Teddy cornered Asher three seconds after Owen got in the shower to get ready for the party.

“What are you up to?”

Asher didn’t bother to pretend he didn’t understand the question. “I started thinking about that Anything Goes concept when Fiona originally suggested the idea. Indulged in a few fantasies about what mine would involve. Truth is, I never thought I’d get the chance to act on them.”

“And Owen was in the bedroom with you and Fee during these fantasies?”

Asher shook his head. “No. But I’ve been thinking about it since Thursday night.”

“There’s a difference between thinking and fantasizing.”

“Yeah,” Asher admitted, “I know that.”

Teddy perched himself on the edge of the coffee table in the living room of their suite. He’d invited Ryan to the party and had been a bundle of nervous energy ever since the other man accepted. “If you have sex with Owen, I’ll cut my dick off and live life as a eunuch.”

Typical dramatic Teddy response.

“How long are you going to pretend to have a crush on me?” Asher asked.

“I stopped pretending it was a crush in college. These days I’ve upped my game—now I pretend I’m madly in love with you. More of a challenge for me and it gets bigger laughs.”

Asher sat on the couch and propped his feet up on the coffee table next to Teddy. “I’m not sleeping with Owen.”

“But you don’t mind if Fee does…as long as you’re in the bed too?”

“I was watching Sean, Chad and Lauren last night, and—”

“Who are Chad and Lauren?” Teddy joked.

“You gotta stop coming on to Fiona’s uncles, man. I’m not sure she finds it funny.”

Teddy waved his concern away. “She loves it. Besides, unlike straight Tris, Sean’s bi. Thought I might actually have a shot there.”

Asher lifted one brow.

Teddy chuckled, conceding. “If he weren’t in love with Chad. And Lauren. Who were both at the table with us. So you were watching them last night and…” Teddy was the king of affected pauses.

“I saw an answer to an unsolvable problem.”

Teddy rubbed his jaw. “Doesn’t mean it’s the right answer.”

“You suggested it.”

“I was drunk as a skunk. And joking.”

“I know.”

“You realize you blindsided Owen last night. He was still thinking tonight would be a free-for-all, winner-takes-all deal. Then you went and threw him into a ménage scenario.”

“Yeah. Part of me thinks I’m pushing too hard, moving too fast. Then I think about watching her with Brock the last five years, and I remember it’s been a lifetime of waiting.”

Teddy tilted his head. “You weren’t waiting alone for a few of those. Christina—”

“I was never in love with her. You know that.”

“I do. What happens if Owen bucks the threesome idea?”

Asher ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.” Given Owen’s upbringing and the feelings he shared last night about wanting someone to love him, Asher was more determined than ever to make tonight work. Asher was in love with Fiona, and if the only way he could have her without breaking his best friend’s heart was to share her, then so be it.

“Don’t you think you should figure that out?” Teddy asked.

“You know what? No. I’m tired of planning everything down to the nth degree and then telling everyone what to do. Everybody gets to be impulsive but me. Fiona buys shoes the way some people buy food. Owen jets off for ski weekends whenever there’s fresh powder just because he wants to. You pick out guys on Tinder based on no more than their looks. Why can’t I do something crazy…just for the hell of it?”

“Because you’re not crazy. And this is. Besides, I’m not sure Owen is as impulsive as you’re giving him credit for. Skiing is a lot different than orgies.”

“It’s not an orgy, and I don’t care. I’m not giving him time to reject the idea before we’ve tried it.”

Teddy laughed. “Jesus. I never realized what an effect I was having on you until this moment. I’ve clearly been a bad influence. Tell you what. Take a few minutes in the shower to play out the fantasy…with a naked Owen as part of the scenario. You can’t just dream about you and Fee. If you’re determined to see this through, you’d better be ready to walk the walk. But no boy touching between you two. I mean it. I’ve been in line for that way longer than both you fuckers.”

“That’s not going to be a problem.”

Teddy didn’t seem convinced…which threw Asher off-balance. He had always thought Teddy was joking about the crush on him, but for a second, Asher got the sense his friend was genuinely jealous.

“I’m serious, Ted.”

Teddy nodded. “I know you are.”

“Is there something else bothering you?”

“I’m just not sure mixing Owen’s TV-star ego with your control-freak nature will make for an easy blend in the bedroom.”

Asher leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “You think we’ll be fighting to be in charge?”

“Fuck no. Fiona’s got that gig wrapped up.”

Asher laughed, but didn’t disagree. “You think I’m making a mistake.” He didn’t bother to turn his comment into a question. He could tell Teddy had more than a few doubts.

His friend’s response surprised him. “If anyone could find a way to take a perfect friendship and make it more, it would be you, Asher. And if you succeed…everyone is happy.”

For some strange reason, Asher got a sense that Teddy wasn’t including himself in that “everyone.”

