Laid Bare
Page 70
He heard a light tap on the door and when he peeked, he saw it was Ben. Todd smiled as he let him in.
Ben had helped with the planning, knowing that Erin would be another man’s wife. All the while, loving her. Todd and Erin had talked, in between bouts of sex, about turning part of the second condo into a living space for Ben so he could be there with them. As they’d sealed their relationship officially, they’d both understood they wanted Ben to be a more established part of their lives too. More important, they wanted him to feel and understand they desired him to be theirs full-time and not just when it fit into their schedule.
“Hey, is she still sleeping?” Ben asked as he came in.
“Yeah. I, um, tired her out. We didn’t get to sleep until dawn. You could have come with us, you know. I know Erin told you that.”
Ben grinned. “I expect there will be times when I want to have her all to myself and I figured your wedding night would be a time you wanted that.”
“Go wake her up. We’re supposed to meet everyone for a late lunch before they all go back home tonight.”
Ben quietly stalked to the bed and Todd admired the way he moved. He’d been close to Ben for most of his life and he’d grown closer to him over the last months with Erin than he’d ever been before. It wasn’t that Ben was male or female; it was that Ben was Ben. That’s what made him appeal so much.
Logically, Todd knew it was weird. He knew he should be jealous and territorial, but he wasn’t. Erin had enough for both of them and they certainly had more than enough for her. Both of them loved her, wanted her safe, and in turn, cherished her. Ben didn’t have that history Todd had with her, but they were building their own memories.
Todd didn’t know what to call it; he only knew it worked.
Ben drew her close as he got into the bed. Warm and sleep-soft, she came willingly, snuggling into him with a smile, her eyes still closed.
“Morning. Mmm, you smell good. Like coffee. I need it.”
He laughed. “You know the way to make a man feel wanted.”
She smiled, her mouth against his neck. “We missed you last night. You’re staying this week, right?”
He swallowed. He’d wanted her to ask. When they’d planned it, he and Todd, Ben had been truly happy for both of them. But he wanted Erin to want him too, wanted her to ask him to stay with them. It would take some planning with Cope, who knew what was up and thankfully never judged. But there was no way he’d turn down the opportunity to be with them both this week. Far away from home in a city that wouldn’t bat an eye at two men squiring one woman out on the town.
“I’d love to.”
“Mmm, good.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I need a shower and to brush my teeth.” She scrambled over him, getting him all worked up, and kissed Todd quickly on her way into the bathroom.
“I told you that you were welcome,” Todd said, grabbing the phone to order up some coffee.
“I wanted her to ask.”
“I’m moving into the condo when we get back.” Todd told him about the way Erin had reacted to moving into his house and Ben’s gut tightened.
“I f**king hate that she’s scared. God, I wish I could rip this f**ker apart with my bare hands.” The way she sometimes winced at loud noises or jumped when someone surprised her broke his heart.
“Get in line. Ben, we’d like it if you’d consider moving in. She’s buying the condo next door to hers and remodeling. Apparently it’s huge. You can have your own space, but we talked about taking the master in the other place and knocking out a wall between it and the adjoining bedroom to make one giant bedroom. For all three of us.” Todd got up when room service brought coffee. Erin emerged from the bathroom, looking ridiculously pretty in a little dress and with her hair pulled back. She wore just a tiny bit of makeup and, as always, Ben was aware of how naturally beautiful she was.
She fell on the coffee, giving Todd a kiss and settling on the couch next to Ben.
“I heard you two as I was getting dressed. We don’t want to pressure you, Ben. But we want you to know we want you with us. We’re going to have an office space for you guys and you can have your own rooms too. I expect we’ll all need that from time to time. Everyone needs space that’s just theirs alone.”
Ben took her hand. “I love you, Erin.”
She blinked back tears and smiled. “What a lovely present. I love you too. I know this is odd and people won’t understand. I’m not sure I do, but I love you. We love you. Whatever you decide, you have a key card, so I want you to come and go as you please. I don’t want to pressure you or rush you or whatever. “
“Gorgeous, this last year has been a lot about unexpected happenings. I figured eventually I’d find the woman for me and I’d marry. But the woman for me is married to someone else. Luckily, I love him too and he’s willing to share. If you two are okay with it, I’d love to move in. More than love it.” He shrugged, speechless at how fabulous he felt.
She bounced happily and he laughed. “Yay! I have a meeting with the contractor next week so you can come and we can talk about what we’d like to do.”
“I should have known you’d already put this into the works.” Todd smirked.
“I didn’t know you’d be asking me to marry you and carting me off to Vegas! But I hoped we’d be able to live together and didn’t want to pass up the opportunity when the people next door moved out and sold. I’m forward-thinking.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and Ben hugged her, kissing her neck until she laughed and relaxed.
