The evening breeze rustles through my hair as I sit on the patio, staring out at the sprawling backyard. Luluâs warm body presses against my leg, her rhythmic breathing a comforting constant. I scratch behind her ears, grateful for her unwavering presence in the midst of all this chaos.
âAt least youâre not giving me the silent treatment, huh girl?â I murmur.
Luluâs tail thumps against the chairâs canvas in response. I canât help but smile, even as my mind wanders to the events of the past few days. The rescue mission, the arguments, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. And then thereâs Chaseâ¦
I close my eyes, remembering our latest encounter. The passion, the anger, the raw emotion. Weâre making progress, I suppose, even if itâs only in the bedroom. My cheeks flush at the memory.
âWhat am I doing, Lulu?â I sigh, looking down at her mottled coat. âIâm still pissed at him, you know. And heâs still upset with me. But God, when weâre togetherâ¦â
I trail off, shaking my head. Lulu whines softly, as if sensing my conflicted emotions. I pat her head, grateful for her simple, uncomplicated love.
âYeah, I know. Itâs complicated, girl. Youâre so lucky that you never have to go through this kind of stuff.â
The patio door slams shut with a bang, making me jump. I turn to see Cole storming out, his brows furrowed and his jaw clenched tight. Heâs muttering under his breath, something about âridiculous expectationsâ and âunreasonable demandsâ and âcrazy fucking womenâ.
I watch him silently as he paces back and forth, his hands running through his short brown hair in frustration. He hasnât noticed me yet, too caught up in whateverâs bothering him. Itâs strange seeing him like thisâusually, heâs so composed, so in control.
âDamn it all,â he growls, his deep voice carrying across the patio.
I clear my throat softly. âUm, Cole? Are you okay?â
He whirls around, his intense eyes widening as they land on me. For a moment, he looks almost embarrassed, like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Itâs kind ofâ¦endearing?
âSpitfire,â he says, his voice gruff. âI didnât see you there.â
I offer a small smile. âYeah, I gathered that. Is everything all right?â
He hesitates, clearly debating whether to open up or brush me off. Iâm betting on the latterâwe havenât exactly been on the best of terms.
To my surprise, he sighs and drops into the chair across from me. âItâs justâ¦work stuff. Nothing for you to worry about.â
âTry me,â I say, leaning forward. âIâm a pretty good listener when Iâm not, you know, arguing with people.â
That gets a chuckle out of himâa low, rumbling sound that sends an unexpected shiver down my spine. âFair enough,â he says, his intense eyes meeting mine. âItâs this new project weâre working on. The investors are pushing for faster results, but they donât understand the complexities involved.â
I nod, encouraging him to continue. As he talks, I find myself drawn into the conversation, asking questions and offering suggestions. Itâsâ¦nice, actually. For once, weâre not at each otherâs throats.
âYou know,â Cole says after a while, a hint of surprise in his voice, âyouâve got some good ideas there.â
I canât help but grin. âDonât sound so shocked. Iâm not just a pretty face, you know.â
He laughs again, and I feel a warmth spreading through my chest. Who knew Cole Ashford could beâ¦charming?
Iâm about to ask about the âcrazy fucking womenâ when the patio door slides open with a soft whoosh. Chase saunters out, his dirty blonde hair tousled and a mischievous glint in his eye. Heâs wearing nothing but low-slung sweatpants, and I canât help but admire the tattoos scattered across his chest and arms.
âThere you are, beautiful,â he purrs, his gaze locked on me. Itâs as if Cole has suddenly become invisible. âReady for ourâ¦plans?â
I feel my cheeks flush, remembering exactly what those âplansâ entail. âChase, Iââ
Cole clears his throat pointedly, but Chase doesnât even glance his way. Instead, he slides behind my chair, his hands coming to rest on my shoulders. âIâve been thinking about you all day,â he murmurs, leaning down to brush his lips against my ear.
I squirm, torn between embarrassment and arousal. âChase, Coleâs right here,â I hiss.
âSo?â Chaseâs hands start to wander, tracing tantalizing patterns on my skin. âHe can watch if he wants.â
Cole stands abruptly, his chair scraping against the patio floor. âI think thatâs my cue to leave,â he growls.
Something in his tone makes Chase finally look up. A slow, wicked grin spreads across his face. âOr,â he says, voice low and inviting, âyou could join us.â
I freeze, my heart pounding. Did Chase justâ?
