Vivian Arend - Whirlpool

Chelsea laughed softly as she snaked out an arm to catch Braden around the neck. “And you’re Poseidon, rising from the sea to love us both?”

“Hmm, it’s not difficult to love you, baby.” He kissed her, lowering himself to lie skin to skin against Jamie’s side. Jamie watched in fascination until Chelsea squirmed under him, pressing her breast up into his hand, and he shifted to be able to reach her easier. He nibbled and licked, listening to the soft noises of pleasure she made, hearing Braden’s whispered words of love.

Then a hand cupped his own neck, threading through his hair. Braden took control of him and turned their faces toward each other.

“I want to taste you.” Braden paused, and Jamie’s heart leapt to his throat. Slowly, inch by inch, Braden approached. He gave ample time to retreat, but Jamie wanted this. Wanted it as much as he wanted the woman lying under him.

With a satisfied hum, Braden brought their mouths in contact. Rougher, more forceful than touching Chelsea, but just as right. Jamie ignored everything else and simply felt—the caress of Chelsea’s hands as she explored his back, the harsher touch of Braden callused hand trailing over Jamie’s lower back and buttocks. The softness of her body under him as she opened her legs and he nestled tighter between her thighs. The curls on her mound were wet from his mouth and her juices, and they coated his cock as he rocked his hips slowly. He was enveloped by both of them. Surrounded and satisfied.

He’d never had such a rich and full experience before in his life and he reveled in it.

“I want you. Want you now.” Chelsea pressed upward, her rigid nipples hard against his chest.

“Shit, I need a condom.” Thank God one part of his mind still functioned. Oh please, let there be one close by. He couldn’t remember if he had any.

Braden disappeared for a moment before returning and handing him a package. Braden dropped beside them and kissed Chelsea passionately as Jamie fumbled with the wrapper, desperate to get it open, desperate to cover himself. When he finally returned to his spot, cradled between her legs, Braden backed away, letting him see into Chelsea’s eyes.

One final moment of hesitation. “You’re sure?”

She wrapped herself around him, lifted her hips and pulled. He slipped slow and steady into her heat. The shimmering blue rising around them didn’t surprise him at all, nor the sweet spicy aroma filling the air. What he didn’t expect were the tight heartfelt emotions rolling through him as he made love with her, her fingers roaming his torso, the little moans of passion she released making his heart sing with joy.

This connection, the friendship that was so much more—it was right. He left the fears of not knowing it all behind and accepted it as the gift it was.

When he’d buried himself to the hilt, they both sighed with satisfaction and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “You good, Chels?”

She smiled up at him, her eyes bright, caring in her touch. She arched into him. “Fabulous.”

He didn’t want to go harder, didn’t want to miss a second of the erotic drag of his cock through her passage, the way she squeezed him perfectly. He lowered his head to her shoulder and slowed even more, prolonging his climax as long as possible. The flutters of her body around him let him know she grew closer as well.

Braden joined in again, kissing Jamie’s shoulder, running his hands over Jamie’s buttock and thighs. As an electric tingle began at the base of his spine, Jamie let it all wash over him. Braden’s soft touch—a simple caress, almost nonsexual. Chelsea’s fingers on his back and shoulders. The intimate caress of thrusting into her warmth.

Again and again he pressed in, his strokes increasing in tempo as she panted beneath him. He slipped a hand between their torsos to press her clit and she cried out, her passage pulsing around him. With one final thrust, he buried himself deep to explode. Every one of his stored-up fantasies faded in comparison to the reality.

When they stopped shaking, the haze of flicking lights around them made him content. It was right. He lifted his head to gaze into her eyes and the emotional pain in them shocked him.

“Chelsea? What’s wrong?”

A tear escaped and ran down her cheek. “That was amazing, and I’m glad you’re my friend. Thank you.”

He held her tenderly, kissing away the tear. A heavy weight settled in his limbs, and he didn’t even question when Braden pressed their naked bodies together, Jamie’s back warmed by Braden’s chest. Peace and contentment overshadowed the confusion, the flickering blue lights increasing even as his eyes grew too heavy to hold open any longer. As he drifted off to sleep, he wondered how he was going to explain any of this in the morning.

Braden stirred his coffee again, the liquid growing cold as Chelsea paced the living room for the umpteenth time.

“He’s awake.”

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Soon they’d know if it had worked. All night long she’d cuddled Jamie, taking in every second she could in his presence. Having Braden embrace her at the same time made the situation overwhelming. Powerful.

Painful.

She wished the situation could be different and she could wake up every day with the two of them. “How are you going to explain why we’re here? In the condo?”

“We’ll play it by ear. I’m not sure how much he’s going to remember, and I don’t want him waking up alone.”

The bedroom door opened and Jamie shuffled out, stark naked. Chelsea flushed and turned her back so as not to embarrass him. Jamie gasped out a curse.

“Holy shit. Sorry, guys.”

Braden snorted into his coffee cup. “Oh, damn. Meant to warn you. Hey, we’re here.”

Jamie laughed. “Nice heads-up. Give me a second.” When his footsteps retreated and the door to his room closed again, she turned to see Braden wearing a huge grin.

“He seems okay,” she whispered.

He nodded. “I think we’re in the clear. Didn’t act like he remembers a thing.”

The hollow pit in her stomach opened up again and her heart ached. “That’s…good.”

Braden lost his smile and held out his hand to her. She went and crawled into his lap, curling up and letting him pet her for a minute.

“I know, baby, you and me both. But we have to keep the rest of the pod safe.”

She sniffed softly. “Just, it hurts. I really care for him.”

He kissed her forehead and they sat in silence, waiting.

When Jamie joined them a few minutes later, she made sure she’d wiped her eyes dry and replaced her expression with a cheerier one.

“Why are you guys here? I mean, not that I mind, but it’s early hours. You need me for something?” Jamie felt the side of the coffeepot. “Cold. Man, I must sleep like the dead. Good thing you weren’t more burglars.”

“Just wanted to know if you were up for a little action today. Hit the boardwalk, go for breakfast. It is Saturday.”

Jamie nodded slowly. “Sounds like a plan.” He pointed to the two of them. “Neither of you had anything else on the agenda for today?”

She shook her head. He’d forgotten the whole incident of the day before, but he hadn’t seemed to forget they were friends. She’d take it. While having him as a lover was what her heart and soul wanted, having him lose all memory of her would have burned.

“I need to get a few groceries, but nothing else. You have anything you’d like to do?” she asked him.

Jamie paced over to stare out the window. “We could go paddling, but the ocean looks a little rough.” He turned slowly, his gaze flicking between herself and Braden, more guarded now. Hesitant. “I have another idea if you’re up for up.”