Men of Fortune 1: Derek Read online

  Lily turned his face back to her with one hand on his jaw. “To me…lover.”

  “Of course, my love,” Matthias returned smoothly, bending down to press a kiss on her lips. His rhythm never faltered. “That was never in doubt.”

  Matthias didn’t look half involved in the sex as Lily was, but then, that was expected. Derek had yet to meet the woman who would make Matthias lose control.

  “Personality wins over looks any day,” was Nathan’s only comment, but it was very telling, as Derek knew his friend was not the type to be bowled over by a woman’s appearance.

  He glanced from one man to the other, a suspicion growing in the back of his head. How had he not seen this before? Before he could voice his thoughts, Lily uttered a scream that was cut off by Matthias’s mouth on hers. She shuddered and convulsed, then Matthias surged deep into her and ground his groin against hers. A moment later, he fell back onto his seat, bringing her with him, clasped to his chest.

  “Hmmm…” Lily hummed in satisfaction, eyes closed.

  “Had enough?” Derek teased her.

  “Nathan…” she mumbled. Her head lolled on Matthias’s shoulder and she looked content to stay there for a time.

  Derek arched a brow at his cousin, who shook his head.

  “Later,” Nathan said. “Let her rest.”

  Derek turned back to the matter at hand. “So what you guys are telling me is that you’ve all had hard-ons for my wife?”

  Oliver held up his hands. “Don’t kill me, please. It’s a natural reaction to a woman I’m attracted to, but I promise I’ve never done anything about it.”

  “Guilty,” Matthias said.

  “I know I should be immune, since I’m surrounded by attractive women all day,” Adam mused, “but there’s something about your wife, Derek. Or maybe I’m just such a man-whore. Not that I’m thinking of stealing her from you. I don’t poach.”

  “I don’t see what’s the fuss all about,” Lily chimed in, sitting up on Matthias’s lap and facing them. “You’ve all had hard-ons for me and fucked me with them, too. Sometimes, I think you Fortune men have more or less the same tastes in women.”

  Nathan simply nodded.

  Derek stared at them, stunned, his mind whirling at super speed.

  Perhaps this was the answer. He remembered when he was younger, how his perception of himself was boosted whenever a beautiful woman hit on him. Perhaps it worked the same way on a woman.

  He checked to be sure, never mind that his survey consisted of one respondent. “Lily, would you say your confidence is boosted every time a handsome man made a pass at you?”

  “He doesn’t even have to be handsome.” Lily giggled. “Okay, okay, seriously, yes. His attention reinforced the fact that I’m attractive to the opposite sex. It made me feel good about myself.”

  “Your ego is boosted, and you gain confidence in yourself as a woman,” Adam concluded in triumph.

  “A sexy woman who could have any man in the palm of her hands,” Lily purred.

  All the men save Derek saluted her with their beer.

  Nothing could be more powerful to convince a woman of her attractiveness than a man’s hard cock, erect because of her.

  Yes, this could be the answer!

  And it tied in with his own need to see her claimed and possessed by his cousins, the brothers of his heart.

  He exulted too soon, for his mind latched on to another matter, something related.

  The test.

  His heart sank.

  The two were inextricably tied. He couldn’t have one without the other.

  Yet, when he thought of Carly’s insecurities, the way they could paralyze her and prevent her from becoming the person that she had the potential to be, he knew he’d do anything to help her, even sacrifice his own happiness. Love wouldn’t let him do otherwise.

  So be it.

  Before he changed his mind, he took a deep breath and asked, “My friends, how would you like to help me convince my wife of her worth?”

  “I’m your man.”

  “Whatever you need, pal.”

  “You don’t even have to ask.”

  “Just tell us what you need us to do.”

  “Anything.” This last came from Lily.

  Derek looked each person in the eyes, these friends whom he trusted with his life. Now, he was going to entrust them with something even more precious than his life. “How would you like to fuck my wife?”

