Divine Charity (7 page)

He could recall the way those strong legs looked draped over Justin’s shoulders, and the way she curled her toes, accentuating her delicate arches, as her arousal escalated. He could picture her back bowing and arching as she flexed her hips while taking his cock into her slick cunt as though they were made for each other, and in truth they had been.

Ransome believed Justin was the only man she’d ever been with and she was probably the only woman Justin had ever made love to either. He was loyal that way, and he’d never showed serious interest in a girl besides Charity since back when they were kids, same as Val and Ransome.

The way she tilted her head and closed her eyes as she took her pleasure…and the way she’d gazed at him and Val as she slid up and down on Justin’s cock. The fire in her eyes had practically seared him, branding him and making him want her so much the need was painful.

Rosy color had risen in her cheeks and they’d both stood motionless as she’d ridden Justin. The sex had escalated to wildly animalistic fucking until she’d screamed so loud his ears rang, as she’d climaxed hard. Justin had grabbed hold of her hips, angling her just the way he wanted her, and thrust hard over and over, bringing her to orgasm time and time again until he’d finally come as well.

She’d collapsed against Justin and shut her eyes, utterly sated…and looking so vulnerable. Ransome had seen her shiver and had grabbed one of their beach towels to cover her with. When Justin had looked up and nodded breathlessly, he’d tucked it in around Charity so she could recover and to signal to the others that the show was over, he supposed. He’d openly stared at the lingering voyeuristic men until they’d taken their bulging cocks to some other girl to deal with, if they were lucky.

One of the other female members of their group, a single friend of Natalie’s, had invited him and Val to join her for a threesome under one of the RV awnings. Val had taken one look at Ransome and had turned her down. They weren’t opposed to sharing a woman. They just hadn’t wanted Charity to see them going off with some other girl, especially not one she knew well.

It’d been cold showers for both of them that night. They weren’t angels or anything and got laid when they needed to. They’d even been involved in similar public sexual experiences on their own. But when Charity was around…he just couldn’t do it, and Val seemed to feel the same way, though they’d never actually talked about it.

Reaching for his cold beer on the bar, Ransome chuckled, realizing that if this dream worked out, they
would
be getting up close and very personal with each other and sharing their thoughts about such issues. Jack said it was important to communicate with each other. He’d take him at his word.

He watched her dance with Val and desire took hold of him, because of the memories and because he knew it could work. Justin had mellowed a hell of a lot over the years and Ransome believed it was worth the risk. He’d talk to Val one more time. Push this thing a little farther. And see where they ended up.

One thing was for sure. If they didn’t take action, nothing would change. The relationship they had was good but he wanted better than good. He wanted it all. And he knew deep down Val still did, too.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he took it out and looked at it. The text message was from Justin.

“The three of us need to talk. Soon.”

* * * *

Justin leaned against the kitchen counter, coffee mug in hand, as they waited for Charity to finish readying herself for work the following morning. Val and Ransome sat at the table, eating breakfast and doing a good job of hiding their curiosity.

As soon as Charity left they were going to have “the talk.” The one that could change everything.

Charity rushed into the kitchen, dressed in her lab scrubs and clogs. He grinned, thinking it didn’t matter what she wore, she was still sex on a stick to him.

She smiled back at him as she filled her travel mug with coffee. “What?”

“Nothin’, babe. Just thinkin’ about how hot you are.”

With a gigglesnort, she said, “You trying to get me in the mood for tonight?” Her cheeks pinkened a bit as she looked Val and Ransome’s way.

Justin slid over to her and rubbed her shoulder with his. “Why waste the chance. Is it working?”

She tilted her head and kissed him, a warm, wet brush of her lips and tongue against his. A maneuver repeated many times over in the years of their marriage that she still managed to suffuse with wanton playfulness and desire. With a simple kiss and the mischief in her eyes, she had him hardening and ready to make her late for work. Then he remembered that the guys were waiting while he contemplated sexing up his wife.

He pulled back slightly and gave her a soft growl. She glanced down at her hardening nipples pressed against the solid color fabric of her top and the telltale bulge at his groin and whispered. “I don’t need to answer that, do I?”

In unison, Val and Ransome lifted their cereal bowls and glasses and Val nodded at the table and said, “Flat surface if you guys need it. Don’t let us stop you.”

Both men laughed and Charity joined them while Justin imagined how that would go, especially if he let them do more than watch.

No. Conversation first.

Charity drew in a breath and hugged him. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Watching her lush ass sway as she walked out of the house, he finished his coffee and put the mug in the sink. “Ready?”

Val and Ransome both nodded and rinsed their dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Val said, “What’s up?”

“Come with me.”

In the master bedroom, Val and Ransome bracketed him as he stood at the foot of the bed, facing it. “I’d like to make some changes around here.”

Looking confused, Ransome said, “You looking to add on? Buy new furniture? What?”

Amused, Justin shook his head. “I think it’s time I got Charity one of those custom beds Wes and Evan Garner have been making.”

“Might be tight in here once you move it in.” Val said, and Justin could hear the caution in his tone.

Justin nodded. “I imagine there will be some adjustments. I’ve been saving the majority of the funds I’ve made from the metal sculpture business to help fund building on to the house, too. Charity has deserved a bigger bedroom for a while.” He pointed at the closet which was bursting at the seams with her purses, shoes and clothing. “But that’s not the only thing she deserves.”

Ransome nodded. “Thinking about redoing the bathroom, too?”

Justin grinned widely. “That’s just the kind of thinking I like, Ransome. She’d love a bigger bathroom with new fixtures. But that’s not what I’m talking about either.”

“What else would you give her?”

