Sweet Thursday (5 page)

“Haven’t you ever heard that expression, ‘Be careful what you wish for’?”

She offered them both a cute, gentle smile, her face artlessly pleading. “It’s just one wish, K, one night. Please.”

“Damn. Power look,” Killian muttered and his hand dropped to his lap.

She paused, obviously confused, but Justin understood exactly what his friend was talking about. She’d taken him down with that look too and he was pretty sure neither one of them was going to refuse her a damn thing tonight.

“Do you even know what you’re asking for?” Killian added.

She narrowed her eyes, annoyed. “I’m not thick, Killian. I know what I want to happen tonight.”

Justin leaned even closer. “Tell us. Put it in words.”

She grinned at his challenge and he was blown away by the daring woman facing him down. “Sex. You, me, K. Bed optional. As many positions as we can squeeze into the night.”

Killian choked on his beer at her words. His response caught her attention and she frowned. “You
have
done this before?”

“Yes,” Justin admitted.

“So it’s not the sharing that’s an issue?” she asked.

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Mari Carr

“I don’t have a problem sharing with Justin.” Killian’s answer was quick and sure and Justin grinned.

“Have you done it,” she paused and swallowed, “a lot?”

Killian glanced at him and Justin shrugged. This was Lily, not some faceless woman. She deserved the truth. “I don’t know what you’d call a lot, but yeah, we’ve indulged more than a few times.”

She nodded. “And you like it? I’m not making you do something—”

Killian’s hand moved again, tangling in her tresses, and Justin watched Lily’s nipples tighten beneath her silky blouse. Her deeply inhaled breath proved his friend’s touch had directed her thoughts to exactly the kind of adventures she was asking for.

“We like it. We like it a lot.”

Justin nodded in agreement when her eyes darted in his direction.

She smiled, pleased by his response. “Good, then I don’t see why we shouldn’t all take what we want.”

Killian sighed. “I don’t want us to hurt you, Lil.”

“I know you guys. I trust you. For one night, let me—let
us
—live this fantasy.”

Justin stared at her as she spoke and he could see the sincerity of her words. “Say yes, Killian. You know you want to.”

She knew K was the hard sell. That thought bothered him. Didn’t she think he’d be worried about her welfare too?

Before they could continue their conversation, Lane and Tris returned to the table.

“Bad news,” Tristan said as he took his seat. “Judith has the deejay’s microphone. I think she’s prepared some sort of speech.”

Justin groaned. “That woman’s voice goes through me like food poisoning.”

Before anyone could reply, Judith called for silence in the room. Justin tried to listen to the woman’s prattling speech about her charitable organizations and all the other so-36

Sweet Thursday

called amazing things the in-crowd had done over the past ten years. His mind had just started to drift when he heard his name mentioned with Killian’s.

He glanced over and rolled his eyes at his friend when Judith gave what everyone else in the room would believe was a heartfelt thanks to them for their years of service protecting our country’s freedoms.

“She’s on a roll,” Lily muttered and Justin had to fight back a laugh at her comment.

Judith continued to ramble on and he gave up the pretense of listening. He looked at Lily, pleased when she caught his gaze and held it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tristan studying them. What would Killian’s twin say if he knew they were considering taking Lily home tonight…together?

Lily appeared to have given quite a bit of thought to her proposal. He watched her as she pretended to listen to Judith’s speech. She crossed her legs, tapping her manicured nails on her thigh impatiently. He reached over and gripped her hand to still it while dragging his fingers against her smooth skin. Her quiet inhalation of breath told him she liked his touch. Killian leaned closer, resting his arm against the back of her chair, his fingers idly caressing a few strands of her hair. The gesture was enough and Lily smiled at his friend. Justin released her hand and casually moved his inward and up, lightly grazing her upper thigh. She closed her eyes slowly and he grinned at the sexual tension radiating from her. She was a powder keg about to blow.

