25

Chapter 22

The girls dragged the night out. Every time I tried to break away and clean up my room, they seemed to come up with some new activity to suck me in...

I was so wrapped up in talking to them, it was finally super late before I realized what they were doing...

I was sitting there on the couch, one of them on each side of me as we all swapped stories from our childhood, well, to be fair, Rachel and I swapped stories, Laurel mostly kept quiet...

That stung a little, but I knew how much it hurt her to go back and look at those memories, so I left it alone...

Finally, my brain kicked into gear, and I figured it out...

I looked at my watch, realizing it was close to eleven at night...

"Son of a bitch." I muttered.

Rachel gave me an evil smile...

Laurel at least had the good grace to cover her smile...

"You two, evil women..."

Rachel smirked, "Looks like you're sharing a bed with us tonight big guy..."

A spike of annoyance shot through me, "Guys..." I closed my eyes, looking down, "please... I'm not comfortable with this..."

Rachel held her hands up, "Okay. Enough. The false modesty thing was quite... for a while."

Her tone and what she said, really offended me...

I tried to keep my tone level, "What's that supposed to mean?"

She gave my kind of a shity, cockheaded look, "You have the chance to have sex with two amazing women, you are already having sex with. Somehow, I think you can soldier through."

Okay... that really pissed me off...

"How dare you make an assumption about me like that?" I felt my voice rising, felt the sting in my words, "You know Rachel, I'm not just a cock with legs. I can think for myself."

I almost said a lot more...

I almost brought up the other men she had been casually screwing...

Really, I only caught myself at the last possible second. Only managed to pull up seconds before I hit the ground.

Yes, I was not those men. I wasn't that kind of man. She, however, was used to that behavior.

Laurel cut between us, moving from her spot on the couch and taking a seat on the edge of the coffee table, "Hey, guys. Calm down."

I felt my gaze, sharp and piercing claw into her, saw her recognize the anger I had. For a second it spiked harder. I knew, instinctively, she was in on this little plan. That seriously pissed me off even more. I did not like being manipulated. I liked Laurel, someone who should have known better, manipulating me even less. Somewhere deep in my heart I knew, Laurel had most likely put this whole evil little scheme together, and Rachel was just acting out her part, the part of the seductress, the part of the slattern, out. It angered me that I was just a piece in their little fantasy...

Had Laurel just come out and told me...

Had she just said, "I want to have a threesome with you and Rachel!" there would be no way I could have turned her down...

It was right about when that thought hit me that I realized how out of line I was to be angry at them...

To be angry at either of them.

The truth was, if I was being really and truly honest with myself, that they had both been pretty damn direct in their fantasy. True, neither of them had come out and asked me outright, but they had pretty much spelled it out to me that at their first opportunity they wanted to see all of tangled up in the sheets together...

I shook my head, my anger suddenly turning on myself, "I'm sorry guys."

I tried desperately to think of the right thing to say, the thing that was going to make this right...

I took a deep breath, sighing it out, before looking at each of them in turn, "I haven't been completely honest with you. Yes, I have been communicating that the whole threesome thing wasn't exactly something that I was thrilled about, but I never really came out and said it. I haven't talked with each of you about my feelings on it, and I haven't been completely honest with you about how conflicted I am..."

There was a flash of annoyance in Rachel's eyes, just for a split second. I saw it, and then saw her push it down, saw her make an attempt to understand...

"Okay. Talk, because right now, I don't think either I, or Laurel understand what's going on in your head..." her voice was soft, but it was a false softness...

Laurel seemed to be taking the news better than Rachel was, which I guess made sense considering that the whole fantasy thing was more Rachel's idea than it was Laurel's.

I held my hands up, "Okay. Full disclosure." I paused for a second, trying to figure out how to say what was on my mind without offending anyone, "And I want you both to understand this is a lot more about me than it is about either of you, okay?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, and Laurel smacked her knuckles, figuratively speaking, "Rachel. Stop. Hear him out."

Rachel signed, her shoulders dropping as she mentally readjusted herself, "You're both right. I'm sorry. I'm being a bitch right now..."

She looked at me, her gaze open, "I'm sorry Link..."

I shook my head, distracted by my own thinking, "It's okay..."

Again, I looked at each of them, unsure of who I should be talking to...

