The breeze flowed through Crystal’s hair, blowing it back off her face as she and Evan rode the boat with several other tourists to the sandbar. She couldn’t stop worrying about Brent and how he’d stormed out this morning. This whole situation was very difficult for him. For all of them. She really needed to choose, but how could she do that? She loved them both.
God, she didn’t want to hurt either one of them. She just prayed that somehow, no matter what the outcome, they’d be able to find a way to make their long-term friendship work.
Finally, the boat arrived at the shallow sandbar and Crystal climbed down the boat ladder into the warm ocean water, followed by Evan. The bottom was soft and sandy and the shallow water crystal clear. As soon as she caught sight of the large, graceful creatures swimming toward them, Crystal laughed with joy and set aside her worries and simply enjoyed this wonderful experience. The rays swam right up to her, then one bumped against her. Soon she was surrounded by them, as were the others in the group of fifteen or so people on the tour.
“That’s how they tell you they would like some food,” said Henri, one of the tour guides. He had hopped into the water right along with them and circulated around to talk to each of his clients. He handed her a hunk of white meat. She held it in the water, and one of the large creatures raced toward her hand and sucked the meat from her fingers. Its belly was velvety soft as it brushed against her.
After a delightful time interacting with the friendly stingrays, she and Evan boarded the boat again with the others and sailed to a nearby reef. In the clear water, the two of them enjoyed swimming among the brightly colored fish and even spotted a large moray eel.
When they finally returned to shore, Crystal was tired but happy. When they reached their rental car, Evan opened the passenger door for her and she stretched out in the seat, glad he had volunteered to drive back to the villa.
“You’re awfully quiet. Did you have a good time today?” he asked.
She glanced at Evan’s handsome profile as he drove. “Sure. It was fantastic. I loved it.”
But even to her ears the enthusiasm sounded strained. She had enjoyed the day, it was true, but now her thoughts had returned to Brent. For months, Crystal had been looking forward to swimming with the stingrays, and Brent had been just as excited about it as she had. She’d imagined sharing the experience with him. Now she wouldn’t get the chance. As much as she’d loved spending the time with Evan, she’d missed having Brent by her side.
* * *
As soon as Crystal stepped in the door, she glanced around for Brent, but he wasn’t in the living room. The other car was in the driveway, so he should be here. She walked toward the back of the house and peered out the patio door, but he wasn’t in the back, either.
“He might be taking a nap.” Evan leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching her.
She nodded, feeling a little sheepish, as though she were cheating on Evan by missing Brent.
As if reading her thoughts, he strolled forward and rested his hand on her arm. “It’s okay. I get it. He stormed out of here this morning, now you’re worried about him.”
She nodded, then walked down the hallway toward the master bedroom, immediately noticing that both bedroom doors were open. She stole a quick glance in the guest bedroom as she walked by, but Brent was not there. She went into the master bedroom and through to the en suite bathroom, where she pulled her wet bathing suit and towel from her bag and hung them over the shower door to dry.
As she walked down the hall again, she heard Evan’s voice.
“Crystal, Brent just came in the backyard. He must have been at the beach.”
Nineteen
Crystal hurried to the patio door and peeked out to see Brent, a towel tossed carelessly around his neck and his hair wet and tousled, walking past the pool toward the house. Her heart pounded.
“Evan…” She glanced toward him. “I really need to talk to Brent. Do you think…?” Damn, how did she ask him to make himself scarce?
“Yeah, sure. I can find something to do with myself.”
He walked through the house to the living room. She stepped to the doorway between the kitchen and the living room and watched him grab a set of keys from the bowl by the door.
“I’ll probably be back about eleven. I assume I’ll be sleeping alone.” He opened the door.
He was cooperating, but clearly not happy.
“Evan.”
He paused and glanced back.
“Thanks for understanding.”
He nodded, then closed the door behind him.
* * *
Brent walked across the patio, the stone slabs hot under his bare feet. When he’d returned to the villa this afternoon, Crystal and Evan hadn’t been there. Then he’d remembered that this had been the day they had scheduled the trip to see the stingrays.
