One week later...

Seth groaned as his back arched, stretching enough to wake himself up but not enough to disturb Cassie, who was sleeping beside him. "Morning, baby," Seth said through his stretch, letting his eyes focus on Ethan hopping on one foot with a toothbrush in his mouth as he tried to put a shoe on.

Finally managing to slip his foot in, Ethan shot a quick grin to Seth and darted to the bathroom. The sound of spit and the faucet running was followed quickly by fast-moving steps as Ethan exited the bathroom and darted towards Seth to steal a quick goodbye kiss.

"Don't go to class today," Seth whispered against Ethan's mouth. He reached his hand up and wiped the residual toothpaste that had accumulated in the corner of his mouth. He popped his finger into his mouth and let out an appreciative grunt. "Mm, minty."

Ethan rolled his eyes and turned to leave, but Seth's hand darted out to stop him. "Ethan."

"Seth, I can't. I'm teaching today."

"You always teach and since you aren't getting paid to do your teachers' job I'm thinking you can ditch."

Ethan shrugged and adjusted the strap of his brown leather bag over his shoulder. "It's an amazing teaching experience to have to explain how things work. I'm learning at the same time," Ethan paused and raised an eyebrow as he gestured towards Cassie. "Neither one of you have anything to do today. No classes, no gym, no work... spend the day together."

Seth exhaled slowly and glanced over at the sleeping woman who helped make this last week the most healing, pleasurable week of his life. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. We agreed to go slow about things. Remember?"

The frown furrowing Ethan's brow and the worry etched in his eyes as he glanced back and forth between Seth and Cassie showed. "Are you afraid to be alone with her?"

Seth swallowed. "I mean, yes—well, no, not really. You're always with us. It's you and me, and then it's you and her, but not me and her. Ya know? Besides, I think it's more her than me though. Who's afraid, I mean."

Taking a seat so that the curve of his back rested against Seth's hips, Ethan gave Seth a deep, contemplating look. "Okay, I know there's a virtually self-educated man in there somewhere, so I won't poke fun at how you put that."

Seth snorted and gave Ethan a proper elbow to the side. "You just did."

"Fine, fine. In all seriousness, what's the problem?"

"She won't touch me."

Ethan raised his eyebrow again. "We agreed on no sex, just foreplay with her. I don't see the problem."

"Right, no insertion, but she can still touch me. She doesn't though. She lets me touch her, but even when you and I are having sex and she's watching... don't you notice it? She touches you every time, but she just stares at me like a wounded animal."

Ethan sighed and reached up to cup the side of Seth's face. He traced his thumb over his bottom lip before pulling away. "I think I may have expected this, but that is exactly why you two need to spend some time together. Figure out what's wrong."

"Don't you want to know why too?"

He gave a casual shrug and cast a loving glance over to the still peacefully sleeping girl. "I've known Cassie most of her life. I have somewhat of an idea of why she won't touch you."

Seth snorted loudly, but quickly covered his mouth with his hand and glanced worriedly over at her. In a lower, hushed tone, he responded, "Care to enlighten the other man in this relationship then? I'm grasping at straws here. Ever since that night, I feel like I'm doing everything wrong. I've felt clumsy and inept around her."

Ethan gave a mock gasp. "Inept? You? Never!"

"I'm serious, Ethan."

Ethan sobered and nodded in understanding. "She's afraid of you."

Seth's mouth dropped open. Of all the things, that hadn't been what he'd been expecting. He sat up, letting his back muscles hold him in place. "What the hell for?"

"You clearly remember that night in the car outside The Coffee Barn."

"How could I ever forget," Seth mumbled.

"She doesn't want to hurt you."

Seth let out a soft snort. "I seriously doubt she has enough muscle to do that. I mean look at these babies," he said, flexing his biceps.

Ethan sighed. "Not physically, mentally, you're an idiot and why is it always that just when I forget what I see in you, you show me the very reason why I lust after you."

Seth raised a dark eyebrow. "Are you saying you don't love me for my brain?"

Ethan considered before offering a smile. "Well, there is that too. How often do you find physical and mental perfection in someone? But enough of that, we don't need you getting an even bigger head."

Seth glanced down at the tent forming beneath the blanket. "Too late. You're not gonna really leave me like this are you?"

Ethan tilted his head towards Cassie. "A perk of being in a relationship with two people... when one's busy the other one is there to please."

Seth sat up straighter. "So, when I go to the gym you guys are—"

"I assumed you knew. We're still not having actual intercourse, but yes." Ethan frowned, biting his bottom lip. "Are you okay with that?"

Seth rubbed the back of his neck. "Why wouldn't I be okay with that? I mean, thinking about it, it's pretty fuckin' hot. You know I like to watch." Seth cast his gaze briefly over Cassie's sleeping form. "So I guess I have some catching up to do," he said.

The corner of Ethan's mouth lifted slowly and he nodded as he stood up. "Have fun," he said but paused before exiting the bedroom. He exhaled and shook his head, "I think we need to invest in a cam."

