Before I left my home, I texted the redhead that had departed in the quiet hours of the morning.

Me: Thanks. That was fun.

Rebecca: Yes! Hit me up if you ever want a repeat.

Me: Will do.

I smiled and pocketed my phone. That was unlikely. It had been fine, and she was very attractive. But the casual sex with strangers thing was starting to wear thin. My life had been a bit of a shit show the last few years, and I hadn’t had time for more.

My dad had passed away and I’d had to arrange for my mother to be cared for, first in her home and then in a retirement facility, where she lived currently. None of my siblings lived in town, and although I could discuss my options with them over the phone, the responsibility fell on my shoulders since they were busy with their children and husbands. Luckily, she liked the place and was settled and mostly content. The stress of the situation had eased and I was starting to feel like I could enjoy life again.

The physical release of my hookup had been sorely needed, and I was feeling good when I climbed the steps to Maverick Molly’s for my meeting with Jacob and Sebastian.

“Oh, please, keep the cold out!” someone shouted as I stepped inside. I recognized the voice of Robin Webb, Maverick Molly’s most flamboyant server-slash-performer.

“Sorry,” I said, shutting the door and stomping my boots.

“Jacob!” Robin yelled down the hall. “Mr. Barnett is here!”

He turned back and looked me up and down. I might have imagined the saucy lilt to his expression, except that Robin flirted with anyone and everyone who stepped through these doors.

“Mr. Barnett,” Robin said.

“Mr. Webb,” I said, grinning at the curvy man in vintage underclothes that contrasted beautifully with his dark skin. The ‘molly boys’ at the club wore white cotton bloomers, corsets in a variety of shades over cotton chemises, black stockings and little leather booties from another time.

“Oh, now, you don’t have to be so formal. I’m not supposed to use your first name, but you can use mine, you know,” he said with a wink.

“How are you, Robin?” I said, moving past him to the full coat rack.

“Oh, I’m just dandy, Mr. Barnett. How are you?”

I shrugged and luckily found an empty hanger. “Pretty good. I like that shade of eyeshadow. Is there glitter in it?”

Robin batted his lashes. “Of course! And thank you so much, Ange—” He put a hand to his lips. “Mr. Barnett.”

“Do Sebastian and Jacob really make you use men’s last names? Is that a hard rule?”

“Oh, Mr. Barnett. It’s a very hard rule.” Robin winked again, then rolled his eyes and touched his velvet choker. “They say it helps with the historical ambience. People were so bleeding polite back then, you know? Except when they were stabbing you in back alleys.” He scrunched up his face in thought. “Or maybe even then. Who knows?” He shook his head, the lamplight bouncing off his brown curls. “Anyway, I just like your name so much. And I wonder if…”

“What?”

“Well, I just wonder if—”

Jacob Moriarty strode up the hall toward us. “Robin, would you leave poor Mr. Barnett alone? He doesn’t need any of your tomfoolery.”

Robin gave Jacob an amused look. “Tomfoolery? Really? You know we’re not actually living in the Victorian age, right?”

Jacob pointed to the gaming parlor to his right.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in there?”

“Yes, but—”

“Uh uh. I’ll have none of your nonsense tonight, Robin Webb. Get your cheeky British arse in there and serve customers,” Jacob said. His skin was darker than Robin’s, and he loomed over the younger man who was even a little shorter than I was, although Robin had the attitude of someone taller.

Robin put a hand to his chest. “Well!” He stepped forward and gave Jacob a quick kiss on the cheek. “I honestly love it when you’re strict with me.”

Jacob narrowed his eyes but his face softened. “Robin. That’s inappropriate. You’re my employee.”

“Mr. Barnett can vouch that it was my idea. How can I resist? You’re so strong and…” He looked Jacob Moriarty up and down. “Fit.” He turned back to me while Jacob watched with benign tolerance.

“Lovely to see you, Mr. Barnett. Be sure to pop in for a drink when you’re done with these killjoys.” He threw me a stunning smile and strolled back into the parlor with a sway of his saucy backside.

I couldn’t help uttering a laugh.

Jacob rolled his eyes, but he grinned.

“Angel. Glad you’re here.” He shook my hand and ushered me down the hall to the office in the back. “Sebastian’s manning the bar, but he helped me get everything together for the taxes.”

“Super,” I said, following Jacob’s imposing form as he led me to the office.

“Brandy?”

“Hell, yeah.”

Jacob and Sebastian had commissioned a spacious room beside the kitchen as an office. They’d decorated it with dark paint and antique pieces of furniture, including three wood armchairs with padded leather seats. There was even a Victrola in the corner, but I’d never asked if it worked.

“Have a seat,” Jacob said.

I did, placing my briefcase on the floor, while Jacob went to the rolling bar cart and poured brandy from a decanter into two cut tumblers. He placed one before me then went to sit in the rolling leather chair opposite, on the other side of the desk.

He held up his glass. “These are real crystal. The ones we use in the gaming parlor are glass.”

