Sharing Rose Page 3

  She couldn’t help but let out a whimper, then she bit her lip to stop herself moaning again.

  ‘You two think you’re going to fuck me or something?’ she said, but it was barely a whisper.

  A second later, she felt Jacob’s cock pressing against her mouth, and she opened her lips and let him inside, his member gliding over her tongue.

  As he slid deeper into her mouth, she felt Alex’s fingers loop around the edge of her knickers and slide them down past her knees before he straddled her again, resting his cock between her cheeks and sliding it up and down.

  Then suddenly, he was laying down against her back and his knees were pushing her legs apart, his cock sliding up against her soaking wet opening.

  ‘You’re ours now,’ said Alex, whispering into her ear and then he slid into her.

  The water was starting to go cold, but Rose didn’t care. Her fingers were moving fast inside her now and the rest of the fantasy was running through her mind like a highlight reel.

  She pictured Jacob kissing her lips as Alex kissed her neck and she moaned in pleasure. She writhed in time with Alex’s imaginary thrusts into her from behind, and pretended her fingers were his cock in her pussy, as she slid them in and out herself, bringing herself quickly to orgasm as her legs began to shudder.

  She climaxed as she imagined them both pumping inside her at the same time and then her legs gave way and she slipped down into a small heap as the water cascaded over her shaking body.

  As she sat there on the floor, the warm torrent running down her face, she found she was suddenly feeling overcome with emotion.

  She had spent so much of her life wanting them, and then she had run away and now she was back here with them again, laying down on their bed and smelling their pillows and showering in their bathroom and masturbating to the thought of them.

  She started to sob.

  To begin with it was quiet and reserved, but before long she was crying hard, the flood gates opening, her body wracked with emotion and regret and longing, but most of all with unrequited love.

  *

  Half an hour later, Rose emerged from the room, dressed and ready to go with her rucksack slung over her shoulder. She trotted down the stairs, feeling better after a good cry and bounced into the restaurant. She knew she was overcompensating, just like that first day of school. Inside she was a mess, but on the outside she was confident, exuberant and calm.

  She smiled as the two men looked up and tried not to swoon as Alex winked at her as she approached.

  A few minutes later they were outside with their three rucksacks stowed neatly in the rear of the small rental car, Rose’s in the middle squished between the two men’s larger bags. Jacob held the rear door open for Rose and she hopped in, grateful for the back seats to herself so she might stretch out a little after the cramped flight.

  She watched as he then walked around to the passenger door and jumped in next to Alex, who started the engine as Jacob fastened his seatbelt. Alex’s self-assurance had caused a stir in Rose, but Jacob’s gentlemanly gestures and thoughtful behaviour were just as attractive.

  She had to stop thinking like this, or she was going to end up in trouble, or worse still, an emotional wreck again, she thought to herself, as they pulled out of the small hotel car park and onto the slip road that led down and onto the autobahn.

  The car vibrated as they crossed over the rumble strip into the outer lane and Rose had to adjust her posture to stop the sensation arousing her more so than she already was.

  ‘How you doing back there?’ said Alex as he pushed his foot down on the accelerator. She saw his eyes glancing between her and the road ahead as he drove.

  ‘Excited,’ said Rose.

  ‘You've been to Switzerland before though, right?’

  Rose smiled to herself as she realised that Alex must have snooped through her social media too. Had she noticed a little glance of concern from Jacob too? Worried that Alex might have given away too much?

  ‘Yeah that’s right. I flew over around two years ago, during my first year at Bangor. It was a field trip to study the Alpine ibex.’

  ‘What's that?’

  ‘It's a sort of horned mountain goat,’ she said. ‘They live high up on steep slopes in the Alps. We flew into Zurich and stayed near Pontresina? They actually come down into the village in spring but we came in the Summer so we spent a few days hiking in the area to look for and study them.’

  ‘So they're like the mountain sheep in Wales?’

