Chapter 8
ALEX
Kingston gives up whatever he was researching on his laptop and slaps the lid closed. His knee bounces, and he drags a hand down his face before checking his phone for the millionth time. I get it. Katherine’s not responding to his texts, and his brain is playing a round of Worst Case Scenario.
With a soft sigh, he slouches into the couch, laces his fingers, and rests them on his six-pack. It’s like he’s trying to convince himself that if he’s still, he’ll be unbothered by her absence.
Good luck with that, buddy.
I glance out the front window, keeping an eye on the street outside the townhouse. Tadhg texted almost forty minutes ago to let me know they were leaving the Winter-Farmington office. Gabe messaged right after that, asking if I’m free for dinner.
Of course, I’m free for dinner. Like King, I’m desperately curious to see if our best friends have worked out their issues or if I’m going to need to drop them off on a deserted island until they come to their senses.
Unlike King, I’m not vibrating and can contain myself to the armchair. He bounds off the sofa, circling the coffee table. Hands on his hips, he joins me in my stakeout. But he only lasts a second and a half before he’s blowing out another sigh, turning back to the fireplace.
“Where are they?”
“Is this what it’s going to be like for the next fifty years?” I ask.
He stops and turns back to me, running both hands through his hair. “What?”
I wave a hand at the length of him. “You going out of your mind any moment Katie Bird isn’t by your side.”
He cocks his head, green eyes flashing fire. “Like you’re not going out of your mind. You’ve checked your phone more than I have.”
Lips twitching, I glance back to the window. “Guilty,” I mutter beneath my breath. But I’m also running a company and am personally responsible for all our protection.
“The fact that Gabe wants to have dinner is a good sign,” he says, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace.
“I’d say so.”
He pauses to stare at a plant on the mantle. “Maybe he should take her to a rainforest for their date.”
I huff a laugh. “You’re planning his dates for him now?”
King glances over his shoulder at me. “Someone has to.”
My phone vibrates on the small side table, and I reach for it. “You’ve got a lot to learn about your boyfriend.”
“No doubt.”
I let go of the breath I’ve been holding for the last few hours. The message is short and sweet: that’ll work. I’ll have the paperwork sent over asap.
My shoulders relax as I return the phone to the table. Smiling to myself, I cross one leg over the other. A few seconds later, my foot is bouncing.
“What’s got you in a good mood all of a sudden?” King asks, facing me fully now.
I’m impressed he noticed. While I wanted to tell the three of them at the same time, he could use a distraction.
“Can you keep a secret?”
He crosses his arms over his chest and gives me an are you kidding look. “I kept my feelings for my best friend a secret for six fucking years.”
“Good point.” I lean forward.
The front door opens. “Hey,” Katherine calls. “We’re home.”
Peace sweeps through me like a temperate breeze.
My body’s reaction is instantaneous, so subtle that no one else would ever notice, but I feel the difference.
My shoulders drop another fraction, my heartbeat slows to a steady, happy thump-thump-thump, and the tension of the day washes away as if it never was.
Loving Katherine has fundamentally changed me.
King’s reaction is less covert. Taking a giant step forward, he launches toward the sofa, braces a hand against the back to vault over, and then races into the foyer. The man moves like a cheetah and Katherine is the antelope he has his sights set on.
I follow at a more casual pace, but my strides get us there at roughly the same time.
He slows, eyeing me.
Gabe locks the door and turns, sliding an arm around Katherine’s waist.
“You two made up,” King says.
Gabe smirks. “How can you tell?”
Aside from the fact that his body language screams, ‘this is my woman, and I just got my dick wet?’
“Her hair’s down,” King observes.
The shadows of this morning are gone from her eyes. Her meetings must have gone well, not that I had any doubts they would. She’s one of those quiet workers who does things in the background. Getting shit done.
My chest puffs up with pride for her.
Around us, the air is thick with tension, and no one speaks. There’s a momentary awkward silence, like we’re all unsure of the rules now.
But then Katherine steps forward, a vision in the sleek dress that makes her complexion radiant. Although she probably has an orgasm or two to thank for that, as well as the rich color. She reaches out to King first, instinctively knowing he needs her attention.
She clasps his face between her hands, staring into his eyes. It’s like they communicate without words.
“You good?” he asks.
“Yeah.” She brushes a brief kiss against his lips. Her touch obviously soothes him, and he leans into her caress, his muscular frame relaxing as he wraps his arms around her.
The frantic energy fades as he smiles softly. Their connection is beautiful to witness. Born of years of memories, trials, feelings, and genuine friendship.
I glance over at Gabe. He watches them with a soft expression, hands tucked loosely in his front pockets. His lovers. Two people who’ve stolen a chunk of his heart with their goodness. Who love each other and him. They’re lucky to have found each other and opened themselves to possibilities.
Katherine steps out of King’s hold and reaches for me. It’s my turn to cup her cheeks and drop a kiss on her lips. “Hi, Beauty.”
She presses one hand to my chest, right over my heart, and slides the other up to wrap around my neck. “Hi.”
“Have a good day?”
Her slight weight settles against me. Home.
“Pretty good, all things considered.”
“Destiny’s in the kitchen whipping up something for dinner.” It’s a reminder for all of us that we’re not alone yet.
