by Jamie Begley
“What happened to getting a comedy?”
“It’s Valentine’s Day. I guess the number one thing to do is watch a comedy.”
Mika laughed as she took the movies. “I haven’t seen Infinity War. I was waiting for the next one to come out in March before watching it.”
“Jonas is like that. He hates waiting for something he wants.”
She wasn’t going to touch that comment with a ten-foot pole.
Putting the movie in, she turned around and froze, not knowing what to do.
Both men had taken off their shoes and were on opposite sides of the bed, shoving pillows behind their backs.
Jonas gave her a benign smile. “Come and sit down between us. There’s room for all three of us.”
She wiped her palms again. “I’m going to be upfront and honest with you. My family knows where I am, I don’t have any money, and there’s a camera outside my door, so you won’t get away with anything if I suddenly disappear.”
Hammer’s expression softened. “You’re safe, Mary.”
“I think so, too, or I wouldn’t have let you guys inside.”
Hammer patted the empty part of the bed by his side. “Relax. Let’s enjoy the movie.”
Having already taken off her shoes when she had come back to the motel room, she placed a knee on the bottom of the bed, then crawled to the center to sit between the two men. She stiffly pressed the button on the remote to start the movie, aware of the masculine presences by her sides. It was hard to concentrate. In fact, they were a fourth of the way through the movie before she could relax and sink back onto the pillow that Hammer had thoughtfully placed behind her.
“So, why are you visiting Treepoint?”
Hammer’s question had her giving him a brief glance, unable to control her reactions if she stared too long. “Business. How about you and Jonas?”
“We went to a friend’s wedding today. We’re staying the night here instead of driving back tonight.”
“Aw. Your friend got married on Valentine’s Day? That’s so romantic. Convenient, too. They’ll never forget their anniversary.”
“Are you married?”
Jonas’s question had her jerking her head sideways toward him. “No. You?”
“No, neither of us are. Hammer is divorced, but I’ve never found the right woman.”
Sliding her gaze back to the TV, she tried to focus on the Avengers and not the sexy eyes trying to drill holes into her soul.
“It sucks being alone on Valentine’s Day.” Hammer’s revelation echoed her own loneliness.
“It’s different for men. If you’re alone, it’s easy to ask someone out. A woman asks a man out on Valentine’s Day and they stop talking to you.”
“It’s not as easy for men as you think.”
Mika made a disbelieving face at the television. “If you’re trying to get my sympathy, it won’t work. I’m sure neither of you are hurting in the women department.”
“What makes you say that?” Hammer asked.
“Let’s drop the subject and watch the movie.”
“Why?” Jonas scooted slightly closer to her.
She gave a loud sigh. Then, pressing the pause button, she laid the remote down on her thigh. “You two don’t need me to tell you how attractive you are, so unless you’re gay, and even if you are, women will take a chance hitting on you.”
“If that’s true, then why didn’t you?” Hammer shifted on his hip to look at her.
“I’m different.”
“How? You don’t find us attractive?” He raised a questioning brow. “By the way, we’re not gay.”
“I didn’t say that I don’t find you guys attractive, only that I’m different, that I know it would be useless for me to think the attraction would go both ways.”
Jonas sat up off the pillow. “Why would it be useless?”
Mika nodded toward Hammer. “I bet you only dated cheerleaders or the homecoming queen in high school.”
From his Hammer’s chagrined expression, she knew she was right.
Tilting her head toward Jonas, she gave him a once-over. “I bet you dated the prom queen, possibly not the prettiest girl in your school but definitely the most popular.”
She could tell Jonas liked her assessment even less than Hammer had.
“Neither of you come across as lacking confidence, yet you were irritated when I didn’t try to approach you at the bar like I did Harvey.”
“I’m not going to deny that it didn’t put a dent in my ego,” Hammer acknowledged.
“I’m a very good judge of character.”
“Then your judgment sucks where we’re concerned. What you didn’t take into consideration is that neither Jonas nor I are in high school anymore. We’re grown men, and we don’t date women based on their physical appearance.”
“Okay. So, what do you base it on, then?”
Mika didn’t miss the silent communication between the men.
“Jonas and I are limited to the women that we date because we prefer to be in a polyamorous relationship.”
His explanation didn’t shock her, but it was surprising that they were discussing this with a stranger.
“How many people do you want to have in this relationship?”
“Three.”
“Do you both share a woman or do want to add another man to your relationship?”
“A woman.”
“That’s interesting. I’ve never met a couple who wants to be in a committed relationship between two men and one woman.”
Jonas and Hammer both stared at her in surprise.
“It doesn’t bother you?” Jonas asked.
Mika frowned at him. “Why should it? I’m sure you thought this over carefully. It isn’t something decided on without thinking of the drawbacks and the advantages of being in a triad. I try not to judge other people, and if that’s what you both think you want in your life to make you both happy, then you should.
