Letters to the Baumgarters Read online

  But he brought me an antipasti, the appetizer, polop pane e olive—olives and octopus on bread. It was so good it only made my stomach rumble more loudly.

  “Oh my god, what is that?” I heard Mason exclaim from the kitchen. When Nico responded, Mason stuck his head out to say, “I’ve never had octopus before.”

  I laughed. “What do you think?”

  “It’s amazing!”

  That was just the beginning of amazing. The salad was made with wild greens and dressed with balsamic and virgin olive oil. Even Mason ate it, and he rarely ate anything green. Nico made veal scallopini so tender it melted in our mouths. We moaned so often during dinner than anyone listening would have thought we were having sex!

  And of course, we drank wine. It was more homemade wine, this bottle from Nico’s sister, Anna, sweet and fruity and delicious.

  “I have never had a meal this good,” Mason said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smile. Nico was flushed with pride and he gulped down more wine.

  “Even at Il Ridotto?” I asked. Mason had taken me there, as promised, and the food had been just as good as the first time—although I had to admit, there was something about Nico’s cooking that set it apart somehow.

  “Even there,” Mason countered, shaking his head. “Nico, dude, you need to open a restaurant. You are totally missing your calling.”

  Nico shrugged, replying in English. “That requires capital I don’t have, I’m afraid. I’ve been saving, but my mother was hoping I’d spend that on a wedding.”

  He looked at me and now I was the one flushing and gulping my wine.

  “Listen.” Mason leaned forward, serious. “Trust me when I tell you, a man should never do what his mother wants him to do—especially just because she wants him to do it.”

  I raised my eyebrows at him, but I didn’t say anything.

  “You have to do what you want,” Mason urged. “Not what everyone else wants you to do.”

  Nico nodded, looking thoughtful. “Maybe you’re right.”

  I wanted to ask Mason who he was and what he’d done with my husband—ex-husband. But looking at Nico, I also felt like jumping up and down for joy, because Mason was right. Nico was wasting himself and his talents.

  We helped Nico clean up and ate dessert—a delectable version of tiramisu that was like a food orgasm in my mouth with every bite. Both men watched me eat it with longing in their eyes. We talked for a while about food and recipes. Then Nico and Mason got into a discussion about U.S. politics and I zoned out, wandering to the living room and resuming my reading for school.

  But I was still recovering, apparently, because my eyes grew tired fast and I fell asleep on the couch. When both men tried to cover me with a blanket at bedtime, I protested, reaching for them.

  “Put me to bed,” I insisted.

  They looked at each other, both asking, “Where?” at the same time.

  Instead of responding, I showed them, taking off all my clothes and crawling into the middle of Mason’s bed. He joined me on one side, with Nico on the other, and this time, we all just slept, back to belly, me tucked safely and happily right where I wanted to be—between them both.

  Chapter Eight

  Dear Carrie and Doc,

  I understand your reluctance to make a choice. You can only imagine my own! I think Mason wants to marry me again. And Nico… he’s clearly committed to a life with me, and I have a feeling he’d propose in a heartbeat if I gave him a hint of encouragement. What am I supposed to do? Things are getting more and more complicated by the day and I have to find a way out of this mess.

  Complicated doesn’t even begin to cover it, to tell you the truth. I have to tell you something, and I’m almost ashamed to admit it, even to both of you, with our history together. Mason and Nico and I… we’ve been together. The three of us. It started quite innocently, actually. I was ill (it’s a long story, but I had a problem with my IUD. It’s all fixed now and I’m better, but it was scary for a while there…) and Mason and Nico were just trying to help. I was feverish and feeling cold, and they both got into bed with me to keep me warm. Then, of course, I needed help in the shower…

  Well, you can see where this is going, can’t you?

  So yes, we’ve all been together. Granted, the men don’t seem to want to have anything to do with each other, per se. It’s all about me. But their competition seems to have lessened since, and we all seem to get along better. Cooperate more, I guess you’d say. It’s become like a little family of three. Like I used to be with you.

  But I know, even if this has become a temporary solution, this isn’t a real answer. Ultimately, I’m going to be forced to choose. And then what? How do I break either man’s heart?

  And my own in the process?

