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Category: Erotica/Menage Erotica
Description: Elena is happy in her relationship with her live-in boyfriend Corin. But when she runs into her former lover Niko at a party, she realizes she still has feelings for him. Her attempt to form a friendship with Niko goes off-course when the two of them kiss. When she confesses to Corin, he encourages her to not only remain friends with Niko, but to pursue a relationship with the other man. At first Niko has no objections, but the two men soon become rivals, and Elena isn't sure she can handle being shared.
eBook Publisher: MLR Press, LLC/Passion in Print Press,
eBookwise Release Date: September 2011

Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [379 KB]
Words: 90302
Reading time: 258-361 min.

Chapter One

Elena's heart pounded. It couldn't be. Niko?

Staring across the large, open space of her friend Laurie's living/dining room, past the other dinner party guests, Elena caught her breath at the sight of the tall, thin man who'd just entered. His short hair, a nondescript brown, was the same style she remembered, and his ice-blue eyes shone even from a distance.

She hadn't seen or heard from Niko in a year and a half. As far as she knew, he'd stopped socializing with the group they'd met through, and had stopped visiting the group's online chat room. From what she'd heard, he hadn't been in touch with anyone. It couldn't be him standing by the door greeting Laurie.

Except it was.

Smiling broadly, without offering any excuse to her boyfriend Corin or the woman who'd been speaking to them, Elena ran across the room. She skidded to a stop just short of Niko and Laurie. "Oh, my god!"

Niko turned to her with the same old understated smile she remembered. "Hey," he said casually, as if only a day or so had passed since their last conversation.

Elena couldn't believe it. A year and a half since they'd spoken. Longer than that since their lust had given way to simple friendship, stymied by the two-hour distance between them back then. Not even a word from him in all that time, and yet she still felt the strong connection between them. In her mind's eye, it appeared as a strong, thick cord joining the two of them.

The feelings she'd had for him, ones she'd hidden from him, welled up within her. To keep herself from blurting out anything stupid, she hugged him. His arms tightened around her, belying his mild reaction to seeing her. His slightly musky scent filled her nose, reminding her of their times together in the past.

After a moment, he released her. "How have you been?" he asked.

"Great. I've been great." Although Elena knew she had an idiot grin on her face, she couldn't help it. Her pleasure at seeing him contributed, of course, but Niko had always had that effect on her. "You know, I was just thinking about you this morning." About the nights they'd spent together, though she wasn't about to admit that to him. Especially not with Laurie standing there soaking in every word.

"Nice." He tilted his head toward the food-laden table nearby. Laurie always went all out for Thanksgiving, and plenty of people had brought their own contributions to the buffet feast. "I'm going to have something to eat. Talk to you later?"

Feeling awkward now, wondering if he thought she'd been overenthusiastic, Elena nodded. "It's really good to see you," she blurted.

"Likewise."

He walked away, trailed by Laurie, who asked him something about the chat room. Elena only half-heard his answer, with the screen name he apparently used now, and stored it for future reference as she crossed the room back to Corin.

He stood in the same spot where she'd left him, speaking to the same woman. "Sorry about that," Elena said, snuggling against her boyfriend as he put his arm around her. "Old friend."

"I figured that by the way you ran over to him." Corin's teasing tone had a slight edge of jealousy to it. Not something Corin expressed often.

She would never be dishonest with him. This time, though, she chose to be cautious about how much she revealed. "I haven't seen him in a long time," she continued. "It shocked the hell out of me when I saw him walk in."

"Honey, you don't have to explain." Corin turned his warm smile and love-filled brown eyes to her. "It's fine. I'm just glad you didn't trip over anything on your way over there."

"I'm not that clumsy!" she protested. Corin and the woman laughed. Among the chat group, Elena had the distinction of being the only one to fall while dancing, not once but twice, while completely sober.

"Of course you're not," he said in a humoring tone. They kissed, and he let go of her. "I'm going to sit down for a little while. Join me, or are you going to mingle?"

If she mingled, she would end up talking to Niko again. She looked across the room and again felt the almost magnetic connection as she discovered Niko staring at her. That left no doubt that she would head over to him the moment she had the chance.

