CHAPTER 22
Three months later
EDGE
“Where are we going?” Jamie asked as I led her out of the elevator and down the hall. The blindfold covering her eyes made it impossible for her to see. Which, of course, was the point.
“We told you. It’s a surprise,” Cav repeated for what had to have been the tenth time since we left Jamie’s apartment.
“Can you at least give me a hint?”
Cav unlocked the apartment door, then opened it, allowing me to guide Jamie inside.
“Is this some sort of submissive thing? Are you going to make me strip?”
“Hmm.” I grinned at Cav. “Hadn’t thought about that, but it does sound appealing. Haven’t played in a while.”
“No, we haven’t,” Jamie pouted. “I tried to get you to take me to the club last week.”
It was true, she had. For the past few months, we’d been taking things slow.
As slow as three people who were in love could take things.
Ever since I stopped working at Dichotomy, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands.
Time I’d gladly spent with Jamie and Cav, both together and separate.
We’d worked out a rather nice routine. The only thing missing was coming home to Jamie every single day.
Although we hadn’t told her about the penthouse apartment, Cav and I had forged ahead with the purchase and renovation. It had taken some doing, but he had allowed me to purchase the place for cash, and I had relented when he insisted on pitching in for the renovations. Compromise and all that.
“Where should we start?” I asked Cav, wanting to build Jamie’s suspense.
Cav motioned toward the study. “In there would be fine.”
“Got it.” I took Jamie’s hand, tugged her along, through the French doors that led to what we had designed specifically with her in mind.
Cav followed, stopping behind Jamie so he could release the silk fabric over her eyes.
Jamie blinked a few times before focusing on her surroundings.
“Where are we?” She turned in a slow circle, a smile on her face. “What is this?”
I gave her a minute to take it all in. Her gaze drifted over the writing desk, the big round chair, the plush rug on the floor, and finally landed on the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining one wall.
“May I?” she asked, nodding toward the books.
“Of course.”
Cav came to stand beside me, his hand sliding up my back as we watched her skim the line of books with her fingertip.
“These are my books,” she said, then turned to look at us. “What are you two up to?”
Cav tapped me on the back.
“It’s your new office,” I told her. “A place for you to study while you’re still in school, plus a quiet place to work when you graduate.”
“My office? But…” Her attention swung to the French doors. “Where are we?”
“Our apartment,” Cav said simply as we moved toward her.
I tipped her chin up, stared into the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen. “Our apartment,” I said with emphasis. “We want you to move in with us, Jamie.”
Her eyes teared up, and for a second, I thought she was going to bail. “Our?” She sniffed. “I do like the sound of that.”
Relief washed over me.
“We bought one of the penthouses,” I explained. “Had it redesigned to accommodate the three of us. We haven’t moved in yet.”
“Our apartment,” she mumbled, wiping the tear from her eye and pulling away.
Cav smiled over at me as Jamie began her trek through the space.
Out of the office, into the large living area, over to the breakfast nook, and into an upgraded kitchen.
She paused momentarily to admire the appliances, then continued through the kitchen, past the walk-in pantry, through the butler’s pantry, and into the dining room before stopping back at the front foyer.
“There’s no furniture,” she said. “Except for my office?”
“Not much of it,” I explained. “Not yet. Although we designed your office and ours, we wanted you to be part of the rest.” I motioned toward the back. “Bedrooms are back there.”
“As in multiple?” she asked, concern etched on her face.
“Two,” Cav noted. “We figured it would be good to have a guest room. Just in case we ever had the need for one.”
She swallowed, a soft smile forming.
“Go on,” I urged. “Check it out.”
As I expected, she bypassed the guest room and went straight for the master bedroom.
While the space was empty, there was a bed.
It had been something Cav and I’d had designed with the three of us in mind.
Nothing overly fancy, but a good deal bigger than a king-size, ensuring there was enough space for the three of us.
“Wow,” she whispered, moving through the large bedroom, complete with a sitting area. When she stepped into the master bathroom, she inhaled sharply, making me chuckle.
“I told you she’d love it,” Cav muttered.
