Page 105 of The Slug Crystal
Jake is not as lucky with his next question, forcing him to remove his jeans as forfeit.
The room grows warmer despite the rain outside, or perhaps because of it. The combination of closed windows, the bodies gradually being revealed, and the wine flowing freely between questions is culminating in a steamy heat both inside my body and the room. I lose my jeans after missing a question about Italian architecture, leaving me in just my black bra and matching underwear. The air against my bare skin feels electric, charged with possibility.
"Challenge round on Italian history," Marco announces, his scholarly tone at odds with his state of undress—down to just his boxers, his lean, defined frame on display. "In what year did Giuseppe Garibaldi lead the Expedition of the Thousand to conquer the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies?"
I straighten, suddenly alert. "1860," I answer without hesitation. "May 11th, specifically. They landed at Marsala and ultimately united southern Italy with the north."
Marco's eyebrows rise in genuine surprise. "That's... completely correct. How did you?—"
"College elective on European unification," I explain, unable to keep the triumph from my voice. "I wrote my final paper on Garibaldi."
"Which means..." Luca gestures dramatically toward Jake and Ben, who lost the previous round and now face theconsequence of my correct answer. A new twist we added once we were all mostly unclothed.
"Off with them," I command, the power of the moment going straight to my head.
Jake hesitates, his blue eyes finding mine with a question in them. Ben has no such reservations, hooking his thumbs in his waistband and sliding his boxers down in one fluid motion.
"Your turn, Martinez," he challenges, completely unashamed in his nakedness.
Something shifts in Jake's expression. Like a decision made to cross a line he didn’t expect. He stands, removing his boxers with less flair but equal impact. The room goes still, the only sound the persistent rain against the windows and my own heartbeat thundering in my ears.
"Happy now?" Jake asks, his voice rough at the edges.
I can't look away from him. From either of them, if I'm honest. Ben's body is unexpectedly defined and muscular, with a scattering of freckles across his shoulders. Jake is more solid, his athletic build powerful and controlled even in stillness.
Both are visibly affected by the game and by my gaze, or by the charged atmosphere we've created. Their hardened cocks sit against their stomachs, and neither of them moves to cover themselves.
Something reckless and wonderful takes hold of me. I rise from my seat, crossing to Jake in three quick steps. His surprise melts into heat as I press against him, my hands finding his shoulders, my lips meeting his in a kiss that's been building since our time in the museum closet.
Jake responds immediately, his hands spanning my waist and drawing me closer. His kiss is exactly like him, steady, thorough, and attentive to my reactions. When we break apart, both breathing hard, I turn without thinking to findBen watching us, his expression a complex mix of desire and challenge.
I take two steps toward him, maintaining eye contact as I close the distance. "Your turn," I murmur, echoing his earlier challenge to Jake.
Ben's smile is triumphant as he meets me halfway, his kiss is entirely different. Ben is playful, testing, with a hint of bite that sends shivers down my spine. His hands thread through my hair, angling my head to deepen the connection.
When I finally pull back, the room is charged with expectation, with possibility, with the decision that hangs in the air between us all. Marco and Luca watch from the couch, their expressions a mixture of heat and curiosity. The rain drums against the windows, nature's percussion to the racing of my heart.
"Emma," Jake's voice is low, questioning. Ben's hand remains at the small of my back, warm and steady.
Lightning flashes, briefly illuminating the room in stark white. In that frozen moment, I make my choice.
“Both," I whisper, the single word cutting through the tension like lightning through storm clouds. "I want you both." Jake's eyes widen slightly, but it's the smile that spreads across Ben's face, a mix of triumph and hunger, that sends a shiver down my spine.
I move toward the plush area rug in the center of the room, sinking to my knees in silent invitation. From the couch, Marco and Luca watch with undisguised interest, making no move to join but clearly unwilling to leave. The rain intensifies against the windows, a rhythmic soundtrack to what's about to happen.
Jake reaches me first, his movements controlled despite his obvious arousal. He kneels behind me, one hand tracing the curve of my spine while the other gently sweeps my hair to one side, exposing my neck to his lips.
"You're sure?" he murmurs against my skin, ever the protector even now.
Before I can answer, Ben drops to the carpet in front of me, his green eyes glittering with mischief. "She's sure," he says, reaching to trace my lower lip with his thumb. "Aren't you, Emma?"
In response, I lean forward to kiss him, gasping as Jake simultaneously unclasps my bra, his warm hands sliding around to cup my breasts. The dual sensation of Ben's playful lips and Jake's steady touch sends electricity racing through me, and my body arches between them like a bow strung tight.
Ben breaks the kiss to watch as Jake caresses me, his expression appreciative. "Beautiful," he murmurs, before dipping his head to replace Jake's fingers with his mouth on one breast. The hot, wet suction draws a moan from me that echoes in the rain-hushed room.
Not to be outdone, Jake's hands slide down my sides to my hips, and his fingers hook into the waistband of my underwear. "Lift up," he instructs, his voice rough. I comply, and the last barrier between us disappears, leaving me naked between their still-heated bodies.
"My turn," Ben announces, shifting to lie on his back on the carpet. He reaches for my hips, guiding me to straddle his face. "I've been wanting to taste you for far too long."
