Elemental Pleasure (12 page)

Carly didn’t know what to say, so she slid into the space between them on the couch. She cupped Lance’s face and kissed him. It was soft and gentle, and as she did it, Preston’s hands came to rest on her back, supporting her. She’d arrived here tonight, so certain she could resist this. Them. She’d been a fool.

She pulled away and Lance touched her lower lip with his thumb. “You won’t be alone, Ca
rly. E
ither of you. If I died…you’d have each other.”

“Lance. N
othing’s going to happen to you.” Carly’s heart was beating hard. She
’d
met him only days
ago, and yet she cared for him
and hated hearing him sound so sad, so certain of his own death. Whether he realized it or not, he was holding himself back from this relationship.

Carly’s mother had always said she lacked common sense when it came to a challenge. Tell her she couldn’t do something and Carly would move heaven and earth to do it.

This morning, she was bailing, pulling herself out of the threesome. Now, tonight, faced with Lance’s attempts to leave, she was digging in her heels. If she was staying, by God, he was going to be here too.

Preston ran his hand through her hair, drawing her attention. “Given Lance’s continued involvement in t
he reserves, maybe
—”

Carly’s temper
flared. “Preston, don’t say it. Don’t even think i
t.”

“But,” Preston said, holding his hand up, “Lance is right. For now, we have each other. We’re stronger as three.”

Lance pressed himself against Carly’s back,
his
arms circling her waist.
Preston cupped her arms, resting
his head on hers. They stayed that way, taking a moment to be with each other.

These
two men were hers
to care for, to think and learn and create with. Hers to love.

Reaching up
,
she placed a hand on eac
h of their cheeks—Lance’s skin rough with stubble, Preston’s smooth and warm.

“There’s still
something we need to talk about.” Preston sounded
reluctant to break the spell.

Carly knew
what he was talking about. S
he was anxio
us to have this conversation
. Disengaging from both men, she returned to her seat across from the couch.

She looked at each man in turn. “We need to talk about the sex.”

Preston leaned forward on the couch, bracing his elbows on his knees. “You said you didn’t want us to use you against each other.”

“That’s right.”

“We won’t.” Lance looked at Preston, and Carly was taken by the way her hot Marine deferred to the other man.

“But,” Preston said, “sexually, you are the center.”

Carly stiffened. “Are you sure?” Maybe she could draw some fire away from herself, put them on the hot seat.

“Lance has said he’s not interested in me sexually.”

Carly recognized Preston’s careful wording. “And you?”

He grinned, not the least bit uncomfortable with their conversation. “While I don’t discount it completely, I must confess I prefer the company of women.”

She
shook her head. “I’m not going to do what you’re asking.”

Preston wasn’t deterred. “Carly, we need you to.”

“It’s too much. Y
o
u’
re both amazing lovers, but
when we’re all
together…” She s
hook her head. “I couldn’t
think. I lost myself. Do you know how frightening that was?”

“There’s nothing wrong with giving in
to the pleasure.”

Pleasure wasn’t the issue. “What you’re asking me to do is give up control. Completely.”

“
You’re right. I am
.” Preston met her gaze. She looked away, worrying her lower lip with her teeth, lest he see too much. Preston was astute. Sometimes she felt like he saw too much in her face. Truths she wanted to keep hidden.

She was the owner of a co
mpany, a technological pioneer. S
he c
ouldn’t afford to doubt herself
or feel unsure of her own power. Surely Preston could understand that he was asking for too much. “I’m not comfortable with that.”

“You’re not comfortable
giving up control in general, but this would be limited to sex. Outside the bedroom, we’re all equal partners.”

“And, let’s face it, Carly, you’d have all the control,” Lance said. “Unless you’re happy and willing, none of us get sexual release.”

“Ca
rly, we need you to accept
us. This way.”

Carly blew out a breath. Some women, maybe most women, would think she was crazy for objecting. Two gorgeous men wanted to have sex with her, wanted to pleasure her to the point that she couldn’t even think straight.

But that was the problem.

“I want to try something.” She rose and they did too. She moved to an open area of floor.

Preston and Lance faced her. Preston had a little half smile on his face, and Lance was looking at her in
a way that was almost predatory
and definitely possessive.

Carly faced them, struc
k again by the realization they were hers
and she was theirs. She’d been overwhelmed before, both physically and emotionally. Now she was on steadier emotional ground.

She started with Preston. Stepping up to him
,
she rose onto her toes and feathered a light kiss over his cheek. Even that
soft touch
was enough to have her blood humming. His hands settled lightly on her hips, not really holding her, just resting there.
He passed the test. She’d known he would.

Turning to Lance
, she lean
ed
to kiss him
,
but before she could
,
he grabbed her. Lance’s lips fused to hers. His passion
was immediate; his hands pulled
her hard against him and
her body bowed to his. Planting her hands on his shoulders
,
Carly pushed away.

“Lance.” Preston sighed. “How is that
not
overwhelming her?”

Carly took two big steps back. The hope she’d felt a moment ago that this would all work out was withering.

