Chapter Twenty-Three
Olivia
My panties are soaked.
If I had any doubt left about the nature of Jace and Kayden’s relationship, the sounds of Jace’s moans coming from the bedroom had cleared that up in a hurry. Listening to him make noises that I’d fantasized about being a part of for years made me absolutely drip with desire on Kayden’s couch.
Last night I’d been up late, wondering how best to introduce Kaylee and Kayden to each other, and I’d wondered if I’d overhear Jace and Kayden having sex, but I’d heard nothing coming out of his room except quiet whispers. Kayden had probably still been too raw for that anyway.
Five minutes ago, Jace let out a moan that instantly made my clit buzz, and now I was listening raptly, fighting the desire to shove my hand into the joggers that Kayden had let me borrow last night to relieve the ache in my core.
I was turned on by the sounds of my friend—who was clearly seconds away from an orgasm—and wondering what the hell it meant that I was happily picturing the two of them in there together.
I knew how attentive Kayden was during sex and I had a feeling he was locked into Jace’s pleasure completely.
The thought of them together made me more aroused than jealous and I had no idea what do with that.
After the way Jace responded to Kayden yesterday, it was clear that they were not engaged in one of his typical flings and that stung a lot, especially because, if I was reading Jace right, it didn’t change the way he felt about me, and it certainly didn’t change how I felt about him.
What did you expect, Liv? That he was going to wait around for you forever while neither of you worked up the courage to open your damn mouths and talk about this?
Jace’s moans grew closer together and I slipped my hand under the waistband of Kayden’s joggers and rubbed myself over my panties. I was pulsing with desire, in Kayden’s clothes which smelled like him, with the sounds of Jace’s arousal filling my ears. I was on the verge of exploding with need.
Jace cried out, “Yeah, baby, I’m right there,” followed but a groan of release and I pressed my clit harder, the pulsing under my finger getting more and more intense.
I listened carefully to see if they were going to come out of Kayden’s room and after a moment I heard Kayden groan. I started rubbing vigorously again. Fuck this, I have to come. They’re both clearly not ashamed to need release.
I slipped my hand in my panties and feverishly worked my clit as I heard the bed move and Kayden groan again and again. “Fuck, Jace, you’re so good at that. Suck me harder, babe.”
Oh, for heaven’s sake. My body tensed as I neared my climax and Kayden moaned one more time. “I’m coming.”
Me too.
My core clenched and I peaked, breathing heavily as I quickly pulled my hand out of my pants. I stood up and walked to the kitchen to make coffee so it wasn’t obvious that I’d just listened to them, as if the flush in my cheeks wouldn’t give me away.
That was so hot. Why was that so hot?
A few minutes later, the bedroom door opened and both men walked out shirtless, Jace in a pair of Kayden’s gray sweatpants and Kayden in a pair of plaid pajama pants.
I was pretty sure I was still dripping down my leg with desire.
I didn’t even know which chest to look at.
My eyes bounced back and forth between them so fast I felt like I was watching a ping pong match.
Jace’s ink and sculped body pulled my attention, but then he put his arm around Kayden and Kayden’s narrower but still extremely well-defined body drew me in. My core pulsed again.
“How’s your morning, Olivia?” Kayden asked, looking smug. It was an unusual look on him and the sexiness of his confidence was magnified tenfold knowing that neither Jace nor I caused him to feel self-conscious about sex.
“Not as good as Jace’s,” I grumbled, pouring coffee. “Or yours, for that matter.”
Jace snorted and started choking on a sip of water. “I’m so sorry, Liv,” he said.
“It’s not like I hadn’t figured this out before the moaning started,” I said. “Are you two a couple?”
Jace turned to Kayden, and I looked back and forth between them, hoping that my neutral expression was masking the pain I felt in my chest as they shared a glance.
These two men who I both felt some claim over—and a lot of desire for—had found each other and they were falling in love, and I was going to what? Just have to watch?
“We’re still figuring it out,” Jace said at the same time that Kayden took a deep breath and said, “Yes.”
Jace looked at him with surprise and smirked as he locked eyes with Kayden. “I guess we figured it out.”
“We did,” Kayden said confidently before turning to me. When he saw me, his confident smile faded, and I gathered I was not hiding the sick feeling in my stomach very well.
“Right, okay,” I said.
“You’re the first person to know,” Jace said quickly, looking at me with concern. “We’re still keeping it quiet for now.”
My heart twisted at his worry over Kayden’s secret.
