by Carr, Mari
Miguel nodded.
Then she looked at Finn, who was barely holding it together.
“Your first kiss with a man?”
Finn tried to clear his throat to answer, but when the lump wouldn’t budge, he was forced to merely nod as well.
“Then you should do it again,” she whispered to them.
Finn shook his head. “It’s not that simple, LJ.”
She smiled at them. “Of course it is. It’s the simplest…” She kissed Miguel, a soft, sexy kiss that lasted seconds but packed a punch, as far as Finn was concerned. When they broke apart, Layla finished her sentence “…thing in the world.”
The image of Layla and Miguel kissing was as hot as the kiss his best friend had just planted on him.
She turned toward Finn then, gripping his waist as she moved into his personal space. “It’s as simple as…” This time, he was rewarded with the kiss. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to swipe in for a taste. He lifted his hands to her face, deepening the kiss. She pulled back only a millimeter to finish her comparison. “…breathing,” she whispered, her own breath hot on his face.
She took a step back and looked at them expectedly. “Your turn,” she prompted.
Finn felt frozen in place, a huge, shapeless chunk of ice. Confused-as-fuck ice. And Miguel didn’t look any better.
When neither of them moved, Layla sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you. I think I’m the one who should leave. Give the two of you some space.”
“No,” Finn said quickly, grasping her arm, feeling Miguel’s gaze on his face. He couldn’t look at Miguel, couldn’t move.
Layla tried to move his hand from her arm. “Finn. I think it would be for the best if I—”
“Went home with us,” Miguel interjected.
Finn and Layla both turned to look at Miguel, and it occurred to Finn that his best friend was reeling too. In this, they were both lost souls.
“What?” Finn asked.
Miguel looked at Finn, then Layla. “I think the three of us should sleep together.”
Chapter Eight
Miguel stared at Layla hard, for a full thirty seconds, praying she wouldn’t throw a punch, wouldn’t knee him in the nuts for his outrageous suggestion.
He’d seen the way Finn had looked at Layla and he’d known. Known in an instant that his friend was falling hard and fast for the woman.
That fact might have been harder to take if Miguel hadn’t gotten to know her, hadn’t felt an undeniable attraction to her as well.
Layla returned his gaze, and he watched a myriad of emotions cross her face. Then he saw the one that had set his heart racing, that stole all the air from his lungs.
He saw understanding. She nodded just once, the slightest dip of her head. He was sure Finn hadn’t seen it. But he had.
“What?” Finn asked again.
Miguel repeated his assertion. “I think the three of us should go back to my place together.”
“I agree,” Layla said, the strength in her voice prompted Miguel to grin.
The attraction he’d felt to her the night they’d gone out to dinner was a mere flicker to his feelings now. She was incredible.
“What the hell are you saying, LJ?” Finn, however, was still struggling.
Layla, God bless her, found the perfect way to explain Miguel’s suggestion. “It’s obvious you two have feelings for each other, but you’re not sure how to start. Think about it. A threesome solves all our problems. The two of you get to expand on this thing between you, and I get to explore my wild side. The perfect night. For all of us.”
Miguel wasn’t a hundred percent sure this was the right thing to do, but he didn’t have any of the answers when it came to Finn. Then, he’d taken one look at Layla and found a way. Finn wanted her. Hell, Miguel wanted her.
He’d been searching for a way to convince Finn to see him, not as a best bud, but as a man he could love—emotionally and physically.
Miguel had never fallen for a straight man…not until Finn. So he was pretty much clueless about how to seduce a guy who wasn’t ready to admit he wanted to take a male lover.
“Wild side?” Miguel asked, hoping to dispel some of the tension surrounding them.
“I told you about the guy I’d been dating, the one I recently broke up with?” Layla asked.
Miguel nodded. Past relationships had been one of the million things they’d talked about the night at the restaurant. At the time, he’d hoped they’d have at least two dozen more dates.
Jesus.
