by Davis, SJ
"Whoa!" Jason caught her before she fell flat on her face.
Russell pulled her in. She hid her face in his chest and said something, but between her crying and her voice being muffled by his shirt, he couldn't make it out. "What?"
She shook her head.
While he was usually the recipient of Lauren's tears, Jason was the ultimate interpreter of the indecipherable cry. "What?"
Jason held up a finger and tapped her. “Hey, what’s with the water works?”
She answered with a sniff.
“Lauren.” Russell tried this time.
She pulled back and faced Jason. “Did you mean what you said?”
“Yes, we did.” Jason nodded.
“Don’t speak for me.” Russell moved into her field of vision. “I’m the one who spoke.”
“It is you who needs to stop speaking for me.” Jason shoved him aside. “You said we didn’t blame her for wanting another man, but I say speak for yourself. Also, for the record, I never wanted or tried to hide the three of us, so I don’t say I’m sorry. For someone who wouldn’t do as much as go out to dinner with us, you are sure throwing the 'we' and 'us' word around a lot.”
“Isn’t that what we all wanted?” He held his hand out between the two of them.
“For the record, I have to say I was impressed by the way you told the two girls at the bar that you were looking for the woman we are seeing.” Jason held his hand up for a high five.
Lauren blinked.
"Jason." He waved his hand, a mock flag to stop the race of Jason's mouth.
Jason sped by him. “They tried to correct Russell twice before realizing we were both seeing the same woman.”
She pressed her hand to her chest.
“Lauren.” He would have to be the mop again and explain this. Women at bars, men at gambling tables, this was a game of craps, and they had no dice.
She held her palm up to him. “Did you really tell some women at a bar that you and Jason were seeing the same woman?”
He swallowed, giving himself time to choose the perfect words. While he observed the happenings with Lauren and the doctor, she didn’t witness the two of them at the bar. At this moment they didn’t need her to envision her own version of what happened. “Yes.”
She shifted her attention to Jason. “When you said the three of us were together, did you mean it?”
“Hold on, let me rewind.” Jason glanced up at the ceiling. “If I said it, it must be true.”
“Can you tell me what that means?” Her voice came out laced with both hope and terror.
Russell straightened up, he needed to know the answer as well and in this case, Jason set the rules.
Jason paced around in a circle, stopping back in front of Lauren. “I think we have enough players in our game. Until we figure this out you shouldn't see other guys."
Russell nodded. "No other men or doctors."
“Does that also mean that until we figure this out you don’t see women in bars?” She curled her lower lip over her teeth and bit down.
Jason tapped his finger against his chin. "I would have to say that would be included. No bars, nowhere else either."
"I would definitely say that's included." Russell held up his finger. "But no men, you have enough." This point needed to be made clear. Watching her with someone else even if nothing happened was like watching Jason get kicked in the stomach and then getting kicked in the stomach himself. Double the damage.
"Are we only playing at home or are we allowed to go outside to play?" She turned her back to them.
Before Russell answered he paused. No matter what, he needed to make damn sure he could do what she asked.
Jason leaned back on his heels.
The little black cloud drifted over his head. People would talk, they would assume things, they wouldn't understand. The looks, the stares, the whispers would rain down on them.
He swallowed, willed the cloud away and tried to picture the light that always came after a storm. "It includes all playgrounds."
She spun back around. "I'm sorry."
As if they were drawn to each other, both he and Jason went to her, taking her into their arms.
Jason pressed his lips to the back of her head. "Don't do it again."
"No." Russell went with his instinct and lowered his mouth to hers. They stepped over the threshold and would reveal themselves to the world. He would have to deal with it or lose them both.
***
The lips, all four of them, were the right lips. These lips gave her the swirl in her stomach, the heat in her body, and made her heart swell until she couldn't catch her breath.
They all ended up on the bed among the overabundance of pillows and blankets, and she tried to lose herself in the fantasy these two men turned into reality, but still the questions lingered in her mind, replaying over and over again on an endless loop. What were they really doing? What would have happened if they didn't show up? What did she want?
She sampled Russell's lips as if she never tasted him before. His kiss reminded her of one of the first they shared, tentative and testing at first, building into passionate and powerful. He found his zone, pressed their bodies together and opened his mouth.
But she had two men, and now after being together almost every night, the insecure, uncertain movements of new lovers disappeared, and in their place were three people who learned how to coordinate themselves in a beautiful, fluid dance.
Russell took a breath, and she automatically turned to Jason. He took her into his arms, put one hand behind her head and crushed his lips to hers, moaning as he tangled their tongues.
Jason trailed his mouth down to her ear as Russell went to reclaim her mouth, but she pulled back.
"Lauren." Russell pulled her closer.
"You came for me." She looked between the two most amazing men, instead of replaying all the questions, trying to focus on how they rescued her. Their gesture nothing short of any romantic movie. They were always there, always. From the day Jason found her in English literature to this moment. No one who knew them could be forced to choose. At least not her, she wanted to be selfish and have them both.
