Switch Hitter

by Roz Lee

  “He looks a little tense to me, but as you say, he hasn’t been playing well. He needs to relax.” He lifted his own beer, pointing the neck toward the man at the grill. “I know he’s glad to be home for a few days. He misses you when he’s on the road.”

  “That’s good to hear, I guess. I mean, I don’t want him to be miserable, but it’s nice to know he thinks about me. I miss him, too, but my job keeps me busy. It helps.”

  “He said you’re some kind of hot-shot media executive.”

  Ashley laughed, her smile lighting up her face. It was easy to see what he saw in her. She was beautiful, even he could see that, and intelligent.

  “He exaggerates, but I won’t hold it against him. I’m the News Director in charge of programming for one of the major sports networks. We met when I called to ask if he would be on one of our shows—a casual interview kind of thing. He asked me out over the phone. We’ve been together ever since.”

  “The man has good taste.” A wave of uncertainty washed over him. When it was just Bent and him alone in a hotel room, it was easy to forget about Ashley. Hell, he’d even fantasized about his lover leaving her to be with him, but since he’d met her…he half wanted her himself.

  “Steaks are done.” Bentley approached the table, a platter heaped with grilled meat and veggies in his hand. He placed the feast in the center of the table then leaned down to place a lingering kiss on Ashley’s lips. She seemed to stiffen at first, but maybe he was seeing what he wanted to see. There was something going on here. He just wished to hell they would clue him in, sooner rather than later.

  He watched the display of affection for a split second then turned his gaze to the pool sparkling in the sunlight a few feet away. He was drowning in a chaotic mix of jealousy, desire, guilt, and dread. It wouldn’t do to let it show on his face, so he did his best to put on a mask of polite friendship. Anything else would be hurtful to Bentley, and he loved him too much to cause him any discord.

  When he turned back, the couple had broken apart, but an unmistakable air of intimacy tinged with what?…secret knowledge, surrounded them. He’d known the man was in love with Ashley, but seeing the physical manifestation of their love made it real in a way his lover’s declarations never could.

  This is what he was trying to tell you. You can’t compete with what they have.

  She passed him a filled plate while their host placed fresh beer bottles on the table for the men along with a cold water bottle for his fiancée. They worked together like an old married couple, easy with each other, anticipating each other’s moves.

  They’re a team.

  There’s no room for you on their team, so get used to it, buddy.

  Conversation flowed throughout the meal, primarily because Ashley asked lots of questions. Probably why she holds such a prestigious job at her age. She knew how to draw people out, as a result, he told her more about himself than he wanted to.

  “Have you found a place to live?” She passed the bowl of fresh fruit to him.

  “Thanks.” He spooned out a good-sized serving. “No. Haven’t even looked. The Mustangs relocation service called. They have a few places they want me to see, but I don’t know when I’m going to find time.”

  “I have a crazy idea.” She glanced at her fiancé as if apologizing in advance then turned back to Sean. “I think Bentley would be okay with it. I’m surprised he hasn’t thought of it himself.”

  She hesitated, played with the cubes of melon on her plate. She glanced at the man seated next to her.

  “What? Did I miss something?” he asked.

  “The pool house,” she said. “Sean could move into the pool house. It’s more than big enough for a single person, and no one ever uses it.” Throughout her little speech, her eyes shifted between the two men. There was a hint of nervousness in her voice as if she wasn’t sure if she was overstepping. From the stricken look on the man’s face, she was. Big time. Sean schooled his own features. Lord, she couldn’t know what she was doing. Could she?

  “What do you think, honey? Ya’ll have the same schedule, and he can’t live in a hotel until the season is over when he’ll have time to look for the right place.”

  He leaned back in his chair, a beer in his hand. Tension radiated off him like heat waves off blacktop in the middle of a Texas summer. His gaze traveled over the landscaped backyard to the pool house at the back—a mini-McMansion to go with the full-sized one facing the street. Sean didn’t dare breathe. Did Bent want him so close? If he said yes, should he accept the offer? Could he live there knowing the two of them shared a bed in the main house? Hell no. He’d have to be insane to accept.

