Running For It by Allyson Lindt

Three

Ilost track of one kiss flowing into the next and then another. At any other time, I could deny how much I missed this—how much I missed Ramsey—but not now. This was familiar. Delicious. Everything.

When Ramsey let me go, I didn’t have time to flounder, before Hunter was tilting my head in his direction. Claiming my lips. Knotting his fingers in my hair. I swore sparks danced everywhere he touched. He and I had always connected—that whole friends-with-benefits thing—but tonight, it felt more intense.

Maybe I was making more of this than I should be. On the other hand, my memory had understated the feeling of Ramsey’s fingers gliding up my arms. His breath on my skin. Hunter’s teasing growl, as he licked a line up my neck.

Ramsey slid my zipper down my back one agonizing tooth at a time. “I missed unwrapping my favorite candy.” He drew his mouth up my shoulder to my neck, and then to nibble on my ear. “You taste even sweeter than I remember.”

“My second wish from the genie. Make me candy flavored.” It didn’t matter that I hadn’t had that conversation with them earlier; they ran with the reference.

“Your face is candy flavored.” Hunter caught my bottom lip between his teeth.

I laughed. I’d missed both of them, not just Ramsey. “One of the things I like about you. You’re not going to follow that with, So’s my cock. Want a taste?”

Hunter rolled his eyes. “Tacky. Besides, you already know it’s more of a cherry flavor.”

“It’s true.” My teasing faded into a surprised gasp when something fitted over my eyes.

Ramsey pressed his lips into the hollow behind my ear. “Since you’re only here for the night, let’s make the most of it.” He pushed my dress to the ground, leaving me blind and exposed, in nothing but a strapless bra and panties.

My anticipation was back, spiking my pulse and making my head fuzzier than any champagne could. Fingers grasped mine and tugged, all other contact falling away. I didn’t hesitate to follow. I trusted whoever led me to do so safely.

Another pair of hands rested on my hips and pulled me to a stop. My bra fell away, and my panties were pushed to the ground. Cool air kissed my dampness, and my heart hammered against my ribs.

“On the bed. On your back.” Ramsey set my hand on the edge of the mattress, so I’d know where it was.

I didn’t make any excuses or apologies for loving the way he took charge in the bedroom. The last few years apart, the arguments since—they all fell away as I did as commanded.

Silence settled into the room, blanketing me in desire and raising goosebumps everywhere. With no sight, I strained my ears for any indication of where they were. Of what came next.

Hands grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head.

Ramsey’s lips on mine drew a light moan. I didn’t need to see, to know who was kissing me; he was more demanding, serious, and eternally clean shaven. He followed a lazy path down my chest. He paused to flick his tongue over my nipples until I squirmed against Hunter’s grip, then continued his journey downward.

Ramsey kissed over my stomach. Lower. Dropped to kiss my leg near my knee.

It didn’t matter how much I struggled or groaned; I wasn’t getting free. The anticipation was delicious.

His journey back up was more excruciating. He bit the inside of my thigh, and I groaned at the spike of pleasure mingled with the sting of pain. When he finally reached the focus of my need and dragged his tongue up my pussy, my hips rose off the bed, wanting to be closer.

Hunter cupped my breast and kneaded it, rolling a nipple between his fingers.

Ramsey licked feverishly, gliding up to my clit but not making contact, before driving his tongue deep inside me. He tasted and teased, until I was whimpering, before he finally wrapped a finger on either side of my clit, and sucked the swollen bud.

I came hard, pressing into his mouth. He didn’t let up, even after I slumped back against the mattress. He dove two fingers inside me, still tracing the alphabet over my clit, pushing me past discomfort and into another orgasm.

Hunter’s grip fell away, and he pressed his lips to my shoulder. “You good?”

I nodded. “So good.” My throat was raw. Had I been screaming?

Ramsey slid between my legs, the friction of flesh on flesh dancing through every hyper-aware nerve ending. He nudged my opening, then thrust inside me, stretching me out as he buried himself to the hilt.

My breath came in shallow gasps, as he glided out to the tip before thrusting back in and working to a steady rhythm.

Hunter pressed his cock to my lips, and I parted to let him in.

Ramsey picked up the pace, until he slammed against me hard and frantic. Hunter didn’t stay in my mouth much. Their groans and touches were a new layer of eroticism, pushing me toward another climax but not over the edge.

Hunter’s grunts shifted, and I knew he was coming. My body remembered all these sounds. Scents. Sensations. Tastes as that first salty spurt hit the back of my throat, and he emptied himself in my mouth.

Goddess, I’d missed this.

The mattress near my head shifted, and then by my shoulders and side, as Hunter moved next to me.

Lips wrapped around one of my nipples, and Hunter flicked with his tongue. He sought out my clit, teasing and coaxing while Ramsey fucked me.

I lost track of where one feeling ended and the next one started, as I tumbled into another orgasm. Ramsey’s grip on my legs, his punctuated groans, told me he was there too.

My world spun in the best way possible, though the ride had stopped. I was lost in a cloud of post-coital amazingness.

Ramsey loosened the blindfold and tugged me onto my side, as he lay facing me. He kissed the tip of my nose. “Missed you, Taffy.”

“I missed you too.” It didn’t change anything, but there was no reason to get into reality right now. We’d established rules before we started, and the world would still be waiting in the morning.

I was vaguelyaware of the mattress shifting. This wasn’t my pillow or my sheets, but I knew that scent…

“I’ll talk to you in a few hours.” That was Ramsey’s whisper.

I reluctantly pried one eye open, to find a fully dressed Ramsey pulling away from Hunter and standing.

“What’s wrong? What time is it?” Sleep slurred my words and my brain.

Ramsey moved to my side of the bed. “It’s barely four. Go back to sleep.” His tone was soft and kind.

“But—”

He brushed his lips over mine. “I have an early meeting, but there’s no reason you have to be up yet. Sleep. Enjoy the room.” He kissed me lightly again. “Last night was amazing.”

Warm fuzzies flitted in my chest and wrapped me in warmth. I wouldn’t ask if we could do it again, but the words were right there.

“See you both later.” And Ramsey was gone.

What wasn’t he saying? The desire to sleep, plus the lingering feeling of security, wouldn’t let me focus on the question.

“Come on. I’m tired. You’re comfortable.” Hunter wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back into him.

The touch was familiar. Safe. Hunter had been a good friend and was a brilliant cuddler. It wasn’t like I was going to make a habit of this, so it wouldn’t hurt to finish out the night here.

“You’re ringing.” Hunter’s sleepy voice dragged me awake again.

The numbers on the clock taunted my blurry gaze. “Your face is ringing.” Not my best comeback, but it was five in the morning.

“That doesn’t even make sense.” Hunter extracted himself from the bed.

Your face doesn’t make sense.Nope. I was awake enough now that no longer sounded clever. I sat up, took my purse from him when he handed it over, and extracted my phone.

Luna.If she were calling instead of texting, it couldn’t be good. “Hello?”

“Violet? You need to get here now. There’s water everywhere, and it’s so hot, and—oh God—I don’t know what to do.” Panic rang heavy in her voice.