Be with Us

Be with Us Lindsay, a conservative librarian, has always fantasized about being with two men who love her and each other. Much to her dismay, two hot men walk into the Toronto library where she works, eager to make that fantasy come true. But, wary of the scandal a ménage relationship would bring, Lindsay sends them away. After being convinced to give them a chance, Lindsay begins to realize how close to reality her fantasy is, until a reminder of her painful past surfaces and her fears take over. Will Lindsay have the courage to seize what she wants, or will she let her past dictate her future? Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre Length: 32,394 words

BE WITH US

Lynn Tyler

MENAGE AMOUR

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer. WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at [email protected]

A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Amour

BE WITH US Copyright © 2011 by Lynn Tyler E-book ISBN: 1-61034-970-9 First E-book Publication: November 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Be with Us by Lynn Tyler from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Lynn Tyler’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Tyler’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION To my husband and parents for encouraging me every step of the way and to J.B. and L.S. for not laughing.

BE WITH US LYNN TYLER Copyright © 2011

Chapter 1 “Woo-hoo! Lindsay, honey, two of the hottest men I have ever seen in my life are checking you out!” Marla whispered excitedly, practically vibrating with enthusiasm. Lindsay smiled at her friend’s exuberance and glanced up from the stack of books she was processing. The two men in question were both tall and sexy as sin. The man on the right, hereby known as Mr. Sexy Number One, was of Asian descent and classically handsome. He wore gray pinstriped slacks and a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top to reveal a delicious stretch of throat. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his arms were crossed over his chest as he leaned back against one of the shelves. His smile spoke of a confidence that bordered on arrogance. Far from being put off, however, Lindsay found herself intrigued. She wanted to figure out what made him tick. Mr. Sexy Number Two, whom she had met several times in the past few weeks, stood next to him, wearing a pair of worn jeans that molded his thighs lovingly and a green T-shirt that she knew exactly matched the color of his eyes. Eyes that were such a startling green she wondered if he wore colored contact lenses. His blond hair glinting in the florescent lights, he leaned close to the first guy and whispered something in his ear.

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Mr. Sexy Number One turned his head so that their lips were nearly brushing. Instead of pulling away, he answered his blond companion before nodding his head. Phew. Was it getting hot in here, or were her hormones suddenly on high alert? One hot man was great, but two hot men together? Way past great and into help-me-Jesus territory. Restraining the urge to fan herself, Lindsay turned to her friend. “I don’t know what they were staring at, but it wasn’t me.” Marla made a tutting noise with her tongue and stared at her disbelievingly. “Girl, are you out of your mind?” she squawked. “The blond has been in here every day for the last three weeks mooning over you.” Lindsay let out a little giggle, amused by her friend’s enthusiasm. Liam, as he’d introduced himself, had been in every day and he always just happened to be in her line. He’d even flirted a little with her. She had been fantasizing about him for days now, specifically about how those green eyes would look in the throes of an orgasm. Would they sparkle or would they darken? Marla sucked in a breath and let it out between her teeth in a little whistle. “Those two are looking at you like you’re an ice cream sundae that they can’t wait to dip their spoons in.” “Marla!” Lindsay gasped, mortified to feel her cheeks heating. God, Marla could say the most outrageous things. She never failed to make Lindsay smile though, and Lindsay had to cover her mouth to hide her scandalized grin. “What?” Marla asked innocently. “Honey, with the way those two are looking at you, you could choose between Mr. Scorching and Mr. Tall Drink of Cool Water right now and take either of them home with you tonight.” Smiling brightly at the patron who stepped up to the counter, she began checking out the books as she leaned over to whisper in her friend’s ear. “Why can’t I have both?” she asked, smiling again at

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woman she was serving. “I think a tall glass of cool water always tastes better after being scorched, don’t you?” The sound of multiple books hitting the floor drew her attention to Marla, and she giggled at the slack-jawed look Marla was aiming her way. It wasn’t often Marla was struck speechless, and Lindsay relished her own cleverness. The thing was, Lindsay wasn’t actually being particularly clever. Two gorgeous men making out in front of her was something she had long fantasized about. Having a threesome with two hot men ranked even higher on the heat meter. The thought of doing the deed with these two men had her clit humming and her panties wet. If she thought about her fantasy men much longer, she would have to sit in the pile of fresh snow building up outside just to cool down. But then she would be forced to admit that winter in southern Ontario did have some benefits, and really, what kind of Canadian would she be if she didn’t complain about the weather? “I hate to burst your bubble, Marl, but I’m not exactly the kind of girl hot men check out. I’m short, ten pounds overweight, wear glasses and I’m a librarian,” she said mournfully. Whirling around and plugging her hands on her hips, Marla glared at her. “You are petite and curvy. Men love that. The only thing holding you back from Mr. Hot and Mr. Hotter is you!” She glanced back over at the two men, and her pleased grin faded. Her initial impression was proven right when the blond put his arm around the other man’s waist, still whispering away, his lips actually brushing they guy’s ear. And from the guy’s expression, the bulge in his pants wasn’t from staring at her. “If only you were right, Marl,” Lindsay said ruefully. “But I’m sad to say that, in this case, it doesn’t matter. It looks like they’re gay.” The two women glanced back at the men and sighed. The blond was now toying with the other guy’s fingers absently.

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Marla moaned dramatically. “Why are all the good ones either taken or gay?” “How do you know they’re good?” Lindsay asked with a small smile. Marla shot her an incredulous look. “Honey, when they are as hot as that, how can they be anything but good?” Giggling under her breath, Lindsay watched the two men out of the corner of her eye. They were certainly staring at something in this direction, but given the way they were holding each other, it wasn’t her. An image of entwining her limbs around both men stormed her brain and left her breathless. God. What would it be like to have two men in her bed, ready to fulfill her every fantasy? Turning her attention to the next patron’s stack of books, she forced her mind away from her steamy thoughts and stretched out her shoulders. At least she would have some faces to put on the men in her imagination when she masturbated tonight. She made a mental note to put fresh batteries in her vibrator when she got home. **** Liam glanced over at his partner, Nick, pleased to see Nick’s fascination with the petite librarian. What he wouldn’t give to see her between the two of them. He could picture it now. The three of them would make love on a nest of pillows in front of the fireplace. The flames would cast the most intriguing shadows on her curvy little body, and he and Nick would spend hours chasing those shadows with their tongues. “See, cher! I told you she was perfect.” Nick rolled his shoulders and leaned casually against a bookshelf. “Have you even spoken with her?” he questioned, though he didn’t take his eyes off the brunette. “Oui,” Liam admitted, licking his lips as Nick rolled up his sleeves and unbuttoned his shirt at the throat. God, he loved it when

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Nick adopted this look. His supposedly straight-laced lover was showing just a hint of his wild side. No one would ever guess that Nick-the-lawyer was a closet bad boy with both his nipples pierced and Liam’s name tattooed on his hip. It was just too bad it was winter and Nick would have to cover up again before they went outside. Although it did mean that Liam would get to strip him to his skin when they got home, and there was nothing he liked to do more. It was like unwrapping a present, only better. Nick crossed his arms over his chest, the movement serving to emphasize his biceps and pulling his shirt a little tighter against his pecks. “So why do you think she’s perfect for us? What’s the basis of your conclusion?” A rush of heat flooded his face, and Liam cursed his fair genes. “I’ve seen her around the library,” he mumbled, reluctant to admit that he had increased his trips to the library simply to talk to her. It was pathetic, really. He made excuses to approach her constantly, asking if the newest releases had come in yet or requesting books to be put on hold. Of course, Nick, being the lawyer that he was, would see right through his lame attempt to beat around the bush. He was going to try beating that bush anyway. “Her name is Lindsay. Nick, she’s so nice and just a little shy. She never has a bad word for anyone, but she can sweet talk anyone into anything, even the really irritating people. She’s exactly what we’ve been looking for. She’s sweet with a core of pure steel.” An incredulous look crossed Nick’s handsome face. “God, Lee. Am I going to have to defend you when she accuses you of stalking her?” Liam smiled contritely. As usual, Nick had him figured out before long. But he hadn’t stalked her. Not really. “At least I didn’t follow her home,” he protested lightly. “Besides. You’re a lawyer for the Crown, not a defense lawyer, dumb ass.” He squirmed slightly when Nick turned his head to look him directly in the face. Their lips were so close they were nearly

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touching. Damn it. Nick knew that just barely brushing his lips would drive him wild. There was little his partner of five years didn’t know about him. His dick hardened instantly. “You’re right. Maybe I’ll just visit you in prison then. I’ve heard that conjugal visits can be pretty hot,” Nick replied with a smug half smile. Liam’s hard-on buzzed happily as he felt Nick’s warm breath bathe his mouth. Fuck. He was so turned on he ached, and there wasn’t even a chance for a quickie any time soon. And the faint scent of Nick’s spicy aftershave wasn’t helping. All he wanted to do was bury his face in the crook of Nick’s neck and lick along the strong column of his throat. He was so horny for his partner you’d think he hadn’t come in a week. But two could play at that game. He waited until Nick had turned back to gaze at the pretty librarian. Slipping his arm around Nick’s waist, he leaned forward and put his lips directly against Nick’s ear. The shiver that raced through his lover’s body sent a shaft of satisfaction through Liam. Nick never could resist having his ear nibbled on. Liam’s lips brushing against it was sure to make Nick pant. Good. Liam wasn’t about to suffer on his own. “Look at her, Nicky,” Liam said, reaching across Nick’s front to play with the fingers on the opposite hand. And if his arm accidentally caressed Nick’s dick, oh well. “Can’t you just see her naked between us?” A whoosh of warm air rushed over Liam’s arm as Nick exhaled forcefully. Nick’s erection pressed harder against his forearm and Liam rubbed against him, just to torment him a little. “Think of that pretty little mouth wrapped around your dick while I’m in her pussy,” he whispered, letting his lips brush directly against Nick’s ear. He couldn’t resist nipping lightly on the lobe, chuckling at Nick’s breathless groan. Thank god Nick’s sex drive was as healthy as his own. He couldn’t wait to get home and get his hands on Nick’s bare

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skin. He leaned closer to Nick, practically nuzzling into him, and brushed a speck of “dust,” off his chest, flicking and tugging on the nipple ring with his fingernail. “Stop that, you jackass,” Nick murmured, squirming restlessly. Nick’s nipples were exquisitely sensitive. The one time Liam had managed to get Nick tied to their bed, he’d played with those little gold rings until Nick had been desperate. One stroke of Liam’s fist on his dick and Nick had shot like a fire hose. “You’re going to get us arrested for public indecency.” The slight smile on his face contradicted his grumpy tone. “That’s Mr. Jackass to you,” Liam answered with a cheeky grin. “You’d get us off in a heartbeat anyway.” He released Nick and leaned back against the shelf again. “Seriously though,” Liam said. “What do you think?” “I think you should hurry up and ask her out. I need to get out of this library. Books make me itch,” Nick answered, scratching at his wrist. Liam perked up even more. “Yeah? You think she could be the one, too?” Nick tossed him an irritated look and scratched his hard abdomen. “You know I don’t say anything I don’t mean. But for the record, I find her intriguing if only for your intense interest in her. Now go and ask her out. Seriously, dude. I think I’m breaking out in a rash.” Shaking his head at his lover’s insistence that he was allergic to books and libraries, Liam pushed himself upright. “Mon dieu, Nick. How did you get through law school?” “Just go talk to her,” Nick grumbled, scratching at his shoulder. Liam smiled confidently and walked over to the circulation desk, where the brunette was diligently processing books. Her faint floral scent, some kind of hand cream maybe, had his dick pounding against his jeans. Since he went commando when he didn’t have to go into the firehouse, he was pretty sure the imprint of his zipper would be

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branded into his dick for hours. Nick would kiss it better when they got home though. One impatient look and another exaggerated scratch on the arm from Nick and Liam knew he’d better get this show on the road. He propped his arms on the desk and grinned charmingly at the little librarian he’d been flirting with for weeks. “Bonjour, Lindsay.”

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Chapter 2 Lindsay nearly swallowed her tongue when Mr. Sexy Number Two, otherwise known as Liam, draped himself over the desk and grinned at her. “Bonjour, Lindsay.” Holy Hannah, he had a voice that could melt butter. Deep and just a little rough, he sounded as if could be a male phone sex operator. His English was softly accented. Lindsay had recognized the French accent immediately during their first conversation a few weeks ago. She was always a sucker for men who spoke French. The first man to ever give her an orgasm had murmured French in her ear the whole time, and now the sound of Canada’s other national language never failed to make her wet. Marla elbowed her in the side, and Lindsay abruptly realized she was staring at him like an idiot. At least she wasn’t slack-jawed and drooling. “Ummm…hi, Liam,” she croaked. The man’s grin deepened, displaying a fabulous set of dimples. “It’s good to see you again. I wanted to introduce you to Nick,” he said, indicating Mr. Sexy Number One. “Anyway, I’ve been trying to work up the courage for this all this week so I’m just going to say it. We were wondering if we could take you out to dinner.” Ohgodohgodohgod. Was this really happening? Lindsay cleared her throat. Then she swallowed. Then she pried the tongue off the roof of her mouth. “Aren’t you gay?” she blurted then winced. Okay, she was officially an idiot. What woman would ever turn down an invitation to have dinner with two hot men? Apparently, she would.

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Liam’s smile faded a little, and Lindsay grieved for the loss of that bright grin. “We’re together, yes, but we’re not strictly gay. And we would really like to take you to dinner.” Mr. Sexy Number One, Nick, apparently, frowned and started making his way over. Panic threatened to overwhelm her. God, what would everyone think of her if she went on a date with two men? The idea of the gossip alone was enough to terrify her. “Ah, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she muttered, dropping her eyes to the pile of books stacked in front of her. “You don’t think it’s a good idea because we’re bisexual?” Liam questioned quietly, his accent thickening slightly. Lindsay flushed but tilted her chin defiantly. She might be an idiot for turning his dinner invitation down. And she may be a coward for not grabbing what she wanted with both hands because she was afraid of the gossip. But she was no bigot, damn it. She looked him dead in the eye. “I don’t care about your sexual orientation,” she whispered fiercely as Nick joined them. Liam opened his mouth to say something else, stopping only when Nick laid his hand on Liam’s arm. “Sorry, Lindsay,” Nick said apologetically. “Liam sometimes gets overenthusiastic when he sees something he wants. We’ll get out of your way now.” She blinked up at Nick as he tugged on Liam’s hand. He handed the other man a heavy leather jacket and Liam shrugged it on as the two retreated to the exit. Lindsay watched them leave, sighing with regret. “Are you crazy, girl?” Marla hissed. “What happened to, ‘can’t I have them both’?” “Marla, are you serious? I can’t go out with two men. What would people say?” Lindsay replied, with not a little disappointment. Eyes rolling skyward, Marla shook her finger in Lindsay’s face. “Who cares what everyone else thinks?” Lindsay blew out a long breath. “I do, Marl. I can’t stand the idea of being a topic of gossip.”

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Marla shook her head. “Gossip is just words, Linds. It can’t hurt you unless you let it.” “That’s not always true,” Lindsay countered. She looked around to make sure there were no patrons needing help before she continued. “When I was a kid, someone started a rumor about my father. It tore my family apart.” Marla patted her arm, her eyes softening with sympathy. “Do you want to talk about it?” Wiping her suddenly sweaty palms on her thighs, Lindsay blew out a pent-up breath. The desk was still quiet so it was now or never. “Someone started a rumor that my dad was having an affair with my Aunt Leanne, my mom’s sister.” “Oh, honey,” Marla crooned sympathetically. Lindsay shook her head. “If that had been the worst of it, I would have had a great childhood.” She pressed her palm to her racing heart, hoping the pressure would be enough to keep it from pounding right out of her chest. “Small towns can be cruel. My father swore up and down that he hadn’t had an affair. Eventually my mother couldn’t take it anymore and left. My aunt left, too. My dad was so angry and depressed, he basically checked out. I pretty much raised myself.” Marla enveloped her in a sympathetic hug, and Lindsay soaked up the feeling. No one had ever reacted this way. All her childhood friends had, at best, abandoned her. At worst, they teased her. As she grew older and developed earlier than the other girls, the boys chased her, desperate to get into her pants. The girls had ignored her or even bullied her, sure she was going to steal their boyfriends. “Oh, sweetie, that must have been so hard on you. Why didn’t you go and live with your mom?” Marla asked. Pulling away, Lindsay hung her head. “I didn’t hear from my mother until I found her five years after she left. By that time I had already graduated from high school and had been accepted into the University of Waterloo. She didn’t want me, Marl.” It still hurt, even

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after all these years, and it pissed her off to no end that she still let her past rule her life. “Well, shame on your mom! You are the most beautiful person I have ever known, inside and out. And I’ll tell you, those two men want you, Linds,” Marla said fiercely. Lindsay twisted her hands anxiously, suddenly plagued with the worry that she had sent her only chance at happiness out the door. What the hell was she going to do now? **** Nick was still shaking his head when Liam pulled up to the house. He’d gotten himself all worked up over that librarian, and Liam had only made it worse with all his teasing. Now he was horny as fuck and pissed off because now it would be harder to convince Lindsay to go out with them. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?” he muttered irritably, needing to take his frustration out on someone. “Yeah, yeah,” Liam replied, slamming his car door harder than he had to and digging into his pocket for his house keys. “I just thought it was better to get the issue out right away.” His accent was so heavy Nick had trouble deciphering his words and he had been with Liam for five years, living with him for four. Liam’s boots thumped on the floor as he stomped off the snow and toed them off. “You thought it was best to ‘get the issue out in the open’?” He framed the offending phrase in air quotes. “God, Lee, you acted like a spoilt two-year-old, ready to throw a tantrum because he didn’t get his way.” “Was I really that bad?” Liam asked, a rather horrified expression crossing his face. Nick’s own shoes joined Liam’s boots, and he led his partner into the family room. “No. But you have to admit, you do tend to pout

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when you don’t get what you want,” Nick said, urging Liam to sit on the couch. Groaning loudly, Liam leaned forward and lowered his head to his hands. “I just wanted her to give us a chance so badly.” The leather couch rocked against the wall as Nick flopped down next to him. He rubbed Liam’s back tenderly and was overcome with the need to soothe. “I know you did, Lee. Look, we’ll send her flowers at work with an apology, another offer for dinner, and our number. Maybe she was just startled.” Liam looked up, his hopeful smile lighting up the room. “Do you think we have a chance?” he asked. Nick grinned as he reached for the phone book. Flipping through the book to the florist section, he located the number to the shop they always used to send flowers to their mothers and sisters. Giving instructions to the florist, he felt his groin tighten. Oh yes, Nick thought. They had a chance. The flash of shy, curious heat in Lindsay’s eyes had given her away. The pretty little librarian was definitely interested in the two of them. Now they just had to convince her to take their offer and run with it. **** “I’m looking for a Lindsay,” the delivery woman said breathlessly as she blew a stray lock of hair out of her face. “That’s me,” Lindsay answered, staring at the large arrangement that had been plunked on the circulation desk. Lord, it was beautiful. Deep red roses, delicate pink orchids, and striking white Calla lilies. Simple, stunning, and sexy as hell. Her kinky imagination perked up immediately, and she pictured strong hands trailing those flowers over her skin. Not just any strong hands. Liam’s and Nick’s hands. The woman reached around the flowers with a clipboard. “Sign here. You are one lucky woman,” she sighed dreamily. “Liam and

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Nick send their mothers flowers at least once a month. They’re great guys. Sex on a stick, too.” Lindsay watched the delivery woman disappear into the snow as her coworkers and several patrons gathered to coo over the flowers. Plucking the card from the middle of the bouquet, Lindsay turned her back on the crowd to give herself some sense of privacy and opened the envelope. Lindsay, Please accept our sincerest apologies for our forwardness this afternoon. We did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable or to put you on the spot. We would like to make it up to you by making you dinner. If you would do us the honor of having dinner with us, please call. If we don’t hear from you, we will assume your answer is no, and we will not bother you again. Sincerely, Nick Nakamura and Liam Pelletier Lindsay held the card close to her chest as she breathed out a sigh of relief. She hadn’t blown her chance at her fantasy after all. It was all she could do to stop herself from picking up the desk phone and calling them right then and there. “Who would send mousy little Lindsay flowers?” a voice sneered from behind her, inspiring visions of murder and mayhem. Damn, damn, double damn. Horrible Heather must have come to work to fill in for another employee. Heather delighted in making everyone around her miserable and especially enjoyed picking on Lindsay. Marla immediately jumped to Lindsay’s defense. “Lots of people would send Lindsay flowers. In fact, two of the yummiest men I have ever seen asked her out just this afternoon.”

