Beautiful Triad (12 page)

Drew hadn’t noticed anything, but his radar didn’t pick up all signals when he was around Lauren. Zoned in was an appropriate phrase for his awareness of her presence at any time. He said softly,

“It wouldn’t do her much good either way.”

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Beautiful Triad

85

Rob lifted up his glass of wine with a glimmering smile of agreement. “We could be just three friends out for dinner. Who’s to know?”

A mischievous twitch quirked the corner of her mouth. “Maybe people will think you two pretty boys are the couple.”

That
hadn’t occurred to him, but Drew doubted it, not the way they both looked at her. The words possessive and predatory came to mind, and it was something every other male in the room could recognize. However, he wasn’t going to mention that point and make her self-conscious.

“They might, I suppose.” He looked at Rob in mock assessment.

“I suppose he’s a decent looking guy, so I could do worse.”

“Yeah, right, like I’d pick you if I were so inclined.” Rob gave a small derisive snort.

Drew couldn’t help it, he grinned. “I remember when you got hit on at that one frat party our sophomore year at Purdue. You had no idea the guy wasn’t just making small talk. The rest of us were rolling it was so funny.”

“I recall the incident and you pack of drunken laughing hyenas, Fletcher. Do you really want to start telling stories? I have a few Lauren might find interesting about you. Let’s talk about that one high school football game, for instance, the one when—”

Well, that was a good point. Drew interrupted hastily, “Consider the subject dropped.”

“I thought that might be his take on it.” Rob winked at Lauren, who was openly laughing.

“I’m not sure I want to know.” Slender fingers lifted her wine glass gracefully to her mouth.

“Let’s just say without details it is a miracle we are both still alive and friends after that escapade.”

Their friendship had survived a lot, Drew agreed. It wasn’t like they’d never had their differences, but they had a fundamental bond Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.

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86

Kate Watterson

he understood was special, completely different for what he felt for the woman sitting across the table, but just as powerful in some ways.

As a pilot, he relied on instruments, panels, tower instructions, flight plans, but a lot of times, he used intuition. Weather changed, gauges failed, and any number of other small details could take a routine flight into disaster. The ability to think on his feet—or more aptly, from the cockpit—could save or destroy lives. He never ignored his instincts. He couldn’t afford to.

In that spirit, he crossed his arms on the table and looked at his two companions. First at Rob in unspoken communication, and then at Lauren, admiring the way the lighting emphasized her perfect cheekbones. He said, “This vacation will be over in a few days. What do you think of us buying a house and moving in together?”

* * * *

Lauren’s mouth hung open as the waitress set her plate down in front of her. She managed to snap it shut, thank the dark-haired young woman in a mumble, and was simply too stunned to resent the saucy look the girl sent at Drew as she delivered his food. Rob was treated to a similar flirtatious routine, but he had the same bemused look on his face as she suspected she did on hers.

Move in together?
Is he serious
?

“Don’t look so surprised.” Drew picked up his fork, his brows elevated a little in open amusement. “It makes sense. Rob has been talking about buying a house for the past year. We’ve even gone together to look at a few and discussed about going in together as an investment. You’ve always hated living in an apartment, babe, and your lease is nearly up. I could sell my condo at the drop of a hat. I don’t have time for a yard and all the stuff I know you want, but Rob isn’t out of the country half the year and he actually gets excited talking about riding lawn mowers, if you can believe that.”

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Lauren started to speak, cleared her throat, and tried again.

“That’s a little bit crazy, Drew.”

“Lawn mowers? I know. How wide can I yawn?”

“Drew, that isn’t what I mean and you know it. It’s just…insane.”

“How so?” He put a small piece of chicken dripping in sauce in his mouth and made a low sound of appreciation. “Damn, that’s good.”

Her food smelled pretty fabulous, too, but she couldn’t concentrate on it at the moment. “I…I can’t live with two men.”

She could have predicted the argument wouldn’t faze Drew.

“People do it all the time. No one needs to know we aren’t just roommates. In this day and age all kinds of male/female arrangements are made on a purely platonic basis. People would probably think less of it than you having dinner here with the both of us. Rob and I are friends and you and I have been dating half a year. Why wouldn’t we eventually move in together, and why couldn’t we live with Rob?”

Good God, he liked to break things down to black and white in a gray world. “Because…” she foundered, seeking the right argument, not sure she even
wanted
to argue.

“It’s not a bad idea.” Rob spoke slowly, fingering his silverware but not picking it up. “I’ve saved with intention of having a big down payment, but a couple of the things I want—an in-ground pool and a big lawn come to mind—are a bit impractical for only one person. I asked Drew if he’d be interested a while back.” He gazed at her across the table, looking at her as if she was the only person in the room. In the world maybe, from the intense expression on his face.

“You're worried about how things would be when we get back to real life. Drew is right. This would be a great way to arrange things.”

Arrange things. That was an interesting way of putting it. What he really meant was so they could go on sleeping together—or rather she could go on sleeping with both of them.

No, that wasn’t exactly fair, for she had been having a wonderful time aside from the sexual slant of the past days. What woman Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.

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88

Kate Watterson

wouldn’t want the company of two very attractive, considerate men?

Their relationship with each other was so comfortable, she almost felt like the outsider sometimes, rather than the focus of all their attention.

Yes, the sex was great, but she also got pleasure from something as simple as them all eating a meal together, or taking a leisurely walk in the woods.

So far, everything seemed to somehow work. But playing house with the two of them for a week was one thing. Living with them both was something else entirely.

“I think it’s a big commitment,” she said finally, finding her voice a little unsteady.

