Page 57 of Playing By Their Rules

“What can’t you give her?”

“Romance. I’m aro, and she’s the opposite of that. She needs—and deserves—love, romance, the whole package. I’m shocked that two kinky professors could be capable of delivering that. So. Are you capable of delivering?”

I stare hard at him, but he doesn’t back down, his challenging stare unflinching. He might not be able to offer Maisie romance, but he really cares about her, and I can’t help but respect that.

“Let me put it this way,” I say. “Before we met Maisie, Ethan and I would rarely go more than two weeks without hooking up with a woman.”

He waits.

I continue, “Then after we met Maisie, five years ago? Nobody. No hook-ups, nothing.”

Eyes wide, he nearly drops his phone. “You had a fuckin’ five year dry spell over her? I get twitchy if I don’t hook up with someone after five days.”

“We were goners from the beginning,” I say. “We were hers from the moment we first saw her.”

“Shit,” he says, looking impressed. “Well, don’t screw it up.”

“Trust me, that’s the last thing we want.” I check the time on my phone just as Ethan comes walking over, a frown on his face as he sees Bradley. “Relax,” I tell Ethan. “I think we’re going to be friends.”

Ethan looks doubtful, but if nothing else, he trusts my judgment. “Right. We’re going to be late if we don’t leave soon.”

We nod a quick goodbye to Bradley and head to the meeting I set up.

Forty minutes later, we’re perhaps a little poorer for the semester, but we can afford the hit. Besides, the arrangements we made are worthwhile.

“I know this is too soon,” I say to Ethan, “but I love that girl.”

He shakes his head, grins. “Too soon? It’s been five fucking years. Of course you love her. I do, too.”

17

SLOW NIGHTS AND SEXY PLANS

Maisie

Tuesday nights are slow at Pepperoni Palace. The easy pace is perfect, though, because that means my mind is free to wander. I have a thesis to consider, and I spent all day wrapped up in nailing down my area of research and filling out forms to obtain permission for working with younger students. There’s a ton of oversight with educational research when it pertains to minors, and rightly so, a million hoops I have to jump through. I’m glad they don’t let any random person work with kids, but all of the paperwork is exhausting.

Now, I can set thoughts of my thesis aside in favor of more pleasant fantasies. Namely, Chance and Ethan. The weekend was a dream. Being with them is a dream. They allow me to say and do all kinds of things in the hopes of riling them up, and then they dole out the most delicious consequences.

We didn’t make specific plans for when we’d see each other again, but I’m hoping this coming weekend will be a repeat of the last one. Maybe I’ll lie and tell them that Mikey asked me out and I said yes.

My ass flexes at the thought of the spankings they’d give me then.

Caitlyn ambles toward me, a tray of drinks held aloft. “Someone’s thinking dirty thoughts,” she says with a wicked smile.

“Who, me?” I say.

“Yes, you. Whatever has put that dreamy look on your face, does it have anything to do with the hot professors who just walked in?”

I whirl around to look at the front door of the restaurant, and there they are. Casual in jeans and t-shirts. Impossibly sexy. I want to run my fingers through the gray streaks in Chance’s dark hair and kiss the scratchy five o’clock shadow on Ethan’s cheeks.

“They are so fine,” Caitlyn murmurs. “You lucky bitch. What does Mina think about them?”

“She’s…happy for me,” I say. The truth is, I don’t really know. Mina hasn’t said much to me since Friday night when I bailed on the “date.” I think she knows she overstepped, and she feels bad. I’ll need to address it with her tonight when I get home from work. It might be a tough conversation, but I can soften it with some garlic bread and our favorite soup.

The guys ask the host to seat them in my section. I’m all smiles when I approach their table.

“What can I get for you tonight?” I ask.

---