Her smile grew. She grasped his fingers, and he tugged her to her feet. A few swipes on his phone, and a tinny dance beat filtered into the room.
Where Kathryn was like liquid given life, Josh was something rougher. He was just as graceful, but it was fucking dirty. Grinding, groping, and on top of it all, correcting for any misstep Sydney made, so she was part of the entire thing.
Dylan’s skin hummed, heat pouring through his veins, as he watched the two of them. There was no jealousy. Only the desire to not have three other people in the room.
Trevor cleared his throat. “Will the healer be fucking the dragon in front of us, or can we see what this is all about now?” His tone was light and playful.
Sydney’s skin darkened. Josh spun her one more time and held her hand until she was seated again, before returning to his own chair.
“The dragon is pleased. And appropriately humbled. She lets you in the building.” Sydney was almost glowing. That was magic. “It’s a library and a museum all in one. Vast and glorious, and literally encompasses anything you can imagine. You’re allowed to explore anywhere. There are rooms set aside for you to stay the night and rest in. When you’re ready to continue your journey, you’ll be given access to the armory, where you’ll each receive a weapon or other gift, suited to your journey.”
Evan’s face lit up. “Can we go there first?”
“You can,” Sydney said. “But remember, when you step through that door, your time here is done. You’ll collect your reward, and be transported to another plane. So don’t do it unless you’re ready to leave.”
They played for several hours, and the mood stayed light. They ordered pizza in the afternoon, and stayed immersed in the game until almost midnight, when Kathryn announced she had a morning class and really needed to leave.
Dylan didn’t remember the last time he’d had this kind of silly, careless, incredible fun, playing a game.
“Should we do this again next weekend?” Kathryn asked.
He was ready to say of course, when he saw the whisper of a frown cross Sydney’s face.
ONLY ONE THING WAS making Sydney hesitate to answer Kathryn’s question. A yes was more than the start of a new gaming schedule with friends. If she kept hanging out with Josh like this, she wouldn’t be able to ignore the pull. This was more than friendship. She didn’t know why she’d thought she could pretend otherwise.
She landed on, “Probably. I’ll let you know.”
“Perfect.”
Kathryn and her boyfriends said goodbye and were on their way.
Dylan closed the door behind them and turned back to Sydney. “Why did you hesitate?”
Of course he had to ask her that. She couldn’t keep this in her head. It was the kind of decision she didn’t get to make on her own. She knew how she felt, but that didn’t mean Dylan would agree.
Or Josh.
Did she want to have this conversation with both of them at the same time?
That made more sense than not. The way they both stared at her made her brain stall.
“I can go wait in my room, if you need to discuss this.” A whisper of hurt lined Josh’s voice.
Sydney didn’t blame him. She didn’t want him to be here as just a back-up penis. She wanted...
She wanted what Kathryn had. It wasn’t that easy, though. All of this was lessening the ache of why she and Josh broke up, but it wasn’t erasing the memory.
And they were still staring at her.
“I don’t have a problem with you saying whatever’s on your mind in front of both of us,” Dylan said. “There are so many blurred lines here, it would be nice to erase a few and draw new ones. Maybe... more inclusive ones.”
Sydney summoned her courage—the words weren’t forming, so hopefully this would work as an alternative—and looked at Josh. “I know you’re sick of hearing this, but I still have doubts. You hurt me. When you say you won’t do it again, you believe it. But I need to as well...” She bit her bottom lip. This wasn’t what she wanted to say, but it was too late to change course. “I’d rather stop looking over my shoulder, waiting for a fuck up to happen.”
“That does make friendship easier.” Dylan’s tone was impossible to decipher.
She didn’t know Dylan well. They had fun together. He’d proven over and over that he was sincere, and the only time he’d let her down was with that damn blind spot he had for Josh. Which—Sydney had one too.
“What if we tried what Kathryn, Trevor, and Evan are doing?” That was both easier and far harder to say than she expected.
She swore her heart stopped when Dylan raised his eyebrows.
She didn’t know to interpret that. Please, don’t let this be a mistake. “What if all three of us were dating?”
“Why did you phrase it that way?” Josh asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“You didn’t ask about us dating you. You said all three of us.”
“The two of you are more than friends.” She couldn’t ignore it. She didn’t want to. “It doesn’t matter what you tell me or yourselves.”
“We’re not...” Dylan trailed off.
Josh gave a scoffing laugh. “Aren’t we?”
This entire idea terrified Sydney, but now that she’d said it aloud, it also raced over her with sparks of anticipation. There were so many places things could go wrong. Josh and Dylan could decide they only wanted each other. Josh could make the same mistakes he had before. She and Dylan might realize they didn’t like each other as they spent more time together.
And at this moment, it all seemed worth it. Heartbreak would tear her apart—she already felt it—but if everything went right...
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Yeah, we are more than friends.” When Dylan spoke, Sydney’s breath hitched.
He crossed the distance to Josh in a few short strides, grabbed a fistful of Josh’s shirt, and crushed their mouths together.
Sydney bit the inside of her cheek, and heat spilled through her at the intense affection they radiated. It was so obvious they cared for each other.
