by Jenesi Ash
Caleb looked away. “I’m hoping for Mia and Jamie to hook up,” he muttered.
Mia and Jamie. Aidan forgot to breathe as he imagined the two of them together, naked and sweaty. Jamie’s face would be nestled between Mia’s slender legs. Mia’s blue eyes would be glazed over with arousal as she climaxed, screaming her best friend’s name.
Aidan felt the sweat bead on his forehead. The idea alone made him hot. His fantasies were always about Mia with another man. But Mia with a woman? With Jamie? His knees went weak as lust flooded through his body.
“Like that idea, too, huh?” Caleb asked.
Aidan wasn’t going to answer that. “Mia has never shown any interest in having sex with a woman.”
Caleb shrugged. “What’s your point?”
“Even if she had lesbian fantasies, she’s not going to act on them. She’s a Clover Bud girl through and through.”
“We can join forces and give it our best shot,” Caleb said. “We’ll create a mood. Opportunities.”
“And if it doesn’t happen, then no big deal,” Aidan continued. “They’ll never know what we were up to.”
“It’s better than that,” Caleb insisted. “Think about it: We’ll live out every fantasy, and Jamie and Mia think we’re being good sports about it.”
Every fantasy? Aidan wasn’t sure about that. “Do you really think we can do all this in one night?”
Caleb smiled. “Who says we only get one night?”
Aidan shook his head. The guy was getting ahead of himself. “We can manipulate the situation all we want, but this is a one-time deal.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t hope.”
Aidan thought Caleb was reaching for too much. The guy wanted to hold on to Jamie as well as have more than one night of swapping. Not only that, he wanted Mia and Jamie to hook up.
Mia and Jamie. Aidan imagined their arms and legs tangled. Jamie would be on top, grinding her large breasts against Mia’s. “I gotta go to work,” he said gruffly.
“So are you in?” Caleb asked. “You’re going to swap?”
“Yeah, I’ll swap.” A flash of excitement ripped through him. He found it difficult to take his next breath. “When should we tell them?”
“We don’t need to.” Caleb leaned back in his seat and took a leisurely sip of his coffee. “I want to see how they’re going to convince us.”
“You mean trick us.”
Caleb nodded and smiled. “And we’ll trick them right back.” Aidan grinned as the anticipation swelled in his chest. “This is going to be good.
FOUR
Several days later, Caleb pulled his battered pickup truck alongside the curb next to Mia’s house. He put it in park, leaned his forearms on the steering wheel, and let the engine idle as he studied the modest bungalow.
He didn’t think he could wait any longer for the swapping. It had been three days, and he was slowly going crazy from waiting. If he wasn’t having sex marathons with Jamie every night, he would have already gone crossed-eyed.
When Jamie had told him Monday morning that Mia was on for the swapping, he made the mistake of believing something would happen that night. The idea of swapping and making some fantasies come true had revved him up, and he had been close to bouncing off the walls. He was the kind of guy who, when he decided on something, took action immediately.
Apparently, no one else felt that way. Caleb gave a long sigh and turned off the engine. The tension had been thick in Mia’s house, but no one said a thing. His muscles bunched, were ready to pounce, every time someone made a move.
But nothing had happened. He had been ready to get the party started, but Jamie had asked him to play it cool and go along with her strategy. He had been willing, but he hadn’t realized the plan was to make him wait until he grew old and gray.
On Tuesday, it was like the fates were against him. As a handyman, he usually made his own hours, but on that day, he received an emergency call from his best client. He had rushed to Mia’s house late in the night, worried that he had missed out.
It turned out he had nothing to worry about. Aidan didn’t drop by the bungalow that night. Caleb didn’t know whether to be relieved or frustrated. Strangely, Mia and Jamie didn’t seem disappointed.
He was beginning to think that they were playing a prank on him. Why mention swapping and then do nothing? Unless Mia and Jamie were getting cold feet. He didn’t think Jamie suffered from second-guessing, but Mia might.
