Page 44 of Control's Undoing

“I think I’ll save mine for later,” she said, and their conversation turned to more mundane topics, like what Broadway shows were Annie’s favorites, and Annie and Xavier’s favorite cities around the world.Colum admitted to not traveling much, though he had spent a fair amount of time in Boston when the Trinity Masters “kidnapped” him.

Sadly, it seemed to belatedly occur to him that probably wasn’t a story he should tell.Annie wanted to push for more details, but the brownies were working too well.Colum kept yawning and Xavier had actually dozed off, his chin resting on his chest.

She suggested Colum climb in her bed “just to rest for a little while,” claiming she was going to stay up to do some more research.Colum—who loved research dearly—didn’t insist on joining her.“I’ll just close me eyes for a second or two,” he said, as he crawled on top of the covers.

She followed him, encouraging him to kick off his shoes, take off his shirt and pants, and climb under the duvet.Annie didn’t even pretend not to look, enjoying the view as he did so without making a fuss.

He was sound asleep when she returned with a groggy Xavier a few minutes later.Xavier required no prodding as he stripped completely before joining Colum in her bed, sleep claiming him within seconds.

Annie studied them for a moment, enjoying this chance to see both men at peace.They looked good lying together like that, and she was genuinely tempted to strip off her own clothes and crawl in the middle.

She shut down that idea instantly.After all, she’d drugged them, so seducing them was out of the question.The first time the three of them slept together—please God, let there be a first time—she wanted it to be something they’d all remember.

“No rest for the wicked,” she muttered, as she returned to the sitting room, closing the bedroom door behind her.

ChapterEight

Colum: Have you ever done drugs?

Franco: Nice try, copper.I’ll never admit anything.Now give my friend back his phone.

Colum: I ate a pot brownie.

Franco: …

Franco: Oh.That’s cute.You think a pot brownie counts as doing drugs.

Xavier rolled over, hand sliding across the mattress until he encountered warm flesh.Eyes still closed, he smiled.Colum.He knew without looking who was in bed beside him.How he’d gotten into bed was a little fuzzy, but that was one of the best nights of sleep he’d had in a long time.

Maybe because of the man beside him.Xavier ran his hand over the warm, smooth skin of Colum’s bare back.Was he wearing bottoms?Xavier had every intention of finding out.Once he reached Colum’s shoulder, he reversed course, hand molding over contours of muscles.

“She drugged us.”

The muffled words had Xavier going still as he frowned.Finally, he opened his eyes.

Colum was lying on his stomach, face turned toward Xavier, with his arms folded and tucked under the fluffy pillow.The one eye Xavier could see was only half open, most of his face sunk into the pillow.

“Quoi?”Xavier asked, thinking he’d misheard Colum.

Colum pushed up onto his elbows, the covers sliding down his back to pool at his waist revealing that he was, in fact, bare from the waist up.The movement caused Xavier’s hand to slide off him, and he mourned the loss of his chance for further exploration.

“Annie drugged us.”Colum’s expression was serious but not concerned.He seemed more bemused than angry.

Xavier sat up fast, thinking back to last night.He remembered feeling sleepy on the couch, and now he was mellow and well rested.Merde.How had she…

“The brownies?”

“Sure enough.”

Xavier dropped back onto the pillow.“Quelle salope intelligente,” he muttered with mixed admiration and anger.He considered himself cynical but apparently not cynical enough to distrust desserts.

Colum shifted, leaning over Xavier to peer down into his face.“Did you just call her a bitch?”

“A clever bitch.”

Colum’s eyes narrowed.

Xavier cocked a brow.“Going to hit me again for insulting her?”

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