Erica's Choice (20 page)

All too swiftly, Griff dragged himself away. As he lifted Erica’s pliant leg from the floor and placed it on the couch, she detected the slightest tremble in his fingers. “It’s getting late. Corey better take you home, Red.”

His brusque order made her flinch, but she managed to keep her expression from showing it. Griff had retreated, just like that, and she for one wouldn’t challenge his behavior. It was exactly what she needed to do to keep her heart protected. This was sex, Griff had indicated as much when he’d labeled her their fuck toy. Erica refused to be some weepy female who lamented that they couldn’t give her more. Especially as she could offer nothing deeper herself.

No dwelling on the past, no obsessing on the future. Live in the moment.

Griff went in to take a shower and Erica gathered her things. A short time later she left the house with Corey. Twilight lit the sky a velvety mauve by the time he dropped her at her house. Erica felt a little wicked, like a woman who’d spent all weekend partying only to stumble home on Sunday wearing her evening clothes.

So this is living.

Corey kissed her, a thorough, lazy caress of his mouth on hers. He promised he’d call—or that Griff would, depending on who was working what shift. He saw her inside, holding on to her hand to say one last thing, his smile lighting his eyes. “I had the best weekend I’ve ever had.”

Erica smiled back. “Me too.”

“Anytime you need either one of us—or both of us,” he added with a grin, “you call, okay? A light bulb changed or a spider stomped. We’ll help.”

“I can change my own light bulbs, Corey.”

“I notice you didn’t jump to say you’d kill the spiders.”

Erica arched a brow. “Who do you think has been dealing with them all this time?”

Corey’s expression softened. “You’re not alone anymore, Erica. Promise you’ll call if you need to.”

Reluctantly, Erica nodded, knowing she wouldn’t phone either one of them. If they wanted her, they knew where to find her. She wouldn’t force herself on them or beg for affection. Doug, her father, they’d both taught her that way led to humiliation and disappointment. She refused to appear that needy and weak in front of Corey or Griff and taint the memories of this time, which she planned to keep with her, always.

As she watched Corey drive away, Erica wondered exactly how long the attention of her two virile firemen would last. Eventually, they would move toward each other, and Erica had every intention of encouraging that. Because her role was temporary and that was okay. Perhaps Corey needed her to transition to loving Griff, a woman between them until he felt one hundred percent comfortable with the shift in his sexuality.

Until Griff learned to show his feelings for Corey more openly.

Until Erica had to book her operation, turn her body into something they would no longer want.

Temporary
. A series of finite moments destined to end, but which she would live with all she had in her.

Chapter Twelve

The pitter-patter of light rain sounded like the crackling of a slow-burning fire as it peppered the tin roof of Erica’s house. It was cold for midspring, the grey light of an overcast sky emphasizing the unseasonable morning chill. It was the kind of morning a man yearned to stay curled up in bed—especially if there was a softly sleeping woman warming it with him.

Corey lifted the sheet until it more fully covered Erica’s shoulders. She shifted against him but didn’t wake. Not that Corey could blame her for sleeping so soundly. Between them, he and Griff had kept her up late and active almost every night for the past week and a half.

The drifting aroma of percolating coffee reminded him that Griff was out in the kitchen fixing breakfast. Last night, they’d once again shared Erica’s body, her passion. Other nights it had been only he and Erica, or when he worked night shift, Corey knew Griff spent his time here or at his own house, having kidnapped Erica in order to have his wicked way.

Corey didn’t mind that, the possessiveness he’d felt a few weeks ago crumbling in the face of his desire to see Griff and Erica happy. He knew Griff satisfied a deeply primitive need that existed within Erica, a longing to be mastered, inundated by carnal urges that took her to a place where conscious thought didn’t intervene. Corey now understood it, taking contentment in the knowledge that he was the one who made Erica feel safe—safe enough, he hoped, that she would one day open up to him completely.

