“Nope. I don’t work weekends unless it’s a personal appointment.”
“Margarita, then? They have some killer ones here.” Troy handed her menus from the waiter, ordering chips and queso to start.
“Sure. I can manage one I think.”
Troy finished ordering drinks then put his hands on the table. “We’re both glad you could come,” he told her. “We’ve been wanting to treat you to a night out.”
“Why?”
Angel spoke up. “Really, just to get to know you better. You’re a good friend. We like treating our friends, well, like friends,” he explained gamely. Right about then, the waiter returned with a tray laden with drinks and appetizers. With a quick glance at the menu, she gave her order, though neither Troy nor Angel even glanced at theirs.
“You’ve both been here, haven’t you?” she asked when the waiter was gone, confident she knew the answer.
“Guilty,” Troy replied. “Our apartments are only about a mile and a half from here.”
“Roommates?” she asked munching on the corn chips as they waited. Mariachi music played over the sound system, a woeful love ballad from the sounds of it. Listening to its beautiful rhythm made her wish she could understand it.
“No, but we’ve talked about it. Cut down our expenses.” Troy took a drink of his beer, then licked his lips. Her heart beat a harder tattoo watching him do it. The way his lips circled the glass, the damp glistening shine the liquid left behind. Michelle wanted to see if the beer could be tasted on his lips, or if his lips would be better than the beer. Blinking broke the spell, and she refocused on the bowl of chips in front of her. It’s best not to think down that road. Michelle knew she’d never get to find out.
“What do you two do, then?” Conversation was safe. Keep them talking. Don’t think about how good they look in their pullovers and jeans.
“Angel’s the brains behind our own internet coding company. We do web design and site maintenance. We even employ a small group for customer service issues.”
“Very small,” Angel snickered in a joking aside. “But they’re excellent at what they do.”
“Really?” Michelle followed them both as they explained it all. By the energy in their descriptions, it was obvious they enjoyed it immensely.
“From the ground up,” Angel interjected. “We’ve won awards and have been named as the city’s up and coming newest young business, but with computers it’s a race to see who falls first. Technology expires faster than cheese left out.”
“How do you do it?” She tried to curl her fingers around the fishbowl they’d brought her margarita in. Reaching the straw was daunting. She decided she’d wait until they were better occupied before attempting it.
“We have an inexpensive office space to store the servers and the call center,” Angel explained. “A lot of it is actually done at home, where we can toss around ideas and paper planes and no one cares.” Michelle grinned when Angel threw an imaginary plane at Troy.
“Probably why we haven’t moved in together. We already work together. I think if we spent that much time together, we’d kill each other.”
Angel coughed a snicker at Troy’s assumption. “There’s no doubt there.”
They told her a little more about what they did, how they got started, and between them, they made enough to survive and then some. They weren’t a couple of kids living off mom and dad’s dime. Michelle was impressed and surprised to hear them as they explained it all. The self-assurance in their work spoke volumes about them. They both put in a lot of hours to keep their company running smoothly.
Food arrived and they ate and talked. She even managed to enjoy her margarita though by the time she’d hit half, she was giggling quite a lot.
Angel told them stories of his childhood, being one of six kids. Michelle was dumbfounded. She had a brother. The idea of that many in a house… “Your poor parents,” she mused.
Angel chuckled, leaning on his elbows after the plates had been taken away. “You’d think so, but apparently not, or they’d have stopped after my oldest sister.” He winked and she almost died at the table of laughter. Michelle slapped a hand over her mouth to stop the burst of giggles.
Oh crap. I’m tipsy! How long had it been since she’d last drank alcohol? How much was in that bottomless thing, anyway?
She clutched her purse. “I think I’m going to find the ladies room.” She needed a few minutes to try to get a clearer head.
“Sure.” Troy twisted and pointed. “They’re in that corner. Don’t worry. We’ll wait for you.”
“Thank you.” Standing straight and doing her best not to look drunk, she wound her way through the restaurant.
