“Lance?”

Lance looked up from his laptop to see Abbie leaning against the doorjamb wearing JC’s robe. She looked like a sleepy, adorable child.

“Can’t sleep?” he asked her.

“I heard you get up. When you didn’t come back, I got worried…”

She worried. His lover slept through it. Well, his male lover, he amended. “I’m fine. I was restless, so I thought I’d do some work.”

She nodded. Lance had claimed this spare bedroom as his own. She knew many nights he slept here as well, choosing not to sleep with JC and Abbie. “Lance, are you mad at me?”

His green eyes went wide with surprise. “No! What gave you that idea?”

Lifting her shoulders in a shrug she went to the desk where he worked. “You don’t sleep with us much. I thought maybe it was me…”

It was her, but he’d never tell her that. If anyone was innocent of wrong doing here, it was little Abbie. JC hadn’t told her he was in a relationship. Lance knew and chose to turn a blind eye to the dalliance. She was the one who had been wronged. “No, baby. It’s I just don’t sleep as much as JC.”

Abbie grinned. “No one does.”

“C’mere.” He tugged her onto his lap, wrapping his arms loosely about her. “None of this is your fault. JC wasn’t honest with you. To tell the truth, I knew about you, but I chose to ignore it. JC’s had other women — sort of to keep up the image. I thought you were one of them.” He nuzzled her head to his shoulder. “I was prepared to tolerate your presence in our lives, but then I met you. You were sweet and genuine…I reamed JC for playing with you. He just took it – stoic-like. When I was done, he announced that I could kiss his ass, that you were a fact of life. I resented the hell out of you.”

“I’m sorry, Lance. You’ve been hurt –“

“Not by you.” He nuzzled his face in her soft fragrant hair. “You are the one who makes what we do tolerable. I love the hell out of JC, but I swear he’s blind when it comes to you. He’s got 20/20 tunnel vision.”

“What do you mean?”

“Abbie…” he chided gently.

“You mean his not wanting to share.”

“Mmm…hmm...And I can’t say I blame him.”

“Lance?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“It’s about Josh.”

“I think it’s a little late for secret keeping.”

“Has he?… I mean, you never…” This was difficult. How could she ask nicely? “We’ve never really made love…”

“And you wonder if you’re off limits.” He finished for her.

She nodded meekly.

“No, JC and I’ve never discussed it. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t like me to do you all the way, but he’s never come out and said I couldn’t.”

“Oh…”

“Do you think I’m cheating you?”

“No, it’s not that. I just wondered why.”

“We have to share JC, like it or not.” He began kissing her. The flavor of her sweet mouth was addictive. If he never did more than kiss her, he would be satisfied. “Truth is, baby girl, I kinda consider that his hole – his territory. Just like his fine ass is my hole – my territory.”

“Have you ever wanted to? I mean, make love to me?”

Lance shook his head. “ No. I like kissing you, showing you affection, because I do love you. That’s no lie – but I fall in love with guys, not girls – no matter how sweet and loveable.”

Abbie nodded.

“I like touching you, kissing you, going down on you, because I want to give you pleasure. I’m pretty sure you feel the same for me.”

“Yes.”

He grinned. “And you’re damn good at it.”

“I’m glad you like it, at least.”

“Oh, yeah… and you are very generous with your love Abbie. JC knew a treasure when he found it.”

They were silent for a long while, then Abbie spoke once more. “I have another question.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve seen you and JC…”

“Yeah.”

“Have you ever wanted… to me?”

Lance shook his head. “No, baby. I never have.”

“Why not?”

“As cute as your ass is, it still is a girl’s ass.”

“Oh… Okay.” She flashed him a bright smile.

“Speaking of your cute, little ass… Get it back to bed.” He patted her rump to indicate she should stand. He followed suit, looping an arm companionably around her shoulders to walk her to the bedroom they shared with JC. “Sleep tight, baby girl.” he said as he swatted her rump lightly.

Abbie reached up to kiss her friend. “Thanks, Lance. You’re wonderful.”

JC pretended not to wake up when he heard the couple approach. What in the hell was Abbie thanking Lance for – and what made him so wonderful? He felt Abbie climb into bed and snuggle close to him. Laying an arm across her waist, he mumbled “Mmm…Abbie…” as if he were waking to find her close.

She turned into his body. “Go back to sleep, baby. I’m here.”

Opening his eyes, he found her gazing up at him – so trusting, so soft, so full of love. He moved closed, their naked bodies pressed intimately together. “You’re great to wake up to.”

