Page 50 of Office Affairs

The game curbed Keith’s constant motion and I silently thanked Garrett for keeping him occupied through this whole adventure. He’d barely left the kid’s side.

A niggle of discomfort lodged itself behind my breastbone, poking at me when I caught Chase and Russell watching me with matching expressions of intensity. What did people think when they saw all five of us together? I sipped my water and scanned the crowd slowly building on the walkways between exhibits. No one even looked our way. Relief cascaded over me in a cooling rush. People were worried about their own lives. Mine had no bearing on their day.

I relaxed, pressing my spine into the wooden seat, and finished my water.

Keith chased Garrett around the bench, their laughter dancing on the breeze until they collapsed in a heap at my feet.

“It’s so nice to see families together like this.” An older woman strolled past, walking alongside a younger couple. “How wonderful.” She clapped and pointed at Keith. “You’re a lucky young man to have so many uncles wanting to spend time with you.”

Keith rolled onto his knees, a question in his eyes when he looked at me. What was I supposed to say to that?

Russell and Garrett tensed, their shoulders drawing back and eyes tightening. I leaned forward to catch their attention, the woman moved on without even a backward glance.

“Let it go,” Chase muttered under his breath.

I’d expected Russell to be the voice of reason, but he shifted, agitation as plain on his face as the sun in the sky. He shot a look in the woman’s direction, his mouth opening. “It’s okay, Russell.” I squeezed his shoulder. “It doesn’t matter what she thinks,” I told myself the same thing even as the knot in my stomach returned with a vengeance. Other people’s opinions didn’t matter. Of course she would think they were Keith’s uncles. Most people never considered an alternative, and especially not when our age differences were so blatantly on display. Even in jeans and crisp t-shirts with sunglasses and ballcaps to combat the sun and heat, no one was mistaking Chase, Russell, and Garrett for anything other than gorgeous middle-aged men.

They were my gorgeous, middle-aged men. The whole world did not need to know that for it to be true. “But I’d like to know why it bothers you.”

Russell pushed to his feet and held out a hand for me. “We’ll talk about it later. After Keith goes to bed.”

Garrett stood and brushed dirt from his ass. “We have a lot to discuss. Later.” He lowered his sunglasses long enough to send me a look full of blistering heat and aching desire.

One side of Russell’s mouth quirked upward. “Let’s go see the snakes.” He leaned in close and whispered into my ear. “Keith says you don’t like snakes. You can hold onto me if you get scared.”

I wrapped my arms around his bicep and let him see the full warmth in my smile. “Why don’t I hold onto you anyway?”

His deep chuckle was all the response I needed.

Chase took up a position slightly behind me, and even though he never touched me, his nearness heated the air until it became hard to breathe. What was it about these men that made me lose my senses? Even here in the middle of the zoo on an adventure with my son, I wanted them with the kind of bone-deep ache that made my knees weak. Their promise of later sank in and drove me forward from the bright sunlight to the sheltered coolness of the reptile house.

Hours later, with Keith completely exhausted after a day at the zoo and an afternoon in the park playing ball with all three men, we made it back to my little house long after the sun had set.

Keith staggered through the front door, yawning and rubbing his eyes. “Night, Mom.” He hugged me tight around the waist, his chin in my stomach and his sleepy eyes full of memories. “Best day ever.” He squeezed me again and scampered down the hall to his room.

“I should make sure he takes a bath.” I moved to follow Keith but turned on my heel to face Chase. “You’ll still be here when I come back?”

He sat on the edge of the sofa. “We’re not going anywhere unless you say so.”

Warmth spread through me. I trusted these three, especially when Russell and Garrett nudged me after Keith with promises to be there when I returned.

Keith’s bedtime routine was simple, and I had him tucked into bed and fast asleep in record time after his exciting day. He fell asleep talking, telling me how much fun he’d had and asking when we could go again. I might not have the answers, but I planned on trying to figure it out. Keith deserved the chance to grow up knowing great men like Chase, Garrett, and Russell. They were the kind of masculine influence he needed to grow into a dedicated, hard-working man. I did everything I could, but I could not fill the gap left behind by an absent father. Closing Keith’s door after flipping on the small lamp, I rested my forehead on the wooden door frame and breathed in the quiet before remembering the three men I’d left sitting on my couch.

The silence coming from the living room spurred my steps faster down the carpeted hall, my heart lodged firmly in my throat. What were they doing?

Warm light from the lamp behind the sofa cast strange shadows across Chase and Garrett’s faces. The three of them reclined on the couch, arms draped over the back and legs crossed with one ankle on the opposite knee in matching poses.

My lips trembled from an unexpected burst of laughter that I managed to snatch back before it exploded. I kicked off my sneakers and sat in the lone chair, tucking my feet beneath me. “Why were you frustrated?” I dove right into the question they’d left unanswered without hesitation or remorse. They’d promised we would talk about it later, and I trusted them to keep their promises.

Russell flicked a look at Chase, who gave him a go-ahead nod. “I’m not sure now is the time to try and define what our relationship is.” He angled a look at Garrett, then locked the full intensity of his dark gaze on me. Having all that attention sent delighted shivers along my limbs. I could almost feel his touch through the look. “But we all agree that we want to continue pursuing where it might lead.”

“And the woman’s comment frustrated you because?” I held out my hands with my palms facing the ceiling as I shrugged.

“Because we realized it could all be taken away.” Chase moved first, sliding from the couch and onto his knees in front of me. “You could decide this is too much and you could walk away.”

“Never.” I barely breathed the word before Chase’s lips found mine. He devoured me in a deliciously sensual kiss, his lips skimming mine. Warm hands settled on my waist and pulled me forward until my knees hit his chest.

I unwound my crossed legs and tugged him closer. His lips were salty and warm, his hair stiffening with dried sweat. Groaning when his tongue swept the seam of my lips, I pulled away. “I need a bath.”

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