  I wish someone would tell me what to do. Won’t you please, please reconsider and point me down the right path? I’m desperate. I trust you both so much. I will truly follow your advice, whatever it is…

  * * * *

  “But we agreed!” Mason’s voice rose even louder. I’d been trying to study for a test I had tomorrow—I’d gone to school for the first time that day, although I hadn’t moved back to my flat. Mason and Nico wouldn’t allow it, insisting I stay with them for a while, “just in case.”

  I glanced up from my book, frowning at the look on Mason’s face. I knew it well. He could get explosively angry very quickly. Even Nico poked his head out of his room, frowning.

  “Look, I came over here to do a job, and I’m going to do it.” Mason was trying to keep his anger in check, sensing my unease, I could tell. “No, I don’t want to talk to mother. No. No!”

  Mason rolled his eyes to the ceiling, shaking the phone at it, and then put it back to his ear. “Hello, Mother.”

  Well, this wasn’t going to be good, I thought.

  “I’m old enough to make that decision for myself, but thanks for the input.” Mason sat on one of the overstuffed chairs, already looking defeated. “None of your business… I told you, it’s none of your business.”

  Nico wandered out, sitting next to me on the sofa. Now Mason had an audience of two.

  “Are you kidding me?” Mason gaped at the phone. “So this was all your idea? Do you think I’m going to just come running home to Mommy because you told Dad to pull the rug out from under me?”

  Nico and I exchanged wide-eyed glances. I could see Mason’s knuckles turning white from clutching the phone.

  “Fine,” Mason said through gritted. “I said fine! Fine!”

  He hung up. “Stupid cunt.”

  “What was that about?” I asked in the smallest voice possible.

  Mason stood, starting to pace. “My father, clearly under my mother’s influence, has decided that taking our franchise overseas isn’t a good idea.”

  Nico squeezed my hand and I looked over at him.

  “What are you going to do?” Nico asked.

  “I guess I’m going to pack.” Mason turned and stalked off to his room.

  Nico and I followed without a word, me leading the way.

  “You’re leaving?” I asked from the doorway. “Are you kidding me?”

  “What else am I supposed to do?” Mason sat on the bed, head in his hands. “I can’t fight them. She wins.”

  Nico stepped into the room beside me. “Aren’t you the one who told me not to let anyone tell you what to do?”

  “Smart ass.” Mason barked a laugh, looking up at him.“You should be glad I’m leaving, right? Isn’t that what you want?” He waved his hand at me, scowling. “You can have Dani all to yourself again.”

  I went over to the bed, sitting beside him and taking his hand. “Mason, don’t leave.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I want you,” I said, putting my head on his shoulder. “Here. With me. I love you.”

  Nico sat on his other side. “You have to stand up for yourself.”

  “Look who’s talking,” Mason snorted. We were all quiet and then Mason said, �
�Fuck. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

  “Yeah, you did.” Nico shrugged. “And you’re right.”

  “I don’t have anything here,” Mason said. “No job. Nothing.”

  “You have me.” I squeezed his hand, glancing over at Nico. “You have us.”

  Mason groaned, flopping back on the bed, throwing his arm over his eyes.

  I snorted. “Well you don’t have to sound so enthusiastic about it.”

  “It’s not that.” He uncovered his eyes, looking up at me. I smiled, leaning over and kissing his cheek.

  “It’ll be okay.” I kissed the corner of his mouth. He hadn’t shaved yet and his face was scruffy. He turned his head toward me, kissing me fully, sliding his hand behind my neck to draw me in deeper.

  “I guess I could stay,” he murmured. “I’m sure I could find something to do around here.”

  I slid my hand down his belly, searching for the button on his jeans. “I promise I’ll keep you busy.”

  “Bad girl.” Mason looked up at Nico, who was watching us with great interest, a hungry longing in his eyes. “You know, buddy, she may need two men around just to keep her out of trouble.”

  Nico gave him a lopsided smile, reaching over to cup my breast through my t-shirt. “You may be right.”

  “How should I distract you?” I grinned, standing up and pulling my shirt off over my head.

  Mason’s eyes lit up. “That’s a good start.”

