Men Times Three (9 page)

Her hips rolled and undulated as he licked at her. Whenever he sucked at her clit, she moaned and panted, being drawn nearer and nearer to the edge of reason. She rolled her head from side to side, desperate to beg, but she wouldn't. Jack had always loved hearing her beg for more mouth work. He also loved denying her.

But Deke's gentle seductive swirling and kissing was killing her when they'd started out so fast. She'd expected Jack's speed. Was used to Jack's rougher handling and demands for compliance and fast orgasm.

Sexual teasing had never been part of Jack's repertoire, and as much as she loved sex, she'd never experienced a man like Deke.

A long soft draw on her clit made her breath catch. No baggage. No Jack. No thought of before. Deke had asked her to bring nothing into this, to start fresh. She wanted—OH! She wanted to try.

She deliberately calmed, drew and released three deep breaths. This was Deke, this was new.

She'd start fresh. With Deke she'd be brand new.

“I'm a virgin,” she whispered.

“What?”

She felt him pull back. “You are, too,” she said with deep conviction. She looked down her body at his surprise and grinned.

His face popped up between her knees. “Excuse me?”

“If we're starting fresh, this is our first time. Ever. No memories of anyone else.”

A slow infectious grin crossed his face. Crinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. “A delicate virgin needs a delicate touch.” The tip of his tongue came out and he applied it ever so lightly to her burgeoning clit.

His tongue worked light. Lighter. Lightest. She felt the load of doubt and pain from her time with Jack drift away and her world righted itself as she gave herself up to Deke.

She was Holly again. Not Jack's ex-wife. Not Jack's woman. Just Holly.

“Deke,” she said. “Thank you.”

At her words, he stepped up the pace, sucking gently at her lips, delving into her with his tongue, eating her wildly, until in a rush so fast, she came with a gush into his avid, seeking mouth. “Oh.”
Yes. Yes. Yes.

As the rolling wave of orgasm receded he came at her again and again, fingers deep, pulling and turning inside her while he crooned encouragement. “Do it again, babe. You're so delicious.”

She flattened her palm on her belly to ground herself. She was afraid she'd float away on sensation, lose herself and never return. Deke slid up to her and kissed her deeply while his hand worked her into a frenzy. She tasted his need and her own, a rich blend that went to her head.

She rolled toward him, her hips seeking his, her emptiness needing his fullness. He covered her, his mouth to hers, shoulder to shoulder, belly to belly. He nudged her to open wider and in one quick slide pressed inside.

She stilled and focused on every sensation. Full and thick, he filled her. She tested the length and breadth of him with a hip flex. “Ribbed?” she whispered.

His eyes glowed with warmth. “For your pleasure.”

She sighed deeply and bucked hard to take him deeper, harder, faster. Wild now, he drove into her. She grabbed his ass and squeezed him, nails digging as she pushed him back, pulled him in. Took him all. Was taken.

With a growl, he rocked deep and held her by the hips as he strove for his peak. His deepest thrust brought on another roar of release and she followed him over the cliff into a world of sensation.

One thought came to her as she drifted back to herself. She could like this man.

She really could.

He rolled away carefully and scooped her up to lay across his chest. “You okay?” He smoothed her shoulder. “You being a virgin and all.”

She chuckled. “Oh, yes. I'm fine. Didn't hurt a bit.”

“Fine? That's a stab, lady.”

She stretched up and kissed the stubble of his chin. “You defiled me in a most spectacular way. Now do it again.”

This time he was the one who chuckled. But his questing fingers found her breast and plucked at her nipple. Arrows of sensation shot to her womb and she pressed her hips to his. “That's nice. I have sensitive nipples.”

“Good to know.”

She cupped his balls. “When we freshen up, I'm going to suck you hard. Would you like that?”

“For a virgin, you work pretty fast.”

“Hey, I like what I like.”

 

Next morning, Holly straddled Deke and stretched to touch the ceiling. Free, so free. Her breasts bounced, the weight of them pulling at her womb with each fluid movement. She felt her skin, hot, her pussy, wet, her hair as it swept against her shoulders, light and airy. Wild abandon took her as her belly contracted with each exquisite movement.

Deke clutched her hips hard, controlling the pace, his face focused and hard and so handsome it hurt. Every squeeze of his powerful hands made her rock. Made her roll.

He moved his hands from her hips to her nipples and plucked each one with alternate pinches that drove her so high, she flew.

