Nicole Edwards - Zane

“Is it true Beau Bennett stopped by your house the other night?” Zoey whispered the question, but she might as well have yelled as far as V was concerned. Her head jerked up, her eyes meeting her friends and a knowing look passed between them.

Shit. How was she supposed to answer that without lying to her friend or giving anything away? It was a catch twenty two. Zoey knew something was going on, and if she knew Zane and Beau the way V did, she knew damn well what that was.

“Don’t lie to me, Vanessa Carmichael,” Zoey said firmly. When she used V’s full name, it was clear she wanted answers. Only V didn’t know what answers to give her. She wanted to talk to someone about what happened between the three of them, but she didn’t know how to approach the subject. Now was her turn to spill the beans, but for some reason, she couldn’t find the words.

“Are the three of you...?” Zoey didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t have to. There was only one question that was on her friend's mind, and V knew she had to tell her. She couldn’t lie to Zoey.

“Yes,” she whispered back, glancing around to make sure no one else was around.

Thankfully, it was still early in the afternoon, and the restaurant wasn’t crammed with people, but V was still worried someone would overhear. Especially someone like their waitress Rachel Talbott. If she got wind of what Zoey was asking about, it would be all over for V. She’d be labeled more like her mother than ever.

“Are you all right with that?”

V looked deep into Zoey’s eyes, trying to figure out just what she was getting at.

“I don’t mean it like that,” Zoey added, looking both worried and a little inquisitive. “I just want to make sure you’re not being pressured.”

Hmmm. That was an interesting question coming from Zoey. V had never thought about being pressured by Zane to do what they were doing with Beau. Not the first time and definitely, not the times after. The three of them were enjoying themselves, and although V still wasn’t sure how she felt about the idea of threesomes, especially after what happened the last time the three of them were together, she couldn’t deny the magnitude of having two men all to herself from time to time.

“I’m not being pressured.” V smiled at Zoey, hoping she could see the truth in the statement.

Of all the people she had ever met, aside from Zoey, V trusted Zane more than anyone. He wouldn’t hurt her. He’d never let anyone else hurt her either. It wasn’t an easy thing for her to trust him, but she did. More than she was willing to tell him, although she got the impression he knew just how much she did trust him.

That simple statement had Zoey’s eyebrow arching in curiosity, and V knew she was in for it now. There was no going back now that she’d hinted about her brief interlude to her best friend. She just hoped they wouldn’t be having this conversation here.

“If you even think you’re getting away with not telling me the details, you’re crazy.” Zoey’s smirk beamed brightly back at V, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

Yes, she was going to have to share the details, but there was that whole you give/I give thing they had going and Zoey had yet to give her anything scandalous about her little rendezvous with Kaleb and Gage. “Right. Just as soon as you tell me what it’s like to be the filling in your little man sandwich.”

“Oh, honey, it’s beyond incredible.”

So, it would appear Zoey wasn’t going to hold back.

“So, I’m guessing y’all had a little welcome home party for Gage?”

“We did. And it was incredible. Let’s just say it included a couple of beers and Kaleb’s hot tub. Now your turn. Tell me about the first time.”

V felt her face heat, knew she was probably turning beet red, but she couldn’t help it. Remembering the first time she and Zane and Beau had gotten together still did that to her.

“It was about a week before Zane’s attack. The night you and Kaleb went home early from Moonshiners. Remember that?” Not that Zoey would remember it because, in recent months, there’d been plenty of times they’d snuck out early.

“Where’d y’all go? Your house? Or Zane’s?”

“Mine. They rode to the bar together, so they followed me back to my house.”

“Was it planned? I mean, did you know it was going to happen before you left?”

“No. Ok, yes.” V smiled. She hadn’t known for sure, but she had an idea. Her attraction to Zane was no less intense then than it was now. He’d manage to rile her up for a couple of hours while they’d sat at a booth, talking and drinking.

“So, is it really just about Beau joining in with the two of you? Or do you have feelings for Beau too?”

Zoey’s question caught V off guard.

“I care about Beau. But only as a friend. I’m attracted to him, sure. What woman isn’t?”

