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After he turned the water off, he grabbed my robe from the hook on the door and carefully wrapped it around me, ensuring I was fully covered and snug. His gentle fingers then swept up stray strands of wet hair from my face, tucking them behind my ear.
Meeting his gaze, I saw an unspoken tenderness in his eyes.
It was in these quiet, intimate moments with him that I felt truly cherished. He offered his arm for support, and I leaned into him, grateful for his comforting presence. Together, we slowly made our way out of the bathroom.
Liam pulled on some sweatpants, opting to go without a shirt, and we headed downstairs together. I found Bodhi and Mason in the living room, both freshly showered, with their hair still wet.
Sliding onto the couch, I nestled close to Bodhi, placing myself between the two. Liam settled next to Mason. Without missing a beat, Mason lifted my legs, resting them across both him and Liam, with my back against Bodhi.
As Liam’s hands worked to soothe my feet, Mason’s fingers pressed into the muscles of my thighs. The comforting weight of leaning on Bodhi, combined with their touches, submerged me into blissful contentment. I had never been happier in my life.
Suddenly, the sound of the front door jarred me from the moment. My heart raced and my chest constricted.
Eric burst in, his eyes widening in apparent shock at the scene he’d encountered.
CHAPTER20
Mason
Eric stood in the doorway, his bags by his feet, a look of sheer disbelief painted on his face.
The mood of the room grew heavy, the tension palpable. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Zoey’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson, and I watched her grip on Bodhi’s hand tightened instinctively.
“What the fuck is this?” Eric’s voice boomed, echoing through the spacious living area.
I shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of Zoey’s legs across my lap. Beside me, Liam’s jaw clenched, his typically calm demeanor replaced by one of defensiveness.
“Eric,” Zoey began, her voice shaky, “You’re early.”
He didn’t seem to hear her or care about his early arrival. His gaze darted between the four of us, trying to make sense of the scene before him. “I allow you guys to use my parents’ cabin, and I come back to... this?” He motioned with a sweeping gesture. “I knew about Mason, but are you all hooking up with my little sister?”
I felt the need to explain, to defuse the situation, but words eluded me.
What could I say? That we’d all grown incredibly close over the past few weeks? That what had started as an unlikely friendship had evolved into something more?
The truth seemed too complex and raw to lay out in front of Eric, especially given his apparent distress.
Zoey sat up, breaking the physical connection between us, but the emotional ties remained, humming in the air. “Eric, let’s talk,” she pleaded.
I could see the desperation in her gaze.
Eric looked like he was ready to explode, his hands balled into fists at his sides. “I think I’ve seen enough.”
I stood from the couch and faced my friend.
Zoey, Liam, and Bodhi followed my lead.
For a moment, the room was plunged into an almost eerie silence, punctuated only by the sound of our collective breaths. The weight of Eric’s words pressed down on all of us, but most heavily on Zoey.
Bodhi was the first to break the silence. He cleared his throat, trying to remain the voice of reason. “Eric, let’s not jump to conclusions. Nothing has happened that we all aren’t on board with.”
Liam added, “We all respect Zoey. This... arrangement might not look traditional, but it’s something we all want.”
Eric shot him a cold look. “You think that makes it better? You’re all my best friends. And all three of you are… what, her new boyfriends?” He took a deep, ragged breath, struggling to keep his emotions in check. “I don’t even know what to say right now.”
I swallowed hard, the knot in my stomach tightening. “We never meant for it to happen like this. But, Eric, feelings aren’t something we can always control.”
Zoey’s eyes were filled with tears, but she held her ground, her voice more assertive than I’d ever heard it. “Eric, I’m not a child. I understand the implications and the dynamics. But these past weeks, with all that’s happened, these relationships... they’ve been my solace. They’ve been the thing that’s kept me grounded.”
