Page 9 of Yours
I grinned at Dare. “This is the Casanova who told the last guy who asked him out that it was fine, he didn’t mind the idea.”
Dare laughed and gave Ryan’s still-red face a kiss on the cheek. “So I won’t expect sonnets or dirty talk from you, sexy?”
Ryan shook his head. “No.”
When he got his embarrassment under control, he brought his head down and looked over at me. “I’m going to try this again.”
Feeling lighter for some reason, I gave him a teasing, skeptical look. “You only get so many do-overs, so be careful.”
“Thanks.” Ryan rolled his eyes, but his nerves seemed to have faded too because he almost smiled as he watched my face. “We weren’t planning on something like this, but the idea of getting to know you like that is…interesting. You know you’re attractive, so I’m not going to stroke your ego, but I’m not going to dismiss the idea. I’d like to see where it goes.”
“I’d love to see youstroke his ego. I might insist on that at some point, sexy.” Dare’s words were light, but the heat behind them made me shiver.
He wanted to watch us together.
Need flashed through Ryan’s eyes. Did he find the idea just as erotic as I did? My experiences were ridiculously limited and vanilla, but the idea of being with Ryan didn’t scare me, he was my friend…neither did having Dare watch us. He was a stranger, but he was Dare…he was like that voice in the back of my head that pushed me to take chances, but I had a feeling he wouldn’t be so easily ignored.
Ryan’s eyes dragged down my chest slowly. “I don’t have a problem with that.”
Fuck.
Was I supposed to answer?
Dare chuckled, and he leaned over and pressed a kiss to my lips, startling me. “I bet you don’t either, handsome.”
I shook my head as I watched the two of them stare at me. Dare’s gaze was predatory and made me want to squirm in my seat. “You know, one of these days you’re going to be so comfortable with me, and with us, that you’ll tell me every sexy thought running through your head.”
“That’s frightening.” And that slipped out. Damn it.
Dare chuckled and smiled like I’d given him a fabulous reward, but Ryan looked at me the same way he had when I’d rearranged the furniture in the apartment. Startled, but then the slow dawning that he liked it better that way.
Interesting.
Dare brought his free hand up to caress down my face again. “I promise the rewards will be worth it, though.”
The submissive part I always kept tucked away in the corner wanted to shove its way out of the closet and beg to know what Dare meant, but I tightened my grip on it and just nodded. It wasn’t much, but sometimes I felt like if I opened my mouth everything I wanted would just come tumbling out.
Work was always easier; that was why I spent countless hours there every week. When I was on the phone with clients or researching the newest trend or company, I felt confident and in control of what I wanted…to be a success. It just never worked that way in my personal life.
“Alright, I’ll take it easy on you for a while. What do you usually talk about on a date?” Dare smiled when Ryan laughed and I winced.
“Um, work is the wrong answer, right?”
Ryan smirked and shook his head at me. “Not if you’re going to be honest with him.”
Then, turning to Dare, his smile widened like he was finally getting to tell all his secrets. “He’s a history nut. He can talk your ear off about obscure rulers in Europe or the history of things like algebra. His last date asked where he taught at the end of the evening because he thought Scott had to be some kind of professor.”
I half-expected Dare to laugh or at least find it funny, but if anything, Dare seemed to get more turned on. He leaned forward and gave me a quick kiss. “I think smart is sexy.”
“Oh.” Another shining example of my intelligence.
Dare just found it amusing because he smiled again and squeezed our still-entwined hands. Ryan’s fingers started gently caressing mine, and he gave me another one of those curious looks. “Then you’re going to end up head over heels for Scott. He’s beyond smart.”
Now I was the one who was blushing.
“I’m not—”
Ryan broke in. “Oh no, I’m not letting you get away with that.”
