Red Zone: Boys of Fall (4 page)

Oakley gave him a look that couldn’t be described as anything less that pitying. It annoyed the crap out of Joel.

“Who said she has to choose?” Oakley asked.

Joel frowned, still confused. “You’re going to ask her to take turns? And what happens if…when…we both fall for her? Because you know we’re going to. We can’t spend the rest of our lives going out with her every other day.”

“You’re so black and white, Joel. Think outside the box, man. We both date her. Together. At the same time. You were in that bed the other night. I dare you to tell me it wasn’t fucking hot.”

Joel wasn’t about to admit that. Even if it was true. Mainly because his feelings about the whole situation were so jumbled and mixed up, he didn’t know what to think.

That confusion was adding to his bad mood. He’d never made out with a girl in the presence of another person. Never considered sharing a woman with another guy sexually. However, that was all he’d thought about since the night of the wedding. He imagined it over and over, the idea keeping him in a constant state of semi-painful, half-hard dick mode.

It was becoming awkward and embarrassing. Every time someone came around, he felt the need to readjust his jeans to try to hide his erection.

“We were drunk.”

“Bullshit!” Oakley said loudly. “You know as well as I do neither one of us was anywhere near as drunk as she seemed to think we were. Find another excuse.”

Joel resented Oakley calling him out so boldly, even if the asshole was right. “I don’t share.”

“Wrong. You’ve just never shared in the past. You’re backing away from it because there’s some fucked-up voice in your head telling you it’s wrong. Did it feel wrong, Joel?”

“You gotta stop thinking with your cock, Oakley. That’s not how the world works.”

Oakley shrugged. “Maybe it should.”

“So what’s Woody’s big plan? We just walk into Pitchers, tell Sadie she can have both of us and we live the rest of our lives in some sex-filled threesome paradise?”

Oakley slapped Joel on the shoulder, his face filled with delight. “Exactly!”

Joel laughed despite himself. “You’re insane.”

“I’m creative.”

Joel reached for another hay bale. “Even if I did agree to that—which I’m not—Sadie would turn us down flat.”

“You’re kidding, right?
You’re
the stick in the mud, Joel. Not her. I think she’d go for it.”

Joel wanted to argue that point, but he wasn’t entirely sure Oakley was wrong. What had Sadie called him? Boring? Predictable? He had to admit, Sadie was more like Oakley than him. So what would she say if they presented her the option of a threesome?

Joel discounted the idea immediately. It didn’t matter what she would say. He wasn’t making that damn offer. He couldn’t. Christ. He was raised in a devout Catholic home by a very strict but loving mother. He’d read enough of the Bible to know there wasn’t anything in there condoning an orgy-like, ménage a trois relationship. What would his mom say if he pursued something so unorthodox? What would Coach say?

“Shit. I can see the wheels are turning. Which means you’ve probably already talked yourself out of this. So, you’ve left me no choice.”

Joel didn’t like the ominous tone of that. When Oakley took matters into his own hands, things always took a twisted turn—sometimes fun, sometimes scary. “What do you mean?”

“I’m going to Pitchers tonight.”

Clearly there was a hell of a lot more to it than just that. Joel took the bait. “What for?”

“To see my girl.”

It was on the tip of Joel’s tongue to correct Oakley, to say
our
girl. Because as much as he wanted to deny it, that was how he’d begun to think of Sadie. Regardless, he managed to refrain. Part of him was just contrary enough to tell Oakley to have fun while he stayed home. Sadly, that wasn’t the stronger part.

“I wouldn’t mind tossing back a couple cold ones.” His nonchalance didn’t fool his best friend for a second.

“Cool. Sounds like we’ve got a date.” Oakley went back to throwing the hay bales on the trailer. Mercifully, the work distracted his friend enough that he couldn’t see the impact his comment had on Joel.

It wasn’t just the concept of a threesome that was holding Joel back. It was the way Oakley had looked at him the other night when Joel had taken off his shirt. They’d seen each other naked about a thousand times in the past. After all, they were roommates.

But Oakley had never looked at him with anything more than a passing glance; the typical once-up-and-down guys do to see how they compare.

The other night, Joel was certain he’d seen something more. Something that he
really
couldn’t handle.

