Rhythm of Three (Rule of Three) (2 page)

“I’m ready,” she announced.

She and Chris both worked for the same company so they drove to and from work together every day. Chris had a VP parking spot in the underground garage of the office tower in downtown Chicago. Kassidy was a lowly Training and Development Coordinator and did not rate a parking spot. But she loved her job.

She bent over the back of the couch to kiss Dag. “We’ll see you later.”

He smiled up at her, glanced at Chris shrugging into his suit jacket. “Okay, kids.”

Chris paused, watching her kiss Dag goodbye. “I’m not kissing him goodbye,” he muttered.

Her eyes went wide but Dag grinned. “I know you love me,” he said. “Asshole.”

She sucked in a deep breath. Okay, yeah, lots to get used to. They were figuring this out as they went, and today was Day One.

The drive to work was like any other day, she and Chris together in the car, listening to music and news. They rode up the elevator together, and she got off on the eighth floor where Human Resources and Training and Development had their offices, while he continued up to the executive offices on twelve. They didn’t kiss goodbye in the elevator because it was full of coworkers. Everyone at RBM Technologies knew they were a couple, of course; it wasn’t secret. But PDAs in the elevator weren’t exactly professional and although in private Chris was extremely physical and couldn’t keep his hands off her, in public, especially at work, he was more circumspect.

Unlike Dag.

Heat washed down beneath her silky blouse as she walked to her office, remembering that night at Kiss, the night everything had started, the night Dag had danced with her and put his hands all over her and slid her skirt up, giving Chris a show…

She shook her head to clear it and make herself focus on business as she walked along the carpeted hall.

What would all those coworkers in the elevator think if they knew not only was she sleeping with the VP of Product Development, but also with his…friend? Her insides tightened. They’d talked a little about this last night—what they were going to tell the world. And basically they’d decided they weren’t going to tell the world anything at this point. Which was great, because she didn’t even have words to explain it.

She passed her boss Paul’s office and called out a good morning.

“Morning, Kassidy. Hey…you feeling better today?”

She’d had a small meltdown the day before, so upset about Dag leaving, and her cheeks warmed. Crying in the office was so unprofessional and Paul had been uncomfortable, albeit concerned. She faced Paul with a small grimace. “Yes,” she said. “I am. Sorry about the meltdown. Things have been really stressful lately…with my mom and all.” She couldn’t exactly tell him the real reason for her tears.

He nodded sympathetically. “I understand. She’s doing okay?”

“Yes, she’s getting better and better every day. She has a doctor appointment this week I may need to take her to, but hopefully my dad can do it.” Her mom had been injured in a bad car accident a few weeks earlier and was recovering from a fractured pelvis.

“Sure, sure. Just let me know.”

“Thanks.” With a smile she turned away and entered her own small office. Okay. Work. She’d looked at those training proposals yesterday but none of it had stuck in her head, she’d been so sick with worry and distracted about what was happening with Dag and Chris. She grinned. She was still distracted—but for an entirely different reason.

Chapter Two

Dag watched Chris and Kassidy walk out of the condo, then let his head drop back to the cushion.

Yeah, this was fucking weird.

When he’d decided to come back to Chicago about six weeks ago, he’d never in his wildest fantasies imagined this was how things would turn out. Yeah, he’d had some cracked, crazy hope that he’d come back and find Chris single and…well, he hadn’t even really fully formulated that hope because it had been so fucking hope
less
. Chris was as straight as the Sears Tower—or whatever they called it now—his best buddy, yeah, but in no way interested in anything other than friendship. When Dag had met Kassidy, he’d seen how in love with her Chris was and Dag’s heart had turned stone-cold. He’d seen right away that Chris and Kassidy had something real and solid and forever.

Now…was he actually a part of that?

He closed his eyes as his chest squeezed the air out of his lungs. That wasn’t panic…was it?

He’d never been in a real relationship. He’d fucked around most of his life, mostly because he couldn’t have the one guy he cared about—Chris. What if he couldn’t do this? What if he fucked it up? He’d been so sure he’d already done that on Sunday when Chris told him to get out, when Kassidy had come to see him in the hotel. He’d worried that not only had he fucked up things once and for all between him and Chris, maybe he’d screwed over Kassidy too. Remembering the raw agony of that made him wince.

But relationships were scary and in a way this one was even scarier because he was opening himself up to two people, therefore increasing the risk of getting his heart stomped on.

Not going there. This was one of those “too good to be true” things, but he wasn’t going to be his usual self and screw things up because he didn’t feel he deserved to be happy. This time he was going to grab this with both hands and hang on and try his damndest to be the kind of man Chris and Kassidy both deserved.

He rolled off the couch, took his empty can to the sink and rinsed it, then tossed it in the recycling box. He looked around the kitchen. This was going to be his place now. Wow.

He thought about Kassidy’s comment earlier about finding another place, one they all chose together. Fuck, she was sweet. Thoughtful.

It was true that he was entering into their already established relationship. He’d noted that last night. But Kassidy had assured him that she and Chris were no longer a couple…they were a triad.

Easy to say…and he believed her, believed that she meant that, but, still, this was all new. Okay, he and Kassidy had been getting to know each other, their relationship building and growing, from a little hostility to friendship and now love. But between Chris and him, this was something entirely fucking new. Fucking fantastic, but new.

So maybe they
should
buy another place. What he’d said had been true—he could afford it. Something that was theirs, something bigger and better…a funky loft condo, maybe.

