Page 210 of Theirs to Desire (Club M: Boxed Set)

“He flew in from Los Angeles yesterday morning. He couldn't have gotten more than a couple hours of sleep on Friday night, and then there was last night.” He gives me a cheerful smile. “I’ve never been happier to pull an all-nighter.”

My cheeks heat. Last night was. . . let’s just say I’m very well-fucked. “What was he doing in Los Angeles?” I’m being nosy, but I want to know everything about the two men.

“One of his comics got optioned, and it looks like they’re going to film the pilot this year.

The producer wants Julian to co-write the screenplay.

” He winces. “Poor Julian. The timing is terrible.

He's got the house to finish, another comic that's due, and now this screenplay.” He glances at me.

“What were you two talking about last night?”

His tone is a little too innocent, a little too casual. Hang on, is Damien jealous? Oh, I’m going to enjoy this. I take a sip of my coffee and lean back against the counter. “Wouldn't you like to know?” I tease.

“It’s none of my business,” he says hastily. “Sorry. Pretend I didn’t ask.”

I roll my eyes. “I already told you what we talked about,” I tell him.

“Julian said there was obvious chemistry between you and me, and he asked if he should go. I’d just finished telling him I wanted both of you when you came downstairs and asked me the same question.

” I give him an exasperated look. “I was starting to wonder what it takes for a girl to get a threesome around here.”

He laughs out loud. “You just have to ask for what you want.”

I did. Several times. “You looked surprised when I did.”

“You have to admit that it's not exactly the conventional choice,” he responds.

Oh, I am enjoying this. I quirk an eyebrow. “Are you calling me boring and sexually unadventurous? Damien, I think I'm offended.”

“Ouch.” A look of chagrin washes over his face. “In my defense, I’ve only had one cup of coffee so far. I can't be held liable for what comes out of my mouth.”

The poor guy. I should stop busting his balls.

His mug is empty, and I refill it. “I’m adopted,” I tell him.

“My parents are a gay, interracial couple with five kids. I’m used to being perceived as unconventional.

If I had a dollar for every person who clutched their pearls at the thought of two men adopting a child, I’d be on a yacht somewhere. Or diving into a pool of money.”

“You were adopted?” He gives me a curious look. “But same-sex marriage has only been legal in the United States since 2015.”

Same-sex marriage has been in popular culture and in the news so long that most people forget how recently they were granted that right. I give him a questioning look. “How come you know that?”

“My brother Cristiano and his partner Magnus want to get married and have kids,” he says. “Unfortunately, it’s not legal in Peru, so they moved to New York earlier this year.”

“Ah, okay. You’re right. It wasn’t legal when I was growing up.

” I try to keep the bitterness from my voice, but I’m not particularly successful.

“My biological mother, Denise, was a shitty parent. When I was two, she dropped me and my brother Ben off at her brother Lenny’s house and took off.

Lenny and his partner Hank brought us up.

We only saw Denise when she wanted money.

She’d show up and threaten to take Ben and me away unless my fathers paid her off.

” I take a deep breath. I haven’t seen Denise in years, but I will never forgive her for threatening to remove me from my home and family.

I can never forget the fear I felt every time I opened the door to see her there.

“I don’t give a fuck what the world says.

Dad and Papa are my parents, not Denise. ”

“That had to be a difficult way to grow up.”

“I had a great childhood, Damien.”

“Except you always knew it could get taken away from you.”

Oh. Oh. All my life, I’ve been conditioned to think good things can be ripped away from me at a moment’s notice.

If my custody had ever become a matter for the courts, they would have recognized Denise’s claim over me.

They weren’t going to protect me from her.

Lenny and Hank wouldn’t have found justice in the legal system.

That’s why I was so ready to believe that Damien got me fired.

Oh, wow.

Julian comes downstairs just then. “You shouldn’t have let me sleep in,” he grumbles. “Good morning, Sophia.” He pours himself a cup of coffee and joins us at the dining table. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation.”

“You didn’t,” Damien replies. “Sophia was telling me about her complicated childhood.” He gives Julian a sidelong glance. “A familiar topic for you.”

“It was Hannah who had a shitty childhood, not me.” He looks at me. “My parents favored me over my sister. It was not pleasant.”

That’s why renovating the greenhouse is so important. That’s why Julian is working flat out. He’s making amends.

Damien’s phone beeps. He glances at it and sighs. “I have to take a call in ten minutes,” he says. “Sophia, I’m so sorry?—”

He has a meeting on Sunday morning. The poor guy. “That’s okay. I should head back home anyway.”

He puts his hand on top of mine. “In case there’s any doubt about it, I want to see you again.” He glances at Julian. “We both do.”

Ten years. I can’t help feeling like I wasted so much time. I’m determined not to let it happen again. “I want to see you too.”

“Have dinner with us on Wednesday?” Julian asks.

I pull out my phone and open my calendar. My only appointment Wednesday is with Dr. Hernandez to discuss the results of my fertility tests.

Fuck. I forgot all about that.

This doesn’t feel like a fling. This feels real.

Is it, though? Damien is leaving in three weeks. Julian wants to sell his house as soon as he can. And you’re thirty-five. Can you take a chance on a new relationship, knowing that with each passing day, your odds of having a baby get lower? Can you afford to wait?

I should tell them about my sperm donor plans, but I find myself hesitating. It's very early days. I don’t even know if this is a relationship. We haven’t talked about exclusivity. We’ve had one night together, that’s all.

I can’t throw this at them. It’s too soon. What would that conversation be like? I need to know if you’re serious because I want a baby. Hell, no. If I lead with that, all I’ll accomplish is chasing them off.

“Yeah, I can do that.”

Will this blow up in my face? Maybe. But I can’t cancel my appointment. I can’t afford the risk. I refuse to let one night of glorious sex alter my life plans.