Full Position (11 page)

Bella waved in surrender. “I get the point. You keep going with that list and we could be here awhile.”

Mama Lewis reached out for her hand. “Think about what you want from life, Bella. Then make it happen. Don’t worry about what anyone else will say or think. Their opinions don’t matter.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Of course it’s not,” Mama Lewis said. “But I suspect we never truly appreciate or value the things we get easily. The things we have to work for? Those are the real treasures.”

Bella saw the wisdom in Mama Lewis’ words, but she found it difficult to apply to her situation. It would actually be quite easy to walk into that dining room and fall into Justin’s and Ned’s arms. The tough part was everything else.

Mama Lewis handed her three pieces of cake, covered in Saran Wrap. “Here. For you and the boys. For later.”

Bella thanked her for the cake and the advice. When she returned to the dining room, she found Justin and Ned waiting for her. The rest of the family had headed to the living room to watch a hockey game. She could hear Jett and Caliph yelling at the TV already.

“Sorry to make you leave. Did you want to stay for the game?”

Justin shook his head. “No.” He winked. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. I’m thinking my recliner and a four- or five-hour nap sounds pretty good right now.”

“You okay?” Ned asked.

She spied the genuine concern in his eyes. “Just tired.”

“Let’s put it all away for now. We can talk about it later.”

Bella smiled. “Okay. I’d like that.” Maybe later she’d have her head screwed on straight, her future figured out.

Live the life you imagined.

It was good advice, but Bella didn’t have the courage to go—or even admit—exactly where her imagination was leading her.

Chapter Ten

Justin studied the ad in front of him, his eyes failing to see the work. A week had passed since he and Ned had staked their claim on Bella at Extreme Connections, exposing her darker desires and trying to capture her heart.

Unfortunately the stubborn woman was clinging tight to her vow that their night together would remain just a memory, something to keep them warm on the lonely evenings they’d spent apart since then.

This week had been brutal. His senses had become too attuned to her—the subtle scent of her shampoo, the soft brush of her arm against his when she reached for something, the sound of her voice drifting down the hall. All of that and a million other little things were working against him, driving him to a state of utter pain. He’d spent most of the week working with a hard-on, forced to relieve the pressure with his own hand several times a day in his private bathroom. He wasn’t used to being denied, to having heaven presented to him, then withdrawn.

“Fuck it. I’m done. Being romantic isn’t working.”

Justin glanced up to find Ned standing in his doorway. He knew exactly what Ned was alluding to. Justin had—foolishly—suggested that maybe they just needed to give Bella some time to see they were sincere in their intentions. So they had set out to woo her. They’d sent her flowers every single day and issued invitations to dinners, movies, plays. She’d resisted it all, insisting the fantasy was over. Nothing they said had convinced her to consider dating them.

“What do you suggest?” Justin asked as Ned walked in and shut the door behind him.

“It’s open season on Bella.”

Justin chuckled, though nothing about their situation felt humorous. “Sounds ominous.”

“She’s sticking to her guns, determined we’re all better off if we keep our relationship professional. And I understand her concerns, I really do. But I swear to God, if she rattles off those reasons why we can’t make a permanent threesome one more time, my head’s going to explode.”

Justin couldn’t hold back his cocky expression. “You realize her list is pretty much identical to the same arguments you gave me when I first suggested the ménage.”

Ned scowled, clearly unhappy to be reminded that he’d offered the same resistance Bella was giving them now, though Justin had to admit her list was growing longer and more adamant by the day. Bella claimed it was inappropriate for her to date her bosses—no surprise there. She also said society would shun them for their unorthodox relationship. She worried what their families and friends would say. She’d stressed how much she needed her job and if things went south, she’d be broke as well as broken-hearted.

Ned paced the floor. “It nearly killed me to sit next to her at that meeting this morning and not touch her.”

Justin understood Ned’s pain. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe it is time to change our tactics.”

Ned stopped walking and looked at him. “What are you thinking?”

