TWENTY-THREE
Charlotte
The sun was so low in the sky, it was hidden behind the trees that lined the edges of Old Hickory Lake. It cast a warm glow on the dock and the trio of people standing at the end of it, who were waiting for Noah and me.
My pulse had been humming the entire forty-five-minute drive out here, and now it raced even faster.
The boards of the dock creaked underfoot as we walked toward the boat tied off at the end of it. When Patrick had invited everyone on a sunset cruise around the lake, I’d pictured a smallish boat. Maybe something sporty, or a little pontoon boat.
But this thing was large, sleek, and looked like a tiny yacht. There was a large awning over the top, covering the wheel, the lounge couches, and the entrance to go below deck.
“Hi.” Shannon’s gaze swept over me, taking in my emerald green top, white shorts, and gold sandals. “How was the drive?”
“It was good.” Noah ticked his head toward the boat, and he sounded as surprised as I’d been. “This is your boat?”
“Yep, this is Nauti-By-Nature,” Patrick said. “Would you believe me if I told you we didn’t name her? We bought her used, and the original name was a good fit for us. Plus, it’s bad luck to change it.” He gestured to the cooler Noah was carrying. “Here, I can stow that for you.”
While that was handed over, my gaze flicked to the other guy who stood beside Shannon on the dock.
As they’d expected, Eli had no problem with us joining in on their date, and Noah and I met him over Zoom.
He was similar to Noah in several ways besides the lifestyle. They were both in their thirties, in great shape, and attractive, which made it seem like Shannon had a type. Eli’s brown hair was clipped so close to his head it was nearly buzzed, but it looked great on him. He had an angular face, and a smile with honest-to-God dimples.
He’d been cute in the video on Noah’s laptop, and he was even cuter in person, wearing a designer shirt and shorts. If I’d seen him that night at the bar with Patrick and Shannon instead of Noah, I probably would have been interested in him.
But I was grateful it hadn’t been Eli, because he paled in comparison to the man I’d arrived with.
There was a magnetic pull to Noah that was undeniable.
Shannon handled the introductions today, and when Noah shook Eli’s hand, a spark traveled through my body. If everything went according to plan, these men would be with her tonight.
This shit was wild.
In fact, it was wild enough Noah had never done it before.
A gangbang. Or was it an orgy? Was there a minimum number of people for it to classify as an orgy? I filed it away to ask him about it later.
When it was time to get on the boat, I pulled off my sandals and accepted Patrick’s hand. I didn’t really need him to help me aboard since the lake was smooth, and the boat was right beside the dock, but it felt weird to decline his offer.
I got the sense he’d done it because it was habit and he was a gentleman, and not because he wanted to touch me.
My overall feeling about Patrick was pleasant indifference. He was decent looking, and nice, and he certainly didn’t give me ‘the ick,’ but he was far more interested in his wife than anyone else. Which was sweet. Maybe he was a little like me and his biggest kink was watching. Did he feel the same way about me as I did him?
Maybe. But I was just guessing, because Patrick was kind of hard to read.
Eli, on the other hand, was not.
Within thirty seconds of meeting him, I knew he was the kind of guy who said whatever thought crossed his mind.
When it was explained to him on the Zoom call I was new to all this and my participation was likely going to be minimal, his disappointment was clear. He said he hoped I’d be willing to join in on the fun.
This had nearly blown up the whole thing up, with Noah threatening to cancel because he was sure Eli would be too high-pressure.
But Eli’s apology had been swift and seemingly genuine. And after we’d ended the call, I’d assured Noah I’d be all right. I didn’t expect Eli to be aggressive, but if he was, I’d encountered those kinds of guys before and could handle myself. Plus, I knew Noah had my back.
Patrick had said their boat was older, but I couldn’t tell. Everything about it seemed new and high tech, and it was in excellent shape, making me even more excited for our cruise.
Once we were ready, I took a seat beside Noah on one of the benches near the back, and Shannon and Eli sat opposite us, while Patrick finished casting off and started the motors.
It didn’t take us long to reach the center of the lake, where long shadows stretched across the mirrored surface, and the incessant buzz of the cicadas hummed from the trees. With the engine off, it was peaceful, and I relaxed into Noah, enjoying the moment.
