Fisher waved. “You’re too chipper for eight in the morning.”
She rolled her eyes and went back to her desk. Fisher wasn’t usually that grumpy but working together every day could strain any relationship. You saw coworkers annoyed, stressed, and happy. Personal stuff spilled over, and life in an office meant not a lot of secrets.
Spinning her chair, it was a quiet morning on the phones. She didn’t really like the cubicle world, but she didn’t want to be a manager or anything that would get her an office. That was too much pressure. She was only twenty-six, but there were younger people here with more ambition than she. All Lizzie wanted was out from her under her family’s thumb.
Things hadn’t fallen into place just yet, but she had a job, friends, a place to live, and a couple hot men in her bed. Life could be a lot worse.
The phones started ringing more as the central time zone got into the office. She heard her guys chatting softly and sensed some tension in the air. They weren’t fighting exactly, but she sensed something.
Rolling her chair over, she listened and pretended to be filing in case anyone walked by. The chatting was hushed, and she couldn’t figure out the source of the problem. Then one of their phones rang.
Byron took the call, and things fell silent again. Suddenly her phone rang.
“Lizzie, it’s me. I need to give you the Stinger Brothers right now. Okay?” Byron called over the wall.
“Sure.” Lizzie grinned. Even though the brothers were normally Byron’s customers, she’d talked to them plenty. They were friends of one of Ash’s men, and Lizzie had met them many times outside of work. The sexy duo had been her first Lucky Springs fantasy men.
Which Stinger would it be? Damon was tall with piercing eyes and long brown hair he pulled back. Luke was more the guy-next-door: dependable with short brown hair, brown eyes and a solid body. He had a bit of an authoritative edge to him that thrilled Lizzie. They were half-brothers sharing a dad and the Stinger name. The things she’d dreamed about them doing to her body!
Her cheeks burned as she hit the blinking button. “Lizzie here. How can I help?”
“Our favorite customer service rep! How did those two boring guys get you before we did?” Damon asked.
She laughed. “You should’ve asked me out first.”
“And what about me?” Luke asked.
They were both on the line? She grinned. “I don’t know how well you two share, but I couldn’t choose.”
The men chuckled. “And we won’t steal you away from men keeping you happy. We need to add to our standing order right now.” Luke shifted to business.
She hopped into the computer and focused on updating their order and shipping needs. In the back of her mind, she pictured the two hotties sharing her. Then her current boyfriends joined the mix, and things went out of control. Finally, she pushed the kinky thoughts back and read over the order with the men to be sure she got it right.
“Sounds great. Come by and visit us soon. Honey is on the house,” Damon said.
“Thanks! I might just do that. Have a nice day.” She disconnected and listened for her guys. All was silent. Snooping over the wall, she saw they were gone.
Grabbing her water bottle, she headed down the hall to the break room. Walking in on an argument gave her a nauseated feeling as in high school when everyone was talking about you, and they stopped talking as soon as you walked in. That wouldn’t fly for men she was dating. “What’s wrong?”
Byron glared at Fisher, and both men were silent. While she wanted to turn and leave, this was her relationship, too. The fact that they’d been together a lot longer had been a sticking point at first. They had tons of history and inside jokes. Somehow she never felt like Fisher really let her in on it all. Now they were fighting without her?
“Something is up, and I need to know. Unless I’m just a fun side item and not actually part of this relationship, in which case I have a right to know that, too.” They had been a couple for so long Lizzie often wondered if she was only a passing phase for them. They insisted not, and she’d believed them.
Now she wasn’t so sure.
“Of course you are; we’ve been trying to work this out before upsetting you,” Byron said.
“It’s my fault.” Fisher held up his hands.
“What is it?” Lizzie filled her water bottle and set it on the counter. Her mother always said there was no reason to panic until you know the details of the problem.
“I cheated on you guys. Sort of,” Fisher said.
Lizzie stomach went sour. “With who?”
Byron sighed. “One of the Stinger brothers.”
