“That was easy. You have talent, Trina. All you needed was a way in.” He shrugged, as if it was no big deal. “The question now is, how far do you want to take it?”
All the way. She opened her mouth, the words already on the tip of her tongue, but she stopped short of saying them. Now was the time to think logically. The sale of one book cover was not enough to launch a new career. It was a start, yes, but she would have a lot of work ahead of her if she wanted to turn it into something more. Work that would have to fit around her current full-time job. Was she ready for such a large commitment when the outcome was uncertain?
“I would like to take it further,” she said at last. That sounded reasonable.
Brady grinned. “I hoped you’d say that.”
“Why?” They paused while a waiter delivered their platter. Having worked through lunch, again, Trina was starving and the sight of the various cheeses and crackers, accompanied by a selection of fruit and nuts, made her mouth water.
They ate in silence for a few minutes before Brady gave voice to his response. “I’ve been thinking, our skill sets are complementary. My editing and your covers.” He glanced up a few times as he spoke, but didn’t hold her gaze. “We could make a great team.”
Trina bit into a cracker, giving herself time to think while she chewed. “You mean for networking purposes?” she asked, unsure how she felt about any other sort of team they could make.
“Or maybe partners,” he suggested.
She took a long sip of her wine this time, hoping it would settle the sudden nerves in her belly. “That sounds awfully long term.”
“It does.” He nodded. “Is that a problem?”
“I don’t know what to say.” They’d avoided talking about what the future might hold ever since Brady had given in to his desire to make love to both her and Jeremy. Any pretence of restraint between them had vanished after that night, and for weeks now the three of them had enjoyed each other without restraint, without boundaries, and without shame. Trina knew she was sinking ever deeper into a relationship that was headed nowhere. But every time she thought about ending it, her heart whispered the same plea, over and over. Not yet. Please, not yet.
Brady’s sudden foray into these forbidden topics made her nervous. She wasn’t ready to confront the future and the difficult choices that waited for her there.
“Don’t say anything yet,” Brady said, refilling her glass. “Today is about celebrating your success. Everything else can come later.” His eyes met hers, held tight in ways he rarely allowed, as he added, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter 22
Jeremy looked up at the sound of laughter and saw Trina and Brady barrelling into the shop. His whole body warmed with pleasure at the sight of them. Trina had been to the shop a couple of times since they met, but Brady had never seen it. Jeremy looked forward to showing the other man around. Though he had a sneaking suspicion Brady wouldn’t even recognise most of the merchandise he stocked.
“Hello and welcome to Fandom,” he called out as they headed for the counter.
Trina let out a happy squeal and rushed around the counter to throw herself into his arms. “We were out celebrating and we missed you. So here we are. Surprise!”
“Surprise is right. I’m so glad you came.” Jeremy smiled when Trina hung off his neck, giggling with joy. “What are you celebrating?”
“My first sale,” Trina announced with pride. “I’m officially a professional cover artist.”
“That’s fantastic. Congratulations.” He hugged her close again, happy for her happiness.
“Thank you.” She was still draped over him, leaning against him more heavily than she normally would.
“Was this a liquid celebration?” He directed the question at Brady, who was staring at Trina like she was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen.
“Not entirely,” Brady assured him. “There was food, but also a bottle of wine. Trina really enjoyed the wine.”
Trina’s head fell back and she grinned at him. “It was yummy.”
Jeremy licked his lips, his hands sliding down to cup the delightful curves of her arse. “Can I have a taste?”
She lifted onto the tips of her toes and pressed her mouth to his. Her kiss was wet and eager, her tongue sliding into his mouth the instant his lips parted. With a moan, he cupped the back of her head so he could deepen the kiss. A tipsy Trina was a horny Trina and he wasn’t above taking advantage of her good mood. Unfortunately, he was still open and while there was no one in the store besides the three of them right now, that could change at any moment. Reluctantly, he broke their kiss, only to touch his forehead to hers. “Delicious.”
