Chapter 35

Tom was trying really hard to keep it together. But fucking Carmina like that with Danny, and now fucking Danny…It was like he’d died and gone to heaven. “Give me the vibrator,” he told Carmina. She rolled onto her side and grabbed it from the nightstand, handing it over along with the lubricant.

“You’re going to need this, too,” she told him as she handed it over. “Can I watch?”

“It wouldn’t be as good if you didn’t,” Tom told her. He leaned over and kissed her rough and hard, wet and dirty, and she opened her mouth and took it with a moan. Damn. Just damn with these two. They gave Tom everything they had, no questions asked. He owned the world when he was with them. There wasn’t a price you could put on that. Nothing he did seemed wrong when he was with them. He ended the kiss with a hard suck on Carmina’s lower lip.

“You just lie right there and look gorgeous while I fuck Danny,” Tom told her. He reached over and ran a hand over Danny’s hip and firm ass cheek, and he could feel Danny tremble. Tom knew it was anticipation and not trepidation. He quickly grabbed the vibrator and applied some lubricant to it. Danny watched intently. “Spread your legs more,” Tom told him. “Don’t move unless I tell you to. Keep your hands where they are.” Danny spread his legs without a word.

When Tom pierced Danny with the tip of the vibrator, Danny’s entire body shook. Tom stopped, letting Danny get used to it. “Don’t stop,” Danny groaned.

“I’ll decide when to stop and when to start,” Tom told him calmly, but he did as Danny asked and slid another inch in. Danny’s back bowed and he was breathing so hard his back was heaving. Danny stretched his neck to the side and tipped his head back and Tom pushed the vibrator the rest of the way in.

“Fuck,” Danny hissed.

“I’m going to,” Tom told him. He ran one hand up and down Danny’s back, and then over his ass. He couldn’t get enough of touching him like this. He’d wanted to for so long. Danny slowly relaxed and Tom began to move the vibrator in and out. After a while, he increased the pace and turned the vibrator on low. Danny grunted and arched his back. Tom continued to caress Danny all over his back and sides. Carmina had begun to run her hand up and down Danny’s arm in a leisurely way, lingering over his straining biceps.

“Mmm,” she hummed. “Kiss me.” She slid over and Danny lifted his arm so she could get under him. Tom watched as they kissed. Carmina held his head and kissed him as if she owned him. It was incredibly sexy. They were both so fucking hot. Tom wasn’t sure how he ended up with them. A sexy Puerto Rican and the hottest black man Tom had ever known. Seward, Nebraska, hadn’t prepared him for this. Good thing he was a quick learner. Tom pulled the vibrator out and Danny broke away from the kiss with a sharp jerk of his head.

“Keep kissing her,” Tom told him. Danny turned back to Carmina and she dove back into the kiss, her hand holding the back of Danny’s head. She had blown Tom away with her enthusiastic response to Danny’s needs. She enjoyed it as much as Tom and Danny did. Tom rolled on a condom and positioned himself behind Danny.

When he reached for Danny’s hip he noticed his hand shaking. He’d been so intent on Danny and Carmina he’d managed to avoid the realization that he was finally going to fuck Danny. He’d wanted him for so long, had believed it would never happen, and now here he was. And he wasn’t just fucking Danny, he owned him. Danny had placed himself completely in Tom’s hands, trusting him with his secrets and his passion. It was a gift matched only by Carmina’s trust in him. Tom wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve it, but he would never take it for granted.

He held his breath as he pushed his cock into Danny’s ass. Danny was tight, but the vibrator had prepared him to take Tom. There was some resistance, but Tom pushed past it. Danny whimpered into Carmina’s mouth and Tom bit the inside of his cheek to keep his cool. He wanted to fuck Danny. He didn’t want to barely get inside him and come like a teenage virgin. When he was back in control, he steadily pushed all the way in. He leaned over and kissed Danny’s back, then slid his hand around and gripped Danny’s dick. Danny wasn’t hard, which wasn’t a surprise. First fucking Carmina and then the uncomfortable sting of getting fucked in the ass for the first time would make anyone lose his hard-on. But Tom was going to help him get it back. He slowly began to jack Danny’s cock. Someday Tom wanted to blow him when he was like this, making him hard with his mouth.

