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“What about me?” Con asked, confused. “I’ll go out,” he said as if it were a no-brainer. “I wouldn’t want to cramp your style with me being in the other room.”
The fact that he’d spoken to his friend suggested something so out of the box in the first place and had done it all for them, made Katy’s heart expand. But there was a tinge of disappointment too, knowing it was another thing Con wouldn’t be a part of. Not that Levi would go for that. She was sure that her growing feelings for Con were as transparent as glass to Levi. There was no way he hadn’t figured out that she was falling in love with him. He had quickly become as dear to Katy as Levi was. Her love for Levi hadn’t lessened—he was the love of her life and always would be, but she couldn’t deny it anymore. If she was truthful, she’d always wanted him. Katy was attracted to both of them the minute she’d met them. Years ago, she’d thought it was mutual—she’d seen Con staring at her and had mistaken it for desire. It was so intense, so raw that his stare had taken her breath away. But then he’d looked at Levi the same way. And Con was as straight as an arrow. There was no way that look he’d cast their way was desire. It couldn’t have been. And then he’d left, and her heart had broken. A piece of her soul went with him to the Middle East, but now that he was back, she couldn’t help but hope. Of course, she had no idea what she was hopeful of, but as long as it involved Con in their lives, she’d be happy.
“I’ll probably have a gig anyway,” Con said jarring her back into the present.
“Wait, what? A gig?” He filled her in on his impromptu concert at breakfast that morning and how after speaking with the owner, he’d lined up a trial which, if he could pull it off, would possibly turn into a few gigs a week. Katy squealed and jumped forward, wrapping her arms around his waist. Levi jogged in withconcern on his face.
“What’s going on?”
“Connor’s new job.” She couldn’t help the excitement in her voice.
“What new job?” He looked between them, confused.
“You didn’t tell him?” she asked incredulously, squeezing Con tighter. She could smell his aftershave, feel the ripple of lean muscle along his chest as he tucked her under his arm, holding her close. She patted his stomach and added, “He’s auditioning to play at a few pubs and cafes between here and Byron. Isn’t that fantastic?”
“Dude, that’s great.” Levi stepped close and wrapped an arm around Con. The other one found her, pressing against the small of her back. Being enveloped in their arms, their strong embrace protective and loving, Katy was at home. All the pieces clicked into place. She wanted both of them. Would Levi be enough? Always. But with Con, that missing piece, the extra part of them which had been torn away when he’d left, leaving a gaping chasm in their hearts, slotted back into place. She pulled back, extracting herself from the midst of the hug to watch the two of them together, anddamn.
Seeing them together, in something as simple as an embrace, had Katy wishing they were into each other—the three of them could be together then. Imagining Levi’s familiar bulky shoulders and sculpted chest sliding against Con’s leaner one, their bodies aligned and their tongues tangling as they kissed, they would be beautiful—like two caged wild animals, ferocious yet graceful in the most primal of ways. They could help each other too—Levi’s passion would show Con how much he was loved, and Con would encourage Levi not to focus so much on living every second of life as the perfect Boy Scout. The morals clause in his contract with the studio had him second guessing so many of his actions that Katy wondered sometimes whether he needed the rush from the work he did to feel alive. But would they be happy? The two men had been friends since they were five. They’d grown up together. They’d shared everything. After Con’s deadbeat dad had gone and got himself killed, Con had even lived with Levi’s family. They were closer than brothers—best friends forever, minus the tackiness. If they found each other, if they fell in love, why would they need her? They wouldn’t need or want her. She’d be in the way and would lose both of them. As the realization hit, Katy dropped her arms and stumbled back. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Their being together was a pipedream, one of those ridiculous notions that would never happen. She had to repeat the mantra to herself. The thought of losing the love of her life and her best friend to each other would be too painful to bear.
“When’s your first gig?” Levi asked.
“Thursday night.” He looked nervous. It was endearing when he shrugged his shoulder and flashed a sheepish smile her way. “Wanna come?”
“Are you kidding? We wouldn’t miss it.” Levi paused and asked quietly, “Will Miranda be there?”
“I dunno. Do you want her there?” The question was directed at both of them. She hated watching Miranda falling for Connor, but she couldn’t—no wouldn’t—stand in the way of his happiness. If he wanted her there, she had to encourage him.
“Sure, I don’t mind.” She was sure they’d pick up on the hollowness of her tone.
“Okay.” Con nodded, but the look on his face—the resigned pull of his mouth, his lacklustre eyes—said it all. He wasn’t happy. Would it be too much to hope for him not to invite her along? “I’ll think about it. I dunno whether it’s a good idea for her to be there when I’m tryin’ to get the job.”
