ChristmasisComing (8 page)

A rush of pleasure settled on Liam when
their lips met. There was none of the tentativeness of their earlier kisses.
They angled their heads, mouths moving together naturally. Their tongues
touched as they explored each other. He tasted beer and Fletch. His arms
wrapped around his friend and he tried to get closer. Their chests rubbed
together. The faint tickle of chest hair threw him for a moment—Fletch had
chest hair while he didn’t have much body hair. Firm muscles met his and the
differences didn’t scare him.

He parted their mouths to stare at Fletch.
“I’m a breast man.”

Fletch spluttered a laugh. “You won’t find
any here.”

“That’s not what I meant. I like kissing
you and it surprised me.”

“But would you like to kiss another guy?”

“No! No, of course not.” His answer came
quickly, so readily he knew it was the truth. While a part of him might have
feared an outbreak of gayness, that didn’t appear the case. Fletch did it for
him. Fletch and Gaby. Together or separately.

“So you’re not frightened of my erection?”
Fletch gestured at his cock with a sly grin.

“Are you trying to scare me off?”

“No, I’m trying to settle my nerves with
humor.”

Silence fell. They stared at each other and
burst into laughter, falling against each other until their hilarity faded.

“We’re really gonna do this?” Liam asked.

“Yeah. At least, I want to.”

“Good.” And he dived in to kiss Fletch
again, using his hands this time, feeling free to explore the muscles and body
he’d recently started fantasizing about. When their groins touched, their cocks
brushing, he didn’t freeze up. He closed his eyes and went with the physical
sensations racing through him. A little naughtiness. Definitely desire, the
urge to do more.

“Can I touch you?”

Liam didn’t even open his eyes. “Please.”

One word taking them even farther onto the
path of what most people considered wrong. Funny how it felt so right.

Fletch slid his body closer and reached
down to grasp his cock. Liam gasped. With his sight screened, he could almost
imagine it was his own hand curled around his shaft. But it was Fletch’s musky
scent and the faint citrus from the body wash he’d used that grounded Liam.
Fletch’s big hand added his own cock to the mix and started moving slowly. A
jolt went through Liam. He swallowed, let a moan loose.

“Feels damn good, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” An understatement.

Fletch’s hand went up and down, gradually
increasing in speed. His touch wasn’t tentative or gentle. Instinctively he did
exactly what Liam liked to do whenever he wanted to get himself off. Needing
more, Liam turned his head and blindly sought Fletch’s mouth. He inhaled and
kissed his friend, using his tongue like a cock. Invading, pushing them both
into quick arousal, hot pleasure. Liam’s balls started to draw up and he
couldn’t summon a single bit of shame, not when he felt so good.

He wanted this, wanted more.

The uneven thumping of his heart turned
even more erratic, and suddenly he couldn’t hold back the pleasure. He toppled
over into a furious climax, shooting come in hard bursts. Fletch came a few
seconds later and eased off on the hand action. Their mouths parted and they
stared at each other, uncomfortable in the aftermath of such unrestrained
pleasure.

“Are you gonna freak now?” Fletch asked,
his voice toneless.

“Nope.”

“What? That’s it?”

“We could discuss this to death or we could
move on and take each day as it happens.” Hell, he’d already thought things to
death. They didn’t need to talk as well. “I’ll grab a cloth to clean us up.” He
rolled away from Fletch and prowled down the passage to the bathroom. On
automatic pilot, he grabbed a cloth and waited for the water to run hot. He
cleaned himself off, refreshed the cloth and returned to Fletch’s bedroom.

He found Fletch staring at the butt plugs,
a perplexed expression on his face. In his other hand, he held Gaby’s list of
instructions. “Tell me you can work this stuff. I know the mechanics but…” He
trailed off, grimacing at Liam.

“You still haven’t worked up the courage to
try it, huh?”

“No.”

“Do you trust me?”

Fletch lost some of the color from his face
but nodded.

