Nine

Ann

Something was up with Bryce and Jasper. A week had passed since the hottest fucking night of my life and I’d barely heard from either of them. A less confident woman might feel slighted, or disappointed that she didn’t rock their worlds as much as they had rocked hers, but I knew I had. They were both boneless and satisfied after our long night that lasted well into the morning. I was confident of that.

Yet they were still acting shady as fuck.

I texted Bryce first because I was most worried about how he processed everything. I knew, even though none of us had talked about it, that Bryce had the most reservations about a threesome. I thought I was doing the right thing, the mature thing, by checking in with him. I sent a casual, breezy text.

Hey Bryce. I had a great time with you and thought I’d just say hi. So…hi.

It had taken him a full fucking day to respond and when he did it was, underwhelming to say the least.

It was great seeing you too, Ann. I’d love to get together with you again soon. Keep in touch. ~B

That was it. Keep in touch, like I was some groupie looking for the star quarterback to sign my fucking yearbook.

I spent that night finishing season one of my sexy Roman warriors and a bottle of wine, not too much though because the holidays were in full swing, which meant plenty of field segments around the city.

The next day we were filming at the Mission Center downtown to show our celebrity hosts donating turkeys and side dishes, plus coats and scarves for Seattle’s homeless population, so I refused to be hungover. Besides, it wasn’t worth it. I never would have done it if I’d known it would produce all this weirdness. Okay maybe I would have done it, but I would have preferred two willing partners. Strangers, maybe.

Still, after spending all day listening to my hosts bitch about their designer duds being touched by the great unwashed and reminding them there were hot mics everywhere, I was in need of something much stronger than wine. I had two martinis with dinner, maybe it was three, but it only felt like two because of the hearty homestyle meatloaf and mashed potatoes I’d picked up at the diner by the studio. Only after the second martini kicked in and my anger faded, was I able to reach out to Jasper. I’d sent a similar message to him and he responded right away.

I can still smell you on my skin. Can’t wait to see you again. ~Jas

Yep, that was it. I didn’t know what to think about Bryce or Jasper, but I knew that for some reason their lukewarm responses to me had dampened my memory of that special night. And dammit, it had been special. It was fucking magical: two big strapping men in the prime of their lives, with one single goal in mind. Me.

Pleasure. Complete and total carnal bliss. We’d achieved that a thousand times over, but now it all felt sordid and sad.

And wrong.

I resolved to take a few steps back from both men. Clearly there was something going on to which I wasn’t privy, and honestly, I didn’t want to come between them. It wasn’t my intention to ever come between them, but maybe I hadn’t considered their needs as much as I should have. Like most women, I assumed two guys like Jasper and Bryce would be up for a night of hedonistic pleasure with a willing woman.

In hindsight, maybe I should have given it a bit more thought.

Lesson learned.

Though I was down about it, I decided not to let anyone ruin my holiday. The rest of this week would be hectic at work as we pre-filmed segments to air when the A team—which included me—would be off for most of the rest of the year. Men came and went, it was the story of my life, and I rarely wasted time on any one man, never mind two.

Men were for pleasure, for fun. Not that I didn’t believe in love and marriage and all, but if past was the prologue, I was looking down the barrel of a whole lot of nothing. So, I focused on work and took my pleasure where I could.

And that was how I landed in the middle of the world’s most awkward threesome in the first place. With that depressing thought, I turned off the TV, went to my bedroom and decided to seek the only kind of pleasure that wouldn’t lead to trouble.

The solo vibrating kind.

***

Coffee was the fuel that kept any good producer running and today I needed a bucket of it and it was only noon. I’d been up since five and out on the streets since six, looking for an incredible street performer that Pam had heard and insisted she get to interview. Except she didn’t know his name or the corner where she heard him. Which meant I’d gone through four cups of shitty coffee and increased my blood pressure for nothing.

Nada.

And now I stood in the longest line in the city because I needed coffee. The good stuff, not the sludge sold at fast food restaurants or donut shops. Apparently at least half the city had the same thought and my impatience was wearing thin.

