Page 16 of Crush & Byte
I giggled at Byte’s comment.Something about his teasing made me feel included rather than embarrassed.These two had a rhythm together, like they operated as a single unit with two bodies, yet somehow, they’d made space for me in their dynamic.
While Crush and Byte finished bringing stuff inside and organizing it the way they wanted, I took in the interior of our little mountain getaway.From the inside, the large window in front framed the mountains off in the distance like they were paintings.A stone fireplace dominated one wall and completed the idyllic scene.The whole place smelled of pine and lemons, with undertones of something warm and spicy I couldn’t quite name.
“This is incredible,” I whispered, turning slowly to take it all in.The main room was open, with a small kitchen tucked into one corner and a living area with an overstuffed sectional facing the fireplace.A narrow staircase led to what I assumed was a loft bedroom.The back of the cabin had a large, sliding glass door overlooking the most breathtaking view of a clear mountain lake I’d ever seen.“Like something out of a fairy tale.”
“It is.”For the first time since I’d met the pair, Byte’s boyishly playful demeanor cracked slightly.In place of the teasing, fun-loving attitude, a haunted sadness seemed to cross his face.I might have imagined it, though, because the next second he had that charming grin firmly back in place.“Let’s go watch your sunset.”
God, I loved his phrasing.Your sunset… I had no idea why those simple words made me feel so special.Maybe the magic of this place had gotten into my head.If so, maybe I’d just embrace the moment.
Byte led me out the sliding door to a large, outdoor rocker big enough for three people.He stood back, obviously letting me pick the seating.In retrospect, perhaps I should have sat on one end or the other.Instead, I plopped down dead center.I hadn’t even realized what I’d done until Byte sat beside me and slung his arm over the back of the rocker behind me.Another moment later, Crush stepped out onto the porch and raised an eyebrow but said nothing.Only took the seat on the other side of me.
I wasn’t sure I could admit it even to myself, but when I found myself sandwiched between the two distinctly masculine bodies, a surge of heat went through me I wasn’t prepared for.I stiffened, not daring to move, barely even breathing.The rocker swayed gently as Crush carefully settled his weight and relaxed beside me.The heat radiating from the two men combined with the comforting scents on the cool mountain air intoxicated me.
Byte’s arm was mere inches from my shoulders while Crush’s thigh nearly touched mine.The gentle rocking motion tried to soothe me, and maybe it worked because I found myself relaxing.The second I did, the men on either side of me relaxed too and our bodies finally pressed together gently.There was no possible fucking way for me to stifle the contented sigh escaping my throat.This.Was.Heaven.
“You comfortable?”Crush leaned closer to me to speak, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through me.
“Very,” I said, and meant it.Despite the butterflies in my stomach, there was something weirdly right about sitting between them.I should be a bundle of nervous energy like I had been all day, but the second we all relaxed together, something… clicked into place.Christ, I was in so much trouble here.
The sky shifted colors with the passing seconds.The sky blue of a few minutes ago darkened to a deep indigo; reds and oranges bled through as the sun sank toward the jagged mountain peaks.Streaks of crimson and pink painted the clouds, reflecting in the still surface of the lake beyond us like a mirror image.I’d seen sunsets before, but never like this.Never with two gorgeous men from the porch of a secluded cabin in the mountains overlooking the most breathtaking scene I’d ever imagined.
“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” I whispered, afraid to break the spell.
“I have,” Byte said quietly beside me, and when I glanced over, he wasn’t looking at the sunset at all.He was looking at me.
My breath caught in my throat.The intensity in his eyes made my stomach flip, and for a moment, I couldn’t remember how to form words.There was something raw and honest in his gaze that I wasn’t prepared for.Mainly because the promise of many, many wicked things I should be opposed to but realized opposition was the last thing I felt.
“You’ve got bark in your hair.”Crush reached out and plucked the scrap of debris stuck in the strands.His fingers lingered in my hair, a gentle touch that sent tingles across my scalp.I tried not to lean into it, but my body betrayed me.The contact was brief but electrifying, and when he pulled away, I felt the absence like a physical thing.
“Thanks,” I managed, my voice sounding breathier than I intended.I cleared my throat and forced my attention back to the sunset, though I was acutely aware of both men beside me.
The rocker swayed gently, lulling us into a comfortable silence as the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the mountains.As darkness fell, the temperature dropped, and I couldn’t suppress a small shiver.
“Cold?”Crush asked, his voice so close to my ear I could feel his warm breath.
“A little,” I admitted.“But I don’t want to go in yet.The stars are starting to come out and it’s so beautiful.The sky doesn’t look like this in the city.”
Without hesitation, Byte shifted closer, his body heat seeping into my side.On my other side, Crush did the same, and suddenly I was cocooned between them, warm and protected from the mountain chill.Maybe I should have felt trapped or uncomfortable.I probably would have under different circumstances, and the attraction I had for these guys scared me more than a little bit.Unfortunately, I got a heady rush that threatened to swallow me.And I was plunging headlong wherever these sensations took me.I’d simply deal with any fallout to my heart later and savor the experience.
“Better?”I could hear the smile in Byte’s voice without looking up at him.Which made me smile.
I couldn’t suppress my happy sigh.“Yep.”
Both men chuckled in response, and we fell into a companionable silence and watched the darkening sky as it revealed stars in a breathtaking display.As the twinkling lights multiplied across the darkening sky, I found myself sinking deeper into the warmth between Crush and Byte.The mountain air nipped at my exposed skin, but everywhere their bodies touched mine radiated delicious heat that made me feel languid and protected all at once.
“I never imagined the sky could look like this,” I murmured, my head tilting back to take in the expanding canopy of twinkling lights.“It’s like someone spilled glitter across black velvet.Even when I lived in smaller towns, I never really went out to places like this.”I tilted my head back, trying to take it all in.“I feel so… small.”
“In a good way or bad way?”Byte asked, and I could feel him watching me.His thumb rubbed my shoulder where his arm rested on the back of the rocker.Again I shivered, the attraction and anticipation palpable all around me.The thing was, there was no way I could separate my attraction between the brothers.I was equally attracted to both of them, and I wasn’t sure how welcome this was going to be for anyone.
One thing I’d learned from Maggie over the weeks and very few months I knew her was to manage expectations if I wanted to keep my sanity.She told me she would always be demanding and exacting in what she wanted from me, but she would never set me up to fail or belittle me for anything.In return, I told her I expected her to show as much respect for me as she demanded I give to her.So it all came down to trust.I trusted them with my body, or I wouldn’t be here with them.
I took a breath.“Look.I’m out of my depth here.”A nervous giggle escaped me and I stood, wiping my hands on my jeans-clad thighs as I turned to face them.“What are we doing?I mean beyond a little adventure courtesy of Mrs.Wagner.Because I’m not sure how ready I am for this.”
The guys exchanged another look and, I swear I must have been learning their secret language because it looked like the conversation went something like this:
Crush:I told you she was skittish.
Byte:Don’t be that guy.
