Page 13 of Necessary Roughness

Sloane

I found Die Hard on one of the various streaming services and hit play while we all chose seats. Logan and Knox picked spots on the couch, leaving a big gap in the middle for me to take, but I chose the solitary armchair instead.

“I’m starting with a bowl of potato soup,” Logan announced, “then switching to broccoli cheddar.”

“It’s good,” Knox said with a mouthful of soup. “But hot.”

I casually pulled out my phone and sent a text.

Me: What the hell was that?

Jayden: I’m being your wingman. You’re welcome.

Me: But Die Hard?

Jayden: It was the quickest way to make sure they stayed. Straight men love Die Hard.

“I fucking love this movie,” Logan said while holding the bowl of soup close to his face, blowing across its surface. “See how he takes his shoes off to get over jet lag? That’ll be relevant later!”

I tried not to chuckle.

Me: You’re right. But now we’re locked into hanging out for two hours.

Jayden: Oh no. You’re stuck with the hottest guys on campus for the next two hours. I’m a monster for forcing you into such a terrible situation.

Jayden: Now stop texting me and go enjoy your movie date!

Me: It’s not a date. That’s the opposite of what this situation is supposed to be!

I put my phone down and said, “Wow, Bruce Willis looks so young.”

“This did come out forty years ago,” Knox said, glancing over at me. “You have seen this before, right? Since your friend said it’s your comfort movie?”

I had already lied too many times today, so I winced and slowly shook my head.

Both heads jerked in my direction. “Seriously?” Logan asked.

“I’ve seen bits and pieces of it whenever it’s on TV,” I admitted. “But I’ve never watched the entire thing all the way through. Jayden was just making a joke at my expense.”

Logan shook his head. “You think you like a girl, and then she drops a bomb like that.”

He likes me . His declaration gave me a warm, pleasant feeling in my core that had nothing to do with the soup.

“It’s only a movie,” I teased.

Logan sputtered his soup in surprise. “Only a movie. She thinks this is only a movie. Are you hearing this, bro?”

“Logan likes to be melodramatic,” Knox said.

“You aren’t one of those guys who think this is a Christmas movie, are you?” I asked.

Logan slowly put down his bowl on the coffee table, then crossed his hands in his lap. “I don’t just think it’s a Christmas movie. It is a verifiable fact that it’s a Christmas movie! Do you hear that soundtrack playing right now? Christmas music!”

“You don’t know what you started,” Knox told me.

“Apparently.”

“Oh my God,” Logan muttered. “You’ve made me lose my appetite.”

“I promise to keep an open mind while we watch,” I said.

Logan pumped a fist. “And she’s back in our good graces.”

I thoroughly enjoyed the soup, and went back for a second bowl. It was much tastier than the store-brand boxed macaroni and cheese I was planning on making for dinner. Knox helped me clean the bowls, shoulder-to-shoulder with me next to the sink while I loaded the dishwasher.

“Will you guys help me eat a bag of popcorn?” I asked.

Logan twisted around on the couch to look at me. “I can always eat.”

I threw a bag into the microwave and then went looking for a large bowl. I was nervous having these guys in my apartment, so I began opening drawers even though they obviously couldn’t fit the size bowl I needed.

One drawer got stuck halfway. I jerked the knob a few times until it crashed open, sending tongs, spatulas, and chip clips flying.

Knox knelt down and helped me clean up all the utensils. “Thanks,” I said.

“That’s the worst thing in the world,” Knox said. “When something gets jammed in a drawer.”

“ That’s the worst thing in the world?” I teased.

“Well…”

“You heard the man,” Logan called from the couch. “A stuck drawer is the worst thing in the world, just ahead of genocide, and childhood leukemia.”

“You know what I mean,” Knox complained. “It’s the most mildly annoying thing.”

“I can think of way more mildly annoying problems,” Logan said.

“Burning your popcorn by leaving it in too long,” I suggested while taking the bag out of the microwave. “Not this bag, though. This one’s perfect.”

“That’s your own fault though,” Knox said. “I’m thinking of annoying things that happen that are outside your control.”

“Like when you start to sneeze, but your body changes its mind at the last minute?” Logan asked over his shoulder. “So you’re left with sneeze blue-balls?”

“Ohh, that’s a good one,” I said while rejoining him in the living room.

“Uh, excuse me?” Logan asked as I started to sit down in my chair. “Don’t you dare hog that entire bowl of popcorn.”

“I’ll share!” I replied.

He patted the couch cushion next to him. “I swear I’m not making a move on you. I just want popcorn.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Knox said. “That boy has the appetite of a horse.”

Logan gestured down at himself. “This body is a Ferrari. It needs fuel to perform.”

After hesitating only a moment, I sat next to him. “I don’t think popcorn is the equivalent of premium gasoline, though.”

“Let me tell you a secret.” Logan leaned in and lowered his voice. “If the engine is hot enough, it’ll burn anything.”

He grabbed a big handful of popcorn and began tossing individual pieces into his mouth one at a time.

“Getting stuck in the slow line at the grocery store,” Knox said.

“Huh?”

He settled into the couch spot on the other side of me. “Mild inconveniences. Picking a grocery line and then watching every other line move faster than yours. I hate that.”

“Same for lanes during traffic,” Logan added.

“Ugh, that’s the worst ,” I agreed.

“Happens to me every time I drive to campus from the interstate.” Logan pointed at the TV. “The limo driver is my favorite guy.”

“Argyle,” Knox said. “That’s his name. Hardly anyone is named Argyle anymore.”

