My stomach was tight, a knot of rolling emotions as Brad’s car rumbled back from campus, his face calm, his hand reaching across the center console and holding my own. I forced my fingers to be loose, normal, as his thumb ran gently across my palm.

My other hand moved, reaching into my purse and wrapping around my phone. I could change my mind. Text and cancel this entire thing. January and the two protectors would leave, Brad and I would return, and we would go upstairs and have solo, break-the-bed sex. That would be enough. We were enough. We had proved that, again and again, with night after night of incredible makemytoescurl fucking. The threesomes, the parties, those were fairy dust sprinkled on the magic that we were, a way to remind us of the incredibleness of what we share.

Then Brad turned down Estate Drive, which led home. Home. Amazing that I already thought of it in that way. In four short months it would be. I would haul in boxes and hangers and picture frames, and it would go from his to ours. The Estate Drive sign meant time was up, and I couldn’t possibly text anyone, cancel anything now. I needed to put on my game face and stop being insecure. I hadn’t started dating this man, hadn’t agreed to marry this man, without being confident of my sexual ability. And now, with the blonde waiting upstairs, I had the opportunity to give him the best birthday present of his life. I allowed excitement in, the nervous anticipation turning into arousal, and grinned, the expression hidden in the dark car. I reached for the door handle as he put the car in park.

Chapter 44

Brad smiled. It had been a good birthday. No mess, no fuss, no drama. A great dinner at Centaur with the woman who had stolen his heart. And now, home. Before, it had been simply a house, a place where he bedded women, ate Martha’s cooking, and slept. Now, with Julia’s light and warmth and messy adorableness, it had become more. He had begged, bribed, and seduced—all in an attempt to get her to move in. But she had stubbornly resisted, returning most nights to the hovel she called a home. And every night she slept away from him, he worried. He unlocked the door, disengaging the alarm, and felt the presence of her pass behind him, her hands flicking on lights as her heels clicked through the kitchen.

She moved perfectly, his eyes following her steps, the curves of her body underneath her dress, her shapely legs on perfect display atop sexy heels. He locked the door and caught up to her as she rounded the corner, heading for the stairs.

“Whoa,” he whispered into her neck, inhaling the scent of her as his hands wrapped around her waist and traveled up the front of her dress. His mouth nuzzled her neck and planted soft kisses on her fragrant skin.

“Brad,” she whispered, spinning from him and walking backward toward the stairs. “You can finish that upstairs.”

“I can’t wait that long,” he said gruffly, catching her hand and pulling her tightly to him. He lowered his mouth to hers, silencing her response, his hands tugging on the straps of her dress quickly, the material following the path of the straps, her lace-covered breasts quickly exposed to his hands. She groaned, her chest heaving once underneath his mouth, her hands pushing on his chest.

“Stop,” she said breathlessly, pulling up her dress until her perfect breasts were once again hidden. “Just wait a sec. I need something from upstairs.”

Before he could formulate a response, she was gone, the flash of red soles moving quicker than humanly possible up the staircase. He followed closely, his eyes on the curve of her ass. He grinned, reaching a hand up to grab her when he reached the landing and everything stopped at the sight of two men.

♥♥♥

I heard Brad behind me, getting closer, and I could tell you without looking that he would be reaching for me, intent on getting his hands on some part of my body. I felt triumphant when I reached the top landing untouched, and moved toward the guest room, my smile acknowledging the men that sat outside the door. Brad’s voice stopped me instantly, his tone one I had never heard from him. “Julia. Go to Martha’s.” I froze mid-step and turned to him.

His eyes were not on me, but on the two suits, the large bodyguards who flanked either side of the guest room door, seated in the two casual chairs that typically occupied the sitting area of the guest room. I instantly understood his concern and cursed my own lack of foresight. The two men rose at Brad’s tone, their stance one of combative preparation.

I moved three steps, until I stood in front of Brad and blocked his line of sight. His eyes flickered to me briefly, clouds of worry. “Brad, it’s okay. I called them here. They are fine.” My words took a moment to register, his eyes watching them instead of me, but then confusion crossed his handsome face, and his eyes met mine again.

I smiled, placing my hands gently on his chest and kissed his cheek. “Relax,” I whispered. Then I turned, stepping through the men and to the guest room, where I swung the door open wide for Brad’s eyes.

The room was dim but not dark, a big enough room that the bed was set back against a far wall, the lit candles revealing enough: glowing skin, blonde hair, porcelain features – the package lounged atop a cream duvet. Brad’s frame relaxed a fraction, and he glanced at the men with new understanding, then his gaze settled on my face, a look of confusion affecting his features in an adorable way I had never seen.

“Happy birthday,” I whispered and walked ahead of him, into the dark room, unzipping my dress as I walked.

Chapter 45

There was a click, and I turned to see Brad shut the door, his eyes slowly sweeping over me, surveying the bed, his eyes dark and unreadable. Then they returned to me, and he moved only one step forward, his hands pulling off his jacket, tossing it aside, then moving to his belt, the slow, deliberate unbuckling of leather causing my breath to hitch.

A million thoughts ran through my head. What do I do? Do I get on the bed with her? Approach him? Sit in the chair?

“Turn around.” Brad stepped closer, his eyes on mine, the pull of his stare too great to break, and I turned my back to him slowly, hating to break the eye contact.

His hand swept down my bare back, pulling my zipper farther, to the place I couldn’t take it, his hands spreading the dress over my shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. “Keep the heels on,” he muttered.

