Hotter Horizons (11 page)

Why
won’t he fuck me? Does he want Alec to do it first?

Fern’s heart rate slowed, her breaths returning to a
normal rhythm. Levi’s harsh tone broke through the heavy air.

“I can’t say I’m sorry. I won’t,” he whispered,
slowly shaking his head. “I don’t want you to be scared of me.”

“I’m not. Not anymore,” Fern said quietly, hopping
off the counter, her energy now returning and sparked. She straightened her
skirt,
then
bent down to retrieve her tattered
panties. She tipped her chin, gazing up at him. Suspicion pushed at her mind’s
gate, slowly cutting through her, slicing her with fine, stinging wounds.

Just
what is going on here?

“Are you afraid of me?” she asked, her tone rising
in the quiet kitchen.

Levi’s eyes went wide.

A door slammed behind them. They both turned, seeing
Alec’s body leaning against the threshold.

“Hey, roomies, how’s it going?”

Chapter
Nineteen

“I don’t want her to think I’m using you as some
kind of sexual crutch.”
 
Levi
 
ripped
his shirt
off, his face tense. “I don’t know,” he sighed, shaking his head. Levi’s
shoulders slumped. The look of defeat that Levi was conveying through his body
language was something Alec had never witnessed before.

“You have nothing to prove. You just need to learn
how to read her. We both do,” Alec told him, emphasizing his point. Levi
reached for him, tugging him by the waistband of his trousers.

“I don’t think I want to do it without you,” Levi
said, his eyes heavy-lidded. “She accused me of being afraid of her.”

“Are you?” Alec asked softly, unbuttoning his
lover’s shirt. Levi’s eyes
flashed,
his frustration
resurfacing. “Come on.” Alec steered him toward the bathroom. “This is nothing
a nice, steamy shower can’t cure.” He smiled.

Alec turned on the taps and regulated the water.
They undressed themselves and stepped into the stall. Alec pulled the curtain
closed and pressed his lover up against the cool tiles. Levi’s eyes locked with
his. Indecision mirrored in them.

Alec’s hands slid over his skin as the water rained
on their flesh. Strands of hair flattened over Levi’s weary eyes. Alec held his
head, aligning Levi’s eyes with his.

“Don’t be afraid of what it’ll mean. I thought you
wanted this,” Alec said, checking the volume of his voice. He didn’t want Fern
to overhear them and get confused. It was really Levi who was confused now. It
was a reaction that had Alec blindsided.

Levi sagged against the tiles. His eyes squeezed
closed, his mouth pursed.

“It’s the same in some ways and different in others.”
Alec attempted to explain. “The dynamic may change, but we’ll roll with it.”

“It’s just the others…” Levi released the pent-up
air in his lungs. Alec let his hands wander over Levi’s moist, wet flesh. “When
I was … you know, pleasuring her—”

Alec verbally cut in, needing to voice his thoughts
before Levi continued. “You can’t compare. The others weren’t looking for what
we are, and at the time we weren’t either. What did you see in her eyes? I
mean,” Alec paused, choosing his words carefully. “You obviously weren’t overly
aggressive. I don’t know what you saw, but just now I saw the eyes of a very
satisfied woman,” Alec said, lightly nuzzling Levi’s neck, trying to conceal
his smile.

Levi’s skin flinched at the touch of his mouth.

“I think she wanted me to take her. You know?” Levi
gasped when Alec lowered his hands to Levi’s cock, slowly strumming him like a
string instrument.

“Then that’s what you need to do,” Alec whispered,
lowering to his knees.

“Oh, baby.” Levi’s voice echoed through the
bathroom. “Just don’t let me fuck this up.” Levi’s words spewed through winded
breaths.

“You won’t. But right now, I’m
gonna
take you.” Alec glanced up, tracking the lines of water as they dripped down
Levi’s corded body. Alec blinked as the water showered over them. He rested his
hands on Levi’s thighs, feeling his muscles tremble with anticipation. Alec
angled his head, taking Levi into his mouth, drawing him in deep.

