Chapter 33
Grant
Clay is in love.
I can see how much he loves her; it’s obvious. He looks at her like he looks at me. It reminds me of when we first fell in love. That giddiness and all-consuming thoughts.
I pause. I feel… calm, not jealous or worried like I thought I might when I let myself envision what this could be.
It makes me proud that he has so much heart to give.
Jo helps me arrange the blankets and pillows on the floor. I think I’ll finally let Clay get that bigger couch he’s been wanting. We need a place for all of us. For movie nights. For arguments and apologies. For fast nights and slow mornings.
I help Clay into the middle as Jo cuddles into him. He’s less panicked. Now, we know everything that’s happened and that she’ll be okay.
I’ve never thought about a woman in our lives permanently, but it’s growing on me. She’s growing on me. Anyone who can love my husband as much as I do, I need to give her a chance, and it makes me want to have bigger feelings for her. I want to do this right by her and us.
“Jo, we want to date you. We might have done this all backwards, but you don't deserve to miss out on the many ways we can get to know each other. I want to try for more with you. Whatever that might look like.”
“Oh, wow. I really never had that. Sure, Andy and I dated, but that was so long ago, and we were young. I’d like that. I feel like I’ve missed out on so much.”
I take her hand and give it a quick kiss. This feels like the right next step for us.
“We will plan dates, pick you up, and get to know you. It might sound old-fashioned, but what do you think?”
“I really like that sound of that. So… does this mean no sex then until we get through all these dates?” She laughs, knowing there’s no way we can keep our hands off of her. But I think we need to try. Sex can muddy things, especially feelings.
I lean over Clay to grab her waist and pull her closer.
“You mean long make-out sessions,” I kiss her jaw to her ear.
“Then tell you how beautiful you are… us working to make it to second base…” I slide my hand just under her shirt, skimming along her skin.
“Then third…” I play with the snap of her jeans.
“Yes.” She says, already breathing heavy. Good.
“You’re right, we should probably wait a while before going back to fourth base… I’ll have to stuff Clay full every night. Over and over until we can have you again.”
Clay moans under me.
“Oh, god. I don’t know if I can wait. How about we speed date?” Jo pleads.
Now it’s my turn to laugh and tease her a little more. “Clay, love, we should wait, right?”
“Clay? No, you don’t want to wait, do you?” She drags her fingers across his upper thigh.
Her sexy innocence will do me in, and she doesn’t even know it. I’m screwed the day she learns her power.
“Yes,” Clay struggles to say, already distracted by her touch. “But you've got to stop that. Grant’s right, we should wait.” He moans. Clay knows this is going to be a challenge after having a taste.
I still her hand, before Clay’s cock is begging for what it’s not getting.
“We should talk about the first date.”
“What do you have in mind?” Jo looks a little nervous.
“We aren’t fancy men, Jo, but we do want to spend time with you. Spoil you a little.”
“We promise you’ll have a good time. How’s Friday night?”
“Wait, you aren’t going to tell me?” She pouts.
“Nope. And don’t even think of teasing Clay again to get an answer.”
“But that sounded like fun.”
I lean over and give her sexy pout a quick kiss. “Not telling. Besides, it’s more exciting if you don’t know.”
She huffs dramatically, but she’s smiling. Clay’s hand finds mine where it rests against her waist. He squeezes once, not playful, but just there.
The teasing settles into something softer.
Jo shifts, curling into Clay’s chest as if she belongs there. Like she’s been there all along, and we just hadn’t noticed the empty space waiting for her. Clay exhales slowly, his chin resting in her hair. I watch his face lose that last edge of tension he’s been carrying.
He looks… whole.
The realization hits me quietly. How haven’t I noticed this before? We’ve always been happy, so maybe I thought that meant we were fulfilled.
I’m not losing him.
We’re expanding and doing it together.
That fear I’d braced myself for… it never comes. Instead, there’s this strange, steady warmth spreading through my chest. It feels like when we first bought this house and stood in the doorway with nothing but echoing walls and possibilities.
It was terrifying and thrilling all at once.
Jo lifts her head slightly. “You’re both really serious about this.”
It isn’t a question.
“Yes,” I answer before Clay can. My steady voice surprises me. “We don’t do halfway. Not with people we love.”
Her breath catches at that word.
Love.
I’m not in love, but she’s more than a friend, and I do care about her. I need her and Clay to understand that.
Clay shifts beneath us, brushing his thumb along her spine. “You don’t have to decide anything tonight,” he says softly. “We just… we want you. All of you. The messy parts, the scared parts. Not just the fun ones.”
The room grows quiet.
The air feels different now. Heavier, but in a good way. Like something just settled between us.
Jo blinks fast, emotion creeping in despite her playful bravado. “You guys make me feel seen. Feel chosen for who I am.”
That lands harder than anything else tonight.
I lean forward, pressing my forehead gently to hers across Clay’s shoulder. “We’re picking you,” I murmur. “Every day. As long as you’ll have us.”
Clay hums in agreement, his hand sliding up to cradle the back of her neck.
“Okay,” she whispers.
Okay.
Such a small word for something that feels monumental.
Clay pulls us both tighter, like he’s afraid one of us might disappear if he loosens his grip.
“We’re really doing this,” he says, almost to himself.
“Yeah,” I reply, pressing a kiss into Jo’s temple, then Clay’s cheek. “We are.”
And for the first time since all of this began, I’m not afraid of what comes next.
I’m looking forward to it.