Tom began to move slowly in short thrusts, moving his hips in time with his hand. Danny moaned as Carmina kissed him and ran her hands over his arms and chest. She moved from his mouth, kissing his neck and down his chest. It was a dual assault and it didn’t take long for Danny to get hard again.

Tom couldn’t believe how good Danny felt. He was so tight and hot, and his ass was firm with muscle. Tom began to fuck him fast and hard, and Danny took it, like he knew he would. The slap of his hips on Danny’s ass filled the air, punctuated by Danny’s grunts and soft curses and Carmina’s hums of satisfaction.

“I want you to come,” Tom told Danny tightly. “I can’t last. This is too good.”

“Yeah,” Danny said, more a grunt than a word. “Harder.”

“Hand or fuck?” Tom asked.

“Both.”

Tom obliged and Danny’s dick grew rigid and pulsed in his palm. When he came he whispered Tom’s name in a broken voice as his hot semen coated Tom’s hand. It was more than Tom could handle and he buried his cock in Danny’s ass and came.

A few minutes later he was lying on his back beside Danny, who had collapsed on his stomach. Carmina had moved to Danny’s side and she lay on her side propped up on an elbow as she ran her hand lovingly over Danny’s back. Danny shivered, his eyes closed.

“Good?” Tom asked. His voice had a little gravel in it because he was pretty wiped out by the sex.

“How the fuck do you do that?” Danny asked, clearly exhausted. “You make me crazy without even trying.”

“I was trying,” Tom admitted. “I like to make you crazy.” He reached over and grabbed the towel off the floor and got rid of the condom. Then he leaned over and wiped Danny off.

“I need a shower,” Danny said.

“Me, too,” Carmina said. She leaned over and bit Danny’s shoulder. “Maybe we should take one together. That turned out pretty good last time.”

Danny laughed, but he sounded weak from exhaustion. “I don’t think I’ve got that in me right now, little girl.”

“Another time?” she asked.

“Definitely another time,” Danny said. He rose up onto his elbows and looked back and forth between Tom and Carmina. “So are we going to do this? The three of us?”

“Do you want to?” Tom asked. He hoped Danny couldn’t see how nervous he was waiting on an answer. He had a history of jumping in too deep and caring too much for people who didn’t feel the same. He really hoped he hadn’t done that again. His heart couldn’t take it.

“Yeah,” Danny said. “I think I’d like that.”

“Don’t get all romantic on me,” Tom said with a snort of amusement.

“I am who I am,” Danny said. “If that’s a problem…”

“Nope,” Tom said. “I’ve known who you are for a long time. And I’m good with it.” He looked across the bed. “Carmina?”

She had her chin resting on Danny’s shoulder. “I’m not better,” she said. She sat up and faced them, her legs crossed. She looked so cute it was hard to reconcile her with the sexy woman who’d just made love with two guys. Tom tore his eyes away from her nakedness and focused on her troubled expression.

“What do you mean?” he asked. Danny reached over and placed his hand on her thigh.

“I’m always going to have issues. With my head,” Carmina said. “Some days are better than others. I could regress. I told you I wasn’t ready for anything more.” She met Tom’s eyes, and then looked at Danny. “But I want to try. If it gets too much for any of us, we can call it quits.”

“Not gonna happen,” Danny said firmly. “I never knew you before you were injured. I want you, Carmina, as you are now.”

“What he said,” Tom told her. “You know I’m in love with you.”

“That still scares me,” Carmina admitted. “That’s a huge responsibility, taking care of someone’s love.”

“I’ll take care of you, and you take care of me,” Tom told her. “That’s how it works.” He looked at Danny, who was gazing at Carmina with a tender look Tom had never seen on his face before. “And we both take care of Danny.” Carmina gave Tom a little smile.

