Erogenous Zones: Monica's Secret (17 page)

He nodded at her, as if he knew. When he moved, it was with deliberation. He rolled a condom onto his cock and reached for the lube. With quick moves he climbed over Alec’s back. Alec groaned under the ministrations of Owen’s fingers. Then Owen leaned in to kiss her mouth, with Alec between them. Breathlessly, she kissed him, eager and yet surprised at the action. When he drew back, a smile flitted over his face. “Ready?”

She nodded.

Then Alec lifted his head, and his face contorted, as she knew that Owen was driving himself inside Alec.

“Oh my God.” She felt it all, because the response echoed in Alec’s cock inside her.

Already long and hard, it seemed to swell and lift when he was penetrated, rubbing against the front wall of her sex. Then Owen began to thrust, and the intensity of the chain reaction swept her away.

She could no longer think straight, she could only react and respond, as her hips arched to take the double pressure of man on man on her. Each thrust sent a flurry of wild sensation hurtling through her groin—and they had lots to give her.

The visceral force of the two men forced wave after wave of stimulation through her core. Pressure built, like a hot rock lodged in her womb, waiting to roll free. While they worked her, her core began to clutch and spasm, the tight nub of her clit thrumming wildly every time Alec crushed against it.

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She cried out and when she did Owen reached to clasp her side, holding onto her as his movements sped.

“Monica,” Alec whispered, and she could see who was about to come—she could feel it too. Her core clamped hard onto Alec’s cock as he climaxed and release rolled over her.

She was still shuddering, still adrift, when she saw that Owen was close, his eyes locked on hers, his lips parted. Every muscle in his body was taut with effort. Then he cursed below his breath, his movement suddenly slowing to a stop as he hit his peak.

* * * *

Hours later, after they had eaten, bathed in the tub, and lingered over wine and snacks, they took her back to bed. She knew they had plotted something, she knew they’d whispered together when they’d gone to collect the drinks and food. The knowledge made her nervous. When they returned, she sat up against the pillows and they laid either side of her.

At first they chatted about Flynn Elwood and Sheila Trent, and how unlikely it was. “I met his wife once, and she struck me as the sort of woman who had her own interests, but still it’s got to hurt, if she had no clue.”

Alec nodded. “I wondered what she was like. It’s a difficult one to call, but maybe it’s better she found out now, rather than later.”

They discussed the subject for some time and through chatting about someone else’s relationship it gave Monica enough space to deal with what was happening here. At the back of her mind she wondered about Owen. This house—was this his home? If he was on the Board of Directors, didn’t that mean he lived in Switzerland? Eventually she plucked up the courage to ask. “If this is your home, does that mean you’re based in England?”

He nodded. “At the current time, yes. My parents are both British but they live in Geneva. I went to school and to university in England, and my first job for the Board was working on hotel chain here, so I made myself a base here.”

“Which hotel chain?” The curiosity she felt about all that was yet unknown to her about them lifted her spirits, and it all felt a little less strange. She began to feel as if it was real, and she was more grounded.

“The Royal Blue Standards.” He watched for her reaction when he said that.

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“I heard about that, was that you?” She laughed softly when he nodded. “I should have known!” The Royal Blue Standards was a chain of country house hotels overseen by the same Board of Directors. It had a long history and a top pedigree, but the buildings had become a bit decrepit for the price they charged and the prevailing attitude was rather staid.

The hotels had undergone huge changes over the past three years. “I heard that someone had been drafted in to haul it into the twenty-first century. “

Alec gave a sideways nod at their companion. “That would be Owen here.”

Owen shrugged off the remark. “The Royal Blues was a test for me. I succeeded, so I had a chance to move up. Call it work experience.” He flashed her a grin. “I have to overhaul the entire Cumbernauld’s chain to secure my place on the Board.”

“All over the world?”

“Yep. The Royal Blues was a great try out. Twenty country house hotels in the UK, next up Cumbernauld’s. Thirty-two hotels in fourteen different countries, worldwide.”

She stared at him, taking onboard how different his life was. Did this mean that he would be leaving London soon, despite his suggestion of a more long-term relationship?

Don’t let it faze you
, she urged herself, unwilling to lose sight of the dream. It was hard to ignore it though.

A moment later she looked Alec. “Did you work together at The Royal Blues?”

She asked question mainly to distract herself from where her thoughts were wandering. Already the talk of them moving on had taken hold of her and was squeezing her insides.

“Yes. That’s where I first got hitched up with trouble here.” Alec winked. “It was an immense project, each hotel with its own set of issues, but nothing like what lies ahead. It’s going to be exciting.” Anticipation glowed in his eyes.

“I bet.” The three of them had so much in common, she realised, working in the hotel trade. At first she’d assumed them PR people, then private investigators. Now she knew the full story.

Owen looked at her thoughtfully. “Alec was assigned to me as a temporary measure, but we worked so well together it continued. I kept Alec with me not just because I enjoy his company and I care for him, but because I could see how good he was at his job. That’s the kind of thing I do.”

