"That was fun." She finally breaks the comfortable silence while she watches me work, wrapping one stand of wet hair around her finger over and over again.
"You think?" I grin, then brush my thumb over her clit, making her inhale sharply. I chuckle when I realize just how aroused she still is, but abandon teasing her soon after. She doesn't even glare at me, making it obvious just how much she's still in her role.
When I'm done, I pick her up and carry her into the bedroom where Jazz is waiting for us, about as tired as Bella but a lot less strung out. He scoots over when I put her down onto the mattress, then pulls her to him and I crawl under the covers to join them. Like the last time we ended up here together, Bella is content to find herself between us, laughing softly when I nibble on the side of her neck.
Jazz watches us for awhile before he clears his throat, drawing our attention back to him.
"That was unexpected, but I can't say I feel like complaining."
"Well, good for you!" Bella huffs, already sounding a lot more like her usual self. It's funny to watch her use him to pull herself back together, although part of me resents that she feels the need to do so.
"So you'll do it again?" I want to know.
Jazz hesitates but then nods, although a slight frown remains on his forehead.
"If you ditch the cane completely next time, okay." Bella must have made a face for he backtracks almost immediately, adding a quick, "When it comes to my ass, I mean, feel free to work her over as much as she wants."
"Now why does that still sound like you're trying to convince yourself you're okay with that?" I remark dryly, getting a hard look from him in return that somehow amuses me even more.
"Hey, I'm trying, can't teach a dog new tricks overnight! But I have to admit, watching your face light up with intensity while you were making her scream and writhe was a lot more of a turn-on than I expected."
I hadn't even noticed that he was watching me, but stranger things have happened, and his observation leaves me smiling back at him.
"So you won't run the next time if I'm getting out the heavy guns?"
Now he's looking properly cowed.
"Uh, this wasn't what you consider, ah, heavy?"
I don't even have to answer; Bella does it for me when she starts to laugh, rocking us both with the motion of it.
"Are you serious? Jazz, this wasn't really that much more than we did last spring in the woods! Okay, this time you were on the receiving side of things, too, but Edward didn't really hurt me. Sure I might have groaned and grunted a little, and shouted a few times, but that's nothing. Look at my ass, I don't even have any real marks!"
Jazz seems stunned at her revelation, then actually checks her butt, only finding a residual reddening of the skin but not a single welt that survived long enough to still show.
"Happy now?" she asks, still laughing, before she curls into my embrace again.
"I guess. It just seemed more vicious while it was happening."
"That's part of the game as we play it," I admit, amused by how long it takes him to discern reality from acting.
"Although some parts of it were pretty rough. Like when you were trying to shove me right through the floor while you were fucking me. It's funny that you were all about trying to lend strength to me when Edward went a little enthusiastic with the cane, but you didn't seem to realize just what problems you were causing with your own body weight."
Jazz looks downright guilty at hearing that, a clear admission that she's right in her assessment, but before Bella can drive the point home, I interject to put them both more at ease again.
"That's why it was my call to stop it or let you go on. Getting caught up in the moment happens to everyone, but if you let it happen, you better make sure beforehand that you won't injure your partner for real, or that someone is close by to keep track of what's going on with you. There's a reason why you need to learn things from me."
Bella nods, a little sheepish at her previous words, then adds, "Plus, it's kind of a huge advantage to have someone handy who can drive me crazy with his tongue on my clit so you can beat my ass soundly without having to stop to do that whole pesky jerking me off yourself. Must be so much easier this way."
"So you think it's easier to be in control of two people at the same time compared to just one?"
She huffs, her eyes taking on that playful glint that makes it obvious that she's up to something.
"Maybe not easier, but it can't be that hard."
"Why don't you try it yourself then?"
As the words leave my lips I realize that must have been her goal from the start.
"What a great idea, and coming so out of the blue!" she simpers, then laughs when first I, then Jazz, look quizzically at her. "What, are you afraid I'm going to take revenge on you?"
"The thought might have crossed my mind," Jazz admitted, making her laugh a little wickedly.