“It’s three in the morning,” she told him quietly. Unable to resist touching the tumble of curls at his forehead, she stroked them back, petting him like a big cat, making him purr. “Go back to sleep.”

JC was caught in the web of tenderness she wove around him. “I love you so much, sweetness.”

She shifted to her back so his head lay on her shoulder. Continuing her petting, she nuzzled him. She as so unsure of her life with him. How could you love someone so much and be so confused?

“Talk to me, Abs. Something is on your mind.”

She sighed, a frustrated little sound. “I don’t know Josh.”

“What don’t you know?”

“I was talking with Lance… I was asking him about some things.”

“What things?”

“I wondered if you told him that he couldn’t make love to me.”

JC’s stomach clenched at the very idea of his blonde lover actually spilling inside of Abbie. It was bad enough to see his mouth on her! “What’d he say?”

“That you hadn’t.”

“He’s gay, baby.”

“Aren’t you?”

He slipped a teasing hand between her legs and began caressing her. “Lance is my first male lover. I want you,” he answered huskily. “ Guess that means I’m not gay.”

“That means nothing. Lance does that too.”

JC took her hand and wrapped her fingers around his rapidly hardening manhood. “Yeah, but you’ll be getting this. And before you say ‘ Lance does too’, I mean, I’m gonna put it where it makes both of us feel real good.”

“Your hole.” Abbie used Lance’s term and pulled her hand away.

Amusement lit JC’s blue eyes. “What?”

“Lance says he considers that your ‘hole’— like he says your butt is his ‘hole’.” She repeated with a grin.

He laughed. “ Okay…I never really though of that way. I guess that works.”

“But that’s not true.”

He watched the little frown line between her eyes. Rubbing his index finger over it to make it go away, he asked, “Why not?”

“Because most of the time, you’re on top. You have two holes.”

“Baby, do you hear what you’re saying?” Was this his innocent Abbie talking so openly about ‘holes’ for sex?

“I’m saying you’ve got more places to stick yours – it’s unfair. I don’t have anything to stick anywhere.”

“That’s why my butt is exclusively Lance’s – You don’t have the equipment – or I’d be more willing to let you at me.”

Abbie’s next sigh was even louder and more vexed.

“Now what?” JC grumbled.

“You sound cranky.”

“I got a hard on like the fucking Washington Monument – any you’re talking about ‘holes’ and being ‘fair’ and not caring I was gonna make love to you.”

“I’m not much in the mood.”

“Fine.” JC tossed back the covers. He grabbed the tube of lube from the bedside table. “I’ll sleep with Lance.”

“You go do that, Josh – go stick it in your other convenient hole!” she taunted to cover the hurt.

“What the—” Lance looked up to see JC in all his aroused glory striding into his room. “Wake up that way and decide to let Abbie sleep?” He smiled.

“Not exactly,” JC growled as he pulled back the covers of the bed.

“Not exactly?” Lance went to the bed, shedding his robe and boxers. He stretched out with his lover. God, he missed JC in his bed alone.

JC didn’t want to talk, so he closed his mouth over Lance’s as he reached down to fondle the other man’s member. “I want you, Lance.”

“You so got me, baby,” Lance assured him, his hands moving over the hard body, nudging him back.

Closing his eyes, JC let the sensation of his blonde lover’s big hands moving over him, pleasing him, swamping his senses. Lance…yeah, he didn’t do a lot of talking and questioning. Their love was more basic than that. He leaned down to find Lance’s mouth again, hungrily consuming him.

“Beautiful…” Lance moaned when JC flipped him to his stomach, rubbing his shaft along his butt cheeks.

“Want me now, pretty boy?” JC purred as he bent to nibble and suck at the man’s neck. “Is this what you’re needing?”

“Oh, God, yes!”

“That’s what I want, too, Lance. I was to be deep inside of you, pleasing you.”

“You do, baby.”

JC grabbed a pillow and stuffed it beneath Lance’s hips for a better angle. He generously applied lubrication to his straining member and his fingers. Prying about the firm cheeks, his fingers found Lance’s opening, he probed and slid one finger at a time into his lover, until he felt the muscles relax enough for his passage.

“Ahh, shit, C!” Lance groaned as JC rode him eagerly. “You feel so good—“

“So do you, pretty boy. Feel me? Every inch of this is yours.” JC reached beneath Lance to find his thick shaft. He stroked him with a none-to-gentle hand, the way they both liked it.

