"She's already home," Aidan reported a moment later. "Says she picked up steaks for dinner."

A short time later, they walked into the condo. Sunshine filled the big space along with the loud beat of a Bruno Mars song. Maddie was in the kitchen bopping to the tune as she whisked something in a bowl.

"Hey, you're home." She eyed them and lifted her eyebrow. "Those are some big packages."

Zack and Aidan exchanged a glance and opened their mouths at the same time. "Thank you," Aidan said modestly with a glance down at his crotch. Zack had been about to say, "That's what she said" their minds working along the same dirty line. Pleasure and amusement swelled in Zack's chest.

Maddie laughed and shook her head. "What'd you buy?"

They took turns showing off purchases. Maddie had not bought any shoes. In fact, the only thing she'd bought was underwear for Aidan, despite her protest that he could buy it himself. "Just one of those days I didn't see anything I had to have." She smiled and shrugged.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Aidan kissed her forehead.

"I've got some work to do now," Zack said. "Getting this computer set up. Unless...need help with dinner?"

"No, no. Go on."

He headed to his room. He sat looking at his new computer for a few moments, thinking about what Aidan had said. Aidan wanted their home to be his home. Not permanently. A home base to come back to after he left. Because he was leaving.

His insides knotted up. Fuck he was a mess. He was starting to have feelings he didn't want to have. He didn't even want to think about how much he longed for this to be his real home. He knew he couldn't have that. He also recognized that the idea of leaving did not fill him with excitement or anticipation. More like...dread. But he could not get crazy ideas in his head about what was happening between him and Aidan and Maddie. He couldn't.

He went online to Adobe to download Photoshop, then the FTP software needed for transferring images to the agency, and got his email program installed.

He'd gone out last week and taken photos, just wandering around downtown snapping anything that captured his interest-architecture, flowers, a homeless vet sitting on the sidewalk, a little girl in a pink sundress eating a dripping ice cream cone. It felt random and pointless, and completely freeing. Now he looked at the images on his computer and smiled.

When he got his email program up and running on the new computer, he clicked through his inbox, pausing on one email. It was from one of his journalism profs at Northwestern, one he'd gotten close to. Brian Bridges had mentored him and encouraged him, and Zack had stayed in touch with him sporadically over the years. He'd heard from him after winning the Pulitzer and other awards. Now Professor Bridges was emailing to say he'd heard Zack was back in Chicago, expressing his great relief that he was okay, and saying he'd love to talk to him, inviting him to have lunch.

Zack made a face as he replied saying he'd love to have lunch. Professor Bridges had done a lot for him. It would be cool to see him again.

He had a number of other emails. He'd found himself more and more involved with Reporters Without Borders. He felt a need to do more, to try to have some kind of positive impact so he wasn't just sitting around on his ass waiting until he could go back to work. He'd also started putting together some of the things he'd written, almost like journal entries, over the years. He'd saved them to cloud storage luckily, and had been going through them, finding some common themes. He'd started thinking that maybe he could put them into a book along with some of his images. Would anyone be interested in that stuff? Who knew? Maybe he'd send some queries to literary agents and see if there was any interest.

The scent of grilled steak drifted to the bedroom and his stomach reminded him that he was hungry again. Those wings had been hours ago. He used the bathroom then headed out to the kitchen. Aidan stood out on their balcony in front of a stainless steel barbecue, a pair of big tongs in one hand and a beer in the other.

Maddie was in the kitchen, now dancing to One Republic, cutting up a head of Romaine lettuce and humming.

"You seem in a good mood today."

She looked up and smiled at him. She had such an amazing smile, wide and luminous and sweet. It reached inside him and warmed him. "I guess I am." She shrugged. "I just feel good." Her smile dimmed faintly. "How about you?"

Surprisingly, he did feel good. Having something to do helped. Having talked to Aidan helped. Being here with Maddie smiling and bopping to music helped. But feeling good made him nervous. Usually in his life that meant something shit was about to go down. "Yeah. I'm good. You look good too. Nice outfit."

She looked down at her loose T-shirt and black shorts.

"It'll look great with the red stilettos later."

Her eyes shot back up to his, her pretty lips parting and color washing into her cheeks. He gave her an evil grin.

She licked her lips. "Um. I think I need a glass of wine."

His smile widened. "Good idea. I'll have a beer." He moved to the fridge.

"Aidan's cooking the steaks. You should go tell him how you like yours done."

"Okay." He poured Maddie a glass of wine, grabbed a cold one and headed toward the balcony. He inspected the meat on the grill, requested medium, which was what Aidan and Maddie were both having. Maddie's steak was half the size of the other two, which made him smile.

He leaned on the railing, the sun low in the sky softening the view of city and lake. Maddie joined them and they shot the shit, talking about this and that until the steaks were done. Maddie'd brought out some veggies-mushrooms, peppers, zucchini-that Aidan also cooked on the grill. They carried the food inside. Maddie had set the table and there was a big Caesar salad and baked potatoes.

Zack dug in appreciatively. Putting weight on wasn't a problem the way Maddie cooked. "Damn, this is good," he said moments later. "What's on the steak?"

