Chapter Six
Electricity buzzed through his mind at Gabriel’s suggestion. Instead of lunging forward, however, Brad froze. Three excruciatingly long years of waiting culminated in one single moment of absolute generosity. He didn’t know how to react.
“It’s okay.” Sachi’s voice hummed with possibility. Her gray-green eyes softened, the pupils so swollen as to engulf the color. Gabriel continued to massage her breasts, and her pulse beat rapidly beneath Brad’s fingertips. She curled her hands into his, her nails biting into his palms. “We’re in this together.”
For a split-second, Brad glanced at Gabriel. The man had all but told him he didn’t trust him earlier, and yet here he was offering him this gift? They were both offering him a gift. Grateful beyond words, he closed the distance and covered her mouth with his. Despite her tremendous strength and skill, Sachi was still smaller than him—her athletic frame powerful and sturdy, yet she seemed infinitely fragile.
Unlike the kiss on the side of the road, no violence hummed through him. She opened to him, her tongue seeking entrance to his mouth. He wasn’t sure who was dominating who at the moment and, frankly, he didn’t give a fuck. Between him and Gabriel, they dwarfed her and yet her tongue coaxed his, twining and stroking, licking and tasting.
The rasp of fabric told him Gabriel continued to caress and tease her, but Brad wanted her naked. He wanted to admire, kiss, and stroke every inch of her beautiful body. Needed to recommit himself, learn what changes time had wrought and remind himself how lovely she was. Breaking the kiss, he lifted her hands until her arms stretched over her head.
Behind her, Gabriel grinned and abandoned her breasts. He stroked his hands along her sides and then up her arms. Only when his hands touched Brad’s did he nod. Capturing her arms for him, Gabriel murmured. “We’re going to go slow.” Whether to Sachi or to him, Brad didn’t care. He listened to the other man. Once upon a time, he’d have gutted another for telling him what to do where Sachi was concerned—but Gabriel had been right about a lot.
Their girl had changed, and she needed them both. Brad needed her and, by extension, Gabriel. “Slow is fine,” he agreed with him, skimming his hands down to her waist and tugging her shirt upward.
Faint scars marred her soft skin, a crisscross here, a knife slice there. She treated them all, fading them with lotions and creams. He remembered the hours she would spend on it when not training. No distinguishing marks save for the tattoo on her ass and the one on the bottom of her right foot.
He’d get to both. Tugging her shirt upward, Gabriel caught the hem and used it to bind her wrists. Stealing a glance at her face, Brad wanted to drown in her desire-laden eyes.
“I think,” Gabriel teased, his tone low and amused. “She doesn’t mind being bound with careful hands.”
Sachi groaned, arching her hips, then settling against Gabriel’s lap. She ground her ass against his erection and drained the humor from his expression. “I think she’s aching at the moment, and you two are torturing me.”
Canting his head, Brad absorbed the byplay. With his teeth, Gabriel grazed the skin along her arm and goosebumps raced across her flesh. Fascinated, Brad followed the path of them to her breasts where her nipples had tautened to twin points. She’d never had large breasts, but her gentle curves were a mouthwatering addition to her perfect shape. Solid, shapely hips swelling around a flat, ripped abdominal. No, his girl wasn’t soft.
He traced a finger around her belly button, then followed the faint line of the scar across her right abdomen. Dipping his head, he repeated the gesture with his tongue on his way to her breasts. With reverence belying the hunger gnawing him alive to strip her pants down and sink into her, he laved one nipple then the other. Alternating tiny nips with slow sucks, he sought to retrace what she enjoyed, what made her squirm and the moment he heard her breath catch.
Glancing up, he found Gabriel had turned her head and kissed her. The motion of the other man’s mouth on hers as he seemed intent on devouring every little soft sound she made went straight to his cock. He hadn’t lied to them when he said he enjoyed watching. That Sachi knew he was here, that he could flick her nipples and suck on them as she squirmed and her thighs widened—that he could almost taste the scent of her arousal—had him hard as a stone.
