Xane wolf-whistled. ‘If you go in the water in those, they’re going to come off.’
‘Is that a promise?’
‘Could be.’
‘And will you be taking yours off too?’
Xane gave her another kiss. Then he slipped off the jetty into the water and sank beneath the surface. He emerged a couple of seconds later, flicked his sodden black hair out of his eyes and flung his trunks onto the stone pier.
‘Woo hoo!’ Rock Giant cheered. He splashed over to Xane’s side, and then they both beckoned to Luthor. ‘Come on, little drummer boy, get your arse wet. And you too, Dani.’ Rock Giant reached for her, instantly sending her scuttling crab-like away from him.
‘No … no …’ she protested. No way was she going for a swim. She didn’t own a bathing costume, and skinnydipping was so far off her things-she-was-prepared-to-do list that skydiving while handcuffed to a safe and festooned in snakes ranked higher.
Luthor dipped down beside her. ‘Come in with us.’
She shook her head.
‘Please. It’ll be fun. I can loan you a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.’
‘I’d rather just watch.’
He cocked an eyebrow. ‘Have you swum in a lake before?’
She shook her head. Swimming had been off her agenda for a long, long time. She wasn’t even sure she could remember how to.
‘Stop stalling and get in here,’ Rock Giant called. He sent another huge wave hurtling towards them. It hit the wall and broke, sending an arc of water over the side. Luthor blocked her from the worst of it, so that his back and shorts were soaked, and rivulets of water dripped from his hair and rolled down his chest.
‘Sure I can’t tempt you in? I’ll help you dunk him.’
She smiled at the thought, but shook her head.
‘All right, I’ll stop pestering you, but what do you say about a kiss as a reward for my saving you from Rock Wanker?’
She wrinkled her nose. Both Xane and Rock Giant were watching them. Then puckered her lips and kissed his bent knee.
‘That wasn’t quite what I was hoping for, but I’ll take it.’ He winked at her, then stood and dropped his shorts, so that they puddled around his feet. A streak of white flesh hit the water.
Dani gawped at his empty shorts. They sat beside her like an open accusation. Coward! If Ginny was here, or Lykke or Hanne, they’d all have stripped and joined in the fun. What difference did a few marks on her skin really make? It wasn’t as if she thought any one of them would say anything. Then again, she couldn’t face the possibility that they might.
‘You’re not really going to sit on the side and watch these two molest each other, are you?’ Rock Giant called to her. He stuck his tongue out and made puking noises over the sight of Luthor and Xane entwined.
Dani watched them, and for the first time her heart didn’t automatically leap into her throat and threaten to choke her. They were beautiful together, hair slicked back, water droplets shimmering on their skin, and a whole lot of firm muscle. God help her, she was actually excited by the fact they were kissing. Next thing you knew, she’d be sharing Ginny’s fantasies of being sandwiched between them.
A hot flush washed upwards through her neck and face. Dani hid her blush by picking up a bottle of sunscreen and slathering it on.
OK, that fantasy was already quite real. Maybe tonight she’d let Luthor come to bed with them for real. What would that be like? Would his caress, the flick of his tongue feel different from Xane’s? Would he know how to please her? Or she him? He was built differently from Xane, still ripped, but far rangier. Nor did he have the tattoos or the piercings, or the line of golden hair that led down to his package. He actually didn’t have a whole lot of hair anywhere on him, other than on his head, and a little on his legs. Currently his golden-blond hair was slicked back off his face, which made him look more chiselled, sterner and older somehow.
‘Whaaaa! Dirtiness alert!’ Rock Giant’s siren call jerked her from her contemplation, as he planted his big hands on Luthor and Xane’s heads and dunked them both. ‘I’m not interested in swimming with either of your little swimmers.’
‘Paul, you fuckwit.’ Retaliation consisted of kicks and splashes that threatened to engulf her. Dani retreated towards the shore. A minute later, another pair of swimming trunks sailed into the air before landing with a splat at her feet. Rock Giant’s, she assumed. Their landing appeared to have signified the start of a race. The three men splashed towards the end of the pier. Rock Giant, who was by far the strongest swimmer, arrived first.
