by Mari Carr
Riley came into the kitchen before Lauren could reply. “Hey, are you two finished? We’re about to start making a list of all the names Natalie can scream at Ewan while she’s in labor. We’re thinking she needs something stronger than ‘asswipe’ and ‘fucking bastard’.”
Keira laughed. “That sounds like fun. God knows I flung a few colorful expletives at Will when I was having Caitlyn and PJ.” She looked at Lauren. “You can call me any time, you know. If you have more questions.”
“I might take you up on that.” They both rose. “Thanks, Keira. For everything.”
“Things will work out the way they’re supposed to, Lauren. You just have to hang in there until they do.”
Lauren nodded and started to follow Keira to the living room, but Riley stopped her. “That’s bullshit.”
“What’s bullshit?” Lauren asked.
“Keira’s ‘hang in there’ comment. You can’t just sit around and wait for life to happen to you, Lauren.”
“I don’t think that’s what I’m doing.”
Riley rolled her eyes. “That’s all you’re doing. So here’s the plan.” She tugged Lauren back to the table and they sat down. “When you go home tonight, you tell those clueless fuckers you live with—”
“You know, one of those clueless fuckers is your brother,” Lauren interrupted.
“So who would know better than me that he’s clueless and blind and an idiot?”
Lauren laughed. “Man, you take sisterly love to a whole new level, don’t you?”
Riley narrowed her eyes. “Are you finished stalling? Do you want to hear my plan?”
What Lauren wanted to do was kick her own ass for even thinking of taking Riley’s advice. What she said was, “Lay it on me.”
* * * * *
Sean walked into the office where Chad was working and plopped onto the chair where Lauren usually sat.
“Something wrong?” Chad asked without looking away from his computer screen. Sean had been uncharacteristically quiet since returning home from the pub over an hour ago. Chad had worried all day about Sean’s response to Lauren calling out his name during their lovemaking. He’d sort of expected Sean to beat the shit out of him and kick him out of the house the second he returned from work. Now, given Sean’s silence, he didn’t know what to expect.
“Lauren’s in love with you.”
Chad looked up, his lips instantly numb with shock. “What?”
Sean shrugged casually, but the nonchalant act wasn’t fooling Chad. “I went upstairs after you left. Told her I was serious about helping her explore submissiveness.”
“And?” Chad forced himself to breathe slowly and easily.
“And one thing led to another and she told me she’s in love with both of us.”
Chad closed his eyes and tried to make his brain function. Lauren had confessed to being in love with him? She loved him? Obviously Sean and Lauren had had quite the heart-to-heart last night. Part of him was glad he’d missed it, but that thought immediately left him feeling like a coward. He sucked at sharing his feelings, opting to let Sean and Lauren be the emotional weather vanes in the house. It was easier for him to assume a poker face, keep things buried.
“You must be mistaken.”
Sean shook his head. “Nope. No mistake.”
Sean’s words took a few moments to penetrate. Even when they did, all he could say was, “I’m sorry.”
Sean’s gaze was piercing when it caught his. “Why?”
Chad frowned. “Because she’s your girlfriend. Because the two of you bought this house with plans to get married and have a life together. What happens now?”
“I would think that’s obvious.”
Chad leaned forward in his chair and raked a hand through his hair. Sometimes talking to Sean was like holding a conversation with an alien from Mars. There was a definite language barrier. “There’s an obvious answer to this?”
“Yep.”
Chad rested his elbows on his knees and prayed for the patience to make it through this frustrating, shocking conversation. “And it is?”
Sean tilted his head to the side and grinned. “She gets both of us.”
“Both of us. No. No, Sean. There’s no way that would work.”
“Of course it would. Hell, we’re all living together. We’re friends. We’re attracted to her and she’s attracted to us. I’d say this is a no-brainer. Sort of kicking myself for not suggesting it sooner.”
Sean’s words hit Chad in the chest like a bullet. “Are you insane?”
