I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

  Not that he minded. Mouth, ass, he was good with it as long as he got him some, too.

  He stared down into Hal’s hazel gaze. “Damn, buddy. You’re an eager learner, aren’t you? You want to fuck me while he fucks you? Bet you’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

  Another long, needy whine from Hal that left Ken chuckling down below, although muffled by Hal’s cock in his mouth.

  He looked over his shoulder at Ken. “Want to do it?”

  Ken lifted his head from Hal’s cock, which was accompanied by a moan of protest from the man. “Deal was, he blew me out on the lanai, we come in here and I get him off however he wanted. He picked blowjob, and wanted to see what it’d feel like with me playing with his ass.”

  “Ah.” Steve looked down at him. “Your call, then. Want to change it up a little?”

  Hal forced his eyes open and looked up at him, nodding.

  Steve climbed off him and retrieved condoms from their usual drawer and reached for the tube of lube. He opted to lie on his back so he could watch Hal’s face when the man felt Ken’s cock fuck him for the first time. Steve would be able to jack himself off in the process.

  Everyone’s a winner.

  After rolling a condom on Hal, Steve let him slide his cock up his ass first and get comfy. He pulled him down for a long, deep kiss. “Damn, you should’ve said something sooner. We could have been having a lot of fun.”

  Hal started to say something but then moaned, his eyes dropping closed. Steve pulled him down for another kiss, muffling the sound and distracting him.

  “You’ll get it all in a second,” Ken said. “Damn, this is a tight ass.”

  Steve pulled Hal’s face against his neck so he could watch Ken. “He feel good?”

  “Oh, fuck, yeah!”

  “Maybe next time we play around, we can switch things out.”

  “How’s his cock feel?”

  “I can feel it. Not as big as you, but big enough to scratch my itch.”

  Hal let out one more grunt. “Dat’s it,” Ken gasped. “Took me all the way to the balls, man.” His hands skimmed down the man’s sides, up again, settling on his shoulders. “Your turn to ride.”

  Hal finally pushed himself up onto his arms. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” he moaned. “Why’d I wait so long to do this?”

  Steve grinned. “I don’t know, but welcome to the party. Ride me like you stole me, man.”

  As Hal slowly started moving, Steve fisted his own cock and started stroking. With his other hand, he reached up and cupped the back of Hal’s head, keeping his focus on him. “Yeah, man. Just like that.”

  Hal had devolved into what sounded like speaking in tongues. Behind him, Ken wore an ear-to-ear pleased grin as they listened to the man. The more Steve thought about this, the more perfect it was. He loved these guys. Even if Trace never wanted to join them in bed, that was fine. Sex when he wanted it, and his best friends around all the time?

  Hell, yeah.

  He was sick of dating, sick of people finding out how much he was worth and then trying to scam him. Never knowing if someone really liked him for who he was, or how much paper he stacked.

  Best of both worlds, right here. Now that he and Ken had shown Hal how hot and kinky this arrangement could be, maybe he would agree dating wasn’t worth his time, either. Sure, normally Steve enjoyed women, but why would he fuck up a sure thing for someone he hadn’t even met yet when he had Ken and Hal?

  The heat in Hal’s gaze seared Steve right through to his balls. He felt himself getting close as he stroked and suspected it would trip Hal over the edge.

  “Sorry, man, I need to nut.” He sped up his strokes, his ass clamping down on Hal’s cock as he came with a groan.

  “I know that sound,” Ken hoarsely said.

  Hal’s thrusts became jerky, erratic, and he finally finished off with his cock deep inside Steve’s ass, followed shortly by Ken getting his.

  As they collapsed into a sweaty heap, Steve found his voice. “Good?”

  Hal held up a hand for a fist bump from both of them.

  Chapter Nine

  Sunday morning, Trace emerged from his room to a silent house. Steve’s bedroom door stood open, and so was Hal’s, but neither man was in his respective room.

  Ken’s door was closed.

  Trace tamped down an irrational wave of jealousy.

