Page 64 of Entangled in Them

“It means infinity, too,” he said softly. “Never ending.”

Tears filled my eyes at his thoughtfulness, and I lifted the piece of jewelry from the box. “Thank you so much. I love it.”

“Here, let me.”

He moved around me to help do up the chain at the back of my neck. The Celtic knot rested against my skin. I placed my hand over it and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to contain my emotions. They showered me with such kindness, but their thoughtfulness and generosity also brought sadness. I wouldn’t be able to take these things with me when I was gone. And each passing day brought us closer to that moment.

“Come on, we have cake and champagne,” Kodee said, breaking my reverie.

I blinked back tears and giggled. “For breakfast.”

“Why the hell not?”

We spent the rest of the day hanging out, eating delicious food and getting steadily tipsy on expensive champagne. Kodee made us all smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, and then topped it all with salty caviar. Ryan showed me how to use the MP3 player, and we downloaded the audiobook of the same hardback by Jodi Picoult that he’d placed in my hands during the early days. We sat on the couch, our fingers linked, and I pulled him closer, twisting my face to press my nose against the skin of his forearm, inhaling the scent of him. It was hard to believe I’d once thought he hated me.

“Don’t you need to work?” I asked them as the hours slipped by.

Kodee shook his head. “Nah, we’re taking the day off since it’s your birthday. Today is all about you.”

I loved that I could be completely natural with them. I didn’t need to wear makeup, or expensive clothes, or slutty lingerie and high heeled pumps. My hair was natural and down. There were no pretenses, and they still seemed to want me.

As the day passed to night, the atmosphere between us changed. The touches went from playful to lingering, and I knew what we all wanted. It felt right.

Ryan lay back in Kodee’s arms and then twisted his head so Kodee could kiss him. My breath caught at the sight, and arousal pooled at my core. I slipped my bare foot over the couch to run my toes up the inside of Ryan’s thigh—the one that hadn’t been scarred so badly in the explosion—and then moved higher still to press my foot to the bulge of his cock beneath his pants.

Kodee saw and gave me an appreciative smile. “Something you want, Rue?”

I bit my lower lip. “Maybe.”

“We know you want it, Rue,” Dillon laughed from the other side of me. “It is your birthday, after all.”

I wanted to play a game, so I pouted. “Do I? What if I’m not so sure?”

Dillon raised one of his thick, dark eyebrows. “Three hard cocks at your disposal? What girl wouldn’t want it?”

“Maybe I want you all to work for it a little,” I teased. “Maybe I want you to make me want it.”

His gaze darkened with lust. “You want us to make you?”

I rose from the couch and wiggled my ass at them playfully. “Yeah. Catch me and then show me how much you want it. I’m going to make you fight for it.”

“Is that right?” Dillon had straightened, like a lion preparing himself for a chase.

A thrill of excitement went through me, and I looked to the others.

“Girl wants it rough,” Ryan said, a twinkle in his blue eyes.

“I’ll be the one who’s getting rough,” I told him. All the champagne had gone to my head.

Dillon lunged for me, and I let out a squeal and darted out of his way, his fingertips skimming my thigh. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of which bedroom to choose, and then picked Ryan’s—since it was easier for him during the night—and ran.

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