Quatre (2 page)

A smile spread over her face. When she nodded, a tendril of dark hair escaped the knot at her nape and swung against her cheek.

His fist clenched at his side.

“All right. I’ll meet you at Charity Park. You know the bench near the war monument—”

As his features shriveled with anguish, she could have bitten off her tongue. Damn, what had she done?

Grabbing up his hand, she struggled to set things to rights. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to bring that into it. I know it’s a sensitive topic.”

His fingers wrapped around hers lightly. He gave her a look that sent white heat pooling in her lower belly. “Don’t worry about it, Margot. Just remind me that you said yes.” Her heart eased. “Yes.”

He moved toward the curtain once more. “Good. That bench at six o’clock?”

Stunned by his height and the sheer strength he exuded, she could only nod. With a hitching step, he crossed to the sink, where he placed the ice pack. “I’ll see you then, nurse.”

“Wait! You didn’t even see the doctor.” He shook his head and his overly long sandy hair drifted into his eyes. “Don’t need him. You cured me.” With that, he left in a swish 6

Em Petrova

of patterned curtain, leaving Margot gaping at his back, wondering what she’d gotten herself into.

How would Jane react? Margot had promised to spend the night with them—the first night in weeks. Lining up child care for her twins and getting a day shift at work were difficult, and now she would bow out of a night spent in Jane’s soft, lush embrace and Ethan’s giving arms.On the other hand, her heart pounded with true excitement. Danny was a strong and virile male who raised new emotions in her. Being with someone she could call her own was a tempting idea. She loved being part of the Millers’ lives, but that was just it. She was part of them, but she couldn’t scratch the surface of the ways those two were connected.

Yet the thought of breaking things off with her lovers made her heart ache.

As she stared at the place where Danny had disappeared, she struggled to calm her racing pulse. Maybe she could have both worlds—a loving and exciting relationship with Jane and Ethan while getting to know the handsome stranger who needed some tenderness.

Cloistered in the break room, she made a phone call to Jane, fidg-eting from foot to foot as she waited to hear her lover’s reaction. She also urged her pulsing body to accept her decision.

With a heavy sigh, Jane ***

sank into the big overstuffed chair she and Margot often shared when she visited. This chair held many memories for Jane. Countless caresses and late-night snuggle sessions were spent here. Also, they’d been sitting here together when Margot first gave in to the idea of Ethan making love to her.

“What’s up, babe?” Ethan came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. His dress shirt was rolled over his forearms and his dark arm hairs sprouted from the folds, still damp from the dishwashing. Ordinarily, the sight of her sexy husband in a domestic capacity would turn her on, but after Margot’s phone call, depression weighted her.

“Margot’s not coming.”

He didn’t have to tell her he was disappointed. The tightening of his lips did that for him. He whipped the towel over his shoulder and sank into the cushion beside her.

“Everything okay?”

7

Quatre

“No. Er...yes. Yes for her. No for me.” She gave a small hurt laugh.

“She’s going out with someone.”

Ethan’s eyes flared. He leaned closer to her and slipped a hand down her thigh to her knee. “Not a woman?” Jane shook her head. “No. A guy she met at the hospital. She told me about him. A vet from the Iraq War. He took a bad hit and almost lost his leg. I guess they’ve made plans together.” It was impossible to keep the sadness from her tone. She’d been looking forward to this night alone with Margot for weeks. Lately their schedules weren’t coinciding, and it was hard to find places for their kids to stay while their parents had a sexy romp.

“Oh, sweetie.” Ethan wrapped and arm around her and squeezed.

His masculine scent filled her nostrils. “I know you’ve been dreaming of this night for a long time. I’m sure Margot wouldn’t drop us for any old reason. He must be a very special guy.” Jane looked harder at her husband. He didn’t fool her for a second. The strain in his voice told her he didn’t like the thought of her with another man. Over the past few months Margot started sharing their lives, he’d given a piece of his heart to the stunning divorcée.

And Jane’s heart was long gone to the vixen.

“What do you think? Have we lost her so soon?” she asked quietly.Ethan pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. He shook his head. “No.