While Sean might not see the potential problem in what he was suggesting, Chad could see it clearer than a flashing neon sign.
Sean crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. The posture immediately told Chad his friend was settling in for the long haul in hopes of convincing him to see his way of thinking. It was a pose Chad was very familiar with.
Let’s streak at the football tailgate.
Let’s sneak into the cheerleaders’ locker room.
Let’s ditch work to hit the strip club.
No matter what Sean suggested, when he assumed “the pose”, Chad knew he was done for. Not this time.
“I’m not insane. I happen to think this is the first decision I’ve made in a long time that makes sense. Dammit, Chad. You and I both know this can work. We’ve seen a threesome up-close and personal for years in our own families. Lily, Justin and K are living proof that it can work.”
Chad turned toward his computer, unable to face his friend as he avoided the truth of Sean’s words. “Lauren’s my friend. I love her, but I’m not about to thrust her into a ménage relationship.”
Sean was silent for several painfully long moments and then he asked the question Chad dreaded. “Why not?”
Chad’s temper sparked. Why was Sean leading them down this road? “You know why the fuck not,” he yelled. “Didn’t we cover this territory in high school? You aren’t really talking about a relationship like your brother and my sister share, are you?”
Sean ran his hand through his dark brown hair, the gesture a sure sign he was agitated, upset, and Chad tried to calm down. This conversation was hard enough without throwing anger into the mix.
Sean tugged his hair harder and Chad felt a twinge of guilt in his gut. He’d seen Sean use the same move time and time again throughout the years. Chad recalled worrying when they were just nine years old that Sean would pull all his hair out during the months when Sean’s mother, Sunday, was dying.
“We’d share Lauren,” Sean murmured, looking at him. “Just Lauren. Nothing more. I swear.”
Chad shook his head. “Please try to understand, Sean.”
“I can’t live without her.”
Chad’s lungs constricted as he saw the pain in his friend’s face. Sean’s feelings for Lauren ran even deeper than he’d realized—and he recognized his own were just as strong. He’d do anything for her happiness, for Sean’s. “I’ll walk away. Take myself out of the equation permanently.”
Sean looked at him, studied his face far too closely. “You honestly expect me to sit here and ask you to cut out your own heart?” He shook his head. “No, Chad. That’s not the answer.”
“Then what is?”
Sean rose, exploding with the same frustration Chad was experiencing. “How the fuck do I know? As far as I can see, there’s only one. We can’t go on like we have been. That’s not working for any of us.”
Chad could see the sense in Sean’s words and now that so much was out in the open, he found it impossible to hold back his true thoughts. “The past few years have sucked.”
Sean sighed. “I know.” His friend shrugged and smiled sadly. “Ball’s in your court.” Then he walked out of the room, leaving Chad alone with his confusing, agonizing thoughts.
Sean was right. There was one answer to their problem. Only one.
And it was the one Chad could never agree to.
Chapter Six
A couple hours la
ter, Chad looked up from his computer when he heard loud giggling in the yard. He was almost to the front door when Sean emerged from the kitchen.
“Is that Lauren?” Sean asked.
Chad shrugged. “Sounds like her.”
He pulled the door open, surprised to find an intoxicated Lauren struggling to put her key in the lock as Aaron, dressed in his police uniform, stood next to her.
“Lauren? Are you drunk?” Chad asked.
Lauren giggled. “Just a little.”
Aaron rolled his eyes and grinned. “I’m not here in an official capacity,” Aaron said when he spotted the concern in Chad’s eyes.
Sean walked up behind him. “I thought you were at Natalie’s baby shower?”
Lauren laughed again and stumbled slightly as she crossed the threshold. “I was. It was fun.” She walked into the house and toward the living room.
