Authors: Charity Parkerson
Trey’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Protect Arbor.”
Damn. She wondered if she was really about to see it happen. It was hypnotizing. She’d never seen anyone look as deadly as he did.
Lyric either didn’t see what she did, or he wasn’t intimidated, because he kept the questions rolling. “And when we’re out on tour?”
“Protect Arbor.”
“And if the worst should happen?”
“Bring her straight to you, so you can take care of her.”
Lyric turned back to Arbor. His eyes never left her face as he asked his next question. “When Killian explained why you were needed for this position, what did he say?”
Trey’s mouth lifted in one corner. His jaw stopped ticking. “He said the two of you loved Arbor more than music.” He didn’t wait for Lyric’s next question before adding, “He went on to say that you would both quit before allowing anything to happen her, and if I couldn’t guarantee I could do my job competently at all times, then I needed to get the hell out so you wouldn’t be forced to kill me at a later date.”
“I meant it too,” Killian said, sounding so matter-of-fact Arbor covered her eyes in horror. A bubble of laughter made its way past her lips. She felt a bit stupid for thinking Trey’s actions had been anything more than him doing his job.
“Oh God. No wonder you watch me like a hawk.”
“No,” Trey growled, surprising her into dropping her hand.
A knowing smile twisted Lyric’s lips, making Arbor wonder if this outburst was exactly what he’d been expecting with his line of questioning. The tick was back in Trey’s jaw.
“You see,” Lyric said, sounding reasonable, “this is going to become an issue.”
Trey came to his feet. “No issues here. I’m going to get out of your hair and let you enjoy the rest of your night.” Lyric finally looked over his shoulder at Trey’s words.
“Sit down, Trey.”
Arbor didn’t know if it was something he saw in Lyric’s expression or if—like her—Trey was incapable of disobeying Lyric when he used that tone. Either way, Trey sat. Arms crossed over his chest once more, he kept his eyes firmly locked on the wall to his left.
“He wants you.”
At Killian’s calmly spoken statement, the tick was back, doing double time. Trey didn’t deny it. Her mouth fell open. Luckily, Killian tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his stare before Trey had time to see her reaction. It was possible he didn’t want to see. She wouldn’t blame him for that. Killian’s eyes were hot. In spite of the heaviness in the room, Arbor’s body immediately responded to his heated gaze. It was unfair for one man to possess as much as Killian. In a single glance, he could have the world. When he threw his sexy accent into the mix, the world was happy to be in his possession.
“You see people, Arbor. I’m not sure you realize how it affects them. Before you, we spent night after night on stage with thousands of people staring at us, but not a single one saw us.”
It seemed such an odd thing to say, but Arbor knew his words were true. To everyone else in the world, they were music and fame. They were the songs they played and an image on TV. When the crowd had parted, and she’d caught her first glimpse of the pair, she’d seen them as real people who were singing words she wanted to feel against her skin. Never in her life had she ached for anything the way she yearned for them. It wasn’t about the music, fame, or money. It was their souls.
“You have no idea what you looked like to us that night.” Killian pushed one side of her shorts down an inch, exposing her hip bone. She didn’t stop it. “Every single person around you was singing and smiling. Not you.” The other side of her shorts came down. Cold air brushed over her pelvis, making her aware of exactly how low her shorts were going. Ensnared in Killian’s gaze, Arbor couldn’t bring herself to care. “For a moment, I felt as if you were there to see us. I’m not talking about seeing our concert. When you looked at us, you found what you came looking for.”
“I did,” Arbor agreed. A ghost of a smile passed over Killian’s lips before it was replaced by and expression bordering on illegal in its wickedness.
“Neither of us have looked away since.”
Lyric’s admission made her nose sting. The overwhelming desire she’d experienced that night hadn’t eased one bit. Having the pair admit to the same weakness was better than every “I love you” they’d given her.
Chill bumps rose on her skin as Killian’s fingers curled around the hem of her shorts, dragging them down her legs. Not only did she let it happen, Arbor lifted her hips to help him out. Even as it was happening, she knew where it was heading. In spite of the heartfelt moment, she hadn’t forgotten Trey’s presence. The alcohol eased her nerves, but didn’t impair her judgment. She knew this was meant for him.
