Sand, Surf and Sunnie

by Rhian Cahill

  “It’s easy to block it out at home. As long as I can’t see it I’m okay.”

  “I’d close the curtains if there were any,” Z said. He rolled to his side and leaned over her. “But maybe I can distract you.”

  Z slanted his mouth over hers, his lips warm and soft as he nibbled from one corner to the other. She moaned and he took advantage of her parted lips to slide his tongue inside. With gentle sweeps and teasing strokes, he wiped everything from her mind except his tender kisses. Caught up in Z’s tantalizing touch, Sunnie gasped when Rand’s mouth began nibbling her fingers. Each digit received the same dedicated care before he slowly made his way up her arm, pushing her sleeve up as he went. He nipped and licked a trail along the delicate skin of her wrist, up to the tender flesh inside her elbow. Goose bumps sprang up and a shiver rippled over her from head to toe, but it had nothing to do with fear.

  She forgot all about the storm outside. Her attention was held completely by the two men lavishing her body with lush kisses and soothing strokes. They pulled her into a decadent world where only the three of them existed. Hands glided over flesh hidden beneath clothes, each slide a heart-stopping brush of comfort. Arousal simmered, flowed over her like warm water and filled her with contentment. As they continued to assault her body with easy touches, Sunnie slipped into such a relaxed state that her anxiety of the last few hours melted away.

  Rand’s mouth found her neck, his teeth scraping over her chin. Z pulled his mouth from hers and worked his way across her cheek to her ear where he licked at her lobe, toying with the soft flesh before sucking it between his lips and nipping it with his teeth. Sunnie reached out, her fingers touching hot, hard muscle beneath thin cloth. Both wore T-shirts and she took her time, her fingers exploring their glorious bodies. With every touch, every kiss, Sunnie’s concerns slipped away until the only thing that mattered was loving these men. Being loved by them.

  Their movements slowed, their kisses turning to soft pecks as they settled into a comfortable embrace. Bracketed between Rand and Z, Sunnie couldn’t deny the rightness of the three of them together. She couldn’t guarantee fear wouldn’t grab hold of her again or that she wouldn’t screw up due to her insecurities, but she could promise—to herself if not them—to not let her doubts get the better of her. From now on she’d open her mind, as well as her heart, to all they could have together. With her concerns eased and the guys surrounding her with their warmth it wasn’t long before she slipped into sleep.

  Rand gazed down at a sleeping Sunnie. On the other side of her, Z snored softly. The last twenty-four hours had proven exhausting for all of them. Neither of his friends had lasted long after they’d snuggled under the blankets. Their simple touches and kisses had soothed Sunnie’s fears and she’d finally relaxed before drifting off, with Z right behind her. But Rand couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t switch off his mind no matter how hard he tired. He’d known these two were a big part of his life, only he hadn’t realized how big until now. If they couldn’t make this work, if they screwed up the friendship they’d built over a lifetime, Rand wasn’t sure how he’d cope. Or if he even could.

  With a sigh, he sank back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling. When he’d suggested they take their friendship further he never imagined the complicated emotions involved. Never once considered that what he’d felt for his two friends could be more. So much more. He and Z had always been close, closer than brothers in many ways, but their connection went deeper than that. If he had to put a name to it, Rand would have to say he loved Zeke Nolan. While there was no physical desire between them, he loved Z in every other way one would for the person they wanted to spend their life with. And wasn’t that a kicker?

  If someone had told him he’d be fearful of losing the love of his best friend before today, he would have laughed. Rand honestly hadn’t known the depth of his feelings for Z or how tangled they were with how he felt about Sunnie. He wasn’t sure if he could explain it, this bone-deep love that had built over the years. It wasn’t new. Without him noticing, the two people beside him had woven their way not only around his heart, but through his soul and the very fabric of his life. The knowledge had been there all along, but he’d never recognized it. Why would he, when they were so much a part of him and his everyday life that he didn’t think of them as separate from himself?

