Three of a Kind Read online

  Hunter took a deep breath beneath her. “Mate, I appreciate your honesty. I do.” He squeezed Julia tight, as though seeking courage from her. “I…I’m just not ready for more than that blowjob yet.”

  It was Jay’s turn to remain silent.

  Julia pressed her hand to Hunter’s cheek. “Will you ever be ready?”

  Hunter grimaced. “Uh, I don’t know.”

  Jay inhaled sharply.

  “The thing is…it’s all new to me. Too new.” Hunter looked at Jay. “Whatever just happened between us, whatever it means—” Hunter tripped over his words. “I need time to wrap my head around it.”

  “How much time?” Jay asked.

  “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Maybe a day, maybe a month. Maybe more, maybe less.”

  “Yeah, that’s real specific, mate.”

  “Jay,” Hunter said, and Julia could hear from his voice that he was deadly serious. “You were right when you said I, er, wanted you. I…do. But the realization is fucking with my head.” He shuddered. “This isn’t who I am, it’s not what I do.”

  “You’re the same person you were an hour ago,” Jay told him. “Wanting to be with a man doesn’t change that.”

  Hunter seemed preoccupied. “Yeah, it does.” He hugged Julia tight, then hoisted her off him. Waiting only to see she sat comfortably, he stood and began to pace around the room.

  “Hunter—” Julia began. She’d never seen him like this, all agitated and upset.

  He cut her off. “This changes everything. It changes my perception of myself and of my past.” He looked horrified. “Jesus, it changes my whole fucking life.”

  Jay sat up. “Mate, kissing a guy doesn’t alter the world.”

  “Oh, really?” Hunter careened to a halt. “That hasn’t been my experience.”

  “Kissing me changed your life?” Jay raised an eyebrow.

  “You’re not the guy I’m talking about.” Hunter’s eyes glazed over.

  Jay gawked at him.

  “You’ve kissed another man?” Julia asked, scarcely able to believe her ears.

  “He wasn’t a man.” Hunter’s voice was hollow. “He was just a kid. We both were. Barely teenagers.” He closed his eyes. Pain was etched across his face.

  A long silence followed.

  Jay opened his mouth to speak, but Julia looked at him and shook her head. Hunter was lost in his memories of another place and time, and she didn’t want to disturb him. Whatever he was thinking about, it was deeply personal. If he cared to share it with them, he’d do so at his own pace.

  She shuffled closer to Jay, and he wrapped his arm around her. They waited, both watching Hunter. Jay tensed beside her, his muscles flexing as though he wanted to reach out to the other man. Julia ached for Hunter, for whatever unknown hurt he held inside.

  “He walked in on us.” Hunter didn’t open his eyes. Nor did he elaborate.

  “Who did?” Jay asked softly.

  “My father.” The lack of emotion in his voice troubled Julia. “He kicked Scott out, threatened to kill him if he ever stepped foot in our house again.” Hunter barked out a harsh laugh. “Scott never said another word to me. Never even looked in my direction.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Julia whispered.

  “I can’t blame him. My father’s a scary son of a bitch.”

  “Did he frighten you?” she asked cautiously.

  “Shitless.” Hunter nodded, but still he spoke with no emotion. “After he threw Scott out, he came back to my room and closed the door.” Hunter took a deep breath. “He took off his black leather belt and whipped me eight times with it.” He rubbed his butt cheek absentmindedly. The same cheek that bore a long, thin, faded scar. “Eight times. With the buckle end of the belt.”

  Julia sat frozen to the spot, too appalled to respond.

  A fierce growl emanated from deep in Jay’s chest.

  She’d asked Hunter about the scar. He’d avoided answering, saying something about a stupid childhood accident.

  “He called me twisted. Abnormal. Swore that no son of his would grow up a screaming queen. Accused me of disgracing him and his family name. He told me fags were an anomaly, an abomination.” Hunter shrugged. “I believed him.”

  Loathing rose in Julia’s chest. She’d never met his father, but she hated him with every fiber of her being.

  “He was wrong,” Jay said from between clenched jaws. The rage in his eyes matched her fury.

