by Lane Hart
“Nice!” Gabriel says as he shifts positions to get comfortable. “I’ve seen every episode; I love this show. I’ve actually met a few of the contestants.”
“Don’t spoil it!” I growl at him.
“Cross my heart,” Gabriel says, miming the motion. “I won’t breathe a word of any spoilers. Come on, let’s see how many we can get through before we pass out tonight.”
With a nod to him, I hit play and sink back into the bed, shifting myself around until I can see the screen comfortably while not squashing Quincey. My bed is huge, but with Gabriel and I in it, the poor woman doesn’t have much room to stretch out. We barely make it through two episodes before my eyelids get heavy and my slow blinks cause the show to become blurry. I hear Gabriel grab the remote; but by the time he pauses our show, I’ve already blacked out.
Sunday morning, Gabriel pretends to sleep until Quincey gets up to go take a shower. As soon as she shuts the door, he stretches his arms over his head and rolls to his side to face me. “Morning.”
“Morning,” I echo.
And yeah, he stayed all night, not asking but just refusing to leave.
The threesome last night was even better than sex with Quincy alone. I dismiss that thought, refusing to believe it was because Gabe joined us.
“Any plans for the day?” he asks.
“Not really. Tomorrow though I’ve got to go meet with my probation officer. That should be loads of fun.”
“Yeah, I bet that will suck.”
I swear he just used that particular word to fuck with my head.
“Can Quincey hang out with you while I’m gone?” I ask, quickly adding, “I’m sure there’s still plenty of shit to be done at the shop. You can go over her pay and schedule or whatever too.”
Scrubbing his hands over his face and his scruffy jaw, Gabriel says, “Yeah. Sure. I’ll babysit your piece of ass for you while you’re gone. There is nothing I would love more.”
With that pronouncement, he rolls out of bed and starts putting his clothes on.
I hate seeing him leave even though all night I could barely sleep, worried one of the Kings would find out he was sleeping in here with us.
“Jealousy isn’t a good look on you, boy scout,” I grumble.
“Really?” Gabe asks before he slips his arms into his dress shirt. “Because it looked pretty damn good on you last night.”
“I wasn’t jealous.”
“No, of course not,” he replies while zipping up his now wrinkled suit pants. “You’re straight as an arrow. Why would you give a shit if I go on a date with a guy and fuck him afterward?”
“I don’t,” I hiss. “And you need to watch your fucking mouth,” I warn him when I hear Quincey turn off the shower.
“Like you watched mine last night?” he asks with an arched eyebrow.
“Get out.”
“I’m going,” he says as he grabs his suit jacket from the floor and then walks out the door.
He slams it like a child, startling Quincey, who throws open the bathroom door to check on me.
“Good morning,” I tell her with a soft kiss on her temple.
“You guys are awake already?” she asks as she stretches her arms over her head. “I passed out again, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, you did. But at least you got, what, four orgasms first?”
Smiling as she pushes her damp curls out of her face, she says, “Four or five. I lost count because that was…”
“What?” I ask when she pauses.
“Wow, Ian. I had no idea a threesome would be that good.”
“So you liked it?”
“What’s not to like? Two gorgeous men with incredible bodies, especially talented tongues.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” I tell her as I wrap my arm around her to pull her closer. “Have you thought about what you want to do? If you’re going to stay or not?”
“Not yet. Although, it’s hard not to want to stay with you forever after last night,” she says while her lips brush over the eagle wings Gabe tattooed on my chest.
The old Ian, the one who didn’t spend the last five years locked up, would’ve thrown any woman who used the word forever right the fuck out of the room. Back then I enjoyed the variety, mixing it up with a different wildcat in bed every night.
But now, after being alone for almost two thousand days, I don’t freak out at the idea of having someone who sticks around forever.
“I was just joking,” Quincey says when she lifts her head to look at my face after I don’t respond to her comment. “Are you sure you want me to stay?”
“Hell yes, baby girl,” I tell her. “Stay. Forever isn’t that scary now. That’s all I was thinking about. I’m starting to understand why all of the Kings are settling down, you know?”
“Yeah, I know,” she agrees. “That’s what I want too, but it hasn’t worked out so far. I lived with my boyfriend, who was also my boss, for a year because I thought it was forever. But then when I found the engagement ring in his sock drawer, I just freaked out and ended it.”
“You didn’t love him?” I ask.
“No, I don’t think so. I just wanted a commitment and marriage so badly that I told myself I did. All I could think when I saw the ring was that I wouldn’t be happy if he asked and I said yes.”
“Why not?”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but the last two days with you have been amazing. I finally get what people were talking about when they said they had mind-blowing sex.”
“Right. I agree. You’re incredible,” I tell her, withholding the fact that I like sex better with Gabriel around.
“Thanks,” she says with a smile. “And that’s what was missing from my last relationship. Maybe all of my previous relationships. Sex was okay but not fantastic. It was definitely never so good I passed out afterwards. So maybe I’m shallow to want that with the man I marry, but it just seems sort of important.”