Drinks were passed around, and conversation flowed easily. It was clear that Patrick and Shannon were private. I didn’t know their last name or what they did for a living or if they had any kids, but Eli was more forthcoming. He’d joined the Marines straight out of high school, and after an eight-year enlistment, he’d left and become a security guard and firefighter.
He’d lived a wild lifestyle while he was in the military, and it had carried over into his civilian life. I was surprised to learn he’d been in the lifestyle longer than anyone else on the boat, and that Shannon and Patrick had only been swinging for a few years.
“Her sex drive is higher than mine,” Patrick said as he squeezed onto the bench beside his wife, “and I like watching, so that works out pretty great for us.” He gave her a sexy, knowing smile. “I like seeing her happy when she goes out on dates, and I love hearing all about them when she comes back to me.”
She had an almost dreamy look as she gazed at him, but then remembered there were other people around. “But we don’t need it,” she said. “Playing with others is just a fun bonus.”
I liked hearing everyone talk so freely about it, because it was fucking fascinating to me.
The sun slipped further down, and the stars slowly became visible in the inky black sky. The mood on the boat was chill, but I wondered if they were all secretly pretending, as I did, that they didn’t feel the undercurrent of electricity. The anticipation hummed in me, making it hard to focus.
The lighting on the deck was minimal, and Shannon was so discreet about it, I hadn’t noticed her hand moving between Eli’s legs until Patrick glanced down and let out a sound of approval. She was sandwiched between the men on the small bench, fitted perfectly up against her husband, while massaging the erection that was tenting the front of the other man’s shorts.
It was no longer news to me I was into voyeurism, but what was surprising? How much I liked watching someone else watch.
It was sexy in a taboo, forbidden way how Patrick studied his wife. How he watched the hand decorated with her wedding rings slide back and forth and caused pleasure to twist on the younger man’s face.
He brought his lips right to the shell of his wife’s ear. “Should we head below?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
The lake was relatively quiet with hardly any boats passing, but we weren’t alone, and it was clear they wanted privacy for our group.
Tonight’s show would be closed to the public, invitation only.
I took Noah’s hand when he offered to help me from my seat.
Once we were below deck, Shannon gave us a brief tour, and the interior of the boat reminded me a bit of a tour bus. It was compact, with a low ceiling and tight layout, made worse because there were five of us. But it was elegantly finished. The floor was hardwood, and the furniture was covered in leather, making it feel luxurious and upscale.
From the steps leading back up, the galley kitchen was to our left. On our right, white leather cushioned seating wrapped around a table, creating a U-shaped booth. The head, complete with a shower, was a small room past the galley, and the sliding door beyond that was open. It revealed a decent-sized bed tucked against the bow, surrounded by storage cabinets.
Shannon motioned to the booth for us to take a seat. There wasn’t room to do much else, so I set my drink down on the table and went first. I slid around the cushioned bench, leaving space for people to sit on either side of me. Noah followed, as did Eli on the other side, but since the table was narrow, it didn’t leave much room. My knees rested against their knees, and although it was an innocent touch, my breath went shallow.
I snatched up my White Claw and took a big gulp, trying to quench a thirst that I suspected my drink couldn’t help.
Patrick pressed a few buttons on a panel on the galley wall, and music began to play through the sound system. It was a smoky, sexy mix of electronic beats and bass.
Was this playlist called ‘ Music to fuck to ?’ Because it was perfect.
As Shannon finished her drink, she swayed her hips to the beat, and when her husband gripped her hips from behind, she rubbed provocatively against him. All the while, her gaze was locked on us, her captive audience at the table.
His hands wandered over her curves, caressing her, and she turned over her shoulder to kiss him. It was slow and sensual, and I strangely found the way she kissed him much hotter than the way he touched her.
“I think you need to lose this dress,” he said, sounding full of seduction.
She agreed, and her vibrant red hair shimmered in the warm light of the cabin when she nodded. She held still as her husband stood behind her, grabbed fistfuls of the skirt of her dress, and dragged the fabric up.
The stretchy knit gave way, revealing sexy, purple lace panties, and as her dress continued up, her matching bra. The eggplant color looked good against her fair, lightly freckled skin, and once again, I was envious of her body.
