Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
“Ford…” Erin started while pulling a pan of homemade meatloaf out of the oven.
“Yeah, darlin’?”
As soon as she placed the hot pan on a trivet in the center of the kitchen table, she turned to face him where he stood behind his seat. He was ready to plant his ass at the table and start chowing down since he’d worked hard all day at the resort finishing up small projects and was starving.
When she invited him over for one of his favorite meals, it took him less than thirty seconds to respond to her text with a “yes,” while in his head he screamed, “Hell yes!”
Even though Danica had been working on the resort’s menu all week and the employees got to be her guinea pigs, nothing beat a plate of Erin’s glazed meatloaf, sour cream mashed potatoes, and braised cabbage.
Of course, with a cold beer to wash it all down.
He leaned over the table to set a bottle of Yuengling next to her plate, then tucked his thumb under her chin to tip her face up. He stared down into her deep brown eyes. “What’s bothering you? I can see it in your face.”
“I need to ask you…” She shook her head. “No, I need to tell you something. I know we don’t owe each other anything other than friendship, but…”
“What?” he prodded.
“I…”
She was rarely this bothered over anything unless it was something out of her control. That realization made the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. “What, Erin? Just spill whatever it is.”
“The flame I thought was extinguished… It’s rekindled.”
He stared at her for a moment. Flame? Rekindled?
Dylan had mentioned kissing her, but had something else happened since then? “You slept with Dylan.”
“No.”
He shook his head. “Then what?”
“He kissed me.”
Since she wasn’t aware that Dylan already confessed to that, he decided to act like it was news to him. “Without your consent?”
“No! No. Nothing like that.” She pulled away and rounded the table to take her seat before flipping a hand toward his place setting. “Let’s start before it gets cold.”
He settled in the chair across from her and took a big bite of the meatloaf. She never missed with her grandmother’s recipe. She should share it with Danica. He was damn sure some of the resort’s guests would love it as much as he did.
After swallowing, he said, “So, you want to fuck him.”
She pulled in a breath, picked up her fork and stared at her meal.
“He wants to fuck you.” Ford reworded it when she didn’t respond and wouldn’t meet his eyes across the table.
After scooping up some the mashed potatoes, she paused the fork in front of her mouth. “I would like to… explore the possibilities?”
“You don’t sound sure.”
“I would like to explore the possibilities,” she repeated more firmly before shoving the fork into her mouth.
He nodded while chewing some of the savory cabbage. He chased it down with a mouthful of beer. “Since when do you need permission from me? Our relationship was never like that.”
“I know, but not only is he an ex, he’s your boss. I don’t want to cause any issues for you or want it to be awkward for any of us.”
The only issue between Dylan and Ford right now was their own kiss two days ago. Since then, the co-owner of Double D Ranch had avoided him like he was contagious. “Do you plan on being exclusive with him?”
A wrinkle appeared along her brow. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far ahead. It was only one kiss.”
According to what Dylan revealed, she left out the part about him fingering her.
Since he wanted her to always feel free to share her feelings or her desires with him, maybe he could reassure her with a little confession of his own. “Let me tell you something, darlin’… Something I haven’t told you because it wasn’t any of your business, just like you kissing Dylan wasn’t any of mine. We’ve kissed, too.”
“Yes, we’ve kissed plenty of?—”
“Dylan and I.”
Her gaping mouth snapped shut and she carefully placed her fork on her plate. “What?”
“He’s more than what he presents on the surface.”
With wide eyes, she pressed fingers to her lips. “He’s… bi? Holy shit.”
“Very, and no one knows, apparently. Not even his family.”
“Then, should you be telling me this?”
Good question. “Probably not. However, I know you won’t share that info with anyone, and since I was an involved party…” He let that drift off. He gave her enough info that she could figure out the rest on her own.
“But that means… You’re bi?”
“Very.”
“You never told me.”
He sat back and tipped the beer bottle to his lips. “No reason to share. Once I moved here, I didn’t think it would be accepted in this area.” He’d keep his travels to State College to himself for now. However, if she asked, he wouldn’t lie.
Would he prefer to find someone closer, like Dylan Lyons? Maybe not “like” Dylan, but the man himself since he was hot as hell and sexy, too. Plus, from what was ground against him the other day, his boss seemed to not be lacking in the cock department.
From what he could tell, it wasn’t a monster, but it also wasn’t a button mushroom.
He looked across the table at the reason that particular option might never be available. He had no doubt who Dylan would pick, if given the choice.
“Well,” Erin started, “this area still might be behind the times, but I think the resort and its guests will be turning this town on its ear. Let’s hope it opens some minds along the way.”
He could only hope, but… “Don’t expect miracles.”
Her lips thinned out. “I won’t. And this is why I wanted to talk to you.”
“To tell me that you’re worried about what others might think if you’re involved, even casually, with two different men?” He could certainly understand that concern.
“I’ll admit, I’m a little worried about that.”
“Wait until they find out you are doing two men at the same time.”
“What are you talking about?” She frowned. “Do you mean at the actual same time and not in the same time period?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
“Ford…”
He was surprised that suggestion shocked her. She had always been open-minded. But maybe a threesome was a step too far? Did he finally find her limit?
He sighed. “Look, do you still want me?”
“Of course.”
“Do you want Dylan?”