He stared at her rather deliberately.

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“So, where do you go from here, with your work?” She asked it tentatively, almost scared to hear him say they would be leaving London.

“I have to make a full report to headquarters tomorrow, which I can do by webcam.

Then we’ll make a schedule of changes and developments for Cumbernauld’s of London, now that we’ve unearthed the source of the problems. We’ll see if the Board approve the changes I suggest.”

“Changes?”

“We’ll have to put a new management system in place, new personnel.” He studied her intently as he spoke. “Maybe a new housekeeping manager, if I can convince you to jump ship.”

She did a double take. “What are you trying to say?”

“Think what a great team we’d make, the three of us.”

She could see he was serious by his expression, but it was so unexpected she didn’t know how to react.

Alec rested his fingers on her arm. “Owen is right. We would make a great team. We’d take on the world, and think about how much fun we would have, after hours.”

His reaction was important. Whilst Owen appeared to be the more grounded of the two, it was Alec who made sure Owen didn’t get ahead of himself, she could see that. If Alec thought it might work, could she believe it too?

Owen was determined to convince her. “Alec and I have worked really well together because we trust each other on a personal level too. The task ahead is much bigger than The Royal Blue Standard chain revamp. It’s a worldwide task; it would demand high levels of research and engagement with the staff at each hotel. That means I need more personnel who I can really trust…think about it. If you work with us, we can protect you all the time. And you would be valued, highly valued.”

“But…” Alas, she couldn’t think of a good excuse.

Owen reached over and put his finger to her lips. The erotic buzz she got from that made her chuckle, and she pulled his hand away. “You’re going to keep pulling that stunt on me, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am.” Affection glowed in his eyes. “Seriously, you would be such an asset to this team. You helped us uncover the problems here in London branch.”

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“No way. It was only a matter of time before you found out. You knew that Flynn had to be involved, somehow, that’s why you wouldn’t accept his suggestion of who to work with in the first place.”

“That’s true,” he responded in a matter of fact manner. There was no smugness there whatsoever. “But you made things move quicker. Your psychic skill is something you currently keep under wraps, and…it makes you afraid of life.”

He paused.

She nodded. He was right.

“We can see that it’s been a burden. If you join us it could be a real asset to you, and to us.”

“Is that why you want me?”

“No. You know it isn’t. I wanted you before that. The psychic stuff is a bonus, but I’d be making this proposal either way. You have a terrific resume, and you’re a loyal employee.

You are thorough, and you understand the Cumbernauld’s ethos more than any member of staff I’ve ever met.”

Pride blossomed in her chest. His words meant a lot to her.

“If you take us up on this, your life would be different. If things ever got too tough for you because of your psychometrics we’ve got each other, you could take time out.”

That made her heart ache. He’d thought it through, every angle. Owen Clifford went after what he wanted and she saw it now, clear as day. He wanted her. Affection, desire, and a sound business proposal had all played their part. The sensitivity with which he spoke about her secret psychic self was the real seal on the deal.

“Monica, please think about it. And when I say that I mean I want you to take time, think about it over the next few days while we’re looking at the future of Cumbernauld’s of London, then give me any good reasons why not. I promise I’ll hear you out.”

She went to respond, but he shook his head. She lifted her hands in surrender. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

“Good, now let’s stop talking.”

Monica stared at him. He really meant it. Then she saw the humour in his yes. Owen and Alec looked at each other across her. With a silent agreement, they each held her around one wrist and cradled her hand inside one of theirs. Her palms were facing up, vulnerable

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and exposed. She trembled, and for a fleeting moment she wondered if they were testing her ability to relax with them.

But they weren’t.

Owen exchanged glances with Alec, then they both kissed her in the palms of her hand.

“Oh!” Her arms jerked, the old familiar reticence seizing her.

They didn’t let her break free.

The nerve endings in her hands and forearms vibrated, because their actions loosed a flurry of sensation through her palms, up her arms, into her body.

“Owen?” She looked at him pleadingly.

There was a smile on his lips when he lifted his head. “Let us explore you.”

They had plotted this, and they were forcing her to enjoy. Between gentle brushes of their lips and their hot breath on her skin, she felt their mutual desire for her, the urge to possess and nurture that had evolved between the three of them.

“I’m still scared,” she blurted.

“We know.” Owen’s voice soothed her.

Each touch they made coursed through her, each point of contact opening up a cornucopia of images in her mind—images of them together and desiring her, images of their first kisses, images of tonight. All of it rolled together through her mind and body and she undulated against the bed, her body riding high on the experience.

“Don’t fight it,” Owen instructed in a husky whisper.

Her heart brimmed with emotion. “I won’t, not anymore.”

Instead Monica pressed her head back against the pillows. In the cocoon of their affection she embraced her secret, closed her eyes, and allowed herself to enjoy.