Page 11

“Holy shit,” Scotty murmurs from the backseat, unbuckling so he can lean forward to properly take in the gorgeous vacation home we splurged on.

“Damn, you really outdid yourself with this pick, babe,” I add, turning to Patrick.

“I’m glad you both like it,” he replies easily as he parks the car. “I’ll go get the door unlocked if you two want to start on the bags and the cooler?”

“Perfect.” I get out of the car and step into the compact snow on the driveway. Scotty and I make quick work of grabbing our luggage and hauling it onto the deck as Patrick unlocks the door.

“Oh my god, this view!” Scotty murmurs, looking out over the picturesque snow-covered woods that surround us and the mountain peaks in the distance.

Patrick and I share a smile over how excited Scotty is, but I get it. He had no idea what we were walking into, and this place is beyond beautiful, overlooking Okemo Mountain and with a large hot tub on the expansive deck.

When we step inside, I can’t help it as a “holy fuck” slips from my lips. It’s equally as beautiful, with tongue-and-groove ceilings, a wood stove, and black tile flooring in the living room surrounded by lighter wood throughout the rest of the space. The kitchen has dark green tiles and similarly colored cabinets that all work so well together. The space is also modestly decorated for the holidays, with garland above the cabinets and a fake tree covered in white lights lit up in the corner, adding to the cozy vibe. We can definitely do better with our own decorations, though, and knowing Patrick, he’ll want to add as many rainbow lights as he possibly can.

My eyes then land on the spiral staircase, and for the first time since we invited Scotty, I actually remember the listing photos. “Shit, Patrick, how many bedrooms does this place have again?”

“Two,” he answers, unworried, but…

I look up at the railing over the main living space. “One of them is the loft, isn’t it?”

“Let’s check.”

I follow him up the metal stairs, and we’re met with a king-sized bed overlooking the living room below.

“There’s a queen bed down here,” Scotty calls out, and I turn to look at Patrick.

“I guess he’s either joining or getting a show,” I whisper.

“Kind of forgot that detail.” He just smirks. “Come on, let’s go down and talk to him.”

“This place is incredible,” Scotty comments when we meet him back in the living room.

“It really is,” Patrick agrees. “Before any of us ditch our bags, we should probably talk about the beds, though. We knew there was another bedroom when we invited you, and you’re welcome to stay in it, but we forgot the other room with the king bed is just the loft. There’s a full bathroom up there, but no wall or door, so the bed overlooks this main living area. Any interest in joining us up there? Or would you like your own space? You can always wait and decide later too.”

Scotty’s face scrunches as he considers the question. “You’re talking about for sex, right?”

I shrug and respond so that Scotty knows Patrick and I are on the same page. “That’s another option, sure. But you could also plan to sleep up there with us if you want. We don’t want you feeling like a third wheel, or like you need to give us space; that sounds kind of lonely.”

Patrick nods beside me as Scotty’s throat bobs and his eyes dart between us. I can’t tell if his hesitance to answer is because of nerves about hooking up with us, or because he doesn’t want to impose on our relationship. Or maybe it’s something else entirely.

I try to reassure him that there’s no need to look so stressed. “Scotty, if you don’t want to hook up⁠—”

“No, that’s not it,” he insists, cutting me off. I pause, waiting for him to continue. “I’d love that. I guess I’m still wrapping my head around it, is all. My ex was a bit jealous, and to see you two love each other so freely and openly… I just really missed it. Still trying to wrap my head around the fact love doesn’t have to be so possessive, I guess.”

“There’s no pressure if you’re not ready or unsure. We’re just used to talking openly about everything, so I’ll apologize in advance if we ever end up coming across as too blunt. It’s our one and only rule in our relationship, and we don’t want you to feel excluded,” Patrick assures him.

Scotty lets out a big sigh, his whole body physically relaxes, and his expression shifts to a smile like he’s expelled all of his hesitation with that breath. “Trust me, I want this. I’d love to be in the middle of you two again. It’s just, ever since I ran into you, I almost feel like a different person. I used to practically beg you two to fuck me, and that night was the best damn threesome of my life. I’ve envisioned it so many times throughout the years, but Harry was so jealous that I never tried for anything like that with him. I feel like in some ways, I lost that carefree part of myself.”

I step forward and gently place my hand under Scotty’s chin, tilting his face up so he’s forced to look me in the eyes. “Do you want to remember?”

6

“More than anything,” I hear myself answer honestly before I’ve even made the conscious decision of how I should respond. I’m too wrapped up in the heat of Joey’s warm brown gaze and his large hand under my chin to focus on what I “should” be doing.

I thought he was hot fifteen years ago, but forty-three-year-old Joey doesn’t even seem real with how attractive he is now. This man should be on movie screens or billboards; brands should be paying him insane amounts of money to wear their clothes. I spent years in LA surrounded by the most “beautiful” people money can create, and there wasn’t a single person I was more attracted to than the men I’m here with now.

Unable to look away from Joey, I’m aware that Patrick closes the distance between us out of the corner of my eye. Patrick is also unbelievably hot, sure, but there’s something about his presence that’s somehow warm and inviting while also being commanding and dominant in a way that I’m so attracted to as well. The fact that these men are together, and somehow want to invite me into their bed, still kind of feels like a daydream I never want to wake up from.

But it’s real. I’m on vacation with them for the next week, and we’ve been here all of five minutes, and they’re already staring at me like they want to devour me. I fucking love it. Over ten years with Harry, and he never made me feel as desired as I do in this moment. Patrick puts a hand on my waist before lowering his head to my neck, demanding my attention. I tilt my head to the side to allow him more access, but just as his lips tease my skin, he asks, “Does that mean we can kiss you?”