Lance gloried in the feel of his commanding lover’s full attention as JC continued to thrust into him. It had been so long since he had JC to himself. He wanted it to last forever – but from the burning heat of pleasure welling in his belly, he knew it couldn’t last more than a few…” Jay-cee!” he cried as he shot his load in the hand pleasuring him.

“Just – a few more….” JC’s hips pounded forward. “ Damn, baby!” He stiffened, exploded, and then fell upon Lance’s back, shuddering with release.

Pressed into the mattress, Lance savored the weight and heat of his lover’s body on his.

Abbie had heard the muffled cries of completion from the other bedroom. Tears slid silently down her cheeks. The sharing part was about to unravel.

Lance let JC sleep as he went down to make coffee. He fairly skipped down the stairs, feeling better then he had in some time – until he saw Abbie.

Abbie stood staring blindly out the kitchen window, deep circles attested to lack of sleep. She only spared Lance a brief glance before she turned back to the window.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Lance demanded as he went to her side.

She merely blinked.

“Dammit, Abbie, talk to me!”

“Shouldn’t that be Josh’s line?” she asked dully. “After all he’s supposed to love me – oh, wait...I forgot. I’m only part-time.”

“That’s not true. JC loves you full time or he wouldn’t be so jealous—“

“He’s playing us against each other, Lance.”

“What are you talking about?”

Abbie faced lance. “Do you know why Josh came to you last night?”

He had a feeling he so didn’t want to hear this. “Because we love each other.”

Because she cared about his feelings, she gave him a small smile. “I’ll concede that point.” Then she continued. “He came to you at full staff because I told him ‘no’. He said he’d go to you.”

“Ah, damn!” He groaned. His night of bliss lost some of its shine. “I’m sorry, Abbie. I didn’t know.”

“I don’t blame you, Lance. You have nothing to apologize for. You had no way of knowing.”

“What’re you gonna do?”

“Move out of JC’s room. I’ll be like you and sleep apart.”

“Abbie—“

“And I’ll see if I can find a job.” She had given up hers to become a full-time helpmate to her lover. She had lost her sense of security in JC’s love. “I need something else in my life.”

“It’ll get better,” Lance told her.

She had her doubts.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” JC barked when he saw Abbie carrying an armload of clothes to the bedroom furthest from the one Lance used.

“Moving my stuff.”

“I can see that. Why are you doing it?”

“I’ve decided I want my own space.”

“Your own space? Abbie, this whole house is your space.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s your space.”

He followed as she dumped the clothes on the bed and began to separate them. He watched as she hung them in her new bedroom. At one point, he came up behind her and put his hands on her waist. “Baby, what’s wrong? Why are you doing this to us?” he asked softly.

“Me? Me! That’s really rich, Mister Chasez.” She laughed harshly. “You are the one who went to poor, unsuspecting Lance last night because I told you ‘no’!”

“You’re mad at me for making love to Lance?” He couldn’t understand that. “That shouldn’t come as a shock to you after all this time.”

“That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

She elbowed him away from her and continued hanging clothes.

“Abbie?”

“What?”

“What does this mean for us?”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t you want me to make love to you anymore?”

Abbie groaned. She wished to God she didn’t love him so much! “It just means I won’t always sleep with you.”

“I want to sleep with you.”

“You should have thought of that before you left our bed last night.”

Abbie tossed her bag on the sideboard when she got home. Her first instinct was to go into JC’s studio and tell him her news, but she didn’t know how pleased he would be. So, instead she went to Lance’s room. She knocked lightly on the door.

“C’mon! It’s open!” His low voice called from the other side.

She poked her head in. “Got a minute?”

Lance looked up from his laptop to see her first real smile in days. He grinned at her. “For you, I got two.”

She giggled. “Such a deal!”

He held his arms out to her and she went to his lap.

“So…what put that beautiful smile on your face?”

“Well…I got a job. Well…actually, I got more than a job. I got my job. They wanted me back!” she crowed happily, flinging her arms around his neck.

“That’s fantastic, baby! I’m so happy for you.”

She made a squeal of delight and started showering his face with kisses.”

“Hey! Now, cut that out,” he demanded, laughing. “I’m a gay boy and you can’t convert me!”

“Make me!” she challenged mischievously.

Still dodging her teasing lips, Lance made his way to the bed and dropped them to the mattress.

“I thought I couldn’t convert you?” she taunted light-heartedly. “Why bring me to bed?”

“For this!” Hovering above her, he tickled her ribs lightly.

“Lance!” she begged between giggles. “Oh, God, Lance, stop!”

“What in the hell is going on in here?”

