Laid Bare - Lauren Dane [88]
Carefully, slow enough to give Todd the chance to move away, Ben reached out to touch Todd’s chest. “Bowled over because you think liking men is bad?”
Todd laughed, his pupils huge. “No. Bowled over because you’re ours. You fit with us in some sense even if I can’t define it. Your being in our relationship seems natural to me. I might be kinky, but I suppose I’m pretty traditional in a lot of ways. Possession and jealousy may seem old-school to some, but I guess I’m old-school, because Erin is my woman and I wanted to punch Jeremy’s fucking face for looking at her today like he loved her.”
Ben laughed then too because he’d felt the same way. “I know. I did too.” He paused. “But you don’t want to punch me? Because, I’ll be totally honest with you, I want to rub up all over your woman as much as I want to be a part of her life every day. I’m well on my way to being in love with her. I already love you; I have for as long as I can remember. It hasn’t been hard to take what we already had and to add to it.”
“I don’t want to punch you. And I don’t think liking men is bad, by the way. I’ve just never actually liked one. Before now, that is.”
Ben was aware the door to the bathroom had opened and he was concerned enough about Erin’s reaction that he broke the moment with Todd to look toward her.
She leaned against the door frame, totally naked, her hair slicked back against her head, making her gorgeous eyes seem even bigger.
“Am I interrupting something?”
At the hesitation in her voice both men turned to face her fully. “No honey, not at all. Come here.” Todd held out a hand and she walked over to take it.
She stood between them, looking up, and Ben realized that despite the size of her presence, she was smaller than both of them and scared. His heart squeezed.
“Don’t look like that. You have nothing to be worried about.” Todd’s gaze roved over her face lovingly.
“You two have a connection I can’t touch. You’re close in ways I can’t compete with. You’ve known each other your whole lives.”
Her voice sounded so small.
Todd kissed her, collaring her throat as he did. “You don’t have to compete. Erin, I’m yours. I love you with everything I am. I loved Ben before I met you, yes. He’s my best friend, yes. But as it happens, you are now too. What I have with Ben doesn’t threaten what I feel for you.”
“I can walk out of here right now. Things can go back to the way they were before. I don’t want that look on your face, Erin.” Ben brushed a thumb over the curve of her cheek.
“What do you want?”
He knew now. He bent and kissed her, hauling her to his body as he invaded her mouth, loving her taste, loving the way she felt against him, all soft and female. He might be attracted to Todd, but Ben was wild for her on a completely different level. She was the center of their relationship. If they meant to pursue something, she and Todd both needed to understand that.
“I want you, Erin,” he said as he tore his mouth from hers. “And with you, I want Todd. You both should know that while I like men too, it’s you, Erin, you who would be the center here.”
She put her fingertips to her lips and the gesture touched him. Christ, he wasn’t well on his way to being in love with her. Truth be told, he’d started falling when he met her that first time, after she’d been painting. Each time he’d seen her since, it had been a few inches more into love. He’d shoved it away because Todd was his best friend and he’d never want to hurt either of them. Freed from that, now he could admit it—he was in love with Erin.
“What do you think, Erin?” Todd asked.
“I think many things.” She took a step back and tossed herself onto her bed. “I think you both should be naked like me, first of all. I also think Holy shit, two hot men! I think we could make it work and I also think this is very complicated.”
Todd crawled into bed with her and Ben took the other side. Both of them had to touch her, that much was clear, as their hands roved from her beautifully elegant collarbone down to her gorgeous nipples. Brief touches, caresses, it didn’t matter.
“It