As pleased as she was to see him, though, she had no idea what to say. Niko had always said he found her intellect attractive. They'd spent hours online, and later in his apartment, talking about topics he found important and about the stories she wrote. No matter what twists and turns his discussions took, she'd always kept up with him. It wouldn't do to pester him now with small talk and meaningless chatter.

Flustered, she turned back to Corin. "Let's find a seat."

They sat on one of Laurie's loveseats at the side of the room. Corin yawned and leaned back, arms folded over his chest. Bored.

Great. Elena had persuaded him to come to the party because their friends hadn't seen him in a while. During the summer and early fall he worked weekends, so Elena had either stayed home or had gone to gatherings alone. Everyone always asked her about him, so she'd talked him into accompanying her to Laurie's Thanksgiving get-together, even though she knew he didn't enjoy parties.

After a few minutes of watching Corin tolerantly view the other guests, Elena couldn't sit still any longer. "I'll be back in a few," she said, patting his knee. "I see someone I want to talk to."

"No problem." He smiled. "I'll just sit here and relax."

"Do you want to leave?" She hoped he'd say no. She didn't want to go until she'd had more chance to talk to Niko.

"Not unless you do." He sighed. "Honey, I admit I'm kind of bored. This really isn't my thing. These are your friends. Even though I used to visit the chat room, I barely know them. I'm happy to be here with you, though, and there isn't anywhere else I'd rather be right now."

She kissed him. "Okay. We won't stay too late, I promise."

"It's fine," he assured her.

Although she had her doubts, she just smiled at him and walked away.

She stopped a few times on her way around the room to say hello to old friends and introduce herself to new people Laurie had invited. A few times, she glanced around for Niko, who, typical for him, spent much of his time observing from the fringes of the group. Each time she spotted him, his eyes were focused on her. Each time, she thought about making her way over to him, but her lack of ability to think of anything to say kept her away.

Finally, Corin walked up to her. "Honey, I'm going to go see if we can get the car out. I think it's about time to head home, don't you?" He caressed her ass. Even though she stood talking to three other people, no one blinked. That type of display of affection wasn't uncommon in this group.

She still hadn't been able to talk to Niko, and if they left now, she'd lose the opportunity. She didn't want to take advantage of Corin's good nature, though. It wouldn't be fair to make him stay at a party he didn't enjoy, and his suggestion of what awaited her when they arrived home definitely appealed to her. "Sure," she said, putting a cheerful note in her voice. "Just let me know so I can make my goodbye rounds, okay? You know it takes me a while to say goodbye to everyone at these things."

"I know. My social butterfly," he said. "I'll be right back."

He left the room, and Elena looked around for Niko. He stood at the far side of the dining room near an open window, in a conversation with the man beside him. At least Niko had focused on someone else. Though his attention wasn't unpleasant, his gaze on her made her self-conscious.

After a few moments, Corin came back. "There are only two cars blocking us, and I know who one of them belongs to," he reported. "Why don't you start your goodbyes, and I'll see if I can have the owners move those cars."

"Okay," Elena agreed.

He kissed her and wandered off through the crowd to locate the cars' owners. After surveying the group, Elena chose the starting point of her "goodbye rounds." If she didn't have a system, she would miss or forget to speak to half the people she knew. And this way, she would be able to end with Niko.

For a moment, Niko closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The fragrance of turkey, stuffing, and the numerous other goodies piled on Laurie's dining room table filled him with contentment. During his time away from this group, he'd missed the home cooking Laurie and a few other friends had supplied him with. Their meals had made a welcome change from the take-out and frozen dinners he usually ate.

He'd considered carefully before deciding to rejoin the group, and had spent several weeks lurking incognito in the chat room to see who remained of his old friends and acquaintances. Finally, seeing mention of Laurie's annual holiday party, he had decided the time had come to show himself again. The welcomes he'd received from Laurie and some of the other guests assured him he'd made the right choice.

He opened his eyes again and gazed around the room. After a few seconds he spotted Elena chatting with a few other women near the food table. Her presence here had caught him off-guard, because some of the things she'd said in the chat room since he'd returned had led him to believe that she and her new man didn't socialize with the group much.

