42. Sloane
Sloane
“I don’t know what to pack!” I stand in front of my open suitcase, while Em leans against my bedroom door with a cup of tea in hand.
“It’s Brighton, babe, not tea with the king. Just pack whatever you normally wear and some toiletries?” Emmy clocks the box of toys on top of my sheets and raises a brow.
“Don’t look at me like that. You can never take too many sex toys on a dirty weekend away,” I say, pointing an eight-inch sparkly dildo at her. “This one has seen me through a lot of good times.” I pat it fondly before wrapping it up in a silk scarf and placing it in the bottom of the case.
“You’re only going two nights,” she laughs as I examine my Doxy wand and then throw it in for good measure.
“Two nights in a nice hotel is different to two nights in an apartment. Everyone knows the goal in a nice hotel is to sully every beautiful room with as much filthy sex as you can manage. If I can still walk on Monday, I know I’ll have let the side down.”
She giggles, putting her mug down before moving over to my wardrobe.
“I definitely think this one deserves an outing,” she says, pulling a fine mesh babydoll off a hanger. It’s one of my favourites because it makes my tits look fucking sensational.
“Oh yes, she’s totally going in the bag.” I gently roll the black fabric and place it in the case.
“And these?” Em offers me a pair of crotchless panties and I grin.
“Oh, definitely.”
I was so excited when Freddie mentioned a trip to the beach for Cole’s birthday – especially given it’s in Brighton. I’ve only been once before for Brighton Pride, but I fell in love with it. It’s as if San Francisco and London had a lovechild and birthed it by the sea.
Freddie’s got some sort of secretive plan and I’m dying to see what’s up his sleeve. But, really, all I want is both of them to myself for two days.
An hour later, I’m all packed and on my way to the seaside.
The train journey is only a couple of hours but Freddie’s packed a picnic that could feed a family of six. We find some free seats and he hands us both a gin in a tin – the ideal companion to flying through the English countryside – before pulling out an assortment of treats.
“I wasn’t sure if anyone had introduced you to the concept of picky bits,” he says, offering me a piece of cheese rolled in parma ham.
“Alas no, I am a picky bits virgin. But I can already tell I’m a fan,” I reply, popping the cheese into my mouth. The salty tang lights up my tastebuds.
“You bought enough to feed the whole carriage, Freddie,” Cole says, casting an eye over several pots of dip and various tiny pastries.
“You never want to go hungry on a train journey, Cole,” he replies, through a mouthful of chips.
Cole rolls his eyes, but then lights up as he unearths a bag of giant chocolate buttons.
“So are you going to tell us what you’ve got planned for the weekend?” I ask, turning my thoughts to the next two days. It’s already Friday afternoon, and I want to make the most of our trip.
“Absolutely not,” he replies, looking pleased with himself. “I want it all to be a surprise for the birthday boy.”
Cole groans, pulling his glasses off and squeezing the bridge of his nose.
“You can always use your safe word, Cole,” Freddie says, grinning shamelessly. Cole’s mouth twitches at that, and I giggle into my fistful of potato chips.
“Bring it on, pretty boy.”
We make it to our hotel in the late afternoon, just as check-in opens.
“Home sweet home,” Freddie says, as he unlocks the door. Cole and I follow him inside. My mouth drops open as I survey our room.
“Oh wow, this place must have cost a fortune!” I say, taking in the ocean view and the plush furniture. The suite is huge, and the bed is like a super king on steroids.
Cole’s speechless as he stands in the doorway, a touch of colour rising to his cheeks.
“I wanted something special for us all,” says Freddie in a low voice, stepping forward and tentatively sliding his hand into Cole’s.
“I found this place recommended on a Reddit forum for polyamory. The staff didn’t bat an eyelid when I called ahead to check it was big enough for three. ” He blushes slightly as he says it.
Cole turns to look at him, eyes shining. “It’s beautiful, Freddie. Thank you.” I watch as he squeezes Freddie’s hand, and then they turn to me simultaneously.
“Get over here, woman,” Freddie says, opening his arms to me.
I don’t hesitate in stepping forward, and I’m instantly enveloped in their arms, soaking up the warmth of being sandwiched between them.
For a moment I hold my breath and I just am .
Standing with them in this shared moment feels somehow sacred, as if we’ve crossed some invisible threshold in the mere act of leaving London together.
Freddie makes a contented noise and I smile reflectively against his shoulder.
“Shall we get a bottle of wine and go eat fish and chips on the seafront?” he says, finally breaking up the hug.
“I can think of nothing I’d like more,” Cole replies, that soft colour still gracing his cheeks.
“Lead the way, Freddie Lane.”
It turns out there are few things more perfect than watching the sunset on the beach while eating fresh fish and chips.
The only thing that makes it more perfect is that somewhere between Freddie’s jokes about battered sausage – a British classic, he tells me – and Cole’s repeated eyerolling, I realise that I would be happy for every weekend to be like this. With them.
We haven’t even got naked yet and I know I’d be content to just sit on this beach wedged between Freddie and Cole for the rest of my life.
The truth has crept up on me bit by bit, but in this perfect moment I know that I’ve fallen for them.
Both of them. And while there’s no way in hell I’m telling them that yet, I don’t feel nearly as terrified as I thought I might.
For the first time in my life, I feel… cherished?
And fuck if that feeling isn’t every bit as addictive as the multiple orgasms.
I lean my head against Cole’s shoulder and catch Freddie’s eye as he glances over at us. Golden hour has him lit up like a Greek god – his wayward curls all askew and his dimples calling to me.
Cole closes his box of fish and chips and snakes an arm around me, resting his head against mine as Freddie snuggles in. No one says anything - we just soak in the moment as the waves roll in before us.
I close my eyes, letting the dying heat of the sun warm my face before we lose the light.
Everything I never knew I wanted is right here.
And I know without a shadow of a doubt that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.