Friends with Benefits

by Anne Lange

  If the evening went according to plan, they would all be wearing a different look come morning—one of satisfaction, ecstasy, and a sense of fulfillment.

  “Evening, folks.” Connor stepped across the threshold and took his friend’s proffered hand. He handed over the bottle of wine he’d brought, closing the door behind him as he stepped toward Angela.

  Her eyes widened with panic as her gaze darted between him and her husband. With purpose, Connor pulled her in close, giving her a gentle but firm squeeze, making sure her body aligned flush to his so she’d feel how happy he was to see her. Caught off guard, she tightened up, but then relaxed into his embrace.

  She withdrew a little too fast for his liking. He allowed her to do so, but he took the opportunity to steal a quick kiss. As they separated, he dragged his gaze away from her mouth and looked into her eyes. They held a glazed look, and she visibly shook herself.

  Behind him, his friend chuckled. “That’s one way to get the evening started. It’s nice to see you, Connor. Please, come in and sit down. Why don’t I get the drinks? Honey, would you like some wine?”

  Angela appeared to swallow twice before words squeaked across her lush lips. “Red please.”

  “What about you, Connor? Would you prefer a cold beer?” Tyler asked. He strolled past his wife and turned to peek over his shoulder, a twinkle in his eyes.

  “Red wine would be great, thanks.” Connor decided it best to try to put Angela at ease. He strode over to the couch and sat down, making himself comfortable while Tyler went to the kitchen to open the wine. “Something sure smells wonderful, Angela…besides you of course.”

  She seemed to be struggling to gather her composure, but still blushed a very sweet shade of pink. “Thank you. The…ah…the steaks won’t take long to cook.”

  She settled on the edge of the love seat, across from him. Tyler returned with a glass of wine for each of them, and after handing Connor his glass, dropped down beside his wife and put his arm around the back of her shoulders.

  Connor watched Tyler’s fingers stroke circles on Angela’s arm. She looked ready to jump at the slightest provocation. A cliché, something about a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, popped into his mind.

  Did she expect them to have some sort of confrontation? He’d never asked her how much of their exploits she’d shared with her husband. Maybe she had held things back, terrified of being found out.

  Tyler sipped from his glass. The man’s eyes glowed with unleashed passion. If Connor knew his friend at all, he’d guess Tyler would be more than happy to skip dinner and jump to dessert. The one thing they’d never discussed, however, was how to come clean and tell Angela the truth.

  A sudden ache filled Connor, and he wondered if she’d feel deceived. He opened his mouth, ready to confess, but Tyler beat him to it.

  “Honey, there’s something you need to know.” Angela swiveled to face Tyler, who shifted his gaze to meet Connor’s. “Connor and I already know each other.”

  Angela spun back around and pinned Connor with a look of wide-eyed surprise. “I don’t understand.”

  “We went to school together. We’ve known each other for years.”

  First confusion and then understanding dawned in her expression. “He’s the one you mentioned a couple of weeks ago.”

  Connor couldn’t tell from her expression what she was thinking or how she felt. Was she angry? Amused? Ready to kill both of them?

  “Yes.”

  She knocked Tyler’s hand from her shoulder and pushed up, taking a few steps away, her gaze swinging between the two of them.

  Connor swallowed. Crap. Maybe he should leave. He started to rise, but stalled when she immobilized him with a glare.

  “You two arranged this whole thing, didn’t you?” Her voice dropped to a dangerous level. “You lied to me.”

  Definitely not amused. Connor glanced around the room, looking for potential weapons she might use.

  “Sweetheart, I didn’t want to ruin the fantasy.”

  “You let me believe I was having sex with a stranger, Tyler.”

  “Exactly.” He rose from the sofa and crossed the room to stand before her. He grasped both her hands within his.

  Connor stayed put, poised to jump in and defend…who? At this point he wasn’t sure which of them he’d side with.