His reaction to seeing her again had surprised him even more. From the first time they'd met, he'd seen a spark in her of something he--who prided himself on his ability to use words--couldn't name. Something he wanted in his life. He'd lost her first to his unwillingness to sustain a long-distance relationship, and then to the factors which had led him to leave the chat group. Seeing her now, he realized his feelings for her hadn't faded with time.

She hugged the women she'd been speaking to and moved on to the next group of people. Saying goodbye, it looked like. Niko leaned casually against the wall beside him and pasted his typical "pleasant" look on his face. He didn't want her to leave yet, not when he hadn't had a chance to speak with her.

Of course, he barely knew what to say to her after so long had passed.

He watched, trying to appear as if he wasn't, while she said her goodbyes to the other guests. Finally, she approached him. He nodded as she stopped beside him. "Leaving?"

"Yes." She fidgeted with the bottom of one sleeve. "We've been here a while, and Corin's tired."

"Corin's your man?" Niko ignored a surge of jealousy. Elena had every right to be happy with someone else.

"Yeah." She glanced across the room and smiled. "We met here last year."

"Nice." He hugged her, savoring her weight in his arms. Memories flooded his mind of the few times they'd been together, and he wrestled them back into place. Now wasn't the time.

"I'm glad you showed up." She looked into his eyes with a tentative smile. "I've thought about you, you know. I missed talking to you."

He shrugged. "Life happened. Now I think it's time to rebuild some old friendships." His eyes scanned her from head to toe, and her face reddened. "You might see me around sometimes."

"How can I get in touch with you?" she asked bluntly.

Her abruptness pleased him. When he'd known her before, she'd been too shy to come out and ask for what she wanted. Apparently that had changed, at least a bit. "You'll find me," he assured her.

"How?"

He grinned. "Do you think I'd make it that easy? Trust me, you'll see me, and you'll know me when you do."

"Could I have a hint, at least?"

"That wouldn't be much fun." He couldn't help but enjoy teasing her. His attempts to verbally outmaneuver her and hers to keep up with him had been one of his favorite parts of their previous friendship.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I've had a couple of e-books published since last time I spoke to you."

"Well done."

"Thanks. I have another one coming out in a couple months. Erotic romance."

He raised an eyebrow. "Erotic romance? I'd never have expected that from you. Congratulations. It must feel good to see your name on a book."

"Thank you. It does." She shifted nervously. "You know, I live in the next town from you now."

"Really? With your man?" Naturally. Their relationship before had ended before it had really begun because of the distance between their homes. Now that she had someone else, she lived nearby.

Just his luck.

"Yeah. We moved in together a few months ago."

"Good for you." He smiled. "You look happy. That's good."

"Thanks."

Elena's man walked over to them, and Niko tensed. If the guy gave him or Elena a hard time for talking, there would be a problem. But the other man just smiled and put his arm around Elena. "Ready to go, honey?" he asked, smiling.

"I'm ready." She turned to Niko. "Niko, this is my boyfriend Corin. Corin, this is Niko, an old...friend."

Niko wondered about her hesitation. Asking about it in front of her beau wouldn't have made meeting the guy any less awkward, so he just extended his hand to Corin and said, "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Corin's grip was firm.

"So." Elena tilted her head. "How can I get in touch with you, Niko?"

Again with the bluntness. He would definitely have to try to spend some time with her again. He'd always enjoyed their banter, and while her shyness had appealed to him, her new confidence struck something in him. He didn't want to make it too easy for her, though. That wouldn't have been any fun.

He winked. "Nice try. Just pay attention, and I'm sure you'll figure it out. You're smart enough."

"Of course I am." Shaking her head, she approached him for a final hug. He tightened his arms around her, wanting to prolong the hug. "I'm really glad to see you," she said softly into his ear.

"You too." Her hair muffled his voice. "I've missed our conversations." He released her and glanced at Corin before giving Elena a smile. "Take care."

"Take care." She followed Corin outside.

On the forty-five minute drive back to their place, silence filled the car. Elena seemed preoccupied, and Corin was too tired to try to fish her thoughts out of her. He didn't even want to talk about the party. Nothing about it had stood out to him except the overwhelming boredom of being around people he barely knew. Note to self: Next time she wants to go to one of these things, send her alone.