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“Perhaps they are gay and are looking for a straight friend,” Heather said waspishly. Heat flooded Lindsay’s face, and she was sure her cheeks were as red as the maple leaf on the flag displayed in the corner. She cursed her fair skin even as she met Heather’s derisive gaze. She had endured far worse than that as a teenager, and she would be damned if she would back down now. “Not that it’s any of your business, but the flowers are from the men who asked me out.” Heather rolled her eyes and made a show of tossing her long blond hair over her shoulder. “It’s probably just a joke. Even if it’s not, Little Lindsay couldn’t handle even one man, let alone two.” Lindsay’s heart sank just a little. Two men loving her and loving each other might be her fantasy, but did she have it in her to overcome her fear of discovery?

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Chapter 3 Winter sucked. Lindsay stomped the snow off her boots and scowled at the puddles of water spreading on her cheap linoleum floor. Why, oh why couldn’t Toronto be located in Jamaica? And why had she taken the subway to work again? She had a perfectly good car. She placed the flowers carefully on her kitchen table before blowing on her frozen hands. She had stupidly left her gloves at home this morning. In her defense, the temperature had dropped significantly since she had left this morning. Ah…winter in Canada. Lindsay shuffled into the bathroom and began filling the tub, entertaining herself by imagining a beach, margaritas, and cabana boys. Soaking in a hot bath was the only way she could get warm on winter days like this. Being between two big, warm men in an even bigger bed would be even better. Plucking the card out of her purse, she gazed at the number. Did she dare? Uncorking a bottle of wine, Lindsay carried it into the bathroom along with a glass, the card, and a cordless phone. She eased her body into the hot, oiled water and poured herself a glass of Chardonnay. Swallowing a mouthful of the wine, she gathered her courage around herself like a blanket and dialed their number. “Hello?” A bolt of sensation shot through her and settled between her legs. That voice was like rough velvet scraping along her spine. If this was how it affected her over the phone, imagine what it would do to her as he made love to her.

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“Hello?” he said again. Lindsay snapped out of her reverie. “Hi. It’s Lindsay,” she said softly. “Hello, Lindsay. This is Liam,” he purred. Of course it was Liam. The French accent had given him away. Her nipples tightened and stood out like pencil erasers. She tweaked one of her nipples, pulling on it just a little. Suddenly, she was so turned on she wasn’t sure how she was going to make it through this phone call without needing to make herself come. Maybe she had a French fetish. “Lindsay? Are you still there, chérie?” Liam questioned. “Yes,” she breathed. Did that breathy, sexy voice really come out of her? Oh, god, now she was the one who sounded like a phone sex operator. “I just wanted to thank you and Nick for the flowers. They are beautiful.” “You are very welcome,” he replied. Lindsay could practically hear the smile in Liam’s voice. “Did you get the card, too?” “I did,” she confirmed throatily, still channeling her inner phone sex operator. She waited with nervous anticipation for Liam’s next words. Would he understand? “I guess you know that you’ve agreed to have dinner with us then,” he said. Lindsay’s mouth quirked, and she released a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. A scuffle sounded in the background. “Lee, you have no filter between your brain and your mouth, you know that?” Nick said impatiently. “Give me the phone!” “No,” Liam replied petulantly. “Stop being a dumb ass.” Lindsay stifled a giggle at their antics and took another sip of wine. She could just see the two of them wrestling for the phone. Now, get them naked and covered in oil and she’d be set! Suddenly Nick’s voice came on the line. “I’m sorry, Lindsay. I’m going to have to get a muzzle for Liam.”

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“Shut up, you cheater. And I don’t care what you say. Putting it on speakerphone is cheating,” Liam complained, although the amusement and affection in his voice gave him away. Not even bothering to try and hold back, Lindsay tipped her head back and laughed out loud, delighted with the both of them. Funny, playful, obviously affectionate and hot! Thank goodness she had swallowed her fear and called them. “We would really like to make dinner for you,” Nick said seriously, his tone softening. “What do you say?” Lindsay refilled her wine glass, surprised to find the glass threequarters empty. “I’ll come,” she said. “Oh, chérie,” Liam groaned. “The thought of you coming makes me so hard.” All the blood in her body rushed to her clit and forced it out from under its hood. Her pussy throbbed with desire, and she had to restrain herself from sliding her hand down her belly and stroking herself. She shifted restlessly, causing the water to splash softly on the sides of the tub. “Lindsay,” Nick crooned. “Baby, do I hear water?” “I’m in the bath,” she whispered in what she hoped was a sexy way. Oh, this was fun. She had always had a healthy sexual appetite and an extremely active imagination, but no man would have ever classified her as particularly sexy. Cute, fresh, friendly, sure. But certainly not a sex goddess. Talking to these two men was exciting and made her feel desirable without feeling silly. Liam groaned again and muttered something in French. “Oh, Lindsay. You know Liam’s turned on when he starts speaking French,” Nick murmured. “Bath tubs turn him on?” Lindsay teased. Liam chuckled huskily. “Chérie, the idea of you naked in water, all wet and slippery, that is what gets me hot,” he said, his accent heavy and thick.

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She took another swallow of her drink and placed her glass on the edge of the tub. “I was cold,” she said. The wine must have made her braver than normal because she continued. “It’s too bad you guys aren’t here. I’m sure that between the two of you, you could figure out a different way to warm me up.” A breath caught on the other end of the line. She thought she heard the metal grind of a zipper and squirmed. Her clit was pounding for attention, the sucker probably sticking straight out. “Tell me,” Nick whispered, “are there bubbles in your bath?” Liam swore softly in the background, and fabric rustled rhythmically. She could easily picture his large hand fisting around his cock and stroking himself off. She let her hand wander back to her breast and cupped it in her palm. It was swollen and heavy, the tip aching. “Bath oil,” she answered. “I like the way it makes my skin feel so…slick.” “Oh, God, I love bath oil,” Nick ground out. “Baby, I’ve got to warn you, you are really turning us on.” Lindsay’s alcohol-related buzz urged her on. “Why don’t you do something about it?” she challenged. “Merde,” Liam swore. “Chérie, I’ve been doing something about it for the last five minutes. But tell me, what are you doing about it?” Lindsay took a deep breath and plunged in. “What do you want me to do about it?” “Baby, you let Liam tell you what to do,” Nick growled. “I’m going to suck him off.” An image of Nick’s dark head hovering over Liam’s erection was nearly her undoing. A small moan of longing slipped from her throat, and she swallowed thickly. “All right,” she whispered. “Chérie,” Liam panted. “Touch your breasts. How do they feel?” She nearly dropped the headset at his command. “Oh,” she whimpered into the phone, “let me put it on speakerphone so I don’t drop it.” She pressed the button, and the room was immediately filled

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with Nick’s slurping sounds. “Now, tell me how those beautiful breasts feel. She cupped her breasts, palming the suddenly heavy weight. “Swollen,” she sighed, “sensitive.” Liam growled aggressively. “Take your right hand and use your first finger and your thumb to pinch your nipple,” he commanded on a hiss. “Imagine that it’s my mouth tugging on you.” She did as she was told, tugging and rolling her tight nipple. “Okay.” She couldn’t hold back the small whimper of pleasure rising in her throat. “Mon dieu, chérie, I’m not going to last,” Liam admitted on a strangled moan. “Take your other hand and slide it down your stomach. I want you to touch your clit. I bet it’s a pretty pink, isn’t it?” Oh, it was pink all right. It was also swollen and throbbing from his words alone. She did as he asked, slipping her fingers through her curls and into her folds. The light touch of her finger intensified her need, but she usually masturbated with her right hand, which she told them. “Switch hands,” Liam ordered. “Tell me what you’re doing.” Lindsay gasped as she stroked the hidden bundle of nerves but she was determined she wasn’t going to be the only one following orders. “Tell me what Nick is doing to you,” she countered. “Tell me…are you sitting down with him kneeling between your legs?” “We’re lying down on our bed,” Liam replied roughly. “Nick is deep-throating me.” “Nick, suck only on his head,” she commanded hotly. God, what she wouldn’t give to see Liam’s hard dick sink into Nick’s willing mouth. She flicked her finger over her straining clit and sank two fingers into her clenching pussy. “I’m close,” she panted, amazed at the speed at which she’d managed to get worked up. Little zaps of sensation were firing along her body, from the base of her spine to her neck and

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back again. It was like she was one giant nerve, conditioned to respond only to orders from these men. A slurping sound ripped through the air, and Nick’s voice came back on the line. “Baby, turn the water on.” When she complied, adjusting the temperature to one she liked, Nick spoke again. “Position yourself so that the stream hits your pussy. Then part your lips with your fingers and let it flow directly against your clit.” The sound of Nick going back down on Liam came over the line. Lindsay did as she was told, automatically obeying Nick’s commanding tone. She parted her labia with her right hand, fully exposing her clit to the rush of water. A gasp jammed in her throat at the feeling and she slid two fingers on her right hand into her sheath. She had never felt anything like this before, and she immediately rushed head-on toward climax. As if reading her mind, Liam groaned. “Let yourself go. But you need to tell me when you come.” Her back arched and knees locked as her fingers sped up. Her eyes closed, and she knew it wouldn’t be long. An explosion detonated, her muscles clenched around her fingers and her swollen clit flexed furiously against the onslaught of rushing water. Instantly, her entire world was reduced to the sensations between her legs. “I’m coming,” she breathed softly, barely able to force the words past her lips. “Oh, I’m coming so hard.” **** The quiet, breathy sounds of Lindsay’s orgasm urged Liam on as Nick fluttered his tongue against the small knot of nerves at the base of his head. Tumbling over the edge, he spurted into Nick’s willing mouth as he hummed in approval. Mon dieu, what an experience. His lungs heaved with his struggle to suck in enough oxygen, and he met Nick’s eyes as they listened to Lindsay gasp for breath.

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Nick fisted himself and drew his hand down his rigid cock, a tiny drop of pre-cum glistening at the red tip. He ran his thumb through the fluid and smoothed it across the mushroom shaped head, groaning softly as he began to jack his shaft slowly. The glint in Nick’s eyes told Liam he’d better get his ass ready. “Lindsay,” he said urgently before Nick could mount him and he totally lost his mind, “we’ll pick you up at five tomorrow night if you tell us where to meet you.” He rooted around in the drawer and extracted a bottle of Astroglide. Lubing up two of his fingers, Liam listened for Lindsay’s answer even as he lowered his hand to prepare himself for the fuck of a lifetime. Or the week, anyway. The fuck of a lifetime would be when Lindsay finally joined them in bed for the first time. “Actually, I work until eight. I’d rather drive myself, if you don’t mind,” Lindsay said softly, almost apologetically, dragging Liam’s attention from the cock about to enter his ass and back to the matter at hand. “Of course, chérie. Let me tell you how to get here.” Liam watched Nick crawl onto the bed and make his way upward. He reached over and slicked up Nick’s dick and planted his feet on the mattress so that he was completely open to his lover. Liam concentrated on speaking to Lindsay, hearing his voice deepen and go gravelly when he felt the naked head of Nick’s cock bump against his hole. They had been doing it raw for four years, after doing the whole test-wait, re-test-wait thing and having been monogamous for almost five years. A cell phone beeped as Liam was giving her directions. Nick dropped his head to Liam’s chest but reached over to the nightstand to grab his phone, causing his dick to press into Liam just a little. Liam lifted his hips to force Nick a little deeper. One look at Nick’s disappointed face, though, told Liam all he had to know. Nick had to go back to work. “Lindsay,” Nick interrupted as he pulled on his pants, “a client wants to settle a case before we go to trial tomorrow. I’ve got to go

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back to work and start the paperwork right away. Thank you for tonight.” Liam finished his conversation with their librarian, confirming times and declining her offer to bring dessert as he watched Nick shrug into a button-down shirt. Disconnecting reluctantly with Lindsay, he rose and padded across the room. Taking the tie from Nick, he slipped it around Nick’s neck and knotted it expertly. He loved the small intimacies that being in a committed relationship offered. Liam used the tie to tug his partner closer and kissed him lightly. “That was amazing,” he mumbled against Nick’s lips. “Yeah, for you.” Nick dropped his hand to reposition his impressive erection. The plush carpet was thick and soft under Liam’s bare feet, and he curled his toes in it appreciatively. This carpet was perfect for making love on, which had been the main consideration when choosing it. “I’ll make it up to you later,” he said, brushing an imaginary piece of lint off Nick’s shoulder just so he could keep touching him. “You’d better,” Nick grunted. “I’m going to be stuck with this hard-on for the rest of the night.” Liam bent his head and kissed Nick deeply. “Let me help you take the edge off, Nicky.” Normally Nick would let the need build until he couldn’t wait any longer, but neither of them had any idea how long he would be at work. Liam knew he’d won when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder and pushed him down roughly. “Fine,” Nick growled low in his throat. “Suck me off.” Working quickly, Liam released Nick from his pants. Sucking the head straight into his mouth, Liam ran the piercing in his tongue along the flared edge of Nick’s hard dick before grinding it into the small nerve-rich area at the base of the head. He grinned around the dick in his mouth at the shiver that ran through Nick’s body. This was exactly why he’d gotten the damn

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piercing to begin with. It had hurt like hell when he’d had it done, but the week of baby food was worth Nick’s reaction every time. Fingers wove their way through Liam’s hair and yanked him closer. “I said suck it, not lick it.” Liam eased that delicious dick down his throat as far as he could, until his nose was buried in the sparse curls at Nick’s groin, and he swallowed, all the while flicking his piercing against the root. He felt Nick swell even more, and the smooth breathing morphed into a rough panting that signaled the beginning of an orgasm. Pulling away slightly, Liam wrapped his hand around the shaft and jacked it quickly. He pressed the ball in his tongue into the slit in the tip of the head and cupped his partner’s balls, pulling gently in time with his jerking hand. A quick intake of breath was all Liam heard before his mouth was flooded with salty, slightly bitter semen. He drank it all down, giving Nick’s dick one last loving lick before letting him go. “Better?” Nick sucked in a huge breath and shuddered. “Yeah.” He stood, dazed, as Liam placed him back behind the trouser zipper before tucking his shirt back in. “Yeah, thanks.” Liam walked him to the front door, his arm wrapped tightly around Nick’s waist. He ran his hand across Nick’s tight ass as he bent to put on his shoes. “I love you,” Nick said, cupping the back of Liam’s neck and kissing him. “Love you, too,” Liam replied and closed the door behind his lover. Standing in the front window, he watched Nick’s car until its headlights disappeared around the corner. It got dark so early in the winter, it was almost depressing. He stepped back, well aware he was still nude and semi-erect. Thankfully no one had been around to get an eyeful. Thoughts and ideas swirled around Liam’s head, all focused on romance and seduction. Lindsay might have been responsive over the phone, but he had a sneaking feeling that she would balk at a fancy,

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over-the-top dinner until she was used to the idea of being with two men. A nice, family style meal at the kitchen table followed by dessert in the family room should work nicely. Relaxed, yet intimate. Exactly what he was going for. Oh sure, he could set the mood for seduction. And given how Lindsay had responded tonight, she could probably be persuaded into that seduction. But Liam sensed some uncertainty in Lindsay. Downright fear, actually. And the last thing he and Nick wanted was for her to run scared. They weren’t looking for a one-night stand. They were looking for another permanent life partner. Clapping his hands hard enough to sting, Liam walked into the kitchen and stood naked in front of the shelf of his cookbooks. He would cook up some Italian food. Simple, rustic, but still sensual. Perfect. Hopefully, tomorrow night would be the first night of the rest of their lives.

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Chapter 4 Lindsay leaned back against the leather couch, sipping at her wine slowly. Her cheeks actually hurt from smiling so much. Nick and Liam had regaled her with amusing stories of their day, argued over a newly proposed bylaw and told her about their families. The three of them had discussed books, even though Nick claimed he was allergic to books of all kinds. They had talked about the Maple Leafs’ chance for winning the Stanley Cup this season, much to Liam’s disgust. She had praised Liam’s homemade bruschetta and Nick’s choice of wine. She knew that Liam had been born in Quebec, was still outraged over the sale of the Quebec Nordiques, was a firefighter, played rugby, and loved to cook. She knew that Nick was third-generation Canadian, a lawyer, a die-hard Maple Leaf fan, and played hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the summer. The two men loved and were loved, deeply, by each other and their families. She seemed to know everything about them except where they planned to take their relationship with her. She like everything about them, even their home. Nick had explained how he and Liam had toiled over this house for months. Every piece of millwork had been lovingly fashioned by Liam’s own hands. The two of them had personally plastered every wall and restored every plank of the hardwood floor. According to Nick, there were buckets of blood and sweat in this house. Literally. The location, Finch and Bayview, was a great one. Close to schools, shopping, and work with easy access to the TTC.