What a night. To find out the guy he was in love with was falling for the same girl he was sucked. There wasn’t enough liquor in the world to drown out these fucked-up sorrows. “I remember. Marco, right?”
“Well, he was actually the only guy I’ve ever dated. And by dated, I mean slept with.”
“You’ve only been with one guy?” Miguel wasn’t sure why that surprised him so much. It was probably because he had a hard time believing any man who met her wouldn’t want to be with her. She was beautiful and funny and the coolest woman he’d ever met—including Finn’s sisters and female cousins, who were fucking awesome.
“Yep. Marco, Mr. Missionary, was it.”
Miguel laughed at her less-than-amused tone.
“And she’s determined to explore her wild side,” Finn continued. “Meaning casual sex.”
“And one-night stands,” Layla added with an adorable grin. “Preferably with two hot guys who kiss each other too.”
Layla was clearly serious about accepting his offer, but there was something in the tone of Finn’s voice that set off an alarm. Miguel had never known Finn to date a woman for very long at all. Instead, he preferred to keep his relationships simple, the no-strings-attached variety. He’d confided in Miguel once that he wasn’t ready to settle down, and he didn’t see himself being ready until he was at least thirty-five. Miguel had laughed and given him shit for putting an age limit on it, but Finn had insisted he was serious, and he’d believed him.
“The two of you have been going out quite a bit lately,” Miguel said, his eyes locked on Finn’s. “You haven’t…”
Finn shook his head. “We’re friends. We didn’t want to mess that up.”
That was the biggest line of bullshit his friend had ever uttered, and Miguel called it out with a disbelieving snort.
Finn narrowed his eyes, but not in anger. It looked the tiniest bit like fear. Finn had fallen for Layla, that much was obvious. What was also becoming clear was Finn hadn’t told Layla.
Fuck. His stomach clenched.
Had Miguel waited too long to make his move?
With both of them.
Suddenly, he wasn’t so sure he was right to push the threesome idea. How could he step between his best friend and the woman he loved?
“I should go,” Miguel said, when that thought turned his insides to ice. He turned to walk away.
“No.”
If it had been Layla who’d uttered that word, Miguel would have persisted, would have bowed out, made his excuses and kept walking. Finn was his best friend, and he wouldn’t screw up his chance at something real with Layla, despite Miguel’s feelings.
But it wasn’t Layla who’d stopped him.
It was Finn.
Miguel shifted, facing Finn. “No?”
Before Finn could explain, Layla reached for both of their hands. “Please,” she said. “Please don’t overthink this or make excuses why we shouldn’t do it. Unless…” She studied Finn’s face. “Unless I’m a third wheel and in the way.” Layla’s voice trembled slightly.
Miguel didn’t like that, didn’t ever want her to think she wasn’t wanted. Pretty obviously by both he and Finn.
But Finn was the first to speak. “I want to be with you so bad it hurts, LJ. I have since the first day I ran into you at the coffee shop.”
“Oh.” She smiled sweetly. “Yeah, that kiss you gave me was kind of a tip-off.”
Finn chuckled for j
ust a moment, the mirth gone when Layla turned to Miguel.
“Miguel? Does the offer still stand?” she asked quietly.
Miguel wasn’t sure if his next words were the smartest or the dumbest he’d ever uttered, but he didn’t hold back. “It does.”
Finn turned to him, scowling. “Jesus, Miguel. Why don’t we take a few seconds and talk about this? This isn’t the sort of thing you just jump into.”
“Actually, we’ve had months to have this talk. We haven’t. So fuck it. Layla is right. This feels exactly like the sort of thing you have to jump into.” Miguel reached for Layla’s hand. “Thinking too much is why we’re in this position to begin with. Besides, I want Layla…every bit as bad as you.”
Layla grinned, a combination of shock and delight. “Really?”