  The insane bastard smiled, wrapped one hand around Ashley’s nape, and pulled her in for a kiss. “Brilliant idea, babe.” He turned a smiling face to Sean. “What do you say?”

  Are you out of your fucking mind? It was all he could do not to yank the man out of his chair and drag him off somewhere for what Texans called a Come to Jesus talk. Plastering what he hoped was a smile on his face, he held his hand up in protest. “Really, guys, thanks, but…I shouldn’t.”

  He couldn’t be that close to the man he loved…every fucking night. Keeping his hands off him would be impossible. Not happening.

  “I don’t see why not,” Ashley said.

  Let me tell you, honey.

  “I think it’s perfect. I know Bentley will love having you around. Honestly, Sean, if it was anyone else, I wouldn’t offer, but ya’ll seem to get along so well. It won’t be forever, just a few months. When the season is over, you’ll have plenty of time to find the right place.”

  “She’s right, Sean. You know she is.” His smile wasn’t quite genuine, but his eyes blazed with banked desire and something else it took him a second to decipher.

  He wants me to say yes. Mother fuckin’ son of a bitch! You are out of your fuckin’ mind, asshole, if you think you can keep our relationship from her with me living here. But, have it your way. Was this why he’d been summoned today? Just what the fuck is going on here?

  “Bent, why don’t you show Sean the pool house while I clean up out here? Maybe seeing it will convince him.”

  Sean looked at the home’s owner, dared him to end the insanity swirling around them. A small aircraft droned overhead. Probably writing DISASTER in puffs of white smoke.

  “Sure, babe.” His chair scraped across the paving stones as he stood. “You don’t get to play domestic goddess often, so who am I to cheat you out of the opportunity.” He smiled at his fiancée, flicked her ponytail before placing his hand on her shoulder bared by her strapless sundress.

  Are you trying to piss me off? Fucking bastard, flaunting his relationship in front of him. ‘Cause if you are, you’re doing a damned fine job.

  “Come on, Sean. Let me show you your new digs.”

  “I haven’t said yes, yet,” he said, standing. He thanked Ashley for lunch then followed Bentley’s perfect, soon to be kicked to Kingdom Come, ass around the pool.

  * * *

  Well, that was that.

  Ashley watched the two men walk away. It had taken all of five seconds to see everything her fiancé had told her was true. Hell, a blind man could see the sparks flying between those two. She could see how they’d turned to public animosity to throw people off—but anyone with half a brain could tell there were deep feelings between them. Whether the person saw love or hate depended on their perspective.

  Love it was. The physical attraction between them did things to her she never expected. Once she’d seen them together, the vague images she’d conjured when he’d first told her came back, magnified and enhanced by real knowledge of the man her fiancé desired.

  She cleared the table, grateful for the activity to direct her thoughts in a less disturbing and inappropriate direction. Though, as time passed and the men hadn’t returned, she couldn’t help but wonder what was going on between them, and how, exactly it would affect her. She began to regret offering Sean the pool house, but
what else could she have done? Keeping Sean Flannery close was the only way she would figure out what to about their situation.

  * * *

  As soon as the door to the pool house closed behind him, Sean railed on his host. “Are you fucking insane? You want to keep your gay lover on the same property with your straight fiancée? Do you have any idea how crazy that is?”

  “Hold on.” Bent’s hand was a stop sign between them. “Number one, Ashley doesn’t live here, though she’s here more than she’s not. And, two…she knows.”

  She knows? She knows. “She fuckin’ knows?”

  He found the closest chair. Dropping into it, he scrubbed his hands over his face. “You told her?”