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“Still awake, beautiful?” Nick asked, the couch dipping slightly as he sat down next to her. She blinked sleepily, surprised to find that her eyes had drifted closed as she’d ruminated about their evening. “Mmm,” she murmured. “I’m tired.” Nick took the wine glass from her and tugged her closer until their sides pressed together. “Too tired for dessert?” he asked teasingly. “It’s tiramisu…” “Did Liam make it?” she asked, her eyes closing again. God, that man really knew his way around a kitchen. They’d had a tomato and mozzarella salad to start, although where Liam had managed to find such succulent tomatoes was beyond her. It wasn’t as if they grew in abundance in the middle of winter. They’d then eaten their way through a delicious vegetable soup and a pasta dish with pesto, all made from scratch by the blond culinary genius. A throaty chuckle caused her to smile. “You’ve already developed a taste for Liam’s cooking, eh?” Nick commented as he lifted a bite of the rich dessert to her lips. “The guys at the station love it when it’s Liam’s turn to cook. Me, I barbeque a mean T-bone, but that’s about it.” She accepted the forkful, and this time when she closed her eyes, it was in ecstasy. “Oh, lord,” she moaned. “It’s almost as good as sex.” A deeper laugh sound from the doorway and she found Liam walking in with a tray in his hands. “Chérie”—Liam laughed—“if the tiramisu is as good as sex, you haven’t been with the right partners.” The coffee, mugs, sugar, and cream rattled, and she admired his strong hands as he lowered it to the coffee table. Coffee and tiramisu. Manna from heaven. Except if she drank coffee now she would be up all night. And Liam probably made the best coffee, too. “Don’t worry, chérie,” Liam said, reading her pout correctly, “it’s decaf.”

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He added an obscene amount of sugar to one cup, filled it with coffee and added three splashes of cream. “How do you like your coffee, Lindsay? As you can see, Nick likes his so sweet it’s hardly coffee,” he said as he set Nick’s mug on the table in front of him. “Double-double, please,” she answered, smiling when Liam grunted in disgust. “You people do not appreciate good coffee,” he muttered goodnaturedly as he doctored her cup. He handed it to her as he sat down close to her other side. Lindsay let herself sag into Nick as Liam scooted even closer. A warm, hard man on either side of her. Her ultimate sexual fantasy, and here she was, too tired to do anything about it. She covered a yawn and sighed in contentment as Nick started playing with her hair and Liam twined his fingers through hers. This evening had been completely relaxed and intimate, and though technically casual, there had been nothing casual about it. She was completely at ease with these two men, as if they had been together for years instead of on a first date. She loathed the idea of leaving. Dropping her head to Nick’s shoulder as he continued to pet her hair, she savored the sensation of Liam’s warm, callused hand cradling her own. What she wouldn’t give to just let them sweep her up and tuck her into that huge bed she had seen when they had given her the grand tour. They would take care of her. They would keep her warmer than her electric blanket, she was sure. Lindsay smothered another yawn and slowly straightened to a stand, mourning the loss of comfort and lazy closeness. “I should go while I’m still awake enough to drive,” she said reluctantly. The guys stood up and walked her to the door. “Thank you for dinner,” Lindsay said, suddenly overcome by shyness. The end of the date was always the part Lindsay sucked at. She never knew if she should leave with a handshake, a hug, or a kiss. And it was time to

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add jumping their bones and begging them to take her to bed to that list. “You’re welcome, chérie,” Liam said. “We’re very happy you came. Well, to dinner, anyway.” She could feel the smile starting to spread across her face. “I am, too. To dinner, that is.” She absolutely loved how playful these two men could make her. No one had ever inspired that in her before. “Would you let me take you out for dinner tomorrow night?” Nick asked, sounding hopeful. He was shuffling from side to side like a little boy, and it suddenly dawned on her that he was nervous. Nick, the confident lawyer, was nervous she would turn him down. “Just you?” Lindsay asked, surprised. Liam shrugged ruefully and wrapped his arm around Nick’s waist, silently providing support. “I start a twenty-four-hour shift in the morning.” “So what do you say, beautiful? Dinner for two?” Nick asked. Her heart pounded with anticipation. They wanted to see her oneon-one! Perhaps they were seriously considering a relationship with her. “I would be happy to go out with you. I work until eight again though.” Nick pulled away from Liam and velvety lips caressed her temple as Nick bent down to kiss her. “I have lots of work I can do at the office, trust me. Can I pick you up?” Nodding, Lindsay accepted Liam’s help with her jacket. “Yes, thank you.” She stood there, looking up at the two men, slightly uncomfortable at the sudden silence. At a complete loss for something to say, she settled for licking her dry lips. Liam gave a small growl and stepped a little closer. “Chérie, I’m dying to kiss you. Please, please let me kiss you.” Lips aching for his, she nodded breathlessly. “Thank you,” he breathed before he touched his mouth gently to hers.

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Oh, it was heaven. It was the kind of kiss you only read about in romance novels. Long and slow and just right. When he cupped the back of her neck for a better angle, she sighed. When the hand on her waist pulled her close enough to feel a rigid erection brush against her belly, she shivered. And when he pulled his mouth away and rested his forehead against hers, she groaned in disappointment. “You kiss like a dream,” Liam panted, his cock actually twitching against her stomach. A pair of hands gently separated them, and Nick took Liam’s place. “My turn,” he said gruffly. Nick’s kiss was totally different but just as arousing. He took her lips aggressively, using his teeth and tongue to tease, cajole, and explore. Crowding her, he backed her against Liam’s front so that she was surrounded by both of them. Liam’s arms wrapped around her and cupped Nick’s hips so that he was holding them both. It felt so right to be here with them, pressed between their hard, straining bodies. She knew that if they stripped her and took her right here, she wouldn’t object. In fact, the plea for them to do just that was so close to the surface she almost screamed with frustration when Nick ended the kiss. “My god, Lindsay,” he gasped, resting his head in the crook of her neck, “that was indescribable.” Holy Hannah, Lindsay was on fire. The lace of her bra irritated her swollen, sensitive nipples, and her panties were wet and sticky. The two hard cocks pressing against her, both front and back, weren’t helping. Pressing her thighs together, she squirmed restlessly between them, causing both men to groan and grind against her. Liam took a step back, and the sudden rush of air was cold on her back. “We’d better stop now,” Liam said, his accent thick. Nick straightened and nodded. “We want you too much,” he explained. “We want to do this slowly.” Lindsay had to smile at the way Nick practically choked on the last word. She doubted Nick ever took anything slow. Her suspicion

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was confirmed when he muttered something about dying of frustration. Smothering a giggle, she wiggled her fingers in a wave. “I’ve really got to go home now,” she said with a grin. Waggling his eyebrows suggestively, Liam grabbed her wrist and spun her around so that she faced him. “In a rush to get home and take the edge off?” he asked wickedly. Oh no. She wasn’t going to let him embarrass her now. She could give it as good as she could take it. “Yep. My vibrator and I have a hot date. What about you two? Are the two of you going to run upstairs and have hot, sweaty sex the minute I drive away?” She shot them a wink and a salacious smirk. Liam’s mouth dropped open, and a dusky flush crept over his face. Laughing, Nick wound his arm around Liam’s hips and cupped his crotch. “Why yes, yes we are,” he said conversationally as he fondled the other man through his pants. “And we’ll be imagining you between us the whole time.” Lindsay’s cheeks heated, and Nick laughed again, clearly delighted that both of them blushed so easily. He let go of Liam, seized her and gave her a brief, hard kiss. “You’d better go before we decide to forget our decision to take things slowly.” Her pussy flooded again, but Nick was right. She wasn’t quite ready to take on the two of them. She slipped on her shoes and smiled shakily when the two men escorted her to her car. “Call us when you get home,” Liam said. He waited until she nodded before shutting her car door. Oh lordy, she needed to get home quickly. The sight of Nick fondling Liam had her hot and bothered and led to her imagining them naked, in bed, and doing things that got her even hotter and more bothered. Her little silver bullet was going to get a workout tonight. Maybe she should invest in a battery company.

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Chapter 5 The nervous anticipation that had plagued Lindsay all day evaporated in the face of Nick’s easy-going company. Sitting across from him in the semi-quiet corner of the sports bar he’d taken her to, her hand held securely by his, Lindsay was shocked at how natural the whole situation felt. Even the flirty phone call from Liam halfway through dinner felt normal. Working their way through an enormous brownie sundae, Lindsay gathered the courage to ask the one prominent question on her mind. “So…what are your intentions?” she blurted. Oh god, she sounded like an idiot. All she had to do was add the “toward my daughter” and she could have been a father grilling his precious baby’s first boyfriend. Not that her dad would have bothered to grill any dates, never mind the fact that she had never gone a date while she had been living at him. But still. Nick’s eyes widened slightly at her bald question, but otherwise he showed no reaction. “My intentions or our intentions?” he asked, clearly meaning him and Liam. Glad he was taking her question seriously, she squeezed his hand appreciatively. “Both.” Smiling tenderly, Nick turned his hand so they were palm to palm and laced his fingers through hers. “Liam and I have been looking for another permanent partner for a while now,” he said quietly. “We think that partner might be you.” Lindsay’s stomach flipped over with a healthy dose of fear. Permanent partner. That meant being with them openly. Being seen with both of them in public. Together. Given at how physically

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affectionate both men seemed to be, there would be little chance of hiding their relationship. God, the scandal it would cause. The gossip. Lindsay’s life had already been ruined by scandal and gossip once. She didn’t know if she could survive it again. As if sensing her sudden hesitation and imminent withdrawal, Nick plowed on. “For tonight, well, tonight my intentions pretty much center on getting you to invite me in and letting me kiss you senseless.” He rubbed the inside of her wrist with his thumb enticingly as he smiled at her hopefully, his dark eyes sparkling at her. The sick dread that had been growing by leaps and bounds was immediately eclipsed by a flood of lust. Dismissing her anxiety temporarily, she put down her spoon and pushed away the sundae. “Well, you’ve convinced me,” she said brazenly. “Take me home, good sir.” The drive to her apartment complex went by quickly, and with each passing block, Lindsay found it harder and harder to quell her growing apprehension. When she used her key to let them in the complex’s secured door, her hand shook visibly. A single glance in the elevator’s warped mirror showed a pale, wide-eyed woman who looked like she was on the edge of some kind of breakdown. By the time they got to her unit, her hands were shaking so hard she could barely get the key in the lock. Nick saved her the trouble, taking the key from her nerveless fingers, and opened the door before nudging her inside. She concentrated on taking her coat off while she tried to gather herself back together. Holy Hannah, should she offer him coffee? Wine? She was totally out of her element. Turning to Nick, Lindsay took a sudden step back, startled by the burning intensity in his expression. “Any chance I could talk you into that kiss?” At her mute nod, he moved in slowly, carefully, completely at odds with the urgent hunger reflected on his face. He cupped her chin and touched her mouth softly, running his thumb across her lower lip.

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She flicked out her tongue and licked the tip of his thumb quickly, astonished by her own boldness. Nick’s eyes flared, the pupils dilating suddenly. Breathing hard, he kissed her, a string of short, deep, demanding kisses that left them both breathless and aching. Lips tingling, Lindsay stared up at Nick. His pulse pounded visibly in his throat, and his lust was clearly printed across his face. He looked so good standing there, so deliciously aroused. Throwing caution to the wind, she used his tie to drag him down and attacked his neck with small love bites followed by soothing strokes of her tongue. A sound rose from his chest, a purr almost, and he gathered her closer. Her legs left the floor, and she vaguely realized he was lifting her against him. Wrapping her legs around his waist, Lindsay hoisted herself higher so that she could reach his mouth. He kissed her fiercely, his tongue darting in and out, exploring deeply and generally bossing her own tongue around with expertise. It took her a second to grasp that Nick was moving, the action causing her pelvis to rub against his hard abs. “Need to get to the couch,” he mumbled against her mouth. She used the opportunity to nibble on his ear, biting down and pulling on the lobe gently, smiling when he shivered and massaged her butt. So his ears were a hot spot. She filed that bit of information away as she busily worked on loosening his tie. He dropped her on the couch with a plop and ripped the tie off, flinging it over his shoulder. Before she could utter a word of protest against his actions, he sat down next to her and pulled her over him so that she straddled his lap. They made out like teenagers for what seemed like hours, shifting and sliding against each other with abandon. Somewhere along the line their clothing had disappeared until she was clad only in her blue lace bra, matching panties, stay-up stockings and heels. “Oh god,

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baby. If I’d have known what you were wearing under your sweater and skirt, I would have died.” Nick was down to his underwear himself, black cotton briefs that were currently tented by an impressive erection. Nick defined masculine beauty. His body was long and lean, the muscles well defined. Gold hoops dangled from his nipples as he stood before her, and he moaned when she touched one softly with the tip of her finger. Well, he obviously liked that. Nick was a study in dichotomies. On the outside, he appeared to be straitlaced and conservative. Strip him down and he was all rebel, complete with piercings and a tattoo peeking out from his underwear. God, she just wanted to lap him up. Bending, Lindsay took one ring in her mouth, tugging on it gently with her teeth before lapping at the nipple. She used her hand to pull and twist the ring gently, thrilled with the growl the action elicited. “Lindsay…you need to stop.” He groaned again when she played with the rings more aggressively. He caught her hands in his and pressed them to his chest. “Listen, baby. That feels too good. You need to slow down and let me take over. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.” She acquiesced, letting go of his nipple rings and cupping his face in both palms. “Okay,” she murmured, staring into his fathomless dark eyes, “I trust you.” “Thank you.” Nick positioned her so she straddled his hips again and cupped the back of her neck, tugging her down for a kiss. He took her mouth by storm, using his lips, tongue, and teeth until she forgot about kissing him back and just let him take her where he wanted them to go. He moved his lips to her ear, sucking on her lobe for a second before nuzzling into her jaw. Lindsay tilted her head back, baring her throat, and twined her fingers in his hair as he nipped at the delicate tendon just under her ear and down the side of her neck. She was creaming so hard and fast she was sure Nick would be able to feel it

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through their underwear. She had never gotten this wet, this ready, so quickly in all her life. Hell, not even her favorite vibrator was able to get her this hot. Mouthing her nipple through the lace, alternately sucking and biting, Nick grabbed her hips and rocked her against him. Her hypersensitive clit rubbed directly against the ridge of his cock at just the right angle causing a series of detonations to explode at the base of her spine. Lindsay cried out, her whole body shuddering as the spasms of her orgasm thundered through her. Nick’s fingers tightened on her waist, and he pumped his hips urgently against hers. The look of agonized ecstasy and the way he said her name, as if he were uttering a prayer, drew out her climax until it was impossibly long. She collapsed into him, burying her face against his throat, and floated on the blissed-out, postorgasmic feeling. This must be what drug addicts felt after a fix. Oh, god. If being with Nick was this intense, being with the both of them would kill her. But at least she’d die with a smile on her face. **** Nick closed his eyes and ran his hands down Lindsay’s spine as she relaxed into him. He hadn’t meant to take things this far, but it had been all he could do to keep his dick in his briefs when he’d felt the scalding-hot cream of Lindsay’s orgasm soak through both of their underwear. He had ended up coming in his shorts instead, something he hadn’t done since he was sixteen. Liam would have a heyday when he found out. And he would find out because there was no fucking way he could keep how damn hot Lindsay was to himself. The cooling mess between his legs spurred him to action. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get cleaned up.” He chuckled when all she did was murmur a sleepy protest and cuddle closer like a drowsy kitten.

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As much as he loved cuddling with this particular kitten, he didn’t relish the idea of peeling off his underwear once his spunk had dried. Gently lifting her off him, he bundled her in a blanket that had been draped across the back of the couch and settled her against the cushions. “You just sit tight, kitten. Let me take care of things.” Nick wandered to the back of the apartment toward the bedroom and bathroom. A quick stop in the bedroom to gather a silk robe and a trip to the bathroom for a warm, wet cloth provided everything he needed. Lindsay was still sitting in the same position when he got back, her head leaning against the couch and a sleepy little grin curving her lips. A jolt of satisfaction shot through him. He loved the knowledge that he had put that satisfied smile on her mouth. It was as good as the look on Liam’s face when Nick completely fucked him out. She sat docilely as Nick unwound the blanket from around her shoulders but jumped when he stripped off her sodden panties. “Relax,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her. “I’m just going to clean both of us up.” The sweet scent of feminine arousal and the creamy proof of her climax clung to the lace, and he dropped them on the floor before he could stuff them in his pocket. That would look too weird. Instead, he lifted the cloth between her legs and began cleaning her gently. He started with her thighs, laying soft kisses on the inside of each thigh between strokes. Moving slowly, he stroked one cloth-covered finger over her puffy labia, marveling at how pink she was. How perfect she was. He continued his ministrations carefully, only looking up when a tiny moan sounded from above. “Sensitive?” “Yes,” she said tightly, her eyes closing. “Good sensitive or bad?” Nick asked, fervently hoping it was the former. “Good…oh…very good,” she gasped. “Ooohhh, you’d better stop.”

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The nub of her clit flexed once and promptly swelled from under its hood, totally at odds with her words. “Your pretty little clit doesn’t think I should stop.” The nubbin twitched again, and Nick imagined that it was begging, pleading for his attention. He used his fingers to part her lips and gazed at her, smiling when she spoke up. “Yes, well, my clitoris is not the boss. And I really need to get some sleep.” The defiant tone of her voice turned Nick on immensely. He loved a challenge. “But if I stop now, you’ll be too turned on to sleep. Let me take care of you.” Glancing up at her again, Nick plowed straight on. “If I fingered you right now, would it be uncomfortable or could you come?” Lindsay blushed to the roots of her hair but tilted her head rebelliously. He almost stopped when he didn’t get an answer. Would have stopped. Except she let her legs fall apart a little more, inviting him to take what he wanted. “Fuck, kitten, that’s a beautiful sight.” He used the fingers of his left hand to keep her lips apart, fully exposing the bud of her clit. Using just the tip of his right index finger, he pulled the hood down over the obviously responsive knot of nerves and massaged her slowly. Even though Nick had just come, and come hard at that, his dick rose to the occasion. He pulled the waistband of his briefs over his erection and under his balls to relieve some of the discomfort. His prick slapped against his belly, weeping pre-cum steadily. But this was for Lindsay. Motivated only by the thought of making her feel good, he sped up the grind of his finger and rubbed her harder. He glanced up the length of her body, and his dick jumped at the sight. Lindsay’s head was thrown back, her hair spread out down and around her shoulders. The back of her hand was pressed against her mouth, the other fisted in the blanket. “Come for me, Lindsay,” he ordered. “Now!”

