“And how do you suggest we manage that feeling?” Dr. Washington asks, giving Kai a death-glare as she speaks.
“Find the things you can control.” Like my pleasure. Like my orgasms. I hear Kai’s voice in my ear at the club, telling me not to come. Telling me that he’s going to take me to the edge three times, and I’m going to have to hold off. I’m going to have to obey.
Focus, Avery. When did you turn into a sex-starved beast?
20
Kai
Find the things you can control.
My cock hardens uncomfortably as I imagine Avery, naked and wet, her eyes cloudy with lust, her lips parted, her expression needy, her voice soft and straining as she begs me for release.
I shift in my seat. You’re at work, damn it. Get a hold of yourself.
But when I’m around Avery, common sense goes flying out the door. Ten years ago, it was like this. Wild, blazing chemistry, uncontrolled desire, and a gaping void in my life when she left.
A void I’d filled with work.
“Then there’s the stuff that’s easy to ignore,” she’s saying now. “Exercise. Getting outside and enjoying the fresh air. Enough sleep. When times are tough, self-care is usually the first thing that we abandon, but those are precisely the times when we need them the most.”
Every doctor in the room is eating out of her hand. Colin Lecce can’t tear his eyes away from her, and I don’t blame him. She’s beautiful, clever, and witty. She’s one hell of a catch.
Plus, the faint undertone of her British accent is sexy as sin.
“That’s all the time we have today,” she finishes. “I have some handouts here, as well as homework.” Everyone groans and she chuckles. “Yes, yes, I know,” she says with a grin. “But it’s not complicated, really. There are breathing and mindfulness exercises to try. It shouldn’t take more than an hour to do.” She hands us each a folder and then flashes us a wide smile. “Thank you for attending, and I’ll see all of you here next Friday.”
The room slowly clears out. A couple of people pull Avery aside to ask her some questions. I linger in my seat, waiting to talk to her. “I hope you’re hanging around to apologize,” Jayla hisses. “You bit her head off, the poor thing.” She nudges me. “She’s coming over.”
Indeed, she is. I lean back in my chair and survey her. Though her cheeks turn pink, she returns my scrutiny calmly. “Let me guess,” she says. “You’re not a fan of managing your stress, preferring to let your anxiety fester inside.”
Jayla laughs out loud. “I like you,” she says to Avery. “How long have you known Kai?”
Her eyes rest on me for a split second. “It’s been quite a while,” she replies.
“Really?” Jayla sounds intrigued. Fuck me. Now I’m never going to hear the end of this. Jayla is a relentless matchmaker. “I’ve known Kai for years. We went to medical school together, but does he tell me anything?”
I give my friend an exasperated look. “I didn’t know Avery was doing this workshop.”
Avery takes pity on me. “Kai’s right,” she confirms. “My friend Maggie Hakimi normally runs these, but she had a scheduling conflict. I’m just covering for her.”
She’d been wounded when I snapped at her about my patients dying. She’d hid it well, but for a second, there’d been hurt in her green eyes. “I’m sorry I was a dick.”
She smiles at me. “I can take it,” she replies. “You’re not the first hostile client I’ve had.” Her cheeks flush. “Not that you’re a client of mine, I mean. You’re not.”
It’s my turn to suppress a smirk. Therapists have the same ethics rules as doctors, I know. We can’t date our patients. A workshop won’t qualify because Avery isn’t giving me personalized advice, but if I were her client, I couldn’t date her.
Not that dating is the right word to describe what we’re going to be doing at the club tomorrow. No, fucking is a much more straightforward word.
Jayla picks up on the denial as well, and her eyes gleam with interest. “It’s Kai’s birthday today, Dr. Welch. We’re going to the bar across the street to celebrate. Would you like to join us?”
“Please, call me Avery.” She tilts her head to one side. “It’s your birthday?”
I’m not in the habit of inviting women I’m fucking to work events. I like to keep my worlds separate. Clean and uncomplicated. Yet somehow, my lips form the words. “Thirty-six,” I tell her. “Join us. You can buy me a drink.”
