Body (Trinity Trilogy Book 1)

by Audrey Carlan

  “Let’s get that beer. Wouldn’t want Mr. Macho to wonder where you are.”

  “Oh, shut up.” I punch him in the arm. “Seriously though, you’re going to make an effort with him, right?” I give him my best pout, complete with lip puffed out and sad puppy dog eyes.

  He takes a breath and pulls me to his side while walking to the line. “If you’re into him, I’ll make an effort. Okay?”

  “Promise?” I smile wide and shift from foot to foot practically bouncing in place.

  “Yes! Such a pain in my ass,” he finishes with a nudge to my shoulder.

  We wait to place our order, and I have a moment to broach the subject of Bree. Since Angela died two years ago, I haven’t seen Phil so much as ask a girl out on a date. He had that one night stand last year when we were out and completely drunk on our asses. A little miss hot pants at the bar had her eyes on him all night and took advantage. I let it happen knowing he needed a night of freedom. I even picked up Anabelle from the babysitter and took her home with me. The guilt he felt the next day broke my heart. He felt like he betrayed his dead wife and spent the following months in therapy. That was the last time I tried to fix him up. Until now. I want him to get over his guilt and appreciate life again. I know Angela would want that, too.

  “So, what do you think of Bree?” I ask nonchalantly.

  “She’s pretty and fun. I like her. She’s a great gal.”

  “Great, so would you consider dating her?” I ask.

  “She wouldn’t go for a guy like me,” he says solemnly.

  I was afraid he’d say that. I hum and shrug my shoulders. “She thinks you’re hot.”

  He physically turns me toward him and stares into my eyes. “Really? She said that?”

  I nod and smile. “You should ask her out sometime. Alone. Not with the group.” I leave it at that and walk away, carrying the four bottles of beer, two in each hand.

  He laughs and follows behind me, his wheels probably turning already. We’ve all been out before over the years, but the two of them were never in a position to consider the other in that way. Bree usually was dating some fruit loop and Phil was usually avoiding anything remotely related to intimacy and women. Now I can see he’s thinking about it. I can only hope he’ll man up but knowing Phillip, he won’t. I may have to force it a little. When I maneuver down the stairs back to our section, Chase stands and grabs two of the beers. He passes them to Maria and Tom.

  “Hey, thanks, man,” Tom says and takes a pull from the bottle.

  “Thanks for the tickets!” Chase tips the beer bottle in a man type “Thank you/You’re welcome” move only men understand.

  Now that everyone has a beer, we settle in to watch the game. Every so often Maria, Tom, Carson and Chase yell at a call they don’t agree with. Chase is really getting into this. When the Giants score, everyone celebrates with a round of high-fives.

  Chase puts his hand on my thigh. I put my arm around his broad shoulders and lean against him as I watch my friends. Tom is holding Maria’s hand. They are chatting about the game. I can tell that he appreciates her. He tilts his head to listen to her and they laugh at the same things. It’s hysterical when they both act as if they are dying when a play doesn’t go the way they want. It’s amazing how quickly she went from knowing nothing about baseball to being intent on every play.

  Kat and Carson are completely in their own world. She’s crossed her legs towards his and has half turned toward him. They whisper back and forth. Every so often he looks out at the game but Kat is holding most of his attention. He sneaks little pecks of her lips and shoulder. They’ve been holding hands since we arrived and really haven’t paid much attention to anyone other than one another. It’s lovely to finally see her so happy.

  I peek at Bree and Phillip. Since our conversation he’s making a concerted effort to talk to her. Go Phil! I can see her playing with her hair, making a point to touch him every chance she gets throughout their conversation. A smack of the arm here, a grip of his thigh there. Bree’s in full flirt mode. She’s got her eyes set on Phillip, and she’s pulling out all the stops. They could make a great couple, and I know Bree would be an amazing stepmother to Anabelle. He really needs a woman in his life other than me. It seems as though Phillip is enjoying the conversation, too. He’s pulling the shy guy move with her. When she says something funny he looks down, shakes his head and then looks up at her through his lashes. Nice!

  I giggle, and Chase tips his head to mine. “Enjoying the game, Baby?” he asks and cocks his head to the side. Damn he’s good looking. His hair is windblown a bit and he’s smiling in a way that would bring any woman to her knees.

