Page 64 of Room Twenty-Three: Tangled & Teased

“You don’t want him to know?” Jove asks.

I smile. “I want him to know I’m in love with the three of you.”

Epilogue One- Erin

Six Months Later

Ilightthelastcandle on the table before standing back and looking all around, before I clench my sweaty hands, but it doesn’t stop my nerves.

I’m recreating the meal we ate in New Orleans. I just hope I can do it justice. It doesn’t stop the worry that stirs my gut. I hope that tonight goes as planned.

I’ve prepared the prawns, chopped the fresh vegetables and herbs, which are now in the garlicky tomato sauce currently simmering on the cooktop. The enticing aroma fills the room.

I glance at my watch, a rush of anticipation coursing through me. The moment I’ve been waiting for is drawing near—my guys getting home. Each day they were away caused my heart to ache more, and now they’ve been gone for nearly a week. But then, every minute felt like an eternity. I realize just how much they mean to me, and how incomplete I feel without them.

Which means, tonight is the night, I’m not going home.

I don’t want to spend another day away from them, not a single moment longer. I am ready to make their home my home.

I check my cell for messages, letting me know when they land, and my smile is wide when I see Atty sent me one.

Atty: We’ll be home in half an hour, baby girl. Missed you.

Me: I’m at your home. Not the cottage.

Because I know they’ll go there first.

I hold the cell to my chest and grin, before glancing at my reflection in the kitchen window, the dark sky outside making the glass seem like a mirror.

Excitement courses through my veins as I hurriedly make my way to the bedroom they promised me. Wasting no time, I changed my clothes, stepping into the same black dress from New Orleans. I saw the hunger in their gazes that night.

Once dressed, I take a moment to fluff up my hair and give myself a final approving nod.

My heart skips a beat when I hear their car approaching the house. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. I slip on my high heels and take a moment to steady myself before I make my way towards the staircase.

“Erin!” three voices yell.

As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I take a deep breath when I see Atty, Beau, and Jove waiting for me. Their mouths open as they take me in, longing gazes as they look from my head to my feet and back up to my face.

Atty marches up to me, gripping my hips before he picks me up in the air and twirls me around. He finally stops, sliding my body through his thick arms, until I freeze with our faces touching. “You need to come with us the next time we go away. I missed you too much.”

My heart thumps in my chest as he kisses me hard on the mouth. He tastes sweet—but better than wine. He tastes like he is mine.

“Hand her over.” I turn to Beau and before I know it, he does the same and then Jove sweeps me in his arms and kisses me, too.

I touch my mouth. My lips have swollen already.

Atty’s nose twitches; mine does too before I scream out, “I’m burning the food!”

I rush off to the kitchen and frown as I look down at the tomato sauce, which is now a deep shade of brown and practically glued to the pan. “I was trying to cook you a lovely meal.”

Beau looks at the charred food and the two bottles of champagne and smiles before he says, “You did this for us?”

“Yeah,” I say, then go silent again. Tears coat my eyes because I did nothing but ruin the food. “At least I tried to.”

“I love you… We love you.” Beau gently swipes his thumb over my bottom lip before leaning down and kissing me leisurely.

“And we already ordered Uber Eats on the journey home,” Jove says. “We didn’t want to waste any time in the kitchen, when we have catching up to do.”

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