Perfect Chemistry

by Jodi Redford

  Leo kept his focus on the road, but there was no missing the pensiveness radiating from him. “Yeah, I know. I’m just not sure she’s there yet with the idea of a permanent relationship. If we push too hard, it might scare her off.”

  He’d worried about that too. And truthfully, he didn’t have one damn clue how to handle the situation. He was used to keeping things light, simple, and uncomplicated. But his feelings for Sidney were anything but.

  They pulled into the spot next to Sidney’s car before he could mull any further on things he had no immediate answer for. She met them at the door wearing nothing but strategically placed whipped cream. Dangling two chocolate Hershey’s Kisses in front of her nipples, she smiled angelically. “I felt bad for continually depriving you of dessert.”

  Growling, Leo slammed the door behind them and scooped her into his arms. She squirmed, trying to escape. “I’m messing up your shirt!”

  “Who gives a fuck?” Leo strode into the kitchen and plopped her on the small dinette table.

  While Leo wrestled out of his shirt, Devlin started in on the delicious treat Sidney had created for them. Leaving one cream-covered tit for Leo, he licked its mate, the sugary foam melting under his tongue no comparison to her natural sweetness. He paid close attention to her nipple, making sure he got it extra clean before he cruised his way down her belly. By the time Leo joined them, Devlin had made himself comfortable between Sidney’s legs.

  Leo grunted. “I see how you are. Hogging all the dessert for yourself.”

  “That’s what you get for being last to the table.” Spreading Sidney’s thighs wide open, Devlin plowed his tongue directly across her slit, lapping up a mouthful of whipped topping in one lusty serving. Sidney wriggled up onto her elbows to watch him. He tossed her a wink. “I’ve always been a big fan of cream pies.”

  “You are a nasty boy.”

  “Says the woman who likes to dirty text me about her Slip’N Slide.”

  “I was just getting it ready for you.”

  “Mm hmm, and I do appreciate it. Mightily.” Curling his tongue, he concentrated on her clit, rolling it with soft swirls. Her head fell back and she shivered, her hips undulating with the motion of his mouth.

  Leo took advantage of the opportunity to lick the remaining cream from her breasts before moving upward to kiss her on the lips. The slick advance and retreat of their tongues tangling stoked the fire in Dev. He’d never get tired of watching his buddy love up on Sid. Jealousy wasn’t even in the equation, as far as he was concerned. They had equal emotional bonds that’d been established with her. That was something that needed to be respected and honored. Besides, they were both in this for the same reason. Sidney. Her happiness trumped everything else.

  After giving her clit one last teasing toggle with his tongue, he stood and stripped from his clothes. A quick roundtrip jog to her bedroom for the box of condoms they’d left over the weekend, and he was suited up and ready. He leaned over her and wrapped her legs around his waist before straightening with her in his arms. Pistoning his hips, he bounced her on his cock, making her breath catch in her throat. He didn’t know which he loved more—the luscious friction of her pussy sucking him in, or the way she kept gasping his name. Her slick channel was already beginning to tighten, clenching around him. He cupped her nape and locked their gazes. “This one for me, then another for all three of us, okay?”

  She nodded frantically, and he pumped deeper, flexing his hips on the upstroke to provide a slow grind on her clit with the base of his cock. She broke on a fierce shudder, the strong contractions milking the entire length of his shaft. Not coming with her proved a herculean feat he hadn’t known himself capable of. Groaning, he slowed his thrusts, keeping her suspended on the peak as Leo spooned himself behind her and aligned his cock with Dev’s before thrusting home. Together, they showered her body with the loving they longed to give her heart.

  By the time they squeezed a half dozen or so orgasms out of her, everyone was filmed in a combination of sweat and the sticky residue of the whipped cream. Ignoring her protests over them not coming yet, they herded her to the master bath and dialed on the shower.

  Pulling her under the spray with them, Devlin took care of washing up her front side while Leo concentrated on her back. Sudsing up his palms, he massaged her breasts, enjoying the way the warm, soapy water tightened her nipples and left them extra rosy. Ducking, he took turns sucking both turgid peaks into his mouth before growing hungry for more of her. He knelt in front of her, all but oblivious to the water pelting the top of his head and his shoulders. His sole focus was getting his mouth on her pussy again.