  “Very much.” I smile and he turns back to the game. I nuzzle his neck, taking in his scent. That woodsy scent mixed with citrus is my undoing. Warmth spreads through my body making every subtle touch of his seem like more. “Will you take me back to my place after the game?” I massage his shoulders with one hand.

  “You’re welcome to stay at my place,” he offers.

  “I have work tomorrow and you have a flight to LA,” I remind him.

  A scowl appears on his face. “I’ll take you home.”

  I lean towards his ear. “All I can think about is getting you home and into my bed.” Chase is making me bold sexually, not as afraid to ask for what I want. It’s a foreign feeling but exhilarating and freeing at the same time.

  Chase’s hand slides further up my thigh. His pinky strokes my center. I can barely feel it through my jeans but it’s there and I push toward it. “I’m ready when you are,” he says seriously.

  I kiss his neck. “Later.” I grab his hand and squeeze.

  “That’s a promise.” He finishes his beer in one shot.

  We spend the rest of the day laughing and cheering. All eight of us mostly paying attention to the game. At the last inning, the bases are loaded. The pitcher throws and the batter hits a grand slam. The crowd goes completely ballistic! I had no idea what was happening when all four men on the field made their victory lap around the bases, each one hitting home base.

  Everyone around us, including my group jumps up out of our seats screaming and cheering for the Giants. The game announcer announces the Giants won the game! The crowd is at a constant roar, going completely wild! One by one every man grabs their lady. Tom pulls Maria into a frenzied kiss. He lifts her off her feet and spins her in a tight circle. Carson grips Kat’s hand and pulls her into his lap and lays one on her. I even see Bree hop up and down, cheering before she turns, grabs Phillip and exclaims, “What the hell!” then lays her lips over his. He yanks her trim body against him and they are gone, lost in a moment.

  “Come here, Baby.” Chase pulls my face to his with both hands cupping my cheeks. I sigh into his kiss as he plunges his tongue into my mouth. I give as good as he’s giving, swirling my tongue around his and nipping at his bottom lip. He tugs at my top one before tilting my head to the side while sliding a hand down my body to cup my ass, plastering me against the hard ridges of his sculpted body and growing need.

  We’re lost in the kiss, forgetting where we are, who’s with us, the fact that we’re in the middle of a stadium with my best friends in the world around us. “Get a room!” Maria yells from behind us.

  I pull away from Chase breathless. God I want him, right now. “Shut up, Ria!” I holler over my shoulder. Chase smiles and pulls me against him, hugging me.

  “You ready, Baby?” Chase asks.

  “Are we getting some dinner?” Bree asks. She bounces from foot to foot obviously excited. Probably from her impromptu mega-kiss with Phil.

  “Chase has to fly to LA tonight. He’s going to take me home first.” I wiggle my eyebrows so she gets the hint. She looks disappointed but moves to her next victim.

  “What about you,” she asks Kat.

  “Busy.” Kat grins up at Carson. He nods. “We’re very busy.” She doesn’t take her gaze away from the blonde hunk holding her. Bree pouts prettily.

  �
��What about you, Ria?”

  I’m starting to feel bad for the girl. “Don’t even ask, Hermosa! I’ll be taking advantage of this man,” she says honestly pointing her thumb at Tom. His ears twinge bright red but he laughs and brings his huge arms around her in an embrace. She snuggles against him, happy as a clam.

  “Can’t take advantage of the willing,” he says. We all laugh.

  Bree’s bottom lip sticks out even further. She’s clearly disappointed.

  “I’ll have dinner with you,” Phillip says.

  Her eyes widen with excitement. “Really? That would be fantastic!” I look at Kat and Maria knowingly. Phillip actually made the first move. I’m impressed and will make a point to tell him so privately.

  “I know this really great little Sushi place downtown.”

  “I love Sushi!” she exclaims.

  “Sick! Can’t you take her somewhere nice, Phil? You want to feed my friend bottom dwellers?” I shake my head. Chase laughs and pulls me against him.

  “You’re a freak, Gigi!” Bree laughs. “Seafood is amazing and so good for you.”

