by Marla Monroe
Shay didn’t know what to say. They’d caught her plain and simple. She didn’t know what to do. If she moved in with them, she’d have to admit how she felt about them at some point because it would be obvious to them. If she refused to move in with them, she was a coward and it would probably cripple their relationship. Wasn’t that a good thing? Didn’t she need to back away from them?
But I’m not ready to do that yet. I still need to make some more money to be able to leave here. I can’t stand losing them before I’m ready to leave.
Was that being stingy? Yeah. But she couldn’t stand losing them and watching them day in and day out while she struggled to deal with it all alone. She opened her mouth to say yes then closed it again. What was she doing?
“Say yes, Shay,” Maverick said in a soft voice. “We really want you here with us.”
That was all it took. That sincere request that sounded so full of need that she couldn’t say no even if she wanted to.
“Okay. I’ll move in. But not until Sunday. I need to work out this coming weekend and get my stuff ready,” she said.
“No problem. We’ll help you move. Will it all fit in our truck?” Gage asked.
“Until I moved here it all fit on my motorcycle, so I think it will all fit in your truck,” she said with a laugh.
“You shouldn’t have to get by with so little,” Maverick said. “You deserve pretty things.”
“They’re just things. They come and they go. If you get attached to them, then it hurts when you lose them,” she said.
Gage looked at Maverick. He looked back at her. “You shouldn’t have to lose them. But you’re right. It hurts when you lose things you get attached to. People, too.”
She looked up at him then over at Maverick. The way they were looking at her let her know they were talking about her. That worried her, but she let it go. She already knew it was going to hurt when she left them behind. It was going to hurt a lot, but it would be better to leave on her terms and not wait for them to put her out. Because, eventually they would. They always did.
Chapter Ten
“That’s all?” Maverick asked, staring at the accumulation of boxes sitting in the middle of the apartment’s living area. There were three boxes and two plastic bags and one backpack sitting there.
“That’s it.” Shay picked up her backpack and started to grab one of the plastic bags, but Gage stopped her.
“We’ve got this. You let us do this. You can make sure you didn’t miss anything and check the fridge and cabinets again,” Gage said.
“I’ve already checked everything,” she said.
“Do it again,” Maverick said, taking a box after piling a bag on top.
She sighed and walked back into the bedroom. She checked everywhere then the small bathroom and didn’t find a thing she’d left. It wasn’t like she’d had much to begin with. By the time she’d searched the entire apartment top to bottom again, they’d loaded her stuff and were waiting on her.
“All done?” Gage asked.
“All done. Nothing else here. I’m supposed to leave the keys in the mailbox,” she said.
“Let’s go. I want to get you settled in our place,” Maverick said.
Shay led the way then locked up for the last time and dropped the keys into the mailbox before following the guys to the truck. She climbed on her bike and followed them as they led her up the mountain to their home. Now it was hers, as well. Would she ever really feel that way about it though? She wasn’t sure. She couldn’t help but love it. It was perfect. She loved the hewed wood lines and how homey and warm it was on the inside. The gas logs would be wonderful in the winter, and the view off the balcony out the bedroom would be amazing come fall.
Yeah, she could see herself living there for a long time, but she knew it couldn’t happen. She would have to leave at some point. She just hoped she had the strength to walk away before they put her out. She didn’t think she would survive if they got tired of her and kicked her to the side. They already meant too much to her.
Why didn’t I pick up and leave when they first showed up at the bar? I had enough money for gas after the first night. Maybe not for a place to sleep, but I could have made it to the next town.
But she hadn’t, and here she was moving in with them and digging in a little deeper into the relationship well that she was sure would eventually drown her.
When she pulled off her helmet Gage took it from her and helped her off the bike. “You look a little lost. What’s up?”
“Huh? Nothing. Just thinking.”
“Go on inside. We’ll get your stuff. No need for you to worry about it. You can unpack it all later,” Gage said.
“I can help, guys. I’m not helpless,” she pointed out.
“We want to do it. Just go watch the Animal Planet. There’s a ball game on later that we’re going to want to watch, so binge watch while you can,” Gage said with a wink.
Shay rolled her eyes and shook her head. She strode inside and grabbed a water out of the fridge after setting her helmet on the bench by the front door. She set on the couch and turned on the Animal Planet and divided her time between watching it and each time the guys made a trip up the stairs with her things.
When Maverick didn’t come back down for a little while, she started to go up to see what was taking him so long, but Gage intercepted her and sat with her on the couch nibbling at her neck.
“What are you watching?” he asked.
“It’s about big cats,” she said.
“Lions and tigers,” he said.
“And jaguars, and cheetahs,” she added.
Maverick finally walked downstairs with the empty boxes and bags. He walked to the back door and outside again.
“He unpacked my stuff, didn’t he,” she said.
“Yeah. He was dead set on doing it,” Gage said.
“That was like personal stuff,” she said with a frown.