  Next to him, Sunnie stirred. She rolled over and curled into his side. The press of her body against his didn’t fail to snag his attention. His cock swelled within the confines of his pants. They’d crawled into bed fully clothed and, while he wasn’t uncomfortable, he wasn’t exactly at ease either, especially now that his libido was taking notice of the woman plastered to him. He drew in a breath and her scent filled his nose, reminding him of the taste of her skin. Rand tried to ignore his growing arousal, but he couldn’t resist sliding his arm under her and pulling her closer.

  “Can’t sleep?”

  Her husky voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “It’s okay.” Sunnie placed her hand on his chest, her fingers splayed over his heart. “What’s wrong?”

  “What makes you think anything’s wrong?”

  “You get insomnia when you worry about things.”

  She knew him so well. They may not have shared a bed before, but they’d been close in every other way. He sighed. “I never expected it to be so much.”

  Her body went rigid beside him. “Too much?”

  “No. Not that.” Rand turned so they were face-to-face. He brushed the hair from her forehead with his fingertips. “I just never knew the depth of our friendship or mine with Z. I’m a little shocked and embarrassed to admit I never realized how much you’re both a part of me—how deeply connected we all are.” He glanced over at where Z slept.

  “I know.” She smiled. “It’s like it was always there, waiting for us to find.”

  “Yeah.” He ran his fingers down her cheek. “I think getting naked has stripped bare more than our bodies.”

  “I don’t want to screw this up, Brandon.” Moisture filled her eyes and she blinked rapidly. “I can’t lose either of you.”

  “You won’t.”

  “You can’t guarantee that.”

  “No, I guess not, but I can guarantee I’ll do everything I can to make this work.” He leaned forward, pressed his lips to hers in a quick kiss. “We can make this work, Sunshine, for all of us.”

  “I’ll second that.” Z rolled over and spooned against Sunnie’s back. “If we really want this—and I do, more than anything I’ve ever wanted—then I have absolutely no doubt we’ll make it work.”

  “I don’t know how to do this,” Sunnie said. “Every relationship I’ve ever had has been dysfunctional in some way or blown up in my face. I don’t want that for us.”

  “The odds are in our favor.” Z sat up and rested his chin on Sunnie’s arm. “There’s three of us fighting for the same thing.”

  “But that means three different opinions. Three different perspectives. Three times the chance we’ll disagree on something,” Sunnie said.

  “Three times the love.” Sunnie opened her mouth, and Rand placed his fingers over her lips before she could protest further. “I’m not saying we’ll agree on everything, but look at us now. We’re all in agreement about what we want, and as long as we keep that in sight I think we stand a better than average chance of making it.”

  “Instead of worrying about what might happen, let’s take it one day at a time. Enjoy each moment we have and attack any problems as they arise,” Z said.

  “How about it, Sunshine? Are you game?” Rand asked.

  She took a moment and Rand held his breath. Waited for her to accept what he and Z offered. He didn’t really doubt she would, but those few seconds before she answered were the longest in his life. She nodded. Air rushed from his lungs as relief surged through him. But Rand wanted things to be clear right from the start.

  “So we agree we’re going to pursue
a permanent relationship between the three of us?”

  “You bet,” Z answered.

  Sunnie nodded.

  “Not good enough, Sunshine.” Rand tapped her nose with his fingertip. “Say it.”

  “Yes.”

  Rand smiled, his lips stretching farther and farther until his cheeks hurt. “Great. Now let’s get some sleep. We’ve got plans to make tomorrow.”

  “Plans?” Sunnie asked.

  “Well, first we’ll have to buy a bigger bed.” Z grinned. “Sleeping in this one is no trouble, but none of us has a king at home.”

  “Z’s right. First order of the day is purchasing new bedroom furniture and possibly thinking about renovating the house to accommodate the three of us sharing a room,” Rand added.

  “Oh. I just thought we’d still have separate rooms.”

  Rand could see fear in Sunnie’s eyes. “Don’t panic. We won’t rush into anything except the bed. I’ve been meaning to get a new one anyway. The rest can wait.”

