Note to self: The next time Max Monahan comes over, put down a tarp to catch the debris that falls when he fucks you on furniture.

Should be easy enough to remember.

I scoop the last piece of glass and scan the floor for more as I sop up the wine splatter. Max offered to stay and pick it up himself but I was about ready to jump his bones again. Seemed safer to get him out the door. Also, he cooked. I clean.

I stack the plates in the sink next to the utensils and cooking supplies. I should wash this up now but…

I shrug and walk away. I’ll get to it tomorrow when I am of more stable and sound mind.

Tonight was incredible.

I strip off my shirt and head into the bathroom. Maybe a little cold shower will do me some good. My skin tingles all over. I can still smell him. Taste him.

So fucking incredible.

I rinse off our sweat, closing my eyes and replaying the entire night from the very beginning. He arrived with a bottle of wine and raw meat. Broccoli and potatoes. I got tipsy while he showed off in my kitchen, making me laugh the whole time. Dinner was delicious. Dessert… even better.

My sex throbs just thinking about him. I might have to rub one out if I expect to get any sleep tonight.

Will he need to as well?

I smile as I step out of the shower and slip into my robe.

A knock echoes through my loft.

I freeze, bent over with my wet hair dangling in a towel. My lips curl. Did he come back? I press the towel into my scalp and scrub furiously to get most of the moisture out. A few quick strokes with my comb and I look halfway presentable. I think. I hope. At least I’m clean.

Another knock and I rush toward the door.

“Coming…” I say, sliding the chain free.

I open the door and my breath catches.

Thad stands there, leaning casually along the outer frame with a wide smirk and a soft wink in his eye. “Good evening, milady,” he says.

“Thad…” I swallow. “What are you doing here? It’s almost two in the morning.”

“Nothing.” He gazes down my robe. “Just knocking boots against your door.”

I look at his shoes. “Those are loafers.”

“Knocking loafers doesn’t sound nearly as dirty.”

“You might be right,” I say, chuckling.

He stands up tall. “Actually, I just flew in on a very long and very boring late-night flight.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“And as my Uber drove by your place outside… I couldn’t help but notice that your light was still on.”

I raise a brow. “And how many other women’s apartments did you have your Uber drive by before you got to mine?”

His jaw drops. “Zero.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He bites his lip. “Okay, he didn’t just drive by. I came here on purpose to surprise you and to see if you were up for a gentleman caller.”

I fake a shiver. “And what exactly does a gentleman caller do at two in the morning?”

“That depends.” He looks down my robe again. “When do you have to be at work in the morning?”

“Nine,” I answer. “But I could probably swing ten-ish.”

“In that case, may I come in,… milady?”

I don’t have to fake the shiver this time. His smile travels down my back, radiating all the way out to my knees and elbows.

I step back to let him in.

Thad moves forward and lingers over me with one foot inside. His eyes slowly land on my lips and he kicks his heel back to close the door as he leans down to kiss me.

My nerves twitch. It’s a firm, slow kiss. Different from Max’s warm and tender ones but just as amazing. I part my lips and he slides his tongue between them to caress mine.

“Why are you up to so late?” he whispers.

“Oh, just…” I think fast. “Reading a smutty romance novel.”

He chuckles with both hands cupping my face. “Any good?”

“It’s...” I tremble as I feel his erection on my hip, “not bad.”

“Anything fun you’d like to... act out?”

He pins me to the door and nibbles hard at my neck. All of my senses explode and I can’t help but put my hands all over him. I tug his shirt free from his belt, more than a little determined to feel the abs hidden beneath it.

“There might be a scene or two...” I exhale hard as his hand slides into my robe.

“I’m listening...” he says, his lips never leaving my skin.

My mouth sags as I heave breath after breath. He reaches around me to cup my naked ass, giving it a firm squeeze.

Oh, god. What am I doing?

I spent most of the night with his best friend. Am I really going to fuck them both in one night? I’m still so turned on from what happened with Max, I might just let it happen. I should stop this. I should say something. I should...

Thad pulls the string on my robe, forcing it open as he drops to his knees.

I should just stay quiet.

