Page 42 of Room One Hundred and Twenty Nine

Nicholas and Parker slide in on one side and Elijah slips to my other side. Nicholas spoons Parker, who wraps an arm around me and somehow, we all fit on the same bed. All four of us.

Elijah wraps his big arm around my body from the other side.

At some point, as I drift off again, someone pulls the towel from me, and I’m left skin to skin with Parker and Elijah. I’m pretty sure I can feel Nicholas’s hand in my hair.

“Goodnight, Haruko,” they say and with a smile I reply, “Goodnight, boys.”

Chapter 16

Nicholas

“Hey, can I talkto you?” Parker comes into the kitchen as I sip my coffee.

“Sure. What’s up?”

Parker gets a cup of coffee and leans on his forearms next to me, his warm shoulder brushing mine. He looks good this morning, his hair is messy from sleep, a tight muted blue T-shirt and grey sweatpants.

“We didn’t have time to talk more about that thing you admitted yesterday.”

“What thing?”

“About how we were in a relationship now. I mean, we talked about it a little, but I just want to make sure you were saying what I think you were saying.”

I set my coffee down and turn to face him.

“You mean, did I mean I think we’re in a relationship?”

He nods.

“Yeah, I do. I mean, I knew we had something, but I think with the addition of Haruko in our lives it became clear that this isn’t just some fling, you and I. I… I love you, Parker.”

His eyes widen and I know I dropped a bombshell on him. Saying out loud has left me light-headed. I’ve never said those words to anyone before, so they feel foreign but they also feel right.

I cup his face, then lean in to kiss his soft lips. Slowly he opens and I slide my tongue inside the wet heat of his mouth.

“I love you, too,” Parker says when he pulls back.

“Sleepy head,” he practically growls at me as I smile in my coffee cup. “Sleep well?”

The bed fit all of us, but only by so much. I know Elijah was probably half hanging off the side. So was I. But I’ve never been happier to sleep poorly. Everyone in our bed made it worth it.

“Fine,” Elijah grumbles as he walks into the kitchen, his voice gravely from just waking up. I get him a coffee as he takes a seat on the counter.

“What are your plans today?” I ask the guys.

“I’ve got a few things to sign and send. After that, I don’t know,” Parker says.

“Same,” I reply. “And you?” I nod to Elijah.

“Going to play basketball with Simon in a couple of hours, so I’ll be later than usual.”

Ah, so that’s where he goes every Monday morning. He’s always late, but I’ve never asked why.

“Are you going to tell him?” I ask.

The room goes silent, then Elijah shakes his head.

“No. I want to talk to Haruko first, and I don’t have time today. I’ll tell Simon after we make sure what Haruko wants and if wecan give it to her. Then I’ll tell him.” He takes a long sip of coffee while we sit on that plan.

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