  He swore he was addicted to her taste. It didn’t matter how many times he gorged himself on her, it’d never be enough. He wasn’t even fazed by the fact that Leo was already working his cock inside her again. Instead he just blocked out the realization that he was about to have his mouth that up close and personal with dude’s junk and eased the hood of Sid’s clit up so he could show it some proper lovin’.

  She gasped and squirmed, a perfect encouragement for him to flick his tongue faster. A strangled cry tore from her and her clit pulsed with several strong beats as she came. Leo’s groan echoed off the tile, and Dev took that as his cue to remove his mouth. He didn’t care how good of friends they were. No way in hell he was hanging around for a bird’s eye view while Leo shot his load.

  Still, he didn’t mind watching from a safer distance. His knuckles practically white on Sidney’s hips, Leo surged up into her a final time and moaned, the tendons in his neck straining as he leaned his head back against the slick tiles. He jolted when the release hit him full force, his eyes slamming shut and his mouth going slack. The second he slumped weakly, Sidney turned to cuddle into him. Stroking his chest, she offered up a kiss.

  She turned toward Dev and gifted him with a similar sweet greeting before gracefully dropping to her knees and removing his condom. He started to point out that he was hopefully going to need that soon, but the warm heaven of her mouth closed around him, chasing out every other thought. She bobbed her head, drawing him in on a slow, luscious glide. On her tantalizing withdrawal, she teased the main vein of his shaft with the tip of her tongue, flicking it softly in the groove where the crown met the shaft. He planted his palm against the shower wall, struggling to steady himself. The little vixen made it damn difficult, especially when she sucked the entire knob of his cock into her mouth and stroked his balls.

  Aw hell. Wrenching from her mouth, he grabbed the condom from her other hand and quickly sheathed himself. Hauling her up into his arms, he pushed her back against Leo’s chest. Fortunately Leo was quick on the uptake, and he wrapped his arms around Sidney’s waist, holding most of her weight and freeing Dev to fuck to his heart’s content. And that’s precisely what he did.

  Propping her legs in the crook of his arms, he slid into her, sinking balls-deep in one smooth thrust. Even through the latex of the condom, the silken ripple of her pussy was enough to make him question his lasting power. The sight impossible to resist, he watched each stroke of his cock plowing through her wetness, loving the way her drenched tissues clung to him. She shivered, her pussy drawing tight. This time she took him over the edge with her, their shudders and groans blending together as he pulsed inside her.

  Moments later they all gathered enough energy to dry off and fall in an exhausted tangle of limbs in the snug quarters of Sidney’s queen-sized bed. If they did manage to talk her into something permanent, they’d definitely have to spring for a California King. They bundled her between them, her chin resting on Dev’s chest. It took a few seconds for him to realize that the wetness dampening his breastbone wasn’t coming from her hair. Concerned, he stroked one of the sodden locks away from her face. “Baby, are you crying?”

  “N—no.”

  He and Leo scooted down so they were eyelevel with her. The silvery tear tracks on her cheeks hit him in the sternum like a sledge hammer. “Did I hurt you?”

&
nbsp; She shook her head furiously, but the deluge of tears didn’t abate.

  Leo cupped her cheek, his expression matching the heaviness in Dev’s chest. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Talk to us.”

  “I’m just...overwhelmed, I guess. I’m not used to coming a thousand times in one night.” She sniffled a laugh that didn’t sound entirely authentic. “I’ll be fine.”

  Dev wasn’t sure he believed her, but he didn’t know if pushing her would only make matters worse. He glanced at Leo and intuited that his partner was struggling with a similar sense of helplessness. Sidney snuggled against him again in an obvious attempt to change the subject. Rubbing her shoulder, he let her have her way—for the time being. Tomorrow they’d get to the bottom of what was really bothering her. One way or another, he and Leo would prove to her that they were here for the long haul.

