Owen nodded. “And proud of it. This place needs a movie theater and maybe a strip mall.”
“Outlet mall,” Zoe suggested. “Shopping online is fine, but sometimes, it’s just nice to stroll and to try things on before you buy them.”
“You can’t stroll around Main Street?” Cam asked.
“It’s not the same. People want to talk to you.” Zoe shook her head.
Owen chuckled. “True. In a mall, people ignore you. Here, it’s like everyone needs to know you and take an interest.”
“The horror.” Don laughed.
“It is weird. Almost like my parents’ church. The people there are just too nice. It’s fake.” Jar looked out the window. “It’s not fake here. It’s normal.”
Zoe caught Cam and Don exchanging looks in the front seat. They were concerned, and she’d never meant to come down negatively on the town. “I love the quiet and the friendly people. I do miss more events though. I mean, something more than a movie or bingo night.”
“Like what?” Don asked.
“Having a movie theater with new stuff would be great. A wine tasting. An opening of a club or a play. An art showing. Something special now and then.” Zoe sighed.
“Well, maybe you should set something up?” Jar suggested.
Cam parked the SUV, and they piled out. Main Street was exceptionally crowded today.
The tons of cars and people looked odd, but to Zoe, it was a pleasant change. “Me? I don’t know Lucky Spring well enough to plan stuff like that. Who knows what people would like? They like festivals.”
“Try talking to them more often, and maybe, you’ll find out?” Don suggested.
“Yeah, you’re in marketing. Figure out what Lucky Springs wants and make it happen.” Cam led the way to the first food stall and bought a bucket of Cajun pops, whatever they were. Everyone dug in. Zoe tried the spicy, breaded concoction and approved.
“I don’t have a budget. At work, I have money to spend. How do I put on an event with nothing?” Zoe wanted to change the subject, but she’d bitched about the lack of options. Giving up and doing nothing would be like accepting defeat.
“I’m sure local artists or whatever would donate their time and help you out. That’s the fun part of a small town. People don’t always expect a payout. They might ask you for a favor down the line, but they’re happy to help.” Don led the way as they turned off Main Street to the big town park and field area.
Tents and games went on for blocks behind Main Street. The fest was huge!
Her mind whirled on event options as she studied the signs. She and the guys walked along and chatted with people. Zoe couldn’t believe the number of names she remembered. Everyone who stopped knew hers, as well. Kids ran by with stout ice cream cones, and her stomach grumbled to indulge in the food.
“Grab us a table, and we’ll get a sampling of the local foods. People come from surrounding towns to sell their goodies, so it’s a change from the usual if nothing else.” Cam winked at her and pointed to a big tent with nothing but picnic tables where people were eating.
Zoe headed into the grassy area, glad she’d worn practical shoes. Claiming a free table without anything sticky on it, she caught a glimpse of her three best friends with four men a few tables away. Lizzie waved her over, and Zoe nodded. Lizzie stood up on the bench, the little Cajun pixie had no subtly as she craned her neck. She must’ve spotted the guys because she hopped down and rushed over.
“Nice! So glad you came even if you’re shunning us for hot men.” She sipped what looked like mini keg full of sweet tea with extra lemons floating in it.
“You’ve seen those men before. And I’m not shunning you. I just got bored at home. There was nothing from my headhunter. I was hoping for job prospects. Plus I wasn’t into the TV marathon I’d planned.” Zoe shrugged.
“I meant that it’s nice you’re going out with them. It’s not a secret, but going public and all… This is the perfect place! I’ll leave you guys alone.” Lizzie smiled widely and dashed back to the other table.
Zoe watched as everyone leaned in to listen to Lizzie. There was no doubt about the topic. Crystal glanced back with a grin, and Zoe wanted to crawl under the table. One man was normal; she had four. No one was judging or criticizing, but they thought it was more than just a casual relationship. What an odd judgment. She looked around and got nods and smiles from people in the town. It knotted her stomach.
Making a public statement about her relationship status hadn’t been the plan at all. Major mistake and now it was too late!
The guys came loaded with food, and Don had five mini keg drinks in his arms. All she saw was sweet tea and held onto that mistake. They didn’t know her as well as they thought.
