Dear Rose 3: Winter's Risk (16 page)

Josie laughed lightly, followed by Zach’s baritone. Even their laughs were different and fit their personalities. Josie had a light, soprano giggle. Zach’s was full-on like him.

“I have plenty of lube. Condoms.” Zach shrugged. “I know where that store is too. I stocked up.”

“Thought you weren’t sure you could even be with us, Army Man?” Quinn walked to the office door and held it open.

“It was just in case.” Zach stepped outside his office. “Boy, if we’d tried here, Manny would have killed me.”

Josie walked slowly out the door. “I hope we all know what we’re getting into?” She bit her lip.

Zach locked the door behind her with his key and shoved it into his pocket. He didn’t comment on her worrying.

“Life is risk. There’s nothing without that. So unless you’re not going to live, you have to take chances. And you don’t always know what you’re getting into.” Quinn took both their hands in his. “But some things are worth the risk.”

Zach squeezed his hand back. His was rough and warm. Larger than Quinn’s. Quinn could feel the strength in it.

Josie squeezed his hand too. Hers was soft. Chilled. Her hand fit within Quinn’s. Such a dainty appendage.

And yet both their hands, so different from the other, fit within his perfectly. It was kismet.

Had to be.

Quinn would refuse to believe anything otherwise as they settled upon taking Zach’s car, and Zach drove them toward his apartment. This was the final hurdle toward being together. If they could make this one, they would get there.

And what a fun trial it would be tonight.

For all of them.

Chapter Eight

Josie walked into Zach’s apartment unsure of what to expect. It was immaculate. Everything was in its space. He had a huge television and several bookshelves with DVDs and books on them. He obviously watched a lot of movies and read a lot of books. She swallowed, staring at the deep red wood flooring. His living room was painted green with a brown couch and recliner and the red shelving. She could see a computer desk in the dining room that had everything in neat little piles.

It was so different from Quinn’s apartment with masses of junk everywhere. She’d only been there once, before she’d told him about Zach.

She rubbed her throbbing temples.

The moment of truth was at hand. Was she ready? She wasn’t sure. Didn’t think she’d ever truly be ready. She was about to have sex with two men. At the same time. Not something they covered in student health, that was for sure.

Zach had left them and fluttered to the kitchen. Wasn’t normally a word she’d use to describe him, but that was what he had done. It was a word she would have used to describe Quinn and had in the past. Maybe they were all rubbing off on each other.

Would be kind of interesting for her, as she was the only girl in this relationship. She hoped she didn’t start swigging beer and watching football. Not that she pictured Zach and Quinn doing those things either. They were masculine in spades but not what she’d call macho.

Zach came back with two nice fluted glasses of a red liquid. He handed one to Quinn and the other to her.

“Red wine?” She peered down into the glass as if seeking answers. It held none for her but smelled of sweet fruit.
Guess spirits don’t work like tea leaves.

“Yes.” He walked back and came out with one in his hand. He lifted his glass to them.

After a moment, Quinn, with an expression on his face that spoke volumes about his confusion, held up his glass too. He didn’t comment, which was a wonder. Usually he would say whatever he was thinking. Maybe another example of them rubbing off on each other?

Josie joined them.

They clinked glasses.

“To a new beginning.” Zach smiled as the glasses made noise. He seemed more at ease than he ever had. Maybe because he was finally going to get what he needed in a relationship. If they could make this work.

“To taking a risk,” was her contribution to the toast. If only she had a crystal ball to see how this would play out.

“To fucking.” Quinn pulled his hand back and sucked down the entire glass of wine. “Guess what, Zach?”

“What?” Zach, who was now frowning, took a large sip of his drink. Whether it was due to Quinn gulping down the wine or his toast remained to be seen.

“We’re sure things. You don’t have to get us drunk.” Quinn walked to the bar that was between the kitchen and living room. He set down his empty glass.

“I wasn’t trying to get us drunk. It was to celebrate. It’s a fine vintage and one fricking glass.” Zach looked down into his almost empty glass. They’d only been filled about three-quarters full. It was easy to drain them.

