Chapter 20

Simon

“Why do I have to be the one to go back and get the papers? Am I some sort of pissant?”

I give Dylan a hard time over the phone, because I don’t want to have to be the runner who goes to the university to retrieve the documents we left last night at the research facility.

“Just suck it up you big douche,” Dylan roars with laughter as he spites me.

“Okay, fine,” I groan with teasing exasperation. “I’ll talk to you later, dickhead.”

“Peace out, asshole,” Dylan quips back.

Dylan and King are like brothers to me, and we’re in this shit together for life.

Only now, we have a beautiful little rose flower to share our fun with in the form of the lovely and talented Krista.

I’ve seriously never seen a woman so gorgeous and brilliant before at the same time.

Sure, I’ve enjoyed my fair share of sexy girls, but they never lead to anything serious because they can’t hold a fucking conversation.

I need a challenge, an intellectually stimulating woman to hold on to, to make love with, and to just overall have an epically great time.

I grab my keys and depart from my house, on a mission to find and retrieve the work we need in order to iron out the formula and matching equations.

On my cab ride over, I can’t help but look out the window and smile as the buildings and the traffic pass me by in a whirlwind.

Krista is the total fucking package, and I can’t believe how lucky we are to have snagged her up. I get an instant hard-on just thinking about her spreading her legs and moaning my name.

She seems totally on board with dating all three of us at once, and to be honest, I have the mindset to think that the more the merrier.

If it means I can date Krista without having to worry about anyone at the university keeping a watchful eye on us, then so be it. I’m all about bending the rules and going against the system if it means I can achieve my goals and get what I want in the end.

Not to mention that Krista seems much happier and relieved with our progression, now that there’s a foreseeable light at the end of the tunnel.

I know she appreciates getting help from me and the other guys, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Honestly, I love spending time with her, which is surprising to me.

I don’t want to come right out and admit that I love to bang a hot chick and ditch her, but I’m plagued with a few commitment issues.

So naturally, I’m surprising myself by my behavior and willingness to spend as much time with Krista as I possibly can.

Does it bother me that I also have to share her with King and Dylan?

Well, that’s kind of a difficult question to answer.

For now, I guess I’ll respond by saying no, not really. We all want the same thing, and it’s better to just share her than fight over dibs.

We all can agree that Krista is passionate about her work, and that makes me respect her even more than I already do.

Her sex appeal drips down her long, slender tan legs, and I just can’t get enough of that sweet, delicious pussy of hers.

Jolting back to the present moment, I pay the cabbie his fare and give him a hefty tip for his troubles. You know, because I’m a gentleman like that.

The plan for the weekend is to head up to my parent’s house in the woods—don’t get any wild ideas—just to work, and focus in the solitude of the wilderness.

Maybe some down time for fucking too, but our main goal will be helping Krista finalize her formula and then to be able to test it out in the open air.

I love heading up to the cabin to any fucking chance I get, and I can’t wait to show the place off to Krista.

We’ll need the seclusion in order to test out the experiments and run some trials. My favorite part of the weekend plan is being able to be alone with Krista. Getting to know her better is right at the top of my list of things to do.

Walking into the research lab, I chuck on the lights and trot directly over the table where we did most of the work last night.

Well, shit.

The folder isn’t where it’s supposed to be. Surely, we left it here, because nobody else is claiming to have it, hence the reason I’m the sucker having to do the searching.

I riffle through some other documents and papers and then head over to the computers, thinking there might be the off chance that one of us might’ve set it down over there while researching theories.

I come up empty.

Damn! What am I supposed to tell the guys? Or worse—Krista herself?

I walk back to the entrance door and scan the area around there too, hoping that while we were locking up last night, somebody might have set the folder down absentmindedly.

They aren’t there either.

Well this fucking sucks a big fat one.

I run a hand through my hair and heave a huge sigh. I mean the damn folder has to be somewhere, right?

I mean, it’s not like it could’ve just disappeared into thin fucking air or something, could it?

I leave the research center and jog down to the security guard station.

“Hey fellas,” I greet them leisurely. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” the stocky balding one shoots me a bored look.

