by Sammi Cee
He rolls his eyes and shakes his head at me, so I squeeze his arm a little before letting him go to wrap back around Shayna. I notice her tilting her head back to peek up at me a little as Eli’s telling us that he’s already ordered the uber, and it should be here any minute.
Bobby has me laughing so hard I feel like I’m gonna hurt something. Looking over at my girl, I laugh even harder watching her try to wipe the mascara that’s smearing under her eyes from crying from Bobby making her laugh so hard. This night is exactly what we all needed. Even Eli is having a good time.
Bobby says, “Oh no, Eli, that one over there is looking at you, too. Damn boy, you’re like a chick magnet. If I was straight, I’d want you to be my wing man so I could have your rejects.” Eli shakes his head at him, but I see him discreetly trying to glance in the direction Bobby’s looking to get a glimpse for himself.
Bobby’s such a good man. The minute we got here he took Eli under his wing.
“Shayna-girl, I just can’t take it anymore. You must come dance the last couple of songs with me before my man’s done for the night. I’m kinda getting the heebie-jeebies sitting at this table of man candy that all the girls have their eyes on.” Bobby jumps up, obviously expecting her to follow.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be good and stay away from all the lecherous women while you’re gone,” I say as Shayna rises to go with Bobby. I’m not sure if she’s usually such an avid dancer, but Bobby’s either had her dancing all night, or he’s been here at the table making up stories about the people roaming around.
Bobby grabs her hand, but before she walks away with him, she leans down to peck my cheek. “I’m pretty sure you and Eli will take care of each other; I’m not worried in the slightest.” Before I can question her, Bobby tugs her hand, and they’re out on the dance floor moving through the sea of people up front to be closer to Sean.
“Thanks, Coop,” Eli says.
Turning away from the dance floor to face him at the small table, I ask, “For what?”
“For making me come out tonight. Hell, for including me so much with all the time you spend with Shayna. I’m sure it sucks having a third wheel tagging along right when you’re finally getting involved with someone.”
Concern shoots through me, and I reach over to put my hand on his shoulder. “I haven’t done anything to make you feel like a third wheel, have I? Eli, I genuinely enjoy your company and having you with us. Shayna does, too. We don’t ever want you to feel like you’re not welcome to spend time with us.”
Eli looks down at the table and shakes his head. “No, no you haven’t. I just feel bad I’m always around.”
“Nonsense. You’re always welcome. And I wouldn’t be dating a woman who—”
Before I finish my thought, I’m interrupted by a woman’s voice. “Excuse me, I just want to introduce myself.”
Behind Eli, is a knockout, but the way she’s standing kinda indicates she knows it. She’s got her leg cocked to the side with one hand planted on her hip and the other one now rubbing Eli’s shoulder. Well, okay then.
Eli turns totally toward her, making my hand slip off his shoulder. I guess I can’t blame him. As much as Bobby’s been busting his chops all night that women are waiting to fawn all over him, he’s stuck close to the table. Since Bobby’s in such a dancing mood, I took the opportunity to stay behind and hang out with Eli. I assured her that the next time we’re out alone I’ll dance the night away with her.
Turning away to give Eli some privacy to chat up the lady, I watch Sean do his thing and roam my eyes through the room to see if I can spot Bobby and Shayna. Sure enough, they’re up front and they’re dancing silly, having a good time.
By the time they come back, sweat is pouring off both of them and Sean is thanking everyone for coming out. I love how he always reminds people to tip their waiters and bartenders, especially when it’s this late and people are half in the bag and probably forgetting to tip, but also inclined to tip well when reminded.
Bobby and Shayna both wrinkle up their nose as they look past me to Eli and the mystery lady. I glance over my shoulder to see that she’s now practically straddling him while typing into his phone. I look away and shrug at Bobby. To each his own. Shayna leans down and whispers in my ear, “How do I not like her when I’ve never even met her?”
She’s not as quiet as she thinks, and she realizes it when Bobby leans in to say, “Girllll, same.”
