Page 92 of The Broker

“Do you love me?”

My heart stopped and I jolted, unable to do anything but blink at him with disbelief.

“Uh . . .” I started.

He chuckled. He already knew the answer and had only asked me to prove a point.

“I care about you, though,” I said. “Like, a lot.”

“I do too,” he admitted. His hand resting on my knee began to move, sliding back and forth in a comforting, intimate gesture. “I care about you so much, Charlotte, it’s kind of scary, and that’s why we should wait. I don’t want our first time to be like this.”

He subtly ticked his head toward the woman on her knees and the man looming over her, wordlessly reminding me we weren’t alone.

His voice filled with gravel. “I want you all to myself.”

Oh. Well, now I wanted that very much too.

My heart restarted, sending warmth flooding through my chest. It silenced the hint of disappointment I’d had, because I’d never been great with patience or delaying gratification.

I pressed my lips together and nodded my acceptance. My gaze drifted from him to the people who were too busy playing to pay much attention to us. If they’d heard any of our conversation, they didn’t let on.

A thought struck me then, and my focus snapped back to Noah. “Wait. You’re still going to play with her, though, right?”

Because that had been the plan for the evening... but he’d made it clear multiple times that minds could change at any time. Had he decided against being with Shannon?

He must have heard the worry in my voice, because his smile was sinful. This was another question he knew the answer to. “You want me to?”

“I want to watch.”

He set his teeth on my shoulder in something too gentle to be considered a bite and let out a muffled groan. The idea was so hot, it was nearly overwhelming. His not-quite-bite turned into a kiss, and he marched a line of them across the top of my shoulder, moving to the crook of my neck.

The hairs of his beard tickled my skin. “Are you going to play with him?”

Meaning Eli.

I had no idea how Noah felt about it because his tone and expression were emotionless. We’d talked about it before, and he’d seemed excited, but tonight he hadn’t liked how much interest Eli was showing toward me.

Did Noah feel threatened by this other man?

“Do you want me to?” I asked.

“I want you to do whateveryouwant to do.” He sucked on a spot just below my ear, and it caused an intense ache between my legs. “I wouldn’t mind watching, but only if that’s what you want. If you’re into it. Don’t do it for me.”

Maybe it wasn’t insecurity at all. His guarded state was an attempt not to pressure or sway me either direction, which I fucking appreciated.

My focus drifted to the tattooed man. Eli had been pretending not to listen in, but the space was small, and it had to be hard not to overhear us. He peered back at me with a dark hunger, eager to hear my answer. His hips thrust and flexed as he stroked his dick in and out of Shannon’s mouth, and he was obviously enjoying it, and yet... it didn’t seem to be enough.

He craved more, like he was the type of person who wasn’t satisfied until he had every little thing he wanted.

“I still haven’t decided yet,” I admitted.

Noah seemed pleased with this answer, but disappointment crashed through Eli’s eyes. It was short lived, though. It flitted away as he stepped back, out of her mouth and the shorts waded at his ankles. He was completely naked as he bent at the waist, scooped up his shorts, and fished inside one of the pockets for something.

A gold foil packet was retrieved, and he cast everything else aside, setting his attention on the woman who was still on her knees in front of him. “You want me to fuck you?”

She nodded.

“Up,” he commanded as he tore open the condom wrapper. “Bend over the table so everyone can watch you taking this dick.”

---