  “How about this?” I undid the front hook of my bra, letting my breasts spill free.

  Nico made a soft noise in his throat, his hand going to his crotch. The growing bulge in his jeans made my mouth water. Mason had a matching one, his hand rubbing between his legs as he watched me unbutton and unzip my jeans, turning around so I could slide them down my hips. My panties came with them, exposing me completely to them both.

  “Jesus,” Mason whispered, sliding a hand down the front of his jeans as I stayed bent over like that, spreading my legs and showing them my pussy.

  Nico had his jeans undone, his cock out already, his dark eyes glued between my legs. I rubbed myself for them, slow at first, teasing my flesh, then sliding two fingers inside. I heard Nico gasp when I did that. I was watching them both upside down, my hair dragging on the floor, all the blood rushing to my head.

  “Come here.” Mason grabbed my hips and I saw his cock was free now too. His aim was perfect—he impaled me in one hard thrust. I cried out, feeling my flesh give in to him. He guided my hips, nice and easy, and I glanced over my shoulder to see his eyes half-closed, watching where his dick disappeared between my legs.

  “Gimme.” I reached back, searching blindly for Nico’s cock, and found it. He gave a low moan, thrusting into my hand. “Let me suck it.”

  Nico got up, standing beside us on the bed, giving me just what I wanted. His cock curved nicely down my throat and I sucked him deeply as Mason fucked me, his hips pounding me upward with every thrust, jolting Nico’s dick further down my throat. They both groaned and grunted, but I couldn’t say a word—my mouth was far too full. My pussy, however, was speaking for me, soaking wet and squelching, my juices running down Mason’s cock, coating his balls with a sticky sheen.

  “Oh god.” Mason thrust deep and held me there. I felt his thighs quivering, the muscles taut, and knew he must be fighting his climax. “Easy. Easy.”

  “Here.” I slid slowly out of him, making him groan, and turned around to face him. He helped me straddle him and I slid slowly down again, taking his entire length. “Better?”

  Mason grabbed my hips, shaking his head. “It’s all too good.”

  “We should take turns then.” Nico smiled, following my mouth, kneeling up on the bed.

  “Good idea.” Mason watched me lean in to suck Nico’s cock, the look in his eyes full of lust. I took my time, teasing the head with my tongue, licking the first glisten of precum off the tip. Mason wasn’t fucking me hardly at all, his cock swollen and hard inside of me, just pulsing between my thighs.

  “Such a good little cock whore.” Mason praised me, pushing my hair away from my face so he could get a better look.

  Nico groaned in agreement. “Suck it, bella. Oh yeah, you suck me so good!”

  “That’s fucking hot.” Mason gasped. He couldn’t take his eyes off the sight of me taking Nico’s cock, watching his hips buck, shoving it as far into my throat as he could. I gagged, choking on it, my eyes watering.

  Mason chuckled. “Here.” He reached out, wrapping his hand around the base of Nico’s dick, feeding it to me. “Does that help?”

  “Mmmm,” I agreed, taking Nico’s length down to Mason’s pumping fist. When I glanced up, I saw Nico looking at Mason, their eyes locked. Something was happening, some communication was passing between them that I wasn’t a part of.

  Nico reached down and tweaked Mason’s nipple, making him gasp, his hips bucking up, shoving his cock deep inside of me. Encouraged by Mason’s response, Nico gently twisted the other one, and Mason groaned, his cock moving, fucking me again. Mason’s hand seemed to move all on its own, stroking Nico into my mouth. I was mesmerized by the sight, taking as much of his length as I could, my lips meeting Mason’s hand with every pass.

  “I want to taste you, bella.” Nico slid his cock out of my mouth and but Mason didn’t let go as I sat up on his cock, Nico leaning over Mason to reach my pussy. I moaned when his tongue probed my cleft, finding the aching bud of my clit. I stared in amazement, seeing Mason still jerking Nico’s hard cock as he leaned in to lick my pussy, his tongue traveling down to where Mason was still fucking me.

  “You taste so good,” Nico panted, his hips rocking, his cock thrusting in Mason’s fist. I shifted my hips back, giving him better access, his tongue probing and lapping my flesh, licking not just my pussy but the base of Mason’s cock too.