If you succeed…

Teddy’s words were still ringing in his ears as they climbed the stairs to the Collins Dorm later that night. They could hear the music as they reached the top, mingled with lots of loud voices, and the smell of…

“Bacon!” Teddy cried out as they entered. He made a mad dash for the dining room and Asher and Owen started to follow, but they stopped when Fiona approached them.

“You’re here.”

Asher nodded slowly as he let his gaze travel along the length of her. She’d pinned two lengths of hair back, leaving the majority of it loose. There was a tiara nestled amongst the auburn tresses. That was all normal enough for her. She kept three tiaras in her desk drawer at work just for shits and giggles and wore them more often than Asher figured was probably natural.

It was the rest of her outfit that blindsided him.

“Belle?” Owen asked.

Fiona giggled as she lifted the skirt on her bright yellow dress and twirled. Her shoulders were bare from the off-the-shoulder style of the ball gown, and her little pirouette revealed the matching yellow slippers underneath.

“Did we say it was a costume party?” Asher asked.

Fiona gave him an incredulous look. “Um…it’s an Anything Goes party,” she explained as if he’d missed the memo. “I’m pretty sure costumes were implied.”

“I feel like I want a do-over,” Owen said. “I’d rock a Magic Mike look.”

“Oooo,” Fiona said, her eyes widening in approval. “Go home and change. We can wait. Or better yet…let me find the appropriate music and you can get into character here.” She reached out, tugging his T-shirt from his jeans.

Owen laughed—until her hands slid beneath the cotton to his waist. “Um, Fee…”

“Hitting the ground running, are we?” Asher asked, stepping behind Fiona to sandwich her between him and Owen. “I like it,” he whispered in her ear.

He and Owen exchanged glances for the briefest of seconds and once again, Asher struggled to read Owen’s expression, which was somewhere between aroused and deer in the headlights.

The moment ended when Teddy called out, “You guys have got to come see this!”

Owen took a step back until Fiona’s hands fell away, then he headed toward their friend.

Asher wasn’t so quick to give up his spot. Neither was Fiona.

She leaned back against him.

“I like your dress.”

She laughed, then turned to face him. “You really think this will work?”

“I have no idea what you mean.” He played dumb, waiting to see if she’d give him some indication of her own feelings.

Unfortunately, Fiona never showed her hand too quickly. It was why he’d stopped playing poker with her. She studied his face, waiting instead for him to reveal something.

He was tempted, but it was too early in the night. Asher reached up to cup her face with both hands. “You look beautiful.”

Fiona leaned toward him, but he resisted the urge to kiss her. There was plenty of time for that when it was just the three of them. He released her with a quick peck on the tip of her nose that irritated her, given her sudden scowl, then he went to join Owen and Teddy.

The second he saw the dining room table, he understood Teddy’s excitement. Sunnie had outdone herself with the food.

“Holy heart attack,” he murmured.

“It’s perfect and you know it,” Sunnie said, walking up behind him. Like her cousin, she’d opted for Disney princess.

“Greetings, Jasmine,” Asher said. “Nice veil.”

“I can’t believe we didn’t think of costumes,” Teddy grumbled.

“Magic Mike, right?” Owen asked.

Teddy’s eyes widened at the suggestion. “We’re going to have this party over again next weekend. We fucked up royally. I’ll be Channing Tatum and you can be Matthew McConaughey.”

Owen scowled. “I’m Joe Manganiello and you know it.” He tilted his head toward Asher. “He’s McConaughey.”

“This isn’t a fight I’m jumping into,” Asher said as he studied the tower of bacon sitting in the center of the table. “How much bacon is that?”

“Twenty pounds,” Sunnie replied as if it was perfectly normal to fry up the better part of a pig as a centerpiece. “But this is what you should really try.” She picked up a toothpick holding a wedge of hot dog wrapped in bacon. “They’re baked with brown sugar and to die for. And for dessert, we have—”

“Ice cream sundaes with bacon bits?” Teddy asked hopefully.

“No, but I suggested that, believe me. Fiona said ice cream and beer didn’t mix.” Sunnie rolled her eyes as if that statement was complete madness. “My mom made us chocolate-covered bacon instead.”

Asher crossed his arms. “So, when Fiona said we were having an Anything Goes party, your first thought was bacon feast?”

Sunnie looked at him as if he’d sprouted an extra head. “Of course it was. After the Jasmine costume.” She looked Asher up and down, shaking her head. “By the way, weak attempt, man.”

Asher had been thinking too hard about what would happen after the party to consider the food and attire.

Teddy excused himself when Ryan arrived, and Sunnie went along to meet him. Owen grabbed a plate and started piling it with the bacon-wrapped hot dogs, four slices of bacon from the tower, a potato skin piled with bacon bits and bacon guacamole.

