Riding Out the Storm (8 page)

Drag
and fill, stroke and stretch. Jill dug her fingertips into Ethan’s shoulders,
her entire being focused between her legs, on the pleasure that bordered just
on pain. Ethan caressed her nipple and she lifted her head to look into his
eyes.

“Like
it?” he managed.

“Oh,
yeah.”

“You’re
wet.”

“You’re
hard.”

“I’m
close,” Zach chimed in, reaching around Jill’s body to stroke her mons, parting
her lips so her clit rubbed directly on Ethan’s groin.

Ethan
stiffened at the touch of Zach’s hand so close to his cock, which was weird
considering their balls were rubbing against each other and their dicks were
rubbing against each other inside her, separated by a thin barricade of flesh.

That
thought, combined with the sensation of them filling her, with them moving in
and out of her, made her angle her clit toward Ethan. She wanted him to be the
one to send her over. He was her future, the man she wanted in her life, in her
bed. The movement had her ass clamping on Zach, who choked and grasped her
hips, surging forward in a stroke that bordered on pain.

She
whimpered and turned her head into Ethan’s throat, and he ran a soothing hand
down her side. Behind her, Zach he gasped her name and she felt him come, the
orgasm rippling along his dick inside her. She pressed down on Ethan, who
pushed up into her cunt, his rhythm faster, his groin rubbing her clit.

“God,
Ethan, yes.”

“You’re
getting wetter.”

She
was, so wet she worried he’d slide out, so she squeezed around him. She wanted
to feel his orgasm as much as she wanted her own. His thrusts forced her back
against Zach, who wrapped his arms around her and held on, still deep inside
her, his cock dragging on the sensitive skin of her ass. Ethan pounded upward,
driving her crazy as his body rubbed against her clit, his cock against another
sensitive spot deep inside her.

Heat
wrapped around her and her muscles clenched. She didn’t want the fullness, the
caresses to end, but she was close. Every nerve focused on the penetration,
every muscle tightened in anticipation of the pleasure. And then the
combination of Ethan’s cock and Zach’s, the friction against her clit, had her
shattering. She released with a cry, muscles squeezing, head back against Zach’s
chest as Ethan surged up to kiss her nipple, his hand on her other breast, and
he came, too, pulsing up into her in hot bursts.

Zach
withdrew from her ass slowly, carefully, and moved around the bed to the
bathroom to dispose of his condom. Ethan rolled onto his side, placing Jill on
the bed beside him and kissing her softly. Moments later, the bed behind her
dipped and Zach’s body warmed her back, his hand on her thigh, his mouth at the
back of her neck.

She
floated in a sensual haze, her body stretched and satisfied, two gorgeous men
kissing her and stroking her skin. She’d been damn well satisfied, but the
tender caresses were arousing her all over again. Her hand on the back of Ethan’s
head, she guided him to her breast, wanting the roughness of his stubble, the
heat of his mouth. Zach’s hand was on her hip, easing her onto her back, and he
edged down the bed, his lips making a trail down her side.

“Zach.”
She pressed her thighs together, not sure she was ready for more, not after
that. Okay, maybe her body was, but her mind…

“I
want to lick you.”

“Christ,”
Ethan muttered, his tone unreadable, but the thought loosened her thighs and
she opened for him.

Zach
grinned up at her, tracing his fingers over her naked mons, then focusing on
her open cunt. Ethan’s fingers coasted over her breasts, tugging at her
nipples. She gasped and curved her hand around the back of his head, bringing
his mouth to hers. They kissed, his tongue licking at her lips, dipping
between, just as Zach thrust his tongue into her channel before darting up to
her clit, circling it, then thrusting inside her again.

She
hadn’t thought she could come again, and yet the sensation coiled hot inside
her, so she lifted her hips against Zach’s face. He didn’t hurry, kept the same
pace as he licked her clit. She rolled her hips gently, moving against Zach’s
tongue. The orgasm that swept through her tightened her muscles before
releasing every one of them, pleasure exploding in bursts along its path, and
she moaned into Ethan’s mouth as the very last of the orgasm burst, leaving her
boneless on the bed.

