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I tried to focus on my book, but ended up snapping it shut in frustration instead. No matter what I did, my thoughts kept straying back to the con, and to the three men who were making my life more complicated than it needed to be. It didn't seem to make a difference which of the three I thought about, the other two kept popping into my head and reminding me that things were more complicated than I could ever have imagined.
I didn't know which of the three I should choose. Then again, they'd said already that I didn't have to. If I wanted all three of them, all I had to do was say the word. But was that the right path to take? It was certainly a controversial route.
I snorted. Here I was having decided that I was going to con people to make my living, but I was quibbling about how many people I could be in a relationship with? Even I had to admit that was kind of crazy, not to mention a bit unnecessary.
A knock sounded at the door, and I glanced over to find Samuel waiting there, in his own clothes, but with slightly damp hair.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
I nodded and gestured towards the spot on my bed. It didn't feel too much like intruding, not when this was a flat simply rented for the job.
He plonked himself down, sighing loudly as he did.
"Are you all okay?" I asked, eyeing him and trying to work out what the matter was.
"Are you?" he turned the question back on me.
I frowned. "Yes?" Why was he asking that? I didn't think I'd done anything that would suggest I wasn't okay.
"I...we, we were just wondering if you were having second thoughts about anything."
The way he said it was enough for me to know he wasn't talking about the job. He knew I was fine with that. They all did, or I wouldn't be playing along with their plan the way I had been.
"No," I answered simply. "No second thoughts at all."
His eyes brightened, but he didn't say anything to elaborate.
"Samuel," I pressed. "What's bothering you?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it again.
"If you don't use words, I'm not going to be able to reassure you," I pointed out. "I might be intelligent, but I can't read minds."
He chuckled. "That would be a handy trick when it came to reading marks."
"Oh it would. But if I could do it, then other people could too, and if marks could read our minds, we'd end up behind bars within seconds."
"Oh, I don't know," he countered. "There'd be ways to confuse them or convince them we were thinking about different things."
"I suppose if everyone knew people could read minds they'd have to come up with ways to keep things private. Could you imagine having all your secrets aired out in public?" My thoughts instantly strayed to the three men and what it would be like to be with them. All of them. Not mattering that four of us in a relationship would be strange for most people.
Samuel's gaze slipped to my lips.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were reading my mind now," I murmured.
His eyes snapped upwards, his gaze meeting mine. "Only if you're thinking the same thing as I am."
The air grew thick between us, as if it knew what the other was thinking, and how easy it would be to make it happen.
I wasn't sure who moved first, but I found myself in his arms, his lips pressed to mine. Within seconds, I'd deepened the kiss, desperate for more of him. It was different from the way I'd kissed Dean and Carl, but it held the same amount of familiarity and the sense of rightness that came with it. This wasn't an idol infatuation. It was something far bigger.
We shifted so my back was against the mattress. I ran one of my hands up his back, pulling him closer as I tangled the other in his damp hair. He smelled of the body wash he must have used in the shower, clean and crisp.
He trailed his fingers up the outside of my leg, leaving a burning trail of sensation behind his touch, even through the material of my leggings. If he wasn't careful, I'd combust beneath him and we'd never get any further than this.
His mouth left mine, trailing kisses across my cheek and down my throat. He nipped lightly at my neck, pulling a tortured moan from me.
I pushed his head down gently, urging him to continue his trail of kisses along my collarbone. All I could think about was the feel of him against me, our bodies pressed together.
And yet there was something wrong about this. What was it? I could barely think beyond wondering what Samuel would do next. How was I going to work out what felt off about it?
I pushed on Samuel's shoulders, breaking the kiss and the moment. But it was necessary.
Horror flitted over his face as he realised the same thing I already had.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"It's okay," I assured him. "But I need to talk to the others."
He nodded. "What are you going to tell them?"
I swallowed nervously. "The same thing I'm going to tell you." I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the potentially scandalous thing I was about to say. "That I don't want to choose between the three of you."
Samuel nodded. "Are you going to tell them about this?" He gestured between the two of us.
I nodded. "Of course. You know about the kisses I've shared with each of them, it's only right they know about this one." And how far I might have gone if I hadn't realised I needed to have that conversation first.
"Ah, yes."
"Are you going to come with me?" I asked, unsure if that was for the best or not.
He shook his head. "No. I think it's best if you have the conversation with them alone. That way everyone is on the same page."
I placed my hand over his and gave it a squeeze. "And are you on that page too?" I checked. The last thing I wanted was to make him think his opinion on the matter didn't matter.
"I most definitely am." He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "You have me no matter what the other two say."
My heart did an odd fluttery thing, but I ignored it. I had other things to worry about right now.