Chapter 10
Cole
We pushed too hard.
Granted, we went about it the wrong way, too. Lyra was under no obligation to believe us or want to take part in something that made her cheeks turn a shade of crimson. I didn’t think it was possible for skin to flush such a color. We saw her wheels spinning. The uncertainty in her eyes. Maybe we should have waited, I don’t know, at least a week, maybe more. Wooing was definitely called for here. Hell, getting her to accept a simple jacket so she wouldn’t freeze took an act of congress.
Telling someone they were down to fuck, just because, took balls. Offering someone so green, like Lyra, a contract to have sex with at least two guys who fucked each other while Lowe fucked Jonesy, was the definition of insanity.
Just watching her try to process the situation while we waited on bated breath to hear her answer was stressful. I couldn’t imagine how she must have felt being put on the spot. Also didn’t help that I acted like a dick, too. Coming out and telling people what we do didn’t happen frequently. Sure, if there was an adult convention, we went under Behind the Lens. Usually, it was industry professionals and fans who’d watched our channel. So, it was okay to be ourselves. Bringing someone new into the fold, putting ourselves out there in hopes of not being rejected... Maybe I still had some hang ups about that.
We weren’t talking about me, though.
The lost look in Lyra’s eyes after she agreed broke my heart. I couldn’t tell if she said yes because she was afraid of what would happen if she declined, even if Lowe told her she could stay, or if she’d wanted to join us. The unknown ate at my gut for the rest of the day. While Lowe and Jonesy worked out the details for the movie and Scott grabbed more of our stuff from the apartment, I went in search of Lyra.
When I finally found her, she was in the kitchen nook, working on something while staring out the window overlooking the gray skies and dreary backyard toward the mountains. The forecast evolved quickly over the last few hours. A storm was creeping in, and kind of fit the mood of the house. She’d propped her cheek on her palm and just zoned out. We should have done better by her.
I wasn’t sure how to approach her without scaring the shit out of her. Whatever she was thinking about had fully engrossed her. On the table in front of her was her laptop, a literature book, and a pad of paper. I spied a glance at the words in the book and smirked. On Writing—Stephen King's novel. Made me curious about which Lit class she was taking. That, however, was for another time. Right now, was all about checking on her and apologizing for the way we overwhelmed her and coerced her into signing the NDA.
“Lyra?” I called out, keeping my voice low to at least keep the sting of surprise at bay. When she didn’t answer, I placed my hand on her shoulder and tried again. “Lyra?”
She jerked, inhaling before turning to face me. Shock then embarrassment colored her features before her shoulders sagged and wariness settled in. “Oh, hey. Did you need something? Am I in the way?”
I shook my head. “Nope. I was hoping we could talk. If you don’t mind?”
“Don’t handle me with kid gloves,” she said. “I don’t want or need pity.”
I held my hands up. “I wasn’t going to. All I wanted to do was check in with you and apologize for earlier.”
She exhaled, pushing her hair from her face. “Right. Earlier. Look, I understand why no one said anything without an NDA. I wouldn’t want my roommate saying shit if I was a porn star either. I can’t imagine how many opportunities outside the industry someone could lose if the vast majority knew.”
There was a but there, I heard it in her voice. “But...”
She sighed. “But a little warning would’ve been nice.”
“We did though. I showed you the tablet with the porn...”
“Too obtuse and not very specific. How was I supposed to know that it was Lowe and Jonesy?” She had a point.
“You’re right,” I agreed. “We tried to gauge your response, so we knew whether to approach you for the project or not. You looked like shit the other night. Seemed kind of dickish to just hit you with it as soon as we walked in.”
“Today isn’t a good day either because I still feel bad,” she muttered. “Though I understand why it had to be now.”
“Doesn’t make the situation any better.” I took her hand in mine. “I honestly thought you would ask us about our sexuality or something.”
“Was I supposed to care?” She glanced at me with a confused look on her face.
“Scott’s mom did. My dad didn’t like it either. They called us sinners.” I swallowed around the knot of emotion in my throat. For as much as I might act like I got over the way they treated us, I couldn’t shake the voice at the back of my mind cackling at me, telling me my dad and stepmom were right.
“I get it,” she said. “People are ignorant assholes. Bigots to their core. I witnessed it first-hand growing up in a small town where everybody knew everybody’s business. I mean, they’d gone so far as to make a social media group to gossip about who was having an affair with the hot single father who owned the farm three miles from us.”
“Was he hot?” I teased.
“If smelling like cow shit and crop residue is what gets you hot and bothered,” she shrugged, “sure. I guess.”
I chuckled. “I bet you smelled good covered in slop.”
“Yeah, how ‘bout no.” She made an ick face before returning her gaze to the backyard. “I never gave a shit about what society thought. If you haven’t noticed, I kind of march to the beat of my own drum around here.”
“Are you saying you’re part of the alphabet mafia too?” I cocked a brow.
Lyra groaned. “Please don’t ever use that term again.”
I nudged her playfully. “I really do like you. Scott too.”
“What are you buttering me up for?” The second she turned her head, I kissed her. The sadness in her eyes, the anxiety of losing everything she had except for what she carried in her backpack wasn’t making the situation any easier on her. I wanted to comfort her in the best way I knew how.
Affection.
I swallowed her soft moan as she leaned into me wrapping her arms around my neck. The tentative swipes of her tongue across mine sent me reeling. She was soft in all the right spots, and she made my blood run hot with arousal. The kiss only solidified the notion we were good together. We just needed a little more time convincing her.
“This isn’t homework,” Jonesy said, interrupting us. “But it does look like you’re having more fun.” He went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. “Don’t mind me, I was thirsty.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’ll get used to Jonesy. He’s like an annoying big brother who always knows the wrong times to enter a room or a conversation.”