Her dress was tossed aside, and the tension in the room wound tighter as everyone stared at her skimpy lingerie. I liked attention, but I didn’t mind one bit that she had all of it right now.
Her husband wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned back into him, but his focus turned to Eli. “I want to watch,” he said, “you make my wife come.”
Holy shit.
Eli didn’t need to be told twice. He was up out of his seat in a flash, and a huge smile broke out on Shannon’s face at his enthusiasm. Patrick stepped out of the way, and it was like the changing of the guard when he moved and took Eli’s now vacant seat at the table.
I finished my drink as quickly as possible, not wanting to miss a second of the show. Eli sauntered around Shannon and surveyed her like he was figuring out the best place to start.
Patrick had been deliberate and sensual, but Eli ‘s style was fast and aggressive. He stepped up behind her, smoothed a palm over her stomach, and shoved that hand beneath the lace of her panties.
My breath came and went in short bursts.
As he touched her, she bowed and arched, and her face twisted like he was wringing pleasure from her. The hand moving beneath the purple fabric wasn’t gentle either. His fingers were insistent, demanding.
Her lips parted to draw in air in ragged gulps, and between them, she made little whimpers of need. It was clear he liked hearing it, and an almost evil smile burned across his face. He liked teasing her, but now it wasn’t enough for him.
When he urged her forward, she stumbled until she had her palms flattened to the table, leaning over it.
I was much more interested in men than I was in women, but it was undeniable how hot she looked like this. Her full breasts were barely contained in her bra, and leaning over the table? It made her cleavage even better.
Eli didn’t have to use words to order her to stay like that. Everyone knew, and she complied while he stepped back and shed his shirt. I’d noticed the dark artwork crawling up his forearm when I’d first seen him at the dock, but now that he was shirtless, the full tattoo sleeve was on display.
It looked good on him, but his chiseled muscles and defined abdominals? Yeah, those looked even better. There was no arguing he was physically attractive. Maybe if Shannon were to rate these two bulls on looks alone, she might say Eli held the edge over Noah.
But, God, she’d be wrong.
Noah was superior in every way to me.
The thought disappeared when Eli grabbed the sides of her panties and jerked them down her thighs, revealing the whisper thin landing strip of hair she’d trimmed there.
Excitement crackled over my skin, flowing toward the center of my legs.
He ground a hand against her, making her moan and writhe, and she stared at everyone at the table, her eyes heavily lidded with pleasure.
His voice was full of gravel. “Clear the table.”
I wasn’t sure who he was talking to, but Patrick was the first to act. He grabbed the mostly empty drinks from the tabletop, stood, and walked to the galley, setting them on the small counter. As soon as he returned to his seat, a pleased look flashed through his eyes.
Since Shannon’s back was to him, she didn’t have any warning, and she gasped as he spun her around, picked her up, and lay her down on her back on the table. She barely fit, and the locks of her long red hair spilled into my lap, tickling the tops of my thighs where my shorts ended.
She peered up at me with wide eyes, but they hooded again as he took a knee and spread her thighs wide, curling his hands around each one.
“ Oh ,” she sighed as his mouth brushed over her.
I caught flashes of his tongue as it toyed with her clit, and I swallowed back my delight. He was eating her out right in front of us, and blood ran hotly through my veins. I wasn’t the only one enjoying the scene, either.
Patrick’s hands moved to unzip his pants and get his dick out. I couldn’t see all of him, just the tip since the table partially obscured my view, but I could tell from his slow, almost lazy movements he was stroking himself.
Lust smoldered in his eyes as he gazed at his wife, watching as another man had his mouth buried in her pussy.
At Club Eros, the scene with Travis and Lilith had been up on a stage, and I’d watched from among a sea of people. Now, this private show was nearly in my lap, and it felt... special.
Exclusive .
Desire weighed me down, and I had to drag my focus over to Noah. I wondered what he thought about this, and when my gaze found his, my breath caught.
As I’d been watching the show, he’d been watching me .
There was no doubt he could see how turned on I was. That he knew the flush warming my cheeks had little to do with the temperature in this cramped space, and everything to do with the sex that clung to the air, invading my lungs.
