7
E rin stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around herself. She had an hour before she was supposed to be at Chayse and Nik's "We Live Together"gathering. She wasn't surprised that he'd gone through with having it. It was sweet he wanted to celebrate living with Chayse.
Theywaited until Kieran and Alijah returned from their honeymoon to have it, wanting all their friends to attend. Planning the gathering was the first thing Nik did when they'd returned, and the first thing Chayse did was help Erin tell Alijah that she'd moved to town.
Chayse had asked Alijah to help her get the last of her things from the apartment to get her there. However, when Alijah walked in, she immediately knew that the belongings were Erin's, and she'd had the same reaction Chayse had.
Erin grabbed her body lotion and went into her bedroom. It was one of her favorites, sold by a small business she'd happened upon when she'd gone to a tattoo convention in Seattle while visiting her father. She'd need to get some more soon.
Once she had finished moisturizing, she went to her closet and looked through her clothes. It was warm during the day, but Erin knew the temperature had dropped some and would drop even more when the sun had fully gone down.
She pulled out a pair of high-waisted jeans that flared slightly at the bottom. She knew the shirt and shoes she wanted to wear were in the closet in the second bedroom.
She retrieved the long-sleeved white button-up shirt that would contour perfectly to her body.She also grabbed a pair of black booties, though,withthe length of her jeans, she knew theymore than likely wouldn'tbe seen.
Erin returned to her bedroom, laying the shirt across the bed with thejeans,and placing the shoes at the foot of it. She slipped into her bra and panties.
She did her hair and makeup before getting dressed. She kept her makeup light and chose dusty rose lipstick.
The cooler Denver weather was nicer to her silk press than Gainesville’s humidity ever was, and she pulled her hair into a ponytail on top of her head, laying down her baby hairs.
Returning to her bedroom, Erin dressed, slipping her feet into her shoes before grabbing one of her favorite perfumes and spraying some. She was headed out of the bedroom when her phone rang. It was an unknown number, and she figured it was the same telemarketer that called a few days prior. She sent them to voicemail and grabbed the gift bag from the table where she'd left it for the past two and half weeks. Erin set the alarm before leaving and locking the door behind her.
She slid into her car and entered Nik's address, which Chayse had texted her, into her GPS. She'd been to his—or, she should say, their—condo a few times, but she hadn't driven either time or paid attention to how to get there.
Over the past few weeks in the city, Erin made it a point to drive around now and then and ensure she knew how to get to particular places. Though she'd visited plenty of times, and she knew where the attractions they tended to go to when she did were, she wanted to learn the more everyday locations.
There wasa wreck with traffic backed up, whichcaused Erin to be over half an hour late, but she figured she wouldn't be the only one.She knew that Chayse had invited a few people she worked with, as had Nik. So, it wouldn't just be their regular small group, though Chayse stated there wouldn't be more than thirty people.
Once she pulled up to the condo building, Erin grabbed her purse and the gift bag and went inside. She stepped onto the elevator and rode it to the top floor.
There wasn't any loud music, but she hadn't expected there to be. The night was supposed to be relaxed. Erin would say it would have a slow saxophone jazz vibe if she had to put a feel to it.
As she approached the door, she could hear soft music playing. She knocked and waited several long seconds before she realized they may not have been able to hear her since the music would have been a bit louder inside. Erin tried the handle, finding the door unlocked, and she let herself in.
The first people she saw were a couple of women she knew worked with Chayse. Erin had met them on one occasion. They waved at her, and she waved back. She was surveying the room for Chayse and Alijah but didn't see either. She did, however, see Nik, Paetyn, and Cruz talking to one another by the former's bar.
Erin approached, and Cruz's eyes turned to her. She was aware that he was taking her in and appreciating her assets before his eyes fell on the gift bag. When they did, they returned to meet Erin's as he nudged Paetyn and nodded in her direction.
Those green eyes turned to her, and he smiled before noticing the bag in her hand. Erin was sure she wasn't supposed to see the slight falter in his smile, but she had, though he recovered well. She stopped before them, and Nik turned to her.
