Chapter 39 Cole
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Cole
I rarely work outside of my office, and I hardly ever do anything while wearing sweatpants. I’ve always found it easier to get work done if I’m dressed for it.
I guess the appeal of the sexy woman at my side was enough to wrench me from my routine.
That’s how I find myself sitting on the couch in said sweatpants and a hoodie. My feet are propped up on the coffee table while I type away on my laptop that is braced on my lap.
I think Riley wanted to be close to all of us after the discussion we had earlier. She still seems scared that one or all of us will bolt. I’m pretty sure Theo keeps thinking the same about her in turn.
So, when she suggested we have a comfy day together and work in the living room, we all agreed without any need for convincing.
She’s sitting beside me with her legs tucked up under her, a thick blanket draped between her and her computer. She has these cute-as-fuck glasses perched on her nose, and she’s rifling through emails.
I’m pretty sure Finn has a hard-on for her right now because of the glasses alone. He has been fidgeting in his seat and has barely been able to keep his eyes off her since she slid them on.
Theo is tucked into the opposite side of the sectional. He’s crouched over the screen, fingers flying a million miles a minute.
I don’t understand a damn thing about any of the coding stuff he does. I love that he loves it so much, though. It makes him happy, so I’ve always supported him in doing his own stuff outside of our company.
Finn seemed a little lost when the rest of us brought out our computers and started working.
Our conversation from the other day flashed through my mind. He wants to play a bigger role in things and carry more of the responsibility.
I showed him the company emails and messages from our website that need a response. He immediately grabbed his own laptop from his room and got to work.
Finn loves talking to people, so I thought having him handle some of the customer service side of things would be a good fit. From the look on his face while he’s working, I would say I made the right call.
Riley lets out a heavy sigh, resting her head on my shoulder. “You okay?” I ask.
“Just tired.” She tilts her head back to meet my eyes. “Someone kept me up last night.”
I run my hand down the side of her face, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. “Is that so?”
“Mmhmm,” she hums.
At some point during the night, we woke up and found the energy for round two. Neither of us said much while she rode me until we both came, gasping each other’s names. Needless to say, we didn’t get much sleep.
I have no idea how my brothers are awake right now. They didn’t get any sleep last night, but here they are working away. I fully expected them to disappear up to their rooms for the rest of the day, but they stayed.
I’m sure that it’s driven by the same phenomenon that gets me to work on the couch in sweats.
“Take a nap,” I say quietly.
Her eyes dart over to Finn and Theo. “That wouldn’t be fair. I slept more than them.” They’re both engrossed in their work and not paying any attention to our conversation.
“Get them to take a nap with you.”
She sits up a little more, so we can look at each other more easily. “You sure?”
“Yes, sweetheart.” I press a kiss to her forehead before uncoiling my body off the couch. “I’m going to go make us some food. Get some rest.”
I could have just made something simple like grilled cheese, but I wanted to give the three of them a little longer to rest.
It took Finn and Theo all of ten seconds to cuddle up with her when she asked them to take a nap with her. It took even less time for both men to fall asleep.
I still don’t understand how they found themselves in the configuration on the couch, but it makes me smile.
Riley is lying between Theo’s legs with her head resting on his chest. Finn is situated between Riley’s legs with his head effectively in her crotch.
They look like a bunch of mismatched Russian nesting dolls.
A lot of the time, I’ll put music on when I am cooking, but today I have been lulled into an almost trance-like state while making the lasagna. With just the sounds of their peaceful breathing, I’ve had nothing else to distract me.
My mind has been on nothing but Riley the entire time. Last night was… There aren’t any words to explain last night.
It wasn’t two people crashing together in a heated moment of bliss that faded away once the sun crested the horizon. The way we stared into each other’s eyes the entire time rocked my whole world.
It was like no time had passed at all. We fell back into an easy rhythm with one another, but somehow it was even… more.
I’m not going to venture to say we made love because I don’t really know how she feels, but on my end, it sure as shit felt like that.
I open the oven and slide the garlic bread beside the lasagna pan. It should all be done in about ten minutes.
I gasp when I find Riley standing beside me when I turn around.
“Sorry,” she says. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay.” I set the potholder on the counter and wrap my arms around her. “Do you feel better?”
She nods. “You didn’t need to cook all of this,” she says, gesturing to the oven.
