Page 76 of The Mountain
“Please. Oh,putain. Liam. Please.”
Antoine’s whispered cries would be quiet, I suppose, if he wasn’t beside me on the bed. If I wasn’t attuned to the sound of his pleasure after last night.
I swallow, muscles tensing, every nerve flaring to life as I freeze on the mattress beside them. I don’t want to interrupt them. Don’t want to come between them in a moment like this.
“Oh, fuck.”
Liam’s cry is deep, guttural, the sound of it jolting through me like lightning, rushing like fire under my skin. My heart thunders in response, so loud they must surely hear it.
The bed rocks, the edge of the mattress hitting the wall with a faintthud, thud, thud. My lungs ache as I try to keep my breathing calm, quiet. Beneath the blankets, my fingers grasp Lily’s sheets so hard, I’m afraid I might rip them.
When Antoine makes a sound somewhere between a sigh and sob, it takes everything I have not to turn and look. To keep my eyes squeezed shut.
I can imagine it though, what his face looks like. I saw it yesterday, when I was buried deep in Lily. Saw her face next to his, their lips crashing against each other, his dark skin and her honeyed tones blending in open-mouthed kisses. I hadn’t seen what Liam had been doing to him. I’d been too lost in Lily to notice that.
But I had seen his face. The way his lips parted, green eyes bright and glassy, like fire-lit emeralds as he stared at Lily in reverence. There had been no doubting his feelings in that moment—pleasure and fear and adoration.
The sight of it had been enough to send me over the edge, to have white-hot pleasure rushing through me, a spiral of molten bliss that had me almost passing out.I love you, I had mouthed against Lily’s neck, unable to contain the words, but too terrified to speak them.I love you.
Her body had gone limp over mine, sweat-damp limbs plastered against my own.
A moan escapes me, wistful and aching, catching in my throat.
“Matty?”
I grimace at the sound of my name on Antoine’s lips, but don’t dare open my eyes, keeping my face turned toward the ceiling.
“Morning,” I say, forcing numb lips into a smile. “Uh. Merry Christmas?” I add, then cringe when it comes out sounding more like a question.
“Merry Christmas.” Liam chuckles breathlessly. “Sorry if we woke you.”
He doesn’t sound sorry at all.
The bed dips, blankets tugging and rustling, and a warm arm brushes against my own. I swallow. “It’s okay.”
Antoine lets out a sigh beside me, sated and heavy, and Liam murmurs something in response. I chew the inside of my cheek, feeling suddenly like I’m intruding on something private. Something that should belong just to the two of them.
I should leave. Should get out of bed and have a shower. I can hear pots clattering through the paper-thin walls, can make out Eddie’s sharp tones followed by Seth’s rumbling laughter.
Except I’m naked, my cock half-hard, with only these blankets saving me from embarrassment.
It’s just morning wood, I tell myself, but I was never good at lying. Not even to myself.
“Matty?” Antoine’s voice is thick with sleep and pleasure.
The bed dips, the arm that had been pressed against my own moving, replaced by a sweat-slicked body. Warm breath feathers against my cheek and I slowly peel my eyes open, casting a wary glance in Antoine’s direction.
He’s staring down at me, those green eyes heavy lidded, lips curved down in concern. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I lick my lips, and his gaze drops to my mouth, then quickly back up again. His throat bobs, the pronounced Adam’s apple moving beneath skin marked by Liam and Lily’s kisses.
I nod, then shake my head, not quite sure what to reply.
Ishouldbe okay. I’m lying in the bed of the woman I love, my skin still sticky with the evidence of our lovemaking. I can hear her laughter from the next room, ringing out cheerful as Christmas bells. It’s everything I ever wanted.
Only, my grandparents’ rings are still in that little velvet box, tucked in my jacket pocket. And I can’t stop looking at Antoine’s eyes. At those beautiful bruises on his throat. At his kiss-swollen lips.
“I… I don’t know,” I rasp, since that’s the closest thing to the truth I can find the words for.
