Chapter 10
Cash
I’m ashamed to admit I’ve been avoiding Naomi in the five days since we had our deep conversation.
It’s not because I’m embarrassed about opening up to her, though I was surprised that I did.
I’m not exactly a share your innermost secrets kinda guy.
I’m ashamed because during that conversation, I realized I was looking at her differently.
I was starting to develop feelings toward her, feelings I have no place having.
Ace made it clear that Naomi’s off limits.
We gave Gage shit for it, and there I was, mooning over her and contemplating kissing her.
I pride myself on my self-control, and I almost lost it.
Since then, I’ve been exercising my control by avoiding Naomi, a childish but effective method.
Thankfully, it’s not been too difficult as we’ve been busy fending off attacks from the Rusted Scythes, who immediately declared war the moment we didn’t hand Naomi over.
Thankfully, with Eli out of action and no longer working for them, we haven’t had to deal with any cyberattacks.
As soon as Eli was discharged from the hospital, we arranged for him to go into rehab.
He’s now in a secure facility, somewhere the Rusted Scythes won’t find him.
But that doesn’t stop them from looking.
I suspect that Eli is the asset they most want back, Naomi is just the front, and a way of forcing Eli to comply.
The more frustrated the Rusted Scythes become, the more the violence between our men escalates.
Meanwhile, at home, the atmosphere is tense.
Naomi and Gage continue to get along well, and the sexual tension between them is palpable.
Sometimes I wonder why Ace insists on keeping them apart.
So far, Gage has kept his promise to keep his hands to himself, but it’s only a matter of time before he cracks.
As for me, every time I’m close to Naomi, I find myself studying her like an anthropologist. I’m drunk on her, filled with longing and unrequited lust. I suspect Ace holds similar feelings.
I’ve never seen him this rattled by a woman before, and I know him well enough to know that his anger and frustration toward her, the petty arguments, are just a manifestation of him trying to resist his attraction.
He doesn’t want to admit, even to himself, that he wants Naomi.
In the past, when all three of us wanted the same woman, we’ve been more than happy to share if she is—and she usually is.
But I can’t see Naomi being into something like that.
She’d probably think we’re creepy old men, that we’re precisely the kind of guys she first feared we would be.
She’s under our protection, our control, practically a prisoner in our home.
God forbid she might think she has no choice, that she would have to sleep with us as payment in return for our protection.
The thought makes me feel sick, and I resolve even more firmly that I have to resist my attraction to her.
I sigh, leaning back in my chair and stretching my arms out in front of me.
My back feels sore from sitting for so long.
I’ve been working all day at the desk set up in my room, crunching numbers and working in spreadsheets for so long that my eyes even ache.
It’s Friday night. Usually, the guys and I would go to the club for drinks, but with Naomi here, we’ve probably got another night in ahead of us.
I shut down my laptop and take a long, hot shower.
Without work to distract me, thoughts of Naomi inevitably enter my mind.
I picture her as she was this morning, her long legs and firm ass in the short shorts she sleeps in.
She was stretching, trying to reach something in a top cupboard, her top riding up to reveal a strip of skin, one of the few parts of her body, as yet, uncovered by tattoos.
I could see the small dimples in her back, and I wanted to lick them.
I helped her reach the box of cereal, breathing her in, my cock stirring in my pants at her proximity.
Her hair still mussed from sleep, I imagined it’s how she’d look right after sex, too.
My cock grows hard thinking of her this morning, and I touch myself, stroking the length of it as I imagine things going differently.
I imagine placing my hands on the soft skin of her hips and her turning to look at me.
I’d pick her up, wrapping her legs around my waist as I sat her on the countertop and kissed her.
I stroke my cock, picturing how she would taste, how she would moan and writhe under my touch as I tease her pert nipples and stroke her clit.
I picture how tight and wet she’d be as I thrust my cock inside her, how she’d cling to me, her nails drawing red lines down my back.
I’d encircle her slender wrists in one hand, capturing her, and I fuck her harder, holding them above her head.
In an instant, my mind goes to the darker places of my sexual preferences, and now we’re no longer in the kitchen.
Instead, Naomi is tied to my bed, fully naked and ready to be devoured.
I picture the goosebumps that would dot her skin as she anticipated my next move, her eyes blindfolded, relying on her other senses.
I imagine the moans she’d make as I’d taste her, bringing her to the edge of orgasm before pulling away, teasing her, taking my time.
I stroke my cock faster, the water trickling down my face and chest, the muscles in my abs tense as the climax builds in me.
My cock is so hard it hurts, and I know it’s going to be over soon.
Just the thought of being with Naomi is enough to make me cum hard and fast. Now she’s in the shower with me, her hand taking over in sure, firm strokes.
As I shudder and cum, I picture how perfect Naomi would look with my seed spurting over her, covering her face and breasts.
My mind veers toward imagining what it would be like to fuck her alongside Gage and Ace, and my cock twitches, growing hard again.