  Z slid his arm around Sunnie’s waist and hugged her from behind, his hand encircling the arm Rand already had draped over her. “Sounds like a plan, but right now all I want to do is hold you both close and go to sleep,” Z said.

  His friend yawned and Rand soon followed. Leaning over, he kissed Sunnie’s forehead. “I’m with Z. Time for sleep.”

  Sunnie closed her eyes and whispered, “Thank you.”

  “What for?” Rand asked.

  “Not giving up on me.”

  Rand smiled. “Sunshine, I couldn’t walk away from this—from us—if someone had a gun to my head. I’ve never felt anything as right as being with you and Z.”

  “Ditto.” Z kissed her shoulder. “Now sleep. We get to go shopping with Rand’s credit card tomorrow.”

  She smiled. “Nothing better than spending someone else’s money.”

  He chuckled. “I might be paying for the bed, but Z is buying the hundred percent silk sheets.”

  “Fine, but no pink and no flowers,” Z said.

  Sunnie laughed. The robust, genuine sound was music to Rand’s ears.

  Chapter Eight

  Laughing so hard her sides ached, Sunnie climbed into the back of Z’s car as the guys slipped into the front and shut the doors. Laughter filled the interior while they buckled seat belts and Z started the engine. She glanced out the rear window to see if the saleslady was still watching them, but they’d parked well away from the front of the store and the woman would need to come out of the shop to see them.

  “Oh my God, did you see the look on her face?” Rand asked through his laughter.

  “Her face turned so red I thought she’d had a stroke.” Z choked back his own laughter.

  Catching her breath, Sunnie said, “What did you expect when you insisted we all test the mattress for comfort?”

  Rand turned to look at her. “We’ll all be sleeping on it so we have to agree on which one we get.”

  Sunnie slumped back against the seat. “I had no idea there were so many mattresses to choose from. I’ll admit I’m looking forward to sleeping on it though. Damn, that padded top felt good.”

  “Fucking amazing is a better description.” Z looked over his shoulder and reversed out of the parking spot. “Lucky for us they have one at the warehouse so we only have to wait one night before we get to enjoy it.”

  “I’ll get the new bedding washed when we get home so it’s ready to put on tomorrow.” Sunnie thought about the quilt, cover, and sheets they’d stashed in the trunk.

  They’d picked a striking navy blue with white stripes for the quilt cover and pale blue sheets, not silk like Rand suggested, but the cotton was so soft she couldn’t wait to curl up beneath the quilt and feel the fabric slide against her skin. A shiver skittered down her spine at the thought of diving under the covers with Rand and Z. It wasn’t the first time arousal had surfaced today, but they’d had so much fun shopping for their new bed that the tension hadn’t drawn too tight. Sunnie had been able to forget her fears and enjoy their time together.

  Turning to look out the side window, Sunnie watched the scenery go by with little interest. Instead she thought about how good the day had been. How, even though she feared it would be awkward shopping for such an intimate piece of furniture, it had been anything but. Their likes were so similar they hadn’t argued about any of their choices. In fact, when they entered the store they all zeroed in on the bedding immediately. The blue-and-white set, on prominent display right inside the front doors, had drawn each of them over, their fingers brushing over the soft material. Sunnie remembered laughing with relief at their mutual appreciation.

  They’d collected their bedding choice and headed for the section where the mattresses and frames were displayed. Z told them not to bother looking at frames as he planned to make them one uniquely theirs, so they concentrated on the mattress and base set. Sunnie had giggled as Z went from bed to bed, bouncing on them to test their sturdiness. Rand frowned, but followed along behind him. They spent ages testing each one, making her climb on in the middle while they stretched out on either side to determine which one suited them best. When the saleswoman finally came over their decision had been made.

  Sunnie thought she’d die of embarrassment when Rand and Z started discussing the merits of the mattress with the saleswoman. They made no secret of the fact the three of them would be sharing the bed. Once she noticed the woman was far more uncomfortable with the situation than herself, Sunnie couldn’t help but smile and enjoy the guys’ silliness. She was sure they played it up to make the poor woman turn even redder and, by the time Rand had signed the last of the paperwork for delivery of the bed, Sunnie had no choice but to walk away or risk laughing in the woman’s face.