"Erin, hey. I'm glad you could make it,"he stated.
"I wasn't going to miss it. This is my first we live together now warming,"she responded with a smile, and Nik laughed. "You're missing one,"she told the men, her eyes shifting between them.
"We are, but he should be here soon,"Paetyn responded. "Alijah ordered a cake for the gathering and they were picking it up on their way."
"They should have been here by now,"Cruz stated.
"Well, I got stuck behind a wreck, and it is Saturday night, so people are probably going out,"Erin responded.
She wasn't surprised that Alijah ordered a cake. Let her friend tell it: no celebration was complete without one or cupcakes in the event of something at the last minute.
"Speaking of celebrating. I brought you a housewarming gift,"Erin informed Nik. "Well, it's more for Chayse, but I'm sure you'll like it,"she told him, holding up the gift bag and handing it to Nik.
Her eyes slid to Paetyn and Cruz briefly as Nik took the bag from her, but her attention quickly returned to him.
"Thank you. Speaking of Chayse, I'm going to check on her. Taila called her a few minutes ago, and she went into the office to take it."
Erin watched Nik leave, aware that two sets of eyes were on her the entire time. When she turned her attention back to them, she knew what they wanted to ask her, but Erin decided it wasn't a conversation she wanted to have in a room full of other people. While she'd used the gift bag they'd given her for Chayse's gift, Erin knew what they would take it to mean.
So, she didn't give them a chance to ask her; she just asked if they'd come onto the balcony with her. To which they agreed. Erin placed her purse behind the bar on the bottom shelf before leading the way out.
It was quiet between them for a moment, and she wasn't sure if they were waiting for her to start the conversation or if one of them would break the silence.
She took a moment to take Paetyn and Cruz in as she waited. Cruz was wearing a pair of jeans, lighter in tone in some places, rolled at his ankles. He'd paired them with a simple, white crew-neck t-shirt and sneakers, which were likely overly expensive. The shirt hugged his biceps, and Erin wondered if the way it did so, should be illegal.
Her eyes then shifted to Paetyn. He'd opted for khaki pants and a navy blue shirt with slight white contrasts throughout. The shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and a couple of his top buttons were open. He and Cruz wore similar shoes.
Erin mildly wondered if when they went somewhere, or even all four of the men for that matter, because she wouldn't pretend her friends' husband and boyfriend were not attractive, if their goal was to give women heart attacks with the way they looked, the energy they gave off.
Erin's wait didn't last long, Cruz breaking the silence. "Was that a yes, Ma?y?"
"Yes, but I have more questions. You'll also have to remember that this is new for me. I will sometimes mess up, approach things incorrectly, and get frustrated."
She wanted to be honest with them. Erin wouldn't try to fool herself or them into thinking that she'd know exactly how to handle whatever situation arose between them because she knewthat theywouldn't always be able to fix them like they would in a traditional relationship.
The fact that polyamory was becoming even more significant on the relationship market wasn't lost on Erin. Asshe thought about it since their conversation, she realized that she wasn't against it. She simply had never been presented with it until now, and wasn't that the way it went with all new things in life?They were something unthought of until presented.
"No relationship is perfect, regardless of whether it's traditional or non-traditional,"Paetyn told her. "There's a possibility that we'll all mess up—even Cruz and me—because while we've done this before, we haven't been with you."
"Each time we get into a relationship like this one, it's different because the same way you're learning us, we're learning you too. We'd never approach a new relationship like the last because it doesn't work that way any other time. So, it wouldn't in this situation either,"Cruz supplied.
"Somewhere along the lines, I don't doubt that we'll all learn something about ourselves that we didn't know. But that's what any good relationship is supposed to do: teach you new things. We'll give you all the patience you need and answer any questions you have if they can't be shown instead,"Paetyn stated.
"Because we'd both prefer to show you than to tell you,"Cruz added.
Erin let their words sink in, knowing they were right. She'd told herself something similar when she'd decided that she would give it a try. However, hearing them say it eased the rest of her slight apprehension because there was indeed some. Erin would happily call anyone who claimed they hadn't felt any at all going into a poly relationship like this for the first time a liar.
