Insatiable (20 page)

“You look as freaked out as I feel,” Evan said. “I think maybe you and I need to talk.”

Twenty-one

Crystal watched through the patio door as Brent walked past the pool toward the house. Her stomach tilted at his serious expression. She stepped back as he opened the patio door.

“Where’s Evan?” she asked.

“He … needs some time to himself.” He stepped inside. “Crystal, we need to talk.”

Butterflies swirled in her stomach. Those words were never good.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Let’s go sit down.” Brent pressed his hand to her lower back and guided her to the living room.

Her insides twisted. Definitely not good.

She sat on the couch and he sat beside her, but slanting at an angle to face her, his hands folded between his knees as he leaned toward her.

“I think maybe you should make your choice between Evan and me.”

Her chest compressed. “You want me to decide now?” Oh, God, she couldn’t do that. She simply couldn’t. She loved them both.

“I think it’s a good idea.”

She shook her head. “But I’m just … not ready.”

They had another week here. She should at least be able to enjoy their unconventional relationship for another week.

“I know. But it’s not going to get any easier.”

She drew in a deep breath to calm her quivering insides, but it didn’t help much. “Why now?” She knew they’d both been a bit thrown off by this afternoon’s sexual escapade, but she thought they just needed time to get used to the idea. “Is it because of this afternoon? Because that was so great, it…”

At the flicker of pain in Brent’s eyes, she paused.

She rested her hand on his arm. “Brent?”

He shook his head. “We can’t do that again.”

“But why? It was so sexy and I know we all enjoyed it.”

“Maybe too much,” Brent muttered between clenched teeth.

She tipped her head. “What do you mean?”

He sighed. “I mean Evan wasn’t comfortable with what happened.”

“Oh.” She knew Evan had liked the idea of a threesome, but when the men had started touching … kissing … He’d seemed to be into it at the time, but clearly he had second thoughts now. “But you’re okay with it, aren’t you? Maybe we just need to give Evan a little time.”

Brent sighed. “Okay, here’s the problem. I…” His hands clenched. “Damn it.”

She squeezed his arm. “Just tell me,” she said softly.

“I…” He gazed at her, searching for understanding in her eyes. “I
want
it to happen again.”

Confusion swirled through her. “Well, that’s good, isn’t it?”

“No.”

The sharpness of his voice startled her. She shook her head, gazing at him in confusion.

“The problem is,” he repeated in a tight, controlled voice, “I want it
too
much.”

Understanding dawned. “You’re saying that … you’re attracted to Evan. And he’s not comfortable with that.”

“
I’m
not comfortable with it, either.”

“But, what we all shared this afternoon was … magical.”

“Maybe. Evan might disagree.”

“No. He was enjoying it. I’m sure of it.”

“What we did today has thrown everything out of kilter. Evan is freaked out, and … well, I’ve been struggling with it for a while now.”

She gazed at his face. “How long … have you known? About your feelings for Evan?”

“They’re not feelings, they’re…” His balled hands clenched tighter. “Fuck, I don’t know what they are.”

“Okay, let’s think about this. You’re saying you are sexually attracted to him, right?”

He nodded reluctantly, a sour expression on his face.

“Did you talk to him about it?” She assumed that was what happened out on the beach and why Brent had come back so upset. And why Evan wasn’t here now.

“Yeah. You noticed he didn’t come back with me.”

“Okay, so let me ask you this. If Evan
was
okay with this, how would you feel?”

His gaze darted to hers.

What am I thinking, asking a guy about his feelings?

“What I’m asking is,” she continued, “if Evan were okay with this, would you be, too?”

His lips compressed.

“Because, you know,” she continued, “if you were both okay with it, it would strengthen what we all have together. Maybe we could even find a way to be together somehow—all three of us—in the long term.” She took his hand. “Just think of it. It wouldn’t be just about each of you being with me. It would be about all three of us.”

She wanted to say loving one another, but Brent’s attitude was too fragile right now. She had to take it slowly. To help him—to help both of them—understand that these feelings were a wonderful thing.

As long as Evan returned them.

“That’s great conjecture, but I don’t see Evan coming on board.”

