Hunks, Hammers, and Happily Ever Afters (12 page)

I got it, I really did. They were both afraid of letting her old man down. Except I was missing part of the puzzle. Her dad was super overprotective because she was his only kid, and because he was a cop, but there had to be more. Clearly, I hadn’t been let in on the whole story.

Maybe something to do with Lily’s upbringing? Or her mom? I knew Mrs. Matthews had been dead for a long time. Lily had mentioned that shortly after we’d met, and from the way she’d hesitated to tell me much about her home life, I had a feeling there was something about the way her mom had passed that made it difficult for her to speak about it. Even more difficult than usual. I just didn’t know what.

The opening bell rang and Emerson came out swinging. I wasn’t a huge MMA fan, but I knew a couple moves and combinations. One thing I definitely knew within about a minute was that we’d be hitting the club early tonight, because Emerson was wiping the mat with this dude.

He started with a series of short-armed punches to the jaw, just hammering Lubino’s head back again and again until I practically had a sympathy headache. Lubino tried to get some of his own back, and it just wasn’t happening. Emerson had him against the ropes. When punches to the jaw weren’t enough, he started whaling on his torso, peppering him with blows. Every time Lubino tried to counter with a kick or a jab, Emerson just knocked him back.

The first round was no contest. Emerson by a landslide.

The guys retreated to their corners and Lily turned to look at me, her face flushed with excitement. “He’s amazing, isn’t he?”

“He sure is.” I kissed her forehead. “What say you we visit him in the locker room after this, make sure he’s ready to come to the club with us?”

“Yeah.” Smiling broadly, she turned back toward the octagon, bouncing a little as the new round was called.

I slid my arms around her waist and tucked my smile against her neck. Perhaps telling her I was in love with her had encouraged her to stop pulling back, or maybe part of it was that I’d told her dad too. Either way, her enthusiasm tonight seemed like a good sign.

Now if we could work on that guy currently dancing around the ring, we might actually get somewhere.

Emerson handled Lubino the same way in the second round as he had in the first. This time, he led off with a kick to the chest, knocking Lubino back against the ropes. He sneaked past his opponent’s core, delivering a painful punch to the ribs that had the crowd gasping and screaming. From there, it only took a few more uppercuts and a particularly nasty combination that tied up Lubino’s legs and sent him slamming forward onto the mat to have the man tapping out.

I grinned and shouted with the rest of the crowd as Emerson was declared the winner. Lily turned to me and I picked her up, giving her the height advantage to pump her fists and scream her little heart out.

Somehow he heard her over the melee. He glanced her way, surprise giving way to pleasure as she blew him a kiss. His gaze fell to me and we nodded at each other. Our version of blowing a kiss, I guess.

I’d blow him in other ways later, if he’d finally get on board the damn train.

Once Emerson headed back to the locker room and preparations for the next fight began, I set Lily down and bent to whisper in her ear. “Ready for that visit or should we wait a few minutes?”

She grinned. “Let’s go now.”

We made our way through the throng of eager people already jonesing for the next match. We finally pushed through the double doors that sectioned off the fight area and stepped into the hall to get our bearings. It took a few minutes for us to follow the winding hallway to where rap music continued to blare from inside the makeshift locker room. This place had once been some kind of factory, and these had once served as facilities for those employees who worked such long shifts that taking showers while on the job wasn’t uncommon. I’d needed a shower a time or two while doing my job, so I definitely understood.

Lily peered up at me. “Should we knock?”

“Nah. He’s gotta know we’ll be coming.” I pushed open the door, half expecting the other guys who’d be fighting next to be prancing around flexing their abs or whatever the hell fighters did to get ready for a bout. Instead Emerson stood alone, rooting through a gym bag with his towel around his neck.

He was naked. And Christ, did he have a fine ass.

At the sound of the door swinging, he turned to face us, his defensive posture relaxing as he realized it was just us. And while Lily rushed forward and complimented him on his masterful performance, I stared hungrily at his cock. I couldn’t help it. The damn thing was as gorgeous when it wasn’t erect as when it was.

Well, almost.

“What’re you doing here?” He hugged her and gazed at me over her shoulder. I didn’t change my expression. It was about time he got the picture.