"We'll see. It's not like a small woman like me can force two hunks like you to do anything against their wills, right?"
Instead of answering, I kiss her, drowning out her laughter. And true enough, my cock isn't the only part of me already looking forward to this.
Chapter 31
I'm not surprised that once the emotional roller coaster that was our Thanksgiving weekend is over, the days leading up to Christmas seem to zoom by. Maybe it's also because those days are among the best I've had in a very long time, even though at times I feel a little guilty about it.
One thing I'm not surprised at is how easily Jazz integrates himself into our daily lives again. In hindsight, the full impact of just how much I missed him while he was gone is immense, and seeing Bella act as happy and carefree as I do helps me feel a little less like I'm betraying her. Which I am sure I'm not, but having spent months locked inside my own head thinking about my issues with him has left its mark, and it takes more than a few rounds of fucking and a nasty Scrabble tournament to leave all that behind.
Sadly, the universe hasn't gotten the memo that we would appreciate it if everything around us were to stop so we could celebrate our reunion in all sorts of ways; the time I actually end up spending with Bella and Jazz is very limited. I secretly lament that fact but try to be a good sport about it every time I slink off to the hospital. I am ecstatic when, only days before Christmas, I head home from my shift at work, and get a text message on the way that is as cryptic as it is promising.
Mr. Cullen, the college library would like to remind you of your 6:30 appoint ment at Ms. Swan's office. Please be on time and bring your overdue book s with you.
When I finally arrive home, I find the living room deserted. Taped to my intended microwave lunch-slash-dinner is a small, folded paper, covered in Bella's hasty scrawl.
Enjoy the pasta! I don't think I have to remind you to get yourself ready.
Clothes are on the bed. I'm out with Jazz to get some last minute stuff.
Love, B.
That explains why I'm on my own with just under an hour until the designated starting time of our planned scene, and I feel a little cheated of the chance to share my excitement with the only two people who might really get it on every level. Trying not to dwell on that, though, I eat the spaghetti before I take a long shower, going through the usual prep work with diligence and a significant hard-on already.
Because I dawdle a bit I miss Bella's return, finding Jazz blocking the door when I want to go downstairs to greet her, still dripping from the shower and wearing only a towel.
"Sorry, dude, but the missus needs time to get ready herself. Until she gives us a sign, we're supposed to stay in here."
I huff, but then turn around to head back into the bathroom, only to stop halfway there.
"I haven't even had a chance to talk about the scene with her yet."
He smirks and leans against the door, as if to stress that he won't let me through if he can help it.
"Trust me when I say that she doesn't need help. You should have seen her today. She's been bossy since breakfast, and I don't think she'd appreciate you trying to wrestle her out of her role, as it were."
I don't know why his words rub me the wrong way, but do my best to hide my wave of resentment towards Jazz as I return to the bathroom. It takes me another five minutes of rubbing myself down furiously and brushing my teeth to make sense of my own feelings – I'm jealous. Jealous of all the time he gets to spend with her, to be more precise, and the chance to give her the one thing I can't always provide – attention.
And I've spent the last three weeks worrying that Bella might possibly be feeling neglected because now she's no longer the only one in the world that I care about. The fact that my jealousy is completely unrelated to anything sexual only makes me feel all the more ridiculous.
Trying hard to get a grip on myself, I dress and leave the bathroom to Jazz.
By the time he's done I'm once again mostly excited, although I can't shake off my apprehension at heading completely blind into this, even more so as he seems too smug not to be in on some of the plan.
Surprisingly enough, when my phone beeps with a new text message, spelling out only a simple "I'm ready," I don't really care anymore.
"Let's do this, shall we?"
Jazz grins at my obvious excitement, then holds me back at the door.
"Okay, just so you know, Bella wants us to behave like real brats. You know, the whole spoiled rich kid, easy on the eye womanizer kind of guy neither of us was in college, simply because my parents lacked the money and you had too much decency. Or to use her exact words, 'Give me a reason to spank you."
I snort, the memory of her lolita schoolgirl act from earlier this year still fresh in my mind.