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Forty-Five
AURELIUS
The snow was falling fast and heavy, blanketing everything in a sleek layer of unblemished white. It stretched in every direction beyond the balcony, past the field where we planned to build a stable. Over the slight rise on the other side, that Merrick had already claimed for his work shed.
No matter how many times I’d seen it, it was still amazing to me. Especially how easily all the whiteness could light up even the darkest night.
“Hey.”
A smooth, feminine hand slid over my shoulder, causing me to turn and smile. Dakota stood there in all her semi-naked glory, wearing one of my T-shirts and nothing else.
“Can’t sleep?”
I wanted to explain to her that thiswassleep for me. BUDS training included sleep deprivation tactics designed to reduce the amount of time required for me to rest and recharge. Those lessons had carried over into various missions, followed me back to base, and spilled over into my daily life. Now I slept in small snatches of two to three hours at a clip, with long stretches of being awake in between.
But such sleep patterns also had their advantages. Like now, for instance.
“Sorry if I woke you,” I apologized, sliding my arm around her waist. I pulled her close, clapping my hand over one cheek of her warm, naked ass. “But also,” I grinned, “not sorry.”
I wasn’t exactly sure how long she’d slept. It was only a few hours ago that she’d climbed into my bed, all wet and willing and ready for anything. Her thighs felt amazing as I slipped between them, like bundles of warm laundry fresh from the dryer. We’d made love to each other slowly, sleepily, with tons of heavy petting and kissing. We’d even climaxed together too; the culmination of a very deep and beautiful connection.
And now here she was, living with us. Loving us. Sharing our dreams. Dakota was the woman we’d always desired but never thought we’d find, and somehow she’d been under Jace’s nose all along.
“So your parents were really that supportive of you moving down here?” I asked.
She nodded, pulling her hair over one shoulder. The way her T-shirt ended at her bare thighs was driving me crazy.
“They think I’m with Jace of course,” she answered. “My mother was a little wary of things happening ‘too fast’, but my father always admired Jace. I think he’s secretly thrilled I ended up with him.”
But they don’t know about us, I wanted to say. Of course I couldn’t. Having three lovers instead of one wasn’t exactly something you told your family members. Not at first, anyway. If ever.
“If it were up to my father, I’d still be rebuilding engines with him at his shop,” Dakota went on. “I pretty much lived there when I was younger. He doesn’t understand what I do now of course, or that I could do it from practically anywhere. Then again none of them really understand, and that’s okay. It pays the bills, and I was never trying to follow in anyone’s footsteps to begin with.”
She extended a finger toward the window and traced a heart in the condensation. Chuckling, she added an ‘A + D’ in the center.
“What about Tyler?” I asked softly.
Dakota paused, then shrugged again. “He’s traveling and doesn’t know the details yet, but I’m pretty sure he’s just being willfully ignorant. Tyler and I talked about Jace over Christmas. He’s a lot more understanding now than he would’ve ever been back in high school.”
I turned to stare back out the window. Dakota positioned herself in front of me, pulling my arms around her from behind.
“Aurelius, what’s wrong?”
For a few long moments I said nothing. Eventually I sighed, and shook my head.
“Family’s important,” I murmured. “Isn’t it?”
Her hands found mine. Pulling them downward and over her belly, she squeezed.
“It’s not just important,” she answered. “It’s everything.”
I bent to kiss her on the top of her head. Her hair smelled absolutely amazing. Probably one of the three-hundred different bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body-wash, foaming scrub, and God knew what else she’d already littered our shower with.
“That’s the only thing I worry about,” I said softly, “in the dead of night, at moments like these. That eventually, your family will know about us. They’ll realize it’s not just Jace you’re with.”
“I know,” Dakota admitted. “That’s a bridge we’ll need to cross someday. But not today.”
Snow swirled against the window. Though it was warm and toasty inside, I felt her shiver in my arms.
