Leighanne’s pulse jumped when she saw Armie stepping out of the cab. She’d waited for him after getting the text that he would be there in a few minutes. She ran up to him, her boots making great smacking noises as she splashed through puddles. He turned toward the sound and smiled, holding his arms open wide. She buried her face in his neck, and he laughed.

“Your nose is so cold. How long have you been waiting out here?”

“I’ve been in my car…but the heat crapped out today, so it’s freezing in that tin can.”

“I bet we can warm you up.” He kissed her, his lips taking charge of the movement, his hand digging beneath her knit hat and gripping her hair. How did he play her body so easily?

They pulled away as she reached up to take his glasses off. She didn’t like the idea of him hiding any part of himself around her and Mitch.

“I’m looking forward to being warmed up.” She took his hand and placed it on her elbow. He pinched her playfully. “Let’s go in.”

Mitch buzzed them into the swanky lower lobby of the apartment building. Leighanne waved a hello at the doorman, wishing him a happy holiday, then quickly brought them into the elevator. She couldn’t wait to get up there, couldn’t wait to have both men surrounding her with their heat and muscles and stubble. And the man smell. Fuck, she loved that man smell. Sweat and cologne.

Armie pulled her back against his chest, grinding his very hard cock into her ass. She grinned, guessing she wasn’t the only anxious one of the pair. He found her ear with his mouth, then trailed down her neck. His aim was getting better as he learned the size and shape of her body.

“What if there was someone else in the elevator with us?” She gasped as he pulled open the snaps on her parka, slipping his hand in to cup a breast.

“I knew there wasn’t. But even if there had been, I don’t give a shit about anything besides fucking you into the ground right now. Your ass feels so good against my cock. Would you take it there? For me?”

She groaned as he moved his hand down and into her jeans, not even bothering to unbutton them. He found her cunt, already wet from wanting him. At that point she would have given him anything to just keep touching her.

“Christ, you’re slick.” He pushed two fingers in, and she bent over in shock, resting her hand against the wall of the elevator.

The bell dinged, and the elevator doors opened to Mitch’s floor. He pulled out of her, then took her hand, exiting the elevator. His fingers were wet and slippery, making her pant from wanting more. When they reached Mitch’s door, he stopped in front of it.

“How did you know it was exactly here?”

“I counted the steps when I left last time.” He reached out till his hand touched the door, then knocked.

“Oh,” she said, amazed at the amount of concentration and memorization it took for him to function. How was he not exhausted all the time?

The door opened, and an un-Mitchlike person answered. Except it was Mitch, he just seemed…off. His hair was a mess, and not in the I’ve-been-fucking-for-four-hours way. His eyes were wide and wild, and his lips were pulled tight. If anything he looked tense and pissed.

“Is everything okay?” Leighanne asked.

His gaze flicked down to where their hands joined, then paused on her waist. She looked down. Her fly was wide open, and it was pretty clear what they’d been doing in the elevator.

“Come in.” Mitch’s voice was nearly a grunt. Was he super horny or was he mad at something?

“Mitch, what’s—oh so that’s happening.” He worked quickly, pulled her shoes and pants off, then picked her up and pinned her against the wall. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, then shuddered as his hard cock rubbed against her. Horny, she’d guess.

“Armie, I’m against the wall to your right. I’m going to take Leighanne, and then I’m going to fuck you.” He brushed his mouth against her jaw. “Take my cock out. It’s thick and hard as hell, and I need to be inside you. I need to feel your cunt squeezing me.” Before this, Armie had been the one to use words to spin the web of their arousal, but now…holy shit, Mitch was doing all the weaving.

“Now.”

She did as he said, turned on by his demands, nearly ripping his slacks off in the process. They probably cost a lot of money, but she did not give a single shit at that moment. His cock popped out, turgid and red, the tip leaking furiously and leaving marks where it touched her clothes. He shifted his weight to put a condom wrapper in her hand. Had he been holding that this entire time? She tore it open, then rolled it down his shaft.

“Put that thick thing inside her.” Armie was there, directly behind Mitch, still fully clothed. He reached a hand around and gripped the base of Mitch’s cock. “Help me, Leighanne.”

The words tore at her. He only ever asked for help here, when their instincts and needs were focused on the sole goal of mutual pleasure. She wrapped her hand around Armie’s and helped him angle Mitch’s cock toward her pussy lips. She felt swollen and wet as the tip probed her, pushing in. Shit. He was so freaking thick he stretched her to where she thought he might split her in two.

“You okay?” Mitch grunted.

“Yeah, do it.”

“Do what, sexy?” Armie was playing with her clit, then stroking the base of Mitch’s cock where it peeked out from her.

The words spilled out of her, words only these men could ever make her say. “Fuck me, please. Please do it. I need to come so badly, just feeling you in there. It hurts, but it feels good too. Do it.”