“You’re so wet...” he says.

“I just took a shower.”

He peeks up at me and smiles.

“Oh,” I stutter. “You mean… yeah. That.”

His lips caress my thighs, shutting me up. “Must be a good book.”

“It has its moments.”

I squeak and my voice fades off into delicious moans at he starts lapping away at me. He forces my left leg up and he rests my knee over his shoulder to bury his face even deeper into me. His tongue slithers between them, attacking my clit and my knees threaten to buckle beneath me.

He groans, vibrating me. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this pussy all weekend.”

I moan, gripping his hair with one hand as he sucks harder at me. I quiver and shake, feeling pleasure building between us. I bite my lip. Hard. I could wake my fucking neighbors if I scream this late…

Thad’s hand crawls up my leg, tickling me as it inches toward my slit. I see his thick, anxious fingers just begging to burrow their way inside of me and I stiffen, knowing there’s no way I’ll be able to silence myself when they finally find their way inside.

“Thad...” I whisper.

He detaches his mouth from my core and looks up at me with amused, devious eyes. “Do you want me to stop?” he asks.

“Oh, no.” I let out a laugh. “No. Definitely no, I just...”

He stands up slowly. “You just... what?”

I lose my breath, overwhelmed by the look in his eyes. “I...”

He cuts me off with a kiss, firm and harder than before. I taste myself on his tongue, that sweetness he just can’t get enough of.

“You just want me to eat that ass, too?”

I flinch, completely and utterly floored by the request. “Well, I mean...” My cheeks burn. “Yeah, sure, if that’s what you’re into...”

Thad pulls me off the door and guides me toward the bed so quickly, it makes me dizzy. “Oh, Phoebe...” He crushes his lips on mine. “I thought you’d never ask.”

We stumble, gently smacking the furniture on the way to my bed. He pulls the robe down my shoulders. It drops to the floor, leaving me completely naked in his arms. His fingers clench my damp hair, holding me in place as his tongue roams my mouth. I try to focus and undo the buttons of his shirt but my quivering fingers make it difficult.

We tumble onto the bed and Thad keeps his hands on me, moving me where he wants until I’m on my hands and knees with my bare ass in the air.

“I love this,” he says behind me. He lays both palms against my ass cheeks and squeezes. “Nice, round, and—”

“Ouch!” I wince as his teeth nip at the fleshiest part of my rear.

I spin around to look at him as he smiles.

“Tender.”

He kisses it better, letting his tongue linger on my skin for a long, pleasureful second. He teases it toward my asshole. My nerve endings dance for him. His tongue connects and I crumble beneath the new, taboo pleasure rocking my spinal cord.

“Oh, god…” I moan.

He laughs and presses a little harder with the tip of his tongue. I grab the nearest pillow, digging my nails into it as I bite my lip.

Thad gives me a firm, playful slap on the rear. I buck upward, blitzed by the sudden shock as it blends with pleasure.

He sits up and leans into me. I feel his cock pushing through his pants as he settles behind me. “I want to fuck you so badly right now,” he says, reaching for his belt. “Do you want me to?”

I tremble with the sound of his zipper. “Yes,” I sigh.

“What?”

His palm connects with me again and I laugh.

“Yes,” I repeat at normal volume.

Thad leans over me, coming in close to whisper in my ear. “Yes… what?” he asks through a wide smile.

I pause as his hand takes hold of my hair and he slowly wraps it around his fingers. “Yes, sir,” I say.

“Good.” He kisses my cheek as he releases me. “Thought I’d have to bump you to a five for that…”

I twist over onto my side. “A five, huh?”

He nods. “Yep.”

“And what’s in a five that’s not in a four?”

His tongue gently glides over his lips as he thinks. “Well…” He flicks the remaining buttons on his shirt. “Everything is just a little bit… harder.”

“Everything?”

He drops the shirt over the side of the bed. “Kisses, bites, and tugs.”

“Oh, my,” I joke.

He laughs. “And… things start to get more experimental.”

I blink. “Like what?”

“Like…” He pauses. “Never mind.”

“What?”

“No, just forget it.”

I push up on my elbow. “No, what? Tell me.”

