Page 24 of Christmas with my Three Best Friends

“What are you up to?” I ask, catching my breath.

“I’m not done with you yet, mister,” she replies, wiggling her eyebrows. “This was barely an appetizer, wouldn’t you agree?”

Marius nods in amused agreement. “I’d certainly like to see more.”

“Fine, then we’ll just have to wait until I’m hard again,” I chuckle dryly, but one quick squeeze of her drenched pussy has me reacting way before I thought I’d be ready. It’s enough to kick the smile off my teeth. “How are you doing this?” I exclaim, prompting Shay to laugh.

“I guess I have a magical pussy,” she replies cheekily.

All I can do is kiss her deeply, thinking to myself that is absolutely right. This is a magical pussy I’m dipping into. She sets me on fire, yet she cools my very soul. She leaves me hungry and always wanting more, yet when I’m inside her, I feel sated and blessed.

Shay squeezes me again, and I can’t stop myself.

I don’t want to stop myself.

9

Jax

Iwas never one for long-term relationships.

My upbringing, the absence of a feminine figure in my childhood, and my penchant for trouble as a kid steered me away from anything resembling stability. Once I got into martial arts, I discovered the true value of discipline and perseverance, of healthy routines and of putting my mind, my soul, and my body in sync. But with my career came the attention of many women.

After all, who doesn’t love a fighter?

I didn’t consider being with anyone for the rest of my life until I met Shay. She doesn’t know that, and I can’t bring myself to tell her, either. What is happening now is strange and unprecedented to me, but it’s giving me the kind of access to her I doubt I would’ve gotten on my own. We’re close friends and business partners, and while we’re all in agreement that this thing of ours mustn’t bleed into the rest of our lives, I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who’s aware that it’s already way deeper than it should be.

We agreed to go on one-on-one dates, too, to keep the level of intimacy comfortable for all parties involved. I certainly don’t mind, because Shay is such a warm and funny and smart creature. Every moment I spend in her company makes me a better man. I’m just constantly disheartened by the fact that it’s going to end, and I cannot allow myself to fall in love with her.

“I’ve never been out here,” Shay says as we continue our stroll through Central Park.

She wanted to see New York, and since both Marius and Richard wanted to try the mud spa today, I decided I’d give Shay an opportunity to visit the so-called Big Apple. It’s as crowded and as noisy as I remember it. I’m no stranger to this place, given the number of championships this city has hosted. But I do like the idea of seeing it with Shay. I love how she marvels at things that seem almost banal to me. The sense of wonder in her smoky blue eyes fills me with warmth.

“Central Park is definitely one of the strong points,” I tell her. “We’ll see Broadway next, if you want. I wanted to go shopping, anyway.”

“Shopping?”

“Yeah, new sweats and kicks, mainly. There are a couple of stores on Broadway that I really like. Boutique stuff, not the regular merchandise you find at every big brand store,” I explain.

Winter has the sprawling park covered in a thick layer of snow. The air is cold enough to make my breath steamy with each spoken word, but Shay’s pink lips have my undivided attention, particularly when they stretch into a smile. I wonder how she’ll feel later when it’s just the two of us in my bed. There’s a side of me I haven’t shown her yet. Maybe I should. Maybe it’ll help her keep her guard up. I don’t want her falling for me, just as much as I don’t want myself falling for her. Maybe I should give her a full view of who I really am. That’ll keep the brakes on.

“I have to admit, I never thought something like this would work. The four of us, I mean,” Shay says. “It’s crazy. Isn’t it?”

“Not unprecedented. I’ve heard stories, though none had much of a happy ending.”

“How so?”

I give her a curious look. “Don’t you think one of us will want more at some point? How would we go about it? What’s the logistic behind this dynamic? At least if we keep things strictly physical, nobody gets hurt.”

“Right. Yeah. We agreed on that,” Shay replies, gazing somewhere ahead.

It’s almost midday, and there are some people out in the park with us—mostly joggers who brave the winter snow to get their cardio in. I see a few couples, too, walking arm in arm and taking occasional photos of one another. They’re laughing and chattering happily, and I can’t help but feel a pang of jealousy in the pit of my stomach. That’s what it must be like… being a healthy couple. You enjoy one another, you don’t need to say much, you simply feel comfortable in their presence.

Shay leans into me, her arm hooked around mine as we turn left down a narrow alleyway. Around us, majestic oaks with naked crowns rise above, their branches arching over our heads as if to hug each other, to connect beyond the confines of nature and man-made structures. We sit on one of the benches, our thick coats insulated and comfortable enough to allow us a few minutes of rest before we head over to Broadway.

“But even so,” Shay says after a while, “I’m still in shock. I know it’s real, it’s happening, and it’s working—”

“For now.”

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