The fact that they'd said what she needed to hear to alleviate it shouldn't have surprised her. She noticed they had this uncanny ability to say the right thing. A fact that she'd begun seeing more often when she'd first noticed them flirting with her, but it never seemed disingenuous.
"Okay, I can deal with that,"Erin responded.
"Now, I have a question before you ask yours,"Cruz started as he closed the distance between them, his hands going to the button of her pants. "Are you wearing them now?"he questioned with a smirk.
"C ruz,"Paetyn stated, shaking his head. He was sure the other man had every intention of popping the button on Erin's pants to see if she was indeed wearing them.
After the conversation between her and Cruz in Florida, Paetyn decided that he'd replace the pair of panties Cruz ripped. He found it poetic that it be what either started their relationship or kept it from happening, considering the way things had begun moving after the wedding. Paetyn knew they weren't the same, but they were purple, and he and Cruz liked them. He also knew that Erin would appreciate the message regardless of her answer.
"I am wearing them,"Erin responded, taking Cruz's wrist and removing his hands from her pants. "But you don't get to see them,"she finished with a smirk. Paetyn chuckled as Erin released Cruz's wrist.
"You don't want to give me a peek?"Cruz questioned.
"I'll give you more than a peek,"Erin replied, yet another smirk. “Eventually, if you're good."Paetyn watched as Erin took a step back, placing space between her and Cruz. "We should head back inside."
"I thought you had questions,"Cruz stated.
"I do, but we're celebrating our friends tonight. I can ask them another time,"Erin responded before returning inside.
Paetyn knew he wasn't the only one who allowed his eyes to drop and watched the sway of her hips. The difference now was that he could do so without feeling guilty because she was theirs.
He followed Cruz as they went inside, and Chayse and Alijah, who must have arrived with Kieran as they'd been talking, approached them almost immediately. They smiled at the three of them before telling the men they were borrowing Erin for a moment.
Paetyn watched them go, and his heartbeat finally seemed to return to normal. He'd hidden his nervousness when he'd seen her with the gift bag, thinking she'd brought it to return to them. While he'd told himself that if she turned them down, they would accept it and deal with it, he hadn't been so sure he would be able to when he saw her with it.
Once she'd given it to Nik, part of him calmed down, but he couldn't completely relax until he heard her say it. Paetyn was aware that people reused gift bags all the time. Just because she had didn't mean she was telling them yes. It could have simply been that she didn't have another on hand.
"I'm assuming you had the same reaction I did when you saw that bag,"Cruz stated.
"I did,"Paetyn confirmed, his eyes still on Erin as the three women talked to Gale. However, Paetyn knew it wasn't a question because Cruz knew him well enough to knowthat hehad.
"I have to be honest with you, Paet. To hell with what you said about accepting no if she gave it back. Had she, we were going to try again."
Paetyn agreed with Cruz because he'd been thinking the same thing. They'd naturally back off, put a little space between them, andfigure out why she'd told them no. If she was scared or unsure, they could work with that and show her what it was like to be with them. However, if she genuinely didn't want to, then there was nothing they could do about it. Paetyn was glad they didn't have to do that.
After a moment, they went their separate ways and mingled with some other guests. Paetyn spoke to Corey Wexler for a while, and the other man asked him when he was opening his next restaurant. He wished he had an answer for him because it would mean he had at least the plan on the right track. However, he told him he was waiting for things to fall into place.
Once Corey excused himself to check on his wife, who was beckoning him, Paetyn went over to Remy, seated on one of the barstools, smirking at his phone like a teenager.
"I take it it's an interesting conversation,"Paetyn stated, walking around to the other side of the bar.
"I guess if being fussed at is interesting,"Remy responded, looking up from his phone.
"You clearly like it, and you probably deserve it,"Paetyn replied, and the other man laughed.
While Paetyn had known his three best friends for over a decade and a half, almost two decades in Cruz's case, and they spent most of their time hanging out together, they'd all known Remy for almost as long as Cayman Industries had been around.
