Strictly Research (Bad Boy MFM Romance)

by Terry Towers

The excitement dimmed, but just a smidge. She seemed to already have made her mind up. “Like what?”

  “We didn’t hunt you down looking for a place to stay.”

  “Never said or thought you did.”

  “It would feel like freeloading.”

  “Hardly. You two would be helping with the rent,” she countered. If nothing else, she seemed to be getting more and more excited over the idea.

  She wasn’t going to back down easily, though he wasn’t sure why he was even trying to change her mind. “What if you want to have a man over?”

  Her brow creased and she cocked her head to the side, giving me a peculiar look. “Why would that be a concern?”

  “Because I think the guy you bring home would be a little turned off to know you live with two former male prostitutes.”

  “Like they’d ever know.” Her grin widened. “Besides, why would I even want to date some internet loser when I have you two to fulfill my every desire?”

  “Oh, so we’re going to be your boy toys, huh?”

  A gleam of triumph flashed in her eyes. She was winning this battle and knew it. “That would just be a bonus. And it would be awesome to have a couple of experts in the act of amore here. You know,” she shrugged, “For research purposes.”

  “Uh-huh.” I looked over at Xander and he was grinning almost as widely as she was.

  Neither one was seeing the problems that it could cause. Standing, I extended my hand to Monica. “Can I talk to you a moment in private, please?”

  “Fucking private?” Xander raised a brow at me, giving me a bewildered look. “Seriously, man.”

  “Yeah.” I gave him a look that said not to push it. I could see the confusion in her gaze, but I needed some time to really talk to her about the possibilities. Taking her hand, I gave it a tug, pulling her to her feet.

  “But…” she protested, but went along with me into the bedroom. I closed the door behind us. Usually I wouldn’t hide anything from Xander. In fact, I’d happily divulge why I wanted her alone once I spoke with her – without the peanut gallery’s input. “What’s this all about?” She asked the moment the door was closed behind us.

  Sitting on the edge of the bed, I patted the spot beside me. “Come on, sit down. We need to talk.”

  “I assumed as much. But why without Xander?” She sat down on the bed crossed-legged beside me.

  “Xander brought something to me last week. The morning after we started the night, that first night. I’ve been pondering it. I’m still not even sure how I feel exactly.”

  She leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees. “Just spit it out.”

  “Our relationship with you, while we’ve been playing the friendship game, hasn’t been quite that way on our side and I suspect that it isn’t on yours, as well.”

  She blushed, a stunning rosy glow colouring her cheeks, but said nothing so I continued.

  “The thing is if we were to move in here it’s going to be hard on all of our parts to keep things platonic.”

  “Oh…” I could almost see her mind whirling with the information.

  “Xander made a suggestion.”

  “Which was.”

  “We share you.”

  She paused, eyeing me intently. “Come again.”

  “We both have romantic feelings for you and after spending this past week with you, I’m certain that the feelings aren’t one-sided.”

  She lowered her gaze and nodded. “You’re right. I do.”

  “So you have an option. Choose one of us, or we entertain the idea of a threesome type of relationship.”

  “Have you even been in one like that before?”

  I shook my head. “Never. It wasn’t something that I would ever humor, before you. Generally, Xander and I have very different tastes in women. I don’t know if it would even work without jealousy. But one thing I do know is that if we were to move in here, something would come to a head. Xander has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. I won’t let anyone or anything change that.”

  Taking her lower lip between her teeth, she bowed her head. “I’m not sure what to say.”

  Placing my hand on her knee, I gave it a gentle squeeze. “Xander and I are going to leave for the night. I just ask you give it some thought. Give it all some serious thought. What do you want, one of us? Both of us? Neither? How would you expect us living with you to work? Think about these things and tomorrow let us know if you’re still on board with us moving in here. If so, then we think seriously about it.”

  She didn’t answer.

  Capturing her chin in my hand I gently urged her gaze up so it met mine. “Promise you’ll really think about this and not jump into anything without a clear head. If you decide you want to try a relationship between the three of us, it’s going to be hard. It took me this past week to decide it’s something I would be willing to give a shot, simply because I’d rather share you than not have you at all.”

  “I…” She shook her head. “I’ve never had anyone say anything so sweet to me before. Ever.”

  There’s a million things I could say to her, but I refrained. I did what I set out to do. I gave her the information to consider. Anything else said would just confuse things and perhaps lean her toward a choice she may not have decided otherwise. It was time to grab Xander and leave for the night. “Think about it.”

  “Okay. I will.”

  Leaning forward, I gave her a soft, tender kiss on the lips. “Then I’ll leave you with it.” Getting up, I left her in the bedroom closing the door behind me.