Liam couldn’t believe he was gonna do this,
although they’d gone way past friendship already. He grabbed the instruction
sheet from Fletch, scanned them and picked up one of the thinner probe plugs
plus a bottle of lube. “Lie on your back, spread your legs. I’ll add lube first
and stretch you a little first to get you used to my touch. Once you’re
comfortable, I’ll put in the plug. Okay?”

Big, super-confident Fletch swallowed,
appearing distinctly nervous. “Okay.”

“Relax.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“How about I put one in me first?”

“Good idea,” Fletch said, relief shading
his voice.

Liam grabbed one of the thinner butt plugs
plus the lube. Green in color, it was flexible and had a flared base like the
others. It had a button on the base, and when he pushed it, the entire thing
flashed green and vibrated.

“Whoa,” Fletch said.

Chuckling, Liam squirted lube onto his hand
and relaxed on the mattress beside Fletch. Spreading his legs, he stroked his
cock a couple of times, enough to get an erection going. Gradually, he moved
lower, smoothing the lube across his pucker. Blood filled his cock rapidly,
Fletch’s close attention propelling his arousal as much as anything. His finger
slipped past the ring of muscles, the glide of his digit moving down until it
skimmed his prostate. He sighed at the rush of pleasure. Gradually he stretched
his hole. Part of him wanted to close his eyes and shut out the fact he was
with Fletch. Yet something in Fletch’s expression, the avid way he watched made
Liam so hot he wanted to burst. And the excitement wasn’t just about his cock.
That was the scary thing.

When his breathing turned ragged, he
withdrew his fingers, lubed up the plug and inserted it carefully. Finally with
the plug in place, he turned to Fletch. “You ready?”

“Let’s do this.”

Liam shifted, rolling up to a sitting
position. He felt every shift and flex of the plug in his ass when he moved.
His breath caught when the plug pressed against his prostate, acute sparks of
pressure firing through his cock. He hissed and stilled.

“Problem?”

Liam laughed, the rough and husky merriment
suggestive in the almost silent room. “The plug rolled against my prostate.
Feels good. When I turn on the vibrator attachment, things should get
interesting.” He grabbed the other plug and the lube, moving between Fletch’s
legs. With a trembling hand, he reached for Fletch’s cock. A faint edginess
shimmered between them, but he batted the trepidation away. Fletch would tell
him if he went too far. Besides, he’d asked for this.

Fletch focused on Liam’s face. He wasn’t
sure about the plug, but he wanted Liam’s touch so bad he’d do almost anything
to get his friend’s hands running over his body.

The first firm grip of his dick made his
entire body hum. Liam’s rough palm against his cock fueled the erotic promise
in the air. The muscles of his abdomen rippled and his breath caught as he
attempted to relax. The sensation of lube against his hole did nothing to cool
his ardor.

Liam took things slowly, stroking his cock
then probing his hole to give him maximum pleasure. The care and consideration
relaxed him even more than the sharp bursts of excitement striking his cock and
balls.

“Holy crap,” he whispered. “I never realized
this would feel so good.”

“It can get even better,” Liam promised,
his sly smile holding promise and naughtiness. He removed his finger, leaving
Fletch empty, definitely needy.

Liam lubed up the plug and pushed it
against his hole. His channel rippled, almost embracing the intrusion, and
Fletch arched his hips, silently asking for more. There was a slight discomfort
but nothing near the pain he’d envisaged.

“All done.” Liam tapped the base of the
plug and he felt his channel flex around the plug. At the same time an
electrical zap to his groin almost short-circuited his brain.

“Fuck,” Fletch muttered when he could
breathe again.

“You ready for a bit more?”

Fletch had no idea what Liam had in mind,
but he trusted him. Just one glance at his friend sent a decadent wash of
warmth through him. He stared at Liam, allowing himself to appreciate the
stark, masculine beauty for the first time. “Bring it on.” He gestured with his
hands and let a grin stretch across his face. Oh yeah. He was ready for the
next step.