  Dumbass. You could probably be in there, too, if you weren’t a chickenshit.

  He headed to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. They were forcing themselves to always take Sundays off so they didn’t burn out. Last night, over pizza, they’d talked about maybe driving over to the beach today.

  Or maybe they’ll fuck each other’s brains out all day.

  Another thought hit him.

  I wonder what Denny’s doing?

  He gave serious thought to calling her and asking if she wanted to go do something with him today.

  Would that be weird? That’d sound weird, wouldn’t it?

  She complemented them so well, too. Not only her skills, but her personality.

  Bet she’d look gorgeous with my handprints all over her freshly spanked ass.

  Okay, that was definitely over the damn line. Thoughts like that would not only get him in trouble but possibly cost them a shit-ton of money in a lawsuit.

  I should go ask the guys if they’re even interested in me.

  He was standing at the counter and nursing his mug of coffee when he heard the door to Ken’s room open, followed by the man’s low, rumbling laughter. Hal said something, then Steve and Ken both laughed.

  They emerged from the hall and headed for the kitchen. “Mornin’,” Ken said.

  Trace nodded. “Morning.”

  Hal wore his “I got laid” grin and reached over to tousle Trace’s hair before grabbing his mug from the cabinet. “Beautiful day, huh?”

  “Yeah.”

  Even Steve was smiling.

  This was too much for Trace to deal with. He turned to leave the kitchen.

  “You okay?” Steve asked.

  “I’m fine. Didn’t sleep well last night.”

  Hal stepped in front of him. “Man, I’m sorry. Was I loud?”

  “That’s one word for it.”

  “Dude, I’m so sorry.”

  Trace didn’t want to be an asshole about this. It wasn’t their fault he wasn’t getting laid. “It’s…it’s fine. Sorry I’m grumpy.”

  “You can always join us,” Ken said. “Rule at night is if the door’s unlocked, the invitation stands.”

  Trace mumbled something, he wasn’t even sure what, and headed for his room. He couldn’t deal with this, especially with his cock suddenly hard and aching and wanting to know why the fuck he wasn’t asking the men to do something for him right now?

  He damn sure didn’t want to let them know about his fantasies starring Arden.

  So instead, he went to take a shower and rubbed one out in there while he did, wishing on the back end it hadn’t felt so…hollow.

  He was getting dressed when someone knocked on his door. “Yeah?”

  Ken opened it. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” He pulled his T-shirt on.

  “Sorry we woke you up last night.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “You sure you’re—”

  “It’s fine, seriously. It’s just me.”

  “This don’t sound fine.”

  “Hey, I’m nobody’s nanny. And yes, if I decide to take you guys up on it some night, maybe I will. I’m going to go grocery shopping. Everyone got their lists?”

  But Ken seemed to study him for a long moment. “Okay,” he said. “My list is on the counter. I’ll take you at your word that we’re okay, because we’ve known each other a long time.”

  And Trace did his damnedest to be okay…except one night it was one of the men in Hal’s room. Another night, all three of them ended up in Steve’s, and then one of them was in Ken’s room.

  It was like
fricking radar he couldn’t turn off. And if he put on music or the TV in his room to drown them out, he couldn’t sleep.

  Now that he knew the telltale sounds of flesh slapping and cocks getting sucked, it was like he couldn’t escape it.

  It didn’t help that he was noticing Arden more every day.

  Maybe I do need to find a girlfriend. Or at least a play partner.

  And apparently he was a damned masochist, because on Saturday night when Steve wanted to go to Venture and the others agreed…so did Trace.

  * * * *

  Saturday night, Trace’s car was the easiest one to get out of the driveway that had room for all of them, so he ended up driving. He still didn’t understand why they were going to torture themselves like this. Wasn’t like any of them were going to meet Ms. Right tonight.

  At a dungeon.

  Not that it was a bad dungeon. It was actually a pretty nice club, definitely the nicest one he’d ever been in. And the couple of times they’d already been he’d enjoyed it.