I will not survive watching them fall for each other and being left alone.
“Of course I won’t say anything,” I said looking at Kayden. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I know,” Kayden said, sounding more confident than I would have thought, given our precarious situation.
“Are we all going to be late for work?” I asked. “Cause my boss is kind of a hard ass and I’m not sure how to explain that I was late because my friend was getting fucked while I waited for a ride.”
Jace choked on his water again. “Blown.”
“I didn’t need specifics,” I said, squeezing my legs together at the image that popped into my mind.
But I sure do like knowing them, so apparently something about them together works for me. Or was I turned on because they had to know I could hear them and it felt like a performance just for me?
I turned to face Kayden as he made his way to the coffee pot to pour a cup. “Did Jace tell you that he’s mine this weekend? And whenever my mom asks until I come clean?”
Kayden nodded. “I did get that information, yes. I’m fine with it. Do what you need to do. Jace is as much yours as he is mine.”
Jace shot him a look before turning to me. “He just means nothing has to change between you and me because of him and me.”
“I meant what I said,” Kayden mumbled into his coffee.
I had no idea what that meant but it filled me with a rush of hope. An undefined, confusing rush of hope, because really, what were Jace and I anyway when we wouldn’t even be honest with each other?
“Look,” I said to Kayden, setting my coffee down and changing the subject to the more pressing issue. “I was thinking about you and Kaylee last night.”
Kayden lifted his head quickly and I saw that flash of uncertainty in his eyes again. “Okay.”
“I’m not ready to commit to when yet, but I wanted you to know that I am committed to having you meet her.”
“Right, okay.” Kayden swallowed and looked down at his coffee sadly. “You don’t have to tell her who I am. I mean, I just want to see her, Olivia. For more than the thirty seconds I got to see her yesterday.”
“I know. Just give me a few days to think about how to handle it please?” I said. “Jace and I have the bridal shower for my mom on Saturday, and I’m going dress shopping with Kaylee and my mom on Sunday. Maybe we can figure something out for next week. Something low-pressure?”
“Yes, please, anything,” Kayden said, nodding excitedly. “Can I give you my number?”
I nodded and handed him my phone. Jace smiled at me appreciatively and I sighed. These two are going to be the death of me. They both have smiles that make me melt.
“We need to get to the office,” I said to Jace as Kayden handed me my phone. “Your mom took Kaylee to school for me, but you have a call with Martin in two hours and unless you want to explain to him that you’re fucking the architect, you need to move your ass so we can both go shower.”
“You’re such a good assistant,” Jace said with a smirk that made my heart skip a beat. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Move your ass.” I pointed to the door.
“Yes, Liv,” Jace said, before running into the bedroom. He came out, pulling a T-shirt over his head and stopped in front of Kayden to give him a soft kiss. “I’ll call you tonight, baby.”
Kayden nodded and waved goodbye as I hustled Jace out the door. I glanced back at Kayden as Jace tossed his arm around my shoulders, and I was pretty sure Kayden’s smile grew.
“We can stop at Ackerson’s though, right?” Jace said as we walked toward the elevator.
I glared at him. “Maybe if you’d chosen your morning activities differently, we’d have time to get you a sugar-filled latte.”
Jace kissed my cheek. “Please, Liv. I’ll shower so fast.”
I shook my head. “Drop me off and I’ll get ready and walk over. You can pick me up at Ackerson’s and drive me the rest of the way to the office.”
Jace grinned as I pressed the elevator call button. “You really are the best.”
“I know,” I said, pushing him into the elevator as soon as the doors opened. “And you’re right, you don’t deserve me.”
“I’m sorry if this morning made you uncomfortable,” Jace said, the elevator doors closing us in together. He turned to face me. “Kayden and I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I wasn’t uncomfortable,” I said quickly. “I’m glad you both feel relaxed enough around me to have made that choice.”
Jace lifted an eyebrow, looking at me curiously.
“Do not even attempt to have this conversation right now, Jace. I have no idea what I’m thinking, and we have no time.”
The elevator doors opened, and I grabbed Jace’s wrist, dragging him out after me.
“Today you get a pumpkin spice latte, not my thoughts on listening to the two of you get off with me in the next room.”
Jace squeezed my hand. “Okay, Liv. But it better be a large.”
I laughed and shook my head as we jogged to the car, which was still on the curb where I’d left it last night. “Pretty sure I’m the one who deserves the large coffee.”
After getting ready for work, I checked in with my mom to see how Carl was doing.
