Foundations: The Power of Three Love Series Read online

  * * *

  I woke suddenly to Arden’s touch. “I need you so fucking much, right now, hon.”

  Arden’s grin told me exactly what he wanted—pure fucking. I took him by the hand and led him to the couch that was in our room close to the foot of the bed. “Thank fuck! I told you I wanted to partake in a little bit of voyeurism,” I moaned.

  “You’re a dirty man, you know, and I can’t get enough of you.” Arden grinned. I took the lube next to the end table by our couch. “You’re my life, Daimen. It’ll always be you and me,” he said, holding my face. “And when Elliot is ours, my love for you won’t change, but seeing you the way you were with her tonight will make me love you more—kind and sweet and so not like the hardass I fell in love with.”

  “Oh, you’re a sweet-talker, aren’t you?” I goaded, pushing his body against the couch. With one thrust, his moan elicited a desire to go deeper and explore every part of him. “You feel so good. Fuck.” My movements increased, but I had to let loose. It was going to be one of those nights between us. Circling one hand around him, I stroked his cock fast. My teeth sank into his skin, a little love bite that caused him to grow against my touch. Arden loved it rough like this.

  “Mark me, bite me, hurt me—I’m yours.” The sound of rustling sheets had Arden whipping his head back. “Um, babe, I think we have company,” he interjected, his eyes following the shadow behind us.

  With the thought of Ell watching me from behind, it took me no time to find the sweet spot in my man. With one last thrust, I came so hard, and it set off Arden too. With both of us working through our orgasms, I brought Arden with me as I turned to Ell. “Beautiful, you okay?” I asked casually, in the hopes that we didn’t send her running for the hills. “Ell, did we scare you?” Though she’d seen us before, this was different. She was now ours and I wasn’t letting her go without a fight.

  “You guys are beautiful making love to one another,” she simply stated. “You love each other so much, that’s obvious, but seeing it like this? Wow.”

  Bringing Arden into an embrace one last time and kissing him on his neck, I released him, then closed the space between Ell and me. Holding her close to my naked body, I asked, “It didn’t freak you out?”

  “No, not at all. But I don’t know how to compete with this sort of love. All I know is that I want to be loved like that.”

  “It’s safe to say, we’re starting to love you,” Arden chimed in, snuggling her from behind.

  “You’re beautiful men, and you make love so tenderly.” Not sure that was all that tender, but I’d get into my kinks later. I pulled them both into bed with me, adding, “And we will make love in that way with you one day too.”

  31

  Elliot

  When I’d woken up to Daimen and Arden making love, I’d crawled to the foot of the bed to watch. It might sound creepy, but as much as they claimed to include me in every aspect of their life, it hit me all at one time; I was wanted—with them always.

  When I heard Daimen tell Arden, “Um, babe, we have company,” I was never embarrassed. With a big smile on my face, a couple of tears escaped my eyes. I’d never been touched with so much intimacy and love before—certainly never with Keith. As a matter of fact, the only time I’d remembered feeling remotely like this was when the term hot stuff was first coined eight years ago. Though we’d agreed it would only be a one-night stand, the closeness was there, even when he wasn’t more than a stranger I’d just met.

  The fierceness in their eyes as we all tumbled back in bed was expressed as their hands roamed my body. Daimen always had an edge to him, but in the past couple of days, his softer side had shown.

  His lips peppered kisses up my neck. I faced Arden, his hands circling my nipples; the gruff but sexy voice of Daimen asked again, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  It was the first time I’d seen them shirtless—actually naked—and my imagination of their bare bodies didn’t do them justice. Daimen was broader, whereas Arden was a little taller yet leaner. But what caught my attention was the tattoos on their biceps. They were different tribal tattoos with the other man’s initials interwoven. Hell, it wasn’t like they could have been any sexier, yet the fucking tattoos did that.

  Watching them was every kind of beautiful I’d imagined in a committed relationship. I’d be lying if there wasn’t a concern that niggled at me. “You guys, it was just that—how can I compete with this sort of love? I want to be loved like that.”