“If I tell you, you won’t want it,” he says. “You’ll tense up. Second guess. Over-think.”

My sex throbs. “Then, just do it.”

His brow rises. “Are you sure?”

“No,” I say, smiling. “But I trust you.”

Thad gazes down at me, his eyes soft and warm. “You really do, don’t you?”

“I do.” I grow nervous as he smiles. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t?

“No,” he answers. “Just feels good.”

He leans down and I lie back as he balances above me on both arms. His kiss is soft and slow, almost like he wants it to last all night. I know I do.

I let my hands wander his toned body from his arms to his waist. I push his pants down over his ass, giving his cheeks a light squeeze before reaching for his cock.

He chuckles against my lips. “Did you miss me?” he asks.

“Yes,” I answer, giving him a firm stroke. “I missed you…”

He shifts to one side and kisses me. His hand travels down my neck, over my breasts and belly. I bite my tongue, trying not to giggle with his slow-crawling touch. He reaches my thighs and puts his hand between them. I open for him, curbing my laugh, and my chuckles break up into sweet sounds of anticipation.

He rests one finger along my slit and feels my wetness, staring at me with a sly eye for a long, agonizing second, before sliding inside. I gasp at his strong touch digging deep into me and clench tighter around his knuckles so I can feel every inch of him owning me.

“So wet…” he whispers in my ear.

I open my mouth to speak but I fall silent as he rests his other hand on my throat.

“Shhh,” he says. “Trust me.”

I relax with closed eyes, relishing in the mix of sensations. His finger inside of me. His hand around my neck. His kiss on my skin.

Thad tightens his grip on my neck, just barely squeezing, and a shiver fires down my spine. I moan, practically twisting with pleasure as he chuckles in my ear. His finger slides out slowly as he crushes our lips. He pulls me in, pressing his warm body against mine, lulling me even deeper under his embrace. His hand shifts down and I feel his finger, slick and wet, push into my asshole.

I stiffen.

“No, no…” he says. “Relax.”

He pushes in, right down to his first knuckle. My jaw drops and I look to him with wide-open eyes. I lay my hand on his around my neck, feeling his strong fingers locked on me. I’m trapped beneath him but I’ve never felt more excited. I take a deep breath, letting it flow from my head to my toes.

Thad kisses me again, a warm comfort that overwhelms the discomfort beneath me. It all blends in my core and the subtle moves of his finger sparks pleasure.

“Thad…”

“Do you want me to stop?” he asks.

I reach down to wrap my fingers around his cock again and he exhales with passion. “No,” I say, stroking softly.

We work each other, our lips barely parting for longer than a second. He takes his time, watching my reaction to every little thrust. He slows down when I wince. He stays steady when I moan. He grunts when I squeeze his shaft, his hips swaying as he fucks my hand.

“You feel amazing,” he whispers. “I want every part of your body.”

His hand shifts from my neck to rest behind my head, freeing my throat for his lips. He licks from my collarbone to my earlobe, letting out a hot, eager breath along my skin.

“I need to fuck you.”

I kiss his cheek and he turns back to take my lips, too. “Then,” I say, “just do it.”

Thad pulls his finger out and grips my thigh. He draws my leg up around his waist, aligning us together on our sides. I guide the tip of his erection between my folds and he thrusts forward to penetrate me. He fills me and I melt in his arms as pure pleasure takes over.

“Thad,” I moan, “put it back in.”

“Oh, Pink…” He grins. “I like you.”

He reaches around me again and lays his finger on my asshole. It slides in easier than before, offering a more intense feeling as he fucks me in both holes.

I cling to him. “Oh, god…”

He times his thrusts, moving cock and finger at the same speed. “Fuck, Phoebe…” he groans.

“Don’t stop,” I beg.

He kisses me hard, stealing the breath from my lungs. My entire body sways, dizzy and spinning as he breaks me apart.

“Thad…”

My tongue dissolves in my mouth. I whimper and shake, locked in ecstasy. He increases his pace, hitting me just right and I fall over the edge. I dig my nails into his arms but he takes the pain with a smile, happy to live in the moment with me.

