by Lynn Tyler
“You ready to go, old man?” Jeremy asked with a smile.
God, that smile got to him every time. It made him want to kiss those plump lips, to nibble on them and lick them until they were swollen. He got a thrill out of watching Jeremy kiss Rachel but ached to be on the receiving end of one of those kisses. Shaking the image from his head, Nathan stood up and stowed the stick he’d been worrying in his locker. Grabbing his jacket, he followed Jeremy out the door.
He was still debating on the best way to break the news of the gossip column to Jeremy when the kid spoke. “You wanna tell me what’s going on?”
Well, no time like the present. “Terry Ferguson came down to talk to me today.”
Jeremy nodded. Okay, so he’d apparently noticed Nathan’s discussion with the general manager. “Yeah, I saw you talking to him,” he confirmed. “You didn’t look very happy. Please tell me you aren’t being traded.”
Nathan’s eyebrows shot up with his surprise. Jeremy was worried they would be separated. Maybe he actually felt the same connection that Nathan felt. “No, babe, I’m not being traded. They call you into the office for that stuff.”
Jeremy blushed at the endearment but didn’t comment on it, instead sticking to their original subject. “What’d Mr. Ferguson want then?”
If the idea of mentioning that stupid column hadn’t been eating a hole in his damn gut, Nathan would have laughed at Jeremy calling Terry Mr. Ferguson. Terry always insisted that Mr. Ferguson was his dad. The man was a little unorthodox with how he interacted with his players, but he was damn good at his job.
Nathan blew out a long breath, trying to quell his nerves. “There’s a gossip column going out tomorrow,” he blurted out.
Jeremy looked at him as if he’d just grown another head. “Okay?”
Obviously Jeremy had no idea what Nathan was getting at. It looked like he was going to have to spell it out. “About us and Rachel. I guess she took some pictures of you and Rach a few weeks ago when you took her shopping and again when you two went out for dinner. She also somehow found out that we live together. Apparently she’s going to accuse Rachel of cheating on me with you. Or that I’m sharing my wife.”
Jeremy’s expression changed from one of bemused confusion to completely blank. He stayed silent for the rest of the ride home. It wasn’t until they pulled into the driveway that he spoke. “What are we going to tell Rachel?”
Nathan sighed and dropped his head onto the steering wheel, suppressing the urge to slam his head into the dash. “Crap. She won’t care personally, but I didn’t think about Vaughan Events. I hope this doesn’t affect her business. She loves that company.”
Jeremy’s answering sigh echoed through the car. “Do you want me to leave? I can get hotel room until I find my own place.”
Nathan jerked his head up and swung around in his seat to face his almost-lover. “No! You will not leave because of some stupid column. We will not let some gossipy bitch run our lives. Besides, if you leave, it will look like we are doing just what she says and that we’re trying to deny it. That will make everything worse.”
Nodding, Jeremy chewed on his lower lip. Nathan’s dick stood up at full attention. It didn’t seem to matter what the situation was, Jeremy could make Nathan horny with the simplest of things. The only other person who had ever affected him that way was Rachel. Something in him would die a little if Jeremy left. He just hoped the other man agreed with him. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
Nathan would have jumped for joy if it weren’t for the fact they still had to tell Rachel about the article. Well, and for the fact that he was still wearing his seatbelt. “Come on, Jer. Let’s go break the news to Rachel.”
Chapter 6
Rachel snapped the paper closed and tossed it away from her. It separated, and the different pieces fell apart and fluttered to the floor. She wondered if it would be too childish if she stomped over to it and ground it under her foot. Not that it would really have done much damage since she was barefoot, but it probably would have made her feel better.
Nathan and Jeremy had told her about the column and their suspicions as to what it might reveal. The bitch had gone a lot further than that. Instead of accusing her of cheating on Nathan, she had accused Nathan of cheating on her with Jeremy.
