Page 23 of Forbidden Desires

"She's working hard," I say, breaking the silence. "That's good, right? She's putting her heart into this job."

Pete turns, his lips curving into a fond smile. "Yeah, it's good. She's doing what she loves and building something for herself." His voice carries an undertone of pride, making my chest ache in the best way.

I shift on the bed, leaning back against the headboard as I watch him. "I just wish we could be a bigger part of it."

"We will be," Pete replies with quiet confidence. He steps away from the window and sits down beside me, the mattress dipping under his weight. "This is just a stepping stone, Dex. She's figuring out where she belongs, and we're part of that. She'll see it when she's ready."

I let out a breath, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. "You're right. She's worth being patient for."

"She is," Pete responds simply, nodding his head.

The way he says it, so certain and steady, fills me with warmth. He's always been the solid one between us, the one who grounds me when my emotions threaten to run wild.

"We've got this," I say, echoing his optimism. "We just need to keep showing her that we're here for her, no matter what."

Pete nods, his eyes shining with a quiet determination. "Exactly. And in the meantime, we're here, in her city, getting to know her new world. That's something."

"It is," I agree, letting the thought settle over me.

We’ve been texting since our date the other night, and she barely responds. When she does, it’s usually late.

"She's probably holed up somewhere right now, focused on her work. You told me once that she cuts out everything else when she's in the zone."

Pete chuckles, the sound low and warm. "Completely absorbed, forgetting to eat or drink anything but coffee."

"Not anymore," I say with a grin. "We'll work on our girl, get her into healthier habits, and remind her to look after herself better."

"We will," Pete says, his voice softening. "Because that's what we do."

"We take care of her. Of each other."

At my words, Pete steps up to me and pulls me into his embrace.

"Always."

The quiet assurance of his tone is enough to make any lingering worries in my chest loosen their grip. I wrap my arms around him, resting my head on his shoulder. He squeezes me gently, his warmth grounding me.

"She should be here with us," I say after a moment, my voice quieter now.

"She will be," Pete replies, with no hesitation in his voice. "When the time is right. Or even better yet. We'll be there, with her."

I close my eyes, letting the weight of the day slip away as I imagine it. The three of us curled up on the bed, her laughter filling up the room, her warmth chasing away the chill. I can almost feel her head resting on my chest, her hand slipping into Pete's as she teases him about being too serious.

"She'd hate this room," Pete says suddenly, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Too modern, too stiff. And not enough color. She'd want to add something ridiculous to make it feel more homey."

I laugh, the sound easing the ache in my chest. "Like what?" I ask, playing along.

Pete pretends to think about it for a while before answering. "A neon cactus lamp... or maybe a pillow shaped like a donut."

My laughter rumbles through me at the ridiculous notion, and Pete's fond smile only enhances the feeling of contentment.

"She'd probably drag us all over town looking for just the perfect thing to leave behind too," Pete says, his smile widening. "She has a way of doing that—transforming things, making them brighter... more alive." Pete's gaze softens, his thumb brushing over my back.

"I'm not going to lie. I can't wait to know her as well as you do. Everything you've told me has made me fall in love with this fairytale character, and I want it to be real for me too now."I whisper the words to him, and his arms tighten around me again.

"She's not perfect, though. Definitely not a fairytale character. She can be moody as fuck, and refuses to see her own value." Pete chuckles. "And holy shit, can she be stubborn when she wants to."

I pull from Pete's embrace so I can look him in the eyes. "I know another stubborn mule, but he's still pretty damn close to perfect."

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