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Lindsay’s body obeyed, and she pushed her hips up into his hand before freezing. Nick pressed harder and was rewarded by the feel of her bud throbbing and pulsing against his fingertip. Nick’s balls ached, and an orgasm was literally poised at the tip of his rock-hard erection. All it would take was one stroke of his hand and he would be spurting again, but he ignored his body’s demands and rubbed Lindsay’s thighs soothingly, helping her back to reality gently. Lindsay’s body went slack suddenly, pleasured into exhaustion. He stood up, shedding his wet underwear, and lifted her into his arms. Carrying her to the bedroom, he laid her down, removed her bra, heels and stockings, and tucked the sheets around her. Glancing at the digital clock beside her bed, he was surprised to see that it was almost four in the morning. He didn’t have a key to lock the deadbolt behind him, and whether she knew it or not, she had become their woman and there was no damned way he would leave her without the basic protection of a deadbolt. Speaking of which, he would have to look into getting a security system set up. Since there was no way he would leave without locking the door and since he couldn’t stand the thought of waking her, he would spend the night. And since she hadn’t invited him to sleep in her bed, the couch would have to do. Liam got off his shift at seven, just a few hours from now. Nick would sleep for a couple of hours then wake Lindsay up before he went home to spend a rare free Saturday with his partner. Foregoing his messy briefs, Nick pulled on his pants, plopped onto the couch, and closed his eyes, idly imagining Lindsay’s sleepy, warm body cuddled between himself and Liam. He shifted in an attempt to get more comfortable and the fantasy shifted from her just being between them to Lindsay between them on their large California king mattress. The couch was a full foot shorter than his six-plus-foot frame and was lumpy as hell.

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After thirty frustrating minutes of trying to get comfortable, he gave up and sat up. A stack of DVDs caught his eye, and he wandered over to inspect her collection, utterly delighted with what he found. Foreign films, the kind Liam loved so much, were interspersed with Hollywood blockbusters. Cheesy horror flicks, ’80s cult classics, chick flicks, hell, even a few of Don Cherry’s Rock ’Em, Sock ’Em videos were mixed in there. Nick felt a grin break out across his face when he caught sight of a flick he hadn’t seen in years. In fact, nobody outside of Canada had probably ever seen it. Strange Brew was definitely a Canadian classic. He popped it in and settled down to watch two hours of Bob and Doug McKenzie trying to save Kitchener-Waterloo’s Oktoberfest.

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Chapter 6 By the time the movie ended, it was close to seven and Nick had to suppress the strange urge to phone Liam purely to call him a hoser. Ah, SCTV at its finest. Liam never had understood how damn funny SCTV was, and he was glad to finally have someone to share it with. He crept into Lindsay’s room and kissed her awake. “Do you have to work today?” Lindsay buried her face farther into the pillow and flopped onto her belly, arms and legs akimbo. Nick chuckled and crawled into the small strip of bed she had left for him. He and Liam would have to get a bigger bed if she usually slept like this. Her back arched, and she practically purred when he dropped a string of tiny, openmouthed kisses up the column of her spine and across her shoulders. “Wakey, wakey, kitten. Do you have to work today? It’s Saturday.” He nuzzled into her neck, covering her back lightly with his bare chest. “Ummm, yes. I need to be in at noon.” Lindsay rolled over slowly, smiling groggily at Nick. “Did I kick you in my sleep?” “Restless sleeper, are you? No, I slept on the couch.” “Why?” she asked, stroking her palm over his bicep absently. The skin on his arm heated in the wake of her fingers. “I just wanted to take things slow.” He lowered his eyes and grinned sheepishly when she laughed. “A little late now, I know, but I want you to be comfortable every step of the way.” It did seem a little silly now, given what they had done just a few hours earlier, but he wanted to make sure he didn’t overwhelm her.

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He was naturally possessive, protective, and dominating, which had caused problems with Liam when they had first started dating. Nick hated Liam’s job, mainly because he couldn’t protect Liam when it was his job to barge into burning buildings. It had taken some time and a whole lot of compromise on his part before Liam had been willing to move in with his super-protective ass. Luckily for him, Lindsay was a librarian, hardly a dangerous job. Still, Nick knew he had a tendency to come on a little strong, and he had purposely toned down his possessiveness last night. “The couch is a little short for you,” Lindsay said, dragging his thoughts back to her. “Do you want to stretch out with me?” She smoothed her hand across the mattress and lifted the sheet, inviting him to slip under and cuddle up. “As much as I would love to, kitten, I have to get going. Liam is expecting me. I want you to lock up behind me, though.” Lindsay stretched her arms over her head, affording Nick with an eye-popping view of her spectacular cleavage. It was so eye-popping Nick was surprised his eyeballs didn’t roll right out of his head. He held out her robe and helped her slip it on, fussing over the knot in the front. “Can Liam and I take you out tonight?” She shook her head and yawned as she followed him to the door. “I promised my friend Marla that I would go out with her tonight. Cocktails. ” Nick tilted her chin up and kissed her full on the lips. “You’re not driving, are you?” Because if she was going to drink, even just one, he would pick her up and drive her home. There were times to tamp down on the protective streak that ran through him. That was not one of them. “No, it’s Marla’s turn to drive.” Lindsay tilted her lips up again, clearly angling for another kiss. “Don’t worry,” she mumbled against his lips. “When it’s her turn to drive, Marla sticks with water and mocktails. We don’t have a death wish.”

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Nick kissed her once more, totally unable to help himself. “Will you call us and let us know when you get home?” Lindsay rolled her eyes and pushed at Nick gently. “Yes, Mom.” “God, kitten, if you think I’m like your mom, we need to get back into that bed and spend the rest of the day there.” Lindsay’s face shut down, shutters dropping over her eyes. “No,” she whispered, her complexion paling just a little. “You are definitely not like my mom.” Anxiety tightened Nick’s stomach into a mass of knots. This was not the way he wanted their date to end. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing,” she said, flashing him a brilliant, yet obviously forced, smile. “I’m always like this when I first wake up.” The lawyer in Nick itched to dig further, to strip away the layers and excavate the truth. The inner caveman in him wanted nothing more than to gather her up and comfort her, then go beat the living tar out of the person who had put that hollow look in her eyes. One glance at Lindsay’s face, however, convinced him otherwise. “Okay, kitten. One more kiss for the road.” He swept her into his arms and kissed her senseless. His balls, having never totally relaxed, tightened again at Lindsay’s sleepy, warm smell. Shit. Good thing Liam was home. Nick drove home at a breakneck speed, thanking the good, sweet lord that he didn’t run into cops on the way home. He probably broke every traffic law in Ontario, which would definitely not look good on his resume. Yeah, hi. Lawyer with a criminal record. Wanna hire me? Unfortunately, Nick’s smaller head was now fully in control and hellbent on getting home to Liam, who hopefully wasn’t too exhausted after his shift. He was out of the car and at the front door before the engine had even stopped. Oh please, please let Liam still be up. “Everything all right, cher?” Liam’s deep, warm voice floated down from their bedroom. “I saw you tear in here like your dick was on fire.”

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Nick ran up the stairs, jerking the buttons on his shirt open as he went. By the time he hit the bedroom, he was pulling it off and working on his fly. Liam stood in all his naked glory, a pair of softly worn cotton boxer shorts that he slept in when he was alone draped on the bottom of the bed. Obviously Liam had been getting ready for bed. Crap. Shit. Crap. “Busy shift?” Nick asked, slowing down and resigning himself to a hot shower and his fist. “Not too bad. Why? You have something in mind?” Liam crossed the floor and cupped the back of Nick’s neck, pulling him close to kiss him softly. Nick ate at his mouth, desperate to deepen the kiss. He shoved his tongue into Liam’s mouth and lost control totally. His cock jerked, managed to free itself from his unzipped fly, and bumped into Liam’s belly. He rubbed the sensitive head of his dick against the hard muscle of Liam’s lower abs, frantic for some kind of friction. His dick was already seeping pre-cum, slicking up his slide across Liam’s stomach. “Ah, mon cher. I see what you need. Aftereffects of our little librarian?” Liam wrapped his fingers around Nick’s shaft and pumped slowly, adding the twist just under the head that never failed to drive Nick wild. He felt Liam’s rapidly swelling shaft rubbing against his thigh and the side of his balls and thrust into his partner’s hand anxiously. “Liam, babe, please don’t tease me. I’m so desperate.” Nick rarely pleaded for anything, but his violent arousal and urgent need for release far outweighed his pride. “Do not worry, cher. I’ll take care of you.” Liam stepped closer to Nick, so close their chests rubbed against each other and their dicks folded up between their stomachs. Winking playfully at Nick, Liam licked his palm, saturating his hand with saliva, and snuggled their cocks together in a firm fist. “This what you need, Nicky?”

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Nick’s heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. Liam’s cock was longer than his by a good half inch which meant that his fingers brushed completely over Nick’s head as he jacked them off. He wanted to thrust and grind his hips but was reluctant to throw off Liam’s rhythm. Dropping his head back, he concentrated on the feel of the rough, callused palm stroking him and let Liam take over. It was situations like this, when Nick was so horny, that he could no longer take control of his lover. It rarely happened, given Nick’s need to control, but god, Nick loved it when it did happen. The pleasure intensified until Nick couldn’t keep it inside anymore. “Oh, shit yes,” he moaned, gripping Liam’s shoulders for support. Liam’s thumb rotated over his mushroom-shaped head, wiping the pre-cum all across the sensitive head. He fondled Nick’s balls almost roughly before sliding his fingers behind his sac, pressing on the sensitive spot between Nick’s balls and anus. Every muscle in Nick’s body seized as the first, almost painful contraction forced a creamy rope from the tip of his shaft. After the initial convulsion, there was nothing but pleasure, and his spunk continued to flow, coating their dicks in slick, silky, wet heat. Liam kept pumping, milking every last drop out of him until Nick was too sensitive to bear the touch and pushed him away. Liam let him go and used Nick’s cum as lubricant, fisting his dick rapidly. Liam really was a beautiful sight, his eyes half closed and his lips parted as he concentrated on the sensations running through his body. He cupped his balls, pulling them down and away from his body and rolling them around until Nick wished he had a video camera rolling. It would be something to jack off to when Liam was working those long shifts. Something he and Lindsay could watch together so it felt as if Liam was close even when he wasn’t. Liam began to murmur in French, his deep voice gravelly. “Je t’aime, Nicky. Mon cher. Mon amour.” Fuck, Nick loved it when Liam was so horny he lost his ability to speak English.

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Nick walked behind his partner, snagging the bottle of lube from the night table. “Slow down, babe. Let me make it good for you.” Liam groaned but obliged him, simply holding the base of his dick lightly. “And I love you, too,” Nick said as he slicked up his finger and leaned his forehead against Liam’s back. “Okay, start again.” Nick waited until Liam had resumed stroking off before inserting his finger into Liam’s ass. The muscles tightened and flexed around his intrusion. Nick slid his leg between Liam’s thighs and then massaged his prostate before withdrawing to stretch delicately at the rim. He debated fetching one of the dildos from the nightstand so he could fuck Liam properly, but the tendons popping in Liam’s neck told him that he was probably close. When Liam whined low in his throat, Nick wrapped his arm around his waist, ready to take Liam’s weight. Liam leaned back just a little into Nick, affording Nick a wonderful view of the deep purple head that appeared and disappeared by turns into Liam’s fist. Another finger in Liam’s hole to increase the stretch and another series of rapid taps against the sensitive gland and Liam’s orgasm started, his breath exploding out in a shout and his penis throbbing fiercely as it pumped its load over Liam’s fist and onto his thighs. Liam promptly collapsed against Nick, clearly trusting Nick to keep him from hitting floor. Grunting at the sudden weight, Nick half carried Liam to the bed and dumped him in the middle so that Liam landed on his back. Nick stumbled into the bathroom where he cleaned himself up and ran warm water on a towel. He sauntered back into the bedroom, amused to see Liam already fast asleep. There were circles under Liam’s eyes that Nick hadn’t noticed before, giving Liam’s claim of a relatively easy night a false ring. Nick shook his head and gently cleaned him off before climbing into bed with him. He would let Liam sleep as long as he wanted and then would make them a big brunch. Or order it in, anyway.

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Nick pulled Liam close, resting his head on Liam’s shoulder and listening to the deep rhythm of his breathing. He drifted in and out of sleep, eventually shifting Liam onto his side so that he spooned his partner’s back. Liam liked to sleep on his back so this was a rare treat. Liam hardly ever topped, really getting off when Nick took control of their lovemaking. But once the sex was done, Liam preferred to hold instead of being held. It was only when they had these occasional days off together, when they had time to love each other properly, that Liam let Nick hold him, usually because he was too exhausted to even realize he wasn’t doing the holding. He loved this time with Liam, when they both had nowhere to go and nothing to do and they could laze in bed. The only thing that would make these days better would be a certain brunette librarian sandwiched between them. It would certainly satisfy both men’s need to hold onto someone. He could see it now. Liam would be sprawled on his back, holding Lindsay close to his side while Nick would plaster himself to her from behind. It would be heaven. Nick wasn’t really sure why the two of them felt such a strong need for a third permanent partner. Maybe it had something to do with their work schedules and the fact that they were together so infrequently. Having a third person in their relationship would act as an anchor of sorts. Well, whatever the case, Lindsay would fit nicely in with them. He kissed the back of Liam’s shoulder and pulled him closer. He knew Liam had been smitten with Lindsay from the beginning, and he had confessed to Nick that he was already head over heels in love with her. Sometime between that brownie sundae and leaving her apartment Nick had tumbled into love with her, too. It didn’t scare him though. It had been the same way between him and Liam. Still, Nick couldn’t shake the feeling that Lindsay was holding back and that did scare him. Hopefully, between the two of them, they

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could figure out a way past Lindsay’s barriers and convince her that she belonged with them.

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Chapter 7 Lindsay suffered through a day with Horrible Heather, biting her tongue every time the woman opened her mouth to avoid saying something she regretted. Heather had been full of biting insults and damaging gossip about another coworker. Lindsay hoped that none of their supervisors overheard the vile garbage that was spilling out of Heather’s mouth. It could really harm the other woman’s career. Regardless, Lindsay couldn’t wait for her shift to be over. “You really shouldn’t wear black, Lindsay,” Heather droned on. “It washes you out terribly. Unless you’re wearing black to mourn the sad state of your social life. Then it’s perfectly acceptable. You know, I still think you sent yourself those flowers.” Luckily the minute hand on the clock directly across from the circulation desk hit twelve, signaling the end of her shift. “Gotta go, Heather.” “What’s the rush?” Heather asked innocently. “Big date?” She snickered, not bothering to hide it behind her hand. If only Heather knew the truth. Marla’s little red compact was sitting in the fire truck parking zone, and Lindsay bit her lip, imagining the lecture Liam would be giving Marla about that. She slipped into the car, grimacing when a gust of icy wind fought with her as she struggled to pull the door closed. “God, I hate winter,” Lindsay muttered, finally winning the battle and slamming the door. Marla put the car in drive and squealed away before Lindsay was buckled up. “Bylaw officer was coming around,” she explained when

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Lindsay looked at her. “And don’t complain about the weather. At least you have two big hunks to keep you warm.” “Well, I wouldn’t be Canadian if I didn’t complain about the weather. It’s either too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer. But, it’s the humidity that’s the real problem,” Lindsay joked, spouting off the standard southern Ontario answer to everything. Marla chuckled and swerved to avoid a pothole. “Greek or Thai?” she asked. “Actually, they are Japanese and Québécoise,” Lindsay shot back, tongue in cheek. “Yeah, yeah, rub it in. By the way, why are you here with me instead of in bed with them?” “Greek,” Lindsay said before answering the real question. “And I don’t know. I don’t know what to do about anything.” Lindsay could practically feel Marla’s curiosity rolling off her, but her friend didn’t say a word, not until they had parked and were seated in the small restaurant anyway. At least Marla waited until Lindsay had a generous glass of wine in her hand. “Okay, Linds. Spill it.” Lindsay was mortified to feel the tears begin to well in her eyes. She swiped at her eyes angrily. She never cried, not since her mom left and her dad took to ignoring her. But then she had never been this conflicted either. “Oh, Marl,” she whispered. “I’ve only known Nick and Liam for a few days, but I already know that I could fall in love with them so quickly. So easily.” “What’s so bad about that?” Marla patted Lindsay’s hand in a motherly fashion as she dug into her huge purse for a Kleenex. Handing over the whole pack, Marla continued to stare at her with sympathy. Lindsay mopped at her eyes and dabbed her nose. She wasn’t a pretty crier and really didn’t feel like breathing through a stuffy nose if she could help it. She took a deep breath and held it until she had herself under control again. “There’s nothing bad about it specifically,

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I guess. But Heather said some stuff today that reminded me how damaging gossip can be. I can’t imagine what she would say or do if she ever found out I was thinking of becoming part of a ménage relationship.” Snorting through her nose, Marla nearly choked on her lemon water. “I hate to tell you, sweetie, but you already are a part of that relationship.” Lindsay thought about that for a few moments and silently acknowledged that she had indeed become part of a ménage. “It’s not necessarily permanent though.” “Girl, are you telling me that you would give up those two tall pieces of living, breathing man-art?” Well, when she put it like that, no. “But what am I going to do?” Marla played with her straw, swirling the lemon wedge around in the icy water. “Let me ask you one thing. If you keep seeing them, what is the worst that can happen?” A myriad of possibilities ran through her head. Someone could invent a reason to fire her. Blackball her. All her hard work, all those years in school, would be for nothing. But as bad as that was, she knew one thing that was worse. Liam and Nick could survive the gossip a gay relationship would bring, but even they would suffer the consequences of ménage gossip. What if they decided that it wasn’t worth the trouble and they dropped her? If she let them much closer, she would fall in love with them for sure. Lindsay had picked up the pieces of her life once, and as hard as it had been, she had a feeling that she wouldn’t be able to piece her life back together if they left her. It was a thought too terrible to put into words so she just shook her head. “Look, Linds. It sounds so damn clichéd, and you know that I hate clichés, but you need to listen to your heart. That’s the only advice I can think to give you.” An involuntary laugh escaped Lindsay’s throat. “I didn’t ask you for any advice.”

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Marla laughed, too, and swatted at her arm. “I’m giving it to you anyway. Take it. It’s free.” The evening passed too quickly, with Lindsay getting tipsy on the wine. Luckily, Marla was the designated driver and got her home to her apartment. She even escorted Lindsay upstairs and into her unit. “Do you need any help?” she asked on a giggle. “I’m not that drunk,” Lindsay protested before giving a little burp. “Excuse me.” She stumbled a little as she looked around blearily. “Have you seen my phone? I promised I’d call Nick and Liam when I got home.” Marla laughed again and handed her the cordless phone. “Here it is, sweetie.” She shook her head at Lindsay’s attempt at dialing the phone. “Let me dial.” She took the phone and punched in the numbers that Lindsay obediently recited. Marla tried to hand Lindsay the phone but for some reason the handset kept going in and out of focus and she just couldn’t make her hand connect with the phone. “Who do you want me to speak to?” she asked innocently. “Bonjour, chérie. You have a good time?” a deep, slightly accented voice said through the line. “It’s Liam!” Lindsay said with delight, holding her hand out for the phone. “Marla, how did you know I wanted to talk to them?” Marla rolled her eyes and spoke into the headset. “Hi. My name is Marla. I’m a friend of Lindsay’s. She’s a little drunk right now, but I’ll stick around for a few to make sure she gets into bed all right.” Lindsay grabbed the phone and stuck it to her ear. “Hi, Liam,” she said brightly. “Are you and Nick having hot, sweaty sex? If you are, can I come over?” “Oh, lordy,” Marla muttered under her breath. “No, chérie, we’re not having sex. Nick’s not even home. He had to go out of town for a couple of days for work. And I think you had better stay where you are right now,” Liam said on a laugh.

