Chapter 6: Eve

I was sandwiched between my husband and his best friend, the three of us sweaty and sated. Part of me wanted to crawl out from between them and cover myself, embarrassed by what I’d just done. But a bigger part of me wanted to stay here forever. I didn’t understand it before, why a woman would want to have two men, but I did now. I knew how easy it would be to become sucked in, addicted to this type of forbidden relationship. But I also knew it could never last. Three was a crowd, and when this crowd consisted of two alpha-males, it was an impending train wreck.

“Damn, babe.” Derrick chuckled. “That was incredible.” He caressed my arms, which were laying limply on his chest.

“You okay, Eve?” Liam’s voice was a deep, velvety rasp.

Was I? Every bone and muscle in my body was mush, and my eyelids were so heavy. I couldn’t keep them open no matter how hard I tried. My heart thumped in my throat, echoing in my ears, and my breath was tight. “If I don’t have to move, I’ll be fine.”

My response earned a chuckle from both of them, which made me smile.

Behind me, Liam pressed his lips to my back, sending an uncontrollable shudder through me. He was so good with that mouth. Too good. I knew, long after he left, I’d be dreaming about his lips, his kiss, his soft touches. I blew out a shaky breath, refusing to let my emotions overcome me. Liam shifted and eased out of me. I gasped at the sudden loss of contact, at the unexpected empty feeling. But then he gently pulled me away from my husband and cradled me in his arms.

Derrick kissed my forehead. “Give me five minutes to get things ready.” And then he got off the bed, leaving me alone with Liam.

“Get what ready?” I asked. Tears burned my throat. After all that, he wasn’t going to cuddle with me? Hold me and tell me he loved me? Why was he pawning me off on Liam? If I wasn’t so damn exhausted, I’d be pissed.

“He’s drawing you a hot bath.” Liam smiled, smoothing the sweat-dampened hair from my face, his finger blazing a path down my cheek and across my lips.

I sighed dreamily. “I don’t want to take a bath. I want to sleep.”

“I know.” His voice was soothing and full of concern. “And you can sleep as long as you want, after we get you cleaned up.” He traced my bottom lip with his thumb, his grey eyes as tumultuous as the ocean right before a storm. Slowly, his head lowered, and then his mouth was on mine in a kiss that was too tender. Too loving. Too full of a want for something I could never give him. A piece of my heart shattered, and I whimpered. I closed my eyes and threaded my fingers through his hair, holding him to me, wanting to make this moment last for as long as possible. His tongue teased and tickled, daring mine to spar with his in an erotic dance.

“All set in here,” Derrick called from the bathroom.

Liam pulled back, his expression tormented. “Thank you, Eve,” he whispered.

My breath caught at the sincerity I heard in his voice, and then he lifted me from the bed and carried me to the bathroom. I felt silly, and almost told him to put me down, that I could walk on my own, but I wasn’t sure I could.

“How’s she doing?” Derrick asked.

“Sleepy,” Liam answered, lowering me into the tub full of hot water.

“And hungry,” I said around a yawn as the water enveloped me in a warm hug. I sighed, rested my head against the wall, and closed my eyes.

“What do you want to eat, babe?” Derrick kneeled beside the tub and kissed my cheek.

“Ice cream.”

I heard Liam laugh. “Ice cream? Is she for real?”

“She likes to indulge in sweets after sex. Ice cream. Candy. Cake.” Amusement colored Derrick’s tone. “The more chocolate it has, the better.”

“Oh, and popcorn,” I said.

“All right. I’ll run into town and get her some junk food.” His voice sounded so far away. Or maybe it was because my eyes were getting heavier, and sleep was slowly overtaking me.

“The kitchen is fully stocked,” Derrick said. “You really didn’t think I’d be unprepared, did you?”

Liam made a grunting sound, and I forced my eyes open. “Then I guess I’ll get cleaned up and make some popcorn.”

“You’re not going to stay in here and help?” Derrick asked.

“No.” Liam crossed his arms and gave a shake of his head, his hard gaze softening when it found mine. “She’s your wife. She needs you right now, not me.”

They were silent for a moment, and then Derrick nodded. Liam left, closing the door behind him. Derrick folded his arms along the edge of the tub. “Are you okay, babe?” His dark eyes filled with concern.

I nodded. “Just tired. And a little sore.”

He smiled faintly. “That’s to be expected.” Reaching for the loofah, he dipped it into the water and motioned for me to sit forward so he could wash my back. “You enjoyed yourself though, right?”

“Yes.” I groaned. “That feels good.”

“Seeing the look on your face when Liam took your ass…the sound you made.” He let out a low, appreciative whistle. “Made me so hard.” He moved the loofah up my back and across my shoulders.

I turned to look at him and was a bit shocked to see the desire burning in his gaze. If he thought we were going for round two, he had another thing coming. I was probably going to need a week to recover. “That’s what you two used to do all the time?” I whispered.

He nodded, then kissed my lips. I sighed and pressed closer. It had been far too long since he’d kissed me on the mouth, and I wanted more, but he pulled back and continued to wash my body, his hands moving to my legs.

“Derrick.” I grabbed his hand. “I need to know why.” My voice trembled.

“Why what?”

