Karl shrugged. "Everything’s gone except the woods. I worked with the client to set up a new company to just manage the wood and any other land they may acquire.."
"You've worked with the client?" Jade didn't know what to make of this. Philip was the client. Unless Karl met the demigod Philip had talked about.
"Hold on. Jade, we should explain from the beginning." Nic placed a hand own in the middle of the table. "The day after we last saw you, we returned to the woods and through the Labyrinth, taking exactly the same route as when we went with you."
"It took us a while to find that hollow tree," Karl interjected.
Nic ignored him. "It had occurred to us that what Philip said hadn't all added up. We had questions."
"When we got there, it seemed like he was expecting us. And eventually, he gave answers.
"What did you ask?" On the one hand, she could understand why they'd have many questions, but on the other, she was curious about what exactly they'd asked Philip.
"Well, firstly, there was the brooch," Karl said. "Do you remember, Philip had told us that it was the pass to allow whoever held it through the Labyrinth to the Folly of King Minos? Well, you went ahead of us, so it didn't explain how come we were able to follow so easily."
"Oh. What did Philip say?"
Karl and Nic exchanged glances, and then Nic replied, "Although there are ways to sneak in, there's free access to gods and demigods. We didn't sneak in."
Jade's jaw dropped. Speechless, she pointed at Nic and then Karl. "You? Both of you?"
Nic nodded.
"Our second question was about you," Karl and picked up his drink.
Nic picked up the subject. "It was clear the whole time Philip was with us that he had the hots for you, and who can blame him."
"Oh."
An awkward silence followed, and everyone focused on their drinks.
"Why did you want to talk to Philip about me?"
Karl answered, "Philip had said he wanted to see you. He'd sent the dude in the strange costume to find you. But when we met, he didn't say anything much of significance. We worried we'd barged in and messed something up for the two of you."
Jade wasn't sure she like the sound of guys talking about her behind her back as if she were an object and they could decide who got to keep her.
"So you guys would agree to back off if Philip liked me? Is that it? Didn't I get a say?"
Nic massaged his temples. "It wasn’t like that at all. We wouldn't have gone to see him so we could fight over you, that's not us. We went to make sense of a strange situation. At the same time, we were sure the guy we were talking to was interested in you, so we asked him."
"And how did that go?"
"Well, actually." Karl gave what might have been the most annoying cheesy grin of his life to accompany the irritating cryptic answer.
Nic smiled too.
"Well?"
Nic raised an eyebrow. "I don't think it's for us to repeat. If Philip has something to tell you, he'd tell you."
Jade coughed clearing her throat. "No way. You don't dangle that in front of me. If you aren't going to tell me what he said, why are you here?"
Karl let go of his cup. He crossed his arms on the table and leaned forward on his elbows. "I haven’t been able to get you and what we shared out of my head since, and it’s been driving me crazy. Working on the business treadmill wasn’t making me happy, so I decided to end it and start over again."
"I thought I was the impulsive one. You seemed so professional and businesslike. Where's Karl and what did you do with him?" Jade tapped Karl’s arm in jest. Just as before, physical contact meant sparks of electricity shooting across her hand. Fireworks exploded, reaching up to her elbow. Jade yanked her hand away and sat back with a jolt. "And now you know you’re a demigod, how does that change things?"
"I asked myself what really makes me happy." Karl settled back in his chair and shot Jade a pointed look. "And the answer came back, you."
Karl might’ve been an almost-asshole, but he had a way with words. Cocky bastard. Jade’s blush intensified.
"You and Nic."
She looked at Nic.
He tilted his head. "After meeting Philip, and spending a long time with him, Karl and I talked and planned a new life for ourselves, and we want you to come with us."
"Where?" Shocked and flustered she may be, but Jade wasn’t overlooking one gigantic missing detail.
"Back to the folly and the Labyrinth. Philip has some real useful work for us to do, if we want to help save the world. The maze has over two hundred exits, and that's just in our world. He could do with more guys with a construction background to check out the tunnels and exits and set in place any upgrades or maintenance work."
