We knock fists in relationship solidarity, but that’s not the solidarity I truly want.

  I’m dying to know what she thinks about another night, but I’ve already decided to wait for Ryker. Instead, I jump over to an easier convo—the auction for the jerseys and gear Trina bought for her ex. I had the jersey signed by my teammates today, and Ryker did the same with his jacket, so we made plans to auction them off online this week, then give the money to her favorite rescue—the place where she got Nacho from.

  When we reach my home, I unlock the door and head inside. Ryker’s stretched out on the couch, phone in hand, brow furrowed, earbuds in.

  And he looks…freshly showered.

  Damn, he really wants to impress her. Plus, holy shit, do I smell hummus and olives and baba ganoush and falafels and lemon herb chicken?

  “Did you get food?” I ask once he takes out the earbuds.

  Ryker nods. “I picked up takeout on my way back. Didn’t know what you liked, Trina, so I got a little of everything.”

  Well, how about that. “Look at you, showing me up with my guest,” I tease, but is there a tiny bit of irritation coming through in my tone?

  Maybe there is.

  “You offered her a place to stay. I just got dinner,” he says lightly. Then he adds, “And I found a bakery still open that served pound cake. It’s in the fridge.”

  With an excited gasp, Trina’s eyes grow wide, and she’s staring at Ryker like he’s hung the moon.

  Out of nowhere, a dragon thrashes around in my chest.

  I breathe out hard, but my lungs feel like they’re sucking in a hot plume of fire. And I don’t know what to do about it, so I grumble out, “Need to return a call real quick.”

  I head to my bedroom and shut the door.

  Or really, I slam it.

  14

  A SECRET NERD

  Ryker

  After Trina toes off her shoes, she makes her way over to the couch with her dog by her side, and I watch her every move, cataloging her. She wears little flare jeans that show off some ankle, then a crop top that reveals a sliver of belly, and a short sweatshirt.

  It’s a fantastic tease, and I want to peel all those clothes off her. But it’s the way she looks at me from behind those red glasses that makes my heart thump faster.

  “Pound cake. Seriously. You’re my hero,” she says.

  My chest warms. “Just wanted to help. No big deal,” I say, evenly. Not gonna let on how much I like those words—you’re my hero.

  She joins me on the couch, patting the cushion. Nacho jumps up, then snuggles next to her. “Chase said he could sit on the furniture,” she explains.

  “I wasn’t going to rat out Nacho. I’m also not surprised one bit that Chase gave him couch privileges,” I say, then reach across her to pet the dog’s head. I’m not a huge animal person but Trina clearly is.

  “What are you listening to?” she asks, glancing down at my phone.

  I’m glad I closed the text thread with my sister, Katie. She was firing off her usual litany of little sister questions I won’t answer like—you should ask out the girl from the VIP night! I could tell you liked her in the picture. I swear, Katie thinks she knows everything about me.

  “Wait, let me guess,” Trina continues. “Is it Seven Tips To Be As Scary As Possible When You’re Really A Softie Underneath?”

  I’m not sure I want to tell her. Sharing things leads to people knowing you, which leads to them using you. Case in point—Selena. “No, it just comes naturally to me,” I say, evading the question. Just like I’ve been avoiding Josh’s email from earlier today. I don’t feel like dealing with my agent’s latest request of his grumpy client.

  Pound cake and dinner were much easier problems to solve.

  Trina nods to my phone. “Fine. Don’t tell me you like A Word Play A Day.”

  Dammit. The screen locked on the podcast. “It’s not bad,” I say, noncommittally, but better the podcast than my agent’s email.

  “Whiskey comes from aqua vitae, meaning ‘life water.’ C’mon. That’s way more than not bad. That’s cool,” she says.

  I fight off a grin. “Suppose it is,” I say as Trina studies my face.

  “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. I won’t let on you’re a…” She stops to lean in closer, her face dangerously near to mine, so near I want to smother it in kisses. “A secret nerd.”

  I scoff. “Please.”

