"Hell no, Selby!" Zaza paced back and forth in front of the gray marbled fireplace in her apartment. Her long slender fingers scratched at the tapered straight-edge hairline of her short pixie-style hairdo.

Selby knew the signs when her best friend was vehemently opposed to something because her scalp would start to itch and she would worry her hair with her fingers. She surmised if she wore it longer she would be twirling it around her fingers, too.

She also knew she wouldn’t be ecstatic about this bit of news, but she thought she would at least pretend to go along with the program. Why did Zaza and Sylus de Gauls dislike each other so? Za was in a "date women only" phase but she didn’t seem to have a problem when she used the strap on with her. So, if it wasn’t an aversion to cocks, what was it?

"Za, I know you don’t care for Sylus, I don’t know why because he is gorgeous and sexy as hell; however, he is Darius’s dearest friend and he is the one that was chosen to be the best man at our wedding. Because of this, you two are going to have to get along."

"That man is…is an insufferable, pompous, arrogant and a presumptuous fool! Why is he always hanging around you two? Did it every dawn on you that he and your man are more then friends!"

Selby tried to keep her gaze stern but she nearly lost it when she saw Za’s lush heart-shaped lips punch out in a pout that only could look sexy on a face like hers. Selby knew if she were to try to pull the "brat" tantrum look she would like a blowfish.

"Of course they are, just like you and me, but I assure you they don’t leave me out of the coupling, like you insist on doing with Darius." Selby shrugged, reaching for the glass of wine Za had poured for her to keep her from drinking out of the bottle.

Za’s mouth dropped open; she didn’t expect this turn of events or the jealousy she felt. She didn’t know if she was more upset because Selby was fucking Sylus or because all three of them had left her out.

True, Selby had invited her to share intimate moments with her and Darius, but because she wasn’t into men anymore, she had turned her down. So why did the thought of Sylus being a part of the grouping make her feel more interested?

"Don’t look at me like that, Za. You know you are welcome to join us anytime. It’s not like it’s an all-the-time thing because there is nothing like being alone with Darius, he is my heart."

"You are my heart, too, baby."

Selby smiled dreamily as Darius’s deep sexy voice entered her thoughts; she was the only one who could hear him and he seemed to intrude in her mind at the most inopportune times.

His laugh grated her. So did he, when he got in those "I ‘m the man" moods of his.

"Baby, I love you and you can keep the mental communication line open." She hesitated before forging on. "Please, understand that this is a private conversation I’m having with Za. Now, get out of my thoughts, I will call you if I need you."

Darius chuckled.

"Go, on baby, I need to discuss girly wedding stuff with Za." Selby sighed in growing frustration as she felt a growing dampness between her thick thighs, his phantom fingers caressing her neck and shoulders. His lips whispered words of adoration along the length of her spine and she shivered in need.

"Selby, you are such a bad liar. You’re going to talk about my wedding gift. You know you can’t keep secrets from me, sweetness."

That was true. There was no need for denial between them, but she could make it more difficult for him to keep up with her thoughts by thinking of all the wedding plans. She pictured picking out her flowers, the gifts for her bridesmaids, and tea luncheon to taste wedding cakes.

"Okay…stop. I get the message," he protested. She could still sense the mirth in his beautiful eyes. "Before I leave you in peace, one more thing; if you do convince Zaza to join us, you can reassure her that she will be safe with me. After what happened to her-" His thoughts trailed off, but Selby knew what he was trying to say.

"Selby, damn it!" Za called out for the third time, the corner of her mouth twisted with exasperation. "I know my life isn’t as exciting as yours has obviously been these days, but you could at least pretend to be interested in what I have to say."

Selby got up from her seat on the black leather sofa and moved to encircle Zaza’s slender waist she pulled her against her, their breasts touched as they brushed against each other to get closer.

Za quivered at the sweet tenderness of Selby’s kiss, savoring the way her friend drew her face to hers in a renewed embrace. Zaza didn’t hesitate in returning her kiss, lingering, appreciating every moment of something that was safe and familiar.

Since Darius had come into their lives, he brought Sylus with him, and since Sylus had entered her life, she was beginning to doubt everything she felt she wanted. After what happened years ago, added with being abandoned at the altar, she was so sure she wouldn’t need a man, that white picket fence, or a family of her own.

Za thought career and an occasional female lover would be enough to keep her happy, yet allow her to be free to live her life. She had missed these special moments with her best friend, but it was her own fault. All she had to do was reach out and take the love that Selby and now Darius offered.

Selby broke the kiss but kept her palms against Za’s face, urging her to look her in the eyes.

