Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Rafe came in with two bottles of wine after work. “So what’s with the family meeting? It sounded serious.” He kissed my cheek as he put down the wine.
I stirred the chicken and pasta I’d made, already steaming on the stove.
“That smells great. My mom never even cooked like that. Can I make a salad or anything?”
“You can get the biscuits out of the oven,” I said, turning away from him, away from the fact that I wanted to go into his arms and cry and beg forgiveness.
Leo came out of the bathroom in a towel and went to get dressed. I couldn’t look at him. I was ashamed of what I’d done, how I’d wrecked my own life and possibly even theirs.
A few minutes later, I put down the glass of wine Rafe had poured for me and served the food. We sat together, and I looked at them, so overwhelmed with a flood of regret. I could have had this sweet camaraderie, the friendship and protection of two extraordinary men, and I’d let my hormones run away with me.
“Guys,” I said, clearing my throat, taking a long drink. “I need to tell you both something. I’m moving out. Tomorrow.”
“What? No,” Leo said. “You don’t need to do that.”
“Yeah, I do. I screwed up. I took advantage. Rafe,” I turned to him, my heart twisting in my chest, “It’s almost like I set out to sabotage the best thing in my life. I owe you an apology. I know I kissed you after I had that nightmare, and that was over the line. I just wish it had stopped there. But this morning, when I stayed here to meet Leo after his shift—God, it’s hard to admit this. I waited for Leo. I took him to bed because I wanted to. Not because he was upset over the casualties from the wreck he’d just come from. I’ve been attracted to him from the beginning. But that’s not even the worst of it. I feel the same way about you. I’m so embarrassed to admit this, but you both deserve better from me. Honesty is the least I owe you. I have feelings for you both. So that’s why I’m leaving.”
I swallowed hard, biting my lip and waiting for Rafe’s reaction.
He stared at me for a moment before speaking. “No way,” he said. “I mean, I can’t pretend I’m glad you slept with Leo, but I’m not surprised either. I always knew it would be one of us. There was no avoiding it. We were living in close quarters, both drawn to you. I wish it had been me, but I’m not going to kick you out over it. What about you? Do you want her to leave?” he asked Leo.
I drained my glass of wine and poured another, never taking my eyes off them. I felt like the verdict over my whole life was hanging in the balance. That called for a bucket of chardonnay. I noticed Rafe was hitting the bottle of red just as hard.
“Hell no. And I see where you’re coming from. I kind of thought it would be you, too. I was honestly surprised by it, but I’m not sorry it happened, bro. I hope you can forgive me because I might as well confess, if we’re admitting all our sins here, that I caught feelings.”
“Oh God, not you,” Rafe laughed.
I couldn’t believe he was laughing.
“What?” I said, not following the joke.
“Leo is the worst. He hooks up and moves on. The joke is if he ever catches feelings the world has ended, and hell froze over.”
“Then Satan’s skiing down a snowy mountain right now,” Leo said with a lopsided grin. “Because, and I’m trying not to brag here, but it wasn’t just next level hot. There was, and feel free to laugh your ass off here, some kind of major connection when we were together.”
“So essentially you’re saying that she screwed your brains out completely and left me with Dr. Phil for a roommate?” Rafe said, glowering at Leo with so much amusement in his face that I let myself feel a little swell of relief.
I was totally and completely confused. It was not the reaction I had expected at all.
“And as for you, Lexi, I don’t want you to leave. This is the situation we’re in. We wanted you to move in. Then we both wanted you in our beds. We wanted you to choose if you wanted one of us, not to try and guide you one way or the other. I’m not going to be a sore loser. Yeah, it sucks to be me right now, but it would be worse if you left, if you moved out because of it. So, stay with us. We both want you here. And if you feel the need to hook up with Leo, just lock the door. I don’t want to go in to borrow his phone charger and find you on top of him. I honestly have to jerk off enough as it is with you living here.”