“Yes. Wait… Do you want Dylan?” She shook her head and lifted a hand. “I mean for more than a random kiss.”
One side of Ford’s mouth pulled up.
“Ford!”
He laughed. “He is sexy as fuck, and I can see why you’re tempted to rekindle that relationship.”
“Yes, he is,” she murmured. “But I just want to make sure I heard you right… You’re talking about a threesome, right?”
“Sure. Why not? I understand there are a lot of reasons why someone might not want to get involved in a threesome, especially if they were looking for a serious relationship. Polyamory involves a lot of work. However, I’m only suggesting sex. Not a commitment.” At least to start. If they went in with no expectations other than pleasure, then no one would get hurt.
Hopefully.
“This was so unexpected. So, how would we deal with this?”
Was she seriously considering it? Ford was game. If he could get Erin onboard, they only needed to convince one more person. “Have you seen his big bed?”
“Have you?”
“I helped carry it in and set it up.” He’s also fantasized about everything that could be done in that over-sized, custom-made bed.
“But you didn’t test it out.”
“I’m not sure Dylan would be interested in what I’m thinking.” Erin’s ex could be where the idea came to die.
“Was the kiss a dud, then?”
Not even close. “No, but he was pretty pissed afterward.”
“From what?”
“From me figuring out his secret.”
“When was this revelation?” she asked.
He answered, “A couple of days ago.”
“And how has he been since then?”
“He’s avoided me.” Which was why he figured his idea would never come to fruition.
“Just like I avoided him since I wanted to talk to you first.” She chewed on her bottom lip.
This woman was amazing and Ford never wanted to give her up, if he could help it. The thought of them being interested in the same man didn’t bother her at all.
Erin had to be a unicorn, so he was relieved she didn’t want to be exclusive with Dylan. At this point, at least. “You confessing to me about a simple kiss is making me feel guilty that I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“You didn’t have to tell me at all,” she assured him.
“Darlin’, you didn’t have to, either, but you did. I’m assuming out of respect for me.”
“Would you have told me about the kiss you two shared if I hadn’t brought it up tonight?”
“The truth is, probably not. I wouldn’t have told you his secret if you hadn’t. Anyway, I doubt it will ever happen again.”
“Unless I tell him we’re a package deal.”
He stared at her. “What do you mean?” He knew exactly what she meant because he was the one to suggest a threesome, but he wanted to be absolutely sure.
As with any relationship, clear communication was key to keeping it healthy. That was especially true when it came to polyamory.
“Well, let’s break it down. Despite him being pissed, he’s attracted to you, right?”
“If that kiss”— and his cock grinding against mine— “was any indication, then yes.”
“We know he’s interested in me. I have no doubt you’re interested in me, and now I know you’re interested in him.”
Her analysis was basic but true. “It doesn’t have to be a threesome. We could each have a separate sexual relationship with each other.”
She frowned. “Like a love triangle?”
“That is an option.” But not Ford’s preference. “Dylan might be more agreeable to that. At least to start.”
“To start?”
“I’d prefer to have you and Dylan at the same time. Is that your preference, too?”
That wrinkle reappeared on her forehead. “Having two men at once?”
“Have you done it?”
“Have you?” she countered.
“I’ve had threesomes before,” he revealed. “Only short-term, though. And only for sex and nothing deep.”
Her lips twitched.
He chuckled. “Okay, a few things were deep, but not the actual relationship.”
Her barely-there grin bloomed into a smile. “Who else but us could be sitting around the dinner table contemplating a threesome?”
“Are you into it? If we can convince Dylan, that is.” Ford was trying not to get too excited about the possibility since a few hurdles needed to be overcome first.
“I’m worried about one of us being left out or dealing with jealousy.”
Or even feeling left out, whether true or not. Those could all be hurdles. “It could happen. Threesomes can get messy. It’s a risk, for sure.”
“I don’t want to screw up my relationship with you, either.”
He reached across the table to grab her hand and give it a gentle squeeze. “You won’t, darlin’. It’s not me you have to worry about.”
“He can be intense.”
“I’ve noticed,” he said dryly. “Maybe we can help loosen him up a little.”
“This idea is growing on me. But poor Dylan, he has no idea what the two of us are cooking up for him.”
When she tipped her beer bottle to her lips, he paused his eating to watch her throat undulate. His favorite necklace she wore around that delicate column was his hand.
“My prediction is he’ll either love it or hate it. There won’t be an in between.”
“He was like that when we were kids. I was hoping he grew out of that black or white outlook.”
“Even though I didn’t know him back then, after working with and for him for the last few months, I can say he can still be like that. It’s funny how Dayne is not like his twin in that respect.”
“I bet if we suggested to have a threesome with Dayne, he’d be ripping off his clothes before we were even done talking.”
“I don’t understand how, even though they look alike, I have no attraction to Dayne.”
“I was always the same. Dayne tried to pull pranks on me and pretend he was Dylan, but I always knew immediately.”
“So, it’s not just me,” Ford murmured. And here he thought he had some special gift when it came to telling the identical twins apart.
“No, and I think it’s proof that who you are on the inside is always reflected on the outside.”
“That could be it. Now, we need to finish dinner so I can explore you on the inside.”
Her eyes held a mischievous sparkle. “I only invited you over for dinner, Ford.”
He winked at her. “But what’s dinner without dessert, darlin’?”