Any Given Sunday

by Mari Carr

  Sean stood up and took her hand, helping her rise. “Come on. I’ll start the water.”

  The three of them climbed the stairs, stopping for long kisses and teasing touches. Chad followed them to the master bathroom, feeling for the first time since they’d moved into this house as if he wasn’t an outsider.

  Sean started the water, steam quickly filling the room. Lauren rummaged around under the sink, pulling out some girlie shower stuff.

  “Jasmine,” she said, opening the bottle and adding some to the water. “Smells nice.”

  “I’m gonna smell like a chick,” Sean said, crinkling his nose at the scent.

  Chad laughed, joking, “Might be a welcome change to the way you smell right now.”

  “Hey,” Sean said with feigned affront. “We’ve been doing quite a workout down there.”

  Lauren climbed into the tub and sighed as she sank into the hot water. “Ahh. Heaven. I think I’m going to have to look into joining a gym if I hope to keep up with you guys for two more Sundays. I’m obviously too out of shape for this.”

  Chad grinned, joining her in the water. When he was seated, he reached for her, pulling her back against his front, nestling her between his legs. She lounged with him, grasping his hands to wrap them around her stomach.

  “You’re doing just fine, gorgeous,” Chad murmured, kissing her cheek.

  Sean took his place on the opposite side of the tub, sinking down until his head was completely submerged.

  Chad and Lauren laughed when Sean disappeared for several seconds. When he reemerged, he shook his head like a dog, pelting them with water.

  “Hey!” Lauren laughed, throwing her hands up to deflect the large drops splashing in her eyes.

  Sean gave them a shit-eating grin before moving to his knees and crawling forward. He didn’t stop until his face reached Lauren’s and he gave her a long, wet kiss. Chad marveled over how natural their closeness felt. He’d always been a firm believer in personal space…but Lauren and Sean fit in his space. He raised his hand to touch Sean’s hair as he kissed Lauren, before stopping in mid-air.

  He was about to caress Sean.

  He dropped his hand quickly, checking to see if Sean or Lauren had noticed. They hadn’t. Their eyes were closed.

  Chad swallowed heavily. He’d nearly touched Sean. He’d wanted to touch Sean.

  He tried to shake off that unwanted realization. Clearly it was just the heat of the moment. It was fucking with his head, making him think of certain things…things he’d tried to repress for years.

  After Lauren issued her proposal, he’d spent most of the night tossing and turning, considering all the pros and cons of accepting her offer. When his considerations had led him to a draw, he’d gotten up and starting reading her research notes. It was her words, the secret fantasies she’d revealed in her writing, that finally convinced him to take the chance, the gift she was giving them.

  Now he was questioning that decision. Being with Lauren was a dream come true. Unfortunately, that dream was coming with a price. He’d known being close to Sean like this would be hard. He just didn’t realize how hard.

  Finally, Sean and Lauren parted. Chad reached over and picked up the soap. Working up a lather in his hands, he rubbed the sweet-smelling suds over her skin, enjoying the pink flush of arousal that painted it as he touched her. Sean joined in the washing, massaging Lauren’s breasts, toying with her tight nipples as Chad ventured lower, running his fingers through the trimmed hair of her pussy before working two inside.

  Lauren squirmed between them, her need growing quickly. They’d driven her to countless orgasms already today and yet she never failed to respond to more.

  The firm clenching of her inner muscles alerted him to her approaching climax, but Sean surprised him by grasping his wrist and stopping him from driving her over the top.

  “Wait,” Sean said. Chad remained motionless, trying not to acknowledge the fact Sean was still holding on to him or the fact that his friend’s simple touch had driven even more blood to his far-too-full erection.

  “Not this way,” Sean said. He released his grip on Chad’s hand and moved back. Rising out of the water, he perched on the edge of the tub. Chad’s gaze landed on his friend’s large cock, hard and ready to roll.

  In their previous encounters, he’d avoided looking at Sean as much as possible, trying instead to concentrate on Lauren. Now Sean sat before them in all his beautiful glory and Chad couldn’t have averted his eyes for all the money in the world.