  “Honey, I wanted to fulfill your fantasies and when Connor told me he had a job in town, I thought it was a perfect, and safe, way to explore our boundaries. I trust him, Angela. He’s my best friend.” Tyler took hold of his wife’s chin and gently forced her gaze back to his. “You’re attracted to him, right?”

  From where he sat, Connor noticed her eyes drop and the color rise in her cheeks.

  “I know you are.” Tyler continued. “The things you and he did turned you on. Hell, they turned me on, and I wasn’t even here. But I’m here now, and we both…or rather,” he tossed a quick glance of confirmation at Connor, “we all want the same thing. We’re three consenting adults looking to engage in some very private and special play. But, Angela, sweetheart, if you truly don’t want this, all you have to do is say so. And it all stops. No harm, no foul. No hurt feelings.”

  Connor held his breath, and he knew Tyler did the same. When Angela didn’t say anything for the longest time, his heart began its plummet. He watched her considering her answer, chewing the corner of her lip, switching her focus back and forth between them.

  “I’m game.” The quiet statement reached his ears. “But, I’m annoyed as hell you both let me go on about you meeting each other. I feel as though the joke’s on me.” Her body posture stiffened and she shot a dark stare at her husband.

  Tyler pulled her close and tucked her head under his chin. He glanced at Connor, his eyes pained. “Not a joke, baby. I just wanted the whole thing to be special and spontaneous. If you’d known the complete truth, it wouldn’t have been a fantasy becoming reality.”

  “But you let me feel like I was cheating on you, even though you encouraged me. Now I find out he’s your best friend.”

  “Yes, but I spoke with both of you. I knew what was going on. I wish I could have been here. But if I had been, it wouldn’t have been the same.

  “I suppose that’s true.”

  Connor closed his eyes and breathed a silent sigh of relief.

  He watched as she pulled away from Tyler and turned to him again, though now the look on her face held a note of shyness and a little curiosity.

  Angela returned to her seat and curled a leg under her butt, but still kept her gaze trained on him, studying him.

  “Now I know why you seemed familiar that first morning. I couldn’t place you. I’ve only seen you in a few pictures from years ago. You’re the famous Jonesy, I presume?”

  Connor groaned and mock-glared at his friend. “I prefer Connor. Jonesy was a nickname I had growing up. And I hated it by the way.”

  “Tyler’s told me a lot about you, but clearly not enough.” She switched her gaze to her husband. “He was one of the people involved in your threesome, wasn’t he?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you two…” She waved a hand between them.

  Connor choked the mouthful of wine he’d just swallowed, ready to put an immediate stop to where her mind had headed. “He may be considered handsome in some circles, sweetheart, but he’s not my type.”

  Tyler’s exaggerated put-out look turned Angela’s expression of relief to one of amusement.

  “Sorry, babe. I’m a straight shooter, as is Connor. We go for people of the female persuasion only. We used to sometimes team up to help a woman experience absolute bliss, make her feel as though she’d won the lottery.”

  “Wow, I didn’t realize you were so high on yourself, dear.” A smile slid into place on her pretty face as Tyler chuckled. She turned to Connor. “Do you also think you’re God’s gift to the ladies?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “OK, enough for the moment,” Angela said. Her voice had ret
urned to normal. “But just so you know, you both have a lot to make up for.” With that parting shot, she disentangled herself from her husband, shot them both a saucy, sexy look, and sauntered into the kitchen. She laughed as she left the room, and Connor knew the joke was actually on him. Why couldn’t he find a woman like this to love him unconditionally?

  * * *

  “Angie, you joining us, baby?” Tyler called out from the living room. When dinner ended, she had busied herself with cleanup. The guys waited in the other room.

  Could she do it? She peeked through the archway. Tyler moved around the room, turning down lights, turning on soft music, setting the mood—her sweet husband doing what he could to help her relax. She caught Connor’s dark, heated gaze, trapped as he followed her movement. Her womb clutched, her nipples tingled. How did one go about starting an evening of sex with two men?

  “I need to relax.” She breathed deep, filling her lungs with much-needed oxygen. After a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, she felt a little tipsy. Those butterflies had congregated in her stomach, with their wings extended, ready to take flight.

