4. Benjamin #2
“I don’t want there to be any problems between you,” I say. But my voice lacks conviction.
Probably because the whole sentiment lacks conviction.
I should be worried about this. Nothing can come between us. I won’t have a woman coming in and ruining things.
“Actually, I’m thinking the three of us could share her.”
My gaze jerks up and locks on my brother’s.
Kane is studying me, and I realize that he just read everything I’ve been thinking and feeling on my face.
A lot of people find me intimidating. I usually like that. I work hard to be difficult to read in negotiations.
But Kane knows me. I let him know me.
And I don’t think my emotions about Abby are easy to hide.
“That could be—”
“Don’t say complicated,” Kane interrupts. “Because that’s not even true. The three of us are like the perfect man. Just like Abby deserves fun and sweet from me, and quiet and comforting from Dash, she deserves in-charge and protective from you.”
Well, I’m definitely fucking feeling that about her.
I rub my hand over the back of my neck.
“Plus, you’re the only one who ever has a fully stocked refrigerator,” Kane adds.
I grunt in acknowledgement.
“The women I date sometimes wish I was more assertive,” Dash says. “They always say they assume I’ll be that way because I’m big and seem grumpy, and then they seem disappointed that I’m…” He shrugs. “Nice.”
That one always pisses me off. Dash is a great guy, and just because he doesn’t say every goddamn thing on his mind, women sometimes mistake him for uncaring or even unintelligent.
“Yeah, women like the broody asshole thing sometimes,” Kane says. “But not all the time. They like the fun one who will take them on surprise dates and sometimes have whipped cream fights with them. But not all the time.”
“No whipped cream fights in my kitchen,” I say, shuddering as I think about that fucking mess.
Kane grins. “Oh, trust me. Even you would like the aftermath. Things get very sticky, clothes need to come off, things need to be cleaned up, and tongues work very well for removing sweet cream from sweet skin.”
I instantly picture Abby, her cheeks pink, breathing fast from being chased around the kitchen—my kitchen—whipped cream clinging to her sweet skin, peeling her sticky clothes off piece by piece…and just like that, I don’t care about messy countertops.
Kane gives me a knowing grin as I cease any argument.
“And women like cuddling up with their very own live teddy bear on the couch to watch a movie and not having to say a word after a long week at work. But not all the time,” Kane goes on.
He spread his arms wide, a few pieces of cereal dropping from the handful he’s got.
“We’ve got it all, and we can give it all to Abby together.
Whatever she needs, whenever she needs it. ”
I blow out a breath.
He’s got a point. A very good point. Why doesn’t this sound crazier?
“You’re attracted to her, right?” Dash asks. He’s looking directly at me.
I could lie or downplay it. But if these two are going to date her, that’s going to be torturous.
I’m around them all the time. Even though Kane seemingly dates a new woman every month, I tend to meet them all.
That is how close we are and how much time we spend together.
There would be no avoiding Abby, and certainly no avoiding Abby with Dash and Kane.
Jealousy would eat me alive.
Strangely, I realize that I would be more jealous of her dating them without me than I would be of dating her with them.
I nod. “Yes, I’m attracted to her.”
“I think she liked you too,” Kane says, with a grin, his mood entirely shifted from how he was acting in the car.
Dash simply grunts and nods, lifting his drink to his mouth.
I feel my heart kick against my ribs. Just the idea that Abby might like me makes my heart flip over in my chest. What kind of adolescent crush shit is that?
“So when you say date her, do you mean literally all of us spending time with her at the same time?” I ask.
Kane shrugs. “Sure. Sometimes. But I think we can take her out individually too.”
I nod, thinking. “And what about sex?” I ask directly.
Because if I’m dating Abby, there will be sex, and I’m certain these two have the same intentions.
“Whatever she wants,” Kane says, with a shrug, glancing at Dash. “But yeah, take her out, make her laugh, kiss her.” He pauses, then looks from Dash to me. “Fuck her very, very well. Whether that’s one at a time or all together, I’m down for whatever she wants and needs.”
Heat hits me hot and hard, and I have to swallow before I say, “So you’d be willing to share her in the bedroom too?”
“Anything she wants,” he repeats. “But just know that if you’re dating her too, I will be fucking your girlfriend. So either you can be there, or you can let me have her to myself.” He grins and pops more cereal into his mouth. “I’m cool with either,” he says around the strawberry bits.
I wait for the jealousy to hit.
It doesn’t.
Then I wait for the this is so fucking insane to hit.
It also doesn’t.
I look from one to the other. I think I know the answer to this, but I still ask, “Have you guys done that before?”
They both shake their heads.
That’s what I thought.
“So why her?”
Kane looks at me with one eye narrowed. “For the same reason that you’re not thinking this is too fucking weird to even consider.”
I know exactly what he means.
It’s Abby.
She is different. She’s…the one. The only woman this makes sense with.
Finally, I nod. “Okay.”
Kane crows. “Yes!” He pumps a fist in the air. “Fuck yes!”
Dash pushes off the counter where he’s leaning and comes to stand with us at the center island. He doesn’t say anything, but his smile speaks volumes.
“So let’s go.” Kane gets to his feet, setting the cereal box down and grabbing his jacket.
“Go?” I ask.
“Let’s go get her.”
“Get her?” I repeat. “Now? Right now?” Fuck, I want to do that.
“Why would we wait?” he asks. “Did you see that fucking apartment? Our girl needs to be here with us.”
That makes my entire body surge with heat and ache.
She does. She needs to be here with us. I feel it with a certainty I can’t explain.
Still, I shake my head. “We can’t just show up on her doorstep and say, ‘You’re ours.’”
I realize I want Kane to talk me into this.
“Well, I can’t wait to see her again with this charity thing,” Kane says.
“There will be a ton of other people around. We can’t tell her all these feelings in front of her coworkers.
And I’m pretty sure the first thing out of my mouth when I see her will be something inappropriate for anyone but the four of us to hear,” Kane says.
“We need a reason to show up at her apartment tonight,” I insist. “An excuse. Something to make us not seem like stalkers.”
I ignore the fact that all three of us showing up a little over an hour after dropping her off for almost any reason will still seem a little insane and possibly more than a little stalkerish.
I have to just hope she’s as into us as we are into her.
“What about this?”
We look at Dash.
He’s holding up Abby’s pink water bottle. “Our Cinderella left her ‘glass slipper’ at the arena.”
My eyebrows lift. That tracks with Dash’s personality. “Buried the fucking lead, didn’t you?” I ask him.
Dash shrugs, but a small smile is tugging at his lips.
Kane claps Dash on the shoulder. “You awesome, amazing, romantic son-of-a-bitch.” He turns to me. “We’re obligated to return her property to her, aren’t we, lawyer-man?”
I feel myself grinning, stupidly relieved to have this reason to go back to Abby’s apartment. It’s weak. But I don’t care. “Of course. And we don’t want our girl getting dehydrated.”
Kane heads immediately for the door, Dash follows directly behind him, a satisfied grin on his usually somber face, and I pull my tie the rest of the way off, tossing it on the countertop before I grab my keys.
My gaze lingers on the box of strawberry cereal.
Oh, Abby girl, I hope you’re ready. I don’t think you have any idea what’s coming for you.