“I’ll say.” The sound of Brady’s voice drew their attention and Jeremy glanced sideways to see him watching them avidly. “When can you get out of here?” His voice was low, intense. The look in his eyes hungry. Apparently, Trina wasn’t the only horny one.
If Jeremy had his way, he would have jumped the counter right then and there. Desperately clinging to his impulse control, he said, “Not for another hour.” He hated the thought of them leaving without him, but he couldn’t expect them to sit around waiting for him to finish work. “I guess I’ll see you when I get home.”
Brady thought for a moment, before asking, “Is there somewhere we can hang out without getting in your way?”
Joy tugged at Jeremy’s lips and his stomach did flip-flops. “There’s an old couch in the back room.” He gestured toward the rear of the store before grabbing the key from under the counter and handing it Brady. “You don’t have to wait for me,” he said.
“I know.” He gripped Jeremy’s face in one hand and pressed a firm kiss on his lips before taking the key from his fingers. “But we’re not leaving without you.”
Jeremy couldn’t get the smile off his face as they let themselves into the back room. Thankfully, a couple of teenagers came into the store, distracting him from torturous thoughts about what they might get up to back there.
Brady appeared again after about twenty minutes. “Trina found a stash of Buffy comics,” he explained as he wandered over. “She’s busy drooling over some vampire.”
Snorting, Jeremy asked, “Is she a Spuffy or a Bangel girl?” The blank expression on Brady’s face made him laugh. “Is the vampire a blond or a brunette?”
“Blond,” Brady said, seeming happier with a question he knew how to answer.
“Spike it is.” Jeremy nodded, unsurprised Trina would root for the underdog. “Solid choice.”
Brady leaned against the counter with a rueful grin. “You know, I can barely understand half of what you say, but I love to hear you talk anyway.”
Affection, strong and pure, made Jeremy lean over the counter to press a kiss against Brady’s cheek. They were soon interrupted by a sudden rush of customers and Jeremy spent the next half hour dealing with them while Brady wandered among the shelves. By the time closing time neared, Jeremy bounced on the balls of his feet at the thought of the night ahead. He would get to spend time with his two favourite people, and he’d get laid—possibly in more ways than one. Life was pretty fucking perfect.
Movement at the front of the shop caught his attention and he turned to greet the newcomer. The smile on his lips died. He glanced sideways at Brady, who was busy fiddling with the sonic screwdrivers, before returning his attention to the man walking toward him.
Heart in his throat, he rushed forward to meet Aaron halfway across the shop floor. “No,” he whispered, shaking his head. “Not today. You cannot show up here today.”
“Why not?” Aaron tilted his head, obviously delighted at Jeremy’s reaction. “Does my presence bother you?”
“Yes, it fucking bothers me. There is no reason for you to come here anymore.”
“That’s not true.” There was a smirk as the other man gestured to the shelves full of merchandise. “I always got a kick out of coming here. It’s like a toy store for adults, but without the sex.”
/> Jeremy gritted his teeth. It was the kind of comment that used to make him feel small, like his accomplishment in running his own business didn’t count because it wasn’t serious enough. It only served to remind him why he’d left in the first place. “Want do you want, Aaron?”
“I wanted to see how you’re managing without me.” He glanced around, his gaze passing over Brady without pause. “Not exactly rushed off your feet, are you?”
It was a bullshit insult. With the rest of the stores in the street closing an hour before him, Jeremy rarely got many walk-ins at the end of the day. The morning and early afternoon were always his peak periods. Jeremy usually spent most of the last hour packing up online orders. Aaron knew that.
“I could always lend a hand, get you back on track,” the other man offered, stepping closer. “It would mean spending time together, of course. You think you can handle it?”
“Jeremy’s doing fine on his own.” Brady’s deep voice rumbled through the stillness, making them both look over at him. “He doesn’t need anyone to hold his hand.”
Aaron’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”
“Brady Shaw.” He rounded the end of the low shelves and came to stand at Jeremy’s side. “You must be Aaron.”
