The Muse (7 page)

Kate suppressed a groan at the direction her thoughts were taking.
This
was why she wasn’t cut out for one-night stands.

Affecting as casual an air as possible, Kate said, “She
is
a character.” She led Olive into the room by the hand, then stopped when they reached the bed. “But you’re right, she’s very sweet. She’s also an amazing lover.” She turned to face Olive, searching her eyes one last time for any sign that she wanted to stop. “I think you’ll be very pleased.”

“Have you been sleeping with her long?”

Unless she was mistaken, Kate thought she detected a hint of jealousy in Olive’s question. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking to make her feel better about her own lack of emotional detachment. “This afternoon was the first time.”

Olive’s eyebrows popped. “Damn, girl. You’re having quite a day.”

“Tell me about it—and this was after a pretty long dry spell.”

“So how long has she been your editor?”

Belatedly, she realized that the fewer details she disclosed about the nature of her relationship with Erato, the better. Olive could believe Erato was eccentric, but to get the wrong idea about
her
? “Not long.” She lifted her hand, then carefully placed it on Olive’s forearm. The muscles tensed beneath her fingers. “You know, I really don’t want to talk about Erato right now.”

“No?” Olive whispered. Her eyes were locked on Kate’s mouth. She licked her lips.

Kate shook her head. “Nope.” She stepped in to claim her second kiss of the night.

Olive wrapped her in slim, strong arms and held on tight. Kate groaned at the softness of the breasts pressed against her own. She let her hands roam Olive’s sides and hips, engaging in a reverent topographical study of her body through touch alone. Then she swept her tongue into Olive’s mouth, battling sensuously with its mate in a subtle war for dominance that absolutely set her on fire. Olive was ebullient, light, and possibly a little proper, but she would more than hold her own in the bedroom.

Which made her mostly just excited, too.

She smoothed her hand across Olive’s back until she reached the zipper of her dress. Crossing her fingers that she wasn’t being too presumptuous, she took hold of the tab and very slowly pulled it down. Olive broke their kiss with an excited gasp, then buried her face in Kate’s neck.

“This all right?” Kate murmured. When she reached the bottom of the zip, she slipped her hand inside the silky material and caressed Olive’s bare lower back.

Olive nodded and scraped her teeth over her throat, tightening her arms around Kate’s waist. “Very all right.”

The sound of a throat clearing sent them careening apart like nervous teenagers. Kate recovered first, stepping in front of Olive to protect her modesty. She realized how silly that was only when she saw Erato’s amused smile and felt Olive put a hand on her waist as she stepped forward to stand by her side.

“I love that you’re both so eager.” Erato held up the bottles of water she’d brought with her, then walked to set them on the nightstand. She turned with a coy expression. “Am I still invited to play?”

“The more, the merrier,” Olive said smoothly. She held out her hand, the strap that had fallen over her shoulder the only indication that she was partially undressed. It appeared she had found her confidence, because all traces of her shyness were gone.

Kate nodded, only a little surprised to also feel imbued with newfound courage. It was thanks to Erato’s presence, she had no doubt. Whatever the woman was, she had the uncanny ability to lower a person’s inhibitions while making them feel completely safe. That was as valuable a quality in a lover as it was an editor. “We’re happy to have you back.”

“Not that you weren’t getting along fantastically on your own.” Erato walked to the foot of the bed, standing within touching distance of them. “In fact, please don’t let me interrupt you. Why don’t you keep going?”

Kate blushed at the idea of making out for an audience. At the same time, she’d enjoyed exactly that kind of exhibitionistic fantasy for as long as she could remember. She checked Olive’s reaction, prepared to go at her pace and within her comfort zone.

Olive slowly pulled the loose strap of her dress off her shoulder. Enraptured by the smooth skin she revealed, Kate had to remind herself not to stare. From the smile Olive directed at her alone, it was clear she noticed and enjoyed the admiration. “Actually, I’m feeling a little underdressed all of a sudden…”

“I can fix that.” Erato presented her back and Kate immediately stepped forward to unzip her, too. With a murmur of gratitude, Erato turned to face them as she eased her dress down over her ample chest and past her hips before allowing it to drop to the floor. She wore a lacy lavender bra and nothing else. Olive failed to hide her surprise, which only grew when Erato quickly unhooked her bra and tossed it away.