With a scream, her body took over and drove her to full deep orgasm as she clenched his thighs. “Oh, Deke. Yes!”

Deke answered her with his own shout of completion as his cock flexed against her inner walls. Moist skin, salted and tangy, met her mouth when she collapsed on him. She licked his neck, gathering his taste, holding it on her tongue to remember when this time was over.

Her inner contractions faded to gentle pulses while Deke held her close. The pounding of his heart filled her ear. She rolled her hips once more. Repletion.

Deke gave her deep, strong orgasms, when Jack, at his best, had never come close to this. She smoothed her cheek across Deke's pecs and sighed in satisfaction. “Good morning.”

“Morning, Sunshine. That was great.” His hands smoothed her back then landed on either side of her rump. He squeezed her cheeks. “I love your ass.” He squeezed it again to prove it.

“Do that again and we'll never get out of bed.” But she sat up and leaned forward to release his cock. “You're so good at this, Deke. We're going to have a wonderful couple of weeks.”

He cupped her breasts again, then sat up and suckled her. He pulled her nipple into his mouth and sucked hard. An answering desire skittered down to the deepest part of her belly. She lifted his face to hers for a light kiss before she climbed out of bed and fluffed her hair. “Do you have the makings for breakfast? I usually eat first thing.”

Deke propped himself up on his elbows and looked down his body at her. His eyes warmed to affectionate and brought a flutter to her chest. “You shower, I'll make coffee and see if I've got eggs or cereal?”

“Cereal's good as long as it's not too sweet.” His long-suffering sigh made her laugh. “You've got a cupboard full of kids' stuff, right?” Typical guy. She made a mental note to pick up some groceries today. To be halfway human before noon, she needed to stoke herself in the morning. Without food, she was a bear, snarly and unpredictable.

She needn't have worried. When she stepped out of the minuscule shower stall, the camper smelled like bacon frying and she heard the crack of an eggshell. “You found real food?” she asked through the flimsy bathroom door.

“No bread for toast, though, sorry.”

She stepped out of the bathroom, only half covered by the towel. Her hand held one end between her breasts while the rest fell to just below her pussy. Water dripped from the tips of her hard nipples while she delighted in the chill of the morning.

He stood in front of the two-burner stove top in his jeans and nothing else. The man was built like a truck, solid, square and looming. His jaw was square too and more heavily bristled than she expected. It had felt soft enough on her tenderest flesh. But maybe he'd been careful not to scrape her.

“Sorry,” he apologized again. “The bathroom's too small to store bulky bath sheets so I make do.” But his eyes enjoyed the view. “But I have to say, I'm grateful I don't have larger towels.”

She ran the rough terry across her nipples, making them spring to buds. Her breasts bobbed with the friction and she loved the flare that reached his eyes when he tracked her movements. His hand stilled with an egg ready to be cracked into the pan. She cocked an eyebrow at him and startled him into continuing.

She slid her hand down to press the cloth between her legs and laughed when he moved the pan off the burner and reached for the towel. He tugged.

She let go.

His cell phone rang. “I'll finish cooking,” she offered at his disappointed frown. “You take your call.” She pulled his T-shirt on and slid the pan back onto the burner. The cotton smelled of Deke and yesterday's aftershave. She dropped her nose to her shoulder and sniffed deeply. Even his T-shirt could turn her on. The next couple of weeks looked to be shaping up nicely.

In the confined space, she couldn't miss his conversation and he didn't seem to care that she overheard.

“Eli? Where are you?” he said and settled on the bed. He pulled open a drawer and dug out a pair of socks while he listened to a response. “When are you coming home?”

While the eggs cooked, she found a couple of plates and slid them to the tabletop. Two small benches flanked the table in a typical configuration that would fold down into another bed. Good thing she hadn't needed to sleep alone; Deke's bed was much bigger, even with two people in it.

“We're starting the cabins soon,” he said. “I suggest you get your ass back here. TJ won't wait forever.” He disconnected and tossed his phone on the bed. He patted his flat belly. “I'm starved. You wore me out last night.” But he slid into the seat at the table with a sexy smile, his shoulders so wide it was impossible to sit next to him. “But I'm up for more right now if you are.”

She liked that he lied. The man was starving for food, not her. “Let's eat first,” she suggested, sympathy making her voice warm. She dished up the bacon and eggs. “Was that your younger brother?”

“Eli. He's the wanderer. But he's on his way home to work for the summer.” Deke's smile dimmed.

