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“You’re dripping all over my bed,” he mutters and Joy giggles again.

“Stop it,” Lane reprimands, but I can hear him trying not to laugh as she squirms beside me.

Before I can open my mouth to tease him further, he gently bends my knee back against my chest and presses the warm washcloth against my hole. It’s such a strangely intimate thing, even after what we’ve done and I fall silent, biting my lip as I let him tend to me.

After just a few seconds, he leans over me and kisses my cheek, whispering in my ear. “It’s sexy as fuck watching my come leaking from your tight hole.”

My skin heats. “Jesus, Lane. I thought Doug was bad, but you’ve got a seriously filthy mouth.”

He laughs loud and deep as he retreats to the bathroom. “You love it, Rossi.”

With a groan, I crawl up to the bed and collapse on the pillows, Joy following after and laying her head on my chest. As soon as Lane returns, climbing in on my other side, she excuses herself to go to the bathroom and he pulls the covers over us both.

“Are you okay?” he asks softly, turning my face to his, his eyes searching mine.

I smile. “More than okay.”

He exhales as though what we’ve just done might have been anything other than mind-blowing. “Thank you for trusting me with that.”

“Thankyou,” I grin, resting my forehead against his.

We stay like that for a moment, but then he tilts my chin, capturing my mouth with his and kissing me slow and deep in a way that has my heart expanding in my chest. I’m so lost in it that I barely register Joy returning until she wraps herself around me from behind, pressing a kiss between my shoulder blades.

“Did it work?” she asks, as Lane pulls away.

I turn carefully, guiding her back onto my chest as Lane wraps his arm around us both. “Did what work?”

“Did we cheer you up?”

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. “Yes. Definitely. Thank you.”

She laughs, pressing a kiss to my chest and I let my eyes fall closed, cocooned in the warmth of them both. As thoughts of Doug creep into my bubble of bliss, they taint my mood a little, but lying here right now between these incredible people, I honestly can’t imagine how I could possibly be any happier.

JOY

Stifling a yawn, I stretch next to Theia in the away locker rooms. There are four colleges here in Boise, Idaho today and we’re looking good to walk away with wins in every category. The seven-hour journey has taken its toll, especially as Aldo spent the night at the Hive last night. When we rocked up at the gym to get on the bus this morning, Lane knew right away. He didn’t seem jealous, but he rolled his eyes and muttered something about us being irresponsible, although there was no real heat behind his words.

Today’s the first time that the fact I can’t be with Lane publicly has made me feel sad. I spent most of the trip sleeping, curled up against Aldo, but after spending the whole weekend together after the beach, it’s frustrating not being able to touch Lane the way I want to. Like he’s mine.

“Move it, ladies!” Lane’s voice echoes through into the locker rooms.

“Coming, Coach,” Theia calls, rolling her eyes at me.

We grab our goggles and water bottles and file out poolside, the men doing the same from their entrance. I catch Aldo’s eye and he winks at me. Most of the team has figured out that something’s going on between us and I’m glad I don’t have to hide my feelings for both of them.

And I do have feelings. Feelings that I really don’t want to think about.

“Come on, Team,” Doug calls, clapping his hands as though it might force us to walk a little faster.

It’s been nice having him back, but he hasn’t been the same. He’s more subdued, almost serious, during practices and he disappears before any of us get a chance to speak to him. He doesn’t even go to his office. He completely leaves the building. Lane managed to catch him once and called him out on it. Doug swore he’s not avoiding us but wouldn’t give anything more.

“Right,” Doug says as we huddle around. “We’ve got this. We’ve already wiped the floor with two of the three other teams here this season. Keep your shit together and your head in the game and this’ll be a cake walk. Okay?”

“What Coach McMann is trying to say,” Lane cuts in, “is go out there and kick some Idaho ass.”

The team hollers and laughs, dispersing to our designated benches and Doug turns and punches Lane in the arm. It’s a little harder than playful but Lane just grins at him. I still can’t figure the two of them out. It makes no sense to me.

Aldo falls into step beside me, nudging me with his shoulder. “You okay?”

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