by L. E. Bross
His lips move over my collarbone, then down until he takes one hard nipple into his mouth. I gasp and arch up against him. His deep groan vibrates against my flesh.
“My lips on you just like this.”
He slides his spread fingers up both sides of my ribs and cups the undersides of both breasts, rolling one nipple between his fingers and the other between his teeth.
Shocks of pleasure overwhelm me.
Heat builds between my legs and I shift them to get friction where I need it most, but Riot wedges his knees against the inside of my thighs, holding me open. Cool air caresses hot flesh and I whine in protest. I need him to touch me.
My body feels alive, like tiny electric currents are racing over my skin. Ry drags his lips down over my stomach, moving his body back so that his shoulders now hold me open.
His gaze snags mine and seeing him between my legs, eyes glowing with feral hunger, makes me pulse with need. I’m wet and ready, but he just teases me with light touches on the insides of my thighs.
“Please,” I whisper. “You wanted me to beg, Ry. I’m begging. Touch me, please.”
The fire in his eyes burns so hot I can almost feel it scorching my skin.
He lowers his head and I hold my breath. The first touch of his tongue is barely a whisper, but I feel it all the way down to my toes.
When I arch up to get him closer, he pulls away.
“If you move I’m going to stop. Let me take care of you.”
I’m not some blushing virgin, but I’ve never had sex with someone I care about like this.
“It’s just...different this time,” I say, hoping he understands that I mean it in a good way.
He drops his forehead to mine, eyes glittering with emotion.
“Same for me, Peep.”
It’s as close as we can get to admitting there is something more between us. I’m not ready to make promises yet, not when things are still so uncertain, but I am willing to share a part of me that I haven’t before.
I can give him a tiny piece of my heart, trust him to keep it and me safe.
He kisses me deeply, then leans over and reaches into his nightstand. I wrap my fingers around his wrist to stop him.
My heart thunders in my ears when he looks down at me, the question in his eyes.
“I’m on birth control. I’ve been in the system all my life and I’d never want to put an innocent child through that hell. You don’t need that.”
Ry drops a kiss to my lips.
“I’d never hurt you peep. I’ve always been careful. We can do this however you want.”
“I want to feel you. Inside me. Just us. Nothing else.”
“You fucking kill me.” He settles back between my legs, then reaches between us. His groan is guttural when I tilt my hips and the tip of his cock nestles at my opening. Strain shows on his face and his arms tremble as he holds himself rigid above me. “Are you sure?”
“I trust you.”
I do. With everything I am, I trust that he’ll keep me safe.
The tension leaves his face and he leans down, taking my lips in the softest of kisses as he eases inside. So slowly that I feel every hard inch stretching me. His groan deepens, vibrating against my lips.
Riot is normally explosive and intense, and I expected sex with him to be the same, but right this second, he’s gentle. Loving. He’s savoring every second of this, and I let go of all the pressure and give myself this moment.
When I dig my nails into his shoulders, he grunts, then shifts his hips to bury himself inside me entirely.
I let out a gasp and he goes still.
“You okay?”
My eyes roll back when he eases back just a little, then thrusts back in.
“Better than,” I whisper. “Do that again.”
A rush of goosebumps breaks out over my skin when he rocks, barely moving so that he’s filling me, keeping the exquisite pressure on a spot that is making it hard to stay quiet.
Finally, I cry out against his mouth. This feeling, both physical and emotional, is more intense than anything I’ve ever experienced. Tears burn my eyes even as my body begins to tense.
“Ry.” I try to move my hips faster, chasing the sensations that are building with excruciating slowness.
He lifts himself but only enough so that he can look into my eyes.
“You are so fucking beautiful.” There is a raw honesty in his voice that cuts me open. Desperation floods his eyes as he fights to keep the pace slow.
I wrap my arms and legs around him, touching him with every part of me, making sure we are connected in every possible way.
His breathing grows ragged as I stare into his eyes.
Pleasure builds, rises with every movement of his hips and I nip his bottom lip between my teeth, dragging another low groan from him.
“More,” I demand, rocking my body under him, urging him to go faster.
“You don’t get to decide, Peep,” he says with a low growl.
“Please.” I repeat it over and over, with every roll of his hips.
He leans down, biting at my full bottom lip until I’m gasping for air. One hand slides under my ass, tilting my hips up and I let out a startled cry when he hits a spot inside that has stars dancing in my vision.
“Oh god,” I pant. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”
Pleasure spirals up my spine and my muscles coil tighter and tighter.
“Not a chance in hell,” he grits out. “You’re gonna come so fucking hard.”
His movements grow uneven, but he doesn’t fuck me like I expect. He keeps himself buried deep, the constant pressure against that amazing spot driving me higher with every second that passes.
I dig my heels into his lower back, arching my hips to meet every shallow thrust. Sex has never been like this. This drawing out, building up, this connecting so much deeper than just physically, is almost more than I can take.
Emotion clogs my throat as the pleasure reaches the point of no return.
“Ry.”
A plea. A warning. I have no idea what I’m saying or doing, all that matters is chasing the orgasm that is hovering right there. I’ve never wanted something so badly in all my life. Air lodges in my lungs.
