Chapter 9: Liam

My gaze lingered on Eve and that scrap of fabric she called a bathing suit. It was supposed to be a one-piece, but her tits were pushed up temptingly from the top, and she had some major side-boob happening, which was so fucking hot. And the dam thing was split down the center, held together by strings, and the triangle that covered her pussy left nothing to the imagination. It was a good fucking thing we were on a boat in the middle of the lake because I had a feeling I’d have to beat anyone who looked at her.

“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” Derrick said, inclining his beer toward the back of the boat where Eve was lying in the sun. He’d dropped anchor about ten minutes ago, and we were planning to go swimming at some point. The plan was to hang out for a few hours, swim, eat, and then watch the fireworks before heading back to the cabin.

“You’re one lucky son of a bitch, that’s for sure.” Too bad he didn’t realize that, though. My conversation with Eve kept running through my mind, all the things she’d said. And didn’t say. Clearly, there was trouble in paradise, which only made Derrick’s sudden invitation all that more confusing.

“So are you. Now.” He slapped me on the back and grinned. “She’s yours, too, you know.”

If only that were true. “Is she?” I turned to him, brow raised. “Honestly, Derrick, what are you expecting once this weekend is over?”

He took a pull of his beer and gazed out at the water, seemingly ignoring my question.

When he still didn’t speak, I said, “Is it true you haven’t told her anything about your past? Our past?”

“I’ve told her enough.” He lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug. “I don’t want to know about her past lovers, and I’m sure she doesn’t want to know about mine, either.”

“You’re probably right about that, but she spent all morning grilling me about this lifestyle and how it works and what she should expect.” I rested my arms on the railing and hung my head. “She wanted to know if three people had ever successfully been in a long-term relationship.”

At that, Derrick slowly turned to face me, his elbow on the railing and his beer bottle pinched between his fingers. “What did you tell her?”

“That I knew a few people who’d made it work.”

He gave a slight nod of his head. “That all she asked?”

“Yes,” I said, refusing to be in the middle of their marriage like that. More so than I already was anyway, but they needed to have a serious talk with each other. “What’re you hoping is going to happen after this weekend?”

“What do you mean?” He finished his beer and set the empty bottle in a bucket.

“Don’t play stupid, Derrick. You know damn well what I mean. When I leave tomorrow night, is that it? Was this weekend just a way for you to get it out of your system?”

“No.” He sighed and hung his head.

I took a deep breath and slowly counted to ten, trying to rein in my building anger. “No what?”

“No, this isn’t just to get it out of my system.” He turned and leaned his back against the railing, his gaze aimed at Eve. “I may not go to DOM-nation anymore, but I do still have friends there, you know. And I know you’ve been invited to share quite a few women.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What the hell does that have to do with this?”

“Everything.” He gave me a small smile, and my stomach knotted. There was a whole hell of a lot he wasn’t telling me. But what? And why? “You think I don’t know you’ve always had a thing for Eve? I can see it every time you look at her.”

I stood frozen, unsure what to say or do. I should’ve known that Derrick had picked up on my feelings. He knew me too well, and admittedly, I was shitty at hiding my feelings when it came to Eve. “So…you did this for me?” The idea was ridiculous, and it sounded even dumber when I said it aloud.

“I did it for all of us.”

I threw my hands up in the air in frustration. “Could you please cut the goddamn cryptic talk?”

He laughed. “I know you haven’t been sharing lately, and I know you missed it. Probably as much as I have. And even though Eve hasn’t admitted it to me, I know she wanted this. I could see the shift in her demeanor each time I’d bring it up, each time I’d say your name.” Derrick straightened and clapped me on the back. “Now will you please cut the goddamn inquisition? Can’t you just enjoy this weekend?”

“I will as soon as you answer one more question for me.” I crossed my arms and held his gaze, refusing to let this go until I knew where the hell his mind was on this whole situation. “What happens tomorrow night? Do I leave and file this away as another memory we can share? Or should I start making plans to stick around?” My heart raced as I waited for his answer. More than anything, I wanted him to tell me to stick around. I wanted a million more nights with Eve. I wanted my best friend back in my life like he used to be. But I couldn’t assume any of that was a possibility, no matter how badly I wanted it.

“Come here.” Without another word, he walked toward Eve, and I followed. He sat beside her and trailed his finger down her bare legs. “Hey, babe.”

She pushed her sunglasses up to her head and smiled. “I wondered how long it was going to take you two to start harassing me.”

I laughed. “Is that what we’re calling this now? Harassment?”

Her gaze shifted to me, her blue eyes more vibrant than I’d ever seen them. My breath caught. The first time I’d met her, it was when Derrick introduced her to me—as his girlfriend. That had been a sucker punch to the gut. And as the days passed without an invitation to share, the pain became sharper, my emotions duller. But I’d walked away, allowing Derrick to have the woman I wanted. How the hell could I do that again? Now that I knew how passionate Eve was, how hot she burned, how easy it was to touch her and kiss her, how she responded to me…walking away wasn’t an option. And I had aa sinking feeling Derrick knew that, too. I was at the mercy of them both.

