Owen reset his boxing stance. “Doesn’t make a difference how good I am. You’re the one who needs to win next Tuesday.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Although now he was coming at me with a flurry of hits himself, up, down, to the left, right, it seemed I was aiming my blocking gloves everywhere at once, waiting. This was another part of boxing, the patience. Waiting for the perfect time to strike. When Owen overextended himself to try for another jab, I saw my opportunity.
My quick jab was a perfect hit, sending him stumbling backwards. I took the opportunity to ask, “So you and Cin?”
Owen readied his stance, glaring at me. “Yeah? You still ok with it?”
I had to pause for that one. “You know what? I actually am.”
Under Owen’s stare, I had to admit the truth of it to myself. It was a relief, actually. Maybe it was growing up so close to Owen, that he had always been more than just a brother, more like an external, sometimes annoying part of myself, but it almost seemed fitting, sharing Cin with him.
“You?” I asked.
He blocked my next shot, sidestepping. “I am too.”
As our gloved fists connected, through gritted teeth, I said, “Sounds like we should invite her over tonight then, too.”
Owen shoving me back and coming at me with jabs wasn’t exactly the response I’d planned for.
A good half hour later, both of us were completely spent, although satisfied with my skills. I’d gone on to wear Owen down with my practiced, well-timed punches, until, slumped on the ring exhausted, he’d had enough.
In the locker room, I got out my phone with a significant eyebrow flick at Owen – Yeah?
He pursed his lips, smiled – Yeah.
After dialing her number, Cin didn’t pick up for the first call, although she did pick up for the second.
“You free?” I said, jumping into it immediately. No way did I want to waste another second not knowing whether I’d get to see her tonight. “Want to come over?”
“No,” she said, and my stomach dropped.
19
Cin
“It’s Penelope,” I explained. “She just had this really horrible Tinder date, so I have to be here for her.”
“Here being…”
“My place,” I admitted.
“Hm.” He paused as a text came through my phone. It was Owen – We’d love to see you tonight. “Is that an invitation?” Jake asked boldly.
Putting the phone face-down on my knee, I turned Penelope’s way. “It’s the twins. Is it ok if…”
She waved her hand, cozying up deeper into the couch. “As long as they bring food they’re welcome.”
I sighed with relief. Truthfully, I could use the backup. Normally, I was up for however much comforting Penelope needed, but this time, low on sleep from the past few action-packed nights, I just didn’t have the stamina.
Back on the phone, I said, “It’s a maybe. As long as you two understand that I have to comfort my friend.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jake said. “We’ll bring some food and drinks, and – hang on, how did you know Owen was here with me?”
“He’s texting me.”
“Bastard.” A pause. “So that’s a yes then?”
“That’s a see you later,” I said, hanging up.
Once I hung up, I could feel Penelope’s lightly mocking eyes on me. “You are going to have one good night, Cinny.”
“We are going to have a good night,” I corrected her. “They’re food and drinks and…”
I trailed off as Penelope spread herself onto the couch, her eyes fluttering closed. “Totally. I’ll just rest until they get here.”
By the time the twins arrived, Penelope was fast asleep, while I’d had a bit more wine in a misguided attempt to calm my nerves.
Opening the door and seeing them there, side by side, the two sexy, smiling men I couldn’t seem to get enough of, I could only smile woozily.
“Happy to see us?” Jake said, leaning in for a cheek kiss.
“Hey,” Owen said, wrapping me in a bear hug. The touch of his hand sent tingles down my spine.
“What,” Jake was saying, further inside. “The guest of honor is out cold?”
“She’s had a rough day,” I said. “Her date ended up walking out in the middle.”
“Ah.”
“Because his ex-called him up,” I continued.
“Oh damn,” Jake said. “That definitely calls for drinks.” His gaze stopped on the mostly-finished wine bottle then went to me with understanding. “Looks like you ladies are already on it.”
