Scott
I’d never pictured Ryan’s hand as being so soft. As Dare held our hands together, it was hard to think. Heat radiated from Ryan, and the way his fingers absently rubbed against mine had me feeling like the biggest game of the season was about to start.
But there wasn’t an opponent to win against, it was just Ryan and Dare holding me tight.
Ryan and I had slammed into each other in practice countless times over the years, and I’d seen him naked while he was changing and showering almost as much. But I couldn’t remember him ever taking my hand like they were holding it now.
They.
Dare didn’t just want Ryan or me…he wanted us both.
I’d admit, I’d been a bit slow on the uptake with it, but the only people who’d ever hinted at something like that had been drunk girls at a frat party one time. The only frat party I’d gone to, actually. I’d been raised to respect women and the word no, but I wasn’t sure they’d gotten the same lecture, because they’d backed me into a corner and were feeling up my chest when Ryan had stepped in to rescue me.
It’d been embarrassing at the time, but he’d understood that I hadn’t been sure what to do, and he’d never made me feel bad about it. Ryan had tried to get me to go back to more parties after that, but it’d been too much. Even though I’d been out at the time, I guess I’d just looked too straight because women were the only ones who ever approached me.
It’d gotten better once Ryan started dragging me to clubs and gay bars away from campus, but we’d never been approached like this before. Ryan had teased that we looked like an old married couple most of the time, but I hadn’t minded.
Having him around kept the more aggressive or creepy people at bay, and it gave me a chance to figure out if I wanted to get to know someone…and how to approach them. Because it was always me that was supposed to do that, no matter how much I didn’t want to be the aggressor.
Dare seemed to be able to see past all that…just like Ian had.
But Dare wouldn’t be content to just fool around with the kind-of-closeted guy. No, he seemed to be the type who went for what he wanted, and that was evidently both of us.
Both.
I snuck a peek at Ryan. He had the same do-I-want-this look that I suspected was on my face. Was it just the idea of doing something with me there? I wasn’t so naïve that I didn’t understand what Dare was talking about, but was that the only thing that was worrying Ryan?
He’d always been carefully shoved in the friend box for me. It wasn’t because I’d been oblivious that he was hot, but with being a friend and spending so much time together in football, he’d just gotten put there. It’d made it easier.
And once I’d figured out who I was and what I liked, he’d needed to stay there. Explaining things like that to him then would have been impossible. But was I ready to do it now? If I agreed to whatever Dare wanted…and I still wasn’t sure if that was just sex or something more…Ryan would end up finding out.
Dare’s fingers kept rubbing against ours.
Ours.
It was like I’d fallen into another dimension. Dare’s next question made it seem more real, however. “Have you ever thought about going on a date with each other? I don’t want this just to be about sex.”
Fuck.
I didn’t look at Ryan, but from the way Dare smiled I thought his mouth probably dropped open too. Answering the question was too hard, but it gave me the opportunity to ask one myself, so I forced the words out. “You want to date us?”
So, he’d kind of already said it, but I wanted to make sure I understood what was on the table. As I sorted through my emotions, I realized that a one-night stand wouldn’t be enough to get me to basically out myself to Ryan. But a real relationship…
Dare’s nod and smile had me panicked and excited at the same time. Fuck. Now what?
“Like go out to dinner before we have sex and get to know each other dating?” Ryan didn’t sound any smarter than me at the moment, but Dare didn’t seem to mind.
His quiet laughter curling around me made my cock harden again. “Yes, dinner and talking then sex kind of dating.”
“Oh.” Ryan’s short response had me looking over to him.
What was he thinking?
Nothing, from the startled look on his face.
Dare had an indulgent smile on his face as he looked at me, probably giving Ryan a chance to wrap his head around everything. “What do you think, handsome?”
“Um…” Refusing to come off like a moron again, I took a deep breath and concentrated on how their hands felt against mine. “I’d like to date you.”
One eyebrow went up, and he glanced toward Ryan like he was reminding me what he’d actually asked me about. Shit. “Before we became friends, I thought about it. But then he was my friend and there was football…things changed.”
It was a reasonable answer.
It might have been a bit of a cop-out, but if everything blew up, it was innocent enough that it shouldn’t make Ryan nervous, so I thought it was pretty good. Dare shook his head, but his indulgent smile widened to a grin, and his gaze seemed to see right through me. “That’s a very careful answer, but I’ll let you get away with it this time.”
He was going to let me get away with it.
Dare was in charge, but he was going to let me be naughty for now.
Fuck.
Before I could find words to respond, because most of the blood in my body was decidedly lower than my brain, he leaned forward slowly. “I think you need a reward for answering me first, though. You were very good, Scott.”
