by Liz Andrews
Not2clevr: Sorry to cut out early, but work is calling. Hope we can talk again soon. Maybe next time we can communicate through the webcam and I’ll be able to see you.
Jasmine noticed he’d already signed out, but she still sent a message telling him she’d love to talk again soon. Then she picked up the phone and dialed Stephanie’s number. She wondered if her friend was available to go on a shopping trip, because she was in need of a webcam.
Two days later Alex checked his computer for what seemed like the fiftieth time, only to discover Jasmine still wasn’t online. He didn’t think he scared her off, but he wasn’t too sure either. When he’d told his parents Chase and he were together as a couple, they were less than supportive. Unfortunately, unlike the saying, time didn’t heal all wounds and the subject of his and Chase’s relationship was still persona non grata at his parents’ house. Until he actually talked to Jasmine again, he wouldn’t be satisfied. Of course, Chase thought he was absolutely crazy.
“I should have known I’d find you in here.”
Speak of the devil.
“Yes, I’m in the office and yes, I’m checking the computer again. I admit it. I’ve become a cyber stalker.”
“Now you’ve taken the first step, we can find you the help you need,” Chase said with a smile.
Alex leaned back in his chair. “Is it terrible of me to be happy we’ve reconnected with Jasmine?”
Chase shook his head. “Of course not. I’m worried when the initial novelty wears off the friendship won’t sustain. Distance isn’t known for making the heart fonder.”
Although Alex hated to have to agree with him on the point, it was a good one. Long distance relationships, even friendships, were sort of a shot in the dark. Still, he wasn’t willing to be cynical quite yet. “I’m going to send her a message anyway.”
“And say what?”
“I don’t know. ‘Hi, how are you?’ sounds good to me.”
Chase gave a non-committal grunt and sat down in front of his own computer. Alex knew Chase was trying to protect him, but he wanted to pursue this. He swiveled the chair back around to face Chase.
“Why are you anti-Jasmine all of a sudden?”
Chase turned toward him, running his hand through his hair. “I’m not. I really hope we can all renew our friendship. I’m worried we’re both raising our hopes up for no reason.”
“But that’s what I don’t understand. She’s sent messages and chatted with us both, things have gone well. Why all the concern?”
“You’re right. I’m probably borrowing trouble.”
Alex couldn’t help but think there was more to this than Chase was saying, but before he could say more, the computer dinged with a message from Jasmine, asking if he would accept a video conference call. She’d obviously decided to accept his suggestion. His hands were actually sweaty as he moved his mouse to click on the button. It took a few scant moments for the camera to connect to the Internet, but it seemed as if it was an eternity.
When the picture finally came into view he was amazed. She had been cute in high school, but in the last ten years she’d grown into a striking beauty. Her face filled the screen and the first thing he noticed were her large green eyes, flecked with gold. She had a gorgeous smile, with full sensual lips, tinted with a hint of color.
“Hello, beautiful.”
“I’m wondering if this was such a good idea. Now you’ll know when I’m blushing.”
Alex could feel Chase’s presence over his shoulder and he knew the other man was as interested as he was in what Jasmine looked like.
“Roll back a bit so we can see more of you.” Chase spoke, his voice low and commanding, like it was when he was turned on. Alex was beginning to think they were both very attracted to their old friend in more ways than friendship.
She did as Chase asked, and they both sucked in their breath as they received a better view. She had shoulder-length wavy hair, the color of autumn leaves, all browns, reds and golds. But the most amazing sight was her newly acquired bust. In high school she wasn’t flat chested, but she had never been this voluptuous. Maybe it was the deep V-cut of her T-shirt, but Alex felt as if he could reach right through the screen and trace his finger over the soft white globes.
“So do I pass inspection?”
“When the hell did you grow boobs? Or are those fake?” The words popped out of his mouth before he could censor them. Thankfully Jasmine laughed.
“Hell no, these are all real. I guess I was a late bloomer, because these babies popped out my freshman year of college. Of course, the extra weight I gained probably helped.”
“I don’t know anything about any extra weight, but I can attest you look mighty fine to me.”
And he wasn’t giving her any false compliments. She stirred his blood, something no woman had done for many years. He glanced back over his shoulder and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he wasn’t the only one affected.
“I want the same treatment, let me see you both.”
Alex looked at his image on the screen, wondering what she was thinking as she viewed him. He was lucky that his job kept him fit and he hadn’t gone to fat like many ex-football players had.
“Hey, Chase, no more hiding behind Mr. All American.”
Alex smiled at the compliment and rolled his chair out of the way to allow her an eyeful of his guy. They’d all aged pretty well in the ten years since high school. Not yet thirty, he thought they all looked closer to twenty than the big three-o.
“Did you guys discover the fountain of youth or something? You’re both gorgeous.”
“Hello pot, it’s kettle.”
Jasmine chuckled at Chase’s comment. “I’m serious. Did you two sell your souls to the devil or what?”
“Flattery will get you everywhere,” Alex said.
“I wish that was true.” Jasmine sat back in her chair, her bottom lip pushed out in an obvious pout. “I can’t believe the two of you aren’t coming to the reunion. As much fun as this has been, I would love to see you guys in real life. I miss you both very much.”
