by Marla Monroe
“Did you ever get your top back?” Ben asked.
“Nope. I still don’t know who ended up with it, but I never wore a bikini again. I stuck to one piece after that.”
“I bet they were just as sexy on you as that bikini,” Landon said.
“I don’t know about sexy, but I didn’t have to worry about losing it in the pool,” she said with a laugh.
“If I’d been there,” Ben began, “I would have gotten it back for you. That was an asshole thing to do.”
“Yeah, well, kids were assholes at that age,” she said. “Thanks though.”
“Were we assholes at that age?” Ben asked Landon.
“Don’t remember. I don’t think so, but we were always working, so I don’t know,” Landon said. “I’d like to think we weren’t, but there’s that whole hormone-walking thing that boys go through.”
Alice laughed. “That is so true.”
“Ready for another piece?” Ben asked, sliding the pizza server under one of the last pieces of pizza.
“Lord, no. I’m stuffed. I already ate an entire piece that I shouldn’t have. I can feel it filling out my ass as we speak.”
“Your ass is hot. If you want it, eat it. There’s nothing wrong with your body,” Ben said, sliding the piece on her plate.
“No, really. I’m full. I wasn’t fishing for compliments. I know I have a big butt. Comes with sitting on it so much for work.” She shrugged.
“Ben’s right. There’s nothing wrong with you. We both think you’re gorgeous with all those curves you’ve got going on.” Landon shook his head. “I don’t understand why women think they have to look like a twig and eat like a rabbit.”
“It’s all those stupid movies and shit,” Ben said then downed the rest of his beer.
“I’ll get a box to take the rest of this home with us. Be right back.” Landon stood and walked over to the counter.
“Thanks for the pizza, Ben. I’ve had a great time.” Alice smiled at him.
To her surprise, he took her hand in his and squeezed it gently.
“Thanks for coming. I wasn’t sure you’d actually go with us when you saw it was both of us and not just me.”
“It did kind of throw me for a loop, but I figured it was kind of fun for all three of us to have pizza together.”
“The thing is, we both like you, Alice.” Ben shrugged, squeezing her hand again.
She was positive her mouth hung open for a full minute. What was she supposed to say to that? She barely knew either one of them and Ben was saying that they both liked her?
“Don’t worry, we aren’t jumping you or anything.”
“What the hell are you telling her?” Landon dropped the box on the table with a scowl closing off his handsome face.
“Nothing. I just said we don’t plan on jumping her or anything. What the hell, Landon?”
“Look. He’s gruff and speaks before he thinks things through, but he’s a good man, Alice.”
“I know that,” she said. “I like that he’s truthful and doesn’t hide anything. I don’t like lies and secrets. That only leads to hurt feelings later.”
Landon’s wince told her that Ben’s earlier statement about them both liking her was true. The other man had probably hoped to talk about it later or in a more private place. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the little white lie of omission, but she did like them both, as well. Where did that put them?
* * * *
Ben hated that Alice had accepted his date when, all along, he and Landon wanted to share her. It hadn’t been completely truthful. Even when they’d both picked her up, he figured she thought he was such a Neanderthal that he needed his friend’s help in that arena. Yeah, well, maybe he did, but it didn’t make it right when their ultimate goal was to date her together.
Fuck this. They needed to be clear from the beginning. She’d already said she didn’t like lies.
“Look, Alice. We need to talk, but not here.” He nodded at the table next to them with three kids busily stuffing pizza into their mouths like hungry hyenas.
“Okay. I’m finished.” She watched as he and Landon boxed up the few pieces left over then stood when Ben helped held her chair.
Landon stopped at the register to pay while Ben escorted her outside toward where they’d parked the truck. He unlocked the doors then helped her up before he scooted in next to her.
“When Landon gets here, we’ll talk some.” He looked away. “I really like you, Alice. You’re sweet and have a rocking body.”
“But?” she asked.
He sputtered then stopped. “Here comes Landon. We’ll talk in a minute.”
Landon opened the driver’s door then climbed in next to Alice. He handed the pizza box to Ben before starting the truck.
“I told Alice we’d talk when you got here,” Ben said.
“I’d rather be able to look at you face-to-face,” Landon said to Alice. “Can we talk at your place?”
“Um, well, okay. Sure.” She didn’t act sure to Ben.
He started to tell his friend that no, they’d hash it out there in the truck, but Landon had already backed out of the parking slot and was pulling out of the lot. Well, fuck. Ben didn’t like it that Alice appeared a little apprehensive over having them in her house. She was a single woman, and they were two big men. Anyone would be worried.
“We aren’t going to hurt you, Alice,” he began.
“Damn straight you aren’t. Before we go inside, I’m calling a friend, and if I don’t call her within an hour, she’ll call the cops.”
Ben grinned. Really grinned. She was smart and feisty. He liked her even more for it.
“That’s owning it. I like it.” Ben squeezed her knee just a little before taking one of her hands into his.
Ben liked touching her. Like sitting close to her.
“I agree. That’s a good idea,” Landon said.