* * * *
“She can’t drive like that,” Angel pointed out.
“I didn’t think one would do that,” Troy stated. He eyed the glass surreptitiously. “There’s got to be a gallon of mix in that thing.”
Angel tipped his beer to finish it. “I’ll drive her car. Follow us.”
“Sure.”
Angel picked at the empty bottle label with his thumb nail. “Do you think she likes us?” He glanced up but quickly let his vision fall again.
“I think she does. She’s nervous, and definitely scared of something.”
“Us?”
Troy leaned in to talk, resting on the tabletop. “No, not us. She keeps looking at us like she wants, but is terrified of letting it show.”
Angel looked up from his bottle label distraction, his eyebrows rising slightly. “You caught that too?”
Troy nodded, a small frown creating lines over his eyes.
“What happened to her? She’s quick to laugh. She’s not a tease.” Except she was so cautious, he craved to protect her. Angel wanted to hold her, make whatever it was haunting her go away. A pensive pause filled the silence, then he said, “Troy, do you think this will work? Between us? We only did it once before and it was more for the sex than anything else. I really care for Michelle.”
With both of them attracted to her, and it seemed Michelle equally aware of them, there was too much at stake to fight between them for her. Their friendship. Their business, and if one of them did win Michelle, it would be a volatile situation whenever the three were together as attracted as they were to the woman. No, that just wasn’t an option. It was a no-win situation.
“I know, bro, I do too.” Troy hunched a shoulder. “I think it will work. Okay, yeah, Tiffany was an easy summer thing, but Michelle is different.” Finishing his own beer, he said, “Michelle is special and I think if it could work, it would with her. If it didn’t seem like a good idea, it never would have come up between us. You sure weren’t into Rebecca when I dated her.” Angel shook his head firmly. He’d never understood what his best friend had seen in the twitterhead blonde. “I want to at least try with her. Seriously, you’re the only guy on this planet I’d ever want to see like that. Last thing I want is my mom to get the idea that I’m gay.”
Angel choked then coughed into his fist to cover it. “You’re not, but yeah, she’d kill you.” But he understood where Troy was coming from. Not only from his family’s point of view, but just how hot Michelle would look between them. They were both Jonesing hard for the brunette. While sharing wasn’t something he’d ever really believed he’d be doing with the woman he loved, he didn’t hate the idea of doing it with Troy.
He wasn’t positive how Troy felt about her, but Angel knew he wanted more than just an attraction, more than just fast and furious burning lust. He was sure sharing her the way they had with Tiffany that summer was a fantasy they’d silently shared more than once now that they’d apparently both accepted it might work enough to be worth a shot, if she was willing. They’d talked about it a few weeks before over beers at Troy’s. Angel hadn’t been convinced he’d meant it with them both half blitzed, both acknowledging they wanted their instructor in their beds, not just on the court, but apparently, Troy hadn’t been kidding. Since then, Troy had been inching
them closer to getting to know their racquetball instructor. Angel had to admit, he’d really begun to crave the possibility. Hell, Troy was the only man he trusted enough to try something as out and out crazy as a ménage relationship with. They’d done it once in the past almost by accident.
Not long after Troy began dating Tiffany, Angel walked in on them at his place by accident. They had keys to each other’s place because they were still building up their business then. Angel had frozen solid in the doorway, finding Troy half naked on the couch getting a hell of a blowjob. Troy took one look at him, glanced at Tiffany and waved him in with a smile. That had been the beginning.
Only with Michelle, it was different. They were both on equal footing with getting to know her, and they both wanted her, badly. Angel hadn’t turned down the chance at Tiffany, and she did give great head, but his heart hadn’t been in it. That was the largest difference with Michelle. He was already too involved. Thinking about her brought her face to mind and the rest all too easily appeared, warming him from the inside out. Imagining her sweet cherry red mouth going down on him while Troy pounded her cunt made his cock swell painfully in his jeans.
