Eternal Brand (15 page)

“God, Em.”

His gaze lifted until it once more met hers. She saw how close to the edge he was and thrust her hips back with more vigor, beckoning to his approaching release. The dressing table shook with the force of Jet's thrusts, a crystal vase and a photo frame toppling over. Emily paid them no heed. She had eyes only for Jet.

When he threw his head back and came with a primal roar, Emily's own pleasure surged once more. A mini-orgasm timed perfectly with Jet's. She luxuriated in the sensation, in the feeling of Jet's cock moving inside her in a pace that slowed with each thrust.

She felt so…complete. As gloriously satisfied as she'd been these last three weeks with two men to pander to her every desire. Jet had taken her to the edge so many times already, but with Brand there to intensify the feelings. Brand hadn't been here today. Everything she experienced now was because of Jet.

And she couldn't deny that she was moved by a deep emotional connection. The feeling only increased in magnitude when Jet leaned over the table so he could place a trail of kisses along her spine. Each brush of his lips seemed to snag on emotions that had abruptly shifted from her subconscious to the forefront of her mind.

You more than like him, Emily. You've come to feel something much more than mere like for Jet Durante.

“Shit.” Jet picked up the crystal vase that had fallen in the midst of their enthusiastic coupling. “I think we broke something.”

Emily saw the small chip in the rim of the vase. “It's okay. It's not an heirloom or anything.”

Jet laughed ruefully. “You pretty much blew my mind just now, Emily Irving.”

“Ditto.”

They looked at each other in the mirror. In Jet's eyes she saw the same thing that she was sure he would see in hers. An awareness that something in their relationship had shifted into a new phase. They'd been friendly acquaintances, then very briefly enemies, then confidants, friends and lovers. Now somehow they were so much more.

Was she falling in love with Jet? And if she was, what did that mean for her relationship with Brand? The way things were right now with the three of them was like a fantasy come to life, a fantasy she'd never thought to even have. Emily couldn't imagine wanting more, and she was thrilled Jet was staying on.

But he wouldn't stay forever. Would he?

Could
he, even if he wanted to?

Having mind-melting sex in secret was one thing. Emily didn't know if she had it in her to go public with the fact she was being shared by two men. How would that work at family parties?

Like Penny's upcoming birthday.

Her mind careered away from the concept of telling her parents what she'd been up to, and she focused on the practical. The fact she needed a new outfit hadn't changed. “We ought to get going.”

“You're right.”

It took a few moments for them to get cleaned up and dressed, especially as Emily's limbs felt like jelly. She couldn't resist sneaking a few glances at Jet as he donned his clothes. When he caught her ogling he gave her a saucy wink and her heart went pitty-pat.

No, pitty-pat didn't quite cover it. It fluttered and raced and flip-flopped about pathetically. Oh, Lord, what a mess she was in.

“How about we take the bike today? I reckon you'd love riding.”

Emily screwed up her nose. “I like my nice safe four-wheel drive, thanks very much.”

“Come on. Where's the fun in playing it safe? Besides, I like the idea of feeling your body plastered to the back of mine as we cruise the country roads.”

There it went again.
Flutter. Race. Flip-flop.
“Tell you what. I'll cling to the back of your Harley today if you promise to have a go at riding Duke.”

“Ha! No thanks.”

“Come on. Where's the fun in playing it safe?” she challenged with a grin. “I know Brand's been trying to talk you into it. I have a woman booked for a beach ride this Saturday. If nobody else books before then we should all go out together.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Irving.” He looked at her steadily. “I'll make you a deal. I'll do it for a kiss. You don't even have to ride the Harley.”

“After what we just did, all you want is a kiss?”

“I'd walk over hot coals for one of your kisses, Em.”

Flutter. Race. Flip-flop.
He strolled toward her, his steps measured. Emily's heart wouldn't stop having its crazy seizure. When he cupped her jaw, her throat closed over. He dipped his head and she couldn't breathe.

