Page 193 of Double Daddies
“I’m just saying, it’s more common than you’d think,” Elijah says, shrugging.
“Then have you ever been in one?” Hayden asks, eyeing him.
“Not so much a relationship but haven’t you heard that we like to share?” Elijah gestures his hand between us. “It comes natural with us being twins and all. Plus, you’d be surprised how many women beg for ourpackagedeal.” He wiggles his eyebrows and takes another sip of his drink.
“Oh, everyone’s heard. I just didn’t know it was true. You guys don’t really discuss your bedroom proclivities in the boardroom.” Hayden motions to the bartender. “Another round, please.”
“We don’t share everything. But when it comes to women and business deals, we both get what we want. So, why not just share?” I say matter of factly. “I can’t speak for all twins. But for us, it's always been like that. It just felt right. Besides, the ladies are usually down for it. If anything, they’re too eager.”
The bartender slides another round of shots across the bar to Hayden, then he plops one in front of each of us.
Elijah grabs his shot glass, and we all follow suit, raising them in a silent toast. “To sharing,” he laughs, a mischievous glint in his eye. We all clink our glasses together and throw back the shots, the Macallan burns a fiery trail down my throat.
I lean back in my chair, the whiskey already warming my veins.
Hayden studies us both, his gaze bouncing from Elijah to me. “I don’t buy it.” We all look at him as the mood shifts.
“Don’t buy what?” I ask, setting my shot glass down.
He leans forward with a serious expression. “That you two can share a woman and it not end in a fight. I’m calling bullshit.”
Elijah scoffs, waving a dismissive hand. “Don’t be so sure, man. We’ve done it before, and it’s always been fine.”
Hayden arches a skeptical eyebrow. “Really? You think you can handle being in a polyamorous relationship without jealousy getting in the way?”
Nicolas laughs, shaking his head. “You two? No way. You’re both too damn stubborn.”
“What would you have us do then?” I ask, leaning back in my seat and looking at them both.
“A bet,” Hayden suggests, his eyes glinting with mischief. “You two have a month to win her over. If you canbothget her, and not just into bed, by the end of the month, we’ll double our next investment in Phoenix Tech.”
My eyebrows shoot up, and I glance at Elijah, who’s grinning like a Cheshire cat.
“And if we don't?” I ask, curious.
Hayden shrugs. “Then we pull out of the FireBird project. No hard feelings. Just a little friendly competition.”
I take a sip of my whiskey, letting the burn linger on my tongue. “You realize that pulling out will hurt you as well.”
Hayden nods. “We know. It’s just a bit of fun. A bet between friends.”
Elijah and I exchange a look. I can see the wheels turning in his head, the same as in mine. The chance to prove we can share a woman again without things falling apart? It’s a challenge we can’t resist. We’re too competitive to let someone else win.
“We’re in,” we say in unison, our voices blending.
“Excellent,” Hayden says, his grin widening. “Then let the games begin.”
Chapter Three
Wren
The shop is buzzing with chatter this morning as customers come and go. The air is thick with the smell of freshly ground coffee and the subtle, sugary notes of syrup. The sounds of frothing milk and whirring blenders fill the space with a chaotic symphony that I've come to know so well.
My eyes flit around the crowded room, noting the faces of regulars and a few unfamiliar ones. Wyatt is busy at the register, his gruff voice a comforting presence amid the noise.
I’m refilling the pastry display, arranging muffins and croissants in neat rows, when the door swings open. I glance up, and my breath catches in my throat.
It’s the twins. Elijah and Ezra, the men who’ve been haunting my thoughts. Their presence fills the room, their broad shoulders and sharp eyes commanding attention without even trying. They move through the shop with a practiced ease, their steps in sync as they make their way to the counter.
