Page 115 of More than Need

“Maybe I should go in alone,” Dawson said, hesitating.

“You want me to wait in the car?” Gideon asked, amused. He glanced behind himself to where Riley had parked behind them. “I don’t think he’s gonna do that.”

Of course he wouldn’t. Why they’d insisted on coming with him, he had no idea. He could grab some of his stuff on his own. He didn’t need an escort or moral support. If Sadie had been home, he couldn’t have let Riley go in with him. And yet Riley had told him in no uncertain terms they were coming along as well.

Dawson couldn’t believe he got off on Riley’s controlling, asshole behaviour. “Let’s just hurry in case she comes home.” He couldn’t believe he’d even said that. He’d never once tried to avoid Sadie in his life. They’d all but grown up together. In the past, he would have known what her plans were and where she could be found. They rarely didn’t know each other’s locations.

And now look at them.

When he circled the car, Gideon stopped him from moving towards the house, instead pulling him into his arms. Dawson sagged into them, the hold comforting and warm.

“It’s gonna be alright,” Gideon promised. “We’ve got you.”

Dawson clung to him for a second longer and then pulled away. “I’m just getting some clothes; it’s fine.” They didn’t need to travel in pairs. Or… threes.

Gideon ducked his head curiously into their living room as Dawson took them through the place, not being subtle in the least about checking it out.

“Up to your standards?” Dawson asked in amusement.

“Just looking. Now I have a visual for where you are when you aren’t with us for the night.”

“I don’t sleep on the couch.”

“Are you going to show us your room? I believe it’s the only bed of ours that we haven’t been naked in.”

“We’re not getting naked,” Dawson said. He planned to be in and out way quicker than it would take to fuck them in his bed. The longer they stayed, the more chance Sadie had of coming home. The idea of them on his bed, though… No, he had a plan. They were going tostickto the plan. They could fuck later.

Riley watched them both, one hip against the counter, looking like sex incarnate.

No. No. They were not having sex in his room. He didn’t care how tempting they were. They were going back to Riley’s after this, and he had a perfectly serviceable bed there. All of themcould attest to that, multiple times over. Even his couch worked well for some of the things they did together.

Gideon moved into the bedroom with Dawson. Riley chose to stay in the doorway, surveying the room with his ice-blue gaze.

“The bed is made,” Riley observed.

Probably best not to point out that Marshall had probably done it the last time he’d been over because he couldn’t help himself, and he had declared Dawson and Sadie slobs years ago. An unfair assessment: they kept their house perfectly fine to the average person. Dishes got washed, clothes were clean, and they even washed their sheets every month.

He found a small suitcase in the wardrobe, with no memory of purchasing it, and dumped it on the bed before unzipping it. In went some more underwear, a hoodie he’d been missing, some of his toiletry supplies, and a couple more pairs of pants and T-shirts. He had no way of knowing how long Sadie would refuse to talk to him, and he didn’t want to come back until he’d given her sufficient space. However long that took. He couldn’t rush her; it would only make things worse.

Riley straightened, turning his head.

“What?” Dawson asked, dreading the answer.

“A car just pulled into the driveway.”

Couldn’t be Marshall. He always parked out the front. He had a “spot.” The last time someone had already parked in it, he’d complained about it for an hour.

Itcouldbe Darcy, but he never came over without calling or checking they were home first with a half dozen messages and atleastthree voicemails. Which meant Sadie.

His luck couldn’t be that bad. They’d barely been there five minutes. He eyed the window long enough that Riley said, “No,” in his usual brusque tone, and Dawson had to give up on his idea of climbing out of it so she didn’t see them. They were on thebottom floor, and the window would fit them.Whycouldn’t it be an option? They could be gone before she knew they were here.

“We drove your car,” Gideon said. “And it’s right out front for everyone to see. She’s going to know you’re here.”

“She doesn’t knowyou’rehere. You could climb out the window.”

“My days of chasing perps through open windows is long gone,” Riley said drolly.

“But you did, once upon a time?”

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