“Well let’s finish this one perfectly together.” She bites my neck. “That’s the best way to finish with you, Viking.”
I twirl her under my arm and draw her back to me. I slide the cake into the oven, double-check the temperature and set a second timer so I can check the cake a little early.
“Lief, I miss dancing with you.” Valerie sighs. “I miss our sweet moments together. Can’t I steal you tomorrow or Sunday?”
“I might be able to do that.”
“We can find a place to take tango lessons or window shop, or I can pick your brain and call it homework.”
“Do I get rewarded for being a lab rat?” I give her my most lethal face.
“Of course you do. You get to use me for some ... anatomy studies.” She wiggles her ass at me.
It breaks me. I chuckle and pull her back against me before throwing her over my shoulder. We end up cuddled up on the couch watching a movie. Once the cake comes out, we let it rest, then Valerie insists on frosting it with me. She pours the frosting with me, laughs when it splashes on her, cleans me up, and leads me back to the couch.
As the movie ends, Chase realizes something and narrows his eyes at Valerie as she checks her phone.
“Is it that asshole who was eye fucking you at school?” Chase demands.
Hunter mutes the T.V. “What? Who?”
“No. It’s Elaine. Said asshole asked her to invite me to a party this weekend. She’s begging me to go so I can wingman for her and get her the guy, but he’s a player and she deserves better.” Valerie dismisses.
I take her phone and set it on the table behind me. She gapes. “Lief!”
I turn her to face Hunter’s jealous expression and Chase’s barely contained frustration. I feel her swallow. “It’s nothing. I love you three.Love. You. Don’t you remember how hard it was for me to say?”
“Yes,” Chase says. “But love and lust ....”
“I’d have to be actually insane to cheat on you three. I wouldn’t even be me. I’d be hypnotized, drugged, drunk, and suffering from some kind of concussion all at once.” She settles against me, leaning back. “I have three sexy men. Three amazing, dedicated men. There’s no way that I’m going to give it up.”
Hunter rubs her thigh, but Chase gets up. Valerie tries to go after him, but he holds out his hand. “I need a moment.”
“Chase, I’m not interested in anyone but you. I said that when you saw him.”
“I know.”
“You said you were mine tonight.”
“I just need a minute, Valerie.”
He storms upstairs, but I see her eyes follow him. Hunter takes his spot. “You’re sexy and your sass makes you five times hotter, dorogaya. I know men are going to fall over you.”
“I was pissy with him. He kept tapping his damn pen in class, asked me how a freshmen got into a senior class, and tried to figure out why he hadn’t seen me. He talked about me instead of to me. Ugh, it was all a mess.” She shakes her head, nearly hitting me with her bun.
“So you’re happy here?”
“If I wasn’t, I would be back in my apartment. I love living with you three. I love getting to have the men I love, the career I’m after, and all this excitement.” But she turns to look where Chase disappeared. “Is he going to be okay?”
“There is a lot riding on his shoulders right now and everyone wants answers,” I tell her.
She sighs softly. “Poor Chase. And he wants to take care of me too.”
“Luckily, you have three men qualified for that job.” Hunter wiggles his eyebrows at Valerie.
I tug her hair, letting it cascade down and she hums in her throat. While I brush my fingers through her hair the way she likes, Hunter rubs her feet. She moans softly. “How could I think about anyone else when I have you three? I’m always thinking about you.”
“You better not be.” Hunter swats her thigh. “Homework is important. Don’t you let us get on your mind during tests either. If you don’t get that doctorate degree, I don’t know what I’ll do with you.”