“Okay,” Liam said, and he lowered his head
and took Fletch’s cock into his mouth, tongue swirling while his hands massaged
Fletch’s balls. He tapped the base of the plug and it started to vibrate,
almost sending Fletch over the edge.

“Fuck.” Breathless, he attempted to
catalogue the sensations. The plug vibrated in his channel, catching his gland
now and then while heat surrounded his cock along with hard suction and
unrelenting stimulation. This was the blowjob he’d always wanted from his
girlfriends. Some of them had been skilled, but not one of them anticipated his
needs like Liam. Fletch focused on the pull of Liam’s mouth, the stroke of his
fingers and the brush of the plug against his channel. Liam’s tongue fluttered
over his sweet spot, and he shuddered. Unbidden, his hips lifted, driving his
cock deeper into Liam’s skilled mouth. The rasp of tongue, the twist of balls
brought a moan. Somehow, Liam was keeping him on edge. Whenever he thought he’d
soar into climax, Liam twisted his balls, keeping the pleasure at a low simmer.

Liam paused to lift his head. “You okay?”

“You’re good at this. Anyone would think
you have experience.” Shit, he hadn’t meant to insert the attitude, the edge of
accusation.

Liam’s open expression clouded over. “I
haven’t. I figured if I like something, you would too.”

“Sorry.”

Liam gave a curt nod and Fletch released
his concerns. He should’ve known his friend wouldn’t take his words the wrong
way. Considering his shitty upbringing, Liam was the most even-tempered man,
make that person, he’d ever met.

“Hey, enough of the talk. Get me off.
Please?” Yeah, he wasn’t above begging.

With another grin, Liam lowered his head
again and applied suction. At the same time, he carefully twisted the plug, and
it was all over Rover. Fletch couldn’t have held back if he’d wanted to. The
tight wire gripping his cock snapped and pleasure roared from his balls and up
his cock. If he’d been thinking more clearly, he would’ve checked with Liam
about coming inside his mouth. Too late now.

Liam continued to stroke him but eased the
attention down a notch or two, swallowing around his length like a champ.
Gradually Fletch returned to his body, his hoarse breathing leveling out to
something approaching normal.

Liam eased back and impassive settled on his
sexy face. Did he think Fletch was gonna thump him one? Not. Gonna. Happen.

The sex he’d experienced with both Gaby and
Liam during the last week was the best of his life and he wasn’t about to do
anything to mess it up. Perhaps it was time to spell this out to Liam again so
he didn’t look like a cautious dog, expecting a whipping from its master.

“That was fuckin’ awesome.” He levered up
and reached for Liam, planting a quick, hard kiss on his lips. “Let me catch my
breath and I’ll do you. I have some tricks that will make your eyes cross. Ah,
how do I stop this thing vibrating?”

“There’s button in the base.” Liam reached
over to grab the clipboard and scribbled several notes about the plugs.
Easy
to insert. Comfortable. Fletch loved the vibrations.

“How long can we leave these in?”

Liam consulted Gaby’s notes. “According to
Gaby, they can be comfortably worn for several hours. She mentions lube for
ease of use.”

“Make sense.” Fletch grabbed the clipboard
off Liam and tossed it out of the way. “My turn now. Let’s have some fun.”

Chapter Eight

“How is work?” her father asked.

“Good. We’re working on designs for the
Christmas market,” Gaby said with a quick glance at her mother.

“Do we have to talk about S E X at the
dinner table?” Elsa, her sister asked. “There are children present.”

“Are you making toys for Christmas?” Olivia
her niece piped up.

“Yes, she is,” Gaby’s grandmother said. For
once she’d left her knitting in its bag before dinner. No doubt the knitting
needles would start flashing once they settled down to open the presents. Gaby
couldn’t remember a time during her childhood when her grandmother didn’t have
her knitting to hand, the click of needles a constant background song.

“Grownup toys,” Jason Montgomery said,
winking at Gaby.

“That’s right,” Gaby said, smiling back at
her father. “How is kindy, William? Do you like going?”

