Double The Ache(7)

“We’d like to get to know you,” I say.

She takes a sip of her coffee and I wait for her to figure out what she’s going to ask next. I can practically see the wheels turning in her brain.

“Have you lived here long?”

“We moved in a couple of years ago when we were drafted to Vegas. Wes and I have an extra room our family stays in when they visit, but otherwise we like to lead a quiet life. We’re homebodies who tend to spend our nights playing video games or watching Netflix.” She gives me a small smile and I can see some of the fear in her body slipping away. “Wes is also a really good cook and I like to eat.”

“You cook?” she asks, turning to Wes.

He wipes his mouth and nods. “I took some classes in college.” He shrugs it off like he’s not Iron Chef-quality.

“We also spend a lot of our time in the gym here. We’ll probably be doing that at some point today if you want to come with.” Thoughts of Amelia sweaty and bending over fill my mind and I lick my lips. I bet she’d taste so good.

“I heard there was a spa,” she says and leans back in her chair. “I could use a massage after last night.”

I lock eyes with Wes and see that we’re both thinking the same thing. We want to be the ones oiling her up. The thought of a stranger putting his hands on her…yeah, that isn’t going to happen.

“Are you sore from last night?” Wes asks, and I know he’s doing it to change the subject from the spa back to us.

“A little,” she says, blushing. “I guess it was from the dancing. Nothing, um, happened, right? You said we just cuddled.”

“That’s right,” I say. “Wes carried you inside and I put you in our bed. We kept our pants on. All of us.”

“But we all slept together?” She looks to Wes, who nods.

“So do you, um, date women together, or how does it work?”

There it is, the question she’s been wanting to ask.

“We’ve never dated anyone long term before. But that’s the idea. One woman for the two of us,” I say, trying to be as open and honest as I can with her. I want this to work, and I don’t want to scare her. Giving her all the facts up front should help with that.

She opens her mouth to speak, but she’s cut off by her ringing phone. It’s sitting on the table in front of her and I glance down to see Dad on the screen. My hackles rise and though I shouldn’t be angry, because it’s her father, I’m annoyed at anything stealing time from us.

“Excuse me,” she says, standing up and grabbing her phone. “Hey, Dad, what’s up?”

I look at Wes and he shakes his head slightly, telling me to be cool and not follow her. She walks into the living room and we can still see her from where we’re at. I can even make out some of her conversation, even though she’s trying to be quiet.

“Yeah, some of the boxes, but I didn’t realize I had so much.” There’s some silence and then I hear her again. “I can’t tonight. I’ve got plans. Sure, I can do that. Okay, see you in a little bit.”

“Plans?” Wes asks me and I shrug, I know just as much as he does.

“Yeah, sounds perfect. I love you, too. Bye.”

Amelia walks over to us but doesn’t sit down. “Thank you both so much for breakfast, but I’ve got to go.”

“Why?” Wes asks, like he has every right to know.

“My dad needs me to go over some stuff before tomorrow. It’s my first day at work,” she replies, and I can see how excited she is. She looks so happy.

“So we’ll see you tonight?” I ask, hoping that we we’re the plans she was talking about.

“I, um, don’t think I can tonight, but maybe tomorrow.” She walks towards the door, and Wes and I are hot on her heels. “You guys aren’t going to break down my door, are you?”

She bites her lip and looks back and forth between the two of us. I want to pick her up and pin her against the wall.

“Not right now. But when you’re in our bed again, your little ass better stay put,” Wes says and leans down, giving her a quick, soft kiss.

When he releases her, I do the same, feeling the delicate touch of her lips against mine. It’s not as long as I want it to be, and it’s damn well not deep enough, but for right now it’s what we’ll give her.

“Don’t run from us,” I say, holding her chin and making her look into my eyes.

After a moment, she nods and then I take a step back to let her walk out of the door and across the hall. We watch her go into her place and glance back at us once more before she shuts her door. I close ours after that and look at Wes.

“You better know what you’re doing,” he says as he turns and goes back to the dining room table.

“Me too,” I mumble to myself before I join him.





Chapter Seven





Amelia





I cut the sandwich in half and slide it across the counter to my dad.

“You going to tell me why you’re all dolled up now?”

“I’m not all dolled up,” I say defensively, looking down at myself. I’m in yoga pants and a loose-fitting shirt and I’m barefoot.

My dad raises an eyebrow at me. “Your hair and face.”

“Oh.”

My dad didn’t get here until late afternoon. I wanted to keep myself busy, so I took a long bath, then spent extra time on my hair, nails, and makeup. I knew I was going to be cutting it close between my dad being here and the plans I made for tonight. I’ve already picked out an outfit and shoes to wear so I can get dressed quickly when my dad leaves. Apparently I’m not as clever as I thought. I’m not even trying to get dressed up for my date, more like keeping myself busy so I’ll stop wondering about the two men next door.

“I might have a date.” I shrug and now both his eyebrows rise. “I mean, it’s kind of a date. I don’t…it’s nothing special.” I throw my hands up in the air.

Dad smiles at me. “With?”

I pick my phone up off the kitchen counter and pull up the guy’s profile to show him. My dad scans it before handing my phone back to me. “He’s a doctor.”

I nod.

“I don’t like him.”

I roll my eyes. “How can you not like him? You haven't met him. Aren’t dads supposed to want their daughters to date doctors?”

“A doctor will work too much,” he complains.

“You don’t know that.” I grab a grape from the bowl I put out to go with the sandwich I made my dad. “We’re both into health. The human body,” I add, trying to come up with something. I don’t even know why I’m bothering. It doesn't really matter because I'm not excited about the date.

“I’m sure he’s into the human body,” my dad says, rolling his eyes, and my cheeks heats.

I throw a grape at him and he laughs.

“Dad! I’ve got to put myself out there. I need to date and meet people.”

“You’ll meet people when you come to work. That’s how most people make friends.”

“I want more than friends, Dad, and I don’t know if it’s wise to date someone I work with.” I can’t stop myself from glancing at my front door. My mind goes straight to Dean and Wes.

“Yeah, maybe that’s not a great idea.” I glance back to my dad and I see his eyes are now on the door. “I didn't want to bring this up while we were going over work, but since we’re done with all that I’m slipping into dad mode.”

“Uh oh,” I mumble and smile at him.

He takes a bite of his sandwich and I wonder where this is going. “I hear you went out last night with the team. That Dean and Wes were there.”

“Most of the team was there,” I try to play it off.

“Yeah, but Dean and Wes were there.”

“So?”

“They don’t do the party scene.”

“Oh.” I pick up the bowl of grapes and carry it over to the fridge and put it away. I’m not sure what to say to that, but my stomach feels warm. They were telling the truth about what they like to do. They are low-key and I like that.

“Yeah. Oh. Something had to have gotten them to come out and I think I know what that something is.”

I turn to face my dad and his eyes are locked on me.

“Me?” I ask. I want to get it out there and not beat around the bush.

My dad sets his sandwich down. “Yeah, you.” He lets out a deep breath.

“Does that bother you?” I ask. I don’t like the idea of my dad not liking something I’m doing.

“I’m not sure what I think about it.”

“Me either,” I admit.

I don’t tell him that they make me feel things I’ve never felt before. When I found out those girls were their sisters, I never felt such relief in my life. That’s when I really knew I was in trouble.

These men could own me and they act like they want to. I don’t know how to handle one man, let alone two. To top it off, they aren’t normal men. They are freaking giants who are pumped full of testosterone.

I sigh. “Well, nothing’s happened and who knows if anything will. Let’s not worry about something that might not take place.” I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince my dad or me.