AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Gig’s already up for you, at least,” Caelan comments.
“In any case, most often, it is just Caelan and I.”
“Wait.” A frown knits my brow. “The two of you, like…”
“We’re nottogetheror anything,” Caelan dismisses. “Tried that. Can’t stand being permanently attached to this prick. But sometimes the hate sex is… decent. I’ll say that much.”
Elias makes a small noise of amusement at Caelan’s evaluation. “Hate sex is all it is now, is it? As though you’re not the one who—”
“Shut it.”
Elias smirks, then clears his throat. “Regardless. There is certainly some contention in the matter, and whatever we have can be… antagonistic, relationship-wise. It works out better for both of us if there is someone else involved to act as a counterbalance.”
My mind is still back on the concept of the two of them together. That sure is generating some mental images. I swallow, trying to shake the thought from my head. “Okay,” I say, still slightly blindsided. “Um. Restaurants.”
“Restaurants,” Elias agrees. He looks like he’s laughing at my bewildered expression, though not in an unkind way.
“What’s close?” Caelan asks, draping himself over my shoulders. I startle for a moment at the touch. He’s so casual and comfortable with it already. “I really can’t be bothered to go far.”
“Oh, uh. I can check?” I offer, fishing my phone out of the pocket of my jeans. Caelan watches from behind me as I flick over to the map app and search the local area. I pick the nearest location, which seems to have good reviews. “What about this? It’s only a few blocks away.”
“What sort of restaurant is it?” Elias says.
“French, it looks kind of upscale?”
Elias hums approvingly, but Caelan wrinkles his nose. “French?”
I pause, tempted to laugh. It’s gradually becoming clear that teasing and snarking at each other is a familiar dynamic for them. “I don’t think I’ve ever tried proper French cuisine myself, come to think of it.”
“What the heck do French people eat anyway?” Caelan grumbles. “Apart from snails, frogs’ legs, and baguettes.”
“Wine?” I suggest.
“Oh, and cheese,” Caelan adds.
Elias looks at both of us with a pained expression, and this time, I do burst into a laugh. “I’m kidding,” I say. “I promise I’m not actually that ignorant.”
“Unfortunately, Caelan is.”
“Hey.”
I turn away from them, burying my head back in my phone to hide my smile. This is—dammit. My heart skips, and it’s not solely because of my stupid, misguided attraction to them. They’re something otherworldly. They can absolutely be kind of terrifying, and yet I’m here justjokingwith them. Having fun. Forgetting about all my preconceived notions and finding I really like the two of them.
God, I’m getting in way too deep.
I click on the option to get directions to the restaurant, offering my phone to Elias so he can check the route. “Shall we try it?”
“I don’t see why not.”
They rearrange themselves in the car, Elias returning to the driver’s seat while Caelan removes himself from my shoulders. It’s an even shorter journey than the previous one, barely two minutes. Then I realize the significant problem the restaurant poses.
“Shit. I need to get changed before going in.”
“I don’t see why you have to,” Caelan purrs, shooting another appreciative glance my way.
There’s nowhere I can get changed with any privacy. Unless I go into the restaurant and use the bathroom there, but that would still require walking in wearing nothing but Elias’ jacket, which I would rather avoid.
But perhaps I feel more confident around them. A little bolder. “I’m going to change here,” I warn them. Then, before my nerve fails me, I undo the buttons on the suit jacket and slide it off my shoulders. For one long moment, I’m completely topless in front of Caelan and Elias. Although it’s not like Caelan wasn’t already groping me earlier, but—
