“We need to get it out of the way before we figure out what to do with our other issue,” she heads around the table and takes a seat.
I smirk again, knowing who’s seat it is. We both turn to Mace. He has an odd look on his face, but he doesn’t ask her to get up. That’s telling. Following her lead I drag over the chair I was sitting in when she rode me, and lean one elbow on the table. It takes a minute till Mace joins us.
We are spaced apart, in another, less sexy triangle. Shit, I have got to stop thinking like that.
“We are adults, we can talk about this,” she clears her throat. “And what happens going forward.”
“What are you saying, sweetheart?”
Cassie chews on her lower lip and takes a moment to articulate what she wants to say. Mace is watching, fighting with himself like a dumb ass. To be fair, I’m not particularly enamored at the thought of sharing the woman I’ve got strong feelings about. After today, the way I feel about her has only solidified in my head, and to a lesser more nerve-wracking extent, my heart.
She didn’t press me too hard, even after hearing those truths about my past. Cassie has a heart, even if she will never admit it.
“I’m not averse to continuing,” she says, a rosy hue darkens her cheeks.
“You want us to keep fucking? All three of us?”
“Do you have to put it like that?” she asks Mace.
“It’s a big deal, Cassie. I’m not… I don’t…”
Who’d have thought the big bad president would get tongue-tied, I fight to keep the smile off my face.
“I don’t think any of us thought this was where things were going to go,” she says. “But here we are. And I’m not afraid to say I like it. I enjoy it. And unless I’m completely oblivious, you did too,” she looks at him, then me. “And maybe,” her brow puckers. We wait her out. “It’s a way for me to open up, and accept something more.”
“You think the three of us can be in some kind of relationship?” Mace gets up again, he starts pacing, tension clear through his jaw, shoulders, all the way down to his clenched fists. “None of us want a relationship. Hell, you run away from him anytime he tries to get near and maybe you’ve fooled a lot of other people but I see it. I see how you look at each other. So what does that make me, the spare dick in the equation?”
“Don’t talk to her like that.”
“This is my point,” he stops and waves a hand at me. “Deny it all you want, Eli,” he arches a brow when he says my real name. “There are feelings involved here. And you know it too,” he pointedly looks at Cassie. “If you want to use me to get around dealing with those feelings, then I’m not down with that.”
“That isn’t what I’m saying,” Cassie shakes her head like he’s an unruly child.
“It’s not a negotiation either.”
“Well then what do you want Mace? Why don’t we start with you and go from there.”
He scrubs a hand roughly over his hair. We’re both still topless. I don’t know what Cassie did with mine.
“I’ll admit, it was hot as fuck… It’s just fucking weird. I mean, he told me what to do, and I did it.”
“That sounds like a you problem.”
“Not helping, Eli,” Cassie admonishes me with a look that I shouldn’t find sexy. “Also, I don’t have time for this, so if you’re saying it’s done, that’s fine. I need to get back to work. Eli, can we go please?”
I get to my feet.
“Wait, that’s it?”
It’s odd, I never knew he was insecure. This isn’t a normal situation and I’m kind of hoping he steps aside and Cassie wants to continue this arrangement one-on-one. The silence lengthens and Cassie is on the verge of walking out when he speaks.
“No one can know,” he says, shocking the shit out of me.
“I wasn’t planning to advertise it.” Cassie rolls her eyes. “You were effective at clearing the place out.” She walks around the table eyeing my chest. “Your T-shirt, is in the bathroom. What did you tell them, by the way?”
“That I needed privacy. I don’t have to explain.”
“At least you didn’t lie,” she smirks.
