Page 88 of Light My Fire

“I asked if you wanted something,” she says, jiggling the box. She frowns. “Are you okay?”

I am so not okay. “Yeah. Fine. Why?”

“Because I’ve been standing here in front of you holding a box of sweets, dressed like this—” she gestures down her body with one hand.

I finally notice the form fitting, pink pinup dress with the black polka dots that really does make her look stunning.

Elise is a gorgeous woman, and the fact that she has a husband and two boyfriends is actually no surprise. Besides being a knockout, she’s funny, bright, sassy, and sexy as hell. It doesn’t surprise me that she’s got enough personality and heart for three men.

“You look fantastic,” I tell her.

She props her hand on her hip. “I know. And you haven’t evenhintedat flirting with me. You always flirt with me.”

She’s right. Even though the first time I ever met her it was her boyfriend, my lieutenant, introducing us. I mostly do it to poke at him, but Elise is very fun to flirt with.

Which is just one more sign that I am beyond messed up over Brooke.

Aidan comes up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back against his body. He nuzzles her neck, making her giggle. “What is this I hear about Doherty flirting with you?”

“He’s not,” Elise says, pouting slightly. “Can you believe that?”

Aidan looks at me over her shoulder. “Maybe he’s finally learning that he needs to leave my stuff alone.”

She tips her head back and looks up at him. “I’m yourstuff?”

“Well, mine, Blake’s, and Simon’s,” he tells her.

“I was actually protesting the termstuff,” she says with an eye roll.

Watching them, I feel a stab of jealousy. Aidan gets to have the love of his life, along with his two best friends.

Actually, Simon, his husband, might be the love of his life. But that would make Blake and Elise his best friends, which totally tracks. Either way, he has the three people he loves most in his life in every way. In his home, in his bed, no worries about someone being left out, or someone being jealous or upset. No one going without one of the other people they love and want and need.

That’s actually really awesome.

And of course, Brooke is firmly front and center of my mind again.

As if she ever left.

But I’m also thinking about Jackson and Luke. And their feelings for her. And hers for them.

“Oh my God,” Elise says.

I look up, realizing that I’ve spaced out again.

She’s watching me with a glint in her eye.

“What?” Aidan asks.

“He still hasn’t flirted with me, and he hasn’t taken anything out of this bakery box,” Elise says, clearly talking about me, even though I am sitting right here.

“Do you know what that means?” she asks Aidan, looking right at me.

“What?” Aidan asks.

“He’s hung up on a girl.”

I stare at her. Aidan stares at me.

---