Page 41 of Classroom Confessions

I swear to God that the world stopped. I’d read thousands of romance books, studying the language of love and attraction and everything else. Nothing undid me the way Ethan’s words did. He said things in a way that burned through my misgivings and made me want to throw caution to the wind. Every possible obstacle felt as insignificant and remote as the dots of green grass below us.

A burst of air filled the balloon, lifting us higher. My stomach swooped with the motion. Taking Ethan’s hand, I held it between both of mine and leaned into him. His free hand rested on my back with a gentle touch that supported me when I kissed him.

He tasted like power, like a man who knew what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to go for it.

He wanted me. I languished in the hard lines of his body, the soft touch at my spine, and the rigidity of his shoulders. He’d torn out my doubts with his declarations and reassured me that he wanted me without cajoling or making empty promises. He’d given me the freedom to make my own decision, and I locked onto my wants and needs with both hands.

I stroked a hand up his arm and over his shoulder, our lips fused in a kiss so hot I might never breathe again. His tongue stroked the seam of my lips, and I parted for him. My body ignited when he made a low sound in the back of his throat and his tongue brushed mine.

“Going down. Might want to hold onto something.” Laughter tinged the operator’s voice.

Ethan and I broke apart. I licked my lips, still tasting him. “Come back to my apartment with me.”

“What about Cole and David?” His immediate question tugged on my core.

A dream image of all four of us in bed together forced me to lock my legs together to keep upright. If he didn’t already know what I’d done, I had to tell him. I turned my back on the balloon operator and gripped the basket with both hands. The descent caused my stomach to drop in sickening swirls. “I’ve slept with David and Cole.” I licked the last of him from my lips. “At the same time.”

To his credit, he didn’t stiffen or pull away. No shock or disgust crossed his face. He simply looked into my eyes and slid his palm up and down my spine. “What do you want today?”

“You.” I breathed in the scent of him along with the beauty around us. “Today, I want you.”

He cupped my cheek. “Then that’s what you’ll have. I’m not opposed to sharing. Tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen.”

The flutters in my stomach had nothing to do with the ride anymore. Now they were all about the possibilities. Three men. Three very hot, very sexually pleasing men wanted me and were not afraid to have me all at the same time. How did I get so lucky?

It had to be a dream because I was not the kind of woman who had things like this happen. Ethan lifted my hand and kissed the inside of my wrist. The basket bumped the ground, coming to rest with a light shudder.

How long could this possibly last? Ethan said he didn’t mind sharing. I believed him. I trusted that he meant it. But how long would that hold true? Would he decide after today that he really wanted me all to himself? I mean, shit. That would be amazing. I’d be lucky to have any one of them.

How ridiculous was I that I didn’t want to give up any of them?

“Second thoughts?” He stepped out of the basket once we were cleared, his fingers laced together with mine. It was such a simple touch, but also a blatant display that we were together.

“No second thoughts.” My thoughts were all about the future and how long this could last. Cole and David had shared me once. What would they think when they found out about Ethan? The last they knew, we were done. Was I going behind their backs?

“Should we tell Cole and David?” I kept pace with Ethan as we made our way to my car.

He looked left and right before focusing on me. “Do you want to tell them?”

Did I? I worried they’d try and talk me out of it. That small fear was nothing compared to how much I cared for Ethan and how desperately I wanted him in my bed. They might think they had the right to join us, and while I dreamed of that happening, this moment with Ethan felt special. I wanted this one time to be just the two of us in case they all decided that they didn’t want to share, after all.

20

REBECCA

Ethan followed me home, his car always in my rearview mirror. The sight kept the heat burning low in my belly and started a whole new set of images flashing through my mind. I’d seen—and wanted—Ethan first. That didn’t mean I liked David and Cole any less. My feelings for all three men were so tangled up together, I had no way of separating them.

In the driveway, with our cars one behind the other, I stepped out into the waning light and palmed my keys.

His hand on the small of my back gave me a sense of purpose and longing. It pushed me forward, and I unlocked the door with a quick twist. “Watch out for Fitz.” I gave the quiet warning while stepping into the house. “He’s harmless but likes to jump.”

“Fitz?” Ethan’s brows furrowed until my tiny Pomeranian fluff ball bounded into the room with a sharp yip that turned to joyous barks. Ethan bent to stroke Fitz under the chin, then straightened and pulled me into his arms. “If you change your mind, tell me.”

I laced my hands together behind his neck. “Don’t hold back.”

His pupils shot wide, his body twitching. Surprise brought out a smile. “What do you mean?”

The Ethan in my book and the Ethan in my arms were one and the same. He might not admit it, but there was a bit of savagery to him. A savagery I wanted unleashed until he lost all control.

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