We opened up, and our tongues met for the first time. We swirled, devoured, and tasted. Linden placed his palms over my ears, holding my head like I was holding his, deepening the kiss. We were making up for lost time. Lost years. I would never take him for granted again. I would do whatever it took to make this work between the three of us. If he wanted me to fuck him, then I would. If he wanted to fuck me, I’d give it to him on a damn silver platter.
Linden suddenly pulled back, gasping and pressing our foreheads together. “I’ve waited so fucking long for that kiss.”
“You can have as many as you want for the rest of our lives.”
He reached underneath his shirt, and his hand slipped into the waist of his jeans. He tugged out a black piece of fabric. Lacy fabric.
“Those don’t belong on you, either. They belong to Atlas.”
“I thought…”
“If you were any other man, perhaps. But not you. Not Linden Pierce. He doesn’t wear feminine things. He never has. Don’t change who you are for me.”
“That’s… not quite true.”
I raised a brow in question. “Oh?”
“I’ve worn panties, stockings, and shit in secret. I guess I was hoping you’d notice without me actually showing you, which was pretty fucking dumb.”
“You did all that for me?”
He nodded. “Hugh, I’m not entirely sure I’d even be here were it not for Atlas. He came over, being a mother hen, forcing me to eat Greek food and to talk to him. He helped make me pretty for you and talked me into telling you everything.”
I smiled at that. I could see Atlas doing just that. He really was the glue that brought us all together. He was our bridge to mend things.
I craned my head to look around Linden, suddenly realizing Atlas hadn’t uttered a word, which was completely unlike him. Instead of seeing him by the tree petting Mrs. Peaches, who was curled up in a ball under the tree, but Atlas wasn’t to be seen.
“Atlas? Where is he?”
Linden climbed off me and stood. “Atlas?”
We walked around the house, checking his room, the bathroom, and the basement, calling for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
“What the hell?” I mumbled to myself.
“Hugh?” Linden called out. His tone sounded worried, so I rushed to him. “I think he’s gone.”
“Where could he have gone? Did you not drive here together?”
“No, we drove separate cars. He asked to, and I didn’t question it until now. Fuck, did he… want to leave?”
Why would Atlas just leave like that? “No way. I almost lost you. I’m not about to lose him, too. Fuck that.”
“I don’t understand. He seemed fine when he came to talk to me.”
Atlas’s reasoning suddenly dawned on me. “That little bitch. If he knows how long you’ve had feelings for me, he probably thinks we just belong together.”
“Idiot. Doesn’t he realize we love him, too?”
“Why would he, since we haven’t told him?”
“Then we need to find him,” Linden said, grabbing his keys. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 29
Atlas
Ichokedonasob as I drove off. Linden and Hugh looked so beautiful together, finally finding each other. All it took was for the dumbasses to open their eyes and see what was right in front of them. The way Linden sat on Hugh’s lap, and how Hugh held Linden and told him he loved him, was a beautiful sight. I was so glad I’d dragged Linden over to Hugh’s place to talk, finally. It was worth it.