Thad slows and flexes his entire body as I feel him come with me. He throbs inside and holds me even closer to him. I fall against him, so utterly numb that I don’t feel it as he slides out of me. He lays a kiss on the tip of my nose before releasing me and rolling off the bed.

“Leaving already?” I ask.

“Oh, hell no,” he says, slightly wobbling on his legs. “I just really need a drink after that.”

I chuckle. “There’s beer in the fridge.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Grab me one, too.”

He flashes a wink. “Yes, milady.”

I collapse against my pillow, radiant pleasure blending with nervous chills.

What the hell am I doing?

They’re best friends. Sooner or later, they’re going to find out about each other.

Fuck, this sucks.

But it’s oh-so-good, too.

* * *

I flick the light off before opening my bathroom door and stepping out into my room.

Thad still snoozes softly on my bed. I might be a little later to work than intended but I had to move really slowly and carefully to avoid waking him. I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about last night just yet. With him. With Max. Hell, with myself.

What am I even doing?

No. Not gonna start. Shoes. I’m going to put on my shoes. Yeah, that’s it. Just focus on one small task at once. It’s just a little walk to the door and then I slide them on. That’s easy enough.

I stub my fucking toe.

“Ow!” I hiss, instantly biting my lip afterward to suppress the pain and noise.

Thad turns over and I let out the breath I was holding. His eyes flutter open and he glances to his left to see if I’m still there first before scanning the room.

“Hey…” he says to me.

“Hi.”

He sits up and looks at my outfit. “Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?” he asks, smirking.

“Honestly…” I wince, “I don’t know. I didn’t get that far yet.”

“Silly Pinky.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He rubs his eyes with one hand. “Need me to leave?”

“No, you can stay. Get some sleep. You… definitely earned it.”

He smiles. “Mind if I use your shower before I go?”

“Yeah! Go ahead.” I nod. “I don’t mind at all.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll leave the key on the table for you.” I point to the kitchen table and suppress the pleasant memory still lingering just beneath the surface. “Can you lock up and drop it in my mailbox in the lobby when you leave? Box 29. You can’t miss it.”

He eases back down onto his elbows, still visibly wiped out. “Sure. No problem.”

“When is your next flight?” I ask.

“Uh…” He gathers his thoughts for a second. “Noon.”

“Where are you going?”

“Phoenix. Then, Dallas and… Chicago? Miami, at some point, I think.”

“Sounds like a long week.”

“That’s just today, actually.”

“Wow.” I pause. “When are you coming back?”

He grins. “When do you want me back?”

All the time.

I bite my tongue, blocking it from slipping out but my expression gives it away.

“Come here,” he says, waving me closer.

I hesitate but my feet carry me back to the bed. Thad takes my hand with a firm grip, pulling me down to sit and his lips embrace mine for one long and slow kiss.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” he whispers.

My heart skips. “Promise?”

“I pinky promise.”

We kiss again as he lays a firm hand on my cheek. Nerves tingle from my head to my toes, urging me to get back on the bed and stay with him. Call in sick. Spend the every possible moment with him while he’s here. Every possible moment not spent with…

Max.

I lean away. “I, uh...” I lick my tickling lips. “I should get to work. Don’t want to be even later than I already am.”

“Hope I don’t get you in too much trouble.”

“Eh, I’m the boss.”

Thad smiles. “Yeah, you are.” He lays one last peck on my cheek. “Have a good day.”

“You, too.” I stand up and pause over him. “I’ll see you soon.”

He smiles. “Box 29?”

“Box 29,” I say with a nod.

“Bye, Pheebs.”

I inhale a deep breath, hoping it’ll keep my ankles from knocking me down but I sway anyway. “Bye, Thad.”

His eyes stay on me as I wander to the table. I free my apartment key from my keychain and set it down, glancing back over my shoulder one more time.

Thad flashes a quick wink at me before lying down and closing his tired eyes.

I want so badly to go to him but I’ll let him sleep. It’s not like I could relax right now anyway.

I step outside into the hall, feeling nauseated as I exhale every molecule of air from my lungs.

“Ah, fuck,” I whisper to myself.

What have I done?