Caleb wondered if they had decided against the swap and forgotten to tell him. That was the most likely scenario, he decided as he got out of the truck and slammed the door, the vehicle shuddering and creaking from the impact. All Mia and Jamie talked about in front of him was the Herculean effort of getting Jamie ready for the move.
Or did they not include him in their plans because they thought he would be ready at a moment’s notice? Part of that was true, but he wanted a say in how the swapping would work.
He was not sure how he had gotten a playboy reputation. Sure, he’d had some amazing sexual experiences, but that didn’t reflect who he was anymore. A lot of those memories were hazy. He couldn’t remember the names and faces, and he was sure his previous sex partners felt the same about him. It was disheartening, especially since, at the time, he had been trying to find somewhere he belonged.
Instead he had taken a path to find sexual nirvana but never found it though what he had discovered with Jamie was something special and he didn’t want to lose it. Unfortunately, Jamie was ready to walk away from it all. She didn’t see him as a partner. Sometimes he got the feeling that Jamie saw him as a sex toy that could talk.
The possibility troubled him. Caleb tucked his head down as he walked up the path to Mia’s house. He knew that Jamie didn’t mean to treat him that way; she was trying to protect herself. How was he going to prove to Jamie that he was much more? He had less than a week to get the point across.
Tonight he was going to push the idea of swapping out of his mind. It was distracting him from his ultimate goal: to leave Clover Bud with Jamie. He didn’t know if Jamie had mentioned the possibility of swapping partners so he would stop talking about their future. He wouldn’t put it past her.
Caleb pressed the doorbell and heard the chimes inside the old house. He folded his arms across his chest and waited. The scent of the flowers on the porch drifted toward him as the hot summer breeze pulled at his shirt. He looked through the window panels in the front door and saw Mia step out of the media room and hurry to let him inside.
She wore a pair of bright red shorts that hugged her slender hips. Her blond ponytail swayed from side to side as her small breasts bounced underneath her white tank top. Mia was a beautiful woman, but she didn’t have Jamie’s sexual zing.
Mia opened the door, and he felt the chill of her air-conditioned home. “Hi, Caleb,” she greeted him with a smile. “Come on in. We’re hanging out in the media room.”
Caleb smiled at the term as she closed the door behind him. “Media room” sounded very contemporary and high-tech for a small old house. He didn’t know what the room had been before, but every time he stepped in there, he knew Aidan had either been the architect or the inspiration.
“What are you doing there?” he asked as he followed Mia across the living room floor.
“Oh, we’re playing some karate game on the Xbox.” She waved her hand in the air. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”
Her movement drew his attention to the jiggle of her breasts. Caleb stopped walking as everything around him went into slow motion. Mia wasn’t wearing a bra, and he could see the dusky areolas beneath the thin white fabric.
Caleb closed his eyes and swallowed. That was unlike Mia. What was going on? Was tonight the night?
No, he wasn’t going to spend another night wondering and waiting. He needed to focus on his top priority: Jamie.
Caleb walked into the media room, his gaze sweeping the corners. The computer sat on a desk in the corner, but it wasn’t
turned on. Loud yells and crashes came through the surround-sound system. He turned toward the wide-screen television and saw two scantily clad animated women kicking each other, their breasts bouncing as freely as Mia’s.
Don’t think about that. He purposely turned away from the TV and saw Jamie sitting on the big leather couch. She wore a tight green T-shirt and the tiniest pair of cutoff shorts he’d ever seen.
“Hey, no fair,” Mia said to Jamie as she grabbed the abandoned game controller and sat next to her friend. “You can’t kung fu me when I’m not in the room.”
“All is fair in love and war,” Jamie pronounced, pumping her fist in the air when the music started, indicating that the game was over. “Hi, Caleb. Take a seat.”
Not exactly the sexy or loving greeting he would have liked, but he’d take what he could get. He walked over to Jamie and gave her a brief, hard kiss. Jamie gave him a distracted smile and returned her attention on the game.
He stepped back and studied the two sitting on the couch. It was rare for them to play Xbox unless he or Aidan invited them to join. Something was up. He tried not to speculate and ignored the tingling in his skin.
“Are you guys done packing?” Caleb asked as he sat on the armrest next to Jamie.
