KeytoExcess Read online

  Key to Excess

  Christie Butler

  Annie Sloan is a bad girl. Seriously attracted to her neighbor and key buddy Matt Howard, she abuses her key privileges and sneaks into his place when he’s away. She wastes no time getting naked and slipping into his bed, fantasizing about Matt and what he might do to her. Her hormones shift into high gear when Matt’s buddy Peter joins them in her daydreams. She suspects the two of them have a habit of taking a woman to bed together. The idea makes her feminine parts tingle.

  Matt Howard loves women. Lately he’s had a major hard-on for his neighbor, Annie. Thoughts of her gorgeous curves and sexy red hair disrupt his sleep. After a weekend away, he returns home to find Annie sleeping in his bed, ripe for the picking. His friend Peter joins them for a thrilling night of sexual adventure. But Matt might want more from Annie.

  A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

  KEY TO EXCESS

  Christie Butler

  Chapter One

  The T-shirt smelled of sweat, soap and sexy man. Despite having dug it out of Matt’s dirty laundry hamper, Annie buried her nose in it, inhaling deeply. Without another thought she peeled off her clothes, undies and all, and pulled the T-shirt on over her head. The hem dropped to her mid-thighs, the soft fabric feeling tingly against her skin. Or maybe her skin had already been tingly.

  Annie was being a bad, bad girl. She and condo neighbor Matt Howard were key buddies. After Matt had moved in next door, the two of them had become friendly, eventually exchanging keys so that they could pick up each other’s mail, water plants or anything else that needed to be taken care of while one or the other was away.

  The last time he’d been away, Annie had left him a plate of freshly baked cookies for his return. When Annie had gone to visit her sister a couple weeks ago, there was a beautiful flower arrangement waiting for her when she came home.

  Until today, those additions had been the only breaks in their key protocol. Now she was involved in a serious violation, using her friend’s key for her own gratification.

  It had not been lost on Annie what a handsome, sexy man Matt was. When he’d first moved in she had been involved with a guy from work. By the time that relationship had ended, Annie had had plenty of opportunity to watch the endless parade of women in and out of Matt’s condo. There had been a few repeats on occasion, but mostly it was some new sex goddess every time.

  As time went on, Annie had developed a serious jones for her neighbor. Just a couple inches taller than she was, Matt was well muscled, with hair like Brad Pitt’s before his scraggly period and the most gorgeous skin she’d ever seen on a man. A mere smile from him would make her heart pound, would make her panties wet.

  She’d already been intrigued, and then last month she’d gone out for Sunday morning coffee and the paper. When she’d returned and pulled into the parking lot, she’d seen Matt and his friend Peter with a woman. Clad in a rumpled party dress, the woman was clearly doing the walk of shame. She stood by her car and kissed the men. Both of them. Thoroughly.

  Annie had stepped on her brake, watching, her insides melting. Finally the woman got in her car and drove away. Annie had been reasonably certain that the men had seen her watching, but what the hell was she supposed to do? There’d been no place to hide, and it wasn’t as if they were being secretive.

  After that episode, Annie thought back to the times that she’d seen Peter with Matt. Odd times—late at night, early in the morning—a woman hanging about on occasion. One woman.

  Annie didn’t consider herself to be sexually naïve, but she still found this behavior astonishing. And provocative. She’d become obsessed, hadn’t been able to get the thought out of her mind, fantasies of being ravished by both men invading her dreams.

  She wasn’t sure exactly how it worked, whether Matt and Peter were bi and it was an all-out orgy, or the two men took turns with the woman or took her together. Or some combination of the above. But clearly Matt liked women. Now Annie had designs on becoming the next woman Matt liked. He didn’t appear to be the relationship kind of guy, but they were already friends. There was a good base to work from if he were so inclined. As she was.

  If not, maybe she’d at least get some toe-curling sex out of it. Enter Peter Nash.

  Unlike Matt, Peter was tall, dark, mysterious. He always had this look on his face as if he knew something no one else did. It was irritating. And hot as all get-out. She’d be thrilled to have Matt all to herself, but if Peter wanted to join in she would have no objection.