“It was nothing. I was hanging out with Damon, just interested in their business. Stuff happened. That’s it.” Fisher folded his arms and backed away.
“Why? You and Byron have been together forever. You really needed some other guy?” Her head split as if she’d gone without coffee for three days, but she knew caffeine wouldn’t help.
“Maybe that’s it? Maybe I need another dating experience? I feel as if I never dated anyone else. I don’t know if I want to settle down.” Fisher leaned against the wall.
“So you want to move away and go wild at Mardi Gras? Go to one of those sex parties?” Byron demanded.
Lizzie frowned; she saw both sides. Byron was similar to her and dated freely early in high school to find out what he liked, but Fisher hadn’t dated around. Now they were mid-twenties, and you couldn’t go back. The parties were a Lucky Springs open secret. She’d heard about them and fantasized about them, but she couldn’t imagine letting strangers watch her have sex or watching others.
If Fisher needed to go wild for a bit, she’d understand. She had her own kinky side the guys helped her with. Plus, he’d never left Lucky Springs, but she didn’t want him to now. The barely controlled rage in Byron told Lizzie he wasn’t trying to understand yet. He was hurt. If Fisher had cheated with a woman, Lizzie knew she’d be the one having a fit. “So that’s why you guys wanted me to take that call from the Stingers. Why them, Fisher? Which one?” she asked.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ve screwed things up, and I can’t undo it.” Fisher paced.
Byron shook his head. “Are you even sorry?”
“Yes. I didn’t mean to hurt you guys. I love you both, but this just isn’t enough. It’s not going to work. Someone has to cover our phones.” Fisher walked out of the room.
“That’s it?” Lizzie asked Byron. “It’s over?”
He hugged her. “I guess. I don’t know what he’s thinking. Let’s call it a break for now. I need to calm down and think. I hope he grows up. Wanting more is one thing. Cheating is a coward’s way of getting it.”
She held him tight and nodded. “Maybe he’s not into girls really? Possibly he needs a big group of men?”
“Don’t you dare blame yourself. I get to watch him with you, and he loves your body and your free spirit. We both know he’s crazy about you in and out of bed. He never had to face real consequences for his actions. I’m not letting him off the hook. The baby of six kids and mostly girls, he’s been spoiled and fussed over all his life. He never wants to upset his family because he’s the golden boy.”
“He came out of the closet to his family.” Lizzie shrugged. “It’s nice they love him no matter what.”
“That was harder for him than you know, and I was with him. You’d think it’d have toughened him up a bit. His family jumped on the gay thing and got attached to me. Maybe he’s afraid to change his story? Cheating isn’t the way to handle a problem.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry. We’ll talk when we’ve all calmed down and thought about it.”
“Okay.” She had to be adult about this. Breaking up with two men was, in fact, twice as painful. Also, it doubled the confusion. She didn’t believe they’d stopped caring for her, but cheating wasn’t something she could just ignore either.
Part of Fisher’s charm was his childlike enjoyment of life. He worked here, lived with
Byron, and rolled with the punches. She wanted to ask if Fisher would move home with his parents or if Byron would be okay.
She grabbed her water bottle and walked back to her cube. The look on Byron’s face said it wasn’t the time for questions. He was angry. Fisher was the bad guy right now so he’d be defensive. Lizzie was hurt and lonely, but the two guys she’d come to depend on were the problem now. Hopefully they’d be ready to talk soon. Until then, she had to find her outlet.
Flipping to her internal email, she sent Crystal in accounting a message. Lunch with her single friend was just the distraction she needed. Once the pain and shock were gone, Lizzie could probe the problem and make the men talk it out. She wasn’t giving up.
* * * *
When the workday ended, Fisher headed straight for Stinger Brothers' Bee Farm. He needed to talk to someone who didn’t hate him at the moment. His family was normally where he went, but this wasn’t just about Byron. They had no clue about Lizzie or Fisher being bisexual.
