Savor Me(20)

"Fuck you. I'm not getting into some f*cked-up ménage with you two. I date women and occasionally f*ck them with you. That doesn't mean I want a boyfriend."

"Whoa, I never said anything about being in a relationship—with each other or with me. I just mean that if we are going to do this on the regular, I think we should only do it with each other.”

"Fine. If Mason isn't down with that, he can leave. It can just be the two of us, sugar."

"For the love of God, stop calling me sugar, and no. It's both of you or nothing. Otherwise, it really is a relationship. I'm pretty sure we can all agree we are not interested in any sort of relationship. I'm greedy as hell, and I want both of you...for now.”

"Okay, I'm in," Hunter answers quickly again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mason snaps in his direction again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Hunter yells back at him. "She's sexy as hell, she isn't begging me for a commitment, and if the way she sucks my dick wasn't enough of a reason for me to stay, her tight ass would be. So yes, I'm absolutely in."

"You have lost your f*cking mind," Mason replies in disbelief.

"Look, I'm not asking you to be with Hunter.” I walk up to Mason, resting my hands on his hard stomach. "Mason, look at me." He immediately drops his eyes to mine. I lean in close and whisper, "Can we talk about this tonight? In bed? You know, just me and you?" I've learned over the last few weeks that Mason is a whole different man when Hunter is asleep and it’s just me and him having one of our late-night talks. I can't do a relationship, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let Mason go. "Don't leave," I say even more quietly, dropping my forehead to his chest. It might be wrong to use it against him, but he knows what that one sentence means.

He breathes out a loud sigh and wraps an arm around my waist. "I'll talk, but this is weird, Lacey. Fucking around is one thing, but this...this is totally different."

"We'll figure it out." I squeeze him tightly. "Thank you."

"I said I'd talk, Lace. Don't thank me yet."



JUST AS I HEAR Hunter begin to fall asleep, I roll over into my usual position—crushed against Mason's side.

"What do you think?"

"About what?" Mason asks as he begins to stroke my back.

"About not sleeping with other people."

"I think it sounds like I'd be in a relationship with you...and my best friend."

"It's not a relationship. How many times do I have to say that? It's just three people who have agreed not to sleep with anyone else. I'm not asking for flowers and commitments. I'm asking not to have to share you. That’s all."

"Well, I have to share you," he bites out.

"What the hell? I thought you liked to watch."

"I do, I do," he says on an exasperated sigh. "I just don't think it's fair to ask me to commit to this ridiculousness."

"I don't want you to commit to anything!" I shout, sitting up in bed. I know I'm probably about to wake up Hunter, effectively ending this conversation completely, but it is obvious he is not hearing what I'm saying.

"Shhhhh!" Mason pulls me back down on top of him. I'm so close to his face, and for a split second, I think he is going to kiss me, finally touch me with those lips that I so long to touch with my own.

I can't stop myself from asking the question I have been dying to know the answer to since the very first night. "Why don't you kiss me?"

"I do kiss you, just not on the mouth."

"Why?" I look up and find him staring down into my eyes.

"How about this? I won't look to hook up with any other woman, but if I do, I’ll tell you immediately and this will be over. Would that work for you?" he asks, completely changing the subject.

"Kiss me," I demand, ignoring his comment the same way he did mine.

"Will that work for you, Lace? I won't see anyone else, but if I do, I swear I'll be honest and end this."

"Kiss me," I say, continuing our parallel conversation.

"Lacey, listen to me."

"Fine, Mason. Fuck whoever you want. Just kiss me!"

"I do f*ck whoever I want. I was inside you just a little while ago."

"Mason, stop being a dick and either kiss me or tell me why you don't kiss me."

He rolls away, throwing an arm under his head. "You're not mine to kiss, Lacey."

I stare at him for a few minutes, trying to understand his words. I can’t figure out if he’s insinuating that he wants me to be his or if maybe he just doesn't like the idea of kissing me after Hunter. He's had sex with me after Hunter, so I can't imagine why a kiss would bother him.

"I only kiss what's mine," he says but doesn't offer any other explanation.

If I'm being honest, it’s a known fact that I have a short temper. Especially when it’s caused by rejection. Mason’s cryptic non-explanation enrages me. He has touched every inch of my body, but somehow I'm not good enough to kiss. I'm not some weak little woman who is going to let this eat away at me or do the whole 'why am I not good enough' thing. Instead, I'm going to get pissed and make him feel just as rejected as he has made me feel. Juvenile? Absolutely! I never claimed to be mature.