  Annie had hit a bit of a dry spell where men were concerned. And she was tired of dating the straitlaced, uptight yuppies she usually hung with.

  And so here she was in Matt’s condo while he was away, abusing her key privileges for the sole purpose of feeling closer to him. She ran her hands over the shirt she’d borrowed, imagining that they were his hands, hugging herself, picturing his big, strong arms around her.

  For a guy, his place, decorated in black, white and shades of gray, was relatively neat and tidy. His king-sized bed was made up with crisp white linens that smelled fresh and clean. She ventured into his bathroom, uncapped his cologne and sniffed in his familiar scent, ran her fingers over the bristles of his toothbrush, clutched the towel on the rack and imagined it wrapped around his hips.

  Get a grip, Annie. Moving back to the bedroom, she threw herself onto his bed, rolling over and over. She pulled the covers back and tucked herself in, laying her head on his pillow. Closing her eyes, she pretended that Matt was there with her, around her, inside her.

  The next thing she knew, she was being roused by a deep male voice.

  * * * * *

  “Thanks again for picking me up at the airport.” Matt grabbed his carryon from the trunk of Peter’s car. “Wanna come up for a beer?”

  “Sure.” Peter followed him through the lot, his work boots scuffing the ground. “Nice you came back a day early.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Saturday night ahead,” Peter explained. “I’ve been gettin’ the itch.”

  Ah. Matt smiled at his buddy. He’d known Peter for a few years, had met him through mutual friends. When they’d first started hanging out, Matt thought Peter was around mostly to pick up Matt’s castoffs. Peter Nash wasn’t an unattractive mutt, he just wasn’t the most charming guy in the world. They were different men, but Matt found that they got along well. Plus, Peter had saved his butt from a jealous boyfriend on more than one occasion.

  One night they’d been out at a club and Matt had reeled in a voluptuous brunette while Peter was still struggling. It was last call and the three of them walked outside. The brunette had taken a look at the both of them, then grasped both of their hands. “Let’s go, boys,” she’d said.

  The fucking had been phenomenal. Since then, every couple months or so they’d find a willing female to debauch for the night. They were a good pair—Matt charmed the panties off the woman and Peter could get down and dirty with her instead of going home alone. That way, they all got what they were looking for—crazy-hot sex, sometimes shockingly hot.

  It was a win, win, win.

  They headed up the stairs. “Anyone special in mind?” Matt asked.

  Peter laughed. “Nah. You know me, man. I’m not particular. Just do your thing and be your charming self, buddy.”

  Matt laughed with him as they passed Annie Sloan’s door. His cock twitched at the thought of the tall redhead who lived next door to him. Many times he had considered changing up their relationship, but it was nice to have a woman friend. A woman friend who made his cock twitch.

  As he reached for his keys, he recalled the morning that Annie had caught him and Peter seeing off their Saturday night conquest. Since then, the air had chan
ged between them. It was thicker, tense. Filled with possibilities.

  He was reasonably certain that he could have her. It was obvious from the way she looked at him. But would sweet Annie Sloan be interested in a three-way? And could tonight be the night?

  Inside, Matt said, “There’s beer in the fridge. Help yourself.” He made his way back to his bedroom and stepped inside. Froze. He set his bag down quietly.

  There was a woman sleeping in his bed. A sexy redhead. My, my. It was sweet Annie Sloan herself. What was she doing in his bed? And from the looks of things, wearing one of his shirts?

  Matt crept closer, picking up her discarded shorts, top and panties and placing them on top of his dresser. Could it be that Annie had been having the same thoughts that he had?

  Apparently so. He smiled, totally not caring that she was in his condo, in his bed while he was supposed to be away. In fact, she looked pretty fucking good right where she was.

  Hearing Peter out in the hallway, Matt turned to him and held a finger to his lips in the “shh” position before waving him into the room.

  Beer in hand, Peter stepped inside, raised an eyebrow at the female sleeping in the bed. He whispered, “Isn’t she your neighbor?”

  Matt nodded.

  “The one you’ve been wanting to…?” Peter made an obscene gesture.