  “Wanna taste more?” I came up slowly, sliding Mason out of me, his cock thick with my juices. Nico’s eyes met mine and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. I fed it to him, rubbing Mason’s cock over his lips and eager tongue, letting him take it into his mouth.

  “Oh fuck.” Mason groaned, Nico’s dick practically purple in his fist, stroking him faster and pumping his hips up into Nico’s mouth. “Oh my fucking god.”

  “Now that’s hot,” I whispered, my hand in Nico’s hair, pressing his head down, making him gag a little on Mason length. “Who’s the good little cock whore now?”

  Mason chuckled, looking up at me. “Come here, you slut. I want to taste that pussy too.”

  I couldn’t say no to that. I went to straddle his face, turning so I could watch Nico sucking Mason—and so I could play with Nico’s cock too, rubbing the head with my palm as Mason jerked him. I rocked my hips and Mason made his tongue hard, letting me rub my slit over it, moaning and making circles at my clit.

  Mason’s hand slowed on Nico’s cock, too distracted by the way my hips were grinding against his face, so I leaned over to take that sweet, curved length into my mouth. Now we made the perfect pleasure triangle, the soft sounds of our licking and sucking and muffled moans filling the room.

  “Okay okay okay,” Mason moaned, pushing me off him and taking his cock out of Nico’s mouth. “You are too fucking good at that.”

  Nico wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and grinned. “My turn now?”

  Mason’s eyes widened. “I’ve never sucked a cock in my life.”

  “There’s always a first time,” I panted, rubbing my clit as I looked between the two of them.

  Nico laughed. “I meant, my turn to fuck our bella.”

  “Absolutely.” Mason pushed me fully to my back on the bed, spreading my legs and with his palms and then my pussy lips with his fingers.

  “Put him in me,” I begged, looking from him toMason. “Please!”

  Nico positioned himself between my legs and Mason grabbed his cock, stroking it, still wet from my saliva, against my clit. “You want that hard cock, baby? You want that inside of you?”r />
  “Yes!” I cried, lifting my hips in response, looking down at Nico’s slick, curved length, Mason’s hand able to grab so much more of it than I was. “Oh god, yes!”

  “Here it comes, baby.” Mason positioned him perfectly, the mushroom head teasing my hole. I glanced up at Nico, seeing him looking between my legs too, watching as Mason slid his cock into my pussy.

  “Oh god!” I moaned, wrapping my legs around Nico’s hips. “Oh that’s so good!”

  Steel heat and fire between my thighs. I wanted more.

  “Kiss me.” I pulled Nico in and his mouth met mine. I could taste Mason’s cock on his tongue and I moaned, panting with lust. Turning my head, I saw Mason fisting his dick, watching us.

  “Fuck her,” he instructed, but Nico was already thrusting, his cock driving me against the bed.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist, feeling the glorious length of his cock impaling me again and again. Nico whispered into my ear in Italian, telling me how beautiful I was, how sexy, how good I felt. I knew Mason couldn’t understand him, but it didn’t matter, I was pretty sure he couldn’t hear him anyway.

  “Don’t stop,” I whispered, my pussy twitching around his dick. “Oh god. Nico, please. Make me come! Please!”

  “Mmmm.” Mason rolled closer, his face near mine. “Look at me, Dani.”

  I did as he asked, Nico’s cock pounding into me, my whole body stretched taut like wire.

  “I want to see you come,” Mason whispered, kissing my cheek, licking at the corner of my mouth, rubbing his scruffy chin over the soft, sensitive skin of my neck. “Come all over his hard cock, baby. Do it! Do it!”

  I cried out, my nails digging into the hard muscles of Nico’s biceps as he held himself over me, slamming my pussy with his cock, taking me right over the edge. My eyes never left Mason’s face as I came, my climax wrenched from me, wracking my whole body with tremors. And then both men were kissing me, my face and shoulders and neck and breasts, showering me with sweetness.

  “My turn.” Mason grinned, getting up on his knees, and I moaned as they both rolled me onto my belly. Mason grabbed my hips and pulled me to my knees, taking me from behind. He didn’t mess around, plunging his cock in deep, filling the space that Nico had just vacated.