"I hate when you disappear." Jason pulled her hair out of her ponytail. "Almost as much as I hate the artwork in this hotel."
She moved his bangs aside. At the moment they didn't need adjusting, but she missed doing it today.
Jason caught her hand and kissed the back.
"We had to come." Russell ran his thumb across her jaw. "I had to come."
Shivers ran through her body and she removed his glasses. She wanted back what she missed last night. A night between the two men she loved. Never again would she dismiss these precious moments. If she had it her way she would fit them in a Valerie bag, hold it to her chest and never let the go.
Russell blinked a couple of times as if he were trying to keep his eyes open. Still when she twisted around to put the glasses on a table he leaned in and pressed his lips to the juncture between her neck and her shoulder.
She bit her lip. Every one of her nerve endings reacted to each of their touches.
"It's feels great just to be in a bed." Jason unzipped her dress.
The cool air on her exposed skin warmed when he trailed his lips across her back.
"I'm just relieved we're all here." Russell found her lips once more.
Slow soft touches and caresses designed to reconnect rather than arouse made it easy to lose herself.
"Give me a few and I'll order some room service. I'm dying." Jason slipped his hands inside her dress and hugged her close.
"I'll do it, I'm getting up." Russell leaned back on the pillows. "We need to take care of Lauren."
"Yes, we need to make sure she is fed, watered and doesn't feel the need to run to any more medical professionals." Jason's laugh vibrated through her, jolting out of her dream.
"Wait." Her chest tightened at her realization and she sat up.
"Laurie?" Jason didn't as much
say her name as he yawned it.
She got on her knees and faced them. Until this second she never even considered what they went through today. Every question focused on her needs. She only gobbled up what they gave her and in return fired a quick apology, not taking time to notice if it landed anywhere in their vicinity.
Now she actually took them in. There they lay on the bed both appearing as if they walked through the desert to get from Los Angeles to Vegas and all she did was let them tend her, dry her tears and carry her to the bed.
At some point today Jason must have been in the studio and no doubt was planning on staying there with his paint splattered t-shirt and ripped jeans. She knew that shirt well, and ran one fingernail across his chest playing connect the dots with the droplets a moment before assessing her other man.
Russell also didn't bother changing out of his work attire. She reached forward and grabbed his tie, twisting it through her fingers.
“I was waiting for you.” Russell pushed himself up on his elbows.
Of course, she knew that, he waited every night, but somewhere along the way she forget about Russell's ties and Jason's bangs and everything else, deciding instead to be a spoiled child who threw a temper tantrum the moment her favorite toys were taken away.
"What's wrong?" Now Jason sat up.
"Nothing." She gave Jason a soft kiss on the lips and pushed him back, climbing over him and getting out of the bed. "Don't move. I have to do a couple of things. Just lay down."
Without protesting, they both slumped back among the pillows. She rushed into the bathroom and headed straight for the sink, turning on the water and staring at her own worst enemy in the mirror.
Tonight she almost lost everything, her best friends, her family, and her loves, just because she wanted it all.
She tossed a couple of washcloths under the hot water and then shimmied out of her mess of a dress before heading over to the closet.
Yes, she had plenty of clothes with her. The two men in the other room came to her without bothering to take a toothbrush.
She slipped on the robe she brought with her, corralled the robes that came with the room and returned to the sink to retrieve the hot towels. Before she returned to them, she needed to answer the questions, or at least the one big question.
One last time she gazed into the mirror. "What are we doing?"
Eight years ago these men took her in, allowed her into their amazing friendship and became her family. Now they were willing to sacrifice everything to share her and she better make damn sure of what she wanted before she walked out there again.
With the robes and the washcloths, she headed out.
One last time she would be selfish, but would make sure she did no damage.
They gave her a gift, one she wouldn't squander.
Yes, this time was a present from them to her. Something temporary, like a box of chocolate truffles or a beautiful bouquet of red roses. Like those decadent offerings she would accept this her whole heart, stop second-guessing and never look back. In return for this bit of magic she would make sure she gave them a something as well.
She returned to find them in the same position and went to Jason first, setting a robe by his feet, taking off his shoes and wiping his face down with the washcloth. There were three in this relationship, or whatever this was, and she needed to do her part.
"Thank you." He pursed his lips for a kiss.
She gave him a quick peck and went to her other weary traveler, repeating her actions, but making sure to remove Russell's tie.
"I love when you take care of me." He squeezed her hand.
"Come here." Jason patted the middle of the bed. "We kept your spot for you."
"I'm on my way." She made one last pit stop and opened the mini bar, taking two bottles of water and some nuts and cheese and crawled in between them with her stash.
"I love my spot." Never again would she take this for granted.
"This is where you belong." Russell pulled her down.
"Yes." She closed her eyes wishing it could be forever and reminding herself to enjoy the gift.
