AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Think she’ll still be here when we return?”
He shrugs. “We’ll find out. I think it’s a fifty-fifty proposition. She’s stubborn, and we fucked up.”
I’m not convinced our odds are even that good, but it won’t matter. Come hell or high water, Kate Evans will be ours.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kate
Thirty minutes later, I quit fidgeting with my makeup and sigh. What am I doing here, knotted up about Josh and Marcus like some teenager with an irrepressible crush? After Derrick, I swore I would never hang my future happiness on any man again. Yet here I am, not only anxious but waiting around on two.
It’s ridiculous. I should go.
But they apologized,my hopeful heart points out.Something your ex never did…
Derrick’s version of an apology was to deliver polished explanations in a not-quite-remorseful tone. Josh and Marcus actually said the words and sounded sincerely contrite. And they kissed me like I’m their world.
They wouldn’t do that if you didn’t matter to them, right?
Maybe, but it wasn’t long before that they accused me of being like their callous ex and treating them like a fling. I thought that’s what we were having. No, thatiswhat we were having—until I broke the rules and fell in love. Then, instead of asking about my feelings, they walked out. My battered heart isn’t okay with that.
Yet here I am, staying put like they insisted.
Because they broke the rules and fell, too. Josh said they love you! After all, would they have been upset about you treating them like the secret, post-divorce booty call they accused you of being if they didn’t want more?
As reasonable as that sounds, they left abruptly again…and here I am, hanging my future happiness on them.
It’s terrifying.
I slam down my tube of lipstick. I need to think past my hopes and fears and figure out what’s best for me. Which choice would keep me truest to myself?
On the one hand, I made an egregious error, both in starting this workplace fling and losing my heart. And if I was purely using logic, I would leave—Hawaii, Force Financial, and this relationship.
But love isn’t logical. If Josh and Marcus truly love me—like Derrick never did—why would I just give up? Every time I talk to Mariah, I see how happy she is. How grounded and protected Todd makes her feel. I want that for myself. Now that it might be within reach, should I really throw in the towel?
Suddenly, the hotel room’s door bursts open and bangs against the wall. I start, letting out a gasp, and turn to find Marcus stalking inside, his stare laser-focused on me, silently telling me he intends to strip me bare and consume me until I scream. Josh is right beside him, looking no less intent.
Instinctively, I take a step back, but I flare hot all over.
Marcus grabs my arm. “Baby girl…”
I shiver every time he calls me that. My mouth goes dry with sudden nerves. “W-we should talk.”
Josh’s expression hardens as he yanks off his tie. “Damn right. We’re going to get to that.”
“Eventually.” Marcus peels off his T-shirt and tosses it in the vague direction of his suitcase.
“Sex isn’t going to solve what’s wrong between us.” Despite knowing that’s true, I can’t stop looking as he bares his chest.
“It’s not.” His smile turns filthy. “But it will feel awfully good.”
Josh stares at me like he intends to swallow me whole. “And once we’ve channeled some of your anger and our frustration into pleasure,thenwe’ll be able to talk.”
That’s crazy. They’re crazy…but as he peels off his coat and dress shirt while Marcus loses his gym shorts, revealing the fact he’s not wearing a damn thing underneath, my mouth goes dry.
Lazily, Marcus strokes his hard cock, and I can’t stop watching.
“You need to be wearing a lot less,” he growls. “You want to take off that skirt for us or should we just lift it?”