“Shit,” he muttered, unobtrusively reaching beneath the table to press the ridge down. Troy had the balls to smirk knowingly. “Asshole,” Angel growled under his breath.
“Yep.”
Angel laughed, losing some of the tension that had been filling his groin and spine. With a sigh of relief, he spotted Michelle returning. Man, she was a knockout. Long brown waves that literally hung to her breasts, to end in a curled flip. She had a movie star face with lips like a certain actress, full but not as wide. A narrow waist, smooth hips and legs to die for, she was simply too good. She was the type of woman a man savored.
Angel and Troy were no exception. They didn’t care that she was older, though by how much, they weren’t sure. There were only a few months between himself and Troy’s birthdays. Friends since high school, they’d both had a love of computers and programming, and it morphed into a thriving company.
“I have a problem,” Michelle said sheepishly when she reached the table, leaning on the back of her chair with a tight grip.
“What?” Troy asked. Angel heard concern in his tone, but they both knew what she was going to say.
“Uh… I can’t drive.” She rushed on. “Well, I mean I shouldn’t. I’m sure I could, but it’s not a good idea.”
“Not a problem. Angel is going to drive you home. I’ll follow and pick him up,” Troy said with a shared glance. They wouldn’t have let her drive herself regardless.
“You don’t mind? I know you didn’t ask me out to try to get me drunk. Did you?”
Both men chuckled. “No, Michelle. We don’t mind, and getting you drunk would be utterly thoughtless for a first dinner together.” Standing, Troy pushed in his chair. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Three
Walking on either side of her, they guided her outside to her car.
With no fuss, she handed over her keys and Angel gallantly helped her into her car. “Nice,” he murmured settling in behind the Avalon’s wheel. “I’ve seen these on the road, but they’re…” He stopped himself before he uttered the next inconsiderate thing on his tongue. Great. Tell her the truth and hurt her feelings.
“It’s okay, you can say it. They’re plain. They’re not flashy, they don’t look expensive.” She sighed, getting comfortable. “But it is reliable. And it’s roomy.”
He glanced at her before turning out to the highway. Michelle was stretched out, enjoying that room at the moment. “Where am I going?” He swallowed when his voice cracked. She looked so pretty, relaxed. Probably the most relaxed he’d ever seen her. Thick, chocolate brown lashes rested on her cheeks, the same brown as her hair. It made him think of those chocolate commercials he saw on TV, shiny and silky.
Gathering his attention to drive, he merged with traffic. Following her directions, he was pulling on her street a lot sooner than he wanted.
“Cute houses,” he said. Small yards were closed in with white picket fences. The houses weren’t well spaced, but they looked homey with flowers almost pouring off them in various colors and quantities. All the paint was fresh and they looked well maintained. A few even had flags fluttering lightly in the wind, pinned to walls and pillars with brackets. A cute, tight little slice of Americana.
“I’m renting.”
Really? He saved that information for later.
“It’s a bungalow, actually,” she said. “I didn’t need a lot of space after—”
He lifted an eyebrow, waiting, but she didn’t continue. There was a hollowness in her voice, but she silenced herself before she said more. Realizing she wasn’t open to prodding, he didn’t push her. Reaching up, he tapped the garage door remote and spotted one lifting three houses down. “That one it?” he asked, just to be sure.
She cracked an eye and nodded.
Peeking in the rearview, he spotted Troy’s Impala. Angel pulled into the driveway, easing to a stop in the garage. Troy parked at the curb.
Turning off the car, he got out and hurried to her door, opening it to help her out. Watching her, he’d swear she blushed. He caught out of the corner of his eye Troy getting out of his car. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”
“You don’t have to,” she said, though her eyes looked like they wouldn’t stay open without the strength of steel girders to help.
“I want to,” he told her quietly. He hadn’t touched her other than to offer a hand for her to find her feet. Standing so close, he needed to feel her. He was dying to kiss her, so he compromised. Reaching, he brushed the back of his knuckles to her cheek. A rush of heat filled his veins at the simple contact. Damn, she’s sexy.
