Your To Take - Connaghers 03 (18 page)

I’ll take my punishment like a man.

Boldly, he stepped into her bedroom and stood in the dim
moonlight leaking through the blinds on the window. Jesse was flat on his
stomach, asleep, his face buried in Vicki’s pillow. Elias’s pillow was twisted
sideways, a dented, misshapen lump that looked like she’d been using it to beat
somebody. But his side of the bed was empty.

He whipped his head around just in time to catch a glimpse
of her flying out of the bathroom. She crashed into him and wrapped her arms so
tightly he couldn’t breathe. He didn’t need to breathe. Not with her in his
arms.

“Elias,” she whispered in between fervent kisses over his
face and throat. “Elias. I thought I’d lost you.”

“I’m here, babe, and I’m not going anywhere this time.”

She jerked open his pants. “Prove it.”

Ah, his Vik, always the brash and bold one. He scooped her
up in his arms and carried her to his side of the bed. He laid them both down
as gently as possible, because the last thing he wanted right now was to deal
with her other man.

Now that he had her beneath him, he could only stare down
into her face, her large eyes, luminescent in the moonlight. “I’m sorry, babe.
So sorry. I thought I could deal with it, no problem, but I was wrong.”

“You need time. I understand.” She unbuttoned his shirt and
pushed her hands beneath to stroke his back, pulling him closer into the cradle
of her thighs. “I’m asking a lot of you. Maybe too much.”

“No. Not too much. Because…” He looked into her eyes,
letting her see the depth of his need, how stark raving mad it had made him to
think of losing her. “I love you, Vicki Connagher.”

She smiled tremulously, but there was nothing hesitant about
her hand slipping inside his pants as she worked his cock free. “Then make love
to me, Detective Reyes.”

He stole a sideways glance at the other man beside them.
“I’ve never seen a street person sleep like he does. It’s a miracle he lived
long enough to find you, babe.”

Jesse lifted his head and met his gaze warily, like a doe
stepping into rush-hour traffic on the freeway. “You never sleep on the street,
not really. But here…”

The kid’s gaze said it all:
She makes me feel safe.

Elias nodded. “Yeah, she does that to me too.”

“
She
—” Vicki dug her nails into his back and squirmed
against him, trying to get him to slide home. “Has no idea what you’re talking
about, but I’m pretty sure she needs you very badly.”

In a low, small voice, Jesse asked, “Do you want me to
leave?”

Elias glanced back at him and then down into Vicki’s face.
She didn’t answer. She waited for his response. Yeah, he’d like to kick the kid
out of her bed, house and life. But that wasn’t happening, because she’d have a
hole in her heart the same size as the hole she’d leave in Elias’s heart if he
lost her.

“No,” he finally said in a rough voice. The tips of his ears
burned so hot he was sure his entire body had burst into flame. “But I’m not
into men, okay?”

“Okay.” Jesse managed to make himself even smaller in the
bed, withdrawing to the very edge. “I’m not either, when I have the choice.”

Vicki wrapped her legs around Elias’s waist and pressed her
lips to his ear. “Thank you.”

He thrust deep and closed his eyes, simply feeling the heat
and warmth of her wrapped around him. This was home. Not the force, not his
partner, not his dump of an apartment he’d called home for the last ten years.

Vicki made everything else in his life bearable. She brought
light into the filth and horror he saw on the streets every single day. He
could imagine all too well the foulness that Jesse had lived through to come
home.

Home to her. To us.

Chapter Nineteen

Afraid to move and draw the cop’s attention back to him,
Jesse lay flat on his stomach and tried to ignore the uncomfortable throb of
his erection smashed against the mattress. He did keep his head turned so he
could watch. The cop hadn’t forbidden watching.

For awhile, Elias simply lay on top of Vicki, giving her his
full weight, pressing her deep enough into the mattress that it would have been
really easy for Jesse to accidentally on purpose tumble against them. He
gripped the fitted sheet harder, both to resist temptation and to give his
hands something to do besides reach down and stroke himself. She hadn’t told
him what to do, whether he could enjoy her pleasure or not. Could he listen to
her cries and not come? He didn’t think so, but he was terrified of what the
cop might do to him.

