"Oh, I'd even take it from him," I promised. "She didn't lie when she said he was gorgeous. And those eyes?"
"Yeah, I know," he agreed. "Love that color of green, like jade or something."
"Emerald," I said, smiling over at him. "Doc, what do you know about polyamory?"
He didn't even snap at me for calling him that. Cy just stared at me for a little too long. "Won't work."
"Why?" I asked. "I'm in love with her, you're in love with her, and he's getting there fast. You have a thing for him, and, well..." I bumped my shoulder against his. "I missed this. Why won't it work?"
He chewed on his lower lip for a minute, but didn't take his eyes away. "You think Violet thinks of us that way?"
"Yeah. I know she's made comments about you. I know she kept hinting that she and I should be more, but I chickened out and called it best friends. I also know that she's waited a long time for a chance to be with Luke. If the three of us can make it work, then yes, I think she's kinky enough to go for it. Won't be her first orgy."
Cy grunted, making it clear there was another problem. "Luke won't talk to me about that."
"I'll talk to Luke. I'll take care of all the weirdness that happened tonight. I just need one thing from you." Reaching over, I clasped his arm. "Don't push me away again?"
"Too soon to try to kiss you?" he asked.
I laughed. "Yeah, but I figure tomorrow I might change my mind." Then I leaned my head on his shoulder. "I brought whiskey, and the good kind."
"I bet we can get Violet in the pool," he said. "Sounds like a good night to me."
I nodded without lifting my head. "Yeah, and just let me explain about Luke. You just say I was an ass a few times, ok? And I'll need his number to tell him the cover story."
"Fuck, I missed you." Then he leaned in and kissed the top of my head. "Nice to have you back, Magenta."
"You too, Cyan. You fucking too."
Chapter Thirty-Five
Afew shots of Jack Daniels got me to sleep that night. I woke up late the next morning, so ended up feeding the cows and changing shirts in my truck. Sitting in the middle of the church service, I checked my phone to find a message from an unknown number. Curious, I opened it.
Ashton: It's Ash. Wanted to let you know that I told Violet I pissed you off again. She made it clear that I'd better suck up the next time you come back, so this is me sucking up.
Ashton: Story is that I said you're just into her for a piece of ass. You told me where to shove it, and I bunched up to finish the last fight we started. Cy put an end to it, and you left, telling him to call you when I was gone.
Ashton: And I'm sorry you got caught in that. If you come by, I'll buy you a beer and apologize. I pushed him too far. You're probably freaked out, thinking it's safer to stay away, but he feels like shit. Thinks he lost the last friend he had.
There I was sitting in church, reading about my latest sin. I closed the screen, waiting for a bolt of lightning to strike me. Or maybe I'd just burst into flames? It felt like everyone in the pews could see what I'd done. I'd kissed a man. I couldn't even say I'd been kissed by him, because I'd kissed back.
What the fuck had I been thinking?
That it was wild, crazy, and... I didn't even know. If I was straight, I'd be disgusted, right? Not still thinking about it. Or was that like when women got raped and felt dirty? Because I kinda felt like it was clinging to me, but I also remembered the way he'd smelled and how he'd tasted. The feel of his beard on my lips. That meant I had to be something. Not straight, and there was an entire list of options. I'd only recently looked them up.
Pansexual? That kinda sounded like people who liked the person inside regardless of the outside. But it didn't fit. I wasn't in love with Cy or some shit. I was horny. I'd been tired. Maybe I'd been thinking about Violet? Yeah, that was a lie and I knew it. I'd been thinking that Cy felt like he was as hard as a rock.
I quickly looked across the aisle where Faith was sitting beside her mother. She was focused on kicking her feet as close to the ground as possible, wearing a pretty little yellow dress that made her look more like a teenager than I was ready for. I couldn't be into men. I'd had enough fun making her, and I couldn't imagine her looking at me with shame in her eyes, yet I still woke my phone back up and started typing.
Luke: I'm in church, but I'll be there when I'm done.
Ashton's reply came back immediately, almost like he'd been waiting for it, even though the previous messages had been sent late last night.
Ashton: Cy walked out to check the hay to make sure it's dry. Lemme know when you're headed this way and I'll have beer waiting on the back side of the barn. Yes, by the old truck. No, Violet's still in bed. We got her drunk last night.
Luke: Just us?
Ashton: Promise. And if you hook the next thing up, we'll send jughead out to work. Think there's a lot you need to know, and a lot I should apologize for. No fists. You have my word.
