I rub Valerie’s back and smile at her messy, tangled hair. We definitely gave her a good night.
“Good morning, baby doll.”
She swallows and looks up at me slowly. “It’s too early.”
“Did we finally satisfy you?” I ask, then braid my fingers through hers.
“Mmhmm.” She adjusts against me, then kisses my neck. “It was so good. So intense. I love how rough you are with me sometimes.”
“Yeah?”
She nods. “I love that I can trust you to be that rough, all of you because I know you won’t hurt me.”
“We would never hurt you.” I roll and cup her face between my hands. “Valerie, we love you. Do you know how dangerous that is for us? How dangerous it is for you?”
She gives me a sleepy smile. “I don’t care about it being dangerous. I love you all. I love you so much.”
“Baby doll.”
“I do, Chase.” She rubs through my hair. “I love you so much. Sometimes I kick myself for not calling you after Sophie’s wedding. We could have had so much more time together.”
“We’re going to have plenty of time. I want forever, Valerie.”
She rubs my cheeks. “Forever sounds nice. Lief said that too.”
“All three of us want you forever, baby doll.” I lie back on my side. “The way you make us feel ... me feel.”
She pulls me close again. “You make me feel safe and powerful and ... seen. Like I’m not some mistake or just fun to have around. Like I’m not too sassy or too much. Like I’m just right.”
I smile and brush her hair from her face. “That’s how I feel. You’re fucking wonderful. A treat. And every day that I get to have you in my life ... it makes me want to be a better man, to consider different things. To ... to deserve you.”
“You already deserve me.” She sighs. “All of you do. You don’t have toworkto earn me, baby boy. I’m yours.”
I don’t have a damn thing to say to that either. I love her. I love her so much and hearing that. I close my eyes and exhale shakily. It shouldn’t be this easy for me to fall for her. That a few words do the job.
But knowing Valerie, those few words are all I need. She doesn’t say things to pad our egos. She doesn’t have an angle she’s working to get on our good side. She doesn’t want the money or the power. She just wants us. Us in her life as she builds it into what she envisions.
We get through a shower, but after, when she pulls on a huge burnt-orange sweater and black socks that seem to match the changing leaves, I pull her into my arms, facing away from me.
“Baby doll, we talk a lot about the past ... you and me.”
“Yes.” She looks back at me.
“But what about the future?” I ask. “What about the future?”
“What does your happiest future look like?”
She pauses, then leans back against me. “I’m a practicing doctor working at a clinic. When my shift is done, I get to come home to my favorite three sexy men. To cuddle, have dinner with, and to love.”
“The white picket fence?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “But maybe a cat.”
“Isn’t Lief enough like a cat?”
She laughs. “Maybe.”
With that, we head downstairs to start our movie marathon. Valerie gets excited about the idea of kids trick-or-treating at our house and Lief fills a bowl with candy just for that. He cuddles up with Valerie after handing her a hot chocolate.