Ben had helped with the planning, knowing that Erin would be another man’s wife. All the while, loving her. Todd and Erin had talked, in between bouts of sex, about turning part of the second condo into a living space for Ben so he could be there with them. As they’d sealed their relationship officially, they’d both understood they wanted Ben to be a more established part of their lives too. More important, they wanted him to feel and understand they desired him to be theirs full-time and not just when it fit into their schedule.
“Hey, is she still sleeping?” Ben asked as he came in.
“Yeah. I, um, tired her out. We didn’t get to sleep until dawn. You could have come with us, you know. I know Erin told you that.”
Ben grinned. “I expect there will be times when I want to have her all to myself and I figured your wedding night would be a time you wanted that.”
“Go wake her up. We’re supposed to meet everyone for a late lunch before they all go back home tonight.”
Ben quietly stalked to the bed and Todd admired the way he moved. He’d been close to Ben for most of his life and he’d grown closer to him over the last months with Erin than he’d ever been before. It wasn’t that Ben was male or female; it was that Ben was Ben. That’s what made him appeal so much.
Logically, Todd knew it was weird. He knew he should be jealous and territorial, but he wasn’t. Erin had enough for both of them and they certainly had more than enough for her. Both of them loved her, wanted her safe, and in turn, cherished her. Ben didn’t have that history Todd had with her, but they were building their own memories.
Todd didn’t know what to call it; he only knew it worked.
Ben drew her close as he got into the bed. Warm and sleep-soft, she came willingly, snuggling into him with a smile, her eyes still closed.
“Morning. Mmm, you smell good. Like coffee. I need it.”
He laughed. “You know the way to make a man feel wanted.”
She smiled, her mouth against his neck. “We missed you last night. You’re staying this week, right?”
He swallowed. He’d wanted her to ask. When they’d planned it, he and Todd, Ben had been truly happy for both of them. But he wanted Erin to want him too, wanted her to ask him to stay with them. It would take some planning with Cope, who knew what was up and thankfully never judged. But there was no way he’d turn down the opportunity to be with them both this week. Far away from home in a city that wouldn’t bat an eye at two men squiring one woman out on the town.
“I’d love to.”
“Mmm, good.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I need a shower and to brush my teeth.” She scrambled over him, getting him all worked up, and kissed Todd quickly on her way into the bathroom.
“I told you that you were welcome,” Todd said, grabbing the phone to order up some coffee.
“I wanted her to ask.”
“I’m moving into the condo when we get back.” Todd told him about the way Erin had reacted to moving into his house and Ben’s gut tightened.
“I f**king hate that she’s scared. God, I wish I could rip this f**ker apart with my bare hands.” The way she sometimes winced at loud noises or jumped when someone surprised her broke his heart.
“Get in line. Ben, we’d like it if you’d consider moving in. She’s buying the condo next door to hers and remodeling. Apparently it’s huge. You can have your own space, but we talked about taking the master in the other place and knocking out a wall between it and the adjoining bedroom to make one giant bedroom. For all three of us.” Todd got up when room service brought coffee. Erin emerged from the bathroom, looking ridiculously pretty in a little dress and with her hair pulled back. She wore just a tiny bit of makeup and, as always, Ben was aware of how naturally beautiful she was.
She fell on the coffee, giving Todd a kiss and settling on the couch next to Ben.
“I heard you two as I was getting dressed. We don’t want to pressure you, Ben. But we want you to know we want you with us. We’re going to have an office space for you guys and you can have your own rooms too. I expect we’ll all need that from time to time. Everyone needs space that’s just theirs alone.”
Ben took her hand. “I love you, Erin.”
She blinked back tears and smiled. “What a lovely present. I love you too. I know this is odd and people won’t understand. I’m not sure I do, but I love you. We love you. Whatever you decide, you have a key card, so I want you to come and go as you please. I don’t want to pressure you or rush you or whatever. “
“Gorgeous, this last year has been a lot about unexpected happenings. I figured eventually I’d find the woman for me and I’d marry. But the woman for me is married to someone else. Luckily, I love him too and he’s willing to share. If you two are okay with it, I’d love to move in. More than love it.” He shrugged, speechless at how fabulous he felt.
She bounced happily and he laughed. “Yay! I have a meeting with the contractor next week so you can come and we can talk about what we’d like to do.”
“I should have known you’d already put this into the works.” Todd smirked.
“I didn’t know you’d be asking me to marry you and carting me off to Vegas! But I hoped we’d be able to live together and didn’t want to pass up the opportunity when the people next door moved out and sold. I’m forward-thinking.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and Ben hugged her, kissing her neck until she laughed and relaxed.
