Devon's Pair: Powertools, Book 4 (9 page)

“Does that mean your feelings have changed?” She allowed herself to lean on him, no matter how weak it made her. His arms came around her. He was so generous considering the depth of the despair she’d glimpsed in him earlier.

“Why don’t we talk about that when we’re not all exhausted and hypothermia is less of a possibility?” He evaded her questions, killing her with kindness.

“He’s right, Dev.” Neil opened the door to their truck and ushered them inside before rounding to the driver’s side. He trapped her between them. “Let’s figure things out in the morning.”

69

James cranked up the heat and sang softly to her while he rocked them both.

Before they’d made it out of the driveway, her lids were unbearably heavy.

70

Chapter Six

From the doorway of the walk-in closet he shared with his boyfriend, James’s peripheral vision treated him to a glimpse of Neil exiting the shower. He refused to stare though Neil ruffled his hair with a thick gray towel, and then slung it low around his waist. The dreamy smile he wore as he sank to the edge of their bed beside Devon looked even finer on him than the tux he’d rented for Mike and Kate’s wedding. And that was saying something.

James couldn’t bear to spend the night pretending not to notice such blatant gooeyness. He reached for the duffel he’d packed and stashed beneath the neat row of the few button-up shirts he owned. After tugging on a fitted T-shirt, he slipped the strap of the bag crosswise over his chest.

He rehearsed his departure announcement several times before he shut the door behind him, determined to keep calm.

A deep breath didn’t do him any good when he spun around and caught the pale, hollow cast to Neil’s cheeks, devoid of the dimples he’d so recently sported.

Air lodged in James’s throat, choking him. Still, he managed to spit out his decision. “Gonna bunk over at Joe and Morgan’s tonight.”

“Are you leaving me?” Neil tried to stand. He lost his balance and plopped onto the mattress once more. The gap in his towel wrap widened.

For once, the flash of bronzed skin didn’t entice James. He rubbed the ache in his chest. A heart attack couldn’t hurt this much. “I’m giving you room to take what you need.”

“I need
you
,” Neil whispered.

“You need her too.”

Even now, Neil’s fingers rubbed the crook of her knee as though he could leech strength from their cute, tomboyish assistant.

“Too. As in
both
. Not one or the other.” It sounded as though every syllable cost Neil a year of his life. The scratchy, desperate pleas were foreign territory for James’s confident lover.

“Are you sure? Maybe you should spend time alone with her and see.” It killed James to offer. But he wouldn’t risk what they had by allowing Neil to develop a sliver of regret. It’d be better to sell out on an amazing high than tarnish their gleaming relationship by dragging it through the muck of a prolonged degradation.

“I’m positive.” Neil glanced from where Devon had crashed on their bed.

Tiny and angelic, she nestled in the chocolate and sky-blue, satin-covered pillows. “Look at her.”

James did. He cleared his mind and opened his eyes.

Something in him stirred.

Was that because she was his boyfriend’s girlfriend? Or because a spark grew in his gut every time they shared her? Or even hung out with her at work or for fun? Could he remove Neil from the equation and still feel…something…for her?

Women weren’t usually his thing. Still, her honest curiosity called to him. He toyed with the overnight bag, lifting it partially over his head before he realized what he was doing.

“And look at you.” Neil rose and stepped closer. He framed James’s face with gentle hands. “You’re so generous. Ridiculously self-sacrificing. A man I wish I could be half as decent as. How can I not want you both? Please, James.

Don’t make me choose. You. Her. You’re perfect. For me. And for each other.” 72

“I—” Some of his doubts evaporated as he stared into the eyes of the only man he’d ever loved so ferociously. Could there be room for another person?

Maybe. God knew they had plenty of passion to spare.

“Trust me?” Neil drew the duffle the rest of the way off and kicked it into the corner. He grabbed the hem of James’s shirt and dispatched that too.

“I do.” James gasped as Neil sank before him, unbuckling his belt then lowering the zipper on his well-worn jeans. “Neil?”

“Yeah?” He looked up from his position on the floor, his lips half an inch from James’s cock.

“What are you doing?”

“What do you think?” He licked a trail from James’s balls to the tip of his rapidly hardening shaft.

“Did you forget you
hate
giving blow jobs?” As if Neil needed to be reminded of his own dislike. “You don’t do it. Not even on my birthday.”

“I would do anything for you.” Neil serviced James with a tenderness that speared straight to his soul.

James couldn’t resist the sublime treat. Within minutes, his knees weakened.

Neil braced them on his shoulders as he worshipped the solid hard-on James had for the man he adored. Safe, protected, cherished—James read a dozen promises in the tender ministrations his lover pampered him with.

He tried to prolong the pleasure. Keep it going forever, always knowing that was impossible. Which didn’t mean they couldn’t revive it again and again. A million times. In each other’s arms. As long as he stayed around for Neil to lift him up next time.

With a tortured moan, he poured himself into Neil’s hungry mouth.

After drinking every last drop of James’s release, Neil led them to their bed.

He lay in the center, drawing James with him. One sculpted arm curled around

73

Devon and the other sheltered James. Neil held them both so they rode the ragged rise and fall of his chest.

James listened to the pounding of his mate’s heart, so strong he almost missed the ghost of Neil’s begging. “Please don’t leave us. Please.”

“I won’t.” He couldn’t. He’d never be able to walk away without destroying himself in the process. Anything else he’d convinced himself of was a lame combination of bravado and delusion. “I promise. I’m yours.”

“Both of ours?”

“We’ll see. It’s the best I can do.” He rubbed the flexing abs he’d often admired until Neil seemed to calm and his respiration evened out.

