Brazen Ivy, page 2
“Why don’t you join us,” Archer’s words rushed from him.
I almost laughed, but then I caught the genuine expressions on the faces of Elliott and Graham. Were they serious?
“I uh...I couldn’t do that.” As tempting as his offer was, I won’t situate myself where I felt beholden to other people. Beholden. What an old-fashioned word, but the value of its warning still rang true today as it must have done a hundred years ago.
“Because of the money?” Archer blurted.
Graham rolled his eyes. “Archer, you ass. Have a little subtly. Ivy, look we’re not a hundred percent altruistic in inviting you. The place is damn isolated. No carryout and for sure no delivery. The guys and I have kind of gotten used to... Tuesdays are our favorite night.”
Tuesdays. My tutoring night. The evening I cooked for them and we talked and laughed together around the table.
“You prepare three squares a day for room and board,” Elliott said, clarifying their offer.
“And those chocolate chip cookies you make,” Archer said.
“Plus the brownies,” Julio added, and I bit my lip to keep from laughing at how adorable they were.
Elliott continued, “We’d head out to the cabin Memorial Day weekend and come back to Lawrence the first weekend in August.”
“You’ve really been thinking about this.” I flattened my hands against the table and looked from one guy to the next. “This isn’t some spur-of-the-moment proposition for you.”
Julio shook his head and Graham gave me an encouraging smile. Elliott studied my face in the same way I scrutinized theirs. And what were the sleeping arrangements?
“You’d have your own room,” Archer said as if reading my mind.
I lifted a brow. “The place is that big?”
“It was the family cabin. Gramps wanted there to be enough space for everyone to come out when he’d invited us. Your room has its own bathroom, too.”
Graham and Julio glared at him. I guess for jumping the gun and assuming I’d accept. Archer spoke like I was part of their crew, and the sentiment warmed me from the inside out.
“I just didn’t want you to think you’d share one with us,” he said with a shrug.
“Give the idea some thought,” Elliott suggested, “you don’t have to decide now.”
The conversation turned from summer plans. Graham mentioned a glitch he’d found in the game he was designing and the conversation faded into the background. I’d left my dorm room this evening excited. Ready to hint to Elliott that I was ready to move in another direction once our tutoring officially ended in a few weeks. But if I took Archer up on his offer, we’d all be roommates. One thing I’d learned a long time ago, roommates don’t fuck because you end up getting screwed.
Half an hour later, dinner ended, and the guys began carrying their plates to the kitchen. I stood at the counter, transferring the food into containers in silence. Thinking. The summer arrangement they proposed would solve my problems. But could open the door to a whole new set of complications. My heart pounded at the idea of being surrounded by these four men I’d grown to like.
“It’s just for a few months. You’re not signing away your life.”
I jumped at the sound of Elliott’s voice, bumping into him, my ass perfectly cradling the bulge in his pants. Tingles shimmied down my back. That was one large bulge. How big would he be if aroused and… Stop it. I forced my mind to focus on snapping the lids onto the plastic tubs.
His fingertips drew up my arms, shooting a tight longing to my core. Before I could put the brakes on my inconvenient desire, Elliott grasped my shoulders. With gentle hands, he spun me around to face him. Our gazes met. Despite our long hours of studying together, I’d never been this close to Elliott. Breathed in the heady sandalwood and bergamot scent of his cologne. Noticed the slight chill of his blue eyes. Sensed the strength of his body as he towered over me.
I swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat. After that first inkling of desire I’d felt for Elliott had sparked to life, I’d imagined he’d be the less experienced one. But that icy control I spotted in his gaze hinted at secret, dark desires. Another shiver ran down my spine, but for a different cause than simple sexual need.
Maybe my lightheadedness stemmed from the wine I’d consumed at dinner. I gazed up at him, searched his face, but the hard lines of his jaw, and the firm square of his chin gave nothing away. Only… he stared at me with an intensity that I felt rather than saw. I licked my dry lips and swallowed again.
“Ivy,” he prodded.