“What's wrong? Won't you be glad to see him?” She took the bench across from him and lifted a fork full of egg.

“I've kept him in the dark about a couple of things. I don't look forward to filling him in when he gets here.” He poured her a cup of coffee then one for himself.

“Bad news?”

“Some of the baggage I'm not bringing to
our
table.” He folded a strip of bacon and popped it into his mouth.

“Oh, I see.” The beer cases stacked outside must be part of the baggage he'd left behind, too. She hoped so. Drunks made for lousy lovers.

“So, you're cleaning the inn today?” His change of conversation made breakfast go down more easily and eased her mind.

She made a face. “I brought my grungiest clothes.”

If Deke slipped and talked about his past, she might feel obligated to mention her recent split from Jack, which would lead to talk about Jack and she preferred to move on. Needed to move on.

While Deke showered she checked her messages. Jack. Then Jack. And Jack again. She considered calling to tell him to back off, but decided to send him a breezy email instead. She'd tell him cell phone reception was poor and he shouldn't expect to hear back.

Although she probably shouldn't contact him at all. Her parents had suggested a clean break when she told them about the separation.

She should have listened, but typically, being a Dawson, she'd gone her own way.

She had to make this break stick. It was way past time for Jack to let her go.

The sound of Deke in the shower, the scent of sex from the rumpled sheets, the delicious glow that infused her body combined to make her dewy around the edges of her mind.

She rolled her shoulders and smiled while she poured Deke the last of the coffee. He'd be out of the shower in a moment, and she wanted to move into her day with nothing but cleaning, decorating and sex on her mind.

To hell with Jack.

“I
spent another night alone in TJ's guest room.” Marnie said, as she grasped her side of a wing chair so they could move it back into position in front of the fireplace.

“And that's supposed to be a good thing?” Holly hooted. “Cousin, you need to get your priorities straight. That man's itching to get to you and you're hot as hell for him, too. Where are you heading with this?”

“Death by sexual frustration,” she muttered, which brought a gale of laughter into the room. She gave Holly her best evil eye.

“Wonder what the forensic dudes will discover from your dried-up corpse?”

“Very funny.” Nice picture. They'd find her with her legs open, pussy all dry and shriveled from lack of use and a sad expression on her face. She could see the forensic dudes shaking their heads as they snapped photo after photo. What would the signature episode line of dialogue be?

Something like, “Pity. She used to be moist enough to eat.” Or something equally pithy. Or funny, depending on perspective.

A cold chill ran down her back, in spite of the heat generated by shoving furniture back into the middle of the room.

The sofa was next and turned out to be heavier than it looked. She grunted in reply to Holly's groan of exertion. She pushed while Holly pulled the sofa until they had it centered in the room. “Last night at Deke's worked out okay?”

“This morning did, too,” her cousin responded with a salacious grin. “The man's got stamina.”

“Here's hoping it runs in the family,” she muttered.

Holly's eyes widened as she leaned in. “So you do plan to discover that for yourself?”

She winced. “I hope so, yes.” She swiped her hair out of her face.

“I've never known you to take this kind of time with a guy as hot as TJ. Is there a man you haven't told me about? Would a fling with TJ hurt someone?”

“No, a fling with TJ wouldn't hurt anyone.” Unless she counted herself. “He's free, too. Everything looked like a go until I saw the mess outside. I figured a couple of nights in the sack would do us both good, but now I'm as jumbled up as that clear-cut out back.” Weeks with TJ might cloud her mind. She couldn't forget how happy she'd been to see him after all these years. “It's not possible for a childhood crush to mean anything years later, is it?”

Holly made a moue and considered before answering. “They say finding a first love can be a strong motivator to end marriages, so yes. Teenage crushes can develop into more when you're both adults.”

“Marriages that are already in trouble, maybe, but not a healthy one.” She stretched a kink out of her back. “Besides I was a kid when I first met him. Thirteen. First kiss kind of thing. Nothing.”

Holly grinned. “Thirteen and a first kiss? I never forgot mine, either, and if he walked in here right now, I'd be dying to do it again.”

“Knowing you, you didn't just stop at a kiss,” she teased.

“Billy Watkins.” Holly sighed with gusto. “Whatever, I don't see why you're not on TJ like moss on trees. The man's got the hots so bad the soles of his very large work boots leave melty puddles when he walks by.” She headed for a wing chair and held up the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner. Before she drowned out the conversation by turning on the machine, she raised her brows and waited. “What is it that you're looking for?”

