Kiss Is a Four-Letter Word (17 page)

"Sherry." Eli breathed against the skin of her nape. "Sherry, you're so precious."

She leaned her head against Simon's thigh and closed her eyes. How could she deny what she felt?

"Don't be scared." Simon smoothed his hands over her hair. "Please."

She kissed his softening erection, the scent of his climax still hot in her mouth. Eli gently pulled out, running his hands down her back. He tugged her dress down. Sherry's face was wet.

"Don't cry," Simon said. He thumbed along her cheek, drying her tears.

I'm being ridiculous
, she told herself. She opened her eyes and looked up. Simon's stared down at her, serious and calm. She could trust him, right?

"Sherry, are you okay?" Simon rubbed a thumb over her lips.

She kissed his hand. "Yeah. I think so."

Eli hugged her tight, arms around her waist. "Don't run."

She sighed and let him help her onto the seat next to Simon. "I'm won't. I promise."

****

A half hour later she stood in their apartment on Riverside Drive, looking out the window over the Hudson River. It was a beautiful view. The rain had stopped and Sherry put a hand to the glass as the wind pushed the clouds away. A brilliant finger of sunlight edged into the room.

"Gorgeous," Simon said, stepping up beside her.

"I know. I love when the sun comes out after a dark storm like this," Sherry replied.

Simon laughed. "I wasn't talking about the view."

Sherry spun around and Simon pulled her close, hugging her as if he could keep her from flying apart.

"You're still nervous."

She shrugged.

"Don't be. Eli and I would never hurt you."

"I know." Sherry looked back outside. The sun hit the raindrops still scattered over the casement, throwing tiny rainbows into the room. She bit her lip. She had to tell them.

"What is it?" Simon tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"Where's Eli?" she asked, turning in Simon's arms.

"I'm right here," he said, walking into the room. He'd taken off his suit jacket and was unbuttoning his cuffs. His shirt hung open, revealing his finely muscled chest. His tattoo winked at her as if daring her to speak.

Sherry took a deep breath. "I didn't run just because I lost my job. Or because I was afraid you'd find out I was a reporter."

Eli tossed his shirt over a cream-colored chair by the window and took her hands. "Sherry. What are you so afraid of? What happened?"

She looked into his face, hoping for reassurance. He waited patiently. "I was assaulted when I was sixteen."

Eli's eyes widened. "God. What happened?"

She squeezed his fingers. "I was dating this loser. We went out to see a movie and afterwards we hung out at his mother's house. She was working nights so we had the place to ourselves."

"I think I see where this is going," Simon muttered into her hair.

Sherry nodded, grateful for his strong arms. "We made out, like most teenagers. I got nervous when he pulled off my pants. I told him I didn't want to go any further. He got angry."

Eli rubbed a thumb over her wrists. "I guess he didn't stop."

Sherry shook her head. "It was awful. I fought him. Hit him in the face. He freaked out. He was a big guy, a football player. He held me down."

"Jesus, Sherry," Simon whispered. His arms loosened.

"No! Don't let go," she said, wrapping her arms around his. Eli moved in and hugged them both. Sherry explained the rest with her face in his neck. "He ripped off my panties but he didn't know what he was doing. He tried to fuck me and ended up just banging against things down there. He was so excited, I don't know if it was the violence or the fact that he had a naked woman beneath him, but he came before he could rape me."

"That
was
rape, Sherry. It doesn't matter if he came inside your body or not. He forced you." Eli shuddered and held her tight. "What happened next?"

"Nothing. I broke up with him and called my mom to come get me."

"You didn't report him to the police?" Simon's voice held a note of outrage.

"No. I never told anyone about this. Not even my mom. All she knew was that we'd had a fight. That's all she knows now and it's five years later." Sherry's eyes prickled but she fought the tears. She'd already cried enough over that asshole. She wasn't going to do it again.

"Jesus. This isn't what I expected you to tell us," Simon said.