It was so far from the truth it was laughable. She would have laughed at it if she weren’t so worried about Jeremy’s reaction. He was so attentive to her, making sure she had everything she needed and wanted in and out of bed. He spoiled her nearly as badly as Nathan did. He still obeyed Nathan’s commands when they were in bed together. He still slept with them every night. But apart from their first night together, when Nathan had held him up while she’d slowly jacked him off, Jeremy had not allowed any more sexual contact with Nathan.
Rachel had left them sleeping in the same bed. As soon as she’d crawled out from between the two of them, they had each moved to close the gap. By the time she’d left the room to get the coffee started, Jeremy had been cuddled up against Nathan’s side, his chin resting on Nathan’s shoulder and arm draped across Nathan’s waist. It had melted her heart to see the two men she loved snuggled up together.
That revelation, of her love for Jeremy, had kind of snuck up on her. She wondered a little at what Nathan would think, but she had a sneaking suspicion he was beginning to fall in love with Jeremy, too. There was just something in the way he looked at Jeremy, something in the way he confessed to be possessive over the younger man. She had been thrilled with the way things were going. It might have taken some time for Jeremy to fall in love with them, but Rachel had been confident it would have happened eventually. If the two of them naturally snuggling up in bed together was any indication, their bodies already knew they all belonged together. It was just their minds that needed to catch up. Hopefully that stupid column hadn’t changed anything.
“Hey, honey. Can I assume the reason the paper is scattered all over the floor is because you weren’t impressed with that column?” Nathan’s sleep-roughened voice flowed through her and warmed her from the inside out. She watched him as he crossed the kitchen and poured himself a cup of black coffee.
He sipped from his cup thoughtfully as he gazed down at the pages scattered all over the kitchen tile. “That bad?”
Rachel took a deep breath. “Well, on the bright side, no one will believe the gossip. On the other hand, Jeremy may back right off.”
A confused look crossed his face. “What are you talking about, honey?”
She opened the fridge and pulled out the bowl of fresh fruit she and Jeremy had cut the night before. She knew Nathan would laugh it off, but it didn’t make saying it any easier. “The columnist didn’t accuse me of cheating on you with Jer.”
One of Nathan’s blond brows shot up as he looked at her expectantly, clearly waiting for a further explanation. Great. She was tempted to tell him to read the article himself but then he’d have to sort through the entire Saturday paper. “She accused you of cheating on me. With Jeremy.”
Rachel could see the battle waging in her husband. On one hand, he was relieved no one would believe the gossip. Two macho athletes who were at the top of their game, one of who was married, sleeping together? Who the hell would believe that?
On the other hand, Jeremy had seemed rather freaked out about any physical contact he had with Nathan while having sex. This might be just the trigger that pushed him out of their lives. “Should we even tell him?”
If she’d thought it would help matters, Rachel would have spared Jeremy this whole situation. Unfortunately, while most people wouldn’t believe the gossip column, there was bound to be some teasing from the guys in the locker room.
A shuffling sound came from behind them and they turned around to find Jeremy slouching his way down the kitchen stairs. Oh, he was too adorable. He had dark stubble covering his chin and cheeks, bleary eyes, and his shaggy hair was sticking up at all angles. He looked sleepy, sexy, and utterly lovable, and her throat ached
at the sheer amount of love she felt for him. He rubbed a hand over his naked chest, yawned hugely, and ambled his way to the coffee pot. Pouring himself a cup, he turned and kissed Rachel on the temple and smiled drowsily at Nathan.
“Woke up by myself,” he commented in a gravelly voice. He surveyed the kitchen and yawned again, so widely that his jaw cracked. “How bad is it?”
Rachel’s heart sank. She knew they couldn’t keep the information from Jeremy, but she dreaded telling him. Nathan obviously sensed her discomfort and answered. “Well, she didn’t accuse Rachel of cheating on me.”
Jeremy cocked his brow and rubbed at his chest again. After almost nine weeks together, Rachel knew the action was actually a nervous habit Jeremy had, almost like the way Nathan tended to card his fingers through his hair when he was frustrated. “She accuse you of sharing Rachel with me?” he asked.