“Yes. Three days before I leave,” Jamie said with pride. “Can you believe I didn’t wait until the last minute?”
“That is Mia’s doing,” Caleb said. “You probably tried to put it off, but she wouldn’t let you.”
Mia smiled and nodded as she pushed the buttons on her controller to start another game.
“You know me well.” Jamie frowned as she realized what she’d said. “I might as well go now. No sense hanging around.”
Fear congealed in Caleb’s stomach. He remained very still and bit down hard on his tongue before he did something stupid—like demand that she stay. Fortunately Mia beat him to the punch.
“Don’t you dare!” Mia warned Jamie, taking her eyes off the television. “I helped you pack so we could have fun on your last few days.”
“Okay, okay.” Jamie raised her hands in surrender. “I’ll stay. Let the fun begin.”
The tingling was getting stronger for Caleb. He saw the silent exchange between Mia and Jamie. Mia’s secretive smile set off alarms in his head.
Tonight was the night. He knew it. He didn’t know how he knew, but he couldn’t shake the feeling.
Caleb tried to breathe evenly as the anticipation swelled in his chest. He sat down on the floor next to the couch, his arm brushing against Jamie’s leg. He curled his hand around her ankle and caressed her warm golden skin.
“Where’s Aidan?” he asked as Jamie and Mia played the game. He couldn’t help but see how poorly they competed. Why were they playing this game?
“He went to the corner store to get some beer,” Mia said as she pressed her thumbs against the control buttons.
Caleb heard the back door swing open and the clink of glass bottles. He recognized the footsteps as Aidan’s.
“Did you start without me?” Aidan called out from the mudroom when he heard the warrior cry from the karate game.
“I’m just practicing,” Mia yelled back.
“Room for one more?” Caleb asked.
“Absolutely,” Jamie said, chuckling evilly when she vanquished Mia’s character on-screen. “But we can only play two fighters at a time, so let’s make this a competition.”
Oh, yeah. Tonight was the night. Her explanation was prepared. Caleb couldn’t figure out her plan, but he was willing to go along with it.
“Sure you want me to play?” Caleb asked. “I always win.”
Jamie looked down at him and waggled her eyebrows. “Your luck might change tonight.”
Aidan walked in with three bottles of Corona. “Hey, Caleb. Didn’t know you were here. You want a beer?”
“No, I’m good.” He needed to keep on top of his game. He grabbed the controller. “Are you guys ready?”
They took turns playing against one another, and Caleb found out how badly Mia played. Jamie wasn’t even trying, and Mia still came in last. Aidan was his only real competition.
Caleb thought it was amazing he was winning by a large margin because all he could think about was swapping.
It was time for him to make the first move. Caleb waited until he slaughtered his competition again. He listened to the swell of the music as the scores appeared on the screen. “I win again,” he announced.
Jamie made a face, which didn’t surprise Caleb. She was never a good loser. “You must be bored winning all the time.”
“I can think of something to make it interesting.” He paused, knowing that once he started this in motion, he wouldn’t be able to stop it even if he wanted to. “How about the winner gets a kiss from the loser?”
Jamie wrinkled her nose, not impressed with idea. “I get kisses from you all the time.”
He loved how she talked big, as if it was a foregone conclusion that she would win. “But this time the winner will tell the loser exactly what to do.” He knew how he would claim his prize from Jamie. Her wide mouth would wrap around his cock right before she deep-throated him.
Interest flared in Jamie’s eyes. “I’d like to point out that I don’t lose all the time.”
Caleb raised his eyebrow. “I know.”
Jamie’s lips parted in surprise as the tension in the room suddenly arced. Jamie slid a look to Mia, but Mia was watching Aidan under her lashes. Everyone waited breathlessly for Aidan’s response.
Aidan, sitting on the floor near Mia, drained the rest of his beer bottle in one gulp and wiped the moisture from his mouth. “You’re on.”
The tension didn’t evaporate. Instead it went up a notch. Caleb gave a silent thanks that Aidan didn’t back down from the challenge. “What about you guys?” Caleb asked Jamie.