I finally settle for just looking back and forth, "This whole thing is weird for me. I get that you two seem to be comfortable, but I'm not."

I looked at Laurel, "Baby, I'm completely, head over heels for you."

Laurel kind of tilted her head, preening a little bit.

I turned, looking at Rachel, "And Rachel. You are drop dead sexy, and I have a ton of fun when I'm with you. You're intelligent. You're smart. You even have a great sense of humor. I can't honestly say I'm in love with you, but I can feel my emotions for you getting stronger every day."

Rachel was much more guarded in her reaction, but I could tell the complements caused her to drop her guard a little bit.

I looked at each of them in turn, "With either of you, alone, I'm completely comfortable...."

I stopped myself, taking a mental note of the lie, I had just told.

I held my hands up again, "Actually. That's not true. Rachel, when I'm with you, I can't control myself physically, but I still feel like I'm cheating."

Holding my hands up to forestall their arguments, I continued, "I know it's dumb. I know you've both told me it's dumb. It's how I'm feeling though. I think that's my big mental block to having the two of you together... I'd be embarrassed to... be with either of you while the other watches..."

Rachel reached out, shoving me, gently, a broad smile on her face, "Watches? Only one going to be watching is you!" She turned, smiling at Laurel, who returned her smile, gleefully. Rachel continued, "We know how to entertain each other!"

That sounded...

I shook my head like a dog, trying to get my hormones to stop thinking for me.

Tilting my head, I considered another thought that popped into my head...

"Also," I looked at Rachel, intended the comment to be aimed specifically at her, "I know I'm a man. I know I'm supposed to only care about sex, but for me, the emotionally side of it is a pretty big deal. I know that makes me a pussy. And I don't care. If I'm with one of you, I can just kind of lock in on how I feel about you."

I paused, taking a moment to let that sink in for them, "Which is pretty damn special."

Shaking my head, I added, "And I don't know how to make my mind go around that roadblock. It will, eventually, but I just don't know that I'm ready for that right now... okay?"

Laurel leaned into me a little, putting her hand on my knee, "Hey. We get it."

Rachel chuffed, but it was a good natured, chuff, "Speak for yourself. I don't get it."

She looked at me, and I could see a feral look in her eyes... that look that was both terrifying and overwhelmingly sexy all at the same time...

She lowered her chin, looking at me like a lion looks at a gazelle in the field, "I could make him forget his worries..."

I felt my breath quicken at the thought of what Rachel might do...

Shame splashed into me, and I caught myself looking down...

Laurel shook my knee a little, "Hey."

I looked up at her.

She smiled, one of those Laurel smiles that just stops my heart every time I see it...

"What you felt just now? It's a good thing." She shook her head a little, continuing, "This whole threesome thing is new to us all," she looked at Rachel, a look of mischief flashing across her face, "or, I should say it's new to you and me because Rachel here is a little slut..."

Rachel put on a look of feigned offense, "What!"

Laurel gave her one of her patented smile, and I felt myself smile, being pulled along in the moment with them...

Laurel looked back at me, "But I think I'm feeling a little more comfortable with it than you are Link, and that's okay. Yes, we made a bad assumption about you tonight, and we shouldn't have tried to manipulate you." She took her hand off of my knee, sitting up a little more, "So why don't we try a compromise? We all just try to ease into this?"

I looked at her, not really getting what she was saying... "What do you mean, ease into it?"

She shrugged, "I mean, let's try tonight, just sleeping together. Not having sex. Just sharing a bed; the three of us."

I recoiled from the idea a bit, but once I wrapped my head around it, the idea didn't seem so bad...

Then my stupid mind came up with another reason...

I sighed, "Guys... I'm trying to keep an open mind here, but..." I stopped, shaking my head, "sharing your bed kind of makes me feel like I'm getting in the middle of your relationship..."

Laurel's face found a half frown, and I could tell, that one caused a roadblock to go up in her mind too... not necessarily that she felt the same way, but that she really had no way of answering the question.

It surprised me when Rachel was the one to speak up, "Can we just be honest here for a second?"

I looked at her, raising my eyebrows.

Rachel looked from Laurel, to me and then back to Laurel, "It's obvious how Laurel and I feel about each other." She smiled, looking back at me, "And Link, Laurel is just as crazy about you as you are about her."