  “Takes one to know one,” she says.

  “You’re a nerd?”

  “I work at a bookstore. I read a book a night. There’s nothing else I can be but a book nerd.”

  I’m seriously impressed with her page-flipping skills. “A book a night. I’m jealous.”

  “See? I knew you were on my team.”

  I narrow my eyes, huffing. It’s easier this way. But she’s relentless, so I bend, teasing her too. “Maybe I am, but you weren’t reading a book last night, sweetness.”

  She dips her face, that shy vibe returning. “I was otherwise occupied.”

  I’d like to occupy her tonight too. If she wants that. If Chase wants that. Speaking of, where the fuck is my buddy? I’d really like to eat dinner and then introduce him to the joys of eating Trina. He is seriously missing out.

  That is—if she wants us again. Because I do. Badly. Knew the second I wrapped my arms around her in bed last night that I wanted another night like that. That I wanted to take her to new heights. To make her scream in bliss, to edge her, to break her brain with pleasure.

  And I’m getting horny, in addition to being hungry, but we really need to lay down some new ground rules. Stat.

  Trouble is, that’s a conversation three people need to have, not two. So, I nod to the kitchen counter and the bag of food. “Did you know baba ganoush means…pampered daddy?”

  Her lips part in obvious delight. “I did not know that at all. But I am going to work that into daily conversation starting tomorrow,” she says, then tilts her head, studying me. “You know, Ryker. Your other secret is safe with me too.”

  What does she mean? Like last night? “Not sure what you’re getting at.”

  “I’ve seen you come around the bookstore,” she says quietly.

  Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. I drag a hand down my face. “You have?”

  “Yes. Your eyes lit up last night when I mentioned where I worked.”

  “Well, it’s a cool store,” I say.

  “I’m glad you think that. And I got the impression you don’t like to talk about it. In public.”

  She’s not wrong. “Why would I?”

  She nods, then knits her brow. The furrow tells me she’s trying to figure me out. “You buy a lot of books, and it just made me think I bet he donates them.”

  Damn she is good. “Fine. I buy them and donate most of them to the library. They make sure the books go to kids in need. Kids at homeless shelters, in the hospital, and so on.”

  “And why was that hard to say?”

  With a groan, I slump back into the couch cushions. “Because the team wants me to work on my image online. And I know they’d be all over that, but if I shared it with them it’d just feel…gross. Like I was patting myself on the back.”

  “Because nobody knows you actually do laundry and make pancakes and donate books?”

  “And nobody should. I don’t even know why it matters to the public.”

  “Because you’re a public figure,” she says, shrugging, like it is what it is.

  “I just want to play hockey. And support my family. I don’t want to have to tell everyone what I’m doing off the ice too.”

  “But people look up to hockey players. They look up to athletes. That’s just reality. You can’t change that,” she says evenly, and she makes good points. So I open up a little more.

  “That’s why I was doing the VIP event with Chase last night. To play nice with my rival and show the fans what a nice guy I am.” I adopt a saccharine grin.

  “If they only knew how very, very nice to fans you are,” she jokes.

  “Yeah, let’s keep that between us,” I deadpan, then return to Josh’s email. He said last night’s photo op was great and the team wants me to please do more positive press. “Anyway, it’s just annoying that I’m supposed to broadcast this stuff. What the fuck am I supposed to say? Had dinner with Mom last night. I’m such a good son. Or went down to the library to give them some books. I’m so nice,” I say, imitating a self-congratulatory post.

  She seems to think for a minute. “Well, I could help you. I’m posting things for the store all the time. You could do it in such a way that isn’t patting yourself on the back. And honestly, you might not even have to say that much. With the books, just take a picture and tag the org, or I could do it for you,” she says with such genuine enthusiasm it’s hard for even a guy like me to grumble.

  “Yeah?”

  “I like social media. Do you want me to help you?”

  I hate taking help. But the way she asks, so sweet, so real, there’s no way I can turn her down.