“Yes.” Her nephew beamed at her, his face
glowing with excitement. In under an hour his friends would start to arrive to
help him celebrate his birthday. “Mama packs my lunch every day and we learn to
write our names and numbers. Lots of things,” he said, scarcely pausing to take
breath.

Both her niece and nephew adored kindy.
While she and Elsa might disagree about a lot of things, Elsa was a brilliant
mother and wife.

Gaby nodded. “Where’s Allan? Is he
working?”

“He’s wiring a house for Liam and Fletch,”
Elsa said. “Evidently it’s a rush job and the customer is paying extra for them
to finish quickly. He said he’d come by later, in time to help with the pony
rides.”

“I’ll make a start on the dishes,” Gaby
said, standing. “The meal was delicious.”

Gran stood and they both started to clear
the dishes. Her grandmother waited until they were both alone in the kitchen
before she started talking. “How is the testing going? Do you have the reports
back yet?”

“Only about half so far.” Gaby tossed her
grandmother a saucy grin. “Have you tested them yet?”

“Mother!” Gaby’s mother stepped into the
kitchen. “This is your fault. I don’t know why you can’t confine your
activities to normal ones.” She rolled her eyes upward as if seeking heavenly
aid. “Most people have normal parents who like to babysit their grandchildren
and attend the Women’s Division meetings. I’m stuck with one who discusses
condoms and sex.”

“Pooh,” Gaby’s grandmother said. “Where’s
the fun in normal?”

“Fancy Free is disgusting,” Elsa said,
entering the kitchen. “You have no idea of the embarrassment you cause me in
the
Sloan Gazette
offices. People are always asking nosy questions about
you both.”

“Fancy Free brings lots of business to town
and helps the local job situation,” Gran said, narrowing her eyes and clearly
ready to do battle.

Gaby hurriedly changed the subject because
her grandmother was winding up a good head of steam. “What would you like me to
do to help? Once we’ve done with the dishes, I mean.”

“I haven’t had a chance to ice the
cupcakes,” Elsa said, her tone grudging.

“I’m on it,” Gaby said as the doorbell
rang. “Why don’t you go and relax with your guests and watch the kids. Gran and
I will sort out the cupcakes. Do you want the sausage rolls heated too?”

Elsa’s shoulders relaxed, some of the
tension seeping out of her. “Thanks. Could you put the sausage rolls on in half
an hour?”

“Sure thing. If there’s anything else you’d
like us to do, shout out.” Gaby glanced at the table of food with several large
covered platters ready to serve to the guests. “You’ve been busy and deserve a
break.”

Gaby turned back to the sink and rinsed off
several of the dinner plates ready to stack in the dishwasher. Her mother and
Elsa both left the kitchen, leaving her with Gran.

“Don’t let Elsa wind you up, Gran. She and
Mum will never agree with our point of view.”

“They’re old fuddy-duddies,” Gran snapped.
“I’m sure they swapped my baby at birth,” she added in a peeved tone.

“I don’t think so, Gran. I’ve seen the
photos of you when you were younger. You and Mum look like sisters.”

“Humph.”

Gaby grinned and continued to clear the
dishes.

“Are you still doing your testing with
Marc?”

Gaby paused to glance at her grandmother.
Her stomach bucked yet she wouldn’t lie since Gran asked her a direct question.
“No.”

“Oh?” Gran’s brows rose. “But you are
testing the products with a man?”

“Yes.” Gaby grabbed a handful of the
cutlery and poked the knives and forks into the holder in the dishwasher.

“I haven’t seen you with anyone except Liam
and Fletch…” Gran trailed off and Gaby could feel the speculative gaze on her
back. “Which one are you sleeping with? They’re both nice boys. Very sexy
butts.”

“Gran!” Gaby turned to face her unrepentant
grandmother.

“I’m in the sex industry,” Gran said, a
twinkle in her eyes. “I’m not a nun, you know. Which one are you sleeping with?
Liam or Fletch?”

“Um…” Something in her face must have given
her away.

Gran’s brows drew together. “Both of them?”

Heat stole into Gaby’s face. “Yes.”