Troy paused behind the car, and Angel shook him off. He’d explain when he came out. Holding her keys firmly, he unlocked her access door and guided her in. She plunked her bag on the neat kitchen table. With a little support, he led her to the living room and helped her lie down on the couch. He hadn’t let her hand go yet.
“Michelle? I’m leaving our numbers on your table. Call one of us when you wake up to let us know you’re okay.
“Really,” she drawled sleepily. “I’ll be fine.”
Relinquishing her touch, he knelt at her feet and slipped off her sandals, running his palm over the top of one foot while he helped her get comfortable. He pulled his attention away. “I know you will be, but humor me, okay? I don’t care what time it is. Otherwise, we’ll worry. We didn’t mean for you to get drunk.”
“I’m not drunk,” she murmured. “Just soooo relaxed.” Then she giggled.
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Lightweight.” He stood again. Staring at her face, warmth invaded every inch. He’d never been in love, but if they had a chance, then he was going to give it his best shot. Positioning her arms over her waist, he unfolded the pastel blanket off the back of the couch to drape over her. “Sweet dreams, baby.” Then before he did anything he’d regret, he stepped away and returned to Troy, pausing briefly to leave behind their numbers like he’d said.
Shutting the door behind him, Troy gave Angel a cross look when he faced him. “What was that about?”
“She was half asleep. I didn’t want her to feel caged with two guys sporting boners, okay?” He leaned against the hood of her car, crossing his arms. “She let something slip on the way here.”
Troy quit glowering. “What?”
“She’s renting this. Something happened where she was before.”
“Did she say anything about what?”
Angel shook his head. “No, but it was in her voice. It was bad.”
Troy put a hand on Angel’s shoulder. “She has us now. We’ll take care of her.”
Angel wasn’t so sure it would be that easy, but he hoped they’d have the chance.
* * * *
Michelle yawned and stretched. It was dim as she blinked, focusing. She tensed when she realized she wasn’t where she thought she w
ould be. Where was the light? Why hadn’t she left a light on? She rubbed her eyes. Sitting up, the blanket fell to her waist. She was in her living room? She’d fallen asleep on her couch? She shivered, staring into the darkness, reminding herself that she was at her home, that she was safe. It was after midnight according the numbers on her electronics equipment. She wiggled her toes, surprised to see her sandals paired together at the end of the couch. She didn’t remember doing that.
Then she did remember. As in the whole night. She flattened her face into her palms. How embarrassing! I fell asleep on them!
Swinging her feet off the couch, she stood. She didn’t feel sick or weak, and no throbbing headache. That was a good plus. A very nice one considering how well that one damn drink had put her on her ass. She folded the blanket to return it to its place then meandered to the kitchen for a glass of water before bed. She’d brush her teeth and go right to bed.
Michelle was almost to the cabinet when she saw the note.
I meant it. I don’t care the time. Please call. Your friends, T/A
Then two numbers were scribbled. Filling a glass she wondered if she should call them. It was after midnight. Feeling a bit dry, she sucked one down and filled a second. She vaguely remembered Angel telling her he didn’t care the time and he’d put it again on the note.
“Okay, just remember, you asked for this.”
She picked up the phone and dialed the first number on the paper.
“Hello?” The voice didn’t sound at all like she’d awakened him.
“Angel?”
“Angel’s house, Troy at your service.”
She laughed at his gallant, proper inflection. “Please tell me you two have not been waiting up for this phone call.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you that.”
She groaned. “Troy.” She pressed her forehead into her curled palm.
“Hold on.”
She heard a brief crackle over the phone, then, “Hey there. How’re you feeling?”
“Good enough to go right back to bed,” she joked. “Thank you again, both of you, for treating me to dinner, and…” She knew she was blushing. “And for tonight.”
Irresistible Passions Page 2
