Tangled Up

by Wendi Zwaduk

“You, my man, look like you lost your best friend.”

  “Could be.” Arran met Nate’s lopsided smile. “I think I fucked up my life.”

  Nate shoved back from his desk and withdrew a bottle of whisky from one of the drawers. “Then we both need this.”

  “Are you and Court having problems?”

  “Nope.” Nate poured two fingers of whisky into the first glass. “I wish I’d realised I wanted to be married to her a tad sooner, but otherwise things couldn’t be better.” He poured the amber liquid into the second glass. “I have the feeling that we’ve reached the point where I’m the one who’ll have to give the advice instead of the other way around.”

  “You’re probably right. I can use all the help I can get.” Arran wrapped his fingers around the glass and swirled the alcohol. “Remember Mindy?”

  “Tall blonde, medium build with great tits and a heart shaped ass any living man wants to grab. Eyes the colour of wheat grass and a mouth made for long kisses at midnight?”

  “That’s her, but you’d better not let Court hear you talk like that. Hell, I might kick your ass for that description.” He loved Nate like a brother, but no one stepped in on Min or Sav without repercussions. Arran ground his teeth together. He wasn’t even sure at the moment whether she’d remained at the house or balked at his suggestion that she move back in.

  “I’ll take Court’s punishment any day.” He nodded and a sly smile curled the corners of his mouth. “Now back to you and the supposed ass-kicking. Isn’t Mindy the woman who broke your heart, even though you hang out with her whenever you aren’t here?”

  “About that…” Dammit, explaining his stupidity would be harder than the moment he’d told Mindy he wanted to be with Sav. What an asshole I am.

  “You told me you dumped her because she cheated, but the breakup was amicable.” Nate leant back in his chair and raised one brow. “Right?”

  “Sort of, but not exactly.” Arran’s hands shook. He wrapped his fingers around the glass to hide the tremors. “Remember Sav?”

  Nate nodded in one slow motion. “Tall, dark and handsome—could serve as a body double for Tyrone Power. He’s your boyfriend and third part of the equation, right?”

  Arran’s eyes widened and realisation set in. He’d never mentioned the romantic relationship with Sav. “How’d you—” He snapped his mouth shut. Nate wasn’t stupid, he was observant. As a lawyer, he had to be one step ahead of things in order to best serve his clients. It didn’t hurt their collective perception that Courteney loved black and white movies and the glamour of old Hollywood. If Nate hadn’t made the connection, Courteney might have.

  “Arran, I’ve been friends with you for more years than I can remember. It shows when you talk about him that he’s special. You smile more and your general outlook is brighter.” Nate uncrossed his arms, leant forward and picked up his glass. He swirled the alcohol before taking a sip. “I think I know you well enough to assume that you’re roommates with benefits.”

  “Fair enough.” Arran tapped his fingers on the glass. “The thing is, for all my bluster about not needing her, I didn’t want to leave Mindy. She gets me when no one else does.” He sighed. His chest hurt from the sheer weight of his problems. “I love Sav, but, fuck. Last night was my wedding anniversary. Nine years. A little more drunk than I wanted to be, I called Min like I have for the past three years, and when she came over…things happened.”

  “And Sav didn’t like it?”

  “I’m not sure. He’s cryptic. I think he understands but not totally. When she walked in on us, it was like things clicked into place.” Arran toyed with the rim of the glass. The look in Sav’s eyes as they had made love was indescribable—like lust and desire wrapped up in determination. The ferocity of his kiss imprinted itself on Arran’s mind, a hunger like no other.

  “Literally clicked, huh?”

  “Asshole.”

  “I’ll bet that got action, too.” Nate placed the bottle of whisky back in his desk and shoved the drawer shut with a clunk. “Sorry, but you know I couldn’t let that one go.”

  “I expected it, smartass.” A mental picture of the three of them tangled up together made Arran pause. His cock twitched in his jeans. Even thinking about the act of lovemaking with them turned him on. Arran stared at his friend. “Nate, you’re my partner—the one I’m not sleeping with—and the most rational person I know. I’m fucked because I want them both, all the time.”

  “You get the guy and the girl, who happen to be your best friends. Sounds like the perfect solution to me.”