It was one thing to make love to her while Jesse watched.
Elias surely wouldn’t care to see him come all over her sheets.

Damn, the cop had big hands. He stroked those big palms up
and down Vicki’s arms, her sides, up her hip to shift her wider for him. She
loved those hands too, arching and purring at his touch. Elias wasn’t a big
man, no bigger than Jesse in fact, but he carried himself like a giant. When he
thrust deep, she arched her back and groaned, and Jesse had to bite down on his
lip to keep from groaning with her. Elias shifted up on his knees slightly,
giving himself better leverage, and he began to hammer inside her like he was
determined to break her open and look for candy.

She raked her nails down his back hard enough Jesse could
see the lines in the man’s flesh. His own skin prickled, aching for her to do
that to him. Maybe once the cop was more comfortable with him around, he could
ask her to scratch him like that while the cop made love to her.

Elias let out a low chuckle and grabbed her wrists, tugging
her arms over her head so she couldn’t scratch him. Oh, damn, she must hate
that and love it at the same time, because she snarled at him, fighting to get
her hands free. It was all Jesse could do not to open his mouth and beg for her
to hold him down like that.

Gripping her hands above her head with his left hand, Elias
slipped his other hand down to squeeze her breast. Jesse could almost feel the
hardness of her nipple, the tempting softness of her flesh. He wanted to suck
and lick, first one and then the other, endlessly. He could worship her for
hours that way. Better yet…

Elias’s hand moved down between her thighs and Jesse had to
bite his lip harder yet, but he couldn’t entirely stifle his moan.

Both of their heads turned toward him, one set of eyes smoldering
with passion, the other’s dark with rising fury. Jesse could see the shimmering
tension in her body. Even though he’d accidentally interrupted them, she was
still close to coming. Looking at him wasn’t helping, and she’d never forgive
him if he ruined this make-up moment with Elias.

“No,” she said, her voice ringing with command.

Jesse squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. Damn, damn, he had
to hold it. Fire burned and licked in his groin, need rumbling closer to
eruption, but he had to contain it.

“What the hell was that all about?” Elias asked.

“I told him not to come.”

The cop’s eyes flared wide and he let out a low rumbling
chuckle that made Jesse burn to plant his razor between Elias’s ribs. “Oh,
yeah, I remember you telling me about that little arrangement. This is going to
be fun, then.” He sat back on his heels, kneeling between her thighs. “Roll
over, babe.”

For once, Vicki actually looked a little scared. “No, Elias,
not that, really…”

“Come on, babe. Let’s give him a damn good show.” Suddenly
magnanimous, he even managed to wink at Jesse. “You know he’ll love it.”

She shuddered and let out a delicious moan that made a drop
of fluid leak from Jesse’s aching cock. Without a word, she rolled over, rose
up on her knees, and buried her face in the crook of her arm.

Elias slid back inside, calm and easy. Confused, Jesse
watched, braced for fireworks but nothing happened. What did she have against
basic doggie-style?

Tugging her hips back farther, Elias subtly changed his
thrust, pushing up higher, lifting her despite the resistance of his grip on
her thighs. She tossed her head, moaning into her arm, and Jesse leaned closer,
straining to see in the darkness.

Lowering his chest against her back, Elias gave her more
weight, beginning to hold her down. Penning her. “Come on, Vik. I know you want
to buck. Don’t make me dig my spurs into you.”

She said something that was muffled into the pillow. Or
maybe she cursed. “Don’t do this to him. It’s not fair. You can be a cruel
bastard, Reyes.”

The cop smiled and winked at Jesse again, smugness and yeah,
a bit of edgy cruelty shadowing his face. He gave her a long, deep thrust that
made her claw the mattress.

“Elias, God, please.”