  Bentley sat on the sofa facing him. “Last week. I know I said I wasn’t going to, but I…well, I snapped. She said she wanted to meet you, size you up for a broadcasting job opening up soon. She wasn’t going to take no for answer, so I told her why I couldn’t ask you to lunch.”

  “The job thing. That was real?”

  “Yeah. I wasn’t lying to you about the job. I don’t know much about it, but I told her you wouldn’t be interested. After I told her about us, she came up with the idea of using the job as an excuse to get to know you. What could I say, Sean? All I could think was she wasn’t leaving me, at least not right away. I had to take a chance.”

  Sean held his face in his hands, his elbows braced on his knees. He peered up at his lunatic lover. He still wanted to beat the shit out of him—for general purposes. But the pain etched on his face reminded him how much the man had to lose.

  “Why didn’t you tell me before I came over here?”

  “I didn’t think you’d come. But honest to God, I never expected her to ask you to move in. Her offer was as much a surprise to me as it was to you.”

  “Surprise doesn’t begin to cover it.” He sat back, determined to hear it all. “What did she do when you told her?” He held up a staying hand. “Wait. Wait. What, exactly did you tell her?”

  “I told her I’d been unfaithful to her. She was pissed, wanted to know who the woman was. She was hurt. I won’t lie to you, I considered making up some random woman then swearing I wouldn’t ever do it again, but then I thought about you.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t lie to her again. I told her the truth.”

  “What is the truth?”

  “I’ve been half in love with you for years.” Their gazes met. “I finally got up the courage to do something about it.”

  A curl of warmth unfurled to wrap around his heart. At last, the man was being honest with himself. Maybe there was hope for them yet. “You risked losing her, over me?”

  He nodded. “I did. I had to after….”

  “After what?”

  Closing his eyes, he sighed. “I fucked her that night. Hard. Harder than I should have.”

  “Jesus, Bent!”

  “She said I didn’t hurt her, but I went at her like she was you, like she was strong enough to take it, and all the time it was you I was fucking in my head. I felt like an ass. It was time to come clean, tell her everything. I knew I had to let her decide for herself if she could live with me, could accept that I loved you, needed what you could give me.”

  “She wanted to see for herself?”

  “Yeah, she did. She said she knew something had gone down between us the day you came to the house. I proposed to her right after you left. She’s smart, Sean. She questioned me then, said my proposal was too abrupt, but she wasn’t going to turn it down. She loves me.”

  “So what’s this about?” He swung his arm to indicate the small house they occupied. “Why invite me to live on the premises?”

  “She saw what she needed to see, I guess. She said she knew I loved her, but she needed to see what kind of man I could have the same kind of feelings for.”

  “Sweet Jesus, Bent!” Sean stood, paced to a window overlooking the pool. He couldn’t see the cabana where they’d had lunch from there. He turned to face his lover. “So, what? Are we going to trade? She gets you on even numbered days, I get you on odd numbered ones? Or does she just want me close, so she can keep an eye on me? What the fuck is going on here?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t know she was going to invite you to move in. I had no idea, Sean. I swear. She said she’d make up her mind once she got to know you.”

  “Make up her mind about what?”

  “If she was going to stay with me or not.”

  “Inviting me to move in means she’s going to stay?”

  A knock sounded on the door. Sean jumped, turning toward the sound.

  Ashley stepped inside. “Mind if I come in?”

  Bentley stood. “No. We were just talking.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.

  Sean took a step back. It was one thing to talk to her when she didn’t know, but now…he was scared spitless. If she had a mind to, she could destroy both their careers with one well-placed comment—not to mention the power she held over their relationship. Maybe that was what this was all about.