“Did
you like it?” Zach asked, sliding back up the bed to stretch out beside her.

“Liked
it,” she managed, her head buried in Ethan’s throat as she drifted off, never
more relaxed in her life.

****

Ethan
held her in his arms and eased onto his back, staring at the ceiling. The
weather was going to let up soon, and then what? He’d fallen for a girl who’d
wanted two men at once. Did that mean he’d never be enough for her? That he’d
have to work twice as hard to please her? Or was she just giving into the
boredom of being stuck here with the man she wanted as her lover and the man
who used to be her lover?

Zach,
still stretched out on the other side of Jill, and was snoring lightly, still
naked. Ethan wished he could sleep. Instead, he edged out from beneath her and
decided to walk down to the café to bring back something to eat.

He
tripped over her jeans and thought about the slip of paper she’d put inside.
Curiosity got the better of him and he bent to retrieve it.

Then
wished he hadn’t. Zach wanted to jack him off? Hell no. Hell. No. Another man
had never touched his cock, and never would, no matter how much it might turn
Jill on.

He
needed to get out of this place, away from the crazy things they were all
feeling. He never would have fucked a girl he cared about with another man in
the room, much less watched the man lick her pussy, fuck her ass, before this
weekend. No. He needed fresh air and perspective. He dressed and, with a last
glance at Jill and Zach, naked together on the bed, wondering if he could trust
them not to fuck while he was gone, he walked out.

Chapter
Five

The
snow had stopped, but drifted high, and the sidewalk was icy. The road was
impassable as well, but probably only for another couple of hours. Tomorrow
they’d be on their way back home, all of them wiser. Too wise, maybe.

Ethan
walked the length of the motel before he found the glass-fronted diner across
the street, then had to make his way across the pavement to the parking lot.
Walking through the snow took more out of him than he’d expected, and he pushed
his way through the swinging door, cold, his jeans and shoes wet.

The
restaurant was crowded, though the few cars in the parking lot were covered
with snow. Every red vinyl booth was occupied, every barstool filled. Families
and truckers, men traveling in pairs and a group of women sitting together.
Everyone here must be from the motel, and they must be suffering from the same
stir-craziness he was. A beautiful young woman smiled at him from that booth
full of women, and for a moment, he considered returning the smile with more
friendliness than he meant, just to feel in balance, in control again.

But
he thought about the gorgeous blonde back in the motel room, the sexy woman who
knew her own pleasure, knew what she wanted, and wanted him. He was crazy about
her, despite the insecurity he was feeling right now. He would get through this
weekend, then make sure he was enough for her. He wasn’t going to walk away
from something he wanted. He turned to the counter and placed his to-go order.

The
bag carrying take-out containers dangled from his arm as he struggled up the
stairs to the motel room. He hesitated a moment, wondering if he’d walk in on
Jill and Zach going at it. He drew in a deep breath. If he did, he’d know. This
weekend would be it for him and Jill, and the idea saddened him. For weeks, he’d
looked forward to what they could become. He opened the door and saw the two of
them sitting at the table, dressed, the TV airing a basketball game with
questionable reception.

Relief
washed through him, and for a moment he hated himself for doubting her. He
closed the door, peeled off his shoes and crossed the distance to press a kiss
to Jill’s mouth. She tasted minty and clean and he realized she’d showered.
Alone, he hoped, and hated that he couldn’t ask. Zach didn’t look showered, so
he took some consolation in that.

“Thanks
for getting dinner, man. I’m famished.” Zach dug into the bag and set the to-go
boxes on the table.

“Who’s
winning?” He nodded toward the TV as he unwrapped his own sandwich.

“Mavs,”
Zach replied. “No defense from the Nuggets.”