  Especially since I need the assistance. “Yes,” I say roughly, then I clear my throat and give her the answer she deserves. “Thank you.”

  “Anytime,” she says, then her eyes twinkle. “In fact, we can start right away. I have some ideas.”

  Trina never seems to stop thinking. Her brain is always in motion. She tells me some of her ideas, and they’re easy enough. A stop at the bookstore. A pic at the library. Something family centric.

  “Sure. I’m in.”

  “Can you do Tuesday? To bring the books to the library?”

  “Consider it done,” I say.

  “Good,” she says, then pats my thigh, and I’m about to take her hand in mine, but then I catch myself.

  Nope.

  If I take her hand, I will drag her close for a hot kiss, and then I will want to tear off her clothes.

  Where the fuck is my friend? I can’t wait a second longer. I jump up. “Be right back.”

  I stalk down the hall and bang on his door, which swings open at my touch. “You done with your call? If not, I’m gonna eat,” I say.

  He’s staring out the window, like he’s lost in thought.

  “Where is my buddy and why has his evil emo twin replaced him?”

  Chase turns around. His jaw is tight. His eyes are cold. What’s worse is when he says, “Shut the door. We need to talk.”

  15

  THE T WORD

  Chase

  I pace around my room, dragging a hand through my hair, trying to get a grip on this stranglehold of jealousy that came out of nowhere and pummeled me to the ground. “We said we won’t let a woman come between us,” I say, but that only scratches the surface of this storm of unexpected emotions battering my chest.

  “Right,” Ryker says carefully, like I’m a rabid animal he must approach with caution.

  “But I didn’t expect…this,” I say, irritation thick in my tone. I hate feeling this way. Annoyed and out of control.

  “What’s this?” he asks, stepping farther into the room, more out of earshot.

  “This little twist,” I say, then wince at how I sound. Pissy and caught up. I haven’t even known Trina for a day, and I can’t believe I feel this way, but I do. “I was jealous you got her dinner and the pound cake.”

  Ryker barks out a laugh, but then it dies quickly when he studies my face. “Shit. You’re serious.”

  “Dead serious.” And that’s the issue. “I was jealous you solved a problem for her.”

  “Need I remind you that you offered her a place to stay,” he says, waving his hand around my room. “That’s a bigger problem to solve than a cake.”

  Fine, yes, I helped her with her landlord issue. But I still haven’t peeled back the real problem. “But see, I want to do things for her—”

  I can’t get out the last word.

  When I don’t finish, Ryker must decide to change tactics since he approaches me, his demeanor calm, maybe reassuring. “Look, it’s cool with me if we do different things for her. You took her to the dog park. I’m not the kind of guy who’s gonna baby talk over her dog.”

  “I don’t do that,” I spit out.

  Ryker rolls his eyes. “You do. And I’m not going to be the one who asks how did you sleep. But look, she needed a pound cake. That’s my wheelhouse, man. Finding things. So I did that for her. Just like you gave her a place to stay.”

  He’s right. I know he’s right. We don’t have to compete with errands or gifts. We don’t have to fight over her. I don’t need to be jealous if we want the same thing.

  Just say it, man.

  “But what’s really getting at you?” Ryker presses, folding his arms across his chest. “Because I don’t think it’s the pact. This doesn’t feel like the Abby”—Ryker stops to fake cough—“Selena…deal.”

  That’s the thing. On paper, there are some similarities. We want the same woman. But in reality, the situations are vastly different. We had no idea we were into the same woman before. Now, everyone’s been on the same page since the start.

  “It doesn’t feel that way to me either. Since, well, we met Trina together,” I say, the words stumbling out awkwardly. “Everything’s in the open.”

  “It sure is,” Ryker says with a little smirk. “Swinging dicks and all.”

  Jackass. He’s so much cooler about this than I am. But that’s how he’s been most of his life. Steady as a rock. He had to be for his mom and sisters. But I’ve had to do the same too. So I let out a deep breath, prepared to say the hard thing.

