by Cari Quinn
“No.” There was no hesitation to her answer. “To be honest, watching the connection between you two last night. It was really hot, and I’d love to see you touch each other. Maybe kiss or jerk each other off or something. I guess that’s asking too much, isn’t it?”
Huh. “Seriously? You find watching two guys kissing sexy?”
“You know what they say about one guy being hot and two guys being hotter.” She patted his leg. “I’m going to run down and get some more coffee. You want some?”
“No thanks, I’m good.”
He waited until she’d disappeared down the stairs before he sank back on the bed. Holy crap. What did he do now?
Despite the occasional comment tossed their way about them living together, all their friends understood how it was impossible to afford to live alone these days, not with the average house in Toronto costing almost a million these days. Even rents were beyond what the average Joe could afford on their own. Hayley had understood that too. So why the hell had she suggested some man on man action unless she thought they were gay. Or at least curious.
Which they’d once been. How long had it been since he’d allowed himself to remember what they’d done the last weekend before Noah had left for BC. To this day, Max couldn’t remember if it was his idea or Noah, but they’d raided dear old Chuck’s private liquor stash and downloaded some porn that first night.
They commiserated about how hard it was to meet girls considering they attended an all-boys school. Oh, Max knew tons of girls, but they were all his sisters’ friends and were considered off limits. Just once, he’d confessed that night, he wished he could meet a girl with no limits. He was desperately horny, and wanted to experience sex beyond the limits of his own palm. But here they were, stuck out in the boonies.
They’d ended up jerking off to the moans and cheesy boom-chick-a-wow-wow soundtrack. Later he’d convinced himself it was the beer influencing them, but Noah had fumbled for Max’s cock and finished him off. To his own surprise, Max had returned the favor. By the end of the night, their hands, their bellies and chests were coated with their shared jizz.
While they could have blamed the alcohol for that first night of experimentation, neither of them could use booze as an excuse the next morning when Max woke up to find himself flat on his back, a still-drowsy Noah spooning him, grinding his morning wood into Max’s hip. Nor were either of them drunk when Noah had begged Max to fuck his ass. Which had been...well, he’d gotten off, but Noah had enjoyed it more than he had.
Then Max met Emily Johnson and she’d let him go all the way. Which only proved to him he was definitely in love with pussy over cock.
There were two issues here, he decided. One, when Hayley had given them the mutual hand job, when she’d alternated between them and their cocks had touched, it hadn’t bothered him. In fact, to be truthful, it sort of turned him on. What the fuck was up with that?
The second issue was that, though he’d never admitted it to Noah, Max had fallen hella deep in love with Hayley. The get-down-on-one-knee-and-pledge-himself-for-life type of love. And tied to that issue, or maybe it was an issue all its own, he was pretty sure Noah was in love with Hayley too.
But if they fulfilled her latest fantasy, if they touched each other again, would she realize it was for her benefit? Or would she consider them gay and not see either of them as a permanent relationship prospect?
“You promised you’d fulfill her fantasy, dude,” he muttered to himself. If she wanted to see him kiss Noah, he couldn’t back out now. Because Max Moretti never reneged on a promise.
CHAPTER EIGHT
It wasn’t the warmth of the shower that had Noah leaning his cheek against the cool quartz wall. He’d settled onto the bench out of the water’s reach, sure that the bones in his legs had changed to rubber. Being with Hayley—at the wedding reception, dancing with her, chatting on the way home, had been his personal fantasy. She’d been funny and open, supportive. And looked only at him without the “his family has money” glint in her eye. Being inside her had been holy-shit-I-don’t-want-this-to-end. Ever.
She was the type of woman that could reach into his soul. She’d hung around enough rich people to realize money didn’t buy happiness. That rich families could be just as fucked up as poor. In fact, maybe more because people like his father surrounded themselves with yes men. People who would never say boo if they were way out of line. Max’s family kept him level-headed. They weren’t afraid to slap the side of his head—literally—when he screwed up. And when things went wrong, they were there for each other.
