Friends, Right?

AMIAH

SUNDAY

I woke up to the sound of soft murmuring, then the bed shifted slightly and the mattress sank on either side of me.

I sat up with a start and hugged the sheets to my chest. I let my hands fall, though, when Levi’s and Mason’s smiling faces came into focus. They were each holding a tray filled with various breakfast foods.

I exhaled the breath I was holding along with any traces of sleepiness, which anger immediately replaced. “What in God’s name are you two doing here?” I looked between them.

Levi shrugged. “We felt like breakfast.” He set his tray on the bed while Mason did the same with his.

I blinked once. Twice. “But why are you here?”

Mason cocked his head. “Aren’t you hungry?” He took a strawberry between his full pink lips. “We’re starved.” His eyes wandered down my body.

I looked over at Levi and he was watching Mason look at me, then he licked his lips. I was right, I thought. ~They ~are~ attracted to me~. Chills went down my spine, and I was suddenly very aware that I was only dressed in a T-shirt and panties.

Last night I had time to think about possible changes to our relationship and surprised myself when I realized I’d be open to exploring something physical. These men were my best friends, they were insanely handsome, and they had feelings for me beyond platonic friendship.

Why not feel it out a bit? Test the waters?

I pulled the blanket around my waist and leaned against the headboard. The awareness of my unrestrained breasts rubbing against my shirt sent blood to my face and electricity to my nipples.

I took a strawberry from Mason’s tray and smiled. “I’m always hungry.” I dipped it in the whipped cream on top of a pancake before biting into it. My head tilted to the side and my eyes closed. A moan escaped my lips.

How did they always manage to get the freshest fruit? I opened my eyes to ask them, but when I did, they were both staring at me, ear-to-ear grins on their faces and hunger in their eyes. Eyes that were looking at my lips, I realized.

My stomach clenched and I sat up straight. I cleared my throat, and they both snapped out of it. We all looked down at the food and grabbed something. I cut off a piece of Levi’s chocolate-covered pancake and popped it into my mouth.

We ate in momentary silence, and I was again surprised when I realized I felt comfortable in it. These men made me feel comfortable, even if the only things separating them from my naked body were two thin pieces of clothing and one bedsheet.

MASON

“You know, a girl could really get used to waking up with breakfast in bed,” she said with a chuckle, taking another bite of pancake. “But really, guys. What is this about?”

I looked at Levi and he nodded. It was time to tell her, but when I looked back at her, I couldn’t take my eyes off the bit of chocolate lingering on her bottom lip. I wanted to lick it off.

Levi stepped in. “You’d get breakfast every morning if you stayed with us.”

She stopped eating and looked at him. “Ha ha, very funny.” She forked a strawberry. “I get it, you don’t want me to go out with Theo. But I’ve already said yes. So it’s done.”

“We’re hurt, Mi,” Levi said, looking at the tray of food. “Choosing Theo over us.”

She sighed. “I’m not choosing anybody over anybody. You two are my best friends, Theo’s just…just…”

“A quick fuck?” I supplied, the chocolate spell broken as she licked it away.

Her head snapped toward me, eyes wide, but she smiled when she said, “Not how I would’ve put it, but yes.”

“If I may ask, are you interested in something more?” Levi shifted on the bed. “You know, a relationship?” Levi reached over and grabbed my hand.

I looked at him and smiled. I loved how he was always so calm and collected, whereas I let my emotions flare. This was a good way to approach the topic, where I would have just blurted it out. Opposites really did attract in our case.

She set down her fork and tilted her head. Then she looked between us a few times. She understood the real question, and my heart picked up its pace as we waited for her answer. She kept us in an agonizing silence for what felt like forever. And I feared she would say no.

I couldn’t take it anymore. My emotions flared. “Why won’t you just be with us?” I released Levi’s hand and brought mine in front of me, palms open and up.

“Mason!” snapped Levi. “Give her a chance to speak!”

Her cheeks flushed an adorable pink. She shook her head. “I… Where did this come from all of a sudden?”

I scoffed. “All of a sudden? Try at least the last four years, Amiah.”

“Four years?” she said in a raised voice, her eyebrows reaching up to her forehead.

“Oh, come on, Mi,” Levi said. “We flirt with you every chance we get.”

She forced out a chuckle and raised her hands. “I thought that was innocent teasing. I never took that seriously! I mean, you two are dating.”

“Well now you know it wasn’t teasing. It was serious.” My tone came out harsher than I wanted it to. “So, what do you say?” I softened my tone this time, then took Levi’s hand and smiled.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “What exactly are you asking me?” She looked between us.

Levi and I looked at each other, and he nodded at me to speak. But I knew I wouldn’t say the right thing, so I shook my head. He frowned but then nodded and turned back to Amiah.

“We’d like the opportunity to take you on a date,” he said, squeezing my hand.

My mouth spoke before my brain could stop it. “And ravish you after. Should you want that too.”

