“Does it scare you? The truth?”
“It doesn’t scare me. You’ve both come to this agreement together. I think tearing you two apart is what scared me. I know you’ve been friends for life and it has been all people can say to me for years. I didn’t realize you were both, you know, into me.” She cringed. “I sound like a teenager.”
“How could you have not known?” Beau laughed. “And you don’t sound like a teenager, but to make you feel a little better, Scott and I, we do fancy you like crazy. We were tempted to leave you a note and ask you to tick which box if you’d go out with us.”
Her laughter filled the air and it lightened his heart. She was so sweet and sexy. He ached to be with her, and not just for the sex.
“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t read the signals. I’m not good with all the sexual feeling stuff.” She tucked her hair behind her ear again. They stepped up to the stand as another couple left, coughing. They didn’t even get to the last chili.
“Hello, Beau, Connie. Are you ready to have your taste buds challenged?”
“You know me, June. Tease me all you want. So far they have yet to find a chili I can’t eat.”
“He’s the champion here,” June said. She was a nice older woman, maybe in her late fifties, with a big smile. “This year we even have a vegan entry as well. You’re going to be amazed. Believe me, they’re all amazing.”
“Hit me with it!” Beau rubbed his hands together.
June produced a spoon then looked at Connie. “You want to try some?”
“Sure. Why the hell not?” She was getting into the town spirit. Why not enjoy some good food?
June pointed at their mildest chili. Connie dipped her spoon into the container and took a bite. It was flavorful and mild. Not a hint of spice. “I love that.”
“Most people do,” June said.
“That’s June’s recipe. She brings it out on a couple of celebrations for those who can’t handle the heat.” Beau winked at her.
“Your boy is a charmer.”
They put their spoons in a bucket and were given another. They tried two more dishes and at the third, Connie bowed out.
Beau hadn’t been challenged yet, but as he got to one before the last, he gripped the edge of the counter. “Holy fuck balls. What the fuck!” He slapped his hand against his thigh. “That’s so strong.”
“Are you bowing out this time?” June asked.
“Hell, no. Give me another spoon. I’m ready for some more.” He didn’t know if he was going to be able to survive the last one, but he’d certainly be giving it a go.
He put the spoonful of chili into his mouth and noticed Connie winced for him. How sweet.
He chewed.
Fucking hell.
This was sent by the very devil himself. It was pure fire.
Burning.
He felt his eyes water and he closed them, gripping the edge of the counter. Swallowing, he let out a little cough, feeling like he was a dragon as he must be breathing fire.
Clearing his throat, he winced. “Wow,” he said. “That one is your fire power.”
“Congratulations, Beau,” June said. “Now would you like me to serve you some?”
“Sure, give me some of that fire-of-death shit,” he said. He was going to make sure he wasn’t caught so off guard.
Connie took a portion of the mildest June chili, and they left the stall, finding a small bench and sitting at it.
“I had no idea you were a daredevil when it came to food.”
“Oh, yeah, me, I’m all for it.”
She chuckled. “That was kind of fun.”
“I wanted to tell you that Scott and I, we’re serious about this. We want you and we’ll do whatever it takes to prove to you that we’re not fucking around.”
“Beau, you don’t have to do this.”
“But I want to. I want you to know you’ve got options, even if they are me and Scott. I know you want us. I saw and felt the way your body reacted. Believe me and trust us, we will make it work for you, for all of us. Give us a chance. We won’t let you down.” He wanted this to work and for her to say yes. They were a damn good team. She just needed to believe in the both of them.
Chapter Three
Connie paid for her gym membership and enjoyed the short tour. The woman, Chloe, she believed her name was, didn’t have a lot of time and she promised she’d come back to her if she needed more than a basic tour. Besides, everything was signposted so it wasn’t like she didn’t know where she was going. Everything was all displayed well.
After changing into her swimsuit, she pulled her hair up onto her head and took a quick shower as was required.
She didn’t know why she’d decided to join Scott’s gym. All night, she’d been thinking about the two men. Scott and Beau. Beau and Scott. Just thinking their names was enough to make her heart race. All three of them were completely different people. It was crazy for her to even think there was ever going to be anything between them, but late at night, watching the sky from her bedroom, the moon in its full glory, she couldn’t help but hope for a chance. The opportunity to know what it was like to belong to both men.
Picking between them wasn’t an option.
Once she showered, she made her way out to the pool area. It wasn’t overly busy. She’d decided to join quite late in the afternoon after taking a delivery in her bar. No one was around and she didn’t feel like enjoying the last of the fair.
Beau had been busy at the mechanic shop and she knew because she’d stopped by. With tourists in the area, he had to be available to them at a moment’s notice in case of breakdowns, and a lot of them had happened this year alone. He was swamped. He’d wanted to stop but she saw the pressure he was under and refused to be part of the problem and had left him to deal. He probably was annoyed with that, but the next stop had been the gym.
Scott was in training, but she hadn’t asked for him. He’d told her his schedule plenty of times and she knew he was one of the most sought-after trainers in the whole gym.
Grabbing hold of the ladder, she climbed into the pool. She hadn’t been for a swim in what felt like a lifetime.
In her childish mind, whenever she went to the pool, she would always imagine a great white shark chasing her. She’d pretend to be fighting it off. It was crazy how some of her memories returned. Today, she settled on a simple breaststroke and didn’t think of sharks in the pool. She’d done a couple of laps and was resting at the edge of the pool when she caught sight of a pair of sneakers.
Looking up, she recognized the sweatpants, and finally the man himself, Scott. All of his muscular chest was on display, and she nibbled on her lip as she looked at him. There was no doubt this man was a catch, but so was Beau. Both of them had a sexual magnetism she couldn’t deny.
“Hello, you,” he said.
“Hey.”
“If I knew you were interested in joining the gym, I’d have given you a discount.”
“Do you give that to all first-timers?”
“Only in the New Year, but as my woman, I’d have given you free rein.”
“I don’t mind paying.”