Page 34 of Thoroughly Pucked

I don’t need two men. I don’t even need one. I have chocolate.

When I pop one into my mouth, I feel both men watching me as I eat it.

15

DOUBLE BOOKED

Aubrey

I have to stop thinking about them touching me.

Like, is there a brain eraser somewhere at the rental car counter at the tiny airport? Some potion I can take?

I can’t spend the whole trip picturing them pleasuring me.

Just focus on the day, the trip, the agenda.

That’s what I tell myself as we head to the SUV. I canceled the compact car I’d reserved at the city’s major airport, and Dev rented this one instead.

Dev holds open the passenger door.

We get inside and I yank on my seatbelt as Dev plugs the directions in his phone. We need to catch the early evening ferry to McDoodle Island.

But before he turns on the car, he toggles over to his music app. “First, we need a song to set the mood.”

“Another superstition?” I ask.

With a confident nod, he says, “Yup. You pick.”

“DJ privileges. Excellent,” I say, and this is good. This is trip stuff. It’s not dirty stuff.

Though, as I scroll through Dev’s music app, I’m not so sure anymore. The man likes seriously sexy music. Two Feet, The Weeknd, Sam Smith, Leon Bridges.

Not helpful, Dev.

Maybe I can find, I dunno, “Over the Rainbow” or “On the Good Ship Lollipop.” I pick Sam Smith and hope my hormones don’t go into overdrive. Though, doubtful.

I try to ignore the lyrics and the feel as best as I can as we cruise away from the municipal airport in Renton, heading toward the ferry that’ll take us across Puget Sound, whisking us to the edge of the state. As we wind through the emerald city, towering evergreens hugging the road, I focus on the trip only. I’m going to be the best travel companion ever. “So what do you guys want to do first? I have a list of all sorts of fun possibilities. We can hike. Or go to Deception Pass,” I say, picturing the landmark of the region, a gorgeous bridge connecting two islands.

“Sounds good,” Dev says.

“And the grape stomping. We can do that too.”

“Cool,” Ledger says from the back seat.

I don’t stop. I want them to know I’ve planned a damn good time for us. “There’s an old logging town that’s supposedly like a ghost town now. I love ghost towns, and?—”

“Aubs.” Dev’s voice is like a warning as he flicks the turn signal at a sign for the ferry terminal.

Shoot. Is he mad at me? For what?

“Yes?”

“I’m good with anything. We’re good with anything. You don’t have to be a tour guide. We’re gonna have fun,” he says, and there he goes again, reading me. Figuring me out.

I close my eyes for a second, feeling foolish for having tried so hard. But, in my defense, my libido’s been stealing the stage.

“We will,” I say.

---