Page 23 of Kink in the Road
Aiden pulled me into him, snuggling close.
“Sleep,” he whispered in my ear as Finn rested a hand on my hip. “We’ve got you.”
Rather than feeling claustrophobic or hemmed in, their bodies made me felt safe, protected, cared for.
With a sigh, I closed my tired eyes and drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER 7
The early morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the tangled sheets. I blinked awake, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. As the fog of sleep cleared, memories of the previous night came rushing back, bringing with them a flood of conflicting emotions.
I was nestled between Aiden and Finn, their warm bodies bracketing mine. Aiden’s arm was draped across my waist, while Finn’s breath tickled the back of my neck. The intimacy of our embrace was both comforting and terrifying.
What am I doing?
Carefully, I extricated myself from their embrace, trying not to wake them. I needed space to think, to process the whirlwind of our supposed courtship—not to mention the fact they’d apparently been flirting with me for months—perhaps even years.
Locating my coveralls from where they’d been discarded on the floor, I slipped them on and crept out of the bedroom.
The house was quiet as I made my way to the kitchen. I found the kettle and set about brewing a pot of loose leaf tea, the familiar routine giving me something to focus on besides the tumult in my mind.
What am I doing? This isn’t me. What happens if it goes tits up? I’ll be left with a broken heart.
The doubts multiplied as I leaned against the counter, waiting for the water to boil.
What if this was just a one-time thing for them? What if they regretted it in the harsh light of day? What if I wasn’t enough for both of them? And even if they did want me, how would this work? Could I be with two men? It might be a tradition in our town, but I certainly hadn’t been with more than one person at a time.
I wasn’t sure how to function in a one-to-one relationship, let around a triad.
The kettle whistled, startling me out of my spiraling thoughts.
I poured myself a mug and moved to sit at the kitchen table, wrapping my hands around the warm ceramic.
“You’re thinking too loud.”
I jumped at the sound of Finn’s voice, nearly spilling my drink. He stood in the doorway, wearing only a pair of sweatpants, his hair adorably mussed from sleep.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, dropping my gaze to my mug. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
He crossed the room and poured himself a cup, adding a splash of milk before joining me at the table.
“You didn’t. I always wake up early. Bakers hours, Aiden calls them.” He studied me for a moment. “Want to tell me what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
I bit my lip, unsure how to voice the maelstrom of doubts swirling in my mind. “I... I’m not sure where to start.”
Finn reached out, gently taking one of my hands in his. “How about at the beginning? What’s the first thought that crossed your mind when you woke up this morning?”
I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “Panic,” I admitted softly. “I panicked.”
His thumb traced soothing circles on the back of my hand. “Why?”
“Because...” I struggled to find the words. “Because this is everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m terrified it’s not real. That I’ll wake up and it will all have been a dream, or that you and Aiden will realize you’ve made a mistake.”
Finn’s expression softened. “Oh, Riley. Is that what you think? That we’d regret being with you?”
I shrugged, feeling small and vulnerable. “It’s not exactly a conventional situation, is it? And I’m... well, I’m me. Grease-stained mechanic Riley, who’s been one of the guys for so long I’m not sure I know how to be anything else.”
“You’re right, it’s not conventional,” Finn agreed. “But that doesn’t make it any less real or meaningful. And as for you being ‘just one of the guys’...” He shook his head. “Riley, you’ve never been ‘just’ anything to us. You’re extraordinary.”