“Hmm, how does that work? Do you have
alternative nights?”

“Not exactly. Ah, I guess I’ll need to make
some icing. Where does Elsa keep the confectioner’s sugar?”

“Don’t change the subject, my girl. What do
you mean not exactly? Do you mean the three of you?” Gran cast a swift glance
at the door and lowered her voice. “One of those ménage a trois?”

“Yes.”

“Well,” Gran said. “Isn’t that interesting?
I’m betting your mother doesn’t realize.”

“Of course not. She was mortified when I
moved in with Fletch and Liam. It was only when she saw we had separate rooms
that she could look her friends in the face.”

“I almost wish I could tell her,” Gran said
with real regret in her voice. “Still.” She perked up noticeably. “I have a
secret and she doesn’t. That’s enough for now. Is this a casual thing or
something more serious?”

Gaby stopped to consider the question. “I
don’t know.”

“Is it fun?”

“Fletch and Liam are great. They’re my best
friends.”

“Jack is my best friend,” Gran said. “Not
for one day have I regretted marrying him. He’s great about helping me test
products too. He—”

“Gran, I don’t need those sorts of details.
That’s why I make sure you guys leave your names off the questionnaires.”

“How is the sex?”

Gran was trying to embarrass her and
enjoying every moment. It wouldn’t work. “The sex is incredible, especially
with both men focusing on me.”

The rustle of clothing grabbed their
attention and seconds later, Elsa rushed into the kitchen. “How are the sausage
rolls going? I don’t believe it. You haven’t even put them in the oven yet.”

“For some reason the oven is taking a while
to heat up.” The light clicked off. “There. We’ll pop them in now,” Gaby said,
striving for reassurance. She didn’t want her sister to lose her temper.

“We have everything under control,” Gran
said, shooing Elsa from the kitchen.

Gaby popped the tray of sausage rolls into
the oven and set the timer. “Do you think she heard me?”

“Nah.” Gran flapped her hand in a negative
manner. “She would’ve shrieked like a banshee if she’d overheard that juicy
tidbit. I can’t wait to tell Katarina.”

“Gran, this info is personal. Private. No
one needs to know except Fletch, Liam and me.”

“Oh pooh,” Gran said. “Spoilsport.”

* * * * *

The house was quiet when Gaby let herself
in the front door and disappointment struck hard. Still, it was only seven. The
boys had probably gone out for a run or a drink at the Cricket. She could
always head to the pub and seek them out. Even if they weren’t there, she was
bound to find one of her friends to spend time with and chill.

A yawn took her by surprise. Maybe not.

Boy, she was tired. Most of it was stress
from biting her tongue during the birthday party and prior family dinner. In
the lounge, she kicked off her shoes and ambled barefooted down the passage to
her bedroom. The door to Fletch’s bedroom was open and she glanced in, coming
to an abrupt halt.

Fletch and Liam were lying on the bed, both
naked, their arms wrapped around each other as they slept. A pang struck her.
Loneliness maybe. She continued on to her bedroom, intending to pull on a pair
of jeans and a T-shirt and kick back in front of the telly. Maybe she’d watch a
movie. It wouldn’t matter if she fell asleep.

“Gaby, sweetheart. Is that you?” Fletch
called.

“Yeah, I just got back from the party.”

“Why are you hiding out there?”

Because uncertainty had struck, along with
a complicated emotion that came surprisingly close to jealousy. “I didn’t want
to disturb you.”

There was silence then masculine murmurs.
Fletch appeared in the doorway of her bedroom, naked with his dark hair
sticking up in all directions. Despite his tiredness, he appeared happy and
relaxed, as if he’d experienced good sex. Her mind skittered away from the
subject, but the buck in her gut told the truth. She was envious of their
closeness and feeling left out. “You wouldn’t be disturbing us. You look tired
and stressed. Come to bed with us.” He stretched out his hand and waited.

She shifted her weight, hesitating. This
thing between them wasn’t about comfort or sex for pure pleasure. They were
helping her test her inventions and choose the right one to market for
Christmas. It definitely wasn’t about cementing a bond.

