Colters' Gift (Colters' Legacy #5)(31)

He kissed her to stop the flow of anxious chatter. So sweet and soft. He hated the worry and anxiety in her voice. He wanted to sweep her away, take her in his arms and make her forget everything but this moment.

This was a huge step in their newly forming relationship, one he hadn’t anticipated taking so soon. He’d been fully prepared to wait weeks, if not months, if that was what it took for her to give him such a precious gift.

“Baby, listen to me,” he said when he pulled away so he could look her in the eye. “Don’t make yourself crazy keeping score. I swear to you that Liam and I aren’t keeping up and don’t expect you to divide your time fifty-fifty with us. If Liam had made love to you last night, it would have been okay with me because I know that eventually it will be me. Just like if you and I take that step tonight, when you’re ready you’ll take that step with Liam.

“Am I glad it’s me? Hell yes. I’m not going to lie. I’m sure if Liam were the one sitting here with you between his legs looking at him with those beautiful brown eyes, he wouldn’t give one damn about what I thought. He’d be on his knees grateful that you trusted him enough to give him that same gift.”

“I just don’t want to ever hurt either of you,” she said in a somber voice.

He touched her face, stroking his fingers down her cheek. He couldn’t get enough of simply touching her. The idea that she was here, so close, asking him to make love to her. It was more than he could stand.

He’d been so very right. He could fall in love with her so easily. Maybe he’d already fallen. Maybe this is what it felt like, sort of like plunging over the side of a cliff in a free fall. Exhilarating. Magnificent. Scary as hell.

“Can I ask you something now?” he said.

She nodded.

He took a breath, not believing he was about to do this when all his instincts screamed to take the gift she offered and make love to her as tenderly and gently as she deserved.

He’d just told her moments earlier that he wanted the first time with her to be just the two of them, just like he was sure that Liam would feel the same and want his first time with her to be without company.

But it was evident that she was worried—a lot—about the ramifications of making love to one before the other and how the other would feel.

He shoved aside his preference, because more than anything he wanted for the first time to be all about her. All for her. And he’d do anything at all she wanted.

“Would you prefer that Liam and I make love to you together the first time? Would it make you more comfortable and remove any fear of showing favoritism?”

Her cheeks went pink and he could see the wheels turning in her head. Her blush grew darker and her breathing shallowed and became more rapid.

Then slowly, almost in slow motion, she nodded.

“I’d like Liam here, yes,” she said softly. “I’m not sure it’ll ever feel right no matter which of you I made love with first. And maybe it’ll never be an issue for you or for Liam. But I don’t want these doubts.”

He cupped her cheek, wanting to ease any concern she had about the way they embarked on the physical side of their relationship.

“Then maybe we should call Liam in here and see what he has to say on the matter.”

Chapter 13

LAUREN tried to calm her racing pulse as Noah got up and went to the door. She rocked back on her heels in the middle of the daybed and then glanced around in mortification.

How on earth were they going to pull this off in her bedroom?

She had little time to contemplate the matter before Noah returned with Liam behind him.

Liam’s hair was unkempt, in a sexy, bed-rumpled kind of way. His eyes were alert, though, as if he hadn’t yet been to sleep. His gaze immediately homed in on Lauren, warming her as it glided up her body to her face.

Noah climbed onto the bed, pulled one knee up and let his other leg hang off so his foot was planted on the floor. Liam took a seat at the opposite end and turned in a nearly identical position as Noah so he could look at Lauren.

“Noah said you wanted to talk to us about something,” Liam said, his deep voice rumbling out of his chest.

Her gaze swung to Noah in panic. She hadn’t expected that she’d have to repeat it all.

Noah reached for her hand and squeezed. Then he turned to Liam.

“Lauren is afraid that if she makes love to me tonight that it will hurt you. Or if she were to make love to you first, that I’d be hurt.”

Liam frowned as he glanced between her and Noah. Maybe she’d been right to worry.

“Let me back up to an earlier point in our conversation,” Noah said. “Before this was brought up, Lauren asked if you and I would want to have sex with her at the same time.”

At that Liam’s eyebrows went up and his eyes widened. Before Noah could continue, Liam’s expression became serious and he turned to take Lauren’s other hand.

“I only want what you’re comfortable with, baby.”

Noah cleared his throat. “When she brought up her fear of making love with me before you, I asked her if she would be more comfortable if we made love to her . . . together . . . the first time.”

Understanding registered in Liam’s eyes. His eyes went smoky blue and he reached his hand up to cup her cheek, stroking his thumb lightly over her skin.

“Is that what you want?” he asked softly.