Fuck, it sucked being a decent person sometimes.
CHAPTER NINE
Josh didn’t know why he was here. He’d joined the mini caravan with Dylan, following Sydney back to her place, to help unload the rest of her merchandise.
Dylan’s logic was that, if Josh helped, it would remind him this went beyond conflict of interest, and they could both be guilty at work tomorrow.
Josh caught the glance Dylan sent his say. The implied, but you leave as soon as the heavy lifting is done. They’d each driven their own cars, so Josh could leave the new sweethearts alone in peace.
Which didn’t help him understand why he’d agreed to join them in the first place.
Because I’m having fun with them.
And because he liked watching Sydney move. And hearing her laugh. And the way she twisted her hair when she was distracted or nervous.
He shook the thoughts aside. Even if she did decide to spill to Dylan about her two-guys-at-once fantasy, it wasn’t going to involve Josh.
They finished stashing her boxes in the second bedroom. She’d stayed in the apartment Josh found with her. They’d gotten a good price on it, so it made sense she stayed here.
The place radiated her personality. Display cases wherever there was space. A futon, and a TV on a cheap stand. Posters, wall scrolls, and merchandise from various fandoms decorated her walls.
He was trying his best not to think about how happy she’d been when she first saw the shower in the master bedroom. Big enough for three people to play in.
Josh wasn’t going to be the cockblocking asshole. Not a second time, anyway. He’d let Dylan and Sydney get up to whatever they were going to get up to, and ignore the desire thrumming in his veins. He’d push aside the hedging fantasies of spending one more night stripping Sydney down and making her moan.
He couldn’t believe Dylan had surrendered the chance to ask her for more details. The guy must really be smitten.
Dylan wandered toward one of the display cases in the living room. “What are these?”
Josh’s thoughts stalled. Dylan was looking at painted figurines for a variety of tabletop games, and she had shelves of them.
“Where are the new ones?” Josh asked.
The look she gave him was difficult to interpret. “Work occupies most of my free time these days. I haven’t touched the figurines in a while.”
“You painted these?” Dylan hovered his hands over the glass, attention fixed on its contents.
Not all of them.
“More than half of them are Josh’s,” Sydney said.
“I can’t believe you kept mine.”
She jammed her hands in her pockets. “I couldn’t get rid of them. You might be an inconsiderate ass, but you’re a talented one.”
“Thanks. I think.” Josh didn’t expect she’d forgiven him, but the reminder was still a painful dig.
Dylan turned back to them. “What class do you play? And don’t tell me it depends. Everyone has a preference.”
“You’re not going to just assume I’m the healer?” Sydney asked.
Of course Dylan wouldn’t. He knew better. “No, because Josh plays cleric.”
“Busted.” Sydney laughed. She had relaxed a lot since this morning, and even since they left the convention center. It was nice to see. “Give me two swords and light enough armor to keep me mobile, and send me to the front line.”
Dylan looked surprised. “Sounds dangerous.”
“She’s very agile,” Josh assured him.
“Is that a double entendre?”
Sydney stepped closer to Dylan. “If that fills your head with naughty thoughts, then yes.”
“I miss those games.” What Josh really wanted to say was, enough with the flirting, but that was petty. Besides, he didn’t actually mind. He thought he would, but Dylan and Sydney looked good together. The one regret Josh had was being on the outside. If he was putting this much thought into the situation, he needed to say his goodbyes soon.
He didn’t know how much longer he could hold the vivid images at bay, of having Sydney sandwiched between them.
“It wouldn’t work now,” Sydney said. “We’d make a lousy party.”
Right. They were still talking about roleplaying. The not-naked kind. “Why not?” he asked.
“Because your tank would get in my way.” Sydney poked Dylan playfully in the chest.
Not the answer Josh expected, but one that made him smile.
“You’re the agile one.” Dylan grasped her wrist, holding her captive. “You can figure out a way to dance around me with your two swords. And I’m flattered you didn’t peg me for a bruiser.”
