Laurel waved her hands at Nolan’s ripped abs and that alluring V that vanished beneath the waistband of his shorts. She didn’t blame Jace for dipping his hand inside and copping a feel of the prominent bulge the thin cotton couldn’t disguise when he was working out, which he spent a significant portion of each day doing.
“I could see where that could get frustrating.” Devra grinned. “Believe it or not, you and I have some things in common. Did you know Trevon and I were married before we met Quinn, but we, uh, didn’t consummate our vows until after he came into the picture?”
“Seriously?” Laurel leaned forward. “You three seem so perfect together, and Trevon adores you.”
“Sometimes it takes the right combination to unlock the bullshit we’re carrying around that’s holding us back. And no one would blame you at all for having more than the usual share of that.” Devra smiled kindly.
Which reminded Laurel… She looked to Kennedy. “Nolan mentioned that there’s counseling available through the Shields for agents and informants.”
She cleared her throat, wondering if it had been a mistake to ask for help, but Kennedy bridged what could have been an awkward gap and drew out her phone without question.
“Girl, yeah. I put info about it in the pile of papers that went into your onboarding packet. I should have circled back to make sure you’d read through it. I’m sending you a link to the mental health site right now. Your username and password are in the behavioral health folder. Dig it up, log in, read the therapists’ bios and pick someone you think could help. You can set up a meeting to get to know them, and if it’s a good fit, Jordan’s insurance will take care of the rest. Anything you need, we’ll make sure you have it.” Kennedy looked up at Wren, who smiled sadly.
“Jordan and I lost someone very special to us. It wrecked us for a long time and we only recently found each other again.” Wren lowered her voice. “Learn from our mistakes. Get help and work through your issues, so you can figure out what you really want before you miss out on what could be the best thing in your life.”
“Are you implying I should hook up with Jace?”
“Fuck yes.” Devon was first to say it, but the rest of the women nodded. “It’s obvious you two belong together.”
“What if he’s not the only guy I’m interested in?” Laurel scanned the room waiting to see what the women’s reaction would be. All of them were grinning and Nolan looked like he might pass out from holding his breath.
“If you’re expecting one of us to tell you that it’s wrong to want two men for yourself, you’ll be waiting until your pussy dries up and falls off. Go ahead, be a greedy bitch.” Devon didn’t mess around. Laurel could see why James adored her. “I never imagined this is how my life would turn out, but being spoiled by my two guys and the rest of their friends—not only in bed but through all of life’s ups and downs—yeah, it’s the best thing I have going.”
Laurel snorted at Devon’s irreverence, but she was touched too. Something in her unfurled, and she peeked at Nolan’s reaction out of the corner of her eye.
He held his hand out to her. “Maybe we should go check in on Jace?”
It certainly didn’t make her like him any less when he thought of her best friend at least as much as he was considering the ramifications for himself or even her.
“Don’t let him off easy,” Sola advised. “Insist that he gives you an orgasm, or three, for every day he left you in limbo, wondering if he really cared as much as you hoped. You earned them.”
It sounded to her like Aarav’s stony unwillingness to admit to the attraction between him and Sola was causing some damage of its own. Laurel decided Nolan, with all his cringe-worthy remarks and good-natured ribbing, had only been trying to help his friends. That also didn’t make her like him any less, damn it.
Maybe if Laurel could figure out her own damn sex life, she could team up with Nolan to play matchmaker for the rest of the Shields. Nowthatsounded like fun.
And so did the rest of the afternoon, if they could bring Jace around to this fantasy they must both be dreaming about after the seeds the Powertools, Hot Rides, and Shields ladies had planted in her mind. Could their reality become her life, too?
Suddenly, she wanted to find out. No more stalling.
Laurel shot to her feet and snatched Nolan’s hand. She tugged him toward the door, or tried, anyway. At the last second he hesitated, looking back at Wren, which jolted her to a halt.
“Hurry up before I chicken out,” she hissed at him.
“Will Jordan care? I mean, I’m willing to lose my job over this…but I hope I won’t have to.” Nolan confided in his boss’s wife.
Laurel sucked in a breath. She hadn’t even considered the possible ramifications for him.
Wren grimaced. “I’ll talk to him. I can’t make you any promises, but he knows what it’s like to be where you are and clearly, you’re the kind of man who will only do what Laurel and Jace want. He asked you to take care of them, and I don’t think anyone could argue that you’re not.”
Laurel nodded. “I think we needed you to make this happen. So…if it’s not going to ruin your life…can we get on with it?”
“How about this?” Sola volunteered. “I’ll cover you guys. Go take care of whatever you need to, off the clock. I’ll check in with James and let him know I’m staying to keep an eye on the place until you tell me you’re ready to go back on shift. Take your time. I was planning on hanging out here for the rest of the day anyway.”
Nolan extended his arm, his palm perpendicular to the floor. “I owe you.”
“Big time.” Sola hopped to high-five him with a resounding crack. “Now get the hell out of here.”
Laurel felt giddy, and also slightly sick, as her fingers entwined with Nolan’s and they jogged back to the house they shared and the man waiting for them both inside.