I’ve taken her by surprise. There’s a brief hesitation, and then she nods. “I’d love to.”
As much as I’d like to monopolize Avery, there are more than fifty people at the bar, all there to celebrate with me. I get swept into conversation after conversation, as does Maddox. We both keep an eye on her, ready to jump to her rescue if she needs it, but as I discover, Avery can take perfect care of herself. My coworkers welcome her like they’ve known her forever, and Colin, in particular, decides to glue himself to her side.
Finally, I tear myself away and catch up with her. “Having fun?”
She smiles widely. “I am. I work for myself, you know, so I rarely get a chance to socialize like this. Your friends are very nice.”
“Colin Lecce has been flirting with you all night.”
She looks at me, her eyes amused. “Is that jealousy I hear, Dr. Bowen?” she purrs. “Are you the possessive sort?”
Only with Avery. I lean close. “Next time,” I murmur, low enough that no one else can hear me, “I’m going to tape a vibrator to your clit at the start of the evening.”
A sharp indrawn breath greets me.
Good. She’s driving me insane. I’m glad the feeling is mutual. “I’m going to push a glass butt plug up your ass,” I continue. “With each step you take, you’ll feel its weight inside you. All night long, you’ll be wet, turned on.”
She looks at me with clouded, lust-filled eyes. I’ve been watching her. She’s had a couple of drinks. She’s a little tipsy, and a lot turned on. “Every time you think you’re in control of the situation,” I finish, grazing my thumb across the palm of her hand, “I’ll turn on the vibrator using the remote control in my pocket. And I’ll remind you who’s in charge.”
We’re in a corner, partially out of sight. The party’s in full swing. No one’s paying attention to us. It’s just Avery and me.
She bites her lush lower lip. “I didn’t get you a birthday present,” she whispers, standing on tiptoe and brushing her mouth against my ear. “I want to suck your cock in the bathroom.”
Fuck me. “You’re a dirty girl, Avery Welch.”
“Yes, Sir.” Her tone is meek, but there’s an undertone of sass there that makes my cock ache for her. I love feisty women. “Please, may I give you your birthday present?”
“Not here. Too many germs. I am a surgeon, remember?”
She chuckles. “Your friend Jayla’s watching us. Is she an ex?”
“No. She’s a good friend, nothing more. We went through med school together. I’m her kid’s godfather.” My lips twitch. “Jayla’s happily married, and she has decided that everyone around her needs to be paired up.”
Ten years ago, I would have wanted that too. I push that aside. This isn’t about commitment or love. This is sex, plain and simple. “If you do want to give me a birthday present,” I lean in, still holding her hand, “I have a very clean bathroom at home. Want to get out of here?”
“I don’t know.” She pretends to think about it. “It depends. This glass plug you talked about… You wouldn’t happen to have one at your house, would you?”
“Naughty little minx.” I lift her hand up to my lips, and nip the tip of her fingers, hard enough for her to inhale sharply. “You’ll have to wait and see. Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
I make my way to the table where Jayla’s in animated conversation with a group of nurses. “I’m heading out, Jayla,” I tell her. “Thanks for the party and the cake. See you on Monday.”
Avery reaches for her pu
rse. “I should go too,” she says. “I have so much paperwork to catch up on.”
“Of course.” Jayla smiles slyly, totally not fooled by either of us. “See you next week, Avery,” she says. “And Kai, I’ll see you Monday.”
I catch Maddox’s eye to let him know we’re leaving, and he nods. “You know she’s totally onto us,” Avery whispers to me as we head out the door, her face flushed.
I’ve never let my work and my play intersect this way. I rarely take women home. Where Avery’s concerned, all the rules seem to go out of the window. “I don’t care.”
21
Avery
Boundaries are getting blurred, and I don’t seem to care.
All afternoon long, I watched Kai and Maddox. You can learn a lot about men from the way they treat people around them. Victor was extremely polite to the people he considered his equals, but it was a different matter entirely when it came to the help. With them, he was rude, demanding and hypercritical.
Come to think of it, that was exactly the way he treated me too.
