by Twyla Turner
Jackson and Xander didn’t think, as they sprang into action. With superhuman speed, they ran out the door, jumped down from the porch landing to the ground without missing a beat. Xander ran to Simone, and crouched low as he skid to a stop and immediately draped his body over hers as a shield.
Jackson ran at the bear bellowing back at it like a maniac, as only someone of his size could. Unconcerned for his own safety, only wanting to protect Simone, he stood at his full six-feet-five. Challenging the bear.
“Get back!” Jackson shouted at the animal.
And the bear deciding that it wasn’t worth the trouble, bounded back into the dark forest at full speed.
With the threat gone, everyone converged on Simone as Xander lifted his body off of hers. Wide fearful downturned eyes looked around frantically. Once her eyes connected with both Jackson’s and Xander’s worried faces, tears welled and spilled over. A sob escaped her wide full mouth, her chest rose and fell rapidly to the point of hyperventilation and tremors wracked her entire body.
“Oh my God, Simone! Are you okay?” Delanie exclaimed, kneeling down beside her and smoothing a loose strand of hair from her face.
Jackson could see her throat working, but the words were stuck. Wrapping his strong arms around her, he pulled her to her feet holding her close.
“It’s okay. You’re okay. The bear’s gone.” He soothed as he rubbed her back.
“Are you hurt?” Xander asked, stroking a hand down the back of her head.
“No.” Simone finally got out around her clogged throat.
“Do you want to come in and sit down for a moment?” Gail asked in concern.
“No…no. I…I’m okay.” Simone took a deep breath and blew it out harshly. “What am I, some wild animal magnet?!” She exclaimed in frustration. “First, wolves. And now this! What’s next? A moose?!”
They all burst out in relieved laughter.
~~~
When all the commotion had died down and they’d said their goodbyes, the three of them climbed into the truck to head home.
“So what happened, Si?” Xander asked curiously.
“I don’t know. I was talking to Delanie and walking towards the truck. And I turned and the bear was crouched down on the side of the truck. For a second I thought it was a person. I tried to stop and slipped on the ice and then the thing stood up over me, growling. So I curled up in a ball like I’ve heard you’re supposed to do. And what the hell! I thought bears were supposed to hibernate in the winter?!” Simone exclaimed.
“It’s rare but sometimes they come out to eat a little something before going back to their caves. I bet it was looking for food. You can never leave food in your cars or you’ll end up finding some kind of critter in it, around here.” Xander cautioned.
“I think you both probably startled each other. But you did good Simone. Curling up in a ball protects all your vital parts and head. That was quick thinking for someone that isn’t used to this kind of life. You’ve done great today. You’re quick on your feet. First with the accident earlier today at the mill and then with the bear.” Jackson praised. “You’ll do great here…if you stay.” Jackson finished softly.
Xander spoke up to break the awkward silence from Simone’s lack of response to Jackson’s last statement. “So what time does your friend’s flight get in tomorrow, so we can be there to pick her up?”
“Ten a.m.” Simone responded, stifling a yawn.
“You’ve had a draining day today, you must be tired.” Jackson said pulling her closer to him.
Simone laid her head on his solid shoulder and yawned again, not even trying to cover it. Jackson wrapped a burly arm around her, surrounding her with his infallible warmth. Xander’s hand found a home on her thigh and rubbed soothingly.
She drifted in and out of sleep as they bumped along down the road. The men murmuring softly, trying not to disturb her.
“We do need to talk, ya know.” Jackson finally brought up.
“I know.” Xander said reluctantly.
“Your mom was right. We have to be on the same page in order for this to work.” Jackson rubbed his free hand down his face. “The last thing I want to do is hurt her.”
“Yeah.”
“Come on, Xan. I know you’ve got more to say than that.” Jackson prodded.
“What do you want me to say?” Xander practically growled under his voice.
“Something. Anything!” Jackson exclaimed under his voice. “What do you want out of this?”