“Do you want me to stay with you?” I asked. My hand fluttered to his chest in the lightest of touches.
He gripped my questing fingers, stopping their progress. “You know the answer to that. You’ve always known.”
And with that I understood. Recognized he wanted me as much as I wanted him. Except…now I must keep my hands to myself all summer long, because there was no way I planned to turn down their offer.
“Are you nuts?” Melody asked as I carried a bus tub to the kitchen. She’d turned off the red neon Open sign ten minutes ago, and the last of the guests finished up their meals. I’d picked up extra shifts at the diner after my last final, which I’d aced thanks to Elliott. The extra cash should tie me over until we left for Arkansas. And bonus, I didn’t have to shlep beer at the strip club.
“I told her she was out of her mind,” Gemma added, tucking a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear. I’d had to move out of my dorm room and am crashing on her couch. Her boyfriend Connor was a complete jerk about it, but luckily Elliott picks me up Friday morning.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Their offer came at the best possible time for me. I’ve got no money and no place to live. Even if Jack allowed me to work full-time at the diner this summer, it still wouldn’t cover rent, utilities and food. Plus, I’m getting a head start on my classes next fall. Physics is going to eat my lunch, and I’ll have a cabin full of tutors.”
Gemma wrinkled her nose. “Full of dick.”
Melody snorted. “You can’t think there’s not an ulterior motive behind that invite.”
I hugged the tub closer and a dirty glass dug into my arm. “I may have thought about sleeping with Elliott.” No may about it.
“Well, you can’t,” Gemma said, waving her hands. “That many guys and only one girl? It’s gonna be a mess. The only way you make it through this summer as friends is by not sleeping with Elliott.”
My lips twisted. She may have a point.
Chapter 2
One Week Later
There’s something about telling yourself a man is off limits that forces your mind to devise countless ways of tormenting you. Challenges you to put those limits to the test.
The weather’s hot outside, and he’d lost his shirt–why not take a peek?
It’s after Midnight, and the movie is boring, but your eyelids are so heavy. Go ahead. Close your eyes. Drop your head to his shoulder. Breathe in his scent.
Why not turn that early morning dive in the lake into a skinny dip? Bonus, now you feel the water rushing over your naked breasts and heated skin. Your hunger and longing for a man’s touch only intensifies. You’re welcome!
So when I told my greedy body Elliott remained out of bounds, my hormones marched on the prowl. Oh look–here’s three other gorgeous guys who listen to you and compliment you and want to make you happy in your temporary home.
When I agreed to this summer arrangement, it didn’t register that I’d be surrounded by a buffet of testosterone. A bounty of buff bods and deep voices. Although Gemma and Melody had tried to warm me. It’s like a Thanksgiving table, and my cornucopia flowed over with every treat. I’ll take some of this man appetizer, and a little of that male entrée and top off my sensual meal a taste of each guy for dessert. My libido listed a sales pitch for each of my sexy roommates.
You want the shy, friendly one with kind eyes–here’s Julio.
Oh, feel like the moody thrill seeker with the adorable dimple in his chin? Say hello to Graham.
How about the guy with the strong hands and deliberate ways that promises he’ll attend every inch of you in bed? Ooh, Archer.
If I’m being honest, the more I told myself to stop thinking of them, only made me dream of them more. Their lips covering mine. Their fingers tracing patterns on my skin.
Once I awoke in the mornings, I began imagining the way they’d fuck throughout the rest of my day. Graham would shove me against the wall, lift my skirt and plunge inside me.
For Julio, everything proved new. He’d linger over my breasts, spend hours just watching how my nipples tightened and reacted to his touch. After exploring every fold and curve of my pussy, he’d thrust between my legs. His muscles would tremble at how good we made each other feel. What he didn’t have in finesse he’d make up in enthusiasm.
Archer would be deliberate, observing my responses as a scientist testing his hypothesis. His slow methodical approach to my body would drive me crazy until I climbed aboard and demanded the driving pump of his cock.