Kai and Maddox, on the other hand, were unfailingly courteous to everyone. The men were obviously well-liked. Doctors and nurses had dropped into the bar all afternoon, and I don’t think the chocolate cake was the primary draw.
A couple of women had flirted rather obviously with Maddox. I’d watched covertly as he’d given them the brush off. Not in a dick way. Whatever he’d said to them, he’d been friendly, and when the women had moved away, they hadn’t looked upset.
Guys like Maddox and Kai don’t come along every day.
And now, I’m going home with them.
I hear footsteps behind us, and Maddox catches up. “What’s the plan?”
“We’re going to my place,” Kai replies. “Avery has a birthday present to give me. You can watch.”
I laugh at the note of smug satisfaction in Kai’s tone. Maddox gives me a sidelong look. “It’s funny, is it?”
His tone is so smooth that it warns warn me to proceed very carefully. Since I’m already being reckless today, I ignore it. “Hilarious,” I tell Maddox.
He chuckles. “Ah, sweetheart. I’m going to spend the entire evening making you regret that piece of sass.”
“Are you going to spank me?” My insides twist with heat at the idea of being yanked over his lap, my knickers pulled down to my knees, Maddox making me count each stroke in his low, intent voice. I discreetly rub my thighs together at the flash of arousal that image causes.
Maddox’s lips curl up into a smile. “Wait and see.”
Since we’ve all had more than one drink, we get into a cab. Less than ten minutes later, we’re at Kai’s Georgetown home. Kai pays the driver, refusing my offer to chip in. When he’s done, he starts down the driveway. “Come on.”
“We’re not going in?”
He smiles at me over his shoulder. “All in due time, Avery.”
I follow him into his fenced-in backyard. It’s still daylight, and Kai’s backyard, while private, is still right next to his neighbors. I can hear the low murmur of conversation from the house to the left of us.
Maddox steps in and shuts the fence behind him. Then he turns to me, a wickedly amused look in his eyes. “I believe,” he says softly, “that you were going to give Kai his birthday present. Go on ahead.”
“Here?”
He chuckles at the look of consternation on my face. “You really should be more careful about baiting us,” he says. “Perhaps you’ll remember that at the club.”
“Put some music on, will you?” Kai says to Maddox, just as amused. “That’ll help a little. There’s beer in the refrigerator.” He turns to me. “Avery, you want something to drink?”
“Just water.”
Maddox nods. He slides the patio door open and disappears into the house. Before I begin to have second thoughts, Kai crooks two fingers at me. “Come here.”
I take a step toward him, but he meets me halfway. His hand snakes around the back of my neck, and he tugs me close. “I’ve been waiting to kiss you all afternoon,” he murmurs.
“You don’t have to wait anymore.” My voice is breathless.
“No,” he agrees. “I don’t.” He leans in and kisses me, his lips capturing mine with firm assurance.
He’s brushed his lips across mine before, but this is the first time in ten years that Kai’s really kissing me.
I thought I remembered how great it was. It turns out my memories are lies. Because it’s not as good. It’s way, way better.
His hand tightens in my hair. His mouth claims mine, possessing me, owning me. Claiming me.
“Kai,” I whimper into his mouth.
“Yes, Avery?” Those talented lips move to my neck, and I tilt my head back to give him more room. His teeth nibble a path down the side of my throat, and I groan and grind into him, plastering myself shamelessly against his body, trying to hump him through my clothes.
“Kai, please.” I don’t know what I’m begging for. This. More of this. I’ve been in a low, simmering state of arousal for hours. I desperately need relief.
The music kicks on. It’s something Latin, smooth and sultry, with a low, pounding drumbeat that pulses in rhythm with the throbbing between my legs. Kai’s hands roam over my ass, cupping my cheeks, pulling me against his hard erection.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Maddox walk out, a beer in one hand, a bottle of water in another. He places those on the low patio table, and settles on a couch, leaning back, his body relaxed. “Carry on,” he says, his lips quirking. “I intend to enjoy the view.”
