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  Ally let out a breath, so absorbed in Eric and Nick's performance that she not only hadn't realized she was holding it, but that she'd completely forgotten to touch herself, despite the desperate throbbing in her clit. Sliding down in her chair, she let her fingers slip between her thighs again, but now she couldn't find the right angle, and shifting for a better position only caused her more frustration.

  Eric stood up with a dangerous, pissed-off expression, wiping the last traces of Nick's come from his lips. Ally knew that look more intimately than she cared to admit; he was definitely not amused by Nick's taking control of the blowjob. Shoving Nick back on the bed, he climbed up behind him, burying his face between Nick's ass cheeks. It seemed as poetic a revenge as any, Ally supposed. If the strangled sounds issuing from Nick's raspy throat were any clue, apparently Eric planned to rim him to death.

  This was a far better show than she'd expected, but her boys could still use a bit of direction—and besides, her chair was plainly not designed for serious masturbation. Luckily, Eric had the foresight to stash their supplies in the bedside table when he'd unpacked; she grabbed her bullet vibrator, a tube of lubricant and some condoms then slid onto the bed, parking herself just far enough away to have a prime view of the proceedings.

  Eric glanced up in surprise when she tossed him the lube and condoms, but the wicked smile turning up the corners of his mouth told her he'd already taken the hint. Snagging the lube, he squeezed a generous dollop onto his fingers, working one, then another of them deep inside Nick's hole. He spent the next few minutes fucking Nick slowly with his hand, but only when Nick's moans reached window-rattling intensity did he finally deign to show some mercy. Still, Ally couldn't help noticing how Eric's hands trembled as he ripped open the condom, rolled it on and slicked himself; evidently even his iron-clad control had its limits.

  And so did hers. Fumbling in the mussed covers, she found her vibrator, flicked it on and applied it gingerly to her clit, jumping when even the lowest setting proved too much. After a few minutes she gave up; obviously the direct-stimulation approach wasn't working tonight. She really craved something long and thick inside her, rubbing against her g-spot. She'd always had more intense orgasms via penetration.

  She had to wonder if she'd suddenly become telepathic, because now Nick moaned even louder, yelping and humping the mattress while Eric pumped frantically, sweat sheening his skin, breath caught in a sharp, broken gasp. Slumping over, he pressed a soft kiss between Nick's shoulder blades before tumbling to the mattress.

  For a few seconds, Ally actually considered applauding—but instead, she padded into the bathroom to wet down a towel. Creeping back up from the foot of the bed, she settled in between them and began wiping Eric down gently, starting with his face. Nick lay next to her like the world's biggest lump of lead, already snoring into his pillow.

  Eric caught hold of her hand and kissed it. “Did our performance meet your expectations?"

  "Well, it was certainly inspired."

  "We do our best."

  She smiled. “That you do."

  He kissed her again, rolling away once she'd finished with his sponge bath, which didn't bother her; Eric had never been much for après-sex cuddling. The windows stood open, letting in a soft breeze, though the room remained warm enough for them to sleep naked on top of the covers without catching a chill.

  Scooting over next to Nick, she tucked his arm around her, sinking into welcome sleep with a Cheshire-cat grin. If the rest of the month proved this much fun, she had the feeling she'd be smiling a lot.

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  Chapter 12

  Three Tickets to Paradise:

  Settling In

  They didn't leave the villa at all the first week, which suited Ally just fine. She hadn't realized how tired she was until she glanced at the clock one morning and realized she'd averaged ten hours of sleep a night. More often than not she woke to a serenade of ecstatic moans and cries echoing from Nick's room, which invariably had her reaching for her vibrator.

  Mornings were casual and low-key, with a breakfast of coffee, pane uva and fresh fruit laid out in the dining room for whenever they happened to drift in. They'd agreed that Nick would work on his book weekdays until noon, and of course Eric had to keep his finger on the pulse of Washington; apparently US senators never went completely off the clock. Still, Eric tried his best to keep his working hours to a minimum, and within a day or two she noticed that he was smiling and laughing with much greater ease, the dark circles under his eyes slowly fading.

