Two Hotties Next Door

Ace squirmed in his chair. His stomach twisted, and he didn’t feel comfortable.

“It’s not possible, okay? This is crazy. We’re two guys here. There’s no way that can happen,” Ace said.

“We’ve shared women before and enjoyed it.”

Of course they’d shared women. They’d been in high school, and the head cheerleader had said how amazing it would be to have the chance to be the filling in their sandwich. Then they’d experimented in school. Played a few games along the way. Even experimented themselves.

Yes, they’d attempted to kiss, seeing as they could handle touching the one woman, but it had never been right to kiss each other. Brett was his best friend. He didn’t imagine being with him or anything.

“We’ve never spoken about it being long-term,” Brett said.

“Look, we don’t even know if Meredith would go for something like this, okay? For all we know, she doesn’t have a clue what this is about. We’re crazy right now.” Ace stood up, rubbed the back of his head. “I’m going to bed.”

He moved out of the living room and made his way upstairs to his room. He went straight to the window, and there Meredith was. She sat in the garden in the middle of her yard, bent over a sketchpad. There was a lamp near her to give her light. She wore a bikini, which displayed her ink to perfection. Her body moved this way and that, and he loved watching her.

Her curves were all on display, and she seemed not to have a care in the world as she worked away at whatever had taken her fancy. He didn’t love her.

He wanted her.

There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her.

Love between houses.

The thought of sharing her with Brett didn’t sicken him.

It turned him on.

Could they do it? Was there a way for them to share this woman between the two of them without causing trouble?

Stepping back from the curtain, he laughed.

The entire idea was ridiculous. He had thought so when Wynter told him about the whole curse. Clearly, they needed a drink and a relax.

Love didn’t exist because of two houses.

It simply wasn’t possible.

Then why is it, I can’t get her out of my mind?

****

“Stop looking so panicked, okay? The world is not going to forget you anytime soon, but they will if you don’t start to focus,” Will said. “You’re supposed to be here to work. I’m doing as much as I can.”

She bit her thumbnail, which she hated doing as it was a habit she got into as a kid. “This isn’t about that, and you know it. I don’t care if they remember me. I’m nothing without my craft. You know that.”

“You’ve hit one or two snags.”

“It has been over a year since my last commissioned piece, Will. Not only that, I can’t seem to focus.” She glanced around her studio and felt completely lost. The walls were decorated with words, some hard, some soft. They were passions she felt.

Will picked up one of her sketchbooks, and she was so busy looking at her failure that she didn’t stop him.

“What about this?” he asked.

She glanced over and gasped. “That’s nothing.” Rushing toward him, she was about to take the sketchbook from him, but he wouldn’t release it.

In her spare time, she’d been sketching Brett and Ace. They were the only two people she seemed to be able to get right. Whether it was them mowing the lawn or carrying their stuff into the house, she’d committed everything to memory so that she could sketch it.

There was even one of Ace behind the kitchen counter, cooking away. He’d made a mean quinoa, and she’d been totally turned to the idea of actually giving it a try.

“This is all pretty good stuff.”

“They’re my neighbors, Will.”

“Then you know what you’ve got to do.”

She did, but she winced. “Look, a lot of people don’t like sitting in for this kind of stuff.”

“Meredith, the point of you getting away from the city and being here in the first place was to relax. You’re not relaxed. You look far more tense than I can recall ever seeing you.”

She fanned her face and walked away from him, taking a deep breath, and turning toward him. Breathing deep, she looked at him. “I’m trying. It’s kind of hard to relax when everyone keeps telling me to do exactly that.”

Will put his hands on her shoulders, and together they breathed deeply. “You’re awesome.”

Meredith rolled her eyes.

“No, say it with me.”

“You’re awesome,” she said.

“Meredith!”

“I’m awesome.”

“I’m talented.”

“Do I really need to keep saying this?”

“Do it,” Will said.

“I’m talented.”

“I can do this.”

“I can do this.”

“Just … relax.”

She copied everything he said, and at the end of it, she did, in a weird way, feel calmer.

“I’m not going to go anywhere. People still want your commission work and are willing to wait, even though they have not even given payment and you’ve not accepted any, or even taking any orders. I do get regular phone calls asking if you’re taking any contracts. They’re still talking about your paintings. You don’t have to be constantly present for people to think about you, not with the internet. I’m taking care of that. Now, relax.” He picked up the book. “I think you should talk to these two men. You’re inspired by them. They’ve got a lot more passion than the women you’ve watched putting out the trash.”