The young waitress came over, a pretty red head with a curvy ass and a plunging neckline. She flirted with both of them, flaunting her cleavage in their eye line, sealing the promise of a big tip at the end of the night. Gage averted his eyes the best he could, not really in the mood for playful banter, but Leo’s teasing did not go unnoticed. As much as he loved his friend, he’d be lying if he said it didn’t piss him off.
“So, this is pretty fucked up, isn’t it?” Leo offered candidly, his eyes following the ass of the waitress all the way back to the bar.
Gage sat back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of him.
“You can say that again,” he agreed.
“I didn’t want to get into it with you the other night, not in front of Nora,” Leo continued, smiling sheepishly when he realized he had been caught leering at the server.
“I’m sure that was a wise choice,” Gage agreed, curious about Leo’s take on the situation.
It was obvious to Gage that Leo was uncomfortable. They both were.
“Did you know she was seeing someone else?” Leo asked, obviously putting out feelers.
Gage really didn’t want to discuss his and Nora’s relationship with Leo, but under the circumstances, what choice did he have?
“Yeah. We talked about keeping things casual, at least until the NHL season was over. She told me she was dating other people,” Gage explained, wondering where Leo was going.
“Did she say there was anything serious?” Leo asked tightly.
His smile was friendly but his eyes were not, Gage observed.
“No man, we didn’t talk about that,” Gage assured.
He sat forward, leaning his arms on the table in front of him, ignoring the sticky residue left after a half-assed job of wiping off the table with a dirty bar towel.
“Yeah, she was honest with me too,” Leo admitted, easing his tone, “about seeing other people. Truthfully, I didn’t think much of it. Up until a few weeks ago, I was unsure how I felt about things. I was happy to keep things casual, too.”
Both men sat back, as the waitress returned with their beers. She placed them down in front of them, immodestly leaning over so that Leo could enjoy the view. He took full advantage of it.
“What changed?” Gage asked, not sure he really wanted to know. “A few weeks ago?”
“I dunno man, I just started thinking about her more and more often, you know? Every time we were together I just felt more at home,” Leo said, pausing to take a drink of beer. “She just has this way about her. She makes me believe in love again. She makes me feel happy.”
If Leo had been talking about anyone else but Nora, Gage would have been thrilled for him. For years he had wanted his friend to meet someone that would help turn him around and give up his philandering ways. Leo rejected love because he didn’t think he deserved it, but the truth was, he was fucking terrified. Gage knew it would take a special women to crack through his armor, someone patient and decent. Someone like Nora. But he was fucking pissed at the godless bastard that put Nora in Leo’s path. He loved the man. They were bros. But Leo had the emotional intelligence of a baboon, and the attention span as well. Even if Nora wasn’t the woman Gage was crazy about, he would hate to see her with a guy like Leo.
“I think I love her, man,” Leo admitted, toasting his glass to the air, before taking a long swallow.
Gage looked away, hiding his expression from his friend so he wouldn’t reveal his cynicism, or his hurt.
After a thoughtful pause, Gage replied, “Well then, we do have a dilemma, don’t we?”
“Do we?” Leo asked, grinning passively.
Gage shook his head and chuckled, certain that Leo was goading him, pissing on his tree or something.
“It sure looks that way,” he offered flatly, standing his ground.
“Why is that?” Leo mused, trying to push his buttons.
Gage shrugged his shoulders, unfazed, “Because I know I’m in love with her, man.”
Leo sat back in his chair spreading his thighs, the way men do when they want to metaphorically compare dick sizes, to intimidate each other.
“So, what do you want to do?”
“I don’t think it’s up to us man,” Gage chirped, taking a swig of his beer.
Gage knew that Leo was playing him, hoping that he would back down. The truth was, Leo had always been the alpha male in their friendship, mostly because Gage knew it was more important to Leo than it was to him. He typically acceded to Leo on most issues, whether they were debating politics, deciding where to hang out on vacation, or even where the fuck to eat dinner. He let Leo win because it was just easier, not because he was weaker.