She’s not breaking things off with us, baby. Maybe she’s expanding herself. We can’t fault her for making new friends.” Jane curled around her husband, seeking his comfort. His touch always reassured her. When Ethan had walked in on her and Margot in the throes of ecstasy, Margot had reacted badly and run out. Ethan had been his understanding, steadfast self, even going so far as to tell Jane to go after her.

She leaned her head against his sculpted chest and listened to his heart throb for a long minute. “Well, we do have a night alone without the kids. We shouldn’t waste it.”

His chest rumbled with a low laugh. He stroked her short hair off her nape. “What do you have in mind?” She’d been hoping for a mind-blowing three-way with her female love, but that plan had been squashed. Ethan deserved some amazing sex tonight. She loved seeing him receive pleasure from Margot.

Watching her wrap her full lips around his hard cock drove Jane wild.

Seeing Ethan sink into Margot’s tight pussy sent her into paroxysms 8

Em Petrova

of delight. How could she twist the night and give her man new pleasures?

“We could visit a club.”

He shifted, adjusting his cock, which thickened by the minute.

Obviously his thoughts were taking a similar path to hers. “What kind of club?”

“I don’t know. One of the strip clubs?” He leaned away and nudged her chin up to look into her eyes.

“Really? You’ve never wanted to go to one before.” She shrugged. “I know. But I’d like to try something new. Are you up for it?’

“Right after I change out of these work clothes and you doll yourself up so I can tempt all the men there with my sexy wife.” A shiver ran through her at his tone. They’d never discussed her being with another man, though she regularly shared him with Margot. In fact, Ethan was such an amazing lover, she’d never really thought of it. Would he get as hot as she did, by watching
her
with someone else? He loved watching her with Margot, but another man?

A dark, forbidden heat pooled between her thighs. She clenched them together, knowing there was no ease for that ache besides a night spent between her husband and female lover. Only numerous orgasms, voyeurism, and some good tongue-lashings delivered to each of them would sate her passions.

“Give me ten minutes, baby, and then we’ll go,” Jane said with a soft smile at her husband.

As Jane padded to their bedroom and hurled herself into the depths of her walk-in closet to find a sexy outfit for a night out, her mind whirred with thoughts of Margot with another man, and of herself with another man. Whatever happened tonight, the fires of her passion would rage out of control. She hoped Ethan was ready to play fireman, because the blaze of need in her core was rapidly turning into an inferno.

9

The sultry music threaded its way into Jane’s psyche as Ethan led her into the strip club. She blinked into the dim interior, trying to let her eyes adjust. The air-conditioning was kept low here for the sake of the nude dancers on stage, and the faint tang of massage oil, along with alcohol filled her nostrils.

The place was packed. For a moment, they stopped, scouring the room for an empty table.

“There’s one,” Ethan said, his grip tight on her hand. They wound through tables to the front, where a couple stood gathering their things, prepared to abandon their table-for-two. Ethan jumped in and snagged the free chairs with a nod and smile.

Jane barely registered her husband’s hand on her waist as he saw her seated. She was too busy drooling over the eye candy on stage.

A stunning blonde knelt with her legs parted to reveal a peek at her pink lips. She wore a white feathery bra, crotchless panties, and a gar-ter. Atop her full mane of hair, a small golden halo shivered with her 10

Em Petrova

movements. Her breasts swelled over the top of her bra. She dipped her fingers into the fabric and stroked her nipples.

With a little shiver, Jane gave the woman her full attention. Behind the blonde angel were two of her friends—a woman with beautiful glowing ebony skin and a voluptuous brunette. The angel at center stage gyrated her hips, allowing a better glimpse between her thighs with each movement. The crowd made some noises of delight.

Jane tore her gaze away when she heard Ethan order drinks. He caught her eye and gave one of his smoldering, bad boy crooked smiles. By looking at him now, one would never guess he was a bigwig in the corporate world. Dressed in torn jeans and a slim-fitting black T-shirt that clung to his sculpted body, he could be a cover model.