It was true; Beau Bennett was handsome as hell. First of all, he was a giant of a man. Blonde hair. Smoldering brown eyes. He’d been the football team’s star athlete in high school and had more than his fair share of women fawning over him. Not that Beau knew what to do with that attention because aside from being irresistibly attractive, he was also almost painfully shy. Well, except around her and Zane as it would appear. The thought made V’s face heat even more.

“Tell me,” Zoey remarked, obviously noticing where V’s thoughts had strayed.

“Let’s just say, Beau’s a big man.”

Zoey’s grin widened, and her eyes sparkled. “So, no complaints? One of those things where they walk into the room and your clothes just fall off, huh?”

V laughed because that was almost true. Her clothes had a mind of their own at least where Zane was concerned. “Sounds like you’ve got a little experience with that problem?”

“I’d say so. Since Gage has been back, I’m not sure I’ve kept my clothes on for more than a couple of hours at a time when Kaleb is around.”

They were quiet for a moment while Rachel brought out their food. V wondered whether they should check their meals for tampering after the glare Rachel shot their way just before she stomped off. She wasn’t sure what had crawled up the waitress’ butt, but she didn’t appear to be thrilled that Zoey and V were there.

“How are things with you and Zane?”

The seriousness to Zoey’s tone told V she’d moved on from the sex part. V frowned as she began picking at the chicken strips on her plate.

“Talk to me, V. I know you. I know where your head is.”

Well, it was good that someone did because V sure didn’t. She’d started to overthink a few times in the last couple of days, but each and every time she saw Zane, he managed to reel her back in with his adorable, crooked smile and his country boy charm.

“I don’t even know where to go with that,” V said honestly.

“Do you love him?”

Oh, God. It was way too early to be thinking about love. Wasn’t it? Sure, they had some fervent sex, but V was trying like hell not to think about what might happen next. Couldn’t they just be happy with the way things were? Was she supposed to be thinking about more?

“Ok, don’t answer that,” Zoey stated adamantly. “Just promise me one thing.”

V glanced up at her friend, wondering whether it was possible to promise anything at this point.

“Promise me that you won’t make any crazy decisions, one way or another, until later. Much later. Just enjoy Zane for a while. God knows you both deserve some happiness, and there’s nothing to say that anything else has to come of this. Not today, not tomorrow. Can you promise me that?”

V smiled, but she knew Zoey would see right through her. “I’ll try.”

“Ok, good. Now, tell me about what it’s like to be sandwiched between two hot, hunky men. I mean, tell me something I don’t already know.”

V laughed, and for once, she was grateful for the change in topic.

♂♀

“Seriously? Kaleb finally agreed to Vegas?” Zane wasn’t sure he believed his brothers, but for once the twins didn’t look like they were trying to pull one over on him.

“Yep. And the good news is, we’ll be going before Christmas.”

Holy shit. Christmas was only two weeks away. How the hell did they manage that one? “When?”

“Thursday.” Braydon smiled that mischievous smile that generally got all of them concerned.

“Like a week from yesterday?” That barely gave them enough time to get a flight.

“Yep. The rooms are all booked. We’ve talked to V, and she’s handled everything on her end for the girl’s. Gage is still in town, Travis said he’d be back by then, and we’ve got a handful of others going as well.”

“Like who?” Zane knew they wouldn’t even attempt it if all seven of them wouldn’t be there, but he wondered who else they’d invited.

“Greyson, Beau, Blake, Aaron, Jaxson, CJ.” Brendon glanced back at Braydon as though trying to make sure he hadn’t left anyone out. “We tried to convince Kennedy to go, but she just laughed at us. Don’t tell Sawyer.”

Zane grinned. Leave it to the twins to try and convince the girl Sawyer was pretending not to be interested in, to go to Vegas for a bachelor/bachelorette party. Greyson Cutler was Sawyer’s best friend, but Zane hadn’t seen him in a while. Zane didn’t know Blake Henley, but thanks to Kaleb, he’d learned he was helping Ethan out at the shop since Zane hadn’t been back. Aaron Haines was another friend of Zane’s, although he was also good friends with Brendon and Braydon. Chase Jameson, who went by CJ, and Jaxson Briggs were both cousins.

“So, who’s left? Who’s going with Zoey, besides V?” Zane didn’t know any of Zoey’s friends. Come to think of it, he didn’t know any of V’s either, aside from anyone they ran with together.