“So, just let Nora decide?” Leo grunted, curiously raising a brow.
Gage shook his head, smiling impatiently at his friend, “Of course let Nora decide. This is about what will make her happy. You and I already know what we want.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Leo questioned, his face unsuccessfully masking his discomfort.
“I trust her, man. She’s a beautiful, caring, intelligent woman. I know that she will make whatever choice is right for her, and if that’s you, Leo, then I’ll accept it. I won’t be fucking happy that she didn’t want me, but I’ll wish her the best, because that’s all I want for her,” Gage admitted, his thoughts drifting to the woman he loved.
“I guess,” Leo muttered, swallowing the last of his beer.
The waitress walked by and he smiled at her, gesturing for another two beers. Gage waved her off, declining one for himself. He had to be at the arena in a few hours. Tonight was the last game of the season, and it was a big one. He needed to be sharp.
“Nora and I are good together, Gage. I don’t know what you two have, but she gets me, you know? She has helped me work through a lot of my shit. Corrine fucking messed me up. I loved that woman and she just threw me away like yesterday’s garbage. I wasn’t going to ever let that happen again. I never intended to fall for Nora, just have some fun with her, you know? But she just kept surprising me, over and over again. She just makes me... better... like I want to try to be the kind of man that she deserves,” Leo shared, his words appearing soft and truthful.
Gage raised his eyes, assessing him, hoping for a ‘but’, like a, ’but I know I could never make her as happy as she deserves,’ or ‘but I’m not ready to settle down with her,’ but it never came. He had never heard his friend talk like that about anyone. When he had walked into the bar that afternoon he was prepared to fight for Nora, figuring he would uncover the truth that Leo was only using her, or duel to the death for her, but now, now he wasn’t sure.
Everything happened for a reason, didn’t it? Maybe Nora was meant to come into Leo’s life. Maybe he did need her. Seeing his friend happy was something that Gage had always hoped for. Leo was good shit, deep down, and if there was a woman that could draw that goodness to the surface, could he stand in the way?
The waitress came by and set Leo’s beer in front of him.
“Here you go, anything else I can do for you?” she purred, picking up his empty glass.
Leo looked up and winked at her.
“That’s all for now, Darlin.’ If I need anything else, I’ll come find you,” he flirted.
“At your service,” she teased, suggesting more than another cheap beer.
She sashayed away, leaving behind the scent of desperation and drug store perfume.
Leo looked at his friend and shrugged, as if to say, ‘what’s a guy to do.’ Gage wanted to overlook the flirtatious exchange and stay focused on the words Leo had just confessed, but it nagged at him. If Nora did choose Leo, would she be destined to a life with a man who’s eyes landed on every pretty skirt that walked by? Could he be faithful to her once the reality of monogamy set in?
“I hear you, Leo, I do. The thing is, I don’t need Nora to make me happy. I’m already happy and I want to share that with her. I love ya, man, you know that, and I don’t want to see you hur
t. I have been there for you half my life and I know how hard it’s been for you to find the right woman. Nothing makes me happier than hearing you admit that you want to be the kind of man Nora deserves. But, buddy, I’m already that man, and make no mistake, I’m ready to step up and make that woman mine,” Gage offered confidently, his determined eyes urging his friend to challenge him.
Leo sat back, smirking at Gage, assessing his words as though carefully sizing him up. Gage didn’t flinch, instead he grinned back and waited to see what his friend would do. They sat that way for several minutes, like two Old West gun slingers, waiting to see who would draw first.
Finally Leo started to laugh, not in a nervous way, but in the way friends do when they know they’ve pushed the boundary of their friendship as far as it will stretch and suddenly realize the bond is unbreakable. It took a minute for Gage to recognize that Leo was standing down. Not giving up necessarily, just admitting that he’d met his match with Gage.