“Try as I may, I can’t see anything wrong with this plate,” Owen joked.

Asher conceded the victory to Sunnie. “Me, either.”

“Are you guys ready to get this party started? We need to lay a base of liquor before the beer.” Fiona appeared with a tray of tequila shots and a tub of cotton candy.

They’d been friends long enough that neither guy put up a fuss about the lack of limes and salt. Hell, she’d made Asher take so many of her sugar shots in the past, he was starting to like them.

They both took a glass and a pinch of the cotton candy. Fiona set down the tray and followed suit. They lifted their glasses.

“Here’s to Anything Goes,” Fiona said.

“Anything Goes,” Asher repeated, watching her take the shot, the action drawing his gaze to her slender neck and the ample cleavage peeking out of the top of her dress.

A quick look to his left proved Owen was enjoying the view too.

Asher tried to beat down the flash of jealousy that flared.

He’d taken Teddy’s advice and tried to work up a fantasy that included both Owen and Fiona. It hadn’t gotten him as hot and hard as the one that starred him and Fiona alone. Or the one of him with Fiona and Sunnie. Or him, Fiona, Sunnie and Yvonne. He was only human, after all, but it wasn’t completely out of the realm of—

Who was he kidding? His hard-on was raging when he imagined Fiona, but it deflated pretty quickly when Owen appeared in the dream scene.

“You should see the list of games Finn and Sunnie came up with. We’ll be here until July if we play all of them. Want a beer?” she asked.

They went into the kitchen to grab a cold one from a huge tub of ice, then followed Fiona back to the living room. They socialized with her cousins and their friends as Finn and Sunnie took turns choosing the music.

Asher was relieved when Colm and Lochlan showed up, sans costumes as well. He hung out with them around the dining room table, eating enough bacon to choke a cat, until Sunnie declared everyone was there and it was time to play charades.

Charades was followed by Cards Against Humanity, which was followed by several drinking games, including flip cup relays, Kings, and something he’d never heard of called “Fuck You Pyramid.” Several times throughout the evening, Asher had grabbed bottles of water for him, Fiona and Owen.

“More water?” she asked when he handed her the third bottle of the night. “Trying to keep me hydrated?”

“Or sober?” Owen interjected.

That’s exactly what Asher was trying to do, but he wasn’t going to admit it. “Considering we’ve done nothing but drink since we landed in Baltimore, I figure your body is crying out for H-two-O.”

“You’re probably right. Thursday almost did me in. Which is why I took it easy last night.”

“You haven’t had that much tonight, either.” He pointed to Fiona’s cup, perfectly aware that she’d been taking baby sips and nursing this last beer the better part of an hour.

“Trying to keep a clear head.”

Asher wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “Clear heads are good.”

Owen didn’t appear to agree as he set the water bottle down and chugged the rest of his beer. “Maybe,” he said. “Maybe not.”

Asher figured Owen’s response was based on nerves.

“Hit the Quan” came on, and the game, which had been dying down, ended completely as several partiers started pushing the couch and chairs back to create a makeshift dance floor. Asher, Owen and Fiona joined the others in the line dance. Teddy boogied over near the end of the song.

“Where’s Ryan?” Owen asked loudly, in order to be heard over the music.

Teddy merely shook his head and pointed his thumb toward the door. It looked like Ryan had been Tinder Strike Number Two.

Unlike with the Bulgarian bonbon, Teddy seemed to take Ryan’s departure harder and he excused himself after a few more songs, claiming he was too tired from the previous two nights. Quite a few other people were starting to leave as well, so they didn’t try to pressure him into staying, though Asher hated seeing the guy so down. Teddy was always the life of the party, so his early departure was out of character.

Asher worried he didn’t leave because of Ryan, but because he didn’t want to see what might happen after the party. Teddy wouldn’t want to watch if everything imploded.

Colm headed up to his bedroom shortly after two, and it didn’t take long for everyone else to disperse as well. Sunnie had passed out in her room an hour earlier, going too hard, too fast. He, Fiona, and Owen started tidying up the place until Asher looked around and realized they were the last three people still there.

“Wow.” Fiona dropped down on the couch. “What a night.”

“How many people are going to wake up tomorrow and think ‘what the hell did I do’?” Owen asked with a chuckle, sitting next to her on the couch.

Asher claimed the other side, silently praying none of them fell into that category. “My guess is everyone who ate one of those gummy bears Leo brought. Way more than just sugar in those bad boys.”

Fiona warmed up to his game. “Definitely Sunnie. Pretty sure she had no intention of making out with Finn’s best friend, Landon. And I think Colm—if he remembers—is going to be horrified when he thinks about that dirty dancing he and Kelli were doing. They’re not exactly friends when sober.”

“Lochlan is probably going to regret the dent he made in the bacon tower,” Asher added.

