Clothing Optional by Virginia Nelsom Page A

of awareness to shoot from her head to her toes.
    Brie shook her head. This is no way to think about my best friend’s boyfriend . But every time she saw Andy, her body responded. My gaydar is defective .
    Guiltily, she gazed over at Murphy, but he wore a look of hunger on his face rivaling the sexual tension rippling through her own body upon seeing Andy. This served to make Brie feel a hundred times worse. It’s bad enough, crushing on my best friend. To lust after his boyfriend is just sick.
    Murphy reached out a hand toward Andy. He accepted it and bent over till their faces met, and Brie couldn’t help but stare, riveted, as the two men exchanged a kiss hot enough to melt the ice cream left swimming in the bowl of fudge. Brie brought one hand up to fan herself, but when Andy’s eyes snapped open and their darkness settled unerringly on her, she stilled the hand in another wash of guilt.
    Andy came up smiling from the kiss, his gaze locked on hers, and her breath hitched at his dark regard. Shifting her eyes, she looked at Murphy. Murphy’s lips appeared already swollen, his eyes dazed, and another wave of heat washed over her at the thought of climbing across the table to kiss him in his blurry state.
    Brie shook her head again. What was with her today? Somebody needs to go buy some batteries and spend some quality alone time .
    At Andy’s soft chuckle, her gaze darted to his seemingly knowing glance, and she wondered if somehow he knew her thoughts.
    Impossible.
    Clearing her throat, Brie tapped Murphy’s hand with her spoon. “I will scram and leave you boys alone. Call me?”
    “I’ll call later tonight, baby girl.” Murphy focused on her, smiling warmly. “Let me know what you think about that trip. I’ve given you a good month to consider it, and the arrangements need to be finalized.” Then his smile turned into a grin as he added, “Brie, you need to get the hell out of Dodge and get your bearings.”
    “What’s to think about?” Grinning back, she scooted out of the booth. “Two men all to myself for three days in the sun? Count me in, handsome. Of course, let’s keep it to ourselves that the two gorgeous men only have eyes for each other, shall we?”
    “So you are coming with us to Florida? The Keys are beautiful this time of year.” Andy’s hand glided easily in a friendly move across her waist as she stood and he slid into the spot Brie vacated.
    Fire crackled down her skin and she fought to keep her breathing even. It’s a casual touch and a million people touch like that in courtesy every day . Internally, she chastised herself. Reacting to my best friend’s boyfriend is wrong .
    “By beautiful, he means sweltering hot, so don’t pack much in the way of clothes.” Murphy slid closer to Andy in the round booth, his smile infectious.
    “No problem. Bikini at the ready.” Body at the ready, too, but I’ll keep that to myself .
    “Talk to you soon and we’ll hash out travel plans.” Smiling, she nodded to Andy and escaped before she said something stupid. Getting hot and bothered left her flustered, which was really unacceptable and had to stop.
    I really need to get my hormones under control, and this trip will be the perfect chance for me to do it. The two men, rolling around in the sand half-naked, should be enough to tell her system a giant stop sign hung over their heads.
    She hoped so, anyway. At this point, the idea of them rolling around anywhere half-naked took her breath away.
     

Chapter Two
     
    “Quit being so uptight,” Andy chastised as he lay in their bed curled around Murphy. “I know you like her. I see how you watch her.”
    Lying in his lover’s arms, Murphy growled in frustration. “It’s not that simple, Andy.”
    Andy slid a hand up Murphy’s lightly furred leg, coming to a rest near the juncture of his thighs. “It’s only as complicated as you make it. If you want it, take it. It is a general rule of business.”
    Murphy never had a