****

“I told you. You have two live wires there,” Jada
squealed. Her friend’s vivacious laughter made Fern’s ears ring. “How’s it all
going? I mean … is it like business as usual? Or is everything now different?”

“It’s hard to say,” Fern said
,
 
her
response hesitant. “They’re so
different, like black and white.”

Fern attempted to explain the mood that now
permeated the household. Levi wasn’t hiding behind Alec as much as he was
before. Alec had a great disposition, always friendly and upbeat, putting her
comfort first.

They kissed her casually every day, whether they
were leaving the house or upon their arrival home.

Both men had been battling a busy phase with their
schedules. She’d been in their bed, but the contact had been limited. Fern
tried not to read into it too much. They were easing her in. That showed that
they respected her, something she’d never gotten from Johnny. If this was how
they worked, she’d enjoy the prelude.

“They’re taking me out tonight,” Fern said, twirling
a strand of hair between her fingers.

“Another racy nightclub, huh?”
Jada
asked. The tone of her question mirrored the smile in Jada’s voice.

“Ah, no, not this time. We’re going to some swanky
restaurant called Canoe,” Fern said, dropping down onto her bed. Her eyes
darted to the outfit she planned to wear hanging above the closet, a black
skirt paired up with a sleeveless, silk blouse the color of honey.

“Nice. Hey, guess who has four tickets to the
Chippendales?” Jada chuckled in her ear. Fern sat straight up, staring out onto
the widow’s walk, the French doors open. The day’s descending heat filtered
through the trees, glaring off the slatted boards.

“The Chippendales are performing at Mohican Sun! Get
the hell out!”

“You’re coming, and you’re bringing your hot new beaux?”
Jada’s breaths huffed over the line.

“Oh my God.
Wait
until I tell them,” Fern laughed, feeling the heat race over her skin. Having
these tickets definitely gave her an edge.
This’ll
be fun.

“It’s in two weeks, so tell those handsome guys to
block off their calendars,” Jada said.
 
“You can all stay here, though I don’t think
the three of you will fit in your old bed,” Jada clicked her tongue. “Fern … are
you there?”

Fern’s recent elation fell a few notches, the line
silent.

“Fern?”
Jada’s voice shrilled with impatience.

“Has Johnny been around?” Fern asked, holding her
breath.

“Nope, and who the hell cares.” Jada’s tone
sharpened. “You guys are coming. This show can’t be missed. I won’t let you
miss it!”

Chapter
Twenty

“Wow,” Alec said softly, catching his breath. His
jaw dropped. “You look absolutely beautiful.”

“Thanks.” She fussed with her purse before shoving
it under her arm. They were waiting for Levi to come down. His footsteps
resounded from the second floor of the house. He barreled down the stairs, grabbing
the banister.

“Fuck, girl! I hope I have an appetite for food,” he
told them, his features lifting. He strutted toward her in a pair of gray cargo
pants, his white shirt neatly pressed. His finger traced a line over her brow,
sliding down her neck. The fresh scent of his shower waved under her nose,
making her nostrils twitch in memory.

Fern swallowed, seeing the need grow in his gaze.

“Stunning, Frances,” Levi said, his voice dipping.
His eyes locked with hers, clawing their way in.
Fern’s
fingers clenched around the strap of her purse, her pulse throbbing in her
throat.
Levi’s message was heard clearly, though no words had been
spoken. Fern could see the platform in front of her. It was being erected.
Tonight they’d take her to the next level.

Sleeping between their firm, warm bodies and feeling
their erections but not acting on them had Fern realizing that Levi and Alec
were courting her, giving her ample time to adjust while the anticipation
built.

Alec’s voice broke the intense visual draw.

“Shall we go?” Alec noted the line of fire that
glowed between them. Fern faced him.

“I’m ready.” She smiled.

Alec looked every bit as scrumptious in his black
jeans and red button-down. Fern loved his hat, a felt, black derby that completed
his appearance.