I felt like a minnow before a shark as he gazed down at me, barely concealed hunger in his eyes.
“Yeah, well we were already on it before you called,” I said.
Owen unloaded the food and a six-pack in the fridge and came to stand next to me.
We looked down at a sleeping Penelope and laughed.
“Poor thing,” Owen said.
“Yeah,” Jake agreed.
Not knowing what else to do, I walked over to the loveseat across from where Penelope was softly snoring.
“We could watch a movie,” Jake suggested, sitting beside me.
“Ok,” I said, and he reached over to power up the TV.
There was a bit of argument over which Netflix movie to choose, but we all agreed on The Shining and settled in. Both Jake and Owen’s legs were touching mine on either side and the wine had reduced my mind to one fuzzy, throbbing want to touch them and for them to touch me.
And then Jake’s arm settled around my shoulders. I glanced at Owen.
20
Jake
Sneaking my arm around Cin made me feel like high school all over again. Me and Jenn, my first girlfriend. Except this time, I wasn’t sweating bullets because this was my first girlfriend ever, although it was another first –the first girl I really liked. Or at least thought I did.
This was all new ground for me – in the best and worst ways.
When I further shifted my arm a bit, though, what I didn’t count on was brushing against Owen’s shoulder. He tossed me a sidelong grin. “If you just wanted to cuddle, baby bro, you just had to ask.”
I rolled my eyes. “Now wouldn’t be a bad time for a bathroom break, if you know what I mean.”
The past few minutes of having Cin so touchably close had been nothing short of excruciating. Now that my arm was around her, all I’d have to do is turn her face toward mine and kiss her.
Cin shushed us. “I’m trying to watch the movie.”
It was still early on in the movie, where Jack Nicholson was still eerie, but not yet terrifying. Although Cin was crazy if she thought I could concentrate on a movie when she was pressed up so tightly to me.
Suddenly, Owen’s arm was snaked around Cin as well. I tried not to show my irritation that he was touching her. Though I knew we had decided to try and share Cin, I really just wanted some time alone with her at the moment. But as the minutes ticked on, and Owen showed no signs of going away, it occurred to me, that if he really was as ok with us as he claimed, he wouldn’t mind a little mid-movie macking between Cin and I.
So, all there was to do was palm her cheekbone how I’d been aching to and turn her face to mine. That first brush of lips was a shock.
Funny, how I could forget how good kissing her felt.
She tasted like honey and wine, and, wildly, I wanted to taste her down below too. Right now, though, I was content with the wild thrash of our mouths pressed together.
The sound of Owen clearing his throat pulled us both back into reality. I pulled back from Cin and tossed Owen an annoyed glance, which he promptly ignored.
Beside me, Cin looked like she wanted to sink into the couch crevice and never return.
“Hey.” I took her hand. “Want to take a movie break?”
When her brow furrowed with uncertainty, I took her face in my hands and dealt it the most lip-throttling kiss I had in me: lips twisted, tongues splayed, my han
ds pulled her into me. Peeling away so only our foreheads were kissing, I said, “Let me rephrase that: let’s go to your room.”
And then, our lips re-plastering was her way of saying ‘hell yes’. So, all there was to do was pick her up and take her there.
We were only a few steps away, when Owen called, “Have fun.”
I paused, but there’d been no animosity in his tone.
“We will,” I said, shaking off the feeling that this was some impossible la-la fairy land.
Owen and I actually sharing – we would’ve thought it possible. If only Mom could see us now.
A pleased sort of shudder went through me. What was about to happen weren’t for anyone’s eyes but ours, thankfully.
I closed the door behind me, while Cin leaned back on her elbows on the bed and eyed me. “Who said you could do that?”
Even in the cool dare of her pressed-together kissed-pink lips, I could see the quirkings of a smile. I kissed it right off her, before saying, “I did.”
That seemed to be the right answer, since next thing I knew, her hands were raking through my hair, pulling me closer. I was only too happy to oblige.