“It should be important to you. It’s pretty fucking important to men.”
“Don’t men have it easier?” she asks. “I mean, you guys get to have orgasms every time.”
“Sometimes it’s better than other times, better with certain people,” I admit, not just to her but to myself for the first time.
“That’s what I thought too. And I would never marry someone just for sex. There are tons of other important things to consider like loyalty and respect for each other. Having the same goals and all too, like wanting a family...”
“Quincey, are you trying to tell me that you’re looking for something serious, and if I’m not, I should tell you now so that you don’t waste your time?” I ask her point blank.
“Yes, I guess I am.”
“I like you,” I tell her. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but we’re good together in and out of bed. You’re a sweet girl. I’m a jackass ex-con. It won’t be easy to put up with me, but I think if anyone could do it, it would be you. So, I want you to stick around and see what you think.”
“I want to stick around too,” she says, placing a kiss on my cheek.
“Good,” I reply.
Chapter Fifteen
Quincey
This weekend was incredible. I spent a lot of time getting to know Ian, who I can already tell is actually a really good guy underneath the convicted felon, bad boy biker. We also did things in bed that I’ve never thought I would ever do, like inviting another man.
It was fun. More fun than I think I’ve ever had in my life, which is why I decided to stick around, despite Peyton’s disapproval when I went to pick up some of my things from her house yesterday afternoon.
Now, I’m sitting down with Gabriel in his tattoo studio, talking about my potential job while Ian meets with his probation officer. And it is very difficult to sit in my chair without squirming, thinking about Gabriel’s talented tongue between my legs Saturday night.
“You’ll have to work weekends,” Gabriel tells me, acting extremely professional a
nd not looking the least bit uncomfortable in his jeans, white tee and leather cut, the same outfit Ian had on when he left for his meeting with the probation officer this morning.
“That’s fine,” I reply as I straighten the imaginary wrinkles out of my short, red, floral summer dress.
“The hours are from eleven to eleven.”
“Twelve hours a day?” I say in surprise.
“I may be able to let you leave around nine Monday through Friday if it’s not too busy,” he tells me with a sigh.
“No, it’s fine. I could use the money,” I tell him.
“We have two more tattoo artists coming in before the grand opening; and once business starts picking up again, it’ll be a lot of work.”
“I can handle it.”
“Are you sure?” he asks. “Because if not, I would rather know now so we can find someone who will last rather than have someone just passing through for a few days or whatever. Once business starts coming in again, I won’t have time to find and train a replacement and manage two other artists if this doesn’t work out.”
Whoa. Okay, so that sounded a little bit hostile.
“I’m a hard worker, Gabriel. Do you want to call my references?” I ask him. “Clint may be an ass since we just ended things last week, but he will tell you that I was a great assistant, never missed any work and always got things done.”
“What do you mean you just ended things last week?” he asks. “You were screwing your boss?”
“Ah, we were in a relationship for nearly a year, and then I broke up with him.”
“Is that what you’re going to do to Ian too?” he snaps.
“What’s going on, Gabriel?” I ask in concern. “We had fun together this weekend, and now it sort of feels like you’re attacking me for some unknown reason.”
“I don’t want you to screw around and hurt him. He’s been through enough, you know?” His jaw ticks like he’s annoyed with me, or maybe even angry, and I’m not sure what I did.
“You don’t like me with Ian?” I say when I finally think I realize the problem here.
“I don’t have a problem with you and Ian. If I did, why would I have gone to bed with you two Saturday night?”
“Why did he want you there?” I ask in confusion. “It seemed so out of the blue. And don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but I was surprised he brought it up.”
“What do you mean why did he want me there? The threesome was your idea.”
“My idea?” I exclaim. “No, it wasn’t.”
Shoving his fingers through his hair, Gabriel says, “I don’t understand. Are you saying that the threesome was Ian’s idea?”
“Well, yeah,” I respond. “Who else’s idea would it be?”
“He told me it was yours!” Gabriel explains.
“No, it definitely was not,” I assure him. “Ian asked me if I wanted to have a threesome with you. I didn’t say yes right away, but he was very persistent until I finally agreed.”
“So Ian suggested the whole thing?” he asks.
“Yep.”
“When specifically?”
“Saturday night,” I answer, since I thought it was obvious.
“No, I mean, when did he bring it up with you on Saturday?”
“Oh, ah, I guess it was right after we had finished eating pizza and then you knocked on the door…”
“That asshole!” Gabriel shouts as he gets to his feet.
“What?” I say when I stand up too.
“It doesn’t matter,” he huffs.
“Gabriel, tell me. Please? I’m just as confused as you are here.”
“No,” he says with a chuckle. “If anyone’s confused, it’s Ian. He ruined my date Saturday night!”
“He did?”
“Yes!” he shouts as he paces around with his fingers still tugging on his silky, black hair in frustration. “Ian saw me when I was getting ready to leave, and I told him about it. That’s when he threw the whole threesome idea in my face. He told me that you wanted it, and that if I wasn’t interested, he would ask Cedric.”
