His hands slid up her back, gentle and soothing. “Why are you up, darlin’? You having nightmares again?”
She stiffened against him, and he withdrew only to plunge deeply inside her again. He loved the sight of his dick sliding into her body, the width of his cock spreading her, her wet flesh grasping him so tightly.
He withdrew and pressed forward until her ass cheeks flattened against his abdomen.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Ahh darlin’, you know Mac and I won’t let anything hurt you again. The bastard who hurt you will be in jail a long, long time.”
“I’m glad you came, Ryder,” she said, her voice catching as he pumped into her again.
“But I haven’t come yet, darlin’,” he teased.
She laughed softly. “I’ve missed you, Ryder. Promise me you won’t stay away anymore.”
He stilled against her and closed his eyes. Goddamn, he couldn’t make that kind of promise, could he? Ah hell. He didn’t reply. Instead he slid his hands underneath to palm her breasts. He rolled her nipples between his thumb and forefinger and felt her suck in her breath.
He smiled. “Like that, darlin’?”
“Ohhh.”
He loved how responsive she was, how uninhibited she was, and the fact she wasn’t afraid of what she wanted, of taking what she wanted.
He pushed into her and stood there, embedded in her. She moved restlessly against him.
“Ryder, please,” she begged.
He gripped her hips, holding her against him. “You ready for me to go for a ride, darlin’?”
She moaned and shivered. She was close to her orgasm. He could feel her tighten around his dick, her body emitting tiny little spasms.
“Do you have any idea how good you feel, Kit? You drive me crazy.”
“Shut up and fuck me,” she wailed.
He laughed. But he gave her what she wanted. Foregoing his soft and slow approach, he began thrusting hard.
She gripped the railing as the sound of his thighs slapping against her ass filled the air. In the distance, the sound of the ocean echoed in the night.
He was close. His dick swelled painfully. All the blood rushed to his groin. With effort, he ripped himself from her clinging pussy. She immediately made a sound of protest and tried to straighten herself.
His hand in the middle of her back prevented her moving. “Oh no, darlin’, I’m not done with you yet.”
He fisted his cock in his hand and guided it to the puckered opening above her pussy entrance. As soon as the head touched her anal opening, Kit jerked in response.
“Oh my God,” she groaned. “I can’t stand anymore. My legs are jelly.”
He chuckled. “Oh yes, darlin’, you don’t have a choice. You just stand there and take it like a good girl. I’ve been wanting to fuck this ass all night.”
Her body quivered and shook as he pressed against the tight opening. Her body was slow to accept him, and he didn’t rush it. Finally he felt the muscle give way, and he sank inside her an inch.
“Ryder!” she gasped.
“Stay with me, darlin’. Give it a minute.”
She pushed back, trying to seat him further, but he held her off with a light slap on her ass.
He remained where he was for a long moment, loving the feel of her ass surrounding the head of his cock. Finally, he bucked forward, sinking himself all the way.
She bolted forward against the railing, and he caught her hips, holding her in place. Over and over he retreated only to plunge back into her ass.
He slid his hand around to her stomach and lower to her pussy. His fingers strummed at her clit, and she bucked wildly against him.
“Please, Ryder, finish it!”
He pinched the taut flesh between his fingers then began fucking her ass in earnest. The friction of her tender flesh over his cock sent him into a frenzy. His orgasm swelled and bolted like fire through his gut. Every ounce of feeling was trapped between his legs, and he strained to bury himself deeper still.
“God, darlin’!”
He poured into her in a hot rush of fluid. His legs shook and he pounded against her as the firestorm blew out of control. He jerked and closed his eyes tight as he finished.
Her entire body trembled and shook as he gently pulled away from her. Her body slumped against the railing, and he pulled her upright then into his arms.
“Come inside, darlin’. Let me take care of you.”
She nodded and he led her inside the door and shut it behind them.
“Go lie down on the couch. I’ll be right back with a towel,” he said gently.
Kit knelt on the couch then slid onto her belly, closing her eyes as her cheek met the cushion. Her body hummed in satisfaction. An empty part of her had been filled. Filled in only the way Ryder could.
She loved Mac dearly. Would never betray his love. But she loved Ryder too. Maybe not as deeply—she stopped herself at the thought.
She was reminded of a conversation between her and Ryder so many months ago. The one where he’d told her she didn’t love him in the way she loved Mac. She’d assumed at the time that it meant not as much. But no, that wasn’t it at all.