His lips were an inch away from hers. His husky murmur sent tingles over her flesh. “Kiss me.”

Helpless against his appeal, Emily lifted her face. She brushed her lips over his, sighing at the electric delight of first contact. Then she sent her tongue out to trace over his lower lip. Jet groaned and gathered her against him, deepening the kiss by degrees, taking over her mouth, her mind.

Her heart.

Oh dear, Emily. What are you going to do?

When at last he pulled back, they were both panting. Emily clung to his shoulders, set adrift by the way her desire for him had turned into need—helpless, uncontrollable need. How their friendship had somehow morphed into…

What felt very much like an inexorable fall into crazy stupid love.

“Are you scared, Em?”

His question could have been about riding the Harley. Emily knew it wasn't. “A little.”
A lot. A freaking bundle.

“It's all right.” Jet stroked a hand over her hair. “I've got you.”

And isn't that just the problem?

Shopping with Emily was more fun than Jet had had in a long time. Billings was a lot bigger than Leyton's Headland and had several department stores and fashion boutiques. The selection of possible outfits was vast, and Emily had trouble deciding what she liked. She dragged him from store to store while she vacillated between one style and another.

Jet should have been aggravated, but he loved every minute of the time he spent with her.

“What about this one?” Emily asked as she pulled out possibly the hundredth dress of the day to show him. She held it up against her body. “Too slutty?”

Jet cast his eye over the midnight-blue halter-neck dress. Picturing Emily in it was enough to make his blood heat. “Is there such a thing as too slutty?”

“From the way you're looking at me, I'd say yes.”

Jet grabbed the dress out of her hands before she could shove it back on the rack. “Don't be so hasty. The least you could do is try it on.”

“It looks too tight.”

“And backless.” Jet let out a low whistle as he turned the garment around. “You couldn't possibly wear a bra with this.”

“Plus it will be far too cold for winter, so it's settled.”

“Sure is. You're trying this on. Call it payment for the hours I've spent listening to you waffle about what to wear.”

“Waffle? That's just mean.”

“What would you call it?”

Emily tilted her chin haughtily. “Considering all my options.”

Jet laughed. He watched while Emily pulled several more dresses from the rack before putting them back with a frown.

“Seriously, Em. You're usually pretty clear on what you want.”
Especially in bed.
Jet steered his mind away from the mental picture of Emily straddling him and sinking onto his body with lusty purpose, because he'd wind up with an erection if he didn't. “Why are you having trouble with this?”

“I hardly ever go shopping. And I don't feel comfortable in anything other than jeans.”

“So wear jeans to the party. Surely your sister won't care.”

“Maybe not. But Penny will be wearing something floaty and feminine, and Hope will probably wear something like that.” Emily pointed to the blue halter dress Jet held. “I'm always the one wearing pants, and I end up looking like…I don't know. The plain sister, I guess.”

Jet blinked at her. “Are you out of your mind?”

“It's true. Penny has this amazingly smooth hair and a delicate face and Hope, well, she really stands out in a crowd. Even my mother looks pretty damn fine for a woman in her 50s. By contrast I'm always wearing muddy boots that may or may not also be covered in horseshit. Usually I don't care that I'm the boring one, but when I'm standing next to the rest of the Irving women I can feel pretty average.”

“Boring?” Jet was incredulous. “Average? Are you not the same woman who has two men gagging to get into her pants every night?”

Emily blushed and glanced around the boutique. “Jet, shh.”

“I'm serious, Em.” Jet placed his hands on her waist and drew her toward him. He held her gaze with his and lowered his voice. “Don't you remember how you looked in the mirror this morning? I do. I doubt I'll ever forget it. You were wild and confident and so damn hot I had to have you. You're the sexiest woman I've ever known, and there is not one single plain thing about you. You could wear a mumu to this thing and still be the most gorgeous woman there.”

She looked doubtful. “You haven't met my sisters.”

“Don't need to. I know sexy when it's giving me a hard-on in the middle of a shopping mall.”