  Matt nodded again, his engines revving. “Care to join me?”

  Peter grinned. “If she’s up for it,” he whispered. “I’ll let you break her in.” He turned and left the room.

  Matt’s cock was doing more than twitching now. It was growing uncomfortably large in his jeans. There had been more than one occasion that he had woken in a fevered sweat after pornographic dreams about the sexy redhead who lived next door. And now here she was—seemingly ripe for the picking. Clearing his throat, Matt said, “Well, look who’s been sleeping in my bed.”

  Annie’s eyes flicked open wide. She was on her side, facing away from the direction of his voice. His voice. Matt Howard—the man who had been haunting her dreams. The man whose bed she was lying in.

  Oh God. What had she done?

  She squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe she could fall back to sleep and make this all go away.

  “An-nie.” His voice was soft, singsongy.

  Behind her, the bed sank under his weight. Heart pounding, she held as still as possible, utterly mortified that this was happening. Then the warmth of his hand on her shoulder radiated through her body.

  “Annie,” he repeated, “what are you doing here?”

  Damn it. “What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to be back until tomorrow.”

  Matt chuckled. “That’s right. I’m sorry. What was I thinking, coming home early, scaring you to death?” He lightly squeezed her shoulder, sending her heart racing even faster. “How inconsiderate of me.”

  No, no, no. Damn his hypnotizing voice and her raging hormones. How had she thought she’d get away with this? Now she was mortified and she would lose her key buddy. No good could come of this. No good at all.

  Matt stroked his thumb under the collar of her—his—T-shirt, revealing the bare flesh of her neck and shoulder. Annie’s breath caught. What is he doing? Why isn’t he pissed and yelling at me?

  Her flesh tingled again, goose bumps erupting as he traced circles on her heated skin. Her need spiked to a ten and she fought to hold still, afraid of doing anything that might bring him to his senses. Maybe some good could come of this.

  “What are you doing in my bed, Annie?” His voice was even softer, his breath warm on her ear. He made a yummy noise as he peeled the shirt down a bit farther.

  She really should stop him. Just because she’d invaded his condo and his bed was no reason for him to think she would submit to his charms. Was it? Wait a minute. Wasn’t that what she wanted? She tried to remember his question. “I was tired?”

  His low laugh rumbled through her. “I’m going to ask you a question and I want you to tell me the truth, okay?”

  He moved closer to her, so close she could feel the heat from his body, could smell his woodsy scent. Mesmerized by his soothing voice and stroking thumb, she could only nod.

  “Did you get yourself off in my bed?”

  “What?” She hadn’t expected that question. “No.”

  “No?” He slipped the sleeve of the shirt completely off her shoulder, baring her upper arm, dangerously close to giving him a peek at her nipple.

  “No,” she repeated. Not yet anyway. She had planned to get to it though.

  “Look at all these beautiful freckles.” He leaned down and brushed his lips over her shoulder and neck, again and again.

  Heat flooded her body, settling in her middle. Annie could barely breathe. Was it really possible that Matt Howard was kissing her? She clamped her thighs together, trying to relieve the itchy need there. “I hate my freckles.”

  “No, no. They’re pretty.” His lips trailed up her neck and he moved in even closer to her, nuzzling her hair. “This fiery red hair. You’re gorgeous, Annie.” He stroked her side, moving down her arm to her waist and settling at her hip, leaving a trail of fire.

  Oh God. He’d find out she was naked underneath the shirt. Really, Annie? That’s what you’re worried about now? At this point, he’d probably be stunned if she wasn’t. And what did he just say again?

  “No,” she murmured. “Not gorgeous.”

  Matt lightly pinched her ass and she squealed. “Tell me the truth, Annie. Don’t you think you’re beautiful?”

  “I’m okay.”

  “Okay, bullshit. You are a gorgeous, sexy woman.” He snaked his hand under the T-shirt and caressed her butt cheek. “Mmm, you’re all warm and soft.” He kissed her neck again, his tongue flicking out for a quick taste. It was as if he instinctively knew that it was a major erogenous zone for her. He was a dangerous man.