  “Ell, it’s safe to say that we are headed down that road. Hell, there’s no one I ever thought could come close to the love I have for Arden, but I see that in you, beautiful. Can’t you feel it too?” His vulnerability in this second was sexier than him standing with me naked, which was a sight in and of itself.

  * * *

  My eyes fluttered open as sunlight entered the room. It was hard to believe it was already morning. Before I could entertain the strange bed I was in, a dip in the mattress had me turning my head to the side. It didn’t take me long to remember I’d finally chosen my happiness over family drama. In front of me was one of the men who brought me to my knees last night. Looking around for Arden, I felt Daimen’s hand land on my face in a gentle caress. “Sorry I woke you, little girl. I got up to see Arden off this morning.”

  My smile faded instantly at the thought of not saying goodbye to him. The rugged Italian next to me seemed to read my mind when he said, “Yes, beautiful, he’s gone for now. It’s okay, though. He’ll call us as soon as he makes it back to Chicago.”

  “Yes, of course. I was just hoping, well, um …”

  “What? Just tell me.” He smiled, snuggling in close.

  “I was hoping I would see you both together again before he left. Watching you make love, cherishing one another … I know I already said it, but, Daimen, it was everything.”

  “Arden has always been more than just my lover and partner in life. He’s my best friend. Growing up, it was the three of us, and where I miss Spence, Arden made sense in my life. Like if he wasn’t in it, my life would have been more screwed up.” He paused, and in that Daimen Torano hardness, I saw a softness emerge. “You know, I don’t share this with many people, but I’m not lying when I tell you I want you.” He paused for a brief second. “My mother was abusive. I know that sounds odd. I mean, you’d think it’d be the dad, but Mom—well, her backhand could have won her Wimbledon. Her rage was like a light switch.”

  He was not done, but my heart broke for him at the same time, and it illustrated vividly the affection developing between us. With our bodies turned to each other in bed, my hand roamed across his muscular abdomen, and I waited for him to open up in his own time.

  Daimen’s eyes turned away, unable to look at me directly. Taking in a deep breath, he continued, “Arden would come over to the house every couple of days, pack a bag for my brother, pick me up off the floor—literally—and grab my baby sister out of her crib. He’d carry her as we followed him to his house. His parents raised us until my mom would come and find us days later and make us go home. It was basically rinse and repeat for years—to the point that Arden didn’t have to carry Daria anymore because she was able to walk. I stayed in Illinois to make sure my brother and sister survived. I wanted to follow Arden to Georgia more than my need to breathe, but my siblings took priority over my own happiness. It was then I knew I loved Arden.”

  I wanted to know it all. I needed all he was willing to share with me in order to piece together the mystery of this man. The hurt he still carried at the hands of his parents was something awful I couldn’t seem to fathom. “You know what’s odd? My mother’s brother was just as abusive to his family. It’s something that linked me with my cousin all these years,” he added, and I was very familiar with Langston Jamison. “It’s funny. With our success, everyone thought we were born with a silver spoon in our mouth, but the load of shit we’d lived through only made us stronger.”

  “But when Arden left, I wasn’t ready to face my
sexuality. I was confused. I mean, I loved women, and I wasn’t going to give them up. But in college, I realized how much a man turned me on. I kept it from Spence, who was my roommate and other best friend at the time. I’d talk to Arden often but never shared it. And of course, my parents were repulsed by it when they finally found out.”

  He squeezed my hand. “And then we were in a relationship with our old business partner and another woman.” I needed to know what all that entailed. “Ah, I see you’re curious, little girl, and already making assumptions in your head.” I laughed when he kissed my forehead. “Arden, Spence, and I shared a girl together. Arden and I weren’t together, but I was already in love with him. One night, when it was just Arden and me, we finally let all the chemistry hit us. But Spence didn’t like us together. He gave Lana an ultimatum, and she chose Spence, claiming she wanted a normal life.”