Noah’s expression was wicked as he leaned in and began to drop kisses on the side of my neck. I shivered with pleasure from the sensation. Had he kissed me there instead of my lips so he wouldn’t block my view?
When his hand dipped between my legs, I groaned with satisfaction and parted my knees as much as I could to give him room. As he rubbed me through my clothes, the seam of my shorts ground pleasurably against my clit.
Fuck, it felt good.
Beneath us, the boat gently rocked. It was muggy inside the cabin, but maybe Noah’s hot breath against my kiss-dampened neck made it feel that way. I gripped the sides of my shorts, enjoying all of his attention while watching the couple in front of us.
Eli’s arms were beneath Shannon’s thighs, and her skin dented around his fingertips as he held her open and feasted. Sexy moans and sighs poured from her mouth, and I quieted my own so I could hear hers better.
Her piercing eyes had a gravity as she stared up at me, wearing an expression that dripped with desire. It made steam fill my head, and a muscle low in my stomach clenched.
“Touch me,” she rasped to everyone, and no one in particular.
The kisses at the pulse point on my neck ceased, as if Noah were considering something. He pulled back, glanced at her, and pushed his other hand beneath one of the cups of her bra. As he squeezed a handful of her breast, he seemed to study my reaction. Like he wanted to make sure I was okay with this.
Um, yeah.
I totally was.
I zeroed in on the way his hand moved, how she arched into his touch, and I had to push out a heavy breath because the sight of it was so fucking hot.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noted Patrick as he continued to stroke himself, doing it at a measured pace and with the loose grip of a few fingers. It was like he was only interested in maintaining his erection, while savoring the experience.
When we’d come below deck, he’d closed the door behind us and turned on the air conditioner, but the small unit couldn’t compete with what was happening now. Sweat blossomed on my skin, dampening the hair at the back of my neck.
I decided to take the initiative.
My hands closed on the bottom of my shirt and began to pull up, and as soon as Noah realized what I was doing, he was there, helping me along. He took the top from me and dropped it on the floor beside the booth. Cool air wafted over my newly exposed skin and pale pink bra.
I didn’t get a chance to see how anyone felt about what I’d done, because he scooped my face up in his hands and kissed me aggressively.
It tasted like . . . possession .
As if he were claiming me and flaunting what only he was allowed to do.
But the kiss broke when Shannon let out a gasp. The sharp intake of breath pulled our focus to her, and the tremble that worked its way up her body.
“I’m going to come,” she whined.
Her deep eyes silently pleaded with me. I wasn’t sure exactly what she was begging me for, but I reached out, trailing the pads of my fingertips down over her chest, and closed a hand around her breast. My touch excited everyone else in the room, which encouraged me to really go for it.
I inched my fingers beneath the cup of her bra, and Noah followed my lead, doing the same on her other breast.
Her skin was smooth and velvet soft, and I teased the hardened bud of her nipple while staring at Noah. God, I loved how we were both touching her, how we were sharing her. She seemed to like it too. Her back bowed up off the table and one of her hands fisted the front of her husband’s shirt.
Was it our mutual touch that sent her over the edge, or was it the way Eli nuzzled between her thighs and fluttered his tongue?
She came hard, and fast, and loudly. Her cry of pleasure cracked the air, rippling through the rest of us. But she’d barely finished her orgasm before Eli was yanking her off the table and urging her down onto her knees. His hands ripped at his zipper and shoved his shorts and boxer briefs down so quickly, his dick bounced free.
He was big . His cock was so thick, long, and hard, it was almost scary.
But Shannon wasn’t afraid. She grinned, wrapped her fingers around him, and gave him a single pump of her fist. Then she opened her mouth, fit it over his tip, and took him as deep as she could.
A smirk twisted his lips as he peered at Patrick. “You like watching your slut wife suck my cock?”
My mouth dropped open.
I’d expected Patrick to be pissed off by what the other man said, but—no. Patrick’s expression was all heat, drunk with desire. He was into it. So much so, his light grip on his dick tightened and his fist stopped moving altogether, like he’d gotten unexpectedly close.
His smile echoed through his voice. “Fucking yes.”
I was mesmerized by the way Shannon’s mouth glided across Eli’s impressive length. His cock disappeared between her rosy lips, and then reappeared, growing glossier with her saliva from each pass. Her tempo was steady and hypnotic, and it made his chest rise and fall with hurried breaths.
