Page 37 of Taeja

They leaned off the counter. Zain headed toward the garage and Damon cameto her. Kacian followed behind Zain. When they were out of earshot, Damon stood between Taeja’s legs and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She set the cards aside to throw her arms around his neck. “Which friend are you visiting?”

The corner of his lip curled upward. “Are you jealous?”

She wanted to deny it, but she’d never been a great liar. “Yes. So, tell me.”

He shrugged. “She’s an old friend,” he said before leaning in to place a kiss on her nose. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Whateva yu seh, Damon.”

He sighed. “After all that we talked about last night, do you think I’d be with another woman today?”

Her mind drifted to her old flings, and she shrugged. “Yes.”

Damon frowned. “Do you have trust issues?”

“Sometimes.”

“Well, you need to trust that I wouldn’t do you like that.Wewouldn’t do you like that,” he said. “Do you want to meet her?”

“Yes,” she answered without thinking.

“Okay. I’ll let her know,” he said before his eyes flickered to her lips. “Kiss me.”

She leaned up and captured his lips with hers. His grip tightened around her waist, pulling her closer to him. The longer their kiss lasted, the faster the jealousy seeped away. Damon kissed her sweetly and possessively. It was gentle, with a firm reminder that he was hers as much as she was his.

Pulling away for air, Taeja smiled as faint tingles danced along her lips. “You’re lucky you’re good with your mouth. It makes it hard to stay mad at you.”

Damon chuckled, kissing her forehead. “Have fun and remember to eat.”

Taeja nodded, hopping off the stool before running upstairs. She grabbed her phone before returning to the garage. There were three parked cars — a luxury, high-end SUV, and two cars, one being an older model she didn’t care to name — and a bike.

Taeja approached the backseat of the throttling car. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Kacian seated there. “Sorry,” she apologized before walking to the front and sitting across from Zain.

He shot her a glance before he drove out of the garage. He listened quietly while Kacian and Taeja spoke the entire journey.

As they parked before Taeja’s house, a weight fell on her shoulders. It was nice being in her safe bubble with her guys, but she was back here now. She could already imagine all that her father had to say to her, and the only thing she could do about it was sigh.

She froze as Zain laced a finger beneath her chin, turning her to face him. His hair obscured his face like it always did, but she saw a peek at his furrowed brows while his eyes swirled with unasked questions.

It made her feel that familiar feather-light feeling in her chest. The way these men cared for her in only a few days made her constantly swoon.

And occasionally… it made her worry.

Would they feel the same if they knew the type of person she was beneath this bold, happy exterior?

“I’m fine,” she promised, freeing herself from his grasp so he couldn’t see through her. “I won’t be long.”

“Take your time,” Kacian said from the back.

Taeja opened the door and set one foot out when the sound of the driver’s door made her look over her shoulder. She knew Zain wasn’t the type she could convince easily like Damon, so she didn’t try to tell him that she didn’t want him to accompany her.

Inhaling a shaky breath, she exited the car and closed the door behind her. She took hesitant steps toward her house. Zain stood closely behind her while she opened the door.

It was eleven a.m. now, so Jerry should be at work. They entered the house. Faint talking drifted from the living room. Taeja’s brows furrowed as a remote clicked and the talking stopped.

“Taeja?” a voice came from the same direction.

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