Sated (12 page)

Killian rolled onto his side, going up on one elbow. He motioned for Lyric to go first and Arbor focused on him—waiting. A ghost of a smile passed over his features. “Well, it’s like this,” Lyric began, sounding calm and reasonable. “We were each other’s first.”

Her heart squeezed in her chest. “Awww! That’s a beautiful story.”

Lyric shook his head. “Probably not, if you look at things too closely. We’ve done a lot of crazy shit since then. Seriously, we knew right away something was missing. It’s driven a wedge between us at times.”

“It’s odd,” Arbor mused aloud. “Logically, I think I should feel like an interloper here, after such a confession, but in my heart, I know I’m not.”

“Damn straight you’re not,” Lyric said at the same time as Killian said, “You’re exactly where you belong.” Coming up on his knees, Killian palmed Lyric’s thighs as he invaded their space. The aching in her cheeks made Arbor realize she was smiling like an idiot. It was the expression on Killian’s face. She couldn’t help it. His eyes flashed mischievously. She didn’t know what he intended, but she couldn’t wait.

“This was our first fight. You should say you’re sorry.”

Even though Arbor was certain she hadn’t missed a thing, she felt moved to check. “We fought?”

Killian nodded. “We did. You lost. Now, we have to kiss and make up. That’s how it works.” Scooting in closer until his knees pressed against the apex of her thighs, he cupped the back of her neck and drew her mouth to his. Her lips parted and Lyric was there as well. Arbor’s body lit up, burning hotter than the raging bonfire. Killian held her in place, controlling the angle and pressure of their kiss. Their tongues toyed with hers. Lips curled, shaping one another. Her clit pulsed in time with every stroke. Both men were delicious in their own right. Together, they were incomparable. There was a strange pressure building in her chest, distracting Arbor from her lust. If not for the presence of the unnamed emotion attempting to burst from inside her, Arbor would’ve made every effort to rip their shirts from their backs. She hated every article separating them with an unhealthy passion.

Killian moved away first, but only enough to close his lips over the cords in her neck. A single swipe of his tongue nearly brought her to release. He pulled away, groaning like a man doomed. The sound drew a low laugh from Lyric. Arbor moaned at the sensation against her lips. Killian faked a loud sob.

“That’s not helping, Arbor. Damn. I really want you to make that noise for a whole other reason, but we’re not alone.”

A tiny slice of Arbor wanted to argue that Echo hadn’t seemed to mind an audience, but she knew they were showing her respect. It meant she was special. The pressure sitting on her chest increased. Lyric set his forehead against hers and Killian joined in. His eyes were closed. She couldn’t force hers shut. They were both too beautiful. Arbor didn’t want to miss a second of staring at them. Killian took a deep breath. She mimicked him, inhaling them into her lungs.

“There’re seven billion people in the world.”

She bit back a smile over having him steal her words. Lyric’s fingers brushed her cheek. He did the same to Killian, holding them both while finishing Killian’s thoughts.

“And you’re the only ones for me.”

Shit. They really were. He’d known exactly what she’d been trying to say, even when she had not.

Chapter Seven

“Our window seat isn't the same anymore. It'll never be the same again. Every day, I stand next to it, wondering if I have the nerve to set my knees on it and crawl into the spot we shared. Every day, I fail. Trey is the only thing saving my sanity. If there's anything left to salvage, that is. Perhaps I'm already too far gone. He's playing the cop now; even got promoted to detective already. I suppose it's what he was always meant to do. He'll make it. I'm not so sure about me. Even when he's with me, I can't move away from our window. It's like it's all I have left. The graves where you’re buried are empty as far as I'm concerned, because you’re here in our spot…lingering. It's killing me. It's a slow death. Too slow. I'm not going to make it.”—Aug 15
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* * * * *

One corner of Trey’s mouth lifted. A wicked glint entered his eyes. It was all the warning he gave before the cold metal closed around Arbor’s wrist with a click. Her heart rate kicked up.

“You belong to me,” Trey said, sounding calm as he coaxed her arms above her head. After weaving the empty cuff through a rung on the headboard, he snapped it around her other wrist. She let it happen.

“This new job has made you cocky.” Even to Arbor’s ears, she sounded breathless. Trey’s palms slid up her sides, pushing her shirt higher as he went. With her hands chained and Trey straddling her hips, Arbor couldn’t stop him—not that she wanted it to end.

