The Billionaire's Unconventional Love Affair

Chapter 3: Evan

I walk into the lobby, smoothing my hand down my black tee. I don't know why I'm nervous, this isn't a date. I pull up short when I see them waiting for me in the seating area. Malcolm looks sexy in his jeans, tight blue tee, and black sneakers. I can't help licking my lips at how the tee stretches over his muscled chest and I have to will my body to behave. Mira is seated beside him and stands when she sees me. I swallow hard when I see the tiny denim shorts and a black crop top that she's wearing. The combat-style boots give her some extra height but that isn't saying much. She's a tiny thing and I find myself wondering how she'd look sandwiched between myself and Malcolm.

"Evan. It's good to see you again. Glad you decided to come." Mira says with a smile. If only she knew how badly I want to come.

"So, where are we off to? Mira said that you knew a place." Malcolm says.

I nod. "Yeah. There's a pub about 30 minutes from here. It's not usually crowded but they have great food and a dance floor. I figured we could uber there. That way we don't have to worry about driving back." I say. What I really mean is that I don't have to worry about how much I drink. I'm going to need a few shots for courage, and to help me forget that this isn't a date. They aren't interested in me like that. And how would that even work? It's not like I could date them both.

My mind lingers on that thought as I lead them outside to where the uber is already waiting. Mira looks at me in question.

"I ordered the uber before I left my suite." I say as I hold the back door open for them. I climb in the front and give the driver the address.

The drive is quiet and I don't know if I should be grateful or not. On the one hand, I'm not really a fan of small talk. But on the other hand, the quiet allows my mind to envision the three of us together. I really am a sucker for punishment.

We pull up in front of the pub and I pay the driver as I get out. I lead the way to the entrance, feeling their eyes on me the entire time. It should have been unnerving but it makes me want to strut like a damn peacock.

"Just sit anywhere. A waiter will come around to get your order." The hostess at the door says.

I move toward an empty booth near the dance floor at the back and slide in. Mira slides in the other side and moves to sit in the corner so that Malcolm can sit beside her. It isn't lost on me that she's sitting between us and I pick up the drinks menu as a distraction. I half-listen as they discuss drinks and food, too focused on Mira's bare legs and the wide expanse of Malcolm's chest straining against his tee. I shift in my seat, trying to rearrange my jeans and ease my current discomfort. I have a feeling that discomfort is going to be the norm if I keep hanging around these two.

"Are you still doing graphic design?" I ask Malcolm. He has a real talent for it. We hadn't needed to make any major changes to our company website since he created it four years ago.

"Yes. I started at a new company though. Hence the need to relocate." He turns to Mira with a smile. "But we've always wanted to live near the ocean."

"It's been great for us," Mira says. "We always said that one day we'd just pack up and move away. Staying in the same place for our entire lives was never in our plan."

I'm grateful when the drinks arrive. Malcolm and Mira were shimmering with a quiet kind of love. The kind that drew you in, allowing you to share in their joy of each other, even though you knew you weren't a part of it. I don't want to spend the entire evening watching them watch each other. The way Malcolm's eyes linger on her when she smiles or how she watches him speak with rapt attention. As though they were unwilling to miss a single moment. I never realized how frustrating it is to be the third wheel.

"What about you, Evan? Have you always live there?" Mira asks.

"I'm from here actually. I bought the villa a couple of years ago." I say. "Busy city life was never for me and luckily Ryan, my business partner, prefers the city. It gives me the freedom to work from home. If there's a major issue or a meeting I can't miss then I'll come to the office. Stay a few days and then go back home. And since the company has grown so much in the last few years, I haven't had to travel much either. Being able to delegate has saved my sanity."

"You don't like traveling?" She asks.

"I do. Just not for business. When I travel, I want to be able to actually enjoy the trip. Traveling for business doesn't really give me the opportunity to just enjoy being in a new city. I'm very task orientated and can't relax until the work is done."

"I can empathize with that." Malcolm says. "Once I start a project, I won't relax until it's completed either."

