A Package Deal (2 page)

“I have a confession to make.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“You remember my friend Kelly, right? She’s on the reunion organizing committee. I asked her to let me know if you were going to be here. You and Wes. When she told me that both of you were going to be here, that’s when I decided to make the trip.”

“Is that right.” Brad ran his hands down her back.

“Mmhm.”

“You could have gotten in touch any time, you know.” he said. “I’m easy to find.”

“Sure. But, I didn’t know what was going on with you. You could have been married with a bunch of kids by now.”

Brad laughed so loudly, the couple next to him looked up to stare. “Is that how you thought I was going to end up? Ten kids in my twenties?”

Ella grinned up at him. Damn, she was a sweetheart. “Not really. You’ve always been the type of guy to think outside the box. But people can end up surprising you. So, are you?”

“Am I what?” Her scent was making him lose focus on what she was talking about. Lemon and something else he couldn’t quite identify. Pomegranate? It was tickling his nostrils and messing with his head.

“Married, silly. Or involved with anyone?”

“No. Never married. Single.”

“Now that’s hard to believe.”

“Guess I haven’t found the right woman yet. You ruined me for anyone else back in high school, Ella.”

She swatted at his arm lightly. “Yeah. Right. Is that why we kept breaking up?”

“We broke up because I was a dumb kid, too dumb to know I should never have let you go.” He twirled her around, locking his eyes with hers when she was back in his arms.

“I won’t be making that mistake again,” he murmured into her ear.

Brad tightened his arms around her, holding Ella close as they swayed to the strains of the slow song pouring through the speakers, barely moving. It took a great effort not to let his hands slide further down to her luscious ass.
 

Leaning in close, he brushed his lips against her earlobe. “So, Ella. How would you like to get out of here and have a drink with Wes and I?”

Pulling back, she gazed at him. Her ocean-blue eyes were crystal clear and for a second he forgot where they were.
 

“I’d like that.”

As they turned around in a slow circle, he caught a glimpse of Wes. Drink in hand, he was in a conversation with Burton, but his gaze was on Ella.
 

Catching his friend’s eye, they exchanged a knowing glance as he brought Ella over.
 

“You ready to get out of here?” Brad asked Wes.
 

“I’m staying right here in this hotel,” Ella said. “There’s a lounge up on the fourteenth floor. The gals and I went there last night, it’s really nice and it’s got a great view.”

“Works for me.”

“Don’t you want to say goodbye to anyone?” Ella asked them.
 

Brad shook his head as they moved through the throngs of people.

“We’ll see them again tomorrow night, I’m sure.” Wes was steering Ella towards the door.

They managed to escape from the ballroom and get to the elevator without any of their old classmates stopping them. Brad had to give thanks for that.
 

The lounge was quiet and low key. Perfect for having a conversation about private matters.

The hostess led them to a table by the window. “Just so you know, it’s last call,” she told them.

“Really?” Brad was dismayed. It was early yet. They needed time alone with Ella to make their proposal before they went their separate ways. “I’ll get us something from the bar. Wine, Ella?”

“That would be lovely.”

“We haven’t had a moment alone all night,” Wes said to Ella as Brad went up to the bar. “I’m disappointed.”

Smoothing a stray piece of hair back from her face, Ella regarded him with a warm smile.
 

“Wes, you’re still the same.”

“Still like an awkward teenage boy?” He grinned at her.

“No, that’s not what I meant. You were always so much fun to be around, but so driven, too. Like you always knew what you wanted, and that you were going to get it just because you wanted it. Just like Brad.”

“I suppose I’ve done alright.” The only thing he wanted was a chance to be with Ella. And she was right, he intended to get her back and into the kind of relationship he truly wanted.

“Alright? If you call being a CEO of a successful software company and travelling around the country alright, well then, I guess I’m doing far from alright.”

“There’s no chance of that.”
 

“I’m divorced, and my career is pretty much at a standstill these days.”

