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I shook the thought aside and stood abruptly. “I need a change of clothes. I’ll bring you something too, Brooke.”
“I’ll figure out the best way to clean us up.” Adam stood, spun, and kissed Brooke on the forehead. “Don’t move.”
She raised her brows, and I nearly choked on the envy as I swallowed it back.
Adam and I left and returned about the same time. His faint smirk was hard to miss when he pressed a washcloth to Brooke’s skin and she squealed.
“It’s cold.” She laughed.
“No hot water.” Adam shrugged. “We’ll keep you warm, I promise.”
When he was done. I helped Brooke slide into a pair of my sweats, and the three of us were soon cuddled together under the blanket again.
“What did you think of tonight’s bonus lesson?” I barely hid my wince as the question passed my lips. It tasted like a foul thing to ask, but I needed to cement for myself what I was doing here.
Brooke’s expression flickered, but returned to neutral in a blink, but Adam’s scowl stayed fixed in place.
“It was good. Thank you.” Brooke sounded like she was taking about dinner and not sex.
I wanted to take back the words and explain.
That was post coital bliss doing the thinking for me. A good night’s sleep, and I’d be fine in the morning.
* * *
I wasn’t surprisedto find Adam and Brooke gone the next morning, but it was nice hearing their voices drift into the bedroom. Nicer even than hearing the sizzle of the radiator and feeling the heat in the room. Power was back on.
I wandered into the kitchen to find Brooke in one chair with her foot propped up on another, and Adam making breakfast. It was so normal and domestic and heartwarming and I refused to let it lull me into any false sense of belief that what was going on with me and them was anything other than sex and friendship.
We exchanged genericgood morninggreetings while I grabbed some coffee and took a seat across from Brooke at the table.
“Power’s hooked up in the basement,” she said. “You’re free to do whatever you need down there.”
“You shouldn’t have gone down there.” My retort came out as more of a grumble.
She scowled. “You’re welcome.”
“I tried to tell herno.” Adam set a plate in front of me with pancakes and eggs. “She’s very persuasive when she wants to be.”
Images flashed in my mind of all the ways Brooke couldpersuadeAdam, and I clenched my jaw.
Brooke started to stand, and Adam nudged her back into her seat. He took her empty plate to the sink and rinsed it.
This was too sweet. Too wrong.
“I was careful and he was the perfect escort.” A soft smile played on Brooke’s face.
Jealousy surged inside, and I swallowed it. Did I wake up on the wrong fucking side of the bed or what?
Adam joined us at the table, his own coffee in hand. “Roads are plowed. I’m going to take Brooke to the clinic so they can check out her ankle, then drop her off at home.”
Brooke should stay here.I squashed the impulse to spit out the words. To follow them withWe’ll take care of you.She needed to go home to her actual family. ”Sounds good.”
“So, thank you for last night. All of it.” Brooke’s voice grew softer.
I gave her a smile that didn’t feel real on any level. “Of course. What are friends for?”
That seemed to be enough to kill the breakfast conversation. A short while later, Adam helped Brooke downstairs, and they were on their way.