"I remember." I say. Smiling at him, I think about how panicked he used to get when he thought he wouldn't meet a deadline. I always thought it was adorable.

He chuckles. "Yeah. I think you witnessed a few of my mini panic attacks. If I remember correctly, you told me that nothing is worth my health. You insisted on taking me to lunch and refused to let me even look at my laptop." His eyes are alight with humor and it draws me in.

"Deadlines can always be extended." I shrug. "I like to take a step back if I'm feeling overwhelmed. Go for a walk or a swim. Have a sandwich. Just reconnect with what's important. Because yes, work is important but only to an extent."

"I suppose that's true." Mira says. Malcolm bursts out laughing and I look between them in bemusement. Mira catches my gaze and lets out an aggravated sigh, lightly shoving Malcolm's shoulder. "Don't mind him."

"Mira doesn't understand how to take a break." He says once he caught his breath. He gives her an adoring smile and pulls her close for a kiss. My breath catches as his lips linger on hers, drawing out the kiss. It's sweet and lingering, with a small smile flirting at their lips as they pull away. It shouldn't be erotic.

I try not to let my relief show when the food arrives. It's not that I have an aversion to PDA. The problem is that I enjoyed watching them a little too much. After food and a few more drinks, I was feeling pleasantly buzzed. This is probably how I found myself sitting closer to Mira, my thigh flush against hers. Neither of them seemed to notice, or perhaps it didn't bother them. Mira turns to me suddenly and I force myself to focus on her words instead of the way her mouth moves.

"Are you seeing anyone right now? Girlfriend? Boyfriend?" She asks. Malcolm chuckles at the last one as if he doesn't even realize that I'm attracted to men too.

"No. I'm not seeing anyone." I say. My eyes are heavy-lidded as I trail my gaze over Malcolm and then Mira. "Although I do have...someone in mind. I don't think they return the attraction though."

Malcolm snorts. "I doubt that. Even I can tell that you're probably everyone's type."

I feel my eyes widen slightly at the unexpected compliment. I know that he's not saying that I'm his type. Still, his off-hand compliment makes it difficult not to flirt with him. All the alcohol probably isn't helping either. "Everyone, you say?" I ask with a smirk.

He nods, completely oblivious to the way my eyes keep drifting down his body. "Yeah. I'm sure it shouldn't be too hard for you to change their mind."

He has no idea how hard it really is. "What if the person isn't attracted to men?"

"You mean like, a lesbian?" He asks.

I purse my lips. Of course, he thinks I'm straight too. "Sure." I say.

"Well, I suppose that complicates things. There's nothing you can do about that." He says.

I feel Mira's gaze on me as I pick up my drink. I use the drink to give myself a chance to clear my expression, hoping she didn't notice my disappointment. He was right of course; there isn't a damn thing I could do about it.

"Let's go dance." Mira says suddenly. Malcolm immediately gets up and holds out a hand for her. They look at me expectantly and I snort.

"You guys go ahead." I say.

"You don't dance, Evan?" She asks. I love the way she says my name in that husky voice. I wonder what she'd sound like moaning my name as I give her pleasure.

"I do. But not really feeling up to it right now."

"Oh come on." She pouts and it was f*****g adorable. "Please?"

"Fine." I say gruffly. I blame those pouting lips and doe eyes for my current insanity. It would take someone stronger than me to resist that. I just hope the dim light will disguise the bulge in my pants.

She graces me with a glorious smile and I have to look away before I lose what's left of my fragile control. I follow them to the dance floor, weaving between crowds in the now full pub. By unspoken agreement, we keep Mira between us to prevent anyone from bumping into her. The dance floor is packed but we find a spot near the edge of the crowd. Malcolm spins Mira in his arms and then she tugs me towards them and starts dancing with us both. I try my best not to brush against them too much as we move to the music but she makes it difficult. And then I suddenly just don't care anymore. Maybe it's alcohol or the way their bodies keep swaying towards me; I don't know. I just know that my hands are on her hips as I dance behind her. She's smiling up at Malcolm in front of her, and neither of them seems to mind where my hands are. I spin her into my arms and she laughs in surprise. I smile down at her before spinning her back to Malcolm. We keep dancing like that, with her between us. And when my hand brushes against Malcolm's arm...his chest, it's purely accidental. It's not because I want to feel his muscles under that tight shirt.

