Chapter Eleven

L ady Eleanor, Duchess of Smythington

"I will make sure we are not disturbed." Rex went to the door to address the servant on duty. He closed the door a moment later and turned to meet my regard. He carried a fevered look in his eyes, and my own core ached deliciously.

"I think we should move to the settee." Flynn held his hand out ,and I laid mine in his larger one. Calluses roughened his hands from rowing. Knees weak, my entire body was alive with unfulfilled desire, rather like when I first married.

The settee was in a recess in the reading nook by the window. I often took refuge there to devour the latest gothic novel. It seemed apropos to use it for seeking other pleasures.

"Lead the way. You are the conductor, and we are simply the musicians taking your direction." Rex followed us, his irises a velvety green. He tugged off his necktie, a familiar sharpness to his features. I recognized his desire for it mimicked my own. My corset felt binding, and I wanted to remove my clothing.

"Unfasten Eleanor's shirtwaist," Flynn said as if reading my mind. He was a very sensual man and exuded strength and vitality. Throughout our years as friends, I saw how other women responded to him. I couldn't help thinking of what my life would be like had I accepted Flynn's proposal over Rex's. "I wish to see her lovely breasts."

My mother's warnings from long ago screamed no. I nodded in agreement, ignoring the advice, not wishing to hold anything back. Pretending to be affronted for the sake of propriety wasn't conducive to the success of our endeavor. I stepped in front of Rex while he performed the task, his fingers shaking the slightest bit, giving away his need.

The buttons loosened, exposing my chest to the cool air. He'd never seen me fully naked, and we wore our nightshirts during our coupling. While he touched my breasts through the fabric, the extent of our interactions had been under the cloak of darkness. It felt safe and comfortable, rather like our marriage had lately. While I was grateful for that, I wanted more, and I could see in Rex's eyes that he wanted more as well.

"They are very beautiful," Rex said, slipping my chemise down until my nipples popped out of the garment. The hunger in his gaze warmed me like nothing else could. After three children, I was still proud of my figure, and glad my husband still found me appealing. He played his fingers over the budded flesh, and I arched into his touch. With a sultry grin, he leaned in and swept his mouth over mine, the familiarity of his kiss taking away some of my nerves.

My other lover was not forgotten. Flynn's strong fingers unfastened my corset, and the material fell away, allowing me to take a much-needed deep breath. Next, my skirt was loosened, and it fell to the floor, leaving me in my chemise and bloomers.

My heart raced with anticipation and a touch of apprehension. Under the fabric of my undergarment, I carried residual scars from my past abuse at the hands of my father. Over the years, most had faded into thin strips, barely visible. The material of my bloomers would shield them from view so I shook my head when Flynn tried to remove them.

"I believe Eleanor would rather keep her undergarments on." Rex ran a knuckle along my cheek before dipping his tongue into my mouth, earning a moan from me. He knew me well and played on my desires. My love for him swelled.

"Beg pardon. In my defense, you are a present I am eager to unwrap." Flynn drifted his hands up my sides until he was cupping my left breast, rolling my nipple between his fingers. Warm lips blazed a trail down my neck, and I was bombarded on both fronts. "I think you and Rex should sit down."

Rex withdrew from our kiss, his breath coming fast. He sat on the settee and guided me down beside him. Head angled, he began to kiss the underside of my jaw, gliding his lips to the spot where my shoulder met my neck. Delicious goosebumps broke out. If anyone had asked me to describe my husband, being attracted to another man would never be in the description. Not that I ever would be so bold as to say something so intimate about him. Rex was a private man, and I valued his privacy.

Society would look down its nose at what we were doing, no matter how natural it felt for us. Close-minded people were threatened by men who preferred the company of their sex and ostracized them. Their titles would prevent Rex and Flynn from too much backlash, but our families would suffer. Flynn had three daughters who had yet to come out, and none of us wished to jeopardize the lives of our children for our own passions.

Flynn leaned and captured my mouth with his, his hand cupping my jaw, his kiss no different than it was twenty years ago. He still tasted the same, the familiarity sending heated waves along my every nerve. I drew my mind away from the worst-case scenario and focused on the current state of our passions. There was no use thinking in the hypothetical when other things took precedence, like Flynn's kisses.

I moaned at the double assault on my senses. Flynn moved his mouth from mine, his lips trailing a path down my collarbone, tongue licking and swirling until he brought my nipple into the warm enclave of his mouth.

Rex continued to lick and suck at my other nipple, bombarding me on two fronts. Flynn's thighs pushed my legs wide as he knelt between them. I instinctively stiffened, panicked by what was happening, yet yearning for it to continue.

"Open for him, my sweet." Rex offered me an encouraging smile.

After a brief hesitation, I nodded and let my legs fall wider apart, exposing my cunny to Flynn's eager gaze. Nobody had ever seen me thus, not even myself. It was at once mortifying while also freeing.