  It was the same reason I had given them too, so I sort of understood it. But I still devoured every piece of information coming at me and hoped he wasn’t finished. This closeness that we were forging was bridging the gap I’d felt compared to the foundation I’d already built with Arden.

  “And it was why losing Lana sent me in a tailspin. Sure, I still had Arden, and without him, I’m not sure I could’ve survived. But growing up with the kind of insecurity I had, never knowing if my mom’s fits would kill me or my siblings, all I wanted was a sanctuary of love and affection. Losing Lana caused that foundation to crumble.” He placed his hand on my cheek, his eyes softening. “Arden repaired the cracks, and now with you, that foundation is stronger than it’s ever been.”

  I remained silent, taking every syllable and retaining it to memory—for our future.

  “And people—they are so fucking up in arms over a love like this, like ours. But I couldn’t give two shits. Of all who matter in my life, Arden is first and foremost. You’re becoming an equal partner in what we’ve been attempting to build for years.”

  I pressed a kiss to his forehead and words could never express the gratitude of him opening up to me like this. All I needed was his trust, and he gave it to me tenfold. With me cradled in his arms, we fell back asleep. For some reason, I felt closer to Daimen Torano than I had even ten minutes earlier.

  * * *

  Did I fall back to sleep? The low hum of Daimen’s breathing had my own body buzzing too. With him snoozing, I watched the profile of this man who was willing to share the love of his life with me. His dark and sharp features, even while he snoozed, were a thing of beauty. In only his boxers, I saw a couple of tattoos I’d missed last night. His underwear rode low on him, and a small heart with Arden’s name was on display near his manhood. On the other side was the Italian flag. It was too cute—especially on him.

  In the privacy of just Daimen and me, I remembered back when I was with Arden, and a bolt of lightning had nothing on us. The night was never just a memory with me; our bodies yearned for one another as though we were the only ones on this earth. His pull was still there from the moment I recognized him.

  But with Daimen in my sights, I didn’t have to wonder what the first time with him would be like. Our chemistry would be just as intense. It was a given because if he turned Arden on, as I was witness to last night, I understood he’d have me panting for everything with him.

  I’d been good long enough. My desire that started low down in my stomach was calling for me to reach out and physically touch him. After one simple stroke down his long arm, he stretched, waking with a smile. His eyes adjusted to the late morning light, and he reached for me. The scruff on his face highlighted the burly look he was sporting first thing. I loved my men with a five o’clock shadow, though technically, it was morning. With his brilliant grin, my heart raced. I could physically hear the thump, thump of it.

  “Morning, beautiful. You’re a treat to wake to this morning.” He’d pulled me in when I jerked back instantly.

  “Morning breath, Daimen.”

  “Ah, fuck that shit. I don’t care.” Pushing down the comforter to the bed, I was greeted with his morning wood. “And someone else is coming out to play.” The tip pushed out of the slit of his boxers, and I was shocked by something else.

  “Holy hell, is that …?”

  “Yep.” His smile gleaned when he understood where my line of sight was. “And believe me, Arden loves it. I’m positive you’ll find it quite … um … pleasurable.”

  The heat that was in my belly was growing. His deep chuckle along with his Prince Albert had me hot and bothered, and I couldn’t look away from it.

  “Um, beautiful, you can touch it. I mean, I can suffer through it, and I won’t complain.”

  I scoffed at the sarcasm in is voice. “But what about Arden?”

  He shifted to his side, locking his eyes with mine. “Listen, little girl, we won’t cross that line. When we’re together for the first time, and yes, you heard me—when we’re together because it’s going to happen—it’ll be the three of us. But for now, Arden won’t be upset by some petting and touching. Actually, the smug SOB will get off on it, I’m sure.” Something about him calling Arden an asshole or SOB was so freaking hot. And my south pole was begging for some petting of its own.

  I reached out for Daimen’s cock of mass destruction because I worried about it destroying me, and I handled it with care. “It won’t bite you, little girl.” I smiled because I’d never seen something this big, well, except for Arden. I remembered his cock was glorious too.

