by Box Set
“What isn’t a good idea?” Mikayla strolls in, case in hand. The timing’s really bad.
Lorne totally clams up.
Her brows draw together when neither of us responds, but she doesn’t press for answers. Instead, she sets her case down on the opposite side of the bed to Lorne’s and bustles around gathering socks and panties. “I’ll be gone in a minute. Sorry I interrupted.”
How can things have changed so much in so few hours? Yesterday, I didn’t know her. Now, I’m on the verge of losing her down to Lorne’s pig-headedness.
“Where will you go?” I ask, following her about as she piles up her stuff. Folds, rolls, and stows.
She sniffs. “Not sure. Can’t go home. It’ll be too easy for Edward to reach me there. The same is true of pretty much any hotel in the land. They’re all about being connected today. I came here in order to stay off grid.”
I nod, even though I still don’t really see what she’s got against Lana Bow. Maybe Aster’s stiffing her out of a decent cut of the profits.
“What about you two?”
“Home, I guess,” I reply. It’s what Lorne’s packing implies.
Lorne just stares darkly into a corner.
“Together?”
He throws down the lube he was packing. “I’m going to go and do the washing up.” And he storms out.
“What did I say?” Mikayla follows him a couple of paces with her hands raised beseechingly. I catch hold of her around the waist and pull her back from the door.
“It wasn’t anything specific. He’s just struggling with his feelings.”
“Yeah, right.” She shakes off my hold. “Too bad he’s not thinking about anyone else’s.” She jams her belongings into the case with no regard for their order and slams the lid closed. “You were trying to talk him round, weren’t you?” Her eyes are wide, bright, and full of something that I suspect is pity. “Oh, Jas. He’s never going to bend over this. He came here with the specific goal of snagging you, and any deviation from that plan isn’t happening.”
“He’s got me.”
“Not in the way he wants. He wants one person to cherish, and you’re already showing signs of wanting someone else.”
“Well bonus, he landed a two-for-the-price-of-one deal.”
She shakes her head wearily. “It isn’t happening, Jasper, no matter how desperately you want it. Here—” she slips a scrap of paper with her number on it into my hand. “—stay in touch.”
“Mikayla! Don’t give up.”
“I’m being realistic is all. Me leaving now is probably for the best.”
“No.”
“Jasper.”
“No.” I don’t want things to end like this. She doesn’t want it to end like this. I want to bang Lorne’s thick skull against a wall for being so unyielding and blind to the future the three of us could make.
All right, I know it’s a sudden development. Yesterday I wasn’t even sure if I could convince myself that a relationship with Lorne was something I genuinely wanted, but now I know it is, and I know I want to hang onto Mikayla and learn a thousand million things about her too.
She enfolds me in an awkward hug. I can see she’s trying to put a stony front on things, but there are tears gathering in her eyes that I know will fall the moment she leaves the cottage.
I do not want to see her cry.
I’m not letting her leave like this.
Lorne doesn’t get to dictate this. I’ve as much right to put my foot down. I won’t be forced to be someone I’m not.
I’m not the sort of guy who has wild sex with a woman—or a man for that matter—and then says sayonara the very next day. My brain and my emotions aren’t wired like that.
“We have to do something to sway his mind.”
“We’ll see each other again, Jas, I promise. You have my number.”
I tear the paper into tiny pieces and let them fall through my fingers. A draft catches them and scatters them to the four corners of the room.
“I want more than that. I want the rest of this weekend, and I don’t see why I can’t have it. If we all stay put, we can work this out.”
“Jas.”
I’m looking right into her beautiful eyes, our lips are so close. The minty-fresh smell of her breath wafts gently over me. I want to kiss her so badly. I want to kiss her and not stop until she swears she’ll stay. “Don’t you want that too?”
“Absolutely, but I can’t make him want me.”