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Lindsay stared down at her lap, suddenly achingly sad. “You don’t want me anymore?” Her voice cracked as she spoke, her eyes filling with tears. How come nobody ever seemed to want her? First her parents had rejected her and now Liam and Nick. She sniffled pathetically into the phone, a long, wet sound, and she didn’t even care that Liam knew she was crying. Who cared about anything when your heart was being ripped out? “Lindsay, no! I mean, yes. Hell. Yes, we want you. But Nick won’t be home for three more days, and I’m starting a forty-eight hour shift soon. You’d be all alone here. At least you have your friend at home with you.” The tears spilled down her cheeks, and her throat constricted painfully. “Okay,” she whispered on another sniffle. “Mon dieu, Lindsay. Don’t cry,” Liam pleaded. “You’re killing me here, chérie. Lindsay, I love you, okay? I will always want you. You come over right now if you want. In fact, hold tight. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” “That’s okay. I’ll be here fine alone. I mean fine here alone. God, I think I had too much to drink. I’m sorry I cried to you.” “It’s all right, chérie. Listen, can you give the phone to your friend?” Liam asked. Marla took the proffered phone, and Lindsay listened halfheartedly to her end of the conversation. Something about drinking a bottle of wine and that Marla would stay the night. Lindsay staggered into her bedroom and flopped down on the bed. Her head was already feeling fuzzy. Lord, she was going to pay for her alcohol binge tomorrow.

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Chapter 8 Liam dropped onto the bed, utterly exhausted. It had been an unusually busy shift. They’d had to fight a major house fire, a total loss for the owners. Luckily everyone had made it out of the house all right but the kid had lost his dog. The shift had been made longer by the idea that he would be coming home to an empty house. On top of everything else, he had worried about Lindsay since he’d spoken to her the other night. She had sounded so sad for some reason. He’d been frantic when he had heard her start to cry. Everything in him had screamed for him to go to her, to protect her and shield her from whatever was causing her pain. And yet, his offer to go to her was denied. He’d called Nick as soon as he’d hung up with Lindsay two days ago. Nick had confirmed that he was worried about where Lindsay was taking their relationship. So weary he could hardly focus his eyes, Liam managed to struggle to a stand and strip out of his clothes. Thank goodness he had showered at the station before coming home and didn’t need to worry about dragging his sorry ass into the bathroom. He’d even called Nick to update him on the house fire from the station, knowing he would be too tired to call once he got home. The clothes dropped to the floor, and he merely stared at them, bone-deep fatigue winning out when he simply left them where they landed and crawled back onto the bed. It was an unexpected sense of comfort that woke him up. Without opening his eyes, he slid his hand over the hip of the body cuddled up next to him. Being Asian, Nick had fairly smooth skin, but he never remembered Nick’s hips being quite so deliciously curvy. Or Nick making that sound, a little purr almost. Or Nick’s hair being quite so

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long and wavy. Or Nick smelling of subtle floral perfume. Which would be a good thing since he discovered Lindsay curled up against his side when he finally opened his eyes. “Lindsay?” Her silky cheek brushed against his chest when she tilted her head to look up at him. “Good morning.” “Morning? Is it already morning?” He played with the ends of her hair, marveling at how soft it was. “Yep. Nick called me and told me where the extra key is hidden. He thought you might like some company.” She slid a thigh over his and circled her finger playfully around one of his nipples. Liam swallowed a plea and glanced down his body, not surprised to see the sheet tenting. He always woke up with morning wood, and he usually had to take care of it himself since Nick was almost always up and gone before Liam woke up. Fortunately for him, prospects were promising this morning. “And guess what?” she said, letting her fingers trail farther down his abdomen. “If you tell me that you’re naked under the sheets, I’ll be your slave forever.” Liam had to concentrate on his English, making sure his accent wasn’t too thick. It always took him a few minutes for his brain to translate his thoughts into English when he first woke up. Nick was used to the heavy accent, but he wanted to be sure Lindsay understood every word he said. “Sorry, no. I’m wearing a bra and panties. They are black though.” Ah, there was the bra, he thought as he shifted his hand down her shoulders so that he could feel the band. “But I really wanted to tell you that Nick came home early. He went out to get breakfast.” Liam tried desperately to wrap his groggy mind around Lindsay’s words. Lindsay was in his bed with Nick in the house? No, wait. Lindsay said that Nick had left to get breakfast. The only thing that he could make sense of at this particular moment was the hard plug of flesh throbbing between his thighs.

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He jumped when the curvy little librarian shifted even closer and tangled her fingers in his pubic hair. Every thought of trying to speak fled his mind as he flexed his hips, trying to force her fingers lower. “Kiss me,” Lindsay said abruptly, arching her neck toward him. Obeying her request without a second thought, Liam brought his lips to hers and let her take control. Heat swept through his body and erotic possibilities flashed in his mind as he made quick work of her underwear. A sound from the door drew his eye, where he found Nick grinning wickedly. He made a circling motion with his finger, letting Liam know he wanted Lindsay to be facing the other way. He followed Nick’s command, turning her around so that her ass snuggled against his crotch while Nick crept into the bed. Liam brought his hands up to mold her breasts and watched Nick stretch out in front of Lindsay to kiss her. “I’m not going to last very long,” Liam warned. The two of them kept at it, finding all of Lindsay’s sensitive spots. Liam discovered that her neck, especially the spot directly behind her ear, was as responsive as her nipples when kissed and sucked. He found a tiny area on the right side of her clit that was particularly sensitive, so sensitive that it drove her into climax if he stimulated for more than a couple of seconds. Within just a few minutes, Liam felt her pussy flooding with cream and she was begging for more. Liam scooted back for just a second to put on the condom Nick magically produced. He braced himself for the pleasure of possessing Lindsay’s body, but nothing could prepare him for the sensation of sliding into liquid fire. He rocked into her gently, drawing her leg back over his thigh and opening her up to Nick’s view. And damn, he wished he could see the same thing as Nick. Nick turned around so that his head lay next to Lindsay’s exposed pussy. Liam felt Nick’s finger trace along the spot where he and Lindsay became one. Nick leaned forward and, resting his head on Lindsay’s upper thigh, buried his face between her legs. Liam

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groaned, both at the sight and at the feeling of Lindsay’s muscles fluttering around him. Liam watched his lovers with fascination as his increasing thrusts forced her sex to rock against Nick’s chin, driving all of him wild with need. Nick pulled back slightly, looking up at Liam, heat glittering in his eyes. “Do not come,” he ordered over Lindsay’s whimpers. At Liam’s nod, Nick went back to suckling Lindsay. Liam could feel her muscles tightening, and when she reached back to grip his hip, he knew he would have some very strange fingernail marks. He’d have to be careful to avoid showering at the station for the next few days if he could help it. Liam’s balls began to burn with the effort of holding back his orgasm. The only thing that kept him from spilling into the condom was Nick’s command. Nick was going to top the shit out of him if he managed to hold on, and he always loved it when Nick got extra aggressive. Lindsay’s hips began to jerk back and forth convulsively, as if she couldn’t decide what felt better, Liam’s dick in her pussy or Nick’s mouth on her clit. A high whimper sounded as Lindsay began to contract around him. Her pussy eagerly milked Liam as if trying to wring the cum out of him. “Pull out and take the condom off,” Nick barked, petting Lindsay soothingly to soften the loss of Liam’s length. “Beautiful, kitten. God, your little clit pulses so beautifully when you come.” Nick continued to croon to Lindsay, the sexy words causing Liam to push his hips into thin air. Shit, if Nick didn’t let him come soon, he would blow some kind of artery. Nick pulled away from Lindsay slowly, settling her onto the mattress so she had a good view of Liam’s bobbing cock. “See that, kitten? See what we do to him? He’s so hard and ready he’s practically purple. I’m going to fuck him now. I’m going to make him

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come, and Liam’s going to love it all the more because you’ll be watching.” Lindsay’s eyes were soft and slightly unfocused, but she nodded anyway, her tongue peeping out to moisten her swollen, pink lips. “Yes,” she breathed, settling into the pillows a little more, looking as if she was ready to watch a show. And, damn it, he was ready to give her a show. Fully into the top attitude, Nick crawled behind Liam and pushed him none too gently to the headboard forcing Liam to grab the headboard for balance. “Hang on, babe.” He pulled on one of Liam’s legs so that he was situated on the bed with one foot planted, knee at ninety degrees, the other knee fixed firmly on the bed so that he was open for Nick. Liam’s breath whooshed out when the cold lube dripped down the crease of his ass. “Fuck,” he muttered, since fuck was the only English word he could remember at that particular moment. “Fuckfuckfuck.” He wriggled desperately, anxious to feel Nick filling him, his dick leaking steadily. A sharp smack landed on Liam’s right butt cheek. “Stay still,” Nick snarled. He smoothed his hand down the burning marks, soothing and teasing all at once. Mon dieu, Liam loved being dominated. They didn’t use safe words because Nick knew exactly how far he could push Liam before it got to be too much. Besides, no meant no in their relationship. One of Nick’s long fingers pushed its way into Liam’s hole, brushing mischievously against his prostate. Liam’s cock pulsed in time with his heartbeat, hardening even more than he thought possible. Lindsay’s eyes flittered between his groin and his face, her expression one of extreme interest. He and Nick had done a lot of things together, but they’d never before had sex in front of an audience, and it was driving him wild. Apparently, apart from being a bottom, he was also an exhibitionist.

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“Like what you see, kitten?” Nick asked. He added another finger, fucking Liam roughly. “Watch,” Nick instructed, yanking his fingers out so fast it almost hurt. Liam felt the broad head of Nick’s prick swirl around his ass before he pressed past his ring of muscle. Liam couldn’t help the whimper of need that started in his chest and pushed out his throat. He was rewarded with another hard smack on the butt. “Quiet!” Lindsay got up and pressed her body to Nick’s side, making sure her cool fingers trailed across the stinging mark on Liam’s ass. Chills shot up his spine, and he struggled not to arch back into that hand and dick. Nick finally thrust inside him, grazing his prostate with every pass. Nick was suspiciously silent, and Liam chanced a look over his shoulder. Lindsay was kissing Nick, practically eating at his mouth even as she continued to the stinging marks on his buttock. Lindsay mouthed her way down Nick’s chest and abdomen until she was face to face with where he and Liam were joined. Liam almost came right there when she looked up at Nick and whispered, “Can I suck him off?” The only thing that stopped him from spraying all across the headboard was Nick’s fist suddenly clenching tightly around the base of his dick, preventing any type of orgasm. “Sure, kitten. I bet he’ll like that. I’ll just hold him steady. Won’t let him come until you’re ready.” Nick’s fist squeezed tighter, and he continued to push into him. Lindsay’s mouth circled his head, and Liam made a sound of distress. His urge to come had gone straight past excited anticipation and into pain. She suckled just his head, letting Nick’s pounding hips rock his dick farther into her mouth. She did something wicked with her tongue that had his eyes rolling, while Nick continued to grip him tightly. Liam was so focused on the incredible sensations rolling through his body he almost missed Nick’s murmured instructions telling Lindsay how he wanted to let Liam finish. Suddenly, the pressure left the base of Liam’s cock, replaced by the lighter, steadying, barely-there grip of Lindsay’s palm. Nick

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yanked him upright, slinging his arm diagonally across Liam’s chest to support his weight. “Open your eyes and look down,” he whispered harshly in Liam’s ear. Liam did as he was told, glancing down to see Lindsay press his head against her pursed lips just as Nick drove in once more. Muscles cramping, Liam started to wonder if he’d actually be able to come after holding back his need for so long. “Come. Now!” Nick barked. It turned out that Liam didn’t need the order because his balls contracted painfully. His belly heaved with the strength of his contractions, but after the first stinging spray, there was nothing but pleasure and the memorable sight of Lindsay’s face and lips covered in his white cream. Nick was groaning behind him, and a flood of warmth washed over his back to drip down his ass. Liam sagged as every bit of energy drained out of him, and he was grateful for Nick’s supporting arm as Lindsay scooted out from beneath the arch of his body. Nick eased him belly first onto the mattress, smoothing his hand over Liam’s shoulders. He pried his eyes open to see Lindsay wiping her face with a tissue, a big shit-eating grin stretching her mouth. Mon dieu, he loved her. Most women would have run screaming from them but not her. He felt the soothing warmth of a wet towel running across his back and down to his thighs, and he sighed contentedly. Nick always took care of him, which was a good thing since he couldn’t muster the strength to do anything but drag himself onto his back and yank Lindsay to his side. Nick said something about breakfast, but Liam couldn’t think about anything but sleep. Nick laughed. “I think we fucked him out, kitten.” Nick laughed again when Liam managed to find the strength to stick out up his middle finger. The bed dipped as Nick slid in on the other side of Lindsay, his hand landing on Liam’s hard abs as he spooned up against Lindsay’s back and slung an arm around her waist. “I guess breakfast is out.”

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Damn, but it felt good to be fucked out. Liam fell asleep before he could mutter the sarcastic comment that floated through his head.

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Chapter 9 What the hell was she thinking? When Nick had called the other day, telling her that Liam had had a hard shift and would probably appreciate some company, Lindsay hadn’t hesitated. Nick had told her that Liam hadn’t been able to save a little boy’s dog. She had hopped in her car and rushed over to the men’s house, hell-bent on getting to Liam. Despite being loud and exuberant, Lindsay had learned that Liam actually had a very sensitive side and that he would grieve for the boy’s pet. The idea of Liam lonely, sad and coming home to an empty house had been heart wrenching, and she couldn’t bear the thought of him alone. It hadn’t hit her until she let herself in with the hidden key that maybe Nick had tricked her a little just to get her into their house. Liam had been sleeping peacefully, one arm stretched over his head, the other resting low on his belly. It hadn’t been until she had given in to the urge to slip into the bed that she realized how tense he had really been. The second she laid down, he had flung out his arm, gathered her to his side, and sighed out her name contentedly. Every muscle in his body had softened and relaxed, and his breathing had immediately deepened even further. Lindsay had relished the feeling of being so obviously wanted and needed. Then Nick had showed up, and the sex had been both intense and passionate. She had been swept away and had spent the rest of the day and night with the two of them in all their hedonistic glory. Now she was at work, miserable because the three of them hadn’t been all together in weeks. Liam had been on a steady stream of overnight shifts and Nick had been late at the office every night

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preparing for a new trial. Short of moving in with them, there was no way to sleep with both of them and she had been curling up around her pillows every night since their encounter, trying to recreate the security of being held close by two sets of arms. Heart beating thickly, as if it had to fight the tightness in her chest just to function, she smiled thinly at the next patron waiting to check out her books. “You all right?” Marla whispered from behind her. “Yeah,” she whispered back after the patron had left, “just missing the guys.” “Ooohhh, missing the guys, eh?” Marla squealed quietly. “So things are going well with them?” Lindsay nodded, her blood heating and pounding through her with her joy. Oh yes, things were going well. The nightly phone conversations she had with them, the daily e-mails and hourly texts had been both flirty and serious. They valued her ideas and opinions, actively seeking them out. Each had told her how much they missed her, how much they wished they could hold her while she slept. “Lindsay?” Her boss hovered in the doorway of her office, a funny expression on her face. “Can you come in here for a minute?” “Yeah, of course.” Lindsay sent a glance at Marla and walked into the office. “What can I do for you, April?” she asked her boss. “Um, I’m not quite sure how to tell you this…” Lindsay’s stomach jumped into her throat. This was it. Somehow, someone had found out about her budding relationship with two men and April was about to invent a reason to fire her. “Just say it,” she said with a sharp edge to her voice. “Well…jeez, this is hard to say. I got a phone call just a minute ago. You are your father’s next of kin, right?” An immense feeling of relief that she wasn’t about to get fired was immediately swamped by dread. She hadn’t spoken with her father in years. She had tried at first, going back for holidays and phoning weekly. But it was always the same thing. Your mother’s a bitch. I’m better off without your mother. I wish I’d never met her.

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And when he wasn’t raging about her mother, he was lamenting about how saintly she was and how the town had destroyed his life. It never mattered what Lindsay accomplished or what she’d achieved, he had never cared. He had hardly even realized she was home and she doubted he had ever realized that she had left permanently. “I guess,” she said slowly. “Why?” “I’m so sorry to tell you this, but I got a call from the hospital in your hometown. Your father had a heart attack last night. He didn’t make it. Lindsay, take all the time you need to make the arrangements and see to his estate. If there is anything, anything at all we can do, please ask.” Lindsay sat quietly, stunned into silence. What was she supposed to do now? “Lindsay?” Marla asked quietly. “Are you going to be okay?” She hadn’t even heard April leave. She stared up at Marla, feeling strangely hollow. “I haven’t seen my father in years.” She gulped and swallowed her tears. “I knew I probably wouldn’t ever see him again, but I guess I never realized that the next time I went home would be for his funeral.” “Lindsay, honey, let me take you home.” Marla bundled her into her coat and ushered her out the door. The next thing Lindsay knew, she was at her apartment and Marla had Lindsay’s address book out and was speaking to someone on her cell phone. Lindsay hung up her coat automatically, functioning on autopilot. She crossed the room to the couch and sat down with a thump. Glancing down at the lumpy cushion, she smoothed her hand over the brown fabric. Nick had slept here, she thought inanely. Nick. And she’d spoken on the phone with Liam while sitting right here. She shook her head at Marla’s offer to get her a drink of water. All she wanted to do right now was bury herself in their bed and let them hold her. Maybe if they held onto her long enough, the pain would fade.

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She didn’t know how long she sat there, caressing the spot where she imagined Nick had laid his head. It seemed like hours had passed, but the sun was still bright in the sky when the intercom beeped. Marla answered it, and within minutes, Lindsay was surrounded by the very thing she wanted most. “Thanks, Marla,” Nick was saying as Liam lifted her into his lap. “It’s too bad we had to meet this way. We’ll take care of her from here.” Concentrating on the long forgotten French phrases being murmured in her ear, Lindsay only vaguely heard Marla saying goodbye. “I only took French until the tenth grade. I don’t understand what you’re saying,” she said stupidly. “It’s all right, chérie. I speak English very well, don’t I?” Not knowing what else to say, Lindsay laid her head on Liam’s shoulder and let him pet her gently. The tears she knew she should be shedding would just not come. She just felt a numbed out pain and a weird sense of disassociation. She heard Nick making arrangements on the phone and Liam speaking to his superiors about a death and needing to be away for a while. She just couldn’t make herself care. “Kitten?” Nick appeared before her, smoothing her hair back from her brow. “I have a trial starting tomorrow that I can’t get out of, but Liam is going to go home with you, okay?” “Why?” she asked, completely confused. They had only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks. Why would they want to get sucked into all her drama? And did she really want Liam there to see her when she faced the people who had humiliated her? “Fuck,” Liam swore. She could tell by his voice that her question had upset him, but she couldn’t fathom why. “Lindsay. Do you remember what I said to you the night you and Marla went out?” “The night I got drunk and cried on the phone? You said you loved me.” She searched her cloudy mind for a clearer memory of that night. “I was pretty sure you were just saying that to calm me down. I’m sorry about that, by the way.”