"Tell me if you are uncomfortable. This is supposed to be about pleasure." Flynn ran his palms up my thighs to the slit in my bloomers. He pushed the material aside to expose the triangle of hair covering my womanhood. My gaze locked on Flynn, I looped my arm around Rex's neck while he continued to pay homage to my breasts with his mouth.

The moment Flynn slid one fingertip over my inflamed nub, liquid heat flooded my folds. My hand on Rex's neck flexed, and I closed my eyes only to snap them open a second later. I wasn't sure why, but I felt the urge to watch Flynn and observe the nuances of his countenance. His handsome features were sharp with need, his mouth wide and kissable.

Broad palms cupped my bottom. He dropped his head between my legs. The first sweep of his tongue on my sensitive flesh was a shock to the senses. We had discussed the act beforehand, and I shouldn't have been dazed, but I was.

I drifted a hand into his hair, my back arched. Rex placed a finger on my chin and turned my face to his. With a knowing smile, he began to place sensual kisses on my lips. The play of his mouth made me hungry for more.

"How are you faring?" Flynn sucked on my nub before I could answer. He flicked it with his tongue, driving me mad with unfulfilled passion.

"Lovely," I said between kisses. I had never experienced anything like it before. I kissed Rex with more desperation, and in a bold move, I placed his hand on my breasts. He complied with my silent request, rolling my nipple between his fingers.

Flynn inserted a finger into me, and I latched onto it with my inner core, my control near the end.

Each time he touched me, I tingled all over. I arched into his caress, my pulse sprinting in anticipation. I wanted to experience everything Flynn had proposed we do together. His suggestion was somehow revitalizing to my boring life. Rex had fulfilled every need, yet I still felt like something was missing.

Rex swirled his tongue around my areola, moving ever closer to my nipple. Never could I have imagined two men would seduce me in such a manner. I draped my arm around his neck, my hand on the nape. He had the uncanny ability to read my mind, and we often spoke for hours about any topic under the sun. The fact I had denied him this sort of pleasure made me feel guilty.

Sensations continued to abound through me, bringing me to grander heights. I wanted to touch both men in return, to explore what was happening between us without the burden of clothing. My own bodily greed took precedence. "I very much like that."

I could feel the juices flowing between my legs. The blood pumped through my cunny, and something exploded from deep inside my womb. I threw my head back, my fingers clutching at Flynn's hair. "Oh dear," I moaned, the words coming out in a long wail.

Strong fingers clutched my bottom, my back bowed with a pleasure I had never experienced before. This was reminiscent of how he always made me feel when he was courting me. While Rex warmed my entire soul, Flynn had a way of igniting my blood. Not that I didn't desire Rex, but I desired Flynn in a more primal way that had nothing to do with love. Lust was the name of the game with Flynn, and he appealed to the wild side I had tried to suppress my entire life.

My breath came in pants. I dropped back down to the settee, my body in a state of euphoria. I rested my head against Rex's shoulder and tried to catch my breath. Rex surprised me tonight, and I was thrilled he seemed to enjoy himself. Guilt weighed on me for holding back on him, and I wasn't sure if I could forgive myself for that. Had I known what was missing from our intimacy, I would have held on to it with both hands.

Face flushed, my essence on his lips, Flynn plopped down on the settee next to me, looking rather pleased with himself. There was a definite bulge in his trousers. Rex was in a similar state.

"Thank you. That was quite lovely." Heat rushed into my cheeks. I bit back my growing embarrassment for what I was about to suggest. Putting up barriers was not an option. However, taking down barriers I had erected for many years would be a challenge. I was up for the challenge, however. "It would appear both of you are in need of having your desires appeased."

"Never fear, my love, we shall soon find our own pleasure." Rex reached over and pulled Flynn to him, his mouth finding the other man's. It occurred to me I should feel a bit jealous over the impassioned way they embraced. Instead, it warmed my heart.

I watched the two men kiss mere inches from me, tongues dueling in an erotic dance of lust. The sight stoked the embers lingering in my core. I felt like the luckiest of ladies. The men had brought me unbelievable pleasure, and yet I wished for more. I had a feeling my time would come again. For now, I wanted them to experience everything we could together. While unconventional, for some reason, it felt right.

The kiss deepened, and I laid one hand on Rex's thigh, my seeking fingers moving up the hardness. I no longer wanted to be an observer but a participant. Touching my husband seemed less intimidating, and I allowed my palm to connect with the prominent length of his cock beneath the wool. Flynn clasped my hand and dragged his mouth from Rex's. Impassioned eyes met mine. He brought my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it. "Might I have the pleasure?"

I read the pleading in the depths of his eyes. He said he had been in love with Rex and me. It was an odd concept that somehow worked. Or at least I hoped it would. Losing his friendship was not an option. He had brought me great pleasure thus, I would grant his request. "Of course. I wish to see how it is done."

And if I received pleasure from it, all the better.