  Having the whole package tasted wonderful on his tongue. Then again, the taste of her kiss, of Sav’s mouth on his, reminded him of candy. What if they didn’t want to continue the threesome? What if she left again because she thought he wanted her gone? “But if Min—”

  Nate put both hands in the air and shook his head. “Hold up and spare me any more details. If she saw you with Sav and got involved knowing your history, then that says she’s cool with it. If she loves you, she’ll work with you and Sav. If it’s a one-off experience, then cut your losses and count it as a lesson learned.”

  “What about Sav? I can’t just tell Mindy to stick around if he’s not willing to go along with things.”

  “You three need to sit down and talk.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Then take a breather. You three are pretty tight. Maybe some time apart will help you decide.”

  “No, I meant, Sav’s at work, I have the bar tonight, and it’s anyone’s guess what Mindy’s doing.”

  “Ronan.”

  Ice slid through his veins. No way his wife, ex or not, was romantically involved with the town’s leading restaurateur and local asshole. “LaBreque? She’s doing Ronan-fucking-LaBreque? How in the hell didn’t I know that?”

  Throwing his head back, Nate’s baritone belly-laugh ricocheted around the room. “No, she works lunches at Ronan’s, and I’m positive she’s not doing him because he likes short chicks. I wouldn’t worry about him as competition.” He shook his head again and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. “Back to the point—I used to go there to meet clients sometimes. Always asked for Mindy because she’s a good woman and easy on the eyes, even if she works for a prick. I figured you knew.”

  “We don’t talk shop.” Arran closed his eyes. “She is beautiful, and prick sums him up nicely.” He savoured the memory of the feel of Mindy’s soft skin in his hands, the sound of her cry as she came apart in his arms and the sugar in her smile when she told him she loved him. At least she had more sense than to sleep with Ronan.

  “You want my advice?” Nate’s voice broke through Arran’s internal reverie. “Open your eyes, get off your ass and go to Ronan’s to talk to her. When you’re done, talk to Sav. If you don’t put your heart out there, as Court likes to say, then you’ll never know.”

  Scooting forward, Arran raked the hair from his forehead. “And if they both bolt?” Pain seared his heart. Could he handle losing either Sav or Min? He wasn’t sure.

  “If they kick you out of their lives, you can live with me and Court. She still likes you.”

  Arran shook his head and chuckled. “There’s no more room in that relationship.” No one and nothing short of heaven above could break up the lifelong love between Nate and Courteney. She completed him and he…Well, Arran figured Nate served as every alpha hero in her romance novellas. After hearing their trysts in the office, he could only imagine how much “research” they’d done for her books.

  “Stay positive and things will be fine.” Nate stared at Arran and frowned. The corners of his mouth drooped. “God, I sound like a greeting card. When did I get so schmaltzy? Look, I really don’t need details, but if the three of you got it on, then there’s a chance for more.”

  Arran leant back in his seat, contemplating Nate’s words. The man could be brilliant when he wanted to. Arran folded his hands and remembered the feel of Sav behind him and Min underneath him. Perfect completio
n.

  “What are you thinking about? Forget the dissolution and get moving before you lose your chance!”

  Blinking out of his sensual haze, Arran nodded. “Thanks, Nate.” He stood and strode out of the office. Look out, babe, here I come.

  In the main dining room, Arran stumbled into Khloe. “Hey, I gotta run. The bar’s stocked and Nate’s in charge tonight.”

  “Mr. Arran’s taking a day off? I’m on my way over to Ronan’s anyhow. I’ll miss you during my shift tonight.” She twisted her coral lips into a frown. “It’s not the same when you’re not here.”

  “I have bigger worries than Besta Pizza.”

  Chapter Four

  Across town, Sav shoved a book back onto the shelf. Of all times for Arran to have to go into the restaurant early… He squared his shoulders, finding solace in the rows of books lining the cherry shelves—Feathered Edge Bookseller had always been one of his places of solace. At least he had the upcoming book signing with Courteney Waterford to worry about. An anthology of Court’s short stories had been published and he’d insisted on throwing a party-slash-signing at the end of the month to celebrate. He’d even worked out a deal with Abby Donovan to have Court’s works placed on the shelves at the local libraries.