Miguel rolled his eyes, amazed that she obviously had no clue how beautiful she was. “Of course I do. I just didn’t feel right taking advantage of you. You were scared after that break-in and—”
Layla cut him off. “You’re not taking advantage. I don’t know how to explain it, but watching the two of you kiss just now…”
Miguel smiled, then turned to his best friend. He saw a light of understanding dawn in Finn’s eyes, and he realized his friend got it. Completely. He’d been just as blown away watching Layla kiss Miguel.
As soon as he realized that, Miguel knew without a doubt that this idea was the answer to a prayer.
And then, because he was terrified of Finn coming to his senses or finding some argument against this, Miguel started tugging Layla toward the parking lot. “Are you coming, Finn?”
Finn stood motionless for no more than three beats of Miguel’s heart, then he raced to catch up with them. He was relieved when his friend didn’t try to continue the argument. Instead, he reached for Layla’s other hand and said, “I hope to hell the two of you know what you’re doing.”
Layla led them to her car since Miguel only had the bike and Finn’s car keys were up in his apartment. “Drive to my place,” Miguel said, as he climbed into the passenger seat and gave her directions. He’d seen Layla’s bed, and it wasn’t big enough for what they planned to do. Miguel’s king-size one would do the trick.
None of them spoke as Layla drove to Miguel’s apartment, the sexual tension in the car thick enough to cut with a knife.
Once they arrived, Miguel led them to the living room, thinking perhaps they should start slowly. He’d been called a wild child by his mother and uncle since birth, and he’d owned it. The idea of having a threesome with Layla and Finn definitely spoke to that adventurous side of him.
Layla was less nervous now than she’d been outside the pub. In fact, she was starting to look downright excited.
She pulled her purse off and tossed it to the coffee table.
Unable to resist expanding on that first, too-brief kiss, Miguel reached for her.
Pulling her close, he bent his head to steal another kiss. She’d initiated the one outside the pub, and he’d let her lead. He couldn’t do that this time. Cupping her cheeks with his hands, he deepened the connection, his tongue darting out to stroke her lower lip.
“Open your mouth,” he whispered.
Layla’s tongue met his, her hands gripping his waist tightly.
Miguel was hyperaware of Finn, so he knew his friend had moved to stand directly behind Layla. But that was all he saw before he closed his eyes and gave himself up to the kiss. Layla mewed—almost desperately—when his hands left her face and traveled along her shoulders.
So much for taking it slow. All Miguel could think of was dragging her to the floor and sliding into her wet heat.
His hands moved lower, seeking out her breasts.
But when he got there…
Miguel stepped away and opened his eyes, just in time to see Finn’s hands leave Layla’s breasts. His friend had been stroking them, toying with them as they kissed.
Jesus. Miguel was going to have to keep his eyes open because he refused to miss a minute of any of this.
Layla graced them with an understanding smile. He and Finn had both released her the moment their hands had touched. There was going to be a steep learning curve tonight.
“Maybe we should start slower. Do you have anything to drink?” she asked.
Miguel nodded. “Yeah. Sorry. I should have offered instead of—”
“Don’t ever apologize for leading with a kiss. That was totally hot.”
He grinned. “I think there’s some beer in the fridge. I’ll get it.”
“Nope. I will,” Layla said. “Just point me in the right direction.”
“It’s through there, but—” Miguel said, pointing to a doorway. Layla was gone before he could insist on going. He started after her. “I should help her find some glasses.”
Finn reached out and put a hand on Miguel’s arm to stop him. His first intentional touch since they’d shared the kiss. “No. She’s giving us a second to get our shit together. I think we should take it.”
Miguel hadn’t considered that, but he realized Finn was probably right. “Okay.”
“I don’t know what you intend to have happen tonight.” Finn spoke in hushed tones. “But LJ…she’s only ever been with one guy, Miguel.”
“I know.”
“Are you serious about going through with this?”
Miguel nodded. “I can’t tell you how much I want this.”
Finn gave him a crooked, somewhat rueful smile. “Fuck, man. Me too. But…”
Miguel knew what part was holding Finn back, and he decided to let his friend off the hook. For now. “Tonight is for her, Finn. She wants to go wild. We’ll give her that.”