He waited expectantly as he took a large gulp of coffee. Rachel winced on his behalf. The liquid was scalding hot, and she could only imagine what it felt like running down his throat.
Nathan cleared his throat and averted his eyes. “No. Actually, Jer, she accused me of cheating on Rachel.”
Rachel knew her husband was hoping the other man would catch on to his meaning without having to actually spell it out for him, but it was clear from Jeremy’s confused expression he just wasn’t getting it. Nathan sighed and ran his fingers through his blond hair, going as far as gripping it and tugging it a little in obvious agitation. Rachel’s own stomach was now roiling with nerves, and she wondered for a minute if she was going to be able to keep her coffee down. She hadn’t been so nervous since receiving her final grades of her last semester of university.
Jeremy waited patiently, simply looking at them. His patience was one of the things she loved about him the most. He would work on the Sunday crossword puzzle for hours. He could tinker away a free afternoon with whatever video game he was working on and then spend untold amounts of time teaching her how to play, never raising his voice no matter how many times he had to explain something. She knew he would wait indefinitely for them to explain.
Rachel threw her hands up in the air and gave in to the urge she’d been feeling all day, stomping over to the scattered newspaper pages and grinding them under her bare feet. She slid her feet over the delicate newsprint until it shredded and the black ink coated her soles. Stopping, she sneered down at the paper and blew a few errant curls out of her eyes.
She looked up at her two men and glared, daring them to comment on her childish display of temper. She caught Nathan hiding an amused smile behind his cup and stuck her tongue out at him. Jeremy simply walked over and picked her up, cradling her against his chest. It felt so good to be in his arms, but she tapped him lightly on the shoulder in protest. “I can walk, you know.”
Jeremy sat her down in her usual chair at the table and knelt between her legs, placing her bare feet lightly on his thighs even as Nathan dampened a rag at the kitchen sink and brought it over. Jeremy grabbed it and seized her right foot, wiping the sole free of ink before moving on to give the left foot the same treatment. “I know you can walk, sweetie,” he said, wiggling the rag between her toes a little and causing her to giggle. “But you would have tracked ink through the entire kitchen.”
Nathan brought over her cup and handed it to her. “And then you would have yelled at us for letting you walk on the clean tile.”
Tossing the cloth toward the sink, Jeremy gazed up at her gravely. “Feel better?”
She pouted for a few seconds and then nodded. As childish as her actions may have seemed, they had made her feel better. But the knowledge that she and Nathan still had to tell Jeremy the news of the gossip column had her anger boiling over again. She slapped her palm against the table, infuriated beyond belief.
“Whoa, Rach. Wanna tell me what’s going on? Who did they accuse Nathan of cheating on you with?”
Boy, for a smart man, Jeremy could be very dumb. “You.”
He blinked at her, and she waited for the comprehension to set in. She watched his expression as understanding seeped through him. “Me?”
“Yeah, buddy,” Nathan said, placing his hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. She watched as his fingers tightened on the flesh slightly, as if he were desperate for some sort of physical contact.
Jeremy’s expression tightened, but he didn’t move away from the touch. Instead, he looked up at her husband and gave him a strained smile. “Well. That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.” He rose to his feet and stared blankly at his cup of coffee for a few minutes. “How likely is it that anyone actually reads those gossip columns?”
Rachel shrugged, pursing her lips contemplatively. “I’m not really sure, Jer. But I don’t think anyone will actually believe it.”
The younger man offered another edgy smile but looked like he wanted a hole to appear in the floor and suck him in. “Well, at least my dad died last year and won’t be around to hear this latest rumor. He was the most homophobic bastard I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
Rachel was stuck for something to say. It was the first time he’d actually mentioned his father’s passing. Until now she hadn’t been sure if the man had been dead or simply out of the picture. Should she offer her condolences for his loss or should she commiserate with him about having a bigoted parent? She felt like there was no appropriate response.