"I told you it was hot! A cam? Like a spy-cam? I'm down with that. I could jerk off to you two any day."

Ethan chuckled. "We'll talk about it tonight. I love you!"

"I love you too."

--Seth's 1st person point-of-view

When the door was shut, signaling Ethan's departure, I fell back into bed, twisted my head to the side, settled my check against the cooling pillow, and watched Cassie sleep. Aside from her not willing to touch me and the giant invisible elephant in the room I wasn't ready to talk about, this week had been fucking amazing.

I reached forward, tracing a finger down the side of her petite nose. Everything was petite on her... Ethan had made it a game to find something not petite about her. It was the easiest, most amusing game I'd ever played.

The winning answer? Her appetite. I'd never seen someone so small knock it back like that. Her stomach was a bottomless pit. To be honest, I'd never noticed it before. Until now, it hadn't been necessary for me to notice.

My thumb brushed the curve of her cheek as I trailed my index finger down the slope of her nose again. I continued down her septum to her lips and the tip of my finger caught on her bottom one, forcing them to part. A familiar ache started in my gut and I shifted closer to her until our skin was touching. Ethan had said to make the most of it and if I couldn't fix the one issue that will not be named, then I could at least start with this one.

Turning fully to my side to face her, I leaned forward and slowly placed a gentle, chaste kiss against her lips. I kissed the corner of her mouth and then worked my way up to the curve of her jaw, only stopping just below her earlobe when she shifted away.

I pulled back and met her doe eyes just as her lashes were fluttering open. "Morning," I whispered, settling back on my side.

She looked at me warily but quickly offered a smile to cover up that shifting unease that had become too common. "Good morning," she said. "Did Ethan leave already?"

I licked my bottom lip and eyed her, hopefully making it very clear that I was appreciating the way she looked in the morning. "Yeah. Why? Afraid to be alone with me?"

She stiffened, pulling from my seeking fingers which hadn't left her face when I'd settled back on my side, and I cringed internally. I'd meant for it to be comfortable ease into the much-needed conversation, but subtlety had never been my forte.

"I-I—"

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable around me anymore. This," I paused and gestured at her, then me, "with Ethan, it is working. We had a few hiccups, but what relationships don't? Especially one like this, but I can't help feeling like we've come across another one. Why won't you touch me, Cassie?"

Cassie scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I touch you."

"When I grab your hands and make you, but you don't initiate it. At least, not since that night in the car when I told you—" The hoarse strain in my voice forced me to cut off. I cleared my throat and continued, "I don't know you as well as Ethan. I mean, with that type of life-long history you two share I'll never expect to, but I have known you for three years now. I didn't realize the one thing I'd miss most was you being willing to touch me."

Her cornflower-blue eyes softened and I watched as her hand moved up towards my face, but paused just shy of making contact. "I touch you," she whispered.

"Are you afraid of hurting me?"

Cassie took her hand away from my face and it was clear that she wasn't confused like I had been when Ethan had brought it up. She knew I meant emotional hurt and the minute I'd asked the question she averted her gaze. I reached my hand forward to gently clutch her chin and lift her head back up.

"Cassie, don't be afraid of hurting me emotionally. I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself."

She let me half a tiny smile, but it was gone before I could enjoy the way she would crinkle her nose at the same time.

"You've been hurt so much..." she started before trailing off.

"So have you, but that's not gonna stop me from touching you like it has with you."

"Not like that, Seth. Not like that," she whispered and tears pooled in her eyes. "I got to lose my virginity in the best most special way and you—you had it stolen from you. If I'd been in your shoes I wouldn't want anyone touching me ever!"

I clenched my jaw as the smell of cigarette butts in day-old beer and the sound of an old bed creaking flashed in my mind. Quickly, I shook the memory away just as a tear slipped down Cassie's cheek. My thumb caught the tear and I brought it to my mouth to lick up the salty wetness.

"You've cried enough for me—"

"I want to show you what it should have been like," she interrupted.

I frowned. "What?"

She bit her bottom lip, contemplating her next words. "I want to make love to you and I know you aren't a virgin anymore, but I'll do my best to help you experience at least a portion of what it should have been like."

My lips parted and I inhaled sharply. I wanted to speak but didn't know what the fuck to say, so I released the breath I'd taken and just stared at her.

"I want to give you what you and Ethan gave to me. Will you let me?"

Still, at a loss for words, I spoke without thinking, "Um, right-right now?"

She tilted her head, her brows furrowing as she thought about it, but within seconds she started to slowly nod. "Can I touch you?" she asked.

My brain may have stilled on pause, but my body was fully functional without it. I reached for her, cupping the back of her head as I hauled her across the bed and closer to me. Settling on my back, my other hand now free, I let my fingers tangle in her disheveled morning hair as I pulled her on top of my bare chest. "You never have to ask me that."