The Center of Earth and Sky Read online

  He reached out tentatively, letting his fingertips slide over Grey's shoulder, the dark skin so hot. Grey arched into the touch, a low, pleased sound filling the air. He made a soft, happy noise. He wanted so badly to be a part of them, but at the same time, they were perfect together. To be allowed to add his touch to them...

  He shifted closer and slid his hand down along Grey's spine, loving the way the long, soft hair tangled around his fingers.

  “Whit.” Raine's hand encouraged him closer still, wrapping around his neck. He pushed against them with a sigh, hand cupping Grey's ass. Grey gasped and turned to look at him, eyes flashing. Then he was drawn into their kiss, tasting them together for the first time. They tasted like the earth and the sky, like the two meeting in a great storm.

  He moaned and pressed closer, held on tighter. The kiss went on and on, hands tangling together in his hair, intensity becoming playful and then morphing into need again as they made love with hands and tongues and rocking bodies.

  His cock slid against Raine's legs, his hand stroked Grey's ass, his tongue tangled with theirs. Raine's hand pressed between their bodies, teasing their cocks, pulling and stroking and rubbing. Grey's gasp made Raine chuckle, his moan earned him a long, hungry kiss from Grey's swollen lips. Oh, he was flying, cruising the space between Raine's sky and Grey's earth and it was so good.

  “C ... coming soon,” he warned them, lost in their bodies.

  “Oh, Grey will too. I want to see, want to see your eyes when you come. Open your eyes, Grey. Whit, please. Let me see everything.” Raine's voice was gasping, needy, irresistible as the insistent fingers against his cock.

  He blinked his eyes open, seeing first Grey's dark eyes, full of passion. They turned together, looking at Raine and the need and want in them made him cry out, made him come, body shuddering through a long orgasm.

  “Whit. Raine. Oh...” Grey's husky voice rumbled, growing darker as his orgasm hit, followed by Raine's heat, the cry higher and sharper. So sweet.

  It teased a last shudder out of him, a last soft pulse of his cock. “Oh ... thank you.”

  Grey licked the corner of his mouth and Raine laughed, nuzzling his shoulder. “Is the shower big enough for all of us, Grey?”

  Grey grinned against his mouth. “To wash in? Probably. To play in? No. And I'm hungry, Raine. Whit promised breakfast.”

  Black eyes glittered at him, mischievous and playful. Grey looked younger in the sunlight, happier.

  He smiled and boldly pressed his lips against Grey's. “I did. Do you guys like pancakes? It's about the only thing I can cook, for breakfast.”

  “Oooh! Pancakes? Really?” Raine's kiss was warm on his cheek. “I love pancakes!”

  Grey kissed him back, long and slow. “Coffee, too?”

  “Hell, it's not really awake until there's been coffee.”

  “Oh, you are a jewel, Whit.” Grey kissed him again, smiling wide.

  “I'll make you coffee every morning for kisses like that.” His eyes went wide as soon as he said it and he backed away quickly. “So you both like coffee?”

  He headed for his drawers and grabbed out a pair of sweats, slipping them on as he babbled. “Are you big eaters, ‘cause I should probably do a double batch on the pancakes so that there's enough for everyone? I usually eat a whole batch myself, granted, it's usually around noon and I tend not to have anything else the rest of the day, but it all depends on how big of eaters you are.”

  Raine's eyes were smiling, hand sliding around his waist. “I don't drink coffee, love milk. Love pancakes. And Grey has a hollow leg. He can eat a horse.”

  Grey wiped himself off and pulled on his jeans, wiggling his ass. “Could I borrow a brush, Whit?”

  “Yeah...” He looked up from Grey's crotch and caught the dark eyes twinkling at him and he felt his cheeks go hot. He gave Raine a quick kiss. “One horse, coming up.”

  With that he ducked out and headed for the kitchen where he splashed some cold water on his face before getting out the ingredients to throw together the pancakes.

  Grey found him first, still shirtless, hair sleek and braided in a long tail. “Need any help?”

  The nape of his neck was nuzzled softly, his back touched with warmth.

  He chuckled. “That kind of help is going to land us in a burned pancake situation. How do you feel about IHOP?”

