As the week passed, my mind grew increasingly conflicted about our impending ménage a trois. I had good reason to be apprehensive. I couldn’t ignore the fact that this could all blow up in my face.

I was supposed to meet Quinn for dinner after work on Friday, and then have drinks with Carson before the main event. But as the clock ticked closer to five, the pit in my stomach grew. I felt like I was going to be sick.

I was still sitting at my desk at 5:45, staring at my computer screen and the color schemes I’d been looking at for the last two hours, when my phone pinged with a new text message.

I ignored his response, knowing he’d be mad, and texted Dani instead.

I thought about texting Carson, telling him I couldn’t do it, but I didn’t need both him and Quinn blowing up my phone. I set an alarm on my phone for 7:30, put it on silent, and got back to work, finishing up the designs I’d been ignoring. When my alarm went off, I had four texts and three missed calls from Quinn.

I was just getting ready to call him back when my phone buzzed again, his face filling my screen.

“Hey,” I answered.

“Where are you?”

“I’m sorry, this is a freaking nightmare. The color scheme we had picked for the winter line got rejected, now we have to go back to the drawing board. They want new mock-ups and colors by Monday.” I was surprised how easily the lie rolled off my tongue.

“So you’re not coming? At all?” Quinn blew out a frustrated breath, and I could tell he was pissed, but I didn’t care.

“I don’t know, I think it’s going to be a pretty late night here. I’m really sorry,” I lied again.

“We’re not supposed to meet Carson until 10:30 … call me if you get done before then,” he said, a tiny bit of hope in his voice.

“I will,” I said, even though I had no intention of calling him. I hung up the phone, turned off my computer, and left work.

Half an hour later, I knocked on Dani’s door, holding up the pizza box and six pack of beer when she answered. She grabbed the beer and held the door open for me, but waited until we were both sitting on her back deck before she said anything.

“So are you going to tell me what exactly you’re hiding from?” she said, taking a huge bite of pizza.

“Quinn and Carson.”

“Oh Jesus.” She rolled her eyes at me.

“What?” I said through a mouth full of pizza.

“I thought we figured this all out … how did you screw it up now?”

“Who said it’s my fault?” I said. She just raised her eyebrow at me. “Fine, it’s probably my fault. Quinn kept pestering me to have another threesome, and I agreed, but then when it was time to meet them tonight, I just couldn’t do it.” I sighed and took a long drag from my beer.

“Okay, so what is the real problem here?” She set down her food and turned to face me. “I don’t understand. You and Carson have flirted for years, and it’s never been a problem. This is what you wanted! How many times have we talked about you guys having a threesome? Like, a million, and now Quinn’s on board, and you’re being a pussy … what gives?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered. Dani was the first person I’d ever told I wanted to have a threesome, and the only person I’d told about my crush on Carson. She was the one that first suggested I should just have a threesome with Carson and Quinn.

“Don’t bullshit with me. I know you better than that. What the fuck, Chloe?” I looked at her sideways, hating and loving that she knew me so well. She folded her arms and waited for my answer.

“Carson has come onto me twice since last time. Not just flirting. It’s like he all of the sudden doesn’t give a shit that I’m married, and says whatever is on his mind, and let me tell you, what’s on his mind is not just innocent flirting.”

“Soooo ... what’s the problem? Doesn’t that make it hotter?” Dani asked.

“No! The problem is I’m afraid of what will happen if we keep doing this. I don’t know if I can avoid his advances forever,” I said, then added in a whisper, “I don’t know if I want to.”

“So let me see if I’ve got this right … you’re afraid if you have another threesome, it’s going to lead to an affair with Carson? And you think you might want to have an affair with Carson?”

“Basically, yes.” I sighed again. There it was, out in the open, the thoughts that had been rolling around in my head for over a week now. It sounded so much worse when she said it out loud. Did I want to have an affair with Carson? I dropped my head in my hands and took in a few deep breaths.

“So I guess you just ignored what I said about Carson not getting to dictate the rules?” Dani said.

“What? No, I didn’t ignore you.” My head snapped up, and I looked at her.

“But you didn’t tell him this was on your terms or not at all?”

“Well ... no.”

“Then this is definitely your fault.”

“Thanks, that makes me feel much better,” I said sarcastically.

She snorted.

“You shouldn’t have come here if you wanted someone to make you feel better.”

“You know how I feel about Carson. I’ve had a crush on him forever. I just don’t know if this is a good idea.”

