Double The Ache

“Not going to happen,” Dean says.

“No.”

Of course Wes’s response is only one grunted word.

“Is she yours?” I glance between both of them. Wes nods and Dean answers in the affirmative.

I stand there shocked for a moment. “Like, you share her? Between the two of you?”

I feel my face flush and I look away from them. I’m sure my surprise is all over my face. Then jealousy washes through me. I shouldn’t be shocked that someone as pretty as her can have both of them. I glance back at them and they look like they’re studying me. “Never mind. Don’t answer that.” I wave my hand in front of me. I don’t want to know about their sex lives. What I’ve already started to piece together is ripping my heart apart with feelings I don’t understand. I want them to be mine. To belong to both of them and for them to belong to me.

I turn back to the table. Nelson has a shot in his hand and he’s about to take it, but I slip it from him.

“Amelia.”

I ignore the voice while I throw the shot back and feel the burn, happy to focus on something else in this moment besides my jealousy.

“Wanna dance?” the woman asks.

She has a dimple in her cheek and her smile is friendly. She reaches out to me, and though I don’t want to like her, I don’t have a real reason not to. I’m surprised she isn’t shooting me daggers.

“Yeah,” I say and take her hand.

“Cassie, she’s not dancing,” Dean tells her.

“I’ll do whatever I want,” I snap back at him. I smile when I see they’re not wearing those smirks anymore.

“Maybe you all should stay over here in the VIP area and just hang out,” Nelson says to Cassie. He licks his lips as his eyes roam over her. He’s clearly smitten. I didn’t taken Nelson as the type to fall for a woman. He seemed like a player to me.

Cassie rolls her eyes. “We didn’t get all dressed up for nothing.” She pulls on my hand.

“Cassie,” Wes growls.

“Ignore them. That’s what I do when they try to boss me around.” She winks at me.

I bite my lip to keep from telling her how I wouldn’t mind being bossed around by them if I had the chance. Though after tonight I know I wouldn’t want to belong to them. They clearly have no problem going from woman to woman right in front of one.

As Cassie pulls me through the crowd my mind starts to wander. Maybe they came here for me because my dad asked them to keep an eye on me or something? Maybe that’s why they were looking for me, and they aren’t the players I think they are.

My neck tingles in the place where Wes placed his lips, reminding me that I’m likely wrong. I can’t believe I’m trying to make excuses for them. I just hate the idea of the two men I’ve been dying to meet for years could be sleazy jerks.

I see the other woman they came with dancing with Linsley when we get to the main dance floor. I met him when we first got to the club. He was really nice and had some of the best manners I’d ever seen. He’s holding her close as they move together.

“That’s my sister, Emma,” Cassie shouts over the music. I nod and start dancing.

I get lost in the music for a while, but I can feel eyes on me. Every time I glance over I see Dean, Wes and Nelson are all staring at Cassie and me. I can’t keep myself from shooting glances at them every now and then.

“I need a drink!” Cassie shouts after a few songs. She grabs my hand and pulls me off the dance floor.

“Move!” she yells at the men, and they step out of her way. We hit our table and have another round of shots and drinks before we’re dancing again.

Dean and Wes keep shoving bottles of water into my hands as the night wears on. I chug them down since the dancing is making me thirsty. I try to keep my distance from them the best I can, but every time I turn around I’m running into them. They are like giant shadows. As much as I want to fall into them, I like Cassie and I’d never do that to another woman.

I’m not sure Nelson has the same code as me, because he’s clearly trying to get Cassie’s attention.

After a few hours I drop down into one of the sofas in the VIP area. I think my night is coming to an end. My eyes feel heavy. Dean and Wes both take a seat next to me, one on each side. I feel my eyes growing heavy as exhaustion and drink try to pull me under.