Page 22 of Sex, Lies, & Techy Guys (Love on the Sunshine Coast)

That’s also an acceptable option. Focusing on snuggles allows me to exist in the moment and let my mind drift away from heavier conversations I’m not ready to deal with. Like why they’re so secretive about their articles.

CHAPTER 10

penny

Lance pulls me onto his lap and strokes my hair as we sit on a blanket and watch the sunset from Bonniebrook Beach. “When are you going to get your website up and running?”

“I can’t even close tabs on my phone, I have to hire someone for that. I have a few bids.”

“You know, we could do that for you.”

My heart is heavy. If I let them build my website, will they be able to see information about my real name? It’s not worth explaining and ruining this thing we have—a world where I’m a successful business woman launching her bed and breakfast instead of my last hurrah before jail if the judge is an ass.

Lance and Kyle will be long gone before that though.

I tear myself out of the miserable thought. “Right, because you need to do more tasks for me while you’re here as my guests working ungodly hours on your articles. Why are you so nice?”

The men exchange a glance, Kyle nods almost imperceptibly, then Lance says, “Our childhoods were rough. We made a pact years ago to make the world a better place.”

The pain of his past is evident in the heavy tone of his words. I want to know more but they let the thought float away in the breeze. I tuck a finger into the hair that has blown into my mouth and pull it out.

“You definitely make the world a better place. I’m sorry your past was difficult, but you two are amazing people. Too generous if anything. But it makes sense now. It’s wild how much our pasts can shape us.” The mood darkens again, each of us seemingly dwelling on our burdens. Mine’s hardly my past though.

Lance brightens the moment. “You might as well let us get your website up and running because we want to be your guests for a little longer.”

I roll my head upward to see if he’s joking. He’s serious. My nerves flicker to life. Staying longer would be a way to make his early profession of love harder to dismiss. It would also push closer to my court date. He teases a finger along my jaw then plants a kiss on his fingertip and taps it over my lips.

Kyle’s quietly sitting next to us. I glance at him and he nods before I ask if he’s hoping to stay too. He pulls my feet onto his lap, tossing my sandals aside, and initiates a foot rub. What did I do to deserve being treated like a princess?

“How much longer do you want to stay?”

“We haven’t decided, but at least another week,” Lance says.

My lady parts are definitely on board with this plan. “That’s wonderful, but don’t you have lives you have to get back to?”

“Everything I want is right here,” Lance says definitively.

I take a second to fully accept what he’s saying, but the second grows long as I digest the information.

He continues, “Penny, when I said I loved you, I shouldn’t have apologized, because I meant it. I questioned if I’d done the right thing by saying it that night since everything got weird, but I don’t regret saying it. A week isn’t nearly enough to sort out whatever this is the three of us have.”

He shifts his gaze to Kyle and I follow suit. Kyle picks up where Lance left off. “I had a hard time accepting this because it was so spontaneous and erotic. I couldn’t believe it was real, but I’m not ready to leave either.” He pauses then hurriedly adds. “And not just because of the sex. I’ve never connected with a woman the way I connect with you. And Lance and I have never done this together. It’s hard to understand.”

I shift my eyes between the two men then pull my legs back and sit up, facing them. “Are you serious?”

Lance says, “Do you think Kyle ever jokes about anything?”

The two of us laugh and Kyle smiles, appreciating the truth to the statement.

“That would be amazing, but how would it work? I can’t charge you, not when we’re in a relationship. But I need to get my business rolling.” It’s my hopeful delusion that if everything works out with my court case, I’ll need income.

“We’ve got a couple of days, let’s talk about it. We needed to get it on the table. That there’s more to what we have than a stay at a bed and breakfast. We want you to know that Penny. Neither of us,” he glances at Kyle who nods agreement again— “is ready to walk away from you.”

Kyle adds, “And we respect that we’re taking up space in your business, so we’re fully prepared to pay for the additional days.”

I raise a finger to object but Kyle cuts me off.

“If your website was up and running, we would have already booked the nights. Our decision’s been made.”

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