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She’d watched every video of him she’d found online, but this vision of Bryce was her favourite. Ava loved these private moments she’d been able to steal with both Bryce and Cole, where this side of him stepped forth. Cole kissed his temple, lingering there a moment before they headed out into the fray.
*****
Much later, after lunch had finished, they sat alone in the lounge room by the tree. Ava leaned into Cole’s side, and Bryce sat on the floor between their legs, enjoying Cole’s fingers in his hair. This peace, the warmth, and comfort was so much better than her fantasy.
Ava sighed happily, delighting in the weight of the iridescent blue jewelled earrings Cole and Bryce had bought for her from the markets.
“Can you pass up the presents in the green boxes, Bryce?” It was now or never. All or nothing time. When Bryce handed them over, she took one and passed it to Cole.
Cole slowly undid the bow she’d tied on the box before lifting the lid. Ava held her breath as he froze, his eyes snapping to hers. It was the carved eagle he’d admired. She hadn’t bought it that night, but Bryce had snagged a business card and when he’d suggested calling them to have it delivered, she knew she hadn’t imagined how long Cole had lingered, looking at it.
“I don’t know what to say,” he mumbled, the deep crease in his forehead betraying how much he was struggling to come up with words.
“Do you like it?” Ava asked, resting her hand on his knee.
Cole nodded, bobbing his head enthusiastically. “It’s perfect,” he replied, his voice catching. He cleared his throat and gave her a small smile that made Ava’s heart clench and unshed tears burn her eyes. He ran his fingers through Bryce’s hair and tilted his face up, giving him one of those sad smiles. It was obvious how much he wanted to show Bryce how grateful he was, but neither one of them had done more than place a hand on the other’s shoulder or stand a little too close. Bryce was apparently out to his parents and brothers, but not to his wider family, and none of them would risk it.
He didn’t hesitate with her, though, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. It was warmth and affection, and Ava was desperate to give him the comfort he needed.
Pulling away, his smile was easier, his eyes less haunted by emotion. “Now you, Bryce,” he urged.
Bryce had been easy to buy for. He’d only chosen a couple of the soaps and bath bombs he’d been eyeing, but had lingered, tossing up which ones to get. Ava had found similar handmade soaps, compressed coconut oil bars that melted into massage lotion and fizzing bath salts that he could relax with. Cole had loved the suggestion.
Bryce took her hand in his and lifted her knuckles to his lips. “Thank you. This is…” He trailed off and looked around the pile of small gifts that she and Cole had decided on together. “Incredible. No one ever buys me this stuff, but I love it. You’re the first people who saw what I really wanted.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Cole murmured, doing the only thing he could to show Bryce a modicum of affection—playing with his hair.
“Do you wanna get out of here?” Bryce asked. “I, ah, kind of want some time alone with you both. It’s selfish, I know, but…” He shrugged, trying to play it down, but his blush gave him away.
“So do I,” Cole reassured him. “And you aren’t being selfish. I understand. We both do.”
“Here’s the thing,” Ava started, pausing to get her words straight in her mind. “I don’t just want another one-night stand. I want more. I know we can’t be open—Bryce doesn’t have that choice, and a woman dating two men would be water cooler talk around my office for months, but I want it all. Dating, everything. With both of you.”
Bryce shifted, spinning around so he was kneeling in front of her, and Cole tucked his foot under his knee, turning to face her.
“With Cole and I together too?” Bryce asked.
When Ava nodded, his lips tilted up in a radiant smile. Cole hooked his finger under her chin and pressed his lips to hers slowly and surely until she was kiss-drunk and ready to combust.
“Let’s go,” he whispered, squeezing Bryce’s shoulder.
After they said hurried goodbyes, they left, each of the boys flanking Ava as they walked down the path to Bryce’s truck. “Which of your hotel rooms has a bath big enough to fit us all in it?”
“Mine.” Ava grinned, her insides fluttering with excitement as she thought about what the night would bring.
Eleven
Ava
Three weeks later
A
va sighed and pressed her fingers against her temples. She had the beginnings of a killer headache.The first week back at work is the hardest.At least that’s what Ava hoped. Her new job was always going to be a challenge, but Ava had been drowning from the moment she stepped into the office. Everything had gone wrong from the get-go.
She was under pressure to fix the on-site delays and cost blowouts plaguing the project. For one so early in its construction phase, she was surprised at the sheer mess it was in. The previous project manager had ignored most of it in favour of ploughing ahead and digging the project deeper into the red. But it didn’t matter. It was literally her job to get it back on track.
Ava scanned the spreadsheet itemizing every cost outlay incurred so far, cross-referencing them with the staged budgeted amounts. She groaned. Numbers swam on the page, and it was barely 11:00 a.m.