Lance looked at Preston
,
then back to her, his brow furrowed. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, you didn’t
hurt me.”
She didn’t know how t
o explain that
the way they could make her lose herself
frightened her
, that she didn’t trust them
—or herself—on
an emotional level.

“Think about it from her point of view.” Preston held out his hand to Carly, and she put her fingers in his, letting hi
m draw her forward. “We’re
bigger than her, stronger tha
n her, and we just told her
we expect her to be the focus of both our sexual needs.”

Lance muttered a curse
. “I hadn’t thought about it like that. Car
ly
…
”

She looked at him. His gaze searched her face and
,
after a moment
,
he shook his he
ad. “I can’t promise I won’t be
demanding. But I would never hurt you. I don’t want to scare you. I’ll protect you. Even if it’s from myself.”

“As will I.” Preston rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

Tears filled her eyes.
Carly ha
d to look away. S
he felt the shift, felt her fear melt away as her heart opened. They might o
verwhelm her physically, but
s
he knew
they wouldn’t hurt her
or betray her trust or let her get so lost, she couldn’t find her way back
.

“Thank you.” Carly looked between them,
and then
took Lance’s hand in
hers. She drew him closer and
kissed him. He was stiff, frozen. She didn’t want that. C
arly opened her lips, nipped his
. Lance growled and his arms started to come around her. Preston got there first, cradling her as she kissed Lance, his lips on her neck, making her shiver in pleasure.

When they broke apart
,
Carly was panting. She took a step away from them, wanting to look at them. They both looked good enough to eat.

“Carly.” Preston’s gaze was piercing. “Do you trust Lance?”

“I…think so.” Lance was strong, determined. In her mind, he was still the enigma, the lover she’d yet to pinpoint. He’d been a raging bull at the hotel, charging, dominating, and yet he’d just shown he could hold himself back.

“Do you trust me?” Preston
asked
.

Carly’s gaze roamed over his face. “I…yes. I do.”

“Good.” He picked up one of her hands and kissed it. “Then come with me.” He looked at Lance. “Both of you.”

*****

Preston led them
to
his bedroom. The room was probably small by the standards of other places in the country, but in San Francisco, it was downright spacious.

“Lance, can you grab the straight back chair from the office?”

Lance nodded and disap
peared. Carly eased herself
onto the side of the bed. She could try to tell herself she hadn’t planned for this, hadn’t wanted it, but the fact that she’d gone home and change
d into a matching bra and panty
set to wear under her simple wrap dress proved it was a
lie. She’d known all along
if she came here tonight, she’d commit to them, and if she committed to them, she’d end up in bed with them.

Lance brought in a Shaker-style chair, putting it near the foot of the bed.

“What’s that for?” Carly asked.

“We’re going to use it to make sure we don’t overwhelm you again.”

Preston was clearly leaving nothing to chance. “How?”

“I’m going to tie Lance to the chair.”

“Fuck,” Lance groaned. “Why me?”

“Because you tried to fuck her on a piano.”

“You were fingering her on a desk.”

“Gentlemen, seriously?” Carly raised her hand. “We’re back to this?”

Preston knelt and pulled a box from under the bed. In it was an array of sex toys, some of which Carly didn’t even recognize.

“Damn,” Lance said, looking over her shoulder. “That’s quite a collection.”

Carly bumped into him when she
took a step back. It wasn’t
what she saw
that
scared her. What alarmed her more was how aroused she suddenly was.

Lance nuzzled her neck and she moaned.

“Starting without me?” Preston pulled some rope and straps from the box. He set them on the bed,
and
grabbed Carly’s hips to tug her away and turn her. As she faced Lance, Preston pushed her back into his open arms.

She went willingly, eagerly. As she leaned into Lance’s embrace, she felt the hard length of his cock. He tipped her chin up and kissed her. His tongue touched the seam of her lips, then ventured into her mouth. Her hands were on his chest, but the fabric of his shirt was in the way, keeping her from what she wanted most. Bare skin. True contact.

Unbuttoning his shirt, she pushed it off his shoulders, her fingers working their way along his arms, tracing and kneading his thick muscles.

Hands touched her hips, her back. Preston brushed her hair aside and kissed the hollow of her neck as he untied her dress. She moved away from Lance,
stepping back
as Preston pulled her dress off. It fell to the floor around her feet.

Preston’s hips pressed against her ass, pushing her against Lance once more. His hands roamed over her sides while Lance cupped her face and kissed her.

Wanting to test them, Carly took Preston’s hand and, lacing his fingers with hers, she ran their connected hands over Lance’s bare back. She expected either one or both of the men to protest, but neither did. She relaxed a little. She didn’t think this would work if they used her as a shield between them, but maybe this way—this true joining of three—would work.

“Let’s get into position,” Preston whispered against her neck.

Lance stepped away, shucking his shoes, socks, pants and boxers. The lights in Preston’s bedroom were brighter than those in the hotel, and she was struck again by the girth of Lance’s cock. She licked her lips, remembering how it felt to have him in her mouth as Preston fucked her. She’d always been a sexual person, but she’d never felt so wanton before.

“Lance, will you sit?”