Four of Hearts (26 page)

Candace placed her free hand over Richard’s where it sat on her shoulder. God, he loved this woman. She’d managed to charm his mother, not an easy task, in a few minutes time. “Thanks, Mom.” He kissed her cheek. “It means a lot to hear you say that.”

“I don’t pretend to understand your lifestyle, Richie, but I’m not going to let it come between us. You love Fallon and Candace enough to stand up to the world and say so. I know that must be difficult for all of you. There’s no reason I should make it worse. I only have one son, but now look,” she glanced up as Fallon joined them, “I have two daughters-in-law!”

Richard slipped an arm around Fallon’s waist and drew her close. Life couldn’t get much better than this, he thought. “You’re the best, Mom.”

* * * * *

Ryan waved goodbye as the tender carrying most of their guests left the
Lothario
for the island. Everyone else had long since disappeared to their cabins or were taking advantage of the ship’s amenities while most of the paying passengers were playing on the island. Tonight, the passengers would enjoy an open bar and wedding cake, compliments of the ship’s owners. Ryan accepted the congratulations of the crewmembers on duty at the tender ramp with as much restraint as he could muster. Even now, Richard, Fallon and Candace were waiting for him in their newly redesigned cabin.

He hurried along the Mediterranean deck as quickly as possible to reach the private elevator that would take him to their suite. More than once, he cursed his decision not to take the time to change out of his tuxedo. Among the scantily clad passengers and crew, his formal attire invited comment, and prompted people to offer their congratulations. When he finally stepped into the cabin, he sagged against the door in relief.

“It’s about time,” Richard said. His friend, now his bonded brother, stood naked in the middle of the sitting room, his cock alert and ready for action. “I was tempted to start without you, but our wives said to wait.”

Ryan smiled. “Our wives?”

“It has a whole new meaning now, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, it does.” Ryan pushed away from the door and began to undress as he crossed the “They kicked me out of the bedroom. Said not to come back until you were here.”

“Do you have the rope?”

Richard pointed to a canvas tote on the breakfast bar. “Yeah. Enough to tie them both up.”

Ryan sat on the arm of the nearest chair so he could pull his socks off. He stood and slid the button free at his waistband. His trousers slipped to the floor and he stepped out of them.

Richard raised an eyebrow.

“What?” Ryan questioned.

“Commando? You went to the ceremony like that?”

“You got a problem with it?”

“No. I wish I’d thought of it.” He lifted the tote bag and hung the straps over his shoulder. “Let’s go see our brides.”

Fallon’s heart raced as Richard and Ryan entered the room. She felt overdressed in the gown she’d worn for the ceremony. Beside her, Candace gasped. It seemed inconceivable that these two men could be hers, but a few hours ago, they’d declared it to be so. Fallon reached for Candace’s hand and gave it a little squeeze that was returned. They had a lot to work out between them. There wasn’t any model for them to go on. Every step of this relationship was new, but they’d find their way. They loved each other too much not to.

She was nervous, more so than she had ever been in her life. Her rational mind told her it was ridiculous, they’d been together before, but there was something about the solid wall of testosterone only a few feet away. The other times they’d been together she’d felt some amount of control over the situation. Today was different. Today she and Candace would submit. Totally.

Fallon tugged on Candace’s hand hard enough Candace turned to see what was up. Without saying a word, Fallon bowed her head, then darted her gaze to Candace to see if she understood. Candace smiled and bowed her head too.

Richard dropped a canvas bag at his feet. The men advanced, a wall of hard, sexy muscle that had her aching to touch them. They stopped scant inches away. Ryan in front of Candace, Richard in front of Fallon. Richard cradled her jaw in his palm and tilted her face to his.

“Do you want this? Do you want to be with both of us today?” he asked.

Her body quickened in response, and her heart melted at the tenderness in his voice. It would always be her choice, and she loved these men who understood so well. Her response came on a whisper, “Yes.”

Richard swept her into his arms. His erection pressed against her stomach as he covered her lips with his. The kiss was carnal, yet sweet, and she couldn’t get enough. She wrapped her arms around his nape and rose to her tiptoes to get as close as she could to his heat. His hands found her bottom and massaged her through her dress. As if he read her mind, his fingers found the zipper at her back.

Cool air brushed her spine as the fabric parted. With skill honed by practice, he released the back clasp of her bra. She let her hands slide away from him as he smoothed the dress past her breasts. It stalled at her hips, but with a little encouragement from his thumbs, it continued its downward slide. A moment later, she stood naked except for the scrap of cloth covering her mound, and her gold sandals.

“Take them off.”

Fallon slipped her feet free. A moment later, her damp panties joined her dress on the floor.

* * * * *

Candace couldn’t remember ever being as excited as she was right now. With both Ryan and Richard bearing down on her like two warriors out to claim their spoils, she was a nervous as a virgin on her wedding night. She’d taken her cue from Fallon and bowed her head in submission. The four of them had been together many times over the previous month, and each time had been different. Today she sensed, as had Fallon, that their men needed to dominate. She was more than willing to submit.

Ryan stopped in front of her. Her gaze went to his cock, straining upward between them like a warrior’s sword released from its scabbard. She licked her lips in anticipation of taking his shaft inside her.

“Look at me, sweetheart,” he said. Candace lifted her face. Her heart flipped at the myriad of emotions she saw on his face. His eyes shimmered with love and barely banked lust. His parted lips smiled with tenderness. Her knees went weak and he swept his arm around her waist to support her. “Tell me again what you want for our anniversary,” he said.

Synapses struggled to make sense of his demand, then she remembered the gift request that had set this all in motion a little over a year ago. She swallowed hard, willing her dry tongue to function. Moisture pooled between her legs as she realized what he and Richard had in store for them. She pried her tongue loose and repeated the request. “I want you to tie me up.”