  Rose laughed. ‘A little yes. Both animals are tougher than their sea level counterparts but the ibex are a little more graceful. They have an amazing story too.’

  Alex glanced at her again in the mirror, and Jacob turned to listen.

  ‘Go on,’ he said, seeing a flash of reticence on her face. ‘We’ve got a three hour drive and I want to be an ibex expert by the time we arrive.’

  She often got carried away talking about wildlife and geography and she was self-conscious about it after an ex-boyfriend of hers had criticised her for it, joking that she loved to hear the sound of her own voice. It had hurt her at the time, and still did, dampening her passion for all manner of things. But Jacob’s sincere invitation for her to keep going had made her feel safe and she smiled and leant forward.

  ‘Ok, so the Alpine ibex were once hunted, practically to extinction by the rural population for meat and for their horns, and by the middle of the 19th century there were less than a hundred remaining. We’re talking poaching taking place over four hundred years, so it wasn't overnight, but the impact was huge. So King Victor the Second, of Italy, established a wildlife reserve around the remaining ibex, and employed over one hundred and fifty of his hunters to protect the species from poachers.’

  Rose, still a little hesitant to go on, saw that Alex was looking at her again in the rear view mirror.

  ‘Is that how they survived?’ he said.

  ’It helped, the population recovered to a few hundred and the King allowed controlled hunting to resume but they weren’t wild, not truly, and they were gone from the Alps entirely.’

  ‘So how did they end up back here?’ said Jacob.

  ‘That’s the exciting part. The Swiss government spent years trying to negotiate with the Italian royalty for a breeding pair to try and restore the population across the Alps, but in 1906 they ran out of patience and so the Swiss sent a group of poachers on a secret mission across the border to steal three baby ibex and return them alive. They were successful, and a hundred years later estimates suggest that there are now upwards of forty-five thousand ibex living across the alps and every single one of them can be traced back to those three babies stolen from the King’s private hunting grounds. Isn’t that incredible?’

  Jacob nodded. ‘That’s nuts, some proper espionage. So do you think we’ll see some on this trip?’

  ‘Most likely, they’re quite prevalent, although it depends on how high up we go. They tend to live above the timber line, but at this time of year some of them make their way down the slopes in groups to graze near the lakes, and as I said about Pontresina, some are brave or socialised enough to come right into the villages and towns. They are such beautiful animals.’

  Rose felt a little embarrassed at her passion for the creature, but she found the story of the ibex inspiring and exciting and she longed to be involved in a conservation project that carried the weight and importance that those poachers must have felt all of those years ago.

  ‘I’m sorry, I’m rambling,’ she said. ‘I want to hear about you guys.’

  ‘What would you like to know?’ said Alex.

  ‘For starters, what have you been doing for three years?’

  ‘Actually we’ve been meaning to tell you something,’ said Alex, serious all of a sudden. ‘We have a confession to make.’

  Rose’s stomach flipped and her heart seemed to start pounding harder in her chest. She sat upright and frowned.

  ‘We’re in love,’ said Alex, g
rinning and leaning across to take Jacob’s hand affectionately. ‘After three years of living together, we’ve finally accepted who we are. We’re gay men, Rose and we love one another and we do each other up the bum every night.’

  Jacob burst out laughing pushing Alex’s hand away as his friend tried to keep a straight face, but moments later he erupted into laughter too.

  Rose tried to hide her relief as she realised Alex was joking.

  ‘I always knew,’ she said, loudly. ‘I mean I literally spent years trying to shag one or the both of you, and you never showed the slightest bit of interest.’

  The laughter slowed down as Alex looked in the rear view mirror again and Jacob glanced awkwardly at his friend.

  ‘I’m joking boys, come on, give me some credit,’ she said, trying to divert them away from her outburst of honesty. ‘So come on, other than each other, what have you really done for the past three years?’

  ‘Studied hard, of course,’ said Alex. ‘I hope I don't hear doubtful implication in your voice, young Prim?’