“The thing is,” Killian said, sounding turned on and fueling her lust, “you look at Trey the same way. I’m amazed he’s managed to resist you this long, but damn, he watches you with such hunger.” Her shirt rose. Lyric’s fingers brushed over her hip, making sure she didn’t forget he was right there with her.
“Your gorgeous body taunts him, daring him to act,” Lyric said, using his tone against her. “But your beautiful heart, that’s what makes him stay.” Her shirt disappeared. She barely registered it happening.
“Tell her it’s a lie, Trey,” Killian demanded.
Arbor—finally—found the courage to look at him. The flush of arousal rode high on his cheeks. His hands were balled into fists until the white of his knuckles shone bright. But damn, his eyes, they were unlike anything she’d ever seen. He held her stare. Arbor held her breath. Her bra slid down her arms.
Shit. She wanted him. It was a sneaky sort of desire. Until she was staring into the face of it, Arbor hadn’t realized anything was missing. Now, she was thinking she might die if he didn’t act. He slowly came to his feet.
“No.”
Arbor wanted to cover herself in the face of his rejection, except he was moving in her direction as he said it, instead of away from her as she’d been expecting. Killian’s hold never slackened on her and Lyric didn’t budge, even as Trey bore down on them, tugging his shirt over his head. Holy shit. She nearly swallowed her tongue. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect what his shirt hid. Arbor supposed she should’ve known that anyone who’d been hired as her guard would have to be in perfect shape, but fuck. The cut lines, rippling with every movement, were a step beyond absolutely-freaking-lickable-amazing.
As if Lyric and Killian weren’t there, Trey inserted himself in the middle of it all. Bending over her, he snagged the back of her head. “It’s all true,” he said, capturing her mouth.
Damned if the world didn’t disappear the second his lips touched hers. The pulse beating in her ears died away. The weight sitting on her chest eased. The moment his tongue stroked hers, Arbor realized what Lyric and Killian had known all along. Desire had been choking all of them since the second Trey arrived on the scene.
Tearing off his shirt might have been a bit of overkill. For Trey, it had been a no-going-back-now moment. He’d known once he gave up an article of clothing, he wouldn’t back out. That was one of his biggest fears. He recognized this was his one shot. If he walked out, he wouldn’t have been welcomed back, but he’d never truly considered this scenario. Had there been fantasies of owning Arbor? Hell, yeah. But in every one of those dreams, it was only the two of them. Fuck. What had he gotten himself into? He wasn’t stopping. The sensation of her hands sliding down his stomach, toward the button of his jeans, nearly hobbled him. Every muscle in his body drew up taut.
In the back of his mind, he was aware there was a lot going on around him. Somehow, Arbor still managed to hold him enthralled to the point that he didn’t care. Arbor’s tongue stroked his. The feel of her taste buds slipping along his was amazing. The tangy flavor of his dreams coming true filled his mouth. Craving something as long as he had Arbor, and finally having her, wasn’t something he could explain. There was a small possibility he’d wanted it for so long that he was more attuned to the act, but he didn’t think that was it. It was them. Together, they were explosive. His jeans loosened. Wasting no time, Arbor palmed his erection. She used both hands against him. For a moment, he questioned if he could withstand the torment or if he’d explode in her grip before enjoying any real action. Pride was the only thing keeping it from happening.
His jeans continued their downward path, forcing him to recall he wasn’t alone with Arbor. A second set of lips touched the small of his back as the remainder of his clothing disappeared. Chill bumps rose on his skin. A moan grew in his throat. Arbor’s mouth moved to his chest and continued its descent. When her lips brushed his navel, Trey finally opened his eyes. His gaze collided with Killian’s.
“Sit down before you fall,” Killian ordered.
Instead of the demanding tone Trey had become accustomed to hearing, Killian’s voice sounded ragged. Trey filled the empty spot on the other end of the couch. Arbor’s mouth followed, barely breaking contact as she moved onto her knees between Killian and him. His dick leaked. Her hair fell forward, brushing against it. Dipping her head, Arbor closed her lips around the tip of his cock, capturing the moisture on her tongue. Unable to stop from doing so, he sucked a hiss between his teeth.