  He just prayed she’d want them there with her.

  CHAPTER TEN

  A gloomy brew of misery churning in her gut, Sidney stared at the hairline crack in the ceiling plaster. Sleep had eluded her for the last few hours, and her head pounded as a result. Still, it was nothing compared to the ache in her heart. She had no one to blame but herself. When you played with fire, you were bound to get burned.

  Deep inside, she’d known her flimsy attempt at keeping her emotions out of this would backfire on her. Still, she’d stubbornly clung to the illusion that hot fantasy sex with Leo and Devlin was enough to sustain her needs. Her brain continued to argue its case, but her heart was having none of it. The damnable, greedy organ insisted it wanted more.

  Her vision blurry from the tears waterlogging her eyes, she quietly wiggled her way out from between Leo and Devlin and padded to the bathroom. Stifling a sob, she slumped in a dejected, heartsick heap on the closed toilet lid. Considering how her life seemed to be going down the crapper, the current location for her breakdown seemed appropriate.

  She couldn’t fool herself any longer. She’d realized that last night. The intensity of what she’d experienced with Leo and Devlin had only hammered the final nail in her coffin. It wasn’t the fantasy she’d held on to all this time.

  It was her love for them.

  Jane had only been partly right. Sidney had come crashing back to reality. But the sad truth was her reality sucked without the presence of Leo and Dev. The real them. Not the fantasy. But that was the only way she could have them and keep them.

  So where did that leave her? Other than sitting on a toilet seat, contemplating the woeful ramifications of love?

  Gah, she was pathetic.

  Scrubbing at her eyes, she abandoned the toilet seat and crossed to the sink. She cranked on the faucet and cupped her hands, catching the frigid water before splashing it across her face. Shivering at the much-needed brisk slap, she turned off the water and headed back into the bedroom. The sight of Leo and Dev sprawled snoring in her bed twisted the screw in her heart. She’d always harbored feelings for them, but the second she’d signed on for the Xtacy program they’d become her everything. She couldn’t hide from that devastating truth. Even now, with her heart aching for implausible dreams and even more impossible futures, her brain whispered its tempting lies.

  Go to them. Revel in hedonistic sex. It’s better than nothing.

  Queasiness ripped through her stomach. God, what twisted, broken thing inside her made her so willing to settle for less than a full happy ever after? She damn well knew that wasn’t in the cards for them. Why couldn’t she cut the cord and be free of her desperate yearnings?

  Sick inside, she turned and trudged into the living room. She grabbed the afghan and curled up into a ball on the couch. Who knows how long she huddled there before the soft tread of footsteps announced she wasn’t alone. Lifting her head, she met Leo’s and Dev’s concerned gazes. “Hey,” she croaked weakly.

  “You don’t look so good, querida.” Leo dropped to his knees in front of her and smoothed the hair back from her forehead while Dev hovered over her like a mother hen. His mouth settling into a grim line, Leo pressed his fingers to her cheek. “You’re burning up.”

  “I’m okay.” That had to be the biggest lie of the century. “Just overly tired. I’m sorry I woke you up.”

  “Baby, don’t be silly.” Dev leaned down to caress her cheek. A curse shot from him. “You are fucking hot.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere.” Her lame attempt at relieving their tension had zero effect.

  Dev glanced at Leo. “Maybe we should take her to the ER.”

  She pushed the afghan down and struggled up onto her elbows. “Now you’re being the silly one. I told you I’m fine.”

  Their expressions remained pinched with worry. Sighing, she eased back down onto the cushion. “I’m not paying a butt-high deductible just to have a nurse take my temperature and slap a few overpriced Tylenols in my hand. If it’ll make you feel better, you can get me a glass of ice water. That’s all I need.”

  Still looking unconvinced, Devlin went to do her bidding while Leo continued to baby her. As much as she appreciated the attention, she knew she was ultimately feeding her brain more lies about the status of their feelings for her. Leo and Dev were natural caregivers. She’d seen that time and again with the way they attended to her need to cuddle after sex. It was a given their focus on her would extend to other areas outside of the bedroom.

