Chapter 13

Waking up with Beck's hand wrapped around my morning wood and Hudson's head on my chest was unexpected. To say the least. What was expected was that somewhere in this tangle of limbs would be some sweetly female parts. Judging by the amount of hard-packed muscle and coarse hair seemingly everywhere, female parts definitely aren't present.

"So last night… That was different. Right?" Hudson's voice is soft when he lifts his head from my chest.

I flick away the sheet covering our lower bodies and gesture with my chin to where Beck's got a grip on my dick in a way a platonic buddy never would. His even breathing says he's still asleep, but the clench and release of his fist tells me he's dreaming of beating somebody's meat. My hips arch into his grasp without my permission.

"Good different. I hope," I respond.

"Probably oughta wake Sleeping Beauty there before he somni-handjobs you. We should talk about this."

"What's to talk about?" Beck's sleep-rough grumble cuts in. "You both got off on it. I got off on it. Talissa got off on it. A lot. Label it whatever you want to, the three of us are left of center when it comes to straight. Fuckin' go back to sleep. It's too early for this philosophical shit."

With his eyes screwed shut, he manages to let go of my hard-on and snag Hud by the arm to pull him back down. His soft snore resumes, signaling he's done discussing the seismic shift that took place in our lives last night.

Beck may have drifted right back to sleep, but Hud's thoughts are so noisy I can't ignore them. I know he won't relax until I give him an answer.

"Yeah, man. Good different," I whisper.

I mean it. I don't know what can come from three men who all want one woman and maybe, each other. I've seen poly relationships work. But as an attorney, I've also seen them go down in flames. Hudson and Beck are my best friends. For whatever quirk of universal timing brought us all into the room with a girl who seems perfect for each of us, Talissa sure feels like she could be the one.

The clock on the table beside this giant bed reads three a.m., and I allow myself to follow Beck back to sleep. There will be time enough in the morning to figure out where Talissa's sexy little ass snuck off to and why. She agreed to meet us Friday night for dinner, but maybe, we can get in touch with her for something sooner. I don't know if I can wait five days.

* * *

Much as Talissa sneaking out of the room while we all slept rankles, it's honestly the only reason I'll be even halfway on time to work this morning. If she'd been there when I woke up, I know, without a doubt, we'd still be locked away in that room.

Instead, I'm back to the grind. Doesn't matter that my focus is halfway stuck on daydreaming about the next time we'll see her. I have a job to do and people expecting me to maintain at least the appearance of being a driven, high-powered attorney. With that in mind, I shift my briefcase from my right hand to the left and adjust my tie.

The blast of artificially cool air when the automatic doors whoosh open feels like an unnecessary extravagance considering the temperate climate of the city behind me. But clients expect ostentation and luxury when they're paying nearly a thousand dollars an hour for representation. The firm exceeds at providing that sense of luxury boutique representation, whether clients are looking for a shark to take their ex to the cleaners or to carry them through turbulent contract negotiations.

I cross to the bank of elevators, their doors shiny enough I can watch the scene at the reception desk behind me without turning my head. Shiny enough to see the woman standing across from the woman running the phone bank for the office and signing in visitors is none other than Talissa Smith. The girl my best friends and I tag teamed until we passed out in satisfied heaps just last night. The girl we'd convinced to see us again in just a few days for dinner and, I'd hoped, more milky fucking. The girl who signed an NDA acknowledging the expectation of anonymity. Here. In my place of business. Not at all anonymous.

Before I finish the thought, I catch the eye of Duane Bruno, the head of daytime security for the firm. A jerk of my head in her direction, and he's already in motion. I don't know her game, but she won't be playing it here. Rocks churn in my gut as Duane puts a heavy hand on her shoulder and guides her out the same door I just came through. He points a thick finger in her face and gestures toward the bus stop at the end of the block.

Part of me wants to run after them and demand he treat her more nicely, the other part is boiling with rage at whatever scheme she's trying to pull. Anxiety spreads through me, turning my limbs to lead, at the thought of her playing us. Playing me. I don't want to believe she could be conniving, but why else is she here? Hours after disappearing from the room, she turns up at my law firm, a place where she shouldn't know she can find me? A con is the only explanation that makes any sense.

The ding of the elevator doors opening breaks my focus. Like a zombie, I board the metal box and let it carry me up the fourteen floors to my office. I unlock my phone and start a conference call with Hud and Beck in hopes we can figure out how big of a clusterfuck this situation is.

If nothing else, they need to be alert to the possibility Talissa could very well be a snake in the grass out to blackmail. The thought has bile rising burning hot into my throat. I choke it back when my call connects and swallow hard before explaining how the fantasy girl we met last night may well be our worst nightmare.