honey? It’s a celebration. Jack’s going home, and Jack’s coming home too.”
I couldn’t argue with the logic. Outside on the futon, we propped ourselves up with cushions from the deck chairs and drank toasts to friendship, starry nights and going home. The bottle vanished pretty fast, but none of us felt inclined to go back inside for more. Feeling relaxed, we ended up lying flat on the futon, staring at the sky. I was in the middle, with my head resting on Ryan’s arm, and I was trying not to notice the way I could feel the heat from Jack’s body along my bare leg.
“Thanks for everything, you guys,” said Jack after a while. “I don’t know who else would have believed me.”
“I can’t wait to hear what the other Jack has to say about his adventures,” I said.
Both men started laughing, and Ryan said, in between chuckles, “At one point he was in a room where both Allison and Lila were claiming him as a husband.”
“I like to think I’d have taken advantage of the situation,” Jack declared.
“I like to think I’d have had some dignity,” I muttered.
“Sorry, buddy. It’s just not fair, is it?” teased Ryan. “Feast or famine.”
Jack sighed, but when I looked over at him, he wore a smile. “Story of my life.”
We were quiet again. Ryan traced my jaw with his right hand, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, the two men were having a wordless conversation with looks and nods. It ended when Jack got up. “Gonna hit the head, kids. Be right back.”
As soon as he was gone, Ryan cuddled me closer. His soft lips found my neck and then my ear. In between nibbles, he whispered. “Mrs. Crosse?”
“Mmm?”
“Want to do something a little crazy?”
“I don’t think we can do it that fast, darling.”
His laugh rumbled in his chest, and the low, sexy sound affected me the way it always did. I squirmed against him, and he laughed again. He resumed his tender assault. “This Jack is leaving in the morning.”
“Yeah?”
“We’ll never see him again.”
“Probably not.”
“But somewhere out there, he’s your husband.”
“Sort of, I guess.” I wasn’t paying attention. Ryan’s deep voice in my ear and his lips on my throat were hot enough, but he was sliding his hand in circles over my belly. The circles got wider with each pass, and he was brushing close to the undersides of my breasts and the top of my mound. Even through my T-shirt and shorts, the hard strength of his hand was turning me on.
“What would you say to having both of your husbands tonight?”
I froze. At the same time, my nipples went rock hard at the thought. Ryan saw the little nubs poking through my shirt and laughed gently. “Not a bad idea, eh?”
“You’re crazy,” I managed to croak.
“Not at all. There isn’t anyone else I trust more in this world besides you. He’s my best friend, only this version of my best friend knows you and your body. And he’s leaving in the morning. We don’t have to worry about consequences or changing the dynamic at work or anything at all.”
He was trying too hard not to sound eager. My nipples had betrayed me, but my brain still wanted to argue. “ You and I are married here. Even after Jack goes home, we’ll still be here,” I said.
He started to make a joke and changed his mind. “Mrs. Crosse, we’re going to be here together until the river stops running. Nothing and nobody is going to stop that, change that or make any difference at all.”
I raised myself up on one elbow and kissed him. I meant it as a gentle thank-you, but he pulled me close to show me how much he meant every word. His tongue met mine. I was breathless before he was through.
I rolled over onto my back, feeling relieved. “Well, when we put in the dock so we could have more fun with the river, I guess it didn’t make the river change course.” I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.
He grinned at me. “Exactly right. And last night you seemed to enjoy the
I couldn’t argue with the logic. Outside on the futon, we propped ourselves up with cushions from the deck chairs and drank toasts to friendship, starry nights and going home. The bottle vanished pretty fast, but none of us felt inclined to go back inside for more. Feeling relaxed, we ended up lying flat on the futon, staring at the sky. I was in the middle, with my head resting on Ryan’s arm, and I was trying not to notice the way I could feel the heat from Jack’s body along my bare leg.
“Thanks for everything, you guys,” said Jack after a while. “I don’t know who else would have believed me.”
“I can’t wait to hear what the other Jack has to say about his adventures,” I said.
Both men started laughing, and Ryan said, in between chuckles, “At one point he was in a room where both Allison and Lila were claiming him as a husband.”
“I like to think I’d have taken advantage of the situation,” Jack declared.
“I like to think I’d have had some dignity,” I muttered.
“Sorry, buddy. It’s just not fair, is it?” teased Ryan. “Feast or famine.”
Jack sighed, but when I looked over at him, he wore a smile. “Story of my life.”
We were quiet again. Ryan traced my jaw with his right hand, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, the two men were having a wordless conversation with looks and nods. It ended when Jack got up. “Gonna hit the head, kids. Be right back.”
As soon as he was gone, Ryan cuddled me closer. His soft lips found my neck and then my ear. In between nibbles, he whispered. “Mrs. Crosse?”
“Mmm?”
“Want to do something a little crazy?”
“I don’t think we can do it that fast, darling.”
His laugh rumbled in his chest, and the low, sexy sound affected me the way it always did. I squirmed against him, and he laughed again. He resumed his tender assault. “This Jack is leaving in the morning.”
“Yeah?”
“We’ll never see him again.”
“Probably not.”
“But somewhere out there, he’s your husband.”
“Sort of, I guess.” I wasn’t paying attention. Ryan’s deep voice in my ear and his lips on my throat were hot enough, but he was sliding his hand in circles over my belly. The circles got wider with each pass, and he was brushing close to the undersides of my breasts and the top of my mound. Even through my T-shirt and shorts, the hard strength of his hand was turning me on.
“What would you say to having both of your husbands tonight?”
I froze. At the same time, my nipples went rock hard at the thought. Ryan saw the little nubs poking through my shirt and laughed gently. “Not a bad idea, eh?”
“You’re crazy,” I managed to croak.
“Not at all. There isn’t anyone else I trust more in this world besides you. He’s my best friend, only this version of my best friend knows you and your body. And he’s leaving in the morning. We don’t have to worry about consequences or changing the dynamic at work or anything at all.”
He was trying too hard not to sound eager. My nipples had betrayed me, but my brain still wanted to argue. “ You and I are married here. Even after Jack goes home, we’ll still be here,” I said.
He started to make a joke and changed his mind. “Mrs. Crosse, we’re going to be here together until the river stops running. Nothing and nobody is going to stop that, change that or make any difference at all.”
I raised myself up on one elbow and kissed him. I meant it as a gentle thank-you, but he pulled me close to show me how much he meant every word. His tongue met mine. I was breathless before he was through.
I rolled over onto my back, feeling relieved. “Well, when we put in the dock so we could have more fun with the river, I guess it didn’t make the river change course.” I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.
He grinned at me. “Exactly right. And last night you seemed to enjoy the
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