Bedfellows

by Lola Leighton

  I shook my head, smiling as I pictured him probably shirtless and sweating his ass off. He probably had the air conditioning cranked down to an ungodly level, too.

  “Alright. I'm going to stop by the store. Steaks or barbequed chicken?”

  “Surprise me,” he said.

  I chuckled. “Will do.”

  I clicked off the phone and turned out onto the main road.

  Our relationship was so uncomplicated, so blissfully perfect that sometimes I couldn't quite believe my luck. I didn't know what I'd done to deserve a best friend like Will. Actually, best friend was entirely the wrong word. He was family. The kind of family you chose. Which made tonight's conversation even more tricky. The last thing I wanted to do was upset him. But there was something I needed to get off my chest, and it wasn’t something I could decide on my own.

  Chapter Ten

  Adrienne

  “Just hear us out,” Sullivan started, his voice soft.

  Will looked down at his hands and my stomach twisted itself into an intricate knot. Ugh.

  The use of the word us didn't quite seem to fit. Sullivan was the one doing all the talking, and I couldn't help but wonder about Will's opinion on the topic. Was he even on the same page?

  Something inside me needed to know.

  “Will?” I asked.

  His dark eyes raised to mine. “Yeah, sweetheart?”

  I licked my lips and took a deep breath.

  I was seated on a stool at their kitchen island, a glass of wine sitting before me. A tray of cheese, crackers, and fruit untouched nearby, and both men hovered in the center of the kitchen. Sullivan leaning one hip against the counter, and Will standing farther away, beside the stove.

  My eyes met Will's dark gaze. “Is this … what you want?” Moments ago, Sullivan proposed that I move in, and an awful, all-encompassing silence stretched between us, sucking out all the oxygen in the room. Before I could even decide what I wanted, I needed to know that they were both on the same page, and Will was being quiet.

  My heart pounded dully against my ribcage.

  “It's a bit soon, but, fuck, I'm not opposed to it. Not at all,” Will finished, scrubbing one hand over the back of his neck.

  I swallowed and nodded. “Yeah. I feel the exact same way. It's soon, but … “I laughed, a chuckle that came out more nervous-sounding than I thought it would. “I have to admit, I don't hate the idea.”

  Maybe it was because after a week and a half, I already felt like I'd overstayed my welcome with Dani. And because I was so damn tired of sleeping on that hard-as-a-rock couch of hers. And because these men were just … so hard to say no to.

  “It's the perfect idea. And it's just temporary,” Sullivan said, encouragingly. “There's no need to overthink this. Just until your place is finished.”

  I glanced toward Will again, and he gave a subtle nod. “Say yes, sweetheart.”

  It was only two more weeks, at most, until my apartment was ready. And even though I really didn't want to over-wear my welcome with Dani, this was crazy. I hardly knew them. A handful of dates, one intimate encounter, and now they were asking me to move in? This was all so fast, yet it felt totally normal. What was wrong with me?

  “Just until my apartment is done,” I said.

  Sullivan's mouth lifted in a smile, and Will's posture relaxed like this pleased him.

  “The moment you get uncomfortable, the moment this isn't working for you …” Sullivan began, and then Will held up one hand.

  Will's dark eyes roamed mine. “Stay for dinner.”

  I nodded. “Yes.” I was saying yes to both of their requests.

  Sullivan broke into a happy smile and straightened his posture. “Perfect. I already sent someone over to pick up your bags. We'll have dinner and figure the rest out as we go.”

  Will nodded and reached for me.

  I took his hand, and when he tugged me close I folded myself in against his broad chest, and relished in his warm, masculine embrace.

  Sullivan patted my ass with a smile, and then turned back to the stove where a pot of chicken soup simmered.

