Chapter 41
FORTY-ONE
“Fuck,” I curse, pinching my finger on a lab instrument.
The sharp edge punctured my glove, and my finger is bleeding when I slip it off.
Fucking perfect.
“Stay away from the samples,” Sophia warns, and I quickly step back. “Are you okay?” she asks, glancing over her shoulder.
“Just a pinch, but it’s bleeding. Do we have a first-aid kit with a Band-Aid?” I ask.
“I believe there’s one in the supply closet,” she tells me, looking back down on her work.
I grab the kit from the closet and open it. The lab door swings open just then, and my guys come in.
My guys. I still can’t believe it.
Joshua’s face lights up when he spots me, but his grin fades as he notices the first-aid kit. He rushes over to me. “What happened?”
“It’s nothing. I’m fine. Just a small pinch, but I can’t risk contaminating the samples,” I explain with a shrug.
“You sure it won’t turn you into Spider-Woman or something?” Clay teases from beside me, leaning in to plant a kiss on my temple.
I roll my eyes at his teasing. “Have you even seen the movie? It was a spider bite, not a lab instrument.” I huff, giving him a frown.
“Maybe you’ll transform into a microscope,” he jokes, grinning. My eyebrows rise nearly to my hairline. “Okay, okay, that was a bad one.”
Meanwhile, Joshua takes care of my finger, cleaning it gently and placing a Band-Aid over the wound. He lifts it to his lips and kisses the bandaged fingertip. “There, all better.”
My heart skips a beat at the sweet gesture, and he leans in to kiss me softly. “Thank you,” I murmur against his lips.
“Anything for you, my Carolina,” he whispers in return, making my stomach flip.
Clay turns to Sophia and asks, “Ready to go, sis? Xander just texted he’s waiting outside.”
“In a minute,” she mutters, carefully storing the samples in the refrigerator.
“Ready for what?” I ask, confused.
What did I miss?
Clay puts an arm around my shoulders and explains, “Last night, after you fell asleep in front of the TV after your shift, we all realized we were craving hotdogs. We’re going to grab some from the stand down the street for dinner. You like hotdogs, right?”
“I do,” I say, smiling at Clay’s enthusiasm.
Sophia and I quickly shed our lab coats, gloves, and goggles, and I slip into my jacket, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.
As we step out of the building, I spot Xander waiting for us. He stands there with his arms crossed, wearing a black beanie, looking grumpy and gorgeous at the same time. His face brightens when Clay rushes over and nearly jumps into his arms, laughing.
“Hotdogs, babe,” Clay exclaims, “The second-best sausage there is,” making Xander chuckle as he sets him down.
“You little brat.” Xander growls, pulling him into a kiss and holding the back of his head.
I watch them, admiring their cuteness, but a pang of sadness hits me. I feel a hand grip mine, so I turn to see Joshua smiling down at me before leading me forward.
“Are you a ketchup or mustard girl?” he asks, stroking the back of my hand with his thumb.
“Who likes mustard?” Sophia chimes in from my other side, having caught up with us. “That’s just gross,” she adds, scrunching up her nose.
“What she said,” I agree, pointing my thumb to her.
“Mustard is superior,” Xander comments from behind us.
I glance over my shoulder to see him and Clay walking hand in hand.
“Oh, right. Xander is a mustard girl,” Sophia teases, making me chuckle.
“You should get that tattooed or put it in your bio,” I tease, smirking at him over my shoulder as we reach the hotdog stand.
He turns me by the shoulder and leans into my space.
“Another brat with a big mouth, but this one hasn’t even said hello to me,” he growls out, then he pulls me closer, kissing me roughly, his hand finding my hair at the roots, pulling lightly, before biting my lower lip, making my breath catch in a sharp gasp and my pussy clench.
He lets go of me and gives me a knowing grin.
“Ouch,” I mutter, touching my lip and scowling.
“Don’t ignore me. I won’t let it slide. I’m not Clay,” he warns, then lightly kisses the spot he just bit before straightening.
“Hey,” Clay chimes in, looking up at him with a frown. But then he glances at me and shrugs. “He’s right, though.”
We all grab a hotdog, mine with ketchup and, of course, no relish, and stand off to the side to eat.
They’re fucking delicious.
Xander and Sophia start discussing which movie to watch on Sunday for family night while Clay leans back against Xander’s chest, who holds him close, kissing the top of his head and caressing his side.
Longing fills me, and some kind of guilt that I can’t quite place.
Suddenly, my chin is lifted, and I find myself looking up into Joshua’s dark brown eyes. He leans in to give me a quick peck. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I shrug nonchalantly, avoiding his gaze.
He gently tilts my chin up again, his eyes filled with warmth. “It’s not ‘nothing.’ I’d like to think I already know my girl pretty well,” he says with a playful grin, which in turn makes me smile.
I confess with a hint of embarrassment, “Okay, not nothing, it’s… silly.”
Just then, Xander lets out a laugh, catching my attention.
Joshua leans closer, his hand still caressing my cheek, making my gaze wander back to his unwavering one. “Tell me.”
I hesitate, biting my lip, then glance back at the others, who are engrossed in their conversation, paying us no mind. “Am I the third wheel and only realizing it now?”
Joshua frowns, clearly surprised by the question. “What? Why would you think that?”
I shake my head, feeling somewhat foolish. “I don’t know. It’s dumb.”
“Carolina,” he begins, his voice soft and reassuring. “I’ve been the third wheel with them my whole life. You’re not. Maybe you just need to learn to share a bit too,” he teases.
“No, it’s not that. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m sorry,”
I am genuinely not bothered by their bond or their closeness. Maybe It’s just my insecurities again making me question my place.
“For the record, you’re my favorite person, my top priority, my number one. I know and love that your heart is big enough for three people, but mine? It belongs only to you. Always,” he promises softly, leaning in for a kiss.
His words banish all the insecure, sad feelings in my mind, and my whole body flushes with warmth.
The kiss is tender, almost languid, and I savor every moment. Joshua cradles my face, and when we part, I whisper against his lips, “Forever.”