Desire.

* * *

It was close to ten o’clock before he and Oakley rolled into Pitchers. A couple of cows had gotten loose and it had taken them several hours to find the bastards, get them penned back up, figure out where they’d made their escape and repair the damn fence. Joel had insisted they call it a night and hit Pitchers later in the week, but Oakley wouldn’t be swayed.

They walked in to find Sadie manning the bar as a couple of old guys sat nursing their beers, watching football highlights on the TV hanging behind the counter. A couple who appeared to be on a date was shooting pool. Other than that, the place was deserted.

Sadie looked tiredly toward the door as it opened, but her face quickly morphed to one of pleasure when she saw them enter. Joel liked that she was so happy to see them.

He and Oakley nodded hello to the other guys as they claimed stools at the opposite end of the bar. Sadie came over and leaned toward them. “What brings you guys in here so late on a Monday? I was just about to yell last call.”

“Good,” Oakley said. “Yell it and get these people out of here. We’ll help you close up.”

Sadie gave him a curious grin, but then she did as Oakley suggested. She poured them each a beer. Thirty minutes later, the place was empty save for the three of them. Oakley walked over to the old jukebox and threw in a few coins as Sadie finished washing the glasses.

She glanced up when the bar filled with the sound of “For You”. Oakley was a hardcore John Denver fan and there wasn’t anyone in town who didn’t know it, as the man was infamous for belting out “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” whenever the spirit moved him. Which it did
way
too often.

Oakley lifted his hand. “Come dance with me, Sadie.”

Sadie considered the invitation, and then she put down her dishcloth and met Oakley in the middle of the floor. Joel remained at the bar, though he turned to watch as Oakley took her in his arms, tugged her close and they swayed together.

He was reminded of the other night when Oakley and Sadie were kissing on the bed. Joel had stood apart from them, spellbound by how beautiful they were together. He hadn’t felt like an outsider or like he didn’t belong. Instead, it almost felt as if he were with them, a part of the kiss, the touch, the embrace.

It was odd. And enticing.

Oakley wanted to share her. It was a preposterous suggestion. Yet Joel had a sense that was the only way this thing shimmering between the three of them would ever work.

And as much as he denied it, he wanted to try it. Desperately. He’d spent a lifetime towing the line, doing predictable shit, playing it safe. What would be the harm in breaking character…just this once…and indulging a fantasy?

He rose as the song was about to draw to a close and walked over to them. As the last note faded, he reached out for Sadie. She didn’t resist the pull, stepping into his arms as if it were the most natural thing and accepting his kiss.

Joel didn’t seek to do anything more than kiss her. He was still trying to figure out if it was right to initiate this, to follow Oakley down this path. When Sadie lifted her arms and ran her fingers through his hair, he stopped worrying about it.

He’d wanted Sadie for years. Hell, his crush on her had started all the way back in high school. She was two years older than him and all the guys on the football team had been half in love with her.

Of course that was half a lifetime and another Sadie ago. She’d been so different in school, more like the women she made fun of nowadays. Sadie had been Homecoming Queen her senior year, a fact that made Oakley laugh his ass off every time someone mentioned it to her.

He pulled away and looked at her. She gave him a crooked, oops-we-did-it-again grin.

“We’re going to have to work on our self-restraint,” he said, half-joking.

“No, we’re not.” Oakley stepped closer. “You don’t have to make a choice, Sadie.”

Joel gritted his teeth at the way his friend dropped the bomb, but forced himself to keep quiet. Oakley was all-systems-go on this crazy scheme of his.

Joel was sort of hoping Sadie would reject it out of hand. At least that would save him the trouble of trying to sort out the feelings rumbling around inside him.

“What are you talking about?” Sadie glanced back at Joel questioningly. He lifted one shoulder. Oakley would explain it way better than he could. Knowing Oakley, he’d find a way to convince both of them.

“You’ll date me
and
Joel. At the same time.”

She laughed, but the sound died away quickly when neither he nor Oakley cracked a smile. “You’re being serious? What do you mean? Like a ménage?”

Oakley nodded as if it was the most obvious answer on earth. “Yeah. You, me and Joel.”