  “Come here, Lauren,” Sean instructed. “I want you to suck my cock while Chad fucks you from behind.”

  Chad closed his eyes and prayed he’d be able to make it inside Lauren’s body without embarrassing himself. He was too worked up, too horny. Fuck, it was as if Sean was crawling around inside his head. The entire day had been too overwhelming, too hot, too fucking incredible.

  Lauren quickly moved to her knees, crawling between Sean’s legs. She grasped his friend’s cock, running her hand up and down the turgid flesh with a firm, strong grip that left Sean visibly gritting his teeth. She did everything right. Chad knew that from experience. She bent down and took Sean into her mouth.

  “Jesus, man,” Sean muttered. “Get inside her. This isn’t gonna take long.”

  Chad grinned. “Thank God.”

  He pushed inside her from behind, no preamble, no foreplay. He could see from the strained expression on his friend’s face he wasn’t joking. He hadn’t thrust more than a handful of times before Lauren’s climax began, her orgasm milking his cock in a way that was almost painful.

  “Fuck,” he groaned. Two more strokes in that tight, wet heat and it would be all over. Lauren must’ve sensed he was close. She released Sean’s cock, her fingers drifting down to play with his balls. She cupped them and Sean moaned.

  Chad couldn’t take his eyes off her actions, his friend’s reactions. He was riveted to the spot, to this moment.

  Sean’s hand tangled in Lauren’s hair, his other gripping his cock. He lifted her head up so she could see his face and Chad followed her gaze, gasped at the dominance written in every line of his friend’s face. He’d never seen Sean so controlling, so powerful. It was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen.

  “You ready?” Sean asked, his husky tone proving he wouldn’t be denied exactly what he wanted.

  Lauren’s pussy clenched with excitement and Chad couldn’t restrain his groan. He was a goner.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “Good,” Sean said, pushing her head toward his lap, guiding his cock between her open lips. “Suck me hard.”

  Lauren took him into her mouth but Sean retained control of her movements, using his hand in her hair to drive her at the pace he wanted.

  Lauren’s reactions let Chad know exactly how much she loved Sean’s rough treatment, and he realized he was fighting a losing battle. Gripping her hips, he gave in to his own needs, pushing inside her harder than he’d ever fucked a woman before. Faster. Deeper. He felt her climax begin but he refused to stop, refused to give her even a moment’s relief as he thrust over and over.

  Her climax continued, one giving way to another continuously until Chad heard Sean’s cry. He knew from his friend’s jerky hold on Lauren’s head that he was coming. Shooting his come down her throat. For a moment Chad imagined he could taste the salty offering himself, and it was that thought that pushed him into the hardest, most painful, most satisfying orgasm of his life.

  It wasn’t until they’d gotten out of the bathtub, dried off, and begun to fall into an exhausted sleep in the king-sized bed in the master bedroom that the truth crashed in on him.

  Chad stared at the ceiling in the bedroom, the sounds of Lauren’s and Sean’s breathing taunting him as he realized just how fucked he really was. This was their bed, their room. He couldn’t stay for long. Not without losing the battle he’d waged for a lifetime.

  Three Sundays. Just three. And then he’d find a way to forge a new fut
ure…one without Sean and Lauren. One without his heart.

  * * * * *

  Lauren watched Chad pull out of the driveway from the front window. They’d dozed all afternoon, the three of them exhausted from so much sex. When they woke up, Chad volunteered to run out for Chinese. All of them were starving but no one had the energy to cook.

  Sean walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

  “You ready to talk about it?” she asked.

  Sean sighed heavily. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t leave it alone.”

  She turned in his arms and gave him a sad smile. “All these years. Why didn’t you ever tell me?” She tried to hide the hurt in her voice but knew she’d failed.

  Sean rested his forehead against hers, closed his eyes. “You really didn’t know?”

