Page 107 of Some Like It Hot

My heart squeezes and I smile.

“And now that I have Aidan and Simon’s numbers, and we can all get a hold of each other—” Blake looks at the other men. “I mean the benefit of there being three of us is that someone can always get to you.”

My independent, don’t-need-anyone ass immediately thinks, “That’s ridiculous.” But the part of me that’s falling for these men, my heart, really likes that.

And then my stupid brain reminds me that all of this is temporary.

Blake only needs all of this until he gets the cabin. Simon will be going back to London. So no, they won’t be able to ‘get to me’.

But, on the bright side, I also won’t be driving them crazy by losing track of time and missing dates.

CHAPTER 26

Blake

I’m massaging Elise’s feet and wondering what the hell it means that I abandoned a hockey game—even on the bench—for this incredible, sexy, talented woman when I realize something.

“Where’s your ring?” I demand.

“What?” Elise glances up at me, her head in Simon’s lap.

“Your engagement ring.” Her hands are crossed over her stomach and she’s not wearing the diamond that I definitely overpaid for given this relationship isn’t even real.

“Oh!” She lifts her hands. “It’s in my jewelry box. I’m not used to wearing it and it was throwing me off when I was working.” She studies me. “Are you mad? I didn’t lose it, I swear.”

I shake my head, throat tight. I’m feeling territorial and intense and all kinds of fucked up in the head, but I am definitely not angry with her. “I’m not mad. Even if you did lose it, I wouldn’t be mad.”

She could lose ten rings and I’d just buy her another one.

Whoa.

Where the fuck did that thought come from?

I know exactly where it came from. My stupid ass heart.

Until tonight, until I thought something terrible had happened to Elise, I had myself convinced this was all fake. Just sex.

Amazing, knock-your-fucking-socks-off sex.

But just sex.

Somewhere along the way, it became a friendship too. Not just with Elise, but with Simon and Aidan. We share a camaraderie. A team sport, so to speak.

The guys have been my defenders, deflecting any emotional pucks getting flung my way.

I don’t have to face my emotions when they’re around and we’re all laughing and talking and pleasuring Elise. Because of that, ignoring that maybe what I’m feeling for Elise isn’t just friends with benefits didn’t feel wrong.

Neither did lying our asses off to my poor, unsuspecting, incredibly manipulative, emotionally blackmailing grandmother.

Now it doesn’t feel right either.

“Because this isn’t not real,” Elise says.

It’s not a question. She poses it as fact.

I’m so turned inside out, I don’t even know what’s real anymore. Everything feels muddy and complicated. Before I can protest that isn’t really what I meant, she speaks again.

“But the ring was expensive, I’m sure. I’m taking good care of it, I promise.”

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