Sydney shook her head. “Only when your team is in trouble. Then you’ll rain fire down from above. Doesn’t matter if it’s in your skillset or not.”
“Did you ever have a chance to try out the shower?” Josh’s question slipped out without his permission. Wow. Way to make things awkward.
Sydney raised her eyebrows. “I use it on pretty much a daily basis.”
“This is about the secret, isn’t it? Do I need to make him leave before I ask again?” Dylan gestured at Josh. “Because I’m trying to behave and not push the issue, but I like knowing secrets. Especially when they’re about things that make you moan.” He kissed her fingertips.
Sydney fiddled with a loose strand of hair as she looked between Dylan and Josh. “Josh knows. It’s not like asking him to leave keeps him from finding out.”
SYDNEY WAS TRYING TO ignore her body’s reaction to Josh, and failing. Not that she was giving up on Dylan. Holy wow, she wasn’t walking away from a guy like that. But was there really any harm in putting the information out there, to see how Dylan reacted?
It wasn’t like she wanted Josh back. He was attractive. He was fun. And he still had the same habits that drove them apart. But this didn’t have to involve him.
“We got the apartment with the extra-big shower because I like shower sex,” Sydney confessed.
Dylan’s hungry smile sent happy shivers racing down her spine. “So let’s kick him out, and we’ll go get clean.”
Josh gave her a pointed look. “And?”
“And it’s big enough for more than two people. For three, actually. Because I think it would be fun”—hot, sexy, incredible—“to be with two guys at the same time.” Please don’t let this confession backfire. It wasn’t as though she was saying she wanted to fuck her ex-boyfriend.
She’d probably do it. But not at the cost of pushing Dylan away.
Dylan searched her face. “The shower implies it was more than just a passing fancy.”
“We’d started to look for a third before we broke up,” Josh said.
Dylan glanced at him. “You never told me that.”
What kind of relationship did they have, that Josh would share something like this with Dylan?
Josh sighed. “I didn’t have the same interest in it without Sydney.”
The revelation clenched around her heart. She didn’t expect that kind of reaction—from herself or from him.
Josh looked at her. “I still like the idea. But it was your fantasy.”
What was she supposed to say? It hurt to leave Josh, but she’d convinced herself he walked away unscathed. At least part of her knew that wasn’t true, but admitting he was affected as well cut deep. She didn’t expect her own reaction.
“I kind of feel like I should have stayed out of this,” Dylan said. “I’m not sure if I regret pushing for an answer.”
Please, please don’t let this turn him off or push him away. “Would you still feel uncertain if the fantasy wasn’t attached to Josh?” Because it wasn’t. She needed to say that aloud. The second guy, feeling her up from behind while Dylan kissed her passionately, didn’t have a face.
“You don’t want my answer.” Dylan’s tone had shifted to something she couldn’t decipher. It wasn’t flat or angry or unhappy.
Sydney frowned. This was falling apart fast. What did
she expect? New boyfriend plus ex-boyfriend equaled disaster. But she didn’t expect this would be the impetus. “I do. Want your answer, that is.”
Dylan raised her hand to kiss her palm. It was such a tender, sweet gesture. It didn’t comfort her.
“It makes it better, not worse, that Josh is part of it.” Dylan’s lips tickled her skin as he spoke.
“Oh.” Way to sound intelligent. She should be bothered by his admission, but heat raced over her skin, and the images dancing in her thoughts solidified.
Dylan dropped her hand and traced her bottom lip with his finger. “Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like the idea of sharing you, in general. That’s selfish of me, since we haven’t talked about exclusivity, but there you have it.”
“But?” Her voice cracked on the word. She needed to open a window. Turn on the air. Stick her head in the freezer.
“But in the hentai room—”
“The what?” Josh asked.
It was going to be a long night if this conversation didn’t find a conclusion.
Dylan kept his attention on her. “That was hot.”
“It really was.” And with the memory added on top of desire, Sydney had to squeeze her thighs together, to mute the pulse between her legs.