“What she deserves. What she’s wanted for a long time.” Justin waited for the words to sink in and looked to the left, at Val, and then to the right at Ransome. He turned his attention back to the hastily made bed and waited. In his peripheral vision, he saw the men react at nearly the same time.

Predictably, Val spoke first. He sounded hoarse. “You’re shitting me.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Ransome asked. His eyes widened as Justin nodded. Ransome looked across him at Val. He leaned forward and braced his hands on the footboard.

Justin tapped his chest, feeling the coming apology from his very core. “I’m sorry I cut you out when we were eighteen. I knew what you were feeling and I thought only of what I wanted. Once she was mine I didn’t want to lose her.”

“We didn’t know how sharing worked at the time. No precedents for that had been set,” Ransome replied.

Nodding, Val said, “For all we know, Justin, if we’d agreed to share, as young as we were and without any good examples, it’s likely that we would’ve fucked the whole thing up and ruined your chances at what has undeniably been a beautiful marriage.”

With a shrug, Justin said, “Maybe. Who knows? But I’m sorry I cut you out, regardless of any probable outcomes—”

Val cut him off. “Are you doing this just to make Charity happy? What about you? Long term, if this fucks things up between us, or makes Charity wind up hating all of us, it’s not worth it—”

“I want it, for her, but also for us. Your lives have been too complicated for any kind of long-term relationships so you deserve this, too. And I can’t stand for her to see another friend find complete happiness in a ménage and know she’s wondering how it might’ve been between us.” He backed up half a step and clasped their shoulders so they turned to him. “I want this. I trust the two of you like brothers. I know you’d never do anything to hurt Charity. That’s why I know this can work. Do I have to even ask if it’s something you still want?”

“You know it is,” Ransome replied. “I’d crawl through red-hot coals for that woman.”

Val said, “Name the time when you want to tell her. I’ll be there. Do anything she wants.” He frowned at his booted feet for a second and then added, “You’re not the least bit worried that we’d try to get even with you or cut you out?”

Justin was glad he’d brought up the issue because he was sure they’d wonder later. “Like I said, you’d never do anything to hurt Charity and you know that games like that
would
hurt her. Plus,” he said with a chuckle, “She’d never allow it.”

“Cocky bastard,” Ransome replied with a smile.

Relieved, Justin said, “I’m glad we talked and I wish we’d done it sooner. I don’t want to just jump into it, though. I told her I was planning a new role-playing scene. That will be my opportunity to press the issue with her.”

“Role-playing, huh?” Val said with a smirk.

Justin nodded. “She loves role-playing. We’ve had some really hot, crazy moments together.”

“What? You dress up like a caveman and have your way with her?”

Justin smirked back. “Yup. Fucked her by an open fire on the floor of a cave once. She loved it. Her favorite is my Marauding Viking, though.”

Val gaped. “What the fuck?” Ransome lifted an eyebrow and grinned.

Justin nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t make you guys dress up…this time. I just want to use it as an opener. She’s already anticipating it. Next time, you’ll be in full character and costume. That would be fun. Give her three Marauding Vikings.”

“You mean you dress up and everything?”

“Sometimes but it’s not necessary. What gets her so hot is that I spring it on her when she least expects it.”

“Springing it on her doesn’t piss her off?”

“Having a hot, turned-on man ready to fuck her brains out piss her off? Not likely. Later on ask her to tell you about a hot encounter we shared in Grace’s pantry a couple of summers ago. And I wasn’t in costume then, either. She has a wicked imagination and I love fanning her fire.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Val said, “I’ll wear a horned helmet if that makes her happy.”

Feeling satisfied, Justin said, “Let’s plan a weekend getaway so we can be alone with her. But don’t think for a second she’s just going to jump on board with the ménage. She’ll need convincing. I haven’t been able to get her to open up about it at all.”

“Why not?”

Justin said, “I can’t read her mind but knowing her like I do, she’s not willing to risk what we have to ask for it. She’s her own woman but we’ve always respected each other’s boundaries. For her, bringing up a ménage would cross a line. Trust me when I say she will take you at your word when you’re serious about something. It’s been twenty-two years since I said I don’t share and she refuses to even hint that she’d be open to a ménage, even when I’ve given her the perfect opening.

Trying to imagine the four of them on the king-size bed, he said, “This is going to be tight for all four of us until Wes and Evan can build us a bigger bed, which will make it even more crowded in here.”

With just him and Charity in it, it was fine, but add two more to the mix and…damn. Charity was not going to like this. He knew she liked to have her space and their closet and dressers were already at maximum capacity.

Ransome craned his neck to glance in the closet which was blocked by shoeboxes, purses, and tubs of winter clothes and then turned his gaze to the window, which was half-blocked by the headboard. “I have a suggestion.”

Anticipating his idea, Justin said, “Shoot.”

“If we move in permanently, you’ll have access to two more incomes. We could help fund a house renovation and expansion.”

Casting a glance into the master bath, with its tiny window and outdated fixtures, Justin said, “If you’re willing, that would help a lot.” In the meantime, he might be able to sell some more of the things he’d been creating in his spare time. There was a Divine Market Days coming up and he’d been thinking about renting a booth. He still couldn’t quite believe people paid money for what he made.

Val said, “We could do a lot of the work ourselves.”

“That’s right,” Ransome added. They’d worked construction when they’d left home, before bounty hunting had come along and proved to be a lucrative, if more dangerous business venture.

Val’s phone rang and he frowned at it and then said, “I have to take this. Be right back.”

With a nod, Ransome went back to staring at the bed. He chewed his lip and asked, “If this works out, where do we sleep?”