“We do, don’t we?” she murmured. She leaned over and kissed Danny’s shoulder.

“You wanted flesh-and-blood men,” Tom reminded her. “That can get messy and feelings can get hurt and it’s risky. But that’s life.”

“I want to live my life,” Carmina said. “That’s what this was all about.” She reached her hand out and Tom took it in his. “Thank you for helping me do that.”

“Does that mean you don’t want to do this?” Danny said, his voice flat. “That sounded like a goodbye.”

“I’m not good with words,” she told him. “I’m trying to say that I want to. I want you. Both. But I come with a warning label.”

“We should all have a warning label,” Danny said, heaving himself up to his knees. “What we just did probably broke some laws, not to mention a few codes of conduct.” Carmina and Tom both laughed.

Tom climbed off the bed. “Shower time. Then bedtime. Tomorrow is another day.”

“Another day to break some laws,” Carmina teased.

“Break the rules,” Danny added.

“We’re Rebels,” Tom said with a shrug. “It’s what we do.” He leaned over and picked Carmina up in his arms as she laughed, and he headed for the shower, Danny following behind.

Carmina walked quietly through the dark living room heading toward the kitchen. She could see Danny highlighted by the refrigerator light as he stood there staring into it. She was pretty sure it wasn’t hunger or thirst that had him up at three a.m., however.

“Looking for something?” she asked quietly as she came to a halt in the kitchen doorway. She didn’t want to crowd Danny, literally or figuratively.

Danny jumped a little and looked over his shoulder in surprise. “Couldn’t sleep,” he said, closing the refrigerator door and plunging them back into semidarkness. “Sorry if I woke you. Is Tom still asleep?”

“I think so.” She moved into the kitchen, got a glass from the cabinet, and filled it at the sink.

“You’ve got something on your mind,” Danny said, leaning back against the counter. He was wearing a pair of boxer briefs and nothing else. Carmina was pretty sure Danny knew how that would affect her.

“So are we going to do this?” she asked casually, trying to keep the tension out of her voice.

“This?” Danny asked in confusion.

“You, me, Tom,” she clarified.

“I thought we settled that earlier. Unless you’re having second thoughts.” Danny’s tone was neutral.

“No, not me.” She set her glass down. “You know how I feel about both of you. But this is new for you. The you and me part. The you and Tom part, too, I guess.”

“Not going to lie. I’m a little freaked out by that.” Danny blew out a breath. “I mean he’s Tom, right? And we’re close as brothers. But brothers don’t do that shit. So what I feel must not be like that. It’s like…something else.”

“Boy, you are having a hard time with it,” Tom said from the kitchen doorway. “I love you. But you’ve known that for a while, haven’t you?”

“You’re awake,” Carmina said. “I’m sorry. That’s probably my fault.”

“Nah,” Tom said. “It’s Danny’s fault.” He turned back to Danny. “You didn’t answer.”

“Yeah,” Danny admitted reluctantly. “I knew it. I just didn’t want to admit it or go there.”

“Well, we went there.” Tom nodded. “Now is the time you tell us how you feel.”

“I thought I just did,” Danny said defensively.

“Right. Something else, not brothers,” Tom summarized. “That clears it right up. What about Carmina?” Carmina tried not to feel let down. Danny had been closed off for years. He wasn’t going to just throw open the doors and let his emotions fall out now.

“I care for you both a lot,” Danny said, sounding uncomfortable.

Carmina picked up her glass and stared at Danny over the rim as she took a sip. “That is the most pathetic declaration of love I have ever heard,” she finally said. “But I’ll take it.”

“Good,” Danny said with obvious relief. “I’ll work on it. I promise.”

“Love is a scary thing,” she said, setting the glass down again. “I know. I’ve kind of been freaking out about it, too. It’s a ton of responsibility. I’m still not sure I’m ready.”