"I’m sorry that I have been so distracted lately. There is so much happening to me. Everything I have known to be true in my life has been turned upside down in ways that you can’t imagine."

"Selby, I know with the wedding and everything it’s been wild, but I feel there is something else going on with you that I don’t know about," she accused. "I…I just feel as if I don’t know you any more," Za confessed on a heavy sigh as she flung out her hands in simple frustration.

"I know, sweetie. It’s understandable because I have changed. However, I don’t feel I can share all with you at this moment. Look how you reacted when I told you I shared my bed with both Darius and Sylus at times--"

Selby dropped her hands to her side. "I feel as if you, my best friend who has always been open about such things and never judged anyone, is judging me."

"I don’t mean to Selby, but Sy--"

"See and that’s another thing. Why are you so bitter with Sylus de Gauls? He tries to play it off like you do, but Darius says he asks about you all the time."

The heavy lashes that shadowed Za’s cheeks flew up.

"He asked about me? But why would he do such a thing?"

"Because he is a complicated man who is as beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside. Nevertheless, he has such pride and, yes, a nerve-racking arrogance. However, I trust him with my life just as much as I do Darius."

Selby ran the backs of her fingers across Za’s soft cheeks. "Za, can you tell me why? Why does Sy bother you so?"

Za felt it was a straightforward question. A simple enough question that she'd asked herself repeatedly since she had met him. Now, that she saw Sylus in an entirely different element at the Diamond Blue she found him even more intriguing.

"Selby, I…I don’t know; he just seems to rub me the wrong way. He has this way of making me feel out of control."

"And Lord knows how you hate to not be in control." Selby shook her head. "Darius taught me that sometimes you just have to let someone else do all the worrying. That it’s okay to allow yourself to fall when you know there are capable hands waiting to catch you."

Za leaned her head against Selby’s, enjoying this rare time they had alone. "I just don’t think it’s possible for me to trust like you do, Selby. You went to a foster home while I stayed in the county orphanage until I was fourteen." She pulled away.

"Unfortunately, when I was finally picked up by a foster family, it wasn’t the best situation."

Za shivered from deep inside, rubbing at her arms from the chill of remembrance. She forced the dark memories back to her secret place.

"Well, Za, you know how my life was with my foster family. They were so old they must have learned the Bible from Jesus himself…and they took the Good Book to an entirely new level by using it on my ass. I couldn’t accept phone calls from boys or date. Everything was a sin, including something as simple as putting a poster of John Travolta on my wall."

Za snorted aloud. "Yeah, your foster mom thought he projected too much stimulation for your young hormones and your desires would eventually cause you to abuse yourself," Za quoted, mimicking the preachy good book tone of Selby’s Bible-thumping foster mother.

Selby rolled her eyes upward, crossing her arms over her large breasts. "You don’t even want to take me there."

"Selby, you know she did have a point. I know I humped my pillow many a night to John Travolta’s poster. I bet that was her problem. She feared how overstimulated he made her feel." Za snorted on a laugh.

"Gag," Selby cried out. "Can you imagine that old prune humping anything or anyone? No, her coochie dried up before Methuselah was born."

Both of them fell into a fit of girlish laughter. Za took a seat on the sofa as Selby dropped down beside her.

"Fine…Selby, I agreed to put up with Sylus the ass for the wedding. But, does he have to be my date for all the other events, too?"

Za already knew the answer as her honey-brown eyes took in Selby and she felt happy her friend had found true love. Still, if Selby is now a part of a trio then she really has changed. Selby has never been one to share her men in the past and she was the only woman she had ever been with intimately.

Za surmised when a woman finds the security of real love from her man, she also knew where his heart rested and whose bed he would be in at the end of the day. It must be a wonderful feeling to be completely in tune, in love, and utterly honest with another person.

Still, Za found it strange to see Selby being part of the sexual revolution, which used to be her role in their friendship. When had the roles reversed? When had she become the shrew? It had to have been after her ex-fiancé Peter broke her heart and her savings account with the expense of a hundred and fifty thousand dollar wedding and left to tell two hundred and twenty-five guests the groom had changed his mind.

What was his excuse? He said he couldn’t marry a control freak. At times like this, a woman wonders if the man she thought she loved ever knew her at all. Otherwise, why do men who ditch their brides get an epiphany the day of the wedding instead of months or weeks before?