He set them down and handed the teas to Cam, Owen and set one before himself. Then she spotted the Diet Cokes. One for her and one for Jar. Damn! They did know her well.
“Thanks. I might explode.” She tried to sound normal.
“We’re eating, too.” Cam popped a fried vegetable covered in ranch sauce into his mouth.
“Healthy.” She grabbed a Cajun spiced fry and stuffed it in her mouth. Suddenly, her stress level dropped a bit.
“We only eat like this during fests. And we’ll work it off later.” Owen slid a box labeled chicken poppers in front of her.
She tried one and grabbed another. The sweet and sour sauce with it perfectly tempered the spicy seasoning. “It’s great.”
“You okay?” Don asked.
She shivered and said the opposite of what was in her mind. “Fine. Just felt weird being at a big table alone.”
“Don’t worry. We won’t ever leave you alone for long.” Cam handed her some napkins.
“Thanks.” She glanced at Jar. He seemed totally at ease. Of course, he’d been hanging with these three men for over a month. Groups of men spending time together were nothing new. The factory had brought in plenty of men. Today, Zoe didn’t feel men in general looking at her as much.
Like it or not, she’d been claimed, and now, all of Lucky Springs knew who she slept with. The other men seemed to respect it like an old-fashioned code of chivalry. She belonged to these men now.
“Not hungry, Zoe? Don’t be shy.” Owen nudged a plate closer to her.
“We’ve got homemade cheesy potato soup for dinner,” Cam said.
Her stomach rumbled. Blocking out the crowds, especially when she caught Ash looking over, Zoe focused on sampling the food. She’d been over-thinking everything. Good men, good food, and later, great sex. What was there to complain about?
* * * *
With everyone stuffed, the soup was saved for another day. Luckily, Zoe didn’t insist on being returned to her house. They’d stayed late at the fest, and she claimed she didn’t want to wake her friends. Cam hoped she just wanted to be with them. Stepping out in public was a good sign, but it’d made her uneasy.
Yet here, she seemed quite at ease, stripping down to nothing and flopping into bed. Don and Owen followed her into the room, equally naked. Jar hung back and gave Cam an unsure look. Using sex as a crutch wasn’t a solution to the relationship hiccups, but until Zoe was ready to talk about the potential for the group, sex connected them.
Having sisters, Cam knew trying to get a woman to talk when she didn’t want to usually ended with heavy objects hurled at one’s head. So Cam undressed and gave Jar a hand to encourage him. When Cam ran his hands over Jar’s smooth chest, he caught Zoe watching. Cam kissing the back of Jar’s neck made her hips shift. Jar smiled and caught on, pinching Cam’s ass.
“Even overeating and greasy food doesn’t slow you guys down.” She rolled her eyes.
“I think it’ll slow us down a little bit.” Owen kissed her mouth.
Don grabbed her knees and spread them wide until her hips tilted in reflex. “I’m still hungry. You’re not going to say no to a little oral fun, are you Zoe?”
She bit her lip playfully and lifted a shoulder. Don kissed her slit and ton
gued around it teasingly. Her soft sighs betrayed her pleasure as she watched him. Owen sucked her breasts, and in seconds, she nudged him down to join Don.
“Guess one tongue isn’t enough,” Owen chuckled.
“One cock isn’t so why would one tongue be?” Jar climbed on the bed.
Cam followed closely. Jar kissed her with an intensity that made Cam’s gut tighten. The emotions were there, and she was ignoring them under the guise of sex. She grabbed Jar’s cock and coaxed him to kneel next to her head so she could suck on him.
Moving to the other side of Zoe, Cam nibbled on her breast and watched the two men eat her cunt. Thus far, Don hadn’t rushed to screw Owen, yet, Cam knew Don wanted it. He loved watching Cam with Jar, so Cam wondered what the holdup was. Cam had done nothing but encourage experimentation. Maybe Owen was hesitant.
“You like watching men together, Zoe?” Cam caught her eye. She was observant, and he hoped she enjoyed the thorough exploration of the group.
When Zoe pressed her knees together, the two men groaned. “Yes! We should all play. Owen, I want to watch you with Don. Don’t you think he needs to get screwed?”