  “Not in the mind of a thirteen-year-old boy,” Hunter disagreed. “I was confused anyway, not sure whether I liked guys or girls. My father set me straight.” He gave an empty laugh. “Literally.”

  “Give me five minutes alone with the fucker,” Jay murmured under his breath.

  “Stand in line,” Julia muttered. Christ, and she thought she’d have trouble when her parents found out about her threesome. Hunter’s horror story made her fears pale to nothing in comparison.

  “I never kissed another guy,” Hunter said. “Until now.”

  Jay swore out loud. He was on his feet before Julia registered he’d moved. Hunter watched him approach, his gaze guarded. Jay didn’t flounder. He reached Hunter, opened his arms and pulled the other man into his embrace.

  Hunter flinched, but Jay didn’t release him. Instead he held him tighter, closer.

  The tendons in Hunter’s neck bulged, revealing his stress and his indecision.

  Jay whispered in his ear.

  Hunter’s shoulders slumped.

  Jay whispered again, and after a moment Hunter nodded.

  Jay stroked his back.

  Hunter’s shoulders went rigid. He tried to pull away.

  “Please stay.” Jay’s voice was hoarse. “Let me help you.”

  Seconds passed. Hunter remained in Jay’s embrace. He even leaned into his friend as though imbibing his touch, his support, but his arms hung limp at his sides.

  Julia could stand it no longer. She had to join her men. Hunter’s ragged breath echoed through her as she stepped behind him, wound her arms around his waist, and pressed in close against him. “Let both of us help you.”

  He pushed back, molding himself to her body.

  Jay moved his hands to rest on her shoulders and hugged both Julia and Hunter tight. Together Jay and Julia held Hunter for a very long time.

  Finally Hunter spoke. “I never kissed another guy.” His voice was hoarse as he repeated his earlier confession.

  Julia’s heart broke for him.

  “Until now.” The tenderness in Jay’s gaze filled Julia with love.

  Hunter nodded.

  “You’ve also never fucked a guy,” Jay said.

  Hunter didn’t respond.

  Jay dropped a light kiss on Hunter’s neck then whispered in his ear. “When you’re ready, I’d be honored to be your first.”

  A violent tremor shook Hunter.

  Julia stood on her tiptoes and kissed Jay’s cheek.

  “And I’d be honored if you were there with us,” Jay told her. “Together we can show Hunter that making love with someone you desire is neither an abomination nor an anomaly.”

  “I’d like that,” she answered, her voice thick with unshed tears. “But only if you’d be okay with it, Blondie.”

  “I…I’m…” Hunter cleared his throat. “Whatever Jay and I do, I’d want you with us, Jules. You know that. But please. Give me time on this issue. Both of you.”

  “As much as you need, mate,” Jay reassured him.

  “We’ll give you whatever you need to get past what your father did and said to you,” Julia promised.

  “Anything,” Jay agreed, and then gently as could be, he covered Hunter’s mouth with his own.

  The groan that Hunter released resonated with sorrow and pain.

  Julia rested her head on Hunter’s
back and prayed Jay’s lips had begun a process that would eventually heal their lover’s pain.

  Chapter Seven

  “You sure you don’t want to go out somewhere and watch the fireworks?” Hunter asked, looking out the window.

  “I’m more than content where we are,” Julia answered. They were spending New Year’s Eve at Jay’s flat. It had a stunning view of the Harbour Bridge, making it an ideal place to enjoy the New Year festivities. They’d already watched the nine o’clock fireworks from the balcony. The midnight show promised to be even more impressive.

  “I’m happy to stay in too.” Jay shifted down the couch where seconds earlier she’d been cuddled up to him. “No way I could strip Jules naked if we were out somewhere in public.”

  Most of her clothes were already scattered around the lounge room. Her glasses, T-shirt, jeans and bra were already off, and Jay was just getting started on her panties. It never failed to amaze Julia how quickly Jay could divest her of her clothing—or how cloudy her reasoning became when his talented hands went to work.

  Hunter turned to them in amused silence.

  “Ya know I could strip you naked too, don’t you?” Jay asked him before he latched onto the strap of her black lace panties with his teeth.