“I’ve always been cocky,” Trey said absently, staring down at the newly bared skin. Arbor searched for something to say to keep from moaning. She hated making things too easy for him.

“Then it’s made you think you can do whatever you like.”

He smirked. “That was already true as well.” His gaze lifted, meeting hers. Arbor’s mind went blank. The expression on Trey’s face was breathtaking. “You’ve always let me do whatever I want.”

“Spoiled,” she accused.

A low rumble of laughter floated through the air as he dipped his head, flattening his tongue against her nipple. The urge to hold him there was near to crippling.

“Spoiled,” he agreed. His lips brushed her skin with every syllable, drawing a moan from her as he added, “Addicted. Infatuated. Completely in love.”

The banging on the door pulled her from a deep sleep. Arbor stared at the unfamiliar room, confused, before she realized she was in her bed. Fully clothed, on top of the covers, and using only Lyric’s jacket for warmth, she focused on the ceiling, trying to remember how she’d come to be there. The last thing she could recall was listening to Lyric sing. The vibration of every word against her skin as she watched Killian’s hands move over his guitar was so strong it was almost as if they were there with her. The banging started again, reminding her of why she was awake.

Leaving Lyric’s jacket behind, she stumbled for the door. Trey was on the other side. In her shocked and half-asleep state, she automatically took a step back, allowing him to pass.

“You missed our lunch date.”

Arbor glanced down at her wrist, truly expecting a watch to be there for some odd reason. Finding nothing, she shot a panicked look at the clock hanging on the wall. It showed ten minutes past noon.

“Technically, I didn’t miss it. I’m not even late.” She thought it over for a moment, before adding, “By much.”

“It was yesterday.”

Her gaze snapped to his. There was nothing she could say. Her mind was a complete blank. Scrambling, she said the only thing she knew for sure. “I fell asleep.” It was a ridiculous excuse, but it was all she had. It seemed there should be something between now and the party with Killian and Lyric, but she had absolutely nothing.

Trey’s chest expanded as he took a deep breath. “Okay. Good. You needed the rest.” She wondered which of them he was trying to convince. The spicy scent of his cologne drifted over her, snagging Arbor’s full attention. The button-down dress shirt he wore strained against Trey’s muscles with every move he made. His hair stood on end in places, as if he’d been running a frustrated hand through it. The dream came creeping back. Her nipples hardened.

She watched in fascination as his hand rose. Snagging the tip of her braid, he pulled the rubber band from the end. He tossed it on the floor before running his fingers through her hair, working the strands loose. The closed expression on his face had her muscles drawn up tight. Some unnamed emotion was boiling just below the surface of his skin. Arbor expected it to explode, leveling everything in the room at any moment.

“Excuse me for a second.” Arbor didn’t wait for him to respond before hitting the bathroom. When the door closed behind her, she was forced to admit she might have run the final few steps. She slipped out of her jeans and worked her bra out from beneath her t-shirt before she realized—in her escape—she hadn’t thought to take any clean clothes in the bathroom with her. Shrugging, Arbor hurried through her usual morning routine, hoping to clear her mind. As she was patting her face dry, Arbor caught sight of her reflection. It was funny how long it had been since she’d really paused to look at herself. The dark circles under her eyes made her face seem twice as pale and her eyes look haunted. Her mind was in some sort of crazy war with itself. Perhaps she was straight up going insane. She’d lost an entire day.

“Fuck it,” Arbor said aloud. Tossing the towel on the floor, she headed for the door. If Arbor was going nuts, she was damn well going to enjoy the ride. Trey’s eyebrows rose, showing his obvious surprise over her state of undress. She didn’t bat an eye as she crossed the room. Determination carried her to his side.

Trey motioned toward the bottom half of her body. “Did you forget something?” As if she couldn’t feel the breeze. She knew what he was seeing. The short, white t-shirt didn’t cover her ass and her lace panties left nothing to the imagination.

“According to you, I forgot our lunch date.” Trey blinked. Arbor bit back a smile. She did love leaving a man speechless. Her steps never slowed until she stood toe to toe with him. Tilting her chin up, Arbor held his gaze. “I’m starving.”