Chad turned to Aaron, who was shaking his head. “Apparently my wife throws a helluva baby shower,” he said. “I got off-duty about an hour ago. I’ve been playing taxi driver since then. The mother-to-be was the only sober lady in the house when I got home. The rest of them were drunk as skunks. For some asinine reason, Riley put Bubbles in charge of the games. When I showed up, they were doing some beer chugging contest with baby bottles and from what I understand, it was a rematch between Lauren and Lily.”
“My sister Lily?” Chad asked.
Sean laughed and said, “Sounds like we missed a great party.”
Aaron shook his head. “Jesus, Sean. Only you would be sorry about missing a drunken baby shower. And no worries, Chad. I dropped Lily off just before heading here. I’m going home now. Lauren was my last delivery.” He chuckled as he raised his hand to wave. “Night.”
“Good night, Aaron,” Chad said. “Thanks for bringing her home. I’ll drive her by your place tomorrow to pick up her car.”
Aaron nodded and walked to the curb where his car was parked.
Chad closed and locked the door. “So much for marriage settling Riley down.”
Sean grinned. “Since my sisters have gotten married and started having kids, they don’t get many crazy girl nights out. I’m glad Riley threw them a fun party, gave them a chance to let their hair down.”
“Guess we should go check on our crazy girl.” Chad stumbled briefly over the rightness of the word our. “Have to admit I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen her drunk.”
Sean turned toward the living room. “I know. She never drinks. Wonder what got into her tonight.”
“Probably Riley’s influence.”
Sean stopped and looked at him. “Maybe. I think Riley has been a good influence on Lauren these past few years. She’s less stressed-out, less serious all the time. She was always sweet and nice, but Riley’s softened some of the rougher edges, taught her to relax a bit.”
Chad gave his friend a funny look and shook his head. “Riley didn’t do that, Sean. You did.”
“What?”
Chad was surprised Sean couldn’t see it. “You’ve been the calming influence in Lauren’s life. God knows I’m too much like her to make any significant change in her personality. She’s loosened up, become more laid-back since dating you.”
“You’re crazy.” Sean tried to cast off his compliment and Chad felt a wave of annoyance creep in.
“No, I’m not. You’re a good influence on Lauren…on a lot of people.” He added the last wondering if his best friend would understand that by “people” he meant himself. He’d been stewing over their earlier conversation, wallowing in guilt for hours. He was hurting Sean because of his own selfishness and fear. It was a treatment Sean sure as hell didn’t deserve, given the unwavering friendship he’d offered Chad throughout the years.
The sound of something hitting the floor, followed by Lauren’s loud “oops”, distracted them. Sean laughed and the moment passed.
“Better go save our damsel in distress,” Chad said. As they walked into the living room, they watched as Lauren picked up the magazines she’d knocked over.
“Bit clumsy tonight,” she said as they came in.
“Can’t imagine why.” Sean bent over to help her put the magazines on the end table. “Have fun?”
“Ohmigod, yeah. Your sister knows how to throw one helluva shower.”
Sean stood before helping Lauren rise.
Lauren rose up on tiptoe to place a kiss on Sean’s lips. “Thanks,” she said, wrapping her arms around Sean’s neck and holding on.
“Um, Lauren?” Sean said, placing his hands on her hips when she started pushing herself against him.
“I’ve been thinking about your offer,” she said.
Chad froze at her words. What offer was she referring to? Submission? A ménage? Did she even realize he was in the room?
“What offer is that?” Sean asked.
“I trust you,” she said, as if her words answered his question.
“That’s good. I trust you too,” Sean replied.
“I trust both of you,” she added, turning her head to look at Chad. Yep, she knew he was there. He swallowed heavily at the sensuous look she was sending his way.
He wanted to respond. Fought for the right answer, but remained speechless.
“So I’ve decided,” she continued. “I want you two to teach me how to submit.”
If Chad hadn’t been so shocked, he would have laughed at the image of Sean’s jaw dropping open at her proclamation.
