Page 5 of The Best Number

“Sure. I’ll grab one. Cass, you want anything?”

“Can I get some water, please? I’m feeling quite parched.”

His eyebrows raise at that before he makes his way to the kitchen.

“So you finished work early?” I ask Tom. “Does that happen often?”

“I’m usually there until close, but my assistant manager was in tonight. We were expecting a big crowd, but it was quiet, so I won the coin toss to leave early.” He smiles at me as I brush a tendril of loose hair away from my face and tuck it behind an ear. His gaze follows the movement, and I watch as his tongue darts out and licks his lips.

“Here.” Jack shoves the beer between us and then holds out a glass of water to me.

“Thanks,” I murmur before taking a gulp, hoping to quench my hot thoughts.

“Jack said you’re a writer,” Tom says after gulping down some of his beer. “That must be a cool job.”

“It is. Did he tell you what I write?”

“Better than that—we read some of it.”

I gasp and look across to Jack, who is sitting on my other side on the L-shaped couch with a shameless smirk on his face. “You didn’t tell me that!”

Jack chuckles. “How could I resist reading it when you told me what you’d written? It’s sexy.” He waggles his eyebrows at me.

Pride washes over me, knowing they’ve read my writing.I hope it turned them on.“Which one did you read?”

“The one about the Femmedomme. Fuck, she was a goddess.”

That’s my most recent release and my pride and joy. I poured my heart and soul into that story and it gives me the warm fuzzies when I know someone has read it and enjoyed it.

“That scene where she whipped him and he enjoyed it. Jeez, that was intense.” Tom quietly speaks beside me.

“I might have asked for a little light spanking myself after reading that,” Jack admits.

Tom lets out a noise that sounds like a growl, making me shift in my seat. The chemistry between these two is insane and here I am, caught in the middle. To think they’ve read my writing and been aroused. I’m turning to mush here in this seat, thinking about how these guys must look together naked and entwined. Jack reaches across the back of the chair behind me and brushes Tom on the shoulder. The pair of them stare at each other for a while and I have the feeling they are replaying the spanking in their minds.

“Err, I should go.” I slap my hands on my thighs, not wanting to be a third wheel when things are clearly heating up between them.

“Why?” asks Jack with a frown, dropping his hand back in his lap.

“Let you guys spend some time together.”

“We can do that with you here, Cass. Don’t go, not yet,” Jack pleads. “Tell Tom about your next book,” Jack prompts me. “And the research you want to do.”

I give Jack the side eye, not sure I want to share my plans. “It’s a… uh… threesome book.”

“Wow, I look forward to reading that one,” Tom tells me with an earnest look on his face.

“And you’re looking to do some research, aren’t you, Cass?”

“Err, yeah. I’ve been feeling a bit stuck and realised I need some inspiration. I’ve never had one… a threesome, that is.” I’m stumbling over my words. “I’ve put out an ad to find a couple to join for the evening.”

Tom frowns and his eyes seem to lock with Jack’s.

“What, like a hetero couple?” Tom asks.

“Erm, no. I’m looking for two guys.” I can’t believe the heat coming off my cheeks right now. I write smut for a living and here I am, blushing like a schoolgirl.

“I’ve offered to help her vet the replies,” Jack tells Tom huskily. Tom nods.

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