There was a vibe between the three of us. I wasn’t sure how it would translate between the sheets, but I damn sure intended to find out.
So…alcohol. And parties for three. And a party game or two meant to be an icebreaker that would hopefully lead to the loss of clothes.
First, I’d ease them in.
“What about a tour?” I set down my empty drink and scrubbed my palms on my jeans. Yeah, I was nervous. No matter how easygoing I seemed, I wasn’t unaffected by possible rejection. Especially possible rejection by two of my closest friends. Lily was closer than Emerson, of course, but that was the asshole’s own fault. He wouldn’t let me in. Didn’t want me to spin too far into his sphere.
I figured that was because he wanted me there too much. So I’d be testing that theory soon.
“Sure.” Lily stepped aside to give me room to pass her and I waved them both forward.
“Step into my lair.” I glanced around. “Eh well, you’re already in it, so come deeper into my lair.”
Lily let out a hiccupping giggle and I smiled, leading the way toward the small formal dining room. It was probably cheating to load her up with drinks, especially stuff with such a high alcohol content. But I wouldn’t let her get far enough gone to lose her faculties. I just wanted that first layer or two of apprehension to dissolve.
It wasn’t like Emerson would let anything go too far if he wasn’t sure she was on-board, anyway. Hell, I wasn’t sure he would let it even if she was. That might shut things down even quicker.
“Dining room.” I gestured to the scarred dining table. “One of my first projects. This was my grandparents’ table. It’s been in storage for years.”
“Wow, look at this.” Lily caressed the wood, her small red-tipped fingers tracing welts and wounds. “You’re going to make this gorgeous.”
I nodded. I would. But her faith in me made me swallow hard as we continued on to the kitchen. “You probably recognize this room.”
“Barely. Fridge and stove and empty cabinets.” Emerson shook his head and popped open the fridge door. “Yeah, there’s Coors in here, but not much else.” He held up a half-eaten package of bologna. “Where’s the bread?”
“Carbs are bad.” I grinned and patted my stomach, well aware that the black shirt I’d put on tonight was tight as fuck. I was proud of my body. Probably too proud in Emerson’s eyes. He didn’t like the way I stripped down in front of Lily. Not that he’d ever said as much, but he was about as hard to read as an eye chart.
“Uh-huh.” Lily thumped my arm. “Does that include the Cool Ranch Doritos I saw you eating like a fiend last week?”
“I know not of whence ye speaks.” I blinked innocently and headed down the hallway, stopping at the first door. I nudged it open with my sneaker. “Standard bathroom, with non-standard two-person whirlpool tub.”
If my voice lowered a bit on the last part, who could blame me? It just so happened I’d thought of both of them naked more than a few times.
I’d had a threesome once before, years ago, during that summer between high school and college. There had been two guys and a girl, and that had been the first time I’d made out with a guy. Turned out I enjoyed it. A lot.
The girl, however, had not been down with it in any shape or form. She’d split before we’d gotten more than her top off, and then the guy and I had…finished things off all on our own. So I guess it wasn’t a real threesome, but an aborted one.
This one—if it happened—would be different. Somehow I just knew it.
“Wow, pretty sweet.” Lily slipped past me into the bathroom, her curves brushing against my interested dick. Not hard yet, because I wasn’t that easily stimulated. Let’s just say it wouldn’t take much to give me a semi though, not with that snug black dress hugging her ass and tits. Both her ass and her chest were damn fine.
She bent to run her fingertips over the scalloped edge of the shelf beside the tub. She was a toucher, that one. “This would be perfect for candles.” She tossed a grin over her shoulder. “You know, O’Connor, when you want to set a mood.”
I only smiled. Oh, I knew all about moods. She’d be finding that out soon enough.
We walked down the hall to the pair of bedrooms. “Standard bedrooms,” I said, pointing out one then the other. “Please notice the awesome acoustics.”
I walked into the master bedroom and hit a couple switches and music filled the room—and the apartment. I’d settled on rock, though I knew Lily liked pop and Emerson liked hip hop. But again, mood, and these dueling guitars from Oblivion were dirty as hell.
“Nice.” Emerson glanced around, thumbs tucked in his belt loops. Since I hadn’t even expected that much from Mr. Silent, it felt like high praise.
“Damn, look at this bed.” Lily bounded forward and bounced on my California King, her grin a mile wide. “This is for some serious sleeping.”
Or serious fucking.
“I take my rest very seriously,” I said solemnly before waving for them to follow me across the hall. “You’ll notice the guest room has a bed big enough for two.”
Deliberately, I glanced back at Lily, expecting her to be flushing and fretting. But the alcohol must’ve been doing its job, because she only chewed on her lower lip and slid Emerson a look under her lashes. “Not sure Em would be interested in sharing a bed with me.”