Mitch growled, then slowly pulled out and pushed back in. The first few times were unhurried, excruciatingly so. But she knew why he tortured them—he was being careful, making sure he didn’t hurt her. He knew what that big thick thing could do to a woman, and he used it to its full advantage.

“Just like that, easy.” Armie was with them, his hand resting at the joining point. He’d caress her clit to amp her up or squeeze Mitch’s balls with his free hand. She couldn’t see his hand down there, but every time he did, he asked Mitch if he liked having his sac played with. Mitch would only grunt in response, the words he spoke earlier having abandoned him. It was delicious, and as soon as Mitch began to quicken, she began to lose her damn mind. Armie kept at her clit, fondling and tapping, and Mitch held her ass, pushing and pulling her down onto his cock. She was gasping, gripping Mitch’s shoulders. Then Armie ran his thumb against her in just the right way, and she unraveled.

Mitch stopped pumping into her, rolling his hips instead, easing her through the orgasm. She didn’t cry out, only bit down on her lip until teeth marks appeared. She wanted to kiss Mitch, to thank him for that amazing ride. But he had other plans. He’d made a promise when they arrived at his apartment, and he apparently intended to stick with it.

Armie took his hand away from Leighanne’s clit as Mitch set her back on the floor—he worried she would be a bit wobbly and needed help to stand—but he was sure Mitch wouldn’t leave her without making sure she was okay. He trusted the man to take care of her like he trusted Mitch to take care of him. He knew Mitch’s thick cock would stretch him, but Armie wanted it all the same.

Armie felt Mitch turning him toward the opposite wall. He was still completely dressed, winter coat and all. Mitch must have noticed it too, as he pulled Armie’s coat off, then threw it on the floor. He pushed Armie forward. Then Leighanne’s hands were there, guiding him toward the wall until he felt its stabilizing force.

Mitch’s hands were at Armie’s hips, but he paused, his breathing heavy. “I don’t think—I feel like I’m gonna come any second. I don’t know if I can be gentle. Tell me if you want this or not. I need to be inside you, need to do this before—just tell me.”

“I want you to fuck me with your fat cock. I want to feel you take me.”

“Leighanne, there’s lube in my bedside drawer. Get it.”

She kissed Armie quickly; then he heard the patter of her bare feet against the hardwood floors. Mitch made quick work of Armie’s pants, pulling them down till they slumped around his ankles.

“Here,” Leighanne said, and the sound of squirts bounced off the inside of Armie’s skull, making his balls draw tight and his asshole shrink in anticipation.

The cool lube felt like an electric shock against his hole, and Mitch’s fingers were big and thick as he worked him over, pushed inside, uselessly prepping him for the log Armie had held in his hands and mouth over the past week. Armie liked to top, he liked to be in control, especially since his vision had started going, but he couldn’t imagine anywhere in the world he’d rather be at that moment than having Mitch’s cock in his ass and being thoroughly taken by someone he’d quickly begun to fall for.

“I’m gonna do it,” Mitch said, his tip pressing against Armie’s hole. It already burned. There was a shift in movement around him, then a hand on his cock, then a mouth. Armie groaned as Leighanne sucked him, giving him something else to think about as Mitch pushed in, the lube easing his way a bit, but not by much.

“Ah, God.”

Mitch paused. “Okay?” He was down to one-word sentences.

“Keep going, both of you. Leighanne, baby, your mouth is heaven. Suck me just like that.”

“Yes.”

That was the last thing any of them said aside from moans and whimpers. Mitch’s cock pressed all the way inside him, pumping with a brutal force until he was coming, biting down on Armie’s shoulder through his sweater like some kind of animal. Armie used the slowed momentum of Mitch’s cock to fuck Leighanne’s mouth. He held her carefully by the back of her head and moved her up and down his long length. It didn’t take much before he was shooting into her mouth. It was overwhelming and beautiful and he didn’t even need or wish to see it. He could see it in his mind; he could feel it in the way their bodies hugged and touched his.

He loved them both, and nothing in the world was going to take it away.

Mitch was a mess. He’d never felt like this in his entire life, and it wasn’t the sex. The sex was unexpected. He’d seen Armie’s glistening fingers holding Leighanne’s hand. Her hat was askew and her pants wide open. It was too much for him. He’d meant to tell them to leave, to get out and not come back, but seeing them made him need their bodies one last time. He needed to know what Armie’s ass felt like around his cock. He needed to feel Leighanne’s soft, slick heat one more time. He’d had it, and now he needed them to get out.

He pulled out of Armie and stumbled back, his cock hanging out of his pants. Mitch pulled the condom off and carelessly shucked it to the floor, not caring about the mess.

No, he’d never felt like this before…angry and in pain and depressed and hot for them still. But he couldn’t have them anymore, not now that one of them had told somebody about their relationship. The rabbi had come to him, checking in on the contracts and the planning for the First Night of Hanukkah feast. Then he’d casually asked how Leighanne and Armie were. When Mitch asked him why he thought he would know, the rabbi only shrugged and said he knew they were in a relationship.