  I had to admit, to be here was much more relaxing than at Dani's. This home was beautiful, organized, and calm. There were no worried or judgmental stares, no crying babies…

  After a casual dinner of creamy chicken soup and warm bread fresh from the oven, Will, Sullivan, and I retired to the couch in the living room. My bags had arrived an hour ago and were currently sitting untouched in the hallway. I had no idea what happened next, whose bedroom I was supposed to sleep in, or what would take place later. The darker it grew outside, the more confused I became about how the evening would unfold.

  I clutched the stem of my wineglass and swallowed the last sip.

  “Adrienne … we want you to make yourself at home,” Sullivan said, placing one large hand against my shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

  “I could run you a bath. Would that relax you?” Will asked.

  The surprising sweetness from Will was unexpected. I nodded my head. “A bath sounds nice.”

  He had a huge, freestanding tub in his master bathroom, so it wasn't surprising when he grabbed my bags and wandered into his bedroom, and then into the adjoining master bath. I wondered if that had answered the question about whose bed I would stay in tonight.

  Sullivan didn't say a word, but rose from the couch to rinse my empty wineglass in the kitchen sink as I followed Will into the bathroom.

  Warm water filled the tub and Will set a container of Epsom salts on the edge of the tub. “How hot do you like it?”

  “Hot,” I confirmed.

  This earned me a rare smile from him, and I felt my belly flip.

  I began stripping out of my jeans and t-shirt, and rather than stay and ogle me, Will ducked out of the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind him.

  Fixing my long hair up into a messy bun, I slipped into the hot water, shutting the faucet off with my toe once it was filled to my liking. It felt incredible and I let out a long exhale.

  I could hear the low murmur of men's voices from the other room, and as much as I wanted to strain to hear what it was that they were discussing, since I very well may be the topic of the hour, part of me was glad that I couldn't quite hear. It wasn't any of my business what they discussed.

  That night I slept in Will's bed, but aside from a lingering good night kiss, he didn't lay a finger on me.

  The next two days passed that way. We woke early, fixing coffee, and showering before rushing off to work, only to come home to each other at night, lingering over dinner and sometimes a glass of wine for me and Sullivan. I learned Will rarely drank. I learned he also had a hard time sleeping. I wasn't sure if my presence helped him or interfered with his sleeping patterns, but I'd woken in the night more than once to feel him tossing and turning.

  I wasn't sure if I should split my time equally and opt to sleep in Sullivan's bed tonight. But true to their word, there was no jealousy or awkward territorial displays between them, and for that I was grateful. I was still getting my footing being part of this threesome.

  It was my third day staying with them, and I'd woken early, and had already showered, dressed and blow-dried my hair by the time the men came ambling from their respective bedrooms.

  “Morning, sweetheart,” Will said, giving my backside a squeeze as he passed by me in the kitchen. He looked like he'd already showered, with slightly damp hair, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

  Sullivan followed behind him, wrapping his arms around me from the back, and nuzzling in against my neck. “Mmm, you smell good,” he said, placing a kiss against the back of my neck.

  “Thank you.” I wrapped my hands around my coffee mug, and went to sit at the kitchen island, intent to observe them as they moved about the kitchen.

  Already I knew little things about them, like how they liked to start their day. Sullivan usually made himself two scrambled eggs, while Will preferred only coffee—which he drank black. I'd long ago g
rown accustomed to grabbing breakfast at the café by work with my friend and stylist, Tyler. Usually a scone or muffin did the trick to hold me over until lunch.

  Will poured himself a mug of coffee, but the moment he took a sip, I knew something was very wrong. Standing over the sink, he spat the coffee down the drain.

  “What the hell was that?” he asked, brows pinched together.

  “Um, coffee?” I offered.

  He shook his head, before rinsing his mouth with water. “That wasn't coffee.”

  I held up the bag of caramel mocha flavored coffee I'd bought last night and brewed this morning. I could have laughed if his expression wasn't so serious. He looked like someone pissed in his mug.

  “Don't be mad,” I said, offering him a slight smile. “It's flavored.”

  He stalked closer, caging himself in between where my legs dangled from the barstool, his large palm caressing my cheek. “Do I look mad?”

  I shook my head.