“Okay, so no matter what happens, regardless of who Nora chooses, we’re still brothers, right?” Leo asked warmly, his expression relaxing. “If she happens to choose me, we stay friends?”
Gage thought about it for a split second and nodded, “Of course. I love you man. I’ll bow out gracefully. And if she chooses me?”
Leo inhaled deeply, as though he hadn’t really considered than an option.
“I’m not gonna lie, I think it might kill me to see her with you, but I guess I will have to deal with it if it comes.”
Gage had a feeling his friend would be okay. He had built up a pretty thick skin over the years, and even though his coping skills were questionable, they were easily accessible.
“If she does choose you, don’t fuck it up man,” Gage warned.
His tone was humorous, but his words were not.
“I think it would kill me to see Nora hurt.”
Leo looked at him, and at first he seemed insulted, but his eyes quickly softened with understanding. He held out his hand in a gesture of friendship, sealing the contract between them. Gage accepted the gesture, and shook Leo’s hand, hoping the best man would win Nora’s heart.
“Listen, maybe we’ll regret this, but let me run something by you,” Leo enticed, a playful grin materializing on his lips.
CHAPTER 25
NORA
Nora searched frantically for her phone, anxiety racing through her blood. No matter where she looked, she couldn’t seem to find it. The incessant ringing calling out to her, tormenting her. Just as she was ready to give up looking, she found it, oddly right in her purse.
It was Leo calling her. As soon as she saw his name on the display her heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t heard from him in days, not even a text message. Both he and Gage seemed to be respecting her need for seclusion.
She had spent the weekend taking care of herself, and even though her vacation was starting on Monday, she took a personal day, feeling too unsettled from Leo’s party to face her Friday patients. She slept, read, cried, worked out, and whatever else struck her fancy in the moment. The only thing she didn’t do was talk, to anyone, not even her sister. She was hoping for an epiphany, a sign from the universe, like a giant cartoon mallet bouncing off her head. Anything to help her reach a conclusion about the two men she had fallen in love with.
Now she stared at the phone in her hand, waffling with indecision, uncertain if she should answer or not, yet aching to speak to him. Her thumb, hovering over the answer button, pressed down as if it had a mind of its own.
She said hello, her heart beating in her chest, both desiring and dreading his words at the same time. He told her that he missed her, that he needed to see her and asked her to come to his house. She told him that she couldn’t, that she wasn’t ready to see him, she still hadn’t made up her mind, and that it wasn’t fair to Gage. He told her Coop was there too, and that they both wanted to see her. He said they had been talking to one another and they thought they had a way to help her. He insisted she come by, that everything would make sense when she got there. So she agreed.
He met her at the door, smiling and content, as though he hadn’t a care in the world. He told her she looked beautiful, even though she knew it was a lie, because she was a hot mess and she knew it. He invited her in, taking her hand and leading her, step by step. The staircase seemed never-ending, and she had this sinking feeling that she was trying to reach a destination that she would never arrive at.
Gage was waiting for them, sitting on the couch. He looked just as relaxed as Leo did, confident, sexy, and dreamy. He stood up and greeted her with a gentle kiss on the cheek, respectful of Leo’s presence in the room. She was confused by the whole scene, and told them so. Leo assured her that everything was going to be okay. Tears welled up in her eyes, wishing he was right, but certain he wasn’t.
He told her to sit down, and handed her a drink. She gratefully did as he asked, sitting tentatively beside Gage. She tossed the bourbon back, taking great pleasure from the liquid amber burning down her throat. It brought her back to life a bit. He asked her if she wanted another, filling her shot glass before she could even answer him. She toasted her glass against the bottle and whispered bottoms up before taking the second hit. She knew it would make her tipsy, but she didn’t care, she craved liquid courage.