“My friends and I, well…see we seem to have misplaced a folder with very important information in it.”

I chuckle as if I’m the biggest fucking dipshit on the planet, in hopes that these men will empathize on my situation.

“Okay…” the thin one with a gruff beard states.

“Did you happen to notice anyone else coming down this hallway or into the research facility while we were gone last night, anyone at all?”

I hold my breath and hope for the best.

“Nobody came in before you, sir,” the pudgy one states flatly.

I glance back down the hallway as if I’m having trouble processing this turn of events.

“That’s so weird, I can’t find it anywhere, and nobody on my team is claiming to have it.”

“Sorry buddy, we’ll keep an eye out, but I can assure you, nobody’s been here.”

The thin one gives me an apologetic glance, but I can tell his heart’s not in the game.

I thank the guards and walk back out onto the oddly serene Manhattan Saturday, then dial King and Dylan who are already meeting up together.

“Hey guys, bad news.”

I come clean and decide it’s best to just rip off the band aid.

“Oh no, what is it?” Dylan questions.

“Well, we seem to be in a little pickle here,” I chuckle nervously.

“Just spit it out then,” King demands, never one to mince words.

“Here’s the thing: I can’t find the damn folder.”

“Is this another one of your little jokes? If so, it’s really not fucking funny,” King retorts.

“I’m not joking!” I raise my voice defensively. “I can’t find it.”

“Well shit. How are we going to tell Krista?” Dylan ponders on speaker with me.

“Let me guess, you guys nominate me for that job too, huh?” I drone sarcastically.

“Thanks buddy, that’ll be great,” King laughs.

“Fuck you,” I roll my eyes even though they can’t see me.

I start walking down the street because I’m too stressed out to stand still right now.

“Don’t panic, we’ll figure something out,” Dylan says. “In the meantime, just get over here so that we can start getting the supplies ready for the cabin.”

“Okay,” I tell them and hang up.

Dylan’s right. There’s no reason to panic; we can still get the work done and stick to the plan as best as possible. Maybe Krista has it after all, and this worry is unnecessary.

That’s my fucking hope.

On the way to meet Dylan and King, I begin to brainstorm ideas as to how we can still maintain the productive pace for this trip to make it worth it for Krista.

Bottom line? All three of us want to continue to try to make her feel as comfortable and happy as we can.

No, we are not pussy whipped, but damn do we like that pussy.

A few minutes later, I reunite with King and Dylan at King’s pad.

“Dude, you look seriously wrecked,” Dylan greets me as he answers the door.

“Please tell me the truth,” I tease back dryly. “Don’t hold back.”

“Just stop worrying about it,” King states with confidence as he zips up his weekend duffle bag.

“Thanks for the advice,” I laugh sardonically.

“Don’t forget I have an eidetic memory,” King notes. “I can formulate the research based on what we discussed and learned last night. We’ll be back where we started in no time.”

“Before you can say I’m a sappy little bitch,” Dylan laughs and high-fives King.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this weekend trip was going to turn into drag-Simon-through-the-mud time,” I whine at them.

“Can’t you take a fucking joke?” Dylan says with a grin on his face as he pats my back.

“Whatever,” I sigh exuberantly. “Let’s just go and pick up Krista now.”

“That’s the spirit little buddy,” King says and gives me a thumbs up.

We exit King’s apartment and head to a nearby hardware store to pick up the supplies we’ll need for the weekend and for the experiments. We still fully intend to test out, with or without the folder.

“We still have two whole days of productive feedback to give each other,” Dylan reminds me after we leave the store and start putting our purchases into the car.

“Right,” I agree and give him a smile, trying to boost my own spirits. “Well, look at the bright side.”

I chuckle as I drive off in route to fetch Krista.

“What’s that?” King asks from the back seat.

“At least we get Krista all to ourselves.”

King laughs. “I concur, the best thing I’ll ever agree with you on.”

I floor it down a quiet and empty side street as we speed off towards what hopefully will be the beginning of a weekend of fun with a dash of excitement and thrills tucked around every corner.