He ground his hips into hers until her breath hitched. “Oh my.”

“Oh yeah.”

“Jet, you animal.” Emily giggled and swatted him on the chest. It was worth the embarrassment of getting hard in public just to see her grin again. “After this morning I thought you'd be spent.”

“I ought to be,” he groused. “Guess I can't get enough of you.”

“I suppose I figured…I figured it was Brand you were into more, and I was simply extra spice.”

He cupped her jaw and stroked his thumb over her cheek. The idea that she'd thought she was nothing more to him than a bit on the side made him want to kick himself. He shouldn't have let her think that, just as her family should never have let her believe she was somehow plain compared to them. “Brand has always been able to turn me inside out, I don't see that ever changing. But you are more than spice, Em. I…”

Jet was filled with a burning need to make things right, to make sure Emily knew what she'd come to mean to him. The words sat there on the tip of his tongue. Not just any words—
the
words. His mind screamed at him not to utter them. A hastily issued declaration like that could only complicate things. Besides, he hadn't had a chance to turn them over in his mind. How could he know for sure if they were true?

He admired and respected her, they shared the same quirky sense of humor and their taste in men. She was quick-witted, strong in a way that didn't diminish her femininity, and she was incredible in bed. On top of all that, she was the most generous person Jet had ever known. The way she'd welcomed him into the life she shared with Brand…it took an exceptional person to do that.

Emily Irving
was
exceptional, and God damn it, he was in love with her. The urge to tell her was overwhelming. He'd always been impetuous that way. “Em, I—”

“Can I help you with anything?”

The sales lady couldn't have picked a worse time to interrupt. Or was it the best time she could have chosen? Jet bit his tongue on a groan while Emily turned to the woman. “We're fine, thanks.”

“Second item is forty percent off today, so if you want to try anything on let me know.” The woman glanced between Emily and Jet, and smiled. “You're lucky to have a boyfriend who lets you drag him clothes shopping. Mine won't go near it.”

Instead of correcting the sales clerk about their status, Emily wound her arms around Jet's neck and snuggled closer to his chest. “I know. He's the best.”

Another customer came into the store, and the clerk left them alone. Jet didn't release Emily from the close embrace. When he spoke, his breath shifted a loose strand of hair at her temple. “So I'm your boyfriend, am I?”

“I didn't see how to correct her.” She tilted her face so their eyes met. “I didn't want to. I liked that she thought we were a couple. Is that weird?”

“No. Maybe. I'm not sure.” Confounded, Jet laughed. “All I know is I liked it too.”

Emily smiled. “Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For letting me drag you from store to store, and for what you said.”

Jet's mind sped back to the thing he hadn't said. He didn't know whether to be relieved or frustrated that he'd been prevented from making his admission.
Probably for the best.
“Every word was true.”

Emily grinned and kissed him on the cheek. “It's statements like that that make you such excellent boyfriend material.”

Emily prized herself from his arms, and Jet reluctantly let her go, telling himself he was badly in need of the distance. He needed to work on getting rid of his inconvenient erection. And he sure as hell needed time to figure out the impossible situation he now found himself in.

He was in love with two people, and he didn't know how he was going to walk away from either of them.

Chapter Seventeen

On Friday night, Brand came in from bedding down the horses to find Emily and Jet sitting on the floor against the couch, laughing their heads off at some shared joke. Jet's arm was slung around Emily's shoulders and her hand was on his chest. In the hearth a small fire burned, sending orange light flickering over them and the slim laptop that sat atop the coffee table.

They looked so right together, so happy. Brand had to wonder if either of them had ever been that happy when they were with him. The thought left him with an isolated feeling that was both unsettling and familiar. Then Emily glanced up and saw him. She said his name, and Jet turned his way as well. Their welcoming smiles included him in their joy, and for a moment Brand was too filled with warmth to remember that he was supposed to feel alone.

“An orangutan made a pass at Jet,” Emily explained. “Come see.”