My cheeks flame. I laughed when Kai told Maddox he could watch, but I hadn’t realized exactly how dangerously exposed I would feel with his eyes on me. And how dangerously turned on.
“You love this, don’t you, Avery?” Kai growls in my ear. He flips me around so my back is pressed against his chest, my ass grinding into his cock. In this position, I can’t hide from Maddox’s hot, heated stare. “You love the idea of Maddox watching you.”
Maddox stretches his legs. “She’s wearing too many clothes.”
“She is,” Kai agrees. “That’s easily fixed.” His fingers unbutton my blouse, pulling it free from the waistband of my skirt and tossing it toward Maddox, who catches it and places it on the chair next to him. He unclasps my bra next, pushing the straps down my shoulders and peeling the cups away from my breasts.
“Very nice,” Maddox purrs. He lifts the beer bottle to his lips and takes a long sip.
“That she is.” Kai grabs my wrists and pushes them behind my back. “Because you’re being such a good girl,” he says into my ear, “You’re allowed to touch my cock.”
There’s a part of me that wants to tell him exactly what he can do with his cock. Maddox reads my reaction. “Go ahead,” he says. “Say it. But there will be consequences.”
I’m not brave enough. Plus, Kai groans softly as I rub his cock with my hands, and that’s pretty hot. And while I’m feeling him up, Kai cups my breasts, his fingers teasing my nipples. I tilt my face up to his, and his lips grind down on mine, greedy, intense, hungry. He’s devouring me, and I love it.
I groan out loud as Kai pinches my nipples. “No, Avery,” he chides. “I have neighbors. You’re going to have to keep quiet.” He tweaks my nipples once again, rolling them between his thumbs and forefingers. “If you keep quiet,” he says. “I’ll let you come tonight. If you don’t, on the other hand…”
“I can take care of myself, you know,” I retort with a flash of defiance.
Bad move. Kai steps away from me immediately. “Go ahead,” he says calmly, moving to sit next to Maddox. “Anytime you want.”
Argh. They’re not supposed to call me on this.
Maddox gives me a mocking smile. “Not to state the obvious, but it’ll probably be easier if you take your skirt off first.”
I flush again, but I reach behind my back to undo the button and lower the zip. I wriggle out of my gray pencil skirt and fold it next to my bl
ouse. Maddox reaches out and grabs my wrist. “Come here,” he says hoarsely. “Sit on the coffee table.”
I look at the wicker and glass table. “Will it hold my weight?”
“Yes.” Kai doesn’t tell me how he’s so confident and given that the answer is probably that he’s done something like this before, I don’t ask him how he’s so sure.
Certain things, I don’t want to think very hard about, and one of those things is why I was jealous of Jayla back at the hospital, and why I’m bothered by the idea of Kai fucking another woman on this table.
This is just sex. There’s too much history between the three of us; I can’t let it become something more.
“Okay.” I start to take off my panties, but Kai shakes his head.
“Stop,” he says, his voice infused with steel. “Did I tell you to take off your panties?”
“No. Sorry.”
He crooks two fingers at me once again, and I move forward, my body prickling with arousal. “So Avery,” he says. “You’re going to take care of yourself.” He gestures me forward, and I stand between his knees. His big hands grip my hips, and he tugs my white lace thong free, growling low in his throat when he sees how damp the crotch is.
“Someone’s turned on,” Maddox notes. He pats the coffee table. “Hop on.”
I perch on the edge of the glass. It’s cool, and I shiver, goosebumps rising on my skin. “Lie back,” Kai orders. “Spread your legs. I want to see you fall apart, Avery.”
I shiver again, this time from sheer lust. I position myself on the table the way I’ve been ordered. I’m hoping that one of them will relent and touch me, but they hold firm. “Please may I touch myself?”
Kai nods. “Go ahead.”
I reach between my legs and stroke myself, but though the expression in their eyes is hot, I want more. I want them to touch me. Their fingers stroking me, their mouths on my clit.
“Okay,” I whimper. “I’m sorry. I’ll keep quiet. Please make me come.”
Taming Avery_A MFM Menage Romance Page 11