She stopped for a second, her shoulders making a slight shrug, before her eyes came back up and met mine, "And I think I feel stronger about you right now than you do about me..."

I started to say something and she put her hand up, "Stop. It's okay. Maybe that feeling will get stronger. Maybe it won't." she gave me a sweet, almost shy smile, "I hope it gets stronger..."

She shrugged again, looking back and forth between me and Laurel, "I mean, we're all kind of dancing around this, but... I don't know, isn't this kind of our relationship now? We can lie to each other, but just the way you two feel about each other kind of makes that the case. Add in how I feel..."

I moved a little closer to her, putting my hand on her knee, "Hey... I'm not in love with you, but I wasn't fucking around the other night. I can feel that coming..."

She smiled that same sweet smile again, "Thanks..."

She again looked back and forth between me and Laurel, "I mean, when Link moved in, weren't we all kind of seeing it as kind of an unofficial... I don't know, joining?"

She looked at us, seeming to search for an answer, before her eyes settled on me once again, "Because that's how I felt. I was glad when Laurel asked if you could move in. Yes, a part of that was happiness for her, I mean just a general sense of relief in knowing that when I was gone she was going to have someone she loved to keep her company, but a big part of that was that I was kind of looking forward to having you to come home to too..."

Laurel got up and moved to the stuffed chair, the better to see me and Rachel while we talked.

Rachel looked back and forth between me and Laurel, "I mean, I know that's stupid. We really haven't known each other for very long, but I want you to be a part of my life."

She stopped, sighing, "Or am I the only crazy person in the room..."

Laurel and I both laughed...

I moved to the point where my knee could touch hers and pulled her head close to my own, touching my forehead to hers...

"You're right..." I gave her nose a playful push with my own, "I'm being a little pigheaded..."

Laurel folded her legs up beneath her in the chair, "So, what did we decide here...?"

I let Rachel loose, holding my hands up, "I guess we decided that if this whole thing is going to work, we need to be open and honest with each other. Yes. It seems like we're all okay with what's going on, but there is a lot of potential for there to be a minefield here, am I right?"

Rachel nodded, looking to Laurel...

Laurel looked at us like we were both crazy...

She shook her head, "I guess I just don't see the problem."

Rachel looked at her, "How would you feel if tomorrow Link only wanted to spend time with me?"

I could see the surprise register on her face as the thought hit her...

Rachel pushed her advantage, "And what if every night I started sleeping in his room?"

I could see the anger flash on her face... "Okay, I get it now..."

I laughed looking at them, "We need to be open and let each other know where the lines are. What we're comfortable with and what we're not. It would get rid of this shit where I'm guessing if I'm stepping in or not..."

Rachel looked at me, "So... does that mean you're not comfortable sleeping with us?"

I smiled at her, looking between her and Laurel, "I think Laurel is right... I think, as long as you two are okay with it, we should be as open as possible. I don't think I'd be comfortable with it every night... but now and then... now and then, it'd be fun..."

Rachel pushed me lightly, "So. With that in mind. I'm asking... will you sleep with us tonight?"

I felt that growing sense of unease in the pit of my stomach. Like I was doing something stupid...

Laurel piled on, "Look, we don't have to do anything. We get that you need to ease into the awkwardness of this, and I at least, recognize that you have some pretty good reasons for wanting to take things slow. You need to just get comfortable with where we are and what we are all doing... okay?"

I smiled at her, feeling better.

Nodding, I told her, "Okay. But on one condition?"

Rachel narrowed her eyes at me, "And what would that be?"

I reached out, rubbing her leg, "Tomorrow, after you and I are done working on the stuff we need to go over for the account, you two go out to dinner, go do something fun, just the two of you..."

Rachel tilted her head, and I could see the sadness in her eyes. I pressed on, "Laurel really misses you when you're gone. I know that you need to be traveling right now, but it's important that you two spend time together, okay?"

Rachel smiled at Laurel, "Deal."

Chapter 23

I knocked on their door, my knuckles rapping on the hard wood...

Laurel's voice answered me, "Come in, silly..."