  But the four of them should be focused on brainstorming the next product they were going to deliver, not waste time sitting around storing up wank fodder.

  They could get that from the Internet.

  Besides, the only woman he really wanted wasn’t available, and he wasn’t in a mood to people-watch.

  Non sequitur Hal popped up. “Did you know it’s possible to make a guy come without touching his cock?”

  Ken and Steve burst out laughing. “Where the hell did that come from?” Steve asked.

  “Just something I saw on the Internet.”

  Trace snorted from the driver’s seat. “It’s not possible to make a guy come without touching his dick.”

  Ken chuckled from where he’d ended up sitting in the backseat, passenger side, next to Hal. “Baby, I could totally make you come without touching your dick. But you have to be okay with butt stuff.”

  Steve roared with laughter from the passenger seat. “Dude, you walked into that one.”

  “Shut up,” Trace muttered. “Ken just wants to fuck me.”

  “Duh.” Ken reached over the seat and punched him in the shoulder. “You’re afraid you’ll like it.”

  “I’m not afraid.”

  “I can vouch for the fact that I like it.” Hal grinned. “Man’s got a magic mouth on him, too. While I’m not exactly experienced in the cock department, he does not leave me unsatisfied.”

  “What about me?” Steve teased.

  “You do not leave me unsatisfied, either.”

  Steve and Hal fist-bumped.

  “How long since you been laid, anyway?” Ken asked Trace. “Been a long time, right? Nobody here is judgy. All I’m sayin’ is if you knocked on my door one night, I wouldn’t turn you away.”

  “Neither would I,” Steve said.

  “Co-signed. Take one for the team, Trace,” Hal teased. “Group bonding, and all that.”

  “What happened to consent?” Trace muttered.

  The humor evaporated from Ken’s features. “Dude. I would never violate anyone’s consent. Period. Chill.”

  “Well, everyone keeps teasing me, and—”

  “Yeah, and look how you assholes teased me into going fucking bungee jumping with you last year,” Ken said. “Perfectly good goddamned bridge, and you bozos want to jump off the fucker. This isn’t any different, except there’s zero risk of death if I fuck you. I’m not good enough for you? Fine. We’ll make sure that topic’s off-limits for you from now on, a’ight, snowflake?”

  The car’s interior devolved into a tense, uncomfortable silence. When Trace glanced back, he saw Ken had crossed his arms over his chest and was glaring out the window.

  “You’re good enough for me,” Trace mumbled.

  “Sure.”

  Trace swallowed back his fear. “I’m sorry. I’m just…” He knew this would get his balls busted, but better that than to piss off his friends. “I wish there was a specific person I could be taking to the club tonight, and…” He knew he’d been an asshole, and maybe admitting the one chink in his armor would help smooth this over. “Arden.”

  The expected round of teasing didn’t immediately commence. He glanced over at Ken, who now stared at him.

  All of them were staring at him.

  Ken finally said it first. “Arden? Our Arden? Denny-girl, our sweet little AA, Arden?”

  “Little Miss Wouldn’t Say Shit If She Had A Mouthful Of It Arden?” Steve asked.

  “I wouldn’t mind a piece of her,” Hal muttered.

  Now all focus shifted to him.

  “What?” Hal asked. “Look, obviously I’m not the only one thinking it.” He pointed at Trace, directly in front of him. “He’s thinking it, I’m thinking it. Steve?”

  Steve shrugged. “Yeah, maybe I’ve wanked a time or two in the shower, thinking about her.”

  “She’s our AA,” Ken reminded them. “You idiots really gonna make the gay guy be the voice of reason here?”

  “You’ve been with women before,” Hal said. “You can’t tell me she doesn’t at least interest you. I hear the way you talk with her. It’s right up against and frenching the line without crossing into sexual harassment. Hell, she’s practically glued to you.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t cross that line, and I let her set the limits. Key points there. Plus she knows I’m gay and doesn’t know I’ve been with women before, a’ight? She sees me as ‘safe.’”

