Present Day
Jaypushesmeagainstthe side of his car door, and I’m immediately taken back to that first night we shared. The hot and heavy kissing. Him fumbling to get the key fob out of his pocket.
Quickly scanning the parking garage, I see no one else in sight. He’s pressed against me but doesn’t make a move. He just stares at me and holds my hands in his between our chests. Marco boxes us in, placing his hand firmly on my neck and squeezing. “How do you feel?”
My body is still riding this high of anticipation. And more than anything, I just need them. “I need to be held,” I whisper.
Jay lets go of my hands, leans back, and pulls me into him, as Marco takes the place behind me, both wrapping their arms around each other. I hold on tight to Jay’s torso, my face pressed hard against his dress coat. I know my makeup is probably rubbing off on him, but I couldn’t care less. They feel like a weighted blanket against me.
“It’s over, baby,” Jay murmurs into my hair. “It’s over.”
“You were incredible today, beautiful. Powerful and poised.”
I sigh deeply between them, the cold winter air filling my lungs but their bodies warming me. “Can we play hooky and get some drinks?”
Marco rumbles a small laugh behind me. “Of course.”
Jay leads us across the street to the Ritz-Carlton where we are seated in a swanky lounge. Rich fabrics and deep cushioned seats welcome us. Jay orders our drinks as well as some appetizers and I can feel my body relaxing just watching him. He knows what I like… and I like letting him order for me.
It’s then that it really sinks in: how much I trust them. I’ve been doing everything on my own since I left Theo. And even when I was with him, there was still so much I kept controlled between us. I was the planner. The organizer. The one to make sure we saw our families and paid our bills. I’m not saying he didn’t contribute to the relationship, but I didn’t realize how exhausting it was until now.
“You know what?” Jay says, raising an eyebrow, then rummaging in his pants pocket to pull out his wallet. “We’re getting a room here. We need to celebrate properly.”
Smiling, he jumps up from his chair and bounds for the reception desk. “We don’t have any changes of clothes!” I quietly shout, but he waves me off and disappears.
Marco runs a hand over my thigh and whispers in my ear, “You probably won’t be needing those anyway.” A shiver covers my whole body and my pussy clenches at his voice.
“You promise?” I tease.
“Be a good girl and find out.”
Fuck me.Where is Jay with the room key?
Jay makes his way back with a shit-eating grin as I sit on a tan velvet couch against Marco. Jay sits next to us in an armchair when the server comes around with our drinks. “Room 1804 is waiting for us.” With his foot perched on his knee and a whiskey in his hand, Jay looks positively sinful in that suit.
“What are we waiting for?” I ask, closing my eyes and taking a fortifying sip of my cocktail, feeling the alcohol seep into my bones. I can smell Marco’s scent, and I can feel my body give in.
I tilt my head, and Marco plants a chaste kiss on me before saying, “Youare going to eat because you barely ate anything at lunch. You’re going to need your energy later.”
My voice matches my sultry attitude when I say, “Mmm. In that case, you both better eat, because I’m gonna make you work.”
Cocking an eyebrow, Jay pulls the cherry out of his whiskey and makes a sexy little show out of eating it. “Tell me more,” he purrs.
“Alright you two, settle down. You’re getting me hard and I’mnotabout to walk through a high-end hotel lobby with an erection.” Both of us giggle quietly.
Deciding to be merciful, I change the subject to one I know Jay’s itching to talk about. “Give me the tea, babe. What were you thinking during the hearing?”
He sets his glass down on the low table between us and leans forward. “Are you kidding me? That was insane! McKenzie came in like a hurricane no one saw coming! No one was prepared for that. Oh my god, and poor Leona. Jonathan looked like he was gonna burst the whole time.”
I chuckle at his enthusiasm and recount the day’s events with him. When our food arrives, we pick and dip and order another round of drinks.
Marco pulls my legs over his and holds me close. “You were a force today, baby. I knew you were going to win. Even without that girl showing up, you had it in the bag.”
My fingers comb through his short beard and gaze into his eyes. “Thank you for being here today. You were this reminder I needed to breathe and calm down.” I give him a tender kiss and hum against his lips. “I love you so much.”
“I love you more.”
Downing the last of his drink, Jay abruptly stands up and clears his throat. “Oh, theI Love You Moregame, huh? Come on, let’s go play it in the elevator.”