Sherry shrugged. "I know. I'm fucked up. I'm sorry." She flushed, humiliated by the whole sordid story. She was ashamed for leading them on, making them think she was this strong, confident woman when really she was just a scared little girl.

"No, you're not. You're not fucked up." Eli gently lifted her chin. His eyes were so green. Sherry let herself sink into them. She could see how shaken he was by what she'd told him.

"You're a beautiful, strong, amazing woman. I can't believe you never told anyone. Never let anyone help you with this," Simon said. He rubbed his cheek against hers.

"I know. I didn't really think about it a lot when it happened. I just figured, oh, he was an asshole. It never really occurred to me how much it affected me until later." She bit her lip. "That's why I was a virgin. That's why I waited so long. I really did want my first time to be perfect."

"God! And we fucked you at the same time." Eli tried to pull away but Sherry grabbed him.

"No. It was overwhelming, yeah, but what we did was also amazing. I just—" She broke off, took a breath. How to put this? "I've fooled around a lot, yeah, but never gone all the way. Never made love. I had no idea it could be so intense. So earth-shattering. Every time we kissed—"

Eli looked at her, his eyes shadowed. "What we did wasn't normal."

Sherry frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He means that making love, having sex, fucking––it doesn't normally feel like that. It doesn't feel that intense. What we did together was earth-shattering for us, too." Simon gently turned her around. "I've had sex before. A lot of it. I've even made love with someone I cared about. But I've never felt like that. Never. So I can imagine that it would be difficult for you to take in. You don't have anything to compare it to."

She blinked. "Truly? You feel the same?"

Simon nodded. "Seriously. And we'd like to make love with you again. And again. And again." He smiled. "But we don't want to scare you into not answering our calls."

Sherry thought about what he said. Making love? Was he serious? She searched his face. He was. She nodded. "Okay." Her heart lurched. She wasn't just agreeing to sex. She was agreeing to stay. To let Simon and Eli inside her mind, not just her body. She bit her lip, trying to calm down. They'd already been intimate again in the car and she loved it. Eli and Simon were already inside her heart.

"Sherry. You're sure? You know what I'm asking, right? What
we're
asking." Simon cupped a hand around her neck, glancing over her shoulder at Eli. "We want you to stay. And we'll help you through whatever demons you have to face. We'll do it together."

"Yeah." Her voice broke and she swallowed back tears. Again. "Yeah, I know. I want to stay. I do."

Simon kissed her. She let him inside her mouth and it felt like he was walking into her soul, not just her body. He kissed her until she felt lightheaded then he turned her around and Eli kissed her too, licking into her until she was out of air. She trembled in their arms.

"Let's go to bed," Eli said and led her to their bedroom.

****

"I want to see you." Sherry was naked and trembling. Eli and Simon had undressed her, kissing every part of her body with a sweetness that bordered on reverence. She loved it. She loved them. She had to admit that her feelings went way beyond mere infatuation, as crazy as it seemed. Eli paused, holding her calf in his hands.

"See me? What do you mean?"

She nodded. "I want to see you and Simon make love. I want to understand everything."

He glanced at Simon who nodded and began to strip out of his clothes. He unbuckled his belt and shoved down his pants, dragging his underwear and socks off at the same time. Eli followed his example while Sherry lay on their bed, fisting the creamy sheets. Her body tingled. Arousal walked over her skin as she watched them. When they were finally nude, Eli climbed up the bed and kissed her gently.

"What do you want to see?"

Simon settled himself on the other side of Eli while Sherry licked her lips. "I want to see Simon and you together."

Simon smiled and leaned over Eli to kiss her too. "Okay." Then he cupped Eli's jaw and kissed him.

Sherry watched him nibble at Eli's lips and dip inside. It was incredibly erotic. She squirmed. Eli moaned and fell back against her. Simon followed, still kissing his lover. Sherry looked down and saw that Simon had a hand around Eli's cock. He stroked it slowly, just enough to drive Eli insane but not enough to make him come.

