Sam is all smiles, until we reach the marina. As soon as we approach the docking area, his face drops, going cold and stony.

For a second I think that he’s disappointed about the end of our date — until I see who’s standing on the dock waiting for us.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I mutter under my breath. My heart is happy to see Bennett again, but I’m so not looking forward to another bitch fest between these two.

I catch Sam’s eye before we get off the boat. I try to plead with him with my eyes to not make a big fuss, but I can already see the way his nostrils flare and his forehead knits as we make our way down to where Bennett is waiting.

“Hi Bennett,” I say softly, looking him up and down. He may look angry right now, with his arms folded and smoke practically coming out of his ears, but he’s still handsome as hell. He’s wearing a chambray shirt stretched across his broad chest, and a pair of khakis similar to Sam’s. In fact, with their sunglasses on, they look like they could be brothers. Both have the same wind-swept dark hair, the same strong facial features, the same muscular builds.

Instead of answering, Bennett swoops in and kisses me.

I know I shouldn’t, but I melt into it immediately. His kiss is so passionate, so forceful, so stunning, that for a second I let it carry me away.

Until I hear Sam’s voice in the background.

“What the fuck, Bennett?”

I can feel Bennett’s lips twist into a satisfied grin, and I finally pull back, wiping my mouth and looking guiltily between him and Sam.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper to Sam. I know they’re supposed to be sharing me this month, but I’m not sure if kissing one of them while I’m on a date with another crosses a line or not.

Sam only shakes his head, though, softening for a second.

“I’m not mad at you, Lila. Only at him.” His glare returns as soon as he turns to Bennett. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“The same thing you were doing at Yasu the other night.”

Sam folds his arms now and they stare each other down. I look helplessly back and forth between them.

Sam must notice that I feel uncomfortable, because he slings his arm around my shoulder. For a second I feel grateful, until I notice him smirking at Bennett.

“Come on, babe,” he says to me. “Let’s get out of here.”

I roll my eyes, not caring now if either of them see me.

“You know, when Ava said you had to share me, I don’t think she meant fight over me.”

Sam chuckles. “Who’s fighting? I’m just enjoying my date with you.” He leans over to kiss my hair but I lean sideways, out of his reach. Bennett snickers, and I shoot a glare at him.

His face immediately softens. “I’m sorry, Lila, you’re right. Would you like to go out with me this Friday?”

“Fuck, no,” Sam answers for me. I elbow him in the ribs and he turns to look at me, surprised.

“What? You should go out with me on Friday instead.” A cocky grin crosses his face, as if he fully expects me to say yes. I get the feeling women usually say yes to Sam Baines.

Before I can answer, Bennett interjects. “No way. You just took her out today.”

“Yeah, but that was a day date. Doesn’t count.”

“Of course it counts,” Bennett says, through gritted teeth. “Which means it’s my turn next.”

I throw my hands up in the air. “Enough! Both of you. For your information, not that either of you asked, I’m working Friday night. So I won’t be going out with either of you.”

That quiets them for all of two seconds, until both of them blurt out at the same time, “Saturday?”

I sigh, but this time I almost have to laugh. “You two are incorrigible. I am free on Saturday,” I say slowly, eyeing them both. “But I’m not going to choose.”

Bennett folds his arms again. “Well, if you leave it up to us to choose, things are going to get bloody.”

I bite back another smile. “I’m not going to choose … because there’s no choice to be made. I’m going to go out with both of you. At the same time. The three of us are going to have dinner together, and you two are going to practice being civil to each other. That was the whole point of this arrangement, after all — remember?”

Even with their sunglasses on, I can tell that both Sam and Bennett are horrified by this idea.

“Lila,” Sam starts, but then trails off. His mouth is opening and closing like a fish, and I stifle a giggle.

“I don’t really think …” Bennett adds, looking frantically back and forth between me and Sam.

This time I can’t keep the grin off my face. “See, you’re already in agreement about how much you dislike the idea. I’m sure we’ll be able to find much more common ground over dinner.”

I’m not sure where my sudden confidence is coming from — until this week, I’d never been out with anyone like Bennett or Sam, and now here I am, bossing them around a little bit. Maybe it’s the fact that none of this really feels real to me. Or maybe it’s just the fact that after spending time with both of them, I’m starting to see how similar they are — both stubborn, both confident, both with their own silent pain. Both freaking amazing in bed.

Whatever the cause, I’m kind of enjoying standing here and watching how they squirm.

“Is it a deal?” I ask. “Because, you know, Ava said I could call her if this wasn’t going well.”

Sam’s shoulders drop at Ava’s name, and Bennett uncrosses his arms, sticking his hands in his pockets and trying to look casual.

“Fine.” It’s Bennett that answers first. He doesn’t look at Sam, though, only at me. “We’ll have dinner at my house. I’ll have my chef prepare something. That way when dinner is over, Sam can leave and I can have you all to myself.”

I sigh. Well, at least it’s a start.

I turn to Sam. “Are you in agreement?”

“With everything except that last part,” he grits.

I laugh. “Well, we’ll negotiate that on Saturday. Bennett, thank you for the invitation. Sam and I would love to have dinner with you at your house on Saturday. Isn’t that right, Sam?”

Sam stares incredulously at me, but I don’t back down. Finally he shrugs, casually, trying to pretend like he doesn’t care.

“Right. Thanks Bennett.” The words sound strained, but I’ll give him an A-minus for effort.

“Thank you both,” I say diplomatically. “I’m sure we’ll have a very nice time together.”

But looking at the way these two alphas are staring each other down, I’m starting to think my brilliant plan may not have been so brilliant after all.

* * *

For the rest of the week, Bennett and Sam are all I can think about. Every time Dad tries to talk to me, I’m caught up in a daydream, and I mess up so many orders at the diner, Heath threatens to send me home.

In my spare time, I scribble down notes for my article, and do research online about clubs like Orchid across the country. To my surprise, there are more than a few of them, and it gives me a dark thrill to think of all those people out there, exploring their taboo desires.

Not that Bennett and I, or Sam and I, have done anything exactly all that taboo. Aside from the fact that I’m sleeping with two different men, which is a first for me, the sex has been pretty regular. Amazing, but regular. Vanilla.

I have to wonder why Bennett and Sam would be part of Orchid if they weren’t into the kinky stuff. Maybe they just like knowing that I’m theirs for the month?

I push the thought out of my mind, and spend Friday afternoon out at the shops trying to find the perfect little black dress for my date with the men Saturday night.

As I try on sheaths and halter dresses, I wonder again if I’ve done something totally idiotic by suggesting they have dinner together with me.

Oh well — I’m not going to back out now, not after I’ve gotten them both to agree. As long as no one ends up in the hospital, I’ll count the night as a success.