  “Hey, man. What the fuck was that?” Xander asked as I made my way over to the sofa.

  “We’re leaving.”

  “Why the fuck are we doing that?” Despite the question, he stood and followed me to the door.

  “Because I told her that we wanted to share her and she needs time alone to think it over.”

  “Shit.” He thrust a hand into his hair. “So did she say something, anything, about it?”

  “Nothing. I told her not to say anything until she gave it a lot of thought.” We reached the door and I opened it up, exiting after Xander. Monica hadn’t followed me from the bedroom and I was happy for that.

  “Fair enough.”

  We walked down the hallway and to the elevator in silence, both lost in our own thoughts. This had the potential to be either the best or worst decision I’d ever made. I just prayed that if she chose both of us that I’d be able to handle sharing the woman I was falling in love with.

  Chapter 16

  Monica

  I watched as the two men in my life exited the apartment building and jogged across the street towards the train station. Mitchell’s proposal threw me for a loop. I had been suspecting they were both falling for me, but I hadn’t allowed myself to give it much thought beyond day to day fearing that it may be less about them falling for me and more my own wishful thinking. This is the type of stuff that happened in my books, in my wildest fantasies, it certainly didn’t happen to women like me.

  And to be completely honest, I had no idea what to do or how to react. Sure, there had been parts of me that secretly fantasied about having two hot men to myself – one on each arm. And the sex, ohmygod, need I even bring that up? The sex was incredible, having two beautiful men intent on making you their world.

  But there was so much to consider. Mitch had been right on that.

  After spending an hour pacing through my apartment, I threw on my jacket and shoes and decided to go for a walk. I didn’t care where, anywhere that would maybe free my mind for a minute. After a half hour of walking I found myself wandering into a bar. It was a lightly traveled bar that Joseph and I would go to from time to time, where up and coming bands and artists could play their music.

  Tonight there was a pretty, dark-haired female soloist. She was on stage with her guitar playing a romantic song that I had never heard before. I assumed it was something she wrote herself. It was very good, soulful. It seemed to ca
ll out to me, her lyrics mimicking how I felt inside; twisted, scared, unsure, but wanting to make the plunge regardless.

  I ordered a drink. Then a second one. I was on my third when the young woman who I discovered was named Josie Cannon announced she only had three more songs to sing before her set was up. I felt a tap on my left shoulder.

  With a start, I jumped in my seat and turned to follow the finger to the hand and eventually to the face that it belonged to. My heart stopped for a split second before it restarted and I smiled. “Xander. What are you doing here?”

  “Stalking you, pretty lady.”

  Laughing, I rolled my eyes at him. “Seriously. Why?”

  “I might ask you the same thing.” He looked at the empty seat at the two person table. “That seat taken?”

  “Not yet.”

  He sat down and leaned his elbows on the table top, fixating his gaze onto mine. “I had to get out of the hotel room, I told Mitch I was going out for a walk and landed here.”

  “Great minds think alike.”

  “Indeed they do. He told me what he said to you.”

  “He said it was your idea.”

  “It was.”

  “Why?” Leaning back in my chair, I brought my wine cooler to my lips and took a drink.

  “It seemed to be a good solution. At first I thought about going head to head with him for you.”

  “Why didn’t you?” I couldn’t help but play devil’s advocate. At least a little, anyhow. I was curious to find out how the whole idea came about. “I mean, wouldn’t you prefer to have a woman to yourself and not have to share?”

  He didn’t miss a beat. “Of course I would.”

  My heart sank a little. This wouldn’t work. It was a band-aid solution to something that would ultimately blow up in our faces.

  He reached out took my free hand, pulling me to my feet. “Dance with me.”

  “Huh?” I thought we were having a serious conversation and he was just blowing it off. “Shouldn’t we...?”

  “We will.” He led me to the little dance floor at the center of the room and pulled me into his arms, swaying to the sound of the soft, sultry music. It felt so good in his arms, my face nuzzling against his neck, but I also felt a little embarrassed. There weren’t many people in the bar, and none were dancing. In fact, we were quickly becoming the main attraction. I kept my face buried into his neck and ignored the eyes I knew were on us.

  I indulged in the feel of him for a song, but just for one. I needed to know what to do. I needed answers. Pulling back just far enough so I could look into his eyes I asked, “Then why suggest it if you don’t want to share?”

  He met my gaze, and a soft smile touched his lips. “I would prefer not to share, but that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to. For you.”

  “But how would it work?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Sleeping arrangements? Sex? And if things progress, all the other things that come with being in a relationship?”