  Chapter Three

  Carly lay in bed, waiting for her husband to come home. She thought he’d be back by ten at most, but midnight had come and gone, and there was no sign of him. Was Sue right? Was he somewhere spending the time with another woman? Perhaps he was truly with his cousins, but would that seductive, sensuous slut Lily be there? Was she even now using her wiles on Derek?

  She’d met her husband’s childhood friend on two occasions, and both times, Carly had observed Lily’s easy familiarity with the cousins, the small touches and lingering glances and knew the other woman had been—or maybe, was still—on intimate terms with them. Derek had confessed that he’d had sex with Lily in the past and that there was nothing more between them other than as friends with benefits, but that was all over from the moment he’d met Carly.

  She had believed him, but this night, that belief was standing on shaking stilts. Was she being stupid, lying awake like a good little wife, waiting for her husband to come home? She couldn’t solve anything, just let the thoughts run ‘round and ‘round her head. She should go to sleep, for heaven’s sake, as she needed to be up early for work.

  The muted roar of a car sounded outside the window, which she recognized as Derek’s. She hadn’t known how tense she was until she exhaled in relief and her body relaxed.

  He was home.

  It was enough for now.

  Twenty minutes later, he was sliding into bed beside her, and the dip in the mattress made her roll toward him. Already naked, she let her body plaster itself all over him, one leg thrown over both of his, with one of his thighs beneath the warm throb of her pussy. As though she’d just awakened, she murmured something incomprehensible, then pressed her lips to his shoulder, her hand caressing his chest.

  “Honey…” she began.

  “Sorry to wake you,” he said at the same time, pressing a kiss to her brows.

  “I don’t mind.” She wriggled against him in a suggestive manner that left no doubt to her intention. “You wanna—” Her hand had drifted south to stroke his cock, but something made her stop short. Go cold.

  He was wearing his boxers.

  She couldn’t remember a time when he’d worn boxers to bed.

  “Go back to sleep, love,” he said when she didn’t continue.

  Am I your love?

  Unable to bear the skin-to-skin contact with the doubts and questions crowding her mind, more solid now than they were before, she turned away, rolled back to her side of the bed.

  “Carly—”

  She didn’t dare respond, for the tears clogging her throat would give her away. She evened out her breathing and pretended sleep. She could feel him hesitating, before he lay back down. Soon after, she heard the faint snuffles that told her he was asleep, but it was a long time before she drifted off.

  * * *

  Derek stared morosely down at his coffee, the plate of bacon and eggs uneaten before him. Somewhere in the kitchen, Carly was making up her own plate, and though he normally couldn’t stand to be away from her for more than a few minutes, now he hoped she’d take her time.

  Though they’d slept apart last night, this morning, he’d awakened curled around her. She’d smelled good, sleepy and warm, and he was just cursing that he’d had on his boxers when she stiffened and rolled out of bed, taking first dips on the shower.

  When she’d come out of the bathroom, she avoided his eyes and went to dress. Puzzled but worried over how he was going to tell her about the ménage he’d planned, he wasn’t inclined to talk and chalked dow
n her actions to work-related stress, as he remembered her telling him sometime before that she’d need to deal with a troublesome model today.

  In the night, his plan had looked good. In the light of day, his estimation of it had risen to great proportions. He was very certain Carly would come out the winner in the end, and he might even enjoy the process—seeing Carly with his cousins was sure to make him aroused as never before—if he weren’t so worried about the potential fallout to him.

  What if Carly became enthralled with one of his cousins and demanded a divorce? Logic said he was better off without such a woman, but his heart wouldn’t agree. It gave a nasty throb at the thought of Carly walking away. Yet, in the end, was Carly that kind of woman? Without loyalty to and love for him? How much did he really know her?