“Fair question.” She knew more what she didn't want. No quick and easy sex. No flings. Nothing not real. And if she was going to enter into a long-distance thing with TJ O'Banion that was real, she needed—“I want to be blown out of my socks.”

“Seduced?”

“And teased. Wooed. Is that still done? Wooing?” She rolled her eyes at the preposterous word.

“Ah!” Holly nodded as if she understood the lure of the fantasy. “Chased.”

“More like taken.”

“In the strongest sense?”

Marnie nodded. “In the strongest sense. I want to be so overwhelmed by my body that my brain shuts down.”

Holly's eyes lit up. “Ooh. Hot.” She nodded her approval. “TJ could do that.”

“I'm not sure he should. We're not exactly conveniently located for a relationship.”

A choked sound from behind made her turn to see a tall shadow disappear into the kitchen.

Holly dashed to see which of the brothers was scuttling through the kitchen door. Her face scrunched up. “TJ,” she mouthed.

Great.

Holly gave her a speculative stare that made her squirm. Family always knew things without being told. Okay as long as Marnie wasn't the one being dissected.

“You always fretted too much before leaping,” Holly commented. “Always figuring the odds, planning things. Worrying about unlikely disasters.”

“Like the time we borrowed Mom's car to go see those boys in Tacoma?” She grinned. “I'm just glad we got away with it.”

“I still can't believe you thought we'd end up dead in a ditch.”

Marnie remembered the overwhelming sense of freedom when she'd decided to go for it and drove through the city to the party. When they got there, the boys had already found girls. The disaster hadn't been physical, but Marnie and Holly had felt betrayed. The drive home had been much slower and filled with a lot of cursing out men in general.

A couple of hours later, and with the living room dusted, the furniture vacuumed and the windows cleaned, Marnie freshened up in the bathroom adjacent to Grandad's old room. As she brushed her teeth and took a quick shower she wondered where TJ and Deke had gone. The machines were silent out back and she hadn't seen either man since TJ had inadvertently eavesdropped.

She'd bet her heart he wasn't sneaky. He must have been coming to the room to tell the women something, then when he caught wind of the conversation had done an about-face.

Holly was right. She overthought things too much. Investing in the club with Dennis was a rare misstep. She'd been blinded by her desire to be in charge of her life and had jumped at the chance to get into the club with a partner rather than wait to do it alone. Ambition was a bitch sometimes.

She rinsed and dried herself. If TJ was ever going to chase her, she needed to bolt like a rabbit out of a hole. She could probably find the pond in the woods if she started out from a familiar point. It wasn't more than twenty minutes behind the inn.

By the time she was dressed and ready, the afternoon had moved toward evening and the temperature had dropped off. She found a fleece vest in her pack and slipped into it.

Outside, she tried to recall which side of the clearing would take her to the half-hidden path through the woods to the stream and the pool of chilly water.

The O'Banions had returned, all hot and big and sexy. Desire spiked at the sight of TJ. The air freshened with pine and turned sultry as his gaze raked her. The brothers' conversation stalled out as TJ continued to stare, but she walked toward him without a word.

Each step came slow and measured as she approached the men. TJ's eyes widened to wary as she brushed past him, shoulder a whisper from his sleeve. He moved his arm and she smiled at the response.

If he didn't follow her now, he never would.

Her nipples tightened as the woods beckoned, quiet and dark. She tried to deny the urge to look back as she gained the shadows. The next round in their game of thrust and parry had begun.

 

TJ watched as Marnie strutted toward him. For a woman dressed in jeans, T-shirt and an ugly fleece vest, she worked her come hither like a pro. His cock rose so fast it nearly broke. She winked as she walked by.

He turned to watch where she went. She veered to the right about three steps into the trees and picked her way along the old path to the pond. She looked over her shoulder to see if he watched. Their eyes locked and no sound penetrated his sex-fogged brain as she lifted one eyebrow and winked.

Another couple of steps and she disappeared, leaving the snap of branches to remind him she was flesh and blood and not a woodland nymph.

Deke opened his truck door and climbed in. “TJ? You there?” His brother's voice filled with humor. “You got it bad. And she's right there with you.”

TJ turned and stared at him.

“Just go get her,” Deke suggested. “Then maybe we can get some work done around here.”

That snapped like a rubber band. “You're right. Enough's enough.”