“Feel me deep, babe. Feel me so deep inside that you can
taste me.” He thrust again, a sinuous, lifting drive that made her groan rise
to a howl. “There’s that spot you like so much. You love to feel me there,
don’t you, babe? Let’s see if I can touch it again.”

He dropped more of his weight against her, using his left
forearm to trap her upper body, his hand fisted in her hair. She stared across
the expanse of the mattress at Jesse. He had a moment to see the heat in her
eyes, and then Elias slammed deep again and her eyes rolled back. Her mouth
fell open, her hands tearing at the sheets, her voice rising as the climax went
on and on. Elias pushed deeper, not even thrusting, but stroking deep inside.
She erupted, flailing in the throes of her climax.

Jesse couldn’t watch. Listening was bad enough. His whole
body hurt with the need to simply explode, but she’d told him no. In agony, he
felt like flailing and wailing right along with her. God above, he’d never
heard that sound come from her lips before. She screamed like Elias was killing
her. She was furious, crazed, and so far gone with passion that it was the most
glorious, beautiful sound Jesse had ever heard in his entire life. She pleaded,
begged, cursed at Elias to stop, and he just laughed and did it again.

And again. Perhaps there was a bit of sadist in the cop
after all.

When Elias finally roared out his own release, Jesse was as
sweaty and sore as if he’d run a marathon. Every muscle in his body ached from
fighting back his own release. If she even looked at him, he’d probably
explode, the cop and her order be damned.

Draped on top of her, Elias brushed damp hair from her face
and kissed her neck tenderly. “You okay, babe?” She groaned wretchedly, making
him laugh. “That good, huh. How about you show me what you like to do with your
boy for round two.”

Jesse stiffened from head to foot, his ears ringing. He
squeezed his eyes and mouth shut, refusing to say a word or give her any
indication how badly he wanted her to do anything to him. Anything at all. Let
the cop watch. Let him beat him within an inch of his life, he didn’t care, as
long as she gave him release.

The bed dipped as she rolled to the middle of it. It was all
he could do not to arch his back and try to drill a hole through the mattress
with his cock.

“Are you sure?”

Yes, yes, please
, Jesse babbled in his mind. He was
going to suffocate himself on this pillow, trying to keep from blurting out her
name.

“I have something in mind.”

Jesse jolted like someone had dumped ice-cold water on him.
What the hell did that mean?

“If you don’t have anything handy to tie him up, I’ll offer
my handcuffs.”

This time Jesse whimpered and he didn’t care who heard.

Vicki checked the scarf from her dress around Jesse’s wrists
one last time. He was breathing so fast she was afraid he’d hyperventilate.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Please, Vicki, hurry. I hurt so bad. I can’t stand it.”

She stole a glance at Elias, still unsure of his motives. He
lay on his side watching her. Yesterday, he’d walked out on her. Now he wanted
her tie her cabana boy up and torment him. While Elias watched. After they’d
just…

Her face caught fire at the memory. When he held her down
like that and went so deep he bumped her cervix, she always went nuts. Mama had
told her to make him grovel, but she really had no idea how to bring Elias to
his knees while she was playing with another man. She brushed damp hair off
Jesse’s forehead and he lifted his face, twisting up to get her fingers into
his mouth.

He sucked her fingers, stroking frantically with his tongue,
and she let her eyes flutter shut. This was all she needed to worry about.
Pleasing him while pleasing herself, and indirectly, pleasing Elias too. She
opened her eyes and checked his reaction. His eyes were dark, locked on her,
but he wasn’t tense or angry. Instead, his lips were parted and she could hear
his breathing. He might not be comfortable with their situation yet, but he was
turned on.

Let’s see how far he’ll let me go.

She pulled her fingers out of Jesse’s mouth and bent down to
kiss him. He raised his head off the pillow eagerly, inhaling her lips like a dying
man. She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled his head back down to
the bed. He breathed hard, his eyes blazing.

“What do you want?”

“Anything. Everything. Just don’t touch me down south until
you’re absolutely ready to lose me.”