Eli
The ride back in the uber is quiet. We’ve all had quite a bit to drink tonight so I would’ve expected a little more chatter, but neither Coop nor Shayna seem particularly talkative.
Shayna finally jabs me in the side while breaking the silence, “So, you got a number tonight, huh?”
Feeling smug, I respond, “Did you see her? Wow! She was hot! We’re gonna get together either Monday or Tuesday night. I’m psyched.”
Shayna turns in her seat to fully face me. “That’s great, lovey. I’m proud of you for asking her out. I know that’s not easy for you.” She’s right, it wouldn’t be easy for me to ask someone out. But it makes me feel special to realize how much attention Shay pays to me, to know that she’s aware of how hard simple things are for me.
“Actually, I didn’t ask her out. She asked me out right before she swiped my phone and entered her phone number. It was kinda hot how demanding she was. She grabbed and said, ‘password’ and as soon as I gave it to her, she entered her contact information and labeled it My Love. I thought it was kinda cute.”
Shayna’s smile becomes tight and Coop says, “Sweet? My Love? You don’t even know her. She sounds kinda high-handed to me.”
I’m startled by Coop’s irritation, he’s always wanting me to get out and find someone to date. Shayna says, “Coop, stop. Maybe this is exactly what lovey needs. A woman who can take control since he’s so hesitant.”
Her words are exactly what I was thinking, but she’s still making the strangest face. Before I can say anything else, Coop grunts and we’re pulling into the driveway.
Wanting to give them some privacy, I tell them I’ll take Bear out as soon as we enter the house. That’ll give them time the opportunity to go to bed without feeling like they have to sit around and entertain me. Plus, tonight was fun and exactly what I needed, so I’m not ready to go to bed, yet. While I wait on Bear to finish his business, I get a text from My Love saying, “Goodnight lover boy.” Yes! Tonight was a good night. When I whistle for Bear, he ignores me, so I decide to go in and grab a beer, then I’ll come back out and wait for him to finish exploring. Maybe I can text My Love a little and get to know her.
Opening the back door, I step into a scene I never expected to encounter again. At least, not as long as Cooper is with Shayna. They’re not in his room, only having made it to the far end of the couch. I know I should turn and walk back outside or hurry through the room to the kitchen, but I’m transfixed by the heat of their kissing. Shay’s straddling Coop with her skirt hiked up around her thighs as he goes from devouring her mouth, down to nibbling her neck. Telling myself to get the hell out of here, my legs still don’t move as he whips her cami over her head and sucks on the swell of her breast.
I’ve never seen Coop like this, and I’ve watched Coop have sex with a lot of women. He’s always so gentle and kind with them, sweet and masterful. But with Shay, he has one hand gripping her hair, pulling so hard I expect her to cry out in pain. His other hand is wandering her body frantically, as he moves his mouth all over her chest, sucking, and by the flash of teeth, biting his way to her nipples. Just by how painfully hard I already am, I know I need to stop watching them. Shay’s been nothing but kind and wonderful to me. Watching her grind her cloth clad pussy into my best friend seems like such a violation of her friendship, of the trust she’s put in me and Coop maintaining our friendship.
Fumbling behind me for the handle of the door, I see Coop move back up Shay’s neck, but just as I find the handle, his eyes open and meet mine. Expecting him to explode and freak out on me
for watching them, I drop my hand back forward, ready to apologize to them. If I have to beg their forgiveness, but instead, Coop keeps his eyes on me as he unhooks Shay’s bra and lifts her by the waist to throw her back on the couch. Who is this? This side of him is something I’ve never seen, and God help me, it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever watched. Nothing we’ve ever done compares to what I’m witnessing.
As he stands to move over her, he quickly sheds the rest of his clothes, but before he can lay on her, Shay flips herself over and rises to her hands and knees. The pictures she makes with all those luscious curves on display, her skirt now wrapped around her waist, and only her little panties still on is the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen. Or it is until Coop leans down and pulls her panties down her thighs with his teeth, rolls on a condom that I never saw him get, and thrusts into her from behind.