Justin picked up his phone and dialed Bella’s extension. He ignored the wary tone in her voice when she said hello. “Bella. Could you come to my office please?”

Bella started to offer an excuse, claiming she was under the wire on the Express campaign.

Justin cut her off. “It will only take a minute.”

She sighed then agreed. Ned gave him a curious look, but answered the door when Bella knocked just a few moments later.

She hesitated at the doorway when she realized Ned was also in the office.

“Come on in, Bells.” Justin rose from his desk, walking around it to stand closer to her. Ned closed and locked the door, his actions not lost on Bella, who instantly stiffened as if preparing for an attack.

“We thought we’d let you know we intend to change your mind about dating us.” Justin leaned on his desk, trying to assume a casual pose in hopes of setting her at ease.

“You’ve been trying to change my mind for the past week. I told you, I’m not—”

Ned stepped behind her, dragging her hands behind her back.

Bella’s body reacted instantly, her nipples budding, her breathing quickening. One look at Ned’s face told Justin his friend hadn’t missed her response.

Bella instantly went into fight or flight mode, trying to break his grip. “Let me go.”

Ned refused. “You know your safe word.”

She didn’t say it, a fact that wasn’t lost on either man. Instead, she said, “You’re breaking the rules. It was only supposed to be one night of fantasies. We agreed.”

Justin shook his head. “No.
You
agreed. Ned and I said we would try to change your mind.”

Ned released her hands only to change his hold. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and then placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck.

Justin watched as her eyelids slowly slid down. She was responding to Ned’s touch just as she had at Extreme Connections. Words had failed to break down the walls she’d built against them. So they’d simply have to employ dirtier—hotter—tactics.

“You’re not playing fair,” she whispered.

“I can’t, Bella-love.” Ned’s voice betrayed exactly how intense his need for her was.

Bella turned to look at Ned then faced Justin once more. He saw the surprise in her gaze. Clearly she hadn’t realized how difficult her continual refusals had been on them.

Bella’s face softened. “Please try to understand.”

Justin shook his head. He couldn’t. Couldn’t comprehend why she was denying them all something that was obviously so right. “I can’t.”

Ned kissed her neck again, his hands rising to cup her breasts. Bella didn’t seek to move them or stop his touches.

They’d reminded her of the safe word. God help them if she used it. They would release her if she did, but Justin suspected it would kill both of them to walk away from her.

“What we have doesn’t fit in one night, Bells. Can’t you see that? It’s bigger than a fantasy.”

Ned didn’t seek to join the conversation. Instead he let Justin do the talking as he demonstrated exactly what they planned to do. He tackled the button and zipper on her pants then tugged her jeans to her ankles.

Her breathing was labored, loud in the quiet room. Justin recognized the fear laced with the excitement. She wanted this. And she didn’t want it.

He crooked his finger at her once Ned removed her pants and panties completely. “Come here.”

She shook her head. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, drawing his attention to her turgid nipples. There was no denying she wanted what they were offering. If only they could find a way to convince her, to help her overcome her fears.

“Say the word or come here, Bells.” Justin didn’t employ the Dom tone often, but she was pushing him past the point of no return. His restraint was in tatters, his heart aching.

She took the three steps required to join him. Justin acted quickly, pressing her facedown over the desk.

She gasped.

Justin stroked her bare bottom. “What did we say about the dress code for you?”

Bella tried to rise, but Justin kept a firm grip on her upper back, holding her to the surface. He smacked her ass, just once, but with enough force to make sure she felt it.

“I’m not wearing skirts.”

It was a brazen thing to say, a direct challenge to their authority.

“Then you’ll be punished every day.” Justin didn’t hesitate to put action to his words. He spanked her, peppering her ass as Bella lifted up on her toes, meeting him blow for blow, silently asking for more.

Ned claimed the other side and watched. After a half-dozen or so smacks, Justin paused.

“Open your legs,” Ned demanded.

Bella complied instantly. She was squirming on the desk, quietly whispering the words “please” and “more.”

Ned ran his fingers along her slit, holding them up to show Justin the juices coating them. Then he gestured for Justin to continue.

