Bend (8 page)

“Hard to resist those eyes, isn’t it?”

Evan had to resist something himself. The temptation to smack Justin upside the head.

He closed his hand around Annabelle’s. Her skin was soft and cool despite the calluses that BEND

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proved she worked hard for a living. Evan didn’t mind them in the least. After…well, just after, he didn’t ever want another lover who thought her only job was to sit around on her ass all day and look pretty. And be exhausted by it. Contrary to what he and Justin had been told, it could not possibly be that tiring to look attractive. Annabelle was proof enough of that. He and Justin had just been blinded by the need to find that one person who would make their lives complete, and who they could love and cherish in return.

“At least
he’s
got something
irresistible
,” Annabelle drawled, crossing her eyes at Justin.

The teasing move took the sting from her words, mostly. Evan still figured it’d sting Justin’s pride a bit, but his lover really did need to chill. Besides, he knew for a fact that Justin had quite a few irresistible qualities…okay, and parts, specifically a fat, nine-inch one. Just thinking about it had Evan clenching his ass, shivering at the dull pain that he loved feeling after he and Justin had a particularly vigorous round or two of fucking.

Justin must have figured out keeping his goading under wraps was in all of their best interests, because he merely nodded and gestured towards the house. “He has several irresistible qualities, and a very fine ass, too. But I can’t ever say no when he gives me that look, and he knows it.”

Evan was going to have to stand in front of the mirror and try to mimic that look. First he’d have to figure out what it was. Looping his arm through Annabelle’s, Evan got them moving. Justin slowed down but didn’t try to walk beside them; they’d discussed how to behave, and had agreed not to make Annabelle feel like they were going to maul her at any moment. Of course, the problem was, that’s exactly what they wanted, and he thought, from the heated look Annabelle had given them before she got out of her truck, that she wanted it, too.
Way to go, dickhead. Now I’ve got a hard on that can be spotted a mile away. Talk to her!

“So, how was the drive?”

Justin tried not to snicker at Evan’s attempts at conversation over dinner. He felt for his lover, he really did. Evan was so flustered, and so hard for Annabelle, he probably couldn’t think straight. Justin knew the feeling, which was why he’d kept quiet for most of the evening. No way did he trust himself not to spew out something that would piss Annabelle off. If she left in a huff because he fucked up, Evan was going to be upset, and Justin BEND

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wouldn’t be happy either, but he really didn’t want to do anything that hurt Evan. He’d been hurt so badly last time, his emotions more invested in their former lover than Justin’s had been there at the end.

The guilt Justin felt over Evan’s pain still ate at him. He’d known the relationship was failing, knew Mindy was using them and had suspected she was cheating on them. He’d been too wrapped up in trying to keep the ranch going, too exhausted from days that started at four a.m. and ended sixteen to eighteen hours later. His tunnel vision had hurt the one person he loved most, the only person who stood by him.

“Can I speak to you for a minute?”

Evan’s voice was laced with a hint of anxiety that pulled Justin back to the present. One glance at his lover’s expression and the barely cloaked irritation buried in it had Justin rising from his chair. Annabelle looked at him solemnly as they strode past her on their way into the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” Justin asked as soon as the door was closed behind them. “If you’re having second thoughts, we can tell her—”

“Stop it!” Evan snapped. Justin stopped, stunned as he’d always been on the few occasions Evan had lost his temper over the years. “You’re doing it again! It’s not Annabelle, it’s
you
!”

That accusation just hurt. “What do you mean, it’s me? I haven’t done anything! I’ve kept my mouth shut and let you take the lead—”

Evan stepped close, glaring right up into Justin’s face. “No, you’ve withdrawn, just like you did the first time we brought Mindy over. It’s like you’re afraid to be yourself or something. And”—Evan took a breath while Justin tried to rein in his own temper, because, damn it, the truth
did
hurt—“you’re not
letting
me spend time with Annabelle,
letting
me get to know her. You’re
making
me do it because it’s easier than you having to try.” Evan stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest. There were no begging, puppy dog eyes now.

Those brilliantly coloured orbs were shooting daggers straight at Justin’s heart.