Hot, she’s so fucking hot, was the thought that kept recurring to me – half-savagely, half in wonderment, as our bodies squirmed over each other. Cin remade the definition of ‘sex’, turned it into something more than itself, something full-body, entire-minded, whole-souled.
As our lips locked and our hands glided over each other, every part of her responding to my every touch. There was no doubt in my mind that every atom of her body was fully into this, as was mine.
Already, my cock was hard enough to crack glass. As fast as everything was going, I couldn’t seem to get my clothes off and into Cin’s luscious body quickly enough.
I wanted to be inside Cin now, not just stripping off her shirt.
Her top was partway up when she paused, fixing me with that who-the-fuck-do-you-think-you-are look. That was one of the things I loved best about her – her variability. I never knew what to expect, whether I’d be getting shy chaste Nurse Cin, or wild Dirty Girl Cin.
With that look, there was no doubting.
“Who said you could do that?” she said.
21
Cin
“I did,” he said, ripping my shirt off the rest of the way.
Even though he’d said it before, it was as hot as the first time. Then there was him burrowing his face between my breasts, inhaling like he just couldn’t get enough of my scent. When he bit down on a nipple, I cried out.
Good thing the door was closed. It was embarrassing enough, thinking that Owen was out there watching the movie while we were in here doing this. This holy-fuck of a making out which was throttling toward our bodies joined again. Finally.
When the suction of Jake’s kissing lips reached my nipple, I arched into him. Already, his hand was sliding down to where we both ached for it to be.
My own fingers had already closed around the hardness that wasn’t where it should be – not yet.
“Please,” I groaned, his fingers probing my most sensitive flesh.
“What’s that, beautiful girl?” he asked, two fingers dipping into my wetness.
“Please… I… give it to me.”
I clamped my lips shut. Where the hell was this coming from? Sure, I was turned on, but still.
Although my words only seemed to fuel Jake’s fire. Next thing I knew, he was ripping down my panties and sweatpants in one go, clambering over top of me.
“Your wish is my command,” he growled.
My breath caught in my throat as I looked down at him in all his naked glory. Jesus, he was so hard and huge and glorious.
Jake taunted me by playing his cock along my lips lightly, holding himself back from sinking into me like we both wanted... “What do you want?” he asked, his voice husky.
His question surprised me. All I wanted was him inside me, so I pulled him to me close. But again, he stopped with his dick infuriatingly close by not yet where it needed to be. When my pelvis ratcheted up for what it needed, he held me down, his face blank.
“What. Do. You. Want.”
Frustration throwing me into motion, I grabbed onto him. “You. I want you.”
That was all it took. Jake flipped me over and, grabbing my hips, brought me down onto his rock-hard cock.
“Yes Cin, yes,” he groaned as I started to move.
I threw my head back as I rode him like a rockstar.
“That’s my girl,” he said, cupping my breasts.
I ground onto him harder and he grunted.
We were both close, I could tell. His ragged breath matched mine and his fingers were insistently pressed into my flesh.
“God you feel so good Jake,” bit out as I quickened my pace and clamped my pussy around him as I rode him harder.
One hand still holding and guiding my hip, Jake slipped the other one across my belly and applied the slightest bit of pressure to my clit with his thumb. The sensation sent me over the edge and I spiraled down the dark hole of an earth-shattering orgasm. With one final thrust and a grunt, Jake followed me over the edge.
We lay like that on the bed, breathing, shaking, for I don’t know how long. Jake smiled vaguely at me. “That was…”
“Amazing,” I finished for him with a smile.
Although I tried relaxing into Jake, being ok with cozying up in the bed, my hunger pains gave me no choice but to throw on my bathrobe and leave the room.
Back in the main room, on my way to the kitchen, I was surprised to see Owen still in front of the movie. What had gone down with Jake felt like it had been hours of ecstasy, and yet, there Owen was, as awake as ever, still watching The Shining.
