My labored breathing gusts against her hair and I kiss her shoulder before easing back and out of her.
I slip away to the bathroom, dispose of the condom, and return with a warm, damp cloth that I use to clean her up. She was so opposed to trying this before, I want every aspect of it to be positive so she’s willing to do it again. The surge of tenderness extends to Maddox too, but he’s already removed his plug before I have a chance to, and he takes the cloth from me to clean himself.
Celeste collapses into a heap at Maddox’s side, curling into him like a contented kitten. I continue cleaning up, determined to see this through as the necessary conclusion to a night beyond my wildest dreams, but I’m at a loss with the handful of toys.
“Ah, is there something special I need to do to clean these?”
“Hot, soapy water. That’s it. You really are invested in this, aren’t you?” Maddox turns his head to peer through the open bathroom door at me.
I’m surprised by the question, but even more by the realization of how perfect a night it’s been. How I want more already, like I can’t get enough. In the process of fulfilling one ongoing fantasy, I’ve managed to come up with a hundred more. “It’s like a fucking drug, man. I’m already hard again.”
“Well, put a pin in it for now. I think Celeste’s ass needs a rest.”
“It’s not hers I’m thinking about.” I walk toward the bed with a towel in one hand and a toy in the other, drying it off, then set down the largest of the plugs on the nightstand. I stare into Maddox’s eyes and he laughs.
“My ass is yours whenever you want it, Leo. I’m not going anywhere. There’s time.”
I’m jittery with want, my cock hard and throbbing even though I just came a few minutes ago. I stand over the pair of them, eyes flitting between them as they look up at me. Celeste’s brow scrunches as if she’s worried, and I let out a frustrated groan and swipe my hands over my face.
“Fuck, you two look so perfect. I want more. I want it all now that I’ve had a taste. This is so much better than I expected.”
“You’re not alone,” Maddox says. “Get the fuck over here.”
He nudges Celeste over, and she moves to make room for me to climb into the bed at Maddox’s back. Celeste’s breathing deepens within moments, but I’m practically high from the feel of Maddox’s hard body in front of me, and closing my eyes only makes me imagine all the things we haven’t done yet.
My hands itch to touch him the way I might touch Celeste, just to feel her soft, silky skin beneath my palm, but I hesitate to let myself indulge that way with him. I leave one hand resting on his bare hip while I bend the other arm beneath my head, remaining as still as I can to avoid disturbing him if he’s trying to sleep. But after a moment he covers my hand with his and threads his fingers between mine, pulling it up to his chest. The irregular texture of his skin presses against my palm, and I’m acutely aware of how privileged this makes me, to be able to see him laid so bare.
“You don’t need to hold back with me,” he whispers. “Take what you want, Leo.”
I swallow hard, my body buzzing with all the possibilities he’s opened up for us. Things I would have never known I wanted if I hadn’t taken this risk with him and Celeste tonight. I extract my hand from his and begin to trace the upraised marks of his skin. In some spots, the texture differs between his battle scars and the patterns of his tattoos. I work my way across his left shoulder, down his chest, and stop when I reach his nipple. His breathing has been slow and even until now, but it quickens when I draw a tight circle around the small, hard nub, then begin to tease it.
“You like that?” I ask, my voice rough with a need I’m barely able to hold at bay. My groin is pressed against the round swell of his ass, and I’ve managed to ignore my stiff cock until now.
“I love everything about this,” he murmurs. The reply makes fresh arousal surge south, but I ignore the desire to take things further. It’s enough that he’s given me permission; I trust that he won’t take it away when I have the energy to focus and make it good. Instead, I snuggle closer, overwhelmed by how well his solid, bulky shape fits against me. Leaving off the idle caresses of his torso, I slide my arm farther around his middle, then seek out Celeste in the dark.
She presses closer to Maddox, and I lift my hand to her cheek, brushing my fingertips across it. I peer at her over Maddox’s shoulder, my gaze searching hers for evidence that she has an issue with the direction our relationship has taken, that this new desire of mine might somehow be the breaking point for us. But she doesn’t look disgusted, or even surprised. She looks happy.
She turns her head and kisses my palm, holding my hand against her cheek. Then she slides her arm across Maddox to press her hand against my chest, right in the center where I wear my heart so publicly on the surface of my skin.
34
Maddox
When I wake in the pre-dawn darkness, I might be inclined to think I’m dreaming, sandwiched between the pair of them with Leo’s body mashed up against my back, but