"Simon, fuck, you're driving me crazy," Eli panted.

Sherry rolled closer and slid an arm around his chest, kissing his temple. "You look incredible," she whispered.

He shuddered and Simon leaned over to the nightstand. Sherry frowned, confused for a second, but he came back with a condom and lube.

"Are you okay with this?" he asked Eli.

Eli laughed. "I'm more than okay." His face sobered abruptly. "Simon. Fuck me. Please."

Simon's cock visibly swelled with Eli's words and Sherry caught her breath. They looked gorgeous together. Eli's dragon tattoo gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight. He slid a hand over Simon's smaller tattoo, lingering on his hip. Simon smiled and nudged Eli's legs open. He uncapped the lube and poured a generous amount in his palm.

"I'm going to make you feel so good," he murmured, rubbing down Eli's erection to his balls. Eli arched his back, clearly enjoying it. Sherry pressed her thighs together. Her pussy throbbed. Simon had his hands down between Eli's legs now. Eli strained then sighed.

"One finger. Relax," Simon said, running his free hand up Eli's thigh.

Eli nodded and turned his face to Sherry. She kissed him and he gasped, mouth straining. When she looked down she could see Simon had two fingers inside Eli. He skimmed over Eli's cock with his other hand then added another finger. Eli went rigid, panting. Sherry's pussy was wet. Aching. She wanted to touch, to taste. She kissed Eli again, licking into his mouth desperately.

"You okay?" Simon asked.

Eli nodded even as he kissed her back and then Simon shifted his weight. Eli broke the kiss, his mouth going slack. Sherry shuddered with him, knowing that Simon was pressing inside. She looked down Eli's body, over his gorgeous chest to where his cock strained against his abdomen. Simon had the most intense look of concentration on his face as he fucked inside.

"God! You're so tight. So hot. You feel—" Simon broke off, shaking his head. "Eli."

Eli bucked and wrapped his legs around Simon. "More. God, fuck me, Simon."

Sherry let him squeeze her hand, astonished at the level of vulnerability Eli was letting her see.

"Is this the first time you've done this?" she asked.

Simon nodded, his expression ragged. "Yeah." He leaned down and kissed Eli so gently Sherry nearly cried.

"Okay, now you." Eli tugged on her hands.

"What—?" She tumbled over him, bumping Simon's arm. He was rolling a condom down Eli's cock. "I want you, too, Sherry. Please. I won't last much longer."

She met Simon's gaze and saw nothing but love and desire. "Sherry, you're part of this too." He rubbed a thumb over Eli's erection, making him buck.

Sherry wanted to feel that. She nodded and let Simon help her climb on Eli, her back to Simon. Her thighs trembled as Simon aimed Eli's cock at her entrance. When he began to push inside, the three of them moaned.

"God. You're so hot, so sweet. Sherry," Eli growled. His hips jerked and she sank the rest of the way down. His cock was so huge he pulsated against her clit. Simon snaked an arm around her waist and she fell forward onto Eli's chest. He kissed her and Simon began to move. Every time he fucked into Eli, Eli's cock nudged inside her. All she had to do was hold on and let them take care of everything. Simon sped up, his hips thrusting hard and Eli groaned. His cock throbbed and she writhed on top of him, grinding her clit against his body.

"Sherry, God," Eli managed then he threw his head back and climaxed, the look on his face so beautiful Sherry’s heart stuttered. She held onto his shoulders as Simon growled and bucked, then he gripped her impossibly hard and came too. Sherry fisted her hands on Eli's muscles and let herself go. Her skin prickled as she rode the pleasure, Eli and Simon holding her tight. They caught her when her body abruptly relaxed and petted her as she trembled through the aftermath.

****

An hour later they three of them cuddled in bed together, the men curled around her. Sherry had never felt so loved, so protected in her entire life. Idly she traced a hand down Simon's hip, lingering on his tiny dragon. The creature winked up at her.