When I look at her I want to say fuck Lorne, fuck propriety, fuck what everyone in the world, including my parents, is going to think. I want her, and I want us to be together. The three of us, Lorne, Mikayla, myself. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m convinced it could work, if we just gave it a chance.
“Can’t you? You did last night.”
“That was different. I didn’t seduce him so much as offer myself up as live bait.”
“So he could catch me?”
She nods.
“I should probably be pissed off about that.” I sniffle and rub my nose. “You came on to me because you and Lorne had shaken on it. It wasn’t because you fancied me.”
“I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t found you attractive. And I was horny to see you both together.”
“But you didn’t actually get to see us both together.”
“I’m still horny to see you both together.”
“That’s not what happened. Lorne didn’t hold up his end of the deal.”
“I’m not complaining, Jasper. I had a fantastic time.”
“Maybe you should complain.”
“I hardly think making demands of him is going to solve anything at this point. We have to be realistic about this. Maybe we can work something out in the future, for now—” She raises her shoulders. “—we’re out of options.”
She picks up her zipped case.
“What if I left with you?”
She laughs aloud at the notion. “How does that solve anything? Lorne will just see it as you having chosen me over him.”
“If he wants me, he’ll compromise.”
“You hope.” She cups her hand against my face. “Are you sure you want to take that chance? This isn’t just about you and him. It’ll impact your career, too. What’s your onscreen chemistry going to be like if you end up hating one another?”
I can’t argue against that. She’s right, I’d be an idiot to jeopardize a potentially rocket launching role and at least a couple of series worth of income. I could pay off my student loans.
Except, who gives a fuck about those?
I’ve found two people whom I want to love. That’s far more important than anything to do with finance.
“Mikayla, please stay.”
She squeezes me hard. “You know I can’t.”
“I know you can. Trust me. Give me a chance to work this out.”
Chapter Twenty
Mikayla Ashton
Lorne has his back to me when I enter the kitchen. His arms are up to the elbows in washing up water despite the cottage being equipped with a fully functioning dishwasher. Maybe he finds it therapeutic. My elder sister Tarla used to.
I’m jittery as hell inside as I walk towards the door pushing my case before me. It’s hard to walk away, but I know it’s the right thing to do.
“I’ll walk you out to the car.” Jas trails me solemnly.
I shake my head. “There’s really no need. I’ve only the two small bags. You stay and help Lorne with the tidying up.”
“I don’t give a damn about the tidying up.”
“It’s okay, Jas. Really.” I squeeze his shoulder.
“It really isn’t.”
Okay, I really need to just do this. I pull on my coat and reach for the doorknob. “Bye, Lorne.”
I don’t know if I expect an answer, but I hope for one.
“Lorne. The least you can do is acknowledge the fact she’s leaving,” Jasper snaps, voice sharp with irritation.
I don�
��t want him to be cross with Lorne or for the two of them to fight once I’ve gone.
“You’re being a dick,” Jas continues. “Two words, ‘Bye, Mikayla.’ They won’t kill you.”
The more he rails, the less likely it becomes that Lorne will actually turn around.
“Lorne.” Jasper trips over my suitcase in a bid to reach Lorne and shake some sense into him. He falls heavily, causing the suitcase to shoot across the floor and collide with the oven front. Meanwhile, I inadvertently stumble into the only hotspot in the whole property. Immediately my phone starts blaring 90s indie at us as message after message after message arrives.
Edward. I know who’s responsible. Then, like he’s psychically attuned to my whereabouts, he calls too.
“Sorry,” I mumble, hating the intrusion of the real world into our domestic drama. I hit the screen and reject the call.
Lorne finally turns away from the sink. He reaches out to help Jasper up off the floor only to be batted away. I step forward to help out too, but before I’ve even taken another breath, my phone goes off again.
Edward never did know when to give up. Witness the 103 missed calls my phone is also still alerting me too.
I deny him yet again.
Jasper gets his knees underneath him. The side of one cheek is red from where he impacted the floor, and both his palms have sustained minor scrapes.