Cam’s cock throbbed as he watched the two men share a look of desire. Owen went for the supplies as Don teased Zoe’s pussy further.
“Don’t you want to get fucked?” Jar asked her.
“I love the oral attention. Every time doesn’t need to be all the way in every way.” She kissed his hips and nuzzled her way back to his cock.
Cam wouldn’t intrude or try to share her mouth. He could get off on her full breasts alone. Watching Don get fucked by another man would push his release along faster.
While things seemed slow and playful, the second Owen lubed up Don’s ass, Don’s raw need became evident. Cam saw relief and need mixed in Don’s face as a different cock filled his ass. The rush of sharing his man made Cam stroke his cock as he pinched Zoe’s breast.
Cam looked up to find Jar watching, too. Zoe’s eyes were half closed as her pussy was fingered and licked. They all wanted to see the men together. Don moaned and rocked as Owen pounded his ass. Men could play a little rougher, and generally, it was hot. The variety of this passionate group was powerful. Cam loved the contrast of hard cock and the soft body he was pressed against.
Zoe’s hand found his cock, and Cam moaned. For a few strokes, he let her have her way, but he couldn’t stand it. Moving closer, he pressed his cock against her breast. She stroked along the top, and Cam lost control. The rush made him groan, but he fought to keep his eyes open as the orgasm controlled him.
As he came down from the release, he went to wipe away his cum from her neck and chest. She smacked his hand away and played with it as she smiled and watched her other men. Her other hand tugged Jar’s balls, and Cam could tell the sexy blond was on the edge.
Uninvited, Cam reached over and rubbed the underside of Jar’s cock at the head until he spurted cum like teenager. Zoe smiled and lifted her hips as she jerked Jar’s shaft to get every drop.
“Bastard,” Jar said.
“You loved it.” Cam smiled.
Zoe gasped, and the two men turned to look. Don had three fingers inside of her and his tongue hard on her clit. His constant groans were a result of Owen’s hard fucking and jerking Don’s cock.
“You like it?” Owen pressed his chest to Don’s back.
“Yes!” Don managed against her wet cunt.
Cam held her legs open, and Zoe groaned. Her body trembled. Watching and feeling her go into orgasm was a rush Cam never imagined. When Don lost control and came, Cam took over licking her pussy to keep her climax going as long as possible. Owen shouted and screamed Don’s name while holding him tight. The intense orgasm was the finale, and once Owen dumped his protection, he kissed Jar then Zoe. Their woman clearly approved of the sexual escapades. Cam kissed a very satisfied Don and snuggled with him. As the worn-out group basked in the afterglow, sleep slowly took them.
* * * *
Awhile later, Cam heard a noise. He opened his eyes in time to see Jar leave the room. Cam eased from the bed and followed to find Jar spread eagle on the other bed.
“Need some space?” Cam whispered.
Jar jumped.
“Sorry.” Cam sat down on the bed.
“It’s okay. Yeah, space, I guess. She’s nervous. We’re sharing our boyfriends, and I like it. I think it’s working fine. But then I see her pulling back a little.” Jar rubbed his eyes.
“Give her time. She’s not used to the idea of living an alternative lifestyle. Even if her friend is, and Lucky Springs has a temporary population imbalance, it’s not normal to her. Growing up, it was just her and her mom. We’re a big family.”
“Exactly. Owen, too. His parents shared custody and fought all the time. They used him. If this fails, I’m not sure how he’ll react.” Jar shook his head. “We all have our baggage to sort out while making this work.”
“I know. Seems rough.” Cam lay back next to Jar. “Is that why Owen held off screwing around with Don?”
“Probably. He doesn’t want to get attached if he can’t have something for good. That’s why we worked so well. I needed someone who made me feel normal and wanted, and he needed someone who could commit. That’s forever, but it’s not complete. I feel terrible saying it.” Jar closed his eyes.
Cam rolled on his side, closer to Jar. “It’s not bad. Don and I need a woman, too.”
Jar looked at Cam. “It’s not just a woman now. It’s the whole thing. A group. You and Don. It’s so complicated and so good, but it’s a lot to lose.”
“Maybe I’ve been downplaying it, but we all seem to need whatever this is. When it works, you don’t fight it.” Cam kissed Jar’s shoulder.
