CH 46: Room for three

Mike let out a quiet laugh as he started to take off his boots by the door. “Almost forgot—I never locked up the barn,” he said, glancing toward the window. “Animals need their bedtime snack.” Renee, sitting at the edge of the bed, tilted her head. “You’re just now remembering that?” Mike grinned. “Hey, I brought pillows and vitamins. I get a pass.” Jake chuckled low, stretching his arms overhead. “Want help?”
“Nah,” Mike replied, grabbing his hoodie. “You two stay. I won’t be long.” He leaned down and kissed Renee’s temple, then headed out with a small wave. The door clicked softly behind him. Renee stood and exhaled. “Okay, I need to rinse off. I smell...” Jake smiled, watching her cross the room. “Shower's all yours.” She paused in the doorway, her fingers tapping the frame. “You can stay up, or… whatever.” Jake’s reply was a wordless nod and a quiet grin. The sound of water started a minute later—steady, comforting. Jake remained seated, eyes following the last swirl of her perfume that lingered in the room. A few minutes passed. Then he stood, as if drawn forward by something he didn’t want to question.

He paused just outside the bathroom, steam already curling under the door. It was unlocked. Still, he knocked. “It’s open,” came her voice—low, hushed by the hum of water. Jake stepped inside, carefully shutting the door behind him. The air hit him instantly—thick with steam, warm with her. He stripped down slowly, folding each piece of clothing neatly beside the sink. He pulled the curtain aside just enough to step in. Renee turned at the sound, water gliding over her bare shoulders. Her eyes widened slightly before softening, a flicker of surprise giving way to calm. She didn’t say a word—she didn’t need to. Jake moved closer, water rushing between them. He brought a hand to her waist, tentative and respectful. “You okay with this?” he asked softly, eyes searching hers. She nodded, voice barely audible over the water. “Yes.”

He kissed her gently—more reverent than hungry. A kiss that said he remembered everything: what they lost, what they still could have. Her hands found his chest, grounding herself in the warmth of him. The water carried away words they weren’t ready to say. But their bodies said everything. "I was hoping that you would join me." Jake raised his hand to meet her face, sliding her wet hair from her face. Renee leaned to his touch, she finally felt no guilt when he touched her, no pressure to choose. Jake pulled her face to meet his, kissing her- hot, slow deliberate. The warm spray of the water cascaded around them, steam curling between their bodies. Jake's fingers traced the edge of Renee’s jaw, his touch feather-light, reverent, like she might break if he wasn't careful. He kissed her again—slower this time. Not desperate. Not rushed. It was the kind of kiss that said I remember you. I never stopped. Renee leaned into him, her hands resting against his chest, feeling the slow rise and fall of his breath. Jake’s palms slid down her arms, settling at her waist, thumbs brushing her damp skin in slow, deliberate circles. He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “If anything doesn’t feel right… tell me,” he whispered. She nodded, voice caught somewhere in her throat. “It’s okay,” she breathed. “I trust you.”

His lips found her neck, trailing kisses down her shoulder, each one softer than the last. His hands explored her carefully, following every curve like he was learning her all over again. When his fingers grazed the small of her back, she sighed—a soft, involuntary sound that made him pause, pressing his forehead gently to hers. “You’re everything I remember,” he murmured, “and somehow more.” Renee’s fingers gripped his arms, grounding herself. “You’re different too,” she whispered. “Gentler.” He smiled against her skin. “You deserve gentle.” His hand slid lower, slow and attentive, never rushing. He touched her like a promise—not just of pleasure, but of presence. Of staying. Of knowing every piece of her meant something. And for the first time in a long time, Renee let herself melt into it. Jake’s hand slid lower, his fingers exploring slowly, deliberately. He didn’t rush—he circled her opening with maddening patience, the warmth of the water masking the heat building between them. His lips hovered near her ear as he whispered, “Tell me what you want.”

Renee's breath hitched, her hands clutching his shoulders. “You,” she whispered, eyes fluttering closed. “I just want you.” He kissed her temple, his fingers still teasing, slipping just close enough to make her thighs tremble, but never fully giving in. “Like this?” he asked, his voice low, rough with restraint.
“Yes,” she gasped, her hips pressing forward. Jake smiled against her skin, slowly dipping a finger inside her, gentle and steady. Her back arched, pushing her against him, her breath catching again as he began to move with delicate purpose. Every motion was meant to please, not to conquer. “You feel like home,” he murmured. Every breath was met with his hand moving to keep pace, in then out, his thumb moving circles around her clit. Renee could not stop the sound escaping her mouth, feeling him touch her again, it was everything, and everything different. And with that, she melted into him, completely, letting him give without fear. Jake’s fingers moved with a slow, focused rhythm, his other hand steadying Renee’s waist as she leaned into him, breathless and trembling beneath the cascade of warm water. Every soft moan that escaped her lips urged him on, his lips brushing her shoulder, whispering her name like a vow.

Footsteps creaked across the hallway floor. “Is there room for one more?” Mike’s voice called from just outside the bathroom door, low and amused. Renee’s eyes flew open, her chest rising and falling heavily. Jake’s hand never paused, then his grin returned—mischievous, unshaken. Renee bit her lip.
*“Maybe…”* Jake didn’t speak. He didn’t have to. His hand moved again, slower now, more deliberate, his lips brushing the curve of her shoulder as he watched her fall apart in his arms. His presence was steady, grounding—his touch both a challenge and a promise. Renee whimpered, her hand gripping Jake’s wrist as if to both stop him and pull him deeper into her. Mike stepped fully into the room, breath hitching at the sight of her—bare, wet, glowing in the low light. His eyes met hers.“I can wait,” he said, though the words trembled with restraint. “Or I can help.” Jake finally looked over his shoulder, his expression unreadable, except for the slight lift of his brow—waiting for Renee to answer.
Renee’s eyes flicked between them, her body trembling, overwhelmed in the most delicious way. She could feel everything—Jake’s touch, Mike’s heat behind the question, and her own spiraling need. Her voice shook as she answered, a cry catching in her throat. “Get in.” Mike didn’t need to be told twice. He moved forward, slowly. And in that moment—between the steam, the heat, and the hunger—Renee knew: everything was about to change. Forever. Could she survive this or be consumed by it?