He had. When we had set out to design the bathroom, Cav had insisted on indulging in that space. A giant Jacuzzi tub, walk-in shower that was easily big enough for three. Instead of double sinks, there were three, two on one side, one on the other, with a vanity beside it.
Jamie turned to look at us. “You’ve thought of everything, huh?”
“Tried to,” I told her, returning her smile.
“What about a closet?”
I nodded toward the door behind her.
We fell into step with her once again, stepping into the enormous closet. It was almost the same size as the master bedroom. Considering it would be set up for three people, Cav and I ensured there would be enough room for each of us.
Jamie turned back to look at us one final time, this time tears streaming unbidden down her beautiful face.
“This is amazing,” she sobbed.
“So what do you say, cupcake? Move in with us?” Cav closed the distance between them, cupped her head.
“Of course,” she whimpered, leaning into him when he sealed his lips to hers.
My heart. That’s what they were.
And I was more than ready to start this new adventure with them.
Jamie
Even as I stood in the new space, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. They’d done all of this without telling me. It was amazing. I wasn’t even sure what to say or do, but as I acquainted myself with the apartment, walking back through it three more times, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
“So when do we move in?” I asked, eager to get this underway. In fact, I didn’t want to leave.
“Whenever you’re ready,” Edge replied.
“Now?” I couldn’t hide my excitement.
Both my men smiled and nodded. “Now’s good.”
I turned to the spot where a sofa would go. “I think this would be a good place for us to sit and watch television.”
They were both standing close behind me.
I closed my eyes, imagined it playing out. “Yes.” My voice was slightly breathless. “The perfect spot for me to lay out between the two of you. Naked.” My breathing increased. “While the two of you pretend to watch television, you can tease me with your hands.”
A deep rumble sounded from behind me. “Naughty girl,” Cav mumbled against my ear.
“I can practically feel your hands on me,” I continued, sighing when their hands did move over me.
Cav’s warm hand slipped beneath my T-shirt, flattening over my belly and pulling me back against him. With my eyes closed, I could sense Edge moving in front of me, his hands cupping my face, his thumbs brushing over my bottom lip.
“Is that what you need, sweetness? Our hands on you?”
“Yes,” I whimpered.
Strong hands began moving over me, but they weren’t working the way I wanted. Neither of them made any effort to get me naked.
When I opened my eyes, I stared up into Edge’s aqua-blue eyes. They glowed with heat and need.
Cav stepped around, his baby blues intense, so hot I could practically feel them scorching my skin as they slid over me.
And just when I thought they would have their wicked way with me, both men dropped to their knees. I inhaled sharply, stumbled back a step.
“Marry us, Jamie,” Edge whispered, his voice hoarse with what could only be explained as desire mixed with love.
“What?” I glanced between the two of them, my hands shaking as I put them to my face.
“Marry us, Jamie,” Cav repeated.
I waited, wondering if they would launch into some ridiculous speech about love and devotion. I was glad they didn’t. My men were more about action than words, and I loved that about them.
“Yes,” I whimpered. “Of course. Yes.”
Cav smiled, and Edge exhaled sharply.
I feigned a frown, staring down at Edge, still on one knee. “Did you really think I might say no?”
He laughed, but it was forced. That was exactly what he’d thought.
I still didn’t know how marriage between three people worked, but after Gretchen’s comment all those months ago, I’d done a little research.
While it wouldn’t necessarily be in the conventional sense, a lot of thruples—my new favorite word—actually did enter into a contract that would allow their relationship to mimic a marriage.
To be honest, I didn’t care about any of that. I simply wanted to spend the next seventy or eighty years with these two, loving them, cherishing them.
I still had several years of school laid out in front of me, and while I had never seen myself getting into a relationship before I had my doctorate, I found that school was easier with them in my life.
I could focus and enjoy the love I’d found at the same time.
True to their word, Cav and Edge had supported me for the past few months, ensuring I went to class every day, and on my days off, they made sure we spent as much time as possible together.
The thought of living with them, spending more time with them, it stole my breath and made my heart smile.
Both men took my left hand, then each slipped something cool over my ring finger.
When they released me, I lifted my fingers, staring at the diamonds.
They were far bigger than they should’ve been, and they’d been designed to connect together, another symbol that the three of us were connected as one.