I opened the door, stepping in. The room was all comfort and texture. They had comforters hanging on all the walls, different shapes and materials, splashes of colors and patterns. Their bed was enormous, a California King, which I guess, considering that there was going to be three of us in there pretty soon was pretty fortunate. They had it pushed into a corner, which I guessed was going to be nice as it would maximize the room...

Rachel was already in bed, covers pulled up to her chest. Laurel still had all of her clothes on, and was standing by the bed, brushing her hair out.

She smiled at me, flipping her hair as she looked at Rachel, "Isn't he cute? He's so shy..."

Rachel gave me one of those knockout smiles as she patted the bed...

I made it to the foot of the bed before I stopped. I pointed with both hands, "So... uh... which side?"

Rachel and Laurel exchanged glances, laughing...

Rachel obviously spread her legs beneath the covers, laying on her back as she tucked the covers beneath her arms, stretching them across her breasts...

She ran her hands over the inside of her thighs over the covers, "How about right here...?" she purred.

I felt a growl resonate from somewhere deep inside my mind... an intense feeling of just wanting to pull the covers away and have my way with her. The fact that I knew she would obviously enjoy it only made the feeling all that much stronger...

I barely managed to catch myself, glancing at Laurel.

She smiled at me as she moved around the bed to me. She put her hand on my shoulder, "I saw that." She turned, looking at Rachel, smiling at her, before she turned back to me, "Whatever makes you comfortable. I'm okay with it."

Her smile spread, showing her too white, too perfect teeth, "I'm excited thinking about the two of you having sex, and I'm excited to be able to sleep with the two people I love most in the world."

She turned, rubbing my ear with her other hand, "I'm going to take a shower before bed. You two be nice to each other."

Rachel purred again, "I'll be nice to him..."

I felt a spike of anxiety and Laurel turned, "Stop. I know you're playing, but he doesn't."

Rachel folded her arms over her impressive breasts, putting her bottom lip out, pouting, "But I want to play with him..."

Laurel looked at me and I could tell she say it in my eyes...

She smiled, "And he wants to play with you too..."

I felt a flash of embarrassment, and looked down.

Laurel put her had beneath my chin, forcing my head up, making me meet her eyes, "It's okay."

She pointed a thumb over her shoulder, "Do you want me to take an extra-long shower, give you guys some privacy?"

Now the flash of shame was even stronger...

I stepped closer to her, pulling her into my arms, "No."

Rachel spoke up, "Please? I'd like to get laid tonight."

"Hey!" I called to her, giving her a half smile, my arms still wrapped around Laurel.

The smile on her face was pure mischief...

I raised my eyebrows at her...

Her smile got wider.

Turning, I kissed Laurel. The kind of kiss I hoped stopped her heart...

As I broke the kiss, I looked at Rachel, who was steaming.

Laurel slapped me on the chest, "You're just using me to make her jealous!"

I smiled at her, "Sorry."

She wrapped her hands in my shirt, leaning in, and kissing me, this time, it was her that stopped my heart.

When she finally broke the kiss, and I managed to open my eyes and look at her, I noticed her staring at Rachel. Looking over at Rachel I saw her grind her teeth...

"This is fucking bullshit..." she growled.

Laurel giggled, before turning her twinkling gaze on me, "You're right. That was fun."

With that, she spun out of my grasp, "Shower time! Don't have too much fun you two!"

"We're not having sex!" I called after her...

She giggled as she turned, giving me a last final smile before she spun and started to close the bathroom door, "Sure..." she winked at me as the door closed...

I turned back to Rachel, "We're not having sex..."

My voice was considerably less confident now that I was looking into her gorgeous eyes...

She spread her legs wider, this time rubbing her thighs harder, more aggressively...

She bit her teeth and growled, "Wanna bet?"

The urge to dive on her crashed into me so hard I almost lost myself to it...

She smiled, straightening her legs, "I'm just fucking with you."

She patted the bed, "Come on. Get in. I'll be good."

I dropped a knee on the bed, figuring two could play at her little game...

"I know you'd be good..."

A spark of heat flashed in her eyes...

I grabbed her foot, giving it a playful shake, before pointing, "Seriously, which side?"

She looked me up and down, "Which position do you prefer?"

There was serious heat in my chest now, "I prefer to be on top of you. Having you ride me is fun, but something about being able to control how hard I can thrust myself into you is a huge turn on."