  She sighed. When she’d first seen Sean’s face in the kitchen, she’d been shocked. Now she suspected there’d always been an inkling, an awareness, deep inside. She shrugged and grinned. “I’m not sure. Maybe I sensed it. I don’t know. I’m in love with you. I think maybe that made me blind to a lot of things that should have been obvious.” She felt a slight pang as another thought occurred to her. “Did you think you couldn’t tell me?”

  He shook his head quickly. “No. Hell no. I didn’t say anything because talking about it wouldn’t have changed anything. Chad’s not interested. Let’s just leave it at that.”

  “How do you know? Have you ever told him how you feel?”

  Sean released his hold on her and turned away, walking toward the living room. “Dammit, Lauren. Can you please drop this? It’s not gonna happen. Ever. I would think you’d be more interested in talking about the ménage we all just jumped into this morning.”

  She followed him to the living room, quickly claiming the spot next to him on the couch. He wasn’t escaping this conversation. He’d spent years running away from the truth, lying to her, to Chad. She couldn’t quite believe that her best friend, her boyfriend, the man she’d planned to spend her life with, had hidden such a big secret from her.

  “The whole ménage issue is moot until your feelings for Chad are resolved. Surely you know that. You’re in love with him.”

  Sean started to deny it, she could see it in his face. Then he simply shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. He doesn’t feel the same.”

  “You know that for a fact?”

  Sean nodded. “Yeah. I do.”

  His answer took Lauren aback. She was so sure he’d been hiding his feelings from Chad as well. To know that he’d told Chad shook her. Had she been runner-up? All these years, had she simply been Sean’s second choice after Chad rejected him? “Oh.” She turned her head, blinking rapidly. She wouldn’t let Sean see her cry. She couldn’t.

  “Jesus, Lauren. God, baby, don’t do that.” Sean’s arms engulfed her, triggering the tears she’d been trying to hide. “It’s not what you think. Christ, I’m goofy, head-over-heels in love with you. How in the hell can you doubt that?”

  “I don’t,” she said, sniffling. She turned and buried her head in his all-too-comforting chest. “I just didn’t know I was second choice.”

  “What the fuck?” Sean gripped her face, pulling it away from him. She was embarrassed to have him see the tears falling down her cheeks. “Are you nuts? I want you to listen to me and I want these words make their way into that thick skull of yours. You are, and always have been, my only choice. I met you and every other woman faded into the background.”

  “Woman,” she whispered.

  His scowl grew but she’d stumped him. She could see it. “I don’t know how to say this so you’ll understand. I want you. Want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want the same thing with Chad. And it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with me settling for you or him rejecting me. My heart loves you both…just the same. It’s never been a fucking competition. It’s just been…”

  His words faltered, but she didn’t need to hear the rest.

  Sean had just described her own emotions to a tee.

  “I get it,” she said. She grasped his wrists, his hands still cradling her face. “I feel the same way.”

  He looked at her, studied her face, and she saw the lines of tension around his eyes and mouth relax. “I know you do. It’s Chad whose heart lies firmly in one camp. Yours.”

  Lauren considered the morning, remembered all they had done. While Sean’s feelings for Chad had been simple to read, there had been moments when she’d seen a slight crack in Chad’s shell as well. “I’m not so sure about that.”

  Sean scoffed. “Trust me on this, Lauren. He’s in love with you. And only you.”

  She shook her head. “No.” She really didn’t believe that was true. While Sean had clearly expressed his interest in Chad before, she knew it hadn’t been recently. Definitely not since they’d been dating. So that meant his declaration had come years ago. Long enough for Chad’s feelings to change. “I think you should approach the subject again.”

  “Forget it,” Sean said quickly. “Not about to take another punch from that fucker. He hits hard.”

  Lauren was shocked. “He hit you?”

  Sean shrugged. “I had it coming.”

  Lauren recalled the night she and Chad had confessed to kissing. Chad had been ready for Sean to hit him. It had almost seemed to her Chad had wanted Sean to throw a punch. Was he seeking penance for a blow he now regretted throwing?

  “You have to talk to Chad again. How can we consider pursuing a lifetime as a threesome with you harboring these feelings?”