AMIAH

My eyes felt about ready to pop out of my head, and my cheeks were on fire. Mason was looking at me like he wanted to ravish me now, and Levi was looking at him with disbelief and anger in his gaze.

Levi cleared his throat and turned to me. “What Mason means to say is that, if everything goes well, we want you to be part of this relationship.”

I leaned against the headboard to ponder this all. Last night, I just thought they wanted a physical relationship with me. But this was way more.

Is it, though? ~You decided last night you’d be willing to have sex with them~,a voice in my head chirped up. ~You’re already best friends. You hang out and talk all the time. Wouldn’t adding sex just be the last step in forming a “serious” relationship?~

I had a point, but now that I knew this was what they wanted, doubts began to swirl in my mind. The biggest of which: what if it all went badly? What then?

“I…I really don’t know,” I said. “What happens after if it doesn’t go well?” I looked between them. “Would we still be friends? Could we?” My decision then came on its own. I shook my head. “No. I can’t do this.”

They both slouched their backs and looked at each other. Mason looked more angry than disappointed, and Levi just looked sad. My heart demanded that I explain myself.

I leaned over and grabbed their hands. “Your friendship is so important to me.” I squeezed. “I can’t lose it.” My eyes pleaded for their understanding.

Mason pulled his hand away and placed both in his lap. He looked at Levi, then down at his hands. “Then I can’t either. I can’t be your friend anymore.”

Panic coursed through my body, and I looked to Levi for an explanation.

He placed his other hand over mine. “We’ve had over four years to talk about this, Mi. We like you, and we want more than friendship.” He smiled softly.

I knew this was it, that our friendship was over no matter what. But it could either become nothing or something much more. Possibly magical.

My decision again came on its own.

MASON

“OK, yes.”

Her words made my head whip up to face her. “Really?” My smile actually hurt my face.

She laughed lightly and pulled her hand away from Levi’s. “On one condition.” She held up a finger. “If we all agree that if the date doesn’t go well and that we aren’t meant for more than friendship, we go back to being friends.”

I looked at Levi and he nodded his agreement. “Deal,” I said. “We’ll wine and dine you, and after, if we don’t think it’s…going to work, we’ll drop it.”

She laughed and leaned back, and all of the tension cleared the air. It felt like it always did between us. Comfortable.

“This is going to be awkward, don’t you think?” she asked.

I chuckled and cut off a bit of pancake, remembering we were here to eat breakfast. Levi grabbed a piece of bacon and shrugged.

“Not unless you’re going to make it awkward,” he said, taking a bite. “We’ve been waiting for this to happen for ages.”

When she said nothing, I added, “I can’t wait to find out. And you know”—I looked between Levi and Amiah—“this is a win-win situation. If it doesn’t work out, we stay friends. If it does…” I let the question hang as I continued to look at them.

We all began to look back and forth between each other, and Amiah’s growing smile allowed ours to come out.

“Right. Date it is.” She nodded her head. “Now get out of here. I need to get up and get dressed. I have some files that I need to work on for tomorrow.”

“Oh, come on. Haven’t you ever heard of a lazy Sunday?” I asked while Levi stacked his dishes onto my tray, then moved his empty one under it.

Amiah raised a brow at me. “Lazy Sundays are for people who can also afford lazy Mondays.” She nudged me with her foot. “So go. I’ll see you both for lunch tomorrow, yeah?”

“You will,” I grinned, and before she could pull her foot back, I grabbed it and tickled her through the blanket, pulling a sharp squeal from her as she laughed.

“Stop that!” she said. She attempted to pull away from me and in the process, the blanket slid down, exposing her very lacy red panties.

She gasped, yanking her foot back and tugging the blanket up around her hips.

“Bloody hell, Amiah,” groaned Levi. “You’ve been sitting here the whole time in your knickers?”

“What? You know I sleep in my underwear.” Her face reddened, then hardened. “I thought I asked you two to go.”

My eyes were still on her waist, hoping for another peek at the small strip of fabric. “Well, I’m certainly glad we didn’t, aren’t you, Levi?” I turned to him, and he stood up, taking the trays.

He nodded. “Indeed. We would’ve never known our Mi had such great taste in lingerie.”

She tilted her chin up. “I have excellent taste in lingerie, thank you very much.”

Levi came around the bed and tugged on my arm to stand.

I did, then said, “Hopefully we’ll get to see more next time.” I kept my face serious and looked over her body again before Levi pulled me out of the room and into the kitchen.

A door shut in Amiah’s room, and after Levi set down the trays, he pulled me into an embrace. I melted into his arms, relief weakening my knees.

“We did it.” He rocked me gently. “She said yes.”

I pulled away from him, and as I gazed into his brown eyes, the reality of his words kicked in. “Fucking hell,” I said. “This is really happening, isn’t it?”

He laughed and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “And we’d better make sure it happens again, and again, and again.”

We walked to the door and closed it gently behind us. In the elevator, I thought about Levi’s words. Again and again, he’d said.

A smile broke across my face. I certainly looked forward to the challenge.