  Grey's chuckle was wicked and playful, hands sliding around his waist. “I love their pecan pancakes. Raine likes the blueberry ones. The coffee's drinkable. Flip the pancake, Whit.”

  “Hmm? Oh!” He flipped the pancake, wincing at how dark the bottom had gotten.

  Grey smiled against his shoulder. “The first one's always weird.”

  “No worries.” Raine wandered in, fully dressed, hair loose and shining around his shoulders. “Want me to start the coffee, Whit? Looks like you've got help with the pancakes.”

  “Yeah, the beans are in the fridge and there's a little grinder over by the coffee maker, thanks.”

  He put the pancake on a tray in the oven and poured out the next one, leaning back against Grey when he was done. Warm skin pressed along his own. Felt good. Raine nodded, pulling the beans out, humming softly. Grey just held him, watching and quiet. Strong. Warm. It was nice, not cooking on his own, just having other people in the house with him, standing close, making noise, being there with him.

  Grey kept kissing his back softly until Raine handed over a cup of coffee and then stole a kiss of his own. “How do you take yours, Whit?”

  “Just a touch of milk.” He smiled at Raine. “Just enough to be the same color as your skin.”

  “Oh!” Raine flushed, beaming at him. “I ... I can do that.”

  The hand around his waist tightened, hugging him tight. He smiled at Raine and leaned just a little more against Grey. He was learning stuff the longer he was with them and it was fascinating. One of those things was that it pleased Grey if he pleased Raine. He was learning stuff about himself as well, learning that wanted to please these two beautiful men.

  “What do you do when you're not making pancakes, Whit?” Raine put his coffee on the table along with a glass of milk and the butter. “When's your birthday? Do you like movies? Where's the syrup?”

  He laughed. “Schoolteacher. June 12. Silent, black and whites and musicals. In the cabinet above the sink in the bottle that says ‘maple syrup'.”

  The last pancake slid out of the pan and Grey backed away after giving his shoulder a soft kiss and grabbed three plates and forks from the dish drainer. Raine grabbed the bottle, nodding. “I run a gallery and write a little. Grey takes pictures and has an antique store. December 24. Grey likes mysteries, I like them all.”

  “What kind of pictures, Grey?” He put the stack of pancakes in the middle of the table and sat down.

  “Black and white nudes. I have done five or six shows. Now that the darkroom's finished, I can start shooting again.” The twins settled in, Grey waiting for Raine to take what he wanted with a quiet patience. Grey reached over and stroked Whit's cheek. “I'd like to shoot you.”

  “Me?” He felt that heat come into his cheeks again. “I'm not bad-looking, but I'm not beautiful like the two of you.”

  Raine's leg nudged his. “I told you last night. You are special. You shine. Grey can see it too. You are just caught inside it.”

  Grey just smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth and then turned back to the pancakes.

  “So does this mean I'll get to see you again?” He asked as casually as possible.

  “Do you want to?” Raine's voice was low and careful, Grey still and watching.

  Heat filled his face, but he met first one set of dark eyes and then the other. “Yeah, I really do.”

  “Good.” Grey gave him another kiss and finished the last bite of pancakes while Raine beamed at him.

  “What are you doing for lunch?” Raine grinned.

  “Raine.” Grey arched an eyebrow. “Be good.”

  “Supper?”
>
  “Raine.”

  “Sunday brunch?”

  “I've got a test to correct and the week's lesson plans to organize, but otherwise, the weekend's my own.” Raine's eagerness matched his own, made him glad.

  “I have a meeting today about some revolution-era silver at 2, Raine.” Grey was looked at a small palm pilot. “Nothing tomorrow. You?”

  “Party at Ron and Sheila's tonight, but I was going to cancel.” Raine grinned. “I could cook supper for us? Something with good wine? Then Antone's for Sunday brunch in style, walk in the park, just relax?”

  Grey shook his head. “He'll schedule your whole life if you're not careful, Whit.”

  Whit ducked his head and then looked back up into Raine's eyes. “Not minding it so far.”

  Then he grinned and, despite the growing heat in his cheeks, teased, “You schedule when we're going to make love again, too?”

  Raine's grin widened. “I'm thinking 3, 7, 9, midnight, a quickie around 3 am, then 9 am and 11 am. Then a nice slow session from 2-6 or so tomorrow afternoon. Is that good for you?”