Leo laughed at her, taking her glass and setting it on the coffee table beside the bottle. He gently urged her to relax, then took the open space on the other side of her. The energy in-between her two men was palpable, curiously hot, and raised the goosebumps on her flesh. She asked them why they had brought her there. Leo told her that he and Gage were talking and realized that her decision wasn’t easy, and they wanted to find a way to make things simpler for her. She told them that she didn’t see what they could do, that she was crazy about both of them. She confessed that she was terrified that no matter what she decided, she would drive a wedge between the two of them.
They both laughed at her, like they found her words sweet and naive. She didn’t like that they seemed so nonchalant about something she had anguished over. It didn’t make sense.
Gage assured her that he and Leo were grown men and that even though one of them was going to walk away without her, they had a bond that could never be broken. She glanced from one to the other, looking for a sign, a hint of uncertainty, but there was none. Convinced by their sincerity, she asked them what they had in mind. The two men looked at each other knowingly, each of them waiting for the other to speak. Finally Leo offered her their idea.
We want to both make love to you, he told her, taking her hand in his. Gage reached for her other hand, to assure her that he was on the same page. Confused, Nora told them that she didn’t understand, how would making love to each of them one more time help her in the least? Gage chuckled softly, making her turn her head towards him. He kissed her ever so softly and whispered in her ear that she misunderstood, they wanted to be with her at the same time.
She felt her breath catch in her throat, both stunned by his proclamation, yet at the same time, erotically charged. She asked them if they had gone mad and they both laughed, agreeing that they probably had. She protested that a threesome could create a huge paradigm shift that they might never recover from, and that she could lose both of them. She asked them if they thought about how it would change the dynamics of their relationship with each other.
Leo was very convincing. He assured her that both he and Gage were intrigued by the idea, and while they had no interest in anything physical with each other, they were excited to share her. He cheekily told her she could think of the adventure as a sexual thunder-dome. Two men enter, one man leaves.
Nora was precariously holding on to the ledge by her finger tips, begging them to think things through, quickly losing her reasoning skills as her core temperature rose. Her moral compass was spinning in every direction, but came completely uncalibrated when Gage reminded her of her most desirable fantasy. She hadn’t forgotten, her brain had been teasing h
er the whole time, seducing her, playing the fantasy over and over in her mind. Making her wet.
She knew she shouldn’t do it, it was all so, so wrong, she had to get out of there before her body betrayed her. She stood up to leave, desperate for some air. Then she felt it, the bourbon that once burned in her throat, was now like molten lava between her legs, smoldering in her womb. Gage quickly left the sofa, pulling her into his arms. Held hostage by her desire, she could do nothing to get away, and allowed him to kiss her.
She wanted to protest, everything in her told her that nothing good would come from it and that when it was all over she could walk away with nothing. She had almost gathered her sensibilities when she felt Leo slip in behind her, grinding his erection against her backside and kissing her neck while Gage’s delicious mouth was still on her own. The sensation was sublime and intoxicating.
She let them lead her into Leo’s bedroom, dimly lit by candlelight, the bed already turned down as though they knew she would acquiesce to their crazy proposal. She turned to face Leo, her eyes pleading to be released from the seduction, but he wouldn’t have it. He took his turn kissing her, his lips crushing against hers, the stubble from his unshaven face stimulating the sensitive flesh around her mouth. It was a stark but intriguing contrast to the softness of Gage.
Leo turned her around, where her other lover was waiting for her. Gage unbuttoned her blouse, slowly peeling it away from her, revealing her silky white bra. His eyes, filled with curiosity and need, were reading hers, searching for her continued consent. Her smile was all the encouragement he needed, and as Leo unhooked her bra from behind, exposing her breasts for him, he knelt down, pulling her swollen pink nipples into his mouth. As Gage swirled his tongue around them, Leo kissed her neck and shoulders from behind. She shuddered with anticipation, aching with desire as both her lovers offered her sensation in different ways. Leo unzipped her skirt and slipped it over her hips, allowing it fall to the floor and pool around her ankles. She stepped out of it, kicking it away. Gage made his way back up her chest, kissing his way to her lips, his tongue teasing and playing with her own. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet, carrying her to the bed.
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