“Sure,” Mia agreed for them, her voice high from nervousness. “Let’s do it.”
Caleb did his best not to look triumphant. He started the game for Jamie and Mia, who would play the first round. He glanced at Aidan, whose face was suspiciously blank.
Should he win this time? Caleb wasn’t sure how to play this. He didn’t usually throw a game, but he could tell that Mia was nervous. He glanced in her direction. Mia stared intently at the screen. Her shoulders were hunched as she hit every button on her controller.
He knew she wasn’t ready. Caleb could tell that she was doing everything in her power not to be last. When the game ended, Mia crowed in victory.
So Jamie was the loser this time. He wasn’t sure if she should win or allow the swap to happen between Jamie and Aidan. Caleb debated as Mia fought against Aidan, but she was no match for him. It was now time for him to compete with Aidan.
As they played, he glanced over at Aidan’s hands. The man was doing his best to win. Caleb decided then he would lose. He lifted his thumbs and pretended to work the controllers. It was a matter of minutes before Aidan was the victor of the game.
“Shit,” Jamie said as she stared at the screen.
“Excuse me?” Aidan said.
“I don’t believe this!” Caleb made a show of complaining. “We just make it interesting, and I don’t win.”
“Okay, Aidan, a deal is a deal,” Jamie said as she tossed her controller on the couch. “How do you want me?”
“Come here and find out.”
It was obvious that Jamie didn’t like Aidan’s tone, but she rose from the couch and walked over to where Aidan sat. Without an invitation, she straddled Aidan’s hips, her tiny shorts revealed her curvy ass. Jamie placed her hands on Aidan’s shoulder and raised her eyebrows in silent question.
Caleb’s chest tightened as he watched Jamie in full aggression mode. He always enjoyed it when she was on the prowl, but he couldn’t tell how Aidan felt. He had heard the guy liked to be in charge and preferred submissive women, but who could reject such a bold, sexy invitation? Aidan showed no expression as Jamie lowered her mouth onto his.
Aid
an reached around the back of Jamie’s head and gripped her messy ponytail. Her mouth hovered above Aidan’s. She parted her lips and looked straight into Aidan’s eyes.
“That’s not how I want you,” Aidan said coolly.
Aidan made Jamie wait, her mouth just a kiss away from his. Anger flashed in her eyes. Caleb could tell that Jamie was about ready to tell Aidan off. Aidan must have sensed it as he made a swift move, roughly claiming Jamie’s mouth, catching her off-guard.
This time Aidan was the aggressor. Caleb saw Aidan’s tongue slide past Jamie’s lips. Jamie’s eyelids fluttered shut as she roughly returned Aidan’s kisses.
Caleb cast a quick glance in Mia’s direction. She watched with rapt attention as her boyfriend kissed her best friend. When Aidan finally let go of Jamie, they were both gasping for breath. Caleb suspected Jamie would scramble off Aidan’s lap. Instead she sat still, her mouth wide-open. She stared blinkingly at Aidan, not saying a word.
Caleb got up suddenly. “I’m going to get a beer. Anyone else want one?” After all three made requests, he scooped up the empty bottles and walked quickly to the kitchen. He dumped the bottles in the recycle bin and opened the refrigerator door, not really seeing what was on the shelves.
Get a grip. Caleb closed his eyes but he still had the vision of Jamie kissing Aidan. He wanted to be in Aidan’s position, claiming Jamie’s mouth and taking the kiss, rather than taking whatever she was willing to give. He wanted to match Jamie’s dominance and aggression.
Caleb could get the same response as Aidan did, but not without consequences. If he tried to claim Jamie, she would run in the other direction. He knew the only way to be invited into her bed again and again was to surrender the control.
He did it well, which was a surprise. He was used to being the aggressor. One of his ex-lovers had accused him of being a chameleon, ready to change and be the kind of man his lover needed. Caleb hadn’t denied it. It was his greatest strength as a lover, as well as his weakness.
It didn’t make him a great lover—more like the perfect sex partner. In his opinion, there was a difference. A lover gave and took, while a sex partner was more like a vessel for someone’s fantasies.