She knew Peter was a weak bastard. It was one of the reasons she found him perfect to be married to, because he wouldn’t try to have power over her. So how in the hell did he manage to grow balls on the morning of their wedding is the question she would have answered

What did it matter if her wedding of the century never happened? Consequently, so what if Selby had a bad first marriage, she was being brave now. Za suddenly felt embarrassed; this was not about how she felt, this was about her best friend Selby trusting her to be her maid of honor and helping her make a very special day the most perfect day possible.

If it had been anyone else, Za would not have been able to deal with all this drama or the dominating Sylus de Gauls; however, because Selby was her lover-sister-friend, all rolled up into one, and she saw how crazy wild Darius was for Selby, she couldn’t be happier for her.

"Okay, I will do this, because it pisses me off when you feel you have to keep things from me." Za playfully slapped Selby’s knee. "Is there anything else you been keeping from me?"

The smile left Selby face. "Yes, but let’s take one step at a time shall we? I think if you can tolerate Sy without killing him then we can discuss why he and Darius are not like any other men we have met before."

"You promise to tell me before the wedding?"

"Since Darius and Sylus’s family and friends are coming to the wedding…oh, most definitely."

Zaza sighed, knowing she wouldn’t get anything else out of Selby on the matter. "You know, I will hold you to your word and, with that said, bring on Mr. De Gauls. I have a bone to pick with him anyway."

"Za," Selby groaned. "What was all this dialogue for if you’re still going to give Sy attitude?"

"I will be sweet after I find out why the hell he didn’t return my calls after he found out I was your agent. He is the owner of Diamond Blue, you know, the one place I have been trying to book you in for over two freaking years."

"Uh-oh," Selby grinned sheepishly.

"What ‘uh-oh’? Uh-oh, I need to kick his ass or uh-oh, I already knew this and forgot to tell Za?"

"Uh-oh…the latter?"

"Selby!"

"I know…I know but I’ve been busy. Sy said when he realized who you were and he received a message of your last call, he was cool with the idea-"

"Sy wouldn’t say ‘cool’," Za supplied.

Selby hid her surprise that Za would have realized anything about Sylus and the fact that she called him Sy hadn’t slipped her notice either. Maybe her plans will work out after all.

"Anyway, Za, he asked me to let you know he would be happy to meet with you and set something up for us."

"Then why didn’t he just return my call?" Za’s voice shrieked.

As Selby gave her a "sistah girl, please" look, Za felt the spread of warmth burning from her ears and across her shoulders. Of course, he wouldn’t call a childish-acting woman who couldn’t even stand to look at him, but damn, he was just too fucking beautiful for any one man.

I can be such an idiot. "Point taken," Za conceded.

"I hope so, sweetie, because Sylus really is a special man, just like Darius. Yes, he is a very private man, but I’ve found a wonderful sensitivity about him and, like you, he chooses sarcasm to hide his fears and insecurities."

"Don’t even try to compare me to that man, besides-you can’t be talking about the same man, Selby." Za rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her. "I know fucking him doesn’t change him that much."

"Mmm, it changes him completely, trust me." Selby cut a look at her out of the corner of her eyes. "Better yet, maybe you should fuck him and find out or join us one night. You can watch and be with us once you feel comfortable with it."

Za had to admit she often wondered, especially after last night, if Sy fucked as good as he looked. She had a feeling he did and then some.

Her clitoris twitched and throbbed.

"Now stop being so stingy with the wine and hand me the damn bottle, woman," Selby ordered.

Za sighed, poured herself some wine in Selby’s now-empty glass, and handed her country ass the bottle to finish. Selby’s new wine fetish of drinking from the bottle was getting out of hand. Still, Selby wasn’t the only one acting as if she had no raising. Za had seen Darius and Sylus do the same thing. All three of them drank the stuff like bottled water.

"Now, let’s talk about those cruise tickets to Greece. I want you to get the biggest and best suite on the ship. You know, the ones with the balcony and two rooms. I want it booked for a month. I think Darius would love to visit his home. He speaks so fondly of it. I can’t wait to see it for myself through his eyes."

As Selby continued to chatter excitedly, Za was remembering how Sylus had made her body feel by just playing the guitar. She wondered if his fingers could work the same magic on her flesh.

Cursing herself for her foolishly impossible thoughts, she submerged her sexual frustration into assisting Selby and pushed all thoughts aside. No man like that was looking for a woman; she wasn’t blind to how many women wanted to be in his bed that night at the club. She knew the reason she and Sylus didn’t mesh is that he loved control as much as she did.

She would just have to learn to bite her tongue and tolerate him for Selby’s sake. She was still determined to make the situation worth her while. Za wondered if Sylus had considered becoming a marketable product in the entertainment field. On that thought, she smiled as her mind churned with marketing possibilities.