offered to step aside. Could Ty really ask him to do that? Damn it, this was too important to let stupid male pride get in the way. If Zeke was willing to—
But then, Marie was a part of the equation. Ty wasn’t stupid enough to believe that he and Zeke could decide who Marie would want to be with. Only she could make that decision. All Ty could do was let her know how much he wanted her and see if he could get her over her fear of falling in love with him.
And hope she would choose him over Zeke.
To do that, he’d have to stay in the picture. Essentially, he’d have to be the third in their threesome. Just like Ashley had asked Zeke to be with her and me. The difference being that Zeke knew the possible outcome and was okay with it.
Damn, if this was going to work, he’d have to drop the animosity between him and Zeke. Ty had been angry for five years. Maybe it was time to let it go. He had to give Zeke credit for the fact he wanted to do the right thing by Ty and help him win Marie, especially since he clearly wanted her for himself.
If Zeke could take that step, then maybe Ty could have the woman he loved after all.
* * *
Marie stepped into the living room, her hair still slightly damp from her shower. The sun shone brightly in her large living room window and soft rock music played on the radio. At the delicious aroma of bacon, she headed straight to the kitchen.
Ty stood at the stove stirring half-cooked scrambled eggs with a wooden spoon.
“Smells great,” she said, admiring his tight butt, shown off to perfection in his snug jeans.
He turned around and pulled her into his arms. “You smell great, too.”
He kissed her, his lips lingering a moment longer than they would have for a friendly kiss, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“Well, good morning to you, too.”
He grinned. “It has been so far.”
“Want me to set the table?” she asked.
“Already done. I thought we’d eat in the dining room today.”
Ty grabbed a plate and spooned a helping of eggs onto it, set it aside, then poured the rest of the eggs onto a second plate. He opened the oven and pulled out the bacon on a warming tray, then placed several strips on each plate.
He carried them through the door into the dining room and they both sat down. He already had the cutlery laid out, along with a jug of orange juice, jam, honey, and a basket with two croissants and some toast. She plucked a piece of toast from the basket and buttered it, then spread it with jam.
“So, was yesterday’s fun and games a one-time event, or do you think I’ll be included in future adventures?”
“Oh, well … I don’t know.” She shifted in her chair. “I doubt Zeke will want to repeat the same thing, especially since he wasn’t … you know … involved.”
“So what about doing something where he is involved?”
“You mean … both of you?”
He nodded, gazing at her over his mug as he sipped.
“Since you and Zeke don’t seem to get along, I sort of figured that you wouldn’t want to,” she said.
“But if I was agreeable, and so was Zeke, would you want to?”
A shiver danced down her spine. Would she ever!
“Well … I … uh … would consider it.”
She put down her fork.
“If you don’t mind me asking … Zeke said you both went to the same high school. Were you friends?”
“Yeah. We were.”
“How did you meet?”
He sighed. “When I was in my early teens, my dad lost his job, so we moved to a low-income neighborhood in Jersey where my dad got a job in a factory. It was a tough neighborhood, people just scraping by. Zeke lived in the house next door and we became friends. He showed me the ropes, helped me avoid trouble.” Ty sipped his coffee. “That was when he lived with the Johnsons. They were good people, but they were just his foster parents.”
“Zeke’s an orphan?” she asked.
Ty shook his head. “His parents abandoned him when he was twelve. He lived on the streets for
But then, Marie was a part of the equation. Ty wasn’t stupid enough to believe that he and Zeke could decide who Marie would want to be with. Only she could make that decision. All Ty could do was let her know how much he wanted her and see if he could get her over her fear of falling in love with him.
And hope she would choose him over Zeke.
To do that, he’d have to stay in the picture. Essentially, he’d have to be the third in their threesome. Just like Ashley had asked Zeke to be with her and me. The difference being that Zeke knew the possible outcome and was okay with it.
Damn, if this was going to work, he’d have to drop the animosity between him and Zeke. Ty had been angry for five years. Maybe it was time to let it go. He had to give Zeke credit for the fact he wanted to do the right thing by Ty and help him win Marie, especially since he clearly wanted her for himself.
If Zeke could take that step, then maybe Ty could have the woman he loved after all.
* * *
Marie stepped into the living room, her hair still slightly damp from her shower. The sun shone brightly in her large living room window and soft rock music played on the radio. At the delicious aroma of bacon, she headed straight to the kitchen.
Ty stood at the stove stirring half-cooked scrambled eggs with a wooden spoon.
“Smells great,” she said, admiring his tight butt, shown off to perfection in his snug jeans.
He turned around and pulled her into his arms. “You smell great, too.”
He kissed her, his lips lingering a moment longer than they would have for a friendly kiss, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“Well, good morning to you, too.”
He grinned. “It has been so far.”
“Want me to set the table?” she asked.
“Already done. I thought we’d eat in the dining room today.”
Ty grabbed a plate and spooned a helping of eggs onto it, set it aside, then poured the rest of the eggs onto a second plate. He opened the oven and pulled out the bacon on a warming tray, then placed several strips on each plate.
He carried them through the door into the dining room and they both sat down. He already had the cutlery laid out, along with a jug of orange juice, jam, honey, and a basket with two croissants and some toast. She plucked a piece of toast from the basket and buttered it, then spread it with jam.
“So, was yesterday’s fun and games a one-time event, or do you think I’ll be included in future adventures?”
“Oh, well … I don’t know.” She shifted in her chair. “I doubt Zeke will want to repeat the same thing, especially since he wasn’t … you know … involved.”
“So what about doing something where he is involved?”
“You mean … both of you?”
He nodded, gazing at her over his mug as he sipped.
“Since you and Zeke don’t seem to get along, I sort of figured that you wouldn’t want to,” she said.
“But if I was agreeable, and so was Zeke, would you want to?”
A shiver danced down her spine. Would she ever!
“Well … I … uh … would consider it.”
She put down her fork.
“If you don’t mind me asking … Zeke said you both went to the same high school. Were you friends?”
“Yeah. We were.”
“How did you meet?”
He sighed. “When I was in my early teens, my dad lost his job, so we moved to a low-income neighborhood in Jersey where my dad got a job in a factory. It was a tough neighborhood, people just scraping by. Zeke lived in the house next door and we became friends. He showed me the ropes, helped me avoid trouble.” Ty sipped his coffee. “That was when he lived with the Johnsons. They were good people, but they were just his foster parents.”
“Zeke’s an orphan?” she asked.
Ty shook his head. “His parents abandoned him when he was twelve. He lived on the streets for
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