“Let me look at those.”
He slaps Lorne’s attempt to help him away.
And my phone rings again.
“Aren’t you going to blinking well answer that?” Lorne gripes, displacing his anger at Jasper onto me.
Even though Edward is the last person on the planet I want to communicate with, I press the green button.
“What do you want?” I yell.
“You’re supposed to be in London for the launch,” he responds gruffly. “Where the hell are you? I’ve been trying to reach you for days. There’s a chopper on standby.”
I have the volume on high, so he’s loud enough that both Lorne and Jasper can hear everything that’s being said.
“I’m busy, Edward. I told you that was the case. I never agreed to be in London or anywhere else.”
“We agreed you’d do all the essential publicity events.”
Oh no, we most definitely didn’t. “You agreed that. At no point did I ever say it was okay for you to hijack my life and my identity.”
To my utter shock, Lorne snatches the phone right out of my hand. “Listen, moron, she’s busy so she’s not going to make your stupid launch.”
“Busy doing what?” Edward scoffs. “Mashing nettle leaves in the hopes that they’ll cure cancer? Are you one of her hippy friends?”
“He’s a dick,” Jasper mouths.
I nod. He never used to be this bad, but the success of his company has divested him of any redeeming qualities.
“Actually, she’s busy being shagged senseless.”
Lorne! Ohmygod!
“Who are you?” Edward demands. “Put Mikayla back on.”
Lorne’s expression turns super mean. His blue eyes narrow to slits, and his normally smiling mouth thins. “Who are you to order her about? Take a hint, buddy and piss off before she takes out a restraining order on your arrogant arse.” He hangs up before Edward gets a chance to respond. Then shuts down the phone and pulls the battery out.
Jas and I both gawp at him as he hands me the phone in bits.
“What?” he demands after half a second. “You shouldn’t let him dictate to you like that.”
“You told him I was shagging two men at once.” My voice is actually shaking.
He scoops a hand backwards through the wet strands of his golden blond hair and scratches the back of his neck. “Actually, I didn’t specify a number.”
“You lied to him,” Jasper finally gets back on his feet. “We’re not shagging her.”
“Irrelevant. He doesn’t know that.” Lorne turns back to his sink of dishes.
As if I’m going to allow him to escape. I snake my arms around his waist and press my face to the solid muscles of his back so that the scent of him fills my nostrils.
“Why did you do that?”
“He was being a jerk. One ‘no’ should be enough. I hate idiots who think that if they can wear you down it qualifies as consent. Bastard’s likely made millions off you, the least he can do is show you some damned respect.”
I love him hard for those words. I squeeze him hard enough to make him cough.
“I really hate dicks,” he muses.
I stretch up onto tiptoes so that I can whisper directly into his ear. “And there I was sure you loved them.”
“Yeah well, there’s dicks and then there’s dicks.”
I nip his earlobe. “If I had a dick, I’d totally fuck you with it.”
I feel his amusement rumble through his chest. “Is that so?”
I nip him again. “You don’t think I’m interested in your dick?”
“I think you just like saying the word.”
“Dick…D-ick…D-I-C-K! I love a big dick.” I say it in a whole variety of ways, each adds to the purr of amusement I can feel inside him. “Is yours a big one?” I slide my hands down over his washboard abs and underneath the elastic waistband of his joggers. “Oh my! Why yes, it is.”
He makes no attempt to stop me groping him. None whatsoever. He’s too busy trying not to guffaw.
“Keep talking,” Jasper encourages.
“Do you realise you’re also being one today—that’s a D I C K, in case that wasn’t clear. A stupendously big dick. Also, you didn’t fully deliver on our deal. I was supposed to get a ringside seat on some hot male loving, but you went off and shagged him in another room.
“Is it my fault you’re a total light-weight and passed out?”
“You left the room and stealth fucked him in the lounge.”