His stomach twisted as he remembered how excited Crystal had been about that, and how often they’d talked about it. Anticipated it. Then he’d taken off this morning, leaving Evan to share that unique experience with her. To share memories that would last a lifetime.
Damn, but he really needed to get his act together, or he’d lose her.
Rather than sitting in the lonely house, he’d gone for a walk on the beach, then enjoyed a swim in the warm ocean water. He slid open the patio door and stepped inside the cool house.
“Brent.”
He glanced at the doorway to the kitchen to see Crystal watching him.
“Crystal, honey, I’m sorry about missing the stingrays today.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I understand. You needed your space, you needed—”
“I needed to be with you. I needed to show you I want to do the things we’ve dreamed of doing together.”
She stepped toward him and glided her hand lightly along his upper arm, almost as if she were afraid he’d disappear again. She shook her head. “A silly trip is not important, not in the scheme of things. What’s important is that I love you. And I was afraid that with what happened this morning … well, over this whole trip”—she gazed at him, her eyes glimmering—“that I’d driven you away.”
He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a kiss, reveling in the feel of her soft lips under his. “You’ll never drive me away.”
She gazed up at him uncertainly.
“Ever.” He captured her mouth again, and this time her arms came around him and she melted into his embrace.
He opened as her tongue slipped inside and glided over his. His groin tightened at the sweet intimacy. She pushed her tongue deeper, then slid her hand down his chest, heading for his steadily swelling cock. Longing to feel her fingers wrap around him … to feel her soft body open to him as he glided inside her … grew to an excruciating need.
He drew his mouth from hers.
“Where’s Evan?”
“He’s gone out.”
Relief washed through him. After walking and thinking all afternoon, Brent had finally realized that he had to come to terms with whatever was going on inside him in relation to Evan. Maybe the urges he’d experienced were just a normal part of being in a heightened sexual situation, or maybe there was something more going on, but no matter which was the case, Brent needed to face it head-on.
Brent smiled and scooped Crystal into his arms.
But not right now.
* * *
Evan returned around eleven. He’d driven along an ocean-view road for a while, then stopped at a nice little restaurant with a bar overlooking the ocean. He’d had a couple of drinks, then ordered dinner. After that, he’d killed some time walking along the beach, watching the moonlight glitter on the water, and allowing the ocean waves to wash away his worries.
Now that he was back at the villa, however, they came crashing back. He kicked off his shoes and walked down the hall. The master bedroom door was closed. Of course, it would be. Because Crystal was in there with Brent.
And he was outside. Isolated and alone.
He closed the other bedroom door behind him and flopped on the bed. Damn it, it was torture knowing Crystal was in there with Brent, while he was in here. He kept expecting Crystal to suddenly realize that Brent was the one she wanted and cut Evan out of the relationship. After all, she had already agreed to marry Brent. She’d been confused for a while, but it was clear when she looked at Brent that she was in love with him.
Just when Evan had started to believe that he had an edge, because he shared Crystal’s desire to explore the wild situations they discovered, he realized that those were just fleeting whims. Something she wanted to do while here on the island, but once they returned home—when she finally had to choose between them … Damn. He flung his arm over his eyes.
Deep down, he knew she’d choose Brent.
* * *
Crystal heard Evan’s steps in the hallway, then the other bedroom door close. She glanced at Brent, his face inches from hers on the pillow. He stroked her hair back from her face, the delicate touch sending tingles through her.
“I know you don’t want to hurt either one of us,” he said.
“I don’t.” She ran her finger along his cheek. “And I know how close the two of you are. I don’t want to see your friendship end, either.”
He grinned. “And you’re hot for him.”
She smiled at his teasing tone, but then his eyes grew serious.
“You know how much I love you.”
She nodded.
“I can’t imagine you not in my life. I hope and pray that you choose me to be your husband.”
He leaned in close and kissed her. When he released her lips, she gazed into his warm brown eyes.