“Do you want me to watch?” I said the words softly, looking over my shoulder at him. I was almost afraid of the answer. Afraid because even I didn’t even know what I wanted. I glanced at the girl still on the bed, her body stretched, on her side, expression quiet, eyes open. Watching. Our eyes met and she smiled. A friendly, reassuring expression. It will be okay. Trust me.

He shook his head. “I’m not ever, as long as I live, going to have an orgasm without your hand on my cock, your mouth on my lips. If you want to bring in another girl, that is fine. But you are not watching. I’m not settling for second best when you are here.” He ran his hand down my back, his hand leaving my skin for a moment before coming back to my ass with one, firm slap, the sensation catching me off guard, and I jumped, turning my head to him, caught off guard by the dark yet playful look in his eyes. “Now get on the bed before you are the death of me.”

I smiled shyly at the girl as I climbed upon the bed, her long limbs rolling over as she crawled to her knees, making room. She reached out a tentative hand, running it softly over my skin, the touch so foreign, so soft and delicate. “You are beautiful,” she whispered, her hand trailing over and across my back and down my arm.

“So are you.”

There was the metal sound of a buckle, and I turned to see Brad unzipping his pants, his shirt removed, his weight joining us on the bed as he knee-walked forward, settling back into pillows, sliding in between us. “Come here, baby,” he said. “Straddle me.”

I did, my ass settling into the hard bridge of his stomach, his head tilting up to look into my eyes. “You didn’t need to do this.”

“I wanted to,” I said softly, running my hands up the hard muscles of his chest.

“I get off pleasing you, watching you pleased. Another girl ... I don’t want this if you don’t enjoy it.”

“I want to try it. We can discuss the rest later.”

“Just look at me if you are uncomfortable. I’ll know. I’ll stop.” His hand played with the small of my back before curving down and squeezing my ass. “You nervous?”

I laughed, the question releasing some of my tension. “A little.”

“Don’t be. This is just like the others.” He sat up slightly, his arms wrapping around my waist, his mouth laying a kiss against my neck. “It’s about you and pleasure.”

I pushed him down, not liking where this was going. “No. This is about your birthday, and rocking your old man world.”

He laughed, letting me push him, settling back against the pillows. “Easy, baby. You can’t call me an old man on my birthday. And,” he said, his voice darkening, “you’re doing a lot of ordering around considering it’s my birthday. Kiss me.”

I pursed my lips, shot him a look I knew he loved, one that spat fire and conceded defeat, and leaned back down, caught off guard when he captured my hands and pulled them together behind me, his large hand easily pinning them to my back.

“What’s her name?” he asked, his mouth inches from mine.

“January.”

“January, pull out my cock, please.”

Chapter 46

I squirmed slightly, caught off guard by his directive, his hand tight on my wrists, keeping me in place. I felt her move, heard the rustle of fabric, the buck of Brad underneath me as he lifted his ass to assist her. He kissed me, his free hand firm on the back of my head, his tongue making a statement that was both strong and needy.

He pulled on my wrists, sitting up with me, my ass sliding down, bumping against her hand and his cock. “Hop off.” He released my wrists, moving his hands to my breasts and pushing them into his mouth, taking one frantic taste of them before moving me off.

“Show her,” he said. “Show her how you suck my cock.”

I knelt on the other side of his body, admiring the thick lay of his cock on his stomach, her hand sliding up and down his thighs. I glanced up, watching her kneel across from me, her blue eyes down, glued to Brad, and I felt a moment of pride as I reached forward, gently lifting and taking his semi-hard cock into my mouth, feeling it stiffen as I sucked, my throat closing, my eyes watering slightly as I took as much of him as I could. I worked his shaft with my hand, sucking hard, watching as January moved a hand forward, running her hands over his balls, then leaned forward, taking them in her mouth.

I felt Brad’s hand on my hair, gathering it up in his fist, pushing and pulling it gently, his eyes on mine, his mouth opening slightly as he scowled with concentration, watching his cock as it slid in and out of my mouth. He was so hard, so slick and thick in my mouth, and I watched his eyes close briefly as I took him as far down as I could. “Jesus, baby,” he groaned. “You are so perfect.”

I drug slowly off his cock, meeting January’s eyes, and she took over, her mouth smoothly picking up where mine had left off. Brad’s hand, still in my hair, tugged gently, and I looked over, letting him pull me up his body until I was tucked into his arm, his mouth on mine, his other hand taking a tour of my chest, squeezing and pulling each breast in turn, his hands a little rough in their journey. My mouth gasped against his as he slapped each breast slightly, the arm underneath me shifting as he slid his left hand lower, until it cupped my ass, his fingers splaying over and teasing my pussy, the sensitive skin of my taint, and my ass. I moaned, pushing against his hand, wanting more, my mouth pulling off his as I lifted my head and watched her, watching the strange girl take his cock with skill. I could see how hard he was, see the light pink dart of her tongue, the hot interior of her mouth, the veins on his cock—

Fuck.

My eyes closed, two of Brad’s fingers sliding into me, one in the hot, tight hole of my ass, one in my wet cunt, the curve of his grip absolutely perfect, his second hand sliding down from my breasts and rubbing gently over my clit. Oh my God. It was incredible, having both of his hands stimulating me, his mouth on my neck, my eyes fighting to open, wanting to take in more of the experience, the arousal of watching him pleasured more than I expected.