He turns his head enough to spy Jasper, who is standing a little to one side.
“No, he didn’t tell me that. It reeked of the pair of you in there this morning. I had to open the windows. So,” I say, giving him a playful squeeze. “How about you tell me what places this dick of yours went?”
There’s no mistaking he’s chuckling now. Plus, his cock gives a jerk every time I mention its name.
“Details, lover boy.”
“Tell her, Lorne.”
“Do you want to turn us into a pay per view channel?”
Jasper squeezes Lorne’s shoulder. “I’m pretty sure I already signed a contract for that. Let’s not pretend our TV show isn’t going to have viewers tuning in to be titillated.”
“She’s not going to be content with smoke and mirrors.”
“Nor are you.” Jas’s gaze fastens upon the movement of my hand inside Lorne’s pants. “Is he stiff for you?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m a man. She’s stroking it. What do you expect? It’s not proof of anything. Everyone knows dicks aren’t under central nervous system control.”
“I might be a botanist rather than neuroscientist, but I’m pretty sure that they are.”
“You know what, I’m bored of talking.” Jas wraps his hand around the back of Lorne’s head and leans into the space between Lorne and the sink. He kisses him full on. Devours him.
I’m in the crappiest viewing position possible—Lorne would say that’s my fault—but I’m not letting go of him.
Okay, well perhaps I am, after minutes pass and they’re still sucking face. Seriously, I never knew guys kissed one another like this. How the hell are they not comatose from lack of oxygen? I always thought everything was about honing attention downwards in the direction of their loins.
I guess I could shoulder the responsibility for that. I mean, I’m already feeling up Lorne. So, why not add Jasper into the mix?
I’m not sure either of them immediately notice when I wedge myself between them down on my knees. Lorne’s erection is already tenting the front of his pants. All it takes is a bit of a tug to
pull them down and expose him. Jasper’s a little trickier—he’s opted for button-front jeans today. Clearly he wasn’t thinking when he got dressed. They’re not exactly easy to peel from him. I settle for getting enough of him exposed that I can fondle the head.
Wonder how difficult it’d be to felate them both at once?
Hm, probably quite tricky. One after the other it is. One hello lick for Jasper, and then I do the same for Lorne. A nice bit of hot mouth action here and Lorne’s hand fastens in my hair holding me exactly where he wants me. Yeah, okay. If that’s what he needs.
It takes me a while to realise that Jas has moved and that they’re no longer heavy petting above my head. It’s the way that Lorne starts rolling his hips, and hence forcing more of himself into my mouth that clues me in to what’s going on.
Jasper’s behind him.
“Is he? What’s he doing to you?” I gasp, when Lorne’s grip eases enough to allow me a minute to unlock my jaw.
“Teasing me with the promise of something he’s not going to deliver on.”
“Aren’t I?”
“Teasing’s all you know,” Lorne says.
“You both do nothing but,” I add.
Lorne pats me on the head. “Yeah babe, we know what you want to see.”
I’d bite him if I wasn’t so eager to actually see how far this is going to progress. I smile sweetly up at him instead. “Same thing you’re itching to feel.”
My words raise a genuine smile out of him. “The supplies are in my backpack. Someone needs to get them.”
That nominated someone is very clearly me. I get on my feet and sprint the distance. I’m crazy suspicious that they’ll disappear while I’m gone. I don’t bother to rummage through Lorne’s stuff. I just upend his whole bag and scatter everything across the bed. Lube, condoms…we’re all set. The relief that fills me from the inside out when they’re both still pretty much where I left them leaves me weaving giddily. I drop the lube, but manage to save it before it rolls under the pantry cupboard. If I’m excited, then Jasper’s jittering like he’s been wired to the mains. He puts a finger through the first condom and drops the second.
“Here, I’ll help.”
“Are you my chief fluffer?” He asks cheekily as I get him sorted. “That’s the second time you’ve had to dress me for action.”