Whether Gabriel intended to let him sink his cock in her pussy or her mouth or maybe her ass—God, he’d always loved her ass—Brad rubbed his cheeks between her breasts before catching a nipple again. The hard clamp of his lips drew on the distended tip and her hips arched. He sucked until he felt the tip engorge more fully, the blood flooding to fill the space and heightening her sensitivity.
Exploring her sides with his fingers, he changed the caresses, he didn’t want her getting too used to any one touch. At the top of her jeans, he loosened the fastening and with reluctance abandoned her breast to meet their twin gazes staring at him. The firelight left their faces ruddy and flushed with desire.
Sliding a finger beneath the band of her jeans, he teased along low enough to find the hem of her panties. “Thank you,” he said, surprised at how rough his voice was.
“I’ve missed you.” The hoarse whisper filled him with the need to hold her. “So much.”
“I love you, baby. I swear to you, I will never leave you again.” Even if they never allowed him into her—their—bed again. He wouldn’t go. He would be the ghost who followed her, protected her, and kept them safe. It would be enough to know she was happy.
Gabriel tugged her shirt free and tossed it to the side. Tapping Brad’s hand, Gabriel motioned for him to move and then he finished undoing her jeans and Sachi braced herself to lift her hips. Taking his cue from the other man, Brad took the hem of her jeans as Gabriel pushed down the waist. They stripped the denim away then she was splayed in front of him, her thighs braced open by Gabriel’s hands.
They really made a lovely picture, her dark against Gabriel’s more golden looks. Night and day, chocolate and sugar, and lust nearly choked him. How fucking weird was it that Gabriel belonged exactly where he was—in the middle of their reunion. He’d thought him an interloper, a thief…yet he was neither.
“Beautiful,” Brad whispered, more aroused by the image they created. He slanted his mouth across hers and coaxed her into a kiss. Sachi’s arms came around him and her fingers threaded through his hair. Her breasts smashed against his chest and he groaned at the wonderful, warm weight of her.
Behind her, Gabriel continued to caress her, his hands moving down to her ass and Brad surrendered it to him as he lifted Sachi toward him. She went to her knees. At the tug of her hands to his shirt, he realized she wanted his clothes off, so he sucked on her tongue and let her do whatever the hell she wanted.
Damn near blind with the need to touch her, he slipped his hand down to the juncture of her thighs and drew one finger along the seam of her labia. Dampness welcomed him and he groaned. She was soaking wet. Gathering some of the moisture, he stroked over her swollen clit. Her muscles stiffened at the electric touch and he released her mouth so he could watch the pleasure play out over her face.
The bud seemed to swell under each pass of his finger. He ached to plunge a finger into her pussy, but the next thing going inside of her would not be his hand. Her impatient tugs had his shirt open and he shed it with a wince as the stitches pulled on his shoulder.
“Careful,” Gabriel said. Leaning past her and with a light hand, he braced Brad’s shoulder. “Let’s not open that up again.”
His breathing turning shallow, Brad nodded. The last thing he gave a fuck about was his injury, not when a naked Sachi rode his hand. He’d forgotten how silent she was when he pleasured her. Getting her to scream took a great deal of effort, but then so did fucking her. Keeping her focused only on the pleasure. Gabriel nodded, then ran his hands down her back.
“As much as I’m dying to fuck her right now,” Gabriel admitted, the tight note in his voice giving an air of truth to every word. “You first.”
The permission freed him from supplicant to partner. Catching Sachi’s chin, he tugged her gaze up to meet his. “When was the last time you had someone in your ass?”
Anticipation filled her eyes and her lips curved. “Three years.” Heat scorched a path of possession through him. No, she hadn’t given that part of herself to Gabriel and, while he might have wished she had, in order to let them play tonight, he was also profoundly grateful.
“Later,” he promised her, then met Gabriel’s gaze. The other man nodded his head, even as Sachi reached for Brad’s jeans. “Be careful, babe. I don’t think I have it in me to be gentle.”
“Since when have I ever needed gentle?” The challenge in her voice stoked him higher and, when she loosened his jeans, and allowed his cock to spring free, they both groaned. The desire to lift her onto him and just thrust home trembled in every muscle, but as much as he wanted to take over, own her, and possess her—he had no intention of excluding Gabriel from this gift.