Remy was the first person outside their friend group who wasn't intimidated by Kieran's nature and attitude. Going so far as to ask him if he was always an asshole during his interview. Since that day, Remy had been Kieran's Vice-President of Operations, and they all tended to hang out on occasion. More so at their bi-weekly games now that Kieran didn't work so much.
"It's amusing because he's claiming it's my fault he's sore,"Remy countered.
"Is it?"Paetyn inquired with a raised brow, to which Remy tilted his head with a smile that told Paetyn everything he needed to know and shrugged.
They laughed, and Paetyn grabbed a glass and poured himself a drink. He hadn't planned on drinking, but he figured one wouldn't hurt him. He held up the bottle, and Remy nodded, so Paetyn poured him one, passing it to him.
"So, why didn't you invite him?"
"I did. He declined."
Paetyn hummed, deciding to cast his bait. "I could understand not wanting to come to something where you may not know anyone."
"He knows people here. Some better than me."Paetyn listened to Remy respond absently as he looked down at his phone, which alerted him to a notification.
"Tell Lawrence I said hello,"Paetyn said before taking a drink from his glass. His eyes were on Remy as the other man's head snappedupto look at him.
"You know that's creepy, right?"Remy questioned, pointing at Paetyn before moving his finger around. "That weird observation thing that you do."
Paetyn found himself chuckling. He could admit he noticed things more than the average person or more than he should. But it wasn't hard to guess that Remy was texting Lawrence. Paetyn had seen them talking during the wedding, and both of their body language screamed that it was more than a friendly conversation. Then they left together. They hadn't even tried to make it look like something other than what it was, at least to him. Could he have been wrong in his assumption? Absolutely. But he hadn't been, and that was all that mattered.
"It just happens,"Paetyn responded.
"Well, reserve that talent for those other three."Remy took a sip of his drink.
Paetyn left Remy to his conversation with Lawrence and entered the kitchen. He looked over the food along the bar. Paetyn picked up a napkin and the tongs before grabbing a mini quiche. He bit into it, and it was fluffy andcooked to perfection, but he hadn't expected anything else since he'd cooked them.
Turning his attention back to the room, Paetyn decided to keep to himself for a bit before rejoining everyone.
C ruz pretended to listen to the conversation that he'd been pulled into by two of Nik's employees. The manager he'd left in charge of Mirage , Troy and the one he'd taken to Paradise 826 to manage it, Eric. He was sure that whatever they were talking about in some way related to a business proposal, but considering helping start-ups, buying out a start-up, or anything of that nature was not what he did; he didn't feel the need to listen actively. Once he was sure they'd finished their little pitch, he'd send them in Kieran's or Corey's direction. Honestly, hewas actingas if he were listening because they were employees of Nik's. Any other time, he would have walked away.
His eyes moved across the room and landed on Erin. However, Cruz wasn't at all shocked by that fact. It had been like this for almost a year whenever they were in the same place. She was laughing at something another woman had said to her, andCruz assumed it was someone who worked with Chayse.
When he and Paetyn arrived, Cruz realized that while he may have seen most of the people in attendance at some point, he only knew a few of their names. He'd also noticed that one person, in particular, was missing. He'd asked Nik where Naidlyn was, to which he'd replied that he'd invited her. However, since she was on call, she'd been called into the hospital that afternoon.
Cruz was aware that Nik's relationship with Naidlyn was mending, even though he hadn't decided whether or not he was ready to speak to his mother. He couldn't blame Nik for stepping back; he'd feel the same way if he were in the other man's shoes with his mother. Cruz knew some people wouldn't understand, but everyone was raised differently. Some were in environments where they were supposed to accept anything their parents dealt out, regardless of the situation. None of them had been raised that way.
There was a pause in the conversation, and Cruz figured they were done with whatever they were attempting to pitch to him.It wasn't unusualthat he wasapproached with some sort of business opportunity at any function.He'd become used to it over the years, and he had to commend those who had anactualidea and were determined to make it come true by getting the backing they needed.
"So, what do you think?"Troy questioned.
