Any Given Sunday (3 page)

“But you still want Chad.”

“I’m attracted to him. I’m close to him. I just think my feelings for him are going to have to remain in the unrequited column.”

“No,” Riley said. “If you did that, you’d be lying to Sean, lying to yourself. Why

would you let this relationship continue to grow with something like that

overshadowing it? This is why the timing is right for you to do a little experimenting. I still say you should go for a threesome.”

“No. Besides, even if Sean were onboard with the idea—”

Riley interrupted her. “You know Sean would go for it, don’t you?”

Lauren shrugged noncommittally even though she knew her impulsive boyfriend

was probably even more liberal-minded than his sister, who was currently attempting

to push her into a ménage. Yes, she thought, Sean would definitely be open to the idea.

She wasn’t sure how she knew. It was just a feeling she got whenever she saw Chad and Sean together. They were closer than any two men she’d ever met. They shared

everything, spent hours at a time together talking about everything and nothing. There had actually been a few occasions when she’d felt like an outsider in their relationship.

She also suspected Sean was aware of her attraction to Chad. Though he never

overtly mentioned it, he’d definitely seen her checking Chad out on more than one

occasion. Once he’d even winked at her as if to say “caught you”.

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Mari Carr

Then she considered Chad and realized the idea was impossible. “You told me

yourself how upset Chad was when Lily hooked up with Justin and K. He was pissed

off by the whole concept.”

Riley considered her argument. “I don’t know if he was pissed off by the ménage or

the fact that it was his sister. Guys have pretty powerful protective instincts when it comes to sisters. Besides, he’s obviously over it. He’s always hanging around Lily and the guys.”

“I think it’s safe to say he’s accepted it…for
her
, because it clearly makes her happy and Chad adores his sister. That doesn’t mean he’ll embrace it for himself. Besides, he’s in the same boat I am. We’re studying to become psychologists. I’m not sure living in a ménage would be good for any practice we might want to build.”

Riley shrugged. “That’s a lame excuse.”

Lauren laughed. Trying to talk sense to Riley was always a waste of time. “A happy

threesome is something only your family would try
and
succeed at. I’m just plain old Lauren Chase from Bethesda, Maryland. I think it’s safe to say I better pack it in now while I’m ahead and enjoy my normal relationship with Sean.”

“Never pegged you as someone to settle for safe.”

Lauren narrowed her eyes. “I hardly call spending the rest of my life with your

brother ‘settling’. Sean’s amazing, wonderful. He’s everything I ever dreamed of in a man.”

Riley leaned against the wall. “I have no doubt the two of you are well suited. But

something’s missing. Even I can see that, and you’re forgetting something very

important.”

Lauren rose at the sound of feet climbing the stairs. “What’s that?”

“One-
third
,” Riley stressed the word, “of your happily ever after is a Collins. I think both of you will harbor a lifetime of regrets and what-ifs if you don’t explore the idea before you get married. In fact, you probably should have done it before you bought the house.”

Aaron appeared at the doorway. “Hiding out?”

Lauren was grateful for the man’s timely interruption. Talking to Riley could

sometimes be mentally exhausting.

Riley laughed at her husband’s accusation as he walked over to them. “You know

my aversion to anything resembling hard work. What do you think?”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Just wanted to let you know Sean and Chad are looking for

you, Lauren. Something about where to put the television. Lily’s down there, fighting the good fight. She doesn’t seem to think you’ll like their living room setup.”

“I better go put out the fire.” She turned at the door in time to see Riley kissing

Aaron on the cheek as he grabbed her ass. She grinned. “Thanks for the advice, Riley.”

“Dear God,” Aaron said, horrified. “You aren’t taking Riley’s advice on anything,

are you?”

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Any Given Sunday

“Hey.” Riley feigned offense. “I give amazing advice.”

Lauren nodded. “You give insane, impossible advice, but I do appreciate your

concern.”

“You’re not listening to it though, are you?” Riley asked.

