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Oh. Of course.

The realization hits me like lightning. I glance at Ford and Hayden again, noticing the relaxed set to their shoulders that I recognize from when we were younger and hooking up regularly—just having fun, partying as hard as we worked before we sobered up and poured everything into building our company, before we all retreated behind our respective walls.

They’ve both had sex. Both of them. With Maeve.

It takes every ounce of self-control I possess to keep my expression neutral and pretend to pay attention to the white elephant game. My mind is racing and my cock is growing hard between my legs. God, I can imagine it so easily—the way they would handle her together. I wonder what position they were in, whether they took turns or shared her. The images flashing through my mind are too quick and hazy to hold on to properly, but they have my cock hardening in a way that makes me have to reach down and subtly adjust myself.

I step closer to the two men, positioning myself behind Maeve. I keep my voice low so no one around us can overhear, leaning in slightly.

“Do you three really think you’re being subtle?” I ask quietly.

All three of them go rigid.

“Don’t worry, I don’t think anyone else has noticed. I don’t think they’re even capable of figuring it out.” Nobody here knows Ford and Hayden, or Maeve, the way I do. “But you had to know I would piece it together.”

“Not. Here,” Ford mutters through a clenched jaw.

“Not here? You’re the ones who had sex in the middle of a party.”

“It wasn’t exactly planned,” Hayden says under his breath.

“How exactly did it happen?” I whisper, unable to stop myself from asking.

“Hayden interrupted me,” Maeve hisses quietly.

“You needed to be interrupted,” Hayden counters.

They quickly fill me in on the basic details—Richard’s inappropriate behavior, Hayden’s intervention, the confrontation that led to… everything else. I’m burning to ask for more specifics. I want to know exactly how it felt to be inside her, what sounds she made for them, every intimate detail. But I know myself well enough to realize that if they told me right now, I’d be so turned on that everyone would notice. And while I’m not a prude by any means, I’m aware that there are some things you simply don’t do at a family Christmas party.

I clench my jaw and force myself to pay attention to the gifts being exchanged around us. If I don’t get myself under control, I’m going to do something that will embarrass all of us.

Maeve’s eyes go wide and I see her flush return full force. “Don’t worry,” she whispers urgently. “This won’t change anything. It won’t mess up the deal—I’d never let that happen.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” Her concern doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen how responsible Maeve is over the past two years. She may get frustrated with the demands we place on her, but she’s loyal and hardworking. I know she takes this deal seriously and genuinely wants to help us succeed.

“And it won’t happen again,” Maeve adds, still whispering.

“Why not?” I blurt out before I can stop myself.

Maeve blinks at me in surprise. “What?”

There’s sudden cheering as a woman whose name I was definitely introduced to but can’t possibly remember holds up what appears to be a novelty sex toy set—fuzzy handcuffs and a tiny flogger, the kind of gag gift that looks risqué but is actually useless in the bedroom.

Everyone laughs loudly and we join in, pretending we’re paying attention to the festivities.

Maeve’s eyes are still wide with shock, though, and I know she wants an explanation. I swallow hard. It’s difficult to explain something when you can’t quite put your own feelings into words. I’ve spent so long refusing to acknowledge how attracted I am to Maeve, and now it’s all rushing to the surface at once.

“I am jealous,” I say, but that’s not quite right either.

Normally if Ford or Hayden were interested in a woman, I’d gracefully step aside. Plenty of fish in the sea and all that. But not this time. I don’t want to back down.

I don’t want my best friends to miss out, though, either.

I care about Ford and Hayden deeply. I don’t want to take Maeve away from them. I just want to have her as well.

Taking a deep breath, I let slip the words that float up from somewhere deep in my mind. Dangerous words, especially in such a public setting. But everyone’s busy with the gift exchange, stealing presents from one another, laughing and joking. Nobody’s paying the slightest attention to our little group.

“I missed out the first time,” I murmur to Maeve, daring to lean in closer so I’m certain she hears me. “I don’t want to miss out on the second.”