  “It’s so big and pretty.” I stared at it while my hand made its way to the base, squeezing gently and pulling up with the same care. He released a hiss and laugh at the same time.

  “Pretty? That’s a new one.” But soon, I rendered him completely silent when his head flew back, looking straight at the ceiling. My goal was to make this little hand job one he’d beg me for in the future. “Fuck, little girl, I won’t last long.” My concentration was solely on him until his fingers reached due North to my panties finding my very wet continent of Antarctica. Yep, I referred to my body as a map during sex. But his voice drew me back in when he began, “You’re wet for me, little girl, aren’t you?”

  I winked his way as his other hand slid up my tank top to my nipple. Working his thumb and finger around it, he pinched, causing my hips to buck. “I love this side of you, Ell. You aren’t so prim and proper, are you, little girl?”

  I shook my head as a wide smile crossed his face, and it was less than five seconds before I was screaming his name with release. I hadn’t had this kind of relief since Arden was inside me. Except for maybe last night.

  I didn’t realize he had come until I felt it on my fingers. Satisfied I’d brought him pleasure with just my hand, I leaned in and kissed him. Daimen’s booming voice said, “Now that is what I call a fucking great wake-up call, little girl.”

  “Back at you, caveman.” His grin grew with my own little pet name for him.

  * * *

  I hated to leave, but Arden had called him with a work emergency, so I took the time to clean up. After the shower, I smelled something delicious calling to me from the kitchen. I saw Daimen singing and dancing to “Wagon Wheel.” Stifling a laugh, I’d never would have picked country music as his jam, but it was mighty sexy. He even turned the French toast and bacon to the beat of the music. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the sight.

  He turned with pink cheeks covering his face. “Hey, beautiful, I guess you saw my sexy dancing,” he joked, kissing me on the cheek. “And by the way, we never need to mention this to anyone.”

  “Sexy, yeah, not sure that’s the word for it,” I teased, although he looked sexy to me in everything he did. Even when he and Arden argued loudly with one another over architectural details. A week ago, I would never have believed this side of Daimen existed. “I never took you for a country music lover,” I added.

  “Oh, first off, you bruise my very sensitive ego. I’m always fucking sexy,” he proclaimed with a wink while he laid his hand on his chest over his
heart. “Second, for the record, that’s not the country version of this song. It’s by the Old Crow Medicine Show and was co-written by Bob Dylan. I bet you didn’t know that,” he stated as if he were Wikipedia.

  “Wow, so much information! First off, your sensitive ego? I’d hate to see it if it ever got inflated.” I loved teasing him in this way without it going to blows. “And I had no idea there was more than one version of this song. I’ll file it away for when I’m a contestant on Jeopardy.” Before I could add more, he flipped me off. “Ah, that’s not nice, but I’m glad there’s food. I’m famished.” I grabbed a piece of bacon and took a bite, but added, “I’ve gotta work out today. It’s been too long, and if you’re going to carb me out, I need to go on a run or something.”

  A cocky grin covered his face. “We have a gym here with a treadmill and a full weight set. We can work out together, and I mean, a real workout.”

  “Can we do that after breakfast? I hate working out, but I love wearing a bikini, so it’s a must.”

  “First off, when can I see you in that bikini, by the way? Second, you do your thing, and I will do mine in the same space. Fair?”

  “That sounds like it could be fun. What do you do to work out?” I asked.

  “Run for an hour, then weights,” he informed me, putting more French toast on my plate. He turned around to grab syrup and butter for us both.

  “I won’t be working out that long, so I’ll move back in the guest room tonight since I’m feeling better.”

  Daimen popped his head up, slowly shaking it. “No, little girl, don’t do that. Please?”

  I pressed my lips together, determined to win. “It’s just … I want to respect Arden and don’t want to do anything that’ll upset him.”

  “Oh, beautiful, are you telling me you won’t be able to keep your hands off me?” His cocky smile bore into my desire, and honestly, I wasn’t sure I could keep my hands off his body.