“Very fancy,” I said, lifting mine and examining the way the colors of the liquid danced in the light.

“Long time no see! What have you been up to?”

I took a sip of the brandy and swallowed. “Oh, that’s nice.” I shrugged. “Nothing that exciting. Work. The gym sometimes. Same old, same old.”

“Any, uh, hope on the romantic side?” he asked, gazing at me in a peculiarly intense way.

“Uh…no. Not really. Why?”

Jacob shrugged. “I hate to see you alone. Surely there’s someone out there who can intrigue the great, straight, Angel Barnett.”

“I haven’t met any ‘intriguing’ women lately. But I did hook up with someone nice last night, as a matter of fact. I met her at the bar near my place.”

“Hmm. And she was…nice?”

“Yeah. She was,” I said. “It was okay. The sex, I mean. And why am I telling you this? Jesus. I sound like a dick.”

“Because I’m your friend. You don’t sound like a dick, Angel,” he said. “But you do sound a bit confused. And definitely lackluster.” He rubbed the side of his glass. “You know there have been rumors…”

I sat forward and put down my glass. “What rumors?”

He held up his hand. “Sorry, not rumors, exactly. Speculation.”

“About…about me?”

“Maybe.”

I blinked. “Why would there be rumors about me?”

Jacob looked at me like I was the only one not in on an obvious joke.

“Angel. Darling. You’re talking about a club filled with kinky gay men.”

“Okay…”

“You also profess to be straight.”

“So?” I said. “Wait a second, profess to be…”

Sure, maybe I was questioning my sexual orientation in private, but I hadn’t realized it was up for public debate.

“Sorry, sorry. I shouldn’t undermine your sexual orientation. If you say you’re straight, you’re straight.”

I looked at him. He looked at me.

“I don’t think I ever said I was straight.”

“Uh…I’m pretty sure you did. But what does that mean? You might not be straight?” He grinned and leaned forward. “Angel Barnett, are you exploring your options?”

I hesitated. “I don’t know. Maybe?”

“This is turning into a very interesting conversation.”

“Well, I know I’m not gay. I had sex with a woman last night. I’ve never had sex with a guy.”

“Mmm. The question is, have you thought about it? Which of course, doesn’t mean you’re bisexual. But it might.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Is this a come-on? Because unless Sebastian knows about it—”

The man in question appeared, carrying a sheaf of papers.

“I heard my name. What do I not know?”

“It’s not a come-on,” Jacob groaned, leaning back in his chair. “I’m only curious if you’ve ever thought about other men in that way.”

“That’s kind of personal, Jacob,” I said.

“Yeah, that is really personal, Jacob.” Sebastian agreed, putting the pile of papers down on the desk and sitting on the corner. “So, Angel, we all want to know.”

He grabbed a handful of peanuts from a nearby bowl and popped one in his mouth.

I rolled my eyes.

Jacob laughed. “Yes, well, telling a bunch of kinky gay men that the hot accountant who comes to the club every month or so is straight is like putting a honey-covered beehive in front of a bear’s den. I’ve had questions.”

“From who?” I asked. I wondered which of the Maverick Molly’s regulars were speculating about my sexuality, and why.

“Well…let’s see, now. I think the molly boys have a bet going.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Of all the—

Sebastian pointed at me. “They do. They totally do. Most of them think you’re at least a bit bi.” He chewed and swallowed. “Come on. You’re not completely straight, Angel. The universe isn’t that cruel.”

Jacob stared at his husband. “What do you care? You can’t have him anyway.”

“Oh, wow, hold on now.” I held up my hand.

“How do I know you’re not trying to land him?” Sebastian shrugged. “Anyway, I’m the hot one in the relationship.”

“Wait. No-one’s going to land me. I had sex with a woman last night!”

“Doesn’t mean you’re not bisexual. Honestly, doesn’t even mean you’re not gay.”

“I’m not gay! I’ll admit that I might be a little bit bi. I’ll put that on the census form next time it comes around. Happy?”

“Yes, actually. And I know someone else who will be,” Sebastian said.

Both Jacob and I said, “Who?”

Sebastian only smiled.

“Who?” I repeated.

He regarded me more seriously. “Do you really want to know?”

I thought about that for a split second.

“Yes. Yes, I do.”

“Gideon Foster.”

A strange white-hot flash went through me from head to toes. I pretended that that name had had no effect.

“Gideon Foster,” I said. His name felt good in my mouth. Holy shit. I was probably at least a bit bi.

“Yes,” Sebastian said. “I believe he and Vihaal have a bet also.”

My breathing picked up. I uncrossed my leg, then crossed the other one. Be cool, be cool.

“Look at him,” Jacob said to Sebastian. “It’s as if you just handed him a surprise Christmas gift.”

“Or a grenade.”