At the sound, Killian closed the distance between them. He covered Trey’s mouth with his. Trey had never kissed another man. With his dick sliding across the roof of Arbor’s mouth and hitting the back of her throat, it didn’t seem that big of a deal. Once Killian was there, he made it worth it. Without thought, Trey buried his fingers in Killian’s hair, holding him in place, deepening their kiss. Arbor tightened her throat around his cock. His hips left the couch in an attempt at getting closer. Killian moaned. The sound vibrated around Trey’s tongue.
Tearing his mouth away, Killian released a loud curse. Trey’s eyes flew open. Killian’s face was flushed. His kiss-swollen lips parted on a gasp. It was hot as hell. Even as Trey’s balls drew up tight, he was still surprised by how the sight of Lyric fucking Killian made him burn. He released his hold on Killian’s hair. The moment the man was free of Trey’s grip, Lyric hauled Killian back against his chest. If Killian was sexy in the throes of passion, he didn’t hold a candle to Lyric, who already bordered on too pretty for a man. His cut body would keep anyone from saying it aloud, but his full lips weren’t meant to be a man’s. Suddenly, Trey wasn’t content to come in Arbor’s mouth. With her men otherwise occupied, he wanted the pussy that had been taunting him for months. Snagging her beneath the arms, he pulled her up his body and shoved his tongue inside her mouth.
Arbor’s juices smeared his abs as she straddled his hips. Trey called on every ounce of his control as he reached between their bodies. She was so wet. It ran down his fingers as he positioned his cock at her entrance. Arbor made the final move. Sitting back on her heels, she took him inside. She threw her head back as he filled her, stretching her channel wide. He dropped his chin to his chest, watching as she lifted up and allowed him to slip away slightly before impaling herself on his shaft once more. His dick shined with her juices. He loved watching their bodies meet. The sight of her pussy accepting his cock was the most beautiful vision he’d ever seen.
Lost in the haze of lust, he leaned in and captured her nipple between his teeth. Without thinking anything of it or the pressure building in his erection and pressing against his crown, Trey reached over, encircling Killian’s erection. He stroked the soft skin in time with Arbor’s tight cunt, which was tugging at his member. The flavor of her skin on his tongue tasted like a fantasy coming to life. There was no description he could think up strong enough for his high. As Killian moved against his hand, Trey exploded. Lights flashed behind his eyes, and Trey knew he was nowhere near finished with the group. Before the end of the night, he would taste Arbor’s feminine salt and Lyric’s cock. He’d find out if Lyric’s lips were as soft as they appeared while Killian taught him what it was like to get sucked off by a man.
* * * * *
The cool wood between his shoulder blades was the only thing that felt real to Trey as he went over every detail of the night in his head.
“It’s awesome, right?”
At Arbor’s question, he tore his gaze away from the view of the riverbank outside the window. The smile tugging at his lips came from inside his heart. “I always wondered what it was about this spot that keeps you captivated. Now, I see it. The view is amazing.” Not as wonderful as her, but Trey kept that to himself. Arbor’s hair still dripped from her shower. The blonde locks hung down her back, already beginning to curl at the ends. She hadn’t bothered to dress after her shower. Only a thin robe stood between him and heaven.
After last night, he no longer understood his place in her life. With Lyric and Killian gone for three days, Trey wanted to find out. Clutching the robe with one hand, Arbor climbed over his legs and filled the small, empty space near the window. The scent of coconuts assailed his senses. His dick hardened. Not that it had far to go. He’d been at half-mast from the instant they met. Arbor made him scared of himself. The way his heart ached to possess her bordered on insanity. She had the lightest green eyes he’d ever seen. Unique was a good word for her. Each time she stared out the window, as she was doing now, the sun glimmered off the odd coloration, making her eyes seem even lighter. He was always fascinated by the phenomenon.
“Arbor.”
He wanted her attention. Longed for it. Once he had it, Trey couldn’t think of a single thing to express the way she made him feel. He thought for a moment to tell her what it was like to meet her for the first time. About how—after his intense and strange interview with Killian and Lyric— he’d had certain expectations of her personality. They’d fallen away the second he’d set eyes on her. In an instant, he’d understood exactly why she was treasured by the pair. He also thought to tell her all about what it was like to watch her day after day, but be unable to touch her. None of those things would work their way past his throat. When he didn’t say anything, she smiled. It did something to his chest.