Brand walked over to the couch, drawn by a magnetic pull he couldn't avoid. He sat behind Jet, bracketing the other man's shoulders with his knees while Emily climbed on the couch beside him. She pointed to the laptop screen. “Someone took it in Borneo. Isn't it hilarious?”

The picture showed Jet standing against a jungle backdrop, his arms around the orangutan. The creature held Jet's head in its human-like hands and was smothering his mouth with its massive lips. The expression of surprised panic in Jet's eyes was priceless.

Brand caught the bug and he laughed too. “Looks like you got yourself a girlfriend that day.”

“It was a boyfriend, actually,” Jet drawled, bringing a half-empty beer bottle to his lips and taking a swig.

Brand glanced at Emily. Then they burst into simultaneous laughter. Brand had laughed often in the past few weeks, and it was like stretching muscles he'd forgotten he had. It felt strange, yet addictively good.

“Go on, laugh it up.” Jet tried to grouse, but he was grinning. “I'm the poor sap who had the hickey.”

Emily squealed with laughter and fell across Brand's lap. Chuckling, Brand glanced at Jet and saw his own soft amusement mirrored on the other man's face. Their eyes locked as Jet lifted the beer and took another pull.

Low down in his gut, desire tugged at Brand. All Jet had to do was look at him, all Emily had to do was smile, and need engulfed him. His throat growing quickly dry, Brand held out his hand for Jet's beer.

Jet's eyebrow kicked up in surprise, but he handed the bottle over. Brand put it to his lips and drew on the cool, bitter brew. It was something domestic but flavorsome, and it tasted good. But, Brand wasn't sure if he actually wanted the drink or simply to place his lips where Jet's had just been.

“I think that's only the second time I've ever seen you take a drink,” Jet remarked.

Brand wondered if Jet was recalling, as he was, that pub in Sydney and the glass of neat scotch he'd just downed when he'd happened to glance up. He'd seen Jet across the room, staring at him in shock, looking magazine-model hot in jeans and an open-necked black shirt. Brand had been considering ordering another drink, maybe getting drunk for the first time in his life to see what all the damn fuss was about. But the moment he'd seen Jet, alcohol wasn't what he wanted anymore.

“I can take or leave it.” Brand handed the bottle back to Jet to underpin the point. He'd always been very careful to make sure drinking was a choice, not a necessity.

Jet held his gaze, a knowledge in his dark eyes that filled Brand with a different kind of heat. Humiliation. Jet knew, because he'd stolen the information, about Brand's parents. His drug-addict mother and his mean-drunk father, that addiction and meanness had eventually killed them both. Brand looked past Jet to the computer, searching for something to deflect Jet's attention from things Brand would rather he didn't know. “What else do you have on there?”

“Oh! Show him the one of the sun rising over the Amazon.” Emily nudged Jet's shoulder excitedly. “And the one of the white tiger. That one's amazing. It should win a photographic Oscar or something.”

“It did.” The words slipped out before Brand could stop them. “Wildlife Photographer of the Year, wasn't it?”

Immediately Brand realized his idea to divert attention from himself had totally backfired. Jet had frozen into position, his beer bottle halfway to his mouth, and Emily had risen to her knees to fix him with a curious stare. “How do you know that?”

“They give copies of
National Geographic
magazine out to the troops,” Brand muttered. “Nothing to do in downtime over there but read.”

What Brand didn't say was they gave all sorts of magazines and books out, but it was the
Geographic
he always swooped on. It was Jet's byline he'd always looked for when he scanned the pages. When he'd found that one with the white-tiger photograph in it, he'd stuffed it under his bunk and kept it.

He still had it sitting at the bottom of his duffle bag.

Emily smiled and touched Brand's face, the softness in her eyes making him uneasy. He couldn't even meet Jet's gaze, didn't want to imagine the look that would be on his face if he'd worked out that Brand hadn't been able to adopt an “out of sight out of mind” attitude where Jet was concerned.

