Torrin’s mouth drops open in surprise and I clench my teeth. I looked up that reverse harem thing last night on my phone. The idea of sharing the woman I love is ridiculous. I turn my head and look over at Luna. It's like she can feel my gaze and she turns to meet my stare. Her eyes warm and then move to the other guys. I don’t miss the love she has in that look for all of us, and it makes my heart sink. She loves all of us. She would have to choose one of us, and no matter how much I want her, I don’t know if she would choose me. I swallow hard and turn to look at Julian. He’s already looking back like he was waiting for me to figure that out. His gaze is hard with a challenge. He arches one eyebrow and quietly says, “Choo-choo.”
Chapter 31 - Julian
I tilt my head back a bit and let the sun wash over my face, my Chopard sunglasses in place, hiding the fact that my eyes are firmly staring at Luna’s tanned thighs. She’s gained back all the weight she lost after the accident, and I want nothing more than to sink my teeth into those perfectly plump stems of hers. Her and Reid are lying out on sun loungers, soaking up the spring sun. It’s rare for the weather to be this nice at this time of year in Alberta. Luna flings an arm over her head.
“I wish I was produce.”
Reid barks a laugh. “What does that mean?”
She grins at him. “I just want to lie here all day and have someone mist me like produce at the grocery store.”
I immediately stand and make a move for the hose but she spots me and squawks, “Don’t you dare, Julian Stillwell!”
I walk over to her and drop my hands down on the armrests so I’m leaning right over her and taunt, “Or what? What are you going to do about it, Cin?”
She sucks in a breath as her green eyes track to my mouth and then down over my bare chest and abs. Fuck, finally. She’s got heat in that stare, and it’s the first time she’s shown a clear sexual interest in any of us that I’ve seen. I think she’s ready for the next step. I know I fucking am.
“I won’t give you your birthday present.”
I pull back sharply. “Birthday present? My birthday isn’t until the end of summer.”
She shrugs one creamy shoulder, making the black strap of her bikini top slip slightly. I bite down on my lip, wanting to chase it with my tongue. Luna wiggles out from underneath me and bounds up the steps into the house. I give a stern warning to my dick to settle down and look over at Reid. He’s watching the door she disappeared through with longing. Fuck, we’re all ready to move to the next step with Luna. I just need to get Gage and Torrin on the same page.
Luna comes back out with an envelope in her hands. She holds it out to me but just as I reach for it, she snatches it back with a laugh and hands it to Reid instead.
“It’s for both your birthdays, actually. Reid’s is next month, so you both get it early.”
“Oh! Luna, you didn’t have to do this!”
I take the envelope from him and pull out two passes to a three-day music festival being held in Vancouver next weekend. Both Reid and I really wanted to go to this last year, but it fell on the anniversary of her family’s death. There was no way we were going to leave her for that day. This year, the last day of the festival lands on the anniversary again, though, so I start shaking my head and hit her with a look.
“No. I mean, thank you, Cin, but no. We will be here for you on that day.”
A soft smile tugs at her lips, and she tucks herself under my arm. “Not taking no for an answer, Jules. Gage will be here. Also,Gigi and I are going to have dinner together for the anniversary.” She sighs and looks up at me with a steady gaze. “I’m good, Jules. I promise. We have to keep taking these steps to move forward. I knew the date of the festival when I bought the tickets for you guys. This is good. I really want you both to go. It’ll make me happy to know you are there having a blast.” She looks down at Reid, who has moved to the end of his lounger and taken her hand. “There has to be a shift in this journey and I’m ready for it now. I’ll always miss them, but this year I’m ready to celebrate them instead of grieve for them. So go and celebrate for me, please?”
Fuck, this girl. I turn into her and lift my hand to cup her cheek, my thumb strokes over the delicate skin under her ear. I show her with my eyes what I don’t think she’s quite ready to hear yet but the words come out anyway, my voice low and gruff.
“Come with us. Be with us, Cin.”
Her fingers on my chest press a little harder, her tongue darts out to lick at her bottom lip. Those green eyes of hers drop down to Reid, who looks up at her with utter devotion and then… she steps back.
Her voice is a little choked when she whispers, “N-not… yet.” She looks between both of us and then steps back further, turns, and goes back into the house.
I watch her go and then turn to Reid and nod. “Not yet. But not a no.”
He sighs but smiles at me a little. “Not a no.”
I flop down on the lounger that is still warm from her body and take a deep breath of the lilac scent she left behind. Not yet…I’ll take that…for now.
Part Three – In the Now
Chapter 32 - Gage
I tip my head back and zone out from the noise around me at the Edmonton airport as I wait for my next flight. I’ve been on this rotation for eight months, and as much as I love the big paychecks, I fucking hate being away from Luna. Especially at times like this. I’m really starting to consider looking closer to home for a different job. Thankfully, being a heavy-duty mechanic is in demand pretty much anywhere in the province these days. I might take a hit to my hourly rate by losing the isolation pay, but it would be worth it to be home all the time.
Luna saying she’s ready to start dating makes me want to be home even more because if she’s going to date anyone, it will be me. I’ve been in love with my best friend’s little sister since she was sixteen. She wrapped her little fingers around my heart and hasn’t let go since. Of course, I never acted on it. For one, I’m two years older than her and two, she’s Atlas’s little sister. Both of those issues meant she was strictly out of bounds. But things are different now. She's twenty-one, so the fact that I'm a couple years older doesn't matter anymore. I miss Atlas and I still thinkabout him every day, but I’m positive he’d give me his blessing to be with her, keep her safe and loved. The only resistance I might face is from the other guys, who I know damn well are also in love with her. I love all of them like brothers, but I love Luna more, and I think she’s finally ready to know that. This whole harem thing is a nonstarter for me. That might work in her romance books but not in the real world. No, Luna’s going to choose me, I’m sure of it.
The agent for the private terminal I'm flying out of motions to me that the plane is ready, so I heave my duffel bag up over my shoulder and make my way out the doors to the tarmac and the stairs of the private jet owned by the mining company I work for. I fucking hate flying in this tin can of a plane, but the airstrip at the mine is too small for bigger planes.
