guy.”
He stood up beside the bed and shucked his jeans. He’d gone commando. There was that lovely cock she’d remembered. He held out his hands and caught the condom package that Chance tossed to him.
She trembled. The idea of making love to another man after having just made love to one was…well…scary? Overwhelming? Breathtaking? Oh, admit it. It’s exciting as hell.
Can they see the grin on my face? Can they see the trepidation?
“Zee, you look like a cat who just saw a bowl of cream-covered catnip.”
A blush started all the way from her toes.
“Shut up, Chance.” Sam knelt on the bed.
“Meanwhile, you look like a pirate who just found his booty. Pun intended.”
She looked up at Sam as she tried to come up with something smart ass to say about Chance. But how could she when he was tearing open the condom wrapper? She reached out, wanting to help him roll it on.
“No, Babe. I’ll lose it.” His voice was hoarse.
I did that to him. Me. Josie Decker.
Her bottom lip trembled. How was this even possible?
“Hey, hey. What’s this? Are you okay?” Sam asked softly as he threw the protection aside. He didn’t lie on top of her, instead he slid up against her side and hugged her against him. “What’s going on?”
“So much. Feeling your erection excites me.” She rubbed her calf against the outside of his thigh, opening herself to him.
“And?” he asked.
“But, it’s also overwhelming,” she admitted. Chance laid down on her other side. It felt so good having them both so close.
“Why overwhelming?” Chance asked in a low voice.
“I just keep thinking this is some kind of dream. How could I possibly be enough for two men? I mean, I just got it into my head I could capture and keep one good man, but two?”
She watched as Sam and Chance carried some kind of silent conversation above her head. She didn’t care if they excluded her, as long as they found a way to alleviate her fears. Because she was feeling emotionally and physically needy.
Sam wound his arm even tighter around her waist.
She flinched. Dammit! She hated that his hand was half-on, half-off her brace. It made her feel ugly. Sam gave her a sad smile.
“You do realize I feel the same way, right?” he asked seriously.
“You can’t believe two men are hot after you?” Chance teased.
“Chance,” Josie grumbled.
“Shut the fuck up,” Sam barked. “Treat this fucking seriously.”
Josie vaguely heard Chance’s apology but she was drowning in Sam’s dark green eyes. “It’s true, Josie. Look at this scar on my head,” he dragged his dark hair away from his forehead so she could easily see the red puckered mark. “I’m damaged goods. I’m not bringing in Chance’s business acumen. I’m not bringing in your innate goodness. I’m a washed out soldier on disability who probably does have PTSD, and just won’t own up to it.”
Great job, Decker. You wanted to feel good about yourself, and you did it by stepping on Sam.
“Don’t cry, Baby.” Sam cupped her cheeks, his thumbs catching her tears.
“I’m not crying,” she sniffed. She sniffed again. Great, they were going to have to buy stock in Kleenex. “Look, you got it wrong, Sam Booth.” She threw a pleading eye to Chance, hoping he would understand. But part of her didn’t care if he didn’t, because it was the truth.
“I care about both of you so much. I’m halfway down the bunny trail to love, but I got to tell you, I have never—and I mean never—felt so cherished and wanted and valued and cared fo
r as I have in your arms, Sam. The way you made love to me, that first night in my apartment, is a memory that I will hoard like precious treasure.”
Sam’s eyes glittered with more than just emotion.
“I treasure that night, too,” he whispered hoarsely.
“Sam, I feel less alone in the world because of you. It’s that simple.”
“Ah, Josie.” His smile was incandescent. Sam’s eyes heated, and she knew that her lover was back. This time when he stroked over her brace and his fingers traced along the scars on her back, she tingled with need. Her nipples were diamond hard as she rubbed them along Sam’s chest. His chest hair brushing against the sensitive tips felt sublime.
He settled her onto her back.
Josie grabbed at his broad shoulders, but Chance caught her hands. “Let him do for you. He needs this.” Chance kept her hands pinned beside her head.
How sexy is that?
Sam trailed his hand downward until he touched her between her legs. She crooked her knees flat against the mattress, doing anything she could think of to lure him closer. She saw his tight grin.
“You do it for me. We’ve established that, right?” Sam asked as he grabbed another condom from the nightstand and quickly rolled it on.
Mercy.
“When do I get to play with that?” Josie asked with a grin in her voice.
“When I can trust myself to last.”
Sam parted the folds of her sex with two fingers. “Ah, you’re ready for this aren’t you?”
“I believe Chance said something about me being an over-indulged cat on catnip-infused cream. I’m so ready that I think I’ll die if I don’t get to make love to you.”
Chance gave her hands an encouraging squeeze, telling her that interacting with Sam like this was right. She loved that. They truly were a triad.
Sam started skootching down on the bed.
“Dammit, Booth, any other day of the week oral sex would be high on my list. But if you do not give me what I need. Now. Right this absolute minute. I will not be responsible for my actions.”
She felt, rather than heard, Chance’s laughter.
Theirs To Treasure: Happily Ever After (Fate Harbor Book 1) Page 14