Then I’m there.
I cry out his name before he slams his mouth over mine, swallowing the guttural sound as my entire body fractures into a million brilliant pieces.
I clamp down around him involuntarily, squeezing in time with the waves rolling over me. He grunts and lifts my ass higher, his thrusts getting more erratic until his body goes rigid and fingers dig into my flesh.
A long, low groan fills my mouth.
I feel him pulse as he holds himself deep inside me. After a minute, he rips his lips free and rests his forehead against mine. Dark eyes bore into me with a possessiveness that steals my breath.
“Fuck,” he pants harshly. He eases down, presses his lips to mine again and when he lifts his head, a grin tilts up the corner of his mouth. “I think I saw god. She looked a lot like you.”
A laugh bursts free and I lean up enough to bite his shoulder.
“Seriously, that was intense.”
The way he’s looking at me brings heat to my already flushed cheeks.
“I know,” I admit softly. There are no words to describe what I’m feeling right now.
He eases out of me and the loss of his body heat when he sits up makes me shiver.
“Be right back.”
I hear him in the bathroom then he’s back, kneeling on the bed next to me. I jump when something warm and soft touches between my legs.
“What are you doing?”
“Cleaning you up. Since I made the mess and all. Least I can do.”
I lay back with a smile. “You’re kinda perfect, you know that?”
He tosses the washcloth across the room, then hops over me and pulls me against his chest. After we’re tucked in under the covers, he kisses my temple.
“You’re kinda p
erfect, too. Guess that means we’re perfect together.”
I lightly punch him in the ribs, because secretly, he just said the words I’ve waited to hear all my life.
Chapter Two
I wake up just as the room starts to lighten and stare up at the ceiling.
Last night was amazing. And terrifying. Riot made me feels things I’ve never felt before and the connection between us is even stronger now. I wish we could stay here in his bed forever, let the outside world keep going without us.
My thoughts start to spin again and there’s no way I’m getting back to sleep. Without disturbing Riot, I slide from his bed and pull on my sleep shorts. There’s a t-shirt draped over his desk chair and I pull it over my head. It’s huge on me, but I’m immediately surrounded by the scent of Riot’s bodywash and the spinning thoughts in my head slowly.
We’ll figure everything out.
We have to, because I’m not giving any of them up. Not when I’m so close to having it all. This is the life I never even knew I wanted. Not the mansion or the car or the money, but the guys.
I can’t imagine life without them.
As quiet as I can, I tiptoe out of the room and down the hall. There are soft snores coming from behind Luc’s door so I keep moving past. He needs his rest. The house is quiet as I go down the stairs. Hanna isn’t working today, she’s off babysitting her new grandson, so I decide the least I can do is make breakfast. Or cook the bacon. Hanna did leave a french toast casserole that I pop into the oven and set it according to the directions written on a sticky note.
God, these boys are so spoiled.
Then again, I’m the one in the kitchen at the butt crack of dawn making them breakfast. I smile to myself as I grab the packet of bacon out of the fridge and lay strips into a pan.
The smell is just starting to fill the kitchen when arms slip around my waist and familiar lips nuzzle into my neck.
“You left my bed, Peep. But I’ll forgive you ‘cause you look fucking hot in my shirt. You have anything on under it?” His hands roam down my sides then push it up. He grunts when he finds the shorts. “Next time how about just the shirt?”
It’s his words, next time, that make me pause. Will there be one? It’s one thing to play house, but something entirely different to think this could be everyday life.
I never dared to hope for something this normal.
Well, as normal as can be with three guys.
I try to get out of my own head and relax. It’s impossible, though. I can’t help but wonder if this will all be a memory soon. Riot’s hands still and he gently turns me around, but I can't look him in the eyes.
He grips my chin, forcing it up. “If this is about last night, if you’re having regrets…”
My wide-eyed gaze flies to his eyes. The uncertainty glinting in the steely grey kills me. “God no. Never.”
“What the hell’s going on, Peep?”
It’s the concern burning in his stormy eyes that kills me. No one’s ever cared about me like this. I’m honestly not sure what to do. I want to tell him, the words are right there on the tip of my tongue, but once they’re out, I won’t be able to take them back.
If I tell them Peter is forcing me to leave? I know what happens next.
Riot will walk away from all this. Baz and X will follow because that’s what family does. I don’t want to be the reason their dreams die. I can’t. I care way too much about them to jeopardize their future. But that doesn’t mean I can’t live every moment with them until I have to make a choice.
“I was standing here cooking breakfast and I guess it hit me that we could have lost you last night. I know you’re right here.” I slide my arms around his waist and lay my cheek against his warm chest so he can’t see the truth I’m hiding in my eyes. “But I was so scared. And Trey’s still out there...”
His arms wrap around me and he rests his chin on the top of my head.
“He’s not getting close to you, I swear. They’ll catch him. He has nowhere to go. It’ll be just a bad memory soon.”
As we stand there in the sun-filled kitchen, I catalog every single feeling and tuck it safely away to remember. When I hold him tighter, he doesn’t ask why, just slides his hand up to grip the back of my neck. Holding me against him, his lips pressed to my temple.
