Pasta
RAVEN
As I cleaned up the kitchen, I marveled over how much food the two of them had eaten. I liked food just as much as the next girl, but they definitely ate a couple times what I did. They'd torn through my casserole, ice cream, and Quinton's apple pie. I was grateful that they were taking responsibility for dinner. I honestly wouldn't know how to cook dinner for them besides thinking that I would try to feed an army platoon.
The kiss that Orion had given me was still in my mind. It felt like I was being brushed with fire from my mouth, to my breasts, and all the way to my toes. And Quinton had been watching the two of us the whole time. I had been too dazed to realize that Orion's pie had mysteriously disappeared, but after clearing two plates from Quinton's place, I understood what had happened.
The two of them, together, and me?
It blew my mind. Until today, I would've told you that I was a one-man woman. I just wanted to find the right man for me. The One.
But now it seemed like they were proposing a package deal. The more that I thought about it, the warmer I got to the idea. Who wouldn't want two sexy firefighters in her bed? Orion was a commander. In another lifetime, he'd be a Roman general. Quinton, I felt, had more of a sense of humor. He was a little more hot-headed but also a little sweeter. I'd only kissed Orion, but the thought of climbing into bed with both of them made me warm between my legs.
As I started the dishwasher, I decided to take a nap and paint my nails before they came over. A girl could never be too pretty. They'd already seen me looking like a drowned rat, which couldn't be helped, but I'd try to make my hair behave long enough for them to see it looking nice during dinner tonight.
* * *
The doorbell rang, the chime echoing.
"I'm coming!" I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. My nails had dried under that special light that I'd bought online and my hair was wrestled into an elegant infinity bun that looked nice but wasn't too much hassle. I was wearing just the tiniest touch of makeup. They'd already seen me at my worst, though, and still seemed interested, so I wondered if I'd wasted effort.
When I opened the door, I could smell an overwhelming wave of bacon.
"Whoa, what's in there?" I asked.
Quinton was carrying a space bag, one of those thermally insulated bags for food. "Pasta alla carbonara. Specifically, spinach spaghetti alla carbonara." Quinton stepped towards me. I backed up and let them through the door.
"Smells like bacon."
"I went heavy on the meat," he admitted, a grin in his eyes.
"I don't mind," I said. Nobody was going to turn down extra bacon.
Orion was behind him. There was a look in his eyes as if he wanted to greet me with a kiss. I honestly didn't know how I'd react if he did, so I just smiled up at him.
"Thank you for coming here with dinner." I gave him a one-handed hug, but he pulled me into a full hug.
"Our pleasure." His voice was so warm and growly that I felt it reverberate in my breastbone.
Quinton was pulling out plates. He must have paid attention when I was getting the table set with lunch. When he brought out the big bowl of spaghetti alla carbonara, my eyes bulged.
Heavy on the meat was a big understatement. The bowl was half full of bacon.
"I hope you brought salad," I told Quinton. The bowl had enough calories in it to last me a month.
"Does fruit tart count?" He pulled out a circular baking pan with a French fruit tart in it.
"Close enough," I said, laughing. I could diet tomorrow.
"I'm starving," Orion said. "Let's eat."
I grabbed utensils and napkins before we sat down. Quinton put way too much spaghetti on my plate, but I could see that he was trying to make sure I got enough. The two of them wolfed down their halves of the remaining part before I had time to eat more than 10 bites.
Quinton cut me a more than generous slice of the fruit tart before the two of them demolished that, too. I was mesmerized and stunned by watching them eat. They were neat eaters, but somehow food just vanished into their mouths. Within 10 minutes, all that was left was an empty bowl with cream sauce and an empty circular baking pan. I just couldn't imagine eating at that speed. I'd probably barf.
Orion said, "That was a good appetizer. Good job, Q."
"We'll do Round 2 in a little while."
Orion said, "Maybe we should order pizza."
I was choking. I couldn't keep up with these guys. You know how you try to keep pace with your friends in college, matching them drink for drink? I felt the urge to match these guys bite for bite, but there was no way that my stomach could ever hold as much as their stomachs apparently did.
I ate as much pasta as I could. I still had half left, and when I looked at the fruit tart, my stomach threatened a rebellion.