The three headed out to the car, Levi’s hand on the
small of her back.

Canoe was a small, exclusive restaurant that Alec
said was highly recommended by all the patrons he served at the Red Rooster. As
they were escorted to their table, Fern couldn’t help but gawk at her
surroundings.

The low lighting reflected its elegance of glossy
surfaces along with an earthy palette of colors. The wait-staff was strategically
placed around the dining room, their arms draped with linen towels, ready to
meet any immediate need.

Alec directed Fern around the small, round table,
guiding her into a sleek, leather-back chair. Hushed voices rose into the air.
The dark, vaulted ceiling glimmered with the flickering of votive candles that
sat in the center of every table.

Large windows opened the area, edged with a rustic
brick. Dim track lighting lined the ceiling beams above. Fern could see the
large brick oven behind the bar that ran down the entire length of the
building. She glanced out the window in an attempt to see what looked to be an
immense manicured lawn. Levi spoke first.

“As lovely as you,” he said, lifting his glass of
water.

“If you’re planning to hold an event, this is the
place.” Alec handed her a menu.

“It is beautiful, great atmosphere.”
 

“We’ll have to come for lunch so we can sit out on
the patio. The gardens are a must-see,” Levi said, gesturing toward the French
doors that led outside.

They studied their menus. Levi and Alec shared that
almost all the dishes Canoe served were impeccably prepared.

Fern decided on the seared sea bass. Levi and Alec
both chose a land and sea sampler of steak and seafood. Their waiter took their
orders and delivered their drinks with swift efficiency.

The activity of the busy dining room filled the lull
for a moment. When Levi’s hand found her thigh, Fern felt her entire body jolt
to attention. His direct question broke through her reverie, bringing the
reality of all that had transpired since her arrival to the forefront.

“Do you have any concerns?” he asked. Though Levi’s
tone was nonchalant, his topic of choice was anything but. Alec sipped his
beer, his eyes landing on her, joining Levi’s inquiring stare. Fern reached for
her drink. Various replies flitted through her mind. Levi’s hand
removed
 
the
glass
from her hand, setting it back on the table. Fern faced him. Levi’s brows lifted
in question.
 

“Go with your gut.” Levi’s eyes
lowered,
his stare scorching.
 
His directness was
a rough whisper. “I want the first thing that came into your mind just now.”

“It’s difficult to choose just one,” she said.
Nervous laughter spilled from her mouth.

“Literally.”
Levi’s mouth spread into a cunning grin. His laughter lightened the seriousness
of all that his inquiry carried. “I know this is a new arrangement for you.”

“I need more background, I guess. Are there any
patterns or history I should know about?” Her question wavered, as she did not
want to offend them with her inquiry.
 
 
Alec
interjected,
his
demeanor always sincere.

“I’ve brought women home in the past … customers
from the restaurant. We got tired of the same routine.” His vibrant blue gaze
seized her. “We want someone who will become a part of us, a woman who’s loyal
and loving. We want you, Fern.” He smiled, shrugging. “I don’t know what else
to say. I know it’s unusual, but it’s the truth.”

“I knew it the first day I saw you.” Levi’s eyes
narrowed at his confession.

Fern reached for her glass again, washing down the
apprehension that seemed to be creeping its way back into her throat. She set
her glass down, her gaze drifting between them.

“You did?” Her voice squeaked. Her thoughts
reflected back to that sunny day standing on their front porch, inquiring about
the job, her future so shaky and uncertain. “Why me?” she asked, shifting in
her seat.

“Why not you?”
Levi
tilted his head, his face smoothing. His facial muscles then went tight. His
eyes lowered in suspicion. “That jackass of a boy who claims he’s a man did
some damage. I’d love to inflict a little damage on him.” Levi’s expression
hardened.
 
Alec chuckled, reaching across
the table, patting Levi’s hand. It was quite evident that Levi had little
patience for thugs, and that’s what Johnny was, a thug.