A smug expression appeared on Aaron’s face. “Jeremy talks about me.” It was a statement, as if Jeremy couldn’t possibly go a day without prattling on about his ex-boyfriend. Which hadn’t been far from the truth at first, but the more time he spent with Brady and Trina, the less Aaron even crossed his mind.
“He mentioned you once,” Brady said as he wrapped an arm around Jeremy’s waist, “but I wasn’t really listening and then we got… distracted.” A slow smile spread over his mouth as he licked his lips, leaving no doubt as to what had distracted them. “You know how it is.”
Jeremy couldn’t stop himself from returning Brady’s smile. The two of them had managed to get distracted a number of times in the past few weeks, both by Trina and by each other.
“Yes, I do know.” Aaron’s voice was cold and cutting. “Jeremy’s always been eager to please.”
“So am I.” The growl edging Brady’s voice caused Jeremy to stiffen. Seeing the hard glint that had come into the other man’s eyes, Jeremy put a restraining hand on his chest. But instead of arguing, Brady turned his body into Jeremy’s side, dismissing the other man. “Are you nearly done here?” Aaron was close enough to hear every word, but Brady spoke in a low murmur, as if his words were for Jeremy’s ears only. “Those suspenders are giving me all sort of ideas about tying you up and sucking you off until you come.”
Jeremy choked, arousal hitting him hard. He saw Aaron roll his eyes as he turned his face away, his jaw clenching, and Jeremy was surprised at the surge of satisfaction that shot through him. “Um… suspenders are cool.” Probably not the most appropriate words, but the well-worn phrase was the only one that came to mind.
“They’re an invitation to bondage and you know it.” Brady gave his arse a squeeze, before moving away. “I’ll go round up our third while you finish here. Yeah?” He waited for Jeremy’s nod of approval before throwing a final look of contempt in Aaron’s direction and heading for the door to the backroom.
Once he was alone with Aaron, Jeremy cleared his throat, unsure what to say to make the other man leave. He didn’t want to hurt Aaron, but he wanted this to be over.
“A tad boorish, isn’t he?” Aaron said, distaste clear in his eyes.
It wasn’t the word Jeremy would have used to describe Brady. He was loyal, forthright, and apparently a tad protective, but never boorish—and never controlling. If anything, he’d taught Jeremy how to take control. The experience had been nothing short of a revelation. Jeremy realised a satisfied smile had spread across his face when Aaron’s lips twisted in a vague sneer.
“I won’t come back here. I don’t need to witness any more scenes like that one.” Aaron paused, as if waiting for Jeremy to argue.
Instead, he gave a firm nod. “I think that would be best.”
Pressing his lips together into a hard line, Aaron glared at him. “Whatever you’ve got going on here, it will fall apart eventually. You must realise that.”
Jeremy knew Aaron’s words were true. Brady was experimenting now, indulging in a part of himself he’d never taken the time to explore before. But it wouldn’t last forever. Jeremy saw the way he always went to Trina first, the way he watched her as she moved around a room. Brady wanted Jeremy, cared about him even, but it was Trina he loved.
“And then you’ll come back to me,” Aaron continued, his voice thick with emotion. There was a hint of desperation in his eyes Jeremy hadn’t seen before. “You always come back to me.”
Jeremy shook his head. “Not this time.” For so long he’d been scared the bonds between himself and Aaron would prove unbreakable, and even more scared of what would become of him if they did break. But now, as he looked at this man who had once seemed so compelling, Jeremy knew any feelings Aaron stirred were mere shadows of a memory. The emotions themselves, were long gone. “I did love you, Aaron,” he said with a sigh. “But not anymore. It’s time to say goodbye.”
Aaron backed away slowly, the shock of devastation on his face, before turning to leave without a word. Jeremy knew he wouldn’t be back this time. It really was over.
He was still standing there when two sets of arms wrapped around him, two bodies surrounded him in warmth and comfort.
“You deserve better than that arrogant prick.” Brady’s breath was harsh in his ear. “Promise me you’ll never go back to him, no matter what.”