  “Can you do me a favor, Grey—pass me my vitamins?”

  They all laughed, loud and long and together.

  It was very good.

  * * * *

  Whit stopped and checked himself in the window of the gallery. He wore dress slacks and his favorite cotton shirt, the top two buttons undone. It was black with silver buttons, even on the cuffs and was worn to the most comfortable softness.

  He looked pretty good in it, too. He smoothed his hair back and took a deep breath. He hadn't been this nervous since his first interview fresh out of school.

  He made himself go up to the door beside the gallery and ring the bell. He was clutching his bottle of wine tight. He wanted this to work out so bad and why was the second date always harder than the first? Maybe because he wanted it to work out so bad.

  “Yes?” Raine. He could tell even over the intercom.

  “Hi, it's me. Whit. From ... yeah, me.” Oh man, that was really smooth.

  Raine's chuckle was warm. “Come on up. Door's at the top of the stairs and it's unlocked.”

  He smiled and opened the door as it buzzed, feeling better already, though there were butterflies dancing in his stomach. A whole migration's worth. He smoothed back his hair one more time, knocked on the door, and opened it.

  The smells of spices and cheeses and bread hit him as he walked in, eyes wide. The loft was stunning—one wall was covered in windows, another held a fireplace, the others were draped in rich burgundy fabric and hundreds of copper-framed photographs. The furniture was dark, heavy, covered in deep jewel tones and heavy cushions. In the center of it all was a huge, four-poster bed heaped with pillows and black bedding. Grey was curled in the middle of it, dressed only in a loose pair of linen trousers, sound asleep.

  Raine walked around the bar from the kitchen, seeming to float in his loose-fitting clothing, bare feet making no sound on the wood floor. He smiled, moving immediately into Whit's arms. “Hello. Grey was exhausted, so we're letting him sleep until supper. How are you?”

  “Good. I'm good.” He wrapped his arms around Raine and tilted his head, inviting a kiss. Raine's lips were hot and open and tasted like chocolate and mint. He moaned into Raine's mouth, cock growing hard as they kissed.

  He stepped back, breaking the kiss, panting as he handed over the bottle of wine.

  “Mm ... perfect! Thank you.” Raine set it on the bar. “Would you like a glass now? Or I have some white chilled in the fridge that's fabulous.” He got a happy smile, dark hair swinging as Raine turned his head. “Dinner will be in an hour and I thought I'd give you the tour and then we could sit and visit for a while.”

  “Sounds great—all of it.” Whit smiled and then hesitated a moment. “Is Grey okay? If tonight isn't good after all, we can always postpone...”

  Raine shook his head, drawing him into the neat, warm kitchen and pulling out a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Grey sleeps for me. He always has, like I talk for him. I only sleep three, maybe four hours a night. Grey needs ten, minimum, and there are times I like to see him get twelve.” He was handed his glass. “He's fine, just resting.”

  He took the glass and had a sip, smiling at the taste as well as Raine's words. These two were so intertwined. It made him wonder just how deep the connection went.

  “This is the kitchen. We're having a meal of tapas and then chocolate fondue for dessert.” Raine took his hand and led him through the loft, showing him the bathroom, the darkroom, the laundry room. Each piece of furniture was explained in loving detail—the softness, the curves, the fabric and the wood and the way the light hit it. He had to try out each chair, each bench, test it's suitability and comfort, whether it fit better just one or with two.

  He fell in love with each piece, with the loft itself, and with Raine.

  Then Raine took him to see the photos and he fell in love with Grey. Hundreds of them—Raine smiling and laughing and sorrowful. Pictures of Raine's pierced nipple, of bathing and sleeping and working and living. Pictures of Raine bound and needy. Pictures of them together making love, curled together. Natural and posed and funny and devastating and every single one of them beautiful.

  “These are amazing,” he said again for about the five hundredth time. “So beautiful. The two of you are ... mesmerizing.”

  “Grey is very good at what he does, but I know all about Grey. He has been inside my brain since time began. I want to know you.” Raine drew him over to a huge overstuffed sofa and sat with him, settling into his arms. “You fascinate me.”

  He laughed softly. “I can't possibly fascinate you more than you both fascinate me. Next to the two of you ... I'm pretty simple.”