He had to believe it would happen, that the clouds he sometimes saw gathering in her eyes would dissipate if only she accepted that he cared about her more than he’d ever cared about another woman. That he would do anything to see her happy.

His Erica.
Still his, even though she was Griff’s now as well.

Erica moved against him with a groggy mumble, stirring Corey out of his thoughts. “What’s the time?”

Corey glanced at the bedside alarm clock. “A little after seven.”

She grunted unhappily. “School day. Have to get up soon.”

He shifted so the jut of his morning hard-on bumped her hip. “Not right now I hope.”

“Hmmm…you’re insatiable.”

“That doesn’t sound like a complaint.”

“It’s not, but eventually I’m going to wear out.”

Concern sparked inside him. He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You’re not sore, are you?” It was something he’d worried about a time or two, that his needs and Griff’s would prove too much for her.

Erica showed him a slow smile as she ran her hand up and down his chest. “Not that sore.”

Corey loved it when Erica was like this—dazed and relaxed after wild sex followed by a deep sleep. She gave off a special glow that dimmed far too much when she was wholly awake and fretting over whatever problems she imagined looming in their future.

Rising to her knees, Erica bracketed his hips with her thighs. Her movements were lazy as she rocked forward, rubbing her slick nether lips against his cock. “Where’s Griff?”

“In the kitchen fixing breakfast.”

“Really? I should probably go help.”

“I thought you were about to help
me
out.”

“Because I owe you for the amazing way you two interrupted my sleep last night?”

Griff had started it, rousing Erica into a semiconscious state by working his tongue over her pussy. Her drowsy squirming had woken Corey, and he’d happily joined in the fun, taking turns with Griff between Erica’s thighs until she muttered their names in broken whispers, over and over again. “Griff will get really pissed off if he hears you talking like that. You never have to pay either of us back for giving you an orgasm.”

“Or three, but who’s counting.” She smiled. “But if that’s the way you see it…”

She made to hop off his lap. Lightning quick, Corey dug his fingers in the flesh of her ass to keep her in place. “Take pity on me, baby.”

Erica laughed. “You don’t need my pity. I’ve never been so easily aroused in all my life.”

Corey used his grip on her ass to move her up and down his hard length. “I believe it. You could come just from rubbing that sweet spot against my dick.”

“Uh-huh.”

Corey angled his hips to add pressure. Erica closed her eyes on a moan and leaned into him. “I could come from doing this too, and from watching your gorgeous breasts sway as you rock into me. I loved that you let us come all over them last night.”

He’d worried that she might think it disrespectful, the way he and Griff had jerked off on her tits after they’d gone down on her. But Erica smiled. “I liked it. Watching the two of you get all worked up is exciting.” Her eyelids fluttered up and she pinned him with her dark eyes. “I loved watching you kiss.”

And Corey had adored the way Griff had taken his mouth in a rough, desperate possession that had tangled their tongues and shared Erica’s feminine essence between them. It wasn’t the first time Griff had kissed him like that, and each time it thrilled Corey. Yet Griff hadn’t allowed their physical relationship to progress beyond kisses and hand jobs, the occasional blow job when Corey sensed Griff couldn’t resist temptation. The heat and skill of Griff’s tongue amazed Corey, and he liked it when Griff went down on him as much as when Erica did.

But Griff still insisted he didn’t need the favor returned. That night at his house he’d said he’d only allow that when he knew Corey wanted to do it.
So bad he couldn’t go another day without it.

If Griff’s intention had been to tease him to the limits of his endurance, it was mission accomplished. Corey had never wanted to do anything so much in his life, and he was starting to wonder when Griff was going to intuit that. If someone had told Corey a month ago that a man could make him feel this aching sense of yearning, he would have thought they were crazy.

But Corey yearned—he yearned to hold Griff’s pleasure in his hand. And his mouth.

Noticing the way his cock jerked against her, Erica reached down and stroked him. “You should kiss him more often. You should do whatever you feel like doing.”

