“Demi,” Hayes replies smoothly, pulling apart from Raegan and closing the distance between us. He cups my chin and sweeps his thumb gently across my cheek. The sweet gesture has my mouth falling open with a quiet release of my breath as goosebumps erupt across my skin. Christ this man’s touch sends me into outer space. “We don’t justneedyou. Wewantyou.”
My eyes bounce between them, unsure of exactly how I’m supposed to respond to their admission. “Both of you?”
“Yeah. Both of us. We both want to be in a relationship with you because webothlove you. And we think we can make it work with all three of us.”
I turn my gaze upward to meet his. He’s holding his breath, waiting for my answer. “But… I thought we were just friends.” I realize we’ve done things that are very muchnotfriendly, but we agreed. And he never made me think he felt different.
“And you thought you were a lesbian, yet here we are,” he retorts with just a little more snark than necessary. He pulls my body into his, jolting my feet from under me and giving me no choice but to fall and let him catch me. “Babygirl, I want you. In fact, I’m pretty sure I fell for you the moment I caught you eye fucking me in the men’s room at the hotel. I was just too chicken shit to say anything about it because I didn’t think you wanted me back.”
Raegan steps toward us, placing her hand gently at the small of my back. “Tell him how fucking bananas he is, Demetria. Anyone with eyes can see how you both feel about each other.”
“She’s right,” I mutter softly, looking back and forth between them. “I’ve been in love with you for a while. Both of you, actually. It’s why I had to leave. So you could figure out you still love each other without me interfering.”
“Well, if you’ll have us both, there will be no more of that,” Hayes states firmly. “Will you come home with us and give this a try?”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” they say in unison. I’m going to have to get used to that.
I nod and Hayes squeezes me tightly. “I’ll have to text CeCe and let her know I’m coming back.”
“Nope. You’ll stay with me and the only acceptable response is ‘yes, Sir’,” Hayes instructs.
I blink a few times and he quirks a brow, waiting for my words to come. “Yes, Sir.”
“Atta girl.”
“What do I tell people? You two are married and I’m… not.” The reality of that specific situation sucks. I know they won’t mean to, but I’m suddenly worried about being a third wheel in their marriage.
“Oh, we’re not married,” Raegan cuts in. My head swings in her direction, becausewhat?
I make a feeble attempt to speak, but no words come out.
“Do you want to tell her or should I?” she asks Hayes with a smile–of all things–plastered on her face.
“Go ahead, Angel.”
“We signed the papers. Aside from the fact that it somehow makes his land deal easier, we agreed that doing thiswith youmeant we needed a fresh start.All of us.”
“We don’t want you to feel like you’re less important to either of us,” Hayes cuts in and my eyes move to meet his again. “This way, we’re all on even footing. Besides, she and I have a lot of time to make up for and you and I have some catching up to do as well. Then there’s the two of you–”
Raegan reaches up to direct my face back to her with her hand firmly on my chin. “I was in a worse place emotionally than I realized when we were together and I plan on showing you exactly how much I regret not giving you all of me.”
Tears fill my eyelids and this time, I don’t bother stopping them. “You don’t have to get divorced. It’s okay.”
“It’s done, Babygirl. We filed the paperwork yesterday, on the way to the airport. I’m meeting with the seller of the back lot next week to finalize the purchase. It’s all done. Now we just need you. You’re the missing piece.”
They really want me.
They love me?
“Yes, Demetria. We really love you.”
“We really fucking do,” Hayes agrees.
“I love you, too. Both of you.”
37