“Yeah, well. He wanted to be sure it all got unpacked and put away. Plus, he didn’t want you to have to spend any time doing it. Now it’s all done and you can still enjoy Animal Planet time,” Gage said.
“I’m going to be mad at him, you know,” she said.
“That’s between you and him. I’m just an innocent bystander,”
“You kept me down here while he did it, so you’re not as innocent as you think, buster.”
“I didn’t physically hold you back,” Gage pointed out.
“Semantics.”
“Just saying.”
“What’s going on?” Maverick asked when he walked back inside.
“I’m mad at both of you for unpacking my things,” she said.
“I wanted to be sure you got everything unpacked without having to waste time doing it yourself,” Maverick said.
“You wanted to be sure it got unpacked and I didn’t keep any of it in bags or boxes,” she said, narrowing her eyes.
“That, too,” he said.
“That was personal stuff.”
“I closed my eyes for the really personal stuff like tampons and feminine wash and shit like that,” he said with a smile.
“Asshole.”
“Why are you mad at Gage? He didn’t do anything,” Maverick asked.
“He kept me down here so I wouldn’t go see what you were doing.”
“Caught on to that, did you?”
“Yep.”
“She got you, man,” Maverick said.
“I pointed out that I didn’t physically hold her down, but she’s not buying it,” Gage said with a shrug.
“So, are we like in the dog house?” Maverick asked.
“Oh, yeah,” she said, smirking.
“What does that mean?” Gage asked.
“Probably no sex,” Maverick said with a frown.
“No cooking either,” she added.
“What?” they asked together with feigned horror.
“That will teach you to do underhanded things around me again,” she said.
“Are you sorry?” she asked.
“We’re sorry you’re not cooking,” Maverick said.
“Mav. We’re sorry you went through her personal shit and all,” Gage said.
“Yeah. What he said,” Maverick said.
Shay couldn’t hold back the laughter at their poor effort at groveling. “Fine. I’ll cook after tomorrow. Tonight and tomorrow night we’re having sandwiches. Live with it.”
They both groused, but didn’t try and change her mind. They knew they’d been in the wrong. She was so glad she didn’t keep a vibrator among her personal things. Yeah, it sucked not to have one when she was especially needy some nights, but at times like this, she was relieved. It was bad enough that he’d seen her personal hygiene stuff.
When the basketball game started, she went upstairs to see where Maverick had put her things and found that not only were her things now in the master bedroom but theirs were, as well. She smiled to see theirs were neatly stacked in drawers next to hers and that she had one whole closet with like four things in it while they were sharing the other walk-in closet. She poked around in the bathroom for her things and noted that Maverick had plugged in her hair dryer for her and even sat out her shampoo and conditioner in the shower.
She felt her eyes tear up at the little things he’d done like leave her razor on the shelf next to the shampoo. He’d made sure she felt at home there. It meant more to her than he would ever know. A little more of her fell for them. A little more of that resolve she had to leave slid away. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to have to prepare herself to hurt instead of to leave. Then again, it was going to hurt to leave anyway.
* * * *
Over the next week, Shay found herself drawn closer and closer to the two men. They teased her and argued with her until she was either laughing or throwing her hands up in the air in defeat. Either way, they were getting under her skin more and more each day. She found that they fit together, the three of them. It was almost like they’d been made for each other. How could three people fit so seamlessly together like that?
Sunday afternoon she took them shopping for groceries for the next week. You would have thought she was taking Maverick to an amusement park. He was that excited. Gage just shook his head and came along.
“You just want us to carry the bags back and forth,” he said.
“There’s that,” she had agreed.
“So what’s first?” Maverick asked. “The meat?”
“No. Meat and produce are always last. Meat is temperature sensitive, and produce is tender and easily bruised,” she told him.
“Who knew there were rules for grocery shopping?” Gage said.
“Yeah, we’ve been doing it backwards all this time,” Maverick pointed out.
Shay laughed and shook her head. Men always went to the meat first. It was in their nature to hunt. She steered them toward the canned aisles and began filling the cart with what she’d need for the next week. By the time they finished, the cart was full and the men were bored. They’d started reading off labels and making fun of them, much to some of the other shoppers’ amusement. Shay had just laughed and said she couldn’t take them anywhere.
Once they’d checked out, the guys loaded the groceries into the truck while she waited. She noticed that halfway through Maverick nearly dropped a bag and Gage took over while Maverick held the cart. Shay didn’t say a thing but felt for him. She knew it upset him when his hands acted up.
Gage took the driver’s seat while Maverick helped her up from the passage side then slid in next to her. She immediately fastened her seat belt then pulled Maverick’s hand over to her lap to hold on to it as if nothing was wrong. She could feel his fingers twitching, but she didn’t say a word.
