Knockout (Tapped Out 4)

Even with what I’d told Lily about what our first time would be like, there was no denying we’d skewed toward the dirtier side of the equation. Which was just fine, because she was damn near insatiable. What had happened between the three of us last weekend had apparently just been a preview of coming attractions.

Emphasis on coming.

Now we were sprawled out on JC’s bed, eating wings and pizza, and Lily was wearing one of JC’s few button-down shirts, the cuffs way too big and dangling down her hands as she delicately nibbled on a chicken wing. She’d spilled sauce from the box of wings on her sweater—we’d told her not to bother getting dressed—so she’d had to throw it in the washer and grab something of JC’s. I’d wondered if it might bother me to see her wearing another man’s clothes. Nope, it only turned me on more.

At least when the clothes belonged to this man, the one who’d sucked on my balls and licked my dick while it plunged in and out of Lily.

I didn’t know how much she’d realized was happening between JC and me. She’d had to have, right? But she hadn’t blinked. Then again, if she was truly into guy-on-guy porn…

Yeah, I wasn’t going there, not now. My dick was already practically sore. I didn’t need the image of my girl getting off to the idea of two guys in my head right now. And she was my girl.

I couldn’t let her go after what we’d shared. I didn’t know what that would mean in the long run. All I knew was that I just wasn’t strong enough to walk away.

“So your parents still haven’t been by to see the new place?”

JC sprawled on his stomach and gnawed on a chicken wing like he hadn’t eaten in a year. I couldn’t say I blamed him. I’d been starving too. “My mom’s busy with her groups and society stuff. She’s chairing a new committee at the church. Dad’s…well, Dad. When he’s not being surgeon extraordinaire, he’s golfing.” He shrugged. “I’m not about to drag him away from the greens for something like this.”

She stroked his hair. “What about your brother?”

Another shrug. “Ray’s got finals at John Jay. Maybe in a couple weeks he’ll make it by. Right now, I’m just letting him do his thing.”

I swallowed the last bit of my pizza crust. For the entire time I’d known JC, I thought he was cocky and irreverent, the kind of guy who never let anything bother him. But it was obvious his family’s disinterest did. Evidently, there was a lot about the guy I’d missed.

Like the fact he wants to suck your dick.

“You’ve gotten here all on your own. You have your own business, and you work so many long hours…” She picked up his free hand and circled her finger around his palm. “Look at all these calluses. You’re a damn beast.”

He waggled his brows. “Sure you’re not talking about my prowess in the sack, babe?”

Shaking her head, she gave him a shove. “Jerk. I’m being serious for once.”

“Me too.” He dumped the chicken wing in the box and shut the lid. “It is what it is, you know? Yeah, I have my own business, and yeah, we’re doing okay. My dad says he’s proud of me, even recommends me to some of his doctor buddy friends when they need work done. But in his eyes, I’m an unskilled laborer. Any idiot can drive in some nails and—”

“That’s not true.”

They both looked up at me. JC was uncharacteristically silent, and I knew I’d have to complete my thought.

“You’ve gotten some really high-profile jobs. The Cage isn’t some low-brow operation. I’m sure other places put in bids. You wouldn’t have been chosen if your work didn’t speak for itself.”

“He’s right.” Lily nodded vigorously. “My recommendation to use your company wouldn’t have meant squat if you didn’t have so many testimonials on that fancy new website of yours.”

JC cleared his throat. “Thanks, guys. Seriously. I needed to hear that tonight.” He sat up and stared down at his hands. “I thought I didn’t care they couldn’t make time to see this place, even though I was so proud of getting it. Of being able to afford to get it. But I guess I was lying to myself.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “No man’s an island, right?”

“No, and no man should be. That’s why you’ve got us,” Lily said quietly, tipping her head against JC’s.

He smiled, his golden-brown eyes softening. “Yeah, and believe me, I’m grateful for it.”

“Good. You should be. Because not every guy gets two…” She broke off and frowned. “Whatever we are. Speaking of that, what are you guys doing after the fight next Friday night?”

I blinked at the topic change. “Probably recovering in my case.”

JC popped a pepperoni in his mouth. The guy ate them like they were Tic Tacs. “Friday night usually means I’m stretched out with a couple of beers and some Icy Hot. Why?”

“There’s this club thing.” She bit her lip. “The girls are going. Jenna and Carly from The Cage?”

“Carly? Gio’s wife? She’s the size of a house.”

Lily gave me a hard stare. “And what, that means she can’t go out and have a good time?”