“We’ve missed you, too. There’s no one here to tease and torture.”
“Oh gee, your favorite pastime.”
Alex had a sudden thought, but he didn’t want to presume to speak for Chase. As surreptitiously as possible, he grabbed a pen and paper and quickly scribbled a note, which he slipped under Chase’s hand.
What do you think about that invitation we discussed?
Alex watched from the corner of his eye as Chase moved out of camera range to read the message.
“Hey, where did Chase go?”
“I’m here, Jasmine.” Chase moved closer, laying his hand on Alex’s thigh and giving a quick squeeze. Without words he knew the answer was yes.
“Jasmine, what do you think about a road trip?”
“Um, are you guys inviting me somewhere?”
Alex smiled at her hesitation. “Yeah, Chase and I would love it if you came to visit.”
“Really?”
“No, not really. We thought we’d invite you as a joke.”
“Asshole.”
“Thank you very much.” Alex crossed his arms over his chest. “So what’s your answer? Do you want to come here for a weekend?”
“If you guys are serious, I’d love to come.”
“Of course we’re serious.” Chase spoke before Alex could.
“Then I’m there,” Jasmine said with a smile.
They chatted for a few more moments and she ended their conversation with a cheery, “See you Friday night.”
When he clicked off the webcam Chase clasped him on the back. “So did you expect that?”
Alex knew exactly what Chase was referring to. “Hell no. She’s become a real beauty, huh?”
“Definitely.”
The room grew silent and Alex contemplated what Chase might be thinking. “So you’re okay with this visit, right?”
Chase frowned. “Yes, of course. I said I was s
erious and I meant it.”
Alex nodded and didn’t say anything more. He was looking forward to seeing her and hoped things turned out as well as he expected.
Chapter Three
Chase was sitting with Alex, waiting on pins and needles for Jasmine’s arrival. Sure he was pretending to read a book, but it was a façade. Ever since he’d seen her on the webcam he could think of almost nothing else. The sight of her had produced an instantaneous attraction he was unable to explain. And he had a pretty good idea Alex felt the same way. Chase hadn’t said anything to him, but he’d watched Alex that night, watched his body language, and he could recognize the magnetic pull.
But neither of them spoke of it. They talked about the anticipation of her visit, of old times together, but they never mentioned the obvious attraction. Chase wasn’t sure if their moratorium would continue once she arrived though. He’d soon find out, however, because she was due any minute.
“You think she’s lost?”
Lowering his book, Chase shook his head. “It’s ten minutes past the time she thought she would arrive. I wouldn’t call out the Mounties yet.”
“I suppose you’re ri—” Alex’s words were interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Chase smiled as the other man immediately rose to answer the door. He could hear Jasmine’s squeal as Alex opened the door. Chase laid his book on the table and stood to greet her.
When he joined them at the entrance, Jasmine was locked in an embrace with Alex, their arms wrapped around each other. Chase was somewhat amused to see Jasmine’s hands clasping Alex’s ass.
“Damn, these really are buns of steel.”
“Hey now,” Chase interjected. “I want some sugar.”
“Oh my God.” Alex released Jasmine as she called out and she immediately rushed toward Chase and flung her arms around his neck. She planted a kiss on him and although he was a bit shocked by the move, he wasn’t going to let her escape too quickly. Wrapping his arms around her, Chase drew her close and returned the kiss before finally releasing her.
“Wow, what a welcome.” Jasmine glanced back over her shoulder and put out her hand, beckoning Alex to her. When he stepped forward she wrapped her arms around him, so the three of them were all hugging. “God, I missed this.”
Chase didn’t point out they never were quite this close in the past, but he wasn’t one to complain about a sweet deal either. Therefore he kept his mouth shut. He did, on the other hand, reach an arm around Alex and give those “buns of steel” a squeeze, causing the other man to jump slightly. As they broke apart, Chase gave him a wink.
“How was the drive?” Chase asked.
“Not bad at all, although I stopped for bathroom breaks and snackage along the way. As a result it took me a tad longer than I thought.”
“We weren’t worried.” Alex’s assurances almost had Chase bursting out laughing, but he was able to keep it together.
“Oh no, not at all.” He wasn’t able to quite hide the sarcasm in his voice.
Alex shot him a look of disgust. Turning back to Jasmine he asked, “Where are your keys?”
“Here.” She handed them over. “But you don’t have to—”
“No, you can start to catch up with Chase. I’m going to bring your luggage in.”
“Come on, I’ll give you a tour.” He headed into the kitchen.
As she walked further into the room she gasped. “Oh wow, I love this open look.”
The kitchen flowed into a dining area and then further into the family room, which was decorated in a similar complementary style. “We did a bunch of upgrades in these three rooms in the last year, even breaking down a couple of walls to open this all up.”
“You’ve done a great job. It’s perfect.” She wandered through the rooms, running her hand over the furniture.
“It was a lot of money, but well worth it.”
She returned to his side. “I agree. I can’t wait to cook something in here.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Ready to see the rest?”
“Lead on, McDuff.”