Lauren shrugged and headed out the door.

“You know it’s only as impossible as you make it, Lauren,” Riley called out after

her.

Riley’s words drifted to her several times throughout that day…and the weeks that

followed.

* * * * *

A month later, all the boxes were emptied, the closets full of clothing, the kitchen

full of food. The only thing still packed away was Lauren’s true desires. And she was getting damn tired of it. Riley had planted a seed that had grown into a vine

threatening to choke the life out of her.

The sound of Sean setting the kitchen table drifted down the hallway. Dinner was

almost ready. She welcomed the idea of taking a break. She sure as hell wasn’t

accomplishing much right now.

She watched Chad read something off the computer screen, his face the picture of

concentration. They’d spent hours…hell,
weeks
of their lives together like this, working on projects, debating a variety of subjects, dreaming about their shared career plans.

They were so similar sometimes it was scary. They could finish each other’s thoughts

and there were times when she swore he could read her mind.

Chad rested his head on his hand, the pose drawing her attention to his muscular

arm. Her imagination and lustful dreams of late were becoming more vivid with each

replaying. Chad eating her pussy while she gave Sean a blowjob. Sean taking her from

behind as she sucked on Chad’s cock. Chad and Sean both taking her—filling her ass

and her pussy at the same time.

She rested her head against the back of her wingback chair and sighed, her mind

filled with the latter image.

“Lousy book?”

She looked up to find Chad had turned in the desk chair and was looking at her.

They’d both hit the office right after returning from class. Chad had set up his laptop and was working on a paper, while she was supposed to be studying for a test.

“What?” she asked.

“That’s the third time in five minutes you’ve sighed. I figure either something

you’re reading is upsetting you or the book is boring.”

She lifted the large textbook off her lap and flashed the cover at him.

He grinned. “Boring it is.”

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Mari Carr

She hadn’t read a single word since she’d come into the office and plopped down in

the cushy chair in the corner. She had the same paper to write as Chad, but she was

struggling to set her mind to it.

“Need help?” Chad offered.

She shook her head. The assignment wasn’t difficult. “No, I understand it all. I

just…” Her words faded away unfinished.

Chad frowned and rose. Crossing the room, he claimed the ottoman at her feet, his

close proximity sending all the blood flowing to her hot spots—her nipples tightened

and her pussy dampened. “You know, I’m starting to worry about you, Lauren. You

haven’t seemed like yourself since we moved into this house. Are you regretting your

decision to let me bunk here? I know you and Sean were looking forward to setting up

house. Don’t wanna be in your way.”

Damn psych majors, she thought. Chad was far too perceptive, too in tune with her

emotions for her to hide anything for long. Only thing he seemed oblivious to was her desire to shove him to the floor and ride his cock until they both passed out. “Of course I don’t regret you being here. I love living with you guys. I know I spent more time at yours and Sean’s apartment over the past couple of years than I did at mine, but

actually having the three of us under one roof full-time is fun. I’m sort of surprised how well everything’s turned out.”

Chad chuckled. “Yeah, me too. I mean, Sean and I have been roommates forever,

but I have to admit I worried about changing the dynamics, adding you to the mix.”

She gave him a hurt look and he quickly continued. “Don’t look at me like that. I

know we all get along, but you know how it is. You can be good friends with someone

and still not be able to live with them. That’s not true here. The three of us,” he paused as if looking for the words, “we fit.”

She nodded slowly, wondering exactly how well they would fit, say…on her bed.

She cast the thought aside, afraid of giving herself away, and forced herself to answer lightly. “Yeah, I’d say, with the exception of the foosball table in the dining room, everything is pretty close to perfect.”

Chad’s eyes darkened. For just a moment she wondered if he weren’t hiding

something too. Sometimes she got a feeling she wasn’t the only one playing her cards

close to her chest; that Chad and Sean were harboring some secrets as well.

