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He sighed. The migraine-like headache he always ended up with after one of those dreams took a while to kick. Lifting his hand from its warm pillow of soft skin, Connor pressed his fingertips against his temple and rubbed. He opened his eyes after a time, squinting against the light. Luscious brown, silky hair glowed softly in the morning light and filled his vision. Katy was sharing his pillow, and this close, he could make out the auburn in the fine strands. Her back pressed to his front; he’d held her close as they’d slept soundly. But the fact that he was holding Katy didn’t surprise him; he’d been drawn to her the first time they’d met. The surprise was to have Levi’s arms wrapped around his own body. Plastered together from nose to tangled feet, the solid wall of muscle embracing him tight was grounding. He relaxed into Levi’s touch and leaned in a little more, pulling Katy closer. It wasn’t sexual—although his and Levi’s morning wood and his hand on Katy’s bare hip might suggest otherwise—it was comfort, a safe place from the world.
It was home.
As much as he should leave, as much as he knew staying to watch his two best friends love each other while he was alone would likely break his heart, he couldn’t. Losing them again would be worse.
Lips against his shoulder, followed by a sensuous bite on muscle and Levi gripping his hip and grinding, had Connor sucking in a breath. He’d heard Levi and Katy the night before—how couldn’t he? Fucking up against the door in the next bedroom over wasn’t ever going to be quiet, and he’d felt like a total perv listening. But he’d laid there, stunned and torn over what he was feeling. Too tired to get up and put some music on his headphones, but suddenly too awake to fall asleep, Connor had listened to Levi and Katy make love, wishing he shared a connection like theirs. Had begged the universe for that kind of forever with someone. Now, the press of Levi’s cock against him had Connor imagining what it would be like being with him. The shock of it jarred him fully awake, and he lurched forward trying to get up but unable to because of the sheet trapping him in place. His movement jostled Katy.
“Hmm, yeah, I’m awake. What’s wrong?” she rambled as she roused, sitting up.
“Shh, it’s okay. Nothing’s wrong.” He reached out and took her hand as she looked around wide-eyed. “I got a fright when I woke up,” Connor soothed, trying to play down the jackhammering of his heart and the reason why he’d practically thrown her out of bed.
“What time is it?” Levi mumbled from behind him.
“Oh, shit,” Katy breathed. “We’re late, Lee. You’ve gotta get outta here in twenty minutes, and I should already be at the shop. I’ve got a cake being picked up this morning, and I still need to do the finishing touches to it.”
Connor tossed off the sheet and stood as Katy and Levi dashed out of the room to get ready, relieved they weren’t going to stick around to dissect the clusterfuck of his nightmare and earlier flashback. “I’ll get coffee on,” he called out, walking to his bag to get fresh underwear. He didn’t expect Katy to stick her head back in, and when she did, she copped an eyeful.
“Oh, um, thanks, boo. Coffee’d be great. Um,” she stuttered, still staring at his semi-hard, pierced cock, “help yourself to whatever you….”
Connor laughed self-consciously, kind of flattered that Katy had lost track of what she was saying. “Cupcake, eyes up here.” He pointed to his face. Her shock from hearing him and the deep blush staining her cheeks a rosy pink, made him laugh harder as he bent and rifled through his bag to find his last pair of clean underwear. Holding them against his groin, he watched her with interest. His skin pricked with awareness, her eyes on him setting every one of his nerve endings alight. Desire curled low in his gut. He tried to fight it, but the flush on Katy’s cheeks had him wondering what other parts of her would grow pink when she was embarrassed or better yet, turned on. Oblivious to his inner turmoil, Katy ploughed on, trying desperately to save the conversation.
“I don’t know what time I’ll be finished. Do you want my car? You’ll be stuck here. I don’t want you to be stuck here.” And her rambling was cute.
“I’m fine. I’ll Uber to my tattoo guy and back.” Checking the time on the alarm clock next to the bed had Connor moving. Levi was going to be late, and Katy already was. If they wanted coffee, he needed to get dressed.
Katy paused, waiting in the doorway as he slipped on the tight boxer shorts. Connor knew she wanted to say something more, but she was hesitating. Did he make her uncomfortable? Should he be sleeping with clothes on? Maybe he should, especially while he was bunking there.
“You have a Prince Albert.” Her words were quiet, filled with surprise. “I didn’t know you were pierced.”