  He'd also shown her more attention than he had since their honeymoon. She'd taken to having a nice leisurely soak in the tub in the afternoons, and on one particular afternoon Eric tapped on the door, poking his head in. “Care for some company?"

  "Please,” she replied eagerly, pulling up her legs to make room for him at the opposite end of the tub. “Go ahead, hop in."

  "I had something a bit different in mind.” Kneeling by the side of the tub, he picked up her favorite shampoo and squeezed some into his hand. “Why don't you wet your hair for me?"

  She dunked her head obediently under the water then settled back, resting her head against the edge of the tub as he worked the shampoo through her hair. The heavenly feel of his long, slender fingers massaging her scalp sent hot, tingly tendrils of sensation shooting through her entire body, making a beeline for her clit.

  She slid her fingers between her thighs, but Eric reached down, politely but firmly tugging them away. “Wait a few minutes, and I'll give you a better ride than your hand ever could."

  "Promises, promises...."

  "You know I always deliver."

  And so he did, in his own maddening, roundabout way, rinsing her hair before coaxing her from the tub with a nice soft bath sheet. He made her stand in front of the full-length mirror while he dried every inch, fold and crevice of her skin with exceptional delicacy, then rubbed her down with a delicious vanilla-scented body lotion.

  She shivered with arousal by the time he finished, and the familiar smoldering glint in his own eyes told her he was barely holding his own in check. Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her to the bedroom, whipped off his clothing and fell to the mattress beside her, burying his face in her neck, kissing and biting, making awful, wonderful animal sounds. “God, you smell amazing."

  She giggled. “It's that lotion you used."

  "Use it every day from now on,” he growled, rolling between her splayed legs, entering her in one swift lunge.

  He took her with deliberate, infinite patience, making sure she'd come twice before he sped up at last, spending himself with a triumphant cry. Collapsing beside her, he lay there for several minutes, still panting hard.

  It didn't usually take him so long to catch his breath. Seized with sudden concern, she sat up, touching his flushed cheek. “I'll go get you a cool rag,” she said, starting to get up.

  "N-No, it's all right, I'll be fine,” he protested. “I just got a little overexcited."

  "Well, forgive me if I don't take that as a compliment."

  "You worry too much.” Closing his eyes, he patted the space beside him. She lay back down and pressed a hand to his chest, drifting off only when she felt his heartbeat return to normal.

  * * * *

  She spent less time with Nick during their first few days, but she didn't think he minded—after all, they saw each other every day at home. However, one day he finished his work early and came out to join her on the terrace. She'd decided to use her quiet time in the mornings to sunbathe; for the first time in her life, she was determined to get an absolutely perfect, all-over tan. Needless to say, Nick got an unexpected eyeful.

  She peered at him over her Ray-Bans, giggling at his fire-engine blush. “See something you like?"

  "Geez, Ally! Dalton and the other guys are right down in the courtyard—"

  "They can't see anything up here, not unless they've got a telescope. C'mon, drop your trunks. You won't
get a decent tan with those on."

  "I just put on sun block, so what's the point?"

  "Well, maybe I want to see you.” She made a couple of swipes at his trunks, but he kept scooting out of reach. Finally she grabbed hold of his waistband and yanked—and nearly got smacked in the face by his burgeoning erection. “Hel-lo!” she cooed. “Talk about a toy surprise!"

  She didn't think he could get any redder, but somehow he managed it. Actually, she found it rather flattering that after everything they'd done together, she could still get such an innocent reaction out of him. “Y-You're lying there naked! What do you expect?” he sputtered.

  "Why don't you stretch out with me, and I'll show you?"

  He did, albeit reluctantly, relaxing when she curled up at his side, kissing his shoulder. “What's that for?” he asked.

  "Being a good sport.” She grinned. “I could never get away with razzing Eric like that."

