Page 30 of Four on the Floor: A Menage Romance

“I should’ve brought the fancy glasses, too,” Dalton says, snapping his fingers. “You got anything around here?”

I produce three clean coffee mugs, then sink onto my sofa, turning the TV off. Cash pours us all some champagne as I fold one leg under me, intensely aware of what I’m wearing.

Or, I should say, aware of what I’mnotwearing.

You know. Clothing. Besides this robe, which I don’t think really counts.

They take a seat on either side of me, ratcheting my heartbeat up a few notches, so I take a quick gulp of my champagne.

“We haven’t even toasted yet,” Cash says in mock-anger. “Damn, I guess you really needed this.”

I laugh, the alcohol already singing through my veins.

“What are we toasting?” I ask.

“We’ve survived alone in the rugged wilderness for three weeks,” Dalton says, holding his mug up. “Cheers.”

“Sure,rugged,” I tease, but I hold my mug up too.

They clink their mugs against mine, and all three of us drink. With every sip I’m a little bit less nervous about this, a little more relaxed. I’m starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, that was the plan.

“All right, I have a confession to make,” Cash says, his mug half-empty.

I turn toward him, just a little tipsy.

“What?”

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

I feel my face heat slightly, but I force myself to meet his eyes.

“That’s not a confession.”

“That was the preamble to the confession,” he says, his country accent twangy and smooth, all at once. “The confession is that we brought you champagne so you couldn’t avoid us anymore.”

“And because we like champagne,” Dalton says, sitting on my other side. “Don’t tell Poppy, but Cash knows how pick locks and we got into the wine cellar.”

I frown and grab the bottle, examining it. It doesn’t look like anything out of the ordinary, but it’s not like I’m a connoisseur of fancy champagne.

“We’ll pay her back,” he goes on, laughing. “We just didn’t think to bring any ourselves.”

“Larkin,” Cash says, his voice suddenly serious. “I know this isn’t a very normal arrangement, but we don’t want you to feel awkward about it.”

I take another sip of champagne to hide the fact that Idofeel awkward about it. Totally awkward.

“I haven’t got a jealous bone in my body,” he says, his eyes laughing as he takes another sip of champagne. I join in, finishing the mug, though it was only half-full to start with,

“Same,” agrees Dalton. “And if you’re happy to have both of us, we’re happy to share you with each other.”

“And…” Cash starts, and then trails off, like his sentence is changing course.

“And?” I ask.

Dalton shoots him a look I don’t quite understand, but he takes over.

“And I think you should kiss me to prove that Cash doesn’t mind,” he says. “Now.”

It’s happening, I think.

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