"It's a rub I made," Maddie said. "Mustard seed, peppercorns, coriander seed, garlic...and some other things."

"It's fantastic."

"Thank you."

They told Maddie they were going to a baseball game Thursday night, and she just nodded. "You can come if you want," Zack offered, since Aidan hadn't.

She shook her head. "No thanks. Baseball's not my thing. You guys go and have a good time."

"We were going to go to the Saturday game but I remembered we have that fundraiser Saturday night," Aidan said.

"Right." She tipped her head. "You should come to that with us, Zack."

"Uh..."

"It'll be fun. It's being held at Buckingham Fountain. It's the Starry Nights gala to raise money for Alzheimer's research."

"A good cause," he murmured, though he wasn't anxious to go to some big party. "I don't have anything formal to wear."

"Rent a tux," Aidan said. "You can do that next week."

It seemed rude to argue, so Zack nodded. "I guess I could do that."

After dinner, Zack and Aidan did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. When they walked into the den where Maddie had the TV on, Zack's eyes widened and he stopped short at seeing her lounging back on the couch, one red-stiletto-shod foot on the coffee table, the other leg crossed over top with a sexy red shoe dangling from her toes.

"Holy fuck," he croaked Maddie gave them both a slow, sexy smile.

Chapter Fifteen.

Maddie's heart hammered in her throat. She flattened her damp palms against the upholstery of the couch as Aidan and Zack stopped and stared at her.

She never wore high heels around home; that would be silly. So given their earlier conversation, both guys knew what this meant. She was ready for whatever Zack had planned for them for tonight. She was more than ready-she was eager.

She'd slipped into the bedroom while they were cleaning up, retrieved the shoes then waited for them. The shoes did make her feel sexy. It wasn't a bad look, even with the casual shorts-she'd seen lots of girls in clubs wearing shorts and heels.

Excitement had built inside her as she imagined what was going to happen. The not knowing was a big part of the thrill. Imagining Zack planning what he was going to do, how he was going to take charge and direct things...god, that made her pulse spike and her tummy flutter.

"Wow," Aidan said. "Those look good on you."

They both managed to move their feet again, moving toward her with hot eyes and intent expressions. Maddie's insides warmed with the feminine power flowing through her. It seemed they liked what they saw.

Aidan sat on her right, Zack on her left. Zack ran his hand down her bare calf, easing her heel back into the shoe. "Sexy shoes."

Aidan set his hand on her other thigh and kissed her cheek. "Oh yeah." He smelled so good, the aroma of his zesty shower gel and shampoo teasing her senses. On the other side, Zack's body heat warmed her as he caressed her leg. When his fingers lingered on her ankle, she shivered. Who knew her ankles were an erogenous zone?

They both started petting her, their hands everywhere-her shoulders, her arms, her breasts. Heat flowed through her veins and her limbs became heavy. Aidan twined his fingers through hers and kissed her mouth, a soft lingering kiss. When he moved back she turned to Zack. Their eyes met.

He'd fucked her but they hadn't kissed. Kissing was...intimate. Okay, that didn't make sense. How much more intimate could you get than having a man inside you? But, there was a difference. You could fuck someone without emotion. But kissing...kissing was an expression of emotion.

Not that their sex that night had been emotionless. Far from it. She'd been thrown into a tumult of emotion that night.

Now...she wanted to kiss him. Feelings for him swelled up inside her, right to the back of her throat. She liked him. A lot. She cared about him. A lot. She always had. Maybe more than she should have, considering how he'd left and how much that had hurt. And maybe she shouldn't care now, because he was going to leave again. But how could she not care? Maybe some people could shut it off. Like Zack seemed to do. Or maybe they just pretended. Maybe they even pretended to themselves they didn't care.

Heat built between her and Zack as they looked at each other. Her gaze drifted down to his mouth, then back up to his eyes, which went heavy-lidded in response. His fingers tightened on her bare thigh. Her breath trembled in her throat.

He leaned in closer and touched his lips to hers. "Maddie." Her name was a sigh against her lips. Her insides quivered and heated. She kissed him back, a soft joining of their lips. A groan rumbled in his throat and he tilted his head and kissed her again, this time deeper, harder...longer. She opened to him, touched her tongue to his. He tasted good. He felt good. His lips were fuller than Aidan's, his scruff of beard longer and silkier. His tongue stroked against hers then slid deeper into her mouth. She moaned and sank into the kiss.

When he drew back he looked at Aidan. "Your turn."

Aidan's eyes blazed with arousal. He turned Maddie's face to him with his fingers on her chin and kissed her again. Hard. Hot. His unique taste and feel was more familiar to her and she loved it, she loved him. She loved...oh god. She was going crazy.

She abandoned thought and turned herself over to sensation, which the two men delivered admirably, with hands and mouths and tongues. Hands slipped between her thighs to cup her throbbing pussy. Hands slid under her T-shirt. Fingertips lingered along the lace edge of her bra on the swell of her breasts. Mouths kissed her everywhere, lips and jaw and throat.