Only Elliott, the man who’d started me down this path of self-denial and abstinence, remained a mystery. I had no idea how he’d make love, but understood he’d be in charge of every aspect, controlled and powerful. I. Must. Know.
I shivered because I’d never known I could desire four different men at the same time. What kind of woman had I become? The idea was wrong. Forbidden. Right?
Despite how lovely I found the cozy cottage kitchen, each meal had grown into an agony that not even a few minutes alone in the shower could ease. By dinner each evening I had devolved into restless need. My skin ached for each man’s touch. My mouth watered to taste the flavor of their kiss. My empty pussy burned to be filled.
I wanted cock in my hands, in my mouth and between my legs, and I wasn’t picky how. Rough and hard. Slow and savoring. Fast and furious. The details didn’t matter. I only wished for this torment to stop. I ended tonight’s meal with the gusset of my panties soaked and my breasts heavy and uncomfortable. The same as every other night since I’d arrived.
I shooed the guys out of the eat-in kitchen as soon as the last fork returned to the tabletop of reclaimed elm. Once alone, I tucked in my earbuds and went about clearing off the rustic dining table without being surrounded by my tormentors. If any of them suspected they knew how their presence affected me, none showed it. Polite and gentlemanly.
What if they genuinely didn’t know?
I hated it when the tiny voice inside my head asked intriguing questions. Though my roommates are crazy fit, I’m guessing they missed being part of the popular jock crowd. None mentioned sports, or letter jackets or visiting their old school stadiums. Hell, the partiers and the jocks were more apt to cheat off Elliott and Archer’s papers than hang with them at lunch.
Maybe old high school insecurities kept them from realizing how hot they’d become. What’s the phrase...late bloomer? Well, all four of them had bloomed into amazing.
Julio’s compact body grew tight and lean because of his early morning swims. He spent most days at the dock working on the submersible project, his skin turning golden, his muscles lean. Archer and Graham both jogged, their chiseled calves and ripped abs made me almost pick up a sports bra and join them. Almost. They’d return smelling of sunshine and forbidden desire. One would grab an apple or orange from the bowl on the kitchen table and I’d attempt conversation while not staring at their magnificent chests. And failing.
Elliott was by far the strongest. He performed most of the manual labor around the place. Every weekend he’d choose a project like staining the logs of the cabin, clearing brush and chopping wood. I’d bring him a cool glass of lemonade, and his eyes caught mine as he downed the icy drink. His honed, nearly naked body was my reason for fleeing to my room for a little alone time.
So, if they don’t know that you want them, why not give them a hint?
There’s that tiny voice again, only this time asking ridiculous questions. And what, announce I’m obsessed with screwing them all? Yeah, four guys and one gal would never work. I’d dealt with enough boyfriends jealous over nothing in the past. And they’d never had to worry at the reality of me finding three other men tempting.
But think of the amazing orgasms.
Sure, that’s best-case scenario, but I’d also risk the very real possibility of homelessness. Not to mention losing out on the great (and cheap) tutors and missing four pretty awesome men I’d grown to care about. No, better to sit on the powder keg than light the match.
After finally getting the guys out of the kitchen, why am I still thinking of them? I needed a distraction from my wayward ideas. I grabbed my phone and scrolled through until I found a playlist of pounding tunes that always transported me to a faraway place. I danced and swayed to my music as I cleared the table. Dipped my knees and lost myself, traveling away from my thoughts filled with four men set on driving me wild.
I sunk my hands into the suds in the white farmhouse sink and water splashed onto my chest, soaking my T-shirt. My nipples puckered and the wet material clung to my breasts. I rolled my eyes at my sloppiness.
The song switched to one with a hard pounding beat, and for fun I shook my booty as I would in the club. Or around a pole. I’d learned how to work my body after taking a burlesque fitness classes with my friends Gemma and Melody before I got overloaded with school. So what if I sauntered the stripper strut as I stacked the dishes? Or the booty popped as I loaded the dishwasher? Where’s the harm in adding an extra shoulder shimmy as I wiped the countertop? It’s physical exercise.