“You know what I think?” Evan didn’t give Justin a chance to answer. “I think you don’t want a woman in our relationship. Maybe you never did. Maybe you just knew how
I
felt and decided to humour me because, hey, it wasn’t like I’d be having sex with another man, so—”

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“Bullshit!” Justin snapped, his temper snapped, the tight binding holding back the hurt and fear that he’d kept bottled up spewed out Justin stalked Evan until the man was backed against the counter, his hands behind him to hold up his weight as he leaned away from Justin. “I’ve
never
lied to you! I never—God damn it!” Evan was right about some of those things, though. Justin’s anger drained away as he hung his head, grinding his teeth as he tried to figure out what to say. The truth would probably be best.

“I won’t say at first I wasn’t a little leery,” Justin confessed, remembering the way his own needs met and clashed with Evan’s. He looked up and saw the fear in Evan’s eyes, the trembling of his lower lip. The ache he felt at putting that look there, causing the uncertainty in his lover, threatened to tear Justin up inside. He groaned as he cupped Evan’s cheek, wishing he had the words to tell the man how he felt, why he’d fucked things up when he’d only had the best of intentions. All he could do was stumble his way through it and hope Evan understood.

“I felt—still feel the same way as you. I
want
what you want, and not just because you want it, but yeah. You gotta know I’d do anything for you, give you anything. Please don’t tell me that makes me a bad partner, baby,” Justin pleaded, worried enough about the situation to not be shocked by the fact that he was begging. “But I never agreed to bringing in a woman just to keep you. I’ve just kept some of them I should have sent off because…because I couldn’t stand to see you hurt when they left. Maybe I didn’t want you to think what you’re thinking now, that I never wanted a triad, and that was why I didn’t tell Mindy to leave. I should have, though. I never should have let her in in the first place. I never trusted her, but you looked at her like that, and I couldn’t tell you no.”

Evan’s lashes fluttered as he blinked away the moisture welling up in his eyes. He swiped at his cheek and shuddered. “So, does that mean you don’t think Annabelle’s right for us? Is that why you’re not even trying to make us all…together? You’re expecting her to pull a Mindy, or a Jane? Or that first one, Sheila—you think Annabelle will want to hook up with us just so she can go around bragging about bagging two hot guys?”

Justin didn’t answer right away, giving Evan’s questions serious consideration. In the past, he’d just let Evan have his way instead of listening to his instincts, and every failed relationship had hurt Evan more than it had him. Justin’s greatest heartache was watching Evan suffer. Could he actually open himself up to Annabelle? She was a smart-mouthed, bossy woman who had no tolerance for puffed up egos and bullshit. She was also intelligent, BEND

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caring and sexy as hell, and worth taking a chance on if Justin really wanted what he said he did.

“I think she could be right for us,” Justin admitted, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. Evan’s smile was an added bonus that warmed Justin through and through. “We need to talk to her, though, and not this polite conversational shit. She needs to know what we want, what we expect, and we need to know the same from her. And”—this part was tougher to say, but he’d do it, not just for Evan, but for himself and hopefully, eventually, Annabelle—“I need to quit being a coward and keeping myself closed off, or hiding behind a smartass attitude.”

Evan had this thing he did, it had captured Justin’s heart from the moment he’d first spotted Evan years ago when they’d both been teens. It had been Homecoming, and before the game started, Justin had looked across the football field, his attention snagged by the best sound he’d ever heard. It sent tingles racing over his skin, and fired thoughts off in his head that he’d only just begun to face. He’d spotted the gorgeous kid several yards away, helmet tucked under one arm as he’d slapped at another kid’s back. There was no other way to say it—Evan glowed when he was really happy, his cheeks tinting pink, his eyes sparkling. He lit up, and everything and everyone around him could do nothing but bask in that glow.

Evan turned that light on Justin now, and Justin felt his knees shake and his bones turn to jelly. He wondered, if Annabelle agreed, how he was going to be able to handle having two partners who could reduce him to a pile of quivering goo with just a smile. Annabelle would be able to do it, too, she may have some things in common with Justin, but she had that same effervescence about her—

“I think, maybe tonight, we should all spend some time seeing how we feel around each other,” Evan whispered against Justin’s lips. “See if we can be comfortable, get along, joke and tease like lovers do without someone getting pissed or mean. The serious talking can come later, once we’ve all had some time to get to know each other.”