“Why you wanted to share me. Why you think this is fun. Why you were harder and hotter tonight than you have ever been when it’s just you and me.” My tone dropped, and I hung my head. If I’d had any lingering doubts before about whether I satisfied him, I no longer did. Just me wasn’t enough for him.

“I thought you enjoyed it,” he said softly, lifting my head and peering into my eyes.

“I did.” It was the best sex of my life, and it was a night I knew I would never forget. “But that doesn’t mean I understand.”

He set the loofah on the corner of the tub and sighed heavily. “It turns me on, Eve. To know you’re receiving the ultimate pleasure, to see the look in your eyes as you succumb to the passion, to hear you cry out in ecstasy.” He licked his lips and moved to a kneeling position. “That’s not something I can give you by myself.”

“Yes, you can.” I shifted in the tub, wincing at the soreness in my rear. “You satisfy me, Derrick. I don’t need anyone else.”

He caressed my cheek. “I know you don’t need anyone else, but don’t you want someone else? I watched you and Liam tonight. You like him, and I know damn well he likes you. And I’m giving you the chance to have that, Eve, to have two men who want to do nothing but please you. Spoil you. Love you.”

My breath hitched. The idea of having two men was exciting and overwhelming and terrifying. Love me? There was no way Liam did or would ever love me. This was just sex for him. I knew that. But I still didn’t understand why my husband was so adamant to have me love another man, even if that man was his best friend. “Am I not enough for you?” Tears streaked my face, and I wiped them away, the sound of the water splashing loud against the silence of the bathroom.

“Oh, babe. You are more than enough.” He slipped his hand around to the back of my neck and pulled me to him for a kiss. A real kiss. His tongue parted my lips and dipped inside my mouth, teasing, flirting, stoking my desire for the man I married. But it was over much too soon, leaving me unsated and craving more. Why couldn’t he kiss me like Liam did? “I love you more than anything, Eve.” His voice cracked. “All I want is for you to be happy.”

Nodding, I rested my forehead to his shoulder. I was too exhausted to argue, and if I was being truthful with myself, I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay suspended in this post-coital bliss for as long as it would last.

Derrick stroked my hair, pressing his lips to my temple. “Let’s not think about this too much right now, okay? Let’s just enjoy tonight for what it is.”

“Okay.” I sighed.

After washing the rest of my body and my hair, Derrick stood and helped me out of the tub. He wrapped a towel around me, using the gesture to wrap me up in a hug and kiss the tip of my nose. “I love you, Eve. Everything I’ve ever done has been for you, to make you happy. Please don’t ever doubt that.”

I swallowed hard. “I know.” And I did know that. Derrick loved me. I just didn’t always understand why he showed it in the ways he did. “I love you, too.”

He smiled. “You go get dressed. I’m going to jump in the shower.”

I gave his lips a quick kiss and retreated to the bedroom. Grabbing my favorite blue nightshirt, I pulled it on, then slipped a pair of panties up my legs. I dried my hair, smoothed it back into a ponytail and then headed into the kitchen. My stomach rumbled loudly. I always burned a lot of calories during sex, but I swear I’d burned every last one tonight.

“Feel better?” Liam asked, startling me.

“Yes, thank you.” I moved around the counter island, refusing to look at him. How could I after what we’d just done? In a matter of an hour he’d gone from my husband’s best friend to my lover. I retrieved a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water. The scent of buttery popcorn filled the air, and my mouth watered. I really should’ve eaten more at dinner.

The microwave beeped, and Liam removed the bag of popcorn, pouring it into a bowl. Then he pushed it toward me, but not quite close enough. I reached for it, and he pulled it back. “Look at me, Eve.”

Tingles raced up my spine at the commanding tone of his voice, and I forced my eyes up to his face. My breath caught. He’d showered and put on a pair of shorts with nothing else. My gaze lowered automatically, taking in every plane and valley of his svelte chest. And my damn traitorous body hummed to life, a dull ache starting in my clit and spreading to my core.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” he said.

“I’m not.” My gaze snapped back to his face.

He took several kernels of popcorn and tossed them in his mouth, amused disbelief coloring his expression. “Ashamed?”

“No.” Even I didn’t believe that, though, with how weak my voice was. How could I not be ashamed? I’d just had sex with a man who wasn’t my husband—and I’d loved every second of it.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed or ashamed.” He closed the distance between us, and I retreated until my back hit the counter. “There’s nothing sexier than a woman who knows what she likes, and who isn’t afraid to ask for it. To take it.” He took the water from my hand and set it in the sink. Reaching for the popcorn, he grabbed a piece and put it in my mouth. Then he followed it up with a lingering kiss to my lips.

My eyes fluttered closed, and I instinctively leaned into him. He had such great lips. I could spend the rest of my life kissing him. I abruptly jerked back. The rest of my life? I was a married woman, and this man was not my husband. What the hell was I doing? As if sensing my sudden unease, he stepped back, putting some needed distance between us. He handed me the bowl of popcorn, winked, then sauntered out of the kitchen like everything that had happened tonight was perfectly normal. For him, it was. For me…well, my world had just been turned upside down, and I was struggling to hold on. To what I had no idea. Maybe I just needed to let go, see where I fell, see who’d be there to catch me. The thought of recklessly abandoning everything I knew was right and proper had my heart racing. It wouldn’t be so bad to spend the weekend indulging in a few forbidden passions. Would it?