None.
On paper, the risks outweighed the benefits. But when River looked at Nova, I found myself holding my breath for her answer. “I want to try, but I’m not committing to anything. If it happens naturally, I’ll leave myself open to the idea. But I won’t cause issues between you guys, and I won’t risk Huey’s happiness, now or in the future.”
Rigby grinned at her, that shiny, happy smile that made girls throw their panties at him. “That's all I ask, Fireball.” He looked over at River, and I followed his gaze.
River looked pensive, which I understood. Sometimes, he was impetuous and didn’t think shit through, but he knew as well as I did that this had the potential to blow up in our faces if we thought with our dicks and not our heads.
But even knowing that, he nodded. “We’ll see where it goes.”
All eyes turned to me. The risks still outweighed the benefits. Even so, I found myself looking at Nova, her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted. “I’m in.”
We were already on this path. For better or worse, we’d have to see where it led.
ChapterTwenty-Three
NOVA
Despite the intensityof the decision last night, or perhaps because of it, we’d all gone quietly off to bed. River and Rigby had their first away games over the next few days, and would be gone for five days.
When I woke up the following morning at seven to give Huey his bottle, I went downstairs to catch them before they left for the airport. They were eating a breakfast filled with fruit and protein, while Devan was downing coffee like it was his very life force.
Rigby smiled at me as I stepped into the kitchen, and it made my heart flip-flop. “Morning, Fireball. I’m glad you came down before we had to leave.” He stood and stretched, before swaggering toward me. When he reached my space, he leaned down and gave me the sweetest kiss I could ever imagine. It was gentle, yet somehow, I felt it all the way down to my toes. Pulling back, he grinned and then looked down at Huey. “Morning, little man!” He kissed his chubby little cheek. Someone's alarm went off, and he sighed. “I knew I should have come and woken you up the proper way. Now I won’t see you for five whole days, and I’ll forget what you taste like,” he said with sad puppy dog eyes.
I was pretty sure he didn’t mean my lips.
River rose, putting his plate in the sink for the maid service. I still kind of hated that there was a maid service, but it wasn’t like I enjoyed doing the dishes, especially not when the guys ate ten times a day, so I let it go.
He whacked Rigby on the back of the head. “Don’t be such a simp,” he growled, but still, he stopped in front of me.
Before he could kiss me, Devan was there, grabbing Huey. “If you’re going to debauch each other before breakfast, I’d rather my nephew wasn’t stuck between you.”
River flipped him the bird, but he was still looking down at me, his eyes holding mine. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he leaned down and kissed me. Hard. It was a kiss filled with need and self-denial. Pent-up lust. I kissed him back, parting my lips as his tongue pushed into my mouth. I moaned as he gripped my hips, pulling me close. As he bent me slightly backward, his huge hand on my back, I felt like I was being plundered.
When he finally stepped back, I was gasping. He just grinned down at me. “See you in five days.” It sounded like the most perverted promise I’d ever heard, and I unashamedly watched his ass as he walked away.
Moments later, both Rigby and River returned, duffle bags slung over their shoulders. They each gave me one last kiss on the cheek, and then they were gone. Pathetically, I kind of missed them already.
I looked up at Devan, because it seemed odd that it was just the two of us. He handed me a coffee sitting beside him, and after I’d taken the first sip, I realized it was made perfectly for me. He’d been paying attention. His left hand held a bottle at the right angle for Huey, who was in his bouncer on the countertop.
He watched me with those dark, assessing eyes that made me feel stripped bare. “What are your plans for the day?”
Swallowing down a gulp of coffee, I dragged my eyes from his face. “Checking in with my clients. Coming off hiatus. Tax season is coming up, and I’m behind already.”
He gave me a nod, but didn’t say anything. Shit, this was awkward. Was it always going to be this weird?
Kissing Rigby had seemed natural, and even though it had been a shock, kissing River had almost seemed inevitable. But Devan? It was hard to know what he was thinking. He kept his emotions close to his chest, and honestly, I’d been surprised as hell he agreed to Rigby’s plan last night.
The silence dragged on, and I sipped my coffee like this wasn’t weird. “What about you? Big plans for the day?”
“I have a board meeting until eleven, and then I’d like to take you for lunch. Huey, too.”
I chewed my lip, a nervous habit I’d picked up as a kid. Was it like a date? But we were taking the baby, so it probably wasn’t a date. Just two friends having lunch. I was overthinking it.
Devan reached out, his thumb coming to rest just below my bottom lip. He slid it out gently from between my teeth. “The only person who should be sucking on your bottom lip is me.” His husky voice sent shivers of need through my body. My lips parted as I sucked in air, my eyes running over his face, trying to decipher what he was thinking. His lips quirked in what could have been a smile. “Wear whatever you like. The place I’d like to take you is quite casual. I have to go or I’ll be late.”
He leaned forward and kissed my temple, handing me Huey’s bottle, and then he was gone too. I listened to the garage door open after a moment, and the low thrum of his car leaving.
Finally, I could breathe.Holy shit.I was wet, and all he’d done was kiss me on the temple. Devan felt like the kind of person who would burn you up and then you’d thank him for it as you lay in a puddle of melted remains.