Noah banged his head against the marble, welcoming the ache it caused. Why the hell had he agreed to share her tonight? Why hadn’t he taken her back to her place after the wedding and made love to her by himself, then arranged for the threesome some other time?
Because Max hadn’t brought her home the week before. Instead he’d given her space to think about having the threesome, but also time to decide if she wanted to date either of them. For Noah to take advantage of Max’s chivalry, well, that wouldn’t make him a good friend. To either of them. Except if Hayley had seen Max’s face just now, which he was pretty sure she had, Noah was certain they might as well hang a runner-up ribbon in the “who does Hayley want” competition.
Which hurt like a splinter under his fingernail. Hell, under all ten fingernails. Toenails too.
“Noah? Mind if we join you?” Hayley’s voice floated out of the bedroom, the warmth in her voice descending around his shoulders, soothing his psyche, like a comforting blanket. “I’ve just decided soaping both you guys up in a shower is part of my fantasy.”
“And we’re here to fulfill her fantasy, aren’t we, Noah?” There was a weird tone in Max’s voice, not playful but almost as if he were trying to warn Noah of something. Why would Max think he’d object? If Hayley’s fantasy included a shower scene, they’d already agreed they’d do anything to make her happy.
Except it wasn’t just Hayley whose fantasies were being fulfilled, was it? The heat in Max’s face just now had brought back every memory, every need and desire, of that long weekend in May back in high school. Hearing the tenderness in his voice, and how it changed to rough grunts, feeling the slide of his cock against Noah’s through the warm barrier Hayley provided combined with the heat and longing, pure sex in his eyes when he came...
His cock jerked at the memory. Shit. You’ve let yourself fall in love with them both, doofus.
He banged his head once more. “Talk about a fucked-up head-case, McNaughton.”
“Noah?” The door creaked open and Max peered around it. His gaze zeroed in on his erection and he grinned. “Oh good, you’re not on the can.”
Without waiting for Noah to respond, he walked in, Hayley trailing him.
“Is your bathroom like this, Max? I’d love to see it.” Hayley traced her fingers over the stone.
Jesus, McNaughton, when did you become so insecure?
When he realized it was a competition between him and his best friend for the woman who could be the one.
“You guys did a fantastic job with this space.” Her smile lit up the room. Geez, you are totally insecure if her liking your choice of stone makes you feel better. “And it’s huge!”
“Yup, there’s room enough for six people.” He moved aside letting Hayley step under the spray. The water beaded and sluiced down her, dripping off her nipples in an erotic waterfall. His semi hardened into a full-on woody.
“He’s not exaggerating.” Max eased past Noah as if he were afraid of touching him. “My entire family dropped by when we were laying out the wall lines. The entire herd fit into this area which totally scandalized Mom.”
“Yeah, but your father approved.” After his wife and daughters had wandered back into the bedroom, Mr. Moretti had murmured something about it being big enough to have an orgy. And then he’d winked. God, he loved that old man.
Hayley picked up the fresh bar of soap Noah had placed there as an after
thought. It was a special French milled soap that had been a client’s thank you gift, but up until now the floral scent had kept him from using it. “Hmm, pretty.”
“Just remind me to shower with my own soap before I go out again,” Max grumbled. He dropped the soap and cursed, bent to pick it up and dropped it again.
Noah bent to retrieve the bar as it skidded across his foot and held it out to Max. Who jumped back like he’d been bitten. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Nothing, it’s just weird being in the same shower as you.”
“We showered together through four years of high school, dude. It’s not like you’ve never seen me naked before.”
“Well, I haven’t had the pleasure before, and I intend to take full advantage of it” Her hands coated in suds, Hayley splayed her hands over Noah’s chest, slid them over his belly and circled her fingers around his cock, stroking it lightly.
“Fuck that feels good.” He closed his eyes, struggling not to come in her hand like a damned teenager. She adjusted her hold, the stroking gaining more strength.