  She shut the door behind her. Holding onto the knob, she leaned her shoulders against the dark wood. “I think we all need to talk.” Her gaze shifted between them, landed on Sean. “I saw the way you looked at Bentley today when you thought I wasn’t looking. He told me how he feels about you. Maybe it wasn’t fair, the way I went about getting to know you, but I had to see with my own eyes if what he said was true.” She looked at her fiancé. “I believe it is. You’ve made love with this man—”

  “It was sex—”

  She shook her head. “Let’s call it what it is, okay? I should be shocked, outraged, but I’m not. I know you love me.” She fisted one hand over her heart. “I know it. In here.” She looked at Sean. “He loves me.”

  “I know.” His voice sounded like it had been dragged over gravel.

  “We both love him,” she stated.

  Sean nodded.

  She looked back at her fiancé who stood statue still in the center of the room. “Do you still want to marry me?”

  “Yes, I do,” he stated without hesitation.

  “What about him?” She waved her hand in Sean’s direction. “You can’t marry us both.”

  “I know. It’s fucked up. Like I told you last night, I’m fucked up. I need you both. I need you by my side, in my bed. I told you I want kids with you. That’s the God’s honest truth. But I need Sean, too. It’s different with him, but I want…need him, too.”

  The room was quiet for a long time while she leaned against the door, studying them both. Sean was afraid to breathe, afraid any movement on his part would break the fragile air surrounding them.

  Bent moved, and Sean emptied his lungs. Then he realized he was reaching for his hand. By rote, he let his fingers twine with his lover’s. Mesmerized by the sight of their joined hands, he stumbled when the other man tugged him forward.

  Bent offered his other hand to Ashley. She hesitated then she took it, threading her fingers with his.

  “Let me show you, Ashley,” he said. “Come to the bedroom with us. Let me show you how it is between us. Let me make love to both of you.”

  “Please?” Bent’s knees felt like jelly as he waited for her response. He silently prayed for her to give him a chance to convince her what they shared was real. Since Sean moving into the pool house had been her idea, he held out hope she was coming to terms with what he’d said.

  He saw withdrawal in her eyes before he felt her hand slipping from his. She shook her head, and his heart sank.

  “No. Not yet. Maybe not ever. I’m sorry. It’s too soon.” She looked at Sean. “I still think you should move in here. Maybe with time….”

  Her gaze fell away then she looked at him again. “Give me some time…to get to know Sean…to think about what this all means. If we’re all here together, it will be easier…to…um…to…if we decide to.” She dropped her chin to her chest. “I’ve never done anything like…what you’re asking.”

  He r
eached for her, folded her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. “Take all the time you need. I just thought…if you saw…. But I understand.” She shivered, so he held her tighter. He hated what his confession was doing to her. She was always so decisive, so strong. To see her uncertain and quivering in his arms confirmed what he all ready knew—he was an ass. “Thank you for having an open mind. I don’t deserve you, but I’m damn glad I have you.”

  “Maybe I should go.” Sean took a step toward the door.

  “No.” She raised her head. “Please, Sean. Stay. I want you to move in here. It would be safer for both of you, anyway. If ya’ll are going to be seeing each other, being on the same property will make it easier.”

  “She’s right,” Bent said. “As much as I’d like to tell the world to go fuck themselves, we can’t, not if we want to keep our jobs. I’m tired of sneaking around. If you move in here, at least we’ll be together when the team is in Dallas.”

  “Am I the only one who thinks this is fucked up?” Sean asked.

  “No,” the other man said. “I think we can all agree on that.” He looked at Ashley for confirmation.

  “Yeah. I think fucked up pretty much covers it,” she said.

  “Another thing we can all agree on is you’re an amazing woman. I’m so sorry. I was so afraid you would leave me. I should have told you from the start.”

  “I might have run screaming.” She eased out of his arms. “I’m still not sure I won’t. I wasn’t thinking about a threesome when I suggested Sean move in. I was thinking about protecting your secret. Ya’ll know as well as I do you can’t go public with your relationship. If we…if I decide to stay—”

  “If anyone is going, it’s me,” Sean said. “I won’t come between the two of you. If we can’t figure out a way to have what he wants—the three of us together—then I’m the one who will leave.”