Three to Tango (5 page)

“You’re still the hottest fuck I’ve ever had.”

She turned, her eyes narrowed. “That all I am?” She clicked her teeth, trying to recall the words.

Angelo paused, looking her over with the sort of concentration and scrutiny that made him so successful. “If you were, I wouldn’t give a shit if you left on Wednesday. Good fucks aren’t hard to find.”

Oh. Well then
.

“Especially when you live in a mansion and drive a BMW.” Luca snorted.

“Very true. There’s a reason why I busted my ass to finish law school after my knee went out.”

The two of them laughed together and she relaxed, feeling utterly at home.

“I’ll stay until Sunday.”

Four

L
uca woke as the sun was rising. He got up to check his email and call his secretary to leave a message that he’d be out until Monday. He turned on the coffeemaker and headed back to his bed.

Though his curtains were closed tight against the morning sun, the light from the bathroom cut a swath across them. Ava was backed up against Angelo, tucked underneath his chin, his arms wrapped around her.

Angelo’s hair was unbound, an inky pool against the pillows, over his skin. Ava’s mouth was pulled into a little bow, her brow unfurrowed. After two more rounds of enthusiastic, sticky, sweaty sex and a midnight hot-tub soak, she’d curled up between them and gone to sleep with a quiet little snuffle.

Protectiveness surged inside him. He wanted to wipe away the lines on her forehead, wanted to kiss her and let her release the tears she held on to so tightly. Heaven knew her parents didn’t deserve a single bit of her sadness.

Her eyes opened slowly, locking on him as he stood in the doorway.

“Go back to sleep,” he said quietly. “It’s early still.”

She eased herself out of Angelo’s arms and came to him, walking straight into his arms and pushing him into the hall, closing the door so Angelo could sleep.

“I was dreaming of you and I opened my eyes to see you right there. Real.” She kissed his chest and he buried his nose in the tousled curls, breathing her in.

“Funny, I was just thinking something similar.”

And suddenly the ache was back and he needed her so much it tore through him, leaving him ragged.

He kissed her neck, nibbling across her shoulder. “Seeing you in my bed made today the best morning I’ve had in a very long time.”

“Mmm.” She sighed happily, running her fingers through his hair. “I love your hair. I love how soft and curly it is. Sexy. It goes with the scruffy beard, which I heartily approve of. Much like I approve of that.” She arched into his hand as he slid it up her belly and found her nipple hard already.

“You’re probably sore,” he managed to croak out as she grabbed his cock.

“I am just fine. Fine enough for another round. I want you in me.”

How could he refuse? Even if he’d wanted to, which he didn’t, the lure of a sleep-warm, sweet-smelling Ava, naked and open to him, was way more than a mere mortal could turn down.

Taking her hand, he led her downstairs and opened the doors to his back deck. In the early morning, the air was warm, but not inferno hot like it would be in a few hours. Up close to the house, the deck was sheltered by large bushes and hanging plants. No one could see the hot tub or the chaise he laid down upon, unless they were standing right there.

She rustled in the things they’d left out there the night before and came back to him with a smile and a condom.

“And here I thought I was the boy scout. Ride me, Ava. Sink that sweet, hot pussy down my cock.”

“Mmmm, yes, I think that’s a very good plan.” Within moments she’d rolled the condom on and was perched above him, surrounding his cock with her cunt, leaving him writhing and senseless.

Up and down, she worked over him, her thighs rock hard as she lifted up and shimmied back down. There was no sound but the harshness of their breathing and the sound of the water lapping at the shore of the lake.

Luca knew just where to kiss her, how to twist her nipples just hard enough, how to thrust up as she pressed down. His hands on her skin made her want more, unleashed a craving she thought she’d killed a long time ago.

Inside her, his cock had a bend to the right, enough that each time she slid down over him, he stroked all the best parts deep inside.

“Harder, baby,” he urged, his fingers finding her clit.

There was nothing but the two of them, skin to skin, the scent of clean sweat, sex, warm earth and bark from all the nearby trees. He saw right through her, unsettling her, even as it titillated to be seen so clearly.

Bracing her hands on the chair back, just above his head, she used the angle to thrust back on him harder and harder until her muscles began to tremble. With all the ways and times she’d climaxed over the last twenty-four hours, she didn’t think she had it in her to go again, and yet, there it was, lightning fast and all consuming.