So simple. There hadn’t been any judgment, but Mitch wasn’t worried about what the rabbi thought. Mitch knew he was a tolerant man. It was the mob mentality that could brew in a town. The jeering and the snide remarks that he feared. It would be coming, and the fear would take over and then Mitch would run, and another underdeveloped business plan would fall to the wayside. This was the most important one, and he was going to lose it because he couldn’t keep it in his pants.

“Mitch?” Leighanne stood, then hugged Armie to her. He was breathing hard, his head in the crook of her neck. Armie’s legs were shaking. Had Mitch hurt him? Mitch shouldn’t care, but he did.

“You okay, man?” he asked as if Armie were some casual one-night stand.

“Yeah, I just need a second.” He was quiet now.

Leighanne stared at Mitch, her eyes narrowed. What is wrong with you? she mouthed at him. Take care of him. Like Armie had taken care of Mitch after their first time. She didn’t need to say it.

When Mitch didn’t move, she rolled her eyes and whispered something in Armie’s ear. He nodded. She ducked into the bathroom and came back a moment later with a warm washcloth. She cleaned him off, soothing the soreness, making Mitch feel sick. He should be doing that. He wanted to be doing that.

So why wasn’t he?

“Mitch, what’s going on?” Leighanne asked as she helped Armie pull up his pants. He still sagged against the wall but curled her into his body as he did.

“I spoke with the rabbi today. He asked how you two were doing.”

“That was nice of him.” Her voice was accusatory, but she hadn’t heard all of it yet. She would understand.

“Why would he ask me that unless someone told him about us?”

“It could have been anyone, Mitch.”

Armie finally spoke then, his head tilted in Mitch’s direction. “Wait…you’re mad at us? You just fucked us both because you’re mad at us…it wasn’t—” For once Armie was lost for words. “Why would you do that?”

“I asked you one simple thing, to keep this between the three of us, and you couldn’t do that for me. One God damn thing.”

“Mitch, the whole town knows, but it’s not because either of us said anything.” Armie’s voice quivered. “This is a close-knit town and people talk. That’s all it is. The deal with the JCA owners will be okay, I promise.”

It wasn’t about some business deal. It was about a car at night, and a bat and broken bones and a two-month long hospital stay in a town that hated the sight of him.

“I don’t believe you.” The shouted words rang across the hallway. They hadn’t even made it past Mitch’s entryway. He took a deep breath, calming his voice, and said, “I went through this before. I can’t—won’t do it again.”

Leighanne took a step forward but didn’t let go of Armie’s hand. “What happened to make you afraid? Tell us, please. Let us help you.”

He couldn’t get the words out. He tried. He’d wanted to a hundred times this week, but he could barely talk about it with his past three therapists. He could barely look at himself in the mirror and think the words.

He’d been the victim of a hate crime, and the fear and pain of it still ran deep in his veins.

“It’s the JCA.” Mitch couldn’t even make it sound remotely true. “It’s important to me.”

“This can’t be about some business deal.” There were tears in Leighanne’s eyes now.

“Discretion is important to me.” All he could do was repeat the words. Over and over.

Armie held her close as she began to cry. “You’re so fucking afraid of people judging you that you can’t see you’re the one with prejudice.”

“I have good reason.”

“You know nothing about us, about this town,” Armie yelled. “I’ve been out since I was a teenager, and I’ve received nothing but support.”

Mitch snorted. Of course he’d had nothing but support. “Your family is like the keeper of the goose with the golden eggs. You’re adored. Nobody would go against you and your sisters. An outsider looking to develop land while corrupting one of the town’s favorite sons and an innocent woman—”

“Innocent woman.” Leighanne lifted her head at that, her tears replaced by a red-rimmed, angry glare. “What is this, Scarlett Letter?”

“—will definitely be looked down on. My work is important. I love what I do. I can’t let a fling ruin what I’m trying to accomplish.”

“A fling?” Mitch ignored the pain in Leighanne’s voice. He was making the right decision. This would be better for all of them in the end. He’d be safer. They’d be safer.

“I shouldn’t have—we shouldn’t have done what we did. I’m sorry about that. I meant to end it when you got to the door.” But seeing them had twisted every thought and decision he’d made that day until all he knew was doubt.

“We shouldn’t have done a lot of things.” Armie held his hand out.

It wasn’t for Mitch. He didn’t think it would ever be for him again.

That was good. It was better this way.

“Mitch,” Leighanne started. He thought she might begin to cry again or plead. Of course he should have known better. She was made of stronger stuff than that. “If you wanted to end this, you should have said it. You didn’t need to fuck us and send us on our way like some cheap bitches.”

They didn’t say good-bye. Armie didn’t spare another word for the asshole in the room. Mitch didn’t blame them, but that didn’t stop him from going to his window once they were gone. It didn’t stop him from watching to make sure they got into Leighanne’s car safely. It didn’t stop him from crumpling against the window seat and praying they would come back.