“I don’t know. I care about her alright. A lot. But that doesn’t mean that I want to get married tomorrow.” Xander admitted, glancing over at Jackson, then the dozing woman on his shoulder. “I didn’t want to talk about it, because I’m still trying to figure out things, just like she is. I don’t know what to do. I want her to stay. But I also don’t want to uproot her life, when I don’t know if what I want is permanent.”
“What the hell is so difficult to figure out?!” Jackson asked angrily. “You know you’re falling for her. I saw the look in your eyes when she was almost attacked by that bear. Why are you being so resistant to it?”
“I don’t know, man. I just am.” Xander said, squeezing the steering wheel in a death grip.
“Well I know why. You’ve been spoiled by never having the devastation of losing someone. Oh, you’ve been broken up with or cheated on. But those were with girls you didn’t give two shits about anyway. But to lose someone that you truly love. By breakup or worse. Death. But I have. And I know that when you find something like this and someone like her, you’ll do everything in your power to never let that shit go.” Jackson ran a frustrated hand through his curls. “So do me a favor, if not for yourself than for me.”
“What?” Xander said shortly.
“Start acting like you fucking care about losing her.” Jackson finished as they turned onto their private driveway.
“Fine.”
Simone had heard most of the conversation. When the discussion had started she had been in and out of sleep. But once she realized who the conversation was about, all thought of sleep and exhaustion had escaped her. Though she pretended to still be asleep, not wanting them to know that she had heard everything.
Now her insides were at war. Guilt over coming between the two best friends. Joy over knowing that they cared for her, even if it was grudgingly on Xander’s part. Plus, sadness that it wasn’t enough for him to want her to stay for good. And now the choice to stay was an even harder one to make.
Stay. Only to risk heartache and disrupt the life they had built. Or go. And be heartbroken anyway and still take a chance at ripping them apart because Jackson would end up resenting Xander for not doing all he could to get her to stay. Any way that she looked at it, it was a lose-lose situation. And her heart sank into the pit of her stomach at the realization.
Xander pulled the truck into the garage and Jackson thinking that she was still asleep, slid her out of the truck and cradled her against his chest as they made their way inside. Not stopping to take off their coats, Jackson carried her into the house and upstairs to their bedroom. Ours. Not for long it would seem.
Jackson sat her on the bench in front of the bed, as she pretended to wake up. Xander followed close behind. His normal gregarious nature, sedate with inner turmoil.
“We’re home beautiful.” Jackson said softly as he caressed a finger down the side of her face. “Let’s get you undressed and in bed.”
Jackson did the honors of stripping off her coat then her clothing, layer by layer. Xander stood by with his hands in his pockets, unsure of what to do or how to act. Simone could tell that he was fighting a similar battle with his head and his mind that she was. And she knew that there was only one way to bring them all back together again, if even for a little while.
When she was finally stripped down to nothing and Jackson had brought over a night shirt and pants to dress her in, she shook her head no. A blush spread across her face at being naked in front of their ful
ly clothed bodies, but she didn’t let it deter her.
Simone stood up and walked over to Xander. She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed him softly on the cheek and proceeded to gradually undress him. She pulled his sweater and undershirt over his head. Her hands caressed a path down his broad shoulders, wide chest and rippling abs to the waist of his pants. She unbuckled the belt, unzipped his jeans and then helped him shimmy out of them, as well as his boxer briefs and boots. His long erection bobbed at his movements and Simone reached out a hand to lightly caress it, making him hiss with need.
Once she was done with Xander, she moved to Jackson that had been watching with hooded silver eyes. She found that raising up on tiptoes to meet Jackson’s cheek was a bit harder, but he bent over, obliging her. She smiled slightly as her lips brushed his hair roughened cheek. She then proceeded to strip him down as she had done Xander. Stopping to brush her fingertips across the expanse of his muscular chest and abs and the hair that laid there in swirling patterns. Simone finished out the process with a gentle caress at his thick throbbing member.
