Free And One Makes Three (Carnal Coeds) by Suzanne Rock Page A

cleared his throat and picked at his food. He had thought suggesting a more permanent threesome would be so much easier than this.
    “Lane’s from Virginia, did you know that?” she asked.
    “Yes. He went to school there.” Gabe had found that out through one of their many phone conversations.
    “Do you know if he’s ever planning on going back?”
    “I don’t know. He never mentioned it.” Gabe frowned and put down his fork. He had never really thought about Lane leaving, but Becca’s words gave him pause. What if Lane was only up here for the summer? What if he was planning on going back to Virginia?
    “It’s a shame that he goes to school so far away. I could see us becoming close.”
    Gabe leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Really?”
    She nodded.
    “Like, how close?” He rested his forearms on the table.
    She shrugged and put down her fork. “I don’t know. Close.”
    “Like, permanent threesome close?”
    She blinked at him, and Gabe realized that his words might have taken her a little off guard.
    “You’d do that? Consider a permanent threesome?” she asked.
    “I—well, with Lane, sure.”
    “But you were so jealous when we were together the other day.”
    “I got over it.” He took her hand. “I wasn’t jealous today, was I?”
    She seemed to think that one over a bit. “No,” she agreed. “I just thought it wasn’t your thing.”
    He squeezed her fingers. “Well, there’s a lot about me you don’t know.” He let out a long breath as Lane’s smooth, muscular body materialized in his mind. “I wouldn’t be into just any old threesome. Lane’s different though.”
    She leaned in over the table. “But he’s going away at the end of the summer.”
    “Do you know that for a fact?”
    “Well, no.”
    “Perhaps we could convince him to stay.”
    “But he has a life, friends.”
    “He could transfer. We could be his friends.” He lifted her hand and brushed his lips against her fingers. “This is right, I know it.”
    “He’ll never agree.”
    “We won’t know unless we ask him.”
    She smiled and squeezed his fingers. “Then what are you waiting for?” She nodded to his pocket, where he kept his phone. “Ask him.”
    Gabe let go of her hand. “This isn’t the type of thing to text someone. It’s too big.”
    She thought for a moment. “Plan another paddleboarding lesson. We can ask him then.”
    “Good idea.” Gabe pulled out his phone and called up Lane’s number.
    Hey. You there?
    Gabe didn’t have to wait long for a response. Yeah, what’s up?
    I was talking to Becca. She wants another paddleboard lesson. Gabe hesitated, then put a winking smiley face at the end of the statement. Hopefully Lane would catch the hint.
    Seconds passed with no response.
    “What is he saying?” Becca asked.
    “I don’t know.” Lane’s text flashed on the screen. “Hold on a sec.” He frowned as he read Lane’s response. “He said that he didn’t want to do another paddleboarding lesson.”
    “Oh.”
    Gabe’s heart thudded in his chest as he looked down at his phone.
    Is there something wrong? he texted.
    No, a threesome just isn’t my thing.
    Gabe sat back in his chair, stunned. “He said that he didn’t think a threesome was his thing.” Fuck. Gabe had been so worried about Becca not liking the idea of a threesome. He never considered that Lane might be the one to back away. What the hell was he supposed to do now?
     
    Becca couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Give me the phone.”
    Gabe pressed the phone into her hand. Becca shook her head. She loved Gabe, but the man was no good under pressure. She quickly scanned the texts and then started typing.
    This is Becca. Where are you?
    There was a moment’s hesitation. At Flourish.
    She furrowed her brow. The bar?
    Yeah.
    Stay right there, I’m coming over. She handed Gabe back his phone. “Let me handle this.”
    He stared at her, stunned. “What are you going to do?”
    “I’m going to go talk