“We wanted to be here to support you before we all hit the club later.” She eased back and cupped his cheeks. “You’re still coming with us, right?”

Almost immediately, he started to close down.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Lil.” He narrowed his eyes. “From the way you were acting this week, I thought you’d begun to think the same way. Wonder what changed your mind.”

“Unlike you, our Lily has an open mind.”

Lily gave me a shush gesture with her fingers on her lips, but I didn’t take it personally. If any key would work in Emerson’s stubborn-as-hell lock, it wasn’t sweetness and light.

“You don’t know what’s in my mind.” Emerson turned back to his bag and started rooting around. Probably for air. Anything to make it seem like he was too busy to talk to us.

He was about to get a rude awakening.

“So, you have this bathroom to yourself?” I asked casually, taking a glance around. I saw a double bank of lockers and a row of stalls, bookended by a couple of shower setups.

Perfect for an icebreaker before we hit the club.

“Right now, I do.” He didn’t look my way. “Someone could come in anytime.”

“Does this place have any other bathrooms like this for the other fighters to use?”

He nodded without speaking.

I came up behind him and reached down to palm his cock, giving it a hard stroke while Lily watched in wide-eyed fascination. He was already halfway to hard, and the only stimulation he’d had was a quick hug from Lily and a thorough eye-fuck from me. “You need some help with this?”

He jerked in my hand, heavy and hot. And I knew he wouldn’t ask for it. So I would.

“Can I suck your cock?”

“Jesus.” His exhale lit me up inside like the Brooklyn Bridge at night. Enough light to burn back the dark. I didn’t always know if I was making the right move, if maybe this time I was pushing too hard, but his torturous groan informed me that I’d done something right.

He needed this too, and I was going to give it to him.

I turned my face against his shoulder, inhaling the musk of his sweat like breath. My gaze connected with Lily’s. She was biting her lip and squirming a little, and I figured she was probably soaked if her expression meant anything.

“Can you go turn on the shower for us, babe? Hot, full blast.”

She nodded and hurried away to the farthest stall.

“You ready for me?” I grazed my teeth over the corded muscle along his shoulder and tightened my grip on his erection. There was no halfway anymore. He’d turned completely rigid. “Because I sure as fuck am ready for you.”

He whirled and shoved me back. “We can’t do this here. Lily isn’t ready—”

“Oh yes, she is.” She stood a few feet away, arms crossed, toe tapping. “I’m absolutely ready to watch you two wreck each other.”

I raised a brow at Emerson. “Any other objections? Is it that you don’t like guys?”

Emerson slid a glance at Lily and said nothing.

“Or if the problem is just that you don’t find me attractive, then go ahead and say it. I promise I won’t cry.” I grinned. “Doesn’t mean I’ll give up trying to change your mind though.”

“He finds you attractive. He’s just freaked by what it means.” Lily slid between us and coasted her hands up his sweaty chest, making him shudder. She leaned up to whisper in his ear and he shut his eyes and fisted his hand in the back of her shirt. Then lightly, he nudged her aside.

Before I could react, he’d moved forward and slanted his mouth over mine. His hands slipped into my hair and his body pressed so close that I could feel the tremble of his belly muscles and the full outline of his dick. I could feel every-damn-thing.

He slid his hands down my back and into the pockets of my pants, hauling me against him so roughly that our teeth collided. And I didn’t give a shit. It was raw and dirty and hard and I couldn’t get enough of his tongue lashing against mine. He’d never been anything but stony in my direction, and it seemed like he’d fuck the same way.

I couldn’t wait.

Somehow we stumbled our way into the shower, losing my clothes as we went. I expected Lily would want to play lookout, to make sure no one interrupted us. Instead she shed her clothes too, stripping down all the way and slipping into the tiny stall beside us. Then she was between us, and my mouth was on her neck and my hand between her thighs while Emerson lapped hungrily at the water streaming off her tits. We were making so much noise, not bothering to stifle anything. Hands wandering, lips everywhere, bodies rubbing together like none of us could get enough friction.