It took only a few minutes to reach her house from the pizza place. When Landon pulled into the little drive behind her SUV, Ben unfastened first his then her safety belts and got out of the truck. He reached in and once again slid her out of the truck down the front of his body. This time she seemed to know what to expect since she closed her eyes when the thick ridge of his shaft rubbed against her belly just before her feet touched the ground.
Oh, yeah. Hell yeah. That had felt fucking awesome. The fact that her face had held an almost orgasmic expression while she’d slid down the length of his dick had the monster twitching in his jeans. He adjusted himself right in front of her before Landon reached out and took her hand.
“Ben, get the door while Alice calls her friend,” Landon told him.
He missed her touch the instant she pulled away to fish around in her purse. He pulled her keys from his front pocket and unlocked the door. They waited to open it until she’d finished speaking to whoever she’d called.
“Okay, Debra will call the police if I don’t call her back in an hour.” She walked into the house ahead of them then indicated the couch and two chairs in the living room.
“Excuse me for a minute. I’ll be right back.” Alice walked to the back of the house.
Ben figured she was going to use the bathroom. He took the moment of privacy to push at Landon that they needed to be completely honest with her.
“She doesn’t like lies, Landon. I don’t like lying. We’ve got to be honest with her, or she’ll bolt later.”
“Like she won’t bolt now. I still think we need to ease her into the idea. We can tell her we both like her but just want to see her as friends at first until we see where things go.”
“No. We tell her the truth.”
“And what the fuck is the truth, Ben? That we’re interested in a ménage relationship with her? That both of us want to fuck her brains out the first chance she gives us?” Landon asked.
“Fuck, Landon. That’s not even completely true. Don’t make it sound trashy. It’s not.”
Landon ran a hand over his face. “Y
ou’re right. She deserves the truth. I doubt she’ll take to it, and we’ll probably be out on our asses before we can even begin to explain it to her.”
“Then that’s that. We tried, but I’m not lying. I’d end up screwing it all up later anyway. You know me and my big mouth.”
Landon chuckled. “You’re not wrong there, man.”
The sound of Alice’s shoes on the wood floor alerted them that she was on her way back. She stopped in the doorway of the hall and just looked at them for a minute.
“I could use a beer. Do you guys want one? I have Corona if that’s okay with you.”
Landon nodded. “Yeah that’s fine. We could probably use one, too.”
Ben felt like it was a ploy to delay their talk but didn’t argue. A beer would probably help her relax and him to not mouth off quite as fast. Instead of loosening his tongue, getting a light buzz on usually made him think more about what he wanted to say before he said it. He could sure use that superpower right about then.
“So, what do you want to tell me?” Alice asked.
She took one of the chairs while he and Landon sat on opposite sides of the couch.
“Alice, we both like you. A lot. I know it’s not popular or anything, but we want to take you out together, date you together,” Landon said.
Alice looked from one of them to the other then back to Landon. “I’m not sure what to say. Why? To see who I like or if you like me or not? That’s kind of crazy if you ask me. You’re best friends. If I pick one of you, it will cause a rift between you, and that would make me miserable to know it. Then I’d break up with the other one, and we’d all feel miserable.”
Ben wasn’t sure he followed all of her logic, but the part about breaking up with them hit him hard. They weren’t even together yet, and that one statement sucker-punched him. Yeah, he was already in over his head.
Chapter Six
Alice couldn’t believe what they were suggesting. Date both of them at one time? That was just asking for disaster. No one dated two men at one time in order to decide whom they wanted to be with. That was like cheating even if the other man said it was okay.
“We don’t want you to pick between us,” Ben said. “We want you to like both of us.”
Landon shook his head. “What Ben means is that we want a ménage relationship with you.” He held up his hand when she started to blast him. “I don’t mean sex right away. That only comes when we’re all ready, but we want that kind of relationship.”
Alice drew in a deep breath and let it out through her nose. Then she drew in another one. What the hell was she supposed to say to that?
“I told you this wouldn’t work, Landon. All we’ve done is set all of us up for disappointment.” Ben stood and walked toward the door. “I’m sorry, Alice. Come on, Landon.”
“Wait. I need a minute to think about what you’re saying. You can’t just spring this on me and expect me to instantly understand. Sit down, Ben.”
She couldn’t believe she wasn’t screaming for them to leave, chasing them out the door instead of asking Ben to stay. It really didn’t make a lot of sense to her right then, but then nothing they’d said had either.
“I don’t think I really understand all of this. How can three of us date each other and at one time?” Alice rubbed her hands up and down her thighs as she tried to think. “Are you saying that one time I’ll go out with you, Ben, and the next with Landon?”
“That’s not exactly how it works,” Landon said. “We’d all three go out together. Like to the movies or to eat. We’d all three spend time together.”
“Are you two lovers?” she finally asked.
“No!” they both said emphatically at the same time.
“Um, okay. Then why would you want to share a woman between you if you aren’t together? I don’t understand what you get out of something like that.” Alice felt a headache creeping up the back of her neck.