“Noah? Look at me.” What the hell? Why did it sound like Max was right in front of him?
Noah opened his eyes. Max was right there, their chests almost touching. Fuck, he’s the one with my dick in his hand.
The damned thing filled even harder—which earned a tilt of Max’s lips since he obviously felt the reaction.
Max shuffled closer, his cock nestling beside Noah’s. Noah had no chance to take a breath when Max pressed his lips against Noah’s. The kisses started off as hesitant, Max’s lips stiff, his body rigid. Then slowly, gradually, his muscles softened, their chests touched, and Max’s mouth relaxed. A hint of tongue swept over Noah’s lower lip. Holy fuck, Max really was kissing him.
Not daring to question Max’s motives, Noah responded, opening for Max, allowing him entrance. He tasted familiar—of Hayley, but also of the Max he’d known all those years ago. The scratch of his beard was different through, rougher. Noah’s breath hitched in his throat when Max’s hands touched Noah’s hips, slowly tightened, bringing their hips together.
Noah couldn’t stop the groan that escaped his throat. Nor could he stop himself from grabbing Max’s ass and grinding their erections together. How many nights back in high school, hell and through college too, had he imaged himself in this exact scenario. How many nights had that fantasy ended up with him jerking off.
While Noah was just getting into the kiss, preparing to take it deeper, ready to lower himself to his knees and do whatever Max asked, Max pulled away. Their breath echoed off the walls as if they had just finished a thousand meter sprint, and it physically hurt to pull away, to lose that connection. Beyond Max, Hayley watched, eyes wide, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Noah cursed himself—he’d forgotten she was there.
Watching.
Judging?
Worse, Max wouldn’t look at him. Instead his eyes were scrunched closed, and he’d wrapped his arms around his middle as if he didn’t want to be there.
If he could have, he would have stepped back but his ass was already lodged against the shower wall. He stabbed Hayley with a glare. “You want to tell me what the fuck that was about?”
Hayley swallowed. “I told him I wanted to see some male-on-male action. I didn’t know he’d actually kiss you without talking to you about it first.”
It wasn’t a spur of the moment thing?
“What the fuck? I leave you alone for all of five minutes and you guys have a rainbow party strategy session? ‘Hey, I want to see some male-on-male action, so let’s rope in our friendly neighborhood fags and convince them to jerk each other off like a couple cheap rent boys so I get off on my own kink?’” He shook his head, sending water droplets flying. “Sorry, sweetheart, I ain’t buyin’ it.”
He hadn’t missed how Max had cringed at being called a fag, but Max was the one who had caused the little scene by playing into Hayley’s manipulations.
Max’s arms dropped to his side and he heaved a shuddered breath. Then for the first time since their kiss had ended, he raised his head and met Noah’s gaze.
“You said you’d do anything Hayley wanted this weekend. Hayley wanted to see some guy-on-guy action, so I went with it.” Max stomped from the stall, snatched a towel, wrapped it around his hips, then wheeled to nail Noah with a glare that could have broken the marble. “We both know you’ve fucked guys yet now you’re freaking out because I laid a little lip action on you? You think that was easy for me to do considering I know it may make Hayley think I’m a fucking fag too?”
Shit. Max might have started out angry, but that last line was pure fear and self-loathing. He should know what it looked and sounded like, he’d seen it in the mirror enough times.
Hayley clasped her arms around her chest, an almost mirror-image of how Max had stood moments before.
“Max, stop it.”
“No. I did my part.” Max jabbed a finger toward Noah, his voice wavering. “I sucked it up, I mean, I manned up...Fuck, whatever. If you’ve got a problem with me kissing you, then it’s your problem, McNaughton. Deal with it.” He stomped out, slamming the bedroom door so hard everything on the shelves in the bathroom rattled.
What the hell was going on with him? Noah dragged a breath into burning lungs. It was Max who had initiated the kiss, and there was no denying how much he’d enjoyed it. Maybe not at first, but Max’s dick had hardened against his belly, his moans were of passion not complaint.