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Liam cursed viciously, set her on the couch, and strode to the window, practically vibrating with anger and something else. Hurt? What had she said that would cause such a reaction? “Liam?” Nick took Liam’s place and picked up her hand, though his eyes never left his partner’s back. “Give him a minute, kitten.” He sighed and turned her hand over so that he could lace his fingers through his. “You have to understand something. We always say what we mean. If Liam told you he loves you, he means it. He’s probably frustrated and hurt that you don’t believe he loves you. And not to complicate things, but I want you to know that I’m in love with you, too.” Lindsay pulled her hand back and rubbed at her throbbing forehead. God, she was confused. They loved her. After only a few weeks, they loved her. Did she love them? She thought she did. But did she trust them? If she gave them her heart, could she trust them to be there for her? They certainly seemed sincere. Maybe they even loved her enough to weather the storm of gossip their ménage relationship was sure to bring. Maybe they would stay with her. But then, the one person who should have loved her the most, her mother, had abandoned her. “I have a headache. I think I need to lie down.” Her emotions were swirling around in her head, a dense soup of love for her two men, confusion, fear, and panic. Before she knew what was happening, she had been lifted off her feet by a strong pair of arms and carried into the bedroom. Nick skimmed off her clothes and tucked her under the sheets. The shaking started as Nick left the room without another word. This was it. They weren’t even going to wait for the gossip to ruin their lives. One word they didn’t like, one idea that they didn’t agree with, and they were out the door. God, she was such an idiot. She’d lost her heart to them, and now she was faced with the prospect of living without them. She huddled into herself, not having any idea of how much time had passed, until her door opened. “Chérie? I have some aspirin for you. Can I get you anything else?”

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Heart breaking, Lindsay shook her head. “Just close the door on the way out,” she whispered. “I’ll be all right.” An awkward pause was her clue that something wasn’t quite right. She reluctantly turned her head and squinted at him, her head pounding. “Nick is arranging for a hotel room for us. He’s also called the funeral home and made an appointment for us to meet them tomorrow afternoon. I’m going home to pack for a few days. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He crossed over to the bed and knelt on the floor so that their faces were on the same level. “Here, chérie, take the medicine. It will help you feel better.” She accepted the water and pills without complaint. Curling up into a ball, she turned her back on him, unable to look into his face because of her swirling emotions. Did they really love her? And if they did, would they stay with her no matter what happened? Sure, they said and did all the right things now, but so had her mom. Even her dad had tried for a while, until he finally succumbed to his depression and left her to raise herself. A gentle kiss landed on her shoulder, Liam’s warm breath stirring the hair on the back of her neck. She heard him sigh and walk out of the room. Low voices murmured from the kitchen, and the door closed. No matter how she tried, Lindsay couldn’t sleep. She stared at the wall in her bedroom for hours until her bladder forced her to get up and head for the bathroom. When she came back out, a steaming bowl of soup and a small pile of crackers sat on the kitchen table. “Sit down, kitten. Liam made the soup before he left.” Her head had finally cleared, if not her confusing feelings. The scent of the soup wafted across the kitchen and was too tempting to refuse. “I didn’t know I had the stuff to make soup.” “You didn’t really. Liam’s good at improvising.” Nick sat across from her silently, watching her sip at the soup. She knew something was brewing in his mind, and it wasn’t long before he plunged in.

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“Lindsay, why is it so hard for you to believe that we love you?” he asked quietly, no anger or frustration in voice, only curiosity. Lindsay put down her spoon. “We’ve only known each other for a few weeks. How do you know it’s real?” Nick shrugged and looked at her pensively. “Just because we fell in love with you quickly doesn’t negate the emotion. I fell in love with Liam after only a couple of weeks, too, and we’ve been together for five years. Has it always been easy? No. But we love each other enough to work it out. We love you enough to work it out with you, too.” Lindsay shook her head and stared into her delicious soup, her appetite disappearing when her stomach began to squirm uncomfortably. God, he made it sound so easy. “What happens when people find out about our relationship? What will you do when judges let our lifestyle influence their decisions rather than letting the evidence speak for itself? And don’t tell me that doesn’t happen because we both know it does.” A bittersweet laugh drew her eye to Nick’s face. “Do you really think we haven’t already dealt with that? Lindsay, we live in an enlightened society, for the most part. But let me tell you, Liam and I have had run-ins with gay bashers galore. But I’m a good lawyer, and that’s all that matters. People don’t care about my sexual orientation if I win. And Liam’s a good firefighter. Do you think the guys care that he’s gay when he is putting his ass on the line for them every fucking day?” “A ménage relationship is different than a same sex one, Nick.” Nick’s lips flattened, and Lindsay could see the frustration glittering in his eyes. “How is it different?” Lindsay struggled to put her feelings to words and finally gave up. “I don’t know how to explain it,” she said with her own frustration. “Fuck, Lindsay. You can’t explain it because you don’t believe it. Damn it, Linds, just because you don’t know if you can deal with a

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ménage relationship, don’t underestimate Liam’s or my ability to do so,” Nick growled. Lindsay stared at Nick’s face, contorted with anger and irritation. “I think you should leave,” she said quietly, terrified he would take her at her word and walk out the door. “Like hell I should. You’re running scared, Lindsay, and I want to know why. If you don’t think you can love me, then tell me, but don’t shut me out. And I’m not leaving. Not unless you are ashamed of us and what we can have. That, I can’t deal with. I won’t let Liam suffer from heartbreak either.” God, he was right. She was running scared. Scared of the gossip that would drive them away. Scared of what would happen to her if they did leave. But ashamed of them? No way in hell could she ever be ashamed of them. Before she could say anything, Nick spoke again. “Fucking hell, Lindsay. Just go pack a duffle with what you need for a few days. Liam will be back soon, and he’ll want to leave right away to beat traffic.” Lindsay obeyed automatically, walking into her bedroom and yanking out a small suitcase from her closet. She shoved it full of clothes, so distracted by her thoughts that she didn’t even see what she was packing. Liam walked back in twenty minutes later and carried her suitcase out to the car. She stared at Nick’s beautiful face, into his dark, almond-shaped eyes, totally at a loss for something to say. Nick led her to the elevator, steering her into it when she paused. Her nose itched from trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. “God, kitten. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have dumped all that on you today. It’s been a hard enough day for you as it is.” He jerked her into his arms, surrounding her in warm strength. She struggled to rein in her emotions as she clung to him, burying her face in his muscular chest. The elevator doors opened far too soon, and he escorted her to where Liam was waiting next to the car.

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Nick kissed her on the forehead and bundled her into the car. She gazed at the two men saying good-bye, remembering the conversation she had when she had first laid eyes on the two of them. She was living her fantasy now. Two men were hers for the taking, if she could only gather the courage to seize what she wanted. Liam was nodding solemnly, his hand creeping up to stroke Nick’s forearm. He said something that caused Nick’s face to soften into an expression of utter adoration. When the two men kissed, Lindsay could feel the love rolling off them in waves and sighed. She wanted in on that. And they were willing to let her in. Did she have it in her to trust them with her heart?

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Chapter 10 Lindsay had never been so grateful for anything in her life as she was for Liam’s presence. Liam handled most of the funeral details after running them past her. And when an offer on her father’s estate came in, he faxed all the paperwork to Nick, who had a colleague read it through and pronounce it fair. Now, as she stood in front of her father’s casket, she was even more grateful for the big man standing at her side and the knowledge that another was waiting for them at home. The knowledge that there were two men who were ready to stand by her warmed her incredibly. They were starting to break through her walls, and for the first time, she wondered if those walls were really necessary. Liam’s warm breath brushed over her ear as he leaned down to speak to her. “You doing all right, chérie?” Lindsay nodded and wrapped her arm around Liam’s waist, leaning her head against his upper arm. She actually felt a little guilty. She was standing in front of the body of a man whom she hadn’t seen in years but who should, by all rights, have the respect of her grief, at least. All she really felt was a deep sense of pity for him. Overwhelming all other emotions was one of joy and hope. “Let’s go back to the house, have the wake, and go home.” She walked out without a backward glance. This would be the last time she came back. Liam had arranged for a team of professionals to come into her father’s house to organize and clear out years of junk. What couldn’t be donated would be trashed. She had made arrangements for a plot in the nearby cemetery, with interment to happen as soon as the ground thawed. Now all she had to do was put

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up with a houseful of people she didn’t like, accept their false sympathies, and then she could go home and get on with her life. Liam had arranged for food and drink to be brought in from the local grocery store and immediately set about unwrapping the trays and setting them on the table, even though she had adamantly refused to feed the vultures. She took a tray of sandwiches from his hands and placed them on the pine surface. “Thank you,” she said softly. Liam shrugged in a distinctly French manner. “It’s only sandwiches, chérie. Poor ones at that. I could certainly do a better job than these excuses for food.” Laughing, she nudged his arm lightly. “Not for the sandwiches, although I agree that you could do a far better job. Thanks for taking care of things for me these past few days.” Liam sobered and pulled her against him so that they touched from her shoulders to her hips. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he sighed. “I will always take care of you, Lindsay, even though you don’t need me to. And I know it’s the same with Nick.” The people around them were forgotten as she leaned into him. “Thanks, Liam. I can’t wait to get home.” “Yeah, I bet Nicky is getting lonely without us.” He nuzzled into her hair and tightened his grip on her. “And I can’t wait to get you back between me and Nick, right where you belong.” A sudden silence settled over the crowd of people, thick and heavy. Lindsay raised her head and looked over her shoulder. She felt the blood drain from her face, and if Liam hadn’t been holding her up, she would have slid to the floor. Her mother stood awkwardly in the doorway, the weak winter sun framing her delicate form. **** Liam felt his smile fade as all the muscles in Lindsay’s body went slack. What the hell? She looked as if she’d seen a ghost. “What’s the matter, chérie? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

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“I think I just have,” she said faintly. “That’s my mother.” “You’ve never mentioned your mother before,” he said cautiously. And now that he thought about it, it was very strange that she’d never said anything about her mother before. Granted, they had spent the majority of their time making out like teenagers, but they had talked, too. Confusion and a strange sense of foreboding swept through him. “I know,” she said thickly. “I haven’t spoken to her in years.” Liam’s heart started to pound. He had a feeling that he was going to get to the bottom of Lindsay’s reluctance to begin a relationship with him and Nick. “Do you want to go and talk to her?” “Not right now. I don’t even know what she’s doing here. Can you hold down the fort for me? I think I need some air. Maybe I’ll speak with her after that.” She pulled away from him, glancing at him with haunted eyes before walking out the back door. He tracked her across the yard until she brushed the snow off the swing hanging from the huge maple tree and sat down. “God, she’s beautiful,” a light female voice said beside him. Liam looked down to see Lindsay’s mother standing next to him, staring out the window at her daughter. “Are you her husband?” “Not yet. I hope to be someday. But something is holding her back.” He ached to tell her about Nick, but wasn’t sure if Lindsay was ready for people to know the specifics of the three them. He paused, weighing the wisdom of plowing on. Throwing caution to the wind, he went with his instinct. “I wonder if the reason she is not ready to commit has something to do with…you? I’m Liam, by the way.” Lindsay’s mother nodded jerkily. “Probably. And please, call me Katrina.” She twisted her hands compulsively, anxiety written all over her face. “Look, do you think we could talk for a minute?” Liam’s stomach clenched. This was it. He could feel it. He led Katrina to an empty bedroom and nodded toward the bed. He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall, and waited.

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Katrina started talking abruptly. “Lindsay’s father and my sister dated for a few months back when we were in high school. They broke up because they were better as friends than as lovers.” She sucked in a deep breath and stared at a spot on the wall as if she were watching the events of the past on a television screen. “Anyway, I graduated the next year and went to the same university as Phil, Lindsay’s father. He was nice and showed me around and introduced me to his friends. I had always had a crush on him, and we started dating with my sister’s full approval.” Katrina began pacing the perimeter of the small room, clearly restless and agitated. “Phil and I eventually got married and moved home. He and my sister were still best friends, and they spent a lot of time together. I never thought anything about it until one of my friends”—Katrina framed the word friend with air quotes—“brought up the fact that I was the only one of us who dared to let her husband go out alone with his ex-girlfriend. His first love, she said.” She practically spat out those last few words. Liam had an idea of where this was going but wasn’t sure how it would impact Lindsay’s fear of entering into a ménage relationship with them. He wandered over to the window and watched her swing gently, her feet making tracks in the pristine white snow. She looked so lost, and he wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and shield her from life, but he needed to hear the rest of the story. “Go on.” Katrina nodded distractedly and continued. “I tried not to dwell on it, but she had planted the seed of doubt, and it buried its way deeper in my mind until I couldn’t think of anything else. I made the mistake of confiding my concerns in the wrong person, and the next thing I knew it was all over town that Phil was having an affair with my own sister. “They swore up and down that there was nothing to their relationship other than friendship. The rumors got more and more

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detailed until one day a well-meaning friend told me she’d heard that Phil and my sister had been caught leaving a motel room together.” Katrina began twisting her hands again. “I wasn’t strong, Liam. I didn’t know it at the time but I was suffering from major depression. I couldn’t bring myself to look anyone in the eye, including my husband and sister. It got so bad that I considered killing myself. Eventually, I couldn’t take it any more so I left a note saying that I couldn’t live with a liar anymore, and I left. “Anyway, I got on with my life, eventually finding another man I could love and settling down. Eventually, I realized that leaving Lindsay behind is the greatest regret of my life.” Liam could feel his heart shatter for Lindsay. No wonder she was reluctant to make their relationship permanent and public. The one person who should have loved her more than anything had left her. In her eyes, if her own mother couldn’t love her enough to stay, why would he and Nick be any different? “Why didn’t you ever go back for Lindsay?” he questioned. Katrina looked down at her hands, a dull flush sweeping across her high cheekbones. “I was in a really bad place right after I left. I ended up on medication for depression and anxiety. At first every time I thought about contacting Lindsay, I felt physically sick. It was like I would be opening a door into the life I had grown to hate so much. Later I didn’t want to uproot Lindsay from everything she had ever known. I thought she was better off here, I really did.” Liam waited for the other shoe to drop, barely hanging on to his patience. When Katrina didn’t continue, he decided to push the subject. “Have you seen her since?” “She found me when she was eighteen, right before she went to university. I answered the door and was stunned to see her. Right then, my new husband put our two-year-old daughter down and told her to go see mommy. God, I’ll never forget the look on Lindsay’s face. She turned around and walked off. I haven’t seen her since.”

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A sickening sense of dread pooled in Liam’s chest. Mon dieu, it was worse than he thought. Not only had Lindsay been left behind, her mother had essentially replaced her. “Why are you here now?” he asked lowly, his tongue tangling up his words as he began to lose the ability to translate his thoughts into English. Tears began shimmering in Katrina’s eyes, and she took a shaky breath. “I’ve felt guilty about Lindsay’s role in this whole drama for a long time now. It’s been affecting my relationship with my husband and my daughter, Laura, negatively. I thought if I could get her to forgive me, things might work out.” Liam stiffened as his rage battled with disgust. “Let’s get one thing straight,” he growled, barely able to form the words in English. “Lindsay does not have a role, as you put it, in your drama. You abandoned your daughter and basically replaced her. And now, you talk to her,”—he struggled with his English as his anger mounted— “ask for her forgiveness to make yourself feel better.” He shook his head, loathing rolling off him in waves. “I do not think that it is your guilt that angers your family. I think it is your own selfishness. Regardless, I cannot keep Lindsay from hearing what you have to say, whatever I feel. And whatever your motivations are, I think Lindsay needs to hear what you have to say.” Katrina stood up and stumbled over to the window to stare down at Lindsay. She stood there for what seemed forever, never making a single move to the door. Finally, she took a deep breath and turned to face him, her head hanging. “I can’t do it,” she whispered. “What if she won’t forgive me? I couldn’t live with that.” Liam had had enough. “I think it is best if you leave now,” he said flatly. “Think very hard about ever trying to contact Lindsay again because our partner, Nick, is a lawyer, and if you hurt her, he will find a way to hurt you.” Her face blanched at his words but he wasn’t sure if it was the revelation of a third lover or the threat of legal action that scared her.

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Regardless, Liam and Nick were going to protect Lindsay as best they could, even if it had to be from a distance. Katrina nodded jerkily and practically ran from the room. He heard the front door slam and a car roar down the street. When he looked out the window again, Lindsay was nowhere to be seen. He took off down the stairs and found her standing in the kitchen, her arms wrapped around her middle as if she was struggling to hold her body together. “Chérie?”

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Chapter 11 “She left.” It wasn’t a question but a statement. She didn’t seem surprised. Obviously she was used to being left behind. She looked around the room at the people she admittedly despised and straightened her back. “It’s time we left for home.” She ushered the crowd out of the house, dumped the leftover food in the trash, and handed the real estate lawyer the key with instructions to give it to the buyer at closing. Liam hauled the garbage bags to the side of the street for pickup and watched her take a seat in the car. He was proud of the graceful way she had marshaled the vultures out of her life but wondered at the impact the whole trip had made on her. The look of despair on her face made his stomach turn. He and Nick would do anything in their power to protect her and take care of her. They would cook for her, squash spiders for her, hell, they would even go buy tampons for her if they had to. But this was something he couldn’t fix for her, and it literally made him sick. They traveled in silence. He laid his hand on her thigh, and though she didn’t reciprocate, she didn’t shrug him off, either. She just stared out the window, her face drawn and pinched. Eventually the silence grew too large for him, and he dug out a CD. “Do you mind if I play some music?” Lindsay shook her head, and he was rewarded with a tiny smile when the vocals filled the air. “Really?” she said. “Roch Voisine?” “Hey, he was my idol growing up. My one regret about my family moving to Ontario was that I just missed out on one of his concerts.”