“I can understand your difficulty in finding your third. It can’t be easy finding a woman who would be willing to…” Blushing, she tried to find the least embarrassing and most delicate way to continue what she was about to say. “… have sexual relations with two men separately… or at the same time?” She posed the last part as a question.
“The same time.”
“Okay. Are their websites where you can meet those type of women?”
“Yes.” Hammer scooted closer to her, placing an arm on the pillow behind her back. “The problem with that is Jonas and I haven’t met one who we feel the same about. Just because the women on those sites are interested in being a third, doesn’t mean we’d have anything else in common with her. We haven’t met anyone who has clicked with us… yet.”
Giving them both sympathetic glances, she patted each one on their thighs. “That must be discouraging.”
“It is,” they both agreed, looking down at her hands.
Pulling her hands away, she tried to resume watching the movie, but the image of the two men making love to a woman whom they wanted to share, kept intruding like an alert bulletin during your soap opera. Her curiosity wasn’t the only thing that was aroused by the discussion.
“Most of the women that we’ve met seem to prefer one of us over the other.”
Still imagining the two men having sex with a faceless woman, it took her a second to realize that Hammer was continuing the discussion.
“I can see that being a problem. You would want her to care for you equally, like you would care for her and Jonas.”
“You’re the first one who gets that.”
“Gets what?”
“For the triad to be successful, all of us have to be equal.”
Mika frowned. “That goes without saying.”
“Actually, not to them. Most want the relationship centered around her and what would make her happy.”
“Ah… I see. She would want to come first, instead of Jonas.” Mika turned her head toward Jonas. “Or, she wants to c
ome first, instead of Hammer.”
“Exactly,” Jonas agreed. “But you get that. The women we’ve met don’t.”
“You will. You just haven’t met her yet.”
“Hammer and I think we just did.”
Mika tore her eyes away from the TV to find them studying her with expressions that weren’t hard to decipher.
“Guys, I’m not your third. I’m not looking for a relationship with one man, much less two.”
“What were you looking for tonight when you went to the bar, then?”
Mika shook her head at Hammer. “Definitely not this.”
Jonas gave her a wicked smile. “Well, we were.”
CHAPTER 6
She was a runner.
Hammer had been a bounty hunter since he got out of the service and was experienced in being able to tell when someone would take off rather than face the consequences of their actions.
He had felt the surge of attraction the moment she bumped into him. He could see the quick intelligence in her eyes, the discerning way she watched everything around her, yet she had the common sense of a flea. Any woman who opened her motel room to two strangers in a strange town needed her head examined. Especially two who had the skills that he and Jonas had.
If they had been serial killers, as she had been frightened they were, they could have easily raped her and stored her body in her trunk, without the worry of the camera that was mounted to the ceiling outside.
“Don’t panic. Jonas always jumps the gun.”
Hammer hid his own grin when he saw the glimmer of disappointment that she was unsuccessfully trying to shield from him and Jonas.
“Jump the gun?”
“His standards aren’t as high as mine.”
Jonas shrugged. “I’m tired of just being alone with Hammer. I want a woman to spoil.”
“You shouldn’t rush into a relationship just because you’re lonely.”
“I tell him that all the time. The real problem is the kissing.”
“The kissing?”
“The kissing.” Hammer nodded. “I want her to enjoy kissing me as much as Jonas. They keep saying he’s the better kisser.”
“Do I look like I just fell off the dump truck?” Scoffing at him, she turned back to watching the movie.
“Since you’re not interested in a relationship with us, you could tell us the truth.”
“No.”
“Come on, Mary. At least kiss him. Tell him what he’s doing wrong.” Jonas nodded at him. “I know it’ll be hard. Most of the women we meet don’t want to kiss him either.”
“No.”
Hammer raised himself into a sitting position. “If I end up all alone, it’ll be your fault.”
She laughed at his pitiful expression. “No, it’ll be yours, because you’re a terrible kisser.” She hit him with one of the pillows. “If I end up all alone, it’ll be your fault,” she laughingly mocked him. “Please. You probably forgot more about kissing than most men have learned in a lifetime. If anyone sucks at kissing, it’s probably Jonas.” She then howled with laughter, falling back to the bed at the sight of Jonas’s expression.
Jonas had always thought of himself as the ladies’ man. That “Mary” was teasing Jonas showed that they might have found their perfect third.
He and Jonas had known each other since they had joined the Army. They’d formed a bond that had saved their asses more than once. Mission after mission deepened their trust in one another, which had been cemented when they went into business together.
So many of their days and nights had been spent together, and when they found they were usually attracted to the same women, neither became jealous of the other’s relationship. Still, they knew the loneliness of being alone and were happier when they were together.
They had shared more than one woman when they were randy or drunk enough. Then, when Hammer’s marriage failed, they discovered why they hadn’t made any of their relationships work. They had been in so many dangerous situations that their strengths and weakness offset the others.
“I’m hurt.”
“I don’t think a blow torch could burn your ego,” Mary sputtered, wiping a tear from her eye. “You two crack me up. Do women fall for this crap?”