JC stood in the doorway. At first when he heard Abbie’s cries, he had thought they were making love. It became quickly apparent that was not the case – but they were having fun without him.

“Hiya, JC.”

The blue-eyed man flashed back to another time he had found his two lovers in bed without him – and Lance had greeted him with those very words. He’d been terrified then. He was scared even now for a very similar reason. He could still lose one or both of the people he loved. “This a private party?”

Abbie shook her head. “But you’ve got to pay the cover charge.”

“Which would be?”

“A smile, blue-eyes,” she told him softly.

Hearing that endearment raised a heavy weight from JC’s chest. Abbie still loved him! The big smile came easily on the heels of that revelation.

Abbie cocked a look at Lance. “That good enough?”

“Beautiful,” Lance murmured, captivated by his lover’s smile.

“Guess that means you can join the party.” Abbie grinned as JC took a flying leap at the bed, landing half on top of both of them.

Fingers mercilessly attacked vulnerable ribs – or whatever they could find. The bed became a jumble of arms and legs, panting breaths of exertion and laughter. Finally exhausted, they lay together, each man resting his head on Abbie’s shoulders. It felt good to be close and loving again, after days of smoldering tension.

JC raised his eyes to Abbie’s dark ones, then his mouth to hers in a soft kiss. Then another and another. As soon as one kiss ended another one began. He rose on his elbow, sliding a hand beneath her head, raising her to meet his hungry mouth.

Lance put a hand on the back of JC’s neck to guide his mouth to his.

Bliss. Pure bliss. They both still loved him, JC thought.

“Wait a bit, pretty boy. I got enough for both of you,” JC told him with a smile. It had been Abbie he had missed.

Abbie pushed at his chest. “Not here,” she announced softly.

“Why not?” JC didn’t care about location.

“This is Lance’s room. It’s not fair to mess up his bed.”

Lance gave her a grateful smile. He realized it wasn’t the ‘mess’ she worried about. It was the invasion of his private space.

“Fine.” JC took in a deep breath to calm the rage of desire sweeping through him. Getting to his feet, he lifted Abbie into his arms. “My room then.”

To soothe whatever irritation he had, Abbie licked and sucked at the vulnerable flesh of his neck.

“C’mon, pretty boy,” JC called to Lance as he left the room.

Reluctantly, Lance followed – he’d do this because he loved JC and cared for Abbie. He didn’t need another demonstration of JC’s love for her, how he worshiped her body. And Lance was fairly certain, Abbie could have done without the audience.

JC set Abbie to her feet beside the bed, the same bed he had tossed and turned for several nights without her beside him. A smile lit his deep blue eyes as he smoothed her hair. His pretty, sweet baby. He needed her so…

Abbie stretched on her toes to meet his mouth once more. Their tongues did a slow, sensuous mating dance as their hands reached for the other.

Lance pressed against Abbie’s back, his hands running up and down JC’s back as his lips nibbled at Abbie’s neck.

Then they traded. Abbie nipped at JC’s and Lance’s necks as the two men kissed intimately, deeply. She slid a hand under the men’s shirts, caressing their flat abdomens and hard chests. In turn the men did the same for her, fondling her small breasts through the fabric of her lacy bra.

Pulling away from Lance’s mouth, JC grabbed the hem of Abbie’s shirt and pulled it over her head, dropping it to the floor. Her bra soon followed. She in turn removed his shirt while her mouth moved along the hard plains of his chest, teasing his nipples as he helped Lance lose his shirt.

“Damn, baby, I missed your mouth on my skin,” JC rasped as he jerker her closer.

“Lance, babe, pull off the bedspread, huh? It makes Abbie all pissy when we mess it up.”

Abbie giggled as JC whipped the covers so far back they fell to the floor. “Did someone tell me you were neat?”

“Not when he’s a tomcat scenting a kitty in heat,” Lance mused.

Looping her arms around JC’s neck, she teased, “Am I your kitty in heat, Josh?”

“I hope so, sweetness,” JC answered in all seriousness.

“Kitties in heat tend to get pregnant,” she reminded him.

His smile looked pleasant enough, but his eyes blazed with possessiveness. “Go ahead, kitty-cat.”

Her eyes went wide. “Josh?…”

“Abbie, I so want that,” he growled against her lips before he devoured her mouth, Lance forgotten for the moment.

The significance of JC’s statement was not lost on Lance. If Abbie were pregnant with JC’s child, she could ask anything of him. To protect her child, Abbie would most probably demand JC have only one lover – her – and she had the right to expect it.