"He's been overseeing it all on his own," Karl added. "It does mean traveling the world and seeing new places."
Nic nodded, "It's a job for the young at heart and adventurous spirit."
"Naturally, we thought of you," Karl said, turning them into a double act.
"That is definitely me," Jade agreed.
"Or we might travel in other dimensions. You and Philip said there were more. I know it’s dangerous, and it’s a lot to ask, but I can’t get that place out of my head, either." Karl leaned forward, crossing the table and placing his hands right next to Jade’s drink. "I need to know more. All of this—other worlds, gods and demigods stuff. There's so much we still have to uncover and explore… I want to know it. We're going back. And I’d like it if you came with us."
A million thoughts raced through Jade’s mind, none of them fully formed. They evoked feelings in her she wasn’t sure she understood. Joy, certainly. Apprehension, definitely. Fear and excitement?
There was no doubt. Karl made what he wanted sort of clear—but what was it that Jade really wanted?
She looked into Karl’s eyes. There was hope there, a glimmer that refused to be dulled. Jade remembered the stern-looking man she’d met back in the parking lot of Beaumont High School and realized that over the course of a few short days, she’d changed Karl’s life.
Now Karl was offering to change hers.
She looked over at Nic. He'd always seemed so gentle and human compared to his friend. Now he sat looking at her with such a sincere and hopeful expression on his face.
"I…" Jade trailed off.
"You don’t have to answer right away if you don’t want to. We can wait. I know you’re going to school. We can wait a long time. We're patient men, and we’re both young. I mean, obviously I’m ten years older than you, and Nic's even older than me, which might seem ancient."
"Hey," Nic objected. "By one year, that's all."
"Stop!" Jade slapped her hands down on top of Karl’s. "You sound like me! Is this what it’s like to talk to me? Listening to a crazy person ramble?"
Karl didn’t reply.
Nic chuckled.
"What?" asked Jade.
"It's just, and don't take this the wrong way, but you two are quite similar."
They sat for a few minutes in silence. When Jade moved, she picked up her drink and sipped her tea.
"Sorry," Karl said finally. "I’ve been thinking about a lot of things over these past few weeks, and I’ve only had Nic to talk to about it all."
Jade huffed. "You're lucky."
Karl raised his eyebrows. "Tell me." He picked up his cup and sipped the coffee.
"Honestly? After what we did… Well, I thought you’d call." Jade was about to say more but she stopped when she saw the way Karl’s eyes widened, and his mouth fell open with surprise.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t think it meant that much to you. I’m really sorry, Jade. You were nice to me, but I believed deep down you thought I was an asshole. I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me. I’ve been trying to figure out how I can prove to you that I’m not a total asshat and that I’m not too old for you. And that it could work out if you’d just give me a chance to make a fresh start with you."
It was Jad
e’s turn to act surprised. She glanced at Nic and saw him roll his eyes. She sat forward. She didn’t want the whole of Java Lava to hear her. "But you’re a catch, Karl. I could always see that, and you know it, too. Don’t go spoiling my fantasy of you seducing loads of girls, and not even know their names."
Karl winked. "A different week, a new hotel, a new hot blonde, that’s my motto."
"That—" Jade bit down on her bottom lip. And dammit if she didn’t feel a stirring in her stomach that was a hunger of a different kind. She took a deep breath and whispered, "That is one hot image."
Karl seemed to sit up a little straighter. "Do ya think so?"
Jade nodded.
Karl’s cocky smirk was back. "Tell me more, Jade, about these fantasies of yours."
Nic coughed. "Sitting right here." He put an elbow on the table and rested his head on his hand. "Just reminding you, Jade,—in case it is not absolutely clear—there's more than one guy interested in you. And I'd like to hear these fantasies too."