“One or two may have,” Jonas said sheepishly.
“Then you picked the wrong woman tonight. Jeez… I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve laughed this hard.”
Affronted, Hammer narrowed his eyes on the woman. He really didn’t like being laughed at by a woman who was twisting his balls in knots. From Jonas’s expression, he didn't appreciate it either.
Giving a nod, they immediately knew what the other was thinking to breach Mary’s reservations about them.
Leaning forward, Jonas stretched out toward the foot of the bed, while Hammer laid his head back against the headboard.
“You have a beautiful laugh,” he complimented her, giving her a serious look while noticing that Jonas had reached out and was massaging one of her feet. Sensuously, he trailed a lone finger down her arm. “I wish I had met you yesterday.”
“Why?”
He saw the telltale movement of her pulse beating under the translucent flesh at her wrist.
“Jonas and I would have bought you flowers today. Every woman deserves flowers on Valentine’s Day.”
“No one has ever given me flowers.”
From the flush that was spreading across her chest, Hammer could tell she regretted telling them that fact.
“Then that’s a damn shame.” He growled, “Come here, Mary,” and started tugging her arm so she would lie down on the bed like he was.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
“I don’t like the way you’re looking at me.”
“How am I looking at you?”
“I can’t explain it.” She shrugged, trying to move her hand away from his touch.
“Maybe I can. Do I look like I want to touch you?”
“Yes.” She gave a small sigh, finally allowing him to pull her down until her head rested on his arm.
“That’s because I do. I’ve wanted to touch you since you bumped into me earlier today.” Hammer slid his hand across the front of her neck to her jaw, raising her face so he could stare down into her eyes. “Jonas and I both did. We still do.”
“You do?”
“Yes,” Jonas answered, turning on his side to run his hand under one of her jean-clad legs.
“Can I kiss you?”
He caught sight of the indecision on her face and pulled his lips back from touching hers. “We won’t touch you if you don’t want us to. If you feel uncomfortable, we can leave.”
He was giving her an out, despite the need that he was finding harder and harder to control. He wanted to taste her.
Intuitively, he and Jonas had always felt as if their third was out there somewhere, waiting to be found. Each failed relationship had dimmed their hope, however.
Hammer was almost afraid to touch her. The attraction he was feeling for Mary was so strong, and he didn’t want his burgeoning hope crushed if the passion didn’t spark between them.
“The movie isn’t over yet,” she demurred, not saying yes or no.
It hit him then that she was waiting to see if there was going to be a fire between them, too.
Moving toward her, he brought his lips closer to hers until they brushed against each other. They stayed like that poised, waiting for the other to apply pressure so it could be called a real kiss. Lying still, their soft breaths entangled creating a heady rush that had his hand going to her triceps to haul her closer to him.
“No, it isn’t,” he finally responded to her before using the tip of his tongue to slide along her bottom lip. He felt her give a shudder under his hand. “Don’t be afraid,” he murmured.
“I’m not.”
The huskiness in her voice had him pressing harder against her lips before gliding his tongue inside her mouth.
His mother had been a gifted piano player. He had grown up listening to her to play, and as he grew older, he could hear the differences in the music when the piano was out of tune. The reason he and Jonas hadn’t found a woman to spend their lives with was that they weren’t able to find the right chord that seemed natural and not forced.
Mary was the right fit. Everything about her fit. The way her breasts fit into the curve of his chest, the way her skin felt against his, the gentle scent of her perfume. Every fucking thing had him wanting more.
“Do you know what you taste like?”
“No. What?” she whispered as if it were just the two of them.
“Home.”
“Hammer….”
“Let me taste.” Jonas released her foot, then moved up the bed until he was lying beside her. When he was in position, Hammer used his hand on her jaw to turn her face toward Jonas.
As his friend kissed Mary, who was now fully facing him, Hammer slid his hand down to her breast from behind. Rubbing her tit through her top, he saw the kiss between Jonas and Mary heat up. That Jonas was enjoying it as much as he had, had Hammer shaking as much as she was.
Watching Jonas make love to her mouth had him rocking his hips against her ass as he continued to play with her breasts, being rewarded with soft murmurs from her.
Hammer brought his own mouth down to her shoulder. “The movie’s over, Mary. What do you want us to do?”
“Play the other movie.”
CHAPTER 7
Being in the middle of the two men didn’t frighten her. What did was the budding excitement that not one but two men wanted her, and they were striving to make her lose her sanity. It wouldn’t work, though. Her mind was too methodical.
She had been called numerous names: a nun, a cold fish, frigid. Convinced the accusations were true, she stopped trying to find a sexual relationship that most women her age enjoyed. Devoting her time on work, content if not happy with the way her personal life was playing out, she had settled into her life being a party of one.
Hammer’s kiss had shaken something loose inside of her, though, and Jonas’s was toppling her over even further. Regardless, despite the barrage of sensations storming through her body, she was still on firm ground.