Warm hands gently cupped her ass, separated the cheeks, pressed a wet washcloth to the sensitive skin there.
“You all right, darlin’?” Ryder asked close to her ear.
She shifted and sat up. “I’m fine.”
Ryder sat down beside her and pulled her against his muscled chest. She snuggled into his body and ran her fingertips over the dragon tattoo on the upper left portion of his chest.
“Now tell me about these nightmares,” he prompted.
She sighed. “It’s crazy I know. But sometimes when I close my eyes, I see him. He’s real, he’s there. And I’m back in those woods running as fast I can, crazy with fear, afraid I’ll never see you and Mac again.”
Ryder swallowed against the anger swelling his throat and tightened his hold on her. He rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “He can’t hurt you, darlin’. Not anymore.”
A sound across the room made him look up. Mac was standing in the doorway to the living room.
“Everything okay?” Mac asked as he walked over to the couch. A concerned look creased his brow.
Kit slid from Ryder’s grasp and stood up. She walked into Mac’s arms, and he wrapped his big body around her much smaller one.
“Bad dream?” Mac asked.
She nodded and Mac stroked her hair in a soothing motion. Ryder suddenly felt awkward, as if he had no right to have been here offering comfort to Kit.
“Come back to bed, baby,” Mac said in a gentle voice.
As Mac guided Kit back toward the bedroom, he turned his head over his shoulder. “You coming, bro?”
Ryder shook his head. “Nah, you go on. I’m wide-awake.” He knew Mac would take her to bed and make love to her, try to banish her demons. Ryder didn’t want to stand out like a sore thumb.
As Mac and Kit disappeared into the bedroom, Ryder stood up and walked out to the balcony where he and Kit had fucked just minutes ago. He leaned forward, looking at the ocean across the highway.
What the fuck was he going to do? If he was smart, he’d run as far and as fast as he could. Kit would be hurt, but she’d get over it, and she’d have Mac.
But Ryder wouldn’t have her, and right now, anything, any part of her was better than nothing.
CHAPTER 4
Ryder woke when he heard Mac shuffling through the living room. He cracked open an eye to see Mac standing by the sliding doors staring out over the ocean.
“Kit still sleeping?” Ryder asked from his position on the couch.
Mac turned around and nodded. “Yeah, she didn’t even move when I got up.”
Ryder yawned and stretched. “We heading to the beach today?”
“Yeah, Kit brought her suit.” Mac grinned. “If you can call it that.”
“Ah hell, man, don’t tell me she brought those two strings she c
alls a bikini.”
Mac chuckled. “You know I can’t refuse her anything.”
“Yeah, well, when our asses are tossed into jail for beating other men’s asses, you’ll think differently,” Ryder grumbled.
“Hey, you want a beer?” Mac asked as he bent over the cooler they’d brought.
“Fuckin’ A,” Ryder said as he sat up further. “Never too early.”
Mac tossed him a can then slumped into the chair across from the couch.
“So what’s been up your ass lately?” Mac asked as he flipped the top to his beer.
Ryder raised a brow. “What do you mean?”
Mac shrugged. “You haven’t been yourself, man.”
Ryder felt an uncomfortable prickle down his spine. He shifted and chugged half his beer. “I’m not sure what you mean by that,” he said, forcing casualness to his tone.
“Are you pissed at Kit about something?” Mac asked. A protective scowl darkened his face as he stared over at Ryder.
“God no. What could Kit girl possibly have done to get my underwear in a bunch?”
Mac’s expression relaxed, and he went back to his beer. “I dunno, man, but it looks like you’ve been avoiding us. I mean if you no longer want the sort of relationship we have, all you need to do is say so.”
Fuck me. What to say to that? Yes. No. Yes. No. Or even better. I want your girl, Mac. Mind stepping aside?
Ryder stuck a hand in his hair and rubbed his head. “It’s nothing like that, Mac. You know I love Kit.”
“I hear a ‘but’ in there.”
Mac sat forward and eyed Ryder with a light of revelation in his eyes. Ryder tensed. Had Mac figured it out?
“You aren’t still worried about how I feel about this, are you?” Mac asked.
A slow crawl of relief swept through Ryder’s chest. He latched onto the offering like a starving dog to a rib-eye steak.
“Well, hell, man. She’s your girl and I’m fucking her. Yeah, I worry sometime.”
Mac sat back. “If it were anyone else, it would be twisted. No doubt. But you and I both know we go way back with Kit. We’ve both loved her forever, and it’s not like we’ve never shared a woman before.”