  Annie whimpered, hoping she didn’t sound too desperate. It seemed that what she’d been hoping for, dreaming about for months was about to happen. Her heart pounded and her flesh burned as Matt touched her, moisture collecting between her thighs. And they’d barely begun.

  His fingers teased the seam of her ass, moving lower but not low enough. “I want you, Annie. Is that why you’re here? Do you want me to fuck you, Annie?” Just like that—as if he’d asked her if she wanted a cup of tea.

  “Y-yes.” No struggle to tell the truth there. There was no other possible answer.

  “Thank God.” Matt rolled her to her back, their gazes meeting for the first time since he’d woken her. His silky dark-blond hair hung down over his forehead, blue eyes fierce and sexy. Pushing the covers off, he looked down the length of her body. She could almost feel his gaze as it swept over her. He palmed her breast through the shirt, tweaking her nipple until it was hard and aching. “So sexy, Annie.”

  It was true. The sight of him plumping her breast was the sexiest thing she had ever seen. She couldn’t tear her gaze away, at least until Matt leaned down and covered her mouth with his. His breath tasted faintly of chocolate. Of course. Sweet and yummy. Just like the man himself.

  Annie clasped his neck, opening her mouth to him, kissing him back as if she were starving for him. Their tongues tangling, she felt smothered with desire, but she would rather die than end the kiss. He moved over her and she welcomed his weight, spreading her thighs as he settled between them. His cock was hard, pressing against her insistently. Annie had never felt such instantly overwhelming need. Her pussy begged to be filled by him.

  “Let’s get rid of this.” Matt pulled back and peeled his T-shirt off her, tossing it on the floor. “Damn, you are a gorgeous sight, Annie Sloan.” His rubbed the backs of his fingers over her neatly trimmed, flaming-red muff before pushing his thumb down between her pussy lips. “Mmm, mm. So hot and wet. You want me, Annie.” Confident and brazen, he stared her down.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Annie rolled her hips, unable to hold still as his thumb rubbed over her clit. Another ten seconds and she was going to come
.

  Matt sat back on his heels and licked his thumb clean. He pulled his shirt off, revealing the lean, hard muscles of his chest and belly. There was very little hair and his nipples were small and dark brown. Unzipping his jeans but leaving them on, he spread her thighs farther apart and dropped to his elbows between them.

  Annie’s eyes nearly rolled back in her head at the thought of what he was going to do. She barely had time to process it before his lips were on her pussy, his tongue opening her up. The feeling was magical and so much better than her vibrator. Heat pooled in her middle, the tension that was already there building.

  He didn’t look up at her as he ate her and she loved that. He knew what he was doing, didn’t need to gauge her response. But she watched him, smooth blond hair, eyes closed, head twisting and turning as he serviced her. It was amazing. She’d been ready for this for so long.

  “You taste so good,” he mumbled and she believed him. Pressing two fingers inside her, he expertly found that special spot and worked her inside and out.

  Damn, he’s good at this. She rose higher and higher until reaching the perfect climax, her hips bucking up off the bed, her mind and breath gone.

  Annie felt him leave her, detected the ripping sound of a condom foil. She’d barely recovered her breath and he was back at her, kissing her belly, her breasts, sucking on her nipples. Overwhelmed with sensation, she wasn’t sure if she could take any more. But she sure as hell wasn’t going to stop now.

  He lightly nipped at the flesh of her neck as he kneed her legs apart. Rubbing his cock in her juices, he pressed inside, moving forward slowly but steadily until he was completely buried. He pressed his forehead to hers. “Fuck, Annie. You feel so good.”

  Ditto. Or at least she tried to say that. Never having gotten a good look at it, she could only surmise that Matt Howard’s cock was about the size and firmness of a baseball bat. She was utterly filled, could feel his penetration up in her chest.

  He threaded their fingers together and planted them on the bed by her ears, pushing himself up on straight arms. Annie tried to find the strength to wrap her legs around him, couldn’t do it. She whimpered and moaned as he set a relentless pace, starting slow and moving progressively faster. And harder.