Fisting her hair, he kissed her hard until she shook from the force of it and then said, “Turn around and take care of your guy over there.”
Surprise rippled over Gabriel’s face. Maybe he wasn’t used to sharing, maybe it hadn’t occurred to him, but Brad wanted the investment of all of them in this.
“She needs us both,” he reminded him and Sachi’s wild grin ripped open the tomb Brad had kept his heart inside. It beat for her, and her joy was his. The moment she twisted and turned until she faced Gabriel, Brad let himself enjoy the line of her ass and the small of her back. He found the butterfly he adored and kissed it gently.
A hiss of breath dragged his attention up, and he followed the line of her back to see Sachi’s lips close over the tip of Gabriel’s cock. Holy fuck, that’s hot. Blood rushed south and he made a mental note to play with the rest of her later. Gabriel’s hand fisted her hair and he thrust against her mouth.
Her impatience with Brad’s hesitation had her wiggling her ass at him. He laughed, the sound shattering another barrier inside of him. Rising to his knees, he pushed his jeans down. He didn’t have time to get naked. Bracing her hips, he fisted his cock. She’d always had an IUD before, and he didn’t have a condom.
With a half growl, he pressed a hand against the small of her back, and she dipped and her ass raised. “Condoms?” He pushed the word out, because he wanted to thrust into her pussy so bad he could taste it.
Gabriel let out a low sound of protest, then tossed the foil wrapped packet to him. Wasting no time, he ripped it open, sheathed his cock, then lined it up against her damp, hot sex and eased into her pussy. He wanted to take his time, wanted to savor the sensation, but the fisting clamp of her sheath sucked his will and he thrust into her, balls deep and his body seemed to go rigid.
His groan mingled with theirs and the mutual sounds of pleasure only heightened the experience. Home, really home, for the first time since he’d lost her, he let go giving into the unrestrained need bursting with him. She met his thrust with a push of her hips. Everything heightened—her breathing, Gabriel’s harsh little pants, and the explosive sound of his own breathing. He ground into her pussy, finding his rhythm by varying his thrusts, first shallow and then deeper.
Sweat slicked his body, and his spine went molten. Every stroke brought him closer, and he ached to fill her over and over again. Controlling her motions, and helping her stay upright, Gabriel’s roar rocked through him. He watched as the man came and Sachi lapped him up. Brad’s balls tightened at the utter eroticism of the release. Only when she released his cock, did Brad slide his hand beneath her.
Finding her clit, he went to work on pulling her orgasm from her as his body fought to find his own release. She arched her back, grinding against him with every thrust and then she came with a silent grace. Her head tilted back, and the muscles along her sides tensed with her strain.
Losing his rhythm as violent trembling seized him, he came with a rush. Sachi collapsed beneath him, and he fell forward. Gabriel caught his arm, bracing him. Shudders rolled over him as his cock jerked, eager to empty himself into her, condom or no condom. Even Gabriel’s arm holding his felt right, and slowly he settled onto her left side and Gabriel released him to crawl over to her right. She lay between them, trembling from her orgasm, and Brad stroked the damp hair from her face. Across her, he stared at the other man, and Gabriel gave him a small smile before kissing her lightly.
“I love you,” she whispered, then turned to include Brad in the declaration. “I love you, too.”
Exhaustion twined with euphoria, and he drew a finger down her cheek. He had no words. Thank God, she’d never needed them. She captured his hand against her face, and held fast to Gabriel with the other. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and her even breathing betrayed sleep.
She took his breath away, every damn day. Gabriel dragged a blanket up and Brad dealt with the condom and kicked off his jeans. Then he stared at the other man.
“Sleep,” Gabriel told him. “Right there with us.”
All I needed to hear. They could work out any other issues tomorrow. For now, he was home. He turned toward Sachi, kept his hand on her and buried his face against the back of her neck. For the first time in years, he didn’t fight sleep or worry about hell awaiting him.