“Not one we’ve both cared about so much,” Ryder said cautiously. Stupid fuck. He needed to just shut the hell up before he blurted out the wrong damn thing.
“I think that’s what makes it all right,” Mac said quietly. “Look, I trust you, and I sure as hell trust Kit. She loves me. She’d never betray me, and you wouldn’t either. The fact is, I like knowing that if something ever happened to me, you’d be there for her. As a cop I have no guarantees of a long and happy life. Besides, it’s not like you’re off fucking her when I’m not around.”
Ryder paused and again considered the wisdom of shutting the fuck up. Too bad he never listened to good advice.
“I fucked her last night while you were asleep.”
Mac laughed. “Dude, is that what has you all in knots? You feel guilty because you fucked Kit while I was asleep?”
Ryder shrugged. “It wasn’t planned.”
Mac shook his head. “Do you think I would have invited you to come with us if I didn’t know you’d be making love to her? I was in the next room, man. Not across town. Not in secret. There’s a huge difference. Kit was up with nightmares. I’m glad you could offer her some comfort. I only wish I’d been awake.”
“What are you two talking about?” Kit asked sleepily.
Ryder turned to see Kit standing in the doorway, still wearing his Harley Davidson T-shirt. Her hair was rumpled and she had a soft, sleepy look. She looked sexy as hell. Like she’d just come from the arms of a lover and wanted more.
Mac held out his arms, and Kit trudged over to where Mac sat. She slid onto his lap and curled up like a contented cat. Mac’s entire demeanor softened. He stroked his hand through her hair and looked over the top of her head at Ryder.
There was unspoken approval, a determined look that Ryder knew meant the conversation was closed. Mac was okay with the dynamics of the relationship between the three of them.
A ball of regret settled into Ryder’s stomach. He could never ever step between Mac and Kit. No matter how much he loved Kit, how much he longed to have a bigger part of her heart. He wouldn’t betray his friendship with Mac, and he wouldn’t hurt Kit by making her choose.
“I’m hungry,” Kit mumbled against Mac’s chest.
“So am I, but it’s not for food,” Mac replied.
Ryder chuckled despite his dark thoughts. Kit had the same effect on him. All she had to do was walk in the room and his body jumped to attention.
“Ma-ac,” Kit protested. “You guys wore me out. Now feed me before I fall over.”
Mac gave an exaggerated sigh. “All right. I suppose I can put off my needs in order to feed my woman. Get dressed, baby. Ryder and I’ll take you out for breakfast.”
She kissed him full on the mouth then scampered back into the bedroom.
When she was gone, Mac stood up and held his fist out to Ryder. “So are we good?”
Ryder stood up and bumped his fist to Mac’s. “Yeah, man. We’re good.”
“All right then. Let’s go get our girl something to eat and take her to the beach for awhile.”
Ryder nodded and headed into the bedroom to get dressed.
Kit stepped out of the hotel lobby and breathed in the warm, salty air. God it felt good to be in the sun, not a care in the world.
Her floral sarong swished at her feet as they walked to the truck. She’d worn just her bikini underneath, wrapping the light material around her waist and letting it hang loose. She didn’t have much to hold the bikini top up, but Mac and Ryder didn’t seem to mind.
Her eyes flitted across the guys as she waited for them to open the truck. They were dressed similarly in shorts and muscle shirts. Mac’s short-cropped, dirty blond hair gleamed in the sunlight, and more than ever, he presented the image of a beach bum. A completely hard-assed, muscle-bound, buff prime specimen of a man.
Ryder just looked as badassed as ever. She doubted anyone would ever try to fuck with him without a few weapons in their arsenal. His arms rippled and bulged with muscles. He had the tightest abdomen she’d ever come across on a man, and his tattoos and multitude of ear piercings just added to his bad-boy appearance.
Ryder’s black hair blew in the breeze, lifting slightly from his shoulders. Her fingers itched to delve into it, wrap it around her hands and hold on.
“You coming, darlin’?”
She smiled at Ryder, who was holding the door open for her. She slid into the front seat and moved all the way over against Mac so Ryder could shove in beside her.
A sinful, delicious tickle churned in her stomach as they drove down the seawall. She loved going places with both the guys. Loved the thrill it gave her to have two gorgeous, forceful men surrounding her, protecting her, loving her.
She sighed and leaned her head back to catch a ray of sunshine beaming through the windshield.
“You look content, baby,” Mac said.