Jasper flips him off again.
“See? We’re good as we are. Three brothers who happen to share a girlfriend. Well…” I look at Mara. “Are you our girlfriend? Or is there a better term for this?”
“Partner?” she suggests.
“Partner,” Dredyn tests. “Yeah. That works.”
“Three brothers who share a partner. Who love each other platonically and love you … not platonically.”
“Very not platonically,” Dredyn adds with a grin.
“So, just to be absolutely crystal clear… I’m the only one getting railed by all three of you? That’s the arrangement?”
“That’s the arrangement, Princess,” I confirm.
“Good. Just wanted to make sure I understood the dynamic.”
We fall back into comfortable silence. Ghost returns from his hunt, unsuccessful, and jumps into Jasper’s lap, the ocean continues its rhythm, and the stars shine overhead.
“For the record,” Dredyn says after a moment, “if I were interested in men, it wouldn’t be you two losers.”
“Who would it be?” I ask, genuinely curious now.
“I don’t know. Someone impressive. Accomplished. Maybe … Chris Hemsworth?”
“That’s everyone’s answer. You’re so predictable,” Mara says.
“He’s Thor! I’m not apologizing for having taste.”
“If I had to pick a man, it would be Ryan Reynolds. He’s funny,” Jasper says.
“I’d go with—actually, no, I’m not playing this game. We’ve established I’m not interested. I’m not picking a hypothetical man.”
“Coward,” Mara teases.
“Comfortable in my sexuality and not needing to prove anything,” I correct.
She laughs. “Fair enough.”
Three men who love each other like brothers.
One woman who loves all three of us.
A dynamic that works because we decided it works. Because we’re honest about what we want and what we don’t.
And if that’s unconventional—if it doesn’t fit into a neat category or match other people’s expectations—well …
That’s their problem, not ours.
Mara stands up and stretches. “All right, I’m going to bed. Anyone joining me?”
“I’ll be there in ten. Want to finish my drink,” Dredyn says.
“I’ve got some emails to check,” I say.
“Reading. Give me thirty.”
“So I’m going to bed, alone, while you three finish your various tasks?” She tilts her head, a slow smile spreading across her face. “Guess I’ll just have to entertain myself then. Been a while since I had some quality alone time. Might take a long, hot shower. Maybe dig through that drawer Dredyn thinks I don’t know about…”