In all my years of watching porn, I’ve never heard anything like the soundtrack that’s coming from them—the moans, the groaning and panting, Shay’s breathless cries as Coop pounds into her. Torn between my guilt and the need for relief, I unbutton my jeans and pull my zipper down to pull out my own dick. As I start to stroke myself at the same relentless rhythm Coop is driving into Shay, he takes one of his hands off her waist and buries it in her hair, turning her head for her eyes to land on me, on the sight of me leaned up against the back door getting off to them. Shay’s eyes flick between my eyes and my cock until Coop lets her head go and she drops it down between her arms onto the couch, and her forearms settle on either side.
All reason has fled, I’m no longer worried about how wrong I am or what the ramifications of my actions will be, all I can do is chase my release. When Coop groans, “Come for me.” I moan low and deep at the same time Shay’s scream rings out through the room. Slumping back against the door, I don’t even remember seeing or hearing Coop get off, so lost to my own orgasm. Slowly coming back to myself, I’m mortified when I look down and see my cum on the hardwood floor before me. Ready to run outside and escape their accusation now that we’re all back in our right minds, but also not willing to not leave my mess on the floor as evidence of my inexcusable behavior, I hear Shay giggle.
Before I can flee, she whispers, “Shhh… we don’t have to talk about this tomorrow, but damn that was fun.” Not sure what to make of her words, I glance at Coop who has now risen and is tying off the condom. When he shrugs sheepishly and winks at me, I sigh with relief. We’re gonna be okay.
Diary Excerpt
Last night was incredible. Coop and I stayed up late talking, he made us coffee and we snuggled up on his bed and just talked away. As strange as it sounds, even to myself, there was something so right about Eli being in the room with us. It didn’t feel wrong to know we were all coming at the same time. And the admiration I could see on his face for my body, it was just like how Coop looks at me.
* * *
My size doesn’t bother me, it hasn’t in years. I was never the smallest thing anyway. I like to cook and have never really made time for exercise, not that I’m gonna complain about the time Coop and Eli obviously spend in Coop’s home gym, but my age really was a concern. I know I have lines and wrinkles and sags where I didn’t ten years ago, hell, five years ago. But Coop has only ever made me feel like a goddess. And last night, the way Eli looked at me…
* * *
I’ve been talking to Irene a lot about my relationship with Coop. When we’re not writing during the day, he’s one of the things we take a break to talk about. She’s been laughing, saying that I should ask them for proof of the stories Coop’s told me. She’d die if she heard about last night. But I’m not willing to share this story. Not because I’m embarrassed, but it feels so personal. Like it was special for the three of us. I said we never had to talk about it, but that’s because I saw the mortification on Eli’s face out of the corner of my eye. He needs Cooper, and I daresay, he needs me, I don’t want him to pull away from us. It’ll be fine. Coop and I will make sure it is.
Shayna
Seven
Shayna
The smell of lavender invades my senses and I relax further into the tub. The bath balm I used is a mixture of lavender and vanilla, but I’m not sure I like this one. I really like the smell of vanilla, and this isn’t cutting it. I giggle wondering how Coop will react when he finds out how snobby I am about my candles and my bath products. At this point, there’s no question in my mind that this relationship will go at least far enough for him to learn these little idiosyncrasies about me.
Relaxing my head back against the bath pillow, I allow the flicker from the candles and the soft music playing from my speaker to soothe me. It’s not that I’m upset about what happened last night because I definitely am not. It was probably one of the hottest experiences in my life. Truthfully, I wouldn’t mind a repeat. But it would have to be Eli, or I’d feel funny about it. But just thinking that it has to be Eli makes me feel funny about it.