“Maybe I can talk to him.”

*   *   *

“Hey there.”

Evan glanced around at the sound of Crystal’s voice.

“May I join you?” she asked.

He nodded and she sat on the sand beside him, placing a small, soft-sided cooler next to her.

“I brought you some cold lemonade.” She unzipped the blue padded bag and opened it. “I brought some water, too.”

He reached in and pulled out a plastic bottle of pink lemonade, single-serving size, then unscrewed the cap and took a sip of the icy liquid. “Thanks.”

She rested her arms on her bent knees and gazed out over the ocean. “Brent told me about your talk. I thought I’d come find you and see how you’re doing.”

He sighed. “I’m a little confused. It’s not every day you find out your best friend of twenty years has the hots for you.”

“I know. It must have thrown you off a lot.” She gazed at him, her eyes full of concern. “But, you know, nothing has really changed.”

He gazed at her, his eyebrows raised. “Nothing?”

She smiled. “Okay, so there’s some physical stuff, but … it was good.” Her eyes glittered with heat. “
Really
good.”

God, he remembered how much it had turned her on when she’d watched him and Brent touching … kissing. And Evan had enjoyed it at the time. A lot.

He shook his head. It was just so confusing.

The feel of Brent’s tongue gliding into his mouth, firm and hard, not at all like the gentle nuzzling of Crystal’s tongue.

Fuck! He grabbed Crystal’s shoulders and captured her mouth, devouring it, driving his tongue deep into her warmth. She was so soft. And feminine.

He drew back and gazed at her sweet face.

She stroked his cheek. “The fact that you enjoy being with Brent doesn’t make you less manly. And it doesn’t change how I feel about you.” Her lips turned up in an impish grin. “Except for the fact that it makes you way more sexy.”

He laughed, despite his turmoil.

“You know, he’d do anything to keep your friendship intact,” she said.

Evan sat back and scooped up a handful of warm sand, then let the granules drizzle from his fingers.

“When he came back to the villa, he suggested I make my choice now,” she continued. “He was sure you wouldn’t want to continue with our threesomes and he was worried about putting a continued strain on your friendship.” She gazed out over the ocean. “The problem is, even if I were to choose now, it wouldn’t solve this problem. The relationship between you and Brent will continue to be strained. In fact, if we can’t figure something out, it could be the end of your friendship.”

Evan nodded. “It would give us an excuse not to see each other anymore. Because one of us was dumped.”

Her soft hand covered his. “You don’t really want to lose Brent as your friend, do you?”

Evan’s chest tightened. He and Brent had been friends a long time. They’d always been there for each other. The thought of never seeing him again, of not having his best friend to lean on when things got tough, made him miserable. And losing Crystal, if it came to that, would be the hardest thing that ever happened to Evan. Losing Brent,
too,
would be devastating.

“No, I don’t,” he said.

“Okay, let me ask you something.” She snuggled close to him, her warm skin delightfully soft against his. “When we were all together, all of us enjoying each other, it was really hot.”

“That’s not a question.”

“I know. It’s just that it looked like you were enjoying what was happening. If you did, is it really so bad that you and Brent enjoy each other in that way?”

He sucked in a deep breath and raised his hand to stroke his stubbly jaw. It felt so different from the smooth flesh of Crystal’s soft face. More like what he’d feel if he touched Brent.

And the thought of touching Brent … although confusing him … also appealed to him on some level.

“No, I guess not. It’s just … strange. I don’t know how to act around him.”

“What if it was some other guy? Not Brent. Would it still be strange?”

“I don’t understand.” He raised an eyebrow. “Are you suggesting that I might want sex with another guy?”

“Well, I just mean … you know how sexy you found it when Sarah and I did it.”

The images that comment triggered sent a jolt of adrenaline through him. “Fuck, yeah.”

“Well, I found it a little strange with Sarah at first, but then”—she shrugged—“I realized it was just sex. And you and Brent shared Sarah, but with no emotional attachments, so you could just enjoy it.”

“Are you suggesting I get it on with Sarah’s boyfriend?”

“Well, not exactly. I’m wondering if … well, if all five of us were to interact, then maybe it would help you and Brent relax a bit.”