“Think about it, babe.” Drew’s tone was persuasive. “I know you’d prefer a nice house to your cramped apartment and I’ve thought about asking you to move in with me before, but my condo isn’t much bigger. I didn’t need a lot of space when I bought it, and I hadn’t met you.”

She still hadn’t taken one bite of her food. “I didn’t realize you wanted us to live together.”

“I was trying to figure out how to ask you. Because of Rob, I wasn’t sure you’d say yes.”

It was startling almost because of how things had changed, but he was right. She probably wouldn’t have agreed just because when Drew was home, he and Rob tended to hang out together quite a bit and she would have shied away from the idea of being there all the time when Rob was around. Those double dates had been bad enough.

Before now. Tonight was…nice.

“There are a couple of really great places just outside of my comfort range price-wise I’ve looked at, but if Drew is in, we could buy any one of them. You should see the kitchen in the one I like the best, Lauren. A state of the art kitchen wasn’t that high on my list of must haves, but this one will wow you, I’d guess. I’ll take you to look at it when we get back. I love the yard and it has a great pool.”

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It was impossible to miss the growing enthusiasm in Rob’s voice.

He hadn’t started to eat, either, but sat holding his glass of wine, smiling.

“I’m in,” Drew said. “Now all we have to do is convince Lauren she’s the roommate of our dreams.”

“You’ve got that right,” Rob murmured, his voice dropping to a murmur, a shimmer in those incredible hazel eyes.

They were
so
different.

Rob wanted to buy a house and mow the lawn.

Drew wanted to fly all over the world, dropping back in now and again but refusing to put down roots in the ground, because he belonged in the air, or somewhere new, exploring a foreign country.

How could she fall in love with both of them?

Because
, she thought as she took a sip of wine,
I’m a damned
lucky woman?

* * * *

The sound of a soft snore made Rob suppress a chuckle, barely audible over the threatening approach of another storm. Drew was the one who insisted he wanted to watch the baseball game and he had promptly fallen asleep. On the couch, one arm carelessly extended over his head, he looked down for the count and the noise of rain slashing against the window didn’t seem to rouse him.

A nudge made him grunt, but he still didn’t move.

Rob could really care less about baseball and the knowledge Lauren was up in bed reading made his choice pretty clear. He flicked off the television with the remote, went and checked to make sure the doors were shut and locked, left one light burning so Drew wouldn’t break a leg when he woke and went to bed, and climbed the stairs.

Other than that one kiss in the kitchen, he hadn’t ever touched her when Drew wasn’t there. It seemed reasonable though—if Drew Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.

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90

Kate Watterson

wanted them all to live together and knew he would be gone half the time, he didn’t mind the idea of them alone.

She was propped against the pillows, paperback book in her hand, a look of absorption on her face as she flipped a page. Soft, gleaming hair trailed over her shoulders and she wore some sort of nightgown with thin spaghetti straps in a lacy material that molded to her breasts in a very sexy way.

The idea of living with her appealed to him so strongly he felt almost overwhelmed. It wasn’t just lust prompting his enthusiasm over the idea, it was so much more, and he was a bit stunned by his quick acquiescence when he usually thought things through before making a monumental decision that could affect his whole life.

This idea sparked no inner debate at all.

It said a lot about the depths of his feelings.

He should be scared—scared to death—because he knew she loved Drew.

But he wasn’t somehow.

She glanced up, sensing his presence because he hadn’t moved or made a sound since he hesitated in the doorway. Arched brows lifted a fraction in unspoken question but a small smile touched her mouth.

“It’s really storming, isn’t it?”

How the hell she had the ability to make him tongue-tied with just a look was probably a direct result of the fact all his blood seemed to go to his crotch the minute he saw her. No brain function left.

He found his voice with effort. “Yes, it is.”

Now that was brilliant, Hanson
.

She waited, just sitting there with the covers drawn to her waist, book in hand, an almost heavy expectant look in her eyes.

He managed a coherent thought. “Mind if I join you?”

“You’ve slept here the past two nights.” Long lashes lowered a fraction.

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“Is that a yes?” He didn’t move. “Drew is asleep downstairs and I really found I couldn’t watch the game because I was thinking about you.”

Her mouth parted at the urgent tone of his voice.

Damn, he hadn’t meant to speak with such raw emotion, but it was how it came out. Rob took a moment and a deep breath. Then he said quietly, “Like I said a few days ago, I have never felt this way about any woman. Ever. Period. I don’t get exactly why you’re different, but you are. It isn’t something I can put my finger on. It just…is.”

“I know.”

Two words had never sounded so poignant. Or so good.

Rob walked toward the bed and sat down on the edge, reaching over to touch her face, skimming her lower lip with one fingertip. “I want to make love to you, Lauren.”

In answer, she slid back the covers and rose to her knees, putting her slim arms around his neck as her mouth touched his in a soft erotic offering.

Hell yes…

He kissed her back, their lips clinging, his arms going around her to bring her close to him. A low groan held in his throat as he felt full arousal throb to life, his erection surging in flat record time. He was still wearing jeans and a polo shirt and he felt her hands fumble at his waist, tugging his shirt out of the waistband and up.

He wanted it off more than she did. Rob withdrew for a lightning moment as he whipped it off his head and then he reached for her again for another searing kiss. Tongues tangling, they pressed together and he inhaled her breathless whimper as his hands cupped her ass through the barely there material of her short nightgown.

Firm butt cheeks, so warm and smooth…Jesus, he was lighting on fire. Outside thunder rumbled like the wrath of God. Who cared? His fingers kneaded gently.