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I tipped my head. “What about his phone?”
“I saw him at my complex. He told one of his girlfriends that he had work stuff on his phone. That’s against company policy.”
Grayson frowned. “Did you report it?”
“I did,” Luka interjected. “They said they’d look into it.”
I drew my lower lip between my teeth. “I didn’t know that. I don’t know what he does with his phone, but he brings stuff home with him, so I never really thought about it.”
Grayson whipped his head around, his jaw clenched. “Say that again.”
I glanced between him and the others, lifting a shoulder uneasily. “He used to have me pick up files for him on my way home from work before I started working there. He said he needed them to work on projects at home.”
Launching to his feet, Grayson pulled out his phone, putting it to his ear as he walked into the kitchen. When I shot a confused look at Luka, he grinned.
“That’s definitely not allowed. That bastard better hope he returned everything, or he’s looking at serious trouble. Our files are confidential, and are supposed to remain in house to protect privacy.”
While Luka popped up to go eavesdrop on Grayson’s conversation, Bennett cupped my face, urging me to look at him.
“What did he say to you?”
I didn’t want to tell him. I knew it’d only upset him if he knew, and I didn’t need him chasing after Alan. He wasn’t worth the effort. But Bennett’s gaze was steady, and he just waited, his thumb stroking my cheek soothingly.
“He said a lot of things. Mostly that I was embarrassing myself and that if he was me, he’d leave. He… He also told me he knew about our relationship. I think a lot of other people do, too. I’m sorry, I never thought he’d find out and–”
Bennett leaned closer, resting his forehead against mine. “I’m not embarrassed of our relationship, Julie. It’s different, sure, but I like it. All the people I care about the most taking care of each other. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
His words relaxed me, and I leaned my face into his palm. He was right. All the people I cared about were happy. What did it matter that our relationship was different? We were different. As long as we had each other, that’s all that mattered.
“I’m sorry I let him get to me… After years together, it’s hard to just dismiss him completely.”
“I get that. You trusted him once. But trust me when I say you’re not an embarrassment or a burden. You’re the best part of us. My day is so much better after I get to see you. I want to move my office upstairs just so I can spend more time with you.”
Luka made a tick sound as he came back around the couch and plopped down beside us. “Get in line, man. I’m not staying downstairs while you and Grayson get to hog all her time.”
Grayson sat on our other side, shaking his head. “No one is moving their office. Julie has a job to do, just like you two. Assuming she’s willing to come back.” He tipped his head, giving me a soft smile that warmed my middle.
Tears welled in my eyes, but this time they were happy tears. I nodded, speaking around the lump in my throat. “I’ll come back. I’m sorry I left. I–”
Leaning closer, he pressed his lips gently to mine, silencing my rambling. “No more saying sorry, sweetheart. We all messed up. Time to let it go and move on.”
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly before nodding again. “Okay. I can do that.”
“Good girl.”
* * *
We ended up spending the afternoon hanging out on my couch. I shared my ice cream with them and we watched movies and made silly comments about the romance scenes like we were some kind of experts. Every once in a while, Grayson would check his phone, but when nothing important popped up, he'd put it aside again in favor of holding my hand and rubbing his thumb along my knuckles.
At one point, I asked him why he wasn’t going back to work. He just smiled at me and claimed my lips in a slow, sensual kiss. “Because I’d rather be here with you,” he’d whispered against my lips, dumping a whole field of butterflies into my belly.
And when I caught Luka and Bennett kissing in the hallway, I thought I’d self combust from the heat flooding my system. It was beyond hot, the way Luka got all needy and urgent, while Bennett kept him pressed against the wall. When they caught me staring, they both just grinned at me and dragged me between them, alternating between kissing me and each other until I was just a puddle on the floor.
After rescuing me from the devious duo, Grayson stole me away to the kitchen, where we cooked together side by side. He used any excuse he had to touch me, and my heart was pounding by the time we finished. I passed out plates of fettuccine while they teased and flirted with me, and by the time we finished eating, I was jittery and hot.
“Time for bed,” Grayson murmured against my throat, dragging his lips across my skin.
I hummed my acknowledgement, leaning into him, but Bennett frowned.
