05 Laid Open

  In the background she heard the bathroom door open as Todd entered the room.

  “Goddamn.”

  Ben made some sort of strangled response but she kept on, loving when she had him this way. Loving the power in the way she made him feel. Loving the trust a man showed to put his cock in another person’s mouth.

  Loving that he was so big and strong and yet with her he was gentle, even as he fucked into her mouth.

  Ben was close, she knew. He’d pull her back, most likely. He loved to come inside her cunt. But sometimes, she pushed him past his control and he groaned, giving up, coming in her mouth with a long, satisfied groan. It was a little game they played.

  She moaned her pleasure at that thought and he hissed, his hands going to her shoulders to push, but she sucked him deep, flicking her tongue against the underside of the head, straining against the hands trying to get her back. She wanted his cock, damn it.

  “Fuck,” he snarled, and came hard as she breathed through her nose, taking him, losing herself in the pleasure of the moment, in the way it felt to not only bring him pleasure, but to play at his control.

  “Gimme that mouth,” Todd whispered, his fingers digging into the flesh of her upper arm to get her attention. A shiver went through her at his tone, at the sure way he handled her. Rough, but never too rough.

  He knew her so well.

  “Look at you.” He kissed down the bridge of her nose. “Mouth all swollen from sucking Ben’s cock.”

  He collared her throat, arching her back to take her lips in a kiss that stole her breath.

  “I want to be in you.”

  She swallowed, watching the emotion move across his features. No one looked at her the way Todd did. She waited, breathless, for him to tell her what he wanted next.

  His smile made her nipples hard. “I love how you wait. I love that I know your pussy is wet and ready but you wait for me.” He dipped to kiss her again.

  She may have whimpered, a sound laced with all her need, but it was hard to think with his hands on her that way.

  “Are you hungry for it? Mm? Do you want my cock?”

  She nodded slowly, licking her lips.

  Ben kissed her ankle, and then up her calf, making it even harder to think.

  Todd got to his knees, over her, sliding the slick head of his cock against her lips. She licked, opening her mouth to suck him inside. He let her get a little taste and pulled back, leaving her stretching for more.

  “You fucking wreck me,” Todd said, his voice ragged. “Each and every time I’m with you.”

  When he gave up words like that it got to her. To be treasured by this man she adored so much meant everything.

  He tapped her lips with the head of his cock, teasing her, a hint of a smile on his lips.

  Ben’s mouth cruised up from her knee, against the soft, sensitive skin of her inner thigh. She held her breath a moment as he paused at her pussy, blowing against wet, hot skin.

  “She’s so wet.” And then Ben spread her open and took a lick. Just enough to bring a gasp to her lips. A wave of pleasure flowed through her veins like honey.

  “I’m torn between this mouth and that pussy.”

  Ben got to his knees and kissed Todd. She watched, trying not to writhe at the masculine beauty between them. Todd licked Ben’s lips and they both looked to her. “He tastes like you.”

  “Please!”

  Todd’s smile broadened a little and he kissed Ben, his hand in Ben’s hair, holding him in place.

  “Should I fuck her?” Todd teased her, asking Ben.

  Ben spoke against Todd’s lips. “Only if I can lick her cunt while you do.”

  “Yay!”

  Todd shook his head, still smiling at her. “Greedy.”

  “You look at him all day too. And in the mirror. What woman in her right mind wouldn’t say yay to that offer?”

  Todd lay back. “Climb aboard.”

  She quickly moved to obey, but it was Ben she faced, his hands that guided Todd’s cock into her pussy. He tickled her clit as she sank down on Todd’s cock.

  “Christ, she got so tight and hot for a second I nearly lost it.” Todd’s voice was strained.

  “Couldn’t help it. All that pretty, slick pussy for me to touch, I couldn’t resist.”

  Her back was to Todd and he traced over the lines of her tattoos and down her spine before grabbing her hips tight. She may have been on top, but he would handle the pace and depth. She simply enjoyed it, enjoyed watching as Ben arranged himself between Todd’s thighs, looking up at her before his mouth went back to her pussy.

  Todd grunted each time he got all the way back in, especially when she added a little side-to-side movement when he did. His fingertips would leave bruises on her hips, and she’d look at them for the next several days and smile, thinking back to this moment.

  She braced herself with one hand on Todd’s thigh while the other sought the soft thickness of Ben’s hair. She wanted to watch his mouth on her, wanted to look up in the nearby mirror and watch the three of them, but it felt so good, it was so much all at once, that she had to close her eyes for long moments.

  “Your eyes are mine, Erin. Don’t go away. I want you to see what we’re doing to you. To know who’s doing it.”

  She dragged her lids open to meet Todd’s gaze in the mirror as he continued to fuck her. As Ben continued to devastate her cunt with his mouth. And when Todd snarled a curse she knew Ben had dipped to pay attention to Todd’s balls.

  What she hadn’t expected was the little flick of his tongue when he surged up to her clit. It rocketed her into climax as she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out.

  Todd snarled something and she watched, fascinated, as he came, his face flooded with pleasure.

  And Ben’s mouth found hers as she held on, wrapped her arms around him and tasted herself along with him and a hint of Todd. Todd, who sat up, still inside, and held on to them both.