Leaving them there naked and wanting, she walked over to the bed and crawled into the middle. Once she was settled in, she laid both hands on either side of her, on their perspective sides.
“Make love to me. At…at the same time.” Simone whispered shyly.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Xander asked, hesitating to move towards her and the bed.
“Y…yes.” Simone answered nervously.
“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.” Jackson reassured her, sensing her nerves.
“It’s okay. I want to.” Simone pressed. “I need to.”
Jackson stepped up to her left and Xander to her right as usual. They both slid into the bed, their heated skin making contact with hers. Jackson turned her face to his and kissed her tenderly, so much so that she almost wept from the intimacy of it. As he released her mouth and moved slowly down her neck to her sensitive nipple, Xander turned her face with an index finger, to get a taste of her as well.
Xander’s stroking tongue at her mouth and Jackson’s at her breast, Simone’s hips moved restlessly. The need at the juncture of her thick thighs sought relief. Jackson seeing her agitated movements, caressed his hand down her soft tummy to the landing strip that guided his fingers to where she wanted them most.
One thick finger stroked lightly over her wet slit and her hips shook in response. Simone moaned into Xander’s mouth and he deepened the kiss. His tongue flicked over hers, sending electric shocks down to her pulsating clit that Jackson grazed with his thumb. Both in sync with each other and in tune with her body. It was like she was a guitar and they were both playing her perfectly. Xander chose the chord and Jackson strummed the string, making her body sing.
Their song reached its crescendo and the peaceful climax washed over her like lapping waves. Now that she was soft and pliable from her first orgasm, they were ready to take it to the next level.
Xander reached behind him into the nightstand, where they had stored the lubrication from the previous night. Popping the cap up, Simone watched as he drizzled the clear liquid over the bulbous head of his cock and down the long shaft. His hand curled around his length and stroked up and down a couple of times, spreading the slick fluid until it gleamed. Simone’s heart rate kicked up a notch at the thought of this long thick erection invading her tight back entrance.
Jackson perceptively took that moment to distract her. Turning Simone towards him, he kissed her deeply as he grabbed her leg at the back of the knee and placed it on his hip, leaving her backside open for Xander’s assault. She felt a cold slick finger at her crease and she tensed.
Jackson and Xander felt her hesitation and they both turned up the heat. Jackson plunged his tongue into the deep recesses of Simone’s mouth and rubbed the tip of the cock across her labia in time to his kisses. Xander kissed and bit at her neck and shoulders, while his finger stroked in and out of her tight ring, preparing her for what was to come.
Feeling that she was as ready as he could get her, Xander took his throbbing erection in hand and glided the tip over Simone’s puckered flesh. Resting his forehead between her shoulder blades, he pressed forward and his slick steel eased passed her tight entrance. Simone freed Jackson’s mouth on a gasp and then hissed in mild discomfort.
“Ahh…you’re doing so good, Si. Fuck!” Xander groaned.
Xander grimaced at the tightness wrapped around him and he groaned deeply into her back. Jackson grasped his thick steel and slid it over Simone’s clit, helping her find her pleasure. And as some of the tension eased from her body, Xander easily slid to the base of his manhood.
Xander grit his teeth as he pulled out to the tip and then slid home gently, getting her accustomed to the feel of him. Simone felt the discomfort dissipate, replaced by a sense of fullness. And as the rest of the tension left her body, Xander gained more confidence and speed. His hips rocked into the lush softness of the large round globes of her ass.
Xander glanced at Jackson and he nodded his head at his friend, and slowed down his pace. Jackson taking the opening, position the head of his erection at her aching core. And as Xander pulled out, Jackson plunged into her weeping pussy. Simone cried out in bliss.
Taking her cry of pleasure as a green light, they unleashed the full power of their assault. Their hips alternated like pistons in an engine. Xander plunged in from the back as Jackson retreated in the front. And as Jackson stroked into her soaking heat, Xander pulled back.
