Page 136 of Crossed Wires: The Complete Series

Tom laughed again. “Hell no. This party doesn’t happen without you.”

“What party?”

Andrew closed his eyes briefly. “Come on, Amy. We’re going to deal with your misbehavior. Then we’re going to continue those lessons.”

“We?”

“Yeah. Tom and I.”

Amy’s mouth went dry as she tried to process Andrew’s answer. “Um…”

His face lost its tension, as it appeared he’d made up his mind. “You know your safe word. If you want to say it, say it.” She tried to decide if he was hoping for that very occurrence. She didn’t think so, but she couldn’t tell for sure.

Then he winked at her.

Bloody hell. She’d been sleeping with Andrew Shaw for exactly four nights and already the man knew her biggest weaknesses. Her pride wouldn’t let her back down from what felt like a blatant dare and she’d already tested the safe word. She knew he would keep his promise and stop. If she said no to this experience, she’d regret it for the rest of her life.

She’d told Harper her sexual fantasy was to sleep with a stranger. Now Andrew was offering her another chance to explore that kink.

She studied Tom’s face. He would walk away if she spoke the word, she could see it in his eyes. She could also read the hope that lingered there as well.

“I’m not going to say the word.”

Tom released a long breath. “Thank God. After you.” He allowed Andrew, who still held her hand, to lead her out of the social room and down a dimly lit, but elegantly decorated corridor. They stopped in front of a room and Tom held up a keycard, like those used in hotels. For a sex club, Velvet Chains was certainly more upscale and classy than she’d expected.

The three of them stepped into the room together. It was a stylish space, well lit with over a dozen candles.

“Wow.”

Andrew squeezed her hand. She hadn’t faced him since agreeing to the ménage. Part of her was afraid of what she’d see. Did he want this? He’d been the one to suggest it, but there was something in his eyes that had appeared hesitant, uncertain.

She forced her gaze to meet his and breathed a sigh of relief. Andrew was the same, his face compassionate, patient, understanding.

“I have a suspicion this isn’t exactly uncharted territory for you guys.”

Andrew shook his head. “No. It’s not new to us. We always share at the club.”

“Always?”

He hesitated long enough to let her know this wasn’t a conversation he was comfortable having. She’d noticed the same reticence when he’d talked about his family. Andrew Shaw was a private man, which made her all the more interested in peeling back the layers. She wanted to know more about him. Everything.

Which was a bad plan. He was returning to work in two days and she was going home to Farpoint a week later. Better to keep things casual. Fun sex with no strings. Anything more than that was going to be dangerous to her heart.

“Andrew was the one who introduced me to the club, to BDSM. I was anxious to learn more about domination and submission. He offered to walk me through the paces the first few times, but it soon became apparent we liked sharing women. Since then, whenever we’re at the club, we share.”

Tom’s explanation sparked more questions in Amy’s mind. Was that why Andrew had refused to bring her to the club? Because he knew the evening would end with Tom in their bed? If that was true and he didn’t want it, then why were they all in this room together now?

“You only share at the club?”

Andrew nodded. “We’ve limited the threesome play to here. We don’t indulge in the same games when we’re on the road.”

“Or whenever you’re in a serious relationship with a woman?” She was digging. Amy hoped Andrew didn’t figure it out.

Tom chuckled. “I don’t share my girlfriends with Andrew.”

The answer didn’t satisfy her. Didn’t tell her what she wanted to know.

When Andrew failed to respond, Tom filled in the other blank. “And Shaw here is a commitment-phobe. Never been in a serious relationship with a woman in all the time I’ve known him.”