‘Don’t look,’ he yelled at her, as he climbed out. ‘The water’s too cold for me to live up to my nickname.’
Dani shielded her gaze with her hand, but only until he’d passed. She absolutely drank her fill of Xane and Luthor sprinting to catch him.
‘Come on,’ Xane yelled, ‘we’re going to the hot tub. Loser has to fetch the drinks.’ She waved them on but didn’t follow. If she did, the same conversation she’d just had about not wanting to strip off and get in would be repeated. It seemed best to simply avoid it altogether.
Instead of heading back to the house, Dani continued to follow the shoreline around to the left. She hadn’t explored this part of the property yet, but she understood the building by the water’s edge to be the recording studio. Behind a set of double doors lay an octagonal room, entirely covered in an elaborate mosaic of ships and mermaids and sunken treasure. There was no furniture besides a few lanterns suspended on chains from the ceiling, and a single bench comprised of driftwood. The sound equipment presumably lay at the top of the winding cast-iron stair.
Dani rested on the bench. It was quiet and cool here, and the way the sun peeped in through the keyhole-like windows lent the impression of being underwater. They were probably having fun in the hot tub. Maybe Ash and Ginny had even joined them. Warm bubbly water did sound nice. Maybe what she needed to get was one of those swimsuits that professional swimmers wore. The sort that looked like a tank top combined with cycling shorts, which would cover all her horrible bits.
Stupid marks!
She lifted her dress, exposing the scars on the tops of her thighs, and traced her fingertips over the tally lines. She ought not to let them have such power over her any more, and yet they did. Actually, she still allowed a lot of the things she’d had drummed into her at St Agatha’s to influence her choices. She did it unconsciously, all the time, frowned at certain behaviours, vilified particular acts, and yet of the things she’d always been taught were wrong and that would make her a bad person, but which she’d opened herself up to, nearly all had been pleasurable, hadn’t done anybody any harm and hadn’t caused a demon with a barbed cat o’ nine tails to appear and whip her straight to hell.
‘I’m going to let him touch me,’ she told the mermaid across the room. ‘I’m going to let—’ No, she was going to invite Xane and Luthor to take her to bed so they could have a threesome. She didn’t know if it was going to be today, or even tomorrow. Maybe it wouldn’t be for another week or maybe a month, but eventually. First she had to work on getting comfortable with the idea of a man other than Xane touching her, and that meant trying out kissing Luthor again. And not on the knee, but not necessarily on the lips either.
She closed her eyes and imagined all the places she might possibly choose to kiss him. Was he sensitive around his neck like Xane was? Did he like having his nipples sucked? What about the smooth skin between where his facial hair grew and his jaw?
A thread of birdsong drifted in from outside, and she yawned. It’d be interesting finding out. Lord, she hoped this party didn’t go on too late, because she was already whacked despite her nap. Xane definitely needed two lovers. He was too much for her on her own.
‘Dani. Dani …’ The next thing she knew she was being gently shaken awake and Xane was in the room with her. ‘Hey, sleepyhead.’ Behind a pair of contact lenses that ringed his irises in venomous fire, his eyes shone with amusement. ‘What are you do
ing in here?’
‘I just wanted to get out of the sun for a moment.’
‘And decided to take forty thousand winks while you were at it?’
She hadn’t intended to doze off, but she guessed she must have done, and possibly for a long time, since Xane was now dressed. He’d pulled on the leather jeans that sealed his thighs inside a tight second skin and always made her want to touch him. On top he wore a blue silk shirt that was open to the breastbone.
‘You’ll be glad to know you made the right choice over the hot tub. Rock Giant let off the stench fart of the century. Whole area now smells of brimstone.’
She was sure that was an exaggeration, but it made her smile nevertheless.
‘Can I interest you in some party food? Spook’s laid out enough to feed five thousand.’
‘I saw. I helped him put some of it out,’ she said.
‘Yeah, well, come and make him happy by eating a ton of it too. I’m also going to unwrap my presents. Apparently I have some.’
She stood, and holding hands they meandered back towards the house.