  I crinkle my nose. “If you want to eat the cockroaches of the sea, far be it from me to stand in your way.” I slide my arms up and down Chase’s tan forearms. I love being encased in his arms. Makes me feel so at ease. Safe.

  Bree sighs and puts her hand to her forehead.

  Chase whispers close to my ear, “Time’s wasting.”

  “Time to go!” I tell my friends immediately and he laughs.

  I hug each one and thank Tom for his generosity, telling him we had a great time. Chase shakes hands with each male and accepts a hug from every one of my girlfriends. His face is impassive as he accepts each hug but doesn’t exactly return it, mostly doing the perfunctory tap on their backs. Interesting.

  The group makes its way to the entrance. I happily swing Chase’s hand. “This has been the best weekend ever,” I tell him.

  “Ever?” His face twists into one of surprise.

  I think about it a couple minutes. “Yeah, ever. I’ve never been quite this happy,” I confide.

  “Oh Baby, I’m about to make you a whole lot happier,” he growls and paws at my curves sending ribbons of lust to swell and ache between my thighs.

  The limo pulls up and my friends gawk and stare as Chase ushers me in. “You suck!” Maria bellows as she sees the plush ride. They’re going to be stuck in parking hell trying to weave their way out of this mess. This particular stadium is known for the hellacious exiting process.

  “You’re just jealous! Besos!” I yell through the window and wave. I hear a round of “Besos” from each of my soul sisters. I love my friends. I love my life. And in thirty minutes I’ll be making love to an incredibly hot, sexy Superman. I’m starting to believe fairytales do exist.

  “Why do you say “kisses” to your girlfriends?” Chase asks as he kisses each one of my knuckles, ramping up my desire for him.

  “We always have. Ria started it years ago. It’s our way to say that we love one another without being commercial. If you spell it out B-E-S-O-S, to us, stands for Bound Eternally Sisters of Souls.” Chase pulls on my ponytail holder, and my hair falls around my shoulders. His hand massages the nape of my neck scratching his fingers up along my scalp. I lean back and moan, never wanting it to stop.

  “What about the tattoo?” Chase asks while kissing along my neck. On my left wrist is a vibrant Celtic trinity symbol. It’s the only tattoo I have and the only one I could ever imagine having. When you’ve had a past like mine, marking one’s body in any way permanently has to mean something. For the three women I adore more than life itself, it means so much.

  “The Celtic trinity,” I trace a finger along the blue and black design. It’s about the size of a quarter. It’s a rich indigo blue with deep sweeping black outlines around the three petal like shapes. They all come together and are surrounded by the circle of protection. “It means a lot of things to people. Body, mind, soul, father, son, holy spirit…”

  “And what does it mean to you and your friends? I noticed all four of you have the design, at least I suspect as much. I saw it on Maria’s shoulder blade the other day and on Bree’s foot today.”

  “Kat’s is on her hip, and, no, you’re never seeing that one!” I warn and narrow my eyes in mock anger.

  “Don’t care to. I mean, you’re friends are all stunning beauties, but I prefer a hot, curvy redhead any day of the week.” He bites down on the spot where my shoulder and neck meet. I gasp and lean my neck over to the side. “So what does the tattoo mean to you?”

  “Oh, um…”

  Chase continues kissing and licking the side of my neck distracting me.

  “Body, mind, and soul is important to all four of us but for me personally, it represents the past, the present and the future. They will always be a part of my past, my present, and my future.”

  Chase hums along my neck and twirls my hair. “You have gorgeous red hair, Gillian,” he whispers against my ear.

  She’s a redhead. The phrase jars my memory. “Speaking of my hair. Why does your family seem taken by my hair color? Carson said something about it. Cooper did, too, at dinner last night?”

  Chase tenses and halts his kisses. “It’s nothing.” He kisses me again.

  Oh it’s definitely something. A something he doesn’t want to talk about. I want to press for information but his tongue is running down my neck. His hand comes to my breast and squeezes it through the thin fabric. I groan and cup his cheek to bring his lips to mine. I pull myself onto his lap and grind into his erection as we kiss languidly, losing ourselves in our passion for one another.

