Forbidden Heat

“So, Trey, what did you wind up majoring in?” Danielle picked up her knife and fork and speared a glazed carrot from her plate.

“Computers.”

She took a bite of the carrot, and he couldn’t help watching her delicious-looking glossy lips as she chewed.

Jake grabbed a roll from the basket in front of him. “He loves gadgets. You should see his place. High-tech devices galore.”

Trey dipped a chunk of his succulent beef in the small bowl of au jus on his plate, then took a bite.

She leaned her chin on her hand and smiled at Trey. “Like what?”

Trey shrugged. Women didn’t care about stuff like that.

“He has one of those robot vacuums,” Jake said.

“Oh, that’s right.” Cole chuckled. “He has a great video of his cat riding around on it.”

“Your cat rides the vacuum?” She stared at him in wide-eyed fascination. “I thought cats hated vacuums.”

“Not mine. Hickory thinks it’s his own personal toy.”

“You’ll have to show me the video sometime.” She smiled, then glanced down shyly when his gaze met hers. When she glanced up again, he almost expected her to flutter her eyelashes.

He grinned. Well, damn, the woman was flirting with him.

As dinner progressed, Trey found himself becoming confused. Although Danielle seemed to be paying him a lot of attention, she paid an equal amount of attention to Jake. Maybe he had misread the situation and she just wanted to catch up with old friends. She’d never been really comfortable interacting with the opposite sex. Back in the old days, he and Jake had sometimes offered her advice when she was interested in one guy or another . . . or if one was bothering her because she was sending the wrong signals.

Maybe that was the problem now. She certainly was sending out strong signals that she was interested, but maybe she didn’t intend to.

Once the waiter cleared away the dessert plates and refilled the coffee cups, Danielle excused herself to go to the ladies’ room.

Trey turned to Jake.

“Do you get what’s going on with Danielle?” Jake asked before Trey had a chance to speak.

Harmony stepped up behind Jake and placed her arm around his shoulder affectionately. “I’ll tell you.” She leaned in close so only the two of them could hear. “Danielle is interested in you.”

“Who?” Trey asked at the same time as Jake.

“Both of you.” She leaned her veiled head in close between them, resting a hand on Trey’s shoulder. “Look, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but”—she glanced in the direction of the door, then back to them—“I’m sure it will help things along. Danielle has always had a crush on you guys, but you were in a relationship together, so she thought it was impossible.”

“So she’s happy to be with either one of us?” Jake asked.

“Well, that would work, but . . .” Harmony grinned impishly. “I think she’d be willing . . . well, more than willing to . . .” She paused, her eyes glittering. Discreetly, she glanced around again.

Heat wafted through Trey as her implication hit him. “You’re telling us she wants a threesome? With us?” he asked. “Shy Danielle?”

The thought of making love to sweet Danielle . . . and with Jake . . . sent heat flooding to his groin.

“Yes, she is shy,” Harmony continued. “And she’s not used to doing this. But she knows you two . . . you used to be friends after all . . . and she’s always wanted to hook up with you guys. I suggested that tonight might be her chance.” Her hand gently tightened on Trey’s shoulder. “You guys aren’t going to let her down, are you?”

Danielle clinked her glass with the others at yet another toast to the bride and groom, Harmony gazing happily into Aiden’s eyes.

She glanced toward Trey. Jake’s hand rested on Trey’s arm as he leaned in to say something. Trey laughed, his brown eyes glitterin

g. She could see the affection in Jake’s warm blue eyes, and the easy camaraderie between the two men. Maybe it was just her take on things, but she definitely felt they still cared about each other, even if it was only as close friends.

What had happened between them? Why weren’t they still together?