Page 26 of Cuffed to my Roomies
At home, I started pacing back and forth in front of the TV. The guys sat down at their usual seats in their recliners, and I faced them.
“I know we have to talk,” I said, feeling anxious again, “but before we start, I just want to say again that I never meant to hurt either of you or to take advantage of your friendship.” I bit my lip.
Derek turned to Brett, “I told you she thinks she roofied us. Lynette’s on a guilt trip.”
Brett gave a half shrug, “Some people feel guilty about sex. It’s our culture.”
“See, that’s understanding of you. I think it’s kind of insulting that she thinks we didn’t make our own choices,” Derek said, turning to me, “We’re both attracted to you. We’re consenting adults. So enough with the blame and crap. No one needs you to feel bad about this or to be sorry.”
I nodded and found myself unable to speak for a minute.
“You know, you can sit down,” Brett said. “Your pacing is making me nervous.”
I walked over a little hesitantly and sat down on the arm of his recliner. He hooked an arm around my hips.
“This is weird for us, too. Brett and I are best friends but we’re not, you know, that friendly with each other,” Derek said expressively.
“We don’t pick up women and have threesomes,” Brett clarified, “It’s not a habit of ours.”
“I never did a three way before last night,” Derek said.
“Me either,” I said.
“I had,” Brett said. I was a little surprised but tried not to show it.
I patted his arm, not sure of what to say to that.
“I liked it,” I said, blushing, “There, I said it.”
“Uh, I think we both noticed that you liked it,” Derek said archly. They both laughed, and I joined in.
“Okay, so maybe it was obvious.”
“You said oh god so many times I was a little worried you were trying to cast out a demon,” Brett said. Derek snorted with laughter. I turned red and tried not to laugh.
“Five stars and you’d recommend it to a friend?” Brett said.
“Who knew you were the funny one?” I said, “I guess you just needed to get laid. Brought out your sense of humor.”
“I’ve always been the funny one,” he said with his dry sarcasm.
“Seriously though Lyn, how are you feeling about all of it?” Brett asked.
I cleared my throat. “You mean about the—”
“Threesomes? Ménage a trois? Three-way?” Derek supplied.
“Yeah, that. I mean, I was always a total good girl. I wanted my dad to be proud of me, and I was too shy to do anything wild. I never even tried beer till I was eighteen. So this is very new for me. I didn’t know this was something I would ever do or be interested in. So it’s strange for me. But, as I said, I liked it. Maybe it’s because it was with you two and you make me feel safe.”
“I’m glad it was with you, with someone who cares enough to be concerned with how we felt about it. For anything like that to work, there has to be a level of trust and safety. I think the fact that we have that together, the three of us, already, is—”
“Amazing,” Derek supplied.
“A surprise,” I said.
Brett put and arm around me and kissed my head. “That’s my girl,” he said fondly.
“Our girl,” Derek corrected.
I turned so my face was buried in Brett’s shirt, still feeling shy even with all the frank talk.
“I am your girl,” I said to them both, “One of the guys who works at the pub asked me out last week and I didn’t even consider it. Because I feel like I kind of have what I need already. I live with two great guys, and you are my best friends,” I said.
“I don’t want you seeing anyone else,” Derek said, “And I don’t want to see anyone else either. It would be weird. I don’t want to let anyone else in to this.”
“I don’t want to,” I confided, “I’d rather have burgers with you guys, ignore ESPN, snuggle up, and relax.”
“There’s a problem here,” Brett said, “We bought these recliners. You don’t have your own chair. We need—a couch. A big one. Because otherwise you have to pick one of us to sit with. We’d have to take turns being the one you curl up with. And I’m fine sharing with Derek, but I’d still mutter ‘bastard’ under my breath if you sat with him instead,” Brett said. I laughed.
“Really?”
“Yeah,” he said, looking a little embarrassed. Derek laughed, too.
“I think we need to buy a sectional. One of those big awesome ones with a recliner on both ends and, like, cup holders,” Derek said.
“Yeah, we can do that. Anyone want to go furniture shopping this weekend?” Brett asked.
“I’m in,” I said, smiling, feeling warm and flattered.