  She finally fell to the mattress, bracketed by each man. “Mmm. I won’t have any trouble sleeping tonight.”

  Ben laughed, kissing her neck.

  “Before you drop off, you should look in your top drawer.”

  She sat straight up. “A present!” She scrambled from the bed and headed to the dresser, where she found a slim box wrapped quite prettily.

  A bikini? She held up the pretty bright pink scraps of fabric. And then she saw the envelope and opened it to find an itinerary. For a trip to Fiji.

  “Well?” Ben came to join her, Todd following.

  “I’m . . . wow. I’ve never been to Fiji. This is . . . wow.”

  Ben kissed her knuckles. “It’s been so long since we’ve had time for just us. It’s a private island. We’ll have our own cottage thing they call a bure. Right on the water.”

  “What about Adrian’s wedding? Alexander?”

  Todd brushed the hair back from her forehead. “The trip is only ten days. Plenty of time to be back by the wedding. I even spoke with Jules to be sure it was in a time when she wouldn’t need any of your help for party planning and all that stuff.”

  “Brody and Elise are going to take Alexander,” Todd added. “There was even a little battle between Adrian and Brody as to who got to keep Alexander while we’re away. He’s going to be fine with them.” He kissed her shoulder. “You do so much for everyone else. Every single day. We want you to have this. A time just to relax and be taken care of for a change. Ben’s right. It’s been a long time since it was just the three of us.”

  It had been. She adored Alexander and really did love having the time to be with him every day. But things had changed since he’d come. They had less time for each other, and had to be quiet when they had sex so as to not wake him up.

  “Imagine, ten days with just us three
. Bikini, sand and sun. Oh, and a lot of sex.” Ben waggled his brows.

  Todd smiled, so wicked. “I bought some new toys just for the trip, so you have to agree.”

  It wasn’t that she was afraid to leave Alexander with Brody. Her brother was a great father and his wife Elise was a fabulous mother. They had a baby so their house was already kitted out for Alexander. And their older daughter Rennie loved playing with her baby sister and Alexander both. Alexander loved his aunt and uncle, but he adored Rennie. He’d have a great time.

  But she’d never left him for more than a single night. It was hard to let go.

  “I can see you making all the arguments in your head. Your mouth gets that stubborn line when you argue with yourself.” Todd took her hand. “We need this time. I need this time with you two.”

  “You’re both right. I’m in.”

  Chapter Three

  “I didn’t think it would be this hard to leave him.” Ben said this in an undertone to Todd. They were at Brody and Elise’s, dropping Alexander off. They’d be getting on a plane in a few hours, but for that moment, Ben watched his son clap his hands, dancing around with Rennie as baby Marti hopped up and down, spinning in her little bouncer.

  “We won’t break him or lose him, I promise.” Elise smiled up at Ben, taking his hand and squeezing it. They sat around Brody and Elise’s kitchen table, guzzling coffee.

  “He might break you.” Erin winked at her brother, who rolled his eyes.

  “Babygirl, if I can survive you and Adrian and Martine’s impromptu four A.M. wake-up calls, I can handle Alexander.”

  Alexander heard his name and came over, patting Brody’s knee. “Yo! Hey, Bo.”

  Alexander had nicknames for everyone. Brody was Bo because at first he couldn’t say Brody. It had stuck, and from the smile on Brody’s face, he didn’t mind that one bit. And the yo had come directly from his uncle Adrian, who always said it.

  Brody bent to pick Alexander up, plopping him on a bouncing knee. “Hey, monkey. Do you want to stay here with us for a few days?”

  Alexander thought a moment and then nodded, a grin on his face. “Zoo?”

  “Totally. We’re going to the zoo later today with uncle Adrian and Gillian and Miles too.”

  “Yes!” Alexander clapped.

  Miles was another cousin, the eldest of the bunch at fourteen, and Alexander loved him with the same glee he did everything else. Miles was a quiet kid, but as all new members of the Brown family found out, Browns simply never shut up or got still. It was best to throw yourself into the experience and enjoy it. And Miles was a good example to Alexander. He worked hard in school, got good grades, had manners and cared about his family.

  Erin leaned over to kiss Rennie when she came into the kitchen. “Morning, Ren.”

  “Hiya, Aunt Erin. Will you take lots of pictures? I like to see the pictures you all take when you go sunny places.” She sent a hangdog look to her mother, who snorted.

  “Nice one. Try looking a little wistful instead of just sad.” Erin grinned. “Brody, why do you deny your children sunny vacations? Why you gotta be so hard?”

  “I’m mean that way. I have a log book I keep with all the ideas I have to be mean to my daughters.”

  “Daaad.” Rennie laughed.

  Ben glanced at Todd, who looked down at his watch. No use putting it off any longer. They had to get going, and the cleaner they made the break, the better. Alexander had stayed with Brody and Elise overnight a few times and he wasn’t upset in the slightest.

  Didn’t mean his parents weren’t, but that was life.

  Ben stood. “We should be on our way.”

  Erin looked in Alexander’s direction. He was happily handing Marti blocks, which she threw down five seconds later. He laughed and started over. She laughed and threw the blocks again.