“Better?” Now completely nude, Erato moved in front of Kate, whose palms itched to touch her bare skin. The muse winked at Olive, though their guest’s attention had long since drifted southward. “Now Kate is
over
dressed, don’t you think?”

Olive dragged her gaze away from Erato and looked at Kate, quickly zeroing in on her chest. Kate’s nipples tightened under the scrutiny and the obvious anticipation in dark, desirous eyes. “Damn right she is.”

“Would you like to fix that or shall I?” Erato asked.

“Let me.” Olive stepped closer until they stood face-to-face, less than a foot apart. She hesitated briefly, then eased the gray jacket Kate wore down her shoulders, then off, leaving her in a black camisole. Rather than pull the top over her head, Olive raised her hands and skimmed her palms across Kate’s hardened, sensitive nipples.

Kate whimpered, then fisted her hands at her side in mild embarrassment. So much for playing it cool.

“She’s so very responsive,” Erato said casually, speaking as though Kate wasn’t right there. “Good with her mouth, her hands…her imagination. You should be
very
pleasantly surprised by the bad girl lurking beneath Kate’s shy exterior.”

Olive’s lip quirked, and she made brief eye contact with Kate. “I look forward to finding out.” She lowered her hands to the bottom of the camisole and hesitated. When Kate raised her arms, Olive got onto her tiptoes to pull the top off over her head.

Left in her bra—the cutest one she owned, black and lacy—Kate battled a mild tug of self-consciousness at being the center of attention. The wetness between her legs made it clear that she was enjoying the way Erato had taken charge, even if it meant all eyes were on her. Erato stepped to Olive’s side and smiled, gazing at Kate with obvious appreciation. She stayed silent, though, probably because it was clear that Olive no longer needed any direction.

“May I?” Olive asked, tracing her fingers over the strap of Kate’s bra.

Kate wished she could manage a more clever reply but settled for “Yeah.” Taking advantage of their position, she slipped her hands beneath the loose shoulder straps of the red dress that had been driving her crazy all night. She said nothing as Olive reached around her back to undo the clasp, focused only on the softness of the skin beneath her fingers and her own excitement when the catch on her bra released and Olive pulled the fabric away from her chest. Olive’s gaze locked on to Kate’s breasts and she licked her lips, then shrugged to encourage Kate to undress her.

Sometime before Olive’s dress hit the ground, but after her quick hands began to work the zipper on Kate’s pants, their mouths found each other again and they fell into another heated kiss. This time Kate reached out blindly in Erato’s direction, smiling into Olive’s mouth when a third warm body pressed against theirs. Erato wrapped an arm around each of their waists, and they broke apart to greet her.

Erato kissed Kate on the cheek, then Olive. She smirked. “So where should we start?”

Kate didn’t even hesitate. “With Olive.”

Erato nodded. “Good idea. She is the guest, after all.”

They both looked at Olive, who could barely meet their eyes. For the first time, Kate really
noticed
that Olive wasn’t wearing a bra. She’d vaguely felt bare breasts pressed against her while they were kissing but had been too overwhelmed with everything that was happening to truly appreciate what that meant. Now she took a good, long look, aroused by their perfect, delicate shape and saddened by the sight of a fairly major scar that lay in the valley between. Had whatever caused it also made Olive decide to compile a bucket list?

Olive cleared her throat. “Car accident.”

Embarrassed to have been caught staring, Kate lifted her gaze. “I’m sorry,” she said simply.

Olive gave her the sunniest smile she’d ever received. “I’m alive.”

“Cheers to that.” Erato released Kate and snaked an arm around Olive’s waist. “May I?” She looked first at Olive, then to Kate, for permission.

Kate nodded, struck by the eroticism of the two of them together. Erato’s skin was two shades lighter than Olive’s, her breasts larger, her hips more generous, while Olive was one hundred percent sleek, strong femininity. Despite her rather delicate frame, she exuded power. The muscles in her arm flexed as she curled her hand around the back of Erato’s neck, bringing their mouths together for a slow, exploratory kiss. Turned on by the way Olive refused to cede control even to Erato, Kate watched as they explored each other for the first time.

It was like viewing the best porno ever made reenacted live, just for her. In other words, it was everything she’d hoped for and more.