Ethan
grunted at the attempt of friendship, unable to forget that Zach’s fantasy was
to touch his cock. Would he ever forget that? What were on the other pieces of
paper, the ones Zach had? At least one more fantasy was his own. Maybe they’d
forget about that game. He’d sleep in Jill’s arms tonight, they’d leave for
home tomorrow and put this wild weekend out of their minds.

He
knew it was too much to hope. Zach pulled out his strips of paper after the
game ended. “I have these two to call in,” he said.

“Dude,
aren’t you tired?” Ethan asked.

“Nope.”
The other man grinned. “Who knows if we’ll get another opportunity in our
lifetime? So, while it’s very sweet that you want a BJ from Jill, you can do
that any time. Hell, you can do that at work. But this one.” He waved another
paper. “This one I like. I just can’t decide which of the two of you I want to
see tied up.”

“Zach,”
Jill said softly, her attention on Ethan. “No more games.”

“Ethan
might like not being in control,” Zach said.

“I
haven’t been in control all weekend,” he snapped. “Everything I’ve done has
been because I want to be with Jill, and I’d planned to be with her. That you’re
involved is only because she wants you to be. None of this has gone the way I
imagined.”

“Ethan.”
Jill stepped forward, her hand raised to his face, but he stepped back before
she could touch him.

Shit.
He didn’t want to do this now, not with Zach there, not when he couldn’t put
distance between himself and Jill.

“I’m
done, all right? I’m out. This weekend was supposed to be for us. Just us. I
don’t want to share anymore.”

“All
right, all right,” she said, a catch in her voice. “I’m sorry. I screwed up.”

He
held up a hand to stop her. Just because he didn’t want to look into his own
behavior this weekend didn’t mean he wanted her to question hers. But of course
she would, breaking her year of celibacy with a three-way. Hell. What had he
opened up here? “No, it was as much my choice as yours. I don’t want to get into
it. I just want—let’s just watch a movie or something and go to sleep. The
roads should be cleared tomorrow and we can go home.”

****

The
car ride the next day was as quiet as the motel room had been the night before,
and just as tense. Only the barest communication occurred and, though Ethan and
Jill shared a bed, he hadn’t held her as he had the night before. Her stomach
knotted at the implication. Despite what he’d said, she knew she’d made a
mistake. She should have just held on, waited until they could be alone, and
focused her libido on him. Now she’d ruined the chance they’d had for a future.

She
hoped he’d drop Zach off at his car at the office first, but he didn’t, driving
to her apartment while Zach sat in the back seat. To her relief, he didn’t just
roll the car to a stop, but got out and opened the door for her, taking her
bag. But he left the car running with Zach inside as he walked her to the door.

“I’m
sorry.” She faced him at her door, keys in her hand, the sharp metal edges
biting into her palms, punishment for her mistake. “I wanted—everything should
have been different.”

He
didn’t acknowledge her words, only inclined his head toward the door. “You
should get in and get warm. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Monday.
At the office. With Zach and their other co-workers. That wouldn’t be awkward
at all.

“Ethan.”

But
he turned away. “Good night, Jill.”

She
had a momentary concern that he’d fight with Zach, but no. Ethan wasn’t like
that. He was going to shut himself back in the shell she’d found him in, and
she’d never be able to draw him out.

****

Jill
had never had so much trouble walking into work. She knew Ethan would act
professionally, but she didn’t want professionalism. She wanted the teasing,
flirting Ethan, but he hadn’t been that man last night.

She
arrived at work early, but Ethan didn’t. She knew because she passed by his
cubicle again and again on her way to the coffee maker. He usually came in
right at nine, so she didn’t know why she expected today would be different,
but she still feared he might call in sick, just to avoid her and Zach.

Her
heart kicked when she stepped out of the ladies’ room just as Ethan exited the
elevator. She resisted the urge to step back into the bathroom and close the
door. As anxious as she’d been to see him, she didn’t like being caught
unaware. He hesitated as well, then stopped and nodded at her, one corner of
his mouth hooking up in a rueful smile. She took that as encouragement and
moved forward. But before she could say anything, their boss, Mr. Strait,
walked into the lobby and gestured to both of them.