‘I only got you silly things,’ Dani admitted as they neared the patio where everyone was assembled. Someone had moved the garden swing and Ash was stretched full-length upon it, with his head on Ginny’s lap. ‘You’re not an easy man to buy for.’
‘I’m the easiest person in the world to buy for. Basically, I love everything. All right, not quite everything. I’m not overly fond of tax forms, or crappy articles that expose parts of my private life, but pretty much any sort of sex toy is good.’
She wouldn’t dare set foot inside a sex shop. She’d attended one Ann Summers party but only because Ginny had forced her to. ‘I could tie a ribbon around Luthor if you like.’
He would definitely like, she knew that.
‘I will love your silly things, Daniella Fosbrook, and it’s not necessary to gift-wrap Luthor.’ He chuckled, but his mirth quickly dispersed and his expression became uneasy. Xane brought her to a sudden standstill and caught hold of her hands. He lifted them to his mouth and kissed both sets of fingertips. ‘You do know that I really am sorry about last night.’
‘I know, Xane. And I know it won’t happen again.’
‘Oh, sweetheart.’ He crushed her to his chest, while his brow got all scrunched up into an even deeper frown. ‘I wish I could promise you that, but that would mean pretending I don’t have a problem, and unfortunately I do. It is mostly under control, but sometimes when something really crap happens, it’s like a switch gets flipped.’
‘I wasn’t meaning to extract a promise. I was actually saying that I’m not going to put you in that position with Luthor again. I’m ready to accept him as part of our relationship.’ She curled her fingers into the silk of Xane’s shirt and tugged him down towards her, so that she could seal her promise with a kiss.
‘You’re sure?’
She nodded. ‘No rules. No restrictions between us … any of us.’
‘You won’t regret this.’
‘Oh, I might. But I’m at least going to try to keep an open mind. And it might be fun making Ginny a teeny bit jealous, since Ash is never going to let her bring another person into their bed.’
‘Ash will give her absolutely anything she wants,’ Xane remarked, letting his affection for his friend bleed into his voice. ‘She just hasn’t worked that out yet. And she’s all talk, your friend Ginny, anyway. She only actually wants Ash.’
Chapter 26
‘Xane, get up here! Ash is threatening to light the barbecue.’
‘Xane, get up here, Rock Giant’s being a twat.’
Xane, for the love of everything sacred, please save me from these idiots. The last plea was a silent one from Spook, who didn’t have to move his lips for Xane to know what that look meant. Their host might have the disposition of a UN peacekeeper, but even he got worn out by all the nonsense occasionally.
‘I’m here. Quit hollering.’ Xane slapped Paul around the back of the head as he passed him, and waggled a finger at Ash. ‘Grow the fuck up, will you? You’re supposed to be adults.’
‘Is that why we’re having jelly and trifle for dessert?’ Ash enquired from flat on his back. Ginny was putting braids in his chin-length fringe.
Xane let go of Dani’s hand in order to grab them both beers from the crateful of ice standing beneath a sunshade. Someone had lined the spirit bottles up like skittles a few yards away.
‘Come sit next to me,’ he heard Luthor say. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Dani slip onto a spot on the padded wicker bench beside him. Go on, he thought, watching Luthor tip his head towards her. Just do it. Kiss her. While they’re all looking.
‘Ah, man, it’s bad enough you keep screwing him, let alone allowing him to move in on your girl.’ The remark exploded from Rock Giant’s mouth along with a spray of beer the moment Luthor and Dani’s lips touched.
‘Zip it, Paul.’ Spook clonked their bassist on the head with a tray of nibbles, causing several of the items to hop off and end up on the floor.
‘You’re just jealous no one is offering to snog you.’ Xane eyeballed Paul, while smiling at the fact that Dani had relaxed against Luthor and accepted his putting his arm around her shoulders. The sight probably ought to have sparked a few jealous twinges, but instead it made him feel light-hearted.
‘It’s true that a bit of intimacy with a pretty lady wouldn’t go amiss,’ Rock Giant admitted, stroking his chin. He looked up at Xane. ‘Take a perch and let’s get the present-giving done. In the absence of a good woman, I need a revoltingly huge slice of chocolate and mushroom cake.’