We eventually step off the dance floor, out of breath, with a sheen of sweat and a dry mouth. Malcolm offers to get us drinks by the bar while Mira and I move back to our booth. I grab her hand and pull her under my arm when she gets jostled for the third time. I maneuver us through the crowd easily, using my height and bulk to our advantage. Removing my arm was more disappointing than it should have been. I want to drag her back to the dance floor just so that I can have her in my arms again. Instead, I slide in beside her, pressing my thigh against hers as I lounge back. I hadn't realized how much I missed even the simplest touch. A hand in mine, a warm body in against my chest. It isn't just that she's gorgeous and he's sexy as hell. The s****l attraction is only a part of it. It's the warmth in my chest as I look at them and how even just the press of her thigh against mine is enough to ease my disappointment.

"That was fun." Mira says, still sounding slightly breathless. I imagine that's probably what she sounds like after an orgasm too.

I shift away from her slightly, my discomfort increasing with that errant thought. "Yeah. It helps that you had two amazing dance partners." I wink at her.

Her face is already flushed from dancing, but the heat in her eyes is difficult to miss. "I wouldn't say that you're amazing at it." She says. "But you're not terrible."

I chuckle. "Well, I'm glad you approve. Even if my dancing is mediocre."

She grins at me. "You can't be perfect at everything."

"But you do think I'm perfect at some things?" I flirt back. I couldn't resist. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. I admit that I've isolated myself the past year, focusing on my work and mostly staying at the villa.

"Hmm. I don't know you well enough to answer that." She says.

I snort. "That's a very diplomatic answer."

"Also true." She scrunches her nose adorably and then turns to me with a thoughtful look. "You seem like a great person, though. I'm really glad you came out with us tonight."

"Me too." I say gruffly. Looking away, I clear my throat.

"Alright. Whiskey for Evan. Gin for Mira and Whiskey for me." Malcolm says as he returns to the table with a tray. "And shots all around."

I accept the alcohol gratefully. Tomorrow morning would be hell but right now I needed the buzz. We down the shots quickly and then sip on our drinks.

"Mira seems to think that I'm a mediocre dancer." I say to Malcolm.

He laughs and glances between us. "He's a great dancer."

I nudge her shoulder. "See? I'm great." I grin at Malcolm as she scoffs.

"Malcolm is biased. He probably feels obligated to take your side."

"So you didn't enjoy us spinning you between us?" I look at Malcolm. "Wasn't she laughing quite a bit for someone who thinks I'm a terrible dancer?"

He smirks at me. "I don't know. Maybe she was laughing because she thought you were terrible."

"And what do you think?" I ask him. My tone is coaxing, and I know I should stop. But my control is gone, burned away by alcohol and the euphoria of dancing with their bodies pressed so close to mine.

"As I said, you're a great dancer." He says.

I turn to Mira in triumph. "See?"

She starts laughing and we join in. My stomach starts to cramp and I can barely breathe from laughing so hard. The conversation flows easier after that. We talk about anything and everything. We banter and tease, and while Malcolm might not realize it, the three of us have been flirting with each other all night. By the time we squeeze into the backseat of an uber to head to the hotel, we're all drunk and on the verge of passing out. Mira is nestled into Malcolm's side and his head is on my shoulder. Both have their eyes closed and I watch them the entire drive back. How can I not? They're perfect. They plan to drive home early the next morning, and I don't know how long it will be until I see them again. If I see them again. It's unwise to continue building a friendship with them, no matter how much I enjoyed myself tonight. Even as I tell myself this, I know that I'll reach out to them when I get back home. I might be able to resist it for a few days, but if tonight was any indication, I can't say no to them.