She glanced back and forth between the two of them. She could see Quinn’s side. He’d been expecting to get jumped as soon as they got inside. Zach was going more for a gentle seduction.

“I’m not complaining. I think it’s sweet.” Quinn turned back to face them. “But I think we need to get this party started. We’ve all waited long enough.” He clapped his hands together. “Who is with me?”

Zach gripped his glass tightly. “I’m with you. For whatever the ride.” He whispered the last word. His gaze shifted to her. “Do you not like wine? You haven’t touched it.”

She’d been standing there holding it the whole time. With a death grip on the stem of her glass. “Oh, yeah, I do.” She gulped it down, almost chugging like Quinn had.

“Little nervous?” Zach glanced at her again. And she couldn’t help noticing he seemed more relaxed than he had been since she’d known him. And he didn’t give the impression he was irritated by having to ask the question.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.” She took a step, but he met her and offered his hand. He took both their glasses, grabbed Quinn’s from the bar, and moved into the kitchen to set them all in the sink.

Oh, he was one of those.
A little anal
. She couldn’t help a smile until she thought about the adjective and what it would mean for her. Her smile disappeared. She wondered if this was a mistake. If this was going to hurt. She wasn’t into pain in any sense of the word. She could be a big baby when it came to that.

Zach approached her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close into his body. He was warm and solid. Something she could hang on to and did.

Quinn slid up behind her and pushed his body against her back. He wrapped his arms around her too.

She could smell them both. It was comforting, as was the press of them against her. She closed her eyes and enjoyed them. They made her feel safe. They’d never intentionally hurt her.

“We’re worth the risk.” She could hear Zach’s soothing baritone reverberate underneath her ear.

“Definitely.” Quinn rubbed his hand along her shoulder. His fingers were warm and caressing.

She could stay there for hours. Just like this. Surrounded by them like this, she could almost believe they would work.

You’re going to be surrounded by them in another way before the night is out. An intimate way.

That was true. Her chest tightened. Would it be as wonderful as this, or would there be complications?

Zach suddenly began to move.

She followed him instinctively. At first she didn’t open her eyes. She shuffled as she felt him shift. Finally she slipped her eyelids up to see where they were headed. Apparently no one wanted to let go. Zach kept his hold on her, and so did Quinn. They moved as a pile of people in one direction.

Zach reached a door and shifted into it. He pulled one hand away to turn on a light. It illuminated the room.

His bedroom.

She swallowed. The moment of truth was at hand. She peered around the inner sanctum. The place that should reflect Zach more than any other in the apartment.

The bed was huge. She’d never seen one that large. It must be bigger than king. Maybe California king? She’d heard of it but never seen one. The sheets were black satin, and the coverlet was a white-and-black composite. The headboard was shiny black with silvery lines of trim. A matching nightstand, dresser, and chest completed the room. There were Ansel Adams black-and-white prints all over the walls, complementing the color scheme perfectly. There were also mirrored doors that must be a closet. It was big too. Much bigger than her tiny little one. There was something to be said for older apartments, if Quinn’s and Zach’s were any indication.

Zach leaned down and pressed a quick kiss on her lips. He disengaged himself from her and stalked to the bed. He pulled down the covers. He had two black and two white oversize pillows. After reaching into the nightstand drawer, he laid a few things on the top.

Lube. Two big tubes of it.

Condoms. A few packets.

That was all she could see. Of course, what else would he need? She was not the person to ask, because she had no idea. Damn, she should have read some erotic romances to see where this would lead.

Quinn pressed into her so she could feel his hard cock. He ran it up against her butt. “You’re ready for this.” He seemed to be telling her rather than asking a question. He kissed the side of her neck.

It was reassuring and terrifying all at the same time. What if she wasn’t ready? He seemed sure of himself, though. His lips on her neck branded her. Burned her. In ways she enjoyed.

Zach patted the bed beside him. “Come on, Josie.” The way her name fell from his lips, she felt special. Like no one else had ever called her name before. Silly but true.