  Z turned into their driveway and pushed the remote control to open the roller door. With a smile on her lips, Sunnie waited for him to pull into the garage. When he stopped and put the car in park she frowned and wondered what was wrong. Rand’s quietly uttered fuck made her insides churn, but that was nothing compared to the heavy ball of dread that fell to the pit of her stomach when she heard her mother’s shriek.

  “Sunshine Michaels!”

  Cold sweat broke out on Sunnie’s skin as the immaculately dressed Phoebe Michaels came running down the front steps. Sunnie unbuckled her seat belt and scrambled out of the car. “What? What’s wrong?”

  “How could you?” Her mother gripped her forearms and shook before dragging Sunnie toward the road. “You know how horrible my life has been. How those bastards took advantage of me and left me to pick up the pieces.”

  “What?” Sunnie had no idea what her mother was carrying on about. She dug in her heels and halted Phoebe’s mad dash. “Stop, Mother. I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”

  Phoebe turned, her eyes filled with tears and her cheeks streaked with wet tracks as she looked Sunnie up and down. “I hoped they wouldn’t do this to me. Hoped they wouldn’t destroy my life completely by corrupting you to their way of thinking.”

  “What are you talking about?” Sunnie finally managed to pull free of her mother’s grasp.

  “You.” Phoebe pointed in Rand and Z’s direction. “Them. Your fathers.”

  Sunnie shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

  “You and these two.” Phoebe waved her hand over Sunnie’s shoulder, her mouth pinched in disgust. “They’re perverted, just like your fathers. I prayed this wouldn’t happen. Hoped you’d be normal, but they couldn’t even let me have that. They had to take away every last shred of my happiness.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking—”

  “Of course you do. It’s written all over your face. I can see it in your eyes and the smug smile on your lips. Not to mention the knowing grins on their faces.” Phoebe again waved a hand in Rand and Z’s direction. “You’re fucking both of them and screwing up my life at the same time.”

  Phoebe burst into tears. Gut-wrenching sobs that doubled her over and Sunnie was at a loss as
to what to do. Sunnie began to understand what her mother was talking about and a knot twisted tight in her stomach as she realized their secret was out. Her mother continued to sob and curse. She’d never had a physically demonstrative relationship with her mother, but watching Phoebe cry her eyes out had Sunnie stepping forward and wrapping her arm around her.

  “Shh, it’s okay.” Sunnie didn’t know what to think of her mother’s meltdown, never mind the guilt her mother’s words made her feel.

  “No it’s not,” Phoebe wailed. “My daughter is a freak just like them.”

  Sunnie stiffened. A freak? Memories of childhood taunts flooded her mind. She glanced over her shoulder at Rand and Z, only feet away, and remembered all they’d done in bed together. Bile rose in her throat.

  “What will people say?” Phoebe wailed. “You’ll lose your job when the school finds out.”

  Oh God! Her mother was right. How could she possibly believe it was okay to be with both of them? Z made a move toward her and Sunnie shook her head. She needed to think, needed to get out of here, take her hysterically ranting mother home and figure out what to do now. One thing was certain. Phoebe might be screwed up in many ways, but she was right about this. Her mother knew from experience there was nothing normal about being involved with more than one man.

  “Come on, Mother, where are your keys? I’ll drive you home.” Sunnie ushered her mother toward the street and the sexy little convertible parked at the curb. The car was new, but she’d worry about where her mother got the money for this latest extravagance after she’d put some distance between herself and the two men standing in the driveway behind her.

  “Yes, yes, take me home.” Phoebe sniffled around her tears. “I need to lie down. My life is destroyed. How could you ruin my life like them?”

  “Sunnie?”

  Rand’s question made her feet falter, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t face them, couldn’t prevent the need to flee taking over, so she raised her voice and kept walking. “I’m taking my mother home.”