He gasped, placing his hand over his chest. “You wound me, Cole.”
Lyra hid her laughter as Jonesy crossed to us. When he stopped directly behind her, the air surrounding us crackled with tension. “King... Interesting choice.”
“English Lit...” Lyra shrugged. “He says some good stuff in there too.”
Jonesy hummed. “So, tell me, Lyra, have you ever seen two men kiss?”
She pulled back, making a startled face. “That came out of left field.”
“Well, I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation and I thought maybe you needed to get a taste of what’s in store.” Jonesy cut his gaze toward me, locking those impenetrable hazel eyes on me. “Since Cole is here, I thought I’d—we'd give you a small sample of the debauchery to be had.”
“What about Scott?” she hedged.
“Scotty doesn’t have to know,” Jonesy said with a little shrug. “Unless you want to make him jealous.”
I cleared my throat. “Shouldn’t you be asking me, big guy?”
He smirked. “Well, do you want to give her a taste?”
“I’ll leave the decision to our guest,” I said, then waited for her answer.
She inhaled a shaky breath. “O-Okay.”
“Perfect.”
Lyra
From one breath to the next, Jonesy’s mouth covered Cole’s in a hedonistic kiss. He growled, literally growled, something I didn’t know men could physically do, but read about in the books I’d coveted. His hand wrapped around the nape of Cole’s neck, holding him in place while he consumed Cole. My heart rate tripled, and the subtle wetness dampened my panties the longer I sat there watching them. When Jonesy bit Cole’s bottom lip, before dipping back in for another taste, I bit back a whine of yearning while clutching the collar of my shirt.
This was dangerous. Too... erotic for my gentle mind and body. They were like two wild beasts fighting for dominance in a battle where size didn’t matter. The give and take between them left me in awe. More so when Cole took my hand, as if needing me to ground himself in the moment. He passed the frantic energy to me, causing me to pant for breath, unable to look away. I thought I’d combust. Disintegrate into a million flecks of ash, carried away on the breeze of their lust.
Or whatever this inferno churning between them was.
Heck, I didn’t even know why I waxed poetic about them, other than I’d seen nothing so esthetically pleasing before. Or experienced this rush of adrenaline and endorphins.
When Jonesy pulled back, he cut his hazel eyes toward me, devouring me with his predatory gaze. “Well, sweetheart?”
Trapped.
They’d trapped me between them. Was this what prey felt like between two aroused animals, each poised to pounce on me, given half a chance? “Well, what?” I challenged, lifting my chin. Hating the quiver in my voice and the way my bottom lip trembled with anticipation.
His chuckle vibrated low in my belly and the sinful way his eyes darkened, like he’d ensnared me in some unseen trap, had me looking for a path of escape. Would he give chase? Did I want him to? What would happen if he caught me? Or they caught me. I blinked slowly. The expanse of his chest blocked out my ability to look at Cole for help, or vice versa. “Tell me no, sweetheart. It’s okay. You won’t hurt my feelings.”
Tell him no? Why? I continued to stare at him, unable to look away. Whether from fear or in expectation of what came next, didn’t matter anymore. He’d lassoed me into his gravitational pull. My lips parted and he groaned.
“You’re too innocent and way too fucking tempting for someone like me.”
“Because you’re o-older?” I stuttered, breathlessly.
“No.” He shook his head. “Being older just adds to the kink.” He wrapped his hand around my throat and tilted my head. I made the mistake of inhaling when he leaned into me, brushing his lips across my cheek. The spice of his cologne enveloped me in an earthy fragrance of oakmoss, rum spice and black pepper. “Say, please.”
“For what?” I swallowed hard, excitement lodged in my throat.
“A kiss,” he replied.
I ran the tip of my tongue over my bottom lip. My heartbeat slowed as the sensual heat of his body blanketed me. If anyone asked me later if I warred with myself. If I made some list of reasons why I shouldn’t give in to Jonesy and why I should’ve run screaming from the house, I’d tell them yes. The fight was difficult. In reality, my heart and body said yes, while my mind couldn’t keep up.
“Yes, please,” I murmured.
“Perfection,” he whispered.
His gaze locked with mine as he ran the pad of his thumb along my bottom lip. The heat and intensity within his stare had me trembling. However, the second his lips touched mine, a keen sob filled my chest, and he took advantage, pushing forward and tangling his tongue with mine. Behind him, Cole groaned and the welling of pleasure low in my gut, spread outward. My clit tingled. My pussy ached. I’d ruined the new panties I wore, for sure.
Every inch of me was a live wire. I pressed my hand to his chest, unsure if I was holding him to me or afraid he’d take too much from me, and I needed to be ready to push him away. Either way, the heat of his body flowed up my arm and settled over my chest. Warmth burst forth and I was drowning on his kisses. I arched to him, trying to find an anchor point.
“Fuck, that’s so damn hot,” Scott muttered from somewhere behind Jonesy. “Why didn’t you tell us you were experimenting in here?”
Jonesy pulled back slowly, and I chased, not willing to break the contact just yet. “Better than my imagination could do you justice, sweetheart. I think we’re going to have fun with you.”
I touched a shaky hand to my lips. I’d been kissed before, but never had my soul rearranged. I’d been too stunned to speak. I didn’t even see who was in the kitchen with us. I didn’t care. My mind was still in the moment with Jonesy’s lips on mine.
“I think you broke her,” Cole murmured.
“He has that effect on people,” Lowe said. “You should’ve handled her with care.”
“I did,” Jonesy said, “she brought out the beast in me.”
If I brought the beast out in him, what did he do to me?