“You’re both thinking about it the wrong way,” Tom said. “It isn’t something to be scared of. There are no expectations or responsibilities that come attached to my love or yours. It just is. It’s how I feel and it’s going to influence everything I do with you. But ultimately, it’s about me, and not you. I love you whether you love me back or not. It’s a gift. See? So don’t feel obligated to return it, or pressured to feel it.”

They stood there like that for a few seconds, each one isolated in their respective corner of the kitchen. When Danny spoke first, it surprised Carmina.

“Today, when I walked away from Peltz, I realized that I owed it to you,” he said to Tom. “You’ve taught me how to trust over the last year, how to open up and let someone in. And you made me part of your life, too. You made me part of something bigger—a friendship, a team—and I didn’t want to lose that. Hating everybody and everything was exhausting. I didn’t want to go back there. That means something, right? No one else could make me do that before I met you.” He turned to Carmina. “And because of him I was able to let you in, too. And I discovered that I have a lot to give. You’ve shown me that I’m more than my past, good or bad, and that it takes more strength to move on and live again than it does to retreat into that ball of hate. I want to be that guy, the one who walked away from hate. Because I was walking toward this.” He rubbed the top of his head self-consciously. “I think it’s pretty rare for people who want what we do to find each other, you know? I don’t think that’s something to throw away.”

“Then let’s not throw it away,” Tom said.

“I’m ready to try to make this work. So far, honestly, this love thing is a lot easier than the hate thing,” Danny agreed.

“Okay, that means something,” Tom said, sounding choked up at Danny’s confession.

“Yeah, it does,” Carmina said, a little shaky with emotion. “And I want it, too. I do. This, I mean. I want it to work. But”—she turned to Tom—“I get what you’re saying. It doesn’t have to go anywhere. It doesn’t have to work out. Because the love is here and it just is.” It felt like a huge weight had just fallen from her shoulders. That’s where she’d gone wrong with Richie. She hadn’t been able to just accept the love they shared. She had treated it like a burden, instead of a gift. She wasn’t going to do that ever again. And she knew Richie would approve. “I’m going to accept it and see where it takes me. My life has been one challenge after another the last few years, and I feel like I’ve been a taker and not a giver. It’s kind of nice to be the one to give for a change, and to know that I can do it. So, yeah, the way I’m feeling right now, that’s love. And it is selfish. It makes me feel good.” She grinned. “It makes me feel very good. So, I can do this. Totally.”

Tom laughed. “Okay then. I guess we just became a thing. The three of us.”

“Don’t expect me to be all up on you in public,” Danny warned, glancing between them. “I’m not there yet.”

“Me, neither,” Carmina said. “Been there, done that. Didn’t work for me.”

“I can see I’m going to have to work on the fun factor,” Tom told them. “First, our media name. Dantomina? Tominadan? Cardantom?”

“Oh, hell, no,” Danny said, grinning. “De la Smith Kelly.”

“De la Dantom,” Carmina said. She was already thinking about what photos to post on social media. “I’ll try it out tomorrow. It’ll be a huge distraction from the rumble in the jungle yesterday. Or today. I’m all confused. What time is it?” She looked around for a clock, frowning.

“Way too late or way too early to be having serious discussions,” Tom told her. He grabbed her hand. “Let’s hit the hay. I need sleep. You two are going to wear me out.”

“We’ll try to pick up the slack,” Danny said drily from behind him. Carmina reached back and snagged his hand as they headed for the bedroom.

“That’s the spirit,” Tom told him. “I can’t misbehave alone.”

“I have a feeling we’re all going to earn a few misconduct penalties,” Danny teased. He stepped up next to Carmina and slid his arm around her waist. His warmth seeped into her side as Tom’s warm, rough hand cradled hers. For the first time in a very long time, Carmina didn’t feel alone. She knew everything wasn’t perfect. There were rough patches ahead—with her recovery, over what had happened with the Rough Riders, and the public reaction to their new relationship. She didn’t care about any of that. Not when she had some seriously dirty misconduct on her mind.