He gave a dismissive shrug. “Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is, you’re single now.”

She looked startled. “Is that right?”

“Ella. I was always interested in you back in school. And nothing’s changed.”

“But you never said anything.”

“You were always involved with Brad, breaking up with Brad, or telling me you weren’t going to date anyone again, ever. Somehow it just never seemed to be the right time to ask you out.”

“I had no idea, Wes.”
 

“Now that you do, what do you think?”

“I have a confession to make. I liked you as more than a friend back then, too. But I didn’t want to risk losing you as a friend, or messing things up between you and Brad. I liked you both, and it was very confusing.”

“So what about now?”

“It’s still confusing.”

“What’s that?” Brad was back, taking a seat across from them, depositing an assortment of drinks on the low table.

“Um…” It was a little difficult to tell in the dim light, but was Ella blushing?

“We were just talking about school. Dating. Things like that.” Wes came to her rescue.

“Anyone special in your life since your divorce, Ella?”
 

“No. I’ve started dating again, but honestly. It’s not easy to find someone decent out there. Not to sound cliche, but sometimes it really does seem like all the good ones are taken.”
 

She twisted her wedding ring around. “What about you, Wes? I don’t see a ring on your finger.”

He shook his head. “I’m unattached. Just haven’t met the right woman yet.”

“Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe there’s just no good guy out there for me.”

“You know, Ella.” Brad downed half of his scotch. “There is a good man out there. Maybe more than one.”

“What are you talking about?”
 

“What would you think about dating both of us?”

Chapter 3

Ella blinked, her eyes widening in surprise. “Did I just hear you correctly? Did you just say, date you? Both of you?”

“That’s what he said.” Wes set his glass down, leaning forward.

“In the past, Brad and I have dated the same woman at the same time. We found it really worked for us.”

Brad broke in. “But we want something more than just dating or casual sex. Something permanent. To both be with you. It’s the kind of thing that works very well for us.”
 

She knitted her brow. “Are you two…involved with each other?”

“No.” Brad shook his head. “Never. We’re strictly friends, who are just looking for the right woman. Someone who could handle both of us at once.”

“Of course, that’s quite the challenge with Brad,” Wes joked. “But you’ve put up with him before, so we know you’re really, really tolerant.”
 

Brad threw Wes a mock glare. “Think of us as a package deal. You can have two for one,” he said to Ella.

She sat back in her chair, her face quizzical. At least she hadn’t freaked out and left all offended. That was a very good first step. Brad knew it was a shot in the dark, and an unusual relationship he and Wes were suggesting.
 

But Ella had always been cool and open-minded, always eager to try out new things and have all kinds of fun. And there was no way he was going to pass up even a slim chance that she’d go for it.

“So you’ve been with the same woman before?” Ella asked.

“Oh yeah. Several times. And not one has said she regretted the sex. Have you ever been with two men at the same time, Ella?” Brad avoided Wes’s pointed gaze. He had to put it out there, the wait was killing him.
 

“No. I was with Troy for a few years, and he was very…conventional.”

“So is it something you would think about trying?”

“Definitely.” Her certainty startled Brad, and Wes looked about as surprised as he was. Damn. This might end up going very, very well.

“Being with both of you at the same time sounds like a lot of fun. As for dating, I’m not sure. Let’s start with the sex part first.”

A woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to say it. Brad and Wes exchanged glances. Yeah. This was going to be very good.

“I’m only in town until Monday. Best we get started, no?” She stood and walked out, her hips swaying suggestively. They hurried to follow her out and over to the elevator.

 
They stood in silence and Ella had to start pacing back and forth just to try and work off some of her nervous energy.

Why was the damn elevator taking so long to arrive? The ideas that the guys had planted inside her mind were making her breathless. Being with two men at the same time was exciting and intimidating enough to make her pulse race. And these were not just any two guys.