Things were fast getting out of his control, and Brand had told himself he'd only do this if he could be in control. Heightened emotion had no place in a temporary affair like the one the three of them were having, and Emily's emotions tended to engage pretty quickly. He didn't want her to get carried away. Already Brand sensed she was growing too fond of Jet. If she treated this thing like it was a lovefest and not the purely sexual indulgence it was, she was going to get hurt.

Brand sank his fingers into Emily's hair and drew her toward him. Against her lips he murmured, “Is dinner going to burn if I distract you?”

“The lamb is on low heat.”

“Handy.” Brand nibbled on her bottom lip, tasting her excitement in her hitched breath. He reached up and palmed her breast, just to remind her that sex was the reason they were all here together. “Because I'm on pretty high heat at the moment.”

He took her lips, sweeping his tongue into her mouth as he continued to fondle her breast through her woolen jumper. She moaned and arched into him, as welcoming as always. It drove him crazy how open she was, scared him and thrilled him at the same time.

When Jet cupped Brand's growing erection through his jeans, Brand covered his hand, pressing it harder against him. His cock responded with a hard throb. Jet tightened his grip and Brand rocked his hips.

“Fuck.” Jet's epithet was a mere rasp. “I want…”

“Yeah.” Brand tore his mouth away from Emily's to stare down at Jet. He was on his haunches between Brand's knees, one hand gripping Brand's thigh and the other firmly holding his cock. Just seeing Jet in that position made Brand's balls draw up tight. “Do it. Put your mouth on my cock.”

Jet wasted no time freeing Brand's erection from the confines of his jeans. The best thing about doing a man was that the impatience levels usually matched. Jet's hand was wrapped around Brand's naked staff in no time, pulling on it with a confident stroke that could make Brand blow his load in under a minute if he let it. He twisted his fingers in Jet's hair. “Don't tease. Suck me.”

Jet held his gaze as he leaned forward and ran his tongue around the head of Brand's cock. Brand couldn't stifle his groan, nor curb the reflexive thrust of his hips. But Jet held off, glancing between Brand and Emily. “Make Emily moan. I love the ways she moans.”

Emily moaned. Jet's laugh was a brush of warm air over the tip of Brand's cock. Emily chuckled too and Brand smiled. Then Jet wrapped his lips around Brand's staff and drew it into his mouth, and the smile dropped from Brand's lips. He groaned and threw his head back on the couch. Emily's lips were soon on his, swallowing his exclamations in long, drugging kisses.

Brand held her close, using both hands on her breasts now while Jet took complete control of his eager hard-on. Lust assailed him, made his hands grope and his teeth nip. Emily's breathing grew shallow, and her fingers moved quickly as she drew the jumper over her head. She wore a T-shirt, some old light-blue thing that was threadbare and tight across her chest. Brand could see the outline of her areola through it, the imprint of her nipples.

He reached out and brushed his thumb over one. “You're not wearing a bra.”

She smiled ruefully. “Never seems much point these days.”

“Holy hell, Em.” It was Jet who'd spoken. Brand had hardly even been aware he'd stopped blowing him to admire Emily. “You're so bloody gorgeous.”

Even in the strange orange glow from the fire, Brand could see the way her cheeks darkened with pleasure. She lowered herself so she could plant a kiss on Jet's lips. “Thank you.”

Jet didn't let her go right away, and their kiss lingered. The two of them were down there, kissing each other only inches from his aching erection. Brand knew if they decided to turn their attention on him, both of them at once, he'd never be able to take it. Control would be a myth, and he'd be putty in their hands.

He shifted on the couch until Jet let him go. “Keep her warm. I'll be right back.”

Jet seemed only too happy to fulfill his command, deepening the kiss and reaching up to fondle Emily's braless breasts. Brand escaped to the bedroom, using the moment it took him to find the lube and a condom to gather his senses.
Just sex, Brand. A temporary thing. You're in charge of it.

He took a deep breath and returned to the living room. Emily's jeans and Jet's shirt were gone. She was lying back on the couch, her legs spread wide for Jet, who was eating her pussy with enthusiasm.

