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“But I never had sex with her,” I countered, and he raised his hands. “Guys, I adore you. I do, and you’ve been rocks through all of this. But you’re also friends too, and those friendships are important to me.” It was why I didn’t complain that Jake and Ian seemed to be working at mending fences. “But if I’m unhappy, and I complain about not understanding Ian, or why he…why he would tell me one thing and act a completely different way. Why I had to break up with him because I don’t have the bandwidth for the push/pull game, and I won’t be the person who makes him miserable, and at the same time, I don’t know how I can be his friend when…” When I’d wanted more. “I just sound like a selfish bitch, and why should I be complaining when I have all of you?”
“First of all,” Jake said, sliding an arm under my legs and lifting me until he plopped me on his lap and my legs were across Coop’s. “You’re not a selfish bitch, and never say that again. Clear?” The snap in his voice matched the irritation flaring in his eyes. “You arenotany kind of bitch. If you think I’ll let you say what I’d break some other asshole’s jaw for saying, you’re wrong.”
When I turned wide eyes on Coop, he gave me a wry smile. “What he said, only with slightly less violence.”
“You’d punch any asshole who called her a bitch.”
“I would,” Coop agreed. “But not with the kind of ferocity you would. That’s why you’re the guy who beats people up, and I’m the diplomat.”
A giggle-snort escaped, and they both grinned at me. Sobering, Jake continued, “As for the rest of it, baby girl. You made your feelings clear about not wanting to screw up our friendships, but that’s not all on you.”
“No,” Coop said slowly. “That’s on us. Me. Archie. Jake. Bubba. If we can’t talk to each other or you, there’s an issue. We all know, we’re all being honest here, and if we can’t or if one of us can’t, it’s not just you they’re going to hurt.”
“But hurting you is a no-fly zone,” Jake said firmly. “If you need a friend to bitch to about all of us, then go for it. If you need that, I’m never going to say no. I might be a little jealous.” The admission made him grimace. “I like being the guy you can say anything to, no matter how blunt.”
“And I’m the guy who listens,” Coop said. “Just like Archie likes being the one who swoops in to fix stuff.”
Jake grunted. “He really likes fixing everything.”
Like getting Coop a car or changing the locks on my apartment.
“The point is, beautiful,” Coop circled back around. “If Bubba hurt you, we do want to know. Part of being boyfriends is protecting our girl.”
Boyfriends.
Licking my lips, I tried not to focus too much on the shivery goodness that being called their girl evoked. Instead, I said, ”Mathieu called you guys my boyfriends from the very beginning. I thought he was crazy…but he saw it, too.”
Boyfriends. Multiple.
“Okay, so maybe Frenchy had one redeeming quality,” Jake grunted. Coop grinned, amusement and affection twined in his smile. In some ways, the whole conversation was both bizarre and utterly normal.
Just like waking up to both of them. There hadn’t been any sex the night before—making out, yes—but no sex. We’d all been tired after the game, especially Jake. We’d gone out for food and to celebrate, then Archie and Ian had gone to their own homes while Jake and Coop came back here.
“I like this,” I told them.
“Good,” Coop said, then narrowed the distance and kissed me. I tried not to breathe out ‘cause morning breath was totally a thing. Jake tightened his arms around me as Coop toyed at deepening the kiss. Hint of nervous tension wound in my gut. The minute Coop eased up, Jake tilted my head back, and I barely had a second to draw a breath before he kissed me, too. The tension ratcheted higher, and my nipples ached as I fisted his hair with one hand, though Coop slotted his fingers through my other hand, palm to palm as Jake’s tongue swirled against mine, and I forgot all about morning breath.
Dragging his head back, Jake said, “Damn.” There was stiffness beneath my ass, and the boxers Coop had on did nothing to his own erection. Coop’s lower lip was wet like he kept licking it, and Jake dug his fingers into my side.
Dragging his gaze from me to Jake, Coop’s expression shifted minutely as his eyebrows raised. A harsh exhale from Jake, and the need shifting in my blood heated.
I wanted…
A door closed beyond my room and apprehension swarmed through me, even as Coop and Jake snapped their attention to my open bedroom door and the hallway beyond.
“You lazy bastards better be dressed…” Archie called. “Frankie, you feel free to stay naked. But I come bearing coffee and breakfast.”
Relief swamped me, and they each blew out equally ragged breaths. Disappointment flashed across Coop’s face so quickly, I had to wonder if I’d imagined it.
“To be continued, baby girl,” Jake said against my ear. “To be continued. Go shower.” He lifted me off of him and gave me a swat on the ass. The sting helped with the kaleidoscope of butterflies breaking loose between the tension of a few minutes earlier and Archie’s arrival.
At the doorway, I glanced at them both. “We’re good, right?”
“Better,” Coop assured me.
“Hell yes,” Jake said. “Go on, or Archie will threaten to drink your coffee.”
“No I won’t,” Archie said from right behind me, and I gave a little start, laughing as he turned me around and then pinned me to the wall for a kiss. Holy hell.
