~ 39 ~
PEYTON
The house was different at night. It was quiet. Peaceful. Introspective. The geothermically-heated floors imparted a soothing warmth that radiated upward and outward, as well as felt amazing on my bare feet.
Just outside, the blasted, volcanic landscape stretched for countless miles. The giant glass walls made the whole place feel like a reverse snow globe; one with me safely tucked away at its center, and the snow blowing wildly around me in a silent, ever-shifting circle.
I padded from the kitchen into the living room, cradling a steaming mug of coffee in both hands. The couch was soft, for something so modern. It hugged my body cozily as I sank into it, then kicked my feet up and pulled a blanket over myself.
“Yeah, I could get used to this.”
I sipped my coffee, which was better than coffee had any right to be. The water here was fantastic. Everything tasted crisp and clean and filtered by minerals that were either delicious, or magical, or both.
It felt impossible that only a few days ago I was on a beach in Belize, running full-tilt from gun-toting mercenaries. Or that a few weeks before that, I was sprinting down the aisle in a Nantucket church, in shoes I absolutely hated, from a fiancé I hated even more.
But Belize was all heat and sweat and conflicting thoughts.
Iceland feels like…
Clarity?
I stared out at the blowing, churning snow. Somewhere in the glass I caught a glimpse of my reflection. I could barely recognize the woman on the couch, staring back at me.
“Alright, fine. Let’s talk about it.”
The woman in the glass returned my nod. Apparently, she was going to be a good listener.
“You’ve fallen in love with three different men.”
That part was obvious. Far less obvious however, was what the fuck to do about it.
“And apparently,” I sighed, “they’re all in love with you.”
That part made me fuzzy inside. Even more than the god-coffee.
My thoughts shifted to Ripley. Falling for him made perfect sense, especially since I’d touched his balls first. Ripley was raw heat and pure chaos, with an inner fire that burned with near-frightening intensity. I had an irrepressible desire to smooth down his rough edges. I wanted to forge his iron will into something I could love forever, even if I had to quench that fire between my trembling thighs.
Theo, on the other hand, was dangerous in a completely different way. His sharp, calculating mind turned me on in ways I wasn’t familiar with, but loved just the same. In all my hookups and dating debacles, I’d never met a man more perfectly suited to conquer the world with me. And though I’d never let myself fall for someone like him before, I’d never truly had anyone who cared for me as quickly and deeply as Theo did.
Also… the man’s dick was borderline unfair.
That left Colson, chiseled from a mountain of confidence, more steady than the rest of us, combined. He had the granite shoulders to lean on, and a calm, quiet demeanor that could drain the panic from even the craziest shitstorm. Colson was loyal. Loving. Pure in thought, and precise in action. But he was broken, too — whether he realized it or not — and I had the urge to fix him in the worst possible way. I wanted to wrap myself around his tortured soul, and force him to realize he could love me forever. But more than any of that, I wanted to make him feel as safe in my arms as I felt in his.
“Three guys… and all of them are exactly what you’ve been looking for.” Slowly, I shook my head. “Congratulations, Peyton. You’ve officially become the emotional equivalent of a logistical nightmare.”
Outside, the blowing snow had picked up speed. For some reason it made me feel even cozier, and more at peace. I was in a warm house, against a frozen landscape. Safe from Donovan. Safe from everyone who would harm me, at least for now.
“Hey…” a voice called from the hallway.
Colson’s greeting was merely a courtesy, so as not to startle me. He could move like a ninja, if he wanted to.
He entered the room barefoot and barely dressed,scratching the back of his neck.
“Were you talking to someone?”
I chuckled into my mug and pointed. “That woman there. The one in the glass.”
He followed my gaze, curiously. “Oh. Her?”
