Chapter 73
Mel was still smiling at him. They should hate him after admitting to kissing Alfie when they were just starting something.
They weren’t mad at you the last time, either.
That was different, Rhys told himself. All they’d done before that was make out. They hadn’t really been anything then.
Were they now?
Maybe not. Maybe that was why Mel wasn’t bothered.
They were going to tell him that they didn’t want him, either.
It’s not like he would blame them. No one wanted someone who could so easily turn to someone else.
He wouldn’t blame both of them for leaving him behind.
Hell, they’d both be better off without him.
Hadn’t everyone always been?
He shoved that thought away, locking it up tight as he sat at the table where Mel opened some take out containers.
“Since you were absolutely no help,” they said, winking at Rhys, “I got a sampler. A little of everything.” They slid one container over to Alfie and kept another one in front of them. “Since we at least know what we want.”
He raised an eyebrow, wondering if there was more to that statement, but Mel smiled gently at him. “What if I want some of yours?” Rhys asked.
“I’m pretty sure I have enough to share. This place does give pretty good portion sizes.”
That hadn’t been quite what he was asking, and from the way Mel looked at him, he thought they understood that.
“You can have some of mine as well,” Alfie said. “You usually do even if it makes your tongue burn.”
“What can I say? I like to live dangerously.”
“You like to make yourself hurt,” Alfie said. “Deny yourself the things you really want, because you think you’re supposed to want something else.”
“I feel like we’re not talking about food anymore.” Rhys opened a box of plain white rice.
“Maybe we shouldn’t be,” Mel said. “Do you want to be with me?” They, looked right at him.
He sucked in a breath at their directness. “Yes.” He remembered the way their fingers felt on him the night before.
“Do you want to be with him?”
Something in his chest twisted, tangling up and making it feel like his ribs might pull apart. “Yes,” he said on a soft breath.
Mel nodded and looked at Alfie. “Do you want to be with him?”
Rhys couldn’t bring himself to look at Alfie as he waited for that answer. “Yes.” That twisting sensation uncoiled, his ribs settling back into place.
“Do you want to be with me?” Mel asked.
“No. Lo siento. I don’t even know you.”
An awareness flashed through their eyes, and they smiled at Alfie. “Fair. I don’t know you either. I mean, you’re objectively attractive, but I tend to be picky about the people I’m with who have dicks.”
They looked back at Rhys. “It seems you’re the common denominator between us. As long as we find a way to balance this equation, I don’t see why we can’t find a solution.”
Rhys groaned and dropped his head into his hands. “Save me from math. I do not find it sexy.”
Mel leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. He didn’t raise his head. What if he made a wrong move and sent both of them running away? Alfie’s hand was also on his thigh, and he leaned in so his face was in front of Rhys’s. When Rhys lifted his head, Alfie captured his lips.
Rhys wanted to lose himself in the kiss, but he couldn’t ignore the thump of his heart. Or the voice in his head saying, Don’t be so greedy. You can’t have everything you want.
“Are you sure this is all right with you?” He had seen the way Alfie watched him when he’d danced with someone else. When he’d kissed them. It might be better to have nothing than to hurt either one of them.
“I will tell you if I find it is not,” Alfie said, then he kissed Rhys again, one hand sliding into his hair.
Rhys’s stomach grumbled, and Mel pulled away from kissing the back of his neck. “I guess we’re on the same page. If you want to eat…”
Food was the last thing Rhys was worried about. “The food can be warmed up,” he said. “I want both of you in my bed.” He could prove to them that they weren’t making a mistake.
Or at least keep fooling them for a little longer.