“Excuse me, do you mind if I go ahead of you? I’m in a hurry,” the tall broad shouldered man said, stepping in front of me before I even answered.

“Actually, I do mind. We’re all in a fucking rush, buddy.” I knew the type, hell I worked with a few just like him. Blond and handsome, future master of the fucking universe. Too bad for him I was in a bad mood and not easily swayed by a pretty face.

“Bitch,” he mumbled, causing an older woman a few spots behind him to gasp.

“Don’t mind him ma’am, obviously his mother never spanked him because she clearly didn’t love him. Would you like to go ahead of me?” I wore a sugary sweet smile as she came, hesitation swimming in her kind eyes. “It’s fine.”

“But my friend, Edna is back there.”

I looked up at the asshole and grinned even bigger. “Come on, Edna. Best friends and coffee should wait for no one.” He wanted to say something, but I saw the fear in his eyes that I would let every person behind him cut in front of me. I totally fucking thought about it.

“Sorry, okay? Fuck. It was worth a shot.”

“It was. My problem was you stepping in front of me before I’d given my answer.” Without another word I turned back toward the counter and checked off all the places I searched for the performer who might not even exist. I had three more places to look before I officially gave up and told Pam she’d have to find him herself.

The line moved slowly but I used the time to clear some emails and add a few items to the production calendar after confirmations came through. I kind of wished I could work from a coffee shop every day. Something about the scent of fresh coffee beans toned my bitch down by a factor of ten. At least. Someone bumped into me and I turned, ready to spill hellfire at the blond guy behind me. “Watch it!” But it was another blond. “Jasper.”

“So you do remember my name.” He smiled, looking so good I wanted to climb him and kiss him senseless.

“It seems I do. What are you doing here?” This place was nowhere near his office so it was hard to believe it was just coincidence.

“I was just coming from a meeting with a client but there’s a big accident over there and my driver couldn’t get through. Good thing for me since I spotted you and decided to come say hello. Hello.”

The words sounded right, his mouth even had that flirtatious lilt to it but his eyes only half sparkled. “Hey.”

“That’s it?”

I looked up, the perfect picture of innocence. “Oh, we’re not doing that anymore? I thought that was our thing, being short with one another.”

He frowned but quickly he understood. “Things at work—”

“Have been crazy,” I finished for him because I knew the spiel. I’d given it a few times and heard it plenty. “That’s fine. I’m a big girl, Jasper. I’ll see you around.” I could have kissed the twenty-year-old behind the counter when he said that beautiful, sweet word that coffee addicts the world over eagerly listen for. “Next.” I placed my order and ignored the man now beside me.

“I was trying to give you space.” He stood tall and proud, refusing to show any sign of his guilt.

“You were trying to give yourself space, Jasper.”

It hurt to say it, but I had no right to be upset about him and Bryce pulling back, so I kept my feelings to myself. I grabbed my coffee and took a fortifying sip before I turned back to him.

“Merry Christmas, Jasper.”

I walked toward the door, feeling bad for giving him such a hard time after I heard him placing nearly a dozen coffee orders. Karma’s a bitch, or maybe it’s just me.

A few inches of snow had already fallen this week and the wind was a real killer, forcing me inside an alcove to check where I was headed next. “Ann.”

I didn’t bother looking up. “Didn’t we just say goodbye?”

“Is that what you want?”

“It doesn’t seem to matter what I want, Jasper. I reached out and you, well you were busy. Giving me space. Thanks, but I have to run.”

Why was I walking away when all I wanted was for Jasper and Bryce to send me a message, a call even, to say they wanted to do it again? Call it women’s intuition or plain old cowardice, but I couldn’t stand there and pretend to be breezy when I was feeling less than cool.

“I want to see you again,” he called after me and it took everything I had not to stop and run back to him, wrap my legs around his waist and get down to business.

“Then call me up and ask me properly.” His laughter sounded behind me but, thankfully, he didn’t follow me. And I wore a smile for the rest of the day.

Even though I didn’t find that imaginary performer, which meant I needed to fill another segment.