Page 35 of Lie for a Lie

There is that roar of the ocean in his eyes again. I have a serious crush on this guy, and I am struggling with letting him know me like this. Our conversations are way too easy. It feels too natural for him to be engaged and for me to have my attention elsewhere. Yet I want to answer every one of his damn questions.

“Tulips.”

I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket before mumbling, “Sorry.”

I reach back and dig my phone out. I settle back at an angle, bringing my leg up crisscrossed, creating space between myself and Graham’s curious eyes.

“Privacy.”

I pout at him with a matching lip. He lets out a low laugh and pinches my pushed-out lip slightly. I grin in response to the touch. Lingering in his gaze before pulling away to read the message.

Seth: Two minutes away.

Dread hits my gut, and I am not entirely sure why. I try to keep myself calm, but I know I must break the tension between us. Instead, I ignore it and put my phone down on my chest, leaning my head back on the back of the couch and closing my eyes.

It was a grueling few shifts this week with my first newborn delivery. A young woman was checking into triage fully panicking when her water broke. I quickly had to jump in, pulling the emergency birthing kit from behind the desk. A few pushes later, the doctor arrived to deliver the baby girl. I hadn’t had a chance to tell Bre yet. They even named the baby Breanna, per my suggestion.

“What are you thinking about?” I hear Graham say in my direction.

I keep my eyes closed and smile.

“Nothing but your cold-blooded murder for interrupting my nap,” I say with thick sarcasm.

Graham chuckles again, saying, “I can respect that, but you’re more than welcome to crash out for a bit in my bed.”

I hear a knock on the door in the distance and am thankful for it. I offer Graham a smile, noting the disappointment on his face as I turn my head in time to watch Chris appear from the kitchen. Leaving Bre and Clint to do whatever they have been doing for the past hour. Chris honestly looks relieved at the interruption. I let out a small giggle and don’t hide my grin when I see Seth through the open door. His gem-like blue eyes find mine almost immediately with that dreamy smile I like.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Seth croons as he leans forward, stiff-arming Graham over to the other side of the couch and squeezing right between us. To his credit, Graham barely moves, forcing Seth to pick me up onto his lap and drop my phone towards the floor.

Seth pulls my face towards him and kisses me almost possessively, and I can feel Graham’s eyes watching our every move.

“What’s my gorgeous girl been up to?” Seth asks, lingering on the word my before brushing a few strands of hair behind my ear.

I smile in response, and his eyes dance as they explore my face.

“Oh, just plotting Graham’s murder. Then I plan on eating that cheesecake Bre made,” I joke.

Seth laughs as he leans down to kiss my lips again.

“Graham’s murder is something I could get behind.” Seth teases as I reach down before sliding my phone back into my pocket. Both men seem to be watching my every move.

“Seth, glad you made it,” Clint says, catching my attention as he enters the room. “Also, please refrain from pawing young women on my couch. If Chris has to tone it down so do you.”

I had been oblivious to Bre and Clint’s entry into the living room. I shoot up off Seth’s lap and feel my cheeks turn permanently red at this point. Graham and Seth fall to opposite sides of the couch. Clint looks slowly between us as if assessing the whole situation. It almost feels like we are teenagers who just got caught fooling around after school by their dad.

“Sorry, Clint,” we say in unison, and Chris lets out a small laugh.

“You,” Clint says, shifting his gaze to Graham. “We will discuss this later,” he signals with a glance.

I can feel the confusion on my face as Seth seems to tense up next to me.

“Paige, please come sit,” Clint says, looking between them. “I’d love to bend your ear a bit.”

I smile genuinely in response because his eyes are so warm. Clint is the same height as Graham, but Chris looks exactly like him, almost looking more like a brother than a father and son. His graying hair is inappropriately dreamy. I want to tell Bre to forget Chris altogether. His dad is clearly where it’s at.

“Lead the way, silver fox,” I say coolly, grabbing my cup as we head towards the table. Clint’s soft laughs fill the space.

“Paige, why are you always so ridiculous?” Bre asks with a shit-eating grin when Chris pulls a chair for her. I look over my shoulder to see Seth watching us, seemingly unsure what to do next. But it is Graham’s reaction that catches my attention.

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