“We’re not in junior high, Chloe. We don’t make decisions based on who we have crushes on. I probably have crushes on, like, five guys right now, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to make irrational decisions based on some silly infatuation.”

“So you think I should go do it?”

“I think you should stop being a little bitch and be the Chloe I know,” she snapped. “Stop playing the victim here. Be the badass chick my best friend is. Do what you want, and fuck everyone else. Don’t let Carson make the rules; don’t be such a fucking pushover.”

“Are you done?”

“No, I’m not done…” Then she paused. “Okay, yeah, I guess I’m done. The point is this...” she waved her hand up and down in my general direction, “is not the Chloe I’ve always known, and I kinda liked her.”

I looked at my phone. I still had time to meet Quinn and Carson if I wanted. I stared out into the darkness. Is that what I wanted? An image flashed across my mind, me kneeling between Carson and Quinn. The power I had felt in that moment washed over me, and I snapped out of my daze.

“Okay, I’ve got to go.” Energy surged through my veins as I set down my beer and stood up. Dani stood with me, and I wrapped my arms around her. “Thank you,” I whispered in her ear.

“No problem. I’ll always be here to kick your ass back into shape when you need it.”

“I don’t even know why I like you,” I called over my shoulder on my way out. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Can’t wait,” Dani said sarcastically. I jogged down her front steps and to my car.

I waited to call Quinn until I was headed in the direction of our apartment in Hillsdale. He didn’t answer the first time, so I tried again. It rang five times before he picked up.

“Hello,” he said flatly. He was still mad.

“Hi baby,” I said sweetly, even though I wanted to snap at him. For all he knew, I really was at work, and he shouldn’t be this mad, but getting in an argument wouldn’t get us anywhere right now. “I’m sorry about dinner, I really am, but what about the rest of the night? Do you still want to?”

“Hold on a sec.” I heard muffled voices through the line. He must’ve met Carson early when I bailed. I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but it was taking forever, and I worried if they took too long to decide, my surge of confidence would disappear.

“Yeah, fine, we can still do it,” Quinn came back on the line.

“Don’t sound so excited about it,” I snorted. “If you don’t want to, it’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine; I was already excited and ready for what was coming.

“No,” he said, a little rough. “No, I still want to ... I—” Quinn’s sentence was cut-off, and Carson’s voice came on the line.

“I want to, too,” Carson said, his voice thick with restraint. I didn’t know what else he wanted to say, but I knew he couldn’t say it in front of Quinn.

“You do?” The words popped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

“Yes.”

I couldn’t say anything else, the raw need in his voice left me speechless. Heat pooled in my core, and my nipples stood at attention. Just one word from him, and I was turned on.

“Chloe?” he said after a few moments of silence.

“Yeah, I’m still here,” I said. “Okay, let me talk to Quinn.”

Quinn’s voice came back over the speakers in my car. “So, we’re on?”

“Yes. Give me an hour, and then meet me at our apartment. I’ll be ready.”

---

An hour later, I had candles lit in every room in the apartment. I wasn’t sure where the action would happen, so I had gone a little overboard with the candles. I had made the bed I’d neglected that morning, fluffed the throw pillows on the couch, and closed all the curtains.

I’d taken my dark brown hair out of the loose braid it had been in earlier, and it fell in pretty waves down my back. I’d changed into a pair of black lace panties and matching push-up bra, and was wearing a teal silk robe.

Even though I knew what to expect, I was nervous, and my stomach dropped when there was a knock on the door. I drained my second glass of wine, the red liquid warming my throat as it went down, but I didn’t move from my spot in the kitchen.

Quinn opened the door a crack and peeked inside.

“Chloe? Are you ready?”

“Yes.” His eyes narrowed when he saw me leaning against the kitchen counter, and he swallowed hard. His eyes traveled up my body before they met mine. I licked my lips and smiled. Quinn leaned his head back through the open door and said something I couldn’t hear, before they both came inside.

Carson shut the door behind him, and I lifted my head at the click of the lock, my eyes meeting Carson’s. His gaze was full of fire—lust, desire. Need burned behind his blue eyes. I stepped toward them and pulled the tie on my robe, the silky material falling open. Carson ran a hand through his blond hair as his eyes raked over my body, taking it all in. Quinn made a noise in his throat that was somewhere between a groan and growl.

I ran my hand through Carson’s hair, and then down his cheek and across his chest before I pulled Quinn’s head down for a kiss. I gave him just a taste before I pulled away and continued walking down the hallway. I let my robe slide off my shoulders, the cool fabric pooling around my ankles.

