Page 19 of Double Booked

I placed a finger on his lips to get him to stop talking. “I meant it when I invited him. You two are best friends. I don’t want to come between that.”

Colton’s eyes softened and his lips curled into a grin under my finger. “You’re pretty perfect too, did you know that?”

I rolled my eyes. “Not even close.”

“Well, I disagree. And as a good boyfriend, it’s my job to convince you.” He pressed a sweet kiss to my lips and we headed back to his house to pack.

I insisted the dogs come with us as well after learning they loved hiking and the smile on Colton’s face had me both wanting to melt and to hide. I got the feeling that his past girlfriends maybe didn’t like his dogs that much. I couldn’t picture Doris liking the exuberant Maggie or the silent shadow Rex but I loved them. I had a dog in college, Stella, who got me through my twenties. She sadly passed away four years ago and I hadn’t gotten a dog since.

When we arrived at Justin’s house, I hopped out and crawled into the back seat while Colton went to knock on Justin’s door. He lived in a duplex a few streets over with neatly trimmed bushes under the bright yellow shutters. It wasn’t the house I pictured the dark bad boy living in but I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Well that was a lie, I judged a lot of actual books by their covers but you get the expression.

The dogs showered me in love as I got myself buckled into the back middle seat. Rex plopped down in the seat next to me, laying his big head in my lap as Maggie alternated between shoving herself into my side and looking for Colton. The guys came down the pathway together and I admired the two of them side by side. Colton was in a white shirt and tan cargo shorts, his blond hair shining in the sun. Justin was in a black shirt and black cargo shorts. Justin was only an inch or two shorter than Colton but Colton’s broad shoulders dwarfed Justin’s more slender frame. It was like day and night, ying and yang, and I could see how well they fit together.

Justin opened the back door and his eyes widened when he saw me sitting there. “Riley, you can sit in the front,” he said, frowning.

Colton opened the driver’s door and nodded when he heard Justin’s words. “That’s okay,” I said. “You have longer legs than me and besides, I get doggie cuddles if I sit back here.” To punctuate my statement, Maggie licked my chin and I laughed.

Justin waited a beat longer as if he was making sure I was really sure and I nodded. He gently shut the door and opened the passenger door instead.

“So Colton said you all go to the lake a lot in the summer?” I asked as we started driving.

Justin nodded, twisting slightly in his seat so he could see me better. “We do. Did Colton tell you about our boat?”

“He did. He said you all were getting it out soon?”

“We are. Cumberland is a nice lake and Laurel Lake isn’t too far either.”

“Riley’s somewhat of a lake expert,” Colton said and Justin arched an eyebrow.

I laughed and shook my head, scratching behind Rex’s ears. “I wouldn’t say that. But I enjoy being out on the water. I’ll have to see if what you guys call a lake is really a lake or just a large pond.” I sniffed and lifted my chin but my voice was teasing.

Justin laughed. “Spoken like a true Minnesotan.”

“You betcha,” I said, exaggerating the accent and both men laughed. My core clenched. Fuck, that sound had no business being as sexy as it was. Individually both men were dangerous but together they were lethal.

The drive passed by quickly, the three of us falling into easy conversation. Justin was more reserved for sure, but he was starting to relax around me. When we got to the parking lot for the trail area, Maggie started whining and Rex sat up, his busy tail thumping at the door. I hopped out of the truck when Colton opened the door, grateful that I brought my tennis shoes on this trip. If hiking became a regular activity, then I would have to invest in some actual hiking shoes like the ones Justin wore.

Colton clipped leashes on both dogs and offered Rex’s to me. Justin swung the second backpack Colton had brought up on his shoulders before I could, clipping a metal water bottle to the strap. He smirked at me and I smiled, shaking my head at him. If he wanted to carry the backpack, I wasn’t going to fight him for it. “Do you have a water bottle?” His eyes narrowed on my empty hands

Colton reached into the truck and pulled the two water bottles out of the console and passed one to me. I took it but didn’t take a drink out of it. Justin narrowed his eyes at me and I shook my finger at him. “Don’t you start on me too. Colton’s already nagged me about drinking water today.”

“That’s because you don’t drink enough of it,” Colton grumbled. “You cannot survive on coffee alone.”

I sniffed. “Wanna bet?”

“Wanna bet Justin’s going to take my side on this?” Colton challenged.

I met Justin’s eyes and the dark intensity in them had me squirming on the inside. Justin screamed dominant energy. I had no personal experience with the BDSM community but I had done plenty of book research over the years for various projects. And I knew from my research that I definitely fell a bit on the brat scale. Okay, more than a bit. But he wasn’t my dominant so I maturely stuck my tongue out at both of them.

Colton’s own eyes darkened and he stepped closer, dropping his head next to mine. “Careful, baby girl.”

I fought the shiver that arched down my spine but I wasn’t successful and a small smile played on Colton’s lips. I rolled my eyes but raised my water to my lips and took a small sip. “There. Happy?”

“Finish the bottle and then we’ll talk.” Justin said.

“Not you too,” I groaned. “You’re supposed to be on my side and telling me stories.”

Justin grinned. “Who says I can’t do both?”

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