“And sex?” Justin didn’t want to be an asshole, but he had to know. Besides, Evan wanted honesty.

Evan kissed him, a hard, deep, dominant kiss that rocked Justin to the soles of his feet.

“Oh, that can happen as soon as everyone wants it to.”

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There was a tap at the kitchen door and then a creak as it was pushed open before either Justin or Evan could answer. Justin and Evan didn’t flinch, or move away from each other, instead turning their heads to watch Annabelle slip into the room.

Annabelle clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Now really, I kind of thought y’all wanted this to be a three-fer, and here I find y’all slipping away into the kitchen to get all cosy without me.” She dropped her gaze to her hand, studying her nails. Justin doubted she even saw them; he’d bet she was hiding her eyes from them, definitely him, to keep him from seeing any hint of what she was thinking. “A girl would think maybe she isn’t really wanted.

If that’s the case, I’ll be on my way.”

Evan started to speak, but Justin brushed his thumb over Evan’s lips and shook his head. “Let me,” he mouthed. Evan nodded, smiling happily.

Releasing Evan and walking to Annabelle, Justin took her hand in his and, with his other hand, cupped her chin. He tipped her head back gently, wanting her to look at him.

After the smallest hesitation, she did.

“That isn’t the case at all,” Justin informed her, already lowering his head, unable to resist those parted, pouty lips. “Evan was rightfully chewing my ass for being a standoffish dick.” Annabelle’s eyes shot wide open. Justin claimed her mouth, sliding his hand to the back of her head to hold her still as he bit at her lips, his tongue twining with hers, then dominating the kiss as Evan had done to him. Annabelle moaned into the kiss, her hands gripping his biceps, short, blunt nails digging into his skin.

“Oh my fucking God,” Evan groaned behind him. “That’s…damn!”

Annabelle sucked in his bottom lip, scraping it with her teeth as the kiss ended. She tipped her head to the side, peering around Justin. Justin simply held her tightly and turned them both so they could look at Evan.

“Does this mean we’re done with the talking part of the evening?” Annabelle asked.

She looked at Evan, who looked at him.

Justin shook his head. “I wouldn’t say done with it, but I think the topics of conversation have just been changed. Belle, would you like to take this to our bedroom?”

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The soft click of the bedroom door closing sent a trill of heat down Annabelle’s spine.

She tried to clear her head, think about how to gain back control of this situation, how to lead where she wanted this to go.

“I don’t think so,” Justin murmured, pulling his shirt off and dropping it on the floor. “I can see the gears turning, and whatever it is you’re thinking, just stop.”

Stop? Annabelle gaped at the man, ready to tell him who was in charge. A glimpse of movement pulled her gaze down. He popped the button on his jeans, then slowly unzipped them. Annabelle’s pussy clenched, moisture drenching her panties as she saw the head of Justin’s cock poking from the waistband of his black briefs. Her breath stuttered at the sight of it—dark plum in colour, plump and wide rimmed, the narrow slit beaded with pre-cum.

Justin backed up until the back of his legs touched the bed. “Evan, I don’t think sweet and slow is gonna happen this time. Next time, maybe, or the time after that, or…” Justin trailed off as he bent over to pull off his boots.

Annabelle’s head snapped up so fast her vision blurred. “
This
time?
Next
time or—who says there’ll be another time?” Panic welled in her as she spun around to look at Evan. “This is just for tonight.”
Isn’t it?
Heart pounding, Annabelle couldn’t decide what she wanted the answer to that to be, not even when a flash of hurt flickered over Evan’s face. Evan, who she now realised was completely nude, his long, lean body bared to her. Like the flick of a switch, panic turned to lust. Annabelle clenched her thighs together, needing friction, pressure,
something
as she visually devoured the broad shoulders, the thin smattering of hair on Evan’s chest, the dark chocolate nipples, the delineated abs that made her mouth water.