Page 97 of Boss Level

“I—”

Judith stared at me, challenge in her gaze. “You totally were.” She draped her arms around my neck. “You shouldn’t be jealous because Cole and I talked about you almost the entire time.” She rose on her toes. “And how you and Dom own my heart.”

I liked the sound of that. I gripped her waist and kissed her hard.

“Is that what I have to watch from now on?” Dominic’s tone was playful.

Judith glanced over her shoulder. “You like to watch.”

The way he twisted his face, he was considering the comment. “That’s true.”

She pulled away from me to face him. “And participate, I know.” She gave him a quick kiss.

Inspiration struck. I knew how we were spending the next little bit. “Go put your bag in the bedroom.” I’d do it for her, but she’d want to do things her own way.

She nodded and walked further into the house. I moved into the living room and Dominic followed. I grabbed the throw off the back of the couch, spread it in front of the fireplace, and flipped the switch to turn on the gas fire.

“Picnic. I love it.” Dominic was already heading back to the kitchen. “I’ll throw some food together. Keep your princess occupied.”

Judith returned a moment later, and paused when she saw me near the blanket. “Picnic?”

“One of the single most romantic dates there is.” I tried to repeat what she’d said a few weeks ago.

She joined me in front of the fire and wrapped her arms around my waist. “I love it.”

Dom returned a short while later as well, with a tray of fruit, meat, and cheese. He’d managed to make cold cuts, Swiss, blueberries, and canned pineapple look like a delicate-but-casual meal for three. The beer in champagne glasses was the perfect finishing touch.

As the three of us settled on the blanket together, gratitude and love flowed through me. This was more perfect than I ever thought my life would be. A kind of serene love I’d never dared admit that I wanted.

The way Judith laughed when Dom tried to feed her. The way Dominic wrinkled his nose in amusement when Judith teased him about how delicate his meat looked on a platter. That instead of a past full of regrets, I saw a future of possibility stretching out ahead of us, with all three of us, set to conquer anything that stood in our way.

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Shortly after we started eating, all three of us got the same text from Rosie that Claire had arrived and was safe.

I knew the feeling.

Xander thanked Rosie and promised to call her later, and we went back to one of the sweetest gestures I’d ever been gifted—a picnic by the fire.

If someone had asked me a month ago if my life was complete, with RinCon and the game release looming, I would’ve saidof course. But I would’ve done so ignoring the little pit inside that said I was lying.

Now I knew it was okay to need other people. To want Xander and Dominic, their love and adoration, in addition to the things I’d achieved. That loving them didn’t make me weak or somehow lessen who I was.

We finished eating, and cleared off the blanket. None of us drank much considering Dom had split a single beer between three glasses.

This was nearly perfect.

Nearly.

“Don’t get me wrong,” I said. “I love your company, and the gesture was super sweet.”

“But…?” Xander asked.

I shrugged and tried to keep a serious expression, but the corners of my mouth tugged up. “I was pretty sure I was going to be fucked silly when we got here. All signs pointed toyes, please.”

“I thought we should wine and dine you first.” Xander almost looked offended.

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