"Well, two men fighting over me isn't one of them." Jade really didn’t want or need to tell the men her fantasies. Not here in a public place. There were too many downsides. For one thing, Jade’s panties might get so wet, and she’d never be able to stand up and leave because of how it would soak through and leave a puddle on the chair. Eventually, she’d run out of money and not be able to order more, and they’d ask her to leave. It would be embarrassing if nothing else, she’d definitely need to go to the bathroom at some point.
Setting those practical problems aside, what would the guys think of her? Would they walk away disgusted? Would they call Jade a slut? Which would be most unfair, when most of it had only ever happened in her head anyway. But she suspected she wouldn’t say no if the right opportunity arose…
"I’ve never told anyone any of this, but if you are seriously asking me to come away with you, then I guess I need to know if you mean as friends or something more. If so, you should know more about me. Hey, I’d like to know more about the two of you, too."
"Don’t change the subject, Jade; you’ve got me on the edge of my seat now. Tell me about these fantasies," Nic growled. His voice husky.
"Shh!" Jade dipped her head lower. "I’m really attracted to you both. Really, I am. But I’ve not been with many guys. I’m only twenty-one. I just want to be the kid in the candy store who gets to take the lid off every jar and try every last one of those damn candies ’cause they all look so good. I like unwrapping the shiny paper to see what’s underneath. I’m excited about finding out what each different one will taste like in my mouth."
Karl’s grin was huge. "Go on."
"I think I might be too young to settle down and resist all temptation. I’m not saying I can’t resist because I can."
Nic put his hand out and held on to Jade. "You’re saying you don’t want to resist temptation. You want to try all the candy. Am I right?"
Jade nodded.
They guys seemed to get and accept it quite well, so far.
"And what about me?" Karl asked.
"Okay. This might seem weird, but since I know the candy tastes nice, I want you to eat them, too. In fact, I’d like to watch you gorge on them."
Karl snorted with laughter. "Sounds good to me."
Jade relaxed and laughed too. It was a great analogy. But did Karl understand? Jade wasn't truly sure herself what exactly she wanted any more. She used to think she didn't want to settle down yet, now she wasn't so sure.
"Okay. I should be honest with you after you’ve been very candid with me," Karl said, still grinning.
"Don’t think I didn’t notice what you just said there." Jade pointed her finger at Karl and laughed. The man really was good company as well as attractive. Eye-candy, even.
"Of course Nic and I have talked about what we want to do with you, to be honest. And we can't say most of it here," he glanced around.
Jade shuddered.
"We hardly know each other. What I do know about you I like, and I want to get to know you a lot better in every way. I think you’re really hot. Could I have a relationship with you, I don’t know. If you started dating Nic, I can see you'd be a good match, and I'd hate to be left out of it. Could it work if two or three guys dated one woman? I'm just not sure; it's beyond my experience. I guess I'm hoping for friends and lovers and maybe more. How does that sound?"
Disappointing.
"Um. I’m not sure." It may have been better than anything Jade could’ve dreamed of, but it was still so different from what she’d imagined. Brenna and Lauren got soulmates, and it seemed she got…friends with benefits. Well, two very hot sexy friends who offered excellent benefits.
"Well," Nic interrupted. "I don’t want you dating Karl and leaving me out of things either. If there is going to be any dating going on, I want to throw my hat in the ring right now Jade and tell you I'd like to go out with you. And I wouldn't mind if you saw Karl and Philip too, at the same time."
"Why mention Philip?" Jade asked.
"Um. He's a nice guy. He's into you. And he is a god; I can hardly compete with that."
Karl's eyes narrowed, and he turned to Nic. "I suppose it helps that he's bisexual and hot."
Nic’s face flushed.
"Philip told you he’s bisexual?" Jade was more than a little curious about the details of that conversation.
Karl nodded.