He moved his hand back to his own lap after only a moment when he felt several sets of eyes glance in their direction. Regardless of the good-girl image Lily wanted to shatter, he wouldn’t do anything to mar her reputation. Especially not here in the midst of these old acquaintances who were now strangers. This night’s affair would remain private, something between just the three of them.

Killian’s original concerns came back to Justin as he studied Lily’s flushed face and erratic breathing, and it overrode his enjoyment of the moment. His friend was right.

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Lily was essentially an innocent and there was a big difference between fantasizing about a ménage and taking part in one. They would have to take care, take it slowly.

He imagined some of the sex acts she might want to try and found himself second-guessing his decision to initiate her into a night on the wild side. Then he imagined her in bed with strangers and he saw red.

She wanted the fantasy and he was damn well going to give it to her. He studied her lush lips, her pale cheeks and the image of kissing her, touching her bare skin for hours on end didn’t seem like a very steep price to pay. He wanted her…bad.

“And our very own Lilywhite—”

Justin’s ears perked up to Judith’s voice when Lily went stiff beside him. The room laughed and he watched Lily plaster on a false smile as Judith continued.

“I mean Lily
Watterson
is now a doctor. Not that anyone’s surprised to hear our valedictorian went so far with her education. Now before you start going over to her and asking for prescriptions for valium…” Again Judith paused so everyone could titter at her stupid joke, and Justin took a deep breath, allowing himself to imagine the woman breaking a nail later and having a nervous breakdown in the aftermath. “She’s not a medical doctor, but a marine biologist. I guess she only prescribes valium to dolphins.”

“Oh my God,” Lily muttered. “Was she always this obnoxious in high school?”

Killian chuckled next to her. “I was thinking she’s gotten nicer. Who knew Judith had such a great sense of humor?” They all laughed at his joke and Justin was grateful for his friend’s ability to lighten the mood. While he tended to lead with his left in situations like this, Killian always managed to calm the waters with his wit.

“Now,” Judith continued, “the reunion committee thought it might be fun to pull up all the Who’s Who winners and we’re fortunate to have quite a few in attendance this evening. Come up when I call your name and then we’re going to take a picture.”

Justin groaned. “I’m not going up there.”

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Sweet Thursday

Lily laughed then covertly ran her fingers along his thigh. “If I have to go up, you have to go up.” As she spoke the word
up
, she quickly tapped the obvious erection stretching the front of his pants. “Oh, and given the fact you were Class Clown, maybe it would be a good idea to fake a trip or something on the way to the stage.”

Everyone at the table laughed loudly enough at her suggestion that it drew the attention of several people from surrounding tables—as well as Judith, who didn’t appear happy about having her time in the limelight interrupted. “Well, it would appear Justin Porter is still up to his old tricks, so why don’t we have the Class Clown come up first.”

One quick glance down at his lap and he knew everyone at the table was going to be aware of his predicament as soon as he stood. Justin bent down to whisper in Lily’s ear as he rose, using the opportunity to try to adjust his pants. “I’ll get even with you for this later.”

“I look forward to it,” she replied huskily.

“Fuck.” Her heated tone and warm breath sent his cock into red alert and he was suddenly afraid he might truly fall on the trip across the room, given the tree trunk currently residing in his pants.

“Think of toe fungus,” Killian said quietly enough that only Lily heard.

“A vasectomy,” Lily added.

Killian grinned. “A root canal.”

“Very funny,” Justin murmured. He took a quick breath then decided he could get his revenge and a shield now. He reached down and pulled Lily up, guiding her in front of him as he made his way to the stage.

“What are you doing?” she whispered as they approached Judith.

He grinned at the furious look on Judith’s face. This impromptu scheme was getting better and better. “I think there’s been some mistake,” he said, reaching for the microphone and taking it from Judith’s hands. “I clearly remember winning Most 39

Mari Carr

Likely to Succeed with Lily. I think it was my two-point-oh GPA and brilliantly planned and executed senior prank that clinched it for me.”