  But he says it for me.

  “Are you afraid she doesn’t want to sleep together again?” Ryker asks.

  Boom. There it is. He said it. The T word—together.

  I drop my head against the cold window then admit the stark truth. “Yes. I can’t stop thinking about the way she melted under our touch,” I say, but I have to face this head-on so I turn around and draw a soldiering breath. This is new terrain, talking about sex this openly, even with my buddy. Yes, last night we talked about a game plan for a hot night. But we were powered by the adrenaline and swagger of what seemed like a one-time opportunity.

  Now, I want another night with her. Maybe even a whole week. But I also want Ryker to have her too. The way she fell apart when we pleasured her together was addictive. “I want to share her again. If she wants to. Do you?”

  Ryker just smiles, like took you long enough. “I sure do.”

  We leave together, men on a mission.

  16

  BOSS BABE

  Trina

  Well, this is weird. My stomach is rumbling, and I’m twiddling my thumbs on the couch. Okay, not twiddling. I’m flipping pages on my Kindle, gobbling up the first chapter of a new Hazel Valentine romance, and wondering how long two guys can talk.

  But it feels like twiddling, because I’m waiting, and I’m trying, I swear I’m trying, not to assume they’re talking about me.

  But it’s been nearly twelve hours since they’ve touched me, since they both kissed me at the door like they’d go mad without me. Not even a brush of a hand or a bump of a shoulder.

  Are they trying to decide how to let me down gently?

  Whatever, dudes. I’ll be fine. I sigh, petting Nacho. “At least you make sense to me,” I say, grateful for this stinker. “Men, not so much.”

  He offers me a chin for rubbing, and I comply.

  But I’m tired of waiting. When the door creaks open at last, I set down my Kindle, pop up from the couch, and smooth a hand over my shirt.

  The second they turn the corner into the living room, I start to talk, but Ryker’s faster. “We want you, Trina. We want to share you. Tonight, and for the rest of the week.”

  I tremble everywhere, my breath hitching, and my words drying up as they advance toward me, Chase taking over. “I didn’t offer you a place to stay to seduce you. I legit wanted to give you and your pooch a home for as long as you need. I know you’re not interested in anything more, and that’s cool with me. But I’ve never done something like last night before, and I just can’t get you out of my head. We have to have you again.”

  We.

  I burn from the excitement racing through my body. From the acknowledgement of his first time too.

  “I can’t stop thinking about the way you fell apart when we touched you,” Ryker adds in a bare husk of a voice. “Getting to eat you while he turned you on everywhere was the hottest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve never wanted a repeat of a three-way till now, and I’m absolutely dying for another time with you.”

  Twin confessions, each different, each electric in its own way. I kind of love that Ryker’s done this before, but never more than once. I feel even more wanted, and it’s heady.

  Addictive for sure.

  “Playing with your pussy while he kissed you made me so fucking hard,” Chase adds.

  Is this my life? They want me that badly? Together? My veins are flowing with liquid desire.

  I lick my lips. Shudder out a breath. “Good. Because I wrote out a long list today of things I want us to do. All the ways you can have me…while I have the two of you.”

  They groan like animals.

  Ryker closes the distance between us and scoops me up into his big arms. “Show us that list. Now.”

  I tell Nacho to stay on the couch like a good boy, then I look up at the bearded beast. “How about we do the first item?” I suggest with a coy smile.

  He crushes his lips to mine. And I moan into his sexy mouth as he carries me to the bedroom with Chase muttering, “Fuck food. We’re going to fuck you instead.”

  Yes, fuck food indeed.

  Things I didn’t Google today—positions for threesomes.

  Incognito mode notwithstanding, I wasn’t going to take a chance of someone walking up behind me at the store and seeing vids of two guys double-banging a woman.

  But things I did look up on the shelves of An Open Book? Threesome scenes in sexy novels. Bennies of working in a bookstore. After a few quick skims of some choice chapters, I found that the sandwich method is only one of many options.