Justin spanked her three, four times more as Bella’s pleading became louder. She was on the edge of an orgasm. Ned stroked her once more from clit to ass. Using the moisture he’d collected, he pressed two fingertips inside her anus, just to the first knuckle.

“Yes,” Bella hissed.

Ned’s jaw was tight, his body tense with need. Justin recognized it because he felt it, shared that pain.

“Please, I need…” She didn’t finish her request. Her fear still wouldn’t allow her to give in.

And though it was the hardest thing he’d ever done, Justin refused her. He walked across the room and retrieved her jeans. Then, to her astonishment, he put them on her, leaving her—and them—unfulfilled.

“Agree to be with us, Bells, and I’ll let you come. I’ll give you so many orgasms, you’ll pass out.”

Bella stood before them, stunned, unsatisfied, and speechless for only a few seconds. Then, the damn stubborn woman dug deep and found the strength to pull herself together. She shook her head, said, “no thanks,” and walked out.

Chapter Eleven

Two weeks in hell passed. Ned and Justin had continued their sensual games, cornering Bella, constantly asking her to reconsider her stance, to agree to be with them. When she refused, they added more fuel to the fire, touching, teasing, and tormenting her to the brink of orgasm before pulling away and begging her to come back to their bed for good.

Bella never failed to walk away.

On Wednesday afternoon, Ned had introduced her to the butt plug, filling her ass and telling her she would wear it several hours a day at work. At five o’clock for the past two days, they’d taken the plug out and promised to give her the fantasy they’d refused her, but again she’d said no.

No matter how many times they pushed her to the limit, Bella found the ability to walk away despite the undeniable arousal they saw in her heavy-lidded eyes, in the flush on her cheeks.

And every time she escaped, she left two aroused and aching men frustrated and reeling in her wake.

Now it was Friday afternoon and nothing but another long, painful weekend loomed in Justin’s future.

Ned came into his office with Bella at five. Justin stared at her, wondering if he’d have the power to continue the game. His cock had been rock hard for the past two hours just thinking about closing time, when he’d see her again.

“Everyone else is gone for the day.” Ned closed and locked the door. “Go over to Justin’s desk, Bella. Bend over and lift your skirt.”

She’d worn a skirt this past Tuesday, thinking that by complying with their demand, they’d leave her alone. That was when Ned bought the plug.

Ned had said the same thing the past two days before they removed their plug. Each day, their beautiful submissive girl had obeyed without question.

Today, she didn’t move. “I can’t do this anymore. Pennsylvania.” Her voice quivered. Justin’s heart ached at the sound.

Ned stepped closer to her, cupping her cheek in his hand. “Please, Bella. God, baby. Can’t you see what this is doing to us? All of us?”

She tried to look away, shaking her head, but Ned held her gaze. “Dammit. Justin and I want to spend our lives with you. This isn’t a game to us. And yes, there are risks. There are going to be people who will never understand or accept it, but you know what? Fuck them. I swear to you right now that I will never hurt you. I’ll protect you from the narrow-minded pricks of the world.”

She winced. “I think maybe I’ve been the narrow-minded prick lately.”

Ned shook his head. “No. You’re being logical and practical. But love doesn’t work under those parameters. Besides, I know what we’re asking for is a bit unconventional.”

She snorted, a soft smile crossing her lips. “A bit?”

Justin crossed the room. For the first time in weeks, he felt hopeful. They were talking. It encouraged him. “It’s a lot unconventional. But it’s not wrong. I love you, Bells. Can you at least give us time to prove this will work?”

Bella reached up to swipe a tear away. “I thought I could do one night. That I could hold on to my heart, but I realize now, I wasn’t holding on to it to begin with. I’ve been in love with both of you for a very long time.”

Ned kissed her softly. “Take a chance on us?”

She nodded. “I don’t have a choice. I’m not strong enough to keep walking away. These past two weeks have been brutal. You guys do
not
play nice. Holy crap. My vibrator’s been getting a hell of a workout.”