The ten acres of the bee farm had a honey jarring facility and a large home with offices inside that made Fisher relax. His day job involved people with complaints and a noisy factory attached. This was peaceful. The hum of bees soothed Fisher’s frayed nerves.
He found Damon assembling a mobile beehive out back. “Do you ever stop working?”
“When you’re a small business, no, never.” Damon looked up and frowned. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I told Byron and Lizzie. We broke it off.” Fisher sat on the workbench in the shed full of tools.
“You broke up with them?” Damn kept on working. “Why?”
“Byron is pissed as hell. I can’t settle down and be what they want. It was hard enough telling my parents I was gay—never mind changing that to bisexual and in three-way relationship now.” Fisher knew few people would really understand.
“They aren’t supportive?” Damon’s calm made Fisher feel better.
“My sisters are fine, and my mother loves Byron. Dad’s not thrilled I like dick so much, but he likes Byron. Small town, close family, and traditional views—not everyone does the sex parties. Gay the family has gotten over. Telling them I’m bisexual will make them think I’m crazy. Just some sex addicted lunatic who’ll fuck anything.” He drummed his fingers on the wood.
“So you left the people you love?” Damn stood and shook his head.
“I wanted you to know because they think I cheated with you. I’m sorry. I had to find a reason where they wouldn’t try to talk the issue to death.” He knew it was wrong and crazy, but he needed to regroup and think. Being in a triad of happiness and great sex that was barreling toward commitment freaked him out.
“If you’re not willing to face your family with a relationship then it probably isn’t the right one. Lying to Lizzie and Byron isn’t the right move though.” Damon went back to work.
The calm advice made sense to Fisher, Damon always made everything so much easier. “I did kiss you. Byron will figure out the truth. He’s been bugging me to tell my family about Lizzie, maybe move her in with us, and I’ve been stalling.”
“So it started getting serious, and you bolted. If it’s not right, don’t apologize for your feelings. I don’t like being part of your lies though.” Damon sighed. “You and Byron are great guys. I don’t want to be behind a breakup.”
“You’re not. Not really. I let them know I might need more experiences and time. I’ve been dating Byron for so long…and the more I got to know you the more I realized what I was missing. Just give it some time, and things will calm down.” Fisher hoped things would be fine.
“Do you really think you’ll be happier without them?”
The ache knotted in Fisher already. “No, but I can’t handle it. They deserve more, so this is better. You said if it’s not right, then I shouldn’t be in it.”
“Doesn’t mean you should lie to people.” Damon stared Fisher in the eyes.
“I was honest about most of it. I kissed you. That’s cheating to some people. I’d have gone down on you if you’d let me. Getting specific about how I cheated doesn’t make it better or worse. Byron and Lizzie can stick together and be happy.” Fisher wanted to drop one of the heavy tools on his toe to let the pain out.
“They won’t. Byron won’t be happy without you. You may think you’re not grown up enough for a serious relationship or settling down, but the feelings are real. The history is there. You can hurt people.”
“I don’t want to hurt anyone. That’s why I got out before it turned too serious.” Fisher hopped off the table.
“You hurt them. You got out before it hurt you too badly.” Damon shook his head. “But yeah, if you can’t face your family with a girl and a guy then they deserve someone who can.”
“I love them. That’s real. I wasn’t using them.” Fisher paced the room as he defended himself.
“I believe you. That’s why I think you should stay on good terms with Byron and Lizzie if possible. You have to work with them. Maybe you’ll find the courage to deal with the family?” Damon closed the box section of the mobile hive.
“You think I made a mistake?” Fisher asked.
Damon lifted a shoulder. “That’s up to you. Lucky Springs is a nice small town, but we grew up here. There isn’t much around. Some people get into their farms and jobs. Some people go to those kinky parties. Some people have a group relationship and focus on a large family and great sex.”
“Maybe I should get out of here? See the country a bit?” Fisher wondered aloud.
“Running away isn’t the answer. You could’ve gone away to college or something. If you wanted out, you’d be out. There’s a reason you want to be here. Close to your family is good. Loving more than one person isn’t wrong. Working out this situation isn’t the biggest problem in the world.”
