Bedfellows

by Lola Leighton

  I pressed one thick finger inside her and Adrienne squirmed against my hand. I began fucking her with my finger, rubbing the heel of my palm against her clit and her cries of pleasure grew louder.

  “Jesus, you're tight,” I whispered against her lips. “You would feel so good riding my cock.”

  Her eyes fell closed, and she made a soft whimpering sound that hit me straight in the chest.

  “You like the idea of that, baby? Riding me while Will fucks your mouth?”

  She came quickly, much faster than I expected—in little trembling gasps, her fingernails digging in to my shoulders. I kissed her the entire time, her tongue reaching out to explore mine as little shudders pulsed through her petite frame.

  And when her orgasm finally subsided, I pulled my fingers from her panties and brought them to my mouth, tasting her wetness.

  “Fuck, you taste so good.” I groaned.

  “That was…” Her voice was hardly more than a shaky whisper, and she watched me with wide, hazy eyes.

  “I like making you feel good,” I murmured, placing one more soft kiss against her mouth. “But unless you want me to embarrass myself by coming in my jeans, we need to stop now.”

  The faint lush of her cheeks, the nod of her head. “Don't you want me to…”

  I shook my head. “There'll be time for that. I don't want to hog you all to myself. Go on your date with Will. Then we'll talk about going further.”

  She nodded and straightened her clothes.

  We shared one last sweet kiss, and later when I drove her back to her friend Dani's, I was happy to see there was no awkwardness between us.

  When I stopped on the street in front of the house, Adrienne met my eyes.

  “I had a great time tonight,” I said, truly meaning it.

  “I did, too.” She met my eyes, a mischievous glint in them.

  I laughed, and pulled her in for another kiss.

  Adrienne glanced toward the house with trepidation, and then back at me.

  “Are you sure you're okay staying here?” I asked, picking up on her hesitancy to go inside.

  She shrugged. “It's a little cramped. Dani and her boyfriend are still adjusting to having a baby. But I need the insurance check to go toward the repairs at my salon, not toward crashing in a hotel for the next two or three weeks. I put every dime of my savings into opening the salon.”

  I placed my hand on her knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I think it's amazing that you opened your own business. Just let us know if there's anything we can do to help.”

  My wheels were already turning, and though I knew it would probably freak Will out, and he’d probably try to convince me that I was going way too fast, I wanted to tell Adrienne she could stay with us while her apartment was being renovated.

  Chapter Six

  Adrienne

  Stepping through the front door, I was met by the distinct smell of baby spit-up. “Hey, girl,” I greeted Dani who was sitting on the couch with a sleeping baby in her lap.

  She looked down at the baby and put a finger to her lips.

  “Sorry,” I whispered. “I didn't think you'd still be up.”

  She nodded. “Bella just fell back asleep.”

  I left my shoes by the door, and joined her on the couch, leaning over to sneak a peek of the sweet newborn in her arms.

  “Are you doing okay?” she asked. Dani had always been extremely perceptive, and though these past few weeks since giving birth to her daughter had taken their toll, I wasn't all that surprised that she was more concerned with what was going on with me than her own topsy-turvy life.

  I sucked in a deep inhale and let it out slowly. “I don't even know where to start.”

  “You went on a date tonight, right? Was it bad, or …?”

  I shook my head, folding my legs underneath me on the couch. “It was good. Like, different … good. But I have something to tell you, and I'm not sure how you'll react. Honestly though, I could really use some advice.”

  Dani rose from the couch and carefully placed the baby inside her bassinet in the master bedroom, taking care not to wake her. Then she re-joined me on the couch. “Tell me what's going on.”

  “Well, things have just gotten complicated. Tonight I went out with Sullivan.”

  Her brows pinched together. “What happened to Will? I thought you said you guys had a good time.”

  I nodded. “We did. Will and Sullivan are friends, actually.” I'd only mentioned bits and pieces of my dates with them so far, making it sound like they were separate events, instead of us having dinner all together.