  “I know.” Hunter nodded.

  Julia’s heart swelled with love for both of them. Jay had stripped Hunter naked twice since Hunter’s story had come out.

  The first time, Julia had held Hunter’s hand tight as Jay undressed him. When nervous shudders wracked Hunter’s body, she’d soothed him with words of love and affirmation. As Jay slid his lips and tongue over Hunter’s dick, Julia warded off his fears with a tender kiss. When Hunter’s eyes glazed over, and she realized he was getting lost in his memories and doubts of his past, Julia had hauled him back to the present. She’d pressed his hand to her pussy and shown him how much the two men’s actions affected her. How incredibly aroused she was watching Jay blowing Hunter.

  She’d kept his hand there, guiding it to her clit so she could rub herself against him. And when Hunter had finally won his battle with his misguided conscience and erupted in Jay’s mouth, she’d come on his fingers.

  The second time had been less emotionally taxing for all of them. Hunter was more relaxed, more accepting of his desire for Jay. So when Jay dropped his head in Hunter’s lap, Julia joined him in his feast. Together they’d brought Hunter to a spectacular orgasm.

  It was a slow process, but Hunter was overcoming his fear of his father and conquering his misconceptions of his desire for men. Gradually he was admitting to himself and to them that he liked men as much as he did women. More specifically, he’d confessed his desire for Jay equaled his lust for Julia. His willingness to let Jay in, in the face of his past, made him the bravest man she’d ever met. And Jay’s gentleness and understanding made her adore him even more.

  She giggled as Jay tossed her panties over the back of the couch and licked a sensitive spot on her upper left thigh. “Come closer, Blondie,” she summoned Hunter, delighted by the lightheartedness of his mood. “I’ll strip you, and Jay can lick us both.”

  “Or you could both lick me,” Jay suggested and planted a tiny kiss on her hip.

  Hunter growled.

  A shiver of anticipation swept up Julia’s spine. Would Hunter do that again? Last night, sitting tentatively beside Julia, Hunter had taken Jay’s cock in his mouth and given him head for the first time.

  He’d begun with awkward licks and uncertain sucks, but his confidence—and erection—had grown as Jay responded with loud moans and uncontrolled spasms. Within minutes, Hunter had lost himself in his task. As he’d told Julia later, he’d simply done to Jay what he enjoyed having done to himself. And if Jay’s thunderous shout of release had been anything to go by, he’d enjoyed it too.

  The sight of Hunter blowing Jay had Julia so turned on that the second Jay came she’d impaled herself on Hunter’s dick. The two of them hadn’t lasted a minute.

  Jay sat up and ran a finger through the folds of her pussy. Julia sighed at the delicious sensations his touch evoked.

  “Both of us licking you is a thought,” Hunter said noncommittally.

  Jay looked at Hunter. “Would you rather fuck me?”

  Julia caught her breath.

  Hunter didn’t reply.

  “Miles?” Jay prompted, and there was a not-so-subtle change to the air around them.

  It took a few seconds for Hunter to answer. “I-I’ve never considered making love to a man before you.” His voice was raw with emotion.

  Goosebumps broke out on Julia’s skin. Hunter hadn’t spoken about fucking or sex. He’d used the words making love, and Julia was pretty sure they were a deliberate choice.

  Jay did not have a quick comeback or a cheeky grin. He simply stared at Hunter. Julia couldn’t let Hunter’s statement pass unacknowledged, nor could she let him carry the load of the conversation. It was too heavy for a man with such a tortured past.

  “Have you ever made love to another man, Jay?” she asked.

  Jay shook his head. “No.” His voice was husky. “I…I’ve been with other men, but…” He looked up at Hunter. “But it was never about love.”

  Julia’s breath caught in her throat.

  Hunter stumbled backwards until he found the other couch and collapsed into it. “Jay…”

  “Blame Jules,” he told Hunter, his voice still not quite normal. “It’s her fault. I watched her watching you for four months.”

  “You watched me?” Julia blustered. “But…but that would mean you knew I had the hots for Hunter.”