Luca made a sound, a sort of desperate snarl. “Goddamn, your pussy gets so hot and so tight when you come. You feel sooo good.”

She smiled down at him, her breasts swaying as she continued to slam herself against him over and over, nearly frantic as she came, feeling the lurch and jump of his cock as he followed her into climax.

“Nice way to wake a man up,” he mumbled against her as she moved to pull off his cock.

She kissed him as they managed to stand shakily.

“What’s on tap today?” he asked as they went back inside.

“Nothing really. All the details for the memorial service are handled. I should stop in and see your parents of course. Otherwise, I’m free.”

“Ava! Damn it, if you’ve run off again, I swear I will hunt you down and drag you back here kicking and screaming.” Angelo stomped out onto the second-floor landing shortly after his bellowed call.

His narrowed gaze took her in as she stood below. She waved at him. “Good thing I haven’t run off then.”

“Don’t crack wise.” He’d put undershorts on and she grabbed a T-shirt from a nearby chair. It smelled like Luca as she pulled it over her head. In a way it felt like armor because what she saw on Angelo’s face was more than anger, it was hurt, and she put it there.

She had a thing. A promise to herself to own her shit. And this was hers to deal with.

“I’m not cracking wise. I’m attempting to diffuse a potential fight. Because I don’t want to fight with either one of you. I said it yesterday and I’ll say it again. I’m sorry I left the way I did. It was wrong. Not the leaving part, that was totally necessary. But the way I did it was cowardly and unfair.”

“Oh. Well. I accept your apology for that then.” He appeared to be reasonably appeased. “I woke up and you were gone. It just … touched an old memory I guess.” He kissed her, hugging her tight. “I see you and Luca had some fucky-times, eh?”

Luca laughed. “That’s what you get for sleeping in.”

Angelo stretched, catching her staring at the wonder of his body. “Now that’s a nice compliment there. What’s the plan for today? I need to run back home later this afternoon. I’ve got a hearing in the morning, but I have today free. Or we can all go back to my place. I have a pool. We can be away from here for a while. We’ll come back for the service, and then we can decide from there where to go. My hearing will be over by ten at the latest. You two can grab me after and we’ll head back here.”

She liked that idea a lot. And she knew he wanted to show the house off to her. “I think that’s a great idea.”

Which is how she found herself slathered with sunscreen and swimming laps in Angelo’s pool.

He dived in, swimming powerfully, gracefully, pacing her until she finally gave up. “You win! Cripes, you’d think you were an athlete or something.” Laughing, she pulled herself out and thanked Luca for the towel he handed her.

He smirked and went back to swimming, so she settled in under the big umbrella with Luca, and they watched, contented by the sight of that caramel skin, the slide and flow of his muscles as he sliced through the water.

“He’s so beautiful.”

She smiled at Luca. “He is.”

“You seeing anyone?” This he asked her in a forcefully casual way.

“I was for a while. I’ve been single about a year now.” She shrugged. “What about you?”

“I broke off an engagement last year.”

She growled and then blushed. How she’d hated that news when Maryellen had told her Luca and Melanie Deeds had been engaged. The nerve of that bitch to think she deserved a man like Luca!

He chuckled. “I take it you didn’t like Melanie?”

“Not as your wife, no. And, well, not at all really. The Melanie I remember was a stuck-up bitch who liked to cause trouble.”

“That’s her.”

“But she did it with double Ds and very short skirts. Man can forgive a lot with all that showing.” Angelo, water sluicing off his muscles, left the pool and joined them, straddling the chair Ava sat on.

“Sure, all but that part where she tries to show those double Ds to a man’s best friend.”

Ava sat back, surprised. “You’re joking! That
bitch
came on to Angelo when she was engaged to you?”

Luca grinned. “My bruised ego is all better. Thank you for your indignation, baby.”

“Showed up at the front door, halfway naked and offered herself up to me, easy as you please. She sure didn’t like me slamming the door in her face and calling Luca right away.”

“So you didn’t, you know, share her or anything?” She missed the nonchalance she’d been going for by a solid mile or three.

“You are the only woman Luca and I have ever shared.” Angelo drew his fingertips up her spine languidly. “I’ve been in other threesomes,” he said, leaning down to kiss her shoulder. “But none of them were this.”

She allowed herself to admit it, allowed the bonelessness of relief to slip into her system. She wanted to be indelible to them. Even if they never spoke again once she went back to LA, she wanted them to never forget her. Silly, maybe, selfish even, but these men meant more to her than anyone on the entire planet and always would.