  Chase’s hands slide under my top to cup each breast. I tilt my head and delve deep into his mouth staking my own claim on him. His fingers find their way under the cups of my bra to pluck and pull at each throbbing peak. I slide my tongue along his jaw and nibble and bite my way over his five o’clock shadow. I lick the scruffy surface until I make my way up to his earlobe and swirl around the taut skin, nibbling lightly. He lifts his hips against mine and I take advantage, grinding into his erection harder.

  “God, I want you,” he says through gritted teeth, nostrils flaring. If I didn’t know he was insane with lust, I’d think he was angry, ready to go into battle.

  “Then take me,” I challenge. As the words leave my mouth, the limo stops. We’ve arrived at my building. I refrain from doing a fist pump into the air.

  Chase doesn’t wait for Jack to open the door. He’s out of the car, pulling me behind him towards my apartment. “Jack, bring her clothing to her apartment. Come back in an hour and a half.” Chase practically pushes me through the doors of my building.

  “That will be cutting it close, Sir.” Jack warns.

  “We’ll make it. An hour and a half.”

  “Chase, if you have to go, we can wait--”

  “Not an option. “ He cuts me off and forges ahead. “I’m going to be gone two days. I’m taking you to bed.” He is a man on a mission and I love it. A giddiness fills my chest as I skip alongside him.

  “Yes, Sir!” I salute and he rolls his eyes.

  “Just open the damn door, Gillian or I’ll fuck you in the hallway.”

  I’m trying to pull my keys out of my purse but his hands all over me make me clumsy. He cups my breasts and bites my neck as I lose connection with the lock.

  “You’re taking too long,” he warns, pressing his dick against the seam of my ass through my jeans. He digs his erection against me wickedly setting off a fire bomb of heat.

  “Shit!” I drop the keys without unlocking the door.

  He grabs them, pulls me against the door and kisses me ravenously. He presses me into the doorframe while his left hand fiddles with the door. He pushes against me and the door opens. We tumble in and catch our footing before falling to the floor in a heap. Chase is already pulling his t-shirt over his head. He drops it to the floor, and I lick my lips when I see his golden bare chest. I walk backwards to
wards my room watching him as his eyes fire and turn dark.

  I pull the designer blouse over my head and drop it to the floor as well. His shoes go, one foot, then the other as we slowly walk. I mimic him, raising the stakes by unbuttoning my jeans and sliding down the zipper. His eyebrow goes up and he pulls on his buttons and stops advancing to pull his jeans completely off. His black boxer briefs mold to his form like a second skin. I follow his lead and do the same until I’m standing before him in a pale pink bra and matching panties he purchased. His eyes scan my body and he bites his lip.

  “Money well spent. I’m going to get you a store full of satin and lace so I can go through my days knowing my woman is wearing those sexy things for me.” He points to his chest. His gaze traces over my curves almost like a caress. “Baby, I can’t wait to be buried deep inside you,” he says just before lunging like a cougar capturing its prey. His hands grip my waist and he presses his body against mine. Warm male skin. My mouth waters, and I groan sliding my hands down his ribcage and up his abdomen feeling his muscles bunch and tighten under my touch. “Where’s your room?” He trails his fingers over the top of my lace panties.

  “Just behind me, straight back at the end of the hall.”

  He grips my ass and pulls me up; my legs immediately go around his waist. For a moment I remember him taking me up against the wall in his dining room the other night. I tighten my legs around his waist. He walks us to my room and sets me on the queen sized bed. My bright white comforter is cool against my heated skin. His lips find mine and we kiss for what feels like hours but is probably only minutes.

  He slides his fingers into the sides of my panties and slowly drags them down my legs. I lean up and unclasp my bra and throw it towards the bench at the end of the bed. He stands and pulls down his underwear. His cock juts straight out, thick and proud. I wrap a hand around it relishing how hard it is. Knowing I did that to Chase, making the master of his universe lose a bit of his control makes me weak and needy. I lean forward and lick the moisture on the tip. I swirl my tongue around the large crown and draw him deep into my mouth. He thrusts his hips forward and I willingly take him in deeper. It’s actually easier to take him down my throat when he’s standing. I take a huge breath and pull his hips, sliding his cock deep into the walls of my throat.