Understanding the message, she nods. Patting my chest, she steps back and loops an arm around King’s waist. “I could use a glass of wine. And an escape from these heels.”
“I can help with that,” he croons.
She glances up at me, then cuts a look back to Gabe. There’s curiosity there. And a message. A question. Not exactly an edict. More like a plea.
They disappear down the hall and into the kitchen. Something tangles in my chest. Love for her, but something deeper too. Years-old anxiety.
I never wanted to let anyone get too close. Never wanted to experience loss again. Glancing back at my oldest friend, it’s like a pair of binoculars finally focusing on their target.
The geeky boy from college is all grown up. Grown into a confident man who cares about me. Has always cared. Always valued our friendship above everything else.
His bright blue eyes lock on me, a bit hesitant.
And I get it. Things are different now. Changing. Still changing.
The ship has sailed. In fact, I’m not sure it was ever in port. My hands flex at my sides, itching to do something, but I have no idea what.
All I can do is stare and try to contain the restlessness that’s been building inside me for weeks. Really, ever since his paddle went up to bid on Katherine.
That night changed everything. Not only did it put us on a path to Katherine, but for the first time, I realized I could lose him without him going anywhere.
“What are you thinking?” he asks.
“I—” Damn, my chest aches. “This is hard.”
Outside, a siren wails in the distance. He cocks his head, studying me like he’s trying to decipher a code. I wish he would. I wish he could. Because I’m having trouble figuring out—anything. Everything.
Like, why am I suddenly the one trembling with nervous energy? Why have I never been the least bit interested in a man before, and yet, these last few weeks, I catch myself watching him, wondering ‘what if?’
“This?” he asks, obviously needing an explanation.
The answer should be so simple. Has always been so simple. Nothing was hard because we had it all.
Hell, we still have it all and more. We have Katherine and King and a future that involves more laughter and goodness and closeness. A family we built. And that’s what makes the words and the snarl of tangled emotions difficult.
“Words,” I mutter.
He huffs a laugh. “I mean, if King can figure out heart words.”
His blue eyes sparkle with challenge and mirth. The dart hits me right in the heart. I want to find the words, I really do.
“Don’t be an ass.”
“Kind of my MO.” He reaches for his tie, a single finger snagging the knot and tugging. It loosens until the two tails hang down his chest. Nimble fingers pluck the top button from its hole, then the next.
I’ve seen him shed his suit dozens of times over the years. We’ve showered after workouts in the gym locker room, hit the sauna, and basked in the sun on the back of yachts in the most epic locations around the world.
A glimpse of his skin shouldn’t make my pulse quicken. But the truth is, it does. Maybe it didn’t before. Back before I tumbled down the rabbit hole of love and handed over my heart.
“No.” I shake my head. “That’s not your MO.”
My gut tightens when he discards the jacket, tossing it over a nearby chair.
“You can say it, Alex. Whatever it is.” He lifts a wrist and undoes the button there.
He might like to think he’s Mr. Casual, but he’s grown into a man who can wear the hell out of a suit. Is he seriously going to undress right here in the foyer? Obviously, the answer is yes. He wants to tease and tempt me and perhaps be ready for any plans he, Katherine, and King may have.
Which leaves me where? Not on the outside, because fuck that.
“Remember when you said you didn’t want to ruin everything?”
He nods.
“I don’t want that either.”
“Maybe we should start with a different question. What do you want?” He works at the button on his other wrist.
I cross my arms over my chest, and his gaze immediately drops to study my chest and the curl of my biceps.
I’d be lying if I said I’d never noticed the way his gaze lingers.
The truth is, his gaze has always lingered.
And not just on me. On everything. On a fancy car, an expensive bottle of wine, a pretty building.
Sure, his attention has always felt nice, but I never took it personally.
Not like that.
Not like this.
He steps closer, his fancy leather shoes sounding on the hardwoods. “What do you want, Alex? Katherine? You’ve got her. More money than you could ever spend? That too.”
Soft footsteps sound behind me, and the hair at the back of my neck lifts.
I turn around and find Destiny slinging a large market back over her shoulder as she heads our way.
“Everything’s ready. Katherine said she’d serve it when you’re ready.
Don’t worry about the dishes. I’ll clean up tomorrow if the housekeeper doesn’t beat me to it. ”
“Thanks,” Gabe says, stepping out of the way so she can pass.
She flips the lock, pulls open the large, heavy wooden door, and heads out into the city. The afternoon light is bright across the flawless floor. Through the front window, I see her speak to one of my men and then start down the sidewalk.
Inside, Gabe’s question hangs heavy in the air. So tangible I could almost reach out and pluck it like a feather.
“You.”
The word is out before I can snatch it back. The buzzing in my brain quiets, and parts of me rearrange themselves to this new reality. To the truth.
I don’t want the words back. It’s too late to try to guard my heart. It’s way too late to hold myself aloof from him. I’ve never, not once, looked at a man and thought ‘there he is.’
Until now.
Hell, until Katherine, I’d never looked at anyone and wondered what it’d be like to rearrange my life, my business and my schedule around them. To make room. To share space.
Probably because it’s always been Gabriel. He’s always been there, sharing my space, taking up room in my life.
His gasp is loud in the quiet entry, and his mouth drops open.
“You,” I say again, because dammit, it feels right. Because it is right.