  “Of course I knew.” Jay stroked her clit again, making her moan from the exquisite sensations. “You drooled every time you looked at him.”

  “She drooled when she looked at you, Jay,” Hunter corrected. His voice was deep and sexy. “It made me jealous as hell.”

  So much for her brilliant bluffing technique. She bent her knee to allow Jay better access. “I drooled over both of you. A lot.” She still did. “What’s your point, Jay?”

  He drew his finger through her slick folds. “It made me wonder what you saw when you looked at Hunter,” Jay said, his gaze focused between Julia’s legs. “So I started watching him too.” He shrugged and color rose in his cheeks. “Now I know,” he whispered.

  “I saw a man I fell in love with a little more every day. A man I desperately wanted to make love with,” Julia told Jay. Her voice was lower than usual. Arousal made it difficult to talk.

  Jay’s smile was shy. He turned to look at Hunter. “That’s pretty much what I saw.”

  Hunter didn’t answer. At all. In fact the silence stretched out for so long, Julia began to get edgy. “It’s too quiet,” she said. “Why haven’t you said anything, Blondie?”

  It was Jay who answered. “Sometimes words aren’t necessary.”

  “What does that mean?” She peered at the couch, but Hunter sat too far away for her to see him clearly. His hands were moving near his lap, but his face was a blur.

  Jay gave a small laugh. “Ah, for a minute there I forgot you weren’t wearing your glasses.” His voice was thick with repressed passion. He dipped his finger inside her, pushing it deep into her channel and then out again. “Hunter’s looking at us, baby. He’s unbuttoning his pants.” Jay shuddered. His tone dropped a notch, and he buried his finger inside her once more. “He’s looking at us and stroking himself at the same time.”

  Blood rushed to Julia’s head. Sweet, hot desire rose in her body. She squeezed her inner muscles around Jay’s finger. “Do you think Hunter saw in us what we saw in him?”

  Again Jay nodded. “I suspect he did.”

  “Hunter,” Julia said softly, arching her hips so Jay could penetrate her deeper. “Did you fall in love with us a little more every day?”

  Hunter spoke in a voice mellowed with l
ust and emotion. “Ah, Four Eyes. I’ve loved you since day one. You should know that by now.”

  “And you desperately want to make love to me?”

  “More desperately every time I see you,” Hunter confirmed.

  Julia melted inside. “How about Jay?”

  “I wanted Jay all along.” This time his voice was tinged with something else. Trepidation? “But I couldn’t admit it.”

  “You’re admitting it now,” Julia said softly.

  “It’s becoming easier to acknowledge.”

  “Are you ready to act on your acknowledgement?” Jay asked. Julia could hear the anticipation in his question.

  Hunter let out a long breath. “Not yet.”

  Jay sighed. “Pity,” he said. “Because watching you pull on your dick like that…” He let his words trail off.

  “You know what I’d really like?” Hunter asked.

  “Tell us,” Julia invited.

  Hunter’s answer reverberated down her spine, sending tentacles of desire snaking through her. “I want to watch Jay make love to you.”

  Holy moly. That sounded both wicked and delicious. Julia squirmed on the couch as her body tightened at the thought.

  “And what’ll you do?” Jay asked. If he was disappointed the conversation had moved away from Hunter making love to him, he didn’t show it.

  “What I’m doing now. I’ll sit right here and…passively observe.”

  The pregnant pause told Julia there was nothing passive about his actions. His hand was still on his shaft, and he still stroked himself.

  Jay put his hand on his dick and adjusted himself. His erection was clear even in his shorts. “Sounds…” Jay’s voice broke. “Sounds…good to me. Y-you okay with that, baby?”

  “Mmm. You bet.” She squirmed again. “But…”

  His eyes darkened and he pumped his finger inside her pussy. She hissed out a breath of air. “But what?”

  “No more foreplay. Please. I’m too horny. I won’t make it through any…extra attention.” Heck, she was about ready to come right now. Between all the talk of love, Jay’s caresses and his open desire for Hunter to fuck him, Hunter’s request to watch Jay make love to her and the image of Hunter masturbating, she doubted she’d last very long. “Just love me.”