She slipped off her shoe and slid her toes down his leg beneath the table. He reached over and stroked her lower lip with the pad of his thumb. She licked his salty skin and raised a growl from him.

“I don’t know if we’ll be watching long. Seeing you in that tiny dress makes my balls ache. At this rate, I’m going to fuck you before we leave the parking lot.”

“So fuck me in the parking lot. But don’t you want to see the show?”

He turned his attention to the stage, where the two devils were using their pitchfork handles to strike the angel’s bare ass.

Ethan’s blue gaze swung back to hers. “Sure they’re beautiful. But I love your body more.”

“And Margot’s.”

A small shudder vibrated his shoulders. “Yes. Watching you two together is one of the most erotic sights I’ve ever seen.” Her pussy pulsed with fresh need. Watching the women on stage was hot, but nothing compared to the sensual reality of making love to Margot. From the start, she’d known the beautiful woman held a special place in her heart. At this moment, she wished she was in bed between her husband and the other love of her life.

The music exploded with a crash of drums. The beat drove her attention to the two sexy men entering the stage wearing long red robes. A cacophony of female screams erupted from the crowd. Several women pushed to the front of the stage, where one man stood loosening the belt on his robe with accompanying hip thrusts.

Jane gazed at the golden sliver of sculpted chest that appeared in the opening. Her earlier thoughts of being with a new man sent new lust pounding through her veins. In the past, Ethan was completely al-11

Quatre

pha—not possessive in a bad way, but definitely not willing to share.

But now he shared her regularly with another woman. What if they found another man to play their games?

Excitement pooled low in her belly. Her nipples ached beneath her knit dress. She arched her back, thrusting her breasts outward in hopes of gaining her husband’s attention.

But he was totally fixated on the boy toy at the edge of the stage, dancing inches from them. Ethan’s gaze raked the dancer’s features, sculpted chest and abs, and finally landed on his hips as the man ripped his thong away to reveal a long, hard shaft.

Jane’s pulse raced. Watching her husband’s lips part did things to her insides. In all their years, she’d never considered him being turned on by another man. But why not? He was open to all levels of sexu-ality. From sex in public in their early years together, to the mind-blowing ecstasy they shared with Margot, Ethan had always been accepting of new twists in their sex life.

At that moment, the dancer dropped to his knees in front of Ethan, bringing her husband face to face with the other man’s throbbing rod.

The musky scents reached Jane, ripping through her senses. A trim mat of pubic curls cushioned a tight set of balls and one of the thickest shafts she’d ever seen in person. The dancer gripped it at the root and waved it tantalizingly in Ethan’s face.

Even in the dim light, she knew her husband’s face was flushed.

He wore that rapt expression she’d seen countless times while she pleasured him. Especially when she knelt before him, sucking off his cock, as he stared down at her with pupils blown wide.

The dancer pulsed his hips at Ethan. Reaching into his pocket, Ethan came out with a bill, and tucked it into a strip of leather tied around the guy’s hard thigh. Rather than moving off as most dancers did when they got their money, this dancer reached out and brushed a knuckle over Ethan’s beard-roughened jaw.

Their gazes met for a heartbeat, and then the god leaped to his feet and danced to the other end of the stage, where he worked to entice a table of women.

Jane stared at Ethan’s profile, noting the bob of his Adam’s apple.

She ran a hand down his strong forearm. He looked at her fully in the face. In a second, she read the tormented feelings coursing through him. His jaw was set fiercely, and a muscle jumped in the corner. His eyes glittered, but not with anger. With passion.

12

Em Petrova

“That guy seemed to have taken a liking to you. I can’t blame him.

You are the hottest man in the place.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m ready to go.” She stared at his solemn countenance. Where had her fun-loving husband gone? “We just got here. What’s this about?”

“I’m not discussing it here, Jane. Come on.” He stood abruptly and reached for her hand. She retrieved her shoe and slipped it on, then allowed him to tow her back through the web of tables and out into the muggy night.

His strides were long and clipped, and she pattered along to keep up. She drew a deep gulp of air, trying to make sense of his reaction.