  Tension tightened between his shoulder blades and coiled in his stomach. After the revelations from Mindy, he wasn’t sure which way was sky or ground. She’d loved Arran when his loyalties lay elsewhere. Could he react in the same manner? Losing Arran would kill him, but if Arran wanted free…he’d let him go.

  Sav clenched his fist and leaned heavily against the shelf. Concentrate on the positive.

  “Hey, Siouxsie, you seen Sav?”

  Sav stepped out of his unintentional hiding spot between the Greco and Roman art sections. He knew that warm baritone voice. “Arran.” The excitement bubbling in his veins died when he saw the tight smile on Arran’s handsome face.

  “Can you break for lunch?” Shrugging a shoulder, Arran hooked his thumbs into the front pockets of his leather coat. “We need to go to Ronan’s.”

  Lunch? Arran wanted lunch? Okay, he’d play along. Sav snapped his fingers and nodded to the dreadlocked girl behind the register counter. “Siouxsie, can you take over for me? I’m going out on break.”

  “Sure, boss man.” She tossed an errant hank of hair over her shoulder. “Take as long as you like. I’ll hold down the fort and the rush of customers seeking literary enlightenment.”

  “Thanks, Siouxsie, even if you’re more dramatic than some of the new romance novels that came in yesterday morning.” Twining his fingers with Arran’s, Sav led him to the break room. “What’s going on?”

  “For one, I missed you.” Arran feathered a kiss on Sav’s lips, sending tingles to his cock. Sav groaned and clutched Arran’s shoulders. “You’re my drug,” Arran murmured when they broke for air. “You flow through my veins and I can’t see my life without you, but we need to talk.”

  “Talk.” Sav swallowed his unease. “About?”

  “The future.” Arran cupped Sav’s jaw in both hands. His leather jacket creaked. “Our future.”

  Sav’s heart hammered behind his ribs. Arran rarely spoke about anything beyond the horizon unless it had to do with the pizzeria. When he said talk, a sob clogged Sav’s throat. He fought the irrational streak running rampant in his mind in order to sound intelligent in his argument, “Don’t do this to me here at the store or at a fucking restaurant. Don’t string me along. If you want Mindy, then take her, but be up front about it.”

  Arran nodded and caressed Sav’s cheek with his thumb. Determination lit a fire in his eyes. “I want Mindy to live with us.”

  “Fuck me, Arran.” Sav’s mouth ran dry and his hands clammy. Bile rose in his throat. His vision clouded. Not wanting Arran to see him crumble, Sav closed his eyes and shied away from his lover.

  “Look at me.” Arran pressed his forehead to Sav’s. “I’d planned to fuck you, Sav, because I want you like never before.”

  Confusion fluttered around Sav’s brain. Too many thoughts bombarded him as he processed Arran’s words. “You come here to dump me and…What? Wait—”

  A smile kinked the corner of Arran’s mouth and renewed lust glittered in his eyes. “I need the both of you and I think you had that suspicion. I’m not letting go of our good thing.”

  “I’d assumed you want her back because you called her and she came.” Sav clasped Arran’s skull in one hand. “But what if she doesn’t want you long-term? Will I be enough?”

  “You and I are only two-thirds of the equation. She’s the missing third. Think about it. Things didn’t work when it was you and me—it’s good, but not fan-fucking-tastic. Things fell all to hell in a handbasket when it was just me and her. Something, someone was missing. Our sex life rocks, but didn’t the missing piece click into place when she joined in?”

  “It did.” More than he wanted to admit, the leggy blonde had slipped quietly into his heart. Over the course of the last three years, he’d grown fond of her. Could he love her and Arran both? Sav wasn’t sure, but a couple of hundred more experiences with the pair of them wouldn’t hurt. It’d be heaven.

  “Sav, I love you. I can’t breathe without you, but I don’t want to lose her.”

  Taking a leap of faith, Sav nodded. He had to give Arran the freedom to explore and fix things with Min. “Then let’s talk to her.”