And in the middle, Simone could do nothing but yield to the power of their thrusts. She held onto Jackson’s flexing bicep as he gripped her hips pulling her towards him on each turn of his deep strokes. Continual cries escaped her lips as an intense tightness built in her belly.
Jackson’s breath fanned harshly against her lips and Xander’s at the nape of her neck. Simone felt them everywhere. Inside and out. They consumed her. And she succumbed to them. Her cries turned into screams as they plundered her, stroking so deeply it felt like they touched her soul. Simone’s insides fissured like snow atop a cliff and her climax came over her like an avalanche.
Her head thrown back in ecstasy, Simone wailed loudly. Stars and bright colors burst behind her eyelids and a comforting darkness enveloped her.
Her cries and her pulsating sex brought the men to their release seconds later. They both shouted out their pleasure as they spilled their seed deep inside her. They continued to stroke gently as they came down from their high, realizing belatedly that their woman was no longer an active participant.
“Si?”
“Simone?”
Easing out of her limp body, they turned Simone onto her back to get a good look at her. Her eyes were closed and tracks of tears ran down her calm face. And her chest rose and fell softly.
“Holy shit! She passed out!” Xander exclaimed.
Jackson placed his ear to her chest, just to be sure her heart rate and breathing sounded normal. A moment later he looked up at Xander with relieved humor in his eyes.
“Yesterday after you left the lodge, I went down on her and got the process of getting her ready for anal by fingering her and she said that the orgasm was so intense that she thought she was close to passing out. And I told her that when we took her at the same time, she probably would passed out. And she did!” Xander explained in awe.
“I don’t think we’ve ever done that before.” Jackson said incredulous, still looking down at her with worry.
“No we haven’t. I feel bad, but it’s kind of awesome, right?” Xander smiled, dimples deepening at the boost to his sexual self-confidence.
“You’re an ass. But yeah…yeah, it kind of is.” Jackson grinned back, before getting out of bed to get towels to clean up sleeping beauty.
Chapter 12
As Simone stood with Xander at the baggage claim in the airport waiting for Amber, she blushed to her roots again, thinking about passing out during sex with Jackson and Xander the night before. The guys
had messed with her mercilessly since they had woken up that morning. Jackson had stayed behind to move all of their things from the two guest bedrooms to the master suite, making room for Amber. So currently she only had to deal with Xander’s jokes.
“No worries, Si. We’ll just have to stock up on smelling salts next to the lube.” Xander teased, noticing the color that had risen in her cheeks.
“You suck.” Simone hissed under her breath.
“Si!” Someone shrieked across the room and they turned to see a blur of red coming at them at an alarming rate of speed.
Simone braced herself as Amber launched her thin frame at her. Amber wrapped her in a tight embrace and jumped up and down in her excitement.
“I missed you, Si!” Amber finally released Simone and wobbled a little. “Whoa, I’m either hungover or still drunk from last night.” Amber shook her head gently.
“It’s only been a week, Amber. And why are you hungover when you knew you had to get on a plane today?” Simone scolded.
“Well…maybe it’s because I found out yesterday that I got the job!” Amber shouted the last four words, drawing attention to them from passersby.
“Oh my God, really?! I’m so happy for you!” Simone exclaimed happily and she hugged Amber tightly.
Amber squeezed Simone back and then opened her eyes to see a gorgeous blond man with heartbreaking dimples, smiling down at them. Amber released her best friend like a hot potato and stared at the guy with her mouth hanging open.
“Oh my. Is this one of them?” Amber whispered in awe.
Simone smiled shyly before responding, “Yes, this is Xander Drake. He owns the lodge I was staying at.”
“Was?” Amber asked, not taking her eyes off of the blond Adonis.
“I’m staying with them now. And if you like, you can stay in one of their spare bedrooms there. But anyway, Xander this is Amber Holt.” Simone finished the introductions.
Xander clasped Amber’s hand in a warm handshake. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Amber. Simone had told us all about you.” Xander said politely.
