Because now that he knew how great sex, and life in general, could be with both of these people, he refused to settle for less ever again. The climax that rushed through him lingered, wringing every last bit of energy from his muscles until he sagged with the ultimate relief.
It took a while for them to recover from the initial shockwave of their combined passion. But eventually Liam lowered Ruby to Ace’s chest, his legs now sprawled on the bed. She curled up on top of him making happy hums and sighs. Ace kissed her forehead as Liam set him free.
He didn’t actually like that part so much except that his arm was starting to ache a bit.
Liam ran his hand over the area that had been shattered, easing the kinks around his elbow. He rubbed it like Kennedy had demonstrated in their physical therapy sessions. “Want your ice pack? Or your brace?”
Ace never wanted to wear that fucking thing again. When he had it on, it was a constant reminder to them all of what had happened. But he would if he needed to. “Thanks, but it’s okay for now.”
Liam drew a deep breath. “Good. I’m going to go get some washcloths and a different blanket for the bed. Take care of Ruby for me while I’m gone, huh?”
Ace nodded, hugging her tight now that he had use of his arms. She shifted, settling more comfortably against him, her lips brushing the column of his neck. He ran his hands over all of her, from her shoulders down her arms, straightening her hair, caressing her back and ass. He wasn’t sure he’d ever met someone who liked to cuddle as much as he did until her.
“Doing okay?” he murmured, kissing her temple.
“Perfect.” She smiled up at him. “It was better than I pictured. Way hotter and…so satisfying. I don’t want to leave this bed for the next year at least.”
She frowned then and he smoothed the lines from between her brows. “What?”
“It’s not over. I have to stop those guys.” When she shifted, he held her close, selfishly not ready for their intermission from danger to be finished.
“JRad will know if the signal from that drive comes in, yeah?” Damn, she was smart, and adorable, and sexy all in one.
She nodded.
“Then stay. Rest. Be ready for when the team needs you.” He didn’t say what they both were probably thinking. For when he and Liam needed to go back in the field. And for the time when he would correct the mistake he’d made previously. Hesitation was a thing of the past.
Liam returned then, looking ridiculous draped in a clean comforter that bundled up several of Ruby’s plushies and pillows, holding a fistful of washcloths and balancing a tray of drinks and sandwiches in his other arm. He was trying, Ace would give the man that.
Ruby laughed and rolled away to assist. They cleaned up, changed the covers, then climbed back into bed for a picnic together before everything that had transpired that day hit them hard. They probably should have talked about what they’d just done and what it meant that they were about to fall asleep in Liam’s bed. But they didn’t. It was enough to simply be there, together, for that moment.
And when Liam started snoring softly from where he’d passed out, clearly on his own side of the bed while Ace and Ruby were tangled together in the middle, she peeked up at him from beneath partially lowered lashes.
“Ace?” she whispered.
“Yeah?” He hugged her and her stuffed poop emoji.
“I get it now.” She looked away quickly. “Why you held off. I thought it was the worst not knowing if you guys were into me like I wanted you, but now that I know you are, it’s scarier thinking he might not plan to ever do more about it than fucking us and pretending like today was only about a bunch of orgasms…even if they were the best ones of my life.”
Ace wove his fingers through hers and held her hand tight. He anchored her against his side and promised with his touches and his lazy gaze that he wasn’t going anywhere. “Look, I can’t speak for him, but you don’t have to worry about me, okay?”
She hesitated, then gave a small nod.
“I have feelings for you, Ruby.” He kissed her, without any hurry at all. “I wouldn’t have slept with you if I didn’t. I’ve always thought you were cute, but it wouldn’t be worth the mess—to our careers and our lives here at Shields—if I didn’t want more than a convenient fuck every once in a while.”
“I’ve never been so happy to be a hot mess in my life.” She snorted against his shoulder.
“That’s not what—”
“I know what you meant.” She put one finger over his lips before kissing him. “And I feel the same. I…uh…care about you too, Ace. A lot.”
She ducked her head then, and he wondered if she could hear his heart racing. She’d given him something Liam never had and maybe never would. Maybe couldn’t.
With that, she relaxed against him.
They drifted off together with Liam at least in arms’ reach instead of in an entirely different bedroom. It was progress even if it wasn’t as much as Ace would have liked.
He tried his best not to be too greedy, especially after he’d been so spoiled.