Laura did a double-take. “Did anyone ever think they were?”
Through a mouthful of banana, Josie sputtered, “Ah, c’mon, Laura. Two guys with one girl? Gay, gay, gay.”
“Not gay!” Holy smokes, not even close to gay. Laura knew gay. Gay men, that is. Her high school boyfriend her senior year had turned out to be gay. He’d come out when they were juniors in college, home at Thanksgiving and hanging out in a piano bar with a group of friends. Ding! A million little questions had been answered with one big answer. What other hot-blooded seventeen-year-old teenager wanted to cuddle and kiss all the time instead of banging wherever they could get a shred of privacy? Or knew all the words to the disco songs? Or liked to go clothes shopping with her?
And eyed the same guys Laura surreptitiously checked out as they had wandered the mall?
Her gaydar wasn’t pinging with Mike and Dylan. No way. It was just...complicated. That’s all.
Why was it always complicated?
Josie swallowed hard, trying to clear her mouth. “I know that. I asked.”
“You asked?” Laura’s turn to sputter.
“They closed right up. That Dylan is one scary dude when he’s being cold. Mike, too—but Dylan was worse. I felt like the ice king had just cast a spell over the booth.”
“You asked them that at Jeddy’s? Jesus, Josie. You have some—”
“Balls. Yeah. I know. I had to ask, though. If you’re just some bed toy for them, then I’m not letting anyone do that to my best friend, because that is some fucked up mental shit right there. If two gay guys are just out trawling for a chick they can bang to get off their jollies, it won’t be you.”
Laura started peeling a clementine. “I’m touched.” She frowned. “I guess. In your own extremely convoluted way, you mean well.”
“And, by the way, no foursomes. Dylan shut that one down.” The orange wedge in Laura’s mouth went flying across the room, landing in the sink as she did a spit take.
“You asked about a foursome?”
Josie winked. “I was just testing them.”
“Oh, my God.” No wonder Dylan had made a funny face when Josie’s name had come up last night. Mike’s arched eyebrows without a smile had made her wonder as well. What in the ever-loving hell did they think of her best friend? And how did this reflect on how they viewed her? The night had been nice. Just nice. And just nice was exactly what she’d needed after far too many nights of surprise, shock, passion and boundary pushes. Breaks. Annihilations.
Having a few boundaries in place where affection, banter, food and fun were all that were expected of the night had been refreshing.
And now Josie...
She wagged a finger in Josie’s face. “No more foursome tests. Or jokes. Or—ewww.” She shuddered. “And no more going behind my back to tell them how I feel.”
“Someone has to.”
“Has to what?”
“Tell them how you feel. And frankly, if you won’t do it, I will.”
Laura plunked her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. “Why? Who appointed you the keeper of my feelings?”
“Ryan.”
Jolt. “You don’t see me sabotaging your relationships!”
“I’m not sabotaging anything, Laura! I’m saving your relationship. S. Relationships. Well, it’s one, but with two guys. Where is Miss Manners’ Plural Guide to Threesomes?”
This was getting out of hand. “To answer your original question, no. I don’t have to kiss one and then the other. I asked.”
“You asked!” Josie clapped her hands gleefully. “Did they hand you a neatly printed manual on how to have a perma-threesome?”
Glare. “I wish you came with a user’s manual so I could find your off switch.”
Smirk. “You’re not the first person to say that to me.”
Sigh. “And I won’t be the last.”
Josie reached for her hand, the gesture one of caring. “Laura. Seize this. Accept it. Yes, it’s crazy. No, no one has words to describe it. And yes, I did go behind your back and tell them about you—because someone needed to. They’re really great guys. You know that. Don’t blow this.” She released her hand and stood.
“Are you really jealous?” Laura squeaked out, surprised by Josie’s tenderness.
“Jealous? Hell, yes. I don’t want to take it away from you, of course.” She grabbed an apple and headed toward the door. “I just wouldn’t mind finding two guys like that for myself.”
The door shut on her words. Sip. The coffee tasted better than normal. Calming and soothing yet putting her on alert to start the day. Stretching, her arms reached high and her shirt rode up a bit, exposing a thin expanse of belly flesh. Not wearing a bra, her breasts rubbed against the thin cloth of her cotton jersey, her pajamas loose and comfortable. The day was about to start and work loomed large.