Jeremy nodded, trusting himself in a way he hadn’t been strong enough to do before. “I promise.”
Chapter 23
The plastic container sat on Brady’s kitchen counter trying to look innocuous—it failed.
Jeremy had headed off to the store early that morning and Brady was already tucked into his office, tapping away at his keyboard. With a half hour remaining before she had to leave for work, Trina had busied herself stacking breakfast dishes into the dishwasher. All that had come to a halt the moment she noticed the empty container. She recognised it instantly.
Grabbing the offending plastic, she stalked into Brady’s office and dropped it on the desk. “What’s this?”
He glanced at the container before refocusing his attention on the monitor. “A plastic box.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, arching her eyebrows at him. “I gave this container back to Mrs Adams well over a month ago.”
“You did,” he said with a casual nod. “Actually, if I remember correctly, you stole it from my kitchen specifically so you could be the one to return it.”
Trina flushed with embarrassment. She may have gone a little overboard in her attempts to claim ownership of Brady’s affections. But that wasn’t the point of this conversation and she wasn’t about to be distracted.
“Why do you have it again?” she asked. “That woman never gives second helpings. Not unless she gets something in return.”
Sitting back in his chair, Brady swivelled to face her, an amused grin on his face. “She did get something in return.”
Gasping, Trina searched the desktop for something she could use as a weapon. A wooden ruler poked out from under a piece of paper and she grabbed it with a satisfied cry. Brandishing the ruler like a sword, she poked one end of it into his chest. “What did you do, Brady?”
His body started to shake with laughter. “I fixed a leaky tap in her bathroom sink. I’m the building manager, remember?” Batting the ruler aside, he leaned forward to grab her by the waist and drag her onto his lap. “She dropped in yesterday to give me thank-you muffins, which are in the fridge by the way, you’re welcome to sample the bounty.”
Trina gave a grunt of irritation, though it wasn’t very convincing given she still straddled his lap. Not an easy thing to do while wearing a business skirt.
“Belinda is a nice lady who gets lonely sometimes, like the rest
of us.” His hands stroked their way up the length of her thighs as he spoke. “She’s not interested in me. In fact, she mentioned yesterday she’s seeing someone now. You have nothing to get worked up over.”
“I’m not worked up,” she insisted.
Leering at her, he leaned in to nuzzle her neck. “Not yet.” She felt him begin to harden beneath her, which caused a familiar tingle to start up between her thighs. “You have a dirty mind, Katrina,” he told her. “And a jealous streak.” His lips rose to hers, his tongue sliding inside to taste and toy with hers. “I like that you’re jealous,” he murmured against her mouth.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she breathed, her body warming beneath his ministrations. She stroked the muscles of his back, loving every hard curve. “I’m not jealous.”
“Sure, you are,” he said with a smile. His hands went to work on the buttons of her shirt, parting the material so he could trace the edges of her bra with long fingers. Her breasts swelled with desire and she arched her back, trying to get closer. “You can’t stand the thought of another woman touching me. You want to keep me all to yourself. Admit it.”
Except she’d never done that—kept him all to herself. She’d always shared him with Jeremy. Every time they’d had sex, Jeremy had been there with them. That wasn’t Brady’s fault. He’d made it clear how much he wanted her—whenever, wherever, anyway he could get her. It was Trina who’d held back, rebuffing his advances any time the other man wasn’t there.
She supposed she found comfort in Jeremy’s presence. He kept her from falling too far. No matter how intimate it felt when she and Brady were together, or how she gravitated toward Brady more and more with each passing day, as long as there were three people in the bed, she could still pretend it was just sex, nothing more. Jeremy kept her from having to face her feelings head-on.
Only Jeremy wasn’t there now, and Brady’s hands were already under her skirt, sliding beneath her panties to grip onto her arse as he ground his erection against her. Their mouths were fused together, her body responding to his with a wanton need. If she didn’t put a stop to this now, she’d be crossing a line she couldn’t come back from.
Everything We Need (Finding Forever Book 4) Page 14