The crowd laughed and cheered, likely recollecting the fact he and Killian had released a greased pig into a busy hallway the morning of final exams. “In fact, I think it was Mr. Laredo, the assistant principal, who nominated me.”

Lily laughed and shook her head but, bless her, remained in front of him. “Poor pig,” she said. The microphone picked up her comment and everyone laughed again.

Well, everyone except Judith.

She grabbed the microphone back. “Ah, Justin still has that sense of humor,” Judith said tightly. He noticed she didn’t mention whether or not it was a good or bad one.

Justin and Lily moved slightly to the side as Judith announced the rest of the Who’s Who winners. Killian and Tris flanked Justin in the back row, congratulating him for his quick thinking. They posed for no less than seven million pictures, Judith in her element organizing everyone.

Finally they were able to return to the table and the deejay started the music again with a slow dance number. Tris led Lane to the floor this time and Justin decided it was time to take the bull by the horns.

“So about tonight—” he started, but Lily cut him off.

“I want us to leave…together. Right now.”

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Sweet Thursday

Lily had to fight back the nervous giggles threatening to erupt as Justin and Killian led her to the parking lot. They both had her by about a foot height-wise and she had to take two or three quick steps to match every one of their long strides. She was practically running by the time they reached Justin’s pickup truck. Though, lagging slightly behind, she noted the Army had changed both men in subtle ways, taking Killian’s stocky football frame and turning it into pure muscle. Jason, always lanky in school, had filled out nicely, with strong arms even his dress shirt couldn’t hide.

“My car is over there.” She pointed to her Subaru Outback two rows away.

“It’s staying there too.” Justin hit the button on his key ring to unlock the truck’s doors.

“But I think…” She tried to consider her argument, her reason for wanting her car with her.

Killian gripped her arm and pulled her to face him. “If you’re having second thoughts, Lily, now is the time to say so.”

“I’m not.” She wasn’t. At all.

She’d had weeks—years—to think about, dream about this night. Hell would freeze over before she’d let these two men get away from her again. She’d had too many years to regret her shyness, her blasted innocence in high school. Too many years to dream about what could have been.

She’d come to this high-school reunion with only one thought in mind—to seduce Justin and Killian. She was going to give herself one night to live the fantasy before letting the real world and all its grownup responsibilities back in tomorrow.

Her crush on Killian Collins had started the first day of school her freshman year.

She’d been the new kid in school after her father’s work transferred him from Atlanta to 41

Mari Carr

Baltimore. She’d never forget how terrified she’d been as she set out to meet her new classmates.

During first period, she’d taken a seat at the front of the classroom, trying to block out the whispers of the other kids as they tried to figure out who the new girl was. She could still recall a couple of the girls making nasty remarks about her short hair and ugly clothes. The nerd label had been attached to her within five minutes of entering the classroom and it was one that didn’t go away through all four years of high school.

By the time second period had rolled around, she’d been near tears and plotting a trip to the clinic to convince the nurse she was too sick to stay. Killian had followed her into English class, claimed the seat next to hers and started talking to her as if they’d been friends forever. Somehow he’d known, he’d seen her fear and he’d alleviated it.

He’d claimed her heart that day. Though she’d been far too timid to act on those feelings back in school, she’d be damned if she’d make the same mistake tonight.

“I just think it would be more convenient for all of us if I had my car with me. That way, when—”

“When we’re finished fucking, you can sneak away like a thief in the night.”

She turned to Justin and tried to be angry, but that emotion never surfaced when it came to him. “I hate that word. And I wouldn’t sneak out.”

“Sure you wouldn’t.”

“Get in the truck, Lily.” Killian opened the door and waited for her to decide. He wouldn’t force her, but they weren’t leaving her any other option either.

She grinned and patted his cheek as she approached the truck cab. “You won’t scare me away, K. I’m going through with tonight and that’s all there is to it.”

She expected to see the pained grimace he’d been sporting all night, so she was surprised when a wicked smile crossed his face. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

She stared at him, and then laughed when Justin gave a hoot behind her.

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Sweet Thursday