Chapter Eighteen
"Didn't Vegas use to be cheap?" Jason tossed his credit card across the counter.
"Yes, I think at one time it was home of the fifty cent breakfast and dollar shrimp cocktail." Lauren leaned back on the counter. She needed the support. Her legs didn't want to hold her up. They may as well be made out of elastic bands, they certainly managed to contort themselves enough last night, and today they were weak in protest.
After they ate mini bar treats and fell asleep, they woke up two hours later recharged and ready to really use the hotel bed. True to her word, she would make the most of every second and appreciate this for as long as it lasted. "Now it's the capitol of the ten dollar water and the six dollar bagel." The three of them managed to drink at least thirty dollars in liquid before they fell asleep staring at the strip lights from the hotel window.
"So, what do you think?" Jason took his receipt and turned around to give her the view.
She raised her eyebrows. Those were about the only muscles on her that weren't spent. Jason was now donning a new pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt and a black vest. "Perfect." Any other man could buy the same pieces and they would never look like him. No one had his edge. "You have a tag come here."
He approached. "Please detag me."
She reached around the back of his collar, pulled the tag off and was rewarded with a light kiss on the lips. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the sales lady watching them.
"Detag me too." Russell came out of the dressing room adjusting the sleeve of his new burgundy button down and dark blue jeans. Both men decided that if they were going to spend the day with her that they needed a change of clothes.
She held her hands out, and Russell came right for her. Unlike Jason who was put together by his lack of being put together. Russell was always put together because he was together. While Jason whirled around the store picking out what he wanted and trying it on to stellar results, Russell thought and planned and took several things with him to try on.
"Am I now fit to go walking through Las Vegas with you?" He looked down at himself while she pulled the label off the back of his pants.
"Absolutely." She ran her hand along his waist as she turned him. Something was missing. "Russell."
"Lauren," he whispered.
Maybe he didn't want her touching him like this, and she jerked her hands away.
He caught her hands and wrapped them around his waist. "I have something to tell you."
She licked her lips and tilted her face up to him, once more getting a glimpse of the lady at the counter. The sales person had her arms crossed and stared at them. "What is it?"
He bent down to her ear. "I'm going commando."
Well, now she knew what was missing. What was also missing was his apprehension about showing her any attention in public. "Thank you for explaining." Her gaze traveled down to the front of his pants.
"Stop looking there." He took hold of her chin.
"Why?"
"Cause the three of us will never make it out of our hotel room, and then it would have been a waste to buy these clothes."
"Well, I know how you hate to waste."
"Yes, so I won't waste this opportunity." He guided her mouth to his and gave her quite more than a peck.
Heat generated right in her middle. Not from the kiss, per se, but from the fact that Russell kissed her in the middle of store right after Jason kissed her.
Now the saleslady was practically lying on the counter.
"Here are the clothes you came in with." A salesman came from the back carrying a huge bag. He looked at Jason, Russell and then her and broke out into a wide smile.
"I'll take that." Jason slung the bag over her shoulder and grabbed her hand. "I think it’s time we vamoose."
Russell straightened up and claimed her other hand. "Let's go and just have a day to ourselves."
In unison both men squeezed her hands, and she took a breath and turned back to the lady as they walked out.
The saleslady gave her a thumb up.
She smiled. This was the first time they were out as a…well, as them. They walked through the casino and through the hotel. Some people gave them naughty glances, or pointed, but for the most part they walked together as a unit. As it should be. No matter what, she kept her head high, it was possible she could run into someone she knew, but this was what she wanted when she walked out of the bathroom last night and slid in bed between them.
"Are you sure you don't have to go the show?" Russell asked before they went outside. "Or have anymore account meetings?"
"I already did my job." She stumbled at the non-mention of Dr. Dalton. Upon her return to Beverly Hills she would have to deal with this fiasco. What happened here wouldn't stay here.
***
"A Cadillac?" Lauren jumped up from the seat at the valet station and clapped at the bright red boat. "Is this new?"
"Well it's from 1959, but it's new to the dealership." Jason took Lauren's hand and led her to the car. "We can all fit in the front seat."
She kissed him and repeated her action with Russell.
Jason gave the valet some cash while Russell coordinated loading Lauren's luggage and shopping bags. Since the blow up Friday night, Russell had been nothing but the attentive third of their trio. Never skipping a beat when it came to some PDA with Lauren. Yes, they got a few looks, but mostly from jealous women or admiring men. He could have lived without the men gawking at her.
Yesterday was the first day he would have called them actually together. Out in public for the first time, they spent their time shopping, gambling, going to restaurants and even though they both offered to take Lauren to a show or a club, they ended up back in bed. It was them but amplified, exactly what he thought would happen.
He slid into the driver's seat. Lauren took the middle and Russell slammed the trunk and got in beside her.
"I need to thank your parents for sending someone to get my car." She grinned at him, using her teeth and everything.