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“Andrew had a spell on me for so long. He controlled so much of me. But he couldn’t do what each of you did to me.” She let out a quiet laugh when Bogie sat on her feet and rubbed his head on her legs. “So, I think I took advantage of you guys. I’d never felt good about myself in that way and I didn’t want it to stop. I don’t know why it’s you three that make me feel that way, but I should’ve talked to you about it. I should’ve been open and up-front. Instead, I chanced our friendship for my own selfish needs.”
I sat forward on the couch at the same time as Sam, but we both stayed silent when Poppy held up her hand.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry and I’ve missed you guys. I hate not hearing from you. I hate it so much.” Her voice broke but she quickly cleared her throat and looked away. “Of course, if you ever try to say I said that, I’ll deny it and then be forced to murder you.”
Jude was across the living room and pulling Poppy into his arms faster than she could hold out her arms and pretend she didn’t need comforting. He grunted at her when she tried to pull away and she finally relaxed into his hold.
I didn’t even realize I was standing until I was already on my feet and standing on the other side of Poppy, stroking the back of her hair. Sam was right there with us, cupping her face and running his thumb over her cheek. My chest ached like weights were pressing down on it and I had so much to say, but I didn’t know where to start.
“I’m okay, guys. Honest.” Poppy grumbled as she worked her way out of our hold. “I just needed to say all that, I guess.”
I didn’t think twice about scooping her up and carrying her to the couch. I sat with her sideways on my lap and held my arm over her lap so she couldn’t jump up. “We’re a long way from done talking.”
Sam sat next to us on the couch and nodded. If he thought the way I was holding Poppy was wrong, he didn’t say anything. “Cy’s right. You opened a can of worms.”
“You may want to rethink bringing any of us to the wedding, though, Poppy.” Jude pulled the coffee table forward so he could sit just as close to her. “I have a feeling any of us would gladly knock Andrew flat out.”
She shook her head and kept her eyes down, doing her best to hide the blush on her cheeks. “Can’t you just accept my apology and let things go back to normal? Do we really need to talk?”
“How could you not feel beautiful, Poppy?” Sam’s slightly raised voice drew her gaze to him. “Sorry. It just pisses me off that someone was able to look at you and not let you feel how fucking stunning they found you. It wouldn’t matter if you were in a dress or a fucking dirty pair of coveralls. You’re still beautiful, Poppy.”
“It’s not that easy.” Poppy looked from me to Jude and finally back at Sam. “I’ve spent my whole life being one of the guys. I always heard that I’d be cuteifI put on a dress and brushed my hair. The guys I tried to date were never interested because I could play ball better than them and kick their ass if I had to.”
I took her hand and curled mine around it. “PoJo, you’re the most beautiful woman around. It’s just made that much better because you can play ball with us and you’ve beaten two of the three of us sitting here in a wrestling match. That’s hot.”
“If it’s so hot then why don’t you ever date women like me?” She lifted her jaw in that stubborn way that made me want to bite it. “None of you go near women like me. You’re always bringing home the pretty girls in dresses with perfect hair and makeup.”
Sam shook his head. “No, I’m not. I haven’t brought a woman home since you moved into this house, Poppy.”
I looked at Jude and frowned. I had no idea that was true. “And I don’t date women like you because there are no women like you, Poppy. You’re pretty special.”
She looked at Jude and he held up his hands. “I don’t know, Poppy. I feel like an asshole for saying this, but I only recently considered dating for a purpose beyond getting laid. I wasn’t looking at those women as anything beyond a night or two. Even still, they all end up getting compared to you. So the fact that you’ve spent your life feeling less-than is ridiculous to me. You’re the bar I’ve measured every woman in my life against.”
Poppy’s eyes welled with tears but she quickly put her hands over her face and groaned at us. “Don’t! Don’t say a word. These are not tears. I just have allergies. Just give me a second to get my allergies under control.”
Sam rested his hand on Poppy’s thigh and I watched his thumb stroke her skin, jealous that he was feeling just how soft she was there. “As for sexy, Poppy. I’m pretty sure you now know that we all find you insanely sexy and were willing to cross every line that ever existed to touch you.”
I grunted an agreement. “I considered punching Sam over it.”
Her outraged gasp was too cute as she shifted to face me. Unfortunately, the shift put her ass right on top of my dick and my body responded instantly. “No. If you three even start to fight over—”
I bit my lip to hide any reaction as I watched her feel my hard-on growing under her. It was terrible timing, but there was no way I could control my body with her wiggling around on top of me.
“What?” Jude studied Poppy’s flushed face.
She cleared her throat and spoke with a slight squeak to her voice. “Um, nothing. Nope. Anyway, what was I saying?”
Sam looked at me hard and then rolled his eyes. “I’d bet my last dollar that Cyrus just poked Poppy.”
Jude’s eyes went wide before he laughed. Shaking his head, he spoke between chuckles. “Looks like we’ve come to a new phase of our friendship, one where erections are just another part of the group?”
I rubbed my face and pinched the bridge of my nose. “If we could all stop talking about it, that’d be great.”
Poppy snorted and then burst into a fit of laughter. She shook on top of my lap and I was forced to grip the couch and ignore the urge telling me to take her right then and there. “Oh god. This is nuts. What are we doing?”
I groaned when she shifted on top of me again. “I know what I’m about to be doing if you don’t stop wiggling around.”
She met my heated gaze and I swore when I saw need in hers. “I thought we weren’t doing that anymore…I just…are you guys not done?”