“It’s not something that’s easy to explain, Alice. We like the fact that you’ll always be taken care of even if one of us isn’t around for some reason. The sight of a woman coming apart between us is amazing. Imagine what two men, who wanted nothing but the best for you, could do to you in bed.” Landon looked over at Ben.
“What I get out of it is watching your face when you come even if I’m only watching while Landon makes love to you. Then there’s when we both take you at one time. There’s nothing in the world that equals that feeling,” Ben said.
“I still don’t get how it can work. People don’t date in threes. Aren’t you worried about what people will say?” she asked. She was.
“Don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks. All I’d care about is that you weren’t disrespected. I’d teach anyone who dared to say something nasty to you a lesson they wouldn’t forget,” Ben said.
The big man was still standing near the door as if he wasn’t sure if they were staying or going.
“I don’t get out much, so I doubt anyone would say anything about it to me, but what about you guys? You run a business. Aren’t you afraid it will hurt your business to share a woman?” Alice had to think of this as hypothetical. She wasn’t really considering it.
Was she?
“It won’t hurt our business. We’re the only mechanics in town, and most of our customers are men. I guess you know how men feel about sex, so we don’t see it as a problem. The only thing we’d worry about is how it would affect you,” Landon said.
“Look, I’m not saying I’m not flattered, but I just don’t see how something like sharing can work. One of you is bound to get jealous. Then where would we be?” Alice asked.
“That’s not going to happen. We both want whatever’s best for you. If you need to spend more time with Ben than with me for a while, that’s great. If you need us both, that’s great, too. As long as you have feelings for both of us, it will work, Alice. Just give us a chance to show you.” Landon stood and walked over to where she sat on the chair and knelt on the floor next to her.
“I don’t know. I need to think about it. It’s a lot to throw on me, guys,” Alice said.
“We know, but give it some thought and let us spend time with you while you think about it.” Landon squeezed her hands.
“If I decide against it, spending time together means we’ll end up hurt,” she pointed out.
“I’d rather have some time with you than none at all,” Ben said. “It’ll hurt like fuck, but I’m already hooked on you, Alice. Spending time with you, even if it’s only for a while, would be worth it to me.”
Alice looked back to Landon, who had both of her hands in his. “Do you feel the same way?”
“Absolutely. All we’re asking for is a chance to show you how good it can be to have two devoted men at your beck and call.”
Ben’s snort across the room made Alice smile. “I think Ben thinks you’re pouring it on a little thick there, Landon.”
He just laughed. “You’ll see. So, you’ll give us some time?”
“Let me think about it, and we can talk about it tomorrow afternoon. Um, do you have a phone number where I can call you?” she asked.
“How about we call you instead. That way we’ll be sure and be together when you call,” Landon said.
“Yeah, okay. That’s fine.” She looked down at her phone and winced. They only had another fifteen or twenty minutes before she’d have to call her friend back.
Alice knew they already had her phone number, but to her surprise, Ben grabbed her phone and programmed their numbers into it.
“If you need us, you have both of our numbers and the shop number. I put the police on speed dial one, Landon as two, and me as three. You call the police first then one of us if you ever need help. Got it?” Ben asked.
“Um, yeah. Thanks,”
“That goes for even if we don’t work things out. We’ll always be just a phone call away,” Landon told her.
“Got to go, Landon. Alice has to call her friend, or she’ll call the cops on us. Th
at might not go over so well with the shop and all.”
Alice stood and followed the two men to the door. She was surprised when both men kissed her lightly on the cheek but didn’t attempt to kiss her on the lips. If she were honest, she was more than a little disappointed. She’d psyched herself up for their kisses. This was a letdown.
“Lock the door behind us, Alice.” Ben was the last to walk out. He held his hand on the doorknob. “Don’t ever open this door, especially at night, without checking to see who it is first. Got it?” he asked.
“Got it. I won’t. I had a great time, guys. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Ben closed the door behind him and knocked twice on the door reminding her to lock up behind them. She locked the deadbolt then slid the security chain in place. For a few seconds she just leaned against the door until she heard their truck back down the drive and out onto the street. Then she walked into her bedroom and sat on the bed, trying to puzzle out exactly what they’d talked about.
A threesome? A ménage? Surely they weren’t serious. Maybe they were just seeing if she’d play them off of each other or agree to take them both on like some sort of loose woman. She wasn’t one. Yet she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have two men care for her, tell her she was beautiful no matter how curvy she was. What would it be like to have two men bring her to orgasm?
I can’t think this way. I’m not seriously thinking about agreeing. Am I?
But somewhere deep down, she was thinking about it. And that was what worried her most of all.
* * * *
Landon drummed his fingers on the door of the truck as Ben drove toward the shop. Everything had gone well despite the way it had ended. She’d enjoyed herself even though there’d been both him and Ben with her. He was certain he’d seen a split second of interest when they’d laid it all out for her, but she’d asked some intelligent questions that worried him. Would she care what others thought?
“What the fuck are you thinking about over there? I can hear the damn screws twisting from here,” Ben said.