Cruz vaguely knew they'd been talking to him about a panic alarm that was supposed to be different from those already out.Other than that, hehadn't heardmuch.
"I think you need to talk to Kieran,"Cruz told them.
"But it's a security endeavor,"Eric responded.
"It is, but a personal security one. I focus on apartments, homes, businesses, and things of that nature. You're attempting to sell me a device my company has no use for since that function is built into our app, and people seldom go anywhere without their phones. Yes, a phone can be taken, but so can your device. So, talk to Kieran."
Both men nodded at him before looking around the room to find the mentioned man. When they did, Cruz shifted his eyes around the room again. If Kieran decided it sounded like something he was interested in, Cruz would point out that it would be more useful and effective as something discreet like a bracelet or a watch.
He'd been standing there alone for a few moments when someone approaching him, calling his name, caught his attention.
"Um, Mr. Adair."
Cruz looked down at the young woman in front of him. "Yes?"
"Well, I was wondering... we're...the magazine... I'll get Chayse to ask you!"she blurted before turning on her heels and hurrying away.
"What was that about?"Paetyn questioned as he came to stand beside him.
"I have no idea."But Cruz could assume it would have something to do with an issue of Gorgeous . He sincerely hoped they would not call on him more often since he'd participated in their Forty under Forty issue.
Again, his eyes found Erin as she sipped what Cruz was assuming was her second drink, if for no other reason than it was a different color than the one she'd had half an hour ago. Even he thought it was strange that he'd noticed that, but over the last year, he'd realized that he noticed things with her that he usually wouldn't have.
"She's going to feel both of you staring a hole into her,"Nik said, coming up behind them. Cruz could hear the amusement in his voice.
"I'm surprised she hasn't combusted from the thoughts I'm sure are running through at least one of your heads,"Kieran tacked on as he walked up, looking at Cruz.It seemed he'dgotten rid of Nik's employees quicker than Cruz could.
"Why do you assume it's me?"Cruz asked. "You're right. I just want to know why you assume it's only me," he added with a smirk.
"I said, at least. I don't put it past Paetyn to have even worse thoughts."
"True. After all, something dark lives under that patience,"Nik threw out with a chuckle, causing the rest of them to laugh along, but they all knew he was only slightly exaggerating.
"Just go tell her you both want to destroy her,"Kieran spoke. "She lives in town now, so you no longer have an excuse."
"It wasn't an excuse,"Paetyn told him. "Besides, I'd rather show her I want to destroy her."
Cruz chuckled because he was aware that Paetyn meant it. "She does know that we both want to be in a relationship with her,"he decided to say and leave it at that.
"It's about time,"Nik and Kieran responded in unison. "Speaking of time,"Nik continued, "I received a call from the broker Richard. They're willing to sell and want to know when a good time for us would be to sign the paperwork."
"As soon as they can get it drawn up. I'd like to have it done and furnished by May. It'll be a good birthday gift," Paetyn responded.
Cruz watched Nik nod. "I'll call him first thing tomorrow. It’s the weekend, but I’m sure he’ll answer."
The four men talked for a bit longer before the women approached them—each one with a plate housing a slice of cake in their hand.
"Are the four of you over here being antisocial?"Alijah questioned.
"Your husband is the only antisocial one among us. Well, and Cruz sometimes," Nik responded.
Cruz was too preoccupied with Erin's lips wrapping around her fork to respond to Nik. As she slowly pulled it from between her lips, his eyes traveled up to find her looking at him. She stuck the fork back into the cake before holding it out to him.
"Do you want some?"
Cruz was aware that Alijah and Chayse had also turned their attention to him. He leaned down, took the fork into his mouth, and ate the cake. Cruz wasn't even the biggest cake fan, but she'd offered it so he would eat it.
When he released the fork, Erin scooped up some icing with the back of the fork, licking it off, and Cruz watched as if she was showing him the secret for world peace. Her eyes shifted to Paetyn before she placed more cake onto the fork and held it out to him.
While Erin studied Paetyn as she fed him the cake, Cruz studied her. He hadn't missed the flash of mischief behind her eyes when she'd fed them both.