  Excitement raced through her body, leaving her jittery and hyperaware.

  She licked her lips and turned away from Connor’s watchful stare to wipe the spotless table. A moment later, a warm hand covered hers. She glanced up into her husband’s heavy-lidded eyes.

  “I think the table is clean. How about you sit with us and have another drink?”

  “OK,” she whispered. Dropping the cloth, she allowed her husband to lead her away. She followed him to the other room.

  “More red?” Tyler asked. “Or would you prefer to switch to white?”

  She shook her head. “I’ve had enough. Some water would be nice though.”

  While he filled her request, she sat on the couch and stole a quick glance in Connor’s direction. He appeared relaxed, lounging across from her in the recliner, his right foot propped upon his left knee, twirling the stem of his wine glass in his deft fingers.

  Tyler joined her, handed her the water, and settled into the cushions. At the back of her head, his fingers toyed with her hair, every so often brushing across the back of her neck in soft strokes.

  His attempt to relax her had yet to work. She took a deep breath and downed half the water. If she had to wait much longer, the risk of chickening out increased.

  Connor rose and crossed the room. He dropped to his knees in front of her.

  Relief rushed through her. She wanted to cup his face and kiss him for making the first move.

  Maintaining eye contact, he placed his hands over her breasts, cupped them, and then he began a slow massage while he nudged her knees apart and wedged himself between them.

  After a quick glance at Tyler, Connor leaned in and brushed his lips across hers.

  She sighed into his mouth.

  The kiss began as a gentle exploration, a sliding of his lips against hers. She could smell the wine on his breath, a light blend of cherries and oak. The softness of the cushion collapsed within her grip as she squeezed the edge of it in her fists. She couldn’t decide where her focus should be—on her breasts where Connor kneaded them with a soft touch and an occasional flick across her nipples through her top, or on his mouth, where bit by bit the pressure of his touch was increasing.

  Around them, candlelight flickered. A low jazz tune played on the stereo.

  Deciding to focus on the kiss, she ran her tongue along his bottom lip. She tasted him. She hesitated, and then gently bit down on his lip, tugging it between her teeth.

  He stilled and sucked in a breath, air hissing between them. Then he exploded into action. His hands left her breasts and grasped either side of her head. In an instant, the kiss went from soft and gentle to firm and passionate. Her heartbeat went from zero-to-sixty in ten seconds flat.

  She almost forgot her husband was sitting next to her, until his grip tightened on her neck. The slight pressure excited her. It felt as though he was holding her in place for his friend.

  Chapter Twelve

  Tyler watched his best friend devour his wife. His cock pressed against his zipper, cramped, confined, and begging for relief. But no, not yet. He wanted to watch. He needed to know she’d be OK with this before he took it to the next level.

  Her moan told him she liked what was happening. She tossed her head back against the sofa, and Tyler adjusted his arm behind her so he could cradle her head in his hand.

  Connor stretched up to follow her movement, not releasing his hold on her lips. When at last he pulled back, Tyler watched their lips break suction, bit by bit, as though straining to maintain that connection until the last possible moment.

  “Fuck, Tyler. I can’t believe how sexy your wife is.”

  Tyler’s chest swelled with pride, his blood flowed thick and heavy with desire. He turned from Connor’s heated look to see a matching flame in Angela’s eyes.

  “Why don’t we take this upstairs?” His own husky voice sounded foreign. Tyler removed his arm from behind Angela’s head, and stood, waiting for Connor to do the same. When he did, Tyler reached his hand out to his wife, palm up. She placed her hand in his.

  With a firm tug, he pulled her tight to his chest and then swooped down to taste her lips. They were wet and puffy from another man’s attention. His cock pulsed. He drew back and stared into his wife’s face.

  “Ready?”

  Her eyes widened. Her pupils dilated. She nodded. The corners of her mouth turned up the tiniest bit. Instead of fear, he saw pure, raw lust shining in her eyes.