The sun barely created an outline against the windows of the lodge when she woke. Buried beneath a heavy blanket, her head pillowed on an arm, Sachi went from sleeping to awake with a jerk. Every muscle in her body was sore, and the weight of a cock against her ass reminded her of the men she slept with—only one was missing. Pushing upward, she glanced behind to find Brad’s eyes opening slowly, a yawn splitting his jaw, but where Gabriel should have been was only cool blanket.
Panic skittered along her spine and she froze—the sound of running water punctured through the cloud and she exhaled a deep breath. When Gabriel invited Brad to join them, she thought her heart would stop. Then she thought her heart would explode from the tenderness they’d shown and the care they’d taken with each other, not to mention with her.
Brad’s arm around her middle tightened a fraction, and she pushed the hair from her eyes to find him watching her. The wariness in his gaze reminded her of the thin ice they all traveled in this situation. Gabriel would never have agreed just for her, of that much she was certain. He’d given up a lot for her—his teaching position, his normal life, and his freedom from the game. Jumping right into the deep end to be with her again had him cutting ties with his life as he’d known it, albeit briefly, to return to one more like his time with the CIA.
“We still okay?” His sleep-roughened voice, stubbly cheeks and rumpled hair made for a powerful combination.
Heart squeezing at his question, she smiled slowly. “Yes, we’re more than okay.” The past…sucked. “You know, as much as I hate everything that happened—losing the team, losing you—I’m oddly grateful that it let me find Gabriel.” Saying the words aloud crystalized the conflicting feelings in her heart. Leaning down, she nuzzled the corner of Brad’s mouth. “But I am glad you’re alive. I meant it when I said I missed you.”
His hand slid around her nape and squeezed gently. He took control of the kiss, and it was slow and devastating to her senses, but it held all of his feelings and tugged at her own. A hello, a welcome, and a sweet reunion all rolled into one. When she pulled back, he let her go with a tender smile. His whole expression gentled. “I’m grateful for him, too. He sees you.”
An odd feeling inched through her soul, and she slid her leg between his. One of the things she’d missed most about Brad were these moments, the quiet ones away from the team, away from the missions, when the two of them could be honest—when he stopped playing games or pushing her buttons.
Competition was good, it kept them both on the edge and at peak performance. The power plays were simply fun, and he was so damn good at seducing her even when she was determined to resist. But holding him, having him talk to her without artifice or agenda? “He’s pretty amazing,” she said. “I don’t know what the hell I did to deserve him, but I will never give him up.”
“Nor should you.” Brad stroked her skin, then cupped her cheek. “I owe him. Even watching you both these last several months, I had no idea how much I owed him.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” Gabriel’s quiet voice joined their moment, and Copper glanced over to find him walking into the room wearing only his pants. His barefoot, bare-chested, and damp-haired appearance revved her system. His eyes softened when he looked at her and relief swamped her. For a split second, she’d worried he regretted his decision. “It is my pleasure and my privilege to look after her.”
Brad chuckled. “You’re making me look lazy, man.”
“Hard not to do when faced with my exceptional work ethic and charm.” The utterly deadpan delivery cracked Sachi up. Laughing, she sprawled against the blankets, savoring the warmth of the fire and the comfort of having both men there. It had been an agonizing night, but the weight on her chest—the inability to breathe, even the dense shackle around her heart…all of it seemed lightened, if not gone.
“Apparently.” Brad seemed less impressed with Gabriel’s wit, though good humor echoed beneath his dry tone. “Is there still hot water?”
“Yup.” Gabriel detoured to the kitchen. “And hot coffee.”
“Dibs.” Brad said and she raised her eyebrows at him.
With a rakish grin and a wink, he tugged her upright and nipped her lower lip before stealing a kiss. “You like cold showers. I hate them.”
“Ditto!” Gabriel called and she rolled her eyes.
“Pussies.”
Brad slid a hand down her body and cupped her sex, and she hissed in a breath. With an acquisitive look in his eyes, he asked, “How sore?”
“Oh, not even.” Which was a little bit of a lie, but the hell if she’d admit to it. Not when she had both of them here and the chance to indulge her hedonistic heart out. The freedom in that thought, however, gave her pause and she smiled.
