“Looks like you’re going to need to send your slacker assistant to Bed Bath and Beyond,” Colby said. “Or give up coffee.”
Georgia turned around, her brown eyes full of emotion as she stared back at them. “What am I going to do with the two of you?”
“Would you like a list?” Keats asked. “Because I have some suggestions.”
Georgia laughed. “Most inappropriate employee ever.”
Keats shrugged, unrepentant. “Want to fire me?”
Georgia glanced at Colby, smiled, then walked over to Keats, put her hands on his cheeks, and planted a full smacking kiss right on his mouth. “Yep. You’re canned.”
Keats blinked, clearly astonished. But when Georgia moved to step away, Keats hooked the collar of her shirt and brought her back in for more than a peck. Colby could hear Georgia’s gasp at the contact and he watched, riveted, as Keats parted Georgia’s lips and gave her the full devastating power of his mouth. Colby knew firsthand what that felt like and how impossible it was to resist. And sure enough, though Georgia had stiffened when Keats had pulled her back to him, now she melted in his grasp and kissed him back, sliding her fingers into Keats’s hair.
Colby had to swallow back the groan. So. Fucking. Hot. Both of them. His lovers.
No, not quite. Not his. Not really.
Not yet.
T
he last thought punched him right in the chest. The driving intention seeming to come from outside himself.
No, that wasn’t what this was. This was supposed to be casual, messing around. A little fling with Georgia. A little training with Keats. Maybe a threesome thrown into the mix if the two of them were open to it. That was what they were doing. That was what he’d agreed to.
But watching Georgia and Keats together, he knew he was lying to himself. If they all three ended up in bed together, he couldn’t imagine he’d be able to simply move on like he did every other time. Have some fun, do some kink, on to the next adventure. No way. He was in too deep already with both of them separately. Put them all together, and he didn’t have a fucking shot at staying cool and devil-may-care about it.
Because as he stood there he found himself wondering what it would be like to have more. To have it all. To have them both. What if they were truly his?
But he had to shake himself out of those fantasies. What he was imagining was a pipe dream. There were three of them. And two of the three weren’t looking for a relationship. Plus, even if they were out for more, this wasn’t a simple boy-meets-girl or boy-meets-boy arrangement. This shit would be more than a little complicated. And yes, his friend Jace had somehow managed to maintain a triad relationship, so Colby knew it could be done. But he’d also watched many others at The Ranch try nontraditional arrangements like that and fail miserably. Hell, his own record with all types of romantic relationships was damn dismal. Just because he’d started to want a committed relationship didn’t mean he’d necessarily be good at it.
He just needed to get his head together and enjoy this for what it was—friendship and a hot time with two kinky people.
Colby brought his focus back to the two people in front of him. Keats was in control of the kiss and pulled back after a few hot seconds. He smiled broadly at a stunned Georgia and touched the tip of his finger to her wet lips. “Now that one was worth getting fired for.”
Georgia’s wide-eyed gaze slid to Colby, her eyelashes fluttering as she apparently tried to get her bearings. “Uh . . .”
Colby smiled. “Keats, I don’t remember giving you permission to kiss my girl.”
Keats glanced over his shoulder at him. “Punish me later, Teach. Whatever the consequences are, they will have been well worth it.”
“Mmm,” Colby said noncommittally. “Or maybe I’ll just let her do it.”
Keats coughed, or maybe it was a choke, but he looked more turned on at the thought than worried. Colby would’ve called him a slut if he didn’t think Keats would perceive it as an insult.
Georgia put a hand to her forehead and shook her head. “Well, you two said you came over here to distract me. Mission accomplished.”
Colby walked over to her and tugged her into his arms. She came willingly, bringing her body up against his and peering up at him. He pushed a hair away from her cheek. “So what do you want to do next, Ms. Delaune? Sprinklers? Ordering Keats to take off his shirt and clean up the mess he made with the dishes?”
She smirked but there was a resolute look to her gaze. “It’s Lawrence, not Delaune. And no, I don’t want to do any of that. I want the two of you to take me out of here to get some new cups and maybe to lunch. And then wherever else you want to go. I don’t want you to let me back in my house until it’s time to go to sleep.”
Colby tightened his hold on her, hope building in him. “You sure?”
“Yes.” She looked to Keats, then back to Colby. “And if I panic and embarrass you while we’re out, I’m giving you permission to leave me be and pretend you don’t know me.”
Colby grabbed her chin. “Shut your mouth, Georgia Lawrence. You think I give a shit what anyone else thinks? You panic, we’ve got you covered.”
“Damn straight,” Keats said, stepping closer to them. “You’re safe with us, George.”