the moment.”
Julia nodded, almost relieved that they wouldn’t have to hash out everything she knew was stirring under the surface of their relationship. Sometimes, she wished they could put it off forever.
When Drayton shifted his eyes to Mike, seeking his response, Mike’s gaze was an obvious challenge. “Don’t lie to Julia again. Even about things you consider minor.”
Drayton narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been playing the white knight a lot lately. Keep it up, and I’ll start to pursue everything you’ve been trying to hide.”
Julia felt an overpowering flash of fear as the two shared a silent confrontation. She didn’t want that. She couldn’t allow them to finally voice what had been simmering between them for a while. “Stop it, you guys. You’re both acting like little boys. We don’t need an alpha-male showdown. In fact, I think we all need some alone time tonight.”
They’d been supposed to have sex tonight, but that obviously wasn’t going to happen. So Julia went to her room and was relieved when she heard the men go to theirs too.
She got ready for bed and changed into her pajamas—a soft knit tank and short set. But when she crawled into her big, empty bed, she couldn’t lie still.
Too much had happened, and too much hadn’t happened that might have. It felt like her whole world was on the verge of crumbling. She might not be completely happy with their relationship, but that was because she wanted it to be deeper. Not because she wanted it to end.
She stayed in the dark room alone for as long as she could, but the emotional energy kept shuddering inside her, and it wouldn’t leave her alone.
She needed someone.
So she padded out into the hall barefoot and stood in the dark for a moment. She’d been planning to go to Drayton. She would apologize again, and so would he. Then he’d soothe her with deft, quiet words until she was able to forget all of her fears. Then he’d kiss and hug her until her body was able to respond to his. Then he’d make love to her until she couldn’t think of anything but the pleasure, the thrill, the delicious satisfaction of being with him. Of living the life she’d known for the last eighteen months.
But she stopped before she entered his room and, without considering why, went into Mike’s room instead.
He was in bed and the room was dark, but she knew he wasn’t asleep.
Her eyes were adjusted to the lack of light, so she could see the outline of his body. He’d been staring at the ceiling, but he turned at her entrance.
She didn’t say anything. Just crawled into bed with him. And he didn’t say anything either as he pulled her into his arms.
She started to shake with emotion. Mike stroked her back and occasionally pressed a soft kiss against her hair.
Drayton hadn’t cheated on them, but Julia knew something was wrong. He was hiding something, and something just wasn’t right about their relationship.
She wanted to be with them both. She wanted so much more from both of them. Sometimes she believed the tension was just because they were ready for the next step toward commitment, but sometimes she was sure it was the rumblings before the collapse. And she was so afraid of the day when pretending it didn’t exist wouldn’t fix things.
When she still couldn’t stop shaking, Mike made a helpless noise in his throat. “It’ll be all right, baby. It will. We’ll figure something out.”
“We shouldn’t have accused him of cheating. Why didn’t I trust him?”
Mike didn’t answer. Perhaps because she already knew what the answer was.
She burrowed against him as his arms tightened around her, and his solid strength and the rough warmth of his body was the most comforting thing she knew in the world.
But she couldn’t forget, couldn’t let all of her fears and grief pass away in the balm of his touch. And after several seconds, she stared up at Mike’s face in the dark. “I’m scared.”
“I know, baby. I know.”
Julia nodded, almost relieved that they wouldn’t have to hash out everything she knew was stirring under the surface of their relationship. Sometimes, she wished they could put it off forever.
When Drayton shifted his eyes to Mike, seeking his response, Mike’s gaze was an obvious challenge. “Don’t lie to Julia again. Even about things you consider minor.”
Drayton narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been playing the white knight a lot lately. Keep it up, and I’ll start to pursue everything you’ve been trying to hide.”
Julia felt an overpowering flash of fear as the two shared a silent confrontation. She didn’t want that. She couldn’t allow them to finally voice what had been simmering between them for a while. “Stop it, you guys. You’re both acting like little boys. We don’t need an alpha-male showdown. In fact, I think we all need some alone time tonight.”
They’d been supposed to have sex tonight, but that obviously wasn’t going to happen. So Julia went to her room and was relieved when she heard the men go to theirs too.
She got ready for bed and changed into her pajamas—a soft knit tank and short set. But when she crawled into her big, empty bed, she couldn’t lie still.
Too much had happened, and too much hadn’t happened that might have. It felt like her whole world was on the verge of crumbling. She might not be completely happy with their relationship, but that was because she wanted it to be deeper. Not because she wanted it to end.
She stayed in the dark room alone for as long as she could, but the emotional energy kept shuddering inside her, and it wouldn’t leave her alone.
She needed someone.
So she padded out into the hall barefoot and stood in the dark for a moment. She’d been planning to go to Drayton. She would apologize again, and so would he. Then he’d soothe her with deft, quiet words until she was able to forget all of her fears. Then he’d kiss and hug her until her body was able to respond to his. Then he’d make love to her until she couldn’t think of anything but the pleasure, the thrill, the delicious satisfaction of being with him. Of living the life she’d known for the last eighteen months.
But she stopped before she entered his room and, without considering why, went into Mike’s room instead.
He was in bed and the room was dark, but she knew he wasn’t asleep.
Her eyes were adjusted to the lack of light, so she could see the outline of his body. He’d been staring at the ceiling, but he turned at her entrance.
She didn’t say anything. Just crawled into bed with him. And he didn’t say anything either as he pulled her into his arms.
She started to shake with emotion. Mike stroked her back and occasionally pressed a soft kiss against her hair.
Drayton hadn’t cheated on them, but Julia knew something was wrong. He was hiding something, and something just wasn’t right about their relationship.
She wanted to be with them both. She wanted so much more from both of them. Sometimes she believed the tension was just because they were ready for the next step toward commitment, but sometimes she was sure it was the rumblings before the collapse. And she was so afraid of the day when pretending it didn’t exist wouldn’t fix things.
When she still couldn’t stop shaking, Mike made a helpless noise in his throat. “It’ll be all right, baby. It will. We’ll figure something out.”
“We shouldn’t have accused him of cheating. Why didn’t I trust him?”
Mike didn’t answer. Perhaps because she already knew what the answer was.
She burrowed against him as his arms tightened around her, and his solid strength and the rough warmth of his body was the most comforting thing she knew in the world.
But she couldn’t forget, couldn’t let all of her fears and grief pass away in the balm of his touch. And after several seconds, she stared up at Mike’s face in the dark. “I’m scared.”
“I know, baby. I know.”
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