"Do either of you want any more?" I offered my spaghetti and fruit tart to them. Orion ate my fruit tart while Quinton finished off my spaghetti.
It surprised me how easy it was to be with them. It was as if they'd cooked for me many times before, as if eating dinner was some kind of ritual. I wouldn't mind it, but I felt shy about telling them that they could come back.
Orion sat back and put his fork down. "That'll hold me for an hour, then we’ll get pizza,“ he announced.
I was speechless.
Quinton said, "Do you want to go for a walk?"
With how much pasta and bacon I'd consumed, I'd be lucky if I could waddle. My stomach felt like it was about to pop.
"I'd love to. It'll help my food settle." I put my hands at the edge of the table and pushed myself to a standing position. I didn't need to lock my door because my neighborhood was so safe, so the three of us set off. Quinton and Orion tucked my hands into the crooks of their elbows. Even though they were both over 6 feet and I was just about 5 feet tall, they kept pace with me.
I felt protected and safe, walking on the sidewalk with them after dinner. I could see a judgmental woman pushing a baby in a pink stroller. The baby had a pink bow in her hair and was fast asleep. She was giving me side-eye. I gave her some side-eye right back. That new mother only wished that she was able to walk around with two hot guys.
I felt like I was on top of the world, special and pretty to be chosen by these two firefighters. Whatever we had was fragile and could be popped as easily as a soap bubble. I knew that.
But the irrational part of me, the one who believed in Disney movies and happy ever afters, wanted whatever this was to last forever. As we walked, my stomach calmed down, though I still had butterflies in the base of my stomach. I'd definitely have to watch how much food I ate. I felt like they were intent on stuffing me with way more than I could handle. We weren't talking, just enjoying each other's company as we walked arm in arm around my neighborhood.
Finally, my feet started to ache, so I had to say something.
"I need to go home." I came to a stop. The two of them stopped with me.
"So early?" Orion's brows drew together.
"I'm pooped," I said. "Shopping took a lot out of me."
"You're not trying to get rid of us, are you?" Quinton said, raising an eyebrow.
"No. You're welcome to take a nap with me." I was teasing, but they looked interested.
"Done," they said in unison.
They must've gotten a second wind or something, because I was lifted off of my feet as we sped back towards the house and Orion held me in his arms. We'd been walking for at least an hour, but the return trip took ten minutes if that. They had wings on their feet or something.
I hadn't locked my door, so it was easy enough for us to get back in.
Orion asked, "Which way to your bedroom?"
I pointed down the hallway. I stayed in his arms. He felt hard against my soft curves. He carried me into the room and surveyed it.
I thanked my lucky stars that I sprawled when I slept and bought a California king for just little old me. Otherwise, the three of us could never fit. Both of them took off their shirts and jeans. They were both wearing boxers.
I knew that they had repeatedly told me that my body was fine, but I didn't want to strip in front of them. I went to my dresser and pulled out a set of pajamas.
"I'll be right back," I promised. I headed into my bathroom and stripped. The pajamas that I'd grabbed at a moment's notice were old and faded, but oh well. I didn't feel particularly seductive in my softest pajamas, but it was okay.
When I got back in bed, both of them were under the covers. I took a second to savor the sight of the two of them sitting in my bed. They looked like something out of my wildest fantasies, shirtless and sitting there, leaning against the pillows. It was like the start of a naughty film or a very good night.
"Hey," I said, flopping down on the middle of the bed and crawling under the covers.
"Hello," Quinton said, a playful light in his eyes. He put his big hand on the curve of my waist as I turned to face him. "You look hot."
"I've had these pajamas for over a decade," I confessed.
"Doesn't matter what you're wearing," he said, nuzzling my neck. I could feel my body start to heat. Orion's hand settled on my hip.
"You smell good enough to eat," he said, nuzzling my shoulder.
It was dark outside. I liked feeling the two warm bodies press against me. This moment could have gotten very interesting, but I spoiled everything by yawning.
"Rest," Orion commanded. "We'll be here when you wake up."
I fell asleep like that, each of them with a hand on me. I felt surrounded in the nicest way possible.