Fuck.
Every movement was telegraphed as Dare’s mouth grew closer to mine. He was letting me know what he wanted, but he wasn’t just going to take it from me. It was an addicting combination. As his lips touched mine, they felt strong, and he was clearly in command, but he kept the kiss tender and light.
Ryan and I both moaned low as Dare gave me one last peck and pulled away. When he looked at me, his expression was dominant but loving. As he turned his gaze to Ryan, it grew teasing and light. Giving his ass a wiggle, he grinned. “Scott earned a reward first for being good. I want you to remember that next time I ask a question, sexy.”
I expected Ryan to think it was weird or even get frustrated at Dare for making it clear he wanted to be in control, but Ryan just nodded slowly. His hand was still pressed against mine and he didn’t try to pull away, but as he spoke, I could feel the tension flooding through him. “I’ll remember.”
Dare’s smile softened, and he leaned closer to Ryan and kissed his cheek.
Hot.
As.
Fuck.
I just wasn’t sure why.
Dare spoke low to Ryan as he moved away, but even though the room was loud, I swore he told Ryan he was glad Ryan wanted to be good for him. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing what I wanted to see or just seeing him clearly for the first time, but it was clashing in my head, and I wasn’t sure how to sort it out.
A hand tightened on mine and for a moment I thought it was Dare’s again, but then I realized how big it was and knew it was Ryan. I could almost hear the same pep talks he used to give before a game echoing in my ears. His strong voice saying just to focus on what I wanted and not let anything distract me.
Was he trying to tell me the same thing now?
The confusion flooding through me was one of the biggest reasons I loved take-charge men. I didn’t want to have to guess what they wanted or what was okay. I just wanted instructions and to know what would make them happy.
But as much as I wanted Dare to just tell me what to do, I wasn’t sure about Ryan. Doing something that would push him away wasn’t an option. As he started to speak, his tight grip on my hand never loosened. “I’ve thought about it too.”
What?
Oh…the date question.
I wasn’t sure how finance and work came so easily and everything else was so fuckin’ hard, but I felt a little like I was drowning. My focus narrowed down to our hands and the way they all looked together. What did it mean?
When had he thought about it?
What would happen next?
Dare’s soft, deceptively strong hand cupped my cheek. But instead of turning my face to his, he steered me so I was looking at Ryan. There were questions and worries in his eyes but no judgment as he spoke. “It’s not something we planned, but I don’t hate the idea.”
Dare laughed, and I rolled my eyes. Smooth-talking Ryan. “Thanks. I’m glad you think I’m so hot you don’t hate the idea of dating me.”
“Fuck.” Ryan blushed, and his head fell back so he was looking at the ceiling. “That’s not what I meant.”
I grinned at Dare. “This is the Casanova who told the last guy who asked him out that it was fine, he didn’t mind the idea.”
Dare laughed and gave Ryan’s still-red face a kiss on the cheek. “So I won’t expect sonnets or dirty talk from you, sexy?”
Ryan shook his head. “No.”
When he got his embarrassment under control, he brought his head down and looked over at me. “I’m going to try this again.”
Feeling lighter for some reason, I gave him a teasing, skeptical look. “You only get so many do-overs, so be careful.”
“Thanks.” Ryan rolled his eyes, but his nerves seemed to have faded too because he almost smiled as he watched my face. “We weren’t planning on something like this, but the idea of getting to know you like that is…interesting. You know you’re attractive, so I’m not going to stroke your ego, but I’m not going to dismiss the idea. I’d like to see where it goes.”
“I’d love to see you stroke his ego. I might insist on that at some point, sexy.” Dare’s words were light, but the heat behind them made me shiver.
He wanted to watch us together.
Need flashed through Ryan’s eyes. Did he find the idea just as erotic as I did? My experiences were ridiculously limited and vanilla, but the idea of being with Ryan didn’t scare me, he was my friend…neither did having Dare watch us. He was a stranger, but he was Dare…he was like that voice in the back of my head that pushed me to take chances, but I had a feeling he wouldn’t be so easily ignored.
Ryan’s eyes dragged down my chest slowly. “I don’t have a problem with that.”
Fuck.
Was I supposed to answer?
Dare chuckled, and he leaned over and pressed a kiss to my lips, startling me. “I bet you don’t either, handsome.”
I shook my head as I watched the two of them stare at me. Dare’s gaze was predatory and made me want to squirm in my seat. “You know, one of these days you’re going to be so comfortable with me, and with us, that you’ll tell me every sexy thought running through your head.”
