repositioned, straddling the log and pulling her closer. “This morning, I was so happy waking up beside you, but I couldn’t wait to tell him about that feeling.”
“Nothing ever happened between you two before?”
He shook his head. “Nothing I took seriously. He’s probably kissed me a hundred times, but never in a way that truly revealed what he felt.” He swallowed. “But today was different.”
“He kissed you?”
“Yeah.”
“And it was different?”
“Oh yes. In every way.”
“Did you like it?”
He shifted in a way that told her the memory might be arousing him. Clearing his throat and looking away, he said, “Yes.” After a few seconds he slid his gaze back to her, looking like he felt guilty about his confession.
“Don’t feel bad about that.” She pushed a strand of hair behind his ear. “You two ever like the same girl?”
Obviously not getting what she was driving at, he thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. We had different tastes when we were younger, but—” He cut himself off, looking into her face. “Are you … do you mean you—”
She held her hand up. “I’m still a half-blood. Something in him calls to me. I resisted, thinking I was just crushing on the rock star, but now I know it’s more than that.”
“You’d like to be with him?” His expression showed both self-doubt and a hint of jealousy, along with a little disbelief. As he held her gaze, she thought she saw curiosity as well.
“I like you , and I’m with you . But the attraction is there between us. If you think you’d like to … you know … maybe explore some things.” She felt his body respond, and she pressed closer, realizing this might be her only chance to make her case. “I’d be willing. Emerson, I honestly don’t think you’ll be happy if anyone or anything comes between you and Vince. I’d rather share you than lose you or see you unhappy.”
He closed his eyes and didn’t respond. She leaned against him, and to her relief he slid an arm around her.
“What are you thinking?” she whispered.
“I’m trying not to picture the three of us together, honestly.”
She slid her hand down to caress him through his pants. “Doesn’t seem to be working.”
“It’s not,” came his husky reply. He shuddered briefly as he drew her closer into a tight hug, then kissed her hair before pulling away. “I’m going to follow Vince’s poor example here for a bit and plead time to think. Is that okay?”
She missed the warmth of his body immediately. “Of course it is.”
“Thanks. I’ll be back for lunch.” He looked toward the area where the other guys had parked their cars. “Looks like Vince left. If he comes back first, check on him? Tell him I’m okay at least.”
“And you are okay?”
He gave a slow nod. “Just need to figure this out.”
She took the chance and added, “I think you already know exactly what you want. You simply have to convince yourself it’s okay to want it.”
He caressed her curls one last time. “Maybe it is that simple.” He let his hand drop. “I’ve got my cell. Call if you need me.”
“Okay.” She watched him cross the grass and head for his car. He glanced back before getting in, and then he drove away.
****
Vince followed the sweet aroma and the sound of voices to the kitchen.
“Hey, man, how you feelin’?” Mike asked just after Vince entered the room.
He and Alicia stood at the counter, their hands covered in cookie dough, while Garren lounged on the old plaid loveseat by the door to the laundry room reading an old issue of Metal Hammer .
“Better. Not quite a hundred percent yet, but definitely better than yesterday.” Mike nodded and turned back to the counter, but Alicia held his gaze for a minute. She gave him a tiny smile and the look in her eyes reassured him, though he would have felt better if she were at liberty to actually say something to set his mind at ease.
“Good news, dude,” Garren said,
“Nothing ever happened between you two before?”
He shook his head. “Nothing I took seriously. He’s probably kissed me a hundred times, but never in a way that truly revealed what he felt.” He swallowed. “But today was different.”
“He kissed you?”
“Yeah.”
“And it was different?”
“Oh yes. In every way.”
“Did you like it?”
He shifted in a way that told her the memory might be arousing him. Clearing his throat and looking away, he said, “Yes.” After a few seconds he slid his gaze back to her, looking like he felt guilty about his confession.
“Don’t feel bad about that.” She pushed a strand of hair behind his ear. “You two ever like the same girl?”
Obviously not getting what she was driving at, he thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. We had different tastes when we were younger, but—” He cut himself off, looking into her face. “Are you … do you mean you—”
She held her hand up. “I’m still a half-blood. Something in him calls to me. I resisted, thinking I was just crushing on the rock star, but now I know it’s more than that.”
“You’d like to be with him?” His expression showed both self-doubt and a hint of jealousy, along with a little disbelief. As he held her gaze, she thought she saw curiosity as well.
“I like you , and I’m with you . But the attraction is there between us. If you think you’d like to … you know … maybe explore some things.” She felt his body respond, and she pressed closer, realizing this might be her only chance to make her case. “I’d be willing. Emerson, I honestly don’t think you’ll be happy if anyone or anything comes between you and Vince. I’d rather share you than lose you or see you unhappy.”
He closed his eyes and didn’t respond. She leaned against him, and to her relief he slid an arm around her.
“What are you thinking?” she whispered.
“I’m trying not to picture the three of us together, honestly.”
She slid her hand down to caress him through his pants. “Doesn’t seem to be working.”
“It’s not,” came his husky reply. He shuddered briefly as he drew her closer into a tight hug, then kissed her hair before pulling away. “I’m going to follow Vince’s poor example here for a bit and plead time to think. Is that okay?”
She missed the warmth of his body immediately. “Of course it is.”
“Thanks. I’ll be back for lunch.” He looked toward the area where the other guys had parked their cars. “Looks like Vince left. If he comes back first, check on him? Tell him I’m okay at least.”
“And you are okay?”
He gave a slow nod. “Just need to figure this out.”
She took the chance and added, “I think you already know exactly what you want. You simply have to convince yourself it’s okay to want it.”
He caressed her curls one last time. “Maybe it is that simple.” He let his hand drop. “I’ve got my cell. Call if you need me.”
“Okay.” She watched him cross the grass and head for his car. He glanced back before getting in, and then he drove away.
****
Vince followed the sweet aroma and the sound of voices to the kitchen.
“Hey, man, how you feelin’?” Mike asked just after Vince entered the room.
He and Alicia stood at the counter, their hands covered in cookie dough, while Garren lounged on the old plaid loveseat by the door to the laundry room reading an old issue of Metal Hammer .
“Better. Not quite a hundred percent yet, but definitely better than yesterday.” Mike nodded and turned back to the counter, but Alicia held his gaze for a minute. She gave him a tiny smile and the look in her eyes reassured him, though he would have felt better if she were at liberty to actually say something to set his mind at ease.
“Good news, dude,” Garren said,
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