Page 93 of Succumbed

His green eyes meet mine.

“Seems like your internal processing isn’t getting you very far. Let me help you.”

He scrubs a hand over his jaw. “I…I kissed her.”

I didn’t expect him to cop to it so quickly. A smile curves my mouth. “I know.”

“Wait, what? How do you know?”

“She told me.”

He straightens, his back hitting the booth. “She fucking told you.”

I thank our server and pick up my pint glass as she walks away. “We talk.”

“You talk about me.”

I raise my IPA, inviting him to cheers with me. Hesitantly, his eyes on my face, he does.

“We talk about a lot of things, Dec. Just like you and I do. Or did.” I study him as he gulps his lager. “Do you really think it was a mistake?”

“Yes,” he answers vehemently. My eyebrows raise, and he groans. “And no. Fuck. I told you it was complicated.”

“Break it down for me,” I suggest.

“Hang on. You’re not mad?”

There it is. “Why would I be mad?”

The crease between his brows deepens. “I kissed your girl.”

I chuckle. “Sure did. But I kiss Linc’s girl, so.”

“And that doesn’t bother you?”

Setting my glass down on the worn tabletop, I relax against the seat and drape an arm over the back of the bench. “You’ve always been pretty tight-lipped about your romantic relationships, man, so forgive me if I’m wrong. But I assume you’ve never been in a relationship with more than one person at a time?”

He exhales sharply. “No, I haven’t.”

“But you’re interested in it.”

“Never was before.”

I smirk. “I get it. She’s hard to say no to.”

“Try impossible. I’ve been fucking miserable keeping my distance.”

Nodding, I watch as he picks at the cardboard coaster, shredding it in his fingers. Can’t say I’ve ever seen Dec fidget before. This is entertaining as fuck.

“Why are you keeping your distance?”

He looks up at me through his lashes. “Need to figure my shit out first. And talk to you, Linc.”

“That’s fair. Talking to us before you kissed her would’ve been preferable–”

Dec looks down, guilt heavy in the set of his shoulders.

“Hey, man, no. It’s okay.” I reach out and grip his forearm through his black henley. “This is new for all of us. I’m not mad, neither is Linc.”

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