Josh cleared his throat. “Details?”
Sydney had questions for Dylan. “Why does he matter? Why does he make the fantasy better?”
“Because he does matter to me,” Dylan said. “I trust him. I like him. He’s a fun date and a good lay.”
She couldn’t argue those last few words. She’d run out of reasons why this was a bad idea, beyond ex-boyfriend. She looked at Josh. “We got ourselves invited to a party the first night of the con. It turned out to be a bunch of people, watching anime porn and getting off to it.”
“And you joined them.” Was that jealousy in Josh’s voice?
Sydney shrugged.
“I helped her put on a show,” Dylan offered.
Josh stared at her, desire heavy in his eyes. Fuck, she missed that look.
She turned back to Dylan. “There’s no universe where this seems like a smart idea. But it’s tempting.” What was she saying? Shut up.
She didn’t want to listen to that voice, though.
Dylan searched her face. “It is, isn’t it?”
“I’m offering fantasy fulfillment. One night only. I’ll leave the two of you be, after,” Josh said.
Fucking hell. Sydney was teetering on a sharp edge. Falling in one direction was safety and disappointment and boredom. And in the other direction was impulsive stupidity, with a high probability of a couple amazing orgasms and some fantastic memories.
Dylan cupped her cheeks, holding her gaze. “Are you okay with this?”
“I think that’s supposed to be my question to you.” Her throat was dry. She licked her lips and swallowed, but it didn’t help.
“You have to tell me you’re all right with all three of us together. Or I’ll kick Josh out now. I’ll leave too, if you want.”
She didn’t want either one of them to leave. Her answer froze in her throat. This was one more night with Josh, no strings, and living out one of her biggest fantasies with Dylan. She couldn’t turn that down. “You should both stay.”
Dylan crushed his mouth to hers, and her pulse soared. All of her doubt evaporated. He licked along her bottom lip, and she let his tongue in, to dance with hers.
A second pair of hands rested on her hips, and her heart slammed into her rib cage. And then Josh’s lips were on the back of her neck, gliding up to the hollow behind her ear. The spot he knew drove her wild.
Yeah, this was a terrible fucking idea. And Sydney was going to enjoy every minute of it.
CHAPTER TEN
Dylan liked this whole threesome idea as a general concept—Sydney plus one more—but Josh was shattered by the breakup when Dylan met him, and it probably wasn’t any easier on Sydney.
Sydney and Josh were adults. If they were okay with this, it wasn’t Dylan’s place to tell them they were wrong.
Besides, he liked Sydney’s fantasies so far, he wasn’t going to discourage them. Desires like this were a horrible thing to suppress.
He dragged his mouth down her neck and nudged aside her shirt collar.
“No.” Her protest was weak. She rested a hand on his chest but didn’t push him away.
He looked up to meet her gaze. Not the best time for second thoughts, but certainly her right. “What’s wrong?” he asked. It was impossible to ignore the way Josh still gripped her hips.
“Nothing. I mean, not with what you’re doing. But I’m all sweaty and gross from the convention. You may not want to be kissing all over me like this.”
That was it? Fortunately, there was a solution in place. “Do you want to get in the shower, fully clothed?”
Sydney shook her head.
“Then the clothes have to come off.” Dylan tugged her shirt over her head. “And it’s up to me if I mind a little sweat or not.” He lowered his mouth to her neck and kissed along the long curve while he dragged his palms up her sides.
Her bra fell away. In the wave of kissing and groping, his touch collided with Josh’s several times. Another reason for Dylan to enjoy this. He brought his mouth back to Sydney’s, to swallow her moans.
Josh cupped her breasts, and Dylan dragged his thumbs across her nipples. She whimpered and pressed into Dylan’s touch.
The heat and desire flooding him set his thoughts ablaze. This didn’t seem like one of those things people just fell into, but here he was... and fuck, he liked the potential rolling out in front of them.
