Page 132 of Neighbors With Benefits

Jazz

“It’s been two weeks since Aiden got home,” Cat complained, “and you still haven’t hooked up with all of them at the same time?”

We were sitting on my new rocking chairs on my front porch, enjoying a pitcher of homemade margaritas together as the sun set. Tonight was one of the few times where I didn’t have a date or hangout with one of my neighbor boys, and I was grateful to finally catch up with my best friend.

“We haven’t had the opportunity,” I reminded her. “Aiden came home, and then Dante went out of town two days later.”

Cat rolled her eyes. “Sorry, it’s difficult to keep track of the schedules of allthreeof your fuckboys.”

“I finally had a threesome with Aiden and Bash, though! Twice, actually.”

“Threesomes are boring now,” Cat said. “Unless you’ve finally worked up the courage to… you know…”

“We haven’t donethat,” I said, feeling too modest to say the phrasedouble penetrationout loud. “It has never been the right time. But it will happen eventually.”

“Things sound like they’re going great,” Cat said, casually leaning back in her chair. “So why are you freaking out?”

“I’m not freaking out.”

She sipped her margarita and stared across the rim at me.

“Why would I be freaking out?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.”

I finally sighed and gave in. “Okay, I’m freaking out.”

“Yes, I know. What I don’t understand iswhy.”

“Things are good with all three of them,” I explained. “It’stoogood.”

“How can something betoogood? It’s not like you can overdose on them. They’re not meth.”

“Aiden and Bash are falling in love with me. And I think I’m beginning to fall for them.”

“And this is aproblem?”she asked, incredulous.

“Yes! Because the more serious things become, the worse it will blow up!”

“Why can’t you just enjoy something without worrying about the future?” Cat asked.

I leaned toward her intently. “Because I can’t fall in love with multiple men!”

“Why not?”

“Logistically, it would never work. I like them different amounts. I’m more in love with Aiden than Bash, and my relationship with Dante is closer to a friends-with-benefits situation. It’s confusing.”

“Okay…”

“And what’s our endgame?” I demanded. “With a normal relationship, I know how it progresses. Every step is clear. Wesay I love you. We move in together, to make sure we’re really compatible. We get engaged, then get married, and eventually have kids. But with three lovers? I don’t know what I’m doing or what to expect! Would we all move in together eventually? What about marriage? I can’t marry all three of them, Cat, at least not in America. And children are a major issue. I only want one child,maybetwo. Assuming all three of them want the same thing—which is abigassumption—how would it happen? Let them all come inside me at the same time and see whose baby pops out nine months later?”

“Keep your voice down,” Cat said. “They might hear you.”

“The guys aren’t home right now. It’s fine. And I’ve never hadyoutry to getmeto quiet down.”

“I’ve never been the calm one before,” Cat said. “I don’t like it. I prefer being the loud, obnoxious one.”

“Having three lovers is great and all, but we didn’t think about the drawbacks,” I continued. “Finding one person you’re compatible with is practically impossible in this world. Finding three of them at the same time defies all odds. There are three times as many chances for incompatibilities to pop up. What if I have a fundamental disagreement with one of them? What if Bash doesn’t want children, but Aiden does? Do I break up with one of them and continue with the other two? Would that destroy their friendship?” I groaned. “I can’t believe I allowed myself to catch feelings.”

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