And… desire.
They looked at each other like they were having a silent conversation, then, as if they were a single entity, the three men rose from their seats and surrounded her.
Gabe took her hand and helped her stand, and all Evie could do was gaze from one to the other with wide eyes as she wondered what the heck was going on, and if there was a chance she’d fallen into some alternate universe.
Yes, that’s what this was. She was living out her dreams, and any moment now, she’d wake up.
Except a moment later, she found herself sandwiched between the three of them, and hot buttered bagels, it felt delicious!
Evie's breath caught as she felt the solid warmth of their bodies pressing against her from all sides. Gabe's hand still clasped hers, his thumb tracing slow circles on her palm. Asher's fingers brushed the small of her back, sending tingles up her spine. And Shepherd's breath tickled her ear as he leaned in close.
"Who says you have to choose?" Shepherd murmured, his deep voice rumbling through her.
A shiver ran through Evie at his words. Surely he couldn't mean...
There was no more time for thoughts because Gabe’s mouth was on hers, warm and insistent, coaxing her lips open in a kiss that was somehow both patient and ravenous.
Evie melted against him, losing herself in his scent—oakmoss, bergamot, and the subtlest trace of powdery winter air. But even as her world narrowed to Gabe’s hands stroking her jaw and the gentle scrape of his five o’clock shadow against her cheek, Asher’s nimble fingers found her waist. He guided her backwards with ease, his laughter soft and breathy against her skin as he nuzzled beneath her ear and then nipped, playfully, at the sensitive spot just below. She gasped—half in shock, half indelight—her mind a whirl of static, her body tingling in a way she hadn’t felt since… ever. Not even Adrian in the early days of their courtship had made her feel like this.
Then came Shepherd, silent and smoldering, his presence a tide that swept her further into the moment. He pressed himself against her back, the gentle force of his chest anchoring her as he leaned in close. His beard grazed her other earlobe, then his teeth latched on, sending a jolt straight down her spine that made her knees buckle. Shepherd’s arm slipped around her shoulders, steadying her, and that simple act—protective, possessive—nearly undid her. She could hear his heartbeat, steady and slow, as if he had all the time in the world.
It was too much. Three sets of hands, three mouths, three very different but equally irresistible men. Evie tried to say something - to protest, to ask for a moment, to remind them that she had just confessed her inability to choose - but the words evaporated as soon as Gabe deepened the kiss, his tongue coaxing hers into a slow, sensuous dance. Asher, meanwhile, had slipped his fingers beneath the hem of her sleeve, caressing the soft skin of her upper arm, while Shepherd’s free hand threaded through her hair, tilting her head back so he could kiss along her jawline.
Somewhere in the background, the soft swish of the wind down the chimney and the crackle of the fire made the scene feel surreal, like she’d been dropped into a particularly vivid dream. And yet, the sensation of their bodies pressed against hers, the primal urgency of their touch, was as real as anything she’d ever known.
Evie’s head spun. Was this actually happening? Were these three men, men she’d spent so much time agonizing over, here, together, pressing their affections - and other parts - against her in a way she’d never dared imagine? Not even when Posy hadsuggested it. Was it even possible to want three men at once, to crave and to be craved this much, without being torn apart?
As if sensing her conflict, Gabe broke the kiss first. He drew back just enough to look into her eyes, his own gaze steady and searching. Asher and Shepherd likewise eased their grip, but neither let go, both holding her as if she might otherwise float away. She felt like she might.
“Go with it, Evie. Let yourself feel how right this is.” Gabe said softly, his green eyes intense as they met hers.
“Think of it as a solution,” Shepherd whispered in her ear.
Evie's heart pounded. She licked her suddenly dry lips, acutely aware of each and every one of them. "What kind of solution?" she managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.
Asher's playful grin softened into something more tender. "The kind where you don't have to choose, and none of us have to give you up," he said, reaching up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.
Her mind reeled, her mind struggling to process what they were saying while her body thrummed with desire, every nerve ending alight from their combined touches.
Scratch that, she’d be struggling to process this even if they were right across the other side of the room.
Still, a small voice of reason persisted through the haze. "H - how could this possibly work?" she stammered.
Gabe's thumb traced her cheekbone, sending tingles across her skin. "We've talked, Evie. We’d already guessed where your mind was at when you invited the three of us for dinner together. None of us want to lose you."
"And we're all willing to share," Asher added, his breath warm against her neck.
Shepherd's deep voice rumbled through her. "If you'll have us."
Evie's heart raced. Were they for real? Her head spun as she tried to wrap her mind around the implications. Three men, all wanting her, all willing to... what? Be in a relationship together?
"But... what about..." She trailed off, unsure how to even voice her concerns. Jealousy? Logistics? What would people say?
"We'll figure it out," Gabe assured her, already anticipating her hesitancy. "Together."
Asher's fingers skimmed along her arm. "No pressure, sugarplum.”
“Speak for yourself,” Shepherd grumbled, breaking the tension that wrapped around them. “My dick is under plenty of pressure.”
