Reed shut his mouth and seemed content to lay next to me. Rubbing his head, I felt some of the tension leave his body. He had openly been bratting, something he didn’t usually do. My thoughts returned to the same place they had been drifting to about wanting two partners. Two submissives to worship in the bedroom. Eloise was sweet and sassy. Plus, she’d trusted me enough to let me help her. It left me satisfied. Taking care of others was something I’d always done naturally and one of the reasons I’d become a medic.
But my past shit reared its ugly head whenever I found myself in a relationship. Underneath my cocky exterior I had insecurities that I didn’t openly share. I had yet to find a partner who trusted me the way I longed for. If only I could get Reed out of his shell and agreeing to a relationship.
“Have you ever thought about being in a throuple?” I asked suddenly, because I had to know.
I was met with gentle snores. Either I’d bored Reed to sleep, or he finally felt safe enough to let go of whatever pressure had been mounting inside him. I hoped it was the latter. I had a feeling my brain was about to keep me awake with endless possibilities involving my best friend and the gorgeous, sassy blonde asleep in the other room.
Four
Eloise
What should have been a simple repair had turned into something much more costly. There was enough money in my savings, but it would sting my bottom line if I paid for it outright. Standing in between my two brothers, Dane and Drew, at the auto shop, turned into a family disagreement. It happened whenever the two of them were together in person, petty things that didn’t matter as if they couldn’t move on from shit that happened in the past.
Dane’s eyes flashed with irritation as he spoke to our older brother, Drew. “If you could bother to remove the stick from your ass every once in a while–”
“Hey, hey!” I clapped my hands like they were having a miscommunication in our childhood years instead of in their mid-to-late thirties.
Somehow it worked and the two of them couldn’t hide their smiles. We walked outside of the shop so we could have more privacy.
“This is my problem, okay?”
But it wasn’t just the car. My brothers had my back, and I valued them more than anyone else in my life, but we hadn’t been on the same page in a while.
“We’ll help, Eli. You’re frustrated. Let’s take a breath,” Dane said, ever the voice of reason.
Both of them were typically unflappable, but not around each other. That Dane had gotten so upset a minute ago showed how unbalanced our relationships currently were.
Drew cleared his throat. “I’m quitting our parents’ company next week. Now maybe you’ll see that I haven’t been against you this whole time. I haven’t handed in my resignation yet.”
“We didn’t judge you for staying there. That’s never been on our minds.” Dane spoke for both of us. “Did things get that messy after we left?”
“Chaos is a better word. Mom and Dad both blame me.”
I nearly growled. “Blameyou? What do you mean they blame you?”
“Easy there, spitfire,” Drew said gently. “It doesn’t matter now. Neither of you have to worry about it. But, for the first time in my life I’m facing the unknown. I don’t love it and it puts me in a bad mood.”
“You love a challenge! Don’t pretend you don’t.” Dane kicked our brother’s shoe.
Drew slapped his hand across the top of Dane’s head, and Dane retaliated by shoving him sideways. Roughhousing meant that somewhere deep inside they still cared and still loved each other. Just like when we were all kids. It had always been the way they worked through minor disagreements so to see them wrestling a bit gave me a surge of hope.
“Don’t hurt yourself, Drew. I’m wrestling a firefighter on a regular basis. Did you forget that I’m with Tanner? I’m stronger than you now,” Dane said with a cocky smile.
“You don’t know what I like to do in my spare time, cowboy.” Drew locked an arm around Dane’s neck. “I’m proud of you for finally going your own way, you know that? Because I am.”
“Don’t get sentimental on me, brother,” Drew responded with a grin.
The two of them straightened and hugged each other. After so many years spent in disagreement over a bunch of things that didn’t matter, it was heartwarming to see my brothers getting along. At least at the moment.
“I’m glad you’re quitting,” I said, offering my feelings on the matter. “You’ll be so much happier, even if it’s a big step.”
“You aren’t happy,” Dane pointed out gently as Drew looked on. “I’ve been watching you burn the candle on both ends and then lighting more candles instead of taking a break. You’ll have a raging inferno if you keep ignoring–”
“Don’t start with me, Legend.” I used his legal name with a hard glare. Dane was a little too on the nose with his assessment.
“She’s using your government name,” Drew said, chuckling. “She must be fired up!”
“Shut it, Drew.” I directed my glare to my other brother. They weren’t supposed to gang up on me.