The sight knocked the senses right back out of Brand, but he struggled to issue a droll comment. “I said keep her warm, not set her on fire.”

Jet lifted his head, causing Emily to vocalize her disappointment with some seriously blue language. Jet's lips curved at her reaction. He sent an unapologetic glance Brand's way. “Can't help it. She's as tasty as you are.”

Fuck.
The asshole was going to make him come spontaneously at this rate. So much for control.

Brand growled, the sound almost inhuman, and hooked his fingers around Jet's nape. He slanted his mouth over Jet's, kissed him hard and deep. The taste of Emily on Jet's tongue made Brand suck it into his mouth. Jet gripped Brand's shoulder and let him take what he wanted, urging him to take more and more and more until Brand had to come up for air.

His breath was shaky, too ragged as he pulled back. “I'm going to fuck you, Durante. While you're making Emily come.”

A shudder rippled through Jet's shoulders. Brand took some satisfaction in knowing he wasn't the only one on the edge of madness. He told Jet to get his pants off, and Jet followed instructions with that telling gleam of excitement in his eyes. Brand shucked his own clothes and grabbed the lube, keeping his eyes on Jet's as he spread the cool gel over his sheathed cock.

Emily made a faint, urgent sound and they both looked back at her. She'd pushed her T-shirt up to her neck, exposing her breasts. She was playing with her nipples, stroking and plucking them as she gazed at them both, her eyes heavy lidded with pure carnal appreciation. “You two are just… You're just incredible.”

Brand's heart seized. Didn't she know she was the truly amazing link in this chain? Without her, they wouldn't even be here. Without her unending talent for acceptance, he wouldn't feel this…this…

Jet groaned. “God, Em, I'm crazy about you.”

Jet settled one knee on the couch and lowered his head once more to Emily's pussy. The action pushed his ass into the air and distracted Brand from his unfinished thought. While Jet tongued Emily's glistening lips, making her moan the way he liked her to, Brand framed Jet's magnificent ass with his hands. He pushed into his back hole with his lubed thumb, relishing the tightness there.

Jet rocked his hips back, demanding more. Jet always wanted more and usually liked it fast and hard. Which was good right now, because Brand needed him that way. Brand positioned his cock at Jet's entrance, held on to his hips and pulled him backward. At the same time he plunged forward. The dual actions buried him deep in all that clenching heat.

Jet groaned and rested his head against Emily's stomach. “Oh, Jesus. Jesus God Mother Mary.”

“Are you praying, Durante?”

“Praying you'll never stop.” He groaned again when Brand repeated the move, reliving the glorious sensations of taking Jet's ass, of filling him with all he had to give. “Christ, don't stop.”

“Jet.” Emily writhed on the couch and tried to grasp Jet's hair. “Please, I need…”

“I'm sorry, honey.” Jet kissed a trail over her stomach, moving quickly back down to her open and waiting cunt. “I didn't forget about you, I just… Oh
fuck
!”

Brand had braced his weight with one hand on the back of the couch, and was now using the other to stroke Jet's cock. Jet's hips rocked convulsively as Brand worked him with his hand and continued to plunder his ass. Jet was fast losing command of his body, so Brand stilled his hand and put some extra steel into his voice. “Suck on Emily's clit while you finger fuck her. I won't let you come until she does.”

Jet muttered something unintelligible, then swooped onto Emily's clit. Over Jet's shoulder, Brand could see Jet's tongue moving on her swollen, pink flesh, could see her hips thrusting in cadence with Jet's driving fingers as he plunged them inside her. Brand's own hips jerked, the movement uncontrollable. He tugged on Jet's pulsing rod because he couldn't not, but he somehow managed to keep his rhythm measured.

It was just enough to drive Jet insane without tipping him over the edge. He worked on Emily with greater and greater urgency, moaning with both relief and pleasure when she threw her head back and came in a breathy scream. “Oh Jet…Jet…”