Gideon Foster and Vihaal Petrovsky were friends of theirs, and I’d been getting to know them slowly over the past few months. Casually. As friends. They were prospective business clients, and I liked to get to know people before I committed to working with them. At least, that was what I told myself.

I laughed but it sounded totally fake, even to my ears. “Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t even care. Why would I care?”

“Oh fuck, you’re totally into them!” Sebastian said. He turned to Jacob. “You owe me fifty bucks.”

“Seriously?” I said, standing up. I couldn’t keep still. It was like a bomb had been dropped, but I couldn’t tell if I wanted to run or if I wanted to let it shatter me into a million horny pieces. “You two have a bet?”

“So, Gideon thinks you’re bi, and he thinks you’re into him and Vihaal. At least a little teensy bit,” Sebastian said with glee, holding his thumb and forefinger a few millimeters apart. “I think you’re into them about this much,” he said, moving them apart. Quite far apart.

“Come on,” I said, my voice barely there.

Jacob leaned forward. “Angel. Are you into Vihaal and Gideon? We’d understand if you were. They’re really quite something.”

“Um,” I murmured, squirming and trying to hide the fact that my cock was swelling at the mere thought of them, even though I hadn’t been a horny mess when I’d walked into the club. At least not tonight. “Ah…maybe a little bit?”

“I knew it!” Sebastian shouted, standing up. He turned to Jacob. “I told you.”

Jacob slowly smiled as he stared at me with a strange kind of satisfaction. “Won’t Gideon and Vihaal be delighted.”

“You can’t tell them. Please, don’t tell them,” I muttered. “God. This is so embarrassing.”

“Why is it embarrassing? It would be embarrassing if we’d found out you had a crush on Justin Trudeau or something like that.” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you have a crush on Justin Trudeau?”

“No, I don’t have a fucking crush on Justin Trudeau! I don’t have a crush on anyone!”

“Well, maybe Vihaal and Gideon. A little one,” Sebastian said.

I seemed to be panting. Why was I panting?

“Is it hot in here? Did you turn the heat up? I can’t breathe.”

“Oh my God, I think he might be having a panic attack,” Jacob said. “Have some more brandy.”

Brandy? Oh yes, brandy. There was brandy in a glass on the table. For me.

I grabbed the glass and lifted it to my lips. My fingers were shaking. I took a sip. Then another. I put the glass down and leaned back in the chair, counting to ten and back until I’d calmed down.

Jacob and Sebastian had gone quiet. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling.

“What am I going to do?”

“Here, let’s talk about the financials,” Jacob said. “I’m so sorry we upset you.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea,” I admitted. “Can we keep the…other stuff…under wraps for now?”

“Angel, we’d never out you without your permission.”

“Oh, thank God.”

“But aren’t you curious as to why Gideon and Vihaal have a bet going?”

I lifted my head and stared at Sebastian. “Should I be?”

Sebastian looked at Jacob. Jacob looked at Sebastian.

“We probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but Vihaal and Gideon have a bit of a crush on you.”

“Both of them?” No, that couldn’t be true. How could that be true? They thought I was straight…oh… Oh! “Do gay men really find straight guys that alluring?”

“Frankly, yes. Especially intelligent straight guys who look like they should be on the cover of Men’s Health.”

I snorted. “Oh, please.”

“Angel. You’re a hot guy.”

“I’m maybe average. I’ve got a belly, you know.”

Jacob laughed. “Do you think that matters to them?”

“Doesn’t it?”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “You’re still thinking like a straight guy.”

“Up until a few months ago, I thought I was one.”

“Wait. You’ve been questioning your sexual orientation for months?” Sebastian said.

“Ever since…” I put my head in my hands. “Since I started hanging out with them.”

Sebastian and Jacob gaped at each other.

“Since when have you been hanging out with them?”

“Oh, it was nothing, really. Coffee here and there. We went to lunch once. Maybe we had dinner?”

We had definitely had dinner. It had been the best time. I thought, now that I was looking back on things, that dinner had been what turned the tables. Had they been…dating me? Had that been a date?

“Hold on. They invited you to dinner?”

I nodded. “I. Yeah. I thought it was a business-owner-slash-client thing.”

“Did it feel like a business-owner-slash-client thing?”

“Oh fuck,” I whispered. “Have they been seducing me?”

“I’m sure they’ve been trying,” Sebastian said, barely keeping a straight face. He seemed delighted.

“Sounds like they succeeded,” Jacob muttered.

“But…but they’re married. Why would they be trying to… I don’t get it.”

“Angel, Angel. Sweet summer child. Vihaal and Gideon are married, yes. But their marriage is far from traditional, in any sense of the word.”

“Oh my God.”

My brain was exploding, my belly was swirling at the thought of getting together with them for more than a coffee or a meal, and my palms were definitely sweating. I gazed at Sebastian with desperation.

“So…what do I do now? Now that I know?”

“That you’ve been denying a part of yourself your whole life? That you have a crush on them? That they’ve been trying to get you into bed?”

I whimpered. “Help.”