When Erato gestured her closer with a crooked finger, Kate obeyed as though in a trance. She stepped behind Erato and smoothed her palm over her gently rounded belly, excited by the heat she could feel pouring off Olive’s stomach, only inches from her hand. Breaking the kiss, Erato tipped her head back against her shoulder as Kate dragged her fingers down through slick, hot folds.

Olive lowered her eyes and watched intently, then looked up, her full attention on Kate’s face. “Please tell me she’s as wet as I am.”

Kate couldn’t help it—she smirked. Moving so she was once again between her two lovers, she said, “But I don’t know how wet you are.”

Olive reached for her left hand, the one she hadn’t used to touch Erato. Before she had time to react, Olive guided her down the front of her panties and pressed Kate’s fingers against swollen, heated flesh coated with so much arousal it made her want to drop to her knees and have a taste. “Check,” Olive whispered, biting her lip with straight, white teeth.

Kate curled her fingers inward and located the engorged knot of flesh that made Olive whimper in pleasure. She exhaled, taking a step closer. “You’re both so very ready for this.”

“You have no idea,” Olive murmured.

“I might.” She rubbed tiny circles over Olive’s clit. “Do you want to lie down as badly as I do?”

Olive’s legs wobbled. “More.”

Kate removed her hand from Olive’s panties, then rid her of them altogether. Mission accomplished, she took a step back and stared at the two naked, beautiful women who stood in her bedroom. Ready to sleep with
her
. Seriously
,
had
she hit her head in the shower that morning? Surely she was about to wake up.

Erato brought Olive’s hand to her lips. “Lie down, then. We’ll join you as soon as I get Kate out of these pants.”

Olive climbed onto the mattress without taking her eyes off them. “Please do. I’ve been waiting to see her naked since she prevented me from hitting the floor earlier.”

“Really?” The thought that Olive had wanted her since nearly the first moment they’d met made her all goofy inside. Standing next to Erato, she would be an afterthought for most women. But she could see the sincerity in Olive’s face—and heard the quiet, excited inhalation when Erato divested her of her pants and panties in one swift motion. Kate instinctively covered the juncture of her thighs with both hands for an instant before forcing herself to drop them and allow the appraisal.

“Are you honestly surprised?” Olive licked her lips as she scanned Kate’s body, lingering over more than one spot. “I thought I’d been pretty obvious.” She scooted back toward the headboard and gestured them closer. “Now come here, both of you.”

Kate moved forward, aware that Erato was right beside her. They got onto the bed simultaneously, settling in on either side of Olive’s prone body. Almost without thinking, Kate put her hand on Olive’s chest so that her thumb touched the top of her scar. She traced it gently and searched Olive’s face. “Tell me what you like.” A glance at Erato confirmed her approval of the sentiment. “We’ll do what you want.”

Erato nodded eagerly. “
Whatever
you want.”

Idly, Kate hoped Olive wasn’t into anything
too
crazy. Erato’s free pass could be a nightmare in the wrong hands.

Olive reached for Kate’s hand, then Erato’s. She gave them a smile that broke Kate’s heart for reasons she didn’t quite understand. “I just want to feel
good
.”

“I think we can manage that.” Erato squeezed the hand she held, then looked at Kate. “How shall we have her?”

Certain she could touch Olive for hours and still not get enough, Kate said, “Slowly.” She stretched out alongside Olive, touching her stomach gently as she bent to place a tender kiss on her scar. “And thoroughly.” Trailing her tongue over to a dark, erect nipple, she sucked as much of Olive’s breast into her mouth as she could, languidly, yet with every bit of passion she possessed.

Olive moaned and her fingers tangled in Kate’s hair. She tugged hard enough to send tingles throughout Kate, and Kate bit down gently around the nipple in her mouth. Olive’s moan grew louder. Then it changed, becoming something closer to a strangled groan. Kate shifted to glance down the length of her body, unsurprised to find Erato rubbing her hand between Olive’s spread legs. She could see and hear how wet Olive was, and her mouth watered for a taste.

Once again completely in sync with her desires, Erato pulled her hand away from Olive and offered it to Kate. “Care to try?”

Kate released Olive’s breast and sat up to allow Erato to slip shiny fingers into her mouth. She sighed at the sweetness that coated Erato’s skin, excited by the knowledge that it would taste even better direct from the source. Drawing away from Erato, Kate looked up at Olive. “May I have some more?”