She didn’t want to interrupt, but she did want to get in on the kissing. The push and pull between Dylan and Josh sang in her veins and danced on the tip of her tongue.
When Josh looked at her, the desire in his gaze clenched around her heart. He gripped her wrist tight and tugged her close. A sliver of apprehensive mingled with her desire.
She needed to give him enough trust to make this work. Not all of it. Not yet.
Who was she kidding? Regardless of what she told herself, her heart was already going to shatter if things went south again.
Might as well enjoy the ride.
The way he kissed her, hard and hungrily, teeth nipping her lips, made it easy to shove her doubt into a box and lock it in the back of her mind. God, she’d missed this with Josh. His mouth on her skin numbed the ache of longing that pinged behind her ribs.
He kneaded her breast through her shirt. She loved the rough intensity in each touch. The need. The frantic groping. She melted into him, wanting to be as close as possible, and his erection dug into her stomach.
This was what the dance earlier promised, but couldn’t deliver on with an audience. This time, they didn’t have to stop.
“This is better than watching the two of you dance.” Dylan’s words echoed her thoughts. He kissed along the back of her neck and shoved her shirt up, sliding his palms along her bare skin.
Sydney reached back to feel more of him, and he pressed into her touch, his cock jerking though his jeans against her hand.
Being the filling in this sandwich was becoming one of her favorite things.
Josh spun her away, startling her, and dragged his hands down her arms to capture her wrists, before she could question him.
She tugged, and he gripped her tighter. The resistance made her smile.
He nipped her earlobe, his breath hot on her skin. “You got to call the shots before. Our turn now.
”
Her pulse screamed through her veins with anticipation, and her heart hammered against her ribs. His throaty promise combined with the way Dylan studied her, like she was lunch, made her squirm in the best possible way.
Dylan undid her jeans, and tugged them and her panties down to her knees.
Apparently it was possible to crank her anticipation higher, because every time he did this, something delicious came next. And then so did she.
He knelt in front of her, and she whimpered before he even touched her skin. He kissed along her bare hip, her stomach, the top of her thigh.
When Dylan licked along her slit, she groaned and pressed into his face. Josh kept her from moving more, which increased her desire with each new swipe of Dylan’s tongue.
He wrapped his lips around her clit, and sucked.
Her gasps grew louder, and the thrust of her hips more frantic, as he alternated touches.
She clenched her fists and toes when she came, grinding into Dylan’s face until it was too much, then jerking away.
Dylan rose and leaned past her, sandwiching her again, while he kissed Josh.
Her body heated to flaming at them sharing her taste. She didn’t know which of the three of them was moaning louder, but it was an amazing chorus.
Josh and Dylan broke apart, and Josh spun her back to him again. She’d worry about all of it making her dizzy, but the two men already had her head twisted and fuzzed in the best possible way.
“I don’t like not being able to touch you.” Josh stripped her shirt off, then kissed her. “I love seeing your gorgeous body,” he shoved her pants the rest of the way off, “but hate holding myself back.” He dragged his fingers up her back, pulling her into him. “Now that I have you again, you should know I don’t ever plan to let you go.”
His words and the way he held her tight spilled through her with love, but a whisper of fear. If she wasn’t careful, she could fall into this and forget the last three years never happened. That they’d never been apart.
Was that a good thing or a bad one?
“Come here.” Josh grasped her fingers, and led her into the bedroom.
She heard Dylan follow. She trusted him to join in or watch as he wanted.
And she was so wrapped up in Josh right now, it was scary.
He stripped out of his clothes, claiming a kiss between each discarded article, then scooted onto the bed and pulled her with him. “I want to watch you ride me,” he said. “I want to see as much of you as possible as I slide inside you. When you come.”
Sydney didn’t have a witty response, or any at all beyond straddling his legs. He skated his palms up her thighs. The way he raked his gaze over her, she felt like the most beautiful woman in the world.
She tried to tease, hovering over him, the head of his cock nudging her opening.
He gripped her thighs, and laughed through clenched teeth. “We have so much time to play. Later.” He thrust up, filling her up and spreading her open. “I’ve waited too long to feel you wrapped around me, knowing it would last.”
Sydney lowered herself onto him, sighing with pleasure as he was buried himself inside her.
He set a slow, even pace, rocking against her. Holding her gaze with his own.
The mattress shifted with a new weight, and Dylan knelt next to Sydney. He’d shed his clothing as well, and his cock stood at attention. He crushed his mouth to hers while he covered her hand and lowered it to his shaft.
Sydney didn’t need to be prompted twice. She stroked Dylan’s hard length while she moaned into his kisses. Josh slid inside her, hammering harder and faster with each passing moment.
Dylan dragged a thumb over one of her nipples, and she gasped. She didn’t know which way to turn, to enjoy ever touch. She tumbled into the blend of it all. Josh pounding against her. Dylan teasing and kissing her.
When Josh pressed his thumb to her clit, she whimpered. He stroked the still-tender nub, coaxing her toward another climax.
She lost track of who was doing what. All she knew was it was so much everything. She hovered near orgasm, falling into a delicious haze when Dylan pinched her nipple and rolled it between his fingers.