She told me he was feeling better and that they would be scheduling his follow-up appointment with Cardiology today.
She promised to keep me posted if there were any changes and I hung up with her just as I got to Ackerson’s.
I pulled open the door of the coffee and wine bar, admiring Jace’s painting hanging in the entryway, before turning to see Adrian behind the counter. He didn’t work here often anymore, and I hadn’t seen him since I’d left Harrison’s, so I was excited to see him.
“Well, look who it is,” he said as he walked around the counter. “My favorite waitress. Are you here for a job? Because if you are, you’re hired.”
I met him in front of the bar and hugged him. “No job, just coffee for my new boss. I’m pretty sure he’s more addicted to the sugar than the caffeine.”
Adrian laughed and went behind the counter while I sat down on a barstool in front of him. “What size and flavor of liquid sugar should I make Jace today?”
“Large, pumpkin spice. I’ll take a small one, please.”
“You got it,” Adrian said, grabbing two paper cups and writing our names on them. “Tell me about your new job. Do you love it? Hate it?”
“It’s been one week.” I laughed. “At this point, I’d say working with Jace is great and I’ll be bored with managing his schedule in no time.”
Adrian nodded as he got the lattes brewing. “When you spend as much time in restaurants and bars as you have, and that’s what you enjoy, everything else seems under-stimulating.”
I leaned forward on the counter. “Did you ever feel ashamed of how much you like bartending? Like you should have had bigger dreams?”
Adrian turned around to face me, capping both coffees.
“Other people made me think I should feel ashamed but why should anyone be ashamed of running their own business? Especially when every single person who would look down on you for working in a restaurant needs people like you and me to work in, and run, the places they want to dine in so badly.”
“You make a good point,” I said. I took the drinks from him and fiddled with the top of mine. I looked up to see his eyes still on me. “Though I guess you have the whole paramedic thing too.”
“Olivia, I think you’re making the right decision for your daughter right now and that takes commitment. Someday, when you’re ready to do what you want again, call me.”
I smiled sadly. “You’d really hire me again that easily, huh? Your other waitstaff must be terrible.”
He chuckled and leaned forward to whisper, “My other waitstaff don’t have what it takes to run one of my bars, let alone all three. You do. Don’t doubt the value of that skill.”
My breath caught in my throat. Adrian really thinks I can manage one of his bars or potentially all of them some day? There’s nothing at Acker Real Estate that will compare to that possibility.
“Thanks, Adrian,” I said as the door behind me opened.
“There’s my baby,” Jace said as he made a mad dash for his latte. “Oh, Liv, you’re here too.”
I rolled my eyes as he gave me a side hug. “Ready for your meeting with Martin?” I asked.
Jace groaned. “Is one ever ready to talk to Martin?”
Adrian looked at Jace curiously. “Is he giving you a hard time?”
Jace took a sip of his latte. “Yes and no. He gives me headaches but it’s fine. Nothing egregious.”
Adrian narrowed his eyes at Jace, looking unconvinced. “If it’s more than that, you’ll tell Sutton? She wouldn’t want you being harassed by him.”
“Interesting that you would go right to harassment,” I said, sliding off my barstool.
Adrian shrugged. “Call it a hunch. When Sutton steps down, I don’t think Martin will take the transition of ownership well.”
“I’ll tell her if it gets worse. Right now, it’s mostly just him complaining about whatever charity work my division is sponsoring,” Jace said. “But we do need to get to the office so I can prepare my defense for the increased costs in the rehab facility.”
“I’m also certain Sutton would say you don’t owe him an explanation for that. Seriously, Jace. Just watch your back with him, please,” Adrian said.
A pit formed in my stomach at Adrian’s reaction.
“I will,” Jace promised.
“Okay, I’ll see you two later,” Adrian said, giving us a small wave. “Come visit more often. I know you go to Starbucks most of the time.”
I snorted and Jace pretended to be shocked.
“Oh, please.” Adrian laughed. “I know that’s where Sutton goes whenever she’s with you too.”
Jace tossed an arm over my shoulder. “Liv and I have to run. See you later, Adrian!”
I shook my head and leaned into him. “You really should support the family business.”
He held up his large coffee. “I just did.”
“I got you that,” I said.
“Well then, thanks, Liv, for supporting the family business.”
“Adrian didn’t charge me,” I confessed, making Jace laugh. He held the door of his car open for me and I climbed in, hoping today would be less eventful at the office than yesterday.