Gaby stared at his hand before scanning his
expression. He smiled and waited patiently.

“I’ll join you once I get undressed.”

Fletch dropped his hand and stepped into
her room. “Let me.”

“Don’t be silly. I can do it.” Giving him
permission to undress her was a step too far into intimacy. It felt like a
betrayal of her feelings for Marc, hopeless as they were.

“Are you frightened of me?”

“Of course not.”

Fletch turned on the charm, the dimples at
the corner of his mouth deepening. “Let me fulfill a fantasy. Let me undress
you.”

“I’m your roomie, your friend.”

“You’re also our lover,” Fletch said,
unperturbed by her objections.

The trepidation inside her dispersed a
fraction. It was difficult to forget the pleasure of being with both of them.
It had seemed easy and natural. Better than she’d ever imagined. “All right.”
She held her ground when he moved closer. He smelled of male musk and sex all
wrapped up with a tinge of his citrus shower gel. Perfect. Just one whiff let
the residual tension seep out of her.

“You look pretty in this dress, Gaby.” He
smoothed one forefinger along the neckline, the faint drag of her skin sending
her pulse leaping. She should throw her hands up in horror and shove him away.
Heck, she should pack her bags and move out since their home had become a house
of sin in fact rather than the pretend one of her mother’s fertile imagination.

“Thanks.”

“Turn around and let me get the zip for
you.”

Like a puppet, she turned at his bidding.
The zipper glided downward with a whisper and the silky fabric of her dress
slid down her arms. Under his guidance, the fabric whooshed over her hips, puddling
at her feet like a colorful sunset.

“Hold on to my arm and step out of your
dress,” he said.

Gaby followed his instructions without
hesitation, but inside her mind and body rioted. Her mind veered toward the
sensible while her body cried out for Fletch’s touch. Her breasts swelled
against the lace of her bra and distinct moisture gathered between her legs.

“Can I loosen your hair?”

“Yes.” Her acknowledgment was scarcely more
than a whisper. It was seduction plain and simple, and she faltered, helpless
against his determined charm.

Competent fingers tugged the combs and
clips from her hair until it fell around her shoulders in a perfumed curtain.
Fletch lifted a lock to his nose and inhaled. “Beautiful. I like the way you
smell. It’s classy yet sexy. Subtle. I like subtle.” He glanced down at her
panties and smirked. “I bet your mother didn’t realize what you were wearing
beneath your dress.”

“What’s wrong with my lingerie?” Fletch was
too perceptive for his own good. She’d dressed with Liam and Fletch in mind, a
small act of disobedience when she knew her mother and sister would needle her
about her chosen occupation yet again. She sighed inwardly. She should be used
to their verbal zingers, but each time her mother and sister put her down, they
hurt her. “Tell me.”

“Nothing. It’s perfect to showcase your
beautiful body.”

The heat in his eyes made her feel
beautiful. Special.

He cupped one breast and her breath
caught—the warmth from his hand like a brand. Her head rolled back and her
eyelids slid to half-mast to better concentrate on the sensations he was
evoking in her. His fingers tightened on her nipple, focusing her thoughts on
the sliver of pain. A shiver rolled over her. How did he know exactly what she
liked?

“As pretty as these are, I want to take
them off.” His hands slipped behind her back and twisted, releasing her bra
before she could blink.

“You’ve done that before.”

“A time or two,” he admitted.

She’d seen him with women, some her friends
and some not. Fletch never talked about his sexual exploits. Liam didn’t
either. They didn’t bring women back to the house and, not for the first time,
she wondered why. “How come you never bring women home with you? Liam doesn’t
either.”

“Bringing a woman into our home gives them
ideas. I can’t speak for Liam, but I haven’t met anyone I wanted to encourage
in that way.”

“Oh.” Which begged all sorts of questions
about her role in their home. Once she’d fit the friend box and it had seemed
natural. Now the rules had changed and she wasn’t sure how to act.