I’m immediately defensive. “Are you an expert in animal husbandry?”
“My mom’s a vet, so…want me to check him out?”
“And do what? Give him an erection? No thanks. We’re letting him sleep tonight.”
“What you need to understand about bitches in heat is they’re super snuggly. If she wanted it, she would have gotten it.”
Without meaning to, I glance over at Millie, and I can tell she’s listening, eyebrow arched.
Bailey is glaring at her and says something to get her to stop looking at me. Millie snaps to attention at whatever Bailey’s command was, and all of a sudden she’s over by the sangria, asking if anyone needs a refill. Bailey winks at me.
Nice trick.
To Rachel, I say my standard, “Apollo isn’t the only intact male in the building. And I don’t want to talk about it anymore. How’s work?”
“I’m guessing not as fun asyourjob.” With that she glances at Isaac.
Jesus.I guess I shouldn’t be surprised Rachel and Priya know Isaac is my boss. I told Calyx. And Sam.
Priya, who’s not as shameless as Rachel, speaks up finally. “Work is tolerable. Rachel just made partner, and she’s being a bossy bitch, but what did we expect, right?”
Rachel bumps Priya with her hip. “She loves it. What’s for dinner?”
“Stew,” I say.
“Interesting. Well, if Deacon’s making it, I’m sure it’ll be amazing.”
I spot Miguel and his on again off again plus one Nathan coming in the door. Now that everyone we’ve invited is here, I steer them toward the living room.
Deacon and Bailey stay in the kitchen, and I wind up on the couch between Isaac and Miguel. While Deacon claims these people as his friends, they came together around Ryan and Malcolm. They all work in finance, with the exception of Racheland Priya, so there’s a lot of work and industry gossip until Nathan and Miguel get put under the spotlight and mumble through responses about whether they’re actually together or not.
In the times I’ve seen them, and tonight isn’t an exception, it’s obvious Nathan wants to be, and Miguel is keeping his options open. I get the impression there are some trust issues, and I can’t say I don’t relate.
Millie somehow hooked her phone up to the bluetooth, so we’re being subjected to another one of her eclectic playlists. I groan internally when Garth Brooks comes on, and Isaac laughs. “I’ll be right back.” He gives my thigh a squeeze before standing.
The space beside me is quickly filled by Bailey, and I turn around to find Deacon gone from the kitchen. “Is he okay?”
“He said he needed five minutes.”
He does that. It’s not unusual. It makes more sense now, knowing he can get overstimulated, but with Isaac gone, too…
My first urge is to go after them, but I don’t. Even as I resist it though, the jealousy and FOMO reach a simmer in my chest. As the seconds and minutes tick by, I get increasingly agitated. I don’t go after them. I have no right to their alone time, or to be jealous. I’ve been alone with each of them a ton this week, but there’s still an ache in my chest at not being asked to join.
I get up and check all the food in the kitchen while I stuff my face with cheese and crackers. I give the stew a stir and top off my sangria. Eventually—like three songs later, Deacon reappears, frowning at me for standing too close to the stew pot probably, and looking eerily calm. Even glazed.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
“Just making sure nothing’s burning.”
He frowns, and here comes Isaac. His hair isn’t the same. It’s ruffled. His lips are swollen and red enough that his facial hairdoesn’t hide a thing. No one’s paying any attention to us, so he joins Deacon and me in the kitchen.
“Did you guys just have sex?” I ask.
“No,” Isaac says.
“You did something.”
“This is a lot tonight,” Deacon says with a sideways glance at Isaac.
