“Are you dating them?” Sophie asks.
“What about Lief! You and all your sexy weather talk?” Gunner butts in.
I can’t stop the smile. “Dating is a strong word.”
“Is it, um, legal to treat them while fucking them?” Sophie asks.
“It’s not ethical. I could probably lose my license if anyone found out, but I feel like I’m really helping them make progress. Not that they’d give me a choice. I think if I did get fired, they’d just insist on house calls.”
“Yeah, they’re a little spoiled,” Gunner grumbles.
“You’re one to talk, Gunner,” I tease.
“Sure, Val. Because they’re not spoiling you or anything,” He says.
I pick at my desk again. “Sure they are.”
Sophie grumbles something about girl talk. She finally sighs. “It’s kind of funny. Reminds me of when I started with the guys. I swear it was impossible for them to leave me alone. They always wanted to be close.”
“How do you do it? I’m just one person!” I groan, temporarily ignoring the larger issues.
“That’s what group dates and fun are all about.”
“And the jealousy?” I push.
Sophie’s quiet for a moment. “We talked through that and all of us made some concessions. But your situation is a little different.”
“Yeah, you don’t have to tell me.” I sigh. “I tried to end things, but they keep finding ways to get back in my life and I’m so damn weak. I can’t help it with how sexy they are, how much they want me to be happy. But now one is jealous of the other two and somehow that’s gotten me to agree to a date.”
“Well just think about what you want.”
“Sophie, that’s not how I work. I’m a need driven person. I approach things logically. I like being able to reason things out,” I explain to her. “But whenever I even look at them, let alone touch them, it’s like all the logic is just gone. It’s just want.”
“I get that entirely. You think Iwantedto fall for my dad’s best friends? That I started out wanting four guys? Or that I wanted to do anything but work at the company? But once I was with them, I wanted them despite all the logic and consequences.”
“Why?”
“Affection, lust … love it’s not logical, Valerie. Think about what youwantright now. You have what youneed.”
I sigh and nod. “Yeah. You’re right.”
My eyes flick back to the telescope. It moves slightly and I wave. “I should go. I have homework to get through.”
“I love you and you can visit whenever you want,” She insists.
“Thank you. I love you too. Tell Gunner to focus on you and not my sex life.”
She laughs. “Yeah. Well, if I’m not in labor by tomorrow, we’re inducing, so your godson will appear soon.”
“You’re going to trust me with a baby?”
“Are you kidding? I’ll be lucky if my baby learns from you!” She squeals. “I love you. Bye!”
I hang up and see a text from Chase saying he stopped all the stories. I thank him, then lean back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
I want these three guys, but my logic and self-preservation are screaming at me. Condemning me. Plus, we are in an ethics no-no area. I could lose my career and my license to practice if anyone finds out I’m screwing two clients.
Brothers.