When he’d pulled her off the table, I’d left my hand resting there, and my fingers curled. Whenever I watched porn, I usually skipped over most of the blowjob scenes. They always ran a little long for me, and the guy wasn’t as vocal as I wanted him to be.
But this? Holy fuck, it was hot. Watching her deliver this blowjob was so arousing, I grew impossibly wet and hot between my legs. Had I ever been this turned on before? The fog of it was disorienting, like I was tipsy.
Eli’s heated gaze worked its way over my body, and while he was fucking another woman’s mouth, his focus zeroed in on me. It traced over the mesh of my pink bra, and his expression was pure sin.
It wasn’t the same as the guy who’d stared at me at Club Eros. Eli’s unabashed lust wasn’t completely unwelcomed, and his attention didn’t cause discomfort. If anything, a tiny thrill shot through me. It was nice to be wanted.
But it still felt kind of . . . wrong.
There was only one person’s attention I truly wanted. Even as I watched Shannon’s cheeks hollow out as she sucked on Eli, I was acutely aware of Noah. I glanced at him as he shed his shirt, bringing his toned chest into view, and lifted my gaze to meet his eyes.
God, the way he looked at me. It was as if I were the only one here. Was it stupid to think he felt the same way as I did?
“Get in my lap,” he said, his voice low. “I want my fingers inside you.”
My heart sprinted faster at his command. Was this in response to the way Eli had been lusting at me?
It was awkward, scrambling over Noah in the tight booth, but somehow I made it work. As soon as I was seated in his lap, his hard-on pressing up against my thigh, and the table digging into my ribs on the other side, his fingers found the button of my shorts.
My hands shook with desire as I helped him undo it, drop my zipper, and wiggled out of them.
It was freeing being in only my bra and panties. I sat across his legs, my feet dangling over the end of the booth, and draped an arm around the back of his shoulders. Our mouths collided at the same time he pushed my panties aside and touched me—
Only for him to break the kiss and unleash a sexy groan. “Fucking hell, Charlotte. You’re soaking wet.”
Oh, my God.
Fire blazed across my face, but not with embarrassment. It turned me on even more to hear him say it, especially since it sounded like he’d done it to announce it to the group.
As his fingers rubbed deliciously against my swollen clit, I worked a hand between us and on to the bulge in his pants. It wasn’t easy to do, but I enjoyed how the lightest stroke caused him to grit his teeth. My action made him escalate, and my mouth rounded into a silent ‘ oh’ as he pushed his middle two fingers deep inside me.
The stretch of it was so pleasurable, I shuddered and groaned with satisfaction.
He pulsed his fingers in and out in an unhurried, methodical tempo. My toes curled in enjoyment, and the distraction of it made it a challenge to get his pants undone.
But I managed by sliding back, just out of his lap, to create space.
When I curled my fingers around his cock, it was his turn to shudder. Shit, it was intoxicating having this effect on him. His dick was hard and jerked against my fist as I pushed my tight grip down, sliding from his tip to the base.
The movement caused my bra strap to tumble off my shoulder. The cup didn’t fall completely—the edge of it caught on my nipple and barely hung on. The sensation felt good, teasing me nearly the same way it teased everyone else.
It clung on like an erotic threat.
As his fingers pumped in and out of me, he moved to match the pace of Eli, who had his hands buried in Shannon’s hair and ruthlessly fucked her mouth. It was a demonstration of power, but one that Patrick fully endorsed.
He watched them as if captivated. Enthralled.
Waves of heat moved through me like a slow burning fire, and I fought to catch my breath. The slick slide of Noah’s fingers injected me with pleasure, each deliberate thrust sending satisfaction ricocheting through my body. I was hardly moving my hand on him now, barely able to return a fraction of the pleasure he was giving me because my head was full of smoke—
And wicked thoughts.
The cabin was a million fucking degrees, and this room in the middle of a lake became otherworldly. It was a place that existed outside of norms or rules, and I struggled to think through the thick cloud of sex surrounding us.
A need pounded endlessly, drowning everything else out.
“I want you,” I rasped, “to fuck me.”