“I-is being in control a bad thing?” I ask, flinching as Luke slides a hand between my legs. My head tips back. “God.”
“Of your business? No. Of your life? Usually not. But in relationships?” Zack nods. “Aye. It can be a bad thing, if you refuse to let go of it. You’ve done great at opening up emotionally with us recently, but that really ain’t the crux of the problem, is it?” He smooths a palm down my hair, watching as I tense slightly. “It’s in the bedroom you get all knotted up. I think this is your last line of defence. If you learn to give up your body — not just to anyone, mind, but to people you actually trust — I think it’ll be good for you.” He tilts his head, looking at me. “You haven’t got to, of course. But d’you reckon you’d enjoy it?”
“I…” I look between the three of them, panting slightly. My heart is suddenly hammering in my chest. Josh flutters a kiss over my sternum as Luke slips his hand under the waistband of my pants. I tug at the restraints and moan. “Yes. I’d enjoy it.”
Zack grins. “Great. Then we’ve got a lesson to start.”
FORTY-NINE
LAYLA
Five minutes later, the food has been cleared away, and Luke is laying me down on the bed. He insisted on undressing me himself, and my bare skin tingles as he settles me in the silky sheets. Nerves thump through me as he straddles my hips, taking my hands. “Up here,” he says quietly.
I don’t resist as he leads my wrists to the bed’s headboard. Zack passes him the cloth, and satin slips over my sensitive skin as Luke carefully knots my wrists to the metal rails, his eyes intent. I squirm, pressing my thighs together as heat flushes through me. I can’t believe this is actually happening. I don’t know if I’m more turned on or scared.
Luke pulls back, admiring his work. “Test,” he orders. I obediently pull on the restraints. Shock jolts through me when I realise how tight he’s made them. They’re not painful, but I have no give at all. I’m stuck to the bedposts. I can barely wriggle.
A bubble of panic rises up in my chest. I’m completely vulnerable. I have no way of defending myself if I need to. I’ve always defended myself. I’ve always had to, what if something happens, what if I can’t get away—
Luke’s big hand touches my cheek. “Okay?” He asks quietly, dipping his head so only I can hear. I look into his face and nod slowly, breathing out.
I’m okay. I don’t need to take care of myself. I trust the guys. They’ll take care of me.
As soon as that thought hits me, my entire body relaxes. I don’t have to worry about anything right now. Just for tonight, I can let the guys take over. I feel wetness touching between my thighs and press my legs together.
Luke nuzzles my cheek, then pulls back. “If you want them off, just tell us,” he says quietly. “We’ll untie you right away.”
I nod. “I know.”
He runs a hand through my hair. “Anything you’re worried about?”
I lick my lips. “Don’t call me names.”
“Names, love?”
“I…” I tug again on the cloth around my wrists, my cheeks heating even more. “Don’t call me your little slut or anything. I won’t react well. I’ll probably try to scratch your eyes out.”
His eyes soften. He bends to kiss my palm, and I take advantage of the position, running my hands through his hair and tugging hard. He hisses, his breath coming faster. “Of course not, love. Never.”
I nod firmly. “Then I’m good.”
“Good girl.” He gives me a quick kiss, then straightens, moving out of my line of sight. Zack takes his place, crouching next to the bed. He’s stripped off his clothes, and his broad chest glows in the low light.
“Now, lass,” he rumbles, his blue eyes very kind. “We’re going to break you down a bit. Keep you on edge. That okay?”
I automatically try to reach him, frowning when my arms stay stuck in place. “For how long?”
“However long we want.” Zack strokes some hair off my cheek. “We’re gonna take you as far as you can handle. And then we’ll give you as much pleasure as you can stand. It’ll be worth it, I’ll promise you that.”
I consider him, pursing my lips. “You know, I can handle a lot.”
He grins, his eyes twinkling. “Oh, pet. You really shouldn’t have said that.”
“Yeah?” I look down at my naked body spread out on the sheets. Josh and Luke both hover at the foot of the bed, staring at me. “Because there’s been a lot of talk and no action, so far. Can someone please just touch me?”
There’s a pause. “You heard her,” Luke says, and a tingle runs up my spine at the authority in his voice. “Touch her.”
At the foot of the bed, Josh lays down on his front on the mattress, his head between my legs. His hands squeeze my calves comfortingly, and my toes curl as I feel his breath against my wet sex. Blood pounds through me as he gently parts my lower lips with his thumbs.
“Look how you open up for him,” Luke says quietly. My cheeks get even hotter. “You’re so pretty, sweetheart.”
Josh leans forward and blows lightly over my engorged bud. I try to clap my thighs together, and Zack tuts.
“Nope. We can’t have that, muffin. Hold on, we’ll just get your legs, too.”
“What?” I sputter, but before I know it, both of my legs are being gently pulled apart. I feel the cool slip of fabric over my skin as someone ties my ankles to the bedposts. I try to crane my neck to see who, but it strains my muscles, and I can’t get a good look in the dark room, so I just flop back onto the pillows and listen to my hammering heart.
That’s what this is about, right? Trust. I don’t have to know who’s doing what to me. I know that all three men will take care of me.
The hands leave my ankles, and I just lie there for a second, splayed out. Zack has left the glass doors to the balcony open, and with my legs pulled so wide apart, I can feel the cool night breeze fanning over my wet, sensitive sex. I fidget as heat builds higher in me.
“Touch me,” I order again.
Josh’s hand smooths over my thigh, and then his tongue presses against my sex, sliding between my folds in one long, hot lick. My eyes flutter shut. “More,” I say.
Low chuckles reverberate through the room. The licks keep coming, slow and steady. Josh mouths at me hotly, tracing his tongue teasingly around my slit. I squirm slightly. I’d assumed that the boys would be edging me hard; that they’d go hard and fast until I was right on the brink. But instead, they appear to be taking a much gentler approach, bringing me to a low simmer rather than a boil.
Somehow, that’s even hotter.
I try to stay as still as I can, my breath coming faster as heat churns in my blood. Josh’s tongue flicks over my hood, sending a sharp spark through me, and a moan falls out of my mouth. I’m soothed with a kiss, and then I feel movement as Josh pulls back, and someone else steps forward to take his place. I know it’s Zack when I feel the rough friction of his beard rubbing slightly against my thigh. He presses a tiny kiss to my apex, then nudges his face between my legs, resuming the gentle licking. I relax, letting him take over. The only noises in the room are my soft, breathless sighs mixed with the sound of silk sliding over silk, and the background hum of the city outside the window.
I don’t know how much time passes with the boys steadily eating me, then rotating positions. Their touches stay gentle and slow, but with each new mouth on me, I feel the fire in my belly get a little hotter. Soon, I’m leaking on the expensive silk sheets, gasping for breath. Zack is between my legs when I finally start to lose it. As his tongue flutters teasingly over my entrance, sparks begin to rocket through me. I gasp as my back arches. My thighs tense. Zack notices and pushes closer, tugging me between his lips until I’m gasping and throbbing and pulsing, right on the brink, my eyes falling shut…
And then he pulls away again, right as relief dangles over my head.
“What?” I gasp out.
Zack raises his head. “Sorry, pet. Don’t think you’re ready yet. You can handle a Hell of a lot more than this, remember?”