bChapter /bb34/b: La bPOV /b

Monday morning unfolds with a rare, fragile calm, a quiet reprieve from the storm of the weekend. By the time I drag myself downstairsb, /bstill bleary–eyed from a restless night, Michael has already left for the office. My mom is still cocooned in her bedroom, hadn’t woken up yet. The house is silentb, /bsave for the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant chirping of birds outside. Small miracles, I guess, that I don’t have to navigate their questions or forced cheer this morning.

When I eventually got homest night, and being true to her word, Moira was waiting for me. The sight of her in the dim glow of the kitchen, bstirring /ba steaming mug of hot cocoa topped with a generous handful of mini marshmallows, was like a balm to my frayed nerves. She sat with me while we enjoyed our drinks, not pushing me for answers or an exnation. That meant more to me than she could ever have known. Just having her next to me, knowing she’s there for me, ready to listen whenever I am, soothed thest of my haggard soul.

The guys have been suspiciously quiet, but I suspect Moira might have something to do with that. She probably asked them to give me space till I was ready.

The thing is, though, I’m not sure when that’ll be. My feelings are raw and brittle right now. And, if they decide to pity me or attempt to “fix” my problems, I might step back from thempletely. I don’t need saving, I don’t need their titudes about how “it’ll all be okay“, and I don’t need them to coddie me because they think I might break.

For now, though, I’m stuck in a holding pattern, waiting to see what they’ll do bnext/b. That will determine how they’ll feature in my future.

My first two sses of the day pass in a blur, the professors‘ voices a steady drone that keeps my mind from wandering too far. By the time I settle into a corner of the student center with a quick lunch–a slightly soggy turkey sandwich and ba /bgloriously strong coffee that burns my tongue just right–bthe /bevents ofst night have been pushed to the back of my mind, a problem to be dealt withter. I spread out my morning’s ss notes on the table, the pages filled with my hurried scrawl, and let the familiar rhythm bof /bstudying anchor me.

–

With a few hours before my next ss, I decide to get a head start on a new assignment handed out in my sociology ss this morning. It chance bto /bbkil /btwo birds with one stone make progress and keep my thoughts from spiraling. I pull out myptop, the screen casting a soft glow as I dive into a rob hole of online articles. My fingers fly across the keyboard, outlining a draft concept for the assignment, pulling quotes from schrly journals, and e referencing sources to support my hypothesis. The world around me fades, the chatter of students, the tter of trays, the faint indie music ying student center’s speakers, all of it blurs into white noise bas /bI lose myself in the work.

I feel someone take the seat to my left, and two more burly bodies slide onto the seat on the other side of the table.

“Good morning, Sunshine,” Cade’s smooth voice whispers in my ear while his sandalwood and freshly cut bgrass /baroma envelops me like a warm hug.

Deciding to ignorest night’s events, at least for now, I tilt my head in his direction and realize he leaned over so close when he spoke in bmy /bbear/b, that our noses are almost touching.

I’m momentarily stunned to realize that even though his eyes are predominantly light blue, navy blue encircles his pupil before it gradually bleeds into the lighter shade. It’s mesmerizing.

“Hey,” I breathe as my heart stutters, and a sudden urge ovees me to lean over and taste his lips.

Cade must pick up on my internal thoughts, because the next thing I know he’s leaning closer as he says, “I’m going to kiss you now La.”

Before I can object (not that I would have – I’m not stupid), his soft lips touch mine in a tentative kiss. The effect is immediate and my whole body bsags /binto him, almost as if it instinctively knows that Cade is our safe ce. Or at least, one of bthem/b.

His right arm slips around my back, his hand instinctively going to my hip, and then he tugs me closer to him. Not in an obscene way, just enough that my whole torso is now melded to the side of his. And honestly, I’m here for it.

Our kisses, this one and the previous few bwe’ve /bshared have never gone further than being a sensual glide bof /bone pair bof /blips tasting and exploring the other. But when he slides his tongue bover /bmy bottom lip, subtly requesting entrance to my mouth, I give it to him without hesitation.

His tongue slowly makes a sensual circle inside my mouth before it retractsb, /bbut bI’m /bhaving none of that and my tongue instinctively chases his back into his mouth. This makes him groan softly and my core tightens at the knowledge that biI /i/bcaused that reaction in him.

A throat clears and makes bus /be to our senses. We slowly pull apartb, /bbut our gaze is still locked, drowning in the emotion swirling in the bother’s /bbeyes/bb. /b

We slowly turn toward where the interruption came from, and I suddenly realize bwe /bpletely forgot about Hunter and Al’s bpresence /bbon /bbthe /bbother /bbside /bof

the table.

Chapter 34: La POV

Thescivious smile on Hunter’s face, coupled with both of them adjusting themselves below the table, has my cheeks instantly burning upbi. /i/b

“Now that was hot as fuck,” Hunter deres and winks at me.

“I second that motion,” Al says, shifting his leg under the table to y footsy with me, Some people would find it childish, but I think it’s incredibly swert

Somewhere during our lip–lock, my left hand drifted to Cade’s upper thigh and go far.

my right one gripped the front of his t–shirt as if I was reluctant to let him

I lean back to create much–needed space between us, but he has other ideas. Slipping his other hand over mine where it rests on his chest, he leans in and ces a chaste kiss below my ear. The shudder the small act causes is immediate and evident to everyone at our table.

“How’s our girl feeling today?” Cade speaks close to my ear but still loud enough that the other two can hear what he says.

“iYour /igirl?” I ask incredulously but not hating the bidea/b.

If you had asked me three months ago if I would ever entertain the idea of being interested in more than one guy, simultaneously, while all the men involved knew about each other iand /iencouraged the arrangement, I would have asked you if you were delusional.

But after meeting these three men, building separate but significant connections with each of them, while also being attracted to them sexually, has m me way more susceptible to the idea.

“Yes, Cupcake,” AJ pipes up as Cade runs his nose along my neckb, /bcausing goosebumps to pebble

my skin.

“Qurs.”

The intensity with which he says that one word, has my insides melting and my core warming up. My rational mind is telling me that we shouldn’t be having this discussion here much less should Cade be seducing my body with his featherlight touches. But my body is screaming at me not to move an inch. And who am I to disobey her?

Hunter’s msses–like bvoice /bpours over me next, “Only if you want Beautiful. But be assured, we’repletely on board if you want to explore being with all three of bus/bb./bb” /b

During Hunter’s derationb, /bCade started cing soft kisses behind my ear and in the crook of my neck causing AJ’s pupils to dte the desire he’s trying to tamp down at what he’s looking at.

Their words, actions, and touches make it difficult for me to think straight. But honestly, I don’t want to be rational anymore.

–

a clear indication of

I don’t want to be the one who’s cautious and has difficulty stepping out of theirfort zone anymore. The one who rarely experiences new things because she’s fearful of what others might think of her. The one who’s still a virgin because the idea of being vulnerable with a man seemed less of a irisk /ithan possibly having your heart broken.

Fuck it. I’m ready to start living my life.

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