“Hmm,” Brad said slowly, his expression turning thoughtful. “I may have to see what we have so we can start getting your ass ready again. I haven’t forgotten how fucking fantastic you feel.”
Her heart did a little flip flop in her chest, and her breathing caught in her throat. Her pussy contracted at the thought. No, she hadn’t indulged in a single bout of anal since losing him, which meant it would be a lot like…
Brad’s grin grew. “Oh yeah, virgin ass. Next to yours, it’s my second favorite. When it is yours…” He paused when Gabriel reentered the room and met the other man’s gaze. “We’re still good?”
Something wordless passed between them, but try as she might, Sachi couldn’t decipher the message.
Taking a sip of his coffee first, Gabriel then nodded. “Go take a shower. We have lots of time for play and logistics and rules.”
She groaned and Brad quirked an eyebrow at her. “What? He loves his rules.”
“Said the pot, calling the kettle black.” Brad slapped her thigh lightly then pulled the blanket over her for warmth. “I like rules, too.”
“Breaking them, you mean.”
Brad strode from the room and laughed. “That, too.”
His whistling as he walked away made her smile. Once alone, she glanced at Gabriel and held out her hand. Without hesitation, he took a seat on the pallet with her and she climbed into his lap. When he passed her his coffee, she took a sip and met his gaze. Gathering all of her courage, she asked the question she knew he would answer with honesty. “Are you really okay with him? With you and I becoming—an us?”
His sober expression worried her, except she knew he thought through his responses, chose his words carefully and never said what he didn’t mean. “I thought I would hate him. A part of me still does…not him directly, but that he hurt you. That through inaction, he let you be hurt. But I feel for the guy, too. He’s a player, and a skilled one—but he genuinely loves you. I’ve never seen a man look as lost or as desperate as I’ve seen him be the last couple of days. Last night, I saw it click in him. You. Me. Him.”
She held her breath.
“Until I invited him, I didn’t know I would…but it was right.” The air whooshed out of her lungs, and Gabriel gave her a soft, gentle kiss. “I don’t know how it works long-term. I don’t know if he and I won’t end up wanting to kill each other. But I want you happy, and he’s another part of you. He owns that and it’s his. I have a part of you, and I own it and it’s mine.”
Hope swelled in her chest.
“You own us, sweetheart, body and soul. Maybe I don’t speak for him, but if we can make it work, I’m going to do my damnedest.”
“I love you so much,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and he rewarded her by embracing her tightly. “I should have told you a thousand times. I love you.” She didn’t deserve him, but fuck the universe, she was keeping them both.
“I know you do,” he whispered against her ear. “I’m a really smart guy. I even speak hardass.”
Laughter rippled through her.
“I’m also a guy who knows what it is to miss you. Go see him in the shower. Rock his world.” The offer shook her, and she pulled back.
“Really?
“Oh, yeah. I plan to rock yours myself later.” He kissed her, the stamp of possession searing to her soul. “But you two need to get to know each other again. Just remember when he shoves his cock into you, mine will be there later. From the sound of his plans…you’ll have both of us soon enough.” He stood, helping her up and balancing his coffee at the same time.
Biting her lip, Sachi felt a sudden shyness the like of which she’d never experienced. She asked, “Gabriel? Did you like restraining me last night?”
“Maybe.” The corner of his mouth kicked up.
Pressing her hand to his chest, she rose on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss to his jaw. “You can tie me up anytime you want to see if you really like it.” Because Gabriel would never hurt her, never take what she didn’t give him, never betray her. The certainty of him fixed in her soul.
His slow smile grew. “Duly noted.”
Anticipation raced over her as she hurried through the lodge to where she could hear the running water. Opening the door, she let herself inside then leaned against it. Brad pulled the curtain back, soap on his hair and face.
His grin grew wide at the sight of her, and she murmured, “I hope you don’t mind splitting the hot water.”
When he crooked his finger, she danced into the shower. Good things only happened once in a while, but she was determined to embrace them all. His hot, soapy kiss left her laughing, and when he pinned her to the wall, she forgot how to think at all.