She had always liked both of them. Wes had been a good friend back in school, but that hadn’t stopped her from wishing there was more between them.

Sometimes she wondered if Wes had felt the same way, although she had never expected it to happen. He would never have betrayed Brad like that. Neither would she.

The idea that he had been into her back then was making her head spin.

And now here she was, about to go back to her hotel room with both of them. This was beyond anything she could have dreamt about, then or now. Two great, hot guys. All hers, at least for one night.

Brad caught her when she was about to pass him by again, curling his arm around her waist.
 

“You’re going to wear a hole through the carpet at this rate.” He traced his fingers up her spine as if that would calm her down. Nope. His light touch was sending sharp tingles racing through her whole body.

Wes stepped closer until he was standing right in front of her. She could have reached out and hugged him, but this whole thing was just too surreal. Leaning forward, he spoke softly right into her ear.

“I can’t wait to see you naked.”

A shiver ran through her. Before she could reply, the elevator arrived.
 

There were two people inside and Ella had to hope they wouldn’t notice her burning cheeks. Brad and Wes were making her pant with lust, and they had hardly touched her. Yet.

She sighed with relief when they got off just one floor up. Brad and Wes didn’t say a word. She was standing in front of them when Brad placed his hand on her ass.
 

He was squeezing and kneading it when a few seconds later, Wes’s hand joined his. They were still driving her crazy when the doors slid open at her floor. She didn’t know whether she was happy that they were almost at her room, or sorry the moment had ended.

 
The instant the door closed behind them, Brad and Wes were surrounding her. Wes tilted her head up, brushing his lips against Ella’s so lightly that a shiver ran down her spine.
 

“Ella,” Wes said. “I can’t wait any longer to see your sexy body.”

“Me neither.” Brad’s hands were running all over her, stopping only to tug on the zipper of her dress and let it fall to the floor. The two men gazed at her admiringly, sending her self-confidence soaring.

Unclasping her bra, Ella took her time slipping the straps over her shoulders, clutching the lacy fabric to her breasts, waiting until the guys protested before she let it fall away to join her dress. The way they were staring at her made her stomach twist with arousal.

“Ella.” Wes grinned. “You forgot something.” The men came closer, each one hooking a finger under the elastic of her panties, both men tugging them off her.

The warmth of a hand on Ella’s ass made her jump. It was soon joined by a second, and they were groping her like they were in the elevator. Only now, the safe layer of clothing between her and them was gone.

“Your ass is incredible,” Wes said, his voice low. Her heart pounding, she didn’t move, unsure of what to do with her own hands.

“Now you two are wearing too many clothes,” she murmured. It was kind of hot to be the only one naked, but still. She was becoming more than eager to get things started.

But they didn’t make a move to change that. Brad shifted around so he was behind her, gripping her hips. His hot breath burned against the back of her neck just for a moment before he kissed her.
 

Wes touched her cheek, trailing his fingers down her jaw line, tilting her head upwards. She gazed deeply into his eyes just before he captured her lips in a kiss that made her shake with its intensity.
 

His hands reached her breasts, touching and fondling her hard-as-glass nipples.
 

Brad didn’t let up, kissing and nipping his way down her neck. Running his palms over her smooth thighs, he reached around her, hands coming close to easing between them.

Still giving her one of the most intense kisses she had ever experienced, Wes dropped one arm from around her body, stroking his fingers down until he reached between her legs. She pressed hard against him as he slid a finger inside of her.

“So wet,” he said. “So hot.”

Brad stripped his clothes off and Wes let her go to do the same, folding her in his arms once again the moment he was naked.

Gripping Wes’s cock, Ella jacked him steadily while they kissed until Brad took her hand.
 

“This will be more fun in bed.”

The moment Ella lay down, Brad dove between her thighs, teasing her with just the tip of his tongue, snaking it over her clit and probing between her swollen lips. She bucked up, shivering against him and Wes. The guys were close to driving her crazy with desire.