I can’t believe I let myself get swept up in Monroe’s wicked taunting, that it spawned this outcome. I can still hear her low voice in my ear before things spiraled out of control. You gave your word, husband. You’re mine for a week, and I want this cock right now. Truth be told, I barely resisted. I refuse to look at my motivations too closely, not when I can still taste Shiloh on my tongue.

If I let Shiloh leave right now, this will never happen again. The next time I see her, she’ll have her barriers firmly in place, will have edged us back into the safety of friends. If I were smart, I’d let her do it. I value her friendship above all else, and moving forward with this puts that friendship in danger.

Monroe stretches. “Go get a towel and clean up the mess you made.” She flicks her fingers at my come all over her ass and back.

As much as I want to argue, to stay and ensure Shiloh doesn’t leave, I do as Monroe asks. I owe her, after all. Maybe later, I’ll think about how seamlessly we worked as a unit when we had the same goal in mind. There was no jockeying for position, no undermining. Yeah, it was sex, but Monroe and I don’t stop the power plays for sex. If anything, we ramp them up. It’s part of the reason I’ve been avoiding her. I hardly know myself when I get my hands on her.

I didn’t expect that to bleed over to Shiloh in any way, shape, or form, but now that it has, I’m not willing to let it go without at least having a conversation.

Two minutes later, I have a warm damp cloth in my hands as I walk back into the room. The women are exactly where I left them, Monroe draped over Shiloh’s lower body; if I didn’t know better, I’d say Monroe was pinning her to the mattress.

Monroe jolts a little as I lean over the bed and clean up my mess. Did she think I’d just toss the cloth at her and make her do it herself?

You would have even a day ago.

The knowledge shames me. I really have been an unbelievable ass when it comes to both of these women. In different ways, yes, but the fact remains. I want to turn on the lights, to see their faces, but something tells me if I try, it will end this all the sooner. The shadows conceal all manner of things, and maybe each of us need to hide a little for this conversation to happen. “I’m sorry.”

Monroe lifts her head off Shiloh’s stomach. “Don’t you dare apologize for what we just did.” Her voice is so sharp, it sounds almost brittle. Almost vulnerable.