"Okay, I may have had one or two impure thoughts involving Jade, an attractive god of architecture, and myself." Nic shrugged. "So, I like threesomes, I admit it, and it's not a crime. Right now, I’d rather focus on the woman here and now who I came to see and who I hope will be in my future. We both like candy. I’d like to see her eating more. I’d like to see her surrounded by candy. Buried in it. Coated in chocolate. So much in her mouth that it runs over her lips and down her chin. See it splashed over her face and shoulders. She’s coated in it. And loving every minute of it."
Jade felt herself blushing again. She squeezed her thighs together. The mental image Nic created was so hot. Jade had seen porn just like that, and yes, she’d wanted to be there at the center of it in her fantasies. It seemed in Nic, she’d found a guy who might actually share those fantasies.
"I'm bisexual too," she blurted out. It seemed the right time to tell them.
"As I said, I'd like to see my woman eat lots of candy, every flavor if it makes her happy. But I’m confident a sweet moment of pleasure doesn’t mean she’s going to leave me and live with some other dude or girl because our relationship will be built on a deeper friendship. I want you, Jade, I’m very attracted to you, but I don’t want you to be under the misapprehension that I just want you for sex. I want you for much more than that, which means getting to know you better."
Who would have thought after all that time when Karl seemed to be the one with golden words to charm her, Nic would be the one who'd blow her mind with words alone?
Chapter Eighteen
There were still so many things to talk about, but they would wait. Jade had to get Nic somewhere private and fast. Ideally with Karl there too.
Fortunately, her off-campus apartment building was only a short walk away.
When they entered the apartment, Jade just about dragged the guys to the bedroom. "No more talk about candy. Tell me exactly what you want to do. And show me, too."
Jade didn’t give Nic the opportunity to reply because she kissed him so hard not even a sound could escape. Driven out of her mind with lust-filled obscene thoughts, Jade could do nothing but kiss Nic as she ran her hands over the man’s body.
Karl stepped up behind her, so she was sandwiched between these two men again. There was the unmistakable shape of his ridged shaft against her back. His hands slipped under her T-shirt, making contact with her skin and pushing the cotton fabric up. Without taking it off completely, he unhooked the clasp of Jade’s bra.
Trembling with arousal, Jade smoothed her hands over Nic's pecs. His nipples were hard and poking against the fabric of his
shirt. He moaned with pleasure when Jade pinched them hard.
This was going to take too damned long when Jade was already in such a state, and she was sure the men were too. She stepped back, pressing against Karl, and pulled her own top off and began on her shorts.
"Eager," Nic said as he stood back, watching.
"Yes, you could say that." Panting already, Jade was hardly able to speak and breathe at the same time. She sensed the saturated fabric of her panties sliding between her legs.
Seconds after Jade shed the last of her clothes, she stood in front of Karl naked while the men began on their own clothes, and they took all the time in the world. Much as Jade was eager to get on to the next stage, touching exposed skin, it was no hardship to watch Karl and Nic while the two men made her wait.
Nic undid his belt and fly so that his jeans fell open to reveal a slip of bright color underneath. Without pulling them down and off, he moved his attention to his shirt. With the slowest of motions, he unbuttoned it to reveal his chest and then his abs. God, he'd been working out as well as working hard, since the last time she'd seen him.
Seconds later both men stood in front of her naked and stroking their hard cocks. She was faced with a pleasant dilemma.
"Sit down if you want," Jade said, eyes fixed on Nic. Without waiting to see what he did, Jade took to her knees, certain of exactly what she wanted—to taste his cock and experience it filling her mouth.
She wanted to do that to both men, but she had to choose.
"Oh." Nic didn’t move. He stood perfectly still instead, resting his hands gently on Jade’s head.
With one hand on Nic’s balls and another wrapped around a buttock, Jade licked around the head and up and down the shaft.
Karl didn't join her this time. He stood right next to her. His cock also inches from her face, and he watched.
Nic tasted a mix of salty and delicious. He was also thick and long, and Jade knew she couldn’t take it all in her mouth, but she intended to give it a good go. And to practice at every opportunity if the guys would let her.
"That’s good, Jade. I've imagined seeing you like this, but it’s even better in real life."
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