Strength In Numbers 1: Double Jeopardy

by Rachel Bo

  What about the bond? the voice chided. Yes, what about that? It was frightening to think that someone else could know her thoughts and feel what she felt. Letting someone that close gave new meaning to the word ‘intimate’. At times, especially with Sutter’s thoughts—so primal, so urgent—the bond had seemed like an invasion. But more often, it had been an expansion of awareness unlike anything she’d ever known before—living two lives at once. Feeling for the first time what it was like to be a man—so painfully tight, then exploding in ecstasy. Kendall drew in a shuddering breath, her body warming with the memory. She could almost understand now why men were so eager to bypass foreplay and get to the finish line. That’s right; they were enjoying themselves, her internal voice continued. Kendall bit her lip, picturing again her less-than-perfect body writhing between them. No, no, no, the voice insisted. This isn’t about them, it’s about you. Your insecurities. If you want to know how they really feel, it’s as easy as a touch.

  It was true. Whatever else she might doubt, she couldn’t deny that. The bond between them was real. Scary, but real. And she didn’t think it would be possible to lie to someone through that intimate connection. Talk to them, the voice urged. Give them a chance. “But it won’t work!” she wailed aloud. She was thirty-two years old. She was ready for a home. Children. Something permanent. The silent room mocked her. Kendall stood and made her way to the shower

  * * * * *

  She knew the moment they entered the shop. Every nerve in her body tingled. Kendall turned away from the register. When they reached the counter, she walked over and waited, twirling the pencil in her hands nervously.

  “About last night,” Josh began. Kendall felt heat rising in her cheeks and looked away.

  “It wasn’t a mistake, Kendall. You know that.”

  Kendall looked from him to Sutter and waited. Even without touch, she could feel how much they were hurting. “Are you sure about that?” she asked softly. The silence stretched for several minutes, until Kendall felt tears forming and blinked rapidly to keep them from falling. How silly, she thought. I barely know them. But the urge to cry wouldn’t go away. Please, she thought. Say something.

  “I’ll say something,” Sutter said.

  Kendall’s heart skipped a beat. “How did you—”

  “It’s easier for us,” Sutter said. “We don’t have to be touching. Eventually, you’ll feel us even when we’re hundreds of miles away. That is, if…” He glanced at Josh and stopped.

  I’m scared, Kendall thought, looking into the stormy pools that were Josh’s eyes. She tried to look away and couldn’t. “What happened?” he asked.

  Kendall saw again that reflection on the TV screen. Josh’s gaze narrowed. She thrust the image aside. “I’m thirty-two years old,” she said.

  “So?”

  Kendall moved over to a rack of fantasy bookmarks and began sorting displaced stock onto the correct hangers. “I’m ready to settle down,” she said. “Get married. Maybe even start a family.”

  “Okay.”

  Kendall froze. “What did you say?”

  “Okay,” Josh repeated.

  Kendall turned slowly to face them. “What—” She swallowed as her voice cracked, then tried again. “What does that mean?”

  “Settle down with us,” Josh said. “Marry us. Have children with us.”

  “You can’t possibly mean that. You barely know me.”

  Josh shook his head. “We know you better than you know yourself.”

  Kendall took an involuntary step toward them. Everything in her wanted to say yes. To laugh—to cry—for joy.

  “Kendall.” Sutter’s voice was thick with emotion. “We’ve been waiting for you. We love you.”

  “That’s crazy.” Kendall shook her head. “We just met!”

  Sutter held out his hand. Kendall took another step, and another. When she was close enough, Sutter grasped her hand tightly, like a drowning man. “We love you,” he repeated.

  Kendall shook her head again. “It couldn’t possibly work. I’m ten years older than you. You’ll be going away to law school. I’ll—” She gasped as Sutter’s mind invaded hers. It was very different from the joining of the night before. This time he was probing. Searching. Pulling at her thoughts.

  “Stop!” Kendall tried to tug her hand away.

  “Show me.”

  Kendall struggled to break away. “Josh?” He stood silent, watching. Then he reached out and rested his hand on Sutter’s shoulder.

  “You’re hurting me!”