  “Simple? What grade do you teach? Do you have brothers and sisters? How long have you lived here? What's your favorite food? What's your favorite sexual position?” Raine interspersed each question with a kiss.

  “I teach grades four, five and six. Grade four this year—they're so bright and curious at this age, you know?” He kissed Raine, intending to give the same treatment he'd received, becoming addicted to the big sky taste of Raine's mouth. “I'm an only child—Mother's the only one left and we have a live and let live policy—I let her live with the illusion that she will one day have grandchildren and she doesn't hassle me about the eminent, or not so eminent arrival of said grandchildren.”

  This time the kiss lasted longer as he got tangled up in Raine's hair and didn't try to work himself free.

  “All my life. Mother has a place in the high rent district.” He was losing his focus on his words, Raine's lips holding far more meaning for him.

  “Favorite foods are ... well broccoli and carrots to be honest. I know they aren't supposed to be, but they are. I could eat,” he nibbled on Raine's lower lip. “I could eat just them and you and be happy.”

  He didn't even blush when he said it, though he did as he answered the last question. “I don't think I've tried enough of them to have a favorite.”

  “Then we'll have to make sure you get a chance to make an informed decision.” Raine crawled into his lap, hands combing through his hair. “Love your eyes; so bright.”

  “Yours are dark enough to be mirrors, like a night sky in the country.” He leaned forward and took another kiss. It was so easy with Raine, talking about himself, letting things slip from his mouth that he usually kept inside.

  “Mm ... I like the flavor of wine in your mouth.” Raine was so hot, so close. So hard against him.

  Whit slid his arms down Raine's back, boldly cupping the firm ass and pulling Raine closer. “What else do you like?”

  “Oh...” Raine hummed softly, arms wrapping around his neck. “I like your curls and the curve of your ass and the way your skin glows in the lamplight.”

  He made a soft sound and rolled Raine's ass forward, bringing their cocks together. “I like your skin. I want to feel it against mine.”

  “Mm ... yes.” R
aine's head dipped, mouth moving over his throat. “So sweet, so soft. Are you sensitive here, Whit?”

  He tilted his head back, shivering lightly. “Yes...”

  “Oh. And here?” Those so soft lips traveled up toward his ear. He giggled as Raine tickled. Raine's laugh was so warm. “Oh, you are an addiction, you lovely man.”

  “You're giving me a swelled head,” he warned, laughing as he realized what he'd said.

  Raine's laughter joined his. “That is part of my goal, Whit.”

  “Only part?” Oh, he was flirting madly, well more than flirting, given that only the material of their pants separated their erections, but he was playing and it felt so good.

  “Oh, yes. Part of my goal is to seduce you into falling in love with me, with Grey, so that we can play together for years and I can learn everything about you.” Raine's cheeks heated against his. “Oh, Grey would frown at me for being pushy.”

  He looked into the dark eyes and took a chance. “Maybe he would, but I think your plan is working, Raine...”

  “Oh, good.” Raine smiled, eyes so warm. “Then I'll keep working at it, okay? I bet Grey would even work at this plan.”

  “Yeah? You think he likes me? He's hard to read.”

  “If he didn't like you, we would have never gone to your house. Never spent the night. He would have never held you while you cooked breakfast.” Raine looked down, eyes sad for a moment. “He's just very careful these days, very cautious.”

  He stroked Raine's cheeks, wanting to take away that sad look. “Then I'm very glad you took a chance on me.”

  Raine nuzzled into his touch, eyes smiling and warm again. “I should put dinner together. You should go wake up Grey. He is very warm and snuggly after a nap, expect kisses.”

  “He won't mind it's me and not you?” Whit asked, taking another kiss and rubbing their erections together again.

  “No, he won't mind. He likes you, Whit. He does.” Raine licked along his bottom lip and stood, heading for the kitchen.

  He got up and headed for the bed. It was the biggest bed he'd ever seen. Grey looked small on it, but the man seemed bigger once he was lying next to him. He looked at the strong features for a long time, admiring the color of his skin, the high cheekbones and the hooked nose. Grey was as beautiful as Raine. Asleep he imaged he wouldn't be able to tell the difference. He scooted closer and kissed Grey softly. “Grey...”