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The French lyrics floated through the car until they hit the outskirts of Toronto. “Liam?” It was the first time she had spoken since ribbing him about his choice of music. “Would you please just drop me off at my apartment?” “Of course, chérie. But I know Nick is worried about you and that he misses you. What do you say we phone him and have him pick up something for supper on his way over?” Lindsay turned and regarded him with hollow, haunted eyes. “All right. I think we need to talk anyway.” We need to talk. Liam’s gut clenched at those four dreaded words. At least when it was just him and Nick, neither of them ever said anything as scary as, “we need to talk.” He pulled into a parking lot and phoned Nick and told him the plan. “Everything okay, babe?” Nick asked. “You sound anxious.” “We’re okay, I think,” Liam answered, looking for some reassurance from Lindsay but finding none. Mon dieu, he hoped they really were okay. He was terrified of what she was going to say. “Lindsay says we need to talk.” “Fuck.” Nick swallowed loudly. “That’s never good.” Liam fought the urge to drop his forehead to the steering wheel. “Non, mon cher.” After hanging up with Nick, Liam pulled out of the parking lot and drove to Lindsay’s apartment. They found Nick already waiting for them, a bag of Chinese takeout in his hand. When he tried to kiss Lindsay hello, she turned her head so that his lips grazed her cheek instead. Liam’s hope began to deflate. She didn’t even want the small intimacies that had seemed to come so easily before. Not good. She led them upstairs and disappeared into the bedroom while Nick set the food on the table and Liam got out plates. When she came back, she was dressed in baggy jeans and a thick, loose sweater that she wore like a shield. They sat at the table, Nick and Liam filling the silence with small talk that didn’t feel natural. He wanted nothing more than to reach out

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and cling to Nick for support but didn’t want Lindsay to feel that she was being shut out. Finally, she looked up from picking at her food. “I can’t do this anymore.” The bald statement was like a punch to Liam’s gut, and he had to fight to keep his dinner down. This was it. She was letting her past dictate her future. “Lindsay, don’t do this. Don’t leave us.” Her eyes glittered with unshed tears, but she held her head high. “I have to protect myself. I have to do what I need to do to survive.” “What the fuck does that mean?” Nick asked. He, too, looked sick. Lindsay stood up and walked to the sink, turning so that her back was to them. “Please understand. I could love you both so much. I think I already do. But I won’t survive what happens if you decide that you can’t handle the potential fallout of what our relationship will cause when people find out about our lifestyle. I’ve already picked up the pieces of my life once. I can’t do it again.” Lindsay got up and paced the perimeter of the room. Nick jumped from his chair and stalked her as Liam slumped at the table. He’d known this was coming, just as he knew there was going to be no changing her mind. “Come on, Nick,” he said quietly. “Let’s go home.” Liam took Nick’s hand and led him to the door. “Lindsay, I can only swear that we will never leave you. I wish I could fight this battle for you, but unfortunately, it’s one you have to fight on your own.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead, praying with all his might that this wasn’t their last kiss. “I love you.” He waited while Nick repeated the gesture with Lindsay and then they walked into the hall, waiting until they heard Lindsay lock the door before catching the elevator. The two men were silent until they reached Nick’s car. “What the hell just happened?” Nick asked. Liam felt sorry for the guy. He looked shell shocked and not just a little confused.

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Liam filled Nick in as they drove home. “Well, it’s little wonder she doesn’t trust us,” Nick murmured. By the time they got home, Liam was drooping with exhaustion, both physical and mental. But despite the fatigue and even the pain of his broken heart, his cock was thrilled to be home with his partner. “I need you, Nicky.” **** The exhaustion and pain in Liam’s voice tugged on Nick’s already abused heartstrings. “Oh, Lee.” Nick had only seen Liam this devastated once before, when several of the firefighters at his station had died in a fire. And experience told him that what Liam needed most now was actually fairly complicated. He would want Nick to take control, to command him, to take away his decisions without dominating him. Nick slowly stripped him and then himself before urging Liam into their bathroom. He adjusted the water to the perfect temperature while Liam stood, almost docile, beside him. “Get in,” he whispered huskily, gently pushing Liam through the glass doors and under the spray of water. He soaped up his lover’s body, using the slick bubbles to massage the tight muscles along Liam’s spine. Dipping his hand between Liam’s legs, Nick cleaned Liam’s cock and balls carefully, jacking him slowly until Liam began to pant. As Nick washed him, he considered how best to satisfy both Liam’s need for sexual release and his need to be topped gently, and he settled on a course of action. Soaping up his hands, Nick parted the firm globes of Liam’s ass and cleaned him delicately. Liam placed his hands on the shower wall and leaned his full weight on his palms, stretching out his back and elongating his body. Good Glory, Liam was beautiful. His muscles stood out as if they were carved from marble, and his dick jutted straight out from his

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hips, undoubtedly leaking pre-cum. Water streaked down Liam’s back to drip off his butt cheeks, and his knees locked. He took one slick finger and slid it inside Liam’s hole, Liam’s drawn-out moan sending shivers down Nick’s spine. Nick pulled out and back, smoothing his hand down his partner’s back in sympathy. “Don’t worry, babe. You’ll get what you need. I’ll take care of you.” Liam craned his neck to look over his shoulder. “You always do take care of me,” he muttered. “And I always will. Because I love you,” Nick said against Liam’s back. He drew Liam from the stall and dried him thoroughly. “Go lie on the bed on your back, hands under your ass.” Nick watched Liam do as he ordered as he dried himself off. He hoped that he could succeed at taking their minds off Lindsay, even if it was only for a few minutes. Climbing onto the bed, Nick reached over and grabbed a bottle of lube and a jelly butt plug from the drawer of the nightstand. He pushed Liam’s legs up so that his knees were bent and his anus displayed enticingly. Liam’s hips were tilted by his hands, making for the angle perfect. Nick slowly inserted the butt plug, rotating it just the way Liam liked it. Liam whimpered and shifted restlessly, earning a small kiss on one of his butt cheeks. “It’s okay, babe. We’ll get there.” He patted the inside of one thigh gently, lovingly, before giving his next order. “Don’t move.” Nick rummaged again in the bedside table, searching for his newest purchase. His hand closed on the gold penis crown, which he discarded for later. Liam needed to be loved slowly, gently, and Nick didn’t think he could be all that slow or gentle faced with the sight of Liam’s dick wreathed so deliciously. The stiff feather tickled his fingers as he grasped it in his palm.

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He stroked it up the Liam’s length, enjoying the shiver that raced over his lover’s body. Liam was really quite sensitive, and it always thrilled Nick to see how little it really took to send Liam over the edge. He circled that feather over the rim of the flushed mushroom head. Liam lifted his hips, searching for more stimulation. Any other time he would have disciplined Liam for ignoring his instructions, but he let it go this time. The combination of the jelly nestled snuggly against his prostate and the stiff feather teasing along his ultrasensitive cock must have been driving Liam crazy. Nick kept at it, providing no other stimulation, just the plug and the feather, teasing and stroking until Liam’s big body was vibrating with need. “Nicky,” he gasped. “Nicky, s’il’ te plaît. S’il’ te plaît!” He wiggled the tip of the feather against the weeping slit, using it to draw more pre-cum from Liam and spreading it around the throbbing head, which was always a sign that he was close. Nick concentrated on the nerve-rich spot right under the head, worrying the responsive flesh until Liam began groaning and his length pulsed. “Come for me, Lee,” Nick growled, keeping the pressure of the stiff feather steady. Liam grunted, and a slow wave contracted his abdomen as semen eased over the tip and down the shaft in rivers. “Je t’aime,” he groaned over and over as streams of his cream pumped steadily. The slow, powerful orgasm seemed to last forever and left him limp and sweaty. Nick swiped his hand through the pool on Liam’s stomach and used it to coat his prick. Gently removing the butt plug, he rocked into Liam’s ass urgently, pumping his own spunk into his partner after just a few strokes. He collapsed onto Liam, not caring that the sticky mess would eventually glue them together. “Love you, too.” Liam was quiet for a few minutes, stroking Nick’s spine almost contemplatively. “What are we going to do, cher?”

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“About Lindsay?” At Liam’s grunt of confirmation, Nick continued. “We have to show her that she can’t push us away. We make sure she gets her space to work things out on her own, but we’ll also keep in touch. She needs to know she can trust us.” Nick slid off Liam and snuggled into his side, letting the bigger man cradle him close. He stroked Liam’s chest and stomach until he felt Liam’s muscles relax, hoping beyond hope that he was right.

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Chapter 12 Lindsay rolled over in bed and groaned. Her head ached, her nose was plugged, her throat hurt, her chest was heavy, and she was shaking from cold even though the apartment was hotter than hell. It figured that her body would break down in sympathy with her broken heart. She glanced at the phone, fighting the urge to call her men. All she really wanted was to hear their voices and to be wrapped up in their arms. She sighed, melancholia sweeping over her. Maybe a bath would make her feel better. She wandered into the bathroom and stared at the tub, her eyes filling with tears. This was where she was when she’d had her first conversation with her men. In fact, every single room in this apartment held memories of them. She collapsed on the couch and cuddled up with a box of tissues. She flicked through the television channels without really noticing what was on until a knock came on her door. Who would be calling on her? She shuffled over to the door, toting the tissue box with her. “Coming,” she croaked. She stood on her toes to look through the peep hole and got the shock of her life. “Mom?” Lindsay threw the door open and stared at her mother. “How did you know where to find me?” Her mother offered her a weak smile. “I looked you up on Canada 411.” She took a deep breath and reached out her hand toward Lindsay as if all she wanted was to touch her daughter, but she dropped her hand before it could graze her cheek. “Can I come in so we can talk?”

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Lindsay moved aside to let her in the door but didn’t say a word. She wasn’t about to make her mother’s explanation any easier. What her mother did next surprised her though. “Lindsay, baby, you’re sick. Where do you keep your cold medicine and thermometer?” Lindsay blinked her eyes as tears threatened to spill over again. How many times in her childhood had she wished to hear those exact words from her mother? She watched her mother bustle around her apartment as if she’d been there a million times, getting out the orange juice and rummaging through the cabinets until she found the cold medication. A weird sense of dissociation floated over her. “Mom, what are you doing here?” Her mother visibly tensed. “I came because I owe you an apology.” Lindsay rubbed her throbbing forehead, her headache getting worse. “You know what, Mom? I really don’t feel like listening to you make excuses right now. Besides, what kind of excuse can you make anyway? You left me and then you replaced me.” “You’re right, Lindsay,” her mother said quietly. “I was selfish and only thinking about myself. I should never have left you like that.” That was it? That was all her mother had to say? “You let me go through hell, do you know that? I didn’t even know if you were dead or alive and all you can say is that you were selfish?” Her mother walked up to her and looked her dead in the eye. “I was sick, Lindsay. I have struggled with depression and anxiety for years.” Her mother raised her hand again and this time she allowed it to stroke Lindsay’s arm gently. “I couldn’t take care of myself, let alone a child. I’m on medication now, and it’s a little better. I still have ups and downs.” Lindsay shrugged her mother’s hand off her arm. She was starting to understand what had been going on in her mother’s mind all those

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years ago. But it still didn’t mean she was ready to forgive and forget. There was too much pain and loneliness still simmering away under the surface. “You’ve re-married.” It wasn’t a question, it was a fact. Her mother nodded but didn’t smile. “Yes. To be honest, things aren’t going very well with my husband. We’re in therapy now and I hope we can save our marriage. Speaking of which, where is your Liam? He seems very protective, and I can’t believe he would leave you alone while you are this sick. He, umm, mentioned that you have another partner, Nick?” Lindsay swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat. “I broke up with them, Mom. I was so scared that they would leave me once the gossip of our relationship got out.” “Oh, honey. My leaving had absolutely nothing to do with you. You were the best thing in my life. I know I wasn’t the most responsible of mothers, but I love you.” She led Lindsay to a chair and sat her down before kneeling at her feet. “Baby girl, I know what I did hurt you. But don’t let that stop you from loving them and don’t push away their love.” Lindsay stared at her, completely at a loss for something to say. She sniffled pathetically and slumped in her chair, suddenly feeling more miserable than ever. **** Holy Hannah, Lindsay was tired. More than tired. She felt like the subway had run over her. She hadn’t been sleeping well and was still getting over a raging case of the flu. So much for her flu shot. But she couldn’t hang around her apartment anymore wallowing in misery, so she had hauled her sorry butt into work that morning. She suspected that most of her melancholy was actually caused by the absence of two tall pieces of man-art, as Marla had put it, in her life. They had called every day, sending her flowers and chicken soup

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when they found out she was ill. They e-mailed and texted her regularly, telling her they loved her and that they missed her. “Lindsay, you gotta pull yourself together, girl.” Marla appeared in front of her, waving a hand around a pile of books waiting to be processed. “The returns are piling up. Are you sure you should be here? You look peaked.” “Which is another way for saying I look like a sack of crap. Thanks, Marl. I’ll be fine.” The library was fairly empty for a weekday. Students from the neighborhood high schools would be flooding in soon as midterms were just around the corner. Lindsay savored the relative quiet and worked away, the giant pile of returns slowly dwindling. “So. How are things with your men?” Marla asked, having finished shelving a pile of books. “They take good care of you while you were sick?” Lindsay sighed and thought back to a few days ago. Her mother had called Liam, and he and Nick had practically strong-armed their way into her apartment, bearing orange juice, flowers, and cold medicine. Liam had cooked fluffy scrambled eggs and toast for her, and Nick had run her a bath while she ate. They had bathed her, dressed her in her flannel pajamas, and tucked her into bed before camping out in her living room. They had both kissed her on the forehead before they left the next morning, making her promise to call them should she need them. Nick had shown up twice more, both times with Liam’s homemade chicken soup. It had felt so nice to know that she could count on someone other than herself. “Yeah, they did. I think I’m going to take them out to dinner as soon as they can find the time.” “Yeah?” Marla asked with a big grin. “What’s the occasion?” A shudder of fear skittered over her skin, but she straightened her spine and hardened her resolve. She had thought a lot about her visit with her mother while she had been home sick. It had taken a lot of soul searching and a few more telephone conversations with her mom,

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but she had finally come to the conclusion that she couldn’t go through life letting her fear of being abandoned rule her anymore. It was time to take her life by the reins and go for what she really wanted. “I’m going to tell them I’m open to being in a permanent relationship with them.” “Woo-hoo!” Marla squealed like a little girl, clapping her hands and bobbing up and down on her toes. “Girl, this is the best decision you’ve ever made.” Lindsay giggled at Marla. “How do you know?” “I just do. Oh, I’m so excited for you.” A snide voice came from behind them. “Little Lindsay becoming involved with two men? What? Are you babysitting a couple of threeyear-olds?” Marla snarled at Heather but didn’t say anything. Lindsay turned and looked Heather straight in the face. “No. Actually, Nick and Liam are my boyfriends.” The look on Heather’s face was priceless. Her jaw was practically dragging on the floor, her eyes as wide as saucers. “Wait until I tell everyone. God, who is going to believe this? And just imagine what April is going to do when she finds out. You know, Lindsay, I’ve been wanting your shift for a long time. I guess I’m going to get it.” Lindsay’s heart was pounding so hard she was surprised it didn’t jump right out of her chest. “Tell her if you want, Heather. I like my job, but if I’m going to get fired because of whom I love then I’d rather not be here anyway.” That had been the hardest thing she had ever done, but damn it, she felt good about it. Maybe this following-her-heart business wasn’t going to be so hard after all. Thank God she only had five minutes left on her shift, all the same. Now that she had made her decision, she couldn’t wait to tell Nick and Liam. Screw dinner. She was going to drive over to their house right now and lay it all on the line and pray that they still wanted her after all the shit she’d put them through.

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After enduring the longest five minutes of her life, Lindsay drove through the city toward their home with a dry mouth, nerves causing butterflies in her stomach. But it wasn’t until she pulled into their driveway that she seriously questioned her impulsive decision to come over without phoning first. Sitting in the car and staring at the house wasn’t doing her any good. What if they decided they didn’t want all the gossip over their relationship to affect their lives? She was already going to get fired over it. What would the guys at the station think of Liam when they found out about her? How many judges would let their decisions be influenced by their feelings toward their lifestyle? Lindsay thought back to her time with her parents, when they were together before the gossip had torn them apart. Lindsay’s mom, Katrina, had never really been reliable. She had neglected to pick her up at school a number of times. She had missed countless recitals and soccer games all because she had something more “difficult” to deal with. Lindsay’s father had never really been involved with her at all. He had basically come home, eaten dinner, and either gone into his den to watch television or gone out to a bar. In retrospect, Lindsay’s life hadn’t really been all that different once her mother had left. Nick and Liam, however, had gone to extremes to prove to her that they were in it for the long haul. They had taken care of her when she was sick, even after she had called off their relationship. They had called her every day, making sure she knew that they loved her. Nothing in life was ever a sure thing, but she was damn ready to grab what she wanted and fight for it, no matter what might happen in the end. She was done dwelling on the past. She was done with always doing her best to keep her heart safe. While her mother’s confession hadn’t made up for her childhood, it did help her to realize that her mother leaving was not her fault, and that she was worthy of Nick’s and Liam’s love. She wanted to be happy and when it came down to it, she wouldn’t be happy if she wasn’t with those two men.

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She wouldn’t get those men if she didn’t get out of this car and march herself to that door. She gathered her courage around her like a cloak and, sending a prayer up to whoever might be listening that they hadn’t totally written her off as a lost cause, walked up to the door. She knocked on the wood paneling, hoping that they were both home. Lindsay had almost given up hope when she heard a soft padding of footsteps from behind the door, and then the door opened. Confronted with Nick’s chest, Lindsay stretched up her neck so she could look him in the face. “Hi.” Nick arched a brow but said nothing, opening the door and stepping back so she could step inside. An accented voice floated in from the kitchen. “Is it the pizza already, cher?” “No. It’s a little, lost kitten.” Nick took her coat and hung it in the closet as Liam bolted into the front hall. He skidded to a stop next to Nick and stared at her. It hurt Lindsay to watch Liam’s normally open expression become troubled and hooded. Clearing her throat awkwardly, Lindsay spoke. “I came to talk to you guys.” The two men ushered her into the living room, where the gas fireplace was roaring and the stereo was tuned to a French station broadcasting what she thought was the Habs game. A bottle of beer and a glass of red wine sat on the coffee table along with a law journal and a murder mystery. She could picture the scene so easily. Liam would be sprawled on the couch with his head in Nick’s lap and his nose buried in the book while Nick struggled through the journal he claimed made him itch. Her heart clenched at the idea, and she mentally inserted herself into the picture. She would be curled up in the plush chair next to the fireplace with her own glass of wine, or maybe a martini, and a book. “You wanted to talk, kitten?” Nick’s low voice shattered her happy image, but hopefully after this evening, the image would be reality.