She stroked her palms in slow, gentle circles across his
chest. He didn’t really react much until she let her fingernails rake lightly
over his skin. Especially his nipples. He hissed beneath his breath and arched
his back, pushing harder so she dug into his skin. “Yes, please, harder, Vicki.
I saw what you did to his back. I’d love that.”

Leaning over him, she pressed her fingernails harder,
deliberately leaving furrows in his skin as he’d asked. “Of course, I should
kiss the sting away.”

He groaned in agreement.

She didn’t kiss those scratches, though. She licked them
with long swipes of her tongue. He shifted beneath her, silently asking for her
mouth on his nipples. Teasingly, she drew wet circles around them, ignoring his
pleading cries. He twisted his hands, tugging at the scarves, and his legs
shifted restlessly against the sheets. When he managed to brush up against her,
he groaned and lifted his leg higher, redoubling his efforts to get her closer.

“Guess you should have tied his ankles up too, babe.” Elias
said it like a joke, but the low, ragged timbre of his voice thrummed her
spine. “Maybe you should sit on those legs to hold him still.”

“Did you hear him, Jesse?” She purred against his chest,
pausing to scrape her teeth across his left nipple. “If you promise to lie
still, I’ll do it. I’ll sit on your knees. But you can’t move and make me touch
you by accident before I’m ready.”

“Okay.” He panted, dragging his legs together. “I’ll be
good.”

“Not his knees.” Elias moved closer too, his gaze intent.
“You’ll need to be higher.”

“Okay,” she said slowly, unsure what he wanted. She’d
assumed he wouldn’t want to be involved at the same time.

When she settled herself across Jesse’s thighs, he shuddered
beneath her. “Oh, God, you’re so wet. I wish you would rub yourself all over
me.”

It was a mistake to close her eyes, because that made it
easier for her to imagine sliding up his body, smearing him with her desire. Or
she could make him lick her while he was tied and helpless. He’d love it.

I’d love it
,
too,
she admitted to herself.
But
would Elias?

She felt him behind her. She froze, waiting to see what he’d
do. He, too, straddled the other man’s legs, pressing close enough to her that
she could feel his returned erection brushing the small of her back. He didn’t
touch Jesse, exactly, but he was definitely closer to the danger zone than
Vicki had ever thought he’d get.

“Someday,” Jesse gasped out, “I’d love you to sit on my face
while he takes you from behind again. I’d drown in you and die a happy man.”

Her ears roared and she swayed slightly. Elias steadied her
by cupping her shoulders, but the warm moist heat of his breath at her ear did
little to calm the sudden flood of desire. “Would you like that, Vik?”

Her body was on fire, crisped and burned beyond recognition,
but she managed to nod. She rose on up on her knees instead of sitting on
Jesse’s thighs and pressed back against Elias. His heat against her back
brought her body back to the edge of a screaming, clawing climax.

“Maybe some other night. Right now, I need to face my worst
fear. I need to see you take him all the way. Take him inside your body and
ride him to climax.” He smoothed his right hand down the curve of her buttock
and dipped his fingers in the desire that slickened her folds. “Ah, babe, I’m a
selfish bastard. I’m going to have to touch you while you do it. I can’t bear
to know he’s inside you if I’m not touching you too.”

He was trying so hard. If he’d made a snide remark about his
jealousy, she would have wanted to punch him, but he was being too honest for
her temper to even think about coming forward. Elias had made himself
vulnerable. He was willingly accepting a blow to his pride to accommodate her
wishes.

He let out a husky laugh against her ear and his fingers
roamed higher along the valley between her buttocks. He probed, ever so gently.
She stiffened, but her entire body flooded with heat, a tell-tale trickle
slipping down her thigh. They’d never played with anal before.

But then again, she’d never had another man in her bed,
either.

“Trust me, babe. I won’t go all the way this time. I don’t
want to hurt you. I just want you to think about it. Think about me coming
inside you at the same time. Jesse, you’re going to have to make this good for
her. Make it last.”