Finn considered his offer. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I am.” He was. In all honesty, that was about the only damn thing Miguel was sure of tonight.
Finn studied his face. “We’re going to talk about that kiss, Miguel. I swear to God we are. But not tonight. Is that okay?”
Miguel felt some of the weight that had been pressing down on his chest lift. Finn’s easy smile was back in place. He didn’t have a clue what the outcome of the discussion would be, but after too many months of silence, Miguel was grateful he’d have the opportunity to finally talk about his feelings. “It’s okay. Tonight’s for Layla.”
Layla came out with three glasses. “There was only one beer in the fridge, so we’re splitting. And I dumped that half an ancient pizza in the garbage, Miguel. Jesus. How long has that been in there? It was growing shit.”
He laughed. “I eat out a lot. Don’t open the fridge much.”
She handed each of them a glass, tapping hers to theirs. “Here’s to us. And sex. And please, God,” she said, her eyes raising heavenward as if in prayer, “many, many orgasms.”
Miguel laughed at her toast, then took a drink. Finn did the same. Maybe it was misplaced hope, but Miguel was starting to think things might turn out okay.
Miguel drained his third of a beer in one chug, then took their glasses, placing them on the end table as well. He couldn’t wait one more second. “Why don’t we move this party to the bedroom?”
He wrapped his arm around Layla’s waist, leading her down the hall. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed that, once again, Finn was right behind them, never missing a beat.
“The bed is made,” Layla said, clearly surprised, given the state of his refrigerator.
“My mom always insisted that I make my bed every morning. I got in the habit and now I just do it without even thinking about it.”
“That’s sweet,” she said.
Finn clearly didn’t give a damn if the bed was made or not. He wasted no time reaching out and divesting Layla of her shirt. She turned toward Finn, his quick actions taking her by surprise.
“Damn, Finn. I like your style.” She moved closer, intent on stripping off Finn’s shirt as well, but he grasped her wrists, loosely pulling them behind her back in an alpha move that had Miguel’s cock, which had already been hard, t
hickening even more.
Miguel was suddenly regretting letting his best friend off the hook—because he wanted Finn every bit as much as he wanted Layla, and he wasn’t sure he’d manage to keep his hands on just her.
Finn shot him a quick warning look, reminding him of their agreement.
Dammit. His best friend knew him too well.
Miguel gave him a single nod, letting him know he was still on board with project Wild Side.
Finn turned his attention back to Layla.
“Not so fast, LJ,” Finn murmured. “We’ve got all night. And we’re going to take advantage of it.”
Chapter Nine
Layla tried to still her racing heart, but it was impossible, especially when she tried to pull her hands free of Finn’s hold. He tightened his grip…and holy fuck if the alpha move didn’t have her pussy clenching almost painfully.
“I want to see you,” she said, grimacing at the whiny tone in her voice.
Finn gave her a macho, self-confident grin that told her she wasn’t going to get her way. And she wasn’t going to be sorry about it.
“Let’s get a few things straight before we start,” Finn said.
Jesus. When did his voice get so deep and sexy? She shivered slightly, her arousal off the charts. “What things?”
“Miguel and I run the show. You want to broaden your horizons, expand on your sexual experiences. We know how to help you do that, but you have to trust us and do as we say.”
Layla owned her own coffee shop because she didn’t have the type of personality that allowed her to take orders. She preferred to be her own boss, to call the shots, to run the show.
But…that trait didn’t seem to follow her into the bedroom. Or at least, not tonight. With Marco, she’d always taken the lead. Well, she had in the early days, when sex had been new and fun. The last couple of years, the bloom had been off that rose, and she hadn’t initiated much of anything. Sex had become something they just did to scratch an itch, and even then, it felt more like a chore than pleasure.
“I do trust you.” She glanced over her shoulder at Miguel. “I trust both of you.”