Their Little House Colter (Five Little Roommates #1)

Chapter Fifteen

Dallas

My insides shook as I showered. Nerves. Not because of the people I was about to go out on a date with but because all three of us were treading on new territory. I wasn’t naive enough to think that we were the first littles to share a daddy, but it was certainly a first for us.

I shut off the water and wrapped a towel around my waist. I’d racked my brain about what to wear and so had Colter, but Ari helped us, telling us what to wear for the restaurant. The place was upscale, but we should wear whatever we had that was best.

He guaranteed we would look great in anything we chose.

Already he was boosting my confidence—making us feel cared for. I swore every time he spoke it was like a caress to my soul.

Colter on the other hand was like the best friend/lover I’d dreamed of. He understood me as a little, as a man, as a friend. There was no one else in the world I would want to share this experience with.

Gods, I wanted this to work out.

“I hope that’s not what you’re wearing.” Colter chuckled, coming into the room. I still had only my towel wrapped around my waist and he was still in lounge pants.

Laughing, I reached for my dresser drawer and pulled out silky boxers. They felt soft against my skin. I hated the ones that were too tight or itchy. Before thinking twice, I dropped my towel and pulled them on.

When I looked at Colter, he was shaking his head, but there was a huge smile on his face. “You are dangerous,” he said, coming over to place a kiss on my mouth. It was chaste, only a peck, but it lit me on fire nonetheless.

“You’re not dressed?” I asked, checking my phone. “Ari is picking us up in a half hour.”

“I took a shower but then kind of froze and came in here to make sure we want to do this.”

I sat on the bed and patted the space beside me. If needed, I could get dressed in five minutes, but if Colter was having second thoughts, that could not wait. The last thing I wanted to do was put him in a situation where he was uncomfortable.

Or worse, to be the third wheel.

“Colter, are you unsure? Do you want to go out with Ari without me? I want whatever is best for you. I hope you know that.”

He took my hand and, though the gesture wasn’t sexual, I melted in place. Holding hands was underrated. “I think that you and I need to have this talk before we go. I want you to be happy too.”

“Thank you. What are you scared of?”

Shrugging, he turned to me. “I’m scared that you or I will want Ari and get along with him better and he will want one of us but not both. That’s my main concern.”

Good point. “I’ve actually thought about that. If he wants you, then I want you to go for it. I will probably be a bit hurt, but we will still be friends, and I will always support you.”

“I feel the same.”

“Good. What else?”

Blowing out a breath, he leaned over and laid his head on my shoulder. “What if tonight gets weird? I think Ari is nice and sweet, but what if it’s awkward?”

“Let’s just go and be ourselves with him. All three of us are on new ground here. If things get strange or we decide it’s not working, then we have to make a decision.”

“I don’t want to lose you, Dallas,” he said. The sincerity in his voice broke my heart.

“You won’t. No matter what, you won’t lose me.”

We stayed silent for a few moments until he got up and said, “I’m going to bring my clothes in here.”

He ran out and came back with his whole outfit, socks, shoes, and all. We got dressed together, in my room. We complimented each other’s outfits and laughed while we prepared for our date. We talked about Ari and how he might just be the perfect daddy if that was such a thing. Our shared laughter added a lightness to the atmosphere and relieved some of the nervousness I felt in my body.

That was, until the doorbell rang.

“That’s him,” I said, forcing a smile. Not that I didn’t want to see Ari. I did. But apprehension overshadowed my excitement.

“Are you ready?” my playmate asked.

“Yes. You look fantastic if I don’t get a chance to tell you later.”

His blush was remarkable. It truly suited him. “You do too, Dallas. But I prefer the jeans I first saw you in.”

“Me too. Me too.”

We descended the stairs together. Monroe had opened the door for Ari and let him in. I felt like a prince as I came down and Ari’s face lit up, his eyes darting from me to Colter and back again.

“Good evening to you both,” he said. My belly swirled with anticipation. All the hangups and what-ifs I’d been worried about dissipated in a breath.

Ari’s soft eyes met mine as Colter’s fingers laced with my own.

This was right.

No rhyme. No reason. It was just right.

He met us at the bottom of the stairs. “You two look very nice tonight. Shall we?”