  “Still not answering the question,” Steve said.

  They’d arrived at Venture. Trace parked and left the car running. Now all of them looked at Ken.

  “What?”

  “She’s single,” Trace said.

  “So?”

  “It’d be weird three of us signing on for this and you not,” Trace said.

  “Signing on for what?” Ken asked. “You don’t know she’d be interested in anything!”

  “That one chick was,” Steve said, sounding nostalgic. “Remember right after we sold Collidezkope? The night we went out and celebrated? That waitress we met at the restaurant?”

  “And she was about two paychecks in the bank from having to be a hooker,” Ken said. “And we gave her a thousand-dollar tip, cash, under the table. And after we did she gave us her number and told us she’d be off work in under an hour and asked us to call her. In other words, she approached us.”

  “But I’m saying there are women out there who, any one of us, we would be their ideal dream. Except we all live together.” Steve good-naturedly poked him in the arm. “Can’t break up the band, right? Ruin our mojo?”

  “And we’d also be paying out a damned expensive lawsuit for sexual harassment,” Ken reminded him.

  “Not if we’re careful,” Trace said. “We feel her out. She’s loosened up over the past several weeks. We each start taking her out to lunch, one at a time. Let her get to know us.”

  “I’m all for that,” Hal said. “Hey, I saw her Kindle. She reads some pretty kinky stuff. Ménages, BDSM, books like that. Not like the idea of being poly would shock her.”

  “I read about serial killers and space ships,” Ken said. “Doesn’t mean I want to go to outer space and get anally probed by a little green man, or become a chalk outline.”

  “Then tell us no-go,” Trace said. “You know the rule. If one’s out, we’re all out.”

  “Man, that’s not fair. Y’all gonna blame me, you don’t hook up with her.”

  Trace finally swallowed back his pride, his fear.

  His jealousy that both Hal and Steve had slept with Ken and he…hadn’t.

  Yeah, he knew it was his own doing that he hadn’t, but still.

  In all honesty, he’d thought Ken was just being nice, not serious.

  “I’m not sitting out here all night,” Steve said. He got out and headed to the office.

  Trace shut off the car and got out, prompting Ken and Hal to follow.

  The Saturday night play party was in full swing when they made it from the office and into
the play space. They were going to settle in at a table in the social area with people they’d already met when Steve stopped short.

  “Uh, guys?”

  “What?”

  He pointed through the doorway to the other side of the play space. “Are my eyes deceiving me, or is that Denny?”

  They all looked. Trace felt his heart pounding as they watched the guy—Trace thought his name was Landry—playing with her.

  “That can’t be her,” he numbly said.

  Ken walked out and returned a moment later. “Unless there’s someone else here drives a blue Honda Gold Wing just like hers, that’s her.”

  Chapter Ten

  Arden loved how unapologetically vicious Landry was as a Top. Even better, she could close her eyes and pretend it was one—or all—of the guys actually topping her.

  Every cane stroke, every paddle strike, all of it quieted her mind and filled her with peace even as it left her body sore and aching.

  Tonight, she knew, she’d be wearing out some batteries, for sure.

  When he finally finished with her and she’d had a few minutes on the bench to savor and process it, she wrapped the fleece throw around her and headed for a changing alcove to get dressed. Laid on top of the faint reminders from her play session with Abbey the week before, it felt great.

  In fact, she was humming to herself when she snapped the curtain open and then bit off a startled scream as she froze, eyes wide.

  “Hey there, Denny-girl,” Ken said from where he casually lounged against the doorway. “Funny running into you here.”

  Trace wore an amused smirk, his blue eyes filled with something that looked like deep heat, if she had to guess. Hal was leaning against Steve, and both of them wore wide smiles.

  “I…I…” She swallowed. “I—”

  “It’s okay,” Ken said. “Glad to learn you’re one of us, though. How about we all go sit down and talk for a few minutes?”

  “Y-you’re all—”