Declan:

I’m staying. I think I’ve known it all along, but when I won that stupid stuffed cat for her at the fair, and her entire face had lit up, a certainty filled my heart.

There are a million things that could go wrong. Both Blake and I are looking for something serious, but Lana might not be interested. Some women see doctors and their eyes light up, but the reality is far less glamorous. Doctors work long hours and are constantly stressed out. Divorce rates in my profession are sky-high.

And a threesome? So far, every single time we’ve been together, it’s felt natural, but will our unconventional relationship survive the test of time? I don’t know.

There are no guarantees in life, Declan, I remind myself. You look at the cards you’ve been dealt, and you make the best hand out of it.

As Lana snuggles up against me, her soft curves pressing into my body, I’ve never been surer that I’ve been dealt a winning hand.

Monday morning, I call Willem Kraker, the Dutch department head who would have been my boss at the UN. “Dr. Wilde, it’s good to hear from you,” he booms. “I was going to reach out to you via email. The hiring committee would like your permission to check your references.”

The UN only checks references of candidates they’re very interested in. From Dr. Kraker’s tone, the job’s probably mine.

“That’s great news,” I reply with a grimace. “Unfortunately, Dr. Kraker, I’m afraid that my plans have changed. I apologize for any inconvenience I’m causing, but I’m going to have to withdraw my job application.”

“You are?” He doesn’t bother to hide his disappointment. “May I ask why? If it’s a matter of salary…”

“It’s not.” I close my eyes and see Lana’s dark hair spread out on the white pillowcase. I have no regrets. “It’s not another job offer. It’s personal. I’ve met someone here, and I don’t think moving to Geneva is the right option for me anymore.”

He sighs. “I can’t compete with love,” he concedes. “If you ever change your mind, Dr. Wilde, please do let me know. We were extremely impressed with your application and with all the work you’ve done with Medecins San Frontieres.”

I politely tell him I will, and get off the phone. My next call is to my accountant, Olivia Cohen. “I’m going to need to access a few thousand dollars,” I tell her. “Is that going to be a problem?”

“How many thousands?” she asks. “If you need under a hundred thousand dollars, no problem. If it’s more than that, I’ll have to move some things around.”

I don’t know what kind of a mess Rhodes and Swanson have left. Lettie Herman said she prepaid for her sessions. I have no idea how many other ‘patients’ the doctors took money from. If we’re going to stay, the fastest, easiest thing to do is refund all the women their money and deal with the two doctors later.

“I doubt it’s more than a hundred grand.” It better not be. “But move things around anyway. Just in case.”

Blake and I spend most of the next two days with Lana. On Monday, we drive to a nearby trail and go for a four-hour hike. Tuesday, we explore an area waterfall. Wednesday, we head back to Elvira’s cabin during the day, and in the evening, we head to Amici Miei, a fantastic little Italian trattoria that has recently opened in Goat. “The chefs are Italian,” Blake warns her with a grin. “Try not to jump them if they speak Italian to you, tesoro mio.”

Thursday morning, Lana firmly shakes her head at breakfast. “I have to work,” she says resolutely. “My boss is supposed to call me today, and he’s going to kill me when he finds out I haven’t done anything.”

“Boss?” I frown at her. “Aren’t you a writer?”

She flushes guiltily. “I meant my editor,” she replies. “I’ve gotten into the habit of calling him my boss. It started out as a joke, but it’s stuck.” She takes a sip of coffee. “My publishers paid me an advance,” she adds. “I can’t be late with my book.”

She’s nervous, and I’m not really sure why. “Okay,” I reply, putting my hand over hers. “I’m not going to apologize for monopolizing your time, but we’ll leave you alone today.”

Blake sighs. “We have work of our own, in any case,” he says, fixing me with a meaning look.

We do. The two of us have to deal with Rhonda, get in touch with Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Swanson, both of who seem to be dodging our calls, and take the necessary steps to clean up the whole operation. The last three days have been idyllic, but we can’t avoid reality forever.

“What do you have to do?” Lana asks curiously.

I exchange a glance with Blake. Neither of us has told Lana how we feel about her. As far as she knows, we’re only in town for a month. I’m not sure how she feels about us, and I don’t want to pressure her into anything. Especially because a ménage a trois relationship is so unorthodox.

“Today,” I reply evasively, “we’re assembling furniture.”

She frowns at my vague reply but doesn’t probe. It’s not a total lie, I tell myself. After Blake’s great-aunt made her throwaway comment about how unsanitary she found the Clinic of Love, Blake and I realized that most legitimate patients are probably going to feel the same way. We’re getting new waiting room chairs, new examination tables, new medical equipment and more.

Elvira Grantham has been spreading the word around town that the Clinic of Love is getting a makeover.

I’m more than ready to pay George Rhodes an above-market price for his property. If he protests… Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Whatever the two sleazy doctors might say, we’re determined to do this. We’re taking over the clinic.

Lana gives us a long look from under her eyelashes. “And tonight,” she whispers, “maybe we could check another item off my list?”

I think about her bucket list.

Kiss a stranger at the bar? Check.

Have sex outside? Check.

Get really good oral sex? From the way her thighs gripped the side of my head last night, I think that’s a ‘Check.’

Sex while blindfolded? We did that on Monday. It was epic.

Which leaves anal and a threesome.

“We could check off two,” I reply. I wrap a strand of her dark hair around my fingers and tug her closer.

“That’s good,” she breathes. “The butt plug was hot, but I’m ready for the real thing.”

Blake groans. “You’re killing me, Lana. How am I supposed to get anything done today when the only thing I’ll be thinking about is fucking you? Sinking my cock into your sweet pussy and hearing you moan my name?”

Her cheeks flush, and she bites her lush lower lip. “You won’t be the only one having trouble with work,” she murmurs.

An involuntary smile curls over my lips. Then a disquieting thought strikes me. We’re almost done with Lana’s sex bucket list.

The second thing she wrote: Have a vacation fling.

I really hope that she sees us as more than just a temporary hookup. Because I really like Lana, and I don’t want to lose her.