Chase chuckled and directed her to the next room. “When we bought this house, this room was listed as the living room, but we turned it into a den/library/office.”
“Great idea. I love it.” She plopped onto one of the large overstuffed red chairs and snuggled in deep. “I could sit here all night with my laptop or e-reader.”
Chase liked the idea of her being here with him and Alex, relaxing at night and enjoying each other’s company. Sitting on the matching ottoman, Chase lifted Jasmine’s feet into his lap. “If you’re going to be truly relaxed, you need to take your shoes off.”
“Sounds like heaven.” Jasmine sighed and closed her eyes.
Chase slipped her shoes off then stripped off her socks too. Taking her feet, he began to massage them.
“Hmm, your hands are magic. It feels great.”
“What the heck is going on in here?” Alex’s voice caused Jasmine to sit up. She tried to jerk her feet from his grip, but Chase didn’t let go. He knew Alex was trying to give her a hard time, even if she didn’t realize it yet.
“I was…we were…” Jasmine was stumbling all over her explanation.
“Oh, I see. You think you only have to drive a couple of hours and you can receive a foot massage.” Alex walked over to the chair and stood next to her.
“No, I didn’t expect anything.”
“What about your shoulders? Don’t they deserve some attention too?” Alex began to massage her shoulders and she moaned long and low.
“Oh my.” Jasmine’s eyelids drifted closed again. “You guys are addictive.”
Chase looked up at Alex, their gazes colliding. He had the feeling they were thinking the same thing, that this, the three of them together, seemed right somehow. But until they were alone and could talk, he wouldn’t be able to confirm his suspicions.
Jasmine finally opened her eyes and gave a sigh. “As nice as this is, I can’t allow myself to become too comfortable.” Chase frowned, wondering why exactly. Before he could object, she swung her feet off his lap and stood. “So, where am I sleeping?”
“You’re not ready for bed yet, are you?”
“No, but if we’re going to stay in for the night I thought I’d change and put on some comfy pjs.”
“Sure, this way.” Together all three of them traipsed down the hall toward the bedrooms. “There are a total of four bedrooms. We put you in the guest room with its own bathroom.”
“You guys win the lottery sometime in the last ten years?”
“Um, no, why?”
“Because this place is off the hook. I have a tiny two-bedroom condo. What gives?”
“There are two of us and one of you,” Alex suggested.
Jasmine curled her lip. “Don’t rub it in.”
Chase swung open the door and watched Jasmine’s reaction. They had put some time into making sure the room was perfect for her.
“Oh my…” Jasmine’s eyes widened as she stepped into the room. “You guys are going to spoil me.”
“We thought you might appreciate a little pampering.”
The room was decorated in the style of a high-end spa, with soothing sage green walls. There was very little clutter around the room, other than a candle on the corner table, next to the cozy-looking reading chair.
“I can’t believe how nice this is. I mean, the colors in the quilt match the colors in the curtains and the throw pillow on the chair.”
“Before you have the wrong idea, we’re not super gay,” Alex teased. “We paid someone who was a lot gayer than both of us combined to decorate it.”
“I was beginning to wonder.”
“Why don’t you change and then meet us in the kitchen for dinner?” Chase suggested.
“Sounds great.”
He and Alex left the room and headed back toward the other end of the house, but Chase couldn’t help but imagine what she looked like as she stripped o
ff her clothing to change. His distraction must have shown on his face because when he finally began to focus, Alex was frowning at him.
“What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing, why?”
“Because you’re staring off in the distance, with a very…intense look on your face.”
Intense, huh? What would Alex think if he knew Chase was fantasizing about their houseguest? Chase hadn’t had feelings as intense as this for a woman since he knew Jasmine ten years before. Maybe he ought to tell Alex what was going on in his head, in order to figure out where they all stood on the situation.
“I wanted to—”
“Hey, guys, what’s for dinner?” Jasmine bopped into the room dressed in a pair of grey drawstring pants with purple skulls and a purple tank top. Her hair was put up into a ponytail and her face scrubbed clean of makeup. It was as if she were channeling her high school self.
“I’m not sure.” Alex turned back to Chase. “What were you saying?”
Chase knew he couldn’t discuss his feelings for Jasmine now, therefore he quickly changed the subject. “I think we should order pizza and catch up. Let’s leave the big dinner for tomorrow night.”
“As long as I have the option to pick what’s on the pizza.”
“No way,” Alex protested. “You like vegetables.”
“What, mushrooms?”
“And onions.”
“What if I compromise, and you can have as much sausage and pepperoni as you want?”
While Alex and Jasmine haggled out the details of the pizza toppings, Chase grabbed the telephone book to look up the number. It amazed him how easily they fell back into their old routine, bantering together as if they saw each other only yesterday. He already knew they’d eventually decide to order two pizzas, each split half and half, so they had four choices of toppings.
“I’m dialing, have you made a decision?”
“We’re getting two pizzas. The first one, a meat lover’s on one side and mushroom and onions on the other. The second one, we’re going to have Hawaiian on one side and chicken barbeque on the other side.”
He suppressed a smile and nodded, repeating the order into the phone before hanging up. “They said forty-five minutes.”