  “You’re sure you’re okay with this? I care about your feelings and if you have any doubts…”

  “You’ll end things before they begin and we’ll be where we started.” Sav chuckled and kissed Arran full on the lips. “I love you and I’m fond of her. The love for her will come—might even be there already. Plus, being with the both of you was the hottest night of my life.” He threaded their fingers together. “Tear up the dissolution papers and let’s go to Ronan’s to win our girl.”

  Mindy rounded the bar and headed into the dining room with a full tray. No matter how many sodas she’d drunk, she just couldn’t wake up enough. Sav and Arran knew how to drain a girl’s energy, but oh how she’d loved every moment. Parts of her body ached from use and being neglected for far too long. Why she’d thought she could replace a man with a plastic battery operated version, she’d never know.

  Forcing her attention back to her job, she placed the Rueben sandwiches on the table and, making sure the patrons were taken care of, left them to eat. She checked in with her other tables, making sure the customers were happy, then strolled into the kitchen, where her boss, Ronan LaBreque, stood with his arms folded.

  Not wanting to deal with Ronan in a cranky mood, Mindy grabbed her glass from the server stand and refilled the cola. Stay busy and out of his way.

  “You have another table.” Ronan tapped the wall next to the soda machine with his long fingers. “Want to know who?”

  “Someone who gets under your skin,” she snapped then nibbled on the straw to prevent further caustic comments.

  “Your old flame showed. Arran?” Ronan crinkled his nose, shifting his pencil-thin moustache from side to side. “He’s with a man.”

  “Ronan, don’t try to keep up with the gossip. You’ll strain your brain.” She placed her cup in the dishwasher behind the server stand and grabbed her tray. “Which table?”

  “I gave them to Khloe since she finally made it in.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Then why tell me it’s mine? To cause trouble? It won’t work.” Mindy waggled her fingers. “I’ll go check on my new table.”

  She grumbled under her breath as she neared the dining room. Trust Ronan to stick his nose in where it didn’t belong. He knew damn well how things had ended with Arran. Hell, Ronan had butted in and tried to play the role of the concerned friend. Ha! He’d wanted to get into her pants and nothing else, since when she’d rebuked him, the sugary-sweet attitude had soured.

  Mindy leaned on the entryway wall and eyeballed table twenty-six. Arran indeed sat with Sav. Khloe tapped her foot and twisted a l
ock of hair around her crimson-tipped finger. Arran pointed towards the door. Mindy couldn’t read his lips, but the crinkles around his eyes and the frown tugging at the corners of his lips portrayed his irritation. She squared her shoulders and strode across the emptying dining room. “Khloe, Ronan wants you in the kitchen about a scheduling conflict. I’ll take it from here.”

  Cracking her gum, Khloe shrugged and spun on her heel. Once she’d disappeared into the kitchen, Mindy sighed. “What can I get you, gentlemen?”

  “You.” Sav yanked out the extra chair. “Sit.”

  Her gaze vacillated between the two men. “I’m on the clock.”

  Arran surveyed the room. “There are three occupied tables and two of them are folks about to leave. We’re the third party. Grace us with your beauty.”

  She hid her smirk behind her hand. “Arran.”

  He tugged her hand, drawing her close. “Are you afraid we’ll ravish you here in the restaurant?” His eyes sparkled. “If I want to defile a restaurant, we’ll initiate Besta Pizza.”

  The sound of his gravelly voice weakened her knees and she sank into the closest chair. “You know how to snag a girl’s attention.”

  Sav chuckled and caressed her left hand. “We didn’t exactly come here to eat, unless you’re on the menu.”

  Her pussy slickened, dampening her panties. Good grief. Yes, she wanted their attention, but if they didn’t cut it out, she’d never make it through her shift without needing a change of undergarments.

  “When do you get off?”

  “Huh?” She snapped her attention to Sav’s question and the upturn of his dark eyebrow.

  Arran cupped her jaw, turning her gaze to him. “She gets off tonight when we double-team her.” He leaned in close, rubbing his nose along hers. “But I think Sav wants to know when your shift ends. We want you to come over again.”

  She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. The intensity in Arran’s eyes robbed her of her speech and her breath.

  He nodded. “Yes, we want you slick and ready for us. For me.”