They should go, have fun. Not like this thing between the three of us could last. Brylee is the one he really wants. That much was clear from the start. Same with her. He’s the one she’s been lusting over.
But Ryan frowns. “No way. Come on, dude, take the day off. You deserve some down time, too.”
“It doesn’t matter what I deserve. I…” I snap off whatever else I was going to say, because Ryan stalks up to me and puts a big hand on my face, tilting it up.
“Of course it fucking matters.” His thumb strokes my cheekbone, hijacking my thoughts. “You don’t want to come with us?”
My turn to frown—in part because his thumb stops that hypnotic stroking. “You don’t need me. You have each other, and that’s—”
“But we do,” Brylee says, getting up and coming up to me. She slides onto my lap and suddenly I have my arms full of soft, sexy girl. “We do need you.”
“Look,” I mutter, for some reason my throat clogging up, “you don’t have to say this to make me feel good. I know—”
“Make you feel good? I know ways to make you feel good,” Ryan growls, his thumb brushing again over my cheek, moving over my lips. The soft touch winds up the need in my gut, turning my hard dick harder. “But this isn’t about that. Can’t you see?”
I shake my head, lost. See what?
“I’m not going without you,” Brylee says, laying her head on my shoulder, staring up at me with those soft, hazel eyes. “And neither is Ryan.”
I glance up at him, startled, and he nods gravely.
Why? What am I missing?
Silence spreads in the small kitchen with its marble countertops and gleaming chrome gadgets. Outside the window, rain is falling, or maybe it’s snow.
Swirling and dancing, like my confused thoughts.
“I’ll take the time off,” I hear myself say, as if from a distance.
Yeah, I know, I’m going nuts.
Bring on the straitjacket.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Man on the Rocks
Ryan
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Spending the night with Brylee and Riddick, begging them to stay, giving and receiving pleasure as if nothing’s the matter, as if I had no reason to avoid giving into my desires all this time.
And then inviting them to the lake house for the weekend. A place I’ve never taken anyone before, where I’ve spent my time with my fishing rod and my self-imposed loneliness.
From zero lovers to two—simultaneously.
Can my heart take it? I’m asking in all fucking seriousness.
I guess we’ll find out—if they don’t change their minds by Saturday. Riddick didn’t look convinced. Okay, so I kind of sprang this on them.
Not like I planned it or anything.
Not sure what I expect to happen at the lake house, either. What I hope will take place. Just the thought of spending more time with the two of them makes me grin.
What are you doing? I ask my reflection in the mirror in the men’s bathrooms at the office the next day. What are you grinning about?
This is too damn complicated, and complicated things often fall apart from the start. She sees you as a game of hide and seek. He sees you as an opponent for her affections.