Chapter Thirty-Five
Reed
Iwoke before Cole and took the opportunity to stare at him like an absolute creeper.
His lashes brushed against his skin, and his mouth was slightly open as he let out an occasional soft snore.
He had held me all night, like he was afraid I would disappear while he was asleep.
I reached up, very lightly brushing his cheekbones and nose with the tip of my finger.
I couldn’t stop the smile that spread over my face.
He loved me. He wanted me. Cole still wanted us.
I was brought out of my love-induced fog by the sound of a moan. A very loud one. And then I heard it again, followed by a soft whine and “Fuck, Oscar.”
Well. I guess Tate and Oscar were having a good morning.
I covered my mouth to stop the laugh that threatened to escape, only to find Cole watching me, his blue eyes heavy with sleep.
“Good morning,” I whispered.
“Good morning, baby.” Cole leaned forward and rubbed his nose over mine. “What’s got you smiling like that this morning?” The distinctive sound of a groan drifted to us, and his brows shot up. “Jesus, is that what I think it is?” His cheeks burned crimson.
I grinned. “Pretty sure. It sounds like—”
“Zach.”
Both of our eyes went wide.
Cole’s jaw dropped. “Is it all three of them in there?” He chuckled. “Guess they’re having a good time.”
“That’s my best friend!”
“And mine. Along with my uncle, so...I win?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s not a contest.”
I resisted the urge to clap my hands over my ears, but from the sound of it, things were wrapping up. Minutes later, a door opened, followed by steps down the hallway.
“And now we have to face them.” Cole wiggled his brows.
“Come on, baby. Let’s go get some breakfast. I’m starving.
” His stomach growled viciously, like it had been waiting for him to mention it.
I giggled. He climbed from the bed and held out his hand, helping me to my feet. “I could get used to this.”
I followed him into the bathroom. “What’s that?”
“You. Naked in my bed every morning. Would certainly make my mornings a hell of a lot better.” Cole grabbed his toothbrush.
“I have one you can use.” He pointed to the medicine cabinet.
“You can just keep it here. We both know you’re going to need it.
You can bring over your things, too, whenever you want. I’ll help you.”
I stared at him as he popped open the mouthwash and poured some into his mouth. “You want me to stay here? All the time or, like, now and then?”
Cole spat into the sink. “I want you to move in with me.”
“You what?” Wasn’t that a little soon? But I didn’t hate the thought. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. “Are you sure? What about Oscar?”
He opened the medicine cabinet, grabbed the new toothbrush, and held it out for me.
“Trust me. Oscar isn’t going to care if you move in with us.
In fact...” Cole twisted around to lean against the counter as I brushed my teeth.
“I think he’d encourage it. He’s obviously got his own thing going on, and I’m sure Tate will be here more.
I doubt they’re going to mess around at the Olsons’ house. ”
“You mean the three-way we heard?” I rinsed out my mouth.
He nodded. “Yep.” Cole popped the p. “And that just means your best friend will be here more.”
“Yeah, that’s a hard no. Zach doesn’t date long-term. He’ll go back to New York—”
“Oh my God!” A loud squeal that sounded like my so-called best friend came through the wall.
I rushed back to the bedroom, grabbed Cole’s dress shirt from the floor, and flung open the bedroom door just as Oscar came running down the hall, in his underwear, with Tate on his shoulders. Another fake scream from Zach followed.
Cole pushed the door closed from behind me. “Baby, let them have their fun.”
“My eyes!” I covered them with the palms of my hands. “I don’t even know what they were doing, but I can’t unsee that now.” I blinked when Cole gripped my wrists and pulled my hands away from my face.
The smile Zach had on his face was something I had never seen before. Was this not just a onetime thing for him, like he said it was? I knew his family was never going to let him do what he wanted, though.
He brushed his lips over mine. “They’ll figure it out,” he assured me, then kissed me again. “But right now, I want to cook breakfast for you. Will you let me do that?” He chuckled when my stomach growled. “I guess that’s a yes.”
“Can I keep your shirt on?”
“Only if you put on pants.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like I’d go down there naked.”
“You’d better not,” Cole warned, then pushed me back against the door, caging me in with his hands. “No one gets to see you naked other than me. Not even Zach. Understand?” he growled.
All the blood in my body rushed south. “Yes.” I rose up to kiss him. “But is there going to be punishment if that happens? Like, what if it’s an accident? Like, I’m getting out of the shower and Zach happens to—Put me down!” I exclaimed when Cole threw me over his shoulder.
“You want someone to put you in your place?” He playfully slapped my backside, and I couldn’t stop the moan that escaped. “Is that what you want? You need me to spank you until you know who you belong to?”
I whimpered when he tossed me onto the bed. “Please.” I reached down to grip my aching cock.
“Don’t touch that.” Cole smacked my hand away. “That’s mine, too, and you don’t get to come yet. Later. After we’ve eaten and figured out the rest of our day. What time do we have to be at the track?”
I pouted. “But I want you now.”
“And I promise the wait will be worth it.” Cole leaned down and nipped at my earlobe. “You’ll come with my cock buried in your ass, baby.” He planted a hard kiss on my mouth and then pulled back. “Now get dressed, or the wait will be even longer.”
