Chapter 17: Two Men

Caleb's workshop sat behind his house at the end of a gravel road.

It smelled of cedar and machine oil, with a long maple workbench down the middle and a daybed under the window where he napped between jobs.

I'd asked Owen to meet me there, and I'd asked Caleb to say nothing about it until we arrived.

Owen stood in the doorway holding a bottle of wine and looking at the sawdust on the floor.

"This is a lot of lumber," he said.

"Come in," Caleb said. "It doesn't bite."

"I know. I'm only."

"Owen," I said.

He looked at me.

"Put the wine down."

He set it on the bench so gently that I smiled.

I stood between them with my back to the lamp.

"Two of you, tonight," I said. "I've never asked for this and I want it. If either of you wants to leave, say it now."

Caleb said, "No."

Owen said, "God, no."

"Then someone kiss me."

Caleb moved first.

He turned me and kissed me slowly, his beard scratching my chin, his hand spread flat across my back.

Owen came up behind me.

His fingers lifted my hair away from my neck, and he put his mouth where my shoulder met my throat.

I shut my eyes.

Two sets of hands began taking my clothes off, one steady and one rough, and my skin lit up wherever they touched.

My shirt hit the floor.

Owen undid my bra with a surgeon's quick fingers, and Caleb's palms closed over my breasts.

"You're shaking," Caleb said.

"I want you both."

"Say how."

"Owen behind me. Caleb in front. And nobody gets to be careful."

Owen made a rough sound against my ear.

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