Chapter 17
Ben
This poor girl has no idea what she has gotten herself into. These guys are going to eat her alive. I hope she’s up for it. Andy is completely delusional, and I can’t see this cutie ever agreeing to be in an open relationship with the two of them. Or a polycule … whatever the fuck Andy called it.
I know that Andy wants me to be part of it too, but I just can’t.
It’s not fair to Mara. It wouldn’t be fair to Charlie either.
I’m such a mess and even though I don’t know her very well, I know she doesn’t deserve to get caught up in one of my fucked-up, depressed moods. Or worse, I end up killing her too.
Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I was ever going to want sex in any capacity again until last night.
I tried damn hard to ignore what was going on down the hall, but it was impossible.
I ended up taking care of myself in the shower this morning just to take the edge off.
I felt maybe a little guilty considering this was Max’s date, but it was surprisingly nice.
I haven’t let myself do anything like that since Mara.
I guess maybe taking care of myself can be okay, but I don’t deserve Charlie, and I don’t give a shit what Andy wants.
I can’t help but notice that things got quiet and awkward after I came into the kitchen.
Sure, I don’t like to talk much in the mornings, but I don’t think I’m that bad.
I hope Charlie doesn’t think that I was judging her for maybe going on a date with Andy too.
She’s a grown ass, beautiful woman and she can do whatever she wants.
Plus, she could do worse than these two dumbasses.
At the very least I wouldn’t need to worry about her as much if she was with them.
Heaven forbid she decides to spend some time in town and she runs into that weird Chuck guy again.
If I were him, I would leave town after the beating we gave him last night. No serious injuries, but he should be good and scared now. The more I think about it though, the more my gut tells me that’s not the last we’ll see of him. Charlie’s safer hanging out with us than being on her own.
For all their sakes, I hope this works out. The best thing I can do to make that happen is to not be part of it. I will ruin it. It’s just who I am.
Charlie finishes her pancakes and gets up, walking over to me. I didn’t realize she was only wearing a T-shirt and can’t help my gaze from lingering on her legs. Long and toned. My weakness really. Most men can be differentiated between being an ass or boobs guy. But me, I am all about the legs.
“Thanks for pulling Chuck off me last night,” Charlie murmurs in my ear before giving me a shy smile. I smile back and she gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs to get changed.
I feel my face heat but try and ignore it as I gulp the rest of my coffee. When I put my cup down, I notice Andy and Max staring at me.
“What?” I ask gruffly.
“Dude, you’re so into her too!” Andy whisper shouts.
“Shut the fuck up Andy,” I respond. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It totally does,” Max adds in.
“I’m not entertaining your poly nonsense, and you know why.”
“I think you just need to get to know her a little better,” Max says.
“Don’t get me wrong guys. She seems great. I just ... can’t.”
Andy lets out an exasperated sigh. “Okay I will drop it for now. But you better get used to her being around because I am pretty sure that Max is in love.”
Max snorts. “I’m in love? You’re the fool up at 7 in the morning making pancakes for a girl that I slept with.”
Andy laughs. “Well, I didn’t feel like taking her to the emergency room for our first date when you inevitably gave her food poisoning from your shitty cooking!”
Max rolls his eyes, and I chuckle. I can cook, but Andy is better. Max on the other hand is strictly in charge of our takeout evenings. The man manages multiple businesses but somehow burns boiling water.
I finish up my pancakes while Max and Andy bicker over who Charlie likes better and the logistics of this hypothetical open relationship that neither of them have bothered talking to her about yet.
Based on the noise last night, I get the feeling that she’ll probably be in to it. But what do I know?