Jar rolled over and kissed Cam square on the mouth. The raw love and passion made Cam groan as he deepened the embrace. When they parted, Cam smiled. “Zoe is the key. I think we four will hang together just fine.”
“Another woman won’t work as well. She’s irreplaceable.” Jar sighed.
“I know, but we haven’t lost her. Don’t borrow trouble. I know she’s nervous, but this is still new.” Cam hugged Jar and knew it was time to get back to the group.
Pulling Jar by the arm, Cam led the way back to the other bed. He had to believe the relationship would work out. Any problems could be handled if they’d all talk them out and work together.
* * * *
Zoe shifted as more heat seemed to envelop her. Opening her eyes, she saw Cam and Jar whispering as they settled in bed. The men already had connections, but they seemed so focused on her even when they weren’t fucking her that she wanted it and feared it. The pressure of that made it hard to breathe. What did they truly want from her?
She sat up and slid to the edge of the bed. Being so close to them made it hard to think.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.” Cam kissed her cheek.
“No, I should leave,” she whispered.
Owen propped himself up on an elbow and nudged Don. “Wake up.”
“No, all of you go to sleep.” Zoe rubbed her eyes as a headache threatened. “I just need to go home.”
“Are we crowding you? Someone in Lucky Springs needs to start a mega bed business,” Don said sleepily.
“No, it’s not you.” Zoe stood up. “It’s me. I rushed or pushed things. When I texted you guys about the fest, I just needed to get out of the house and have fun.”
“Didn’t we have fun?” Jar asked.
“Yes, it was great. But now, the entire town thinks I’m your woman. Believe me; I had no intention of making some public declaration like that. We’ve barely been seeing each other. It’s not that serious. The whole thing is blown out of proportion.” Zoe paced to relieve her stress.
Cam chuckled. “No one is going to announce your engagement to us in the local paper or anything, Zoe.”
“This isn’t funny!” She smacked his shoulder. “I don’t want to be the laughing stock of the company.
I don’t want to be a housewife or viewed as claimed.”
Owen sat on the edge of the bed and caught her hips. “I know Lucky Springs feels old-fashioned, and the alternative relationships here seem to stand out, but nothing is set in stone. We’re not sizing you for rings or a wedding dress. Really. We’re not trying to pressure you.”
“He’s right. We just enjoy being with you. No one else is in this relationship.” Jar stood behind her and hugged her. “I know all about small town judgment, but here no one will condemn us if it doesn’t work. Stop obsessing.”
She looked at Don, who seemed so at ease all the time. “Really?”
He shrugged. “I don’t care if you obsess about us. That just means you like us. But don’t leave.”
Cam kicked Don. “We’re not going anywhere. There’s not a big rush to decide. Yes, other people love to pair or group off others. It’s a nice thing. They don’t want people to be lonely. It’s not like you’re locked in a box.”
“He always says things better.” Don hugged Cam and kissed his neck.
“You guys are so hot together. Maybe, you don’t really need a woman. Have you considered that?” Zoe eyed her clothes but in her gut knew she didn’t want to leave. Going home to the girls meant explaining all of this when she couldn’t sort it out herself.
“I have. I thought when I found Owen I was set.” Jar shrugged. “He’s great for me, but we both needed a woman. If this is where I belong, it’s not as easy as I thought. Sharing one woman with Owen was the plan, but without Don or Cam, it’s not the same. Some challenges we go after and some find us.”
She craned her neck to look the angel-faced guy in the eyes. “You’re that sure. You believe this relationship is right?”
Jar shrugged. “I don’t think any of us are totally sure yet. We’ve all got our own baggage, and we all hold back at times. We’ve got more exploring and sharing to do. I haven’t bolted yet, which is a good sign. Neither have you, or you’d be out the door already.”
She leaned back on Jar, loving his honesty. Deep down, she knew she was falling for these four. Owen had doubts that it’d last. She could see them in his eyes. But she and he were both from broken homes. They’d learned early on in life that commitments didn’t always last. Cam and Don seemed the least concerned, but they were also the stable and confident ones who made it feel easy. Without them, the group would have fallen apart already.
Salesmen on the Rise Page 5