  “Show us, Kendall.”

  “Fine!” Angry, Kendall thrust forward the thoughts and images that had entered her mind the night before. Sutter’s anger faded, and his features softened. He released his grasp and cupped her face in his hands. “How can you think that way? You’re beautiful,” he whispered. He kissed her passionately. “Every inch of you.”

  Josh leaned in and whispered in her ear. “And we’re going to spend the rest of our lives making sure you believe it.”

  Kendall’s pulse raced. She wanted to believe, but… “How can this work?” she asked.

  “Just give it some time,” he urged. “We’ll take it slow. Get to know each other a little better. We’ll find a way.” His voice deepened. Husky. Seductive. Kendall gasped as her mind flooded with their admiration, desire, love. “Now that we’ve found you, we’ll never let you go.”

  She closed her eyes and tried to bring to mind that image she’d built. Of herself and a quiet, sensible man; the two of them ensconced in a charming little house with two cars, two kids and a dog. Living a quiet, sensible life in a quiet, sensible neighborhood. She couldn’t do it.

  Sutter’s hand followed the curve of her neck, his fingers slipped into the warm hollow between her breasts. He pushed aside her bra, releasing one protruding nipple. “Say yes, Kendall,” he whispered.

  Kendall moaned. Glancing quickly around, Sutter pulled her neckline down, exposing the dark, straining nub. Josh leaned across the counter and circled the taut peak with his tongue.

  In Kendall’s mind, their desire was a red tide threatening to sweep her away. “Yes,” she gasped. Josh raised his head. Kendall opened her eyes as his warm, wet touch receded.

  “Yes to this,” he murmured, rolling her flushed nipple between a thumb and forefinger, “Or yes—to everything?”

  “To everything,” Kendall moaned. God, her pussy was throbbing. She considered climbing onto the counter and begging them to fuck her, right there.

  Josh’s eyes flashed. “Are you sure?”

  Kendall nodded, no longer certain exactly what question she was answering. He looked toward the door of the shop, then came around the counter. With one powerful movement, he had lifted her onto the counter. “Lie down,” he commanded.

  Kendall hesitated. Anyone passing by outside could look in and see, but with her own need and their desire coursing through her veins, she found she couldn’t care less. She leaned back and raised her legs. Josh pushed her skirt up over her knees. Sutter stepped forward. Kendall gasped as they slipped their fingers beneath her panties, fingering her cunt. “Oh, God,” she moaned.

  Rapidly, they pumped their fingers in and out. Kendall’s pussy became wetter with each stroke. “God, yes!”

  “That’s it, Kendall.” Josh glanced out the window as a car pulled into the parking lot. “Come for us, baby,” he urged. “Come!”

  Kendall sucked in a deep breath as her pussy spasmed, clutching at the firm fingers twisting inside her. She reached out and held them still, deep within her, back arching as her orgasm peaked.

  They removed their fingers and Josh lifted her to the floor as the bell over the door jangled, retaining his grip on her waist until her panting subsided and her rubbery legs would support her. He stepped out from behind the counter and Kendall turned to face them, her cheeks warm.

  Sutter brought his fingers to his nose and inhaled deeply, bringing an even deeper rose flush to Kendall’s cheeks. She glanced behind him,
making sure her customers hadn’t noticed. “Can we see you tonight?” he asked.

  Kendall nodded.

  “When do you close?”

  Kendall swallowed. She seemed to be having difficulty finding her voice. “Eight o’clock,” she finally said.

  “We’ll be back to pick you up at eight-thirty.”

  Kendall smiled and nodded as a couple walked up and began studying the jewelry display. Stepping out from behind the counter, she gestured for Sutter and Josh to follow her to the door. “What should I wear?” she asked.

  “We own a beach house,” Sutter offered. “It’s very private. We could have a bonfire.” He allowed his gaze to travel hungrily over Kendall’s body, then grinned wickedly. “Maybe do a little skinny-dipping.”

  Kendall’s nipples tightened abruptly. “That sounds—very nice,” she agreed, rather breathlessly.

  Sutter leaned in and kissed her goodbye, flooding her senses with his desire until her knees turned to putty. When the bell over the door jangled again, Kendall pushed him away. “Go!” she ordered.