He bit Sydney’s bottom lip and dove deeper into the kiss. Each time he rolled her nipples between his fingers, pinched or pulled, she made another delicious sound and molded to his touch in a new way.
Josh’s hands had traveled lower, to undo her jeans and tease along her waist. She squirmed her hips against the contact, and Dylan wasn’t complaining about either of them brushing or grinding against him in the process.
Sydney broke the kiss with a breathless gasp and stepped away from them. She searched Dylan’s face, mischief dancing behind her eyes. That playful look alone was enough to undo him.
“I want to watch the two of you strip.” Her request was a combination of shy and bold that shouldn’t work together. She owned it, though.
He exchanged a glance with Josh, who shrugged. “I’m not really a dancer,” Josh said.
“Which I know is a lie. But I’m not expecting Magic Mike choreography. I do want to see some asses wiggling.” Sydney fixed her attention on Dylan.
He kicked his shoes aside. “Do we get music?”
“I can hum the Jeopardy theme, but that might be a mood killer,” Sydney teased.
Dylan was always up for a challenge. He swayed his hips and slid his hands up his sides then back down, to tug up the bottom of his shirt. The way Sydney watched him—eyes wide, bottom lip caught between her teeth—made him harder than he thought possible and had his pulse hammering in his ears.
Her gaze drifted to Josh every few seconds. Dylan expected jealousy, but he was stealing the occasional look as well.
Josh was also going to make a show of this. He turned with his back to her. before stripping off his T-shirt, letting the stretch of his arms elongate his torso, and enjoying the heat of her attention flowing over him.
Dylan undid his jeans and let them drop low on his hips. The whistle he received in return was worth it. He liked to watch, but he’d never considered the thrill of being the one on display. It was exhilarating. As he spun back to face Sydney, he stole another glance at Josh, who was in a similar state of undress.
Wiry cords of muscle rippled under Josh’s skin, showing off the athletic frame his clothes usually hid.
Dylan met Sydney’s gaze again and pushed his jeans to the floor.
She twisted her mouth and raised an eyebrow, but it didn’t hide her smirk. “Take it all off.”
“You wanted
a show.” Dylan hooked his thumbs in the elastic of his boxers, inching them lower as he moved closer to her.
“I did. And I’m liking what I’m seeing.” She covered his hands and coaxed them down. “But I want to touch, too.” She pushed the rest of his clothes to the ground, and his cock sprang free. When she gripped his shaft, a low groan tore from his throat.
He knotted his fingers in her hair and claimed her mouth. His erection dug into her belly. She molded to him. And there was that third set of hands in there, Josh’s, cupping her breasts as he pressed into her back.
“If you’re not careful, we won’t make it to the shower.” Josh’s warning was a low growl.
“He’s got a good point.” Dylan murmured against Sydney’s lips.
She stepped from their grasp, and took them both by the hand. “I guess we’d better move, then.”
FAMILIAR TOUCHES.
New ones.
More hands on her bare skin than there should be.
Sydney wanted to memorize every tantalizing brush of skin on skin.
Hot water poured over the three of them. Sydney was more scalded by Josh’s open-mouth kisses up her spine and the way Dylan sucked along her shoulder hard enough to leave his mark.
She couldn’t ignore Josh. Which made sense—he was drawing soapy trail along the inside of her thigh—but there was more to it. She liked this excuse to feel him again.
She was just as focused on Dylan—he glide of his hands along her torso, as he washed her clean and followed behind with hungry kisses. She gripped his cock loosely. He jerked against her hand each time she squeezed, spiking her desire.
Josh’s erection dug into one ass cheek. A reminder of how good it felt when he was inside her. Each grip and grope made the need between her legs throb more insistently.
Dylan extracted the portable shower head from its socket. “This looks like fun. Not that a sweet girl like you would know about that.” His tone was playful.
“It is fun. And I do know.” Sydney was enjoying how easy things were with him. “A sweet girl has to entertain herself when there’s no one around to help.”
Roll Against Betrayal Page 6