“I know that in order to choose between us, you need to explore your feelings for Evan, and as part of that you want to be with both of us.” He smiled and stroked her cheek. “And I have to admit, that’s really hot. So, I might have been a bit reluctant at first, but now I’m willing to push past my comfort zone and go for it.”
“Are you sure? Because I don’t want you to—”
His mouth covered hers and his tongue slid inside and swirled around, stealing her breath. He drew back and grinned at her wickedly. “You’re not rescinding the offer of me making love to you in a hot, sexy threesome, are you?” He nibbled the curve of her neck with his lips. “You’re not going to deny me watching Evan’s big cock slide into you while I suck on your pert, hard nipples?”
Her nipples hardened at his words and her insides tightened.
“Well, when you put it like that…” She smiled and he captured her lips again, then he prowled over her, pinning her between his knees as he stared down at her like a predator about to consume her.
“Should we start now?” He grinned wickedly. “I can go get him.”
Her gaze drifted down to his big, hard cock as it twitched in excitement. “No, I think right now”—she glided her hand down his muscular chest, then wrapped her hand around his impressive erection—“you’re all I can handle.”
Brent’s smile widened and he leaned forward and nuzzled the base of her neck, sending ripples of pleasure careening through her. Then he grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
As he kissed down her chest, heading for her aching breast, she sighed. He was such a good man, and she couldn’t imagine not having him in her life. But was there room in their relationship for Evan? Or after their honeymoon for three, would they go back to the way things were and pretend none of this ever happened?
Brent’s mouth glided over her nipple, shaking loose her thoughts and dragging her focus squarely on the pleasure rippling through her.
* * *
Crystal opened the door to the back patio and stepped into the bright sunshine and the warm tropical breeze. Brent sat on a chair by the pool, reading a magazine. With a wide grin, she stepped in front of him, blocking the sun. Brent had said he wanted to try to make things work with the three of them, so she intended to help.
He put down his magazine and glanced at her. “Hi. What’s up?”
She flung open her robe, revealing her totally naked body beneath.
“Well, I’m hoping
you
are,” she said.
His jaw dropped and his gaze fell to her breasts, then a slow smile spread across his face. She could see his swim trunks tenting.
“With you like that, I’m
up
for anything.”
“I’m glad you put it that way,” she said as she stepped toward him, a purposeful sway to her hips. She reached for his hand, then closed her fingers around his and coaxed him to his feet. “Follow me.”
She led him to the elegant concrete bench that sat among lovely tropical flowers on the other side of the pool. She tossed the beach towel she’d brought with her onto the hard concrete. “Drop your trunks and sit there.”
He grinned. “Whatever you say.”
She licked her lips as he revealed his big, hard cock. The trunks slipped away and fell to the stone surface under his feet. God, it was long and thick, and she felt a little intimidated by the thought of it pushing inside her back opening. But she shook away those feelings, knowing she wanted him inside her there. Where he’d never been before.
She pulled the bottle of lube from her robe pocket and handed it to him. He glanced at the bottle, then his gaze caught hers, concern in his warm brown eyes.
He took the bottle. “Are you sure?”
She understood his reluctance. When he’d broached the subject of having anal sex about a year ago, she’d told him she wasn’t comfortable with the idea. She’d told him that it hadn’t worked well for her in the past.
But Sarah’s pep talk on the beach had alleviated a lot of her anxieties about trying anal sex again. She knew Brent would be gentle and patient, and Sarah had told her it was very pleasurable. And just the thought of Brent’s big cock inside her at the same time as Evan’s made her insides melt.
“I want to feel you inside me in a way I never have before.”
She allowed the robe to drop from her shoulders, then fall to the ground. She stroked her breasts. His gaze lay firmly on her fingers as she squeezed her nipples.
She leaned forward and kissed him, then glided her tongue along his lips. She dipped inside his warm mouth, tasting coffee, then drew back and kissed down his chest toward his nipple. When she licked it and sucked it in her mouth, he inhaled sharply. She teased it, then sucked deeply a couple of times, to his accompanying groans. Continuing downward, she lapped at his sculpted abs, then wrapped her hand around his warm, marble-hard cock and stared at it.