“Do I smell bacon?”
Riot chuckles and I use those few seconds to compose myself. They can’t know about Peter’s ultimatum. I won’t make them choose. I lift my chin and watch X walk into the kitchen, sleep pants slung low on his hips. The sun hits him just right and he looks like a golden Adonis, dips and ridges chiseled from marble with bold strokes.
He sees me in Riot’s arms and a knowing look crosses his face. Then he grins and hops up on the island next to us, his thigh brushing my arm.
“So, either Ry was watching some really hot porn last night in his room, or…”
Heat rushes to my cheeks even as I hear Riot laughing now.
I smack X’s leg but he grabs my hand and tugs me out of Riot’s arms. These are the moments I love most, the carefreeness that fills my chest when I’m around them. How happy they make me. I’ve never felt part of anything before and more than anything, this is where I want to be.
This sharing, it’s natural. I feel safe in all their arms and I never feel like I have to pick one. They all accept me just the way I am and it’s humbling and terrifying.
X meets my gaze and I can see the questions in his eyes. For all his fun-loving attitude, he’s amazingly perceptive. I push back the dread and fear and focus on the here and now.
When he parts his thighs and pulls me between them, I can’t help but smirk.
“What? You want your turn right here in the kitchen?” I tease.
Riot barks out a laugh and moves to the stove to take care of the bacon before it burns under my carelessness.
X grunts and wraps his fingers around the back of my neck, tugging me closer.
“Right here? Bend you over the island and make you scream that it’s better than bacon?” A wicked grin tugs at the corner of his lips and I laugh. When he catches my eyes, his gaze lingers. “Seriously, though? A fuckton better than porn. Those little noises you were making?” He hums in approval. “And when you came. Fuck, that was the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. Busted the biggest fucking nut, sweetheart, thanks to you.”
Oh my god.
Did he really just tell me he jerked off listening to Riot and I fuck?
“Never been happier to have the room right next to him.” X leans in and presses his lips to my frozen ones and I can feel the vibrations of his laughter.
These boys.
What the hell am I going to do with them?
Love them a voice in the back of my mind says. I’m so stunned that I can’t move.
“Making me do all the work here, sweetheart. I see how it is.”
I push the voice away, because I can’t think about that right now. Not with so much uncertainty hanging over our heads. X tilts my head and his tongue coaxes its way between my lips.
Finally, I can focus on him, on the feelings he’s eliciting.
I open under his lips and sink into the kiss.
“You keep that up and I will bend you over the island,” he murmurs against my lips, then inches back so he can look into my eyes. “Maybe you’d like it if Riot watched?”
Heat rushes through my body and sinks between my legs. The idea...yeah, not even going there before coffee. But X sees it and I watch as he catalogs it for later before tracing his finger over the curve of my neck. It’s so crazy that I don’t even think about standing in front of these guys, scar uncovered, feeling anything but self-conscious.
They see so much more of me than just what’s on the outside. They’re the only ones who ever have. I’ve only ever been a check to most people.
“Hey.” X nudges my chin. “Where’d ya go, sweetheart?”
Concern fills his eyes and I hate that I’m breaking up the carefree atmosphe
re, especially when we all need it after last night.
“Just happy to be right here, right now,” I admit. “Worried it’s going to end.”
I shrug like it’s not a big deal as he searches my face for the truth. I can tell he’s not convinced so I lean up onto my toes and press my lips to his. My distraction works exactly like I planned. His arms tighten around me and after a moment, he kisses me back.
It’s a slow, leisurely kiss that tells me he knows there’s more than what I’m saying but he’s okay with letting me deflect for now.
I show him my appreciation with my tongue.
When we finally pull apart, both of us are breathing harder. His dick tents his sleep pants and when I look up, he lifts his eyebrow with a cocky grin. Challenge dances in his eyes. If he thinks I won’t… When I slip one finger under the waistband and tug, his eyes widen and his pupils dilate, expanding to eat up all the color.
That look makes my knees weak.
Before anything more can happen, Riot walks over and nudges my side. When I look I see Luc is standing in the doorway watching us with a red face.
“Uh, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt. I can leave.”
I pull away from X as mortified heat crawls up my neck. I totally forgot Luc was here. I’m a terrible person. We should be catering to him in thanks for what he did.
“Come in, I’m…making bacon.” I gesture to the stove when Ry is back to turning it over.
“Well, you were about to,” X quips.
He winks and moves past me, dragging the back of his hand over my ass. He’s not even embarrassed at the way the obvious hard-on pushes against the fabric.
In an attempt to salvage some semblance of decency, I make my way to Luc and motion for him to sit. He’s wearing sleep pants with big Santa faces on them and when I lift an eyebrow, he shakes his head.
“Assholes only left these ones for me.”
I look up and catch X’s eye and he winks.
“Ry’s cooking bacon?” Baz asks, walking into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. “Clearly I’m dreaming.”
Riot flips him off over his shoulder as X waltzes past to set the table.
“I was doing it, X distracted me,” I tell him as he comes over and pulls me in for a kiss.