James lifted his head to study his sleeping boyfriend. After sipping tears from Neil’s eyes, he dropped his head to Neil’s sturdy shoulder and tried to follow him into sweet dreams.

Despite the exhausting drain of the day and night, he couldn’t relax. Restless, he shifted. Devon did too. Her hand covered his on Neil’s belly. Delicate fingers wove through his. She sighed, squeezing a little even while unconscious. Rather than being uncomfortable with the gesture, James found the heat of their connection eased him into slumber.

Maybe this could work.

Devon’s lids fluttered open. She stared across the chiseled expanse of Neil’s abdomen, where her cheek rested, to the man occupying the far side of her lover’s torso.

Mmm
. James. Her other lover. How decadent?

Soft blue light flickered over the slight whisker burn rouging his cheeks.

What had she missed by checking out early last night?

74

A moan rumbled from the chest of the man pillowing them both. Neil’s fingers flexed on her ribs as she watched his other hand mirror the pressure on James, hugging them both tighter to him. Devon couldn’t muster the energy required to lift her head and check out the television Neil stared at. She murmured, “Are you watching porn?”

James didn’t move from his contented slouch. However, the corner of his lips kicked up. “Doubt it. He’s not hard. I checked.”

“You two know I can hear you, right?”

Her head bounced a little when Neil chuckled. The growl of his stomach almost startled her bolt upright. With one ear pressed to his svelte torso, the rumble echoed louder than a jet engine.

“Oh, yeah. I’m sure now.” James blinked then grinned at her. “He’s watching the Food Network. Probably
Barbeque University
if I know our boy. I wouldn’t be surprised if he came in his pants every time the host gets to the part of the show where he lays on the
crosshatch of grill marks
.”

“I’m not wearing pants, smartass.” Neil ruffled James’s hair. “You know, I wouldn’t be forced to drool over another dude’s meat if you could cook worth a damn.”

“You should be an expert by now. You watch this shit enough.” James poked Neil in the stomach. His steely abs didn’t dent in a single millimeter.

The pause hung in the air long enough all Devon could do was laugh. “If you’re hoping I can channel Rachel Ray, you’re out of luck. Sorry, guys.

Although, I do have some pretty awesome delivery places programmed into my phone.”

She sighed and wondered where they’d stashed her purse.

“No need.” Neil snagged a cell off the nightstand and punched in a series of digits from memory. “Do you like chicken lo mein?”

75

“For breakfast?” Devon raised a brow.

“It’s almost noon, sleepyheads.” Neil caressed both of their shoulders.

“How long have you been sitting there?” James shifted uneasily.

“About four hours I guess.” He shrugged. “The time went by fast. But I really could use something to eat.”

“Okay then.” Devon grinned. “I
love
chicken lo mein.
If
you order it from Mr.

China.”

“Wouldn’t dare to try anything else.” James smiled at her. “We’re regulars.

Too bad they’re pick up only. Give me a minute and I’ll get dressed.”

“No, I woke you up.” Neil untucked himself from their drowsy tangle of limbs. “I’ll be back before you know it. Doze off again and I’ll help you refuel with steamy, noodley goodness in no time. Or maybe you two could…ah…talk.

Or something.”

He glanced between them as though they might tear each other limb from limb if he weren’t there to referee. Devon laughed. “We’ll be fine without a chaperone.”

“If only that was my concern.” He scrubbed his hand over his sexy scruff.

“You’re good?” He shot James a pointed glance.

“Yeah, dad.” James and Devon laughed together.

“Fine, fine.” Neil flipped them the bird as he hopped into a pair of maroon running shorts and snagged James’s discarded T-shirt from the floor. The fitted style, a size smaller than he usually wore, snugged to his muscles. “Don’t miss me too much.”

They giggled some more until the barking of the neighbor’s dog replaced the fading roar of Neil’s truck engine, reminding Devon just how alone they really were. “So…”

76

“So.” James covered his face with his palms. “This is horrible. Awkward. All my fault. I’m sorry for yesterday.”

Devon hesitated for a moment before reaching out. She nudged his hand from his cheeks and laced their fingers. “That’s not necessary. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you. I would be insanely jealous if my boyfriend suddenly had a perma-boner for someone else. Never mind if he introduced them to our relationship. I probably would have walked. After scratching his eyes out with a rusty screwdriver.”

“Last night… I’m not proud of it, but I almost did. Walk. Not the gouging thing. That’s such a girl move.” James grinned as he rearranged the pillows. He rolled to his side so they were eye to eye.

“I realize I’m probably the last person on earth you’d choose to talk to about this. I promise to be open minded if you need to vent. And I meant what I said yesterday, I won’t come between you two. What you have is too special. I could leave before he comes back—”

“Don’t. You’re part of us now.” James surprised her by reaching out to prevent her from rising. He traced one of her brows with the tip of his finger. “I admit this is something new for me. Talking. I could get used to having someone to confide in. Neil isn’t always the best at emotional frankness.”

“Okay, then. I’d like to be totally honest if you’ll lend me your ear.” She closed her eyes, trying not to purr when he expanded his path above her eye to include her cheek and neck as well.

“I insist.” His breath warmed her chin.

She opened her eyes, wondering when they’d drawn so close together.

“If it weren’t for you, Neil probably would have scared me away in the beginning. Before I got to know him better. He’s a little too…brash sometimes.”

“Really?” James considered that for a minute. “I guess I can see that.”

77

“For example, my first day. It was a cluster of an introduction until you came out. Like a translator, you made everything flow between us. You know when to pull him back or when he’s skirting my comfort zone. I don’t think you realize you temper him.”

“Actually, I’ve always felt like I have to clean up after him when he chows down on those enormous feet of his. I didn’t think anyone else noticed.” James stared into her eyes, really looking deep for the first time.