“How can you not know that?” Angelo asked as he untied the back of her bikini top.

“Never hurts to remind a girl,” she murmured, leaning back into him as he kneaded her breasts, pulling and twisting her nipples.

Without warning, he picked her up, standing in one easy movement. “I’m so impressed.” Laughing, she squeezed his biceps.

“Inside. I need to be inside.”

He stalked through the open doors and into the cool, dark of the house. Instead of his bedroom, where they’d napped for a while earlier that day, he took her into what appeared to be a game room, depositing her on the edge of his pool table.

“Just as I thought.” He looked to Luca. “I knew she’d look good enough to eat perched up there.”

“I’m going to get the felt wet,” she whispered. The sun had dried her hair, but her bottom was still damp.

“You’d better. Here, let me get the rest of your bathing suit.” Luca grunted as he pulled her bikini bottoms off.

Luca needed her. Stupid as he’d had her just a few hours before and then a few hours before that. And so on. Five minutes after having her, he wanted her again.

“Luca,” Angelo whispered in his ear, his hands on Ava around Luca’s body, “you made a promise to me last night. Remember that?”

One of those big, sure hands that had been on Ava now slid down Luca’s back, pausing to cradle his ass before moving into the front of his shorts and fisting his cock. He’d made a comment about taking Angelo on, mostly as a joke. Mostly.

A shiver ran through him as he met Ava’s eyes. “I remember it,” he said quietly.

“After.” Angelo stepped around Luca then, turning his face and catching Luca’s chin. When Angelo kissed him like this, he lost his ability to think. The strength of his arms as he held Luca in place, the slight scrape of their jaw stubble, the surety of his tongue and lips. He’d never wanted another man with this kind of intensity. Had kissed a few here and there, wondering if he was gay. He’d resisted any tags, but he’d accepted bisexual. How could he not as his cock hardened in Angelo’s grip? He never sought out other men after the short period of time in the aftermath of Ava’s leaving town. None of them had been anything to make his pulse speed and his senses spiral away the way Angelo did.

And none of it had ever been as good as it was when Ava was there as the key, as a bridge between their different worlds and personalities.

“So beautiful,” she sighed softly.

“He tastes even better when you’re on his lips,” Angelo said as he broke the kiss. “You had her last time, Luca. It’s my turn.”

He moved lightning quick, easing her back onto the pool table, her legs hanging down, ass on the edge of the wood. Greedy for her, he licked down her belly, pausing at her pussy, driving her to the edge of climax with his mouth. Licking and sucking, drawing all the soft sighs and moaning cries he could, greedy for each reaction. Greedy for her taste, the feel of her against him and, he thought as he surged up, Luca’s hands busily rolling a condom on his cock, he was greedy to be in her.

He pressed in slowly, knowing she had to be sore, though she hadn’t complained or been anything but eager for their attentions. Being wanted that way did something to that no-longer-hungry kid deep inside. Her desire was safe because he knew it was real, knew it was for all of him, dark corners and all.

Each bit he pushed in was one step closer to falling head over ass in love with her. Something he’d tried to avoid for most of the time he’d known her. And when she opened her eyes, her gaze catching on his, he felt it to his toes.

“More.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he managed to gasp out.

“Please.”

He wasn’t sure if she was asking him to hurt her or to fuck her harder, but it was the raw edge to the request that had him thrusting hard and deep, had him luxuriating in the ragged groan she gave up. He wanted to lean down and bite that sweet, pale skin, wanted to flip her over and fuck her so hard she couldn’t speak. The ferocity of his need for her made his hands shake as he ruthlessly reined it in.

“Just …” She broke off, shaking her head.

“Tell me.” He paused, midthrust, trying to ignore the drumbeat of need his pulse took to in her presence.

“Mark me. Use me. I’m here and I’m yours. Don’t hold back.”

Luca’s guttural moan slid over his skin as he stared down at Ava. Looked down at the woman, the only woman who’d ever gotten inside him this way.

He gave in to that need for her, bending as he fucked her, bending close enough to lave over the side of her breast, and then he bit.

She gasped and then cried out. Her cunt squeezed him so tight he thought he’d come right on the spot. He jerked back, worried he’d hurt her, though her body told him a different story.

Instead of telling him to stop, she arched up closer to where he’d jerked back, grabbed his hair and pulled him in.