After a movie, followed by a lot of arguing about the sleeping arrangements last night, Jace and I had taken my bed while Olivia slept on the couch. It had taken twenty minutes for her to get us to agree to sleep in the bed. She was right that there were two of us and only one of her, and apparently, Olivia was stubborn as hell. Jace and I had finally stopped arguing with her, but it had nothing to do with the fact that we agreed with her and everything to do with how cute she was when she put her foot down.
Jace and I had fallen asleep with my head on his chest. Spending our first night together, just sleeping, might have been more intimate than anything we’d done thus far. I ran my fingers over his lion tattoo as I waited for his response.
“Yes, but it’s temporary,” he said.
“What’s with you two?” I asked. “You claim you’re friends but you also said you were in love with her. Now you’re pretending to date because she accidently told her mom that you were dating?”
“I know it sounds complicated, but it’s really not,” Jace said.
“Uh, yes, it is,” I said with a laugh. “You’re basically my daughter’s father. Kaylee asked you to the father-daughter dance yesterday and if you think Olivia doesn’t have feelings for you too, then you have not been paying enough attention to the way she looks at you, because it was all over her face yesterday. In your office and here.”
“What are you trying to get at? You know how I feel about her.”
I rolled to face him. “I do, and I’m wondering if you plan to tell her.”
“I’m confused.” Jace furrowed his brow. “Do youwantme to tell her?”
“I’m just not sure either of you are fooling anyone, including yourselves, by withholding your feelings.”
“I’m falling in love with you, Kayden,” Jace said with a sigh.
I smiled and my chest expanded at his ability to say that so directly. “Which I’m thrilled about since I feel the same way about you. You’re also in love with Olivia.”
“I can’t tell if you’re okay with me doing this for her,” Jace said turning to face me. “If it’s going to hurt you then I’ll talk to her and find a way to help that you’re more comfortable with. I don’t want to hurt either of you.”
“I’m not hurt. I’m okay with you pretending to date her. I’m also okay with you having feelings for her,” I said, running a hand through my hair and tugging as I tried to voice something floating around in my head that I wasn’t sure made all that much sense. “I don’t know how to explain this, but I see how much you care about her, and I think asking you not to would only rob you of something that makes you whole. I’ll never do that. I think watching the way you care about her makes me like youmore. Olivia made a big impact on my life, Jace. I like that she and Kaylee found their way to you, of all people. I would never want either of you to lose each other because of me.”
Jace rubbed my back and gazed down at me. “I’m committed to you, Kayd. I’m crazy about you.”
“I know,” I said giving him a gentle kiss. “You’re also committed to her and I’m trying to tell you that it’s okay.”
“I want to be in a relationship with you,” Jace said. “Do you want that?”
“Yes,” I said, stroking his cheek. “I’m going to need you to be patient with the coming out part, but I will come out, even to my asshole father. Maybe we can start small? Like hold hands in public, meet your moms, maybe go to dinner?”
“Of course, Kayd. I’ll do this however you want.”
I chuckled and my heart swelled at his patience and his reassurances. His feelings for Olivia and me and the pain he’d felt as a result of keeping our secrets had been all over his face for the last twenty-four hours. He was like a loyal puppy who would claim us as his own and never let go. Doubting how he felt about me was something even my anxiety-riddled mind wouldn’t be able to do with the way he wore his heart on his sleeve for me.
“I’m not ready to change anything with Liv right now,” Jace said. “I don’t think she’s ready either.”
“Okay,” I said. “But when you are, we’ll figure it out. I won’t ask you to choose between us. I have a great deal of affection for her, Jace. I don’t want her to get hurt either.”
I had no idea how we’d navigate this, but I was not losing Jace and asking him not to love Olivia wasn’t realistic. Plus, I genuinely liked that they had each other.Two people I care about have found each other, why would I ever take that from either of them?
I ran my hand down his abs and skimmed the waist band of his briefs. “Now let me take care of the erection you keep stabbing me with.”
He chuckled. “Look, Olivia’s not stupid, and I’ve all but confirmed we’re together based on my stress last night alone. But if you touch me right now, we will confirm our relationship status beyond a shadow of a doubt.”
I kissed his chest and slowly slid down the bed, pushing him onto his back. I settled between his legs. “Then I guess this is our first small step in coming out as a couple. It’ll be nice not to have to hide why I need extra time for our meetings since you can’t keep your hands to yourself during them.”
I kissed him through his boxer briefs, and he sighed contentedly.
I squeezed his hips and met his eyes again. “Jace, I never want you to keep anything from Olivia because of me again. You can tell her anything about us. I trust you.”
Jace grinned at me. “Thank you, but I’m not going to have to tell her anything because she’s going to hear us herself.”
“Wrong,” I said as I pulled his dick out and flicked my tongue over his piercing. His eyes rolled backward, and he moaned softly. “She’s going to hearyou. And I think, deep down, you want her to. For all youknow, this could be the push you both need to shake things up and be honest with each other.”