To his horror, Xane saw that his birthday cake was indeed decorated with mushrooms – red and white fondant icing ones, thank fuck! He took a perch on the bench beside Dani. ‘So, who wants to go first?’
‘My presents for you are inside. Shall I fetch them?’ Dani asked, sitting forward.
‘You can help me unwrap them later,’ he replied, thinking about what she’d said about wrapping up Luthor.
‘Start with mine.’ Ginny retrieved a package that was tucked between her and the cushioned back of the swing and waved it at him. ‘Hope you like it.’
Xane gave the rectangular box a shake, listening to see if the sort of rattle it made gave him any clues. It didn’t, so he tore off the paper.
‘Sorry, I couldn’t think of anything that was more appropriate,’ Ginny apologised to Ash.
‘Oh, that’s brilliant!’ Xane cackled. He held up the box to show them all. ‘It’s a mould-a-model-of-your-own-cock dildo kit.’ He winked at his two lovers. ‘We can have fun with that later tonight.’
Rock Giant buried his face in a cushion. He was sprawled out on the floor on top of a pile of them. ‘Marvellous, Ginny, now he can actually fuck himself. It’s the perfect ego-wanking tool.’
‘Do you want one too? I got a whole batch of them. Thought I could model the whole group, and then offer them for purchase. I reckon the Black Halo fangirls would go wild for them. Pick your favourite Black Halo knob and take it home for the night. Satisfaction guaranteed. At least until the batteries die.’
‘If I catch you actually trying to market those, I’m going to—’
The rest of Ash’s sentence was smothered as Ginny gave him a cock-stirring kiss.
‘Here.’ Spook slapped what appeared to be a card into Xane’s hands. Inside were tickets for him and two guests to stay in the famous Ice Hotel.
‘Thank you. Um, I’m forgetting to give thank-you kisses.’ He kissed his fingers and pressed them to the top of Ginny’s head, since she was still busy with Ash. Spook eyed him and raised his hands. ‘I don’t need a thank-you kiss.’
‘Yeah, well, maybe I’m giving you one anyway.’
‘Because the press need more evidence to support the bollocks claim we’re involved.’
‘Oh, shut the fuck up and come here.’ Xane fisted his hand in Spook’s long hair and tugged him forward. He smacked a kiss upon his lips and then
let Spook go. ‘See, it didn’t kill you. Now, who’s next?’
Ash raised his hand. ‘I’m sorry, man, but I’ve been locked up in hospital, chained to a bed.’
‘The best present you can give me is seeing you fighting fit again. I do, however, have something for you.’
Ash’s brows creased with puzzlement. ‘I hope it’s not a kiss.’
‘Is it a Danger Mouse T-shirt that actually fits him?’ Ginny asked.
‘The one I have fits.’
‘It does not.’
Xane turned to ask Spook if he’d go and fetch the gift, to find his friend had already thought of that, and was just coming out of the side door carrying the case. Ash saw him and was on his feet immediately. ‘Is that a guitar? Oh, my God, what have you got me?’
‘Open it up and see.’
Kneeling on the ground, Ash snapped open the case catches. He paused, wet his lips and flung open the lid. ‘Oh, fucking hell! That is an absolute beauty. What is that, a ’58 Gibson?’ He clenched both fists before him and shook them. Then did a celebratory lap of the patio that involved hurdling several flowerpots, while Ginny yelled at him to sit down, because he wasn’t supposed to be exerting himself.
‘You did say white wasn’t your colour.’
Ash returned to his present, and lifted it from the case. He settled the strap around his shoulders.
‘It’s actually a ’53 Goldtop conversion to a ’58,’ Xane explained.
‘Rosewood fretboard, mahogany body. And what have we here? A couple of humbuckers, Kluson-Deluxe tuners. Nice weight. Strings are nice and low too. She’s an absolute beauty. I love it.’ Ash settled his fingers upon the frets as if he was about to play, but a dark shadow passed across his face. It stripped away the glee that had consumed him only seconds before. He passed the guitar to Spook, who stowed it back in its case. ‘Thank you. It’ll be perfect once I’m fully functioning again.’ He curled his right hand into a fist, and then sat back down on the swing.
Come Alive Page 23