“Let’s go to the bedroom,” I said over my shoulder. When neither of them moved, I reached a hand behind my back and undid the clasp of my bra, letting it fall to the floor with my robe.

I looked over my shoulder again and smiled. “Coming, boys?”

---

Dull light was shining through the curtains when I woke up the next morning. I stretched and rolled over in bed, muscles I didn’t know I had complaining loudly at my sudden movements. It was the good kind of sore, reminding me of the incredible night I’d had. I had expected to see Quinn still asleep next to me, but instead, found a note tucked under his pillow.

Went golfing with some guys from work. I’ll be home before noon. Love you.

What time was it? I rolled back over and looked at my phone. 10:33. I didn’t know what time it was when Carson had finally left last night. I leaned back onto my pillows and pulled the blankets around my naked body.

Last night had been even better than the first time; no awkward conversations about condoms or nerves to get in the way—just raw lust feeding the fire that burned between the three of us. Everyone knew their role and had played it well. If Carson had been uncomfortable, he certainly hadn’t shown it, and Quinn had come even further out of his shell than before. I loved this new, sexual side of him.

My phone buzzed on my nightstand. I had fully expected the incoming text to be from Dani, wanting to know all the dirty details from last night. Butterflies formed in my stomach when I saw it was from Carson.

I stared at the screen for a long time, trying to formulate a response. Three little dots informed me that Carson was typing another message.

Quinn didn’t normally work on Sundays, but with college football season kicking off later in the week, his station was doing a big show the Sunday before, so he had to be there at seven AM, and probably wouldn’t get home until late afternoon.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and locked my phone. I wasn’t going to respond. Anger washed over me as I turned on the shower. Who the fuck did Carson think he was? He didn’t get to demand that I meet him. And why did he want to meet me anyway, when he knew Quinn would be at work? There was no way meeting Carson alone would end well.

“Fuck you, Carson,” I mumbled under my breath. “I’m not playing this game.” But there was a small part of me that came alive at the thought of meeting him; I knew the risk and wanted to see if the reward was worth it. I shook my head again … I wasn’t going down that road. I’d done what Dani had said, and taken back the control, so I wasn’t going to willingly hand it back over to Carson.

After my shower, I made myself a late breakfast. It was a gloomy day—dark and overcast—the clouds heavy, like any second they might open up and start pouring. Typical Portland.

I painted my toenails while I let my hair air dry, and then put on some light makeup. I was just pulling on my jeans when Quinn got home.

“Hey, beautiful.” He came into the bedroom and gave me a kiss.

“How was golfing?” I pulled a tank top over my head and layered it with one of the dozens of Nike jackets I had.

“Shitty. It was cold, and I sucked at driving.”

“Well,” I walked closer to him, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him again, “if it makes you feel any better, you definitely didn’t suck last night.” I pulled his head down for another kiss, this one deeper and full of passion.

“Oh really?” He rested his forehead against mine.

“Yeah, in fact, I’d say you were pretty awesome.” My heart beat a little faster as the memory of last night washed over me.

“I am a sex god, remember?” He smirked and planted another short kiss on my lips before pulling away. I rolled my eyes.

“Oh jeez,” I laughed.

“You said it first, not me.” He collapsed on the bed and stretched his arms behind his head. “Let’s take a nap.” He winked.

“I just got up, like, an hour ago,” I said, even though I knew he didn’t actually want to sleep. “I’m going to go get some groceries for this week.”

“All right, fine, I guess I’ll just nap alone,” he whined.

“You do that.” I leaned down and kissed him before I left. “I’ll be back later.

I sent Dani a text on my way down the elevator.

I figured if I had plans, I wouldn’t be tempted to give in and meet Carson for coffee. I started my car and waited for her response.

Ugh. Yoga was still a good idea, even if Dani wasn’t going to come with me—a welcome distraction, anything to occupy my mind for a while.

The grocery store was only a few miles away, and it didn’t take me long to gather a few items for dinners that week. Quinn and I spent the rest of the day doing random chores around the house—laundry, dishes that had been neglected through the week, cleaning the bathroom, and dusting. Later that night, Quinn grilled brats and vegetables, and we ate on the patio. The clouds had finally broken up, and the sun was peeking through. I watched the clouds as they moved across the sky, completely lost in my own world. When I looked up, Quinn was staring at me intently.

“What?” I blushed.

“You’re beautiful, and I love you. I got lucky, that’s all.”

“Nah,” I replied. “I think I’m the lucky one.”

“Let’s just say we’re both lucky.”

“Deal.” I smiled.