  Her lips pressed into a firm line. “Dating two friends … that seems like a recipe for disaster. No offense.”

  My stomach tingled with nerves. I wasn't explaining this well. I knew Dani wouldn't judge me, but still, this wasn't the easiest thing to admit. “They live together, they share a business, and they … um, share women.”

  Dani's brown eyes widened, her eyebrows darting up on her forehead. “Okay, what? I know I'm running on like four minutes of sleep in the past two days, but I'm confused.”

  “Yeah.” I folded my hands in my lap, unable to hide the quirked-up half-smile on my mouth. “Told you. Complicated.”

  She blew out a slow breath and leaned back against the couch. “I'm going to need some more details here. You can't just drop a bomb like that on me.”

  “I know. It's crazy. I thought so, too, at first. But now that I've actually been out with them, I like them. They're so different, but each is intriguing in his own way. Sullivan is sweet, and thoughtful and sexy. He also has amazing hair.” I let out a nervous chuckle.

  Dani rolled her eyes. “Leave it to you to fall for a guy over his perfect hair.”

  I did have a thing for good hair, but I wasn't that naïve. I didn't care so much about the outside package, it was what was inside that counted.

  “And Will is … well, there are no words for Will's rugged sex appeal. He's muscular as hell, and a little less heart-on-the-sleeve, a little more broody and lot more contemplative.”

  “So, a growly alpha. That's hard to resist. And his hair?” Dani teased.

  This time I was the one rolling my eyes. “It's super short. But he does have a sexy five-o'clock shadow.”

  “So, are you really going to pursue this? I'm not sure what you want me to say.”

  She was right. It was insane. Wasn’t it? Not to mention totally out of character for me. At first, I’d had a hard time wrapping my head around their entire arrangement. I couldn’t figure out if they were gay or bisexual, or what the situation was.

  “I want the truth. I want your advice. Half of me wants to see where this could lead, and the other half of me is scared as hell.”

  Dani nodded, meeting my gaze with her insightful brown eyes. “To be totally honest, I get that. But I'm worried it could lead to heartbreak.”

  I pressed my lips together, knowing she wasn't nearly done, and that I had no rebuttal for that argument anyway, because deep down, I feared the exact same thing.

  After drawing a deep breath, Dani continued, “I worry about what happens when you spend more time or give extra attention to one man, and the other gets jealous.”

  I shook my head. “They said they don't have jealousy issues.”

  Dani smirked. “And you believed them? Despite what they might have promised you, men are territorial creatures. It's part of their biology, their evolutionary makeup. Things are bound to turn ugly if someone feels slighted.”

  I chewed on my lip, unsure of how to respond. Part of me knew Dani was right, it would be a totally natural reaction to feel left out if I wasn't careful to divide my attention equally between them.

  Dani leaned closer, meeting my eyes again. “Say this does work—no one's jealous, and you're all having fun…but what happens if you fall in love with one of them, and not the other?”

  My stomach twisted. That thought had never occurred to me. They were a package deal, and if I chose one
of them, and not the other, it could end their friendship. I'd either have to walk away, and suffer the consequences of heartbreak, or deal with the knowledge that I was responsible for driving a twenty-year friendship into the ground. Both outcomes were bleak. My stomach tightened into an intricate knot.

  “I—I'm not sure,” I admitted, softly.

  “I just worry about you, Adrienne.”

  I nodded. “It'll be okay. You better go get some sleep. You need it.”

  Dani cleared her throat and rose from the couch. I sensed there was more she wanted to say, but for now, she kept it to herself. Then she placed her hand on my shoulder and met my eyes. “You'll figure it out. You always do.”

  I nodded. “Goodnight. Thanks for the advice.” I licked my lips and watched her wander back toward her bedroom.

  The house was totally silent as I grabbed a sheet and blankets and started turning the couch into my bed. By the time I had changed my clothes and brushed my teeth, my brain was full-on spinning with the things Dani had said. Here in the darkness, practically homeless, her warnings felt all the more dire. All that stuff about men being territorial actually made sense.