  "In that case, maybe he should give me a few pointers on how to make you more afraid of me."

  "Oh, stop! You know you love it."

  He laughed, kissing the top of her head. “Well, I guess I don't have to ask if you're having a good time."

  "Why, did you think I wasn't?"

  "I thought you might've been ticked at waking up every morning to find Eric gone."

  "He's there when I go to sleep. Besides, I can't very well monopolize all his time. You two haven't had much of a chance to be together lately either."

  "That's my own fault. I've let myself get so wrapped up in the book—"

  "Nick...” She sat up, giving him a pointed glance. “Look, stop minimizing your own needs. I know you miss him as much as I do, and it's not like I mind sharing him. I had a lot of fun watching the two of you the other night."

  He blushed again. “You never asked us to do that before."

  "Well, no, but you're my men and I love you both, and you're beautiful when you're fucking each other. Oh, and watching you two together gets me hot. What more reason do I need?"

  He rolled his eyes. “It's always so easy with you, isn't it?"

  "No, it's not,” she said, shaking her head. “You don't know how hard it was for me at first, giving him up to you. But I did it because I love him and because I knew that if I didn't, I'd lose him."

  "If it's any consolation, I regret putting you through that. I really do."

  She shrugged. “Luckily, it's all worked out for the best. I'm happier with the both of you than I ever imagined I could be."

  "I'm glad,” he said, kissing her softly. “You know I love you, right? I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to figure it out. Sometimes I can be a real bonehead."

  She stared at him in stunned happiness for several long moments. “That's something I never thought I'd hear you say."

  "I've said I loved you before."

  "Oh, I know that. I just didn't know you knew you were a bonehead."

  "Thanks a lot."

  Giggling, she cuddled up with him again, resting against his chest. Warm and content, she let her mind wander, finally coming around to something she'd wanted to ask ever since the night of their mini-orgy. “Nick, when you're with Eric ... Are you always on the bottom?"

  "That's kind of a strange question."

  "Indulge my curiosity."

  He thought about it for a minute, brow furrowed in such intense concentration she had to bite back a chortle. “It varies, but ... yeah, most of the time I am. Why is that so interesting?"

  "I just find it ironic that you're physically much bigger, yet you choose to submit to him in bed. Has it always been that way with the two of you?"

  "Yeah, pretty much. I mean, as far as sex goes, I was the latest late bloomer you ever saw. I'd dated a few girls in high school, but never anybody special. But that first time with Eric, all the bells went off in my head and that was it for me."

  She stared at him, not sure she'd heard him right. “Wait a minute—are you saying you were a virgin when you and Eric got together?"

  "Technically, yeah, except for a couple of blowjobs."

  "You're kidding me! You mean with all those girls throwing themselves at you after every game, you never took advantage?"

  "I wasn't interested in girls—not back then, anyway. I had that figured out by the end of my freshman year of college. Took me two more years to convince Eric, and I had to seduce him to do it."

  "Why, Nick Thompson, you just keep unfolding like a flower!"

  "What, you didn't think I had it in me?"

  "No, honestly, I didn't. I'd always assumed Eric was the one who'd initiated your relationship."

  "Well, believe me, I gave him enough chances. You don't know how hard it was, seeing him go out with all those other guys and never giving me a second look."

  "Or so you thought."

  He nodded. “Turns out he'd wanted me all along, but he was afraid adding sex to the mix would ruin our friendship."

  "That's actually kind of sweet. Not too many people get to do it for the first time with someone they care so much about. I didn't, that's for sure."

  "Well, you know if I'd met you first, I would've been happy to do the honors."

  "In that case, I'm glad I didn't meet you freshman year!"

  He laughed. “What can I say? I guess I needed a couple more years to learn some appreciation for the finer things."

  "S'okay.” She grinned. “You were worth the wait."

  * * * *

  "I wouldn't mind taking a tour of the local winery this afternoon,” Eric said when they sat down to lunch together. It pleased Ally to see him in such extraordinary good spirits, his exhaustion apparently all but gone. However, she still couldn't get his breathless spell from the other day out of her mind.