"Delicious,"Paetyn stated when he swallowed the cake.
"Did you like it, Cruz?"Erin questioned, turning her attention back to him.
"I don't really like cake," he told her honestly, watching as her eyes grew concerned.
"Then why did you eat it?"
"Because you gave it to me, baby," he responded.
"Finally," Chayse and Alijah stated together after looking between the three of them, and they turned their attention to the other women.
"It took you long enough," Alijah continued.
"Right,"Chayse added."I was sure I would have to start meddling if this dragged past the middle of this year."
"Wait,"Erin stated before trailing off, and Cruz assumed she didn't know what to say.
"Come on, End. It isn't as if they were being subtle about it," Alijah told her.
"Which I pointed out to you when we discussed it,"Chayse added.
Cruz found himself chuckling as Erin took another bite of cake, whichhe assumed was to avoid having to respond. He hadn't been under the impression that the other women didn't know that he and Paetyn were attracted to Erin to some extent. As Alijah and Chayse stated, apparently to Erin at some point, they hadn't been subtle about it.
Cruz wanted to be more aggressive about it, but they didn't want to risk scaring her off. Erin wasn't the kind to scare easily, but specific things about a person could change when presented with something they'd never considered before.
Deciding to change the subject, even though he knew they'd talk about it alone at some point later, Cruz turned his attention to Chayse. "One of your co-workers attempted to ask me something before saying she'd just get you to do it."He watched as she thought momentarily before smiling and laughing a little.
"Yeah, I'm supposed to talk to all of you. Gale thought featuring affluent fathers and their children for June's edition would be good. We did mothers for May."
"That's great, but we don't have kids,"Kieran responded.
"Though I'm willing to practice every day if needed between now and then," Nik said, and Chayse shook her head at him while playfully rolling her eyes.
"Right. So, anyway, Diamond pitched that if we did that, we should also feature daddies who aren't daddies," Chayse told them.
"Oh,"Erin stated, a smirk falling onto her lips. "I like that. Though it does speak to Diamond's kink."
"She's not the only one,"Kieran responded, and Alijah elbowed him.
"Aw, And. Embrace your kinks. They're fun," Erin teased, and Cruz glanced at Paetyn, sure to remember this conversation for when he needed to recall it.
When Erin finished her cake, she told them she'd be back before walking off. She'd only been gone a few seconds before Alijah and Chayse stood before them.
"Do we need to give you the "hurt her, and we'll castrate you" speech?" Alijah asked. "I don't think you'll need it because it's a given, but we'll go through it if necessary.
Cruz blinked down at them, trying to control his amusement. It wasn't every day that he was threatened by women a foot shorter than him.
"Did the two of you threaten each other's significant others this way?"Cruz questioned in lieu of laughing.
"Alijah threatened me the very next time I saw her after Chayse and I started dating, and Erin threatened me at the yacht party."
"Chayse and Erin threatened me after I proposed,"Kieran informed them. "Together, and castration is tame compared to what I was told."
Cruz listened to Paetyn chuckle before responding. "No, we don't need the speech, but you have permission to do so if we do."
"Consent to torment. I like it," Chayse responded with a wiggle of her eyebrows and a smile.
"Who'stormenting someone?"Erin asked when she returned with adrink in hand. "I want to help."
"You just might get to,"Alijah responded.
"But I wouldn't hold my breath,"Chayse added.
A few minutes later, Nik and Chayse went to mingle and check on some of the other guests, and Kieran pulled Alijah outside to the balcony. Erin turned her attention to them.
"They threatened you while I was gone, didn't they?"
Cruz chuckled. "It seems you all like to issue threats."
"I don't deny it."
"It was more of a warning,"Paetyn responded.
She nodded at them and turned her attention to where someone was coming from the kitchen before telling them she'd return and going over to the other woman. Cruz watched her point to one of Erin's tattoos, and he assumed she was inquiring about one. It reminded him of Erin saying he should let her give him another. He decided he'd take her up on that at some point.
