Page 26 of Full Mountie

I give her a gentle but disbelieving smile. “Then why did you text me?”

“I wanted to have lunch.”

“Hmm. Okay. Why don’t we say what’s on our mind together. Count of three?”

“Hugh…”

“Three…two…one.” I look at her evenly. “I slept—”

“—with Lachlan.” Her eyes go wide. “Wait, when?”

“Friday night.”

“Ah.” She licks her lips. “He kind of told me about that. Not the details, but…”

“Do you want the details?” I’m ruthless about this, but fuck it. Secrets between lovers are fucked up, and I still want to be Beth’s lover. Until they tell me they’re exclusive and I can take my perverted ways and buzz off, I’m all in with both of them.

Pink spots bloom in her cheeks, but she doesn’t look away. “Maybe not here.”

“Where were you planning on taking me for lunch?” I arch one eyebrow. “We’re the only people in here right now. The waitress can’t hear us.”

Her hand shakes as she picks up her coffee cup. “Right.”

“So that’s a no?”

She shakes her head. “No.” Her chest rises and falls raggedly. “Oh, this isn’t how I thought this would go.”

“Tell me what you want to hear.”

“I don’t want to be a problem between you and Lachlan.”

She doesn’t get it. “That’s not a concern.” It’s up to him to tell her how he feels, but between the dirty fuck-buddy connection that I have with him and his un-dying love for her, Beth isn’t the one to worry about messing things up. “If anything, I should be apologizing to you.”

Her blush deepens. “I…I don’t know if I should admit this, but I don’t have a problem with you guys fooling around.”

My eyebrow goes up again. “Fooling around? We’re not in high school.”

“Right. I mean…everything. Anything. I think…whatever makes Lachlan happy. I don’t have a claim on him.”

“Do you want one?”

“I…”

My pulse has picked up, and I know I’m pushing her now, but this is everything. “What do you mean, whatever makes Lachlan happy?”

She shrugs. “I don’t honestly know. But when I think about him and you, I don’t get jealous. You said you’re not a jealous person either, so maybe…for now…”

She trails off as the waitress realizes we’re not looking the menus and approaches. We both order the special and I ask for coffee.

When we’re alone again, I lean back and spread my arm wide across the back of my side of the booth. I’m about to tread on dangerous ground, but that’s what I do. “Do you get jealous at the thought of him with anyone else?”

She glances away. Yes.

I wait until she warily lifts her gaze back to my face. “Beth, don’t confuse being attracted to both of us with not being jealous.”

She frowns. “Well, it feels different.”

“Until the bloom falls off the rose of dating two men.” I raise my hands. “I just want you to go into this with eyes wide open.”

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