“Ah, fuck me.”
I gasped and spun around. Graham stood a few feet away from me. His jaw slack, his green gaze drinking in my body.
Heat filled my cheeks. My roommate just caught me dancing like a woman aiming for dollars stuffed in her G-string.
Based on the bulge in his jeans, he’d liked it. He waved his hands and laughed. “Don’t stop on my account.”
“Or ours,” Elliott called.
I peered over Graham’s broad shoulders to where the rest of the guys lounged in the large family room. With the curtains drawn, darkness swathed the area, the only light emanating from the changing pictures on the muted TV mounted above the marbled gray Arkansas stone fireplace.
How long had they watched me? Long enough for the video game they’d played to kick over to the screensaver. The darkened room, balanced against the brightness of the kitchen, must have highlighted my performance like I danced on a stage. Performing for them.
Maybe a small part of me craved their attention. Only I hadn’t known the audience was real and not just in my head.
“Come in and dance for us in here,” Archer invited, his voice thick and heavy. Laden with desire. Desire for me.
I glanced from Archer to Elliott and then to Julio. We’d been building up to this moment, the five of us. I understood that now. The tension wasn’t one-sided on my part. It never had been. A wave of relief flooded me and left me breathless.
My fingers felt nerveless as I grabbed my phone to turn up the music. Was I considering this? Dance for my roommates? Perform for them? I tugged the elastic holder from my hair, freeing my long tresses and letting the waves settle about my shoulders. Then I traipsed forward.
Elliott stood as I neared him. “You up for this?” he asked, his voice deep and nothing resembling the impersonal tutor who’d helped me with my math all semester.
I found it difficult to read his expression in the shadows of the living room. His thoughts might be tough to decipher, but not his body. Sexual tension radiated from him. Even in the dark I couldn’t miss the hard-on in his jeans. My heart began to pound.
Was I ready for this?
Damn, but this man made me melt. He wanted me to dance for him. For them. Desperately. Yet double-checked it’s what I desired too. I licked my lips and then nodded.
He hissed in a breath between his teeth. “Hand me your phone.”
I placed my phone on his outstretched palm. He tapped on the settings, connecting my playlist to the TV’s sound bar via Bluetooth. I’d watched Sacred Wolf, my favorite show, on this overstuffed leather sectional the color of cocoa. Now I was the show. After a moment, the heavy beats of the erotic dance song I’d been listening to in the kitchen played all around us. Elliott positioned my cell on the coffee table and nodded
I stood against the wall with the guys sitting in front of me in a half circle on the couch and loveseat. A wave of nerves shimmied through me, and my legs refused to move. I wouldn’t be able to do this with my eyes open. With one last look at Elliott’s stoic face, my eyelids fluttered shut. I listened to my heightened breathing. Focused on the rapid beat of my heart sounding like a drum. Allowed the roll of the music conquer my doubts.
Some small part of me acknowledged our summer alone together would culminate to this–me succumbing to my utter need to please these men. Allow them to please me. There’d been too much tension, testosterone and flirtation to not conclude with me presenting my body for their pleasure.
I began to swing my hips back and forth. I loved the song playing. The music was a hot prelude to sex, and I knew when to bend my knees and roll my back to punctate the beats of the tune. Julio groaned as I dragged my palm up the bare skin of my leg. I stalled at the hem of my skirt. I played with the edge, lifting the material for a quick peek-a-boo.
The erotic beat of the drums made my blood pump. I trailed my fingers up, over my thighs, and my hips and followed along the sides of my waist until cupped my breasts. My nipples poked against the soft cotton of my T-shirt. The image on the TV screen changed and a shaft of light illuminated my body. That’s when I realized the sudsy water from the sink rendered the material stretching across my tits almost translucent. With every move, I’m flashing the guys my version of a wet T-shirt contest.
“You’re so beautiful,” Archer told me, his words barely audible above the pulse of the guitar and the rush of blood in my ears.