  He pressed a kiss to my mouth. “Just warn a guy next time.”

  “Noted.” I chuckled, warmly.

  His hand fell away from my cheek, and he took a step back, and his eyes were still on mine, even as he directed his question to Sullivan. “I'm going to head over to the flooring manufacturer. Plans set for tonight?”

  Sullivan nodded a brief yes before cracking two eggs into a pan. I wasn't sure what plans they meant, but I was eager to find out. Especially since I had a strange feeling these plans most definitely involved me.

  ***

  Later, I was folding a load of my laundry when my cell phone rang from the other room. Folding a pair of leggings and setting them aside, I jogged for the living room and grabbed my phone from the couch.

  “Hey, Dani,” I said after checking the caller ID.

  “Hey.” Her voice was uncharacteristically high. “I just wanted to check on you. Still alive?”

  I chuckled. A little better than that, actually, but I didn't want to brag. I had two doting new boyfriends and honestly, sometimes it felt a little unfair. It felt like I'd hit the jackpot, and I was afraid of making other people jealous with my good fortune.

  “Doing just fine,” I said, wandering back to the laundry room to finish folding. “I have the rest of the afternoon off, and the guys are still at work.”

  “Good.” She sounded truly relieved.

  “And how about you guys? How's Bella? Are you getting enough sleep yet?” It felt like I'd been gone much longer than three days.

  “Yes, thank God. Bella's finally sleeping six hours at a time at night. It's heaven.”

  I smiled into the phone. “Oh, that's amazing.”

  Dani grew quiet for a minute, but I waited her out, knowing there was something on her mind. She wasn't the talk-on-the-phone type, she almost always texted. My patience was rewarded a few seconds later.

  “So…spill it, girl. What's it like with two men?”

  “What do you mean? It's the same as being with one man, except there are two of them.”

  She laughed. “I meant the sex. Give me the details. Is it good? Weird? Crazy?”

  I rolled my eyes and folded the last tank top, adding it to the top of the pile. “Actually, I wouldn’t know.”

  After a beat of silence, she exhaled. “What the hell does that mean?” her voice was filled with surprise.

  I swallowed. “We've messed around, but we haven't gone all the way yet…” My voice came out quieter than I intended. “I guess they're wanting to take it slow.”

  It was surprising to me, too. I had no idea what they were waiting for. Maybe they just weren't feeling it. Weren't feeling me…but that didn't make sense either. They'd been so devoted, so sweet, and attentive. I could see their attraction to me in their lingering glances, their sweet hugs and kisses.

  “Maybe they wanted to make sure you weren't going to run. They said they don't do casual, right?”

  “Right.” That was the word I said, but the words I was thinking could have filled an entire page. Were they waiting, deliberately, because they were worried their brand of love-making would scare me off? Were they into some kinky stuff? Well, kinkier than a threesome inherently was…

  Before I could respond, my phone beeped, indicating that I had another call. “One second, Dani. I'll be right back.”

  It was Sullivan, and in a few brief sentences, he had my heart pounding out an erratic rhythm in my chest. After we were through, I clicked back over to Dani.

  “That was Sullivan.”

  “And?” she asked, voice inquisitive.

  “He said to get ready, that they're taking me on a nice date tonight.”

  Dani made a squeal of excitement. “Oh my God, tonight's the night, then. Wear your good panties. And a matching bra. And don't forget to shave.”

  My stomach twisted with nerves. Okay, then. Game on.

  “I've got to run, Dani. I need to go get ready.”

  “Roger that. Good luck with the … double penetration.” She laughed and my stomach tightened even further.

  Awesome.

  I had no idea what tonight would entail, only that it was certain to change everything going forward.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sullivan

  I tossed the valet the keys to my SUV, and wandered around the front to meet Adrienne, only to find that Will was already standing beside her with his hand curled protectively around her waist.

  A spark of heat zipped down my spine, pooling low. I liked seeing them together. His masculinity—her feminine curves…there was something about it that was so damn pleasing to me.