  But I had such a great time going out to dinner with them both, and then on my solo date with Sullivan. Just like I'd told Dani, he seemed like the more open and playful of the two. A smile graced my lips as I settled in, laying my head against the pillow.

  Tomorrow was my first one-on-one date with Will. It was crazy how excited and nervous I felt about being alone with him next. I couldn't help but wonder how it would all work out with two men. Was I crazy like Dani said?

  Deciding the best thing I could do was to try and get some sleep, I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer that maybe this wouldn't all be as complicated as it seemed. I had a full day of clients tomorrow, plus I had to meet with the insurance adjustor. I had to “adult” tomorrow and mentally spinning over what-ifs wasn't productive in the least.

  I needed to keep my head on straight and not get too caught up in these men when I didn't even know if it would work out anyway. But it was easier said than done.

  Chapter Seven

  Will

  “Keep your hips square. Don't lock your elbows,” I instructed, watching her form. But damn, Adrienne didn't need it.

  She stepped right up, raised the handgun, her form perfect, and fired—without so much as flinching.

  What the hell? That was unexpected.

  Stepping closer when she lowered the gun, we gazed down together to the end of the shooting range where the target was hanging.

  “Wow. You're a perfect shot. That can't be beginner’s luck.”

  She laughed. “No, sorry. I didn't want to spoil your lesson, but my dad's ex-military. He thought it was important I knew how to shoot in case I ever needed to defend myself.”

  I opened my mouth to say something—what, I didn't know—because the sight of her still holding that smoking piece of metal, her shapely ass and legs filling out those jeans perfectly? She was hitting all my targets. Literally. The blood rushing to my groin had nothing to do with the adrenaline of firing a handgun and everything to do with the woman standing beside me.

  “What?” She grinned. “I'm from Texas.”

  “Then, please. Have at it.” I gestured for her to continue, and Adrienne did, aiming and firing again and again, in an impressive display until she had emptied her clip.

  Holy shit.

  This woman continued to surprise me. She was both comfortable around guns, and an amazing shot. If I thought I was going to take her on a date that pushed her outside her comfort zone, I was going to have to up my game. I stared at her in amazement. She was completely comfortable, and watching me with a small, mischievous smile.

  “What?” she asked, smirking.

  I shook my head, returning her smile. “Nothing.”

  There was nothing quite like the feel of steel, the smell of gunpowder, or the fire power in the palm of your hand to get the blood pumping, but after a few more rounds, we were done. We turned in our handguns and went to retrieve our targets.

  “Dinner?” I asked.

  She offered me one of those sweet smiles again—the kind that completely disarmed me, tore down all my walls, and scared the fuck out of me.

  “Absolutely. What are you in the mood for?”

  “Anything but Mexican,” I said, leading her out into the parking lot where my SUV was parked.

  “Why? Don't tell me you don't like Mexican food,” Adrienne teased, still grinning at me.

  “Of course, I do. It's just that we fed you tacos during our first two dates. I'm beginning to think that's all you'll eat.”

  I didn't miss the way her eyes flashed when I said the word we. Even if Sullivan wasn't here right now, there was no mistaking that thoughts of him lingered. I wasn't the only man wooing her, and that was never too far from the back of my brain.

  During dinner—Italian food this time—I learned about her upbringing. Her strict, religious parents, a younger brother, all who still lived in Texas. She spoke about them like she really missed them, and it was a feeling I couldn't really relate to. I had no family, no one back home who I felt guilty about not seeing enough.

  “I'm actually overdue for a trip home. My mom is one of my best friends.” Adrienne forked a piece of penne pasta, bringing it to her lips. She smiled as she chewed, looking lost in thought.

  I wasn't really sure what to say. I had no family, other than Sullivan. But she was easy to talk to and the conversation flowed naturally between us. That was probably the best part—that nothing felt forced.

  “Tell me about your date with Sullivan,” I encouraged, wiping my mouth on my napkin.