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“Yes.” She cleared her throat again. At this rate, her throat would be sore all over again. “Umm. Well, I wanted to thank you for taking care of me when I was sick.” God, she was such a coward. Nick flashed her a small smile. “It’s what we do, kitten. We take care of those we love.” His smile went far to shore up her confidence. He wouldn’t smile at her like that if they had decided not to bother with her, would he? Liam stepped closer to her, his face still closed, still avoiding her eyes. “Is that all you have to say to us, Lindsay?” The use of her name instead of the French endearment he usually used scared her just a little. But Liam was the more sensitive of the two. He was the one who was more easily hurt and more passionate. It stood to reason that it would take more to convince him she was here to stay. “No, actually.” Liam pushed up his sleeves, and she caught sight of an angry red welt on his forearm. “What is that?” “It’s a burn,” Liam answered bluntly. “I’m a firefighter. Shit happens.” Her eyes watered. God, she should have been here for him. She should have held his hand and applied salve to his arm. She should have taken care of him just as he’d taken care of her. “Oh god, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she choked out. Liam’s eyes widened a little, and he cupped her chin in one large hand. “For what, chérie?” She smiled hesitantly at the pet name and seized his hand, nuzzling her cheek into his palm. “I should have been here, like you were there for me. And if you two will still have me, I’ll be here from now on.” The palm on her jaw tightened imperceptibly, and Liam’s mouth opened in surprise as Nick let out a hum of approval. “Yeah? For real? You trust us to stay with you even when things get bad?” Lindsay nodded. “I’m probably going to lose my job, but yes. I trust you to stay with me, even when things get bad.” “You really trust us to stay with you, kitten?”

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“Yes,” she said, meaning it with everything in her soul. “You took care of me when I was sick, even after I broke things off. You wouldn’t leave me, even when I was pushing you away. I figure if you didn’t leave me then, you won’t leave later.” Warm arms immediately surrounded her and tugged her close to a hard, muscled chest as a knock sounded. “Hold that thought,” Nick said as he left to answer the door, collecting the pizza they had apparently ordered earlier. Lindsay snuggled deeper into Liam’s big body, enjoying every second of it. She stayed right where she was even when the rich, cheesy smell of pizza made her stomach growl and her mouth water. It wasn’t until Nick spoke in a sharp tone that she pulled away. “What do you mean you’re going to lose your job?” Both men were looking at her as if she’d lost her mind. She took the box from Nick’s hand and placed it on the table. She urged him to sit on the couch before dropping into his lap. Lindsay stroked his chest to placate him, thrilled to have the right to do just that. He wasn’t distracted that easily, however, and he grabbed her hands, pressing them over his heart. “Lindsay.” “I told this girl at work, Heather, that I was hoping to become your permanent third. She’s a malicious gossip and will go straight to our boss.” Lindsay leaned down and kissed the corner of Nick’s frowning mouth, nibbling a little on the full bottom lip. “Kiss me, Nick.” The couch dipped a little as Liam sat next to them, and Nick turned his head so that her lips landed on his jaw instead of his mouth. “Kitten, they can’t fire you because of your private home life. Trust me.” Nick’s earlobe was looking even more delicious than the pizza and had her mouth watering for a different reason. “Oh, look! An ear.” She nipped it, sucked it and licked it until Nick was shuddering in her arms and Liam was laughing.

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“You found his weakness, chérie.” Liam’s hands had slipped over her leg and between their bodies to stroke Nick’s inner thigh, straying very close to his groin. She shifted on Nick’s lap so that she straddled his pelvis. Liam slid off the couch and knelt on the floor in front of them. He cupped her ass and pressed her forward so that her pussy was grinding along Nick’s rock hard erection. Swinging her hips with Liam’s help, Lindsay rubbed against him wantonly. Sparks ignited along her spine, and her body soaked up the feeling of her two men. It wouldn’t take much to make her come. Nick’s hands tightened on her hips, holding her still even as he panted. “Kitten, we need to map out your legal strategy if you’re going to lose your job. Seriously,” he groaned when she wiggled against him. Pulling back, she cupped his face, all the love she felt for him and Liam welling up inside of her. “Nicky, if I’m going to get fired because I love two men, then it’s not the place I want to work anyway. Seriously,” she mimicked. A grin wreathed Nick’s face as he stood up, tumbling her from his lap. “Hey!” she squawked playfully, slapping at his arm. “Kitten, I think you need to be reminded of who’s in charge here,” Nick growled. “Liam, why don’t you escort Lindsay upstairs while I stash the pizza in the oven?” Rubbing his hands together, Liam smiled wickedly. “My pleasure.” Without warning, Liam swooped over and swung her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “This is one of my hidden talents, chérie.” He clamped one arm behind her knees and began to knead one cheek with the opposite hand. Lindsay thought about slapping at him and demanding that he put her down, but she was enjoying the view too much. Liam really did have a nice butt, and his jeans cupped it so lovingly. It made her want to cup it, too. And damn it, she was going to! She slid her hands down

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his back and molded his ass in both palms, letting her fingers dip in the crease, giggling when he paused to swear. He hustled her into the bedroom and tossed her on the bed so that she bounced once before he attacked her mouth with his. Before she knew it, her blouse was across the room, her slacks were a puddle on the floor, and she didn’t even know where her socks had ended up. Not that she cared, because his hands and mouth were doing things to her body that made her eyes roll back in her head. “You started without me!” Nick joined them on the bed, quickly divesting her of her bra and panties. He positioned her so that she straddled Liam’s hips, and then pushed her forward, forcing her to place her forearms on the bed next to Liam’s head for support. God, she was so turned on. She was so wet she could feel her moisture slicking over her labia, and she humped herself against the ridge of Liam’s bare cock. “That’s so sexy, kitten.” Nick ran his finger through her juices, spreading them back to moisten the tiny hole in her rear. It clenched with anticipation. Tonight she would take both of them. Nick confirmed it with his next words. “I want you here. I want your ass while Liam is buried in your sweet pussy. What do you say, Linds?” “Yes. Please.” Liam kissed her again, drinking in all the little moans they managed to wring from her mouth. She was so distracted by Liam’s tongue, which was getting very bossy with hers, that she jumped when she felt a cool, slippery finger rim her anus. “Oh!” Nerves that had never been stimulated like this before practically sat up and begged for attention. “Oh, yeah, kitten. Your little hole is fluttering for me. Flirting with my finger.” Nick’s finger breached her ass gently, only pushing in a short way. The burning pain quickly melted into a pleasure so fierce, she had no words for it. “You like?” She twisted her body one way, then the other, trying desperately to impale his finger deeper while keeping the friction on her clit. The digit in her rear slid in fully, fucking in and out of her carefully while

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she writhed all over Liam. The pressure and tension in her ass was exquisite, and she wanted more. Before she could request it, a warm mouth settled on her throat, right above her pulse. Liam licked over the throbbing point, sucking her flesh hard enough to leave a mark. “Mais oui, cher. She likes. Her heart is racing.” Nick added another finger, slowly scissoring them to form a vee. The sharp bite of pain almost took her breath away, and she nearly changed her mind until another hand reached between them and pinched her clit softly, pulling it out and away from her body. A short scream escaped her throat, and the pain immediately dissolved into liquid hot desire. Liam suddenly swore low in his throat. “Fuck!” “What’s the matter, babe?” Nick and Lindsay both looked at Liam’s agonized face. “Ah, too close, eh?” Wrapping his free arm around Lindsay’s waist, Nick lifted her off Liam’s pelvis and repositioned her so that she was astride Liam’s hard thigh. He managed to keep his fingers in her the whole time and was busily working in a third as he spoke again. “Liam’s very sensitive. He just needs a little break to cool down before we start.” Liam sputtered with suppressed laughter even as he reached out to tweak her nipples lightly. “You make me sound like a girl, Nicky. Can’t you say, ‘responsive,’ or something? And how in the hell is Lindsay humping my thigh while you’re getting her ass ready supposed to cool me down?” “You’re speaking English,” Nick pointed out. Lindsay couldn’t believe they were carrying on like this when her entire body was on fire. Sure, some conversation during lovemaking was sexy but jeez. “Will you two just shut up and fuck me already?” The sudden silence had her focusing on the man beneath her. Liam’s eyes sparkled with arousal, and his dick pulsed against his stomach, leaving a small pool of pre-cum. “Mon dieu, you’re sexy.” Nick removed his fingers, and she whimpered, backing up with him in an effort to keep him inside her. He grabbed a little foil packet

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and rolled it down Liam’s dick, protecting her even when she would have mounted him bare. As if by mutual agreement, the two men picked her up and settled her back on Liam’s hips. He gripped his throbbing length in a steadying fist as Nick lowered her over him. Shivers skittered down her back at the feel of Liam slipping easily inside of her. She couldn’t stop her hips from rocking into him, making them both groan. The sound of a smack rent the air, and Liam yelped even as his erection hardened even more. “Stop her.” A crinkling of foil rippled through the room, and then Nick placed his hand between her shoulder blades and pushed her down, parting her ass for his cock. “You need to stay still for me, kitten.” Nick didn’t give her time to respond. He gripped her butt cheeks, parting them, and pushed the tip of his penis inside. “It burns,” she gasped, barely managing not to yank her ass away. “I know, sweetheart. But it gets better, I swear.” Liam grabbed her chin and directed her to look at his face. “Look at me, chérie. Focus on me, Lindsay.” Lindsay stared into Liam’s green eyes and concentrated on relaxing. Nick adjusted her hips, changing the angle of her body, and he suddenly slid in easily until she felt his hips bump her ass. The three of them froze. The feeling was indescribable. She’d never felt so full before. Their dicks were rubbing against each other’s through the thin membrane separating them, and the feeling was driving her crazy. A drop of sweat landed on her back, and she turned her head to look back at Nick. He was beautiful in his arousal. They both were. “Please, kitten. Please tell me you are ready.” Instead of telling them, she showed them, moving back and forth the few millimeters they let her. The two men gripped her waist, one set of hands stacking over the other. “Fuck,” they swore simultaneously.

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Nick eased out slowly, making more room for Liam to slide in deeper. They reversed, with Nick sinking in as Liam pulled out. The slow, careful rhythm they set caused a series of mini explosions to set off across her skin, sizzling through her until she dug her nails into Liam’s chest and threw her head back. “More!” Hard hands grasped her hips in a bruising hold as the cadence of their lovemaking sped up, and Liam grunted something in French. Lindsay was totally past trying to decipher what he was saying, the pleasure ripping through her making it impossible to concentrate on anything other than which nerves were currently being stimulated. Liam reached down and massaged the bundle of nerves at the top of her mound roughly, sending her over the edge. Her inner muscles clamped down on both cocks, and she came so hard she nearly passed out. She distantly heard Liam shout and Nick moan as the two dicks started throbbing inside her at almost the same moment. Her orgasm stretched out until she thought she couldn’t take such intense pleasure anymore. Finally the waves slowed, and she collapsed forward, her muscles incapable of supporting her weight anymore. The action pulled Nick out of her ass while his cock was still twitching and a shock of pleasure ripped through her again, making her moan and arch her back. She flopped onto Liam, sure she was never going to be able to move again. “Shift up, kitten. Let me just get rid the condom.” She felt Nick’s hand close gently around Liam, holding the condom in place as Liam pulled out of her. The bed jostled a little, and Lindsay figured Nick was getting out of the bed to dispose of the condoms. She snuggled deeper into Liam, burying her face in his throat and smelling his sweaty skin. “’M’I too heavy?” “Non,” Liam muttered as Nick joined them in the bed, yanking the covers over them. “You are perfect, chérie.” Nick gently pulled her off Liam, smiling when Liam grumbled a sleepy complaint. “I want to cuddle, too.” Lindsay settled on her side

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with her head resting on Liam’s chest, one leg thrown over his thigh. Nick spooned up against her back, snuggling his groin into her butt and slinging an arm around her waist. She watched his long fingers trace circles on the flesh of Liam’s belly and giggled when both men gave identical sighs of contentment. Warm lips touched the back of her shoulder. “I love you,” Nick whispered. Liam yawned, his eyes fluttering closed. “Je t’aime, aussi.” He was asleep within seconds. “Does he always fall asleep right after sex?” Lindsay asked, whispering so she wouldn’t wake Liam up. Chest shaking as he laughed, Nick squeezed her lightly. “Only after he’s come particularly hard. And, Linds? You were so smoking that I’ve never come harder, and I suspect the same is true for Liam.” She linked her fingers with Nick’s and savored the warmth surrounding her. For a girl who had always felt frumpy, she felt surprisingly confident. The curves she had always despised suddenly made her feel sexy. And there was no way the two men could have faked their response to her. She drew Nick’s hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles before kissing Liam’s chest. “Me, too.” Nick kissed her shoulder again. He was quiet for a long time, seeming to be mulling over something. Lindsay stroked the back of Nick’s hand as she listened to Liam’s heart beat, content to wait until Nick had gathered his thoughts. She had almost fallen asleep fortyfive minutes later when he spoke again. “Are you sure you’re okay, though? Maybe I should have taken more time to prepare you.” Lindsay took stock of her body. Her anus burned a little, but it only served to remind her of how hot making love with her two men had actually been. “No, it was perfect.” “Good.” Nick was silent for a few another few moments, and she knew he was building up to something else. “I was hoping to convince you to move in with us.” Gut knotting, she stroked his arm. The poor man sounded so nervous. Well, she was nervous, too. It wasn’t like she was asked to

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move in with two men she had only known for the space of a month very often. But if she was ever going to be able to trust them not to abandon her, she had to give them that trust implicitly. “I think it’s something we can talk about. Does this weekend work?” Nick hooted and squeezed her tightly. “Boy, when you decide to do something, you go for broke, don’t you?” “That’s okay?” She was suddenly unsure as to whether she was rushing things. “Kitten, it’s great. Can we watch Strange Brew this weekend?” The two of them laughed like little children until they realized that Liam was glaring at them balefully. “How is a man supposed to get any sleep with you two carrying on?” His accent was thick from sleep, and Lindsay couldn’t help kissing his chin. “We’ll be quiet now,” she whispered with a grin. He growled at them once more and stretched. “I’m hungry. Pizza?”

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Chapter 13 Marla sat at their usual table, her toes tapping impatiently. She had called Lindsay’s cell that morning, claiming she had big news and the only way she was going to spill was if Lindsay came out for lunch and brought her two men with her. Lindsay grinned when Marla caught sight of them and sat up, going bug eyed. Lindsay knew she looked good in the blue wrap dress Liam had insisted she wear. And the men…well, they always looked good. Nick was in his tailored slacks and dress shirt from work, though he had shed his jacket and tie and had undone the top button of his shirt. It made women want to undo the rest of those buttons and discover what was underneath. And what was underneath was oh-so-sexy. Lindsay had never thought body piercings would ever turn her on but the thought of Nick’s nipple rings worked every time. Liam had on a skintight, black, long-sleeved T-shirt and tight blue jeans that left exactly nothing to the imagination. Anyone who bothered to look would know he dressed left. Both were the sexiest men she had ever seen, and they were all hers. “Hi, Marl.” She sat in the chair that Nick held out for her and grinned with delight when her two men pulled their chairs around the table so that they sat on either side of her. They crowded so close it would be impossible to eat without bumping elbows with them. It didn’t matter though. She loved being close to them. Lindsay ordered a Cosmo from the hovering waitress. She waited until Nick ordered his beer and Liam ordered ice water with lemon before speaking again. “All right, spill.”

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But Marla wasn’t going to do things the easy way. She was content to make Lindsay wait until she was good and ready to tell Lindsay the news. Smiling a little goofily at the men, Marla leaned forward. “We were never properly introduced. I’m Marla,” she said to the two men. From the way Marla was grinning and the way she was making Lindsay wait for the “big news,” Lindsay figured she still had her job. Both men grinned and shook her hand. “I’m Nick, and this is Liam, though you probably figured that out last month when we met at Lindsay’s apartment. Thanks for looking out for Lindsay until we could get there.” “No problem,” Marla said breezily. She turned back to Lindsay, who was squirming in her seat. “So, any guesses?” A warm hand landed on the back of Lindsay’s neck, and Nick stroked his thumb along her hairline. Liam’s hand, meanwhile, had snuck under the table and was resting on her inner thigh possessively. She savored the ease of their physical affection and went back to Marla’s question. “Heather?” Lindsay asked with an evil grin. It was wishful thinking, sure, but she could always dream, right? Marla’s lush mouth pushed into a pout. “Damn, girl. I was going to make you suffer. How’d you guess on the first try?” A sweep of relief rushed through Lindsay at the surprising news. Was it bad to feel this happy over someone else’s misfortune? Heather did have a way of making her life a relative hell whenever she could, but still… “Come on, girl. Ding dong, the witch is dead! Or unemployed by the City of Toronto, anyway. You should be jumping up and down and screaming louder than you do when you watch the Leafs on television!” Liam chuckled and grabbed her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “She’s not the only one to scream at the Leafs. I scream at

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them, too. When they score a goal, I scream a lot. Mostly obscenities.” Lindsay rolled her eyes and shook her finger in Liam’s face. “When you get home from the firehouse, we are having a little talk about your hockey priorities. I mean the Habs? Get real.” She turned her attention back to Marla, who was practically vibrating in her seat. Taking pity on her friend and smiling at the waitress when their drinks were delivered, she asked, “Why did she get fired?” It was clear that was the question that Marla had been waiting for. “It turns out that there have been several complaints about Heather for months now, from both staff and patrons. “You know Kristie, the redhead who does the morning shift with Heather? Apparently, Heather had been harassing her for weeks. When Heather told April about your personal life, and how it would ‘reflect badly on the library’—” Marla rolled her eyes. And really, who in the hell would care who Lindsay was fucking anyway? “— April told her about the complaints and that the good City of Toronto did not want or need malicious gossips working for them. Turns out that the number of complaints from both patrons and staff were enough to get her fired, and her trying to cause you trouble was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Lindsay barely suppressed a giggle of glee. It would really be bad form to pump her fist in the air, wouldn’t it? She couldn’t help the delighted grin that stretched her mouth though. “I guess what they say is true. Karma really is a bitch.” Lindsay’s heart had never felt so full. Marla and her men got along spectacularly. The four of them talked and laughed for almost an hour before Liam reluctantly rose to leave. “I’m starting a twentyfour hour shift soon.” He kissed Lindsay lingeringly, brushing her jaw with his finger. “You’ll be home when I get back, chérie?” She nodded with a smile. “I’ll be waiting.” She would always wait for them because she knew they would never leave her.

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Nick rose as well. “I hate to say it, but I have to get back to the office.” He, too, kissed Lindsay, drawing it out as long as he could without getting arrested for indecency. “I’ll see you tonight, kitten. Come on, babe. You can drop me off on your way to the station. Nice to see you again, Marla. We’ll see you next week for dinner.” Lindsay smiled again and wiggled her fingers in a little wave. Her heart flipped over, and her stomach squirmed pleasantly as she watched the two men walk hand in hand to the car, each grinning at her through the restaurant’s big window before driving off. “God, Marla. How did I get so lucky?” Marla sighed and rested her chin in her cupped palm. “That’s not the real question.” “No?” Lindsay asked with a grin. Marla shook her head and sighed again. “Nope. The real question is where can I get me two of them?” “Look elsewhere, Marl. Those two are all mine.”

THE END HTTP://LYNNTYLERBOOKS.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lynn Tyler was born and raised in Southern Ontario and still calls it home today. She married her first and only boyfriend and now they have two beautiful, very active children. When not writing, Lynn can be found engrossed in her e-reader, and is seriously considering starting a campaign to make chocolate its own food group.

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