Coleâs eyes widen in shock. âWhat the hell, Chase?â
But Chase is already moving, pulling me to my feet and into his arms. âCome on, Cole,â he says, his hands roaming over my body as he kisses my neck. âDonât tell me you havenât thought about it. Not like we havenât shared before.â
I should feel objectified, but thereâs something in Chaseâs touch that makes me feelâ¦cherished. Desired. I lean into him, my breath catching as his fingers dip beneath the hem of my shirt.
Cole hesitates, his gaze flicking between us. Iâm surprised to see the internal struggle playing out on his face.
âChase,â I breathe, not sure if Iâm protesting or encouraging.
He responds by capturing my lips in a searing kiss, his hands cupping my face. When he pulls away, Iâm dizzy with want.
âWhat do you say, Cole?â Chase asks, his voice husky. âWant to find out what youâve been missing?â
I bite my lip, torn between desire and uncertainty. Chaseâs fingers trail along my collarbone, sending shivers down my spine. His touch is familiar, comforting, yet electrifying. I know heâs not trying to use me; this is just Chase being Chaseâimpulsive, playful, always pushing boundaries.
âIâ¦I donât know about this,â I mumble, my eyes darting between Chase and Cole. Iâve never been with more than one man at a time, but Iâve definitely fantasized about it. I had a friend who indulged in it from time to time, and she occasionally told me some details about her romps. I had found it absolutely titillating.
Chaseâs lips brush my ear. âYouâre in charge, of course, kitten. Whatever you want.â
His words embolden me. I take a deep breath and step back, surveying both men. âOkay,â I say, my voice steadier than I feel. âIf weâre doing this, weâre doing it my way.â
Chase grins, all boyish charm. âI wouldnât have it any other way.â
âKneel,â I say firmly, pointing to the ground in front of me.
Chase doesnât hesitate, sinking to his knees without question. I feel a rush of power at the sight.
His eyes lock onto mine, a mix of lust and submission shining through.
I reach down and run my fingers through Chaseâs hair, pulling him closer to me. âNow,â I say, my voice low and commanding. âShow me how much you want it.â
Chaseâs eyes darken with desire as he leans forward and starts kissing along my thighs, slowly making his way toward my core. His fingers hook into my waistband, tugging my leggings and panties down with one swift pull.
âAnd donât forget to use your tongue,â I add, feeling a thrill of excitement at the thought of controlling him like this.
He obliges, eagerly diving between my legs and flicking his tongue against my clit. I moan in pleasure, arching my back and grabbing onto his hair for support.
Chaseâs hands grip onto my hips as he continues to lick and suck at me, sending waves of pleasure coursing through my body.
âGood boy,â I whisper encouragingly as he brings me closer and closer to the edge.
Iâm teetering on the brink when suddenly Chase pulls away, leaving me frustrated and wanting more.
âWhat?â I pant, looking down at him with confusion and need.
But instead of answering, Chase stands up and pulls out a condom from his pocket. He looks up at me expectantly as if asking for permission.
I nod eagerly, thrilled by this new level of control over him.
Chase sits on the outdoor sectional, and I straddle his legs, taking the condom from him and tearing it open with shaky fingers. My heart is racing with anticipation as I roll it onto his hard length.
I turn to look at Cole over my shoulder. Coleâs eyes lock with mine, and something in him snaps. In an instant, heâs surging forward, his lips crashing against mine with a fierce intensity that takes my breath away. He rips my shirt over my head, and his hands find my breasts, squeezing them roughly as he deepens the kiss.
âGod, youâre beautiful,â he growls, breaking away. âNow ride him.â
I hesitate, caught off guard by his sudden dominance. âI thoughtââ
âDo it,â Cole orders, his voice brooking no argument.
Arousal floods through me as I obey, straddling Chase whoâs watching us with heated interest. As I sink down onto him, Coleâs fingers find my clit, rubbing in tight circles that make me gasp.
âThatâs it,â Cole murmurs, his breath hot against my ear. âTake what you want from him.â
I start to move, caught between Coleâs demanding touch and Chaseâs eager thrusts. Itâs overwhelming, intoxicating.
âFaster,â Cole commands, and I comply, my hips picking up speed.
Chase groans beneath me. âFuck, kitten. You feel so damn good.â
The praise washes over me, stoking the fire building inside. Iâm lost in sensation, in the push and pull of power between us all.