  Ben watched her swallow hard as she turned back to Brody. “You have our numbers if you need anything. The medical info is—”

  “In the folder you brought today, along with the resort’s information and your flight dates and times.” Brody finished his sister’s sentence. He stood and hugged her. “Babygirl, have a good time. You know he’s going to be just fine here.” He lowered his voice. “You gonna be all right?”

  Being around crowds and being jostled were hard for her. They were often trigger events from a long-ago attack that nearly killed her and did kill her daughter. She was the strongest person he knew, but it wrecked them all when she had her moments.

  “I promised to take half a pill once we ate a little. I’m all right. I promise.” She looked up at her big brother and he hugged her once more before stepping back.

  Totally unaffected, Alexander grabbed his toast and happily shoved it into his mouth. The trouble on Erin’s features melted away at the sight.

  “Thank you, guys.”

  “Nothing to thank us for. We love having him here.” Brody kissed her forehead. “Enjoy this time. I’ll see you guys in ten days.”

  She bent and hugged Alexander. “Remember we talked about you staying here with Brody and Elise?”

  “And Nee.”

  Rennie grinned.

  “Yes, monkey, Rennie and Marti too. Momma, Daddy and Pop have to go to the airport now. Be good for your aunt and uncle, okay?”

  Alexander nodded, his cheeks stuffed with toast. “ ’Course!”

  “Love you, monkey.” She stood up to let Todd move closer.

  “Should we bring you back a shark, pickle?”

  Erin groaned as Todd hugged their son. “Good lord, he’s going to expect one now.”

  “Can’t keep him in the bathtub though. Maybe a smaller one.” Todd winked at Alexander, who giggled.

  Ben followed, breathing his baby in. “Love you.”

  “Love you!” Alexander blew them kisses as they headed out to the car. And then he turned and went back to his toast.

  * * *

  Erin hated the airport. It was crowded and loud and the entire process was dehumanizing.

  “Thank god I took that Xanax or I’d be really pissed I have to take my shoes off. I’m so unbelievably grossed out by what must be on these floors,” she muttered.

  Ben put his belt back on as he grinned her way. But she saw the way he and Todd worked in unison to shield her, protect her from getting bumped and jostled. Ben’s smile was sweet, but she saw the concern in his eyes and resented it for just a few fleeting moments.

  Not that they cared for her—she loved that part. But that they had to. That she was still broken all these years after the attack that she had to take a freaking pill just to navigate the airport.

  “Stop it.” Todd took the bag from her hand and put an arm around her shoulders.

  “Stop what?” But she knew he’d seen right through her.

  He leaned in to speak in her ear. “Right this very moment you’re angry at yourself for needing us to protect you. You’re convincing yourself that you’re weak and broken. You’re not. You know I’m in charge and I’m telling you to stop.”

  She would have argued, but it was an old argument and she knew, deep down, that he was right. But she missed the Erin she was before. Before everything changed.

  Ben kissed her forehead. “I like it when you finally obey.”

  “Oh, the double entendres are flying fast and furious around here.” But she smiled when she said it.

  “Coffee. I need it.” Ben held his hand out and she took it, allowing them both to shield her and protect her. Because she needed it and because it made her feel better.

  * * *

  After what had seemed like three days of travel, they arrived at the resort. Individual cottages ranged along the shoreline, some on stilts out over the water, others set farther back. Todd felt the entire world of weight on his shoulders lift aw
ay as he breathed in deep and only found sand and salt. Cleansing, that sort of clean air.

  He put his arm around Erin’s waist as she held Ben’s hand. She needed the contact. The tension in her muscles told him she was still processing the day’s stress, so he and Ben would help soothe her.

  Luckily, their stress relief often involved sex. He didn’t have any arguments with that process.

  What was extra nice was that no one had looked at them twice. It was a freedom they only rarely had, and usually only around close family and friends.

  “Mr. Copeland, we’re so pleased to have you here as our guests.” The resort’s concierge greeted them with flowers and glasses of chilled juice.

  “Your bags have been delivered to your bure. Mr. Keenan, Ms. Brown, let me escort you three.”

  Instead of taking the little golf cart thing, Erin said she wanted to walk, which seemed to please Gregory, their escort. He pointed out the different things they passed. Little side paths that would lead to pools and gardens. The entire place seemed to burst with life. Trees, flowers, bushes, birds and other wildlife.

  “This is breathtaking.” Erin looked around, a smile on her face.

  Gregory matched that smile. “Thank you. We work hard to keep the natural balance here.”

  After a few minutes more, they turned left down a path and ended up at their bure.

  Ben had chosen well. It was the farthest from the main buildings of the resort. On stilts over the water, it also had a nice beach, a hot tub, and was surrounded by a stand of trees that hugged part of the property. Secluded. Quiet.

  “We understand the needs of our celebrity clients. There are no paparazzi you have to worry about here. Just relax. Should you need anything, simply use the house phone to contact the concierge and we’ll take care of it.” He explained the meals and other services to expect, laid out their scheduled events like massages, and then with one last bow, Gregory left them alone with the sound of the water.