  Her two lovers reluctantly moved away. “Oh, and pack a bag,” Sutter suggested just before the door swung shut behind them.

  Chapter Four

  Taking the Plunge

  Kendall locked the doors precisely at eight and rushed up to her apartment to change. She slipped into jeans and a loose t-shirt and stared at herself in the mirror. Hair up or down? At first, she was leaning toward wearing it loose, but finally pinned it up in a curly mass on her head. She thought for a moment, then grabbed a canvas bag and tucked in a nightgown and clothes for the next day. Then she went over to the dresser and opened a drawer, staring down at her navy-blue, one-piece skirted swimsuit. Josh had said they’d be skinny-dipping, but Kendall couldn’t picture herself naked in front of them. Pulling it out, she walked over to the mirror and held it before her. Yuck, she thought. This is NOT how I want them to see me.

  Sudden inspiration hit, and she went back to the dresser, digging in the bottom drawer until she came up with the gift her friends had given her a few years back, when they were trying to convince her to broaden her horizons a bit—live a little dangerously. It was still in the box. A nightshirt made completely of loose-woven white lace. She pulled it out and slipped it over her head. The lacy confection softened her silhouette and made her appear slimmer. It might be a little chilly on the beach, but there would be a fire, and it was still early November. Temperatures for the last few days had been in the low eighties.

  Kendall smiled at herself in the mirror, then pulled off the shirt and slipped it into her bag. Turning, she stepped into her sandals, then went into the bathroom and snagged her toothbrush and toothpaste. She thought about putting on more makeup, but decided against it. In the fall and winter, she usually wore mascara and a touch of blush; in the summer, mascara and a light pink, frosted lipstick that looked good with her tan, but other than that she rarely wore a lot of makeup. She would just be herself. Fortunately, Josh and Sutter seemed more than willing to accept her as she was. The doorbell rang, and Kendall grabbed her bag and purse and headed into the living room.

  “Hi!” Kendall smiled and stepped outside, turning back to lock the door. At the sight of her jeans stretched tight and smooth across her buttocks, Josh’s cock immediately began to swell. He had never received any relief the night before, and it had been hours before his erection finally subsided. The sudden rush of blood to his penis was surprisingly painful. Josh put his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck. He wanted to rub his throbbing cock against her, but was still concerned about what had happened the previous night, and decided not to push it. Besides, as aroused as he was, he was likely to shoot his load right away, and that would definitely spoil the fun. Kendall dropped her keys into her purse and turned, kissing him lightly on the cheek. He took her hand and they jogged down the steps and around to the front, where Sutter was waiting in the car.

  The three of them made small talk during the forty-five minutes it took to reach their destination. Sutter finally pulled off the highway onto a winding dirt road that led to a house perched on a rocky promontory. He pulled into the drive and cut the engine.

  “Wow!” Kendall stepped out of the car, awed. The house was built sort of like a log cabin but with logs more slender than was traditional, and on a huge scale. They walked up the steps to the front porch. Carved into a half-medallion above the front door were a handful of cavorting dolphins, polished to the point where they glimmered in the moonlight. Kendall noticed similar adornments above the windows, and mermaids ornamented the shutters flanking them. “These are beautiful,” she breathed.

  “Josh designed it,” Sutter offered.

  Josh smiled. “But Sutter’s the artist. He did the carvings.”

  “My God! Really?” Kendall asked. “These are fantastic! I didn’t know you were an artist.”

  Sutter seemed uncomfortable. “I’m not.”

  Josh frowned and started to speak, but then shook his head and unlocked the front door, ushering Kendall inside.

  Highly polished wood gleamed everywhere. A dark stain on the logs that made up the wall of the living room to her right served as an effective backdrop for pieces of furniture fashioned of a lighter-colored wood. An unusual fur rug—nearly black, with silvery strands interspersed—covered the floor in front of a fireplace which was faced in natural stones. A low dividing wall stood between the living area and the den beyond which contained a pool table and recliner at one end, a big-screen television and stereo system fronted by a comfortable-looking overstuffed couch at the other end. A wall of windows offered a stunning view of the gulf.