As I grabbed the first chip bag I saw – Salt and Vinegar Lays for the win – I thought about that. And, when I passed by, I paused.
“Do you… I don’t know, maybe it’s weird, but would you want to join?”
When Owen turned with a great big smile, I knew that ‘weird’ was the last thing on his mind. “Join you for chips?” he asked innocently, though I knew he knew what I had meant.
Back in the room, I mumbled, “Yeah, so Jake is.”
“Naked.” Owen tossed a chip in his mouth. “I figured.”
I clambered into bed, Owen coming in beside me. As he reached for another chip, he cast me a sidelong glance. “You guys had fun, eh?”
I focused on breaking the chip I had in my hand into teeny tiny pieces. “You heard?”
Owen chuckled. “I’m more surprised that your friend didn’t hear – between that and Jack Nicholson terrorizing his whole family.”
“Here’s Johnny!” Jake said in a crazy voice, and we laughed.
He reached over, grabbing some chips out of Owen’s hand. “Hey, thanks.”
“How do you two ever work together?” I asked, giggling as Owen lunged over me to get his chips back.
They paused, a thoughtful look touching their features.
“You know,” Jake finally said. “It’s probably that we have one major thing in common.”
“Oh yeah?” I asked. “What’s that?”
“We like winning,” Owen said.
“It’s what we were bred to do,” Jake said, his voice taking on a somber tone.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Our dad,” Jake started, then closed his mouth and shook his head.
His words made it occur to me just how little I really knew about Jake and Owen. Sure, I knew the basics – they were ex-military, a boxer and a manager, and had a tight bachelor pad, but that was about it.
“We don’t exactly get along with him,” Owen explained. “If you didn’t get that from Jake’s expression.”
“More like we hate him because he’s a controlling asshole,” Jake grumbled moodily. His head dipped to my shoulder, so he could glare his wrath into my plain white ceiling. “Ever since we were little, the bastard tried controlling us. Enough chores to kill a mule, so man
y rules even Hitler would’ve been put off.” A smile tinged his lips. “At least we got away and pissed him off all in one go when we joined the Army.”
“It was a good way out,” Owen agreed.
“What about now?” I asked. “He must be happy you guys are doing so well in the boxing world, right?”
“You’d think,” Owen said, crunching down on a chip. “Thing is, Dad has his ideas and isn’t easily dissuaded from them. His thinking is we should be working nice cushy office jobs, not crazy unpredictable ones like what we have now.”
“Needless to say, our visits are limited to Christmas and Thanksgiving,” Jake said, before taking two handfuls worth of chips.
“A bit hungry, are we?” I asked him, though he only grinned.
“Speaking of families, how come you never talk about yours?”
“Don’t I?”
“Not really,” Owen agreed.
“Hm, not sure,” I said. “I’ve got a pretty standard family. Nice and supportive Mom and Dad, judgemental neurotic older sister, Lorraine.”
“The kind who definitely wouldn’t approve of us,” Jake said, grinning.
“I don’t know,” I said, even though I did.
“Cool, when do we get to meet her?” he asked.
Owen reached over me to whack Jake. “Ever heard of too much too fast?”
“Nope,” Jake said blithely. “Far as I’m concerned, the sooner people know about us, the better.”
“The sooner people know what, exactly?” Owen shot back.
An awkward silence was the only response his question got. Their words brought up some good points. We were still taking this as it was coming. And while so far it was going well, that was just so far. There were still some big questions hanging over us – ones that I was none too keen to actually look at closely.
“On that happy note” – Owen grabbed the chips and wrapped me in his arms – “Less talk, more action.”
I giggled, my arms wrapping around him too. “I can get into that.”
“Hey,” Jake said, burrowing under the sheets with us. “No fair.”
As he wrapped himself around me too, I grinned. Something told me that tonight was going to be one hell of a cozy night.
Double Trouble Page 9