When Coop moved his lips to my ear and whispered that we would be right in Eli’s line of sight when he came back in, and asked if I wanted to move, it surprised me a little that my answer was no, I didn’t want to move. I most definitely didn’t want to move. A shiver had gone up my spine, and all of a sudden, I’d felt more turned on than I ever had in my life. When I heard Eli enter the room, I’m not sure if it was being watched that ramped me up so much, or if I’m being honest with myself, if it was feeling like I was stepping into a part of Coop and Eli’s world with each other. I know it’s their prior world, but still…
But still… is it firmly in their past? I know both of them would say yes, and they’d both mean it. However, I’m not sure about that. Yes, Eli’s supposedly completely straight. Yes, Coop is bi, but has never had encounters with Eli beyond what they shared on those nights with various women. But still… if they could see what I see…
Sighing, I try to turn my mind off. I concentrate on the sounds of the music, the gurgle of the little water fountain up on the shelf above my toilet, all while breathing in the soothing scent of the lavender, breathing as deeply as possible to try to catch the underlying scent of vanilla. It’s barely there, but if I concentrate enough, I can smell it. Gradually, my mind goes into that floaty blank space that will allow my characters to form and let my words flow later.
This is the peace I’ve craved my whole life that only comes in these quiet times. A peace that’s been elusive as I’ve gone about the busyness of life. Sometimes though, sometimes I’ve been enveloped by this peace as I’ve sat behind my keyboard. I’ve been able to achieve this bliss that I find only here in my bathtub surrounded by flickering lights, soft music, and luscious smells.
As I go into this tranquil, almost meditative place, images begin to form in my mind. Unlike what I was seeing just yesterday, the two beautiful men that I’d begun the journey of writing about, that I’d embarked on giving them their happily ever after, instead of them, I see two other men.
Two gorgeous men, both beautiful physically, but even more importantly, both beautiful on the inside. One so confident and strong. Always ready to meet new people and face a new challenge. The other so meek and mild, scared that the world is waiting to judge him, but desiring to have more. Desiring to have what he perceives everyone else having. Best friends who complement each other in every way. Friends who don’t even realize how much their relationship defines them.
My lips curve into a smile just thinking about how my Cooper and my Eli interact. Cooper, who I am falling in love with a little more every day, and Eli, who I’ve felt a tangible connection with since day one. Both of them already important to me. But they have to be important to me because they really are like two puzzle pieces that fit together.
Coop always hovering over Eli, both emotionally and physically. Standing at the ready to make sure that Eli has everything he needs, from food for lunch to an ear to lend when Eli just needs to be heard. And Eli who looks to Coop to take care of him, but doesn’t realize he takes care of Coop, too.
Coop sees Eli’s strength and encourages it, molds it without Eli even being aware that he’s doing it. But Eli sees how Coop always puts everyone first and appreciates him so much that he, too, is always finding ways to be there for his friend.
And in this blissful space that I’ve been lulled into, pictures run through my mind like snap shots. Images of the times I’ve been spending with them. Images that express how comfortable they are being in each other’s space. Images of Coop’s constant touching, not just me, but Eli as well. He’s always got a hand on one of us, his head is always laying on mine or on Eli’s as he listens to him tell a story. Images of how Eli seeks out touch without asking for it or even initiating it, but always putting himself in location to not just Coop, but to me, to be able to reach over and touch him. He’s always standing close enough to reach over and pat his hand or rub his shoulder blades, close enough to be able to nudge with an elbow or stick my feet under if he’s on the couch.
My gorgeous boys…the ringing of my phone jerks me out of my trance and my eyes zero in on the candle next to the tub. As the little spots fade from my vision after jerking my eyes open so quickly, I feel like the niggles I’ve been feeling become clearer and clearer. And with clarity comes so many questions. Questions I’m not even sure how to ask, and that I’m sure they won’t know how to answer.
Coop
“What do you mean, you’re going out with her tonight? I thought you weren’t going out until Monday or Tuesday?”
Eli squints over his shoulder at me from his spot in front of his closet, “Coop, what’s the big deal if we go out tonight or wait another day or two?”
“I don’t know, how’d you even end up deciding to go out tonight? When did you ask her? You haven’t even been up that long.”