  Dev returned with the glass of water and a wet washcloth. He held its blessed coolness to her forehead while he passed her a couple aspirins. She popped them in her mouth and chased them with the water before handing Leo the glass. He set it on the table and continued to eye her closely. “You’re staying home today.”

  “But—”

  “Querida, don’t argue with me. You’re in no condition to go anywhere.” Leo fussed with the placement of her washcloth before standing. “Dev and I have the meeting with the Ruskers people this afternoon, but we’ll be back by one thirty at the latest. And you better believe that if your fever isn’t gone done by then we will take you to the hospital. Comprende?”

  She opened her mouth, but immediately snapped it shut again when his fierce expression remained un-budged. Too weak to argue, she nodded. They both stooped to kiss her on the cheek before heading down the hall.

  She must have dozed off for a while because the next time she opened her eyes the room was considerably brighter than it’d been moments before. Cocking her head, she listened for any sounds of Leo and Dev preparing to leave for work. The unnerving silence prodding her curiosity, she scooted up from the couch. The aspirin had worked its magic. Not much of an ache to be found. Other than the one still vising her heart. Unfortunately there wasn’t any pill to help relieve that any time soon.

  She shuffled down the hall and peeked in the bedroom. Her gaze skipped over the alarm clock before darting back to it in disbelief. Noon? She’d slept for six hours?

  Groaning, she hobbled to the bed and sagged onto the edge of the mattress. Now that she was completely alone with her troubled thoughts she had no choice but to face them head on.

  She couldn’t continue on this way. Sooner or later, she’d make herself so sick over the situation with Leo and Dev that she would end up in the hospital, potentially with something far more serious to contend with than mental exhaustion.

  It was time to yank her head out of the sand and face harsh reality. The only way she’d get over this crippling addiction to Leo and Dev was if she removed the temptation completely.

  Her heart squeezing in agony, she crossed to her dresser and powered up her laptop. She waited for the operating software to load and then clicked on her inbox. Her fingers shook to the point it took her several tries before adequately composing the email. By the time she reached the end, soundless sobs clogged her throat and the keyboard was soaked with her tears.

  Everything inside her battling against the inevitable, she closed her eyes, praying for strength.

  And pushed Send.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Leo rubbed his brow
and tried his damnedest to focus his full attention on the remaining few minutes of their presentation with the three Ruskers Ethnobotanicals members camped at the conference table in his office. One glance in Dev’s direction confirmed that his mind wasn’t entirely on the meeting either.

  Leaving Sidney home alone went against Leo’s better judgment. What if she’d decided to take a shower, got dizzy, and ended up slipping and cracking her head open? His gut roiled at the possibility.

  Pushing aside his disturbed paranoia for the time being, he collected a handful of the tincture samples from their packing box and passed them out to the execs. Taking that as their cue to wrap things up, the men stood and shook hands with him and Devlin.

  After indulging in a few minutes of small talk that only added to Leo’s frustration, he and Dev managed to herd the Chatty Cathys to the exit. Leo returned to his office and snatched his keys and cellphone. He stopped in mid-step when he noticed the missed text message on the display screen. Check your email. The sender was Sidney. Relief welled in his chest at the visible proof that she wasn’t passed out unconscious on her shower floor.

  He checked the time stamp on the message. She’d sent it almost an hour ago. Damn it. This is what he got for leaving his phone on mute. He hesitated, more than tempted to leave the email for later since it would only prolong him getting back to her condo. Why the hell was she doing work from home anyway? They’d specifically told her she was taking the day off.

  Growling at her stubbornness, he bit the bullet and logged into his email. He scrolled down to the one she’d sent and clicked it open. When he realized it was a letter instead of the report he’d assumed he’d find he frowned and leaned in for a better view.

  Dear Leo and Dev,

  This is my notice that I’m leaving your employment. I can’t do this anymore.

  I’m sorry.

  Sidney

  Chilled to the bone, he scanned her words again, his stomach bottoming out. Feeling like he’d been gut punched, he gripped the edge of his desk, his knuckles cramping.