Page 35 of Forbidden Desires

Dex flops onto the couch, his arm draping lazily over the back. "Maybe we plan on doing you, and need all the energy we can muster."

Our laughter fills the room, but as much as Dex is teasing, I can't help but feel my body heat up at the thought of their combined attention on me.

"So..." Dex begins, stretching the word out with exaggerated flair, "movie, board game, or should we just spend the evening talking about how sexy you find me?"

Pete snorts. "Option D. None of the above." His gaze slides to me, soft but sharp in the way only Pete can manage. "Unless Suzie has a preference?"

I shake my head quickly. "I'm good with whatever you two want."

Pete studies me for a beat longer, his brow furrowing slightly. "You sure? You okay, baby?"

I feel my chest tighten, the words lodging in my throat. "Just tired, I guess," I mumble, taking another sip of tea as if it could fill the hollow space inside me.

"Then tired wins," Pete decides, shifting closer. He pulls a throw blanket off the back of the couch and drapes it over me. "Let's just relax."

Dex shrugs, apparently content with the plan. He tugs off my socks, and before I can protest, he pulls my feet into his lap. "You look like you need a foot rub," he says, his grin unrepentant.

Pete chuckles and leans back, his hand finding its way to my hair. He starts to comb through it gently, his fingers dragging in slow, soothing motions that make me melt against the cushions.

The intimacy is almost overwhelming. Dex's thumbs press into the arch of my foot, and Pete's hand in my hair is grounding, and comforting. They're both so present, so attentive, that it should make me feel safe. And it does—mostly.

But the guilt is there, gnawing at the edges of my contentment.

"I've been thinking," Pete says, breaking the silence. "You've been so focused on work that we haven't had a lot of time for fun."

"What did you have in mind?" I ask, not opening my eyes as I enjoy Dex's hands on my feet.

"I don't know. Maybe a small trip? A few days away, somewhere quiet, scenic? We could rent a cabin outside the city. Something relaxing that will give us the time alone together."

Dex hums in agreement. "I could get behind that."

"I'm sorry," I whisper, not brave enough to open my eyes. "I know you guys came here for me, and I've not given you an awful lot of my time." Of course, I need to add some more guilt on top of the enormous pile of ick already suffocating me.

"Hey," Dexter calls, his hands still on my feet. "Sunshine, look at me, please."

Forcing my eyes open, I do, though I’m worried about what I might see.

Instead of the censure I deserve, I find nothing but understanding and kindness.

"Sunshine, we came here without giving you any warning. Youjuststarted a new job. We never expected you to drop everything for us. We're here to make things work. However that works. There will be no guilt over giving your career the attention it deserves. Do you understand me?"

His hands clutch my ankle, holding tight as if his grip can convince me to take his words in.

I look down before whispering, "Yes."

"Hmmm," Pete hums. "I don't think our girl realizes how things work, babe." There's a lilt to his voice, one I recognize from our time together before our breakup, but even more from our recent night together.

Pete has his bossy voice on. The one that never failed to make me wet and hungry for him.

"You know what, baby? I think you're right. We'll have to show her," Dexter responds as his hands crawl up my legs to my thighs.

My stare is focused on his hands and their trajectory, my heartbeat picking up as my breathing increases.

"Is that what you want, sunshine? Your Daddies to show you who's really in charge? So you can stop worrying about everything for a bit?"

Fuck, that sounds so great.

At this moment, there's nothing I want more than to just stop thinking for a bit. To just have the decisions taken out of my hands, allowing me to justbe.

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