Page 136 of Seeking Two Lovers

Sarah crawled back into bed within an hour, agreeing to spend the following day at the beach to relax and soak up some sunshine in her newfound freedom.

Blaine slumped against me on the couch, and I wrapped an arm around him, holding him close.

I wasn’t about to share Higgins’s update with Blaine. Fuck knew he had enough to think about.

“Want to talk?” I asked, and he let out a sigh.

“Not really.”

“Okay.” I kissed the top of his head. “Want to just cuddle in bed?”

“I’ll probably pass out the second I lay down.”

“Do you mind if I snuggle your sexy backside while you sleep?”

He let out a soft chuckle. “Nope.” He popped the P like Lily, and an ache spread over my chest.

I hated that she wasn’t there with us.

“Come on.” I stood and tugged Blaine to his feet.

He shuffled along after me toward our bedroom, and I dimmed the lights for him. We brushed our teeth at the double sink and stripped down to skin before crawling into bed. My pillow smelled like vanilla, and I filled my lungs.

Blaine buried his face in his pillow and did the same.

“Lily,” we both murmured at the same time—and grinned like couple of idiots while scooting close to each other.

“I love her,” Blaine said, watching my eyes carefully in the dimmed lights as he rested in my arms.

“I do too,” I easily admitted.

“Have you told her?”

I shook my head, soothing my hand down his back. “Have you?”

“Yeah. Right before Sarah showed up. I was just so thankful for her being with me. Filled up with emotion and ready to explode.”

“Did she say it back?”

“Yeah.” He smiled lazily, a slow blink of his eyes letting me know he was ready to pass the fuck out.

Seconds later, he snored, and not one ounce of jealousy burned in my gut. I wanted them to love each other. Nothing would make me happier.

Except perhaps hearing Lily tell me the same.

Any harsh grief I’d held onto from Mom’s passing had faded, I realized. Lily had given me help in healing—and I hadn’t even been aware of her weaseling into my heart. I expected some days would be tougher than others, like Mom’s birthday or the anniversary of the accident, but I no longer felt anxious in my bones of their arrival.

Lily would be there with her soft, gentle touch, the light in her eyes, and the soothing affection I craved from a nurturing hand.

I would tell her the truth of my feelings, I decided, since Blaine had taken that leap in vulnerability first.

He’d gotten what he’d wanted in return.

I hoped I would too.

41

LILY

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