Jeremy stared at the table for a few more minutes before finally looking at them fully. His face was solemn, and his eyes were sad. “Rachel, can I use your office to work on one of my games for a few hours?”
Again, she nodded mutely. Both she and Nathan had quickly learned that Jeremy lost himself in his work when he needed time to absorb information or to decompress. When he locked himself in the office, they knew he needed to be completely alone for a while. He didn’t say anything else. He just turned on his heel, walked into the office, and closed the door behind him.
Rachel stopped fighting her tears and let them fall freely. “Nathan…”
Nathan pulled her into his arms, and Rachel went willingly, resting her head on his chest. “I know, honey. I know. Let’s just give him some time.”
She paced for an hour, staring a hole in the office door. Finally, she had enough. “Nathan, we’re going to go get him and make him forget all about that damn column.”
Marching over to the office, she opened the door without knocking and stomped over to Jeremy.
He was staring morosely at the screen, a long string of code stretched out before him. “This isn’t really a good time, Rach.”
Oh to hell with that. She wasn’t going to let him sit and stew about this the whole day. Grabbing his arm, she used all of her strength and pulled him up. He went willingly but shoved his hands in his pockets.
For heaven’s sake. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a scorching kiss. It took some time but Jeremy finally responded, slipping his tongue between her lips and sliding it along her own.
He deepened the kiss, making love to her mouth. When he shivered and whimpered, she pulled back a little and what she saw nearly took her breath away. Nathan had stepped up behind Jeremy and was mouthing softly at a spot just below Jer’s ear. “Now that’s hot.”
She regretted her comment when Jeremy immediately stiffened.
“Relax, Jer,” Nathan murmured in his ear. “Let us make you feel good.”
All the fight drained out of the younger man and he let them lead him to the bedroom and strip him slowly. They stroked him all over, paying special attention to the responsive spots they’d found over the past couple of months.
Rachel’s breath caught at the sight of Jeremy surrendering himself to the pleasure she and Nathan were giving him. Straddling his hips, she searched out Nathan’s eyes. Actually having sex with Jeremy was a big step, one she wanted Nathan to agree with every step of the way.
Instead of saying anything, he produced a condom and rolled it over Jeremy’s straining erectio
n.
Jeremy’s eyes, which had drifted closed, popped open when he worked through the significance of being covered by the thin latex. Up until now, she had only jacked him off or blown him.
“This okay, Jer?” Oh, god, please let him say yes. Her pussy was positively watering at the thought of Jer’s thick cock impaling her.
Jeremy gulped and sought out Nathan. She wasn’t sure what Nathan did but whatever it was, it convinced Jeremy to go ahead. “Yeah. It’s better than okay.”
Nathan’s hands wrapped around her hips and helped her settle onto Jeremy’s dick and she groaned at the feeling. He held her steady until she found her rhythm. “Oh, damn that’s good.”
A rich laugh sounded behind her and she shuddered as the sound slid down her spine. “It looks good from here, too.”
Jeremy simple moaned, his face going tight. “Not gonna last.”
She sped up, reaching between her legs and fingering her clit frantically. She could feel her muscles tightening in preparation for orgasm.
Nathan dropped his head so that it rested on her shoulder, his hot breath puffing against her skin. “You two are so damn sexy. Fuck, I’m not gonna last long either.”
Well, at least she knew what Nathan was doing. She could see his hand wrapped around his cock in her mind’s eye and it was enough to send her over the edge.
She came with a cry, her muscles milking Jeremy uncontrollably until he lost all control. He throbbed in her, his eyes and jaw clenched. A sudden splash of heat across her low back let her know that Nathan had come too.
She collapsed on to Jeremy’s chest, pressing damp kisses to the hollow of his throat. “Don’t let that newspaper column ruin this, Jer.”
Jeremy was silent for a long moment before sighing. “I’ll try, Rach. I promise.”
A warm cloth ran over her back, cleaning her gently and she burrowed closer into Jeremy’s chest.
Jeremy jerked under her, a laugh escaping his lips. “That tickles.”