“That’s not…he didn’t mention anything about Cedric to me,” I reply.
“So he’s the one who wanted me to join you two?” Gabriel asks.
“Ah, yeah, I guess so. Why?”
“I…I can’t answer that question,” he says.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s none of your fucking business!”
I startle at his raised voice since he’s usually so calm and quiet and…
“Oh my god,” I mutter when I finally realize why Gabriel seems so protective over Ian and why he doesn’t seem to like me very much. It’s more than Gabriel trying to be a good friend. He’s jealous. “You love him.”
“That’s not…that’s ridiculous,” he mutters, but without any emotion behind it.
“You do, Gabriel. And Ian knows how you feel about him,” I say when it hits me. “That’s why he practically begged me to let you join us Saturday night. He knows, and he feels the same way, or he feels guilty…”
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“Then explain it to me, Gabriel. Why did he want you in bed with us?”
“You’ll have to ask him that,” he says.
“I don’t think he would tell me the truth,” I respond. After Gabriel refuses to talk and just slumps over the front counter in defeat, I find myself asking him, “Do you know how many times Ian and I had sex this weekend?”
His cringe is all the confirmation I need that I’m right about this, about them.
“Three times. Just three times, and you were there for each one,” I explain.
“What do you mean?” he asks.
“I thought it was sort of strange how Ian barely touched me Saturday while we were at the beach and then yesterday afternoon and last night. Yes, we fooled around, but he didn’t even try to get inside of me.”
“Maybe you wore him out,” Gabriel makes up an excuse for his friend, the man he obviously cares about.
“You only agreed to the threesome to be with Ian, didn’t you? You didn’t even try to have sex with me. You just sort of tolerated me being there.”
“Please don’t…please just leave it alone, Quincey. I’m begging you!”
“You don’t want me to work for you either. The only reason you agreed to hire me was because Ian asked you to, right?” I ask him. “If you don’t want me to work here, just say so Gabriel. I can find another job.”
“No. Ian wants you here,” he says without hesitation.
“But you don’t want me here. You would rather have him all to yourself?”
“That’s not…I-I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he stammers without looking at me. “Could you please just drop this shit and never mention it again?”
“Do you love him, Gabriel?” I ask again. His silence is the only response I need, but I have to hear it from him. “If so, just tell me the truth, and I’ll leave without saying a word to anyone else. I’ll go back to stay with Peyton and Dalton. Or find a place of my own in Raleigh –”
“No!” he exclaims as he turns to me with a panic-stricken face. “You can’t leave.”
“Why not?” I ask in confusion. “Don’t you want me out of the way? Out of his bed so you can have him to yourself?”
“If you leave, he’ll kick me out of his bed for good too. I want to have another three-way with you.”
“Well, I’m sure you could find another woman to share,” I tell him. “Not that you two actually shared me. You don’t really like to touch me, do you? You just tolerated letting me blow you twice. And when you went down on me, that wasn’t about me at all, was it?”
“That’s…that’s not true. I love being with women.”
“Oh really?” I ask before I go over to him and reach around to give his ass a squeeze, which makes him flinch away from me. “See?”
“It’s not you,” he says on a sigh with his hands braced on h
is hips. “And I’m not gay.”
“Then what is it, Gabriel? You can trust me, you know? I won’t run my mouth about any of this,” I assure him.
He paces away from me with his hands resting on the back of his head, and I assume he’s going to avoid the question all together and tell me to get the fuck out. Finally, he comes to a stop, facing me but not meeting my eyes. “You can’t tell anyone. Ever. Especially any of the Kings.”
“I won’t.”
“It’s just, I’m not all that into, um, well, women.”
“Oh,” I reply when he finally admits the truth. I’m not really all that shocked. “You-you prefer to only be with men. Alone.”
“It’s not like I’ve never been with women!” he says defensively. “I’ve slept with plenty of women.”
“But you’ve been with some men too,” I conclude.
“Yes, I’m bisexual, and there’s not always a woman around when I’m with another guy.”
“Have you and Ian been together…alone?” I ask curiously since that would explain why Ian was so adamant about the threesome. Maybe the other man is in denial or refuses to give in to those kinds of desires.
“Yes. Well, sort of. You can’t tell him I told you this,” he grits out. Swallowing hard, he finally says, “When Ian was in prison, I, ah, I gave him head whenever I visited him these last few months. That’s all that’s ever happened between us, though.”
“How often did you…visit?”
“Once a week.”
“For months?”
He nods. “Almost a year.”
“Wow. That’s a lot of one-sided blowjobs.”
“No shit,” Gabriel says with a puff of laughter.
I’m a little shocked that Ian would do that to Gabriel, not because they’re both men, but because it sounds so…selfish. I can’t imagine how that made Gabriel feel, caring about Ian so much even though he refuses to touch him. No wonder he’s been a little hostile with me, a woman Ian just met and has done all sorts of things with.
“So that’s why you agreed to the threesome? You were hoping for more with Ian?” I ask even though now it’s pretty obvious.