“It feels as if it is.” Fisher studied Damon’s muscles and tight body. “They’re not the only ones I’m attracted to.”
“Cheating wasn’t the way to fix that. I like spending time with you, too. I didn’t let it go too far. I knew you came with more people.” Damon kept his distance.
“Did you want them all? Does Luke know I come around here and talk to you sometimes?” Fisher felt as if he’d stepped on a landmine. Had he totally misplayed this?
Damon nodded. “I don’t mind the idea of a group thing. I like women, too. For the record, my half-brother liked Lizzie just as much as I do. I’m not sure what’ll happen now.”
“What?” Fisher hadn’t seen this coming. “You’re the best advice I get. I feel safe and sane here. How are you so mellow and sure of things all the time?”
“I know who I am. Nothing like having a half-brother and our moms dueling for status and control all of our lives to teach you what’s important. My family sticks together. You need to go figure out what’s right for you.” Damon walked out of the shed.
Fisher was alone, even more alone than he thought. Damon’s advice was smart, but the sudden distance from everyone wouldn’t be easy. All his stuff was at Byron’s. If Fisher stayed with one of his sisters, they’d know something was wrong. His entire family loved Byron. Fisher had made a mess, and he had to figure out something quick.
Chapter Three
By Thursday, Lizzie felt insanely alone. The guys were talking to each other, and her at work, but the closeness was gone. She hadn’t spent an evening with them or even talked about anything personal all week. At least tonight she could hang out with the girls and talk over pizza.
Ash was a native who left Lucky Springs for more excitement. Coming home and finding four hot men had been pretty exciting, and she was the first to move out into a committed group. Zoe was a few years older than the others and swore she wasn’t small town material. That was until she met four hot salesmen who kept her happy and busy. The best part was Zoe had turned up pregnant and settled into her life. The baby was due very soon.
Crystal was home, straightening up since they were renting Ashley’s gr
andmother’s house.
“Are you doing okay? Those guys behaving?” Crystal asked.
“Nothing new. At work, it’s all work. I’m going to try and get them on the phone.” Lizzie slipped into her bedroom and grabbed her cell phone.
She tried Fisher’s phone, and it went to voicemail. Personal conversation at work had been shut down by the men. They insisted it wasn’t good to bring outside drama into the day job. Men! It was all about what was convenient for them. Finally she tried Byron’s phone, and he picked up.
“Hi Lizzie.” Byron sounded down.
“We need to talk. No one is happy.” Lizzie sat on her bed. The sunflower décor of her room felt too cheery at the moment.
“No, but break ups sort of do that.”
“You guys were together longer. Of course, you’re hurt more. I just think Fisher didn’t know how to talk about stuff, so he acted out.” She didn’t want to give up.
“You’re too nice, Lizzie. You are. So sweet and that’s part of why I love you. If he’d hooked up with another woman, would you be so calm and forgiving?” he asked.
A chill hit her. “No, I understand what you’re saying. And I didn’t forgive anything yet. But this weird silence and professional crap isn’t helping anything right now. If he fell for a Stinger, I mean we’ve all talked about how hot they are. If he’d brought up adding them…” She rolled her shoulders to relieve some of the tension.
“You’re jumping the gun and trying to make it okay. Fisher could’ve suggested that. He didn’t. He wanted out. Give it a little more time, and we’ll see how things go. Have a good night.” He disconnected.
She stared at her phone annoyed. “Men. I’m nuts. Two, now zero, and I’m still thinking about more.”
The doorbell rang, and she headed out to be friendly. Talking with people not in the grips of a breakup would help.
Ashley was a blonde doll and the Lucky Springs native. It had been her connections that had gotten the other three ladies interviews here at the expanding factory, after the group had been laid off during the recession from their jobs in Shreveport. The tons of men that flooded in as well made for a lot of fun. Ash had reconnected with a couple guys from high school and had ended up with four men.
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