He’s freaking out because he just realized he enjoyed kissing a guy. Max was thirty—confident in his sexuality, his heterosexuality. Noah knew exactly how that felt. He remembered the confusion at realizing he was attracted to guys. And he’d only been eleven, his identity not set.
Noah grabbed one of the towels off the heated rack and briskly scrubbed until his skin grew pink. Whatever was going on in Max’s head right now couldn’t be good. He really had to get down there, find Max, talk to him, tell him that enjoying a single kiss with a guy didn’t mean his world was ending. And hope that Max would listen.
He stumbled out of the shower stall, seeking somewhere to hide, except the damned bathroom had fucking mirrors everywhere. Everywhere he looked, Hayley was watching him, her expression worried.
“I don’t know what the real story is, but I trusted you, Hayley. Max trusted you. And right now, he’s downstairs, freaking out, because of something you convinced him to do.” Because God knew three years of living with him hadn’t influenced Max in the least. “I hope it was worth it.”
Hayley shivered, though whether from emotion or because the previously humid air was cooling, Noah wasn’t sure. “Max asked me what else I had planned for you guys so I told him that I’d loved watching you two together last night, how comfortable you are with each other, it was turn on I hadn’t expected. I had no idea he planned to kiss you.”
Ignore that quivering lower lip, ignore the tears threatening to fall. Was she looking to get her own show on HGTV and figured having two gay guys as her contractors would jack up her ratings? Oh shit, there was another possibility too, wasn’t there? “Are you planning on selling your story to the tabloids? Business mogul Charles McNaughton’s son caught in gay sex scandal? Because you won’t be the first. They won’t pay you for old news.”
“No,” Hayley replied, meeting his eye calmly. “We’ve already agreed that what happens tonight stays between us and I intend to keep to the agreement.”
Her expression firmed, and her spine straightened. “You know, you could just as easily ruin my reputation after this weekend. People wouldn’t judge you too harshly for having a threesome—you’re a guy. You’d probably get patted on the back and attaboyed. Me? I’d be that slut who sleeps with two guys at the same time. Don’t get me wrong. I’m totally unashamed of what we’ve done. It’s nobody’s business, but no, I’m not about to go running to the press and I’m insulted that you think I’m the type of person who would betray you.”
Shit. She
was right. Now what the hell was he to believe?
Trust your gut. He closed his eyes, and tried to ignore his rising anger, the fear screaming that they’d lost Max.
This morning, less than thirty minutes ago, he trusted Hayley. Implicitly. Why wasn’t he trusting her to tell him the truth now?
Because you’re terrified that you may have lost Max forever.
“Who hurt you to make you so suspicious of everything, Noah? Who taught you that trust isn’t possible?”
“Who hasn’t?” Except Max. He was the only person in his life Noah trusted completely.
He snagged another towel from the shelf and wrapped his towel around his hips.
“I love both of you,” she continued, her voice softening, “and I’d never do anything to hurt either of you. Please, Noah, you have to believe me.”
He blew out a breath. “I do. I guess I was thrown too. It’s just...” He ran his hand through his hair. “I had a huge crush on Max back in high school but he never knew it. It’s what made it easier to leave when we moved to Vancouver. It’s why it took me so long to come back to see Max after my father kicked me out. Even when I got back here, I convinced myself that friendship was enough between us. That being his friend was better than not having him in my life at all.” It still was, and he still needed to get down to make sure their friendship hadn’t been irreparably destroyed.
Her breath hitched, but he ploughed on, “I love Max—I won’t deny it. And he loves me. He just doesn’t love me in the way I need, and I’m okay with that. Because even if he can’t be my lover, he’s my best friend. And I like to think I’m his. But that’s all it will ever be.” That’s all it could ever be. “I made my peace with that long ago.”
“Have you?” Her voice was quiet, yet firm. “Because I don’t think you have. There was more than just a kiss going on just now. Between both of you—it wasn’t one-sided, no matter how much you or Max denies it.”
