“Okay. Well, they interviewed me. And then later on they gave me a different sort of um—agreement. That’s what I can’t really talk about, but we just… have this sort of thing going on.” I stuttered. Denton frowned at me and searched my eyes, but I tried not to give away too much.
Denton could be overbearing and opinionated and I didn’t know which way he would swing on this one.
“That doesn’t make any sense babes. What’s going on, Henley?” He touched my arm gently, forcing me to look at him.
I sighed deeply and gave him as little detail as possible. “I’ve had sex with them. Both of them—um, at the same time?” I squeaked.
Denton didn’t say anything and his voice didn’t even change before he suddenly switched gears and started laughing. I didn’t know what could be so funny, and I didn’t know why he thought anything was funny. I thought it was rather serious.
“I’m sorry babes, it’s just you’re—you! And I always thought you were a prude, or the missionary in the dark type. But two guys? And those two guys? Jesus… how are you walking and sitting normally?” He looked me over in mock.
I swatted him away. “Stop, I’m not a prude. And we haven’t done that yet.”
He snickered, “You are a prude—it’s not that it’s anal.” He started laughing and I just laughed with him, even though he was making fun of me.
But I didn’t mind because he is my best friend after all. Our moment was interrupted by a knock at the door, and I couldn’t imagine who would be coming here.
“The man of the house has got it.” Denton joked, standing and he kissed my forehead before going to answer the door.
It opened and I heard everything before I stood to investigate.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I gasped at the voice.
Jude.
He stood in my door way not only fuming and irritated, but not alone. Him and Maverick took up the tiny door frame, their wide shoulders, imposing bodies in cold gray suits took my breath away. And I was lost for breath or something to say until Jude shoved his way in and shut the door, facing Denton with a fury I had never seen before. Denton only stared back confused and a little amused, as Maverick just stood nearby ready to ref if it got ugly. I hoped it wouldn’t, but I stepped between them anyway and faced Jude.
“Calm down.” I placed my hands on his hard chest, somehow still surprised by just how hard it was. And I inhaled his scent when I took a deep breath and nearly collapsed from the perfection of it. His fresh cologne and natural, hard aroma was dizzying and flooded right through my blood. I glanced at Maverick who smiled softly at me.
“What’s he doing here? What aren’t you telling us?” Jude growled and stared down at me with hard eyes.
I simply laugh at his question. The absurdity of it is what got me at first, and then how misguided it really was. Then I was stuck on how jealous he sounded, and wondered if it meant he was just territorial, or actually cared about me that much. I never saw anything with them that way, that they could have that much feeling towards me at all. I knew it was just an arrangement, outside of their office and one-sided hiring agreement. But I enjoyed it anyway, I had no problem with the way things were. Just that they were confusing and time consuming.
But there they stood in my measly apartment, confronting me like I had done something wrong, demanding answers from me and staring me down like they want to see me naked at the same time they want to scold me. But I held back my laugh as I stood between him and Denton, trying not to be distracted by the strength of his chest and cut of his muscles.
“Nothing, Jude. I’m not sure why you are so angry right now.” I said. His eyes sharpened as he looked over my head at Denton, who I could feel fuming. Denton wasn’t one for confrontation or conflict, so I knew he was just inside of himself by then, wondering what the hell was going on.
“I saw you with him at the club, dancing all over each other. Now he is here at your apartment—so there must be something.” Jude said with a snap to his voice. And Maverick behind him, shuffled on his feet towards me to ease the tension. Behind me, I heard Denton snicker and I stepped away from Jude, effectively moving him away from the angry Jude.
The space of our foyer seemed so much smaller with all of them there.
“It’s our apartment, Jude. In fa
ct, he pays most of the rent. Because we’re best friends.” I said. His brows screwed up together and he tightened his jaw. Maverick cleared his throat, and Jude turned to look at him for a split second before he focused on me and Denton, his eyes fleeting between us.
“Yeah right, I know how these things go. Don’t lie to me, Henley. And you—” he turned to Denton with the same hard look in his eye and I turned to see Denton holding back his laugh, as he glanced down at me. I tried to apologize with my eyes, hoping the situation would resolve itself.
“Henley is off limits.” Jude snarled and Maverick just shook his head once at his friend, though his expression seemed to agree with what he had said.
Denton laughed once and I turned to face him, my side facing Jude. I started to talk before Denton cut me off.
“It’s okay,” he said to me, “that’s fine, um—whatever your names are. Unless Henley has a secret dick I don’t know about, I don’t want her. She’s just my needy best friend.” He locked me in his arm under his shoulder and I laughed nervously as I looked to Jude and Maverick.
Jude straightened his tense form out and Maverick tried to hold back his laugh. The situation was funny now, but I was worried it could have gotten a lot worse. I was glad it hadn’t, as both Jude and Maverick seemed to relax a bit.
“Okay then. Sorry about that.” Jude smirked at me.
I wiggled out of Denton’s hold as he laughed.