Behind the wheel, at least he had traffic and road signs to distract him from his annoyance. He'd only joined the chat room in the hope of finding a woman for occasional hook-ups, someone who wouldn't mind the work schedule that sometimes kept him out of the house overnight or had him sleeping all morning and working in the afternoons. Hours like those made a relationship difficult, and until he'd met Elena, he'd given up on finding a woman who would tolerate his schedule.

The first time he'd met her, he'd known she was the woman he'd been looking for. Sappy though it sounded, he'd told her so on their first official date. Before a month had passed, they'd said they loved each other. And Corin had stopped visiting the chat room, because he'd fulfilled his reason for joining.

He didn't mind that Elena still chatted there. She'd made some good friends, and he wanted her to keep in touch with them. Her choice to still attend get-togethers didn't bother him either, because he had complete trust in her. He just wished she wouldn't ask him to go with her. Since they were her friends, not really his, he always felt out of place, like people just tolerated him for Elena's sake. Laurie was one of the only people from the chat room that he considered a friend, and that was mostly because she'd been the one to introduce him to Elena.

He glanced at Elena, who sat in the passenger seat staring out the window. If she noticed his silence, it didn't seem to affect her. At least she'd enjoyed the party. Her face had practically glowed as she'd flitted around the room greeting people and giving and receiving the hugs that always made Corin twitchy.

She'd definitely been happy to see that old friend of hers. Niko. Corin didn't have to think too hard to figure out that something more than friendship had existed between Elena and the other man at one time. He refused to be jealous about it. Elena was with him now. He was sure running into a former lover meant nothing more to her than a friendly reunion.

A tiny bit of doubt niggled the back of his mind, though. She'd seemed flustered when he found her talking to Niko. Obviously in the middle of the party nothing untoward had been going on, but he had to wonder what had gone through her mind when she'd seen the other man.

No, I don't have to wonder. And I'm not going to. She needs friends to spend time with when I'm not around, and if she's happy to see this guy, I don't have a problem with it.

She turned and smiled at him, and he smiled back and focused again on the road. He was beside the woman he loved. Nothing else mattered.

When they reached home, he left the car, laughing to himself when he heard her exaggerated sigh behind him. She would think he was too tired to spend more time with her. Probably she figured he'd either switch on the TV or settle in at his computer. But he had a better plan in mind. All night, watching her make her rounds at the party, he'd fantasized about stripping off the dark blue dress she'd worn. Now it was time to take action.

Before she rounded the corner from their parking spot to the building's front steps, he hurried into their first-floor apartment and hid behind the door. As soon as she walked in, he pounced and wrapped his arms around her. She squealed in surprise. "You look so gorgeous tonight," he growled into her ear.

She took an audible breath. "I do?"

"Good enough to eat." He ran his hand over her ass, pushing up the skirt of her short dress. "Shall we go to bed?"

"Mmm, I think that's a great idea," she murmured.

They went into their bedroom, and he shut the door behind them. Elena laughed. "We live alone."

"I like to have the door closed." Corin had lived with too many roommates to easily get used to being able to leave doors open.

He lay on the bed and motioned for her to join him. She lay next to him, on her side with her head propped on one hand, and he pulled her on top of him and held her there in his warm, comforting arms. "My sexy woman," he murmured into her hair.

"My sexy man," she replied softly.

He moved his hands over her back and ass, enjoying the smooth fabric of her dress against his skin. "It tortured me watching you walk around in this dress," he said hoarsely. "I wanted to drag you into the bathroom and have my way with you."

She laughed. "I'm sure we wouldn't have been the only ones. There's usually someone who does something like that at Laurie's parties."

"Which is why I didn't do it." He kissed her neck. "I still call it torture. I would have made you leave sooner if you hadn't been having so much fun."

"It was a nice party. I like going to Laurie's."

"I know," he said indulgently. "I enjoyed it. Not really my thing. Then again, they're mostly your friends. I hadn't had a chance to meet many of them in chat before I found you." He pushed her up so he could fondle her breasts. "You're so sexy right now," he murmured. "I think you'd be even sexier naked."

"Maybe we should find out," she said suggestively.

