I finally find it, dangling from the bedpost like some kind of victory flag, and I have to bite back a laugh.
My underwear takes longer to locate. I’m on my hands and knees searching under the bed when I spot them tangled in the sheets that got kicked to the floor, instead of being near my jeans.
My phone and keys are on the nightstand on Mason’s side, and I have to reach over him carefully to grab them.
He shifts slightly, making a soft sound, and I freeze again.
His face is so close to mine. Those lips that kissed me senseless last night are right there. I could lean down and kiss him awake. Could slide back into bed and let this morning unfold however it wants.
But I don’t.
I grab my things and back away slowly.
As I’m pulling on my jeans as quietly as possible, I keep glancing at them, and memories from last night flood back with visceral intensity.
Mason’s hands on my hips, gripping hard enough to leave marks. The way he pushed inside me for the first time, like I was everything he’d been searching for.
Dylan’s mouth on me, devastating and thorough. The way he grinned up at me right before making me come so hard I saw stars.
And the pull to crawl back between them right now is so strong it’s making my hands shake. Except, I finish dressing in silence, drawing on my bra, crop top, and boots, shoving my underwear into my pocket because I don’t have time to put them on properly.
I quickly switch my phone to silent mode, just in case, before checking existing messages from last night.
Nina:Went home with Oliver. Don’t wait up!
There’s a second message with a photo attached. Oliver, shirtless, with dark hair and a gorgeous smile, clearly taken from Nina’s perspective while lying in bed with him.
Nina:This is mine tonight. Tell me you had fun too!
I glance up at Mason and Dylan, still sleeping peacefully, and I can’t help it.
They’re so handsome it hurts. Mason’s profile in the early morning light filtering through the curtains, all strong jaw and soft lips. Dylan’s muscled back, those tattoos I traced with my tongue, the way his hair falls across his face.
God, they’re beautiful.
I shouldn’t do this. I know I shouldn’t.
But I lift my phone and snap a quick photo of them sleeping, tangled together, peaceful and perfect.
Then I send it to Nina before I can talk myself out of it.
Me:This was my night.
As soon as I press Send, panic floods me. God, I shouldn’t have done that. What if someone sees? What if this somehow gets back to them?
But it’s too late now.
I shove my phone into my pocket and head for the door, moving as quietly as possible.
The door closes behind me with the softest click, and I’m standing in the hallway, my heart pounding. Okay. Made it this far, now I just need to get out of the house without waking anyone else.
Specifically without waking Slater, or maybe he’s already awake because he seems like the type who gets up at the crack of dawn to do something productive and Alpha-ish.
Deep breaths. He doesn’t know I’m Ash. And he’s probably already gone to work anyway. It’s almost dawn. He’s probably been at the harbor for an hour already.
My heart is thundering against my rib cage as I sneak down the hallway.
The house is even more impressive in daylight. Everything is modern and expensive-looking. High-end furniture, art on the walls, but it’s also lived-in. Comfortable. There are books stacked on the coffee table, a guitar propped in the corner, coats hanging by the door.