“I like to cook.” She knows this, so I don’t know why I’m saying it. “I wanted to let you all sleep, too.”
A smile tilts up the corner of my mouth when I glance into the living room. With Riley no longer between them, Finn’s head is lying between Theo’s legs.
“Why didn’t you come sleep with me, too?” she asks with a glint in her eyes.
I know she means sleep as in actually sleeping, but my mind falls into the gutter anyway. “You know I’m not big on sleeping in the middle of the day.”
“I thought maybe that had changed over the last several years.”
“Nope.” I grip her hips, setting her on the counter. I step in until I’m pressed between her spread legs.
Her hands slide around my shoulders, hands cupping the back of my neck. “There’s a lot about you that’s the same, but you’re quieter. Not in a shy way, but more…” She trails off in thought. “Like you’ve experienced more, and it has made your soul richer.”
“That’s a poetic way to say life threw shit my way, and I had to grow up to be the dad Mav deserved.”
“You’re a good dad.” She shakes her head. “Scratch that. You are a great dad.”
Her words mean more than she will ever know. Being there for Mav in any way possible has been my life’s mission since Abby and I saw that second pink line come into existence.
It hits even deeper because I know she wouldn’t say the words unless she really meant them after the shit the universe gave her for parents.
I never got to meet the woman, but I’m so grateful Riley had her grandma. She is the woman who shaped her into the beautiful person she is today.
Riley has her flaws and insecurities, but underneath it all is a tenacious woman with a big heart.
My thumbs trace lines across her hips. “There’s a lot about you that is the same, too.”
“Like what?”
“You’re still beautiful.
“Obviously.”
“And infuriating.”
“What’s new?”
“You look hot as hell in my clothes.” My eyes drop to the hoodie she’s wearing.
She wore my T-shirt and her panties for a while earlier, but she finally admitted she was cold after she got out of the shower. Now she’s decked out in a pair of Theo’s sweatpants and my favorite hoodie.
I’m shocked to find I’m not burning with jealousy seeing her wear another man’s clothes. I’m actually surprised that most of my jealousy at seeing Riley with my brothers has faded throughout the day.
A few days ago, it would have burnt a hole in my heart to see her kissing either of them. Now, it sends a tingle of awareness through me, but that’s as far as it goes.
Call it maturity or acceptance, it doesn’t really matter. I know the connection is still there between Riley and me. What’s going on between her and my brothers doesn’t negate what she and I have.
“What smells so good?” Finn says, walking into the kitchen. His arms are stretched high above his head, revealing a strip of his abs.
I smirk, catching Riley staring at that very spot. “I thought you would want to eat dinner first, but maybe you want to eat Finn first instead.”
Both sets of eyes dart to me.
“But I’m hungry,” Riley says at the same time Finn mutters, “I’m not going to object to that.”
“Food first… sex later,” Theo says, walking by Finn. He leans around where I’m still standing between Riley’s legs. He gives her a quick kiss—and a wink if I’m not mistaken. “If that’s what you want.”
She doesn’t say anything, but a pink hue spreads across her skin.
We sat around talking for over an hour after we all finished eating. The only thing that would have made it better was if Mav were here.
The food has been eaten. Leftovers stored in the fridge. Dishes in the dishwasher. Now we’re all standing around the island with nothing left to keep us busy.
I know what Theo said earlier, but I’m not sure if he actually meant it. I’m way out of my depth here.
Finn sets his dishcloth down on the edge of the sink, then stalks in Riley’s direction. She squeals when he picks her up and throws her over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” she yells, pounding her fists into his ass.
“Theo said food first, sex later. It’s later,” Finn says, heading up the stairs.
Theo follows along behind them. My eyes dart around the now-empty kitchen.
Finn yells from the top of the stairs. “Both of you get your asses up here. Our girl wants all of us.”
“I didn’t say that,” she yells at him.
I follow a few steps behind Theo.
“Am I wrong, though?” Finn asks where he and Riley are facing off in the hallway.
Her hands fly out in front of her, then quickly fall back to her sides. “Well… no.”
“Exactly… I just had to call in the rest of the sex brigade.” Finn grabs her hand, trying to pull her to the left. When she doesn’t budge, he hauls her back over his shoulder.
“What the fuck? I just got you to put me down.” She goes back to hitting his ass.