  "I'd rather wait until this heat dies down a bit. Or maybe we could go Saturday morning, when Nick doesn't have to work,” Ally suggested, flashing Nick a guarded look.

  "We haven't ventured out the front door in over a week. Aren't you getting restless?"

  "No, not really,” she admitted. “But obviously you are."

  "Well, I didn't come to Italy to stare at the four walls of this villa for a month."

  "So go sit out on the terrace. The view's gorgeous."

  He laid down his fork and wiped his mouth. “If the two of you don't want to, I'll simply go by myself."

  "It's okay,” Nick interjected, glancing at Ally. “I'll go. It'll be good to get out and stretch my legs a bit."

  Ally sighed inwardly, forcing a smile. Of course Eric had to have his way. “I'll tag along too. Can't let you boys have all the fun."

  The afternoon sun beat down on them with blistering intensity, but inside the winery it was peaceful and cool. Eric had arranged for a private tour and he followed the vintner around with avid interest, asking question after question. Ally lagged behind with Nick, wandering in between huge casks of chianti and sangiovese. As much as she enjoyed drinking wine, she wasn't particularly interested in the long, laborious, absolutely fucking tedious process of growing, harvesting, pressing and aging it. Now she wished she'd begged off and let Eric do the tour by himself.

  Nick strolled by aimlessly, examining a cask as if it were the most fascinating thing since waxy yellow buildup. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him into a corner for a quick kiss that turned unexpectedly passionate. He pressed her against the wall, already half-hard. Damn! If they were back at the villa, she would've opened her legs and let him ride her right then and there—

  "What're you doing?” Eric demanded.

  Ally jumped, jolted out of her dreamy sex-haze. How the hell did he creep up on them like that? “Eric, I didn't hear—"

  "That's apparent,” he snapped. “We're leaving.” And with that, he turned on his heel and marched away before either of them could say another word. Ally shot Nick a guilty look, and they both followed.

  They climbed into the Mercedes SUV Eric had rented that day, riding back to the villa in stony silence. Eric was royally pissed, his expression dark a
s storm clouds. And once they'd retreated securely behind closed doors, the downpour commenced.

  "I don't believe you two!” he raged. “What, you haven't had enough sex in the last week, so you have to go and practically fuck in public?"

  Ally's jaw dropped in utter shock. It took her a moment or two to recover enough to fire back her own salvo, but Nick's hand on her arm stopped her. “C'mon, Eric, take it easy,” he said, forcing a thin smile. “Nobody saw us but you."

  "How do you know? That winery's got dozens of employees!"

  "I think you're overreacting."

  "Really? What if next time there's a photographer lurking around the corner? I don't think you'll be quite so sanguine when it's your picture splashed across the front page of every fucking tabloid in New York!"

  "All right, that's enough!” Ally snapped. God, how did his happen? For the past week they'd had such a lovely time, and now it was all ruined. “Nick, back off! Eric.... “She took a deep breath. “Look, you need to ease off the damn paranoia. Nobody's bothered us since we got here. The locals don't even know who we are, much less care. So just fucking relax, okay?"

  "That's an easy thing to say when you don't have a career to lose."

  He strode away down the hall, leaving Ally standing there vacillating between numbness, rage and shattered disbelief. But when Nick came up and put his arms around her, she melted, bursting into tears. “I-I can't believe he said that to me."

  "Wish I could say the same.” Nick sighed. “Ally, you have to learn to pick your battles with Eric. When he gets like this, just let him yell. If you try to challenge him, you'll end up butting heads twenty-four-seven."

  "Spoken like one of the walking wounded."

  "You don't know the half of it.” He took her by the hand and led her to the couch, letting her curl up next to him. “His father taught him that life is war. And Eric tries, he really does, but I don't think he'll ever fully shake off his old man's influence. All we can do is love him and try not to let it hurt too much when his temper gets the better of him."