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twenty-three

Rory

“Lovebug!”

Lane holds his arms open as soon as Sage and I walk through the door, and she immediately runs to him. “Dada!”

“I missed you, baby girl,” he says, wrapping her up in his arms as she lays her head on his shoulder.

“She was so excited for you to get back,” I say, setting down the bag of Sage’s things. “She missed you.”

“I missed her, too. It was nice to hang out with the guys, though.” Lane sets Sage down on the ground, and she runs to the living room, immediately going for her tub of blocks. He turns to look at me now, a mischievous smirk on his face. “Turns out Cole’s got some loose lips when he drinks.”

I immediately heat up and bring my hands up to cover my face. “No, no, no. Please tell me he didn’t.”

“Oh, he did.”

“How did that come up?” I ask, keeping my hands in place to cover my embarrassment.

“Crazy sex stories,” Lane chuckles. “Josh made Cole tell us one of his. Apparently, cornfields don’t count as a crazy place, so he only had one other experience that would fit—fucking his Field Manager’s daughter.”

“Lane!” I chastise. “Your daughter is in the other room.” He throws his head back and laughs while I groan. “I don’t know why I thought he wouldn’t tell you guys.”

“To be fair, he was very drunk.”

“Absolutely shitfaced is what he told me,” I laugh.

“We all were,” he laughs. “Rory, that man is wrapped around your finger. I don’t know why you thought you’d get it out of your system. You clearly like him, too.”

“I know,” I sigh. “I’ve liked him since I met him. But we’ve spent so much more time together this year. It got to the point where I can’t ignore it.”

“So you slept with him.”

“Why am I talking about my sex life with my damn boss?”

Lane scoffs. “We’re friends, Ror. This isn’t your typical boss-employee relationship.” His face turns softer now. “I can tell you that Cole isn’t going to forget. He asked us where the nearest monastery is, for fuck’s sake.”

I throw my head back and howl with laughter. “So he’s never having sex again?”

“Not if it isn’t with you.”

The words hit me like a freight train.

Cole doesn’t just want me; I’m the only one he wants.

And he wants me so much that he’ll live a life of celibacy if he can’t have me.

Why is that a turn-on?

I still want him.

Cole’s right—I didn’t get him out of my system either.

God, I wish our circumstances were different.

“Teasing aside,” Lane says, “I like this. I like the idea of you two together.”

“We can’t be together, Lane. You know my dad.”

He rolls his eyes. “Your dad can get over it. You’re practically twenty-six, Rory. He can’t control what you do.”

“He can’t control what I do, you’re right. But he can take it out on Cole. I don’t want that.”

“Cole’s not going to get benched. It would be bad for the team.”

“I don’t know if I can risk that.”

Lane’s face is sympathetic. “Well, if you ever decide to go for it, your friends will be in your corner. We’ve all got your back.”

“Thanks, Lane.”

I text Lucia and Ella as soon as I leave Lane’s. I’m hoping they can give me a bit of advice on how to handle all of this.

When I walk into Ella and Josh’s apartment, I find both of them on their living room sofa, with Lucia taking the chair to the side.

“Hey, babe!” Ella yells, beckoning me over.

“Hey,” I say, voice wavering as I take the remaining chair in the living room. Josh is trying to suppress a smile, and I can feel my cheeks flush.

“What’s up, Ror?” he says, stifling a laugh.

“You already fucking know, Josh,” I groan. “I just talked to Lane.”

“Yeah, I had a feeling.”

“Did I miss something?” Lucia asks. “You two are being very vague.”

“It’s obviously something about Cole since Harlow isn’t here,” Ella says.

I sigh. “Yes, this is about Cole.” Josh starts to laugh again, and I snap in his direction. “Quiet, Garro.”

“I’m just sitting here!” I level him with a disbelieving look. “Okay fine. I’ll be quiet.”

“What the hell happened?” Ella asks. “We seem to keep having emergency meetings.”

“That’s because shit keeps happening.”

“Did he kiss you?!” Lucia asks excitedly. “I bet he finally did. But you know Harlow won’t care about that, so why isn’t she here?”

“Because I need more time to figure out how to tell her I fucked her brother, that’s why!”

Lucia and Ella squeal in delight as Josh rears his head back and laughs. “You two are fucking perfect for each other. Neither of you have any chill.”

“You had sex with Cole?” Ella looks at me, absolutely giddy.

“Yes,” I sigh. “We didn’t plan on it happening, but it did. And oh my God, guys, he’s so good in bed.”

Josh stands now. “Well, it’s good to hear that my friend knows what he’s doing, but I think it’s time to get out of here. I don’t need the details that are about to come out.” He silently exits the room while we lose ourselves in conversation.

“How good was he?” Lucia leans forward, eager to hear more.

“I have never had sex like that. He’s the only man that’s made me come with his head between my legs.”

“He seems like he’d have a good tongue,” Ella adds.

“You’re getting married literally next week, Ell.”

“Please, Josh’s tongue is the only one I’ve ever had. I’m not looking for another,” she chuckles.

“Okay,” Lucia chimes. “We all know Cole is a nice guy. Is he nice in bed, too?”

I smile as I remember that night, the night I keep telling myself to forget. “He is not nice in bed. Cole Pierce has a filthy mouth.”

“No, he does not!” Ella says in disbelief. “Cole seems like he would blush if someone said the word cock.”

“I’m pretty sure cock is his favorite word,” I laugh. “It’s kind of hard to believe that the man who always tripped over his words around me is the same one that called me a dirty little slut last week.”

“What?!” They yell in unison.

“I told you he was filthy,” I smile.

“So what’s happening now?” Lucia asks.

“Nothing,” I exhale. “I said that it was only one night.” They both stare at me. “Yeah, yeah. I know one night wasn’t enough.”

“So go get more,” Ella shrugs.

“I want to, but I can’t.”

“Stop saying you can’t,” Lucia chastises. “Erase that from your vocabulary. You and Cole click really fucking well, inside and outside the bedroom, apparently. Fuck what your dad thinks.”

The more I talk about it, the more I feel myself slipping further into the feelings I had that night.

The ones telling me to stick around.

The ones telling me to let him make me breakfast in the morning.

The ones telling me I’m never going to find happiness like I feel with Cole.

It scares me, but what we have between us is strong. It’s so hard to turn away from it.

I’m doing what I think is in his best interest, but when he clearly isn’t bothered by risking everything he’s worked for, it might just be impossible to stay away forever…