With a groan, I turn the shower to cold, banishing the thoughts from my mind under the cold stream of water.
When I finally emerge a few minutes later, feeling frustrated but no longer like I can’t trust my own thoughts, I wrap a towel around my waist and stroll into my bedroom, still dripping.
There’s a knock at my door, and I open it without thinking, assuming it’s one of the guys.
Of course, as luck would have it, just as I’m managing to deal with my lustful thoughts about her, I open the door to see Naomi standing there.
She’s looking ravishing in those sexy leather pants and a cropped t-shirt that reveals the flash of midriff that just starred in my fantasy.
My cock stirs to life again, and I will it to stay still.
Naomi’s eyes open wider, her mouth popping into a perfect oval before closing again as she notices my state of undress.
A blush creeps up her neck, and I feel a smug sense of satisfaction at the way her pupils widen, and her breath catches.
I work out, and I’m proud of my physique.
I know a lot of women find me attractive, but I didn’t think Naomi did.
I’m glad to see that I at least have some effect on her.
Since she seems rendered speechless, I decide to speak first. “Can I help you, Naomi?”
Her eyes snap from my towel to my face. “I uh… yes, um… the guys and I are just having some drinks downstairs, and we’re gonna order pizza in if you want to join?”
Is it just my imagination, or does she sound hopeful? “Sure, I’d love to.” When she makes no move to leave, still entranced and uncertain, I add, “Just gimme a sec to get dressed, and I’ll be right down.”
“Right, yes, of course,” Naomi squeaks, her words tumbling out. She turns abruptly and practically runs down the stairs.
I can only assume this is Gage’s idea, a way for us to bond and for Naomi to feel less like a prisoner or guest and more like one of us.
I’ve no idea how he convinced Ace, but I’m glad he did.
If we can’t go out, then this is the next best thing.
And as much as I realize I should avoid Naomi to keep my feelings from developing, I hunger to know more about her, to be within her orbit.
By the time I arrive downstairs, the group is in a heated discussion over what pizza to order. By the looks of it, they’ve already drunk a few beers. Unsurprisingly, Naomi and Ace disagree on what to order.
“Oh, of course, you’re a meat feast guy. Me man, me want meat,” Naomi taunts, doing a caveman impression and beating her chest.
“A pizza needs some meat, Miss Veggie Supreme,” Ace grumbles.
“Fine, but then I’d prefer a barbecue chicken or a pepperoni. Too many toppings make it sloppy.”
“What about a Hawaiian?” Gage optimistically suggests.
Both Ace and Naomi reply, “Ew, no!” at the same time, which makes them laugh and pops the tension like a balloon.
“At least we finally agree on something. Hawaiian pizza is gross,” Naomi grins.
“Hey!” Gage says, mock offended. “You wound me!” he says, clutching his heart.
I can’t help but smile, enjoying the easy camaraderie of the room. “Hand me a beer, will you, Ace?” I ask as he’s nearest to the fridge. He tosses one over, and I twist the top off and take a large swig, enjoying that first refreshing taste.
“What pizza do you like, Cash?” Naomi asks tentatively, tucking her hair behind her ear and clutching her beer to her chest.
“Anything spicy or with anchovies,” Gage replies for me. “So you’ve not got back-up there, Naomi. The great pizza debate has been raging in this house for years.”
Naomi laughs, the sound is welcome, and I feel bad I haven’t heard it more often. “Well then, how do you normally decide what to get?”
“You don’t want to know,” I chuckle.
Naomi’s eyes light up, and I wonder what wicked things she’s imagining. “Oh yes, I do.”
“We wrestle, in our underwear,” I tell her. From the expression on her face, I can tell she believes me, and she’s excited by the idea.
“You’re kidding me,” she says. The others’ guffaws give it away, and she lightly taps me on the arm. “You asshole, I believed you for a moment there!”
I smile back at her, holding my hands up in surrender. “It was too easy.”
“In all honesty, we usually just draw straws, take turns to decide, or play rock, paper, scissors. Though if Ace is being particularly stubborn, sometimes we race for it.”
“I usually win,” Ace says smugly.
Naomi rolls her eyes. “Well, what do we do now?”
“What do you suggest?” I ask.
“If we’re feeling particularly diplomatic, we could just order four large half-and-halves, so everyone gets what they want?” Naomi suggests.
We all turn to look at her, dumbfounded. “I can’t believe we never thought of that before,” I say.
“You’re a genius!” Gage laughs.
“Spoilsport, that’s no fun,” Ace mutters, ever the competitive one.
The night turns out to be one of the best I’ve had in a long time.
We laugh and joke together, getting to know Naomi more, and for a little while, we’re able to forget the chaos of our lives.
Naomi tilts her head back with laughter, exposing her slender neck.
She looks more beautiful than ever, calm, happy.
I find myself wondering what life would be like if she never left, if every night could be like this.