“That’s frightening.” And that slipped out. Damn it.
Dare chuckled and smiled like I’d given him a fabulous reward, but Ryan looked at me the same way he had when I’d rearranged the furniture in the apartment. Startled, but then the slow dawning that he liked it better that way.
Interesting.
Dare brought his free hand up to caress down my face again. “I promise the rewards will be worth it, though.”
The submissive part I always kept tucked away in the corner wanted to shove its way out of the closet and beg to know what Dare meant, but I tightened my grip on it and just nodded. It wasn’t much, but sometimes I felt like if I opened my mouth everything I wanted would just come tumbling out.
Work was always easier; that was why I spent countless hours there every week. When I was on the phone with clients or researching the newest trend or company, I felt confident and in control of what I wanted…to be a success. It just never worked that way in my personal life.
“Alright, I’ll take it easy on you for a while. What do you usually talk about on a date?” Dare smiled when Ryan laughed and I winced.
“Um, work is the wrong answer, right?”
Ryan smirked and shook his head at me. “Not if you’re going to be honest with him.”
Then, turning to Dare, his smile widened like he was finally getting to tell all his secrets. “He’s a history nut. He can talk your ear off about obscure rulers in Europe or the history of things like algebra. His last date asked where he taught at the end of the evening because he thought Scott had to be some kind of professor.”
I half-expected Dare to laugh or at least find it funny, but if anything, Dare seemed to get more turned on. He leaned forward and gave me a quick kiss. “I think smart is sexy.”
“Oh.” Another shining example of my intelligence.
Dare just found it amusing because he smiled again and squeezed our still-entwined hands. Ryan’s fingers started gently caressing mine, and he gave me another one of those curious looks. “Then you’re going to end up head over heels for Scott. He’s beyond smart.”
Now I was the one who was blushing.
“I’m not—”
Ryan broke in. “Oh no, I’m not letting you get away with that.”
He turned to Dare. “He aced almost every class in college and had one of the highest GPAs in high school.”
Of course, that led to trading stories about school and questions from Dare about my work. Ryan liked to pretend I was the smart one, but he’d done a great job in school as well. Dare entertained us with stories about his friends and family, keeping us laughing.
Sometimes as he spoke, he gestured wildly with his hands. Instead of moving mine back to my lap or just back to Dare’s legs, I kept my fingers laced with Ryan’s. At first, I was worried that I’d make a big deal about it or that he’d think I was pulling away from him so I needed to stay close, but after a while I was just enjoying holding him.
As the evening passed, it got easier to talk to Dare, and before we knew it, his friends were calling him from across the bar. Evidently, he was the designated driver for the night and they were ready to head home.
The idea of him leaving had my stomach sinking. He’d talked about wanting to get to know us but sometimes in the daylight, ideas faded. Dare didn’t seem to have the same fears, though. “Okay, hand over the phones, you two. I’m not letting you escape that easily.”
Ryan laughed as he grabbed his off the table and handed it over, but I could hear the relief in it. After Dare added in his number and then texted himself, he gave Ryan a slow, heated kiss. As he pulled back, he smiled. “I’m going to text you later.”
For some reason it sent a shiver through both of us.
Dare laughed and reached his hand out, expecting me to hand mine over. I was glad to do it. I wasn’t sure what the hell we were doing, but it wasn’t something I was ready to walk away from. I’d been walking away for too long already, and it was time for it to stop.
I just hoped it wouldn’t explode in my face.
When Dare’s number was in my phone and he’d checked to make sure the text he’d sent his phone had gone through, I got the same slow, tender kiss. As he sat back, he gave me a knowing grin. “I bet it’s easier for you to confess things over texts, isn’t it?”
I wasn’t sure I liked the word confess…but it was probably accurate.
I finally nodded but gave a half-shrug as well. “Yes. I think so.”
There hadn’t exactly been a lot of opportunities for me to confess anything. Not since Ian, at least.
Dare sighed as he started to climb off Ryan’s lap. “Part of me wants to invite you over, but I think you need time to see how you feel. I’m expecting texts tomorrow at the very least. Got it? Even if you’re nervous and you don’t talk to each other about it, you’re going to talk to me. No running.”
I nodded as he stood. “Deal.”
“Got it.” Ryan seemed reluctant to let Dare go, but Dare didn’t seem to mind. He just leaned in and gave Ryan a quick peck.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Then he stretched across the table and gave me a kiss as well.
As he walked away, I couldn’t help but think of the way he’d felt under my hands and the way he’d looked at me…like he knew exactly what was going through my mind, and it just made him want me more.
I just hoped Ryan would feel the same way when everything came out.