“Okay then.” He lifted a hand and cupped her breast. “How’s that?”

Erica arched into his hand. Then she whispered words she usually only said for Griff, because he forced them out of her. “Fuck me, Corey. Now.”

Hearing her offer up those words for him had blood flushing his dick. Corey never made Erica beg for it the way Griff liked to do because he couldn’t bring himself to make her suffer—even though seeing her lose her mind at his friend’s hand was a massive turn-on. Now, he wanted to see her go into a frenzy. Had to know Griff wasn’t the only one capable of stripping away her polite mannerisms to reveal the wild wanton beneath.

He growled, “Say that again.”

Erica’s eyes widened at the tone of his voice. Against his cock he felt the lips of her pussy quiver. “Fuck me, Corey.”

Corey grabbed her ass and ground against her. “Louder.”

She raised her voice. “Corey, please. I want you to fuck me.”

“Hell, yeah.”

Reaching for the bedside draw, Corey opened it with a yank. The whole thing clattered to the floor beside the bed, underwear and foil packets spilling out. Swearing, Corey grabbed one of the condoms, ripped it open and sheathed himself. Then he positioned Erica above him, until her damp entrance sucked at the head of his shaft.

He rose up as he lowered her, impaling her in one smooth plunge.

Erica cried out. “Yes! Oh my God.”

“Touch your breasts, Erica. Play with them for me.”

The slightest brush of her thumbs over the already pearled peaks caused them to distend into flinty points. Her nipples were so sensitive, all Corey ever had to do was tickle them with his tongue to have her writhing against him.

“You’re my girl, Erica. Say it’s true.”

“I am.” She panted the words. “I’m your girl.”

“And Griff’s. You belong to both of us.”

She braced a hand on his chest, seeking the leverage to push her body harder onto his. The new depth made her gasp and Corey clench his teeth. “Corey…”

Reaching behind her, Corey found the tight hole between her ass cheeks and probed it. “Has Griff been sticking his dick in this tight spot all week—the nights he was with you and I wasn’t?”

Biting her lip, Erica nodded. “He puts it there…and everywhere else.”

An image of Erica taking Griff’s cock deep into her mouth assailed Corey, made his balls draw up tight. Christ, he loved watching Griff fuck Erica’s sweet mouth. “I haven’t fucked you here.” Corey eased his finger into her body, until the ring of muscle clenched around him. “I’ve never done it to anyone but I want you to be my first.”

“Oh, God. Corey, I’m already…”

“Yeah baby, I can feel your pussy rippling over my cock.” He brought her down over him in a series of frantic thrusts. “You’re going to come so fast and hard, thinking about the way Griff and I both want you. But you’re with me now, Erica. Scream my name when you come.”

“Yes! Oh Corey, don’t stop.”

“I won’t, baby. Never.”

Corey felt every contraction of her muscles right to the steel-rod core of his shaft. The delicious friction coaxed his own orgasm closer to the surface and as Erica bounced on top of him, her breasts swinging against his chest and her beautiful ass in his hands, Corey let her body take him over the edge. He spurted into the latex, so forcefully he feared he might break the damn thing.

As Erica wilted against him, landing on his chest like a warm, wet noodle, Corey was filled with a sense of rightness, of completion. All his concerns over Griff’s reluctance to get too involved and Erica’s trust issues melted away. Everything would be all right. Better than that—everything would be perfect. Because they were equals, the three of them.

This was
right
.
So right he didn’t care if he did break the frigging condom. He’d be stoked to father Erica’s baby, or even to have Griff do it.

Way ahead of yourself, Wachawski.

Corey knew it, but the knowledge didn’t stop him smiling. When something felt this great, it didn’t simply fall apart over a few minor issues.

“Oh my goodness.” Erica breathless exclamation sounded so dainty after the bawdy demands she’d made only moments ago. “Do you suppose Griff heard that?”