Lily eased behind me and pressed her breasts to my back as she trailed her nails down my sides. I knew what she wanted. What he wanted, burning so darkly in his eyes. Hell, I wanted it too.

I’d already had some of Emerson’s taste inside me. Now I craved the rest.

Going to my knees for him felt completely natural. Like I’d been holding my breath all this time, just waiting for the chance. I tossed back my wet hair, blinked away the moisture that kept right on coming, and set about my task. I gripped his length and lapped at the head, pleased at the steady drops that spattered across my tongue. Closing my fingers more tightly earned me a groan and more of that salty-sweet flavor, so I used all my strength on his shaft and drew him into my mouth.

My heartbeat thundered in my ears, nearly blocking out his moans and the roar of the water. Nearly but not quite. Lily knelt beside me and tucked her hand between my legs, stroking me in time with my rhythmic sucks. I didn’t think about technique or about impressing him with my skill. All I thought about was giving him pleasure. Showing him that even through the months of griping and poking at each other, I’d been aware of him. More than aware.

Hate and love might be on opposite sides of a line most of the time. Right now, I was fucking straddling it with his dick in my mouth. And I adored every second.

Lily rode her hand up and down my shaft, building the intensity so that I could deliver it straight to Emerson. I took as much of him between my lips as I could, swallowing the head just for the express purpose of watching him tip his head back. The water sluiced down his throat and over his chest, slipping down to gather in the dark thatch of hair at the base of his erection. I lapped at the water too, savoring the taste of his skin, his arousal and the liquid mixed together.

I was so busy tasting that the feel of Lily’s hot, wet mouth closing over the tip of my dick startled me, and I started to laugh and choke around Emerson’s length. He groaned and I somehow got it together, losing myself both in his strokes between my lips and Lily’s focused suction below. She didn’t let up on me for a second, but I wasn’t going out that way. I clamped my hand around Emerson and eased back to speak against the dark red tip while our gazes collided. Water blinded me but I fought to keep the connection. I knew he’d hear me, even over the spray.

“You’ve got three more sucks to come in my mouth or else I’m leaving you neglected while I fuck the hell out of Lily.” With my free hand, I gripped a fistful of her hair, pushing her down more forcefully into my lap. Part of me wondered if I was going too far. A little hair tugging was one thing, but I was basically pushing her to take more of me.

She never balked. There was no resistance. She simply obliged, making a choked sound before her throat opened up around me and she drew me down. Not like she was deep-throating me. I was pretty sure she was still new at this, and I was big enough that it would probably never happen. But she worked to accept as much of me as she could, and shit, her mouth felt good.

I pumped Emerson’s cock while I sealed my lips around the head, working him hard. The three sucks had been an arbitrary number, but damn if I didn’t feel the first spurt on my tongue on the second. He drove his fingers into my hair, holding me rigidly in place. His thrusts slowed, his body tensed, and then Christ, he was flooding my mouth. I swallowed and swallowed, trying not to lose a drop. His yanks on my hair reverberated into my balls and I shifted forward on my knees, knowing I’d be painting Lily’s throat in seconds if she didn’t stop.

“Fucking hell,” Emerson muttered, finally releasing me and slumping back against the tile. His big hands clenched and relaxed at his sides.

“Up you go.” Lightly, I dragged Lily off my cock and we both clumsily got to our feet. The water was turning cold, and now it stung my skin like little darts. That didn’t stop me from pushing her against the tile wall and kicking her legs apart. “You on the Pill?” I asked her, prepared to stop things right now if she wasn’t. Taking chances was one thing, stupid risks quite another.

She nodded and glanced at me over her shoulder, her mouth puffy and red and her lashes starred with water. “Yes. Do it. Please.”

“We’ll both do it.” I glanced at Emerson’s thoroughly spent shaft and chuckled. “Okay, maybe he’ll just act as ballast.” My lips twitched. “On your knees, fighter.”

He turned her toward him, facing us away from the direct line of the spray, and did as I asked. And immediately went to town on her pussy, ripping a cry from her throat.

I bent my knees and lined myself up between her slick thighs, teasing her swollen flesh with the head of my cock. “I’m clean,” I told her, and she nodded, not even questioning it.

“Me too. Just do it.”