Page 31 of Asking For It

I’d almost forgotten Owen was here. That we were driving down the freeway at seventy miles an hour. That anything else existed. I wanted to be embarrassed, but a new layer of pleased wove with everything else, that Owen had been listening.

After we straightened our clothing enough to sit, I leaned into Kingston for the rest of the ride home, ignoring the whisper in the back of my mind insisting I was going to miss this. It was a fling like any other, and this was my chance to burn the good into my mind, and let it keep me warm until the next hookup.

When we turned onto my street, I forced all the emotion from my veins.

Owen opened the rear SUV door, and offered his hand. I accepted, but Kingston wrapped an arm around my waist before I could leave, and pulled me into his chest.

Owen grabbed Kingston’s wrist, stepped close enough I felt his heat, and pressed Kingston’s hand to the front of his jeans, to cup a bulge that was visible even in the dim lighting.

Hot.

“This is what the two of you do to me.” Owen’s even tone was a new caress that made my mind whimper and beg, and he hadn’t touched me.

This wasfriends with occasional benefits?Because there was no way it was purely for my enjoyment.

“What are you going to do about it?” Kingston’s retort was borderline bratty challenge.

Owen raised an eyebrow, and focused on me. “If I didn’t have an early flight, I’d fuck this stunning woman and make you watch.”

Yes, please. Though,early flightsounded like an excuse. I wouldn’t be hurt. The three of us were screwing. The two of us? Owen had been there, watching, and for all I knew, that was how he sated an attraction to Kingston that neither of them wanted to label. But the fact that I didn’t know proved what we all had was nothing more than sex. “So that’s my answer?” I kept my tone light. “You’re leaving tomorrow?”

“Hehas an early flight. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Kingston’s breath was hot on the back of my neck.

Owen dropped Kingston’s hand to squeeze my fingers. “Technically, neither of us is leaving for good. We want a shop here because we’re moving here. I’m making a few stops at our other locations around the country, then I’ll be back. You’re not getting rid of us so easily.”

But they weren’t a couple, moving across the country together.

You don’t have a shop here.If I brought that up, we’d be talking business as it related to us. I didn’t want to spoil a second night in a row that way.

My brain was already racing ahead, though. Never seeing them again felt bad. Having to avoid them in the same city could be worse.

Because I was a novelty and a fetish. I was screwing out of my league, and I couldn’t pretend otherwise much longer. Meeting their friends today reinforced that point too distinctly.

Worse though, I was starting to like Owen and Kingston. That was stupid and terrifying. “I won’t keep you. I have an early day anyway.” It was tricky to extract myself from their embrace with any manner of grace, but I managed to get my feet planted on the pavement, and put distance between me and them.

Kingston hopped from the back seat and reached for me.

I stepped away from him. “I had a lot of fun today. Thank you.”

“Us too.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes.

That wasn’t hurt. There was no way it could be.

They’d leave and go enjoy their lives, pretending whatever they wanted about their relationship with each other, and I hoped the next woman enjoyed it as much as I had.

---