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He shifts his hips in a way that has me thinking he’s as hard as I am now. We’ve had so many great hookups over the years, but Scotty really has always been the one we go back to most when we fantasize out loud together like this. The idea that he might be down to hook up with us again makes heat pool in my gut.

“Shit, okay, I know we’re both horny, but maybe we should talk about what exactly we want Vermont to be before we get lost in the fantasy,” I suggest weakly.

Patrick groans. “We can’t do that while we swap blow jobs?”

“I think a conversation might be a bit hard with your dick in my mouth,” I tease.

“Fiiine, but let’s get out of bed or else there’s no guarantee I won’t be buried in your ass by the end of this conversation. I’ll make us coffee to start.” Patrick pulls back the comforter and gets out of bed. The sight of his thick, round, bare ass makes me regret wanting to have this conversation now, but there’s still a lot for us to talk about, and I won’t be able to focus on anything else until we do.

I think we’re both trying to remain cautiously optimistic that Scotty will want to be our third again, but since we’ve never planned a trip with another person before, talking through specifics about our own boundaries seems like a good idea.

Patrick opens the dresser drawer, pulls out a pair of boxer briefs, and tugs them on.

“I love the way those hug your ass,” I sigh wistfully.

“Thanks, love. I bet Scotty will too.” He winks at me before walking back to the bed to give me a deep, sloppy kiss, only pulling back when I’ve completely sunk into his hold and forgotten all about our plans to leave the bedroom. He chuckles as he pulls back before heading out into the kitchen.

Sighing, I finally get out of bed and join him. Patrick’s wide, muscular back is fully on display, and I can’t help but walk up to wrap my arms around him from behind while he’s getting the espresso going. Neither one of us is small, but Patrick makes me feel almost dainty when we’re wrapped around each other, and I love it because it’s so rare. I’m six feet two inches and over two hundred pounds, but Pat’s two inches taller than me and even wider. Scotty, though, is only about five nine, so we both tower over him.

Patrick finishes our drinks with me glued to his back and turns in my arms. “Here you go, love.”

I reluctantly release him to accept my cup and kiss his cheek. We’re both very casually affectionate people. I take a moment to appreciate the way his face lights up like it always does when I let him take care of me. It’s not something I need him to do; even after all of these years together, my instinct is to be independent with little things I could do for myself, but I know it brings him joy when it does happen. “Fuck, I’m a lucky man. Thank you for spoiling me, babe.”

“Thank you for letting me.”

We walk over to the living room and sit down, leaning against opposite arms of the leather sofa, tangling our outstretched legs together. Patrick pulls a candy-cane-striped blanket over us, and we settle in facing each other as we sip our peppermint lattes. Even though we aren’t celebrating Christmas in our house, we still did some light decorating with some of the easier things. Nothing elaborate, but we have a pre-lit pencil tree, holiday tea towels, festive pillows and blankets; we’ll save the big stuff for the cabin.

I take a big sip and let out a content hum. “Mhm. I don’t know why it tastes so much better when you make it.”

“Because I make it with love,” he teases with a big smile before taking another sip. He’s so fucking cheesy, and it makes me smile every single time. “Okay, have we calmed down enough to talk about Scotty and expectations?”

I nod, happy to let him start the conversation as I continue to enjoy my caffeine.

“Well, we’ve obviously talked about him a lot over the years and thought another chance to play with him was out of the question, but now that he’s single again—Harry’s loss—I think we’re on the same page that we should follow his lead without pressuring him.” I nod in agreement, and he smirks. “That being said, I’m not afraid to flirt a little if I think he’s holding back on our account.”

“Hopefully once he remembers how easy things have always been with the three of us, he won’t be worried.”

“Exactly.”

Taking another sip while trying to think through the logistics, I continue. “I know we don’t typically do sleepovers, but the precedent is there with Scotty, and I think we should again if he’s up for it. I don’t want to have sex with him then kick him back to his own room to be alone while we stay together. The last thing I want is to make Scotty feel like a third wheel.”

“Absolutely,” Patrick agrees easily. “We’ve never spent more than one night in a row with the same person, though. Is there anything you don’t want on the table when we’ll have so much time together? In the spirit of not wanting him to feel left out, how do we approach more casual intimacy? If we’re sitting down for dinner and I quickly kiss you, how would you feel if I do the same with him? Even if we’re not about to have sex?”

I take a moment to consider the question because I never want to rush my answers in these discussions.

I’m not a jealous person; I love and trust my husband fully. I also know how fucking hot he is, and how many men wish they could be with him, but the thought of other men wanting him doesn’t upset me. Neither does him wanting them, because I feel the same.

If anything, it makes me feel special that someone so incredible has chosen to spend his life with me.

Us acknowledging our attraction to other people, or acting on it, doesn’t take away from what we have. It’s never made me feel like I wasn’t enough for him. The same way I’ve never felt like he wasn’t enough for me, or that having sex with someone else meant I loved him any less. We’re both happy with our marriage, and if we never hooked up with anyone else ever again, we’d still be just as happy with each other.

But would my feelings change seeing him kiss Scotty if there’s no sex involved? If one of us were to cuddle him, or kiss him just because we felt like it, would that be a bad thing?

I picture Patrick with Scotty wrapped around him the way I was this morning while he was making coffee, and it makes me smile. I imagine Scotty snuggled between us while we all watch a movie, and how I’d feel if Patrick leaned in to kiss him. My smile doesn’t fade. I’d probably just want to kiss him as well.

Clearly, no concerns from me, so I finally answer. “I’m okay with it if you are. Honestly, with that much time together, I think my natural instinct would be to treat him like I do you, like an extension of how we are with each other, with casual touching and affection. But we need to make sure he’d want that too.”

Patrick nods confidently, his smile mirroring mine as he agrees. “Yeah, I’m on the same page about all of that. And we will.”