  Sean fell silent as he considered her words. “I can’t, Lauren. I’m sorry.”

  “Why not?”

  He smiled sadly at her. “What if he still feels the same way? I’ve worked hard for years to put those feelings aside. If I tell him they’re still there, he may leave. No.” Sean shook his head. “He will leave.”

  Lauren felt her chest constrict with the pain of that thought. She fought to find some words of comfort, but she couldn’t. The idea of Chad walking away from them paralyzed her with fear and she understood Sean’s reticence.

  Sean wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “And if he leaves, I’ll lose you too.”

  “No,” she said, refuting his words.

  He placed his hand on her cheek. “Yes. You may not physically leave, but emotionally. Face it, it’ll tear us both apart if Chad walks away from this.”

  “So we can’t let him leave,” she said.

  We can’t let him leave.

  Chapter Nine

  “Well, that pizza place is a keeper,” Killian said, leaning back and rubbing his stomach.

  Lauren laughed as all the men in the room assumed a similar pose. Lily had invited Sean, Chad and her to join them for a little sweet Thursday relief at their place, and they’d wanted to try a new pizza shop that had opened in the area. Justin and Killian had started the sweet Thursday concept when they were in the Army. They liked to start the weekend a day early. The idea had stuck and Lauren had been invited to more than a few of these “not quite the weekend” get-togethers over the years.

  Lily stood and started to clear up the paper plates and empty boxes. Lauren rose as well. “I’ll help you,” she offered, when the big-screen TV flashed on.

  “Hockey game,” Killian announced. “I’ve got twenty bucks riding on this game with Tris.”

  Sean looked at his older brother and laughed. “You too? That stupid bastard really thinks the Rangers are gonna pull out an upset. I told him he was crazy.”

  Killian rubbed his hands together. “Gonna be fun taking his money from him tomorrow.”

  Lauren rolled her eyes. The Collins men were infamous for their wagers. She wasn’t sure if it was a side effect of being Irish or owning a pub, but it seemed no man in the family was immune.

  “Come on, Lauren,” Lily said. “As the testosterone rises in the room, so does the cussing, yelling and volume on the TV. I’ve got a bottle of wine in the kitchen that should help dull our sens
es.”

  “Sounds like an invitation I can’t refuse.” She turned around and looked at the guys lounging on the couch and in the two recliners. “You guys okay for beer?”

  Chad raised his bottle. “I just set us all up with a round so we’re good to go. Thanks.”

  She followed Lily to the kitchen, both of them loaded down with trash. They dumped it and Lauren claimed a chair at the table while Lily poured them both a glass of wine.

  Lauren had been trying to work up the nerve to call Lily all week. Sunday’s “research” had solidified a couple things in her mind. One, Lauren was deeply, truly, madly in love with Chad and Sean, and two, she wanted to make a lifetime of their relationship. She still hadn’t given up hope that Chad and Sean would work out their issues, though God only knew how they would do that. She knew Sean intended to keep silent about his true feelings for his best friend, but she suspected the truth would come out eventually. When it did, she was prepared to do whatever it took to calm the waters. She wouldn’t give up her men without one hell of a fight.

  As for herself, there was one niggling worry that wouldn’t let her go.

  Lauren looked at Chad’s sister and marveled over how little they resembled each other. Lily’s dark hair and eyes were in direct contrast to Chad’s dirty blond hair and blue eyes. If anything, Lily favored Sean more. Lily joined her at the table and she took a deep breath before asking the question that wouldn’t leave her alone. “What do the people at work think about your lifestyle?”

  If Lily was surprised by Lauren’s discussion topic, she didn’t give it away. She shrugged lightly. “I don’t know. I’ve been with Justin and K for years now. I think my colleagues were probably a bit shocked at first when they realized I was living with two men. I have no doubt I was the subject of gossip for a while. However, human nature always wins out in the end. Those who were appalled pulled away, and those who were indifferent accepted it and ultimately forgot to be shocked. It hasn’t affected how I do my work, so my bosses don’t mention it.”