  “This place is beautiful.”

  Josh shrugged as though it wasn’t important, but appeared very pleased.

  “Can I put those up for you?” Sutter asked, reaching for her purse and bag.

  “Well, are we still going down to the beach?”

  Sutter nodded.

  “Then I guess I should change first.”

  Sutter showed her to the bathroom. “We’ll wait for you on the deck out back.” Kendall nodded, shutting the door behind her. She sat on the side of the tub, her heart pounding. Quickly, before she had time to see herself in the mirror and change her mind, she slipped out of her clothes and pulled the lace shirt over her head. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, then pulled open the door and stepped out.

  As she entered the pool room, a light breeze wafted into the house from the door that now stood open onto the deck. Sutter and Josh were sitting at a picnic table outside, talking in low tones. Kendall stepped out into the night. Sutter glanced over and uttered a long, low whistle. Kendall blushed and looked away.

  Josh swallowed hard. The breeze teased at Kendall’s lace cover-up, conforming it to her generous curves. Beneath the lace, her skin was bare, gleaming in the moonlight.

  Sutter and Josh exchanged glances. “To the beach?” Sutter asked.

  “Definitely.”

  “Kendall?” She nodded. Sutter grabbed a lantern, lighter fluid and a box of fireplace matches from the top of the picnic table, and led the way down a meandering set of steps that ended at the beach.

  There was a pile of wood already assembled there. Sutter squirted some lighter fluid onto the lower branches and lit several matches, throwing them into the heap. In a few short minutes, he had a nice fire burning.

  Josh had spread out a blanket on the sand a little way from the fire and was sitting there, watching Kendall. She walked over and settled onto the ground beside him. Sutter joined them, and there was an awkward silence. They sat staring at each other for several minutes, until Kendall finally laughed.

  “What’s so funny?” Sutter asked.

  “The two of you,” she said. Her eyes danced with humor. “You were so bold when you didn’t have me.” She leaned back on her arms, flickering firelight offering the briefest glimpses of her bare skin beneath the lace. “Don’t you know what to do with me now th
at you do?”

  Sutter’s eyes glinted in the glow from the fire. Josh hesitated, but then both he and Sutter were moving forward, pushing Kendall back against the blanket. They ran their hands over the curves of her breasts, the mound of her tummy, down along her thighs. Again and again, over the lace. Sultry heat invaded Kendall’s limbs, whipped into eddies of desperate longing until she was breathless with the desire to feel their flesh against hers. “Josh,” she whispered. He reached out and cupped one of her breasts in his hand, his skin tantalizingly warm against the bits of flesh exposed through the lacy mesh.

  Josh bent and covered her nipple with his mouth, teasing the bits of skin that showed through the lace with his tongue. Kendall moaned and reached up, tangling the fingers of one hand in his curly hair. With the other, she reached out and grasped one of Sutter’s hands, bringing it to her other breast. She held it there while he kneaded her. After a moment, he turned his hand over and grabbed her fingers, pressing them against her breast. In the flickering firelight, he watched her with hungry eyes. “Play with it for me,” he whispered.

  Josh raised his head and waited, eyes glued to her hand. Kendall took a deep, shaky breath and began running her fingers over her sensitive nipple. “Mmmm,” Josh murmured, closing his mouth over her breast again, but keeping his face angled so that he could watch.

  Kendall sensed their rising excitement and felt a delightful tingle in her crotch. She parted her legs and, making sure she had their attention, slowly trailed her hand down to her pussy, dipping her middle finger into her vagina and drawing it back up to her nipple. Her juices glimmered on the bare skin visible beneath the lace. “Baby,” Sutter whispered. He rolled up the hem of her shirt, Josh relinquishing her nipple just long enough for Sutter to pull the cover-up over her head. Josh resumed sucking and watched as Kendall reached for her crotch again, then continued to lubricate the other nipple. Wetting it, pinching it, rolling the hard nub between her fingers. Sutter observed avidly, until finally he groaned and bent over, taking her finger in his mouth, alternately sucking her juices from the long digit and the hard peak beneath.