Sadie opened her mouth, rejection clearly her goal, but Oakley forged on before she could speak.

“Tell me you haven’t thought about the other night, Sade. Tell me you haven’t finished what we started about a million times in your head since then.”

She bit her lower lip, the proof creeping out in the form of a blush. It was rare to see Sadie embarrassed. Joel enjoyed it more than he should.

Just how had she fantasized about that night ending?

Oakley moved closer and pressed his lips against Sadie’s cheek as he whispered, “Tell me.”

She grimaced, then—as always—held back nothing. “I’ve played it out so many times I had to replace the batteries on my vibrator. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

Oakley chuckled. “That was what I thought I wanted. Now I’m sort of hoping for a more detailed description.”

She batted Oakley away playfully. “You’re the devil.” Then she turned to Joel. “Are you seriously okay with what Oakley’s suggesting?”

Joel wasn’t sure of anything except the fact Sadie had called him boring. And passive. He had to admit that had stung. Enough that he felt the need to shake her impression of him.

“Yeah. I am.”

Sadie’s shocked expression was nothing compared to Oakley’s. Sadie recovered first. And her answer was exactly what Joel had—and hadn’t—wanted.

“Fine. We can give it a whirl if you guys are sure it doesn’t bother you to share. This is actually sort of the answer to a prayer. I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately.”

“Slump?” Joel asked.

“A sexual drought. That I’d be happy to see end with the two of you.”

Neither he nor Oakley responded.

Sadie’s brow creased. “Wait. That is what you meant, right? Sex? Because I’m not looking for a relationship or a commitment or anything like that. God.
Nothing
like that. I suck at it.” And then, before either of them could respond, Sadie answered her own question with a light laugh. “I’m sorry. Of course that’s what you meant. Because who dates two guys at the same time?”

No one does. Joel had been a jackass to follow Oakley’s lead, doing exactly what he’d just yelled at his friend for today. He’d been thinking with his dick. Then, he realized Sadie had just confirmed what his gut had been telling him. Normal people didn’t enter relationships in threes, just pairs.

“So should we put some parameters on it? A time limit?” she asked.

Joel shook his head. “No time limit. We ride the train to the end of the line.”

She grinned at his analogy. “I had no idea you had such an impetuous nature, Joel. You’ve been hiding this guy. I like him.”

He was careful to keep a smile in place, too afraid she’d be able to see beneath the surface and figure out he was freaking the fuck out.

“I don’t…” Joel considered his mom. “I don’t think we should advertise what we’re doing.”

Sadie’s lips tipped up, her eyes widening. “No shit. I don’t think the good people of Quinn are ready for something quite so…scandalous. My dad would have a heart attack. After he murdered both of you, of course.”

Joel tried to laugh, knew she meant her words as a joke. After all, she’d just offered him a sweet deal. He could have his cake and eat it too. He could sleep with Sadie and Oakley
and
keep it a secret from everyone else.

So why wasn’t he happier about that than he was?

Then he realized why.

“Let’s draw a line in the sand here, Sadie,” Joel said, his mind hung up on one word. “We don’t have to call it a relationship, but there is going to be some level of commitment.”

She frowned until he explained. “No other guys but us.”

“Oh.” Her face brightened before she gave him a
duh
look. “I’m going to be sleeping with the two of you. Where the hell do you think I’d get the energy to look for more? I’m slightly promiscuous. Not a total slut.”

Joel couldn’t help but laugh. She was completely adorable. And like Oakley, uninhibited. Joel sometimes wondered if that was what drew him to them. He did tend to take his responsibilities too seriously. He never sang country songs loudly and off-key as he drove through town with the windows down like Oakley did. He didn’t have tattoos or a motorcycle that he drove way too fast down the country lanes like Sadie did.

He didn’t leave Quinn after high school because he didn’t want to leave his mother alone. Instead, he’d taken a job at Coach’s ranch to help his mom get by. Even now, he paid her rent because he didn’t want her to keep scrimping every month to get by. She’d worked three jobs when he was growing up to support them, to keep food on the table and clothes on his back. And while she’d never said college was out of the question, never asked him to stay in Quinn, he had because he felt like he owed it to her.