"I think we definitely should." He tapped her thigh, indicating that he wanted her to move off him.

She rolled back to her side of the bed. He stood and stripped slowly out of his dress shirt, undoing each button with a flourish, removing his jeans just as slowly. Throughout the striptease, he kept his gaze focused on Elena. Her breathing sped up, and he grinned at her flushed face. She'd told him how much she loved watching him undress, and he was pleased to put on a show for her tonight.

With lust-filled eyes, he lay down again. "Your turn," he growled.

Slowly, she stood and lifted her dress to show the lacy slip she wore beneath. He lay with his hands behind his back, his cock gradually growing as he watched her undress. He stroked himself with a light touch. "Better hurry up or I'll start without you."

Eyes lit with lust, she pulled the dress off and dropped it on the floor beside her, followed quickly by her slip and panties. Naked, she bent and licked his cock.

He moaned his approval. "Suck me, honey," he commanded.

Carefully, she climbed over him onto the bed, and moved down his body until her mouth drew even with his cock. Gripping the base of his shaft with one hand, she took as much of him into her mouth as she could. He sighed and shifted to give her better access.

She moved her hand down to fondle his balls, and ran her tongue up and down his shaft. The slick wetness made him shiver. Usually he preferred to be on the giving end of oral, because he loved watching Elena squirm in delight as he brought her to orgasm. But when she took control like this, it drove him crazy with desire.

And she was incredibly good at it. "That's it," he moaned. "God, it's so fucking amazing to feel your mouth on me."

She smiled around his cock and looked up at him through her bangs. His cock twitched and he gasped. Such a hot look!

Squeezing his eyes closed, he tried to hold back the orgasm that bore down on him. With Elena, it was more difficult than it had ever been for him to keep from coming during oral, but he always tried. He would much rather come inside her than in her mouth.

She chuckled, and he knew she could tell how close he was. With one last lick of the tip of his cock, she shimmied up his body and kissed his lips. "My turn," she said adamantly.

"Definitely," he agreed. "You've earned it."

He rolled her onto her back and kissed her passionately. His tongue played along her lips until she parted them, slipping through to connect with her tongue. She closed her eyes, but he kept his open to see her expression change as he stroked her skin. He loved watching her become more aroused.

Pulling back from the kiss, he ran his hands along her body. She breathed heavily, eyes still closed, and let out small sounds of pleasure as he lightly touched her. At first, he stayed in "innocent" areas, knowing that she enjoyed any contact between their bodies. He could only stand that for a few moments. He wanted to touch other places, to turn her on as much as she had him.

He lowered his head to suck one of her nipples and tweaked the other between his thumb and forefinger. Elena jumped and her eyes opened wide. With his lips fastened around her nipple, Corin looked up at her face and grinned, and tweaked her other nipple a second time. She started again, and he chuckled. "Guess I know what to do to you," he teased.

"Don't do that again," she ordered, laughing. Of course, he did it again, and again she jumped.

After a moment, though, he stopped teasing her and kissed his way down her belly to her pussy. Each press of his lips to her bare skin made him burn with a lustful heat. He wanted her so much it hurt, and it took all his control to keep from plunging hard into her pussy.

She closed her eyes again and writhed, moaning softly, as he neared her mound. His eyes locked on hers, desire shining from them, as he slid his tongue into her folds. For several seconds, he licked and lightly nibbled at her clit, until she cried out.

He left her clit and ran his tongue from it to her opening, where he lapped at her juices before plunging his tongue inside her. "God!" she cried.

"Not God," he said, his lips still against her.

"I'm going to come," she whimpered.

"Good."

It took nothing more. Her hips bucked, and she shouted his name. His cock twitched in response, and he reached down to touch himself as he watched her shudder through her orgasm. Her back arched off the bed and she screamed.

Corin couldn't help the smug grin that curved his lips. He loved how easily she came for him. "Now you know why I shut the door."

For several seconds she didn't even attempt to open her eyes. Aftershocks hit her, sending shudders throughout her body, as she panted for breath.

Corin left his position between her legs and pressed his body against hers as he stroked her hair. "Good stuff?" he asked.

She opened her eyes and met his grin with one of her own. "Very good."

