Page 15 of Christmas with my Three Best Friends

“Thank you,” Marius says.

“Okay, enough about work. We’re all off the clock here,” Richard cuts in. “Shay, it’s time we address it.”

“Address what?” I mumble.

He laughs and takes out a printed copy of my naughty list. It’s enough to make my temperature spike as I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what will either be a colossal letdown or the beginning of something absolutely extraordinary. The pressure is way higher when the odds are fifty-fifty, and the stakes are as high as this.

“Your naughty list, of course,” Richard says. “The guys and I have gone over it. Needless to say, we’re intrigued and interested.”

“Intrigued and interested?” I can barely hear myself speak, melting under their probing, burning eyes. My skin feels hot. My throat is tight. Worse even, liquid heat pools between my legs, making me ripe for anything but a constructive conversation about my… fetishes.

“Yes, intrigued and interested. And we figured we’d start small since it’s clearly a sensitive topic for you,” Richard says. “This gift is the first of many,” he adds and places a shoe-sized box on the coffee table between us.

It’s gift-wrapped in red paper and elegantly tied with a gold-threaded bow. All I can do is stare at it, curious and apprehensive at the same time as I try to understand what’s going on. “I thought we… Hold on, what’s in here?”

“Your first Christmas present,” Marius replies, a subtle smile testing his lips. “An early gift, let’s call it.”

He gets up and walks over to the door. He locks it, then turns around and takes his seat next to Jax. I catch a glimpse of his bulging erection and damn near faint as I realize the three of them are as aroused as I am in this moment. My attention keeps bouncing back to the box, though. It’s related to the naughty list, so my mind is automatically going over it as I remember every single thing I wrote. Lava roses blossom in my cheeks.

“Can I open it?” I ask meekly.

“You absolutely should,” Jax replies. “It’s for you.”

With trembling hands, I mumble a, “Thank you,” and unwrap my gift with care, removing the ribbon first, then the paper. Beneath, I find the original box of the vibrator I’ve wanted for a long time. “Oh,” I gasp, recognizing the model.

“We figured we’d start small, like I said,” Richard replies with a cool grin. “Go on, take it out of the box. I wanna see it.”

I give him a startled look. “You do?”

“We all do,” Jax replies.

I look at Marius, and he nods slowly, so I have no choice but to take the vibrator out of the box. It’s bright pink with two sections—one for vaginal stimulation, and a smaller bit for my clit. The remote is the size of a key fob, and as soon as I press the On button, I realize it’s got batteries in it and everything. I turn the vibrator off and laugh slightly.

“Y’all are crazy,” I say.

“You started it,” Richard replies. “Why don’t you try it?”

This is where I freeze, paralyzed by his words. “Wait, what?”

“Try it,” he says.

I am beyond flustered, yet not shocked nor outraged. To my own surprise, I’m intrigued. Curious. Even willing. My brain has definitely been rewiring itself over the past few days, because my reactions to invitations outside my comfort zone are once again appealing.

“Like, right now?” I ask.

“Yes.”

Marius leans forward, elbows resting on his thighs. His black tee stretches over his muscular shoulders, the warm brown of his eyes swirling with anticipation. Jax stirs in his seat, and I can tell he’s also extremely aroused. The mere sight of that generous bulge has me licking my lips as I look at the vibrator and decide it’s time to take things to the next level. They want me to. My best friend was right—what’s the harm if it is precisely what I’ve wanted for a long time?

Taking a deep breath, I set the toy aside and get up. “Perhaps I should lose the clothes first.”

“We wholeheartedly agree,” Richard smirks, arms crossed over his massive chest. His velvety gray vest struggles against his torso, while the shirt wraps around his biceps, tightening with every flex. “Maybe start with the jacket.”

I nod slowly and do as I’m told, carefully removing the jacket. It lands on the sofa’s arm, followed by my silken shirt. Every movement is calculated and deliberate, though my heart is bouncing and my muscles feel taut, stretched and primed for something intense, something… otherworldly. The whole time, they watch me, lips pressed into thin lines and desire gleaming in their eyes.

I’m in nothing but a matching set of white lace lingerie. I feel strange. Not weird, not awkward, but… strange as they gaze upon me.

I welcome Marius, Jax, and Richard’s genuine admiration as I stand before them. Their eyes wander up and down, recording everything. Marius bites his lower lip when his gaze reaches my breasts. He has already tasted them, and he definitely wants more.

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