Or maybe not. Neither of them was into status and ostentation. In fact, Kassidy had been annoyed when he’d ordered a pricey bottle of wine, thinking he was showing off. She didn’t give a shit about his money and neither did Chris, and that was just one more thing Dag loved about both of them. He’d met his share of users who liked the fact that he was loaded. And since he never gave a shit about anyone, he was fine with people who liked to hang out with him for that reason because when things ended he didn’t have to feel bad.

But, fuck, he had money and he liked to spend it. And he’d like to spend it on the people he cared about.

With Chris and Kassidy both gone to work for the day, he had the place to himself. He wandered from the kitchen to their bedroom, looking around. This wasn’t the first time he’d been there alone. He’d been practically living there for weeks. He’d checked out of his hotel and brought his stuff there once before. He blew out a long exhalation as he headed for the shower.

While Dag shaved and showered and shampooed, he planned his day. He was right in the middle of a new start-up, which he’d pretty much resigned himself to continuing back in San Francisco. Now that he was staying in Chicago, and it seemed like it was going to be long term, he could resume his work here. Maybe get some office space. Nail down the financing. Get the prototype up and running and test it out, and start the marketing.

Excitement raced through his veins. He loved the adrenaline rush of starting something new, creating something unique and different, and getting it out in the world. He even loved the element of risk that went along with it. Which was not unlike embarking on an unconventional three-way relationship.

Dag smiled ruefully as he dressed in the clothes he’d worn over here yesterday. He’d changed before leaving the hotel, luckily, because he’d been so goddamn wrecked about everything that had happened he’d been sitting there drinking and unshaven and unshowered when Chris had shown up. He glanced at the time on his cell phone. He could check out before noon and not have to pay for another night.

Then he laughed out loud at his thrift when moments ago he’d been contemplating buying a million-dollar loft condo or something. Christ.

He shoved his cell phone in his pocket, but when he went to leave, he realized he no longer had his key. He’d left it there Sunday when Chris had kicked his ass out.

He looked around, but didn’t see the key. “Agh.” He pulled out his phone and sent Kassidy a text message. But she was working and might not get back to him right away. Now he was antsy and anxious to get going, to start doing things, and waiting around in the condo did not fit in with his plans.

Luckily, she texted back pretty quickly
. Key’s hanging inside the cabinet beside fridge.

He thumbed back a quick
Thanks
as he walked toward the cupboard.

Seconds later another message from Kassidy arrived.
Thurs is Chris’s birthday. We should do something. Ideas?

He paused. Huh. Right. Chris’s birthday. Fuck. He had no ideas.

He opened the cupboard door, recognized the key he’d been using and snagged it. He contemplated Kassidy’s question as he called a cab. He had no car there, because when he and Chris had left his hotel yesterday, he’d been drinking pretty heavily so Chris had driven.

That was something else he’d have to take care of—he’d been renting a car the whole time he’d been here. He needed to buy something.

In the back of the cab, he texted Kassidy back that he had no ideas but was open to whatever. He held the phone and looked out the window at passing traffic as he waited for her response. Instead of texting, she called him.

He smiled as he answered the call.

“Hey.”

“Hi. I thought I’d call since this is getting involved. I don’t want to talk about it later when Chris is around.”

“Christ. You’re not planning a surprise party, are you?”

She gave a soft laugh. “No. He’d hate that. I guess we could just ask him what he wants to do. I was thinking of calling some of our friends though, maybe get everyone together. We could have a party Friday night. You haven’t seen the gang all that much since you’ve been back.”

“No. True.” They’d been too busy screwing each other’s brains out in the many combinations and permutations you could have with three people.

“It’s his thirtieth birthday,” she said. “I feel we should do something more than just go out for dinner. Although that would be nice too.”

“Is a party going to be a lot of work for you? You just did something for your parents.”

“I’m not thinking anything fancy. I’ll buy some beer and chips and call it good.”

Now he laughed. “Right.” As if. The anniversary party for her parents had been just them, and she’d gone all out, making snacks and drinks and seafood to grill on the barbecue.

“Seriously,” she said.

“You call people and invite them. Let me take care of the rest.”

Silence. He could almost sense her frown. “You’re going to plan a party?”

“No, I’m going to hire someone to do it.”

“Dag!”

“What?” He leaned back, grinning.

“You can’t do that!”

“Why not? That’s what party planners are for.”

“It’s Tuesday. We’re doing this Friday.”

Amusement warmed him inside. “Okay, I’ll just hire a caterer,” he said. “And a bartender.”

After a beat of silence, she said, “Bartender?”

“Sure.”

“That would actually be kind of cool. Um…would that cost a lot?”

“I have no idea. Probably not.” He made a face though she couldn’t see him. “Hey, maybe your sister would like the job.”

Waves of silence assaulted his ear now. He grimaced. Kassidy’s sister, Hailey, worked at a popular nightclub as a bartender. Well, that was
one
of her jobs. Jesus. But the two sisters’ relationship had been strained lately. It had never been great, but when Hailey’d walked in on Kassidy, Chris and Dag in bed one morning, Kassidy had been horrified and terrified that Hailey would tell her parents.

“I guess I’d have to invite her anyway,” Kassidy said now with a sigh. “I have to talk to her.”

“Yeah?”

“I went to see her the other night. After…you left. I never told you about my conversation with her.”

“No. You didn’t.”

“I’ll tell you about it tonight.”

“Okay, babe.” His voice went gentle. “Everything okay with her?”

“Yeah. Surprisingly.”

“Okay. Party starts at eight o’clock at our place, yeah?”

“If you say so.” He heard the smile in her voice.

“Give me a rough head count.”

“Um…Jeff and Sarah, Cole and Tyra, Matt, Brandon…uh…Danielle…Hailey. Us. That’s…”