As if she’d done it a thousand times before, Arbor snagged the Velcro on either side of his vertical holster and pulled. The move freed it from his belt, allowing her to shove it from his shoulders. Gravity took over, carrying it down his arms. He caught it before it hit the floor and Arbor carried it to the desk, setting it on top. Trey’s burning gaze followed her across the room, but he didn’t say a word.

With the gun safely out of the way, Arbor was free to do as she pleased with the rest of him. He would let her. The truth of it was there in his eyes. He was every bit as hungry for her. Still, he didn’t move a muscle as she slid each button loose on his shirt. In fact, Arbor wasn’t entirely sure he was breathing.

Golden skin and chiseled chest stared out at her from the open shirt. Her palms flattened against it. She was powerless to stop it from happening. Warmth seeped into her skin. Her pussy clenched, dampening her panties. Closing the final gap between them, Arbor pressed her lips against the valley of his chest. A muscle jumped beneath her hands, as if Trey had physically restrained himself. Her hands traveled south, shaping the ridges in his stomach. It was seriously unfair for one person’s body to look the way Trey’s did. Although, Arbor silently admitted, it felt even better than it appeared. If such a thing were possible, that is. His belt slid free with ease. The button of his pants followed.

“Are you angry with me?” she asked against his skin. He didn’t answer. Inch by inch, Arbor eased his zipper down. Her tongue touched his chest. A moan rumbled from deep inside her as the taste of pure male overcame her senses. Trey exploded into action. Her roots stung from his hold on her hair. A sharp gasp escaped her as Trey’s teeth sank into her bottom lip. She didn’t realize he was holding her off the floor by the one hand on her ass until he took the first step toward her bed. Damn. He was fucking strong. It was sexy. Arbor wrapped her legs around his hips, clinging to his body. The flexing of his abs against her over-sensitized cunt almost sent her over the edge.

“I tried to be good,” Trey growled between biting kisses. Somehow, his shirt disappeared before her back hit the mattress. She thought Trey might have ripped it off, but she couldn’t focus on a thing beyond the way he made her feel. “Tried to treat you with care,” he added as he tugged her panties down her hips. She shoved at his pants, trying to work them down with him tangled around her.

“You deserve a medal,” she agreed, almost crowing with triumph when she managed to free his erection. His teeth scraped her nipple. He cupped her sex, grinding the heel of his hand against her clit and fingering her. She bit her lip to hold in the cries. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as her hips left the bed. There was no holding off until Trey was inside her. She rode his hand, getting off with only the tug of skin on skin before she knew it was going to happen. Her greedy pussy sucked at his fingers, attempting to pull him further inside with each uncontrollable spasm. Trey brought his fingers to his mouth, licking away the evidence of her orgasm while she floated in a dreamlike haze.

His eyes fell closed. “Damn. You’re delicious.” Tiny aftershocks pulsed through her at the sight. Her back teeth were locked so tightly against the waves of pleasure, Arbor wondered if she’d crack one before the end. When his lids lifted once more, his gaze shined bright with lust. “I want more.” Before she had time to absorb his words, he slid down her body and opened his mouth over her mound. His name fell from her lips along with a hundred other things she couldn’t control and forgot the moment they died away.

Holding her hips between his hands, Trey forced Arbor to accept his will. His head stung from her hold on his hair, but he took it as his punishment. The reward was oh so sweet. Her pussy lips parted under the pressure of his tongue. There was no mercy in his heart. He was relentless. An average orgasm wasn’t going to cut it. Trey wanted Arbor incoherent. One day soon, she was going to come to her senses. She was going to remember. His chest hurt. When she’d skipped out on him the day before, he’d been scared as hell that moment had already come to pass and he’d missed it. The tightness in his shoulders eased. It wasn’t too late. He savored the flavor of her skin. There were so many memories he couldn’t escape. He didn’t want to, and yet, he could feel them slipping away. Like the way it felt when she fell asleep in his arms. He didn’t want to lose that one.

The tiny bud that brought her so much pleasure felt amazing against the tip of his tongue. Her sex quivered. His dick leaked, dampening her sheets. Arbor’s muscles tensed beneath his hands and he moved away, denying her release. The whimpering noise coming from the back of her throat almost made him regret the move, but he was determined to feel her channel pulsing around his shaft when she came next.