She could do this. She wanted to, but she was nervous about the actual event. They’d walk her through. Put up with her. With them beside her, maybe this would go wonderfully.

Due to Quinn’s urging her forward, she traipsed to the bed and stood beside it. She had a choice now.
Get in or get out
. That would determine where they went from here. They’d accept her choice. If she went into that bed, there was no going back. But if she walked away, there might not be another chance. She wasn’t sure if Zach could go through his hopes being raised and crushed again.

Her heart pounding, she sat on the side of the bed and slipped her shoes off. It was a watershed moment. She would go forward from here. The decision made, she tried to force back some of her nervousness.

Zach stopped her before she could pull her feet up onto the bed. He helped her stand a second and pulled down her jeans, leaving her in underwear.

Quinn whistled softly. “Please tell me the bra matches.” He rubbed his hands together and slipped onto the mattress at the foot of the bed, seeming to want to spectate.

“You know it.” She’d had a feeling about today and had deliberately picked out a matching bra with her bikini underwear. They were maroon and looked good against her skin. So she thought.

And from the ogles sent her way, she hadn’t been wrong. Both of them had dreamy expressions on their faces just from her bared legs.

Quinn bounced up and down on the bed. “This bed is the biggest one I’ve ever seen. You were preparing for an orgy, weren’t you?”

“No. Just you. And Josie.” Zach unbuttoned his shirt one button at a time. He let the material swing open, revealing his tanned chest. His bulky chest. “My entire life has been preparing for you.”

His body was as she’d remembered. Well-defined. With six-pack abs. She ran one hand down his front. Such warm skin. Such a feeling. And she hadn’t missed his comment. He meant that too. It was all she could do not to pull him over and kiss him silly for that.

He sucked in what he could, not that it was much. There was little fat on those pecs. His eyes appeared especially brown today. Gorgeous.

He slipped the shirt down his long arms and let it pile on the floor. He motioned for her to get into the bed.

“Doesn’t she get to take her shirt off?” Quinn sounded annoyed. Probably because when they turned their attention to him, he wasn’t wearing a shirt. He’d taken it off while Zach had been fooling with his. And no one had noticed.

Although seeing Quinn’s torso now was damn titillating. Two naked male chests for her to play with. Only one thing would be better.

She swiveled her gaze back and forth between the two. “I guess it is only fair, since you’re both shirtless. I should take mine off too.” She quickly divested herself of her shirt, laying it on the floor on Zach’s. She was now wearing only the aforementioned underwear and bra.

Silence.

For a moment or two, neither of them spoke. But they both told her with their eyes she was cream and they were cats. She poked her chest out, trying to emphasize that part of her. Their eyes showed their appreciation.

“Yep, I like the matching bra and panties. They are so keepers. Hey, now you don’t have to keep her underwear. You’ll have
her
to give you hope.” Quinn never moved his gaze from her breasts. “In person.”

“True.” Zach’s voice came heavy and hushed. He sounded almost winded. “Very true.”

“So, guys?” She played with the strap to her bra and ran her finger along the top of it. Their eyes watching her made her feel powerful. And, surprise, she liked it. That she could do so much to them with a fingertip movement was amazing.

“Yep?” “Yes?” They both spoke at the same time. She had their full and undivided attention.

“We’re all shirtless now. But I’m pantless.” She held out a leg like a Rockette. “See? I think it’s only fair…” She pointed to their bottoms with her finger waggling between the two of them. “I think you should be too.”

Quinn belted out a laugh. “You’re sneaky. I like that.” He undid the snap and zipper before he slipped off his jeans, apparently already having taken off his shoes. He wasn’t wearing anything under said pants. Just like last time.

She swallowed, seeing his heavy cock jutting out from his body. She remembered the feel of him. He took her breath away.

Yeah, maybe this was going to be the best night of her life.

He made his cock swing back and forth like the clapper to a bell. She wanted to reach out and ring him.

But there was something else that needed to happen first.

Both their gazes turned to Zach.

Zach undid the button to his dress pants slowly. Agonizingly. He dropped them over his hips to reveal no underwear either. He’d gone commando.