  Adrienne's eyes twinkled with something like a fond memory, and she smiled. “We had a really nice time. He's sweet. We fed baby ducklings.”

  I chuckled. “He's a good guy. I'm glad you had fun.”

  She nodded. “We did.”

  “And now, tonight…” I started, and her gaze latched on to mine. “I know you said you wanted to go out with each of us separately. I would love to know what you're thinking. Is it what you imagined?”

  At this, she folded her cloth napkin, and pushed her plate away. “I've had an amazing time today with you too, Will. I'm starting to understand this more now, starting to see that it'd be extremely difficult to choose between you.”

  Something inside me clenched. “We're not asking you to.” In fact, that was the exact opposite of what I wanted.

  Her brows knitted as though she was lost in thought, but a moment later, she gave a small nod of understanding. “I want you to know that I have no intention of coming between your friendship with Sullivan.”

  I felt the knot of tension begin to unravel. I sensed that she understood what Sullivan meant to me. Even without going into our history, or sharing our childhood, it seemed she was able to intuitively pick it up. Assuming we didn't scare her off, there would be time to go into all of that later.

  We finished dinner, and I picked up the check, adding a generous gratuity before ushering her outside.

  Back inside my SUV after our meal, I started the engine, then hesitated. I wasn't ready to drop her off at home, wasn't nearly ready to say goodnight.

  She looked lost in thought, faraway. “What are you thinking?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “It's just… I had a wonderful time, but…”

  “But what?” I asked.

  “When it's like this—one-on-one—I feel almost like I'm cheating on the other of you.”

  “You shouldn't.” I placed my hand on her knee in a gesture I'd hoped would be calming, but the electricity snapping between us made that almost impossible. In the darkened interior of the car bathing us in moonlight, her faint feminine scent seducing me—I'd never wanted anything more.

  My hand on her knee moved higher, stroking over her kneecap. Adrienne held her breath. “Sullivan and I don't keep secrets from each other. He told me how perfect you are—how tight and responsi
ve. How quickly you came on his fingers last night.”

  A faint blush crept up her neck, but her eyes stayed on mine.

  “I—Are you upset?” she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

  I stroked her cheek with my thumb. “Not at all.” Her skin was so smooth beneath my touch, and I stroked her cheek again. “You never have to worry about that—competition, jealousy, or anything like that between me and Sullivan. We learned how to share a long time ago.”

  Her lips formed into a slight smile and she nodded, but her eyes stayed guarded, like she wasn't completely convinced yet.

  I continued, “That said, I have no idea what the lucky motherfucker did to play his cards right last night. And while I have zero expectations for how tonight will go, I know I'm not ready for you to leave. I know I need to kiss you.”

  I placed my hand on the back of her neck, guiding her closer, and when I leaned in, she met me halfway. Our kiss was firm, urgent, and Adrienne responded perfectly, bringing her hands to my chest and gripping the material of my shirt in her little fists. Her tongue swept out and met mine as I deepened the kiss. My cock gave a warning twitch beneath my zipper, as if to remind me he was there. Her tongue swirled perfectly with mine, and the chemistry between us I'd been wondering about threatened to explode.

  Down, boy.

  Adrienne made tiny whimpering sounds as her hands explored my muscled chest. It was fucking sexy.

  When we finally broke apart, I traced my thumb along her lower lip. “Come back to our place for a bit?” I asked.

  Adrienne nodded, and my cock hardened fully. “I suppose I could for a little while,” she added.

  Whether I wanted to be or not, I was all in. And when we arrived back home and were greeted by Sullivan, it was anyone's guess how far tonight would go.

  Chapter Eight

  Adrienne

  Sullivan poured me a glass of wine in the kitchen and instructed me to go make myself more comfortable. Which is how I found myself sitting on the couch next to Will. But comfortable wasn't a word I'd use to describe my current state. Buzzed. Confused. Nervous. Turned on. Those were all much better adjectives.