  She smiled. ‘Of course not, I assumed you’d both been good boys. But come on. Girls? Adventures? Conquests? Trips? So much must have happened.’

  ‘It wasn’t as fun without you,’ said Jacob.

  Rose felt a sudden and deep sense of guilt, and looked out of the window.

  ‘Ouch, that hurts dude, I’m right here,’ said Alex, pretending to admonish his friend, but he knew it was true too.

  She smiled, feeling a small blush rising up from her neck. She breathed in deeply to mask it.

  ‘Let’s start with family then,’ said Rose. ‘How’s your mum and dad?’ she said, aiming the question at Jacob who had turned to look at her.

  There was an awkward silence as Alex looked across at his friend.

  ‘Don't wind me up, again,’ said Rose, concerned.

  Jacob smiled kindly. ‘I’m not, I’m sorry Rose. Dad passed away last year.’

  ‘Oh gosh, I’m so sorry Jacob,’ she leaned forward reaching for his hand and taking it in hers.

  ‘It’s okay,’ he said squeezing her fingers gently. ‘It was a heart attack, his lifestyle was always going to catch up with him. I got to say goodbye though.’

  ‘Oh shit, I’m so sorry,’ she said, closing her hand firmly around his. Alex glanced down once or twice as their fingers entwined. ‘How’s your mum doing?’

  ‘Surprisingly well, she loved Dad but him passing away has meant she can get out again, she’s joined a few clubs, started learning to salsa. She’s actually pretty good,’ he laughed. ‘Her and a friend are entering a competition next month.’

  ‘Is Olivia okay?’ said Rose. She and Jacob’s little sister had never got on. ‘Is she well?’

  ‘Well enough. She struggled at first but she’s got a fairly serious boyfriend now and they moved in together a few months back. You might remember him, actually, Adam Chapman? He was in our year at college.’

  ‘The guy who had all the snakes?’ said Rose, shocked.

  ‘That’s the guy,’ said Jacob laughing.

  ‘How the hell did they meet?’

  ‘I’m not quite sure, and I don’t think I ever want to find out,’ said Jacob, releasing Rose’s hand. She leaned back into her seat again and looked out the window at the beauty of Lake Geneva down in the valley to the south as another plane banked and dipped on approach to the airport, the low sun reflecting off the fuselage as it rolled.

  Jacob’s dad had treated her like one of the family and she was sad to hear he had passed away. She always felt like he’d treated her like a daughter, which may have been why Olivia hated her so much. She thought back to the time just a few years ago, when she had drunkenly called him by mistake from a party and asked for a lift home, and instead of admonishing her or telling her to call her own parents, he had dressed and driven for over an hour, at well past midnight, to come and collect her and deliver her safely home. He had been kind and caring, just like Jacob. The apple had not fallen far from the tree.

  ‘What about you Alex?’ she said, hesitant to ask about his family directly.

  ‘Mum’s as bonkers as ever. She’s dating some guy who’s part of a biker gang these days, so I don’t see her much. Dad’s brought a plot of land with Sally over by Hastings, he’s got some grand idea of building his own house now he’s retired.’

  ‘Does he understand the concept of retirement?’ laughed Rose.

  ‘Pretty sure he didn’t get the memo,’ said Alex, shaking his head.

  ‘Do you remember when we stole their garden gnomes?’ she said, laughing.

  ‘Oh shit, yes. Sally was furious,’ he said, hitting the steering wheel with the palm of his hand. ‘They were searching for weeks for them. We hid them in so many other gardens.’

  ‘The one on top of Mrs Soubry’s roof is still there,’ said Jacob.

  ‘No fucking way,’ said Rose. ‘I nearly died getting down from there, Alex had to catch me before I fell through the greenhouse.’

  ‘It’s still there, looking down from the roof,’ said Jacob.

  ‘I am so proud. We were professional mischief makers.’

  Rose sat back in her seat again, smiling.

  As she closed her eyes, she was starting to think she was glad she’d come.