Fiona shook her head. “He’s a gym nut. He’ll have those calories worked off by noon tomorrow.”

“That would explain the washboard abs,” Owen grumbled. “It’s almost enough to make me want to take my trainer more seriously. But not quite.” The network was footing the bill for Owen’s personal trainer, claiming they wanted to keep their hot star in shape, something Owen had never had to work too hard at in college, but was now having to make an effort at.

Asher laughed. “That’s definitely the last time I play strip poker with him.”

Fiona glanced down. “I have no idea where my bra is.”

Owen snorted as he pointed to a pile of bras near the dining room table. “Over there. In the pretend bonfire. Does Yvonne always go full-on feminist when she’s drunk?”

Fiona nodded. “When she’s sober too. You just haven’t been around her enough.” She glanced at the pile. “Remind me to grab mine out of there later. That’s my best strapless. Do you know how hard it is to find a strapless bra that holds the girls up just right?”

Asher shook his head. “Never considered it, but if you need some help holding the girls up right now…”

He reached over and she playfully swatted his hand away. Any other day, that type of teasing would have been followed by more, but it had the opposite effect tonight. Reminding them of why they were all still hanging around, why none of them had let themselves get too drunk.

Asher hadn’t even started the Anything Goes portion of the night.

“Should we play another game?” Asher suggested.

Fiona and Owen groaned in unison. “No more alcohol,” she pleaded.

“Not that kind of game. Truth or Dare.”

She laughed. “Fancy reliving your first boy-girl middle school party?”

“Truth or dare, Owen?” Asher asked, not acknowledging her joke. He prayed Owen chose wisely. There was something Asher needed to see, needed to know before the night went any further.

Owen paused for just a second, then said, “Dare.”

Asher took a deep breath and forced himself to issue the demand, even though he wasn’t sure it was something he wanted to see. “Kiss Fee.”

For all his hesitation and pregnant pauses all night, Owen didn’t waver this time. He simply reached over, cupped Fiona’s cheek to turn her face to his and kissed her. It reminded Asher of the steamy, openmouthed lip-lock he’d laid on her under the mistletoe.

When they parted, Fiona turned to look over her shoulder at him. He schooled his features because he didn’t want her to see anything that wasn’t there. Or anything that was. Like the spark of jealousy that told him tonight was going to be tough.

Owen had been right. They would have been smarter to drink more.

“Your turn, Owen,” Asher said, his eyes still locked with Fiona’s.

“Truth or dare, Fee.”

She licked her lips as she faced Owen once more. “Truth.”

Owen chuckled. “Chicken shit.”

She grinned but didn’t bother to deny it.

“Are you okay with this?” Owen asked.

Fiona blew out a long breath. “Should have taken the dare.”

“Tell me,” Owen repeated. Asher was grateful to his friend because he had the presence of mind to do what Asher had failed to do. Make sure Fiona was on board.

It took her a few seconds to reply and when she did, it was merely a nod.

“No,” Asher said, reaching out to take her hand in his. “Say the words, Fiona. Are you okay with what we want to happen here tonight?”

“It’s Anything Goes night. I thought we weren’t supposed to think about it or talk about it. Just go with what we want.”

“So we’re cheating,” Asher said. “Is this what you want?”

She nodded again. “Yes,” she whispered. “Truth or dare, Ash?”

“Dare,” he replied.

“Kiss me.” Then she held up her hand to stop him when he leaned toward her. “A real kiss. Longer than ten seconds. Mouths open. Tongues.”

Owen covered his mouth to hide the grin her demands produced. “In other words,” he added, “she doesn’t want a repeat of that weak-assed attempt you made the other night.”

“Laugh it up,” Asher said. “I’m perfectly aware of how to kiss a woman.”

He reached out and took her face in his hands, leaning forward to give Fiona the kiss he’d dreamed of for years…ever since he’d been that awkward, shy eighteen-year-old boy.

Fiona’s hands gripped his shoulders as he pressed her lips apart with his. He dipped his tongue in, the two of them snickering as they were assaulted by the taste of bacon. “Delicious,” he murmured just before he resumed the kiss. He reached for her hair, twisting the long strands around his fingers, tugging, slowly applying pressure until she gasped. Then he released her hair, his knuckles brushing her cheeks. She whimpered softly when he ran his fingertips over her neck and along the top of her dress, touching the silky skin at the top of her breasts.

Fiona pulled away first.

“Jesus, that was hot,” Owen muttered, prompting her to look over her shoulder at him.

Fiona’s gaze returned to Asher’s. “Truth or dare?”

“You just had your turn,” Asher replied.

At the same time, Owen said, “Who are you asking?”

“Both of you. Truth or dare?”

Asher glanced at Owen as they said in unison, “Dare.”

“Take me to the bedroom.”