  He knew she possessed a knack for charming even the most diva of supermodels, and her smile could light up the darkest corners in him and chase away the shadows. He knew she enjoyed spending time with him, even when they weren’t making magnificent, earth-quaking love. He knew she loved to sing, especially in the shower or when she’s cooking, and she enjoyed the same books that he did. Especially, she was a big fan of Oliver’s thrillers, and she was—he chuckled—thrilled to learn Oliver was his cousin. Most of all, he knew her insecurities and the scars in her soul, and he thought she was making progress, both with his constant affirmation and her weekly visits to the therapist.

  Judging by the entry in her diary, it turned out he didn’t know her that well at all.

  And now, her potential permanent “cure” was all mixed up with his secret fear.

  His jaw firmed. He couldn’t be selfish. If his plan could heal her forever, then he was willing to bear any pain.

  One thing he hadn’t expected was that he’d have to convince his cousins with the idea.

  “Are you sure, Derek?” Oliver had asked, his mouth hanging open in stunned shock.

  “I think it’s a marvelous idea!” Lily exclaimed.

  “Yes, I’m sure, and no, Lily, you’re not invited.” The calmness in his mind, in his entire being translated to his speech. He could even smile when Lily pouted. “Is there a problem?”

  Adam looked at him, troubled. “Normally, no. We’ve shared women before, women whom we casually date, but a wife? Rafe didn’t share his.”

  Good thing, too, for Derek couldn’t see himself delivering the spanking that Rafe said his wife needed in order to orgasm.

  Rafe, or Raphael, was another cousin he’d grown up with, and recently married to the love of his life, like about two weeks ago, Rafe had excused himself from the night’s gathering.

  “I know he’s the oldest among us, and hell knows I look up to him, but do we have to follow him in all things?” Derek asked.

  Oliver chuckled. “Good point, but I think you’re also missing what the others are trying to tell you.”

  “Speak in English then. You know I don’t have a head for languages.”

  “Men are territorial,” Nathan pointed out.

  “I am, too,” Derek replied. “I get jealous when I see one of the men at work talk to her. Awhile ago, I realized that the reason I hadn’t brought her here or to any of our group activities was because I wanted her all to myself,” he admitted.

  “Then?” Nathan again, with eyebrows raised.

  Derek frowned, not knowing how to explain this next part. “In the last few days, I found myself…restless, as though something were missing. Having Lily here tonight made me realize that I missed this—having sex together, seeing my woman with you guys. I know this isn’t the norm, because Rafe is obviously happy keeping his wife away from us, but I can only tell you what I feel and need.”

  “And you need to see us fuck your wife.” Oliver’s matter-of-fact tone belied the disbelief in his eyes.

  “Strange as it may seem, yes. And if it should help Carly, too,” he shrugged in an offhand manner that didn’t fool anyone, “why not?”

  “So…” Adam drawled, one finger stroking his chin as he considered, “you won’t kill us in our sleep when it’s over?”

  “I hope not.” Derek gave an uncertain, shaky laugh. “I have no intention of spending the rest of my life in jail.” He then drew a hand down his face, blowing out a breath and becoming serious. “I know I won’t. I trust you guys.” Trust them not to poach his wife. “We all grew up together and I trust you, each one of you, with my life. And now…I’m going to trust you with something even more precious.” What he said was true. He searched his heart, his soul, for any trace of jealousy, but there was none. “Carly needs a boost to her self-esteem, and you guys are going to give it to her.”

  He glanced from one man to the other and was unnerved by the intense blue gaze from Matthias. “What?”

  Matthias hesitated. “If the plan pushed through, I’m just saying it doesn’t have to be the test, Derek. Some women are overwhelmed by so much testosterone and might react differently from their usual fashion.”

  “I know.” Derek grasped the lifeline with grateful hands. The plan was about Carly, not him. Not him.

  In the end, they’d all agreed to help him, even Nathan.

  The only thing left was to gain his wife’s approval, but he was finding it hard to tell her. In fact, how to tell her?

  Carly dear, would it be okay for my cousins to fuck you? I think it would help with your self-esteem.