“Your wish is my command,” he said as his lips descended over hers. Her hands explored the hard plane of his back, and came to rest on his well-toned ass. He groaned, and ground his hips, driving his erection against her belly. Candace met his hips thrust for thrust, until he broke the kiss and spun her in his arms so her back was to his front. His hands caressed her arms from her bare shoulders to her wrists. She made no protest as he lifted her hands to her breasts. “Don’t move,” he commanded.

She couldn’t move, could hardly stand on her own. Ryan’s hands bracketed her hips and he pulled her flush against him. His lips trailed kisses along both shoulders, nipping and tasting as he went. Beneath her bodice, her nipples formed hard points against her palms. One masculine hand slid to her stomach, anchoring her. Another worked her zipper down. Ryan’s kisses followed the Vee of skin slowly exposed, all the way to the small of her back. Her hands over her breasts kept the dress from falling to the floor.

Ever so slowly, Ryan’s hands slid beneath her gown from the open back, around to her front. He caressed every inch he could reach. His hands were like fire on her sensitive skin. At her back, his cock found the patch of revealed skin. Candace let her head fall back on Ryan’s shoulder. His hands worked their way higher until they covered her breasts. Still, she held her dress so it became an unwanted barrier between her hands and his.

She craned her head to one side, offering her neck to his questing lips. Ryan took what she offered. Her legs trembled and her core swelled and heated for him. She liked slow and easy as well as the next woman, but today she wanted, needed him to ease the ache inside with a desperation she had never felt.

“Let the dress fall, but keep your hands over your breasts.” His voice was rough against her ear. Candace let the fabric slip from her grasp. It fell to the floor like so many sheets of gold leaf. The back of Ryan’s hands warmed her palms. A whimper left her lips as he slid his hands away and curled them back again to mold hers to the underside of her breasts. “Hold them for me.” He adjusted her hold so her breasts were high and pressed close together like ripe melons on display. “Just like that. I want to see them.”

Candace leaned against his chest, her breasts held aloft, rising and falling with her erratic breath. Ryan’s hands skimmed along her midriff, past the indentation at her waist and lower to the slim band of lace at her hips. “I love this color on you, but these have to go.” She squirmed as he hooked his thumbs underneath the waistband and slid her panties past her hips. His fingers returned to find her wet slit that pulsed with her need. One strong arm wrapped around her waist, supporting her while the other teased and probed her depths. His cock branded the small of her back. His lips tasted the slope of her shoulder as if she were made of sugar.

“I know you want me. You want Richard too, and you’ll have us, both of us, today my sweet.” He nibbled the pulse at her neck, then took her earlobe between his teeth and tugged. “In a moment, we’re going to move to the bed. I want you on your knees, legs spread wide for me. We’re going to restrain you today.” His tongue soothed where his teeth had been. “You’ll be able to see everything we do to Fallon, and know we’re going to do the same to you. By the time we get to you, you’ll be so hot and wet it will be like sinking my cock into a volcano.”

Candace went to her knees on the mattress. As she moved to the center, Fallon joined her looking every bit as flushed with desire, as Candace knew she herself was. Richard produced several hanks of white rope from canvas bag he’d brought in earlier. She watched as they bound her right wrist to Fallon’s left and secured their joined hands above them with a rope attached to a hook in the ceiling. Her mouth watered as both their cocks bobbed near her face.

Richard deftly tied their free arms behind their backs and went to work securing their legs. He bound her thigh to Fallon’s so they were hip to hip. A few minutes later, their free legs were secured in a manner ensuring easy entry to either hole. Richard and Ryan stepped back to admire their work.

“God, look at them,” Richard said.

“I like the white rope,” Ryan said. “It seems appropriate for today.”

“I thought so,” Richard said as he stroked the length of his cock. “It’s time.” He found the canvas bag and removed two condoms and a tube of lube from it. He handed Ryan a condom. “Put this on while I do the honors.”

Candace watched as Ryan sheathed his magnificent cock, wondering why he bothered. Both her and Fallon were on birth control, and they were all in perfect health. A sound from Fallon, half gasp, half moan drew her attention to her friend. Richard was poised on his knees behind her, and from Fallon’s reaction, his fingers were busy.

Ryan replaced Richard who moved around to face Fallon. Richard leaned over and kissed Candace on the mouth. “It will be your turn soon,” he promised. Candace strained to get closer to him as his chest brushed one hard nipple. His hand flattened against her stomach, then moved to cover her mound. His fingers found her as Ryan’s had earlier. She tried to move into his touch, but the rope binding prevented her from moving more than a fraction of an inch. As if to torture her, he bent his head to her breast and drew the taunt nipple hard into his mouth. Candace gasped, and closed her eyes against the pain and pleasure. Richard’s thumb brushed her clit and she clenched around his digits inside her.

“God, you’re sweet,” he said as he backed away. “I know you’re hurting, but we’ll see to you soon.” Then he turned his attention to Fallon.

Candace forced her eyes open. Beside her, Fallon’s face told her how much pleasure she could look forward to. Ryan’s hands augmented Richard’s as the two men explored Fallon’s exposed body. Every crevice, every slope, every peak, every hole enjoyed the attention of their fingers and their cocks. Fallon tugged against the ropes that bound her to Candace, and each tug made Candace want what Fallon enjoyed.

“Open for us,” Richard said to Fallon. Candace held her breath. Her three companions grew still. Over her shoulder, she watched the rise and fall of Ryan’s shoulders as he positioned himself at Fallon’s back door. Fallon moaned as Ryan pressed into her, then became as still as a statue.