“Um, Lauren,” Chad said. “Maybe tonight isn’t the best time to discuss this. I mean, you’ve had a bit to drink and—”
“That’s why this is the best time to talk about it. I want to say this tonight while my inhibitions are low. Then I want you two to think about my proposition. We can decide tomorrow when I’m sober.”
Sean’s gaze narrowed as he studied her face. “How much did you have to drink tonight?”
It dawned on Chad that she suddenly didn’t seem as drunk as he’d originally thought.
She grinned. “Enough to give me the courage to make my proposal, but not enough that my head will hurt in the morning. I’m gonna have a clear head when we start our research.”
Chad’s heart sped up as she alluded to the three of them starting research…together.
Mercifully, Sean pulled his shit together and he was able to ask all the questions Chad couldn’t seem to formulate.
“Research?”
Lauren looked at Sean and smiled. “You offered to be my Dom.”
“You want me and Chad?”
“Chad too,” Lauren said. She released Sean and stepped closer to Chad. He could barely detect the slightest trace of vodka on her breath, mixed with something so sweet he had to fight to remain still, instinct pushing him toward her for a taste.
“You’re asking both of us to come to your bed?” Sean wasn’t allowing for any misunderstandings.
“Both of you,” she whispered. Then she surprised Chad by asking, “How come you never asked me out?”
Chad grasped for an answer and for a few foolish seconds, he thought perhaps he could do this. Could hop into bed with Lauren and Sean and everything would be fine.
“I beat him to the punch, Lauren.” It was Sean who answered and Chad was grateful for his friend’s interference.
“How did you beat him?” Lauren turned to look at Sean. “We were all friends for nearly four years before you approached me for a date. Four years,” she stressed.
“We’re too much alike, Lauren. I knew it would never work out.” Chad’s answer ranked up there with some of the biggest lies he’d ever told, but he thought it sounded plausible enough.
Lauren stared at him. “Do you want me, Chad?”
The word “yes” flew from him lips before he could consider the consequences. Her face cleared and he realized Lauren hadn’t been confident that her feelings for him would be returned. How could she not have known? “I’ve always wanted you.”
Sean stepped forward. “So give us your proposa
l, Lauren. Lay it out like you said you were going to.”
She moved to face both of them and she was steadier on her feet than Chad would have expected. It was clear her initial drunkenness had been at least fifty percent an act. “Three Sundays. Three days of submission. The three of us. We’ll only play on Sundays. During the week, we’ll go back to normal. Well, sort of normal. Sean, do you mind sleeping on the couch for a while?”
Sean shook his head. Chad was surprised by his friend’s easy acceptance, but obviously all three of them knew things were about to change. Drastically.
Lauren continued explaining her suggestion. “By taking a week’s break in between each ménage experience, you’ll have time to figure out if you want the Sundays to stretch into more. Because I’ll tell you both now—I want more.”
“A threesome?” Chad asked. “Forever?”
She nodded. “Oh, and I’ll only submit if it’s both of you…at the same time. No taking turns. Okay?”
Neither Chad nor Sean responded. Chad wanted to say “hell yes” to everything, but he knew deep in his heart this was a mistake. However, for once, he couldn’t deny what he wanted. Lauren was offering him a dream and he wasn’t strong enough to refuse it.
Sean was the first to break his silence, but his words to Lauren caught Chad off-guard. “Kiss him.”
The second the words left Sean’s lips, it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.
“What?” Lauren blinked and Chad could tell she was suddenly nervous.
“I want you to kiss Chad. In front of me. I want to know you understand exactly what it is you’re asking.”
She shook her head, but something snapped inside Sean.
“Dammit, Lauren! If we do this, we’re doing it right. You’re used to Sean, the easygoing boyfriend, but now you’ve asked me to teach you about submission, about a ménage. That changes things. Kiss him. I missed the first one. I’m not missing any more.”
“Sean,” Lauren said, but Sean was on a roll.
“This isn’t a game. I’ve agreed to your rules, agreed to try, to sleep on the couch, but I’m not going to be denied this. Do it.”