She was burning up, a crazy reckless hunger growing, a need so consuming and driving she couldn't resist it. She needed more. God, so much more.

"Bedroom." Zack growled out the order. "Now."

She blinked, dazed, but wanting to obey. She just wasn't sure if her legs were strong enough to stand. But no need to worry-Zack and Aidan both rose and tugged her hands, pulling her to standing. Still in the sexy heels, closer to their eye level, she smiled at them, feeling almost drunk. "Thanks."

They turned her and Zack gave her butt a tap as she walked. She focused on breathing, on putting one foot in front of the other, down the hall, into the bedroom.

She moved to the side of the bed and turned on the lamp, then faced them. The two men seemed to fill the space with their presence. Both tall, strong and muscled. Zack had gained weight and muscle. Aidan was as ripped as always, his manic workouts giving him a lean shredded look that she loved. And even though Zack was the one who always took control, Aidan's strength and presence was not diminished by Zack's air of command.

In the space of seconds, she reflected on that. She'd always admired Aidan's confidence and authority, the easy way he had of dealing with people, getting them to agree with him and do what he wanted. She knew he directed so many people in his work. His talent and hard work had led to a successful career and it didn't surprise her at all. He was a force. He made things happen and got things done. So when he let Zack tell him what to do-when it came to sex with her-it surprised her. It didn't diminish him in her eyes, though, because she suspected this was something he needed. She'd suspected it for a while. Something he needed that she couldn't give him. And she wanted him to have that.

"What do you want us to do?" she asked Zack, confirming him as the leader of this scene.

"Take off your clothes. Everything but the shoes."

She dipped her chin, then pulled her shirt over her head.

"You too." Zack nodded at Aidan.

She met Aidan's eyes. His lips twitched and they shared a look of amused excitement. He loved this as much as she did. Oh god. That was so incredible. Aidan yanked his shirt off forward over his head and dropped it.

Aidan moved to her as she lowered her shorts, hands at his own button and zipper. He kicked shorts and underwear off, and set his hands on her hips. Big and warm, his hands comforted her. His naked body right next to her had her bones turning to liquid. "Maddie," he murmured. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

He reached behind her and unhooked her bra, then drew it down her arms and off. She was just shimmying out of her panties when Zack spoke. "You said you have a flogger."

Her eyes flicked to him, every nerve ending going alert. "Yes."

"Where is it?"

Aidan moved to the bedside table and pulled open the bottom drawer. "Here."

Rolling his lips in, Aidan glanced at Maddie, then handed the flogger to Zack.

Maddie swallowed.

"Have you used this?" Zack slapped the tails against his palm.

"Yes." She whispered the word and looked at Aidan. "We both tried it on each other."

"Did you like it?" He paused. "Wait. Let me clarify. Did you like using it? Or did you like having it used on you?"

She met Aidan's eyes. No point in anything but honesty. "I liked it used on me."

"Yeah." Aidan's voice came out rough. "Me too."

She didn't elaborate that she'd liked it even though she'd felt Aidan had been holding back.

"Perfect." The sadistic gleam in Zack's eyes made her pussy squeeze. Aidan's erection twitched. "Okay, here's what's gonna happen. Aidan, on the bed on your back. Maddie, you on top. Gonna flog you while Aidan's fucking you."

She drew in a long breath and went very still, other than a faint quivering. Holy shitballs. Getting fucked and flogged? It was...she gave her head a quick shake and her pussy squeezed. It was too much. Too hot. Too good to be true.

She followed Aidan onto the bed, wearing nothing but the red heels. She straddled his hips on her knees and looked down at him. He set his hands on her waist and their eyes met. Once again, humor sparked as the corners of his mouth lifted. Yeah, it was crazy, that they let Zack boss them around, making them do these dirty things. But obviously they both liked it. She sank her teeth briefly into her bottom lip to stop a big smile from breaking free, but she knew Aidan saw it. "You want this," he murmured.

"Yes." She both feared it and wanted it, anticipating the pain but also the pleasure it would bring. Only this time she'd be sharing it with Aidan. A shudder worked over her body.

Aidan was hard, his cock lying on his belly. She dropped her gaze there and curled her fingers around it. She stroked him, letting her thumb brush over the head. He groaned and thickened even more in her hand.

"That's it." Zack encouraged her. "Stroke his dick and get him really hard."

"He is really hard. And hot."

"Mmm." Zack's appreciative noise had her gaze turning to him. He watched her touch Aidan with a hungry look on his face. She'd sensed this before. He liked touching Aidan. Aidan had studied Zack's naked body too. There was a sexual tension between them she'd noticed and it made her go all hot and shivery inside.

"How about you?" Zack moved closer to the bed. "You wet, Maddie?"

She swallowed. She was wet. She'd been turned on when they started kissing and touching her on the couch. Now she was aching and her breasts were heavy and full. Zack's fingers slipped into her pussy from behind and stroked her. "Oh yeah. So wet. That's nice, baby." And her eyes went huge as Zack moved and offered his slick fingers to Aidan.