Page 12 of The Secrets We Hide

“Precisely,” he said, grabbing the correct pieces. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a bookshelf to… strategically assemble.”

He winked, and for a moment, the slightly grumpy chaos agent was replaced by the charmingly exasperated man I loved. Even when he was battling flat-pack furniture.Loved? No it’s too soon to be throwing around the L-word. Isn’t it? I mean, I have known this man for over twenty years, but could I really be falling in love with him this soon?

Chapter 10

Molly

The following Monday I received a text from Lucas asking to meet for coffee before he headed into the office. Since I was already at work, I glanced at the time and realized that I had about an hour to kill, so I grabbed my purse and shot Lucas a brief text telling him that I would see him in a few.

The coffee shop where we met regularly was just around the corner, so I beat Lucas there by a couple of minutes. He must’ve been near when he texted me. We ordered our coffees and took a seat in a quiet corner. We stared at each other silently for a few minutes. It wasn’t awkward per say, but the atmosphere around us was different today.

It was clear that their dinner had been more than just a clearing of the air. Lucas mentioned it briefly during our mid-week coffee break. There was a newfound lightness in his voice, a hesitant optimism that was a stark contrast to the guarded uncertainty of previous weeks.

“We had a good time, Molly,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips. “A really good time.” He didn’t elaborate, and I didn’t press him. I could see the change in him, the subtle softening of his features, the almost imperceptible spring in his step. Whatever had transpired that Friday night, it had clearly been significant.

My own interactions with Lucas remained friendly and supportive. There was no lingering sense of unrequited longing. I genuinely cared for him, and seeing him navigate his feelings with such honesty and vulnerability was something I admired.

As the weeks passed, the relationship between Lucas and Dominik blossomed. They started spending more time together outside of work, their quiet lunches evolving into weekend outings. There was a comfortable intimacy in their interactions, a silent language that spoke volumes about the connection they shared.

I found myself occasionally joining them for drinks, the dynamic between the three of us evolving into something unexpected. There was no jealousy, no awkwardness, but rather a sense of shared understanding and mutual respect. We had all been drawn together by an unconventional set of circumstances, and the boundaries of our relationships were blurring in ways none of us could have initially predicted.

One evening, over a bottle of wine, Lucas looked at both Dominik and me, a genuine warmth in his eyes. “I never expected my life to take this turn,” he admitted, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. “But… I’m surprisingly okay with it.”

Dominik reached across the table and took his hand, his gaze filled with a quiet affection. I smiled, a genuine smile that held no trace of sadness or regret. The journey had been unexpected, the emotions complex, but there was a sense of authenticity to the connection we had all found. The lines between friendship and love, between conventional and unconventional, had blurred, creating a unique and surprisingly harmonious dynamic. The future was still uncertain, but for the first time in a long time, there was a sense of genuine happiness in the air, a feeling that whatever came next, we would navigate it together.

Chapter 11

Lucas

Months melted into a comfortable rhythm. The initial awkwardness of navigating a romantic relationship with Dominik had eased, replaced by a deep sense of connection and a surprising level of comfort. We had found a rhythm in our lives, a balance between our demanding careers and our growing intimacy. Weekends were filled with quiet dinners, exploring the city’s hidden gems, and the comfortable silence of simply being together.

My relationship with Molly had also evolved. The romantic undertones had softened, replaced by a genuine and supportive friendship. We still met for drinks, our conversations now encompassing the complexities of my relationship with Dominik, her own dating life, and the shared experiences that had brought us together. There was a refreshing honesty between us, a mutual understanding of the unconventional path our lives had taken.

One crisp autumn evening, Dominik and I were curled up on my couch, a crackling fire casting dancing shadows across the room. We were comfortable in our silence, the only sound the gentle pop and hiss of the burning wood. Dominik was sketching in a worn leather-bound notebook, his brow furrowed in concentration as he captured the play of light and shadow in the room.

“What are you working on?” I asked softly, breaking the comfortable silence.

He looked up, a soft smile gracing his lips. “Just playing with some ideas. A new series. Focusing on the way people inhabit urban spaces.”

I leaned my head on his shoulder, watching his hand move deftly across the page. There was a quiet intensity to him when he was creating, a focused energy that I found incredibly attractive.

“You’re so talented,” I murmured. He shrugged, a hint of a blush creeping up his neck. “It’s just a hobby.”

“It’s more than that,” I insisted. “You see the world in a way most people don’t.”

He closed the notebook and turned to face me, his dark eyes filled with a tenderness that still made my heart skip a beat. “You say the kindest things.”

“Only what’s true,” I replied, reaching out to cup his cheek.

The comfortable intimacy of our relationship often surprised me. The ease with which we navigated our differences, the quiet understanding that seemed to grow with each passing day. It was a far cry from the fleeting, passionless flings that had defined my post-Olivia life. This felt… real.

“You ready for bed? It’s getting late and I want you stay the night with me.”

Dom looked over at me and for a moment, I was nervous. Sure, we had stayed the night at each others places a few times, over the last few months, but tonight felt different. Up until today we had fooled around a lot. But we had never had fucked each other. While I loved fucking his face with my cock and filling his mouth with my cum, I wanted more. I wanted to fill his luscious ass with my cum. I wanted to claim him and much as I wanted him to claim me.

Dom slowly nodded his head and rose from the couch. He extended his arm and reached for me. “Yeah, baby, let’s go to bed, he said in a raspy voice that had my cock twitching in my sweatpants. I placed my hand in his and let him pull me up from the couch. He pressed his soft lips to my forehead and turned around to slowly saunter into my bedroom.

As we entered my room, Dom softly closed the door behind us and led me to the massive king size bed that sat in the center of my room. He guided me to my side of the bed and stared into my eyes. God, his deep brown eyes had a way of making my toes curl.

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