Page 73 of Tops
“You seem to be having fun now,” Colten said, coming up behind me out of nowhere.
I wondered if he had been watching when I was in the sea monster section.
“I am having so much fun representing our time together in holiday cheer,” I said, pitch high and excited despite my attempt to keep calm. “Did you find anything to add to your tree?” I asked when he started to look curiously at the items in my basket.
“No. I like the simplicity of the lights,” Colten said, bringing his arms to wrap around me.
I leaned back into his touch, not worried about the people bustling by or seeing us together. Getting lost in the moment, I enjoyed the security of his embrace while watching the ant people from up close. Most of them were in a hurry, but the overall mood wasn’t tense and angry like I had felt before. There was a palpable excitement in the air and a general feeling of good cheer.
Colten gave the cashier Tanner’s card while several other workers came to help box up my large order. I walked out of the shop with a wide smile and arms covered in bags. Colten held just as many as I did. We were headed straight for the car to take my loot back to Bottoms. I wouldn’t be spending the night with Colten after all.
I set my bags down in the lounge next to the tree. Nik said he would bring the lights on Tuesday when he came to get me for class. Once I had everything, I wanted to get them together to put the lights and the decorations on with me. I would even bribe them with cookies and sex if I needed to.
Colten dropped his bags next to mine, but didn’t seem in a hurry to leave. He sat down on the couch and grabbed the tablet to turn on the television. He flipped over to the news, watching with interest. I came and sat down next to him, not caring about what was on but enjoying some cuddles since I wouldn’t get post-sex cuddles tonight. Not unless I could convince him to stay the night here with me.
I snuggled up into him, pulling my feet onto the couch. He wrapped his arm around me before pushing his glasses back up his nose and relaxing on the headrest. I knew one way to tempt him into staying.
My hand inched toward his lap, intent on getting me snuggles one way or the other. But before I could even brush against him, the door that led to the diamond wall opened, and Nik walked inside. I sat up straight like I had just been caught red-handed. Looking down at my hands, they were folded and in my lap. They were, in fact, not red.
“Tanner here yet?” Nik asked, jumping over the back of the couch to take his seat. He locked eyes with my dumbfounded gaze, giving me a wink before sitting back and crossing an ankle over his knee. He was wearing sweatpants and a shirt, making me want to drool.
“Clearly not,” Colten said, turning his attention back to the woman on the screen talking about the weather for the next few days.
A warmup was expected, enough to rain for the next few days. Winter rain was the worst. It had a way of chilling you to the bone like it seeped inside you as its vengeance for being denied a beautiful crystal form.
Nik opened his arms wide. “Aren’t you going to come and say hello?”
I quickly kissed Colten before ducking low and moving around the table to Nik’s side of the couch. Nik repositioned, so both feet were on the floor so I could crawl right up on his lap. The urge to kiss him was nearly overwhelming, but I held myself back. Unwilling to play that game with him.
“Hello, Nik. It’s good to see you. Did you happen to bring lights for the tree today?” I asked, using my sweetest voice while moving my hips to rub against him.
“Ah, fuck no. Sorry, Vanessa,” Nik said, looking apologetic. “Do you want me to leave?” he asked as his gaze turned dark.
I wondered if I could get Colten’s post-cuddles and Nik’s dark thoughts wrapped up in one. As soon as my mind started tumbling over the options I had in that scenario, Tanner made his entrance. The air seemed to get sucked out in a rush while the voice of Hannah screamed out in my mind.
“DO ALL THREE.”
Tanner walked over to his section of the couch. Each of them was the ruler of their side, but only Tanner sat at the head. He sat down, and I patted Nik against the chest, not able to give him a kiss goodbye but knowing that Tanner needed a welcome.
His mask was firmly in place as I walked in front of him, kneeling on each side of him while I sat down. My hands went straight into his hair, and I pulled his lips to mine in a slow, passionate kiss. When I pulled away, his eyes were still closed with a look of near pain crossing his features. The moment he opened his eyes, the look was gone.
“We actually have some news,” Tanner said when I pulled back far enough for him to speak. It didn’t sound like good news either. “You have to go to another event tonight, as Colten’s date.”
I opened my mouth to say absolutely not, but before I could, Tanner put his finger up to my mouth to quiet me.
“Please listen first before you say no. This is absolutely nothing like the last party you attended. This is a public event being held in the city. Colten and I were both invited by the mayor personally. Nik is running security with the NYPD for the event. Normal dinner and drinks while rich people talk about their woes.” Tanner gave me a moment after he finished before he removed his finger.
I didn’t speak right away, warring inside myself. One part of me screamed no and argued that I would be perfectly safe locked in my room in Bottoms while they went out to wine and dine at a Christmas party with the mayor. My eyes slid to Colten, dressed in a suit as expected. I imagined him standing near the wall alone at the party. It wasn’t hard to envision all the eyes on him, determining the best time to move in.
I brought my gaze back to Tanner while I imagined him at the party tonight. He was also dressed in a suit, his hair slightly more disarray since my fingers ran through it. I imagined watching him, dancing, and talking with all the attractive women he was allowed to be with, according to our terms. How would I feel seeing his hair a mess and knowing it wasn’t my hands that time?
Maybe it would be best to stay locked up in my room. After all, I wouldn’t have to worry about seeing anything I shouldn’t. They could each have a handful of girls on the side, and the thought didn’t bother me. Well, not as much. I didn’t have any right to put any claim on them when I refused to let them place a claim on me.
Temporary. I had to remind myself we only had what little sand that remained in the hourglass. Soon, I would turn the whole thing on end when I moved away and left everything from New York, in New York, where it belonged.
I still didn’t belong here.
“Nessa,” Colten said, breaking the silence. “We wouldn’t ask if we didn’t think you wouldn’t enjoy yourself.”
