Page 13 of Hacker Beloved

A quick, dismissive shake of her head was Zayla's response as she held out her glass and asked, “Can I have some more wine?”

I grabbed the bottle, prepared to pour more, when my finger slipped, and the bottle fell and splashed wine across the floor. “Fuck!”

I leaped off the couch, my heart racing as I sprinted to the kitchen. As I rushed back with a rag in hand, I caught sight of Zayla leaning over the front of her shirt, trying to wipe off the stain using paper towels. Our hands touched when I reached out to help, and an electric shock shot through our fingers.

My gaze lifted and met hers, my breath quickening at how close we were. She licked her lips slowly, and I could feel an overwhelming urge pulling me forward. We were inches apart, and I was about to kiss her when the front door opened, jolting me back to reality.

Zayla's eyes widened in surprise, and she moved away from me.

6

ASHER

I stood in the doorway,mesmerized by the scene before me. CJ and Zayla were sitting close together on the couch, their faces almost touching. The desire to stay and watch coursed through me, but I forced myself to do the right thing and let the door slam shut.

Zayla shot up from the couch, her eyes wide. CJ leaned back and ran a hand through his hair, his face flushed, and for a moment, I couldn't read his thoughts.

"I brought lunch," I held up the bag. "While we eat, I can catch you guys up on what I learned. Antonio also called on my way over."

"Sounds good. Zayla, why don't you go change? Asher and I’ll set the table."

The front of her shirt had a large red stain.

"Sure." She bolted down the hall toward the bedrooms.

I followed CJ into the kitchen, and he stopped me by setting his palm against my chest. I looked up and saw his slightly panicked look. "I almost kissed her."

I wrapped my arm around his waist and pulled him in close, "Well, she didn't look like she was pulling back. I'm not angry. We will need to explain to her how our dynamic works."

"I slipped about Tessa… then I spilled about how you're my Dom, a-and we took Tessa into our relationship," CJ stammered.

I brushed my hand along CJ's jawline. He hadn't shaved for a couple of days. "We were drinking wine and spilled some. I was trying to help her clean up, and the next thing I knew I was about to kiss her."

I took a deep breath and gathered my thoughts. "What do you want?" I asked.

"You. But last night in bed, all I could think about was the three of us together. Then when our hands touched, it was like my skin caught fire."

"We can either broach the subject with her more about us," I stated, my eyes darted to the hall doorway to make sure we were still alone. "Or we continue the case and when it’s done, head back to Ft. Lauderdale and never add anyone else to our relationship. I think it's time we stop this limbo we are living in and figure out exactly what we want."

CJ leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine for a moment. "Fuck, I love you so much. Part of me is worried about opening my heart to someone else. We barely know Zayla. I think I got caught up in her beauty. For now, let's solve the case, and when we get home, let’s talk about steps moving forward."

"I'm okay with that. Let's get this food laid out, and I can tell you what Antonio said."

Zayla cleared her throat from the door. She'd changed into a black t-shirt. "Hey."

I motioned her over to the table. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got a bunch of different things." Her eyes darted between CJ and me. "Sit, and we will clear the air."

She took the seat across from CJ.

"From my quick conversation with CJ, he told you about our relationship and our past. I want to make something clear. We don't expect that from you…and I'm not mad about how I found you guys."

I glanced over at Zayla and noticed her biting her lip. Her gaze focused on the fork in her hand. "I'm not sure what I was thinking," she whispered.

My heart raced as I fought the urge to reach over and hold her hand. "CJ and I both find you attractive," I said, swallowing hard. "We don't want to make you uncomfortable, so we will try to be on our best behavior moving forward."

Zayla tilted her head to the side, confusion knitting her brows together. "What happens if I don't want you to be on your best behavior?"

CJ nearly choked on his fry and coughed into his hand. "I'm not sure you understand what you're saying," he said, eyes wide.

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