FOUR
Levi
Connor’s fingers worked the guitar as if he were caressing a lover. His voice, like warm caramel, curled around them and created an intimate little bubble where it wasn’t hard to imagine that he was singing just to him and Katy. Swaying to Connor’s voice, Levi held Katy close on the dancefloor of the pub. It overlooked the river, a giant Bali hut with a bar at one end and a stage at the other. High tables surrounded this area, the picnic tables spread further out on the grassy slope went almost all the way down to the water. A breeze wafted through, the smell of rain in the air. Dim lighting in the gardens created shadows in the high palms, and the small spotlight on Connor had everyone’s focus on him.
Levi closed his eyes and ran his fingers through Katy’s long silky hair. She smelled of vanilla and chocolate, his favourite scent. Her warm skin was baby soft against his palm and her curves tempted him. He wanted to lay her down and make love to her right there on the stage next to Connor.
“This is my last song for the night. It’s a smooth one so grab the hand of your guy or girl and love ‘em.” Connor smiled and began strumming the opening chords for Sam Smith and John Legend’s “Lay Me Down.”Looking directly at them, Connor sang about missing a lover and being heartbroken. Part way through, he paused and reached out for Katy, pulling her up on stage with him. Levi let her go, but when Connor motioned for him to get up too, Levi smiled. Hardly missing a breath, Connor kept singing and shifted his gaze to Levi. His heart stuttered.Is he singing to me too? It’s a love song.Part of him hoped so. But mates didn’t sing each other love songs, did they? Confusion reigned supreme in his head, so Levi just let it go. It was easier not to think about it, easier to just live in the moment.
When Connor finished singing, he leaned in and kissed Katy softly on her lips. Seeing it was like a shot of lust-fuelled adrenaline straight to his bloodstream. He struggled to breathe through the instant haze of desire filling every pore in his body. Instead of pulling away, Con reached out, his firm touch on Levi’s shoulder drawing him in. In Connor’s embrace, Levi held him just as tight, the other man’s breath tickling Levi’s throat. He’d never had the urge to before, but he did then—he desperately wanted to kiss Connor. He wanted to haul the other man against his body and crush their lips together, to taste him, to caress him.Goddamn it, I can’t do this.What am I thinking? What the hell would Katy think if I did that? I can’t hurt her like that.Con kissing her is different—it’s hot, but she’d probably think that he and Connor making out was a total turnoff.
Connor pulled into the drive and lifted Katy into his arms. Drunk, she’d fallen asleep curled around Levi in the back seat. He was going to hurt the next day—his head, his gut—Levi groaned already feeling it. He watched Katy wrap her arms around Con’s neck, resting her head against his shoulder still asleep. Before he fell asleep himself, he dragged his arse from the back of the car and staggered after his friend. Levi fumbled the keys when he tried to open the front door; he was distracted. Katy had nuzzled her face into the crook of Connor’s neck and was licking and kissing him there, sucking on the sensitive skin above his collarbone. He should have been jealous, annoyed that his girlfriend was kissing another man—logically he knew that—but he was glued to the sight of his best friend’s eyes rolling back in his head. The gravelly moan that rumbled out of Con was doing things to Levi he didn’t want to admit. His cock straining against the zipper of his jeans, salivating over the beautiful woman in his best friend’s arms. Levi had to get Katy naked. Knowing she was the one making Connor moan like a man desperate for release had every possessive instinct rearing its head in him. But in the opposite way to what logic would have dictated he should react—he wasn’t jealous, wasn’t wanting her to stop. He wanted her to keep going, to give Connor what he needed.How screwed up is that?
By the time Levi stumbled into the bedroom, Con had already laid Katy down and taken off her four-inch heels. Still wearing her dark, low-cut skinny jeans and a silver top that was all tiny straps and low-cut necklines, she was stunning—all curvy and luscious. Levi licked his lips. Burying himself inside her until she was blissed out sounded perfect right about then.
Katy lifted her arm and covered her face blocking the light spilling in from the hall, rubbing her legs together as she did.
“What’s up, sugar?” Levi asked. “You feeling okay?”
“No,” she whined. “I’m fucking horny. I need you inside me, Lee. Con, tell him—he needs to.”
“You heard the lady, Lee. Hope you’re up for it.” Connor turned away, and Levi reached out but let his hand fall away before he could grasp onto his friend. Instinct screamed at him to draw him close, to comfort him, to tell him…what?He wasn’t sure. He’d seen something in Con’s eyes—a momentary flash, but it was definitely there. Vulnerability? Loneliness? He wasn’t sure.
Katy’s frustrated growl made him laugh. “I can’t get my damn pants off. My fingers aren’t working anymore.”
“I’ll give you guys some privacy. Night.” Con flashed a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes, before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