"I think I just blew your mind," he teased.

"You blew something, all right." She lay her hand against his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said tenderly.

After a few moments of lying together in silence, she pulled him to her and kissed him passionately. His hands roamed over her as they kissed, again building the flames that had been nearly extinguished by the force of her orgasm.

He rolled and pulled her on top of him, his favorite position, and held her there for a moment, mouths still joined, before his hands on her hips moved her onto his crotch. Taking his not-so-subtle hint, she shifted herself until his cock lined up with her opening, sliding onto him with a sigh of satisfaction as he penetrated her.

"That feels so nice," he murmured, caressing her.

She tightened herself around him then released her muscles. He groaned. That little move of hers just plain did it for him, making his cock even harder than it had been. They began a languid pace of fucking, Elena raising herself on his cock, Corin lifting his hips to meet her downward thrust. The pleasure simmered within him, and he again concentrated on holding back, wanting to make it last for both of them.

The slowness lasted only moments before Elena sped up her movements, and he matched her pace. Soon his upward thrusts into her became so forceful the headboard of the bed banged against the wall.

He wrapped his arms around her, keeping them pressed together. His hands didn't move on her; they didn't need to. She needed nothing more than him inside her to push her closer and closer to the brink. Her pussy tightened on his cock, and he moaned his pleasure. Making love to her was always amazing, but nights like this were even better than their usual.

Elena's urgent cries pierced the room. He didn't often fuck her this hard. Tonight it was exactly what he needed, and he sensed she wanted it this way too.

Suddenly the muscles inside her contracted, and she shouted into the pillow. His balls tightened, his own climax triggered by hers, and he stilled in a last attempt to keep from coming. He wanted more time with her, but the ripples of her walls along his shaft almost took him over the edge. "I can feel it when you come," he said hoarsely.

She laughed. "So can I." She whimpered as an aftershock went through her. "Oh, God!"

"Nope." He nipped her ear. "Let me know when you're ready. I'm not finished yet."

For several seconds she lay limply against him, then slowly moved on his cock. "I'm ready."

He pushed himself up into her again, as hard as before. His breathing grew rough, and the tightening in his groin told him he was close. She rocked her hips slightly side to side as they fucked, and gave him control of the rest of both their movements. His thrusts became more frantic. He clutched her desperately, and his release rushed through him an instant before he spasmed and shook, grunting as he emptied into her. Each time he thought he'd finished, another jolt wracked him.

Worth the wait!

Finally he relaxed beneath her, though small shudders rocked him. He loosened his arms around her without letting go and allowed his eyelids to slip closed. If he'd wanted to move, he wouldn't have been able to.

With Elena still lying on him, their bodies in full contact, he didn't want to move anyway. His mind drifted, and nothing mattered except being with his lover.

When his breathing finally slowed, he kissed the side of her neck. She sat up and looked into his eyes. "Whew," he sighed. "That was nice."

"Very," she agreed.

"Off, please." He patted her rump. "Let me breathe."

She moved off him and lay beside him, her head on his chest. He stroked her back, his heart swelling at the love and trust that radiated between them. "I love you," he murmured.

"I love you too."

For a little while, they whispered together, the gentle pillow talk that usually followed sex. Her voice became quieter, sleepier, while his mind started up again. Sex always charged him up. "Honey, I'm going to go play my game for a while," he said. "I can't sleep."

"Okay." She rolled off the bed and took a nightshirt out of her bureau. After slipping it on, she leaned over to kiss him. "I'm going to get ready for bed."

"I'll try not to wake you when I come in."

"Thanks." She grinned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

He got up and found his underwear, which he put on and topped with a T-shirt and sweatpants. Even though Elena always said she didn't mind him staying up later than she did, tonight he felt guilty about going to play his online role-playing game instead of staying in bed with her.

As he left the room, it occurred to him that the guilt came from wanting to prove to her that he was better than her old friend Niko.

Stupid jealousy. He shoved the feeling away and headed down the hall. On his way past the closed bathroom door, he called, "I love you."

"I love you too," Elena replied.

Satisfied, he stopped in the kitchen for a can of soda, then went into the computer room. Elena loved him. He had nothing to worry about, even if an old lover had returned to her life.