  Or, Carly dear, my cousins would love to fuck you. See how desirable you are?

  He didn’t think either approach would go well.

  “Derek?”

  He glanced up, startled, to see Carly seated opposite him, her eyes wide.

  “Is something wrong? You aren’t eating and I called you three times.”

  He gave her a brief smile. “Sorry, dear, just composing the shoot I’m doing today.” Yeah, right, now he was lying to his wife. He picked up his fork and looked down at his plate. Nothing looked appetizing. Desperate, his gaze slid to the right. Coffee, great. He gulped down a mouthful.

  “Oh. Well, I’m sure it’ll be awesome, like your other works.” She sent him a tentative smile with lips that trembled. “By the way, we never go out anymore. I was thinking a movie and dinner this Saturday night—”

  “I’ve invited my cousins over for dinner,” he blurted out. Okay, maybe that came out better than he’d planned. Now, how was he going to insert the matter of the fucking?

  “Oh.”

  He happened to look up at her, in time to see the hurt cross her face. “Oh, fuck.” He slapped a hand to his forehead. “I’m sorry, I know I said I’d check in with you first. It’s what we agreed on.” A rueful smile touched his mouth, a genuine action that dispelled a bit of the awkwardness. “You have to forgive me; I’m still getting used to being part of a couple. Is Saturday a bad time? I can move the dinner to next week—”

  “No, that’s fine.” She nibbled on her toast and wouldn’t look at him. “We can move the movie to next week. Do you have any food requests for Saturday night?”

  He thought of the fucking that would ensue after dinner, or maybe even before, whatever the mood would be. Of course, there was the slightest chance that Carly wouldn’t agree, and if so, he wouldn’t force her. He’d just find some other means to help her. “Nothing heavy. Maybe…salad?”

  Her head jerked up, the expression on her face incredulous. “We are talking about dinner, aren’t we?”

  “Yes,” he said cautiously, wondering if he’d made a misstep somewhere.

  “Salad? You used to say only goats eat those.”

  “I changed my mind,” he said, relieved that it was nothing disastrous. “Oliver convinced me real men eat veggies, too.” Throwing in her favorite writer’s name ought to do the trick.

  Her mouth twitched. “Your cousin. Really.”

  Now that she seemed to have forgiven him, he’d better not do or say anything to ruin it. Yeah, maybe they’d just wing it Saturday night.

  * * *

  “What’s wrong, Carly?” Sue as
ked.

  “Nothing.” She forced herself to spoon a mouthful of pasta into her mouth, and she chewed and swallowed, but it could be sawdust for all she tasted of it.

  “Aw, come on, I’ve got eyes, girl, and I’m not stupid, despite what people believe of models, or ex-models.” The last was muttered beneath her breath.

  Carly really didn’t want to have lunch with Sue, since all she needed now was to have someone confirm her worst suspicions. Especially after the number Sue did on her yesterday. But as soon as the clock struck twelve, Sue had hauled her along to the cafeteria.

  “Something’s wrong.” Sue’s gaze skewered her. “You’re restless, your concentration’s shot to hell, and you let that troublesome witch model get the better of you.”

  “I’m sorry, I’ll do better this afternoon,” Carly said, keeping her gaze on the noodles. She wanted to be alone—no, she wanted to talk to someone, to unburden herself, someone to tell her she was imagining things, that Derek still loved her, that he wasn’t thinking of…of…She shied away from the thought. She felt like a keg full of firepowder, varied emotions roiling within her and brimming to the surface. Just one match and she’d explode—

  “That’s not what I mean,” Sue said, the tone of her voice changing, becoming gentler, sympathetic, understanding. She touched Carly’s hand, closing over the fist she made on the cutlery. So gentle, so soft. “Something’s bothering you. How can I help, Carly?”

  She never thought kindness could be a kindle, but it was and it struck when she was at her most vulnerable. She burst out with the one thing that bothered her the most. “He lied to me.”