  “Mitch and I aren’t gay. Or bi for that matter, despite playing the part while in Amsterdam. We’d both have our own rooms, as would you. You’d go to who you want and of course on the days you felt a little greedy and wanted us both, you’d have us.”

  I laughed, hard. “This really has to be some sort of dream and I’m going to wake up any minute.”

  “Let’s test that out.”

  “Huh? How?”

  He pinched me on the bottom and I squealed, attempting to squirm out of his embrace, but he wouldn’t allow it, holding tight. “So, real?” His hand grazed my bottom again and I bucked against him, rubbing against his groin and feeling him start to grow against my stomach.

  “Okay, real. It’s real. But maybe I need another test.”

  Cocking a brow at me he replied, “You going to fondle my ass? ‘Cause that would be super.”

  Giggling, I shook my head. “Nope.” Pressing up against him, I tilted my head up just enough to let my lips graze his. “I think there’s better ways to prove it,” I whispered, kissing him a little harder. He responded and I moaned against his lips, completely forgetting that I was ever concerned there were other people around. When he pulled back, I was left breathless and yearning for more.

  No sex for nearly a year had taken its toll on me. It had been so long I was beginning to not even care about sex. I had gotten myself back into the all work and no play routine. But now, after a week of being around the two of them and here, now, dancing so close, all I could think about was getting them both back to my place and experiencing some of the pleasures they’d shown me before.

  But this time would be different. This time they were mine and only mine.

  I stopped swaying to the music and stared up at him.

  Xander placed a hand on my cheek and ran his thumb along my lower lip. “What, baby?”

  “Let’s do it.”

  “Do it?” His brow furrowed as he stared down at me. “You mean?”

  “I mean I want to try this. It may work, it may not, but I want to try. It’s not the norm, but there’s no guarantees in any relationship, anyway. I’m tired of going with safe and not taking chances, and what better thing to take a chance on than you two. You and Mitchell have made me feel things.” When he gave me a devious look, followed by a wag of his eyebrows I swatted his shoulder. “Not just those types of things. But for the first time in a long time, if ever, I feel cherished and desired and…” Loved? I didn’t say that. None of us were there yet, I didn’t think, but I was on my way and I knew in my heart of hearts they both were, too.

  ~*~ TT ~*~

  Xander

  I never expected to see Monica at the bar. I’d just needed some time to myself to think. When I suggested the idea to Mitch I really didn’t think he’d go for it. When he’d finally decided it was the way he wanted to proceed earlier tonight it had thrown me for a loop. I’d honestly begun to dismiss the idea. But life has a way of throwing curveballs at you. So here I was, back in New York, about to go to medical school a year earlier than expected and holding the most incredible woman I’d ever met in my arms, with plans of moving in with her and Mitch.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked, pulling away from me and looking deep into my eyes, a look of concern creeping onto her features.

  I smiled, attempting to reassure her. “I was thinking that perhaps this is an excellent idea.”

  She tilted her head to the side and waited for me to explain further.

  “Besides, I don’t think either Mitch, nor I could handle you all on our own. I’m thinking it’s going to be a two man effort.”

  Laughing, she gave me a swat on the shoulder. “I’m hardly a handful.”

  “In all seriousness, medical school is so draining and intensive and lasts for years. I think it would only be fair to have us both. You deserve more than a part-time boyfriend that tries to fit you in. Between the two of us I hope we can be the man you deserve.”

  The concern faded and something else appeared in her expression. Love? I looked deep into her eyes. And yes, I could see it, the flicker of something more than mere attraction or ‘like.’ She was falling in love. Scratch that, she wasn’t falling in love, she already was in love.

  “I’ve never been in love, or had someone fall in love with me,” I said softly, the words coming out before I could stop them. It was meant to be something I said in my head only and quite frankly I was as surprised as she was at the declaration.

  Releasing her, I kept her hand in mine as I motioned for us to leave. This wasn’t a conversation to be had in front of strangers. She nodded and left the bar heading in the direction of her apartment building. Neither of us spoke for close to ten minutes, and I hoped she’d forgotten my silly comment.

  She hadn’t. “Are you serious?”

  I nodded, feeling heat creep up into my face. “Never.”

  “That’s rather hard to believe.”

  “You and me both, but no. I’ve never been with anyone long enough t
o gain those feelings. Mitch is the one who gravitated towards the long-term things and thinking ahead. I was more of a day by day, girl to girl, kinda guy.”

  “A playboy.”

  Laughing, I shook my head, not really denying it. How could I deny it, I spent two years selling my body to the highest bidder. “I wasn’t ready or interested in something serious. And I never found anyone that could sway me from my bachelor ways.”

  “Until now,” she teased.

  I looked down at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “Until now. I’m falling hard for you, Monica.”