He turned and followed Marnie into the woods. The irritating sound of his brother's laughter soon faded as branches and undergrowth swallowed him. He couldn't hear her up ahead, but he didn't need to.

When he got to the pond, he leaned against a tree to watch what she'd do next in this ever more interesting game they played. The air had a bite of chill that made it too cold for a swim, so he should be spared a skinny dipping scene. Marnie huddled into her fleece vest and settled on the flat rock that hung over the other side of the pond.

It was more like a wide shallows in a stream. The water was bitter cold even in late summer but now it could kill in minutes. She must know that; the chill rose brisk and damp all around.

She brought her knees up and hugged them, put her chin on her knees in thought.

“You look serious,” he said, just loud enough to reach her ears. Her red hair caught a single ray of sunshine and burned bright for a moment before a cloud stole the light.

She didn't even turn her head at the sound of his voice. She knew he'd followed her. With some luck she would invite him to join her on the rock.

“That's the rock where I kissed you,” he said.

“I wasn't sure I could even find it, but I came straight to it without a problem.” She looked pensive.

“Hard day?”

“I've got a few things on my mind,” she replied.

God, he hoped one of those things was sex. “What things?”

“Business, mostly. But other than that, I keep thinking of that mess you call a clearing. How long will it be before the cabins are built?”

“Are you anxious to leave?”

One side of her mouth quirked up. “You could say that. Seattle's home, it's where my business is. I'm needed there.” She picked up a pebble and tossed it with a plunk into the water. “I've got staffing problems, a partner who's off the rails.” She looked at him across the shallows, her eyes searching his even though he had no answers to give. “And no idea what'll happen when our new cousin arrives.” She wished the damn woman would just show up and put them all out of this misery. Waiting was a bitch.

“I can relate to the staffing problems. Lord knows I've got my own.” He raised his eyebrows in a silent question. Was he welcome to join her?

She patted the rock and scooted over to give him room.

He picked his way over the stepping stones in the stream and mimicked her position on the rock. Close enough for friendly conversation, but not close enough to crowd her.

She tossed another pebble, watched the ever-widening rings until they disappeared. “I want to sell the inn so I can buy my partner out of the club.”

“Let me guess, the banks wouldn't give you a loan. Money's tighter than ever.”

She huffed. “Believe me, I've tried. They wouldn't even consider my third share of the inn as collateral.” She shrugged. “Besides, my grandfather's will prevented anything but the three of us working together on the place. I wish I understood why he wrapped us all up so tightly.”

“We were friends but he never confided anything on that score.” He thought about the wild rumors running through the community and chuckled. “Your grandfather's will has caused a lot of speculation. Not that it's anyone's business, but the locals always thought of him as strange so it stands to reason they'd be more curious about the inn than they would normally be.”

“I would imagine most people's lives are an open book around here.”

“Pretty much. I see why it's important to you to get the cabins built as fast as possible.”

“We can't even open the rooms in the inn because of the construction noise. You will be noisy, right?”

He nodded. “Why the hurry to buy your partner out?”

She rolled her shoulders, made him want to massage her, but he restrained himself. She'd called a truce and needed real conversation, not a move to get laid. “It's not working out with him. I carry most of the day-to-day load of running the club while he's”—she hesitated, then went on—“enjoying the fruits of the situation.”

“Picking up women?” There would be a lot to choose from in a dance club. Young, fresh women thrilled with the attention of an older businessman would tempt most men. Easy, fun sex was a strong lure.

For a time.

“I think he's dipping into the till, too.” She rolled her eyes. “To pay for the women.” Her laugh turned bitter. “He's getting weird.”

TJ had nothing to say to that. Small business was fraught with problems, and while a dance club seemed like fun, it would present a host of unique difficulties. “Why a dance club? Seems to me it would be long, late hours, constant challenges in a tight market.”

“I put myself through college tending bar and found I had a knack with people.”

“Don't tell me they poured out their troubles?” Her scent blew by his nose and he strained for more. Something soapy and delicate. She'd showered. The thought of her fresh and clean made him close his eyes to hold the scent.

She finally turned to look at him, her eyes full of lively humor and intelligence, as if she knew it was difficult for him to keep his hands to himself. “Listening to their troubles comes with the territory but I've never minded small talk. It's easy to give people what they need in terms of atta-boys and support in an easy breezy way.” She put her head to rest on her knees as she sighed. Her eyes held him while her voice eased through to his gut. “Talk about pouring out troubles. I can't seem to shut up.”