I t was after midnight, and the party had wound down. Only their usual group, along with Remy, Gale, and Corey, was left in attendance. Paetyn was watching Erin say her goodbyes to everyone from where he'd just finished putting the food away. She went to the bar where she'd placed her purse earlier in the evening before approaching him, Cruz a few steps behind her.
"I'm tired, so I'm going to head home,"she informed them.
"One of us will drive you,"Paetyn responded.
He knew that she'd had several drinks throughout the night, and he didn't want her trying to drive home. Paetyn knew she would know her tolerance far better than he would, but he wasn't willing to take the chance that she didn't realize she was at it. He'd seen her have four drinks, but that didn't mean it was all she'd had.
Erin shook her head. "You don't have to do that. I don't want you going out of your way. Besides, I'm fine to drive myself home."
"We know we don't have to. We're going to," Cruz responded. "And no one said you weren't, but you had a few drinks tonight, and it's better to be safe than sorry."
"It isn't necessary. I'm fine," Erin responded, looking between them, and Paetyn raised a brow at her.
"Where are your keys?"Cruz questioned.
"Seriously, you don't have to drive me home."Erin huffed a bit. "If I'd said no to you instead of yes, would you still be this adamant about taking me home?"
"Yes, because we're men, not boys. Regardless of the answer, you getting home safely is a priority," Paetyn told her. He caught her eyes, and his voice dropped slightly. "Now give me your keys, and I'm not asking."
Paetyn heard the hitch in her breath before a small moan, which she quickly tried to cut off, escaped her. Erin bit her bottom lip, reached into her purse, and took her keys out.
"Let's be clear that I'm giving these keys to you because it's sweet that you'd make sure I got home either way. Not because you told me to."
Paetyn smirked at her because it was clear to them that she wasn't being honest. He didn't plan on calling her on it, as he took the keys from her. However, Cruz had other plans.
"Yes, you are, but you can keep telling yourself that."
Erin glared at him momentarily before turning and heading towards the door. Paetyn went over to everyone else still in attendance and said his goodbyes, Cruz not too far behind him.
They found Erin waiting for them at the elevator, and she pressed the down button when they came to stand beside her.
Once in the parking lot, Paetyn followed Erin to her car while Cruz went to his. Paetyn opened the door for her to slide into the passenger seat, before going around to the driver's side, adjusting the seat before starting it and pulling out.
When they reached her apartment, he walked her to the front door. He watched as Erin unlocked it before turning to look at him.
"This would be the part of the date where you kiss me goodnight," she informed him with a sly smile.
Paetyn chuckled, closed the distance between them, and leaned in, stopping a centimeter away from her lips. "It would be, but this wasn't a date,"he teased her. He was about to pull away when Erin wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Then we should use our imagination."
"Or,"Paetyn started, wrapping his arm around her waist. "You let us take you on a real date, where we'll answer whatever questions you have, where I can't promise that we'll be on our best behavior now that you're ours, and at the end of it, we'll give you whatever you want."
"What if I want something unreasonable?"Erin questioned with a playful smile.
"We'll give it to you."
Erin laughed. "I'm going to tell Cruz you're committing him to things he doesn't know about."
"Mm, I'm sure if he had an issue with it, he'd tell me,"Paetyn responded. "Wouldn't you, Cruz?"
Paetyn pulled away from Erin and turned to the end of the hall, Erin following suit to where Cruz was leaning with his left shoulder against the wall, watching them.
"I would, but I don't have a problem with it, especially the part where I don't have to be on my best behavior," Cruz smirked, and Erin laughed.
Paetyn released her, kissing her forehead. "Get some sleep, Angel."
"Goodnight,"Erin stated, and they watched her walk inside.
Paetyn heard the lock turn before walking down the hall towards Cruz, who raised a brow at him.
"What?" Paetyn questioned.
"You want to give me some of that self-control you tend to have in abundance because I would have had her up against that wall."
Paetyn shook his head, laughing as they headed towards Cruz's car."It wasn't easy not to, but we should take her out before we do."
Yes, they'd taken her out a couple of times while moving her things, but those hadn't counted as dates, and Paetyn wanted to take her on one before things moved further because he wouldn't hold back next time.