By the time they made it to the house, the twitching had disappeared, and Maverick was gripping her hand as tightly as she’d gripped his. He helped unload the bags while she put the items away in the kitchen. It didn’t take long at all with the three of them working together to have everything done. Gage tossed the plastic bags into the recycle sack and pulled out two beers and a Diet Coke for her.
“How about sitting out on the deck and watching the sunset?” Gage suggested.
“I like that idea,” Shay said.
Maverick opened his beer and nodded, nudging Shay toward the stairs.
Shay followed Gage with Maverick following her. They stepped out on the deck through the French doors off the master bedroom and sat on the lounge chairs with their drinks. The sun was hovering over the mountains in the distance, getting ready to sink behind them.
“It’s so pretty out here,” Shay whispered.
“It is, but why are you whispering?” Maverick asked.
“I don’t know. It just seems like you should,” she said.
“I get it,” Gage said. “It’s like being in church or something.”
“Like being in the presence of God,” Shay said.
They continued watching until the sun was nothing but a glow peeking from the mountain top.
“Better go in before the mosquitoes carry us off,” Gage said.
“I think I’ve already donated a pint of blood,” Shay complained.
“Why didn’t you say something before now?” Maverick growled. “I don’t want you to end up with some kind of disease.”
“Come on inside. No fussing,” Gage said.
“Next time we spray her before we go outside at night,” Maverick insisted.
“Fine. Now drop it,” Gage said.
“I’m an adult, not a child. I can make those decisions myself you know,” she snapped.
“You didn’t think about it either,” Maverick pointed out.
“I’ll think about it next time though. So stop babying me.”
Gage sighed and pulled her into his arms and silenced her with a kiss. It was how he normally stopped them from arguing. He kissed her into silence. As kisses went, it was always a good kiss. It usually led to heavy petting which ended up with them in bed or on the couch which led to sex. She couldn’t complain about his methods at all.
Chapter Eleven
Shay lay there long after the guys had gone to sleep thinking about her situation. Their soft snores were comforting to her, and that made it even more important for her to think about what she was going to do. She was falling for them. She recognized the signs for what they were.
The last time she’d fallen for someone he’d taken that love and thrown it in her face with her best friend. She’d sworn she’d never let someone get that close to her again, and look what she’d done. She’d gone and let two people get that close to her.
I’m in so much trouble. I love them. I have to admit it. They’ve slowly wormed their way into my heart and have me hooked on them. What am I going to do?
Shay didn’t know. She could leave now. She didn’t really have enough money yet, but in another month she would, but that would kill her to leave them now. Would it hurt any worse to wait them out until they got tired of her? Maybe, but did she even have the strength to leave now anyway?
Even if they wanted her to stay with them forever, would it even work long-term? Yeah, there were other threesomes up here on the mountain who seemed to have it working, but it didn’t mean that their relationship would. Any relationship took hard work. A threesome would take even more work to make it work. Was she up for that kind of commitment?
Did she care about one of them more than the other one? Shay thought about it, and she couldn’t say that she did. She cared about them differently. Gage was more fun-loving and was easier to talk to. She liked to talk to him about his games and the Animal Planet. Maverick was her cooking buddy. Though he didn’t talk much, he was a good helper. She knew he was self-conscious about his hands, and she got that. She was extra careful not to draw attention to them. He had a playful side to him at times, and she enjoyed it when it came out.
No, s
he didn’t like or care about one of them over the other.
She wouldn’t choose one of them other the other.
Did that mean a threesome would work between them? Maybe they did have a chance. Shay hoped so because she was in it now for better or worse. She couldn’t walk away if she wanted to, and it looked like she didn’t want to.
The next morning she woke to find that the guys had already gotten up and dressed, leaving her in bed to sleep in. She smiled and stretched. She could get used to lying in sometimes. After showering, she pulled on shorts and a tank then slipped into her tennis shoes and went in search of the guys. She found Gage eating a sandwich in the kitchen with a scowl on his face.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Nothing. Just annoyed ’cause Maverick cooked eggs for himself but didn’t bother to cook any for me,” he said.
“Why didn’t you cook your own?” she asked.
“Cause I always burn them.”
“I could have cooked some for you. All you had to do was wake me up, Gage.”
“You needed your sleep. I didn’t have to have eggs. It was just the fact that Maverick snickered as he ate his eggs in front of me,” Gage said.
Shay bit back a smile. “I think that would have pissed me off, too.”
“Damn right it did.”
“Next time, wake me up and I’ll fix pancakes for you guys, okay?” she asked.
Gage’s eyes grew wide as saucers. “You bet. You’re going to be early tonight so you can get up in the morning.”
Shay giggled. “We’ll see how that works out for you.”
“How what works out?” Maverick walked in with a cup and refilled it with coffee.
“Nothing,” Gage said, looking over at Shay as if to tell her to not spill the beans.
Shay winked at him and didn’t say a word.
“How did you sleep, babe?” Maverick asked, pulling her into a one-armed hug.
“Great. Thanks for letting me sleep in this morning.”