He stared at her. “Woman, your idea of relaxing is a strange one.”

“I just mean Sarah and Kade have a relaxed attitude about sex. No judgments. Maybe with them, we could just go with the flow and become more comfortable with our sexual dynamic.”

He wrapped his arms around his knees and stared across the ocean at the bright blue sky. Crystal wanted them to work this out. And Evan wanted to continue his friendship with Brent. Evan had told Crystal that if she chose him, he’d be happy to have Brent join them in the bedroom for threesomes.

And that thought appealed to him greatly.

In fact, the memory of this afternoon—of touching and being touched by Brent—turned him on immensely. He’d do anything to get past this knot of indecision and move forward. He really wanted to keep his friendship intact, and maybe Crystal’s idea of being around people with open minds about sex would help.

“Evan, if the idea makes you uncomfortable, then we can just drop it.”

He turned and gazed at her.

“No, I think it’s worth a try.”

*   *   *

Evan walked with Crystal and Brent along the stone path to the villa where Sarah and Kade were staying.

Crystal paused at the front door and turned toward them. “Are you two sure you’re okay with this?”

Brent glanced at Evan.

“Yeah. Let’s do it.” Even though Evan’s stomach fluttered, he’d actually been looking forward to it. At least, the idea of being with Sarah again. And watching Crystal and Sarah interact. And even the thought of Crystal taking on that huge cock this Kade guy sported.

Crystal knocked. A few moments later, Sarah opened the door, stunning in thigh-high black boots and a tight red vinyl dress with a zipper down the front and a plunging neckline, her generous breasts straining at the fabric.

Evan’s cock twitched at the thought that he’d soon see them naked again.

Sarah smiled as she closed the door behind them. “You really are a lucky woman, Crystal.” Her hungry gaze wandered up and down Evan’s body, making his cock harden, then shifted to Brent. “To have two such gorgeous hunks.”

Her lips curled in a sexy smile, then she turned and led them into the house. Damn, the sway of her hips as she walked would turn any man’s cock into a pillar of stone.

*   *   *

Brent followed Sarah and Crystal into the living room, Evan trailing behind them. Brent couldn’t believe Evan had agreed to this. Whatever Crystal had said to him had worked wonders.

Brent was both excited and uncertain about their impending sexual adventure, but he felt optimistic that it would help him and Evan move forward. And a part of him found the whole idea to be an extreme turn-on. He was a little nervous about interacting with this other man, but he was curious at the same time. It helped knowing that Sarah and Kade were so open about sex.

Then there was Crystal. He knew she was curious about being with a guy with such a big cock, and Brent found the idea of her sucking that big member while he watched intensely erotic. As for the guy fucking Crystal, arousal at the thought warred with jealousy, but arousal was definitely winning.

“So how are you two feeling about this evening?” Sarah asked. “A little uncertain?”

Brent caught Evan’s eye, then they both stared at Sarah again.

“It is a little strange,” Evan answered. He sat on the couch, and Brent sat in one of the easy chairs across from it.

She nodded. “Well, maybe a little wine will relax you.”

As she walked toward the sideboard, Brent couldn’t help but notice her sensational round ass, the shiny red fabric of her dress stretched tightly across it. Then his gaze shifted to her long, shapely legs encased in thigh-high, black patent-leather boots, which left only a few inches of naked flesh visible below the hem of her dress. Which was sexy as hell.

She poured four glasses of red wine. Crystal picked up two and handed one to Brent. Sarah handed another to Evan.

“To a wonderful evening.” Sarah held her glass forward and everyone clinked their glasses to hers. She tipped hers back, finishing half the contents.

Brent tipped his back, finishing it in one gulp. He savored the heat washing down his throat.

“So where’s the other member of our little party?” Brent asked.

“Well, Kade’s
tied up
at the moment.” She smiled.

“I take it you don’t mean he’s busy,” Evan said.

“Busy? There’s no way Kade would let something else interfere with this evening.” She refilled the men’s empty wineglasses, then topped up Crystal’s and hers. “We thought a little bondage might make it more exciting. And put you more at ease.”