  She turned her head to me, and leaned in close, pressing a kiss to my cheek. Flanking her on either side, we escorted her into the restaurant as the hostess and valet both gawked, open-mouthed at us.

  It was something I was used to, but Adrienne, not so much. She ducked her chin to her chest, looking down at the sexy pair of high heels she'd worn.

  “Hey.” I lifted her chin toward mine. “Don't. We have nothing to be ashamed of.”

  Wide, blue eyes latched onto mine, and she gave a determined nod, but her lips were still pressed tight.

  We followed the hostess to a table at the back of the restaurant with large windows overlooking the twinkling lights of the city beyond. It was perfect, quiet, and out of the way.

  As Will helped her into her chair, I sat down across from her, leaving him to take the open spot beside her.

  Nerves danced in my stomach as her eyes flitted up to meet mine, a secret smile on her lips. Tonight was the night. We all knew that. It was buzzing like an electric current between us even now. I took a deep breath and picked up my menu while Adrienne and Will did the same.

  “Wine tonight?” Adrienne asked.

  “Absolutely,” I said. “Should I pick us a bottle?”

  “Please,” she murmured.

  I knew she liked crisp, fruity whites. I also knew that Will would drive us home so she and I could indulge. But I didn't want to indulge too much, I needed to be clear-headed tonight. I knew that Will was thinking the same thing, I knew him well enough to know he wouldn't order anything too heavy, and that he'd skip dessert.

  The waitress came by, and after I ordered a bottle of wine, Will requested a glass of club soda with lime. The drinks were delivered to our table quickly, and I couldn't help but notice our waitress seemed a little too eager, hovering around us like she was trying to solve some great mystery. I only hoped Adrienne didn't really notice. I didn't want her to have any added stress tonight. After we'd placed our orders, Adrienne smiled and lifted her wineglass to her lips for a long swallow.

  “So…” she started,

  She was adorably nervous.

  “Tell us,” I said.

  Her brows scrunched together. “Tell you what?”

  Will's eyes danced knowingly on mine.

  I licked my lips and leaned in closer. “What your reservations are.”

  “My…?” She hesitated, taking another sip of her wine to buy hers
elf some time.

  “What your hang-ups are about this,” Will added as his hand pointed between him and myself.

  Adrienne blinked twice, taking in our words. “My hang-ups? This week, you guys haven't even so much as laid a finger on me.” Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she leaned closer, lowering her voice. “You didn't…”

  “We were waiting for you,” Will explained.

  Her blue gaze snapped up to his. “Waiting for me? That makes no sense.”

  I set down my wineglass and reached for her hand. “We wanted to give you the time you needed to work this out. Time to accept it all. We know it's a lot to process.”

  Will took her other hand, lacing his fingers between hers. “We didn't want to do anything until we were certain you were ready.”

  She pressed her full lips together, considering it. “Oh.”

  When the waitress came by to deliver our food, Adrienne tugged her hands from ours, stuffing them under the table where she fiddled with her napkin.

  With flushed cheeks, like she knew she'd just interrupted something, the waitress set a plate in front of each one of us in silence, before scuttling away again.

  “So, you were waiting for me to make the first move?” Adrienne asked, voice low.

  Will shook his head, correcting her. “Not the first move, no. A sign.”

  “A sign?” she asked.

  “Like not holding our hands in public…that's a sign you're not ready for this. We didn't want to rush you.”

  Her shoulders relaxed like she understood my meaning for the first time. It would take some time for her to get used to the new dynamic of this relationship. I accepted that, and I was a patient man. I meant what I said about not rushing her.

  “I wish I could tell you it's something that goes away, that the way the valet, hostess, and waitress looked at us were just isolated events. But I won't lie to you. This won't be easy. There will always be questions, there will always be people who don't understand.”

  Will placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. His touch always seemed to calm me.

  I took a deep breath, and continued, “But I also promise you that it'll be worth it. If you open yourself up to this, it can be amazing.”