I bit my lip to stifle the moan as one after another, the guys came down the stairs and stepped into the kitchen.
Th
ey were like a well-oiled machine, getting out ingredients, plates, drinks and fruit.
I hung back and watched, my mind instantly thinking about how well they’d work on me if given half a chance.
I barely stifled the giggle that rose at the thought and Dexter turned to watch me.
“What shall we do today, beautiful?”
Ah. This was where it was going to get sticky.
“Don’t you guys have work today?”
Dexter grinned. “Yeah, tons. But that can wait.”
“Um…” I had to say it. “I’d like to go home after breakfast, please.”
All three men stopped stirring, pouring and generally working, to turn around and look at me.
Dexter cleared his throat. “Claire… I know the bears scared you last night, but you don’t need to leave straight away.”
“Yes. I do. I need to get home. Make sure they haven’t put out a missing persons’ report on me. Little River is only an hour away. You said you’d take me home today, if I asked.”
And that was the cruncher for me. They’d promised.
I had to know I had a choice to be here with these men. We’d started this bizarre relationship with them pretty much kidnapping me. It couldn’t continue to be so one-sided.
“True… I just didn’t think you’d want to go home so soon. We could spend the day together…”
Dexter’s tone was suggestive and despite my stomach quivering at the idea of what would happen if I stayed, I put both my hands up and pulled my big-girl panties up.
So to speak.
“No. I have a job and a life to get back to, not to mention your father, who I’d like to check up on. So please, after breakfast I’d like you all to take me back. Come see my apartment, my life. If we’re going to make a go of this… relationship, you have to accept parts of my life too.”
It couldn’t all be one way. They couldn’t just move me into their home and forget the rest of my life existed.
It wasn’t fair, and I deserved a choice.
The three men all looked at each other, confusion plain on their faces.
Eventually Jay spoke. “Okay, Claire. We’ll come back with you. Let’s just eat and then we’ll go.
I let myself relax. I’d won this round, and I could put some distance between us so I could think.
Which was impossible when I was around these guys.
They were too sexy, too sweet, too intoxicating.
So, we ate pancakes and cuddled, then bundled into the truck and headed back to the city. Back to my life.
The drive was awkward, and despite Jay chattering away, trying to break the tension, no one seemed to know what to talk about.
When we hit the city outskirts, I began directing them to my apartment.
“Left here, and then you can park in front of the apartment block.”