Unfortunately she couldn’t figure out what those secrets might be. While Riley still

swore Sean and Chad would be receptive to a threesome, neither of them gave her any

indication they were unhappy with the status quo. She appeared to be the only horny

one in the house, walking around with her mind in the gutter 24/7.

“Yeah,” Chad said softly, “everything’s perfect.”

She narrowed her eyes, studying his face. His tone of voice betrayed his words and

left her scrambling to figure out what he thought was off. “Chad,” she started.

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Any Given Sunday

He covered his seriousness with a light laugh. “We’ll move the foosball table

eventually. Sean and I are getting close to finishing the basement. Once that’s done, I’ll take my stuff and the foosball table and give you both a bit more space.”

Sean and Chad had worked wonders in the basement, creating the dream

bachelor’s pad complete with a small kitchen, living area, bedroom and its own outdoor entrance. Sean was pulling out all the stops, declaring that after Chad moved out it

would become his man cave. The two spent ages plotting the future poker games and

sporting-event parties they’d hold down there.

She gave him an annoyed look that was just for show. “You guys always say that

and yet that foosball table is still in my dining room. I swear I’m about to cover the damn thing with glass, throw a vase of flowers on it and call it my dining room table.”

“That could work,” Chad said. She tried to hide her surprise when he reached over

and took her hands in his, the gesture out of character for him. While everyone within a twenty-mile radius could tell what Sean was feeling on any given day, Chad was more

reserved and solitary. She was accustomed to Sean’s continual, playful touches, but it was rare for Chad to touch her.

“You’re sure you’re okay with me living here?” he asked again.

She nodded.

“Good,” he murmured. He leaned closer and for the briefest of moments, she

thought he might kiss her. She didn’t move, barely breathed, afraid to break the spell as his gaze held hers captive. What would it feel like to kiss him? She desperately wanted to find out.

She moved closer, a miniscule movement that Chad mimicked. She could smell

cinnamon on his breath from the gum he’d been chewing earlier.

Her mouth watered for a taste and her eyes dropped to look at his lips, surprised to

find he’d moved even closer.

“Hey, dinner’s ready. I made spaghetti, and just so you know, cleanup’s gonna be a

bitch.” Sean entered the room. If he was suspicious of the way she and Chad quickly

broke apart, standing up at the same time, he didn’t give it away by his expression.

“Fuck, Sean. You made a mess on purpose, didn’t you?” Chad accused, and Lauren

was grateful for his quick reply. She scrambled to wipe away the thought that Chad had almost kissed her.

And she’d almost let him.

“Maybe,” Sean joked. They’d instituted a rule when they first moved into the house

that whoever cooked didn’t have to clean. Sean, ever the prankster, had started making messes that had grown until recently it looked as if he’d used every dish they owned to make his meals.

Lauren crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to hide the fact her nipples were

sharp enough to cut glass. She cleared her throat and forced a lightness to her voice.

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Mari Carr

“You know, Chad, I’m thinking this need to make big messes in the kitchen is actually some sort of repressed emotion from Sean’s childhood pushing its way to the surface.”

Chad grinned at the joke. Sean hated when they tried to analyze him. “You could be

right. Maybe the three of us should sit down after dinner and discuss it. I’m sure I can find some research—”

Sean lifted his hands in surrender. “Oh hell no. None of that psychobabble bullshit.

I’d rather clean up the mess myself than listen to any of that crap.”

Lauren grabbed one of Sean’s hands and shook it before making her way toward

the kitchen. “Deal. Thanks.”

She left the room quickly as Sean laughed. “No way. That wasn’t an offer,” he

yelled behind her.

She claimed her spot at the table, refusing to look too hard at the piles of dishes on the counter and in the sink. He really had outdone himself this time.

Chad must’ve agreed because he muttered, “Jesus Christ,” as he entered the kitchen

and took his chair. Sean chuckled as he sat down and picked up the bottle of Boordy

wine, pouring each of them a glass.