Page 25 of Winter's End

Maybe we could laugh about it later.

We would have met at Johnson’s had Drew not been fired three weeks ago. As it was, I’d just put in my notice that morning.

Johnson’s was no longer our go-to dinner destination, and the nostalgia of childhood celebrations, my first job, and finally breaking through that sexual fourth wall with Drew invaded my memories as I mourned the reality.

The dated diner had become a home of sorts; a safe space. I was losing all of my old safe spaces, but also finding new ones in my men. That thought soothed my soul in ways greasy diner food never could.

James, Camden’s newly hired manager replacement, hadn’t been happy when I’d submitted my resignation formally in writing, but he couldn’t dispute my reasoning.

Theverypublic, highly gossiped-about arrest of aknownsexually promiscuous woman at the biggest wedding of the century, was all people had talked about since it had happened. I couldn’t serve a single person coffee without their downcast eyes, abrupt halts in conversations, or curious glances.

I wanted to laugh it off and force steel into my backbone like I’d trained myself to do after all these years, but being the center of the town’s attention for the second time in my life was triggering me more than I cared to admit.

That, combined with Kellan’s new involvement in my life, and my finals in two weeks, was putting me on edge. I was a month away from graduating, caught in the middle of a dangerous game of criminal cat and mouse, and struggling to wrap my head around the feelings I was juggling for four men.

Fuck the edge. I was on the precipice of a jagged cliff.

“Can you distract me from my thoughts, please?” I begged, tearing my eyes off the road for a microsecond as I searched his concerned hazel ones. “Tell me a story or something.”

“Okay,” Drew said slowly, removing his hand from the steering wheel and drumming his fingers across Basil’s dashboard thoughtfully. “Umm, well, Shane taught me something new the other day.”

That got my attention. “Oh?”

“Yeah.” Drew coughed nervously and cleared his throat. “We stopped by his family cabin when I helped him with a job, and he, ummmm …” he trailed off.

I cocked my head in his direction, knowing exactly where this conversation was headed. I was more than intrigued, and heat flooded my belly, picturing the two hot men doing dirty deeds to each other.

The lust turned to discomfort as I considered the thoughts I was having about my very best friend.

“Were you and Quick having fun without me?”

I had meant for it to come out as a tease, but in my agitated state, it came out sharp and pointed.

His rosy cheeks paled, eyes widening in panic.

“Oh, God, that’s bad, isn’t it? Fuck, I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t think that you—you said it was okay, and now that I think about it, maybe you meant it was okay when it was three of us and not two of us and?—”

I cut him off with a gentle hand to his forearm. “You did nothing wrong, Drew. I meant it when I said it was okay to explore your feelings with him. I’m sorry, I’m just so nervous, and it came out wrong.”

He eyed me dubiously and stroked the stubble along his jaw. “No, I shouldn’t have done that. I love you, I’m loyal to you, I?—”

“I love you, too.”

His head snapped up, and he stared at me so intently I was forced to take my eyes off the winding road in front of me to catch the softness filling his gaze. Softness transformed into a searing heat.

“Say it again,” he rasped, his voice lowering an octave as he shifted position to get closer to me.

I giggled. My body felt a little lighter despite the burden I was carrying, having said those three little words back to one of the men who cradled my heart.

“I love you, Drew. I love you, I love you, I love you.”

I wished I could capture the grin that lit up his face, like the sun itself was shining beneath his skin.

He leaned over, nuzzled his bearded jaw into my neck, and nipped the underside of my earlobe. Two fingers traced along my chest and down towards my now throbbing pussy.

“I love the sound of those words on your lips, baby girl.”

When Travis took control, I expected it. When Drew took control …

---