  “Let’s go.” He spun her around, settled a firm hand at the small of her back, and ushered her up the stairs.

  In preparation for tonight, he’d snuck upstairs and placed a few items in their bedside table. When they entered the room, Angela stopped near the bottom of the bed, an uncertain look on her face.

  Tyler turned to his friend. “Connor, why don’t you do the honors?”

  “It would be my pleasure.” Connor moved across the carpeting to join Angela. Unhurriedly, he bent to grab the hem of her dress and then straightened, pulling it up and over her head. Then he reached around her back to unclasp her bra. He removed it, and bent down on one knee to pull her thong down her legs. She laid a hand on his shoulder, steadying herself as she stepped free.

  “You’re beautiful.” He kissed her, a simple peck on the mouth. “Lie down, honey.”

  Tyler retrieved his supplies. “Sweetheart, we want to make this the best for you. You trust me, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” She looked straight at him. He sensed her nervousness, but the love and arousal simmering in her eyes made him feel a whole lot better about what was coming next.

  “Give me your right hand, baby.” He wrapped one of his silk ties around her wrist, stretched her arm out over her head, and tied it to the headboard. “Now the other.”

  He repeated the process, bringing both hands close enough she could clasp them together. “Now your feet.”

  Taking each foot in turn, he tied her spread eagle to their bed. He stood back to look his fill. “You’re flushed. You’ll like this, Angie. We’re going to make you feel so good.”

  While Tyler had been busy, Connor had shed his clothes. Tyler ditched his and moved back to the bed. As a team, they crawled onto the bed, each taking a side of Angela. Connor’s hand smoothed along her skin from the arch of her foot, over her quivering stomach, up to curve under her left breast.

  “Your skin is so soft. Like the petals on a flower.” He leaned down and covered her nipple with his mouth. She gasped and arched into him.

  “I’m going to blindfold you, honey. I want your senses focused on feeling and anticipating what’s about to happen.” He looked into her beautiful baby blues, noticing a tiny bit of anxiety sparkling there. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of you.”

  “I know.” Love for his wife filled his heart. He kissed her, hard, and then covered her eyes with a satin sleeping mask.

  Resting
back on his ankles, he looked across her lush body. Connor’s cheekbones flushed red. His eyes glittered. His tongue snaked out to pass over his lips, and Tyler watched as Connor gulped before raising his gaze to meet his own.

  “It’s like a feast has been laid out before me, and I don’t know where to begin.”

  “Then let’s start at the top, and work our way down.”

  “Oh, yeah, I can go for that.” Connor’s chuckle sounded downright wicked.

  They stretched out along either side of her, each staking a claim to a breast. Keeping his touch tender, Tyler grazed his thumb over the hard peak. After a few passes it seemed to swell under his touch. He gave it a little pinch, and then a tug, stretching it out and letting it settle back again. He lowered his head to suck her nipple into his mouth, twirling his tongue around the tip.

  When she gasped and arched into their touch, he darted a glance across the bed. His friend’s entire focus seemed to be on sucking as much of her breast into his mouth as he could.

  Tyler let the cherry tip pop out of his mouth, lapped it a few times, and then covered it again. When Angela began to writhe beneath him, he released her and inched down her body, licking and kissing over the swell of her breast, along the underside, the sweet scent of her heat filling his nose.

  He continued down the middle of her stomach. He stopped to twirl his tongue in her navel, dipping in and out, mimicking what he planned to do at his next stop. He pressed his hand to her sex, cupping the smooth flesh. Warmth greeted him. Tyler spread his fingers letting his middle one sneak in between her moist lips. Oh, fuck. She enjoyed this. He gathered the moisture he found and spread it over her clit. The little nub was nice and hard.

  Scooting to his knees, Tyler positioned himself between her spread legs and stretched out, his feet dangling off the edge of the bed. Placing his hands beneath the cheeks of her ass, he lifted her as far as the restraints allowed. Perfect. Mouth level. He swiped his tongue from bottom to top.