She screamed when she came, clenching hard around Josh, forgetting for a moment that she still gripped Dylan.
As the edge softened, her desire lingered. She resumed stroking Dylan, keeping time with Josh’s thrusts.
Their grunts and groans were musical. Dylan’s grip on her breast tightened, and his breathing grew more shallow. She squeezed just a little with each stroke.
He came hard, coating her hand, her thighs, and Josh’s stomach.
Josh gripped her thighs tighter. He was close too. He hammered against her, skin slapping skin, squeezing her legs as he spilled inside her.
Everything slowed, except for the euphoria filling Sydney’s head. She could stay here forever, wrapped in this fantasy-come-to-life, pressed between two incredible men.
And as long as the post-coital giddiness lingered, she could ignore the nagging voice that insisted it was only matter of time before Josh fucked up again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Josh was still buzzing from the weekend. It was like it used to be, but better. He was still having a little trouble believing it, but it had been incredible.
“Mr. Hunter. My office, now.” His mother’s sharp tone as she strolled by his desk caught him off guard.
Whatever she was upset about wasn’t going to ruin his morning. He grabbed a pen and notepad and followed.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked the instant the door swung shut behind him. She set her coffee mug on her desk and her purse in its assigned drawer, never making eye contact.
“Do you want a list, or is there a specific offense I’ve committed?" He kept his tone light.
She unpacked her laptop and set it on its docking station. “Aaron forwarded me an email this morning. A response to a Cease and Desist on the Changelings and Caravans game.”
How did he have that already? Josh had only forwarded it to his friend yesterday. Actually, why did Aaron have that at all? Josh kept the question to himself. Admitting he knew anything was a confession of guilt. “Okay?”
“I’ve been reading your papers since you were old enough to write. I’ve read a number of your legal briefs and letters. Her lawyer is one of your frat brothers.” She finally sat and fixed a glare on him.
All circumstantial evidence. But also, fuck. “And?”
“Are you an idiot? You can’t do things like this.” The tight edge that wove though her voice spoke to every time she’d lectured Josh throughout his life.
He wasn’t letting it get to him, and he wasn’t admitting guilt. “Like what?”
Laurie Hunter scrubbed her face. “I’m not in the mood to play games with you. Let’s assume you’re going to continue to deny this and that I’m going to continue to not believe your bullshit.”
Lovely. Not. Then why pretend? “Why does Aaron have a response sent to someone who isn’t related at all to this firm?”
“Our client is licensing rights to publish a product someone else is making a claim on. This has everything to do with us.”
“It doesn’t.” Josh didn’t like this. “Sydney is handling it. It’s not a legitimate claim. Why does Aaron have that letter?”
“Even if you don’t care how this reflects on our firm, she’s dating your roommate. It’s time to move on.”
“Right.” Josh should counter her complete and total deflection of his question, but she’d tripped him up. He hadn’t considered the fallout of their relationship this weekend. If they kept going long term, all three of them, how was he supposed to explain it?
“Right? Is she or isn’t she?”
“She definitely is. Dylan is absolutely devoted to Sydney.”
“Good. Great. Let her ruin his life instead of yours.”
Anger surged inside, white-hot and obliterating any reason in its path. “Excuse me?” He didn’t know w
hat made him more furious—the comment about Sydney, or the complete disregard for Dylan. “Sydney is talented and creative and brilliant, and Dylan is one of the best fucking junior attorneys you’ve ever had.”
His mother’s eyes narrowed. “And here’s the problem. You should be one of the best I’ve ever had. But that girl got under your skin and fucked with your head. She almost talked you out of law school.”
Josh didn’t try to suppress his growl. “No. I almost talked me out of law school. I didn’t know if I wanted to spend another three years in a classroom, for something I wasn’t going to use.”
“And she left, and you figured out you were wrong.”
“I wasn’t wrong. I just had the wrong goal in mind.”
She twisted her mouth in that sideways irritated way that meant this argument would only get worse. “And what goal is that?”
Working here. “Did you know she was the other party in this negotiation?”
“Yes.”
Josh clenched a fist. “Is that why you pulled me?”
Now his mother was smiling. That eerie, cold kind of smile that didn’t reach his eyes. When he was younger, it would have chilled him. Now it cranked the heat another notch higher on his anger.
“I’ve done everything to prepare you for this job. And that includes keeping her out of your path,” she said.
The late nights of work emergencies. The missed, super important dates. No. She couldn’t mean that.
“You could have trusted me to decide on my own.”
“Not if that decision included throwing away your future for something frivolous. I’ve done all of this for you. We’re having this conversation for you. So that you don’t destroy your legacy.”
Josh had been hearing that all his life. He’d taken it to heart. Sydney’s voice echoed in his thoughts—For a job you don’t even want.
But he’d done what he was supposed to. Gone to law school. Passed his bar. Put in the hours. Surrendered the woman he loved...
Sydney was right. It was all for something he didn’t want to be doing. Not here. Not like this. “No. This wasn’t for me. It was all for you.”
Roll Against Betrayal Page 13