  Her head back on the rest, she let a wave of nostalgia sweep over her, and did her best not to think about the days, and weeks and months that followed her decision to move away from the boys. How she hadn't eaten, or slept properly, the anxiety and the nervousness. How she’d cried herself to sleep at night for weeks, missing them both. How hard she had worked and how much it had affected her to slowly, carefully and surely cut them out of her life, for her own good.

  But most of all, she tried not to think about how much it had hurt her and broken her heart.

  Now here she was, burying the fear in the back of her mind that these three days could be a huge mistake that would plunge her headlong into a dark place that she had no desire to return to.

  As she repressed her fears, she focused on the positives.

  She was in Switzerland.

  She was going climbing, hiking and wild camping.

  She was with two men that she would always trust with her life. And despite everything she had tried to do to change it, she loved them both dearly.

  The biggest change of all though, was that they had all grown up.

  She sighed and smiled.

  This was going to be a great few days.

  *

  CHAPTER THREE

  ALEX PULLED THE car into the car park and as he gently rolled to a stop, Rose woke up.

  She didn’t want to open her eyes at first, but as she did she glanced up just in time to see Jacob look away. She smiled, wondering if he’d been watching her sleep. In many ways he was quite fraternal towards her, and had always acted like a big bear of a brother, protective and a little overbearing, even possessive at times and it was comforting to see that he still felt like that. He was an actual big brother to his little sister after all, so it came naturally to him, but it seemed a little different now. Although that might just have been wishful thinking on her part.

  There were just a few other vehicles parked in the small car park as Jacob opened his door and stepped out into the warm sun. He stretched and jumped up and down on the spot before opening Rose’s door and holding out his hand for her to step out. She took it gracefully and blushed a little as he pulled her up and out of the seat with an understated strength. She was more than capable of getting out of a car by herself and if it had been anyone else giving her the delicate little flower routine they would have received an earful by now, but Rose was finding it hard to resist his charming and gentle manner.

  Alex had bounced out of the drivers seat and was now stood looking around with wide eyed amazement at the grandeur of the scenery that surrounded them on all sides. She admired and shared his passion.

  ‘Isn't it stunning?’ she said as she stood next to him.

  ‘
Beautiful,’ he said quietly as he glanced over at her.

  Jacob opened the boot of the car and began to unload their rucksacks onto the gravel floor, then he looked over at the two of them standing side by side and walked over to join them. For a few moments they all stood quietly together, enjoying the view. Rose reached out either side of her and took their hands in her own.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said.

  Alex turned to look at her. ‘What for?’

  ‘For organising this and inviting me,’ she said. ’And for being my friends.’

  ‘Stop being mushy, Prim, you’ll make Jacob cry.’

  She laughed. ‘I mean it though, it means so much to me to be out here with you both. Your friendship got me through school and college, and… I’m sorry I ran way, I just-‘

  ‘It’s okay,’ she felt Jacob squeeze her hand softly. ‘You’re here now.’

  Rose wiped away a tear and withdrew her hands from the both of them.

  ‘Yes, you’re right. Sorry, I’m just overwhelmed. Fuck,’ she laughed. ‘This place is beautiful.’

  ‘Are you ready?’ said Jacob.

  Rose looked around, slowly taking in the view, and committing it to memory.

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Hell yes.’

  ‘Let’s do this,’ said Alex and with that he grabbed Rose by the waist and hoisted her up onto his shoulder, holding her firmly there as she screamed and pounded his back with her fists. He threw the keys to Jacob and shouted across the carpark.

  ‘You grab the bags mate, I’ll bring her.’

  Jacob laughed and walked over to the back of the car, pulling the boot closed. He locked it and stowed the key in his pocket, and then strapped Rose’s bag to his chest, looping one arm through each of the other two bags and setting off in the direction of the arch which marked the start of the trail.

  ‘You look like a donkey mate,’ said Alex turning back as he marched Rose across the carpark.