“I think we should spend the afternoon playing a game,” Derrick said, snapping me from my thoughts. He took Eve’s hands and pulled her to her feet. “What do you think, Liam?”

“What game?” Her gaze darted between the two of us, a flash of uncertainty pulling at her face. “Why do I have a feeling you’re not talking about Monopoly?”

Derrick chuckled and stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. “Because we’re not.” He glanced up at me, waiting for me to agree. “Tell her, Liam.”

I took another deep breath. We’d played this little game before, and I’d always enjoyed it, but I had a feeling it was going to kill me this time. I’d quickly learned there was no holding back when it came to Eve.

“Tell me what?” Her expression was pleading. Derrick tugged on the tie behind her neck, allowing the top of her bathing suit to fall. He reached around and rolled her nipples between his fingers. Her eyelids fluttered, and she let out a soft moan.

My dick hardened at the sound, ready to give her the relief I knew she’d beg for. I took my shirt off and tossed it to the floor. “We’re going to tease you, Eve.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“We’re going to bring you to the edge and then stop,” Derrick said. “You’re going to beg us to fuck you, to make you come.” He nipped at her earlobe. “But we’re not going to. We’re going to make you wait until tonight.”

She whimpered, and my cock strained behind my zipper. “But…I thought…” She licked her lips. “Isn’t this whole deal supposed to be about giving me pleasure?”

I grinned, unable to stop myself. It pleased me that she finally understood the reason behind this arrangement. “It is,” I assured her, stepping closer. “And we are going to give you all the pleasure you want.” I leaned forward and teased her lips with an almost kiss as I slowly pulled on the strings holding the front of her suit closed. “Part of that pleasure is teasing you, drawing out your orgasm until you can’t stand it.” I kissed her fully on the mouth, groaning when her tongue slipped over mine.

“On your knees, Eve.” Derrick pushed on her shoulders until she was on her knees in front of me. “I want to watch you suck Liam’s cock.” He sat on the bench that ran around the length of the boat, putting him at just the right height to keep his hands on her breasts.

I quickly unbuttoned my shorts and let them fall to my ankles. My cock was harder than ever, throbbing with need. My heart pounded, and every nerve ending in my body was on fire. Eve looked up at me with so much innocence and hunger. “Fuck,” I groaned, grabbing the base of my cock and rubbing the tip across her lips. “Open that mouth for me, Eve.”

The feel of her hot mouth closing around my shaft blew my mind, and I let out a deep, throaty moan. My knees buckled, and I adjusted my footing as I fisted a handful of her hair. I’d thought watching my dick sliding in out of her mouth last night had been hot, but it was fucking incredible watching her now, knowing I had her full attention rather than competing with Derrick’s fingers as he’d gotten her off. And having all of Eve’s attention was the best damn thing in the world.

Each time she’d draw me into her mouth, she’d moan and swirl her tongue around the underside of my shaft. Just like last night, she was slow and steady. Focused. And then she reached up to cup my balls, her fingernails gently grazing the delicate flesh, and I jerked back unexpectedly.

“Fucking Christ,” I snarled. “Hands, Derrick. Hold her fucking hands.”

Laughing, he gathered her hands and held them behind her back. “No touching, Eve. That’s against the rules.”

She popped me out of her mouth and pouted. “It’s not hardly fair when I don’t know any of the rules.”

Clutching her chin in my hand, I leaned down and kissed her again. “The rules are whatever we say they are. Now be a good girl and suck my dick like you did last night.” I held her gaze, determined to let her know she could blow me at her pace, and I wouldn’t demand more.

“Okay,” she said breathlessly and then took all of me back into her mouth.

“Ah, God, yes.” I flung my head back and closed my eyes as Eve sucked my cock like a fucking pro. Every flick of her tongue felt intentional, like she wanted to bring me to my knees again, to make me beg. And that was ironic considering it was us who were supposed to make her beg, not the other way around. “Fuck, her mouth is heaven.”

“God, Eve, seeing you on your knees with Liam’s cock in your mouth…” Derrick groaned, and that’s when I noticed he had his cock in his hand, stroking himself. “So fucking hot.”

Eve pulled back, lightly dragging her teeth along my shaft, and I cried out, my body trembling. And then she closed her lips around the head of my cock, sucking on the tip like it was a goddamned lollipop she couldn’t eat fast enough. My balls tightened with the need for release, and the base of my spine tingled so bad I swore my entire back went numb.

“Eve,” I gasped, but she wasn’t showing any signs of stopping. “Shit. Derrick…” My voice cracked. “If she doesn’t stop, I’m gonna come in her mouth.” My hips lurched forward, and I gritted my teeth. Then I did the one thing I never thought I’d have the strength to do—I yanked away from Eve.