Releasing her, JC unfastened Abbie’s slacks and pushed them down her thighs. Setting her on the edge of the bed, he removed her shoes before making her completely naked. “Lay back, baby.”

Doing as he commanded, Abbie moved towards the center of the big bed. Her eyes went to Lance, who hadn’t moved since JC had declared he wanted her pregnant. Poor, sweet Lance… ”Lance? Come here, baby.” She wanted to soothe the hurt JC had unwitting inflicted upon her friend.

The blonde shook his head and headed for the door.

“Where’re you going?” JC grabbed Lance’s arm to turn him around. “Come to bed, pretty boy.”

“JC, I—“

JC wrapped his arms around Lance, kissing him lingeringly. “I love you, baby. I love you.” For a moment, he cuddled his somber lover, then led him to bed after stripping the clothes from his sturdy, sleek body.

Unknowingly, JC had erected a wall between the two friends. Lance lay beside Abbie as he had numerous times before. This time he did not reach out and touch her and knowing he would not be receptive, she did not touch him.

Removing his own clothes, JC then joined his lovers. He came over Abbie, kissing and caressing her until she writhed beneath him.

“Oh, please!” she whimpered helplessly, thrusting her hips to his.

“No need to beg, Abbie.” JC came into her slowly. He took his time riding her to her peak.

“Josh!” she cried out softly, clinging to his shoulders as she arched beneath him, awash with sweet, breathless pleasure. Her quaking caused an answering eruption in him.

“Abbie!” Burying his face against her neck, JC shuddered as he spilled within her clenching walls. Taking a few moments to soothe her, he nuzzled and petted her until she no longer trembled. “I love you, sweetness,” he whispered softly, kissing her as he lifted off of her. “I love you.”

Then it was Lance’s turn. How had he withstood listening to his lover make love to her? Abbie wondered. Before, no matter whom JC was loving, the other would be included. Now, they were separate, no longer three connected lovers. She felt as if she had been ‘serviced’ so JC could move on to Lance. The sound of the two men’s groans and sighs was more than she could bear. Turning her back only meant she couldn’t see them. Finally, she slipped from the bed, grasping at the first shirt she found on the floor. She tugged it over her suddenly too naked body.

JC had laid back against the pillows as Lance’s mouth moved down his body. At Abbie’s movement, he looked up. “Abbie?” Seeing Lance’s shirt covering her, he frowned. “What the—“ He halted on a moan of raw pleasure as Lance’s mouth took him in. Later. He’d talk to her later…

Abbie hurried to her room. Stepping over the threshold, she tore off Lance’s shirt and tossed it into the hall. Locking the door, she went into the adjoining bathroom. Maybe a long hot shower would wash away the shame and disappointment she now felt.

Slowly, she washed her hair and body. Then repeated the procedure again. It was useless – she’d never be truly clean again. Her innocent belief in love was gone forever. Giving up, she turned off the taps. She wrapped a towel around her head and toweled herself off. A thick terry robe enveloped her small form as she made her way to the bedroom.

“Abbie!” She heard shouting and pounding at her door. “Dammit, Abbie! Open this door!" JC was demanding. “Abbie! Damn, I know I have the fucking key to this fucking door somewhere. I swear, I’ll—“

JC’s tirade stopped when the door before him flung open.

“Am I not allowed to shower in peace?” she demanded coldly.

He sighed in relief. “Thank God…I was worried.”

“Worried?”

“The way you left—“

“You mean you even bothered to notice? She sneered.

“Well, hell, yeah!”

“But it didn’t bother you enough to come after me – not while you still had Lance in bed with you.” Her tone was so caustic it would have put holes in iron.

“Abbie—“

“I’m going to bed now.”

When he reached for her, she backed away.

“I’m sleeping here.”

“I can do that.”

“No, you can’t. You aren’t invited.”

“Baby—“

“Good night, Josh.”

“Abbie—“

“Good night.”

The door closed between them once more and a quiet “snick” of a lock could be heard.

Angrily, grabbing up Lance’s shirt, JC stalked back to his bedroom.

Lance lounged back feeling wonderful, well loved. He smiled when JC entered. “Hey, lover, come back here.” He patted the mattress next to him.

“Abbie locked me out,” JC muttered as he lay next to Lance. “I don’t know, man. She’s been so damned prickly lately. I swear nothing makes her happy anymore.” He sighed dejectedly. “I used to make her happy.”

“If her door is locked, you can’t do anything tonight, so you just get some sleep, beautiful.” Lance stretched languidly. “C’mere.”

JC let himself be held and comforted. Surely, he could make Abbie love him again.