I POPPED A brOW AT my best friend when he stepped into the kitchen. Zach glanced at Cole, who was finishing up the omelets he was making, and then gave me a nervous smile. He smoothed down the front of his over-sized Panthers shirt (which was clearly Oscar’s) and eased into the seat next to mine.
“Good morning,” Zach murmured. “Fancy meeting you here.”
I continued to stare at him. While I wanted to give Zach the silent treatment, I was more curious about what was happening between the three of them. Because Zach didn’t do long-term relationships. And I didn’t want Tate and Oscar to end up hurt.
“I suppose you’re wondering what I’m doing here.” Zach’s smile faltered. “I, uh...well, it’s not really complicated.”
“You slept with them!” I blurted.
Zach’s eyes widened.
“I mean, that’s what’s going on, right? You slept with them because you just couldn’t help yourself. Jesus Christ, what is wrong with you? They’re already a couple, and now you’re going to ruin everything they’ve been working toward. You’re selfish, Zach. So, fucking selfish and—”
“That’s enough!” Oscar roared from across the room. He glared at me like a giant getting ready to step on a bug. “You don’t get to speak to Zachary like that. Not now and not ever. Do you understand?”
Cole dropped the spatula. “And you don’t get to talk to Reed like that. Understand?” He positioned himself between Oscar and me. “He didn’t mean it. He’s upset and just trying to figure out what’s going on. Reed cares about all three of you.”
“I didn’t...I’m sorry, Zach. I didn’t mean any of that.” I burst into tears. “I’m sorry,” I said again.
Zach wrapped his arms around me. “I know you didn’t mean it, babe. And I love how protective you are of your friends.”
“But you’re my best friend, and I shouldn’t say things like that to you. It’s none of my business.” I could feel the shoulder of his shirt growing damp. “I’m sorry.” What else could I say?
Zach squeezed me tighter. “I can never stay mad at you.” He tipped my head up. “Come into the living room so we can talk?”
I nodded and followed him into the other room, where he sat down on the couch. I joined him and grabbed his hands to clutch them with my own.
“I love you, Zach. You’re my best friend. What I said back there is unforgivable. I had no right.”
“It’s done, and I’ve moved on. I already forgave you,” he assured me. “But I have a secret.”
I leaned closer. “Do you?”
“Yeah, I do.” Zach nodded. “I could see myself falling in love with them. Oscar and Tate. They’re sweet, caring, and funny.
I feel like a different person when we’re all together.
Like maybe I’ve been waiting for them.” He ducked his chin.
“Oscar is so caring, like this big, protective teddy bear. He’s kind, Reed.
I’ve never had a lover like him before. He’s so nice. I’m not used to that.”
I brushed the bleached hair from his forehead. “You deserve that, babe. Someone to love you the way you deserve.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know about that.” Zach sniffed. “And Tate. He’s like this gooey ray of sunshine who just pushed his way into my life. You know...” He glanced behind me, then dropped his voice into a whisper. “He’s the one who asked me to join them.”
My brows flew up. “I don’t...Don’t give me details.” I giggled when Zach nudged my side. “But maybe you could give them a chance.”
“I want to.” He swallowed nervously. “But my parents...You know they’re not going to accept either of them. They won’t let me be with someone they didn’t handpick for me.”
I did know that. I had only met Zach’s parents once, and it wasn’t pleasant. They had been cool and quiet when they came to our apartment, whisking Zach off on some secret getaway that he still won’t tell me about.
“You don’t need them. You have me. And now you have Oscar and Tate.”
We both looked up as Tate slipped into the room and crawled onto Zach’s lap. He whispered something in his ear that I couldn’t hear and then pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“Maybe, maybe.” Zach’s smile was forced, but his eyes told me what he couldn’t. That he was already falling hard.
“Everything is going to work out just the way it should.” I reached over to squeeze Tate’s arm. “Take good care of him for me.”
Tate nodded. “You know I will.”
“And you.” I climbed to my feet as Oscar loomed in the doorway. “About earlier, I’m sorry. I had no right to say those things.”
Oscar popped a brow as he continued to stare at me. He was a massive man at six foot seven, and the longer he watched me, the more I wanted to disappear. He was intimidating as hell. “Don’t do it again, Kelly,” he grunted.
“I know, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have...Oh!” I gasped when Oscar moved to wrap me in a hug that was tight enough to crack a rib as he lifted me off my feet.
“I’m going to make sure Zach is cared for. He’ll never have to worry about anything again,” he told me.
I gave him a big smile when he released me. “Good. Because I’d hate to have to kick your ass,” I teased.
“As if you could.” Oscar had already moved to the couch. He wrapped one thick arm around Zach and used the other one to smooth the hair back from Tate’s face.
They made a cute throuple. That would make two now that I knew of, including Wyatt, Noel, and Seth. “I’ll let you do whatever it is you’re doing.”
“See you at the race tonight,” Tate called out as I went back into the kitchen to find Cole.
He beamed when I walked over, wrapped my arms around his waist, and pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Everything good?”
“Yeah, it’s great,” I whispered.