“It’s gone the way of Betty, Mildred, and Chester.” I perked up. “I’ve got a good one! Picking the wrong way to open a door. Like, pushing when you’re supposed to pull.”

“There’s no way to play it off, either,” Knox said. “You do the wrong thing, then live in your shame for the rest of the day.”

“When I’m king of the universe,” Logan said, “I’ll replace all doors with revolving doors.”

“So sayeth King Logan,” Knox said formally.

“Thank you for acknowledging my kingly authority.” Logan nudged me with his elbow. “Don’t let him steal too much popcorn.”

“I’ve only had one handful!” Knox protested. “You’ve had, like, half the bowl.”

“Shhhh,” Logan said loudly. “The bad guys are about to roll up. This is my favorite part.”

“ This is your favorite part?” I asked. “At the very beginning?”

“Well…” Logan pursed his lips together. “It’s one of my favorite parts. This whole movie is a banger.”

For a little while, we watched the movie unravel in silence.

“Hey! That’s Snape!” I said.

“No, that’s Hans Gruber,” Logan insisted. “He won’t become Snape for another quarter of a century.”

I leaned forward. “I am now extremely interested in this movie.”

When the popcorn was gone, I made another bag. We joked about Alan Rickman’s ability to be a compelling bad guy, and kept thinking up mildly inconvenient things to add to our list.

“Not having any Wi-Fi,” Knox said.

“Even worse: Wi-Fi that’s kind of spotty,” I countered. “Like, it flickers every few minutes.”

Logan sucked in his breath. “Fuck. That might be the winner.”

“Worse than having a tiny hair stuck in your mouth?” Knox asked.

“So much worse!” I said.

By the end of the night, all three of us were totally engrossed by the movie. I was, quite literally, sitting on the edge of my seat until Hans Gruber fell to his death at the end (sorry, spoilers.) When the credits rolled, Logan twisted on the couch and gave me a look.

“Pretty good, right?”

“That was,” I admitted, “one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. And I’m not just saying that to make you both happy.”

“We’ve converted her,” Knox said proudly.

“And it’s definitely a Christmas movie,” I said. “The entire score is Christmas music!”

Logan nodded emphatically.

“It takes place on Christmas Eve,” I added.

“Yes!”

“And Christmas is a central part of the plot,” I finished. “That’s why John McClane was visiting Los Angeles. It’s the reason there was less security in the building. And it’s what forced the police and FBI to react the way they did.”

Logan made a happy noise. “I’ve never been more turned on. I could kiss you.”

“Or,” I said in my most seductive voice, “we could watch Die Hard 2.”

Logan leaned in and groaned. “Talk dirty to me, baby.”

We grinned, and his arm brushed against mine. He glanced down at it, then up at me, his smile sliding away. Curiosity and desire sparkled behind his brown eyes, and his gaze stirred something new inside of me.

His hand came up to cup my jaw, and then he pulled me into a kiss.

I had gotten so comfortable around the two of them that I’d let my guard down, but as soon as his lips touched mine?

I realized this was something I’d been hoping would happen all night.

Like the last two hours had been one long foreplay session.

My body came alive under his touch, and I surged upward into his kiss.

God, this feels good .

It ended naturally, and Logan and I stared at each other like we were surprised it had even happened. I was panting from the energy of it all, trying to catch my breath.

Before I could say anything, Knox twisted my head around to face him on the other side and crushed his lips against mine.

It was the kind of kiss fueled by a dozen different sources—lust, longing, and impatience.

The memory of how commanding he was on the football field—at least, the part I had watched before fleeing the game.

Knox grabbed the back of my neck and held me strongly, demanding that I not end the kiss.

No problem there. I wanted this to go on, and on, and on .

Logan put a caressing hand on my back and whispered, “This isn’t why we came here, for the record. The soup was innocent.”

“Sure it was,” I mumbled into Knox’s lips.

There was so much freedom in our movements on the couch.

The way Knox squeezed my thigh, obviously wanting to dive between my legs but holding himself back.

The soft kiss Logan planted on my shoulder from behind.

The realization that I was kissing two incredibly handsome, incredibly popular men on my couch—and the desire we all felt to take this into the bedroom.

I was about to have a threesome, and there was nothing to stop us.

Well, almost nothing.

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted us. I opened my eyes, then pulled away from Knox with a gasp. Morgan was standing across the room, staring at us.

“Do you mind?” I asked.

“Do you?” she replied. “I didn’t realize our couch was going to become a communal make-out spot.”

She walked into the kitchen and began piddling around, opening and closing the fridge, checking the pantry. Clearly trying to interrupt us.

I rolled my eyes, then turned my attention back to the football players.

Knox gave me a wry smile. “We should probably go.”

I tried to think of an excuse to make them stay, but it was too late. The mood was ruined, and they were already standing up.

“Enjoy the rest of the soup,” Logan said as I walked them to the door.

“Thanks for bringing it,” I said awkwardly. “Sorry I lied.”

“You get a freebie,” Knox said with a disarming smile. “We’ll ignore this one, but in the future? Just tell us the truth.”

I nodded, but deep down I was thinking: there’s a future?

“See you in class tomorrow,” Knox said, striding into the hallway.

Logan started to follow, then stopped and turned around. “Oh. One last thing.”

“Hmm?” I asked.

He grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled me into a rough, quick kiss. It was hot and passionate and real , so real, but it ended just as quickly as it began.

“We didn’t intend for any of this to happen tonight,” he whispered, his face still close to mine. “But I’m glad it did.”