Connor gave her a lopsided smirk, trying to ease any discomfort she had around him. “Only the girls I’ve slept with know that.”
“That’s probably a long list. It’s not exactly top secret information.”
“It’s not as long as you think, Cupcake. I don’t exactly get around much.” He wasn’t defensive—never defensive with Katy—but he was a little sad. The truth was he hadn’t even kissed a woman in a year.
She could read him well. But instead of pity at his sadness, she opted for humour, salaciously wiggling her eyebrows as she said, “Well, I know your secret now.” He loved that about her—her playfulness never failed to make him smile.
“One of them.” He shrugged, feigning a casual air and concentrating on willing down the thickening of his shaft. Despite how damn inappropriate it was, his dick enjoyed the attention. It was nice to have a little for a change, even if it went with a healthy dose of guilt for even speaking with his best friend’s girl about his cock.
“One? There’s more?”
“Two others.” Connor ground his teeth together, willing his dick down. If they kept this conversation up any longer, he’d be sporting a boner that he couldn’t hide behind his underwear. Almost desperate to get her out of there without making either of them any more uncomfortable, Connor cut the conversation short. “But we’ll have to talk about those another time. You’re late.” Katy nodded, smiled and sprinted away, giving Connor a chance to breathe. He sat on the end of the bed, resting his elbows on his knees. The last twenty-four hours, hell the last hour, had been surreal, like he was living in the twilight zone. A sexed up one at that. Both Levi and Katy had thrown him. He was kind of glad Levi hadn’t woken up to find himself rubbing off against Connor. He could handle it, but he wasn’t sure whether Levi could. And knowing his best friend had Connor’s taste on his lips, that Levi had sunk his teeth into Connor’s muscle? Connor shivered. That bite was hot as fuck, but what the hell?Why am I even thinking that?And then Katy checking him out? Her eyes were like velvet sliding over his skin. Decadent and taboo. Connor adjusted himself and took in a breath. Yeah, his head was spinning; he was overwhelmed.
Levi
“That’s a wrap, everyone,” Sam called out. Levi rubbed the towel over his face, wiping away the sweat from his brow, before stretching his tired arms above his head. He’d been filming at Village Roadshow’s studios that day, in front of the green screen. Wearing a Lycra body suit and enough sensors to detect the slightest muscle twitch, Levi was literally a science experiment for the day. They were filming a series on how muscles reacted to stimuli—he was demonstrating the effect of exercise on the body.
The show,Challenge Accepted, was aimed at young teens to change perceptions of body image, encourage physical activity and steer them away from drugs and alcohol consumption—all things Levi was passionate about. He was the host, the face of the show, and most of the time the guy who put his body on the line to accept the daily challenge. Every activity they filmed was in controlled conditions, minimizing any risks, but it didn’t reduce the physicality of his job. And that’s what he loved about it—the rush. He wasn’t just some personal trainer turned TV host. He was out there jumping out of planes, swimming with sharks, abseiling and whatever else DJ, his location manager, could think of to challenge Levi with. Whatever it was, it was usually a blast.
Levi pulled the last of the sensors off his skin, wincing at the tug on the hair of his inner thigh and pulled on his shorts and tee. “Thanks, Sam. Lemme know if you wanna re-shoot that last segment.” Levi shook his head.What a nightmare.His guest host wouldn’t stick to the script, kept adding in extra lines, and when Levi was cued in to speak, would talk over him. “I can come in anytime if you need me.”
“I think we’ll be right once it goes through editing. We can tidy up quite a bit of it. I think we’ll be able to use enough to get this segment wrapped up.”
The vibration in his back pocket had Levi holding up his index finger to Sam, asking him to wait a minute. He didn’t recognize the number of the person calling, but that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. In his line of work, he often had friends of friends calling asking him for advice. “Hello.”
“G’day, mate, it’s me.” Connor’s deep voice resonated through the phone and Levi smiled. His friend was settling in, and it pleased Levi to no end. “This is my new number.”
“Okay, cool. Whatcha up to?” Sam motioned to Levi in the direction of the staff car park. He nodded and followed, walking side by side between two of the tall industrial-looking steel sheds. Giant numbers were painted on the side of each building, a nine on the one closest to him. It was the largest sound stage in Village Roadshow’s studio—the southern hemisphere in fact—and already had an impressive résumé of blockbuster films in its first year of operation.
